10/31/16 – Halloween

October 31, 2016October 31, 2016 Wm. Allen13 Comments

CURRENT EVENTS

Halloween

Best wishes for a fun and safe Halloween to all of you.

PLEASE CONSIDER COMMENTING

I always find comments so encouraging. If you enjoy this blog, please consider commenting. My thanks to Carol, Carolyn, Dan, for commenting on last week’s post.

PHYSICAL TRAITS

Honor Thy Temple

Folks, crash diets never work in the long-term, where small lifestyle changes will eventually pay off. You are more likely to keep the pounds off if you just lose a couple of pounds each week.

CHARACTER TRAITS

The Foundation for Being Extraordinary

Sometimes, when things are going bad we have to reexamine the decisions we have made and stop repeating those bad decisions.

SOCIAL TRAITS

Getting Along with Others

I don’t know about you folks, but my mouth has got me into so much trouble over the years. I could learn something from a cat.

LEARNING TRAITS

Growth Keeps You Extraordinary

I suspect each day we are missing opportunities to use our creative abilities. Perhaps, if we just slowed down a bit, we would see opportunity in even the most unlikely acts and situations.

MISCELLANEOUS

The Odds & Ends of Being Extraordinary

SELF-HELP BOOKS

Bram Stoker’s Dracula

A Graphic Novel

Illustrated By Matt Pagett

I know I have mentioned this extremely easy and fun to read graphic novel before, but since it is Halloween today, I thought why not mention it again.

And if you never read a graphic novel, give it a chance.

MOVIE OF THE WEEK

Dracula (1931)

They don’t make scary movies very often that are as good as the old ones. Take a look at the preview from the 1931 version of Dracula and let me know what you think.

MUSIC OF THE WEEK

Monster Mash

by Bobby Picket & The Crypt-Kickers

LAST WEEK’S POLL – How do you watch movies

44% – Stream

22% – Cable

22% – DVD

11% – Movie Theater

0% – VHS Tape

THIS WEEK’S POLL – Exercise

ART OF THE WEEK

Mona Lisa Posing

Mona Lisa Relaxing

EXTRAORDINARY PEOPLE

Hedy Lamarr

Hedy Lamarr (born 9 November 1914 – 19 January 2000) was an Austrian and American film actress and inventor.

After an early and brief film career in Germany, which included a controversial film Ecstasy (1933), she fled from her husband, a wealthy Austrian ammunition manufacturer and secretly moved to Paris. There, she met MGM head Louis B. Mayer, who offered her a movie contract in Hollywood, where she became a film star from the late 1930s to the 1950s.

At the beginning of World War II, Lamarr and composer George Antheil developed a radio guidance system for Allied torpedoes, which used spread spectrum and frequency hopping technology to defeat the threat of jamming by the Axis powers. Though the US Navy did not adopt the technology until the 1960s, the principles of their work are now incorporated into modern Wi-Fi, CDMA and Bluetooth technology, and this work led to their being inducted into the National Inventors Hall of Fame in 2014. (Source: Wikipedia)

THIS WEEK’S JOKE

BLOG

My thanks to Mirror and Soul & WanderLustSuperstars, who started following my blog (Currently 92 followers) and Maria, Ilene Sophia & Stephanie, who liked my Harmony Books & Films Facebook page (Currently 123 likes).

If you think this blog has any merit, please pass it on to your friends. Hopefully, more of you will continue to share this blog with others. My thanks to Carol, Debra, Joanne, Kelly, Kristie, Patricia, Shirley & Susan, for sharing my post last week on Facebook.

MY BOOK

If you enjoyed my book, why not say a couple of words about it in an Amazon evaluation.

My book is available on-line from Amazon, Barnes & Noble or Books-A-Million. The Kindle version of my book is $4.95.

http://www.amazon.com/Tired-Being-Ordinary-Are-You/dp/0990388697

http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/im-tired-of-being-ordinary-are-you-wm-allen/1120528064?ean=9780990388692

http://www.booksamillion.com/p/Im-Tired-Being-Ordinary/Wm-Allen/9780990388692?id=6429711012885

10/24/16 – How It Should Have Been

October 24, 2016 Wm. Allen6 Comments

CURRENT EVENTS

Last Presidential Debate

I wish the last presidential debate had been like this.

Thank you to Carol, Dan, Dean, Harmony, JoAnn, Lindsey, Ruth, Sue & Tania; who stopped by yesterday at Leon & Lulu’s Books & Authors Event, to say hello to me. I very much appreciate the support.

PLEASE CONSIDER COMMENTING

My thanks to 200 Saturdays Until Paris, Chris, Renxkyoko, Samantha & Spiritual Journey, for commenting on last week’s post. Surely, more of you can find something to add to the material presented.

PHYSICAL TRAITS

Honor Thy Temple

CHARACTER TRAITS

The Foundation for Being Extraordinary

We have two ears and one mouth, it is important to listen

SOCIAL TRAITS

Getting Along with Others

Here is Bob Probert of the Red Wings showing us how he got along with the hockey players from opposing teams. It was always exciting, when he was on the ice and I was fortunate to see him a number of times.

LEARNING TRAITS

Growth Keeps You Extraordinary

Every so often I like to post important scientific discoveries that I think we should all be aware of and below is one of those discoveries.

MISCELLANEOUS

The Odds & Ends of Being Extraordinary

SELF-HELP BOOKS

The 80/20 Principle

By Richard Koch

If you want more time in your life to accomplish more, I suggest this book or any other book on the 80/20 principle, which says that 80 of the value we receive comes from 20% of our efforts.

Think about your clothes, don’t you more or less tend to wear 20% of your clothes 80% of the time. I think you will find that this principle applies to many other aspects of your life.

MOVIE OF THE WEEK

Rome

Here is an excellent two seasons series on Rome, which I thought was rather good.

Every city has its secrets. HBO presents Season One of this epic series about generals and soldiers, masters and slaves and husbands and wives, all entwined in the furious historical events that saw the birth of the Roman Empire.

MUSIC OF THE WEEK

Allentown

by Billy Joel

LAST WEEK’S POLL – Is about satisfaction.

Do you think Mick Jagger has found satisfaction by now?

50% – Didn’t care if he did or if he didn’t

43% – Thought he has found satisfaction

7% – Didn’t think he has found satisfaction

Rumor had it that those 7% personally heard Mick recently sing on stage that he can’t get no satisfaction

As to whether you have found satisfaction:

50% – said they were satisfied

50% – said some days yes and some days no

THIS WEEK’S POLL – How do you watch movies

ART OF THE WEEK

Leaning Tower of Pisa

The Leaning Tower of Pisa [ ] is known worldwide for its unintended tilt.

The tower’s tilt began during construction, caused by an inadequate foundation on ground too soft on one side to properly support the structure’s weight. The tilt increased in the decades before the structure was completed, and gradually increased until the structure was stabilized (and the tilt partially corrected) by efforts in the late 20th and early 21st centuries. (Source: Wikipedia)

We are all familiar with the above picture of the tower, but did you ever wonder what the other side looks like. Well, I took this photo some years back.

And if not for those weights in the above photo, the tower may look like this:

EXTRAORDINARY PEOPLE

Colonel Sanders

Colonel Harland David Sanders (September 9, 1890 – December 16, 1980) was an American businessman, best known for founding fast food chicken restaurant chain Kentucky Fried Chicken (now known as KFC) and later acting as the company’s brand ambassador and symbol. His name and image are still symbols of the company.

After being recommissioned as a Kentucky colonel in 1950 by Governor Lawrence Wetherby, Sanders began to dress the part, growing a goatee and wearing a black frock coat (later switching to a white suit), a string tie, and referring to himself as “Colonel.” His associates went along with the title change, “jokingly at first and then in earnest,” according to biographer Josh Ozersky.

He never wore anything else in public during the last 20 years of his life, using a heavy wool suit in the winter and a light cotton suit in the summer. He bleached his mustache and goatee to match his white hair.(Source: Wikipedia)

THIS WEEK’S JOKE

BLOG

My thanks to Allison, Cute Baby Pets & Nurse Kelly, who started following my blog (Currently 90 followers) and Archana, Kristie & Paula & Zeinab, who liked my Harmony Books & Films Facebook page (Currently 116 likes).

If you think this blog has any merit, please pass it on to your friends. Hopefully, more of you will continue to share this blog with others. My thanks to Carol, Darlene, Delores, Joanne, Nicole, Shelley & Shirley, for sharing my post last week on Facebook.

MY BOOK

If you enjoyed my book, why not say a couple of words about it in an Amazon evaluation.

My book is available on-line from Amazon, Barnes & Noble or Books-A-Million. The Kindle version of my book is $4.95.

http://www.amazon.com/Tired-Being-Ordinary-Are-You/dp/0990388697

http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/im-tired-of-being-ordinary-are-you-wm-allen/1120528064?ean=9780990388692

http://www.booksamillion.com/p/Im-Tired-Being-Ordinary/Wm-Allen/9780990388692?id=6429711012885

10/17/16 – If You Live in the Detroit Area

October 17, 2016October 17, 2016 Wm. Allen13 Comments

CURRENT EVENTS

Leon & Lulu’s

If you live in the Detroit area, I will hope you stop by Leon & Lulu’s this Sunday, October 23 to meet and talk with local authors. For more info, including the authors that will be there, click on the link below.

http://www.leonandlulu.com/events/books-authors/

I would love to have the opportunity to talk to readers of this blog, plus I usually tell a few jokes throughout the day at scheduled times.

Our last Presidential Debate is this Wednesday–thank heavens. If you have not made up your mind or you are having doubts about your initial choice, you may want to watch this debate. Otherwise, you may be making your decision on who to vote for based upon what the media tells you.

And for those of you who can’t stand our political situation, you may watch simply for the entertainment value. Who knows, maybe there will be a limbo bar on the debate stage to see how low the candidates can go.

PLEASE CONSIDER COMMENTING

My thanks to Dave & Renxkyoko, for commenting on last week’s post. Surely, more of you can find something to add to the material presented.

PHYSICAL TRAITS

Honor Thy Temple

CHARACTER TRAITS

The Foundation for Being Extraordinary

SOCIAL TRAITS

Getting Along with Others

LEARNING TRAITS

Growth Keeps You Extraordinary

For those of you who think you are too old to deal with technology, please study the instructions below on “Fixing the router”.

MISCELLANEOUS

The Odds & Ends of Being Extraordinary

SELF-HELP BOOKS

The Romans

By R.H. Barrow

I do not recommend this book, unless you enjoy sitting in a college lecture hall listening to a professor talk about Roman civilization.

However, you should take it upon yourself to learn something of Roman history and civilization, since it is the basis for the western civilization. Many famous European cities were originally founded by the Romans and English Common Law has its basis in Roman Law.

There are more readable books than this one available, as well as recordings and there are some films that are both entertaining and informative.

MOVIE OF THE WEEK

I, Claudius

I, Claudius follows the history of the early Roman Empire, narrated by the elderly Emperor Claudius.

The series opens with Augustus, the first Emperor of Rome, attempting to find an heir, and his wife, Livia, plotting to elevate her own son Tiberius to this position, through the covert assassination and betrayal of any rivals.

The plotting and double-crossing continue for many decades, through the reign of Tiberius, the political conspiracy of his Praetorian Prefect Sejanus and the rule of the lunatic emperor Caligula, culminating in the accidental rise to power of his uncle Claudius.

Claudius’ enlightened reign is marred by the betrayals of his adulterous wife Messalina and his boyhood friend Herod Agrippa. Eventually, Claudius comes to accept the inevitability of his own assassination and consents to marrying his scheming niece, Agrippina the Younger, clearing the way for the ascension of his mad stepson, Nero. (Source: Wikipedia)

MUSIC OF THE WEEK

(I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction

by Rolling Stones

LAST WEEK’S POLL – What was or do you think will be the best decade of your life?

The results:

23% – 60 through 69

21% – 40 through 49

16% – 30 through 39

13% – 20 through 29

11% – 50 through 59

8% – 70 through 79

5% – 80 through 89

3% – 90 through 99

THIS WEEK’S POLL – Is about satisfaction.

ART OF THE WEEK

Somedays

by Kurt Halsey

EXTRAORDINARY PEOPLE

Mick Jagger

Sir Michael Philip “Mick” Jagger, (born 26 July 1943) is an English singer, songwriter and actor, best known as the lead singer and a co-founder of the Rolling Stones.

Jagger’s career has spanned over 50 years, and he has been described as “one of the most popular and influential frontmen in the history of Rock & Roll”.

Jagger’s distinctive voice and performance, along with Keith Richards’ guitar style, have been the trademark of the Rolling Stones throughout the career of the band.

In 1989 he was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, and in 2004 into the UK Music Hall of Fame with the Rolling Stones. In 2003, he was knighted for his services to popular music. (Source: Wikipedia)

THIS WEEK’S JOKE

BLOG

My thanks to Clark & Louise who started following my blog (Currently 88 followers) and Jacqueline, Louise, Marian & Ruth who liked my Harmony Books & Films Facebook page (Currently 113 likes).

If you think this blog has any merit, please pass it on to your friends. Hopefully, more of you will continue to share this blog with others. My thanks to Annette, Barbara, Carol, Carrie, Cynthia, Kim, Linda, Lisa, Marian, Paula, Ruth, Shirley, Tude Vox & Victoria, for sharing my post last week on Facebook.

MY BOOK

If you enjoyed my book, why not say a couple of words about it in an Amazon evaluation.

My book is available on-line from Amazon, Barnes & Noble or Books-A-Million. The Kindle version of my book is $4.95.

http://www.amazon.com/Tired-Being-Ordinary-Are-You/dp/0990388697

http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/im-tired-of-being-ordinary-are-you-wm-allen/1120528064?ean=9780990388692

http://www.booksamillion.com/p/Im-Tired-Being-Ordinary/Wm-Allen/9780990388692?id=6429711012885

10/10/16 – War

October 10, 2016October 10, 2016 Wm. Allen4 Comments

CURRENT EVENTS

Folks, I was unable to fact check this to my satisfaction and I suspect unofficially declared wars may be included. But what I do know, is that in my 70 years, it seems true.

I suspect one reason today that we (i.e. The USA) are always in a war is because we have eliminated the draft. Today, only warriors and those with limited options fight in our wars and not the children of the majority of our decision makers.

PLEASE CONSIDER COMMENTING

My thanks to Renxkyoko, Ron, Samantha & Spiritual Journey, for commenting on last week’s post. For the rest of you looking at this blog, please consider leaving a comment. I believe we would all find interesting what you have to say on various items in this week’s post.

PHYSICAL TRAITS

Honor Thy Temple

I try never to miss taking my flu shot

Last Friday, I believe I set two raw National deadlift records in my new age (70 – 74) and weight (Under 181.7 lbs.) categories

CHARACTER TRAITS

The Foundation for Being Extraordinary

SOCIAL TRAITS

Getting Along with Others

LEARNING TRAITS

Growth Keeps You Extraordinary

I hope this is true for all of us looking at this blog.

MISCELLANEOUS

The Odds & Ends of Being Extraordinary

SELF-HELP BOOKS

Everyday Serenity

By David Kundtz

This book is for people who do too much. I first read it back in 2002 and have reviewed it a number of times over the years.

Leon & Lulu’s

Please don’t forget that Sunday, October 23 at Leon & Lulu, you will have the opportunity to speak with many authors, including myself. For more info, including the authors that will be there, click on the link below.

http://www.leonandlulu.com/events/books-authors/

MOVIE OF THE WEEK

Baskerville: A Sherlock Holmes Mystery

Actually, this is a play that I saw yesterday at Meadow Brook Theater in Rochester, Michigan, USA. I’ve seen many movies and TV shows involving the character Sherlock Holmes, but a play is another way of seeing the great detective. This play is a comedy, but stays reasonably true to the story given it is a comedy.

MUSIC OF THE WEEK

Time to get in the mood for Halloween.

Ghostbusters

by Ray Parker Jr.

LAST WEEK’S POLL – How will you celebrate Halloween?

The results:

45% – will be giving out treats on Halloween

17% – don’t celebrate Halloween

17% – will host or go to a Halloween party

17% – will wear a costume

4% – will go trick or treating

THIS WEEK’S POLL – What was or do you think will be the best decade of your life.

ART OF THE WEEK

Here is something I saw last week at Art Prize in Grand Rapids, MI, USA that caught my eye.

Blosson Among Dragons

by Alan Brown

EXTRAORDINARY PEOPLE

Oscar Wilde

I thought I would just let the extraordinary Oscar Wilde speak for himself.

THIS WEEK’S JOKE

BLOG

My thanks to 200 Saturdays Until Paris, Quirky Girl & Happy of Life, who started following my blog (Currently 89 followers) and Holly, Julietta, Kimmy, Lisa, Susan & Zeenab who liked my Harmony Books & Films Facebook page (Currently 109 likes).

If you think this blog has any merit, please pass it on to your friends. Hopefully, more of you will continue to share this blog with others. My thanks to Anni, Carol, Cynthia, Joanne, Mansoor, Susan & Willie, for sharing my post last week on Facebook.

MY BOOK

If you are one of the 100 to 150 people who have read my book, please consider posting an evaluation of it on Amazon.

My book is available on-line from Amazon, Barnes & Noble or Books-A-Million. The Kindle version of my book is $4.95.

http://www.amazon.com/Tired-Being-Ordinary-Are-You/dp/0990388697

http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/im-tired-of-being-ordinary-are-you-wm-allen/1120528064?ean=9780990388692

http://www.booksamillion.com/p/Im-Tired-Being-Ordinary/Wm-Allen/9780990388692?id=6429711012885

10/03/16 – Breaking News

October 3, 2016October 3, 2016 Wm. Allen15 Comments

CURRENT EVENTS

PLEASE CONSIDER COMMENTING

My thanks to Michael, Samantha & Sue, for commenting on last week’s post. For the rest of you looking at this blog, please consider leaving a comment. It would be interesting to me and everyone to know what you think about the various items in this week’s post.

PHYSICAL TRAITS

Honor Thy Temple

We work so hard to maintain our health, please don’t offset that effort with dangerous driving habits.

CHARACTER TRAITS

The Foundation for Being Extraordinary

In Chapter 6 of my book, I talk about courage. It takes a lot of courage to follow your own path as Steve Jobs says below.

Your time is limited, so don’t waste it living someone else’s life. Don’t be trapped by dogma – which is living with the results of other people’s thinking. Don’t let the noise of other’s opinions drown out your own inner voice. And most important, have the courage to follow your heart and intuition. They somehow already know what you truly want to become. Everything else is secondary.

Source: Steve Jobs

SOCIAL TRAITS

Getting Along with Others

LEARNING TRAITS

Growth Keeps You Extraordinary

In chapter 40 of my book, I talk about seeing and hearing what is there, and not what you want to be there.

I believe cooking tips should fall under this category, so here is a cooking tip that you may find useful.

MISCELLANEOUS

The Odds & Ends of Being Extraordinary

SELF-HELP BOOKS

The Creative Habit

By Twyla Tharp

If you want to keep your creativity fine-tuned, you may want to check this book out.

Leon & Lulu’s

http://www.leonandlulu.com/events/books-authors/

MOVIE OF THE WEEK

Elementary

This TV series has just started its 5th season and if you are a Sherlock Holmes fan, as am I, you really need to watch this show. Nigel Bruce was a great Dr. Watson, but Lucy Liu brings a new dimension to the character of Dr. Watson.

MUSIC OF THE WEEK

Time to get in the mood for Halloween.

Monster Mash

by Bobby “Boris” Pickett & The Crypt-Kickers

Jessie’s Girl

LAST WEEK’S POLL – Do you wish to be extraordinary?

The results:

37% – thought they were already extraordinary

32% – wanted to be like the two guys pictured above

21% – Wanted to try to be extraordinary so that they would at least become more than they were.

10% – Didn’t want to be extraordinary.

THIS WEEK’S POLL – How will you celebrate Halloween?

ART OF THE WEEK

Bird Girl

Sculpted in 1936, by Sylvia Shaw

Sculpted in 1936, “Bird Girl” by Sylvia Shaw Judson stood in obscurity for decades in Savannah’s Bonaventure Cemetery, where it was named “Little Wendy” by the family that paid for it.

That ended in 1994, when a photo of the statue appeared on the cover of the bestselling “Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil” book cover and acquired its new Bird Girl name.

Fans flocked to the cemetery. Some began chipping off pieces of the statue’s base for souvenirs. The family grabbed their statue and moved it into Savannah’s fancy Telfair Museum of Art, where no chipping or photos are allowed. There’s already one on the book cover….

Sylvia Shaw Judson was dead long before the book was published. She had made several exact duplicates of her statue, so there are a handful of Bird Girls floating around out there, but the one in Savannah is the famous one. (Source: http://www.roadsideamerica.com)

EXTRAORDINARY PEOPLE

Tony Bennett

Anthony Dominick Benedetto (born August 3, 1926, which makes him 90 years old), known professionally as Tony Bennett, is an American singer of traditional pop standards, big band, show tunes, and jazz.

He is also a painter, having created works under the name Anthony Benedetto that are on permanent public display in several institutions. He is the founder of the Frank Sinatra School of the Arts in Astoria, Queens, New York.

He fought in the final stages of World War II as a U.S. Army infantryman in the European Theater. Afterward, he developed his singing technique, signed with Columbia Records and had his first number-one popular song with “Because of You” in 1951.

In 1962, Bennett recorded his signature song, “I Left My Heart in San Francisco”. His career and his personal life experienced an extended downturn during the height of the rock music era.

Bennett staged a comeback in the late 1980s and 1990s, putting out gold record albums again and expanding his reach to the MTV Generation while keeping his musical style intact.

He has won 19 Grammy Awards (including a Lifetime Achievement Award, presented in 2001) and two Emmy Awards, and was named an NEA Jazz Master and a Kennedy Center Honoree. He has sold over 50 million records worldwide. (Source: Wikipedia)

THIS WEEK’S JOKE

BLOG

My thanks to Michael & Sierramarks, who started following my blog (Currently 86 followers) and Samantha, who liked my Harmony Books & Films Facebook page (Currently 101 likes).

If you think this blog has any merit, please pass it on to your friends. Hopefully, more of you will continue to share this blog with others. My thanks to Cynthia, Elizabeth & Joanne, for sharing my post last week on Facebook.

MY BOOK

If you are one of the 100 to 150 people who have read my book, please consider posting an evaluation of it on Amazon.

My book is available on-line from Amazon, Barnes & Noble or Books-A-Million. The Kindle version of my book is $4.95.

http://www.amazon.com/Tired-Being-Ordinary-Are-You/dp/0990388697

http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/im-tired-of-being-ordinary-are-you-wm-allen/1120528064?ean=9780990388692

http://www.booksamillion.com/p/Im-Tired-Being-Ordinary/Wm-Allen/9780990388692?id=6429711012885