CURRENT EVENTS

First Day of Summer

Tuesday, June 21, 2022

BOOK OF THE WEEK

So many of us are always in a rush to do this or that or get here or there.

Perhaps, we should all consider slowing down a bit and maybe we will find that we start enjoying life more.

ThIs is a very short book with a lot of intriguing photos.

If nothing else, there is a page with some excellent tips on wine drinking. 

The Art of Doing Nothing (1998)

By Véronique  Vienne

with photographs by Erica Lennard

MOVIE OF THE WEEK

Elvis (2022)

I saw this film last Friday and although I am an Elvis fan, I found the film’s portrayal of Elvis disappointing. The acting was very good, and not just the main characters. The Vernon and Priscilla Presley acting was spot on. The Little Richard in the movie was fantastic. But again, the story line was disappointing.

MUSIC OF THE WEEK

Since I start this week’s post with an Eddie Cochran Summer Time Blues (1958) song, I thought I would include something short and entertaining here.

Beethoven

By John Bulushi

ART OF THE WEEK

Rhymes

A rhyme is a repetition of similar sounds [ ] in the final stressed syllables and any following syllables of two or more words. Most often, this kind of perfect rhyming is consciously used for a musical or aesthetic effect in the final position of lines within poems or songs.

More broadly, a rhyme may also variously refer to other types of similar sounds near the ends of two or more words. [ ] (Source: Wikipedia)

  EXTRAORDINARY PERSON  OF THE WEEK

Eddie Cochran

Ray Edward Cochran (October 3, 1938 – April 17, 1960) was an American rock and roll musician. Cochran’s songs, such as “Twenty Flight Rock”, “Summertime Blues”, “C’mon Everybody” and “Somethin’ Else”, captured teenage frustration and desire in the mid-1950s and early 1960s.

He played the guitar, piano, bass, and drums. His image as a sharply dressed and attractive young man with a rebellious attitude epitomized the stance of the 1950s rocker, and in death he achieved iconic status.

Cochran died at age 21 in St Martin’s Hospital, Bath, Somerset, after a road accident in Chippenham, Wiltshire, at the end of his British tour in April 1960.

In 1987, Cochran was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. His songs have been recorded by a wide variety of recording artists. (Source: Wikipedia)

  JOKE OF THE WEEK

PHYSICAL TRAITS

Hippocrates said, “Let food be thy medicine

and medicine be they food.”

CHARACTER TRAITS

Here is something worth reflecting on:

“Master, how will I know if I’m making any progress?”

“You know it when: what once made you mad,

now makes you laugh.“

Source Unknown, I found it on “MisaeMich” blog post

of  June 22, 2022

SOCIAL TRAITS

Cutting Down Too Many Trees Has Consequences

LEARNING TRAITS

It has been a while since world famous Chef Ronaldo has shared a tip with us. 

This week he is back to tell you how to keep a clean kitchen.

MISCELLANEOUS

Let’s just say usually.

 

CURRENT EVENTS

Results of APF/AAPF Push/Pull Meet

in Kalamazoo, Michigan

Let’s just say I had a good day.

BOOK OF THE WEEK

After reading about Lafayette and the role he played in the French Revolution, I wanted to know more about Talleyrand who played such an influential role during this era.

This book is 375 pages long without the bibliography. I am currently on page 306.

Talleyrand: A Biography (1932)

By Duff Cooper

Unique in his own age and a phenomenon in any, Charles-Maurice, Prince de Talleyrand, was a statesman of outstanding ability and extraordinary contradictions.

He was a world-class rogue who held high office in five successive regimes. A well-known opportunist and a notorious bribe taker, Talleyrand’s gifts to France arguably outvalued the vast personal fortune he amassed in her service.

Once a supporter of the Revolution, after the fall of the monarchy, he fled to England and then to the United States. Talleyrand returned to France two years later and served under Napoleon, and represented France at the Congress of Vienna. Duff Cooper’s classic biography contains all the vigor, elegance, and intellect of its remarkable subject.

MOVIE OF THE WEEK

I didn’t watch anything this week that I thought was worth mentioning, so instead here is some movie trivia.

MUSIC OF THE WEEK

I like this video because it promotes a healthy lifestyle 

and

Encourages people to make something of themselves.

Light Switch (January 20, 2022)

By Charlie Puth

Background

“I created the concept for this music video based on an idea I had and shared with the incredible director, Christian Breslauer. I wanted to humorously portray all the things we sometimes try to change about ourselves in order to capture that unrequited love, when deep down we should be changing our lives only to benefit ourselves and no one else.” (Source: Charlie Puth)

ART OF THE WEEK

People Haven’t Changed That Much

As this ancient (1895 BC to 539 BC) Babylonian statute shows, people back then were dealing with the same everyday problems that many of us face today.

  EXTRAORDINARY PERSON  OF THE WEEK

Talleyrand

Charles-Maurice de Talleyrand-Périgord (2 February 1754 – 17 May 1838), 1st Prince of Benevento, then Prince of Talleyrand, was a French clergyman and leading diplomat.

He worked at the highest levels of successive French governments, most commonly as foreign minister or in some other diplomatic capacity. His career spanned the regimes of Louis XVI, the years of the French Revolution, Napoleon, Louis XVIII, and Louis-Philippe. Those Talleyrand served often distrusted him but, like Napoleon, found him extremely useful. The name “Talleyrand” has become a byword for crafty, cynical diplomacy.

Talleyrand polarizes scholarly opinion. Some regard him as one of the most versatile, skilled and influential diplomats in European history, and some believe that he was a traitor, betraying in turn the Ancien Régime, the French Revolution, Napoleon, and the Restoration.

  JOKE OF THE WEEK

I thought this was funny, but perhaps many will not get it right away.

PHYSICAL TRAITS

Vegetables are so important for good health.

I often have a serving or two of vegetables

CHARACTER TRAITS

SOCIAL TRAITS

Toxic Relationships

I’m not a fan of poetry, but here is something I found on the June 16, 2022 Philosophy Through Photography blog.

I thought it was rather thought provoking and perhaps it may give some of you something to reflect on.

MOTH: I GAVE YOU MY LIFE.

FLAME: I ALLOWED YOU TO KISS ME

By HAZRAT INAYAT KHAN

LEARNING TRAITS

Some of you may not have known this.

MISCELLANEOUS

 

CURRENT EVENTS

Helping Others

I’m afraid it also works that way with people.

Give people a hand, not a handout.

BOOK OF THE WEEK

This 400 page book certainly isn’t for most people, but if you enjoy reading about the lives of those involved in the American Revolution or the French Revolution, as I do, you will learn so much about this person.

The story and writing is fantastic.

Lafayette: A Life (Jan. 1, 1936)

By Andreas Latzko

Thank you very much Helen Lawlor (where ever you may be) and I can only hope that one day I can pass this book on to someone who appreciates the book as much as I do.

MOVIE OF THE WEEK

I really did not care that much for the first few episodes of Season 2 of Picard. However, I stayed with is out of the desire to see some old friends and I am glad I did. the Season got better and better.

In early 2023 there will be a Season 3 of Picard. I understand that this will be the final season.

Picard: Season 2

MUSIC OF THE WEEK

Twist and Shout (March 2, 1964 USA Release)

By The Beatles

ART OF THE WEEK

Here is a film that some friends and I made back in 2010. 

Perceptions

  EXTRAORDINARY PERSON  OF THE WEEK

I find it hard not to like this guy. I was rather disappointed that he didn’t appear in the Picard series.

Worf

Worf, son of Mogh [ ] appears in the television series Star Trek: The Next Generation (TNG) and seasons four through seven of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine(DS9) as well as the feature films Star Trek Generations (1994), Star Trek: First Contact (1996), Star Trek: Insurrection (1998), and Star Trek: Nemesis (2002).

Worf is the first Klingon main character to appear in Star Trek, and in 11 seasons as a regular character on TNG and then DS9, has appeared in more Star Trek franchise episodes than any other character.

  JOKE OF THE WEEK

PHYSICAL TRAITS

This coming Saturday I will be in Kalamazoo, MI participating in the Michigan APF/AAPF Plate Up Push/Pull meet.

For those who don’t know, a Push/Pull meeting is both a bench press and a deadlift competition. Each lifter gets three attempts at bench pressing and three attempts at deadlifting. A lifter’s best bench and best deadlift are added together to determine who has won.

CHARACTER TRAITS

SOCIAL TRAITS

It is important to always say “Thank You”.

However, the above may be a bit extreme.

LEARNING TRAITS

Entertainment is vastly overrated!

You may have a better time at home and you can also always invite some friends over. If nothing else, it will be easier and less expensive.

MISCELLANEOUS

 

CURRENT EVENTS

Two Schools of Thought

Or

“Keep the dream alive: Hit the snooze button”

Punit Ghadge from the “Philosophy Through Photography” blog

BOOK OF THE WEEK

There is a lot of everyday wisdom in this little and easy to read book.

Dojo Wisdom

By Jennifer Later

A martial arts expert draws on the principles and practices of her training to present a series of one hundred life lessons to help readers [ ] apply the teachings to everyday life. (Source: Amazon)

MOVIE OF THE WEEK

I really enjoyed watching this film.

Top Gun: Maverick

MUSIC OF THE WEEK

Dancing With Myself (March 1981)

By Billy Idol

Song’s Background

The inspiration for the song occurred during a tour of Japan by the English post-punk band Generation X in mid-1979, when its vocalist/frontman Billy Idol and its bassist Tony James were struck by the sight of the young crowd in a Tokyo discotheque dancing with their own reflections in walled mirrors rather than with one another.

ART OF THE WEEK

Here is a film that some friends and I made back in 2007. Oh my gosh, those 15 years have gone by so fast.

Inside World

  EXTRAORDINARY PERSON  OF THE WEEK

Queen Elizabeth II

Significant events have included Elizabeth’s coronation in 1953 and the celebrations of her Silver, Golden, Diamond and Platinum jubilees in 1977, 2002, 2012, and 2022 respectively.

Elizabeth is the longest-lived and longest-reigning British monarch, the longest-serving female head of state, the oldest living and longest-reigning current monarch, and the oldest and longest-serving incumbent head of state.

Support for the monarchy in the United Kingdom has been and remains consistently high, as does her personal popularity. (Source: Wikipedia)

  JOKE OF THE WEEK

PHYSICAL TRAITS

CHARACTER TRAITS

I know a lot of kind and well-meaning folks would add some things to the above list, but the reality is that that someone had to work hard to provide those benefits you are adding to this list.

However, I would add the Preamble to the Decoration of Independence, which boldly states the “self-evident” rights of every individual as “Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.” 

SOCIAL TRAITS

Make Someone Happy

LEARNING TRAITS

Is what you believe true?

MISCELLANEOUS