CURRENT EVENTS (RECIENTES ACONTECIMIENTOS)

Since the winter Olympics are still going on, I thought some of you may be wondering who was the most successful Olympic competitor ever. Here is the answer.

Roman Emperor Nero

In AD 67, Nero took part in the Olympic Games and became the only competitor in history to win all the events.  As outstanding as this accomplish was, it was even more impressive since he did not even enter some events.  And other events, like the chariot races, Nero did not finish the event. Nero was thrown from his chariot and did not finish the race, yet he was still proclaimed the winner on the grounds that he would have won had he been able to complete the race.

PHYSICAL TRAITS (RASGOS FÍSICOS)

Honor Thy Temple (Honra Tu Templo)

What has happened to people, it seems so many claim they can’t eat this or that due to an allergy. No doubt true for a few, but is it possible to be true for so many.  I hope not.

CHARACTER TRAITS (RASGOS DE CARÁCTER)

The Foundation for Being Extraordinary

SOCIAL TRAITS (RASGOS SOCIALES)

LEARNING TRAITS

(CARACTERÍSTICAS DE APRENDIZAJE)

Growth Keeps You Extraordinary

One of the best things you can do for yourself is to learn another language.  It helps keep your mind sharp and it goes over well when one is visiting a foreign country.

MISCELLANEOUS (VARIADO)

The Odds & Ends of Being Extraordinary

(Las Probabilidades y Los Fines de Ser Extraordinarios)

Most people are their own biggest obstacle to having what they want.

BOOK OF THE WEEK (LIBRO DE LA SEMANA)

This is definitely not an easy read, so please skip down to “Movie of the Week.”

In The Name of Rome

by Adrian Goldsworthy

 

The Roman Empire was created and maintained by military might. As a consequence, generals were immensely important figures throughout Rome’s history. Often the same men who commanded the legions in battle dominated the State in peacetime.

From Scipio Africanus, who combined apparent mysticism with iron determination, to Caesar, the aggressive and charismatic aristocrat, Adrian Goldsworthy looks at Rome’s greatest generals and at how and why they won their victories. At the same time he tells the story of Roman warfare, from the bitter struggle with Carthage and the brilliant Hannibal in the third century BC to the last desperate attempt to win back the Western Empire in the sixth century AD. He also traces the evolution of the Roman army and the Roman political system which directed it. (Source: Adrian Goldsworthy)

MOVIES OF THE WEEK (PELÍCULAS DE LA SEMANA)

I’m now in the 13 and final season of this wonderful series.  

Poirot Series 13 

MUSIC OF THE WEEK (MÚSICA DE LA SEMANA)

I miss this version of Taylor Swift compared to today’s version.

We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together

By Taylor Swift

LAST WEEK’S POLL – Valentine’s Day

 THIS WEEK’S POLL – Happiness

ART OF THE WEEK (ARTE DE LA SEMANA)

Here are photos of the outside of the Colosseum and the inside, that I took while Carol and I were on a visit to Rome.

Colosseum

  

The Colosseum, also known as the Flavian Amphitheatre, is an oval amphitheatre in the centre of the city of Rome, Italy. It is the largest amphitheatre ever built. 

Construction began under the emperor Vespasian in AD 72, and was completed in AD 80 under his successor and heir Titus. Further modifications were made during the reign of Domitian (81–96). These three emperors are known as the Flavian dynasty, and the amphitheatre was named in Latin for its association with their family name (Flavius).

The Colosseum could hold, it is estimated, between 50,000 and 80,000 spectators, having an average audience of some 65,000; it was used for gladiatorial contests and public spectacles such as mock sea battles, animal hunts, executions, re-enactments of famous battles, and dramas based on Classical mythology.

The building ceased to be used for entertainment in the early medieval era. It was later reused for such purposes as housing, workshops, quarters for a religious order, a fortress, a quarry, and a Christian shrine.

Although partially ruined because of damage caused by earthquakes and stone-robbers, the Colosseum is still an iconic symbol of Imperial Rome. It is one of Rome’s most popular tourist attractions. (Source: Wikipedia)

EXTRAORDINARY PERSON OF THE WEEK

(PERSONA EXTRAORDINARIA DE LA SEMANA)

It seems to me that today, the media refers to a lot of people as heroes, who are victims.  However, Aaron Feist isn’t a victim, he is a true hero in every sense of the word.

They say that the best way to die is in your sleep and that is a pretty good way to die.  But I believe a hero’s death is a far better way to leave Earth.

Aaron Feist

THIS WEEK’S JOKE (BROMA DE LA SEMANA)

TALK TO ME (HÁBLAME)

Thank you Carol, Darlene, Quirky Girl, Roijoyeux & Spiritual Journey for commenting on last week’s post. 

BLOG & FACEBOOK

And my thanks to Aarti, Ankandas, Experimental Film Festival & Mabm,  who started following my blog.

BOOK (LIBRO)

Warning:  This book will not change your life, only you can do that.

CURRENT EVENTS (RECIENTES ACONTECIMIENTOS)

In honor of Valentine’s Day, this week’s post is dedicated to love.

PHYSICAL TRAITS (RASGOS FÍSICOS)

Honor Thy Temple (Honra Tu Templo)

Normally, I discourage addictions; but since Valentine’s Day is coming up,

I think this addition is ok for this week.

Addicted to Love

By Robert Palmer

CHARACTER TRAITS (RASGOS DE CARÁCTER)

The Foundation for Being Extraordinary

Can one love another, if they don’t love themselves?

SOCIAL TRAITS (RASGOS SOCIALES)

In addition to being one of the greatest love song I have ever heard, this song provides some wisdom about telling someone you will love them forever.  You could end up wishing for the end of time.

Paradise By The Dashboard

By Meat Loaf

LEARNING TRAITS

(CARACTERÍSTICAS DE APRENDIZAJE)

Growth Keeps You Extraordinary

MISCELLANEOUS (VARIADO)

The Odds & Ends of Being Extraordinary

(Las Probabilidades y Los Fines de Ser Extraordinarios)

BOOK OF THE WEEK (LIBRO DE LA SEMANA)

Here are some Valentine’s Day tips for the ladies.  Oh, if you are wondering, I’ve read every book that I have ever mentioned in this blog, including this one.

Simply Irresistible

by Ellen T. White

 

It’s said if you want to succeed, watch successful people and do what they do. Simply Irresistible is a humorous manual of case studies that show how the greatest sirens of history did what they did and got what they wanted, nearly all the time.

Our role models-many of whom are still weaving their charms today – include Eva Peron, Greta Garbo, Coco Chanel, Nigella Lawson, Angelina Jolie, Edith Piaf, Lucretia Borgia, Anne Boleyn, Mata Hari, and Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis.

Simply Irresistible gives practical, sexy, and sometimes downright outrageous advice on modern seduction. It exalts the siren archetypes of the Companion, Competitor, Goddess, Mother, and Sex Kitten.

The cheeky histories of the iconic real-life women are paired with a fun array of quizzes, quotes, photos, tongue-in-cheek captions, and personal stories of triumph and tragedy. Mata Hari and Anne Boleyn were, after all, both executed.  (Source: Amazon)

MOVIES OF THE WEEK (PELÍCULAS DE LA SEMANA)

If you want to watch a movie for Valentine’s Day, this is a good choice.

Don Juan DeMarco 

MUSIC OF THE WEEK (MÚSICA DE LA SEMANA)

This is a Valentine song to get your temperature rising.

Burning Love

By Elvis Presley

LAST WEEK’S POLL – Super Bowl

Did you watch the Super Bowl?

 THIS WEEK’S POLL – Valentine’s Day

ART OF THE WEEK (ARTE DE LA SEMANA)

What better art for this particular week, than the statue of Aphrodite, the Greek goddess of love and beauty.  Known to the Romans, as Venus. 

Venus de Milo

  

Aphrodite of Milos, better known as the Venus de Milo, is an ancient Greek statue and one of the most famous works of ancient Greek sculpture. Created sometime between 130 and 100 BC, the statue is believed to depict Aphrodite, the Greek goddess of love and beauty (Venus to the Romans).

It is a marble sculpture, slightly larger than life-size at 203 cm (6 ft 8 in) high. Part of an arm and the original plinth were lost following its discovery. It is currently on permanent display at the Louvre Museum in Paris. The statue is named after the Greek island of Milos, where it was discovered. (Source: Wikipedia)

EXTRAORDINARY PERSON OF THE WEEK

(PERSONA EXTRAORDINARIA DE LA SEMANA)

Since this week contains Valentine’s Day, who else but Don Juan.  Some may criticize my choice of a famous seducer of woman, but please note the description below that Don Juan prided himself on being an equal opportunity seducer of women.

Don Juan

THIS WEEK’S JOKE (BROMA DE LA SEMANA)

TALK TO ME (HÁBLAME)

Thank you Carol, Melissa, J.B., Judy, Reocochran & Tania for commenting on last week’s post. 

BLOG & FACEBOOK

Thank you Carol, Darlene, Gabrielle, Mwendwa & Reocochran for sharing my post last week on Facebook.

And my thanks to Angela, Enni, Lili, Nathi, Noor, Luis, Piyali, Rudra & Vinayak, started following my blog and to Bill & Suzanne, for liking  my Harmony Books & Films Facebook page.

BOOK (LIBRO)

Warning:  This book will not change your life, only you can do that.

CURRENT EVENTS (RECIENTES ACONTECIMIENTOS)

As you know, the Groundhog predicted six more weeks of winter,  

protests have broken out everywhere. 

The Groundhog issued the following in response to these protests.

PHYSICAL TRAITS (RASGOS FÍSICOS)

Honor Thy Temple (Honra Tu Templo)

The Barbell Prescription

Strength Training for Life After 40

By Jonathon M. Sullivan & Andy Baker

This book is not an easy read and at times can seem like you are reading a Ph.D. Thesis.  However, there is no doubt these guys know their way around a gym.  And they have some good solid advice for those who wish to participate in the extreme sport of “aging”.

CHARACTER TRAITS (RASGOS DE CARÁCTER)

The Foundation for Being Extraordinary

Being trustworthy is so important for being extraordinary. People must be able to trust you.  Don’t be one of those people who always seems to have something up their sleeve.

SOCIAL TRAITS (RASGOS SOCIALES)

LEARNING TRAITS

(CARACTERÍSTICAS DE APRENDIZAJE)

Growth Keeps You Extraordinary

MISCELLANEOUS (VARIADO)

The Odds & Ends of Being Extraordinary

(Las Probabilidades y Los Fines de Ser Extraordinarios)

Something to keep in mind.

(Algo a tener en cuenta.)

BOOK OF THE WEEK (LIBRO DE LA SEMANA)

I first read this book in 1985, when it first came out.  I recently reviewed it and find it still provides a lot of worthwhile advice about how to be happy in the workplace.  

I would add, please be reasonable in your expectations.  There is a reason you are being paid to show up.  It the experience was going to be great, you would be charged admission.

The Joy of Working

by Denis Waitley, Ph.D. and Reni L. Witt

 

Now everyone, from secretaries to CEOs, from house painters to housewives, can learn to mix business with pleasure and make every job a labor of love. Here is a practical, down-to-earth guide that gives you a step-by-step, day-by-day unique 30-point program that will teach you how to take stock of your talents, avoid routine, take on greater challenges, and come to understand the true joy of working. (Source: Amazon)

MOVIES OF THE WEEK (PELÍCULAS DE LA SEMANA)

I’m now into Series 11 of this great series.

Poirot – Series 11 

MUSIC OF THE WEEK (MÚSICA DE LA SEMANA)

The suspect The Rolling Stones are singing about the key to happiness.

(El sospechoso que los Rolling Stones están cantando sobre la clave de la felicidad.)

You Can’t Always Get What You Want

By The Rolling Stones

LAST WEEK’S POLL – Strength Training

Do you do any strength training with weights?

THIS WEEK’S POLL – Super Bowl

ART OF THE WEEK (ARTE DE LA SEMANA)

If you have ever been to Roma, you will see statutes everywhere.  Here is a photo of a statue of Billino, The Roman.

Billino

EXTRAORDINARY PERSON OF THE WEEK

(PERSONA EXTRAORDINARIA DE LA SEMANA)

I thought since Valentine Day is approaching, I would try to shed a little light on the person this holiday is named after.

Saint Valentine

THIS WEEK’S JOKE (BROMA DE LA SEMANA)

I think this would be funny, if it weren’t so true.

TALK TO ME (HÁBLAME)

Thank you Candace, Nick, Rene & Sunaina, for commenting on last week’s post. 

BLOG & FACEBOOK

Thank you Carmen, Denise, Donna, Mary, Nandini, Tammy & Walter for sharing my post last week on Facebook.

And my thanks to Cross-fit Mom, Inessa, J.B., Jen, Nikita, Tabitha, The Little Rebel & Twalha, started following my blog and to Amy, Anita, Cathy, Jan, Lori, Michele, Paulina, Sarah, Sylvia & Theresa, for liking  my Harmony Books & Films Facebook page.

BOOK (LIBRO)

Warning:  This book will not change your life, only you can do that.

CURRENT EVENTS (RECIENTES ACONTECIMIENTOS)

Groundhog Day (Feb. 2) is this week.  

What better way to recognize the day, than to watch my favorite film. 

PHYSICAL TRAITS (RASGOS FÍSICOS)

Honor Thy Temple (Honra Tu Templo)

Strength training can slow, arrest or even reverse many of the degenerative effects of aging: loss of muscle and strength, brittle bones, floppy ligaments, dysfunctional joints, and the decline of mobility and balance. (Source: The Barbell Prescription – Strength training for Life After 40)

Strength training is for both males and females.  I know in the past, some thought girls were too delicate to lift weights.  Well, the world has changed.

CHARACTER TRAITS (RASGOS DE CARÁCTER)

The Foundation for Being Extraordinary

You will never be extraordinary, if people can’t trust you.

SOCIAL TRAITS (RASGOS SOCIALES)

Remembering people’s names is hard,

but you should still try your best.

LEARNING TRAITS

(CARACTERÍSTICAS DE APRENDIZAJE)

Growth Keeps You Extraordinary

You really should think about what you are posting.  Is it something that would be of interest to others, is it really true or did you just see it and pass it on because you agree with it.

MISCELLANEOUS (VARIADO)

The Odds & Ends of Being Extraordinary

(Las Probabilidades y Los Fines de Ser Extraordinarios)

Since writing my book, I have been shocked at how many people have told me that they just want to be ordinary.

.

BOOK OF THE WEEK (LIBRO DE LA SEMANA)

People tend to be as happy as they want to be; nevertheless, this book will give you something to think about.

The 100 Simple Secret of Happy People

by David Niven, Ph.D.

 

MOVIES OF THE WEEK (PELÍCULAS DE LA SEMANA)

This is really well done, most enjoyable.

Victoria – Season 2

Victoria is a landmark account of the life of one of history’s greatest monarchs. With an ensemble cast of award-winning talent, Victoria draws on real-life events and the Queen’s own exhaustive diaries to paint a vivid portrait of her transformation from an impulsive 18-year-old to her early years as wife, mother, and head of a global empire.

MUSIC OF THE WEEK (MÚSICA DE LA SEMANA)

The first time I saw this scene I was totally blown away.

I don’t think it has lost any of its magic.

Pulp Fiction Dance Scene

LAST WEEK’S POLL – Internet?

THIS WEEK’S POLL – Strength Training

ART OF THE WEEK (ARTE DE LA SEMANA)

This is art on a grand scale. Below you will read that the Japanese signed the surrender papers on the deck of this battle ship.  I served in Viet Nam with a sailor, who was on that ship and saw the signing.

USS Missouri

USS Missouri was the last battleship commissioned by the United States and is best remembered as the site of the surrender of the Empire of Japan which ended World War II.

In World War II she fought in the battles of Iwo Jima and Okinawa and shelled the Japanese home islands, and she fought in the Korean War. She was decommissioned in 1955 into the United States Navy reserve fleets (the “Mothball Fleet”), but reactivated and modernized in 1984 as part of the 600-ship Navy plan, and provided fire support during Operation Desert Storm in January/February 1991.

Missouri was finally decommissioned on 31 March 1992. In 1998, she was donated to the USS Missouri Memorial Association and became a museum ship at Pearl Harbor. (Source: Wikipedia)

EXTRAORDINARY PERSON OF THE WEEK

(PERSONA EXTRAORDINARIA DE LA SEMANA)

Marcus Antonius

Marcus Antonius (January 14, 83 BC – August 1, 30 BC), commonly known in English as Mark or Marc Antony, was a Roman politician and general.

Antony was a supporter of Julius Caesar, and served as one of his generals during the conquest of Gaul and the Civil War. Antony was appointed administrator of Italy while Caesar eliminated political opponents in Greece, North Africa, and Spain. After Caesar’s death in 44 BC, Antony joined forces with Marcus Aemilius Lepidus, another of Caesar’s generals, and Octavian, Caesar’s great-nephew and adopted son, forming a three-man dictatorship known to historians as the Second Triumvirate. The Triumvirs defeated Caesar’s murderers, the Liberatores, at the Battle of Philippi in 42 BC, and divided the government of the Republic between themselves. Antony was assigned Rome’s eastern provinces, including the client kingdom of Egypt, then ruled by Cleopatra.

Relations among the triumvirs were strained as the various members sought greater political power. Civil war between Antony and Octavian was averted in 40 BC, when Antony married Octavian’s sister, Octavia. Despite this marriage, Antony carried on a love affair with Cleopatra, who bore him three children, further straining Antony’s relations with Octavian. Lepidus was expelled from the association in 36 BC, and in 33 BC disagreements between Antony and Octavian caused a split between the remaining Triumvirs. Their ongoing hostility erupted into civil war in 31 BC, as the Roman Senate, at Octavian’s direction, declared war on Cleopatra and proclaimed Antony a traitor. Later that year, Antony was defeated by Octavian’s forces at the Battle of Actium. Antony and Cleopatra fled to Egypt, where they committed suicide.

THIS WEEK’S JOKE (BROMA DE LA SEMANA)

TALK TO ME (HÁBLAME)

Thank you Bernice, Quirky Girl, Reocochran, Roijoyeux, for commenting on last week’s post. 

BLOG & FACEBOOK

Thank you Carol, Donna, Jack, Sheryll, for sharing my post last week on Facebook.

And my thanks to Alicia, Ankita, Crystal, Ellen, Hayley, Living with Her, Rene Bird, Sanskriti, Steak & Cheese, Tapasi & Wild Sound Review, started following my blog and to Alex, Edith, Eva-Lisa, Gabrielle, Jen, Hessah, Joe, Judi, Kim, Lisa, Marilyn, Michele, Paola, Sandhya, Sophia, Terry & Tina, for liking  my Harmony Books & Films Facebook page.

BOOK (LIBRO)

Warning:  This book will not change your life, only you can do that.

CURRENT EVENTS (RECIENTES ACONTECIMIENTOS)

I saw another play yesterday. 

Into the Woods

January 19-21, 25-28, February 1-4, 9-11, 2018

Stagecrafters Baldwin Theater, Royal Oak, MI. USA

What happens when your favorite fairy tales get mixed up?  When Little Red Riding Hood befriends Jack and the Beanstalk?  When Cinderella and Rapunzel realize that charming is not nearly enough?  When the wicked witch may be the smartest and fairest of them all?   Find out in Stagecrafters’ production of Into the Woods, a show that transcends time and space with universal truths about family, love and friendship.  And be careful what you wish for…  

 

I missed the film that came out in 2014, so I think I will check it out now that I’ve seen a live performance of this musical.

PHYSICAL TRAITS (RASGOS FÍSICOS)

Honor Thy Temple

I hold the Amateur World Powerlifting Congress raw deadlift world championship for my age and weight, so sometimes people ask me what is my  secret for deadlifting.  In a wish to help, here is a suggestion to increase your deadlift. 

I believe this approach works for about everything in life.

CHARACTER TRAITS (RASGOS DE CARÁCTER)

The Foundation for Being Extraordinary

It is important to always try to tell the full and complete truth.

SOCIAL TRAITS (RASGOS SOCIALES)

LEARNING TRAITS

(CARACTERÍSTICAS DE APRENDIZAJE)

Growth Keeps You Extraordinary

Don’t try to motivate someone with a negative, it has just the opposite effect.

MISCELLANEOUS (VARIADO)

The Odds & Ends of Being Extraordinary

.

BOOK OF THE WEEK (LIBRO DE LA SEMANA)

This is an easy to read book that I have read and reviewed many times since I first read it in 1999.

Evolve Yourself

by Rich Rahn

 

Evolve yourself is an excellent introduction to the concept of Conscious Personal Evolution. It discusses how and why our perspective on everything is changing the universe, the nature of reality, the evolution of the human consciousness, and the relationship between science and religion. This changing perspective is what the experts are calling our conscious evolution. In Evolve yourself, author Rich Rahn explores how this new perspective impacts us each personally and what we need to know in order to evolve emotionally, intellectually and spiritually. Evolve yourself is a simple, easy and accessible guide that gets to the heart of the human experience. We don’t want to just have more, we want to be more. Evolve yourself shows us how. (Source: Amazon)

MOVIES OF THE WEEK (PELÍCULAS DE LA SEMANA)

I’m now into Series 9 of Agatha Christie’s Hercule Poirot stories about the famous Belgium detective.

MUSIC OF THE WEEK (MÚSICA DE LA SEMANA)

Time for some Latin American dance music.

 Mambo #5

Lou Bega

LAST WEEK’S POLL – Of all the people you’ve ever known, how many of them are still in your life in any way?

THIS WEEK’S POLL – Internet?

ART OF THE WEEK (ARTE DE LA SEMANA)

Art Garfunkel

Art Garfunkel was born on November 5, 1941, in Forest Hills, New York. He met fellow musician Paul Simon while in school and went on to form a band called Tom and Jerry. Though the duo didn’t find much success with the Tom and Jerry moniker, they began to gain a following after changing their name to Simon & Garfunkel and releasing songs that spoke to the generation of the 1960s and ’70s, such as “Bridge Over Troubled Water” and “The Sound of Silence.” Garfunkel is a singer, an arranger, an actor, and a poet. 

EXTRAORDINARY PERSON OF THE WEEK

(PERSONA EXTRAORDINARIA DE LA SEMANA)

Albert Einstein

German-born theoretical physicist, Albert Einstein (14 March, 1879 – 18 April, 1955) is world-renowned for his breakthrough in the field of physics. He established the relations between mass and energy by inventing the formula, E = MC2.
In 1921, he bagged the coveted Nobel Prize for discovering the law of Photoelectric Effect. He also has about 300 research papers to his credit, which include Brownian Motion and Theory of Relativity. He died in 1955 at the age of 76, working even in his last days.

THIS WEEK’S JOKE (BROMA DE LA SEMANA)

This one is for you Star Trek Next Generation fans

TALK TO ME (HÁBLAME)

Thank you Darlene, Jacinda &Judy, for commenting on last week’s post. 

BLOG & FACEBOOK

Thank you Darlene, Jane, Mary, Shawn,  Susan & Tony, for sharing my post last week on Facebook.

And my thanks to Bree, Emma, Gabrielle, Jeff, Khushi, Laura, Luna & Maria, started following my blog and to Briana, Cindy, Cyndi, Deanne, Garry, Jann, Lisa, Mark, Natasha, Priscilla & Rachel, Sophie, for liking  my Harmony Books & Films Facebook page.

BOOK (LIBRO)

Warning:  This book will not change your life, only you can do that.

CURRENT EVENTS (RECIENTES ACONTECIMIENTOS)

Last Thursday (Jan. 11), we had the opportunity to attend one of the Detroit Symphony Orchestra’s Neighborhood concerns.  If all you have been to are rock concerts, you should check out classical music at least once. 

The concert was held in the beautiful Congregation Shaarey Zedek, 

located in Southfield, MI, USA.

Bridget and her Grandmother are about to become roommates. However, what Bridget saw as a unique opportunity to stay with her favorite Nana in New York for the summer quickly turns into an experience she’ll never forget.

PHYSICAL TRAITS (RASGOS FÍSICOS)

Honor Thy Temple

CHARACTER TRAITS (RASGOS DE CARÁCTER)

The Foundation for Being Extraordinary

Have you ever heard the saying, “Still waters run deep, shallow brooks are noisy”?

SOCIAL TRAITS (RASGOS SOCIALES)

LEARNING TRAITS

(CARACTERÍSTICAS DE APRENDIZAJE)

Growth Keeps You Extraordinary

Searching for the secret to success, well here is a possible answer

MISCELLANEOUS (VARIADO)

The Odds & Ends of Being Extraordinary

If you are ever tired of people asking you questions, try this.

.

BOOK OF THE WEEK (LIBRO DE LA SEMANA)

This is “not” an easy read (about 500 pages).  But if you want to know something about humans, this book will take you on an unforgettable journey from pre-human times to the French Revolution. 

The Origins of Political Order

by Francis Fukuyama

 

MOVIES OF THE WEEK (PELÍCULAS DE LA SEMANA)

I’m now just wrapping up binge watching Season 6 of the famous Belgium detective.

An obvious influence on the early Poirot stories is that of Arthur Conan Doyle. In An Autobiography, Christie states, “I was still writing in the Sherlock Holmes tradition – eccentric detective, assistant, with a Lestrade-type Scotland Yard detective, Inspector Japp”. 

For his part, Conan Doyle acknowledged basing his detective stories on the model of Edgar Allan Poe’s C. Auguste Dupin and his anonymous narrator, and basing his character Sherlock Holmes on Joseph Bell, who in his use of “logic” prefigured Poirot’s reliance on his “little grey cells”.

Unlike the models mentioned above, Christie’s Poirot was clearly the result of her early development of the detective in her first book, written in 1916 and published in 1920. His Belgian nationality was interesting because of Belgium’s occupation by Germany, which also provided a plausible explanation of why such a skilled detective would be out of work and available to solve mysteries at an English country house. At the time of Christie’s writing, it was considered patriotic to express sympathy towards the Belgians, since the invasion of their country had constituted Britain’s cause for entering World War I. (Source: Wikipedia)

MUSIC OF THE WEEK (MÚSICA DE LA SEMANA)

Here is a video of a great classical musician, mentioning another great classical musician in his song.

I predict these two great musicians will never be forgotten as long as there is still music.

Roll Over Beethoven

By Chuck Berry

LAST WEEK’S POLL – What Country are you from?

The following in order, are the top ten countries where most of the readers of this blog live since the start of this blog back in November 2014:

USA

Canada

India

United Kingdom

Denmark

Brazil

Germany

Italy

Australia

France

THIS WEEK’S POLL – Of all the people you’ve ever known, how many of them are still in your life in any way?

ART OF THE WEEK (ARTE DE LA SEMANA)

Congregation Shaarey Zedek

The congregation’s present, Southfield building was designed by Percival Goodman and has been described as Goodman’s work at the peak of his career. 

The San Francisco Examiner named the building one of the “top 10 breathtaking places of worship” in the United States. Jamie Sperti, a writer on The Examiner website called the congregation’s dramatic concrete building a “phenomenal example of 1960’s futuristic architecture” in her survey of The United States’ top 10 breathtaking places of worship  published April 9, 2009. (Source: Wikipedia)

EXTRAORDINARY PERSON OF THE WEEK

(PERSONA EXTRAORDINARIA DE LA SEMANA)

Harmony Zhu (12 Years Old

And here she is autographing the above program

Harmony Zhu is a musical and chess prodigy.  She has been featured on the CBC News, MPR’s From the Top and three times on the Ellen DeGeneres Show.

THIS WEEK’S JOKE (BROMA DE LA SEMANA)

TALK TO ME (HÁBLAME)

Thank you Bernice, Geary, Judy, Nanette, Nick & Tania, for commenting on last week’s post. 

BLOG & FACEBOOK

Thank you Carol, Cindi, Cynthia, Darlene, Maureen, Shawn, Sheryll, Susan & Vaughn for sharing my post last week on Facebook.

And my thanks to Compliance 4 All, Imaginary Coffee, Journal 360, Nick, Sharon, The Comic Vault, The Movie Geek, The Quiet Happy & Vesna, started following my blog and to John, Maria, Mary, Nancy, Pamela & Rio, for liking  my Harmony Books & Films Facebook page.

BOOK (LIBRO)

Warning:  This book will not change your life, only you can do that.

CURRENT EVENTS (RECIENTES ACONTECIMIENTOS)

Dempsey (I affectionally called him “Pitbull”)

The death of any pet is always a tragedy, but even more so if it is due to a groomers incompetence and neglect.  

A couple of weeks ago Dempsey went to Petsmart to be groomed. He came home burned and cut all over his neck, with some sores elsewhere on his body. A vet said it was from the equipment getting too hot. Dempsey was put on Benadryl, and antibiotic, and anti-inflammatory. For the past couple weeks he’s lived with bandages around his neck, and a cone.

When a complaint was lodge with Petsmart, they refused to acknowledge what happened and said they would have to send everything to corporate. 

PHYSICAL TRAITS (RASGOS FÍSICOS)

Honor Thy Temple

CHARACTER TRAITS (RASGOS DE CARÁCTER)

The Foundation for Being Extraordinary

Try to stay positive, you attract what you send out into the world

SOCIAL TRAITS (RASGOS SOCIALES)

When angry, if at all possible you should let some time pass before you speak.

LEARNING TRAITS

(CARACTERÍSTICAS DE APRENDIZAJE)

Growth Keeps You Extraordinary

One of the most important things to learn is that our time here is limited,

don’t act like you have forever to do things that are important to you.

MISCELLANEOUS (VARIADO)

The Odds & Ends of Being Extraordinary

In case you are wondering when is the right time to do something,

perhaps this watch will help.

BOOK OF THE WEEK (LIBRO DE LA SEMANA)

The Longevity Book

by Cameron Diaz

MOVIES OF THE WEEK (PELÍCULAS DE LA SEMANA)

I just finished binge watching this on Netflix and I think it is even better than Season 1.  

The Crown Season 2

Critics Consensus: The Crown continues its reign with a self-assured sophomore season that indulges in high drama and sumptuous costumes. (Source: Rotten Tomatoes with a 93% rating)

MUSIC OF THE WEEK (MÚSICA DE LA SEMANA)

When I and others were watching The Beatles in their early days, who knew that Lenin was going to read a book by Marx and try to change the world.  If nothing else, it was the end of innocence.

I Saw Here Standing There

By The Beatles

LAST WEEK’S POLL – Star Wars or Star Trek?

  

THIS WEEK’S POLL – What Country are you from?

The following in order, are the top ten countries where most of the readers of this blog live:

USA

Canada

India

United Kingdom

Denmark

Brazil

Germany

Italy

Australia

France

ART OF THE WEEK (ARTE DE LA SEMANA)

This painting recently sold for $450 million

Salvator Mundi

By Leonardo da Vinci

Salvator Mundi is a painting of Christ as Salvator Mundi (Latin for Savior of the World) by Leonardo da Vinci, dated to c. 1500. The painting shows Jesus, in Renaissance dress, giving a benediction with his right hand raised and two fingers extended, while holding a transparent rock crystal orb in his left hand, signaling his role as savior of the world and master of the cosmos, and representing the ‘crystalline sphere’ of the heavens, as it was perceived during the Renaissance.. (Source: Wikipedia)

EXTRAORDINARY PERSON OF THE WEEK

(PERSONA EXTRAORDINARIA DE LA SEMANA)

Leonardo da Vinci

Portrait by Francesco Meizi

Leonardo di ser Piero da Vinci (15 April 1452 – 2 May 1519), more commonly Leonardo da Vinci or simply Leonardo, was an Italian Renaissance polymath whose areas of interest included invention, painting, sculpting, architecture, science, music, mathematics, engineering, literature, anatomy, geology, astronomy, botany, writing, history, and cartography. Sometimes credited with the inventions of the parachute, helicopter and tank.

Many historians and scholars regard Leonardo as the prime exemplar of the “Universal Genius” or “Renaissance Man”, an individual of “unquenchable curiosity” and “feverishly inventive imagination”, and he is widely considered one of the most diversely talented individuals ever to have lived.

Born out-of-wedlock to a notary, Piero da Vinci, and a peasant woman, Caterina, in the region of Florence, Leonardo was educated in the studio of the renowned Florentine painter Andrea del Verrocchio. Much of his earlier working life was spent in the service of Ludovico il Moro in Milan. He later worked in Rome, Bologna and Venice, and he spent his last years in France at the home awarded to him by Francis I of France.

Leonardo was, and is, renowned primarily as a painter. Among his works, the Mona Lisa is the most famous and most parodied portrait and The Last Supper the most reproduced religious painting of all time. Leonardo’s drawing of the Vitruvian Man is also regarded as a cultural icon, being reproduced on items as varied as the euro coin, textbooks, and T-shirts.

THIS WEEK’S JOKE (BROMA DE LA SEMANA)

TALK TO ME (HÁBLAME)

Thank you Darlene, Michael, Ritu & Swati for commenting on last week’s post. 

BLOG & FACEBOOK

Thank you Amber, Bridget, Cindi, Colleen, Curry, Darlene, Donna,  Ian, Marian, Mike, Phillip & Shirley, for sharing my post last week on Facebook.

And my thanks to Maria & The Movie Geek, started following my blog and to Annabel, Geoffrey, Larry, Peter & Tony, for liking  my Harmony Books & Films Facebook page.

BOOK (LIBRO)

Warning:  This book will not change your life, only you can do that.

CURRENT EVENTS (RECIENTES ACONTECIMIENTOS)

Based upon last week’s poll,

me and a lot of other people are in this same situation.

Below is a part of something that has been showing up on the internet, and it seems like a good way to start 2018.

I declare to walk into 2018 with a clear heart and mind…

If you owe me, don’t worry about it …

If you wronged me – lesson learned…

If you’re angry with me, let it go, you won…

If we aren’t speaking, I ask your forgiveness …

If you feel I wronged you, I truly apologize..

PHYSICAL TRAITS (RASGOS FÍSICOS)

Honor Thy Temple

CHARACTER TRAITS (RASGOS DE CARÁCTER)

The Foundation for Being Extraordinary

SOCIAL TRAITS (RASGOS SOCIALES)

Don’t be one of those people who are impossible to satisfy.

LEARNING TRAITS

(CARACTERÍSTICAS DE APRENDIZAJE)

Growth Keeps You Extraordinary

When you are searching for that perfect word, it is often a good idea to consult a “Thesaurus”

MISCELLANEOUS (VARIADO)

The Odds & Ends of Being Extraordinary

Of course you want to use your heart when finding a someone,

but don’t forget to consult your head also.

BOOK OF THE WEEK (LIBRO DE LA SEMANA)

This is an absolutely fantastic book just for the photographs and drawing alone. Used copies can still easily be acquired for a few dollars.

The Great Chiefs (1975)

by Time Life Books with text by Benjamin Capps

Not uncommon with enemies in war to respect one another afterwards, such as Chief Joseph and General Gibbons.

MOVIES OF THE WEEK (PELÍCULAS DE LA SEMANA)

I just watched this film again and I remain convinced it is the best classical version of this marvelous story.  

A Christmas Carol (1984)

A Christmas Carol is a 1984 British-American made-for-television film adaptation of Charles Dickens’ famous 1843 novella. The film  stars George C. Scott as Ebenezer Scrooge. It was filmed in the historic medieval county town of Shrewsbury. (Source: Wikipedia)

MUSIC OF THE WEEK (MÚSICA DE LA SEMANA)

Back in the 50s, recording stars travelled around the country playing in high school gyms, recreation buildings and roller skating rinks.  I was a teenage or had just become one, when I saw Brenda Lee perform at the Motor City Skating Rink in Warren, Michigan.

Rockin Around The Christmas Tree

By Brenda Lee

LAST WEEK’S POLL – How have you done?

  

THIS WEEK’S POLL – Star Wars or Star Trek?

  

ART OF THE WEEK (ARTE DE LA SEMANA)

Ginevra de’ Benci

By Leonardo da Vinci

Ginevra de’ Benci is a portrait painting by Leonardo da Vinci of the 15th-century Florentine aristocrat Ginevra de’ Benci (born c. 1458). 

The oil-on-wood portrait was acquired by the National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C. in 1967 for $5 million —a record price at the time—came from the Ailsa Mellon Bruce Fund and was paid to the Princely House of Liechtenstein. It is the only painting by Leonardo on public view in the Americas.

The portrait is one of the highlights of the National Gallery of Art, and is admired by many for its portrayal of Ginevra’s temperament. Ginevra is beautiful, but austere; she has no hint of a smile and her gaze, although forward, seems indifferent to the viewer. (Source: Wikipedia)

EXTRAORDINARY PERSON OF THE WEEK

(PERSONA EXTRAORDINARIA DE LA SEMANA)

I select Mona Lisa this week because no matter how successful you have been, if you slack off you could be replaced, perhaps by Ginevra de’ Benci

Mona Lisa

By Leonardo da Vinci

The Mona Lisa is a half-length portrait painting by the Italian Renaissance artist Leonardo da Vinci that has been described as “the best known, the most visited, the most written about, the most sung about, the most parodied work of art in the world”. 

The painting is thought to be a portrait of Lisa Gherardini, the wife of Francesco del Giocondo, and is in oil on a white Lombardy poplar panel.

The title of the painting, comes from a description by Renaissance art historian Giorgio Vasari, who wrote “Leonardo undertook to paint, for Francesco del Giocondo, the portrait of Mona Lisa, his wife.” Mona in Italian is a polite form of address originating as “ma donna” – similar to “Ma’am” in English. 

Vasari’s account of the Mona Lisa comes from his biography of Leonardo published in 1550, 31 years after the artist’s death. It has long been the best-known source of information on the work and identity of the sitter. Leonardo’s assistant Salaì, at his death in 1524, owned a portrait which in his personal papers was named la Gioconda, a painting bequeathed to him by Leonardo.

That Leonardo painted such a work, and its date, were confirmed in 2005 when a scholar at Heidelberg University discovered a marginal note in a book, the note dated October 1503, was written by Leonardo’s contemporary Agostino Vespucci. This note states that Leonardo was at that time working on a painting of Lisa del Giocondo.

In response to the discovery of this document, Vincent Delieuvin, the Louvre representative, stated “Leonardo da Vinci was painting, in 1503, the portrait of a Florentine lady by the name of Lisa del Giocondo. About this we are now certain. Unfortunately, we cannot be absolutely certain that this portrait of Lisa del Giocondo is the painting of the Louvre.

The consensus of art historians in the 21st century maintains the long-held traditional opinion, that the painting depicts Lisa del Giocondo.

THIS WEEK’S JOKE (BROMA DE LA SEMANA)

TALK TO ME (HÁBLAME)

Thank you Darlene, Dave, Nanette & Roijoyeux, for commenting on last week’s post. 

BLOG & FACEBOOK

Thank you Brenda, Carol, Cindi, Cynthia, Darlene,  Minnie, Nandini & Shirley, for sharing my post last week on Facebook.

And my thanks to Shilpi and Abhinandan, started following my blog and to Jessica & Valda, for liking  my Harmony Books & Films Facebook page.

BOOK (LIBRO)

Warning:  This book will not change your life, only you can do that.