03/07/16 – Death & Dance

March 7, 2016March 7, 2016 Wm. Allen2 Comments

CURRENT EVENTS

Death of Nancy Reagan

(Source: CNN) Former first lady Nancy Reagan, who joined her husband on a storybook journey from Hollywood to the White House, died Sunday.

She was 94 [and] died at her home in Los Angeles of congestive heart failure [ ].

“Mrs. Reagan will be buried at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library in Simi Valley, California, next to her husband, Ronald Wilson Reagan, who died on June 5, 2004. [ ]

As first lady during Ronald Reagan’s eight years in the White House, she was known as the “Just say no” spokeswoman of anti-drug campaigns, and as a fierce protector of her husband, both personally and politically. When Ronald Reagan was shot in a 1981 assassination attempt, Nancy Reagan never left the hospital where the president was treated until he was released [ ].

After she and her husband left Washington, she became his protector again as he struggled with Alzheimer’s disease until his death in 2004. After his death, she remained a staunch guardian of his image and legacy.

Tues., Mar. 1, Lord of the Dance

Folks, this was the third time over the last 20 years, that I saw Lord of the Dance and it has changed to reflect today’s technology, but it remains a great show and I urge you to see it, even if you have seen it before.

However, if you can’t see Lord of the Dance, I suggest you do what Carol did and see the less expensive Ord of the Dance.

PHYSICAL TRAITS

Honor Thy Temple

In Chapter 1 of my book, I stress the importance of diet in achieving an extraordinary life style. So please give some thought to what you are eating.

CHARACTER TRAITS

The Foundation for Being Extraordinary

In chapter 17 of my book, I mention you should be meticulous in telling the truth, but to not use that as authorization to be cruel.

SOCIAL TRAITS

Getting Along with Others

The focus of Chapter 25 of my book is on being trustworthy and trusting others, at least until they prove themselves untrustworthy.

LEARNING TRAITS

Growth Keeps You Extraordinary

In Chapter 37 I discuss how extraordinary people use their time wisely. We all receive the same twenty-four hours each day, but some make so much of that time and others make so little of it.

Miscellaneous

The Odds & Ends of Being Extraordinary

In Chapter 29 of my book, I warn about addictions. There are all kinds of additions.

SELF-HELP BOOKS

The Warrior Within

by John Little

I believe this book lives up to what it says on the cover, “The philosophies of Bruce Lee to better understand the world around you and achieve a rewarding life.”

Here is a taste from the book to whet your appetite. “On the one hand, there is natural instinct and on the other is control. You are to combine the two in harmony. For if you cultivate only one dimension, say natural instinct, you will be very unscientific. If you have the other to the extreme, you become all of a sudden a mechanical man, no longer a human being.

MOVIE OF THE WEEK

IL POSTINO

How good is this movie. Well, the lead actor put off a heart operation to be in this film. He died before filming was over. I saw the film and thought the lead actor made a good decision.

If you ever wondered what was the deal with poetry, this film will show you in an entertaining way.

Warning, the version I saw was in Italian with English subtitles. That will turn some of you off. Please don’t feel bad if you decide not to watch this film because of the subtitles, since you probably wouldn’t like it anyway.

LAST WEEK’S POLL – Encouragement

The first of last week’s two polls asked about you encouraging others.

And outstanding 76% of you have encouraged someone in the last week. That is absolutely fantastic. Another 19% of you have encouraged someone in the last two weeks and the remaining 5% have encouraged someone in the last month.

The second of last week’s two polls asked about you receiving encouragement.

Fifty percent of you have received encouragement from someone in the last week. Another 22% of us , I am sorry to say have not received encouragement in a while. While still another 17% of you have received encouragement within the last two weeks. The remaining 11% of you have received encouragement in the last month.

THIS WEEK POLL – St. Patrick’s Day

This weeks poll is on your St. Patrick’s Day plans.

MUSIC OF THE WEEK

This week I started to show a February 1958 video of a dance called the Stroll. I recall watching it on American Bandstand after I got home from school each week day. I thought it was so cool, but then I recall in the 70s how much I enjoyed watching an updated version of the Stroll on Soul Train. I did a search to find that version. To my surprise, I found someone had already put these two versions of the Stroll together. I hope you get half as much of a kick out of this stroll down memory lane as I did.

Soul train vs. The Stroll

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Wwlz1FGNu8

ART OF THE WEEK

La Chateau des Pyrenees (translation: The Castle of the Pyrenees)

by René Magritte

René Magritte is my favorite artist, although I believe he considered himself a philosopher, who just happen to communicate via painting rather than words. I have had a copy of this painting hanging in my home for decades.

La Chateau des Pyrenees [ ] is truly a surreal painting. The Chateau (castle) sits perched on top of a large mountain floating above a large body of water. [ ]

The levitation of such a large rock literally defies gravity. There are some points to consider here. By the fact that the mountain is in the air, it has no foundation. It was once part of the Earth yet it is now separate. How does one enter such a castle? There is no path up the mountain. It is unreachable by land and by sea. It can only be reached by air and by the imagination.

It is always important to consider the title of any painting, in this case, La Chateau des Pyrenees. Something can always be learned from a painting’s title. The Pyrenees are a range of mountains in southwest Europe that form a natural border between France and Spain. Etymology: According to Greek mythology the Pyrenees are named after Pyrene (fire in Greek) the daughter of Bebryx, who was raped by Hercules. She got pregnant and, the next morning, Hercules was drunk in a slumber. She then stabbed him, and went into hiding. Bebryx, thinking her dead and not knowing exactly where she was, built a great tomb for her; the Pyrenees. [ ]

The concept of a floating city appears repeatedly in science fiction literature and drama. In the Star Trek episode, “The Cloud Minders (1969),” Stratos is a fictional floating city on the planet Ardana and ruled by High Advisor Plasus. And the Cloud City is a floating city on Bespin, a fictional planet in the Star Wars universe managed by Lando Calrissian (Star Wars Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back; 1980).

(Source: http://rene-magritte-paintings.blogspot.com/2009/11/la-chateau-des-pyrenees.html )

EXTRAORDINARY PEOPLE

Bill Murray

Can there be any doubt that the fellow who was in two of my favorite movies, Groundhog Day and Scrooged is an extraordinary person.

I did a number of internet searches and the story below about Bill Murray appears to me to be true and his actions do not surprise me.

Would not the world be a wonderful place if we all did acts like this.

THIS WEEK’S JOKE

Warning & Disclaimer – Guys, this blog is not a substitute for advice from qualified professions and I expressly disclaim responsibility for any adverse effects, damages, or other negative consequences arising from the following advice 🙂

BLOG

I always appreciate those that leave comments on my weekly posts, since it encourages me to continue these posts. Thank you Spiritual Journey, Carol, Judith, Elizabeth and Glenda for commenting on last week’s post.

Leaving a comment is easy, just click on “Leave A Comment”, which is immediately below the title of this week’s post. And if instead of seeing “Leave A Comment”, you see “# Comments”, just click on that and scroll down to leave your comment.

I now have two more people or 40 in all, who are following this blog, thanks to Elizabeth & Glenda, who started following this blog last week. It is easy to follow, just click in the side bar area where it says “Follow Harmony Books & Films, LLC”.

I also have 61 people who have liked my Harmony Books & Films Facebook page. Again, it is easy enough to like my Facebook page, just click in the side bar area where there is a little photo of the cover of my book.

If you think this blog has any merit, please pass it on to your friends. Thank you Joanne and Pat for sharing last week’s post on Facebook. Hopefully, more of you will continue to share this blog with others.

And I am please to report that for the month of February 2015 this blog had 153 views and for February 2016 we had 579 views or well over three times the amount of views.

MY BOOK

If you know someone who is trying to change their life or that needs to change their life, please consider my book.

For those of you into reading books on a Kindle, the Kindle version of my book is $4.95.

My book is available on-line from Amazon, Barnes & Noble or Books-A-Million.

And if you have read my book, please leave an evaluation of it on Amazon. Thank you.

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

02/15/16 – Where Do You Go To My Lovely

February 15, 2016 Wm. Allen4 Comments

Note: If you don’t look at anything else, at least please check out the song of the week. I believe it will be well worth your while.

CURRENT EVENTS

Yesterday’s Valentine Day

Folks, the chart below shows two different ways of celebrating Valentine Day. You have one year to prepare for Valentine Day 2017–I trust it will be as good, if not better than this year’s Valentine Day.

Last Saturday’s Republican Debate

Folks, if you missed this, you missed some great theater.

SELF-HELP BOOKS

The Peter Prescription

by Dr. Laurence J. Peter

This sequel to The Peter Principle is more than a book on management. To me, it is an entertaining self-help book, crammed with interesting quotes such as “Our bodies are apt to be our autobiographies” by F. Burgess or “A girl who is easy to get may be hard to take.” by F. Wisely.

The book came out in 1972, but just the above two quotes indicates things really haven’t changed that much from 1972, so the book is still good reading.

PHYSICAL TRAITS – YOUR HEALTH

I’m thankful that I was in Florence and saw this magnificent Statue of David, before it went to the USA.

SOCIAL TRAITS

LEARNING TRAITS

In chapter 40 I talk about seeing and hearing what is there, rather than what we want to be there.

QUOTE FOR THE WEEK

MOVIE OF THE WEEK

Zoolander 2

Please leave your brain at home, when you go to see this movie. It is a great way to relax and forget any problems you may have.

LAST WEEK’S POLL -Valentine Day

Last week’s poll asked you about your Valentine Day plans.

It turns out that 49% of us are doing something special with someone, 33% of us are giving someone a card and 11% of us are giving someone a gift.

The remaining 7% are doing nothing out of the ordinary. As I mentioned under the Current Events section, you have one year to prepare for Valentine Day 2017. Chapter 20 of my book is devoted to the importance of celebrating holidays, your success and the successes of your friends.

THIS WEEK POLL – Self Improvement

This week’s poll is about your thoughts on self-provement. You may check more than one answer.

MUSIC OF THE WEEK

I really think investing a few minutes of your time to hear this song will pay you some significant dividends. Please tell me via comments, if you think I am mistaken.

Where Do You Go to My Lovely

by Peter Sarstedt

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b8JOi1q5ugs

ART OF THE WEEK

Princezna Hyancinta

byAlphonse Mucha

I gained an appreciation of this artist a couple of years ago, while in the Czech Republic, an absolutely wonderful place to visit. In Chapter 48 of my book I stress the importance of going to places that you have never been.

Alphonse Mucha (24 July 1860 – 14 July 1939), was a Czech Art Nouveau painter and decorative artist, known best for his distinct style. He produced many paintings, illustrations, advertisements, pens and pencils, postcards, and designs.(Source: Wikipedia)

EXTRAORDINARY PEOPLE

Brigitte Bardot

Brigitte Bardot; born 28 September 1934, is a French former actress, singer and fashion model, who later became an animal rights activist. She was one of the best known sex symbols of the 1950s and 1960s.

Bardot retired from the entertainment industry in 1973. During her career in show business, she starred in 47 films, performed in several musical shows and recorded over 60 songs. After her retirement, she established herself as an animal rights activist.

She was the subject of Simone de Beauvoir’s 1959 essay, The Lolita Syndrome, which described Bardot as a “locomotive of women’s history” and built upon existentialist themes to declare her the first and most liberated woman of post-war France.

(Source: Wikipedia)

THIS WEEK’S JOKE

A couple of nights ago, I was out for a few drinks with some friends and had too many.

Knowing full well that I had drank well over the legal limit, I did something I had never done before. I took a taxi home.

It was a good thing that I did, because there was a police sobriety road block set up on my path home. However, since I was in a taxi, the police simply waved me through the road block.

I arrived safely home, which was a relief, since I had never driven a taxi before and was not sure where I had got the taxi.

BLOG

I always appreciate those that leave comments on my weekly posts, since it encourages me to continue these posts. Thank you Judith, Ron, Jennifer and Julia for commenting on last week’s post.

I now have 37 people who are following this blog, with the addition this week of Chris.

If you think this blog has any merit, please pass it on to your friends, as well as liking my Facebook page. Currently, 61 of you have been kind enough to like my Facebook page.

I appreciate Joanne, who again shared my post last week on Facebook.

MY BOOK

If you know someone who is trying to change their life or that needs to change their life, please consider my book.

For those of you into reading books on a Kindle, the Kindle version of my book is $4.95.

My book can be purchased on-line from Amazon, Barnes & Noble or Books-A-Million.

And if you have read my book, please leave an evaluation of it on Amazon. Thank you.

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

02/08/16 – Love

February 8, 2016 Wm. Allen8 Comments

CURRENT EVENTS

Valentine Day

This Coming Sunday, Feb. 14

SELF-HELP BOOKS

Don Juan DeMarco

by Jean Blake White

This week I am recommending a book that is based upon a movie. How superficial am I? Usually, movies are based on books. Still, it is a fantastic and entertaining love story fitting for Valentine Day. Plus, as usual, it is an easy read. The hardest part about reading this book will be finding it, but I believe it will be well worth the hunt. Or you can go the even easier route and simply watch the movie.

PHYSICAL TRAITS – YOUR HEALTH

Your thinking can have an impact on your health.

SOCIAL TRAITS

LEARNING TRAITS

In chapter 40 I talk about seeing and hearing what is there, rather than what we want to be there.

QUOTE FOR THE WEEK

MOVIE OF THE WEEK

Love Actually

Although technically, a Christmas romance film, I believe it is still a good film to watch for Valentine Day.

Love Actually is a 2003 British Christmas-themed romantic comedy film. The screenplay delves into different aspects of love as shown through ten separate stories involving a wide variety of individuals, many of whom are shown to be interlinked as their tales progress. Set primarily in London, the story begins five weeks before Christmas and is played out in a weekly countdown until the holiday, followed by an epilogue that takes place one month later. (Source: Wikipedia)

LAST WEEK’S POLL – Groundhog Day

Last week’s poll asked if you were doing anything special for Groundhog Day.

It turns out that 59% of us are not going to do anything special for Groundhog Day; however, 27% of us have done something special in the past. Regarding the film Groundhog Day, 9% of us watched it, and 5% of us closely follow the weather predictions of a large rodent. None of us plan to do anything special for Groundhog Day this year.

The weather was so nice here in the Detroit area that I could help thinking if the weather would have been a bit more cooperative in the past I would have continued holding my Groundhog Day Happy Hour parties, but the weather was always so iffy and I recall once I even had to cancel the party.

THIS WEEK POLL – Valentine Day

This week’s poll is about your plans for Valentine Day.

MUSIC OF THE WEEK

Some my disagree, but I think this is the best love song of all time. But perhaps I should sleep on it 🙂

Paradise By The Dashboard Light

by Meat Loaf

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C11MzbEcHlw

ART OF THE WEEK

The Lovers

by Rene Magritte

This is a painting that I actually saw at the MOMA in NYC.

The Lovers is a painting by [ ] surrealist Rene Magritte, created in 1928.

The painting depicts a veiled couple embracing and kissing. Obviously symbolic, many have speculated about why the couple is veiled. Many have also interpreted the painting in different ways – the common interpretation being “Love is blind”.

The Lovers can be viewed at the Museum of Modern Art in New York City. (Source: http://www.Artpromtivate.com).

EXTRAORDINARY PEOPLE

Lord Byron

Portrait of Lord Byron by Richard Westall

George Gordon Byron (22 January 1788 – 19 April 1824), commonly known simply as Lord Byron, was an English poet and a leading figure in the Romantic movement. Among Byron’s best-known works are the lengthy narrative poems Don Juan and Childe Harold’s Pilgrimage, and the short lyric “She Walks in Beauty”.

Byron is regarded as one of the greatest British poets, and remains widely read and influential. He travelled widely across Europe, especially in Italy where he lived for seven years. Later in life, Byron joined the Greek War of Independence fighting the Ottoman Empire, for which many Greeks revere him as a national hero. He died one year later at age 36 from a fever contracted while in Missolonghi.

Often described as the most flamboyant and notorious of the major Romantics, Byron was both celebrated and castigated in life for his aristocratic excesses, including huge debts, numerous love affairs with men as well as women, rumours of a scandalous liaison with his half-sister, and self-imposed exile. (Source: Wikipedia)

THIS WEEK’S JOKE

A woman was walking along the beach when she stumbled upon a Genie’s lamp. She picked it up and rubbed it and lo-and-behold, a Genie appeared. The amazed woman asked if she got three wishes.

The Genie said, “Nope, due to inflation, constant downsizing, low wages in third world countries, and fierce global competition, I can only grant you one
wish. So what’ll it be?”

The woman didn’t hesitate. She said, “I want peace in the Middle East. See this map. I want these countries to stop fighting with each other.”

The Genie looked at the map and exclaimed, “Gadzooks lady! These countries have been at war for thousands of years. I’m good, but not
that good! Please make another wish”.

The woman thought for a minute and said “Well, I’ve never been able to find the right man; one that’s considerate and fun, likes to cook and helps with the housecleaning, is good in bed and gets along
with my family, doesn’t watch sports all the time, and is faithful.”

The Genie let out a long sigh and said, “Let me see that map again.”

BLOG

I always appreciate those that leave comments on my weekly posts, since it encourages me to continue these posts. Thank you Carolyn.

If you think this blog has any merit, please pass it on to your friends, as well as liking my Facebook page. Thank you M.J. Shepard for liking my Facebook page.

I appreciate Joanne, who shared my post last week on Facebook.

MY BOOK

If you have any interest in changing your life for helping someone else change their life, please consider my book.

Again, for those of you into reading books on a Kindle, I reduced the price of the Kindle version of my book down to $4.95.

My book can be purchased on-line from Amazon, Barnes & Noble or Books-A-Million. It is also available in a ebook format. And if you have read my book, please leave an evaluation of it on Amazon. Thank you.

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

02/01/16 – Mary Ellen Stanley

February 1, 2016 Wm. Allen2 Comments

MARY ELLEN STANLEY

Recently, there has been a number of deaths of famous people in the music industry and of course those deaths touch us. However, when a friend dies, it not only touches you, it leaves a big hole in your life. It is with great sadness that I am reporting that Mary Ellen Stanley died last week. She was a wonderful person with so many friends. Some of you who attended my happy hour parties will no doubt remember her and the clever costumes that Mary Ellen and her husband Dean came up with each year.

Below is Mary Ellen’s mother, Mary Ellen and Mary Ellen’s daughter

(Three generations)

CURRENT EVENTS

Flint, MI Water

In 2014, the city of Flint, MI left the Detroit water system to save cash money during tight times. Instead, it started taking water from a local river. This was all well and good until people noticed that their water looked and smelled bad. And children’s blood tests started showing higher levels of lead, which can cause serious health and developmental issues for children. Not good. (Source: http://www.theSkimm.com)

This week I was in South Beach, Florida. Florida is a state that attracts flocks of Michigan snowbirds. I found the restaurants in South Beach go out of their way to cater to people from Michigan. When I asked for some water, the waiter was thoughtful enough to bring me some bottled Flint, Michigan water that they kept on hand for Michigan residents.

SELF-HELP BOOKS

Philosophy for Everyday Life

by Trevor Curnow

This is as easy to read as a philosophy book can be and I believe it lives up to the description below that this book can improve your thinking about everyday life. If you want to be extraordinary, you need to think clearly.

This book will show how philosophy can help to improve your thinking about everyday life. And by improving the quality of your thinking, you can improve the quality of your life. It will make you more aware of what you think and why—and how you can change what you think. (Source: Amazon)

PHYSICAL TRAITS – YOUR HEALTH

If you care at all about your health, you must start reading the labels on the food that you purchase. If some of those ingredients sounds like poison, well maybe you better do some more research before you eat something containing strange sounding ingredients.

Perhaps, you may even want to so so far as to send some of what you are considering eating to a lab.

SOCIAL TRAITS

In my book under Social Traits, in Chapter 28, I stress the importance of surrounding yourself with people different from you. Doing so not only makes your life more interesting, but also exposes you to ideas and experiences that will benefit you. Most of all, doing so will make the world a better place for you and for everyone.

QUOTE FOR THE WEEK

I believe truth trumps any prior statements that a person may have made and if new evidence or new understanding comes to our attention, we should not be locked into past statements. It seems someone else agrees with me.

My aim is not to be consistent with my previous statements on a given question, but to be consistent with the truth as it may present itself to me at a given moment.

Source: Mahatma Gandhi

MOVIE OF THE WEEK

Groundhog Day

Sure, I selected this film in part, because tomorrow (February 2) is Groundhog Day. But I think the movie is also consistent with the purpose of this blog, which is to make your life something other than just ordinary.

This movie is about a guy who lives the same day over and over until he gets it right.

LAST WEEK’S POLL – Spanish or Español

Regarding the first poll last week, 40% believe the USA is already started to unofficially adopt the Spanish language. Another 20% of you believe Spanish will one day in the distant future become one of the two official languages of the USA and 20% believe adopting Spanish will tie us closer together with Central and South America. Whereas, only 20% thought that adopting Spanish as an official language of the USA was a bad idea.

In the second poll, 35% of us have taken a Spanish class and 31% of us have a little familiarity with the Spanish language. Another 15% of us can get by with our Spanish in a Spanish speaking country and 7% are fluent in Spanish. Whereas, only 12% of us have no understanding of Spanish.

And in the third poll, when it comes to visiting Spanish speaking countries:

Mexico – 27%

Spain – 24%

Miami – 19%

South America – 11%

Central America – 5%

Never been to a Spanish speaking country – 14%

THIS WEEK POLL – Groundhog Day

This week’s poll is on Groundhog Day, which is tomorrow (February 2).

MUSIC OF THE WEEK

Since I just returned from Miami, who else but Pitbull

Back in Time by Pitbull

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zaSZE194D4I

ART OF THE WEEK

Art on the Road: Miami

by Ken Kaminsky

This is a painting of the Beacon Hotel in the Art Deco Hotel district that we stayed at while in South Beach. If you would like to see more of Ken’s work about Miami, just click on the link below.

http://blog.kenkaminesky.com/2013/02/18/art-on-the-road-miami/

EXTRAORDINARY PEOPLE

Juan Ponce de León

Juan Ponce de León (1474 – July 1521) was a Spanish explorer and conquistador. He became the first Governor of Puerto Rico by appointment of the Spanish crown. He led the first known European expedition to La Florida, which he named, and is associated with the legend of the Fountain of Youth, supposed to be in Florida. [Source: Wikipedia]

THIS WEEK’S JOKE

An old guy was working out at the gym when he spotted a young hot girl walking in.

He asked the trainer standing next to him, “What machine should I use to impress that girl over there?”

The trainer looked him up and down and said; “I would recommend the ATM in the lobby.”

BLOG

I always appreciate those that leave comments on my weekly posts, since it encourages me to continue these posts. Thank you Carolyn.

If you think this blog has any merit, please pass it on to your friends, as well as liking my Facebook page.

I appreciate the following people who shared my post on Facebook: Theresa, Joanne, Carol y Andre

MY BOOK

If you have any interest in changing your life for helping someone else change their life, please consider my book.

Again, for those of you into reading books on a Kindle, I reduced the price of the Kindle version of my book down to $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

04/13/15 CHANGE

April 13, 2015 Wm. Allen4 Comments

RESULTS OF LAST WEEK’S POLL ON FRIENDS

Congratulations to the more than 60% of you who believe you will be more extraordinary by the end of this year. However, that also means that almost 40% of you believe you will be about like you are now, or just an average person or even less extraordinary.

After looking at the poll’s results, the first thing that came to my mind was a saying by Henry Ford, “If you think you can do a thing or think you can’t do a thing, you’re right.”

THIS WEEK’S THEME: CHANGE

Since I am concerned about the almost 40% of you that may not be optimistic about what this year holds for you, this week’s theme will be change.

I realize, that despite your best efforts; sometimes fate can be insensitive. But for most of us, we are masters of our own destiny.

THIS WEEK’S JOKE

How many therapists does it take to change a light bulb?

One, but the light bulb really has to want to change.

BRIEF COMMENTS RELATED TO THE WEEKLY CHAPTERS IN:

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

WEEK 19: CHANGE – EMBRACE ALL CHANGES FOR THE OPPORTUNITIES THEY CAN PROVIDE

Change is inevitable and if you are trying to cling to the past, you are fighting a losing battle. Being inflexible is a sign of aging and demise. I’m not saying you should like change, but I am saying that you need to adapt to change.

I was at a seminar Saturday and the speaker told us that 85% of all diseases are caused by lifestyle choices. Except for some rare exceptions, everything (not just your health) in your life, good or bad, is a reflection of choices you have made. If you want something in your life to be different, you have to change and do something different.

SELF-HELP BOOKS IN ADDITION TO MY OWN

Today, I am suggesting a book written by someone I believe is truly extraordinary, George Foreman. When it comes to change, this gentleman has shown us all the way. His book is my kind of book, very easy to read.

Unfortunately, I cannot say I ever had the opportunity to actually meet George Foreman, but I was second row ringside for one of his fights during his return to the ring in pursuit of a second heavy weight championship. However, he is so much more than a boxer. Below is a brief description of George that I copied from Wikipedia.

“Although he did not formally retire from boxing, Foreman stopped fighting and became an ordained minister, initially preaching on street corners before becoming the reverend at the Church of the Lord Jesus Christ in Houston and devoting himself to his family and his congregation. He also opened a youth center that bears his name.” [Source: Wikipedia]

And who hasn’t heard of the George Foreman Grill.

MOVIE OF THE WEEK

I think my favorite movie of all time is Groundhog Day, which is a movie about a guy who lives the same day over and over until he finally gets it right. It is a great movie and if you haven’t seen it, you really should.

QUOTE FOR THE WEEK

If you do not change direction,

you may end up where you are heading.

Source: Lao Tzu

THIS WEEK’S POLL

CONCLUSION

If you like what I am doing, I need you to show your support by passing this blog on your friends, and liking my Facebook page Harmony Books & Films, LLC. Currently, 36 of you have been kind enough to like my Facebook page. Also, a number of you have “liked” my posts and I appreciate that very much. Perhaps, you may also consider liking my Facebook page.

You can help me make this blog more valuable to others by posting your perspectives via Leave a comment. All you have to do to leave a reply is to click on the last line of the weekly post, where it says, “Leave a comment”. If you check last week’s post, you see where Mary Ellen left a comment and I replied with a photo of two very large bunnies I found in my yard.

And for those of you who have read my book, and I do believe there are a couple of you who have read it, please let others know what you thought of it on Amazon at:

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

My friends, Judith and Betty, have been kind enough to post reviews on Amazon and I appreciate that very much.

DONATIONS

I continue being willing to donate to anyone putting on a charitable fundraiser two copies of my book to auction off or raffle as a door prize. This past week, I offered three organizations copies of my book and I am waiting to hear back from them. If you know anyone that is holding a charitable fundraiser and could use a couple copies of my book, please tell them about me. I can be reached at:

harmonybooksfilmsllc@comcast.net