241 Search Results for "act as if!"
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kathorak
- Views: 0
- Since: 2 days ago
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blog post
- From: Kathrin
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Description:
i copied that from my blog (hope it works)
so i would have much to tell. but as soon as i sit here i dont remember what it was. or my english sounds worse. im out of training. weather is autumn weather now. rain most of the time. my mood changes alot. october blues. taking part at the art in the shopping window project here. lots of stores let artists show their stuff for one month. i got my photos up on tuesday and on friday when i checked some of them are loosening from the paper. hard to describe (picture below). looks bad. will be fixed tomorrow. embarassing. thank you suddenly heat and sun. too bad that yesterday was the official opening for that event. lots of people were there, press too. the woman who organized that event (with other people of course) went up to me telling me my photos are..loosing their position. told her i already knew and i gonna fix it. some more blah blah. one reporter heard it and came up to me asking questions. he later took photos from me and another "photography artist" in front of "my" store. i seriously hope he wont write anything mean about my photos. at least i took care of not having the "loosing it" photos in the focus. the other artist-photographer was pretty arrogant. i googled him and he fits this town. the reporter made some "mean" comments about people here and the town. i guess he is right. this small town is so weird. even for a small town. people are so..depressed. there is no fun, no sparkle, no adventure, no glitter, no creativity, no inspiration in this small town. thats all i miss here. people to connect with who arent that..half-dead. or scandalmongers. i want something different. i wonder about people here everyday. and wonder about how to find people i could connect with. anyway i ddi update my web. there now is a photography in (more or less) english too. if you want to check it out. feel free to tell me if anything isnt working! photography under the "about me" link you come to a page (another of my domains) with links where to find me online. like twitter, deviantart...
- Blog post
- 1 month ago
- Views: 40
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Oct 7, 2009: Jenni Schaefer FR
- From: ktlrgc
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Description:
###
For Immediate release
MentorCONNECT
Contact: Shannon Cutts
Phone: 713-906-9888
Email: mc@key-to-life.com
www.key-to-life.com/mentorconnectAttention: Eating Disorders Events
RE: Best-Selling Author Jenni Schaefer presents a FREE teleconference for MentorCONNECT
Sept. 28, 2009 – Jenni Schaefer, popular best-selling author of “Life Without Ed” and “Goodbye Ed, Hello Me” will present a FREE teleconference on Wednesday, October 7th, 2009, at 8pm central time. All are welcome to attend. RSVP’s are required.
This event is sponsored by MentorCONNECT, the first global eating disorders mentoring organization. Since its inception in September 2007, MentorCONNECT grown to have a presence in 32 USA states and 10 countries, and has sponsored free events featuring such notable authors and speakers as Thom Rutledge, Dr. Carolyn Becker, Doris Smeltzer, and others.
Event Details:
To Register: Send an email with “RSVP for Jenni” to mc@key-to-life.com
RSVP Deadline: October 7th at noon
For More Info: Contact MentorCONNECT Founder Shannon Cutts at 713-906-9888 or mc@key-to-life.com
View Event Flyer: You may also view the event flyer online here: http://www.key-to-life.com/storage/mentorconnect/MC.Jenni.9_09.pdf
More About MentorCONNECT:
MentorCONNECT is the first global online eating disorders mentoring community. Membership and all services are always free to members, and certain events are also opened up to the larger community. In addition to offering one-on-one mentoring matches, membership includes access to a password-protected, moderated, PRO-recovery community forum with two live weekly e-support groups, periodic retreats and special events, a wide variety of online themed support groups, recovery blogs, personalized profile pages, the ability to upload photos/ videos/ songs/ artwork, and moderated chat/email services. To volunteer your services as a caring mentor, be matched with a mentor, or find general support, visit us at www.key-to-life.com/mentorconnect.
# # # - Blog post
- 2 months ago
- Views: 16
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Patrick Swayze R.I.P.
- From: JustinMurphy
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Description:
He wiill be missed. From his romantic potrayals in Dirty Dancing and Ghost to his tougher roles in Roadhouse and The Outsiders. Who could forget his sensitive father like portrayals in the children's film Three's Wishes and as a con man who escapes from prison and takes his kids on the run with him in Fatherhood. And of course, there washis breakthrough role in the miniseries North and South.
A talented actor, singer, dancer, and athlete. He will be missed.
- Blog post
- 2 months ago
- Views: 21
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Heart x 2
- From: Radiance
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Description:
A long-coated male chihuahua named "Love-kun" (bottom) with a heart-shaped pattern on his coat sleeps beside its old brother "Heart-kun" which also has same marks at Pucchin Dog's shop in Odate, northern Japan August 6, 2009. The three-day-old chihuahua was born on August 3, 2009 as a young brother of "Heart-kun" which also has same marks.
- 3 months ago
- Views: 36
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Re: Bushfires Koala dies in op
- From: Daisy
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Description:
Sam the koala to be stuffed, displayed
AAP August 8, 2009, 5:49 amAustralia's most loved koala will be stuffed and displayed in the Melbourne Museum following her death during surgery.
The image of Sam the koala holding hands with Country Fire Authority (CFA) firefighter David Tree and sipping from his water bottle in the aftermath of the Black Saturday bushfires
- 3 months ago
- Views: 242
- Forum: The Backlot...
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Bushfires Koala dies in operat
- From: Daisy
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Description:
Bushfires Koala dies in operation
AAP August 6, 2009, 2:48 pmA koala made famous by a photograph of her drinking from a firefighter's water bottle as wildfires ravaged Australia has died during risky surgery.
"Sam" the koala suffered second- and third-degree burns to her paws in the February fires and had been recovering from her injurie
- 3 months ago
- Views: 233
- Forum: The Backlot...
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Has Anybody Seen My Shadow?
- From: Shadoe
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Description:
For those that read this post in it's squished together form on Facebook. Please visit the "actual" formatted post here http://tinyurl.com/nuozz4 or you can read me at http://www.kickapps.com/barbaraniven and just look for Shadoe <--- that's me!
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Sometimes I see shadows of me. I see them out of the corner of my eye and as soon as I look they're gone. They hide in places I can not see, only to peer out at me through a sliver of light. I wonder if they know me at all, I mean they follow me every where. I can never seem to shake them. They sit with me sometimes when I'm... well sitting. I try to talk to them to find out what and wherefore, but they never talk back. Guess they don't talk much... I guess they really don't talk at all. I see shadows of me and each one seems a bit different, but I can never get them in a group. They only want to hang with me one at a time. They seem rather shy at times cause they kinda sneak up on me and sometimes only let part of themselves be seen. And then there are those times they bump into other shadows and I have no idea what is going to happen next. Do they ever say excuse me in shadow talk? Do they ever NOT do what I do? Damn copycats.
We have shadows, we hide in shadows.
Without being aware of it sometimes we hide in shadows when the people who we care about ask questions. Or we hide in shadows when we don't want to say what we feel or don't feel. Or what we do or don't do. I wonder if everyone finds it hard to be completely open with others. Maybe that isn't possible. Maybe that would make us too vulnerable. Maybe it's our shield to protect ourselves from hurt. Maybe sometimes it's our shield to protect others from hurt. And maybe sometimes it's both and it allows us to be protected and hide in the shadow of angels.
All of this is not about the bad things associated with shadows, it's about living with them, understanding them, knowing that we all have them. That for as dark as they seem to be that in them there is light. For without light, we have no shadows and we'd be left in ourselves and around us with complete darkness.
Guess my shadow isn't so bad to have around... *looking at my shadow* Hey, wanna follow me? ;)
It's art, it's open to interpretation... have at it! :)
"The other day when I was walking through the woods, I saw a rabbit standing in front of a candle making shadows of people on a tree."
~ Stephen Wright - Blog post
- 4 months ago
- Views: 91
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Hey all!
- From: kerliz
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Description:
Wow, where to start? Its been a crazy couple months...computer crashed three times. So fun...
But work has been so incredibly busy lately. More often than not, I doubt myself and wake up feeling like I really do not want to be there.
On a sad note, my grandfather passed away a week ago. He had just turned 89 and he and my grandmother moved into assisted living in the spring....He had lost a lot of weight since Christmas and we think that he wanted to make sure grandma was settled in and taken care of and then he just really fell apart. He fell twice and then a couple weeks ago, he was found to have a blood clot which then they found pancreatic cancer and then he had a stroke, which he never recovered from. Last week family from all over, Oregon, Minnesota and New Jersey all came together and it was like a family reunion. Some cousins I havent seen in like 14 years! But grandma was able to see friends and family that she has not seen since the spring when they left their small community of over 60 years.
My grandma on my mom's side would have been 82 this Thursday. So hard to believe its been a year and a half since she has been gone....
not too much else exciting....cant wait till my nephews and bro and sis in law get back tonight from their very first vacation as a family. the boys had a blast at the beach. prolly wont get to see them till tomorrow though :(
Hope you all are doing great!
- Blog post
- 4 months ago
- Views: 46
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KristyDiGirl
- Views: 39
- Since: 4 months ago
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Could use some luck
- From: nerina
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Description:
I really could use some luck because I have an important job interview first thing monday morning. I've applied for a job as a legal councel at the highest administrative court and I've made it through the first and second round of interviews. On monday, I'll have my last interview with the entire board of the court. I know what I'm capable of and I know I'm up for the job, but I'm still nervous.
So I could use some luck and support :)
- Blog post
- 4 months ago
- Views: 57
- Not yet rated
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Days of Our Lives
- From: Shadoe
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Description:
For those that read this post in it's squished together form on Facebook. Please visit the "actual" formatted post here http://tinyurl.com/mcfdcc or you can read me at http://www.kickapps.com/barbaraniven and just look for Shadoe <--- that's me!
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The last few days... actually the last 6 months I've been dealing with something. Part of that something I thought I was coming to terms with came back last Thursday, the loss of Farrah and Michael Jackson. It has to do with what will I leave behind when I'm no longer here. I guess at some point we all wonder... I wonder how we can not.
I know I must make every second count, not minutes, not days, not months, not years, but seconds. I must squeeze out everything I can. Do everything I can. Love everyone I can in every second I breathe.
It gets hard looking at the time we spend on just making a living, just to live. But is that really living? If you are all like me, of course you have to make a living to live... it's kinda funny how the world works and turns on that little philosophy.
But think about it. What did you do yesterday or the day before or the day before that? How many of you can say you did no work of any kinda but instead listened to the birds sing or the wind rustle the trees? Today, a Monday morning, how many of you can say you are doing exactly what your heart wants to do and be at this moment? How many of you are truly living your destiny?
I think we are all so caught up in making a living to live, we don't really live. We believe we are because we work hard to make money to take that vacation that allows us a chance to breathe and know that money puts food on our tables. Some might say they live through their children, life is in the eyes of a child. Well why live life through your child? Why not live life “with” your children? People are always working constantly. Life is in the eyes of a child they say. Why not be the eyes of a child and look at life for the first time the way children do? I know, you might think I'm longing for youth... nope, you're wrong. I don't regret things that have gone before. For what I have learned and observed in that time from then until now is immense. Instead I look at what made me happy and how life afforded me happiness and how so that I may draw upon it now. How do I within every second of every day celebrate myself, everyone and everything around?
If you thought I had the answer... don't you'd think I'd tell you?
Work, distances between, commitments all keep us away from those seconds much of the time of our lives.
For myself, maybe like many of you... I want to know what legacy I leave behind. For some of you it will be your children and what you have taught them... as long as you spend the time with them. Some of you will leave behind maybe your work, if you are a photographer, recording artist, artist, authors, actor etc... if you do what you love and suffered for your art. You will actually leave behind tangible things that will be viewed for lifetimes after. Some of you will be the voice that carried freedom to the masses of a land that was devoid of freedom and peace... if you dare be brave and forthright.
Alas, these are the things I have been wondering about the past few months. What shall there be of me when there is no me. Is it going to be the pen I wrote with today, the bottle I drank water out of today, this keyboard that I'm touching right now as I type this? Yes they are all left behind, finger prints and such will be swept away and they will never hold really anything of me as time passes.
I guess or least I hope my words, these here that you may read, stick around some how either in a way that has touched you, made you think or something. Or maybe they just hang around the Internet forever somehow... as long as my name is attached to it. ;) I hope the people I love so very, very dearly in my life will carry me with them in some manner. I hope some how whatever art I create will be hung on someone's wall or in a book. This is what I would like to leave behind. I guess I need to really start squeezing all of this into every second of everyday from this moment on. I must make this pledge, not a contract... that's too much like work. But a pledge, I need to change my ways, change what I see and how I see it and seize the day... yes Carpe diem... well it should really be "seize the second" cause that's what I'm going for here, but that phrase doesn't exist in Latin, go fig.
I leave you with this for all those that may read these words... take the time. - Blog post
- 5 months ago
- Views: 112
- Not yet rated
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Out of Place
- From: Radiance
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Description:
Ever been someplace where everything is perfect, then all of a sudden, somethin' is so out of place it makes you laugh? Went to the car wash. No not because I had the car wash blues, although I think the car did. Anyways, LOL, everythings perfect, then all of a sudden an old guy comes along dressed in farmer jeans (overalls, coveralls, whatever) and he's pushin' a wheel barrow. Then another trip to the car wash. As the car's bein' washed, a man dressed in a leisure suit walks by the car wash. Totally cracked me up. Of course some of you may think 'It doesn't take much to amuse me.' All I can say is HA HA!!
- Blog post
- 5 months ago
- Views: 56
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Mentoring as an Essential Comp
- From: shannoncutts
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Description:
(by Shannon Cutts, as published in Gurze Books' Winter 2009 "Eating Disorders Recovery Today")
I can sum up my own recovery from anorexia and bulimia with four words—relationships replace eating disorders.When I became ill with anorexia at the age of eleven, I didn’t know how to tell my parents what felt so wrong inside of me, and they didn’t know what to say to help me open up to them. When they applied to our family pediatrician for help, he advised them that it was best not to discuss it with me and reassured them that I would soon grow out of it. My father, unhappy with this wait-and-see approach, then called the insurance company and was tersely informed that “eating problems” were not covered under the family policy. Left with only my pediatrician’s advice to go by, my parents decided to keep silent.
What this meant was that the voice of the eating disorder was the only one talking to me on a regular basis, giving me confident-sounding advice about how to deal with life’s daily challenges. And I, in my isolation and loneliness, became all too willing to listen. By the time I was a freshman music major in college, I was beginning to struggle with bulimia as well.
Then, scarcely two months after I had arrived at college, the tendons in my hands gave out under the strain of my piano practice schedule. I was left with no choice but to withdraw from college and return home. My mother quickly located a physical therapist for me. She drove me to Annie’s* office every week.
It didn’t take Annie long to figure out that there was more going on with me than just hand injuries. One day, at my weekly session, she gently asked if I was okay. I opened my mouth to reassure her that all was well…and it all came spilling out—the fear of food, the hopelessness, the loss of my music, the loneliness that made me long to curl up and die. Amazingly, Annie asked if there was anything she could do to help.
Even more amazingly, I said “yes”.
Since neither Annie nor I knew that much about eating disorders recovery, we embarked upon a learning quest together. Together, we began to brainstorm ways I could overcome my fear of food. She helped me find some local support groups and encouraged me to go. She shared books that had inspired her. We talked and she got to know me, which made all the difference in my daily willingness and ability to do the hard work of recovery.
In the power of the bond that formed between Annie and me, we unwittingly discovered the eating disorder’s strength, and its fatal weakness. It had thrived while I was in isolation, but now I had a trusted friend by my side—someone who could see me apart from my eating disorder and who was not nearly as intimidated by it as I. And over time, my relationship with Annie began to replace my need for the relationship I had formed with the eating disorder. As we met each week, I, too, began to be able to look past the eating disorder and see myself through Annie’s eyes—as a hero in my own life.
Without Annie’s help and support, I would not be here to share my story of hope and triumph today. This is the power of mentoring.
Mentoring 101
Today, we have so many more resources than what was available when I was struggling with an eating disorder. But one fact remains unchanged—we still need support to get better and stay that way.
Just what is a mentor? Who can serve as one and what are the benefits of a mentoring relationship? How do you know you are ready to be mentored? For that matter, how do you find a good mentor, or learn to become one?
What do you mean by “mentor” and “mentee”?
A mentor, in this context, is a trusted guide who has knowledge and experience in a certain area, and is willing and able to share it. A mentee is a person who is in need of guidance and support, and is willing to receive it. While it is not absolutely necessary (although it is extremely desirable) that your mentor be familiar with the specifics of eating disorders, poor body image, or other related issues, the person you choose must be able to relate to your struggles on some personal level and express a willingness to learn how to best support you.
Who can be a mentor?
The beauty of a mentoring partnership is that it can happen both within and outside the context of a traditional therapeutic relationship. It is quite common for many of the principles of a quality mentoring relationship to be found in the bond that forms between therapist and patient—many former sufferers credit their recovery success to the guidance of compassionate, caring treatment team members. However, teachers, coaches, parents, siblings, clergy, significant others, spouses, friends, and other individuals may also be uniquely positioned and qualified to serve as mentors.
What is a mentor’s “job description”?
First and foremost, the mentor serves as a resource and cheerleader to a person who wants to meet certain recovery goals and is willing to do the work that is required. Mentoring is driven by the mentee’s need for support and desire to recover. A mentor’s role, therefore, is necessarily reactive rather than proactive, as it is the mentee who is driving the process by seeking out the mentor’s guidance, assistance, and advice for navigating both the day-to-day and the larger recovery issues as they arise.
What are the benefits of having a mentor?
The mentor, not being intimidated by the eating disorder, can serve as a voice of reason, compassion, tough love, and kind encouragement. The mentor is also able to remind the mentee of past successes and future payoffs for continuing to work on recovery.Ideally, the mentor also possesses first- or second-hand experience with the recovery process, and thus comes into the partnership equipped with some level of awareness of how it feels and what it takes to overcome these types of significant life challenges. The mentor may even have personal experience with the process of transitioning through various stages of care, and is therefore well positioned to serve as a source of ongoing support throughout the entire length and breadth of the mentee’s recovery journey. The mentor can also act as a resource and support to the mentee in the unfortunate situation where further treatment may not be affordable, available, or both.
How do I know I am ready for a mentor?
There is some truth to the old saying that “when the student is ready, the teacher appears.” Beyond that, readiness to begin working with a mentor is born out of a sincere determination to achieve recovery by whatever means necessary (which includes the active willingness to attempt to replace the eating-disordered thoughts and coping skills with healthier connections and behaviors). As with all successful partnerships, courage, trust, and a sense of adventure are paramount to success.
Do I have to pay for mentoring?
Each mentoring partnership is unique. Some mentors may choose to charge for their time and others may wish to offer their support free of charge, on a sliding scale, or pro bono. Some universities and non-profit organizations offer mentoring as a part of their menu of support services. The most important thing is to find a mentor who appears to be willing and equipped to serve. From there, it becomes possible to design a mentoring partnership that will work for both participants.
How can I find a mentor?
Locating and assessing potential mentors is both a logical and intuitive process. Certainly, it makes sense to look close to home for someone within your family, local community, or spiritual home. Is there a teacher with whom you felt some rapport or a trained member of a peer support group or counseling center at school? Perhaps you might consider approaching a relative who has expressed a past interest in your health and well-being. Participating in reputable online recovery sites, such as MentorCONNECT, my organization’s private, monitored online mentoring community, is also a great way to connect with individuals who want to help each other build positive support systems. Or you could attend a local meeting of Eating Disorders Anonymous, Anorexics and Bulimics Anonymous or Overeaters Anonymous, which are all fellowship organizations that consider the mentor-mentee (or “sponsor-sponsee”) relationship as integral to successful recovery. If you are looking for therapy specifically, organizations such as Gürze Books and the National Eating Disorders Association (NEDA) offer referral directories of professionals who are specifically knowledgeable about eating disorders.
Brainstorm a list of potential mentors, challenging yourself to consider both obvious and not-so-obvious candidates. From there, take a leap of faith! Pick a method of contact (in person, phone, mail, email, text, etc.) that feels comfortable. Explain to that person what type of support you are seeking, offer some ideas for how they could best support you, and invite them to discuss the possibility further with you. A mentoring partnership is still first and foremost a relationship, and it is important to “click” with your mentor, and vice versa, to ensure that you will derive the most benefit out of your time together.
If I have a mentor do I still need a treatment team?
In a word — YES. When I was ill, for reasons both unfortunate and unavoidable, my relationship with Annie was all that I had in terms of a treatment team. She stood right in between me and the eating disorder, helping me to remember why I chose recovery and reminding me that I had the power to choose to fight, survive, and thrive. Even so, I would never advocate attempting to “go it alone,” even with a caring mentor by your side. Rather, the true value of mentoring can be found through integrating a mentor into the efforts of a full treatment team, using the unique talents and contributions of each member to fully support the person who is striving to get better. When we all work together on behalf of someone who is striving to achieve recovery from an eating disorder, the sky is the limit when it comes to setting—and exceeding—our shared recovery goals!
*a pseudonym has been used to protect privacyFor more information about mentoring click HERE
- Blog post
- 5 months ago
- Views: 43
- Not yet rated
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Rockin' the 70's
- From: Shadoe
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Description:
Time Capsule: The 70's... maybe a bit before and maybe a tad bit after
This is probably going to be a couple posts. This all started with a discussion at work when I mentioned to someone else, have you visited Hulu? The guy said he hadn't, but his wife had because they have the television show "Emergency" and she's a big Randy Mantooth fan. Then I said, ah yes, he sometimes appeared on the cover of my 16 Magazine from time to time. Well that began the flood of nostalgia.
Now y'all may have a different vision of what the 70's were... some of you have only read about it or seen it on TV, some of you lived it. Whatever the case may be, I'm not here to tell you your vision of the 70's is wrong, I'm just here to talk about mine.
For me, the 70's was about music... my love of it and how it is a constant in my life. You don't have to be a singer, songwriter or musician to appreciate music... or the music of the 70's, you just have to appreciate music, period. Even though I do dabble in and with music from time to time my usual response to people who ask me if I play an instrument is usually, "Yes I do, I play my stereo and I play it very well, thank you". :) Well now it's, "I play my MP3 player and I play it extremely well, thank you". When we actually look at my dabbling in music, I did sing with a choir & did some talent shows, I've played saxophone, drums, guitar and keyboards and do write songs from time to time. Could I be a professional at any of them... no. Probably the only one that I could do well with is the song writing and banging that out for someone else to sing & play.
My dream growing up was to be a singer and believe me that fantasy never stopped... and I think it's still there inside today. I use to pretend I was a rock star on tour when I'd travel on the Greyhound Bus to visit relatives in another state. When I was home, there was a guitar in hand or me behind some makeshift drum set. Or me out front with my pretend microphone singing lead... yes before the video game Rock Band or Guitar Hero ever existed... I did this stuff, learned every song, every dance etc and performed them live in my bedroom. And if I was lucky, I had friends that stopped by to join in on the concert.
So because of my wanting to be a singer, I couldn't help but fall in love with music... ALL kinds of music. I was introduced when I was born to such singers as, Frank Sinatra, Elvis (I own a 78rpm of his Heartbreak Hotel, been in the family for awhile now), Dean Martin, The Beatles, Vanilla Fudge, Lynn Anderson, Perry Como...the list goes on. Of course when I hit the teeny bopper years it was all about David Cassidy and the Partridge Family, the Osmonds, The Jackson 5, and dare we not forget the original the short cropped pants wearers... the Bay City Rollers! I then started listening also to The Carpenters, David Essex, The Bee Gees and oh my goodness every group that K-Tel ever put on one of their albums. (If you don't know anything about K-Tel records, look them up. The various artist collections were great, but one flaw... they shortened songs from the originals.) All those groups led me to Sweet, Gilbert O'Sullivan, Three Dog Night, Pilot, Badfinger, Paul Revere and the Raiders, Grass Roots, Gary Puckett, Chicago, Grand Funk Railroad, Nazareth, Aerosmith (the first time), Rick Springfield (first time around before Dr. Noah Drake On GH), Queen (love Freddie Mercury), Jim Groce, Carly Simon, Barry Manilow, Electric Light Orchestra, Heart, Fleetwood Mac, Eric Carmen & The Raspberries, Tanya Tucker... oh my goodness the list could go on.
All of the groups I listened to and more are part of a very huge vinyl album & 45 collection I own. I guess if I wasn't going to be a singer in a rock n' roll band... I was going to appreciate every piece of music I came across.
At one point in my life I did get a small taste of knowing what being a singer was like... at least in small town Midwest... that's when my state had small towns. Ya know... "they paved paradise and put up a parking lot". ;) Could I have made it professionally as a singer... again no. And it only would have been with a heck of a lot of training. Choir and on my own I did pretty good. But there were so many who were so much better at it. Granted God gifted me with a good group of talents, the musical side being one of them... but I don't think that was the strongest of the ones He gave me. But hey, I still embrace it.
Don't get me wrong, there use to be a time when I could actually sing. But ya know if you don't use the instrument, ya kinda lose the instrument. It would take some work to get it back. I remember a time when I was at a place where they had setup one of those mobile recording studio's... like they put in mall's etc from time to time. And I decided I was going to see if I could do the recording thing, plus it was kind of cool cause I had never stepped foot in a recording studio. I figured this was the closest chance I'd get. The guy asked me what song I wanted to sing after looking through the big book. Of course I would pick something I knew, something I felt I could sing... but also something that would be difficult for many, including myself. So why the heck did "I" think I could sing this song. Maybe because on a good day when I've recorded myself on my little tape recorder I could sing the song. Now I'm going to preface this next part with the fact that the song I picked was hard because the original singer was one of the greatest female vocalists in music, then and still to this day. A woman with perfect pitch... which I don't have. And her range was not always the easiest to mimic. And "I" am nowhere near her talent or much of anything else when it comes to singing. But... for one brief moment, I wondered IF.
I know, I know you are all wondering WHO the singer was and WHAT song. Well, slipping into the booth, and putting on the headphones and looking at the microphone... I wondered what the sam hell in tarnations was I doing! (Also if anyone knows what and where that saying came from, please let me know.)
I heard the opening music and even though I had the words in front of me, yes I kept them there no matter what. I closed my eyes and pretended... as many times as I did before... that I was in my bedroom putting on a concert for the world. I'm really glad my bedroom couldn't hold many people cause it would have scared me half to death to sing in front of the world...even though I had done talent shows. With my eyes closed I opened my mouth and began singing, "We've Only Just Begun" by the Carpenters. Do you understand now why I said how I couldn't even compare, compete, think etc when it came to Karen Carpenter? Her voice was always perfect and clear. It use to take me a lot to come close to sounding clear... let alone perfect. But I did sing the whole song through... with my eyes closed, still pretending I was in my bedroom belting it out.
Now the guy manning the booth would be listening on his headset as you did this. But little did I know that he had decided to pipe my performance out to anyone within earshot. Him and I had this discussion before hand that I did not want that done and he had agreed to it... guess you shouldn't believe some people, eh?
I finished and stepped out of the booth and it took me a minute or two to realize the song I was hearing was me. I was kind of use to me hearing myself on my little recorder and now here it was so much bigger and cleaner sounding. I said to him I thought this wasn't going to happen, the playing of my singing for the whole world to hear. He said that he thought I was very good and that I wouldn't have a problem with it really in the end... I thought to myself, yeah right... you tell everyone that no matter what they sound like. He said in the end that I kind of sounded like her... Karen Carpenter that is. Again, yeah right. But I did take the tape home and listen to it and it was pretty good, I felt there were parts where I sounded like Karen and thought that maybe if I decided to pursue this path maybe I might be good at it, on a low professional level. Even though I didn't do too badly at mimicking Karen Carpenter, I felt that I'd need much more training to do it seriously.
So that brought me right back to my love and appreciation of great music. The love of not just singers... but those who could sing AND write their songs and of course play them. I have such great respect for people that can do that. Yes I believe many of the singers today are good, I take nothing away from them. But I think I appreciate the singer/songwriter/musicians more and I attribute that to growing up in the 70's. Bands actually sang and played their own instruments and when you heard them live... if they hit a clunker or sang the wrong note or messed up the words... you still knew they weren't faking it. And you also found out the groups that could REALLY sing and knew how to harmonize and just were killer. I'll take Karen & Richard Carpenter over the many wannabe's of today, mainly because Richard knew how to craft a pop song to perfection with Karen delivering it wrapped up in a bow. Queen, Freddie Mercury... great songs and an amazing voice that made you take notice. Now THAT is what I remember of the 70's when it came to music. I had and still do have a wide variety of taste thanks to the 70's. If not for the 70's I probably would find myself still buying tons of CD's because I can't get enough of music. It underscores so much of my life. Yes, I BUY the CD's... don't get me started on not buying CD's and stealing from the singers/songwriters/musicians. For me, it's the least that I can do to pay them back for hours and years of enjoyment.
The 70's was a good time listening to all those groups at the beginning of that era. Then came the mid-70's and a bit later which turned into disco.... I'll leave that for possibly part two of this post. :)
Ask me today who I listen to... well, I still listen to everybody listed above and more from time to time when I pull out the CD's. But now I still find myself going for the vocals and the singer/songwriters/musicians like Jann Arden (Jann if you are reading this, YOU ROCK in more ways than one! And right now you are my musical hero.), Pink (LUV Pink!), Justin Timberlake (Something to be said about boybands), Kelly Clarkson (really the best singer to come out of AI), Building 429 (I'm a big Chrisitan rock fan also), Big Daddy Weave, Newsboys, Keith Urban, Sarah McLachlan, Rascal Flatts, Melissa Etheridge, U2 (Umm, they ROCK.), Shakira, Katy Perry (How can you not rock out to I Kissed A Girl), Seal, Coldplay, The Black Eyed Peas (Boom, Boom, POW!), Daughtry (the best singer/band to come out of AI)... again the list could go on, and YES I own CD's by all these people. Yes I'm really old. Yes I have no more room in my house. Yes I must get a bigger one. Yes I still pretend I can sing sometimes.;PI admire all the people I listed and then some. For many can effortlessly sing a song with such great emotion that it's pure magic and it's the language we all can speak. Others, write and play music that can break our hearts and lift them up all at the same time. You all are the music in my life. Thank you. :)
P.S.
For a good handful of years in my adult life, before CD's... I was actually around when those came into play and had one of the early commercial CD players. I ran a record store. So my love of music has stayed constant and this contributed to my large record collection. And took away a lot from my wallet.
- Blog post
- 5 months ago
- Views: 175
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ED's True Face
- From: Andrea
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Description:
In the beginning, the eating disorder (ED) felt like it was a friend to me. It was a solution to my problems. When everything else in my life seemed so out of control, the eating disorder was there for me, comforting me. But soon enough, the eating disorder showed its true face. And it turned out it was not a friend -- and never was.
The eating disorder did not care about me. It only cared about itself and was using me. A friend does not beat you up, a friend does not make you punish yourself, a friend does not make you feel miserable, a friend does not take away your passions... the eating disorder is not your friend.
And whenever you hear the voice in your head telling you that you aren't good enough, need to lose weight, punish yourself… ask yourself if that is the "real you" that is talking, or if it is your eating disorder that is speaking to you. At first, it can be very difficult to separate these two voices as it feels like you are "it" and "it" is you... When I struggled, it felt like the eating disorder was me, and I was “it” – “it” was my identity; I didn't know who I was without it.
During my recovery, I had to learn to separate these two voices --- mine and the eating disorder voice. And when it was the eating disorder talking, I had to learn to fight back, talk back and disobey its commands. I had to learn to take control back over my life -- after all, it was MY life, not the eating disorder's.
Now you have to do the same. And through it, your recovery will come. You can learn to love and enjoy your life again. Please stay strong and keep on believing in yourself!
All the best and take good care of yourself,
Andrea
PS. Looking for eating disorder recovery support? I invite you to check out my monthly ezine called the You Are Not Alone Support Letter which is filled with recovery stories, interviews, poems, artwork, recovery tips, and more... for more information, visit www.youarenotalonebook.com/supportletter.html
- Blog post
- 6 months ago
- Views: 78
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TLC52
- Views: 52
- Since: 6 months ago
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My review of Robert McKee's St
- From: JustinMurphy
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Description:
The Decline of Story
I read the opening chapter which illustrated two things I heard before, but McKee retold them in such a unique way. He talked about a character driven film involving a woman coming home from college and dealing with her family's problems, and a that such a story would be so flat and underdeveloped because there's only the family, no outside circumstances. It's only the surface of reality. He also mentioned a plot driven film involving three dozen CIA agents taking a trip overseas to catch a wanted fugitive would be so overdone and over the top that it would be out of touch with reality completely since the story is not focused on one character and his personal life to balance things out. He mentioned storytelling is not about fantasy, but a means to understand a deeper and less traveled perception of reality.
He also focused on the literary talent vs. story talent. Literary being those who write words in a beautiful way, can compose sentences and paragraphs like a symphony with tight spelling and punctuation. He went to say those who are great storytellers have shitty grammar while those who have the gift of proper grammar are shitty storytellers. But also stresses most prefer a simple story told in a brilliant fashion over a complex story in a banal fashion. And mentioned how when he was a script reader at United Artists and NBC, his bosses expected him and other script readers to give rejection notes praising the grammar and ripping the story apart while often some other story analysts would get fired over praising the story and ripping the grammar.The Story Spectrum
McKee started this next chapter reviewing the basics of structure with explaining beginning, middle, and end are a symbolic birth, life, and death for the main character. And the structure of the plot revolves around story value in that each nut and bolt contain story which range from going from positive to negative traits and vice versa. It starts with the beat, the action/reaction that goes back and forth between characters in a scene, one being positive and the other being negative, leading to echanges between the two. And a scene starts one way on this spectrum while the ending on the other. A number of scenes (ranging from two to five) represent a seesaw battle between positive and negative while an act builds up to a certain point in the story, culminating in a much bigger framework regarding positive/negative war.
And now the good stuff -- The Story Triangle
I discovered The Truth About Murder is a mixture of Classical Design and Minimalism. First, the ending has a dual blend between closed and open. Leon Brooks is being carted off to jail almost certain his life is over after he murdered the child molester, but stops there, not answering whether or not he may be acquitted at a trial. Both he and Jacob Lassiter are active in the sense they both protected and defended those they loved at every cost yet also passive because they explore these in internal/psychological fashion and only externalize at certain points in the story i.e. beginning, middle, and end. They blur the line between single and multiple protagonist because they exhibit shades of grey. Leon murdered someone, but did it to protect his disabled nephew.And Jacob Lassiter is a grieving father after the murder of his son yet neglected him during his life in favor of wealth and business. The story is both linear and consistent within its reality yet can both be considered casualty and coincidence since the two main characters are connected through murder yet their lives don't intersect otherwise. And last but not least the story borders on both change and stasis because things stay the same throughout a scene/sequence yet there are subtle and overall changes throughout each chapter and the novel.
Structure and Setting
It talked about the importance of location in the story with focus on period, duration, location, and level of conflict. The Truth About Murder takes place in a fictional setting in the present called Lemuria County, spans a whole day after the murder on the previous night. The ending however takes place a few days later because of the child molester/murder victim's funeral. It's a heightened level of conflict with a retired deputy sheriff who used to be a wrestler going on the run for murdering a child molester.
The importance of setting in the story:Beginning: Leon Brooks murders John Lassiter on The Lemuria County Pier during a dark night.
Middle: Leon Brooks takes those he loves to hide out in a cabin to evade capture by the police.
End: Leon Brooks beats Jacob Lassiter to a pulp in his own son's grave at The Lemuria County Cemetery before returning to the pier where it all started and being arrested for the murder.McKee's View on Research:
There are three important factors in researching the main character and the story's setting.
Memory: Things the actual Leon Baxter has said and done, the way he talks and acts, along with how he describes himself.
Imagination: He mentions lounging around the house a lot in his retirement years, so aside from the murder at the beginning, fleeing to his cabin in the middle, and the final showdown and arrest in the end, it's a very psychological and isolated story per imagining his real day to day life.
Facts: Flashbacks to one of his rookie matches against Danny Hodge and one of his final matches against a rookie Hulk Hogan. Another flashback after fleeing the murder scene, he flashes back to pursuing a fugitive who murdered his wife on one of his first assignments as a deputy sheriff. There anecdotes of events taking place in both professions, along with anecdotes and tidbits about his personal life. - Blog post
- 6 months ago
- Views: 63
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The Law Of The Garbage Truck
- From: anythingispossible
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Description:
I just got this in an email and wanted to post it. ~L
One day I hopped in a taxi and we took off for the airport. We were
driving in the right lane when suddenly a black car jumped out of a
parking space right in front of us. My taxi driver slammed on his
brakes, skidded, and missed the other car by just inches! The driver of
the other car whipped his head around and started yelling at us. My taxi
driver just smiled and waved at the guy. And I mean, he was really
friendly. So I asked, 'Why did you just do that? This guy almost ruined
your car and sent us to the hospital! 'This is when my taxi driver
taught me what I now call, 'The Law of the Garbage Truck.'
He explained that many people are like garbage trucks. They run around
full of garbage, full of frustration, full of anger, and full of
disappointment. As their garbage piles up, they need a place to dump it
and sometimes they'll dump it on you. Don't take it personally. Just
smile, wave, wish them well, and move on. Don't take their garbage and
spread it to other people at work, at home, or on the streets. The
bottom line is that successful people do not let garbage trucks take over
their day. Life's too short to wake up in the morning with regrets,
so...Love the people who treat you right. Pray for the ones who don't.
Life is ten percent what you make it and ninety percent how you take it!
Have a blessed, garbage-free day! - Blog post
- 6 months ago
- Views: 38
- Not yet rated
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