Search Results for: blog moment of beauty 2

Sleeping Beauty (1959)

One of my favorite Disney classics of all time, “Sleeping Beauty” tells us the story of Aurora, the beautiful princess born to a king and queen who had thought themselves unable to have children. Coming as a miracle, she was adored and doted on, and a grand celebration was held to commemorate her birth. All the good fairies in the land were invited to come, and each bestowed upon her a gift. Beauty, kindness, and a lovely singing voice were amongst the gifts, and the king and queen couldn’t be happier. But then the evil fairy Maleficent arrives, furious that … Continue reading →

Blogging Your Baby

In 2005, I received a beautiful journal, complete with leather covering, as a Christmas present from my wife. She bought it for me because I mentioned that I wanted to write a bit about my experiences as a father and have a conversation with my daughter. I did not begin to make entries until May of 2006, and they were sporadic at best. Then within a month or two I had stopped completely. I stared at it every day on my dresser, but the guilt was not enough to pick it up and write. How lazy can I possibly be? … Continue reading →

2006 Fammy Awards (part 2)

And now for the top five movies … Dancing in at the number five spot is Happy Feet (PG), a delightfully amusing cartoon with a great soundtrack. Mambo the Emperor Penguin can’t sing, even though ALL penguins are supposed to sing. But he can tap dance. Ostracized as the cause of a current famine, Mambo and his friends set off to find the real reason the colony is starving. The message is the celebration of the individual, and it’s effective. Akeelah and the Bee (PG for language) – In fourth place is this delightful film of self-reliance, perseverance, and the … Continue reading →

Coping with Christmas & Family Gatherings (2)

Popular magazines abound with tips on how to survive Christmas. You’ll notice that they mainly deal with the practicalities of food preparation and gift selection, even so far as to give you an “Advent-style” countdown from December 1 onwards telling you what task should be achieved on each particular day. Naturally, they stay well clear of the BIG issues — in short, the difficult issues. Today we’ll look at these very problems. How best to cope with a difficult parent, an impossible in-law, anger, rage, guilt (a biggie), and loneliness. And still have a Happy Christmas. 1. Take a leaf … Continue reading →

Ways to Embrace the Ordinary

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All of us spend our free time doing little things that we find amusing. We take a break and watch a funny video on YouTube. Or we spend time browsing through Facebook or Twitter and passing along whatever caught our attention. At the end of the day, this often leaves people feeling unfulfilled. One way to bring meaning to your life is to find ways to embrace the ordinary. You’ve got five minutes left on your break. Which would you rather do: watch a funny video, or read about a random conversation you had a month ago? Amie M. Gordon, … Continue reading →

What is Earth Day?

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Earth Day is celebrated on April 22 every year. Many people consider the creation of Earth Day to be the moment when the modern environmental movement began. There will be events held, all around the world, that are intended to demonstrate support for environmental protection. John McConnell was the founder and creator of Earth Day. In 1939, he was partnering with chemist Albert Nobell in the Nobell Research Laboratory in Los Angeles, California. They built a factory that manufactured plastic. John McConnell learned about how the manufacture of plastic polluted the Earth. This is where his concern about the environment … Continue reading →

More Treasury Fun

When was the last time you got a whole lotta fancy on a frugalista’s budget? Right now you can gift your favorite young reader with a double dose of Fancy Nancy treasuries without breaking the bank. Best-selling author Jane O’Connor teams up with ultra-talented illustrator Robin Preiss Glasser to once again take youngsters on a resplendent ride to Fancyville. At the helm of the grandiose getaway is the one and only Fancy Nancy.  The girl with the vibrant vocabulary and whimsical wardrobe is back in Fancy Nancy Storybook Treasury.  The sturdy hardcover book features six stupendous stories filled with teachable … Continue reading →

Teenager with Autism Wants to Become Miss America

Eighteen year old Alexis Wineman wants to become the next Miss America. She is the currently reigning Miss Montana, pretty, and has an autism spectrum disorder. If she wins the crown, she will be the very first Miss America who has autism. That is her quest. When you think about the Miss America pageant, you are either looking forward to watching it or are intending to avoid it. Beauty pageants, in general, are something that can be viewed as controversial. On the one hand, it is a contest that is primarily about the physical appearance of the contestants (all of … Continue reading →

101 Dalmatians Book and Movie: Always Charming

The 1956 book “The Hundred and One Dalmatians” by Dodie Smith is a very English, very droll story of married Dalmatians Pongo and Missis, and their also-married pets, Mr. & Mrs. Dearly.  You read that right: Missis.  Perhaps the biggest surprise (to me) reading the novel on which the Disney film was based, was to discover that Pongo’s wife was not called Perdita, but Missis.  Even stranger is when a dog named Perdita appears.  She’s a liver (brown)-spotted Dalmatian that serves as a wet nurse for Missis, who cannot handle the milk load required by 15 puppies. Perdita’s own pups … Continue reading →

Get Ready for 100 Pound Loser!

I want to tell you about an ebook coming out on January 1st.  I wage it will motivate you to lose those extra pounds.  My confidence is based on the author, Jessica Heights.  (Her name alone has a confident and famous ring to it, doesn’t it?). Jessica is the author of the blog, Muthering Heights.  She is also a bloggy friend that I hold dear.  We share a quirky introvert thing. Well as much as introverts can share (actually introverts form deep friendships once they get over the initial human contact awkwardness).  At any rate, Jessica has a new ebook … Continue reading →