I love this amazingly poignant video and article about a young man who chose to make a drastic and, I am sure, scary and frowned upon change in his life.
It is the epitome of what we all talk about. Chucking it all and following your dream.
How much pain will you endure before you take your leap of Faith?
Adam had become depressed and negative before he finally gave up on his agony and began to listen to his Soul. He followed its direction and his life took off in a new and wonderful direction.
So I ask you….Ask yourself…what will it take to look inside yourself, find yourself and be true to yourself???
The sad but great fact is that there is only TODAY. There is only NOW!
What is sad about that is that this moment will never come again.
But what is great about this truth is that it is never too late. It is always NOW and you can still start a new.
So what is it you want to do? Be like Adam and take up Photography? Take up painting or sculpting? What about dancing? or a sport…maybe swimming or golf?
Or what about becoming your own boss. Owning your own business. Becoming an entrepreneur.
Thousands Line Up To Bid Goodbye To Garcia Marquez
by The Associated Press
April 21, 201410:43 PM ET
People wait outside the Fine Arts Palace in Mexico City on Monday to pay tribute to Gabriel Garcia Marquez.
Alfredo Estrella/AFP/Getty Images
With two heads of state and thousands of tearful admirers, Mexico bid farewell on Monday to Gabriel Garcia Marquez, the Colombian Nobel laureate considered one of the greatest Spanish-language authors of all time.
The ashes of the author, who died Thursday at age 87, were received at Mexico City’s majestic Palace of Fine Arts to several minutes of thunderous applause after being placed on a black pedestal by his widow, Mercedes Barcha, and his two sons, Gonzalo and Rodrigo.
He was eulogized in a brief ceremony in the dramatic art deco lobby by the presidents of both Mexico and Colombia, two countries linked by the writer through his birth, life, heritage and career.
I love this article about Jackie O’Shaughnessy, American Apparel’s lingerie model.
First things, I love American Apparel clothes, and that they are committed to domestic manufacturing. So this new look in lingerie modeling is a plus for me.
Jackie is a beautiful woman and she is 62!! Yes, you read it right, 62!!
I think that is AWESOME!!!!
Hollywood and the Media always show us young and “kept-young” women as our standards, but in the real world there is aging and grey hair, there are body changes after children and there are scars and stretch marks. And there is BEAUTY!!!
So I say Kudos to American Apparel! And thank you to Jackie! And to all other women out there, who feel that they may not look as good as they once did, or who feel ‘less than’ just because they are over 50, to you I say…You ARE beautiful!!! Every single part of you! You may not be on a big screen or in a Magazine, but people do see you every day and though you may not think it of yourself, they know and say that you ARE beautiful!
So do something nice for yourself today. Look in the mirror with the same awe that you look at the ladies on TV. You are just as good and maybe even better. Say to the lady in the mirror…hey, you know what? you really ARE beautiful!
Mothers’ day is still a month away, but I stumbled across this cute little video and had to share.
I love that is shows just how special mothers are and mothering is. Oh, the wonders of womanhood and its very nature. We can not help but to care. We can not help but to love. Love is the nature of creation. Love is all there is. We have ‘learned’ to ‘think’ as humans, but when we let go of all that ego has brought us..and we strip down to our essence….there is only Love!
These animals did not go to Law school or get a fancy Medical degree or a pricey MBA. These animals are not “intellectual”…but these animals are Nature! Pure and Simple. And they display what we have ‘un-learned’…Love!
It is absolutely crazy to me that there is all this uproar about the fact that Daniel Murphy missed two games to be there for the birth and first days of his son.
I know everyone will say that I am only saying this because I am a woman, but I think you will find many men who feel the same way.
Maybe the game is more important to some people, but the reality is that when Daniel Murphy is retired, old and grey, it will not be the Mets standing at his bedside, it will be that son that he brought into the world with his wife.
For anyone who has had the experience of having kids, you know how truly amazing it is and how wonderful it feels to bond with this tiny being in the first few days. It is a one time only shot. It never comes back, it never happens again. These are treasured moments that you need to enjoy.
So I say, sorry fans but family IS more important. Kudos to Daniel for taking the time and for standing by his decision in the face of all this unnecessary, unwarranted mean-ness. Congratulations Man!
Daniel Murphy leaves Mets for wife and newborn, Mike Francesa rips paternity leave idea, calls it ‘scam’ and ‘gimmick’
Murphy, who is allowed 1-3 days off for paternity leave that was put into the CBA in 2011, is expected to be back in the lineup for Thursday’s afternoon game against the Nationals. That isn’t soon enough for Francesa, who says all dads should follow his example.
Today I am tooting my own horn because I have reason to be proud.
A week ago, I ran in the NYC Half Marathon and finished it!!
One might not think my time is that impressive at 3 hours 40 minutes, but for a rookie runner in her 40’s, I am well pleased.
I was in training for a full marathon when I found myself pregnant with my first son. At 17 miles in my training, I had to stop. My son is now 8 years old and I have done very little if any running in the years since his birth.
So starting to train for this Half Marathon in January was like starting anew, like I had never run before. At first, I could barely keep moving for 30 minutes. Slowly, with regular practice, I built myself up to being able to run for longer periods and longer distances. And my last long training run, a week before the actual race, was 10 miles and I walked most of it.
Arriving at the start line on the day of the race, I was texting my friend about how I so wanted to chicken out. But how could I do so at this point. How would I explain giving up to my children? No, I had to do it.
I did not run the whole way, I had to walk up the steep slopes, against the strong cold wind along one part of the race and every time I felt I was getting too out of breath, but I told myself that the key was not to stop, no matter what. Just keep moving. And so I did. And I finished the race. And was able to proudly show my children who welcomed me at the finish line, how hard work and persistence pays off.
It was a wonderful experience and I am hooked. I loved running outside to train; I enjoyed the challenge of running for a certain distance or time on the treadmill when the weather did not permit running outside; I enjoyed the way it made me feel; I love what it did to my body – losing fat and building muscle; and on race day, it was so exhilarating running down the actual city streets that had been closed to traffic to permit this crowd of every kind of person to run their own race and beat themselves. It was AWESOME! There is no doubt that I will continue running and that I will run in more half marathons as I work at beating my time.
This experience taught me a lot too as an entrepreneur. Points which I will always remind myself of as I go forward in my business.
1) the beginning is not easy! you will question yourself and your decision to take this on. But you must push through
2) you must remain consistent. Do a little every day. It all adds up.
3) there WILL be obstacles. difficulties. Naysayers. Your own negative self talk. All that and more. IGNORE them! Just keep going.
4) Be grateful for all the little victories along the way. Celebrate them, be proud of yourself
5) Smile! and just don’t stop! You WILL finish the race – your will make those sales – you WILL succeed. And when you do, then it’s just a matter of getting better. But the point is…you WILL get there!!
And Damn!…does it feel good!!! It feels like the Sky is the limit (and it is) and like there is nothing you can’t do (and there is)
BONUS POINT 6) have a purpose other than a selfish desire to succeed. I ran my race for the Children’s Tumor Foundation. I raised money from friends and family for the cause. Every time I wanted to quit, I remembered that there were some children depending on me and that some people believed in me enough to contribute. And when I pushed through and I made it, it felt good to know that I had not only succeeded for me, but for everyone that contributed and every child that would benefit from the contribution.
Being able to appreciate your own business in this same way, knowing that you are doing good for someone else….makes it all worth it. And you will love getting up in the morning to face another wonderful and purposeful day!
Many people don’t think that Katy Perry is the most talented or innovative performers in the Music industry nowadays, but I am not here to debate that. I personally enjoy some of her music for light listening pleasure. But what I really appreciate about Ms. Katy is that she always puts out a song that uplifts. “Firework” was so inspirational, the students sang it at a high school graduation I attended.
And for my sisters, as we speak about women owning their power, I think “Roar” is the perfect song. We may not all look as perfect as she does in her video, we may not all be walking through an African jungle befriending elephants either, but we are all beautiful, we are all strong and we are all over-comers and victors in our own jungles of life.
In honour of yesterday being International Women’s Day, this week’s post is dedicated to all the strong, beautiful and amazing women around the world. Here are 10 songs that serve as a reminder to all women that we are simply awesome.
From awesomelyluvvie.com
1) Run the World (Girls)-Beyoncé
This re-working of Major Lazer’s hit, Pon Di Floor took an already infectious song and made it even better. (Who run the world? Girls!)
2) A Woman’s Worth-Alicia Keys
Don’t let this song’s relaxed melody and tempo fool you: it’s really a warning to men who don’t express their love and appreciation to their girlfriends or wives. Though A Woman’s Worth was written over ten years ago, its message is still relevant.
3) The Worst (Sail Out)-Jhené Aiko
The main message behind The Worst (Sail Out) is that wanting someone is not the same as needing someone, which is something…
It’s been quiet from me for a while. Been under the weather. But here I am 🙂
And after all that Oscar excitement, with 12 Years a Slave winning the ultimate Prize right at the end of Black History Month, we roll into March and it’s time to celebrate women!
It’s Women’s History Month!!
My blog, my business and my coaching are geared predominantly to women, so this month is all about tooting our own horns! Celebrating who we are, where we came from, and what we are capable of.
No offense to our wonderful men out there and I do love them :-), but this month, it’s all about GIRL POWER!!! Women RULE! …and all that good stuff.
Please feel free to send in stories you think we should feature or women we should be writing about.
We have come to the last and biggest category and it comes with a gift. A predictor to tell you the winner. Watch this video and try it out for yourself, then dare to place your bets. 🙂
And the nominees are….
American Hustle
Now I can finally let loose on how much I enjoyed this film. It was very well written, had an excellent ensemble cast and was filmed beautifully. There was not a hole in the story, nothing I did not believe, not a moment of boredom, the characters were well fleshed out, complex and interesting. Overall, this was a very enjoyable and extremely humorous movie-going experience, in fact it was my favorite movie this year. American Hustle has my vote for Best Picture.
A con man, Irving Rosenfeld (Christian Bale), along with his seductive partner Sydney Prosser (Amy Adams), is forced to work for a wild FBI agent, Richie DiMaso (Bradley Cooper), who pushes them into a world of Jersey powerbrokers and mafia.
Director: David O. Russell, Writers:Eric Warren Singer, David O. Russell
Captain Phillips, based on real life events, is a very well made film. The suspense was very real as it kept me on the edge of my seat and engaged the whole time. The performances, with the title character played by Tom Hanks and the supporting role played by Barkhad Abdi, were solid. It was interesting to have glimpse into a lifestyle we don’t know much about and rarely ever even think about. The dangers out at sea are real. And Piracy, which I feel is borne out of desperation and necessity in times of economic and political hardship, is very real too. I would hate to be married to a “Captain Phillips”. The pay may be good, but is it worth it? Anyway, good movie!
The true story of Captain Richard Phillips and the 2009 hijacking by Somali pirates of the US-flagged MV Maersk Alabama, the first American cargo ship to be hijacked in two hundred years. Based upon the book “A Captain’s Duty: Somali Pirates, Navy SEALS, and Dangerous Days at Sea”
Director: Paul Greengrass, Writers: Billy Ray, Richard Phillips, Stephan Talty
Dallas Buyers Club
This film will have a good number of followers because of its subject matter dealing with the treatments and stigmas in the early days of the HIV/AIDS epidemic. But the subject is not what makes this a great movie, and that it is! Like Captain Phillips, this film is based on a true story, but it has a much stronger script. The telling of this story leaves no questions unanswered, shows the terrible reality of the early days of AIDS treatment and its devastation. The Characters are wonderfully interesting with very clear agendas and very honest feelings. A very touching story with excellent performances. This movie could get my vote for best picture too.
In 1985 Dallas, electrician and hustler Ron Woodroof works around the system to help AIDS patients get the medication they need after he is himself diagnosed with the disease.
This film is visually amazing. Watching it in 3D, in a large IMAX theatre, makes you truly feel like you might be in space. And that is scary! But it’s beautiful! Sandra Bullock and George Clooney carry the entire film as the only two characters. And eventually Sandra’s character is forced to face her worst enemy – herself! I like her story and her girl power overcoming, I like the visual effects, the experience and all that good stuff, it’s a really good movie, and I really like Sandra Bullock, but for me personally, this is not my best picture choice. Maybe it’s because there is just that teeny weeny bit of disbelief for me (and probably fear :-)), but that’s just me. This film is definitely a must see, so if you haven’t yet, go see it.
A medical engineer and an astronaut work together to survive after an accident leaves them adrift in space.
Director: Alfonso Cuarón, Writers: Alfonso Cuarón, Jonás Cuarón, George Clooney
I thought I was not going to like this film before I saw it, but was pleasantly surprised that I actually liked it a lot. I did feel it was a little slow in parts though. Nonetheless, Joaquin Phoenix and Scarlett Johansson took us on a most delightful love journey in this film set in LA in the future when computer operating systems are just short of becoming human. Brilliant imagination and delivery by Spike Jonze. Joaquin is such a talented actor. He was on the screen almost all the time and you could feel everything he felt and went through with him. It was an excellent journey into a world that may not be that far off, but do we really want to go there? Well, that is a whole other conversation.
A lonely writer develops an unlikely relationship with his newly purchased operating system that’s designed to meet his every need.
Excellently done, sweet film about an aging dad who just wants to do better for his children and the children who want to do the same for him. I love the essence of this film and if you are in that age group where this is a reality for you, this film touches home even more. The performances were so wonderful, and the characters so myriad and warped, you could smile all the way through even though it was not a comedy at all. It’s just that the truth and the reality of things sometimes, even when they may be painful or less than favorable, just make you smile. Loved it.
An aging, booze-addled father makes the trip from Montana to Nebraska with his estranged son in order to claim a million-dollar Mega Sweepstakes Marketing prize.
Director: Alexander Payne, Writer: Bob Nelson
Philomena
I am only just going to see this film TODAY…the day before the Oscars…so I can not comment from my personal experience of the film. However, from what I have seen and read, it sounds like this is a keeper. Definitely a very touching subject matter. Will give you my review of it tomorrow 🙂 (not that it will matter much any more then)
A world-weary political journalist picks up the story of a woman’s search for her son, who was taken away from her decades ago after she became pregnant and was forced to live in a convent.
Director: Stephen Frears, Writers: Steve Coogan, Jeff Pope, Martin Sixsmith: book “The Lost Child of Philomena Lee”
12 Years a Slave
This film needs no further introduction, it is another film that could totally win Best Picture. It is a very troubling subject matter, delivered in the real-est and yet most beautifully done way, with performances that could keep you awake at night. Based on a true story, from the book of the same name.
In the antebellum United States, Solomon Northup, a free black man from upstate New York, is abducted and sold into slavery.
Director: Steve McQueen, Writers: John Ridley, Solomon Northup (Book: 12 years a slave)
The Wolf of Wall Street
Nasty, Naughty, Dirty, but well made and entertaining film. Great film making, great performances, but I would never vote this as my best picture. (there is a little good girl left in me yet ;-)) Leonardo said in an interview that this was a “cautionary” tale, but I did not find enough caution in it. Seemed to me like they may have got caught, but in the long run…they got away with a lot. All this film tells me is the good old saying “money talks…”
Based on the true story of Jordan Belfort, from his rise to a wealthy stockbroker living the high life to his fall involving crime, corruption and the federal government.
Director: Martin Scorsese, Writers: Terence Winter, Jordan Belfort (book)
From awesomelyluvvie.com 
Susan Olupitan - Storyteller 
