Blaine's World: Newsletter

BLAINESWORLD
#695
1.25.2010

In this issue:
1. Reflections
2. FYI
3. Punishment be damned
4. Reviews . . . EXTRAORDINARY MEASURES, etc.
5. TV alert
6. Backwoods funeral
7. Websites
8. Computer tip
9. Winning submissions
10. A quote I like
11. Thought for the day
12. Advance planning department

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1. Reflections

A. Cynthia, my beautiful bride, and I went with our friends Brian

and Carole to one of the best shows we have seen in quite

some time: THE BIG BANG at the Asheville Community Theatre . . . it's

a musical staged as a backer's audition for an $83.5 million, 12-hour

stage history of the world from creation to the present . . . there

are 18 numbers, one often funnier than the next, performed

by only two actors who take on such roles as Adam and Eve, Attila the Hun.

Julius Caesar and Columbus, to name just a few.

KUDOS to Michael Cheek and Jerry Crouch, the aforementioned two

actors, for making us laugh throughout the evening . . . that's Jerry

(in the middle), flanked by Carole and Brian:

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695_1

THE GOOD NEWS:

THE BIG BANG runs through Sunday . . . if at all possible, do try

to catch it . . . for more information, please click:

http://www.ashevilletheatre.org/

B. We also attended three very informative programs this past week:

* On Thursday, we went to something called Lessons in Leadership and heard

two very fine motivational speakers.

The first, George Fleming, cited a study of 1,500 graduates who were asked the

question of whether they'd first seek money or passion (from their careers) . . . the

vast majority cited money . . . after 20 years, 1 of the money group had become

a millionaire . . . in contrast, there were 100 millionaires in the passion group!

I also liked how he urged all those in attendance to think about their big

aim in going to work . . . and to say such things as: I'm going to inspire. I'm going

to make a difference. I'm going to make your life easier.

The second, Chip Madera, showed logos of three companies: Southwest,

Disney and the Mayo Clinic . . . he then urged everybody to think about where

they work--and where their logo would fit in.

And if it doesn't fit in, consider these questions: Do you surprise me? Are you going

to make me super special?

In addition, Chip made the following point that has struck me with

ever since the presentation: I don't care if I'm important; I do care if I'm

significant!

* On Friday, we went to the Lecture Series that is part of our Biltmore

Lake community . . . the speaker was Dianne Rebbin, who also

happens to be our friend, and she gave a most informative talk

on the subject of grandparenting.

Though we're not presently grandparents, we gained a lot of useful ideas

from the program that could be applied to parents, uncles and aunts, teachers

and just about anybody else who deals with children . . . for example:

Always at the end of a phone conversation, say: We're thinking of you,

and we love you. (That was from Dianne's husband Tom.)

You can play a game with your grandkids via Skype; e.g., chess.

(From Kristi, our neighbor and another friend.)

Send articles of interest. It shows that you're thinking of the person.

* Lastly, on Saturday, we learned all about something called the Emotional

Freedom Technique--or EFT . . . it is self-applied system for rebalancing

the energy field that can help deal with all sorts of emotional and physical issues.

Gary Schwartz did a great job conducting the daylong program . . . if you'd

like to learn more about EFT and EFT trainings, please click:

http://www.garyawake.com

C. CONGRATULATIONS to all the staffers at the Bucks County Community

College Library for helping make it possible for the College to gain national recognition

as this year's community college recipient of the ACRL Excellence in Academic

Libraries Award . . .and though I recognize that this was a true team effort, in which

everybody led to the success, I'd like to extend special recognition to the two administrators

whose leadership helped make this possible: Maureen McCreadie, Dean of Learning

Resources, and Linda McCann, Director, Library Services . . . way to go, Bucks!

D. CONDOLENCES to Jody Sysler and family on the death of Jody's father (Tom

Evans).

***** BLAINESWORLD BEST AWARD *****

This week, it goes to Cindy Ellis--Box Office manager at the aforementioned

Asheville Community Theatre.

I was fortunate to have her take my phone order for tickets . . . she was

extremely cordial, as well as professional . . . in particular, I liked how she

told me that she had seen the show and made it a point to tell me that I

would love it. (She was right!)

I then had the pleasure of personally meeting Cindy a few days later, and

she was equally delightful in person . . . so if you'd rather speak to a person

when you place your order for THE BIG BANG or any other upcoming show,

you can reach her by calling 828.254.1320.

_________________________________________________________

***** PLEASE SHARE THIS SECTION WITH OTHERS WHO MAY

BE INTERESTED; E.G., PARENTS, RELATIVES, FRIENDS, ETC. *****

2. FYI

COULD YOU RAISE YOUR SOCIAL SECURITY INCOME BY $1,000 A MONTH?

How filling out Form SSA-521 could help you put more money in your mailbox.

A couple of years ago, Boston University economics professor Laurence Kotlikoff
publicized a mindblowing discovery: retirees could dramatically increase their
Social Security checks by reapplying for Social Security benefits.

It was entirely legal; it was an opportunity that had lay unnoticed for years. It was
soon discussed on National Public Radio and PBS, and in USA Today and
a number of in financial magazines. Let’s discuss it here.

Hit “restart” and reset your SS. Everyone eventually applies for Social Security,
but few people reapply– and that’s the key to this strategy, which can potentially
bring retired couples $1,000 or more in additional SS per month. Kotlikoff calls
it “restarting the Social Security clock”. If you have retired within the last few years,
it is a move worth considering.

You can start collecting Social Security benefits when you're first eligible, and
then restart your payments at a higher rate later. You simply file Form SSA-521

(www.ssa.gov/online/ssa-521.pdf) to request a withdrawal of your Social Security
application. After the SSA processes that form, you reapply for Social Security--and
since you are older now than when you first applied, this time you will receive much
higher payments.

For example, a 63-year-old individual who started Social Security benefits in 2008
at age 62 would have received a payout of $18,794 a year; waiting until age 66
or age 70 would have meant $25,732 or $35, 250 annually for that person.1

So if you feel you applied for Social Security too soon, this presents you with a
remedy. As Kotlikoff noted in USA Today in 2008, a 70-year-old receiving $11,556
as a result of claiming early retirement benefits could reapply for Social Security
benefits at age 70 and boost her standard of living by 14%. It would be like having
an inflation-indexed annuity for about 40% less than the cost of a similar investment
from an annuity provider.2

What’s the catch? You have to repay the Social Security benefits you have already
received. But you don't have to pay interest on that money.2 Basically, you're
repaying an interest-free loan from Uncle Sam.

Now if enough people do this, there is the risk that the federal government may say,
“Wait a minute--look at all these people exploiting this opportunity.” But very few
retirees do.

If you do reapply, there’s nothing fishy about it. Visit your local Social Security office
(make an appointment by calling 1-800-772-1213). Bring Form SSA-521 with you, or
ask for it and fill it out while you are there. Don't be surprised if the person on the other
side of the desk doesn't know what you're talking about when you mention reapplying

for benefits. So bring a copy of the formal SSA explanation (www.ssa.gov/OP_Home/handbook/handbook.15/handbook-1515.html ) with you.3

Once you repay your benefits, you can restart them whenever you want. If you fill out
Form SSA-521 and hand over a check repaying the money you've received, you can
reapply for benefits right then and there--the request is routinely approved. 4

For the record, Form SSA-521 only allows you to check one of two boxes for why
you want to reapply for benefits. The first is “I intend to continue working” and the
other is “Other (please explain fully)”.5 Mickie Douglas, a spokeswoman with the
Social Security Administration, told Financial Advisor Magazine that it is entirely
legitimate to write down that you are reapplying because it is “financially better
for you".1

What risks do I run by doing this? The big risk is that you could die soon after
you repay your benefits--you could be out, say, $50,000 or $60,000 without living
long enough to enjoy much of the additional income. But survivor benefits would be
larger for your spouse, of course. Speaking of spouses, widows and widowers
cannot employ this strategy to reapply for a deceased spouse’s benefits.2

Is this a good move for you? It might be. In case you are wondering, Kotlikoff is
no hack--he holds a Harvard Ph.D. in economics and is a former member

of the President's Council of Economic Advisors. He knows his stuff, and so should

you. If you have the money to repay a lump sum equivalent to the benefits you have
received, this may be a great move--but talk with your financial or tax advisor
to see how this decision affects your overall financial strategy.

Taxes: Note that you can also apply for a refund of the federal income taxes that
you paid on the SS benefits received during the earlier years.

Citations.

1 fa-mag.com/fa-news/3209.html [2/29/08]

2 usatoday.com/money/perfi/retirement/2008-02-21-early-social-security-loophole_N.htm [2/21/08]

3 ssa.gov/OP_Home/handbook/handbook.15/handbook-1515.html [8/1/06]

4 www.esplanner.com/case-reapply-social-security [3/2/09]

5 ssa.gov/online/ssa-521.pdf [7/03]

SOURCE:

Kohlhepp Investment Advisors
Doylestown, PA
215.340.5777

FOR MORE INFORMATION:

I've done my investing with Kohlhepp Investment Advisors for nearly
10 years and have been most impressed with the firm. Should you
want to find out more, contact Ed Kohlhepp at the above number.
(Or if he's not available, feel free to contact his son, Ed Kolhepp Jr.)
You won't go wrong.

FYI, part 2

* Neil in Vermont:

As you've guessed, I'm trying the social network route (Facebook, Twitter, Linkedin) to promote

our new book publishing company:

www.brigantinemedia.com.

Any comments on the website (positive or negative) would be helpful. We're looking for a few

good authors (business execs with built-in audiences). Any ideas would be appreciated.

* Donna in New Jersey:

I read CLAPTON last summer (great beach read) and also enjoyed it very much. I concur

with your review 100%!

* Christina in North Carolina:

Jury duty scam:

http://www.fbi.gov/page2/june06/jury_scams060206.htm

* Bill in Pennsylvania:

Diane, Rachel and I also saw Avatar. I am not a big fan of video games. I also thought

the movie was too long, and the characters didn't do much for me. However, that being said,

I really enjoyed the movie. I enjoyed the work of Sigourney Weaver and loved how they

blended the computer graphics

with the live actors.

* Dan in Pennsylvania:

I think you should see Avatar again and try to appreciate the beautiful visual art. The movie

has to have violence to show the stark contrast between two different philosophies of humanity.

I think maybe you're using the wrong side of your brain too much.

MY RESPONSE TO DAN:

You could be right, yet I don't think you could pay me to see it again . . . or at least not in the

near future. . . . on second thought . . . how much might you offer to have me see it again? (For

the right price, I could be bought!)

_________________________________________________________

3. Punishment be damned

Stan: "Would you punish me for something I didn't do?"

Teacher: "No, of course not."

Stan: "Good . . . because I didn't do my homework."

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4. Reviews

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A. Enjoyed EXTRAORDINARY MEASURES, but I did not love it . . . it's
a drama based on a true story of a guy who quits his job to pursue
a cure for a disease that is killing two of his children . . . he does so
by teaming with an unconventional scientist to form an unlikely
alliance . . . Brendan Fraser and Harrison Ford are fine in the
leading roles; Keri Russell, as Fraser's wife, has little to do in
hers . . . the whole film is too formulaic . . . however, it did
keep my interest until the end . . . though rated PG-13, I don't
think anybody under the age of 10 would very much appreciate it.

B. BRIGHT STAR is now out in DVD format . . . my review
from BLAINESWORLD #678 follows:

A. BRIGHT STAR is a period drama set in London, 1818

about the love affair between John Keats, a 23-year old English

poet, and the girl next door . . . their relationship soon became

complicated by the fact that Keats had no money,

and that's the part of the movie I liked best; i.e.,
how it portrayed the life poets had to endure then--and now,
too . . . Ben Whishaw is excellent in the main role, and Abbie
Cornish shines as his neighbor Fanny Brawne . . . Paul
Schneider steals almost every scene he's in as Brown, the best
friend, who has a deep attraction for both the Whishaw
and Cornish characters . . . the film is a bit slow-moving at
times, but stick with it . . . rated PG, though methinks that
those under 13 would prefer seeing something else.

POETRY CORNER:

I don't typically run poems in this missive, but the preceding
movie got me wanting to revisit . . .

Bright Star
by John Keats

Bright star, would I were stedfast as thou art--
Not in lone splendour hung aloft the night
And watching, with eternal lids apart,
Like nature's patient, sleepless Eremite,
The moving waters at their priestlike task
Of pure ablution round earth's human shores,
Or gazing on the new soft-fallen mask
Of snow upon the mountains and the moors--
No--yet still stedfast, still unchangeable,
Pillow'd upon my fair love's ripening breast,
To feel for ever its soft fall and swell,
Awake for ever in a sweet unrest,
Still, still to hear her tender-taken breath,
And so live ever--or else swoon to death.

For more information about Keats and an analysis
of this poem, please click:

http://academic.brooklyn.cuny.edu/english/melani/cs6/star.html

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C. I've always considered myself a positive thinker . . . in all probability, I'll
continue that way though Barbara Ehrenreich's BRIGHT-SIDED has
gotten me to at least revisit my thinking--always a good sign.

Ehrenreich, author of NICKLE AND DIMED (a book I really enjoyed), makes
her goal in writing this latest effort very clear via her subtitle: HOW THE
RELENTLESS PROMOTION OF POSITIVE THINKING HAS UNDERMINED
AMERICA . . . just seeing that caught my attention and made me want
to read more.

And the more I read, the more I understood the point that she was
making; i.e., that there's more to gaining success and prosperity than
just thinking positively . . . in fact, it can even be dangerous at times--such as
when it involves cancer patients:

* Whether repressed feelings are themselves harmful, as many
psychologists claim, I'm not so sure, but without question, there
is a problem when positive thinking "fails" and the cancer spreads
or eludes treatment. Then the patient can only blame herself: she is
not being positive enough; possibly, it was her negative attitude that
brought on the disease in the first place. At this point, the exhortation
to think positively is "an additional burden to an already devastated
patient," as oncology nurse Cynthia Rittenberg has written.

I liked how Ehrenreich then examined examples in varied other
situations and industries, including religion:

* One thing that church market research revealed was that people definitely
did not want to be harangued about sin and made to feel in any way bad
about themselves. If you have only one day a week not given over to work
or errands and laundry, you probably do not want to spend even an hour
of it being warned of imminent punishment in hell. Megachurches and those
aspiring to that status needed a substitute for the more demanding core
of Christian teachings, and that has been, for the most part, positive thinking--not

because it is biblically "true" or supported by scripture but because
it produces satisfied "customers"--as some megachurch pastors refer to them--like
the megachurch member who told the Christian Science Monitor, "We love it. We

don't miss a Sunday. The message is always very positive and the music is great."
Most positive preachers see no tension between their message and traditional
Christian doctrine, God is good, so he wants the best for us, or, as Joyce Meyer
puts it, "I believe God wants to give us nice things."

As might be expected, business also came under scrutiny:

* One such martyr to the cause of financial realism was Mike Gelband, who ran
the real estate division of Legman Brothers. At the end of 2006, Gelband was getting
nervous about what looked increasingly like a real estate bubble. "The world is
changing," Gelband told Legman CEO Richard Fuld during his 2006 bonus review.
"We have to rethink our business model." Fuld promptly fired the misfit and, two
years later, Lehman went bankrupt.

What I liked most about the book, however, was its last chapter, "Postscript
on Post-Positive Thinking" and this very fine final passage:

* The threats we face are real and can be vanquished only be shaking off
self-absorption and taking action in the world. Build up the levees,
get food to the hungry, find the cure, strengthen the "first responders!"
We will not succeed at all these things, certainly not all at once, but--if
I may end with my own personal secret of happiness--we can have
a good time trying.

In addition, I was impressed with Ehrenreich's thorough job of research
as exemplified by the 16 pages of footnotes at the end of BRIGHT-SIDED.

D. I heard the CD version of Ken Foster's THE DOGS WHO FOUND ME: WHAT

I'VE LEARNED FROM PETS WHO WERE LEFT BEHIND and as a result,

came to a better appreciation of the his belief that dogs are like tattoos--they

leave an indelible mark.

Foster found that out after adopting his first dog, Brando, from a shelter . . . he

then found himself noticing strays for the first time and began wanting to

do something about the situation, so he adopted two more . . . in doing so, he

found out that they made it possible for him to live through 9/11 (he was a Manhattan

resident at the time), a heart condition that landed him in the hospital and the death

of two close friends.

I liked the many touching stories about rescued dogs that were included

in the book . . . and I came to the same realization that the author did about

saving a life; i.e., doing it makes you able to do it.

If you're a dog lover, find and read THE DOGS WHO FOUND ME . . . your

only problem will come when you too will start noticing how many stray dogs

there are and that you'll be tempted to want to take care of all of them.

_________________________________________________________

5. TV alert

A. DAMAGES returns for Season 3 with Glenn Close working for the
government to take down a Ponzi-scheming financier that sounds
much like Bernie Madoff . . . Lily Tomlin and Martin Short also are
in the cast this time around . . . Monday at 10 p.m. on FX; repeated
on Thursday at 12:02 a.m.

B. LIVE FOR THE MOMENT is a reality special that sends
Roger Childs, a man battling Lou Gehrig's disease, on a BUCKET
LIST-type adventure that includes heli-skiing and a shuttle launch
with Buzz Aldrin . . . Thursday at 8 p.m. on CBS.

C. LYING TO BE PERFECT is a made-for-TV movie about a frumpy
magazine editor who leads a double life as gorgeous online
columnist . . . Saturday at 9 p.m. on LIFETIME.

D. Taylor Swift seeks to continue her global domination as she competes
for Album of the Year with Beyonce, the Black Eyed Peas, the Dave Matthews
Band and Lady Gaga--all five who also perform--on the 52nd annual
GRAMMY AWARDS . . . Sunday at 8 p.m. on CBS.

_________________________________________________________

6. Backwoods funeral

As a bagpiper, my friend Jim plays many gigs. But one, in particular,
stands out. I'll let him tell the story . . .

Recently, I was asked by a funeral director to play at a grave side
service for a homeless man. He had no family or friends, so the service
was to be at a pauper's cemetery in the Kentucky back-country.

As I was not familiar with the backwoods, I got lost; and being a typical
man, I didn't stop for directions.

I finally arrived an hour late and saw the funeral guy had evidently gone
and the hearse was nowhere in sight. There were only the diggers
and crew left, and they were eating lunch.

I felt badly and apologized to the men for being late. I went to the side
of the grave and looked down and the vault lid was already in place.

I didn't know what else to do, so I started to play. The workers put down
their lunches and began to gather around. I played out my heart and soul
for this man with no family and friends. I played like I've never played before
for this homeless man.

And as I played "Amazing Grace," the workers began to weep. They wept,
I wept, we all wept together.

When I finished, I packed up my bagpipes and started for my car. Though
my head hung low, my heart was full. As I opened the door to my car, I heard
one of the workers say, "I never seen nothin' like that before, and I've been
putting in septic tanks for twenty years."

_________________________________________________________

7. Websites

A. Is it OK to put bananas in the refrigerator; e.g., to extend their
shelf life? The answer is YES--as can be seen at the following
website:

http://www.straightdope.com/

You can also get answers to a wide range of other questions, including:

Why are manhole covers round?
To save energy, should you turn lights off or leave them on?
How do odor-eating socks work?
Do fire departments actually rescue cats from trees?

B. For those who live in the Asheville area . . . or want to come visit sometime

in the near future, here's a new website to check out:

http://livewireasheville.com/

It's described as the spot "where Asheville comes alive," and you'll find all sorts of

useful information about music, dance, theatre, comedy and a lot, lot more.

C. BLAINESWORLD, the website, remains up and running . . . to view
it, please click:

http://www.blainesworld.net

In case you're wondering what this website is all about, the answer can

be found in the top box on the homepage that you can reach by clicking

the above link.

_________________________________________________________

8. Computer tip

If you're still using Internet Explorer, beware that there are many flaws

in it that could cause you problems . . . for more information, see below:

http://tinyurl.com/ycl4kw7

MY TWO CENTS:

If using Internet Explorer, make sure you are at least using Version 8

and, also, that your security and safety updates are current . . . a much

better option in my opinion is to use the Firefox browser from Mozilla . . . I

switched over about six months ago and have never regretted the

decision . . . for a FREE download, please click:

http://www.mozilla.com/en-US/firefox/upgrade.html

_________________________________________________________

9. Winning submissions (some new ones--at least for me)

Once again, The Washington Post published the winning submissions
to its yearly contest, in which readers are asked to supply alternate
meanings for common words.

The winners are:

1. Coffee (n.), the person upon whom one coughs.

2. Flabbergasted (adj.), appalled over how much weight you have gained.

3. Abdicate (v.), to give up all hope of ever having a flat stomach.

4. Esplanade (v.), to attempt an explanation while drunk.

5. Willy-nilly (adj.), impotent.

6. Negligent (adj.), describes a condition in which you absent-mindedly answer
the door in your nightgown.

7. Lymph (v.), to walk with a lisp.

8. Gargoyle (n.), olive-flavored mouthwash.

9. Flatulence (n.) emergency vehicle that picks you up after you are run over

by a steamroller.

10. Balderdash (n.), a rapidly receding hairline.

11. Testicle (n.), a humorous question on an exam.

12. Rectitude (n.), the formal, dignified bearing adopted by proctologists.

13. Pokemon (n), a Rastafarian proctologist.

14. Oyster (n.), a person who sprinkles his conversation with Yiddishisms.

15. Frisbeetarianism (n.), The belief that, when you die, your Soul flies up
onto the roof and gets stuck there.

16. Circumvent (n.), an opening in the front of boxer shorts worn
by Jewish men.

_________________________________________________________

10. A quote I like

Power is the ability to do good things for others.--Brooke Astor (1902-2007),
American philanthropist and socialite

_________________________________________________________

11. Thought for the day

Yellow shirt

The yellow shirt had long sleeves, four extra-large pockets trimmed in
black thread and snaps up the front. It was faded from years of wear,
but still in decent shape. I found it in 1963 when I was home from
college on Christmas break, rummaging through bags of clothes Mom
intended to give away.

"You're not taking that old thing, are you?" Mom said when she saw me
packing the yellow shirt. "I wore that when I was pregnant with your
brother in 1954!"

"It's just the thing to wear over my clothes during art class, Mom. Thanks!"
I slipped it into my suitcase before she could object. The yellow shirt became
a part of my college wardrobe. I loved it.

After graduation, I wore the shirt the day I moved into my new
apartment and on Saturday mornings when I cleaned.
The next year, I married. When I became pregnant, I wore the yellow
shirt during big-belly days. I missed Mom and the rest of my family,
since we were in Colorado and they were in Illinois. But that shirt
helped. I smiled, remembering that Mother had worn it when she was
pregnant, 25 years earlier.

That Christmas, mindful of the warm feelings the shirt had given me, I
patched one elbow, wrapped it in holiday paper and sent it to Mom.
When Mom wrote to thank me for her "real" gifts, she said the yellow
shirt was lovely.. She never mentioned it again..

The next year, my husband, daughter and I stopped at Mom and Dad's to
pick up some furniture. Days later, when we uncrated the kitchen
table, I noticed something yellow taped to its bottom. The shirt.
And so the pattern was set.

On our next visit home, I secretly placed the shirt under Mom and Dad's
mattress. I don't know how long it took for her to find it, but almost
two years passed before I discovered it under the base of our
living-room floor lamp. The yellow shirt was just what I needed now
while refinishing furniture. The walnut stains added character.

In 1975, my husband and I divorced. With my three children, I prepared
to move back to Illinois . As I packed, a deep depression overtook me.
I wondered if I could make it on my own.  I wondered if I would find
a job. I paged through the Bible, looking for comfort. In Ephesians,
I read, "So use every piece of God's armor to resist the enemy whenever
he attacks, and when it is all over, you will be standing up."
I tried to picture myself wearing God's armor, but all I saw was the
stained yellow shirt. Slowly, it dawned on me. Wasn't my mother's
love a piece of God's armor? My courage was renewed.

Unpacking in our new home, I knew I had to get the shirt back to
Mother. The next time I visited her, I tucked it in her bottom dresser
drawer

Meanwhile, I found a good job at a radio station. A year later I
discovered the yellow shirt hidden in a rag bag in my cleaning closet.
Something new had been added. Embroidered in bright green across the
breast pocket were the words, "I BELONG TO PAT."

Not to be outdone, I got out my own embroidery materials and added an
apostrophe and seven more letters.

Now the shirt proudly proclaimed, "I BELONG TO PAT'S MOTHER." But I
didn't stop there. I zigzagged all the frayed seams, then had a
friend mail the shirt in a fancy box to Mom from Arlington , VA.  We
enclosed an official looking letter from "The Institute for the
Destitute," announcing that she was the recipient of an award for good deeds.

I would have given anything to see Mom's face when she opened the box.
But, of course, she never mentioned it.

Two years later, in 1978, I remarried. The day of our wedding, Harold
and I put our car in a friend's garage to avoid practical jokers. After
the wedding, while my husband drove us to our honeymoon suite, I
reached for a pillow in the car to rest my head. It felt lumpy. I
unzipped the case and found, wrapped in wedding paper, the yellow
shirt. Inside a pocket was a note: "Read John 14:27-29. I love you
both, Mother."

That night I paged through the Bible in a hotel room and found the
verses: "I am leaving you with a gift: peace of mind and heart. And
the peace I give isn't fragile like the peace the world gives. So
don't be troubled or afraid. Remember what I told you: I am going
away, but I will come back to you again. If you really love me, you
will be very happy for me, for now I can go to the Father, who is
greater than I am. I have told you these things before they happen so
that when they do, you will believe in me."

The shirt was Mother's final gift. She had known for three months
that she had terminal Lou Gehrig's disease. Mother died the following
year at age 57.

I was tempted to send the yellow shirt with her to her grave. But I'm
glad I didn't, because it is a vivid reminder of the love-filled game
she and I played for 16 years. Besides, my older daughter is in
college now, majoring in art. And every art student needs a baggy
yellow shirt with big pockets.

Author unknown
(if you know who wrote this and/or the source, please let me know)

_________________________________________________________

12. Advance planning department

A. Cynthia (see also Section 1A) will be conducting her next JourneyDance/
Move Your Body session on January 28 at Jubilee (a spiritual
center in Asheville) at 6:30 p.m.

In addition, she will be running a session for the Biltmore Lake community

on Tuesday, February 4 at 6:30 p.m.

And she has just announced a completely new program:
Diets Don't Work: Thin Within Does . . . FREE Workshop Series

Dates: Tuesdays, February 16, 23, March 2, 9, and 16

Time: 7-8:30 p.m.

Location: Biltmore Lake Clubhouse

Cynthia Greenfield is offering this free workshop series. She personally has
found great freedom from life-long food issues using the book Thin Within
by Judy Wardell and wants to share it with others.The group will meet
5 times as a way of supporting your own personal process.

The book sends you on a 30-day journey of self-revelatory exercises, and is
geared to lead you to the behavior of the much-envied thin person’s mentality.
This inspirational method which allows favorite foods and does not prescribe
a specific food plan is more a way of reshaping the reader’s life than merely
offering a diet. Love, enjoy and accept yourself from day 1 to the rest of your
life as you melt down to your natural size. This course is for people of ALL
sizes who struggle with food issues (whether you are 2 pounds to 200 pounds

overweight).

FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT ANY OF THE ABOVE PROGRAMS:

Feel free to contact Cynthia at cgreenfield1001@aol or via phone, 828.633.1049.

B. Wishes Fulfilled! A Dr. Wayne W. Dyer World Cinema Premiere
Presented by Screenvision and Cinema Events

Premiere Performance Exclusive In Theaters Nationwide January 28, 2010
With One Encore Performance in early February 2010.

On Thursday, January 28, 2010, a new and unique cinema experience will
be offered to moviegoers nationwide--for the first time ever, Dr. Wayne W. Dyer,
best-selling author of more than 30 books and affectionately known as "the father
of motivation" by fans, brings "Wishes Fulfilled," his newest motivational
presentation, to theatres as a special Cinema Event.

"Wishes Fulfilled" is produced by Cinema Events, LLC, in cooperation
with Hay House, Inc. and is distributed by Screenvision. "Wishes Fulfilled"
was created at Hay House's late-2009 "I Can Do It!" conference in Tampa,
Florida where Dr. Dyer delivered to over 3,000 attendees an empowering
exploration of the dynamics of our thought processes, and revealed how
the ancient wisdom of the Tao Te Ching helped him shift from ambition
to a new kind of meaningful consciousness.

As a special gift from Dr. Dyer, "Wishes Fulfilled" moviegoers will receive
a free download of his program "Putting the Excuses Begone! Paradigm Into
Action to Work in Your Life," a twenty dollar value, free with admission.

Tickets are $15/person; $25/couple.

For a growing list of theatres where "Wishes Fulfilled" can be seen
on January 28, 2010, visit:

www.DrWayneDyerCinema.com

Most participating theatres will also offer an encore performance
on February 4, 2010. Further information on ticket sales and encore dates
can be found on the website as well.

NOTE TO THOSE IN THE ASHEVILLE AREA:

If you'd like to join us (the Greenfields of Asheville) for the February

showing, drop me an email to that effect . . . we'll probably "do" dinner

beforehand and would welcome the company.

C. Natalie on Pennsylvania on some fantastic FREE events
at Bucks County Community College:

Tuesday, February 9 - 12:30 p.m./5:30 p.m. - Gateway Auditorium,
Newtown. Shannon Cutts, singer/songwriter and survivor of anorexia
and anxiety disorder will share her concert ministry through her
presentation "Beauty Undressed." her own personal story of her
struggles to overcome this disease. She will sign copies of her
recently-published book Beating ANA: How to Outsmart Your
Eating Disorder and Take Your Life Back.

Tuesday, February 9 - 12:30 p.m. - Gallagher Room, Newtown.
Jo Ann Tufo will portray "The Eternal Wife: Mrs. Abraham Lincoln" as
she reminisces about her life with her husband of 22 years, Abraham Lincoln,
the bloody Civil War that tore country and family apart.

Tuesday, February 9 - 12:30 p.m. - Lower Bucks Campus.
Trish Chambers will present the history, legends and personal stories
that make up the rich heritage connected to the Underground Railroad.

D. Tom in New Jersey:

My next appearance will be in THE PLAY'S THE THING from Feb. 26-March
14 at ActorsNet in Morrisville, PA.

P.G. Wodehouse adapted Ferenc Molnar’s comic farce. A playwright
and his collaborator bring a young composer in love with the leading lady
of an upcoming musical to a weekend retreat. The trio overhears the leading
lady having a dalliance with another man. The jilted composer vows to kill
the production. Overnight, the playwright invents a new story line to save the
show by convincing the playwright what they overheard was not an actual
romantic overture, but a rehearsal of new dialogue for their play. This witty
romp has it all.

For more information, please click:

http://www.actorsnetbucks.org/on_stage/coming_soon.html

_________________________________________________________

PS. Methinks that we all need to pray for the folks affected by the earthquake
in Haiti, as well as for our remaining soldiers in both Iraq and Afghanistan . . . while
we're at it, include those in Israel and her neighbors who are seeking peace . . . and

perhaps most importantly: Make it a great week, too!

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