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BLAINESWORLD #540 2.5.2007 In this issue: 1. Reflections 2. FYI 3. Beware 4. Reviews . . . THE LAST KING OF SCOTLAND, etc. 5. TV alert 6. Anger management 7. Websites 8. Computer tip 9. Jackie Mason on speaking Spanish 10. A quote I like 11. Thought for the day 12. Advance planning department _________________________________________________________ 1. Reflections A. Cynthia, my beautiful bride, and I, went with friends to see JOLSON & COMPANY at the Off-Broadstreet Theatre (609.466.2766) in Hopewell, NJ . . . we always enjoy shows we see there; however, this was possibly the best we've ever seen. Robert Thick was on stage virtually the entire time . . . his Jolson had me believing that he well could have been the fabled entertainer . . . he was funny at times; moving at others . . . his singing was perfect, too. Yet credit also should be given to the others in the cast: Bill Bunting and Heather Diaforli-Day played an amazing 18 different roles between the two of them . . . the latter performer, in particular, had everybody laughing when she became Mae West . . . Peter D. Wright, on keyboard, also distinguished himself. You're lucky, in that JOLSON & COMPANY runs until February 17 . . . do yourself a favor and get a ticket--if one is even available. B. On Sunday, we visited Cynthia's mother at her nursing home: Daughters of Israel in West Orange, NJ . . . I haven't mentioned it previously, but it just struck me that the place has an excellent coffee shop (Two Cents Plain) where we often take her mother for lunch . . . I enjoy the salami-and-egg bagel sandwich that I often get, and Cynthia says that the fresh soups that she gets there are as good as she's ever tasted . . . most recently, she had a chicken noodle soup that was overflowing with vegetables . . . the person who runs the place, Mera, works very hard to provide good-tasting food at most reasonable prices. From there, we joined Cynthia's sister and brother-in-law for a movie and then dinner at The Office Beer Bar & Grill (973.783.2929) in Montclair, NJ . . . my ribs were delicious and Cynthia liked her salmon, but we both agreed that the accompanying sweet potato fries were sooooo good . . . they were tasty, as well as crunchy. C. During the week, I got to see ETHEL WATERS, HIS EYE IS ON THE SPARROW--a one-woman production at the Bristol Riverside Theatre (215.785.0100) . . . it starred Demetria Joyce Bailey, who gave a beautiful, touching performance even made more amazing by the fact that she stepped into the role with just nine days notice when the initial actress for the role got sick . . . somehow, she managed to learn a 59-page script and 17 songs while at the same time, appearing nightly in a play in Philadelphia. While Bailey actually made me feel she WAS Waters, I also liked the work of David Alan Bunn who accompanied her on the piano . . . the show runs through February 18, and now make that two things you should try to do this weekend; i.e., see this and the Jolson show mentioned in Section 1A. I also got my Marketing class project off the ground . . . my Tuesday night students will be working to help promote the Healing Consciousness Foundation, a non-profit organization set up to fund holistic therapies for those who cannot afford them. The Foundation is the brainchild of Dr. Beth DuPree, a renowned breast care surgeon who was recently named the medical director of the Comprehensive Breast Care Institute of DSI Bucks County in Bensalem, PA . . . to get it off the ground, she will be working with Marie Duess, director of marketing and public relations for the Center, and Jamie Campagna, her assistant--both of who were kind enough to come to campus to give a most informative presentation to my class. More information to follow . . . if you can't wait, though, you can get more information about both Dr. DuPree and the Foundation by clicking: http://www.thehealingconsciousness.com/index.html D. For one more week, I'll continue the FREE OFFER that I made in last week's issue . . . if you'd looking to kick a smoking addiction, I would be glad to get you a copy of Allen Carr's book, THE EASY WAY TO STOP SMOKING . . . it works--or so I've been told . . . a good friend, Jerry in New Jersey, stopped after reading it with no problems whatsoever! I'm looking to reach as many people as I possibly can, particularly since the longer you stay healthy, the better chance I have of keeping you a reader . . . also, this is one thing I vowed to do after my dad's death; i.e., help others kick the habit that caused him such health problems in the last several years of his life. In the fall, I ran a smoking cessation program at Bucks County Community College that was quite successful . . . now I'm seeing if this book can work as well, if not better . . . to join the several other readers who have already received their copies, all you need to do is send me an email with your full name and address in the body of your note, along with the following words in your subject line: SEND FREE BOOK. ***** BLAINESWORLD BEST AWARD ***** This week, it goes to Ivette Gonzalez--a courtroom attendant for Trenton Municipal Court. I now do most of my mediation work there and it is a real pleasure to come into work and to be greeted by Ivette . . . she has a great smile, coupled with her winning personality . . . my day is always brightened whenever I see her. She is that way with everybody she encounters . . . amazingly, even when people come into the court in not such a great mood (which is often the case), she often manages to turn things around. Back To Top _________________________________________________________ 2. FYI Cynthia, when away last week, had an experience happen to her that's going to seem like it's something you get forwarded to you by email (one of those fake warnings) . . . the only difference, though, is that this actually happened. She parked her car outside at Kripalu, the mediation/yoga retreat where she went for a dance course . . . it wasn't even particularly cold during the night. When she went to get something from her car the next day, she found that a Diet Pepsi can had exploded into many small pieces . . . the pieces were strewn all over the place. Fortunately, she was able to get a local service station to clean up the mess . . . however, we learned that this is not something we should do again; i.e., keep cans of carbonated beverages in our car overnight. I had never heard of this happening before, but Cynthia told me that when she was discussing it with friends the next day, somebody else had told her it had happened once in her car as well. If anybody else has ever experienced this happening, please let me know. FYI, part 2 * Yours truly (with a REQUEST FOR HELP): My beautiful bride Cynthia, when not serving as an elementary school guidance counselor, also teaches the dance course mentioned in Section 12A. As such, she currently uses a portable Bose system with an Ipod player. She wants to get a wireless microphone--ideally, with not wires on her body. Any way that microphone can be plugged into the Bose system; e.g., using an adaptor of sorts? Or might you have any other suggestions? The goal: To make it as simple as possible for my wife. She also doesn't want to bring a lot of wires or a very heavy sound system. Any help you can provide us would be much appreciated. Much obliged! * Steve in New Jersey: If you want a great Ice cream experience, check our favorite place: Halo Pub in Princeton and Hamilton, NJ. The Princeton location features delectable gourmet ice cream deserts unavailable in this area. You will agree the ice cream and pricing can't be beat. * Pam in New Jersey: Just received your latest BLAINESWORLD and wanted to share how much I continue to enjoy finding it in my email box each week. I put a lot of stock into your movie reviews and most often agree with your assessment. Your computer tips are also quite useful. * Janet in Pennsylvania was one of many readers who wrote, commenting on what I had to say in last week's issue about Barbaro: I think they abused that poor horse . . . just for the human thrills of gambling and winning, the poor animal had to pay with his life. * Marty in Texas: Euthanasia comes under the same category as Abortion. MEDDLING. I believe in the ability to determine your own path. In life, and in death. I think people against Euthanasia should keep it to themselves. You don't like it, don't do it. Their belief as an example, "I don't like to watch boxing. It's so brutal. So, don't let anybody else watch it." My take is, I like boxing. If it gets too bloody, I stop watching. BTW: Euthanasia is in practice every day by sympathetic physicians. They don't advertise it though. * Yvonna in Pennsylvania: I am an animal lover and former horse owner. I think the public was overboard. I can't believe all of the flowers and carrots sent to an ailing horse that could even appreciate them. Gifts could have been sent to a child in need or senior that doesn't have many visitors. * Jean in Pennsylvania: Do know that you will find plenty to do while Cynthia is at Kripalu and how nice to know that you miss her. Regarding your comments on Barbaro and how easing the hardship of one's beloved pet and its pain should be applied to those we love. I agree; it seems the "humane" thing to do, especially if one's cherished loved one is in agreement. Back To Top _________________________________________________________ 3. Beware Watch what you say to Julie. A notice in our school's newsletter stated: “If you see any bugs, call Julie and ask to have your name placed on the extermination list.” Back To Top _________________________________________________________ 4. Reviews A. Methinks that Forest Whitaker deserves an Oscar for his work in THE LAST KING OF SCOTLAND, a fictionalized political thriller about the real-life megalomaniac dictator Idi Amin . . . he was excellent, but so was James McAvoy (an actor that first caught my attention in the RORY O'SHEA WAS HERE, a gem of a film that you should try to catch on DVD) . . . LAST KING has quite a bit of violence in it, including one scene toward the end that I could have done without . . . but overall, I'd recommend seeing it if just for the acting . . . rated R. B. HOLLYWOODLAND is now out in DVD format . . . my review from BLAINESWORLD #520 follows: Ben Affleck is terrific in HOLLYWOODLAND, a movie about the rise and fall of George Reeves--the character who played the original SUPERMAN in the TV series . . . had the film just stuck with his character, it would have been great . . . but Adrian Brody is thrown into the mix as a low-rent private detective who investigates the death of Reeves, and his story line begins to wear thin about halfway through HOLLYWOODLAND . . . I also thought it was about half an hour too long, though the presence of Diane Lane (as Affleck's girlfriend) made things at least watchable . . . rated R. C. Reading DEAR JOHN by Nicholas Sparks, it wasn't hard to figure out that somebody by the name of John (coincidentally the main character) was going to get a letter from a girl he loved . . . yet even with that prior knowledge, the book held my interest because Sparks is such a masterful storyteller. As has been the case with virtually all his other books, Sparks here presents a story with characters that you really care about . . . I wanted to see what would eventually become of John Tyree, a guy who didn't have much going on in his life until he helps Sarah Lynn Curtis retrieve a pocketbook that she had lost . . . they quickly fall in love; however, shortly thereafter, John must return to complete his tour of duty with the army. A long distance romance ensues, only to have the events of 9/11 come into play . . . then there's the disease of John's dad (Asperger's syndrome), as well as other assorted complications in both their lives, and nothing happens as smoothly as you would like it to. DEAR JOHN held my interest until the very end . . . if you're in the mood for a good, old fashioned romance that's also a tear jerker, then this is the book for you . . . or you could always wait for the movie that I'm sure will be developed in the near future. Sparks writes masterfully; among the many passages that caught my attention were the following: * It's no exaggeration to say that lives are on the line. One wrong decision, and your buddy might die. It's this fact that makes the army work. That's the big mistake a lot of people make when they wonder how soldiers can put their lives on the line day after day or how they can fight for something they may not believe in. Not everyone does. I've worked with soldiers on all sides of the political spectrum; I've met some who hated the army and others who wanted to make it a career. I've met geniuses and idiots, but when all is said and done, we do what we do for one another. For friendship. Not for country, not for patriotism, not because we're programmed killing machines, but because of the guy next to you. You fight for your friend, to keep him alive, and he fights for you, and everything about the army is built on this simple premise. * She smiled, flashing the small gap between her two front teeth. "Exactly. It can be coins or sports or politics or horses or music or faith . . . the saddest people I've ever met in life are the ones who don't care deeply about anything at all. Passion and satisfaction go hand in hand, and without them, any happiness is only temporary, because there's nothing to make it last. I'd love to hear your dad talk about coins, because that's when you see a person at his best, and I've found that someone else's happiness is usually infectious." I was struck by her words. Despite Tim's opinion that she was naïve, she seemed far more mature than most people our age. Then again, considering the way she looked in her bikini, she probably could have recited the phone book and I would have been impressed. * I thought again about the way she'd talked to my father. About the way she talked to everyone, for that matter, including me. She had the rare ability to be exactly what people needed when she was with them and yet still remain true to herself. I couldn't think of anyone who remotely resembled her in appearance or personality, and I wondered again why she'd taken a liking to me. We were as different as two people could be. She was a mountain girl, gifted and sweet, raised by attentive parents, with a desire to help those in need; I was a tattooed army grunt, hard around the edges, and largely a stranger in my own home. Remembering how she'd been with my dad, I could tell how gracefully her parents had raised her. And as she sat beside me, I found myself wishing that I could be more like her. D. I recently heard a CD that was part of a SuccessPak for a program called the INSTANT NEGOTIATOR, developed and presented by Frank D'Alessandro--chairman of the American Negotiation Institute. The CD specifically dealt with how to apply the author's five-step system, as well as to how to boost sales production . . . and, as an added bonus, there was a segment that promised to help you learn what the pros knows about negotiating successfully with the opposite sex. I'm not quite sure that I got all that from listening, but I did buy into D'Alessandro's main belief: "What you achieve in life is in direct proportion to how well you negotiate." In addition, I also gained these other tidbits from the one CD: * You're in negotiation to attain a goal, not win an argument. * Express what you want in terms the other side sees value. * Satisfaction is the key in sales--and negotiations. The information-packed program also came with a book, INSTANT NEGOTIATOR, written by D'Alesaaandro, along with an excellent video that showed actual negotiations taking place . . . I found these to be valuable to watch, and I liked seeing the 14 defenses that can be used to attain power against tough negotiators. One, for example--the "Oh . . . it's done already"--is used, for example, by a mechanic who repairs your car before giving you the final price . . . you are then told, after the fact, that "I've already incurred the costs of the parts and labor." To protect yourself from this strategy, you need to establish control of the deal up front. Ask for an estimate before having any work done. Say that no further work is to be done until you reach a mutual agreement. This fine program is available for purchase or rental . . . if you want to get it, please click: http://www.achievementlibrary.com/
Above is the tape rental club I belong to; i.e., the Achievement Tape Library . . . this a great way to hear CDs and/or audio cassette tapes, view videos, etc.--all for a fraction of what it would cost to buy them . . . call the head of the firm (Paul Arroyo) directly at 1.800.735.3660 and mention my name . . . that way, you'll be sure to pay even higher prices . . . NOT. Back To Top _________________________________________________________ 5. TV alert A. Don't miss THE OPRAH WINFREY SHOW on Thursday . . . special guests are Rhonda Byrne, creator of The Secret, and Secret teachers Michael Beckwith, Jack Canfield, Lisa Nichols, and James Ray. Airs at 4 p.m. on ABC in both New York and Philadelphia . . . check local listings for a time and station near you or to find one, please click: http://www2.oprah.com/tows/program/tows_prog_whenwhere.jhtml Chris in Pennsylvania, a friend, also wrote me that: I understand you can also hear it on the radio: 87.7 on the dial (for those of us who won't be able to watch it). One of my co-workers listens to Oprah on the way home every day. B. BASTARDS OF THE PARTY, according to TV GUIDE, "is an unsparing documentary that charts the history of African-American gang violence in Los Angeles from the 1940s to the present day . . . Wednesday at 10 p.m. on HBO2 East, repeated on the same channel on Saturday at 1:50 a.m. C. NORA ROBERS' MONTANA SKY, based on the book by bestselling author Nora Roberts, is the story of a strong and sensitive cowboy--John Corbett--who sweeps costar Ashley Williams off her feet . . . Sunday at 7 p.m. on LIFETIME. D. The GRAMMY AWARDS are on Sunday at 8 p.m. . . . Christina Aquilera, Carrie Underwood, Chris Brown (with Smokey Robinson and Lionel Richie), and Corinna Bailey Rae, John Legend and John Mayer (singing together) are all slated to perform . . . I'll also be interested to see Justin Timberlake sing along with a fan chosen as a result of an AMERICAN IDOL-like contest. Back To Top _________________________________________________________ 6. Anger management Husband: When I get mad at you, you never fight back. How do you control your anger? Wife: I clean the toilet bowl. Husband: How does that help? Wife: I use your toothbrush. Back To Top _________________________________________________________ 7. Websites A. If you want to revisit any of the Super Bowl commercials, you can revisit them here: http://www.usatoday.com/money/advertising/admeter/2007-02-04-ad-meter-chart_x.htm My favorites were the Budweiser one with the rock, paper and scissors game, along with the Snickers commercial that the company regretfully has now taken off the air because of the fact that some folks thought it was anti-gay. B. Anytime that you are feeling on stressed, please click: http://empoweringmessages.com/RelaxationMovie http://www.princetonyoga.com/
or call 609.924.7294. A guarantee: You will be delighted if you attend any and/or all of the above! B. Come by my guest: And take advantage of this generous offer from Jim in Pennsylvania to hear me: speak: As our semester gets underway, I would like to take this opportunity to invite you to the Spring 2007 Faculty Gathering at the Bristol Center on Monday, February 12th at 5:30 p.m. I am pleased to inform you that our guest will be BCCC Professor and Lindback Award Recipient, Blaine Greenfield, who will be speaking on the topic of "Creativity and Engagement in the Classroom." (See the link below.) http://www.bucks.edu/lbc/bg.swf
While the program will not officially begin until 5:30, a light buffet will be available starting at 5:15 p.m. You are more than welcome to join us at anytime upon your arrival to campus that evening. Our program will conclude at 6:30 p.m. for the convenience of our Monday night instructors. Please RSVP via email at sellj@bucks.edu , by phone at 215.781.3939, or by using the enclosed form at the above link by February 7th. Come relax and enjoy an intriguing presentation by our colleague, Blaine Greenfield. C. Deborah in New Jersey: Valentine's Special: Bring a friend new to the Princeton Center for Yoga & Health for FREE on Valentine's Day, February 14. Simply mention this email. See Section 12A, above, for a link to the Center. You'll find complete information about the may fine programs that are offered. D. HOLD THIS DATE: Harry Paul, co-author of REVVED! and FISH!, will be speaking at Bucks County Community College on March 12, 2007 at the annual "Meet the Author" Business Seminar . . . you won't want to miss him; he is great. Fulton Bank (Premier Division) has graciously stepped forward as the Presenting Sponsor . . . but there are still several opportunities for other corporate sponsors for this outstanding event, so if you'd like more information, call the Foundation Office at 215.968.8224. _________________________________________________________ PS. Please join me in praying that we soon get our remaining soldiers back from Iraq and that peace soon resumes in Israel . . . also, make it a great week! Back To Top
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