* Scott in Pennsylvania:

Kraft will donate a box of Mac & Cheese per click to Feeding America:

http://brands.kraftfoods.com/sharealittlecomfort/

*  Lynn in Pennsylvania:

Adult scouters check out our Wood Badge website:

http://ne-v-134.org

Wood Badge is the ultimate in leadership training. Two fantastic weekends
to bond with new friends, learn more than you can imagine about leadership
while having fun!  What more could you ask for? Hope to see you at Gilwell!

* Arlene in Missouri:

We do a Dinner for Eight, which is similar to your Dinner for Six. We do it
at our church here in Columbia, and we have a spring version and a fall
version. It's a fantastic way to get to know new people and those you may
have not spent much time talking with before or after church. Glad you are
having such a nice retirement! 

* Ruth in Pennsylvania:

It was a great fun to be asked by one of the judges to submit 10 poems
to the Poet Laureate of Bucks County this Sunday after spontaneously
sharing a '94 poem entitled Connections. Which other nine should I choose?
I'll post them so you can vote. 

http://enlightenedjokes.com

Read a new one posted every couple days.

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3. Female problems

Mental anxiety,
Mental breakdowns,
Menstrual cramps,
Menopause . . .

Did you ever notice how female problems begin with MEN!

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4. Reviews

A. Enjoyed AWAY WE GO, a sweet and quirky film about an expectant
couple who travel the country in search of the perfect place to eventually
live . . . along they way, they reconnect with an assortment of friends
and relatives who help them discover what is important in life . . . there's
some great dialogue, along with two winning performances from John
Krasinski and Maya Rudolph . . . the soundtrack--featuring the music
of Alexi Murdoch--is outstanding . . . rated R.

B. CONFESSIONS OF A SHOPAHOLIC is now out in DVD format . . . my
review from BLAINESWORLD #647 follows:

CONFESSIONS OF A SHOPAHOLIC, a romantic comedy
about a shopaholic who accidentally gets a job writing a
column for a finance magazine, surprised me. . . . I went
into it not expecting much; by the end, I appreciated the
fact that it made me laugh . . . and, also, it had me caring for
the main character--a very funny Isla Fisher (who first caught my
attention in WEDDING CRASHERS) . . . my only disappointment
was that Joan Cusack, one of my favorite actresses, was wasted
in a role that had too few lines . . . rated PG.

C. Having recently started to study hypnotism, I wanted to find a
book that would give me a good overview of the topic . . . THE
HOW-TO BOOK OF HYPNOTISM by Tom Silver and Ormond
McGill met that criteria and delivered on its promise on the
back jacket cover to "create the desire [in the reader] to learn more
about this wonderful science and art."

It did a fine job of presenting a brief, but informative history
of the subject, and I liked how it helped me better understand
the role of the subconscious:

* The subconscious plays the role of supervisor over our body's physical
processes. All of the vital organs are controlled by its agency: digestion,
assimilation, the circulation of the blood, heartbeat, the action of the lungs,
the kidneys. . . .

Hypnosis provides our gardening tools for the successful cultivation
of the fertile field of the subconscious to raise a full crop of living
as we desire it to be.

Silver and McGill also explain how to hypnotize people, and they
provide several ways to instantaneously hypnotize somebody . . . I'm
not sure that you could master these techniques by just reading
the book; however, with additional instruction, you could well
be on your way.

I also liked what reading about all that hypnotism can do
for folks who want to be helped:

* As habits are seated in the subconscious, hypnosis provides the
perfect therapy. Drug habits, worry, melancholia, phobias and neurosis
all yield to hypnotic suggestion. The list of habits that can be corrected
goes on and on: kleptomania, lying, bragging, perversion, nervous
difficulties, bedwetting, swearing, gambling, bashfulness, stubbornness,
etc.. All these and more are readily cured through hypnotherapy. The
untold benefits are almost beyond comprehension, as long as the client
truly desires to be cured. Desire causes the "will" to act and, if the latter
is properly directed, nothing can resist the influence.

In addition, there's useful information on working with people
who have weight loss issues, as well as addictions to
cigarettes, drugs and alcohol.

I also found the material on self-hypnosis valuable, particularly
this tidbit that caught my attention:

* Become a master of anger within yourself. If you feel anger arousing
within you, right in the middle STOP AND TAKE THREE DEEP BREATHS
so that you become rational and deal with it, not allowing it to undermine
your personality. Anger takes away your vitality and weakens your
well-being. Conversely, cheerful thoughts are infecting, and their
radiation produces corresponding actions in the minds of others. A
magnetic personality radiates sunshine and good will, and these
thoughts are contagious.

Overall, I'd recommend the book--though I wish there had been
perhaps less information on stage hypnosis . . . and I could have
done without the last chapter on interlingual hypnosis, a subject
that while interesting, is not one that I feel a beginner should attempt.

D. Heard GOOD DOG. STAY., written and read by Anna Quindlen . . . it
is a short, touching book that recounts the life and death of her beloved
Labrador retriever, Beau, about whom she writes:

* The life of a good dog is like the life of a good person, only
shorter and more compressed.

I felt like I got to really know the dog and was moved when
I heard this passage:

There came a time when a scrap thrown in his direction usually bounced
unseen off his head [given that the dog once possessed a catcher's
mit of a mouth]. Yet put a pork roast in the oven, and the guy still
breathed as audibly as an obscene caller. The eyes and ears may have gone,
but the nose was eternal. And the tail. The tail still wagged, albeit at half-staff.
When it stops, I thought more than once, then we'll know.

I liked finding out about what Quindlen learned by watching her dog: to roll
with the punches, to take things as they come, to measure herself not
in terms of the past or the future but of the present, to raise her nose
in the air from time to time and, at least metaphorically, holler, “I smell
bacon!”

My only regret is that this is one book that probably would have
been even more enjoyable had I read it instead of listened to it, given
that I understand there were many beautiful pictures that went along
with the text.

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5. TV alert

A. THE GREAT DEBATE has its series premiere
on Monday at 10 p.m. on VH1 . . . watch if you want
to find out the answer to such pressing questions as
this one: Is Rocky tougher than Rambo?

B. 10 THINGS I HATE ABOUT YOU, according to TV GUIDE,
is a "cute, clever remake of the 1999 movie featuring two
polar-opposite sisters . . . I'll watch if for no other reason
than to catch Larry Miller as the over-protective dad . . . Tuesdays
at 8 p.m. on ABC FAMILY.

C. THE GAMBLER, THE GIRL AND THE GUNSLINGER is
a Wild West love triangle that is also being billed as
a comedy . . . Saturday at 9 p.m. on HALLMARK.

D. ENTOURAGE, one of my favorite comedies, returns for its
sixth season on Sunday at 10:30 p.m. on HBO . . . this episode
has Vince promoting his role in Scorsese's GATSBY adaptation.

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6. Monastery life

There was a monastery in France at the edge of a cliff overlooking
a beautiful valley, and because its bells could be heard over such
a wide area, it developed a reputation for attracting only the finest
bellringers in the country.
      
There was always a bit of dread when a bellringer passed on or retired,
and one year, when they spread the word of their need for a new master,
there was a dearth of qualified candidates. They would have been good
enough for any other monastery, but not this one. Better to have silent
bells than anything less than the best.

As they were despairing at the quality of candidates, a man with no
arms paid a visit to apply for the position. The monks were amazed
and protested that this was no time for joking. But the man insisted,
said he was from a family of famous bellringers, and he would show
them what he could do. He drew back, lowered his head, and charged
full speed at the bell. The monks was horrified, but could not stop him.
And the sound--oh my, you should have been there! It was indeed
a sound worthy of that monastery. It rang throughout the valley, and people
everywhere stopped in their tracks and nodded to each other that
at last a worthy bellringer had been found.

But alas, it was not to be. For the impact so stunned the poor armless
man that he stumbled dizzily and fell over the cliff. The head monk ran
down the steps to where a crowd had gathered, and a policeman
spoke to him. "Do you know this man?" The monk sighed, "No, but his
face rings a bell."

The search continued. One day not long after, another armless man
showed up and presented himself as the previous man's brother. He
was there to uphold the family honor, and would show them what a good
bellringer could do. The monks protested, but too late--he also drew back
and charged full speed into the bell. And once again, the most beautiful
sound pealed out over the valley, such that even the birds circled around
to see what was happening. And once again, he was so stunned that he
too fell over the cliff in a daze.

Once again the head monk scrambled down the stairs to meet the crowd
and a policeman. Again he was asked if he knew the deceased. "No, but
he's a dead ringer for his brother."

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7. Websites

A. If you want to revisit the Fourth of July or just see something
beautiful, please click:

http://tinyurl.com/4vprp8

Make sure you wait until the end when all the state flowers
come together in a bouquet. Very cool!

B. For a funny visual update of an old joke, please click:

http://www.funnieststuff.net/viewmovie.php?id=1250

The picture quality isn't the best, but do watch it if you
are in the mood to laugh yourself silly!


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

http://www.blainesworld.net

If you ever want to catch up on a past issue, just click "Newsletter"
to the left, then "Past Issues" . . . you can also find some great
quotes by looking at Section 10 in any issue; e.g., as I just did
at random and found this one in Issue #568:

The greatest of faults, I should say, is to be conscious of
none.--Thomas Carlyle (1795-1881), Scottish essayist, satirist
and historian

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8. Computer tip

If you're "into" Facebook (or even if you just want to learn more about
computers), please click:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iROYzrm5SBM

You'll learn some etiquette that will help you in virtually
any situation--and laugh a lot, too!

DON'T FORGET:

If we're not yet Facebook friends, invite me to become one
by clicking:

http://www.facebook.com/blainegreenfield

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9. Things to say in job interviews . . . NOT, Part 1 of 3

Hiring managers shared these 43 memorable interview responses,
according to CareerBuilder.com:

1. Why did you leave your last job?
"I have a problem with authority."--Carrie Rocha, COO of HousingLink

2. Tell us about a problem you had with a co-worker and how you resolved it.
"The resolution was we were both fired."--Jason Shindler, CEO, Curvine
Web Solutions

3. What kind of computer software have you used?
"Computers? Are those the black boxes that sit on the floor next to the
desks? My boss has one of those. He uses it. I don't have one. He just gives
me my schedule, and I follow it."--Greg Szymanski, director of human
resources, Geonerco Management, Inc

4. What are your hobbies and interests?
[He said] "Well, as you can see, I'm a young, virile man and I'm single--if
you ladies know what I'm saying. Then he looked at one of the fair-haired
board members and said, 'I particularly like blondes.' "--Petri R.J. Darby,
president, darbyDarnit Public Relations

5. Why should we hire you?
"I would be a great asset to the events team because I party all the
time."--Bill McGowan, founder, Clarity Media Group

6. Do you have any questions?
"Cross dressing isn't a problem is it?"--Barry Maher, Barry Maher
& Associates

7. "If you were a fruit, what fruit would you be?"--Megan Garnett, Articulate
Leadership Team, Articulate Communications Inc.

8. "What do you want me to do if I cannot walk to work if it's raining? Can
you pick me up?"--Christine Pechstein, career coach

9. "I was a Chamber of Commerce Executive once hiring a secretary. [The
candidate asked] 'What does a Chamber of Commerce do?' "--Mary Kurek,
Mary Kurek, Inc. Visibility Consulting

10. "Can we wrap this up fairly quickly? I have someplace I have to
go."--Bruce Campbell, vice president of marketing, Clare Computer Solutions

11. "What is your company's policy on Monday absences?"--Campbell

12. "If this doesn't work out can I call you to go out sometime?"--Christine
Bolzan, founder of Graduate Career Coaching

13. "How big do the bonuses really get once you make associate? I hear
it's some serious cash."--Bolzan

14. "[The candidate asked,] 'Can my dad call you to talk about the job
and the training program? He is really upset I'm not going to medical school
and wants someone to explain the Wall Street path to him.' The dad did call.
Then that dad's friends called and I ended up doing a conference call with
a group of concerned parents . . . long story." - Bolzan

(to be continued next week)

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10. A quote I like

As one goes through life one learns that if you do not paddle your own
canoe, you don't move.--Katharine Hepburn (1907-2003), American actress
of film, television and stage who holds the record for most Best
Actress Oscar wins with four

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11. Thought for the day 

A word to the graduates
by Joe McDermott

My son graduated from high school yesterday. He turns 18 later this week.
I don't know how this happened so fast. I'd swear that just last September
we were putting him on the bus for kindergarten--a tentative, friendly,
inquisitive kid who wanted his teacher to sit next to him while he worked,
because that’s what mom did at home.

But last week when the bus dropped him off, out stepped this intelligent,
articulate, thoughtful young man who grows a beard in less time than
it takes his father to shave. What kind of growth ray do they have at that
school?!

As we sat there on Sunday and I watched my son sitting among 160
of the closest friends he'll ever know, waiting anxiously for that sheepskin
while teachers and administrators offered congratulatory remarks and the
top scholars in the class delivered earnest speeches about friendship
and hard work and the future, I thought back to all of the graduations
I've attended since I picked up my own brontosaurus skin back in the
ancient days. What would I tell these kids if I had a chance to speak,
I wondered?

“DON'T DO IT! GO BACK! YOU DON'T KNOW HOW GOOD YOU HAVE IT!
IT REALLY IS A MEAN, OLD WORLD OUT HERE AND THERE ARE NO
MORE SUMMERS OFF!”

Seriously, though, we know you can't go backward. You can't stand still.
We can't freeze time. So as you come to the end of the common road
you've traveled--in some cas es for 13 or 14 years, counting pre-school--you
need to think about the road ahead--the one you will travel without your
companions. And when you do, think about yellow bricks, because the
best analogy I can give you for life comes from Dorothy’s journey
to see THE WIZARD OF OZ.

Along the way, she found companions and qualities that provide all
we really need to succeed, to find a happy life, to find your way
back home.

Brains. You're smart people. Think about that. That diploma you pick
up today symbolizes all the knowledge you've gained in your school
career. Think of all the skills you've learned, like algebra. Ok, maybe
not algebra. We are sending you out of here today with everything
you need to make a worthwhile life, even if you don't go to college
or continue your formal education. You know how to read. You know
how to write, you can do basic math and you know, somewhat, how
government works. You should be able to balance a checkbook, hold
a job, pay your bills.

Heart. Regardless of all the book-smarts you'll take with you, the things
you really need are those things you learned in kindergarten. Kindness,
friendship, sharing and caring. Don't be afraid to care. Caring makes life
worth living and the losses you might suffer make the victories so much
sweeter. You're losing the bonds you've know most of your life but you
will make new, stronger ones that will stay with you much, much longer
than these short 13 years.

Bravery. Be confident. Don't be afraid to take an occasional detour
on the “Road of Life.” Take an unknown exit once in a while to see
the “world’s biggest ball of string” or “the paper-mache capital of the world.”
Let your imagination run away with you and enjoy the trip while you're gone.
Dare to dream. Dreamers are the people who really change the world.

And as you travel your individual road, think about the traits instilled in
you over the past 18 years by your parents, educators, clergy, aunts,
uncles, neighbors and all of the other alleged adults in your life. There may
come a time when you question one of those detours, when you wonder if it
really is the best road to take. Then, think back. That’s when you have
to let your heart overrule your mind. You'll know if it is right because it will
feel right. If it doesn't feel right, if you wouldn't want anyone else to know
you did it, chances are it’s not the right road for you.

The other thing I strongly encourage you to do is take time to play. Life is not
all about hard work. Smell the roses, to use an old cliche. Watch your own
kids get on that bus and watch them get off. Enjoy your time with family,
friends and others. We don't stop playing because we get old, we get old
because we stop playing.

OK, that’s it. Get the heck out of here. You're schooling is done, now
your education can begin.

Oh, but before you go, I have one more poignant, deep thought to leave
you with:

I, personally, have never used algebra.

SOURCE:

Reprinted with the gracious permission of Joe, who puts together
a blog that methinks you'll find as entertaining as I do: THE BULLDOG
EDITION . . . for the original piece and/or more information, please click:

http://tinyurl.com/kldkad

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12. Advance planning department

A. Imagine being able to discover your passions and then living
your life according to what matters most to you . . . that's the
premise behind THE PASSION TEST, an informative book by Janet Bray
Attwood and Chris Attwood that yours truly will be discussing at
the July 9 meeting of the Book Discussion group at the Center
for Creative Retirement in Asheville.

Time: 11:30 a.m.; feel free to bring a bag lunch
 
To quote the authors, living such an existence will prove to be:
 
Exciting, fulfilling, thrilling, on fire, purposeful, turned on, motivated,
entertaining, easy, fun, unstoppable. It's a life aligned with destiny.
 
For more information and/or directions, send me an email . . . address it
to: bginbc@aol.com and put the words PASSION TEST in subject line.

B. Janet in New Jersey: 

Ancient & Modern Secrets to: Heal Easily, Reverse Aging and Increase
Vitality

Morristown Community Health Lecture Series

Programs for Positive Lifelong Change

Free Seminar: Wednesday July 22nd,

6:30-8:30 p.m.

Morristown and Morris Township Library
1 Miller Road & South St, Morristown, NJ
(across from the Community Theater in the downstairs meeting rooms)

Free to All.

Speakers and Hosts:

Janet StraightArrow: DeMystifying Natural Healing
Judy Slade: Creative Visualization for Healing
Ellie Wasserman: Native American Healing
Lorette Pruden: The Organic Local Food Movement
Dorrine Davis: Sound Healing--The Voice/Ear/Brain Connection
David Beck: A Paradigm for Healing Healthcare Naturally

Join us for education and fun! For more information call:
Dr. Beck at 973.683.1110 or email at davidbeckdc@yahoo.com
Janet StraightArrow at 973.647.2500 or via the Internet:

http://www.oasisforthesoul.com

HEALING PRACTITIONERS AND PUBLIC WELCOME

C. Ted in North Carolina:

Friday, July 24th
Beginning Jitterbug--Jive Class at 7 p.m.
"Beginner's Only" Dance Party: 8-10 p.m.

Class Taught and party hosted by: Ted and Kimberly Ross
Location: The Asheville Ballroom & Dance Centre (991-B Sweeten
Creek Rd., Asheville)

Learn to Jitterbug--Jive and practice your ballroom dancing in a fun, safe
and supportive atmosphere at this "Beginner's Only" Class and Dance
Party! Refreshments and sodas will be provided and Professional
Dance Instructors will be at the party to assist students with their
dancing questions. Line dances will also be taught and included
in the party.

No partner is necessary for the class or party. 

$10 Class and/or Party (Special $7 Rate for ages 17 & under)

For more information, contact Ted & Kimberly Ross at 828.333.8333 or
email at ted.ross@charter.net

D. Joey in New Jersey:

Our next dates for Louder Than Words story telling will be at Maxwell's
in Hoboken, NJ on Tuesdays, July 28th and August 25th, and thereafter
the 4th Tuesday of each month.

Some important details:

* Story tellers can experience a new venue for story telling. 

* Stand-up comedians have the opportunity to exercise a "creative muscle"
beyond your current stand-up comedy act. 

* Real people from all walks of life can share their true stories. 

* Actors and writers can experience creating the beginnings of a
one-person show, in front of a real audience.

For more information, please click:

http://www.louderthanwordsstories.com

Please feel to contact me if you're interested in appearing and/or for
any questions you may have: Joey Novick at 908.892.6859 or
joeynovick@earthlink.net.

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PS. Please join me in praying that we soon get our remaining soldiers
back from Iraq and Afghanistan and, also, that peace comes to Israel
and her neighbors. . .  make it a great week, too!

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