BLAINESWORLD
#721
7.26.2010
In this issue:
1. Reflections
2. FYI
3. First aid help
4. Reviews . . . CYRUS, etc.
5. TV alert
6. Visiting day
7. Websites
8. Computer tip
9. Man's best friend, Part 2 of 2
10. A quote I like
11. Thought for the day
12. Advance planning department
_________________________________________________________
1. Reflections
A. Cynthia, my beautiful bride, and I attended a going away party
for David Berry at our association's clubhouse.
It was a nice event, but one filled with a bit of sadness in that
David stepped down from his position as Biltmore Lake's recreation
director after serving in that capacity for the past five years . . . he'll
be missed!
B. During the week, I kept busy--seeing two shows.
* The first was AS YOU LIKE IT at the Southern Appalachian Regional
Theatre in Mars Hill . . . that's yours truly with Bradshaw
Call, one of my favorite local actors . . . as always, he was great.
I thought the play was well-acted and a lot of fun, particularly the second
act . . . KUDOS to Bill Gregg, the director, for pulling it all together.
For a review of the show, please click:
http://www.citizen-times.com/article/20100722/ENT/100722017/1005/ENT
For an interview about the show, please click:
http://www.shakespearelive.org/shakespearelive!/Welcome.html
Or read what some of our North Carolina neighbors had to say:
Declan: It is a great theatre, and the acting was superb.
Rebecca: We enjoyed the play very much and also enjoyed a little walk around the
college campus. I have let my neighbors know about the production.
Stan: Last night the show was great. We really enjoyed it.
Gladys: We really appreciated the tickets to As You Like It and have told my friends
to see it.
***** SPECIAL OFFER *****
There are a limited number of special $18 tickets for any of the remaining performances
of the play (Thursday at 2:30, Friday and Saturday at 7:30 p.m., and Sunday at
2:30 p.m. . . . just call SART's box office now, 828.689.1239, and mention this
$18 special!
* I also enjoyed Cole Porter's ANYTHING GOES at the Brevard Little Theatre . . . how
could I not with such songs as "You're the Top," "It's De-Lovely," "I Get a Kick Out
of You," "Let's Misbehave" and "Blow, Gabriel, Blow"? . . . the entire cast was
lively and energetic, but Sarah Moser was clearly the star . . . her voice and
presence stopped just about every number she was in . . . and Gordon Pendarvis
provided comic relief in all his scenes.
***** GOOD NEWS *****
This show, too, runs through August 1 . . . so you can still catch it . . . for
more information, please click:
http://www.brevardlittletheatre.com/
* And I also had the opportunity to attend an excellent presentation on
email marketing, delivered by Constant Contact's Anissa Starnes . . . I learned
much, including when is NOT a good time to send out newsletters (Monday
mornings) . . . she further gave some excellent tips that I will use in my work
for both SCORE and SART, as well as in publishing this newsletter . . . one
I've even tried below; see Section 11.
Anissa is available to speak to a group of 40 or more small business owners or
non-profits . . . you can email her at astarnes@constantcontact.com to check dates
that may be available.
C. I recently had my annual physical and am pleased to report that my "numbers"
are continuing to get better . . . after having seen my total cholesterol go up
to 271 two years ago, it is now down to 205 . . . my LDL or bad cholesterol
has dropped from 191 to 123 during that same time period . . my HDL at 66
and triglycerides at 79 remain in the normal range.
Dr. Weizman, my physician, picked up that my Vitamin D level was
low last year . . . as a result of taking a daily supplement for the past year, that
too is in the normal range.
To learn more about this latter subject, please click:
Personal Health: What Do You Lack? Probably Vitamin D
By JANE E. BRODY
If recent findings hold up in future research, the consequences of vitamin D deficiency are
likely to go far beyond excessive bone loss.
D. While I was running around, I was glad that Cynthia got to spend some time in New
Jersey . . . here's a picture of her with her friends Gail and Edina at the latter's baby shower.
***** BLAINESWORLD BEST AWARD *****
This week, it goes to Ron, the owner (along with Patty) of the Sandcastle Inn in Bradley
Beach. That's the place where Cynthia stayed on her recent trip to the Jersey
shore. . . here's what she had to say about him:
Ron was the man who rented a room to us at his bed and breakfast. We arrived, and
from the very moment we met him, he was extremely friendly and hospitable.
We felt very safe, and knew we could ask anything and get a warm response. He made
himself available for questions about restaurants, shopping and places
to go. He also was available for questions and clarity on directions, etc. He served a very nice
breakfast and suited our breakfast to our very specific dietary requests. The room was clean
and sweetly decorated, perfect for two friends staying at the beach. There were other rooms
and suites that were just as lovely. I highly recommend this bed and breakfast for anyone
wanting a place to stay at the beach. (It's only 1 and 1/2 blocks away from the water.)
For more information, please click:
http://www.sandcastleinnbb.com
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2. FYI
My mother used to tell the story of a speaker she once heard on
the subject of "Improving Memory" . . . she said he did an OK job;
however, he lost all credibility when he returned to the meeting
(after having left) because he forgot his umbrella.
I mention that because I was at a meeting the other day and the person
who called it put down her umbrella . . . as she did so, she said,
"I hope I don't forget my umbrella."
I told her what I do to prevent that from happening; i.e., I leave my keys on
top of and/or nearby anything I don't want to forget . . . it works because I
can't leave until I first locate my keys.
FYI, part 2
* Mandy in Pennsylvania:
I've got some happy news. Remember Trevor Lewis, the racecar driver?
We're getting married! In October! We're really excited. Hope this is not
too much information for you, but . . .
This is my first at the age of 43. Being an ultra idealist, I've waited, and
waited, and . . . waited. At times it's been very difficult for reasons that may
or may not be obvious. Anyway, I'm so very grateful now that I waited. It would
be long and winded to list all of the reasons why, but If anyone should ask
your advice on this, especially women, please do not hesitate to share this
with them. I would be happy to explain it. I feel like I won the lottery! Maybe
there is an article or a book here.
Anyway, since you've been an inspiration to me, I thought you would enjoy
hearing this news.
MY TWO CENTS:
CONGRATULATIONS; I'm very happy to hear the news . . . and
here's some advice that Cynthia was once told by her chiropractor before she
met me . . . she was concerned about ever moving into another relationship,
in that she didn't want to give up anything she had in her life . . . she was
told that when you meet the right person, nothing is taken away from
you--rather, that person will add to your life . . . I hope that's been true
for Cynthia, and I also hope it will be the same for Mandy!
* Donna in New Jersey:
My very good friend just lost her daughter, 15 years old (due to
lymphoma). Can I purchase the book--Standing at the Edge: A Year
of Days--After Sudden Death online? Is it available at Borders in NJ?
THE ANSWER [from Meg Tipper, the book's author]:
Sarah Gewanter sent me your question about how to get my book for
your friend. How kind of you to want to buy the book to support her in her
grieving the death of her daughter. It makes me feel good too! You can buy
the book through the website and your purchase will have the maximum
benefit for the Maggie Feiss Fund to which net profits are donated. See:
www.standingattheedge.org
Please tell me how to inscribe the book in the "Leave a message for the
seller" box.
* Brian in North Carolina:
I thought you would really enjoy the little YouTube video below. Philip Zimbardo
was one of my professors at Stanford 35 years ago! And he's still going strong!
This little video is a fascinating look at time.
Professor Philip Zimbardo reveals how our individual perspective on time
affects our work, health and well-being.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A3oIiH7BLmg
* Steven in new Jersey [about a video he directed]:
Confessions is now at a theater near you , , , just go to:
www.vimeo.com/13654770
At the end of the tool bar under the picture, click on the four little arrows
to get a full screen. Hope you enjoy.
* Jean in Pennsylvania:
Pennsylvania Guys by Sloppy Secondz
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YhFHqNKnfes
* Ingrid in Pennsylvania [on behalf of one of her clients]:
Piano Console: Fisher of New York. Beautiful maple finish, excellent condition.
Must Sell. Asking $525. Reasonable offers will be considered. Buyer
responsible for transport. Located in Feasterville. Please let me know if
anyone is interested: iggyfield@yahoo.com.
* Cooper Family in New Jersey:
If you missed Cooper Pest Solutions and BedBug Central appearance
on the NBC Nightly News or the Today Show this morning, you have a
second chance to watch! The link below will let you view Jeffrey White,
our research entomologist with Cooper Pest Solution's BedBug Central
Division as he interviews across the nation on the Nightly News with
Brian Williams.
http://tinyurl.com/29ab927
* Figen in Pennsylvania [with her latest blog posting at Godlike Productions]:
http://www.godlikeproductions.com/forum1/message1146157/pg1
_________________________________________________________
3. First aid help
A father walks into a market followed by his 10-year-old son. The kid is
flipping a quarter into the air and catching it between his teeth.
As they walk through the market someone bumps into the boy at just the
wrong moment: The coin goes straight into his mouth and lodges in his throat.
He immediately starts choking and going blue in the face. Naturally, the Dad
starts panicking, shouting and screaming for help.
A middle-aged, fairly unnoticeable man in a gray suit is sitting at a coffee bar
in the market reading his newspaper and sipping a cup of coffee. At the sound
of the commotion, he looks up, puts his coffee cup down on the saucer, neatly
folds his newspaper and places it on the counter. He gets up from his seat
and makes his unhurried way across the market. Reaching the boy, the man
carefully takes hold of the kid's testicles and squeezes gently but firmly. After
a few seconds the boy convulses violently and coughs up the 25-cent piece,
which the man catches out of the air with his free hand. Releasing the boy, the
man hands the coin to the father and walks back to his seat in the coffee bar
without saying a word.
As soon as he is sure that his son has suffered no lasting ill-effects, the father
rushes over to the man and starts effusively thanking him.
"I've never seen anybody do anything like that before!" the father says. "It was
fantastic! Are you a doctor?"
"Oh, good heavens, no," the man replies, taking another sip of his coffee. "I
work for the Internal Revenue Service."
_________________________________________________________
4. Reviews
A. Not much happens in CYRUS, but that's not to say you
won't like this comedy about a divorced guy who meets
the woman of his dreams--only to find out that she lives
with her adult son . . . John C. Reilly, as always, is
excellent . . . I'm glad that he finally gets to be the
main star of a film . . . Jonah Hill, Marisa Tomei and Catherine
Keener are equally outstanding . . . I won't give the ending
away, but will tell you that it couldn't have been better . . . rated R.
B. Now available on DVD is ME AND ORSON WELLES, a low-budget film
about a young aspiring actor who gets to appear in Welles' staging of
Shakespeare's JULIS CAESAR . . . there's an amazing performance
from an actor by the name of Christian McKay as Welles . . . I also liked
the work of Ben Chapin as George Coulouris, James Tupper as Joseph
Cotton and Claire Danes . . . even Zac Efron proves he can act . . . rated
PG-13.
C. MANDELA'S WAY by Richard Stengel, though not an autobiography
(the author had written one with Nelson Mandela back in 1993), gives
you a lot of information about the man who has been called the
"grandfather of South Africa."
In fact, it feels like you are learning from this leader as you read every page, which
is appropriate given the book's subtitle: FIFTEEN LESSONS ON LIFE, LOVE
AND COURAGE.
I liked how Stengel related these lessons to every stage of Mandela's
life, ranging from when he was a youth to his long stint in prison and
running through his present life as an elder statesman . . . in addition, I
appreciated how these lessons related to things that any leader
could relate to--regardless of environment . . . for example, there was
this tidbit:
* Throughout his life, Mandela took risks to lead. If he were a soldier, he would
be the one jumping out of the foxhole and leading the charge across the field
of battle. His view is that leaders must not only lead, they must seen to be leading--that is
part of the job description. It is almost as though he is afraid that anyone would ever
say or think that he was unwilling to take those risks. Even in personal relationships,
he believed that you should take the lead. If there is something bothering you, if
you feel you have been treated unfairly, you must say so. That is leading too.
With respect to what it takes to become a leader:
* He always put in the hours because he wanted to truly understand things and
examine issues from all sides. He was never facile enough that he could feign
knowledge that he did not actually possess. As a result, he often aligned
himself with those he thought were brighter and quicker than he. He wanted
to learn from those he thought had true expertise, and he was never shy about
asking them to explain things for him. And by asking for their help or counsel,
he would not only learn from them but also empower them and make them
allies. Mandela understood that there is nothing that ingratiates you with someone
else as much as asking for his help--that when you defer to others, you
increase their allegiance to you.
Finally, there was this passage that caught my attention:
* He was very keen to appear as a man of the people. At events or dinners, he would
always walk through the kitchen to shake hands with the staff. At any airport, he
would look for the ground crew to shake their hands.
What a great thing for all of us to do!
D. Heard EAT THE COOKIE . . . BUY THE SHOES, written by Joyce Meyer
and read by her daughter Sandra McCollom.
The title caught my attention and so did the story behind it . . . Meyer's husband
chided her for eating a chocolate chip cookie when both of them were on a fitness
regime . . . a colleague overhead them talking and told her, "Joyce, you deserve
that cookie. In fact, I think you should buy a pair of shoes, too."
This got Meyer thinking about the fact that we don't always have to have a regimented
lifestyle, and that God reminds us to enjoy our lives . . . and to celebrate.
The author then presents many useful ways to do just that, such as:
* Make every birthday special. Also, don't just celebrate it on the one day.
Celebrate it for a week.
* When you have a problem, state it out loud . . . then use the word
"nevertheless" and say something positive . . . for example, "I have a lot
of work to do. Nevertheless, when I complete it, I'll be able to take my vacation."
* Say I hope, rather than if. . . . I hope the weather is nice, but if it's not,
I can still have a good time.
* If I write everything down, I tend not to overeat.
* Reward yourself for progress and stop punishing yourself for everything.
Though Meyer is one of the world's leading practical Bible teachers, this
book is not overly religious--thus it can be enjoyed by readers of any faith.
_________________________________________________________
5. TV alert
A. BREAKTHROUGH WITH TONY ROBBINS has the popular
life coach helping folks each Tuesday night at 8 p.m. on NBC . . . I've
enjoyed books and CDs from the guy in the past and so give
him a lot of credit for landing this gig, which is essentially a
one-hour infomercial to help him sell even more products . . . I'll
be watching.
IF YOU MISSED THE PREMIERE EPISODE:
Here's the synopsis: A wedding day tragedy turns a young couple's
life upside down. After their breakthrough, they emerge stronger than ever.
I found it inspirational; you can watch it now by clicking:
http://tinyurl.com/24duxbm
B. LIE BETWEEN FRIENDS is a TV movie that has Gabrielle Anwar
slipping into a role that's less sexy that her BURN NOTICE
character . . . here she tangles with bad guys while working
with a local sheriff . . . Friday at 9 p.m. on HALLMARK CHANNEL.
C. In case you missed the news, the X Games begin on Thursday . . . you
can catch the 16th installment of the extreme biking and boarding
competition on ESPN, beginning at 2 p.m.
Frankly, I'll be more interested in an ESPN documentary on 30 FOR 30
at 7 p.m. . . . it profiles BMX bad boy Mat Hoffman, who helped develop
the concept of "Big Air" tricks . . . other show times are as follows:
http://www.tvguide.com/tvshows/30-30/298891
D. TOP 10 COMMERCIALS are the ones you probably have
missed, thanks to your DVD's fast forward option . . . Sunday at 8 p.m.
on TV GUIDE NETWORK.
_________________________________________________________
6. Visiting day
A grandmother was giving directions to her grown grandson who was
coming to visit with his wife:
"You come to the front door of the apartment complex. I am in apartment 14T.
There is a big panel at the door. With your elbow push button 14T. I will buzz
you in. Come inside, the elevator is on the right. Get in, and with your elbow
hit 14. When you get out I am on the left. With your elbow, hit my doorbell."
"Grandma, that sounds easy, but why am I hitting all these buttons with
my elbow?" the grandson asked.
"You're coming empty handed?"
_________________________________________________________
7. Websites
A. How to stay positive
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qR3rK0kZFkg
The above is one you'll want to share with your friends, kids
and grandkids, etc. . . . THANKS to Scott in Pennsylvania
for telling me about it!
B. This is why you're fat is the name of a popular website and,
also, a book of the same title . . . you'll see why so many
folks look at it just by clicking this link:
http://www.thisiswhyyourefat.com/
C. BLAINESWORLD, the website, remains up and running . . . to view
it, please click:
http://www.blainesworld.net
To see a website I like to visit every so often, click "Blaine's Best"
to the left, then "Website" and letter I . . . you'll enjoy reading
such news as the following:
* Styrofoam packing peanuts are being replaced with mushrooms.
* Retirees--some as old as 90--accused of playing loud music and
having parties lasting into early hours of morning
* 56-year-old woman becomes the slowest person to ever swim the
English Channel.
* One in five Californians say they need mental health care.
***** HELP REQUESTED DEPARTMENT *****
I'm in the process of revising this entire page of websites, especially
since some are no longer current . . . do let me know if you have
any "favorites" that you think I should add to this list.
D. Are you on Facebook? In the unlikely event we have not yet contacted
as friends there, please feel free to send me an invite by clicking:
www.facebook.com/blainegreenfield
_________________________________________________________
8. Computer tip
Google has a very useful translate option that is at the top
of your Google search page under "more" . . . or you can
get to it here by clicking:
http://translate.google.com/?hl=en&tab=wT#
It works very quickly . . . best of all, you can use
it to translate an entire document that you may have
stored anywhere on your computer.
I was impressed; however, to check it out, I'm going
to try this phrase: Thank you for reading this newsletter.
What follows are the translations in several languages . . . let
me know if they are accurate:
* French: Merci d'avoir lu ce bulletin.
* German: Danke für das Lesen dieses Newsletters.
* Italian: Grazie per aver letto questa newsletter.
* Polish: Dziekuje za przeczytanie tego biuletynu.
* Turkish: Bu bülten okuma için tesekkür ederiz.
There's even an option to listen to the translation!
_________________________________________________________
9. Man's best friend, Part 2 of 2
(Concluded from last week.)
How dogs are better than women
1. Dogs understand that instincts are better than asking for directions.
2. Dogs don't hate their bodies.
3. Dogs don't criticize.
4. Dogs never expect gifts.
5. Dogs don't want to know about every other dog you've ever had.
6. Dogs don't let a magazine article guide their lives.
7. Dogs love it when your friends come over.
8. The later you are coming home, the more excited they are to see you.
9. Dogs don't notice if you call them by another dog's name.
10. A dog's parents never visit.
_________________________________________________________
10. A quote I like
Enjoy the little things, for one day you may look back and realize they
were the big things.--Robert Brault (American free-lance writer); for
more information, please click:
http://www.robertbrault.com/
_________________________________________________________
11. Thought for the day
Of junk food and junk news
by Tina Dupy
Once on a flight I ate a cheeseburger-in-a-bag. It was a wonderfully
microwaved beefy dough ball of cheesy-type goo. It tasted amazing! Of
course, it’s designed to taste amazing. Mission so accomplished. The
sandwich had the right amount of fat and salt to appeal to my ancient
binge-to-survive-winter DNA. It was laced with artificial scents,
laboratory flavors and synthetic colors. It had the proper “mouth feel.”
The right size. The perfect temperature. My cheeseburger-in-a-bag was
like a friend who had been paid to be nice to me: comforting, as long
as you don't think about it too much.
TO READ THE REST OF THIS THOUGHT-PROVOKING COLUMN:
And I strongly recommend that you do, please click:
http://tinyurl.com/29qfajy
***** MR. CURIOUS HERE *****
I'm thinking of trying more of this type thing in future newsletters; i.e.,
to not run all of a particular piece or section that may run very long.
It would make each newsletter shorter and, also, give you the
option to read more if interested. What do you think of this idea?
In addition, I'm wondering: Did you bother to click on the above link
so you could get this entire thought for the day? (It's a winner!)
_________________________________________________________
12. Advance planning department
A. North Carolina events:
* Mary Lou in North Carolina:
Nelson and I saw the production at Flat Rock yesterday
afternoon . . . fantastic . . . don't miss it...buy one get one ticket
on Wednesdays and Thursdays with the WNC Insiders Savings Card.
It was the first time we had seen that musical; we had never even seen
the movie. Cast was superb and so followed the characters in the
original movie with Zero Mostel and a very young Gene Wilder back in 1968.
We were surprised at the gay scenes, realizing that it probably wasn't
as "open" or "out of the closet" in 1968. I must get the movie just to check
it all out and compare. It was certainly a "feel good" performance in spite
of the references to Hitler, gays, aging women, which could have been
offensive to many, especially back in the 1960s. I wonder what the reviews
were like back then.
JUST CHECKED:
This show runs through August 15 . . . for more information, please click:
http://www.flatrockplayhouse.org/
* Linda in North Carolina:
Sales Tax Holiday Set For August 6-8 Friday through Sunday
North Carolinians can save money by purchasing items like clothing, school
supplies and computers during the state's sales tax holiday that begins
on Friday, August 6 and runs through Sunday, August 8. Clothing, footwear
and school supplies of $100 or less per item; school instructional materials
of $300 or less per item; sports and recreational equipment of $50 or less per
item; computers of $3,500 or less per item; and computer supplies of $250
or less per item will be exempt from sales tax.
SPECIAL INVITE:
Linda puts out a great FREE listing of Asheville area events . . . to get
on her mailing list, just send an email to ashevilledeals@yahoo.com
and request to be included.
B. Pennsylvania/New Jersey event:
Natalie in Pennsylvania:
Thanks for turning me onto this terrific little theater and the genius
of Joe Doyle. Just enjoyed a great performance of "Into the Woods,"
which was even better than the one I saw on Broadway years ago.
The acting moved me to tears and the voices thrilled me and made
my entire being sing. I can't wait to see 1776 in August.
FOR MORE INFORMATION:
1776 runs from August 20-22 . . . if Actors' Net is involved, you
won't go wrong.
http://www.actorsnetbucks.org/
_________________________________________________________
PS. Methinks that we all need to pray for the folks who died in the BP
oil spill, 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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