music

Music has a perpetual place in family life. One of my great-great grandmothers sang opera at Teatro Scala. My affection for classic music comes honestly. Several relatives sang in classical orchestras or played classical piano.

October is turning out to be a great month!

October is turning out to be a great month for many friends - a friend said "I think October is my favorite month!" then the next friend is saying "October is turning out to be a great month!". I am grateful for all the good things happening this month after a difficult summer (several friends going through rough times in different degrees). A friend worked for the past few months to put together a beautiful musical evening raising funds for cancer research. It was a worthwhile cause. It was practically sold out and the music was beautiful. I am delighted for him! He is the epitome of making lemonade out of lemons. He is my barometer - he does not allow bad things to spoil the joys in his life. I am in the process of learning how to separate the bad stuff from the good stuff. It is important to focus on the good stuff. A friend celebrated her birthday party at a new place I've never been to. The birthday celebration was fun. In a few days I am going to a halloween party at a friend's estate in the wine country. I had a whirlwind of wonderful social events including the birthday celebration. Some of us went to a fashion show at the design center. Lots of classics on the runaway and it was for a worthwhile cause. Also, I got to meet gorgeous guys! I am invited to many parties this month. It was my new friend, the fundraiser, who introduced me to a wonderful group of new friends. I am grateful for his friendship and he taught me so much about life. There is something to be said about six degrees of separation. I went to my first Columbus Day parade and saw an old friend. It was wonderful to see her, her husband and kids. Despite the turbulence of the current economy, people are making the best of the situation and life goes on.

auditory training - Part Deux

Also recommended for auditory practice:

"You are the New Day" by Kings' Players

excellent for auditory training - part 1

Some of you know that I got a Cochlear Implant several years ago. It is an ongoing process for me learning how to hear again after too many years of silence. Lost my hearing as a young child, then faced some years of white noise prior to surgery then activation. A good friend also got a cochlear implant. She recommended listening to books on tape for an hour every morning. She listens to a Bible on tape and reads along for one hour before her husband and kids wake up. Another friend also got a cochlear implant after years of wearing hearing aids. I discovered that listening to music on tape with my speech processor helps train the auditory part of my brain to focus on sounds.


For auditory practice, listen to Soave sia il vento - Così fan tutte:

another movie quiz for fun

Your Famous Movie Kiss is from Cruel Intentions

"I'm the only girl you can't have, and it kills you."

What Famous Movie Kiss Are You?

Great kissing scenes:

Donna Reed- James Stewart in Its A Wonderful Life

Grace Kelly-Cary Grant in To Catch A Thief

Robin Wright - Cary Elwes in the Princess Bride

Amy Adams - Patrick Dempsey in Enchanted

more subtitles

30 Rock

Another subtitled episode

A New Hero

Samurai Girl

when bad things happen to good people

Borrowed this title from a book. I was thinking about this theme after talking to a dear friend whose world is falling apart. I knew he was miserable. Some of the stuff happening to him had happened to me. How do I handle it when that happens to me? It is hard to think clearly when your emotions are involved. It is too easy to become angry. It takes a lot of practice to learn how to separate the good stuff from the chaff or the bad stuff. I choose not to let the bad stuff influence potential friendships or affect the happy times in my life. Life is too short for grievances. Yes, it is important to deal with the bad stuff head on but do not let it spoil the good stuff. Focus on the good stuff. Grandmothers often say "Do not dwell on the bad stuff".

There are always choices.

Quote of the Day

Quote courtesy of Leah Garchik:


"At a Domician University of California reception and signing session for House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, whose new book is "Know Your Power: A Message to America's Daughters," Pelosi spent time talking with Madison, pre-teen daughter of the university president. She told Madison there were wonderful things in store for her, especially as she discovered her own power.

But Madison is a twin. "And what about me?" piped up her brother, Joe. His father assured him, I'm told, that there are "plenty of opportunities" for young men."

The Incredible Shrinking Sizes

Last weekend, we were shopping at one of our favorite shops, which is in the process of going out of business. The eight of us vary in sizes. I always thought I was at least a size bigger than everyone else in our group. One of them and I had a conversation about the size 4. I was recounting a blog I read about someone saying that one has to be a size 4 in Hollywood. I mentioned that I wrote a comment to this blogger, saying it was impossible to be a size 4 unless you were 5 feet tall or shorter. The blogger mentioned that when she was thin, she was a size 4. I said I was always a size 10 and I thought that was fine. I thought size 10 was a skinny size. At least two are a size 10, one is a size 8 and I thought I was a size 8, three are a size 4, and one is a size 2.

At the dress shop, I was looking for a pair of pants. Many of them were on sale. The sizes were either 2, 4 or 8. The 8 was too big on me. I asked the sales lady if there were any in size 6 and she said they did not have any in size 6.

Surprise!!!!!!! I tried on a long pair of pants (size 2), three pairs in size 4 and one pair in size 8.

Guess which size fit me? Size 4!!!! I could not believe that I am a size 4, despite drinking a Root Beer Float, eating a chocolate cake and totally pigging out the day before. BTW, it is unusual for me to eat this much! I have to keep in top shape for various reasons.

One wonders if I really am a size 4, or did they put the size 2's and size 4's on bigger pants, or was it just a fluke???????

Now I am laughing because I recall telling the blogger that it was next to impossible to be a size 4 for an adult woman! I recall being a size 5 at the age of 12 in another life when I was a teen model when I was several inches shorter than I am now.

Lucky 8

Good tidings on 8-8-08!

Reconnected with old friends. Friends are celebrating their birthdays tonight - yes, they were born on August 8. Looking forward to celebrating with friends. Two good friends got married today. Things are looking up.

A social experiment

Recent events caused me to reflect on my major mistakes and what I can do about them. Today I decided to try a social experiment. For the next 6 months, prioritize. Do things that I have to do, in order to accomplish my professional goals. Keep a gratitude journal. Try to focus on the positive stuff instead of letting my anger stew and destroy my self-esteem. Empower myself. Remind myself to treat others as I want to be treated.

Literary hangover

Who hasn't heard of a literary hangover? When you think of a hangover, there is alcohol involved.

There is a new term "literary hangover". It means that you were up all night reading a novel.

A friend was tired because he had a literary hangover. He mentioned he was up until the early morning hours finishing a novel a mutual friend gave him. We love to play with words. I love this brilliant friend. I love this term "literary hangover". So much fun hanging out with this friend. I always learn something new from him.

10 Things I Hate about You

This movie was loosely based on Shakespeare's Taming of the Shrew.

Sex and the City Movie

Recommended for all who loved the TV show. I saw the movie with friends and loved it! There was laughter and tears.

Interesting to see how four women's lives interact. Their personalities are different. There was a quiz to find out which character you are most alike. I was surprised to discover I am like Carrie because I thought I was more like Charlotte.

Wish I could remember the exact quotes:

My favorite quotes from the movie:

Carrie Bradshaw: I miss the old New York, I want to be the old 917, not the new NY .

Carrie Bradshaw:...look beyond the labels....

Nancy Drew

Nancy Drew is one of my favorite characters - brave, brilliant, perceptive, spunky and witty. Penny Warner wrote the Offical Nancy Drew Handbook.

yummy

No Film Distributor?

D.I.Y.

Ideal world

Ideal world:

cellphones will include the option to turn on subtitles for movies and tv shows sent directly to cells

cellphones will have two way video conferencing like in the new Iron Man movie (one of my fav scenes)

more opportunities for hearing impaired actresses/actors in tv shows, movies, stage and other means of entertainment

more stories about women empowerment without hurting men

all movie theaters will offer rear window captioning and/or subtitles

all DVDs will have subtitles

nice men will fall in love and feel chemistry for nice women instead of mean girls

companies like Sony will work with cochlear implant companies to create speech processors in the same style as the new earphones for active people




Anyone want to share their vision of an ideal world?

Quote Log

courtesy of a funny friend:

Are you a blond?