Category Archives: veterans of war

Begin Everyday with Thanksgiving

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Happy Thanksgiving Week to All! It has been a year since I have been with my family, so I ‘ll be taking a break from blogging and return to All Things Fulfilling on the Monday after Thanksgiving. I hope over the holiday you are with people who bring meaning and special times to your life.

Does this image conjure up some warm thoughts and feelings about your own heritage? Perhaps it may bring fulfilling memories of family members who led the way or of our country’s pilgrims and pioneers. Reflect and reminisce about some of the traditions that you still celebrate from Thanksgivings gone by. 

In the aftermath of the election season, also take a few minutes to say a prayer for the  military who have protected our freedoms. Although there are people who are unhappy about the election, we are so very fortunate to live in a nation where we can make a choice through our voting. The American story of freedom is like no other in any other nation. Count your blessings on this day, one by one. 

On  Thursday, remember the words of Walt Disney: “Our heritage and ideals, our code and standards – the things we live by and teach our children are preserved or diminished by how fully we exchange ideas and feelings.”

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Books that Shape America

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“There is more treasure in books than in all the pirate’s loot on Treasure Island.”       ~Walt Disney

On Saturday and Sunday, the National Mall in Washington, DC was abuzz with activity, The Library of Congress hosted the 12th annual National Book Festival. More than 100 authors were in attendance.R.L. Stine , known as the “Stephen Kingof children’s literature” and creator of the “Goosebump” Series was just one notable in the line-up. I remember those books well. My son read them in rapid succession, with avid interest. There were 62 books in the “Goosebumps” series published from 1992 – 1997. These books helped to engage many children, who were non-readers or low readers, in literature.

Book TV over the weekend was dedicated to the National Book Festival. Interviews of authors who have written books of historical and political importance were featured.

David and Julie Nixon Eisenhower have penned a book together, called Going Home To Glory: A Memoir of Life with Dwight D. Eisenhower, 1961-1969 about David’s grandfather Dwight D. “Ike” Eisenhower’s years following his presidency. Jean Edward Smith, author of Eisenhower In War and Peace http://wapo.st/y4Ebyl was also on the podium. It struck me as I listened to the interviews of the authors, that it took an enormous amount of research into Eisenhower and Richard Nixon as leaders and political figures, and much study about the relationship he and Nixon had with one another to write these books. Book TV will no doubt rebroadcast this show, don’t miss it.

 

As we go forward in this digital age of publishing, in my opinion, a whole new generation of authors will influence America’s children arising out of the industry of e-book publishing. That is exciting!

This blog brought to you by Sue Batton Leonard, author of Gift of a Lifetime:Finding Fulfilling Things in the Unexpected and www.CornerstoneFulfillmentService.com.

Story Woven with Nostalgic Images

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Where were you during the Vietnam Era?

I just read the newly-released book Cottonwood; a satisfying read on many levels. Author Tom Dawson effectively crafts a story of two men who served together during one of our country’s most painful periods, the Vietnam era. The ties that bind them are their war experiences; they become life long buddies.

The author intertwines the culture of the ‘Nam era” into the storyline, which filled me with nostalgic images of my own, as a person whose adolescence came during the late nineteen sixties and seventies.  I could also relate, on a certain level, to some of the frustrations and attitudes that the main characters, Tom and Sam, carry about today’s technological era.

As a woman, I appreciated how through good dialogue, the author showed that the two comrades, Tom and Sam, communicate differently. The  truthfulness with which Dawson writes about the issue of men and aging was refreshing and honest. It is a story I didn’t anticipate liking but I really look forward to reading more from this author.

Dawson’s book is available through Amazon in soft cover and also as an e-book edition. To order this publication, please follow this link.Cottonwood

To read more about Tom Dawson, the author and war correspondent, follow this link. http://bit.ly/Ng0Srt. Don’t miss out on his blog and comic art, he calls “Pieces” on his website.

This blog brought to you by Sue Batton Leonard, author of Gift of a Lifetime: Finding Fulfilling Things in the Unexpected and www.CornerstoneFulfillmentService.com.

Observing Darkness and Light

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“Every moment of dark and light is a miracle.” ~ Walt Whitman 

A Christmas tree gives rise to thoughts of darkness and light. Have you ever noticed how people’s interpretation of what makes a pretty tree is so opinionated and individual?

Many families argue while putting up a Christmas tree. Some like it simple, some more ornate. A modest nativity scene indicates to some that, indeed, Christmas is here. Others like their homes, properties and trees lit up like the night time neon lights of the Las Vegas strip. Some families like simple homemade strings of popcorn, and cranberries or perhaps pine cones sprayed with gold paint will do. An evergreen wreath hung on a door and lit by a single spot light is beauty at it’s best for some individuals. It is interesting how a certain holiday decorating style can be fulfilling to one, atrocious to another. It is all a matter of personal opinion. How about you? What is your idea of good taste? 

As we all know, a good way to tell whether the lights and ornaments are well-placed on a tree is to step back and take a look. You can find the spaces that are empty and fill them with shimmery light. 

It is like life. In order to move away from the darkness, we have to discover the light. In this upcoming holiday, find it – seek it! Stop and listen to the carolers, spend a day or evening walking Main Street. Join in the energy of the shoppers. Listen to beautiful holiday music. Bake a batch of Christmas cookies for an elderly person or a military veteran who has no family at all. It will lighten your spirit and brighten your day along with some one else’s, too. 

Watch out! You might just get caught up in the spirit and feel the swish of a magic stick over your world. What a fulfilling thought that is!

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Routes and Roots of American History

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“Art among a religious race produces relics; among a military one, trophies; among a commercial one, articles of trade.” ~ Henry Fuseli

Culture and religion has been at the root of American civilization. In Frederick, Maryland there are a wealth of attractions including roads and byways that hold great interest for visitors to this area who wish to understand the founding principles and history of our country. The National Scenic Byway, a 38 mile stretch of land from Frederick County to the Catoctin Mountains is dubbed the Hallowed Ground. Many soldiers fighting for our country’s independence lost their lives along this route.

Attractions that collectively represent the beginnings of trade, politics, culture and spirituality throughout our country’s history can be found throughout this region. To name a few:

  • The National Shrine of Saint Elizabeth Ann Seton – dedicated to the first canonized Saint.
  • The C & O Canal (Chesapeake and Ohio) explores the history of shipping.
  • The Shifferstadt Architectural Museum highlights the finest examples of German colonial architecture.
  • The Barbara Fritchie House commemorates the author of the poem that described waving the American flag in the face of the Confederate Army.
  • Weinberg Centerof the Arts houses the original Wurlitzer pipe organ.
  • Visit the All Saint Street Neighborhood – the center of commerce and entertainment during the latter part of the 19th century for African Americans.
  • America’s replica of the famous Grotto of Lourdes in France is represented at the National Shrine Grotto of Our Lady of the Lourdes at Mount St. Mary’s University.
  • The John Hanson House, the Ramsey House and the Roger Brooke Taney House all hold significance in some aspect of early American history by those that occupied them or visited them.
  • Battlefields of Gettysburg and Antietam are located close by. 

We have only touched lightly on a place that the National Trust for Historic Preservation has named as a Great American Main Street community. There are so many things to see and do. The designation as a 2010 Top Arts Destination by American Style Magazine only strengthens this small city’s position as one of America’s Dozen Distinctive Destinations.

To obtain a travel packet of information on this region, visit www.fredericktourism.org. I hope some of the readers of this blogsite have the opportunity to visit this area. It was a fulfilling trip and I would like to  return again to take in more of the sites and scenes.

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Along the Pathway of American History

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“Art is anything people do with distinction.” ~ Louis Dudek  

Today we continue my stroll through Frederick, Maryland. This small city has been a cornerstone along the pathway of American history since it was founded by English and German settlers in 1745. It was home to the State’s first elected Governor and to Francis Scott Key, author of the national anthem, the Star Spangled Banner. Many civil servants and other notables who shaped our country’s beginnings have traveled through and stopped in this town, located on the Mason-Dixon Line. 

As I continued further along the redbrick walkway lining Carroll Creek, I came upon the FauxSchool. http://bit.ly/q3BVUN.  Fulfilling evidence of the teachings of this school of trompe l’oiel painting were present on wall murals located throughout the city  bringing artistry to public places. 

 A short distance from the Faux School I entered the C. Burr Artz Library. http://bit.ly/pbsq6z.  Posters, flyers and literature were displayed pertaining to the One Maryland One Book Author Tour, which was underway. This year’s book for the statewide reading program for Marylanders is The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-time Indian by Sherman Alexie. This library is obviously a great resource to the community based on the activity that I saw inside it’s doors. 

I became fully aware of how deeply steeped in American history this town is as I walked by the National Museum of Civil War Medicine. www.civilwarmed.org.  The medical artifacts that pioneered the way for modern medicine are on display. Compassion, courage and devotion of medical personnel during wartimes are honored throughout this museum. It is a tribute to those who heroically cared for and healed soldiers that were at the forefront of the destruction and death of the infamous battles of the Civil War period. 

There is much more to share about this town of Frederick, Maryland. http://bit.ly/DWXsf. It is a destination that encompasses art and culture, history and religion.Frederick has been indentified as one ofAmerica’s Dozen Distinctive Destinations. I can understand why. 

Return next time to All Things Fulfilling, as I share a self-fulfilling attitude that I have noticed in the West, but had absorbed much less of on the East Coast region until I visited Frederick, Maryland.

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Wings and Roots

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“The greatest gifts you can give your children are the roots of responsibility and the wings of independence. “ ~  Denis Waitley

 

 

Last week’s blog entitled “A String of Summer Memories” elicited a response from one of our most loyal readers, Marie. She voiced her concern about the over-scheduled lives of children in this day and age and the effects it has on children’s ability to know how to entertain themselves and to discover and create themselves. I would concur.

Marie’s remark about creative play led me to remember a scene that I witnessed in a parade years ago, in the tiny hamlet of Moscow, Vermont on the 4th of July.

My happy memory involves not a group of children creatively playing, but a group of over-the-hill women who truly understood the concept of finding their own fun. Dubbed the Women’s Lawn Chair Marching Drill Team, they joined in the parade toting their lawn chairs, in celebration of Independence Day. Just as their own self-created, wild and crazy fun got a little out of hand, they’d tire and stop with precision, perform some drill team exercises, and take to their seats. Their movements were orchestrated by the live audio-broadcast of radio station WDEV. It was a fun spectacle to watch, and it made me remember how important and fulfilling it is for aging people  to have fun, too ! 

For more information on Vermont’s shortest 4th of July parade, please visit http://bit.ly/iKGIUF.  Moscow, Vermont, with a “downtown” of  less than a city block,  located in the heart of the beautiful Green Mountains of Vermont, has grown in population more than 14% since 2000, please visit http://www.bestplaces.net/zip-code/vermont/moscow/05662.

 I send my Best Wishes to All of you on this 4th of July. I am proud to live in a country that was born out of the independent spirit. Right now, it is ever more important to keep that kind of energy and attitude alive! It begins with me and it begins with you!

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Show Me! Tell Me!

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“Wherever men have lived there is a story to be told.” ~ Henry David Thoreau  

That’s it – I have had enough. I am finished, out of here, done, fini! The television is going off.  DYJHITW all you hear about is people suspected of killing their children, political posturing and positioning, people in cars running from the law! 

What ever happened to the Land of I CAN, I WILL, I DO! I want to hear positive stories to lift my spirit, tales to help me believe in the good of mankind, news that inspires me to follow in the footsteps of people who have overcome because their heart and souls are working hard to make this a better world. Despite what the media would have us believe, fulfilling stories like that can be found! 

How about sensationalism of a different kind? 

I am turning off that squawk box, right here, right now. 

 I may have to take a sneak peak at the TV every once in a while though. There is a story I want to see on PBS’s “Directors Cut” that is near and dear to my heart. I think it will  be shown sometime in July. It is all about an independent film called “ALPFD.” http://bit.ly/mEF3FN.  The film has undone stereo typical thinking in the filmmaking industry that in order to produce quality films you need a big budget, big production crew and big bucks. If you hear when the movie ALPFD will be featured on PBS “Directors Cut” , let me know. I do not want to miss it. IMHO it will be a good show! 

As I end this blog, I have just gotten more exciting news about ALPFD and it’s U.S.  theatrical release. There is also an arrangement in the works that will increase the visibility of this film,  not just in theatres but in households across America, too! For more information, please visit http://bit.ly/mAvP5d.

 TLK2UL8R.

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Film Friday Update on ALPFD

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“Filmmaking is such a collaborative medium.” ~ Daryl Hannah

“Filmmaking is such a collaborative medium.” ~ Daryl Hannah 

The film A Lonely Place for Dying is proving it is alive and well on the film festival circuit that is for sure! I received an update this week on this film that is drawing more attention and awards on the film festival circuit with each passing week. 

So far, ALPFD can boast of 38 Official Selections into Film Festivals across the country and 45 nominations in various categories of awards. This low budget, independent film has won 19 Awards including 14 awards for Best Feature Film. The musical score by Brent Daniels has won awards too. 

Last summer, ALPFD was featured in MovieMaker Magazine www.moviemaker.com  (Issue 88) in an article called “Period Pieces on the Cheap.” It is notable for the sizeable number of visual effects shots in a production of less that $ l million dollars. There were more than 350 visual effects, most of them created on a computer without bells and whistles, from a dorm room at DeSales University http://bit.ly/mF9VB9.  

The total budget was $200,000. Everything was done with economy in mind. Yet this film attracted high profile actors, James Cromwell and Michael Wincott. A Lonely Place for Dying has proven that low budget films can attract quality actors, fans and win fulfilling awards too! 

Just as we promised we will continue to follow this film as it continues on the film festival circuit. The results are not in on some nominations yet. It has claimed awards in Santa Fe, Durango, Cinema City, Wild Rose Film Festival, Myrtle Beach and Indie Spirit…. just to name a few. My guess is there could be more awards on the way.

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International Film Trivia

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“I really love it all: theatre, film, television.” ~ Charlotte Rae  

It’s been a busy, busy week! All kinds of fulfilling activities were on my business calendar for this past week. Since it is Film Friday, today we will play a little international film trivia, to mix things up.

If you can answer these two film trivia questions, without cheating, you can consider yourself really “in the know” and on top of the scene! The answers will be located at the very bottom of this page. Good luck! 

  1. Two short documentary films by Macedonian filmmaker Marija Makeska will be presented tonight in remembrance of the Macedonian WWII Holocaust. The names of the films are “Soul Mates” and “Getting to Know Us.” In what city in the United States will these films be screened and what is the non-profit organization that will be presenting these films?
  2. On February 13th, the British Academy of Film and Television Arts http://www.bafta.org/  honored this individual for his outstanding and exceptional contribution to film. Who was the actor? Hint – He played Saruman in Lord of the Rings Trilogy and Count Docku in Star Wars and Dracula in at least 10 films. Who is the actor that was honored with the BAcademy Fellowship at London’s Royal Opera House ? 

Curious? Go ahead and peek. I will not hold it against you! Or you can use your favorite search engine to find out the answers.

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Answers: 1. Steamboat Springs, Co and Macedonian Mission for Humanity. More information: http://www.steamboattoday.com/events/2011/mar/11/9874/

                   2. Sir Christopher Lee