Film Friday: Surprising Developments in Life

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While we try to teach our children all about life, our children teach us what life is all about.~ Unknown 

At the beginning of the week I posted a blog called Bundled Energy. The gist of the writing was that positive energy brings good things about.  If you missed it, here is the link. http://bit.ly/XirgZP.

Twenty five years ago, a bundle of joy, was placed in my arms, swaddled in a blanket.  A gift that has showered my husband and me with blessings in so many ways. What a pleasure it has been to watch our bundle of energy grow and develop, from newborn to an adult,  now thriving of  his own accord. Our dreams have been fulfilled and the arrival  that day was the birth of our son. 

Today, we wish Marc a fantastic Film Friday, although for him, everyday is Film Friday. In retrospect, with the path his life has taken, perhaps he should have arrived between the covers of a DVD. Just kidding! http://bit.ly/UJrK73.

Happy 25th Birthday, Marc, on Monday! We are overwhelmed by our love for you and you make us proud, everyday. Have a wonderful year ahead and enjoy the Academy Awards on Sunday night. 

Marc at Reelz  November 2012

 Embracing Life and Career in N.M.

 Putting his energy to work & reaping the rewards of staying focused on his dreams.

heart cake

Appreciate the gift of every day – ordinary and extraordinary!

Visit us again tomorrow on All Things Fulfilling, where sharing independent thoughts, words and views is all part of the business. This blog is brought to you by www.CornerstoneFulfillmentService.com.

Books and Films with Inspirational Messages

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“No heart has ever suffered when it has gone in search of its dream.” ~ Paul Coelho

heart pillows stuffedFebruary is Happy Heart Month! Over the course of the past month, messages from inspirational books and films have been at the core of our minister’s sermons at the UnitedMethodistChurch in Steamboat. Many people without religious backgrounds have read and appreciated these books also. They have been New York Times bestsellers. Here are the titles:

  • The Alchemist by Paul Coelho  (the movie is coming in 2014)

Click for info & ordering

  • Tuesdays with Morrie  by Mitch Ablom   (film adaptation also available)

Click for info & ordering

  • The River Runs Through It by Norman Maclean  (film by Robert Redford)

Click for info & ordering The authors of each of these books have created stories that take the reader on a journey into their own hearts, in search of the meaning of life and the Universe. Thought provoking, illuminating and inspiring, they raise awareness of some of the best parts of human nature, as well as stir up more difficult issues we are faced with as people who were created with faults, weaknesses and a full range of emotions that run from admirable to undesirable. The truth of the matter is that good books and films give us reason  to stop and ponder.

If you are searching for good reads with heart and soul content, you may want to consider Gift of a Lifetime: Finding Fulfilling Things in the Unexpected.

Visit us tomorrow on All Things Fulfilling, where sharing independent thoughts, words and views is all part of the business. This blog is brought to you by www.CornerstoneFulfillmentService.com.

Keeping Art In Perspective

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Art allows us to find ourselves and lose ourselves at the same time. ~ Thomas Merton 

I chuckled to myself yesterday. Why is it that when we parents ask our children, no matter what age they are, what they are doing they always reply with a pat answer of “nothin’?” 

The other day,  I checked in on my son’s blog. I found he ‘s not coming clean with me. He posted his year in review and quite to the contrary, he’s been one busy young creative. And he forgot to mention in his list of accomplishments that he also has a fulltime job and sometimes teaches his craft of independent filmmaking, too.  http://bit.ly/VnC0EZ.

Since he can take a good ribbin’ all in good humor, I am going to make a request of him for the coming year. I am going to ask him to every once in a while, take a deep breath, relax, and do exactly what he tells me he is doing – nothin’! 

We all tend to overextend ourselves in this fast paced world and sometimes need to practice the art of relaxation. There is a good article posted by rowdykittens.com about the importance of putting our feet up and doing something just for ourselves. http://bit.ly/WIf4wY

It’s wise to set aside a little time weekly, just to BE, and that means something different to each of us. I guess, right now it is my time to BE a mother speaking. 

art is part of lifeAs the parent of an artist, I need to remember,  for my son’s sake, there is not much distinction between working at his profession, and doing something pleasurable. Both bring inspiration and joy.  It is all part of living a fulfilling life.

Namaste, my son, I bow to you for all that you do!

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Film Friday: The Great Courses

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Education is not preparation for life; education is life itself. ~
John Dewey

great-courses

 Are you a person who has an insatiable thirst for knowledge? A type of brain food is currently on sale until February 15, 2013. The Great Courses ww.ordergreatcourses.com  offers educational DVDs and CDs from top college professors. Available on a full range of subjects, from the arts and humanities to history, religion, math, health and science. At very reasonable costs, you can learn and be inspired in the comfort of your home, office or while you are stuck in traffic. Some of the topics contain as many as 24 half hour lectures, most ranging in price from $19.99 to $69.99, far less than enrolling in classes at a top university or college.

Here is a small sampling of The Great Courses Offered:

  • A History of European Art
  • How to Listen to and Understand Great Music
  • Nutrition Made Clear
  • The New and Old Testaments
  • Building Great Sentences: Exploring the Writers Craft
  • The Everyday Guide to Wine
  • Our Night Sky
  • Optimizing Brain Fitness
  • Practicing Mindfulness
  • The Science of Natural Healing
  • What are the Chances: Probability Made Clear
  • Secrets of Mental Math

This is just a small list of courses offered by professors from colleges such as:  University of Iowa, Johns Hopkins University, University of Virginia, GeorgetownUniversity, Northwestern, Colgate, Scripps Center for Integrative Healing, Vanderbilt UniversityDivinitySchool, Yale School of Medicine, The Peabody Institute, Baylor College of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania.

It is important, at every age, to continue to grow for a fulfilling life. Seek new knowledge; become a life-long learner.  Baby boomers will enjoy keeping their minds active through the topics offered.  Search for brain food that suits your individual taste. Click for DVDs of The Great Courses

Visit us on Monday, on All Things Fulfilling,  where sharing independent thoughts, words and views is all part of the business. This blog is brought to you by www.CornerstoneFulfillmentService.com.

Scholars Singing a Cappella

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Everyday we should hear at least one little song, read one good poem, see one exquisite picture and if possible, speak a few sensible words.” ~ Johann Wolfgang von Goethe  

On Friday night, my husband and I attended a delightful performance at Colorado Mountain College http://bit.ly/WwAT4i that had me grinning from ear to ear.  One of the top ten male collegiate a capella groups in the country, the Buffoons from the University of Colorado, Boulder, traveled to Steamboat and entertained a nearly-packed house. 

CU BuffoonsAlthough the young men in the group have very diverse educational interests, their melodic voices could not have been more harmonious. The camaraderie they share through their love of music and entertaining was very apparent. They really clicked as a group, and each one of their finely-tuned voices, was important to the overall effect. 

Each year, the choral group is, in part, replaced with new talent, as some of the singers graduate from college. The repertoire of songs is assorted, some tunes have been sung for years, while others are more contemporary, which adds appeal to audiences from different generations and musical interests. The Buffoons perform at approximately 60 venues annually. 

The a cappella group was founded fifty years ago, by Dr. Oakleigh “Oak” Thorne, the musical director of YaleUniversity’s choral group the Yale Wiffenpoofs. Thorne moved to the Denver area to pursue his PhD in Biology at CU. 

 To read more about the Buffoons and the current roster of singers, visit this link http://bit.ly/UZPofR . Information about  their independently published DVD’s is also available on their website. 

To listen to a two minute You Tube video of the vocal group performing, please go to this link http://bit.ly/XSgLeb.

Thank you to the sponsors: Emerald City Opera http://bit.ly/W9i49D, Ski Haus http://bit.ly/13THStA, Steamboat Resort http://bit.ly/WjLiAB, and Colorado Mountain College http://bit.ly/UckN1r  for bringing the talented Buffoons from the University of Colorado to town! It was a lively, fun night.

Look forward to visiting with you, our readers, tomorrow on All Things Fulfilling – where sharing independent thoughts, words and views is all part of the business; I hope you’ll join us. This blog brought to you from www.cornerstonefulfillmentservice.com

 

 

 

Vision, Art, Science Leads to New Technologies

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“The essential part of creativity is not being afraid to fail.” ~ Edwin H Land 

creativity-and-innovation-concept-related-words-in-tag-cloud-on-whiteThe rise of independently published books, film and music has made great strides, thanks to the development of technology. Tools of the trade that were only available to major publishing houses, movie studios and music/sound production companies, now can be mastered by anyone with the right education, artistic talent and a “head” for all things technology. 

Quality, desk top published books for print and electronic formats, visual effects in movies and synthetically produced audio sound, are all now made possible through computer technology. In the 2010 summer issue of Movie Maker Magazine, there is an article about the creation of stunning special effects for a multi-award winning movie, in a college dorm room, on a mediocre computer. http://bit.ly/VY8nbP

Steps to becoming a successful innovator of any kind, takes hard work, all-encompassing focus and drive, entrepreneurial spirit and gumption.  It is not for a person who is not highly self-motivated. 

But then, isn’t that how our forefathers made this country what it is today? Hard work, not handouts, ambition and vision drove pioneers in all kinds of industry – building railroads, the industrial revolution, mining, manufacturing, agriculture and much more.  

Children, through the use of technology, will become  innovators of the future. They’ll be the next generation to revolutionize library content, health care solutions, military capabilities and new creative ways of teaching.

Playaways are just one such example of  new technology that has been developed to distribute media. Does your library have the latest?  http://www.playaway.com/

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Color and Creativity

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“The soul becomes dyed with the color of it’s thoughts.” ~ Marcus Aurelius 

I’ve often wondered what life looks like through the eyes of the colorblind.  So many aspects of our lives require making color choices.

Color choices even affects our attitudes and dispositions, helping us to feel as if we can conquer the world or not. Try wearing all black one day and the next day wear fuchsia, orange or brilliant red. Wearing bright colors puts extra spring in our steps. 

Colors of LifeI know two men who are color blind. Evidently, the male chromosome make-up is more susceptible to this condition. Here is an article explaining why this is so. http://bit.ly/ZSMqRL

Are the brains of color-challenged people wired with enhanced creative thinking skills to make up for their inability to see color? Or are their  imaginations stymied because they can not see color? I came across this interesting article about being a color-blind artist.http://bit.ly/Zx2Cag.

The Huffington Post cites green as a color that “sparks inventiveness.” http://huff.to/Wjc5v2 . Perhaps the reason the Green Mountains of Vermont draws their fare share of artists and writers. Gorgeous, lush green, including the most wonderful perennial gardens, provide inspiration from nature. 

But, let’s face it, beautiful landscapes whether they are forests, seashores, wide open vistas in the plains, craggy rocks and other unique earth formations provide artistic stimulation. 

What colors and sights bring the greatest fulfillment to your eyes and spirit?

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Anticipated Cinema Releases for 2013

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What counts for me today are: making movies, creating and giving dreams.” ~ Claude Van Damme

fandango-movie-tickets

 

 

Last year, I went to the movies more frequently than usual. I’m hoping that the film industry will bring many fulfilling films to theatres in 2013. Here is a short list of anticipated movie releases for next six months; just a sampling from many from different genres.

To read the long list, please visit this link. http://www.movieinsider.com/movies/-/2013/   Many of these films are independent, while others are produced by the big film studios. Note: If you click on the title of each, when you go to the link, you can read a short summary of the film. If you click on the dates, there are even more titles.

Movie tickets can now be ordered over the internet, in advance, from www.fandango.com. Happy Movie Watching in 2013!

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The Color of Life

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To send light into the darkness of men’s hearts – such is the duty of the artist. ~Schumann

Have you ever noticed how some people like to look at things through rose colored glasses and others through dark shades?

Our perspectives on life are often a reflection of our experiences, or a response to our day to day existence. As we open ourselves up to new ways of being, we add color to our journeys and our attitudes.

I received some interesting feedback from the annual blog report of All Things Fulfilling the other day.  Glassworks Inspired by Nature was the second most popular blog I have ever written in 1,013 posts. If you missed it, here is a link. http://bit.ly/12WopI6.

Why was this blog so significant? I think there could be a number of reasons why people found that blog post fulfilling:

    • They liked reading about Louis Comfort Tiffany’s art
    • The book, Clara and Mr. Tiffany, was interesting to learn about Click here for info & ordering
  • People wanted to know something more about stained glass and it’s history. http://bit.ly/Wj0YlQ
  • The life of an artist who saw life through a full spectrum of colors and through the love of his craft , is inspiring.

You can look through a kaleidoscope of colors in your own life by exposing yourself to an interesting mix of people, food, culture, faith and art. Or you can also enter into places of worship to look at stained glass windows, which will show you a full spectrum of colors in a different, equally fulfilling way.

tiffany-windows_05These are my reflections for today. We all have our own independent thoughts, words and views on life. Thanks for visiting this site; I’m grateful for an audience.

Note: The image is a Tiffany Studios creation of beauty.

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Spreading the Joy in Indie Publishing

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Joy isn’t in things, money or positions. It is IN us. And we need to bring it with us and SHARE it!” ~ Unknown 

Day Two of 2013!  My resolution this year is to do something a little different each month, to promote our growing population of independent publishers here in Routt County, Colorado. 

snowboarding tricksWhy? Because I believe greatly in each one of our We Write Steamboat, independent publishers. They are a creative and well-educated group of people, male and female. Many of them are award-winning authors with award-winning books! Each of them is a healer of mind, body and spirit! They have career knowledge in all sorts of fields. Our members include teachers, physicians, life consultants,a chef, holistic health consultants, experts on our natural environment,  just to name a few. All with valuable experience in life to write about. Our group also includes young people and retirees who like to spin yarns just for the fun of it! (Of course, they don’t object to selling their books, also!) 

In my opinion, all writers are helpers and healers of mind, body and spirit! After all, we publish books to educate, inspire others, entertain,and inform readers. Could there be better reasons? I don’t think so. In fact, writing is as therapeutic for the author as well as the reader. It gives us a way to share our thoughts, emotions, experiences and our imaginations. http://bit.ly/ZSk0Yc.

A networking group of independent publishers, She Writes Steamboat, that I began almost two years ago, has grown, and as of January 1, 2013 we have changed our name to We Write Steamboat. From the very first meeting, we have had male writers attend, and we don’t want them to feel slighted! We’ve welcomed them and have been delighted to have them part of the group from our inception.

We, independent publishers here in Ski Town, USA and Routt County, Colorado, come together and meet monthly. In a nutshell, because producing independent books, films and music is a win-win for the artist creating the work as well as for the audience who so enjoys it! Our mission is to provide networking opportunity and to promote success of independent publishing. Our affiliation with the Colorado Independent Publishers Association www.cipabooks.com , also fosters our growth as award-winning writers and publishers.  

If you wish to learn more about starting up an independent publishing networking group in your area, contact me through this blog.

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