Focused at Fifty

I have been meaning to put this incredible video up.  The song is "Little Talks" by the Icelandic indie/folk/pop band "Of Monsters and Men." It was released the end of the summer 2011 and the video released in February 2012. I saw it when the song was released last year and just fell in love with the video due to it's artistry and creativity. It tells a story of a fantastic voyage with five sailors (the members of the band) from an airship in peril.  The sailors are saved by a beautiful mythical flying creature (from the band as well) who in turns saves them from various horrific monsters. They then help her get home. I love the song and the basic story line but the special effects are what just thrills me!  Think old school fantasy but not overdone like so many of the computer animated films of today.  It is just so well done. I hope you like it as much as I do.   "Of Monsters and Men's" video has an old style special effects aura ...

The concept of "paying it forward" is a rich one that we should all practice in our daily lives. It means basically if someone helps you, rather than repaying the good deed to them, pay the kindness forward and help someone else, a stranger perhaps. Last week I was struggling with groceries at the local supermarket. It was one of those times when you go in for milk and before you know it, have two arms filled with cat food, orange juice, hamburger, soap, and then probably forget the milk! I was trying to get a basket and was obviously having issues. Some kid saw me struggling, grabbled one of the baskets and actually put in a couple of my groceries for me until I could manage it myself. I thanked him and he sheepishly nodded, "No problem" before walking away. Well there is hope for today's youth after all, I thought laughing to myself. I was driving home down Route 78 the other day and a police officer had pulled someone over. The 18 wheeler in the slow lan...

I began my first month of this new year by getting sick. And by sick I do not mean the sniffles. I mean feeling deathly ill screaming to whomever would listen just to "TAKE ME NOW!!!"  I had a high fever, chills so bad my teeth chattered, and aches and pains so bad that upon moving my pinky finger, my body went into spasms. One word for you all:  FLU.  I had thought it was bronchitis but a doctor visit confirmed it was under that lovely umbrella of flu-related viruses. My fever peaked at 104'F and proceeded to break and spike for three days.  I went through 3 sets of bed sheets and PJs (yes I wear my sleepy pants and shirts) which were drenched from sweat. Mucinex and ibuprofen became my best friends. I subsisted on water, apple juice, apple sauce, and chicken soup. As a diet, it could not be beat. I lost eight pounds. John would come near me and I would moan and groan, "Leave me aloooone. Don't come near me! I am contaaaagious!"   He still caught it, ...

I am sitting here at a favorite cafe, The Big Catch in Skook County, and contemplating what is happening in my life right now. Some good, some not so good. I am really enjoying just relaxing today, sipping some coffee and writing. I am not so much enjoying the precocious child who feels he must play his PSP (Play Station gamey-type thing) at full volume at the next table over. All those beeps and whistles are reminding me of a bad trip at a NYC club in the 90's that I happened to ... ehr, that I heard about from a friend.  Where are this child's parents?  OK, thankfully little Billy's mother just came over and dragged him away before I had to lob a cinnamon bun in his direction.  I am pretty good at lobbing scones and pastries from working as high tea server at the Ritz-Carlton Philly in my 20's.  My friend Grant had the bruises to prove it. Where was I?  It is said that in life there are major stressors:  having kids, marriage, job change, mo...