Not everyone is healthy enough to have a front row seat in our lives.
There are some people in your life that need to be loved from a DISTANCE.
It’s amazing what you can accomplish when you let go of, or at least
minimize your time with, draining, negative, incompatible,
not-going-anywhere relationships/friendships.
Observe the relationships around you. Pay attention.
Which ones lift and which ones lean?
Which ones encourage and which ones discourage?
Which ones are on a path of growth uphill and which ones are going downhill?
When you leave certain people do you feel better or feel worse?
Which ones always have drama or don’t really understand, know or appreciate you?
The more you seek quality, respect, growth, peace of mind, love and truth around you…the easier it will become for you to decide who gets to sit in the front row and who should be moved to the balcony of Your Life.
“If you cannot change the people around you, CHANGE the people you are around.”
Remember that the people we hang with will have an impact on both our lives and our income. And so we must be careful to choose the people we hang out with, as well as the information with which we feed our minds.
We should not share our dreams with negative people, Nor feed our dreams with negative thoughts.
It’s your choice and your life….. It’s up to you who and what you let in it……
Inspirational Life story – The Gift of Life January 7, 2009
On the very first day, God created the cow. He said to the cow, “Today I have created you! As a cow, you must go to the field with the farmer all day long. You will work all day under the sun! I will give you a life span of 50 years.”
The cow objected, “What? This kind of a tough life you want me to live for 50 years? Let me have 20 years, and the 30 years I’ll give back to you.” So God agreed.
On the second day, God created the dog. God said to the dog, “You are supposed to do is to sit all day by the door of your house. Any people that come in, you will have to bark at them! I’ll give a life span of 20 years.”
The dog objected, “What? All day long to sit by the door? No way! I give you back my other 10 years of life!” So God agreed.
On the third day, God created the monkey. He said to the monkey, “Monkeys have to entertain people. You’ve got to make them laugh and do monkey tricks. I’ll give you 20 years life span.”
The monkey objected. “What? Make them laugh? Do monkey faces and tricks? Ten years will do, and the other 10 years I’ll give you back.” So God agreed.
On the fourth day, God created man and said to him, “Your job is to sleep, eat, and play. You will enjoy very much in your life. All you need to do is to enjoy and do nothing. This kind of life, I’ll give you a 20 year life span.”
The man objected. “What? Such a good life! Eat, play, sleep, do nothing? Enjoy the best and you expect me to live only for 20 years? No way, man!….Why don’t we make a deal? Since the cow gave you back 30 years, and the dog gave you back 10 years and the monkey gave you back 10 years, I will take them from you! That makes my life span 70 years, right?” So God agreed.
AND THAT’S WHY…. In our first 20 years, we eat, sleep, play, enjoy the best and do nothing much. For the next 30 years, we work all day long, suffer and get to support the family. For the next 10 years, we entertain our grandchildren by making monkey faces and monkey tricks. And for the last 10 years, we stay at home, sit by the front door and bark at people!
Mamma Mia! December 31, 2008
Mamma Mia! The Movie is a 2008 Golden Globe-nominated stage-to-film adaptation of the 1999 West End musical of the same name, based on the songs of successful pop group ABBA, with additional music also composed by ABBA member Benny Andersson.
The film takes place on the enchanting Greek island of Skopelos (Kalokairi). The story begins at the remote Aegean island hotel, Villa Donna, run by Donna Sheridan (Meryl Streep), her daughter Sophie (Amanda Seyfried), and Sophie’s fiancé Sky (Dominic Cooper).
Prior to her forthcoming marriage, Sophie nervously posts three wedding invitations (“I Have a Dream“) to three different men, one of whom she believes may be her father. From three cities across the globe, three men set off to return to the island, and the woman that had enchanted each of them 20 years earlier.
Back on that island, Donna is rousing her staff for the frenetic day ahead as Sophie’s bridesmaids and best friends Ali and Lisa (Ashley Lilley and Rachel McDowall) arrive and she shares with her best mates a scandalous secret: Sophie has found her mother’s diary and learned she has three possible dads; American businessman Sam Carmichael (Pierce Brosnan), Swedish adventurer Bill Andersson (Stellan Skarsgard), and British banker Harry Bright (Colin Firth). Without telling her mother, she has invited all three to her wedding (“Honey, Honey“), believing that after she spends time with them, she will at last know who her real father is.
Meanwhile, back on the Greek mainland, Sam, Bill, and Harry; strangers until today have met at the harbor. Fortuitously, Sam and Harry have missed the ferry to Skopelos (Kalokairi), and Bill offers them a lift on his yacht to reconnect with the woman who broke all their hearts 20 years ago.
Back on Skopelos, Donna is ecstatic to reunite with old friends and former “Donna and The Dynamos” bandmates, wisecracking author Rosie (Julie Walters) and wealthy multiple divorcee Tanya (Christine Baranski), and reveals her mystification at her daughter’s desire for a traditional wedding or any wedding at all. At the Villa, Sophie introduces Tanya and Rosie to true love Sky, and tells them about their idea of designing a website to attract tourists to the island. Donna explains her precarious finances (“Money, Money, Money“) to her girlfriends as she takes them on a tour of the Villa. Hounded by her creditors, Donna dreams of a “rich man’s world,” sunbathing on a yacht and being deliciously pampered. She is brought back to reality as an ominous crack appears in the courtyard.
The three men arrive, and Sophie smuggles them to their quarters and sheepishly explains that she, not her mother, sent the invitations. She begs the men to hide so Donna will have a fantastic surprise at the wedding; seeing the old friends of whom she “so often” favorably speaks. They overhear Donna working (humming “Fernando” to herself) in the storeroom below preparing to fix the crack and the men swear to Sophie they will not reveal her secret. Sophie leaves by the window just in the nick of time, as Donna peeps through the trapdoor.
She is dumbfounded to find herself face to face with the three former lovers she could never forget (“Mamma Mia!“), while the men clumsily make up excuses for their presence: Bill, writing a travel piece, Harry, spontaneaus holiday and Sam, just popped in to say hi. Donna is adamant; they simply cannot stay. Visibly shaken, she confides in Tanya and Rosie (“Chiquitita“) a secret she has kept from everyone – she is uncertain which of the three men is actually Sophie’s father. No matter, as Tanya and Rosie rally her spirits by getting Donna to join in with the female staff and islanders accompanying a musical number intended to make her forget her woes. Donna and The Dynamos reclaim their glory days and champion the women of the island in a call to liberation (“Dancing Queen“).
Sophie finds the men aboard Bill’s yacht, and they take a trip around the gorgeous island of Skopelos (“Our Last Summer”) and tell her stories of Donna as a carefree girl. Upon their return, Sophie musters up the courage to speak with Sky about her ploy, but loses her nerve. Sky and Sophie sing passionately to each other (“Lay All Your Love on Me“), but are interrupted by the bachelor party that has descended upon Sky to kidnap him for his last night of freedom.
At Sophie’s bachelorette party, Donna, Tanya, and Rosie perform in a surprise one-night-only event as Donna and The Dynamos (“Super Trouper“). Sophie is delighted to see her mother rock out, but becomes nervous when the festivities are interrupted by the arrival of Sam, Bill and Harry. She decides to get each of her three prospective dads alone to talk.
The young bride uses the confusion of her amorous girlfriends’ dancing with the men (“Gimme! Gimme! Gimme! (A Man After Midnight)“) to speak with Sam about his love for Donna. Next, she’s on to Harry about his desire, if any, for children. Finally, Bill reveals that the old woman who gave Donna the money to invest in her Villa was his Great Aunt Sofia, and Sophie guesses she must be her namesake. That’s it! Bill must be her father! Sophie asks him to give her away and to keep their secret from Donna until the wedding.
Over the moon, Sophie returns to the party. But her happiness is short-lived as Sam and Harry each tell her they must be her dad and will give her away (“Voulez-Vous“). A shocked Sophie can’t tell them the truth and, overwhelmed by the consequences of her action, faints on the dance floor.
In the morning, Rosie and Tanya reassure a frantic Donna they will take care of the men. Donna confronts Sophie in the courtyard, mistakenly believing Sophie wants the wedding stopped. Sophie angrily says that all she wants is to avoid her mother’s mistakes and storms off. An upset Donna is accosted by Sam, full of fatherly concern at Sophie getting married so young. Donna dresses him down, and both realize they still have feelings for each other (“SOS“).
Meanwhile, on Bill’s boat, Bill and Harry are about to confide in each other, but are interrupted by Rosie who is startled to find Bill, naked, making breakfast. Similarly, pulses are racing down on the sandy beaches as Tanya and young Pepper (Philip Michael) continue their May-December flirtations from the previous night (“Does Your Mother Know“).
With her plans falling apart and wedding in jeopardy, Sophie knows it is time to come clean to Sky and ask for his help. He reacts angrily to his fiancée’s deception and Sophie must turn to her mother for support.
As Donna helps her daughter dress for their wedding, the rift is quickly healed and Donna reminisces about Sophie’s childhood and how quickly she’s grown (“Slipping Through My Fingers“). Then and there, Sophie decides the only parent she’s ever known is the only one who should give her away. As the staff and bridesmaids accompany Donna and Sophie to the chapel, Sam lies in nervous wait. Donna waves the wedding party on, and he begs Donna to talk. She cuts him short, however, revealing the deep pain she felt over losing him (“The Winner Takes It All“).
After the ceremony begins, Donna can hold her tongue no more. She confesses to Sophie that her father is present but he could be Sam, Bill, or Harry. Sophie, in a shocker of her own, admits she invited them. The three men concur that they would be quite happy to be one-third of a father for such a girl. The surprises keep coming when Sophie tells Sky they should postpone their wedding and travel the world, as they have always wanted. It appears that preparations have been in vain until Sam steps in with the final curveball: he proposes to Donna.
She accepts (“I Do, I Do, I Do, I Do, I Do“); Sam and Donna then go through an impromptu ceremony, surrounded by the churchful of guests.
At the wedding reception, Sam sings to Donna, whom he has loved for 21 years (“When All Is Said and Done” [in the film only, not the musical]), which prompts Rosie to make a coy play for Bill (“Take a Chance on Me“). All the couples present proclaim their love and, magically, water from Aphrodite’s fountain of love bursts through the crack in the courtyard at Villa Donna (“Mamma Mia! reprise”).
The story concludes as Sophie and Sky bid farewell to Skopelos island and sail away to a new life together (“I Have a Dream reprise”), one full of hope and promise.
Donna, Tanya, and Rosie reprise “Dancing Queen” during the first part of the credits, then launch into “Waterloo” with the rest of the cast. Finally, Amanda Seyfried sings “Thank You for the Music“.
27 Dresses December 31, 2008
27 Dresses is a 2008 romantic comedy film directed by Anne Fletcher and written by Aline Brosh McKenna. The film stars Katherine Heigl as Jane and James Marsden as Kevin.
Jane Nichols (Katherine Heigl) has been a bridesmaid for twenty-seven weddings. One night when she is attending two weddings almost simultaneously, she meets Kevin Doyle (James Marsden), who helps her home but disgusts her with his cynical views of marriage and finds the planner she left behind in the taxi they shared.
Meanwhile, Jane’s sister Tess (Malin Akerman) falls in love with Jane’s boss George (Edward Burns). Tess pretends to like the same things George does so that she can get him to like her; despite loving George herself, Jane does not reveal the truth and the courtship progresses rapidly. Soon the new couple announce that they intend to marry in only three weeks. The reporter who agrees to cover their wedding for the society page turns out to be Kevin, who writes wedding announcements under a pseudonym. The reason he didn’t return Jane’s planner, after finding it, was so he could gather material for a piece on the “perennial bridesmaid” and hopefully be promoted to writing investigative pieces about “real” news.
Jane is unaware of Kevin’s intentions, and when he asks to interview her for his column on Tess, gets her to try on all 27 bridesmaids dresses in her closet. He takes pictures of her in all of them and sends the completed article to his boss. As they get to know each other because of Tess’s wedding, Kevin begins to think that Jane is not as one-dimensional as he thought, and asks his editor to hold his article so he can “fix” it.
Jane becomes increasingly uncomfortable with the fact that Tess still hasn’t been honest with George. She almost tells George the truth about her sister when Tess is away and Jane is the one helping him choose dinner for the reception. Kevin walks in on the meal and realizes that Jane is in love with George and can’t understand how she can go on planning her sister’s wedding. Kevin and Jane drive to Rhineback to pick up linens for the wedding, they get stuck in a rain storm and eventually so does their car. After they seek shelter at a bar, they get drunk and sing Bennie and the Jets. Then they have sex in the back of the car.
The next day, Kevin’s article is published along with all the pictures of Jane in her dresses, leaving her hurt and embarrassed. Upon getting back to the city, she must also deal with an enraged Tess whom Kevin had portrayed (somewhat correctly) as a bridezilla. To save her own face, Tess writes a script of what she wants Jane to say along with the slide-show to be shown at the rehearsal dinner. Jane says what Tess wants, but fills the slide-show with pictures depicting the real Tess and George finally learns that she isn’t who he thought. The wedding is called off and Jane sees Kevin as she leaves the dinner. He gives her a blackberry to replace her filofax, telling Jane that he was happy she finally stood up for herself and though she is mad at him about the article, he just wanted to come to the dinner and be there for her.
Later at work, George tells Jane that he appreciates her because she never says no. Remembering that Kevin once said the same thing as a criticism, Jane quits and admits she only stayed at the job because she was in love with George. She discovers after an experimental kiss that she no longer loves him and decides to meet Kevin. She announces in front of the entire crowd at a wedding that he is covering that she is in love with him.
One year later, Jane puts on her 28th dress – her wedding dress. George and Tess meet again since breaking up, and Tess reintroduces herself, being completely honest this time. All 27 brides Jane has been a bridesmaid for, as well as Tess and Casey (Judy Greer), Jane’s best friend, are her bridesmaids. The fact fulfills something Jane once said to Kevin, that she was willing to put on the silly dresses because one day it would be her turn and that all those women would be there for her, too.
P.S. I Love You Movie December 30, 2008
Holly Kennedy (Hillary Swank) is beautiful, smart and married to the
love of her life– a passionate, funny, and impetuous Irishman named
Gerry (Gerard Butler). So when Gerry’s life is taken by an illness, it
takes the life out of Holly. The only one who can help her is the
person who is no longer there. Nobody knows Holly better
than Gerry. So
it’s a good thing he planned ahead. Before he died, Gerry wrote Holly a
series of letters that will guide her, not only through her grief, but
in rediscovering herself. The first message arrives on Holly’s 30th
birthday in the form of a cake, and to her utter shock, a tape
recording from Gerry, who proceeds to tell her to get out and
“celebrate herself”. In the weeks and months that follow, more letters
from Gerry are delivered in surprising ways, each sending her on a new
adventure and each signing off in the same way; P.S. I Love You.
Holly’s mother (Kathy Bates) and best friends (Gina Gershon) and
Denis(Lisa Kudrow), begin to worry that Gerry’s letters are keeping
Holly tied to the past, but in fact, each letter is pushing her further
into a new future. With Gerry’s words as her guide, Holly embarks on a
touching, exciting and often hilarious journey of rediscovery in a
story about marriage, friendship and how a love so strong can turn the
finality of death into a new beginning for life.