What a deal! I just signed up for a free month's trial of Amazon Prime this morning. It was either this or the Netflix free trial....well, I'm glad that I made the correct choice! With Amazon Prime, not only do I get free books for my Kindle, through their library, but I will also get 2-day free shipping when I order books/merchandise through Amazon, and literally thousands of free movies to watch....for only $79 per year. The frosting on the cake is that the books I have stored on my Kindle...I can also now read on my computer. Thank God for technology!
So right off the bat....I watched one of my all time favorite movies.....Showboat, starring Kathryn Grayson, Ava Gardner and Howard Keel. This was a 1951 film classic and again, I thoroughly enjoyed the movie, especially the singing and dancing!
Well...of course I couldn't stop there....I chose another movie called The Accidental Husband, starring Uma Thurman, Colin Firth (loved him in Bridget Jones' Diary), and Jeffrey Dean Morgan (he looked familiar....but I didn't recognize the name). Such a funny movie! The unexpected frosting on the cake here is that it also had a bit of India in it too....and we all know how I love Bollywood movies! The plot was so cute and funny....if you like romantic comedies, you just may find this enjoyable.
Notice how I didn't give you a summary of the movie....when I choose a movie, the first criteria is the actors. The second criteria is the genre....I especially love romantic comedies, mysteries, and dramas/intrigue. The last criteria would be the reviews/comments of people that have watched the movie. Sometimes just the title of the movie catches my interest.
When I choose a book to read, first I go to my favorite section in the bookstore....the Self-Help section....then the look of the cover and lastly would be the topic of the book. Hence, my collection of books have titles like.....Life is Short, Wear Your Party Pants by Loretta LaRoche ...or Excuse Me, Your Life is Waiting by Lynn Grabhorn....or The Life Organizer: A Woman's Guide to a Mindful Year by Jennifer Louden....or Soul Coaching: 28 Days to Discover Your Authentic Self by Denise Linn. Now, mind you...my attention span is very short...so I will read a chapter or two...and will put the book down for months. Even when I read my favorite O Magazine, I have never read it from cover to cover in one sitting. Nowadays I make sure to read my favorite section first...Oprah's "What I Know For Sure" article. However....all of this has nothing to do with a book of fiction. If the story grabs me from the beginning....I will read the entire book within a week or two...depending on the number of pages.
The way I explain this phenomena is that with fiction...it is like a movie or a TV show.,..I get so involved with the plot and I have to finish it. With self-help books....I can only absorb a little at a time. A self-help book is something to savor, to be read and then reread again...and I will get this important bit of information in perhaps a different meaning or context....wherever my life may be the next time I read it again. The kicker and definitely not the frosting on the cake.... is that after I have completed the book....I could not in all honesty tell you about it....my memory is so bad....so don't ask me to tell you about it! Does that make sense?
Oddly enough it does to me...and I can now stop beating myself up for not reading books from cover to cover. I live only in the moment when I am reading a book...Hallelujah and on to the next!
Thursday, March 15, 2012
Saturday, March 10, 2012
Fun is Cooking?.....I Disagree!
My new issue of O Magazine arrived yesterday....who knew Oprah cooks? I sure didn't. I had always imagined her having a full time chef. If memory serves me....Rachel Ray was one of them.
The latest issue is about Oprah's favorite recipes. It is so cute....they also interviewed Stedman....her boyfriend of 25 years....about her cooking. She prepares something that they refer to as their "love sandwich" made with thin slices of tomato, avocado, melted cheese, sauteed scallions, lemon basil and smoked turkey...on a whole grain bread...yum sounds great....I think I will try that recipe....I do miss Eric's Deli in Santa Cruz...my favorite lunch place while I was attending college. I loved their DelMonte sandwich made with sprouts, avocado, tomato, cheese, onions...and their clam chowder soup. They had a deal for half a sandwich and a cup of soup....just right for me....of course the student discount they gave was a plus factor.
Oprah also mentions rosemary rice....which is rice and fresh rosemary mixed together. My recipe was buttered lima beans mixed with rice....or chopped parsley with rice. The lima bean recipe was not a hit with my grandkids.
All well and good....Oprah cooks on weekends only....when you have to prepare meals 3 times a day, 7 days a week...believe me....it is "slam bam thank you ma'am" when it comes to me in the kitchen. The least amount of time spent in the kitchen is my goal...first and foremost.
The next criteria is.....I do refrigerator diving for inspiration. Of course this only works when you shop like I do....buy only multi-purpose ingredients. Chili was my grandkids favorite....I had my own recipe using frozen okra, kidney beans, artichoke, ground beef, beef bullion, chopped tomatoes, tomato sauce/paste, chopped jalapeno peppers...most of the ingredients were canned...it was definitely the way to go. Rachel Ray would call it a stoup....because it was chunky. Of course....don't forget the garlic and ginger. For years I could not make stew like my mother made. I was missing the key ingredient....ginger!
Nowadays....living in Las Vegas....I usually just have one meal at home and snacks....if I'm not out and about. If I am on the go with friends....we will have a meal at a restaurant and that would be it for the day...as we tend to have huge meals....like all you can eat buffets! Time goes by so quickly here....it just seems like I can't fit 3 squares in my schedule! I'm sure my waistline appreciates that.
Oh....coupon eating is fun too....the local casinos or restaurants offer very inexpensive cuisine...and there are some fast food places that send coupons in the mail/email.
Well hey....if the economy is on the fritz as the news reports state....the pocketbook has to be the third criteria.
Warning....don't try doing a buffet if you have less than an hour to get to the movies....believe me that is definitely a no-no! I speak from personal experience!
The latest issue is about Oprah's favorite recipes. It is so cute....they also interviewed Stedman....her boyfriend of 25 years....about her cooking. She prepares something that they refer to as their "love sandwich" made with thin slices of tomato, avocado, melted cheese, sauteed scallions, lemon basil and smoked turkey...on a whole grain bread...yum sounds great....I think I will try that recipe....I do miss Eric's Deli in Santa Cruz...my favorite lunch place while I was attending college. I loved their DelMonte sandwich made with sprouts, avocado, tomato, cheese, onions...and their clam chowder soup. They had a deal for half a sandwich and a cup of soup....just right for me....of course the student discount they gave was a plus factor.
Oprah also mentions rosemary rice....which is rice and fresh rosemary mixed together. My recipe was buttered lima beans mixed with rice....or chopped parsley with rice. The lima bean recipe was not a hit with my grandkids.
All well and good....Oprah cooks on weekends only....when you have to prepare meals 3 times a day, 7 days a week...believe me....it is "slam bam thank you ma'am" when it comes to me in the kitchen. The least amount of time spent in the kitchen is my goal...first and foremost.
The next criteria is.....I do refrigerator diving for inspiration. Of course this only works when you shop like I do....buy only multi-purpose ingredients. Chili was my grandkids favorite....I had my own recipe using frozen okra, kidney beans, artichoke, ground beef, beef bullion, chopped tomatoes, tomato sauce/paste, chopped jalapeno peppers...most of the ingredients were canned...it was definitely the way to go. Rachel Ray would call it a stoup....because it was chunky. Of course....don't forget the garlic and ginger. For years I could not make stew like my mother made. I was missing the key ingredient....ginger!
Nowadays....living in Las Vegas....I usually just have one meal at home and snacks....if I'm not out and about. If I am on the go with friends....we will have a meal at a restaurant and that would be it for the day...as we tend to have huge meals....like all you can eat buffets! Time goes by so quickly here....it just seems like I can't fit 3 squares in my schedule! I'm sure my waistline appreciates that.
Oh....coupon eating is fun too....the local casinos or restaurants offer very inexpensive cuisine...and there are some fast food places that send coupons in the mail/email.
Well hey....if the economy is on the fritz as the news reports state....the pocketbook has to be the third criteria.
Warning....don't try doing a buffet if you have less than an hour to get to the movies....believe me that is definitely a no-no! I speak from personal experience!
Monday, March 5, 2012
Take a Walk Down Memory Lane
Thanks to YouTube....here are some videos that will take you back to when some of us were in school....some oldies in music and dance. Remember the Continental? The Twist? The Mashed Potato? Well it's all here. Enjoy!
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Meditation
Have you ever thought about learning to meditate? I know that I have many times! However, the left side of my brain...the analytical side....somehow always gets in the way. I have noticed how people who meditate daily have such a look of peace about them. They usually have a nice complexion too. I want that....left brain...get out of the way!
There was a guy in my Comparative Religion class at college. His name was James. He shared on the first day of class that he meditates every day. Well....I kept that bit of news in the back of my mind. One day our class was cancelled and as I was driving out of the parking lot, I saw him headed to class....and started up a conversation.....now that was brave of me and so outside my normal behavior...because first of all he is in his mid 20's perhaps....nice looking, long blond hair and blue eyes....and...most embarassing of all....I was missing 2 front teeth....but we talked at great lengths about meditation and life that day. How fun! We both shared about how after meeting a person for the first time, we quickly forget their names and we vowed to work on that.
Subsequently, whenever we met in class....we would call each other by name, say hi and smile....what a nice way to start class....such a nice man and what a flirt. Well, I started to meditate....I wanted some of that peaceful charm he had!
In the past, whenever I thought about learning to meditate....I would get books on the topic...but never got around to reading them....well, that wasn't the case this time. Remember me saying that my left brain always got in the way?
Well...meditation involves quieting the mind...closing your eyes...or simply focusing on one object...like a candle perhaps. After many years of trying to get this going....I knew that if I had to close my eyes it wasn't going to work...because then I would start to wonder...hey what's going on around me....and that was a distraction in itself....silly huh?
But I was determined this time....I even went so far as to get incense....a singing bowl....the grandkids got a kick out of that one...I started to meditate, but used quite a lot of effort to try and stay focused. There were chapters that I needed to read for school and so many things that cluttered my mind...what to cook for dinner....what time to pick up the grandkids from school....you name it...I had it. Never the perfect time or place.....these are the things that clutter my mind.
So, I decided to set a goal...write it down and meditate on that...I don't know if that's what a person should do...but I did it anyway....stuff like going to India and meeting my favorite actor Shahrukh Khan. Well after a couple of times doing that....I met a woman in my Art History class whose parents were from India and who herself has travelled to India many times to visit family...not quite the same but we had fun talking about Bollywood films and our favorite actors. Kinda missed my target goal, but oh well cest' la vie (spelling?)...or is it Karma?
There was a guy in my Comparative Religion class at college. His name was James. He shared on the first day of class that he meditates every day. Well....I kept that bit of news in the back of my mind. One day our class was cancelled and as I was driving out of the parking lot, I saw him headed to class....and started up a conversation.....now that was brave of me and so outside my normal behavior...because first of all he is in his mid 20's perhaps....nice looking, long blond hair and blue eyes....and...most embarassing of all....I was missing 2 front teeth....but we talked at great lengths about meditation and life that day. How fun! We both shared about how after meeting a person for the first time, we quickly forget their names and we vowed to work on that.
Subsequently, whenever we met in class....we would call each other by name, say hi and smile....what a nice way to start class....such a nice man and what a flirt. Well, I started to meditate....I wanted some of that peaceful charm he had!
In the past, whenever I thought about learning to meditate....I would get books on the topic...but never got around to reading them....well, that wasn't the case this time. Remember me saying that my left brain always got in the way?
Well...meditation involves quieting the mind...closing your eyes...or simply focusing on one object...like a candle perhaps. After many years of trying to get this going....I knew that if I had to close my eyes it wasn't going to work...because then I would start to wonder...hey what's going on around me....and that was a distraction in itself....silly huh?
But I was determined this time....I even went so far as to get incense....a singing bowl....the grandkids got a kick out of that one...I started to meditate, but used quite a lot of effort to try and stay focused. There were chapters that I needed to read for school and so many things that cluttered my mind...what to cook for dinner....what time to pick up the grandkids from school....you name it...I had it. Never the perfect time or place.....these are the things that clutter my mind.
So, I decided to set a goal...write it down and meditate on that...I don't know if that's what a person should do...but I did it anyway....stuff like going to India and meeting my favorite actor Shahrukh Khan. Well after a couple of times doing that....I met a woman in my Art History class whose parents were from India and who herself has travelled to India many times to visit family...not quite the same but we had fun talking about Bollywood films and our favorite actors. Kinda missed my target goal, but oh well cest' la vie (spelling?)...or is it Karma?
Saturday, March 3, 2012
Gorgeous Outfits from India...I Just Love Them!
Check out this link to a fashion show in India.
Fun is fashion...and I love the splendor of these outfits.....Enjoy!
What is Fun Without Some Witty Jokes
I've decided to add some jokes to this blog from time to time. I found this joke online on the photobucket website with leslie-aguilar credits....hope this covers all of the copyright rules!
Thursday, March 1, 2012
Laughing Fits With My Friend Shirley
The continuing saga of my friend Shirley.....her life is like "The Perils of Pauline".....only it turns into the comedic version. We are so connected sometimes that it is actually scary. I had a thought to call her after the episode of the latest Korean drama I was watching ended, to ask her about the condition of her eye....since at lunch yesterday she kept rubbing it and it was very red....but before I could call her....she called me from work to tell me that now both her eyes are swollen, red and itchy. I thought.....OMG...just 2 months ago she was bitten by some kind of spider and ended up in the hospital because her arm was so swollen and her entire body was itching. The emergency room doctor commented that if she had waited any longer....she would be dead.
Well...after reflecting on that....for some reason my mind immediately flashed back to the time she was dying her hair and the dye came streaming down her face and left her with what she described to me over the phone as raccoon eyes. She sent her boyfriend to the drug store to get some kind of dye remover. Now bear in mind the woman is now 75 years old....and this happened about 5 years ago! I'm ashamed to admit that she has a more active sex life than me! What was the name of that elderly sex therapist who lived on a boat that had a sign that read....."when the boat is rocking....don't come a knocking!" I used to love her late night TV show. Focus....Audrey....focus!
I reminded Shirley of the raccoon eyes story and we started laughing so hard....I know I had tears in my eyes and hopefully she did too for her eye's sake....a natural eye wash. Where my mind went next is true genius....because for weeks I've had to listen to her complaining about her husband's complexion. It is very red and itching and no matter how much she tells him to go to the doctor....he's being stubborn and chooses not to go. Well...as they say in Hawaii...."bachi" (spelling???) which loosely translates to "back at you." When I said that.... we started to laugh all over again. She was laughing so hard that her co-workers were wondering what was going on and who she was talking with....just then a customer walked up to pay his bill and Shirley ended the conversation. This happened about 4 hours ago and I still have a smile on my face about it all.
The next flashback took me to the time when Shirley was involved in an auto accident and had to lay in the hospital with a full body cast. Although I wasn't living in the same state at the time the accident occurred....when I heard about it, I just knew that it probably was torture for her....not because of her injuries....but because she just can't keep still for very long. As the body cast dwindled away to only being a cast on her leg...they released her from the hospital with a cane and low and behold...she was in the casino gambling before the day was over...and she went via a handicap van all by herself. Her daughter related the story that they didn't even know about Shirley's plan till the van drove up the driveway to pick her up. Yup...that's my friend.
They say that laughter is good for the soul....and my friend Shirley really knows how to feed my soul! She is like my own personal comedic relief God granted me.....Thank you God!
Well...after reflecting on that....for some reason my mind immediately flashed back to the time she was dying her hair and the dye came streaming down her face and left her with what she described to me over the phone as raccoon eyes. She sent her boyfriend to the drug store to get some kind of dye remover. Now bear in mind the woman is now 75 years old....and this happened about 5 years ago! I'm ashamed to admit that she has a more active sex life than me! What was the name of that elderly sex therapist who lived on a boat that had a sign that read....."when the boat is rocking....don't come a knocking!" I used to love her late night TV show. Focus....Audrey....focus!
I reminded Shirley of the raccoon eyes story and we started laughing so hard....I know I had tears in my eyes and hopefully she did too for her eye's sake....a natural eye wash. Where my mind went next is true genius....because for weeks I've had to listen to her complaining about her husband's complexion. It is very red and itching and no matter how much she tells him to go to the doctor....he's being stubborn and chooses not to go. Well...as they say in Hawaii...."bachi" (spelling???) which loosely translates to "back at you." When I said that.... we started to laugh all over again. She was laughing so hard that her co-workers were wondering what was going on and who she was talking with....just then a customer walked up to pay his bill and Shirley ended the conversation. This happened about 4 hours ago and I still have a smile on my face about it all.
The next flashback took me to the time when Shirley was involved in an auto accident and had to lay in the hospital with a full body cast. Although I wasn't living in the same state at the time the accident occurred....when I heard about it, I just knew that it probably was torture for her....not because of her injuries....but because she just can't keep still for very long. As the body cast dwindled away to only being a cast on her leg...they released her from the hospital with a cane and low and behold...she was in the casino gambling before the day was over...and she went via a handicap van all by herself. Her daughter related the story that they didn't even know about Shirley's plan till the van drove up the driveway to pick her up. Yup...that's my friend.
They say that laughter is good for the soul....and my friend Shirley really knows how to feed my soul! She is like my own personal comedic relief God granted me.....Thank you God!
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