Men Who Stare At Goats

This 2009 BBC and Overture film was written initially by Jon Ronson, screenplay adapted by Peter Straughn, and directed by Grant Heslow, was a lovely story about starting again and being literally warriors of peace. Despite the absolute comedy within the film, it undoubtedly dealt with some hard-hitting ideals and issues armies and soldiers have had to deal with throughout the beginning of time. It teaches us what Mahatma Gandhi and Nelson Mandela tried to teach us, that we should use non-lethal weapons so that we do not repeat the cycle of violence, because the more we use it, the more we in fact harm ourselves.

Our actors George Clooney, who plays Lynn Cassidy, Jeff Bridges as Bill, Ewan McGregor as Bob Wilton and Kevin Spacey as Mr. Hopper, played the main characters that gave the already hard to belief truth an un-tamed hilarity which the audience I'm sure enjoyed the ride. Funny phrases and moments like when George Clooney and Ewan McGregor says to an Iraqi man, "We're Americans we're here to help you!" right before knocking him over; or the dance number with George Clooney and Jeff Bridges in the company of other 'New Earth Army' officers, or the fact that they kept calling the Iraqi fellow Mohammed, although several times he exclaimed that his name was Maud. There was always something to make you laugh out loud.

The main messages throughout the film though were what made the film special beyond all the mirth because it's always the message that filmmakers hope the audience will take away. It taught us that there are no accidents in life that everything that happens, happens for a reason. That there are always bad apples in the bunch; be it American, Iraqi, or any other nationality. That if your marriage doesn't work out, there are other plans for you; and that now more than ever we need the power of the Jedi (whatever it is that Jedi means to you).

Both Paul Lister and George Clooney where the producers on this film, and I am certain they had a wicked time making it! I find that people are so lucky to be able to partake in such an exquisite thing as working and engaging and helping to bring the story/vision/message to the world, through film. And wonderful too, to be able to dance to music like "More Than a Feeling!" J

Rachel Getting Married

A 2009 Sony Pictures classic starring the infamous Anne Hathaway was an intense and quirky drama, written by Jenny Lumet and directed by Jonathon Demme. Hathaway isn't my most desired actress, but she sure is fortunate enough to re-invent herself and do a pretty darn good job at doing it; her performance in this film remarkable.

This film gave a wonderful point of view of the main character, Kym, but also the viewpoints of her entire immediate family as well as extended family. It was heart wrenching most times and Hathaway, Rosemarie Dewitt and Bill Irwin sprayed us with the entire range of human emotions.

Often times I found the un-structuredness and pandemonium of music throughout rather distracting, however it ties in with the atmosphere of the mental turmoil the family had to deal with. It seemed more so like a documentary because of the camera techniques, which also shed a more intimate sensitivity. I really enjoyed the palpable life and warmth I got from this independent picture; it worked excellently with the non-big-name-actors sprinkled throughout, the missing teeth, and no make-up sort of feeling, that I always admire in foreign films. It wasn't about how beautiful he or she looked under this light, but more about the story, as ugly and as inevitable as it was.

Messiah

Intro:

Selassi I (God)
They rised against me and the valley of the shadow of death
I shall not fret
They must think they can stop me
Song: Messiah
Chorus:
There is one man I fear, the Messiah
I'm a boy who believes in prayer
I stepped onto the battle field, without a shield
And all the shots were fired
And when I have no food and no water
Jah's (God's) love is never short
I'm speaking the truth
All this pain I feel
When they kill my son's and daughters

Verse 1:
Tell the dirty minds
The bad minds
To try and jump this fence
They will never succeed
Because to Jah I give praise forever
My basket is not empty
And enough times they've tried to tempt me
And I lived through it as far as I can see
They teamed up and tried to stop me
But what can they take from me?

Chorus:
There's one man I fear

That's the father
I'm a boy who believes in prayer
I stepped onto the battle field, without a shield
And all the shots were fired
And when I have no food and no water
Jah's (God's) love is never short
I'm speaking the truth
All this pain I feel
When they kill my son's and daughters

Verse 2:
Say what you want to say
Do what you feel
I'm not begging for friends, so we could never deal
So don't try to stop me from getting my meals
Or try to send me to the battlefield
Press what you want to press
And you can steal
Run where you want to run, as if you're a wheel
Then you can straighten up and see if you can feel
I'm a soldier, so I can never fail

Chorus
Repeat Verse 1
Chorus
[Translation of Jamaican dancehall ~ the best as I understand]
*Beautiful lyrics and song. – Grateful. Thank-you Jah-Jah. J

Regrese

Listen to that little voice called your intuition, it never misleads you...

Attract. Ascend. Play.

Your goddess is alive and well -- practice loving, develop the skill, open your heart and your life will change, as your dreams tell you. Know that the Universe is on your side, and you're worthy of it. Continue to shine in divine brilliance...

Te Amo, Je t'aime, regresa a mi...

Painting: Return of Spring by William Adolphe Bouguereau

I am You

"I am you, and you, are me, and so we are all connected, like the ripples on a curtain, or the rivers and streams that run into the sea; I am you, and you, are me." Great prophets left us these lessons to live by, saying "Do unto others, as you would have them do unto you." And, "Show compassion extending beyond borders and racial barriers of the world." I speak of this, because most times we let the ego take over and we forget our respect, we forget our dignity, we forget to be patient, we forget to be understanding, we forget to treat others as we would also like to be treated. I find, the world filled with hypocrisy; people say one thing, but mean the other, or they mean one thing, and do the other, or they are critical and judgmental of each other. It really saddens me; I have continuously lost friends because of this. We all have good days and bad days; we are human and therefore imperfect, although that in itself is perfect. I believe that true friends are able to communicate honestly with each other, and if they do see their friend acting indifferently, that the other is there to steer them right. It is not about using and taking and pointing fingers; and if you speak clearly and truthfully about a matter, then you would hope the other friend looks at what you have to say objectively and not with disdain or malice. For if you truly love your friend, then why would you want to hurt them? Would you want to hurt yourself?

But there is another great thing to remember, and that is that you should also treat yourself with love and respect; if you do not , then how will others do the same? Everybody is not going to like you or agree with what you have to say. Some people will be forever blind or brainwashed and that is not your fault; it is so because they are more focused on learning other things on their path, but in the end, it will all come together and hopefully make sense. So you express yourself, because you wish to be respected, loved, trusted, and of equal stature, and if you lose friends along the way because of this…well, maybe they weren't meant to be your friend in the first place. Let it go; as my grandmother always says, "Bless Everything!" The Universe/God /Creator will send you better friends to take their place.

And no matter how overwhelming a situation may seem, remember you aren't given more than you can handle. You are (smiling) stronger than you think you are, and you can be resilient and shine like you ought to. Stay on the path, never give up, and be forever and eternally grateful. For even with all the money, fast cars and racy women, without your health, without your family, without truth and purity, then, can you really ever be happy?

I was flying with a fellow flight mate recently, and she said while sailing with her husband and one of their mutual friends, that he was to inherit billions because of his father's mega-business soon because his father had died. Their friend had a son, and even with all the money in the world, he said to my flying partner and her husband, "Even with all this money, it still cannot save my son's life from leukemia."

Yes, we are fragile, and yet also so powerful. Be grateful, do the right things and walk with immense faith, and you will be as powerful as a lion's roar, but keep bitter thoughts, hurt others (which is actually hurting yourself), then realize that everything you have, you can lose or become naught, and you can break down just as the tallest man-made building could collapse in minutes…The most beautiful, one day becomes old, or could lose its beauty in a tragic accident. The most rich could be fortunate today and unfortunate tomorrow. The most pompous could be on top of the world today and could contract an incurable and crippling disease tomorrow. Respect, respect, love, love, treat others fairly, and be grateful for your many gifts. You're not where you want to be yet, and that's why it's called a journey, so enjoy it. Laugh out loud, say how you feel, breathe baby breathe, be guided by silence and your heart, don't settle for less and train your eyes to see beyond the glitter and really into the core of another's being, what is in the darkness will always come to light; and don't be afraid…you've waited your whole life for this! J The greater the pain; the bigger the glory, go through it and say, THANK-YOU! J

"I am you, and you, are me, and so we are all connected, like the ripples on a curtain, or the rivers and streams that run into the sea; I am you, and you, are me." – Jair Ananda Massiah

Powerful

Tis' true that we only use about 10% of our brain, and true also that many of us become brainwashed by the reality television shows and millions of consumer products that bombard us in between those very programs. It's almost as if we were molded into an inferior and brain-dead type of race; that all we could offer to the world were silly phrases to express our moods and we would perform tricks on demand, dependent upon how badly we needed our next 'acceptable to society' fix. That may be the majority of us humans, and even if there are only about 10% who think differently, know that it's never too late to start.

Remember how powerful you are! You are able to achieve anything you want; literally. You can become who you want to be, go where you want to go, and find out all you need to know. We are surrounded with angelic help and heavenly wisdom always. We must trust ourselves and the Universe that we are worthy of the greatness of our dreams and of our desires. There is abundance for us all to enjoy. Feel free to be who you are and say what you want to say and be true to yourself. Forgive yourself if you make some mistakes along the way; know that there is no wrong way, but only ways of learning. If people do not respect your honesty and love, and you lose them along the way, they were never meant to stay in your life in the first place. Do not worry, the Universe will send you a replacement tremendously better than you could have imagined.

Your subdued memory will be revealed to you more quickly if you dedicate time in training yourself to listen within. When you are still and surrounded by nature is when it is heard loudest, it is when the unseen and unheard is able to proclaim the good news. Disclose secrets about you and tell you precisely the path that you must take. Your anxiety is replaced with calm, your anger with peace, your tears with bliss, and your worry to faith.

Again; you are powerful, and the products you buy, or the television shows you watch, and the clothes you wear, don't make you powerful. You, the exposed, bare and stripped down to the core, you, are powerful. You must journey on your own, you must become still by yourself, you must fall and dust yourself off before you are able to tap into the powerful being you are. You meet people along the way. Some you can't get rid of with a lifetime of lessons called family, some come for a moment to break you down, some are clearly earth-bound angels and some are gone much too soon, but each experience, each decision, each fragment turns your weakness into strength.

Don't be afraid anymore to be the true you. Don't be afraid to get what you really want. Don't be afraid to stop settling for less and live the life you see in your dreams. Your dreams are there for a reason, it is a memory, a message, a mirage that can only become authentic, if you'll only believe in the powerful being that you are! J

Gifts

I remember during the Christmas season as a child all that my sister, brother and I thought about were how many gifts we'd receive under our Christmas tree. We were always pleasantly surprised early on Christmas morning after scrambling out to count them. We were quite fortunate, and although Mr. Santa Claus never did get me the Rubix Cube I asked for every year, I still was grateful for all the other wonderful gifts I received. Now, whenever I'm at home with my family for Christmas, my siblings and I no longer scurry out to the Christmas tree, we're certain now that Santa won't forget what we asked for, after all he and my Daddy had a very good understanding, seeing we never had a chimney and they shared the same handwriting! J We knew now, our small family being split to all different corners of the world to achieve things that the time we spent together was much more valuable than any gift Santa could fit into a box!

I view Christmas and gifts in general in a completely different way now. I believe life every day is about gift-giving, we receive gifts at every moment. Whether it be a smile from a stranger, an epiphany, a witty comment given to you by your Improv partner, the most perfect song that plays when you need it, waking up alone in your warm bed to a smile from a John Lennon bill-board, or just this breath with which you breathe right now. We are blessed with gifts in every moment in life…constantly evolving and changing to become better individuals. Life is a gift. Change is a gift. Learning is a gift. Sharing your light is also a gift.

So even if you aren't as fortunate as many this year and must spend the Christmas holidays alone; like I will, know that this sacrifice too is a gift. Handsomely wrapped presents with pretty bows and name tags signed in red ink from Santa Claus shouldn't only mean the world to you. Think about what the real meaning of Christmas is about. About birth of a Christ, a person that came to suffer, teach us about the magic in life and ultimately return to where he came from after he was finished his journey. We too, could look at this time of year as a re-birth, another chance, a gift to be grateful and continue along our path, fresh into a new year with beautiful new revelations and exciting things to look forward to. Of peace, of understanding, of contentment, of laughter, of truth, of magic, of a wonderful new life given to you and if you become lost you can look above to the stars, like that one bright star that shone above the rest, showing the 3 wise men where to bear their gifts. So too, you also will be guided in the right direction to bear your gifts of the beauty you are and also to receive blessings beyond your wildest of dreams.

So keep the memory of your loved ones in your heart this Christmas, and pour out your love to those around you, those who know you, and those who would like to get to know you [hahah]…to everyone, especially the less fortunate, and light that candle, light your heart and let it *pop-*fizzle-*burn of gratefulness and love! J