This feels a lot like those American Idol “5 Things About You in 20 Seconds” dealies.  So… here it goes.

Five Things About Me:

1. I love music.
2. I believe in the saving grace of Jesus Christ.
3. I want to write a book.
4. I speak, read, and write French fluently — and want to add to my language arsenal.
5. I am addicted to hash tagging and selfies.  #legit.

Keep tuning in in March through BlogHer’s March NaBloPoMo, and you can learn lots more about me!

Also — this took far longer than Idol’s 5 in 20.  I’d have been buzzed out with a giant x for sure!

Check me out at http://thisblogisepic.wordpress.com

Too many people who are disliked on social media for being trollers/haters get excited when there is something new the world is unfolding for.

That just happens to be Lupita.

Lupita Nyong'o, the 31-year old Yale grad, has been turning head and giving seizures in the form of "YAAAAAAS, HUNTY! SLAY!" since her portrayal of Patsey in Steve McQueen's 2013 hit film, "12 Years A Slave." From her performance in the film that was truly nothing less than superb, to her plethora of colorful and captivating red carpet and television appearance looks that has her on the top of the radar on every style magazine, blog, and television special around, Lupita is WINNING. Add her absolute humbleness, her adorable demeanor, and the public speeches she's made about beauty and validation of dreams, she's a bonafide badass.

But unfortunately, many people don't like this. They don't like this sudden advocacy for Lupita and what she stands for, which is a woman from the motherland who came to America, attended one of the top schools in the United States, did superb in her first film, and won a crapload of awards, including the most prestigious film award out there: an Oscar, all while having very little to no hair (against the ideas of femininity) and being dark skinned (a shade automatically considered ugly). Lupita is winning against the norm, and that is rattling chains. Men and women, black and white, have tried to compare Lupi to men, have tried to get us to confess that she’s not that cute, and that we’re just hyping her up, have tried to say that we, as People of Color, haven’t won through her and the cast/crew of "12 Years A Slave," because white people get off on seeing slavery films… The list combats the Great Wall of China in longest shit ever.

But why you mad?

Lupita has done nothing but educate herself in her craft, done her research, show up to work on set and SLAY, remain humble and adorable during interviews, waltzing onto red carpets in garments blessed by The Lord and SLAYING, and inspiring dark skin black girls (especially), and everyone else who has a dream they think they can’t conquer, that you and those dreams are valid.

Lupita is living in her truth. She is succeeding, which is more than I can say for the rest of you who feel compelled to attempt degradation for your own insecurities. She works hard to be praised to oblivion. She works hard for recognition. She works hard, man. Those who work hard and who live with an open mind and heart deserve the world.

And she’s gonna get it.

You don't HAVE to find her beautiful, and you didn't HAVE to cry in the scene everyone knows oh too well that had us biting at our fists, trying to hold back the rivers of empathy that strolled down our eyes. If you don't care for her, that's fine. This is for the people that don't care for her and want to make it KNOWN. The ones who find tweets and posts of people who care deeply for her and who make rude, unnecessary, and ignorant comments to have their mentions filled with response. For those who want to start an uproar, who want to disagree with the majority, and who, at the end of the day, sign out of twitter/facebook/tumblr feeling empty because this is their only means of attention.

So if you wanna waste your time trying to blow our, and Lupita’s, high because your life is in shambles and you don’t know how to fix it except to make others feel shitty so you’re not the only one, you can keep on dreaming.

Lupita is out here trying to tell us (ladies especially) that folks are gonna try and knock our crowns off, but wear that beacon like a halo, and you’re salty because you can’t take that advice and do something with your life other than to troll?

(photo courtesy)

Goodbye.

Do you believe in alien encounters and abductions? You are not alone! Since Ancient time, humans have wondered if somewhere up there, some other beings might be looking back. Watch this free Youtube video of Paranormal TV’s “Alien Encounter – UFO’s and Alien Abduction” and decide for yourself.

Scientists discovery of new planets and the possibility of life on Mars have brought us to the cutting edge of discovery of intelligent life elsewhere in the universe! Aliens were once the soul imagination of Hollywood’s Sci-Fi and Horror Productions. However today, we might find extra terrestrial life which could be quite different from our fantasies. If it turns that there is intelligent life, our little World might never been the same.Watch it here and judge for yourself!

Paranormal TV has full length movies by Mark Victor (who is the screenplay writer of Poltergeist) available on YouTube.  The topics range anywhere from Ghost to alien encounters. Be sure to check out their short films and their free movies. You can also connect on their Twitter, their Facebook, and their official website at www.paranormalworld.com.

 I have this habit of reading various articles I find on the internet. I live for articles from the website Cracked.com, because they use humor to prove their points. They also love to point out Easter Eggs in shows, movies, music, and I happen to live for various behind the scene knowledge like that.

I had stumbled across one on a site that named the 10 biggest Disney Controversies. I, being a Disney nerd, had to go look.  And as I was reading through this list, something became very obvious to me- Either kids know more about history than I did while watching Disney movies or people are just wanting to pick a fight about something.

The points of these controversies are valid, I will admit. The constant controversy of racial stereotypes is pointed out in many of the movies. The crows in Dumbo, the Native Americans in Pocahontas and Peter Pan, even the rest of the cast of Aladdin are cited as being negative stereotypes. There's drug use in Alice In Wonderland, there's a whole feminist debate around the Disney Princesses.

As a kid, I knew nothing of the Jim Crow laws. I did not know that the Jungle Book came out when the African American community was becoming part of society after the abolishment of segregation. I didn't see anything draw on the Little Mermaid cover. When I found out that the story of Pocahontas didn't play out the way it had in the movie, I just chalked it up to creative storytelling. At the point I had found out that the events of Pocahontas didn't quite happen the way Disney was telling me it had happened, I had already found out that neither had Cinderella, Little Red Riding Hood, and many other of the fairy tales being told to children.

When I watched Dumbo, I saw an animated movie about an elephant. When I watched Lady and the Tramp, the few times I watched it, I saw a story about two dogs falling in love. When I watched any of the princess movies that were being pushed out by Disney at the time of my childhood, I saw the true love stories they were marketing. And honestly, even when I had learned of the Jim Crow laws in high school (and no, I was not some genius who went to high school at 6 or anything like that. I was a teen when I learned it, outside of the regular Disney market), I still didn't see the crow being named Jim as anything else but a crow named Jim.

I may be living in a delusion bubble with this, but is it possible that maybe the only reason there are people upset with the controversies in Disney is because adults are looking for something to get offended about. I admit, I'm single and do not have kids. So, I don't have to screen things to make sure that there's nothing in them that my children shouldn't see. This whole post is coming from a child who grew up watching Disney movies. But, I would, by definition, be a normal person and the target of these movies.

Even watching them again at my age now, if I catch the Asian stereotypes in Lady and the Tramp, I don't make a big deal about it. I shrug it off and continue watching. When I watch Tangled, I don't see a male dominated movie or a horribly thing blonde princess. I see a girl who just wanted to experience life because she had been locked in a tower for her entire life.

Maybe when I have kids, I'll see these stereotypes and decide to shield my kids away from them. Or maybe, I'll watch Dumbo with my kids and take the time afterwards to tell them about segregation. Maybe I'll tell them the real story of Pocahontas after watching the Disney version. Maybe I'll show them 'The Princess and The Frog' and tell them that hard work is what is needed to chase after your dreams, not waiting for Prince Charming to come and sweep you off your feet. I can show them 'The Little Mermaid' and tell them that even though Ariel won Prince Eric in the end, changing to fit what she thought Eric wanted didn't work out for her. I can tell her that while the Princesses are thin, wear make-up and spend most of the movie dreaming of true love, a Princess can be anything they want to be. They don't have to sit and wait for Prince Charming. They can go out there and find him.

It's hard to say specifically what I'll do for my kids, until I have kids. At this moment, this is just the ramblings of a Disney nerd. Maybe my mind will change. Maybe my mind will stay firm in these belief- maybe there's controversy because we want there to be controversy. Maybe I'll have genius children who pick up on controversies in these movies that I or the rest of the world hadn't picked up on yet. Or maybe, just maybe, I'll have kids who see these movies the same way I saw these movies- as an hour or hour and a half escape. I lived my childhood that way. Why can't my kids do the same?

*For anyone who would like to see the list of the 10 biggest Disney controversies, go here and read on- http://www.therichest.com/rich-list/the-biggest/the-10-biggest-disney-controversies/

Actress Lupita Nyong’o

Everyone’s talking about her.  You know who I mean … yes, it’s Lupita Nyong’o, who recently won a Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Supporting Role in the film: “12 Years a Slave”.

I am yet to see the movie but what I have seen are lots of images with Lupita in various flowing evening gowns and super-fab dresses.  The few articles I read confirmed that she was not only beautiful but also talented, super intelligent and oh wait, she’s not only African-American; she is African-American with very very dark skin … oh … ok.  Read more

Gale Weithers | www.galeweithers.wordpress.com

E-mail: weithers@gmail.com  | Twitter: @WeithersLiving

I am an unabashed fan of Beverly Hills, 90210. I’ve seen EVERY EPISODE. TWICE. {Okay, more like five times.} I graduated from high school the same year as Donna Martin, though with far less drama. I currently teach in the very community Brenda once claimed the Walshes lived in before leaving the Minnesota prairie for Beverly Hills glitter. Though I’ve never surfed, or operated a nightclub in the back room of a fifties-style diner, or protested a school board decision, I’ve always felt a special connection to the gang from West Beverly.

As my grownup self watches reruns of the show that guided me through the formative years of high school, college, and early adulthood, I am often surprised by the deep, Zen-like wisdom hidden beneath the surface of the Peach Pit, California University, and Casa Walsh.

Today I am sharing with you the life lessons we can learn from Beverly Hills, 90210.

1. We can do hard things.

This is one of my favorite lines from Glennon Doyle Melton’s The Momastery. We all have problems, even, as MADtv referred to them in their parody of the show, “pretty white kids.” A colleague of mine, and fellow 90210 aficionado, insists that the life of Kelly Taylor alone is a testament to the endurance of the human spirit. Throughout the show, we witness Ms. Taylor struggle with her addicted mother and absent father, deal with depression and an eating disorder, join and get rescued from a cult, get shot in the head, become addicted to cocaine and then be stalked by her rehab roommate, suffer facial burns in a house fire, get sexually harassed at work, and experience an early miscarriage. All while dealing with a world that won’t take her seriously because she’s so pretty. Yet she manages to run her own business, and eventually become, of course, a high school guidance counselor.

We can’t avoid suffering, but we can do hard things.

2. Appearances can be deceiving.

When good Midwestern boy Brandon Walsh meets rebel-with-a-cause Dylan McKay, he’s confused. Since the Walshes have moved from Minnesota {which, according to the show, had just entered the Iron Age in the early 1990s} to the civilized world of Beverly Hills, the Neolithic transplants experience a bit of culture shock. These kids surf! They drink! They cut classes! Will we ever run with the in-crowd?

Well, Brandon soon learns that surfer-dude Dylan reads The Collected Works of Lord Byron! Brandon writes an editorial for the school newspaper, opining that the Beverly Hills cool kids have taught him to look behind their façades. Just as the surfers long to get inside the curl of the perfect wave, he longs to find the table in the lunchroom where people look for more than meets the eye. And while I am certain it is completely sacrilegious to compare the teachings of the Buddha to the writings of the West Beverly Blaze, he also told us to break our attachments to false views of the self.

3. Moms always have great wisdom.

Whether they are models of perfect mothering, like Cindy Walsh, or recovering cocaine addicts like Jackie Taylor, our moms always know how to counsel us. The grownups of Beverly Hills, 90210 are not always relegated to the wah-wah-wah-wah-wah gibberish of the adults from The Peanuts. My favorite piece of parental advice from the show comes from Jackie Taylor, counseling Kelly through the drama of the Brenda-Kelly-Dylan love triangle. She tells her forlorn daughter, “This too shall pass.” It’s the wisdom my mom frequently shares with me. It’s one of my favorite mantras.

4. You can choose YOU.

I am a Kelly-Brandon partisan. But I admit that one of my all-time favorite moments from 90210 is when Kelly, having been offered an engagement ring from Brandon and a trip around the world from Dylan, informs the gentlemen that she won’t be choosing either of them. She chooses herself. Twenty years before Frozen taught us that true love didn’t necessarily mean having a man, Kelly Taylor was already blazing the trail.

5. All conditioned things are impermanent.

One need only revisit the fashion trends at West Beverly High to comprehend the constant change and flux of the world in which we live. {Check out this photo montage here.} Leggings, scrunchies, big blazers, faded jeans, biker shorts, high-rise bangs, side burns, babydoll dresses, and girls wearing ties. Sometimes the impermanence of life pains us, and other times, it’s a huge relief.

6. The west CAN embrace the east.

Attempting to do an at-home yoga video, Kelly tells Donna, “I’m too western to be this eastern.” But the video was from Donna’s mother. Felice Martin – the uptight, moralistic, makes coffee nervous, dress-code demanding, cohabitation opposing icon of rigidity – does yoga. ‘nuff said.

7. You gotta show up to the dance.

Brandon hates dancing, but goes to the dances anyway. Andrea stays home from the Spring Dance, shunning anything conventional, but then decides to join the gang after all, telling them that she doesn’t want to look back and realize she’s missed high school. While we can debate the merits of missing out on high school, we certainly don’t want to miss out on our lives.

We gotta show up and dance.

And also make time for 90210 reruns. Because there’s a lot more there than meets the eye!

{Image Credit: Wikipedia}

Sarah Rudell Beach

Left Brain Buddha

Last Sunday, I laid down the red carpet and threw my annual Oscars® party. My guests and I analyzed the actors, the movies, red carpet fashion, latest plastic surgery fixes and every word uttered out of the host's mouth. A snippet from our banter went like this: "Oh my God, what the hell did Goldie Hawn do to her face?""Did Kim Novak overdo her cheeks or did she have a stroke?""So wait, seriously, what happens after Meryl dies? Is there anyone who will fill her shoes?""Oh, can someone refill my cocktail glass please? I don't feel like rolling 2 feet to get a refill."

Advice: when planning an Oscars party, consider the quality of the food and libations. Be creative so that the spread appears to have taken more than 5 minutes to prepare. Mine took exactly 6.5 minutes. Last year my theme was High-Brow-Meets-Low-Brow. I purchased bags of pork rinds at a local gas station and topped them off with caviar on a fancy cake platter. This year, my friends and I made pizzas on a pizza stone, topped them off with caramelized onions, mushrooms, sautéed broccoli rabe, goat and mozzarella cheese, rosemary and sun dried tomatoes. We wrapped bacon around dates topped with fresh parmesan cheese slivers and baked them in a 20 year old cast iron skillet scored at a garage sale.

Look, I am just like any other A-hole who has to post pictures of what they eat. You are smacking your lips, right?

I realize these don't look like dates and more like burned cocktail weinies or some kind of animal turd. At least bacon is involved.

ELLEN DEGENERES! Did you take your cue to order in pizza 'cause I was serving pizza? You, ELLEN, had the pizzas delivered during the show to feed the lean and mean A-listers. They in turn snapped and posted selfles which went viral.

Cocktails, chez moi, consisted of gin, agave, lime, greek yogurt, cucumbers and fresh dill with ice. My new Montel Williams blender, purchased on a shopping network, did its job. I've never been a gin fan since it conjures up surly old men with belted high waisted slacks, sitting in musty bars crooning to Frank Sinatra. Also, when I was 17, during a friend's sleepover, I drank so much cheap gin, I found my vital organs lying next to me on a bathroom floor the morning after. However, this Oscar party cocktail was delicious. I will be more open to the virtues of gin since it was a refreshing change for a festive winter night.

Best Actress nominees. Photo credit: www.Oscar.go.com

Now to brass tacks: I love to get dressed for any occasion, but for this party, I wanted to dress up as one of the nominees for Best-Actress.

Here are the female options:

1. Meryl Streep in "Osage: August County" as a mentally ill woman in the throes of cancer with as many crevices, dents and addictions in her face as Keith Richards.

2. Amy Adams in "American Hustle" as a con artist living in the 1970s. I loved the costume design, but wasn't completely in a 1970s state of mind.

3. Judy Dench in "Philomena" as an elderly women who searches for the son she gave up for adoption years ago.

4. Sandra Bullock in "Gravity" as a medical engineer stranded in outer space.

5. Cate Blanchett in "Blue Jasmine", a formerly wealthy woman, now impoverished, who moves in with her sister after the government seizes her fraudster husband's fortune ala Bernie Madoff.

None of the images of those characters registered, until I scrolled through the male nominees. I saw this image of Best-Actor nominated (and subsequent winner) Bruce Dern, who portrays an elderly alcoholic living in Montana in the movie "Nebraska." At first I chuckled. But then was gripped by the gravitas of an image that beckoned to be translated by a female counterpart. The image reminds me of the reality of an American aging population forced to adapt to a new tech world with medical advances sustaining life into their 90s. The elderly mourn the death of their friends, family members visit less frequently, all the while clinging delusionally to the elusive dream that their scratch-off ticket winning will be deposited into their Social Security savings account.

Bruce Dern in "Nebraska." Photo credit: www.oscars.go.com

How do you "do-Dern?" First I bought this "old man tramps wig", borrowed a friend's reading glasses, taped Johnson & Johnson's surgical sterile gauze to my forehead, wore plaid flannel by Ralph Lauren with a Genuine Filson jacket, which is perfect when ambling along railroad tracks, waiting to be hit by a freight train carrying natural gas from fracking. It also quite fashionable when worn during deer and pheasant season.

That image is what I would like to refer as my 'Day-time-Dern look.' That evening I decided to 'dress-up Dern' by wearing a gold glitter cut off top that Amy Adams might have worn in her "American Hustle" role, along with a gold multi chain tassel necklace of that era. Each year, the Academy pays tribute to a movie or actor. This year they paid tribute to the 75th anniversary of "The Wizard of Oz." Grammy winner Pink belted out 'Somewhere Over the Rainbow', in a ruby red sequin dress inspired by the character, Dorothy who wore red slippers in the movie.

Naturally, the only way to complete my 'Evening-Dern' look would be to wear shiny red shoes. I chose this inexpensive pair by Irregular Choice, purchased years ago in NYC while under the influence. As I look back, this wasn't the best of fashion choices and I rarely wear them. They look like shoes that someone with Polio in the 30s would wear.

I am completely in love with this wig. Almost as fashionable as a fuzzy vintage cloche hat. Those are my new vintage reproduction, rhinestone encrusted eye glasses by Traction Productions.

As the evening started to unwind, I was grateful I was wearing leggings on account of all the pizza, bacon and gin cocktails I ingested. My "no place like home" shoes came off while Cate Blanchett, the best dressed woman of the evening, gave her acceptance speech. She was divine in an Armani Privé gown dripping in sequins, tulle and Swarovski crystals. Yet, nothing tops her 2011 red carpet Givenchy gown.

Cate in Armani Prive 2014. Photo credit: Fabsugar.com

Cate in Givenchy at the 2011 Oscars. Photo credit: Lucy Nicholson/Reuters via The Guardian

I wonder what Cate would think of my shiny red shoes, Bruce Dern wig and bacon appetizers fried up in a garage sale skillet? Did she get to keep the Armani gown? Maybe I can drop her PR rep a note stating: "Next year I would like to throw an Oscars party wearing Cate Blanchett's Armani couture gown, while serving oysters on a bed of pork rinds accompanied by shots of lime infused Anejo Patron in kitschy Atlantic City, NJ shot glasses. Do I have the green light? Get back to my people STAT!"

Related articles across the web

• Oscars 2014
• Oscars 2014 Faves
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• Cate Blanchett is a Red Carpet Winner at Oscars 2014!
• Red Carpet Hits and Misses: Oscars 2014
• Oscars!

For the original article and other interesting posts, visit www.literallydarling.com

By Courtney | On 13, Mar 2014

Great, so you’ve decided on a career in film or TV production! Good for you! (Though you’ll have a tough time convincing your parents of that. Trust me, I’ve been there.)

So, now comes the tough part. How do you actually get a job? Preferably a paying job? The film world is actually notoriously difficult to break into, as it’s the best example of a real life “Catch-22″ that I can think of, and I’m not entirely sure Joseph Heller wasn’t inspired by it. The best method, every time, is networking. But how do you network when you don’t have experience and you don’t actually know anyone?

In the last column I said that most jobs are freelance and you will start out unpaid but work your way up. Still, freelance jobs don’t exactly advertise themselves on LinkedIn or Indeed. Those are all full time, permanent jobs, which then leaves you, a freelancer, at a bit of a dead end. Thank Hera this is the 21st century and we have the internet or I’d be permanently unemployed as opposed to just “semi-unemployed.” Here are some of the best resources for finding both paying and non-paying gigs.

Mandy.com: A plethora of paying and non-paying jobs, Mandy is useful in that it does cater specifically to the film and TV industry. You can find jobs on here that range from freelance to permanent, reality TV to NBC and it also offers casting calls. You do need to sign up to use the site but it is free to join and you can save your resume and cover letters so you can apply to multiple jobs without having to keep re-entering all of your information. The downside? Because Mandy is one of the few sites that caters almost exclusively to TV and film, jobs go REAL fast. If it’s been listed more than 24 hours, you don’t have a snowball’s chance.

StaffMeUp.com: Also a site that caters to the film and TV industry, I find this one slightly less helpful than Mandy because you do have to pay to utilize it though they do offer a 30-day free trial. Another downside is that it is, at present time, dominated almost entirely by reality TV jobs, which while they do pay, and usually fairly well, don’t always offer the kinds of experience and connections you need to get ahead in the scripted world.

Craigslist: I’m hesitant to put this on here because I’d hate to be responsible for anyone ending up stabbed through the eyes with pitchforks, but I have gotten a few good jobs, and some not so good ones, from Craigslist. Check out your local listings for either vrew gigs or tadio/TV/film gigs. The worst part about Craigslist is that absolutely anyone can post an ad and there’s no guarantee of legitimacy and you’ll probably have to weed out the “Help Wanted”s looking for blowjobs and massage girls.

Facebook: There are plenty of Facebook groups that exist for freelancers looking for gigs, usually several groups exist for any given city or specific type of freelance work that you want to do, (e.g., I’m in a group solely dedicated to PAs looking for work). The downsides of Facebook are that not everyone is very professional and you’ll have to put up with alot of spam ads even in the closed groups.

Local film/TV resources: Many states and major cities that have thriving film industries offer online resources for job hunting. For example, NYC has the office of Film, Theatre and Broadcasting (http://www.nyc.gov/html/film/html/home/home.shtml). Try and do some digging or ask around to find good websites for cities near you!

ProductionHub.com/EntertainmentCareers.net: Again, resources dedicated to Production work, however, this one I find less useful as, again, you have to pay to “Pursue Leads” as they call it on ProductionHub. However, the postings on here are usually legitimate and spam-free which is a terrific bonus. Sometimes you can also figure out enough from the job posting to be able to tell which company is advertising and apply directly on their site without having to pay to do so.

ProductionWeekly.com: An absolutely fantastic resource with loads of jobs and information on upcoming TV shows and films including phone numbers, company info and mailing addresses, if you can afford it. At $60 a month, it’s certainly not cheap. Is it worth it? That’s for you to decide. There are other, similar magazines and industry publications out there that offer job listings but ProductionWeekly is one of the best ones that I’ve found so far.

4EntertainmentJobs.com: Offers a free basic membership, much like Mandy, and can be upgraded to various levels depending on how much you’d like to pay. However, as the name implies, it covers entertainment jobs on various levels such as TV/film/radio/magazines and doesn’t usually have many crew gigs posted but it is still a useful resource, especially if you’re looking to get a foot in the door in an office position before moving up the ladder to production somewhere.

Things to Watch Out For
Do not sign up to any site that requires you to pay to see job listings, as this is, nine times out of 10, a scam. Occasionally it is not, but if you think a job listing sounds too good to be true, and they only want $50 a month from you, then it probably IS too good to be true.

Another thing to watch out for is no-budget indie movies. While there will be a future column concerning the different types of indie movies, if someone is trying to get away with making a movie and not paying ANYONE on crew or cast, unless you’re already a personal friend of theirs, try to steer clear.

Also, as much as companies like Viacom and Warner Brothers encourage you to apply to jobs listed on their website, the sad truth is that they don’t post crew gigs and at least 99 percent of the time those listings are for pure HR purposes only, which means that Joan from Marketing’s best friend’s cousin’s nephew twice-removed’s accountant’s mistress is actually already in line for the job and the listing is just a formality.

Got a favorite resource to use for jobs? Comment below and let us know or tweet us at @LitDarling!

So much of the divine and powerful pop, rock and soul music of the last 50 years has been made unforgettable by the backing vocals of the women celebrated in "20 Feet from Stardom."  Morgan Neville's excellent Oscar-winning documentary shines a much deserved spotlight on the vital voices of women (and men) in the music industry, sharing their inspiration and heartbreak navigating a business where they work with and stand a hair's breath away from the most famous in it without realizing one tenth of the recognition for their superb talents.

Darlene Love, Merry Clayton, Lisa Fischer, Claudia Lennear, Jo Lawry and Judith Hill are among the performers showcased, as well as Luther Vandross, who got his start as a back up singer.  "20 Feet from Stardom" is moving in part because of its insights into the psychology of the back-up performer versus that of a star.  Not everyone possesses the drive or ego to make that walk 20 feet forward to stand -- and stand out -- alone.  Most of us in the film and music industries likewise stand "20 Feet from Stardom."  Often, the reason has little to do with talent and more with luck and the vagaries of the business itself, as you'll see from learning the stories of the film's particular subjects.  Darlene Love, for example, had her career deliberately sidelined by Phil Spector.

There is no doubt that these performers' talents are other worldly.  You will not regret spending 90 minutes getting to know these women.  Not to mention the added benefit of re-hearing some of the most famous music of the last fifty years in a new way.  The unique contributions of Darlene Love, Merry Clayton and Claudia Lennear, for example, made the music of The Rolling Stones, David Bowie, Sting (and more) unforgettable in unexpected ways.

The other gift of "20 Feet from Stardom" is that is celebrates the beauty of the human voice and the joy in creative expression, leaving glitz and ego outside the door.  Not to be missed!

*****************************

Anita Finlay is the author of Dirty Words on Clean Skin.  #1 on Amazon's Women in Politics books for 16 weeks.

Like Anita Finlay, Author on Facebook.

Follow @AnitaFinlay on Twitter.

Apparently, Joan Rivers is the new pitchwoman for Dodge.

The last time we saw Joan Rivers with a car, she was vamping in front of the Cadillac’s luxurious ELR electric coupe at the Global Green Pre-Oscar Party.

More recently, she has proclaimed herself the “Style Enforcer,” giving the new Dodge lineup a ticket for “driving while captivating,” as part of the red-carpet-styled “2014 Award Season Event” sales campaign for Dodge.

[Watch a video of the Global Green event here at BlogHer]

As part of her sales spiel, Rivers recounts horsepower figures like they mean something to her, while describing the features of the cars in her typical comic fashion, even proclaiming that the seats are “softer than the leather on my face.”

[See DOZENS of celebrity photos with the Cadillac ELR from the annual Global Green USA Pre Oscar® Party here at AskPatty.com]

What do you think, ladies?

Does Joan Rivers make you interested in purchasing a Dodge vehicle?

Find out more about the Dodge “2014 Award Season Event” sales campaign at ispot.tv

Jody DeVere
CEO
AskPatty.com, Inc.
www.askpatty.com
www.certifiedfemalefriendly.com
www.jodydevere.com

Free & Cheap Summer Movies & programs for Kids.

If you are looking for Cheap & FREE Summer Movies for Kids 2014  I will do my best to update as the summer approaches if you know of any not listed please share and I’ll add it to the list. Looking for a download of these visit the freebie page it holds all links as well.

Cinemark – Summer Movie Clubhouse 2014
- $1/Movie when purchased at the Box Office!
- $5 for 10 Movies when purchased ahead of time (at box office or online)
Check the website for the participating theaters in your area & ticket details. All films are rated G or PG.

Megaplex Theaters – Kids Summer Movies
-10 Movies, 10 Weeks, ONLY $10
Check the Participating Theaters near you and the complete list of movies that will be showing.

Regal Cinemas – Summer Movie Express
-$1 Movies every Tuesday and Wednesday at 10am for 10 Weeks
Check the Participating Theaters in  your area and the start date for the Summer Movies.

Ultra Star Movies – Summer Series
-Family Friendly Films at a Great Price, Monday – Friday at 9:30am
There is a different movie shown every week. Call the theater nearest you for more information.

Classic Cinemas – Wednesday Morning Movie Series
-$1 Movies every Wednesday at 10am
There will be 9 different movies all Summer rated either G or PG – get the entire schedule now.

These Summer Movie Deals are a great way to save on entertainment for your family! Plan a fun morning or night around these ShowTime’s for a great way to spend your day! I love these movie deals in the summer because it is a special treat that doesn’t cost our family a lot! I hope you are able to enjoy some of the movies showing in your area. For a complete downloadable list visit the freebie page at www.where2save.com

Whether one has read the books in George R. R. Martin's A Song of Ice and Fire series, or is just following the drama in Westeros on HBO's Game of Thrones, it must have been apparent from the first season that Petyr Baelish, AKA Littlefinger (Aidan Gillen), was plotting behind the scenes from Day 1. In last Sunday's episode, "First of His Name," it was revealed exactly how far back Littlefinger's plots and schemes have reached.

Sansa - can't the kid get a break?

Poor Sansa Stark (Sophie Turner). She has been forced to witness the steady destruction of her family, either first-hand, or through gleeful reports from now-deceased maniacal young kings. She seemed to be getting away from most of the horror last week when Littlefinger smuggled her out of King's Landing and delivered her to who she thinks may be her only living relative, her Aunt Lysa (Kate Dickie). Sansa had clearly been more than a little suspicious of Littlefinger's motives on their journey (he has said more than once that he was in love with her mother Cat, who she closely resembles), and was palpably relieved to see her mother's sister, who is holed up in the Eyrie, a virtually impregnable castle in the area of Westeros known as the Vale. But lemon cakes aside, Sansa wasn't able to enjoy her respite for long. Because her aunt is completely bonkers, and when she isn't accusing Sansa of sleeping with her beloved Littlefinger, she is planning her niece's nuptials to her infantile son Robin. Despite the fact that Sansa is currently married to Tyrion Lannister (Peter Dinklage).

The happy couple, Lysa and Littlefinger - don't let the Moon Door hit you on the way out

Sansa not only found herself disgusted by her aunt's loud screams (celebrating her instantaneous wedding to Littlefinger — Lysa does not fool around), but defending her husband Tyrion. She may have actually formed some kind feelings for him after all. What Sansa didn't know, and what came as a big reveal to many, was that Lysa had poisoned her husband Jon Arryn at Littlefinger's behest. This is the act that starts the ball rolling in the first novel A Game of Thrones and the first episode of the series. Jon Arryn is killed. Lysa writes to her sister Cat that the Lannisters have murdered him. Cat urges her husband Ned to take Jon's job of Hand of the King that his friend the King Robert Baratheon has just offered (and that Ned has no interest in). Ned's Sherlocking around in King's Landing to find Jon's killer results in his own death, which leads to war, which ends up destroying the Starks and their seat of Winterfell and is well on the way to currently destroying the Lannisters and their hold on King's Landing. And in case you forgot, Littlefinger was the mastermind behind King Joffrey's (Jack Gleeson) death, too.

What does Littlefinger want? Cat is dead. He has Sansa, sort of, but would she be a suitable substitute for his youthful love and rejection? Lysa may have survived the wedding, which is quite an accomplishment, considering how Westeros weddings go these days, but that Moon Door must look pretty tempting ... Does he really see himself as ruling all of Westeros?

Ghost and Jon, together again

As we were all still reeling from Sansa's predicament, Jon Snow (Kit Harington) and the Night's Guard shut down Craster's Keep. Jon was reunited with his direwolf Ghost in a great action sequence, which also saw the end of some hateful characters. Go Ghost! Go Bran (Isaac Hempstead Wright) warging into Hodor (Kristian Nairn)! "Hodor!" Bran had to decide whether he wanted to be rescued by Jon or not, and wisely chose to head onto the freezing unknown instead. I know, that might seem crazy to some, but the kid is on a mission, and he knows he can now transcend his body and do just about anything, which is a superpower as cool as, or even cooler than, Daenerys's (Emilia Clarke) dragons. Hmmm ... Bran ... dragons ... And speaking of Dany, she seems to be just about the only one in this universe who doesn't think she can just rule because she says so. Did you hear me, Stannis? Dany has decided to stay put in Meereen and learn to rule the city she has conquered before unleashing an army and dragons (!) upon Westeros.

But back to Sansa. Next week her hubby Tyrion is going on trial for the murder of the boy king/psychopath Joffrey. I missed Peter Dinklage this week, but he is sure to be front and center in the next episode, "The Laws of Gods and Men." Sorry to say, we are already half-way through this season. Say it isn't so!

I just got back from the second annual Humphrey Bogart Film Festival in Key Largo, FL, and like many of my fellow attendees, I am already looking forward to next year's festival. Attendees were treated to a series of events where they could meet and greet festival organizer and son of the actor, Stephen Bogart (host of WXEL's Bogart on Movies) and renowned film critic and historian Leonard Maltin, as well as take in a list of over twenty classic films, all celebrating the theme of "Romance."

I was lucky to be able to see some classic Humphrey Bogart-Lauren Bacall films over the weekend: To Have and Have Not, screened outside under the moon and stars; Key Largo at the nearby Lion's Club which was transformed into Rick's Cafe Americaine; and Casablanca and The Big Sleep for the first time on a big screen. In a panel discussion hosted by Caroline Breder-Watts, film historian and host of WXEL's “Listening to Movies,” she and Bogart and Maltin and the audience engaged in a lively discussion of the diversity of Humphrey Bogart's roles throughout his long career. Clips from The Petrified Forest, Dark Victory, The Maltese Falcon, Casablanca, The African Queen, and The Caine Mutiny were featured. Bogart talked about how Key Largo was the perfect setting for the festival, as his father was laid-back and loved sailing, and he really wanted to "Celebrate the man and let the movies speak for themselves." Key Largo is also the location of The African Queen steamboat, which still can take people out on the water for short cruises.

Stephen Bogart gets up to watch his father in a clip from The Petrified Forest as Leonard Maltin and Caroline Breder-Watts look on.

The African Queen, getting ready to set off for a cruise

Lots of great Bogie/Bacall memorabilia. I watched The Big Sleep, and may finally have been able to follow its confusing plot. Maybe.

That Humphrey Bogart was meticulous about his craft was also a theme of the discussion, as his son reminded the audience that his father didn't have much patience for method actors. You can Bogie in YouTube clips that feature out-takes from his films - unlike others, he doesn't laugh when he makes a mistake, but gets upset, as he took acting so seriously. "Acting to him was a craft to learn more and more and more." Maltin underlined that point, and why our fascination with Bogart and his films endures - because he was the ultimate anti-hero. Other contemporary stars (Clark Gable, Gary Cooper, etc) don't have quite the cachet that Humphrey Bogart does, simply because, "He made so many great movies ..." After watching just a sampling of the man's extensive and impressive career I can't help but agree. The dialogue, production, and acting in all of his films were first-rate, but Bogie still shines brightest. It is impossible not to look at him, stare even, whenever he is on screen.

The festival began with the premiere of This Last Lonely Place, the first new film from the Humphrey Bogart Estate's Santana Films. It was topped off by The Bogart Ball, which featured an auction of Bogart memorabilia, dining, and dancing. The next day at the farewell brunch Stephen Bogart announced the theme of next year's festival, "The Best of Bogart." The festival is growing, and Stephen Bogart promised even more events and great movies next year, including some of his father's most celebrated work in such film classics as The Maltese Falcon, High Sierra, and Treasure of the Sierra Madre (his favorite of his father's films). Bogart also promised to expand the number of other classic films that will be shown during the course of the festival, with more pre-1965 movies, and "some gangster stuff in there too." Dates for next year's festival have been not set yet, but film buffs can check in with the Humphrey Bogart Estate'sFacebook page for schedule updates.

Leonard Maltin and Stephen Bogart field questions at Sunday's brunch

An outside screening of To Have and Have Not, Bogie and Bacall's first film together

I still have some more great Bogie film watching in front of me

It is great that so many fans of Humphrey Bogart were able to come together and share their love of classic films. It will be wonderful for Santana Films and the Humphrey Bogart Estate as the festival continues to grow and evolve. There is something about the laid-back atmosphere of Key Largo and its environs and the current more intimate size of the festival that also added to its fun. There was a real opportunity for attendees to share their enthusiasm for old movies with each other and VIPs like Stephen Bogart and Leonard Maltin that might be hard to replicate if the festival grows in size.

The Humphrey Bogart Film Festival is quickly becoming a tradition for film buffs and Bogie enthusiasts. As Leonard Maltin shared at the festival's closing brunch on Sunday, "Movies are meant to be a communal experience. ... they can make difference in your life. [when you see a great one it sounds] a loud gong that doesn't go away."

Hope to see you at our virtual premiere of #TheWolfAndTheMedallion'!

Online at itsashort.com and followed by a googlehangout and twitter-chat!

Our featured artist, Jeremy Collins, is a phenomenal adventurer! 

See you tomorrow night 8 pm CST!

itsashort.com

itsashorttheblog 

Have you always been curious about the afterlife? This free movie from Paranormal TV on Youtube shows real footage from the Scole Experiment that proves there is life after death! “The Afterlife Investigations: The Scole Experiment” delves into the research from Psychic Researchers Robin and Sandra Foy (who pioneered the the Scole Experiments in the early 90’s). Along with psychic medium Marcello Bacci, this video shows recorded conversations with the dead, written messages on sealed film, video of spirit faces and even spirit forms materializing. Put your beliefs to the test and watch it here.

Paranormal TV has full length movies by Mark Victor (who is the screenplay writer of Poltergeist) available on YouTube.  The topics range anywhere from Ghosts to alien encounters. Be sure to check out their short films and their free movies. You can also connect on their Twitter, their Facebook, and their official website at www.paranormalworld.com.

No Justice in Game of Thrones, “The Laws of Gods and Men”. 

Every episode of Game of Thrones is riveted with drama, and last Sunday’s episode was no exception. Peter Dinklage’s performance in the last half of, “The Laws of Gods and Men” had the hairs on my arms standing up with goosebumps all over, or as Jennifer Lopez would say, “Goosies”. That felt like an emotional roller coaster with one big problem, we have to wait until next week for the big drop. Who will combat Tyrion or will he name a champion to fight for him?

There’s only four episodes left this season, and the reoccurring theme of justice versus injustice keeps arising. I’m sure for some of our favorite characters, they’ll be facing the injustice, that is the world of Thrones.

Let’s get right into it! Top three moments of “The Laws of Gods and Men”

Braavos

Well, do I have to say it? Stannis is a dick! So it was very appropriate that his ship sailed between the legs of a kilted warrior the size of – hmmm let’s see, thousands of feet. I caught Davos taking a peek, it must be impressive since he’s sailed these waters before! Though, thanks to Tywin Lannister all I can think about is how awful Stannis would be as a king. Even as breathtaking as the scenery was, or how moving Davos speech was, Stannis still has that dreary grim face that continues to make him a despicable character. I keep hearing he does some cool stuff, but until then, he’s still my least favorite character.

Finally we get to see Braavos up close and personal, what did you think of the Iron Bank?

Varys

Though Petyr Baelish was not in this episode his influence was felt at King’s Landing. Varys played a similar game to Baelish, when shove comes to shove, he’d save his own skin over someone else’s. He says he has no desires, or addictions he only serves the Iron Throne as he pointed out to Prince Oberyn. There's more to Varys then meets the eye, and I can't quite seem to put my finger on it. Thrones did make a point to show us that Varys does not forget anything. How will this play out for Tyrion?

Will we find out more about his past? I hope Oberyn digs a little further us!

The Lion and Shae

We knew the trial against Tyrion would be filled with lies spun by Cersei, and it was hinted plenty of times that his own words would come back to bite him in the ass. But, what we weren’t ready for was Shae being the dagger that would rip this whole trial into a disastrous gaping hole of crap. Sure you can say it was already disasters, but we almost had a happy ending – Tyrion setting off for The Wall. At least as happy as Game of Thrones ending could be. Obviously I am wrong, you have permission to slap me for thinking there would be a happy ending. As EW.com puts it:

“This is totally foolish for us to believe because Thrones loves to tease us with the prospect of characters we love meeting up with Jon Snow at The Wall but it NEVER HAPPENS -- Ned Stark thought he was going to meet Jon. So did Bran and Arya at various points. Forget it. There is no meeting up with Jon Snow at The Wall!”

These last minutes of Game of Thrones continued to give me goosebumps. Not only was Peter Dinklage’s acting impeccable in this entire sequence but, the minute he turns around you know the person walking down that aisle was going to be Shae. I yelled at the screen and said, “I knew it!” When I re-watched the episode it made me angrier that she would tell the court things she didn’t need too. She was deliberately digging her dagger deeper, and deeper into Tyrion.

The speech that follows Shae’s testimony will be one of the best speeches on Thrones. Tyrion has lost Shae, and knows the trail is a farce! He will no longer be a part of Tywin’s plan, even if it means his death!

Tyrion demands trial by combat, and the last look he gives his father was a smirk. His last f-you before his fate is dealt. (Side Note: During the trial didn't Tywin remind you of the Braveheart scene, "do you wish to confess"? See the clip below)

Favorite Quotes:

“We must not disappoint father” - Tyrion

“Am I the master of something now” - Prince Oberyn

“I'll get no justice here” - Tyrion

What did you think of this episode? Will Tyrion fight, or pick a champion? Do you believe Shae was a spy, as I mentioned in a previous post? Or did she just get caught in the cross fire?

I leave you with these two clips:

Cheers!

K.Lo

#tvrecap #gameofthrones #savetyrion #confessiongirl #geekgirl #justice

Today's little girls idolize Miley Cyrus, Elle Fanning, Chloe Moretz and Selena Gomez. When I was growing up, my favorite celebrity was not an impossibly talented teenager but Miss Piggy of the Muppets!

At age six, I was obsessed with the Muppets and was immediately drawn to Miss Piggy. I loved her frippery, impeccably coiffed hair, caustic, direct, no-nonsense approach to life and how she related to her co-stars. Her dry, adult witty humor spoke to me directly, though most kids did not fully comprehend it. My father, who had a sarcastic wit, exposed me to Monty Python, Peter Sellers and Gene Wilder. But there was something about fuzzy-wuzzy manipulated puppets which intrigued me. Every Monday evening at 7:30pm, my mom and I watched a new episode of the Muppet Show on our small black and white TV set, silver rabbit ear antennae extended into a V, taped down for maximum clear reception.

The Muppet media franchise, now owned by Disney, has always been successful and continues to introduce a new movie every few years. When the "Muppet Movie" premiered in 1979, it instantly became my favorite and continues to be in my top 20 all-time favorites. What's not to love about witnessing a cast with infectious laughter and camaraderie set to a parody sketch show?

March 2014 Disney's newest Muppet incarnation, "The Muppets Most Wanted", stars Ricky Gervais and Tina Fey. It has been three years since the last one debuted, so I sent out a social media invitation to see who would be interested in going to the movie.

With two friends in tow, I arrived at the theater dressed in a leopard dress, Miss Piggy wig, tiara, rubber snout, and "if-you-punched-Piggy-in-the-face-colored-pink" patent shoes. I was joined by my date, a Kermit the Frog plush doll, who sat perched on my shoulder throughout the movie.

In this movie, the Muppets take us on a European tour turned caper, where funny, but staid stereotypes of short work weeks, eight week vacations and driving around in a car that is smaller than a Smart car come into play. Ricky Gervais who plays "Dominic Badguy" (“Bad-Gee – it’s French”) offers to be the gang's tour manager, but colludes with notorious con and Kermit doppelgänger, Constantine in a map cap jewelry heist. The only mark that distinguishes Kermit from his nemesis is the huge mole on his left upper lip. In order to mastermind a continent-wide jewelry heist spree, Dominic usurps Kermit's role as team leader and banishes him to a remote region. They achieve their goal by disguising him with a glued-on huge mole above his upper lip. It is now a case of mistaken identity and Kermit ("I am an amphibian American") is arrested and sent to a Russian gulag.

The evil Constantine (left) and benevolent Kermit (right.) Images via Walt Disney

My friends and I burst out laughing over this. How do you explain to a seven year old, a gulag? Well, if you knew my Polish grandmother, then no problem. I was only 6 years old when she first discussed WWII, concentration camps and gulags to me. And despite the retelling of traumatic events, I turned out ok.

Prisoners in a Siberian gulag need better garb. They should have hired Raf Simons of Dior to add some embellishments and satin trim to their jacket lapels. Raf, where the hell were you? Talk to Putin, Crimea could use your help too.

One might think scenes in a gulag would be too dark for kids, but this is not the case. Kermit after all, is dressed rather well for a prisoner, but it is the celebrity cast (Ray Liotta and Stanley Tucci to name a few) who stages musical revues that remind us that song and dance routines make a Muppet movie magical. Tina Fey plays the prison commandant, Nadya who has a thing for Kermit and whose Russian accent is as authentic as a jar of Borscht made out of rutabaga and Red Dye #2.

Back in Europe, the gullible gang is fooled by nefarious Constantine and Dominic, who stage jewelry heists in between staging elaborate Muppet Show-style performances across Europe. Luckily, CIA agent Sam Eagle ("I hate Europe.") and French Interpol agent Jean-Pierre Napolean ("It is my lunch hour. It lasts six hours.") (Modern Family's Ty Burrell) smell a rat and follow the tour to unravel these crime sprees. I thought it was too cliché to have Jean-Pierre play this role as a pseudo-"Pink Panther"-Inspector Clouseau character. There is only one Inspector Clouseau, which was played by my beloved genius Peter Sellers, and which Hollywood should never resurrect. Let's not forget the atrocity Hollywood committed by casting Steve Martin as Inspector Clouseau in the 2006 remake "The Pink Panther."

Kermit's stalwart gang is finally clued in about his disappearance and stages a prison break-in to save the hapless frog.

Ty Burrell as an Interpol agent and formidable Sam Eagle from America's badass CIA. Go kick Europe's ass Sam. AMERICA NUMBER ONE!!!!!!

The finale finds Kermit reunited with Piggy. What better way to celebrate his return than to hold a wedding rivaling any vile diamond-laden royal nuptials! Her shining moment finally arrives when she walks down the aisle with Kermit in London. Is it possible that after decades of dating these two will tie the knot? How could there not be a happy ending when you are walking down the aisle in a Vivienne Westwood gown? Forget Vera Wang! Piggy went Westwood!

Of course the entire gang is reunited, criminals are apprehended and the gang breaks out in typical Muppets-style song and dance.

Miss Piggy in Vivienne Westwood. Oh Vivienne, couldn't you have designed something more subversive? I expected a 70s punk style treatment with shredded tulle, safety pins and THE FROG IS DEAD splattered on her torso. Image: Walt Disney.

What set this sequel apart is the amount of A-list celebrity cameos. I would have preferred to see newer Muppet characters, rather than playing "name-that-celeb." Can't Hollywood give celebrity-obsessed America a break and save P. Diddy, Lady Gaga, Salma Hayek, Christoph Waltz, Céline Dion, Josh Grobin, etc., for a future Muppet movie or Christmas special? Nah, in today's world, celebrity in and of itself is idolized.

After a Muppet-fest I could not leave my possé and retire. My girlfriends and I scuttled to a hamburger/wine bar to discuss the movie and stuff our face with grass-fed beef and cheap aged grape juice by the carafe.

Me and Kermit enjoying our 1/2 off bottles of wine with the girls. One sarcastic friend asked "1/2 off bottles of wine? What time did you arrive? 9am?" Duh, no. I don't drink before noon. That's Europe's relegation.

You have to love a NY sense of humor. When I asked our hostess to pull up a high chair for my Kermit toy, she not only returned with a chair, but a plastic cup filled with water and wedge of lime. She thanked me for wearing the pig costume and bringing along my plush friend. We all laughed out loud, but fell silent when we were handed us the "1/2 off bottles of wine" happy hour menu. I wanted to wear my rubber snout the rest of the evening, but pulled that sucker off to enjoy my sumptuous dinner. I was grateful to be surrounded by like-minded friends who know how to have a good laugh and enjoy life while the wine is flowing.

What a spoiled frog.

What did I have for dessert? Bacon mints of course. Kermie recoiled when I tried to seduce him after ingesting carmelized onions. Really Kermie? Typical American guy. All talk, no action. Text me.

Related articles across the web

• Movie Review - Muppets Most Wanted (2014)
• Epic Interview With Kermit, Miss Piggy and Constantine #MuppetsMostWantedEvent
• Film Review: Muppets Most Wanted
• Know Your Muppet Doppelgangers
• Watch Kermit and Miss Piggy Go EDM in 'The Muppets Theme' Remix Video
• Miss Piggy Calls on Vivienne Westwood
• Jimmy Fallon & The Muppets Say Goodbye To 'Late Night' With the Song "The Weight" From the Film 'The Last Waltz'

Everywhere I turn or tune in this week, little girls are singing, dancing to, and rehearsing that song. That earworm (it’s a nice song the first 15 times) Let It Go. From the movie Frozen.

This is for BlogHer, I thought to myself knowing I’d find good writing on the topic here. But my experiences are different. I believe Frozen is a full-blown epidemic that falls short culturally. An epic labor in search of, I joking commented, an epidural. There are other perspectives here. I honor and recognize their voices.

May is the month when my only child’s annual milestone rolls around. Birthday means big dreams and wishes come out. My daughter was 11 days late. They say the lungs are the last thing to develop. Oh you should hear those 11-day lungs belt out that song!

As it turns out, my daughter seems to be at a place where many kids, mostly girls are--worshipping the movie, the notes, the images and the content at every moment. Around the neighborhood I’ve learned:  a local preschool has banned the singing of Let It Go at their school. Banned? Really? Not because they are anti self-esteem and girl power, but because of the infectious earworminess of it.

Another local daycare instead choreographed (and videoed) a yoga routine to the song. Another mother friend's daughter rehearsing. Another mother blogging her daughter’s few moments wavering interest away from the obsession. Another mother…and another. It goes on.

I asked my husband to go get the Anna and Elsa dolls for her birthday. “Can’t get them…they’re really hard to find in stock” he said. What? “You can only find them on shelves in Singapore,” he said. He and three other work colleagues had already discussed it. Ummm…yay for global corporations?! I’m telling you, warning you that this is a severe epidemic. Really. Maybe I should lighten up, it’s a moment we need to discuss and explore with our children.

I liked Frozen. But I wasn’t wowed that Disney had been risqué or smashed its wholesome storylines. I thought this was a wonderfully thoughtful piece by Holli Long about the movie’s depiction of sexy, powerful and not objectified. Yay for that! But I still feel empty. Also, this post in Rub Some Dirt on It was a really lovely way a mother painstaking re-created Frozen for her child.

My daughter is cursed by my irreverence (or inability to lose myself in the magic). I’d been working toward a ladybug and bug theme for her big party. Then she switched to Frozen. So frozen ladybugs and ladybugs wearing dresses is where my head went. My satire and sardonicism is overbearing-- except not because I won’t execute on it other than sharing here. Sorry Darling. Practically speaking, it’s just too late to change it all around. She used to happily love ladybugs and butterflies and yes, Ladybug Girl until Anna and Elsa invaded our world. Luckily, multiple loves are more than possible--just not right now.

So why the angst? It’s the power of something that is being so mass consumed. Can’t it be more meaty, more inspiring, more…real? Two sisters separated for years – and lonely? What do you want Rachel?  It’s Disney! I don’t know exactly, but I feel empty.

I find myself looking back at the feminist movement. I feel like they got Betty Freidan and Gloria Steinem and we got Anna and Elsa of Arendelle. Yes, it is just a movie, but it has incredible power. And granted, it is really unfair to compare a political movement to a movie. But I believe that Frozen could be the start of something comparable for this generation. And the Disney folks are chuckling all the way to the bank- that’ the difference. It isn’t organic. It isn’t…real. It’s corporate art and corporate animation. Okay, agreed, my demands of Disney known for its non-recyclable plastic cultural product are clearly, clearly, out of proportion. But I want equal parts light and dark. I want heroines in portrayed by real actors. I want....independent film.

The other thing in my mix, of course is, as females right now we’re either Leaning In, Leaning Back or Letting it Go. Unlike the women decades ago who knew what they were fighting for, we’re not organized. Media is scattered and so are we--except in the love of Frozen. We are homogenized by the content, the source of the content and yet, not. I dare you Disney, I dare you someone:  make a movie about the life of Malala Yousafzai. Give us something real to feed the next generation's fascination and obsession. 

Belle is the true story of an illegitimate, mixed-race daughter of a navy captain, reared by her aristocratic great-uncle, Lord Justice Mansfield (Tom Wilkinson) and his wife Lady Mansfield (Emily Watson), along with her White cousin Elizabeth Murray (Sarah Gadon).

Belle stars Gugu Mbatha-Raw as Dido Elizabeth Belle Lindsay, the illegitimate daughter of a Royal Naval Captain who learns of the death of his daughter’s mother.  He, being White, makes a bold decision, he retrieves his daughter and takes her to his uncle to rear in his absence.  He insists that she be reared as a member of the family in his absence.

Dido Elizabeth Belle - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaen.wikipedia.org

The story takes place during the 18th century and during the time of slavery.  Young John Davinier (Sam Reid) convinces Lord Mansfield to be his mentor in law.  Reluctantly, Lord Mansfield agrees.

Davinier is working hard on a court case for the insurance company regarding the Zong slave ship; a slave ship that drowned the slaves in transport -- either because there was no water (as the ship owners contend) or because they were improperly brought on the ship and became ill and diseased and would provide no profit (as the insurance company contends).

Elizabeth and Dido are reared as equals, except for the fact that Dido is not allowed to eat with the family because she is Black, but is not allowed to associate with the slaves because she is “above” their status, being she is an aristocrat.  This is also a difficult time not only for Dido, but also Elizabeth.  The young women are at the “coming out” age, a time when young women are presented to young men for marriage.

While it was announced that Elizabeth would be coming out, it was decided that Dido would not be allowed to come out because as a Black woman it was believed she would have no aristocratic suitors, despite her sizable dowry left by her deceased father.  However, this was not an easy time for Elizabeth, also illegitimate, because she has no dowry.

The young women capture the eye of two brothers; one interested in Elizabeth until he realizes she has no dowry, the other, attracted to Dido and her dowry (since he was the younger son with no wealth of his own).

Dido and John Davinier share conversations and build a friendship.  Lord Mansfield is opposed to the friendship because Dido is sneaking around and Davinier is working on a case revolving around Zong slave ship and Lord Mansfield believes that John is influencing Dido’s opinions and exposing her to the ugly side of slavery, a topic he has been careful to shield her from.

Belle is a very touching story.  It is a love story, a period story and a historic piece that will touch your heart and give insights we may not have considered.  Gugu does an amazing job helping us to understand Dido and her pain.  She helps us to see the loneliness and pain Dido experiences.  She shows us her strength and gives us a glimpse of her feelings and struggle against the institutional discrimination that sought to leave her alone and unloved.

While it provides a different view of slavery, her pain brought me to the verge of tears and I couldn’t help wanting her to find love.

I would give this movie 4.5 out of 5 stars and highly recommend you take the time to see this movie.

I got a text the other day...

"Guess who is on?"

It appears they were reairing our episode of Family Feud (for the 5th or 6th time), and my mind drifted back 3 years to the part that you didn't get to see...

Our journey began on a "Taco Tuesday" family night as us first cousins (Jamilla, Cherrell, Eileen, Marlies and Tondra) had just finished "grubbing" on tacos, chips, homemade guacamole, sweet tea, and red velvet cupcakes. 

(This was pre Revolution for Jamilla and Cherrell, aka "The Harris Sisters".  Find out more about their lifestyle change/ weight loss journey on my blog's video segment "I Wanna Know")

As we were sitting around laughing, someone mentioned how much fun it would be to go on the Family Feud game show.

Well I have since learned that you should never say anything of front of Jamilla Harris unless you are absolutely serious because that girl knows how to make things happen!

I received a text a few weeks later... "Family Feud tryouts next weekend in Texas.  Let's fly down for a girl's weekend.  Call u later".

The idea in itself seemed very exciting, but after pricing airline tickets we decided the timing wasn't right.  But I have also since learned that when something is meant to be... it WILL be, and just a few weeks later Jamilla called to inform me that Family Feud tryouts were coming to us!!!  The auditions were to be held at a location less than 3 miles from my home. 

We were all super excited and screamed our heads off when they announced that the season would be taping out of Atlanta, GA!  Family Feud would be picking up the tab for roundtrip ground/air transportation, meals, and hotel accommodations... all they asked of us was for excitement to make for good television.  We could do THAT! 

The very following week Jamilla, Cherrell, and Marlies called me screaming "Congratulations, your family has been selected for Family Feud!"  I could barely make out what they were saying, but I started screaming too!  The next few months consisted of many "Taco Tuesday/Family Feud" study and practice sessions to ensure that we were ready when our time arrived. 

When the day finally arrived, we boarded the plane and headed out to Atlanta.  That evening we ate at "The Waffle House" across the street from our hotel.  I was so excited when I looked up to see my cousin Shonn walking through the door!  Although Shonn is a first cousin on my mom's side of the family, my Harris cousins adopted her as their cousin too.  Having her there made our night, and I realized that family has a way of making you feel at "home" no matter how far away you are from familiar surroundings!

The next day we arrived at the studio for taping and we had an amazing experience.  Everyone was so friendly, and all of the other families were super excited, as well.  When Jamilla introduced our family we surprised Mr. Steve Harvey with a song that I had written.

Steve looked at us and smiled saying, "Any song with my name in it, is a hit!"

Then the game was ON, and we gave it our all.  We took a round, they took a round... back and forth all the way up to sudden death!  At which point it all rested on my shoulders, and I quickly learned why it is termed sudden death. (Because that's exactly what it feels like when you buzz in FIRST with the WRONG answer)  It is indeed a "sudden death" that you keep playing over and over again in your mind...only in slow motion.  So we lost the game and were bid farewell with a parting statement of "you have a great family, maybe we'll have you back again some time" (If you're reading this and want to write to Family Feud on our behalf... that will not be necessary).

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