We made a video this morning to promote our upcoming release of the 30-Day Core Belief Kit (also known as CBK). I'm so excited!
We'll have more details up on the website very soon. The release is next Monday, November 14th.
Last night we watched some Christine Kane videos to get inspired. I dreamed of the CBK all night, and got up this morning and wrote a bunch of copy for the website and other places. When BlackLion suggested making a video, I was ready!
If you want to help us publicize the CBK, let me know. Also, if you'd like to review it on your blog or website, we can probably arrange for that. Did I mention I'm rather excited?! This is our biggest and most powerful project so far!
"The flow of creativity feels like an avalanche of joy and wonder. Being open to that possibility creates connections with everything." - Feline Dreamers
Showing posts with label movies. Show all posts
Showing posts with label movies. Show all posts
Monday, November 07, 2011
Friday, October 21, 2011
Inanna, Sisters in Rhythm
My Mom and I went to a wonderful concert tonight. The performers were Inanna - definitely check out their website if you've never heard of (or heard) them. We've seen them before, most notably in 2004 just after my Mom got out of rehab after her major car accident. I remember that show particularly because Mom was still in a wheelchair then, and the concert was outdoors at an orchard, so I had to wheel her up the hill and through the grass. The drumming they do is so healing, though, it was definitely worth it.
Tonight's show was superb, as always. They are so inspiring! I love that they focus on encouraging women to play drums. And their new compositions are lovely - a bit more meditative and spiritual. Though they also played some of their upbeat get-you-dancing tunes, of course.
They are finishing up a new CD and are doing a Kickstarter campaign (the details are on their website) to help them raise money to finish it. If you haven't heard of Kickstarter (aren't I just a font of information tonight?), it's a very cool way for groups to raise funds (though, fair warning, there is apparently some controversy about how they choose their projects). That was how Starhawk raised the initial funds to get started with making her wonderful novel The Fifth Sacred Thing into a movie. But I digress. Check out Inanna, and support them. You can get a CD, be blessed in their prayers, wear some of their beautiful clothing that one of the members creates, or any number of other cool things, just for helping out. Drum on!
Tonight's show was superb, as always. They are so inspiring! I love that they focus on encouraging women to play drums. And their new compositions are lovely - a bit more meditative and spiritual. Though they also played some of their upbeat get-you-dancing tunes, of course.
They are finishing up a new CD and are doing a Kickstarter campaign (the details are on their website) to help them raise money to finish it. If you haven't heard of Kickstarter (aren't I just a font of information tonight?), it's a very cool way for groups to raise funds (though, fair warning, there is apparently some controversy about how they choose their projects). That was how Starhawk raised the initial funds to get started with making her wonderful novel The Fifth Sacred Thing into a movie. But I digress. Check out Inanna, and support them. You can get a CD, be blessed in their prayers, wear some of their beautiful clothing that one of the members creates, or any number of other cool things, just for helping out. Drum on!
Tuesday, August 02, 2011
My Favorite Movies
For as long as I can remember, when asked what my favorite movie is, my answer has been The Princess Bride. And then the Lord of the Rings movies came out, and as a fan of the books, I truly loved them and thought they did a fabulous job. Well, now the Harry Potter series of movies is complete, and we just saw the final one tonight. And now they are right up at the top of the list. Wow!
Seventeen of us, the core members of our Maine Wholeschoolers group, filed into the movie theater ten days ago, ready to watch the final installment. We had our 3D glasses, popcorn, and candy, and we were ready! But before we even got to the previews, the electricity went out in the theater. Yikes! We waited a while, but the theater staff came back and said that they were canceling that showing, and we'd have to come back. Right. Just try and get 17 people from four busy families to all come back at the same time.
Well, time passed, but we did it! And the movie was just so fabulous. Yes, I cried. I also laughed a lot. We spontaneously cheered when Bellatrix LeStrange met her well-deserved end...even though we loved how Helena Bonham Carter played her to the hilt. I had goosebumps several times throughout the movie. They just captured it so very well! And yes, I absolutely love the books.
My favorite characters are all women: Hermione, of course. As a fellow bookworm, I can relate, and I love how she grows into such a powerful witch. Luna Lovegood, oh yes, I also identify with her. I was just reading about the actress who played her, Evanna Lynch, and a quote about how the other actresses who tried out for the part could certainly play Luna, but Evanna IS Luna. So true! And of course, Professor Minerva McGonagall. I adore Dame Maggie Smith anyway, and she turns into a cat, for heaven's sake! Perfect!
Well, that is all for now. I freely admit that my first words after the end of the movie were "again! again!" And I might just have to do that.
Seventeen of us, the core members of our Maine Wholeschoolers group, filed into the movie theater ten days ago, ready to watch the final installment. We had our 3D glasses, popcorn, and candy, and we were ready! But before we even got to the previews, the electricity went out in the theater. Yikes! We waited a while, but the theater staff came back and said that they were canceling that showing, and we'd have to come back. Right. Just try and get 17 people from four busy families to all come back at the same time.
Well, time passed, but we did it! And the movie was just so fabulous. Yes, I cried. I also laughed a lot. We spontaneously cheered when Bellatrix LeStrange met her well-deserved end...even though we loved how Helena Bonham Carter played her to the hilt. I had goosebumps several times throughout the movie. They just captured it so very well! And yes, I absolutely love the books.
My favorite characters are all women: Hermione, of course. As a fellow bookworm, I can relate, and I love how she grows into such a powerful witch. Luna Lovegood, oh yes, I also identify with her. I was just reading about the actress who played her, Evanna Lynch, and a quote about how the other actresses who tried out for the part could certainly play Luna, but Evanna IS Luna. So true! And of course, Professor Minerva McGonagall. I adore Dame Maggie Smith anyway, and she turns into a cat, for heaven's sake! Perfect!
Well, that is all for now. I freely admit that my first words after the end of the movie were "again! again!" And I might just have to do that.
Sunday, January 30, 2011
On the Big Screen
Last fall we bought a big computer monitor-style TV from our friend Sash - it's hooked up to a computer, not cable or anything like that. But we can watch DVDs and Netflix on it, so it works well for family movie nights. Since we're still in the depths of winter (*tiny sob*), we've been curled up on the couch with some popcorn lately, watching movies and some TV series. Here are a few of our recent favorites.
- Buffy the Vampire Slayer. You may be surprised to hear, if you know how much I like fantasy and sci-fi, that I had never watched any of these shows until last year. I didn't have TV when they came out, and the ultra-useful Netflix hadn't yet been invented. BlackLion is a huge Buffy fan, and now he's got ElvenTiger and I hooked. We're in the middle of the third season, and loving it. This is an awesome and amazing series. Wow. Funny, touching, scary, smart, and addictive.
- Corinna, Corinna. ElvenTiger and I watched this with a friend just last night. Whoopi Goldberg plays the lead, and she's terrific as always. I loved the story. It sparked great discussions about the social mores of the 1950s. Very good film.
- The Secret Garden. ElvenTiger read the book for her book club, and she watched the modern movie version and enjoyed it. We watched the old BBC movie version together, and I thought it was well done. I loved the book when I was a kid. ElvenTiger said she liked the newer version of the movie better, but she did appreciate how the BBC one seemed "more old-fashioned."
- Dirty Dancing. After enjoying watching Jennifer Grey win "Dancing With the Stars" with my Mom, we decided to get this classic 80s film. It's one of my favorites. The kids liked it, even Dryst, and it showed them another glimpse of American history and culture. It makes me cry, too, every time.
- Physics: The Elegant Universe and Beyond. Brian Greene hosts this series which explores quantum mechanics and string theory. It's really well done, and explains concepts in a clear way that all of us can understand. A fun way to delve into abstract science.
- Family Guy. Okay, I admit I don't get this one. I really don't find it funny. But I thought I should share some stuff that Dryst has been enjoying. It cracks him up. Several of his friends love it, too. And I can see the appeal - the show makes fun of, thus acknowledging, all the taboo subjects that usually remain hidden in our culture.
- Wizards of Waverly Place. The kids both like some of these "teen sitcom" shows. Again, not something I sit and watch with them, but I've seen enough to get the idea. Seems formulaic to me, but I think they're really checking out the teen scene. And this one has magic, so hey, that's cool, right?
- Psych. Another series that Dryst found and is enjoying. It's a crime drama, so again, not my thing. But the premise is based on the photographic memory of the main character, which is so unbelievable to most people that instead of explaining it, he pretends to be psychic. Pretty funny. And again, a catalyst for diverse conversations around the homestead.
- Eat, Pray, Love. Definitely too "girly" for Dryst, but ElvenTiger, my Mom, and I enjoyed it. It wasn't as in-depth as the book, which I enjoyed quite a bit, but that's to be expected with movies. We liked it and I'd recommend it to anyone who likes "chick flicks" (which BlackLion does, so you don't have to be a girl!).
- Buffy the Vampire Slayer. You may be surprised to hear, if you know how much I like fantasy and sci-fi, that I had never watched any of these shows until last year. I didn't have TV when they came out, and the ultra-useful Netflix hadn't yet been invented. BlackLion is a huge Buffy fan, and now he's got ElvenTiger and I hooked. We're in the middle of the third season, and loving it. This is an awesome and amazing series. Wow. Funny, touching, scary, smart, and addictive.
- Corinna, Corinna. ElvenTiger and I watched this with a friend just last night. Whoopi Goldberg plays the lead, and she's terrific as always. I loved the story. It sparked great discussions about the social mores of the 1950s. Very good film.
- The Secret Garden. ElvenTiger read the book for her book club, and she watched the modern movie version and enjoyed it. We watched the old BBC movie version together, and I thought it was well done. I loved the book when I was a kid. ElvenTiger said she liked the newer version of the movie better, but she did appreciate how the BBC one seemed "more old-fashioned."
- Dirty Dancing. After enjoying watching Jennifer Grey win "Dancing With the Stars" with my Mom, we decided to get this classic 80s film. It's one of my favorites. The kids liked it, even Dryst, and it showed them another glimpse of American history and culture. It makes me cry, too, every time.
- Physics: The Elegant Universe and Beyond. Brian Greene hosts this series which explores quantum mechanics and string theory. It's really well done, and explains concepts in a clear way that all of us can understand. A fun way to delve into abstract science.
- Family Guy. Okay, I admit I don't get this one. I really don't find it funny. But I thought I should share some stuff that Dryst has been enjoying. It cracks him up. Several of his friends love it, too. And I can see the appeal - the show makes fun of, thus acknowledging, all the taboo subjects that usually remain hidden in our culture.
- Wizards of Waverly Place. The kids both like some of these "teen sitcom" shows. Again, not something I sit and watch with them, but I've seen enough to get the idea. Seems formulaic to me, but I think they're really checking out the teen scene. And this one has magic, so hey, that's cool, right?
- Psych. Another series that Dryst found and is enjoying. It's a crime drama, so again, not my thing. But the premise is based on the photographic memory of the main character, which is so unbelievable to most people that instead of explaining it, he pretends to be psychic. Pretty funny. And again, a catalyst for diverse conversations around the homestead.
- Eat, Pray, Love. Definitely too "girly" for Dryst, but ElvenTiger, my Mom, and I enjoyed it. It wasn't as in-depth as the book, which I enjoyed quite a bit, but that's to be expected with movies. We liked it and I'd recommend it to anyone who likes "chick flicks" (which BlackLion does, so you don't have to be a girl!).
Sunday, December 06, 2009
Seasonal Favorites
It's time for another "fours list." I'm not sure why my blog lists seem to come out in fours. They just do. So, here are some of my holiday favorites:
Movies:
White Christmas. The traditional music, the eye-catching costumes, and the charming plot are what keeps me watching it over and over. And the young Bing Crosby!
Love Actually. This is such a terrific movie. The quintessential romantic comedy, with many different stories woven into one.
How the Grinch Stole Christmas. The original cartoon version. Though I did think the live-action Jim Carrey one that came out a few years ago was funny.
A Christmas Story. My family's all-time belly-laugh favorite from my childhood. "You'll shoot your eye out!"
Books:
A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens. Classic.
The Polar Express by Chris Van Allsburg. The pictures are lovely, as is the sentiment.
This Year It Will Be Different (and Other Stories) by Maeve Binchy. This Irish author is great at making you feel like you really know the characters - even in short stories.
The Wild Christmas Reindeer by Jan Brett. Check out any of the picture books by this author. Delightful pictures and fun stories for all ages.
Music:
"Holiday Spirits" by Straight No Chaser. These guys have amazing voices, and a sense of humor.
"A Christmas Together" by John Denver and the Muppets. I rediscovered this one a couple of years ago, and it brought back the feeling of the holidays as a kid, when we had the record album.
"In the Christmas Mood" by The Glenn Miller Orchestra. This CD swings!
"Celtic Christmas" by various artists (from Windham Hill). Really pretty and relaxing. Great to listen to on a snowy day.
Foods:
Banana Faerie Cake. It's a recipe created by BlackLion and I, and it's a yummy vegan treat that everyone loves. One Yule, this cake was a bigger hit than the sugar cookies or the chocolates!
Truffles. These homemade treats are easy to make and very decadent.
Chocolate Chip Cinnamon Coffee Cake. I'm not sure if that's the actual name for it, but my Mom makes it and sometimes brings it for Christmas Day breakfast. Perfect with hot chocolate.
Seitan, Gravy and all the Fixings: The traditional holiday comfort foods, vegan-style. We make enough to have plenty of leftovers.
And yes, I've noticed that my favorite holiday foods are mostly sugary. That's why they're treats, people! :)
Movies:
White Christmas. The traditional music, the eye-catching costumes, and the charming plot are what keeps me watching it over and over. And the young Bing Crosby!
Love Actually. This is such a terrific movie. The quintessential romantic comedy, with many different stories woven into one.
How the Grinch Stole Christmas. The original cartoon version. Though I did think the live-action Jim Carrey one that came out a few years ago was funny.
A Christmas Story. My family's all-time belly-laugh favorite from my childhood. "You'll shoot your eye out!"
Books:
A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens. Classic.
The Polar Express by Chris Van Allsburg. The pictures are lovely, as is the sentiment.
This Year It Will Be Different (and Other Stories) by Maeve Binchy. This Irish author is great at making you feel like you really know the characters - even in short stories.
The Wild Christmas Reindeer by Jan Brett. Check out any of the picture books by this author. Delightful pictures and fun stories for all ages.
Music:
"Holiday Spirits" by Straight No Chaser. These guys have amazing voices, and a sense of humor.
"A Christmas Together" by John Denver and the Muppets. I rediscovered this one a couple of years ago, and it brought back the feeling of the holidays as a kid, when we had the record album.
"In the Christmas Mood" by The Glenn Miller Orchestra. This CD swings!
"Celtic Christmas" by various artists (from Windham Hill). Really pretty and relaxing. Great to listen to on a snowy day.
Foods:
Banana Faerie Cake. It's a recipe created by BlackLion and I, and it's a yummy vegan treat that everyone loves. One Yule, this cake was a bigger hit than the sugar cookies or the chocolates!
Truffles. These homemade treats are easy to make and very decadent.
Chocolate Chip Cinnamon Coffee Cake. I'm not sure if that's the actual name for it, but my Mom makes it and sometimes brings it for Christmas Day breakfast. Perfect with hot chocolate.
Seitan, Gravy and all the Fixings: The traditional holiday comfort foods, vegan-style. We make enough to have plenty of leftovers.
And yes, I've noticed that my favorite holiday foods are mostly sugary. That's why they're treats, people! :)
Saturday, November 28, 2009
My Media
I thought it might be fun to list what "media" I use regularly, and why. I'd love to see your list, too. Put it on your blog if you have one, or just leave a comment. By sharing, we might discover new interesting things to inspire us! (Note: I haven't included books, simply because I read so many. I do have a list of my current reads on the sidebar)
Magazines and Newsletters:
Yoga Journal. After I attended a yoga retreat last year, the retreat center sent me a free one-year subscription. It's a great magazine, and I do want to renew for another year.
Home Education Magazine. I've read HEM for several years now, and I'm still finding useful ideas, book and website suggestions, and fun articles.
EarthTides Pagan Network newsletter. I'm a volunteer for EarthTides and I write for the newsletter. But I also read it, and enjoy hearing what other Pagans in Maine have to say. Lately we've been adding new writers and more content.
Radio:
My number one station is MPBN. My favorite shows are A Prairie Home Companion, World Cafe, and the Friday night jazz lineup. I'm not keeping up with the news as much lately, but when I want to do so, MPBN is my favorite source. I also listen to WCLZ sometimes, and this time of year I listen to WHOM because they play Christmas music. I don't like the commercials, though.
Movies:
We go out to the movie theater occasionally. Some of the things I've seen this year are: New Moon, Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs, Julie & Julia, the latest Harry Potter movie, and X-Men Origins: Wolverine. My favorite genres are fantasy, science fiction, comedy, adventure (though not the really gory violent stuff) and cartoons. We'll more often use our Netflix account to get those types of movies.
TV:
I don't have regular TV, but we do watch a few series on Netflix and one with my Mom. With Mom, we've been watching Dancing With The Stars, which is a fun thing to do as a family. The kids got me really into the series Avatar: The Last Airbender, and we've seen all the episodes (there will be a movie of the series next spring!). I watch the series Heroes with BlackLion. Now that we've seen all of the Avatar shows, we're trying to decide what series to watch next as a family. Our close friends recommended Legend of the Seeker, so we may do that one.
E-mail lists:
My favorite by far is the Radical Unschooling with Law of Attraction list run by Dayna Martin. It's a very positive and supportive online unschooling community. I also get daily Notes from the Universe, weekly horoscopes from Rob Brezsny, and a weekly Live Creative newsletter from Christine Kane. Another great list is the e-newsletter from my friend's Rite Food & Company website - her articles are super, as is the podcast she does with her daughter. I get the daily public radio show The Writer's Almanac as an e-mail, too.
Websites and Blogs:
I'm most often on these websites: Yahoo (to get my e-mail), Google (for online research and our family's shared calendar), Webkinz (I love my cute virtual pets!), Facebook (a cool way to connect), MPBN (mostly to get the weather) and Blogger (to post here).
The blogs I follow more or less regularly are: BlackLion's Den, our own Feline Dreamers site, The Sparkling Martins, a friend's blog that she hasn't made public yet, Nurtured by Love, Do Life Right, JWL, The Pagan City, Wiccan Life, Snowhawke's Druidry Blog, Surviving the Suburbs, and Witchy Mom's Homeschool. There are some others I look in on occasionally, mostly unschool ones. Oh, and as a bonus for fans of Garrison Keillor: The View From Mrs. Sundberg's Window.
OK, that's all for now. I hope I've provided you with some inspiration, food for thought, and entertainment!
Magazines and Newsletters:
Yoga Journal. After I attended a yoga retreat last year, the retreat center sent me a free one-year subscription. It's a great magazine, and I do want to renew for another year.
Home Education Magazine. I've read HEM for several years now, and I'm still finding useful ideas, book and website suggestions, and fun articles.
EarthTides Pagan Network newsletter. I'm a volunteer for EarthTides and I write for the newsletter. But I also read it, and enjoy hearing what other Pagans in Maine have to say. Lately we've been adding new writers and more content.
Radio:
My number one station is MPBN. My favorite shows are A Prairie Home Companion, World Cafe, and the Friday night jazz lineup. I'm not keeping up with the news as much lately, but when I want to do so, MPBN is my favorite source. I also listen to WCLZ sometimes, and this time of year I listen to WHOM because they play Christmas music. I don't like the commercials, though.
Movies:
We go out to the movie theater occasionally. Some of the things I've seen this year are: New Moon, Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs, Julie & Julia, the latest Harry Potter movie, and X-Men Origins: Wolverine. My favorite genres are fantasy, science fiction, comedy, adventure (though not the really gory violent stuff) and cartoons. We'll more often use our Netflix account to get those types of movies.
TV:
I don't have regular TV, but we do watch a few series on Netflix and one with my Mom. With Mom, we've been watching Dancing With The Stars, which is a fun thing to do as a family. The kids got me really into the series Avatar: The Last Airbender, and we've seen all the episodes (there will be a movie of the series next spring!). I watch the series Heroes with BlackLion. Now that we've seen all of the Avatar shows, we're trying to decide what series to watch next as a family. Our close friends recommended Legend of the Seeker, so we may do that one.
E-mail lists:
My favorite by far is the Radical Unschooling with Law of Attraction list run by Dayna Martin. It's a very positive and supportive online unschooling community. I also get daily Notes from the Universe, weekly horoscopes from Rob Brezsny, and a weekly Live Creative newsletter from Christine Kane. Another great list is the e-newsletter from my friend's Rite Food & Company website - her articles are super, as is the podcast she does with her daughter. I get the daily public radio show The Writer's Almanac as an e-mail, too.
Websites and Blogs:
I'm most often on these websites: Yahoo (to get my e-mail), Google (for online research and our family's shared calendar), Webkinz (I love my cute virtual pets!), Facebook (a cool way to connect), MPBN (mostly to get the weather) and Blogger (to post here).
The blogs I follow more or less regularly are: BlackLion's Den, our own Feline Dreamers site, The Sparkling Martins, a friend's blog that she hasn't made public yet, Nurtured by Love, Do Life Right, JWL, The Pagan City, Wiccan Life, Snowhawke's Druidry Blog, Surviving the Suburbs, and Witchy Mom's Homeschool. There are some others I look in on occasionally, mostly unschool ones. Oh, and as a bonus for fans of Garrison Keillor: The View From Mrs. Sundberg's Window.
OK, that's all for now. I hope I've provided you with some inspiration, food for thought, and entertainment!
Saturday, August 22, 2009
Inspired to Blog
We had Girls' Night Out last night. What fun! Four of us went out for Chinese food, then to see the movie "Julie & Julia." Awesome movie! The best films, in my opinion, are the ones that make you laugh aloud. We were totally cracking up. And the timing for my friend LM and I was perfect - we two and BlackLion have co-authored a cookbook, which is right now in the publishing process. So to see Julia Child and her friends going through some of the same things was funny and touching.
On another level, the modern story of Julie inspired me to blog more. She was able to challenge herself and connect with others who were in turn affected by her journey. I checked Facebook when I got home, and saw that a friend had made a post on her blog that showed up directly on Facebook. Given the current interest in Facebook, and the quick and direct feedback one gets there, I thought that sounded very cool. She told me how to do it, and this morning I signed up.
No promises at this stage, but I'm thinking of creating some kind of challenge for myself, that will get me blogging much more frequently. I mean, I write in my paper journal every day, so why not online too? More to come as I figure it out. Meanwhile, off to the beach to body surf on some of these big waves.
On another level, the modern story of Julie inspired me to blog more. She was able to challenge herself and connect with others who were in turn affected by her journey. I checked Facebook when I got home, and saw that a friend had made a post on her blog that showed up directly on Facebook. Given the current interest in Facebook, and the quick and direct feedback one gets there, I thought that sounded very cool. She told me how to do it, and this morning I signed up.
No promises at this stage, but I'm thinking of creating some kind of challenge for myself, that will get me blogging much more frequently. I mean, I write in my paper journal every day, so why not online too? More to come as I figure it out. Meanwhile, off to the beach to body surf on some of these big waves.
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