If you grew up during the 70′s like I did…you remember him from his television days.  He  was on Gunsmoke.     Most noteworthy to a kid growing up during that time; he was a wise man on the show.  He was seeking wisdom to grow and learn.   Kids all around the nation wanted to be like “young grasshopper” with an adult who took the time to mentor him in life lessons.

         Kung Fu made a huge impression on a whole generation of young Americans.  It opened the door to learning martial arts for many.  David, and his show, made it cool to study the various forms of martial arts.   The show put David in a bit of a leadership position with his fans.   Today, we  sadly, learned that David Carradine was found dead of a suspected suicide in Bankok, Thailand.   His body was discovered nude, hanging with a hotel curtain cord around his neck. 

          Some people who know him say, he would not have taken his life, at this time; even though, he struggled with suicidal thoughts in his past years.  Those who do not believe he committed suicide say that his career was in an upswing and so was his personal life.   A few years ago, his career took on a new life with the movie, Kill Bill.  He had pretty much been out of the entertainment industry, until then.   David had made statements to others about his suspicion that, not many industry leaders were willing to give him roles as he aged .  After appearing in Kill Bill, he began working again; in fact, he was in Bankok, Thailand to film a new movie.  He had only been at the hotel for a few days when he was found dead.   

        At this point, suicide is only suspected; but, David’s death appears suspicious, at least to his personal co-manager, Tiffany Smith.  David was found in a sitting position in the closet with the cord wrapped around his neck, penis, and the closet rod.   The authorities have said there doesn’t appear to be any assault, no forced entrance to his room, no obvious crime; so, I guess that means the authorities don’t suspect that he was murdered.   No news has been released about whether there was a suicide note or not.  In fact, some say it had to be an accident, those who know him say he would never commit suicide. 

        If it’s true that he didn’t commit suicide and he wasn’t murdered…then what, an accident?  That seems a bit difficult to understand.  I mean, how does a curtain cord  accidently get taken down and wrapped around the throat of a nude person; unless it is something called the ”choking game”.   Sometimes there is a sexual component to the choking game; there are those who use the lack of oxygen to “enhance” their sexual pleasure.   The choking game is an accident waiting to happen.   It is a serious and dangerous activity; one that has become a threat around the world.    http://www.stop-the-choking-game.com/en/choking.html    It is  dangerous because, there is always the danger that the person could lose consciousness and die without meaning to.  

      In that kind of situation, I guess it could be considered an accident when someone waits too long to loosen the cord or binding around their neck.   That is not to say that, this is what happened to David Carradine…but, there are definately alot of questions surrounding David’s death.    His family is asking for privacy at this time, they respected him, loved him and were apparently close to him.  They are shocked and grieving the loss of a loved one.  It is hard enough to lose a loved one, let alone to have to do it in the eye of the public and in mysterious circumstances to boot.

           There is an autopsy being performed; hopefully, it will help to put some of the questions surrounding his death to rest.  Whether it was suicide or something else…there is still pain and grief for his family, friends, co-stars, and fans.   It is a sad end for a talented man who appeared to try to live his life with dignity.  We wish to extend sympathy to all who knew him; or, to those who felt like they did because of the roles he performed and, the impact on their lives from watching him over the years.  Rest in peace David Carradine.

        If you know someone who struggles with suicidal thoughts…please…please call:  http://www.suicidepreventionlifeline.org/ .  

          Finding ways to help people be successful in life is a wonderful thing.  Children (or adults) who are affected by Autism are at a disadvantage, in life, if they can’t read the expressions and body language of those with whom they work and spend time with. 

         The face on the engine of Thomas and his pals will show different emotions.  This game is being designed to help children, who often struggle with social cues and body language issues, to understand and relate better to the people in their lives in a more appropriate way.  Human interaction is a complex thing; and, if you can’t see differences in how others are interpeting circumstances, then your own responses may not be appropriate. 

          Autism is not just a specific disease with a certain, rigid set of symptoms.  Understanding Autism and it’s effects is complex.  The medical profession, and educators, are always looking for ways to help.  If this game can open doors for those affected; then, i see no downside to using it.  To learn more about Autism check out these websites: http://www.nationalautismassociation.org/# or http://www.emedicinehealth.com/autism/article_em.htm or http://kidshealth.org/kid/health_problems/brain/autism.html

         Oh to be sure, there is excitement, a sense of accomplishment, joy, happiness, a burst of energy, a need to tell the world; but the flip side of that is fear, an intense worry about failure, bittersweet sadness/joy, unhappiness, lethargy/laziness, and a need to keep things a secret, in case it doesn’t work out.   After all, what if the thing I worked so hard for, so longed for, waited until i came of age for…doesn’t measure up…or worse, what if I blow it?  What if people find out that the very thing that i went after; I wasn’t equipped to do?

          Geez, Louise, somebody could expect something from me…such as success, accomplishment, and or an ability to change the world with my achievement.  Then what?  Oh the agony of getting there only to be frozen in the moment.  Hmmm what to do?

           This is the gift of living with purpose, with goals, with expectation…this is what many graduates are now experiencing.  Whether it be high school, college, or a milestone at work, or personal relationships; this big bowl of mixed emotions is served on a silver platter.   Here’s the thing, try to remember that not everything rests upon your achievement or failure…joy can be found on the journey as well.  You just never know where your journey is going to take you; and, some of the best things in life can be found on the little side trips that you dare to risk taking.

             I know it is hard; push through it anyway…you will be rewarded.  Your goal is in sight…and your path will be made clear from both the successes and the “failures” (I call them u-turns).  The trick is to just keep going…keep putting one foot in front of the other, look for things to enjoy along the way!   Continue learning, continue growing, continue exploring until you find your passion…that alone, will push you through any obstacle that plops itself down in your pathway!  Oh by the way, congratulations on whatever milestone you have hit…what’s next?  Whatever it is, go for it, enjoy it…learn from it and share it with the world!

Going out to eat when you are trying to save money means, well, that you eat off of the dollar menu at fast food places.  On the rare occasions that you treat yourself, for those who are strapped for cash, you generally can’t find healthy food cheap; so…just know that going in.

Wanting to see a movie; prepare to spend, spend, spend…unless you rent a video/dvd….do people still do that?  Going out to the movie theater means spending money for the ticket, for snacks and for drinks; it becomes quite costly.  For years, our family just purchased dvd’s and video’s, so that they could be rewatched, saving  us a pretty penny.  If you happen to do yard/garage sales you can save even more by purchasing your video/dvd’s at a pre-owned price.  At the same time, buying things pre-owned is a way of reusing, reducing (trash), and recycling items by repurposing them for someone else’s use.  I like that!

The trick to saving money when it comes to your personal or family’s entertainment is to look for coupons, specials, two-for-one deals or even free entertainment.  What’s that you say…what is free now days?

When it comes to free entertainment…I believe people are going to go back to the old fashioned entertainments.  You will begin to see individuals and families going back to the basics with gardening, picnics, swimming, sports, walks in the park, short sunday drives, and yes, even reading.

What other kind of entertainment can you get as much bang for your buck?  With a book you can travel the world, educate yourself, comfort yourself, ride the waves of emotions, connect to people, places and time, have a historical encounter, explore a new culture or career; you will be able to read people’s minds through the expertise of a great writer!  A great writer knows how to take you on a trip and make you feel like you could smell the flowers on the page of the most vividly described page in the book.  A great writer will make you feel like you have just  met the most physically attractive and the most impeccably dressed individual you have ever known.  You will grieve when you have to part at the end of the book.  A great writer, or word specialist, will take their time to make you feel, see, and hear the story that they have to share with you.  It is their skill with descriptive words that takes you to the world between the pages.

I recently heard, on a Good Morning America video piece, that sales in the romance book industry is flying high.  http://www.abcnews.go.com/Video/playerIndex?id=7603141 It  is cheap entertainment to pick up a romance book/or other paper back books for a mere $5-$8.oo investment.  It is a book…it can be read over and over again; or, creative people can do book exchanges with one another.  Those with a real frugal personality, and maybe a greener nature  than the average bear, can be found at the library…checking out books for free; just so that they can occupy themselves with the cheapest form of entertainment there is: reading!   Let’s not forget the techie who often reads books/novels on their kindle…therefore wasting little money and no trees that were cut down for printing of the book.   Ok people, go amuse yourselves!!!

        To all the sons and daughters in the armed forces (military) who have fought and defended our country’s honor, freedom and way of life…we say thank you; we can never thank you enough for your sacrifice.  To those who made it possible to look upon the visage of Lady Liberty and to take pride in her message; we also are grateful.   To those who have worked to give money to her restoration and those who have labored and done the work…we appreciate you.  We must take good care of our symbol of independence and freedom, we must protect her from the elements and from all things which seek to destroy her message.   In this way we can continue to inspire and impact the lives of others around the world.

          Once again, Lady Liberty will be making a statement just by standing her ground and welcoming those who come to her.  Of course, they are making some adjustments to the way things are handled regarding visitors; but that is ok.  She will be open!   People can once again begin to travel to the place where so many of our families were greeted when they came to this country to begin life anew with hope and expectation of a long, healthy and prosperous life as an American.  The visitors will see the view of the shore from Lady Liberty’s crown. 

            There is such a rich history relating to the Statue of Liberty and how she came to represent freedom to those who traveled to the United States.   The gift that was made of her to our country from the people of France; to the comfort that she brings to the hearts of those who have come here from around the world…Miss Liberty speaks volumes about all who have been oppressed and have since broken free from their oppressors.  She is a marvel to look at and a reminder that we must always remember to lift up those who have not known such freedom in their lives.

     The interesting thing about this particular book deal is that Mr. Vaynerchuck is not a writer, to my knowledge…he is a video blogger on the internet.  He is well known on the internet as a businessman and a commentator/educator on wines here: http://tv.winelibrary.com/.   He teaches people all about wine and how to explore the world of wine.   On Twitter he is known as @Garyvee.  He has a very large following which translates into strong loyal connections with his followers .  Those connections become very influential when it comes to leveraging power in business; and, publishing is a very large business…one that supposedly has a very narrow margin of profit/loss. 

        For many people wishing to break into the world of traditional publishing, this book deal is encouraging.    Writers have been conditioned to believe that getting published is an extremely difficult thing; many writers have turned to digital or online publishing as a way to make a name for themselves.  Websites, magazines on writing and publishing experts have been expressing their concerns about how the world of electronic publishing would impact the traditional publishers.  Some people love the e-book concept…even going so far as to spend $3-$400.00 on a Kindle ( an electronic reading device) to read their e-books.  This sort of changes the face of how publishing can continue to meet the wants and needs of their reading customers; and, still stay in the profitable zone. 

        People in the know, understand that publishing is in a place of transition; and, no one wants to be left behind on the latest trends, that could offer them an opportunity to step out and be a writing/publishing superstar.   So, how could this situation affect other writers/publishers?

        Those who are on the internet and have a large following with the online traffic that they have formed a relationship with, could turn that relationship into financial influence towards purchasing power of any books that they write.  I like to use social media and www.alphainventions.com to increase traffic to this blog.    Increased traffic can lead to success for both the writer and the publishers, just because of the power of pursuasion.  Authors who publish a book, can gain credibility and become an expert within the area addressed in their books.    So Gary Vaynerchuk, aka @Garyvee on twitter, do what you normally do in the world of wine education/promotion/business and lead the way…open doors for those who will follow in time!  Congratulations once again on your success!

        Some people struggle with understanding love and accepting love in their life.  Whether they don’t feel worthy of being loved or they just dont feel love for themselves in the first place; it is a difficult position to be in.  Everyone needs love in their lives.  They need to give it and they need to receive it.  It needs to be unconditional…without strings attached. 

           It was a moving moment to see this young female teen enter into a room full of people and be moved to tears by the response of those people.  I actually felt as though she was a sponge and was able to the first time in her life realize how much others care for her and accept it!  If only everyone who is sad, lonely, angry, or hurt could feel the same kind of reassurance in their life that they are deserving of love.  Do you know someone who needs a compassionate hug or a reassuring word?

      The movie was fine…don’t get me wrong here…the problem was a couple of audience members.  We were seated in the back of the small theater because of the size of our group…there were 8 of us.  We were spread out because the teens didn’t want to sit with mom and dad (of course); and, the girls didn’t want to sit with the teen boys (of course), so we took up the end seats of three rows.  A group of three teens approached my  teen boys, who happened to be in the last row, in the back.   They were asked if they would mind moving down to the end the line.   They moved with no fuss.  There were two girls and a boy; no parental guidance, I might add. 

        As the movie began, so did the engines of one of those girls and the boy.   Right from the get go, it was obvious why they wanted my sons to move farther down the line and to the inside wall of the theater.  They were not interested in the movie shall we say.  They were there for one reason only…even though they had a chaperone…a female of about the same age.  What age is that, you may ask?  Well, they appeared to be all of about 12 or 13…at the most 14 years of age.   Understand what I am saying here…they were approximately two to four years older than the birthday girl and her friends.

       I could see them out of the corner of my eye.  They were building up steam and their “friend” or sister was doing her best to ignore them.  I shot them a couple of annoyed looks…which got the attention of their friend…she nudged the other girl who was deeply involved in her make out session.  It stopped for all of about three minutes.  I got up and left the theater with the intention of notifying the staff of what was going on.  I reconsidered and thought that maybe by leaving the movie theater abruptly, maybe, it possibly had the impact of a glass of cold water thrown on them.  Alas, it did not. 

        When I returned…my husband looked at me oddly.  He knew I was annoyed; but, didn’t understand why because he couldn’t see what was going on directly behind him.  This continued for another 10 minutes or so….which was sending my blood pressure up. 

      Did the ushers come in and break it up?  No, they never walked through the studio; not even once.   Let that be a lesson to you parents…you can’t count on other people to do your job for you!   The movie was exciting; and, the birthday girl and her friends kept turning around to look at me and smile, or make eye contact with me during the movie.  I was getting worried that they would see more action behind me, than on the movie screen.

       Yes, I admit the mama in me came out.   I could not sit there and let things progress when i looked back and saw the young lady lay her upper body portion over the arm rest of the seat and place it upon the young man, who was laying down in his seat.   That is the position that they both had assumed, from the time they came in to the movie.  Hands were flying everywhere and it was getting obvious that they didn’t care that they had an audience. 

         I figured that if they wanted an audience….they were going to get an audience.     I got up out of my end seat, stepped around behind it and, squatted down in between the two of them.   I used my very annoyed mother’s voice, the one of authority and said to them…”You need to knock it off.  Now sit up and BE appropriate”!  Don’t ya know that is exactly what they did?  My heart rate was zipping right along.  Probably so was theirs, but for a different reason.

         My question is…what part of PG don’t parents understand?  The movie was rated PG but, why allow such young teenagers to go to a movie unchaperoned?   It was clear to me and anyone else who saw this “couple” in action, that this clearly was not the first time that they were so “familiar” with one another; there was no shyness, no anxiety…no hesitency with one another. 

         I think that our American society sends young people the wrong message…everywhere they look, movies, television, magazines…they are bombared with sexual/sensual messages and obviously, teens of this age should not be sexual with one another.   Physically their bodies are going through the hormonal changes and awareness of the opposite sex; but, emotionally and responsibility-wise, they are not ready for an intimate relationship of this nature; nor are they prepared for the consequences of such actions.

          If the parents of those teens sent the other female, of the same age, to chaperone…they were un-wise.  If they thought their kids were somewhere other than the movie theater…they may want to do some follow up in the future. 

          I suspect that these are not the only teens who think they know what they are doing.  I say, enough of the “cool parent syndrome” stop letting your teens and pre-teens have so much freedom.  Go and do things together as a family.  Take your job seriously, or that PG movie you allowed them to attend without your parental guidance could turn into another kind of PG…one called pregnancy.   What boundaries do you have in place for your teens to “date”?

        One caller was so taken aback that he laughed and said he had something all prepared to leave on a voice mail…and, when the phone was answered by the product owner…he didn’t know what to say; now that is kind of funny!   The whole response, to this old fashioned way of doing business, was wonderful in an amazing sort of way…it got me thinking; are we so deprived of good customer service that when we experience it, we are flustered enough that we feel we must acknowledge it?   

        I am a big believer in saying thank you when the circumstances call for it…but, what was amazing was to hear the disbelief in the callers voices (and emails) when a real live, helpful person not only answered the call (or email); but, actually listen to their reasons for calling and, went out of their way to provide SERVICE to them.  In fact, one of the callers even went so far as to say….while your product looks awesome, what really sold me on it…was the way that you, and your partners, responded to your customers!

        So, I guess…i am not the only person in the world who really gets irritated by products and services that i have to wait on the phone, for what feels like forever, to speak to a real live person.  Of course,  that is after having punched in number after number, to get through to an automated answering service; only to be disappointed in the end, with the poor results. 

         Brick and mortar stores can learn alot from this illustration as well.   Having the right kind of attitude, towards your customers, is important.   Remember the days when people would say, “It’s been great doing business with you?”  Customer service has all but become a thing of the past.  In these difficult economic times; getting customers and keeping customers, can mean the difference between having a company and having a company fold up.  Making sure that your employees have the right attitude towards the customer is crucial.  We have all had experiences where we have all but been dismissed or abused as a potential customer; it doesn’t inspire much customer loyalty to that business or brand, does it?

       If young people want to be successful in their careers…this is an important thing to remember;  be professional and personal when communicating your desire to giving the customer the best service.   That will wipe out your business competitors!   When the customer is not happy; they don’t come back.   Without customers, you dont have a business…simple…but true.  What are your thoughts on good customer service?  Do you have a story of poor customer service?  How did it affect your future buying habits at that business?

       The pregnancy was a bit difficult.  Many pregnancies and deliveries are.  Sometimes they are traumatic; mothers go through much to bring children into the world.  Often, I think that not enough recognition is given to a woman during this time.   It is still a miracle and because it has become safer for both mother and child…people forget that things can and do go wrong.  It can be a stressful time for both mothers and fathers.   Men also sacrifice alot for their children but pregancy and delivery is the beginning of the parenting experience.  Fathers need to be encouraged during this time to bond with both the mother and the child during the pregnancy because that is very important to both of the parents…and eventually to the child.   It is a strengthening time for the whole family…or it should be anyway!

       I watched my daughter, I prayed for her…and i was in awe.  I dont believe that i could have done it.  This was her largest child.  It is also her last pregnancy.   I told someone, who was there, that if it wasn’t for the baby trying to come early for the last 2 months; she would make being pregnant and delivering look easy.  I know it was a difficult time for her and her family as she is not used to being inactive.   It took a team of people to help bring this little one into the world.  Her mother -in -law was amazing and she sacrificed much of her time helping; as I live over an hour away.  It was greatly appreciated to know that she was giving her care, that i could not provide on a daily basis.

       Women have internal strength and personal power that they are often unaware that they possess, until they are tested and pushed beyond what they think they can endure.  Men are pretty amazing as well.   I watched my son in law as he went pale and struggled while my daughter was plunged into pain…it was a testament to his love for her to see him as he physically went through stress and misery right along with her.    Men see and experience things differently than women do.  It does not mean they aren’t feeling and being moved…they just show it and express it in different ways.    Both men and women have conflicting and complementing skills, strengths, knowledge and for that I also greatful.  We are made by God to be each other’s support and strength, and sometimes sounding board. 

         I love my daughter and I love my daughter in law.  I am thankful for their sacrifice to bring my grandchildren into the world.  Mothers are amazing…they deserve respect for many things…not the least of which, is the effort it takes to bring a child into the world.  I love my mother and I appreciate her and her sacrifice for me and my siblings.  I dont think that we can say it enough to our parents that we understand and appreciate them.

        Anytime something new is about to be accomplished or born there are great challenges, difficulties, or resistence.  It is in the struggle that value is born…the very thing which we are striving to give birth to, or that which we are trying to accomplish, is pitted against the challenges.   Is your struggle worth the effort it will take bringing it to life and nurturing it until it is fully formed?  I believe it is…whether it is giving physical birth to a child, a dream, a career, or any other goal!   What is important enough to you, to overcome the obstacles in your way?