Happy Birthday Uncle Bill!

Bill Christian celebrates his 73rd birthday today! Hope it is a great day with lots of golfing and sunshine :)
(Incidentally he shares his birthday with Tom Selleck).

I ain't got much

What's new with you?

The King's Speech

I saw The King's Speech tonight. A beautiful film about George VI. Queen Elizabeth's father. It's a wonderful example of Speaking Truth to Power and Power Listening. Albeit on a personal level. Colin Firth won the Golden Globe for best actor for his portrayal of George VI. Geofrey Rush and Helena Bodham Carter turned in solid performances, and were the foundation that enabled Colin Firth to soar.

The art direction was nice. The directing outstanding. The film is touching, uplifting and tearful. They still can make them the way they used to.

Happy Birthday Effie

Happy Birthday Effie!

A Homework Assignment

Like all of us, I have been thinking a lot about the shooting this weekend in Arizona. This evening I watched the service to honor those who were killed or injured. President Obama posed the question, “How can we honor the fallen?” And I’d like to provide a suggested answer for our family.

Spend two minutes thinking about where you get your news, and the views that are associated with that source. For me it’s Oregon Public Broadcasting, The New York Times, The Oregonian, and NBC nightly news. Now spend two minutes thinking about where you would not want to get your news. For me it’s Fox News, The Washington Post, and Governor Palin.

Now: Go to one of those news sources where you would not want to get your news and spend 10 minutes listening. Don’t argue, don’t judge…. Just listen and reflect.

Perhaps I am an old soul, or just conservative, but we as a society may have lost something with 800 cable channels and the ability to pull up whatever web page reflects our views.

As President Obama said tonight “What we cannot do is use this tragedy as one more occasion to turn on each other” So in the next few days… I urge members of this family to turn toward the “other”

Think, reflect, discuss.

Also, let’s remember when we are praying, sending thoughts or energy to those who were shot, their families and the Tucson community, we must include the alleged gunman, his family, and our democratic form of government in those sentiments.

On a lighter note....

Today has been a wonderful productive and in some ways lazy Saturday. I did laundry, took a walk, cleaned up around the house and then made a cup of tea and settled into one of my favorite activities - Reading Vanity Fair Magazine.

Each month they profile an up and coming actor who is a young break through talent. They site their age, where they are from and a bit about their childhood and current interests.

This month the actor is Garrett Hedlund - and under the fancy french term for "where are they from" also know as Provenance: it listed Roseau, MN.

He is currently appearing in Tron, Country Strong and is working on an adaptation of a Kerouac classic.

Anyway, I just thought it was too funny not to pass along. Apparently this family is not the only beautiful thing to come from the Warroad area. :)

One of my favorites from the 70's

It's rather obscure. It contains one of my favorite lines from rock and roll. "One thing to remember while your climbing to top you better know the way back down"

Listen to it with headphones.

An investment in time

This is a great video on the subject of why.

Sunrise

As many of you know, I was home in Alaska for the holidays. As is always the case in the winter months, and especially this year, there were many dark moments in Alaska. Sunrise Christmas morning however was spectacular.

Cheers to the breath taking moments in life. Cherish them.

Happy New Year

First post of 2011. I happily added The Daily Asher to the list of family blogs. It's to your right.