Monday, February 11, 2008

The Monday Minute, February 11th, 2008

A Monday Minute on a Monday! Wonders never cease, do they? Seriously, thanks for your flexibility during my travels et al and being willing to read these posts when they come on other days.

We went to Nashville last week for William's birthday (for those who don't know me, William is my husband) and to meet with some music people about one of his movies. I admire him so much: he has written three beautiful films and although the movie business seems to be fraught with peril and setbacks, he is staying true to his vision and I know he's going to make it.

We also caught up with friends there including singer/songwriter Georgia Middleman, author Candy Paull, The Joy of Simplicity I Didn't Know That: Or Why We Say the Things We Say author Karlen Evans (I was a guest on her radio show, "Beyond Reason"), and healer/astrologer Rosemary Cathcart. And of course we did the tourist things like The Opry at the Ryman and the music bars on Broadway. One of the bands actually played my request, "Rhinestone Cowboy," after the lead singer commented, "Man, that's old."

Cheers,
Victoria



What is it with "Rhinestone Cowboy"? ...

Well, I decided that it's my theme song. For those of you who aren't "old," it was a Glenn Campbell's seminal hit from 1975. I hadn't thought of it in years until I was packing to leave New York and the lyrics came back to me as a sort of treasure map set to music. Here they are:

I've been walkin' these streets so long,
Singin' the same old song.
I know every crack on these dirty sidewalks of Broadway,
Where hussle's the name of the game,
And nice guys get washed away like the snow and the rain.
There's been a load of compromisin'
On the road to my horizon,
But I'm gonna be where the lights are shinin' on me.

(Chorus) Like a rhinestone cowboy,
Ridin' out on a horse in a star-spangled rodeo,
Like a rhinestone cowboy,
Getting' cards and letters from people I don't even know,
And offers comin' over the phone.

Well, I really don't mind the rain,
And a smile can hide all the pain,
But you're down when you're riding a train
That's takin' the long way.
So I dream of the things I'll do
With a subway token and a dollar tucked inside my shoe.
There'll be a load of compromisin'
On the road to my horizon,
But I'm gonna be where the lights are shinin' on me...(repeat chorus)

Everybody needs a theme song...




BeliefNet.com Blog News...

Thanks to everybody who plans to read and participate in my blog on BeliefNet.com, which was supposed to have started today or a week ago. It hasn't. I'll keep you posted and send a special mailing once I know when the Charmed Life Blog goes live on BeliefNet.


Question of the Week:

Is your family, specifically your husband, a vegan? Did he transition his thoughts after meeting you? What is your approach to wanting your significant other to eat vegetarian? I find it hard to date/be committed to someone who is not an animal lover. What advice do you have for me and others facing this issue?
- Tiffany


Hi, Tiffany - Thanks for the question. My daughter is a lifelong vegan; my stepchildren eat conventionally; and my husband ate meat when I met him but became vegetarian (not vegan) after meeting me but - this is important - not because of me. He'd just never given the issue any thought; the way I live caused him to think of it. When he did, he realized he didn't want to eat meat anymore. I think that's the key: people do what they want to do. When something speaks to a person, he or she changes in response to that. If it doesn't, no amount of nagging and pleading and "educating" are unlikely to do much except turn the person off.

For someone (and I quote you) "wanting your significant other to eat vegetarian," I suggest looking for someone who is already vegetarian. Meet them through online veggie-dating services, vegetarian group meetings or conferences, etc. Otherwise, look to make friends of all persuasions and see if your lifestyle awakens the same spark in someone else.

If you're already in a relationship, take care of yourself, and love and appreciate the other person. That is, take care of yourself by eating and living in accordance with your highest light, and refusing to do anything that is ethically or esthetically repugnant to you. AND let the other person live his life, too, without criticism. Maybe he'll change and maybe he won't, but if you focus on what you love about him, you'll both be a lot happier.



Adair's amazing play...

My daughter Adair is a young actress, and her most powerful roles to date have been in Holocaust dramas. She played Anne in The Diary of Anne Frank, Eva in Kindertransport, and she has now been cast in an NYC showcase of Who Will Tell the Story? It's based on the true story of women in an Auschwitz barrack who committed to doing all they could to save the life of one of them, the one they believed could best tell the story. She did survive and wrote this play. It's a two-week run starting February 22. There is more on Adair's site; click on "Current Projects."


A tiny, beautiful film...

Filmmaker Monica Sharf has an exquisite 5-minute tribute to the troops serving overseas in "While We Lie Sleeping." It was a selection of the LA Film Festival and will be screening in New York City tomorrow, Tuesday, February 12, 6 pm (promptly -- it's the first film in the "Filmmakers at War" showcase) at Anthology Film Archives, 32 Second Avenue. For those of you not near New York, you can view this 16mm black and white silent short online.



Where to Find Me:

I'm in writing mode at the moment and not doing a whole lot of speaking, but I'll be here and there and would love to have you join me...

Radio: www.healthylife.net - Wed., Feb. 27, noon Eastern - guest: Richard Blackstone, author of Nuts and Bolts Spirituality (will be archived for later listening)

Talk/book signing: Fat, Broke & Lonely No More, Barnes & Noble, Rt. 9-W, Kingston, NY - 6 p.m., Thursday, February 28. Click here for more info.

New Age Health Club, Neversink, NY: Friday February 29- Monday March 3, speaking on Creating a Charmed Life and Younger by the Day. Click here for more info.

Radio: www.healthylife.net - Wed. March 26, noon Eastern - guest: Jerrold Mundis, author of How to Get Out of Debt, Stay Out of Debt, and Live Prosperously (will be archived for later listening)

Take care, and all good things -

Victoria