Saturday, May 19, 2007
FtTP - Buble + Setzer + Aguilera + Stefani
I've mentioned portions of this Frankensteining the Talent Pool combination before, but I've expanded it and added a fourth. Michael Buble was on Oprah the other day and he looks like he's having a blast while singing. Brian Setzer displays the same sort of joy in performing. Combine these two with Gwen Stefani (who has performed with Setzer before) and Christiana Aguilera (think of her '40s inspired song & video "Candyman") and we'd have a winning combination.
Addendum (May 20, 2007): How's about we add Rod Stewart to this mix? We'd have a PBS pledge week special for sure.
Addendum (May 20, 2007): How's about we add Rod Stewart to this mix? We'd have a PBS pledge week special for sure.
Labels: brian setzer, christina aguilera, frankensteining the talent pool, FtTP, gwen stefani, michael buble, music, oprah, rod stewart
Friday, May 04, 2007
Talk Show Question #2
Here's another soft-ball question for you while I'm working on something a bit more lengthy:
If you could be a GUEST on a talk show, which talk show would you choose? Why would you be a guest on this show?
I'd pick Oprah's show hands down for this one. I'd be on for something I had written. Oprah's got the kiss of life for writers. The other show that ranks up there for the same reason is Talking Volumes on Minnesota Public Radio. Either one, or both, hey, I'm not picky.
If you could be a GUEST on a talk show, which talk show would you choose? Why would you be a guest on this show?
I'd pick Oprah's show hands down for this one. I'd be on for something I had written. Oprah's got the kiss of life for writers. The other show that ranks up there for the same reason is Talking Volumes on Minnesota Public Radio. Either one, or both, hey, I'm not picky.
Labels: mpr, oprah, talk show, talking volumes, writing
Thursday, February 08, 2007
The Scientologist and the Stop Light
It's been an interesting day on the thickening thought forms front. Let me 'xplain.
This morning, my husband told me about a newspaper article he saw posted at college. It talked about a Scientologist who believed she could change stop lights at will because of her religious beliefs.
It gets better.
I caught most of Oprah today, missing just the first fifteen minutes, or so. She had on several guests who were teachers of "The Secret." "The Secret," apparently, is a collection of ideas presented in movie and book form on how to fully realize the dreams and goals of your life. There were three steps to "The Secret." 1. Ask. But only ask the universe (God, whatever) for what you want once. 2. Believe. If you ask more than once, you don't believe your desire will come to you. (Your waffling also confuses the universe, so throw your entire belief into it.) 3. Receive.
The speakers on Oprah talked about how to look at stuck situations in your life from a different perspective and that will change everything. Specifically, they suggested that we own up to our part in creating the sticky situation, to ask the situation what it has to teach us, to let go of whatever is holding us back, and to have gratitude for the good things we have. I've seen this idea of concentrating on the good things in life before, most notably in the Conversations with God books by Neale Donald Walsch. What you focus on gets bigger, so if you focus on lack, you will lack more. If you focus on abundance, you will get abundance.
The idea of asking the universe to grant your wishes and then believing that what you wish for is coming your way (albeit, you aren't going to know exactly how your wish will be granted), was presented to me in a book on dreams many years ago. Unfortunately, I don't remember the name of the book, but I was so taken by a particular chapter that I copied it at the time. I recently ran across this chapter, called "The Theory of Thickening Thought Forms," and reread it. The universe rushes to assist intention and action, therefore, you're supposed to get very clear about what you want, state that intention, believe that it's coming to you and let it happen.
So, can a Scientologist really change a stop light? Perhaps . . . .
I can tell you that when I behave as though I'll get my heart's desire, it has happened, but never quite in the way I've imagined it.
This morning, my husband told me about a newspaper article he saw posted at college. It talked about a Scientologist who believed she could change stop lights at will because of her religious beliefs.
It gets better.
I caught most of Oprah today, missing just the first fifteen minutes, or so. She had on several guests who were teachers of "The Secret." "The Secret," apparently, is a collection of ideas presented in movie and book form on how to fully realize the dreams and goals of your life. There were three steps to "The Secret." 1. Ask. But only ask the universe (God, whatever) for what you want once. 2. Believe. If you ask more than once, you don't believe your desire will come to you. (Your waffling also confuses the universe, so throw your entire belief into it.) 3. Receive.
The speakers on Oprah talked about how to look at stuck situations in your life from a different perspective and that will change everything. Specifically, they suggested that we own up to our part in creating the sticky situation, to ask the situation what it has to teach us, to let go of whatever is holding us back, and to have gratitude for the good things we have. I've seen this idea of concentrating on the good things in life before, most notably in the Conversations with God books by Neale Donald Walsch. What you focus on gets bigger, so if you focus on lack, you will lack more. If you focus on abundance, you will get abundance.
The idea of asking the universe to grant your wishes and then believing that what you wish for is coming your way (albeit, you aren't going to know exactly how your wish will be granted), was presented to me in a book on dreams many years ago. Unfortunately, I don't remember the name of the book, but I was so taken by a particular chapter that I copied it at the time. I recently ran across this chapter, called "The Theory of Thickening Thought Forms," and reread it. The universe rushes to assist intention and action, therefore, you're supposed to get very clear about what you want, state that intention, believe that it's coming to you and let it happen.
So, can a Scientologist really change a stop light? Perhaps . . . .
I can tell you that when I behave as though I'll get my heart's desire, it has happened, but never quite in the way I've imagined it.
Labels: belief, books, conversations with god, neale donald walsch, oprah, scientologist, the secret, thickening thought forms
Monday, November 13, 2006
Clothing & Famous People
When it comes to clothing, have you ever noticed that famous people fall into two camps? There's the camp of famous people who wear a uniform - the same sort of thing every day so much so that they get known for a particular look. Neil Gaiman with his all-black is in this camp, as was Steve Irwin, the Croc Hunter. The other camp is composed of famous people who NEVER wear the same thing twice. Oprah, Gwen Stefani, Madonna wouldn't be caught dead in the same outfit two days in a row or in the same week. They have closets so big they could clothe every person in Rhode Island for a month.
I'm not famous which is probably why I fall into neither camp. I have only so many clothes, none of which classifies as a uniform, and, by God, they're getting worn again and again, week to week, until they're so threadbare that I have to use them as rags or throw them away. Some (most!) of my dresses have been hanging in my closet for over a decade. Fashionista, I'm not. Clint & Stacy (Staci?) of What Not to Wear would have a field day with me. Tough cookies.
I'm not famous which is probably why I fall into neither camp. I have only so many clothes, none of which classifies as a uniform, and, by God, they're getting worn again and again, week to week, until they're so threadbare that I have to use them as rags or throw them away. Some (most!) of my dresses have been hanging in my closet for over a decade. Fashionista, I'm not. Clint & Stacy (Staci?) of What Not to Wear would have a field day with me. Tough cookies.
Labels: clothing, fame, gwen stefani, madonna, neil gaiman, oprah, steve irwin, uniform
Saturday, November 04, 2006
Cynical Me
Even before the program airs this coming week, everyone's all abuzz about Oprah's latest philanthropic gesture. She gave everyone in this show's audience $1,000 with a caveat. They couldn't spend it on themselves, but had to give it away to charity or to someone who needed it.
Turns out there was a Minnesota woman in the audience that day. Her story appeared on our local news. She decided to give her money to a woman on welfare, a laudable and noble gesture.
I've been on government programs (Medical Assistance, Minnesota Care, & Fuel Assistance) and I can tell you that they are structured so that people are not allowed to accumulate any money that might get them out of the situation they are in - that might just get them off of welfare and out of poverty. Every penny, every increase in wages, every gift, must be reported to Social Services. If an influx of cash reaches a particular threshold, an amount is deducted out of the welfare benefits. In other words, the welfare benefits go down.
Once the state gets word that this welfare mom was given $1,000 through Oprah's generosity, how much will they penalize the welfare mom? Cynical me. Even gift-giving in this country comes at a price.
Turns out there was a Minnesota woman in the audience that day. Her story appeared on our local news. She decided to give her money to a woman on welfare, a laudable and noble gesture.
I've been on government programs (Medical Assistance, Minnesota Care, & Fuel Assistance) and I can tell you that they are structured so that people are not allowed to accumulate any money that might get them out of the situation they are in - that might just get them off of welfare and out of poverty. Every penny, every increase in wages, every gift, must be reported to Social Services. If an influx of cash reaches a particular threshold, an amount is deducted out of the welfare benefits. In other words, the welfare benefits go down.
Once the state gets word that this welfare mom was given $1,000 through Oprah's generosity, how much will they penalize the welfare mom? Cynical me. Even gift-giving in this country comes at a price.
Labels: charity, minnesota, oprah, poor, poverty, welfare
Saturday, October 14, 2006
Noble Africa
Bono was on Oprah yesterday. He was touting a new initiative that will raise funds to fight AIDS in Africa. The initiative is called (RED) and it plays on America's unending materialism. By purchasing (RED) products (T-shirts, jeans, tennies, jackets, cellphones, iPods), Americans can feel good about themselves by knowing that approximately half the proceeds from each purchase go toward supplying AIDS medications to people in Africa.
If I sound a tinge cynical, it's not because I don't think the cause is worthy. Absolutely, it is. But, I'm not sure encouraging Americans to consume more is the best way to go about it. The T-shirts are cute and one of the pairs of Chuck Taylor tennis shoes available from Converse (one of the sponsors of the cause) is made of African mud cloth. Bono said that much of the stuff is made in Africa, so people there are working toward their cure.
Here's my frustration: Why is it that practically the only images we ever see of Africa are of bone-crushing poverty, starvation, female genital mutilation, AIDS, or civil war? Why do we not see the people who are doing well? Where are this continent's leaders? Why are they not helping their own people? Where are Africa's success stories? Surely, these exist.
There's an imbalance here and it does not bode well for Africa. As the situation sits, Africa is pitied by the world because we rarely hear the positives about the continent. Most of the good stories come when some foreigner rushes in and gives a particular African country or cause monetary assistance, or adopts a child. The continent has been presented as lowly and incapable of helping itself. We sling around the term "third-world country" with impunity in reference to Africa. The continent is the world's charity case, and it's very easy for well-off people to see charity cases as not being equal. And, that's the problem with the (RED) campaign. It reinforces our belief that Africa is not equal to America. As we buy, we think, "Oh, those poor people!" In (RED)'s defense, the manifesto says this is not about charity, but that message can't easily be over-ridden by years of bad press.
The world needs to start paying as much attention to Africa's success stories as it does to its frailties. Who hasn't heard of Nelson Mandela and the overthrow of Apartheid by native South Africans? More positive stories such as these will help to alleviate the perceived inequalities between Africa and the rest of the world. When we start thinking of Africa as noble and dignified, we can purchase our (RED) goods without a simpering pity, but with a sense of fair exchange among the world's compatriots.
As I wrote this piece, it crossed my mind that perhaps I've been ill-informed, that I've missed the good news about Africa, so I googled "africa good news" and was rewarded with an article from the Christian Science Monitor dated May26, 2005. It's called, "Africans ask: 'Why isn't anyone telling the good news?'" I could not have asked for a more relevant article. As the article is over a year old, there's still work to be done in boosting Africa's image.
If I sound a tinge cynical, it's not because I don't think the cause is worthy. Absolutely, it is. But, I'm not sure encouraging Americans to consume more is the best way to go about it. The T-shirts are cute and one of the pairs of Chuck Taylor tennis shoes available from Converse (one of the sponsors of the cause) is made of African mud cloth. Bono said that much of the stuff is made in Africa, so people there are working toward their cure.
Here's my frustration: Why is it that practically the only images we ever see of Africa are of bone-crushing poverty, starvation, female genital mutilation, AIDS, or civil war? Why do we not see the people who are doing well? Where are this continent's leaders? Why are they not helping their own people? Where are Africa's success stories? Surely, these exist.
There's an imbalance here and it does not bode well for Africa. As the situation sits, Africa is pitied by the world because we rarely hear the positives about the continent. Most of the good stories come when some foreigner rushes in and gives a particular African country or cause monetary assistance, or adopts a child. The continent has been presented as lowly and incapable of helping itself. We sling around the term "third-world country" with impunity in reference to Africa. The continent is the world's charity case, and it's very easy for well-off people to see charity cases as not being equal. And, that's the problem with the (RED) campaign. It reinforces our belief that Africa is not equal to America. As we buy, we think, "Oh, those poor people!" In (RED)'s defense, the manifesto says this is not about charity, but that message can't easily be over-ridden by years of bad press.
The world needs to start paying as much attention to Africa's success stories as it does to its frailties. Who hasn't heard of Nelson Mandela and the overthrow of Apartheid by native South Africans? More positive stories such as these will help to alleviate the perceived inequalities between Africa and the rest of the world. When we start thinking of Africa as noble and dignified, we can purchase our (RED) goods without a simpering pity, but with a sense of fair exchange among the world's compatriots.
As I wrote this piece, it crossed my mind that perhaps I've been ill-informed, that I've missed the good news about Africa, so I googled "africa good news" and was rewarded with an article from the Christian Science Monitor dated May26, 2005. It's called, "Africans ask: 'Why isn't anyone telling the good news?'" I could not have asked for a more relevant article. As the article is over a year old, there's still work to be done in boosting Africa's image.
Labels: africa, aids, bono, clothing, oprah, poor, red
Saturday, September 23, 2006
FtTP - Natasha Bedingfield + Oprah
Every time I hear Natasha Bedingfield's song Unwritten, I think it would make a great theme song for The Oprah Winfrey Show.
Labels: frankensteining the talent pool, FtTP, natasha bedingfield, oprah
