WE LOVE PATRICK SWAYZE

PATRICK SWAYZE
Husband, actor, all around GREAT guy!
He will be so missed. 
Having had family members pass away from pancreatic cancer, I know the battle he waged. 
And I am in awe that he was able to live as long as he did. 
More than that, he had an amazing, loving marriage with his wife Lisa.

This is a quote from Patrick in the people.com report really sums it up best for me.

"There is probably that little bird that flies through your insides and says, 'I sure would like to make a mark in life,'" he said. "I've made a pretty decent mark so far – nothing to scoff at. But it does make you think: Wait a minute. There's more I want to do. Lots more. Get on with it."

And so I take my inspiration from an amazing guy who was a fighter!
Live you life to the fullest in each moment!

GET ON WITH IT!

Love to you all.
GM

SUNDAY NIGHTS: I LOVE PBS

For years I've had a Sunday night ritual.  Come home after a meeting, fix dinner and watch Masterpiece Theatre or something else that's really good on PBS.  This winter and spring while I was off from work, I tuned into Masterpiece Classics and watched the complete Jane Austen series every Sunday night.  This was hosted by Jillian Anderson. 

This summer Masterpiece Mystery has been hosted by Allan Cummings.  Miss Marple and Inspector Lewis.  This fall there will be Masterpiece Contemporary hosted by Matthew Goode most recently of WATCHMEN and BRIDESHEAD REVISITED with Emma Thompson.  But what I am really looking forward to is the new film by Ken Burns.

PBS premieres this new 6 episode series starting on September 27th. 
Check your local listings.  I have my DVR set.

THE NATIONAL PARKS:  America's Best Idea

It is a film 10 years in the making.  Ken Burns along Dayton Duncan and the Florentine Films cinematographer have created a true Masterpiece.  I hope it will inspire you to visit as many of our National Parks that you can.

I guess I am really a big ol' geek when it comes to geography, American history and biographies.
I'm just fasinated looking at our history and how we got to where we are today.


Living in California I am blessed to have visited Yosemite and Joshua Tree.  Both parks are truly unique in their own ways and I believe national treasures.  Join me this fall on Sunday nights and witness a labor of love from Ken Burns and Florentine Films that is a gift to every American. 
You've never seen anything like this before.

Much Love,
Gerry

SATURDAY NIGHT FEVER

I'm grateful I have a M-F job.  I truly love my weekends.  Lately my buddies and I have been going out on Saturday night to the local "retro disco."  And tonight is no exception.  We'll go to Oil Can Harry's in the valley and then DuPar's for pancakes and breakfast.  The only thing missing will be alcohol!  LOL  It's amazing to hear disco music and be able to sing along and remember all the words.  I hear this music and I am transported back in time, even if for a few hours on a Saturday night. 

SAT NIGHT FEVER
1977 was a different time.  A time of 8 track tape players, feathered back hair, polyester pants and gold chains, platform shoes, muscle cars and oh yeah, I did inhale!  (My friend Don C had a bitchin' Camaro with 8 track tape player.  Don taught me how to drive a stick shift in my VW, in the snow!)

EVERYBODY wanted to see SATURDAY NIGHT FEVER.  I watch this movie now and I am instantly taken back to high school.  I laugh at the idea that we wore that much polyester and lived to tell about it.  This movie was a 70's blockbuster.  And the soundtrack by the Bee Gees sold over 15 million copies.

One of my favorite songs is HOW DEEP IS YOUR LOVE.
  
May you find your own Saturday Night Fever tonight and live life to the fullest.

Happy Saturday Night.

Gman

EIGHT YEARS LATER....

Sometimes a major event happens and we are detached from it.  We have no personal connection to it.

For me this anniversary of the the attack on the United States marks a day I'd like to forget.

But I can't really.

That morning I was shocked to learn that my step brother was in NewYork.
Actually he was IN the second tower to be hit, getting ready to go into a meeting.

He and his co-workers from Louisville were only 3 blocks away when the first tower came down.

I can only imagine what he went through.
We love him more today than ever.

It is a miracle that he and the two guys he worked with got out of the building.  Three days later they finally got back home to KY after finding a car to rent in New Jersey.

He's a father to his 3 sons today.  So for today I dedicate this page to my step brother Robbie and know that he's here for a greater purpose.  And we love him and support him with all our hearts.

FROM INDIA....WITH LOVE

FROM INDIA...WITH LOVE

In my search for quotes on LOVE, I came across an amazing love story from India.  The writer/poet Amrita Pritam and the painter Imroz wrote letters to each other between 1959 to 1975 when they were both in different cities.  Today I educated myself about these two lovers and their amazing 45 year relationship.  Their love letters have been translated into English.  The book "Amrita-Imroz - In the times of Love and Longing" (Full Circle) just came out this month.  The letters had been previously published in their original Punjabi and in Hindi.  (See article in THE HINDU.) 

 FROM KENTUCKY...WITH LOVE
After reading about this couple and their unique relationship, my thoughts turn to my Aunt Grace and Uncle Linville.  Uncle Linville passed away in July, just a few weeks before our Chambers family reunion held every other August in Kentucky.  For many years we held the reunion up at Natural Bridge State Park near Aunt Grace and Uncle Linville's house in Clay City.  Uncle Linville worked for the state and pretty much built most of the interstate highways throughout eastern Kentucky. 

(Aunt Grace is one of my grandmother Mary Alice's younger sisters. One of my fondest memories is getting to stay with my Great Aunt and Uncle Linville up in Clay City.  We would drive over to town in Uncle Linville's pickup truck and stop to eat at the drive-in diner.  I would get to drink an Ale 8 soda pop and have ice cream!) 

At Uncle Linville's funeral someone asked Aunt Grace what was the thing that kept them together for over 50 years.  She replyed..." he was a good lover." 
I think that says it all boys and girls.


Be well.
GM

THE STARS, THE MOON, SPIRITUAL AWAKENINGS and NOW VOYAGER

CHARLOTTE:  "Oh Jerry don't let's ask for the moon, we have the stars."
Is Bette talking to me?

Actually Bette Davis says this to the tall, handsome Paul Henreid in the Warner Brothers classic film
NOW VOYAGER.  I just caught the very last 30 minutes of this film and Bette Davis shows us why she is probably the greatest actress of her generation.  Charlotte and Jerry put aside their differences and difficulties and come to an agreement to share the love of his child Tina as if she were their own.  It is truly a magnificent film and shows us love in all it's complexity and simplicity. 

The moon tonight is waning into a half moon.  It hangs low in the horizon tonight.  I observe it over the burnt mountains to the east of me here in Los Angeles.  It is beautiful to look at but there is so much more out there.  We have been given the stars.

Today's article on the refurbished HUBBLE telescope included new images of stars. 
They are breath taking and awe inspiring.  What an amazing universe outside of our little solar system. 

Also today I read online the first 3 chapters of a new book WAITING FOR AUTUMN by Scott Blum.  In it are some of the spiritual principles that I aspire to practice in my life. 

In Chapter 1 Robert is speaking to Scott about manifestation:

"Manifesting isn’t about making a halfhearted effort and
then failing. Manifesting is about aligning your
goals and your destiny so they become one. You
have to believe without a doubt and act without
pause, or else you’re wasting your time."

Robert is there to help Scott understand the spiritual awakening he is about to experience.
Wisdom = Knowledge + Experience

How many times have I looked up to the stars and dreamed about some amazing thing I desire my life to be?  Then I get distracted and my focus gets pulled away from my heart's desire.
I end up wondering, how did I get HERE!  Being hopefully spiritually awake after all these years,
I can no longer say I don't know how I got here.  I got here from not paying attention each day to what I put out in the universe.  Each day am I being loving and kind....or not.
 
How many times have I settled for what is right in front of me, forgetting to look beyond to the stars.
My heart's desire and my divine destiny? 
How do we align these two and make a life that is magnificent, joy filled and loving?

Look past the moon and reach for the stars.

TUESDAY is SONG DAY: AND I WILL ALWAYS LOVE YOU

Miss Dolly's version or Miss Whitney's version, which is the best?
You decide.  Actually I believe both are the best.  You can't compare the two versions.

I'm a huge fan of both artists.  Being from KY I will always love Miss Dolly best, however Miss Whitney is one of the greatest singers of her generation.  Her new album I LOOK TO YOU released just this past week.  It reminds us once again why we will always love her. 

A great song is a great song AND I WILL ALWAYS LOVE YOU has been recorded by many artists.
But it was made a worldwide hit by Whitney Houston including it on the soundtrack to THE BODYGUARD.  This soundtrack has sold over 43 million copies to date.

A large part of The Bodyguard's success is due to And I Will Always Love You and the songwriting talents of Miss Dolly.  Whitney changed the lyrics slightly from Dolly's original version, but the message is still the same.  A bittersweet love song with the promise to always love someone.

(And in the soundtrack of my life....it was a hit during a bittersweet time in Orlando.)

Dolly Parton Version

If I should stay
Well, I would only be in your way
And so I'll go, and yet I know
That I'll think of you each step of my way
And I will always love you
I will always love you
Bitter-sweet memories
That's all I have, and all I'm taking with me
Good-bye, oh, please don't cry
'Cause we both know that I'm not
What you need
But I will always love you
I will always love you

And I hope life, will treat you kind
And I hope that you have all
That you ever dreamed of
Oh, I do wish you joy
And I wish you happiness
But above all this
I wish you love
I love you, I will always love


I will always, always love you
I will always love you
I will always love you
I will always love you

Whitney Houston Version
If I should stay,
I would only be in your way.
So I'll go, but I know
I'll think of you ev'ry step of the way.

And I will always love you.
I will always love you.
You, my darling you. Hmm.

Bittersweet memories
that is all I'm taking with me.
So, goodbye. Please, don't cry.
We both know I'm not what you, you need.

And I will always love you.
I will always love you.

(Instrumental solo)

I hope life treats you kind
And I hope you have all you've dreamed of.
And I wish to you, joy and happiness.
But above all this, I wish you love.

And I will always love you.
I will always love you.
I will always love you.
I will always love you.
I will always love you.
I, I will always love you.

You, darling, I love you.
Ooh, I'll always, I'll always love you.