Posts tagged inspiration

Reliving Rape Because of A Brutal News Week

December 16, 2011 · Filed under My Book: BookMark, News, Personal · Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Brutal news week.

I used to draw down a wall between my life and the news.  As I anchored the news, reading about others’ pain, I didn’t feel my own.  I was inured from the intrusions of decades of sexual abuse.  I could focus on WhoWhatWhenWhereWhyHow and script the stories, read my own words, tell the story.  That’s over.  It’s actually been over for a few years until I could finally break down that inviolate partition.  I was healed.  I thought.

But this was a brutal news week. Read the rest of this entry »

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Gift Books for Martha Stewart Living Show – and For You!

December 7, 2011 · Filed under Book Reviews, Events · Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

We just wrapped.  Betsy and Brian and I – on the Martha Stewart Living show.  Asked to prepare a Gift Book segment, I have so many gorgeous, stimulating books that we didn’t get to them all.  Hence, the list here!

I’ll begin with Non-Fiction…because that’s where we left off on the show.  And, in fact, these are the most perfect of adult books. For the girlfriend with the snappy sense of humor, there’s Thx Thx Thx.  For your friend with the warm heart, there’s Unlikely Friendships - about unusual, feel-good pairings, like the kitten and gorilla, and how they came to be.  Two magnificent books about John F Kennedy – one, through Jackie’s own words.  It’s an historical, first-person view we so seldom get – and it comes with 8 CD’s.  Plus, there’s Chris Matthews’ stunningly different portrait of the president.  Two of the most amazing books in my gift collection focus on cultural icons – one fantasy (Batman), one real (Marilyn Monroe).  Although one might argue that Marilyn Monroe is fantasy, as well as Batman.  Both books are evocative, magnificent art, and a complete treasure.

Adult Non-Fiction:

 

1.     Thx Thx Thx: Thank Goodness for Everything by Leah Dieterich; Andrews McMeel

2.     Unlikely Friendships: 47 Remarkable Stories from the Animal Kingdom by Jennifer Holland; Workman

3.     Jacqueline Kennedy: Historic Conversations on Life with John F Kennedy by Caroline Kennedy; Hyperion AND Jack Kennedy: Elusive Hero by Chris Matthews; Simon & Schuster

4.     Marilyn Monroe: Metamorphosis by David Wills and Stephen Schmidt; HarperCollins

5.     The Batman Files by Matthew Manning; Andrews McMee

Another great gift idea is calendars.  And, Pomegranate is my favorite, especially an artist named Susan Seddon Boulet, whose work is mesmerizing – about Shaman and Goddesses.  Another calendar is the Reading Woman Wall Calendar.  Give it, along with one of the books on my list.

And here is the rest of the list – the highlights of our discussion on Martha Stewart Living – are The Third Gift for kids, The Hunger Games Trilogy for YA, Damned by my friend Chuck Palahniuk, and Out of Oz by Gregory Maguire.

Kids:

 

1.     The Third Gift by Linda Sue Park; Clarion Books

2.     The Happy Elf by Harry Connick, Jr w/CD; HarperCollins

3.     Stars by Mary Lyn Ray and Marla Frazee; Simon & Schuster

4.     Three Classic Children’s Stories – Drawings by Edward Gorey, Text by James Donnelly; Pomegranate

5.     The Wizard of Oz: A Scanimation Book by Rufus butler Seder; Workman

 

YA:

1.     The Hugo Movie Companion by Brian Selznick; Scholastic

2.     The Chronicles of Harris Burdick by Chris Van Allsburg; Houghton Mifflin

3.     WonderStruck by Brian Selznick; Scholastic

4.     Dearly Departed by Lia Habel; Del Rey

5.     The Hunger Games Trilogy by Suzanne Collins; Scholastic

 

 Adult Fiction:

  1. The Christmas Wedding by James Patterson; Little, Brown
  2. Damned by Chuck Palahniuk; Doubleday
  3. 11 / 22 / 63 by Stephen King; Simon & Schuster
  4. The Exorcist: 40th Anniversary Edition by William Peter Blatty; HarperCollins
  5. Out of Oz: The Final Volume in the Wicked Years by Gregory Maguire; William Morrow

 

No secret that I love books.  They saved my life when I was a kid.  They led me outside the abusive world I lived in, to know that there was a greater beauty where I could live instead. What these books have in common – while they’re from all genres – is that connection with that greater gorgeousness.  No coincidence that many of the books on my list were sparked by the authors’ insistent dreams.

Enjoy!  And, feel free to comment on any of these books.

Love,

Diana

l

 

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My Week with Marilyn – Go. Enjoy.

November 25, 2011 · Filed under Movie Reviews · Tagged , , ,

I wasn’t sold at first.  The gorgeous opening shot – with the title My Week with Marilyn – of a buxom blonde singing, dancing, seducing.  The 23-year old man who would want her – and win her for a week – sat anonymously in the audience.  Jaw dropped.  Wanting Marilyn.   When the film opened, I wanted the real Marilyn on screen, with that natural brilliance.  The actress had the description down, but not that wise innocence.  Not at first.

But as the film continued, Read the rest of this entry »

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FOOTLOOSE – It’s Everyone’s Time

October 14, 2011 · Filed under Movie Reviews · Tagged , , , ,

 

Footloose – the one with Kevin Bacon – was the first movie my older son ever saw.  He was weeks old at the time.  He smiled and laughed and bounced in the dark theatre.  So did I.

The music – Footloose and Let’s Hear It For the Boys– kicked ass then, and it does now, along with the eight new songs on the soundtrack.  That baby is now 27-years old, and, with a start in life like Footloose, you bet he can dance.

Suffice it to say I have fond memories of the original, but for someone who never sees a movie or reads a book twice, I am delighted with this remake.  I’m easy – give me a fast pace, slices of humor interspersed with tragedy, and dance dance dance.  I’m there.  And, usually, memorizing the choreography so I can dance it when I get the soundtrack.

But I wanted more dance from this new Footloose.  More singing. And, those red boots Ariel wore – oh, yeah, I wanted those, too.

I didn’t miss Kevin Bacon or Lori Singer – the maverick out-of-towner and the preacher’s daughter – from the earlier Footloose, because Kenny Womald as Ren McCormick and Julianne Hough as Ariel, dazzled and crackled.  They demonstrated dimension even while dancing.

And I loved the conversion of Ren’s sidekick. Not talking religion here.  Though, you may recall Footloose is about a big-city boy, Ren, who gets stuck in a small-town where a three-year ban is instituted by the preacher/councilman (Dennis Quaid in the 2011 film) after his only son is killed in a head-on after a booze-fueled dance.  No, we’re talking about the conversion of a slow-talking Southerner to learn how to dance.

Sometimes I wanted Director Craig Brewer to hang onto the scene longer – and more singing and dancing – but, you know what?  I would go see Footloose again.  And, next time bring my firstborn son.

***

Actually, we just came back from Redbox, and noticed the old Footloose on the display.

He said we should see the new Footloose.

I said I did.

Without me?  he asked.

Guess I’m going to see the new Footloose again.

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14 Rules for the Little Kid Inside You

May 29, 2011 · Filed under Personal · Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

For years, I hid it, never spoke about it.  Until finally, it pushed up out of me like a beach ball you press down in the water – it pops out.  Has to.

And, one day, the gift of that childhood trauma becomes apparent.

First, the damage and danger twists synapses, neural pathways, belief systems, trust, whom you love and who you run from.  What does a four-and-a-half year old girl learn from being raped by her mother’s new husband?  Handsome guy, her mother head over heels in love with him, her cutting the little girl’s real father out of every photo, changing the girl’s name, and silencing her when she tries to speak it.  Mother, an alcoholic, suicidal, schizophrenic.  Real father, gone, after the little girl reaches age six, because the stepfather beat him up and told him to never come back.  She never saw her dad again.

Little girl escapes Read the rest of this entry »

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Dan Millman, Peaceful Warrior

May 12, 2011 · Filed under Author Interviews, Book Reviews · Tagged , , , , , , , ,

The Four Purposes of Life: Finding Meaning and Direction in a Changing World

By Dan Millman

starts with

PublishedApril 14, 2011 (Hardcover) H J Kramer

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Dan Millman’s life looked spelled out.  A trampoline artist, his next stop was the Olympics.  But, weeks before he was to leave, another life plan intervened – Dan was in a motorcycle accident.  And it shattered his leg in forty places.
The story is told in his Way of the Peaceful Warrior, and adapted into a feature film Peaceful Warrior, starring Nick Nolte.   All that came before our first meeting, when I interviewed Dan about his book Everyday Enlightenment.  It was a good ten years ago, but he remembered me, graciously saying that he had enjoyed that interview.
Despite the rain, Dan had walked to the studio where we met.  The cameramen still fussing with lighting and gear, Dan and I sat on a bench, reconnecting.   There was no hurry to Dan.  No rush.  Just as in his book The Four Purposes of Life, Dan lives in the moment.   That’s the fourth purpose, by the way, a blend of the first three, living in the moment.

The first purpose is learning life’s lessons.  Much like his motorcycle accident derailed his Olympic dreams, life often has grander plans for us.  Dan is a teacher, sweet and humble, admits he doesn’t always get it right, but, well, that’s what life is for, it’s a classroom.  Fortunately, it’s pass/fail, and we get to try again.  Let me rephrase that – life will hit us again, harder each time, till we get the lesson.  The second purpose is finding your career and your calling – which may not be the same thing!  The third purpose is discovering your life path.  You can find that on Dan’s website, it is akin to numerology.  Mine is 35/8.  The three is for expression, the five for freedom, and the eight pertains to recognition.
After editing, the interview will be posted on the Earth2World network – a new venture for me.  It’s video – and I’m open to attracting the perfect sponsors for my show, Conquer the Odds: Pursuing Your Passion.  After the interview, Dan signed my book “for my respected friend, media angel, Diana.”  I may have blushed.

The main takeaway for me?  Just enjoy life – whatever comes at you – and realize that it’s all on purpose.  It’s a faith thing.  One of my lessons.

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Random Thoughts About Speaking

May 6, 2011 · Filed under Personal · Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

It’s been awhile since I’ve blogged.  And, this is, in part, an apology for not having checked in.  I’ve been making my own art, and making a living.  I’ve been interviewing and reading – just haven’t written here.

I decided to take tonight “off,” and not produce the 30-minute podcastor, not prep for my next appearance on KOIN-TV’s Studio 6, not rework the last two chapters of my memoir.  Instead, my housemate, who is leading me into learning how to “play,” watched with me the Academy Award winning movie, The King’s Speech.

The film struck me deep.  Read the rest of this entry »

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Ann Rule and Her Wisdom for Single Women

January 30, 2011 · Filed under Book Reviews · Tagged , , , , , , , ,

In the Still of the Night: the Strange Death of Ronda Reynolds and Her Mother’s Unceasing Quest for the Truth

By Ann Rule

Buy on Amazon

Published October 12, 2010 (Hardcover) Free Press

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Ann Rule believes in love.  She even believes in love at first sight.  That’s reassuring, given that Ann has seen the darker nature of many human beings.  She even worked next to handsome serial killer Ted Bundy. Alone.  At night.

I believe in love, too, and I believe in love at first sight.  But that magic can fool me, so I when I interviewed Ann for my Tuesday show Open Book with Diana Page Jordan, I asked her how can we know for sure? I was prompted to ask, because of her latest true crime book – In the Still of the Night.   Read the rest of this entry »

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From a Mom to Her Challenged Son on His Birthday

January 26, 2011 · Filed under Personal · Tagged , , , , , , , , , , ,

This is like nothing else I’ve ever written here.

Mental illness, and the challenging journey is on my mind, especially since talking to Linda Gray Sexton about her poet mom, Anne Sexton, on my show, Open Book with Diana Page Jordan. And especially since today is my older son’s 27th birthday.

For nine years – since just before his 18th birthday – my son has been battling Read the rest of this entry »

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No Strings Attached- Film v Real Life + Laughs

January 21, 2011 · Filed under Events · Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

I saw the trailer for No Strings Attached a few months ago with a date, igniting my desire to see the film.  He mumbled, with an edge to his voice, “No Strings Attached? That never happens to me!”

“Does to me,” I whispered softly, so no one could hear.  “A lot.”

Now that I’ve seen No Strings Attached, Read the rest of this entry »

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