Wednesday, December 28, 2016
Tuesday, November 29, 2016
Tuesday, November 15, 2016
Tuesday, November 1, 2016
Friday, October 28, 2016
Tuesday, October 18, 2016
Monday, October 3, 2016
Tuesday, September 20, 2016
Tuesday, September 13, 2016
Tuesday, September 6, 2016
Monday, August 29, 2016
Friday, August 12, 2016
Kent Harrison Hayes -- Artist in Motion
Kent Harrison Hayes is more than just a fabulous actor with a pretty face. Although he is well known in Utah for his acting and directing chops, Kent is an artist in every sense of the imagination. Kent has honed the fine skill of enhancing photos to the point where they look like brilliant paintings. This unique process is called "photo reimagining." Check out some of his commissioned pieces: http://www.kentharrisonhayes.com/commissions.html
When Kent isn't busy working in theatre, film and audio productions, he serves as co-owner and agent of Center Stage Real Estate http://www.kentharrisonhayes.com/contact-me.html
As if all these skills aren't enough to keep Kent busy, he is also a web designer. See what Kent can do for your website needs: http://www.kentharrisonhayes.com/contact-me.html
Thursday, July 14, 2016
Wednesday, July 6, 2016
Book Review of Please Forgive Me, I Forgive You
The book, Please Forgive Me, I
Forgive You by Mary Elizabeth Taylor is one of the most
difficult stories I have ever read. Liz's traumatic tale begins with
her being brutally raped and beaten when she was just five years old.
From there, things just get worse.
As a teenager, Liz turns to drugs as a
way to cope with the difficulties in her life. She gets into a lot
of trouble and at one point is put in a facility where she is
molested by the person who is her care taker. Once released from
that situation, Liz continues to do drugs as a way to escape the hell
that her life has become.
Liz turns to crime as a way to support
her drug habit. She is arrested and thrown in jail and then prison
countless times. In the book, Liz posts all the mug shots taken
during her numerous incarcerations. The progression of her drug use
is horrifyingly depicted in these photos as she steadily gets worse.
None of the jails Liz is incarcerated
in offer much in the way of rehab. At one point, Liz decides to use
a suicidal amount of drugs, but she doesn't die. Instead, she seeks
out help and eventually kicks the habit. This is where the happy
ending part should come in, but instead, Liz is faced with a number
of very sad realities including the death of her sister and the death
of her mother. Amazingly, Liz stays drug free during this period.
Liz was one of a few fortunate people
who were able to break the terrible cycle of drug abuse and jail. I
applaud how forthright and honest she was in this account.
Please Forgive Me, I Forgive
You is
a story of true resilience. My hopes and prayers go to Liz – I
wish her all the happiness life has to offer!
Tuesday, June 28, 2016
Sunday, June 26, 2016
Love Wins in St. George!
June is Pride month, a time to celebrate diversity and embrace members of the LGBT Community. In St. George, a Pride Festival was staged at Vernon Worthen Park.
I was happy to meet up with so many loving friends and neighbors who came out for unity.
Despite the warm temperatures, festival goers found plenty of ways to stay cool.
Josh Warburton, owner of the Independent Newspaper and a candidate for Washington County Commissioner, used the event as a way to spread a message of diversity.
Dorothy Engelman, a candidate for Utah Senate Seat 29 and Executive Director at the Erin Kimball Memorial Foundation, talks about her inclusive platform with St. George News Online.
I'm so proud of all the Utah residents who use their voice to speak out for equality. Love Wins!
Friday, June 24, 2016
The All-Girl Filling Station's Last Reunion
They say you should never judge a book
by it's cover, but that's exactly what I did when it came to The
All-Girl Filling Station's Last Reunion by Fannie Flagg. And
why not? The cover was done up in bright colors featuring a
pleasant, old time drawing of cute girls on roller skates pumping
gas. And with Fannie Flagg as the author, what could possibly go
wrong?
Things started well enough with this
novel which opened with Mrs. Sookie Poole trying to deal with her
insufferable, domineering mother. Nicked named “The Winged
Victory,” Sookie's mother, Lenore, should have been hysterical.
Unfortunately, that's where the good times ended for me. Lenore
turned out to be more annoying than funny, so I was happy when the
story revealed that Sookie had secretly been adopted.
The plot then shifts back to 1939 when
the Jurdabralinski family opened Wink's Phillip's 66 in Pulaski,
Wisconsin. When the U.S. Enters World War 11 after the bombing at
Pearl Harbor, Wink, the only eligible male in the Jurdabralinski
family, goes off to serve as a pilot. His sister, Fritzi, has also
learned to fly, but she stays behind to help her sisters run the gas
station.
Fritzi goes on to join the WASP program
which involves female pilots who are not commissioned in the Armed
Services, but who work ferrying planes from the factory to the army
bases for the men to fly. Fritzi's other sisters eventually join her
in the WASP program and the reader gets a behind-the-scenes look at a
system which paved the way for future female pilots.
I enjoyed the history lesson, but not
the story itself. It seemed disjointed as it ping-ponged back and
forth between the Jurdabralinkski family's history and Sookie's
desire to know who her real mother was. I won't spoil the outcome,
but that too was a bit disappointing, even though it did feature an
unexpected twist.
I have no doubt that Fannie Flagg is a
truly gifted author. In fact, Fried Green Tomatoes at the
Whistle-stop Cafe was
one of my favorite books. I can remembers laughing out loud as I
read this novel, so I was sadly disappointed by The All-Girl
Filling Station's Last Reunion.
I awarded two stars to The
All-Girl Filling Station's Last Reunion on my Goodreads page
Sunday, June 12, 2016
A Review of A Study in Scarlet by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle
I've
long been familiar with the work of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle and his
infamous character, Sherlock Holmes. What caught me off guard is
learning this British author had penned a mystery called A Study
in Scarlet which made numerous references to the LDS Church and
Brigham Young
https://www.amazon.com/Study-Scarlet-Arthur-Conan-Doyle/dp/1599866749
I did a
little research and learned this short story was the first Sherlock
Holmes mystery. My initial interest was related to the author's
references to the Salt Lake Valley and the LDS Church. I was
astounded to discover that Brigham Young was named in this story, and
portrayed as a bit of a dictator who would smite any opponent or
apostate who he viewed as a threat to the community he established in
Utah.
The
actual plot of A Study in Scarlet involved a man who was
seeking revenge against the LDS Church for forcing a young woman into
a marriage against her will, and murdering the man who raised her
when he tried to object. The killers eventually left the LDS Church
and wound up in England. This is where the killer takes his revenge.
Although
this story is very old, it still retained my interest, and not just
due to the historical ties to Utah. I rewarded A Study in Scarlet
three out of five stars on my Goodreads Page
Tuesday, June 7, 2016
Wednesday, June 1, 2016
Review of Proof of Heaven
What happens when you die?
Perhaps you've heard stories about people “walking towards the
light.” Others report feelings of extreme well being. But how
much stock can one put into these reports? A lot, if you ask me,
especially when the report is coming from a neurosurgeon. Proof
of Heaven by Dr. Eben Alexander is the most detailed account of a
near death experience that I have ever been made aware of
https://www.amazon.com/Proof-Heaven-Neurosurgeons-Journey-Afterlife/dp/1451695195?ie=UTF8&*Version*=1&*entries*=0
After suffering from a rare
illness, Dr. Alexander went into a coma that essentially shut down
the part of the brain that makes us human. During that period, Dr.
Alexander had some very vivid encounters which seem to support the
stories told by others who had near death experiences
What made this account
especially unique is that Dr. Alexander explains his encounters with
the Divine in scientific terms. Originally a doubter of many near
death accounts, Dr. Alexander explains that we really do have a soul
which lives on after our physical body has perished. The best news
is, Dr. Alexander's account seems to confirm there really is a loving
God who cares very deeply for each person.
Dr. Alexander's take away
from his experience reveals some very comforting thoughts such as
there is a God who truly loves us, and we can do no wrong. His tale
was told in very practical terms with a lot of science to back up
what was happening in the physical realm while Dr. Alexander was in
the spiritual domain.
I listened to Proof of
Heaven as an audiobook. Typically, most authors aren't very
skilled when it comes to narration, but Dr. Alexander is a happy
exception. In fact, this story was made all the better by having the
account come directly from the source.
Due to the interesting story
written and outstanding narration, I am awarding Proof of Heaven
by Dr. Eben Alexander a rare five out of five stars on my Goodreads
Page
Sunday, May 22, 2016
Equality Utah Celebration
Straight to Audio Video Director Dorothy Engelman with Adele Park
The Dixie Center in St. George was rocking last night at St. George residents gathered to support diversity during the 2016 Equality Utah Celebration http://www.equalityutah.org.
Audio Book Voice Actor Garry Peter Morris with Adele Park
I was thrilled to see that many of the voice actors, video actors and support staff from Straight to Audio Productions turned out to show their support for Equality.
Adele Park with Margie Scott and Jessica Park
I am so pleased that working for equality in Utah is a family value. It's always fun to celebrate with family!
Now that the party is over, the question is this: What are you going to do to celebrate Equality in Utah?
Saturday, May 21, 2016
I have been a longtime fan
of Nelson DeMille's novels so I was thrilled when I stumbled across a
work I wasn't aware of. I unearthed The Quest in audiobook
form at a garage sale. Anticipating another captivating story, I
quickly popped this into my cd player. Looking back, I see that I
didn't need to rush on this one
http://www.nelsondemille.net/books/quest.asp?id=desc
Unlike some of DeMille's
other stories that moved at lightening speed, The Quest seemed
like it was slogging through molassas. Indeed, when looking at the Amazon
review for this, I see that DeMille reworked an earlier version of
this, doubling the length of the story. I think this was my big
problem with The Quest – it's way too long.
The story is about two male
reporters and a female photographer who both men are romantically
involved with. I have no problem with stories that involve strange
relationships with conscenting adults, but this particular scenario
made me a little uncomfortable.
The love triangle in this
story travels to Ethiopia in search of The Black Monastary and The
Holy Grail. Typically, this set up would have fascinated me, but the
trip to find The Black Monastary dragged on so long I lost interest.
When the group finally found what they were looking for, the story
wrapped up so quickly it left me thinking, “why rush the good
part?”
DeMille is such a good
writer that I won't let this particular work deter me from reading
his other books
However, when it comes to
The Quest, I am only awarding this project two stars on my
Goodreads Page https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4673038.Adele_Park
Wednesday, May 18, 2016
Friday, May 13, 2016
Center Stage Realty
If you are selling your home or looking to buy a new one, I highly recommend Center Stage Real Estate. Garry Peter Morris and Kent Harrison Hayes are knowledgeable, friendly Real Estate Agents ready to go to work for you!
Tuesday, May 10, 2016
Book Review of The Boys in the Boat
If I had to describe The
Boys in the Boat by Daniel James Brown in one word it would be
“inspired.”
This true life story is
about nine working class boys from Washington State whose oar crew
competed in the 1936 Olympics headed up by Hitler. Rowing isn't a
sport I've ever tried or even been interested in watching. However,
due to the deft writing skills of Brown, I found myself cheering for
this team from it's humble beginnings to the pinnacle of their
success in Berlin.
Taking center stage in this
saga is Joe Rantz, a young man who was abandoned by his family. His
story is heart-wrenching to read, but all the more enjoyable when
Rantz emerges as a victor.
Although I knew the outcome
of this story, Brown is so skilled in the way he presented it, I
found myself on the edge of my seat at times. This is the mark of a
truly great writer.
By the end of the book, it
would be hard to think anything other than, “Hooray for The Boys in
the Boat!”
I have awarded The
Boys in the Boat by
Daniel James Brown four out of five stars on my Goodreads Page
https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4673038.Adele_Park
Wednesday, May 4, 2016
Follow the Sun
The May/June Issue of Etched Magazine is now out http://elanwoman.com
I was happy to contribute this article about the upcoming Summer Solstice
I was happy to contribute this article about the upcoming Summer Solstice
Tuesday, May 3, 2016
Audition Notice for Straight to Audio Productions
Straight to Audio
Productions LLC, an Audie Award winning production company, is
looking to hire the following talent for a commercial video shoot:
- Female Actor to play young polygamist wife – should be in their 20s or early 30s.
- Female Actor to play Punk Rock D.J. – should be in their 20s or early 30s.
- Choreographer who knows how to teach hip hop moves
The job involves half-day
video shoots on Tuesday, July 12, Thursday, July 14,
and Friday, July 15. Applicants must be able to work all
three days. Compensation is $100.
Video actors will also be
required to do a one-hour audio recording session on Thursday, May
19 at 11am. An additional $25 will be offered for the recording
session.
Auditions will be done by
appointment only on Friday, May 13 from 11am until 1pm.
Please send a short
paragraph describing your acting or choreography experience along
with a headshot to Cindy Clemens by Wednesday, May 11, 2016
Saturday, April 30, 2016
Saturday, April 23, 2016
Etched Magazine Wins Top Award
Etched Magazine has
long been recognized as a visually stunning periodical. Big, glossy
pictures allow the reader to experience an "off the beaten path" view of the stark
beauty of the South West. Etched Magazine has won Utah Best
of State honors for visual design in the Arts and Entertainment
Category on two different occasions. Now, Etched Magazine is
proving it's more than just a pretty face by being recognized as the
2016 Literary Arts Winner https://www.facebook.com/etchedmagazine/
This honor is especially
gratifying to Darci Hansen, Editor and Publisher of Etched
Magazine. Hansen has long placed an strong emphasis on telling the
stories of the people and places of the South West in a unique,
organic way http://www.elanwoman.com
I am so proud of the
editorial and design staff at Etched Magazine for all their
wonderful accomplishments. I didn't start writing for Etched
until the final issue for 2015, so I am not able to take any credit
for all the hard earned accolades. The benefit to me is the
opportunity to work with top industry professionals like Darci
Hansen, Vice President Carrie Leishman, Design Editor Laurie James,
Photographer Nick Adams, and the talented staff of Etched Writers.
Friday, April 22, 2016
Tuesday, April 19, 2016
April Showers Bring Wild Flowers
For those who haven't spent a lot of time in the desert, it may seem like an endless sea of various shades of red and brown. And sometimes it is. But in the Spring, Mother Nature treats the desert to a blanket of wildflowers.
I spend a great deal of time exploring the desert on my ATV. Nothing quite beats the Spring in terms of perfect riding temperatures and beautiful scenery.
One of the desert flowers found in abundance behind my house is Globe Mallow. This happy orange plant is so intriguing, I couldn't help but include it in one of my audiobooks.
I am also enamored with indigo, but the elevation in my backyard desert is too low for the plant to grow in abundance. However, I did spot some desert flowers that were indigo in color, though I'm not sure what the actual name of this plant is.
I am always so astonished at how many different plants bloom in the desert. What a wonderful way to celebrate Spring in Southern Utah!
Wednesday, April 13, 2016
My Review of The Hungry Girl Diet by Lisa Lillien
Generally speaking, I don't
believe in or follow diets. To me, the word “diet” equates with
something temporary, so I don't view it as a real lifestyle change.
Nonetheless, I found myself wanting to drop a few pounds for a photo
shoot, so going on a temporary eating plan to accomplish this goal
seemed reasonable. To assist in the process, I purchased a book
called The Hungry Girl Diet by Lisa Lillien
I was attracted to this book
because I like to eat! I was happy to discover the book outlined
very reasonable meal plans which, when followed, will lead to weight
loss. I was pleasantly surprised by how ordinary and normal the menu
selections were. In other diets I have tried, the plans cut out
whole food groups or require you to eat or drink weird things in
attempt to whittle down the waistline.
When I first started The
Hungry Girl Diet, I balked at the instruction to write down
everything I eat. After a few days, I began see the wisdom in this.
I discovered that when I have to “own” everything I eat by
writing it down, it makes it less likely that I will eat stuff that
is high in calories.
A typical lunch or dinner on
The Hungry Girl Diet consists of a sandwich and salad – both
filling and with bread (although the plan recommends small portions
of 100 percent whole wheat products). The diet even allows for three
snacks a day!
There is nothing
earth-shattering or drastically new in The Hungry Girl Diet.
However, Lillien does a
wonderful job of listing the foods that give you the most bang for
your buck. Lillien also has lots of great tips for making the plan
work and for cutting out needless calories. Many of these
suggestions can be found on Lillien's website
http://www.hungry-girl.com
The Hungry Girl Diet
claims that people who follow
the plan can lose ten pounds in four weeks. I lost ten pounds in
three weeks which even
included a few cheats! I was never hungry and found this to be a
very simple and reasonable plan for losing weight. Hats off to Lisa
Lillien for a great weight loss plan! I am awarding The
Hungry Girl Diet four stars on
my Goodreads page
https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4673038.Adele_Park
Tuesday, March 22, 2016
Monday, March 21, 2016
Book Review of Revival by Stephen King
If you're looking for a good
scare, Revival by Stephen King isn't the place to find it.
However, King is still the master at character development, and
Revival most certainly delivers in this area. To be honest,
it's not really fair to expect King to keep readers up at night with
every single book he hammers out. My guess is that when it came to
Revival, King's aim was to write something unsettling without
all the terror that usually permeates his books.
Revival is about a
character named Jamie Morton who develops a friendship with Charles
Jacobs, a preacher and new-age healer. Jacobs not only preaches
about the miracles performed by Jesus, he pulls off a few himself
using a strange form of electricity. The story begins when Jamie is
just an impressionable young boy and continues into his adulthood
when he looks to Jacobs to help him kick a heroin addiction.
The story goes on to reveal
how Jacobs healed numerous other people, mostly in a carnival
setting. As payment for helping him recover from his heroin habit,
Jamie helps his former preacher get new believers to undergo
controversial healing methods. While the treatments are successful,
many of the patients suffer terrible side effects.
Jamie moves on after
repaying his debt to Reverend Jacobs, but is still bothered by the
way some people are affected by this healing method. Jamie decides
to confront Jacobs, only to lured into another healing session with a
girlfriend from his youth. I won't spoil the end other than to say
it does have a dramatic conclusion.
Revival may not have
been my favorite book by Stephen King, but I did like it. As always,
King is King when it comes to spinning a good yarn
http://stephenking.com
I am awarding Revival
three out of five stars on
Goodreads https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4673038.Adele_Park
Friday, March 18, 2016
Thursday, March 17, 2016
Happy St. Patrick's Day from Quirky Polygamist Country!
Celebrate St. Patrick's Day on the radio. Please join me on January Jones Sharing Success Stories for a little Quirky Humor and a lot of Blarney!
http://www.blogtalkradio.com/januaryjones/2016/03/17/january-jones-adele-park-st-patricks-day
Thursday, March 10, 2016
Trees that Feed Films by Monica Fox
Filmaker Monica Fox is helping Americans learn about the nutritional value of breadfruit through a series of new videos https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCtWUUDHE10BLRj-E-iMiRPg
Fox is involved with a program called Trees That Feed Foundation which plants trees to provide food, jobs and a healthy environment in countries like Jamaica, Haiti, Costa Rica, Barbados and Ghana http://www.treesthatfeed.org
Fox produced the films through her company, MagicFox Productions
http://www.monica-fox.com/sitemap/
Fox has worked in the video and film industry for more than 30 years. During that time, she has produced travel films shown on PBX and Discovery Networks, as well as a number of documentaries,
training films and commercials.
To learn how you can hire Monica Fox to work on your next video or film project, connect with her on LinkedIn: http://tinyurl.com/MonicaFox
Wednesday, March 9, 2016
Fiverr
I just found this interesting site called Fiverr https://www.fiverr.com
This is a great place for anyone who is looking for a unique way to gain exposure to their brand for just five bucks. Services range from photo editing to passing out flyers on college campuses. I decided to give it a try and had an artist named Zaza make this "painting" rendition of my headshot.
This is a great place for anyone who is looking for a unique way to gain exposure to their brand for just five bucks. Services range from photo editing to passing out flyers on college campuses. I decided to give it a try and had an artist named Zaza make this "painting" rendition of my headshot.
Tuesday, March 8, 2016
Tuesday, March 1, 2016
Don't Let Anything Dull Your Sparkle -- A Review
They say you shouldn't judge
a book by it's cover. Don't Let Anything Dull Your Sparkle by
Doreen Virtue is an example of why this is true. The cover of this
book is certainly enticing, but the content doesn't “sparkle” as
the title would indicate. Interestingly, the title also has the
word, “dull,” which may be more appropriate
http://www.amazon.com/Dont-Anything-Dull-Your-Sparkle/dp/1401946275/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1456836309&sr=8-1&keywords=don%27t+let+anything+dull+your+sparkle
Don't Let Anything Dull
Your Sparkle goes into great detail about how trauma victims
behave long after the crisis has ended. Residual fear, anger and
depression are often present in people who have undergone abuse.
This may lead to problems with current relationships, and Virtue's
book aims to help resolve some of those issues.
Virtue accurately observes
that people who have experienced trauma often unknowingly seek out
others who have also been damaged. Don't Let Anything Dull Your
Sparkle points out ways to identify toxic relationships and
helpful ways to minimize the impact they have on people's lives. As
a professional psychology counselor with a Ph.D., Virtue seems to
really understand these issues. What escapes her, however, is a way
to make this valuable information interesting to the reader.
Because of Virtue's clinical
credentials, I was surprised to learn she is involved in something
called “Angel Therapy” http://www.angeltherapy.com
While I appreciated some of
the helpful tips contained in this book, there was nothing
groundbreaking here. I'm okay with that, knowing most of these books
have a few central messages. I think the challenge for writers is to
find new and compelling ways to present the information. Thanks to
the “dull” style in which this book was written, I am only
awarding Don't Let Anything Dull Your Sparkle by Doreen
Virtue two stars on my Goodreads Page
https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4673038.Adele_Park
Sunday, February 21, 2016
Video Shoot for Cindy Clemens
There is no greater blessing than the gift of being able to work with people you truly love and admire. That's why I was so excited when Life Coach Cindy Clemens invited me to shoot and edit a video for her website http://cindyclemens.com
The video shoot was held on a beautiful Saturday morning at Red Mountain Spa. A number of women showed up to learn more about Cindy's Recipe for Joy.
The Joy workshop is one of Cindy's newest classes from her Injoy Life program. Split into three sections, the program helps people to Return to Joy, Live from Joy and Launch with Joy. To that end, Cindy had participants at the Saturday workshop craft their own pink Joy boxes in which to store their hopes, dreams and joys!
To help people learn more about the Injoy Program,
Cindy offers a number of complimentary tools:
In addition, Cindy offers a free newsletter loaded with great links to sites that promote joy and wellness along with information about upcoming workshops. Check it out and get these valuable newsletters sent right to your e-mail each week:
The only question now is, "What brings you joy?" if you have trouble identifying the answer or don't know how to reach the state of joy you'd like to experience, try one of Cindy's fun, interesting workshops or online tools.
Thursday, February 18, 2016
My Review of The Survivors Club by Lisa Gardner
They say you get what you
pay for, and in the case of The Survivors Club by Lisa
Gardner, this is certainly true. I picked up this work as an
audiobook from a garage sale. I only paid a couple of bucks for
this, and that was all it was worth to me personally, though many
would disagree.
In all fairness, “slasher
books” really aren't my thing. In doing some research on the
author, Lisa Gardner, I discovered she is a New York Times
Bestselling Author http://www.lisagardner.com
The Survivors Club is
about three women who have lived through violent episodes with the
so-called College Hill rapist. The subject matter was disturbing at
best, but I definitely knew what I was in for in reading the synopsis
on the back of the audiobook. That being said, Gardner did do a
great job in throwing in some unexpected twists and turns. It isn't
until the very end of the book that the listener discovers who the
really rapist is.
Becky Ann Baker is the
narrator of the audiobook version of The Survivors Club.
Baker is certainly a skilled voice actress, although some of the
accents and voices she used in The Survivors Club didn't quite
click with me. Baker does have a number of noteworthy acting
credits, including work on Spider-Man 4 and Nights in
Rodanthe. I
loved Baker in her role as Jean Weir on Freaks
and Geeks so I
know she is a very capable and talented actress
http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0048250/
I realize there is a lot of
passion for these types of crime stories, so I tried to keep that in
mind as I scored this project on Goodreads. I gave it three out of
five stars because the story itself was well written, even though it
seemed a little contrived at times
https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4673038.Adele_Park
Monday, February 8, 2016
Happy Chinese New Year!
If you were lax in beginning
your 2016 New Year's Resolutions, you're getting another chance to
make them happen as the Chinese New Year kicks off today. The
Chinese New Year is characterized by one of 12 animals which appear
in their zodiac. 2016 is the Year of the Monkey.
The Monkey is the ninth
animal in the Chinese zodiac. People born under this sign are
described as being quick-witted, curious and mischievous. The lucky
numbers for those born under the sign of the Monkey are 1, 7, and 8.
The colors associated with this sign are white, gold and blue which
should make for an interesting discussion for those still debating
the colored dress which some see as white and gold and others see as
blue and black.
Famous people born under the
Sign of the Monkey include Selena Gomez, Demi Lovato, Miley Cyrus,
Nick Jonas, Cuba Gooding Junior, Mick Jagger, Halle Berry and Owen
Wilson. While the Sign of the Monkey is considered to be the most
unlucky symbol in the Chinese zodiac, I think these celebrities prove
otherwise!
I was born under the Year of
the Rabbit. This sign is considered to be trustworthy, empathic,
modest, diplomatic, sincere and sociable. Wow! That's a lot to live
up to! The next time we celebrate the Year of the Rabbit is in 2023.
No matter how you chose to
spend the Chinese New Year, I hope it kicks off 12 months of health,
happiness, prosperity and peace. Happy Chinese New Year!
Wednesday, February 3, 2016
A Review of The Science of Getting Rich by Wallace D. Wattles
The Science of Getting Rich
by Wallace D. Wattles is a well known work recommended by many
self-help and motivational writers
http://www.amazon.com/Science-Getting-Wattles-Wallace-Paperback/dp/B00ZY92T3S/ref=sr_1_11?ie=UTF8&qid=1454531618&sr=8-11&keywords=the+science+of+getting+rich
I listened to this in
audiobook format, narrated by Eliza Foss http://www.elizafoss.com
While I enjoyed Foss's
narration on The Mermaid Chair by Sue Monk Kidd, her voice and
style did not work for me in The Science of Getting Rich.
In fact, not much worked for me at all with this project.
As an audiobook writer and
producer, I rarely ever write a bad review, choosing instead to stay
silent on presentations that I don't care for. I'll make an
exception here, with the caveat that I recognize both the writer and
the narrator likely gave this work 100 percent of their effort. My
reasons for writing a less than glowing review are due to the fact
that this work is touted as one of the best and I'm confused as to
why.
In The Science of Getting
Rich, Wattles explains that anyone can obtain great wealth if
they, “act in a certain way.” The problem is, “the certain
way” isn't explained very well, if at all. Wattles also makes a
very valid point about how we may consciously think we're capable of
great things, but subconsciously we may not believe that and thus
sabotage our own best efforts. While this makes sense, the way to
correct the problem isn't laid out in a manner that is easy to
understand or follow.
One of the highlights of
The Science of Getting Rich is
the assertion that there is enough success and money for everyone as
long as the person trying to obtain these things does so from a place
of creation and not competition. All in all, however, I didn't learn
as much from this audiobook as I had hoped, nor did it live up to the
hype that it has received, at least to me. Nonetheless, I will give
The Science of Getting Rich a
second listen in the hopes that I can glean more information. Until
then, I have only awarded two stars to this project on Goodreads
https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4673038.Adele_Park
Tuesday, January 19, 2016
A Review of Jonah Berger's Book, Contagious
Berger's work takes up where
Malcolm Gladwell's The Tipping Point leaves off.
Gladwell's book is an
overview of how ideas and social behavior go viral, while Berger's
work takes an in-depth look at the common characteristics of things
that become contagious. Gladwell's and Berger's books compliment
each other, and provide helpful tips for getting a product or idea
to spread.
Contagious outlines
six principals that prompt people to share content, opinions and
ideas. They can be one or more phenomenon including include social
currency, triggers, emotion, and practical value. I was impressed
with how easily Berger was able to explain his theory.
I listened to Contagious
as an audiobook. I enjoyed the narration by Keith Nobbs who has a
long list of audio credits to his name
http://www.recordedbooks.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=rb.show_narr&narr_id=4533
I awarded Contagious
by Jonah Berger four stars on my Goodreads Page
Tuesday, January 12, 2016
Fiction from Kenneth Weene
A Note from Adele: This story was submitted to my blog by Kenneth Weene, an educator, psychologist, minister and author of several books. I became associated with Kenneth through his work as a co-host on It Matters Radio http://www.blogtalkradio.com/itmattersradio
Kenneth will be soon be releasing another book called "Times to Try the Soul." In the meantime, enjoy this piece of "flash fiction."
The Terrier and the
Bull
By Kenneth Weene
As he had every
Sunday afternoon for fifteen years, Travers Dunworthy searched the
Internet for any references to the Blessed Sacredbody Church or the
town of Sacredbody, Utah. As leader of the community and bishop of
the flock, it was his self-appointed responsibility to make sure no
slur would go unanswered, no slight unmet. Fifteen years and not once
had there been cause for concern—indeed not even a mention of
church or town. Travers had seen to it; the church and the town his
grandfather had founded remained an unremarked speck on the map of
life.
Thundering from the
pulpit, his face flushed red and his spittle flying, the bishop had
made God’s expectations clear. The wages of sin were death, and if
the exorcism of depravity from his flock left him often on the brink
of apoplexy, why then the wages of purity may well be a stroke.
“Blood pressure be hanged,” Travers told his physician, he would
keep his community pure.
For fifteen years he
had bellowed, cajoled, threatened. For fifteen years, his efforts had
borne the fruit of communal piety. And now…
“How
extraordinary,” Travers bellowed—his face crimson, his lips
frothing; “you must see this.”
Becka scurried into
her husband’s study. A small terrier of a woman, she always came at
her husband’s call, always scurrying, always worried that Travers
would be annoyed. How often had he condemned her to hell everlasting?
Fortunately, Travers was a forgiving soul who would lift those oaths
of condemnation and anathema after a few days of tears and pleading.
Still, it was a fearful thing to know that during those days, should
something happen, some accident or foul play, eternity would be spent
in pain and sulfur.
“What, Dear?”
she asked—her voice tremulous.
“This!” He
glowered at her as he pointed at the computer’s monitor. “This!
How do you explain it?”
Becka moved closer,
lifting the reading glasses which hung from her neck, perching them
on her nose, and peering at the offending screen. “The Essence of
the Body in Sacredbody” was the title; Francine Bushwick the
author. “Bad enough,” she knew instantly, but the accompanying
photograph was far worse. There they were, the town’s womenfolk, at
least those under thirty, in—gasp and geez almighty—two-piece
bathing suits.
“Blasphemy,”
Travers shouted. “Where were their fathers, their husbands, their
fiancés?”
At first it had not
registered. It could not be conceived. But there she was, their own
daughter, Rosalie, in the second row, third from the right.
“And where were
you?” Travers demanded; switching—as he so often and easily did
when it came to their daughter—the onus to his wife.
“Who is this
Francine Bushwick?” Becka asked. Better to deflect her husband’s
wrath than to face it.
“Some stranger,” he bellowed. “Some harlot corrupting our
children. But where and how?” A last word rising to a howl of
outrage. “How?!” His eyes bulged.
“You must preach
about this. This very Sunday,” Becka said. “Travers, I’m sure
you will make the town see the error of its ways before these, these
costumes find their way from the computer to the new pool.”
The new pool, just
installed in the middle of the community park, would be opening in
two weeks. How scandalous such attire would be. They would be the
laughingstock of Utah. Unthinkable.
“You are right,
Wife,” Travers said. “A sermon about modesty. And Rosalie will be
there; must be there.”
“Of course,
Travers. I’ll leave you to it.”
Becka tiptoed from
the room quietly closing the door behind her. In the kitchen she
slipped her new computer, a gift from their daughter, from its hiding
place under the cleaning supplies.
“Sunday’s sermon
should be a barnburner. Undoubtedly, we are all going to hell.”
Becka emailed to her women’s group; signing the missive: Francine
B.
Kenneth
Weene is a novelist, essayist, and poet whose
work is permeated by his weird sense of humor and awareness of the
foibles of humankind. Find
his books here.
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