The Ten Steps to Happiness After 40
Posted by admin
Step One: Engage in self-reflection
I know â easier said than done. Most of us go through our lives never really getting to know ourselves. After all, life offers us many distractions. Who has time for self-reflection? The only way to to be happy after 40 is to get to know yourself really well. This includes accepting and loving who you are. This includes accepting and loving the nervous habits that only you know about, those annoying addictions, and that little pot belly or slight jiggle. All your life perhaps, you have been reminded by a parental voice that you are not quite good enough or smart enough. Or maybe itâs a loving spouse who, with all good intentions, is quick to remind you of your faults. It may be just society â and all the pressures to look and act young while buying lots of stuff and having perfect children and lots of money. All this can make self-reflection a scary proposition, but this is the first and most important step towards happiness. Start with this simple question:
What makes me happiest?
Be completely selfish and honest with your answer
Step Two: Spend time on what makes you most happy
Sounds logical, doesnât it? Examine your list. What are some of the things that make you happiest; and make you feel most alive? Perhaps itâs the little things â like reading the paper in the morning? Or reading a good book? Maybe itâs spending time with those you care about? Maybe itâs playing on the computer writing music. The point is this: make sure each day contains at least some of these important elements. This will make you happy.
Donât give up these items to satisfy others and their demands. This will lead to illness and unhappiness.
Step Three: Find someone to take of and who can take care of you
Humans need humans. We also need a few â or even just one â person we can think about all the time: planning activities with or just daydreaming about. Ideally, this will be the same person who spends their day planning for you, dreaming about you, perhaps making your special cup of tea when you come home at night. With someone to care for in a equal relationship, you will be happy. So many relationships end up lopsided, with one person more dependent on the other. Two people who place each otherâs needs in high priority in a loving way enables happiness.
Step Four: Laugh a lot each day
Humor helps to focus the mind on the silly aspects of life. Humor helps break patterns such as negative thinking and addictive habits. Whether itâs watching funny movies, going to see comedy or just joking with people you meet, you will lighten the stress of everyday life. This will help you to be happy.
I used to become so angry about sales calls to the house at dinner time. Now, it becomes my comedy hour. The other day someone called to offer some type of insurance. The offer was that if I agreed to buy the insurance, they would send out a ten dollar gift certificate for gas in 7-10 days. I told them I was out of gas today, and asked if they could overnight the coupon, so that I could have gas the following day. Then I asked them when their dinner break was. They told me, and I said I would call them back during their dinner break as I was having my dinner! The person said they werenât allowed to take calls during dinner!! Amazing, but you get the idea!
Laugh with others, and find comedy in your daily life. This will make you happy.
Step 5: Be physical
There are lots of ways to be more physical. You can run, lift weights, swim, do yoga, walk, make loveâyou get the idea. Motion changes emotion. Stuck in a depression? Get out and move! This will make you happy.
Step 6: Take afternoon naps
A twenty-minute nap lying down will recharge your batteries. Add eight hours of sleep each night, and you will feel rested. When we are rested, our creativity soars, our spirits are lifted, and we look at the bright side of our lives.
Well-rested people are happier!
Step 7: Eat small meals throughout the day
The typical American diet is little to no breakfast, a decent lunch, and a huge dinner. Break this pattern. Start to eat smaller meals throughout the day. I recommend five meals throughout the day, small and healthy meals, of course.
What we eat has a huge influence on our attitude, and ultimately our happiness.
Fight the urge for unheathy foods. Healthy eating habits can help make you happy.
Step 8: Become emotionally strong
When we let others and their feelings and perceptions of us worry us all day, this drains our energy and spirit. When we live our lives for the approval of others, we are no better off than the puppet on the string at the local childrenâs puppet show. Become internally motivated, and you will become emotionally stronger. Use quiet time to think deeply about one subject at a time until you reach a conclusion and resolution. In the end, tell yourself you did the best you could at the time. This will make you emotionally strong, and you will be happier.
Step 9: Treat your money with respect
Your money has no loyality to any person or cause. It goes where you decide to place it.
Even though there is really great software these days to track your money, start with a pencil and a piece of paper. Examine what comes in each month, and what goes out. Thatâs it.
Make sure you are spending money on things that are important to you and that add value in your life. Certain bills may add value in your life, such as the electric bill, but the multiple credit card bills do not add value, especially if, like most of us, you still have the bills coming long after you have forgotten what you bought. Pay these off. There is no secret here. You either have to reduce expenses or increase income. Both can make you happy. In my experience, reducing the expense side will make you happier!
Step 10: Do the work you love
Of course I saved the best for last. When we spend our days doing work that aligns our interests and our abilities â and feels just right â we are happier. Start by examining your work: this can help you progress through the other nine steps. Most of us figure out what work might make us happy, but then we quickly convince ourselves that our dreams are not possible.
Think about it, if you donât believe that your dreams are possible, who else will?
START!
Each day, focus on one of these steps and within a few weeks you will learn how to use all ten steps together. Like a well-tuned orchestra, you will start to play the music that makes you happiest.
After 40, isnât it about time for you?
Iâll be cheering you on as you go- Craig Nathanson
Craig Nathanson is the author of P Is For Perfect: Your Perfect Vocational Day and a coaching expert who works with people over forty.
Visit Craigâs online community at http://www.thevocationalcoach.com where you can take a class, get more ideas through Craig Nathansonâs books and CDâs, get some private coaching over the phone or in Craigâs office, or read other stories of mid-life change and renewal.
Craig lives and works in Petaluma, California. His office is located at 921 Transport Way, Suite 3, Petaluma Ca, 94954. You can reach him at 707-775-4020 or at craig@thevocationalcoach.com.
Craig Nathanson
http://www.articlesbase.com/coaching-articles/the-ten-steps-to-happiness-after-40-724754.html
Life Lessons From Rudolph: Six Ways Lovable Misfits Can Leverage Their Own “red Nose” for a More Fulfilling 2009
Posted by admin
By Robin Fisher Roffer
We all know the story. Weâve watched the classic movie over and over and had the cheery song stuck in our heads for days. (Youâre hearing it now, arenât you?) Weâve cheered on the plucky red-nosed reindeer and his companion Hermey, the determined elf with dental school dreams. Even as adults, weâve delighted in the snowy North Pole scenes, shuddered at the Abominable Snowman, and rejoiced at our unlikely heroâs happy ending. But few of us have really pondered the meaning behind this little fable: that a fulfilling life means being yourselfâ(symbolic) glowing red nose and all.
Thereâs never been a better time to march to the beat of that proverbial âdifferent drummerâ who makes you you. And if you take a lesson from the most famous reindeer of all, you can make 2009 the year you turn your unique qualities to your advantage.
While Rudolph, the Red-Nosed Reindeer was made in 1964, its themeâthat embracing your uniqueness pays offâis even truer today. In a global world where businesses (and employees) face a literal world of competition, where people meet their spouses via Internet dating services, and where everyone from hot celebrities to your Uncle Fred have MySpace accounts, fearlessly being yourself is the only way to distinguish yourself from the teeming masses.
Hereâs how Rudolph and his pals channeled their own âfearless fishâ to save the day on that foggy Christmas Eveâand how you, allegorically at least, can do the same in 2009.
Let your nose shine bright. Once it became apparent that Rudolph wasnât like the rest of his peers, his well-meaning father devised a way to help him âfit in.â The mud-covered nose didnât last for long, and when his true self shone through, the other reindeer immediately excluded him from the reindeer games. On the other hand, the pretty little doe Clarice told him his red nose was âmuch better than that false one you were wearing.â The point? Playing an âacceptableâ role never worksâat least not for long.
When you arenât authentic, it shows. Instead of fitting in, you come across as dishonest and untrustworthy. Donât downplay your ethnic background, or try to hide the fact that youâre gay, or maybe a country music fan in an office full of hip-hop listeners. Give the world a fearless representation of who you are and let the chips fall where they may. Chances are theyâll fall in your favor.
Donât just longingly read your dentist book. Grab your (metaphorical) drill and get to work. Hermey is an elf. At the North Pole. Of course he should make toys, right? Wrong! Hermey wanted to be a dentist instead, and in the end, he found the initiative to pursue his dream. Taking the first step toward big life changes, especially those that go against the grain can seem overwhelming. But as fearless fish we see the need for those changes and we take a flying leap instead.
We all have dreams that we have been too scared to fulfill in our lives. Perhaps itâs a new career path, or finally going back to school. Or maybe you are living in a city that just doesnât work for you. Make this the year that you finally change those things. You will be amazed at how many other things begin to fall into place in your life once you allow yourself to pursue the things that really make you happy.
Seek out your own Hermey and make friends. On the surface it may seem like a red-nosed reindeer and an elf who wants to be a dentist may not have all that much in common. However, it was Rudolphâs misfit mantra and Hermeyâs outcast status that bound them together and helped them become an unstoppable force. Likewise if youâre a âfish out of water,â you should align yourself with others who are different or special in their own ways.
Itâs important to find others that you can count on as allies and friends in your quest for success. No, you donât need to hold out for a coworker pal who is also an immigrant from Chinaâthatâs probably unrealistic. But you might join forces with, say, another maverick who is trying to lead the charge for dynamic change within the company.
Find a boss like Santa. No one is suggesting that you find a job in a toy shop, or seek out a jolly leader in a red suit. Rather, seek out leaders or influential colleagues with the insight to recognize what you bring to the table. Santa used Rudolphâs difference to make him a great leader for his team. This is the type of person to look for in your organization who can help take you to the top.
Look for individuals who are creative and open-minded and put yourself in their path. These are the people who will champion your ideas and talents when the time is right. Rudolph was given the chance to save Christmas because he had a leader who could appreciate his unique talent. If you have been laid off, use this opportunity to make your next job one with the right kind of leadership. Your moment could be right around the cornerâit just takes having the right people to help get you there.
Help the misfit toys in your own life. Rudolph and Hermey use their alliance with one another to overcome the odds and achieve their own happy endings. It would be easy to assume that the story stops there, right? Not for fearless fish. Just like Rudolph uses his influence with Santa to help the misfit toys find happy homes, you must advocate for others who need a helping hand.
Once you have begun to find your own way, use the leverage you have achieved to help others on their journey. After all, you were one of them at some point and itâs important to maintain the mentoring cycle. Itâs not just a nice thing to do for someone else; itâs a catalyst for continued growth and positive energy for yourself, too.
Make sure youâll go down in history. It may seem obvious, but the things that make you unique are of any good to you only if you use them. Itâs easy to see the things that make you different as what keeps you outside the group at large. In reality, they are your own secret weapons. If Rudolph hadnât used his nose to guide the sleigh through the fog, he would still just be an outsider to the reindeer community. Instead, he winds up the hero.
Being a fearless fish out of water means believing that you are not just taking up space but that your contributions are valuable. Cultivating this kind of confidence from deep inside of you will spur you forward more than anything else in life. So donât apologize for who you are and what makes you different. Be bold, be creative, and put yourself out there. People who are different are often the ones who can make the biggest difference.
Of course, âbe yourselfâ hardly seems like the kind of cutting-edge advice to build a life-changing New Yearâs Resolution around. After all, everyoneâs mother has said it a hundred times. But if youâre honest, youâll admit that those two tiny words are tough to put into action. And thatâs precisely why theyâre so powerful.
So many people are terrified to be themselves. So when you decide to cut that inner rebel loose, well, people notice. They pay attention. And if youâve always been the âhide your light under a bushelâ type, attracting attention may be the best thing that ever happened to you. Be who you are, and just like our favorite holiday hero, you will be happy too. And thatâs the only ending to your story that matters.
# # #
About the Author:
Robin Fisher Roffer (Los Angeles and New York) is CEO of Big Fish Marketing, one of the entertainment industryâs preeminent brand marketing and digital advertising agencies. She has provided the rocket fuel that has ignited the launch pad of dozens of brands all over the world, developing brand-building marketing plans and promotional campaigns for top media companies like Sony, Time-Warner, and Twentieth Century Fox.
Roffer has written strategic plans and executed marketing tactics for a prestigious client list that includes ABC, A&E, AMC, Bloomberg, Bravo, CNN, Comedy Central, Discovery Channel, Disney Channel, History, Lifetime, MTV, Oxygen, and Turner Networks. Today, her client roster includes over 25 television networks, a global cosmetics company, and several insurance and investment firms.
A dynamic and engaging speaker, Roffer has given keynote presentations to some of the nationâs biggest companies and organizations, including AOL, Mattel, Verizon, Wharton School of Business, and many more. In addition to her work with Big Fish Marketing, she serves as a strategic branding consultant for a variety of corporations.
Drawing on her experience in creating some of the worldâs leading entertainment
brands, Roffer penned her first book, MAKE A NAME FOR YOURSELF: Eight
Steps Every Woman Needs to Create a Personal Brand Strategy for Success.
Her latest book, THE FEARLESS FISH OUT OF WATER: How to Succeed
When Youâre the Only One Like You, will be in stores in February 2009. It shows professionals how to stay connected and relevant at work while maintaining a unique identity, how to fit in without blending in, and how to transform exclusion into high impact.
Rofferâs core belief is that entertainment should be leveraged for a greater good. She has received accolades for developing community outreach programs like Lifetimeâs âWomen Rock,â a concert event designed to raise awareness for breast cancer issues; CNNâs âYour Choice Your Voiceâ high school-based election promotion; FSNâs âReading All-Starsâ literacy campaign; The History Channelâs âSave Our Historyâ initiative, which raised money and awareness for the World War II Memorial; and Comedy Centralâs âComedy RX,â a hospital-based program promoting the healing powers of laughter.
About the Book:
The Fearless Fish Out of Water: How to Succeed When Youâre the Only One Like You (Wiley, 2009, ISBN: 978-0-470-31668-9, $24.95) will be available at bookstores nationwide, major online booksellers, or direct from the publisher by calling 800-225-5945. In Canada, call 800-567-4797.
For more information, please visit www.bigfishmarketing.com.
C. Hand
http://www.articlesbase.com/business-articles/life-lessons-from-rudolph-six-ways-lovable-misfits-can-leverage-their-own-red-nose-for-a-more-fulfilling-2009-692929.html
The Ten Steps to Happiness After 40
Posted by admin
Step One: Engage in self-reflection
I know â easier said than done. Most of us go through our lives never really getting to know ourselves. After all, life offers us many distractions. Who has time for self-reflection? The only way to to be happy after 40 is to get to know yourself really well. This includes accepting and loving who you are. This includes accepting and loving the nervous habits that only you know about, those annoying addictions, and that little pot belly or slight jiggle. All your life perhaps, you have been reminded by a parental voice that you are not quite good enough or smart enough. Or maybe itâs a loving spouse who, with all good intentions, is quick to remind you of your faults. It may be just society â and all the pressures to look and act young while buying lots of stuff and having perfect children and lots of money. All this can make self-reflection a scary proposition, but this is the first and most important step towards happiness. Start with this simple question:
What makes me happiest?
Be completely selfish and honest with your answer
Step Two: Spend time on what makes you most happy
Sounds logical, doesnât it? Examine your list. What are some of the things that make you happiest; and make you feel most alive? Perhaps itâs the little things â like reading the paper in the morning? Or reading a good book? Maybe itâs spending time with those you care about? Maybe itâs playing on the computer writing music. The point is this: make sure each day contains at least some of these important elements. This will make you happy.
Donât give up these items to satisfy others and their demands. This will lead to illness and unhappiness.
Step Three: Find someone to take of and who can take care of you
Humans need humans. We also need a few â or even just one â person we can think about all the time: planning activities with or just daydreaming about. Ideally, this will be the same person who spends their day planning for you, dreaming about you, perhaps making your special cup of tea when you come home at night. With someone to care for in a equal relationship, you will be happy. So many relationships end up lopsided, with one person more dependent on the other. Two people who place each otherâs needs in high priority in a loving way enables happiness.
Step Four: Laugh a lot each day
Humor helps to focus the mind on the silly aspects of life. Humor helps break patterns such as negative thinking and addictive habits. Whether itâs watching funny movies, going to see comedy or just joking with people you meet, you will lighten the stress of everyday life. This will help you to be happy.
I used to become so angry about sales calls to the house at dinner time. Now, it becomes my comedy hour. The other day someone called to offer some type of insurance. The offer was that if I agreed to buy the insurance, they would send out a ten dollar gift certificate for gas in 7-10 days. I told them I was out of gas today, and asked if they could overnight the coupon, so that I could have gas the following day. Then I asked them when their dinner break was. They told me, and I said I would call them back during their dinner break as I was having my dinner! The person said they werenât allowed to take calls during dinner!! Amazing, but you get the idea!
Laugh with others, and find comedy in your daily life. This will make you happy.
Step 5: Be physical
There are lots of ways to be more physical. You can run, lift weights, swim, do yoga, walk, make loveâyou get the idea. Motion changes emotion. Stuck in a depression? Get out and move! This will make you happy.
Step 6: Take afternoon naps
A twenty-minute nap lying down will recharge your batteries. Add eight hours of sleep each night, and you will feel rested. When we are rested, our creativity soars, our spirits are lifted, and we look at the bright side of our lives.
Well-rested people are happier!
Step 7: Eat small meals throughout the day
The typical American diet is little to no breakfast, a decent lunch, and a huge dinner. Break this pattern. Start to eat smaller meals throughout the day. I recommend five meals throughout the day, small and healthy meals, of course.
What we eat has a huge influence on our attitude, and ultimately our happiness.
Fight the urge for unheathy foods. Healthy eating habits can help make you happy.
Step 8: Become emotionally strong
When we let others and their feelings and perceptions of us worry us all day, this drains our energy and spirit. When we live our lives for the approval of others, we are no better off than the puppet on the string at the local childrenâs puppet show. Become internally motivated, and you will become emotionally stronger. Use quiet time to think deeply about one subject at a time until you reach a conclusion and resolution. In the end, tell yourself you did the best you could at the time. This will make you emotionally strong, and you will be happier.
Step 9: Treat your money with respect
Your money has no loyality to any person or cause. It goes where you decide to place it.
Even though there is really great software these days to track your money, start with a pencil and a piece of paper. Examine what comes in each month, and what goes out. Thatâs it.
Make sure you are spending money on things that are important to you and that add value in your life. Certain bills may add value in your life, such as the electric bill, but the multiple credit card bills do not add value, especially if, like most of us, you still have the bills coming long after you have forgotten what you bought. Pay these off. There is no secret here. You either have to reduce expenses or increase income. Both can make you happy. In my experience, reducing the expense side will make you happier!
Step 10: Do the work you love
Of course I saved the best for last. When we spend our days doing work that aligns our interests and our abilities â and feels just right â we are happier. Start by examining your work: this can help you progress through the other nine steps. Most of us figure out what work might make us happy, but then we quickly convince ourselves that our dreams are not possible.
Think about it, if you donât believe that your dreams are possible, who else will?
START!
Each day, focus on one of these steps and within a few weeks you will learn how to use all ten steps together. Like a well-tuned orchestra, you will start to play the music that makes you happiest.
After 40, isnât it about time for you?
Iâll be cheering you on as you go- Craig Nathanson
Craig Nathanson is the author of P Is For Perfect: Your Perfect Vocational Day and a coaching expert who works with people over forty.
Visit Craigâs online community at http://www.thevocationalcoach.com where you can take a class, get more ideas through Craig Nathansonâs books and CDâs, get some private coaching over the phone or in Craigâs office, or read other stories of mid-life change and renewal.
Craig lives and works in Petaluma, California. His office is located at 921 Transport Way, Suite 3, Petaluma Ca, 94954. You can reach him at 707-775-4020 or at craig@thevocationalcoach.com.
Craig Nathanson
http://www.articlesbase.com/coaching-articles/the-ten-steps-to-happiness-after-40-724754.html
The Ten Steps to Happiness After 40
Posted by admin
Step One: Engage in self-reflection
I know â easier said than done. Most of us go through our lives never really getting to know ourselves. After all, life offers us many distractions. Who has time for self-reflection? The only way to to be happy after 40 is to get to know yourself really well. This includes accepting and loving who you are. This includes accepting and loving the nervous habits that only you know about, those annoying addictions, and that little pot belly or slight jiggle. All your life perhaps, you have been reminded by a parental voice that you are not quite good enough or smart enough. Or maybe itâs a loving spouse who, with all good intentions, is quick to remind you of your faults. It may be just society â and all the pressures to look and act young while buying lots of stuff and having perfect children and lots of money. All this can make self-reflection a scary proposition, but this is the first and most important step towards happiness. Start with this simple question:
What makes me happiest?
Be completely selfish and honest with your answer
Step Two: Spend time on what makes you most happy
Sounds logical, doesnât it? Examine your list. What are some of the things that make you happiest; and make you feel most alive? Perhaps itâs the little things â like reading the paper in the morning? Or reading a good book? Maybe itâs spending time with those you care about? Maybe itâs playing on the computer writing music. The point is this: make sure each day contains at least some of these important elements. This will make you happy.
Donât give up these items to satisfy others and their demands. This will lead to illness and unhappiness.
Step Three: Find someone to take of and who can take care of you
Humans need humans. We also need a few â or even just one â person we can think about all the time: planning activities with or just daydreaming about. Ideally, this will be the same person who spends their day planning for you, dreaming about you, perhaps making your special cup of tea when you come home at night. With someone to care for in a equal relationship, you will be happy. So many relationships end up lopsided, with one person more dependent on the other. Two people who place each otherâs needs in high priority in a loving way enables happiness.
Step Four: Laugh a lot each day
Humor helps to focus the mind on the silly aspects of life. Humor helps break patterns such as negative thinking and addictive habits. Whether itâs watching funny movies, going to see comedy or just joking with people you meet, you will lighten the stress of everyday life. This will help you to be happy.
I used to become so angry about sales calls to the house at dinner time. Now, it becomes my comedy hour. The other day someone called to offer some type of insurance. The offer was that if I agreed to buy the insurance, they would send out a ten dollar gift certificate for gas in 7-10 days. I told them I was out of gas today, and asked if they could overnight the coupon, so that I could have gas the following day. Then I asked them when their dinner break was. They told me, and I said I would call them back during their dinner break as I was having my dinner! The person said they werenât allowed to take calls during dinner!! Amazing, but you get the idea!
Laugh with others, and find comedy in your daily life. This will make you happy.
Step 5: Be physical
There are lots of ways to be more physical. You can run, lift weights, swim, do yoga, walk, make loveâyou get the idea. Motion changes emotion. Stuck in a depression? Get out and move! This will make you happy.
Step 6: Take afternoon naps
A twenty-minute nap lying down will recharge your batteries. Add eight hours of sleep each night, and you will feel rested. When we are rested, our creativity soars, our spirits are lifted, and we look at the bright side of our lives.
Well-rested people are happier!
Step 7: Eat small meals throughout the day
The typical American diet is little to no breakfast, a decent lunch, and a huge dinner. Break this pattern. Start to eat smaller meals throughout the day. I recommend five meals throughout the day, small and healthy meals, of course.
What we eat has a huge influence on our attitude, and ultimately our happiness.
Fight the urge for unheathy foods. Healthy eating habits can help make you happy.
Step 8: Become emotionally strong
When we let others and their feelings and perceptions of us worry us all day, this drains our energy and spirit. When we live our lives for the approval of others, we are no better off than the puppet on the string at the local childrenâs puppet show. Become internally motivated, and you will become emotionally stronger. Use quiet time to think deeply about one subject at a time until you reach a conclusion and resolution. In the end, tell yourself you did the best you could at the time. This will make you emotionally strong, and you will be happier.
Step 9: Treat your money with respect
Your money has no loyality to any person or cause. It goes where you decide to place it.
Even though there is really great software these days to track your money, start with a pencil and a piece of paper. Examine what comes in each month, and what goes out. Thatâs it.
Make sure you are spending money on things that are important to you and that add value in your life. Certain bills may add value in your life, such as the electric bill, but the multiple credit card bills do not add value, especially if, like most of us, you still have the bills coming long after you have forgotten what you bought. Pay these off. There is no secret here. You either have to reduce expenses or increase income. Both can make you happy. In my experience, reducing the expense side will make you happier!
Step 10: Do the work you love
Of course I saved the best for last. When we spend our days doing work that aligns our interests and our abilities â and feels just right â we are happier. Start by examining your work: this can help you progress through the other nine steps. Most of us figure out what work might make us happy, but then we quickly convince ourselves that our dreams are not possible.
Think about it, if you donât believe that your dreams are possible, who else will?
START!
Each day, focus on one of these steps and within a few weeks you will learn how to use all ten steps together. Like a well-tuned orchestra, you will start to play the music that makes you happiest.
After 40, isnât it about time for you?
Iâll be cheering you on as you go- Craig Nathanson
Craig Nathanson is the author of P Is For Perfect: Your Perfect Vocational Day and a coaching expert who works with people over forty.
Visit Craigâs online community at http://www.thevocationalcoach.com where you can take a class, get more ideas through Craig Nathansonâs books and CDâs, get some private coaching over the phone or in Craigâs office, or read other stories of mid-life change and renewal.
Craig lives and works in Petaluma, California. His office is located at 921 Transport Way, Suite 3, Petaluma Ca, 94954. You can reach him at 707-775-4020 or at craig@thevocationalcoach.com.
Craig Nathanson
http://www.articlesbase.com/coaching-articles/the-ten-steps-to-happiness-after-40-724754.html
M*a*s*h - We Salute You!
Posted by admin
M*A*S*H…the ’70’s comedy (and sometimes drama), was the greatest sitcom, that for 5 years, nobody watched. Yes there were core fans who religiously tuned in every week but the masses generally ignored the series due to its war theme and sometimes serious subject matter. The series was created in 1972 by M*A*S*H author H. Richard Hornberger (Hornberger used the pseudonym Richard Hooker as an author) after the success the 1968 movie by the same name. Even though ratings were small, CBS could not deny the fact that this series had quality in its storylines and actors alike. Today, a show like M*A*S*H would never make it through the first year. Back in the day, television networks allowed a series to mature and find its audience (It’s a good thing CBS gave M*A*S*H 11 years to flourish!)
When M*A*S*H was going through its growing pains (1972-1977) and producing its best years of creativity, I was too young to watch or appreciate the series. Fortunately, after the shows finally in 1983, there was huge demand for the show (Aging well,like fine wine) that you could see the show 3, 4 even 5 times a day on various channels (In the ’80’s, new cable channels were popping up everywhere). As a result, due to this exposure, I became a M*A*S*H addict. I fell in love with the characters, the stories, the quality in which it was filmed (M*A*S*H was preserved on movie quality film). The creators of M*A*S*H were the first to expose viewers to the horrors and light side of war, not particularily in that order. The scenes in the operating room were not privy to a laugh track (producers were aware of the respect, dignity and sanctity necessary for those injured in previous wars). There were jokes written in the diologue during those scenes and give credit to the writers for allowing the audience to feel a mix of emotions during these scenes…from sadness for the injured… to the surgeons and nurses finding humour in light of horrific conditions..only to keep themselves from going insane. These scenes in the O.R., in my opinion, turned M*A*S*H from just a sitcom to a series with social significance, allowing generations of people to think about war…and what price do we all pay for this.
The humour of M*A*S*H, combined with top rate actors and writing, kept audiences captivated for 11 years. It’s the comedy and unpredictability of M*A*S*H that gave this series longevity. People under the age of 30 probably do not realize the incredible avalanche of popularity M*A*S*H had inherited the last few years of its run. M*A*S*H still holds, and most likel always will, the all time record for audience viewership (106 miliion) for its final episode “Goodbye, Farewell and Amen”. I feel a certain contentment in knowing that my favourite show ever holds the record that probably will never be eclipsed.
Thank-you Alan Alda: One of the most under-rated actors of our time…Paper Lion, Same Time Next Year are two of my favourite movies from my childhood…Thank-you for not giving up on M*A*S*H at a time when you did not see a clear future for the show. You ARE M*A*S*H and the reason for its existence.
Thank-you McLean Stevenson: The first 3 seasons that you were Lt. Col. Henry Blake were the funniest of times..and the saddest, with the untimely death of your character, controversial by some, but poignant in terms of allowing the characters death to be written in the script and announced by Radar in the operating room. Heavy television at a time when subject matter with such personal tragedy was never discussed in comedies.
Thank-you Gary Burghoff: The most loveable character in the history of television, Radar O’Reilly. You were in the movie in 1968 as Radar and no one could duplicate the wonderful innocence and freshness that was so needed in an Army camp surrounded by “all knowing” war time burn outs. Radar was also a pioneer. He allowed us to witness televisions first “nude”scene. In season 2, while escaping enemy fire, O’Reilly can be seen running for cover (sporting a towel around his waist), protected only by the showers/latrine. As he opens the door to enter, his towel, wrapped around his waist, drops…showing a bare behind for a split second. He eventually falls into the safe arms of Henry Blake..in a scene that will forever make me laugh in hysterics!
Thank-you Larry Linville: Major Frank Burns was a character played so far opposite to Hawkeye Pierce in sympathy and compassion. Ultimately, these flaws, brought on by fear and insecurity, drew the audience closer to Burns, thus making us feel compassionate towards his character. One of the great character performances of our time.
Thank-you Jamie Farr: The section 8 persuing Corporal Klinger was unique for television but not for the Army. It is not a mystery that several of the enlisted personnel were so desperate to return home that “bidding for a section 8″ (psychiatric discharge) was not uncommon. What made Klinger’s attempts unique was his affection for women’s clothing. Takes a lot of guts to dress in something cross gendre. Klinger seemed to be comfortable in this attire…and after a while, the audience didn’t notice, really, or didn’t mind. When Klinger was NOT wearing women’s clothing, we saw this as weird! Brilliant!
Thank-you M*A*S*H…Thank-you Hawkeye, Trapper, Henry Blake, Radar O’Reilly, Frank Burns, Hot Lips, Father Mulcahy, Klinger, B.J., Colonel Potter, Charles Emaerson Winchester the 3rd…even Nurse Kellye Nakahara, Igor Staminsky, Sergeant Rizzo, Dr.Sidney Freedman, Col. Flagg and camp P.A. announcers(Attention…attention camp…),Todd Susman and Sal Viscuso.
Last but certainly not least, I could not finish this article without mentioning the composer and lyricist of the classic theme to M*A*S*H, Suicide Is Painless…Johnny Mandel (music) and the lyrics (Robert Altman). This music is synonymous with M*A*S*H and its 11 year run. For those who remember, the music starts with the sight of Radar (ever present and aware, the eyes and ears of the camp)overlooking the camp as helicopters approach the landing pad, while Doctors and Nurses rush to aide the injured. If you are old enough to appreciate pioneering television and have watched M*A*S*H, you know how powerful this opening of the show is.
M*A*S*H…what acting, what writing, what stories, what comedy, what drama…what memories. The best show, comedy or drama, that has ever been produced…period.
Goodbye, Farewell and Amen.
Robert Ronne
http://www.articlesbase.com/television-articles/mash-we-salute-you-672571.html
New Comedy and Satire Book Really Sticks it to the Washington Post!
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The Washington Toast
Articles the Washington Post Wouldnât Print
Washington DC - December 11, 2007
New Comedy and Satire Book Really Sticks it to The Washington Post!
The Washington Toast is the funniest thing to come out of Washington Since Congress.
The Washington Toast, a humor and political satire book, makes its official debut today on December 11, 2007. If you haven’t been clued in to what the Toast does, it is a dead-on, straight faced parody of American newspapers. It is beautifully crude and sophomoric in a manner Mad magazine no longer aspires to, and for readers looking for some deathly funny satire in this politically-correct, can’t-we-all-just-get-along, sissified age, it is a lighthouse in a stormy sea.
For those of us who have long desired a good dose of wry and winsome humor The Washington Toast, is a treasure trove of biting satire and clever use of modern language. Somehow the writers manage to tickle our funny bones as they educate and entertain us with their insight and insider’s understanding of the madness we know as politics. In this provocative web site, the writers most often approach the subject at hand via parody. They are almost monotonously brilliant, nearly uniformly informative, and best of all, universally irreverent. This is one web site which might force you to bring your lap top to the rest room folks, for it will have you enjoying life’s most personal moments with tears of laughter as the unavoidable net result.
The editors and writers at the Washington Toast, will routinely attack the most sacred shibboleths and taboos of society, ranging from oil derricks erected on the White House lawn to a sagging Washington monument. From sexism to congressional hearings on defective home surgery kits, and from politics to the dangers of traveling to Atlantic City on a steeply discounted tourist bus. To be sure, the humor that results is by its very nature often tasteless and even a little but crude, so if you have a delicate stomach or a fragile disposition this collection of satiric pieces may not be something you would enjoy. But those of us with a taste for such bawdy fare will read the pieces again and again, until our eyeâs bleed and our lap tops begin to smoke. All in all, itâs nice to have all this stuff online and available for instant replay. Enjoy!
The Washington Toast is available at www.washingtontoast.com
Joey Thomas, the editor and founder of the Washington Toast, works as a television news producer in the Washington DC market. The contributing writers, some of whom wish to remain anonymous, work as writers for various news rags and in public relations in Washington DC.
Contact - Joey Thomas
202-256-7861
dctoast@aol.com
Joey Thomas
http://www.articlesbase.com/politics-articles/new-comedy-and-satire-book-really-sticks-it-to-the-washington-post-280711.html
New Comedy and Satire Book Really Sticks it to the Washington Post!
Posted by admin
The Washington Toast
Articles the Washington Post Wouldnât Print
Washington DC - December 11, 2007
New Comedy and Satire Book Really Sticks it to The Washington Post!
The Washington Toast is the funniest thing to come out of Washington Since Congress.
The Washington Toast, a humor and political satire book, makes its official debut today on December 11, 2007. If you haven’t been clued in to what the Toast does, it is a dead-on, straight faced parody of American newspapers. It is beautifully crude and sophomoric in a manner Mad magazine no longer aspires to, and for readers looking for some deathly funny satire in this politically-correct, can’t-we-all-just-get-along, sissified age, it is a lighthouse in a stormy sea.
For those of us who have long desired a good dose of wry and winsome humor The Washington Toast, is a treasure trove of biting satire and clever use of modern language. Somehow the writers manage to tickle our funny bones as they educate and entertain us with their insight and insider’s understanding of the madness we know as politics. In this provocative web site, the writers most often approach the subject at hand via parody. They are almost monotonously brilliant, nearly uniformly informative, and best of all, universally irreverent. This is one web site which might force you to bring your lap top to the rest room folks, for it will have you enjoying life’s most personal moments with tears of laughter as the unavoidable net result.
The editors and writers at the Washington Toast, will routinely attack the most sacred shibboleths and taboos of society, ranging from oil derricks erected on the White House lawn to a sagging Washington monument. From sexism to congressional hearings on defective home surgery kits, and from politics to the dangers of traveling to Atlantic City on a steeply discounted tourist bus. To be sure, the humor that results is by its very nature often tasteless and even a little but crude, so if you have a delicate stomach or a fragile disposition this collection of satiric pieces may not be something you would enjoy. But those of us with a taste for such bawdy fare will read the pieces again and again, until our eyeâs bleed and our lap tops begin to smoke. All in all, itâs nice to have all this stuff online and available for instant replay. Enjoy!
The Washington Toast is available at www.washingtontoast.com
Joey Thomas, the editor and founder of the Washington Toast, works as a television news producer in the Washington DC market. The contributing writers, some of whom wish to remain anonymous, work as writers for various news rags and in public relations in Washington DC.
Contact - Joey Thomas
202-256-7861
dctoast@aol.com
Joey Thomas
http://www.articlesbase.com/politics-articles/new-comedy-and-satire-book-really-sticks-it-to-the-washington-post-280711.html
TV for Pc – Satellite TV for Pc – Pc Tv, Watch Reality Television, Action/adventure, Comedy,news, Cnn, Nbc, Hbo, Abc, Mtv, Discovery Channel
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TV FOR PC:
TV for PC simply refers to a program that enables you to watch television on your computer. It is also referred to as Satellite TV for PC because this program gives you access to watch up to 12000+ TV channels on your desktop PC or laptop via the internet.
TV Shows:
At a one time registration fee of 44.95$ Only, you will download a simple software and TV viewers which will enable you access the satellite TV for PC site and watch over 12000+ free TV channels, videos and TV shows from all over the world, there are no monthly charges and no purchasing anything once you are registered. Click here for more detailsâ¦
Some of the TV Channels you will access are:
CNN, CBS, ABC, NBC, FOX, PBS, UPN, PAX, Comedy Central, Discovery Channel, ESPA, BBC, MTV, CARTOON NETWORK, HBO, CW, Movie Stations, Animation TV, Al jazeera, Animal planet, TBN â¦.and thousands of other live TV channels from all over the world.
Some of the TV Categories available are:
News & Weather, Business, Finance, Cartoon TV, Classic Films, Full movies, WebTV, reality tv, Live shows, Soccer, Live Sports!, Cultural TV , Talk Shows, TV Trivia, Sci Fi TV, free old television shows, children shows, Action/Adventure, Animation, Children, Comedy, Drama, Science-Fiction, Soap, Talk Shows, Popular Shows, TV Listings â¦â¦ and much, much more.
Never miss your favorite shows again, because when you watch Satellite TV for PC
You will get everything form Live TV, and VOD (video on demand), direct to your computer or laptop.
Advantages of Satellite PC TV:
- This PC TV program is perfect for you when traveling or on vacation
- When you do not have access to cable or satellite TV in your area.
- When you want to see some great TV programming your current TV provider doesnât offer.
- You watch TV channels from all over the word in many different languages.
- Its an alternative to your cable or satellite TV service.
- You save money from the high cost of cable and satellite TV service.
- This service is perfect for those who would like to convert from ANALOG to DIGITAL TV.
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Free Members Bonuses:
- Unlimited movie downloads
- DVD/CD burning software
- Video/DVD to ipod converter
- Web look TV
- Free internet security software
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COMPUTER/ PC REQUIREMENTS:
At least 64M system memory — 128M system memory is recommended.
At least 10M hard disk space.
OPERATING SYSTEM:
Windows XP (Professional or Home edition), Windows 2000, Windows ME, Windows95, Windows98, or Vista Home or Professional Platforms. MAC users will need to have a current OS X version with .exe download abilities.
INTERNET CONNECTION:
Use Satellite TV for PC on a broadband cable/DSL connection with 128K minimum speed for optimum performance. However, this will work on a 56k dial up as well. You will just need to wait longer for the TV channels to buffer (download).
You can use satellite TV for PC on as many as six computers with one membership, provide everyone in your household with this service, or install at your work or business. You will be allowed to download and view on up to six computers or laptops with one membership.
NOTE: IN FEBRUARY 2009 YOU WILL NEED TO SWITCH FROM ANALOG TO DIGITAL TVâ¦.
You will have three primary choices:
1. Contact your local cable company to purchase a converter box and service.
2. Purchase a satellite TV service.
3. Purchase an Internet TV service such as Satellite TV for PC at a ONE-TIME price and get more channels than the others. Depending on your computer set up it is possible to transfer the TV signal from your computer to your TV set.
Satellite TV for PC will be uninterrupted by the transfer. As a matter of fact Satellite TV for PC is expecting more TV stations once the transfer takes place in February 2009. No need to wait. Click here to purchase Satellite TV for PC.
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Tv For Pc
http://www.articlesbase.com/television-articles/tv-for-pc-satellite-tv-for-pc-pc-tv-watch-reality-television-actionadventure-comedynews-cnn-nbc-hbo-abc-mtv-discovery-channel-694914.html
Bride Wars: Comedy Down the Aisle
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“If I were your wedding, I would be sleeping with one eye open. . .” - Liv
     Anne Hathaway and Kate Hudson team up as two best friends in the funny and romantic comedy Bride Wars as powerhouses Emma (Hathaway) and Liv (Hudson) living in New York city, close with one another after years of friendship strengthened by their love of two things: the extravagant Plaza Hotel, and, of course, their weddings.
    Liv and Emma seem like typical best friends; they’ve planned their weddings since they were children, and have always loved the idea of getting married at the Plaza Hotel, a desired location for elegant and modern marriages. The two twenty-six-year-old women do almost everything together, and as they see many of their friends begin to marry, are excited to wed themselves and hope that their boyfriends propose.
    Although the two are opposites, they’ve managed to stick together over the years. Liv is a completely in control and cool, composed lawyer who tries to have everything ultimately perfect, while Emma does her best to remain calm and collected as a school teacher of a local secondary school, always settling for what she has and never quite able to take risks. (This may seem like a bit unrealistic or a somewhat overused idea to viewers with opposites attracting, but both Hudson and Hathaway do eventually find a way to add more depth to their friendship near the end of the movie.)
   Everything seems idealistic when both Liv and Emma are suddenly engaged, just within days of one another due to their surfacing competitive nature withtheir upcoming weddings. Things seem absolutely perfect; they are both able to hire Marion, a famous wedding planner in upper-class New York, to help book their weddings at the Plaza Hotel. Both Liv and Emma have their perfect dates set: the 6th of June for Liv, the same date as her deceased parents’ anniversary, and the 27th of June for Emma.
    When a strange mistake occurs and the two women discover their weddings have been accidentally booked on the same date - the 6th - both are, at first, quite levelheaded about the situation they are in, trying to compromise . . . Soon after, things go downhill from there on, and it won’t be long until they two are at war.
    Hathaway and Hudson provide many laughs for the audience, portraying their characters well; Hudson is very comedic as a control-freak that has a strange obsession with sweets ( she’s referenced as an “Ex-heifer” by Emma’s co-worker ), and Hathaway shows her usual dynamic and hilarious acting skills when she lets Emma’s wild side break loose and has a wonderful time getting sweet revenge instead of staying on the sidelines.
    Bride Wars also has an array of funny and well-casted actors that occasionally give the movie a realistic feel and also serve laughs for viewers. Emma’s fellow teacher, for example, is absolutely hilarious with her oblivious attitude, and her offhand comments are entertaining due to their forwardness and their sarcasm.
    Although the movie serves well as a romantic comedy, Bride Wars occasionally fails with providing a stable plot in the movie, and can often get wrapped up in only the silly revenge of the two former best friends. Also, viewers may not be pleased with the typically overused storyline that could seem stale and even ridiculous; the plot of a wedding as the main conflict in a movie can easily be said to be slightly too J. Lo ( think Wedding Planner or Monster-in-Law ) and boring, or flat-out pointless.
    Besides the lack of plot, skeptics may easily be wondering: why are these women so desperate to settle down and get married to a man at the young age of 26? Even to the fans of Bride Wars, this does take away from the overall positive view of the film, not including how insanely angered and flat-out crazy with revenge the two brides act throughout much of the film.
    Overall, Bride Wars is a cute chick-flick that provides laughs, a few good bits of comedy here and there, and traces of a heartwarming relationship that is timeless between two best friends. Don’t forget to keep in mind when going to see the movie: you won’t have to truly think to process anything, so if intelect is your style, you should either let your mind rest for an hour and a half or see a serious flick like Benjamin Button or Gran Torino.
Alexa Shelby
http://www.articlesbase.com/movies-articles/bride-wars-comedy-down-the-aisle-726565.html
Stand Up Magic and Comedy
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 Funny how these days stand up is associated mostly with comedy. Maybe it’s natural in a sense that stand up comedy has made a major break trough in this new millennium. The word originally means performing for an audience standing up, in front of the audience. It could be a big or small group; the performance is done standing in front of them.
In this way, all performing arts that meet those qualifications are stand up performances. And this is what the word originally means.
I live in Finland and I’m a professional magician. I once got an email from a local comedian who said that I should remove the word “stand up” from web site, because I was a magician not a comedian.
I gave him a small lecture how things are and told him I had been doing stage magic professionally for 15 years and since I had a web site, I have been advertising stand up performances along with close up performances.
Later he apologized, but this phone call actually reflects the way people think these days.
Sometimes I get requests for gigs, where the client asks me to do little close up, then a performance for all and in the end little stand up…
When a word gets branded, it seems to establish a new meaning and people start to take some things for granted.
Of course I tell my customers how things really are, but I have changed some text on my website so that people can more easily understand the difference. I also advertise myself only as a magician; I have a link on my pages that says “stand up” which lead my customers to my stage performance page, but seems many don’t read this page at all, they just understand it the way they have learned it.
Actually for me this isn’t so bad.
I get requests for gigs where the client wants me to do stand up. Well, they understand it as stand up comedy only, but comedy is what I do also. I mix magic and comedy and my performances are actually very funny, so what do I say?
I say nothing; I say perfect, I do it exactly the way you want!
This has happened many times and my clients have never complained, because only thing they are concerned about is getting a performer that does a good job. I am a professional entertainer, so I do a good job - case closed and money in the bank 
In this way comedy, being so popular as it is these days, helps me in a way also. Still I feel I am not doing anything wrong and I am not trying to deceive or mislead people in any way on my web site; I let them know exactly what they are getting in detail.
To me stand up is a very logical word to use, because I’m doing close up also. Close up for small groups at a time and stand up for larger audiences.
If we still think about the word, what it originally meant, as I explained before, to me it can mean a thousand different things. Anybody on stage in front of their audience is doing stand up, and I don’t want to complain, looks like it only means more job for anyone who is doing comedy in one form or another.
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Kim Wist
http://www.articlesbase.com/art-and-entertainment-articles/stand-up-magic-and-comedy-721651.html