Improving myself

I'm trying to improve my physical self as well as my spiritual self. I've found a couple of free downloads for yoga. No, I haven't gone 'round the bend or anything. I'm just doing some learning and I'm trying an exercise program that is low-impact yet moves the body and increases flexibility. I also wanted to be able to gain some "inner peace", and am finding that yoga fits the bill even for Christians since there are no strict rules about honoring some other Supreme Being. I can meditate on God.

Of course, I always could meditate on God, but this gives me structure. It's sort of like an internal gps, so I can see my inner peace and tranquility while I also see my body getting stronger.

As yet, I'm still not quite able to complete some of the yoga moves but everybody has to start somewhere so I'm not giving up. I haven't participated in a structured exercise program in a very long time! Sis walks on her treadmill daily, goes to water aerobics, and uses hand weights to help stay in shape. She's very committed to that. I learned that there is a weekly yoga class at a local library, so I'm going to see if I can be off on that night each week to attend it. It's for all levels including beginners - which I definitely am.

Probably my biggest weakness is caffeine, but I have reduced the amount of caffeine I indulge in by drinking more herbal teas. The mints I grow at home, organically, do nicely. I'm going to be trying to grow larger crops of a variety of mints this spring. I'll be expanding the mint beds as well as putting in more of the other herbs I grow for cooking.

Technorati Tags: yoga,God,health,exercise

Entertainers never die

...they just move to Branson.

I live within a few hours' drive from Branson, which makes it a very attractive vacation spot for those of us around here. Anyone can spend a weekend on a getaway and have a great time up there.

So, if "entertainers never die, they just move to Branson", what happens to people like me who are keenly interested in entertainment when we retire? Maybe, we should move to Branson, too! A piece of Branson property could be just perfect for me. I could retire up there and have all those shows at my disposal whenever I want to see them. In between, I can view and review movies, the way I've done since I started this blog.

Sounds perfect to me!

Intermission - What I see when I watch movies

I have to be honest, when I'm watching movies I'm not always watching the action that's taking place. For instance, when I watch Napoleon Dynamite, I look at the furniture in Grandma's house and the clothes that Napoleon wears. All the furniture and all the clothes are pretty well out-of-date. The furniture looks like broken down flea market finds.

When I watched 3:10 to Yuma, I looked at the furnishings and the utensils that were in the pioneer home. I also noticed the stark contrast between that place and the hotel furnishings, which were beautiful Victorian styles.

Earlier tonight, I watched Equilibrium again and noticed the stark, monotone modern furniture used throughout the film. That, of course, was in keeping with the overall theme of the film that surroundings should not elicit emotions. Of course, the leader's office was opulent and ornately furnished because he didn't set himself to the same standards as the rest of the world.

Truthfully, sometimes I get good ideas for furniture arranging and accessories from the movies I watch!

Movie cars

This is Brandon's new car. Well, not really new, but new to him. I think it's a pretty sharp looking little car. I also think a lot of cars in movies are sharp and do some pretty amazing stunts. Now, I know they are specially equipped for those stunts, and are driven by professionals. So I really hope the car spoiler on Brandon's car doesn't make him think he can perform those same stunts!

Maybe he'll just enjoy this car and drive like a normal person in it. After all, he really doesn't have to prove anything to anyone about it's speed or the way he can make it drift around curves.

Intermission - Luxury living outdoors

I have no doubt in my mind that stars and celebrities can have just about anything they want or need. I also have no doubt that many of them entertain outdoors when the weather permits. This kind of luxury living outdoors can even be enjoyed by the rest of us if we have durable and beautiful teak patio furniture.

It's a fact that teak furniture is both weather and termite resistant. With no embedded chemicals, this furniture is "green" and doesn't contribute to either ill health for the user or pollution to the environment. Teak wood is harvested from sustainable forests, which also makes it a good choice for outdoor living.

As I continue my own personal quest for a better life and lifestyle, teak patio furniture becomes ever more attractive to me as furniture I can safely use outside and can be proud of when I have people visiting me. Even if my grandchildren come to visit, I don't have to worry that they'll absorb some dangerous preservative chemical because they sat on my lawn furniture.

Intermission - Dark room or light room?

When I watch movies, and I watch them every day, I generally have a little bit of light in the room. I find that if I don't, I begin to feel a little headache coming on from only having the television going. Generally, I leave the light over the kitchen sink on since it will glow into the living room. Turning on the ceiling light would be too much. I'd like to find a small, low-wattage lamp to use as extra room lighting, though.

I remember when everyone I knew had a "TV lamp". It might be sea shells or a prancing horse with a small bulb at the back that gave a sort of glow to the lamp. Maybe I'll shop some yard sales or second-hand stores to see if there's something retro like that!

Intermission - Movie furniture

I'm not really certain where film makers get the furnishings for the various sets. In The Messengers, the furniture was quaint and found in the home by the new inhabitants. In War of the Worlds, there was a mix of furnishings in Tom Cruise's house in the city, yet very elegant furniture in his ex-wife's house in Boston.

Do movie makers buy new furnishings from places like Century furniture, or do they scour estate sales or local shops for furniture? Of course, maybe I'm crazy for even wondering, but I actually do look at how rooms are arranged in movies and the accessories they've placed in them.

Intermission - Living large and outdoors

"If I were king of the forest!" No, wait. That's another topic altogether. It does express my feelings, though, about outdoor living space. I don't mean to stay fulltime outdoors. But an outdoor area where I can have comfortable, durable furniture and an outdoor kitchen would be a dream come true.

Every time I go to town, I look at all those great grills with all the bells and whistles on them. I'd love to own something like that. I might never cook in my real kitchen again!

I used to cook out a lot when I was home all the time. I have this smoker grill and built the fire in it from real hickory firewood instead of charcoal. These days I just don't have the time to do all that, so a great outdoor kitchen would be perfect. Then I could grill and cook outside on a whim!

Intermission - Teak patio furniture

Among other things I look at when watching a movie, I tend to notice the furnishings and decorative items used. I don't even know why except that however a place is furnished generally lends to the mood of the scene. For instance, if there is flashy, plastic patio furniture, I wind up thinking it's a family in the burbs, and Dad will surely have an explosion in the grill before he ever gets the burgers started cooking.

But if I see more elegant settings, such as teak patio furniture, then I expect to see people who are at least middle to upper class, with a pool, sipping cool drinks while wearing fashionable swim suits. Maybe it's just me.

Teak furniture, though, is durable, weather resistant, termite resistant, and an environmentally friendly choice for anyone. Had I a patio right now, it's what I'd like to have outside. I like the idea that the company that makes it also donates a portion of every sale to help sustain the rain forest. It's really the smartest choice in patio furniture for a lot of good reasons.

Intermission - Look like a star!

You don't have to be rich to look like a movie star or a celebrity. All you need is the right wardrobe and the right accessories, which includes fashionable, stylish sunglasses. You remember how Jackie O. looked in hers? Can you think of other famous persons who wear sunglasses and you know at a glance who is behind the dark shades?

There's no good reason why you can't develop your own, unique look using a wardrobe of sunglasses from CTS Wholesale Sunglasses. They have huge varieties from sporty to glamorous to trendy and more. And the prices are low enough you won't have any trouble affording them for yourself or to give away. You might even want to sell the extras.

Some are as low as $10 per dozen. Where else can you find great looking sunglasses at that low price?

I've ordered several dozen myself and wear some of them. I've given some away, and I'm preparing to sell some, too, along with neat accessories. If you think this is something you might like to look into, you can visit the site or go to the Sunglasses Information blog to check things out.

Intermission - Landscape Design

I used to watch Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous every time it was on. Robin would take me on imaginary adventures into the homes and villas of various celebrities, movie stars, and designers around the world. One of the things I really enjoyed about the show was when they would stroll through the gardens and grounds. They showed some of the most elaborate and beautiful Landscape Design work that I've ever seen.

Sometimes, the plantings would be very formal and balanced. My favorites, though, were always the designs that were informal with lots of fragrant flowers, waysides to sit and enjoy the breezes, and beachfront locations with water elements on the properties. Even the most informal looking grounds are actually well-planned, though, and that requires enlisting experts such as those at SLDA.biz. I don't know if these folks actually had a hand in gardening for the stars, but their focus is on creating an outdoor environment that is satisfying to the property owner. This alone can make a person feel like a star!

Their website offers a lot of advice and they give you clear contact information if you want to get in touch with them for your landscaping needs.

Intermission - Beautiful Me

Unless you live in a cave, you've seen celebrities and stars photographed or on film and thought to yourself, "How do they achieve that appearance under those conditions?" or words to that effect. The quick answer would be that they are just naturally well put together and have good genes. But in all likelihood, there's more going on behind the scenes.

On his Beautiful Me blog, Peter Belisi shares with us all some of the secrets that celebrities use to maintain a good appearance even while under conditions that would make most of us melt. Among the topics he discusses are Botox treatments, acupuncture, and tips for maintaining healthy hair.



A handsome man himself and a top designer of accessories for the fashion conscience man or woman, Peter Belisi has his finger on what's hot in fashion and beauty. Check out his blog and tell him your thoughts!

Intermission - Love me some sunglasses!

If you want to look like a movie star or other celebrity, you have to wear some sunglasses. And not just any sunglasses. You need today's fashionable sunglasses, and you need a pair for every ensemble in your wardrobe. I know what you're thinking. No way can you afford beautiful sunglasses in those amounts. I've got good news for you. You can buy Wholesale Sunglasses as low as $10 a dozen!

These are not designer glasses or knock-offs, but they are fashioned after the most up to date styles and include some really beautiful colors. By ordering through CTSWholesaleSunglasses.com, you can find a dozen sunglasses in various colors and have them all to yourself or share them with friends. Maybe you'd even like to recoup some of the money you spend on them by selling the spares. You could actually get back every cent you spend this way and still have several pairs for your own collection.



So, what are you waiting for? Aren't you worth the look of style these sunglasses can give you? We're all celebrities at heart, you know.

LoudLaunch - Compensating bloggers for their unbiased opinions, reviews, and analysis. View the LoudLaunch campaign release this post was based on.

Intermission - Well endowed style

Whether going out to the movies, a concert, or for your job, a woman always wants to look her best and present a good first impression. Those of us who are well-endowed know too well how difficult that can be when clothes don't fit right. If we get them so the top covers us it's often hanging off our shoulders or the bottom is miles too large. There is hope, though.

If you'd like clothing that fits your busty figure and still fits the rest of you properly, you can shop at Eris. They present you with Styles for the Busty Woman so you can purchase your proper size without feeling crammed in on the top. A petite size there is still a petite but it has more room where it counts.



Take a look at the fashionable items, fit for any occasion. It's about time someone understood that not every woman is an "A" cup and made clothes to fit those of us, and there are many, who have ample bosoms.

LoudLaunch - Compensating bloggers for their unbiased opinions, reviews, and analysis. View the LoudLaunch campaign release this post was based on.

Intermission - Fashion sunglasses

Want to look like a movie star or sports champion? The answer could lie in just the kind of sunglasses you decide to wear. Fashion sunglasses aren't cheap. I've shopped around at various stores and they are usually far higher than I care to pay for something I'm likely to leave behind at a restaurant. I'd rather just wear lower priced ones, but they aren't usually as nice looking. It's a dilemma, for sure.

However, CTSWholesalers.com offers Wholesale Sunglasses for as little as $10 a dozen. Now, maybe you don't need a dozen sunglasses, but for that price, you could give them away as gifts or sell them outright for a nice profit, thereby having sunglasses for yourself essentially for free.

These sunglasses aren't designer glasses but are replicas or similar to their more famous counterparts, such as Gucci, Prada, Nike, and Chanel. This makes them stylish and very affordable. I've browsed the site myself and find the sunglasses to be very nice looking. In fact, it's my next move - ordering a few styles by package deals and offering them to friends, family, co-workers, and acquaintances for reasonable prices. Seems to me like a good deal. Have nice sunglasses in my own wardrobe and earn a little money, too.

LoudLaunch - Compensating bloggers for their unbiased opinions, reviews, and analysis. View the LoudLaunch campaign release this post was based on.

Intermission - Polarized Sunglasses

Not all of us are movie stars or celebrities, but that doesn't mean we can't look like we are. Because our eyes are so important, it's important to protect them every way we can. One way is through the use of Polarized Sunglasses.

My own eye doctor told me to wear sunglasses any time I'm going to be out in the sun. I already have some "sunspots" on my eyes from past years of not wearing them. Although the spots aren't particularly harmful, they do keep me from having clear, bright eyes like I did when I was younger. One way I can protect my eyes is by wearing polarized sunglasses. You can and should do the same.

Not only are sunglasses stylish, but they are useful and beneficial. Probably the hardest part about buying them is finding just what you need for whatever circumstances you will be finding yourself involved in. By using ADSEyewear.com, you can search for exactly the kind of sunglasses you need and want. Whether you'll be riding a motorcycle, skiing, driving, or playing sports such as racquet sports, you can find the sunglasses. Add to that the ease of navigation around the ADS site. You can fine tune your search for sunglasses and view exactly the ones that you're shopping for without having to wade through dozens of sunglasses that simply aren't right for you.



If you have a prescription for corrective lenses, you can even get that filled in sunglasses so you don't have to choose between seeing well or damaging your eyes. You can also purchase fashion sunglasses to add to and accent your personal wardrobe and style.

As you can see from the pictures, sunglasses can be both practical and beautiful. There's no need to compromise.

LoudLaunch - Compensating bloggers for their unbiased opinions, reviews, and analysis. View the LoudLaunch campaign release this post was based on.

Intermission - Got Sandals?

Whether you're off to see a movie or going down to the beach, you'll probably want some new sandals to set off your new casual summer wardrobe. Even more, you'll want sandals that can stand up to frequent wear while the weather is hot. I lived in my sandals last year, when I wasn't at work.

You can get cute and fashionable reef sandals online for very reasonable prices. They range from $18 and up, and if your purchases total at least $75, you can get free shipping. At these prices, you can afford several pairs in colors to match your whole wardrobe.




These gold ones would be great even for semi-dressy occasions.




But then, these pink sandals suit me pretty well, too.

Intermission - Look Like an Oscar Starlet!

As long as we're talking about movies here, we might as well also talk about the Oscars and what's hot and what's not. After the Oscars, you'll find a lot of wannabes scrambling to get their look-alike fashions into department stores and malls all over the nation. Some of those fashions will just beg to be passed over, as they aren't anything that the everyday woman would wear.

Naturally, Peter Belisi is also in the process of making you look like someone very special, which you are! His tactic, though, is to point you to good quality and real wearability in fashions. You can read and view his Belisi Blog: How to Look Like an Oscar Starlet to find out for yourself just how grounded this man is.

Once again, he's taken his ideas of fashion, even Oscar fashion, and brought it to us all in beautiful and workable ways. Were I a few years younger, I'd be wearing the Vera Wang gathered dress he features on the blog!




Still, the purses he points out are truly lovely and I'd love to own even one of them. A younger woman would also do well to look into the shoe styles and make mental notes about what to shop for in that area next time she goes shopping.

Combining his knack for fashion and his sense for current trends, Peter Belisi offers you the sources and styles you'd need for wearing beautiful garments without looking faddish.