Karen’s Opinion

I have been doing some research for this post. I thought I would review the movie hubby and I watched last weekend, All About Steve, but have changed my mind. It was not the best movie and I don’t feel like making this a downer of a post so instead of reviewing the “okay” movie I thought it would be fun to list a bit of Sandra Bullock trivia.

Fist off, Sandra Bullock has a sister. Gesine Bullock -Prodo is the younger sister of Sandra Bullock, whose nose she accidentally broke when they were kids. She sells Macaroon cookies from her own store located on Elm Street in Montpelier, Vermont. The cookies are made from the original French recipe that calls for no coconut. She attended University of Virginia and Southwestern Law School in Los Angeles. She is a lawyer and was involved with Fortis Films, the production company owned by Sandra Bullock. She quit the business to pursue her cookie business.

Gesine’s husband is Raymond G. Prado. He is a storyboard artist and has been involved in many productions. He was the storyboard artist for Practical Magic, one of my favorite Sandra Bullock movies. A storyboard artist is able to visualize any stories using quick sketches on paper at any moment. A storyboard artist is also known as an illustrator or visualizer. They are mostly freelance artists, typically hired by art directors and film directors. Deadlines are always tight, and overnight working is very common. In film, a storyboard artist is hired at the beginning of a project. When a storyboard artist is hired by a motion picture company, the artist must break down the scenes of the script into shots which can be filmed. This is done under the supervision of the film’s director in order to insure the director’s vision from the start of the project. Therefore, it can be helpful for the storyboard artist to know the mechanics of filmmaking when assisting the director. As the production proceeds, the storyboards are presented to the cinematographer who is then responsible for bringing that vision to the screen. Film production companies may also hire a storyboard artist to create polished presentation-style storyboards (which might also include sound) which can be used by an executive producer to raise the money to create the film.

Sandra Bullock’s mother, was German opera singer and voice teacher. She taught voice at Mary Washington College in in Fredericksburg, VA for many years. She was born February 12, 1942 and died of cancer in 2000. Sandra lived in Nuremberg until age twelve, where she sang in the opera’s children’s choir at the Staatstheater Nürnberg. She frequently traveled with her mother on her opera tours, and lived in Germany and other parts of Europe for much of her childhood. She is fluent in German. Bullock studied ballet and vocal arts as a child, taking small parts in her mother’s opera productions.

Sandra’s father was John W. Bullock, a voice coach and executive from Alabama. Bullock’s maternal grandfather was a rocket scientist from Nuremberg, Germany.

Bullock married motorcycle builder and Monster Garage host Jesse James on July 16, 2005. They met when Bullock arranged for her ten-year-old godson to meet James as a Christmas present.

Sandra donated $1 million to relief efforts in Haiti following the Haiti devastating earthquake earlier this month.

And there you have it. A bit of Sandra Bullock Trivia for your day. Oh yeah, my favorite movie of hers is Practical Magic with The Blind Side coming in a close second most favorite.

While the kids were home this Christmas, we watched the latest Harry Potter movie, Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince. While I thoroughly enjoyed the movie, I think I would have enjoyed it more had I been able to follow the character lines.

I think I need to re-read all of the HP books. Do you know how long that will take me? Does anyone have any cliff notes?

If I am not around, it is because I have my nose in a book.

This week’s theme at Heads or Tails is TAILS – “Show ‘N Tell”

Remember playing Show ‘N Tell back in school? This is pretty much the same. Post something you want to “show” and then “tell” about it.

I have to show you the beautiful table my son and daughter in-law set for our Thanksgiving dinner. It was beautiful. Next time, I will show you a picture of all the food. It was amazing.

This is a sponsored guest post written by Jason Harvey on behalf of Achieve Anything In Just One Year. Post powered by Sponzai.

On January 1, more than 100 million Americans will make a New Year’s resolution, according to a University of Washington survey. By March, however, most resolution-makers will already have broken their newly minted promises. 

In his new book, Achieve Anything in Just One Year: Be Inspired Daily to Live Your Dreams and Accomplish Your Goals (Amazing Life Press, $29.95, http://www.amazinglifepress.com/), Jason Harvey provides a blueprint for personal success that can make 2010 the year that resolutions become reality. 

Most resolutions fail because people try to change too fast and accomplish too much all at once,” said Harvey, a Certified Life Coach. “My book is about learning how to make small daily changes and be your own personal life coach.”

The most common resolutions – to quit smoking, lose weight, exercise more, spend more quality time with family, etc. – are also the easiest to break. “The truth is, we set ourselves up to fail by making resolutions that are sweeping and unrealistic,” explained Harvey. 

The resulting cycle of making and breaking promises is self-defeating – so how can individuals make resolutions stick? Achieve Anything in Just One Year equips readers with the tools to: 

• Be truly committed.Don’t just go through the motions – act like you’re making a promise to your company, or to your best friend. 
• Be specific. A resolution like “I want to lose weight” is easier to ignore than “I want to lose five pounds by March.” 
• Set a deadline. A timeframe equals commitment and helps quantify success. 
• Avoid overwhelming yourself. You may want to lose weight, quit smoking, achieve moderation with martinis and cut up your credit cards all at once, but let’s get real. Focus on a limited set of goals and plan on taking stock mid-year. 
• Change one thing at a time. Recognize that change is hard. Wait to achieve one goal before starting on the next. 
• Be realistic. Taking charge of a fitness regimen is a realistic goal, while exercising seven days a week may not be. Don’t set yourself up for disappointment with lofty goals. 

The idea is to take daily action that creates a ripple effect in your life,” said Harvey. “By transforming your life with small steps, you can stay motivated, focused and balanced. Best of all, you’ll feel happier about pursuing your personal success.” 

Achieve Anything in Just One Year is available to BUY NOW at Amazon.com.

My favorite Christmas song was written by Mark Lowry and is Mary Did You Know?

Many people are surprised when they find out that the song was written by Mark Lowry. He is a Christian comedian and a very funny one at that. He also has a beautiful voice. He sang with the Gaither Vocal Band for many years.

Here are the song lyrics written by Mark Lowry in 1984 and music written by Buddy Greene:

Mary, did you know
That your baby boy
Would someday walk on water?
Mary did you know
That your baby boy
Will save our sons and daughters?
Did you know
That your baby boy
Has come to make you new?
This child that you’ve delivered
Will soon deliver you.

Mary did you know
That your baby boy
Will give sight to a blind man?
Mary did you know
That your baby boy
Will calm the storm with his hand?
Did you know that your baby boy
Has walked where angels trod?
When you kiss your little baby
You’ve kissed the face of God.
The blind will see
The deaf will hear
The dead will live again
The lame will leap
The dumb will speak
The praises of the Lamb

Mary did you know
That your baby boy
Is Lord of all creation?
Mary did you know
That your baby boy
Will one day rule the nations?
Did you know
That your baby boy
Is heaven’s perfect Lamb?
This sleeping child you’re holding
Is the Great I Am