Motivational Icon Napoleon Hill: Success in Motivation for Others

Controversy Needn't Negate Positivity

The internet being what it is for quotes, most of us today are familiar with extrinsic motivator Napoleon Hill. Born October, 1883, Hill became a leading giver of sage advice over a long career as a writer and speaker.

Hill's enduring, perhaps most ironic quotable message was that "fervid" expectations are essential to improving one's experience; a message to be found referenced in several publications not penned by Hill—an idea based in impressions derived from Hill's written works. 

Despite being a controversial figure with personal failings, Hill nevertheless followed in the footsteps of his most admired motivational figures and painstakingly created success for himself (as well as any conflicts in his wake).

Through his own life experience, Hill realized that people need external motivation at certain times in their lives. Thus, he offered it. Best known for the personal development work entitled Think and Grow Rich (1937), Napoleon Hill is usually well regarded for his writing and inspirational lifestyle, and responsible for many of the multitude of motivational quotes that grace the streams of social media.

Napoleon Hill Quotes

Motivational quotations taken from the Hill library include such sage points as:

•  Neglecting to broaden their view has kept some people doing one

  

  Napoleon Hill

  thing all their lives.
• When your desires are strong enough, you will appear to possess superhuman powers to achieve. 
• If you do not conquer self, you will be conquered by self. 
• The starting point of all achievement is desire. Weak desire brings weak results.
• Where thought prevails power may be found!

These relatively few samples are a good indication of the type of instigating content motivation-seekers desire, in order to enrich themselves.

No doubt, much of Hill's subject matter is invaluable to those who seek or stumble upon it, and many consider themselves to have benefitted from it in some way.

Extrinsic Motivational Prompts Can't Replace Our Actions

While some are luckier in life, others don't have quantifiable positive external motivators in their lives. They may rely on outside sources of positivity to generate the force within themselves.

Sure, everyday facts of life can be motivating or offer positive as well as negative experiences, but such inevitable events aren't necessarily motivating in that positively targeted way that instills the excitement of cheering directly for our benefit! Rather, such motivation is available primarily in the service product of motivational speaking.

Plus, with motivational speaking comes the studied, often experienced, tips for success. It's not just about the cheer-leadership, but about gaining insights gathered along the road to proven success.

In the end, however, we must realize—about ourselves—that the power to succeed is within each and every one of us, and sometimes only needs to be encouraged, or revived. This is what makes such positive external motivators as Hill worthy resources in our work on ourselves. 

Whether we are more or less intrinsically motivated to positive or negative actions is largely based in our environmental experiences. While circumstance may stall or upend us, we make our own base decisions. We pick up our own books, choose our best-anticipated Ted Talks, and we choose what our free time (time not spent earning a living) will look like. 
Ultimately, we must pick our own most-effective leadership.

REFERENCES

The Edge Bulgaria: Open Innovation for Tomorrow – Bridging the Gap Between Research and Business Development, theedge.solutions/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/Think-and-Grow-Rich-by-Napoleon-Hill.pdf.

Goodreads, www.goodreads.com/.

"Napoleon Hill." Wikipedia, the Free Encyclopedia, Wikimedia Foundation, Inc, 17 Feb. 2004, en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Napoleon_Hill. Accessed 23 Aug. 2019.

Novak, Matt. "The Untold Story of Napoleon Hill, the Greatest Self-Help Scammer of All Time." Paleofuture, 6 Dec. 2016, paleofuture.gizmodo.com/the-untold-story-of-napoleon-hill-the-greatest-self-he-1789385645.

"Wisdom for the Soul." Google Books, books.google.com/books?id=-T3QhPjIxhIC&printsec=frontcover&dq=isbn:9780977339105&hl=en#v=onepage&q&f=false.

Mark it on Your Calendar: "Plan Your Epitaph Day"

November 1 marks the day that some of us will sit down to write our own epitaph. Whether near the end of life or not, some comfort may be taken in the power of the written word as one drafts these final words in brief summation of their existence.

Some may sense a macabre element inherent in such an occasion as November's Plan Your Epitaph Day, and there may be. However, it may be more a matter of convenience and surety.

Our epitaph is kind of like our 30-second elevator speech, only more personalized and usually shorter—thus deeper (emotionally); and, with much less predictability regarding the circumstances and delivery of the communication.

What is an epitaph?

An epitaph is essentially a story by which an event, person or time may be remembered. Take, for example, the image of the Haymarket Riot Memorial:

Image via Wikipedia Commons Author

The Gravesite Epitaph

The best examples of an epitaph like that which we're considering herein are found on individual gravestones and crypt plates. These epitaphs, or ultra-short stories, comprise a message about the deceased person to which they refer. An epitaph may be as simple and fundamental as

In memory of . . .

Alternatively, or in addition, an epitaph may be a more elaborate statement:

With Love, Throughout Eternity . . .

Yet more detailed epitaphs can be found, such as:

GOOD FREND FOR JESVS SAKE FORBEARE,
TO DIGG THE DVST ENCLOASED HERE.
BLESE BE Ye MAN Yt SPARES THES STONES,
AND CVRST BE HE Yt MOVES MY BONES.

—classical literary work, as appears on the tomb of William Shakespeare

There are epitaphs you wouldn't want, like that of a maid of Queen Elizabeth:

Here lies, the Lord have mercy upon her,
One of her Majesty's maids of honour:
She was both young, slender, and pretty,
She died a maid, the more the pity.

Why Draft Our Own Epitaph

See, when you think about it, a special day set aside to draft our own epitaph makes perfect sense. We could leave it to chance, and most probably do. But, all things considered, summation of our life experience may be best left to us.

Of course, there is little guarantee of our wishes being met before our death—and much less after; but, we do know that desire and clarity are important factors in our best, results-oriented, goal setting.

Being that the date of the occasion is November 1 each year, there are several other reasons for the inspired event.

1. Being the day immediately following Halloween, our minds are ceremonially prepared for the macabre side of life. 
2. Being the fall season—aka the cooldown that signals the end (or hibernation) of many things, such as green leaves and growing food
3. Being the day also known as All Saints Day, November 1 is already a celebration of sorts. (In some traditions, food gifts are commonplace.) Why not make it a little about ourselves as we strive to follow in the footsteps of our most hallowed. 
4. Being All Saints Day, one of the traditions of the day is to actually visit cemeteries. Many do visit deceased loved ones on this marked day. Notably, in the Americas at least, florists are likely to see a spike in patrons at this time due to the tradition of bringing flowers to graves on November 1.
5. Self-help strategy: Minding one's own potential epitaph on an occasional basis is a way of gaining introspective insight into their persona, or how they relate to the world outside their personal sphere. What do you think about yourself, and what would/should others be saying about you after you pass on from this world? Do these perceptions match up?

So, we can see that writing one's own epitaph is not all as macabre as one might initially think. Still, it doesn't hurt to be in such a frame of mind. The post-Halloween autumn season of falling leaves and temperatures certainly lends to an ambience conducive to the task.

Can you think of any other inspirations to draft your own epitaph?


REFERENCES:

Famous Literary Epitaphs. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://web.cn.edu/kwheeler/epitaphs.html

November 2019 Official, Fun, Crazy and Bizarre Holidays. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.brownielocks.com/NOVEMBER2019.html

Plan Your Epitaph Day, November 2 or April 6 at Holiday Insights. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.holidayinsights.com/moreholidays/April/planyourepitaphday.htm

Shakespeare's funerary monument. (2006, April 4). Retrieved from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shakespeare's_funerary_monument

Legends of the Music Business: Tom Petty

Born October 20, died October 2, (1950–2017) Tom Petty remains legendary in the world of iconic musicians. Fans were shocked when Petty was rushed to the hospital after cardiac arrest during October of 2017, only to pass away within hours.

The musically-inclined American songwriter and performer was a talented multi-instrumentalist, and had known he would sing before picking up his first guitar.

"Petty knew that he wanted to be in a band. Eventually he learned to play guitar. And of course, if you played guitar, you needed to sing."  —via Marc O'Hara, The Unique Guitar Blog

There's no mistaking the originality of the songwriting and sound of Tom Petty . . . such that draws listeners into his realm of storytelling. Such creativity and novelty kept fans interested over decades of performance.


The artist's conception stage regarding each piece often involved a character-driven perspective that brought focus and direction to his writing. Hence, much of his work parlayed well into the world of music video during its high time—primarily throughout the 1980s and mid-90s. These videos featuring Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers continue to be some of the most popular, as evidenced by the number of YouTube plays alone.

Perhaps the kind of attention to detail regarding the perceptions of the other as required for character writing lent to Petty's acumen pertaining to business. Petty was about as well-tuned to success in the realm of business dealings, including copyright trespass and dispute—if not professionally, then by virtue of will and determination to not be rooked by those in power over him and his fellow musicians.

Despite any inherent naivety common to initial, impassioned forays into professional landscapes (be they music, art, or any venue where an individual or group has a product they need to sell in order to get by financially) Petty was able to overcome some of the most potentially damaging steps over his and bandmates' best interests.

One example of such struggle would be the kind of notorious actions taken by big labels with little consideration for the artist, such as in Petty's case by ABC/MCA in their own respective best interests which overlooked those of Petty and company. Creatives of any kind can gain inspiration from Petty's legendary handling of artistic rights. As well, Petty's realism toward freedom of expression instills respect.

Take, for example, the case of Tom Petty vs. Sam Smith wherein Petty's "I won't back down" and Smith's "Stay With Me" turned out with distinctly similar sound. Although there was cause for official address, Petty never harbored ill will toward Smith regarding what Petty deemed a casual "accident" of music production.

Similarly, when the Red Hot Chili Peppers presented "Dani California" to audiences, many noticed significant similarity between it and Tom Petty's "Mary Jane's Last Dance". This particular scenario never culminated in any legal action, because Petty refused to believe that there was any "negative intent" behind the incorporation of sounds similar to those orchestrated by Petty at a previous time.

These instances are representative of the positive vibe generally associated with the work of Tom Petty, witnessed by millions and likely instilled into the hearts of fans.


REF:

O'Hara, Marc. "Tom Petty - His Life and Guitars." The Unique Guitar Blog, uniqueguitar.blogspot.com/2017/10/tom-petty-his-life-and-guitars.html.

"Op-Ed: That Time Tom Petty Wouldn't Back Down." Los Angeles Times, 9 Oct. 2017, www.latimes.com/opinion/op-ed/la-oe-jules-how-tom-petty-took-on-the-music-industry-20171010-story.html.

Stone, R. (2017, October 3). The 10 Greatest Tom Petty Music Videos. Retrieved from https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-lists/the-10-greatest-tom-petty-music-videos-121611/mary-janes-last-dance-1993-122794/

Kreps, D. (2015, January 29). Read Tom Petty's Statement on Sam Smith Settlement. Retrieved from https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/tom-petty-on-sam-smith-settlement-no-hard-feelings-these-things-happen-35541/ 

FURTHER READING:

What's Come Out About Tom Petty Since He Died
https://www.grunge.com/144335/whats-come-out-about-tom-petty-since-he-died/

Tom Petty Save Rock N' Roll from the 80s
https://blog.discmakers.com/2017/10/tom-petty-saved-rock-n-roll/

These Tom Petty Quotes Will Remind You of How Powerful the Musician's Words Truly Were
https://www.bustle.com/p/these-tom-petty-quotes-will-remind-you-of-how-powerful-the-musicians-words-truly-were-2755068 

The Fall is Upon Us – Autumn has Arrived

By whichever name you say it, the final temperate season of the Gregorian calendar year has arrived.

Autumn, a.k.a. fall, has confirmed our (conscious or subconscious) awareness of the changing light of day. Sunrise seems delayed, while sunset falls on the horizon more quickly than yesterday, and the day before. 

fallen leaves of autumn

A week ago, Monday 23 September—whether or not the fall of leaves had begun in a particular area—the fall of the year began its official season north of the equator.

After summer's daily extensions of daylight time, the September equinox has changed our experience yet again, for a moment in time. 

More formally regarded as autumn, the impressionistic "fall" season was conferred its name as long and far ago as 16th-century England—a result of the progression of Indo-European–Germanic language upon Continental Europe.

Eventually, lingual usage of "fall" declined in Europe, but not before its favor and subsequent travel to the North American continent during the 17th-century period of English emigration to the North American British colonies; where, perhaps due to the proliferation of land forested with trees and their autumn leaves all across the eastern U.S., the name most like the perception of falling leaves remained.

Wishing you all a happy fall, of bountiful harvest. 

REFERENCES:

"Autumn Vs. Fall." Grammarist – English Grammar, Grammar Rules and Tips – English Grammar, Usage, and Style Blog, grammarist.com/usage/autumn-fall/.

"Autumn." Wikipedia, the Free Encyclopedia, Wikimedia Foundation, Inc, 30 Dec. 2001, en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Autumn. Accessed 30 Sept. 2019.

College of Natural Resources, North Carolina State University Topography, Soil, and Trees [...]. Site, research.cnr.ncsu.edu/sites/woodlandstewardseries/wp-content/uploads/sites/15/2015/01/ForestryIncludesSoilTopographyandTrees.pdf.

Photo image, person holding fallen leaves, by Cecile Vedemil via Unsplash

Author Irving Stone, Biographer - July 1903–August 1989

Filed under Successful Authors I Want to Read

Irving Stone, deceased in 1989 on this day, August 26, became known for his richly detailed biographies that pleased readers who sought "livelier" reads on their favorite artists, politicians, and intellectuals.

Enjoy a reader book review of Lust for Life, about the life of Vincent van Gogh, by Edith LaGraziana.

Irving Stone - PD Image via Goodreads

Lust for Life is one of Stone's better-known biographical books. Find it, plus a list of other published Irving Stone works via Goodreads. 

Texas Cotton: Movie Recommendation & Review

Movie available on Amazon Prime, YouTube, and Google Play

Maybe a person need be from Texas to fully appreciate the richly cinematographic experience of this story of corruption told in Texas Cotton (2018), a regional-perspective movie that features George Hardy as Travis Delmore—lawman dedicated to upholding law, no matter the consequences.

Or, maybe they only need a greater sense of appreciation for the arts, or Texas, or both, than one limited by an apparently inherent disdain for Texans as that hidden in the entertainment section of the LA Times, within a collection of independent movie reviews which all condemn their targets via author negatively disposed. Also, most experienced moviegoers wouldn't come away from this film thinking of it as a "dramedy"; although, it does have comedic elements. The prominent sensation throughout is one of suspense.

The film is set in the rural county of Medina, in the real city of La Coste in southern Texas where, interestingly, approximately 7% of the population reports Alsatian ancestry (Alsace being a region in eastern France, next to Germany and Switzerland). This happens to be the highest-reported population of Alsatians in the United States, which has little to do with the plot of the story of Texas Cotton, but nonetheless adds a note of interest to the experience if you realize the fact.

Texas Cotton delivers a sense of the remote nature characteristic to outlying areas of the more metropolitan centers of Texas. Southwest of San Antonio, La Coste sits along a farm road among a group of like-named towns denoting a regional commonality.

First, we meet La Coste's indispensable main character in Sargent Delmore as we (especially Texans) begin to appreciate the long-sight scenes of Texas's outspread landscapes. Through this first scene, we get an inkling of creeping issues that threaten subsistence in La Coste . . . and the movie begins.

A distinctly dark western soundtrack soon accompanies the action on screen as the content of struggle intensifies, solidifying our sense of what our expectations should be throughout the remainder of the film. Much less a comedic affair than it is criticism of the politics of some types of business, there are likely to be no laughs despite indications of other reviews. Instead, audiences are likely to pick up on dramatic, sometimes frustrating notes of discord that indicate the script's political plot mechanisms. Before long, a watcher is embroiled in concern for Delmore as well as any turnout.

There are shades of typification of what certain certain Texas characters must be. For your information, from the perspective of a Texan, these tinges mustn't always be. However, they do exist, and we meet them in Texas Cotton.

Character-driven, dramatic, and—in the end—somewhat improbable, Texas Cotton investigates small-town redress of important, frequently-discussed political and economic issues.

That Texas geography and personality is used as the backdrop for this forward-thinking film signifies the respect with which the manuscript was devised and subsequent movie made. Thus, using the magnificent impressions of Texas nature, film players deliver a unique, entertaining movie experience.  

WHERE TO WATCH

Amazon Prime members can watch Texas Cotton now at no additional cost.

YouTube fans can watch Texas Cotton for a nominal charge.

Or, watch Texas Cotton via Google Play.

How Bill Fries Made Dough Via Bread Commercial

Our Throwback Thursday search this morning dredged up some classic gems in music and advertising that are a treat to share.

Truckers and those who love them will no doubt remember, as well as many of us may, the "Convoy" country classic that rolled out in 1975 and rested for six weeks at number one on the Billboard Top 40 Country Hits. The song did almost as well around the world.


CW McCall, seen above performing Convoy in the video, enjoyed great success for his country-western sound and style, releasing Convoy only after gaining an initial notoriety via commercials.

This may seem a familiar dynamic, as it is similar to the way in which many of our famous actors got their start in the commercial industry.

Birth of CW McCall

Well-known country music producers Don Sears and Chip Davis worked with an ad executive named William Fries on an advertising project for Old Home Bread in 1973, which turned out the new-found country music artist CW McCall. The Old Home brand needed a country-western soundtrack for its commercials, and CW was the man for the job.



While the music—which could be considered some kind of country rap of the 70s—is superb in rhythm and soul, the braided twist here is in the fact that CW McCall was actually born (by Bill Fries) as an ad character for the Old Home Bread brand. So, while CW wasn't a real person, the character did represent several real people in a project to sell bread, and then to extend that successful enterprise for as long as it could live.

It turned out that the commercials were such a success (having won the "top Clio award") that Fries and company had opportunity to capitalize on the recognition through the production of a string of novelty music. In addition to Convoy, Fries/McCall released nine other songs on MGM Records studio album Black Bear Road, followed by several other albums.

As McCall, Fries and team made music that sold bread and made dough!

Applied to bread commercials, the CW McCall style of music was practicable on a nostalgic note, whereas applied to the music of popular culture it took on a more comedic element, however slight, especially with the help of video. What's more significant—the creators used the opportunity to call out some of the politics affecting the trucking industry, such allusion to current events of the time being part indication to the art's novelty music categorization. Although, it is more widely regarded simply as country and western music.

It is particularly interesting to read the Wikipedia article referenced below, entitled "Convoy (song)." The article details the political references made, as well as much of the trucking industry dialectal content of the song.


REFERENCES

"Convoy Creators Roll On To Success". Nash Country Daily. Country Weekly. 12 Dec. 1995. Web. 15 Aug. 2019.

"Convoy (song)." Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia, 25 Jul. 2019. Web. 15 Aug. 2019.

ConvoyTM & tobatola via YouTube.

Check Your Rhetoric: What kind of leader are you?

We want to take a moment to acknowledge the power of rhetoric, especially in a room that teeters on the edge of an information vacuum.

We all live in an information universe, where (more than ever before) almost anyone is able to make use of free space. We have an entirely new economy based on this information age—largely a positive in a world that otherwise is at a loss for new free space available to those in need of basic survival. But, we're in the midst of a push against it.

As it's been throughout time, it is rare for a people to continue to freely, mutually and equally, enjoy shared space. The inescapable politics of life occur as easily as sharing a simple, small room, and it's no different in a bigger one. Without responsible rhetoric that leads to equitable solutions and progress, there is risk that can lead to disastrous endings. Further, in order to survive harmful rhetoric, means to redirect it must be developed.

How rhetoric matters to the room, weighted against goals of the speaker, should be the first consideration of any audience. Second? How these things will matter to those outside the room. Inclusion must be forefront in the minds of a successful organization.

You could use the exact same verbiage in one kind of atmosphere and feel it hit the floor with the screaming-silent thud of mutual rejection. The same choice of words in another kind of space can effect a completely different outcome. Therefore, it's important to implement a viable solution of positive progress through an approach of empathy, not of challenge—unless you're willing to admit to yourself that you only care about one perspective and that you will resort to division of the otherwise whole community solely to that end.

Nostalgic Movie Recommendation: When Jeff Tried to Save the World

Saturday night at the movies was spent at home this week, scanning Hulu for content that fit the occasion. Recently-added When Jeff Tried to Save the World seemed to promise an entertaining, comedic ensemble film. Read on for the no-spoiler scoop, and add it to your watch list!

The choice was not a disappointment, starting straight off with scenes that feature the incomparable Jon Heder. Those who remember Heder's remarkable performance in Napoleon Dynamite (2004) will understand the expectation for focus. While Heder has been busy since then, he's likely dropped out of site for most popular moviegoers who are most likely to remember him opposite Will Ferrell in Blades of Glory, but not so much his other work, which has remained steady . . . yet fairly niche.

"Comedic Ensemble" - Yes!

When Jeff Tried to Save the World is popularly-listed as a comedy-drama; however, with elements of both romantic comedy and subversive film, it would be best described to movie buffs as a light, comedic art film.

Its subversive quality is fairly evident in its most basic plot description, being a movie that deals with a dying local business, the biggest fans of which naturally wish it to survive. The writers' keen character traits, paired with fundamental storylines, help to deliver thematic messaging of a political context without directly approaching divisive dialog or [much] argumentation.

Romantic elements involve not only the more predictable situational meetup and progression of events, but as well address our most typical and fondest notions of familial relations, while hardly focusing on this aspect of the film. So, while the movie as designed is a slow burn (as many filmgoers love to see) there's quite a lot happening to keep a watcher focused.

There are familiar faces, as well as engaging less-familiars. Fans are likely to recognize and will be happy to see Jim O'Heir, whose lengthy career in comedy entertainment has set him before us in one thing or another for at least the last twenty years. Fans will also recognize a familiar female duo, appearing together again as friends. Overall, it's an admirable cast of characters that lend credence to otherwise nostalgic elements of the movie: bowling lanes, arcade games, snack bar fare and good times, all in the neighborhood. Modern elements add contemporary interest.

While When Jeff Tried to Save the World is well worth the time, don't expect it to be as exciting as Napoleon Dynamite. (Much tongue-in-cheek happening here.)

However, in vaguely the same way, When Jeff Tried to Save the World should be just as enjoyable for fans of Heder and other cast members, as well as anyone simply chasing a bit of nostalgia that hearkens to days and venues largely gone by in terms of modern entertainment.

Official Movie Poster Image via IMDB

Catch it on Hulu (for a limited time):
When Jeff Tried to Save the World

Actual When Jeff Tried to Save the World movie site, with trailer: WhenJeffMovie.com 

Let us know how you like the movie!


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Microsoft Office 365 Outlook: Desktop Mail Display Density - Full vs Medium vs Compact

Desktop users of Microsoft (MS) Office 365 Outlook Mail may have noticed that they have the option to adjust the software's "Display Density" between full, medium, and compact ("compact" being the way to show the most text, with everything being condensed).

The differences among the three display options may seem negligible, especially when you realize the most obvious changes . . . which are not all that obvious. However, a user's perception and ease of viewing may be significantly impacted.

Although actual character counts and visibility hardly seem changed, the way a user's eye takes in information will likely be keenest to one of the three options.

Which Outlook Display Density setting should you use?

It's important to make this decision while you have a few moments free to relax, being that it's a bit like sighting the mysterious visage in an autostereogram. But, let's not digress.

First, you'll open your Outlook in a desktop tab, and click on the settings wheel at top right.

You should be able to see the option to adjust your "Display Density" after clicking the wheel, as shown above.

To fully view the result of each selection, first expand your desktop window to full screen via your keyboard. (This isn't necessary, however, especially if you don't normally do this often enough to know how. In that case, just continue to refer to Outlook's Display Density options in the right-hand pane.) 

As stated above in our first paragraph, you'll find display options labeled full, medium, and compact. Short descriptions of each option are as follows:

• Full - In the full display setting, user profile icons are visible to the left of each incoming message (as under "inbox" in the image above); subsequently, fewer messages are visible because the icons themselves take up more space in the pane. The display setting affects all panes, so there will be fewer folders visible as well. Also, there will be somewhat fewer characters per line.
• Medium - In the medium display setting, user icons disappear, and more folders and messages are visible.
• Compact - In compact, the setting shown above, several more of your folders will show in visible screen, along with more messages in the inbox pane. Overall, there will be more text content on-screen.

Again, differences between the three Outlook display options seem to be barely noticeable! Still, the result is perceptible, and users at attention will realize that they prefer one of the three options.

Perhaps the most noticeable difference is in the presence or absence of the MS user profile icons. While some users will prefer to see these icons (full mode), others will prefer to have the most possible text (including folders) condensed into the viewable screen (compact mode).

You likely have hundreds, if not thousands, of emails in backlog on any given day, and can surely benefit from making every visit to your inbox as pleasing as possible. If we've helped you today, or you have another idea for easing the inbox experience, leave us a comment. We'd love to know. Or, comment with one of your personal preference inbox tricks.

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Otherwise, hang out with us here at Blogger for content pertaining to writing, web, tech, and entertainment. You can use the follow by email widget if you like (top right).

Disability and the Workplace Community

The modern political landscape encompasses an ever-morphing progression of issue-related events, with both positive and negative interpretations—and reactions to—various difficulties brought to light in efforts to redress grievances or quality of life. Among these concerns are the implications of disability.

Disability occurs in many forms, with the condition that one has a "reality to be accommodated", or possesses "a form of human variation", and there exists a long history of persons with disability, who have undergone life-affecting struggles to coexist in within their communities. This includes a relatively recent foray into the politics of bringing about significant change that positively impacts the lives of those who would benefit from improvements in the approach of whole communities.

While perceptions of (and treatments for) disability have continuously improved over the years, it's important to realize the reason for the shift: the activism of those with, and who care for those with, disabilities. There are several key references to historic political activities designed to bring needs of the disabled to light, from which we can begin to learn more about the process. 

Recent progress includes the primary benefit of social media: its capacity to assist in reaching the public with pertinent information designed to boost and forward such efforts. For example, the National Association of Democratic Disability Caucuses works through its Facebook page to enlighten activists as to the breadth of options available in developing and sustaining both organized and individual efforts for the cause.

There are a number of things anyone can do in the interest of creating a continually civilized culture that is not only accepting of, but as favorable to the environmentally disabled as anyone. One of the most effective strategies to change the landscape for the better rests on our ability to communicate effectively in a manner that does not diminish the disabled through ableist language.

ableism - discrimination in favor of able-bodied people

A person can use damaging ableist language in a couple of ways. When subconsciously used, ableist language is a learned habit that inhibits our capacity for complete understanding. When consciously used, ableist language is designed to inhibit progress that might be considered costly to detractors. 

Perhaps one of the most critical environments for the importance of language use is the workplace. When working with, or speaking about, a person with a disability for any reason, we can effect communication that equalizes the environment that person must navigate in order to meet their needs. By putting the person first in our perceptions and interpretations of circumstances, we avoid becoming the dreaded ableist in the lives of those with circumstantial disabilities. 

Avoiding ableist language in regard to wheelchair users

In order to better understand the relationship between ableism and language, dedicate some time to learn about all the intricacies involved in disability awareness communication. Resources today are many.

On the Holocaust: ensuring accurate historical information is taught in schools and beyond

A recent news report revealed that a school principal ran into some trouble after [allegedly] indicating that his educational institution did not necessarily prioritize the Holocaust as a factual event in history.

Considering the principal's alleged reasoning—something along the lines of 'not all people believe the Holocaust occurred'—it was perceived by an inquirer that the school wouldn't be teaching its students about Hitler's genocide of European Jews during World War II. The school, however, has reassigned the principal and assured the public of its actual position on the matter.

Our Takeaway:

It's difficult to stomach the propaganda that exists which insists the Holocaust never happened. Most of us have surely been confronted with such ideas as we navigate political social media.

One can only imagine that such an unexpected proponent of this discombobulating misconstruction is either uneducated and thus susceptible, or plain malicious. You'd have to know someone very well in order to certainly determine which, so it wouldn't be proper to presume the latter in this case. Still, we believe the content of the report linked above supports the idea that parents and guardians should be adequately involved in the campus experience of their children so as to avoid the neglect of such a situation.

An alertness to the the handling of subjects we'd personally be concerned about is paramount to the effective teaching of our youth and subsequent raising of responsible adults. Especially with modern technology's constant flow of information and perspectives, we should all be vigilant in doing our part to correct any misinformation that occurs in our field of perception. In addition, we should reach beyond our usual boundaries, into those areas around us that affect the lives of others.

It's appropriate to raise our own questions when confronted with addling,  or obviously misconstrued, statements regarding important events.

Recovered Marcos riches to be redistributed via auction, supporting the idiom: what goes around comes around

It often takes too long, but what goes around comes around—often, in bits and pieces.

A small, yet not insignificant, amount of 'Marcos money' is about to be recovered for the Philippines' public coffers, via auction, through the recovery efforts of a Philippine government commission tasked with tracking down wealth accumulations of Ferdinand and Imelda Marcos (largely stolen from their subjects).

Gen X and Baby Boomer generations will recall some of the 80s news-program broadcasts regarding the Marcos' fall.

Ferdinand Marcos won his first Philippine presidency in 1965, after gaining popularity as a political leader and accomplished lawyer who'd promised to continue in the footsteps of his predecessor by forging ahead with the goal of ridding the Philippine government of all corruption.

Marcos rode the coattails of a liberal forerunner's strong relationship with U.S. dignitaries, as well as those of his wife, Imelda, whose popularity and drive heightened his own. His country's economy, despite U.S. restrictions pertaining to competition, had been boosted by post-WWII, democratically-principled, practices that encouraged formal cohesion among various political parties of the Philippines and its trade countries. The Philippines, being the first Southeast-Asian country to gain independence after World War II on July 4, 1946 when the U.S. granted formal independence to the Philippines with strings attached, nonetheless experienced great strides in economic power.

However, being a "Nationalista" followup to a previously liberal leadership, Ferdinand did not continue to root out corruption as promised, but instead fed the cycle of rich vs. poor, primarily through a "U.S.-style" judicial system that undermined and impoverished the economically poor by catering to powerful land-holders through judgments rendered by "judges who were landlords and enforced by sheriffs and officials who were landlords".

For example, at the end of the Marcos' reign over Philippine welfare, hard questions were leveled at the matriarch regarding billions in amassed wealth being held (in the form of gold) being until such time as legal statute would run out—idea being that when the disadvantaged people ignorant of such law failed to stake claim to that fortune, the ownership of it would 'legally' revert to the Marcos. Too, all along, the Marcos had stored wealth acquired off the people in offshore accounts in Switzerland, for example,

Himself being corrupt, Ferdinand took advantage of a fascist power to control and censor media, which otherwise may have been sooner able to redirect the peoples' resolve in their own interests. Instead, the Philippine media was integrated into a machine that was used to disseminate propaganda in favor of Ferdinand and Imelda's reign. Ultimately, they would declare marshal law and use that domestic uncertainty to further establish their wealth and advantage.

Toward the end of their governance, Imelda's ostentatious preparations (and grotesque construction disaster coverups), designed to impress visiting foreign dignitaries, continued to turn people off of their negative influences. In fact, some would not take advantage of offered quarters on properties considered too lavish, only willing to stay elsewhere than where Imelda Marcos had intended.

Oft' referred to by the disparaging nickname "Marie Antoinette, with shoes", Imelda Marcos continued to be a popular inspiration to followers. She continued to win leadership positions after fleeing to the U.S. in exile with her husband in 1986 and—five years later—being allowed to return to the Philippines (without Ferdinand, since deceased) where, as of today, she continues to live.

Subscribers to Bloomberg are privy to further details regarding the auctions of some of the stolen wealth. These are public auctions: even the Marcoses may bid.

First inauguration of President Ferdinand Marcos held at the Quirino Grandstand, Manila, December 30, 1965. (PD img via Wikimedia Commons)

FURTHER READING

"Duterte hopes to hand presidency to dictator Ferdinand Marcos' son"

"With 'hero's' burial for Marcos, Duterte endorses Philippines' authoritarian past"

"International Realities and Philippine Foreign Policy Under Ferdinand Marcos" 

Garage Sale Mysteries: Can a Petition Save It?

A respectable lot of Garage Sale Mystery (GSM) fans are passionate about the show's survival regardless what may befall its lead actress after the reveal of alleged education fraud. Still, do social bystanders stand to suffer at the hands of social retaliation?

Along with all the Twitter talk about GSM and Lori Loughlin, a petition is in circulation that implores fans and compassionate observers alike to press support of GSM via social action. After all, there are an entire set of individuals involved with the show who now may be in economic limbo by no fault of their own making.

What to save, in a case of fraud against the public interest?

While many fans of the show called in great-enough number for Loughlin's downfall as a result of her reported actions, there are others who may agree but don't necessarily want to see the show's demise. As well, there are those who believe broadly that one's professional career shouldn't suffer as a result of criminal allegations. After all, one must retain an ability to defend themselves and sustain their livelihood.

However you feel, and whatever the petition may indicate, Garage Sale Mysteries could be an easy loss on the part of the industry and brands involved. Hallmark simply isn't as tied to Garage Sale Mysteries as we may have imagined; at least, it doesn't have to be. Rather, GSM is considered a "third-party" project.

In essence, the parent company of Hallmark Movies & Mysteries handed down the decision to dismiss and alienate Loughlin from any of its projects. This amounts to a kind of immediate social punishment (referring to the effect, not the motivation) for criminal allegations that can be limiting, not only to the accused but to their circles as well. Everyone must worry, it seems, how they'll be affected when one person is indicted.

Another reality that works against the salvage of Garage Sale Mysteries is that it is far from the only option at HMM, even, for family-oriented mystery genre for the channel.

Screen capture of Hallmark Movies & Mysteries Channel Signature Mysteries

With so many projects to manage, whether or not GSM is preserved remains to be seen. While it may be true that, without enough social support, Garage Sale Mysteries may not survive, doesn't the immediate decision to pull it as much seem to punish the public—including those in Loughlin's vicinity? A decision could have been more focused on the immediate source of public upset, taking bigger actions only if necessary.

Of course, there are a great many factors and every one may not be taken into account on our parts in evaluating from afar.

For all the shock evident in media, there appears to be a bit of a lag at HMM online, if they consider Loughlin's countenance as prominently featured in at least three prime placements on the Hallmark Movies & Mysteries homepage a negative. The image below shows only three out of five of these placements, on March 24. (March 12 we began receiving news in earnest regarding the indictments from the alleged admissions scam.)

URL Screen Capture 03/24/2019

As of March 27, HMM still promotes using Loughlin's image:

URL Screen Capture 03/27/2019

Ultimately, fan support may be quite meaningful as to whether production on Garage Sale Mysteries could, after all, be continued. GSM fans should reach out and sign that petition, if they haven't already.

Remember Roseanne? Her old network continues to benefit, creating what has continued to be a fantastic show despite losing her immediate presence or input.

How one copyright disagreement in comics helped establish fair use in publishing practice

Copyright and fair use are each ideas with long support among people, as well as frequent lines crossed—roots of 'behavior' exhibited on either side we might consider planted so as to retain utmost creative freedoms while securing proper credits for work done.

When we recognize the significance of economic and social opportunities in the relay of creativity and social learning, it stands to reason—especially during an era which was comparably challenged in its mass communications reach—that there would be a drive to emulate that which was successful in one city, and as such apply it in another.

Who was "Karls" (aka Ralph Hershberger) and how does his doppelganger experience in the publishing industry inform modern copyright practices? 

The "Ask the Archivist" column at Comics Kingdom touches on this idea that untended market creates space for creative offerings of the kind that are a known success yet unavailable to those in overlooked or economically-barred markets. Of note, "Karls"—aka Ralph A. Hershberger—the professionally successful cartoonist who made his start at a city daily newspaper. 

The rub? Hershberger's artistic work was based largely on the successful project of another artist. 

However, it wasn't to be considered copyright thievery. As reported in the CK Archivist article, a settlement between two parties (involved in a lawsuit that did not involve Hershberger) determined that "law allowed a doppelganger version, with minor adjustments". 

So it remains, constant line in the sand at which creatives collect like ants on a trail . . . because in isolation, only minor discovery is found. 

PD Image via Bing

In the event of death: tips on what to say, and why

The simplest deep condolences are often the best:

"I'm terribly sorry
for your loss."

There's no need to verbally follow this up with vague offers of 'anything I can do'. In too many cases, this slides by unattended.

Instead, offer a sincere, quick, no–response–necessary statement such as:

• "Contact me, if any need arises."
• "Chloe and I were great friends once."
• "Jim was a pleasure to know."

Each of these examples (or something close that you devise) carries a unique tone, one of which will be most appropriate for your relationship with the deceased. 

To be specific offers more comfort. 

"Contact me" leaves the method of contact open to they who need relief—whether to call, write, perhaps visit.

Acknowledge that needs do arise, while removing the implication of need on the part of the grieving, as they likely would reject any appearance of neediness. The idea, at this point, is to be as little intrusive as possible. Be a quiet shoulder, adding no burden.

Ambiguous passivity, awkwardness, and some predictability exist in offering "anything, if". You want to offer something, including yourself.

Authenticity is in the Follow Up

As with most any matter in effective communication, authenticity is found in caring. In due time, which could be a day, a week, a month (again, the relationship matters) check in again.

You'll have a chance in the meantime to gauge the immediate circumstances of the person(s) in mourning, and to offer specific help or company . . . whether to show up with a covered meal and a deck of cards (prepared to play or leave) or to meet up for a movie, maybe coffee. You get the idea. This is an effort to establish that you do continue to think about them and care that they're coping with their loss. 

On the other hand, when we're not an immediate family or friend, coworker perhaps, who will be present at some point during most days after a death—if it'd be a month, or three, before expecting to see them again—then it's okay to pick a time in-between for a reach-out. Too, if these were more distant acquaintances, then usually a personalized card will suffice.

Most people understand how difficult it can be to extend ourselves at all in a world where so much is misunderstood. All in all, just reach out. Go on record as the caring person that you are, and let everything else happen as it may.

"Abstract Flowers" image by Ken E, via PublicDomainPictures

Best Classic Children's Books: Literature for Kids, Book 1

Misty of Chincoteague (1947), by Marguerite Henry

An inspirational, historically-based story of wild horses, orphaned children, and intrigue, Misty of Chincoteague is an historical fiction written by a native of Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

Paul and Maureen, brother and sister, move in with their grandparents and adopt a new lifestyle centered in the training of ponies. As they settle in, the pair find adventure.

Children can identify with and will appreciate themes of:

• parental loss
• family
• being raised by grandparents
• families of different types (among humans and animals as well)
• love, including responsibility for animals
• self sufficiency 
• growth

Although it is a fictionalized dramatic work, Henry based the story on real life and entertains what can happen when kids are allowed space to lead with their fresh hearts, keen interests, and minds yet untainted by the politics of common adult struggles. Sibling protagonists offer a unique reading opportunity for kids.

This story about Misty and her family, and Paul and Maureen's, was so popular that it became first in a subsequent series of children's books (by Henry) about the horse named Misty. It also was the inspiration for the popular movie adaptation of the same name: Misty (1961).

Marguerite Henry, with Misty

Author Marguerite Henry (1902-1997), an American writer, was the writer of 59 books based on true stories of horses and other animals.

Find a copy of Misty of Chincoteague via Goodreads and begin the "Misty" series, or check your local book sellers.

.   .   .

REF:

Photo image of Marguerite Henry with her pony Misty via Wikipedia, Fair use, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?curid=36625166

Best Classic Children's Books for Entertainment and Learning

During a recent visit with friends, we noticed their children were intently watching the movie version of a classic children's book about animals. Short on dialogue, the 'picture version' was big on the kind of imagery described in words throughout the original children's novel.

What was once translated on the page via author and each reader's mind—an intensely personal experience—was now adapted for a movie audience. This is a terrific thing! Yet, it's not the same kind of experience, and it's apparent that if there isn't a concerted effort on the part of adults to entertain young children with written stories, then they'll miss out on an important part of growing up well.

Our ability to read text and process it in an effective way rests on not only didactic education but on habit as well. Reading comprehension, understood by students far and wide as an irritating credit requirement, informs and molds our daily experiences. It is this largely unrecognized reality that encourages us today to begin a series dedicated to showcasing the best classic children's books.

Why "classic" titles? Because, we want to revel in the personal experience of highly appreciated stories that still make us feel today the way we did when we initially read them. We'll be highlighting stories that gripped us and took us along a meaningful journey with people and circumstances we'd otherwise never have known.

In doing so, we also want to introduce our favorite cultural stories that help growing readers understand different walks of life than that to which they're exposed on a daily basis in their own circles.

We hope you'll join us by checking out our first installment of:

Best Classic Children's Books: Literature for Kids, Book 1

.   .   .

Tell us, what were some of your favorite reads as a child?

Writer's Block: Could you have it? What to do . . .

"Even if your first novel is published by a Big 5 house and ends up on the NYT bestseller list, you can get a massive case of writer’s block. I know a wildly successful author who went through this."
—Anne R. Allen

What is Writer's Block?

Like a mirage that can't be identified, the frustration of writer's block is an almost unfathomable force. Anyone can suffer from the affliction, any time, no matter their level of experience; but, only the experienced or informed have the better chance at successfully combating the invisible oppressor.

Photo by Brandi Redd, Unsplash

We'll call it what it is, because it is possible for a sufferer to live through a block without realizing it.

There are hundred ways we tell ourselves "later", that don't seem all that serious.

It can take a serious bout of self-sabotaging procrastination, or worse, to realize a block has landed upon us with heavy ferocity. 

Think about it: that necessary book you've been putting off . . . or think about why you're not sending your short work to publishers (if you're not)—are you certain about your reasons for delay, or could there be a block upon you?

Merriam-Webster defines writer's block as "psychological inhibition preventing a writer from proceeding with a piece". Theoretically, a writer could have situational writer's block. At the other end, a writer could find themselves unable to write at all for a period of time.

As writers, we need to take seriously any signs of a lack of motivation. The seriousness of writer's block is, first, in being unaware. Then, when you become aware that you have this problem, you may experience stress and compromised output over a perceived inability to overcome it.

Awareness is key to identifying issues related to writers block and staying ahead of the curve, lest fall behind. So, let's look at how we can
beat writer's block!

Visit: How to Overcome Writer's Block

Photo by Andy Do on Unsplash

Privacy: Who's Been Looking at My Facebook Profile?

If you're wondering who's been checking your Facebook profile . . .

There are apps for that (but they misrepresent their capabilities).

There is no way to check who's been going the extra mile for you—looking at your profile—and get an accurate answer. While you'll find that there are several links and apps that claim to do so, none of them are legit.

According to Facebook, a user cannot see who has viewed their profile. It's as simple as that. 

There are also written directions posted at various online locations that tell users 'how to bypass' Facebook's usual allowances, which direct us to find "source code" and "friends list". Don't bother with it. This list is ordered not by who's viewed your profile but by people you've interacted with most recently, or merely whom Facebook thinks you should.

We'll likely never know who's been viewing our Facebook profiles. It's safest to assume that those whom you least wish to see your information—even the most casual of posts and shares—will.  Refer to the privacy and safety guidelines that Facebook outlines, and consider:

Do we really want to know who's viewing our Facebook profiles? 

PD img, PublicDomainPictures

  .  .  .

Here's a direct link to
Facebook Help Center, for your
browser bookmarks:

REF:

Can I tell who's looking at my profile, https://www.facebook.com/help/210896588933875 Last retrieved March 02, 2019.

Writer's Block: Overcome the Author's Primary Antagonist via a System of Reinforcing Habits

It starts like a phone call . . . no more than a distraction. But it can grow on you, into a full-blown, one-sided relationship with a determined antagonist—aim of which is to work against you, dear writer. 

Writer's block, aka "invisible oppressor" presents as a loss of ability to create new work, or as an interruption of what had been ongoing work. Whether professional or aspiring, a writer can be permanently frustrated by writer's block, if they don't recognize the disorder and devise coping strategies. 

HOW TO OVERCOME WRITER'S BLOCK

Being defined as a condition of being unable to proceed with writing, writer's block is understood only in vague terms and thought to be rooted in either creative or psychic issues. (Merriam-Webster)

Speaking of "psychic issues":

Frame of mind, or attitude, being tantamount to our cumulative daily actions, we should invest time and energy in order to overcome the negative emotions and behaviors that can lead to writer's block. Because our attitude is a malleable, living thing which consists of temporary states experienced along a linear timeline, we can apply techniques in an effort to improve the management of our experiences. 

Photo by Steve Johnson, Unsplash

In turn, we enhance our ability to manage our way out of the bonds of writer's block once caught, and—if we're lucky—to avoid the invisible oppressor altogether through a system of good habits we've built as the culmination of various techniques applied in a continuous, progressive manner.

So what kind of habits can we create, or improve upon, in order to build our system to overcome writer's block?

Recognize & utilize reinforcing habits

Reinforcing habits are those things we consciously do—the rituals we perform—to prepare for an event . . . like a writing session. Some common reinforcing habits that people undertake before settling down to write (or to change the pace) are: 

• eat a big breakfast (ref: Hunter S. Thompson's psychic anchor)
• take a cold shower - excites the system
• get to a special location, whether home or away -
  hotel rooms were a part of Maya Angelou's writing ritual
• take time to prepare a fine beverage (explains all the coffee talk)

Having a favorite cup of tea, cocoa, coffee, or lemon water is one of the easiest, most affordable ways to associate a great writing session with positive, motivational vibes. Settling into your favorite chair behind that beloved table to partake of the aromatic, energizing, roasted bean extraction is flooding your senses with warm associations that welcome the mind to expand its fluid horizons. 

Photo by Bryan Burgos,  Unsplash

That cozy corner of your home, or the local diner or park . . . the cup of coffee. . . are reinforcing habits, or psychic anchors, to your desired behavior.

Perform exploratory exercises

There are a number of fact-finding or investigative, even experimental, methods we can employ in an habituated effort to stimulate thought processes, even our psyche.  Some of the ways we might perform exploratory research as a means of the prevention and treatment of writer's block include:

• meditate (style may matter, regarding creativity and focus)
• jot a journal entry - different styles can be creative prompts
• do a freewriting exercise - use a prompt
• active research - pick a random topic from any notes on your meditations, or journal; where there is little information, there is opportunity for active investigation and inspiration.

As a writer, you can probably identify with researching a topic, writing your piece and editing out excess material which in itself inspires ideas for further writing. It stands to reason that active research on something as narrow as a singular term could yield some inspiration. Same goes for journaling and freewriting, each a different style of drill-writing that encourage new ideas through discoveries made while performing daily writing exercises. 

If you want to give yourself a lead, pick a topic prior to a freewrite. Use a prompt, like an emotion, a picture, a question, or a piece of your own writing from some of that excess material that fell off another project as you edited. Using a prompt can jump-start your brain as it connects that fire as you contemplate your cue.

Meditation is a means of preparation for writing that pulls from deeper wells of knowledge and perception. A writer can begin to study meditation in general, a couple times per week, and enjoy the result—an expanded perception that, hopefully, alleviates writer's block. Or, a writer can perform a meditation directly before a writing session . . . a tactic to catch ideas via the mediation experience. 

Farnoosh Brock, writing for Copyblogger, compares the "inside influence" of meditation to the usual outside-influence writing exercises, and stands by meditation as a "non-negotiable element" of her writing process. 

MOOD ADJUSTMENT

When we need to overcome writer's block, we essentially need to change our mood . . . or, make an attitude adjustment. We shouldn't spend too much time making light of the issue. Instead, we should acknowledge the damaging effects that writer's block can have on us, beginning with the challenging aspects of identifying the problem. Beyond identification, we must prioritize remedying practices.

Photo by rawpixel on Unsplash

Every remedy we've suggested here today has potential to lead us out of the murky woods that harbor writer's block and to a better place, through continued engagement with particular practices. By choosing to establish reinforcement habits, (Thompson's "psychic anchors") in relation to writing and exploratory exercises, we can lead ourselves to greener pastures through practice and expression. 

What better way, for an artist?

"Anybody with a terminally jangled lifestyle needs at least one psychic anchor every 24 hours".
—Hunter S. Thompson

.  .  .

What kind of reinforcement habits to you perform as prelude to your writing sessions, and do you relate any of your positive, motivation-building habits to only certain writing exercises? 

Drop us a line! We'd love to hear about your experiences along the path to becoming a greater writer.