Piece #37 - Dreaming of England!

I have to admit that this post was inspired by a reader who made a very nice comment from England. Understand that there is a lot more to the story than just a comment, my wife and I have always want to"go on holiday" to England! As I've mentioned in a previous post, I have always had a fascination with Doctor Who so that is where I first had my interest in Britain. For my wife, when she was growing up she loved the Bronte sisters and Jane Austen's books. I have been to Europe, although that was back in 1987; but I did get to visit Belgium, France and Italy. So jolly ole England has eluded me for decades now and I really want to go!

I'm not completely sure, but I believe I did have ancestry from England so there alone is some motivation. I remember when I was taking my undergrad and we had a guest professor from Bath, England. (Funny, I first thought the Education Department was joking with me when they told me he was from "Bath"!) For Doctor Who, it was more than just a show; I loved it because they would film on location all over the countryside so it was the best way for me to see different things...better than a documentary anyway! It inspired me to watch other British shows like Monty Python, Benny Hill, Fawlty Towers, etc. And then there's Bond...James Bond, I loved watching the movies and reading some of the books; I mean who wouldn't want to go to England for him?

In recent years, a new thing has emerged, though they are rather old fictional stories, The Lord of the Rings and The Chronicles of Narnia were the icing on the cake! I do remember watching the Hobbit and the Lord of the Rings (animated) when I was really young, but nothing prepared me more like watching those current live-action films. Talk about REALLY wanting to go to England...WOW! To visit the places where the two authors use to work and live is just too much to be true. And speaking of writers, I would be remised if I didn't mention...Shakespeare. If you've read previous postings you would know that I was big into theater so this shouldn’tcome as a big surprise. To be able to visit Stratford-Upon-Avon and see all things Shakespeare would really be a dream come true.

Currently, I'm teaching History so this is a no brainer because I have studied the British monarchy and I have been watching them since I was young. I remember staying up really, really late to watch Charles and Diana get married and sadly the funeral for Diana as well. I always found the British monarchy to be one of the most interesting families to study. From Henry the VIII to Queen Elizabeth I, I remember watching several reenactments of their lives on TV and in the movies. Yes, I did watch William and Kate get married...I'm sure Di would have been proud of the both of them. It’s amazing how much Kate reminds me of Diana in how she cares about the people and how she presents herself.

I hope someday soon Jaimee and I will get the chance to visit England. It would really be a dream come true. Somehow I think this is a reachable goal, I just hope it will be sooner more than later because Jaimee and I really want to see the whole country; not just one city...sorry London.

Song of Inspiration [Check it out on iTunes!]:

Song: “Kings and Queens"

Artist: Audio Adrenaline

Album: Kings and Queens

This is a picture that I took when I was in Paris back in 1987 and I used a 110 camera (just google it). [and...Yes, I took the picture!] I would like to have a picture of Jaimee and I being in England!

Piece #111 - First Impressions

"You already know that making a good first impression can go a long way. But forget all the advice you've received about dressing to impress or putting on a cheesy smile. Turns out, the true secret to building a lasting connection reaches much deeper than what you wear." "According to Amy Cuddy, a Harvard Business School professor who has researched first impressions for more than 15 years, everyone (consciously or subconsciously) asks two questions when they meeting someone new: Can I trust this person? And can I respect this person?" This quote comes from Reader's Digest and I actually found this rather compelling because I never really heard of this before. I've addressed this topic of first impressions in the past but, I have to admit that this idea is interesting. I guess since you hear a lot of things from a smile, the outfit or what you say make the difference; however these two questions have me a little perplexed. I think it depends on the ...

Piece #1 - The Beginning

I guess like embarking on any puzzle, it must always starts with the first piece. So to begin, I have Asperger's Syndrome, in other words I'm Autistic, and so this literature will be about my struggles with this disorder as an adult. I was first diagnosed back in the summer of 2004. If it wasn't for my twin daughters, I might not have ever known all the questions I have ever had in life; to them, I will always be in their debt. Growing up, you are never really aware of any differences until the judgment years...6th thru 12th grade of school. A time when one always tests their own humanity against others; meaning, how will I measure up against other students. In my eyes I seemed to be just like them; two arms and legs, ten fingers and toes, head and body...nothing unusual. Yet, for some reason, I was treated a little different than everyone else. That's one of those things that you can't quite put your finger on, but I observed on many occasions how kids would talk...

Broken Piece #2 - Susan Boyle

For those of you who are not sure who is Susan Boyle, she was the second place winner to the show "Britain's Got Talent" in 2009. She sang the famous song from Les Misérables "I Dreamed the Dream". Since the show, Susan had been making guest appearances on a variety of shows and recorded several albums. Susan's first album alone broke several chart-records and was very well received around the world. I believe why she had such incredible appeal was because she was a perfect representative of all the 'regular people' in the world. She didn't come in flashy or striking but, modest and humble. When a person like Susan is thrown into the whirlwind of concerts, parties, media, and money, it's very difficult to stay grounded and not having your own personal world torn apart. Sadly for Susan Boyle, her tiny universe is crumbling. First, she did have a health scare when she was diagnosed with type 2 diabetes that prompted her to lose weight. Se...

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