Showing posts with label Movies Music and Books. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Movies Music and Books. Show all posts

22 December 2023

Introduction to Classical Music ~ Beethoven, Mozart, Bach, and Tchaikovsky

Many of the famous classical music composers that we know of – Beethoven, Mozart, Bach, Tchaikovsky - are no longer with us.

Portrait Ludwig van Beethoven when composing t...
Portrait Ludwig van Beethoven when composing the Missa Solemnis (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Popular singers, songwriters and musicians like the late Nina Simone, the late Michael Jackson, Sir Paul McCartney, and Alicia Keys have all said they draw inspiration from or have been greatly influenced by these composers. 

The above is regarded by historians as the mos...
The above is regarded by historians as the most accurate surviving likeness of Mozart, painted when the composer was 26 years old. It is a section of an unfinished 1782 portrait by Joseph Lange. The splotchy texture of the composer's cheeks, visible in the original painting on display at the Mozart Museum in Salzburg, was verified by Mozart's contemporaries. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

You heard that most music store owners are tempted to put their classical music selections in a small room at the back of the store; however, it was just a bit of humor. The least we can do is display their masterful works – whether on the store shelves or in your home music library - in plain view so that the memory of these gifted musicians will live on.

Johann Sebastian Bach (aged 61) in a portrait ...
Johann Sebastian Bach (aged 61) in a portrait by Elias Gottlob Haussmann, Copy or second Version of his 1746 Canvas, private ownership of William H. Scheide, Princeton, New Jersey, USA (Photo credit: Wikipedia)


Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky.
Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Thinking about experimenting and expanding your musical taste?


You want to listen to classical music, but you don't know where to begin?



***
Fascinating Facts about Beethoven, Mozart, Bach, Tchaikovsky.








The Health Benefits of Classical Music

There is no doubt that there are benefits to be found in many different genres of music. It can often seem to help when nothing else is able to change our mood or motivate us. For thousands of years, humans have been intrinsically linked to music in all its forms. It is part of our mourning, our celebrations, and our rituals.








Original source

25 April 2023

Round Up: Ten Popular Posts About Celebrities

Thank you to my blog visitors.  I have been getting more traffic to this blog and readers have been leaving comments to let me know they dropped by.  As you can see, this blog's Archived Posts date back to 2014.  

It's been a while since I've done a round-up of popular posts.  My Blog Stop! publishes content about a wide range of topics; from art to zen.  Rather than choose posts based on a time period (30 days, a year, etc.), the round-up below are popular posts about a specific topic.  

Below are 10 posts about "celebrities".  Many are about famous people that are now referred to or described as "vintage", "iconic", "legendary", "Hollywood legends", etc.

(P.S.  I also included some posts from my other blog, Joie de Vivre Magazine.)




(1)

My Top 10 List of Iconic Female Celebrities


In America, we love to apply the word "icon" to people who sort of serve as symbols or are symbolic of something much larger than themselves, and are representative of an ideal that we, as individuals, hope to achieve in life. It's almost as if these people are idols. Almost.

(2)

Entertainment: Celebrities: In Memory of: Doris Day (1922 - 2019)


Must say good-bye to "America's girl next door" and Hollywood legend, Doris Day . She had a major influence on my childhood development. She charmed me. That was her appeal. I think she charmed everyone; publicly and privately. I loved all of her movies. No really.

(3)

Hollywood Legends : Iconic Female Celebrities: Marilyn Monroe (1926 - 1962)


Today, Marilyn Monroe would be 90 years old, but the diva passed away in 1962. Many people know her celebrity persona, and she still is viewed as an icon of beauty and femininity. But let's take a look at her off-screen personality. Here are seven (7) biographical facts.

(4)

IN MEMORY OF: Humphrey Bogart (1899 - 1957)


Died: January 14, 1957 Won't be much longer now and all the glamorous Hollywood movie stars that I grew up watching will be forgotten. Stars like Humphrey Bogart, who was actually already dead by 1957, a couple of years after my birth.

(5)

Celebrities : In Memory Of : Christopher Lee (1922-2015)


"What Christopher Lee movie is this?" Care to share your love for the late great Christopher Lee? 

(6)

Celebrities : In Memory Of : Omar Sharif (1932 - 2015)


In 2015, we said farewell to one of my favorite actors, an unforgettable screen legend, Omar Sharif . He may be gone but he is not forgotten. At least not by me.

(7)

Asian-American Legend ~ Bruce Lee (Nov 27, 1940 - July 20, 1973)


God bless the Internet and especially social networks, bloggers, and online writing communities. So there's this really cool guy - Nathan Bernardo, aka NateB11 - and he is a loyal and devoted martial arts disciple. He knows a lot about MA and writes articles on the topic.

(8)

Celebrity Birthdays : Happy Birthday Ms. Nichols!

For those who were dedicated fans of the original Star Trek sci-fi TV series which aired 1966 through 1969, no doubt you remember Nichelle Nichols who played Lieutenant Uhura. Born Grace Nichols on December 28, 1932, in Robbins, Illinois. Today is her birthday Happy Birthday Ms. Nichols! *

(9)

Bob Marley - Rastaman Trivia 2


February 6th was the singer's birthday. But there was this interesting article at Bubblews about his memorial services with some trivia to be shared. You never know when you may need to know it! Rather than wait for May 11th, the anniversary of Mr. Marley's death, my reasoning was that since it was still February, it could be considered a sort belated birthday remembrance.

(10)

Michael Jackson (August 29, 1958 - June 25, 2009)


Michael Jackson was so much more than an eclectic and consummate entertainer. He was an extremely generous humanitarian and would no doubt like for people to remember his love and genuine care and concern for children.

Hope you enjoyed the round-up. Visit often!

30 March 2023

Book Lovers – An Assortment of Books for Your Reading List or Personal Library

Once stayed in a temporary residence when my family was being relocated from one state to another.  We stayed in this house for a few months until we found our permanent home.  What a memory!

This house was right out a dream home magazine.  My favorite room in this house was the office/library.  Public libraries have always been one of my favorite places.  But I had never lived in a house that was big enough to have my own personal library where I could retreat to and shut off the rest of the world.  



If you had your personal library, what kinds of books would be on your bookshelves?  Here are some of the books you might find in my library.


♦ Picture Books for Children (or for grown-ups who never grow up)
  • "The Eagles Are Back" : Jean Craighead George tells the story of how the American bald eagle was saved from extinction.
  • "Annie and the Old One" : Written by Miska Miles.  It is an introduction to the customs and traditions of  the Navajo people and touches upon a very sensitive subject for children: explaining the death of a loved one.
  • "The Emperor and the Kite":  Jane Yolen tells the tale of a young child who saved a kingdom all because she knew how to fly a kite.  So the next time someone says to you "Go fly a kite!", just imagine yourself on a secret mission saving an empire.

♦ Hot and exciting reads. Suspense Thrillers or Romance.
  • FC Etier Writes Political Thrillers : "The Tourist Killer" was FC Etier's first novel; followed up by "The Presidents Club". Two novels written for those who enjoy a web of conspiracy and intrigue with lots of political overtones.
  • Two Thrillers and One Romance : Just the titles of these books should tempt you. "Power Of Persuasion"; "Trusting Evil"; and "All the Beautiful Sinners".  Which one do you think is the romance?  :)
  • Irresistible Historical Romance Novels : “A Rose in Winter” and “Shanna”  ~ Both books authored by the late Kathleen E. Woodiwiss, the lady who pioneered the historical romance genre and should be credited with it being one of the most popular book genres, based on book sales in the USA.

♦ History or Mystery.

♦ Science Fiction or Fantasy.

Inspiring Biographies.




♥ ♥ ♥ 
Now that you've picked your book (or books), 
settle down for some good reading!  :)

28 October 2022

Movie Pick for Friday Night: The Truth About Charlie (2002)

Looking for a movie to watch on Friday night?  Here's my pick.  “The Truth About Charlie” (2002) is a movie which starred Mark Wahlberg and Thandie Newton. When the movie was being advertised in the media, I listened to an interview with Mark Wahlberg discussing his character. He played an American agent who was assigned to a post in Paris, France. He said to make his character more believable, he decided to wear a beret. He figured since he was an American agent performing “undercover” activities, wearing the beret might help him blend in and be less noticeable.


Hmmm? Interesting fashion tip! Come to think of it, I don’t often see American men wearing berets. But I guess the men in France wear a beret? Ya think?  Here's the answer to that question. 

It turns out that berets were adopted by the French military. In the 1920s, a beret became a popular fashion accessory for both men and women. However, according to Trip Advisor, these days it's mostly just tourists you will see wearing the felt berets. (LOL. Kind of like in The Bahamas. It's only the tourists who carry the straw handbags.) 

In USA not many men wear berets but women often sport them to accessorize their outfits. 

* * *

LINKS OF INTEREST: 

How to Style a Beret like an American | STYLE REPORT MAGAZINE ~ https://stylereportmagazine.com/style-beret-like-american/ 

Beret Style Inspiration - How to Wear a Beret ~ https://www.harpersbazaar.com/fashion/trends/g5125/how-to-style-a-beret/ 






Have you visited my entertainment blog?

09 June 2022

You Think You Know All About Witches | earthpages.ca (Reblog)

A very informative post:  Witch. Two ideas (or facts, if you prefer) presented that were news to me!


(1) Witches are born witches. Sorcerers get to apply for the job later on in life.

(2) Witch doctors were called witch doctors because people called on them to cure an illness believed to have been caused by a witch.



Original content source link:  ForumCoin.com


♦ ♦ ♦

Additional Links of Interest:
 


Image credit: By Immanuel Giel - Own work, Public Domain, Link





03 June 2022

Throwback Music: Everybody Wants To Rule The World ~ Tears for Fears

My YouTube pick for Throwback Thursday is the original video by an awesome duo from my generation called Tears for Fears. Threw in the other video just because. 

These guys held a concert in Austin, Texas in 2015; Austin Music Hall. Did not attend but was so glad to see the advertisement in the paper and to know these two brothers childhood friends were still around making their awesome music. ((I always thought they were brothers.  But I discovered later they were just good friends.)  I converted some of my kids and got them to listen to this talented duo. :)  The music of Tears for Fears is still relevant today.


Tears for Fears 2008

Image credit: By KWa (Own work) [GFDL (http://www.gnu.org/copyleft/fdl.html) or CC BY-SA 3.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0)], via Wikimedia Commons


You want to know a secret? It's a genuine secret. Never told this to anybody but always thought it. You see the guy with the long black hair and the curly locks?  He looks like one of my cousins.  Never told anybody because my cousin was a girl named Helen.  Kept that secret for almost 30 years.  Guess it's OK to reveal it now.  :)


* * *
Tears For Fears - "Everybody Wants To Rule The World" - 



Find Info on Future Concerts


*


17 February 2022

Asian Cinema : Movie Review : The King of Masks (1999)

The theatrical masks of Chinese opera were promoted by emperors and high court officials. As a result, they became a traditional art form and along with this tradition, came other traditions. 



Many films are gems that get lost or buried. Even award-winning films like The King of Masks. It's a foreign movie: Mandarin Chinese with English subtitles.

Time period is the 1930s. A master of an ancient Chinese art is growing old. He must pass on his skills to an heir. A male heir.
It's tradition!

Unfortunately, he's childless. In a desperate effort to honor the custom and maintain the trade and the tradition, he buys a young child. In China, poor children are often sold via a black market. He and the child develop a close relationship, however, a “complication” also develops.


"The King of Masks

is a wonderful and touching story. 









19 May 2021

Book Review: 'The Man with the Golden Gun' by Ian Fleming

Many people know a lot about Bond movies. 

What about the Bond books?
  • "Casino Royale" was the first Bond book published in 1953. 




  • After that, Ian Fleming, the creator of James Bond, wrote a book a year. This brilliant writer died of a heart attack in 1964. That's a little over ten years!! 

  • Bond novels were published between the years 1953 – 1966. 

It is not often that I come across a review of one of the Fleming books. Lots of movie reviews but not book reviews.  Sharing a link to a book review of "The Man with the Golden Gun" from The Friendly Shelf.  It might tempt to want to READ ALL of Fleming's original books. :)




****


Bond Novels by Publication Date:


- - Info Reference: literary007.com Includes book summary and related blog posts.
- Aug 12, 1964: James Bond creator Ian Fleming dies. Read full article at history.com
- The Best James Bond Novels: Ranking the Fleming Originals by “Jeff” at bookriot.com
- Obviously, great info can be relished at the official website: James Bond | Ian Fleming Publications

 










AUDIOBOOK
The Man with the Golden Gun
The Man with the Golden Gun



12 March 2021

Priyanka Chopra Started Her Crossover Efforts With Music, But ...

Huge Priyanka Chopra fan and "In My City" is her collaboration with a talented American artist Will I. Am (of Black Eyed Peas fame) in order for her to “cross over” and expose her talent to more Westerners. Why not? American artists collaborate with American artists, all the time. That's how they survive. Why not mix and match?  The game plan seemed sound.  But the efforts were not very successful.

Continue reading.









*Bollywood Actress Priyanka Chopra to Play Lead Role in ‘Quantico’*



23 November 2020

“Mary, Did you Know?” - incredible acappella version by the Pentatonix

Diary Note: Today is November 21, 2014. Woke up this morning, charged up and ready to face the day. Checked my eMail and my husband's aunt had sent me this. Gotta admit it made me slow down, take a deep breath, and START MY DAY ALL OVER AGAIN!!!  Ever heard of this website. GodVine? I never heard of it. Know it now! :)

Blessings to all!!
Here Is One A Cappella Song That'll Give You Chills. THIS Is What CHRISTmas Is All About!

28 October 2020

Find Free Music for Halloween to Enjoy the Holiday

Looking for something you can use as background music (in addition to Michael Jackson's Thriller) that will create the spooky scary horror-full mood of the Halloween holiday? 

Royalty Free Horror Soundtracks for Download


DJ playing music at a Halloween party
© Photographer: Texelart | Agency: Dreamstime.com






glitter-graphics.com


23 July 2020

Book Review: The Signature of God (and Other Book Reviews)

Wrote some book reviews a few years back. 

Sharing the links.  The first is actually my favorite; published 2013.  

How do we know that God wrote the Bible? Simple! He signed it!

Book Review: The Signature of God by Grant R. Jeffrey


The Handwriting on the Wall - St Benedicts Catholic Church | Source: Wikimedia Commons


● ● ● ● Other Book Reviews:

  • A wonderful book for children written by Miska Miles, which was published in 1971: Annie and the Old One.




  • If you like true stories, mysteries that are finally solved, and ever wondered about ships that set sale and then disappeared - here are four books about Ships Lost at Sea that tell the tales.





The Seven Kings of Rome

The Seven Kings of Rome

There was once a group of villages on seven hills which grew into an empire. But how did it happen?
If your curiosity is peaked by this brief presentation of the history of ancient Rome and wants to learn more, you will find two book recommendations at the end of the article.




16 July 2020

Entertainment: 6 Bollywood Films With An Awesome Soundtrack

These days video rental stores are practically nonexistent because of online video streaming. But three (3) decades ago, video rental stores changed my life. How so? The stores introduced me to foreign films and in particular, to Bollywood films. What’s so great about these Indian movies? The music! Yes, the dancing is awesome too. But you can’t have dancing without music. Right?

Many of these films have an awesome soundtrack. In fact, it’s fun to search YouTube just looking for the songs. There are lots and lots of films but these are my Top 6. Yes, 5 out of 6 are Priyanka Chopra-Jonas movies. I’m a huge PCJ fan.




*Karam (2005 ‧ Drama)
A young married couple should be able to lead a fairy tale “happily ever after” lifestyle. If only the husband wasn’t a paid contract killer; a bad guy who made some other bad guys really angry. It made their lives really complicated.



*What’s Your Raashee? (2009 ‧ Bollywood/Comedy)
A guy needs to find a wife or lose his inheritance. He decides to choose his bride according to her “raashee” (her astrological sign).



*Fashion (2008 ‧ Bollywood/Drama)
A young woman pursues her dream of being a top fashion model, making sacrifices and bad decisions, along the way to get to the top.

*Yuvvraaj (2008 ‧ Drama)
There were light-hearted moments. But there was nothing funny about the plot. There are 3 brothers. One brother is mentally challenged and when the father dies, he leaves all the money to this son. The other 2 brothers, who feel that have been cheated, scheme to try to get the inheritance.

*7 Khoon Maaf (2011 ‧ Thriller/Drama)
The film is called “7” because the woman has seven husbands. Each time she marries, she is certain the man she chose will be her soulmate for life. It doesn’t work out and she conveniently becomes a widow, albeit she is never charged with any crime. In the end, she does find her soulmate. To be fair, the other six had it coming.



*Dostana (2008 ‧ Comedy/Drama)
Two guys need to rent an apartment at a complex in Miami, Florida USA with one catch. They have to be gay. They pretend to be gay, sign the lease, and their roommate is a hot young heterosexual female that both of them fall for; only she doesn’t know it because she thinks they’re gay. The movie is cute and funny!


♦ Source: Virily.com

10 July 2020

Entertainment : The Beatles : Trivia and Tidbits About the Fab Four

Fans love to latch on to info about The Beatles aka the Fab Four, no matter if it's current or old news.


The late John Lennon, an original member of the Fab Four, known officially as The Beatles will always be a hot topic if you're discussing celebrity trivia, pop music history, etc. Linking back to an old post published a few months back sharing MY unofficial opinion of the unsuccessful musical career of Julian Lennon and connecting it to this link from The Guardian. Not that anybody in the Lennon family gives a hoot about my thoughts, observations or opinions. Not a hater, but the title of the article is a quote from Julian's step-brother Sean Lennon which perfectly summarizes the way I see him. LOL. 

Sean Lennon: ‘People only see me as the spoiled slacker son of John and Yoko’


People will always be curious about the lives of the offspring of music legends. You may not go looking for tidbits but when you see one, it's time for a conversation by the office water cooler. :)





Content republished from Persona Paper.

* * *
Links of Interest:
(More chit-chat for the water cooler)

The History Of Pop Music In 5 Defining Decades

27 Children of Classic Rock Legends

Gift Ideas for Fab Four Fans


Long and Winding Road: The Greatest Beatles Stories Ever Told

06 June 2020

Entertainment: My Picks for Saturday Afternoon at the Movies: A Triple Feature

There was a dark period in the history of mankind when witch-hunting was the order of the day. It began with official approval from Pope Innocent VII in 1484 and continued until around the 17th century when it reached its climax in England, Scotland, and America.


But it’s the 21st century. We’re all much more civilized and intelligent than those people were back then. Aren’t we? Nobody is going to whip us up into frenzied mania and have us pointing a finger of accusation at someone, torturing a confession out of them, and still putting them to death for being a witch!


The past is in the past. 
Image Credit: Amazon.com

Fortunately, my only exposure to witches and witchcraft was and is wearing a costume on Halloween or watching the Wizard of Oz. When I was growing up, we (my siblings and I) watched this iconic film once every year.  But now anybody can watch The Wizard of Oz on DVD or Amazon Instant Video. Can you believe it has been 75+ years? The movie was released in 1939. Listening to Judy Garland sing “Over the Rainbow” never gets old. It might be a fun idea to plan a Saturday afternoon or evening watching all 3 films: 

That's right!  A triple feature!

Source: Webnuggetz.com

20 February 2020

Entertainment: Music: Throwback: I Don't Wanna Fight ~ Tina Turner

I admire Tina Turner. She was a strong soul sista. There came a time in her life when she was a “turning point”. She is a role model for women who are in abusive relationships. She shows them what they need to do. Especially if children are involved. I liked this song because I can feel Tina's heart and soul in it when she sings it. Her heart was bleeding and she knew the best way was to just move on. She picked up the pieces and walked off!!



Image credit:
Tina Turner Wallpaper by eltonandtinafan, on Flickr


In my opinion, “All the Best – The Hits” and “Simply the Best” are her “best”! 



She is retired now and for your information, she performed her last concert in Austin, Texas, my current hometown.  I did not attend but according to those who did, she was Tina Turner all the way to the end!!  :)









Gifts for Music Lovers : Aretha Franklin Sings The Great Diva Classics

Gifts for Music Lovers: Duke Ellington Album: Far East Suite





Entertainment: Music: Throwback: It Came From the '90s: Janet Jackson (Reblog)

This is a great blog with a great blog post.  The link that the blog publisher meant to share was to a music video for one of my favorite Janet Jackson songs.  Unfortunately, the video in the post is no longer available.  But the post along with its content is available and it's a really good read.  Check it out!  (I found the YT video and put it in this post.)





♦ ♦ ♦ ♦

Photo credit: By Rich Esteban - Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0, Link




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