Botox or Bangs?

Zooey Deschanel...my bang guru!!!

I choose bangs, but not for the reasons you might think:

1.   Cost

2.   I don't like the way botox feels

3.   It gave me a headache (go figure since it is used for migraines)

4.   I look cute with bangs and younger, too (or at least I think so)

5.   Most of my wrinkles are on my forehead (this is probably the number one reason)

Below are some other great hairstyles to hide your wrinkles.  Bangs are 'good news' for your pocket book and probably healthier, too (I mean who are we kidding people... botox is made from botulism).

Kiera Knightly

Reese Witherspoon

J Lo

Let me know if you have any cheap tricks up your sleeve to help with the aging process at: c@cjblake.net.   I'd love to know! 

I hope you enjoyed another edition of Frilly Friday, and may you all be blessed with 'good news' this weekend.  

In an effort to sustain and maintain high quality blogs it has been recommended to me to only blog 1 to 2 times per week.  I really appreciate everyone who missed my daily work but, I agree that if I want this to last, I need to pace myself (which has not been my strong suit in the past).

Family Soul Night

While my family followed all the Christian holidays I can honestly say I don't know what they really believed spiritually.  As a child the only religion I was exposed to was going to the synagogue with my best friend who was Jewish.  While she slept through every Friday night service, I was totally enthralled with the Hebrew being spoken and the Jewish culture.  I also loved spending time with her family for high holidays like: Hanukkah, Passover and Rosh Hashanah.   Her family had something I did not get at home: spirituality.   I am eternally grateful for that experience and their loving inclusion of this Shiksa.

While I never became a Jew...even though I tried... I was desperate to have a bat mitzvah (I mean the party and presents), but you should have seen my southern grandma's face when I announced I intended to have one at Easter brunch...needless to say that was the end of that idea.  They may not have gone to church, but there was no way in hell their granddaughter was becoming a Jew.

I will say... my mom was really cool about it, and she told me I could follow any religion I wanted.  That is one of the great things about my mom she always allowed me the space to be a free thinker, even if it differed from the rest of the family.

Through my years of searching I find myself consistently drawn to the teachings of Jesus.  (Go figure...and it turns out that he was a Jew) I'm not fond of labels, so when I am asked about my religious pursuasion, I claim to be independent, just like my political affiliation.  It really doesn't matter though... because what I know for sure is that I believe in God, and I know God loves me no matter what I call myself.  That being said, this blog is not about religion, but finding ways to connect more as a family.

For several years we home schooled our two boys and during that time I was introduced to this amazing program by a close friend.  I was looking for a way to nourish my family's soul when we were going through some very hard times.   

I believe one of my jobs as a parent is to nourish their spirits.  The Family Virtues Guide is a tool to help me do just that.  Here are just a few of the virtues included in the book:

    LOVE, COMPASSION, HONESTY, AND FORGIVENESS

This nugget of a book is filled with 52 virtues that are shared by all the major religions...I love when we can find what is similar versus what is different.  While the goal is to do one virtue a week... it has not always worked out that well for us.  Lately, though we have been trying to do one every Sunday night before bedtime.  We sit in our comfy living room, dim the lights, place candles around the room and my husband facilitates the discussion.  We end with reciting The Voice (see earlier blog for more on this amazing poem).

It usually lasts about 30 minutes and it has never been a disappointment.  How many things can you say that about?  (Even though we have had some heated discussions...can you say teenage testosterone) The discussion points in the book have helped my kids to open up and talk about things they would normally keep inside.  We are so much closer as a family because of this guide.

We have even created a piece of artwork to commemorate each virtue by adding a leaf to our tree with the virtue of the week written on it (you can see we have a ways to go).  Below is a picture of our unfinished tree.  Our goal is to keep rotating through the book each year and make one tree for every child as a gift when they leave for college, or where ever life leads them...so long as they don't live at home forever. (See Failure to Launch  or better yet Step Brothers and you will get my drift)

Our Virtue Tree (inspired by Jen Garrido...inspired being the operative word)

                                                                                                       

Whether you use this guide or another I just wanted to share something that has brought our family closer and encouraged many soulful conversations.  In a world full of distractions:  IPod's, video games, TV and texting... it is a lovely part of my week and whether my kids want to admit it or not they love it too.

Many blessings to you all.  I also want to thank my good friend Karin who turned me onto this amazing book, and to my mom who always allowed me the space to explore my spirituality without judgment.

 

"The Family Virtues Guide is....about virtues, which are universally valued by all faiths and cultures in the world.  Virtues are the silver thread running through all of humanity's sacred literature as well as the oral traditions of the world's indigenous peoples.  Virtues are described as the qualities of the soul and the attributes of God.  They are the means by which we can reflect the image and likeness of the Creator.  They are also considered a very high order of angels."  page xxi The Family Virtues Guide

Fridays 'Good News' Of The Day

Thanks to quotable cards for all the beautiful cards and 'good news' this week.  I also want to thank everyone who are following my blog by email and for all the supportive comments you have sent me these past few weeks.

I hope you all had a wonderful week.  See you all on Monday with fresh ideas and inspirations.  Have a great weekend and may you be blessed with lots of 'good news.' C

If you have any ideas or suggestions for future blogs please email me at: c@cjblake.net.

Thursdays 'Good News' Of The Day

What can I say...Gandhi nailed it 

Happy Thursday!

Quotable Cards

Wednesdays 'Good News' Blast Of The Day!

This one is to get you over HUMP DAY.

Happy Wednesday!

 Quotable Cards

Tuesdays 'Good News' Of The Day

 I think these go nicely together

Happy Tuesday!

Quotable Cards

Mondays 'Good News' Of The Day

Love this one!  While I am away on October break with my kids...I at least wanted to send some love your way via quotable cards.  This is my favorite card company...because they say it all.  ENJOY!

Why Big Is Not Always Better

For the past three years I have been on the hunt for a great pair of brown leather riding boots.  I wanted a boot that would endure through all the trends.  You know the type, that look good no matter what is happening in fashion at the time.  The 30-year-boot is what I like to call it, so I can dollar cost average the expense and justify spending more because over time they will only cost pennies a day...nice rationalizing HUH?

In April, I was thumbing through a Marie Claire magazine and BAM!...there they were.  Mamie Gummer (She is Meryl Streep's daughter and she is a great actress, too) was modeling the boots of my dreams.  For the next five months I kept (obsessively) checking various places for the fall boots to arrive.  I wear a size 11 (yes...I know flippers) and most retailers either don't carry this larger size or they only buy one or two. (size 11 people must be diligent shoppers)

  Mamie Gummer

While visiting my Aunt in San Francisco, this past August, we went shopping on Fillmore Street.  One of my favorite stores is called Heidi Says (they have 3 locations on the street divided by: Shoes, Casual and Collection) they have a beautiful selection and there staff are really friendly and helpful. 

My favorite of the three is the shoe store... their shoes are like one of a kind jewelry, very unique, and they carry size 11!  I was chatting it up with the staff about the boot I was on the hunt for, and this nice woman who worked there, Katie Conway (I discovered later that she was the buyer for the store), said, "I know the boot you are talking about...we aren't carrying it, but I can special order it for you.  The only catch is it would have to be a final sale."  Unsure it would fit correctly I passed on her nice offer...worried if it was not right, I would be stuck with a very expensive boot and be totally bummed.  She said,  "No worries, I just wanted to help."

So nice.

Two weeks later I saw the boot at Piperlime in size 11!  Click, order and done...until of course it arrived a week later in the wrong finish.  I immediately called customer service and they assured me they would look into it and get back to me in 3 days, tops.

7 days later they emailed me and promised me that it had been a fluke.  They instructed me to send the pair I had back and just reorder... and bonus they were giving me 15% off for my inconvenience.  Awesome...but, no wait...when I went to reorder the boot they were sold out in size 11.  SHIT!!!

Needless to say I was not happy and to keep in the vein of 'good news' vs. bad news reporting I will not tell you all the gory details.

The 'good news' was that I emailed, Katie at Heidi Says Shoes and asked for her help because even though Piperlime had sent me the wrong finish I now knew they fit perfectly. (now that's what I call the silver lining of a bad experience)  She said no problem...she was on it.

Two days later she emailed me and told me there was one pair left in the company and they were mine!!! Yahoo!

 Jamar Boot Vera Wang Lavender Collection

They arrived last week and I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE them...they are perfect and thanks to Katie they are mine.  What this experience reminded me was that the small guy sees me as a person worth going the extra mile for, versus the big guy who just sees me as a number.

Thank you Katie (Claire and Danielle, too) for all your help and for going above and beyond to make this Mama happy.  Give that girl a raise!   

(Spoiler Alert: Heidi Says is very expensive or what I like to call investment pieces because... I will say that every item I have ever purchased from them are still hanging in my closet and worn lovingly year after year.)

***Next week my kids are home from school so... I am taking time off, but I still have something planned for my absence.  I hope you enjoy them and I will be back live Monday, October 24th.

Edge God Out or EGO for short

This might be the best explanation of the EGO that I have ever heard.  The concept of Edging God Out is brilliant.  I heard this explanation for the first time in the docudrama THE SHIFT by the inspirational and philosophical speaker Dr. Wayne Dyer.  If you have not heard of him...you should definitely check him out.  This is a guy I would love to sit next to at a dinner party.

The film can be a little hokey, but the concepts about the EGO are not and worth pushing past some of the bad acting.  I just wish the film had focused on Wayne, as the back stories were melodramatic and distracting...but sometimes we need a 2x4 across the head to get a point.

If your EGO needs a little retooling...like mine does from time to time, check it out and let me know what you think at: c@cjblake.net.

I am sorry to say this film...while another great recommendation by Netflix is not in Instant Play.

Could You Be Arranged?

I really love Netflix.  They provide excellent recommendations based on my ratings of previously viewed films and television.  For months, when I have looked to them for suggestions, ARRANGED has been at the top of the list.  For whatever reason, probably the poster, I was not inclined to watch it.  Plus, it looked like it might have subtitles...and God knows I am rarely in the mood for subtitles.

Then a few weeks ago while on the phone with my friend Amber, I asked if she had seen any good movies lately.  I was in the process of updating my Netflix queue, and we often compare notes about films and television we like.  She immediately suggested ARRANGED, convinced I would love it.

"Are you sure?"  I asked skeptically.

"Yes, it is really sweet," she insisted.

"Are there any subtitles?" I asked sure that there were.

"No subtitles and the best part is... it's on Netflix instant play!" She giggled.  

She had me at instant play...I just love this feature.  And aside from a few bad recommendations in the past (like Nurse Jackie and Dexter...way to dark for me) she has rarely steered me wrong.   

A couple of days later, bored and needing some inspiration I plunked down on my couch, hit play (in the middle of the day I might add...pure decadence... I strongly recommend it) and I loved it!  I still can't get this film out of my mind.  It was sweet, funny, and uplifting.  Sometimes it is the simplest film that moves me the most.

I even found the concept of an arranged marriage to be more rational than I had previously considered.  It opened my mind to a cultural institution against which I had previously had an extreme bias.

The premise of this film is about two twenty something woman:  one a strict Muslim and the other an orthodox Jew, and the very unlikely friendship that forms around their impending arranged marriages.

Enough said...trust me it is great for the whole family...but probably leans towards a chick flick.

Enjoy!

If you have any good movie recommendations send them my way to: c@cjblake.net.

The Zen of Cleaning

I wish mine was pink...isn't she pretty.

I am not one to meditate...but I do find when I clean, especially vacuum, I hit a sort of zen state of being.  Ever since I purchased my Dyson vacuum four years ago I find myself drawn to it on a daily basis.  I jokingly call it my crack pipe of choice.

First, I love seeing all the dirt and dog hair I pick-up in the tank...it's just so satisfying.

Second,  there is something about the process of vacuuming that puts me in a trance of sorts,  and delivers some of my best ideas.  Like, when I have writers block or don't know how to solve a problem with my kids, I find if I just vacuum for a while the answers come to me effortlessly.

Third, after I am finished not only are my floors clean, but my mind is too.

If you don't have your own process for clearing your mind, I recommend you try it and let me know what you think...or not (since your mind is empty and you can't remember to respond).

Oh, and if you ever get the chance to purchase a Dyson...I highly recommend it!

Happy Cleaning,
C

If Jesus Were A Rocker In 2011?

Hands down I'd choose Michael Franti...I even think he looks like my image of Jesus.  And you know the dreadlocks are a real possibility... because let's be honest hair care has come a long way since 27 A.D..

I'm not sure I have hit groupie status, but for me to see any live band more that once might justify the title.  Last, Saturday night I saw Michael Franti and Spearhead for the fourth time, at the Greek Theater in Berkeley.  It was amazing...to say the least.  We bounced for two hours straight in a mosh pit of love.

Elsie and her husband joined us for a much needed couples weekend...no kids! (which I highly recommend if you can swing it).  Elsie might actually be classified as a true groupie.  She knows the words to all his songs, his birthday, how many kids he has and their names, his marital/dating status and his complete concert schedule.

Bonus!  His music is great for the whole family, from my four year old to my teen...he hits every note.

Here are the top ten songs (Elsie had 20 and the list was growing) that we feel best represent the heart of Jesus' message. (that is if he was a 21st century rocker)  I think Micheal's lyrics prove my point perfectly.  Thanks Elsie for the help!

1.    Never Too Late
2.    East to the West
3.    Bomb the World
4.    Yes I Will (Songs from the Front Porch) version
5.    Have a Little Faith
6.    Nobody Right, Nobody Wrong
7.    Hey World (Don't Give Up) version
8.    Is Love Enough?
9.    See You In The Light
10.  Everyone Deserves Music

Check out these songs and let me know what you think.  If you don't own any Michael Franti get Everyone Deserves Music first because they have a lot of my favorite songs and a very close second is Yell Fire.

"POWER TO THE PEACEFUL"

This is the man's motto...need I say more?

I feel like some of our best preachers are singer/songwriters spreading the love through their music.  If you were to choose a musical artist who best expresses your spiritual bend...who would you choose?  I'd love to know.  Email me at c@cjblake.net and share your thoughts.

Thanks to everyone who shared their secret movie-star-best-friends with me.  From Ellen DeGeneres, Demi Moore (even George Harrison who is a singer, but it still counts) to Lady Gaga...they were all excellent choices and made me feel a little less silly.

Ellen loves Michael Franti, too!

What Do Gwyneth Paltrow, Jenn Aniston & Julia Roberts All Have in Common?

I often joke with people that Gwyneth Paltrow is my movie-star-best-friend...it's kind of like the secret friend I had as a kid (Mr. Magoo...if you must know) because I am the only one who knows about it.   Gwyneth is my most recent celebrity bestie because I think she would be pretty cool to hang out with.  I mean have you seen her website GOOP?  OMG it is unbelievable and so inspiring... I don't know where she gets the time to research all this stuff.  I know...I know she probably has a staff of 20 people, a full-time nanny and, of course, her personal trainer Tracy Anderson, but still it is impressive.

But, the clincher was when Gwyneth was on Glee there was no denying the connection.  When she nailed Cee Lo Green's song "Forget You" I was hooked.  She is fearless, fabulous, and kind.  Her website is a great example of her true spirit because she is constantly uplifting and supporting her friends, and their inspired ideas.  I appreciate the example she has set for me when I think about what I want my blog to be.

Before Gwyneth it was Jennifer Aniston.  I have loved Jenn since Friends...Rachel was my favorite character by a long shot.  I think it was around the time of her divorce that she became my movie-star-best-friend because I just felt like she needed all the support she could get.  I actually wept when I heard about the divorce...crazy I know, but true.  Now, that she seems to be doing well I feel it is all right to move on.  Plus, she has a whole posse of friends and really doesn't need me anymore.

Jenn held the title for a good 5 years, but my all-time longest movie-star-best-friend goes to Julia Roberts who held the spot since 1990 when I saw her play Vivian in Pretty Woman. I mean who doesn't want a hooker for a best friend?  What can I say about Julia that has not been said before except I find her crazy obnoxious laugh infectious.  She gets prettier every year and makes getting older not look so scary.  In fact, I think all three of these amazing women are aging quite gracefully.

So, I am curious... am I the only one silly enough to claim to have an imaginary movie-star-best-friend?  Come on...tell me who yours is or tell me who it would be if you could choose just one. (just email me at:  c@cjblake.net and I promise to keep your secret)

Also, check out GOOP it is really fun and even though I can't afford most of the things she suggests I find her passion contagious.  She has inspired me to push past my own fears and grow.   I mean what else could you ask for from a friend?

P.S.  Don't worry, Julia and Jenn still hold a special place in my heart and have both been placed in my Celebrity Friends Hall of Fame.

Thanks to all my followers public and private who have supported me so wholeheartedly.  Your kind words of encouragement and emails have touched me deeply.  Many of you have asked me to add a comment section and I am thinking about it...probably a FEAR or FAITH issue again!  I know I just have to have faith that it will be a positive addition to the site and bring more joy to this adventure.  I will get back to you soon on this topic or a comment section will just appear one day.

I hope you enjoyed another edition of  Frilly Friday.  My goal each Friday is to send you into the weekend with fun and frivolity.

The best way to follow me is by email.  Just enter your email address in the Follow me by email box (above right hand corner) and you will receive a update when I have a new post.  See you all Monday with more music for the soul.  Have a great weekend and may you be blessed with 'good news.'  C

Sonic Meditation

Every Tuesday morning for the past year, I have been taking the same yoga class at this wonderful studio called Wild Mountain Yoga.  The two women who own the studio are spectacularly shimmering beings...you know the type...yoga bright.  (Oh, I like that term... I will use that one again)

A few months ago I became aware of some music blasting from the adjacent studio.  I asked my teacher what was going on next door and she said, "Oh, that's just Jai Dev's class," like it was common knowledge.   There was something about the music and the look on the people's faces, as they floated out of his class, that caught my attention.  They were very "yoga bright" and I was intrigued.

I kept thinking about the class, but I had two problems: first, it kind of scared me (actually it scared me a lot) and second,  I didn't want to be disloyal to my current teacher by taking his class.  Knowing her personality, I was fairly sure she wouldn't mind and would probably encourage me to try it, but I am often loyal to a fault, and the fear kept me from exploring.

As fate would have it, a substitute was teaching my usual class while my instructor was off at Burning Man.  The instant I saw the sub the voice in my head said, "Take Jai's class it will be fun."  Tentatively, I entered his studio, took the back corner spot, and waited anxiously for the class to begin.  Jai Dev entered the room in his full Kundalini splendor and welcomed me.  I had never taken a Kundalini class and was not sure what to expect...except loud music.

He began his class by stating: my intention today is that you all feel happier at the end of class than you were before you began it.  I liked the sound of that.  I mean who doesn't want to feel happier?  Ninety minutes later...I had sung my heart out, sweated profusely (just breathing and waving my arms), and was floating out of the room.  AMAZING!  (and really hard, but totally worth it)

The best part of the class, hands down, was the music.  Most of it was sung in sanskrit and accompanied by a sitar.  I found out later that the angelic voice was Jai Dev's wife, Simrit Kaur...her voice is simply divine (just look at her... the face matches the voice).  I went home and immediately downloaded her off of Itunes.  Since that day I have been playing one song compulsively every morning as I take my kids to school.  It is called, Long Time Sun, and I believe it sets a great intention and tone for our day.  It feels wonderful, too.

Now, when we get into the car my four year old daughter asks, "Are you going to play our morning song Mama?" My twelve year old son just grins, rolls his eyes, and laughs at his sister while we sing the 2.37 minute song.

Try it out and see if it brightens your day as much as it has ours.

Play it loud and belt it out...it feels great!

*Elsie this blog is for you... because I know this song will fill your heart with joy and give you some much needed 'good news' everyday. 

If you like what you've read so far click:  JOIN THIS SITE and/or follow by email by entering your email address above in the SUBMIT box.  If you would like to comment, or have an inspiration to share, please email me at c@cjblake.net.

Flower Power

Alstroemeria are great because they last a long time.

"Each flower is a soul blossoming out to nature. "

                                                                                         Gerard De Nerval

For about the price of a grande frappuccino at Starbuck's you can have beautiful fresh cut flowers every week...if you buy wisely.

I mean honestly, who doesn't love fresh flowers, and why should we have to wait for someone to buy them for us?  We shouldn't!  We deserve to have beauty all around us, especially during these dark and gloomy fall days.

Here are some buying tips:

1.   Buy one type and make a big impact with whatever flowers you like best, or are on 'sale'...that is what I did above and below.  Buyer Beware:  the flowers on 'sale' at the grocery store are usually old and rarely last a week. (the gladiola's below died after 5 days, but for 3 bucks I'm not complaining)

2.   Orchids are always a great option and you can get them for a steal at Trader Joe's or Costco.  I just transfer them into a pretty vase when I get home.  I have had orchids last for months, as long as I remembered to water them once a week.

3.   For the cost of two grande frappuccinos, or $10, I can support my local florist, Magickal Florist, who has seasonal bouquets that are fresh and beautiful.  They often last up to ten days...now that is a deal! (dollar cost average that... plus, you can feel the love in every bouquet)

Now that is $3 worth of gladiolas!!!

Love yourself enough to buy some fresh flowers today...I promise it will make you smile.

*For special occasions I love sending flowers.  I mean who doesn't love to receive flowers?  Check out, Magickal Florist's website; they can even take care of long distance orders. 

If you like what you've read so far click:  JOIN THIS SITE and/or follow me by email (see above to enter email address) which will ensure you get a reminder when I have a new post.  If you'd like to comment or have something inspiring to share please email me at:  c@cjblake.net

The Voice

One of my biggest goals as a parent is to send my children into the world prepared to find their own unique way.  I believe the best tool they have to help them navigate effectively is through the use of their:  gut, intuition, heart, or what I like to call the inner voice. (my son calls it the brain within the brain)

Some people believe that the voice is your higher self or God...I happen to believe it is probably both.  But, I don't think it matters what you call it...so long as you listen and honor it.   Because I will tell you, from lots of experience, my inner voice has never let me down.  I've learned this lesson most powerfully by not listening to it, which usually feels like a blunt kick in the shins.  (good times!)

Six years ago, I was standing in the kitchen of my friend Teresa's house discussing our kids and ways to best prepare them for life.  She said that for her the words in Shel Silverstein's poem, The Voice, which her son had memorized in first grade...nailed it.  Then she proceeded to recite it by heart, which gave me goosebumps from head to toe. (my tell tale sign of hearing the truth)

When I got home, to my delight, I found the book, FALLING UP, which contained the poem, already in our library.  That night I shared it with my husband, and we both agreed that this was the perfect manifesto for our family.

The Voice

There is a voice inside of you 

That whispers all day long

"I feel that this is right for me,

I know that this is wrong."

No teacher, preacher, parent, friend

Or wise man can decide

What's right for you...just listen to

The voice that speaks inside.

By Shel Silverstein

Our whole family has memorized it and we recite it together every Sunday night.

Thanks Teresa for just one of many gifts you have given to our family. 

If you like what you've read so far I invite you to follow my blog by clicking:  
JOIN THIS SITE and you can also follow CJ Blake by email, which will update you when there is a new posting.  If you would like to comment you can email me at c@cjblake.net.

Gold Plated Problems

My good friend, Elsie, and I love to gab on the phone, and some days we just love to bitch.  One day she gave me a card as a humorous reminder of our occasionally nutty rants, and it said:

"Helen and Ruth bitched all day... then they bitched some more."   

This will be Elsie and me in 40 years...still bitching on a bench.

Whenever I run across that card it makes me laugh out loud, and it also gives me pause to reflect.  It reminds me of the common, if not obsessive, tendency that we all have at times to get caught up in the negative spin cycle of life.  As I consider the card's message, and think about my daily interactions with friends and even strangers I encounter, it occurs to me how pervasive this habit can be.

When Elsie and I start down the yellow brick road of complaining, I often catch myself saying, "Let's be honest, Elsie, our problems, while real and painful at times, are really just gold plated.  We have food, shelter, clothes, family, friends and love in our lives.  Truly, what else is there?"

And yet we continue to identify and complain about what is missing in our lives.

I am a work in progress, and while my daily goal is to focus on the 'good' things in my life, I still slip into old habits and obsess about what's wrong.  When I do get stuck at my own pity party, I look for inspiration to break me free, which I usually find in books and movies.

I discovered a particularly inspiring book this summer while preparing for our vacation.  We were taking a road trip to San Diego to visit my brother and sister-in-law, which takes about 10 hours each way!  I have learned that 20 hours in the minivan with three kids and the dog, is the perfect Petri dish for some serious bitching.  To reduce the pain and suffering of our long road trip, I downloaded an audio book that I hoped the whole family would enjoy (and keep the moaning and groaning to a minimum).  Trust me, this is a full proof method that makes the miles whiz by peacefully.

I selected UNBROKEN, by Laura Hillenbrand.  The subject didn't attract my attention at first, (World War II, ugh!), but  my friend, Amber, (who is rarely wrong) said it was great and was sure the whole family would like it, too.  From the moment I hit play everyone in the car was quiet and listened intently, except for my 4 year old daughter, who watched Little Mermaid (thank God for the built-in DVD player with its own headphones!)

This gripping biography follows the life of Louis Zamperini,  a second lieutenant in the U.S. Army Air Force, whose plane gets shot down over the Pacific Ocean, where he is lost at sea for 47 days on a leaky raft...only to be captured by the Japanese.  About half way through the book I wasn't sure I could take any more bad news for Louis.  I mean can you say tough breaks?  Now he was my definition of a guy who was not having 'gold plated' problems. 

Gratefully, just when I was losing all hope, my husband reminded me of a book review that he had read that basically said you will wonder why you're reading this book, until you hit the final twenty pages.  The review was spot on.  UNBROKEN was a rough ride, but one I would take again just to be a witness of this totally inspiring man, life, and book.

If you are in need of a reminder of how good you have it, read UNBROKEN.  I think of  Louis Zamperini often, and I am grateful for his example of what a truly forgiving and loving heart looks like.

I want to take a moment and thank my wonderful and supportive husband who has given me hours of help editing, not only my blog, but my novel as well.  I love you and really appreciate all your loving encouragement. You are the best friend a girl could ask for.

If you like what you've read so far click here:  JOIN THIS SITE, and/or follow CJ Blake by email.  My plan is to be here Monday through Friday until I run out of "good news" to share or just need a day off.