Going the Distance

I watched Going the Distance with my mom tonight. LOVE Drew Barrymore and thought the movie was funny and cute. But it was kind of raunchy! Justin Long's sidekicks, Charlie Day and Jason Sudeikis, must have improvised alot of that! I bet they had a blast making the movie. If I would have heard it was a bit raunchy I would have NOT watched with my mom. But it's all good. Definitely a quality rental :)

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Love is all around you...

- Rachel

Thanksgiving 2011

I am grateful for many, many things this year. Most of all my family with whom I got to spend the day with. I used my sister's digital video camera to shoot all the food and cooking and stuff. I was going to piece together a video but the file format from this Sony Handycam is of a format which I need special software for :(  So no pics and no video this year...

Hopefully you had a peaceful and fulfilling Thanksgiving this year as well.


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Love is all around you...

- Rachel

ABCs of Pet Birds: B is for Bath

The ABCs of Pet Birds: B is for Bath is the second installment of my video series I am hosting on my YouTube channel. Last week I uploaded A is for Appreciation and that video was just of me talking. This time I did some video editing and even a voice over. I used my HD camera which I think has better quality than my webcam. I'm going to be looking for a new webcam because I would like to practice being on camera more.

I am really enjoying playing with video. And I also enjoy engaging with Charlie to capture his actions on film. He is so much fun :)

PS: Please support your local bird rescue.


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Love is all around you...

- Rachel

The Music Never Stopped

I watched the best movie today! The Music Never Stopped is a GREAT story about a father and a son that connect through music. The son left home in the 60s when he was a teen and his parents hadn't seen him in well over a decade until they got a call one day that he was in the hospital with a brain tumor. After surgery, the son had a form of amnesia and his memories would only come back through music that he was passionate about. And his favorite band is the Grateful Dead (which was my favorite in high school too). The father ends up learning all the Grateful Dead songs just as a way to be able to talk with his son. There is a lot more to this movie and it is really touching. Featured in the movie is Touch of Grey which was a new Grateful Dead song from 1987. The tour they went on that year was when I went to my first concert, which was Grateful Dead at Alpine Valley in June of 1987. It changed my life and this movie reminds me of all the magic that comes with music like this.



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Love is all around you...

- Rachel

Margaret's Baby Shower

We had the baby shower for Margaret and Adam on Saturday, November 12th at Maggiano's in Oak Brook. There were about 50 friends and family who came and some brought their kids. (And thank god those kids were there because they helped open the presents and things went much faster!)

Margie isn't due until January 18, 2012 but with Thanksgiving, my cousin's wedding, Christmas and all that we had it a bit early. She got so many things and since I never had a baby I was kind of confused by some of them! But overall everyone had a really nice time and Margie is really happy which is what counts.

Margaret's Baby Shower, a set on Flickr.

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Love is all around you...

- Rachel

Oprah's Lifeclass, Week 5

Monday, November 7, 2011

Lesson 21: Love Doesn't Hurt
In tonight's class, a suburban mother's nightmare and actress Robin Givens' violent marriage to boxing champ Mike Tyson become the basis for a valuable lesson about love. Plus, start to learn what love looks and feels like for you.

Today's Question

What does love look and feel like to you?

Tuesday, November 8, 2011

Lesson 22: Plague of America
This evening, Oprah cuts to what she believes is the heart of what many Americans are struggling with: living a financial lie. Meet the mom who shopped her family broke, see what happened when personal finance expert Suze Orman stepped in, and get the money advice that we all can learn something from.

Today's Question

Your spending is a reflection of what you value. What do your purchases say about your life?

I liked a lot about this episode. Seems we all learn about money the hard way. I wish it was taught better in schools. I'm looking forward to the new Suze Orman Money Class coming in January! I should probably read her book, The Money Class, but it's more fun to watch on TV.

One of the lessons Oprah said that when you give everything to your kids "you're feeding the ego beast that can never be satiated and setting your children up to place value on things that really don't matter". I found that whole thing about children and money very interesting.

My favorite quote? "Your desire to improve created the energetic path that allows you to do better."


Wednesday, November 9, 2011

Lesson 23: Slow Down
Everyone has those moments where they forget where their keys are, or they have to go back in the house because they can't remember if they turned the stove off. However, tonight, you'll see some extreme examples of what happens when we rush through life, which serve as powerful reminders to live more consciously.

Today's Question
If you were giving your Last Lecture—your best piece of advice for appreciating life—what would it be?

I had a hard time watching the beginning of this episode. So many people who had tragic outcomes due to these accidents. But I never really paid attention to Randy Pausch's The Last Lecture story when it was happening so I really enjoyed the highlights.

"Look at your to do list. Are you on there?"

One of the interesting things someone asked is "are you a Tigger or an Eeyore"? I'm definitely a Tigger! But I do know a few Eeyores :)  The general point of the show is that we should do the things we "wish we had time for" NOW instead of waiting until we are terminal...

Thursday, November 10, 2011

Lesson 24: Newton's Third Law
Science tells us that for every action there is an equal and opposite reaction. But how does this law come into play emotionally for all of us? Find out in tonight's class. Plus, hear real-life stories of how what goes around truly does come around.

Today's Question
Overall, how would you describe the energy you're putting out in the world and how is it coming back to you?

This class had a totally different format. Oprah started off the show at the Museum of Science & Industry to discuss Newton's Third Law with some of the physicists there and see the exhibits.

Newton's laws of motion

First law: The velocity of a body remains constant unless the body is acted upon by an external force.

Second law: The acceleration a of a body is parallel and directly proportional to the net force F and inversely proportional to the mass m, i.e., F = ma.

Third law: The mutual forces of action and reaction between two bodies are equal, opposite and collinear.

Also know as "what comes around goes around", according to Oprah, Newton's Third Law is really "Whatever you do is already done. The moment you do it, it's already done."  For every action there is an equal and opposite reaction.The energy you are putting out comes back to you. And one of Oprah's points is that it is the INTENTION that causes the reaction. Are you doing things because you "should" or because you truly want to?

The second part of the class was more like the live Lifeclass format. She had Tom Shadyac, a Hollywood director that walked away from a lot of that life, and a live audience. One of the movies Tom directed was Evan Almighty and there's a line in that movie he mentioned that I like: "When you ask for more courage, life doesn't just zap you with courage. You get the opportunity to be courageous."

Some other good questions came up too. Do you have loving people in your life? Than you have been loving. Do you have angry people in your life? Then take a look at yourself... Who do you want to be in the world? What do you want them to say in your euelogy?


Friday, November 11, 2011

Lesson 25: You've Always Had the Power
Tonight, get ready to learn Oprah's all-time favorite lesson: You—and no one else—are responsible for changing your life and making it better. With examples from Glinda the Good Witch, a Zimbabwean woman who achieved a seemingly impossible dream and more, this is one episode you simply cannot miss.

Today's Question

What do you now believe is possible? How will you make it real?

Our magic ruby slippers are in our own heart... that's how she started off this last show. By talking about Wizard of Oz which made me smile.

The main lesson from the show is that anything is achievable. And something they touched on that I wish I learned when I was younger: "There is a process to success. We must each figure out what that process is for our particular life."

My favorite quote? "Your life is a reflection of the way you think. What you believe is what you become."

Bonus Live Webclass
Iyanla Vanzant was the teacher again for the last night. They started out with a son who learned about forgiveness in Lifeclass and called him mother who he hadn't spoken too in about 5 years. She in turned called HER mom who she hadn't spoken to in 14 years!

I really enjoyed the all of Oprah's Lifeclass. There's a lot of activities you can do on Oprah's Lifeclass online. I highly recommend it if you missed it.

Other Weeks of Class:
Oprah's Lifeclass, Week 1

Oprah's Lifeclass, Week 2

Oprah's Lifeclass, Week 3

Oprah's Lifeclass, Week 4



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Love is all around you...

- Rachel

ABCs of Pet Birds: A is for Appreciation

I want to do more video blogging and I need practice talking in front of the camera so I decided to do a video series with Charlie Bird - the ABCs of Pet Birds. In this first video I notice that I move around alot, look around alot, and say "um" a lot.

Also, I have no call to action at the end of the video asking people to do something next. I guess when I have more videos I'll want them to watch the rest in the series so I'll have to work out an ending.

I'm thinking of making a whole page on this blog for the series to link through to all the posts. I'm also thinking of linking to some bird rescue sites and things like that. I need to do some research. But in the meantime, Charlie and I are having fun.

PS: Please support your local bird rescue.


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Love is all around you...

- Rachel

Puppy finds part of the Christmas tree

So, I brought in part of my fake Christmas tree because the boys were cleaning the garage today and then hid it behind this fan so the dog wouldn't pee on it or something. He found it anyways. This video is stupid to most, but I had to post it so I could share with a few people.  What's he going to do when I actually get the tree up???

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Love is all around you...

- Rachel

Saturday Morning

Snuggle time for Tristen (while I force down the Theraflu)

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Love is all around you...

- Rachel

Oprah's Lifeclass, Week 4

Monday, October 31, 2011

Lesson 16: Following Your Gut
The information Oprah shares in tonight's episode could very well make the difference between life and death. As you listen to stories of people who have used their intuition to tell when something wasn't right, you'll see how listening to your own gut can make you safer in the world.

Today's Question

What's your gut telling you right now? What will you do about it?

This episode kind of freaked me out. In fact, it's made me a bit paranoid... there was a guy sitting in his car outside of my house which is strange. Of course he could have been a contractor working on the construction of my neighbor's house, but he was watching load up my car and stuff. So I wrote down the license plate number. I mean he knew I was leaving the house and stuff! Of course I'm so clueless I couldn't describe what he looked like or the make and model of the car, but I got the color and plate number which is a good step for me. I do want to be more observant of things. 

Tuesday, November 1, 2011

Lesson 17: You Can Rise from the Ashes of Your Life
Rising from the ashes is the re-examination of what life means after tragedy or devastation affects the interior and exterior of your life. Christine McFadden is just one incredible example: She endured the worst thing that could ever happen to a mother. Here, you'll see how she began to move forward with the rest of her life.

Today's Question

What is the pain that you thought you would not survive—and what got you through it?


Wednesday, November 2, 2011

Lesson 18: Do Your Eyes Light Up When Your Child Walks in the Room?
The subject of tonight's class is one of Oprah's favorite topics: how everyone just wants to be appreciated or validated. As Toni Morrison explains, making others feel that way is essential for raising children and for having strong relationships. Plus, find out how you can make people feel like they matter.

Today's Question
Who really sees you? How do they show it?

This was my FAVORITE lesson of the whole week!!! It is SO important to connect with people. Especially these days, with texting and chatting and all that. I think that my eyes light up when I see certain people and I know that makes them happy. I definitely enjoy fun greetings. I can think of one friend who doesn't acknowledge people enough and it drives me crazy so much I think less of him because of it. I used to think he's so rude and arrogant and now I think he's kind of clueless. I'll give him the benefit of the doubt that he doesn't realize how his actions are interpreted by others. Anyways, I a so glad that the majority of the people I surround myself with DO light up their eyes when we see each other.

Thursday, November 3, 2011

Lesson 19: Step Out of the Box
Today is about doing the thing you ordinarily wouldn't do—and how, when you do it, it opens up space in your life. Gayle leaves her comfort zone to go back in time to the 17th century; a woman boldly dashes through her neighborhood in a bikini...what will you do that you've never had the guts to do before?

Today's Question
What would you do if you weren't afraid?

Ah... that is a POWERFUL question! I thought about that quite a bit over these past few months, especially since starting up Playing Internet. I find myself asking it alot as like a "final" decision maker. I figure something out or decide something and they ask "what if I weren't afraid, would that still be my decision" and it kind of helps push me out of my comfort zone if the decision I made was being safe. It's really helpful.

My favorite quote from a lady who ran down the street in a bikini: "If you want something you've never had, you gotta do something you've never done."


Friday, November 4, 2011

Lesson 20: Joy Rising: Surprise
ISee how we brought joy to a woman who really needed it after one of the country's biggest disasters. Plus, relive some of our best dream-come-true moments. Through it all, you'll see that when we experience pure joy, we live in a way that allows us to leave little pieces of light and love wherever we tread.

Today's Question

What brings you joy in good times (and bad)?

Bonus Live Webclass
Iyanla Vanzant was the teacher again tonight and as usual I got chills and misty-eyed during the live class. Iyanla is so on point with people. It is just amazing how some people have that special gift to just cut through all the bullshit and get to the bottom of it all. 

Other Weeks of Class:
Oprah's Lifeclass, Week 1

Oprah's Lifeclass, Week 2

Oprah's Lifeclass, Week 3

Oprah's Lifeclass, Week 5



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Love is all around you...

- Rachel

Contemplative Photography

Have you heard of "Contemplative Photography"? My take on it is that looking through the lens and finding interesting textures and shapes can have an almost meditative effect. I totally to try it and play around with the concept. I'm thinking of starting a tumblr blog for the pictures, but then I also think I can just add them to this blog here. Not sure yet...

PS - why is this picture that I took with my phone look like it has a plastic film on it? That sucks!


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Love is all around you...

- Rachel