Goodbye 2016

2016. How was it for you, personally? My word for 2016 is Bloom. I did that. I got back to exercising. I released weight. Can now wear a smaller size in clothes. After resisting the urge to cut my hair for five years, I finally did it. There will be a blog post about my hair in January. I finally looked like me again. I felt free.

I made an effort to really as Lena Horne says to learn to carry my load. To follow my energy and work with myself. It paid off. I accomplished a lot. I think whatever 2016 brought you, do your best to try to celebrate tonight.



Put 2016 to bed and wake up to the freshness of 2017. Pick a word, words or theme of the year. I let my word find me. I picked a couple of words then I saw how one word kept coming up for me. In conversations, ads and songs, I was like I get the message. Your word is probably staring at you right in your face. I'll share with you my word for 2017 on Monday.

I'm wishing you all an amazing, prosperous, healing and fun 2017! See you next year.

Rogue One

I tried not to read anything too much on Rogue One. I wanted to come in and let the movie do its magic. Oh, yes it did!! Yes,we have another female lead. I am waiting for the day that the lead female is a woman of color. One day, that will come. I liked Jyn Erso;Felicity Jones did a good job in the leading role.

I felt the movie established that we can have a Star Wars movie not centered on the Skywalkers alone. I loved Rogue One. I thought it was gritty, full of adventure and surprises. I didn't expect to have a real favorite of any character. But I did. As soon as the character Chirrut Imwe ,played wonderfully by the legendary actor/martial artist Donnie Yen, I was a goner.


I love me some Jedi's and all their Force ways. Chirrut is a guardian of the Whills. He is not a Jedi Knight but he is attuned to The Force. He is Force Sensitive. We have seen this before with Maz Kanata in The Force Awakens.



He is to me the calming center in the whole movie. He gives comfort to Jyn. His friendship with Baze Malbus is conveyed beautifully. Chirrut's lines are now becoming iconic especially this one.



Rogue One is truly an ensemble cast. Everyone gets their place to shine. I hate spoilers. I won't give anything away. Before I end this. I have to talk about Darth Vader. Yes, the Man in Black is back!


There is one scene with Vader that reminds audience why he is one of the greatest Villians to grace the silver screen. If you seen it, you know what I'm talking about. If you're a Star Wars fan, go see it. I think if your not a Star Wars fan, you can still enjoy it. If you have a little one like me, I feel the movie night be intense for them.

Of course, May The Force Be with you Always.

The Voice and The Princess

When I was a sophomore in college, rooming with my one of my best friends at the time, she complained could I stop playing Faith by George Michael. I endlessly played the tape of it. I told her it was his only album. Since Prince had many more albums than him, she had more to choose from.


So she suffered. I happily played George finding solace in Father Figure and Faith, dancing to I want your Sex and Monkey, feeling wistful through One More Try and crying with Kissing A Fool over the heartache of my first real boyfriend. Then one of my pen pals gifted me with a tape of Wham's greatest hits. So I had two tapes to play.



George was gorgeous. That wonderful British accent. It was and still is his voice I loved. That soulful voice that touched my heart. I was blessed to see him twice in concert: The Faith Tour and the Cover to Cover. One of my favorite moments when he played Play that Funky Music white boy, the crowd including me went nuts.





I followed George from album to album. When he came out as gay,I didn't care. He was still my George. I loved him.



From Freedom to Heal the Pain to Waiting for that Day to Older to Fast Love to Calling to you to Freak to Amazing to Secret Love. That is just a fraction of his songs. To his amazing covers and collaborations, I could be here all day talking.


What haunted me the most is song White Light from his last CD. It talks about when he was near death from pneumonia a few years ago. I played that song on the night I heard of his death.

One more pill just one more beer
One less star in the atmosphere for us
But maybe she just wanted to be free
Heartless pictures on TV
Change that channel that could have been me I said
Maybe she just wanted to be free

So I just kept breathing my friends
Waiting for the man to choose
Saying this ain't the day that it ends
'Cause there's no white light and I'm not through
I'm alive I'm alive...
And I've got so much more that I want to do with the music
Was it music that saved me?
Or the way that you prayed for me?
Guess either way, I thank you I'm alive

I know George struggled with drugs; grief over losing his mother and a great love. At 53, it seems to me to young to go. So many years and music that is him in.


Like the lyric said Maybe he wanted to be Free. Though, it hurts to know he is gone. His music, videos and interviews are still here.All I can say is I love you, George.

George leaving was bad enough, oh no, 2016 keeps taking amazing artists. The sad news today that Carrie Fisher died. Sigh. If you spent anytime on my blog, you know like I am a life long devoted Star Wars fan. I was 8 in 1977. For me, Luke, Leia, Han, Vader, Chewie, Artoo and Threepio, Obi Wan are like family to me. As the series continued, my extended movie family grew.


Carrie Fisher as Princess Leia was the pretty kick-ass Princess who didn't take crap from anyone. At 8, she reminded me of my mom. Leia spoke her mind and didn't need to be rescued. She can save her own self, thank you very much.



At 19, Carrie Fisher was able to radiate strength, beauty and regalness. That is hard for an actor to do let alone all three. Carrie just had that naturally.



I always liked seeing her on screen, beyond Star Wars, because I knew she always be witty and bring edge to whatever character she played. Carrie had a successful career as a novelist and script doctor for Hollywood movies in the late 80's and 90's.


Carrie struggled like George with drugs. She said finally being diagnosed as bipolar helped her understand herself better. She became an advocate for mental health. Reminding people that there is no shame in getting help for your mental issues. Carrie leaves behind her daughter, Billie Lourd, who is an actress, her brother, Todd and her two half sisters, Joely and Tricia Fisher.



Unfortunately, at my reediting of this post, her mother, an legend in her own right, Debbie Reynolds passed away a day after Carrie.



I will have to do a post solely devoted to Debbie.



Carrie and George leave behind a legion of fans from Music and Film.
I wish I had been able to meet them in person. I feel I know them both through their works. I will miss them. Each one left indelible marks on my life in the best of ways. All I can say is Thank you, Carrie and George.

Merry Christmas

Merry Christmas, my friends. I hope Santa brought you every gift you desired.


Here is our tree before the presents were wrapped. I wrapped everything when Jake went to bed.


I like to decorate our front door like a big gift. Makes the door look like an open invite to Santa and any other warm hearted generous Faeries who like to stop by.



We had a great Christmas. One of the best moments of today is seeing Jake with his gifts. Christmas for me is about children. It so important for all of us, grown-ups, to keep the wonder of our inner child alive. Christmas is the best time to believe in Goodness and Light even when the world tries to tell you otherwise.



Keep on dreaming and believing, my friends. Wishing you all a very Merry Christmas.

Winter Dreams

The Sun has returned! Happy Winter, my friends. It is the longest night yet the days will begin to get longer.


Winter is a special time for me. I am Winter baby. When I see the Pine Trees come into their own, I know my season is about to begin.



It's a new Season. A new year to begin in less than two weeks. It is a great time to reflect and dream. What dreams you like to begin? Or recommit to? Do you have your word, words or theme of the year? I have my word of the year for 2017. I'll share that when New Year's Day arrive. You are never too old to have dreams. Always remember that. Winter is the perfect time to dream, plan and manifest for yourself.




One of my new favorite Mother/ Goddess Figure is Frau Holle. She also goes by the name Hulda, Holla, Holda . Her story comes from Germany.The Brothers Grimm has Frau Holle in one of their stories. She is a Winter Goddess. Frau Holle shakes out her goose feather pillows, then, the goose feathers become snow falling down to us. She is said to favor hard-working people with a soft spot for children and mothers. One particular tale I read is that Frau Holle likes to gives gifts to Mothers on the Winter Solstice. That gave my mom heart a particular delight. To me, Frau Holle shows even in a season ,we at times may think of, as cold and barren. Beauty and kindness are still there waiting for us to open our hands to receive.




Tonight, light a candle. You can choose a candle in any color that makes you think of Winter. As you light a candle, think of all those Winter Dreams you like to happen. See and feel how it will be for the dream or dreams to come true!



Happy Winter, my friends.

Look for the Silver Lining

Happy Friday, my friends. By the time Friday rolls around, I'm tired. Today in New York it is a brisk 20 degrees. In particular today, I had to do a lot of running around in the cold. The cold didn't bother me that much. Shout out to all my Winter babies out there.

I've had because of family circumstances extra responsibilities to do. That is what family does. When someone isn't feeling their best, you rally around and help them. That's what I have been doing. I have to admit I was feeling washed out by the late afternoon. I rested for a bit and rewatched one of my favorite videos from my girl, Judy Garland.



It makes me sad to think by the time she is the age I am now that she passed away. I feel like Judy would tell me: "Chin up, Shell. Keep on going. Look for the Silver Lining."

If you had a tough day, month or even year, here is something to cheer you up. Have a great Friday, everyone.

Wordless Wednesday : The Brave Rose

December Full Moon

The days are dwindling down for 2016. The clock is ticking loudly. Can you hear it? This is our last Full Moon of the year.



Happy Full Moon to all my Sun and Moon Gemini babies this is your Full Moon. Let's make it a festive one for all of us. Pick a beautiful memory of this year. The happiest day you had so far. Remember what you had on, the clothes you wore, who you were with, what you did, etc. As I learned in acting class, use your sense memory to make it real.

Do this for about 5 minutes. When your done, say a prayer that you like to have more wonderful days like this. If you feel do inclined, light a white or a pink candle with all those good feelings. Visualize as you light the candle, that all those good feelings is like a beacon hailing more great days to you.

Dream thought #85: Don't let anyone rob you of your imagination

Don't let anyone rob you of your imagination, your creativity, or your curiosity. It's your place in the world; it's your life. Go on and do all you can with it, and make it the life you want to live.
- Mae Jemison, the First African American woman astronaut in space.

Happy Birthday, Emily

It is amazing that a lady from Amherst, Massachusetts who had a great liking for baking, wearing white,celebrating the Sabbath in her own way and writing poems late into the night is still remembered almost two centuries later. Those poems. They range from meditations on bees and clovers to secret longings from the heart.

If you never read any of poems, you can go online now and find her poems. They are worth your time. They are beautiful, poignant and haunting.

This is a picture of a book of Emily's poetry that is well loved by me. This version is great because it is unedited and all her wonderful dashes are left as she originally wrote it.



This gem is one from my friend, Robert, for my birthday. It is a book of all some of her poetry writings on pieces of paper. Different versions and with cross out too. I'd your an Emily fan, it is a great nook. It makes her more real to me if that makes sense.





If you know someone who loves her, this is a great gift.

I took pictures of two of my many favorites of Emily.

Wild Nights, Wild Nights



All the letters I can write



She didn't really title her poems. The first lines are used as titles. I have many poems I like by Emily. When I reread her poetry book, there are new ones I discover all the time. Here are a few more. You can click on the link for two of the poems to read .

You cannot put a fire out


Come slowly – Eden!
Lips unused to Thee –
Bashful – sip thy Jessamines –
As the fainting Bee –

Reaching late his flower,
Round her chamber hums –
Counts his nectars –
Enters – and is lost in Balms.


To see the Summer Sky
Is Poetry, though never in a Book it lie—
True Poems flee—


What I can do—I will—
Though it be little as a Daffodil—
That I cannot—must be
Unknown to possibility—

I taste a liquor never brewed

I know some of you have your favorite Emily Dickinson's poems. Please do share in the comments. I hope you all enjoyed this Birthday post to Emily.



Thank you Emily for all the wondrous poetry that you have left us centuries later. I always find solace, hope and beauty in your words.