Testing The Waters

There are numerous benefits to meditation that range from physical to psychological but for many people having a meditation practice can seem like a daunting task.  I believe the source of their apprehension is that they are holding onto some preconceived notions of what meditation is and how to do it. They overwhelm themselves with thoughts like: I don't have enough time I can't quiet my mind Its too hard to sit for an extended period of time SO... WHAT IS M E DITATION?  The term "Meditation" encompasses a wide variety of practices and techniques each designed towards different goals.  Some towards relaxation, building internal energy, developing compassion, love, patience, generosity, forgiveness, contacting spiritual guides,  receiving psychic visions, getting closer to God, as well as effortlessly sustained single-pointed concentration.  My introduction to meditation was when I embarked on my Yoga Practice. The teacher would begin and end each...

Having a career in Hollywood is difficult. It is. It takes drive, tenacity, diligence  AND it also do esn't hurt to have powerful people in your corner.  Sometimes when I'm feeling down about life and/or my career I pop on an old, Black and White movie from the 1940's  and just allow myself to be transported back to that grand time in Hollywood. Recently, I was feeling a little down so I put on "The Big Sleep." I've had the dvd for a while but this is the first time I watched the dvd extra's  - those are always sooo cool - you always find out fun facts.    The dvd extra's on "The Big Sleep" focused on Lauren Bacall's career and how it was helped by her agent, Charles A Feldman and Director Howard Hawks. They attribute the final version of "The Big Sleep" to helping Bacall have a career. FINAL VERSION??? I had no idea there was more than one version of this film - did you???? Here are the deet's... Lauren...

I missed my weekly post this past week because I was sick. SICK doesn't even come close to describing what I was. It started Thursday, October 4th. I was traveling up North with my amazing husband and our little Scarlett. This was going to be a fun time away for us. George and I had been working non-stop and we just wanted time to relax together. So, when George found out we had to pour our wine at a two-day event in Monterey off we went. First stop was the winery which meant staying at a hotel near the winery. As soon as we pulled into the parking lot I felt OFF - that's the best I can describe it.  So, I told George I would lay down in the room and relax. But I did not relax at all. Soon my head was pounding. The pain was so excruciating - it felt as if someone was stabbing me in the head with icepicks right behind my ears. OFF TO MONT E R E Y: Though I was in pain we still had to pour the wine at an event. I thought the pain would subsid...

Its October and we here on the West Coast are experiencing a heatwave. It is so hot during the day that it reaches 107 and then it remains hot into the night... way into the 80's. It feels like we are in the Caribbean and not in Los Angeles. Personally,  I love this evening heat so I've happily sat on my patio every night. The other night while sitting on my patio staring up at the sky my eye was drawn to one star. It was becoming brighter and brighter before my eyes and then all of a sudden it disappeared. This was not a falling star, this star just disappeared. It became very bright and then slowly became dimmer and dimmer until it no longer existed. So, of course I did some research and what I've concluded is... I witnessed a star dying.  A STARS LIF E CYCL E: At the end of a star's cycle it exhausts its hydrogen source and as it does, the star slowly begins to become heavier and heavier and subsequently less bright. What I watched was a star going throu...