Happy Friday, Shiners! Cheryl here!
Today was supposed to be a video but Heather wouldn't let us come to the hospital to video so you get me instead.Congrats Snow Family! We can't wait to meet Charlotte!
So, since we don't have a video I decided I would share two of my current favorite online videos with you today. If you are my Facebook friend you may have already viewed the two videos that I am sharing with you today because I know y'all stalk my every move but I think they are worth another look.
Let me start out by asking you this. Isn’t the technology that we are so fortunate to use today amazing and wonderful? Think back twenty years. We didn’t all have a personal computer with our own personal web pages sharing our creativity and thoughts.
But today? Peggy shares her cards. Karlie encourages 30Walk. Kate shares her cooking. Claudia promotes Shine. And I can share my sporadic painting and random thoughts with you. Simply, I think it’s wonderful.
The two videos I want to share with you today have the common thread of poetry. I love poetry.
The first up is How to Be Alone written by Tanya Davis. Video by Andrea Dorfman.
Take a look. I’ll wait.
What do you think? Do you like it?
I think that I am drawn to this video and poem because I like to be alone. I like to venture out to a restaurant and sit at the bar to enjoy my dinner. Strangers are more likely to talk to you when you are dining alone as well. They usually want to know why I am dining alone. I tell them: First, I don’t have to cook it. Second, I don’t have to clean the kitchen after I eat it. Pretty sweet deal if you ask me.
Because it’s not the social norm, I feel a bit daring. It’s my version of living on the edge.
Try it! See who you meet.
The second video is of a 3 year old boy reciting a poem called Litany by Billy Collins. You’ll have to click on the link to see it since I’m not able to embed it to the blog. Click here and hit play. I found I could follow along with him better while reading the words so:
Litany by Billy Collins
You are the bread and the knife, the crystal goblet and the wine. You are the dew on the morning grass and the wheel of the burning sun. You are the white apron of the baker and the marsh birds suddenly in flight.
However, you are not the wind in the orchard, the plums on the counter, or the house of cards. And you are certainly not the pine-scented air. There is just no way you are the pine-scented air.
It is possible that you are the fish under the bridge, maybe even the pigeon on the general’s head, but you are not even close to being the field of cornflowers at dusk.
And a quick look in the mirror will show that you are neither the boots in the corner nor the boat asleep in its boathouse.
It might interest you to know, speaking of the plentiful imagery of the world, that I am the sound of the rain on the roof.
I also happen to be the shooting star, the evening paper blowing down an alley and the basket of chestnuts on the kitchen table.
I am also the moon in the trees and the blind woman’s tea cup. But don’t worry, I’m not the bread and the knife. You are still the bread the knife. You will always be the bread and the knife, not to mention the crystal goblet and – somehow—the wine.
Isn't that the cutest thing you have ever seen? He recites it so well.
There's a bit of snarkiness to this poem, don't you think? Mr. Collins has stated that the poem is just a bit of fun. He's poking fun at poets that overuse imagery in their work. And, it turns out to be a pretty cute little poem if you can imagine someone in love telling their betrothed these words. But the best part is that little 3 year old voice saying it so well.
Both of these videos and poems inspire me in different ways. I hope they will inspire you as well even if it's only to be grateful for the world of technology.
And since I'm feeling so inspired today by technology, videos, and poetry – and I feel like shining- I’m going to have a little giveaway. And I do mean little. But it's super easy!
I have two $5 Target gift cards.
I’m looking for more videos to be inspired by. You may enter twice. Once in each category.
The first category is Fun. And the Second is Inspiration. They can be poems, or music, or whatever floats your boat.
Whatever those two words mean to you. It’s open to interpretation.
Submit links to your chosen videos in the Forum Section by midnight CST tonight, September 3, 2010.
I will announce the winners on Sunday, September 4th at Noon CST.
Have a Safe Holiday Weekend and whatever you do, Keep Shining!