May 24, 2008
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Posted by ebrown
May 21, 2008
Editor’s Note: No matter what you may think of the C.S. Lewis‘ Narnia Chronicles, you have to see Prince Caspian! I took my family on opening night and everyone agreed it was great. Aside from one scene where my youngest had to close his eyes, the movie was by far a big achievement for the director, Andrew Adamson.
For those that have read the books, you’ll find there were many creative liberties taken. Don’t be dismayed — the essence of the story is true to form, while the screen play allows for audience members, who may have never had exposure to the books or previous film, to come up to speed.
By Tiffani Barnes
The second installment in The Chronicles of Narnia series has hit theaters, and it far exceeds its predecessor. The opening of Prince Caspian finds the Pevensie children at a train station traveling to school when they are suddenly transported from the platform to the coastline of Narnia. While only a year has pasted for the children, it has been more than 1300 years for Narnia. As Trumpkin (played by Peter Dinklage) later tells them, they “may find Narnia a more savage place than when [they] left.”
Prince Caspian is a darker movie than its predecessor with battle and fight scenes that resemble The Lord of the Rings. Director Andrew Adamson, however, chose to leave much of the blood and violence to the imagination, which allows the movie to remain suitable for younger viewers without robbing the story of its power. The character of Reepicheep, a sword-wielding mouse (voiced by Eddie Izzard), provided a great deal of comic relief, which helps to break up the more intense moments in the film.
The visual effects, writing and acting in Prince Caspian are all improved over The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe. Whereas in The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe the children didn’t seem completely comfortable in their characters and so gave, at times, stilted and awkward performances, in Prince Caspian the young actors seem at home in their character’s skin.
The movie isn’t without its teachable moments either—themes of humility, patience, trust, and what can happen when greed and anger take over are found throughout the film. They are subtle and woven nicely into the fabric of the film, instead of sticking out like a flashing neon sign on a dark night.
The Bottom Line: Prince Caspian is worth the price of admission and would make a great outing for the whole family. At two hours and 20 minutes, the film might be a bit long for younger viewers, but it does a good job of holding the audience’s attention.
Related Links
- Movie Site
- C.S. Lewis (Wikipedia)
- Prince Caspian Review (Wired.com)
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Posted by ebrown
March 25, 2008
By E. Brown
We like to have background noise — whether we’re in the car, at home, or in the office — we have the radio or TV on or the sounds of kids and coworkers keep a constant white noise. How many of us like quiet and solitude? How many like introspection?
More often than not, our outer life is the result of our inner life. Try as we might to hide certain aspects of ourselves, our character and motivations leak out. Do we like what we see? Do others? Here are four tips that will change your inner life and, consequently, impact your outer life:
- Allow time to spend in solitude and silence.
- Surround yourself with good counselors — this includes family, friends, and professionals.
- Strive for balance in your personal life, family life, and work life — prioritize your time.
- Be accountable to someone(s) — a life examined is a successful life.
Enjoy!
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Posted by ebrown
March 9, 2008
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Posted by ebrown
February 11, 2008
By E. Brown
One of the questions I often ask speakers is, “Are you enthusiastic about your topic?” Whether it be a professional speaker, teacher, manager, or CEO the power of enthusiasm has a remarkable effect on people. When you are enthused and excited about a topic or project the people around you get excited too. When you are not enthusiastic about a topic or project — guess what? Yep, the people around you pick up on it and are not interested either.
The power of enthusiasm affects us all. Henry Ford said it well:
You can do anything if you have enthusiasm. Enthusiasm is the yeast that makes your hopes rise to the stars. Enthusiasm is the spark in your eye, the swing in your gait, the grip of your hand, the irresistible surge of your will and your energy to execute your ideas. Enthusiasts are fighters, they have fortitude, they have staying qualities. Enthusiasm is at the bottom of all progress! With it there is accomplishment. Without it, there are only alibis.
Are you enthusiastic about…
- where you are in your job?
- the place that you work?
- the position you are in?
- your particular role on the team?
- where you are headed in your vocation?
- your personal relationships?
- what you are studying?
- the direction your life is headed?
- what will happen tomorrow?
As you can see, enthusiasm touches all aspects of our lives. Don’t settle for mediocrity. If you’re in a place that you are less than enthused about, what options or opportunities do you see around you? Can you get excited about what you’re doing or do you need a change of place and pace?
Life is and can be fun! Take a look around, assess the situation, and choose today what kind of enthusiasm you are going to show and teach. Enthusiasm is a powerful thing.
Related Articles
- Your Momma Was Right — Play Nice
- Need To Focus On The Good Stuff
- The Reciprocity Principle
- The Power Principle
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Posted by ebrown
February 7, 2008
By E. Brown
Author and coach, Dan Miller, offers these often overlooked factors that can become the keys to success in all you do. Although, these were originally aimed at the workplace, you will see that they have application across the broader spectrum of life. I hope you find them as encouraging as I did.
The 5 Keys To Success
1) Passion - Without passion a person drifts aimlessly through life taking each event and day as it comes. Fire fighting and rolling with the punches from week to week. But, a person with passion is a person with goals. They have a target and they are on the road to achievement.
2) Determination - Many talk about purpose today. Having a purpose in life and a purpose for the things done on a daily basis. When there is a purpose, there is determination to see it through. If an obstacle arises, it does not send a person spinning into other directions. An on-purpose person has the determination to stick it out and work through the obstacle to keep moving toward the goal.
3) Talent - There is a lot of talk today about talent. Finding your unique talent and strengths make you a better employee and person. As Jim Collins said in his book Good To Great and Marcus Buckingham said in his book Now Discover Your Strengths, not everyone is talented in every area. Yet, everyone has a talent. Wise is the person who discovers their talent and maximizes it.
4) Self-Discipline - Many dislike this word because it does not come natural. I struggle with this as well, but without self-discipline a person can be easily swayed. This is often the foundational character quality that the other keys are built upon.
5) Faith - You have done your research, you have crunched the numbers, you have talked with various people you trust, but there is still the uncertainty of the unknown. This is where faith comes into play. Sometimes you just have to step out. You cannot reach new heights by having both feet on the ground.
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Posted by ebrown
January 23, 2008
It is good to dream, but it is better to dream and work. Faith is mighty, but action with faith is mightier. Desiring is helpful, but work and desire is invincible.
- Thomas R. Gaines
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Posted by ebrown
January 21, 2008
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Posted by ebrown
January 21, 2008
The greatest good you can do for another is not just to share your riches, but to reveal to him his own.
- Benjamin Disraeli
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Posted by ebrown
January 17, 2008
All human beings have an innate desire to hear and tell stories and to have a story to live by.
- Harvey Cox
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Posted by ebrown
January 10, 2008
We are lonesome animals. We spend all our life trying to be less lonesome. One of our ancient methods is to tell a story begging the listener to say — and to feel — Yes, that’s the way it is, or at least that’s the way I feel it.
You’re not as alone as you thought.
- John Steinbeck
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Posted by ebrown
January 8, 2008
I do not at all understand the mystery of grace — only that it meets us where we are but does not leave us where it found us.
- Anne Lamott
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Posted by ebrown
January 8, 2008
Story is the most adequate way we have of accounting for our lives, noticing the obscure details that turn out to be pivotal, appreciating the subtle accents of color and form and scent that give texture to our actions and feelings, giving coherence to our meetings and relationships in work and family, finding our precise place in the neighborhood and in history.
- Eugene Peterson
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Posted by ebrown
January 1, 2008
Looking for a new tax write off for 2008? Let Charity Navigator be your guide.
If you don’t know where to find the charities that are doing the best job for the cause you care about, check out independent evaluator Charity Navigator. Charity Navigator rates organizations based on their efficiency and capacity, and categorizes them by cause. If you’re looking to be a smart donor this holiday season (and get a sweet tax write-off), Charity Navigator’s got quite a few resources of interest, like the Top 10 Practices of Savvy Donors and 6 Questions To Ask Charities Before Donating. How did you decide what charity to support this year? Let us know in the comments.
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Posted by ebrown
December 3, 2007
It is a sad fate for a man to die too well known to everybody else and still unknown to himself.
- Francis Bacon (from the movie, Amazing Grace)
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Posted by ebrown
December 1, 2007
By E. Brown
USA Today recently published an interview with controversial Q1 Group CEO, Vijay Eswaran, extolling the virtues of silence. Vijay spends an hour at the beginning of most every day in silent contemplation. He attributes this to being a big part of his successes. Vijay’s new book, In The Sphere of Silence, outlines a regimen of silence:
• Best time is early in the morning or when convenient. Consistency is the key.
• Maintain silence for one hour. If you’re distracted, start at the beginning.
• Evaluate yesterday. Note your progress and identify reasons for failures.
• Set goals for today, tomorrow, and next week.
• Plan long-term goals and prioritize. Do this daily.
• Review your notes from the previous day.
• Seek knowledge by reading non-fiction or listening to something educational for ten minutes, then make note of what you learned.
• Commune with the Lord for the last ten minutes – asking questions that need answers. Write it all down.
At first, the interviewer seemed to think Vijay’s exercise was “new-age goobledy-gook” and later in the article proposed the practice of silence as a recent “secret” discovery. The fact is for thousands of years, men and women have made a habit of spending time in quiet reflection gaining introspection and wisdom.
Like King Solomon of old once said, “There’s nothing new under the sun.”
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Posted by ebrown
October 25, 2007
“Truth only reveals itself when one gives up all preconceived ideas.”
- Shoseki
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Posted by ebrown
October 24, 2007
In his book, Saving God’s Green Earth, author Tri Robinson defines Environmental Stewardship as:
Environmental stewardship is the idea that we should care for, manage, and nurture what we have been given.
Tri goes on to say, we have four major areas that require our attention when it comes to environmental stewardship:
Resource and Provision - we must understand that environmental stewardship views nature as a resource and provision.
Accountability - there must be a balance between the use and protection of the environment.
Miracle - we must see the splendor and beauty of nature as we look at the miracle of our environment.
Passing It Down - stewardship is a value to be passed down from generation to generation.
As we understand our role in stewardship, we can then start making an impact within our sphere of influence. While I was recently at Callaway Gardens, the ranger made this comment -
Start small. Start in your own back yard. One back yard at a time can help toward changing a community. One community at a time can help toward changing a city. One city at a time can help toward changing a State….
You get the idea.
Related Articles
- The Ripple Effect of Environmentalism
- Green, Greener, Greenest
- Trash Talk
- A Greener Apple
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Posted by ebrown
October 15, 2007
By E. Brown
Where does environmentalism start? Does it start with current initiatives around the world, in North America, in Alaska? No. It starts in each of us — one person at a time.
Tri Robinson, in his book, Saving God’s Green Earth, discusses how change has historically happened as a ripple effect. It typically starts in one individual and then ripples outward. Tri notes there are seven ripples of environmental transformation that impact our lives:
The first ripple impacts our hearts – What is the environmental condition of your heart? Our inner motivations affect our actions. Are we motivated by a cause bigger than ourselves or by anger? If by anger, it is doomed to fail for the consequences are only short term.
The second ripple impacts our minds – What is polluting your mind? The heart impacts the mind as the ripple spreads outward. Are you controlled by anger, jealousy, resentment, or bitterness? Don’t let your mind be polluted.
The third ripple impacts our bodies – What is polluting your body? If you want to be a steward of the earth, you first need to be a steward of your body. The ripple spreads out and your mind controls your actions. How can you steward the world when you cannot begin with yourself?
The fourth ripple impacts our homes – What is polluting my home, my family, my children, and my marriage? There are very practical and moral applications here.
The fifth ripple impacts the church – What is the condition of the church? The spiritual institutions of our time have veered off course. They used to impact communities and culture, taking the lead in societal issues. The ripple continues to spread.
The sixth ripple impacts our communities and neighborhoods – What is the environmental condition of your community? Again, there are practical and societal applications here. Practical = clean litter off the streets or plant a flower garden . Societal = Host community social events or visit neighbors.
The seventh ripple impacts our planet – Now we begin to see the bigger picture, one that includes making a difference throughout the entire world.
Editor’s note: This article is part of the Blog Action Day movement: thousands of blogs talking about the environment on October 15.
Additional Articles
- Green, Greener, Greenest
- Trash Talk
- A Greener Apple
- Blog Action Day
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Posted by ebrown
September 30, 2007
Internals change externals.
- Dan Hayes
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Posted by ebrown
