Sally Ember's Blog, page 37

Reblogging: The Best Women-Centric Films of 2016

The Best Women-Centric Films of 2016

https://blog.womenandhollywood.com/the-best-women-centric-films-of-2016-4445ff8a00a0#.93frs0b2h

You may be noticing a theme these past few weeks: reblogging feminist/women-centered films and TV shows from 2016 or upcoming this year…. Yes, I am.

These are all culled from a great site I now follow, Women & Hollywood, which I highly recommend subscribing to if you’re interested in these types of posts/films/shows. https://blog.womenandhollywood.com/

Filed under: Blogging and others' content, Film Reviews Tagged: 2016 films, 2016 movies, feminist films, feminist movies, women

Reblogging: The Best-Reviewed Women-Directed Films of 2016, According to “Rotten Tomatoes”

The Best-Reviewed Women-Directed Films of 2016, According to Rotten Tomatoes

https://blog.womenandhollywood.com/the-best-reviewed-women-directed-films-of-2016-according-to-rotten-tomatoes-54897b3036c9#.pc3df6d65

Filed under: Blogging and others' content, Film Reviews Tagged: 2016 films, 2016 movies, feminist films, feminist movies, films, movies, women

Reblogging: The Best Documentaries By and About Women in 2016

The Best Documentaries By and About Women in 2016

Check your local PBS stations’ schedules or online videos, public and college libraries DVD collections, and other sources for watching these, or go directly to each director’s/screenwriter’s websites or online DVD sales outlets to purchase DVDs.

https://blog.womenandhollywood.com/the-best-documentaries-by-and-about-women-in-2016-cbff9814695a#.2aqurqft7

Filed under: Film Reviews Tagged: 2016 films, 2016 movies, documentaries, documentary, feminist, films, movies

Reblogging: A Harvard linguist [Steven Pinker] reveals the most misused words in English

A Harvard linguist [Steven Pinker] reveals the most misused words in English

from INC., by Jessica Stillman, Inc., Dec. 17, 2015

An excellent list for writers/authors, readers, speakers, anyone who loves English and wants to use it correctly. Thanks, Jessica and Steven!

http://www.businessinsider.com/a-harvard-linguist-reveals-the-most-misused-words-in-english-2015-12

Filed under: Writing Tagged: #Words, authors, English language, misused words, readers, speakers, Writers, writing

Reblogging: 20 Most Anticipated Films By and About Women of 2017

20 Most Anticipated Films By and About Women of 2017

from Rachel Montpelier, Feminist Writer, Spinster, & Lunatic; Creator of The Outside Girls Project https://outsidegirlsblog.wordpress.com/

Check out these amazing-sound films, coming right up! Thanks, Rachel, for curating this list.

https://blog.womenandhollywood.com/20-most-anticipated-films-by-and-about-women-of-2017-dd2bc37950a4#.24x8pbnpf

Filed under: Blogging and others' content, Film Reviews Tagged: 2017 films, 2017 movies, feminist films, films, movies

His Holiness the Dalai Lama’s New Year’s Message for 2017

His Holiness the Dalai Lama’s New Year’s Message for 2017 is included in this article about meditation, mind-training, hope and optimism.

Read, watch videos, be blessed, share:

http://www.elephantjournal.com/2017/01/the-dalai-lamas-message-to-the-world-for-2017/

From Elyane Youssef, writing on another favorite site of mine, Elephant Journal. Subscribe! http://www.elephantjournal.com/

Filed under: Blogging and others' content, Buddhism, Meditation Tagged: 2017, Buddhism, His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama, His Holiness the Dalai Lama, meditation, mind training, New Year's, the Dalai Lama

#CriticizeTrumpDaily: Make a Commitment! #FreeSpeech Use this list to help you!

#CriticizeTrumpDaily: Make a Commitment! #FreeSpeech Use this list to help you!

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#NotMyPresident

Or, add to it! Send your own list to: http://www.sallyember.com/blog and put in the comments of this post. We can be SO CREATIVE! There are so many serious, funny, name-calling and behavioral aspects to draw upon, I’m sure we’ll have a lot more than 100, but let’s start with these.

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George Orwell had it all correct! “Truth is the new hate speech” meme, from Newstarget, captures this era perfectly! “During times of universal deceit, telling the truth becomes a revolutionary act!”

Want to know more how to be an effective #Trumpcritic? Read this, from 12/14/16:

BAD WAYS TO CRITICIZE TRUMP https://www.currentaffairs.org/2016/12/bad-ways-to-criticize-trump

and

Don’t Mock Trump: Refute Him!, also from 12/14/16: http://www.worldpoliticsreview.com/articles/20704/don-t-mock-trump-rebut-him

Also, use #GrabYourWallet http://www.businessinsider.com/trump-related-businesses-boycotted-2016-11/#6pm-1 and refuse to purchase ANYTHING from businesses that display or do business with Trump businesses/products (and most are chains, not local, so don’t shop there, anyway!), which include: 6 PM; Amazon; Bed, Bath and Beyond; Belk, Belacor, Bloomingdale’s; Bluefly; Bon-Ton and Carson’s; Burlington Coat Factory; Century 21; Dillard’s; DSW; Hudson’s Bay; HSN; Jet; Lord & Taylor; Macy’s; Marshalls; TJ Maxx; Neiman Marcus; Nordstrom; Overstock.com; Perfumania; Scion hotels; Saks Off Fifth; Stein Mart; Trump Golf Courses; Trump Hotels; Ivanka Trump’s clothing line; Trump Winery; Wayfair; Trump Grill; Zappos.

DO shop shoes.com (if you want), because they DID respond to requests to stop selling Trump items, in mid-November, 2016.

Over 100 Ways to Use your #FreeSpeech Rights to Criticize Trump (while we still have them…):

1. Liar

2. Cheater

3. Thief

4. Adulterer

5. Child Rapist

6. Sexual Assaulter

7. Without any actual skills

8. Buffoon

9. Foments hate

10. Hateful

11. Racist

12. Sexist

13. Heterosexist

14. Homophobic

15. Can’t spell

16. Can’t write well

17. Can’t speak properly

18. Doesn’t use complete, coherent sentences

19. Has a terrible vocabulary

20. Sub-normal emotional intelligence

21. Doesn’t read

22. Doesn’t listen

23. Unreliable

24. Failed business owner

25. Fraud

26. Arrogant

27. Ignorant

28. Obstinate

29. Soulless

30. Not amusing

31. Deceiver

32. Disrespectful

33. Mocks others

34. Threatens and bullies

35. Probably mostly impotent (especially in actions)

36. Unintelligible, usually

37. Spoiled rich kid

38. Lazy

39. Self-indulgent

40. Conceited

41. Blow-hard

42. Disloyal

43. Criminal

44. Law-breaker

45. Defamer

46. Slanderer

47. Libelous

48. Can’t understand simple science

49. Misrepresents facts

50. Can’t fulfill the role of President successfully

51. Malicious

52. Grudge-holder

53. Juvenile

54. Narcissistic

55. Self-aggrandizing

56. Nepotistic

57. Won’t admit when he’s wrong

58. Never apologizes

59. Immature

60. Ill-mannered

61. Two-faced

62. Promise-breaker

63. Vow-breaker

64. Can’t remember important things

65. Misogynist

66. Hypocrite

67. Delusional

68. Idiotic

69. Illogical

70. Overly-emotional

71. Can’t tolerate any criticism

72. Bombastic

73. Buffoon

74. Ridiculous

75. Reneger/contract-breaker

76. Retaliates unfairly

77. Files frivolous lawsuits

78. Obfuscates

79. Rude

80. Inflammatory

81. War-monger

82. Hate-monger

83. Spews idiocy

84. Draft-dodger

85. Anti-immigrant while marrying immigrants

86. Horrible father

87. Pseudo-religious

88. Coward

89. Easily thrown

90. Short attention span

91. Tantrum-thrower

92. Vindictive

93. Inconsistent

94. Nonsensical

95. Megalomaniac

96. Corrupt

97. Tax-evader

98. Briber

99. Panderer

100. Indulges in cronyism

101. Cynical

102. Misanthrope

103. Miserly

104. Exaggerator

105. Confabulator

106. Manipulator

107. Unqualified

108. Tyrannical

109. Fuels paranoia

110. Is unfamiliar with key USA government rules and documents

111. Won’t hold regular Press Conferences

112. Can’t discuss criticisms substantively

113. Can’t debate rationally

114. Illogical

115. Makes stuff up

116. Hyperbolic

117. Prevaricator

118. Deceiver

119. Ignoramus

120. Weak

121. Dense

122. Gutless

123. Blusterer

124. Felon

125. Crook

126. Rapist

127. Molester

127. Harasser

128. Unrepentant

129. Doesn’t learn from his own mistakes

130. Can’t tell friends from foes

131. Betrayer

132. Doesn’t understand purposes of policies

133. Flauts rules and laws

134. Temperamental

135. Unstable

136. Repetitive

137. Anti-choice

138. Disrespectful to almost everyone

139. Generalizes

140. Won’t admit when he’s wrong

141. Won’t admit his flaws and failings honestly

142. Dishonest in business and in life commitments

143. Doesn’t honor hard work

144. Doesn’t care about anyone outside of his family

145. Misleads people intentionally

146. Abuses power and leadership

147. Unpatriotic

148. Undisciplined

149. Unable to tell fact from fiction (or unwilling)

150. Irresponsible

151. Shirks responsibilities

152. Overly inflated sense of his own importance and competence

153. Distorted self-image

154. Low ego strength

155. Unable to make secure attachments

156. Can’t understand or follow simple logic

157. Oppressive

158. Disgusting

159. Unethical in every area of his life

160. Immoral in all ways

161. Asinine

162. Uncouth

163. Loser

164. Incompetent

165. Wrong

166. Misrepresents facts

167. Misunderstands facts

168.

ADD YOUR OWN in the comments, below. The more refutational rather than personal, the better, but any actual criticisms are accepted!

Filed under: Politics Tagged: #CriticizeTrumpDaily, #FreeSpeech, #NotMyPresident, #Trump, Free Speech

3 more days! Happy Holidays! BUY BOOKS! #SciFi #Romance #Utopian #TheSpannersSeries

3 more days! Happy Holidays! BUY BOOKS! #SciFi #Romance #Utopian #TheSpannersSeries

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10% off paperbacks on CreateSpace for the first three Volumes in The Spanners Series!

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The Spanners Series by Sally Ember, Ed.D., offers something like… 

—having the authors Tom Robbins and Ursula K. Le Guin collaborate, 

—inviting (since all time is simultaneous, this could work) Robert Heinlein, Zenna Henderson, Kate Wilhelm and Sherri Tepper to add to /revise the Volumes, 

—then getting advice and fact-checking from scientists Brian Green, Michio Kaku, Max Tegmark, Neil deGrasse Tyson and Lisa Randall 

—and wisdom from the spiritual leaders, His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama, Pema Chödron, Rabbi Zalman Schachter and Cantor Linda Hirschhorn, prior to publication!

Use CreateSpace Coupon Code GJDS99JV for 12/9 – 31/16 for any or all three:

Volume I, This Changes Everything, usually $17.99, save $1.80 http://www.CreateSpace.com/5837347 

Volume II, This Changes My Family and My Life Forever, usually $19.99, save $2.00 http://www.CreateSpace.com/5844431

Volume III, This Is/Is Not the Way I Want Things to Change, usually $19.99, save $2.00 http://www.CreateSpace.com/5844474

http://www.sallyember.com for book trailers, author interviews, excerpts, blurbs, more!

OR, use Kindle MatchBook to purchase the ebook along with the paperback on Amazon for any of the three Spanners Series’ Volumes and get a discount on both: each ebook is only $1.99 (but Volume I is already permafree). Vol I = B00HFELTG8; Vol II = B00KU5Q7KC; Vol III = B0177Z1KRM at http://www.amazon.com

OR, go to Smashwords to get The Spanners Series Volume II or III ebooks in other formats besides for Kindle readers (Volume I is permafree), or go directly to the other vendors’ sites to purchase ebooks (nook for Barnes and Noble; iTunes for Apple; Kobo). Search under “Sally Ember” or “Spanners.”

All from [image error] by Sally Ember, Ed.D.

Filed under: Indie or Self-Publishing, Science Fiction and Fantasy, The Spanners, This Changes Everything, This Changes My Family and My Life Forever, This Is/Is Not the Way I Want Things to Change, Timult Books, Volume I of The Spanners, Volume II of The Spanners, Volume III Tagged: books, coupon, CreateSpace, Discount coupon, holidays, Kindle Matchbook, Sale, Sally Ember Ed.D Author, The Spanners Series

Free RV Camping, Parking, and Boondockin — Green Writing Mama

Free RV Camping, Parking, and Boondocking | RV’ing Successfully RV Blog #RV #RVingSuccessfully #RVLife http://ow.ly/V0uA307vbF0

via Free RV Camping, Parking, and Boondockin — Green Writing Mama

Filed under: Writing

A Jewish Buddhist at Christmas/ Chanukah/ Solstice Time

A re-posting, with some minor changes:

Christmas and I are not friends. We are not even good neighbors. I was raised Jewish in predominantly Jewish neighborhoods, school systems, summer camps and other social encounters. This made me an outsider in an insider world every December.

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Despite about 75% Jewish population in our local public schools, the relentless Christian-ness of the USA permeated. Most of our teachers and all of the school administrators were not Jewish. Therefore, we Jewish students were forced to learn and sing Christmas carols alongside our Christian classmates every year in music classes and choirs in our classes and assemblies. I mouthed but would not sing songs with lyrics like “Jesus, our God,” or “Christ, our King.” I refused to “celebrate,” but I would go along as required.

I hated it.

All of my childhood and most of my young adult life, I also hated Christmas. I hated the trees, the lights, the candy canes, and, especially, the incessant carols on muzak almost everywhere we went. I hated the silly fashion and accessory affectations (reindeer hats, Santa sweaters, elves in snow globes on chains, fake snow on windowsills) and the massively wasteful appropriation of space and time every December. This extravaganza has gotten worse over the decades, now beginning prior to Hallowe’en and including some year-round “Santa Villages,” “Christmas” stores and such.

Appalling.

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Christian adults still post and say ridiculous, ignorant things to me and other non-Christians, like: “Christmas isn’t religious; it’s American.” And, “It’s not a Christmas tree. It’s a holiday tree.” Or, my personal favorite, “You can celebrate Christmas and still be Jewish. I know lots of people who do!”

I belong to several authors/writers groups online and in person, and without exception, they are filled with eager, interesting people. Except, at Christmas. Then, they devolve into ignorant, unaware bigots who claim things like: “If we call it a ‘Holiday’ sale instead of a ‘Christmas’ sale, we’ll get fewer hits on Google”; and, the most appalling, “We did it your way last year. This year, it’s a ‘Christmas’ sale/program/event.”

The most insulting? “You are included if you feel included. Your choice.”

For every kid who feels oppressed by the pervasive and invasive Christmassification of everything for almost two months every year, it’s difficult to separate hating the holiday-ness from despising the people who rightfully celebrate it. I often did/do not succeed in making that distinction. I breathe a sigh of relief every December 26.

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Yippee!

I celebrated the Solstice for a few years. We were tentatively friends, paganism and I. I even created a Solstice “advent” calendar with thirteen paper strips as “rays” of the sun to be unfolded, one on each of the thirteen days prior to December 21. I liked this because each “ray” jad written on it a quality or positivity we wanted to affirm or invite into our lives. That was fun and interesting, and I liked the symbols and intention, but Solstice and I did not remain friends, either.

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For about twenty years, after our son was born, we—my son’s Christian (Episcopalian-raised)/Sufi and somewhat Muslim father and sometimes members of his family—celebrated a kind of Christmas, usually when at one of their homes.

For two years in the late 1980s, when I worked as the Director of Religious Education for the local Unitarian Universalist “Church,” I/we “celebrated” several December holidays, including Kwanzaa. i even went to church and sang Christmas carols and enjoyed it a little, holding a lit candle and the whole shebang.

Mostly, I hostessed Chanukah parties for my mostly Christian friends and half-Jewish son (not Jewish at all, except by birth). and and then my Jewish/fake Mormon/Buddhist female partner. I did this primarily because I liked to make and eat Chanukah food and give presents. Also, my mom (bless her) mailed (from Missouri) a huge box every year after our son was born that had eight gifts for him and many for us (some were small, like a pair of socks, but still: very welcomed!). So, we needed a way to spread out the opening of these and other gifts so he wouldn’t be overwhelmed and not appreciate any of them properly. I created and shared an English lyric about visualizing miracles to be sung when lighting the Chanukah candles (since the religious parts of the Jewish holidays and I parted ways when I was about ten years old) for each of the eight nights.

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I tried to make Chanukah mine. It only kind of worked, and only for a while (mostly for the years that our son lived in my house or was visiting for the holiday). But, since it wasn’t an authentic, deep relationship, Chanukah and I gradually drifted apart.

Partly, this drift occurred because I became a Buddhist. That made “the holiday season” even more irrelevant. I not only stopped celebrating Christmas, but don’t do much with Chanukah or Solstice any longer, either.

Each fall, when I can afford it, I buy some gifts for friends and family members (honoring whatever they celebrate), and wish people well for whatever they celebrate. But, I also try to keep to myself on the actual days of these holidays, since they’re not “mine.” I really do not celebrate or believe in them.

I do not miss these holidays. I do not feel left out. I do not feel angry. I do not feel deprived, alone, or otherwise sad or depressed. These just aren’t my holidays. I view them with slight amusement and a keen detachment over the last fifteen years, as if I were visiting from another culture (which I kind of am).

This year it is a little more difficult to escape both major holidays because Chanukah and Christmas are coinciding on the calendar: Christmas Eve is the first night of Chanukah and it ends on New Year’s Eve for the first time, ever, in my life. I don’t have much money, but I do want to buy some gifts for loved ones and this is as good of an excuse as any to do so.

I’ve gone through despising, hating, avoiding, celebrating, enjoying, participating, encouraging, hostessing, attending, bowing out to relinquishing December holidays over my six+ decades. I’m quite happy, now, taking the parts I like (mostly some good food and a few songs, gift-giving and receiving, days off) and ignoring the rest.

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Please don’t take it personally that I don’t participate in or celebrate any holidays in the fall “holiday season” the ways you do.

Enjoy your holiday(s). Really.

Just don’t impose them on me. And, by the way, I hate Capitalism, for real.

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Filed under: Personal stories Tagged: Buddhism, Buddhist, Chanukah, choir, Christmas, family, Hannukka, holidays, Jewish, Sally Ember, Solstice