Thought For Day - Adversity

"There is no better than adversity. Every defeat, every heartbreak, every loss, contains its own seed, its own lesson on how to improve your performance the next time. "

Malcolm X

Thought For Day - Real Winners

"The real winners in life are the people who look at every situation with an expectation that they can make it work or make it better."

Barbara Pletcher

Sunday's Eclectic Music Videos # 2 - Only God Knows

Sunday's Eclectic Music Videos # 1 - Brother's in Arms

Saturday's Motivational Video - An Extraordinary Life

Thought For Day - Small Steps Towards Goals

"My best advice is to set small, attainable goals for yourself."

Skateboard Legend Tony Hawk - Oct 2009

Thought For Day - Don't React Emotionally

"When your emotions run high, your intellect and your ability to acess your resources runs low"

Steve Linder

Thought For Day - It's Never Too Late

"It is never too late to be who you might have been. "

George Eliot

Thought For Day - Victory in Defeat

"Sometimes you win. Sometimes it looks like you've lost. When it looks like you've lost, remember, there is always a victory hidden in defeat."

Chris Widener

Thought For Day - Opportunity in Every Difficulty

"A pessimist sees the difficulty in every opportunity; an optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty."

Winston Churchill

Sunday's Eclectic Music Videos # 2 - Song For You

Sunday's Eclectic Music Videos # 1 - Say

Thanks Cousin Sharon

Saturday's Motivational Video - The Best Motivation

Thought For Day - Be Remembered for the Right Thing

"You're either going to be known for the problems you solve or the problems you create."

Unknown

Thought For Day - Anger Stops the Search for Truth

"In a controversy the instant we feel anger we have already ceased striving for the truth, and have begun striving for ourselves. "

Buddha

Thanks Ben Ramsey

Thought For Day - Stories Are Emotional Transportation

"stories are emotional transportation. Do you weave stories into your daily conversation?"

Keith Ferrazzi

"Facts tell, stories sell..."

Paul Darwish

What stories do you tell yourself about your life? Are you the victim or the hero? Are you the lead or a bit player? Don't get trapped in old stories, make up new and better ones......

John Duffy

Personal Ramblings - Nostalgia - The Bronx - Freedomland 1963

I went here as a kid........

Thought For Day - Old Stories

"Don't let your old "stories" prevent you from creating new ones"


Tony Estigoy

Thought For Day - Pessimist Don't Blaze New Paths

"No pessimist ever discovered the secret of the stars, or sailed to uncharted land or opened a new heaven to the human spirit."

Helen Keller

Thought For Day - Being Happy is a Habit

"Being miserable is a habit. Being happy is a habit. The choice is yours."


Tom Hopkins

Personal Ramblings - A Write Up

A friend and line producer Michael Mandaville posted this on his website www.citizensoldierhandbook.com. to share my website with his readers. Appreciated. Thanks Michael.....



A friend of mine, John Duffy, set out various goals for himself and has accomplished quite a few over the years in the challenging Film Industry. His site, GlassThreeQuartersFull, is a fine example of optimism spreading on the internet, not only as a testament to his determination to guide his own Emotional state toward a Positive Outcome but help others along the way. He uses music, quotes, ideas and thought. Check it out. Here are three quotes from his site.

'What's the difference between a hero and a coward? They were both scared to death. It's just one stepped forward and one stepped back. Deal with it. Work it out and move on." Lionel Richie

"Pain is temporary. Quitting lasts forever." Lance Armstrong

"A little knowledge that acts is worth infinitely more than much knowledge that is idle. " Kahlil Gibran

Personal Ramblings - Check out Friend's Book - Citizen-Soldier

Check out a friend and fellow line producer Michael Mandaville's book "Citizen-Soldier"and website


http://www.citizensoldierhandbook.com/

http://url4t.com/YC1

Sunday's Eclectic Music Videos # 2 -Wings to Fly

Sunday's Eclectic Music Videos # 1 - I Believe in You

Saturday's Motivational Video - Leadership

General Colin Powell grew up in my neighborhood Mott Haven in the South Bronx.....

Thought For Day - Flexibility

"You need to have more flexibility in coming up with solutions than your clients have in coming up with problems."

Steve Linder

i would add you need to have more flexibility in coming up with solutions than your kids, family, associates or life has in coming up with problems.....

John Duffy

Thought For Day - Do You See What You Believe?

"Do you see what you believe or do you believe what you see?"

Sidney Baker, MD

This is a quote that should make you really think. Most people see what they believe most of the time, It's true in medicine and it's true in politics and it's true in life. It's hard and takes work to challenge yourself to break free from your filter of beliefs and see what is there. How often do we acknowledge we have assumptions and beliefs about most things. How often do we take the time to consider all the alternative ideas and beliefs on a subject and what experiences leads people to hold them.

An example is vaccinations. Either you're for them or against them but have you really tried to understand the other side, Could if be possible that both sides have some valuable ideas and maybe the truth is in the middle or maybe 75% of one side and 25% of the other? Or maybe your view or side is mainly right but you can appreciate the humanity and good intentions of most of the people on the other side if not all.

Try looking at things from different perspectives, from a distance, from the future or from the past point of view. Question authority and assumptions even or maybe especially yours.

And try to remember the humanity of people with different life experiences and points of view. And consider the slim possibility that maybe you're not right about everything all the time. I know it's hard to go there when you believe you are never wrong but what if you are and were. Hmmmmm

John Duffy

Life Management Tool

Here is a Life Management Tool I adapted from a few people and use daily. It is numbered in the order of the priorities in my life. Feel free to adapt it and re-prioritize based on your life. Hope it is useful.....

Thought For Day - No Time

One of the biggest excuses people make for not doing something is "they don't have enough time".

We do what is important to us.

Did you forget to eat yesterday? Did you forget to sleep yesterday? Did you forget to go to the....?

No I bet you didn't. And I bet you didn't forget to watch TV. Did you? But did you forget to workout or read a book that will improve your skills or offer you new opportunities? Hmmm I know , You don't have the time.

I think you know what you have to do. The question is will you do it. Are you a will do or a will not?

Cmon time to make it happen......

John Duffy

Thought For Day - Get Some Bones

"To succeed in life, you need 3 things: a wishbone, a backbone and a funnybone."

Reba McEntire

Thought For Day - Deal with Today

"What happened yesterday was yesterday and what's gonna happen today is gonna be today.If you can just get that in your head, then the rest you can deal with."

Lionel Richie

Sunday's Eclectic Music Videos # 2 - People Who Died

Rest in Peace Jim Carroll

Sunday's Eclectic Music Videos # 1 - Catholic Boy

I read Jim Carroll's book "Basketball Diaries" when it came out in the 70's and I was in my 20's. I related to parts of growing up in an Irish-American family and going to Catholic schools. It was a powerful book that I turned a few friends on to at the time.
RIP James Carroll

Saturday's Motivational Video - The Big Questions

I met W Mitchell at a Tony Robbins seminar in Maui 17 years ago. Meeting him put all the challenges I was going through in perspective. Never again would I complain or whine about any problems or difficulties I faced. My new belief would get tested many times since that day but I would never forget W Mitchell. He became a model for me of what is possible.

Thought For Day - Heroes and Cowards

'What's the difference between a hero and a coward? They were both scared to death. It's just one stepped forward and one stepped back. Deal with it. Work it out and move on."

Lionel Richie

Thought For Day - Never Quit

"Pain is temporary. Quitting lasts forever."

Lance Armstrong

Thought For Day - Act

"A little knowledge that acts is worth infinitely more than much knowledge that is idle. "

Kahlil Gibran

Thought For Day - Don't Let Them Bring You Down

" If you can't take a person up with you, don't let them bring you down with them!"

Les Brown

Thought For Day - Will and Will-Nots

"Life is not about the haves and the have-nots, but about the wills and the will-nots.

What are you willing to do that you haven't done in the past? What step are you willing to take that others aren't taking? It's rarely about "can you?" and almost always about "will you?""

Larry Winget

Sunday's Eclectic Music Videos # 2 - Push It to the Limit

Sunday's Eclectic Music Videos # 1 - American Dream

Saturday's Motivational Video - Teach Like Your Hair is on Fire

Don't Back Down

Sept 11 2001 - Never Forget - 8 Years Ago

Sept 11, 2001, My city, New York and my country, America was attacked by Islamic Terrorist. 2,974 innocent people lost their lives that day. I took it personal as I believe many of us did. It changed me profoundly forever. I came back to New York City and visited Ground Zero that December and I felt the incredible loss and pain but also saw the strength and resilience of my fellow New Yorkers and fellow Americans. Hard to believe it has been eight years ago......

I will never forget and hope we always remember....

I will participate in a walk and rememberance today in Los Angeles to honor and remember all those lost and fallen heroes of Sept 11, 2001

Tribute to all the victims of 9/11

Sept 11 2001 - 102 Minutes That Changed America - 8 Years Ago

102 Minutes That Changed America airs Sept. 11 at 8pm/7C History Channel
Watch it.....

Thought For Day - Not Everyman Lives

"Every man dies. Not every man really lives"

William Wallace

Thought For Day - One Moment That Changes Your Life

"Most successful people can identify one minute, one moment, where their lives changed, and it usually occurred in times of adversity."

Anonymous - Thanks to H-Pileci

I remember the moment that changed my life. Do you have a moment like that?

Thought For Day - Courage to Ask

"You get in life what you have the courage to ask for"

Oprah Winfrey

Thought For Day - Constant and Never Ending Improvement

"Make it so today is not like yesterday, and tomorrow will be different forever"

Tony Robbins

Sunday's Eclectic Music Videos 2009 # 2 -Piece of My Heart

Lt Dan Band

Sunday's Eclectic Music Videos # 1 - Life Is Beautiful

Personal Ramblings - Different Paths, Different Stories

What does a young woman raised in California and the daughter of a religious cult leader, a young woman raised under the Orwellian communist regime of Bulgaria, a young woman raised on the wrong side of the tracks in the Deep South, a man raised in the Brownsville projects of Brooklyn New York, a homeless man living on the streets of New York, an American ex-communist and an Irish man living in New York have in common?

For one thing they all have written memoirs about their unique lives that I am planning on reading this month. I've all ways been fascinated by stories of peoples lives whether in books or movies that expand my understanding of their world. Life and humans are so varied and yet have so much in common. I learn to appreciate our common humanity rather than our differences.

This year as I have been pursuing writing a memoir I have been reading as many memoirs that I can. I have read over a dozen already.
I have my own unique story to tell and struggle to capture it. And I also read and read and read. The books I intend to read in the next month are the following:

Prophet's Daughter - Erin Prophet
Street Without a Name - Kapka Kassabova
The Cracker Queen - Lauretta Hannon
City Kid - Nelson George
Land of the Lost Souls - Cadillac Man
Commies -Ronald Radosh
A Long Stones Throw - Alphie McCourt

Saturday's Motivational Video - Success Is Easy

Thought For Day - Start Today

"A year from now you will wish you had started today."

Karen Lamb

Thanks to Loren Slocum

Personal Ramblings - 2009 Film Festivals / Markets /Events

I'll be attending a few film festivals / markets and events in the next few months. Here is some info on them:

LA irish Film Festival Sept 23-27

http://www.lairishfilm.com/

G.I. Film Festival Road Show Sept 26

http://www.gifilmfestival.com/losangeles

Showbiz Expo Oct 17

http://www.theshowbizexpo.com/

AFI Fest Oct 30 -Nov7

http://www.ifta-online.org/afm/afifest_alliance.asp

American Film Market Nov 4-11

http://www.ifta-online.org/afm/about.asp

Thought For Day - Share Your Gifts

"Some things in life are too important not to share."

Mercedes

What things in life do you share?

Thought For Day - Get Out of Your Own Way

"As long as a man (or woman) stands in his own way, everything seems to be in his way".

Ralph Waldo Emerson

Thought For Day - A Better Man

“When, in life, you find yourself on opposite sides of an issue from another person or group of persons, I encourage you to engage in the kind of rigorous debate upon which our great country was founded. However, I hope also that you will be mindful never to let those differences become a chasm which you cannot cross for the sake of a greater good. Indeed, ‘a better man’ is one who understands that he can put aside differences without surrendering his beliefs.”

Thought For Day - Character Determines Faith

" Character Determines Faith"

Tim Reid

What is your character and how has it determined your faith?

Sunday's Eclectic Music Videos # 2 - Ring of Fire

Sunday's Eclectic Music Videos 2009 # 1 - Jimi Hendrix

Saturday's Motivational Video - Life is a Miracle

Thought For Day - I Will Persist Until I Succeed

""I will persist until I succeed, because I was not delivered into this world in defeat, nor does defeatism run through the blood of my ancestors. I'm not some sheep waiting to be prodded by a shepherd. I am a lion. I don't want to associate with the sheep. I don't want to know the sheep, because the slaughterhouse of failure is not my destiny. I will persist until I succeed."

Governor Doug Wilder

Thought For Day - Rekindle the Flame

"Sometimes our light goes out but is blown again into flame by an encounter with another human being. Each of us owes the deepest thanks to those who have rekindled this inner light."

Albert Schweitzer

Personal Ramblings - Bucket List

Do you have or have you created a Bucket/ Goal List?

I have created one for myself and together with my daughter one for her.

I've adapted the concept to capture all the things I have done in my life and her life to date. I include all the following

All the things in my life I have done, accomplished and can be grateful for. Some of the areas I capture are;

People I've Met
Magic Moments in my life, families life and all the special moments with my daughter
Books Read
Theatre attended
Personal Accomplishment
Places I've been
Films I've produced
Lessons learned
Aha moments
and more.......

All this is stuff I can remember, reflect on and feel grateful for and share with my family.

Then I create the things I want to do, see,contribute, accomplish for the future. I shoot for the sky knowing the bigger and outrageous the list and goals the more I will do, accomplish, become, enjoy, contribute and feel grateful for.

I recommend you do it for yourself and your kids.

Thought For Day - What Lies Within You

"What lies behind us and what lies before us are tiny matters compared to what lies within us"

Ralph Waldo Emerson

Thought For Day - Summer Follows Winter

"In the midst of winter, I finally learned that there was an invincible summer"

Albert Camus

Thought For Day - Get Started

"You don't have to be great to get started, but you have to get started to be great!"

Les Brown

Sunday's Eclectic Music Videos 2009 # 2 - Daylight

Sunday's Eclectic Music Video's # 1 - Ain't No Such Thing as A Superman

Saturday's Motivational Video - Leadership and Success

Personal Ramblings - NBC's "Breakthrough with Tony Robbins"

Monday I attended the taping of NBC's Breakthrough with Tony Robbins". Finally a reality show worth watching. It's a reality show that will make a difference in the lives of the people on the show but will provide the viewers with lessons and role models to deal with the challenges they are facing in life.

Everytime I run across Tony Robbins I'm reminded of the amazing contributions he has made to so many people's lives. I met him in New York in 1989 and I credit him with helping me transform my life. The life I live today is so different and better and it started with a firewalk on 34th St in Manhattan.

As a skeptical New Yorker I approached Tony looking for the chinks in him but discovered a real genuine person who walks his talk. I consider him my mentor. He always reminds me to raise my standards and to step up more to life. I remember that my greatest days are still ahead of me.

Check out his show on NBC in January, you won't be disappointed.

There aren't many people I can recommend 100% but I can recommend Tony Robbins 100 %.

For more info check out his blog.....


http://www.tonyrobbinsblog.com/breakthrough-with-tony-robbins/

Thought For Day - Let Go of Anger

"Let go of anger - it is an acid that burns away the delicate layers of your happiness."

Anonymous

Thought For Day - Breakthru

" All personal breakthroughs begin with a change in beliefs..what belief have you held on to that has out lived it usefulness in your life?

Tony Robbins

Happy 12th Birthday - To My Daughter Sofia

I wrote this for your 11th birthday and it is still true

I still remember the day you were born and I held you in my arms in the hospital. My life changed for ever that day. It was the greatest thing that ever happened to me and it helped me grow, mature and step up in every way. You always tell me I am the greatest dad in the world and those words from you are my greatest success in life and I will always attempt to live up to those words. Every day I say thank you for having you as my daughter and I wish you a Happy Birthday and may all your dreams come true and always know I will always love you.

Happy 12th Birthday

You've grown to be be a confident, competent happy 12 year older. We have shared many magic moments over the years and I look forward to sharing even more with you this year. You have discovered many passions; horseback riding, cheerleading, fashion designing and I'm sure you will discover many more. This year you begin your middle school journey. So Happy Birthday and here's to a great year of adventure, new learnings, growth and new friends. I am blessed to be your dad.

Some Birthday Wishes:

Dream Big, Never Give Up on Your Dreams, Laugh a lot, Let Your Greatness Shine, Make a Difference, Be Happy and Happy 12th Birthday

with all my love,

your Dad

Thought For Day - Accept Rejection - Reject Acceptance

"Know how to accept rejection and reject acceptance"

Ray Bradbury

Thanks to Robin Parrish

Thought For Day - The Only True Wisdom

"The only true wisdom is knowing that you know nothing."

Socrates

Thanks to Tony Robbins

I would add that it's when we think we know everything is when we stop learning, growing and listening.

John Duffy

Thought For Day - Don't Be an Injustice-Collector

"Don't Be an Injustice-Collector"

You know the type, they create an identity based on how people have screwed them over, They become professional victims. All they get is attention but of a negative type. Don't be a professional victim, don't be an injustice-collector. Don't do it......

I owe the term "Injustice Collector" to Alexander Therox who used it in a review of the memoir "Closing Time" by Joe Queene . He uses it to describe how Joe collects all the injustices done to him by his father. I love the term.

Sunday's Eclectic Music Videos 2009 # 2 - Angela Bofill

Another Bronx Thing.....

I saw her live on Bleeker Street in the 80's and she was my favorite singer in the day....

Sundays Eclectic Music Video - 2009 # 1 -Sophia Ramos

It's a Bronx Thing.....

Saturday's Motivational Video - Leadership Gold

Thought For Day - Be Your Own Damn Light

"Be a Lamp Until Yourself"

Shakyamuni

"In other words, embrace your light. or better still, Be Your Own Damn Light"

Chris Gardner

Thought For Day - Everything is Not As it Seems

"Everything is not as it seems; nor is it otherwise"

Luca Bercovici

Thought For Day - Success

"To laugh often and much; to win the respect of intelligent people and the affection of children; to earn the appreciation of honest critics and endure the betrayal of false friends; to appreciate beauty, to find the best in others; to leave the world a little better; whether by a healthy child, a garden patch or a redeemed social condition; to know even one life has breathed easier because you have lived. This is the meaning of success."

-Ralph Waldo Emerson

Personal Ramblings - "The Great Drake"

I received this book from an old friend, Dee. She contacted me and mailed it to me as a gift to read. It was gift out of the blue and yet I am glad she thought of me and I had a chance to read this book,

It was written by her dad Mario Cappelli I read the book the first night I received it. Reminiscent of Jonathan Livingston Seagull it is a allegory that tells a tale of the Great Drake and the journey of his flock through the Great Storm. Yet it's about so much more including courage, character, vision and leadership and the role it plays in our life.

It's a small book and an easy read. i intend to read it again with my 11 year old daughter. it's a beautiful story and has a great message about leadership and doing the hard and right things especially when it isn't easy and maybe even dangerous. It's a story for today when the need of real leaders who look out for the greater good and not their own interest is needed more than ever. We need more servant leaders and this book is a reminder of that.

I recommend you find the book, read it, share it with your children and pass it on to a friend.

If you want to find the book or other books by Mario Cappelli

http://mariocappelli.com/





Thank you Dee Cappelli........

Thought For Day - You Are Here to Serve

"You finally become an adult when you realize you are here to serve and not to be served!"

Ken Blanchard

Facebook response

"Parents do not teach children to be adults. Children teach parents to be adults. Service and self sacrifice change us inside and make us stronger people."

Andrew N Little

Personal Ramblings - Success

My 11 year old daughter competed in her 1st horse show away from her regular stable. She was nervous and anxious before the show. I shared with her my point of view that all she needed to do was focus on doing her best and enjoying the experience. I told her as long as she did that and learned from it so she could improve in the future she would be a success.

I'm a believer in competition and I believe losing can be a good thing if you use it to improve. Of course winning is a great thing in it tells you what you did right. I also believe you need to enjoy the process win or lose. So we went to support her and enjoy her riding.


She rode in five events @ the Rainbow Ranch Horse Show and got 2 - 1st place ribbons, 3- third place ribbons and received the Champion of the show ribbon for best performance overall.

She did fantastic and of course I'm a proud father. I'm especially blessed to watch her live her passion for horses and riding,

Success is living your passion.

John Duffy

Thought For Day - A Real Decision

"A real decision is measured by the fact that you've taken a new action. If there's no action, you haven't truly decided. "

Tony Robbins

Sunday's Eclectic Music Videos 2009 # 2 -Hit the Road Jack

Sunday's Eclectic Music Videos 2009 # 1 - Trouble

Saturday's Motivational Video - 5 Extraordinary's

Personal Ramblings - Top 5 Books - Transformation / Personal Growth

I've read over 500 Books in the fields of Personal Growth, Transformation, Motivation, and Leadership. These are my 5 favorite books that I reread regularly.

Thought For Day - Happiness

"Success is not the key to happiness. Happiness is the key to success. If you love what you are doing, you will be successful." .Albert Schweitzer

Thought For Day - Hell

"Hell begins on the day when God grants us a clear vision of all that we might have achieved, of all the gifts we wasted, of all that we might have have done that we did not do!"

G.C. Menotti

Thanks to Lisa Lockwood

Thought For Day - You Make a Life by Giving

"You make a living by getting, you make a life by giving"

Montel Williams

Thought For Day - What Do You Deserve?

"We cannot achieve more in life than what we believe in our heart of hearts we deserve to have."

James R. Ball

Thought For Day - Better to Fail at Something You Love

"I honestly think it is better to be a failure at something you love than to be a success at something you hate. "

George Burns.

Sundays Eclectic Music Video - 2009 # 2 - Katzenjammer

Sundays Eclectic Music Video - 2009 # 1 - Wagon Wheel

Saturday's Motivational Video - Someday Syndrome