Two Words, One Answer.
live happily
 Trusting Yourself: How to Stop Feeling Overwhelmed and Live More Happily with Less Effort $14.95 I highly recommend this book to anyone who needs to make a tough decision they are facing. This really helped me make the right choice.  Singled Out: How Singles Are Stereotyped, Stigmatized, and Ignored, and Still Live Happily Ever After $15.99 I haven't finished reading this book but I simply could not repress my stunned admiration any longer. Like many other middle aged married men, I've always wondered what's wrong. If we're so lucky to be married, why does it feel like a net loss, a step back in life? Now I know. Dr. DePaulo does a fantastic job patiently and fairly picking through the disinformation and contaminated data from past pro-marriage studies. Reading this book was like drinking triple espressos, I had to stop every few minutes to walk around and burn off adrenaline and digest the power of what was being revealed. There is a hugely hopeful thread in DePaulo's work which is neither pro-male or pro-female or any other fractious thing, it is simply pro-human being. I really hope that this book can be the catalyst in this country for a detente between the sexes, and the start of much better relationships between men, women, and their children. I wish that every single person would read at least Chapter 5. As a man I was grinning reading Chapter 8 (the one on single men and the absurd lies our society tells about them). Right on Dr. DePaulo!  Box of Fairies $15.99 Award-winning harpist and songwriter Gwen Knighton is probably best known on the filk music circuit, so I was delighted to find her CD for sale on Amazon.com. (For those who may not be familiar with it, filk is the music of the SF and Fantasy community.) BOX OF FAIRIES is Gwen's first independent CD-and it is a marvelous introduction to her talent. She has a wonderful voice, perfect for storytelling, and a light touch on the harp that makes the resulting sound seem effortless. Ms. Knighton has spent many years studying her craft wherever it will take her. Her classical training is evident in her skill and style-but she's also got a flair and a whimsy all her own. BOX OF FAIRIES contains eleven tracks, and all of them are song-stories with Gwen performing the vocals and the harp accompaniment. The music style is much closer to folk than it is to new age-this is not for the listener who wants a very electronic ethereal sound like Enya or Maire Brennan. Gwen is much more down to earth in her performance style, and the adornment to her songs is mainly acoustic. Her mid-range voice is sweet and evocative, easy to understand and light, but not breathy. It's perfect for this kind of singing and it meshes well with her harp playing. All the selections on this CD feature Gwen's voice and harp, but two of the tracks do feature additional performers. The first is the atmospheric "Ghosts" an atmospheric peice that includes Bill Sutton on bass. The other track is the final one of the CD, "Last Run" Bill Sutton accompanies Gwen on bass once again, and Mike Whitaker adds his talent on the electric guitar. In both cases the additions make sense, and they are woven in subtly--I didn't catch their inclusion on my first listen to this CD. All of these songs tell their own story, and all are delightful, but I do have my favorites. "Cinderella Sleeps"-a rather darker look at fairy tales in the modern world. It's the song that I first heard by Gwen that had me searching for this album. I also fell in love with "Stepchild" which is a bittersweet Selkie story that I cannot get out of my head half the time. The final number "Last Run" is based on a role-playing game called Shadowrun. It's quickly becoming my overall favorite. Gwen's CD has a sweet quality to it's tone, but don't let that fool you! Her unfolding songs are seldom sweet in subject matter. Particularly not "My Fairy Tale" which takes a rather cynical look at fairy tale cliches. This is a fairly intimate sort of CD, the sort of thing where the singer speaks directly to the listener. Something you may want to play for a restful evening or for your own listening pleasure. It's probably not the best choice for background music-Ms. Knighton's lyrics tend to be a bit too intriguing and you'd want to turn up the volume. I finally had to give up doing my homework while listening to her music because I wasn't getting a darn thing done! This CD beautifully showcases Ms. Knighton's talent for performing and songwriting. If you enjoy this CD, you might also want to check out the group Three Weird Sisters, comprised of Gwen Knighton, Brenda Sutton, Mary Crowell and Teresa Powell. Their first CD is RITE THE FIRST TIME. And while they aren't specifically filk, you might want to look for FIRE IN THE HEAD by Emerald Rose and STORMING HEAVEN by Avalon Rising. Happy Listening! ^_^ Shanshad |
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