At Your Service Weddings

Happy Valentine's Day From the 'RocNRev' Michael Taylor

2012-02-13T12:16:00.000-08:00

Mother and Daughter Bouquet Toss on the Beach

2012-02-11T00:31:00.000-08:00

Mother and Daughter Bouquet Toss - Get Ready...

Get Set.........

GO!!!!...............

The catch!!!! Fun mixed with love on Mom's wedding day

Photos by Reverend Michael Taylor on the beach between Morro Bay and Cayucos California

I love this kind of wedding: A Bride, Her Groom, Her daughter, His son, and Grandma. Plus me!! getting to share in their family wedding moment. Like my slogan says:

"Your Wedding, It's more than my job,

it's my passion and JOY!"

Wedding Day Tips by Reverend Michael Taylor

2012-02-11T00:07:00.000-08:00

Tips for your Wedding Day by Reverend Michael Taylor AtYour Service Weddings

Italian:verb mangiare: to eat.

Spanish: Esnecesario que usted coma

It isnecessary for you to eat (that you eat)

Howwould you say "let's eat" in french?

'mangeons'je suppose?

No matterhow you say it or in what language, the importance of a healthy start on yourwedding day with a calm and nutritious meal is the key element to your mood andenergy for your big day. A quickly gobbled sugar topped roll washed down withthree cups of coffee is NOT what you should do! Be good to yourself. Your bodywill be burning up calories at a pace you might treasure on any other day, butnot on your wedding day. If you run out of fuel, or are overdosed with sugarand caffeine, you are making yourself vulnerable to an emotional meltdown oreven fainting. And of course too much alcohol too soon on an empty stomach alsospeaks disaster! Like warming up at the gym before a rigorous workout, startingyour big day off serenely will most certainly help give you the experience ofjoy instead of anxiety.

The early Bride catches the “Dream Day” - start gettingready early

After waking and having a wholesome meal it is time to getin gear. Even if you have anafternoon ceremony, I can assure you that never has a day flown by so quicklyfor you as your wedding day will.

Every small delay will snowball as the day goes by. Evenslight delays will be add up-ultimately resulting in a shorter time for you tobe at the reception (if the ceremony is delayed the reception will then bedelayed!)

Confirm with your vendors their arrival time. For hair andmake-up artists be certain to convey to them you expect them to be prompt. Havethe same expectations of your bridal party-I have seen many weddings delayed becausethe Bride and/or her ladies were not ready.

Be organized and use check lists especially if you have not hired a professional coordinator(which I highly recommend you do if you can). If you are relying on familymembers, give them clear and writteninstructions on what tasks they are being asked to do. For example, I havewaited many times for a family member to show up prior to the ceremony todeliver the sand blending kit, only to discover no one really knew who wassupposed to do that, where the items were, etc.

Work with your peeps, Communicate Please!

Whether you are running late or ready to go, keep yourwedding day team (Coordinator- Officiant-Photographer-DJ) in the know. Yourprofessionals can fill if you need extra time, or we can ask the guests to beseated so we can proceed. The worst case is for your family and guests to bewondering what’s going on, when is this ceremony starting? As an experienced Officiant I canreassure the guests all is well and we will just be another few minutes beforewe begin. I also suggest you give your cell number to your key vendors as a wayto communicate from your dressing room or wherever you are located. If afterthe ceremony the photo session is running overtime you should have a way tocontact the DJ or Venue Coordinator to alert the kitchen how long to hold themeal.

At yourreception put first things first!

Establish when your reception caterer will be ready to servethe meal. As I suggested previously, when having your photo session following theceremony this timing must mesh up with the food service. You will be spending alarge portion of your wedding budget on food. If the hot food has been sittingin steamers for too long the appearance and taste quality will be lessened.Have a clear time on when your caterer will be ready to serve your meal and howlong the photographer needs to get the shots you want. Make sure there is arealistic connection between these two times. And stick to it …if thephotographer does need more time see if the meal can be held back, otherwisefinish some extra photos after the meal while the guests are enjoying weddingcake and coffee.

Advice for the Future starts with the Present….

Start with some good advice for the wedding that will carryover as the years fly by:

Do not spend more than you have. Determine how much you can comfortably afford to spend on your wedding. Whether you can afford an elaborate wedding or need to keep it simple, the main thing is to keep it from becoming a worrisome burden later. The number one common theme with troubled marriages is economic. This leads to stress, which leads to lack of love life, which leads to… so start from a foundation of communicating with each other what is important to each of you to have at the wedding. What can we be comfortable with after the wedding so that we will not be paying off that debt for a long time to come. Planning your wedding can be a great foundation on how you will mutually make decisions in your future together.

Laugh together as much as possible. Have date nights (with each other) let each of you have their space, but have mutual interests and activities as well. Celebrate life together, have a renewal of vows and anniversary parties over the years.

For young parents don’t lose the romance after the kids. Love and devote yourselves to your children of course, but remember to be Husband and Wife and Lovers, as well as being Parents. Keep a balance between all the various aspects of career, marriage partners, parental duties. Play fair, nuture your romance and be happy!

Happy HoliDAZZZZZZZE to everyone

2011-11-24T20:52:00.001-08:00

May your 2011 Holidays be the very best EVER!!!

One Style Can't Fit All, BUT......

2011-10-29T08:41:00.000-07:00

You can certainly find a style that is not only becoming, but enhances who you are and highlights how you feel on YOUR special day! Look at all these styles and tips before picking your wedding dress. This site even has a virtual dressing room! http://www.brides.com/brides/2011/10/brides-magazine-flattering-wedding-dresses-for-any-figure#slide=6 Now, if there were only equivalent guidelines for the groom.....

THE BEST DRESS FOR: Belly bulge

Put a stop to muffin-top in an asymmetrically draped duchess-satin gown with crystal-floral embroidery. Strategically placed folds camouflage a not-so-taut tummy.

Gown, $5,400, Anna Maier/Ulla-Maija Couture. Earrings, Badgley Mischka; Henri Bendel, 800-423-6335. Ring, Sylvie.

Try on this dress in our virtual Dressing Room.

The New White?

2011-10-19T20:28:00.000-07:00

This article on Yahoo piqued my interest-black wedding dress? During the 1950's I'll bet this idea would have seemed morbid, grotesque or even satanic! Now Vera Wang, the perhaps most prestigious wedding dress designer, has included several black wedding gowns in her 2012 Fall line-up!

Vera Wang’s black wedding dresses: unique or creepy?

A traditional style in a not-so-traditional color

It's bridal season, and all the big name designers are already presenting their offerings for Fall 2012. Vera Wang is by far one of the biggest names in the wedding world, and many of her gowns were far from traditional. While we've seen short wedding dresses and even colorful wedding dresses this year, we were really surprised to see black dresses! Wang presented seven dark gowns with the idea that some traditions are meant to be broken. Surely white bridal attire is going nowhere, but we're always excited to see something different. But what kind of statement would a black wedding dress make? Take a look at the new Vera Wang gowns and let us know what you think of the potential new trend.

I decided to do a little research on the subject through trusty Wikipedia and see just what was behind the "wedding white" dress and what it was all about. What I discovered surprised me:

Western culture

Weddings performed during and immediately following the Middle Ages were often more than just a union between two people. They could be a union between two families, two businesses or even two countries. Many weddings were more a matter of politics than love, particularly among the nobility and the higher social classes. Brides were therefore expected to dress in a manner that cast their families in the most favorable light, for they were not representing only themselves during the ceremony. Brides from wealthy families often wore rich colors and exclusive fabrics. It was common to see them wearing bold colors and layers of furs, velvet and silk.

The woman to the far right is wearing a typical wedding dress from 1929. Up until the late 1930s, wedding dresses reflected the styles of the day. From that time onward, wedding dresses have traditionally been based on Victorian styles.

Over the centuries, brides continued to dress in a manner befitting their social status—always in the height of fashion, with the richest, boldest materials money could buy. The poorest of brides wore their best church dress on their wedding day. The amount of material a wedding dress contained also was a reflection of the bride's social standing and indicated the extent of the family's wealth to wedding guests. Today, there are wedding dresses available in all price ranges, and Western traditions have loosened up to include a rainbow of colors and variety of lengths, which are now considered acceptable. Women may purchase ready-made gowns, wear a family heirloom, or they may choose to have a dressmaker create one for her. In addition, today many bridal salons have samples of wedding gowns in their stores where the bride selects a certain style and orders one to be made to fit.

Wedding dresses have traditionally been based on the popular styles of the day. For example, in the 1920s, wedding dresses were typically short in the front with a longer train in the back and were worn with cloche-style wedding veils. This tendency to follow current fashions continued until the late 1940s, when it became popular to revert to long, full-skirted designs reminiscent of the Victorian era. Although there has always been a style that dominates the bridal market for a time, and then shifts with the changes in fashion, a growing number of modern brides are not choosing to follow these trends. This is due in large part to non-traditional and non-first-time weddings, and women who are marrying later in life.

Today, Western wedding dresses are usually white[1] though "wedding white" includes shades such as eggshell, ecru and ivory. Lowering wedding costs by selecting a second hand wedding dress rather than purchasing a new one is a growing trend.[2]

Mary, Queen of Scots, wore a white wedding gown in 1559 when she married her first husband, Francis Dauphin of France because it was her favorite color, although white was then the color of mourning for French Queens. The first documented instance of a princess who wore a white wedding gown Princess for a royal wedding ceremony is that of Philippa of England, who wore a tunic with a cloak in white silk bordered with grey squirrel and ermine) in 1406.[3]

White did not become a popular option until 1840, after the marriage of Queen Victoria to Albert of Saxe-Coburg. Victoria wore a white gown for the event to incorporate some lace she prized. The official wedding portrait photograph was widely published, and many other brides opted for white in accordance with the Queen's choice.[4]

The tradition continues today in the form of a white wedding, though prior to the Victorian era, a bride was married in any color, black being especially popular in Scandinavia.[5] Later, many people assumed that the color white was intended to symbolize virginity, though this was not the original intention. (It was the color blue that was connected to purity.) The white gown is in fact a symbolic Christening gown. They are a variation of the white surplice worn in the Western Catholic tradition by members of the clergy, church choirs and servers and the gowns worn by girls making their first communion and at their confirmation and also by women making religious vows. Jews have gone to great lengths [6] to follow[7] these Western (Judeo-Christian) customs, whilst adhering to the laws of Tzniut. Today, the white dress is understood merely as the most traditional and popular choice for weddings.

Eastern culture

Vietnamese wedding Ao dai

Many wedding dresses in China, India (wedding sari) and Vietnam (in the traditional form of the Ao dai) are colored red, the traditional color of good luck and auspiciousness. Nowadays, many women choose other colors besides red. In modern Chinese weddings, the bride may opt for Western dresses of any color, and later don traditional costume for the official tea ceremony.

Red wedding saris are the traditional garment choice for brides in Indian culture. Sari fabric is also traditionally silk. Over time, color options and fabric choices for Indian brides have expanded. Today fabrics like crepe, Georgette, tissue and satin are used, and colors have been expanded to include gold, pink, orange, maroon, brown, and yellow as well.[8] Indian brides in Western countries often wear the sari at the wedding ceremony and change into traditional Indian wear afterwards (lehnga, choli, etc.).

At Japanese weddings, brides will often wear three or more dresses throughout the ceremony and subsequent celebrations with a traditional kimono, white and colour dress combination being popular. The Javanese people of Indonesia wear a kebaya, a traditional kind of blouse, along with batik.

In the Philippines, variations of the Baro't saya are considered to be wedding attire for women, along with the Barong Tagalog for men.

Native American culture

Apache bride

The indigenous peoples of the Americas have varying traditions related to weddings and thus wedding dresses. A Hopi bride traditionally would have her garments woven by the groom and any men in the village who wished to participate. The garments consisted of a large belt, two all-white wedding robes, a white wedding robe with red stripes at top and bottom, white buckskin leggings and moccasins, a string for tying the hair, and a reed mat in which to wrap the outfit. This outfit also would serve as a shroud, since these garments would be necessary for the trip through the underworld.

A Pueblo bride wore a cotton garment tied above the right shoulder, secured with a belt around the waist.

In the traditions of the Delaware, a bride would wear a knee-length skirt of deerskin and a band of wampum beads around her forehead. Except for fine beads or shell necklaces, the body would be bare from the waist up. If it were a winter wedding, she would wear deerskin leggings and moccasins and a robe of turkey feathers. Her face would be painted with white, red and yellow clay.

The tribes of Northern California (which include the Klamath, the Modoc and the Yurok) had a traditional bridal dress woven in symbolic colors: white for the east, blue for the south, yellow (orange) for the west; and black for the north. Turquoise and silver jewelry were worn by both the bride and the groom in addition to a silver concho belt. Jewelry was considered a shield against evils including hunger, poverty and bad luck.

Black, white or anything in between-brides are beautiful and not so much because of their wedding dress. In my opinion, on a day filled with so much joy and love, surrounded by close family and friends, a bride could wear a potato sack and still light up a room with her glow .

Love, Marriage, Friendship and Forgiveness..... all in one true story!

2011-07-27T01:05:00.000-07:00

Bride looks beyond life-changing accident

By Phil Gast, CNN

July 20, 2011 6:52 p.m. EDT

Rachelle Friedman, 25, was paralyzed after an injury at her bachelorette party 14 months ago.

STORY HIGHLIGHTS

Rachelle Friedman was paralyzed after injury at bachelorette party
Her best friend playfully pushed her into a swimming pool; she sustained a spinal injury
She has maintained a close friendship with her best friend
She and Chris Chapman will marry Friday

(CNN) -- Fourteen months after she was left paralyzed by a pool mishap at her bachelorette party, Rachelle Friedman is having the wedding of her dreams Friday -- and then some.

Joining Friedman and fiance Chris Chapman will be between 100 and 120 family members and their closest friends, witnesses to the couple's can-do spirit.

"It just feels like a love story to people," said Rachelle's mother, Carol. "They are really great together."

Wednesday was a day of continued wedding preparations for Friedman, 25, of Knightdale, North Carolina, just east of Raleigh.

The quadriplegic in recent weeks has practiced for the couple's first dance, a special moment even if she will be in her wheelchair. Friedman's father, Larry, will push her down the aisle, so that she can hold a bridal bouquet as she approaches Chapman, 28.

"I can't compare our relationship to anyone else," she said. "I am super lucky to find that perfect love I wish everyone had."

For Friedman, life is about moving forward and gaining increased independence.

When asked how the accident changed her life, the bride-to-be says, "I don't really think about what would have been."

Friedman and Chapman, a middle school science teacher, were to wed June 27, 2010.

In late May, Friedman, who was a program coordinator for a senior citizens center, traveled to their hometown of Virginia Beach, Virginia, for her bachelorette party.

Bridesmaids enjoyed a cookout and a limousine ride to the entertainment strip with bridesmaids. "We had a really good time," the East Carolina University graduate said in November.

Afterward, the group went to her best friend's home, where they started playing around near the pool.

"It was just spontaneous horseplay," said Friedman, a former dance and aerobics dancer. Her best friend "pushed me, and I landed wrong."

The young woman's head struck the bottom of the pool, which had a few feet of water in it.

Friedman, who suffered a spinal cord injury and paralysis from the chest down, has remained close to the friend through the trauma each suffered.

"We're there for each other," Friedman said. "It could easily have been the other way around."

Chapman and Friedman put off the wedding during her initial rehabilitation and while they tried to figure out medical coverage. They were concerned that she may not qualify for Medicaid if she married, but they since learned she was ineligible.

A $500-a-month COBRA policy and long-term disability have helped. Individuals, businesses and foundations have provided other assistance.

After CNN wrote about the couple and HLN's Vinnie's Politan interviewed Friedman, a wedding and honeymoon planning company approached the couple.

"It blew me away, how upbeat and positive she is," said Donne Kerestic, CEO of 1-800-Registry, based in Nevada.

Working with vendors and two wedding planners, Kerestic's company is paying for Friedman's wedding and the couple's honeymoon in Fiji. 1-800-Registry is incurring between $50,000 and $60,000 in costs, Kerestic said Wednesday.

Chapman and Friedman will exchange vows at 11 a.m. Friday at Fearrington Village in Pittsboro, North Carolina.

The complex, which features an inn, restaurant and other features, has an upscale rural theme.

Friedman, who likes country music, is excited about having a band and deejay at the reception, planned at a large barn. She'll be wearing the same dress she planned to wear last summer.

"It's perfect," she said of the nuptial plans.

While she still has dreams of being able to walk one day, Friedman focuses now on increasing her strength and possibly regaining feeling in her hands. She's been working on her ability to "transfer" herself into bed or a car. She uses her thumbs to type on a keyboard.

The recreation management major plays wheelchair "quad rugby" for the Raleigh Sidewinders and has spoken at several venues, including an adaptive sports and wellness day, where people with disabilities were exposed to sports like kayaking, basketball and rugby.

Carol Friedman and Rachelle's 32-year-old brother help her during the week while Chapman is at work.

Besides paralysis, Friedman deals with nerve pain and blood pressure problems.

The past year has tested the couple's mettle.

"We're definitely built to last," Chapman said in November. "She was and is my best friend. I cannot wait to marry her."

The accident introduced them to new friends and brought their families closer together.

A page on a website called CaringBridge.org features photos of Friedman and has a guestbook full of best-wishes entries.

"You have such a wonderful outlook," one person wrote. "I have been through many trials and tribulations in my life and what you said hits the mark. ... You can make you(r) world perfect, different but perfect.''

Excited about being able to lie on the beach in Fiji, Friedman also anticipates three weeks of treatment at Project Walk, a facility in Carlsbad, California, that helps people with spinal cord injuries.

The Walking With Anthony Foundation is covering the costs for Rachelle and Carol Friedman, said Gigi Betancourt, client services manager at Project Walk.

The nonprofit center's aim is helping patients improve their function below their injury level, build strength and find hope, said Eric Harness, head of research and development. Patients do exercises outside of their wheelchairs.

Friedman would eventually like to return to work, perhaps encouraging others as a speaker.

"Rachelle is a very motivated person," said Miranda Strider-Allen, program director at Resources for Seniors, where Friedman helped provide services to Wake County senior and disabled adults. "It's amazing -- her frame of mind and positive attitude."

"My hope is she finds her new niche in life," Carol Friedman said of her daughter.

"It's so awesome that they give to live as husband and wife, like everyone should, with or without a disability," Carol Friedman said. "So many people have it so much worse than we do."

2011-07-26T20:25:00.000-07:00

Couple follows 06-07-08 first date with 09-10-11 wedding

by Kwala Mandel, on Sun Jul 24, 2011

Randall and Evans/Courtesy Mike Pierce Photography

When New Jersey massage therapist Ericka Randall first met Patrick Evans, she was in a bad mood. She was turning 30, and all her friends had forgotten her birthday. She connected with Evans, now 42, on a music social networking site. He had no photo posted and she didn’t know much about the health care worker from Pennsylvania, but she found herself venting to him about her disappointment. To her surprise, the kind stranger she met online volunteered to make up for her disappointment and plan her a 30th birthday. "He had flowers and a 'happy 30th birthday' sign and surprised me by reserving a section of the restaurant." His thoughtful gesture won her over and on 06-07-08 – the day of the birthday party – the couple officially began dating.

The serendipitous alignment didn’t end there. As they were getting to know one another, the music aficionados had odd coincidences like naming their favorite songs at the exact same moment (both simultaneously blurted out the Eric Benet song, “The Last Time”). A year later, Evans surprised Randall with a New Year’s Eve proposal in 2009. After their 06-07-08 meeting, Randall's “yes!” was followed by wedding plans that continued their numerical streak.

“We decided on a destination wedding in Ocho Rios, Jamaica,” said Randall, 33. And the date that “lined up perfectly” was none other than 09-10-11.

The couple feels no pressure to keep the numeric magic alive, though Randall says she can’t resist one surprise on 09-10-11. “I’m planning to send him a gift at 12:13 that day, before we get married at 3 p.m.,” she laughs. “It has to be worked in there!”

The couple's engagement photo/Courtesy Mike Pierce Photography

from the community....comments

Posted by Becky Sun Jul 24, 2011 5:40pm PDT
I can only hope they do not have a 12-13-14 divorce. Best of luck to them.

Toilet Paper Wedding Dress Competition Winner Announced

2011-07-09T08:08:00.000-07:00

Oscar de la Renta, Vera Wang and… Charmin Ultra?

Cheap Chic Weddings has announced the winner of their Seventh Annual Toilet Paper Wedding Dress Competition.

Using only four rolls of toilet paper, Susan Brennan of Orchard Lake, Michigan, made a pleated floral (and flush-friendly) gown that took home the first place prize of $1,000.

The purpose of the competition, at least when it started in 2004, was to draw attention to the thrift-themed wedding website , Cheap-Chic-Weddings.com, which Roxie Radford and her daughters Susan Bain and Laura Gawne, all from Boca Raton, Florida, founded in 2003.

"We almost immediately came up with expanding the idea of the popular bridal shower toilet paper game," Bain said, referring to the pre-wedding practice in which a bride's friends break into groups and create a gown out of two-ply for a lucky teammate.

Radford and daughters didn’t know what to expect from the competition. "We thought, oh dear, what is going to come in?" said Bain. The women ended up receiving over 1000 submissions that first year, some unimpressive, others unbelievably intricate.

The Cheap Chic Weddings team selects the contest's 1st, 2nd, and 3rd prize entries based on creativity, originality, and overall beauty. The only non-toilet paper materials allowed are tape, glue and thread.

But has anyone actually walked down the aisle in one of these creations? Bain only knows of a single instance.

In December 2007, when Charmin asked Cheap Chic Weddings to participate in their seasonal Times Square Restrooms promotion, Jennifer Cannon got married in a bathroom on the corner of 45th and Broadway wearing a Charmin Ultra Soft and Ultra Strong toilet tissue combination dress. It was made by the Cheap Chic competition's 2007 winner, Hanah Kim. (The officiant told the groom that while he was free to kiss the bride, he should probably refrain from squeezing the dress.)

"Our girl is still married, has a baby and a dog named Charmin," Bain said.

1st Place - $1,000 Created by Susan Brennan of Orchard Lake, Mich. Inspired by nature, Brennan used flowers and feathers as decoration. Rolls used: 4

We've been married for a while now - 36,722 years!

2011-06-06T07:04:00.000-07:00

How do I love thee? Let me count the decades . . .

Washington Post,By Michael Laris, Monday, June 6, 2011

Larry Farr has seen a lot. But Barbara still surprises him. After 30 years as a D.C. police officer and 50 years of marriage

“I’m amazed she’s still so supportive and caring. No matter how mad I get at her, or how mad she gets at me, the next day, it’s cool,” said Farr, 70. “I can never go a day — even if I have to take a deep breath, I say, ‘I love you, babe.’ We’ve been together a long time.”

It was a day of big numbers Sunday at the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception, where an estimated 600 couples gathered for a mass celebration of marriages that have lasted 25 to more than 70 years. Church officials calculated that the 829 couples who registered to be recognized at the Jubilarian Mass have 36,722 years of marriage among them.

But it was the clear-eyed glimpses of enduring partnerships that resonated the loudest within the towering stone walls of the crowded Catholic church.

Victor and Marguerite Dawson sat in the front pew, renewing their vows in a hushed chorus with hundreds of couples behind them. They met at a homecoming dance when he was 17. She was 14. It was 1944.

“I went home that night and told my mother, ‘I met the woman I’m going to marry,’ ” Victor said.

His mom’s response?

“Go to bed.”

He did. But he married Marguerite, too, after a courtship that lasted through his time in the military and as he sped his way through the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

“When he was in the service, she talked to me every day,” Marguerite said of Victor’s mom. Victor and Marguerite married a few days after he graduated. “We had gone together for four years — not lived together, gone together,” she said.

Five daughters followed, then 19 grandchildren and 19 great-grandchildren. “He’s been a good, faithful husband. That means a lot,” Marguerite said.

They made their inaugural appearance at the special mass at the basilica in Northeast Washington on their 25th anniversary and came back every five or 10 years. Since their 50th, the couple have been driving in each year from Poolesville. This year was number 63.

“I’ve been married so many times, every time this thing” — the Jubilarian celebration — “goes off,” said Victor, a retired engineer. “I’m the most married man in America.”

The seating chart had a hierarchy, and toward the back of the church were Angela and Stephen Ray, British natives who live in North Potomac. Their 25th anniversary will be in October.

“We’re going to work our way down there. . . . We’re pretty amazed we made it this far,” Angela said.

“That’s the goal, to keep coming back, every five years, every 10 years, and get close to the front,” Stephen said.

But how do you make it from 25 to 50?

The Rays are thinking about that, and the time when their four boys, ages 14 to 23, are out of the house and the two of them are alone, older but with time to spend with one another. Angela said the humor and teamwork that have gotten the family this far are what she hopes will supply “the building blocks to be able to go into that next 25 years.”

“Keep the refrigerator stocked with food, would be my advice,” she said.

Sharing intimate anniversaries with so many others is not an idea that is universally embraced.

Kasia Kysiak and her grandmother sat outside the basilica eating grapes and pretzels during the celebration. The two Catholics had made an afternoon pilgrimage to see a representation of Mary originally from their native Poland.

“For me, I would do it in a small group, not in front of everybody,” said Kysiak, 23, an au pair who lives on Capitol Hill. “It’s like the same thing when you are seeing on the news everybody getting married at the same time. It’s not the idea for me.”

But Lucy Cohen, an anthropology professor at Catholic University who was attending a simultaneous Spanish Mass at the church, said the public embrace is the point.

“The symbol of all that is, God smiles on all of them and says, ‘Carry on,’ ” Cohen said. “I think there’s an idea that it’s been that glorious and that’s why they’ve been able to stand it. I don’t think it’s that at all. . . . I have a feeling people have depended on God and prayer to help them through. They would not be here if that did not have some meaning for them.”

David Gillis spotted Maria on the H4 bus in the District in 1949.

“I saw her, and boom,” David said. He tried to speak with her, but she wouldn’t have it. She was from Portugal, and old-school.

“I didn’t know him,” Maria said.

He kept looking for her on the bus, and he was finally introduced by a friend who knew her family. He needed her father’s permission to woo her.

“It was a medieval courtship,” he said. “I was chaperoned for two years.”

“We made it,” Maria said, leaning on a walker held steady by their son. “We made it big time,” he said.

“Six. Zero,” said David. Sixty years of marriage. “It’s called one word: love. We love each other.”

Then he reached down and kissed her.

Wedding Jokes - One Liners by the Famous

2011-06-04T11:07:00.000-07:00

The best way to get most husbands to do something is to suggest that perhaps they're too old to do it. (Ann Bancroft)

I think men who have a pierced ear are better prepared for marriage. They've experienced pain and bought jewellery. (Rita Rudner)

Keep your eyes wide open before the wedding, half shut afterwards. (Benjamin Franklin)

By all means marry; if you get a good wife, you'll be happy. If you get a bad one, you'll become a philosopher. (Socrates)

A husband is like a fire, he goes out when unattended. (Evan Esar)

My wife dresses to kill. She cooks the same way. (Henny Youngman)

My wife and I were happy for twenty years. Then we met. (Rodney Dangerfield)

A good wife always forgives her husband when she's wrong. (Milton Berle)

I was married by a judge. I should have asked for a jury. (George Burns)

I bought my wife a new car. She called and said, 'There's water in the carburettor'. I said, 'Where's the car?' She said, 'In the lake'. (Henny Youngman)

I love being married. It's so great to find that one special person you want to annoy for the rest of your life. (Rita Rudner)

Never go to bed mad. Stay up and fight. (Phyllis Diller)

All marriages are mixed marriages. (Chantal Saperstein)

There's only one way to have a happy marriage and as soon as I learn what it is I'll get married again. (Clint Eastwood)

The secret of a happy marriage remains a secret. (Henny Youngman)

Love and Marriage - Caveman and Cavewoman style!

2011-06-03T15:33:00.000-07:00

Cave wedding for Jude follows underground hen party

John McHale, Reporter
Friday 03 June 2011 10:41 AM GMT
No subsequent updates have been made

Jump to comments

Johnny and Jude, preparing for a wedding beneath the Yorkshire Dales

Two outdoor enthusiasts will tie the knot deep below the Yorkshire Dales, and the bride will wear special ‘weddington boots’.

Cave Rescue Organisation volunteer Jude Onions and her partner Johnny Latimer will have a subterranean marriage blessing next month before walking to a nearby church for the main service.

The 27-year-old teaching assistant is encouraging guests at the wedding to don their own elaborately decorated wellies for the ceremony in Ingleborough Cave, near the couple’s home in Clapham, North Yorkshire.

Jude Onions and her sister and chief bridesmaid Rachel, with mum Teresa, left, ready to be winched down Gaping Gill for the hen party

The bride-to-be also chose an underground venue for her hen party, when she and 25 friends descended into one of the country’s biggest caverns for a celebration.

A band joined guests who were winched down 105m (360ft) into Gaping Gill, the limestone cave on the slopes of Ingleborough. Jude and her hen party contingent took advantage of the twice-yearly winch set up to enable non-potholers to enter the subterranean world usually only visited by enthusiastic cavers.

The women wore feather boas and helmets, and Jude’s protective headgear supplanted by a wedding veil.

“On many occasions I have unsuccessfully tried to entice friends and family members underground, but always heard the same words cropping up: dark, cold, wet, muddy and claustrophobic,” Jude said.

Jude with her hen party guests

“So it was very satisfying to be amongst a glamorous bunch of ladies in gorgeous attire all smiling and awestruck at Gaping Gill’s grandeur.

“There were a few girls who were a bit nervous about the winch but everybody managed to fight their fear and take the plunge.

“The chamber was lit up so that threw ‘dark’ out of the window; we were geared up in down jackets, waterproofs and had handwarmers so no-one got too cold.

“It was a tad damp sitting in the winch chair but we soon escaped to a dry corner so no-one got too wet. Mud is just part and parcel of caving. However a good slather of cave mud on your face is far cheaper and more natural than any spa treatment.

“Finally, no-one could get claustrophobic in that place as it could fit St Paul’s Cathedral inside, I’m told!”

The main shaft and chamber of Gaping Gill

Jude met Johnny on a Christmas expedition when their eyes met in the dim light of the sump in Ireby Fell Cavern in the western Dales in 2007. He proposed to her Christmas Eve 2009 after the pair had spent the day on Ingleborough. “He was trying to teach me to snowboard and ski. I spent most of the day on my bottom but it was great fun, I’m always up for trying something new.”

The proposal was made in an equally unconventional way: inside an oven. It’s a cavers’ tradition for to cram into the tiny space at Old Manor House in Clapham when they propose. The couple emerged from the pub’s bread oven, covered in flour, to cheers and a champagne toast from gathered friends.

Jude, a keen walker, climber and mountain biker, has been a member of the Clapham-based Cave Rescue Organisation for two years, becoming a full surface and underground member of the team, which carries out both fell and cave rescues, about a year ago.

She has taken part in a couple of callouts in the past few months, despite recovering from a knee injury.

Jude will marry 32-year-old engineer Johnny at St James’s Church, Clapham, at the end of July and honeymoon in Spain – caving of course.

The main chamber of Gaping Gill held the status of Britain’s biggest cave until the discovery of the even more cavernous Titan in the Derbyshire Dales five years ago.

Bradford Pothole Club and Craven Pothole Club each set up the winch once a year to allow members of the public to be lowered down to the floor of the main chamber.

All good dogs are true friends!

2011-05-30T08:17:00.000-07:00

A man may smile and bid you hail
Yet wish you to the devil;
But when a good dog wags his tail,
You know he's on the level.

Doomsday Turns Out To Be Just Another Heavenly Day

2011-05-21T21:41:00.000-07:00

Well instead of waiting for the Rapture today I traveled back in time to the 50's! That's right, I went to the Pismo Beach Vintage Trailer Show and was totally transported (but not elevated!) to a simpler time when patio chairs, awnings and little chrome houses on wheels were all the rage. And as those times conjure up chatting neighbors socializing over a BBQ and swaying palm trees, the atmosphere there seemed much the same. It was a beautiful day, people were smiling and everyone was awestruck by the variety and authenticity of the hundreds of amazing trailers that were on display.

And of course for me, the opportunity to admire the trailers (dream a little), meet some interesting people and pet a few dogs...... was capped off by officiating a wedding at Margo Dodd Park-all of my favorite things to do! Once at the wedding site I quickly changed hats and started my officiating duties. I set up the sound system, ran a sound check-and also checked for "other" things.
Here you can see me preparing the site for bride and guests-something I often include in my pre-wedding duties - can you guess what I'm doing (or doo-ing?!) I earned that name "At Your Service Weddings" by paying attention to detail!

In any case, it was a gorgeous day for a wedding, the bride was beautiful, as was the venue. For those of you not familiar with Margo Dodd Park, here is a long view (taken by Karen) of the wedding party and the amazing craggy coast and pristine ocean. Again I think to myself how blessed we are to have this in our backyard here on the Central Coast.

This wedding was a special one for me, turns out I had officiated at another couple's wedding who were in attendance there, as well as the bride's mother's wedding ten years ago. Both couples are still married, and here is a photo of one of them-makes me feel wonderful to again witness that love they so clearly still feel for each other.

As we left the wedding and went on to picking up some dinner at Trader Joe's we saw this "car" in the parking lot.

Amused, I thought to myself-this day has certainly run the gamut:

Revisited the 1950's at the Vintage Trailer Show, performed a wedding at a location that must truly be one of the wonders of the world (and re-lived some of my own history as an officiant for three of the couples there!) then appeared to see a car of the future in the Trader Joe's parking lot. Life can be rich, amazing and full of surprises - fortunately I don't think we are done with life as we know it quite yet, and heaven on earth is just another great day on the Central Coast!

Real Vows Real Love Real Heartwarming

2011-05-17T23:10:00.000-07:00

"In sickness and in health" until death do us part...real love knows no bounds, goes and lives where hate cannot go and therefore Love always triumphs no matter what. Michael Taylor

Love Endures Even Cancer - Video Library - The New York Times

video.nytimes.com

Gavin Snow found out he had stage 3 melanoma two months before meeting Haley Tanner. Together they have endured the ups and downs of living with a tragic disease.

Validation- Something we all need to give and get!

2011-05-09T20:10:00.000-07:00

This is a wonderful short film I stumbled across on YouTube. I encourage you to take sixteen minutes to watch it and let it touch your heart. Please "Pay It Forward" and to leave your comments. In a hurting world let's all make the simple effort to validate someone, anyone with a simple compliment. You have the power to make today SPECIAL! Free Hugs, you are AWESOME! Michael Taylor, the 'RocNRev'

Little Things - Little acts of Love all add up!

2011-04-23T23:17:00.000-07:00

Little drops of water,
    Little grains of sand,
Make the mighty ocean
    And the pleasant land.

Little deeds of kindness,
    Little words of love,
Make our earth an Eden,
    Like the heaven above.

"Little Things" by Julia A. F. Carney. Public domain

On Love - a super great "We met at a wedding story!"

2011-04-17T19:27:00.000-07:00

Many years ago my younger brother was having me perform his first marriage. His best man had to cancel out just a day or two before the wedding! My brother quickly asked a co-worker, who up until then had not even been invited to the wedding, to step in. The guy nervously said "Uh, sure OK." Long story made short, the maid of honor and the "new" best man met at the rehearsal for the first time ever, and at the reception she accepted his request for a date. A couple of months later they got married! Ah, the serendipity of Life and Love sometimes!

When I came across this article today I was reminded of that warm and fuzzy story so I am sharing it and this one with you. I hope we will be reminded we are all in for many good surprises as we sail through this life. I am giving credit to the author and her newspaper and hope no lawyers will be contacting me with objections! And my best wishes to the 'Happy Couple.' Remember to share the Love whenever you can!

‘We dance like nobody’s watching’

As printed in the Washington Post

By Ellen McCarthy, Sunday, April 17

Aimee Cooper had asked if there were going to be any eligible men at her friend’s October 2008 wedding. The bride, a fellow Peace Corps volunteer whom Cooper had met while serving in Nicaragua, gave her the rundown of the single guys on the guest list. None of them piqued her interest. So when Brian Fisher asked if he could hitch a ride with them to the ceremony, she assumed he had a girlfriend. Why else would her friend not have mentioned him?

In truth, he was a late addition. Fisher’s best friend’s wife was the bride’s older sister and he was asked to come via Facebook two weeks before the event. “They knew I’d provide entertainment ’cause I’m always on the dance floor having a good time,” says Fisher, a high school band director who was living in New Jersey at the time.

Cooper and Fisher bantered throughout the car ride and talked — half-seriously — about going go-karting before the reception. After the ceremony, however, Fisher was swept up into the bridal party’s chartered bus. Fisher had taken the microphone on the bus and proceeded to act as tour guide of Indianapolis, a city he knew almost nothing about. Cooper had pulled an almost identical stunt at a previous wedding in St. Louis.

At the reception, Cooper’s best friend, who was a bridesmaid, rushed up to her and declared, “Amy, I have found the man for you. He’s perfect for you.”

As the night went on, Cooper found that whenever she danced with another man, Fisher would dance next to her, shooting exaggerated looks of disapproval her way. Finally, she shifted to dance with him and stayed close by for the rest of the night. The two shared a brief kiss and the basic facts of their lives, but as the party wound down, Cooper was suddenly shy. “See ya,” she told Fisher, before rushing away.

Feeling bad about her disappearing act, Cooper texted him the next day to thank him for being such a good dance partner. The pair began texting regularly and eventually Fisher suggested a phone call.

After a month of frequent chats, Fisher made plans to visit Cooper in Washington after Thanksgiving. He offered to stay at a hotel, but Cooper, who works at the Peace Corps headquarters, said he could stay in her spare bedroom. “I felt comfortable with him,” she says. “But still, I was like, ‘Oh gosh, what if it’s terrible? And there’s no escape.’ It’s a long date. That was a little nerve-wracking.” But the chemistry they felt over the phone only increased during dinner at Jaleo. And the next afternoon, she says, “I didn’t want him to leave.”

In January, after Fisher gave her a video of her favorite musical, “Evita,” as a belated Christmas present, Cooper called a friend and said, “I think I met my husband. I don’t even remember talking about Evita but he got it. He remembers these little details.”

Soon they were taking turns traveling to see each other every other weekend. Nothing about their relationship felt forced, Fisher recalls, and the goofiness and curiosity they fostered in each other made him want to spend as much time as possible with Cooper.

“I never had that with anybody else,” he says. “Where it’s like you just don’t want the time to end.” “We just had such a good time together,” Cooper adds. “And it was so natural. It was never hard.”

After months of sending out resumes to area schools, Fisher landed a job at Wilson High School in the District. “And we knew that if Brian moved down here, it wasn’t just [that] we’re testing it out,” says Cooper, now 32. “This was a commitment.”

As they adjusted to cohabitation, the two began discussing marriage more seriously. In October, Cooper came across a diamond ring she loved at an antiques store. Fisher wasn’t financially ready then, but he went back in the spring to see if the ring was still there. It had been sold, so he found a jeweler who could design one that looked like it.

During Memorial Day weekend, as they sat on a balcony of a bed-and-breakfast in the Shenandoah Valley, Cooper began to talk about how happy she was with their relationship. Fisher, now 30, asked if she’d like to make it permanent. Before long, the two were out on the dance floor of their own wedding. And in some ways, Fisher says, they way they interact there is emblematic of the way they live their lives. “We dance like nobody’s watching — but we hope somebody’s watching.”

On March 26, the two were married at the Josephine Butler Parks Center, just as the sun sank across Meridian Hill Park in the District. On the front of the ceremony program was a quote from “When Harry Met Sally.” “When you realize you want to spend the rest of your life with someone, you want the rest of your life to begin as soon as possible.”

NOW IS THAT NOT JUST A SUPER GREAT "WE MET AT A WEDDING LOVE STORY?" RocNRev Michael Taylor

Traditions - Old, New and Self-Created

2011-04-10T18:30:00.000-07:00

Traditions......

"the transmission of customs or beliefs passed on from generation to generation."

Today as I presided over a wedding my ladyfriend, Karen, watched from a distance. She had been helping me set up, and as it was such a beautiful day on the Central Coast she decided to stick around for a while and watch the ceremony. As the wedding began the bride and groom made their "untraditional" entrance together. The groom had had a private moment seeing his bride for the first time just before they made their way down the beachfront, sandy aisle of Avila Beach. For whatever reasons they had modified that "tradition." However they still embraced another wedding tradition. As they approached the arch the guests rose from their seats to honor and respect the bride. Karen, who has witnessed countless weddings, was suddenly struck by the grace and beauty of this very simple gesture. Even though she did not know the bride or groom, this uncomplicated "tradition"generated in her an anticipation of something wonderful and joyful about to happen. Apparently a very powerful custom! It occurred to me that there are so many traditions that are associated with weddings-the wedding arch itself, presence of flowers, the exchange of rings, the best man and maid of honor, groomsmen, flower girls, even the "traditional" wedding march. Newer "traditions"are always gaining in stature and popularity too, like the sand blending ceremony and my own "rose petal cascade." Obviously some traditions are more significant than others, some evoke sentiment and emotions while others are playful and fun. And while some couples elect to include them all, others customize them and some couples delete them entirely. There is obviously no right or wrong way to approach a wedding - after all, the true purpose is to create an event for family and friends to witness the union of a couple in marriage. But the type of response that Karen had, sharing the joy and happiness embraced by the bride and groom, seems a vital element to maintain and cherish. And as long as celebrating the wedding and generating good cheer, joy and warmth are most important, traditions will probably continue to endure from generation to generation.

the new world as we now know it

2011-03-31T00:22:00.000-07:00

FOR BETTER OR FOR WORSE: On this day in 1951, the Remington Rand Corporation signed a contract to deliver the first UNIVAC computer to the U.S. Census Bureau.

1951-2011 Just sixty years and look at how the computer, the internet, the cellphone and all associated tech has changed our daily lives. WOW!

There's an old joke that goes like this: A bunch of scientists created a huge machine capable of complex calculations and called it UNIVAC. Eager to test their invention, they asked it, "Is there a God?" The vacuum tubes hummed and the tape spools spun for several minutes. Finally, the machine spit out a little card, on which was written, "THERE IS NOW."

UNIVAC I (which stands for Universal Automatic Computer) took up 350 square feet of floor space — about the size of a one-car garage — and was the first American commercial computer. It was designed for the rapid and relatively simple arithmetic calculation of numbers needed by businesses, rather than the complex calculations required of the sciences. It was intended to compete against IBM's punch card-reading computers, but UNIVAC read magnetic tapes, not punch cards, so a special "card to tape converter" had to be designed.
Though the government contract was signed, and a ceremony held, on March 31, the computer wasn't actually delivered until the following December; this was because there was only one UNIVAC I, and Remington Rand wanted to use it for demonstration purposes. So they asked for and received time to build a second computer.
The government was the first big customer of the UNIVACs, with subsequent models going to the Air Force, the Army Map Service, the Atomic Energy Commission, and the Navy. The first commercial sale was to General Electric, for their Appliance Division, followed soon after by the Metropolitan Life Insurance Company, in 1954. There were 46 UNIVAC I's built and delivered, in all.
The computer first came to the notice of the general public in 1952, when CBS used one to predict the outcome of the presidential election. UNIVAC correctly picked Eisenhower and predicted his electoral count within 1 percent, but the network didn't release the results until after the election was called, so as not to affect the outcome.

New information about surviving an earthquake

2011-03-30T14:10:00.000-07:00

Not to spread fear but to spread life saving information. I was sent this by a friend and want to pass this on to as many people as I can. I have been in a few minor earthquakes in my life so far. The largest was in Seattle in the early 60's. And of course a couple in California. This expert gives some great advice and tips and explains why his survival plans work. See photos for his "Triangle of Life" zones. Check it out and share this valuable information with your family and friends.

Where to Go During an Earthquake

Remember that stuff about hiding under a table or standing in a doorway?

Well, forget it! This is a real eye opener. It could save your life

someday.

EXTRACT FROM DOUG COPP'S ARTICLE ON 'THE TRIANGLE OF LIFE'

My name is Doug Copp. I am the Rescue Chief and Disaster Manager of the

American Rescue Team International (ARTI ), the world's most experienced

rescue team. The information in this article will save lives in an

earthquake.

I have crawled inside 875 collapsed buildings, worked with rescue teams

from 60 countries, founded rescue teams in several countries, and I am a

member of many rescue teams from many countries. I was the United Nations

expert in Disaster Mitigation for two years, and have worked at every

major disaster in the world since 1985, except for simultaneous disasters.

The first building I ever crawled inside of was a school in Mexico City

during the 1985 earthquake. Every child was under its desk. Every child

was crushed to the thickness of their bones. They could have survived by

lying down next to their desks in the aisles. It was obscene --

unnecessary.

Simply stated, when buildings collapse, the weight of the ceilings falling

upon the objects or furniture inside crushes these objects, leaving a

space or void next to them - NOT under them. This space is what I call the

'triangle of life'. The larger the object, the stronger, the less it will

compact. The less the object compacts, the larger the void, the greater

the probability that the person who is using this void for safety will not

be injured. The next time you watch collapsed buildings, on television,

count the 'triangles' you see formed. They are everywhere. It is the most

common shape, you will see, in a collapsed building.

TIPS FOR EARTHQUAKE SAFETY

1) Most everyone who simply 'ducks and covers' when building collapse are

crushed to death. People who get under objects, like desks or cars, are

crushed.

2) Cats, dogs and babies often naturally curl up in the fetal position.

You should too in an earthquake. It is a natural safety/survival instinct.

You can survive in a smaller void. Get next to an object, next to a sofa,

next to a bed, next to a large bulky object that will compress slightly

but leave a void next to it.

3) Wooden buildings are the safest type of construction to be in during an

earthquake. Wood is flexible and moves with the force of the earthquake.

If the wooden building does collapse, large survival voids are created..

Also, the wooden building has less concentrated, crushing weight. Brick

buildings will break into individual bricks. Bricks will cause many

injuries but less squashed bodies than concrete slabs.

4) If you are in bed during the night and an earthquake occurs, simply

roll off the bed. A safe void will exist around the bed. Hotels can

achieve a much greater survival rate in earthquakes, simply by posting a

sign on the back of the door of every room telling occupants to lie down

on the floor, next to the bottom of the bed during an earthquake.

5) If an earthquake happens and you cannot easily escape by getting out

the door or window, then lie down and curl up in the fetal position next

to a sofa, or large chair.

6) Most everyone who gets under a doorway when buildings collapse is

killed. How? If you stand under a doorway and the doorjamb falls forward

or backward you will be crushed by the ceiling above. If the door jam

falls sideways you will be cut in half by the doorway. In either case, you

will be killed!

7) Never go to the stairs. The stairs have a different 'moment of

frequency' (they swing separately from the main part of the building). The

stairs and remainder of the building continuously bump into each other

until structural failure of the stairs takes place. The people who get on

stairs before they fail are chopped up by the stair treads - horribly

mutilated. Even if the building doesn't collapse, stay away from the

stairs. The stairs are a likely part of the building to be damaged. Even

if the stairs are not collapsed by the earthquake, they may collapse later

when overloaded by fleeing people. They should always be checked for

safety, even when the rest of the building is not damaged.

8) Get near the outer walls of buildings or outside of them if possible -

It is much better to be near the outside of the building rather than the

interior. The farther inside you are from the outside perimeter of the

building the greater the probability that your escape route will be

blocked.

9) People inside of their vehicles are crushed when the road above falls

in an earthquake and crushes their vehicles; which is exactly what

happened with the slabs between the decks of the Nimitz Freeway. The

victims of the San Francisco earthquake all stayed inside of their

vehicles. They were all killed. They could have easily survived by getting

out and sitting or lying next to their vehicles. Everyone killed would

have survived if they had been able to get out of their cars and sit or

lie next to them. All the crushed cars had voids 3 feet high next to them,

except for the cars that had columns fall directly across them.

10) I discovered, while crawling inside of collapsed newspaper offices and

other offices with a lot of paper, that paper does not compact. Large

voids are found surrounding stacks of paper.

Spread the word and save someone's life...

Please SHARE, SHARE, SHARE this with your loved ones:

The entire world is experiencing natural calamities so be prepared!

I'm A Travelin' Man

2011-03-24T21:59:00.000-07:00

On the way to Los Angeles to DJ a 30th birthday party - neither rain nor shine shall keep the RocNRev from his job!

Life's Little Pleasures.....

2011-03-17T21:57:00.000-07:00

The rush of modern day life seems to have a grip on so many folks, myself included. So it pays to be reminded a lot can be accomplished by sitting and doing seemingly nothing. This is particularly true for me while I gaze into a campfire, whether I am in my own backyard or at one of my favorite camp spots along the coast. There's something about the dancing flames, the warmth of the glow, the crack and snap of the burning wood, the smell of the smoke. They entice my mind to wander and dream. A campfire stimulates my mind and transports me to other places, all while I sit and relax in my lawn chair. Time passes effortlessly for me. And when the flames die down and the embers start to glow then fade I am relaxed and refreshed, ready to re-enter reality and the demands and responsibilities of the day. Amazing how checking out for just a little bit does that. And how lucky I am to be living on the Central Coast where a meditative campfire at a gorgeous campground is just a stone throw away, and one's own backyard even closer!

Groovin On A Sunday Afternoon

2011-03-06T21:22:00.000-08:00

Remember that old song by The Young Rascals? My dog George seems to know it by heart, and I'm grateful he's always eager to remind me of it. Well, he doesn't actually remind me by humming a few bars, he's not quite that talented. But he does seem to "show by example." If he senses I get too caught up in the daily demands of life and go too long without taking a break he is quick to be at my heels, nudging me to a nearby easy chair or couch, wanting to curl up in my lap or better yet stretch out across me in utter bliss and relaxation. He knows how to do it. Yes, life is busy and hectic, that's for sure-and sometimes downright overwhelming. Dishes and laundry to be done, bills to be paid, yard work to tend to, grocery shopping, emails to answer, people to see….the list goes on and on. And everybody seems to have this same never-ending list! There just doesn't seem to be enough time to get it all done, much less to take a few to step back and relax. Yet it is so important to make that time, even if it is just for a few minutes. I find if I don't I certainly lose my positive attitude, tend to not focus as well, and basically I am just not as happy! Therefore making it a priority to just checkout for a while, enjoy the sunshine, listen to a little music and relax becomes a necessity. And every bit as important as taking out that trash. If I ever question this all I have to do is "listen" to George - one happy and contented pug. He knows how to chill out better than anyone, and best of all he likes chilling with me. Nothing better on a warm Sunday afternoon than to stretch out on the chaise lounge, put on the headphones, and have George give me a clinic on relaxing-hey, life is good!

Intimacy

2011-03-03T14:22:00.000-08:00

in·ti·ma·cy a close, familiar, and usually affectionate or loving personal relationship with another person or group.

Sounds great, right? So why do some of us find intimacy so scary and threatening? Is it because the expectation is we have to return that same level of communication, trust and affection? For some of us we'd rather run for the hills than to operate on an intimate level where communication involves more than a superficial level. Naturally when we make ourselves vulnerable by exhibiting intimacy we are exposing ourselves to possible hurt and rejection. Perhaps what has gone before has led us to form barriers protecting ourselves from intimacy. Failed relationships, family history are factors that can inhibit us from taking a new relationship to that higher level. But when we shield ourselves from intimacy we also miss those wonderful elements that enrich our lives and give depth and trust to what could otherwise be a rather lifeless union. So I say take that leap of faith, trust yourself and your partner and try to cultivate a "close, familiar, and usually affectionate or loving personal relationship with" your mate! -The RocNRev

Simply the Best Showcase of Santa Barbara!

2011-03-02T15:33:00.000-08:00

This weekend I had the opportunity to visit "Simply The Best Wedding Showcase of Santa Barbara" hosted and promoted by Bonnie Hope. The event was located at the beautiful and charming Rockwood Women's Club, just above the Santa Barbara Mission. It was a beautiful day, beautiful venue and a very fun event with lots of information for couples planning a wedding day.

www.musicbybonnie.com

I also ran into San Luis Obispo local Jim Chioffe from Central Coast Shutterbooth of California. He was busy showing his wares but took a minute out to say "hi" and pose with Karen. Always great to see Jim!

Jim and Karen

Laurie Rasmussen, Harpist
Another great occasion was a personal reconnect with harprist Laurie Rasmussen. She and I worked on many weddings in the San Luis Obispo county area way back in the 90's. I had not seen her since she moved out of that area to travel about for a while. She now resides in Santa Barbara, is lovely as ever and her playing still sends a happy glow not only in me, but throughout the crowd at the faire. She is active playing at weddings, giving private lessons, and appearing at many area music events. More about Laurie at www.laurierasmussen.com

The show also featured one vendor and venue I would like to highlight. There were many caterers at the event supplying a feast of treats. But for someone like me, a self described carnivore lover and BBQ fanatic I must commend The Simply Marvelous BBQ Catering Company. Their tri-tip was soooo tender and smokey..... but then I tried their bacon wrapped meatball and it was love at first bite! Check these good people out at www.simplymarvelousbbq.com.
Their business name says it all!

Santa Barbara as a community has many wonderful wedding venues. One of the most unusual is the Santa Barbara Zoo. Imagine after all the kids and parents and other visitors have left for the day having the zoo all to yourselves and your wedding guests! It is a beautiful place and as the Simon & Garfunkel song goes: "Something tells me it's all happening at the zoo, I do believe it, I do believe it's true" www.sbzoo.org and for great catering contact Zoo Catering Services by Rincon, Angie Chaves at www.zcs@sbzoo.org

Scheduled at the showcase was a booksigning by Peter Merry, author of "The Best Wedding Reception....Ever!"(www.merryweddings.com) He gave a great presentation and I learned the distinction between an "announcer" and "emcee." The emcee can be likened to the director of a film, he/she holds it all together, keeps things running without a hitch and does so without anyone (guests as well as bridal party) even knowing it - and does so seamlessly. An announcer simply "announces" what is going on: "Introducing for the first time Mr. and Mr.......", "The cake is now going to be cut" The emcee "directs" or orchestrates the event so that all the guests have a great time, are entertained and no one wants to leave early! I realized that I am most certainly an emcee and I love every minute of it-perhaps that's why one of my mantras is "creating a seamless day of celebration!"

'RocNRev' Michael Taylor and Peter Merry

About Finding Balance

2011-02-26T08:50:00.000-08:00

"Peanut" and "George"

We call canines "man's best friend" One reason is some of our behavior patterns are so similar. You can learn a lot by watching the behavior of dogs. For instance, even if dogs don't seem to like each other at first glance, they will usually "re-sniff," "re-circle," and just basically "re-evaluate." After repeating this ritual (and left to their own devices) they will quite possibly come to an understanding and become friends. Haven't most of us had someone who we call a friend now, but couldn't stand when we first met? I have married many couples who told me "I thought he was obnoxious when I first knew him" or "I thought she was stuck up." But for some underlining attraction, or sheer necessity to get along (like in a co-worker situation) they don't necessarily stick with their first impression of each other. Sometimes mis-matched room-mates in order to live in the same household will find a way to reach a balance that is mutually acceptable. And such has been the case with our two pups Peanut (a high strung female miniature pincher) and George (a male pug we call "The General"). Princess Peanut had the household to herself when we brought George home from a pug rescue a couple of years ago. The idea was to provide Peanut with a companion as our busy schedules left her at home alone most of the day. As George became more at home in his new household he began to strut his stuff. If Peanut was in "her" dog bed, George had no problem walking right over her and nudging her out. If Peanut was in my lap, George easily hopped up and squeezed his little body right in between Peanut and me. One might think that Peanut would react aggressively and really let George know to knock it off-that he couldn't get away with those antics. But Peanut is more comfortable "talking" to George by sounding a few feeble growls. George absolutely ignores this trash-talk and gates her out. He's got her number-there is nothing to fear. For Peanut it seems enough for her to vocalize, and then be passive about it. She will submissively take the other dog bed, or move over in the lap. And though she makes a little bit of noise about it, and gives a disgusted glare or two, she basically does it without retribution. Over time the two have learned to work together as a team on many occasions (rooting out treats in the bottom of an open cupboard). Perhaps this evolved relationship is much like some marriages, over time things that originally seemed problematic have become a comfortable and anticipated cycle - and the outcome is known before it even happens. Though to outsiders this might appear that one partner is the "underdog," in reality perhaps they have found a comfortable balance with each other. So as I watch Peanut and George make a home together, I realize I can learn a lot about relationships from them: honesty, balance, acceptance and forgiveness-they seem to have it all covered-well, maybe not George totally. He is male and therefore more of a work in progress than the more evolved Peanut. And after all "Love is a many splendored thing"

"Mr. and Mrs" by Karen Westheimer
www.karenwestheimer.com

Shall We Dance?

2011-02-23T19:46:00.000-08:00

One only has to check out YouTube to realize just how popular the "First Dance" has become. No longer is it the staid and classic fox trot or waltz between the newlyweds - it can be a crazy and jubilant expression of outrageous and extroverted fun! But it didn't start out that way-recently it piqued my interest as to how did the whole "First Dance" thing start out? I immediately went to Wikipedia (http://en.wikipedia.org) to find out!

"The "first dance" of a bride and groom is a popular element at many post-wedding celebrations in modern European and American traditions. Exactly like an old-fashioned ball, the idea is that the bride and groom, as the guests of honor at a dance, open the dancing, not that they perform a choreographed duet for spectators.^[2] First dances, because they are intended to open the dance for all guests, are inappropriate and therefore omitted when there is no other dancing planned for the guests.

In the past, the first wedding dance was commonly a waltz. In modern times ballroom dancing is no longer a widespread skill, and rehearsing the "first dance" has become a lucrative business for dance studios and independent dance instructors. Today more popular dances include the foxtrot, merengue, and swing. Alternatively, many couples just do a "slow dance". More recently, some couples have been known to introduce a surprise into their dance to shock and humour their audience e.g. by dancing to a song in a mock disco style."

And for couples that feel somewhat inadequate in the dance performance department (like lots of us do!) you might borrow this amazing idea (just another tip from The RocNRev) :

Here are three San Luis Obispo based dance instructors that are friends of mine. They would love to help you "wow" your crowd with your First Dance. Please contact them and mention "The RocNRev sent me" And consider using my FunTime DJ service to make your reception the event of the season! www.atyourserviceweddings.net

Liliana Graham

lilianastudios.com
For private lessons call 805 748 4050

SLO Dance – Linda Drake

For private lessons–contact Kara at 805-823-3342 or karadancer@gmail.com. lindadrake.com
www.slodance.com

Popcorn Anyone?

2011-02-22T07:35:00.000-08:00

Attended a great industry mixer at the Ventana Grill in Pismo Beach (VentanaGrill.com), hosted by Mary Allegretta-Butler. Wonderful people, delicious food, fantastic wine and a gorgeous venue. And POPCORN! We set up the RocNRev's popcorn machine to round out the evenings' relaxed atmosphere-and how cool to be able to have our backdrop be the beautiful Pacific Ocean with the sun just setting over the water. Keeping it all in the CCWP family we had Madeline, daughter of Julie Hoskins (www.coverups.biz) help out with the popcorn-yum.

Madeline getting the popcorn started

Madeline and mom Julie from Cover Ups (also attending the mixer!)

Madeline and RocNRev Mike

Gorgeous view from reception room at Ventana Grill. Does it get any better than this?

For the perfect marriage of venue and vendor combine:
1. The new Ventana Grill for the reception
2. The breathtaking view from the lawn at the Shorecliff for the ceremony and........
3. The services of At Your Service Weddings with the RocNRev Michael Taylor officiating the vows and entertaining everyone at the reception as the DJ/emcee = The Wedding Event of the Season!

The RocNRev doing his thing for a lucky couple at the Shore Cliff-home of the Ventana Grill (www.shorecliff.com)

Photobooth Time!

2011-02-21T11:09:00.000-08:00

Currently trending (and sure to stick around, after all they were brought to the U.S. decades ago!) are the re-emergence of photobooths at receptions and other festive events. Recently Karen and I had the opportunity to try them out- "ShutterBooth" (www.shutterbooth.com) was featured at a Central Coast Bride Mixer (www.centralcoastbride.com) and "The Photobooth Experience" (www.theboothexperience.com) at a Central Coast Wedding Professionals Mixer(www.ccwp). The third picture is from my iPhone, they even have an App for a photobooth! And the fourth picture (the really vintage-looking one in black and white) from a wedding in 2009 (Red Cheese Photography). The whole thing peaked my interest, so I decided to do a little research on Wikipedia.com. Here is what I found!
"The modern concept of photo booth with a curtain, screen or other material covering the background and entrance originated with Anatol Josepho, who had arrived in the U.S. from Russia in 1925. ^[1] with the first photo booth appearing on Broadway in New York City. For 25 cents, the booth took, developed and printed 8 photos, a process taking roughly ten minutes. In the first six months after the booth was erected, it was used 280,000 times. The Photomaton Company was created to place booths nationwide. On March 27, 1927, Josepho was paid $1,000,000 and guaranteed future royalties for his invention."

Photobooths are definitely a great and fun addition for any occasion!

Open Your Heart Today

2011-02-20T08:16:00.000-08:00

Rockin' With The Rev

2011-02-20T00:06:00.000-08:00

Father of Groom and Father of Bride

Some fun pictures from a wedding I recently did. The fathers of the bride and groom really got into the Mike Taylor's FunTime DJ exclusive AC/DC Guitar Hero Revue! RocNRev supplies the guitars and wigs, the participants supply the energy! The guests give the raves-these two dads got plenty of that! The mother of the bride wasn't too shabby either shakin' it on the floor with her daughter doin' the RocNRev's Hollaback Pom-Pom Revue. Never a dull reception when the RocNRev is at the mixer board...

Father of Groom Rockin' Out

Father of Bride getting into it!

Bride and her Mom hollabacking together!

'RocNRev' Michael Taylor seriously entertains the crowd!

My Dog Skippy

2011-02-17T16:19:00.000-08:00

My first dog, Skippy! He was a stray dog that wandered onto our front porch. We convinced my reluctant parents that we should keep him. Here I am with my brother Thad and Skippy, circa 1958. Skippy was a great dog, when he was around no one messed with the Taylor boys (like they would, anyway! (: )

I'm the tall one holding Skippy. That's my brother Thad next to me.

Skippy!

Rose Petal Cascade

2011-02-16T18:43:00.000-08:00

I thought it would be fun to share my signature "Rose Petal Cascade!" A dramatic and fun end to a wedding ceremony by the RocNRev.

Henry's Bark Mitzvah

2011-02-15T20:13:00.000-08:00

This weekend I had the opportunity to officiate at a FIRST for me-a canine "Bark Mitzvah." Obviously a rabbi was not needed for this event! Henry, a chowmix was turning 13 years old and his owners decided they wanted to celebrate his "manhood" in a very special way. It was a lot of fun, and the 15 + dogs and owners that attended the "Bark Mitzvah" all had a great time! Me included.

Disneyland/January, 2011

2011-02-14T21:51:00.000-08:00

In front of the Magic Kingdom

The two Goofy's!

Taking the elevator up to the "33" Club

I recently traveled to San Clemente, California to do a very special wedding. The grooms mother (who was a Disneyland historian and private tour guide) gifted us a wonderful day at Disneyland and California Great Adventure. We were even guests at the exclusive "33" club-what a treat! I just love what I do, the weddings, the receptions and all the wonderful and exceptional people I meet!

CCWP Bridal Faire/Embassy Suites, San Luis Obispo/January 30,2011

2011-02-12T09:57:00.000-08:00

Another "Secret" to Marital Bliss

2010-02-08T12:54:00.000-08:00

A very wise and funny older couple was featured on a TV show I recently viewed about 'Happiness"....this couple have been married for over 60 years! The husband tells the interviewer: "Of course we still have lots of romance in our marriage, like going out dining and dancing....I go Tuesdays, and she goes Thursdays" Meanwhile the elderly wife is in the background laughing her head off. The husband is on a roll now and follows-up with: "Our marriage is built on Faith and Trust. She has no faith in me and I don't trust her at all!" and then totters over and gives his laughing wife a sweet little kiss, and they both beam and laugh together. SO???? maybe we should all laugh more at, and be happier with our relationship partner......what could it hurt???

2010-02-08T11:58:00.000-08:00

In Just A Litte Bit

"Austin will be coming back soon."
"When?" the young daughter asks.
"In just a little bit." her Father replies.
So much of Life is going to happen "In just a little bit."

Thousands of small delays that pile up leaving us asking "Where did all the time go?"
Father is busy making lunch for the kids. Struggling to open the package of lunch meat. Mom usually does this. She makes it look so easy. Committed now he cannot fail and say "I can't get this stupid thing open." He must succeed for how would it look if he said "Hey! let's just go get pizza instead?" The kids would probably love that idea, but how would it look if he simply gave up. So lunch will happen in just a little bit. With a burst of quiet violence he rips open the package of lunch meat, and in just a little bit sandwiches appear. It just takes a little bit longer than when Mom does it. Austin arrives and lunch is ready at last. The rest of Life will now have to wait for just a little bit.

Come Fly With Me

2010-02-02T23:06:00.000-08:00

FIVE

2010-01-23T08:48:00.000-08:00

To practice five things under all circumstances constitutes perfect virtue; these five are gravity, generosity of soul, sincerity, earnestness, and kindness.
--Confucius

"Writer's Almanac"

2010-01-21T14:39:00.000-08:00

The "Writer's Almanac" is something I enjoy everyday. I am going to start posting excerpts from it on a regular basis for all to enjoy-Happy New Year!

Telepathy

by Michael Dennis Browne

Today I explained telepathy to you,

and telephone, and television,

on the way to day care,

and I said, sometimes when I'm at work

I'll think of you,

and if I could send you that thought with my mind,

you'd get it right then,

and maybe you'd smile, stopping a moment at whatever

you were doing, or maybe not

but just going on with it, making a mask out of paper plates

and orange and green cards

with markers and scissors and paste,

or screaming circles in the gym

either being a monster

or being chased by a gang of them, but still you'd get

the picture I was beaming

and you'd brighten inside and flash me something back,

which I'd get, where I was, and smile at.

That's telepathy, I said

pulling into the parking lot,

looking at you in the mirror.

Free Tibet for World Peace

2009-03-12T11:52:00.000-07:00

This I believe:

The World will not experience Peace until Tibet is once again free.

March 10th Statement of H.H. the Dalai Lama

Today is the 50th anniversary of the Tibetan people's peaceful uprising against Communist China's repression in Tibet. Since last March widespread peaceful protests have erupted across the whole of Tibet. Most of the participants were youths born and brought up after 1959, who have not seen or experienced a free Tibet. However, the fact that they were driven by a firm conviction to serve the cause of Tibet that has continued from generation to generation is indeed a matter of pride. It will serve as a source of inspiration for those in the international community who take keen interest in the issue of Tibet. We pay tribute and offer our prayers for all those who died, were tortured and suffered tremendous hardships, including during the crisis last year, for the cause of Tibet since our struggle began.
Around 1949, Communist forces began to enter north-eastern and eastern Tibet (Kham and Amdo) and by 1950, more than 5000 Tibetan soldiers had been killed. Taking the prevailing situation into account, the Chinese government chose a policy of peaceful liberation, which in 1951 led to the signing of the 17-point Agreement and its annexure. Since then, Tibet has come under the control of the People's Republic of China. However, the Agreement clearly mentions that Tibet's distinct religion, culture and traditional values would be protected.
Between 1954 and 1955, I met with most of the senior Chinese leaders in the Communist Party, government and military, led by Chairman Mao Zedong, in Beijing. When we discussed ways of achieving the social and economic development of Tibet, as well as maintaining Tibet's religious and cultural heritage, Mao Zedong and all the other leaders agreed to establish a preparatory committee to pave the way for the implementation of the autonomous region, as stipulated in the Agreement, rather than establishing a military administrative commission. From about 1956 onwards, however, the situation took a turn for the worse with the imposition of ultra-leftist policies in Tibet. Consequently, the assurances given by higher authorities were not implemented on the ground. The forceful implementation of the so-called "democratic" reforms in the Kham and Amdo regions of Tibet, which did not accord with prevailing conditions, resulted in immense chaos and destruction. In Central Tibet, Chinese officials forcibly and deliberately violated the terms of the 17-point Agreement, and their heavy-handed tactics increased day by day. These desperate developments left the Tibetan people with no alternative but to launch a peaceful uprising on 10 March 1959. The Chinese authorities responded with unprecedented force that led to the killing, arrests and imprisonment of tens of thousands of Tibetans in the following months. Consequently, accompanied by a small party of Tibetan government officials including some Kalons (Cabinet Ministers), I escaped into exile in India. Thereafter, nearly a hundred thousand Tibetans fled into exile in India, Nepal and Bhutan. During the escape and the months that followed they faced unimaginable hardship, which is still fresh in Tibetan memory.
Having occupied Tibet, the Chinese Communist government carried out a series of repressive and violent campaigns that have included "democratic" reform, class struggle, communes, the Cultural Revolution, the imposition of martial law, and more recently the patriotic re-education and the strike hard campaigns. These thrust Tibetans into such depths of suffering and hardship that they literally experienced hell on earth. The immediate result of these campaigns was the deaths of hundreds of thousands of Tibetans. The lineage of the Buddha Dharma was severed. Thousands of religious and cultural centres such as monasteries, nunneries and temples were razed to the ground. Historical buildings and monuments were demolished. Natural resources have been indiscriminately exploited. Today, Tibet's fragile environment has been polluted, massive deforestation has been carried out and wildlife, such as wild yaks and Tibetan antelopes, are being driven to extinction.
These 50 years have brought untold suffering and destruction to the land and people of Tibet. Even today, Tibetans in Tibet live in constant fear and the Chinese authorities remain constantly suspicious of them. Today, the religion, culture, language and identity, which successive generations of Tibetans have considered more precious than their lives, are nearing extinction; in short, the Tibetan people are regarded like criminals deserving to be put to death. The Tibetan people's tragedy was set out in the late Panchen Rinpoche's 70,000-character petition to the Chinese government in 1962. He raised it again in his speech in Shigatse in 1989 shortly before he died, when he said that what we have lost under Chinese communist rule far outweighs what we have gained. Many concerned and unbiased Tibetans have also spoken out about the hardships faced by the Tibetan people. Even Hu Yaobang, the Communist Party Secretary, when he arrived in Lhasa in 1980, clearly acknowledged these mistakes and asked the Tibetans for their forgiveness. Many infrastructural developments such as roads, airports, railways, and so forth, which seem to have brought progress to Tibetan areas, were really done with the political objective of sinicising Tibet at the huge cost of devastating the Tibetan environment and way of life.
As for the Tibetan refugees, although we initially faced many problems such as great differences of climate and language and difficulties earning our livelihood, we have been successful in re-establishing ourselves in exile. Due to the great generosity of our host countries, especially India, Tibetans have been able to live in freedom without fear. We have been able to earn a livelihood and uphold our religion and culture. We have been able to provide our children with both traditional and modern education, as well as engaging in efforts to resolve the Tibet issue. There have been other positive results too. Greater understanding of Tibetan Buddhism with its emphasis on compassion has made a positive contribution in many parts of the world.
Immediately after our arrival in exile we began to work on the promotion of democracy in the Tibetan community with the establishment of the Tibetan Parliament-in-Exile in 1960. Since then, we have taken gradual steps on the path to democracy and today our exile administration has evolved into a fully functioning democracy with a written charter of its own and a legislative body. This is indeed something we can all be proud of.
Since 2001, we have instituted a system by which the political leadership of Tibetan exiles is directly elected through procedures similar to those in other democratic systems. Currently, the directly-elected Kalon Tripa's (Cabinet Chairperson) second term is underway.Consequently, my daily administrative responsibilities have reduced and today I am in a state of semi-retirement. However, to work for the just cause of Tibet is the responsibility of every Tibetan, and I will uphold this responsibility.
As a human being my main commitment is in the promotion of human values; this is what I consider the key factor for a happy life at the individual level, family level and community level. As a religious practitioner, my second commitment is the promotion of inter-religious harmony. My third commitment is of course the issue of Tibet due to my being a Tibetan with the name of the 'Dalai Lama', but more importantly it is due to the trust that Tibetans both inside and outside Tibet have placed in me. These are the three important commitments, which I always keep in mind.
In addition to looking after the well being of the exiled Tibetan community, which they have done quite well, the principal task of the Central Tibetan Administration has been to work towards the resolution of the issue of Tibet. Having laid out the mutually beneficial Middle-Way policy in 1974, we were ready to respond to Deng Xiaoping when he proposed talks in 1979. Many talks were conducted and fact-finding delegations dispatched. These, however, did not bear any concrete results and formal contacts eventually broke off in 1993.
Subsequently, in 1996-97, we conducted an opinion poll of the Tibetans in exile, and collected suggestions from Tibet wherever possible, on a proposed referendum, by which the Tibetan people were to determine the future course of our freedom struggle to their full satisfaction. Based on the outcome of the poll and the suggestions from Tibet, we decided to continue the policy of the Middle-Way.
Since the re-establishment of contacts in 2002, we have followed a policy of one official channel and one agenda and have held eight rounds of talks with the Chinese authorities. As a consequence, we presented a Memorandum on Genuine Autonomy for the Tibetan People, explaining how the conditions for national regional autonomy as set forth in the Chinese constitution would be met by the full implementation of its laws on autonomy. The Chinese insistence that we accept Tibet as having been a part of China since ancient times is not only inaccurate but also unreasonable. We cannot change the past no matter whether it was good or bad. Distorting history for political purposes is incorrect.
We need to look to the future and work for our mutual benefit. We Tibetans are looking for a legitimate and meaningful autonomy, an arrangement that would enable Tibetans to live within the framework of the People's Republic of China. Fulfilling the aspirations of the Tibetan people will enable China to achieve stability and unity. From our side, we are not making any demands based on history. Looking back at history, there is no country in the world today, including China, whose territorial status has remained forever unchanged, nor can it remain unchanged.Our aspiration that all Tibetans be brought under a single autonomous administration is in keeping with the very objective of the principle of national regional autonomy. It also fulfils the fundamental requirements of the Tibetan and Chinese peoples. The Chinese constitution and other related laws and regulations do not pose any obstacle to this and many leaders of the Chinese Central Government have accepted this genuine aspiration. When signing the 17-point Agreement, Premier Zhou Enlai acknowledged it as a reasonable demand. In 1956, when establishing the Preparatory Committee for the "Tibet Autonomous Region", Vice-Premier Chen Yi pointing at a map said, if Lhasa could be made the capital of the Tibet Autonomous Region, which included the Tibetan areas within the other provinces, it would contribute to the development of Tibet and friendship between the Tibetan and Chinese nationalities, a view shared by the late Panchen Rinpoche and many educated Tibetans, cadres among them. If Chinese leaders had any objections to our proposals, they could have provided reasons for them and suggested alternatives for our consideration, but they did not. I am disappointed that the Chinese authorities have not responded appropriately to our sincere efforts to implement the principle of meaningful national regional autonomy for all Tibetans, as set forth in the constitution of the People's Republic of China.
Quite apart from the current process of Sino-Tibetan dialogue having achieved no concrete results, there has been a brutal crackdown on the Tibetan protests that have shaken the whole of Tibet since March last year. Therefore, in order to solicit public opinion as to what future course of action we should take, the Special Meeting of Tibetan exiles was convened in November 2008. Efforts were made to collect suggestions, as far as possible, from the Tibetans in Tibet as well. The outcome of this whole process was that a majority of Tibetans strongly supported the continuation of the Middle-Way policy. Therefore, we are now pursuing this policy with greater confidence and will continue our efforts towards achieving a meaningful national regional autonomy for all Tibetans.
From time immemorial, the Tibetan and Chinese peoples have been neighbours. In future too, we will have to live together. Therefore, it is most important for us to co-exist in friendship with each other.
Since the occupation of Tibet, Communist China has been publishing distorted propaganda about Tibet and its people. Consequently, there are, among the Chinese populace, not many who have a true understanding about Tibet. It is, in fact, very difficult for them to find the truth. There are also ultra-leftist Chinese leaders who have, since last March, been undertaking a huge propaganda effort with the intention of setting the Tibetan and Chinese peoples apart and creating animosity between them. Sadly, as a result, a negative impression of Tibetans has arisen in the minds of some of our Chinese brothers and sisters. Therefore, as I have repeatedly appealed before, I would like once again to urge our Chinese brothers and sisters not to be swayed by such propaganda, but, instead, to try to discover the facts about Tibet impartially, so as to prevent divisions among us. Tibetans should also continue to work for friendship with the Chinese people.
Looking back on 50 years in exile, we have witnessed many ups and downs. However, the fact that the Tibet issue is alive and the international community is taking growing interest in it is indeed an achievement. Seen from this perspective, I have no doubt that the justice of Tibet's cause will prevail, if we continue to tread the path of truth and non-violence.
As we commemorate 50 years in exile, it is most important that we express our deep gratitude to the governments and peoples of the various host countries in which we live. Not only do we abide by the laws of these host countries, but we also conduct ourselves in a way that we become an asset to these countries. Similarly, in our efforts to realise the cause of Tibet and uphold its religion and culture, we should craft our future vision and strategy by learning from our past experience.
I always say that we should hope for the best, and prepare for the worst. Whether we look at it from the global perspective or in the context of events in China, there are reasons for us to hope for a quick resolution of the issue of Tibet. However, we must also prepare ourselves well in case the Tibetan struggle goes on for a long time. For this, we must focus primarily on the education of our children and the nurturing of professionals in various fields. We should also raise awareness about the environment and health, and improve understanding and practice of non-violent methods among the general Tibetan population.
I would like to take this opportunity to express my heartfelt gratitude to the leaders and people of India, as well as its Central and State Governments, who despite whatever problems and obstacles they face, have provided invaluable support and assistance over the past 50 years to Tibetans in exile. Their kindness and generosity are immeasurable. I would also like to express my gratitude to the leaders, governments and peoples of the international community, as well as the various Tibet Support Groups, for their unstinting support.
May all sentient beings live in peace and happiness!

Slightly Sour Humor About Marriage

2009-03-03T00:03:00.000-08:00

WHY AM I MARRIED?
You have two choices in life:You can stay single and be miserable, or get married and wish you were dead.
__________ At a cocktail party, one woman said to another, 'Aren't you wearing your wedding ring on the wrong finger?'' Yes, I am. I married the wrong man.' __________
A lady inserted an ad in the classifieds:'Husband Wanted'. Next day she received a hundred letters.They all said the same thing: 'You can have mine.' __________ When a woman steals your husband,there is no better revenge than to let her keep him. __________ A woman is incomplete until she is married. Then she is finished . __________
A little boy asked his father,'Daddy, how much does it cost to get married?'Father replied, 'I don't know son, I'm still paying.' __________ A young son asked,'Is it true Dad, that in some parts of Africa a man doesn't know his wife until he marries her?' Dad replied, 'That happens in every country, son.' __________
Then there was a woman who said,'I never knew what real happiness was until I got married, and by then, it was too late.' __________
Marriage is the triumph of imagination over intelligence. __________
If you want your spouse to listen and pay strict attention to every word you say -- talk in your sleep. __________
Just think, if it weren't for marriage, men would go through life thinking they had no faults at all. __________
First guy says, 'My wife's an angel!'Second guy remarks, 'You're lucky, mine's still alive.' __________
'A Woman's Prayer: Dear Lord, I pray for: Wisdom to understand a man, to Love and to forgive him, and for Patience for his moods. Because Lord, if I pray for Strength I'll just beat him to death' __________

As We Grow Older - From Serenity to Senility

2009-03-02T23:54:00.000-08:00

God, grant me the senility to forget the people I never liked anyway,

the good fortune to run into the ones that I do like,

and the eyesight to tell the difference.

2009-03-01T17:58:00.000-08:00

If he asks me to marry him,

Should I say yes, or should I say no?

I'm way too young to really know.

But will I be bolder when I get older?

And give him the cold shoulder,

Until the background searches and credit checks are done.

Then I will know if I should say yes and stay,

or say "No Thanks! as I run away.

One must always be open to Fun!

2009-02-28T21:35:00.000-08:00

Why not be open to fun today? Enjoy and share the light side of life with those around you. Easy does it!

Girls Just Wanna Have Fun

2009-02-26T12:37:00.000-08:00

One of the most pleasurable sounds I know is female laughter. So free and happy!

2009-02-25T22:59:00.000-08:00

And in the end the love you take is equal to the love you make. Beatles

Today is the best day to be kind.

Budget Saving Idea for California

2009-02-24T22:31:00.000-08:00

How to Save California Some Budget Money........ The Governator Arnold and the Lame-brain State Legislature finally passed a state budget that no one is happy with......here is an idea how we could reduce the deficit: Take the Highway Patrol and the Dept of Fish and Game......merge the two organizations into one large law enforcement division called the Department of Fish and Chips.......

2009-02-24T10:34:00.000-08:00

A Little Something about LOVE

"The beginning of love is to let those we love be perfectly themselves, and not to twist them to fit our own image. Otherwise we love only the reflection of ourselves we find in them." Thomas Merton

"Love is our true destiny. We do not find the meaning of life by ourselves alone - we find it with another." Thomas Merton

"At the touch of love, everyone becomes a poet" Plato

A very small degree of hope is sufficient to give birth to love." Stendhal

RocNRev Michael Taylor's suggestion for today: List five things you really love, tell three people you love that you love them, remind yourself you are a worthy person, a Child of God.

Gratitude

2009-02-19T13:08:00.000-08:00

We all have so many things to be grateful for in our lives. That is a "Well Duh" kind of statement. That said, one of my bad habits is to focus on the little details that I am unhappy with. The fly in the ointment kind of thing. This habit goes way back as do most of our habits both good and bad. My well-intentioned Dad would review my report cards, and be pleased with the good grades. His habit was to focus more attention on the C's than the A and B's. Then there would be the lecture session. I know now as an adult he was trying to motivate me to do better. But as a little kid I did not have the insight to know that. Instead, I picked up the habit of ridiculing myself over any negative or less than satisfactory aspect of an experience or accomplishment.
As a young adult my job performance reviews generally were very high, but of course there would be the supervisor's obligatory "We would like to see you put a bit more effort into ....." I would leave the job that day fuming over whatever comment I would see as a unwarranted critisism. From there I might give that comment enough consideration to work myself up to thinking I need to quit that job! Instead, I usually calmed down, showed up for work the next day and tried to make any improvements that were requested.
I know that any bad habit or even addiction can be stopped. For me I know the help of good friends, support groups and a Higher Power or the God of my understanding (Or not understanding) is usually necessary. I once read that Weight Watchers has the greatest success rate in long term weight loss because of the group support aspect of their diet program . Alcoholics Anonymous is reputed to be the best program for people who want to stay sober with the meetings they hold in addition to the Twelve Step work they advocate.
I know the habit of OVER self critisism is widespread. With time, effort and support I have greatly reduced my bad habit of running past my many blessings to get to my dark thoughts. As one friend says with a laugh "I can always find the black lining in any silver cloud."
Today is the first blue sky and warm day after several cold and rainy days. I went to a local beach and sat for a while taking in the glory of nature. Far to the south I could see snow on the hills from the recent storms. Closer to me the sun shone down on the golden sand dunes and sparkled diamonds on the ocean's rippling surface. There was a large otter lazing in the surf. Everything was beautiful and mellow. I was relieved for the time about thinking of unpaid bills, the economic slowdown we are all experiencing, the fifteen (OK make it twenty) pounds I should work on losing. and blah, blah, blah.
When I got back home my friend encouraged me to take time to write on this new blog my feelings about my time at the beach. Writing has always been theraputic for me and I am told it make be a source of encouagement to others. Perhaps this entry will strike a note with any one who reads it and who has the same habit. Perhaps we can all give ourselves a break today like the one I gave myself by taking some time out.
I know one thing for sure and that is ACTION is the key to change...not thinking, pondering or stewing. Just keep putting one foot ahead of the other and in time you will realize "Hey this place is better than where I started!" I have found a simple prayer of gratitude to be a really helpful action too. I would love to hear from you what actions you take to shake off the snarky thoughts about yourself. Peace.

When Experience Counts

2009-02-16T15:19:00.000-08:00

Having just recently celebrated another birthday (my 59th, to be exact) I found myself pondering the fact that I am now listed as an "older" baby boomer. This could be a depressing thing to contemplate, however I am reminded of the saying, "the bird of youth flies all too soon, but immaturity can last forever..." The experience gained over the long haul becomes each one of our treasure chests and has become a source of great value to me. In my working life I was at a wedding yesterday where all the experience gained in the last 20 years as a wedding officiant came into play. The situation was a wedding ceremony I had been engaged to perform for a young couple who, because of circumstances were unable to meet with me prior to the wedding. Our only contact had been through email and telephone calls. They had chosen, at the last minute, to move their ceremony to a wedding chapel that I had never been inside of, nor had the chance to meet the venue's coordinator. The couple had a wedding party of 6 attendants. Normally, I would have conducted a rehearsal with that many people involved in the ceremony, and especially at a new venue. But, again the couple's circumstances prevented that from being possible. The ceremony that I had helped them create involved several things that required some timing and coordination. At the risk of sounding "boastful" I realized that it was only my long-term experience that allowed this wedding to come off as a total success in the expressed opinion of the bride and grooms parents, many guests, several persons in the wedding party, and of course the bride and groom themselves. Reflecting upon it today, I am very grateful to have sufficient experience to have given me the confidence required and the ability to conduct a ceremony that was pleasing to all. So I guess being an "older boomer" isn't so bad after all!