No Happiness Without Action

"Action may not always bring happiness; but there is no happiness without action." - Benjamin Disraeli

Another Opens

"When one door of happiness closes, another opens, but often we look so long at the closed door that we do not see the one that has been opened for us." - Helen Keller

Those Who Are Happy

"The world of those who are happy is different from the world of those who are not." - Ludwig Wittgenstein

Constant Kindness

"Constant kindness can accomplish much. As the sun makes ice melt, kindness causes misunderstanding, mistrust and hostility to evaporate.” - Albert Schweitzer

Epic Movie

I watched the DVD "Epic Move."

Synopsis

Four not-so-young orphans—one raised by a curator at the Louvre (where an albino assassin lurks), another a refugee from Mexican "libre" wrestling, the third a recent victim of snakes on her plane, and the fourth a "normal" resident of a mutant "X" community—visit a chocolate factory, where they stumble into an enchanted wardrobe that transports them to the land of Gnarnia (with a "G"). There they meet a flamboyant pirate captain and earnest students of wizardry—and join forces with, among others, a wise-but-horny lion to defeat the evil White Bitch of Gnarnia.

The More You Say

“The more you say, the less people remember.” - François Fénelon

Trick Or Trot 5K

My oldest son ran in his first 5K. The "Trick Or Trot" sponsored by the Downers Grove Park District. It was a beautiful fall morning. He came in 4th in his age group and 13th out of over 200 runners. One of his friends from cross country ran and we saw one of his old basketball coaches who also ran in the race. He just missed getting a medal.

It Takes Guts

“It’s so easy to laugh, it’s so easy to hate. It takes guts to be gentle and kind.” - Morrissey

Now And Then

In finished reading "Now And Then" by Robert B. Parker. I was the first one to check it out from our library.

ABOUT THE BOOK

When a simple case turns into a treacherous and politically charged investigation, Spenser faces his most difficult challenge yet-keeping his cool while his beloved Susan Silverman is in danger. Spenser knows something's amiss the moment Dennis Doherty walks into his office. The guy's aggressive yet wary, in the way men frightened for their marriages always are. So when Doherty asks Spenser to investigate his wife Jordan's abnormal behavior, Spenser agrees. A job's a job, after all. Not surprisingly, Spenser catches Jordan with another man, tells Dennis what he's found out, and considers the case closed. But a couple of days later, all hell breaks loose, and three people are dead. This isn't just a marital affair gone bad. Spenser is in the middle of hornet's nest of trouble, and he's got to get out of it without getting stung. With Hawk watching his back, and gun-for-hire Vinnie Morris providing extra cover, Spenser delves into a complicated and far-reaching operation: Jordan's former lover, Perry Alderson, is the leader of a group that helps sponsor terrorists. But Perry doesn't like Spenser poking around his business, so he decides to get to Spenser through Susan. The Boston P.I. will use all his connections both above and below the law to uncover the truth behind Perry's antigovernment organization. But what Alderson doesn't realize is that Spenser will stop at absolutely nothing to keep Susan out of harm's way; nothing will keep him from the woman he loves.

Famous Horseplayer

I know this guy. He taught me everything I know about handicapping horses.

Become Interested In Other People

“You can make more friends in two months by becoming interested in other people than you can in two years by trying to get other people interested in you.” - Dale Carnegie

Expect Things Of Yourself

“You have to expect things of yourselves before you can do them.” - Michael Jordan

Good Thoughts

“The more man meditates upon good thoughts, the better will be his world and the world at large.” - Confucius

The Secret

I finished reading "The Secret" by Rhonda Byrne. It reminded me of a book I read "The Strangest Secret" by Earl Nightingale.

ABOUT THE BOOK

Fragments of a Great Secret have been found in the oral traditions, in literature, in religions and philosophies throughout the centuries. For the first time, all the pieces of The Secret come together in an incredible revelation that will be life-transforming for all who experience it. In this book, you'll learn how to use The Secret in every aspect of your life - money, health, relationships, happiness, and in every interaction you have in the world. You'll begin to understand the hidden, untapped power that's within you, and this revelation can bring joy to every aspect of your life. The Secret contains wisdom from modern-day teachers - men and women who have used it to achieve health, wealth, and happiness. By applying the knowledge of The Secret, they bring to light compelling stories of eradicating disease, acquiring massive wealth, overcoming obstacles, and achieving what many would regard as impossible.

The Devil Wears Prada

We watched the DVD "The Devil Wears Prada."

Synopsis

Andrea Sachs (Anne Hathaway), a small-town girl working as an assistant, tries to survive her impossibly demanding new boss — high-powered fashion magazine editor Miranda Priestly (Meryl Streep). Miranda Priestley, of "Runway" magazine tears up the landscape as a demanding fashion editor. She is a terror to everyone who is around her as is quickly depicted in the opening scenes of the movie. Her first assistant strives to please her and tries to emulate her, but one can sense that she is not quite as hard as she tries to put on. Into this mix comes a young woman who knows nothing of the fashion industry, has never read the magazine, and doesn't know who Miranda Priestley is. She only sees this as a stepping stone to another journalism position. Showing no fashion sense and immediately scorned by everyone, Miranda nonetheless hires her as the second assistant. When Miranda demands that she obtain the next unpublished Harry Potter manuscript, you can sense that she is trying to force her to quit, but it makes the young woman dig in to please her boss. With the help of one of the magazine's fashion editors, she gets a complete makeover and a new security. However, with her new appearance and the demands placed on her, she starts to lose her friends, family and her live-in boy friend. As she is whisked away to Paris with Miranda and faces all of the glamor that could be hers, including a flashy if not artificial freelance journalist, she is forced to make the decision of where she wants to be in her life.

Nick Hornby

I went to a reading and booksigning by Nick Hornby for his new book "Slam" at Border's Books in Oak Brook. I sat near the front and asked the first question when he finished his reading. I asked him where got the idea for the story. He said he saw a young couple pushing a baby in a stroller. I also asked him what made him write a book for young readers. He said it didn't start out that way. I always enjoy going to the readings and hearing the authors talk about their creative process. After the reading and questions and answers they had a drawing for an autographed Tony Hawk skateboard and I won it. I was first in line for my books to be signed and told him I had actually met Tony Hawk. I've read all Nick Hornby's books except this new one.

Last Game

My youngest son played his last game of the season against Leyden at West Leyden High School. He started and played every game on the offensive line for the whole season. The game was postponed by the referees due to lightning with a little over 7 minutes left. Something about an IHSA rule. They were losing 6 to 0. The other freshman team didn't even get to play their game. We waited almost an hour and it never rained. We drove to the wrong school East Leyden in Franklin Park until we were told it was at the other Leyden and we were a couple minutes late for the game.

Something To Be Enthusiastic About

"We act as though comfort and luxury were the chief requirements of life, when all that we need to make us happy is something to be enthusiastic about." - Albert Einstein

To Live Once Is Enough

"Every one of us lives this life just once; if we are honest, to live once is enough." — Greta Garbo

Blackhawks Tickets Contest Winner

I won another contest

Congratulations! Thank you for visiting WDRV.COM recently and entering the Blackhawks ticket winner contest for the chance to win 4 tickets to the Chicago Blackhawks vs. St. Louis Blues hockey game. Your name was drawn and your tickets will be available, at Will Call on the main entrance (east side) of the United Center after 6 pm for the 7:35 pm game. You must bring a copy of your photo ID to retrieve the tickets at Will Call. The game is Wednesday, October 17th at the United Center.We hope you have a pleasant day at the United Center compliments of the Blackhawks, and thanks for listening to The Drive.

Live Dangerously

"The secret of reaping the greatest fruitfulness and the greatest enjoyment from life is to live dangerously." - Frederich Nietzsche

Boynton Beach Club

I watched the DVD "Boynton Beach Club."

Synopsis

The characters still worry about dating and learning to drive, buying condoms and getting naked, only now the teens are in their 60s and 70s, live in Florida instead of SoHo or the East Village, and use the Internet rather than newspapers to place their personals ads. Jack (Len Cariou, of "The Four Seasons") has recently lost his wife and shows up at the Boynton Beach Bereavement Club because it's been 3-1/2 months since the Kaddish and his daughter thinks it's time for him to get on with life. There he meets Harry (Joseph Bologna) who takes him under his widowered wing with personal cooking lessons and dating advice, and Sandy (Sally Kellerman) who gently tries to coax him back out onto the dance floor. Lois (Dyan Cannon) is the interior designer in tight jeans, with the slim body of a thirtysomething and the face of a surgerysomething. She is being wooed by the informal and mysterious Donald (Michael Nouri) while she befriends Marilyn (Brenda Vaccaro) whose late husband was run over by an oafish, cell phone-wielding yenta (Renee Taylor), too preoccupied with her yammering to use the rear-view mirror for anything but touching up her lipstick when backing out of the driveway.

Tough Loss

My youngest son's football team had a tough loss 12 to 0 against Morton at home. They played a good game but just couldn't get their offense going. The had one good chance near the end zone and just couldn't score. He played the whole game again at offensive tackle.

The Pursuit of Happyness

We watched the DVD "The Pursuit of Happyness."

Synopsis

Chris Gardner (Will Smith) is a marginally employed salesman and a single father, struggling with the mother (Thandie Newton) of his five-year-old son (Jaden Smith). When they are evicted from their apartment, Gardner finds himself alone with his son in San Francisco and no place to go. Even when Gardner lands an intern position at a prestigious stock brokerage firm, it pays no money. Forced to live in shelters, enduring many hardships as he goes through their program, Chris refuses to let this dampen his spirits as he pursues his dream of security for himself and his son.

Happiness Always Looks Small

"Happiness always looks small while you hold it in your hands, but let it go, and you learn at once how big and precious it is." - Maxim Gorky

Make It Real

“Make it real in your mind first, then real in fact.” — Tim Clark

L.A. Requiem

I finished reading the book "L.A. Requiem" by Robert Crais.

ABOUT THE BOOK

The day starts like any other in L.A. The sun burns hot as the Santa Ana winds blow ash from mountain fires to coat the glittering city. But for private investigator Joe Pike, the city will never be the same again. His ex-lover, Karen Garcia, is dead, brutally murdered with a gun shot to the head. Now Karen's powerful father calls on Pike (a former cop) and his partner, Elvis Cole, to keep an eye on the LAPD as they search for his daughter's killer because in the luminous City of Angels, everyone has secrets, and even the mighty blue have something to hide. But what starts as a little procedural hand-holding turns into a deadly game of cat-and-mouse. For a dark web of conspiracy threatens to destroy Pike and Cole's twelve-year friendship if not their lives. And L.A. just might be singing their dirge.

Hidden Seeds Of Thought

“A man is literally what he thinks, his character being the complete sum of all his thoughts … As the plant springs from, and could not be without, the seed, so every act of a man springs from the hidden seeds of thought, and could not have appeared without them.” — James Allen

Ovarian Lottery

“I won the ovarian lottery the day I was born and so did all of you. We’re all successful, intelligent, educated. To focus on what you don’t have is a terrible mistake. With the gifts all of us have, if you are unhappy, it’s your own fault.” - Warren Buffett

Forever

"Forever is composed of nows." - Emily Dickinson

Four In A Row

My youngest son's freshman football team won their fourth conference game in a row against Addison Trail 38 to 6 at Addison Trail. He played the whole game at offensive tackle. One of the players on his team scored 4 touchdowns. It was another beautiful sunny warm morning. Grandma and Papa came to watch.

I'll Sleep When I'm Dead

I watched the DVD "I'll Sleep When I'm Dead."

Synopsis

Will Graham (Clive Owen), a former London gangster who moved out to the country after suffering a breakdown of some sort. Will works clearing forests, and lives out of his van, until he loses his job over a lack of proper documentation. Meanwhile, Will's younger brother, Davey, is enjoying his life as a womanizing man about town, and dabbling in drug dealing, until one night, when an older man, Boad (Malcolm McDowell), has him followed and brutally assaults him. The traumatized Davey returns home and takes his own life. Will, uncertain as to where to go, finds himself drawn back to London, where he learns of Davey's death from Mrs. Barz (Sylvia Syms), his landlady. Will investigates what happened that night with his old friend, Mickser (Jamie Foreman). As Will tries to piece together what happened, he goes to visit Helen (Charlotte Rampling), his former lover, who is less than thrilled to see him after he abandoned her years earlier and eventually cut off all contact. The current neighborhood crime boss, Turner (Ken Stott), knows what Will is capable of, and sees him as a threat. Eventually, Will uncovers the truth, and is faced with the unpleasant prospect of avenging Davey's death.

Waubonsee Community College

My oldest son came in 30th out of over 300 runners in his cross country meet at Waubonsee Community College in Sugar Grove. He got another medal to add to his collection. It was a hot morning and a lot of the girl runners were taken away in ambulances and the varsity races were cancelled because of the heat.

The Best Cures

"A good laugh and a long sleep are the best cures in the doctor's book." -Irish Proverb

Today

"No yesterdays are ever wasted for those who give themselves to today." — Brendan Francis

Succeed

"Some people succeed because they are destined to, but most people succeed because they are determined to." - Anonymous

Gratitude

"The more you express gratitude for what you have, the more you will have to express gratitude for." - Zig Ziglar

A Laugh

"A laugh is a smile that bursts." — Mary H. Waldrip