❧❧❧ Whatever you can do or dream, you can BEGIN IT. Boldness has genius, power and magic in it. Goethe ❧❧❧
❧❧❧ You were born whole, not broken. Sandra Hammel ❧❧❧
Thursday, June 7, 2012
THE COMPANY OF STRANGERS - Movie
The Company of Strangers/Le fabuleux gang des sept
I love this movie from Canada. This 1990 movie is done with women who were not actresses and the director, Cynthia Scott, let the movie happen organically....no script.
I first caught some of this movie on IFC TV station with commercial interruptions. I then checked it out of my "free" public library. I am now listening to the director's commentary while the movie is running. Very worth the time to hear how she did this movie organically. The women in this movie weren't playing parts - they were talking about their true lives in this special creation. It took me a very long time searching the internet looking for a clip of this movie. And happened upon this website, which has the entire movie uploaded online to watch for free. I sized it for my blog, but you can go to the site In the Company of Strangers and make the video any size you choose. 360p and 480p available.
Synopsis: In this feature film, 8 elderly women find themselves stranded when
their bus breaks down in the wilderness. With only their wits, memories
and some roasted frogs' legs to sustain them, this remarkable group of
strangers share their life stories and turn a potential crisis into a
magical time of humour, spirit and camaraderie. Featuring
non-professional actors and unscripted dialogue, this film dissolves the
barrier between fiction and reality, weaving a heart-warming tale of
friendship and courage. Source: In the Company of Strangers
Juan Martin Del Potro of Argentina is congratulated by Rafael Nadal of Spain after their match during the quarterfinals of the Rogers Cup at Uniprix Stadium August 14, 2009 in Montreal, Canada.
Photo by Matthew Stockman/Getty
Rafael Nadal of Spain celebrates a point against Juan Martin Del Potro of Argentina during the quarterfinals of the Rogers Cup at Uniprix Stadium August 14, 2009 in Montreal, Canada.
Photo by Matthew Stockman/Getty
Results Montreal Rogers Cup 2009
Juan Martin DEL POTRO (ARG) defeated Rafael NADAL (ESP)
Rafael Nadal of Spain acknowledges the crowd after defeating Philipp Petzschner of Germany during the Rogers Cup at Uniprix Stadium August 13, 2009 in Montreal, Canada.
Round 3
Photo by Matthew Stockman/Getty Images North America
Rafa serving during the Rogers Cup at Uniprix Stadium August 13, 2009 in Montreal, Canada. Round 3 Photo by Matthew Stockman/Getty Images North America
Rafael Nadal of Spain returns a shot to David Ferrer of Spain during the Rogers Cup at Uniprix Stadium August 12, 2009 in Montreal, Canada.
Round 2
Photo by Matthew Stockman/Getty Images North America
Rafael Nadal of Spain returns a shot to David Ferrer of Spain during the Rogers Cup at Uniprix Stadium August 12, 2009 in Montreal, Canada.
Round 2
Photo by Matthew Stockman/Getty Images North America
U.S. President Barack Obama (R) presents the Medal of Freedom to tennis champion Billie Jean King during a ceremony in the East Room of the White House August 12, 2009 in Washington, DC. Obama presented the medal, the highest civilian honor in the United States, to 16 recipients during the ceremony.
August 11, 2009 Photo by Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images North America
Rafa Montreal's Rogers Cup Round 3 August 13, 2009 Photo credit: AP
Rafa Montreal's Rogers Cup Round 3 August 13, 2009 Photo credit: AP
Rafa Montreal's Rogers Cup Round 3 August 13, 2009 Photo credit: AP
Rafa Montreal's Rogers Cup Round 3 August 13, 2009 Photo credit: Getty Images
Rafa Montreal's Rogers Cup Round 3 August 13, 2009 Photo credit: AFP
Rafa Round 2 with fellow countrymen David Ferrer Ferrer withdrew in the first set at score 4- 3 Rafa in the lead Photo credit: AP
Rafa Round 2 with fellow countrymen David Ferrer Ferrer withdrew in the first set at score 4- 3 Rafa in the lead Photo credit: AP
Press interview after David Ferrer vs. Rafael Nadal Montreal Round 2 match
THE MODERATOR:Questions, please.
Q.Little shorter than you might have liked today?
RAFAEL NADAL:Yeah, I never expect this, this bad thing for David, so I just I can say sorry to him and just wish him the very fast recovery to be ready for Cincinnati.
So, yeah, I know it's tough to have to go out and have to go out of court, so yeah, just sorry for him. And for me, it was nice have a victory like this, and I say before I here to improve every day, to enjoy every game, every point.Just like this, I going to have chances to be ready as fast as possible.
Q.How did you feel playing the match after such a long time?
RAFAEL NADAL:Sure, a little bit strange, no?The first movements is tough and hard to move well and to feel confident when you are touching the ball.
But, you know, that's the normal thing.I have to I must be happy, because I didn't play terrible.And the next round, I have another chance tomorrow to continuing to improve.Every match, every game is important to feel better for me.
Q.How are your knees?
RAFAEL NADAL:Yeah, was okay.Need more days to have real test, but it was okay.
Q.Did you find the doubles matches helped you?
RAFAEL NADAL:Sure, the doubles is important or the two matches of doubles was important matches for me to start, to compete, no?Always these matches help me.
Q. You're saying that you like to learn more and more every day and you're always trying to improve.It's something to watch you on the court because we see if you're practicing, learning a new skill like, for example, last year your serve on grass or your backhand changing maybe a little bit.The coach was telling me he saw a difference at the Australian Open.For the different surfaces you're always improving a lot on the court, but I feel like the challenges you've gone through in the last couple months are all challenges off the court.Do you see that as just another part of tennis, another element that you have to learn to prepare for dealing with injury, dealing with setbacks that you're not used to facing?
RAFAEL NADAL:(Through translation.)
No, you know, the calendar is tough, and you don't have a lot of choices, no? For me, you can learn because the career always every year is an experience and you can learn about everything, but I think when you play, if not the one or the second who play more matches the last five years, it's normal to have some problems.
Q.What I'm saying is you see injury as just another part of tennis the same way a forehand is.Do you see setbacks off the court?Tennis is a very allencompassing game.
THE MODERATOR:What is the question?
Q.Do you see injury, coming back from injury, as just another part of the game, just like...
RAFAEL NADAL:Everybody, when you injury, you have to come back.What I can say?Is a normal thing of sports, so that's it
Q.Andy Roddick said the courts are very slow and the ball was moving slow.You felt that?
RAFAEL NADAL:The court was very slow?
Q.Yeah, the court was very slow.
RAFAEL NADAL:No, I didn't think so, no, no.
No, I don't know.He's coming from Washington, no?So the feeling for the players always depends.If the week before you play in a faster place and next week you play in a little bit of slower place, you feel like it's very slow.And if you're playing in a slow place and the next week you play in a little bit faster, you feel like it's very fast.So it's always depends on the last feeling you had.
I think the court is not very fast and not very slow.I think it's between.
Q.What was the feeling of walking out on a court for a real match again after all that time?
RAFAEL NADAL:Yeah, it's always a pleasure to come back, and the feeling well, only happen one month and a half; it's not three years outside of tennis.That's the true, no?
Sure, it's happy to come back here and playing another time.But the feeling is normal, like always.I feel well when I go on court all the time, and today wasn't an exception.
Sure, when you have a few time outside of competition, when you come back it's a little bit more exciting.
Q.Can you give an example of how hardcourts are tougher on your body than maybe clay courts or grass courts?
RAFAEL NADAL:Well, let's talk about the same, no?I say 200,000 times, yeah, the hardcourt is tougher for the body than the grass and clay.No doubt of that.I think nobody have a doubt of that.That's it.
Q.Were you trying to be a little careful today, or were you going all the way on your body?
RAFAEL NADAL:I tried.I tried everything, put my 100%, but when you come back from an injury, it's difficult to move well the first match.You have more matches to get the confidence of the movements, on the feeling of the ball, so I need more time.
Q. Is it a positive first match? Is it a positive first test?
RAFAEL NADAL: Anything gonna be everything gonna be positive. Only bad thing can be is if I have another time problems with the knees, but the rest of the things, everything is positive, no? Every match, every point. Because everything is helping me to be ready as soon as possible when I return to my level.
Right now I'm probably not at my best level, but everything is important. If I lose tomorrow and if I have a match, is it going to be interesting for me to have more hours on court?
Q. You struggled with your first serve. Are you a little bit disappointed about that?
RAFAEL NADAL: No, it's it's normal. The feeling, it's different now because I practice during the afternoon and the ball was faster than right now, the night. The ball was bigger.
No, I didn't I was serving really well, all the day, practicing. The first day, first match, a little bit nervous. At the same time, David is a big returner.
At the same time, I want to push a little bit more than usual. After, when I had the 3All, the match from 32 to 33, I have some serves slow. I was serving 190, 195, 200, and in this game, I had some serve, 175, so that's give me more confidence, no?
Q. Can you just talk about your next opponent.
RAFAEL NADAL: He's a very aggressive player, no? Very good serve, very good forehand.
Today he had very good win against Robredo. Yeah, sure, every match going to be very difficult for me.
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............................................. In Spanish Round 2 report Uploaded by vamosrafelnadal
I am only doing this post because I saw Rafa wearing sleeveless in Montreal. I am sick and should be elsewhere right now in a lateral position. We can only hope for the singles match to bare the Rafa arms, as well. But, word is that we will be disappointed.
Fans worldwide are gleeful at the sight of Rafa on court
AND
Rafa Sleeveless in Montreal
I can tell Rafa is back because of the number of hits on my blog posts with Rafa as the subject over the last day and a half.
Rafa and Francisco lost to 7th seeded team Max Mirnyi (BLR) and Andy Ram (ISR) Tuesday, August 11, 2009 6-4, 3-6, 8-10
Rafa is scheduled to play his first singles match Wednesday evening, August 12, 2009 David Ferrer is his opponent. The first evening match on Court Central Time: not before 7:00 p.m. EDT
Spain's Rafael Nadal, left, and doubles partner Francisco Roig (41 years old), also from Spain, congratulate each other during their match against Serbia's Novak Djokovic and Dusan Vemic at the Rogers Cup tennis tournament in Montreal
Monday, August 10, 2009 Photo credit: AP
7-5 6-4 in under one hour and 10 minutes
Doubles Match Montreal, Monday, Aug.10, 2009
Photo credit: AP
Doubles Match Montreal, Monday, Aug.10, 2009
Photo credit: AP
Rafael Nadal and Francisco Roig Spain versus Novak Djokovic and Dusan Vemic of Serbia during the Rogers Cup at Uniprix Stadium August 10, 2009 in Montreal, Canada.
Photo credits of above two: Matthew Stockman of Getty Images North America
Rogers Cup website http://www.rogerscup.com/men/english/home.php I find the Rogers Cup website user-unfriendly. The Wednesday (August 12) order of play isn't posted there and it is Wednesday in 10 minutes as I post this updated comment.
Defending Rogers Cup champion Rafael Nadal reflects on return from injury as he makes his first appearance since Roland Garros this week at the ATP World Tour Masters 1000 tournament in Montreal. Uploaded by ATPWorldTour Rafael Nadal play his first competitive match Monday, August 10, 2009 in the doubles competition. The Australian Open champ and his doubles partner, Francisco Roig are schedulled to play fourth in the BN Court against Novak Djokovic and Dusan Vemic.
Rafa has a bye in the singles in Montreal - the Rogers Cup. He will play either Davie Ferrer or Viktor Troicki in round two. He isn't scheduled for Tuesday, so I am thinking maybe Wednesday, August 12, 2009, is when Rafa will play.
RAFA STARRING ON YOUTUBE . . . ......................................
...................................... Uploaded byclaudiacelestialgirl Rafa at Wimbledon The text by the poster: "This is another vignette narrated by Terrence Stamp. It's a very nice summary of the changes in Nadal from 2007 Wimbledon to 2008 Wimbledon, it's a preview of the men's final, talks about Nadal having more to him than just 'vamos', and asks whether Nadal's lopsided win over Roger Federer at Roland Garros was 'ominous'. Love the bells chiming through out the piece!"
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........................................ Beauty and Beast at Wimbledon -Rafa versus The Court Uploaded byclaudiacelestialgirl Text by the poster: "This vignette was narrated by Bill Macatee. It shows gorgeous shots of both Centre Court and Rafa, himself. The narration concludes with a note that by the end of the fortnight it was hard to decide which (Rafa or Centre Court) was beauty and which was beast... This was an elegant vignette from the 2008 Wimbledon. "
WHO ARE WE? WE HAVE A TRILLION DOLLAR DEBT FROM AN ILLEGAL WAR. WE HAVE A PRESIDENT WHO THINKS HE IS THE LAW. And we are floating this country's debt with money we are borrowing from another nation with very serious human rights issues ~ China. And we continue to have voters who vote uninformed for their Presidential candidates . . . that is if they vote at all.
This is what we have come to with the experienced leadership of George W Bush ~ the USA is on the same list that Iran is on as a country that TORTURES. In Canada. George W Bush has his way of looking at his judgments and dismissing what the rest of the free world discerns as unacceptable ~ torture. Human Rights and Gitmo
President George W. Bush’s new executive order on the Central Intelligence Agency’s detention and interrogation program is contrary to the Geneva Conventions, Human Rights Watch said ... from Human Rights Right .................................................................
................................................................. Torture State
"Sometimes, a nation's descent into moral depravity is marked by sudden events... a coup, for instance. Other times, the signposts are smaller, subtler increments... such as the third story on our Countdown tonight. CTV in Canada has obtained a list the Canadian government has given to its diplomats, instructing them how to deal with Canadian prisoners in countries that use torture... countries, the list says, that include Syria, Iran... and the United States of America." - The News Hole, MSNBC
And now, as for Hillary . . . .................................................................
................................................................. Hillary Rodham Clinton ~ Changing With The Times on Iraq
This video shows the Peter Paul side of an issue, which involves allegations that Hillary Clinton has committed numerous federal election law violations...
................................................................. A John Edward's video ~ it makes reasonable points about Hillary Rodham Clinton ~ but I am for Barack ObamaforAmerica
In real life, husband and wife, Paul Gross and Martha Burns. Here they play Geoffrey and Ellen in Slings and Arrows.
I am an extremely passion-filled person. I am intensely alive. And I discovered the television Canadian series Slings and Arrows on Youtube, while catching Paul Gross in another series that I was already familiar with, Due South. I ended up buying both the series on DVD and fell hard for the episode, “Birnam Wood”, because of the scene below. I have not typed the entire scene, so please watch it and you’ll hopefully fall in love with it as I have. The lines that Romeo and Juliet speak are wonderfully interwoven with the back stage conversation. ……………………………………………
…………………………………………… Slings and Arrows from Season 2, Episode 6, Birnam Wood
Some of the highlights of this scene:
The major donor to the theatre, Mr. Henderson, has been presented a gift just before the evening’s play and has decided to speak to the audience:
….on a personal note, just like to say how ‘specially moved I am to be here tonight. Romeo and Juliet is one of the greatest love stories ever told and one that has special meaning for my wife Carol and me. You see, we’ve been married for 37 years. And in all that time, I don’t think we’ve ever missed a production of this play…that we could get to. Carol can’t be here tonight. She’s in hospital recovering from heart surgery. She’s going to be all right, the doctors tell me. But you know, when I think of all the times that we nearly gave up on each other, I get kind of shaky. I wasn’t much of a husband there for awhile. I’ll tell you that for free. But an experience like this ~ it teaches you something about the power of love. It certainly does. Well….enjoy (the show).
The production of Romeo and Juliet is going on while this dialogue is interspersed with the play’s dialogue:
Ellen: I hate this play Geoffrey: Yeah
….Romeo to Juliet: My life were better ended by their hate, than death prolong it, wanting of thy love….
Ellen: You watch and feel miserable, if you don’t have that kind of passion in your life. Nobody does. It’s a fantasy. It’s irresponsible.
Geoffrey: Yeah You know what I think. It’s painfully accurate. Two idiots meet. They fall in love. They’re happy. Briefly. Then, all hell breaks loose. Happens all the time.
…..Juliet to Romeo: ….sea, my love as deep. The more I give to thee, the more I have for both…are infinite.
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…………………………………………… The Water is Wide with images of Ireland to the tenor voice of Michel Londra.
A Love Song really of Canada... ...............................................................
............................................................... Video producer writes: One of Canada's music icons... Rita MacNeil singing about her home on Cape Breton Island, Nova Scotia. All Canadians proudly think about their homes in Canada. Final historic production review was done with help from Dr. Tom Salter, Professor Emeritus of Vistory of StonewallStudios. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-BBHMDVg-FA
I think it is so wonderful when I hear someone loves where they live or are from. I also love where I live.
I love it when humanity makes me proud to be a part of it. Thanks to Due South and Paul Gross for inspiring me with this and the previous post.
I love my life. I love where I live. And I am passionate about my passions. I love to dance. Necessary to live: music, piano, singing, writing, acting, painting.
I have been fighting for and supporting the arts all my adult life. Since 2004, I have been working with other activists to end the Darfur genocide.
I have traveled to Europe many times since my early twenties. Places I have been: many USA states including Hawaii, Montreal, Canada, Barbados, France, Spain, Luxembourg, England, Austria, Switzerland, Italy, Greece and Germany - and have wonderful memories.
My last trip was in May - June 2013 to Spain.
I would like to travel to Europe and Kyoto, Japan.
I love the southwest where I have visited Hopi, Navajo, Zia and San Idlefonso potters.
Life is exciting and I intend to live it full-out to the end.
B.S. and M.M., both in music
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Khartoum, Sudan Stop Genocide Time
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Spain Time
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Melbourne Time
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Hawaii Time
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RAFA NADAL -BRING BACK LONG PANTS - SLEEVELESS TOPS
Double Click on Videos to Enlarge
Darfur - The Abandoned Genocide - a video by Sandra Hammel
Want to help? Call 1~800~GENOCIDE
"May I Suggest" by Susan Werner
Satchita - Playing for Change
Stand By Me ~ Playing for Change
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Genocide is not only a word,
it is crying of the whole human race.
There is nothing redeeming about being silent
when speaking up is the humane thing to do.
The honor and integrity of the human race is at stake.
