Marlee Matlin & Michael Jordan

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Marlee Matlin


She came to prominence in 1986 as the deaf leading lady in the movie “Children of a Lesser God”. Her Quote:


“Silence is the last thing the world will ever hear from me.”


From her bio in the International Movie Database. IMDB.com
Marlee Beth Matlin was born to Don and Libby Matlin; she was their third child. Marlee lost much of her hearing at the age of 18 months. That didn't stop her, though, from acting in a children's theater company at age 7; she was Dorothy in "The Wizard of Oz." Her deafness never held her back. As an adult she said it so eloquently: "I have always resisted putting limitations on myself, both professionally and personally."


Around 30 years ago, my employer participated in a state run program to integrate many deaf and hard of hearing people into the workplace. I can only say that this program has been an amazing success. Back then, hearing people sometimes found themselves uncomfortable associating with people who spoke a different language when they couldn’t understand or participate in the conversation.


Yes, I did say different language. American Sign Language or ASL is not just a translation of English. It has its own rich culture, each word describing an object or concept, just like any form of verbal communication. Facial expressions are very important,and there are dialects, accents, and slang that is different based on local traditions and practices.


When I took a beginner class back in the 80’s, I was taught to use the sign for “home” when I was going home. Locally, our deaf community says basically, “I’m going to the house”.


This being said, I really believe that ASL is one of the most elegant and beautiful languages in the world. The emotions expressed and received makes it quite intuitive even to those who can’t sign a single letter. Learning is so much easier as well since each sign in form describes the word or concept, many times creating a picture of it.


Another dimension of the beauty is expressed when ASL is used for art purposes by signing to music, interpreting the words and emotions of the piece. It has a similar feel to expressive, interpretive dance, and can easily move you to tears.


In high school, my daughter Ecil performed an emotional sign language translation of Flyleaf’s “All Around Me”. While most people think of signed songs as being slow, flowing, and quiet, this song has energy throughout, and on the bridge has a rapid fire, almost violent emotional outburst that opened the eyes of many to new possibilities of using language as art.


The friendships I have in the local deaf community are valued for exactly that. These are my friends. While I am by no means fluent in ASL, my friends have accepted my handicap and help me to learn more with every conversation. I could only wish that hearing people would be so tolerant and forgiving of my mistakes.


Another of the wonderful things is attempting to master humor. I find it quite rewarding when I give a quick sign accompanied by the proper nuance of facial expression and am rewarded with a literal laugh out loud by one of my deaf friends.


The integration in our workplace is complete. I realized this was the case when I began to see hearing people signing to each other across the noisy workroom floor. The deaf and hearing employees socialize outside of work as well, and everyone is enriched as a result.


Listen, there is a full community of wonderful people all around you that seems to be invisible to many hearing people who rush through their lives ignoring all but their own pursuits. Find them. Learn their language. I suspect you will be rewarded for these relationships even more than they will.
Links to resources to interact with the deaf and hard of hearing community will be included in the show notes for this episode.


Official Marlee Matlin Website


http://www.marleematlinsite.com/


http://www.deaflibrary.org/


http://www.deafwebsites.com/


National Association of the Deaf


http://nad.org/


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Michael Jordan


“You have to expect things of yourself before you can do them.”


Entrepreneurs seem to have a common theme in their promotional literature, videos and at the ever present conventions. There is an enthusiasm that takes outside people by surprise. When you cut through the exuberance, the basic message is this:  If you believe you can do it, you can.


A lot of fun has been made of this concept, even to the point of movies bringing it up. In the Film “The American President” when he observed the wild excitement at his opponent’s political rally, Michael Douglas quips that he thought they were “getting ready to buy some Amway products.”


Let’s look at this concept a little closer. It is not a magic incantation that easily makes everything appear just because you believe it will. There is one valid point, however that must be considered. If you don’t think you can, you will not try.


Why waste your valuable time on fruitless pursuits? There aren’t many who will put time, effort and precious resources into lost causes. Alternatively, many so called “lost causes” are not actually “lost” but are merely difficult. Since we can’t see the possibilities we never start the projects in the first place. People who think like this will never know the rewards possible when you systematically tackle the jobs thought impossible. If you aim at nothing, you will most likely hit it.


A quote from a man who knew all about failure:
“Many of life's failures are people who did not realize how close they were to success when they gave up.”  Thomas Edison


There’s a reason the symbol of the big idea is a light bulb. It was invented after thousands failures.


We’ll finish with another Edison quote:
“Our greatest weakness lies in giving up. The most certain way to succeed is always to try just one more time.”


http://basketball.wikia.com/wiki/Michael_Jordan


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Jack Nicholson & Taylor Swift

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Jack Nicholson


“I love discourse. I'm dying to have my mind changed. I'm probably the only liberal who read Treason, by Ann Coulter. I want to know, you understand? I like listening to everybody. This to me is the elixir of life.”


How much do you enjoy a disagreement? I’ll admit, it’s not my first choice for the way to spend an afternoon. An argument can raise blood pressure and cause the loss of lifelong friends. Not very funny.


Have you ever wondered why some people always seem to end up arguing? I really believe the number one reason is fear.


The fearful person is the one who attempts to shout you down instead of letting you get a word out, even after you were courteous enough to listen to their views. This person is so afraid of contamination from another idea, that even allowing it to be expressed will taint them with an element of doubt that could alter their life forever. Scary!


This is no more true than when discussing religious or political issues. The beliefs of  religion and politics are ingrained in us from birth many times, and we are fearful to hear opposition because it could change the fundamental structure of life we have come to know. Our foundations have been resting on this information for all our lives, and any change could make the whole structure unstable, leaving us adrift with no anchor in the sea of ideas.


Allow me to look at this from another angle. If all we do is accept the ideas our parents have given us to believe, are they really our own ideas at all? I am not advocating discarding everything Mom and Dad ever said, but the only way to ever know what YOU really believe is to have your preconceived notions tested in the crucible of opposition.


Now you don’t have to go and debate it all the time with every person you know who was given a different set of values. Here are the basic steps to solidify your own beliefs:


1.Get over your fear of listening to ALL ideas. Everyone has an honest reason for what you consider heresy. Overcome your fear of contamination. Just close your mouth and listen.


2.Honestly evaluate other points of view. If you are totally convinced of the rightness your position, there should be no problem evaluating the enemy’s idea without that sense of panic you are accustomed to.


3. If you find your ideas can’t stand up, do what scientists do: gather more data for both your position and the other view to test them further.


4. If you come to the inescapable conclusion that some alteration of your original dogma needs to be effected, DO IT and move on!


None of us are perfect. We all need adjustment. If you can do this self evaluation within your own mind without huge arguments, my hat is off to you. Just be honest with yourself.


One final thought from Senator Edward Kennedy:
“The Constitution does not just protect those whose views we share; it also protects those with whose views we disagree.”

The Unofficial Jack Nicholson Website
http://www.jack-nicholson.info/

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Taylor Swift


“There is a strength in letting bygones be bygones.”


Anybody can hold a grudge. It is a very simple and lazy thing to do. On the other hand, It takes enormous strength to let go of ego and pride to forgive someone who has truly wronged you.
The smallest child can throw a tantrum when they don’t get their way. Sometimes a sibling or friend will do something wrong, and let you take the fall for it.


Many feel that a long term grudge and vendetta to get even is not only reasonable in cases like this, but it is required to make sure a message is sent to the world that you are not one to be trifled with. This is the same kind of message like putting the head of a criminal on a pike outside a medieval castle.


Sure, kings threw tantrums too. They had tremendous power and controlled armies to punish those who offended them. The general attitude is that such kings and the similarly behaving toddlers need to learn to forgive and not create such a scene. We like to put ourselves on a pedestal, thinking we are better.


But are we? Are we forgiving others for the slights we suffer from them? Probably nine times out of ten the imagined slight was completely unnoticed by the offender. We are quick to attribute malicious intent to them when they ran over you, not thinking of you at all, and not realizing you had been affected.


The old saying comes to mind, “To err is human, to forgive is divine.” It is very easy to give offence to others, but your character really shows when you can, as Ms. Swift says, “let bygones be bygones”.


Lewis B. Smedes: “To forgive is to set a prisoner free and discover that the prisoner was you.”


Taylor Swift on Facebook

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My mother, June Gibson Holbrook has been tirelessly promoting my show on social media. Now that I mention it, she’s always been there for me. Thanks, Mom!!


Let us know what you think of the show.
To leave feedback, email me at feedback@daggersofthemind.com. If you would prefer to leave a voice mail, call 304-460-5760.


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Hank Aaron & Christopher Walken

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Hank Aaron


“You can only milk a cow for so long, then you’re left holding the pail.”


What kind of plans have you made for the future? Do you expect everything to go as it always has, or do you have plans to cope with pitfalls you may eventually face?


Many things could happen to change your current status. Loss of your job, a health issue, a drastic increase in utilities, taxes or fees, or even a lawsuit or divorce can make a sudden shift in your ability to cope with your circumstances.


As Mr. Aaron put it, do you have another cow if the one you are currently milking runs dry? Having a backup cow in the barn is a really good idea.


In our last episode of Daggers Of The Mind, a quote from George Takei was featured. In his book “ To The Stars”, he said that as soon as he was earning some money acting, he began buying real estate rental properties. By its very nature, acting doesn’t always give a steady paycheck, he wanted a more stable form of income while being free to accept and turn down roles as he saw fit.


At its most basic application, your extra cow could be a savings account you slowly accumulate over time to cover emergencies, and eventually retirement. Start a steady contribution to a plan you don’t have easy access to, and then some type of savings you could access in small emergencies such as unexpected car repairs.


According to Suze Orman:


If you are worried about job security and do not have an adequate emergency fund (ideally eight months' worth of living expenses stashed away in a federally insured bank or credit union), you need to focus more on saving money than paying down the balance on your credit cards.


We could all use some adjustments to our financial lives. Make sure you have an adequate backup, but then continue to milk that cow while it is in the barn!!


Hank Aaron on Twitter

Suze Orman on Facebook

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Christopher Walken


“Words are little bombs, and they have a lot of energy inside them.”


Have you ever considered the power of your words? In centuries past the most respected people in the world were those who had the best command of language. Words can move people to love, hate, and take actions they would not have considered, such as going to war.


Superstitious people were often afraid of a witch or warlock casting a “spell” on them. Have you ever wondered why it was called a “spell”? I believe many times a person accused of being a witch was just a person who was skilled at persuasion, spelling it out so skillfully they were able to change others minds as if by magic. Fear and words of hysteria did the rest, and sometimes in extreme cases, resulted in a burning at the stake.


While we are speaking of burning, in the Bible, The book of James chapter 3 the tongue is spoken of quite fluently.


Verse 2: For in many things we offend all. If a man offend not in word, the same is a perfect man, and able also to bridle the whole body.
Verses 5 and 6: Even so the tongue is a little member, and boasteth great things. Behold, how great a matter a little fire kindleth! And the tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity: so is the tongue among our members, that it defileth the whole body, and setteth on the fire the course of nature; and is set on fire of hell.


I assure you this is not turning into a sermon, but this has to be some of the most direct words in literature of the power, for good for evil, of our words.


Our words are likened to fire. Fire is great when used properly to cook food, to make our cars run, or to save lives. Then there are forest fires. They usually start from a very small spark from a passing ATV, a forgotten camp fire, or a single match by an arsonist. One small, harsh word can create a world of hurt when it gets out of control in the rumor mill. One small, encouraging word can change the world.


What you say and how you say it, can change the course of someone’s day, and sometimes their life. Every time you speak, the person you address, and even those who overhear can’t help but be changed by it. Why not try to help those you meet instead of cursing them?


From the website SpreadKindness.org comes this quote from the Dalai Lama:
This is my simple religion. There is no need for temples; no need for complicated philosophy. Our own brain, our own heart is our temple; the philosophy is kindness.


SpreadKindness.org

Christopher Walken on Twitter

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Special thanks to Scotty Rose, who left some great feedback, and with Rachel Ward has been giving shoutouts on Facebook, telling others about the show! I really appreciate it!!


Let us know what you think of the podcast.


To leave feedback, email me at feedback@daggersofthemind.com. If you would prefer to leave a voice mail, call 304-460-5760.
Also, at daggersofthemind.com you can subscribe for free using iTunes, Stitcher, TuneIn, or even email.

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Anjelica Huston


"What do I think of the Yankees? I'm sorry, I don't follow football."


Hey, when was the last time you encountered someone who didn’t share your interests? I would say there is good chance it was today. Besides being out in the real world, social media is in the home from waking to sleeping again, so even if you had the day off at home, you encountered someone who wasn’t interested in your favorite subjects.


Another question. What was your reaction to this? Some can accept this on the face value, realizing everyone is and has the right to be different in their pursuits. Others immediately jump right to ridicule, eager to prove their point of view is superior.


Dictionary.com says Ridicule is speech or action intended to cause contemptuous laughter at a person or thing, derision.


Why is ridicule so popular and so quickly used against others? I firmly believe this has more to do with the state of mind and intelligence of the ridiculer rather than the victim.


Thomas Jefferson: Resort is had to ridicule only when reason is against us.


This seems to be the polite way of saying what Charles Simmons was much more blunt about: Ridicule is the first and last argument of a fool. I guess it’s time to ask ourselves who the real inferior fool is here.


Sports being the competition it is, certainly provides a lot of space for playfully deriding another’s team, but keep it in good fun. The ones who can suffer the most from actual derision are those like Ms Huston, who don’t have the background to know one sport from another.


Everyone you meet knows something you don’t. Don’t make fun of them. One of these days you may need some knowledge they have, and burning those bridges may not be in your eventual best interest. On the most basic level, don’t be mean to other people. Seriously, just don’t be mean.


Anjelica Huston Fan Page On Facebook


dictionary.com


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George Takei


"This is supposed to be a participatory democracy and if we're not in there participating then the people that will manipulate and exploit the system will step in there."


How have things been going for you in politics lately? Is everything just moving along the way you would like to see things going? Oh, by the way, when did you last vote? When did you last participate in the process? If things aren’t going as you would like, it’s entirely possible someone else stepped into your place when you walked away from it.


Can you trust another person to handle that detail for you? Do you even know who that person is? Complaining about political trends we don’t like is very common and actually expected, but do you have the right to do some downright griping if you haven’t even voted or tried to do something else about it?


I read a science fiction book a year or two ago that had an interesting premise. The society described only allowed those who served in the military to be citizens. Only those who by risking their lives for the country and state were really worthy to help determine its future by voting or holding office.


While I am in no way advocating this change in our society, it would be an interesting way to cure the epidemic of boredom and apathy our political system suffers from.
Here, you just kind of have it thrust on you when you turn 18, and it is not really appreciated. I found for myself, after early training in my duty to vote, I have grown cynical later in life and wonder what the use is to waste my time participating in this farce.


It’s time to revisit the issue. One of the problems is the two party system. We are given two basic choices, neither of which is acceptable. The lesser of the evils, generally the one who looks better on TV wins. It’s time to completely ignore what candidates SAY about themselves and each other, and ONLY consider the documented actions that are recorded in the record. Political advertising is just that. Advertising. It is calculated to make a sale. Don’t be so easily duped into believing the flash and hype. Do the work and check online for details about actions, not words.


We have the potential to be the most informed electorate in the history of this nation. The info is easy to obtain and we could get actual fact to make informed choices on election day.


Franklin D. Roosevelt:
Democracy cannot succeed unless those who express their choice are prepared to choose wisely. The real safeguard of democracy therefore, is education.


To conclude, allow me to make a prediction. For the first time in multiple decades we have the chance to elect a president in the United States who is not a member of either of the two main political parties.


The large pool of independent voters, the 24 hour news cycle, and the Internet make it possible for a person to get the coverage and funding they need to get elected if it is handled correctly and the direct line to the people is used effectively. I really believe we will see this happen within the next few election cycles.


George Takei's Web Site

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