Happy holiday season to all from Emma Blogs, LLC. A Czech tradition, the three Sundays of Christmas. They are bronze, silver and gold Sundays prior to Christmas Eve. People head out and shop in outdoors Christmas markets.
Copyright (c) 2015 Emma Blogs, LLC. All rights reserved.
You are not here merely to make a living
By Emma Palova
Lowell, MI- How appropriate theme. I just had this conversation with my son Jake. It’s time to do something about the violent situation and fear we are all living in. That means to do something peacefully like Mahatma Gandhi, Vaclav Havel, Mother Teresa or Gorbachev.
Violence breads more violence. Going to war or buying weapons is not the answer. Increased consumerism is not the answer.
The following paragraph is from an interview with Marilyn Manson used by Michael Moore in the film Bowling for Columbine.
“Because then you’re watching television, you’re watching the news, you’re being pumped full of fear, there’s floods, there’s AIDS, there’s murder, cut to commercial buy the Acura, buy the Colgate, if you have bad breath, they’re not going to talk to you if you have pimples, and it’s just this campaign of fear and consumption and that’s what I think it’s all based on, the whole idea of keep everyone afraid, and they will consume.”
Within two minutes apart we’re watching how Xarelto is good for you and then how you should join the lawsuit against Xarelto that can even cause death. Really? A drug approved by the FDA can even cause death.
Since the Paris attacks we see Opdiva advertised on the NYC buildings.
We’re living worse than animals. They wouldn’t put up with this.
A strong leader has to emerge amongst us and do something about all the mess in the world.
I know it probably should be each one of us. And collectively, we should start dialogues to spread the message. Let’s start in coffee shops and by writing about this.
I lived through the Velvet Revolution in 1989 in former Czechoslovakia. i participated in the demonstrations on the plazas and squares. I rang my keys and lit candles into the night. It did make a difference.
It’s our moral responsibility to take action, otherwise we’re a part of the problem.
To hear JB’s response to Trump’s speech against the Muslims is unacceptable to humanity. Trump shouldn’t have said it, and JB should have kept silent because he gave us the answer.
“We cannot offend our Saudi allies,” he said.
So here we go again. Big money and friends.
First of all I did not know that Saudi was our ally. I just know that they have oil that we want, And second, you always offend someone out there by any action you take.
Copyright © 2015 Emma Blogs, LLC. All rights reserved.
The power of art
By Emma Palova
The power of art is having tea with Vincent VanGogh or Jaconda, French for Mona Lisa. See Instagram photo.
Copyright (c) 2015 Emma Blogs, LLC. All rights reserved.
How different nationalities use Facebook to express themselves
By Emma Palova
I’ve always wanted to write about this. Now, I can. It took some time to analyze it. And that is how different nationalities use Facebook to express themselves.
I consider myself privileged that I am both on American and Czech public and private groups on Facebook. I am on Michigan Authors on the Grand, Learn to Blog, 30 Day Content Challenge & WordPress support group. I created my own Writers Loop and Fallasburg Today public groups.
I am on Czech groups I love Czech Republic and Czechs & Slovaks on Facebook.
I speak and write both languages fluently which is very important because a lot gets lost in translation. It doesn’t matter which translating service you’re using, it is not accurate.
You have to know the culture of that particular country to know what they are talking about on Facebook.
I grew up in former Czechoslovakia and got my university education there.
On the other hand, I went to middle school in Hawkins, Texas and mom Eliska homeschooled my brother Vas and I in Sudan, Africa. I also lived in Saskatoon and Montreal in Canada.
There is a striking difference between the usages by both nations that reflects the difference in cultures.
A Czech person uses Facebook to vent their feelings, anger and to fight. You can easily find 250 comments on one post. If they don’t agree with something they will swear at you and call you names. These threads turn into long pointless discussions.
An American person uses Facebook to show daily experiences followed by at the most 20 comments, if it is a heated subject.
A Czech person is funny and shares jokes on Facebook. We laugh out loud with my husband Ludek, as he reads the jokes to me in the evening from his IPhone.
An American person is inquisitive and functional, so he or she uses riddles or questions to find out how smart you are.
“Where was this photo taken,” posted local photographer Bruce Doll.
The photo looked like a Kiss concert all in blue and smoke, but I know Bruce.
“At the Impact church,” I posted.
“Yes.”
A Czech person turns emotional on Facebook and shares four Advent candles a thousand times.
An American person asks for prayers when needed.
A Czech person sometimes turns to sex to see how you react.
An American person uses Facebook for business to see how you react.
A Czech person doesn’t do selfies.
Americans love selfies.
Neither one in particular partakes in sharing tragedies until the recent Paris attacks.
Both cultures share the same love for photography.
I will continue to explore this interesting theme into the future. Watch for more observations.
Copyright © 2015 Emma Blogs, LLC. All rights reserved.
“Today is unique. Be careful what you do with it. It will never repeat itself no matter who we are. I like to think that by writing every day, I can help someone accomplish the same goal.”
Emma Palova
Copyright (c) 2015 Emma Blogs, LLC. All rights reserved.
The way we do anything is the way we do everything
By Emma Palova
This statement is true. I either do everything 100 percent or not at all. It doesn’t matter what it is; writing, blogging, posting, laundry, gardening or cooking. I don’t believe in halfway work.
Yes, sometimes I do wander off on a tangent, but I get back on the track. I wrote about excellence #21 yesterday.
Once, I decide I am not going to do something, I don’t do it. Today I have a lot of work ahead of me. I have to post to a client’s blog, while another one has pulled a fast one on me. It’s the nature of the business.
You explain the purpose of a WordPress blog to someone in a sales pitch, and they go and have someone else do it for them.
I am a good spirited person, I don’t mind. I can handle just about anything except for stupidity and violence.
Every day we make conscious choices based on the best information we have.
Today is unique, it will never repeat itself no matter who we are. I like to think that by writing every day, I am helping also someone else accomplish the same goal.
That’s the knowledge I’ve gained in this 30 Day Content challenge by Learn to Blog (L2B).
By helping others, you’re helping yourself as well.
Copyright © 2015. Emma Blogs, LLC. All rights reserved.
Excellence, participate in life
Dec. 7, 2015 Monday
By Emma Palova
I’ve been excellent and I’ve been bad. Most of us have. I’ve been able to produce the best of work, and the worst of work. Just like in the Charles Dickens’ book. It was the best of times and it was the worst of times. They have a tendency to feed into each other. The good and the bad. I know, now I sound like Clint Eastwood.
I can be creative, and on other days not so creative.
What carries me through this challenge is that I need to help others. I do not live for myself. I think we each have a bigger purpose why we live.
I strive for excellence, but sometimes it’s not within reach. I am a human being, therefore I am vulnerable. I have my strengths and my weaknesses.
Totally desperate when my husband Ludek had to leave Michigan for Wisconsin in 2009, I wrote a screenplay “Riddleyville Clowns” © 2009 about the assassination on presidential candidates. Yesterday, I heard from an independent production film company. I’ve been to the Cannes Film Festival in France twice and I saw demonstrations there along with Johnny Depp and Antonio Banderas. That’s again the good and the bad.
What satisfies me, is that I have done all these different things. I have participated in life. The educational system in former Czechoslovakia taught me to participate, it also taught me to be a leader and to help others.
Anything can be hard if you make it hard. Anything can also be easy, as easy as you make it.
Copyright © 2015 Emma Blogs, LLC. All rights reserved.
Putting one foot in front of the other aka #creativity against violence
By Emma Palova
Very appropriate theme as we come closer to the end of the year 2015. We have completed the year by putting one foot in front of the other.
We’re more than half-way through the content challenge and we’ve attracted the attention of a lot of people.
Was that our goal? Not really.
During this creative challenge many bad things have happened around the world from Paris attacks to San Bernardino.
I took it upon me to call this challenge #creativity against violence.
The hope is to inspire other people to do the same thing, because peace cannot be enforced.
Together we can and will make a difference. Collectively, we have posted 3,000 pieces of content since Nov. 17. I’ve reached with this post 319 posts on the WordPress platform.
Nothing is going to stop us in creating. No guns, no amendments or fear.
Actually one of my best posts Day #3 “Thoughts on Fear in the Wake of Paris Attacks.”
Equally good is Day #18 “Creativity versus violence.”
Now, I am all caught up with all the posts.
Copyright © 2015 Emma Blogs, LLC. All rights reserved.
Take charge, express yourself
By Emma Palova
Connecting things is like making new things happen. You don’t always have all the tools and you don’t necessarily need them. Look at Facebook, it wasn’t a new idea. It was a better retooled idea.
You start from nothing, a blinking cursor on a white page. Or you start with a thought for the day.
I usually have to regroup or restream myself before I write. I do that by driving to the nearby Murray Lake. Nature has always inspired me.
We have a beautiful winter in Michigan. For the first time since I’ve lived here, we have no snow in December. People were playing golf at the Arrowhead Golf Course next door yesterday. This girl has lived in Africa and Texas without a snowy Christmas. Never missed it for a moment.
I am grateful that I can be a part of this content challenge that it will hopefully make a difference in this world.
I am hoping to use #creativity against violence along with all my friends, real and on social media. I do have respect for all the amendments, that’s why I use the pen to bring hope and joy.
I hope to inspire other people to do the same thing, and that is to create. It doesn’t matter what, how big or how little. Just create at any time and anything. Take charge, express yourself.
Copyright © 2015 Emma Blogs, LLC. All rights reserved.
Moving forward
By Emma Palova
Okay, I am over the shootings and the violence. I cannot change anything. By looking at it, I am a part of it. I’ve become a part of the problem, because I am not willing to do anything about it. I’ve become a part of a violent society.
My Alma Mater taught me better. Do something about it.
I led a heated debate at the Parnell General Store about, “What is the purpose of the gun?”
We didn’t come to any conclusion. Just like the situation in the Middle East, it has no resolution.
We even had a Rumanian born American Sniper there who said weapons are necessary to kill. He killed his first person when he was 10 years old.
The owner of the store brought out an unloaded shotgun Erica.
You have to respect the weapon.
On the other hand I have a respect to the pen.
I’ve always had that. And I use it on daily basis to give hope to others.
Copyright © 2015 Emma Blogs, LLC. All rights reserved.
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