Sorry...

Posted By: yourpotentialpower on

Wednesday, July 30th, 2008, 3:35 pm

Dear Blog Buddies,

I am really looking forward to the Beijing Olympics. 08.08.08. Sounds great!

Love the Olympics. As a parent you can't help wondering....hmmmm.....I wonder if that will be my son/daughter one day, up there receiving the gold. Nice little day dream.

On the other hand I feel unsettled about human rights in China and the annexation of Tibet. Also whenever I see the Dalai Lama with his warm, infinitely compassionate smile and grace as a political leader in exile, unable to return to his homeland, it really upsets me.

It just seems rather odd and confusing to see the Olympics and the Dalai Lama holding apparently opposing views of China.

The Dalai Lama always looks like he is about to burst into great big belly laughs at any moment and he would be a brilliant dinner guest at a dinner party wouldn't he? Along with George Clooney, which of course goes without saying! You cannot help liking and admiring the Dalai Lama regardless of your political or religious views.

 How amazing would it be to have someone announce one day that you were born to be special, that you were born to enlighten the world and govern your country peacefully and with compassion, that you were in fact the 14th incarnation of the Dalai Lama? Wouldn't that just about blow your mind! And look how well he has handled that enormous pressure and how he has kept to his guns (sorry!) and persistently protested peacefully for the immediate and unconditional return of Tibet to it's independent status while governing in exile from Daramasala, India and being an ambassador for peace around the world. What an inspiration.

It made me think.....

We are all responsible for our choices. I truly believe that we each have the capacity to contribute to world peace in our humble lives, just as the Dalai Lama plays his part, we too can play our part.

What is your view of China?

I came across this cartoon and was struck by the enormous power of consumerism and how every choice has the potential to have a global consequence. It is so important to be conscious of our choices as individuals and as nations. Do you support China's annexation of Tibet? Are you sure about that?

Food for thought?

 www.yourpotentialpower.com

Tags: beijing, parenting, life coach, parent, love

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Posted By: yourpotentialpower on

Wednesday, July 30th, 2008, 3:12 pm

Dear Blog Buddies,

Angelina and Brad finally welcomed their fraternal twins into the world this week in the South of France. YAY! It seems celebrity baby names are quite extraordinary these days. Their baby girl was named Vivienne Marcheline. Their baby boy was named Knox to go with their other boys Maddox and Pax. Sounds like a Dr. Seuss dream...."There is Knox in a box with a fox....etc....!"

And then Nicole Kidman had her baby on a Monday and named her Sunday.

Matthew McConaughey had a baby boy that he wanted to name Budweiser (OMG Men!) but eventually named him Levi. In the same vein, I am surprised there are not more children out there called Green Bay Packers or some such name. I had to persuade my husband not to include the names Callaway, Titleist or Ping in our son's name!

Then there is Gwyneth and Chris Martin with their delightful children Apple and Moses. They sound like some kind of weird twisted biblical expletive when you say the siblings names together. Oh Apple and Moses!!!!

Jamie Lynn Spears just had a bonny baby girl, Maddie. Should fit in well with the family. Mad, Madder, Maddie. Hmmmm.....

In the future will the singer/songwriters of the day be singing these names. Eg. Instead of Neil Diamond's 'Sweet Caroline' will Natasha Bedingfield be singing about 'Sweet Harlow Winter Kate?' (Nicole Richie's baby girl)

I think Sir Bob Geldof takes the biscuit though. His 3 daughters with Paula Yates are named Fifi Trixibelle Geldof, Peaches Honeyblossom Michelle Charlotte Angel Vanessa Geldof and Little Pixie Geldof. I kid you not! Imagine being called Little Pixie Geldof as a High School Senior!!!!! AAAARRRRGGGGHHHH!!!!

In a BBC Brit sitcom called the Vicar of Dibley there is a really lovable but dopey character called Alice Tinker and she wants to name her child after the Teletubbies- 'Tinkie Winkie La La Dipsy Po.' This is completely fictional sitcom stuff but I still think she gives Sir Bob a run for his money!! (Just as an aside, after reading the Da Vinci Code and noting that her name rhymes with chalice, Alice decides she is in fact a descendant of Jesus! Hehehhe!)

Frank Zappa has children called Moon Unit, Dweezil, Ahmet Emuukha Rodan and Diva Magick. Alrighty then!

So I researched the daftest name I could find. And here it is.....

Tarquin Fin-tin-lin-bin-whin-bim-lim-bus-stop-F'tang-F'tang-Olé-Biscuitbarrel.

It is his actual legal name. He is a British (had to be!!!) political candidate self-renamed after a Monty Python character. Born John Desmond Lewis.

I absolutely love all these names and applaud the creativity and guts of the above mentioned parents. Good on them, I say!

Does your child have an unusual name? Post them here and let me know, I would love to hear from you.

Abyssinia,

Love and light,

LauraXXXXXXXXX

www.yourpotentialpower.com

Tags: brad pitt, angelina jolie, baby names, brit blog, best blog

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Posted By: yourpotentialpower on

Wednesday, July 30th, 2008, 2:18 pm

Dear Blog Buddies,

Welcome! Thanks for clicking on me, reading this and becoming a blog buddy:0)

I have to tell you right off the bat that I am from England. I am a Brit, born and bred in England so I have to apologize up front for any peculiar English sayings (Eg. Ecky thump! Cor blimey! Ta ta for now!) and even more peculiar English spellings (Eg. I had to remember to put a z in apologize just now!)

Brits on TV such as Simon Cowell from American Idol and Gordon Ramsay from Hell's Kitchen may have contributed to an image of Brits being meanies. I would like to say, for the record, I am not a meanie but I am into straight talking.

Simon Cowell and Gordon Ramsay are without doubt fierce critics who offer their personal and professional opinions with confidence and brutal straight-talking that may make you cringe, cry, laugh or all of the above.

But they are honest. They are true to themselves. Perhaps they ham it up a little for entertainment purposes (most probably!) but they say it as they see it. They are fearless of reactions to their opinions.

And because of this they remind me of our children!

I believe our children have a similar Cowell/Ramsay ability to deliver blunt, straightforward, expert opinions on all manner of things they encounter in their young lives. It is like an innate ability to speak the truth as they see it with no fear of wounding or offending anyone, just like Cowell/Ramsay. Our children's brilliant opinions should not only be sought but encouraged.

Come on now you have all had those experiences with your children where they just lay the plain truth right at your feet like a little offering of wisdom especially for you. My son appears to be particularly gifted in this department. Asked if he likes my new groovy haircut he replies, "NO. EEEUUGGHH!"  Nice one. And there are pleeeeeennnnnntttttttyyyyyyy of other such examples. You know you've had those moments. You know what I am talking about!

Funnily enough, because the Cowells and the Ramsays of the world are so honest and truthful coupled with such a blunt delivery that is in no way softened, the receiver of their words of wisdom actually get to HEAR the words that are being spoken.  People may not like to hear such opinions and find them unpalatable and in conflict with the image and opinion they have of themselves and their abilities. Certainly they may disregard them in the short term. But such opinions may serve a greater purpose in the long term after private reflection and some soul-searching. Such truthful opinions coming from an honest place may actually promote an opportunity for an individuals growth and personal evolution. A wake-up call. A reality check.

Perhaps as parents we might reconsider the way we offer our opinions to our children. Take a leaf out of our childrens' book. If we are constantly rewarding them with "Good job!"  and "Well done!"  and "Congratulations!"  for every little burp, scribble, cute smile or good behavior, are we actually encouraging our children to perform life with an inner 'ta-da'  added to all they do with an expectation of reward or applause? Now I don't encourage you to be deliberately hurtful to your child. For instance if they offer you a piece of art work, please don't respond with, "Well, that's just crap isn't it?" (A la Ramsay) or if they recite a nursery rhyme, please don't respond with, "Well, that's a piano bar/ karaoke/ cruise ship performance, isn't it?" (A la Cowell).

Perhaps we can be honest in our responses to our children. Let's consider our choice of words. "I can see you were really focussed on drawing this picture. I really like the colors you have chosen. Tell me about it?" Is a response that is truthful, specific and constructive in you child's development. Let's trust that our children are strong, capable, independent thinkers and confident in themselves. If we constantly 'protect' and 'cushion' them from our honest opinions as their parents are we not conveying the message that they are weak, incapable and unable to handle an honest opinion?

I invite you to share stories of your children's Cowell/ Ramsay moments. I really look forward to reading them!

Ta ta for now!

Love and light,

Laura XXXXX

 www.yourpotentialpower.com

Tags: best blog, blog, brit blog, brit, fun

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