The Tommy Page

  Greta Garbo - a timeless, classic and elegent iconic figure of the silver screen was born a Libra on September 18, 1905 in Gustafson, Sweden. There has never been such a powerful screen pressence. She is credited as being The first modern woman.

One of Sweden’s leading film directors, Mauritz Stiller, discovered the young Garbo. He had been in search of what he called “the ideal woman.” He described this woman: “supersensual, spiritual, mystic” who would also be “sophisticated, scornful, superior, but under the shining surface humanely warm and womanly.” This ideal woman became Super Star Ms. Garbo…

Among Garbo’s most notable films are Flesh And The Devil (1927), Anna Christie (1930), Mata Hari (1931), Queen Christinea (1933), Anna Karenina (1935), Camille (1937) and Ninotchka (1939).

Garbo’s legacy is legendary. She is remembered as being illusive, sexually ambiguous, bi-sexual icon, enigmatic and reclusive.Toward her final 30 years after which she retired and resided in New York City, her plea - “I want to be alone!” was actualized. Garbo died at the age of 84 on March 15, 1990. For more photos and information about Garbo check out this site at http://home.hiwaay.net/~oliver/garbo.html

 The impossible is possible…

   Finally, the sun is out and the World is aglow. The joys of summer are looming ahead as a familiar inviting road. Time to dismiss woes of yester year; to rid the mind of downward thought; to entitle one’s self to the fruits of the World’s great gardens; to fathom the impossible as suddenly, possible.

     There is time left to embrace humanity; to make a difference; to enact kindness; to inspire the uninspired; to suggest something better to those who have lost that hopeful image; to incorporate creativity in all of life’s activities; to take a picture so it ”will last longer”; to write a love letter to one you love; to express words of appreciation for the blessings unfolded; to announce to one’s self that Life itself is a miracle!

     No matter what the pessimists say, there is potential to make the World as you wish it to be. If your life lacks color, buy some paint. If your life is humorless, be the star of your own situation comedy. If you are plain, ordinary, do something to celebrate your own extrordinary uniqueness. If you feel lack luster, simply go for a hike. If you are lonely, reach out to others who like you are alone, aloof maybe, somehow above admitting that part of life is a lonely trail.

     Take this World as being your own. Do not exploit what you have or could have, for those ”things” are there, naturally, working with and for you in unison, in a strange obliging way. Take heed, that we can all shape this life time into the life force we wish it to be. Like a mis-shapen clump of wet clay, simply form and direct your life as you would imagine it should be.  

     Be the protagonist of your own block buster! Emulate your heroes, but on your own unique terms! Decide who you are, what you want to do, what your legacy is while on this plane. Dare to make an impact amongst your own social circle of family, friends, acquaintances and co-workers. Be an acitivist for life by living the example you wish others to take note.

     Goodness is merely an expression of good heart, good soul, good deed, good words. Strike the negative words from your vocabulary, those terms utilized to tear down the symbols of greatness, love, kindness and enlightenment - for we really are what we say. If we only use positive words, we will bring forth goodness into our existence.

     Enable Yourself the Great Life We Are All Entitled…Amen

      “To boldly go…”

     For those of us who grew up watching “Star Trek” and living vicariously through Captain Kirk, Spok and a few of the other televised science fiction space travellers, there is now an astounding discovery made in the world of space which is somewhere beyond the five year mission, to go where no man - or woman - has gone before:

        This new discovery is the Planet Gliese 581-C, which was recently sited for the first time by the European Southern Observatory HARP telescope in Silla, Chile. What makes this new planet so significant, such an extraordinary revelation? According to scientists, 581-C is the first ”exoplanet” found outside our solar system that could support liquid water and therefore, contain life!

Other interesting facts about Planet 581-C:

* Since 581-C is not too far, yet not too close to it’s red dwarf star  (located 20.5 light years away), this allows for the planet to maintain water on its surface that neither freezes nor vaporizes.

* The new planet is 50 % bigger than Earth, five times as massive

* 581-C is the smallest extrasolar planet discovered to date

* 581-C is located 15 times closer to its star than Earth is to the sun

* One year on the new planet is equal to 13 Earth days.

* Since red dwarf stars (M dwarfs) are about 50 times dimmer than the sun, therefore much cooler, planets like 581-C can orbit much closer to them while still retaining liquid water that neither freezes nor vaporizes.

* Computer models predict Gliese 581-C is either a rocky Earth-like surface or watery, covered entirely by oceans.

* The mean temperature of this planet is estimated 32 to 104 degrees fahrenheit

In encourage you all to check out the Rosie O’Donnel Blog, otherwise known as the R Blog at http://www.rosie.com/blog . This comedian, actress, activist, talk show host includes commentaries and insightful, sometimes poetic, offerings for those of us who like to consider all sides of a given topic. I include the following as one of her recent blog entries:

Posted April 2, 2007:

“9/11 affected me deeply, as I know it did many Americans. The falling of the Twin Towers served to remind me that many of the assumptions Americans have about their lives are rooted in false feelings of security.In light of this reminder, I have begun doing exactly what this country , at its best, allows for me to do: Inquire. Investigate. America is great in so many ways, one of which is the freedom to speak and, indeed, think - freely. I have, of late, begun exercizing the rights bestowed upon me by the democratic system I value, and the exercizing of these rights has taken the form of an inquiry into what happened 5 years ago, an inquiry that resists the dominant explanations and taht dares to entertain ideas that push me to the edge of what is bearable. I have come to no conclusions and given the scope of this subject, will not for some time…If the very act of asking is so destabilizing for people, than I have to wonder whether the fabric of a democracy is indeed so raveled it is beyond salvage. My own belief is taht the act of asking is itself reparative, because it brings to life the values on which our constitution rests. I am, therefore, pledging my allegiance, hand over heart, trying, as always, for a rigorous truth.”

(Please include The R Blog as one of your “favorites”. It is vital to get all sides of the issues, even from those you deem as having opposing points of view).

               A note to you readers: For further reading of my writings and other works completed, check out the archives of this blog at : http://tommypage.blog.com  ; Also, be sure to scroll down on this page and the above-mentioned blog as to not miss other additions. I sincerely hope you are inspired…Thank you!

  “If we have no peace, it is because we have forgotten that we belong to each other”

                                                                 - Mother Theresa -

        American Military Deaths In Iraq:

                             TOTAL          IN COMBAT

SINCE 5/1/2003           3121                     2551

SINCE WAR BEGAN       3260                    2659

TOTAL WOUNDED           24,314

    - WRITTEN BY LENNON/McCARTNEY - 1970

When I find myself in trouble

Mother Mary comes to me

Speaking words of wisdom, let it be

And in my hour of darkness she is

standing right in front of me

Speaking words of wisdom, let it be

Let it be, let it be, let it be, let it be

Whisper words of wisdom, let it be

And when the broken hearted people

Living in the world agree

There will be an answer, let it be

For though they may be parted there is

still a chance that they will see

There will be an answer, let it be

Let it be, let it be , let it be, let it be

There will be an answer, let it be

And when the night is cloudy

There is still a light that shines on me

Shine until tomorrow, let it be

I wake up to the sound of music

Mother Mary comes to me

Speaking words of wisdom, let it be

Let it be, let it be, let it be, let it be

There will be an answer, let it be

          - WRITTEN BY JOAN BAEZ - 1971

Blessed are the one-way ticket

Holders on the one-way street

Blessed are the midnight riders

For in the shadow of God they sleep

Blessed are the huddled hikers

Staring out at falling rain

Wond’ring at the retribution

In their personal acquaintance with pain

Blessed are the blood relations

Of the young ones who have died

Who had not the time or patience

To carry on this earthly ride

Rain will come and rain will blow

Wild deer die in the mountain snow

Birds will beat at Heaven’s wall

What comes to one will come to all

For you and I are one-way ticket

Holders on that one-way street

Which lies across a golden valley

Where the waters of joy and hope run deep

So if you pass the parents weeping

Of the young ones who have died

Take them to your warmth and keeping

For blessed are the tears they cried

And many were the years they tried

Take them to that valley wide

And let their souls be passified

     - WRITTEN BY THOM R. SKIENS - APRIL 8, 2007 -

A new kind of engine

that promotes kind deeds

is fastened, secured

though it makes ‘bleeding heart’ heart-bleeds

Mechanical thing, you might call it:

a device to control, to plan;

to void the leaders from leading;

to halt the armies to stand

But when strapped to the head of a killer

the machine does squelch the kill will

The will to kill

Subdue it like a pill

The violence and blood put to rest

that leaders like Bush do impress

A new kind of Engine

that promotes kind deeds

is in the works…

if we will it to be