Friday, December 22, 2006

Creches From Around the World


Russian Icon.
Nativity of Christ.
15th century.
Novgorod school.
The Tretyakov Gallery, Moscow.


Robert Campin.
Nativity.
c. 1425-1430.
Oil on wood.
Musée des Beaux-Arts, Dijon, France.



Matthias Grünewald.
Concert of Angels (left) and Nativity (right). 1510-1515. Oil on panel.
Musée d'Unterlinden, Colmar, France



Alessandro Botticelli.
Mystic Nativity. 1500.
Tempera on canvas.
National Gallery, London




Caravaggio.
Nativity with Saints Francis and Lawrence., 1609. Oil on canvas.
San Lorenzo, Palermo, Italy.
Caravaggio byname of Michelangelo Merisi.

Note: This painting was stolen in 1969 from the Oratory of San Lorenzo, Palermo

I hope all of you have a wonderful weekend! Merry Christmas!

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N Posted by Rain at 12/22/2006 08:21:00 PM

Wednesday, December 20, 2006

Art Through A Childs Eyes.


In Languages from around the world
Now you can greet your international friends with a warm Christmas wish in their own native language.

(Albanian) - Gezur Krislinjden
(Argentine) - Feliz Navidad Y Un Prospero Ano Nuevo
(Armenian) - Shenoraavor Nor Dari yev Pari Gaghand
(Bohemian) - Vesele Vanoce
(Brazilian) - Feliz Natal e Prospero Ano Novo
(China - Cantonese) - Gun Tso Sun Tan'Gung Haw SunSing Dan Fai Lok
(China - Mandarin) - Kung His Hsin Nien bing Chu Shen TanSheng Dan Kuai Le
(Croatian) - Sretan BozicÈestit Boiæ i sretna Nova godina (Czech) - Prejeme Vam Vesele Vanoce a stastny Novy Rok
(Danish) - Gledlig jul og godt Nytt Aar



Santa's Workshop
By Norman Rockwell

Dutch) - Vrolijk Kerstfeest en een Gelukkig Nieuwjaar Dutch
(Netherlands) - Prettig Kerstfeest
(Filipinos) - Maligayang Pasko
(Finnish) - Hauskaa Joulua Hyvää joulua ja Onnellista uutta vuotta
(French) - Joyeux Noël et heureuse année
(Gaelic-Irish) - Nolag mhaith Dhuit Agus Bliain Nua Fe Mhaise
(Gaelic-Scot) - Nollaig Chridheil agus Bliadhna Mhath Ur
(German) - Frohe Weihnachten und ein glückliches neues Jahr
(Greek) - Kala Khristougena kai Eftikhes to Neon Ethos
(Hawaiian) - Mele Kalikimake me ka Hauloi Makahiki hou

Snow Sculpturing
By Norman Rockwell

(Hebrew) - Mo'adim Lesimkha
(Hindi) - Shubh Christmas
(Hungarian) - Kellemes Karacsonyi unnepeketBoldog Karacsonyl es Ujevl Unnepeket Kellemes Karacsonyt Es Boldog Uj Evet
(Icelandic) - Gledileg jol og farsaelt komandi arGledlig jol og Nyar
(Indonesia) - Selamat Hari NatalSelamah Tahun Baru
(Irish) - Nollaig Shona Duit
(Irish) - Nodlaig mhaith chugnat
(Italian) - Buon Natale e Felice Anno Nuovo Buone Feste NatalizieBuon Natale e felice Capodanno
(Japanese) - Shinnen omedeto. Kurisumasu Omedeto
(Korean) - Chuk Sung TanSung Tan Chuk Ha.
(Lithuanian) - Linksmu Kaledu
linksmu sventu Kaledu ir Laimingu Nauju Metu
If you want to see more, please go here


Checking his List
By Norman Rockwell


Santa's Helpers
By Norman Rockwell


December 2, 1922
- The Saturday Evening Post



New Year Look
By Norman Rockwell

This is one of my personal favorites, it reminds me of my own grandparents!

******

Today I went to a Christmas party held for children that have been sexually, physically and emotionally abused. We had lunch, sang songs and of course Santa was there with a present for each and every child.

I was given a tour of the building and was given a brief description of the different therapy's that are provided in each room. At the end of the short tour I was in a room where the children use different mediums of art as a form of therapy. The walls were covered in paintings, sketches, drawings and collages.

Never in my entire life have I been so affected by art and completely overwhelmed. Art so graphic and that screamed out;


Pain.
Violence.
Fear.
Anger.
Hurt.
Helplessness.

I started to turn around because of all the feelings that were being absorbed through every pore in my body and I knew that I needed to get out of the room. Just for the record, just because I am Bipolar does not mean that I am an emotional basket case. In fact before being diagnosed I was non emotional, being described as unfeeling and almost cold hearted by my family. Just as I was starting to cry, I felt a small hand touch my arm. When I looked down, there was a beautiful little girl, (I am going to call her Amy) saying "Excuse me, do you want to see my new painting?"

It took me what felt like hours only it was only a matter of seconds to respond and comprehend that she was speaking to me. In Amy's hand was a picture and she was trying to hand it to me. I took the painting from her, headed out of the room and I found a chair to sit on in the hallway.

Amy sat down next to me and started describing what was going on in her painting. On the left, was a monster that was behind bars. The monster had red eyes and a huge tongue sticking out of its mouth. She told me the monster was "him" and that she was so glad he was in jail for ever. There were two police officers standing guard on each side of the bars with guns. In the center, was a big building with rooms full of beds and at the bottom were two female figures walking out of the building with suitcases. Amy explained that those figures were her mother and her leaving the shelter together. To the right was a huge rainbow and at the end of the rainbow was a house with flowers and a cloud in the shape of a smiling face. Amy said that the house was their new home with lots of pretty flowers. When I asked Amy about the face in the cloud, she said simply "That is God, silly. He loves us and provides for us."

Amen Amy. Amen.


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N Posted by Rain at 12/20/2006 01:02:00 AM

Tuesday, December 19, 2006

Holiday Tips for Everyone


Bipolar Disorder: Family Holiday Tips Published in its entirety. I believe this article is good for everyone.


Does someone you love have bipolar disorder? Help them have happier holidays with these tips.

If you have a loved one with bipolar disorder, the holidays come with a lot of anxiety. You never quite know what to expect. But by being open and planning ahead, there are many ways to help your loved one -- and that can make the holidays happier for everyone.

  • Be direct. This is by far the most important suggestion when helping a loved with bipolar disorder. Don't just guess at how you can help; sit down and talk with your loved one. Ask what you can do. Ask how you can check in on them without being intrusive. Preferably, do it early -- aim for late October, says Ellen Frank, PhD, director of the depression and manic depression prevention program at the University of Pittsburgh's Western Psychiatric Institute and Clinic.
  • Think about what's worked in the past and what hasn't. Try to recreate the aspects of past holidays that have worked and avoid those that haven't, says Raymond L. Crowel, PsyD, of the National Mental Health Association. For instance, if you see an unpleasant pattern -- like a happy holiday party that usually devolves into a nasty fight in the late evening -- reschedule things. Plan your dinner for earlier in the day and end the party before things typically go awry.
  • Offer to help. If your loved one with bipolar disorder is hosting a family dinner, pitch in early. He or she may really need assistance in planning it from the start. Once you get close to the actual date, arrive early to help with final preparations.
  • Pare down the guest list. A huge family gathering may be overwhelming for a person with bipolar disorder. If you're hosting, think about planning something more modest this year, especially if there are specific family members who tend to trigger mood swings in your loved one. In order to make it up to the people you didn't invite, get together with them after your loved one with bipolar disorder has left.
  • Change the venue. If holidays have been difficult for your loved one in the past, try mixing things up. Plan a holiday dinner out or a day at the movies. A change in routine could help keep everyone from falling into familiar patterns.
  • Think about limiting alcohol. If your loved one with bipolar disorder has problems with alcohol, find ways to de-emphasize it. "Some families decide that if a person has been having trouble with alcohol, they will have an alcohol-free holiday that year," says Michael E. Thase, MD, professor of psychiatry at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center.
  • Offer a place to go during a party. If you're hosting a get-together, offer your loved one a place to retreat to during the party if things get too intense. Having a place to unwind for a few minutes by lying down, reading, or watching television may make him or her much more relaxed.
  • Don't forget about your own needs. If you sacrifice everything for your loved one with bipolar disorder, you may just wind up unhappy and resentful. So try to strike a balance between what your loved one wants and what you want.


Accept your limitations too. No matter what you do, you can't single-handedly keep another person safe and happy -- whether they're coping with bipolar disorder or any other condition. Make sure to get help from other family members. You may benefit from seeing a therapist to help you tackle some of these difficult issues.


Published Nov. 14, 2006.
SOURCES: Raymond L. Crowel, PsyD, vice president, mental health and substance abuse services, National Mental Health Association (NMHA), Alexandria, Va. Ellen Frank, PhD, director, depression and manic depression prevention program, Western Psychiatric Institute and Clinic, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburg, Pa. Michael E. Thase, MD, professor of psychiatry, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, Pittsburg.


Thank you for the cartoon Benita! LOL


One Christmas party down, three to go! Have a wonderful day everyone! Please don't drink and drive =0)

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N Posted by Rain at 12/19/2006 12:52:00 AM

Monday, December 18, 2006

Glamour Monday


Donna Reed



"It's A Wonderful Life" Myths and Rumors

It is also often quoted that psychiatrists would recommend It's a Wonderful Life to patients suffering from depression. This was because it was such a well known feel-good movie, and it generated positive results. However, contemporary psychiatrists would probably scoff at this idea; in the Special Edition video, this theory is quoted.

Another rumor is that Pink Floyd album Wish You Were Here can be played alongside the film with key events in the movie tying in with song lyrics. The similarities are said to be more noticeable than in the other claimed Pink Floyd movie sync with The Wizard of Oz and Dark Side of the Moon.

Movie Trivia

The Motion Picture Association of America's strict production code in 1946 censored such phrases and words as "nuts to you", "impotent", "dang", "lousy", and "jerk". But Capra managed to bypass the production code stipulating that criminals be punished for their crime: Potter never met justice for stealing the $8,000. Capra noted several times that he had received more mail about this point than anything else in the film.

After Uncle Billy chooses between his three wavering hats and leaves George's house drunk, it sounds as if he is falling over trash cans. This scene was unplanned. A technician accidentally dropped some equipment off-set, making a loud noise. Shouting "I'm all right, I'm all right," the actor saved the take and made comedic history. The stagehand made an extra $10.

In one scene, during a run on the bank, George must persuade Bailey Building & Loan depositors not to demand the return of their deposits. This scene takes place about 1932 or 1933, just before the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation and the Federal Savings and Loan Insurance Corporation were created to prevent such financial catastrophes.
********
This weekend was wonderful, and full of holiday fun. Rainman and I served meals to the homeless and as always, it truly is a humbling experience. It is really hard not to take home each and every child that is currently living on the streets of San Diego. My family is truly blessed. We have a roof over our heads, food, clothing, toothpaste, medicines, hair brushes and toilet paper all within arms reach.
We also went to church, listened to a wonderful choir and watched a children's play based on The Nativity. After that, we went to The Old Globe Theater to see Dr.Seuss' "How the Grinch Stole Christmas" and the performance was wonderful!
I finally finished decorating the tree. Yay me! Also I made more fudge, five different kinds of cookies and two apple pies for a Christmas Party. (Angel in case you are wondering, no I did not even taste any of the yummy smelling food! ;0)
How was your weekend?

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N Posted by Rain at 12/18/2006 12:05:00 AM