Check out TWM's Founder, Kristina Leonardi, who has several articles featured in this month's issue of the new international Inspire Magazine!
Based in South Africa, Inspire Virtual Mag looks at the modern woman, the woman who wants to find the balance between work, play and being. Content ranging from informative business and life style articles through to beauty, fashion, dcor and tech features is what makes Inspire Virtual Mag a unique and true something for everybody publication.
Download the magazine and read Kristina's articles on pages 16-17; 24-25; 118-119, 148-149
The following was originally posted on November 28, 2012 on Kristina's blog.
CHICKS ROCK! is happy to have Kristina back as a guest blogger this week. Kristina Leonardi is the founder of The Women’s Mosaic.
She is a career/life coach, speaker, seminar leader and
expert in the areas of career development, work/life wellness and
personal growth
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Do you have the discipline to be a free spirit? ~ Gabrielle Roth
In the movie Silver Linings Playbook,
the main characters Pat and Tiffany are in training for a big dance
competition that turns out to be much more than a fancy booty shaking
contest. A unique romantic dramedy, it’s a film that shows there is a
fine line between sanity and insanity, acceptable versus unacceptable
behavior, and the beauty of living life to the beat of your own drum.
In the movie The Sessions,
Mark O’Brien is confined to an iron lung 20 hours a day, existing on a
gurney unable to move from the neck down, and yet he writes poetry, is a
professional journalist and decides to hire a sex surrogate so he can
experience the most human of experiences. We go along on his journey
(based on a true story!) and find him to be one of the most alive, loving and liberated individuals to have ever lived despite such extreme physical limitations.
And as seen in the movie Lincoln,
our 16th president is clearly not your Average Joe. He was always
thinking out of the box, used his quirky sense of humor to diffuse or
illuminate situations, and took numerous risks throughout the most
heart-wrenching circumstances our country has endured. He stretched the
Constitution to its limit, working within an established framework while implementing his own interpretation and/or
bending the rules based on his hard-earned wisdom, keen observations
and superior judgement as unprecedented needs arose and critical
decisions had to be made in order for progress to occur.
In the conscious movement class I take, we are told to ‘dance it
your way’ and have breaks of ‘free dance’ where we boogie as we see
fit; it’s not chaotic because there is an organized structure and unity
contained within the flow as we come back together intermittently as a
group throughout the hour. It’s a super-small class because for many
people, when given the opportunity to move and think for themselves,
even for just a few moments, is a daunting and uncomfortable feeling; it’s an empowering exercise that requires more effort and less inhibition,
and many simply don’t know what to do if they are not following the
instructor. And that, my friends, is indicative of a larger problem with
implications reaching much farther than a gym studio.
Spielberg’s Lincoln asks, “Do you think we choose to be born? Or are we fitted to the times we’re born into?”
As citizens of the 21st century, we are certainly living in
extraordinary times that will require us to become the fullest and most
unique beings we are meant to be. We each have something that needs to
be expressed, something that no other person on this planet, no one who
has come before or will come after can express. Right now we need new
ways of looking at old problems and to change old ways in order deal
with new problems, so it’s more important than ever for you to do your own thang, because there is no other way to generate inspiration and birth innovation.
In any era it’s easy to get stuck in past habits and sucked into the zeitgeist of the day.
Resist the urge to follow the herd, fight to honor yourself, think and
speak your own thoughts and begin to know and create yourself anew every
moment of every day instead of getting swept up by social media, news,
commercials, and even your peer groups, work and ethnic cultures or
family and friends who are all, consciously or not, forces that can
easily grab hold of your mind, body, spirit and/or bank account. Don’t let your physical characteristics, family roots or societal dictates squash all the rhythms inside you that might be quite different from what those outside influences might have you believe, say or do.
Not sure exactly what your groove thing is? Give me a buzz and
I’ll get you started with some basic choreography and point you in the
right direction, because ultimately You Should Be Dancing your own steps throughout life, hopefully with a fun disco floor beneath your feet along the way!
In addition to Sally's helpful post, check out the HBO flick "Iron Jawed Angels" that TWM held a screening of in 2004. It's a powerful depiction of what the end of the women's sufferage movement experienced to give us this precious right that we hope all of you are exercising today!
More than a decade ago, I saw one of my first Broadway shows, The Phantom of the Opera. It was the first show I obsessed over: I bought the highlights soundtrack, tried to learn every voice part in "Masquerade," and imagined myself someday belting out "Wishing You Were Somehow Here Again" (even though I wasn't a soprano and didn't have an opera voice).
Because I love Broadway, people often ask me what show to watch and I always include Phantom in my list of recommendations. But I realized sometime this year that what was once burned in my brain was now an incredibly distant memory. I still knew the story and listened to the songs, but I could no longer visualize any parts of the show.
So when my cousin got in touch with me about seeing something during Broadway Week, Phantom was the first show that came to mind. We finally went last week and I was blown away at how much I loved it! If it was even remotely possible, I loved it even more now than I ever remembered loving it before. The music, the drama, the emotion, the chandelier... Everything about it is perfect. I didn't cry nearly as much as I thought I would, but I also found myself holding my breath at times, which I certainly did not expect.
I am constantly amazed at the power of theater and music to move people the way it does. Some shows are great but others are mind-blowing, and I'm so happy to have had the experience again. Now that I'm taking voice lessons again, maybe in a few months I'll be able to master "Wishing You Were Somehow Here Again."
The following was originally posted on October 10,2010. It is being re-posted as part of our CHICKS ROCK! Summer Retrospective.
After years of resisting, this season I've finally broken down and started watching ABC's Dancing with the Stars. Friends who know that I'm a former ballroom dancer constantly tell me I've been missing out. ("You'd love this show. You have to watch.") Instead, I studiously avoided it. I couldn't make it through a single episode, because I quickly realized that there's nothing more annoying and painful than watching people do something I enjoy doing when I can't do it myself.
Beginning in college up through my first years living in NYC, I participated in ballroom dancing clubs and classes. I cut out this activity because, after my career transition, it was no longer in my budget. Ballroom dancing lessons are surprisingly expensive! But I haven't stopped thinking about how much I enjoyed a good tango or rumba back in the day. Seeing Dancing with the Stars simply made me sad about it.
I'm not sure what caused me to give the show a second chance this fall. I'm even less sure why I'm not still hating it. I can't quite say I enjoy watching, but something new is going on for me. Perhaps some inner strand of optimism has risen to the surface. Because I've discovered that rather than being something to pine over, the show can be a way to savor something. The memory of my dancing days, plus the hope that I can begin again sometime soon. Better than memory or hope, even, is the potential that the show itself will inspire me to seek new ways of satisfying my desire to dance. Maybe I can locate an inexpensive ballroom class or even find a place to cha-cha my little heart out for free. Because, after having loved and missed something so much for so long, maybe it's time to open the door to opportunities again.
Is there a hobby or activity you've given up that you'd like to bring back into your life?
I've recently been watching the television series MAD MEN for the first time. Ever since it debuted, friends have been telling me "Oh, it's so good. You should watch it. You'll enjoy it."
Now, I'm definitely a big t.v. fan--I watch way too much in general. I like dramas, I love history, of course I should be watching MAD MEN. But I never got into it. I caught an episode or two over time, and it always struck me as a lot of work, somehow. Not that the show was difficult to follow, but on a deeper level I found it a little bit hard to watch. From an artistic standpoint, it's a strong show, and one that I actually do want to experience...and yet....
I never gave it much thought, figuring, if I can live without getting hooked on yet another t.v. show, that's all the better for my life. But yesterday I caught an episode of Melissa Harris-Perry on MSNBC in which she brought up the cultural phenomenon of MAD MEN, and she talked about it in a way that finally made my relationship to the show make sense.
She said: MAD MEN romanticizes an era in which women, people of color, Jews, gays, etc. were treated horribly, yet rather than promoting outrage or even opening people's eyes, the show seems to be inspiring nostalgia for "the good old days" when life was so carefree and days were spent drinking and smoking in the office. Sure, she said, it's nice to think about how much has changed since then, but the more important question is why, at this moment in time, when we're all paying so much lipservice to diversity, are Americans wanting to harken back to "the good old days" of rampant sexism, racism, antisemitism and homophobia? Does a show like MAD MEN prove that these -isms still live closer to the surface than we think they do? Are we really comfortable fantasizing about how mean upper and middle class white men used to be to everyone else?
Television is about escapism, at least for me. I feel the same way about books and movies. Sure, non-fiction is great and sometimes I read or watch to be informed and to learn, but my preference is to be swept away into another world, lifted right out of my overly analytical brain and plopped into some fantasy. I can't do that with MAD MEN, because the world it projects is not a fantasy world to me. It's not a place to lose myself, it's a place where I feel guarded and on edge, and maybe that works for some viewers, but I use t.v. to relax and unwind. What scares me about Melissa Harris-Perry's perspective is that maybe others are using this show as escapism, too, and I don't like the feeling that we as a culture may still be fantasizing about this kind of lifestyle.
Now that I know how I feel about MAD MEN and why, I can put the show where it belongs in my own mind, a watch and enjoy it as such. But when I think about some of the political conversations that are going on right now in the real world (how much control should women really be allowed to have over their reproductive rights? is it okay to shoot an unarmed black teenager, no real reason need be given?) I think the question about what kind of society we are pushing toward is pretty valid.
What do you think? Do you watch MAD MEN? What makes it enjoyable for you?
The end of February is near, which means that most people are excited about being just a bit closer to spring. But what I'm excited about is Oscar weekend!
For the third year in a row, my sister and I are going to AMC's Best Picture Showcase. This means that for 24 hours this weekend, we'll be holed up at the AMC in Times Square, enjoying some of the best performances of 2011. The weekend will likely lack in comfort and convenience -- there's only so many popcorn refills you can handle in a 24-hour period and those theater seats don't even recline -- but I'm so excited about watching the films, talking to other movie-lovers, spending the weekend with my sis, and having an excuse to eat whoppers at 2am.
Having learned a bit from the last 2 years, I've already got a comfortable outfit picked out with plenty of layers (yoga pants, a tank, t-shirt, AND hoodie), a list of snacks to buy (peanuts M&Ms and granola bars), and my naptime movies picked out (the two I've already seen: Midnight in Paris and The Help).
The movie marathon ends around 11am on Sunday, giving us enough time to head home, shower, nap, and make some snacks to keep us going through the Oscars Sunday night. To make things even more fun this year, I'll probably be taking part in some live-tweeting or live-blogging on Oscar night, covering everything from the red carpet fashion to the tears, jeers, and cheers of the awards show.
The Golden Globes have passed but there are still the SAG Awards and Oscars to look forward to, so let's talk movies. What were some of your favorites in 2011? Which did you wish you had seen?
With bitterly cold weather and shorter, darker days for the next few months, and no set getaways planned for the near future, I escape into books, good movies, and television when I can. My new favorite television show that helps me escape when I want to is House Hunters International. There is an American version of the series, but I prefer seeing how people from all over the world buy or rent properties from countries other than their own. The locations can be beautiful, mediocre, or horrible, but none of these details deter me; I am interested in what motivates people to live outside of their comfort zones.
I know what it is like to live outside of my comfort zone; living in Indonesia in a rented house was definitely a challenge. I became accustomed to the extremely hot climate, mosquitoes, and battled food poisoning on and off for the first six months of my stay there. When I rented the house, I had to pay my rent for one year in advance, which was something I had never heard of before. I remembered this when I saw an episode of House Hunters International based in Indonesia, when a very uninformed expatriate grappled with the inevitability of paying all of her rent up front. Of course, the rent for one year tends to be much lower than in the United States; as an ESL teacher, I was given a housing allowance that equaled $10,000 US dollars, and paid $2,000 extra of my own money to rent the house I wanted that was walking distance from the school. The advantages and disadvantages of living in another country unlike my own made me more open-minded, even more so than I was before. House Hunters International reminds me of the education I received about these matters.
Of course, I will not be satisfied with “arm chair” escape only. These distractions sustain me while I get used to 2012 and make plans for it. I am definitely getting many ideas!
What are your favorite vicarious escapes from the daily grind?
This month, we're taking a trip down memory lane and reliving some great and not-so-great moments.
For today's trip, we want to know about the first time you watched or remember watching your favorite movie. What movie was it? Why did you like it so much?
Many of us have celebrities that either people think we look like or we like to think we look like. Whichever it is, it's sometimes fun to think about.
Is there any celebrity you have been or might be mistaken for?
In keeping with last week's theme of doing and not doing what you love, there certainly are things we always seem to find time and money for. They aren't quite the same thing, of course, because they're simply for enjoyment or entertainment and require no commitment or work on our part.
Take theater, for instance, which I've been spending quite a bit of time and money on these past few months. Those of you who've been reading for a while know that I really enjoy going to the theater. Shakespeare in the Park is one of the highlights of my summers, and this past one was no exception. I've also seen Hair, Newsies (now a musical playing in NJ), Sleep No More, and Hamlet at the Hudson Valley Shakespeare Festival. Tomorrow night, I'm seeing Rent and in a couple of weeks, I'm going to Sleep No More again. I've spent hundreds of dollars on tickets and countless hours traveling to and attending these shows.
It's been a lot of fun and I feel enriched by these activities and sharing them with people I care about. But while I've had a great time experiencing theater this year, I guess my point is that adding up all those hours makes me feel even worse about neglecting other things that are important to me, like writing. Why do I choose to distract myself with something like an expensive musical when I could be at home relaxing and getting some words down? I'm hoping to make some better choices through the rest of this year... that is, right after Rent tomorrow night!
My mother just celebrated her 60th birthday, and when it came time to give her a gift, I found myself at a bit of a loss. What do you get for the gal who has everything? (By which, of course, I mean, the woman who has me for a daughter?) I actually had this thought in my head (in jest, of course), and after I got over that particularly egotistical moment, I realized that there was actually a bit of merit to my initial reaction. Here's how:
My mom lives halfway across the country from me, and one of the things that makes her happy is when she gets to see me (of course) and short of that, when she gets to talk to me on the phone. But, there are only so many things you can talk about on the phone without repeating yourself, so I had a new creative idea of how we could share an activity together long-distance. We are both nerdy, bookish, puzzler-types and we both enjoy word and logic puzzles like crosswords, Sudoku and picture logic.
My idea was that if we both had the same puzzle book, and started the same puzzle at the same time, we could call one another when we got stumped and it would be like we were sitting at the same table working on a giant jigsaw like we often do over the holidays. I thought it would be a nice piece of me to share with her.
She was very excited to receive the gift (because while she doesn't truly have everything, she doesn't need more stuff, either. Who does?) and she appreciated the gift of my time as much as the gift of the puzzle book (which, let's not lie, saved me some moolah). Even though we haven't started our shared puzzles yet, I am also really looking forward to calling her tonight to see how it goes!
I'm sure once we get on the phone we will revert to the old standbys--(Mom: How was your day? Me: How's Dad? Mom: Sold any books lately? Me: How's Dad?)--but the puzzles look like fun, too, and it will be nice to be together for a while, even from a distance.
You know those annoying pop-up surveys that sometimes come up when you're browsing online? Not the spam ones that you automatically close, but the briefer, official ones that are designed as market research for the company whose website you're surfing. I recently completed a fairly detailed one on the entertainment industry.*
(*SIDEBAR: Most people probably click past these, too, but I'm a geek for this sort of thing. Back in school, I was the kind of dork who looked forward to standardized testing days, because it meant I got to fill in all those little bubbles on the paper. Ahem.)
This survey started by asking how often I go to the movie theater, and it gave options ranging from once or twice a year to two or three per week. I automatically clicked the most frequent option....then realized I haven't been to a movie in over a month. In fact, there have been several months over the past year when I haven't been to even one movie.
The realization actually shocked me, because I used to go to movies ALL THE TIME. At least one per weekend, if not two or three, if several new releases seemed interesting enough. I've just been so busy with work and travel lately, and the friends I tend to see movies with have been, too. I've missed seeing some things I was looking forward to, and I suspect much more has gone by without my notice.
I can't decide whether to celebrate this shift, for all the reasons that it means I'm out in the world having adventures, or to mourn the fact that a pastime I truly loved seems to have fallen by the wayside.
Have you discovered any changed habits lately, for better or worse?
For a lot of us, the last Harry Potter movie marks the end of an era. We grew up with the books and looked forward to each movie, even if it was just to complain that it was nothing like the book. So while saying goodbye to the books was hard enough, knowing that the movies are also behind us now makes it even more final. And, of course, I was right there with a front-row seat (so to speak) at a midnight showing.
The movie itself was entertaining and even though sometimes it felt like they were trying really hard to tie up loose ends, I thought it did the book justice. It did such a good job at that, that I found myself mourning the series in a way I didn't fully do when I finished reading the books. The deaths in the last book were some of the most intense in the series. Add to that a couple of gut-wrenching storylines and you have an emotionally exhausting experience. But because I read the book so quickly, there were things I missed or things I wasn't able to fully take in until later.
But the truth is, it wasn't just about the books or the movies, it was about everything they represented for me and everything that has changed in my life since finishing the books. I moved out of my parents' home soon after finishing the series, got engaged a few months after that, and have since moved four times and broken up with my fiance. I've lost and gained friends, pounds, and incredible memories. And, yes, a lot of those things were running through my head as I watched the final movie and cried my eyes out. (No, really, it was rather embarrassing for my sisters, who had to deal with my best friend and I sobbing.)
I can't help but appreciate everything the series meant to me and how it's still able to touch me in ways I'd never expect it to. It's rather incredible for "some books about a boy wizard," no?
It's officially over. With the release of the final film, the magical series that captivated millions around the world is now really over. Whether or not you became a fan, the series left its mark on pop culture.
Did you get caught up in the magic of Harry Potter? Are you watching the movie this weekend to say goodbye to the series?
Now that the release of “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2” is approaching, I think back to when the first movie came out. I already loved the books before learning about the initial film, and was slightly skeptical about how the books would come to life in film. Many have never recovered from the Star Wars prequel films (me included) and I went to the movie theater, sat down in a musty chair, and watched “Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone” with a certain degree of bias. I walked out of the theater realizing that I had just seen a very good movie. Each film got better after that initial release, and all of the same actors stayed with their roles over the years. And now, it has all come to the final film. I just had to mark the occasion with my latest post.
I will always remember the first film, but my absolute favorite has to be “The Goblet of Fire,” which is due to many reasons, one of them being the villain’s depiction for the first time in human (or semi-human) form. As for the books, I have several favorites. For now, “The Deathly Hallows” is the one that I keep going back to. I remember pre-ordering the book months in advance, and choosing the edition with more of the artwork on the cover and a special case. It was only a few dollars extra, but to me it was worth it. When the book was finally released, I got it first thing in the morning on my doorstep and proceeded to devour every word, which took me three days. I dreaded the inevitable last page, but when it came, I found myself thinking how fitting an ending it was for Harry Potter, and wondering how it would work on screen. Soon anyone who wants to know will know on screen.
There are other books I love more of course, but I will always have a special place in my heart for this series. All good things must come to an end.
So....dare I say we've all done it? Held a hairbrush (or whatever's handy) as if it's a microphone and practiced our Oscar-winning speech in the mirror? Oh. No? Not everyone? Just me? Well, that's embarrassing....
If you haven't guessed already, I was watching the 65th Annual Tony Awards on TV last night. I'm not an actor, but it's nice to dream. I'm not a playwright, either, but I dabble. Of course, watching the show makes me want to throw it all away and start writing The Great American Stage Play so that someday I might be able to get up on stage and cry and thank a bunch of people. The only thing that stops me is the knowledge that playwriting is not the medium in which I speak best. I'm a novelist because it's what I love, and what I'm good at.
But watching people who have risen to the epitome of their profession is always inspiring. It reassures me that all the hard work might actually be worth it in the end. For my particular world, the Tony/Oscar equivalent is the American Library Association's Youth Media Awards, which are announced in mid-winter and awarded in June at the ALA national conference. I'll be headed down to New Orleans for said conference in a couple of weeks. A few close friends/colleagues have been honored this year and I look forward to celebrating these honors with them.
Full disclosure requires me to admit that my first novel actually won one of these awards, a New Talent award under the Coretta Scott King Awards banner. (Yay!) I've even been to a televised award show (the NAACP Image Awards) for the same book. (Woot.) That was over a year ago, and I'm still very pleased and proud to have earned these mentions, but it doesn't stop me from dreaming of hitting the same jackpot again, and it certainly doesn't stop me from dreaming even bigger.
Who do you thank in your mirror acceptance speeches? If you sincerely dream of being on one of those famous stages, what are you doing RIGHT NOW that might help get you there?
A little-known fact about me: I had childhood dreams of being on Broadway. In elementary school and junior high, I was in school productions of Guys and Dolls (twice) and West Side Story. My dream role was Anita and I was convinced that when it had its next revival, I would somehow quit my job, audition, and blow everyone away even though I was completely inexperienced. Alas, that didn't happen -- shocker of all shockers, I know.
What did stick from this time was a love for theater. I keep track of upcoming shows, I read reviews, I look out for gossip on my favorite shows... I'm not as obsessive as I could be, it just seems to surprise people how much I care considering I'm not in the business. But on days like today when the Tony nominations come out, I get to blend in with all the other people who are equally excited.
And excited I am! So please forgive me while I get all theater geek on you today.
I got to watch The Book of Mormon just a couple of days before its opening night, and I had a great time. I'm not at all surprised it got 14 nominations, but there are other shows I'm also happy for. The Scottsboro Boys, for example, is one show I missed because it closed so quickly and I was bummed because it seemed like an incredible show. It seems the committee agreed! Nominations for The Merchant of Venice are also well-deserved, and I'm glad Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson was nominated for something.
I'm surprised Sister Act received so many nominations (it seems a bit boring to me...), but I'm even more surprised that Wonderland wasn't nominated for anything at all. Reviews weren't great and people either love it or hate it, but it doesn't take a genius to see that the costume design on that show is awesome! From the videos I've seen, the lighting is pretty good too. Bummer.
I'll spare you more of my geekiness and leave it at that, but here's a warning that I may be back with another theater-lovin' post when the Tony awards air this summer. Can't. Wait.
Do you love theater? What do you think of the nominations?
Disclaimer: Blog entries express the opinions of the respective Bloggers/Contributors/Authors/Commenters solely, and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Women's Mosaic. As host and manager of CHICKS ROCK!, TWM acts solely as a provider of access to the internet and not as publisher of the content contained in bloggers' posts and cannot confirm the accuracy or reliability of individual entries. Each participant is solely responsible for the information, analysis and/or recommendations contained in her blog posts.
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