Check out these ads featuring Green Lantern.  Not only does he want to know if you’ve “Got Milk?”, he’s also not ashamed to say in the UK that milk is his choice for “Hero Fuel”.

Oh, and check out Rupert Grint. Looks like this Harry Potter alum drinks Hero Fuel too! Looks like milk is magic!

Announcing the debut of an exciting new writing blog I’ve named Brighter Zen! What better day than #WW to launch a new writing blog? Brighter Zen will be the place where I’ll be hangin’ with my Muse and sharing my thoughts on writing, writing tips, inspiration, and of course encouraging other writers to live their life with passion and to follow their dreams! I also want to know, “What are YOU writing for?”

Won’t you join me there and share what inspires you? You just might find we have a lot of things in common!

You can follow @BrighterZen on Twitter!

This is a photo of Anne Boleyn I haven't seen before. Have you? She looks very young here, a time of halcyon days, before the terror of her days as queen.

Today marks the 475th anniversary of Anne Boleyn’s death by the sword of the executioner. Did you know she was maybe 35 at the time of her death? The exact date of her birth is unknown and is placed as being sometime between the years of 1501 and 1507. She was still a young woman with her whole life ahead of her. Henry’s decision to execute Anne left Elizabeth, who wasn’t quite 3 when her mother was killed by the command of her ruthless father, motherless. I still find it so sad that Anne’s death was pointless. All of Henry’s worries were for naught. Elizabeth was the the greatest ruler England has ever known. It is so sad that Anne’s life was wasted just because Henry tired of her.

As I watch my Youngling play in the golden afternoon sunshine, laughing and playing and carefree, I find myself thinking about Anne Boleyn. Did she have enough halcyon days just enjoying the sunshine? Did she ever enjoy Elizabeth just for being born a thriving healthy baby? Did she get a chance to just be with her child and bask in the wonderment of motherhood? Or was every moment tarnished by her fear of her impending doom and the wrath of Henry? Did she spend every moment scheming and playing the game of thrones and kings and power?

Part of me thinks she was so obsessed with her quest to become queen, keep Henry bound to her, and protect herself and her position from those who would see her destroyed that she never had a moment’s peace. For certain her last thoughts were of Henry. Some of her final words were of Henry, “…but I pray God save the king and send him long to reign over you, for a gentler nor a more merciful prince was there never: and to me he was ever a good, a gentle and sovereign lord…” I wonder what her thoughts were of her only living child? The daughter she was leaving behind; the daughter that had caused Henry so much disappointment just because she was born female. I can’t even begin to imagine Anne’s sorrow knowing she would never see Elizabeth grow to womanhood. How proud Anne would have been of her brave, smart and wily girl.

It makes me sad to think that Anne might not have enjoyed the simple and most important things in life once she became queen. Whenever I think of the saying, be careful what you wish for, Anne Boleyn and her saga goes through my mind.

Anne Boleyn’s execution took place May 19th, 1536 at 8 o’clock in the morning and was the first public execution of an English queen.

Anne Boleyn was known as The Most Happy. I wonder if she was? Maybe she was, for a time. I hope she has found happiness now, where ever she might be.

A young Elizabeth. Does she look like Anne?

Anne Boleyn_Queen of England

Do you think Elizabeth resembles Anne?

Elizabeth Tudor_Queen of England

A Walk to Remember is another sweet and beautiful romance by Nicholas Sparks.

I think you will agree with me when I say no one knows true love and romance better than Nicholas Sparks. He just manages to knock these authentic and lovely stories out no problem and they all strike the heart chords in a big way. And they all translate well to the big screen. It’s a romantic match made in heaven.

A Walk to Remember, a movie based on the Nicholas Sparks novel of the same name is one of my favorite movies of all time. It is touching and moving and bittersweet and will definitely make you long to fall in love and be loved like this. One of the most beautiful moments in the movie is when Landon (Yes, that is Mr. Nikita!) talks about Jamie’s walk down the aisle. Such a beautiful and sweet movie. See the trailer after the music video! Perfect for a girl’s night in. Or a book and a movie reading club! Bring the tissue!

So here is a song from the movie, one of my all time faves called “Dare You To Move” by Switchfoot. I hope you enjoy it as much as I do.

“Reading will end poverty. Free education for all.” ~ Kimani N’gan’ga Maruge, The First Grader

Have you ever wanted something that would change your life that should never have been placed beyond your reach in the first place? Can you imagine for a moment being 84 and not knowing how to read? What would you do? This is the premise for the remarkable film The First Grader, directed by Justin Chadwick and based on a true story.

Kimani N’gan’ga Maruge is an 84 year old veteran Mau Mau freedom fighter who lives in a village in Kenya, Africa. When the Kenyan government declares that it will offer free education for all, Maruge decides that he will finally get the education that was denied him. He decides to go to First Grade at an isolated primary school so that he can learn to read. Once, he fought for his country’s right for freedom from colonialism. Now he will defend his right to learn to read.

The First Grader (2010) - Oliver Litondo as Kimani N'gan'ga Maruge

When I heard that I was going to be speaking with Justin Chadwick about his movie The First Grader, I was elated. I knew that a movie like this needed to be handled with a sensitivity and an honesty devoid of a loud and ostentatious manner. After seeing the film, I knew that Chadwick had told a story of not only…[Read more...]