(via Twitter)Perspective & The Year 2020
#TBT: Life Is A Funny Thing…
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| Me and Vanessa Williams |
So, life is funny, sometimes. As I arrived in Barcelona yesterday, I was reminded of this happy coincidence when I was here last year. In August 2018, while traveling on the Atlantis cruise from Rome to Barcelona, I got word that award-winning actress/singer/dancer Vanessa Williams would be the surprise guest star on the cruise ship. Longtime readers know I have been friends with the multi-hyphenate super-star since we were both freshman music theater majors at Syracuse University in the early 1980s. We quickly traded emails excited at the prospect of seeing each other live, in person. What happened was the bestest catch-up you can imagine as V and I, with my hubby Michael, spent just the most delicious hours laughing and smiling off the French coast near Nice, on the Atlantis cruise. We explored Mallorca together, and I even joined her onstage during her concert (more about that later). My apologies for the light posting today, as I was adjusting to the jetlag. But walking around Barcelona this afternoon, it was fun to remember the really wonderful company I got to keep just a year ago.
Video: Find Your Way Back
A dear friend of mine shared this today on Facebook, and wow, every single word resonated for me.
Small decisions can lead us to unexpected places. Small decisions can result in huge life choices.
But we can make the decision to undo those events; to choose to change direction.
I know this sounds like a bad Sunday morning cable ad, but its a truth worth repeating.
In my 20s, I fell in love with someone I cared for deeply. But the relationship was not healthy.
Even though we ended things after two years, the effects lingered in my life and behavior for years and years.
But, all these things are thoughts, and you can change a thought by changing your mind.
We are never “over the finish line” until we are over that final finish line.
Gay, straight, black, white, however you identify – the world will treat you as you treat yourself. Set your own best example.
I wrote this in two minutes because the video below spoke to me so hard.
Watch the video below.
Happy Saturday!
Sunday Chill Time
Loved the quick trip on Atlantis Cruise with Olivia: awesome few days aboard the Harmony of the Seas, but those were some long travel days there and back.
Since we joined cruise after initial departure, we had to be first off in Ft Lauderdale for immigration reasons. That meant a 5:30am call to disembark.
That gave me an 8-hour layover in Fort Lauderdale. Thanks to my buddy Chad for the chat and nap space before getting on to my 8-hour fly time home to Las Vegas.
It was sweet that one of my fellow Atlantis cruisers approached me at the airport to say he’d seen me on the ship and thought I was handsome but was too shy to say so.
He found his courage at my gate and I was really touched. Nice guy who lives in London and just wanted to finally say ‘hi.’ That was a cool postscript to the adventure.
And meeting Randy Report reader Devon on the ship was a highlight as well 🙂
Enjoying some chill time in my favorite space in the world. Bruno the wonder dog keeps wandering over to see if I have any food (nope), but I’m happy to have his company.
Hope everyone has a great weekend. #morewine #dogsrule #exhale
Life At The Randy Report
Ok, so it’s possible I may have done a bit of sleep-walking last night.
I woke up to find this in my refrigerator.
Now, where did the milk go…?
Anatomy Of A Wolf Pack
Barbara Hermal Bach shares this photo by Casare Brai on Facebook with a rather poetic description:
“A wolf pack: the first 3 are the old or sick, they give the pace to the entire pack. If it was the other way round, they would be left behind, losing contact with the pack. In case of an ambush they would be sacrificed.
“Then come 5 strong ones, the front line. In the center are the rest of the pack members, then the 5 strongest following.
“Last is alone, the alpha. He controls everything from the rear. In that position he can see everything, decide the direction. He sees all of the pack. The pack moves according to the elders pace and help each other, watch each other.”
The photo and description have been circulating the web for years, and the ‘breakdown’ in rank has since been disproved.
Tip: Reheating Cold Pizza
Let’s face it – microwaving cold pizza stinks.
Slate offers some life-changing (ok, maybe not “life-changing”) video shortcuts on their site.
Today, learn a better way to warm up last night’s pizza.
Robot Stands In Line For iPhone 6s
At 10:30am today, my new iPhone 6s arrived at my door. Whoo-hoo!
I haven’t upgraded my phone in years, and with the latest revision led me to indulge.
But I hate standing in lines, and I’d never stand in one of those “hours long Apple Store” kind of lines. A week ago, I pre-ordered my phone at an AT&T store, and here it is! Life is good.
Some folks still feel the need to do the line thing. But ,one woman found a way to “virtually” stand in line – with a robot taking her place.
From Mashable:
In the smartest time management yet seen in an iPhone line, Lucy Kelly has outsourced the job to a telepresence robot, also called Lucy. The robot, created by Californian company Double Robotics, is an iPad attached to a Segway-type device that allows a person to be somewhat physically present despite not being there.
The robot arrived to take the position of fourth-in-line at the flagship Apple Store on George Street at 5 a.m. Thursday, with Kelly communicating through it from 6 a.m. It is believed to be the first time a robot has lined up and purchased an iPhone.
Kelly is meanwhile chilling in the warmth of her office, while her robot counterpart stands in the wind and rain.
Kelly says there is no jealousy from those diehard fans who have been freezing through the nights. “Everyone thinks it is pretty cool, they were happy to let a robot go ahead,” she said.
Dancing Kid Wins The Internet Today: “Cuban Pete”
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Mi sobrino Guillermo Gael Delgado Garcia en algún lugar de Monterrey .jijiPosted by Lazarin Delgado Oviedo on Monday, June 29, 2015
Yes!!!! Go, go, go!
Craziest Story I’ve Seen In A Long Time – “Brother Orange”
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| Matt Stopera in China |
JoeMyGod points out this trailer for an upcoming documentary that chronicles what has to be one of the craziest stories in a long time.
Matt Stopera, reporter for Buzzfeed, had his cell phone stolen while at a NYC bar last year.
The next thing he knew, pictures of a Chinese man started appearing on his phone’s photo feed. One thing led to another, and soon he became famous in China via social media. All of this led to a trip there where the reaction to his visit will blow your mind.
Click here to read the incredible, unpredictable story of Matt and “Brother Orange.”
Buzzfeed now plans a full-on documentary on Matt’s adventure. The trailer below is just the tip of the iceberg of this amazing story.