LUNAFEST COMES TO EL CERRITO, El Cerrito High School’s Performing Arts Center in El Cerrito, CA on Saturday, March 2, 2013

 

LUNAFEST Returns to El Cerrito on March 2, 2013

Popular film festival brings world-class films and filmmakers to local audience

El Cerrito High School's Performing Arts Center

540 Ashbury Ave., El Cerrito, CA, 94530

El Cerrito, CA, LUNAFEST®, the fundraising film festival dedicated to promoting awareness about women's issues, highlighting women filmmakers, and bringing women together in their communities, returns for a sixth year to El Cerrito High School’s Performing Arts Center in El Cerrito, CA on Saturday, March 2, 2013. Tickets range in price from $5 - $50 and can be purchased at http://eclunafest2013.eventbrite.com/.

This unique film festival highlights women as leaders in society, illustrated through nine short films by women filmmakers. The films range from animation to fictional drama, and cover topics such as women’s health, motherhood, body image, aging, cultural diversity and breaking barriers. Clips from the films can be viewed here: http://www.lunafest.org/elcerrito.

LUNAFEST East Bay will again be hosted by El Cerrito resident and actress Karen Grassle, “Ma” of the hit TV series, “Little House on the Prairie”. Ms. Grassle will also interview two of the filmmakers after the screening. This special feature of LUNAFEST East Bay allows the audience a peek behind the scenes and into the creative process of the films they have just watched. This year, Ms. Grassle will interview Sharon Arteaga, filmmaker, “When I Grow Up” and Jisoo Kim, filmmaker and artist, “The Bathhouse”.

This year’s event is dedicated to the memory of Wanna Wright (December 11, 1944 – May 19, 2012), Breast Cancer Fund board member, co-founder of the African American Breast Cancer Task Group (AABCTG), breast cancer prevention advocate and committee member of LUNAFEST East Bay. See http://www.insideprevention.org/2012/05/in-memory-of-wanna-wright-breast-cancer-prevention-advocate-extraordinaire.html for more about Ms. Wright’s extraordinary life.

All proceeds from LUNAFEST will benefit the Breast Cancer Fund, El Cerrito High’s IT Academy and World Neighbors. Thus far, LUNAFEST, which is created and funded by LUNA®, The Whole Nutrition Bar for Women®, raised over $556,000 for Breast Cancer Fund and over $1,000,000 for other women’s non-profit organizations.

Book Review: "GODS OF MISCHIEF: My Undercover Vendetta to Take Down the Vagos Outlaw Motorcycle Gang " by GEORGE ROWE

Wow, what a ride! “Gods of Mischief – My Undercover Vendetta To Take Down The Vagos Outlaw Motorcycle Gang” by George Rowe is aptly titled and a hold-on, rumbling read.

George Rowe is a “drug-dealin, multiple-felon, racist a__hole,” who seeks a metamorphosis by becoming an informant for the ATF and working for a little payback to the 1%-ers, for a deed that so far, went unpunished.  

The term “Vendetta,” says it all, as Rowe’s efforts proved to be a prolonged and arduous journey to retaliate and gain vengeance against the very group he became a part of.  

The Vago MC of California is well known as a violent and prolific trader of vice and mayhem.  George lived first-hand the lifestyle of the gang before becoming a part of the Club.

The read is interesting and absorbing.  I felt the author was asking me to believe his “evolved” since of morality.  But, with the several anecdotal flashbacks he provides to purge the actions of his dark past, and his repeated declarations stating he’s a changed man, I still don’t know if I am all the way there by the end of the 324 pages.  

In the end, I would define this work as a confession but not a penance.  I feel he has come fairly clean but I don’t get a warm and fuzzy feeling that his previous propensities to violence and drinking have left him completely. 

In the end, it all about the book and what it does to/for the reader.  The book is good in the way it evokes emotional thought.  I kept wondering what I would do in similar scenarios and how I would handle some of the interpersonal relationships George came to endure.  

Answer is, I don’t know.  

I am not George, nor do I have a friend like George, nor have I had any interaction with 1%-ers…but now I have, thanks to this book!

(Reviewed by JRS)

"Gods of Mischief" by George Rowe - A Touchstone Book, a division of Simon and Schuster

"Gods of Mischief" - by George Rowe - REVIEW COMING SOON

 

 

GODS OF MISCHIEF: My Undercover Vendetta to Take Down the Vagos Outlaw Motorcycle Gang (Touchstone Hardcover / Simon & Schuster; February 12, 2013) by George Rowe is the high-octane, no-holds-barred telling of history’s first private citizen to voluntarily infiltrate an outlaw motorcycle gang for the U.S. government.

 

These tales of murder, mayhem, and incredibly heroic acts of a bad guy turned good, feel more like a season of Sons of Anarchy or Breaking Bad than someone’s actual life. But George Rowe lived it and is now telling his story for the first time in this gritty and harrowing memoir.

 

Rowe is currently living in an undisclosed location and a part of the U.S. Witness Security Program. If you are interested in receiving a finished copy of GODS OF MISCHIEF for review, please be in touch with your mailing address. I look forward to hearing from you soon.

CLICK HERE for the catalog page.

New Year - New Look (I Wish)

It's almost February and while I didn't make any "resolutions," per say, I really did promise myself that I was going to update my face.

If I can't get rid of the lines, but, at least I can do a better job of covering them.

I was looking at one of the young secretaries in my office the other day and I'm pretty sure she thought I was either crazy or trying to hit on her because of the look on my face.  What I wanted to say, but didn't, is "I sure do miss my youth."

Oh, I don't want to do the 20-something thing again.  I'm not going to lie, I wouldn't mind the 30s again, but what's done is done.  And the alternative to getting old, is well - let's not go there.

But, as long as Lady Clairol is alive, I'm going to fight the gray, well I'm trying to fight the gray, and at least put on a little, as my mother would say, "blush and lipstick."

But makeup has evolved to a whole lot more than blush and lipstick.  And while you can't believe everything you read, you sure as heck can give it the old college try.

That said, I wanted to forewarn you that, from time to time, I will digress from talking the latest in fonts and formatting and foray into the world of beauty.

I'm not an expert as my office-mates can attest, but I do enjoy trying new products.

First up - Dr. Hauschka's Moisturizing Day Cream.

The winter weather is really doing a number on your girl, and I thought that instead of buying my usual moisturizer, I would venture to try something different.  I love Dr. Hauschka's hand creams and bath oil, so I figured that the moisturizer would be good for me too.

I love the feel of the cream in my hands on on my face.  But check it out for yourself before you buy.  That's what I did.  I got a sample from the esthetician (about three days worth) and checked out the results before I purchased.

It's been almost two weeks and so far it's working. . .I'll let you updated.

If you have beauty tips, I'd love to hear them Email me

BULLIES IN THE LUNCH ROOM

You don’t have to be a kid to be a bully.  And you might not even realize you are a bully.  Let's just give people the benefit of the doubt.

However, I’ve noticed an alarming trend in ye ole local lunch room lately.  People are pairing up into groups.  Or cliques.  Or, you might call them “office gangs.”

We’re talking fully grown adults who will only eat with “certain” people.  In fact, it’s so bad, that if they walk in the lunchroom and their “buddies” aren’t there, they will turn around and leave.  But, what if you’re like me and don’t belong to a clique?

It’s bad enough that only the staff eats in the lunch room around here.  Attorneys wouldn’t be caught dead in there.  And, of course, people are always coming in for the leftovers from attorney meetings and such.  Basically, I’m telling you that the“gleaners” are discriminating against other “gleaners.”

Me, myself, I bring my own lunch or food that I’ve purchased.  I mean, I do have some pride.  However, as one of the newest people at this particular firm, it does make me stop and think, “Whatever happened to camaraderie, friendship among peers and plain old-fashioned manners?”

After all, it’s just a lunchroom:  a microwave, a few tables and a soda dispenser.  It’s not exactly “Mr. Chow.”

Come on people, can’t we just all get along?

JANUARY/FEBRUARY TRAINING FROM DAVIDSON STAFFING

January & February Webinars

  

Modifying Styles & Generating a Table of Contents 

in MS Word 2007 & 2010 - $49

Wed., Jan. 23, 2013 from 12:00 to 1:15 pm  REGISTER NOW

Learn how to format a pleading using Heading Styles and Multi-Level Numbering and to automatically generate a Table of Contents.

E-Filing in Federal Civil Court

 - $99 

1.0 MCLE Credit Offered

Wed., Feb. 13, 2013 from 12:00 to 1:00 pm  REGISTER NOW

This webinar introduces the CM/ECF ("e-file") program being used in the Federal Civil Courts. Topics include an overview of the system, variations in local rules, document preparation and tips on integrating e-filing and electronic document management into daily work responsibilities.
 

Adobe Acrobat X (10.0) Professional - $49

Wed., Feb. 20, 2013 from 12:00 to 1:00 pm  REGISTER NOW

Increase your efficiency in Adobe Acrobat X Professional. This webinar will show you how to convert PDFs to Word and/or Excel, create bookmarks, links, add headers/footers, combine PDF files, redact information and sequentially number documents with Bates Numbering.

Introduction to Legal Calendaring (CA State & Fed. Courts) - $99 1.0 MCLE Credit Offered

Wed., Feb. 27, 2013 from 12:00 to 1:00 pm  REGISTER NOW
Explore the structure, details and management of the litigation calendar. Topics include CCP and FRCP references, calculating due dates, dealing with conflicts and managing the master calendar.

  

VIEW 2013 WEBINAR SCHEDULE

Workplace Resolutions for the New Year

I have no idea what the statistics are, but many people make "resolutions" for the New Year.  

Personally, I stopped making resolutions years ago.  I would find myself so sad when I broke them.

So, now, I am just grateful for seeing another year and am aware of trying to do things a little differently.  

Not a resolution - but a "work in progress."

Some of the common workplace resolutions are:

1.  Find a new job

2.  Get to work on time

3.  Stop gossiping at work 

4.  Learn a new skill

5.  Dress better for work

6.  Be more time productive

7.  Get a promotion

8.  Network more


For me, I am praying to continue to be gainfully employed in 2013 and maintain a positive attitude, even when people around me are not necessarily positive. 

The first thing I'm planning to do is go out today and get new calendars for work and home.

I never buy calendars in advance because - well, because I'm just a wee bit superstitious.  So, now you know.

What about your resolutions for the New Year?  What's on your agenda?  I'd love to hear from you.

Here's to a wonderful, healthy, happy and successful 2013!