Through much anticipation and revival of my spiritual bonds recently, I am so thrilled to be writing this post. It is certainly a treat to see so many people reading my posts and actually liking me on Facebook. It shows me that people do care about themselves and the world around them the same as I do! It is however a TRICK to see people not be so enthused about Halloween or Samhain as Wiccans and Pagans would call it. I say both terms. 

The history of Halloween can be deciphered in various ways and traditions through time so watching The Halloween Tree on YouTube will be a great start for children to get the gist of this spooky holiday, but if you are not too keen on cartoons and animated films then try The History Channel’s Haunted History of Halloween. Remember I am not hear to bore you with details, but provide you with amazing resources. 

So basically, Halloween is not an original Christian holiday, but of course when you watch Haunted History of Halloween, you will soon discover that ancient Celtic farmers used this to mark the end of the harvest and that Christian influence was used to instigate the old practices of Samhain, summer’s end. So there is a conflict, any minimal research shows this obvious friction between witchcraft/folk magic and Christianity. Halloween than is omitted in Christianity  and replaced with All Saint’s Day.

So those pilgrims came over and the United States of America was born through a revolution and there was no Halloween until the Irish potato famine in the 19th century? What about those witches that died in Salem isn’t that evidence of Halloween? Salem at the time was under English Law that prohibited witchcraft so it was against the law to practice any form of witchery because it would be looked upon as acting along with the devil. The Salem Witch Trials were based on accusations made against villagers who did not attend church all the time or just was a town outcast so to speak. So no Halloween in Salem, but today there is a HUGE following of witchcraft there. 

Irish immigrants being affected by the Great Famine brought over their traditions of gourd carvings and that produced the modern day value of Jack-O-Laterns. And then from there trick or treating progressed and Commercial Halloween was alive. It is noted on Wikipedia, I know many do not trust this source, but in the reference section it shows articles written in the 1940s and 50s reporting on this popular idea of Halloween transforming and children are going to strangers homes and asking for treats. Which in the History Channel’s film it reveals that poor people would go around and pray for deceased loved ones’ souls in exchange of treats. The 1950s was certainly a time for rebellion in the youth’s eyes, rise of color television, and the last drops of  modernism lingered. 

Today, with the power of film, advertising, and the factor of money, Halloween has greatly transformed to being more about commercial tidings as oppose to the spiritual redemption of honoring the dead. With all the horror films and dramatization of witchcraft no wonder why some people lose sight of real Halloween. They are too busy working, cleaning, and just now in a post-modern society are living rather unaware and ignorant. Halloween in the eyes and minds of many grown-ups has been deemed a child’s holiday. So why celebrate Halloween? 

Celebrating Halloween is not just for kids like commercial advertising has manipulated it to become. Yes for children it is fun to pretend by dressing up (not quite for the same intent as the Druids did back in the day), but for an adult knowing about the traditional ancient ways of Halloween will enable to you to better connect to the natural cycle of the seasons. Something children cannot quite comprehend yet so Halloween is masked with fun and games for association. YOU can enjoy the games too, but honoring the roots of Halloween will help you communicate to future generations of why we do the things we do. Always a favorite question of youth, WHY. Parents often yell at their kids for asking why which teaches the child that knowing why isn’t really cared for, so as the child grows up he or she learns to not use their higher level thinking caps and ask questions about the world around them. But asking why is still considered the most important question that as adults we still need to ask. Why is the government cutting taxes, why are schools getting rid of art and music, and why are we not paying attention to our ancestral traditions.

When it comes to Halloween, many understand it is a time for trick or treat. But, if you sit down and take the time to understand that your ancestors and past lives are revived on this day then you will expand your consciousness even further. Life (treat) and death (trick) are natural cycles and it is about understanding the balance of this cycle on Halloween.  Since we are humans, forgetfulness is certainly part of our lives and so this holiday has been celebrated so that we can remember about the life and death cycle as the seasonal world transitions from living vibrantly to becoming hollow and ghostly. This time is often described as the veil between life and death in being the thinnest. As souls cross over, we should be ready to listen to them.

Halloween is a holiday that has been established not just for candy, costumes, and parties but a day for us to rejoice and realign ourselves with the past, present, and future. 

“Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it.”  - George Santayana 

Dead people had lives too and it is our job as the living to ask what can we learn from the dead in the past and apply it to our present so we can better our future. All part of Hallowe’en, the greatest reminder of the year.

As a current alumnus of Milton Hershey School, I feel compelled to blog about the current $4 billion dollar lawsuit against my alma mater and home away from home.

I recently received an email from the President’s office at MHS indicating that a lawsuit was filed by a former student, but the letter was not addressing the student it was directing its focus on a man by the name of Fred Fouad, founder of Protect the Hersheys’ Children, INC also called PHC.

PHC mission is

…ending childcare incompetence at the MHS Board and Administrative levels, assuring use of all Hershey Trust land and cash resources strictly for MHS children, removing MHS Board conflicts of interest, and creation of an MHS Board that is dedicated to the Hersheys’ child-saving mission.

The mission is taken from the PHC website under its mission section and when I read the last portion dealing with removing MHS Board conflicts of interest and creation of an MHS Board my mind just wants to hit the computer screen. I am well aware that conflict of interests should be removed, but the total removal of the board seems far fetched when the point of MHS is to save children from poverty. How can an organization operate without a board that knows its task that the children come first? Futhermore, how can someone abolish the creation of a board when that board is made up of graduates from MHS?

President Colistra continues in his letter to Alumi with

Fred Fouad, a disgruntled alumnus who has spent the past decade seeking to undermine the School’s strong record of serving children in need. In published comments, Fouad has sought to distance himself from this legal action, suggesting he did not know what was in the complaint. That’s despite the fact that he drafted this action and threatened the School with it two years ago.

Now, it is obvious that the President wants to get across that Fouad is angry against the school, but I am interested in why. Well, there is no indication in the letter what MHS  may have done to Fouad personally, but it does say he was a former student and during that time kids left the school. I remember while attending MHS that kids left the school periodically. Mostly, kids that enrolled within the first couple of months or the first year left because the pressure of homesickness drew them away. This homesickness came from the parents and from the students.

One student specifically, came during my sophomore year and only stayed a few months. He was popular, loved the classes, and had a great time in his student home. My last memory of spending time with him was celebrating a birthday and having a small cake fight outside of the student home. A couple days after that I did not see him so I had asked our mutual friends where he’d gone. Turns out that he left the school because his mother missed him immensely. So, it wasn’t because the systematic institution in place at MHS that slashed the dreams of this child, but the sure distance that homesickness creates between people who love each other.

After reading the letter from President Colistra, I began to research online of any articles indicating the lawsuit. Of course, four billion dollars would not go unnoticed by the press. According to PennLive.com, the lawsuit filed against MHS is from a former honor -roll student Cosme Cesar Escudero-Aviles and his mother Sylvia Aviles-Escudero. They are seeking actually $3 million and wants $4 billion for a foundation benefiting current and future MHS students, my intuition says is is for PHC since the article does indicate that the family has been “linked” to PHC.

In this article, the family is basing their claims on that

…officials made jokes about his ethnicity and did not assist him when he was harassed by other students. They further claim Cesar was removed from the school without due process and that his treatment was indicative of systemic problems at the residency school for at-risk youths.

Certainly, I was not there to witness these allegations, but I never encountered school faculty or administration on any level really targeting a student because of their ethnicity. I do know that when students are harassed like myself immense conditions were upheld. I remember being taunted at within the first two weeks of arriving to MHS. Students made claims against my homosexuality. They would ask me if I was gay and just did the same harassing routine that I experienced in public school. The point of my going to MHS was to get away from that bullying. Well, I was proactive and went to my houseparents and told them I was being picked on and bullied. They immediately took care of the situation. They called HomeLife and the main boy who was instigating the harassment was confronted. He later came up to me an apologized. Funny how karma works, a year later the left the school. So, I know that if harassment was apart of Cesar’s life at MHS, he should have told his houseparents his concerns. They all are trained in these areas so they know exactly what to do. I really felt safe after my harassment was eliminated.

I am not exactly sure if Cesar had due process in being kicked out of MHS since I was not there, but I am aware that the school administration takes action to review cases of prior history into account. They look at your behavior and academic success and place that against whatever violation you may have committed. This process is shown in the MHS documentary: Living the Legacy: The Untold Story of Milton Hershey School which you can watch the whole thing by going to my post: The sweet tales and tears of Milton Hershey School. A group of officials do sit down and discuss the pros and cons of the student and whether or not they are threatening to the MHS community.

Knowing the exact facts of the story is crucial and neither does the letter from the president or the article written on PennLive gives too much information of what exactly took place in regards to Cesar. But, what is shown in the article is that four billion dollars is half of the endowment that fuels Milton Hershey School. This greatly affects many students who do succeed at MHS because the school does give their students upon graduation, college scholarships. I know, personally, that if I could not receive my MHS continuing edcaution scholarship I would not be in Pittsburgh attending college. I would not be able to honor my family. Without MHS period, I would not be able to have the gumption to a pursue the dream of becoming America’s Future Talk Show Host.

For all those students who could not make it through MHS because of behavior or just pure homesickness know this; you can still talk to those who did graduate from MHS. You are never forgotten. You are still a person who experienced MHS. All alumni and participants of MHS know internally that the school has been founded upon pure love and that love still is in motion so if you have been cast back into the waters of poverty, choose to love yourself and people around you because soon the universe will hear your cries. Just like it heard the chocolate philanthropist nearly 100 years ago when he failed he started again. You can still flourish at great heights, it is just that you need to take the first step to change. And not be selfish in asking for billions of dollars like Cesar and his mother because that brings about pure negativity and won’t help others who need MHS to battle poverty.

There are many students at MHS that deserve to find themselves and their dreams, and be able to not worry financially about furthering their education. If this lawsuit against MHS succeeds and the school loses a good portion of money that keeps the house warm and cozy then many lives and spirits will be torn and the home created by Milton and Catherine Hershey will no longer be a playground for students to find the essence of the American dream.

For more information:

Milton Hershey School- is a cost-free, private, coeducational home and school for children from families of low income, limited resources, and social need. The School is funded by a trust established by Milton S. Hershey and his wife Catherine. Milton Hershey School offers a positive, structured home life year-round and an excellent pre-kindergarten through 12th grade education. Our vision focuses on building character and providing children with the skills necessary to be successful in all aspects of life.  www.mhs-pa.org

Protect the Hershey’s Children- is a not-for-profit corporation dedicated to the well-being of Milton Hershey School (MHS) students; i.e., the children and sole lawful heirs of Milton & Catherine Hershey. www.protecthersheychildren.org 

Other posts:

The sweet tales and tears of Milton Hershey School 

My so called University (if you do extensive research, you will figure it out, but that is NOT the point), has the audacity to lie to me about my financial aid. Ok, so apparently, I was quote on quote “missing” a document. A verification worksheet document. I find out today that this document, this flimsy sheet of paper, is to verify my government standing based on my status as a student and how much money I actually make.

A week ago, my mom told me that I was missing a part of my financial aid packet and it was this Verification Worksheet. Well, I go to the office and the counselor ( I actually forget her name) informed me that “Oh, Bernard. I am sorry but looks like we lost this sheet when you filled it out before.”

Well, the Bernard who expects everything to be in order at all times courageously speaks up and asks for his file. The file comes and no verification form was present in there for this school year. Ok, maybe there was another office mess up. Of course. Every year there has to be something wrong with financial aid. Does anyone else have these problems? Leave a comment!

After I get a copy of this document, which mind you is on a piece of cardstock, I just had various flashbacks to the summer. My mom is into scrapbooking so feeling the weight of this paper immediately transported me back to when I was home in the scrapbooking room. My summer had some rumblings of family affairs, that honestly are out of my control and I am giving it all back to Mother Earth to deal with, because I choose not to.

So with the frustration of having to fill this sheet out to verify my life and to tell my mom that I needed her signature and then realizing afterwards we are not rich just hit me all at once. Yes sometimes, I wander outside of myself and believe that my family is secretly hoarding millions of dollars. Nope, not at all! My mother doesn’t have a fax machine and doesn’t work, so I am glad this school believes in a high-class lifestyle. I simply forget that it is a private school, and rich kids go here. Silly of me to have amnesia when it comes to class warfare. Well, I called my mom to tell her what happened and to get a signature nonetheless. We poor folks rely on the U.S. Postal Service, which in itself is a joke because they will shred your headphones if you mail them. So don’t mail your headphones!

Literally, my boyfriend (yes I am gay) received his headphones in the mail cut apart. Logically thinking would tell me that squishing would have flattened the buds, not slice wires into two pieces. Nope, the wires have been sliced! And I sure as hell did not do it. If I was angry or upset with him ( my Self-Observation skills are impeccable see Chakra Awakening to understand) he and everyone else will clearly feel the wrath of this fiery Aries more in-depth and it does not require destroying headphones to make my point clear. Yes, so I am not sure who exactly chopped up my boyfriend’s headphones, all I know and sense is that corporations, government, and ignorant (in its truest form) people are not reliable and we need alternative humanistic metaphysical practices to transform these times.

Coming back, from a small tangent, well in the course of a week. I learned much more about this paper and this school. I learned that the school will lie to its students in order to get a paper completed. I also learned today that this paper was to be  filled out not only because it was lost or misplaced, but because I was “randomly” chosen to verify my standing in money. I don’t know how accurate random means in this regard, because I am aware that governments, corporations, and mean people will do anything sneaky and clandestine without proper communication. 

All I know is that lies are being told instead of the truth, and this situation just proves to me that if you fall into the category of being “uneducated” then ignorant people, government, and corporations will assume you are stupid and just a number. So my advice is you need good self-observation skills and strong communication skills because anyone ignorant will abuse you and surround you with negativity so that it consumes your life and they will make sure you are in living in a fearful and oppressed state. 

If you ever had similar experiences, please do share, because you are not alone! 

Bernard is officially certified in crystal healing thanks to Margaret Ann Lembo, author of Chakra Awakening: Transform Your Reality Using Crystals, Color, Aromatherapy & The Power of Positive Thought. For a five hour workshop at Journeys of Life in Shadeyside, Bernard and his executive board for The Human Element, a newly found student group on campus devoted to love and acceptance, entered a realm of Universal Laws, Color, Chakras, Crystals, and Aromatherapy. All basics that are mentioned in Chakra Awakening. (Purchase the book by clicking on the image)

The new age shop was lit by the early morning light and as we got out of the taxi cab, I knew instantly that this place would become my new safe haven away from trouble and despair. We entered the store like any other store, but something seemed to wash us clean. It eventually became a hot spot for all walks of life like ourselves to come and learn about the ancient ways as the bustle of the day awakened even more. After we checked ourselves in for the Crystal Healing workshop, I noticed just how fun, vibrant, and miscellaneous everything looked. But as I quickly assimilated to the cosmic air there was indeed a method, an order, to where everything was placed. There was a Halloween section, Egyptian section, candles, oils, salt lamps, and my favorite… crystals!

I plummeted to the ground immediately when I saw the assortment of crystals and gemstones. I later learned in the class that we can use those terms interchangeably, thank goodness because I was wondering if there was a difference. It is all about your preference. We always have choices as it was clearly stated by our teacher. Well, there were your common crystals like quartz and amethyst to your more intricate structures like pyrite and lapis lazuli snuggled in their little plastic compartments. All fairly priced I will say, which made me even more giddy with joy. Everyone in the group was flowing to every place in the store and it remained that way until we had to go.

After we browsed the store of every nook and cranny we could find, it was time to meet the one and only Margaret Ann Lembo and let our minds soak up her wisdom and knowledge that she carries from all over the world. Like a stream of energy each participant walked up the stairs, but this time the sight of books, tarot decks, magazines, and light hugged our eyes and even mine as big as they were from seeing a new floor could not pull from the gripping sight of books. Another money snatcher from my wallet. I just love my books.

Because there was no time to stop and sniff out the best books, I and the gang went to the classroom that was conveniently located next to a little kitchen and the bathroom. Time just evaporated after that and light poured into all our souls and the room was filled with peace and love. Something quite extraordinary to experience in a room full of strangers. But us being in that room on that very day, could mean that we’ve interacted with those beings before just in a different lifetime. so are they really strangers?

I’ve learned about the universal laws of everything being energy and energy vibrating. Thus in turn everything affecting everything else. I also learned more in depth that we have an aura which is made up of our past lives, memories, and chakras. Chakras were described in class like spinning wheels of light that actually don’t stick out like cones in front of your body, but like a hoola hoop around your body. This was a pretty sight to feel. Like any pretty sight, usually there is color. Color was mentioned in great detail, because each chakra has a different color and there are 7 chakras.

Root- Red

Navel- Orange

Solar Plexus- Yellow

Heart- Green/Pink

Throat- Blue

Third Eye- Purple

Crown- White

This bond between chakras and color pave the way to match specific crystals to each chakra. Margaret did a very good job in teaching us how to remember the crystals and in what ways they can be used for healing based on chakra teachings. For example, if you are in a situation where you need to work with someone or some people you would rather not soak up or digest their draining energies, then wear or surround yourself with the crystal of amber. This gemstone clearly defines what is your space and what is theirs. Because we are all vibrating energies, some of us are overly powerful than others. In using amber along with the Solar Plexus chakra which is about ingesting life both physically and spiritually this combination will help you balance the situation to deter any negativity.

Even though the class must end at some point, I was really moved to purchase Chakra Awakening, Smudge in Spray (a helpful mist to banish negativity), and a little vial of Auntie M’s Anti (natural anti-Bernard-Getting-Sick tool) all part of Margaret’s product lines to help people transform their own realities. I did get a chance to talk with her one on one and she immediately sensed my passion and drive and interesting enough she was swept away when I told her I am aspiring to become a talk show host.

“Will you let me be a guest on your show?” She asked. I did not have my business cards at the time, so I made a cute makeshift card and wrote down that she was amazing and yes she will be welcomed to come onto my show. I only allow genuine and life changing people to come on, so of course she fits the bill. The experience is worth posting on The Bernard Charles Show because it is another example of how my personality just shines through wherever I go. I know it will get me to where I need to be because even Auntie M. herself said so…

“Bernard, Unlimited potential and your powerful dynamic personality will catapult you to great heights! Blessings, Margaret Ann Lembo”

For more information about Margaret Ann Lembo and her products please visit www.margaretannlembo.com

I finally had the chance to watch the entire Milton Hershey School (MHS) documentary that Academy Award (R) winning documentary director and cinematographer, Cynthia Wade has so truthfully woven together. Depicting the lives of several MHS students from enrollment to graduation, this film captures not only the impact that the Hershey, Pennsylvania private-boarding school offers to low-income families, but it reveals the soul and light that becomes the students. They find themselves.  To commemorate 100 years of the Milton Hershey School, this documentary hit me hard as I connected with my own memories of those final days before graduation and to sympathize with student home rules, homesickness, and the pride it takes to join clubs and organizations much like the students in the film. This documentary is a true depiction of what a student and their family can go through, but nonetheless MHS is a once in a lifetime opportunity and absolutely rewarding for all the resources available to its students upon arriving to the school and departing after graduation.

I am happy to say that the full-length documentary Living the Legacy: The Untold Story of Milton Hershey School is now available at YouTube.com or you can watch the film below. 

For more information about Milton Hershey School, please visit the school website to get more information or APPLY ONLINE to enroll your child into the most life saving and sweetest school there is in the United States.

On the evening of April 29, 2011, at the Wyndham Grand Hotel, the former Hilton, located in Pittsburgh, PA, excelling Point Park University students and prestigious university faculty members as well as notable administrators smiled and posed for photos on the red carpet as they checked-in for the 2011 Outstanding Student Awards, an evening to celebrate student achievement.

And there sat at table number 20 a boy with his soft auburn hair and tie dyed hands from the earlier end of the year festivities of dying shirts and bags, Bernard along with friends munched on some fine salad and were astounded by the pure elegance of the hotel ballroom, but certainly Bernard and his table mates did not know what to expect of his award nomination for the Sophomore Experience in leadership.

The evening began with some funny and inspiring YouTube video clips that involved Point Park students from the powerful dance flash mobs of the G-20 summit to some of the Pittsburgh Playhouse performances like Thoroughly Modern Millie and Carousel. But the excitement of the evening certainly took Bernard by surprise as he watched the video montage capture his first ever Pittsburgh Light Up Night debut!

I did not know they even did this. I am slightly embarrassed, but truly happy that it was displayed to more than 100 people in the room. This means I got exposure!

And he certainly did.

Point Park University President, Paul Hennigan and Senior Vice-President for Academic and Student Affairs, Karen McIntyre welcomed the evening with some delightful campus-wide achievements as well as some reflective moments that various students have about Point Park.  As the night progressed with award presenters and happy recipients, there the nerves just bubbled inside of Bernard and his award category for The Sophomore Experience Leadership Award was called upon.

As the community director and The Sophomore Experience coordinator, Katie Munsch described the achievements of the award recipient having  helped the visually impaired at the Job and Intern fair, the amount of fireworks that went off in Bernard’s head was unimaginable and all sound left his mind as he turned deaf in recognition. With tears in his eyes and excitement in his heart, Bernard walked eagerly to the stage and shook the president’s hand and accepted his award.

I just remember feeling really excited and completely deaf to what was going around me. This is my first award ever to be formerly received and I am on a cloud right now.I just remember going back to my seat and asking if I smiled and if there was clapping, I feel like I just had an outer body experience.

Even though Bernard did not literally leave us for some astral plane expedition, he did manage to dance as he exited the stage with his award in hand and a mile long grin on his face. The energy just seems to not escape from this future television talk show host.

The evening did continue with more honorable awards like Outstanding Advisor, School-based awards, and even the highest achievable award, the President’s Award which the recipient gets an engraved bison-statue. Which graduating senior, Veronika Panagiotou accepted for an overwhelming impact on the quality of life at Point Park through her dedication toward service, leadership, and contributions to the community.

As the night ended with an ice cream sundae buffet in the ballroom lobby, Bernard did manage to take more pictures with the president of the school for his award and congratulated numerous award recipients and nominees.

It was truly blissful to see the excitement and joy in their eyes. I felt the energy in the room and it was certainly positive. I know what award I am going after in the coming years, that is another reason for coming to these events. You get to see what is offered to you and then you can work hard toward achieving it.

There were no acceptance speeches provided by any of the award recipients, most likely due to time constraints, but Bernard did manage to express his utmost gratitude for his accomplishment on his personal blog on Tumblr and you can read his thanks and understand better of why this evening was so inspiring to him. 

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Two weeks ago, I headed to California to officially use my Prilosec OTC® award to attend the first ever Reality Rocks Expo that highlights and captures the world of reality television at its core. Flying out of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania on Thursday, April 7th was more than a birthday wish– it was an adventure like no other and I learned a great deal about who I am and what I can do for others.

I met a woman on the plane and we hit the talk button for three hours. I simply soaked up her life like a sponge and truly appreciated every moment. I picked up on her personality and wisdom through her lived facial expressions and bubbly word choices. I knew that  made a connnection.

She had told me her memoir and it conveyed a message of hope. Hope in that people are social creatures. As humans we attach to one another regardless of our struggles, because we can not do stuff alone when times are simply rough. I remember while attending private school, that my mother told me that basically “people need other people” and I then appreciated her wisdom, but meeting this complete stranger was uplifting and gave me the hope that even this age of technology does not keep all people from talking to one another. But it allows for people to become aware of other stories and lives, we did officially declare ourselves Facebook friends as we hugged one another and departed ways in Dallas with smiles on our faces like we just gave each other a million dollars.

The plane ride was the most rewarding human experience and for it to happen on my 20th birthday says a lot. I am a big person on life’s pleasures. But simply knowing of coincidences or miracles, meeting people can spark a life in us that we were not already aware of.

At the Reality Rocks Expo which opened on April 9th and resumed on April 10th, I met quite a bit of people in all areas of the entertainment bubble. From casting agents to celebrity news writers, each person that I shook hands with or exchanged business cards, it reflected a sense of pride and courage to be in a room filled with common interests and goals.

As I entered the ballroom plotted with photo-booths and sign up tables, I began to feel a rush and then came a man that was carrying a lot more than a brown leather side bag stuffed to the  seams. Instead of sprinting over to Access Hollywood, I stopped and a connection was formed. Giacomo Knox, 38 year old freelance producer seemed to be on the tip of his toes because he has a dream and no one seems to notice it. Knox created a web docu-series reality show based on his  reunion with his father whom had not seen for 33 years. When he talked about A Week With My Father, I saw the light in his eyes and felt the familiar rush radiate from his body as I too experience with becoming a television talk show host. I was amazed to talk to someone who already made his dream into a reality by creating his idea into a show and it inspires me to do the same, however, it is obvious he is hungry and there at the expo for a better meal instead of being served a microwaveable dinner.

Our chat lasted about 15 minutes and we exchanged cards and we departed. I walked around the room until my first workshop panel discussion with the “Queen of Hosting” and founder of BecomeAHost.com, Marki Costello. My enthusiasm meandered through the pockets of people and I stopped by at multiple tables like Authentic Entertainment, BecomeAHost.com, and American Auctioneers. Yet another lasting connection was formed with Cyndi Targosz, a celebrity life coach and author. Targosz is creating a new reality show dealing with the real concerns that are the shadow for many celebrities. I spoke with her agent about her idea and later during the day I came back to actually meet the socialite. 

I attended three workshops at the expo and my first was the fiercest reality check and of course Marki Costello’s quick and powerful forefront-personality bombarded the room with such weight that I wanted to make myself known the moment I entered the arena. I wanted to impress the panelists of who I am and what I stand for.

Lessons I took from this workshop:

• Brand Yourself– What makes you tick
• Mass Appeal– What multiple areas can you tackle and make money from
• Do your research– Know what they have done and if you match their style

She called me out as “Red.”

Credit: Julia Franzen

Last month, I am met one student who captured the eyes and ears of many young and old onlookers as they stopped by a beautifully engulfed table of delicious baked goods from cookies to brownies all of which were being sold to support an orphanage in India.

Credit: Julia Franzen

All the proceeds made at the bake sale just outside of the Point Cafe were being directly donated to Asha House, an orphanage in India that like many are on the verge of closing.

Julia Franzen, a Point Park global cultural studies student went to Asha House this past fall semester in hopes of making a difference. And by what I can tell from her amazing personality, numerous photos of children, and her recent endeavor of raising money to send back to the orphanage, she has made a difference and shared her story with her family, friends, and now I am passing her story onto you.

I ask you to feel inspired and create your own unique project and charitable mission! If you do, send me some information! Because this is your space also to tell your story and reveal your passions to the world!

If you would like to see Julia’s video go here.

I’d like to tell you about my friend and colleague Judith Orloff MD – a UCLA psychiatrist and a pioneer who bridges mainstream medicine with intuition, energy medicine, and spirituality. She invites you on a remarkable journey where you can embrace more happiness and mastery over negativity than you may have ever known. Our world is in the midst of a meltdown. She describes how to stay intuitively and spiritually centered in our times.

Dr. Orloff celebrates the exciting paperback launch of her New York Times bestseller Emotional Freedom: Liberate Yourself from Negative Emotions and Transform Your Life. She is treating you to an incredible one-time book-launch offer with special gifts from herself and friends such as Dr. Daniel Amen, Dr. Joan Borysenko, Dr. Michael Beckwith, and more!

To purchase the book and receive your “Celebrate Joy” special gift collection go to:
http://www.drjudithorloff.com/emotional-freedom-paperback/

In Emotional Freedom Dr. Orloff states:
“I’m presenting the unique process I use with patients and in my own life to view emotions as a path to spiritual and intuitive awakening (not EFT). I synthesize traditional medicine with energy medicine to offer you new tools to master emotions and become heroes in your own life. Inner peace leads to outer peace in the world.”

Publisher’s Weekly’s review of Emotional Freedom says:
“Superbly written..Dr. Orloff regards emotions as a training ground for the soul, and views ‘every victory over fear, anxiety, and resentment as a way to develop your spiritual muscles.’”

Emotional Freedom has rave reviews from USA Today, Dr. Candace Pert, Christiane Northrup, M.D., Caroline Myss, Dean Ornish, M.D., and Mary Oliver, Pulitzer Prize-winning poet. They call it “spectacular,” “a must-read,” “a heartfelt, accessible guide,” and “resolutely compassionate.”

In the book, you will discover:
• Four questions to transform fear with courage
• What your emotional type is
• How to stop absorbing the emotions of others
• How to combat emotional vampires with compassion
• The spiritual meaning of depression and hope

Purchase book and claim your “Celebrate Joy” special gift collection at:
http://www.drjudithorloff.com/emotional-freedom-paperback/

If you’d like to liberate yourself from negative emotions and compassionately own the moment in all situations instead of just reacting when your buttons get pushed go to:

http://www.drjudithorloff.com/emotional-freedom-paperback/

Nelson Mandela said: “As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others.” Help liberate others and please share this announcement with them. Your support makes us happy and grateful!

For more inspiration and to learn about the Emotional Freedom book tour schedule and sign up for our affiliate program visit DrJudithOrloff.com.

Come to Judith’s San Francisco Events MARCH 20, 21!
Sunday, March 20, 2011 5:00-7:00PM Book Talk & Signing — CIIS (California Institute for Integral Studies)1453 Mission St, San Francisco, CA 94103 For Tickets Contact: www.ciis.edu/ or (415) 575-6100
Monday, March 21, 2011 7:00-8:30PM Book Talk & Signing Book Passage Bookstore51 Tamal Vista, Corte Madera, CA 94925Contact:http://bookpassage.com/ or (415) 927-0960

This internet power has been such a success that it is probably the number one go-to spot to pass the time or for some to set up your dreams and let them fly.

Rachel DeJesus, a New Jersey native, is taking on the internet by its horns, well not exactly horns, but you catch the point. This American Idol-reject is making her sensational singing passion known by creating videos and posting them on her own YouTube Channel. Did I mention the service is free. Yeah, free!  DeJesus auditioned for seasons 8 and 10 of American Idol, but the judges did not choose her to be the next American Idol. Bummer! So she noted quite clearly that if you going to audition for television then a little more entertainment fluff is needed.

“My only drawback, I felt, was that I had to “stand out” of the crowd. Wearing a ridiculous costume was not going to cut it for me, but maybe whipping out my Tracy Turnblad costume from a year and a half ago and belting out a memorable song would have helped me.”

And she certainly could not have said it better.

With over thousands of views on her YouTube channel, one particular video, with at least 400 hits, is one of my favorites! DeJesus is performing “Good Morning Baltimore” from Broadway’s hit musical Hairspray. As a spunky school girl who just wants to sing, DeJesus nails her audience with her high-rolling acting skills as well as belting those beautiful notes as Miss Turnblad greets the morning onlookers of Baltimore.

Since 2008, DeJesus has uploaded close to 30 videos and there are certainly more to come. However, more recently her YouTube fame has spiked dramatically with a video post that has caught YouTube users’ eyes and ears!  More than 1,600 views, DeJesus records herself sitting in front of her webcam with her hair up, shirt falling along her shoulders ever so teasingly,breathes in the comforting air around her, and pops the notes of Bruno Mars’ song  Talking to the Moon. When asked about her most viewed video, she had this to say

“That is such a milestone and I hope my other videos will get the same recognition as well.”

My best goes out to her other videos, but I am going to place my money on that this Bruno Mars song is her best yet and the other videos truly reveal where she had once started from, bouncing around her high school auditorium with a 1960′s demeanor of a character whom only wanted their dreams to come true. Yet, being rejected twice, DeJesus is not throwing out her starbright passion of singing.

“I may not have make up on or my hair all done, but what matters in my YouTube videos is that I am heard! I strive to do better in my singing and I am fortunate that I have come this far with such great support from close friends and family and also my fellow YouTube viewers.”

YouTube is helping her to keep her dreams a reality and inspiring others to do the same. You can subscribe to Rachel DeJesus on YouTube and follow her on Twitter at @heyuhitsrachhh.

“I have so so so much to learn and I would love to have all of you on board for this wonderful journey.”

This talented youngster is going far in life because she has America’s Future Talk Show Host on her side and you should too! If you want to appear as a SHOWCASE profile on The Bernard Charles Show then tell us your story!