First published by/on   http://theresecrutchermarin.com/new-blog-page This post has found its way onto Brilliant Blog Share because... well, read it and you will soon know why. I once read,   “If you have one true friend in your lifetime, you are lucky”. With that said, I have been extraordinarily lucky! When I met John in 1976 and we became a couple, I quickly learned that being with him meant having his three older sisters in my life as well. The four siblings had had a difficult upbringing and were exceptionally close and I was thrilled when they welcomed me into their circle. Like their brother, Lora, Marcia and Cindy were kind, positive, unselfish individuals and I became closer to them than I was to my own sisters. Through the years, I would count my blessings for the loving relationship the three sisters and I shared, as they became tried and true friends. These brave, gentle souls would inspire and teach me many lessons that would enrich my life. Wh...

A great post from Bob, highlighting how social concepts change over generations with the advent of better living standards and innovation. “The Bed-Time Book, written by Helen Hay and illustrated by Jessie Willcox Smith. Photo by Plum Leaves,  CC BY 2.0  via  Flickr  (unedited) Do you like to read in bed? I do. Most of the time, I only read a few pages before nodding off. Usually my wife comes to bed after I do and turns out the light, and I usually wake up just enough to mark my place and put the book aside. Pretty harmless, huh? It wouldn’t have been thought so at one time. I recently came across a blog on the  evils of reading in bed , by Kristen Wardowski, who posts some great stuff about books, reading and writing. She, in turn points to an   article  in  The Atlantic  by Nika Mavrody. The gist of both posts is that there were two dangers, one very real and one feared. The very real danger had to do with how people were...

This is the first time I have posted a book release on Brilliant blogshare, but there is a reason. This is NOT a War story The modern day civilised world we know is little more than a fragile moment balancing on a knife-edge between the evils of avarice and the struggle for dominant authoritarian supremacy. Caught in the maelstrom between the warring factions are the innocent lives of civilians and children, the unsuspecting conscripts and misguided volunteers on all sides. Conditioned, indoctrinated and convinced by those who have only power and ultimate wealth to gain, are those whose personal stories are revealed within the pages of this book. Life in the War Zone  takes a serious, no holds barred look at the devastation and trauma of life in the battlefields of the  Ukraine, Syria, Afghanistan, Iraq, Bosnia, Serbia, Croatia, Israel, Palestine, Libya, Lebanon and El Salvador. This may well be the book they would rather you did not read. Life in ...

I give a short introduction to many of the posts on Brilliant Blog Share, this is one of the few that does not need any introduction, none at all. We are the last generation who can hear from the survivors, those who actually and  directly  witnessed the holocaust  .  Do not take that lightly Do not forget, your freedom is not infinitely guaranteed either.    It is said  " those who forget history are condemned to repeat it" best not forget, then.

A Legacy from the Great War.  (WW1) ( I first posted this on the 11 th of the 11 th , Remembrance day. But as today is Armed forces day and the 100 th anniversary of the Battle of the Somme I thought it justifiable to give it a further outing )         I was watching a television trailer, regarding a forthcoming documentary, examining life of those who lived and fought from the trenches. I was struck by the number of film clips that were taken at the front line. That so many have survived for the past one hundred years is quite amazing considering the ease of degradation of the materials used. I had not previously considered such an archive of moving images existed, considering movie making was in its infancy at that time.    Seeing these short monochrome ( mostly although a few colour films were produced ) films of men going about their daily lives on the front line, brought the characters of those captured on cellulose to l...

Who Am I? Originally posted on  http://thereporterandthegirl.com/2015/08/21/who-am-i/ This post has found its way onto ' Brilliant Blog Share' for the uncompromising and rawness of its words. Clearly there are contradictions and inconsistencies within, but that only goes to highlighting the emotional anguish portrayed by the writer.   Dear readers, I want to introduce this anonymous submission from a friend of mine. He broke up with his girlfriend of two years, a couple months ago. And on my suggestion, wrote a piece today about his feelings. Please show him your support! @ReporterandGirl  or  Facebook  or  G+ . What kind of fucked up, dark, twisted question is that? What does that even mean? I’m asking, seriously. What defines someone? Our actions? Thoughts? Beliefs? What I do when no one is around? Or better yet, what I do when everyone is around? When you break up with someone, there’s this pressure to reinvent yourself. To find out who...

A happy little thought about my husband – by Rocket_owl Posted on  April 17, 2015  by  Kindness Blog  http://kindnessblog.com/author/thekindnessblog/ Last night while asleep in our bed my husband let out a startled moan. I then felt his hand patting the comforter – searching for me. It came to rest once it found my side. I realized I LOVE that: Despite the fact he is a 28-year-old, dirty hand working, beer drinking, beard growing man. Despite the fact he sleeps with a baseball bat beside him because he knows it makes me feel safe. Despite the fact he served 5 years in the army which included one tour to Afghanistan.  I’M  the one that protects him from bad dreams.