Category Archives: Joanne Guidoccio

Movie Review: Barbie

Posted on by Joanne Guidoccio

So much to like in this beautifully crafted film directed by Greta Gerwig.

Margot Robbie delivers an excellent performance as Stereotypical Barbie, the lead doll of Barbieland. In this matriarchal society, females hold important job positions such as doctors, lawyers, politicians, and Supreme Court Justices. The Kens have no discernable purpose beyond engaging in recreational activities and competing for the attention of the Barbies.

Sporting cartoonishly blond hair, Ryan Gosling embraces the role of Beach Ken as he trails behind Stereotypical Barbie, hoping to win her love and approval. In one of my favorite scenes, he sings “I’m Just Ken” while wearing a headband, fingerless gloves, and a full-length fur coat. He tosses off lines like “Am I destined to live a life of blond fragility?” and “What will it take for her to see the man behind the tan?”

One morning, Stereotypical Barbie experiences an existential crisis when alarming symptoms (bad breath, flat feet, cellulite) appear. Concerned, she consults with Weird Barbie (Kate McKinnon), a wise but disfigured outcast, who assesses the damage and concludes that Stereotypical Barbie’s human child must be displaying painful emotions. Weird Barbie’s advice: travel to the real world and find the depressed child playing with her.

What follows is a kaleidoscope of saturated colors and images as Stereotypical Barbie and Beach Ken travel in a convertible, rowboat, and eventually on rollerblades until they land in the real world of Venice Beach. A series of comical misadventures bring unwanted attention from passersby, law enforcement officers, and Mattel male executives.

Barbie and Ken quickly discover that the real world differs greatly from Barbieland. While Barbie feels uncomfortable and threatened, Ken feels respected and accepted.

At the film’s center is a story about Barbie’s human child Sasha (Ariana Greenblatt), and her mother, Gloria (America Ferrera). In a strange twist, Gloria has been playing with Barbie. Dissatisfied with her career at Mattel and feeling unloved by her daughter, Gloria has been going through her own existential crisis.

Back in Barbieland, a matriarchy/patriarchy battle ensues. Gloria delivers an impromptu speech that inspires the Barbies to reclaim their power and make much-needed changes in Barbieland.

Rhea Perlman appears in two brief cameos as the spirit of Mattel co-founder Ruth Handler. She encourages Stereotypical Barbie to be brave and face reality. My favorite line from Ruth: “We mothers stand still so our daughters can look back to see how far they have come.”

Highly recommended!

Movie Review: Oppenheimer

Posted on by Joanne Guidoccio

This thrilling and highly anticipated biopic, written and directed by Christopher Nolan, delves into the creation of the atomic bomb. From start to finish, the film moves at a breakneck pace with time jumps, seamless weaving between color and black-and-white scenes, stark close-ups, and ear-splitting special effects.

Riveted, I couldn’t take my eyes off the screen throughout the entire three hours. There was too much at stake for the world and J. Robert Oppenheimer, expertly played by Cillian Murphy. The actor inhabited the character, giving us an intimate view into the brilliance and complexities of the charismatic, eccentric scientist. I was fascinated by the close-ups of those “ocean” eyes that revealed turbulent thoughts and emotions. While Nolan downplayed Oppenheimer’s reputation as a womanizer, there is evidence of a messy personal life, often at odds with his intense ambition.

I could feel my heart pounding during the crescendo of special effects leading up to the Trinity Test in Los Alamos. And confused by the thunderous sound that followed. The sounds of hands clapping and feet stomping to acknowledge Oppenheimer’s leadership resembled bombs detonating.

The film also includes Oppenheimer’s ties to the Communist Party, Hoover’s FBI investigation, and a closed-door hearing during the post-war years. Determined to blacklist Oppenheimer, Lewis Strauss (Robert Downey Junior) set in motion a series of events that culminated in a mock trial. Downey dug deep to transform himself into the film’s villain, a wealthy businessman and chairman of the U.S. Atomic Energy Commission. Downey is almost unrecognizable as he delivers an Oscar-worthy performance.

I was also impressed by Matt Damon’s portrayal of General Leslie Groves. The scenes with Oppenheimer and Groves include humorous quips.

The massive ensemble cast includes Emily Blunt, Florence Pugh, Jack Quaid, Josh Harnett, Rami Malek, Alden Ehrenreich, Matthew Modine, Jason Clarke, and Josh Peck. So much brilliance, but sometimes difficult to keep track of all the roles.

Thought-provoking. Unsettling. Disturbing. The film evoked many feelings, some not so comfortable, but I have no regrets. It is definitely worth seeing.

Focus on Your Blessings

Posted on by Joanne Guidoccio

On Wednesdays, I share posts, fables, songs, poems, quotations, TEDx Talks, cartoons, and books that have inspired and motivated me on my writing journey. I hope these posts will give writers, artists, and other creatives a mid-week boost.

A long-time fan of bestselling authors and coaches Marc and Angel Chernoff, I look forward to reading their emails and blog posts. Here’s an excerpt from a recent post:

Even when your past — your story — tries to pull you back in, you can consciously do your best to focus on your present blessings. What do you see in your life right now? Be thankful for the good parts. For your health, your family, your friends, or your home. Many people don’t have these things.

Remind yourself that the richest human is rarely the one who has the most, but the one who needs less. Wealth is a daily mindset. Want less and appreciate more today. Easier said than done of course, but with practice gratitude does get easier. And as you practice, you transform your past struggles into present moments of freedom.

Ultimately, on the average day, happiness is letting go of what you assume your life is supposed to be like right now and sincerely appreciating it for everything that it is. So, at the end of this day, before you close your eyes, smile and be at peace with where you’ve been and grateful for what you have. Life has goodness.

Keep reminding yourself…

*You are not your bad days.

*You are not your mistakes.

*You are not your scars.

*You are not your past.

Be here now and breathe.

Note: I highly recommend subscribing to Marc & Angel’s website.

Letting Go

Posted on by Joanne Guidoccio

On Wednesdays, I share posts, fables, songs, poems, quotations, TEDx Talks, cartoons, and books that have inspired and motivated me on my writing journey. I hope these posts will give writers, artists, and other creatives a mid-week boost.

A long-time fan of bestselling authors and coaches Marc and Angel Chernoff, I look forward to reading their emails and blog posts. Here’s an excerpt from a recent post:

All of the things from our past that we desperately try to hold on to, as if they’re real, solid, everlasting fixtures in our lives, aren’t really there. Or if they are there in some form, they’re changing, fluid, impermanent, or simply imagined storylines in our minds.

Life gets a lot easier to deal with the moment we understand this.

Imagine you’re blindfolded and treading water in the center of a large swimming pool, and you’re struggling desperately to grab the edge of the pool that you think is nearby, but really it’s not—it’s far away. Trying to grab that imaginary edge is stressing you out, and tiring you out, as you splash around aimlessly trying to holding on to something that isn’t there.

Now imagine you pause, take a deep breath, and realize that there’s nothing nearby to hold on to. Just water around you. You can continue to struggle with grabbing at something that doesn’t exist… or you can accept that there’s only water around you, and relax, and float.

Today I challenge you to ask yourself:

*What’s something from the past that you are still desperately trying to hold on to?

*How is it affecting you in the present?

Then imagine the thing you’re trying to hold on to doesn’t really exist. Envision yourself letting go… and just floating.

How might that change your life from this moment forward?

Note: I highly recommend subscribing to Marc & Angel’s website.

Growing My Wings

Posted on by Joanne Guidoccio

On Wednesdays, I share posts, fables, songs, poems, quotations, TEDx Talks, cartoons, and books that have inspired and motivated me on my writing journey. I hope these posts will give writers, artists, and other creatives a mid-week boost.

I look forward to receiving weekly emails from Robert Holden, a British psychologist, author, and broadcaster, who works in the field of positive psychology and well-being. Here’s an excerpt from a recent email:

At the start of the year, I got a shoulder injury. I got it playing football with my son Christopher. I was playing in goal, when I made a heroic dive that ruptured tendons in my shoulder.

A few days later, my family and I flew to Findhorn, Scotland. I booked myself in to see Kemi, who is an amazing bodyworker and healer who lives nearby.

“There is a deeper purpose to this injury!” Kemi told me.

“What’s that?” I asked.

“Your shoulders are telling me that they want you to rest more,” she said.

“I’d like that,” I said.

“To heal your shoulder injury, you will need to lighten the load you are carrying,” she said.

“You mean, take some weight off my shoulders?”

“Yes,” she said. “And it’s time to grow wings.”

Louise Hay believed that the body is a message board. And that your body is always trying to give you messages to help you be healthier, happier, and more whole.

Kemi feels the same way about the body. “Listening to your body is a spiritual practice,” she says.

Asking yourself a question like, “What message does my body want me to know today?” is a great practice for living a healthy life.

My new spiritual practice is growing wings. I am enjoying playing with this metaphor.

‘So, what can I do to grow my wings?” I asked Kemi.

“Let life love you more,” she told me, with a smile.

“I wrote a book about that!” I said.

“Let your angels help you more,” she said.

“You mean, stop trying to do life all by myself,” I said.

“Exactly,” she said.

Note: I highly recommend subscribing to Robert Holden’s website.

Keep Showing Up

Posted on by Joanne Guidoccio

On Wednesdays, I share posts, fables, songs, poems, quotations, TEDx Talks, cartoons, and books that have inspired and motivated me on my writing journey. I hope these posts will give writers, artists, and other creatives a mid-week boost.

In A Year of Writing Dangerously, author and teacher Barbara Abercrombie shares anecdotes, insights, and solutions. Here’s a thought-provoking excerpt:

Maybe the essay you’re writing, or the memoir or novel, has now taken up residence in your inner life, like a DVD playing in your head. Maybe as you go to sleep at night, you’re working on your story, you dream it. And when you brush your teeth in the morning, you’re thinking about it, seeing flashbacks of your own life or your characters hovering behind you. If it’s a book you’re working on, you imagine what the cover will look like. Articles you read in the newspaper or online, things you observe, hear on radio or TV—everything starts to connect to your work.

Maybe you already have a draft of an essay or short story you’ve written that needs to sit for a while for you to get some perspective on it, and you’re looking for the subject of your next one. What you look for, you usually find.

Or maybe not. Maybe you’re stuck. But the only way to become unstuck is to keep showing up, to keep writing. And trust that when you do show up, something will be playing in your unconscious.

Source: A Year of Writing Dangerously, p.149

Inspiration from My Favorite Authors

Posted on by Joanne Guidoccio

Collecting quotations has been one of my lifelong hobbies. In the pre-computer days, I would jot down quotations on slips of paper and toss them in a desk drawer. Once a month, I would type them up and place them in a special file folder. I’ve kept the folder but now use Pinterest and Goodreads to store my quotations.

These quotations resonate during this season of my life:

“If I waited for perfection, I would never write a word.” ~ Margaret Atwood

“Writing a novel is like driving a car at night. You can only see as far as your headlights, but you can make the whole trip that way.” ~ E. L. Doctorow

Continue reading on the Soul Mate Authors blog.

When Writing Does Not Come Easy

Posted on by Joanne Guidoccio

I’m happy to welcome back author Nancy-Lee Badger. Today, Nancy shares her creative journey and new release, The Rogue’s Ring.

I feel I was a late bloomer when it came to writing. During my junior high years, I recall going to some type of eye doctor who made mom make me do the oddest eye exercises that included laying on my back on the floor and moving my arms. I tried contact lenses in my junior year of high school and could see better, but I took a remedial reading course in my senior year that was all about memorizing blocks of random numbers. We got up to six numbers, which helped me once I began working in retail, since I had to punch each item’s SKU (stock keeping unit) number into the register.

I wrote a few stories and dabbled in poetry in college, but never once did writing a publishable novel fill my dreams. Marriage, work, and raising a family got in the way of any dreams, until I began to notice my surroundings at a Scottish Highland festival. The writing took off, but it wasn’t until I was in my fifties and had moved from New Hampshire to North Carolina that I sold a story.

I have published contemporary romances, time travels, and fantasies. My current series involves three Englishmen who meet Scottish women as they search for treasure. The Rogue’s Ring is a full-length story set mainly in 1817 Scotland. The Rogue’s Ring follows The Earl’s Treasure and The Duke’s Diamond. What happens? They find love they never expected to fall into their laps.

Tag Line

An English rogue, a Scottish pirate’s sister, and a quest that ought to keep them apart is thwarted when young boys are kidnapped.

Book Blurb

Bryce Ketteridge would never let down his friends. If finding the owners of signet rings was important, he would do his share. Shooting a masked bandit turned his life on end. What followed was not in his plans. The last thing Cat Douglas wished to do was steal coins from the handsome stranger. When he later shoots her while she threatened a nobleman’s coach, she suspected he had no idea it was her. Kidnapped boys, pirate threats, and murder propel them to save a boy named Blake. He was, after all, special to them both.

More about Me

I grew up in Huntington on New York’s Long Island. After attending Plymouth State, in New Hampshire, I earned a Bachelor of Science degree and met and married my college sweetheart. We raised two handsome sons in Rumney, New Hampshire while I dreamed of being a writer. When the children had left the nest, and shoveling snow became a chore, I retired from my satisfying job as a 911 Emergency Medical Dispatcher and moved to North Carolina, where I write full-time. I am a member of Romance Writers of America, Heart of Carolina Romance Writers, Fantasy-Futuristic & Paranormal Romance Writers, and the Triangle Association of Freelancers. I find story ideas in the most unusual places. Connect with her here:

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