Miracle Moment®
“Just living isn’t enough,” said the butterfly. “One must also have sunshine, freedom, and a little flower.” Hans Christian Andersen
MESSAGE FROM CYNTHIA BRIAN, Founder/Executive Director
It’s been three days short of four weeks since I have been at home, sheltering-in-place, and personal distancing. With mask and gloves, I venture to my office in town once a week to pick up the mail. The parking lot is empty of cars as everyone works from home. The numerous items on my “to-do” list have not all been accomplished, although I admit, I may have overreached in my enthusiasm. I’ve been occupied with over two dozen webinars and teleconferences attempting to figure out how to keep the outreach programs of Be the Star You Are!® non-profit alive and viable as donations have shriveled. Online applications, document gathering, organizing paperwork…tedious and time-consuming. Most of you will relate. I’m so appreciative to Screen Actors Guild, The Authors Guild, Network for Good, and California Association of Non Profits for all of the information they have generously provided to help performers, writers, and non-profits survive during this Covid 19 crisis.
Email requests for virtual volunteer opportunities have tripled as people strive to keep their skills honed during work layoffs. Producing our two radio broadcasts takes an enormous amount of time as I attempt to bring valuable information, entertainment, and enlightening guests to the airwaves. I laugh at the preponderance of Linkedin messages from a variety of coaches asking for a telephone chat so they can help me earn seven figures. Right! Maybe I need to send them a link to donate a bit of their riches.
I am so grateful to have a home and a home office. There have been magical experiences because of our quarantine. My husband and I are enjoying virtual costume parties with our kids via FaceTime at sunset. Instead of working crazy, late night schedules at our respective offices, we are actually sitting down together at the table every day to eat dinner. Most evenings we watch a movie or documentary on Netflix. My garden has become my sanctuary because it is in full bloom providing plenty of hope for a brighter tomorrow. I spend hours working in it daily and I’ve had so much fun in the barnyard with my adopted animals. Every day I post a photo from my mini-farm to my social networks with an inspirational note. Sunday, we’ll do a virtual Easter-egg hunt with our family. How marvelous technology is!
I miss working in films and coaching clients in person. I miss seeing my family in the flesh, meeting friends at restaurants, visiting gardens and museums, and going to the theater. Yet, I am happy we are healthy, alive, and thus far, safe. We have sunshine, freedom, and flowers. This is living!
This will be a memorable Passover, Holy Week, and Easter for all. Enjoy some of the virtual tours of museums and gardens listed below.
Sending blessings and grace.
Stay safe, strong, and keep living in the moment.
Cynthia Brian
Founder/Executive Director
Be the Star You Are!®
PO Box 376
Moraga, California 94556
Cynthia@BetheStarYouAre.org
P.S. During the lock-down, I am available for consultations, webinars, interviews, or speaking via on-line sources only. If interested, email cynthia@BetheStarYouAre.org or visit https://www.starstyleradio.com/coaching
Virtual Visits:
My husband and I were supposed to be celebrating Easter in Prague this year with my Irish/Norwegian penpal from childhood, Nora, and her husband. We love to explore museums and gardens together. Unfortunately I won’t be able to visit Museum Kampa so I took a virtual tour. https://artsandculture.google.com/partner/museum-kampa?hl=en
Here are some links to virtual visits to a few of my favorite museums and gardens in various parts of the world. Experience armchair travel!
Museums:
Van Gogh Museum. Amsterdam: https://artsandculture.google.com/partner/van-gogh-museum?hl=en
RijksMuseum, Amsterdam: https://artsandculture.google.com/partner/rijksmuseum?hl=en
Hermitage, St. Petersburg: https://artsandculture.google.com/partner/the-state-hermitage-museum?hl=en
Musée d’Orsay, Paris: https://artsandculture.google.com/partner/musee-dorsay-paris?hl=en
Palace of Versailles, Versailles: https://artsandculture.google.com/partner/palace-of-versailles?hl=en
Legend of Honor, San Francisco: https://artsandculture.google.com/partner/legion-of-honor?hl=en
deYoung Museum. San Francisco: https://artsandculture.google.com/partner/de-young-museum?hl=en
MOMA, Museum of Modern Art, New York: https://artsandculture.google.com/partner/moma-the-museum-of-modern-art?hl=en
Gardens:
Monet’s Garden, Giverny France: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rjWx2WNXFF4
Hawaii Tropical Botanical Garden: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BtZ0dcUzGX8
HighGrove Gardens, England: https://artsandculture.google.com/exhibit/igLSEOWqhVHoJw
Keukenhof, Holland: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dqMA5s-N1Uw
Butchart Gardens, Canada: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OoxcZBuf900
Brooklyn Botanical Gardens Cherry Watch, United States: https://www.bbg.org/collections/cherries
National Trust Gardens, England, Ireland: https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/lists/virtual-tours-of-our-places
Other Entertainment
1.For teens, by teens, Express Yourself!™ Radio hosts and reporters continue to interview fantastic guests. Listen to 9 years of incredible interviews : https://www.voiceamerica.com/show/2014/express-yourself
Lots of exciting guests are lined up to talk about new books, food, climate, medicine, spirituality, the future, and more. Make sure to listen to BTSYA volunteer and host, Brigitte Jia’s meditative hour on Quarantine Communication and Contemplation, https://www.voiceamerica.com/episode/122978/quarantine-communication-and-contemplation-with-brigitte-jia
For information on new weekly episodes and guests, visit https://www.starstyleradio.com/expressyourselfteenradio
2. Lifestyle radio programming at its best, StarStyle®-Be the Star You Are!® offers you over 728 hours of LIVE uplifting, informative, empowering broadcasts showcasing celebrities, authors, successperts, and the pioneers the planet. https://www.voiceamerica.com/show/2206/be-the-star-you-are
Beginning on Wednesday, April 15 at 4:30pm PT, join us for Wine Wednesdays with sommelier and BTSYA volunteer, Heather Brittany. Each week we’ll raise a glass and learn about a different varietal. We can all use a little vino during this down time and Heather Brittany brings us the party to put the bloom on the doom. It's Wine Time! Salute!
Don’t miss our many excellent authors who will be on our programs.
New LIVE shows every Wednesday from 4-5pm PT: https://www.starstyleradio.com/starstyle-radio
3. If you love behind-the-scenes of movies, TV shows, and more, The SAG Foundation offers Conversations with numerous actors, directors, casting people, and more. The content is free and fabulous but you can also donate: https://www.youtube.com/user/SAGFoundation
4. If you love nature and gardening, a plethora of gardening articles:https://www.cynthiabrian.com/gardening-articles
Our last newsletter had numerous ways to entertain yourselves during our stay-at-home mandate. If you missed it, here’s a link to Press Pass: https://blog.voiceamerica.com/2020/03/30/theres-no-place-like-home/
SHOPPING ON-LINE!
Since we need to stay at home and only go out when absolutely necessary, these are on-line shopping portals that will sell you what you need, offer discounts, and assist our mission as a nonprofit. Please use these web sites for all of your shopping essentials,
1. AmazonSmile donates .5% of purchases https://smile.amazon.com/ch/94-3333882
2. Discounted books at Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/shops/be_the_star_you_are_charity
3. Giving Assistant: Shop. Earn. Give! Use Giving Assistant to earn cash at 3500+ popular online stores, then donate a percentage to BTSYA:https://givingassistant.org/np#be-the-star-you-are-inc
& buy from your favorite stores.
4. Search and GoodShop: Choose Be the Star You Are as your charity to support. You can log in with Facebook, too! https://www.goodshop.com/nonprofit/be-the-star-you-are
5. Shop at over 1300 stores on IGIVE: http://www.iGive.com/BTSYA
6. BTSYA Logo Store: http://btsya.rylees.net
7. Buy or Sell on EBAY:http://givingworks.ebay.com/charity-auctions/charity/be-the-star-you-are-501-c-3/1504/?favorite=link
8. Designer Clothes to Buy or Sell: https://www.unionandfifth.com/charities/be-the-star-you-are-moraga-ca/shop
9. Buy “Read, Lead, Succeed” T-shirts and tanks $19.99 at StarStyle® Store: http://www.starstylestore.net/
10. Are you a gamer, lover of new software, or other digital content? Buy all of your favorites at Humble Bundle. http://ow.ly/cYs130iN6n4
We appreciate a direct donation most of all via PAYPAL GIVING FUND at https://www.paypal.com/fundraiser/charity/1504
Checks can be sent to PO Box 376, Moraga, California 94556
http://www.btsya.org
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Direct Links you can use for Be the Star You Are!®
Positive Results: https://www.bethestaryouare.org/positive-results
About Us: https://www.bethestaryouare.org/about_us
Programs: https://www.bethestaryouare.org/programs
How to Help: https://www.bethestaryouare.org/how-to-help
Events: https://www.bethestaryouare.org/events
Contact us: https://www.bethestaryouare.org/contact
GREAT NON PROFITS REVIEWS: https://greatnonprofits.org/org/be-the-star-you-are-inc
GUIDESTAR: https://www.guidestar.org/profile/94-3333882
We invite you to volunteer, get involved, or make a donation. Make a DONATION through PAYPAL GIVING FUND and PAYPAL with 100% going to BTSYA with NO FEES: https://www.paypal.com/fundraiser/charity/1504
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Classified Ads:
If you’d like to advertise your service or product while supporting Be the Star You Are!®, we are now accepting approved ads that will benefit readers. Contact info@BetheStarYouAre.org for details.
Enjoy Holy Week, Passover, and Easter in a brand new way. We are still here…apart yet together. Stay healthy and safe. Add sunshine flowers to your life.
PO Box 376
Moraga, California 94556
All donations are 100% Tax Deductible according to law. Thank you!
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