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Life Lesson Quote for April 14, 2012

Your job won't take care of you when you are sick.  Your friends will.  Stay in touch.

Patti Wood, MA, Certified Speaking Professional - The Body Language Expert. For more body language insights go to her website at http://PattiWood.net. Also check out the body language quiz on her YouTube Channel at http://youtube.com/user/bodylanguageexpert.

Casablanca "Here is looking at your kid" - drinks for a Casablanca party night.


Rick's toast to Ilsa, "Here's looking at you, kid",  that is used several times in the movie Casablanca , is not in the draft screenplays, but has been attributed to something Bogart said to Bergman as he taught her poker between takes. It was voted the 5th most memorable line in cinema in AFI's 100 Years…100 Movie Quotes by the American Film Institute.

I just got Turner Classic Movie 70th anniversary edition remastered version of Casablanca

I just looked up the beverages that were consumed in the movie to inspire choices for a Casablanca movie viewing Party. In the Movie Casablanca the characters drank  Champagne, Champagne cocktails, wine, cognac, Cointreau, and bourbon. Nonverbally drinking all that alcohol effects the body language of the characters throughout the movie. They are looking off in the distance as they wait for a drink, they look at the drinks they look at each other and then the drinks.  This show the hopelessness and trapped feelings they have  at the onset of war. The alcohol is their escape from reality . Wow! You could get very tipsy if you played  a drinking game had people raise our glasses and drink every time they drink or toast in the movie.

Here is what I found on the internet at http://www.wineintro.com/movies/casablanca/ everything below is from this website.

From the start of the story right through the end, wine and Champagne were key elements..

The movie begins with Rick finishing a glass of Champagne. It's sad that in those days they used the giant-bowl glasses, which aren't very good for saving bubbles or flavor in a bubbly! Ugarte comes over with the two passes, and goes through two glasses of cognac.

Cut over to Yvonne, drowning her sorrows in Rick's private stock of brandy. I've tried to figure out which it is, but the picture is too small for me to see. She's soon escorted home by Sacha.

Now Major Strasser enters, and Captain Renault kindly suggests he try the Veuve Cliquot '26, a very good year for this Champagne. Laszlo and Ilsa come in and order two glasses of Cointreau. Renault seems to be fond of Champagne, because in a few minutes he joins the couple, and orders a bottle of Champagne for them (although, we might note, not the '26). Lazlo heads up to the bar before it arrives, and Renault meets him there and orders a pair of Champagne Cocktails. These people like to drink!

Later that evening, Rick is depressed over seeing Ilsa and goes most of the way through a bottle of bourbon. He starts remembering their days in Paris. This involves they drinking Cordon Rougue Champagne in his apartment, with the famous "Here's looking at you, kid" line. Later in La Belle Aurore, a little club, they're trying to get through the remaining bottles of Cordon Rougue before the Germans get into town. They even threaten to pour it in the garden rather than let the Germans get it. Their final kiss knocks over the glass.

The next morning in the Blue Parrot, Rick and Ferrari share a bourbon together. At Rick's later on, Yvonne and her new German soldier lover order "French 75s" at the bar. Carl, the waiter, then brings "the finest brandy" to the Leuchtags, who are preparing to leave for Lisbon. It appears to be Hennessey Cognac. Rick's drinking brandy when he chats with Annina, and then Laszlo comes in with Ilsa and order two cognacs. When Rick lets Annina win their 'escape fare', Carl pours a brandy for Rick in thanks.

Now we go through perhaps the longest wine-free stretch of the entire movie, until Ilsa gets into Rick's apartment. After the "pause" they are sipping Champagne on the couch. Then Laszlo comes into the bar, and Rick goes down to pour him some brandy

Six lines from Casablanca appeared in the AFI list, the most of any film (Gone with the Wind and The Wizard of Oz tied for second with three apiece). The other five are:

"Louis, I think this is the beginning of a beautiful friendship" – 20th

"Play it, Sam. Play 'As Time Goes By'" – 28th

"Round up the usual suspects" – 32nd

"We'll always have Paris" – 43rd

"Of all the gin joints in all the towns in all

One of the lines most closely associated with the film — "Play it again, Sam" — is a misquotation.[120][121] When Ilsa first enters the CafĂ© Americain, she spots Sam and asks him to "Play it once, Sam, for old times' sake." After he feigns ignorance, she responds, "Play it, Sam. Play 'As Time Goes By'." Later that night, alone with Sam, Rick says, "You played it for her, you can play it for me," and "If she can stand it, I can! Play it!"

Patti Wood, MA, Certified Speaking Professional - The Body Language Expert. For more body language insights go to her website at http://PattiWood.net. Also check out the body language quiz on her YouTube Channel at http://youtube.com/user/bodylanguageexpert.

Life Lesson Quote for April 13, 2012

HOWEVER GOOD OR BAD A SITUATION IS, IT WILL CHANGE.

Patti Wood, MA, Certified Speaking Professional - The Body Language Expert. For more body language insights go to her website at http://PattiWood.net. Also check out the body language quiz on her YouTube Channel at http://youtube.com/user/bodylanguageexpert.

Five Relaxation Techniques Before a Speech or Other High Stress Event


1. Place one hand on your stomach, and breathe deeply. Focus on filing your belly up like a balloon so your hand rises and then let your breath out slowly. Repeat three times

2. Breathe in slowly counting to three then hold your breath in for a count of three then breathe out very slowly on a count of three.

3. Place one hand on the chest just under your neck and the other on your stomach breathe in slowly and see which hand moves the most.  When we are under stress we breathe shallow breaths high in the chest. To relax focus on your breathing low and slow till just the hand on your stomach moves when you breathe.

4. Close your eyes and imagine yourself walking by the ocean. Feel the warm sun on your skin. Feel the sand. Hear the waves come in and out. Breathe slowly in and out with the waves. Say to yourself I am relaxed.

5 .Close your eyes and imagine the audience smiling and leaning forward as you come up to speak. Imagine your relaxed and confident energy as you begin your speech.  See the audience in your mind's eye nodding their heads and showing interest.

Patti Wood, MA, Certified Speaking Professional - The Body Language Expert. For more body language insights go to her website at http://PattiWood.net. Also check out the body language quiz on her YouTube Channel at http://youtube.com/user/bodylanguageexpert.

Patti's Body Language Training is Discussed in the Wall Street Journal

Patti was recently quoted in the Wall Street Journal to discuss the training she did for Affinia Hotels.  All the employees from all the Affinia Hotels from the housekeeping staff to the owner of the hotel chain attended Patti's body language and customer service training last year. The Wall Street Journal interviewed the employees and the guests about the impact of the training on their comfort in their interactions.  Click the link below to read the article.

Wall Street Journal - April 12, 2012

Patti Wood, MA, Certified Speaking Professional - The Body Language Expert. For more body language insights go to her website at http://pattiwood.net/. Also check out the body language quiz on her YouTube Channel at http://youtube.com/user/bodylanguageexpert.