Page 10 - WholeMagazine_FEB2021

Singerton Snippets books without borders
...for seniors, by seniors, about seniors

By Ron Singerton Wedding Rings on the Fourth Valentino Will
Historical Review Finger of the Left Hand. Why? Die by Donis Casey
As a former history teacher, I’ve Some traditions we take for granted available at
always been interested in stories go back hundreds if not thousands of Amazon,
including your story, her story, and years. Take the wedding ring, a signifier Goodreads &
HIS-STORY. One day many years ago I of marriage and devotion in most of the Barnes and Noble.
decided to write a novel about ancient Western world. It’s said that the ancient
Rome which became “Villa of Deceit.” I Egyptians (who knew nothing of the WHO IS
had always taught modern history so function of the brain) believed that one TRYING TO KILL
this was a challenge. I wondered what it thought went through the heart and a THE WORLD’S
would be like to live back then and vein from the heart led to the fourth GREATEST
invented a character who was a slave. finger of the left hand. And, presumably, LOVER?
Almost everybody captured in war six thousand years ago, that’s where the Though Bianca
became a slave (it had nothing to do ring was placed. But surely, it was not a LaBelle, star of the wildly popular silent Dear Younger Me…Wisdom for Family
Enterprise Successors by David C.
with race) and 40% of Rome was slave. diamond. That came much, much later. movie serial “The Adventures of Bianca Bentall available at Amazon and most
At its height, Rome had close to one However, the Church of England’s Dangereuse”, and Rudolph Valentino, the local bookstores. Family business
million people. Book of Common Prayer in 1549, requires greatest screen idol of all time, have been enterprises found in virtually every
I wanted to know if there was ever a that the ring should be worn on the friends for years, in the summer of 1926 country, are the backbone of most
time when slaves in Rome ever had fourth finger of the left hand to they are making their first picture economies. However, the leadership
anything to look forward to. And, Lo, differentiate its members from practices together, a steamy romance called Grand challenges they present are complex and
the strangest, most festive and unusual of the Roman Catholic Church which put Obsession. One evening after dinner at unique. Most executives and family
week of the year. It began on December the ring on the right hand, indicating Bianca’s fabulous Beverly Hills estate, a members in these firms eventually
th
17 497 B.C. with sacrifices to the god strength of the marriage bond. Of troubled Rudy confesses that he has discover that their education and years of
Saturn (Roman god of planting) but course, many people today wear no received anonymous death threats. In a hard work have not prepared them to
others said it was inaugurated to raise wedding ring at all and ring fingers matter of days, filming comes to an abrupt address many of the interpersonal
halt when Rudy falls deathly ill. Could it
the peoples’ morale after the horrific have changed with the times. In the 16 th be poison? demands that come with the territory.
Roman defeat after the battle of Cannae and 17 centuries the thumb was the ring As Rudy lies dying, Bianca promises After years of study and reflection, David
th
Bentall came to realize how ill equipped
in 217 BCE. finger. And it’s displayed on the fourth him that she will find out who is he had been to be a part of the solution
With the start of the festival all Rome finger of the right hand in Russia, Greece responsible. Was it one of his many for his own family business. In his
would shout “Lo Saturnalia!” The and parts of Central America. And in lovers? A delusional fan? Or perhaps Rudy newest title, Dear Younger Me, he
holiday was a perfect excuse to get conservative Judaism, the ring is worn had run afoul of a mobster whose name presents a highly personal exploration of
drunk, (wine, not beer) to forgive on the lady’s right index finger. Bianca knows all too well? She calls on P.I. nine key character traits that David
sentences of death, to party and party But a word about the diamond, the Ted Oliver to help her investigate the end realizes he was badly lacking as a young
some more. One could gamble (usually most common rock adorning the ring. It of what had seemed to be the charmed life executive. Written in a handbook format,
a crime) and give gifts such as figurines only became relatively standard after of Valentino. and useful for any business executive, it
and wax candles. The entire event was a the Great Depression. The South African Post-Traumatic is especially aspiring for family
raucous, wild extravaganza which not mining firm De Beers was having Thriving The Art of enterprise executives, providing insight
even Augustus or Caligula could tame. difficulty marketing diamonds and came Science, & Stories of and inspiration on how to develop
But most amazing was that during the up with the slogan “A Diamond is Resilience by HUMILITY, CURIOSITY, LISTENING,
festival, slaves and masters changed Forever.” Their sales skyrocketed as the Randall Bell, Ph.D. EMPATHY, FORGIVENESS, GRATITUDE,
CRITICAL THINKING, PATIENCE and
places! Slaves could share a table with economy improved. Four words. How available at CONTENTMENT. He artfully balances
their masters, have them serve the food ‘bout that for marketing? Amazon, Goodreads academic research with practical insights
shouting, “not that slop!” Everyone and Walmart. Dr. from many well-known family
wore a felt hat, the pileus, denoting a Ron Singerton is the author of the Bell takes the reader enterprise leaders exploring the role of
freed slave or liberti. Instead of masters historical novels, “Villa of Deceit,” on a journey from these key virtues as found in the lives of
traumatization to
wearing the toga they wore the (ancient Rome) its sequel, “The Silk and healing by dividing such iconic leaders as Benjamin Franklin,
synthesis, colorful, informal clothing the Sword,” “A Cherry Blossom in up the book into Albert Einstein, Gandhi, Mother Teresa,
and slaves were allowed (within Winter,” (the Russo Japanese war) and sections and Nelson Mandela, Kim Phuc, Walt Disney,
bounds) to order their masters around. its sequel, “A Blossom in the Ashes,” weaving the stories of successful trauma John Wooden, and Helen Keller.
It was a way of pretending the social WWII. Penmore Press (Tucson) has survivors throughout. The first section is
order was just without undermining it. published four historical novels, all of called the Dive Stage: We Get Knocked How do I get my book reviewed?
But once the celebration was over, which are on Amazon and have four and Down. As in, where you experience the Criteria: NBY! publishes book reviews
everything reverted back to five star ratings. The first was “Villa of trauma. This is where the work of for authors that are over 55 years old, or
“Normality” in which the father of the Deceit,” followed by its sequel “The Silk psychologist Dr. Kübler-Ross’s five stages of the topic is appropriate for older adult
household, the Dominus, was in total and the Sword.” Both deal with ancient grief comes in. The fives stages are: shock, readers, or it is about an older adult.
control over the lives of his children, Rome, the Silk Road and the march of denial, anger, bargain and depression. NBY! reserves the right to refuse material
wife and slaves for as long as he lived. Roman survivors after the battle of Section two is the Surviving Stage: We Get deemed inappropriate by the publisher.
I probably would not have wanted to Carrhae (53 B.C.E.) to the Great Wall of Back Up. This is where you face the trauma Next Step: Mail a copy of your book
live in Rome for more than a day China which really happened. The other head on and learn coping mechanisms to help to NBY!, PO Box 722, Brea, CA 92822.
you heal. This includes confrontation,
(certainly not on a street at night) but two are based on the love of a young sorting, experimentation, acceptance and Enclose a brief description of the book,
during Saturnalia, it would have been a Russian nobleman and a Japanese girl. A mindfulness. The third section is the Thrive where one can buy it, and a payment of
hoot! $7.00 (check or money order) made out to
new book coming in 2021. Stage: We Blast Off, whereby you actually Senior Industry Professionals. Include
Email: singertons@aol.com apply these techniques and learn to be a your contact information: Name, address,
Website: www.ronsingerton.com happier person version of yourself again. A phone, email address, website (if appli-
thriving version of yourself. cable).

10 February 2021