Thanksgiving is over. It’s time for the holiday season! I am now allowing myself to listen  to Christmas music. Starting: now.

Here are some easy easy ways to be a good person during the next month:

1. Donate your old books to hospitals or libraries.

2. Regift the remnants left on giftcards as donations to your fave charity at plasticjungle.com.

3. Tend a garden by giving $5 to dinnergarden.org to buy seeds for enough veggies to feed a struggling family of seven.

4. Fight hunger and malnutrition by giving $1 to vitaminangels.org which gives vitamins to kids in poor parts of the US, Honduras, and Haiti.

5. Click around at care2.com. Literally, CLICKING will help.

6. I don’t care how peaceful and against the war we are.  Send a free holiday card to soldiers who won’t be spending Xmas morning cozy and warm. Go to redcross.org.

7. Stop Googling and Wikiprusing and use Goodsearch instead. Same results, but it will also send money to causes of your choice.

8. Stock a fridge by giving a measly buck to feedingamerica.org. The donation will supply a family with 9 pounds of groceries.

9. DO NOT WRAP YOUR PRESENTS THIS YEAR. Alternatives: newspaper, magazine collages, wallpaper.

10. $1 at gocampaign.org…a US nonprofit will feed 4 Tanzanian kids a healthy brekky.

11. Play some trivs at frekibble.com. Be your answer right or wrong, a puppy will still be less hungry.

Please do atleast one of these. I promise it will make you feel less materialistic this season.

Peace,

Sources: like charity, earth 911, nytimes.com, fuckyeahchristmas

Inspired by an article in Glamour magazine

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!

BLACK FRIDAY HERE I COME!!!!

Please know you have profoundly helped me grow to who I am today (I hope that’s not a bad thing!). I apologize off the bat for the bad grammar. This is a very stream of consciousness letter. I am thankful for so many people this is going to sound like an acceptance speech. If only I had an award to go with it!For some reason, I feel more thankful than ever. Going through a transformation of sorts puts everything in perspective. When I lost my job this past June, I would have never guessed I would have felt more alive and have met some of the most amazing people. I never dreamed I would be on television/radio and also have a blog, which has had to date over 15,000 hits. I am grateful for EVERYONE who visits day after day!

Thank you for following the journey.

If I could tell you one thing –change the world. Go out and make a difference. Stand up for what you believe in. Change someone’s life. We all have amazing stories to tell. Share them.

My blog wouldn’t have gotten off the ground without a few people. My publicist, George, whose idea it was to really go forward and create the blog. He always has a way of staying positive. A special thanks to ALL the people I have interviewed thus far: the wonderful Marti C., single-licious Melissa B, exceptional Jerry Mitchell, incredible forced to be reckoned with Frenchie Davis, life changing activities Ryan Janek Wolowski and Randy Wicker, and uber talents Richard and Dana. Elisa, Will, Angelo and Renee thank you for one point or another for being my camera bitch! There are many more people, so I apologize if I have forgotten you.

Liz S, you are an amazing woman who constantly gives me the chance to do what I love! You always astound me by the types of events you have me cover. Thank you for taking a chance with me!
Julie H. you have such an amazing heart. I never thought in a million years I would be on the Pat Field website! You have really made my year. You see things in me that I have overlooked. I can’t thank you enough for the dream come true it has been and will keep continuing!
Meagan H. – WE WILL GET KATHY!! You are such a joy to know and you never make my crazy idea is well…crazy! You are a great visionary at what you do!

My family has always been my rock. A special shout out to my relatives in PA, who are not only amazing, but I am so blessed to have reconnected with them on Facebook. Though sometimes we seem miles apart, BENNINGTONS know we are NEVER that far. Thanks guys for all the kick ass support!

My other “family” -my friends who have seen my light and my dark, I feel so fortunate to have had the opportunity to see each of you grow and become individuals who make me proud in the way you contribute and choices you make. Each of you has such a special gift. I truly love you all and you have been a place to look for advice, support and unconditional love. You have no clue how much I value all of you (though sometimes my sarcasm may make it seem otherwise)

My Old Tappan friends, it’s been a while but let me know when you’re around the NYC/NJ area. For me to see us all grown up seems a little freaky! It was only yesterday we were singing to Mr. Boscia’s music, seeing Mr. Rossi throw a desk, cutting class, going to the prom. Now some of you have your own families. Keep me in your heart, as I do with you.

Wagner College gave me amazing inspiration to find myself and meet professors and life-long friends who inspire me daily. There are many ways you can gain an education as I learned in my years at Wager!

Thanks to all the RENT friends I have made. Measure in love. We can always be grateful for Jonathan Larson’s lasting treasure. Thanks for all the RENT road trips!

Thank you, all the new friends I have made. I look forward to knowing you more and more (that DOES sound kind of creepy)

THANK YOU TO ALL OF YOU OUT THERE WHO INSPIRE!

This year, remember those who are not as blessed and keep them in your thoughts and prayers. It’s important for us –as teachers, friends, parents, lovers, brothers, sisters,-you name it, to go out there and make a difference. Anything small can help. We can be the change.

Please have a safe, healthy and happy Thanksgiving this year.

The best is yet to come,

Neal B
www.nealbinnyc.wordpress.com

Their are times when we all believe that what we do dose not make a difference, no matter how hard we try…You can do things by the book, follow all the rules and know that it should work but the results don’t appear… You can follow all the good advice and still not make a difference…It just dose not make any sense !

We have just been through just such a satiation in our domestic cleaning business!…Getting hundreds of hits on the website… But the phone did not ring.  Flyer’s through doors … and nothing.  Increase our advertising…more like throw good cash away.  We even lost customers faster than ever before… Alarmed.  Oh Yes, but panicked.  Not a chance.  I knew that we where doing every thing right! everything except one thing…. Thinking in the right way !

I recognised what was happening almost immediately, as I have seen it so often,  it happens all around us, all the time, in every kind of business or in normal life…however I just sat back and set out to  provide guidance, advice and direction to the others, that was all.  I let them learn something…something I already know.

Change the way you think and you can change the world…As soon as they changed the way they thought,  our world changed.  The phone started ringing,  jobs started flowing in and in such quantity as to be disproportionate to our efforts.  Let me be honest with you, today we are getting a lot less visitors on the site, we are not putting out more flyer’s or adverts and are not losing customers, in fact quite the reverse…

It is a well known fact that if you do things differently you get a different result.  Shore we had been doing the right things, but we had not changed anything, except the way we thought about what we where doing and why! This is the only thing we have done differently and it made a difference and big difference.  Its not something you can measure or test. Its not something you can put your finger on… You just have to have faith.

Making a difference is about understanding that you are making a difference.  Its not not always easy but it is simple… Find a reason and just believe that what you are doing is important.  This alone will bring energy and value to your task.  What happens is that other people see or feel this energy and get excited by you and what you do, they feed on this energy and respond to it becoming enthusiastic themselves and the returns are disproportionate to your investment.

You can make a difference! Any one can!  It just take one thought to change the world and that has to start with you..!

Here’s another batch of JE group songs!

This time it’s from 3 groups.

First of we have GYM / gYm

          (Golf, YamaPi, Mike)

gYm is a special group created under Johnny’s Entertainment with 2 Thai singers and one Japanese. We have the members Golf & Mike and Yamashita Tomohisa of NewS. Golf and Mike are 2 Thai brothers who signed under Johnny’s Entertainment to promote themselves in Japan. gYm is made as a volleyball support for the volleyball team. They have this one single Fever to Future. Mike is soooo handsome and cute.!!

DOWNLOAD: (MF Link)^ GYM – フィーバーとフューチャー (Fever to Future).mp3

———-

(V6 in their younger years. From left to right Sakamoto Masayuki, Miyake Ken, Hiroshi Nagano, Junichi Okada, Masayuki Sakamoto, and Go Morita.)

V6 is a group composed of obviously 6 people. Composed of members Junichi Okada, Miyake Ken, Morita Go, Sakamoto Masayuki, Inohara Yoshihiko, and Hiroshi Nagano. This group also reached their peak in their time of fame.This is the 1st JE group to become volleyball supporters. This was also the 1st JE group to have sub-groups. 20th Century is composed of the elder members namely Sakamoto, Inohara, and Hiroshi. The other sub-group Coming Century is composed of the younger members Ken, Go, and Junichi.
Yeah yeah, you may say that they are old now but! So love their songs! Darling? Do you know that song? The OST of Kimi wa PETTO was sung by them! Gokusen I’s song Feel Your Breeze was also from them!

DOWNLOAD: (MF Links)^ V6 – Honey Beat.mp3
^ V6 – Feel your breeze.mp3
^ V6 – Darling.mp3
^ V6 – COSMIC RESCUE.mp3
^ V6 – CHANGE THE WORLD.mp3

there you go.!!

——

TegoMass is a special group as well. The group is composed of the 2 vocals of NewS Tegoshi Yuya and Masuda Takahisa. Their group name is obviously a mash-up of their surnames. TegoMass is somehow also considered a sub-group of NewS and the group debuted in the middle of NewS’s hiatus. The special group was made to promote the agency in Switzerland and so they released a English single entitled Miso Soup. Later on they also released the Japanese version of it. They also sang OST’s of anime’s such as Lovely Complex. These boys are just pure heaven!

DOWNLOAD: (MF Link)^ TegoMass [テゴマス] – アイアイ傘 (Ai Ai Gasa).mp3
^ TegoMass [テゴマス] – キッス〜帰り道のラブソング〜 (KISS~Kaerimichi no Love Song~).mp3
^ TegoMass [テゴマス] – キミ + ボク = LOVE? (Kimi + Boku = LOVE?).mp3
^ TegoMass [テゴマス] – ミソスープ (Miso Soup).mp3
^ TegoMass [テゴマス] – ミソスープ (Miso Soup) (English Version).mp3

that’s the end of this one.!

watch out for more.!

Join Kay Marshall Strom, author of the nonfiction book, The Second-Half Adventure: Don’t Just Retire – Use Your Time, Skills & Resources to Change the World (Moody Publishers, October ‘09) , as she virtually tours the blogosphere in January and February on her first virtual book tour with Pump Up Your Book Promotion!

About Kay Marshall Strom

Kay Marshall Strom has written thirty-six published books, numerous magazine articles, and two screenplays.  Four of her books have been chosen as book club selections, eleven have been translated into foreign languages, and one was optioned for a movie. Her writing is also included in numerous volumes and compilations, including the bestselling Conversations on Purpose for Women (Zondervan 2005) and various editions of the NIV Devotional Bibles.

In addition to her writing, Kay taught writing classes through the California State University system for ten years, and still teaches at writers conferences around the country.  In 2008, she was invited to India to teach writing in order to give a voice to those not normally heard.

A sought-after speaker, Kay is in demand for retreats and special events throughout the US and around the world.

Kay and her husband Dan Kline make their home in the Pacific Northwest.

You can visit her website at www.kaystrom.com.

About The Second Half Adventure

Whoever you are, whatever your skills and experiences, you can use what you have gained in life to help change the world.  In connection with The Finishers Project, The Second-Half Adventure will enable you to analyze where you have been, where you want to go in the second-half of your life, and how to start preparing today.

Through the stories of individuals and couples who have found meaningful involvements—from business people to housewives, from engineers to artists—this book will help you infuse your special God-given years with purpose and eternal significance.  The best adventure is yet to come!

Read the Excerpt

Here’s what reviewers have to say!

(coming soon!)

Kay Marshall Strom’s  THE SECOND-HALF ADVENTURE VIRTUAL BOOK TOUR ‘09 will officially begin on Jan. 4 and end on Feb. 26 ‘10. You can visit Kay’s blog stops at www.virtualbooktours.wordpress.com during the month of January and February to find out more about this great book and its talented author. If you would like to host Kay, please contact Dorothy Thompson at thewriterslife@yahoo.com before Dec. 23 for a January review or before Jan. 25 for a February review.

Got Anger, Cynicism & Resentment? Good luck serving the world!! Meditation has found itself in the most unlikely of places over the last few years. Turn on TV and you’ll see Oprah talking about it. Go into some schools and you’ll find kids as young as 5 doing it. We’re all looking for something ELSE.

With all the mess in the world, wouldn’t some silence be just the cure for it all?

A wise man once said “The moral are not organised, and the organised are not moral”.

No matter how much well-intentioned people try to make the world a better place, anger cynicism & resentment are often ingredients in the mix of one hell of a storm between two people who “think it should be done their way”. Look, no matter how much we try, there’ll always be confrontation. And, there’s nothing wrong with that. It’s an opportunity for us to resolve things that may, at first, seem unresolveable.

Let me say that again: There is nothing wrong with all the confrontation we face in the world today.

The big thing is: Are we gonna kill each other each time there’s a confrontation? We need a new way to deal with it without making the other person wrong, and without taking it personally. Let me be blunt: we can’t afford to screw around with the troubles of “anger, bitterness and cynicism” in the 21st century.

Look around. Our economies are collapsing, traditional values are being confronted and are biting back like rabid dogs, and our global environment is breaking down due to our lack of respect for how it works.

Have you ever tried to deal with a problem whilst being hung up on “anger, bitterness and resentment”?
How’d that go for you? Not so well, I imagine… So what are YOU going to do about it?

Our Vision

Let me tell you what WE are going to do about it! We’re bringing people together to meditate. If we can get meditation groups for higher consciousness during big world events, what kind of change could start out of us getting together to connect with what we really love and care about on our planet?

What kind of change could we begin to produce in our communities if we began to recognize that being aligned with a higher consciousness was going to be A GOOD IDEA!! Do you think it’s a GOOD IDEA?

Join us in December to meditate for higher consciousness at the UN Climate Change Conference!

Nezaketle Ödeme

İşimizin çoğu iletişim ve pazarlama stratejilerini yeni medyanın oluşturduğu düzene uyum sağlamak üzere düzenlemek isteyen şirketlerle.

Çok hoşumuza gidiyor çünkü sınırlarımızı zorluyoruz, ancak aynı zamanda yılların davranış biçimlerine, statükoyu korumak üzere çekilmiş duvarlara, kalın kalın yönetmeliklere, kurumsal iletişim müdürlerine, ve çok sevdiğimiz, kurumsal avukatlara karşı karşıya gelmek bazen tepemizi attırabiliyor.

Size kurumunun iletişim kuramayacağını söyleyen bir kurumsal iletişim müdürünün karşısında oturmak ve onun kurumuyla alakalı herşeyi kontrol altına almaya yönelik çabalamalarını izlemek gerçekten de hayatın güç anları arasında.

Bir de kendi topluluğumuz var. “Danışmanlık” geleneğinde bu insanlar “müşteri” kabul edilir, faturaları saat üzerinden kesilir, ayda birkaç görüşme ayalanır, ve tabii ki biz olmadan kesinlikle başaramayacakları kendilerine telkin edilir.

İşte biz bunu asla yapamadık. Topluluğumuza bakışımız bundan çok farklı. Bizim topluluğumuz dostlar ve gönüllü elçilerimizden oluşuyor, ve onlara kendilerini ifade edebilmeleri için küçük bir destekte bulunuyoruz. Onlar zaten söyleyecek ve öğretecek çok şeyleri olan, kendi alanlarında lider, sıradışı insanlar. Onlarla çalışmak çok kolay. Burada duvarlar yok, korku ve direnç yok (yani, pek yok…).

Bu insanlar herşeyi yalayıp yutmaya, deneyimlere, araştırmaya ve kendilerini geliştirmeye açıklar. Ve hepsinin ortak bir noktası var: Hepsi de mükemmelin peşinde.

Topluluğumuzu güçlendiriyoruz, karşılığında onlar da bize güç veriyor. Hepiniz Karma’nın ne demek oluğunu bilirsiniz, buna da İş Karma’sı diyelim.

Banu bize paha biçilmez bir şey gönderdi bugün; elleriyle pişirdiği bir kek ve onu çok daha değerli kılan bir dizi not. Bu tatlı hediye bize yöntemlerimizi asla değiştirmemiz gerektiğini bir daha hatırlattı.

Ne diyelim, harika bir kahvaltıydı!

A cake to remember

We had a great breakfast!

Ever wonder why standing there alone, compare to all the population in this world, we remain so small, so fragile, so powerless, and undeniably useless? Under a macro view, we’re just too weak, and bound to create nothing at all. Let me cease this thought of yours with a couple of stories.

Bob Geldof

Remember this man, even if it would take all the capacity of memories in your brain. He’s an Irish singer, song writter, music jounalist, turned into a punk rockstar.

He was inspired by a news report, on Africa’s famine epidemic. He showed compassion towards starvation of mankind, and began his fight against world hunger. He set foot, on organizing the world’s first global charity concert to aid the needed, financially. The performance was done by a compilation of 100 artists around the world.

These concerts were viewed by 1.5 billion people, and this live aid raised 150 million Pound, in ONE day.

Betty Williams

A receptionist, raising two children on her own. She witnessed 3 children, killed during the political turmoil in Northern Ireland. Within two days of the tragic event, she obtain 6, 000 signatures, petitioning for peace, and led 10, 000 people, on a peace march to the 3 children’s graves.

The march was disrupted by protesters. The march was dead, but her will for world peace only gets stronger. A week later, Betty organized another march.

And this time, the march was 35,000 times STRONGER.

Betty Williams was awarded for the Noble Peace Price in 1976

So, never doubt that one person can CHANGE THE WORLD. Indeed, it’s the only thing that EVER HAS.

just finished my 5+ hour manifestation meeting!!!! LAAFS!!!! incredible night! we got deep with our missions! i feel like changing the world Oprah style! today was POWERFUL! the manifestation blog from yesterday i originally sent out as an email to friends and had so many super positive responses… the message hit a core with people… inspired them to do things they would normally not do… think of things in new ways… reconnect with their spiritual essence. what’s even more amazing is that several people moved by the message passed it on to their loved ones who in turn responded with enthusiasm, inspiration, and love!!!! and it hit me that by me making the choice to put this positivity out into the world i was a catalyst of love… and by those who were inspired choosing to pass on the knowledge and inspiration they are catalysts and so on and so on and we all can be a part of this current of love… receiving and giving and receiving and giving! it’s fucking beautiful!!!!! made my day!……then as i was eating some brazilian pineapple that the rock band (that’s recording in Dre’s studio) left over here, i was missing my brazilian man… and he called me and we had a conversation that rocked my world… he was dropping spiritual knowledge/understanding/compassion on me gandhi style, opening up in ways that shocked me… a layer was peeled.. and it showed me the infinite possibilities and perspectives in love relationships… and i wonder what brought this energetic shift and powerful realization, what was making him hold me in this higher reverence? i guess sometimes people have to be away from you to truly appreciate you and understand you in profound ways…i mean how many people truly understand us?  or was he feeling my experiences and thoughts and feelings here and somehow tapped into that energetically? fascinating! i couldn’t get off the phone with him (though i was running late in cooking dinner and my beans did suffer- they have to sit for at least an hour for ultimate sabor)…i’m excited to keep growing and learning in love! i feel like i’m meant to teach others of love though i may not get to everyone in this lifetime. and speaking of love… though we did speak of our INCREDIBLE accomplishments of our group and our focus for 2010…we got on the subject of sex…. as should be expected with these sexy goddesses!  i love how candid some of the group is… i mean nothing is off-limits and i adore it… the questions came up – if a man is more endowed is he typically less talented or motivated with going down on a woman? (cause he feels he doesn’t have to work to please a woman)… and does size really matter?… also, isn’t a man who is uncircumcised more sensitive in feeling? … the answers were great! i wish we had video taped this conversation… real sex would’ve blushed… what a bizarre magnificent day… full of currents of love, break throughs, good food, deep conversation… i love life! we all have had those moments in life where we feel like hell but we truly create our lives… i’m living proof of that… i’ve developed consciously the beauty that is my life. now i must rest. i have a hula hooping video audition tomorrow! so random! i love life! wishing you the ultimate creation of beauty in your life!!!!

(untouched) photo by megan finley, styled by michele chantel, makeup/hair by tawney bevacqua, art by julia rauda

Teddy Wilson

Savaş Sanatları Sosyal Medya’yla Buluşunca

Dün, bu işten anlamayanlar hakkında yazmıştık… Bugün anlayanlar hakkında konuşacağız.

Çok ilginç biri Teddy Wilson, su gibi akışkan hareket edebilen dağ gibi bir adam. Teddy, Samurai kılıcını vücudunun bir uzantısı gibi kullanabilir. Ve bir kaç hafta öncesine kadar hayatta tek bir korkusu vardı. Teknoloji.

Hayatına Claire Berlinski girinceye kadar…

Yazar-gazeteci Claire Berlinski, gücünün doruğunda, genç ancak çok deneyimli savaş sanatları hocası Egemen Baranok ve savaş sanatlarının en zarifi olan Aikido’nun saygın ustası Teddy Wilson bir araya gelince ne çıkar ortaya? Kadınların Kendini Koruma Girişimi.

Türkiye’deki erkek egemen toplumsal yapıyı yansıtan kendi içine kapalı savaş sanatları çevrelerinde bu üç kişi statükoyu değiştirmek üzere yola çıktılar. Aikido ve savaş sanatlarının kadınları güçlendirmekte ço önemli bir yol olacağını kavradılar. Eğitimle birleştirildiğinde fiziksel farkındalığın kadınların dünyaya bakışı üzerinde radikal bir etkisi olacağını ve hayatlarının her alanında mükemmele ulaşmalarını sağlayacağını kavradılar.

Kadınların Kendini Koruma Girişimi birliğin anlamının ve sosyal medyanın mesajlarını iletebilmekteki gücünün farkında olan bu üç kişinin bebeği. Onlar, bir topluluğun yardımcı olmak, insanların hayatlarını iyileştirmek, düşünceleri yaymak ve liderlik yapmak demek olduğunun bilicindeler.

Qefal, bu girişimi, değişime atılan bu adımı desteklemekten gurur duyuyor. Teddy Wilson (ki kendisi Facebook’ta etiketlemeyi yeni öğrendi) size arkadaşlık teklif ederse şaşırmayın…

—-

Empowering women

Are you crazy enough?

I came across this You Tube video recently and thought I’d share it with you!  I truly believe that the future prosperity of this country lies with the small business owner and entrepreneur.  We are the risk takers, the innovators and the visionaries.  And as difficult as it can sometimes be, we are still the best hope for an economic recovery not only in this country but in the world.  Pass this along to every entrepreneur you know!  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T6MhAwQ64c0

If you think you have ideas for a guest post relevant to my blog topic, feel free to contact me.

I am all for instilling a sense of charity in your kids, as David and Victoria Beckham say they are doing with theirs, but there is another example the Becks could set. Lady B gets given much of her fine wardrobe. She is one of the best clothes horses in town and a newly ordained designer to boot. But by appearing to hoover up shoes, clothes and bags like a hardened cocaine snorter she is giving the legions of fans who follow her such a picture of avid consumerism it could lead her less savvy followers down the road to serious debt.

Don’t get me wrong I love the poshest of the Spice’s. She wears the kind of shoes I would choose to twist around a pole. She was also born under my sun sign of Aries so is a fellow social tourettes sufferer, which makes for hilarious reading.

However she would seriously play the integrity card by flying over from the US and going shopping at the Selfridges Really Really Great Garage Sale this Sunday where Louise Redknapp, Trinny Woodall, Yasmin Le Bon and Denise Van Outen, amongst others, will be donating covetable items for sale and acting as stallholders to raise money for the charity Mothers4children. No-one would give Mrs Beckham gip for being snapped wearing something second hand. The last time she did an Oxfam photocall in 2006, she got a heap of easy publicity and sales of women’s clothes at Oxfam went through the roof. So it’s win win.

I am not one for telling people to do things I would not dream of doing myself, (apart from “taking a hike”) so, having heard charities are losing subscriptions hand over fist, I have upped my personal donations and tempered my own out of control clothes’ habit. I have swapped Zara for frock-swapping and Oxford St for Ebay. I keep my eye on dates at http://www.bigwardrobe.com/TheBigSwish/index.aspx.

I even frock-swap and swish online at http://www.swishing.co.uk and http://www.swishing.biz but do prefer parties to the online experience: the Internet has nothing on holding a glass of Chilean white in one hand and sifting through a rail of glorious bargains with the other. “Swishing parties are for all those women who want to combine glamour, environmental protection and frugality,” says Lucy Shea, founder of Swishing and director of Futerra Sustainability Communications on her site http://www.swishing.org , “Save money, save the planet, have a party.”

According to Shea the rules of the rail are simple:

1) Everyone must bring at least one item of quality clothing.
2) You have half an hour to browse before the swish opens.
3) No item may be claimed before the swish opens.
4) As soon as the swish is declared open, everyone may take what they want.
5) And, lest we forget, no scratching, spitting or fighting.”

Swishing not only keeps you off the high street, it is good for your money kharma. Most parties raise money for charity and some even give you a percentage of the proceeds from the clothes you donate. The last frock swap I participated in at a friend’s house took 25% off each item sold for Multiple Sclerosis and we pocketed the rest. Despite spending most of my booty the same night I was proud to get rid of my most heinous fashion mistakes, chuffed I hadn’t added to the carbon count and sweatshop labour and felt like a child with a secret pack of chewing gum as I walked out of the door, fingering the small wad of notes in my pocket.

Who knows, with a little public pressure, maybe we could convince the lady of labels to alternate between her clothes line and vintage. Could I be so bold as to suggest she take the swishing trend to LA? Forget her new forays into fashion design, big up vintage in Beverley Hills and Mrs Beckham really could change the world.

“Everyone thinks of changing the world, but no one thinks of changing himself.”
– Leo Tolstoy

Empowerment

Matthew 28:18-20 ¹⁸Jesus came and told his disciples, “I have been given complete authority in heaven and on earth. ¹⁹Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. ²⁰Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you. And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”

After the disciples had spent time with Jesus then came empowerment. It wasn’t when he first met them that he sent them into all the world. It was after they had spent much time WITH Him.

John 15:4
⁴Remain in me, and I will remain in you. For a branch cannot produce fruit if it is severed from the vine, and you cannot be fruitful apart from me.

Before we get so focused on making a difference for God we need to focus on being with God. I’m not saying that we become spiritual vegetables in the process, that simply sit around while the problems in the world continue to go unnoticed. Rather, we have a continual spiritual supply line coming from above into us that we can give in love to the world around us. That is where our true empowerment comes from.

I was going through something at a point in my life and the person I was talking to about it said you have to ask yourself a question…If I haven’t been changed, how am I to help someone else be changed. It really made me stop and think about the overall process of how personal growth helps us create change in the world right around us in our daily lives.

Growth is a natural thing for a healthy baby who is eating properly and being taken of.

It is so important to remember that our ability to make a difference, to bear fruit comes from being connected to God. It should come out of being with God. And your relationship with Him should move through transparency, intimacy, maturity, and empowerment. Fruit is the natural bi-product of a healthy tree.

KameronLombard.com

http://creative-time-management-book.com

Tuesday night, I went with my friend Jess to see the iHeart Revolution movie (click here to see preview).

I have always wanted to travel, and this movie whetted my appetite even more. I know that I am shielded from so much because I am blessed to live here, but a part of me feels like I will never be totally well-rounded in my ideas and my perspective unless I travel, specifically to a third-world country. I’ve been to Germany, Switzerland, and Spain, but the parts I went to, while beautiful and different, were mere variations of life here in America.

Life is so unfair, and that fact has always really unsettled me. Especially regarding those who suffer. It doesn’t even have to be in some developing nation. It’s not fair that people my age become widowed or that children die of cancer or that some people are more prone to certain diseases and others aren’t….it’s not fair some people are born into wealth and privelege and opportunity while others are born into chaos and hate and bad decisions. It’s just not fair.

But it’s even more unfair that we can simply shut those things and people out. It’s so easy. There are so many distractions. We can hear about once in the paper or at church or in a youtube video and assume it doesn’t affect us and look away. Even as Christians. Or just as people in general. We stay so focused on our own lives…I am definitely guilty of this…because we feel we have to figure that our first before we are to help someone else. The common response: “I can’t even help myself; how am I going to help all those suffering people? Problem is too big. And I am far too small.”

I think our search for meaning in life ends when we look beyond ourself and try to see how we…our gifts and passions and joys and experiences…fit into the grand scheme of the human race. Why else would you be made so wonderfully and intricately? We don’t have to give up what we have; we just need to get creative! You love running? Run a marathon and raise money for world hunger. You love to dance? Join a dance-a-thon to raise money for your favorite cause or charity. You love kids? Volunteer at a local youth organization. You love to cook/knit/do crafts? Volunteer and teach the local poor to do something handy. You love to write? Write letters to those in prison. You love to travel?? *umyesplease* Do a mission or volunteer trip.

Think about it. Like the video says: Not everybody can do everything, but everybody can do something. And everyone doing something adds up to one big something. And if those little somethings are fun things we enjoy doing, how much more meaning will our lives have then?

Quite a bit, I am sure.

“You may choose to look the other way, but you can never say you didn’t know.”
William Wilberforce

Time to talk about The Offspring, one of the best punk/alternative rock bands I know. They formed back in 1984 under the name of “Manic Subsidal”, and in 1985 they changed their name to The Offspring (I think it was a good choice). They have a great sense of humor in their songs, but they can also be very serious at times.

Probably their most successful album is Smash, which is their biggest selling album and set the all-time record for most units sold by an independent label band with 16 million units sold. Smash was also their most punk rock album and only their second album.  A “smashing” hit (pun intended) from the album is Self Esteem. It’s like a comedic song about a person who has no self esteem.

The album that followed was Ixnay on the Hombre, one of my favorite albums. Dexter said “Ixnay on the Hombre” means “F*** authority” and “F*** the man.” The album was different than Smash  because it wasn’t as punk rock, but more mainstream. The album includes Gone Away, a song Dexter Holland, the lead singer, wrote about the death of a loved one. Another hit is All I Want (I really like this one) which is about sticking it to the man. The message of the song is pretty much saying, “Hey government, stop trying to control my life! Thats all I want!’ Another song in the album is Change The World, which talks about how people always promise that they are gonna change the world, yet they do nothing to work on that goal. For example, when congressmen say “Vote for me and I will do this and that”, and in the end, they don’t do what they say.

From my knowledge, they have 9 albums and another one coming out in 2010, but i’m too lazy to talk about all of them. Maybe in another post. 

Other songs I love from The Offspring are: “Dammit, I Changed Again” “You’re Gonna Go Far Kid” “Hammerhead” “Why Don’t You Get A Job” “Pretty Fly For A White Guy” “Stuff Is Messed Up” “Can’t Repeat” and a lot more! So please give them a chance and check out their songs.

Disclaimer: I dont own the songs nor the videos. The songs belong to The Offspring. The videos belongs to some dudes on youtube.

En los tiempos clásicos de nuestros ancestros, cuando alguien de la comunidad quería buscar cambiar el mundo, empezaban regando la palabra, cómo es común práctica hoy día. Lo que no es común actualmente es que en aquellos tiempos se hacía uno por uno…en persona, hasta que llegaba el momento de reunir suficientes para crear un motín que era poco probable de que iba a brindar frutos. Tras de que cogía mucho tiempo y mano de obra, los recursos que tenían no eran los adecuados para poder presentar planteamientos al establecimiento y los fines eran decepcionantes. Damos un brinco al año 2009,y estamos en una era en la cual utilizamos todos las herramientas que nos brinda el internet para crear una revolución histórica llamado El Ciberactivismo. En palabras simples, éste emplea El “Word Wide Web” para crear movimientos en donde personas de cualquier parte del mundo pueden unirse a la causa e intentar crear una diferencia utilizando podcasts, redes sociales, wikis, e-mails y “websites” en donde los grupos pueden orientar, organizar y reaccionar ante la situación que desean cambiar. De todas las distintas maneras que pueden utilizar cualquier persona, la que más me llamó la atención es una titulada “Petitions: Taking IT Global” debido a que es una que se nota donde más puede haber cambios pequeños y grandes en la comunidad. Y, ¿De qué se trata este lugar? Bueno, veremos a ver los puntos claves que la componen.

Petitions: Taking IT Global es un dominio en la cual cualquier usuario registrado puede crear una petición que luego de llegar a ciertas cantidades de firmas establecidas, se pasa a la entidad en la cual está peticionado para crear conciencia de los cambios pedidos y la cantidad de personas a favor de tales aclamaciones. Tiene el propósito de buscar llegar a un acuerdo que satisfacerá las necesidades de todos aquellos que fueron partes de la carta. Pueden ser peticiones de temas que pueden ser de poco impacto a la comunidad global, hasta aquellos que son de causas emergentes de proporciones altamente importantes. Ejemplos de éste tipo de caso que conseguí incluye una titulada: Will You listen? Young Voices From Conflict Zones. Esta propone orientar al público sobre los niños que se encuentran en medio de zonas de conflicto que son sumamente peligrosos en cuestiones de vida y muerte para los pequeños encontrados en aquellas partes. Para éste lograron alcanzar que las Naciones Unidas de la Asamblea General consideren y hagan recomendaciones en las situaciones de los niños afectadas en los conflictos armados. Piden que gente se unan a la causa, y estaban esperando llegar hasta 3,000 firmas… tienen actualmente 3,029. O sea, este sitio de internet conecta al globo terráqueo entero para que la gente se solidaricen con miles de causas disponibles, para lograr el bien común, y firma por firma lo están alcanzando. Tiene también alianzas para los derechos de los homosexuales, la libertad de los israelís que fueron injustamente arrestados, para oficializar el nombre del “Persian Gulf” y muchos otros más. Cada petición cuenta con un límite que desean alcanzar, y una barra visual al lado del conteo ayuda a mantener en récord por donde van y cuántos más necesitan. En fin, con una interface limpia y organizada, utilizan los textos para proveer todo lo necesario saber, y dejan que cualquier, no importa cuán lejos esté, cual sea su posición económica, raza, orientación sexual, creencias religiosa, etc; ayude y sea parte de la solución. Al arreglar esta brecha que tal vez aun hubiera existido en ausencia de tales herramientas, crean una red social revolucionaria que puede llegar a tener un impacto similar a los grandes radicales de los tiempos históricos como Ghandi y Martin Luther King Jr. Lo excelente es que, según varios “updates” encontradas en distintas peticiones, han podido alcanzar lo establecido debido a la gran atención que generan estas cartas (porque es el funcionamiento principal que tiene, el “buzz factor”). O sea, cada personita, de esas 3,000 firmas, pueden sentirse orgullosos que fueron partes de una causa que logró alcanzar un cambio mundial para todos nosotros.Para mí, es un ejemplo magnífico que incorpora todos los principios del ciberactivismo.

Cómo todos saben, cambiar al mundo no es nada de fácil… al contrario, es de lo más difícil que puede existir donde los líderes del mundo libre llevan siglos intentando pero con poco fruto. Pero, tal vez con pasos pequeños tales como éstos, ese cambio puede ponerse en pié y podemos lograr a llegar a ese mundo de naciones colaborativos que tanto estamos deseando. Aunque se escuche utópico, puede llegar a ser cierto!