On Sunday, December 6th, 2009 I walked for about 8 km in my boots. I walked from Shibuya (渋谷) to Shinjuku (新宿) by passing Harajuku (原宿) and Yoyogi (代々木), and then I walked in Shinjuku starting from eastern part of Shinjuku to the northern part, then to the western part of Shinjuku to meet my friends, then we walked to the southern part of Shinjuku and return back to the western part of Shinjuku. Maybe I was crazy and stupid at that time to walk for such a long distance by wearing a pair of boots. Actually I would prefer to wear my sports shoes, but because they were wet when I used them on a rainy day, so I had to wear my boots on that Sunday.

On that day, my friends and I wanted to see Illumination in Shinjuku. We made an appointment to meet at Shinjuku West gate at 6 pm. But I went to Tokyo Baptist Church at Shibuya to attend the 11 am worship, and it finished at 1 pm. So I still had 5 hours before 6 pm. But because Shibuya was nearer to Shinjuku than my dormitory at Fujigaoka Station, so I decided to take a walk and have a look around Shibuya. My friend who went to the church together with me accompanied me to take a walk at Shibuya, and after that he also accompanied me to walk to Shinjuku. Actually we were just walking without really intending to walk to Shinjuku. But after walking for some time at Meiji Toori (明治通り), we arrived at Harajuku. So we just decided to keep walking to Shinjuku.

We arrived at the eastern part of Shinjuku, then my friend took the train to go back home, while I continued travelling at Shinjuku because it was still about 3 pm. I walked northward from Shinjuku Station east gate in hope that I could turn back and go to the Shinjuku Station west gate.

I stopped by at McDonald’s at Shinjuku to have a lunch and take a rest for while. I probably only took a rest for 10 minutes. After that I continued walking northward. I went into some shops, but I was not very interested to get into any shop without having any target things I wanted to buy, so I just passed most of the shops in Shinjuku. I walked westward after that and I arrived at Kabukichou (歌舞伎町) at about 5 pm. I didn’t realize how stupid I was to walk alone in Kabukichou. (If you don’t know what place Kabukichou is, just type it in google and you’ll find out).I event took a picture of its gate.

I walked pass Kabukichou to a place which I didn’t know where it was. I could not locate where it was in my maps, because it was not a famous or crowded place, so it was not shown in my maps. I walked for quite a long time without asking anyone where I was, and there was one place where it had many Korean restaurants on it and there were many Korea related shops. Actually I wanted to tell my Korean friends about that, but because I didn’t know where it was, I couldn’t show that place to them. Finally after I thought that I was really lost, I asked somebody which way I should take to go to the Shinjuku Station west gate. I definitely took the wrong direction because I was walking to the opposite direction of going to the station. Ahhh, how stupid I was.

After a kind Japanese showed me the way to Shinjuku Station, I finally arrived at Shinjuku Station at nearly 6 pm. I went into Shinjuku Pallette where it had a big UNIQLO shop in it, and then I went to meet my friends at Shinjuku Station.

From Shinjuku Station, we went to see the illumination at Shinjuku which was located near the station. We took a lot of pictures there. The illumination was beautiful because they used colorful lamps to decorate the trees and road. But most of the lamps used were blue. There was also fortune lamp which had different meaning for different color it put out. Many people queued only to push the button and see how their fortune was. After we finished walking in the Shinjuku Illumination Terrace, we went to an Indian restaurant to have some Indian food for dinner. We went home at about 10 pm. I walked for about 8 hours almost non stop on that day.

And as the result for walking that much, my feet really hurt a lot now, especially the bottom of my feet.

*I measured this 8 km by using one of the features in Google Maps.

HAPPY HOLIDAYS!

Last year was my first year with this blog and I talked about the differences between a Japanese Christmas and a Western Christmas.  It’s a little early for Christmas, but with December having started already, it’s the holiday season.  The actual Christmas season starts on November 1st, and gets into full swing on December 1st.  It also signals the party season.  If you have ever visited Japan in December, it’s highly advised that you be careful when taking the trains after 10pm.  In fact, you should always be careful after 10pm.  It is this time when people start to make their way home after a night of drinking.  The end of the year is a very important time for Japanese people to celebrate the end and have one last party.

Bonnenkai is essentially a Christmas Party, or for non-secular people, a Year End Party.  Offices typically have at least one party at this time, but depending on the company, this can increase significantly.  In North America, there tends to be an average of three Year End Parties, at least from my own experiences.  There is usually one for the department, one for the company, and possibly one with friends.  Sometimes, this is the only time to meet old friends as people can be busy with their work and their own personal lives.  On the extreme end, people could have up to three parties each week, or about 12 in the month if they have to have a bonnenkai with their customers.  Needless to say, this can put a lot of stress on a person’s liver.  Typically, restaurants are busy over the weekend, and there are always special bonnenkai deals to be had if you book ahead.  Be aware that sometimes they are not better than ordering on your own.

Other than bonnenkais, the only thing that happens during the holiday season is to head around town and see all of the Christmas lights.  It has become very popular for different shopping areas to have their own light display.  As always, Ginza is a hot spot for lights, although it’s not spectacular.  Roppongi is generally a more interesting area as they have the Tokyo Midtown, the Roppongi Hills areas for lights.  This year, there will also be another Lightopia event in Marunouchi along with the typical Marunouchi lights.  If you have seen the Christmas lights in the last few years, especially in Tokyo, there won’t be too many new displays.  Each year, there tends to be one major new light display, while the others are only slightly updated.  The general designs tend to be the same.  Below will be a link showcasing the major areas where you can see some lights.

Information:

Christmas Light Locations (All of Japan):  http://www.rurubu.com/season/winter/illumination/
Christmas Light Locations (Tokyo):  http://www.rurubu.com/season/winter/illumination/list.asp?KenCD=13

Note:  The three boxes in the key are, in order, “There is a Christmas Tree”, “There is an event”, and “There are fireworks”.  Unfortunately, the events will depend on the location, and I am not sure when the fireworks might be.  There are only three places where there are fireworks:  Tokyo Dome (December 14th at 7pm for about 3 minutes), Toyosu Lala Port (December 24th at 8:10pm), and Tachikawa’s Showa Kinen Park (December 19th and 24th at 8pm for about 5 minutes).

Tokyo Dome Illumination Information:  http://www.tokyo-dome.co.jp/event/illumi/index.htm
Tokyo Dome (English):  http://www.tokyo-dome.co.jp/e/
Lalaport Fireworks Information:  http://toyosu.lalaport.jp/special_event/
Showa Kinen Park Winter Illumination Information:  http://www.showakinenpark.go.jp/2009winter/wvi2009.html
Showa Kinen Park (English):  http://www.showakinenpark.go.jp/english/index.htm
Mapple Ilumination List (Tokyo page, you can surf to the Japan list page):  http://www.mapple.net/sp_illumi/list.asp?PREF=13
Nihon Kanko Illumination List (Tokyo page, you can surf to the Japan list page):  http://illumi.nihon-kankou.or.jp/list/result.php?m=1&c=03&c2=13

Note:  All sites are Japanese unless specified.  If you are curious about locations in a specific area, please feel free to ask with a comment.  I’ll do my best to provide a small list based on these sites.

このblogは英語のblog。もし私の英語は難しい、日本語のquestionは大丈夫。

Image via Wikipedia

I know that there is a lot of scripture here and it’s a lot to read through but I listed these to make a really strong point.  I have witnessed Christians do some horrible things to each other.  I have seen Christians speak to each other in the most detestable of ways.  I have seen Christians spared no expense to take advantage of people.  I have seen Christians use guilt to manipulate others.  I have seen them do things that have caused me to hang my head.  I have seen and even heard of pastors do even worse.  Then these very same Christians, once they are around the church building or pastors they become holy.  They ban anything unholy around the church because its God’s house.  But in their ignorance they have not realized that the temple of God is us.  God the Holy Spirit has taken up residence in us and not the brick building.  The curtain has been torn the moment Christ died for our sins.  The old temple in Jerusalem has been destroyed.  We are now the new royal priesthood.  When you treat your brothers and sisters in Christ that way, you do it in the presence of God.  When you miss use your fellow Christians, you grieve the Holy Spirit which is present in you and them.  Its like fighting each other, abusing each other, hating each other, lying on each other, cheating on each other, backstabbing each other, spreading lies on each other, demeaning each other, cursing each other, and  not displaying love to each other at the foot of the cross as Jesus looks down while being crucified and seeing us all do this to each other.  We have not been saved to just continue in sin…

1 Corinthians 13

Love

¹If I speak in the tongues^[a] of men and of angels, but have not love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. ²If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. ³If I give all I possess to the poor and surrender my body to the flames,^[b] but have not love, I gain nothing.

⁴Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. ⁵It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. ⁶Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. ⁷It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.

⁸Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away. ⁹For we know in part and we prophesy in part, ¹⁰but when perfection comes, the imperfect disappears. ¹¹When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put childish ways behind me. ¹²Now we see but a poor reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known.

¹³And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.

1 John 4

⁴You, dear children, are from God and have overcome them, because the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world. ⁵They are from the world and therefore speak from the viewpoint of the world, and the world listens to them. ⁶We are from God, and whoever knows God listens to us; but whoever is not from God does not listen to us. This is how we recognize the Spirit^[a] of truth and the spirit of falsehood.

God’s Love and Ours

⁷Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. ⁸Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love. ⁹This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son^[b] into the world that we might live through him. ¹⁰This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for^[c] our sins. ¹¹Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. ¹²No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us.

¹³We know that we live in him and he in us, because he has given us of his Spirit. ¹⁴And we have seen and testify that the Father has sent his Son to be the Savior of the world. ¹⁵If anyone acknowledges that Jesus is the Son of God, God lives in him and he in God. ¹⁶And so we know and rely on the love God has for us.
God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in him. ¹⁷In this way, love is made complete among us so that we will have confidence on the day of judgment, because in this world we are like him. ¹⁸There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love.

¹⁹We love because he first loved us. ²⁰If anyone says, “I love God,” yet hates his brother, he is a liar. For anyone who does not love his brother, whom he has seen, cannot love God, whom he has not seen. ²¹And he has given us this command: Whoever loves God must also love his brother.

Ephesians 2

One in Christ

¹¹Therefore, remember that formerly you who are Gentiles by birth and called “uncircumcised” by those who call themselves “the circumcision” (that done in the body by the hands of men)— ¹²remember that at that time you were separate from Christ, excluded from citizenship in Israel and foreigners to the covenants of the promise, without hope and without God in the world. ¹³But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far away have been brought near through the blood of Christ.

¹⁴For he himself is our peace, who has made the two one and has destroyed the barrier, the dividing wall of hostility, ¹⁵by abolishing in his flesh the law with its commandments and regulations. His purpose was to create in himself one new man out of the two, thus making peace, ¹⁶and in this one body to reconcile both of them to God through the cross, by which he put to death their hostility. ¹⁷He came and preached peace to you who were far away and peace to those who were near. ¹⁸For through him we both have access to the Father by one Spirit.

¹⁹Consequently, you are no longer foreigners and aliens, but fellow citizens with God’s people and members of God’s household, ²⁰built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the chief cornerstone. ²¹In him the whole building is joined together and rises to become a holy temple in the Lord. ²²And in him you too are being built together to become a dwelling in which God lives by his Spirit.

1 Corinthians 6

Matthew 25

The Sheep and the Goats

³¹“When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, he will sit on his throne in heavenly glory. ³²All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate the people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. ³³He will put the sheep on his right and the goats on his left.

³⁴“Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. ³⁵For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, ³⁶I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.’

³⁷“Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? ³⁸When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? ³⁹When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?’

⁴⁰“The King will reply, ‘I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.’

⁴¹“Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. ⁴²For I was hungry and you gave me nothing to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink, ⁴³I was a stranger and you did not invite me in, I needed clothes and you did not clothe me, I was sick and in prison and you did not look after me.’

⁴⁴“They also will answer, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or needing clothes or sick or in prison, and did not help you?’

⁴⁵“He will reply, ‘I tell you the truth, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me.’

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Sometimes we find ourselves in situations that we feel are tricky. Usually the problem requires us to make a choice. But the choices are the problem plus we would rather select something that benefits us as well. so we compromise in order to please all that are involved. And actually they may come away happy but not with what they really wanted. So they just learn to deal with it. Or we are faced with a situations were one option is clearly wrong but going with the right will leave you out in away.
So we compromise again to satisfy our needs. What I”m talking about is the infamous gray areas in our lives. Our laws though the foundation is black & white and yes & no; the law’s substance is filled with gray area; bills, by-laws,amendments, and court rulings. People have made a living out of this and they are called lawyers.

So what does this have to do with God you may ask? Well, have you every read the ten commandments? If not I will list them:

Exodus 20
The Ten Commandments
1 And God spoke all these words:

2 “I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery.

3 “You shall have no other gods before [a] me.

4 “You shall not make for yourself an idol in the form of anything in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the waters below. 5 You shall not bow down to them or worship them; for I, the LORD your God, am a jealous God, punishing the children for the sin of the fathers to the third and fourth generation of those who hate me, 6 but showing love to a thousand {generations} of those who love me and keep my commandments.

7 “You shall not misuse the name of the LORD your God, for the LORD will not hold anyone guiltless who misuses his name.

8 “Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy. 9 Six days you shall labor and do all your work, 10 but the seventh day is a Sabbath to the LORD your God. On it you shall not do any work, neither you, nor your son or daughter, nor your manservant or maidservant, nor your animals, nor the alien within your gates. 11 For in six days the LORD made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them, but he rested on the seventh day. Therefore the LORD blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy.

12 “Honor your father and your mother, so that you may live long in the land the LORD your God is giving you.

13 “You shall not murder.

14 “You shall not commit adultery.

15 “You shall not steal.

16 “You shall not give false testimony against your neighbor.

17 “You shall not covet your neighbor’s house. You shall not covet your neighbor’s wife, or his manservant or maidservant, his ox or donkey, or anything that belongs to your neighbor.”

18 When the people saw the thunder and lightning and heard the trumpet and saw the mountain in smoke, they trembled with fear. They stayed at a distance 19 and said to Moses, “Speak to us yourself and we will listen. But do not have God speak to us or we will die.”

20 Moses said to the people, “Do not be afraid. God has come to test you, so that the fear of God will be with you to keep you from sinning.”

21 The people remained at a distance, while Moses approached the thick darkness where God was.

This is nothing that is as black and white as to what God wants us to do. Yet statues and ordinance were added and even some were later changed; not the ten commandments but the statues added by Moses.

example:
Mark 10
Divorce
1Jesus then left that place and went into the region of Judea and across the Jordan. Again crowds of people came to him, and as was his custom, he taught them.

2Some Pharisees came and tested him by asking, “Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife?”

3″What did Moses command you?” he replied.

4They said, “Moses permitted a man to write a certificate of divorce and send her away.”

5″It was because your hearts were hard that Moses wrote you this law,” Jesus replied. 6″But at the beginning of creation God ‘made them male and female.’[a] 7′For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife,[b] 8and the two will become one flesh.’[c] So they are no longer two, but one. 9Therefore what God has joined together, let man not separate.”

Jesus Christ even made the issue more black and white:

Mark 12
The Greatest Commandment
28One of the teachers of the law came and heard them debating. Noticing that Jesus had given them a good answer, he asked him, “Of all the commandments, which is the most important?”

29″The most important one,” answered Jesus, “is this: ‘Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is one.[e] 30Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’[f] 31The second is this: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’[g]There is no commandment greater than these.”

So why is it hard to deal with black and white; good and bad; left or right? The gray areas show up because we wish not to do what is right or we have placed our own comfort above all. Sometimes compromise is not a good thing, sometimes trying to please everyone is not good as well. When we start to do things like this almost 100% of the time, we are about to sin against God. Some people are partially forced into the gray area because we as Christians have not obeyed God commandments. You don’t think so? If you “Love your neighbor as yourself” just think of all the people who wouldn’t have drug addictions or other deadly addictions because they can’t handle life’s stress cause they have no one to turn to. Think of all the people who feel that they have no choice but to rob. If we ‘Love your neighbor as yourself’ we would not have homeless people or jobless people. But since we put ourselves above all we create gray areas were people feel helpless. Then they sin trying to make it because a Christian cut jobs so his company makes more money so this “Christian” can buy a bigger house. Or a Christian, cheats his company by stealing or you try to get even with someone. Our actions as Christians have a ripple affect on the world. If we followed the simple command of ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength’, just think of how things would be…. The Law and the Prophets and the Apostles are our foundations.

Matthew 7
Ask, Seek, Knock
7″Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. 8For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened.

9″Which of you, if his son asks for bread, will give him a stone? 10Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a snake? 11If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him! 12So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets.

Read the commandments above and allow the Holy Spirit to speak to you. See God in His law. See that the will of God is plain and don’t pollute it with your loop holes. Don’t add to God’s Law in order for you to sin freely. If you obeyed God in the first place then you wouldn’t be praying now to get you out of the mess you created. Yes, we are all guilty of doing it; even me. But at some point we should start to do better, at some point our regenerated nature should say; enough is enough. We should say to ourselves, obeying God is more important than fitting in with the world and keeping our friends that live contrary to God. We will risk our salvation for the company of friends? Are we that welling to give up our Savior for the world and temporary satisfaction? When we come into God’s glory it will be like all this trouble on earth never happened.

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Digital HID (DHID) Lighting Test Results - High-bay / Low-bay Applications 

Pilgrimage Statistics

Consecutive Days Riding: 54                            Consecutive Days Blogging: 55

Today’s Mileage:  5                                        Total Trip Mileage: 477

As I ride the bike today and we approach our next pilgrimage site I am reminded how much I enjoy this journey.  Not only because my body has adjusted to the rigors of the daily ride, but because of the excitement of discovering new places, people and events.  Today’s site has a fascinating story to tell.

Dr. Cyrus Teed

Cyrus Teed was born in 1839; he worked on the Erie Canal and fought as a private in the civil war.  He returned to New York and becomes a “practical doctor.” He then had an “Illumination” where he was visited by an angel who told him to “redeem the human race” and complete Christ’s mission.  He formulated a theory of the universe as a hollow sphere, with the earth on the inside of the spheres skin.  The horizon curved upward not downward according to his teaching.  He combined his “science” with religious thoughts, and called himself “Koresh”, Hebrew for shepherd.  He claimed he would be resurrected after his death, and collected a group of followers. Tormented by neighbors he and 200 Koreshans settled in the forest and marshes south of Fort Myers Florida.  He established New Jerusalem, a planned city of 10 million, based on his ideas of science, religion and education.

Founder Home

Where is his city now?  It died with him in 1908, it died when his followers began to dissipate after no resurrection ensued and authorities forced them to bury his rotting remains. It is now a state park, a collection of preserved buildings bearing the name “Koreshan Unity Settlement,” including a trailer park, campgrounds and nature trail.  Visitors enjoy the weather and scenery, while few probably know of the misplaced and shattered dreams of the Koreshans who once inhabited this place.

I find this story intriguing for it holds the components of many movements we see today.  We may call them cults, if they last long enough they might earn the title of sect.  Some tie themselves to an established faith as a returned messiah or the embodiment of a prophet of old.  Others are based on the charisma of the leader, paranoia of member’s toward “secret forces”, or the revelation of an angel, alien or God himself.  They attract a circle of “believers” and often hide in the wilderness or behind a non-descript storefront. Some simply fall apart or fade away with the death of the leader.  Some go out in a blaze of fire, while others choose suicide to slip their mortal bonds in protest against “outsiders.”

The Sacred Text?

As I’ve said before, we all seek meaning in our life, a sense of direction, something to believe in.  Without it we are at a loss, we feel adrift, without an anchor. Some people jump at the first offer of guidance, turn off their critical reasoning, and take a group’s teachings entirely on faith.  Only later they may discover they have been lead down a false or dangerous path, because of a leader’s needs or desires.  Some discover in time, for others it is too late to turn back.

The leader or guide may be genuine in their beliefs, certain in their message, but is their path right for everyone?  Being involved with a particular path, church or movement may give our life a sense of purpose.  It is a choice many people make! The question of whether the path is worthwhile and safe is a different issue!

Please click on the Pilgrimage Site tab at the top of this page to visit the park, see photos of the settlement and find out more about the movement.

Where there is loving regard, there is surplus,
And the wealth is the inner wealth of joy and happiness
Comprehending the heroic act of loving regard
Even in the darkening of the light
And the challenges of the unknown
To cast the blessing of creative concern
As the potency essential to the vitality
Co-creating the loving abundance
That stages the performance of the harmonious rapport
In the equipoise of coexistence.

The overflow from joy’s frolic
With the infinitely abundant free-will zone
Uses the enviable position
To evade the concept of misfortune
And find any impossibility to be mere food for creativity,
With the achievement against all odds
But one possibility where the awareness of all possibilities
Expands them each into fortunate turns of events
As the quest becomes the attainment
Of peace found in the next balance.

Joy’s understanding of the present as a reward
Looks for this perennial truth
With an intuition familiar with infinity,
As the understanding of the unexpected
Recognizing imbalance as temporary
Sees eventuality vitalizing the reward
With a purpose unconquerable
And a realm unfathomable
To make learning a new balance
The reward found whenever the balance is considered.

Being sensitive to the purpose of joy
When a universe needs to be traversed
Is the foundation of a belief in success in all realms,
With the dream aspiring to expand the Everpresent
Beyond the presumptions of its controllers
Using the openhearted trust celebrating perfection
Found in the consciousness of spontaneous joy
To allow the felicity to work the serendipity
Into a synergy of harmony and transmutation
Of the equipoise of peace within joy.

Content with the enjoyment of loving concern,
The search for the wisdom in shared abundance
Trusts and flows with the higher self
To manage the call for clever improvisation
Whenever reality isn’t realistic,
And the identification of the reality of non-reality
Fosters the ambitious freshening of reality
Developed out of the central purpose
Of accommodating health and well-being
While affirming the new idea’s acceptance.

The trust expanding emotional space
While meeting change with an equitable spirit
From a vision of harmony’s potential
Slips through the moment with the ingenuity
Of a presumption of conclusive circumstances
Tied to the highest spiritual realizations
Finding their awareness of possibilities
Relative to the trust in copious serendipity,
And producing the masterpiece of combined forces
Settling the integration of concern and creativity.

Experiencing the successful resolution
While on a quest for true wisdom and perfect happiness,
Old and new values are united in harmony
Within an unseen understanding
To conclude the challenge to identify the mystery
With a noesis in the harmonious interplay
That settles on the invention of a better way
As the nourishment for the holistic outlook
Crafting the standard for the course of balance
Abiding above the onslaught of disruption.

A realization that all expansion is beneficial
To the search for happiness perfected and wisdom’s truth
Is the optimism that creates success
When concepts change with moods
And adjustments require frequent creativity,
With a new sense of self in relation to the whole
Empowering aspiration with ambitious concern
Even for the opportunities in disguise
At stake in the mastery of force creating beauty
And opportunities for harmony.

With this emotionally centered perception,
The quest for an enduring reward for all
Succeeds from the intuitional trust
Managing the occurrence of difficulty
By cultivating the creativity it calls forth
Into a more vivid consciousness of harmony’s sustenance
That excites the initiative and spontaneity
Developing into a universal principle of expansion and abundance
That is joy’s surplus growing out of the alignment
Of coexistence and resolution of desire.

(9 of Cups, 10 of Pentacles, 6 of Wands, 7 of Swords, 8 of Swords, the Sun, Ace of Wands, the Wheel of Fortune, Temperance, 2 of Swords – 11/28/09)

3rd Annual Holiday Illumination Celebration

at Currituck Heritage Park Saturday

December 12, 2009

Come to the Whalehead Club beginning at 3:00 pm for complimentary tours of the house museum festively decorated as the Knights would have done back in the 1920s.

Gather on the North Lawn at 4:30 pm for free hot chocolate and seasonal carols sung by the Currituck County High School Choral Ensemble, while Currituck Heritage Park’s giant cedar tree and the Currituck Beach Lighthouse are simultaneously illuminated for the holidays!

Treat yourself to an old-fashioned horse and carriage ride through the park with Carolina Carriages, starting at 2:00 pm.

 www.whaleheadclub.org

Currituck Heritage Park is located just past MP 11 on Rt. 12 North in Corolla, NC

It was a glorious evening in Franklin tonight as hundreds – perhaps even thousands – came out to Carnton Plantation to attend the 145th commemoration of the Battle of Franklin.  10,000 candles were illuminated and placed in scores of rows on the Eastern Flank at Carnton to honor the 10,000 estimated casualties that occurred at Franklin (November 30, 1864).

A full photo gallery of the event is here. Also check out my videos on my YouTube folder.

Glowing jar, Pizza and Crafts Day, Ca d’Durig, Stampa, Switzerland, 21 November 2009

We are here to elevate you into a new understanding
to elevate your mind and conscious awareness
so that you might receive constant guidance from source in a clear manner
we are here to lead you away from the confusion
the conditioned darkness you have wandered in
and into a new way of being a new light to illuminate all problems
to bring forth goodness and love in a vibrant manner
so that all who come into your presence will be moved and touched by your healing power
this is the calling this is the life you can lead now
and this is the love you are here to be
thankfully, you are on the path to enlightenment because you have decided by your own desire this is what you want
this is where you are headed and this is the path that we continuously guide you toward for the benefit of all concerned
know that there is nothing that can separate you from the love of source
from the love of God from the love of who you are
because it is part of you
you are an extension indeed
but even more importantly you are filled with this love
it is simply a matter of letting go of resistance and giving into this love that fills you now
know that source is always present equally throughout your body throughout your mind throughout your circumstances throughout the universe
there is no lack of source no lack of love no lack of the presence and power of God anywhere
for as you know source is all present all power all knowledge and all love
there can be no lack of source anywhere
take responsibility for any shortage of what you want in life and figure out how to let go of your resistance your blocks
your uncertainty
figure out how to allow source to move freely through you so that you can fulfil that heart’s desire

know that no good thing will be kept from you
you must undue the conditioning undue the limits
you have put upon yourself
you must cleanse your mind and allow source to fill it with possibility potential love and hope
you must allow source to show you the truth apart from the illusion and insanity of modern-day thinking
let it go and allow source to elevate your consciousness to a new way of being a new way of allowing and a new way of thinking
let source fill your mind with beauty and passion let your mind be free to dream to love to endure with grace and gratitude
that all is well in this moment
and is always so
be sure to remember that now has everything you need
now has all the beauty joy and love you desire
if you would but allow it to come through
allow now

- Morning stream of consciousness writing from John Stringer

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Green globe, Pizza and Crafts Day at Ca d’Durig, Stampa, Switzerland, 21 November 2009

The Millennium Footbridge, designed by Norman Foster, spans the Thames from the Tate Modern to St. Paul’s Cathedral. It is especially spectacular to cross it at night. London, England, 13 November 2009

Thomas Aquinas

The whole Trinity dwells in the mind by sanctifying grace, according to Jn. 14:23: “We will come to him, and will make Our abode with him.”

The soul is made like to God by grace. Hence for a divine person to be sent to anyone by grace, there must needs be a likening of the soul to the divine person Who is sent, by some gift of grace.

Because the Holy Ghost is Love, the soul is assimilated to the Holy Ghost by the gift of charity: hence the mission of the Holy Ghost is according to the mode of charity.

Whereas the Son is the Word, not any sort of word, but one Who breathes forth Love. Hence Augustine says (De Trin. ix 10): “The Word we speak of is knowledge with love.”

Thus the Son is sent not in accordance with every and any kind of intellectual perfection, but according to the intellectual illumination, which breaks forth into the affection of love, as is said (Jn. 6:45): “Everyone that hath heard from the Father and hath learned, cometh to Me,” and (Ps. 38:4): “In my meditation a fire shall flame forth.”

Thus Augustine plainly says (De Trin. iv, 20): “The Son is sent, whenever He is known and perceived by anyone.”

Now perception implies a certain experimental knowledge; and this is properly called wisdom [sapientia], as it were a sweet knowledge [sapida scientia], according to Ecclus. 6:23: “The wisdom of doctrine is according to her name.”

Thomas Aquinas (1225-1274): Summa Theologiae Ia, q. 43, a. 5 [corpus and ad 2].

The Millennium Wheel, also known as the London Eye, is pictured in the foreground. On the Thames in London, England, 13 November 2009

Today, more than ever there is a need for Industry to be responsible in its environmental judgements and actions. With the haste to improve the over-all environmental situation and push on Industry to reduce its carbon footprint, it is important to educate yourself on the short term and long term ramifications of the “Green” solutions you implement. In the case of lighting upgrades, there is a great opportunity to reduce corporation and municipality electricity expenses and more importantly to reduce the electricity demanded from the energy providers who are the greatest contributors of CO2 gases released into the environment. In selecting the lighting solution, you want to ensure you investigate not only the short term purchasing costs, but also the long term costs associated with waste; i.e. labour costs due to installation, maintenance/cleaning and light bulb replacements; and lamp consumable cost expenses which are significant yet typically ‘hidden’ or looked over and purposely not highlighted in the selling process of fluorescent (FLUO) and LED based lighting products.

When considering the type of lighting for your new or retrofit high-bay or low-bay lighting application, it is essential to be educated and made aware of what long term costs will be incurred over the lifetime of the lighting system. One very important aspect to consider is the maintenance and labour costs associated with the cleaning and the changing of lamps. Fluorescent and LED lighting systems have the problem that the light quality they emit inherently degrades over the operating life of their lamps, increasing the lamp replacement frequency and over-all expenses of operating those systems.

Comparing Digital Ballast powered High-Intensity Discharge lighting (Digital HID or DHID lighting) to fluorescent and LED, end-users agree that the added value offered in terms of the DHID solution’s low buying price, energy efficiency, light quality/performance, and reduced labour and maintenance costs, ensures end-users benefit with the best lighting for the shortest payback or return on investment time. Furthermore, when considering the upgrade or retrofit of an existing inefficient lighting installation, one must consider the labour costs involved in the installation; such as the removal of the old lighting system, re-wiring, changing of the lighting grid pattern, and all the consumable costs and other indirect waste created as a result. In the case of the upgrade of an existing core and coil (magnetic) powered ballast fixture, the DHID digital ballast solution is simple, cost-effective, outperforms and is the most environmentally responsible.

It is wise to consider the long term costs associated with fluorescent lighting to truly appreciate the “realistic” return on investment of fluorescent based lighting for factory/warehouse, retail, and general building high-bay and low-bay lighting applications. The following facts about DHID lighting versus FLUO lighting serves to highlight the performance and the common costs associated with the installation and operation of each in the short and long term to help you accurately conclude your own realistic return on investment calculation.

Capabilities and Benefits of DHID Vs. FLUO

This is a direct comparison between both DHID and fluorescent lighting solutions for a 40ft high-bay ceiling application where antiquated core and coil (magnetic) 1000W ballasts in existing HID fixture are already installed.

The recommended Digital HID retrofit solution is a dimmable 575W DHID ballast powering a 575W Metal Halide (MH) bulb. The proposed fluorescent high output high-bay T5 solution features 8 lamps at 54W each and 2 non-dimming electronic ballasts.

Installation Complexity and Cost?

DHID: A simple ‘plug and play’ retrofit of one digital ballast into the existing HID fixture and one new HID bulb installed where needed. The existing fixture is re-used and the efficiency is significantly improved by 50% to 75%. The performance and light quality is also better offering 40% brighter, whiter, penetrating light over the old system. The typical labour cost to retrofit a fixture is $50.00 US and takes approximately 30-45 minutes per fixture. The typical total package cost to retrofit a 1000W magnetic ballast application is $250-$300 US including the DHID 575W ballast, light bulb and installation cost.

FLUO: To install fluorescent you need to remove and recycle the used HID fixtures including ballasts, bulbs, reflectors, wires and the exterior metal housings. You then need to create new hanging structures for the new standard size fluorescent T5 8 Lamp high output fixtures. The lighting grid layout will need to also be changed as more T5 fluorescent fixtures will be needed to ensure a uniform light coverage (overlap) at the floor between them. In most cases, extra mid level or low-bay lighting needs to be installed where illumination from the fluorescent high-bay is not significant enough. There are also costs associated with the assembly of the individual fluorescent fixtures which is a labour cost the electrical contractor will invoice. With 8 bulbs and 2 ballasts, the complexity of a fluorescent system is high, adds cost and inhibits performance. The typical cost for a fluorescent T5 8 lamp high output fixture is starting at $280 US or more and this cost does not include the assembly/installation and the cost of the 8 lamps needed per fixture and for inventory.

Luminous Efficacy and Lumens Per Watt Performance?

DHID: Luminous efficacy of 118lm/W for digital ballast powered Metal Halide (MH), High-Pressure Sodium (HPS) and Ceramic Metal Halide (CMH) HID bulb applications. If retrofitting an existing HID fixture which has an antiquated 1000W core and coil (magnetic) ballast, a new 575W digital ballast would be installed in place powering a 575W MH bulb for a new total fixture lumen output of 67,850lm (575W X 118lm/W).

FLUO: Luminous efficacy of approximately 81lm/W if 54W bulbs in a fluorescent T5 8 lamp high-output fixture operating with 2 ballasts. If 54W bulbs offer a total lumen output of 4400lm output each, then 4400 X 8 lamps = 35,200 total lumen output from the T5 8 lamp high output fixture.

Ballast / Fixture Efficiency Performance?

DHID: One digital ballast is 97% efficient. For the existing magnetic 1000W MH, we retrofit the 575W DHID ballast operating a 575W MH bulb at 592W with 3% losses. At 575 Watts, the DHID system will produce more lumens at the ground than both the existing 1000W MH and fluorescent consideration. Moreover, the notable increase in lumen output performance will bring the existing fixtures back to life, with more light at the ground, and with more light over-laps between the fixtures for a brighter white facility and working area. Due to the increase in the lumen output of the DHID ballast high-bay installation, 30% to 40% of the existing mid level fluorescent lighting can be removed adding additional energy savings. And since the 575W DHID can be dimmed, even more electricity savings are possible; e.g. instantly dimmed to 20%, the 575W ballast only consumes approximately 474W yet still outputs bright penetrating light to the target.

FLUO: Two electronic ballasts are 90% efficient. Operating 54W x 8 bulbs = approximately 480W total with heat losses. Due to the poorer lumen output of T5’s, more fixtures should be added to the lighting grid to compensate for the lower lumen output to the ground. The 2 ballast design and the accumulation of 8 bulbs creates 10% losses to heat and increased wear on the bulbs leading to a more rapid degradation in light quality. The T5 fixture in this example does not have dim capabilities; to dim would add extra cost and complexity due to the ‘special’ dimming ballasts required. As a result of dimming fluorescent, there is also increased wear and tear on the lamps adding to lamp change increases and ultimately increased labour and consumable costs in the short and long term.

Light Quality Throughout Bulb Life?

DHID: Due to Digital HID’s 118lm/W luminous efficacy performance, more lumens, and natural white bright light penetrates to the facility floor. The light quality is guaranteed over the entire life of the bulb due to patented digital ballast technologies. The bulb does not degrade more than 5% from the life start to life end of the bulb creating huge benefits to retail, factory/warehouse or any applications where consistent bright white light is mandatory. The DHID ballast increases the life of HID bulbs radically by 100% (or more if dimming is utilized). A bulb with an original mean time before failure (MTBF) rating of 20,000 hours will now last 40,000 hours or more and will suffer no less than 5% light degradation throughout the bulbs life. The high luminous efficacy of the DHID ballast delivers brighter more penetrating lumens to the factory or retail application floor for less cost. Compared to LED, fluorescent, and induction based lamp systems, DHID powered systems easily offer the best light quality/performance for the lowest total operating/consumable costs.

FLUO: The fact is that all fluorescent lamps, be they hot cathode, cold cathode or electrode-less will suffer from phosphor degradation. The rate of this degradation is a function of the type and the amount of phosphor, and the type of glass used for the tube. The temperature of the phosphor and glass and the intensity of the UV flux from the discharge also play a role in enhancing the degradation of a fluorescent bulb. High Output (HO) and Very High Output (VHO) bulbs will normally degrade faster than standard output bulbs.

Most standard output fluorescent bulbs claim 10,000 hours to 20,000 hours or more operating lifetimes, but can fall to 80% or less of their original light intensity after only 10,000 hours of operation. One must take into account the long term costs of this realistic bulb degradation and failure in considering fluorescent for your lighting application. If dimming ballasts are installed, please factor in this extra cost and also the increased cost of labour and consumables due to increased lamp changes as dimming has an adverse effect on the life of the fluorescent bulb, degrading it even quicker.

Fixture Noise, Static; Light Quality Psychological Impact?

DHID: The proven DHID ballast is silent, and operates warm as only 3% losses are to heat; the ballast is 97% efficient and does not create significant static electricity. Pulse start MH bulbs are inexpensive and produce a natural white light which is more pleasant to work under. Studies have shown that humans working in brighter, more naturally lit environments are more alert and more productive.

FLUO: Some of the common nuisances end-users underscore about fluorescent lighting are the noise, the light quality/flicker, the colour, and rapid light quality degradation by or before the bulb’s mid-life and inevitably thereafter. Fluorescent lighting fixtures require increased maintenance and cleaning due to the dust that collects on the static charged surfaces of the system. The dust and debris accumulation on the bulb and on the reflector surface is unhealthy and further adds to the degradation of light quality and total lumen output.

Lamp(s) and Ballast(s) Change Frequency?

DHID: Only 1 lamp needs to be replaced per HID fixture and with little labour cost/time needed as HID fixtures are typically easy to maintain with easy access to the light bulb. HID bulbs operated with the DHID ballast are rated to 30,000 hours to 40,000 hours or more life expectancy (with dimming) and the bulb lumen output is guaranteed to not decrease more than 5% over the lifetime of the bulb. The DHID ballast will output 118lm/W right up until the bulb’s life end. The DHID ballast is rated to a 10 year MTBF and will output the same 118lm/W up until its life-end. At ballasts life-end, it is again a very simple and cost-effective replacement to upgrade the HID system without having to replace entire fixtures.

FLUO: 8 lamps per fixture need to be replaced and much more frequently than DHID which adds more labour and maintenance costs. If mean time before failure of the fluorescent bulb is 20,000 hours then lamps need replacement every 2 to 3 years. If the lamps are considered to be failed at 10,000 hours due to significant light quality and brightness degradation, then lamp change frequency needs to be every 1 to 2 years. Since the 8 lamp fluorescent fixtures need two ballasts each, then at the ballasts life-end two ballasts need replacement. If you factor in the labour costs to remove the old ballast and reinstall new ballasts, it becomes evident that a lot of waste is created due to the limitations of the fluorescent lighting technology.

Long Term Realistic Bulb And Ballast Expenses?

DHID: Simple example: 1 bulb per existing fixture x 500 fixtures X $20 US approximate HID bulb cost for a 575W Pulse Start Metal Halide bulb = 500 bulbs at $10,000.00 US total every 4-6yrs+. Very simple procedure, 1 lamp to replace and it is easy to do in the existing fixtures since the bulbs are really easy to access. This decreases the maintenance labour costs noticeably. The DHID ballast is rated to 10 years MTBF and is also easy and cost-effective to replace at that time.

FLUO: 8 x T5 high output bulbs X 500 units = 4,000 bulbs. At an approximated bulb price of $5 USD X 4,000 bulbs the total bulb consumable costs alone is $20,000 US. If the bulb lasts 15,000 hours without significant degradation, you would incur this expense every 2 years approximately. In addition, there will be increased labour costs incurred to change 8 lamps per fixture. At the end of the ballasts life there will again be expenses incurred to replace either the entire fixture (more waste), or to retrofit two new ballasts in the existing fixture. Either option with fluorescent will result in inevitable labour and consumable expenses and environmental waste.

Motion Sensor Dimming Capabilities?

DHID: It is possible to dim Metal Halide, High-Pressure Sodium and Ceramic Metal Halide HID bulbs with DHID digital ballasts. Dimming is simple and instant and it adds to the already sizeable savings in energy consumption since the DHID ballast can dim the HID bulb from 100% power to 50% power or any step in between this range. The dimming of a DHID ballast powered bulb is barely noticeable because the system still delivers high lumen output in the dimmed state. With smart dimming, the electricity costs to operate the system are further reduced without disrupting the operation or safety of the working environment. Motion sensors are strategically placed to detect human and operator activity to determine lamp on times at full power.

In the case of a 575W DHID ballast powered HID bulb replacing a magnetic 1000W system drawing 1200W with approximated heat losses, the end-user can expect 50% or more savings without dimming. The system can then be dimmed down via motion sensor or switch by 20% to the 460W setting for the additional 20% in savings in electricity (1200W – 592W – 118.4W = 489.6W / 1200W = 59%+ savings total).

With the advancement in the DHID technology over magnetic based HID systems, lamp start times are 1 minute, dimming is instantaneous and start-up after a hot re-strike is 3 minutes. In most Industry applications, instant dimming capabilities are preferred since HID lighting systems are typically installed in areas where the lights are to be on for extended time periods. Where it is essential to have the lights on always, the dimming of a HID system is ideal since lumen output is still high in the dimmed state, yet more electricity is saved since the lights are only at full power when needed.

FLUO: Yes and No; it is possible to dim fluorescents, but you need special and expensive ballasts with this capability for T5 fluorescent bulbs. This adds expense as you need two ballasts per each 8 lamp high-bay fixture. Without dimming there is a great limit on electrical energy savings possible with fluorescent lighting. One should also consider the original lumen output performance when considering the fluorescent solutions versus a DHID retrofit solution since DHID offers a much higher output of lumens to the target, even in the dimmed state. Secondly, one should consider the effect of dimming on the fluorescent bulb since increased dim-on and dim-off cycles reduce the bulbs life. Fluorescent lighting was not originally designed for dimming, and is typically not recommended due to the associated expenses, performance limitations and poor return on investment.

Return On Investment?

DHID: With DHID the short term return on investment payback is 0.5 years to 1 year for a total DHID retrofit package including bulb, ballast and installation. In the long term, if utilizing an MH bulb with a MTBF of 30,000 hours to 40,000 hours+ with dimming, operated at 6,240 hours yearly, the bulb would need to be replaced every 4.8 years or 6.4 years+ with dimming respectively. At a bulb cost of $20 US, the total consumable cost is miniscule over the lifetime of the system. The DHID ballast is rated at 10yrs MTBF with the potential to have its life extended further depending on the application. With fewer bulbs and less frequent lamp changes, maintenance/cleaning time is more infrequent making the money saved in labour and consumable expenses over the system life noteworthy. The DHID solution guarantees high energy efficiency, and high-quality, penetrating light over the entire lifetime of the bulb and the DHID ballast.

FLUO: The short term return on investment payback time is poor due to the initial cost of purchase and installation; i.e. the labour to assemble the new T5 8 lamp fixtures; the removal of the used HID fixtures; the install and wiring of the new T5 fixture; the installation of the 8 lamps and the accumulated costs of all the fixture hardware and individual lamps for each fixture. Furthermore, in the short term one must factor in the costs of how frequently the fixtures will require cleaning due to decreased light output as a result of dust accumulation. If the T5 high output bulb is able to last 15,000 hours without noticeable degradation due to cleaning and efficient bulb operation, then bulb change labour and consumable expenses will be frequent; every 2 years or less making the return on investment of fluorescent over the long term (5 years or more) most unfavourable when compared to the DHID retrofit solution.

 
The Environmentally Responsible Lighting Retrofit Solution

The DHID ballast retrofit solution is the most environmentally responsible and cost-effective upgrade for inefficient lighting installations. By simply retrofitting the Digital HID ballast into an antiquated HID lamp system, the old fixture is re-used and rejuvenated, bringing new life and a drastic improvement in performance to the HID bulb based system. This simple procedure leaves only the magnetic ballast to be recycled (and bulb in circumstances) and therefore creates much less strain on the environment.  The DHID solution is able to reduce Industry’s carbon footprint, and the over-all CO2 emissions released into the atmosphere due to the measurable amount of energy consumption reduced and physical and time waste reduced as a result of the DHID solution.

Digital HID lighting promises and delivers the optimal balance of energy efficiency, light quality/performance, and reduced maintenance benefits for the shortest realistic return on investment payback time in the Industry. We welcome the opportunity to discuss our findings with you further; please do not hesitate to contact me with any questions.

Anthony Borges
aborges@accendoelectronics.com
www.AccendoElectronics.com

Houses of Parliament from under the bridge, London, England, 13 November 2009

Bright green British Petroleum sign, Westminster neighborhood, London, England, 11 November 2009

205482     วิศวกรรมการส่องสว่าง     Illumination Engineering

แหล่งกํ าเนิดแสง แสงและสี ดวงโคม การส่องสว่างมูลฐาน วิธีลูเมน วิธีจุด-จุดเทคนิคการให้แสงสว่างภายในอาคาร เช่น ที่อยู่อาศัย สํ านักงาน โรงเรียน โรงแรม โรงงานเป็นต้น เทคนิคการให้แสงสว่างภายนอกอาคาร เช่น ไฟสาดส่อง การให้แสงสว่างเป็นบริเวณเทคนิคการให้แสงสว่างถนน เทคนิคการให้แสงสว่างสนามกีฬา

(Light sources, light and color, luminaries, basic illumination, lumen method, point-point method, interior lighting techniques, resident, office, school, hotel, industry, etc., exterior lighting techniques, floodlight, area lighting, street lighting techniques, sport lighting techniques.)

(205482 มหาวิทยาลัยเกษตรศาสตร์)

During World War II, President Franklin D. Roosevelt once came across a poster from his Civil Defense authorities that read,

“Illumination must be extinguished when premises are vacated.”

F.D.R. was incensed. “Why can’t they just say ‘put out the lights when you leave?’”

At diverse times, one endeavors to overawe personages by employing one’s sophisticated nomenclature, but there are sundry rationale for refraining from this compulsion.

• It’s difficult to understand. When you communicate, your main goal should be getting your message across.  Even if the other person understands the words you are using, she might have to unpack them before she gets your meaning.
• It often leads to miscommunication. Mainly for the reason above.  Your audience may go away scratching their head or ready to charge up the wrong hill.
• It makes you sound either silly or full of yourself. Most people are not impressed with your high-sounding vocabulary.  They are irritated by it.
• It can be interpreted as an attempt to hide your insecurity. If you are feeling insecure, don’t use big words to cover it.  The technique is somewhat overdone.

Speak clearly and concisely.  Your audience will appreciate it.  Simple words can be powerful and influential.  Consider Abraham Lincoln’s famous Gettysburg Address.  Before he delivered it, a man named Edward Everett spoke for two solid hours using all sorts of important-sounding words.  Does anyone remember them?

Lincoln, on the other hand, spoke only ten sentences, and 74% of the words were only one syllable long.  Yet Lincoln’s words are inscribed on his memorial and in our hearts.  We memorized them as school children  (There’s a reason we didn’t memorize Everett’s speech.  School children cannot memorize words that are five and six syllables long!)  Simple is supreme.  When in doubt, remember the KISS formula: Keep It Simple & Synoptic (uh…  Keep It Simple and Succinct… No, ah… Keep It Short & Saccharine… Hmmm… Keep It Sanguine and Sedulous… Er…)

It was particularly brilliant to travel down the Thames by boat at night. For five pounds, the Tate to Tate boat takes you from the Tate Britain to the Tate Modern or vice versa. London, England, 13 November 2009

CUSTOM MADE WOODEN CANVASES

In creating The Revelation Painting, it was apparent that the weight of the stones and the need for sturdy canvases to hold the fiber optics were going to require wooden canvases.  In the case of the fiber optics requiring small holes drilled from 1-6MM, a cloth canvas would not suffice.  It was estimated that six canvases would be needed to house the fiber optic cables and four to hold the weight of the stones.

Fiber optic cables are delicate and will not tolerate numerous placement and removal as the painting moves from location to location.  The idea to drill holes and securely fasten the delicate cables is what brought me to the design of custom-made wooden canvases with drilled holes to accommodate various sizes of cables fixed securely into place with clear adhesive.

 Various sizes and adapters are available to create the light effects from a light source.  Obvious decreased movements and coiling of the frail cables would increase the life of them before replacement was required.  Designing custom canvases 48” x 48” from wood that fit flush with the cloth canvases was no easy task.  Measurements from the side were calculated at 1 ½” combined.

I consider myself an artist and not a carpenter.  It was very difficult for me to try to measure and calculate the needed design as doors were going to have to be on the backs of six canvases to carry the cables securely during transport.  I sketched a rough design and ran an ad for a carpenter, aka woodworker with tools to build the canvases.

I need someone to build 10 canvases, high quality 48″x48″x 1 1/2″, some with doors on the back. These canvases will be painted on; fine art and have to be sanded and smooth. Some will have small holes drilled in them. I do not have tools, so you need your own tools. I will buy the supplies at your direction regarding the type of quality, lightweight, non-warping wood required. I have a cloth example (without doors on the back) to go by for design purposes. I will need a quote from you regarding what you will charge for all 10 canvases. I hope that you can deliver them when done or I will rent a truck to pick them up. You will be required to sign a waiver if injury occurs in the creation or delivery of these canvases that I will not be held responsible.

I was amazed at the response!  After a week or so of careful consideration, I chose a man who may or may not be listed in The Journal of Acknowledgement for his significant contribution toward the creation of the painting based on his decision.  (Please see:  www.therevelationpaintingjournals.wordpress.com regarding this powerful journal.)

The most difficult part of designing the canvases are the side frames which can only be 1 ½ inch combined; the ¼” Birch plywood, the frame, and the width of the latch.  The main problem is finding the correct cut with the application of the latches where the canvas is not forced to sit out from the wall at a wider distance than the cloth canvases.  Solid construction is important here due to weigh.

The remaining four canvases are located at the end of the painting where the twelve foundations of crushed gemstones are found.  It will be interesting to calculate the exact weight of the stones.  (I will deduct the weight of the finished wood canvas, the adhesives and lacquers from the total weight after the stones are applied.)  Just carrying the crushed stones reveals pounds of weight!

I considered and am still considering tracks of LED lights to illuminate the crushed stones through small holes.  The stones, their magnificence of sparkle and light-play is best observed through illumination.  Time will tell regarding this decision.  Many other components were required as well for the completion of fully functional canvases to withstand the test of time.

The main component of the canvases is of course the wood it is made from.  Several carpenters recommended Birch.  I did not know much about Birch, only that I needed a wood that would not warp, could handle the weight and liquid applied to its surface.  I researched Birch and found interesting facts.  I felt this would be a good choice of wood from which to build the canvases.

Birch is a tight and solid wood species that grows in North America and is from the Betula Family, closely related to Beech and Oak. The two most common types of Birch are Paper and Yellow in North America but there are over 50 species found throughout the world.  Birch trees grow an average height of 70 feet with a diameter of 2”.  The bark rolls and peels spontaneously but gets thicker with age.

Birch lumber is used for many, many products from skateboards, to canoes, artist easels, paper and cabinets.  It is chosen for its fine and uniform texture.  It is nearly odorless and is also chosen for long burning fireplace wood.  Once it is dried it resist decay and fungus.  It is fairly priced and the type of Birch chosen for The Revelation Painting was Birch plywood, quarter inch.  Birch plywood is created from lamination of Birch veneer and is light but strong.  It is fine grained and pale.

Other parts associated with the custom wood canvases:

CONTINUOUS HINGE POLISHED BRASS FINISH

 HIGH QUALITY .04  GAUGE STEEL, 36″  BY  1.5”

SLOTTED ADJUSTMENT HOLES EVERY 9TH HOLE

Nickel Flush Drawbolts  -   Approx. 1-1/2″ x 3″

Oddly enough, I consider this painting bringing Revelation to life and I found this interesting fact regarding Birch (from Wikipedia):

Birch trees are associated with the Tír na nÓg, the land of the dead and the Sidhe, in Gaelic folklore, and as such frequently appear in Scottish, Irish, and English folksongs and ballads in association with death, or fairies, or returning from the grave.