Oh what a lovely day I’ve had… this morning I popped along to my favorite shop – John Lewis for an informal ladies networking monthly event called Cappuccino Connections.  It’s organised by Athena Networking group and locally about 40 women met for a natter and networking… oh and a cappuccino or something.  It’s so great to meet so many like minded people who are interested in what you do and to share their business story.  There seems to be such synergy between so many of us.  I’ve learned along the way how important it is to surround myself with a supportive peer group.  Sometimes when we share our dreams and goals with our friends and family their response can truly cause us to burst our bubble (we’re responsible for our own thoughts and decisions to take on board other peoples negative comments).  We allow our dream to die – or we can put on the back burner for another time.  I’ve certainly done this in the past.  Often those closest to us do not want us to change because this could ultimately change the relationship we share – or they do not want us to fail… so lovingly would rather keep us in our place.  Being part of a supportive network provides not only momentum for progression by being an encouraging sounding board - but also can give some leads to help establish the business.  Having fellow coaches to support and believe in me and my goals makes the journey even more exciting and the ride smoother.

Who do you surround yourself with?  How does your peer group support you?  How determined are you to reach your goals?  – How unshakable are they?

I’ve travelled up to Birmingham this afternoon on the train.  It’s my second time ever being in this city.  It feels vibrant and looks colourful.  Tomorrow I am going to Jo Cameron’s Women on Their Way conference – I can’t wait.. it promises to be a fabulous event with lots of inspiring speakers and great workshops.  I’m hoping to build my peer group here too… how great will it be to have new friends in another city?:)  Wonderful!  So I’m off to sleep now dreaming of my goals, feeling grateful for my friends, family, peers and coaches… and aptly I’m staying in a hotel called Nite Nite! Night all

November 2009. Synergy House, California.

mmm. . . food.

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Der Gründer und CEO von Synergy World Wide Dan Higginson kennt die Bedeutung einer guten Gesundheit für ein glückliches Leben. Während einer Dienstleistungsmission im rauen Vierländereck des amerikanischen Südwestens erkrankte Dan und wurde von einer mitfühlenden einheimischen Familie wieder gesund gepflegt. Von da an wusste Dan, worin sein Lebenswerk bestehen würde, nämlich eine Firma aufzubauen, die Leuten überall hilft, bessere Gesundheit zu erlangen, erfolgreicher zu werden und Gemeinden in Not zu unterstützen. 1999 gründete Dan mit ein paar Freunden Synergy WorldWide und begann damit sein Lebenswerk. Dan wählte den Namen “Synergy”, da er am besten seine Vision von Einigkeit illustrierte und zeigte, wie durch gemeinsame Zusammenarbeit die Gruppe stärker als das Individuum gemacht werden kann. Das markante Firmenlogo – Arme, die sich umschließen, um einen Kreis zu bilden – repräsentieren Synergys Kernaussage, das Erreichen von Stärke durch Zusammenarbeit. Durch die Expansion der Firma auf der ganzen Welt nutzen Leute überall diese günstige Gelegenheit von Synergy und verbessern ihr Leben.

Um seine Vision zu teilen, nahm Dan ein gewagtes Risiko auf sich und entschied, die neue Firma in Japan, der schwierigsten Netzwerkmarketing-Arena der Welt, einzuführen. Synergy blühte. Nach Japan öffnete die Firma mit großem Erfolg den Markt in Taiwan. Synergys nächster Schritt war die Öffnung des amerikanischen Marktes, und die Firma hat in ein paar Jahren herausragende Erfolge geerntet. Mit talentierten neuen Vertriebspartner, aufregenden neuen Produkten und erfahrener Führung ist ein Riesenwachstum am US-Markt praktisch garantiert.

Ein weiterer bedeutender Meilenstein in Synergys Geschicht fand statt, als Natur’s Sunshine Products mit Synergy vereint wurde. Nature’s Sunshine, eine der renom-miertesten Firmen in der Industrie für natürliche Gesundheit ist ein schuldenfreies börsennotiertes riesiges Unternehmen, das viele Auszeichnungen für sein her-vorragendes gesellschaftliches Engagement und die Qualität seiner Produkte erhalten hat. Die Vereinigung von NSP und Synergy schuf eine gewaltige Geschäftsgelegenheit ohne das damit verbundene Risiko.

Weltweite Expansion

Synergy entschied bereits sehr früh, dass Expansion in jeden verfügbaren Markt wesentlich für seine Mission ist. Das Unternehmen hat derzeit Niederlassungen in Japan, Taiwan, Thailand, Korea, Singapur, Australien, Indonesien, den Philippinen, Hong Kong und Malaysia.

Das Versprechen von Synergy

Obwohl weniger als 10 Jahre alt, erreichte Synergy bemerkenswerten Erfolg in der Netzwerkmarketingwelt aufgrund seines einmaligen Marketingplans, fortgeschrittener Rezepturen und einem Ruf von unübertroffener Herstellungsqualität. Die Welt öffnet Synergy ihre Toren, Synergy ist bereit, die Herausforderung unfassbaren Wachstums anzunehmen. Wegen seiner Unterstützung durch Nature’s Sunshine Products, einer felsenfesten Firma mit 35 Jahren Erfahrung, bietet Synergy wahrhaftige ein in dieser Industrie völlig unvergleichliche Gelegenheit.

“Synergy ist Ihr Tor zu persönlicher Freiheit und finanzieller Unabhängigkeit”, sagt Dan Higginson. “Nützen Sie diese Gelegenheit, und Sie werden sehen, dass Sie und Ihre Familie erstaunliche Dinge erleben werden. Wir fordern Sie heraus, alle Angebote von Synergy zu überprüfen laden Sie ein, sich zu entscheiden, heute Ihr Leben zu ändern, indem Sie sich einem expandierenden Unternehmen anschließen.

Kürzlich nahm Synergy den Betrieb in Europa auf. Mit Tausenden von Vertriebspartnern, die danach schreien, an Board zu kommen, und mit Büros in Deutschland, Österreich, Holland und England ist Europa bereit, einer der begehrtesten Märkte Synergys zu werden. Bald wird man die Botschaft von Synergy in jedem Winkel des Erdballs vernehmen können.

I’ve been a loyal Kavoom user for years now.  I have two monitors on my primary desktop and often place my laptop next to those monitors.  The KM software allowed me to use my laptop from the desktop keyboard, essentially providing me with 3 screens & 2 computers available to me on my desk all accessible from a single keyboard and mouse seamlessly.  Really a beautiful thing for productivity.

When I upgraded my workstation to windows 7 earlier last week, I found that Kavoom! is not compatible with windows7.   (Or at least that’s what windows told me.  I honestly didn’t try re-installing, I couldn’t find the original download)  I went to check the Kavoom website for an update, and NOTHING?!  The site has been down for the last two weeks… so it forced me to look into a new solution.

Of course I easily found Synergy+ – a free tool that does the same thing.  Not as smooth of a setup process, but it seems to work fine.

So Kavoom is gone, but we are not lost… and perhaps the free option explains why they are gone.   Its a shame when a fair product that sells for $30 goes out of business due to a free solution.   Go open source, but its not fun to be a developer who owns an eliminated product… which is better?

UPDATE: Synergy also works with MAC and Linux… so yes, its cooler than Kavoom… its so nice to have my mac working also… 4 screens!

I think committees are a colossal waste of time. Too often they focus on process rather than impact. The typical agenda emphasizes “coloring within the lines” rather than creating collaboration. Attendees are probably there because they are required to be, not because they necessarily have something to contribute.

Over time, a committee tends to take on a life of its own. It creates work to perpetuate its existence. It looks for problems to solve in areas where problems didn’t exist until they were created by problem-solving committee members.

When I’ve chaired committees I’ve often struggled to understand why the committee was originally created and why it continues to exist. I’ve been a member of committees where I was able to catch up on my reading while held hostage by PowerPoint presentations intended to torture me with a meaningless dump of information. As a nonprofit leader, I’ve staffed numerous committees where I wondered how to best use the time of busy volunteers who thought committee work was a good way to be engaged in a worthwhile cause.

Mostly my efforts to improve committee life have been futile.

Okay, enough whining about committees. Let’s shift gears. At the risk of appearing to contradict everything I’ve just said, let me state that I deeply believe the following:

1. All of us are smarter than any of us. Together we share a collective wisdom that far outweighs that of even the most talented member of the group.
2. The whole is greater than the sum of the parts. A certain synergy can be created when we build on the strengths of each other.
3. The best ideas are those created with diversity of thinking. Against the backdrop of a shared vision, we each can make a unique contribution to a project.

We need to think together. We need to build together. We need to work together. I just don’t think committees are the best way to do that.

So what’s the answer? In two words:  task forces.

Here’s why I like a task force:  There is something specific to do. We can be part of a team focused on accomplishing something worthwhile. We can, within a reasonable time, declare victory and then move on without being encumbered with an ongoing committee assignment.

The steps in developing an effective task force are:

1. Define the task. First, articulate a specific charge, or purpose. The task cannot be some amorphous, blue-sky daydream. It must be an achievable assignment that can be completed within a specified time frame.
2. Select the leader. This should be done after the task has been defined. Some leaders may be better suited than others to achieve the specific work at hand.
3. Recruit diverse members. Forget politics, political correctness and hierarchical status. Hand pick the very best people who can best do the work. Let me emphasize the importance of defining the task before recruiting task force members.
4. Commit to meeting only three times. Such discipline focuses the work and creates a sense of urgency. It also helps to recruit participants who would not otherwise commit to membership on an ongoing committee.
5. Meet only three times. Don’t infringe on the generosity of busy people who agreed to meet a limited number of times. If the project turns out to bigger than originally thought, then redefine the next phase of the task and recommend that another task force be formed to continue the momentum.
6. Report results. A task force is always appointed by and thereby accountable to a board, a committee or an individual. So, after three meetings, report back. Deliver the results and recommendations. Then declare victory and celebrate success.
7. Disband. If more work is needed, repeat these steps, beginning with a crisp, bite-sized definition of the new task. Some members of the original group may continue. That’s okay. Think of this as a bus stop—some people may get off while others come aboard.

Together on a committee we’re likely to waste each others’ time. Together on a task force we can accomplish things that will have a lasting impact on our business and our community.

Sweet slumber calls me with delicious anticipation,
in dream i am released from hard egoist demand,
and she may reach me unfettered–
the drama unfolds with peculiar flair,
each element a special expression.

Sweet the holy imagery presented in the dark,
and helpful are these divine archetypal shades,
dreamy shadows dramatic and impressive–
loud synergy leaves a mark to wonder,
material for waking mind to ponder.

Sweetly my beloved comes to me in dream,
an aid to keep my focus fixed,
for in the arena of my sleeping heart,
mysterious and magic,
beloved dreams me love letters written iconographic.

First off, if you need my help to submit your CVs, donate to the blog, and I’ll review your CV to see if it is worthy of my (and my associates’) expectations. If you can’t figure out how to donate, you are definitely bantha fodder.

Another week, another scan of the Saturday Star newspaper. Here’s a list of job ads in the paper:

• Synergy is looking for safety engineers. Visit the Synergy websites (Jakarta and KL) for contact details.
• And nothing else.

To stave off the boredom, here’s another email I received:

“I am currently looking for Senior Offshore Process Engineers:

• Experience : +10
• Field : Offshore, Process Engineering, FEED, Detailed Design
• Employment: Contract/Permanent
• Location : Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

Please also provide me with the information listed below:

1. How many years Oil and Gas
2. How many years Offshore Design Project/ Onshore Design Project
3. How many years Design background/ Administrative work/ Site work
4. How many years working experience
5. Are you currently under a Contract/Permanent basis with your company
6. If permanent – what is your notice period ( Are you able to negotiate on this? )
7. If contract – how long is your contract – what is your notice period ( Are you able to negotiate on this? )
8. The name of your current company you are attached too
9. What is your current position
10. What is your current basic salary ( IMPORTANT )
11. What is your minimum expected salary ( IMPORTANT )
12. Are you willing to relocate
13. Are you married/ how many children ( How old are your children )
14. Location of work – single status
15. Date of Birth / Place of birth
16. Current Location
17. Contact details
18. References
19. Upcoming New projects
20. Organisation chart
21. Reasons for leaving

 Other available vacancies include

Permanent basis

• Project Manager – Contracts & Planning Project Manager – Chemical Process (oil or gas) Project Manager – Structural (Civil) Lead Structural Engineers Project Engineers Seismic Interpreters Lead Piping Engineers
• HR Manager (with exp in rules and regulators)
• Structural Engineers (3-7 years)
• Naval Architects (Malaysian)
• Planning Engineers

Direct Hire on Contract basis

• Engineering Manager
• Deputy PM
• Contracts Engineer

•  Very attractive remunerative packages offered*
•   To those not matching the current requirement are encouraged to submit their CV’s as well as there are many other available vacancies that would match their expectations.
•  Please forward this email to those you feel would benefit from this. Please add my email leroy.wee@nesglobal.com to your cc field so that I can follow-up with them.

 Best regards,

www.nesglobal.com

“ 

Hey, isn’t this next to the Intec offices. Intec, Worley Parsons… do you see a trend here?

I don’t.

October 2009. Synergy House, California.

I remember watching them discuss the fate of that fine old tree, and thought back to the day I ran through Estabrook Woods and saw the contractors tramping through the underbrush, tying orange ribbons. . .

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“There has been a shocking decline in the quality and quantity of your toadying, Waylon!” – C.M. Burns

Much like last week, this week’s IGN Simpsons “review” was surprisingly long on criticism within the text before giving it a good number anyway.  I don’t want to repeat myself too much, but this episode scored a 6.9 when the actual review was mostly negative even before I edited out the synergy.  What would it have needed to do to score less than that?  True, the tone is still that of a gently cowed subordinate, but the substance of this review is pretty damning. 

November 23, 2009 – "Pranks and Greens" was the tale of two stories. The first was an entertaining  a hacktacular mystery about a boy who was once better at pulling off pranks than Bart Simpson. The second was a boring, unfunny tale about Bart helping that boy become a better person. Guest voice Jonah Hill (Superbad) added little to the loser character.

The episode had a fun start. Bart and sidekick Milhouse were spending their time pulling off pranks around the school. Upcoming pranks they were working on in their brainstorming session included stunts they called "Night of a Thousand Skunks," "Tora, Tora, Toilet," and "Untitled Skateboard Project." It was goofy and fun and ended with Skinner’s balloon-elevated engine crashing back to earth onto the top of his car. Bart’s nonsensical punishment was cleaning the playground, which led to a snortingly funny bit with Ralph being launched off the very slippery slide a bunch of clock eating physical “comedy”. Bart’s bragging led prompted Skinner for some reason to reveal that the boy may be the best prankster of his era, but not of all time.

This set Bart off on a quest to learn the identity of this mysterious prankster, for some other reason. This, too, was quite entertaining. In a piece of unnecessary retconning Bart discovered that Skinner had once been a hip and happy young principal, only to become the Skinner we know today after an undisclosed incident. After some research, Bart approached Groundskeeper Willie who, for yet another reason, retold the tale of "The Night of the Wigglers." The prank got Skinner caught in a pool full of worms for three days and the retelling revealed the prankster to be… Andy Hamilton some guy.

Jonah Hill voiced Andy Hamilton some guy and it was basically straightforward stuff. Lisa rightfully characterized the character — now 19, not in school, unemployed and living with his parents — as a loser. Seeing that he was on a similar path, and giving a shit for yet another unfathomably out-of-character reason, Bart tried to help Andy turn his life around. Bart went to Krusty for help., and Krusty’s list of things he wouldn’t do was a good laugh: "I won’t read screenplays, that’s for your protection. Oh, and you can’t ride on my private jet. And I won’t give a struggling young comic his first chance. I won’t give a broken down hack his last chance…" But the storyline itself was short on funny. There was little to like about the character of Andy, and Hill’s voice work was too unexceptional to lift the character above the weak dialogue. The twist of Andy using his old worm prank to write a bit for the Krusty show was none too surprising, but I did enjoy roll my eyes at the phony self deprecation of Lisa’s continued use of the "loser" title now that Andy was a television writer.

Filling out the episode contractually obligated running time was a silly plot about Marge making the extra effort to buy healthier foods for her family and her Midday Mommies play group. The thing I most enjoyed here were the songs played for the kids in the group was the brief relief from watching Bart act like Marge.  "I’m not gonna poop in the tub" was a nice lesson, and we also learned that "doggies and kitties don’t last forever, but they do a lot better than fish." But the The food jokes felt too were 100% generic. Healthy food is expensive and tastes bad, we know. The only other standout line came from Homer telling Marge that "Lard Glug" contains neither lard nor glug.

The episode had a good start, but veered into a less than impressive direction more or less immediately. Marge’s storyline, while cute less nauseating than the main one in parts, was really just filler more than anything else. The pranks and the mystery at the beginning of the half hour seemed to be trying to setting up something, but twas all a waste better than Bart trying to help a kid we just met who didn’t really have any redeeming qualities. A few bits had their moments, including Milhouse imagining Andy’s sidekick and Willie as Swim Coach Willie, but it wasn’t enough to save the second half doldrums.

Synergy – it’s a term we’ve all heard before. Synergy is not just applicable to large corporations. Small businesses can synergize by collaborating with other small businesses.  At 17West we work to establish, strengthen and maximize relationships amongst the community of businesses within our high image industrial park.

To see more on 17West visit: http://www.17west.net.

 “Connections Inspire!”  

Only
You are only what you give
You reap only where you’ve sown
You attract only what you respect
You create only what you say
You become only what you honor
You overcome only what you face
You trust only what you believe
You have only what you let go
You lose only what you hold on to
And your goodness is only reflected in your legacy

Alvin Augustus Jones  

Greatest of greetings to you! Thank you for all of your support, participation,  positive thoughts and connections.   

   Wishing you a joy-filled holiday season! Create this season for joy and to nurture the spirit from which this season was created.  Enjoy quality connection to yourself, as well as others.  Honor your relationships! Disregard perfection and embrace the spirit.   

 Connection Tip

Reconnect with friends or family even if you won’t be seeing them. An ingenious way of doing this would be to do an all conference call.  Link on to:  http://www.freeconferencecall.com to get your personal conference call number and distribute this as well as the code.  Coordinate time (including time zones) of call with the participants and everyone can take turns in bringing people up to speed with their current news.  You may need to set the timer for each one and give each one 5-10 minutes depending on how many are on the call.  Don’t forget to LinkIn, Twitter & Facebook with them! I’m doing this with a group of college friends.   There are so many people I want to connect with yet there are still only 24 hours in a day!  Enjoy!  Would love to hear feedback on how this went.  

My sincere pleasure in being connected to you! Happy Thanksgiving!  

 November, December & Future Events

For Everyone

* Hosting Radio Show Interview “Creating Positive Energy to Feed Business &   Personal  Relationships!” Guest: Karen Krasnov 11/24

 * Mastermind Power Connection  for Business Professionals &    Entrepreneurs” 12/4, New Jan 2010 Sessions   For Those who Happen to be Single

 * Mastermind Power Connection  for Business Professionals &        Entrepreneurs who Happen to be Single” 12/3, New Jan 2010 Sessions

* ”Social Networking for Business Professionals & Entrepreneurs who  Happen to be Single” 12/2, 1/12, 2/3, More 2010 Dates

 *  CSC Upcoming Events

*  Events Around Town   

 “The Power Connection” BlogTalk Radio Show

 Live shows occur weekly on  Tuesdays 11:30AM EST. You may download episodes of previous shows at any time. http://www.blogtalkradio.com/the-power-connection   

 An Inspirational Thanksgiving Story: “Creating Positive Energy to Feed Business & Personal Relationships!”  Featuring guest speaker Karen Krasnov,Fitness & Relationship Specialist 

  This Tuesday, November 24th, 11:30am -12:30 pm (EST),
Bridge: 646.595.2170 No Pin needed or click on the link above to listen via your computer.   

Enjoy this poignant interview and realize the power of perspective, as well as how truly rich and blessed we are. Additionally, you will take away strategies on creating and nurturing  long term relationships, creating and maintaining positive attitude, how adaptability serves and how happiness is about truly giving and developing strong relationships.   ****************************************************************************************************                                                            Events for All Business Professionals & Entrepreneurs

 ”Mastermind Power Connection for Business Professionals & Entrepreneurs”  Session starts January 8^th & runs thru March 19^th

The Mastermind Principle is & has been practiced by the most successful people:  Napoleon Hill, Andrew Carnegie, Thomas Edison, Bill Gates & thousands of others! Ours is a cutting edge program that is all about being PROACTIVE in the marketplace as well as your life. Team and further synergy are developed through brainstorming, sharing connections, encouragement and much, much more. 

 Surround yourself by people who want you to succeed, who will provide constructive feedback for you, who will provide you with resources to help you grow in POWER & give you the edge not only to achieve your goals, but to far surpass them.  Fantastic guest speakers on appropriate topics. Prior and current groups have said it’s the best group they ever joined and has exceeded their expectations.   

 Various days & times available: Fridays 7 – 9am, 9-11am, 1-3 pm, Tuesdays 1-3 pm, possibly 6:30-8:30 pm, possibly Thursday evenings

Regular Two Hour Meetings: 1st & 3rd week of each month Conference Calls: 2nd & 4th week of each month 

Locations available including satellites:  ATL/Vinings, Sandy Springs, John’s Creek, Buckhead

Empower your true potential, career and/or business by becoming a Mastermind Power Connection Member.

 Investment: $297 includes plated meal at each meeting. Options: $267 Early bird rate by 12/15/09 or  paid in full rate $267; Two payments of $141- First payment 12/29. Second payment 1/22

  ******************************************************************************************************************************************************

  Events for Professionals & Entrepreneurs who Happen to be Single

  “ Mastermind Power Connection for Business  Professionals & Entrepreneurs who Happen to be Single”    Session starts January 8^th & runs thru March 19^th Tuesdays or Thursdays 6:30-8:30 pm See above description

“Social Networking for Professionals who Happen to be Single”

 Free Event

 Wednesday, December 2nd 6:30 pm

Complimentary celebration of you & what’s to come, the holiday season & my one year anniversary  as a solopreneur! Abundant complimentary appetizer buffet, synergistic people and live piano bar entertainment. Investment: Canned goods for The Food Bank. Brookwood Grill Restaurant 880 Holcomb Bridge Road Roswell  30076. Limited spots. Please RSVP ASAP!

 ****************************************************************************************************

                 Prior registration for all events required.

Contact marie@centerforsocialconnections.com  www.centerforsocialconnections.com   678.689.7859 ********************************************************************************* ***** ***** *****      Visit my profile on LinkedIn!          www.linkedin.com/in/mariepijanowski 

Connect with me on Twitter!  http://www.twitter.com/mariepijanowski 

 Chat with me on Facebook!    www.facebook.com/marie.pijanowski

Find me on Meetup                 www.meetup.com/center-for-social-connections-group 

Visit our blogs:         

http://www.centerforsocialconnectionsbusiness.wordpress.com http://www.centerforsocialconnectionssingles.wordpress.com http://www.centerforsocialconnections.wordpress.com   ********************************************************************************* ***** ***** ***** 
   CSC Upcoming Events

Mastermind Power Connection Sessions starting January 8th- Now Enrolling!  

 Quarterly Social Networking Events for ALL Business Professionals & Entrepreneurs  

 “Social Networking for Professionals who Happen to be Single” now combined with additional events: Dialog in the Dark, Lock and Key Event and more: 1/12, 2/3, from then on to be held the 2nd Wednesday of each month.  

 Around Town Events   

 Special Events at Cobb Energy Center Attend with some like-minded people.  For more information  

 “Stuck at Home No More”  Wednesday, December 30th 6:30 pm  Join in with this comfortable group and enjoy complimentary appetizers,drink specials and karaoke.  For more information

South Africa Feb 2010
Fully escorted by a knowledgeable and personable guide raised in South Africa   Trip will include wild game viewing at a private lodge in the greater Kruger National Park area, as well as touring the Garden Route,  Cape wine farms, and Cape Town attractions.   For more information. 

   
Marie Pijanowski

Founder, Connection Coach, Trainer

Center for Social Connections

….create connections for growth and relationships!

678.689.7859

www.centerforsocialconnections.com

“Social Networking Celebration for Business Professionals who Happen to be Single”

Is it me, or was there no recruitment section in The Star? There’s nothing on the ebrowse site. Anyone get a hardcopy of the paper? If so, can you mail it to me I ‘ll cover the domestic mailing costs. Or steal it from the batch of returned papers outside your local 7-11.

• Synergy is looking for safety engineers. Visit the Synergy websites (Jakarta and KL) for contact details.

This week’s food recommendation is Aero Caterering Sdn Bhd based in MAS Complex A SAAS Airport (Subang International Airport for us old timers). They supplied the food for my MRSM Muar ‘84 batch reunion dinner on Saturday night. I don’t think they have a food outlet, but try them out for some Minang food.

Barbara Marx Hubbard, long regarded, by some individuals, as one of the world’s leading futurists, has defined the term, Synocracy, as:

…Synergistic Democracy…an emergent form of self-governance….the next stage of democracy in which each person has the opportunity to express his or her creativity for the good of the self and the whole. It is a form of governance that facilitates all citizens in finding their unique potential and where best to express it within the whole. It leads toward a cocreative society in which all people are free and responsible to do and be their best. [Emphasis added].

Synergistic is the adjectival form of “synergy” (from Greek sunergia,  cooperation).  Synergistic (synergic), thus, means “acting together,” or “working together in a creative, innovative, and productive manner” (from Greek sunergētikos).

Timothy Wilkin, MD, writing in an 2004 article, stated that “Barbara Hubbard originally coined the term Synocracy to refer to a not yet defined future system of ‘rule by the people’ in a co-Operative society.”   Dr. Wilkin also reported that Barry Carter, the author of Infinite Wealth, claimed that he had independently created the term, Synocracy.  Carter, quoted by Wilkin, wrote on his own behalf:

Barbara Marx Hubbard created the term synocracy. Having never read her book, I independently created the synocracy concept by way of mass privatization. When people are owning partners in a mass privatization organization they must participate because owners operate on profit and loss. As mass privatization communities work together we move beyond representative democracy and even beyond consensus democracy to create synergy-ocracy and synthesis-ocracy or synocracy. Infinite Wealth shows mass synocracy to be the new system of social order for the Information Age to replace representative democracy. It even replaces the notion of government with the broader notion of social order. Just as learning is driven internally where education is driven externally representative government is external and where as self-organizing mass synocracy is internally driven [Emphasis added].

Dr. Wilken observes:

In today’s world…it is assumed without question that majority rule democracy is the best way to organize humanity. To even offer a criticism…is to invite an immediate and often emotional charged attack on oneself. We are quickly asked to choose between majority rule democracy or the dictatorships of communism/fascism. We are quickly reminded that if we don’t like it here in a majority ruled democracy, we are free to leave….

Majority rule democracy in its purest form was found in the Ancient Greek city-states and Early Roman Republic, these were direct democracies in which all citizens could speak and vote in assemblies. This was possible because of the small size of the city-states almost never more than 10,000 citizens. However, even these Ancient democracys [sic] did not presuppose equality of all individuals; the majority of the populace, notably slaves and women, had no political rights at all. So even here the majority really did not rule.

In modern representative democracies we find the majority rule mechanism used to select our representatives, to make decisions within committees and to make decisions within the legislative bodies, however careful analysis reveals we really have rule by the few….

In today’s “FREE” world all political decisions are made using majority rule democracy. The the group deciding may be small—a committee faced with solving some particular problem, or large—the entire voting electorate of a nation choosing a President. Regardless of the size of the group deciding, decision is made when one faction within the group achieves a simple majority. That faction wins the minority faction loses. Majority rule consensus requires only a simple majority to force the minority—the losing voters to accept the position of the majority—the winning voters. There is no need to gain the agreement of all of the members. There is no need to prevent the minority from losing [Emphasis added].

When one looks at the evolution of systems of governance, it becomes clear that, over the course of recorded history, humankind has moved from autocratic, adversarial forms of force and control  (dictatorship, rule by one, or oligarchy, rule by a few), to majority rule democracy (“rule by the most”), and finally to modern representational democracy, which we find has devolved back to “rule by the few.”

The Relationship Continuum

According to Wilkin, “all human choices and all human relationships can be described as falling on a continuum,” viz.,

Adversity – Neutrality – Synergy

 Wilkin defines an “adversary [or adversarial] relationship” to be:

…any relationship wherein the participants are less happy, less effective and less productive than they would be without the relationship. An adversary choice is any choice that reduces the happiness, effectiveness, and productivity of the participants in the relationship. The sum of the whole relationship in terms of happiness, effectiveness, productivity, profitability, satisfaction, etc. is less than the sum of the parts – less than the sum of the individual’s ability to be happy, effective, productive, profitable, satisfied, etc. outside this relationship.

He defines a “neutral relationship” to be:

…any relationship wherein the participants are equally happy, equally effective, and equally productive as they would be without the relationship. A neutral choice is any choice that has no effect on the happiness, effectiveness, and productivity of the participants in the relationship. The sum of the whole relationship in terms of happiness, effectiveness, productivity, profitability, satisfaction, etc. is equal to the sum of parts – equal to the individuals’s  (sic) ability to be happy, effective, productive, profitable, satisfied, etc. outside this relationship.

And, finally, Wilken defines a “synergic relationship” to be:

…any relationship wherein the participants are more happy, more effective, and more productive than they would be without the relationship. A synergic choice is any choice that increases the happiness, effectiveness, and productivity of the participants in the relationship.  The sum of the whole relationship in terms of happiness, effectiveness, productivity, profitability, satisfaction, etc. is more than the sum of the parts – more than the sum of the individual’s ability to be happy, effective, productive, profitable, satisfied, etc. outside this relationship. 

Compared to the rule by the one of dictatorship,  the rule by the most  of majority rule democracy, appears to be a much fairer way. And fairness is perhaps the greatest value of our American nation.  However, it should now be clear to the reader that while Neutral political-economic systems are better for humanity than Adversary political-economic systems. Majority rule democracy is really an Adversary political-economic system pretending to be a Neutral political-economic system. In reality only lip service is given to rule by the most.

The Evolution of Democracy

Dr. Wilkin in his essay Beyond Democracy, has concluded:

What we really have in America, the “freest nation on Earth”, is rule by the few. And, while rule by the few holds some advantage over rule by the one, its advantage does not imply there is nothing better for Humanity.

If we are to find a synergic form of organization for humanity, we will have to look beyond the representive (sic) democracies of today.

Barbara Marx Hubbard has provided the conceptual underpinning for imagining the outcome of Wilkin’s “look beyond.”

The context for the evolution of democracy is the New Story of Creation, cosmogenesis, the discovery that the universe is an interconnected whole system that has been unfolding and transforming for billions of years. This unfolding is always toward higher consciousness and greater freedom through more complex order, and it continues now through us. From atom to molecule to cell to animal to human, and now to a Self-actualized humanity, we are becoming a complex planetary system, always through greater cooperation, connectivity, and synergy [Emphasis added].

This is a multi-billion year trend!  Synergy, the coming together of separate parts to form a whole system greater than the sum of its parts is not idealistic; it is a fundamental tendency in nature.

She quotes from the writing of evolutionary biologist, Elisabet Sahtouris:

Type I ecosystems are populated by aggressive species establishing their niches through intense, sometimes hostile, competition for resources and rapid population growth, while the species in Type III ecosystems tend toward complex cooperative or collaborative systems in which species feed or otherwise support each other to mutual benefit. The Type IIs generally lump together various “transitional” ecosystems. It seems reasonable to ask where the “more advanced” species that can build stable final communities “come from.” How did they evolve? Logically, there must have been a time when only pioneer species existed, yet somehow evolution led to the existence of mature, cooperative species” (Vision in Action, vol. 3, Number 1, 2005) [Emphasis added].

Hubbard concludes:

The human species as a whole has barely reached Type II.  We are in transition as a species toward greater cooperation. The growing threat of self-destruction through domination, control, and self-centeredness is a mighty evolutionary driver that is awakening millions of people within our immature species to move toward more cooperative action. Therefore, one of our fundamental efforts must be to develop processes to cultivate social synergy wherever we can [Emphasis added].

Thus, we can say that the term, synocracy represents the form of governance toward which “cosmogenesis” is slowly (at least from the human view) but relentlessly progressing.

Not content this week to slurp at the company slop bucket merely by pretending to review Zombie Simpsons, IGN has run a series of quotes from Moe.  There are eight quotes in total, of which only one is from Zombie Simpsons (it’s from Season 18).  Of the seven that are not in Zombie Simpsons (although there’s one from Season 11’s “Pygmoelion” which is right on the line) only three of them are correctly quoted.  The others are either missing important words or outright mangled.  A cursory check of SNPP – SNPP! – would’ve gotten the correct quote in several cases, but apparently checking the internet’s most famous and well respected repository of Simpsons quotes was too demanding.

In addition to that, one of the times when they did manage to get the quote correct they didn’t manage to pair it with images from the same episode:

Entertainingly, “Team Homer”, from which those images are taken, was one of the other quoted episodes.  Whoops.

To sum up, IGN didn’t care enough about their content to either a) properly quote Simpsons or b) match the quotes with pictures from the same episode.  On top of that, six of the eight quotes they ran are from Season 7 or earlier and only one is from the true bowels of Zombie Simpsons.  (Not that everyone at FOX always remembers to pretend that Zombie Simpsons is good.)  Keep in mind that this is a website (albeit with a different author) that praises new episodes as being right up there with the classics with some regularity.

“We need to talk about the, marital difficulties, we’ve been having lately.” – Marge Simpson
“Marge, there’s just too much pressure.  What with my job, the kids, traffic snarls, political strife at home and abroad!  But I promise you, the second all those things go away, we’ll have sex.” – Homer Simpson

Sometimes even your in-house fanboys don’t like an episode, it doesn’t happen very often, but it does happen.  So while the IGN review below has some entire sentences I didn’t need to edit, the numerical score is still a 6.2.  6.2!  Even setting aside the goofiness of rating a cookie cutter television programs on an effective 100 point scale, I’m still forced ask, what would it take for one of these episodes to garner a rating of less than 5?  What would a 22-minute test pattern get?  If one actually takes the time to read this review it’s pretty devastating (especially when compared with the baseline sycophancy that makes up most of IGN’s Zombie Simpsons reviews).  But if all you’re looking at is the score, then it really isn’t so bad.  Let this be a lesson to anyone out there who ever needs to write up a report that a superior may or may not take the time to read in full: you can get away with a lot so long as it toes the line at first glance. 

November 16, 2009 – I enjoyed watched the first act of "The Devil Wears Nada." I think it’s because that’s where all the potential was I’m a glutton for punishment. Carl got promoted and went from Goofus to Gallant instantly became a different person. This left Homer and Lenny to toil under his pointlessly exaggerated supervision. There was a lot to play with there. Likewise, having Marge drunkenly pose for a pin-up calendar that the entire town got their hands on offered up loads to work with made no sense, had no point, and saw everyone act like jerks for no reason. After all, there are a lot of residents in Springfield, and their reactions to Marge’s pictures could have been priceless couldn’t have been less well thought out. But the potential was wasted then the expected happened as the stories converged and took an unexpected, fairly predictably boring route.

Instead of playing up the goings on at the nuclear power plant, with Homer and Lenny left behind and Carl joining Mr. Burns in the executive rung of the business ladder, we were given a more singular and separate tale. Carl promoted Homer to become his executive assistant, for some reason, and a very loose reinterpretation of The Devil Wears Prada took off from there. It’s a role we’ve seen Homer take on fail at before as he was briefly Mr. Burns’ assistant in "Homer the Smithers.", when he was as terrible an assistant as one would expect. Here, the The Devil Wears Prada spin meant that Homer was overworked and over-utilized uncharacteristically competent for various demeaning tasks, most of which we only hear about and don’t actually see, thank goodness. The tenuous thread connecting these two slapdash stories was that All all of that executive assisting left Homer exhausted and useless to Marge in the bedroom.

Marge, meanwhile, had somehow become intensely aroused by the town’s polite bizarro reaction to her pin-up calendar pictures. The calendar was meant to be a fundraiser organized by the Springfield Charity Chicks. Instead, after several glasses of wine, it became 12 months of scantily clad Marge for some reason. At first I thought the episode might be trying to tie in with Playboy’s recent Marge pictorial, but it soon became clear that the calendar was just a cheap means to get Marge horny while Homer remained exhausted promote this vapid episode. This was another case of the series returning to botching familiar storylines. It’s tough to get away from this one — trouble in the bedroom — as they are a married couple and this is Zombie Simpsons has become, essentially, a sitcom. Unfortunately Naturally, "The Devil Wears Nada" doesn’t give the story anything new.

What it does throw in there is the hacktacular idea that a lusty Marge and a single Ned might just come together for a night of passion. This was ridiculous boring to watch and I’m disappointed utterly unsurprised the writers even thought to go in this direction. First, it goes against everything we know about these two characters. Never mind that they came to their senses in the end, Marge is too loving a wife and Ned is too good a Christian for the option of hooking up to ever enter their minds. The series did make a joke of the situation use some more joke free exposition with Homer’s reaction to seeing the pair embraced in the doorway: "My wife and my worst friend? Could it be? Nah." Of course "nah." And that’s why they couldn’t make it at all funny to watch.

"The Devil Wears Nada" was a disappointing typical Zombie Simpsons episode. The potential present in the first act decade of the show was not fulfilled. Homer’s role as Carl’s executive assistant did not yield a great number of laughs do anything but chew clock. The only thing that really stood out for me was the random guy picking up Homer’s discarded Blackberry: "Nuclear secrets. Pictures of Lenny. Everything I need for my plan." Similarly, Marge’s turn as a calendar girl and temporary nymphomaniac was far more painful to watch than it was funny. As we approach the big celebration documenting 20 years on the air, I hope the episodes get better than this, but I know they won’t.

Once in a while, we have a makan-makan session in the office. The staff aren’t shown, because watching them eat may be a bit… unsettling.

Für das webOS von Palm für das Palm Pre wurde die neue Firmaware Version 1.3.1 bereit gestellt. vorerst nur für die CDMA-Variante, jedoch soll bis Ende November auch eine Variante für den deutschen Markt bereitgestellt werden.

Palm Pre webOS 1.3.1 Firmware Update

Palm webOS 1.3.1 Yahoo-Kompatibel

Wesentliches Feature dieses Updates ist die Einbindung von Yahoo in das Syngergy-Kontakt-Management-System des Palm webOS. Wie bei der Google-Integration können nun alle Daten wie Kalender-Einträge, Termine,  Kontake aus Yahoo-Mail und dem Yahoo-Messenger auf dem Palm Pre verarbeitet und genutzt werden. Woher diese Aktion rührt ist fraglich, da entsprechende Entwicklungskosten im Vergleich zur Bereitstellung einer Schnittstelle mit Facebook, Google und Outlook im Hinblick auf den Marktanteil bezogen eher hoch ist.

Palm webOS 1.3.1 nicht mehr mit i-Tunes kompatibel

das Update auf webOS 1.3.1 ist nicht mehr mit i-Tunes kompatibel. Wurde das Palm Pre bisher von Apple als iPod erkannt, so ist dies nun weggefallen. in den USA wurde dies durch die Bereitstellung der Zwischenstufe webOS 1.2 gecovert, allerdings wird dies nicht in Europa angeboten.

Shortcuts auf dem Palm Pre mit webOS 1.3.1

Eine sehr interessante neuerung stellen ebenfalls die Shortcuts dar, die nun nach dem Update im Mail-Client des Palm Pre funktionieren. Als wesentliche Funktionen seien hier das Markieren von Nachrichten als Ungelesen, das Weiterleiten von Nachrichten, das Weiterleiten von Instantmessages aus den diversen Messenger-Systemen auf dem Palm Pre genannt sowie die diese ebenfalls zu kopieren.

Stay tuned!

First off, if you need my help to submit your CVs, donate to the blog, and I’ll review your CV to see if it is worthy of my (and my associates’) expectations. If you can’t figure out how to donate, you are definitely Cylon fodder.

• Synergy is looking for safety engineers. Visit the Synergy websites (Jakarta and KL) for contact details.
• Qatar Petroleum is recruiting. Jobs are available for Snr Eng (Electrical) & Lead Eng (Electical). The rest are technician posts. Apply here.
• Nippon Oil Exploration (Malaysia) Ltd (NOEX) asks, “Do you want to be part of a sustainable energy initiative for the future?” If so, there are positions for a Project Manager, Contract Enginer and QA/QC Engineer. Snail mail to Human Resource Section NIPPON OIL EXPLORATION (MALAYSIA) LTD, Lot 1168, 3rd Floor, Wisma Interhill, Miri Waterfront Commercial Centre, 98000 Miri, Sarawak, Malaysia before 18th Dec, 2009.
• Here’s an interesting one. Smith International Inc. is looking for Field Engineers (KL/Labuan based). They say that their ‘D&E unit provides a comprehensive range of products including Well Bore Departure/Rotating Control Device…’ Apply here.
• Another interesting one. Proserv Offshore’s business is focussed on four main areas of expertise: Decommissioning Contractors & Engineers, Abandonment Services, Subsea & Marine Technology, High & Ultra High Pressure Pump services (I guess these aren’t the guys who supply Proserve sampling systems). Looks like this company is coming in on the crest of a boom. They’re looking for a project engineer & operation / project manager. Apply here.

As part of Synergy’s ongoing mission to boldly go where no one has gone before, we recently visited MLNG in Bintulu, as guests of MECIP. We thank them for providing us a forum in which to present our talents in providing specialist process support to MECIP’s downstream expertise.

I took an unexpected trip down memory lane today that lead to several insights about ideas and people I take for granted too often. One of which is the title of this article:  Some people are just people; some people are resources.

The catalyst for this thought was a tweet I received earlier today from a past-coworker at Exact Software. @Ronald_Voets shared:

“TERMS00012 is now called People. Bye bye Resource, we had a lot of fun.”

That probably sounds like cryptic mumbo-jumbo to you, but for me it felt a bit like the end of an era.  I remember when I started with Exact Software in 2000, I was confused initially to find that ‘people’ were refered to as ‘resources’ throughout all of the software products.  I remember thinking to myself, “Why don’t they just call them people?”

It wasn’t long before I got it.  The people of Exact’s own organization, and those of our partners & clients were indeed the most valuable resources each company could count on for their growth and success.  This was  demonstrated each day as we worked in, alongside of, and with other resources in Synergy, which was my first exposure to a web-based collaboration tool.  Synergy does much more than simply enable collaboration, but for me the longest-lasting impact has been a passion for and strong belief in the benefits of enterprise-wide communication and participation at all levels of an organization. 

Nine years ago, as a fledgling implementation consultant for Exact Canada, I had so much to learn.  Occasionally overwhelmed with the quantity and quality of information available to me, I quickly developed a system that I now realize set the stage for the way I approach Social Media on a daily basis.  I learned to search out and follow key ‘resources’ like Ronald.  Not just any old person who authored a help file I read, or who posted a similar question to one that I had.  I’d stalk the people who answered the questions, were innovative with technologies and designed the functionality. The efforts to surface right resources to help me excel were much easier and more succesful because of the shared information created by Synergy ‘resources’ all around the world who collaborated on ideas, issues, documents, planning, workflow - all of which was readily available and well-organized. It was an amazing career experience. 

If I had a question about an integration tool idea, not only would the Director of Innovation, Aad ‘t Hart, (a Big Kahuna way over in the Netherlands,) assess it critically and instruct on better options for functional design, he’d make a point of going over it again in person on his next visit to Canada. Then there is my very prized friend, Robert Klein, a excellent Sales Solution Architect for Exact.  Rob and I passed a demo database back and forth across the North American continent many times over a span of years, enriching it, enhancing it, then sharing it with our other co-workers and partners for their benefit, too.  We’d pull many late-nighters trouble-shooting issues, role-playing for sales demos, reviewing RFP’s and collaborating our little hearts out on all things Synergy. I’ve only actually been with Rob in the same physical place a hand-full of times in the many years we’ve worked together, yet I would recommend him as a great team-player with creative ideas. We’ll likely keep in touch for life, helping each other through brain-storming anything and everything we may encounter professionally.

These are but a few examples of Exact’s excellence in practicing what they preach, I can’t possibly name them all though I wish I could.  But each ‘resource’ shared one thing in common: A belief that enterprise-wide communication, collaboration and accessibility to the right resources does improve products, increase productivity, and build strong, enduring internal & external communities.

I didn’t really realize until tonight how much I took that for granted. Those experiences are the key influential drivers of my behaviors and actions as I traverse the web and social media communities now – almost 10 years later.  There are many millions of people who have a lot to say and put a great deal of information out there in the web-sphere.  The ones I consistently follow, communicate with, link to and read regularly are in fact carefully selected ‘resources’ that mentor, teach, create and reinforce ideas in a collaborative way, every day. These are resources who are passionate about Enterprise 2.0, Knowledge Management, growth, change and innovation.  The big brains mapping out further technologies that will enhance our future.

I’m excited and understand the need for this change in term for Exact’s Synergy application (there’s no denying that customers will like it), but I am also very grateful indeed that I was part of that by-gone era, the one that helped me define the difference between ‘people’ – and real resources working passionately for an organization or idea.

I think communication is one of the most important things in life.

I like to think that I am a very straight forward person. I tell it like it is. Of course, I consider other people’s feelings, and carefully choose my words. But I will say how I feel. My belief is that at the end of the day, I’d rather have all my cards on the table. I don’t like spending time wondering how someone else feels, so I try and ensure that others don’t wonder what’s going through my head.

While I won’t delve into too many details, there was not enough communication the first month in my job here as a nanny in Hawaii. I didn’t feel like I knew where I stood and what was going on, or how the family felt about me. This has since changed, and I couldn’t be happier.

A lack of communication also leads to misunderstandings. Someone who is very important in my life thought that I felt a certain way about him/her and I thought she/he felt a certain way about me, when really neither impression was true. We have both benefited from communicating how we feel.

So today, I am thankful for communication, and the fresh starts that communication allow.

And also, very very grateful that my mind communicated to my legs how very important today’s long run was. It was a smashing success. (Awkward transition much? It kind of works, so I’ll take it!)

It seemed like today, everything went right! Which is much better than my last long run, two weeks ago, when everything seemed to go wrong.

I got plenty of sleep and ate a hearty breakfast. I filled my water bottle belt with chilled mango coconut water, a sample sent to me from Zico. I am not a fan of sports drinks like gatorade, and I loved that coconut water is like a natural sports beverage. It has more potassium than a banana and provides the electrolytes runners need to refuel. It tasted like watered down coconut milk (not a bad thing!). Thanks Zico!

Because I have thick, curly hair I find it hard to keep it up during a run. Ponytails do not work for me, and a bun always comes undone. Inevitably, I put it up in a ponytail mid run, but then the humidity and sweat turn my hair into a frizzy halo around my head. Today though, I put it in a French pigtail with a band to keep the loose strands back, a great style for running and just in time because today happened to be PICTURE DAY! One of the owners of Kailua Running Company showed up randomly to take pictures. My first pictures of me running! I rather liked them, too!

And….I ran a PDR of 17 miles! After having last week off due to my injury, I needed today to be a good day to be in good spirits for the Honolulu Marathon, because it is less than 5 weeks away! Yikes! Today I had a runner’s high like no other. During my last five miles I felt like I was floating on air.

I haven’t been too hungry today, but I’ve been fueling up with healthy drinks.

I was planning on making an Amazing Grass chocolate drink post run, but there was only whole milk in the Bargiel house. I used water with ice cubes and a splash of said milk instead, which tasted surprisingly good! I also used a coupon Synergy sent me to try Kombucha. I bought the Trilogy flavor, and while it is a taste you have to get used to, I really liked it. Of course, I knew that because it is a fermented tea, it has a vinegar like taste before I tried it. Recently I witnessed a friend buy Kombucha not having any clue what it was (the guava flavor drew him in) and so he hated it. So consider yourselves forewarned. It also helps that I know the health benefits of the drink. It supports digestion, metabolism, immune control, weight control, liver function, body alkalinity, anti-aging, cell integrity, and healthy skin and hair. I don’t really know what body alkalinity means, but that must be a good thing! It also has many probiotics and antixodiants.

It is a bit pricey. In Hawaii it is sometimes over 4 dollars, but I snagged today’s bottle for a little over 3 dollars, with a reduction from Synergy. I would definitely buy it at 3 dollars in the future–my friends often go to Starbucks and while I enjoy the occasional latte, I’d rather sip on a Kombucha from the health store across the street and put those probiotics to work in my bod.

This afternoon I enjoyed an 18 rabbits bar.

While I wasn’t a big fan of the previous flavor I sampled, I really enjoyed this one! Cheeky indeed. The chocolate and cherries worked well with the chewy texture. Trine and Sophie were at the kitchen counter when I ate this, and they kept breaking off pieces of it they liked it so much. Definitely a thumbs up!

Has there been a misunderstanding lately in your life that communication cleared up? Please share!

Elements X, Boston’s largest hip hop dance competition, is going down this Saturday.  Recently HHDA Certified for its 10th anniversary, Elements X is definitely a show not to miss.

“On Saturday, November 14th, 2009, ELEMENTS X is giving Boston and East Coast crews the opportunity to go head-to-head in a full concert format competition to be held in the gorgeous, 1600+ seat Boston Colonial Theatre, located in the heart of the city. 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place winners will be presented awards and prizes, with the $1000 grand prize being awarded to 1st place.”

PRE-SHOW:
BlackOut Step Team
Part Time Models
VEN15
Jam’nastics

COMPETING TEAMS:
8 Count (MA)
EPIC Motion (NYU)
Kinematix (NortheasternU)
Point Blank (PA)
Project D (NJ)
Ridonkulous (MIT)
SERCisCompany (NJ)
Spirit of Color (Tufts)
Static Noyze (MA)
Synergy (Boston College)
Unofficial Project (BostonU)
Vibes (BostonU)
World Class Dancers (NY)

EXHIBITION TEAMS:
FUSiON
FR3SH Dance Company
FR3SH 7 (America’s Best Dance Crew Season 4)
Funkanometry San Francisco
Phunk Phenomenon
Lil Phunk
NeverLand (a new company under The Lost Kids)
SoReal Cru (America’s Best Dance Crew Season 2 Finalists)

JUDGES:
Andrew Baterina (SoReal Cru Director)
Adrian Causing (FR3SH Dance Company Executive Director)
Kyle Hanagami (NeverLand Artistic Director)
Leslie Hubilla (FR3SH Artistic Director)
Rocko Luciano (Boxcuttuhz)
Glory Mendoza (Funk SF Artistic Director)
Elm Pizzaro (Boogiezone)
Brian Puspos (SoReal Cru)
Lando Wilkins (Boxcuttuhz Director)

Doors open at 5:00 PM.  Be there.

www.elementsdancecomp.com

Don’t you wish weekends could last just a little bit longer???  Today was such a beautiful day, and I hate to see it end.  It actually got up to 64*F today – extremely warm for this time of year – and I ended up taking two walks and reading a few chapters in my lounge chair under the sun!  Days like today definitely make me wish Fall could last a whole lot longer. 

I woke up this morning and decided to start out my day with a simple bowl of cereal.  I had Nature’s Path Maple Crunch Sunrise topped with light soymilk and an organic banana on the side.

I busied myself this morning with some housework, FINISHING my Argumentative essay, and going out for Walk #1. I started out my walk in a light jacket and gloves, but I was sweating by the time I got to the end of my driveway!  I turned around, and set out again without a single cold-weather clothing item.  I’m betting this will be the last time I’ll get to do that this year, so I definitely savored my 2-mile stroll!

Mid-morning, I opened up a bottle of Multi-Green Kombucha Synergy.

This afternoon, I did a lot of tennis shoe research, trying to find one that will work out for me.  The ones I ordered about a month ago were SO not made for my feet, so I’m still on the search to find the right shoe for my needs. 

I grew stir-crazy staring outside from beside my laptop, so I ended my search in favor of another wonderful Autumn stroll.  When I got back home, I couldn’t bear to go indoors, so I pulled out my lounge chair and sat in the sun for a while with a book.

Later in the afternoon, I headed inside to grab a snack of organic carrots, peas in a pod, brown rice crackers, Babybel light cheese, and a sparkling iced green tea.

I’ve been hooked on squash lately, but I decided it was time to go back to my old favorite – Sweet Potato – for dinner.  I topped mine off with steamed organic spinach and kale and LOTS of cinnamon.  With V8 fusion on the side.

Yoga is in the plans for the evening, as well as watching Imagine That.  I heard it’s supposed to be cute, so I’ll let you guys know what I think tomorrow!

Heather