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June 2007
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by L. J. Williamson
 I feel very joyful when I look at the ways in which the environmental tide is turning. Being environmentally aware isn't just for hippies anymore. It's cool to care. Sure, there are still naysayers who say that global warming is just a big hoax, but the genie is out of the bottle, and more people are suddenly paying more attention.
Not only are they paying attention, but it's hot, hip, and trendy to do so. People are wearing their environmentalism on their sleeve -- it's the new status symbol. An example: Cameron Diaz has an environmentally friendly fashion line. But what really excited me was when my husband said to me, during a discussion about adding solar panels to our roof: "We should definitely get them. And we should show them off by putting them out front, where everybody can see them."
I'm so pleased to be watching environmentalists move further away from the lunatic fringe and closer to the center of the dance floor.
by L. J. Williamson
 I saw my mom's dog put to sleep last week. Euthanasia. "Eu" = good; "than"=death. Was it a good death? Can there ever be a completely "good" death?
This dog had been by my mother's side for 19 years. He was her sole home companion after my father died.
My mother was anguished, because as a Buddhist, she was afraid that causing the death of another would bring her bad karma. But the dog was suffering and in pain. Many nights he'd howled for hours, unable to sleep until 3:00 a.m. But then there were days when he seemed like he wasn't doing too bad, like the day we'd scheduled the appointment.
My mother went through with the appointment anyway. They gave the dog the first injection, which put him to sleep -- literally, not euphamistically. We were given some more time to say goodbye before the second injection, which would put him to sleep -- euphamistically, not literally.
"It's the first time I've seen him sleep soundly in a month," my mother said after the first shot.
She wept uncontrollably, thanking the dog for his companionship and begging for his forgiveness.
I thought I would see little change after the second shot was administered, as the dog was sedated and lying limp in my mother's arms. But when the dog died, there was a difference. His tongue rolled out of his slackened jaw, hanging long, and when my mother picked him up for one last parting embrace, urine dripped out of his penis and on to my mother's arm. A feeling of embarrassment came over me. I wished we could put that tongue back in the mouth, cover the leakage.
Death isn't just like being asleep. It's messy and undignified. Death with dignity? What is that? One can not possibly be dignified while their body is slipping out of their control. The only way to maintain any sort of dignity is to remain entirely hidden from view.
Pull the sheet over me, please.
by heathervescent
Lore Sjöberg, Wired columnist, humorously posits the iPhone is the magical work of the devil!
The central pentagram in Apple's vile altar of temptation takes the form of "gestures," hand movements used to control the device. Wiggle your fingers at the iPhone and it does your bidding. Does that not sound familiar? Is that not one of the main ingredients in the blasphemous bisque of sorcery?
Keep in mind as you consider this dire news that Apple is also one of the main proponents of so-called "voice recognition" technology. Every Macintosh computer they ship includes this "feature," allowing you to command your computer using the power of your voice, much as Harry Potter commands demons to do Satan's work.
Another feature provided by the iPhone is the ability to play videos from anywhere in the world. Think of your child gazing into this device, viewing events taking place elsewhere on the planet and even looking back through time. The device itself has a "friendly" rounded look to it. Is this Apple's way of introducing children to the concept of a crystal ball? Will the next iPhone be a perfect transparent sphere? Very likely.
In addition, the iPhone has the ability to sense the environment around it. For instance, it can tell when you've turned it on its side. No doubt you're thinking, "You move it? Like a magic wand?"
It's worse than that, much worse. Certainly there is a similarity to that obscenely phallic symbol of a sorcerer's Satan-fueled power, but it goes much further. The iPhone's ability to sense motion, proximity and light is clearly designed to make it seem less like an object and more like a "familiar spirit," a sort of witch's helper explicitly banned by Leviticus and Deuteronomy.
What do you think? Is the iPhone the work of the devil? Or are we anthropomorphizing our devices already?
Ps. Even Steve Jobs says it works like magic!
by L. J. Williamson
 Ramsey Creek Nature Preserve is a lovely place for a walk. There are mature trees, beds of leaves that crunch pleasantly underfoot, a skipping stream, and a series of flat rocks. But please don’t step on the rocks, out of respect for the dead. These stones are grave markers, and this nature preserve is also a cemetery.
Part of the growing “Green Burial” movement, Ramsey Creek is one of many cemeteries that eschews monuments and manicured lawns for a more “harmonious” and environmentally sensitive approach.
Do cremated human remains contribute to air pollution? Do buried bodies contaminate the water table? What impact do embalming chemicals have on the environment? Even some of the most green-living among us haven’t yet considered the impact they may have on the planet after their death.
To read more go to Green Burials.
by L. J. Williamson
 I harvested my first tomatoes this morning -- not only of the season, but of my life. Actually, I've managed to grow a few pathetic tomatoes here and there, but this year is the first time I can say I have a real crop, not just two or three stragglers that managed to avoid immediate death of my brown thumb.
Growing your own food is an amazing feeling, and the difference between homegrown and supermarket tomatoes is obvious to even the least discriminating palettes. If a supermarket tomato is a period, one from the garden is an exclamation point.
When I grow something, I feel like I'm beating the system, like I'm pulling off some major coup. They get money for these things in the store, and here I am plucking as many as I want for free, all summer long! And they're better than the ones I pay money for! Take that, Safeway!!!
Michael Pollan's excellent book The Omnivore's Dilemma has had a lasting impact on me. Pollan talks about the importance of knowing where your food comes from, and he has a point. A meal you have a connection to is that much more delicious.
If you've never grown anything before, do it now. Find some dirt, in the ground or in a pot. Stick in some seeds. Water it. What comes out will be yours, all yours. To in this small way harness the awesome power of nature is a feeling that is indescribably luscious.
by Carmen de Jesus
The word of the week is failure. So many of us are afraid of this word.
Failure:
an act that fails; "his failure to pass the test"
an event that does not accomplish its intended purpose; "the surprise party was a complete failure"
lack of success; "he felt that his entire life had been a failure"; "that year there was a crop failure"
a person with a record of failing; someone who loses consistently
an unexpected omission; "he resented my failure to return his call"; "the mechanic's failure to check the brakes"
bankruptcy: inability to discharge all your debts as they come due; "the company had to declare bankruptcy"; "fraudulent loans led to the failure of many banks"
loss of ability to function normally; "kidney failure"
One of the presuppositions of my training in Neuro-Linguistic Programming is that "There is no failure, there is only feedback." Sometimes the "feedback" is that what you're attempting is not the right thing for you to do, or that you should change strategies/tactics, or that the goal you wished to achieve is not in alignment with your path, or that you're simply not ready.
There is always opportunity to be found in ostensible "failures," although it might not be an immediate consolation to think so. But you can train your mind to look for the windows opening when doors close, for silver linings in rain clouds, and for the gems of purpose-filled guidance from the Universe whenever things don't seem to work out according to your original plans. Believe that there's something better, more fitting and more right for you. Stay open to receive what you never expected.
by L. J. Williamson
 Why is it that every time you see a zombie movie, the zombies seem so pissed off? I mean, aren't they just hungry and trying to get food? Are they mad that you're running away from them?
When a hunter tracks a deer, he doesn't snarl and moan and scream, does he? No. He's quiet. Stealthy. I want to see more movies with zombies that are methodical hunters, not brainless sneering jerks.
Zombies are usually full of desperation and despair. Are they mad that they didn't get the afterlife they were promised -- the one with harps and wings, or the one with 57 virgins, or the one that releases them from the wheel of samsara into nirvana?
Zombiehood is a pretty cruddy reincarnation, after all. I guess I'd be angry too.
by heathervescent
Welcome back to Monday! Did you have a refreshing weekend?
Day 14: Reflecting on Coffee
It also struck me that coffee, while not traditionally associated with zen buddhism, is a dandy example of the Zen of Everything.
Lesson #15: What is not all things to all people, can still be an entry point into all things.
Day 15: Making Church more like Shirts
Now I see that if I can embrace each thing as a step on the path, nothing has to have been bad or wrong—it can just be. And of all the things I’ve found that let people get along and let dissonance just be, levity is the simplest, most graceful and joyous.
Lesson #16: To see more clearly, lighten up.
Day 16: Seeing opportunities in the midst of problems
So today, because Flickr was down (”problem”) I got to share one (”opportunity”). Along with a little reminder that just because I’ve always done something one way, doesn’t mean there’s not a better, more interesting way. Or at the very least, a different way.
Lesson #17: Everything is a way through to something else.
It's back to the Journey is the Destination again! (I really really love that mantra.) AstroBarry and Soul Garden.tv serve up horoscopes. I want to be so skeptical of horoscopes, but these are so interesting and intriguing and often give me insight, I'm not sure what I think anymore. Rob Brezsney, you're getting a little competition!
by heathervescent
 I was on Venice beach this past weekend and noticed that everyone was wearing bikinis and shorts. At first this seemed strange to me, but then I realized that it's summer. How did summer sneak up on me without me even noticing it? Is it because everyday in LA feels like summer? Have I taken the LA summer weather for granted?
I don't think so. I am grateful for the wonderful weather everyday. I open my windows and let the breeze into my office. I take a stroll through tree-lined streets. I drink fresh fruit juices. (I have to admit, I have been a bit addicted to fresh juice recently.) I'm more relaxed and I'm taking life day by day. Waking up each morning I can't remember if it's the weekend or not. In fact, it doesn't matter. My weekend days are rarely different.
Yesterday was the summer solstice marking the longest day of the year and the beginning of summer. The time for rapid growth. No need to tend the fields, fresh water and good light makes the plants grow. That's what I feel like these days. I've done my groundwork and now it's time to watch it grow. Until harvest time, I think I'll just sit back and relax. Come along and join me. I've got some fabulous lemonade right here.
* photo by Ramzi
by heathervescent
It doesn't take much to change the world. I found this out a few days ago when I joined Kiva, a microfunder. For $50 I helped two women get business loans. In fact, I loaned them the money. What is Kiva?
Kiva lets you connect with and loan money to unique small businesses in the developing world. By choosing a business on Kiva.org, you can "sponsor a business" and help the world's working poor make great strides towards economic independence. Throughout the course of the loan (usually 6-12 months), you can receive email journal updates from the business you've sponsored. As loans are repaid, you get your loan money back.
It's really simple. Go to their website where you can browser borrowers. There are people from all over the world, asking for various amounts. You pick the amount of money you want to lend. (I lent $25 to two people.) And send the money via paypal. Here's what I wrote about on another blog.
I started looking through the borrowers. I wanted to pick one where my amount would be the final amount and then the loan funded. I found Olga, who is a furniture maker. My $25 was the final amount to fund her $1000 loan.
As I was looking through borrowers, another story caught my eye. Maria lives in Mexico and runs a grocery store. She is 1 year younger than me and has 8 children! Wow. What a totally different life. I contributed $25 to her loan (which is about to be funded).
To realize that $50 can make a difference in Olga and Maria's lives make me ... grateful for being able to help. Make me realize that I really am in a privileged position and I must do everything I can to raise the pyramid from the bottom - not scramble to the top.
Today, I was looking through the site to meet up with local Kiva evangelists and I came across Julia's blog, How I Changed the World Today. It's an inspiring read. Here's a snippet:
I wrote a letter to Paris Hilton today because injustice bothers me always. I know the LA jail system well enough to know that someone who did what she did would be out already. If it was me, I would be out. So she is not being treated fair.
I sent her a Kiva gift certificate, along with several loan pages that I had printed out of the AoC event so she could get an idea of what Kiva is and who she can lend to. I'm hoping she'll get involved, even if anonymously.
Now that's changing the world! Why don't you join us? It's cheaper than the cost of dinner.
by Will
For all you first borns out there, this story should ring true for you and may even put a nice bright smile on your face. It does for me and I'll be sharing it with my younger brother today.
(If you are not a first born - you can ignore this post as It may upset you.)
by heathervescent
Ok, where were we? I was personally cussing out the dude in front of me in the traffic jam and then I remembered. I'm trying to make a concerted effort to be more Zen, as I walk down Communicatrix's Zen path. Then I forgot all about chopping wood and carrying water and got distracted down a path of cool new shiny objects. Only to be reminded all the way about my Zen post patiently waiting to be written. That's a good thing to remember. Everything happens in it's own time. And if it has to be forced, is it the right time? I wonder.
Well, let's continue shall we? I know I am enjoying these snippets (I admit, I wanted to gobble them up all in one sitting, but that wouldn't be very zen of me would it?)
Day 11: Fame, Freeways and the glue that connects them
Am I impatient for things to happen faster, for my vision of myself as the communicatrix, household name, to hurry the hell up, already? Yes. Of course. As much as I’m anxious to get home NOW when it’s late and I’m tired. Now, please, if not sooner.
LESSON #13: To diminish impatience, expand perspective.
I hear ya on that one! Wasn't I just talking about that?
Day 12: There is no Try
I also agreed to one thing with half my heart, and from the moment of my saying “yes”, the pit of dread and the choruses of regret (Stupid! Stupid! Stupid!) battled it out for my attention.
LESSON #14: Just because a problem exists doesn’t mean I need make it my own.
I know this all too well. Often I'll sell a little piece of myself off - to put it off for tomorrow. That's no way to treat my own precious value? Or rather, what value, if I sell myself for such a short amount of tomorrow - tomorrow which never comes. Hey, I'm catching my own Zen lessons.
Day 13: When a shortcut is a long way round the barn
So much for shortcuts.
LESSON #15, courtesy of The Gambler: You got to know when to hold ‘em, know when to fold ‘em…
OK, Communicatrix, you got me again. I'm gonna walk away now. Your Zen lessons have whipped my ass and despite myself I think I have learned something. I'll come back for more tomorrow. Thanks!
by Carmen de Jesus
The word of the week is solstice.
In preparation for tomorrow's summer solstice, which is to be the longest day of the year. A solstice "occurs twice a year, whenever Earth's axis tilts the most toward or away from the Sun, causing the Sun to be farthest north or south at noon."
Why does the summer solstice happen?
The seasons of the year are caused by the 23.5º tilt of the earth's axis. Because the earth is rotating like a top or gyroscope, the North Pole points in a fixed direction continuously -- towards a point in space near the North Star. But the earth is also revolving around the sun. During half of the year, the southern hemisphere is more exposed to the sun than is the northern hemisphere. During the rest of the year, the reverse is true. At noontime in the Northern Hemisphere the sun appears high in the sky during summertime, and low during winter. The time of the year when the sun reaches its maximum elevation occurs on the summer solstice -- the day with the greatest number of daylight hours. It typically occurs on, or within a day or two of, JUN-21 -- the first day of summer. [ Source ]
Whether you're a Druid or neo-Pagan at Stonehenge watching the sunrise, or celebrating Johannisnacht, Litha or the Chinese Festival of Li, tomorrow is a day to celebrate the warmth of the star that blesses us - just make sure to wear your sunscreen.
by heathervescent
Do you believe in the Law of Attraction? This blog has 9 reasons of his own. Here's one I agree with.
9. Creativity is at the very core of each soul, each person. You are driven to create experience. Creativity is also part of your service to the greater whole. As you create, you discover more of who you are through observing your creation. It is the very nature of the soul to be creative, but many of you have forgotten your creativity by believing that the ways in which you can express yourselves are limited to certain jobs, roles, and functions in life.
I'm not sure how that related to the law of attraction, but I still like it.Read the rest of them.
by L. J. Williamson
 They're not really sorry, because they do have restrooms. You know they do. No building designed for human use and habitation doesn't have restrooms. No structure well-ordered enough to have a professionally printed sign doesn't have a bathroom. Even an outhouse has a moon carved in the door. The fact is, they're lying to you. What they really mean is, "Sorry, but YOU can't use OUR bathroom. YOU have to go the gas station down the street."
Any apology phrased to include the word "if" or "but" is a fake apology. Even if the "if" or "but" is implied but not spoken, as in the sign above.
When you apologize, if you're including the word "if" or "but," you're not doing it correctly.
Here's more.
by heathervescent
How was your weekend? Did you have any Zen realizations or was it party time in hot city? Well then, boost your Monday morning with these Zen lessons. Our walk with the Communicatrix continues.
Day 7: My Blog, is like a raw, raw fish
I do it because I made myself a promise, I do it because it keeps me human. And if I start chipping away at my humanity, what good am I going to do your website, much less the world.
Lesson #8, picked up between HTML tags on a Sunday night?: The non-essential isn’t.
Day 8: When in doubt, change your shoes
Lesson #9: While the big events may provide the starting point for a shift in consciousness, if I’m aware, the small things can, too.
I totally agree with Communicatrix on this one! In my personal experience, the smallest things make the most dramatic changes. Try taking a deep breath or not jiggling your foot as your read the rest of this post. ;)
Day 9: What perfect feels like
Lesson #10: A race is not always about the finish line.
Lesson #11: Sometimes, the work is not the Work.
Yes, yes! The Journey is the Destination!!
Day 10: Serendipity is as you like it
Lesson #12 Either have a way to capture it, or have a way to let it go.
And with that thought, let's jump into the week. I know I feel a bit more enlightened. Do you?
by L. J. Williamson
I had a very banal thought this morning, and I wasn't sure if it counted as an "ah-ha" moment or a "no duh!" moment.
I was walking through the locker room at my gym, and thought to myself, "Boy, every person looks so different from every other person!"
I think this counts as more of a no-duh. But there is something to be said for spontaneously noticing and appreciating the most basic facts of life sometimes. I felt like a wise enlightened sage and a completely naive child at the same instant.
by heathervescent
 Well, today we continue on the Communicatrix's journey of discovered lessons. Let's learn, shall we?
Day 4: Turn off your machine, Luke
Commentary: Just when you think you know everything about something, ha ha, the universe does a Mobius twist on your a**.
LESSON #4: Everything is a breath away from everything else.
LESSON #5: It is not necessary for you to believe in it for it to be true…just to make itself known…
Day 5: Making life more like church
Church, as realized by the band of whitey-white Catholics in my hometown, was but an anemic facsimile of what I now believe CHURCH should be: a time/place for getting down with what’s important to you that’s different from the everyday, but similar enough each time you return that it provides a useful and consistent context for holding yourself up to the light.
LESSON #6: The language of prayer is the question.
Day 6: Not-great expectations
[W]e all grapple with being in the now. It’s as easy to look back as it is to look forward, and with all sorts of lenses; it is very, very hard to be here now. My friend is re-learning the meaning of that every day, and she gracefully, graciously gave me a refresher course in it today.
LESSON #7: Dread is writing a future that does not yet exist.
Ain't that the truth. There are definitely some things I am dreading and yet, in one moment (say, the lesson from day 4) all that could change into something delightful, positive and surprising. Why can't I believe that though? I guess I need to practice a bit more.
* photo by JLM
by Carmen de Jesus
Ze word of ze week ees: ennui
The word ennui, at least for non-native Francophones, may conjure up scenes of black and white french films, beret-clad Frenchies in turtlenecks, smoking Gauloise cigarettes in between sips of cafe au lait, deep sighs, disaffected glances at the passers-by, and turning pages of dog-eared copies of some Sartre novel.
It's a scene of bored disaffection - world-weariness, specifically - not just bored. These days, ennui is like an epidemic - in reaction to overstimulation from various media and sensory inputs - it's easy to feel exhausted by life, and easy to feel unimpressed by anything.
The French-derived word ennui is often used in English in a slightly more specialized sense than the simple 'boredom'. The best definition would be something like 'a feeling of utter weariness and discontent resulting from satiety or lack of interest'. Acknowledging the value of this definition, John Evelyn commented in the 1660s that "We have hardly any words that do...fully express the French naivete, ennui, bizarre, etc." [ Source]
Perhaps it is the heat that contributes to this feeling, best summed up with an expository "Meh."
How to defeat ennui? Take a nap. Read a new book. Take on a new challenge. Firestart yourself.
by heathervescent
 The Communicatrix recently completed a 21 day Zen Salute, where each day for 21 days, she wrote about found Zen lessons. She describes the experience:
And there, suddenly, it was: my job was not to find The Lesson; my job was to let The Lesson find me. Because the lessons are everywhere (and nowhere) and can be found in anything (and nothing). They come when you seek them and especially (sometimes) when you don’t.
Over the next few days, I'll highlight several of her found Zen lessons. Here's what we have today.
Day 1: The introduction
Day 2: Two-fear Tuesday
LESSON #1: Security is an illusion.
LESSON #2: When it comes to dead pigeons, in or out of brown paper bags, I am not like the Buddha.
Day 3: You can't climb the corporate ladder to entrepreneurial success
LESSON #3: The last 10% is all about balls.
Check back tomorrow, for more...
* photo of the Ryoanji Zen Garden in Kyoto by Paul Mannix
by L. J. Williamson
 Music in yoga class is rarely a good thing for me. If the music is bad, it annoys me and distracts me from my breath. If the music is good, it compels me and distracts me from my breath. Yet few yoga teachers have the nerve to conduct a music-free class.
The typical concept of a new age soundtrack is that it must include some nature sounds -- tweety birds, churny waterfalls, crashing waves, screeching owls, buzzing mosquitos, or something along those lines. What does this accomplish? In yoga, you're supposed to stay entirely enmeshed in the present time and place. If the place is, say, a yoga studio, then why create a soundtrack that helps you to pretend that you're somewhere else? Isn't that antithetical to the entire goal?
Unless your yoga studio is 20,000 leagues under the sea, whale songs don't belong there.
To me, the ideal natural soundtrack would be provided by throwing open the windows and letting whatever sounds the surrounding environment produces flow into the room. Backfiring cars. Wailing sirens. Leaf blowers. Train crossing bells. That's your environment. That's where you are. Quit trying to pretend you're somewhere else.
by heathervescent
I love finding cool photos on Flickr. Do you every find yourself on a photo walkabout discovering new amazing things? Well let me share what I found with you today: Lost America's photos of an abandoned possibly haunted hot springs called Byron Hot Springs.
There is a lot of talk on the web about the hotel being haunted. On a recent full moon night excursion I was amused to find a paranormal research team wandering the hallways taking readings on hand held machines that looked like props right out of "Ghostbusters." A medium lead the parade, muttering "I feel a presence of a military man . . . " in hushed tones.
Still, on my most recent trip out there I found that my lighting equipment kept shutting off for no reason. That never happens. I also dropped one of my gels and when I bent to pick it up, a gentle gust of wind blew it a few feet out of reach . . . over and over again, leading me across the kitchen. The place just has an amazing vibe. It's easy to let your imagination run wild in here.
It's easy to let your imagination run wild in his photos. Go for it! Don't you have that eerie feeling already?
* Photo and quoted text by Lost America, Like the photos? Buy the Book!
by heathervescent
Google Maps now lets you create your own map-journeys and here are a couple you may enjoy!
 1. The Earth as Art
From the Ganges River Delta to Snow-capped Colima Volcano, you can view the wonders of the world - right from your computer. Check out this image of the Ocean Sands off the Bahamas.
Though the above image may resemble a new age painting straight out of an art gallery in Venice Beach, California, it is in fact a satellite image of the sands and seaweed in the Bahamas.
Or if you're of the Monster mindset, check out The Map of Monster Sightings
Including the Yeti, the Blob, King Kong, Godzilla and Mothra.
by L. J. Williamson
 The pornification of America marches on. According to my current fave smutty website, sexinchrist.com, Christians need more porn, and I couldn't agree more. The site calls for "a new kind of porn – porn that upholds the Christian ethos. Christ-centered porn, made to be viewed by Christians and tailored to their unique needs. We challenge Christians in the adult industry (yes, they do exist – and you know who you are) to step up and truly walk their walk and live their faith by producing pornography that men and women of God can view without compromising their relationship with their Savior, or their relationship with their spouse."
They call for all kinds of not too surprising limits -- It must depict only married couples, It must be instructional, It must be uplifting and inspirational, it can't have profanity -- but there are plenty of enticing loopholes in the law.
For instance, the site says Christian porn can't portray extramarital sex, "unless it is to illustrate the downfalls of adultery." They specify that "The spouses in a Christian porn production must never have adulterous relations, unless they (and their partner in extramarital crime) suffer and are punished fittingly for their sins." Hmm, punishment! Like what, spanking?
The site's authors also say that Christian porn should only be viewed by married people -- with the caveat that "a single person might find Christian porn instructional if it better prepares them for relating to their future spouse." Got that? No wanking unless you're planning on getting married someday.
In other words... porn for everyone!
by heathervescent
The word is out, the Vatican is replacing an old roof with photovoltaic cells.
Last summer, Benedict called on Christians to unite to take "care of creation without squandering its resources and sharing them in a convivial manner." He said lifestyle choices were damaging the environment and making "the lives of poor people on Earth especially unbearable." Read More
I wish the American right would heed this call, especially our American president.
by Carmen de Jesus
The word of the week is synergy.
Synergy: Etymology: New Latin synergia, from Greek synergos working together (I like this definition) "Agents that work harmoniously together, or where the total effect is more affective than the individual parts."(and I like this one. too) "A mutually advantageous conjunction where the whole is greater than the sum of the parts."
Synergistic collaborations are the best relationships - not only mutually beneficial in the symbiotic sense, but because there's actually something MORE, and often unexpected, that results in the two agents working together. Not just 1 + 1 = 2. More like 1 + 1 = 3 (or more).
I've been experiencing some lovely synergism as of late - and it's been delightfully surprising in its abundance!
by heathervescent
You and I probably don't think about life and death everyday. Nor do we think that our actions could necessarily save a life. And if they could, would we have the choice of who to save? That's exactly the conundrum a NYC animal rescuer is going though.
I have spent the last half hour or so going over the list of 28 cats and kittens slated to die today, trying to decide on one to save. I feel like Meryl Streep in the movie, "Sophie's Choice." Read More.
There are more stories on her blog. I especially like the phrase "One hand washes the other and both hands wash the face." Stories that would wrench your heart - and stories of salvation. It's a view into a totally different life and puts perspective on our own shallow difficulties. Take a look.
PS. I rescued a dog earlier this year, and reading the success stories from the rescue organization, really show the difference you can make in a life.
by heathervescent
The New York Times has an interesting article on busy-ness. It seems that the world is full of all kinds of ways to take back your time, get your email under control and minimize distractions. Here's another one of those articles.
According to Dr. Hallowell, there are many (26 in his book) overlapping reasons we all fall into the trap of being overly busy. A few are:
- It is so easy with cellphones and BlackBerrys a touch away.
- It is a kind of high.
- It is a status symbol.
- We’re afraid we’ll be left out if we slow down.
- We avoid dealing with life’s really big issues — death, global warming, AIDS, terrorism — by running from task to task.
- We do not know how not to be busy.
Not only are we constantly occupied, but we, as Americans, are also famous for not knowing how to be unoccupied.
You can also check out the reader responses, of which I like this one:
I am an observant Jew. In case you are not aware of it, I thought I’d point out that the Sabbath is a pretty good antidote to a lot of what you mention in your article. Like it or not, for 24 hours, we say good bye to email, internet, phones.....it is liberating. Seems like this might be a helpful practice for all folks, Jewish or not.
- Stuart Schnee
* h/t to Superviva Blog
by heathervescent
 Sarah Kernochan at the Huffington Post has an interesting post on George Bush's Horoscope. Specifically her thoughts on this post.
It starts off with the kind of observation that any liberal could make: "Not a true ruler...rather a puppet being forced to perform." Bush is "heartless" (check), "extremely narrow-minded and dogmatic" (check); "ruthless and operates invisibly sometimes " (check). And then there was skeptical-eyebrow-raising stuff about his past lives, and then some fun salacious bits like "He is an alcoholic - it is next to impossible to remain sober for a long time with this constellation...Those who control him hand the stuff out to him time to time." And then it winds up with a very satisfying statement: "Bush will probably live long enough to see everything he fought (and lied) for crumble to dust."
* photo by what what
* h/p to Elsa Elsa
by heathervescent
 I remember when I first came across the book, The Hundredth Monkey. I found it in the back shed of a house my father had just acquired. I was fascinated by the concept that learned actions could "jump" islands. It seemed impossible and wishful thinking. Was it science trying to prove Jung's collective unconscious? A telepathic link?
The "Hundredth Monkey Effect" is a supposed phenomenon in which a learned behaviour spread instantaneously from one group of monkeys to all related monkeys once a critical number was reached. The story behind this supposed phenomenon originated with Lyall Watson, who claimed that it was the observation of Japanese scientists. Source
But not all skeptics agree:
Yes, according to Watson, one monkey taught another to wash sweet potatoes who taught another who taught another and soon all the monkeys on the island were washing potatoes where no monkey had ever washed potatoes before. When the "hundredth" monkey learned to wash potatoes, suddenly and spontaneously and mysteriously monkeys on other islands, with no physical contact with the potato-washing cult, started washing potatoes! Was this monkey telepathy at work or just monkey business on Watson's part? Source
But then I found this post, that includes a fascinating perspective:
Myers suggests that the story of the Koshima monkeys based on the scientific observations has a different explanation. Rather than an example of the spontaneous transmission of ideas, she believes the story is an example of the propagation of a paradigm shift. In a paradigm shift, changes in habits or beliefs tend to come from innovations by those in young adulthood. If the innovation is strong and well-grounded in fact or faith, it will pass among members of that generation. Members of older generations will continue to cling to the habits and beliefs they grew up with. With the passing of the torch of power from one generation to the next, the paradigm of the younger generation takes hold." Source
It's not about telepathy. It's about learning from every side. It's about one person, a connector, affecting a few people, who in turn affect more things moving outward. It's the kernel of a paradigm shift. Old inefficient ways will eventually fade away, replaced by innovations that expand the possibilities for expansion.
Change will happen whether we want it or not. That is a given fact. What path that change takes is, to a degree, under our collective control.
What changes are you a part of today?
* photo by Peter Garnhum
by heathervescent
 There's a saying I like to think about: the journey is the destination. It's the name of the book about journalist Dan Eldon who was killed at the age of 22 during a Somalia riot. I often ponder this quote and what I know of Dan's life. It's one of the ways I try to live my life. On the dramatic level, I see my life is as the journey and death is the destination. On a lighter level, I see the day as the journey and the end of the day as the destination. When I have the energy to be aware, it helps me decide what I want to experience - even if it's happening to me.
Take today for example. I finally had a break in my work and didn't feel horses beating down my neck. First I went to my nearby Farmer's Market, which was full of fresh apricots, strawberries, basil and tomatoes. Then my body took me to a yoga class, where I stretched it. Then I stopped by a fresh juice store in Hollywood and lunched on a blend of orange, mango and strawberry. On the way home, I was sitting at a traffic light. All of a sudden I was rear-ended. I realized I had a choice and I acted like the person who hit my car was a real human being, my friend. He was sorry and took full responsibility. He had just broken up with his girlfriend and was in a lot of emotional distress. It took about 15 minutes and then we continued with our respective journeys. Mine lead me to a magical plant store in the heart of Hollywood. It transported me to the Tropics with lush foliage, shells and misty ferns. And my day is not yet over. There is much journeying possibilities.
So, what journey do you want to take today? And tomorrow? You do have a CHOICE.
* Image from one of Dan Eldon's Journals
by heathervescent
 and according to Mark Morford, it is Lindsey Lohan.
The prophecies are true: The Antichrist indeed walks among us, and lo she is ... boring. She is Lindsay.
...
The question pulls at the mind like a demon child yanking your nose hairs with a pipe wrench: Could Lindsay Lohan truly be the Antichrist? Could the destroyer of humanity really be a loose drunken semi-talented sadly overrated hugely overexposed bubbleheaded quasi-actress who apparently has the nation in such thrall that her every move and every hairstyle and every shoulder pimple is chronicled, from the nastiest gossip blog all the way up to the New York Times and back down again and by the way did you know that if you have absolutely no life whatsoever you can right this minute spend hundreds of dollars to buy mangled parts of Lohan's smashed-up DUI-saturated black Mercedes SL 65 AMG on eBay? True.
I especially like this observation
Ah, but here is the big secret. Here is the deeper mystery, revealed: Perhaps all these torturous, diuretic creatures are the Antichrist, because the lord of the underworld is, well, transmutable. A shape-shifter. It's true. Of course the Dark One can jump effortlessly from vehicle to vehicle and from obnoxious celeb to obnoxious celeb like some sort of virus or awful trend in leggings or viral YouTube video. It makes perfect sense.
It's back to that post about choosing which side you're on. Have you chosen yet? Will the Anti-Christ inhabit you?
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