August 2008 Archives

 

"So many people today are focused on what is missing in their life. When you focus on what's missing you miss the many amazing things that are already there." So begins a fabulous little video created by a couple of young guys, Brad and Matty, to express gratitude for what they already have in their lives.

Directions from Brad and Matty;

#1 When you wake up in the morning you're going to write a list of what you're truly grateful for.

#2 You're going to watch this video.

#3 You're going to do the Gratitude Dance.

This is SO worth the little 3 or so minutes it takes to watch. You'll be grinning from ear to ear and maybe even dancing what you're grateful for. Click here 

What joy!

PROPERLY EQUIPPED, A BICYCLE CAN BE REMARKABLY UTILITARIAN

I've never heard of cargo bikes before. I've seen people riding bicycles with baskets that they can put a bag of groceries in, or a bunch of flowers, or pulling a child behind in a colorful weatherproof 'capsule'. But the idea of being able to accomplish most of your errands, including hauling a boat (if you have one), wall paneling, or whatever, never crossed my mind. 

FOCUS AND DETERMINATION WIN GOLD MEDAL

DESPITE POVERTY AND CONSTANT CHANGE

Henry Cejudo stunned viewers when he became the youngest American to win an Olympic gold medal in wrestling. Winning an Olympics so soon, with so little world-level experience, almost never happens.Cejudo was 31st in last year's world championships, his only prior tournament at this level.  But it's his story that makes the gold even shinier.

"I always knew I was going to be here," Cejudo said,  "I watched the Olympics as a kid and I knew I'd be here.

It was tough. His parents were undocumented Mexicans who met in Los Angeles. His mother had six kids, four with his father, Jorge, who was in and out of prison until dying of heart problems at age 44 last year. Henry never saw him after age 4.

The family was miserably poor, sometimes moving from apartment to apartment under the cover of night because they lacked rent money. His mom worked several jobs at a time, stealing home for a few hours to make sure her family wasn't in trouble. Sometimes they stayed with friends, sometimes with relatives, sleeping six or seven to a room in bad neighborhoods, drug deals going on down the street. Always, though, someone was there to offer a helping hand. (He had never slept in a bed alone until his arrival in Bejing)

"I'm proud of my Mexican heritage," Cejudo said. "But I'm an American. It's the best country in the world. They call it the land of opportunity, and it is. Maybe if some other kid watches this, he can do the same."  

Full article here

Louise comment: NO ROOM FOR EXCUSES!!!! Keep marching on!

Here are some simple and effective cleaning solutions made from baking soda, lemons, borax, tea tree oil, club soda and more. Get those toxic solutions and chemicals out from under your sink. You wouldn't want them around in a 'closed-in' environment either. Be safe and wise.

 

From Mother Earth News

Full Article Here 

I STILL LOVE THIS MAGAZINE

John and Jane Shuttleworth started Mother Earth News with a budget of $1500, and published their first issue from their home in January of 1970. The magazine "embraced the revived interest in the

"Approaching environmental problems from a down-to-earth, practical, how-to standpoint, Mother Earth News has been a pioneer in the promotion of renewable energy, recycling, family farms, saner agricultural practices, better eating habits, medical self-care, more meaningful education, affordable housing, and, in the process, offered a platform for some of the most far-thinking minds of the day".

As interest in back-to-the-land ideas waned in the mid 1980's, so did the interest in the magazine, which was then sold to a major publisher. It has had several owners since then. Despite all the changes, and hefty competition (in a future blog posting) Mother Earth News continues to deliver valuable information for these times, and lots of it.

While you can subscribe to the magazine, you can also get their free email newsletters which come about three times a week. They are loaded with ideas and resources covering many topics and interests.

Here's their homepage: http://www.motherearthnews.com/