Free to choose again, to be, to explore, to question, to celebrate; freedoms come in all sizes. The Fourth of July is the day the US (then Continental) Congress adopted The Declaration of Independence, wherein we “declare[d] the United Colonies free and independent States, absolved from allegiance to or dependence on the Crown or Parliament of Great Britain…” Canada Day, on the other hand, didn’t declare separation from Britain but celebrated the creation of the Dominion (the holiday’s original name) of Canada, making them self-governing. Then there’s Bastille Day which marked the beginning of the French Revolution & the end of absolute monarchy with the storming of a prison — a powerful symbol of liberty.

Be it by separation, self-empowerment or force, independence can be established a myriad of ways. Throughout high school, I often asserted mine by running away. I was never gone long for, willing as I was to put my mum through Hell, I wasn’t willing to subject her to the lower circles. Continuing the theme, I moved out at 17. A year later, once my ward had graduated, I moved back due to illness & debt but with new rules, the most important of which was my own entrance. My family was down a Ping-Pong table & up a fiercely independent teen who’d just lost her independence. Or had I? One day, I found a Post-It Momma had put on my desk which was not uncommon but this one had a message I never forgot.

True independence is a state of mind not of being. There could not have been a more powerful or timely epiphany yet my mum maintained she learned it by watching me. After years of trying to prove my independence, confusing it with self-reliance, it wasn’t until it seemed out of reach — as true with so much — that I started claiming it. Forced to abandon preconceived notions, my freedoms were being established in unexpected & more significant ways. I was communicating, rebuilding relationships, giving back, taking the support I needed, living my own life while considerate of others. Although not the freedom I’d ever envisioned, I was becoming truer to myself everyday. That truth needed to take root within before it could be expressed without.

Forays into freedom are certainly part of the process yet freedoms are too easily bartered the more there is at stake. There are so many we, as a society, have yet to establish, making those we try to protect that much more precious. For all the freedoms we are given, lose, have yet to gain or give away, none matter as much as what we establish for ourselves. Thankfully, there will always be those marvelous troublemakers that will take the creation of liberty to the next level & help ensure others share in the experience. Even those who affect the greater good had to effect their own change first. So it is with all of us. As Gandhi said, we must be the change we wish to see in the world. We need to claim the freedoms that feed our souls.

Find your freedom. If there’s any reason you’re not free to be yourself, you’re not free. If you’re independently wealthy but not independent in thought, you’re not free. If you’re maintaining control without finding contentment, you’re not free. When your life is not your own but your actions are, you’re free. When the world is not your oyster but you’ve found a pearl, you’re free. While the big picture is indeed important, the panes it’s made of are crucial. Look at the individual pieces of your life puzzle &, à la Sesame Street, watch for what doesn’t belong. What small freedom could or have you established for yourself that would or did make a huge difference? I recently admitted I wasn’t willing ready to work, freeing myself to keep getting better well. When life’s difficult but there’s hope, we’re free.

“I’m good at being uncomfortable so I can’t stop changing all the time.” Always exploring, never settling, my life’s indeed a journey yet that doesn’t keep me from enjoying the various stages. As with any travel plans, delays occur. I could get caught up in the lack of progress being made or simply enjoy the detours. Part of the mystique that is Charee is her openness to life’s oddities despite a more regimented routine. Our choices direct our travel but we’re also simply along for the ride. There are those who can’t reconcile the ever-present yin & yang of all we are & do.

“He’s no good at being uncomfortable so he can’t stop staying exactly the same.” Thus, they shield themselves. The most common shielding comes in the form of preoccupation — be it with goals, busyness, problem finding & solving — the blinders stay firmly in place. If you come across someone that’s not struggling in some way, chances are they’re not delving deep enough to stir up trouble. Then there’s the rest of us.. Our war zones vary & our battles require differing armament but we’re together in the trenches.

Willing to question, provoke & change; we uncover new possibilities, recover old truths & discover ourselves. The key to navigating the inevitable upheaval is not to get discouraged for resolution’s also inevitable. We don’t need to protect ourselves from chaos so much as learn not to take it on as our own. We can take responsibility without shouldering blame by focusing on the wherefores not the “where’d I go wrongs?” Already opting to post weekly til my blog’s on WordPress, I skipped a week. Worse yet, I didn’t use that time as intended.

My health had its say in that pseudo-decision, as did the need/desire to catch up on replying to comments before generating more. Alas, I only finished answering comments on the post I’d been answering the week before but they are loverly & worthy of replacing posting a week ago. Recognizing that I’m currently anemic & suffering — as my mum aptly called it — an energy crisis, I choose to continue on as I’m able; no more, no less. Despite my love of comments & replying to them, the brain fog I’ve endured for the last two weeks existed.

That’s right, it existed, it simply did. That’s all there is to it; I accept it, learn from it (I’m eliminating what processed foods I can.) & move on. Living surprisingly decently right at the poverty line still clarifies the vicious cycle poverty is. The impact on health alone is no small one; not owning a bed or being able to afford decent food keeps stamina at a minimum for anyone. Although I hate to cry “poor me,” such realities create a downward trend with my already ailing health. Since we’ve all had struggles & distractions, let’s dialog, setting our struggles aside & making our distractions worthwhile. Comments? Comments, anyone? I will answer.. eventually..

Just as we create our own luck, we shape our experiences. Dates of personal significance also have an energy that can be tapped into, if not more so. Anything that goes awry on a birthday seems worse than it would any other day but the trade off is that the small goodnesses translate as greatnesses. Perhaps that’s why Rhodester & I don’t make plans for our celebratory days. We keep the goals simple & let the appropriate druthers dictate the day, or days, or weeks if it’s June.

A two week distraction from me my own goals & intentions culminating on an infamously dated Friday spent almost entirely on Stickam has left me just as horribly wonderfully behind as I feared expected. The time spent offline for our anniversary led to a better balance of off/online time aka being offline for more than sleep. Once I’m not catering to a birthday boy’s whims, that may actually lead to a bit of homemaking which is no doubt what he wished when blowing out the candle.

My blog comments mean the world to me thus not replying these last two weeks was disappointing, even difficult. I’m humbled that comments were still made & I hope more will be yet as I’ll be replying over the weekend. As of publishing my first ever link love post, I promptly quit focusing on myself (i.e. this blog), leaving all the marvelous reciprocal haiku hanging. Lo, the love’s seemed a little lackluster of late (Did I forget the alliteration alert?) but your patience is about to pay off.

Too much of a good thing doesn’t necessarily constitute a bad thing. Although a bout of bad luck helped create the near neglect of my blog, it was amidst an abundance of good luck. Every yin must have its yang so perhaps it’s simply the perfect balance of luck that’s elusive. Just as we took time to celebrate recently, find your own significant ways of celebrating fatherhood this weekend — while I’m pouring myself back into Drinking Deeply — then continue the flow with a comment or two.

That which excites the mind propels us but the momentum isn’t self-sustaining. We need to physically support that momentum to avoid running on fumes or overheating which is why rest is as important as fuel. Rather than take breaks only as needed, stay open to positive interruptions & schedule in downtime. Our lives are picture windows but made of individually framed panes. We need to step away from the pane that has our focus to bring other panes back into view. It’s from that vantage point that balance becomes possible, enabling us to use energy more efficiently. Energy is also our most renewable resource & the key to building our reserves is learning how often we each need to recharge.

Those marvelous Men with Pens addressed this need, hopefully inspiring bloggers to ask themselves if they’re just maintaining momentum or posting with motivation. I’ve always opted to post at least weeklyish & having my own computer allowed me to start posting twice a week. Better scheduled programming is brewing but, like the Pen Men, I need to focus on other panes in my window of life just now. My Anniversary prompted a couple days offline as will Rhodester’s birthday (Monday, people, Monday..) & it’s time to finish up our migration to WordPress. I’ll also be setting aside some Tivo time as my addiction to reading James’ & Harry’s Escaping Reality has reawakened my need for fiction.

Only by recognizing our own needs can we serve others’ & find the energy for either. Thus, my coffee breaks will still be spent lurking & tweeting if not plurking. I’ll no doubt need to call on those of you with WordPress experience & then on the rest of you for a break from the madness. Offline friends are few & far between for me as the connections & reconnections I have with people I’ve physically met are made possible via my internet connection too so there’s little distinction. Seeing each of you as a friend — with those who haven’t commented or tweeted my direction simply being the ones I haven’t met yet — is why I can appreciate a meme now & again. So, blame Bob or thank him:

4 jobs I’ve had

• fashion show coordinator
• optometrist’s assistant
• retail manager
• stage manager

4 movies I can watch over & over

• The Abyss
• Alien Quadrilogy
• The Fifth Element
• A Knight’s Tale

4 places I’ve lived

• Ashland, OR
• Hollywood, CA
• Huntington Beach, CA
• Palm Springs, CA

4 [current] TV shows I love

• Criminal Minds
• House
• NCIS
• NUMB3RS

4 places I’ve been on vacation

• Paris w/weekends in Edinburgh & London
• San Diego, CA (RhodesTer also once lived there)
• Seattle, WA w/a hop to Victoria, BC
• Walt Disney World (have yet to take Rhodester)

4 of my favorite dishes

• Bagel & Lox w/capers
• Hangtown Fry
• Spinach Quiche
• Spring Salad (Walnuts, Gorgonzola & Cranberries)

4 websites I [could] visit daily

• Astronomy Picture of the Day
• Cognitive Daily
• The Quote Garden
• Six Sentences

4 places I’d rather be now

• a beach w/a bonfire
• Porterville Convalescent Hospital
• San Francisco, CA
• Scotland (Hi Christopher!)

Failing to find the link from one “Found Fridays” post to the next? With a splash more alliteration & while speaking of linkage, I’m also taking this chance to reconsider my series of “Friday Finds.” The series/category was established to share each week’s found moments, either within or online. Although I am sharing my finds from week to week, there’s no consistency to the type of post it creates. I’d love feedback from those of you who’ve read more than one as I will be changing things up & will also be making Drink Deeply more interactive over time.

Take a tour of bloggers I follow on Twitter via the text links & discover the Twitterers behind the blogs via the avatars..

failing and vikings
Brett meets challenges bravely
6 Weeks at a time

tweets, family, peeps
Carolyn Bahm’s a dot com
reader, writer, friend

Brian and his quotes
Copyblogger gives good guest
advice worth reading

fictional finesse
expressing How Not To Write
Jamie keeps it real

Gail highlights our best
to Inspire Me Today™
with more to explore

Naomi’s got game
telling insanity off
IttyBiz or not

positive ripples
Life’s Little Inspirations
Wendi’s finding them

Jim, René, Jerry
Live.Work.Dream. to love.laugh.teach.
all on seven legs

randomly helpful
Elle’s observations and finds
reveal Lolo’s Way

pens wielded, blogs saved
front-man James trades barbs and wit
half the Men with Pens

balanced by Harry
both wise and fantasy-filled
he lends mirth, reason

MindTweaks sought then shared
curious and questioning
Tori explores self

Omyword! she’s fun
honest and hilarious
Lisa’s journeying

quotes, queries, insights
Paulo Coelho’s blogging
ready to connect

Darren’s instructive
ProBlogger experience
humanly offered

Remarkablogger!
Michael considers details
reaching past the page

tho’ poignant at times
he couldn’t be funnier
that RhodesTer o’ mine

Dave’ll Rock Your Day
no holds barred nor punches pulled
just self-improvement

swordplay, grammar, drinks
straight-shootin’ Tei saves the day
with Rogue Ink to spare

interests galore
Scott’s Spiritual Tramping
brought his own angels

SwanShadow reflects
commentary, comic art
wry sense of humor

writers are dreaming
via Bob’s Writing Journey
dreamers are writing

What we do or don’t do with our choices affects the next set of possibilities we create. How empowering is that?! Not only are there any number of possibilities available to us at all times but we can change them up, often increasing our options in the process, with each choice we make. The choices we make passively — through inaction or hesitance — change up the mix too. Wouldn’t you rather choose the direction your choices are taking you?

Fear of failure is a natural inclination & the typical cause of hesitation. Whereas hesitation can be prudent, make sure it’s by choice & not a result of being afraid to act. Life choices require planning thus slow & steady will bring those larger choices to fruition. During the process, there are day to day choices that can support the larger one. Brett, who I’ve mentioned, has taken such a journey on & the comment thread his announcement inspires covers great ground.

Choices factor into everything we do, how we feel & how we feel about what we’re doing. Turning a blind eye to anything but the obvious choices undermines the additional potential each choice has. A snow-covered driveway is a good example as you could choose to simply shovel yet you could also make snow-angels. Consider making angels then shoveling or break up the shoveling with a snowball fight. Notice the bonus that you’re also less likely to work alone.

As we weave our choices together to create experiences we want & develop opportunities we’re interested in, we explore our own empowerment & learn to construct days that are never wasted by establishing new baselines. Accepting each choice, every mistake, the chosen failures as uniquely ours reveals them as the lessons & stepping stones they always had the potential to be. Appreciate choices that led to better ones & those that were right in their moment.

Don’t leave well enough alone; heed what you’re feeling & either express it or act on it. It’s choice that makes our lives our own & it can’t help but improve them. From attitude-adjustments to full overhauls, by actively choosing, we’re learning to live in the moment yet that concept is often misunderstood. It’s not so much the creation of happy lives as effective ones that taking charge of our moments allows us. We’re able to choose how we feel but only if we first choose to feel thus to live.

(|_|*cheers*|_|)
“Given the choice between the experience of pain and nothing, I would choose pain.”
~ William Faulkner ~

PS: I’m choosing to make these quote-filled posts a monthly happening.

Accomplishment for its own sake will prove empty & incomplete without an infusion of life’s nuances. To ensure you’re not so preoccupied by the goal you miss out on the journey, rethink your current to-do list. Be ready to set it aside to keep your life improving not just progressing. Someone may need to talk, your cat may need to play, you may need to play or you might not be working as efficiently as you could. Allow yourself to be interrupted as it not only keeps your brain active but helps maintain a fresh perspective. In turn, allow yourself to say no - no to a tweet, phone call or chat that can wait - no to things unless they’re timely or productive in themselves.

Deadlines remain the priority; a more fluid approach to productivity simply allows us to meet them differently. We find what works for each of us through trial & error. If we’re not failing, we’re not trying new things. The tried & true may get the job done but there’s little room for learning, much less exploring, in the process. It’s about learning to work smarter rather than harder because working efficiently doesn’t have to mean working doggedly. Reevaluate how you’re working. Stress, in particular, is proof current methods aren’t working well. Although not stressful per se, my return to being online full-time was proving difficult. Due to not being able to prioritize online endeavors for so long, they’d become fragmented. With so much to catch up on & much more to accomplish, I’ve been dutifully plugging away since my return last month.

Duty doesn’t mean a damn without honor. For all my efforts, I knew full well I wasn’t going to make real progress til I started honoring how I needed to function not merely that I needed to function. Thus, despite my commitment to post here at least twice a week, I finally found myself reorganizing my digital life instead. Simply put, by setting aside my priorities this week, I’ve had the time to streamline how I go about them & won’t be struggling to maintain them hereafter. Don’t stop at knowing what to do & how to do it, keep changing things up til you discover how best to do it. If you find yourself frustrated or a task seems harder than it should, take a break from it to see what’s going on behind the scenes. Never be afraid to look behind the curtain; if you’re not already the wizard, it’s time to take over.

hat tipped to Lisa of Omyword!

Tea is also wondrous. One of the most essential elements of coffee’s goodness is its warmth, second only to its smell. Since a nice spot of tea provides that as well as the ever so crucial aroma, they’re both therapy in a mug. This is why I’m simply a proponent of grabbing a hot beverage when it’s time to take a moment for yourself. Opting to drink something hot is a win-win as it’s scrumptious if you’re cold but helps you adapt to the heat if you’re hot. I hugely respect, oft even share, the need for an ice-cold drink too; the cold coffee & tea options are, in fact, quite wonderful so what counts is that you do find moments.

Take numerous moments throughout your day & every chance you get. Whatever you’re doing, whatever your deadlines, the process can only be enhanced by a breather. You don’t have to be still with your beverage for it to be therapeutic but you’ll be better off for every pause you let it create. Try out your options while you’re at it. Not only can you add variety to otherwise mundane tasks but you’ll discover different drinks for your differing needs. I tend to drink coffee when I need a pick-me-up (though it’s ironically more psychological than physical), tea when I’m not feeling well, hot to relax, cold to wake & — aaahhh — a cappuccino to spoil myself.

Found in a gorgeous e-mail sent me by Lorraine (& again by Karen ).

Given my nickname, this love affair with coffee is no surprise but there’s more to it. From the fellowship my family’s always shared over coffee to the friendship found in sharing it, I believe in the ritual of it. Tea comes with its own rich history. The simplest of tea ceremonies are powerful in action & intention. It’s the intention behind an action that gives it meaning which is why meeting over a drink offers the most return for the least effort. Other drinks will work, of course, yet it’s the savoring that’s key. I also encourage you to share the contents of a bottle, pitcher or blender as appropriate but the sipping required of something hot adds a centering effect.

Furthermore, here are Five Fantastic Reasons to Drink Coffee (Out of a Million):

1. Protects against diabetes [type 2, in particular].
2. Protects against liver disease [especially alcoholic cirrhosis].
3. Caffeine in coffee can rev up the body and keep the mind alert.
4. Coffee has powerful antioxidants [like chlorogenic acid and melanoidins].
5. Protects against gallstones [as well as kidney stones].

What researches have also discovered is that drinking coffee is a positive addition to the lifestyle for those at-risk or already ill. Anywhere from two to six cups a day have proven beneficial. The reason? Antioxidants plus other chemical elements in the complex profile of coffee. Risk factors are reduced and scientists believe that the body’s metabolism of sugar is balanced by the compounds found in coffee. [It also contributes to fiber intake, aids in fighting asthma, protects the brain & reduces pain.]

Taking the time to have coffee or tea with someone creates a connection to them that is equally possible online. Sitting down to a hot beverage together can indeed happen here & is far more flexible than in person. Although the mechanics involved change, the intention need not. Through each other’s sites (or tweets), we can still meet. As declared in my sidebar, I consider coffee tangible friendship.. Science fiction guru, Robert A. Heinlein, created the term waterbrother to denote the bond formed when sharing water as it was considered precious in context. With open hearts & mugs pulled up to monitors, we create our a new context of precious water improved by steeping & shared asynchronously but still shared. I started this with coffee & am about to brew tea; join me?!

From Pooh Corner to poetry
With courage and coffee
Thru Art for art’s sake
She inspirited me

From Upstart Crow to unity
With trust and tea parties
Thru Truth for my sake
She inscribed her love

From Camp Nelson to crazy
With freedom and fantasy
Thru Faith for our sake
She inspires me still

(|_|*MY MUM*|_|)

“A mother is the truest friend we have, when trials heavy and sudden, fall upon us; when adversity takes the place of prosperity; when friends who rejoice with us in our sunshine desert us; when trouble thickens around us, still will she cling to us, and endeavor by her kind precepts and counsels to dissipate the clouds of darkness, and cause peace to return to our hearts.”
~ Washington Irving

Time is relative. Time is fleeting. Time is what we make of it. As all of these are true, time must also be changeable yet these are simultaneously true, all the time. This makes time largely a matter of perception, like truth, but those are different discussions. This relative truth about time is one we’ve all experienced; whatever our current perception of its passing, pass it does & time’s unfortunately finite in that we can’t recreate it. Each moment is unique & should be appreciated.

Living in the moment implies varying goals with various approaches to varied people. Although the underlying desire is to make the most of every moment, that means something different to each of us & something else again from moment to moment. The most common approach is trying to fit as much as possible into any given time at hand. Being a multi-tasker by nature, I’ve run that race & can get awfully excited at the prospect of accomplishing multiple things at once.

Racing against the clock is neither fun nor helpful, unless you’re actually racing. When our focus becomes time itself, we’re stealing focus from the task or discovery begging for our attention. In order to smell the roses, we must notice them first. It’s not so much about taking the time to stop & smell - that’s certainly nice, however, & I highly recommend it when the mood strikes - as the simple fact we enrich our world each time we look around. Case in point, my cat just interrupted me.

Interruptions are ours to make of them what we will. Mid-accomplishment, it’s natural to get frustrated if interrupted & easy to expend energy trying to keep the distraction from being distracting. Not only do we end up with excess negative energy that way but we can spend more time avoiding something than if we just took a moment to appreciate it. Between paragraphs, Shadow & I played which resulted in us both being happier with maybe a minute of writing lost before letting my foot be her plaything upon continuing.

Tori Deaux of MindTweaks shared a study wherein participants were given a simple, monotonous game to play:

Even though the participants were alert and focused on their task, parts of the brain usually associated with relaxation began to light up.

At the same time, parts of the brain associated with cognitive control and sustained attention began to turn off. So even though they intended to stay alert, their brain was shutting down, forcing them into a less focused state.

So even though the person was paying attention, their brain stopped paying attention.

Breaking up the monotony helps our brains stay alive & aware. Setbacks like losing our train of thought are aggravating but there are new thoughts & different perspectives awaiting our discovery. Instead of tracking how we’re spending our moments, taking the time to enjoy them will lead to accomplishing what we want rather than trying to tackle too much. Time spent appreciating the found joys in life is never wasted & seeking found moments doesn’t require putting everything else on hold.

Dave Navarro of Rock Your Day offers his 80/20 Rule of Balance as a way to enjoy your life right now:

For example, yesterday, our family had an enormous amount of work to do in terms of cleaning up the house / tackling maintenance projects.  The little ones wanted to go to the park, to go for bike rides, to play Lego for hours … but we didn’t have the time. In the past, I would have said, “there’s too much work to do … if we can get it all done, then we’ll have time to play.”

But yesterday I applied the 80/20 Rule of Balance and did this - every so often throughout the day I’d stop working and spend 15-30 minutes playing with the kids. It was rushed, I didn’t have the time I thought I needed to really “make it count,” but it didn’t matter. The kids were very happy. They didn’t need much - just a little time made a big difference. And I made some badass Lego spaceships.  Really badass.

Pursuing our goals becomes more enjoyable & sustainable when we are also spending time pursuing ourselves. Those pursuits are not exclusive but have an ebb & flow as they feed into each other. We’ll each have a different balance to strike but will universally benefit from allowing ourselves to enjoy the unexpected moments amidst the scheduled ones.

(|_|*cheers*|_|)

“Who forces time is pushed back by time; who yields to time finds time on his side.”
~ The Talmud ~

Joel shares his art form with his & Jordan’s dad whereas Jordan is a traditional (though not traditional :-D) artist like mum. I’ve always honored, amidst my aim to live poetically, the complementary roll of art appreciator. What has proven consistent for all three of us is the use of computers in whatever form of artistry we pursue. HDR Rendering, as shown below, is one of the ways Joel combines his two passions; the other being computer science, in which he has a degree.

Our mum’s birthday inspired a poem, Jordan’s birthday inspired a post & then another so I knew I’d commemorate Joel’s birthday on my blog too. He, convincingly no less, expressed appreciation for the more timely if brief well wishes offered in the previous Found Friday post. Last Saturday was not only Joel’s birthday but Momma’s 33rd Anniversary as well thus this post is meant as a gift to her also. Upon going into labor during an anniversary lunch with her husband, Momma tried to give Joel his own day but, generous from the start, he clearly didn’t mind sharing & was born six minutes til midnight.

beauty found in all
whether captured or enhanced
then offered anew

---

nature always sought
by foot or via the lens
explored and exposed

---

his kindness of heart
touches those surrounding him
informs all he does

---

laughter ever near
his wicked sense of humor
readily brought out

---

once a kissing bug
always a loving spirit
now he’s a hugger

---

born as if a gift
anniversary surprise
still giving each day

---

---

(|_|*cheers*|_|)

“Photography records the gamut of feelings written on the human face, the beauty of the earth and skies that man has inherited, and the wealth and confusion man has created.  It is a major force in explaining man to man.”
~ Edward Steichen ~

PS: HAPPY ANNIVERSARY, MOMMA & DAVID!!

mountain adventures;
hiking, camping, barbeque,
through moments of love

---

your thirty-three years
provided a family
brothers I’d not have

What we do take for granted can’t be readily called to mind. Between suppositions handed down to us & assumptions we make ourselves, the ‘facts’ that need to be in question are precisely the things we presume true. From passing curiosities we’ve never explored to the greater ‘truths’ we live by, anything we take on as our own should be vetted. Whatever’s worth keeping will hold up to scrutiny. Just as we can be our own beta tester, we must also be our own fact checker. How much of what we believe has [seemingly] always been believed? What was true in another context or ‘right’ in a different society may not be the universal truth it seems. Look behind the cultural trappings to find any kernels of truth that carried it through the years. As excerpted from Paulo Coelho’s blog:

The fact is, many of the rules we obey nowadays have no real foundation. Nevertheless, if we wish to act differently, we are considered “crazy” or “immature”.

Meanwhile, society continues to create some systems which, in the fullness of time, lose their reason for existence, but continue to impose their rules. An interesting Japanese story illustrates what I mean..

Why question what we believe? Ideas that are truly our own are more defensible & ours to make or break. It also becomes a question of what we can discover along the way. The journey we take to compile our belief system should be an adventure. It’ll seem unnecessarily risky, or even scary, at times but the alternative is living lives dictated by others’ experiences. Depending on your comfort zone & how much you’re willing to push its boundaries, vary the size of presumption you challenge at any given time. Never doubt that it’s just as important to question beverage beliefs as it is to ponder divine dogma. After all, drink right & we’ll be around long enough (not to mention feel well enough) to live right.

Convinced you’ll never increase your water intake because you just don’t like the taste of it? Explore your options; flavor additives, herbal tea or even popsicles. How about addressing two health improvements with one solution? 100% juice bypasses the additives so it’s better for you but all the unadulterated juice means it’s also strong enough to withstand being diluted thus you can add in juice & drink your water too.

The truth of the matter is that you can only [happily] live in a manner that’s right for you. Accepting that truth is THE reason to question all others. How can we live according to our own compass, be it moral or otherwise, if we’re busy following the dictates of those who went before us. Of course we should learn from any & all experience we can, striving to not have to make all the mistakes ourselves, but we must also personalize the conclusions. What previously accepted truism have you challenged? Are there any forgone conclusions you’ve always been curious about? If we can ask the questions we’ve never thought of or been too afraid to consider, we’ll discover lasting truths. What truths should we be taking on?!

See this in its original context @ +PositiveCurfew » The quality of an idea

(|_|*cheers*|_|)

“Do not believe in anything simply because you have heard it. Do not believe anything simply because it is spoken and rumored by many. Do not believe in anything simply because it is found written in your religious books. Do not believe anything merely on the authority of your teachers and elders. Do not believe in traditions because they have been handed down for many generations. But after observation and analysis, when you find that anything agrees with reason and is conducive to the good and benefit of one and all, then accept it and live up to it.”
~ Buddha ~

PS: Happy May Day!

Found via OMYWORD! [GO see hers, I so agree..]


Made by Andrea Micheloni [Each letter is a NEW pic w/every page refresh!]

Given my choice of a theme I particularly like, any conclusions you drew from it about me are likely accurate. How accurate is another issue.. The importance of design is being discussed at ProBlogger & the consensus seems to be that it needs to be true to the content it holds without getting in the way. In an [over] effort to maintain that balance, I see many people online & in person keeping their flava at bay. I’m always looking for both flair & words that speak to me but I’m also aware of the disconnect that can occur. A pit stop my hunny & I once took during a motorcycle ride left me leaning against our bike in black leather (boots & all) near the entrance of a restaurant. I found the wide berth the older patrons were giving me ironic considering how much they’d likely appreciate the Dean Martin CD I was listening to.

There’s no denying my headphones are just as likely to contain punk which gives credence to the presumptions but leaves their fears unfounded. If we were to look for similarities in others rather than get sidetracked by differences, we’d not only appreciate each other more but could more readily appreciate the differences. In context, those differences prove our uniqueness instead of our separateness. One advantage of connecting online is that context is provided & the content we share can be discovered on its own merits. Are people more willing to interact with a black blog than the black-clad person behind it? Over the years, I’ve taken to punctuating the black with my favorite colors & vice versa; yes, the same colors found on the blog. Does that make me consistent or unimaginative?!

I made this!


Make your own with the Parody Motivator Generator

We are looking & that’s where connection begins. How actively, open-mindedly or interactively we approach the digital & physical worlds influences the shape of our own realm. As explored last Friday, we all adopt additions to our worlds at differing paces. Living in the information age, we have more to choose from but can also make more informed choices. I’m hoping that not only increases the size of each realm but its diversity too. Engaging in sights & clicking on sites that intrigue, surprise or challenge us always leads to worthwhile content along the way. The impact of a first impression can’t be bypassed but a little curiosity mixed with a willingness to explore can give second impressions a second chance.

In the end, what’s not visible - at least not immediately - may prove just as important:

visible at last
this post did indeed exist
 
tho’ slow to appear

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illness interfered
sleep has had its healing way
life has since resumed

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one thing matters now
more important than all else
the birthday of Joel

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, BRO!!!

“Design is in everything we make, but it’s also between those things. It’s a mix of craft, science, storytelling, propaganda, and philosophy.” ~ Erik Adigard

Thanx to Gizmodo via Andrew Dobrow

As this is not Space Day, back down to Earth; in all her blue & green glory with a bit of white & brown. While it’s in question how much an issue global warming is, with the white parts encroaching on the blue & green parts turning brown, it certainly seems a case of better safe than sorry. Simply put, the home we all share is deserving of a little [more] care. In our individual homes, many clean up when they know they’re going to have company (not me, mind you but I digress). So, if we rightly consider our dear planet a home we’re all sharing, perhaps that consideration of others’ homes can combine with concern for our visitors’ impressions.

Fully exploring this estate called Earth is sadly not something many get to do which may well be why we don’t typically view it more inclusively. For those of us in the Americas, surely Australasia is our backyard & vice versa. Rainforests are absolutely everyone’s gardens. Asia creates an intriguing East Wing while the Caribbean provides an amazing spa & Europe makes for a brilliant parlour, if only Africa were a safer conservatory of late. Inasmuch as human conflict may be difficult to nip in the bud, the care we take of this planet which in turn cares for us starts far more simply.

Hugged a tree lately? Ever? Only when drunk? Whatever the case, anything we can do to promote the well-being of [possibly] less sentient living things than we & decrease the piles of debris we’ve left lying about our universal home; the better. Perhaps the hope of inspiring some spring cleaning is why Earth Day is in Spring north of the equator. Whether or not we are in the habit of sprucing up our individual homes (my own spring cleaning is more internalized), the world may not be suffering from lack of neglect so much as hurting for a little consideration. Bill Petro wisely reminds us why we should care..

Nevertheless, plants, as you’ll recall, are one of the reasons we came to Earth. Some of the other reasons include:

• Location: it’s right here. Look just below your feet.
• Memorable: it’s shaped like the new AT&T logo
• Spherical: which makes it convenient for those “round the world” trips and has a much more pleasing shape than where we came from. Did you ever wonder why we called the previous generation “squares”?
• Great restaurants: and great atmosphere, unlike, for example the Moon which has great restaurants but no atmosphere.
• Oxygen-Nitrogen atmosphere: so crucial for those of us who breathe, and better than methane in so many ways.
• Gravity: which is set at a convenient one “g” is quite handy for keeping everything in its place.
• Neighbors: generally far enough away that they don’t bother us much, and those who do are generally more intelligent than average, needing to understand things like calculus, tachyons, and three-phase cyclotronic nuclear-fissionable uranium isotope molecular reconstructors for trans-dimensional physics.

I don’t know about you, but I’m planning on spending the rest of my life right here on Earth.

There are various hues of green living & I’m not endeavoring to advocate any particular shade or pigment. Anytime we recycle, conserve or keep from stepping on a fledgling plant; it’s a win. I would absolutely love ideas, especially if you know of convenient ways to recycle when you have no vehicle with which to reach the far too few & far-flung centers. Tis ironic indeed that the greener you live can make it harder to live greener. Along those lines, we apartment dwellers can do little to create new greenery but, for those who have their own bit of earth, Arbor Day is just a few days away. Japan’s upcoming Greenery Day is a time to commune with nature and be appreciative of its abundance. As appreciation is where all consideration begins, I’d say that’s really the goal; you?

(|_|*cheers*|_|)

“There are no passengers on Spaceship Earth. We are all crew.” ~ Marshall McLuhan

Twitter makes my point. I’d been ready & waiting to tweet long before my own computer gave me the ability. In turn, it took a full decade from first wanting a computer to finally being able to get one & I’m now on my 7th. What tempers how anxious a lookout is for what’s been seen on the horizon is patience; we know what we want & are willing to wait for it. By sorting an exact need then biding my time til I find or can afford it, the seeming quick adoption that results usually comes across as impulsive. For that reason, it can be difficult to tell the early adopters from the lookouts & the difference can admittedly be slight. Aside from intent - s/he who tries the most toys wins - the real difference is recognition. Not only the ability to recognize needs & how they can be met but waiting for what meets them as much as not hesitating when it’s found.

As mentioned in the video, René wisely asked how much of my time Twitter’s taking. Therein lies the rest of the story.. The discernment used to track down whatever new nifty nicely finds its way into your niche also needs to not take over. An n to the nth power rule? This is exactly where many a hanger-on may get stuck, even coming precariously close to  joining the by-standers. Either feeling overwhelmed or the fear of soon being overwhelmed can slow adaptation. As important as it is to not let anything take precedence since balance really is all it’s cracked up to be, not acting on new ideas will send things out of balance over time too. Most of us have been to a circus so have a visual memory confirming that balance is not a static thing. To watch for what might aid your own balancing act, the only real mistake that can be made is to stand idly by.

Had I stood still this week - or sat still - or not clicked those links of interest found on Twitter, I wouldn’t know BlogHer had partnered with GlobalGiving. (Proving just how effective blogging can be, while they’re at it.)