This is really cool. I just read about this a few days ago. I want to share it because it is the easiest way in the world to help people. And I know sometimes you just want to help but you don't have time or you don't know how.
IBM's World Community Grid is a virtual supercomputer created by individuals who donate their unused computer time to tackle complex calculations to accelerate scientific research.
Anyone with a computer and Internet access can be a part of the solution. To donate unused computer time, individuals register on www.worldcommunitygrid.org and install a free, small, secure software program onto their computers. When computers are idle, data is requested from World Community Grid's server. These computers then perform the computations, and send the results back to the server, prompting it for a new piece of work. A screen saver will tell individuals when their computers are being used.
World Community Grid, the largest public humanitarian grid in existence, has 430,000-plus members who represent more than 200 countries and links to more than one million computers.
Thursday, December 11, 2008
Tuesday, December 9, 2008
What the f**k news update
Governor of my home state of Illinois, Rod Blagojevich, finally found himself in the custody of the FBI today. After all of the things that that weasel has gotten away with since his election in 2003, it is nice to see that karma is a bitch. What finally got him caught was his trying to "sell to the highest bidder" the Senate seat up for grabs because Obama is now President-elect.
More jobs are being slashed. Sony is letting go of 8,000 jobs or 4% of its workforce. It seems no industry is immune to this financial hurricane racking the US economy (and consequently the world economy as well).
There are pirates attacking both cargo and commercial vessels off the coast of Somalia. They already have 12 ships in their custody, asking for ransom. Ships are either arming themselves, being escorted by military ships and/or personnel, or avoiding sailing in the Gulf of Aden altogether.
The faltering economy is making computer piracy and fraud a more attractive source of income for people. It proves the saying that people will do anything for a buck, including perpetrating fraud and infiltrating computer networks.
I wish I could find the person who said "may you live in interesting times." I would punch them in their mouth for uttering such blasphemy.
More jobs are being slashed. Sony is letting go of 8,000 jobs or 4% of its workforce. It seems no industry is immune to this financial hurricane racking the US economy (and consequently the world economy as well).
There are pirates attacking both cargo and commercial vessels off the coast of Somalia. They already have 12 ships in their custody, asking for ransom. Ships are either arming themselves, being escorted by military ships and/or personnel, or avoiding sailing in the Gulf of Aden altogether.
The faltering economy is making computer piracy and fraud a more attractive source of income for people. It proves the saying that people will do anything for a buck, including perpetrating fraud and infiltrating computer networks.
I wish I could find the person who said "may you live in interesting times." I would punch them in their mouth for uttering such blasphemy.
Monday, December 8, 2008
Being content with the path I have chosen
Even as I am racked with doubts over my life choices, I realized that I needed to cut myself some slack. I really feel like I have made the best decisions for my life considering the circumstances. I have been thoughtful and critical and weighed many options before I have committed to any decision or direction. I can no longer continue to constantly doubt myself. Life is too short and precious to spend most of it doubting yourself, thereby ensuring that you won't find happiness. I will not be open to opportunities that present themselves in the present if I am always focused on what I did wrong in the past or am always looking forward to the future. I need to focus intently on my present moment.
I have a lot of things to be grateful for, and I have chosen to focus on what I am doing right. I have altered my career path for the better. This is a very big leap in my life. I have decided to make my home as peaceful and pleasant a sanctuary as possible, beginning with me. This new attitude has really been helping my boyfriend and I begin to heal some deep relationship wounds. I am putting my family first. I make keeping in touch with my family and being there for them a priority in my life. And I am working on continually improving myself moment by moment to be the kind of person I can be proud of.
I also have a roof over my head, groceries in my refrigerator, and my boyfriend and I both have a source of income, and we aren't overburdened with financial obligations, so we are really A LOT better off than millions of people.
I have chosen to be content with the path I am on. I am taking responsibility for the choices I have made--and actually, it has taken a load off of my shoulders. I am focusing on my present, not doubting my past choices, and optimistic that the future will be bright.
I have a lot of things to be grateful for, and I have chosen to focus on what I am doing right. I have altered my career path for the better. This is a very big leap in my life. I have decided to make my home as peaceful and pleasant a sanctuary as possible, beginning with me. This new attitude has really been helping my boyfriend and I begin to heal some deep relationship wounds. I am putting my family first. I make keeping in touch with my family and being there for them a priority in my life. And I am working on continually improving myself moment by moment to be the kind of person I can be proud of.
I also have a roof over my head, groceries in my refrigerator, and my boyfriend and I both have a source of income, and we aren't overburdened with financial obligations, so we are really A LOT better off than millions of people.
I have chosen to be content with the path I am on. I am taking responsibility for the choices I have made--and actually, it has taken a load off of my shoulders. I am focusing on my present, not doubting my past choices, and optimistic that the future will be bright.
Friday, December 5, 2008
Feeling Inadequate
As I listen to the inane banter of my co-workers, I am surfing Craigslist for jobs--both Chicago and the San Fransisco Bay Area. I am getting increasingly depressed by the fact that I am trapped--in so many ways, and I just cannot see my way out of it at the moment. The economy is in a shambles, and with little savings, it would be insane to move to another city where I would have no job. Here, I have a paid internship--close enough to a job and it pays, so that is something HUGE right now, and I have a boyfriend who pays most of the bills thereby enabling me to not only get by on my meager salary, but even have money for things like books and the occasional meal out. These are LARGE detriments to my deranged desire to throw my shit in a U-Haul and run screaming for California. I really want to be there. I should be there. I could have been there this summer, but here I am still in Chicago. Trapped. With no one to blame but myself and my cowardice.
I applied for some part-time jobs recently in the hopes of getting some additional income. This would enable me to save money faster and get out of here faster, but so far, only one interview and one rejection. Sigh. At the rate I am saving money now, it will be sometime in 2010 before I can move to California. I will have lost my last grains of sanity long before then. I am in a dead-end relationship with a good man, but I don't love him anymore, and despite my feeble efforts to rekindle the love, that fire died long ago and it is not showing any signs of sparking up again. I have a good internship, I guess, but I am increasingly getting restless and bored. I learn how to do things pretty fast, and once I have mastered a position, unless I am able to find new and more exciting things to do (invariably meaning more work), I start feeling sleepy and dead. I guess that is par for the course right now. Dead inside. That is how I feel. Very inadequate, trapped, motionless, emotionless, hopeless. I truly don't want to feel this way.
Even my sister makes me feel inadequate. She is younger than me, and now that she has a steady girlfriend and a better job and all of the things that come with being superior to me (at least in her mind), I never hear from her or see her. She lives across the street from me too. This makes me very sad. She is with her girlfriend's family all of the time. She speaks of them like they are her only family, and it hurts. Why can't she have both? My mom says she is behaving this way because they have things they can give her that we cannot (free airline tickets, better Christmas presents, etc.). This makes me even sadder. I have always been there for my sister, to the detriment of my job, my relationship with my boyfriend, my safety, never once complaining because that is what family is all about, right? Is there anything else that I could give her besides my love?
As the weather gets colder and grayer, so does my mood. I am falling into Winter's icy grasp, and she is there to wrap her cold arms around me and strangle any remaining sunshine out of my bloodstream. Why am I so cold all the time?
I applied for some part-time jobs recently in the hopes of getting some additional income. This would enable me to save money faster and get out of here faster, but so far, only one interview and one rejection. Sigh. At the rate I am saving money now, it will be sometime in 2010 before I can move to California. I will have lost my last grains of sanity long before then. I am in a dead-end relationship with a good man, but I don't love him anymore, and despite my feeble efforts to rekindle the love, that fire died long ago and it is not showing any signs of sparking up again. I have a good internship, I guess, but I am increasingly getting restless and bored. I learn how to do things pretty fast, and once I have mastered a position, unless I am able to find new and more exciting things to do (invariably meaning more work), I start feeling sleepy and dead. I guess that is par for the course right now. Dead inside. That is how I feel. Very inadequate, trapped, motionless, emotionless, hopeless. I truly don't want to feel this way.
Even my sister makes me feel inadequate. She is younger than me, and now that she has a steady girlfriend and a better job and all of the things that come with being superior to me (at least in her mind), I never hear from her or see her. She lives across the street from me too. This makes me very sad. She is with her girlfriend's family all of the time. She speaks of them like they are her only family, and it hurts. Why can't she have both? My mom says she is behaving this way because they have things they can give her that we cannot (free airline tickets, better Christmas presents, etc.). This makes me even sadder. I have always been there for my sister, to the detriment of my job, my relationship with my boyfriend, my safety, never once complaining because that is what family is all about, right? Is there anything else that I could give her besides my love?
As the weather gets colder and grayer, so does my mood. I am falling into Winter's icy grasp, and she is there to wrap her cold arms around me and strangle any remaining sunshine out of my bloodstream. Why am I so cold all the time?
Tuesday, November 18, 2008
Why Don't People Care
I don't rant nearly enough in my blog anymore. I have tried to walk myself sane these past few months. I walk to work in the morning. It was over seven miles, then we moved, and it is now over nine miles. Whenever I tell people that I walk to work, they look at me like I have just sprouted another head. Why? What would people do without cars? Ride bicycles? Horses? I like to rely on my own two legs and feet. They are strong and healthy, and they get me where I need to go for free with no carbon emissions. I have considered riding my bike as well, but I don't want it to get stolen when I have to lock it up outside of work. I see empty locks, bike frames picked clean every day, and it just makes me paranoid about my bike. I love my bike. It is pink, and it is broken in and rides perfectly.
But I digress from my original intent for writing this. I want to know why people don't care. It seems that every day I witness more and more hostility and carelessness bandied about between human beings. People don't smile, they don't move out of the way, they don't watch where they are going, they don't respect other people's space, they don't seem to care when they are violating someone else's rights, they don't take responsibility for their actions, they act like they are entitled to things instead of having to earn them, the list goes on and on. I cannot tell you how angry people make me these days. It just gets worse and worse. I try to respect other people. I try to remain alert and mindful of how my actions may affect others. I was raised to have manners and respect. To have compassion and give people the benefit of the doubt. To do unto others as you would have them do unto you. People are just not living that way anymore.
I really don't know how a society can be civilized without the civility. It is going to be a free for all, especially within the next decade or so when the resources start running out and people are fighting to survive. It won't just be a matter of who gets more space on the sidewalk. It will be who gets to eat and drink and who doesn't.
But I digress from my original intent for writing this. I want to know why people don't care. It seems that every day I witness more and more hostility and carelessness bandied about between human beings. People don't smile, they don't move out of the way, they don't watch where they are going, they don't respect other people's space, they don't seem to care when they are violating someone else's rights, they don't take responsibility for their actions, they act like they are entitled to things instead of having to earn them, the list goes on and on. I cannot tell you how angry people make me these days. It just gets worse and worse. I try to respect other people. I try to remain alert and mindful of how my actions may affect others. I was raised to have manners and respect. To have compassion and give people the benefit of the doubt. To do unto others as you would have them do unto you. People are just not living that way anymore.
I really don't know how a society can be civilized without the civility. It is going to be a free for all, especially within the next decade or so when the resources start running out and people are fighting to survive. It won't just be a matter of who gets more space on the sidewalk. It will be who gets to eat and drink and who doesn't.
Friday, September 5, 2008
Who is Going to Be a Better President?
I will be the first person to admit that I was not really sure if I wanted to vote for Obama. I waffled on and off for weeks. When the primaries first started, I actually thought John McCain was an okay guy. But he has really shown his true colors these past few months. He has lied and flip-flopped and thrown his principles out of the window to get the religious right to support him.
And if that was not bad enough, he asked Sarah Palin to be his Vice-President. I had never heard of her before, and I wish that I never had. She is truly frightening. She is as evangelical and far right as any politician. And she would be just a heartbeat from the presidency if John McCain wins. And with John McCain being so OLD, a heartbeat away is literally all she would be. She is the last person on this earth I would want as President. If we are going to have a woman president, it should be Hillary Clinton.
I cannot even stomach the thought of four more years of Republican misrule (and RULE is what Bush has tried to do). This country is in sharp decline, and I really believe that if we get four more years of the same BS, we are done. There are already decades of damage to be undone.
Citizens of the US: WAKE UP OUT OF YOUR COMA!!!! We have to take this country in a new direction, and the more I hear Obama speak and the more I read about him, the more I FEEL that he can really bring the change this country needs. If you want to hear a speech that will blow your mind, watch Obama's speech at the DNC. There is a reason that he draws crowds and excitement. You can really see it and feel it-the winds of change will blow through you. There will be no going back. When I heard his speech, I knew I was going to vote for him.
OBAMA 2008. VOTE FOR CHANGE. Vote for the American Dream. Vote for American families. Vote for the Environment. Vote for the US's Reputation and Standing in the World. Vote for Hope. Vote for Future Generations Who Have No Voice.
And if that was not bad enough, he asked Sarah Palin to be his Vice-President. I had never heard of her before, and I wish that I never had. She is truly frightening. She is as evangelical and far right as any politician. And she would be just a heartbeat from the presidency if John McCain wins. And with John McCain being so OLD, a heartbeat away is literally all she would be. She is the last person on this earth I would want as President. If we are going to have a woman president, it should be Hillary Clinton.
I cannot even stomach the thought of four more years of Republican misrule (and RULE is what Bush has tried to do). This country is in sharp decline, and I really believe that if we get four more years of the same BS, we are done. There are already decades of damage to be undone.
Citizens of the US: WAKE UP OUT OF YOUR COMA!!!! We have to take this country in a new direction, and the more I hear Obama speak and the more I read about him, the more I FEEL that he can really bring the change this country needs. If you want to hear a speech that will blow your mind, watch Obama's speech at the DNC. There is a reason that he draws crowds and excitement. You can really see it and feel it-the winds of change will blow through you. There will be no going back. When I heard his speech, I knew I was going to vote for him.
OBAMA 2008. VOTE FOR CHANGE. Vote for the American Dream. Vote for American families. Vote for the Environment. Vote for the US's Reputation and Standing in the World. Vote for Hope. Vote for Future Generations Who Have No Voice.
Writing
I am a writer. It is in my DNA. I have struggled to find a way to make a living writing. I have finally gotten this opportunity. I have an internship at a magazine called Enterprise Management Quarterly. If you like to read about all things IT, then this is an informative site. Even if you don't, it has some good articles. I just wrote one on the new Google browser called Google Chrome. And it is a pretty cool browser. I also wrote a fun article called Addicted to Email? that discusses the ever-increasing addiction people have with checking their email. To read my articles, click on the following links:
Greening Your IT Department Can Help Your Company Make More Green
Power Management Software Is a Little to No Cost Way to Go Green and Save Green
Addicted to Email?
Wednesday, August 27th is ‘Power IT Down Day’
Google Chrome Revolutionizes the Web Browser
Experience Manager Assesses Real-Time Voice and Video Quality of Experience
First-Ever BlackBerry Flip Phone Unveiled
BlackBerry Storm-a touch screen phone from Research In Motion
First Google-powered phone, G1, unveiled today
Consolidate your data center’s servers for green benefits
Microsoft soon to introduce a test version of Windows 7
A company can begin to green their operations today with no capital investment
Holiday gift-giving guide
2009 is going to be a good year for green IT
Tech etiquette: Not everybody practices it, but everybody should
What exactly is green IT?
Green your data center
What to do with old IT equipment
Get your 3D glasses for the Super Bowl
$10 laptop: The cheapest laptop ever unveiled by Indian government
Greening Your IT Department Can Help Your Company Make More Green
Power Management Software Is a Little to No Cost Way to Go Green and Save Green
Addicted to Email?
Wednesday, August 27th is ‘Power IT Down Day’
Google Chrome Revolutionizes the Web Browser
Experience Manager Assesses Real-Time Voice and Video Quality of Experience
First-Ever BlackBerry Flip Phone Unveiled
BlackBerry Storm-a touch screen phone from Research In Motion
First Google-powered phone, G1, unveiled today
Consolidate your data center’s servers for green benefits
Microsoft soon to introduce a test version of Windows 7
A company can begin to green their operations today with no capital investment
Holiday gift-giving guide
2009 is going to be a good year for green IT
Tech etiquette: Not everybody practices it, but everybody should
What exactly is green IT?
Green your data center
What to do with old IT equipment
Get your 3D glasses for the Super Bowl
$10 laptop: The cheapest laptop ever unveiled by Indian government
Friday, August 29, 2008
Bravo McCain
You are a genius, John McCain. Picking a woman to be your running mate was a coup de grace. I applaud you on your political maneuver. All of those disgruntled Hillary supporters who claim that they were going to vote for you now, well, now they have even more reason to. Even those who claimed that they would vote for Obama now. You are going to win the election, and we are going to have 4-8 more years of George Bush Jr.'s presidency, because you are going to have the same kind of people if not the exact same people in your administration.
The fact that you are even in a close race with Obama leads me to believe that even though the majority of people claim that we are on the wrong track in this country they are full of it. They DO NOT want change at all because you are a clone of George Bush.
We are going to stay in Iraq, even though no one wants us there anymore. And we are going to continue to spend $10 Billion a month on war-mongering even though we are running the largest deficit in the HISTORY of this country.
We are not going to invest in alternatives to oil because you are in the back pocket of the oil lobby. Nothing is going to be done about our addiction to oil, and as a consequence, we are not gong to be prepared in this country when countries stop exporting because there is not a drop to spare.
We are going to continue to take away people's CONSTITUTIONAL freedoms in the name of national security, and no one is going to question it because it makes them feel SAFER.
People's PRIVATE lives are going to continue to be invaded because the religious nuts in this country believe that EVERYONE should believe what they believe and live a certain life even though they themselves don't live the pious lives they like to think they do.
HOMOSEXUALS will continue to be discriminated against.
WOMEN"S reproductive rights are going to be infringed upon until they make birth control illegal.
The government is going to continue to give enormous tax breaks to corporations and the rich until this country is bankrupt. We will BE OWNED ENTIRELY by the Saudis and the Chinese, and we won't have the money to invest in infrastructure, education, alternative energy, or anything else this country needs to invest in to be a first class nation.
The middle class is going to become extinct. All people without a certain income are going to be wage-slaves to the establishment.
The world is going to begin to pull away from us because they are rightly going to believe that we are all a bunch of uneducated, religious, zealous nuts. And they would be right about that...
So go ahead McCain, start packing now. Unless people wake up from their ignorant comas in the next two months, you might as well start preparing your acceptance speech. I wouldn't vote for you if someone had a gun to my head, but I did not vote for Bush either, and look where that got me...
And how many houses do you own again? And how much fuel does that private jet of yours use? People get the President that they deserve.
The fact that you are even in a close race with Obama leads me to believe that even though the majority of people claim that we are on the wrong track in this country they are full of it. They DO NOT want change at all because you are a clone of George Bush.
We are going to stay in Iraq, even though no one wants us there anymore. And we are going to continue to spend $10 Billion a month on war-mongering even though we are running the largest deficit in the HISTORY of this country.
We are not going to invest in alternatives to oil because you are in the back pocket of the oil lobby. Nothing is going to be done about our addiction to oil, and as a consequence, we are not gong to be prepared in this country when countries stop exporting because there is not a drop to spare.
We are going to continue to take away people's CONSTITUTIONAL freedoms in the name of national security, and no one is going to question it because it makes them feel SAFER.
People's PRIVATE lives are going to continue to be invaded because the religious nuts in this country believe that EVERYONE should believe what they believe and live a certain life even though they themselves don't live the pious lives they like to think they do.
HOMOSEXUALS will continue to be discriminated against.
WOMEN"S reproductive rights are going to be infringed upon until they make birth control illegal.
The government is going to continue to give enormous tax breaks to corporations and the rich until this country is bankrupt. We will BE OWNED ENTIRELY by the Saudis and the Chinese, and we won't have the money to invest in infrastructure, education, alternative energy, or anything else this country needs to invest in to be a first class nation.
The middle class is going to become extinct. All people without a certain income are going to be wage-slaves to the establishment.
The world is going to begin to pull away from us because they are rightly going to believe that we are all a bunch of uneducated, religious, zealous nuts. And they would be right about that...
So go ahead McCain, start packing now. Unless people wake up from their ignorant comas in the next two months, you might as well start preparing your acceptance speech. I wouldn't vote for you if someone had a gun to my head, but I did not vote for Bush either, and look where that got me...
And how many houses do you own again? And how much fuel does that private jet of yours use? People get the President that they deserve.
Friday, August 22, 2008
Bankrupting the Future
To pay for the present...
That is precisely what we have done in this country. Everything points to a seismic economic event. If you want to read something that will keep you up at night, literally, then read this.
Of course you might say, why would I want to read something that will scare me witless? Well, if you would rather know what is coming than not, then being scared sleepless is part of the deal. I have felt that something was coming for a while now. It was just an uneasy feeling in the back of my mind that popped up every once in a while. Then Bush got elected, and it began to throb a little bit. Then Bush got elected again, and it began to really swell. Now it is screaming at me. BE PREPARED! Our government is totally evil or totally inept, but either way, it is screwing us like a cheap hooker. If you want to read some more scary statistics about how screwed we are, go to this website.
Read anything and everything you can get your hands on, and always pay attention to what new outlets from outside the US consider newsworthy. And stop watching so much mindless TV, including the news. If you want real news, try The Daily Show and The Stephen Colbert Report. And don't believe everything you read on the Internet until you can verify it from several reputable sources.
That is precisely what we have done in this country. Everything points to a seismic economic event. If you want to read something that will keep you up at night, literally, then read this.
Of course you might say, why would I want to read something that will scare me witless? Well, if you would rather know what is coming than not, then being scared sleepless is part of the deal. I have felt that something was coming for a while now. It was just an uneasy feeling in the back of my mind that popped up every once in a while. Then Bush got elected, and it began to throb a little bit. Then Bush got elected again, and it began to really swell. Now it is screaming at me. BE PREPARED! Our government is totally evil or totally inept, but either way, it is screwing us like a cheap hooker. If you want to read some more scary statistics about how screwed we are, go to this website.
Read anything and everything you can get your hands on, and always pay attention to what new outlets from outside the US consider newsworthy. And stop watching so much mindless TV, including the news. If you want real news, try The Daily Show and The Stephen Colbert Report. And don't believe everything you read on the Internet until you can verify it from several reputable sources.
Sunday, July 6, 2008
Doom and Gloom
I am going to tell anyone who will listen that the time of reckoning is here for this country, but also for humanity. No longer can we sit on our laurels and accumulate things and debt and use up all of the world's natural resources. This lifestyle can no longer be supported. People might be finally coming out of their consumerism coma. This story on Yahoo made me think that some people may be coming to terms with our new reality. But there are still so many people complaining about the increasing price of oil, the increasing price of food, and the declining values of their homes. Well, there is no one to blame but ourselves for the current situation. The declining value of the dollar is a big factor to consider. Read about it here. And foreclosures in this country have only gotten started. It is not going to matter who is in charge in Washington. Check out this story for more information.
The reality is that we are going to have to change the way that we live. There is no more debt to borrow against. We can no longer consume without the means to support it. The big homes, the big cars, the big TVs, the designer clothes, all of the crap we thought we needed to live fulfilling lives is not necessary. The bill has come due, and people don't want to pay it. But they are not going to have a choice. The amount owed will be collected whether we like it or not, so the sooner we buckle down in this country and clean up our spend thrift ways, the sooner we can turn this country around and make it a place to be proud of and respect. Time to live up to our responsibilities.
The reality is that we are going to have to change the way that we live. There is no more debt to borrow against. We can no longer consume without the means to support it. The big homes, the big cars, the big TVs, the designer clothes, all of the crap we thought we needed to live fulfilling lives is not necessary. The bill has come due, and people don't want to pay it. But they are not going to have a choice. The amount owed will be collected whether we like it or not, so the sooner we buckle down in this country and clean up our spend thrift ways, the sooner we can turn this country around and make it a place to be proud of and respect. Time to live up to our responsibilities.
Wednesday, July 2, 2008
Another Unjust War
Bush is trying to get another war started before he has to leave office. You know, the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq are going so well, let's start one with Iran too. Check out this piece in The New Yorker. Also MSNBC. Real eye-opening stuff. I could never have imagined President Bush was going to turn out to be such a TERRIBLE president. I knew that he was going to be incompetent, but I did not know he was going to turn out to be the biggest threat in the world. He scares me, so I can only imagine how people feel about him in the Middle East. They must be terrified. I think that he may be trying to cause the end of the world (aka the Rapture). I don't know why he would be acting so much against the best interests of this country (and the entire world, for that matter) otherwise. He and the people around him are all nutters. All these religious zealots thinking that they are doing God's will. Don't you think that God can take care of Himself? If He wanted to get something done, then maybe He would just do it Himself.
Wednesday, June 25, 2008
Living Simply and Soulfully
I read about Dave Bruno's 100 Thing Challenge today and was truly inspired and grateful that there are other mindful people out there who are cognizant of their footprint. Do we really need all this stuff? Piles and piles of clothes and books and CDs and DVDs and furniture and shoes and electronic gadgets and papers and and and I cannot breathe just thinking about all of the crap that I STILL have. And I am one of those people that gives stuff away and recycles unused items all of the time. I don't like clutter. Part of it comes from my drive to live as simply as I can for the sake of the planet, and the other part is me not wanting to be a pack rat like certain members of my family whom I love (my mom) but who saves everything imaginable.
Have you ever wondered why we have the drive to accumulate so much stuff? Have you ever wondered where all the stuff comes from, and where it goes when you tire of it and throw it out? Well, check out The Story of Stuff with Annie Leonard. She researched this subject for over ten years. It is very illuminating.
While we are questioning the accumulation of stuff, have you ever wondered how much simpler your life could be without all of the stuff to complicate it? You could have a smaller apartment/house, and possibly have no credit card bills, and you could work less hours or ditch that second job or get that dream job you have always wanted but that did not pay much. And you could be happy because you actually had time for family and friends. And people would become human again and care more about people than things. People would love instead of covet. People would give instead of hoard. People could find their souls again.
Something has got to change. We need to find a better way to live. There is so much suffering in the world, and the Earth is being ripped apart for her natural resources with no regard to the long-term consequences, and I just don't see how the human race can continue down this path. We are on the road to self-destruction. We need to find our souls if we are going to have a chance of coming back from the brink.
Have you ever wondered why we have the drive to accumulate so much stuff? Have you ever wondered where all the stuff comes from, and where it goes when you tire of it and throw it out? Well, check out The Story of Stuff with Annie Leonard. She researched this subject for over ten years. It is very illuminating.
While we are questioning the accumulation of stuff, have you ever wondered how much simpler your life could be without all of the stuff to complicate it? You could have a smaller apartment/house, and possibly have no credit card bills, and you could work less hours or ditch that second job or get that dream job you have always wanted but that did not pay much. And you could be happy because you actually had time for family and friends. And people would become human again and care more about people than things. People would love instead of covet. People would give instead of hoard. People could find their souls again.
Something has got to change. We need to find a better way to live. There is so much suffering in the world, and the Earth is being ripped apart for her natural resources with no regard to the long-term consequences, and I just don't see how the human race can continue down this path. We are on the road to self-destruction. We need to find our souls if we are going to have a chance of coming back from the brink.
Wednesday, June 18, 2008
The "American Dream" Is Dead
I have thought this for sometime now. Not every one is supposed to have the big house with the white picket fence, the two car garage with one parked in the driveway, and the 2.5 kids. This consumerist, suburban attitude is how we got into trouble in this country in the first place. First of all, no one is entitled to anything, no matter what country you are a citizen of except for the basics-Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness. The pursuit of happiness is not a guarantee of happiness.
I am personally content. I am not trying to keep up with the latest fashion, electronics, etc. I personally could not care less. I care more about trying to reduce my carbon footprint. The environment is the most important factor in how I live my life. How what I do, what I buy, how I live from day to day impacts the world that I share with 6 Billion people and Billions of plants and animals. I am not so naive or arrogant that I think I am the only one that matters.
I am glad that the current economy is putting the last nail in the coffin for the "American Dream." I think it was manufactured by corporations anyway to get people to buy stuff. Have you ever noticed that more stuff does not make you happier? Working harder to pay for more stuff seems like a terrible way to waste your life. I would much rather spend my time reading, writing, taking pictures. spending time with friends, family and Mickey, my cat. I also enjoy cooking, walking and exploring the city that I live in, there are just so many things that I would rather do than work for 8+ hours a day at a job that sucks out my soul. There is no contest-I would much rather live my life.
Now people are moving closer to the urban centers again, downsizing-getting rid of excess cars, house, stuff. People want to commute less, spend more time with family and friends. My boyfriend and I live in a 400 square foot apartment in a big city with a great view, steps to public transportation, shopping and nightlife. We have never owned a car-we have never needed to. There is always an Enterprise a few blocks away if we really need a car. We make a conscious effort to only buy what we need. Most of our purchases are from the grocery store. I feel like I am living my "American Dream." I would not want it any other way.
Check out Anya Kamenetz's take on the death of the "American Dream."
I am personally content. I am not trying to keep up with the latest fashion, electronics, etc. I personally could not care less. I care more about trying to reduce my carbon footprint. The environment is the most important factor in how I live my life. How what I do, what I buy, how I live from day to day impacts the world that I share with 6 Billion people and Billions of plants and animals. I am not so naive or arrogant that I think I am the only one that matters.
I am glad that the current economy is putting the last nail in the coffin for the "American Dream." I think it was manufactured by corporations anyway to get people to buy stuff. Have you ever noticed that more stuff does not make you happier? Working harder to pay for more stuff seems like a terrible way to waste your life. I would much rather spend my time reading, writing, taking pictures. spending time with friends, family and Mickey, my cat. I also enjoy cooking, walking and exploring the city that I live in, there are just so many things that I would rather do than work for 8+ hours a day at a job that sucks out my soul. There is no contest-I would much rather live my life.
Now people are moving closer to the urban centers again, downsizing-getting rid of excess cars, house, stuff. People want to commute less, spend more time with family and friends. My boyfriend and I live in a 400 square foot apartment in a big city with a great view, steps to public transportation, shopping and nightlife. We have never owned a car-we have never needed to. There is always an Enterprise a few blocks away if we really need a car. We make a conscious effort to only buy what we need. Most of our purchases are from the grocery store. I feel like I am living my "American Dream." I would not want it any other way.
Check out Anya Kamenetz's take on the death of the "American Dream."
Tuesday, June 3, 2008
Money-saving and Environmentally-friendly Tips
In these hard financial times, many families are finding their household budgets stretched to the max. Things are getting more and more expensive, but incomes are remaining stagnant or even declining. I am going to give you some tips on how to stretch that budget, and it just so happens that these tips are friendly to the environment, as well as to your wallet.
1) Limit eating out to once a month or special occasions. Eating out at restaurants- fast food or otherwise- will definitely put a damper on any budget. Plus, with all of the disposable packaging that ends up in the landfills, it is also not good for the environment. You can pay anywhere from $6 on up for a meal at a restaurant.
2) Be sure to make your grocery list around sale items and clip coupons, and you can definitely make your shopping experience less painful. Doing so will shave your grocery bill by a minimum of $50/month.
3) If there are Farmers Markets in your area, they are a great way to get quality food at a reasonable price. And not only that, but you won't have to buy fruits and vegetables as often because they will stay good longer because they did not have far to travel before they got to you. This is good for you and for the environment because that head of lettuce did not have to travel across the country to get to your plate. *Find a Farmers Market in your area online by typing Farmers Market-name of your city in any search engine.
4) With gas hovering at $4/gallon, it is a no-brainer to find alternative ways to get to work. Public transportation is the best way for people who have access. Car-pooling/car-sharing for people who absolutely have no alternative. But either way, in addition to saving green, you are being green by reducing your carbon emissions. If you are using even 10 gallons a week to get to and from work, that is $160 per month, plus parking fees, if applicable.
5) If you are in need of clothing, furniture, any kind of household item, it is often quite possible to find something suitable for a reasonable price or even free from websites like craigslist.org, freecycle.org, local.com. You can even barter with people, trade something they need for something you need. This can save you an enormous amount of money, in addition to having the added benefit of not adding to the landfill or using any resources to make something "new." By the way, selling things that you no longer need or use is also a great way to make a little money on top of being good for the environment.
6) Take your reusable shopping bags with you to the store, especially the grocery store. Some stores, like Trader Joe's and Whole Foods, will give you $.10 off each bag of groceries placed in one of their reusable bags. You can keep money in your wallet while keeping plastic bags out of the landfills. Take your reusable coffee mug with you to the coffee shop. If you must buy coffee out, using a reusable mug will generally get you at least $.10 off of your purchase, and will again prevent disposable cups, sleeves and lids from the landfills.
7) Turn off the lights when you leave a room, and unplug appliances when not in use, or at least make sure they are powered down or off. This is an effective way to keep your electricity bill low. And with summer less than a month away, remember to turn off the air conditioning when you are not at home and keep windows shaded to prevent unnecessary heat from the sun.
These are only a few things out of the many, many things that you can do to save money---and the environment. With just a little bit of creativity and imagination, you can come up with money-saving tips of your own. After all, no one knows your family better than you do.
1) Limit eating out to once a month or special occasions. Eating out at restaurants- fast food or otherwise- will definitely put a damper on any budget. Plus, with all of the disposable packaging that ends up in the landfills, it is also not good for the environment. You can pay anywhere from $6 on up for a meal at a restaurant.
2) Be sure to make your grocery list around sale items and clip coupons, and you can definitely make your shopping experience less painful. Doing so will shave your grocery bill by a minimum of $50/month.
3) If there are Farmers Markets in your area, they are a great way to get quality food at a reasonable price. And not only that, but you won't have to buy fruits and vegetables as often because they will stay good longer because they did not have far to travel before they got to you. This is good for you and for the environment because that head of lettuce did not have to travel across the country to get to your plate. *Find a Farmers Market in your area online by typing Farmers Market-name of your city in any search engine.
4) With gas hovering at $4/gallon, it is a no-brainer to find alternative ways to get to work. Public transportation is the best way for people who have access. Car-pooling/car-sharing for people who absolutely have no alternative. But either way, in addition to saving green, you are being green by reducing your carbon emissions. If you are using even 10 gallons a week to get to and from work, that is $160 per month, plus parking fees, if applicable.
5) If you are in need of clothing, furniture, any kind of household item, it is often quite possible to find something suitable for a reasonable price or even free from websites like craigslist.org, freecycle.org, local.com. You can even barter with people, trade something they need for something you need. This can save you an enormous amount of money, in addition to having the added benefit of not adding to the landfill or using any resources to make something "new." By the way, selling things that you no longer need or use is also a great way to make a little money on top of being good for the environment.
6) Take your reusable shopping bags with you to the store, especially the grocery store. Some stores, like Trader Joe's and Whole Foods, will give you $.10 off each bag of groceries placed in one of their reusable bags. You can keep money in your wallet while keeping plastic bags out of the landfills. Take your reusable coffee mug with you to the coffee shop. If you must buy coffee out, using a reusable mug will generally get you at least $.10 off of your purchase, and will again prevent disposable cups, sleeves and lids from the landfills.
7) Turn off the lights when you leave a room, and unplug appliances when not in use, or at least make sure they are powered down or off. This is an effective way to keep your electricity bill low. And with summer less than a month away, remember to turn off the air conditioning when you are not at home and keep windows shaded to prevent unnecessary heat from the sun.
These are only a few things out of the many, many things that you can do to save money---and the environment. With just a little bit of creativity and imagination, you can come up with money-saving tips of your own. After all, no one knows your family better than you do.
Friday, May 23, 2008
Duality
The Sun and the Moon on my tongue
We will come together as One
Do you hear the distant sound of the drum?
Are you in on the one great Pun?
What is it that I seek?
How can you look for something
That flickers in and out of existence?
Why do I feel as if my mind
Is coming unglued?
There are two parts to my whole
Two energies competing for dominance
But they are both essential ingredients
And I must reconcile them
The dark and the light
The yin and the yang
The sun and the moon
The physical and the spiritual
They are both me
And I am me
Part of the endless wonder
That begins and ends in my soul
We will come together as One
Do you hear the distant sound of the drum?
Are you in on the one great Pun?
What is it that I seek?
How can you look for something
That flickers in and out of existence?
Why do I feel as if my mind
Is coming unglued?
There are two parts to my whole
Two energies competing for dominance
But they are both essential ingredients
And I must reconcile them
The dark and the light
The yin and the yang
The sun and the moon
The physical and the spiritual
They are both me
And I am me
Part of the endless wonder
That begins and ends in my soul
Thursday, May 22, 2008
Me
My body is a mere wisp of nothingness
A vessel for my soul
My unyielding consciousness
My universal completeness
I am one with everything
And nothing
I am more than this
But less as well
I am a wave on the cosmic ocean
Undulating up and down
I am a DNA helix
Spinning into infinity
I am
I am not
I do not exist
I am a mere illusion
A trick of the cosmos
I am here
But I am not here
There is no time
And no space to confine it
The universe is everything
And I am the universe
A vessel for my soul
My unyielding consciousness
My universal completeness
I am one with everything
And nothing
I am more than this
But less as well
I am a wave on the cosmic ocean
Undulating up and down
I am a DNA helix
Spinning into infinity
I am
I am not
I do not exist
I am a mere illusion
A trick of the cosmos
I am here
But I am not here
There is no time
And no space to confine it
The universe is everything
And I am the universe
Wednesday, May 21, 2008
An Economic Reckoning
Be afraid. Be very afraid. Our economic reckoning has arrived. Here are some of my predictions for the next few years.
1) The credit crisis is only going to deepen. It is not going to end with mortgage defaults. There is going to be a surge in credit card defaults and auto loan defaults as well. Not to mention an increase in corporate loan defaults.
2) As banks tighten their belts, consumers tighten their belts and corporations do likewise, you are going to see a full blown recession and it is not going to be over anytime soon.
3) The price of oil is just going to keep rising. It is not going to stop until it gets much higher than the $133/barrel that it is at now.
4) The stock market has a long way to go down. The Dow Jones industrial average is going to go under 10,000, but it would not surprise me if it hit as low as 7500.
5) The dollar is going to keep declining, making countries like China and Saudia Arabia eager to dump the greenbacks that they have before they continue to decline, thereby flooding the market with more dollars and making it even more devalued.
6) The rich are going to continue to get richer, and the middle class is going to disappear, and the poor are going to continue to get poorer.
The bill is coming due both for American consumers and the U.S. government. Did anyone really believe that you could just spend and spend and not have any money to back it up? American consumers have been living WAY above their means for over twenty years now. How was everyone going to pay for their party? The supersized houses and the multiple luxury cars along with all of the latest electronic gadgets and expensive clothes and shoes and thousand dollar handbags. I don't feel sorry for a single person who lived above their means and got caught holding the bag. No one should get bailed out for being greedy and willfully ignorant of economics.
I did not buy a house, I paid off my credit cards, and I only have a small amount left to pay on my student loans. I have a savings account. But I did all of this by being fiscally prudent. You have to spend less than you make. It is that simple.
As for the U.S. government, it has no money. Bush and his administration have blown through the surplus and put us trillions of dollars in debt, with that number growing by the millions every day. In the meantime, our infrastructure is rapidly deteriorating, our Social Security fund has run dry and cities all over the country are having trouble paying for essentials like police officers and firemen. This greed has indebted not only us but future generations of Americans who have not even been born yet. Don't believe the economic data coming from the U.S. government either. For the Consumer Price Index (CPI) or inflation or unemployment or anything of that nature, look somewhere else for the real figures. A good place to start is www.shadowstats.com.
In summary, I would not expect economic conditions to improve any time soon. Don't trust a single statistic coming from the U.S. government. Cut back on your spending, and even sell things off if you have to, but get some money in savings and put some into investments. It will be the only way to keep up with the rich.
1) The credit crisis is only going to deepen. It is not going to end with mortgage defaults. There is going to be a surge in credit card defaults and auto loan defaults as well. Not to mention an increase in corporate loan defaults.
2) As banks tighten their belts, consumers tighten their belts and corporations do likewise, you are going to see a full blown recession and it is not going to be over anytime soon.
3) The price of oil is just going to keep rising. It is not going to stop until it gets much higher than the $133/barrel that it is at now.
4) The stock market has a long way to go down. The Dow Jones industrial average is going to go under 10,000, but it would not surprise me if it hit as low as 7500.
5) The dollar is going to keep declining, making countries like China and Saudia Arabia eager to dump the greenbacks that they have before they continue to decline, thereby flooding the market with more dollars and making it even more devalued.
6) The rich are going to continue to get richer, and the middle class is going to disappear, and the poor are going to continue to get poorer.
The bill is coming due both for American consumers and the U.S. government. Did anyone really believe that you could just spend and spend and not have any money to back it up? American consumers have been living WAY above their means for over twenty years now. How was everyone going to pay for their party? The supersized houses and the multiple luxury cars along with all of the latest electronic gadgets and expensive clothes and shoes and thousand dollar handbags. I don't feel sorry for a single person who lived above their means and got caught holding the bag. No one should get bailed out for being greedy and willfully ignorant of economics.
I did not buy a house, I paid off my credit cards, and I only have a small amount left to pay on my student loans. I have a savings account. But I did all of this by being fiscally prudent. You have to spend less than you make. It is that simple.
As for the U.S. government, it has no money. Bush and his administration have blown through the surplus and put us trillions of dollars in debt, with that number growing by the millions every day. In the meantime, our infrastructure is rapidly deteriorating, our Social Security fund has run dry and cities all over the country are having trouble paying for essentials like police officers and firemen. This greed has indebted not only us but future generations of Americans who have not even been born yet. Don't believe the economic data coming from the U.S. government either. For the Consumer Price Index (CPI) or inflation or unemployment or anything of that nature, look somewhere else for the real figures. A good place to start is www.shadowstats.com.
In summary, I would not expect economic conditions to improve any time soon. Don't trust a single statistic coming from the U.S. government. Cut back on your spending, and even sell things off if you have to, but get some money in savings and put some into investments. It will be the only way to keep up with the rich.
Monday, April 28, 2008
To Live or Not to Live
That truly is the question that you should ask yourself each and every day. Are you going to live, or are you going to just observe your life like you are watching a movie. I personally have done so much observing of my life, so much aimless wandering, so much floating around like a balloon, that I cannot abide by it any longer. I know that I must take the reins, take the wheel, and steer the course of my life in the direction of my choosing. I have been asleep for far too long, and I have found myself on a course very much to my dislike. I am not happy about the choices that I have made, and I am ready to do the things which I must to be happy. If ever you are unsure of whether the path you are on is right for you or not, look to the difficulties that your path present to you along the way. Obstacles will of course be present on any path; however, if a path is so wrong for you that nothing goes well and it seems like you are always walking uphill, then perhaps you should take heed that it is time to try another way.
Wednesday, April 16, 2008
I Quit
Well, I finally quit my job at the non-profit. It was by far the most disappointing job that I have ever had. I had such high hopes for it when I accepted it. I really thought that the place was different from a corporation. I thought it was going to be a team-oriented, supportive, collaborative environment. It turned out to be the most negative, every person out for themselves, politically motivated place I have ever worked. The people were horrible. We were supposed to be helping animals, but instead, it was a group of people helping themselves. I have also never been treated with such disrespect and disdain. And that is saying a lot. My boss treated me so badly. She constantly derided and chided me and even had the nerve to blame me for things that she had done wrong. Amazing. Anyway, life is too short to be miserable. I won't do it anymore. Ce la vie.
Saturday, April 5, 2008
Earth Day Should Be Every day
Earth Day is officially April 22nd; however, I believe it should be every day. Every day we should make an effort to appreciate and conserve and respect the planet. It is, after all, the only one that we have to call home. I am astounded that there are tons of people out there who just don't care about global warming. Can we afford to not care? It is only the planet that we are talking about destroying here.
For example, according to the Worldwatch Institute, Americans use more than 100 billion plastic bags each year, and 99 percent go straight to landfills. 100 BILLION. Whole Foods, a natural-foods chain, has pledged to eliminate plastic bags from their stores by Earth Day. American cities are trying to take initiative as well. San Francisco's City Council voted in 2007 to ban plastic bags at grocery chains and pharmacies.
Another troubling consequence of human arrogance is the decline of the honey bee. One of the possible causes is a commonly used insecticide called Imidacloprid. Some scientists believe that when bees come in contact with flowers that are sprayed with the toxin, they experience memory, learning, ad motor-skill impairment and cannot find their way home. If "colony collapse disorder" continues at its current rate, everyone from farmers to consumers will suffer.
If you really want to make a difference for the planet and for your eco-conscious, here is a list of some simple things that you can do.
Bring reusable bags with you when you go shopping
Take public transportation, ride your bike, or even walk instead of driving
Turn off the lights when you leave the room
Unplug your electronics when you are not using them
Wash clothes in cold water
Hang your clothes to air dry
Shut your computer down when you leave home or work
Swap books with family, friends and neighbors
Use reusable bottles for water and reusable mugs for coffee
Find new uses for old things and swap instead of buying
Get off junk mailing lists
Bank online and pay your bills online
Reuse your Ziploc bags, bread bags, plastic bags
Compost your kitchen scraps, recycle anything that can be recycled and reduce your landfill waste
Use pre-used boxes for storage or moving
Shred old paper for packing instead of using Styrofoam peanuts
Eat locally grown foods whenever possible
Shop locally
Use rechargeable batteries
Bring lunch to work in reuseable containers
Don't use paper towels or napkins opt for cloth instead
This is by no means everything that you can do, but these are all little to no cost things that you can do to help the planet.
Remember to make every day Earth day. Together, we can make a difference.
For example, according to the Worldwatch Institute, Americans use more than 100 billion plastic bags each year, and 99 percent go straight to landfills. 100 BILLION. Whole Foods, a natural-foods chain, has pledged to eliminate plastic bags from their stores by Earth Day. American cities are trying to take initiative as well. San Francisco's City Council voted in 2007 to ban plastic bags at grocery chains and pharmacies.
Another troubling consequence of human arrogance is the decline of the honey bee. One of the possible causes is a commonly used insecticide called Imidacloprid. Some scientists believe that when bees come in contact with flowers that are sprayed with the toxin, they experience memory, learning, ad motor-skill impairment and cannot find their way home. If "colony collapse disorder" continues at its current rate, everyone from farmers to consumers will suffer.
If you really want to make a difference for the planet and for your eco-conscious, here is a list of some simple things that you can do.
Bring reusable bags with you when you go shopping
Take public transportation, ride your bike, or even walk instead of driving
Turn off the lights when you leave the room
Unplug your electronics when you are not using them
Wash clothes in cold water
Hang your clothes to air dry
Shut your computer down when you leave home or work
Swap books with family, friends and neighbors
Use reusable bottles for water and reusable mugs for coffee
Find new uses for old things and swap instead of buying
Get off junk mailing lists
Bank online and pay your bills online
Reuse your Ziploc bags, bread bags, plastic bags
Compost your kitchen scraps, recycle anything that can be recycled and reduce your landfill waste
Use pre-used boxes for storage or moving
Shred old paper for packing instead of using Styrofoam peanuts
Eat locally grown foods whenever possible
Shop locally
Use rechargeable batteries
Bring lunch to work in reuseable containers
Don't use paper towels or napkins opt for cloth instead
This is by no means everything that you can do, but these are all little to no cost things that you can do to help the planet.
Remember to make every day Earth day. Together, we can make a difference.
Wednesday, April 2, 2008
Musing
Her red hair was trying to break free from its ponytail. It was so windy, blowing cold on her face. She was standing on the pier, watching the waves crash against the rocks. The cold penetrated through her layers of clothing. She loved the lake, and she always came here to think, to get some perspective. Being near something so majestic always helped her realize that the world is bigger and greater than any one person. We are merely specks in the winds of time. Our lives matter far less than we think they do. Our thoughts, our actions, will not keep the waves from crashing, the wind from blowing, the sun from shining or the earth from turning. There are, in fact, few things we do that cannot be undone. Life is full of opportunities and second chances.
My Bucket List
Inspired by The Bucket List with Jack Nicholson and Morgan Freeman. Here is my list of things that I want to do before I kick the bucket (ie. DIE).
-Make a difference in the world, help people, change the world for the better, be a catalyst for a consciousness/paradigm shift
-Spend as much time with family and friends as I can-always put my relationships ahead of everything else
-Make my relationships as meaningful, loving and truthful as possible
-Stop gossiping and speaking ill of others
-Travel-especially hiking the Camino de Santiago, the Via Alpina, the Appalachian trail; go to Costa Rica, go back to Italy-Rome and Cinque Terra
-Live in San Francisco
-Be my own boss: Start my own clothing line; non profit-GCCC; get a novel published-an uplifting, positive work; have my photography displayed in a gallery
-Become fluent in Italian (again)
-Meet the Dalai Lama, learn more about Buddhism, learn how to meditate
-Walk every day, eat healthy, be at peace with myself
-Live my values, beliefs and ideals
-Read more and stop watching TV altogether
-Start my own scholarship fund for kids who want to go to college so that they can make a positive difference in the world
-Remember every day that I am a very fortunate human being, and it is my duty to help my fellow humans, as well as all sentient beings, on their paths to nirvana
These are things that are very important to me, and I am going to strive to make them a reality. I figure that I am one step closer to making them come true by putting them out there into the universe.
-Make a difference in the world, help people, change the world for the better, be a catalyst for a consciousness/paradigm shift
-Spend as much time with family and friends as I can-always put my relationships ahead of everything else
-Make my relationships as meaningful, loving and truthful as possible
-Stop gossiping and speaking ill of others
-Travel-especially hiking the Camino de Santiago, the Via Alpina, the Appalachian trail; go to Costa Rica, go back to Italy-Rome and Cinque Terra
-Live in San Francisco
-Be my own boss: Start my own clothing line; non profit-GCCC; get a novel published-an uplifting, positive work; have my photography displayed in a gallery
-Become fluent in Italian (again)
-Meet the Dalai Lama, learn more about Buddhism, learn how to meditate
-Walk every day, eat healthy, be at peace with myself
-Live my values, beliefs and ideals
-Read more and stop watching TV altogether
-Start my own scholarship fund for kids who want to go to college so that they can make a positive difference in the world
-Remember every day that I am a very fortunate human being, and it is my duty to help my fellow humans, as well as all sentient beings, on their paths to nirvana
These are things that are very important to me, and I am going to strive to make them a reality. I figure that I am one step closer to making them come true by putting them out there into the universe.
Monday, March 17, 2008
May You Live In Interesting Times
We are definitely living in interesting times right now. The US economy is in turmoil. Corporate greed and shady business practices have finally caught up with capitalism...witness the meltdown on Wall Street right now. Also, people trying to live the American dream without the means to pay for it (which is 95% of the people in this country) are finally having their bills come due. Declining home prices, a falling stock market, and piles of debt are leaving people in the dust. Maybe we did not need that giant house, the four gas-guzzling cars and the big screen TV with surround sound. Maybe we should not buy things that we cannot afford. Yet we see the government operate in debt each and every day. How can this country run on debt?
The environment is in peril. The arctic is going to be ice-free in the spring by 2012. This is years ahead of what scientists thought only a short while ago. Increasingly frightening predictions are made by the day and yet we do nothing. Tornadoes in Atlanta anyone? Drought-ridden Georgia trying to redraw its border with Tennessee in order to lay claim to the Tennessee river. With an exponentially increasing population, along with an ever increasing threat to our resources, what magnitude catastrophe has to hit before people take real notice that we are not playing a game.
Increasing world tensions. Witness the protests over Chinese rule in Tibet. Tibetans are traditionally a peaceful people, steeped in the Buddhist tradition. But you can only step on a people for so long before they grow weary and start fighting back. The fighting in the Middle East. The genocide in Darfur. The United States bullying and telling everyone what to do. When will it end? Things are only going to get worse as resources grow more scarce. I personally do not want to live in interesting times, do you?
The environment is in peril. The arctic is going to be ice-free in the spring by 2012. This is years ahead of what scientists thought only a short while ago. Increasingly frightening predictions are made by the day and yet we do nothing. Tornadoes in Atlanta anyone? Drought-ridden Georgia trying to redraw its border with Tennessee in order to lay claim to the Tennessee river. With an exponentially increasing population, along with an ever increasing threat to our resources, what magnitude catastrophe has to hit before people take real notice that we are not playing a game.
Increasing world tensions. Witness the protests over Chinese rule in Tibet. Tibetans are traditionally a peaceful people, steeped in the Buddhist tradition. But you can only step on a people for so long before they grow weary and start fighting back. The fighting in the Middle East. The genocide in Darfur. The United States bullying and telling everyone what to do. When will it end? Things are only going to get worse as resources grow more scarce. I personally do not want to live in interesting times, do you?
Monday, February 4, 2008
My Sister
My sister is the best friend that I could ever hope for in life. She is so special to me. She came over today to check on me because I am sick, and we just talked for a few hours. She is going through a period of change in her life as well. She thinks that I should just go for it and leave. Go travel and find myself. I want to-I am just so scared. I have been slogging through my life for so long that I am scared to death to do anything different. I have never had this problem before. When a job or relationship was not working out for me I just quit. Now I am just paralyzed with fear.
Paralyzed with fear
I am so scared that it hurts
It hurts that I do not know who I am
I do not know where I am going
I am lost in the forest
No trail of breadcrumbs to follow
My heart feels so hollow
I am walking in circles
Going nowhere
Learning only that I have become a coward
Living a life that I do not want to live
Paralyzed with fear
I am so scared that it hurts
It hurts that I do not know who I am
I do not know where I am going
I am lost in the forest
No trail of breadcrumbs to follow
My heart feels so hollow
I am walking in circles
Going nowhere
Learning only that I have become a coward
Living a life that I do not want to live
Saturday, February 2, 2008
Why Does the Universe Taunt Me So?
As if seeing Groundhog Day was not enough, I am now watching Sex and the City on TBS. My God, it is like I am Carrie Bradshaw...minus the fabulous wardrobe, apartment and job. She thinks the exact same things as I do. Is there something I am missing? Why can't I just be happy with what I have? I wish that it were that easy, like there was a magic chant you could perform to erase your memory so you could forget all of the things that you had wished and hoped for and never gotten.
I don't even really know what I want. But I do know how I feel right now. Trapped. I cannot even breathe sometimes. I need to do something drastic. I need a change.
What can I do to feel in control of my life again? How do I break out of this rut? How did I build this cage around myself? I wonder if there are people out there who feel like me. Everyone seems so much surer of themselves than I do. People my age should know what they want by now, shouldn't they? People should have a chosen path at this point in their life, right?
I want to pull out my hair. My mind won't stop. It is screaming at me. DO SOMETHING! ANYTHING will do at this point.
I don't even really know what I want. But I do know how I feel right now. Trapped. I cannot even breathe sometimes. I need to do something drastic. I need a change.
What can I do to feel in control of my life again? How do I break out of this rut? How did I build this cage around myself? I wonder if there are people out there who feel like me. Everyone seems so much surer of themselves than I do. People my age should know what they want by now, shouldn't they? People should have a chosen path at this point in their life, right?
I want to pull out my hair. My mind won't stop. It is screaming at me. DO SOMETHING! ANYTHING will do at this point.
Groundhog Day
Is it a coincidence that during my crisis of wondering what the hell I am doing with my life...living the same day over and over and over that Groundhog Day is on TV? It is a movie about a weatheman, Bill Murray, who lives the same day over and over and over again in the small town of Punxsutawney, PA. It is a very good movie, both poignant and funny. But right now for me, very scary. Bill Murray does not have a choice to live the same day, he is just caught in some kind of a weird time loop. But what is my excuse for living the same day over and over again? I have a choice. I think I am going to quit both of my jobs. I cannot do it anymore. I am losing years off of my life. I am waking up to the same day over and over, and I am going to do something about it.
Thursday, January 31, 2008
There Has Got to be a Better Way
"There has got to be a better way." This refrain begins in my head when I wake up in the morning and have to get ready to go to my two jobs. And some days I am simply too tired to have anything at all running through my head.
Get up at 6:15am. Get ready for work.
Catch the bus at 7:30am-or whenever it feels like showing up, afterall, this is the CTA I am relying on.
Get to work at approximately 8:30am.
Work until just before 1:00pm.
Walk briskly three blocks to other job. Clock in.
Work until 9:00pm.
Get home around 9:45pm (again, this time is subject to the whims of the CTA).
Get myself organized for the next morning. Shower.
Go to bed a little before 12:00 Midnight (if I am lucky).
Repeat Monday through Friday. "Oh my God!"
In a world where it seems like you can never do enough to get ahead, I have decided to put on the brakes and take a deep breath. I am tired of doing what other people expect me to do. I am going to do what I want to do.
Step 1: Quit my second job.
I got a second job (the one in the morning) because I was trying to save some money so I could quit my first job. If you are more than a little confused, just imagine living my life for a day or two. Well, my second job at a non-profit has turned into a dead-end. Well, it was always a dead-end, now that I really think about it. I do not need to be here at all. I do maybe one hour of work per 15 hour week, and I am not learning anything. I generally spend my time on the internet. And though the pay is great, it is hard to keep justifying my continual stress and exhaustion over a job that I do not need in the first place. The only thing that I am learning is that people should be careful what non-profits they give money to, because you would be shocked to learn how much is being wasted and is not going to help the cause they are supposedly fighting for at all.
Get up at 6:15am. Get ready for work.
Catch the bus at 7:30am-or whenever it feels like showing up, afterall, this is the CTA I am relying on.
Get to work at approximately 8:30am.
Work until just before 1:00pm.
Walk briskly three blocks to other job. Clock in.
Work until 9:00pm.
Get home around 9:45pm (again, this time is subject to the whims of the CTA).
Get myself organized for the next morning. Shower.
Go to bed a little before 12:00 Midnight (if I am lucky).
Repeat Monday through Friday. "Oh my God!"
In a world where it seems like you can never do enough to get ahead, I have decided to put on the brakes and take a deep breath. I am tired of doing what other people expect me to do. I am going to do what I want to do.
Step 1: Quit my second job.
I got a second job (the one in the morning) because I was trying to save some money so I could quit my first job. If you are more than a little confused, just imagine living my life for a day or two. Well, my second job at a non-profit has turned into a dead-end. Well, it was always a dead-end, now that I really think about it. I do not need to be here at all. I do maybe one hour of work per 15 hour week, and I am not learning anything. I generally spend my time on the internet. And though the pay is great, it is hard to keep justifying my continual stress and exhaustion over a job that I do not need in the first place. The only thing that I am learning is that people should be careful what non-profits they give money to, because you would be shocked to learn how much is being wasted and is not going to help the cause they are supposedly fighting for at all.
Wednesday, January 30, 2008
Life Your Life for Today
I am so tired of waiting. Waiting for the perfect job. Waiting for the perfect moment. Waiting for a raise. Waiting for opportunities. Waiting for recognition. Waiting for things to happen. Waiting for enough money. Waiting for retirement. Waiting...What am I waiting for? Death. I am suffocating myself with fear and inaction. I have wasted too much time already. Time waits for no man or woman...it will not wait for you to get your shit together before it passes you by. And you are looking in the mirror at your lined face and your gray hair and your frail body wondering why you spent your best years waiting for something that never happened.
It is now or never. Time to stand up for myself and say that I am tired of waiting. I am now going to take control and just do. Do what makes me happy. Do what gives me satisfaction. Do what I want to with my time. Do what thrills me. Do what challenges me. Live my life instead of just observing it from the sidelines. Time to jump off the cliff and see what happens. Time to dive into the deep end of the pool. Time to stand up for myself and take responsibility for my life and see what happens when I take an active role in it.
It is now or never. Time to stand up for myself and say that I am tired of waiting. I am now going to take control and just do. Do what makes me happy. Do what gives me satisfaction. Do what I want to with my time. Do what thrills me. Do what challenges me. Live my life instead of just observing it from the sidelines. Time to jump off the cliff and see what happens. Time to dive into the deep end of the pool. Time to stand up for myself and take responsibility for my life and see what happens when I take an active role in it.
Thursday, January 24, 2008
Quality Coffee Quest in Chicago
Starbucks might have once been an independent coffee shop in Seattle, serving up freshly ground coffee and ambiance. After instant coffee and percolators, this idea was revolutionary. The people woke up and demanded better coffee. And so it began. But now Starbucks is on every other block. And you cannot even get a good latte there anymore. If I am going to pay $4 for a cup of coffee, it better taste good...not burned and bitter. Even McDonald's is serving up better coffee now, though I won't be a regular. I still want my coffee from people who understand the nuance of a good blend and can make a good espresso, the foundation from which many specialty coffees are built upon.
Call me spoiled...I don't care. If you are going out of your way to buy a cup of coffee, I believe that it should be an experience. The atmosphere, the smell, the service. But most of all, you should get a good cup of coffee. You should not have to choke down that $4 cup of coffee.
In my quest to be a coffee snob, here are my honorees for a good cup of coffee-
Metropolis
Intelligentsia
Lavazza
These coffee shops serve up a good brew and are all worth bypassing a closer Starbucks or even a Caribou for. Even in the freezing cold.
Call me spoiled...I don't care. If you are going out of your way to buy a cup of coffee, I believe that it should be an experience. The atmosphere, the smell, the service. But most of all, you should get a good cup of coffee. You should not have to choke down that $4 cup of coffee.
In my quest to be a coffee snob, here are my honorees for a good cup of coffee-
Metropolis
Intelligentsia
Lavazza
These coffee shops serve up a good brew and are all worth bypassing a closer Starbucks or even a Caribou for. Even in the freezing cold.
Tuesday, January 22, 2008
Michigan Avenue Excess
We are living in a consumerist culture where the blind pursuit of material possessions has taken a hold of our society. Just walking down Michigan Avenue every morning on my way to work, and all you see is store after store of overpriced and nonessential goods. Cartier...Burberry...Coach...Tiffany...does anyone really need any of these things. When did we become so greedy? So resource hungry?
While we are stuffing our faces, filling our over sized houses with things and polluting the environment, there are billions of people living in poverty. People dying of diseases and wars and hunger and lack of education...If we all just gave up a little of the excess, just imagine what a difference we could make in some one's life. We could give someone a chance at a better, more human existence.
In our blind pursuit of things, we have lost touch with our own humanness. Helping others, caring for the environment, using only what you need, taking care of the other creatures that share this planet, being a good person, these are the things that make you great. It should not matter how big your house is, or how many cars you have, how big your TV is, how much jewelry you have, where you go on vacation. These things are trivial and meaningless to life.
I fear for a society built on such a superficial mentality. Now more than ever we need to come together to solve the crisis of global warming. It is going to take compassion and resolve and sacrifice. What are we waiting for? It is the fate of our planet we are talking about. Do you own your possessions of do they own you?
While we are stuffing our faces, filling our over sized houses with things and polluting the environment, there are billions of people living in poverty. People dying of diseases and wars and hunger and lack of education...If we all just gave up a little of the excess, just imagine what a difference we could make in some one's life. We could give someone a chance at a better, more human existence.
In our blind pursuit of things, we have lost touch with our own humanness. Helping others, caring for the environment, using only what you need, taking care of the other creatures that share this planet, being a good person, these are the things that make you great. It should not matter how big your house is, or how many cars you have, how big your TV is, how much jewelry you have, where you go on vacation. These things are trivial and meaningless to life.
I fear for a society built on such a superficial mentality. Now more than ever we need to come together to solve the crisis of global warming. It is going to take compassion and resolve and sacrifice. What are we waiting for? It is the fate of our planet we are talking about. Do you own your possessions of do they own you?
The Three P's for a Successful Life
Perserverance
Work hard at getting what you want out of life. If at first you don't succeed, try and try again. Have a plan, and then have a back-up plan. Hard work will always yield results, and sometimes even pleasant surprises and unexpected opportunities.
Patience
Keep your head. Sometimes you have to put in alot of hard work and then wait for the benefits. Don't be discouraged. Don't give up. Just be patient. Good things will come to those who wait as long as the preparation was done beforehand.
Peace of mind
A clear mind is a good vessel for new and interesting information, seeing new opportunities, going in a new direction, just being open to all of the chatter in the universe. If your mind is not peaceful and clear, it can affect your ability to steer your life in the direction that you want it to go.
Work hard at getting what you want out of life. If at first you don't succeed, try and try again. Have a plan, and then have a back-up plan. Hard work will always yield results, and sometimes even pleasant surprises and unexpected opportunities.
Patience
Keep your head. Sometimes you have to put in alot of hard work and then wait for the benefits. Don't be discouraged. Don't give up. Just be patient. Good things will come to those who wait as long as the preparation was done beforehand.
Peace of mind
A clear mind is a good vessel for new and interesting information, seeing new opportunities, going in a new direction, just being open to all of the chatter in the universe. If your mind is not peaceful and clear, it can affect your ability to steer your life in the direction that you want it to go.
Tuesday, January 15, 2008
Scream Green!
The UN's top climate expert warned about global warming: "If there's no action before 2012, that's too late. What we do in the next two or three years will determine our future." These are very strong words. They make me want to scream and head for the hills. Not that that would do any good. Instead I am going to scream green.
I am going to keep recycling, keep taking public transportation, keep using cloth rags, towels and napkins, not consume more than I need to and when I do, buying planet friendly products, keep doing everything that I can do. And I am going to tell anyone who will listen about how our planet, our home is in trouble and we need to do something about it NOW. Not tomorrow, not the day after that.
What is the debate? Whether we caused it or not, global warming is a threat to our species and every other species on this planet. We have no time to waste.
I am going to keep recycling, keep taking public transportation, keep using cloth rags, towels and napkins, not consume more than I need to and when I do, buying planet friendly products, keep doing everything that I can do. And I am going to tell anyone who will listen about how our planet, our home is in trouble and we need to do something about it NOW. Not tomorrow, not the day after that.
What is the debate? Whether we caused it or not, global warming is a threat to our species and every other species on this planet. We have no time to waste.
Monday, January 14, 2008
Know Yourself and Live a Contented Life
If you want to be happy in this life, you have to know who you are at any given moment. This can change suddenly and without warning, but every experience that you have makes you into the person that you are now. There are several steps that we must take to always be aware of who we are and where we want to be in our lives.
1) You must check in with yourself periodically. Who am I and what do I want to be getting out of life? Am I living my ideal life? If not, what steps can you take to get on track?
2) You must be willing to put in the effort. No one owes you anything, and opportunity never came and knocked on any one's door. When you know what you want, then you need to come up with a way to get it. You need a plan to get you from point A to point B, and possibly even a back-up plan.
3) You should get something valuable out of all mistakes and failures. No one is perfect and life will often throw you curve balls. By learning how to go with the flow, laughing at yourself, and picking yourself up off of the floor and trying again, you will have a great deal more contentment with your life.
4) You must be willing to take risks and do things that you have never done before. Sometimes the most rewarding experiences come from the times where we had no idea what we were in for.
5) You must learn to live in the present. If you learn to live in the here and now, enjoying each unique moment and the journey that these moments are taking you on, then your final destination will be that much more rewarding. You will be aware of how you got there. So often we go through life on auto-pilot, not really aware of anything that we are doing, and whole days can go by like this. Take the time to live your life.
If you know who you are and know where you are going, then life will feel more like a journey and less like a burden. Contentment comes from being in control of where you are now and where you are headed.
1) You must check in with yourself periodically. Who am I and what do I want to be getting out of life? Am I living my ideal life? If not, what steps can you take to get on track?
2) You must be willing to put in the effort. No one owes you anything, and opportunity never came and knocked on any one's door. When you know what you want, then you need to come up with a way to get it. You need a plan to get you from point A to point B, and possibly even a back-up plan.
3) You should get something valuable out of all mistakes and failures. No one is perfect and life will often throw you curve balls. By learning how to go with the flow, laughing at yourself, and picking yourself up off of the floor and trying again, you will have a great deal more contentment with your life.
4) You must be willing to take risks and do things that you have never done before. Sometimes the most rewarding experiences come from the times where we had no idea what we were in for.
5) You must learn to live in the present. If you learn to live in the here and now, enjoying each unique moment and the journey that these moments are taking you on, then your final destination will be that much more rewarding. You will be aware of how you got there. So often we go through life on auto-pilot, not really aware of anything that we are doing, and whole days can go by like this. Take the time to live your life.
If you know who you are and know where you are going, then life will feel more like a journey and less like a burden. Contentment comes from being in control of where you are now and where you are headed.
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