Notable Quote: On Making a Difference

It is the workers at the organizations I volunteer for who confirm for me that environmentalism is not about trying to use less but about trying to be more. It is not about sucking our tummies in but pushing our hearts out. Environmentalism is not about the environment. It is about people. It is about a vision for a better life - for people.

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But at the same time, I'm not sure that reducing individual resource use is the entire way forward. At root, most religious philosophies say do less harm, yes, but they also say do more good. There is a limit to how much less harm I can do. But my potential for good is unlimited. All of our potentials for good are unlimited.

The question becomes not whether we use resources but what we use them for. Do we use them to improve lives? Or do we waste them? My life itself is a resource. How shall I use it?

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I went into this project wondering if I could make a difference. But the question isn't whether or not I make a difference. The question is whether I want to be the type of person who tries. We can all make a difference. We all have the responsibility to make a difference. You might think the responsibility part is oppressive, but I began this experiment, in part, as an expression of my victimhood and powerlessness. To understand that I can make a difference is so freeing.

The job is simply this: to live our lives as though we make a difference. Because, paradoxically, when we imagine we don't make a difference, that is when we do the most harm. The special interests have money on their side, but we have the people.

Colin Beavan, No Impact Man

Mother's Day the Zazzle Way!

It's less than a month until Mother's Day, dear readers, and I've added some designs to my Zazzle store that will help you make Mom smile! Here's a sample ~

My new Mother's Day collection has t-shirts, mugs, tote bags, aprons, cards and more - all decorated with these great Crown images to show the world that Mom's the Queen! You can change the message and otherwise personalize most of these items, to make a truly special and one-of-a-kind gift. And, because they're all practical items, you know Mom will use them every day - and get a lovely reminder of how special you've told her she is.

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There's still time to order these made-to-order items, and receive them in time for Mom's special day - but don't wait too long, or shipping deadlines will pass you by. The helpful folks at Zazzle have made a handy table of shipping deadlines for the big day, and you can find it by clicking the link in the top right corner of any Zazzle site page :)

Notable Quote: Connecting with the Ancestors

When we talk about connecting with spirits of the ancestors, many people assume that we refer to our own direct ancestors. But this is difficult. Many of us don't even know our grandfathers. There is such a thing as the pool of ancestors - it doesn't have to be a person or spirit we know or can imagine. It can be the tree out there. It can be the cows out there, your dog or cat at home. Your great-great-grandfather who died many generations ago may have joined a great ensemble of spirits to the point where you can't even identify him. He's probably the creek running down over there.

So what is important is to realize that any person who has lost the physical body is a potential ancestor. And by simply expressing your longing for the support of ancestors, you will attract a lot of spirits.

When you start a ritual where you need their support, if you address them simply as spirits or ancestors, maybe even say, "the ones who I know, and the ones who I don't know, and the ones who know me more than I don't know myself," you are tapping into the ancestral power out there, and you are not beginning with confusion as to whether, in the pool of ancestors, there is a spirit out there that you can identify with.

Sobonfu Some, The Spirit of Intimacy

CHANGES (to my blog) and NEW (product line!)

Yes, dear readers, there have been some changes to my blog: It has a new title; the CycleCasts are no more; and I'm only posting when I have something new to say - no more exhausting myself to post 3 times a week, come rain or shine. Because why? Because you, dear readers (and other audiences I have for my blog) told me not too! Remember last month, when I was offering my CycleCasts on an exclusive-subscription basis for the modest sum of $10 per year? Well, I advertised this deal like there was no tomorrow, and guess what - not one person bought a subscription  But I can understand your point of view - why buy the cow when the milk is free, right? And that's fine, but since it doesn't help me pay my bills, I'll move on and continue ALL of my many other offerings to customers wherever they may be. I'm pursuing the new ventures that keep popping up in my brain on a daily basis! Like these:

Design Delirium ~ My latest inspiration has brought forth a new line of digital paper packs at my Etsy shop! All you scrapbookers, collage artist, decoupageurs, and other creative types: feast your eyes on these glorious colors and patterns. The picture at right is a composite of my pattern-play, to whet your appetite, but you really need to go to my shop and see them in all their glory in larger view! The four-sheet paper packs are just $8.55 with free shipping (they're emailed in PDF format), and you can also order single sheets from any pack for just $2.65.

The WAND: Energy for April 2010

April Fool's Day is past and gone, dear readers, and last month's Jester energy has retired from the stage - but not before he passed his wand to this month's fairy godmother. Yes, the prevailing energy for this month of April 2010 is The Wand ~

The Wand represents our challenge of manifesting - using the empowered will to bring invisible thought into form.