THE THINGS WE TAKE FOR GRANTED: THE WONDERMENT OF LIFE

Re-printed from Daily OM

Most of us begin our days with a continuous list of things we need to do to keep our lives running smoothly, but we rarely take time to note all the things we don’t need to do. For example, we don’t need to figure out how to breathe. We don’t need to find a way to make sure the earth continues to revolve around the sun. We don’t need to concentrate to ensure that our heart beats and our cells regenerate. All of these things, and many more, take care of themselves without our having to think or do anything at all. This is the miracle of life on earth.

Beyond the wonder of the natural world, we have the wonder of human-created conditions such as indoor plumbing, electricity, automobiles, airplanes, telephones, and the Internet to name a few. Someone living just a hundred years ago would be overwhelmed by the ease with which we can communicate with people all over the world. Every day, millions of us jump on airplanes and fly to distant locations in a matter of hours. If we have access to a computer, we can read obscure information about any subject, free of charge, at any time of the day or night. And yet, it’s only when one of these miraculous inventions fails that we notice it at all.

When you wake up tomorrow, take time to notice how many things are running smoothly, how many small miracles compose your day. If you wear glasses or contact lenses, as you put them on, take a moment to appreciate the fact that without them, you would be unable to see. Your life would be entirely different if someone hadn’t invented corrective lenses. As you take in your world, you might feel a moment of gratitude for the basic fact that, once again, the sun has risen to illuminate the abundant earth, and the earth’s gravitational field holds you and all that you hold dear in a tight, life-affirming embrace.

SOMETHING I'M GRATEFUL FOR

For the last five months, I have been working with an extraordinary group of about a dozen people. These folks make up the Core Planning Committee for Brooklyn Blogfest 2009.

What I appreciate about members of this group is that they show up to meetings, work hard in their sub-committees, treat each other with respect, and crack great jokes when we all get together.

Friendships have been built during this process that I'm sure will last for a long time.

Big bonus: there are no divas, drama queens, or ego-maniacs. Everyone pitches in, does the work, and contributes freely with great ideas and big-time follow-through.

It feels hopeful to be part of a group that works well.

To learn about inviduals in this group, click HERE.

WHO ARE THE PLAYERS IN THE BROOKLYN BLOGFEST PANEL DISCUSSION?

ABOUT THE "WHY WE BLOG" PANEL

ABOUT THE PANEL

The centerpiece of this year's Blogfest program is a panel discussion titled, Why We Blog: Voices, Visions and the Realities of the Blogosphere. Moderated by Megan Donis, a producer and reporter with Brooklyn Independent TV, the panel will feature five top-drawer bloggers who will talk about their reasons for blogging; how they define success in the world of blogging; how they balance their work and personal lives with blogging; and the future of blogging.
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MEET THE MODERATOR

Megan Donis is a TV producer, reporter and editor with 10 years experience working in documentary, news and culture programming. Megan is currently the Senior Producer of News Programs at Brooklyn Independent TV (www.briconline.org), an adjunct journalism professor at Long Island University and a freelance video producer and editor. Megan can be found at www.megandonis.com

MEET THE PANELISTS

Tracy Collins's recent work has focused on architecture, urban landscapes and street photography generally, and more specifically on the Atlantic Yards project in his neighborhood of Prospect Heights, Brooklyn. For the past 4 years Tracy has been chronicling the changes to the area within and around the footprint of the project. His photographs can be seen at www.3c.com and his blog is www.freakinblog.com.

Anne Pope is the Founder and Co-Director of SustainableFlatbush.org, a neighborhood-based grassroots organization and blog promoting environmental sustainability in Flatbush, Brooklyn. Anne is grateful to the Brooklyn blogging community and Brooklyn Blogfest for providing her with friendships, collaborations, and journalistic inspiration.

With partner and pre-schooler in tow, Bed-Stuy Banana has walked every street in her neighborhood of Bedford-Stuyvesant, photographing everything from memorial murals to old signs. In her writing, she describes her struggles with gentrification, financial hardship, and the joys of being both a parent and a part of her new community.

Melissa Lopata created Hip Slope Mama, a community blog based out of Park Slope, Brooklyn. As a former Corporate Marketing VP who became a stay-at-home mom 1 1/2 ago when her son was born, Melissa reached out to the growing community of moms looking for advice and inspiration. Now with over 20 regular mom contributors, she is thrilled that HSM has taken on a life of it's own as a unique community site for all the interesting, vibrant and creative women who live in the area. She uses the site as a gateway to set up dynamic local "Mothership Events" that enlighten and empower women.

Jake Dobkin is the co-founder and publisher of Gothamist, the network of city-specific blogs. He was born in Park Slope and lives in Brooklyn Heights. He attended PS321, JHS51, Stuyvesant, Columbia, and NYU, where he got an MBA. He has never been away from New York City for more than ten weeks in the last thirty-two years. Surprisingly, his mortal enemy is... milk. You can learn more about Jake at jakedobkin.com.

For more information about the Brooklyn Blogfest, go to www.brooklynblogfest.com

HOW YOU BEGIN AND END YOUR DAYS

I'm learning more and more how important it is to be intentional about how I start and end my days. It's kind of like how crucial it is to begin and end any work of art in a thoughtful way, in a fashion that sets the tone for what is to come or leaves the audience with a particular feeling.

I've learned that my day goes best when I get out of the house right away. Moving my body, being in the fresh air, hearing sounds of cars, people and birds is what gets my mind going. It helps me set my priorities for the day in a way where I don't have to over-think things. My body tells me what needs to happen over the next 16 or so hours.

The best way for me to end the day is to be with people I like/care about/find interesting and then to come home and hang out with Mike. Sometimes we talk about highlights or funny stories from the day. Sometimes, after we chat, I read some paragraphs or look at pictures from an inspiring book.

I think it boils down to feeling connected - to myself, to nature, or to other people. When I have that connection, everything else falls into place.

How do you like to start or end your day?

WRITEOUS CHICKS NEWSLETTER: IT'S GOOD TO BE BAD

Reprinted from Writeous Chicks Newsletter April 2009 written by Jennifer Garam

WRITEOUS CHICKS NEWSLETTER - April 2009
It's Good To Be Bad

"Would you rather be whole or good?" -Carl Jung

I'm bossy and controlling. Not many people know this about me because, well, those are not considered to be good or nice qualities to have, so I learned to hide them. And then, over time, the hiding becomes so second nature that it is no longer a decision, and in this way, you could easily forget and lose huge chunks of yourself.

However. My family knows the truth because they were there from the beginning, when evidence of my bossy and controlling tendencies was more easily apparent.

When I was 5-years-old, I went on vacation with my extended family to La Jolla, California. At 5-years-old, I was at the height of my sassiness, my self-confidence, my belief in myself, I hadn't yet learned to doubt or criticize myself, and it never would have occurred to me to hide a feeling or thought. This was back when I wanted to be a Solid Gold Dancer, and I spent many hours on said vacation in our hotel room practicing for my future career, alternately launching myself into leaps through the air and dramatically throwing myself on the floor in a heap, while belting out the Solid Gold theme song, "Solid Gold - Filling up my life with music, Solid Gold - Putting rhythm in my soul!", imagining myself in a skin-tight gold lamé bodysuit accented perhaps, by just the right leg warmers. (I can now see where my current love of dance TV shows like So You Think You Can Dance took root.)

One day on vacation, my family was all going out together, and we stood in the hotel hallway waiting for the elevator. When the elevator arrived we all piled in - me, my Mom, Dad, my 2-year-old sister, grandfather, and grandmother. And then. My sister pressed the elevator button. And I wanted to press the elevator button, didn't everybody know this?! "OK, everybody out," I demanded, "I want to press the button!" So I made everyone get out of the elevator, and then get back in, so that I could press the button. Everybody actually complied, although, in all fairness, I had my 5-year-old-little-kid-adorable factor going for me then, and I don't think I could get away with that if I tried it, say, today. And it was probably easier to comply with my wishes than deal with what would happen if they didn't, which would be, I would get upset, and also, mad.

But then I learned, through life, that I was supposed to be a good girl, and that playing nice with everyone else in the sandbox was more important than expressing my own feelings and thoughts. That there were certain qualities and feelings I had that were wrong or bad, and therefore, I had to hide, deny, repress, suppress, and hate those qualities, thoughts, and feelings, and cover them up with an impenetrable layer of niceness. (Incidentally, I didn't used to play nice in the sandbox - I took over the sandbox. I was the boss of the sandbox.)

This developed into a tendency to go to the opposite extreme and people-please at the expense of my own needs, feelings, and wishes. And it is easy to see how battering my bossy and controlling tendencies into submission by behaving in the complete opposite way has caused a lot of pain. Because the greatest betrayal of all is the one against yourself.

Society allows us to show such a teeny tiny sliver of who we really and truly are, and we learn to suppress the rest of ourselves, the parts that don't fit neatly into that sliver. Here is a random sampling of things that society (and many of its individual members) deem unacceptable:

- Anger
- Sadness
- Jealousy
- Anxiety
- Depression
- Bossiness/Controlling-ness
- Prolonged any-of-the-above. If you have to feel it, could you just get it over with and move on already?!?!

Now raise your hand if you've ever felt any of the above. It is so crazy that we're not supposed to, and when we do, we feel like we are all alone and no one else feels this way, when, at some point or another, we all do! What's unacceptable is that we don't feel right in expressing all of who we are, no matter how messy or uncomfortable or not nice it may be!

Suppressing things that we think are unacceptable about ourselves does not work, and only leads to painfully diminishing ourselves. When you identify these parts of yourself that you've felt the need to suppress in the past, instead of hating them you can accept, embrace, and integrate them. They often provide a gift that will contribute to making you healed and whole. For instance, instead of being ashamed of my bossiness, I can use it on my own behalf in situations where I need to stand up for myself. My controlling-ness contributes to my ability to efficiently organize and carry out plans. And anger, which is a big issue for so many people who fear it and avoid confrontation at all costs, is a tremendous gift. When I feel angry, it is a huge flashing light that something is wrong or some boundary is being violated, and it shows me where I need to express myself, speak up, and/or make a change.

I don't have to be The Boss of the World or The Nicest Person in the Universe; I can work towards accepting all parts of myself, embracing the gifts that each and every piece brings, and integrating them in a balanced way. This process is totally messy and uncomfortable, and is filled with mistakes and missteps, swinging way too far in one direction only to over-compensate by going to the opposite extreme. The important thing is to take it on with compassion for yourself every step of the way, and trust that practice, even when taken in baby steps, will make it easier over time, and bring progress and healing. It is a worthwhile endeavor to embark on, because being whole feels a lot better, and is infinitely more rewarding and fulfilling, than being good.

Examine the parts of yourself that you've been conditioned to believe are bad. The parts you don't like, don't want to look at, and really don't want anyone else to see. Know that they are not bad, and you no longer have to believe that they are. Practice shedding a little love on those vulnerable bits and pieces as you coax them out into the light. And grow the sliver of yourself that you allow yourself to show to the world fuller and deeper, so that you have room to stretch and breathe, move around, dance and play, take leaps and falls, and be. Fully. Truly. Wholly. You.

OK, now everybody get out of the elevator. I want to press the button!


"But what does it mean, anyway, if what it takes to be loved is the denial of one's own story? And what is a bad girl, really, but a girl who doesn't always do the things other people tell her she's supposed to do? Sometimes, it's true, a bad girl may be someone who cheats or steals or hurts people or lies. And sometimes a bad girl is just someone who tells the truth."

- "A Good Girl Goes Bad" by Joyce Maynard, from "Bad Girls: 26 Writers Misbehave" edited by Ellen Sussman


Wishing you lots of love & compassion on your journey!

Jen xoxo

Writeous Chicks is passionately committed to empowering women to tap into and celebrate their own unique voices through writing, while promoting self-acceptance and self-trust; and to building and sustaining a creative community of women in which to encourage and support themselves & each other.

Writeous Chicks. Express Your Self.

Copyright © 2009 by Jennifer Garam

To read more about Writeous Chicks visit http://writeouschicks.wordpress.com/

RELATIONSHIPS CONNECT US, NOT TECHNOLOGY

Have you ever been at a meeting with someone who leaves their IPhone on? And every time they get an email or a phone call or a Tweet, a little bell on their phone goes "Ding" and then that person's eyes are down on that IPhone trying to see who contacted them and what the message is. Holy smokes, is that annoying. Plus, ya know, communication is something like 90% nonverbal so that person whose eyes are glued to their IPhones is totally missing all the nonverbal cues they need to be registering and responding to and, well, the quality of the meeting goes to pot 'cuz they can't focus on the PEOPLE around them.

Me to people who leave their IPhones on at meetings: STOP IT!! Be with the PEOPLE who are at your meeting!

Margaret Wheatley, one of the great thinkers on the topic of leadership and community has this to say about technology:

Knowledge management is not about technology. [...] [W]e modern managers are dazzled by technical solutions. If people aren't communicating, we just created another Web site or online conference. [...] But these technical solutions don't solve a thing if other aspects of the culture - the human dimension - are ignored.

[...] [I]n the absence of face-to-face meetings, people have a hard time sharing knowledge. It's important to remember that technology does not connect us. Our relationships connect us. We share knowledge because we are in relationship, not because we have broader bandwidth available.

-- From Margaret Wheatley's Finding Our Way: Leadership for an Uncertain Time

SUCCESS STORY OF AN (INITIALLY) RELUCTANT BLOGGER

Pete Solomita, Baker-in-Chief and Founder of Little Buddy Biscuit Company, and a client of mine, is truly an inspiration to me.

Since we started working together, he has taken the leap into the world of blogging (and has quickly attracted a following of readers and fans); set up a LinkedIn account, written a great business plan, and signed a lease to open up his very own bakery!

Here's his latest blog entry about the big news:

Really Big Little Buddy Biscuit Company News!

After a 15 month search, Little Buddy Biscuit Company has finally signed a lease for a commercial space that was formerly Regina Bakery on 635 5th Avenue at 18th Street in Brooklyn. We will be opening a retail bakery in a few months (stay tuned for more details on the opening date). We will continue to make our popular cookies, brownies and cupcakes and will also bake muffins, scones, various coffee and layer cakes and other desserts. In addition we will offer coffee and tea drinks, other beverages and premium ice cream. We will post our menu on the Little Buddy Biscuit Company website before the grand opening.

I have so many people to thank for helping us get to this point and hopefully will be able to do so in the coming months. I would like to give a few shout outs in this blog. First and foremost of course is my wife Jill who has done so much to help me get through the ups and downs of finding a space. Despite having her own stressful career and being the excellent mother of our son, she somehow found time to do a myriad of important things to help the expansion of our business.

Ulas Neftci from the Lawrence N. Field Center for Entrepreneurship at Baruch College helped me throughout the process of setting up a budget, marketing ideas, advice regarding looking for a commercial space and more. Anyone looking to start a small business should take advantage of the expert help available at Baruch.

Murat Uyaroglu and Ori Zigindere owners of Prospect Perk on Sterling and Flatbush in Brooklyn and wholesale customers of LBBC have been really supportive and full of good advice. Hearing their words of encouragement on my twice weekly deliveries to their establishment kept me going.

I also appreciate the advice that Emily Isaacs of Trois Pommes gave me in regards to setting up my bakery. When I first approached Emily she didn't know me and yet was free with advice, which not everyone in business would be so generous with.

And final shout outs to my web designer and all around adviser Tony Limuaco and to my social networking consultant Eleanor Traubman and finally to Rocco Rella for his contracting expertise. As I continue to prepare for the opening of the store you will hear more details about the process and the people that help me. Stay tuned!!!

BROOKLYN BLOGFEST IS RIGHT AROUND THE CORNER (SO PRE-REGISTER NOW!)

May 7th, 2009 at 7 pm

powerHouse Arena in Dumbo

Find out why Brooklyn is the bloggiest place in America at the Fourth Annual Brooklyn Blogfest on May 7, 2009. Doors open at 7 pm at powerHouse Arena in DUMBO.

Brooklyn Blogfest 2009 is an exciting, idea-filled event for bloggers, blog readers and the blog curious, where you will find: Insight. Advice. Inspiration. Resources.

Here's your chance to meet your favorite bloggers; learn about blogging; be inspired to blog.

"Where better to take the pulse of this rapidly growing community of writers, thinkers and observers than the Brooklyn Blogfest?" ~ Sewell Chan, The New York Times

This year's event is dedicated to Robert Guskind (1958 - 2009), the founder and editor of Gowanus Lounge.

WHY WE BLOG is the theme of a panel discussion moderated by BCAT's Megan Donis and featuring Bed-Stuy Banana, Jake Dobkin of Gothamist, Anne Pope of Sustainable Flatbush, Tracy Collins of Freakin' Blog and Melissa Lopata of Hip Slope Mama.

This year Brooklyn Blogfest introduces BLOGS-OF-A-FEATHER, special small-group sessions led by notable bloggers in a wide variety of blog categories, where you can connect with other bloggers who share your interests.

Also on the agenda: A VIDEO TRIBUTE TO BROOKLYN'S PHOTO BLOGGERS by Adiran Kinloch of Brit in Brooklyn, WHY WE BLOG VIDEO SPOTS by Blue Barn Pictures, THE ROBERT GUSKIND VIDEO, and the annual SHOUT-OUT: a chance to share your blog with the world!

Whether you live to blog, blog to live or are just curious about this thing called blogging, you won't want to miss Brooklyn Blogfest 2009: the best Blogfest yet.

To find out about sponsorship opportunities for Brooklyn Blogfest, contact Louise Crawford (e:louise_crawford@yahoo.com, c: 718-288-4290).

Fourth Annual Brooklyn Blogfest

May 7, 2009
Doors open at 7 p.m.
powerHouse Arena
37 Main Street, Brooklyn, NY 11201
Admission: $10 ($5 for students and seniors)

To Pre-register: Go to Brooklynblogfest.com

Brooklyn Blogfest After-Party
Galapagos Art Space
16 Main Street, Brooklyn, NY 11201
(right across the street from powerHouse Arena)

Cash bar and refreshments

Brooklyn Blogfest 2009

Insight. Advice. Inspiration. Resources.

WHY I LIKED THE ROYAL TREATMENT

A bunch of years back, I was in a networking group with Stacey Joiner. I recently came across her name on the internet and found out that Stacey is a licensed massage therapist and yoga instructor living in South Florida with her husband.

Stacey was kind enough to send me her new book, enticingly entitled You Deserve The Royal Treatment: A Woman's Guide to Living Royally. Stacey writes in a down-to-earth, folksy fashion, like a friend talking to a friend. For that reason, I found it easy to relate to her life experiences and to her gentle yet straight-forward advice.

Stacey asks us women to evaluate some of the the core values and beliefs that hold us back from prioritizing self-care. In addition, she shares that self-care is not an all or nothing proposition. It can include mindful breathing, journaling, meditation, or time spent in nature.

Here are some of her pearls of wisdom:

"Even though modern women are taking on the world, they still don't feel worthy enough to include their own self-care on their list or priorities."

"Treating yourself royally is not about spending exorbitant amounts of money and thrusting yourself into a dungeon of debt. Nor is it about ignoring the needs of others. It IS about expressing your worthiness. "

"Believe it or not, taking care of you actually makes it easier for you to care for others."

"When you neglect your own needs, you essentially invite unwanted guests into your castle, party crashers like illness, anger, frustration and disappointment. And when they knock on your door, they negatively impact you and everyone you hold dear. Don't allow them in."

I think Stacey's book would make a great gift for all the women in your life who could use a friendly reminder of the importance of self-care.

To check out Stacey's book and life's work, go to: http://www.staceyjoiner.com/

MINI KITCHEN UPGRADE

Sometimes small changes can make a big difference.

We buy a lot of dried food in the bulk section of the food co-op. It all goes into clear plastic bags, then gets weighed and priced by the check-out dude or lady.

When we get home, we dump the bags in a pile on a kitchen cabinet shelf. Sometimes bags get pushed way in the back, and then down the road I discover a bag of cranberries from 200 BC. Yikes!

I finally went out and got these air-tight jars that show off all our dried goods and keep them super-fresh. I love opening up the cabinet door and seeing all our goodies displayed like prized museum treasures!

I also got a denim laundry bag at Winn Discount to haul my clothes up to the laundry ladies on Smith Street. I'm totin' my threads a- la- 70s style.

MY FRIEND LOUISE IS OFFERING A BLOGGING CLASS: APRIL 29, MAY 6 &13

Louise Crawford , recently on the cover of New York Family, has been an important blogging mentor of mine. When I was terrified to put myself out there in the world as a blogger, she provided encouragement and support.

I hope you will join me in this class about blogging. It's a chance to to learn from one of the best.

HOW TO BLOG with Louise Crawford

Wednesdays: 7 - 8:30 p.m.

April 29, May 6, May 13

$45 for workshop

Learn how to blog with Only the Blog Knows Brooklyn, a hands-on workshop for anyone interested in becoming a blogger and those who already blog but need to know more.

Learn from a pro the do's and don't of blogging.

Session 1: Introduction to Blogging. This session will cover the basics and history of blogging.

Session 2: Hands-on Blogging. A hands-on, make-your-own blog session.

Session 3: Next Steps. A gentle review and critique the blogs created and discuss next steps

PRE-REGISTRATION REQUIRED. To register call call 718-832-0018 or email info@bax.org.

BROOKLYN BUSINESS SUMMIT ON MAY 27TH AT POLYTECHNIC INSTITUTE

I just got this note from Alliah Sheta, Director of Philanthropic and Sustainable Events for Ecoventions:

We’re hosting the Brooklyn Business Summit (www.BrooklynBusinessSummit.com) on May 27^th at Polytechnic Institute and thought it might be of interest to your readers. This business to business summit will be geared towards small businesses and start-up companies.

This summit will focus on Minority & Women Business Enterprise, Marketing, Financial Literacy, and Sustainability. It will feature an expo, Triple Bottom Line business plan competition, one-on-one consulting, keynote luncheon, and breakout session focused on Attainable-Measurable-Sustainable ™ business practices. It’s Free to attend with pre-registration.

WRITING IS THE BASIS OF ALL WEALTH

"Writing is the basis of all wealth."
-- Jeffrey Gitomer

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Do you need help writing or editing documents?

Would you like a writing veteran to help you generate ideas for your blog or social media profiles?
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To talk about your writing needs & goals, call: 917-499-7395

SIMPLE, REASSURING PLEASURES

* Big stacks of clean, folded laundry

* Snoopy thank-you cards

* The sound of me and my sweetie munching popcorn while we watch t.v.

* Freshly-scrubbed windowsills (I finally did it - seems like good Feng Shui to have them free and clear of debris and clutter)

* Daffodils planted in my neighbors' backyards (I can see them in their yellow glory from my window)

* Pile of library books sitting on my desk, and knowing that I can renew them with a click of my computer mouse

* A clear folder filled with stamps and return address labels

* Being greeted by neighborhood storekeepers

* Complete silence

* The pink and white blooms of the magnolia tree outside our second-story window

* A newly-purged filing system (obsolete stuff is gone and there's room for new projects and opportunities to come my way)

* Reading on the airplane, sans the distractions of everyday life

* Putting things I no longer need, use or want on my front stoop knowing they will soon be in the hands of someone who wants or needs them more than I do

* The movie Moonstruck (takes place in Brooklyn Heights, not far from me)

Seth Godin on Intentionally Building Communities

Intentionally building communities (More hallway!)

From Seth Godin's Blog

If you think about the tribes you belong to, most of them are side effects of experiences you had doing something slightly unrelated. We have friends from that summer we worked together on the fishing boat, or a network of people from college or sunday school. There's also that circle of people we connected with on a killer project at work a few years go. These tribes of people are arguably a more valuable creation than the fish that were caught or the physics that were learned, right?

And yet, most of the time we don't see the obvious opportunity--if you intentionally create the connections, you'll get more of them, and better ones too. If the hallway conversations at a convention are worth more than the sessions, why not have more and better hallways?
What would happen if trade shows devoted half a day to 'projects'? Put multi-disciplinary teams of ten people together and give them three hours to create something of value. The esprit de corps created by a bunch of strangers under time pressure in a public competition would last for decades. The community is worth more than the project.

The challenge is to look at the rituals and events in your organization (freshman orientation or weekly status meetings or online forums) and figure out how amplify the real reason they exist even if it means abandoning some of the time-honored tasks you've embraced. Going around in a circle saying everyone's name doesn't build a tribe. But neither does sitting through a boring powerpoint. Working side by side doing something that matters under adverse conditions... that's what we need.

COOL MENU

Building is a 6-month-old coffee and food spot on Bond Street right near Atlantic.

Their coffee menu us printed on an old fashioned time card.

The co-owner, Phil, let me take one home so I could post it on this here blog.

I'm always happy to find a local cafe that isn't Starbucks.

PS - Phil and his buddy Morgan run Hecho, Inc. - a restaurant/bar design and construction company offering services which include general contracting, construction management, interior and mechanical design, and mill-work fabrication. Hechoinc.com

I'LL TAKE THE BREAKFAST CLUB OVER FACEBOOK ANY DAY

I start a lot of my days getting b-fast at a locally-owned bagel joint. It's a way to start things off on a good note. No, make that a great note.

I pick up a few of the cruddy free newspapers (for my horoscope), get the egg sammy and a peppermint tea, sit at the table at the end of the service counter. That's where I hang out with three or four of my peeps from the hood. There's "A," a retired teacher who knows everyone; "K," a nanny, "I," "K"'s one-year-old charge, and sometimes "F" - a freelance contractor and onetime skateboard champ.

We may seem the unlikely group, but we've taken the time to get to know each other bit by bit. Sometimes we talk about neighborhood news; sometimes we talk about politics (today is was about how we've gone from slavery to feudalism to capitalism); sometimes we talk about our own lives. We make sure that one-year-old "I" is always looked after and entertained.

If someone is tired and grouchy, they don't say much at all and the others will pick up the slack.

We are all friends with "C," who works the cash register and sometimes joins in our conversations. Today, she looked at all of us sitting there and said "It's like you are The Breakfast Club."

Yeah, I guess that's what we are. I plan on showing up 'till forever.

Be A Fool to Spark Your Creativity (by Cynthia Morris)

No one wants to be or look like a fool, but doing so may very well stimulate your creativity. Celebrate April Fool's Day and be a fool for the sake of your Muse with the following foolish ways.

1. Make a drawing of your inner critic and name it.

2. Visit or start a laughter club.

3. Watch out for 'shoulds' and don't act according to 'should'.

4. Forget what you are 'supposed to' be doing and do what you want.

5. Relish cluelessness, embrace the open space of the unknown.

6. Make a mistake and don't just tolerate it, but celebrate it.

7. Create something in a new medium for fun.

8. Relax and enjoy your favorite activity with a goofy smile even.

9. Find happiness by not caring what people think about you or what you are doing.

10. Sing or laugh really loud in public with gusto.


Try any or all of these foolish activities in your art or your life. For even more zesty ways to be foolish, visit the Journey Juju blog.

Copyright 2009 Cynthia Morris. Cynthia coaches creative people to confidence and completion and inspires life as a creative adventure. Visit http://www.originalimpulse.com to get an infusion of inspiration for your art, writing and life.