Social Media Song

The social media chain: I found this YouTube video embedded on a blog I got off a tweet. Watch it. It's funny.... and so true!

A Green Reference Guide

Inspired by Eco Yogini's post on bamboo products and environmental ratings, I went on a hunt for information on eco-certifications and the like.

In my search for green standards, I ran into an article that mentioned GoodGuide. The site is still in its beta phase, but it's already a handy link. Definitely worth sharing. There are lists of products without HFCS (I swear, that stuff is impossible to avoid), feature articles, and rated products.

The rating system is nice. Everything is rated on three criteria:

• Health Performance
• Environmental Performance
• Social Performance

And then there's an explanation for the why the product got the rating that it got. I like the transparency of the system.

If you know of other similar green rating systems, I'd be interested to check them out.

What's your favorite poem?

When I started my twitter account I had the very cool experience of getting followed by a famous author I actually read: Paulo Coelho. Of course, I followed back--though I don't think he's following me anymore. Not shocking considering the thousands of people he tweets with. That or I bored him. LOL!

Anyway, he tweets all sorts of interesting little bits that are a nice pick-me-up during the day. And he tweets when he posts to his blog.

I'm a bit behind on my social media fun, but about 5 days go he published a post inviting people to share their favorite poem. I'm just now going to sit amongst my beloved books and browse my poetry collection. In the mean time, I'll share with you guys a poem I very much enjoyed that was posted on Paulo Coelho's blog by another reader. Hopefully you'll get inspired and share your favorite poem, too.

The Invitation

by Oriah

It doesn’t interest me what you do for a living.
I want to know what you ache for
and if you dare to dream of meeting your heart’s longing.

It doesn’t interest me how old you are.
I want to know if you will risk looking like a fool
for love
for your dream
for the adventure of being alive.

It doesn’t interest me what planets are squaring your moon…
I want to know if you have touched the centre of your own sorrow
if you have been opened by life’s betrayals
or have become shrivelled and closed
from fear of further pain.

I want to know if you can sit with pain
mine or your own
without moving to hide it
or fade it
or fix it.

I want to know if you can be with joy
mine or your own
if you can dance with wildness
and let the ecstasy fill you to the tips of your fingers and toes
without cautioning us
to be careful
to be realistic
to remember the limitations of being human.

It doesn’t interest me if the story you are telling me
is true.
I want to know if you can
disappoint another
to be true to yourself.
If you can bear the accusation of betrayal
and not betray your own soul.
If you can be faithless
and therefore trustworthy.

I want to know if you can see Beauty
even when it is not pretty
every day.
And if you can source your own life
from its presence.

I want to know if you can live with failure
yours and mine
and still stand at the edge of the lake
and shout to the silver of the full moon,
“Yes.”

It doesn’t interest me
to know where you live or how much money you have.
I want to know if you can get up
after the night of grief and despair
weary and bruised to the bone
and do what needs to be done
to feed the children.

It doesn’t interest me who you know
or how you came to be here.
I want to know if you will stand
in the centre of the fire
with me
and not shrink back.

It doesn’t interest me where or what or with whom
you have studied.
I want to know what sustains you
from the inside
when all else falls away.

I want to know if you can be alone
with yourself
and if you truly like the company you keep
in the empty moments.

The Great Raid

Do you have friends that are so consistent they practically plan spontaneity? So, my über predictable friend in a rare moment of out-of-the-box behavior wasn't answering her phone some nights ago. No big deal, right?

Well, I was nearby and she's a night owl, so I drove by. Her car was in front of the house, and all lights were on. Naturally, I walked up and rang the doorbell. Nothing. I walked around the back of the house and called out to her, considering she might be in the back yard. Nothing.

So--to keep the retelling shorter than the 1 hour raid--I called for backup. I rang she-with-the-back-up key. As I waited for her, I continued the calling, knocking, and doorbell ringing. Nothing. My partner in crime showed up. We broke in. My partner headed for the kitchen. I ran to the bedroom. My sleeping friend jumped out of her skin.

Oops. Yeah, I inadvertently scared the absolute hell out of my sleeping friend.

Far from being angry, she was completely amused at our mission. We apologized profusely--especially me, since I was the mastermind behind the charade. I'm just glad she has a good sense of humor.

And we've decided we're not subtle and she's the heaviest sleeper we know.

pic by Veeyawn