Easy fix.

From Linda.  Thank you very, very much.

PLEASE PASS THIS INFO TO ANYONE YOU KNOW WHO TAKES PICTURES WITH THEIR CELL OR SMART PHONE AND POSTS THEM ONLINE.

I want everyone of you to watch this and then be sure to share with all your family and friends.  Its REALLY important info, about what your posting things on your cell phones can do TO YOU!!!   Too much technology out there these days so beware...........

PLEASE TAKE THE TIME TO WATCH THIS VIDEO, AND TAKE THE RECOMMENDED PRECAUTIONS.

If you have children or grandchildren you NEED to watch this.  I had no idea this could happen from taking pictures on the blackberry or cell phone. It's scary.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N2vARzvWxwY

Good to know.

SAN FRANCISCO — Security experts said Monday that millions of people were at increased risk of e-mail swindles after a giant security breach at an online marketing firm.

The breach exposed the e-mail addresses of customers of some of the nation’s largest companies, including JPMorgan Chase, Citibank, Target andWalgreens. In some cases customer names were also stolen.

Read entire NYTimes article.

Thanks, once again, Barb.

Start your engines

Costco scores again!  At under $11 each, these adorable little lambs unroll to become a child's blanket and pillow.  Could anything be cuter?  Bunnies and dogs available as well.  Stock was low in the Redwood City store Saturday.  

Safe and secure

     

Before leaving last week's topic, a reminder about the Safety 1st Tot-Lok Locks that we installed on our cabinets two decades ago. 

They're The Best. 

Unless you misplace the magnet as we often have. Order extra openers.

Miracle news

I love happy endings like this, don't you?  Dog rescued after quake going back to its owner.  I want to see THAT reunion!

From Barb: This is a real tear jerker.  What a story....just the rescue itself, but then for the putting the two together????!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  Just so wonderful.  It's hard to even imagine the joy and comfort to BOTH of them.  Wow.  Miracles DO happen.

Well worth a read

New York Times Personal Tech page:

Cellphone Radiation May Alter Your Brain. Let’s Talk.

"In a culture where people cradle their cellphones next to their heads with the same constancy and affection that toddlers hold their security blankets, it was unsettling last month when a study published in The Journal of the American Medical Association indicated that doing so could alter brain activity..."  

Read the rest of the article.

Post in prominent place

A Different View of Fasting

Fast from judging others;

feast on God dwelling in them.

Fast from suspicion; feast on truth.

Fast from emphasis on differences;

feast on the unity of all life.

Fast from thoughts that weaken;

feast on thoughts that inspire.

Fast from gossiping; feast on purposeful silence.

Fast from thoughts of illness; feast on the healing power of God.

Fast from discontent; feast on gratitude.

Fast from anger; feast on patience.

Fast from pessimism; feast on optimism.

Fast from worry; feast on divine order.

Fast from complaining; feast on appreciation.

Fast from unrelenting pressures; feast on the comfort of prayer.

Fast from bitterness; feast on forgiveness.

Fast from hostility; feast on non-resistance.

Fast from self-concern; feast on compassion for others.

Fast from discouragement; feast on trust.

Fast from personal anxiety; feast on eternal truth.

Fast from facts that depress; feast on verities that uplift.

Fast from pettiness; feast on largeness of mind.

Fast from ugliness; feast on the beauty of life.

Fast from all sin; feast on virtuous living.

Source unknown

Brilliant, Gates.  Thank you so much for sending our way.

Truly touching

Thank you, Robyn.  

The cutest thing ever?

What a wild, wonderful world!

From my friend, Nicola, in Hawaii:

Hi everyone.

Dr. Masaru Emoto, the premiere Japanese scientist and water researcher, is asking all citizens of Mother Earth to focus with intent to transform the dangerous Nuclear problem that is continuing to develop in Japan. High amounts of radiation has contaminated large amounts of water at one of the power plants and is starting to get into the environment.

Dr. Emoto knows the power and ability of water to heal, transmute, transfigure, and purify toxins as demonstrated in his bestselling series of books "The Hidden Messages in Water".

So on Thursday, March 31st, at Noon, in each time zone, he is requesting that as many of us as possible to perform the following simple prayer and invocation 3 times with our hands in the prayer position:

"The water at Fukushima Nuclear Plant, we are sorry to make you suffer.  Please forgive us.  We thank you and we love you."

The power of this simple prayer formula has been demonstrated many times, in particular by the Hawaiian psychologist and kahuna Dr. Ihaleakala Hew Len, who used this prayer to successfully heal all the mental patients in the entire ward at the Hawaiian State Mental Hospital during his time working there, as described in the book "Zero Limits" by Joe Vitale.  Dr.  Hew Len never counseled or spoke to any of the patients.  He just studied the patients files and went within himself and did the prayer process.

I hope you can join us.  Spread the word.

I'm in.  See the follow up, please.

Update on Thursday, March 31, 2011 at 6:51AM by Lois

From another friend in Oregon:

I am available tomorrow at noon and will participate in this global prayer circle.  I have tracked Dr. Emoto's research for years and deeply believe in his perspectives and recommendations.  Beyond that, the prayer is so loving, it will be a joy to let it emanate from my heart.

Celebrating Life.

A Flash Mob Dance Video was organized by Kim MacGregor. Kim created this as a tribute to her best friend Erika Heller who died of colon cancer last year. Each and every telephone conversation they ever had, Erika would end by telling Kim "You're an amazing woman"!  Well, Kim wanted to do something special to honour her friend and this is the result.

Kim's goal is to reach 1,000,000 viewers - please help her reach her goal and pass this on to all the amazing women in your life.

Thank you, Gates.

Exactly.

From Anne:  "I just read a review of a book about organizing, decluttering, etc.  I wouldn't actually recommend the book, but you have to love the quote from it ......

 '...... throw out all your ordinary clothes and wear only your most fun and fabulous things.'" 

Yes!  Imagine how much fun/how freeing this could be!  Not to mention how many could conceivably benefit from our closet clearing.  Love it.

Thanks, Anne!

OK, I was thinking JAPAN, right?  And while mine was not an exhaustive search, here are initial findings.  If anyone has better/more up-to-date info., please let me know.

"You have a good heart but this is not a good idea. Much of Japan is still functioning, and it is much cheaper to obtain food and clothing locally--it doesn't have to be cleaned, sorted, and shipped via air into a badly clogged airport.

One of the reasons money donations are so critical is that relief organizations, including the Red Cross, use them to to prop up surviving local businesses. When the Red Cross purchases local goods, it keeps the businesses going, which means the employees can hold onto their jobs. Employees get paid, retain their dignity, and have money to purchase supplies that they want--thereby putting more money back into the community.  Shipped-in supplies short-circuit that entire recovery loop."

Very important information - please read.

The correct  way to weigh yourself:

I can't believe I  was doing it wrong all these  years.  

WE  MUST SPREAD THE  WORD!

Thanks again and again, Barb!



Send brain my way, pls.

Bet you can’t figure out how this beautiful piece of artwork was created.

Give up?  Three thousand six hundred four cups of coffee fashioned this giant Mona Lisa in Sydney, Australia.  Each cup was filled with different amounts of milk to create the various tones and shades. UNBELIEVABLE.  I'll trade brain with whoever thought this one up.

Thanks, Susie, for sharing this with us!



Update on Sunday, March 27, 2011 at 7:02AM by Lois

I think too much time spent hangin' out at starbucks...................!  B.

Love her thinking.

Must read.

Newly Homeless in Japan Re-Establish Order Amid Chaos

Do you think there's hope for our country? I'd love to think so. 

Thanks, Barb, for the NYTimes link to this inspiring article.



Copp info heads up

The American Red Cross has said that the article posted yesterday does not apply to buildings in the U.S.  See following link. http://www.bpaonline.org/Emergencyprep/arc-on-doug-copp.ht

Collected. Calm.

Today’s blog is about finding your PHP/Personal Happy Place/no matter how horrific the external circumstances.  Have I lost it?  Coming close but not quite over the edge.  The sun is out, tulips are blooming.  Life is pretty fine.

What feeds my PHP?  Finally assembling an Earthquake Preparedness Kit for our family.  I’m thinking that the better prepared we are, the less likely it is to happen.  Totally illogical, yes, but I’m flying with it. We may be living in a tent but it’s going to be a colorful campsite.  Know that you are welcome to join us should the occasion arise.   

As you no doubt know, Amazon Prime Members benefit from free two-day deliveries with a nominal surcharge should you want items, as I did, overnight.  My kit includes hot pink/turquoise duct tape, a rainbow assortment of bungee cords, screaming green parachute rope.  And, obviously, other critical ingredients from the  l o n g  list I posted a few days ago.   

Color aside, I never would have thought about purchasing a solar charger for my iPad and phone until I was stocking our bins.  Useful on an everyday basis since my phone doesn’t hold a charge as long as I’d like.

Several have asked for my top picks.  Here are a few.

OK, time to go to bed.  Sleep well, friends.

Update on Thursday, March 24, 2011 at 9:05AM by Lois

How to remember to recycle perishables?  Assuming food has not yet expired, many at FP simutaneously donated and refilled their Earthquake bins each Thanksgiving. 

Life. Gotta love it.

The sun was shining after another winter storm.  Chain saws whined as workers eliminated a limb the size of most trees. 

One foot in front of the other, Lois. 

If I watched the news 24/7 and focused on What’s Going Wrong in the World, I’d be looking for the nearest bridge.  Life on a global scale can take you down.

It’s the middle of the night.   I turn on my light to write.  The dogs are burrowing under the covers.  Life is good, completely normal, in my tiny part of the world.  Normal, that is, if you sleep with dogs. 

Tsunamis, earthquakes, potential earthquakes, floods, fires, wild weather.   I can become so overwhelmed “living” other people’s lives that I fail to live my own fully.  I have to remember that life has never been predictable.  Much as I’d like it to have been.  And, as always, what seems disastrous at the moment turns out to have tremendous benefits.  Am I minimizing what those in Japan are experiencing?   My heart breaks.  The answer is an unequivocal NO.  But what can we learn from their experience?  Community, stability, support.

I have a very large Six Side (Enneagram-wise) so my shoes are lined up by my bed facing out.  I’m creating earthquake boxes, having been complacent since ‘89.  My Filipino friends are filling their bins with rice.  Given the choices, I’m filling mine with Happy Options:  two-tone turquoise tarps, Flamingo Pink duct tape.  Life is crazy.  And wonderful.   And often overwhelming.  All we know can evaporate in an instant.  It’s the reality of living here with and on Mother Earth.

I’m repairing moth-eaten sweaters and scarves.  Bringing beauty, I think, to that which is typically tossed.  And in some small way honoring the Indian women who worked tirelessly to “tie” together two saris with very tiny stitches that have become my scarves-as-skirts wardrobe. 

I’ve never been/nor do I ever want to be/an “End of the Aisle” Promotional Person benefiting from tragedy/scary thinking or events.  I’m simply sharing links to sources I’ve found helpful in tomorrow’s blog.   FYI, FP does benefit.  To the tune of $7 last month.  WOW.  Know that $$$ is not a motivator/never has been.  Simply sharing ideas that could work for you.  Costco and other local sources provide the same supplies.

We have the distinct privilege of being here for a while.  Let’s not forget that our day-to-day encounters with life are significant.  Like my full-diaper-detecting furry friend, Buddy, we need to find and bring joy to our world.  Let’s live our lives fully without fear of the future.  This is, I think, our challenge.  I’m up for a challenge.  I bet you are, too.  xoxox

Pass it on.

Update on Wednesday, March 23, 2011 at 7:45AM by Lois

Beautifully written and so true.  If there is one thing I have learned this year it is that we have no way of knowing when our time here is over.  We "put one foot in front of the other" as you said and do our best--make the most of our lives--live our lives with purpose, spend time and special moments with those we love and do what we can for those that have not been as blessed as we.

Now try to get to sleep at a decent hour tonight.  No more 3 AM posts or was that 1 AM there?  At any rate, your emergency supplies are ready if ever needed.  Now rest!



Be smart/start.

I'm not normally an alarmist.  But I do think we'd all be wise to revisit the Earthquake Preparedness Kit concept, don't you?  

The last time I looked, the food had expired and worms had hatched from various packaged goods.  Protein rich perhaps but otherwise not a happy addition to earthquake aftermath eating.  Most everything else has gravitated to other less logical locations.  I'm back to consolidating supplies.

Here's a Very Comprehensive List.  Hopefully more than anyone would need.  Still I think it's a good starting point for being smart. 

We're rapidly learning that we can control only so much in our world.  Gathering earthquake items is one thing we can all do.  

I cannot imagine what those in Japan are dealing with.  It's unfathomable.   

Update on Saturday, March 19, 2011 at 4:40PM by Lois

We have time.  Our friends in Japan did not.  Let's learn from their experience.  Their horrific experience.