Novel Novel Novel.

I'm going to finish my novel this month.  It won't be a brand new one like Nanowhatever is supposed to be, but I'm going to push myself harder than ever before.  Look for it when I'm done?

A letter.

Dear Fall,

Welcome back to the northwest.  We've missed you with you sudden blustering storms, cold temperatures and the constant threat of a downpour.  We don't like seeing the sun or feeling the warmth of its light washing over us.  We don't like wearing shorts. 

Also thanks for getting kids back into school and out of our parks, streets and hair.  We just don't like seeing them play and grow.  They should have their noses in books not high kicking on soccer fields.

And thanks again for reminding us to get some blankets and sweaters out of our closets.  It's nice to be stuck in the house like a hobbit.

Why is this Recession so strange?

I finally realized what it is about this latest recession that is so different from any of the other ones I've lived through, people have lost confidence.  Actually, people are hopeless, but they need not be.

There is a lack of stability that has entered our lives that no amount of pundits talking about end of recessions and recovery can replace.  For many of us for the first time we go to work unsure if that job will be with us the next day.  We haven't changed or lost our skills or anything like that.  We are just unsure if those jobs will be there for us a week from now or a year from now.

I talk to people everyday who are quaking in fear about their future.  People are not sure what will happen to them and that is making them seize up, doubt themselves and become so unconfident that they cannot stand up for themselves.  They've lost that sense that things will be alright.  It's unknown.

It used to be that if you worked hard, paid your dues and did your duty you would have a successful career.  It was always an unsaid given that good workers would be safe and secure.  Unfortunately, someone left the back door open.

The difference is of course that no amount of hard work is a guarantee of continued employment.  Companies even when making record profits are still laying people off or not hiring.  The overall mindset of business has changed to a solely bottom line driven miasma that is always out for that extra half of a percent of profit on the backs of workers.  People can sense that they are no longer the heart of a company, but finance is.

So we work and we fret.  We think about the problems and what if's more than the have's and how it is.  We are looking over our shoulder, reading too much into emails and worried. We're afraid, but we need to buck up.

Confidence has nothing to do with circumstance.  It is an emotion that is separate from rational thought and reality.  We have to have it first before a cause.  The cause is ourselves and we cannot fail.  We can get through this latest challenge if we start to demand that companies start putting more thought into more than the bottom line.

Companies that put the need of their employees as part of the formula of their business's success not only make profits, but they secure a loyal workforce.  That workforce is the company in the flesh and if they stay true the company will prosper.

We want so much to be connected to something that is bigger than ourselves and if we can get that idea back into the heads of CEOs and managers, maybe they will see the benefit of having a workforce that is proud to say where they work, proud to clock in, and proud to wear that name badge.

My Follow Friday List of Terminally Tubular Tweeps.

This list is a mixture of just good people and progressives who broaden my mind every day.  No particular order; I love em all!

1.  @mamawantsthis     Cracks me up.
2.  @donutsmama          Mommy blogger extraordinaire.
3.  @nwprogressive       NW based progressive think tank.
4.  @richardkoett           Interesting guy who wants to learn.
5.  @amirightesounow  Left wing liberal progressive, so great.
6.  @robertasaithat        Progressive
7.  @babe_chilla           Mommy blogger
8.  @womanvote           Feminist Progressive
9.  @rustilyn                 One of the funniest and nicest "mommy bloggers" around.
10.  @muhajabah          Progressive, dedicated lefty
11. @brookejarvis         Progressive, writer affiliated with Yes! Magazine.
12.  @kelleysbreakrm   Lifts my day with her cracked sense of humor.  Hilarious!

Stream of Consciousness Post

One of the things that makes me stop in the middle of whatever I'm doing and just pause, think and tear up is when I see unjust activity.  I've been following so many things around the world and locally and it is getting to the point when I need to take a step.

We need to reconnect with each other and stop this silliness that we are separate.  We can't continue to walk past the obviously hurting people, but we need to be more empathetic to those who are hiding their pain.  Everyone you know has a problem that they are keeping to themselves.  Everybody hurts.


Let's be more understanding and patient with each other.  Let's give each other a break now and then.  And let's see ourselves for who we really are.

A sketch I did for July 23 Progressive Congress Event

Social Security? Hell no you can't!

I'm so angry right now that the president is considering putting Social Security and Medicare on the table in order to make a "deal" with the most radicalized republicans I have ever had the misfortune to see.  We cannot afford to give up our responsibilities just to get a few crumbs from the "we-voted-four times-to-raise-the-debt-ceiling-under-Bush-with-no-problems-at-all-but-if-a-Democratic president-wants-it-we-say-hell-no-you-can't!"

I've been following the tweets of Speaker Boehner and his laughable reasons behind the job crises can be summed up as follows:  Tax cuts, tax cuts, give my buddies more money!  It is quite sad that the actual facts of tax cuts to wealthy millionaires and billionaires does nothing notable to job growth.  Didn't we learn this lesson with the so called "Trickle Down" economics of the Reagan era?  It's like we all have brain damage.

The president of course is dealing with the hand dealt him.  We failed to make good budget decisions when we had the political clout of 2008.  We could have repealed the Bush tax cuts and solved the problem then.  Instead we diddled around feeling happy that we had elected a good person as president.  The president can't do everything on his own. 


The problem is that we got used to a cowboy shooting from the hip in the oval office.  As much as many of us disagreed with his policies, decisions and motivation, we did get use to seeing that six shooter twirling about.  When you keep stepping on thorns eventually your feet get calloused. 

The president actually leads like a president is supposed to.  He cajoles and influences with a manner that changes law and gives us longer security.  But sometimes I wish he used a club.

Thanks Michelle Bachmann

Michelle Bachmann is probably the best thing to happen to US politics in the last two years.  She is a viable presidential candidate and she is polling neck and neck with the very well known Mitt Romney.  It's too bad she's a nutjob.

I'm happy that she is running because in the last two presidential elections we have had women be serious candidates.  The "glass ceiling" has been broken and the fact that Bachmann is being taken seirously without the fact that she is a woman being THE REASON is progress.

Too many people are attacking her based on her gender just like what happened with Palin and that is ridiculous.  She has so many areas that are open to attack just from her political views that attacking her based on her gender is not only wrong, but quite stupid.  She is not a victim and attacking her gender is a sure way to make her into one.  Stick to her laughable political philosophy, religious mania and absolute disregard for facts instead.  There's plenty to see here.

American politics has finally grown up in one aspect.  We are starting to see the edge of sexism being blunted and for that I want to say thank you to Michelle Bachmann.  Now let's see what happens when people actually find out about her beliefs and world view.

23rd and Jackson

It's been a while since I've been to 23rd and Jackson.  It's one of my favorite intersections in Seattle and this morning it is living up to my imagination.

I'm at the Starbucks and the place is packed with a rainbow of people.  There are older men with golf caps and khakis talking about the derivatives market.  There is a guy with a blue tooth trying to hustle another man clad in basketball shorts and flip flops into a get rich quick pyramid scheme.  Two men are reading newspapers and reminiscing about the good ol days and a large group of mostly women have pushed together tables to have a large scale confab mostly talking about grandkids and family.

This area is in the 98118 zip code one of the most diverse in the United States. with more languages spoken in this radius than in any other in the country.  It's vibrant, loud, fast and touched with tradition that makes you feel welcomed even amongst strangers.  I'm calm.

Later today I'm working, well technically I'm early to work right now.  We're doing another action against Chase Bank and as per usual I'm an hour early just to make sure I'm there on time.  BPT is a curse I can only purify when it is work related.  My personal life?  BPT rules the day.  

Jazz is playing in the store but it is barely audible over the babble brook of human conversation.  One guy to my left is talking about hands only CPR to his friend and is demonstrating to the table that is obviously not breathing.  Uh oh, the guy who is trying to sell a pyramid scheme is working it.  The victim has a pen in his hand and is scratching away his money.  So sad.

Questions from Pam Stucky

Pam Stucky is amazing.  She is an accomplished author, blogger and all around fun person.  Check out her stuff at pamstucky.com or follow her on twitter @pamstucky.  She asked me to answer some questions and I think ya'll will enjoy my answers.  Okay bye. :P


Q: Three adjectives that describe you?
  funny, compassionate, curious
Q: What are your passions in life?
> reading, writing, people, gaming, making a difference
>
> Q: You do work with Sustainable Seattle [correct name?]. What is that, what is your involvement with it, and why?
> I am a board member of Sustainable Seattle because I believe that the only way to move forward is to focus on the needs and desires of people.  Sustainability has an automatic connection to environmental concerns, but it misses the most important part of meeting our needs, meeting the needs of the people.  We are an organization dedicated to collaboration, stewardship and social justice.

>
> Q: Part of the Sustainable Seattle project is the Seattle Area Happiness Initiative. How is did happiness get bundled up with a sustainable city project?

Happiness is not just a feeling; it is a sense of wellness and true contentment.  We as a society have never really looked at contentment and wellness as real goals.  We are too concerned with material goods and "keeping up with the Jones's."  This is why we have such a huge disparity between the rich and the poor.  The rich think that if they got their next million they would finally be happy, but with that next million they are still unsatisfied.

Only through looking at happiness as a collection of different domains: psychological well being, material well being, community vitality, cultural vitality, health, governance, environmental quality, time balance and education can we get to a place that leads to real contentment.

  Q: What are the elements of a happy life? What makes you happy? What can other people do to make themselves happier?
> A happy life is one that is first and foremost about building and maintaining healthy relationships.  Relationship with others, our environment and the most neglected relationship, with ourselves. 

What makes me happy is helping others live up to their potential.  What makes me happy is knowing that I have been a part of something that helped others.  What makes me happy is dancing, music, spending time doing nothing with people I care about. 

First step in becoming happy is to choose to make your own happiness a priority in your life.  Happiness is not a feeling, but a state of being.
>
> Q: You are also an author. Tell us about your works, past, present, future. What are you working on most right now?
> I wouldn't call myself an author since I do not follow the number one rule of every writer I've ever read, "Not a day without writing."  I am working on mostly a novel about a group of high school teens in a very atypical neighborhood based on my hometown.  It is a story about what real friendship is all about and an experiment in writing without editing.

I'm only editing grammar, spelling and consistency.  I'm letting the chapters and story flow in whatever shape it wants.  I have chapters that involve gaming, love, homelessness, education reform, evil PTA's and a founding of a town.  It is really fun and I'm writing it to prove to myself that a novel is something I can complete.  I'm actually really enjoying the process and the characters are so much fun to write. 

I'm at the point where I cannot just throw them around anymore.  I have to sometimes stop myself from making a character say something that would not come out of their mouth, or if it does I write the reactions from the others to reflect the strangeness of what they just said.  I'm having fun and that really is what writing is all about.
>
> Q: Where do you get the inspiration for your stories?
My stories come from my reading, my life, and my imagination.  I've been making up stories and characters all my life.  My brother and I used to play "choose your own adventure" stories when I was younger.  He was the game master and their were no rules and most of the time I ended up getting squished by Grimlok the Transformer T-Rex.
>
>
> Q: What one book do you wish you'd written, and why?
The one book that I wish I had written would most likely be "The Outsiders."  The book is timeless because it deals with the fundamental question of humanity "What am I worth?  Where do I belong?  What really matters?"  I must have read that book 30 times.
>
>
> Q: Describe a favorite childhood memory.
> One day I was climbing a tree and I must have been 20 feet up easily.  My mother was upset because I hadn't cleaned my room before I went outside.  She was at the bottom of the tree yelling at me to come down right now.  "Right now?" I said.  "Now!" she said.  So I jumped out of the tree.

Q: Music you're listening to these days?
  Coheed and Cambria, Lapfox, Muse, Lady Gaga

 Q: Hobbies, secret talents, goals, dreams?
Hobbies: gaming, reading, cooking,drawing, dancing and singing. 
Secret talent?  I can understand where almost anyone is coming from.  I can see their intent even when I disagree with their actions. 

Goal: To live a life worth living. 

Dream:  To live a life day to day that is meaningful, fun and never looking forward, but being fully present at this very moment.

Flow Issue 12

                                                         

Flow is based on Sustainable Seattle's Happiness Initiative and is inspired by Vinyasa, which means one leading to another. Flow gives small, but important steps that can improve one's contentment amongst all nine domains of happiness. Flow is a weekly jolt of inspiration, pragmatism and a collection of local events that will raise our happiness. Psychological Well Being Issue 12 On our last week talking about psychological wellbeing I would be remiss to mention one of the most important techniques for being more mentally balance: making time for your hobbies. Firstly, any hobby that does not cause harm to another creature or you is a good hobby.  There are not hobbies that are “wastes of time” if the hobby brings pleasure while at the same time not causing harm. Hobbies are what we would do if all other responsibilities were taken away.  We should focus on these activities as we were meant to enjoy ourselves while we are here.  I can already hear the “Yeah, I would love to have a hobby, but who has the time?” argument.  The answer really is simple; your time is yours to use as you see fit.  You choose how to live and you need to make enjoyment a priority.  Enjoyment is a valuable use of time. Make the choice to enjoy a hobby.  There are many ways to carve out time, but I say that you should put the relationships with your loved ones and yourself as priority one.  Do not let your job be the first thought in the morning or your compelling thoughts in your head as you toss and turn unable to go to sleep.  Yes, jobs are important, very much so, but your time is your most precious object you have.  Choose to value it. Hobbies allow you to relax or work out some tension by channeling it through a non-life threatening activity.  It is okay if the hobby or hobbies frustrate you or make you put in effort because they can be great ways to expel the built up tension from other areas of your life. Funny thing about tension and stress they don’t stay in separate places in our head.  Stress from work, home or family life all goes to the same place.  The sad thing is that this stress, anger, sadness or tension comes out in unrelated ways unless we can figure out a way to release it.  One of the best ways to relive that stress and tension is to do activities that you enjoy. Every hobby is worthwhile as long as it has two main components: it does not cause harm to self or others, and it is active.  Watching TV is not a hobby, but starting a TV discussion groups with friends or colleagues can be.  Find something or some things that are active, engaging and fun.  Try something different, but start small.  And always remember that what is a hobby for another person is true to them.  Hobbies tell us about a person and what that person values.  Never judge a person’s hobby as long as it follows the two rules mentioned earlier.  We choose our hobbies and one of the worst ways to insult someone is to insult their hobby.  It is hurtful and is one of the easiest ways to kill a relationship. Nathan Jackson Recommendations This week’s website recommendation is: www.ted.com This week’s book recommendation is: World Changing: a user’s guide for the 21st Century Sign up for the weekly newsletter. Support Flow		Flow Suggests: 5/29-6/4 2011 Six Solutions for a Sustainable Business Education, Community, Environmental http://sustainableseattle.org/calendar/shared Thursday, June 2, 2011 8:30am Companies that prosper in the future will be more sustainable, with new products and processes. This seminar was designed to provide an answer to three questions. “What does being sustainable mean?” “Why does it matter?” “What must we do to become sustainable?” Parental Teleseminar in Non Violent Communication Education, Psychological Well Being, Community, http://lifefocusedcommunication.com Friday, June  3, 2011 12:30-2pm This teleseminar will explore how understanding the role that emotions play in how we connect to each other can help us to have loving, enduring, and meaningful relationships with others, and most especially with our children.

Flow Issue 11

                                                           

Flow is based on Sustainable Seattle's Happiness Initiative and is inspired by Vinyasa, which means one leading to another. Flow gives small, but important steps that can improve one's contentment amongst all nine domains of happiness. Flow is a weekly jolt of inspiration, pragmatism and a collection of local events that will raise our happiness. This month of May we are taking a look at some simple actions we can take to get our mental health on a better path.  First before we get started, this month is not meant to replace professional psychological advice nor should it be used as a substitute for seeking assistance for serious problems such as depression.  Psychological Well Being Issue 11 One of the most important aspects of happiness is squeezing every bit out of our experiences why we are here.  We have the opportunity to be awake and conscience and this week we are going to talk about two key concepts: living in the moment and looking at every event as useful. Living in the moment is easier said than done for a large portion of people.  Thoughts and concerns about the future, safety and security sometimes become so overpowering that we forget to exist in the moment we are experiencing. One of the ways to experience the here and now ironically is to think about what has come before.  Nostalgia is a good teacher here that allows you to look back on experiences in a pleasant frame of mind.  It’s important to think on pleasant times, but it is even more important to realize that right now in this moment you are building memories, building your life with everyone around you. The pleasant feeling of Nostalgia can be translated to the life you are living right now by noticing similarities to that nostalgic event or circumstance.  You can notice how your home faces a lake just like the apartment you used to live in back in the day.  You can notice that you still have the friends you had from your college days.  You can notice a song. The other way that Nostalgia can help us live in the present moment is by examining the contrasts that exist from where we are now and where we were.  Focus on the details that have improved.  Brush away the pleasant dust that Nostalgia can sometimes blow in our eyes and remember the challenges.  You have overcome those challenges.  You’ve beaten them.  Right now those complications have ceased. Taking advantage of every experience takes practice.  It takes discipline to see a flat tire as a positive experience, but it can be if you choose it to be. I was driving with my friend home from college.  We were cruising along I-90 at seventy miles per hour when I heard a loud popping snap like a M-80 and the wheel pulled hard to my right.  I pulled over and with cars, motorcycles and semis racing by within a foot or two of me I verified what I already knew; I had a flat tire. I thought that a flat on the side of a highway where there was little shoulder and a drop off about three feet away from the passenger’s side of the car was not a pleasant situation.  I knew that my friend was going to be worried and upset so I decided to make it a game. I jumped back into the seat and with a smile on my face that I did not feel at all in my heart I starting bragging about how good I am at changing tires.  I talked about how I must have been in Nascar in my past life because I was gonna go for the world record today. I jumped out and fixed that tire as fast as I could when I wasn’t jumping behind my car to avoid the semis who did not change lanes and nearly knocked me over from the wind.  My car shook and shook as I spun my tire iron faster than I ever had before.  I ended up changing the tire in three minutes. We drove to the nearest town and pulled into a tire store the entire time I was talking about how fantastic I was and how “exhilarating” it was to have to risk my life to change a tire and after about fifteen minutes of boasting, she finally cracked a smile and then a laugh. We ended up coloring and telling each other stories about the children’s coloring books that the tire store had set up for waiting customers.  The other workers and customers joined us and were laughing and hollering as we got more and more ridiculous.  It honestly is one of my favorite days I’ve ever had on this planet and it happened because I chose to see the flat tire as an opportunity.  Yes I had to fake it at first, but the funny thing about faking it is that if you do it long enough it becomes real. Nathan Jackson Recommendations This week’s website recommendation is: Chaotic Ripple This week’s book recommendation is: Walk On: the spiritual journey of U2 Sign up for the weekly newsletter. Support Flow		Flow Suggests: 5/22-5/28 2011 The Conscious Partnering Conference Education, Community, Psychological Well Being http://my.compassionateactionnetwork.com/ Monday, May 23, 2011 Online Event True partnerships are essential to success. CD Forum: An Evening of Spoken Word Education, Psychological Well Being, Community, Cultural www.townhallseattle.org Tuesday, May 24, 2011 7-9pm Central District poets and thinkers Raising Environmentally Conscious Kids Environmental, Community Thursday, May 26, 2011 5:30pm www.sustainableseattle.org This dynamic and interactive workshop is designed to empower parents, teachers, and guardians to help children embrace their connection to the Earth and make choices that are compassionate, sustainable, and respectful.