Category Archives: Event

Discovering Spring in Unknown Places

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“Billions and billions of planets and stars are out there, and behind them all are God.” ~ Billy Graham

I’ve been on the lookout, believe me, I have! I am finding few fulfilling signs of spring. From my point of view here in Steamboat Springs, Colorado, signs of the vernal equinox are hard to come by – a paltry showing of spring crocuses emerging out from under the snow, no baby bunnies scurrying in the grass, not even a bloomin’ forsythia in sight. 

But wait! Spring is more than about the sweet aroma of the lilacs, spying speckled robin eggs in a nest and witnessing the unfolding of the fiddlehead ferns. Spring is about rejuvenation and renewal of spirit, too – seeing the world again through the eyes of a child. Stepping out of old routines and starting anew. It means keeping the faith and trusting that a new season will arrive even in times of doubt. 

Have you ever heard the expression when in doubt do the next right thing? Well, that is exactly what I intend to do. I am not going to sit here and wallow in self-pity that spring has not arrived at my back door. I am going to collect myself and move in a positive direction and go find something inspiring. 

Who knows where or what it will be. But, I’ll promise you one thing. Today, I start looking! I am going to discover something  new.  I am going to keep the faith and believe that whatever “it” is will bring new energy and vitality to my life. And the next day after that – who knows!  Maybe I will find a big, huge sandbox to go play in. 

Will let you know exactly how and when a reawakening arrives in my heart and my head. Tune in tomorrow for an update on life as I see it. Stay in touch.

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Patiently Waiting for Bowker

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“All human wisdom is summed up in two words – wait and hope.”  ~ Alexandre Dumas Pere 

The April 15th income tax filing deadline has come and gone. But last Friday, income tax was not at all what I was pre-occupied with. Rather it was publishing statistics that were at the top of my list. I am wondering – is the non-traditional publishing industry still continuing to grow? 

Typically, after the first quarter of the New Year, www.Bowker.com, the storehouse for all bibliographical information, releases its report on the health of the publishing industry for the previous year. On Friday I researched on-line to see whether the 2010 statistics had yet been made available. I can not find them. But I am hopeful that when the truth is known, it will be as positive as for the year 2010 as it was the year before. 

When the 2009 reports were made known in April 2010, I was astonished to learn that despite our country’s economic downturn, the independent publishing industry (non-traditional publishing) had grown at an aggressive rate – up 181% between 2008 and 2009. However, traditional publishing remained flat. 

I am going to cut www.Bowker.com some slack and be patient. After all, just because they released their figures last year by the 15th of April, does not mean I should expect it again this year. It is not even the end of the first quarter yet! 

Perhaps I am justified in thinking optimistically. In business, bad news usually arrives on Fridays. I am going to take the fact that statistics were not published on Friday the 15th, as a positive sign.  What is that terribly over-used expression? “Good things come to those who wait?”

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Sometimes No is Okay!

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The more information kids have about things that are going on in the world, the better decisions they will make.”~ Deborah Ellis 

This week, April 10 -16, is the annual celebration of the young child. The purpose of the week is to bring the public’s attention on the needs of young children and it is sponsored by the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC). 

There is a book that focuses on educating very young children about the appropriateness of sometimes saying NO! Author Julie K. Federico, a counselor with her Master’s degree from Indiana University, shares her book with young children to educate them that “Some Parts are NOT for Sharing.” Julie believes that the early years are the best years for teaching kids about  personal boundaries to prevent incidents of child abuse. 

This book’s message, endorsed by Kathryn Wells, MD a pediatrician with Denver Health,  is conveyed through age-appropriate language and through illustrations of colorful fish.  “Some Parts are NOT for Sharing” has been made available in Spanish too!  

Parents, April is also National Child Abuse Prevention Month. Practice pro-active parenting by sharing this book with your young child. For more information on this book, geared for children under 4 years of age, please visit www.juliefederico.com. The author is so dedicated to the urgency of educating about child abuse, she shares the book on-line.

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Steeped in Easter Tradition

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“Easter tells us that life is to be interpreted not simply in terms of things but in terms of ideals.” ~ Charles M. Crowe

It is only two weeks away from Easter. The other day I walked into the drugstore, and just seeing Easter candy lined up on shelves, set off a fulfilling range of nostalgic Easter memories harkening back to my childhood days of growing up in the mid-Atlantic part of the United States. 

Before Easter, on Palm Sunday weekend, my grandmother would take my two brothers, my twin sister and me shopping for new Easter outfits to wear to church. She would deck us out from head to toe with new spring dress-up clothes for Easter morn – including Easter bonnet, of course. Back in the 1950’s and 1960’s, people really “dressed” when they went to church! Easter was the one Sunday of the year that my grandparents would come to our church, the church my Dad built, and not their own. http://www.mpchurch.org/. They wanted to see their four grandkids all decked out in our new Easter finest. After church, we all went back to our house for a big Easter mid-day dinner (in the dining room- of course.) The icing of the day was the Easter bunny cake that my Mom made for us, each year, covered with fresh grated coconut for it’s fur. We always looked forward to a repeat the next Easter. Traditions reigned in our house! 

There is one more fulfilling memory that is ever so clear in my mind of my childhood days of going to church and Sunday School. Having grown up in Maryland, where dogwood trees were plentiful, we learned about the symbolism of the dogwood tree, and it’s blossoms likeness to Jesus dying on the cross. The four petals of the flower form and represent the cross, the brown stains at the tips represent the blood of Jesus and at the center of the blossom, there is a likeness of the thorny crown. I wonder if this story of Easter is still taught to children in Sunday Schools in this day? 

These memories evoke some of the most beautiful times in my childhood. If there was one wish that I could make for our world today, it would be a return to the wholesome basics of life –strong families, deep faith, truly meaningful friendships and businesses built by families together,  lasting generations deep. 

There is a store, steeped in family tradition, where all kinds of things golden and olden can be re-discovered. Track down nostalgic merchandise from your treasure trove of beautiful memories from your childhood, by visiting www.vermontcountrystore.com.

A Film Sweet-Treat for Kids

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“…all the choicest of things and all that your heart holds dear Have A Fun- Filled Day.”  

Looking for a fulfilling way to treat your kids to something different during this Easter season? According to box office sales, families in communities everywhere are going to the Hop! Ticket sales of this animated “Easter theme” film brought in $37.5 million over the weekend of April 4th alone. This fun, family-friendly movie will be playing in theatres all month long. By all indicators, Hop, has done better in sales than the film industry expected and it’s widespread marketing is paying off. 

Other newly-released films worthy of considering taking in this weekend: 

  • Hanna
  • Soul Surfer
  • Arthur
  • Your Highness 

For more information the ratings of these films and whether these films will be playing at a theatre near you, please visit: www.reelzchannel.com. You can also see film trailers on Reelz Channel, the TV station about movies! 

Rebuild your family life after a long work week.  Have a fulfilling weekend with your children , at the movies – see  Hop!  Easter entertainment for kids and parents.

A Gift in Perpetuity from Japan

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“The government of the United States is a device for maintaining in perpetuity the rights of the people….”  ~ Calvin Coolidge 

It is April 4th, and as I sat inside yesterday, in the middle of yet another snowstorm, I wondered where springtime went. On Friday, it was a balmy 66 degrees in the mountain town of Steamboat Springs, Colorado. www.steamboat.com.  The warmth felt delicious and I was finally able to shed some of my winter wraps for lighter-weight garb. The reprieve from winter, albeit much appreciated, lasted only one day. I am sure Old Man Winter returned again yesterday, to make sure he was fulfilling his duty of giving us plenty of snow. 

Right now, in other parts of the country, springtime has really arrived, no fooling around. There are no more lapses of lingering snowstorms and cold temperatures to contend with in many places. 

In Washington, DC the Cherry Blossom Festival is underway. Thanks to the kindness of the Japanese people, the United States Capitol is at its most beautiful, every spring. Millions of people, from all over the globe, visit our National Museums http://bit.ly/hdiuth  and our governmental center, in April, and  witness the magnificent blooming of the “sakura.” http://www.nationalcherryblossomfestival.org/. 

The trees, planted in 1912, grow more beautiful with each passing year. The blossoms provide a wealth of natural beauty to our country, and are a gift from Japan in perpetuity. We anticipate, with optimism, that  friendship with Japan, will be everlasting, too. 

Our prayers remain with the Japanese people during this difficult time. We harbor hope that our country’s financial assistance and our shipments of gifts in kind will provide a glimmer of brightness and light to the Japanese people in their time of need.

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Sixty Cents Saves a Life

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“In all things it is better to hope than to despair.” ~ Johann Wolfgang von Goethe 

Many of us have a laundry list of things we would like to eliminate that would make our lives so much more fulfilling. I have a  list and I’ll  bet you do, too! I would like to get rid of: 

  • Pesky flies that annoy me, to no end, on hot summer nights
  • The availability of parallel parking only, in some cities
  • Driving in snowstorms when the weatherman has reported clear skies.
  • Weeds that invade gardens
  • Mail that has been returned, to sender, for no apparent reason. 

As I began to put together this list of what I want to eliminate from my life, I realized they are only pet peeves. It became apparent that I have so very little to complain about. These things are all so petty and inconsequential! How fortunate that I am not in a place where what needs to be eliminated from my life isn’t the difference between life and death. 

Until now, there have been millions of families, in certain countries around the world, who have lost mothers and newborn children because they didn’t have the 60 cents to vaccinate against maternal and neo-natal tetanus. This is about to change! UNICEF www.unicefusa.org and Kiwanis International http://bit.ly/clHB17 have joined forces to eradicate tetanus all around the world, by providing resources for vaccinating against this fatal disease. Approximately one hundred twenty-nine million mothers and their unborn babies are currently unprotected against this disease. 

As a member of Kiwanis, I could not be more proud of this global project that will truly “change the world, one child and one community at a time.” For more information on Project Eliminate and what you can do to help, please visit www.kiwanis.org. If you are interested in becoming a member of this wonderful service organization, contact a town or city near you where Kiwanis has a club.  Find out when they meet, so you can visit as a guest. 

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Living with Art and Soul

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“A fellow who does things that count, doesn’t usually stop to count them.”  ~Variation of a saying by Albert Einstein

The Japanese people have been in the hearts and minds of so many of us in past weeks. The aftermath of a tsumani, an earthquake and fears of radiation contamination are what the people of Japan are coping with right now.  Despite catastrophic events that are enough to turn any country into chaos and confusion, it has been widely reported that the Japanese people are calm and have a cooperative demeanor. 

Traumatic occurrences in our lives leave us feeling helpless, out of control and at a loss. Coming to light are heart-warming stories of Artists and others who are raising funds, in their own creative ways, for the victims of the devastated country of Japan. It is fulfilling to hear of instances of people, communities and countries coming to the assistance of each other. It gives us faith that there are, indeed, compassionate individuals who are leaders in this world. When communities of people and individuals have benevolence and generosity of spirit, rebuilding of lives and healing can begin. 

In era of independent publishing, many non-profit organizations are sharing their missions of building a better world through the power of documentary films. Peaceable Kingdom: The Journey Home, a project of a Tribe of Heart, a non-profit documentary filmmaking organization, brings awareness to the interconnectedness of life all over the globe. Living by commitment to kindness and respect for others and this earth, we can become agents for change. For more information on this award-winning film, please visit http://bit.ly/hQtDEi.

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Explora Museum Albuquerque!

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 “In any field find the strangest thing and then explore it.” ~ John Wheeler

Hey, Hey! What is this you say? “Albuquerque was a recipient of the 2010 National Medal for Museum and Library Science from the White House.” Really?  Quite an honor, don’t you think? That is the nation’s highest honor for museums and libraries! Must be the Explora Science Center and Children’s Museum in Albuquerque, New Mexico is providing extraordinarily fulfilling experiences  for the community. I’ll bet that is exactly why they won the award!   Would you like more information on the Explora museum, if so, please visit http://www.explora.us/en/

There were eight other museums and libraries that were deemed to be worthy of this National Award, too. The full list of award-winning museums and libraries are:

  • Conner Prairie Interactive History Park, Fishers, Ind.
  • Explora Science Center & Children’s Museum of Albuquerque, N.M.
  • Mississippi Museum of Art, Jackson, Miss.
  • Japanese American National Museum, Los Angeles, Calif.
  • The New York Botanical Garden, Bronx, N.Y.
  • Peter White Public Library, Marquette, Mich.
  • West Bloomfield Township Public Library, West Bloomfield, Mich.
  • Patchogue-Medford Library, Patchogue, N.Y.
  • Nashville Public Library, Nashville, Tenn.

For more information on the 2010 National Medal Awards for Museum and Library Science, please visit http://1.usa.gov/gTdstj.

Libraries and museums, whether they are in big cities or small towns, make important contributions to communities. They add cultural vibrancy and improve community health, making  places better  environments  in which to learn, work and live. Explore them all!

P.S. If you are in Albuquerque, don’t forget to stop by their outstanding Hot Air Balloon Museum, too! Take a ride of a life time!

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Have we Met Before?

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“Books are the best of things if well used; if abused, among the worst. They are good for nothing but to inspire.”    ~Ralph Waldo Emerson 

Increasingly businesses are stepping into the arena of e-marketing. It is a whole new tactic of promoting products, services, individuals and companies in the business world. Knowing how to use internet marketing effectively is key. 

I read something the other day that made me think there may a fulfilling reason to communicate with people on-line,  that I had never considered before.  According to a study in the journal Cognition, http://bit.ly/hRtWxK our ability to remember faces peaks between ages 30 and 34. People 35 years and older are now finding there are ways to put faces and names together over the internet.   Maybe that explains why kids are no longer the only ones connecting on the world-wide-web. Am I over-thinking it by saying “the younger generation is compassionate and are developing ways of connecting faces and names, on-line, to help out their forgetful elders ?”  Perhaps! 

The viral world is helping to connect people around the world through meet-up groups, too.  People with similar business interests can now get together on-line or arrange “face to face” meetings. 

 Denver is home to the nation’s largest meet-up group in the country. The group is comprised of creative professionals www.meetup.com/creative-connections. It has a growing membership of over 1,000 strong. So large is this group, they meet at the Colorado Community Church http://www.coloradocommunity.org/ , a facility that can accommodate all. Creative Connections draws Artists (all forms), writers, photographers,  marketing and advertising creatives. Professionals who make their living through TV, the internet, radio and video production also attend the twice weekly meetings. 

If you have a specific career interest, and are looking for opportunities to meet up with like-minded people, connect through www.meetup.com.    

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