folks

I have a million excuses not to blog anymore and have used them. Taking this moment to re-up on my commitment to public display of foolish discovery and to kick myself in the ass for deleting my old blog.

Holding me accountable.

D.O.R.I.S., the “R” Stands for Revolutionary

doRis originally uploaded by mommy peace.

I wish I could quote her speech. I should have written this right away.

Last week this one, little, eighty-five year old lady walked into a conference room and fought for hundreds of her employees and won.
I’ll try to recount the speech.

“Thirty three years ago this plant was given to God,” she said looking down at the paper in her hands. “I want to know if every day you are waking up and giving it to Him again.”
“when you get in your big fancy car and go home to your big fancy house, do you stop and think about the fact that you have people across the street that can’t afford milk?” “When you are driving your big luxury SUV’s do you know there are people over there that are wondering how they are going to afford gas to get to work?”
And then she went around the room asking how much a gallon of milk costs. None could answer. “$4 dollars.” she answered.
Then she said, “I want those who have raises coming to get raises.” Then she said, “I want every worker in the plant to get a hundred dollar a month check for gas.”
There were grumbles about the bottom line, but none that held up to the passion and determination of the sweet but strong Doris.

No matter what your religion, no matter what your belief system, if for one moment it makes you exempt from the suffering of others it is a sham. Unless you figure in your fellow man’s journey, you’re not really on one of your own.
There are still revolutionaries today. Be one.

There is No Such Person as Superman

supergirl is effing tired, originally uploaded by juli78.

My teenage son came to me the other day and exclaimed with surprise, “Mom, you are effing Tankgirl, except, with boundaries.” I didn’t know who Tankgirl was at that time. Now, I wish I didn’t. Which only confirms, I don’t believe in superheros. We fail. We work hard and no matter how hard we work we fail.
I meet a lot of people and as my husband says, “Either you’re in the boat or out of the boat” with me.
In the boat…you are honest, you share, you admit your weaknesses, you make it easy for others to share their shortcomings, because that is the kind of honesty that makes it easy to try again, to ask for help to look others in the eye.
Out of the boat…Boasting, never showing weakness, or asking for help, pointing out how where it is not your fault.
Humans are human. We grow tired. We need safe places to grow and discover and share. Start with yourself. You are super. Just not a superhero.

Recycled Grace

Recycled Grace, originally uploaded by mommy peace.

revisiting a work of art from a man who understands the art of living.

Brother Kevin rides this across America at least once a year. He mods and tweaks it between deliberate and caring acts of kindness to all…hard work with his back and hands…and prayer of silence.

Learn

childs play, originally uploaded by ~Epoy~.

Learn from the biggest thinkers of all time. Sit down with a child and play and let a child lead. Use his tools. Use his words. Borrow his imagination. Peek through his eyes. Get comfortable being uncomfortable. Stretch small. Then, fill your pockets with gems of child wisdom and pull them out in the long limited day of grownups. Learn Play.

Discover

a monday in the life_morning afternoon_lo, originally uploaded by paintMonkey.

Discovery comes natural for some folks. It makes precocious children and wandering men. It opens the doors of progress and turns office cubicles into prisons. I think it is essential in making young minds great and old minds greater.
Make discovery a goal of yours. Try to discover something new in any area you find interesting.
The areas of most natural yearn for me are music, art, media, things people use-how people use things…well, the list keeps growing. It grows because I use it.
Practice discovery.
My latest discovery…Andrew Bird

Video

Experience

Omaha Tribe of Nebraska’s 200th Annual Harvest Dance [2], originally uploaded by jazamarripae.

Expand the way you think about things by looking into the life and practices of others.
Getting out of your comfort zone whether it is for a trip to the symphony or a trip to a pow wow can help you alter your perspective.
Sharing someone else view will help you expand how you see the world; an essential step in observing interaction.

Learn From Others

Teamwork – Work together, originally uploaded by ste7130.

Find people who are doing things and volunteer to work with them on a project.
Find one person and ask them to teach you what they know about their craft or field of work.
Ask them “Why?” when you see something they do that catches your eye as different.
Pay attention to materials and supplies.
Be humble.
Listen.
Be patient with yourself.
Be patient with others.

Expand your thinking.

Caught by the sun, originally uploaded by cupra.

Look.
Look Closer.
Look from all angles.
Consider its uses.
Consider the people who might have used it.
Consider how you could use it now.
Ask.
Apply all you have learned.

Interaction

, originally uploaded by mommy peace.

The impact of interactions are difficult to predict.
Let your observations increase you ability to do predictive modeling on the fly by beginning to pay close attention to interactions in nature.

Today look at water flow in your nearest drain, creek, stream or river.

How does the water impact its environment?
How does the land around the water influence the water’s flow?