Progress

Photo by Jennifer Campbell

Jennifer says: Well, it's been a while since I've posted but I have been steadily working on my projects.

I have written a fund raising letter for Club Earth C.O.B. This is an environmentally focused group that I sponsor by providing photography and writing services.

I've photographed a radio interview with Love 97 and a Coral Gardens Community Clean up as well for the club, in conjunction with the Grand Bahama Port Authority's "Keep Grand Bahama Clean" campaign.

My wedding services webpage is now up and running. You can find that here: http://the-bahamas-weddings.com/affordablebahamasdestinationweddings/index.html

My etsy page is also up and running: http://www.etsy.com/shop/jennsphotosandcrafts

I've had a few sales through the store 196

And... I had a photography job taking family portraits on the beach.

I'm happy with my progress, although I do with the jobs were coming in faster. In time...in time...

So, if you or anyone you may know is looking for reasonably priced souvenirs or photography services - please refer them!

Peace!

Monday's Quote

"Happiness and success in life are not the result of what we have, but rather how we live. What we do with the things we have makes the biggest difference in the quality of life." ~Unknown

Today's activity

Just finished photographing a radio interview at Love 97 for Club Earth COB through the G.B Port Authority's Keep G.B. Clean Program. Even got an on -air pitch for Jenn's Photos & Crafts. Now to write an article. Any one need pictures? You know how to find me! ;) Peace!

Announcement

Greetings friends,

My online shop is finally up and running! You can check it out here: http://www.etsy.com/shop/jennsphotosandcrafts

Please feel free to pass on the link to your friends if there's something you think they'd like. If you are looking for something you don't see, please email me at jennsphotosandcrafts@yahoo.com

I'm also available for photography services on Grand Bahama. I hope you have a great day! Peace, Jennifer Campbell

Monday's Quote

Photo by Jennifer Campbell

" How long should you try? Until."

~ John Rohn

Monday's Quote, on Tuesday

Photo by Jennifer Campbell

"They may forget what you said, but they will never forget how you made them feel."

~ Carl W. Buechner

Monday's Quote

"The U.S. Constitution doesn't guarantee happiness, only the pursuit of it.

You have to catch up with it yourself." ~ Benjamin Franklin

Monday's Quote

Marcia Weider

"Fill your life with as many moments and experiences of joy

and passion as you humanly can. Start with one experience and build on it."

Monday's Quote, on Friday

"Life is a pure flame, and we live by an invisible sun within us."

Sir Thomas Browne

Monday's Quote, on Tuesday

" Self - love is not only necessary and good, it is a prerequisite for loving others."

~ Rollo May

Monday's Quote

"Knowledge of what is possible is the beginning of happiness."

George Santayana

Reply

Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!

This IS going to be my best year yet!!!!!!!!!!!!!

A Special Note for a Special Someone...

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU!!!! HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU!!!! HAPPY BIRTHDAY DEAR JENNIFER!! HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU!!!!

May this year be your best year yet!!

Love, love, love, Susan

Monday's Quote

People are always blaming their circumstances for what they are. I don't believe in circumstances. The people who get on in this world are the people who get up and look for the circumstances they want, and, if they can't find them, make them. ~G.B. Shaw, Mrs. Warren's Profession, 1893

Monday's Quote

“Don’t ask what the world needs. Ask what makes you come alive, and go do it. Because what the world needs is people who have come alive.” Howard Thurman

Best Wishes

Photo by Jennifer Campbell

Happy Mother's Day

A giant leap forward and a great weekend!

Photo by Jennifer Campbell

Jennifer says: So in my efforts to get myself out of the BLACK HOLE I accepted two invitations for this past weekend and I am SO glad I did!

There are a fair amount of opportunities on Grand Bahama to expose oneself to "culture": plays, concerts, Junkanoo Festivals, etc. As a single mom, normally I pass these things up to watch my budget. I'm beginning to think this strategy has perhaps been a mistake.

A good friend called and said she'd been given two tickets to a concert for Saturday night and invited me to go. "Love to" was my reply. It was a group I'd never heard of called NATURALLY7 They've copyrighted something they call "vocal play". They use nothing but their voices to make all of their music. It was the one of the most interesting and wonderful performances I've ever seen! To watch them was amazing! Seven guys from New York singing, dancing and making sounds that perfectly imitate a drum set, bass guitar, electric guitar, horns... Their story and their ability to engage the audience made for a really fabulous night. After the concert I got to meet the members and get a signed CD. Great bunch of guys!

I also have to mention that even though NATURALLY7 was the main act the trio of local high school singers who performed the American and Bahamian National anthems and the high school steel pan band who performed throughout the evening were very good in their own right!

On Sunday morning Susan had also invited me for coffee at our favorite cafe, Island Java. So, I said yes to that too. We hadn't hung out for a while and it's always nice to have an old (by old I mean that we've been friends for like 20 years 'cause really we're both in our prime!) friend to confide in and run ideas by. Susan is especially good for this as we both love writing and creating art. I just love that girl. We spent some "quality" time catching up on our families' news, plans and general goings on. Great company and a divinely over-priced cup a java complete with whipped cream. I love whipped cream.

I am also happy to report that I finally met with another long time friend whose family owns a very popular store called 196 in two excellent locations. She's been suggesting for ages that I meet with her about carrying my photographs in the store. I brought my laptop and samples of a few souvenirs that I also make. We agreed they'd be a good fit for the store. She also gave me some really good suggestions that I hadn't thought of. I was really encouraged by the meeting and committed to supplying one dozen items by May 8th. Then another and another and so on and so forth...

As I've written so many times, my dream is to be self employed as a writer / photographer. I don't need a million dollars, but enough to do everything I have to and most of what I'd like to seems reasonable to me. And as my friends point out: I do have talent and need to take chance. Make decisions based on faith and not fear. Focus on what I really want and not on what I really don't want.

The moral of my story is this: be open to new experiences, always say yes to cappuccino with whipped cream and take a step towards your dreams because you just might get there with the help of good friends and family supporting you.

So dear readers, the adventure begins... now if I could just get the spacing right on this blog!

Monday's Quote

Life is what happens to you while you’re busy making other plans. ~John Lennon

Monday's Quote

“It does not matter how slowly you go

as long as you do not stop.”

Confucius

The Blues, a funk, whatever you call it: I want out.

Photo by Jennifer Campbell

Jennifer says: For the past couple of months I feel like I’ve been cursed: like someone’s put the whammy on me, walking under a black cloud, stuck inside some vortex of the Bermuda Triangle. I have ended a fifteen year relationship because of an extremely traumatic revelation that affects my children as well as me. My car is a total loss due to a mechanic’s mistake or deliberate act, honestly I suspect the latter as he blocked off a necessary and basic part. More stress, on an already stressful job. Plus lots of other petty, and not so petty, things… I don’t understand it and it’s taking a toll physically, emotionally and financially. I have plenty of faults, I admit. But deliberately causing hurt or cheating people are not among them. What has been most difficult is shaking all this off and moving on. At times, I feel it’s pointless to even try because every time I turn around lately it’s been a kick in the head. However, I know feeling this way is also counterproductive. Reliving the painful details of a relationship I should’ve ended a long time ago, renewed anger every time I look in my driveway at my now useless car, ruminating over situations at work…enough already. I need a break! Time out from my routine, my depression and even my location. I need some good luck. I need a spa day, which I’ve never actually had but always wanted. I think a trip to the café for an overpriced, but deliciously creamy cappuccino would do wonders. Some alone time at the beach with a notebook and my purple pen to reflect on how to move forward. Everything I’ve read lately about moving on, getting over your ex (found some interesting and entertaining ideas in some of those articles!) and making life changes all state taking care of oneself, focusing on oneself, is key. What I haven’t done is put that into action. It may sound ridiculous, but just getting up out of my chair is a big effort. Tomorrow, tonight actually, could be a turning point. I begin one week’s vacation. Unfortunately I am not traveling but will be having a house guest; this will provide a distraction from my present thoughts. I have already followed one point in the articles by deleting my ex’s contact information: why look at his number when I use my cell phone? I love making lists! Maybe if I make a conscious list of things I’d like to do, start or work on this week – and actually be able to check off some of the things: this will get me moving forward. I will not be able to spend my week sitting in front of the screen with company here – this is a good thing. Whatever this is: the blues, a funk – I want out!

Monday's Quote

"If you want your life to be a magnificent story, then begin by realizing that you are the author and everyday you have the opportunity to write a new page."

Mark Houlahan

Taking Action

Susan says: Boy that was a great blog that Jennifer wrote about goals and planning and planning to plan and spending time thinking about all the things we would like to do someday when we step out from in front of our TV. I found myself really rooting for her to use her 100 hours for noble productivity.

It’s a novel concept, that 100 hours. It’s easy to use the excuse that one can’t get anything done in the 15 minutes a day that she first suggested. One may even argue that so short a time is a good enough excuse not to do anything. After all, it only takes 15 minutes to check your email or look up that thing on YouTube and then there you are: Right back to surfing the web – that viral activity that is so much like a vacuum.

So the question really should be, if you had 15 minutes, what would you do? Let’s imagine it’s going to go down in history as the most important 15 minutes of your day. Jennifer and I have this discussion often: “If something is worth doing, it is worth doing badly.” I read that in a book on depression one time. Of course I was reading a book on depression because I suppose I was feeling badly about not doing anything. The author was suggesting that, rather than not doing something because we are afraid of doing it badly (leading perhaps to depression), we should just do it, even if we do it badly, since the doing of something is better than doing nothing. It makes us feel better because we are taking action.

So how do we get ourselves to take action? Well according to my good friend Tony Robbins, when it comes down to it, the thing that stops us from taking action is inner conflict. Some internal message is conflicting: you want to have total free time, but you want to build an empire, or you have the talent and ability to achieve it, but a part of you doesn’t think you deserve it. This kind of conflict is what stands in the way of us taking action.

We must ask ourselves the hard questions (just for a moment so as not to use it as a further excuse for non-action) about what our conflicts are. What is it that makes us stay at the computer surfing when we know we have that writing course to finish? Or what is it that makes us stay and watch reruns when we also really want to learn to play the violin? It is impossible to take action when we are being pulled in two different directions. So we need to identify these conflicts, the two (or three or four) struggling directions, we need to identify what they are and then get clear about what we really value, what is really important to us. Notice which part of these conflicting beliefs is not serving us and then get our beliefs to align. If we get into alignment about what we really want, we will take action. It is the natural flow of things to take action when we are aligned. There is nothing left to stand in our way. We want to take action.

So, gotta go! Gotta take some action! I’m in the mood!

Monday's Quote

"All my work, my life, everything I do is about survival, not just bare awful plodding survival, but survival with grace and faith. While one may encounter many defeats, one must not be defeated." Maya Angelou

Making your goals a priority

Jennifer says: As I sit in my comfortable chair in the corner of my bedroom contemplating when would be the best time to resume my writing course or work on the other projects I've got going, I realize I spend far too much time in that chair. Mind you, the book for my writing course is within arm's reach of that same chair. So is my desk, photography books, computer, drawing pencils, camera, etc. It's sort of funny, in an "I can't believe I'm admitting this" way to see it on paper. Yet I'm watching TV and planning when I should work on something. Wow. I'm always surfing the net, another activity I spend far too much time doing, for motivational "You can do it" kind of article and sites. I was reading one, I forget the name, about an Australian motivational speaker / life coach. He wrote to the effect that the majority of us spend way too much time planning, researching, buying materials for stuff we're going to do but never actually get to and waiting for the perfect moment to start...which, of course, never comes. He wrote that we should stop all this and just start. That we already have everything we need to make some step forward. I also read, some where, that we need to make our goals a priority and give them the time they deserve. So true. Many of us, me included, think our schedules are so full that we don't have any time to work on our goals. But maybe if we shift thinking of them as goals and start thinking of them as priorities we may make some progress. To me, a goal is something far on the horizon, a long way off. A priority is something that I know I have to do, like paying my bills. Schedules, I think, also become habit. Get up, coffee, shower and dress, work, dinner, TV, bed... I know if I stopped automatically going through my day and thought about my next move that I could find some time for my projects. Finding just 15 minutes every day, over the next year is nearly 100 hours. A lot of progress could be made in 100 hours. What could you accomplish in 100 hours?

Monday's Quote

“What we do today, right now,

Will have an accumulated effect on all our tomorrows.”

Alexandra Stoddard

One hour & $10.00

Jennifer says: What can you accomplish in an hour? Let’s assume literacy is an important issue to you. In one hour, you could assist the teacher in your child’s reading class or volunteer at the library or help someone learn phonics in an adult reading class. How can you help with $10.00? You could buy a book or maybe two to donate. Or you could simply donate the cash to a worthy institution like a school or library. It doesn’t take much effort or money to have an impact on a cause that’s important to you. Everyone can contribute something. One hour once a month. Or a few dollars donated to a charity instead of buying out one lunch. What’s important to you? The environment? You could become involved with the Bahamas National Trust, organize a beach clean up or plant some trees in your back yard. If health issues are important to you: you could donate blood, make a monetary contribution to a hospital, the Cancer Society or research organization. Housing? Volunteer or donate to Habitat for Humanity. The elderly? Why not visit residents in a Home for the Aged? Why not start a clothing drive or food bank in your church? It would be a small thing to ask for one can of food to be donated by each parishioner. What to do with the contributions? Ask the Red Cross, Salvation Army or Social Services. Let me share some of things I’ve done. Over the years I have contributed to the G.B. Children’s Home, St. Judes Children’s Hospital, The Rainforest Site and Habitat for Humanity. I have donated books to the Library and Genesis Academy. I have volunteered my photography services and participated in beach clean ups. I don’t write this to brag, I write this to hopefully inspire someone to do something to help. It doesn’t take much to make a difference and we’re all capable of some action, no matter how small we may think it is. What a better state the world would be in if we all gave one hour a month or a couple of dollars. Not to mention the great feeling we would have knowing we made some contribution. So go ahead. Pick a cause. Or two…

Monday's Quote, on Tuesday

"Smile, breathe and go slowly"

Thich Nhat Hanh, Zen Buddhist Monk

We don't all get 80 years

Jennifer says: Last week my son’s grandmother was taken off life support after a sudden, massive stroke. She was about 80. Although she didn’t have a close relationship with any of us, we were of course saddened that we wouldn’t ever get the chance to become closer. She was a very strong woman who raised her six children on her own much of the time because her husband was frequently transferred to different locations. She wanted to be a teacher, and did so for a while, until she changed careers for financial reasons. She traveled, had lots of family and friends around and was respected by those people who she helped improve their lives. During this reflection on her passing and the things I’d learned about her over the years, I believe she’d lived a pretty full life. The other part of that reflection is that we don’t all get 80 years. I know it’s cliché but there’s a lot of truth in sayings like “Live each day like it’s your last.” I also know that’s not always feasible because of obligations. Most of need to get up and go to work, pay the bills, clean the house, take care of the kids and so on. In between doing what we have to, I think we need to find the time to do what we want to. Whatever that may be. It’s up to us to find that balance and pursue our own version of happiness while dealing with the necessities. So this is what I’ve learned from this experience: 1. I want to have a more joy in my life. 2. I would like to stop worrying so much about certain issues. 3. There will be drama in many family situations and I can choose how, or even – if, I want to deal with it. 4. I would like to shift some of my priorities. 5. I’m thankful that my sons and I still have my mother: and I think we do have a pretty close relationship despite the physical distance. Rest in peace K.S.H.

Heal Thyself

Susan says: Greetings Readers and sorry for my absence. Gratitude to Jennifer for keeping our wee blog up to date with her usual wit and insight and with no help from me at all. Thank you!

I was in Indiana with my parents and sister. I went because my sister Karen was not feeling well. She has been in Zambia the last ten years, so we see each other infrequently. When I heard she was coming over for her health, I could not pass the opportunity for a visit. (The picture is my mom and my sister and her new friend "Oscar") When I stepped off the plane, my father informed me that Karen had been diagnosed with cancer. “What? No! No! No! No! No! Not the beautiful, sweet, tall and friendly, wise one! Not the selfless servant to humanity that is devoting her life to a noble cause in a faraway land…” Denial, denial, tears, tears, more denial, more tears. Then a bit of calm.

You always start out imagining the worst. It’s an hour’s drive from the airport to my parents’ house, where she is staying. So my dad and I had an hour to digest together the prospects of facing a future as an only child. What would it mean for my parents? What would it mean for her husband and two young sons? What would it mean for me? Well, we didn’t want to dwell on that too much. As we drove along, covering the miles between Indianapolis and Bloomington we settled our resolve to both go in there with smiling faces and lots of love and encouragement.

I went to Indiana, because I was going to "fix her - make her better". I just knew in my mind that I could help facilitate some kind of healing. I did not know at that time she had cancer. I was reading a book by Barbara Brennen, Hands of Light and in it she talks about the kinds of things that can bring cancer and disease onto a person like forgetting who you are, forgetting to center on the essentials of love, life and joy. I thought “yeah, yeah, this is good stuff.” Of course, I knew I couldn’t make her better in that outside influence sort of way or by magic or any such thing, or even that any kind of healing would come from me. But I did really feel like I could help her make herself better by guiding her to think about things in a certain way and maybe by channeling healing energy and helping the angels to find her. I hoped I could help to get her energy flowing back through those shut down parts of herself and better balanced through her body and fields. One time, right in the beginning, I woke up in the middle of the night and since we were sharing a room, I just woke up with these images of myself shooting fireballs with great tails of light into her errant and ailing lymph nodes. I'm sure you can imagine there are many lessons in this for us, the family, and detachment is certainly one. Not knowing the outcome - for us of course the most logical is that she gets better and goes on to raise her two little sons and be the wonderful person she is, loving and growing and having her beautiful effect on the world. But we don't know what will happen; maybe that is not part of the plan. Still I cannot shake this absolute positivity that she can make herself completely healthy again if she believes that she can. On the other hand, I don't want to believe that if she does not recover, it is somehow her fault - she did not believe strongly enough. So I was just there helping to facilitate unity with all the personalities and be supportive and do mundane things and cook and try to laugh a lot. I know it's her journey (well, it is all our journey, but the sick part is hers) but I really wanted to help her get over a hump that I could see.

We worked a lot with mental imaging, posting signs all over the house reminding us to give thanks for her perfect health. We asked important and difficult questions and talked and talked and thought about it all a lot. We did projects and sang songs and a lot of massaging and some guided meditations. And we tried to laugh as much as we could. It was an interesting time for the family since it was just Karen and I and our parents – just as it was when we were growing up, some old feelings and issues came up, stuff we hadn’t thought about in years; sibling rivalry stuff and parent/child stuff. We had some good talks about that and we prayed and prayed and prayed. (If there was ever a miracle prayer it is that Long Healing Prayer from the Baha’i Writings.) We got news from friends and family all over the globe of their prayers and well wishes. It was a comfort to know that so many people were in on the “battle” with us. We dealt with all the technical and medical aspects of this illness “to do chemo or not to do chemo, that is the question” with the aid of some wondrous physicians. Her husband and sons joined us from Zambia in the last days of my visit and we had snow fights and Scooby Doo.

It has been about a month now that we have known this news and what an odyssey it has been. It really does change the way you look at things. I think we have all run the full gamut of emotions about ten times over in the last month. But there is good news. Karen is feeling very good and responding well to the treatments she is taking. She is still not out of the woods, still undergoing diagnostics but it is all looking…encouraging. We do find ourselves wondering, marveling even at the power of prayer and love and solidarity and positivity. I’m so happy I have Karen for my sister. I’m so happy I have my mom and my dad. We are a good bunch and I love them all so much, lucky me.

So that has been my month. The next phase of the New Year. Whew. I gotta wonder what is coming next. I will keep you posted.

Monday's Quote

"Every man dies, not every man truly lives."

From the movie "Braveheart"

Monday's Quote

" Be yourself. Everyone else is taken."

Oscar Wilde

How much do we need?

Jennifer says: Marcus Aurelius Antonius once said “Very little is needed to make a happy life”. I believe this. I also believe many of us have lost sight of this and perhaps because of the economy we’re being forced to re-evaluate our priorities.

The effects of this downturn have been hard for the majority and devastating for some. I’ve had family members and friends who’ve lost their jobs and nearly everyone I know has had to cut back on expenses. It seems like we’ve let an irrational need to keep up with everyone who we perceive leads a better life than we do, dictate our spending habits. Marketing has also perpetuated this need: to the substantial detriment of us all. At least that’s my opinion. Just look at the TV commercials. Two neighbors in their driveways washing their cars, nice houses, white picket fence between the yards, kids riding by on their bicycles. One makes a comment about the other’s car, one smirks and one feels inferior. It isn’t enough to have a sensible car. You’ve got to have the luxury SUV with the leather interior and GPS tracking system so you don’t get lost on the way to your broker’s office. Why? It’s same thing with our homes. It’s no longer acceptable for a family of four to live in a modest home. Check out any number of real estate or renovation shows on TV. A family of four now needs a 5,000 square foot “McMansion”. Or the “Sweet Sixteen” shows where teenagers think its normal and expected for their parents to hire celebrities to attend their birthday parties and receive a $50,000 Lexus for turning 16. So back to the quote. I’m not advocating that we shouldn’t enjoy the best we can afford. What I believe is that we should stop comparing ourselves to what we think other people have and stop feeling inferior because of it. I believe if we took time to think about what really makes us happy and consider what we can realistically afford that we would be happier. For me it’s spending time with family and friends, shopping for bargains at Target, Chinese take out and reading. I just don’t see how struggling to pay for a “champagne” lifestyle makes anyone truly happy. What do you think?

What do you want to be when you grow up?

Photo by Jennifer Campbell

Jennifer says: That’s arguably the most famous, or infamous, question in history. By the time a person is five years old, I suspect they’ve been asked this question at least fifty times. Little kids usually come up with these great, limitless answers: astronaut, ballerina, princess…

Then as the years pass, something really tragic happens. They’re told they can’t be a princess. Or it’s not practical to think you can be an astronaut. The creative side is squelched. It’s squeezed into the box of society’s idea of what’s acceptable, what’s normal. It’s sad really. From fairly early most of us are taught that you’re supposed to go through school, get a job, get married, get a house…lead a normal life. For some, that’s fine and they’re happy in their existence. For others, like me, this existence feels like the blood is slowly draining from my veins. And with it my soul, my life force.

So, every five years or so, I change jobs hoping this next one will be fulfilling and somehow my life is going to start. Of course, it never works out this way. I continue to dream of the exciting life I thought I’d have with travels and interesting adventures to write about.

When I was a teenager, many years ago, I lived and breathed photography. I wanted to be a National Geographic photographer. I’d dream of traveling to exotic locales photographing breath taking images and writing captivating articles. I took every art and photo class I could. I took all the writing classes available. I excelled at them. I joined the newspaper, the photo club, the senior yearbook committee. Then I got a “normal” job, and another.

Now the sad thing is, I’m in my forties and still dream of being a full time writer and photographer. And even though I believe it’s possible, it’s harder to find my way back to when I was able to put so much of my time, and myself, into my dream. Now there are children and a stressful forty plus hour a week job and bills and schedules. I’m no longer accountable to just me.

I don’t know exactly at what point I shifted gears to the expected path. But I now realize that I could’ve been the writer/ photographer / mother and enjoyed the last couple of decades far more than I have.

I can now say that I am, finally, working towards my dream vocation. My calling; which I believe everyone has. My God-given talents. And I can also say that I am trying to steer my sons towards becoming what they want to be, not just what’s practical.

So maybe the question we should ask isn’t what do you want to be when you grow up? Maybe the question, when we are grown up, is simply what do you want to be?

By: Jennifer Campbell, writer / photographer

Monday's Quote

"Action may not always bring happiness; but there is no happiness without action." Benjamin Disraeli

Trashing Paradise

Jennifer says: This is a short article of mine that was published in the Bahamas National Trust Newsletter a while back.

I took this picture in Freeport, but it could've been taken anywhere in the Bahamas. By now, we've all heard about Global Warming, carbon footprints and the effects pollution has on our environment. Yet we still continue to ruin our home. And ultimately, our health. I'm trying to understand why.

Are we lazy? Ignorant of the outcome? Don't care? I don't think those are the reasons, in most cases. I think maybe it's because we don't feel that there is a big impact from just our actions. After all, it's just a cup that we've thrown out of the car window. It's just a couple of soda cans we've left at the beach. Take another look at the picture. And remember, this is a small area. For every item of trash you see, someone thought "it's just one..." Just one plastic bottle that won't break down for centuries. Just one aluminum can that could cut a child's foot. Just one piece of plastic that could kill an endangered sea turtle. Except that the "just one" has turned into a lot. Our "Beautiful Bahama Land". Full of trash. We become outraged at the thought of a tourist, a visitor, to our island - our home - littering. How dare they come here and do this? But the fact is, we're trashing our own backyard. Take a walk along any street and look down. Next time you go to the beach, check it out. Really see it for what it is - a mess. Now think about this. What if we thought of "it's just one" in a different way? What if instead of leaving one soda can at the beach, we took one? Now take it further. What if each time we took a walk or went to the beach, we recycled one small plastic bag from the food store and filled it with trash we picked up. Imagine the impact that would have if everyone did it. Now you can see how one person's actions do have a big impact. It's up to you if it’s good or bad. Photo & article by Jennifer Campbell

Monday's Quote

"There's only one corner of the universe you can be certain of improving and that's your own self."

Aldous Huxley

What a week

Jennifer says: I had another theme in mind for this week’s article, but given the recent events I’ve changed my mind.

I think most of us get caught up in our own little worlds, basking in our success and wallowing in our own little miseries. I’m especially guilty of the wallowing part these past two weeks. It’s been bitterly cold and I’ve been “suffering” trying to keep warm. And the job… yeah, wow. But anyway, as I contemplate how miserable my life is at the moment, breaking news of the disaster in Haiti comes. I read the online articles and click with stunned amazement at the first images being posted. The thought that comes to mind is “oh my God”. I forget the petty issues that I’ve let take up way too space in my head. I look at the massive piles of now unidentifiable buildings and the look of anguish on the few people scattered in the photographs. I think to myself, what would I do in that situation? How would I take care of my sons? Where would we go for shelter, food, clean water? I cannot fully comprehend what it would be like to be stuck in the middle of such destruction. And I hope to God that my family never finds out. Pretty soon after the earth quake news breaks, it’s announced that we are now under a Tsunami watch. Its night time, we’re on a pretty flat island. That’s a scary thought. But thankfully, the announcement also says it’s not likely we will be hit with one. Then morning comes once again and we’re all still safe. By now a lot of the stories are about the aid efforts being set up and how they plan to get items to the most needy. One in particular strikes me, Yele Haiti. The article is about how the donations are adding up very quickly, especially the ones set up through texting on a cell phone. Yele Haiti is one of these. They ask you to text a code and a $5.00 charge will appear on your cell phone bill (in the States). Five dollars, it impresses me that they only ask for a $5 donation. Some of the ads for other charities that I see ask for $20 a month – no offense meant. I think the $5 strategy is brilliant. I think most people will not hesitate to give $5 to help people in this situation. I think many people stop to think about $20, especially in this economy. As a result, Yele Haiti has raised an incredible amount of money in less than 24 hours since the news broke. So this morning, I find the website and read a little more about it. Although I had already made up my mind to make a donation. Online they have a donation page where you can choose the amount to give, so I typed in my amount and pressed enter. Immediately I felt a sense of satisfaction in that I, in a small way, helped someone who really needs it. Imagine how much could be accomplished if everyone gave five or ten dollars. Or unused clothes, anything to help someone else. I believe there’s always enough to give a couple dollars to a worthy cause. It’s amazing that when you really believe there’s always enough to give - that there really is enough to give.

Monday's Quote

Freedom means you are unobstructed in living your life as you choose.

Anything less is a form of slavery.

Wayne Dyer

Today is the day for surprises

Susan says: It’s the New Year now and I have been tossing around all the ideas of stuff to write about. Lots of good stuff comes up, but never when I’m near the keyboard… but I can say that it is always because I am busy with the business of living. Having a great time by the way. Trying to be joyously spontaneous. Or spontaneously joyful. One of those.

So one of the things I’m doing this weekend is tidying up – majorly. That includes my desk drawers. The other day when I was noticing that I needed to add “tidy up desk drawers” to my list, my son suggested that desk drawers should not ever be tidied. They should be kept as disorganized as possible so that you can continue to be surprised by whatever you may find lurking in the back corners. I had to think about that for a good two days before it came to me that you don’t discover the surprises until you actually do the tidying up. So that has been the spirit of the first few days of this year. Fresh start and all that. And I am discovering lots of great surprises.

Like it takes me 12 minutes to run a mile. Now that may seem slow to many of you. But it was a real surprise to me that I could even continue to run for an entire mile. Damn! And all because I tidied up. I mean, I did the work. Eight weeks ago I could not have run for 3 minutes. But I have committed to running this marathon in February and so I have been running regularly to train for it and now I can see that I can run a mile in 12 minutes. Surprise!

AND if I put my mind to it, I can finish all the laundry, fold it all and put it away and it doesn’t have to take the whole day. Surprise! And also, my son will not die and I will not die, if I don’t do his laundry for him. He can do his laundry himself. Surprise! He actually can! I’ve seen him!

AND even though I didn’t put anything out for dinner, I can just use what we have in the fridge and still make an edible dinner. In fact, a bowl of cheerios would have done just as nicely. My husband even liked it. Surprise!

AND you can have enough income and assets, have your documents and agreements and estimates, have all your little ducks in a nice, even row and the bank can still say no. Surprise! Lucky for me I’m so clever. I will find another way.

AND at the back of my desk drawer, I found many great surprises, among them, my stash of two dollar bills and my Chicago drivers license from 1989 (why do I even still have that??) Anyway, it has a great picture of me when I was just 24 years old. I had perfect porcelain skin. It was nice to remember that.

Yes, it’s been a pretty cool first few days…

Monday's Quote

Dreams pass into the reality of action. From the actions stems the dream again; and this interdependence produces the highest form of living. Anais Nin

Joy and Spontaneity

Photo by Jennifer Campbell

Jennifer says: We all know the question: what came first, the chicken or the egg? Today, the first day of the year, I’m contemplating which comes first: does joy lead to spontaneity, or does being spontaneous lead to joy?

This question came about as I was reading over my note books; I keep several, and other blogs and online newsletters I follow. The overall theme of each one was New Year’s resolutions and how to keep them. I must confess that my new year’s resolutions have been essentially the same for the past four years or so. That’s a bummer. Not only are they the same year after year, but I’m pretty much in the same spot as I was four years ago. Stagnant is not how I want to be. In one of the articles I read, the author actually does not suggest setting resolutions, at least in the traditional sense. Her advice is more like concentrating on the things one would like to accomplish and the type of person one wishes to become. I like this.

So I’ve decided my version of this is to set a theme for the year, instead of the same list of resolutions. As I think about this, I remember recent conversations I’ve had with the people who are important to me and my decision to accept invitations. I also think about this blog and some of the other steps, albeit small, I’ve taken in the direction of a deliberate life. All of these recollections have something in common. They’ve all brought me joy in some way, in some degree. The actions I’ve taken with various projects have brought me joy through a sense of accomplishment. The invitations have brought me joy through the experience of the event and the people I’ve shared it with. Joy is a choice, I finally get that now.

During my deep and meaningful reflection (smile), I hear two of my sons in the living room. They’re playing video games. Then, I guess when the game is finished; one of them says they should go play basketball. So they shut off the game, get their socks and shoes, pick up the ball and go. Just like that. No thought. No planning. They just go. Then it hits me – duh! It’s so simple. Being spontaneous is a big part of making joy in one’s life. Gee, like accepting invitations without thinking about it…

I generally get stuck in the planning, of everything. To the point where I plan things to death and end up doing very little. I wait for the perfect time, which rarely comes. Or when I’m not tired. Or tomorrow… I’m not suggesting that planning things to some degree isn’t a good thing, but when the planning takes over the doing, it’s gone too far.

So, I’ve decided that my theme for this year is “Joy & Spontaneity”. Whatever that means at the time: bouncing on my trampoline, working on the writing course I’ve been trying to finish for longer than I care to admit, taking a walk, painting my nails purple, really learning how to use my “new” camera that I’ve had for like a year and a half, staring at the trees outside my bedroom window. Whatever I decide will bring me joy.

The thing about choosing joy is that it spills over. When I’m happy, I’m easier to be around, which makes other people feel good and maybe they’re easier for others to be around. This is good.

So I end my article with hopes of success in whatever you’re choosing to do: New Year’s resolutions, intentions, themes or just living in the moment.

Best wishes to you all.