The Script for Scripps June 6, 2010
Posted by nrhatch in Gratitude, Mindfulness.comments closed
Last Friday night, we watched the Scripps National Spelling Bee and remained absolutely spell-bound for 90 minutes!
The young spellers who competed this year, ranging in age from 8 to 15, impressed us on so many levels:
* 273 spellers worked hard and followed their dreams to Washington DC
* 10 finalists competed successfully for 7 rounds to make it to the finals
* the final 10 spelled impossibly difficult words, on stage, before a live audience and network cameras, with poise and precision
* as each (but the last competitor) tripped over a word, misspelling it, and heard the “ding” of the bell signaling the end of the competition for them, they accepted “defeat” with style, grace, and gratitude
And that’s what impressed us most . . . each of the young spellers we saw enjoyed the journey even if they didn’t go home with the trophy.
They reveled in having the opportunity to do something they love (s-p-e-l-l-i-n-g) while meeting and hanging out with others of like interest.
In my dictionary, that attitude of gratitude makes them all winners!
Quote: Attitude, not aptitude, determines altitude.
That’s Trashy! June 6, 2010
Posted by nrhatch in Art & Photography, Travel & Leisure.comments closed
At the Tampa Bay Living Green Expo, we toured an amazing art gallery filled with . . . TRASH.
Trash that had been transformed to TREASURE.
The Trashy Art Student Exhibition, a juried exhibit, with CASH (for TRASH) prizes, made us smile from ear to ear.
If you’re looking for a fun project for the kids this summer, consider making some Trash Art.
Take ordinary objects from around the house and re-purpose them . . .
Turning trash and recyclables into ingenious works of art.
* Save Money on Art Supplies.
* Help save the Environment.
* Encourage kids to think outside the box . . . while reducing, reusing, and recycling the box.
Visit Kids Korner for a few more ideas on crafting a sustainable future.
Related posts: The Portable Classroom * Ten FREE Activities To Enjoy With Kids * Ten Almost FREE Activities For Kids * Ten More Fun Activities For Kids
The “Why Bother?” Blues June 6, 2010
Posted by nrhatch in Magick & Mystery, Nature, Sustainable Living.comments closed
Whether the problems we’re tackling are local, national, global, or personal, we will experience setbacks:
* The needle on the scale refuses to budge even after we’ve increased our exercise, decreased our caloric consumption, and faithfully recorded every last Cheerio and chocolate chip we’ve eaten in our diet journal;
* The clutter in our minds and homes continues to spiral exponentially even after we’ve studied and implemented the practices espoused by feng shui gurus and organizational specialists to get it under control;
* Abuses continue to exist in the dairy and meat industries even after we’ve donated to charities focused on abating the abuse, and signed the proffered letters and petitions to law-makers asking them to implement regulations and laws to protect animals from cruelty;
* Greed hungry corporations continue to rape the planet and soil our nest as they root around for fossil fuels to burn, leaving death and destruction in their wake, even when clean, green technology and alternative energy innovations are available.
We look at the world, see the negatives, become overwhelmed, throw up our hands, and sigh, “Why Bother?”
The more things change, the more they stay the same, so “Why Bother?”
It’s too much . . . or too little, too late . . . depending upon which way you’re looking at the challenge in question, so “Why Bother?”
The dis-ease caused by such set-backs creates lethargy, causing us to hit the snooze button on our alarm in disgust, roll over, and go back to sleep . . . hoping that when we emerge from our cocoons the world will be a kinder, friendlier, cleaner place:
* The Gulf of Mexico restored to its turquoise hue
* Oil-blackened pelicans returned to the skies
* New Orleans resurrected and restored to its jazzy roots
* Happy cows and calves grazing in fields; chickens clucking in barnyards
When next we peer out from under the covers, where we’ve hidden to shield ourself from disappointment, maybe the scales of justice (and our bathroom scales) will finally reflect the true level of our hard work and sacrifice.
But don’t count on it.
If we want change, if we want a sustainable future, if we want to restore the world (and our bodies) to health, we need an antidote for our dis-ease.
We need to squash the “Why Bother?” Blues.
We need to keep moving in the direction of our dreams, despite the inevitable set-backs.
So, how do we counter-balance the “Why Bother?” Blues?
With A-C-T-I-O-N.
Act Consciously . . . Think Innovatively . . . Overcome Negativity
Quote: We must be the change we wish to see in the world. ~ Gandhi
Related posts: Read the Recipe Because Words Matter (AgriGirl’s Blog) * What The World Really Needs * Freedom
Spirit Lights The Way 