Know When It's Time To Let Go (The Birth of a Book)

So I am down to the last bit of editing on my book. During the editing process, quite a number of pages were cut for various reasons, but I think the length is good. I'm currently at 52,781 words (about 185 pages) after editing. Who knows what the final product will look like. Perhaps it will be a bit longer, but this is how it stands today on my computer. I'm really happy with it and almost ready to let it go.

"Let it go" doesn't mean I'm ready to walk away. It means I'm ready to let it be whatever it's going to be in the world. This book is like a baby. It came from me, but it does not belong to me. I authored it, but I cannot know how it will affect each person who reads it.

But I think I'm ready...or getting close to being ready! At least I'm ready to surrender over the written part. There's so much that goes into writing and publishing a book. The book process is far from over, but the "written part" is pretty much DONE! There will be more stories here on the process. After all, it still has to come out.

I feel a mixture of fear and excitement rolled into one. It's my life. I didn't hold much back. I let it all out and soon (7 months from now) it will be on book shelves across North America for all to read. My life will be exposed. I will be exposed. This sort of makes me want to hide under a rock for the next three years or so. But I'm trying to also "let go" of the "I".

If I look deeper, I realize that there really isn't much difference between "you" and "me". Yes, we have different stories, but we have all experienced pain, suffering, love, loss, grief, confusion, joy, etc. My hope is that through sharing my journey, we can connect. Each one of us is so unique, but there is also something universal about our human experience.

So I'm willing to put it all out there. I'm willing to release my story into the world, in spite of all my fears, in order to share part of my journey with you. Because I know writing it was so helpful to me in understanding how I got to where I am right now. If it was helpful to me, perhaps it will be helpful to you. It was not an easy road. I wasn't always a happy person.

But somehow, along the way, I was willing to become a happy person. Somewhere on my journey I decided to let go of the negativity. And somewhere on my journey I not only decided, but came to believe that I could be anyone I wanted to be. And once I made that decision, I stuck by it.

And I'm still sticking by it.

Soon this thing I created will come out. I wonder what it will look like? I wonder how it will be received? I really don't know, but I'm sticking by it.

And I'm also going to let it go.

Lesson from the Monk I Married will be published by Seal Press March 2012. This post also appears on my blog.

Some Lessons from Benjamin Franklin

So I've been reading the autobiography of Benjamin Franklin and I am so impressed by this man. Firstly he was raised by a wise father who "liked to have, as often as he could, some sensible friend or neighbor to converse with, and always took care to start some ingenious or useful topic for discourse, which might tend to improve the minds of his children. By this means he turned our attention to what was good, just, and prudent in the conduct of life." I can only imagine what a huge impact this had on Franklin for he seemed on improving himself for the rest of his life. There was no petty gossip in his teenage life. He made friends with those who among himself, loved reading. They would go into the woods and read aloud to each other and discuss ideas, themes, poetry... I can't even imagine a group of boys in high school reading to each other like that. Too bad though, Franklin makes a good point later saying, "Influence upon the private character, late in life, is not only an influence late in life, but a weak influence. It is in youth that we plant our chief habits and prejudices; it is in youth that we take our party as to profession, pursuits and matrimony."

Another quote from him that I thought was very interesting about the religions of that time, "These I esteem'd the essentials of every religion; and, being to be found in all the religions we had in our country, I respected them all, tho' with different degrees of respect, as I found them more or less mix'd with other articles, which, without any tendency to inspire, promote or confirm morality, serv'd principally to divide us and make us unfriendly to one another."

A few years later Franklin tells about 13 virtues which at that time were necessary and desirable to him. He gives his own definition of what they mean and puts them in a specific order at which to work at attaining them.
1. TEMPERANCE. Eat not to dullness; drink not to elevation.
2. SILENCE. Speak not but what may benefit others or yourself; avoid trifling conversation.
3. ORDER. Let all your things have their places; let each part of your business have its time.
4. RESOLUTION. Resolve to perform what you ought; perform without fail what you resolve.
5. FRUGALITY. Make no expense but to do good to others or yourself; i.e., waste nothing.
6. INDUSTRY. Lose no time; be always employ'd in something useful; cut off all unnecessary actions.
7. SINCERITY. Use no hurtful deceit; think innocently and justly, and, if you speak, speak accordingly.
8. JUSTICE. Wrong none by doing injuries, or omitting the benefits that are your duty.
9. MODERATION. Avoid extreams; forbear resenting injuries so much as you think they deserve.
10. CLEANLINESS. Tolerate no uncleanliness in body, cloaths, or habitation.
11. TRANQUILLITY. Be not disturbed at trifles, or at accidents common or unavoidable.
12. CHASTITY. Rarely use venery but for health or offspring, never to dulness, weakness, or the injury of your own or another's peace or reputation.
13. HUMILITY. Imitate Jesus and Socrates.
"Temperance first, as it tends to procure that coolness and clearness of head, which is so necessary where constant vigilance was to be kept up... This being acquir'd and establish'd, Silence would be more easy. This and the next Order, I expected would allow me more time for attending to my project and my studies. Resolution once become habitual, would keep me firm in my endeavors to obtain all the subsequent virtues; Frugality and Industry freeing me from my remaining debt and producing affluence and independence, would make more easy the practice of Sincerity and Justice, ect., ect."
Franklin goes on to say, "I was supris'd to find myself so much fuller of faults than I had imagined; but I had the satisfaction of seeing them diminish."

Now can you imagine any leader of any nations right now having this on their mind? I would be shocked and surprised if any of them were striving like this to better themselves.

Anyways, one last quote.
"In truth, I found myself incorrigible with respect to Order; and now I am grown old, and my memory bad, I feel very sensibly the want of it. But, on the whole, tho' I never arrived at the perfection I had been so ambitious of obtaining, but fell far short of it, yet I was, by the endeavour, a better and a happier man than I otherwise should have been if I had not attempted it."

Noise, it's got history

Simply fascinating. Tracing history through noise.




Have a great Saturday everyone!

Marnie xo

http://www.whatsupwithred.blogspot.com/

~My New Etsy Shop~

Visit my NEW Etsy Shop to purchase my Photographs. My Photography is based on all of the things that I love, landscapes, warm colors and textures, aged stone, scrolled iron, worn and weathered wood and architectural details.
They make a beautiful addition to your home, office or as a gift.

http://www.etsy.com/shop/StrollingThroughTime?ref=pr_shop

Hello Everyone!

NAME: Megan

LOCATION: Utah

AGE:  20 

HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN BLOGGING FOR: 

I'm so excited to be a contributor to this blog! I've been blogging for the past few years now and there's really no single purpose to my blogging. But I love introducing the books I've been reading, or new recipes I've tried out, crafts I've learned or anything else that I get my hands into. It's just a smorgasbord of stuff. 

WHAT IS THE BIGGEST MISCONCEPTION THE MEDIA GIVES OF WOMEN:

Ah that media drives me crazy. If you take the media to heart then you will never ever be happy with yourself. No matter what you do you will still find problems with your face, skin, hair, weight, height, body, voice, personality, talents, experience.... The media teaches you to compare and judge yourself to fake images. You are trying to comparing yourself with someone that doesn't exist. It's terrible. Don't fall into that trap!

WHAT INSPIRES YOU THE MOST: 

Learning! I'll be honest, I'm a flat out nerd. If you question what the picture is under my blog title, oh don't worry. It's just bone tissue. It's pretty much the coolest looking tissue in the body. My favorite semesters in college (as far as classes go) have been during my anatomy and physiology classes. Learning about the human body is the most incredible, eye opening, inspiring thing. It's crazy to see the complex ways the body functions, how even some of the ideas behind our inventions are found to have already been used in the human body by tiny little cells. Every day in class I thought to myself, "Okay, there's no doubt of a higher being in this world. There's no way this could all come together so perfect and not be heavenly. The body is the most amazing machine I have ever encountered and it's here for a purpose."

WHAT DO YOU ENJOY DOING IN YOUR SPARE TIME: 

Spare time involves a number of very normal and usual things, to completely absurd things. Normal: reading, singing, piano, cooking, socializing and the likes... Some absurd or not so normal things: legit sidewalk chalk art, learning the harmonica, learning Italian, trying out mosaic stain glass art, reviewing bones and muscles... you know, stuff like that. 

WHAT MADE YOU DECIDE TO CONTRIBUTE TO THIS BLOG: 

I love the idea of a community blog where women from all over the world come to share stories, introduce themselves, and learn and appreciate each other. Good stuff.

DO YOU HAVE A FAVORITE DISH:

Right now I am addicted to panini's. They are slightly amazing and completely fantastic.

YOUR FAVORITE PLACE TO SPEND TIME:

Hmm, places are sometimes made good because of the people you find there. Well, I did just re-painted/decorated my room and I love it. But I love being outside on our back deck when it's warm and sunny. It just feels so cozy. 

WHAT MAKES YOU PROUD TO BE A WOMAN: 

Women are made just the way they are for a reason. (Now I'm still coming to grips with the fact that I'm turning into an emotional person. Meaning: crying was a rare occurrence and it seems to be sneaking into my life more then normal for no reason.) I'm proud that in my head, everything connects to everything and that means sometimes I'm a confusing mess. But that's me. And I like me. 

BEST PIECE OF ADVICE YOU EVER RECEIVED WAS:

My favorite teacher shared this and it made a remarkable impression on me. In the bible, John 3:30, John the Baptist says that "He must increase, but I must decrease." And when you first read that, you're thinking... what the crap is he talking about? But then my teacher put it into perspective. Sometimes in life, we will need to be the one to step back and let someone else advance. Sometimes we'll need to loose a game, so someone can win that time. He made a comment about living with roommates. Maybe you should stop assuming that you have more to do then your roommates, do the dishes for them and let them have the time they need to get their own work done. I thought about that scripture a lot that semester, I did the dishes for my roommates a lot as well. But not just that, it helps you put others before yourself. You are not the center of the universe, there are others out there who are in just as much need as you. Maybe it's your day to decrease, so they can increase. I know it seems like a different type of piece of advice, but when you learn to let others advance and grow, you grow right along with them.  

Sun Safety - how safe are you?

Warm sunny days are now here. Thank goodness for that! I was getting tired of looking at snow, especially when we got a snow dump back in April. 

This is the time of year where everyone usually stocks up on Sun Block and Sunscreen. We take it for granted that we need an SPF 15 or higher. Some companies are making them as strong as they can. Now that seems like a great idea, but is it really? Have you ever wondered what's inside your sunscreen? Better yet, have you ever wondered how an SPF is determined?

Not all Sunscreens or Sunblocks are created equal. A lot of brands out there are masquerading as gentle or healthy. The sad part is that most of the worst offenders are the sunscreens marketed for babies & little children. This can be scary as a lot of the ingredients are found to potentially cause future skin tumors and cancers.

We are in a Catch-22 situation. We need Sunscreen as burning is bad. The products we purchase may stop us from burning, but since a lot of the ingredients are questionable, we are bringing on another slew of potential problems.

EWG's Skin Deep (Environmental Working Group) is a fabulous site to visit. They give the lowdown on every ingredient imaginable. They have just issued their 2011 Guide for Sunscreens, and they explain everything you need to know on the topic. They even have a 'Hall of Shame' for some of the worst sunscreens available on the market today. If you want to find out what sunscreen/sunblock is best for you, or to compare how your brand stacks up,  click here.

Marnie
What Red Said...

New Poster?

And by that I don't mean a new poster of my future husband, Johnny Depp, hanging on my wall.  I mean, I have been asked to contribute to this blog, aka be a "poster".

My name is Angela and I live in Northern Utah, where spring has FINALLY arrived.  In May.  Just a little late, Ma Nature.

I have been married to my husband Randon for almost 12 years.  We have two kids, boy and girl, 10 and 7, respectively.

I like to make stuff, read stuff, and sleep.  Let me correct that to say I like to make stuff, I like to read stuff, and I LOVE to sleep.  In fact, I love it so much that I get really cranky if I don't have enough.

I am an Americorps Vista, which, for an easy way to explain it, is a federal volunteer.  You can also say that I work for a domestic Peace Corp.  One of these days I will do a post about what it all entails, but I love love love it.

I am also a Stampin' Up! Demonstrator and mainly buy things to support my habit.  I do love it though.   I also spend WAYYY to much time on Facebook, enjoy Twitter, and other various forms of social media.

I also blog over at Blowing 7 Different Kinds of Smoke.

Experiencing Arkansas

I've lived in Arkansas pretty much all of my life. There is still so much of it I have yet to see, and enjoy. There are however a few things that I've experienced, that my family has not, and I would like to share with them.

Did you know Arkansas has an elephant sanctuary, caverns, diamond minds, water falls, several mountains, and other natural wonders? We've never been camping, and Petit Jean Mountain is calling my name. In the spring daffodils cover Wye Mountain, and I'd absolutely love see it!

The Trail of Tears runs right through Arkansas, and it's a part of our Choctaw heritage. My children have NEVER experienced Riverfest, and it's been about 25 years since I've been. I would say it's about time that changed!
There's so much to see, do, and experience that one spring and summer won't be enough. But I'm going to do my best to plan the most exciting tour of Arkansas my family will never forget. Join us May through August as we experience Arkansas, one adventure at a time. We'll Tweet with the hashtag #ExpArk.

Originally posted on 40s Reasons To Live, Love & Laugh Out Loud.

LaTonya writes about the adventures of her 40s, and Tweets about everything else

Insights

Every Action Has a Ripple Effect: Sending Out Healing Thoughts

I usually post on Wednesday or Friday, but I've been feeling a bit numb recently and unable to write. I'm in a very odd place, I feel. On the one hand, so many things are opening up. Things I never dreamed could happen. My position in the world has shifted. I feel it. I know I am right where I need to be. I know I am on my path. But that doesn't mean it's all roses and daisies and sunshine and rainbows. Nope. Not at all. What I've found is that the more I open up to my path and go into my fear, the more challenges I am faced with. Sometimes I get sucked into the drama, which my husband calls Mara. I've written about Mara before. Mara comes in many forms and is there to distract or sway a person from their chosen path or course of action. If a person is not strong enough, he or she may fall prey to the ensuing drama that is all around and lose the balance of the mind. The key, I realize, is to keep on my path and keep my practice.

A tsunami and earthquake hit the city of Sendai, Japan, where I spent two years of my life, on Friday. While I tried to carry on with my day, it was a bit difficult. The bicycle path elevated above rice fields where I rode to the ocean on the weekend from my apartment is gone along with the fields and houses. I don't know if the students and friends I had there are alive or not. The ripple effects or aftershocks of this earthquake were felt inside my very own heart. It left me feeling hopeless for a day or so. While it seems this tragedy is on the other side of the world far from many of us, I realize it is not that far removed from any of us. We are all affected by anything that happens on the planet. The feelings, thoughts and words of one single person can cause a ripple effects across the entire planet. So what can I do about it? What is the answer to something so devastating?

Last night I found the answer after two days of feeling a bit numb and helpless. I am the answer. I found it while I was sitting in a movie theater near the University of Washington with a handful of other people watching director Tom Shadyac's movie called, believe it or not, I AM. The Los Angeles Times had this to say about it: "The accent (of the movie) is on big-picture optimism and the interconnectedness of all life..." And if we are in fact all "interconnected," as the movie suggests, then what we feel, say and do in this world is so important. The overwhelming state of the world at times can leave each of us feeling helpless. After all, what can "I" as a tiny human being, do to solve the world's problems?

On the outside, the truth is, probably very little can be done from my efforts. I can offer donations, monetary aid and prayers. I could fly overseas and roll up my sleeves and pitch in. Yes, there are certainly things I could do on the outside. But I know that the "real" work begins on the "inside." If each one of us takes entire responsibility for ourselves and our own feelings, thoughts and actions from the inside, then how different our world would be on the outside.

I am the answer and so are YOU. It may sound new agey or weird and at one point in my life I might have scoffed at this very idea and thought, "Now that's wacko." But I don't believe that anymore because my own experience has shown me differently. I have seen how the words I write can have a tremendous effect on the people around me. I have received e-mails and comments from people all over the world on many occasions letting me know that they can relate or that they feel these things to be true or that the words I have written were exactly the words they needed to hear. This hasn't happened once, it's happened dozens of times. And I realize that my words are NOT the important thing at all. In fact, the words themselves have very little to do with what is happening here. The truth is, we are CONNECTED...all of us! We all breathe this air. What is happening here is about intention. I have good intentions in me which were somehow awoken by my choices and situations I encountered in life and those intentions are waking up the intentions in you and your good intentions are also awakening the intentions of those around you as well. And it just keeps going and going.....None of us can OWN these words or this goodness or the dhamma or the scriptures or the laws of nature or ANY OF IT. We are all in it, we are all a part of it and what we do here is so important. It starts with you!

So now, a year before my book is about to launch, I am coming up against some Mara or obstacles, if you will. I feel I am being shaken. My new point of reference in the universe causes unease for some people around me. Thankfully, the number of people who feel unease in what I am doing and want to shake things up is no where near the number of people who have supported what I am doing. So I have to say to YOU out there who have encouraged me: THANK YOU....your intentions and the ripple effects of those intentions have been felt! Keep shining and keep spreading your good intentions, you don't know what a positive effect it can have on you, the people around you, the world and beyond! We all play a part in this and it doesn't matter where we come from or what we believe or who we follow. We are all in this together.

Also on my blog: Lessons from the Monk I Married