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Living a passionate life

Karin — Sun, 15 Jan 2012 22:00:43 +0000

What is the purpose of this life? Do you keep living until you have had all the best experiences? When is life complete? How many years would you want to keep living? Or do you just enjoy living every day?

Life (and fragrance) is not a means to an end; it's the process that is to be savored. Colin, Le 3eme Homme at POL, with permission

I want to live a passionate life. To that end, I've been thinking the last few days of what it means and what it takes to live a passionate life. I came across the quote above and also the article below which put into words what I've been thinking better than I could.

There are many ways to define passion. Dictionary definitions include "ardor, powerful intense emotion, great enthusiasm for something, sexual love, a longing for something that promises enjoyment and satisfaction."

What makes a person passionate? We're not talking about sexual passion per se, but a physical and emotional energy that sustains us and keeps us going, even in the face of adversity. How can you become passionate about life, about what you do every day?

"We tend to define passion as coming from outside ourselves, but day-to-day passion comes from within and requires special skill," says Robert Maurer, Ph.D., a behavioral health provider who travels extensively giving seminars on personal happiness and success.

"It is based on an understanding of our wants and a firm belief in our entitlement to those wants. If we're going to stay passionate about our wants, we have to know what they are (often a surprisingly difficult task) and then hold true to them when obstacles arise."

Confidence, enthusiasm, energy and strong beliefs are often the hallmarks of passion. Do you believe in what you do? Do you have clearly defined goals and wants? Do you keep going even in the face of adversity? These are just some of the elements that define a passionate person. Dr. Maurer maintains that passion and enthusiasm do not come when you achieve success â€” they are necessary fuel to create and maintain success.

The first and most important step is to identify and become clear about your wants and goals. Dr. Maurer suggests these strategies:

Be optimistic. Optimism is an indicator of passion. Believing that there are always choices and taking responsibility are two elements of optimism that play a role in passion.

Identify how you can (or do) contribute to others. Passionate people often view their actions as a service or gift to others, and use it to learn personal lessons; this perspective helps maintain passion.

Take responsibility. Passionate people don't complain and blame others for problems but take full responsibility for making things better. They believe they can make a difference.

The keys to finding and sustaining passion are to have a clear sense of purpose and destination. Dr. Maurer cites several people, especially those who have used their passion to succeed and make a difference even in the face of adversity, as good examples of passionate people: Christopher Reeve and Toni Morrison, for example.

"It's how you operate in the world minute by minute that sets you free and creates passion," notes Dr. Maurer. "Passion is about creating happiness in every moment." From Canyon Ranch

What does it mean to live a passionate life?
What does it mean to you? Are you living a passionate life? Do you wish to?

Karin

Originally posted 2007-03-24 07:17:48.

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Adoption Corruption 12) Educate yourself on the International Documents…

Karin — Wed, 14 Dec 2011 23:22:30 +0000

12) Educate yourself on the International Documents that are applicable to International Adoption:

--"The Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC)"

--"The Convention on the Rights of the Child Optional Protocol (Sale of Children)"

--"Hague Convention on Intercountry Adoption"

--Human Rights documents, including the "Protocol to Prevent, Suppress, and Punish Trafficking in Persons, Especially Women and Children, Supplementing the United Nations Convention Against Transnational Organized Crime."

--Educate others in the adoption community and in the general community about what these documents say about human rights and adoption, including the fact that they state a hierarchy of care for children.

--Lobby for laws and enforcement that takes these human rights documents seriously.

Originally posted 2007-03-08 10:24:24.

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Grace, Generosity, and Gratitude for Christmas

Keira — Sun, 11 Dec 2011 00:09:48 +0000

This is from a guest writer today, Keira of Love Romance Passion.

Grace, Generosity, and Gratitude for Christmas -- the 3 Gs

The meaning of Christmas is ever growing and yet still incredibly timeless and practical. This year for me three words stood out above the rest. They are grace, generosity, and gratitude.

Grace – Everyone should want to experience a growth in grace this Christmas.

What we most need is the prayer of fervent desire for growth in grace, expressed in patience, meekness, love, and good deeds. - Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures by Mary Baker Eddy, page 4, lines 3-5.

This is the time to be the most gracious, express even more goodwill, and to forgive unconditionally. Give up anger, animosity, and annoyance. Let grace run your day and you will be happier for it.

Generosity
This is the season of giving, and there should be a readiness to give and be generous on your part. What’s the use of giving, if there’s a bitterness or smallness about it? The Grinch started Christmas with a meanness of heart, described as a heart "two sizes too small," but ended with a largeness of heart (it expands three sizes). If you’re feeling pinched this holiday, work daily on expanding your heart with an overflowing of generosity. And remember, generosity comes in many forms and can be expressed in many ways. Don’t let preconceived notions of generosity stunt you.

Gratitude
As I was examining this word, I ran across another version of the word… overgratitude. Can you really communicate or convey gratitude over and above what is needed? I think not, because if there were a cap on gratitude, then there would be a cap on how much you appreciate something or someone, which implies there’s a time you wouldn’t be grateful for it or to the person. Ingratitude is easier to express, because you simply have to do nothing, but if you do nothing, you’re limiting yourself spiritually and emotionally. The best gift this year you could give anyone is the gift of gratitude. What are you grateful for, or to whom are you grateful? Share thankfulness, appreciation, and warmth of love. Be overabundant with it, and you will feel it in return. There is no shortage of loving gratitude.

How will you articulate grace, generosity, and gratitude this Christmas?

Keira

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A story of remission/healing

Karin — Fri, 09 Dec 2011 21:40:00 +0000

I was telling a friend about another's diagnosis and how it is known to sometimes go into remission, even permanently. Here's what she wrote in reply:

It really struck me what you said on the phone - when they said [ ] could go into remission and that you considered "remission" a "healing" --- I never thought of that until recalling that about 30 years ago, I suddenly came down with some "spinal" thing - extreme pain constantly up to my neck. For three months I was nearly a total invalid. Couldn't even lift a can of tomato soup, let alone open it. Even had to move in with my parents, as I could not even feed myself. The family doctor diagnosed it as ankylosing spondylitis, an incurable spinal disease, and sent me out to U of Michigan. The first day consisted of 5-1/2 hours of doctors all over me. They confirmed the diagnosis, said it was incurable
and that I would have to be fitted with a steel back brace for the rest of my life, whereby, I could never bend over, etc.

Out of the blue, a woman at work whom I barely knew, called me with her story....bottom line: see Dr. Luke Sheng in Brighton, Michigan. (I could write volumes about his family and that clinic.) He was an M.D. He and his wife (also an M.D.) were both born in China, as were their two sons. They were what we would call those super-devout Christians. When Mao took over in '49, he was arrested and jailed, escaped to Hong Kong, made it to Pennsylvania, then Brighton.

I had, for the first time, called [someone] who agreed to continue to pray/work with me while I was having acupuncture from Dr. Sheng. Was driven to Brighton for 14 treatments and a few more trips to U-M. It was obvious to me I was healed. I was well! When I told the U-M doctors, they scoffed, said it was impossible because this was incurable and I was only in a short "remission" and that it would return within weeks. That was 30 years ago. It has never returned.

Thank you Karin, that you even said you consider "remission" a "healing." I had never even equated that.

And please feel free to show this to [ ] or post it on your blog. No secrets here ... just a bunch of gratitude and awe.

Love,
Diane

Originally posted 2007-04-30 00:43:21.

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Adoption Corruption 10) Educate yourself on the adoption related laws and regulations of your own country

Karin — Tue, 06 Dec 2011 08:29:09 +0000

10) Educate yourself on the adoption related laws and regulations of your own country

--As you educate yourself, take note of the way that the federal, the state (or regional) and the local laws interact.

--Note where your own country's laws are weak; discuss these weaknesses with other AP's. Lobby your government to strengthen these weaknesses, and energize other AP's to care. Just make sure you
understand the broader repercussions of anything you push for before you push.

--When you see your government taking a stand for higher ethical standards in adoption, be sure to praise those officials for their principled stand; when your government fails to take a stand, make
sure they know you aren't pleased. Above all make it clear to your government that adoptive parents and adoptees CARE about ethics in adoptionâ€”that the ends do NOT justify the means, that AP's desire to parent does not trump the human rights of others.

--Seek to understand how the laws of your country intersect with the laws of the receiving countries you have decided to monitor.

Originally posted 2007-03-07 07:55:26.

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What to Do About Adoption Corruption, overview

Karin — Sun, 04 Dec 2011 07:33:28 +0000

What to Do About Adoption Corruption

1) Become educated about what's going on in IA.

2) Research the adoption related laws and regulations of a few sending countries.

3) Do ongoing research to understand the cultural/economic/political, etc. context.

4) Keep tabs on whether your agency and the other adoption agencies practicing in the countries you have chosen, are abiding by the rules.

5) Be aware of the role that foreign fees and foreign/orphanage donations play in incentivizing corrupt sourcing of children.

6) Hold non-profits and others accountable for how money is spent.

7) Encourage agencies to carefully vet and then hold their own foreign partners responsible for their actions.

Join online groups like Adoption_Agency_Research and learn and participate.

9) Find ways to make a difference in terms of the root causes of the "need" for adoption -- desire to parent does not trump the human rights of others.

10) Educate yourself on the adoption related laws and regulations of your own country.

11) Research the adoption practices of other receiving countries as a way of understanding your own country's practices. In what ways do other receiving countries "do it better"?

12) Educate yourself on the International Documents that are applicable to International Adoption.

13) During Adoption Crises, Avoid the Temptation to Work Against Investigations, Enforcement, and Reforms. Do what you can to help.

14) Work to Mature the Way Adoption is understood in our Society.

15) Speak up.

16) Speak to PAP's [Potential Adoptive Parents] formally and informally about finding ethical agencies.

17) Tell the bad stories.

18) Pool your resources and use your unique talents.

19) Work for Legislative and Executive Remedies. [compiled by Desiree, Usha and Barbara at IAT, with permission]

Read my husband's articles on adoption corruption at:

http://works.bepress.com/david_smolin/ and watch the US Federal Special Agent Richard Cross's presentation, What Really Happened in Cambodia

--Discuss with others. Right now discussions about adoption ethics are almost taboo. When conversations about adoption ethics become more common-place, improvements in adoption practice & ethics are sure to follow. Desiree

Originally posted 2007-02-06 19:00:49.

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Jero singing Enko part 1

Karin — Thu, 24 Nov 2011 15:56:21 +0000

Thanks to my friend Gordon:

Joozu da na, Jerome san. Natsukashii mo.

Umi Yuki - Jiro Music Fair (12 Apr 2008 )

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_w9t8TuF2Eo&feature=related

Jero - Echigojishino Uta

His story in the news.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/music_enka_star

Japanese enka star to perform at DC festival:
"Enka had an unwavering hook on White, and it has made him a superstar in Japan,
where he's known as Jero. Named best new artist last year by Japan Record Awards
— the Japanese version of the Grammys — White will make his first major U.S.
appearance Saturday during the opening ceremony of the National Cherry Blossom
Festival in Washington.

White has helped reintroduce enka — long a favorite of older generations — to
the Japanese, breathing new life into its melodies by incorporating touches of
pop or rhythm and blues.

Most striking is his wardrobe. Traditional enka crooners perform in a suit or
kimono, but White sings in masterful Japanese while dressed in baggy pants, a
do-rag and a cocked-to-the-side baseball cap.

Seeing an African-American artist sing a "kind of perfect way of enka" in
hip-hop fashion — "that's totally sort of an amazing contrast to us," says Hideo
Fukushima, public affairs minister at the Embassy of Japan, which invited White
to perform at the festival."

Subarashi. Erai na, Jero no styeru. Yoko wakaru yo. Ciao, ato de ne.
--gordon

Originally posted 2009-03-30 15:44:04.

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Creative thinking part 1

Karin — Mon, 31 Oct 2011 19:19:50 +0000

What fascinates me so much about this man is the way he not only invented something, but he created the APPLICATION for his invention. It was one thing to invent electricity- Ben Franklin managed it 100 years earlier. But it was a totally other thing to figure out how to get people to WANT electricity. And to make it possible. Like cable tv, the internet, how many applications that are not immediately apparent? Cable tv wasn't viable without actually laying the cables. And I can remember saying to my dh, back in 1987, "But what would I use the internet FOR?" -Carole

It's the birthday [February 11] of Thomas Alva Edison, born in Milan, Ohio (1847). He did not do well in school, in part because he'd spent his early childhood sick in bed, and he suffered from bad hearing. So he was home-schooled by his mother. He started working odd jobs when he was 13, bouncing around various jobs at machine shops, jewelry shops, and telegraph offices, and he soaked up as much as he could about the operation of different kinds of technology. His first important invention was an improvement on the stock ticker. Western Union paid him $40,000 for the device.

That helped Edison set up one of the first independent industrial research laboratories in the world. He eventually amassed 1,093 patents, the most patents ever issued to a single person in American history. His most important inventions were the phonograph, the light bulb, and the movie camera. But perhaps his greatest achievement was managing to make these things a part of everyday life. When he invented the light bulb, it might have been just a novelty. Edison had to invent the electricity industry in order to make the light bulb useful. He built the first power plant in the world, designed his own steam-powered generators, built a 14-mile network of underground wiring, and installed meters to measure the flow of the electricity. He's now regarded as the father of the modern electronic world. Today's History Lesson

Originally posted 2007-02-12 07:47:11.

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HARRY SLATKIN HONORED WITH “LIVING LEGENDS” AWARD

Karin — Wed, 26 Oct 2011 17:05:38 +0000

HARRY SLATKIN HONORED WITH “LIVING LEGENDS” AWARD

FROM THE AMERICAN SOCIETY OF PERFUMERS

WHAT: Harry Slatkin will receive the coveted Legends Award from The American Society of Perfumers. In receiving this award, Mr. Slatkin joins an extraordinary list of past honorees including Oscar de la Renta, Gianni Versace, Oleg Cassini, Karyn Khoury and Estee Lauder.

WHO: Harry Slatkin, President and Founder of Slatkin & Co. Home Fragrance and President of Limited Brands, Home Design

WHEN: Thursday, May 7, 2009
1:00 – 3:00 PM - Luncheon
2:45 PM - Award Presented by Allure Magazine Editor-In-Chief Linda Wells

ALL PRESS MUST RSVP FOR ADMITTANCE:
Debbie Min/Nicole Sutliff– Susan Magrino Agency
212-957-3005; debbie@smapr.com, nicole@smapr.com

WHERE: Marriott Marquis in Times Square
1535 Broadway
New York, NY
1-800-228-9290

Harry Slatkin has been chosen to receive the coveted Legends Award from The American Society of Perfumers. The award honors a person “who has distinguished him or herself over the years with their body of creative work, their contribution to the fragrance industry and also their contribution to society.”

About Harry Slatkin

Called the “king” of home fragrance by the New York Times, Harry Slatkin is the founder and creative force behind Slatkin & Co., the premiere home fragrance brand. A former Bear Stearns Director, he created Slaktin & Co. in 1992 when his passion for fragrance developed into a lucrative business. Launched at Saks Fifth Avenue, the brand was quickly picked up by luxury retailers Neiman Marcus, Bergdorf Goodman, Barneys and international stores like Harrods in London, Villa Moda in Dubai and Joyce in Hong Kong. Socialites, celebrities and interior designers quickly became fans and requested personal scents. In 2005 the legendary retailer Les Wexner recognized Slatkin’s talent and purchased Slatkin & co. for Limited Brands (NYSE:LTD) and named Slatkin President of Home Design. Harry Slatkin and his wife Laura serve on the boards of various non-profit organizations including Autism Speaks, Henry Street Settlement House, The New England Center for Children and NYCA (New York Center for Autism), which Mr. & Mrs. Slatkin founded.

Originally posted 2009-05-05 11:13:47.

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How irritable are you on any given day?

Karin — Tue, 04 Oct 2011 22:19:09 +0000

What's your irritation quotient? Do you find yourself with a constant underlying sense of irritation about the little things in life that should only be annoyances? Or does your irritation quotient go up only for select instances? Do you feel this is a function of not voicing some of the things that maybe should have been voiced along the way or do you see that you could have taken better care of yourself with more rest and more regular food? Maybe all of the above, since speaking up for ourselves can also constitute taking care of ourselves, unless it becomes a regular habit of speaking up over everything, which possibly we should break.

I can be irritable with the best of them, but it doesn't necessarily make me feel better. I try to pray my way out of it before it settles in, so it doesn't come out in ways I would prefer it not to. And sometimes I pray my way not to rehearse it in thought when it is something that isn't immediately fixable.

What do you do with irritation? There are opportunities every day to overcome it or to be overcome by it. No life is free of it completely. Do you suppose some people have higher thresholds of irritation?

I find it helpful not to let a little river of irritation run in me that can go up with the slightest spark. Of course, that is, if I catch it in time. It would be saying too much to say that I always do.

Karin

The subhead on the story said, "Little acts of revenge can feel so good." [the person refused to call the sizes of drinks at Starbucks by their Starbuck names]

This notion is potentially useful in plotting a novel or TV show, but in the real world it fails on two levels. First of all, disputing the terminology of a cup size or other marketing detail just makes life harder for the clerk, who has no power over company policy. Why expend time and energy hassling an innocent bystander who's just doing a job?

Second, and perhaps more important, if minor annoyances create enough agitation within you that seeking little acts of revenge becomes a priority, where do you draw the line? Can you even tell the difference between getting pushed around and just feeling bothered? And what if your "I'm fighting back" gambit causes someone else to want revenge on you?

To me, it wouldn't matter if a company wanted to call its cup sizes "glork," "koopa," and "zeralack." I could work with that. Some people might say this proves I'm just a big talking marshmallow. Not true. It's just that I've set a high threshold for annoyance, and I keep issues in perspective.

It wasn't too many decades ago that business owners in America could offer selective service to patrons based on skin color. Knowing this, making a fuss about cup sizes or a long line, or berating the clerk because you got incorrect change, is pretty lame.

If revenge is on your personal agenda for today, consider erasing it. Everyday life is full of bumps. Most of them are not the little hills you want to die on. They aren't even worth a small skirmish. Jeffrey Shaffer To read the whole article go here Don't take revenge, be happy .

Originally posted 2007-11-06 07:17:18.

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