spontaneous birthings
head fluff when illuminated can reveal some very special thingsArchive for books
perspective
Funny how chance encounters stir certain thoughts and other mind wanderings…
I saw half (yes, sadly only half) of a fat, juicy worm lying on the pavement the other evening after a night and day of glorious, heavy raining and I started thinking…
What is the world to that sad half of a worm? What was its existence like?
See, these are the sorts of questions that result from my diving into I Am A Strange Loop, a book by Douglas R. Hofstadter about the concept of “I” and “self” and how our existences solely are based on a self-referential perspective.
Does a worm have a self? Interesting, hmm…?
reach out & do something
We fight obesity while millions of children and people around the world are starving. We spend thousands on invetro fertilization while millions of orphaned children suffer alone in the streets and are displaced by brutal civil wars. We complain “there is not enough time” as we rush from work to the gym to soccer practice to the grocery store and back home again. For the rest of the world, time is recorded by endless accounts of death, famine, genocide, AIDS and dehydration.
My interest in our colorful humanity and the amazing power of the human spirit is strengthened every day, by the people that inspire me in their own special ways – my personal dear friends, as well as all the people I have gotten to know through the pages of books.
I have been reading many stories about the current happenings in Darfur and other parts of Africa and am shocked of the atrocities going on there. I have been thinking of my own ways to help the millions of children who are starving , suffering from AIDS because they have no access to medicine, or just struggling to survive on a day-to-day basis, but in the meantime, here are a few ways for you to help. Because we are all brothers and sisters. Because your left-over change can save a child from death.
Educate yourself and do something about it.
Visit my (new) outreach page as a starting point. And if you’re already contributing to the positive outreach of an organization, let me know.
swaptree
I’ve been thinking about starting a book swap among friends. It’s silly to think about how many books I purchase a year when I think of the money-saving alternatives, not to mention the simple joy in sharing good works with others who love words.
So, I “google’d” book trading venues – just to see what was out there. Apparently, my idea was not so new after all. I joined Swaptree, an online trading post for willing readers to part with their favorites (or not-so favorites) with others eager to get their hands on new reads. Or, you can trade DVDs, CDs and even videogames. Genius.
I’ve already swapped 2 paperbacks and am in love with Swaptree. It’s still in beta form, which means the creators are still working out the glitches and the assortment of books and other goodies are limited to the collections of charter members, but it’s still (did I say?) genius.
Membership is free, but you do need to pay for shipping (usually less than $3.00). Try it! Click on the logo to enter their website. And no, Swaptree is not paying me for endorsements…but they should.
they poured fire
After reading Dave Egger’s What Is The What, I have been consuming stories (both true and fiction) about Darfur and the Lost Boys like candy. ”Candy” sounds so inappropriate in comparison to the deaths, starvation and desperation refugees have witnessed and experienced in the war-ridden regions of Sudan.
War makes my heart feel heavy, but when I read the stories of how young boys survived such cruel lives, I am filled with hope – their stories of courage and their respect for life reminds me not to take powerful mysteries for granted, like my own breath, my mind, my physical health, my curiosity and my admiration of all people. Visit my shelf friends page for a link to the official They Poured Fire On Us From The Sky website (or click on the banner above) and to see how you can support the Lost Boys, including purchasing a CD by Alepho Deng’s band Thong Jieng.
darfur
savedarfur.org. Do something if you can. Sign the petition. Read What is the What by Dave Eggers, and you’ll understand why I post this.
