Goodies

Live Your Passion!

There is a major shift happening all over the world, now that The Secret is out. Don't groan - it's true that for many, it's being seen as com-MER-cial, overdone and too-too.

But it's been so great watching how people are "getting it," and how people who never ordinarily might have come upon such information have suddenly made staggering leaps with their lives. It's wonderful.

Since the big thrust Oprah gave the Secret, I and several close friends who are also involved with moving services and products online, are noticing that what once worked for their lists just doesn't Do It anymore.

That's easy to understand. All of a sudden we have all been smacked with a heavy dose of information we need to integrate. It also makes sense when the information is handed out by a set of people who also DISagree about the basic premises - the way Dr. DeAngelo and Joe Vitale disagree about the way we "create our own reality."

The question arises, "Who do I believe?"

Passion Leaking

A movie I watched tonight made me think of all the latest rah-rah about The Secret movie, and what had been bothering me underneath all the rah-rah. This movie, an older one called Les Choristes, or, The Chorus, was all about believing in something beautiful, something true, something Right about life.

I'll admit it - I'm a sucker for feel-good movies. And I find that at certain parts, my eyes do a bit of independent watering. Not boo-hoo crying, but the kind of leaky eyes that comes from that special place in the heart that recognizes the presence of something much bigger than the tiny us, much more grand and magnificent.

I always look for the archetypal thread running under any movie or story. In this one, even though the choral master was fired at the end, he had accomplished 60 miracles - 60 boys in a rough school in France for "loser" kids, who were finally given love and attention and taught to do something that raised their spirits. The master took a chance, and came out of his own shell and lived his passion.

AT&T/Cingular, Sprint, & Quest Are Blocking Your Calls

This is an article I lifted directly from Michael Port's blog. He's the guy to go to for the Product Factory and the Traffic School. I respect him and his work tremendously, and am so grateful he wrote this - here's: Michael Port's blog.

He says: I'm not surprised when people or businesses behave badly. I'm disappointed but not surprised. This one has not only surprised me but shocked me.

I got an email from a subscriber today saying he couldn't get on to a tele-seminar that I was doing using a conference line from nocostconference.com. He said he is a Cingular customer and that Cingular has been blocking his calls to most conference lines. I was skeptical: a) I didn't think it was technically possible and b) I didn't think it would be legal to do something like that.

I did some checking. Turns out he was right. Apparently AT&T/Cingular, Sprint, and Quest are blocking your conference calling. Absolutely ridiculous and offensive.

Anti-trust laws were established in response to this kind of illegal business practice.

Just because you can, doesn't mean that you should stop people from getting what they want. If you do, they'll most certainly stop wanting you.

TO DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT:
If you are a Cingular/AT&T, Qwest or Sprint customer and feel compelled to respond to their blocking your access to free conference calling services, you may file a complaint with the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) by clicking here: Do something about it!.

For your convenience, nocostconference.com has offered the following text that you may copy and paste in the text window of the above link. After filling out the required information, you may choose from the following responses. Feel free to edit as you feel necessary:

For nonprofit services:
We have found that the blocking by the above-named long distance carrier is affecting our ability to function as a nonprofit organization. The long distance company is using its ability as a monopolizing carrier to drive competitive conference services out of t! he conferencing market. We find these services vital to our functionin g as a nonprofit organization. These competitive conference solutions provide us with the ability to carry out needed services to all our patrons that we otherwise could not afford at the partners of the long distance carriers rates. We find that there is no added advantage to use their partner services over competitive conference solutions that would justify their exorbitant rates. We respectfully request that the FCC look into this matter and order the long distance carrier above to cease its strong-arming of the competitive conference solutions that we find vital to our ability to carry out our much needed philanthropy. Thank you for your time.

For businesses:
We have found that the blocking by the above-named long distance carrier is affecting our ability to function as a business. The long distance company is using its ability as a monopolizing carrier to drive competitive conference services out of the conferencing market. We find that these services are necessary with their alternative pricing structure for us to operate as a business. We see no added benefit of using the long distance company's partners' pay-for service which is usually at an exorbitant rate vs. the competitive solutions available. Our company would cease to be able to perform its functions if we are forced to change conferencing service models. We respectfully request that the FCC look into this matter and order the long distance carrier above to cease its strong-arming of the competitive conference solutions that we find vital to our ability to carry out our daily business. Thank you for your time.

Are You Fruiting?

This morning when I walked outside to water my little garden - my little bit of paradise! - I noticed a scent on the air I couldn't quite place - it seemed very familiar, but the name of the plant escaped my memory.

As I did my rounds from one plant to the next, I looked carefully to see if there was a new one that was blooming. Yes! The guava!

Now, I'm not a big guava fan - as a matter of fact, when I was young and camping out on Maui and eating only guavas and rice for weeks on end, I guess you might say I developed a particularly intense dislike of the fruit.

So when I "inherited" a tiny, scraggly, near-death guava bush when I moved into this place, I almost just threw it in the compost pile and gave up on it.

DECIDE

As some of you probably know from being on my list for a few years, I have a bit of history with The Dollar.

In November of 2004, I had a grand net worth of exactly $7.03. As the Perfect Model for the Starving Artist for over 40 years, I was true to form - nothing saved, most of the time, nothing to spend, and certainly nothing to look forward to.

It was really, really, r-e-a-l-l-y hard. For way too long.

And of course, I resented people for not buying enough of my work; I was furious at people for not wanting what I had but asking for something that would match their couch; and enraged at my family for not helping me out when they *knew* how tough times were for me - especially in the '90s when I was so sick for so very long.

Thing is, the world does NOT owe me a thing. People don't buy my work - so? Get over it. Do something to let people know about it who *would* want and buy it. But I didn't - didn't know how, didn't want to, was scared to. Market my work? Uh-uh - only comMERcial people did that! And Godde Knows I'm not coMERcial! Uhhh - if I wanted to sell my work, how did I think I was going to do it without being in a marketplace of some sort? Without letting people know about it????

Clear Headed in the MORNING?

I'm not a morning person. When anyone asks me out to breakfast or for a morning appointment, my usual first reaction is to ask for a later time, because I'm just not human until at least ten o'clock. I'm usually simply too mush-headed to even think straight.

Why? Who knows - maybe it has to do with the fact that my father used to come barreling into my bedroom at 5 am and yank all the covers off my bed (imagine: winter; Long Island; COLD! - grrrr!) and tickle me and cheerily announce it was time to get up and going. (Have I tapped on that? Ooooh yes!)

Nonetheless, I like to just mootch around in the morning and enjoy the solitary amble through my garden or walk on the beach until actual thoughts start happening. It's quiet, calming and very satisfying.

Unfortunately, sometimes it isn't appropriate to be a moron before 10, and when my amazing friend, Rebecca Marina (celebrationhealing.com) told me what she does in the morning with a couple of New Sun Health products, I thought I'd try it, too.

Your Body Speaks

Your Body Speaks
Assumptions and Beliefs
White Lists

WHAT'S YOUR BODY SAYING?

It's been a strange week for me - ordinarily I'd have given two classes last week, but suddenly found myself flat with a bad cough! To me, a sore throat and cough means there's something my inner conscious is trying to "cough up," so I figured my body was trying to give me something I'd been holding down. So I just allowed myself to lie there and "listen" to what was "coming up" in my mind. When the cough went to my chest, I then asked my heart what it wanted. As I listened to what was going on for me, I had some cool ideas I'm implementing in the next few weeks - stay tuned!

EFT Surrogate Tapping Success

My neighbors, a mid-60's woman and her 30-something son - who I think is a little short on his marble supply - fight tooth and nail. Luckily it only happens about once a month, but it's so boring and the cops always come and it's loud and interrupts my day. Or night. One time he threw a TV at her. Not nice.

Tapping for MSG

I seem to be hooked on surrogate tapping. I went out to a Japanese restaurant last week with a friend who has experienced severe reactions to MSG. The restaurant, one of the best here in Honolulu, claims NO MSG loudly on the menu, so we figured we were safe.

Alas, halfway through our meal, she got short of breath, red in the face, puffy around the eyes, and itchy on her hands and feet - for her, a classic break-out response.