J.J. Ulrich - My Blog

2012-02-01T12:34:00.001-07:00

Promote your business using the power of VIDEO! Free Video Email is here! Don't waste another moment sending text based emails. Check Out http://ping.fm/gK56C

2012-01-31T00:21:00.001-07:00

Pacesetter Highlights

The 2012 Pacesetter Event was incredible! WowWe salutes our entire Pacesetter attendees who made contributed to the spirit and fun of this incredible experience.

This event was historic for several reasons. Of course, it was the first corporate-sponsored event in WowWe’s history in which we honored several of our “Founding FVP’s” and other leaders who have contributed to WowWe’s success. But it also gave us a platform to introduce executive members of our product development team and roll out the new tools and commission plan enhancements that will take your WowWe Business to the next level of success!

Great Events:
Pacesetter Leadership Preview: Bill Starkey hosted all our existing Field Vice Presidents and other leaders at a special get together on Friday, Jan. 20. These were treated to some heart-pounding fun with rides in the WowWe racing plane and the WowWe helicopter.

Welcome Reception: This informal gathering on Friday evening was the first chance that many WowWe affiliates had to finally meet Team leaders and fellow affiliates they had previously only communicated with online. This remarkable bonding experience also featured speakers like Bill Starkey, Steven Little, Matt Russell, Attila Juhasz and others.

ED Leadership Meeting: Immediately after the Welcome Reception, all Executive Directors and higher were invited to a special preview meeting in which they were able to hear from top WowWe executives like President Bob Kelbe, Mike Nolen, Casey Minshew, and of course, Bill Starkey. This intimate look into WowWe’s leadership set the tone for the incredible announcements made on the following day.

Saturday General Sessions: Here is where the meat of the event was actually delivered. From the opening video to the closing “call to action,” Pacesetter attendees saw products and tools unveiled, were tutored by WowWe’s best and brightest leaders, and witnessed the recognition of each and every WowWe leader in attendance. This inspiring day concluded with networking and teambuilding opportunities for leaders to individually work with their groups in the relaxing setting of The Woodlands Waterway.

Datacenter Tour: Starting early Sunday morning, the majority of attendees opted to take the 40 minute bus ride out to the datacenter / bunker that houses WowWe’s computer infrastructure. Here, attendees got some “one-on-one” time with Bill Starkey, witnessed for themselves the technological horsepower that is the foundation of Wowwe.

Ground-breaking Announcements:

Commission Plan Enhancements-The goal at WowWe is to generate as many Executive Directors as we can. Why? So we can more than triple the number of Field Vice Presidents we have by this upcoming April. To accomplish this, the following Commission Plan enhancements were announced:

Fast Start Bonus: Effective immediately, a $500 cash bonus will be paid to all new affiliates who sign up 9 Premium accounts within their first full month in WowWe. There will be no limit to the number of bonuses that can be earned since new affiliates will be paid $500 for every group of 9 Premium accounts they enroll within their first full month. This means that if an affiliate joins WowWe on the 10th of the month, they have the rest of that month AND the remainder of the next full month to qualify for these bonuses. These Bonuses will be paid in a lump Sum 2 Weeks after the deadline has occurred.

The Fast Start Clock Has Been Reset for all: This means that, no matter how long you’ve been in WowWe, ALL affiliates have until the end of February to earn these bonuses. EVERY existing WowWe affiliate can earn a $500 bonus for every group of 9 Premium accounts they sign up and there is no limit on the number of these bonuses that can be earned. However, you only have until February 29th, 2012 to take advantage of this very profitable and very limited time offer.

Changes to FVP Qualification: It is now easier to become an FVP. Instead of having to have 9 Personally Sponsored Executive Directors to qualify you for FVP, now you only need to have 9 Executive Directors in ANY of your Personal Sponsorship “legs.” All Executive Directors will only qualify a leg for just one potential FVP and will count for that leader that is “closest” to him in that line of sponsorship.

(Note: The requirement to have a matrix size of at least 1,000 affiliates to become an FVP is still in place.)

Infinity Bonus / Leadership Pool: Effective immediately, the Infinity Bonus for FVP has gone from 2% to 1% and from 5% to 2% for GFC. Instead (Additionally), these leadership ranks will now enjoy an additional source of income from a Leadership Pool.

Each month, 1% of WowWe’s worldwide revenues will be placed in this pool. FVP’s and GFC’s will earn “shares” in this pool by the number of net new Executive Directors brought in from their organization. Personally enrolled Executive Directors and overall organizational growth will provide more “shares” in the pool and will be paid out once a quarter. To qualify, each leader must reach and maintain their level throughout the entire quarter.

Product Highlights:
The WowWe product development team demonstrated several of the new products and tools that will be rolled out in the upcoming days and weeks. These included:

• Autoresponder: This powerful automated email tool will allow you to create “campaigns” of pre-scheduled video emails to be sent out on a schedule you create. This one tool will automate the follow-up process and give affiliates and corporate alike the ability to effectively communicate the benefits of WowWe’s products and opportunity. Campaigns can be set up to serve different purposes; Prospecting, Follow-Up, Team Building, Training or just communicating with your Team.

• Message Center: This new tool will deliver an up-to-the-minute look at your business. With 5 key areas of reporting, Message Center will provide commission updates from it’s Finance Center, team information from the Matrix Center, and corporate information, just to name a few. These messages can even be forwarded via email or text to your mobile device letting you know when you’ve earned commissions, when a new affiliate joins your group, if a credit card payment in your matrix has been declined, and so much more.
• Me URL’s: As part of the “Ultimate Marketing System” being introduced, the Me URL will allow you to direct potential customers and affiliates directly to customized landing pages specifically to sign up Free Email accounts (which will then be “upsold” with WowWe’s autoresponder), new potential affiliates, and so much more.
• New Signup Flow: When a new person joins WowWe, this new sign up system provides a cleaner understanding of WowWe’s products, an expanded “shopping cart,” and a greater ability for us to gather information that will allow WowWe to target autoresponders to that customer or affiliate.
• Video Sharing: Upline leaders will be allowed to share videos with anyone in their downline with a simple click of a button. This will make training and communicating with your teams much easier.
• Broadcasting: WowWe VP of R&D Mike Nolen actually demonstrated how WowWe TV will allow anyone to broadcast from a simple mobile device to any group of online audience members.

As part of the “Ultimate Marketing System,” these tools will be the foundation of all future enhancements and systems to be used not only by corporate, but by each affiliate as they can use these tools to build customized online marketing systems to suit their needs.

Recognition:
Several of our leaders were recognized as “Founding FVPs” and given special awards for their hard work and endless effort in laying the foundation of WowWe. These included:

Rick & Seth Everts
Spokane, WA

Attila Juhasz
Coconut Creek, FL

Bob Muira
Honolulu, HI

Yehven Svaboda
Sokilnyky, Ukraine

New FVP’s Announced and “Pinned” at the event included:

Steve Little
Also recognized for his efforts in helping build WowWe’s initial marketing efforts.

J.J. Ulrich
Implemented TEAM IWowWe.com and IWowWe Service.com. These powerful systems support all of IWowWe Affiliates and Customers to Gain The Competitive Edge!

Gail Johnson
WowWe’s first female FVP

Other Awards Presented at the event included:
Excellence in Recruiting
Nate McCall

Excellence in Teambuilding:
Nastasya Aracena
Becky Crabb
Mark Evans
Edward Gary
Gail Johnson
Steven Little
Horst-Dieter Schipporeit
Jason Slone
Guillermo Zapata

2012-01-28T17:07:00.001-07:00

HAVING & AMAZING DAY! Training everyone on WowWe Video Communication Tools. You have got to try this free service. http://ping.fm/3t3Vo

2012-01-02T18:05:00.001-07:00

I just wanted to thank everyone who was praying for our daughter Madison. Last night one of the most serious situations of her life and we almost lost her. She was watched over by angels for sure. Last night she had a massive seizure and threw up at the same time. When she seizes her body locks up including her jaw. The throw up locked in her throat and caused her airway to be blocked. We could not get her jaw to release. We were able to pry her mouth open and clear her throat before rushing her to the hospital. She pulled through with flying colors, a sore jaw and a lot of washing. Thank you for those of you who prayed for her.

2011-12-31T23:12:00.001-07:00

I want to take a moment and thank everyone for our connection in 2011. Personally I am so glad to be through 2011 because it has been a very hard year for my family and many of my friends. I am committed to creating a shift in 2012 and really working hard on building more significant relationships with people I have in my life. May your night be filled with friends, family, celebration, reflection and gratitude for this upcoming year. I look forward to going big in the next 12 months and I hope you are interested in doing the same in your life. God Bless, Have Fun and be safe.

2011-12-14T23:44:00.001-07:00

My family and I wanted to wish you a Merry Christmas. We added a very funny video of our family singing a little song for you in a very interesting way. http://ping.fm/c4bCn

2011-12-13T19:51:00.001-07:00

Join J.J. Ulrich creator of Team IWowWe and IWowWe Service for a live presentation and Training. Gain The Competitive Edge using the power of Video. Don't Miss These Events and SHARE IT WITH EVERYONE!
Time: 8 PM MST - Web Conferencing Room: http://ping.fm/aizG7

2011-12-10T19:36:00.001-07:00

Excited to be a The Forgotten Carols Play. This is one of my most favorite days of the year. Count your blessings express gratitude to all.

2011-11-30T04:24:00.001-07:00

WOOHOO!!! I AM UP AT 4:00 AM because I got inspired by one of them DARN MOTIVATIONAL VIDEOS!!! I prepared a VIDEO YOU SHOULD SEE BEFORE YOU START THIS DAY!!! TODAY WILL BE FANTASTIC! TODAY IS GOING TO BE GREAT! TODAY I DECIDE TO TAKE ACTION TO SHARE WITH OTHERS!

Watch My Video!
http://ping.fm/fDvQI

2011-11-27T12:15:00.001-07:00

I'm grateful today for my family, friends & faith in my life. May we all take a moment today to express our love for the people in our life.

2011-11-27T12:14:00.001-07:00

I'm grateful today for my family, friends & faith in my life. May we all take a moment today to express ort love for the people in our life.

2011-11-24T14:38:00.001-07:00

Happy Thanksgiving From Our Family To Yours. Here is a short video to express our love and gratitude for everyone. Enjoy this video and be blessed, and safe today. http://ping.fm/6VBxx

2011-11-22T10:34:00.001-07:00

Salt Lake City and available for lunch? True Loyal Connections networking lunch @ 11:30 AM Today HABAAR Restaurant - 87 W 7200 S - Cost $1

2011-11-21T20:12:00.001-07:00

Enjoying an amazing date night with my best friend and wife. I am blessed to be surrounded with great friends and family.

2011-11-21T08:54:00.001-07:00

I just finished my new project at 6:30 AM This morning. I would love to hear your feedback. I went with Pink... http://ping.fm/ouARz

2011-11-21T08:53:00.001-07:00

GOOD MORNING! Excited to be back online after a 6 month waiting period! I HOPE YOUR DAY IS FILLED WITH BLESSINGS AND EXCITEMENT AS MINE IS!

2011-08-11T05:00:00.001-06:00

We are on our way home and she is doing good. This is more than any 8 year old should have to go through however she just said " have all your friends send prayers to others now because Jesus fixed me again and tell all of them thank you for calling him" now that is priceless!

2011-08-10T22:25:00.001-06:00

Another trip to the emergency room for Madison. For an 8 year old little girl I wish the lord would not be so confident in her abilities to deal with these issues. Please pray for her . I will update you when we are done.

2011-08-07T21:49:00.001-06:00

Our Daughter Madison had a situation causing an emergency room visit tonight. She is ok and we are heading home. Please send your prayers.

2011-07-28T17:50:00.001-06:00

Meet J.J. Ulrich who has worked with teams upwards of 800,000 people strong. Join us at 8PM EST today - http://ping.fm/thNOn - We are excited for him to share his experiences with Recruiting Solutions. With a combination of new and old ideas, he has built amazing teams of top leaders. Make sure to bring guests!!! Let's pack the house!! You don't want to miss this!!! 5pm PST...8pm EST!!

2011-06-19T19:28:00.001-06:00

For those of you who are fathers, may blessings, wisdom and guidance fill your heart this day. Thank you for your connection with me. I hope your day is filled with friends, family and loved ones who support a day of relaxation and reflection for the guidance you have been in their life. Remember to start this year off with renewed convictions to guide your family to abundance, humility, gratitude and love.

2011-05-11T16:56:00.001-06:00

I just had an amazing opportunity to speak on the Radio. Take a moment and learn about the power of Social Media in your life. http://ping.fm/beajR

2011-05-10T15:32:00.001-06:00

Listen to me on the radio tonight at 6:30 PM to 8:00 PM. Call and ask questions about Social Media Marketing - www.RainSocialRadio.com

2011-05-08T14:25:00.001-06:00

I just wanted to take a moment and wish those of you who are mothers a Happy Mothers Day and remind everyone else to cherish the mothers in your life today!

2011-04-24T23:29:00.001-06:00

Happy Easter Message From Me and the Family http://ping.fm/9sb3w

2011-04-24T21:40:00.001-06:00

Happy Easter Message From Me and the Famaily http://ping.fm/qineX

2011-04-14T01:26:00.001-06:00

I AM PUMPED UP! Things are really working in my space. The new video tool I am using is really amazing and I am having a blast. :) :) :) :)

2011-04-04T22:34:00.001-06:00

I am so excited today! We are about to launch the most amazing tool I have ever used to build personal relationships with social media!

2011-03-22T09:07:00.001-06:00

Truth is a deep kindness that teaches us to be content in our everyday life and share with the people the same happiness. ~Kahlil Gibran

2011-03-21T10:14:00.001-06:00

The manner of giving is worth more than the gift. ~Pierre Corneille

2011-03-09T09:13:00.001-07:00

The wise man does not lay up his own treasures. The more he gives to others, the more he has for his own.

Lao Tzu

2011-03-08T09:26:00.001-07:00

One of the sanest, surest, and most generous joys of life comes from being happy over the good fortune of others.

Robert A. Heinlein

2011-03-07T09:45:00.001-07:00

There is a desire deep within the soul which drives man from the seen to the unseen, to philosophy and to the divine.
Kahlil Gibran

2011-03-04T12:17:00.001-07:00

Madison's surgery went very well. We are in recovery and she is doing amazing. The angels sat by her side an made sure she was safe.

2011-03-04T09:39:00.001-07:00

It is well to give when asked, but it is better to give unasked, through understanding. ~Kahlil Gibran

2011-03-04T00:59:00.001-07:00

Please keep Maddie in your prayers today. She is having surgery to repair her jaw from a seizure & big fall. May Angels hold & bless her!

2011-03-03T09:41:00.001-07:00

All you have shall some day be given;
Therefore give now, that the season of giving
may be yours and not your inheritors.

Kahlil Gibran

2011-03-01T11:02:00.001-07:00

"Appreciation can make a day, even change a life. Your willingness to put it into words is all that is necessary."

~Margaret Cousins~

2011-02-25T09:08:00.001-07:00

One would give generous alms if one had the eyes to see the beauty of a cupped receiving hand.

Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

2011-02-24T10:55:00.001-07:00

Life is a gift, and it offers us the privilege, opportunity, and responsibility to give something back by becoming more

Anthony Robbins

2011-02-22T11:09:00.001-07:00

You get the best out of others when you give the best of yourself.

Harvey S. Firestone

2011-02-21T10:54:00.001-07:00

Nothing so conclusively proves a man's ability to lead others as what he does from day to day to lead himself. ~Thomas J. Watson

2011-02-18T09:24:00.001-07:00

Our prime purpose in this life is to help others. And if you can't help them, at least don't hurt them. ~ Dalai Lama

2011-02-17T10:03:00.001-07:00

Generosity is giving more than you can, and pride is taking less than you need.
Kahlil Gibran

2011-02-16T08:47:00.001-07:00

You give but little when you give of your possessions. It is when you give of yourself that you truly give. ~
Kahlil Gibran

2011-02-15T11:18:00.001-07:00

“To give without any reward, or any notice, has a special quality of its own.”

Anne Morrow Lindbergh

2011-02-14T12:39:00.001-07:00

Wishing a Happy Valentines Day to all of my Friends and Family!!!

2011-02-14T09:32:00.001-07:00

One makes mistakes; that is life. But it is never a mistake to have loved.
Romain Rolland

2011-02-11T09:13:00.001-07:00

Give what you have. To someone, it may be better than you dare to think.
Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

2011-02-10T09:59:00.003-07:00

~ Giving is more a dictate of the heart than a command of the brain. ~
Henry A. Rosso

2011-02-10T09:59:00.001-07:00

~ Giving is more a dictate of the heart than a command of the brain. ~
share this Giving saying Henry A. Rosso

2011-02-09T09:24:00.001-07:00

Sometimes a small thing you do can mean everything in another person's life

2011-02-09T09:21:00.001-07:00

That's what I consider true generosity. You give your all, and yet you always feel as if it costs you nothing.

- Simone De Beauvoir

2011-02-08T10:05:00.001-07:00

Giving is most blessed and most acceptable when the donor remains completely anonymous
~Unknown~

2011-02-07T12:39:00.001-07:00

It Pays To Be Generous ~ Janis
http://ping.fm/7AESs
One cold day I was going through the drive-through window of my favorite fast-food restaurant to get the big soda I usually need to start my day. I need caffine, but don't like coffee.

The girl who took my money looked miserably cold. After handing me my change and soda, she recoiled her hands together in a ball to try to warm them.

I said, "Your poor hands are getting so cold and chapped. Don't you have any gloves?" She said she didn't, so I took my gloves off and handed them to her. I always carry a spare pair of gloves in my glove compartment!

She was so appreciative and thanked me profusely. A few weeks later I was waiting in the lobby of a bank until the rain let up because I was wearing a thin dress that would have soaked to my skin if I had gotten wet.

A gentleman came into the bank, unfolded his umbrella and looked at me. He said, "Here, do you need an umbrella? Take mine." At first I refused because I thought he was a customer like I was who would be leaving again soon. But when he told me he had an office in the building and always kept a spare umbrella at work, I smiled and accepted his generosity. It pays to be generous.

The power of giving was returned.

2011-02-05T14:02:00.001-07:00

VERY IMPORTANT WEBINAR/CALL TONIGHT!
Tonight February 5th, 2011 at 8:00 PM Mountain Time we have some mega announcements here at Connecting Us All International. Please clear your schedule and invite your teams to be on this webinar/call. These announcements will include major changes to the FLIP’N system, a new webinar/call schedule, a new invitation presentation and the launch of our video tutorials. Don’t miss this meeting! The information is the information: http://ping.fm/BZxil or via phone at 1-516-453-0014 Access Code 587-969-266

2011-02-04T09:27:00.001-07:00

Giving is better than receiving because giving starts the receiving process.
Jim Rohn

2011-02-02T09:39:00.001-07:00

~ The value of a man resides in what he gives and not in what he is capable of receiving. ~ Albert Einstein

2011-02-01T08:47:00.001-07:00

“You can’t have a perfect day without doing something for someone who’ll never be able to repay you.”

— John Wooden

2011-01-31T09:45:00.001-07:00

Special Delivery
http://ping.fm/vo8qr
Ten-year-old Riley Christensen and her mother, Lynn, were huddled in front of the family computer, checking out models and prices of bikes. “Let’s pick one out for Dad’s birthday,” Christensen suggested to her daughter.

As Christensen scrolled down the home page of the Bike Rack, a shop in their town of St. Charles, Illinois, a video link for Project Mobility caught her eye. She clicked on it out of curiosity. The clip told how Bike Rack co-owner Hal Honeyman had created an organization to provide specially engineered bicycles to people with disabilities. It showed the happy faces of those who were now riding them—accident victims, injured veterans, and children with disabilities, including Hal’s own son, who had been born with cerebral palsy.

“I’m going to buy a bike for one of those kids,” Riley told her mother. Two days later, she showed Christensen a letter she had written asking for donations: “I think it’s amazing for a guy to make bikes for kids who can’t walk,” the letter said. “I saw how happy a boy was when he got one … I’m writing to ask for your help.”

Christensen was blown away by her daughter’s effort, but doubts quickly emerged. The cost of just one of those special bikes could be as high as $4,000. Riley could never raise the money. Nonetheless, her letter went out to 75 relatives and friends. Within three days, checks and cash began arriving. Then word got around about Riley’s campaign, and as Christmas neared, more and more donations rolled in. The teen ultimately raised more than $12,000, enough to pay for seven bikes.

Last Christmas Eve, Riley pulled on a Santa hat and delivered the bicycles to three of the lucky kids: Ava, a 13-year-old girl with spina bifida; Jenny, a 15-year-old girl with cerebral palsy; and Rose, a 4-year-old girl with a rare genetic disorder. “This is the best Christmas I ever had,” said Riley.

She and Ava have since ridden together. “When I ride, I like to go fast, get sweaty, and feel the breeze,” Riley says. “So does Ava. She pumps with her arms, not her feet, but she really flies.”

Riley is determined to keep her campaign going every holiday season. “I want kids to feel the wind in their faces,” she says.

2011-01-27T12:15:00.001-07:00

That's what I consider true generosity. You give your all, and yet you always feel as if it costs you nothing.

- Simone De Beauvoir

2011-01-26T09:10:00.001-07:00

The power of social networking has a new face today. This site is powerful, safe and does not sell your information, in addition no silly games or advertising to deal with. Join me on this new network CRAZYGOOD! www.crazygood.com/refer/jjulrich

2011-01-25T09:38:00.001-07:00

You can give without loving, but you can never love without giving.
Robert Louis Stevenson

2011-01-24T11:20:00.001-07:00

“Don't say that you want to give, but go ahead and give! You'll never catch up with a mere hope.”
~ Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

2011-01-21T09:43:00.001-07:00

“If you have much, give of your wealth; If you have little, give of your heart”
~Arab Proverb

2011-01-20T09:02:00.001-07:00

"Kindness in words creates confidence. Kindness in thinking creates profoundness. Kindness in giving creates love."

~Lao Tzu~

2011-01-19T10:26:00.001-07:00

Enthusiasm is the best protection in any situation. Wholeheartedness is contagious. Give yourself, if you wish to get others. ~David Seabury

2011-01-18T10:13:00.001-07:00

Always give without remembering and always receive without forgetting.
Brian Tracy

2011-01-17T13:13:00.001-07:00

I Have a Dream full speech by Martin Luther King Jr
http://ping.fm/2E2OL
Five score years ago, a great American, in whose symbolic shadow we stand signed the Emancipation Proclamation. This momentous decree came as a great beacon light of hope to millions of Negro slaves who had been seared in the flames of withering injustice. It came as a joyous daybreak to end the long night of captivity.

But one hundred years later, we must face the tragic fact that the Negro is still not free. One hundred years later, the life of the Negro is still sadly crippled by the manacles of segregation and the chains of discrimination. One hundred years later, the Negro lives on a lonely island of poverty in the midst of a vast ocean of material prosperity.
One hundred years later, the Negro is still languishing in the corners of American society and finds himself an exile in his own land. So we have come here today to dramatize an appalling condition.

In a sense we have come to our nation's capital to cash a check. When the architects of our republic wrote the magnificent words of the Constitution and the declaration of Independence, they were signing a promissory note to which every American was to fall heir. This note was a promise that all men would be guaranteed the inalienable rights of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.

It is obvious today that America has defaulted on this promissory note insofar as her citizens of colour are concerned. Instead of honouring this sacred obligation, America has given the Negro people a bad check which has come back marked "insufficient funds." But we refuse to believe that the bank of justice is bankrupt. We refuse to believe that there are insufficient funds in the great vaults of opportunity of this nation. So we have come to cash this check -- a check that will give us upon demand the riches of freedom and the security of justice. We have also come to this hallowed spot to remind America of the fierce urgency of now. This is no time to engage in the luxury of cooling off or to take the tranquillising drug of gradualism. Now is the time to rise from the dark and desolate valley of segregation to the sunlit path of racial justice. Now is the time to open the doors of opportunity to all of God's children. Now is the time to lift our nation from the quick-sands of racial injustice to the solid rock of brotherhood.

It would be fatal for the nation to overlook the urgency of the moment and to underestimate the determination of the Negro. This sweltering summer of the Negro's legitimate discontent will not pass until there is an invigorating autumn of freedom and equality. Nineteen sixty-three is not an end, but a beginning. Those who hope that the Negro needed to blow off steam and will now be content will have a rude awakening if the nation returns to business as usual. There will be neither rest nor tranquillity in America until the Negro is granted his citizenship rights. The whirlwinds of revolt will continue to shake the foundations of our nation until the bright day of justice emerges.

But there is something that I must say to my people who stand on the warm threshold which leads into the palace of justice. In the process of gaining our rightful place we must not be guilty of wrongful deeds. Let us not seek to satisfy our thirst for freedom by drinking from the cup of bitterness and hatred.

We must forever conduct our struggle on the high plane of dignity and discipline. We must not allow our creative protest to degenerate into physical violence. Again and again we must rise to the majestic heights of meeting physical force with soul force. The marvellous new militancy which has engulfed the Negro community must not lead us to distrust of all white people, for many of our white brothers, as evidenced by their presence here today, have come to realize that their destiny is tied up with our destiny and their freedom is inextricably bound to our freedom. We cannot walk alone.

And as we walk, we must make the pledge that we shall march ahead. We cannot turn back. There are those who are asking the devotees of civil rights, "When will you be satisfied?" We can never be satisfied as long as our bodies, heavy with the fatigue of travel, cannot gain lodging in the motels of the highways and the hotels of the cities. We cannot be satisfied as long as the Negro's basic mobility is from a smaller ghetto to a larger one. We can never be satisfied as long as a Negro in Mississippi cannot vote and a Negro in New York believes he has nothing for which to vote. No, no, we are not satisfied, and we will not be satisfied until justice rolls down like waters and righteousness like a mighty stream.

I am not unmindful that some of you have come here out of great trials and tribulations. Some of you have come fresh from narrow cells. Some of you have come from areas where your quest for freedom left you battered by the storms of persecution and staggered by the winds of police brutality. You have been the veterans of creative suffering. Continue to work with the faith that unearned suffering is redemptive.
Go back to Mississippi, go back to Alabama, go back to Georgia, go back to Louisiana, go back to the slums and ghettos of our northern cities, knowing that somehow this situation can and will be changed. Let us not wallow in the valley of despair.
I say to you today, my friends, that in spite of the difficulties and frustrations of the moment, I still have a dream. It is a dream deeply rooted in the American dream.

I have a dream that one day this nation will rise up and live out the true meaning of its creed: "We hold these truths to be self-evident: that all men are created equal."

I have a dream that one day on the red hills of Georgia the sons of former slaves and the sons of former slave-owners will be able to sit down together at a table of brotherhood.

I have a dream that one day even the state of Mississippi, a desert state, sweltering with the heat of injustice and oppression, will be transformed into an oasis of freedom and justice.

I have a dream that my four children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the colour of their skin but by the content of their character.

I have a dream today.

I have a dream that one day the state of Alabama, whose governor's lips are presently dripping with the words of interposition and nullification, will be transformed into a situation where little black boys and black girls will be able to join hands with little white boys and white girls and walk together as sisters and brothers.

I have a dream today.

I have a dream that one day every valley shall be exalted, every hill and mountain shall be made low, the rough places will be made plain, and the crooked places will be made straight, and the glory of the Lord shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together.

This is our hope. This is the faith with which I return to the South. With this faith we will be able to hew out of the mountain of despair a stone of hope. With this faith we will be able to transform the jangling discords of our nation into a beautiful symphony of brotherhood. With this faith we will be able to work together, to pray together, to struggle together, to go to jail together, to stand up for freedom together, knowing that we will be free one day.
This will be the day when all of God's children will be able to sing with a new meaning, "My country, 'tis of thee, sweet land of liberty, of thee I sing. Land where my fathers died, land of the pilgrim's pride, from every mountainside, let freedom ring."

And if America is to be a great nation this must become true. So let freedom ring from the prodigious hilltops of New Hampshire. Let freedom ring from the mighty mountains of New York. Let freedom ring from the heightening Alleghenies of Pennsylvania!

Let freedom ring from the snow-capped Rockies of Colorado!
Let freedom ring from the curvaceous peaks of California!
But not only that; let freedom ring from Stone Mountain of Georgia!
Let freedom ring from Lookout Mountain of Tennessee!

Let freedom ring from every hill and every molehill of Mississippi. From every mountainside, let freedom ring.
When we let freedom ring, when we let it ring from every village and every hamlet, from every state and every city, we will be able to speed up that day when all of God's children, black men and white men, Jews and Gentiles, Protestants and Catholics, will be able to join hands and sing in the words of the old Negro spiritual, "Free at last! free at last! thank God Almighty, we are free at last!"

2011-01-14T09:34:00.001-07:00

Expect an abundance. The stream of plenty always flows towards the open, expectant mind.

Bob Proctor

2011-01-12T09:31:00.001-07:00

A Dog's Purpose
(from a 6-year-old)
http://ping.fm/VVmPI
Being a veternarian I had been called to examine a ten-year-old Irish Wolfhound named Belker. The dog's owners, Ron, his wife Lisa, and their little boy Shane, were all very attached to Belker, and they were hoping for a miracle.

I examined Belker and found he was dying of cancer. I told the
family we couldn't do anything for Belker, and offered to perform the euthanasia procedure for the old dog in their home.

As we made arrangements, Ron and Lisa told me they thought it would be good for six-year-old Shane to observe the procedure. They felt as though Shane might learn something from the experience.

The next day, I felt the familiar catch in my throat as Belker's
family surrounded him. Shane seemed so calm, petting
the old dog for the last time, that I wondered if he understood what was going on. Within a few minutes, Belker slipped peacefully away.

The little boy seemed to accept Belker's transition without any
difficulty or confusion. We sat together for a while after Belker's
death, wondering aloud about the sad fact that animal lives are
shorter than human lives.

Shane, who had been listening quietly, piped up, 'I know why.'

Startled, we all turned to him. What came out of his mouth next
stunned me. I'd never heard a more comforting explanation.

He said, 'People are born so that they can learn how to live a good
life -- like loving everybody all the time and being nice, right?'

The Six-year-old continued, 'Well, dogs already know how to do
that, so they don't have to stay as long.'

So live like a dog:

Live simply.
Love generously.
Care deeply.
Speak kindly.

Remember, if a dog was the teacher you would learn things
like:

When loved ones come home, always run to greet them.
Never pass up the opportunity to go for a joyride.
Allow the experience of fresh air and the wind in your face to be pure ecstasy.
Take naps. Stretch before rising.
Run, romp, and play daily.
Thrive on attention and let people touch you.
Avoid biting when a simple growl will do.
On warm days, stop to lie on your back on the grass..
On hot days, drink lots of water and lie under a shady tree.
When you're happy, dance around and wag your entire body.
Delight in the simple joy of a long walk.
Be loyal.

Never pretend to be something you're not.
If what you want lies buried, dig until you find it.
When someone is having a bad day, be silent, sit close by, and nuzzle
them gently.

ENJOY EVERY MOMENT
OF EVERY DAY

2011-01-10T10:13:00.001-07:00

When the best things are not possible, the best may be made of those that are. - Richard Hooker

2011-01-07T09:04:00.001-07:00

The Life We Choose
http://ping.fm/FT5Pd
Here's the premise: We are all, right now, living the life we choose.

This choice, of course, is not a single, monumental choice. No one decides, for example, "I'm going to move to L.A., and in five years I will be a waiter in a so-so restaurant, planning to get my 8-by-10's done real soon so that I can find an agent and become a star," or "I'm going to marry a dreadful person and we'll live together in a loveless marriage, staying together only for the kids, who I don't much like, either."

No. The choices I'm talking about here are made daily, hourly, moment by moment.

Do we try something new, or stick to the tried-and-true? Do we take a risk, or eat what's already on our dish? Do we ponder a thrilling adventure, or contemplate what's on TV? Do we walk over and meet that interesting stranger, or do we play it safe? Do we indulge our heart, or cater to our fear?

The bottom-line question: Do we pursue what we want, or do we do what's comfortable?

For the most part, most people most often choose comfort - the familiar, the time-honored, the well-worn but well-known. After a lifetime of choosing between comfort and risk, we are left with the life we currently have.

And it was all of our own choosing.

Peter McWilliams
Do It! Let's Get Off Our Buts
Prelude Press

2011-01-06T09:57:00.001-07:00

Promise Yourself
http://ping.fm/kQLxH
To be so strong that nothing can disturb your peace of mind;
To talk health, happiness, and prosperity to every person you meet;
To make all your friends feel that there is something in them;
To look at the sunny side of everything and make your optimism come true;
To think only the best, to work only for the best, and to expect only the best;
To be just as enthusiastic about the success of others as you are about your own;
To forget the mistakes of the past and press on to the greater achievements of the future;

To wear a cheerful countenance at all times and give every living creature you meet a smile;
To give so much time to the improvement of yourself that you have no time to criticize others;
To be too large for worry, too noble for anger, too strong for fear; and too happy to permit the presence of trouble;
To think well of yourself and to proclaim this fact to the world, not in loud words, but in great deeds;

To live in the faith that the whole world is on your side so long as you are true to the best that is in you.

C.D. Larson
Your Forces and How to Use Them
LM Fowler & Co., Ltd., England

2011-01-04T09:11:00.001-07:00

Wisdom
http://ping.fm/WjYWA
While flicking through my photographs the other day, I came across one of a basket weaver from Ssesse Island, Uganda and I started thinking…

Weaving basket designs is a complex craft that takes much skill and dexterity. To see an expert at work is so fascinating that I had watched this particular lady for hours. What was astonishing, however, was that a young African man had also become engrossed as the basket weaver performed her craft.

Wondering whether the young man was more interested in the basket weaving or the weaver, I approached the unexpected couple. On being asked about his interest in weaving, the wise young man looked at me with complete bemusement and replied that he didn’t know how to weave so was watching because we can always learn something from one another.

Of all the lessons I’ve learned during my travels, one of the finest is that wisdom has nothing to do with wealth and little to do with formal education! Wisdom can be found in every village, every town, every city, country, and continent in every corner of the earth. Moreover, the wisest are often not those who are the most vocal but, instead, those who are quiet and self-effacing.

The young man on Ssesse Island is a perfect example. His stature in the village was such that he was not expected to study the lowly task of basket weaving; yet, there he was. And to top it off, this self-effacing young man threw out a pearl of wisdom so effortlessly.

As I watch what is happening in our world today, I find myself wishing that more people had the wisdom of my young African friend. Much time has passed since I met the young man but I have carried his memory and wisdom in my heart ever since. And I believe whole-heartedly that it doesn’t matter who we are, we can always learn something from one another.

Just a thought.

--- Copyright © 2007 Rhia Roberts

2011-01-03T10:18:00.001-07:00

Escaping The Storm
http://ping.fm/DvGMw
Earlier this summer when Dean and Brenda Rummel were traveling from Colorado to their home north of Kendallville, Indiana, they took a new route to avoid Chicago's traffic and potholes.

Dean is a real estate agent and Brenda is principal of Prairie Heights Middle School. Their motorcycle trips have taken them to every state except Alaska and Hawaii. However, on this trip, their motorcycle broke down in the middle of nowhere -- but really they were in just the right place.

The breakdown led to numerous new friendships. Terry and Pat Svetlecich brought them back home in their motor home and pulled the motorcycle on a trailer. They even dropped the bike off at a Honda shop.

"That's just me," Terry told the Morris newspaper. "Isn't that what you're supposed to do?"

In return, the Rummels insisted their new friends stay the night in Indiana and made them a home-cooked meal.

The Morris, Illinois, newspaper wrote about the Rummels' experience because Brenda sent a thank you note to the community. People who read her letter to the editor asked the newspaper to tell the rest of the story.

I found out about the story through a random Google e-mail alert.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
I called Dean and Brenda and told them I had read about them online in the Morris newspaper. They had not seen the article. Then Dean shared with me another story from the same remarkable journey.

The day before their breakdown they were whizzing through Iowa on I-80. Surprisingly, the low fuel light went on. Dean knew he shouldn't be low on fuel, but he also knew he couldn't ignore it. There weren't many places to get fuel so he got off at the nearest exit and found a gas station.

When he "filled up" he found out the tank would only take about three gallons. It confirmed what he thought and the gas level was not low.

A shove on his shoulder made him turn around. It was a woman who seemed to have come out of nowhere.

"There's a storm coming. Power lines will come down. High winds," she said. "Get off the road."

Dean and Brenda were startled. The sky at the gas station was clear. There was no storm in sight. They did not understand the woman's concern and they decided to continue on I-80 to their destination 100 miles away.

The woman's tone was urgent.

"Folks, get off the road," she repeated. "Get off the road! There's a bad storm coming!"

The woman's persistence and her urgent tone made Dean change his mind and head for Iowa City, 12 miles away.

As they sped toward Iowa City, storm clouds suddenly popped up. They increased their speed, racing toward Iowa City. With every passing moment the sky became more threatening. They found a hotel and quickly checked in.

The minute they shut the door behind them, the storm struck with fury. Raging winds threw tree limbs across the road. The storm was so strong that the electricity went out for 2-1/2 hours.

Escaping the storm's fury seemed like a miracle.

Looking back, Dean believes the woman who warned them and then disappeared must have been an angel.

~ Grace Housholder ~

2010-12-31T15:25:00.001-07:00

A Holiday Wish
Time of New Beginnings
http://ping.fm/zQSap
Remember the laughter,
the joy,
the hard work,
and the tears.
And as you reflect on the past year,
also think of the new one to come.
Because most importantly,
this is a time of new beginnings
and the celebration of life.”

2010-12-31T09:04:00.001-07:00

The Way to a Happy New Year
http://ping.fm/78uX6
To leave the old with a burst of song;

To recall the right and forgive the wrong;

To forget the things that bind you fast;

To the vain regrets of the year that's past;

To have the strength to let go your hold

Of the not worth while of the days grown old;

To dare go forth with a purpose true,

To the unknown task of the year that's new;

To help your brother along the road,

To assist with his work and lift his load;

To add your gift to the world's good cheer,

Is to have and to give a Happy New Year.

~ Author Unknown

2010-12-30T09:50:00.001-07:00

A Recipe For A Happy New Year
http://ping.fm/5ho2c

Take twelve whole months.

Clean them thoroughly of all bitterness, hate, and jealousy.

Make them just as fresh and clean as possible.

Now cut each month into twenty-eight, thirty or thirty-one different parts, but don't make the whole batch at once.

Prepare it one day at a time out of these ingredients.

Mix well into each day one part of faith, one part of patience, one part of courage, and one part of work.

Add to each day one part of hope, faithfulness, generosity, and meditation, and one good deed.

Season the whole with a dash of good spirits, a sprinkle of fun, a pinch of play, and a cupful of good humor.

Pour all of this into a vessel of love. Cook thoroughly over radiant joy, garnish with a smile, and serve with quietness, unselfishness, and cheerfulness.

You're bound to have a Happy New Year.

2010-12-29T09:02:00.001-07:00

Advice for All on New Year’s Day ~ Ann Landers
http://ping.fm/3CQeo
Let this coming year be better than all the others. Vow to do some of the things you’ve always wanted to do but couldn’t find the time.

*Call up a forgotten friend. Drop an old grudge, and replace it with some pleasant memories.
*Share a funny story with someone whose spirits are dragging. A good laugh can be very good medicine.
*Vow not to make a promise you don’t think you can keep.
*Pay a debt.
*Give a soft answer.
*Free yourself of envy and malice.
*Encourage some youth to do his or her best. Share your experience, and offer support. Young people need role models.
*Make a genuine effort to stay in closer touch with family and good friends.
*Resolve to stop magnifying small problems and shooting from the lip. Words that you have to eat can be hard to digest.
*Find the time to be kind and thoughtful. All of us have the same allotment: 24 hours a day. Give a compliment. It might give someone a badly needed lift.
*Think things through. Forgive an injustice. Listen more. Be kind.
*Apologize when you realize you are wrong. An apology never diminishes a person. It elevates him.
*Don’t blow your own horn. If you’ve done something praiseworthy, someone win notice eventually.
*Try to understand a point of view that is different from your own. Few things are 100 percent one way or another.
*Examine the demands you make on others.
*Lighten up. When you feel like blowing your top, ask yourself, "Will it matter a week from today?"
*Laugh the loudest when the joke is on you.
*The sure way to have a friend is to be one. We are all connected by our humanity, and we need each other.
*Avoid malcontents and pessimists. They drag you down and contribute nothing.
*Don’t discourage a beginner from trying something risky. Nothing ventured means nothing gained. Be optimistic. The can-do spirit is the fuel that makes things go.
*Go to war against animosity and complacency.
*Express your gratitude. Give credit when it’s due—and even when it isn’t. It will make you look good.
*Read something uplifting. Deep-six the trash. You wouldn’t eat garbage—why put it in your head?
*Don’t abandon your old-fashioned principles. They never go out of style.
*When courage is needed, ask yourself, "If not me, who? If not now, when?"
*Take better care of yourself. Remember, you’re all you’ve got. Pass up that second helping. You really don’t need it. Vow to eat more sensibly. You’ll feel better and look better, too.
*Don’t put up with secondhand smoke. Nobody has the right to pollute your air or give you cancer. If someone says, "This is a free country," remind him or her that the country may be free, but no person is free if he has a habit he can’t control.
*Return those books you borrowed. Reschedule that missed dental appointment. Clean out your closet. Take those photos out of the drawer and put them in an album. If you see litter on the sidewalk, pick it up instead of walking over it.
*Give yourself a reality check. Phoniness is transparent, and it is tiresome. Take pleasure in the beauty and the wonders of nature. A flower is God’s miracle.
*Walk tall, and smile more. You’ll look 10 years younger.
*Don’t be afraid to say, "I love you." Say it again. They are the sweetest words in the world.
*If you have love in your life, consider yourself blessed, and vow to make this the best year ever.

2010-12-28T13:39:00.001-07:00

Salt Lake is now in 2nd place. Please take a few moments and vote. Don't wait vote now at http://ping.fm/k3qcY

2010-12-28T13:38:00.001-07:00

I need your support asap. Help Salt Lake City receive 1,000,000 for the food bank. Vote Salt Lake City at http://ping.fm/APfp6

2010-12-28T10:47:00.001-07:00

Your Best Year
http://ping.fm/qQFJB
Like in everything we do, in life there is not a second chance; every moment, either we lose or win! Everything is mental; we bring to our life what we think about most of the time.

The road has two ways, one toward light and other toward darkness. Life is a choice! Everything and Everybody starts from zero; it is your choice in what place you finish. If we accept mental poverty, all kinds of poverty is what we get.

Change your attitude to win now! Be happy and relaxed, regardless of any circumstance. Always focus only on the solutions; don't let anybody rob you of your happiness. Don't allow challenges or circumstances to defeat you.

Do the right thing. Demand from yourself whatever it takes to win - clarity, focus, effort, persistence, sacrifice, discipline, passion, and love - not just to survive but also to win!

Life is a give and take; we stop receiving as soon as we stop giving the best of us!! That's the balance of life!!! If opportunity doesn't knock, build a door. Every tomorrow you will do even better.

Yes you can!

Yes you can do this. Make this coming year your year; just you have to believe in you.

--- Copyright © 2010 Eduardo Dominguez

Goal Setting

2010-12-27T13:54:00.000-07:00

I hope everyone had a very merry Christmas. I am personally very excited to end 2010 and begin 2011. For many years I have taken time at the end of each year to reflect on the successes, challenges, lessons and blessings of the year. This time has helped me learn from the experiences and assist in planning for my next year. I believe we all have things we would do better, differently or not at all (He He He) if we could look back and change some of our decisions. However, since we can only be grateful for what has happened and move forward by using those experiences to make better decisions, let’s look at that.

Take time this year to sit down with your family and design 2011. In the next few days I am going to be rolling out little pieces I use for this workshop and will give them to you for your use. Without goals, the universe will give you what you focus the most energy on. If you are focusing on bills, food and scarcity; you will get more bills, lack of food and more scarcity. If you make a plan and focus daily on achieving that plan, you will get what you have put in your plan. 2011 can be filled with blessings and my intention is to create them in my family and yours.

Look forward to the next few days when we can create this plan for 2011.

Live This Day With Excellence And Make It An Incredible Day!
J.J. Ulrich
Website: www.jjulrich.com | Mobile: 801-381-5111 | Skype: jj_ulrich | Email: me@jjulrich.com
Assistant | Jessica Jones | Phone: 801-652-6533 | Skype: jessica.jones112 | Email: jessicajones@connectingusall.org
My Creed: To laugh often and much; to win the respect of intelligent people and the affection of children; to earn the appreciation of the honest critics and endure the betrayal of false friends; to appreciate beauty; to find the best in others; to leave the world a bit better, whether by a healthy child, a garden patch or a redeemed social condition; to know even one life has breathed easier because you lived. This is to have succeeded!

2010-12-27T13:45:00.001-07:00

Begin 2011 With Renewed Goals, Commitment and Planning: Read More at www.jjulrich.com

2010-12-27T09:23:00.001-07:00

Time for New Beginnings. . . . . . . . . . . Taylor Addison, 1989
http://ping.fm/nvoKy
"This is a time for reflection as well as celebration.

As you look back on the past year and all that has taken place in your life,

Remember each experience for the good that has come of it
and for the knowledge you have gained.

Remember the efforts you have made and the goals you have reached.

Remember the love you have shared and the happiness you have brought.

Remember the laughter, the joy, the hard work, and the tears.

And as you reflect on the past year, also be thinking of the new one to come.

Because most importantly, this is a time of new beginnings
and the celebration of life."

2010-12-24T16:39:00.001-07:00

Hello Everyone! Please be safe this holiday. I have uploaded my Christmas Wish to you and your families on my website at www.jjulrich.com. My Christmas wish and favorite giving quotes are live on the home page.

2010-12-24T09:05:00.001-07:00

Christmas Is For Love
http://ping.fm/VeNkP
Christmas is for love. It is for joy, for giving and sharing, for laughter, for reuniting with family and friends, for tinsel and brightly covered packages. But, mostly Christmas is for love. I had not believed this until a small elfin like pupil with wide innocent eyes and soft rosy cheeks gave me a wondrous gift one Christmas.

Matthew was a 10 year old orphan who lived with his aunt, a bitter, middle aged woman greatly annoyed with the burden of caring for her dead sister's son. She never failed to remind young Matthew, if it hadn't been for her generosity, he would be a vagrant, homeless waif. Still, with all the scolding and chilliness at home, he was a sweet and gentle child.Christmas Is For Love

I had not noticed Matthew particularly until he began staying after class each day [at the risk of arousing his aunt's anger so I learned later] to help me straighten up the room. We did this quietly and comfortably, not speaking much, but enjoying the solitude of that hour of the day. When we did talk, Matthew spoke mostly of his mother. Though he was quite young when she died, he remembered a kind, gentle, loving woman who always spent time with him.

As Christmas drew near however, Matthew failed to stay after school each day. I looked forward to his coming, and when the days passed and he continued to scamper hurriedly from the room after class, I stopped him one afternoon and asked him why he no longer helped me in the room. I told him how I had missed him, and his large brown eyes lit up eagerly as he replied, 'Did you really miss me?'

I explained how he had been my best helper, 'I was making you a surprise,' he whispered confidentially. 'It's for Christmas.' With that, he became embarrassed and dashed from the room. He didn't stay after school any more after that.Christmas Is For Love

Finally came the last school day before Christmas. Matthew crept slowly into the room late that afternoon with his hands concealing something behind his back. 'I have your present,' he said timidly when I looked up. 'I hope you like it.' He held out his hands, and there lying in his small palms was a tiny wooden box.

'It's beautiful, Matthew. Is there something in it?' I asked opening the top to look inside. 'Oh you can't see what's in it,' he replied, 'and you can't touch it, or taste it or feel it, but mother always said it makes you feel good all the time, warm on cold nights and safe when you're all alone.'

I gazed into the empty box. 'What is it, Matthew' I asked gently, 'that will make me feel so good?'

'It's love,' he whispered softly, 'and mother always said it's best when you give it away.' He turned and quietly left the room.

So now I keep a small box crudely made of scraps of wood on the piano in my living room and only smile when inquiring friends raise quizzical eyebrows when I explain to them there is love in it.

Yes, Christmas is for gaiety, mirth, song, and for good and wondrous gifts. But mostly, Christmas is for love.

2010-12-23T09:45:00.001-07:00

A Cop's Christmas
An Original Christmas Story by Chip Ciammaichella
http://ping.fm/CnMnF
It was just after 11 p.m. when the call came over the radio. The reflection of the city
lights made the falling snow look like a million points of light, drifting slowly toward the
frozen ground. The cop debated with himself whether he should respond to the call; a
burglar alarm at a nearby department store. His shift change was less than an hour away,
if someone indeed had broken into the store; the paperwork involved would take hours.
Sal wanted to get off at a reasonable hour for a change, after all it was Christmas Eve and
he still had to get presents for his kids. "The alarm was probably set off by an employee
locking up." thought Sal as he maneuvered the well-used vehicle toward the department
store.
"I'll never make it to the store, I guess I can just give the kids cash this year. They never
like my presents anyway and Maria wouldn't appreciate me barging into her house at two
in the morning anyway."
When Sal arrived at the department store, the building was dark and the area was quiet.
As Sal circled the patrol car around the building, the falling snow swirled like a tornado
through the beam of his spotlight. At the rear of the building, the spotlight's reflection
was engulfed by the darkness of an open garage door. Sal radioed for backup, and exited
the warm car to investigate.
As Sal approached the dark void of the open door, he noticed a single set of footprints in
the fresh snow. The prints led into the building, but not out again. Sal clutched his large
mag-light firmly in his left hand, while with his right he felt the inadequate security of his
service revolver, holstered at his side. Sal began to sweat as his mind flashed back to
another dark building, on another Christmas Eve.
Ten years earlier, Sal had responded to a break-in of a liquor store. As he entered the
darkened store a bright flash blinded him. Sal heard a loud crack of a pistol as his body
was hurled to the ground by the force of the bullet's impact into his chest. Although his
kevlar vest had saved his life that night, the force of the bullet still cracked three ribs and
knocked the wind out of the shocked officer.
Sal's survival instincts, honed by three combat tours in Vietnam, prevented him from
losing consciousness and gave him the strength to bring his service revolver to bear. His
last remembrance was of firing his revolver towards the flash, and unknown to him,
killing his attacker.
The flashlight was discarded as Sal entered the department store. He crouched just inside
the doorway and allowed his eyes to become accustomed to the ebony darkness of the
store.
During Sal's seventeen years on the police force, this particular store had been
burglarized on many occasions. As his eyes made out a dim outline of the store, Sal
remembered where the main lighting circuit breaker was located.
As the officer carefully inched his way toward the breaker box, he felt a twinge of pain in
his ribs where he had been shot ten years ago. He winced as he remembered being
released from the hospital, and how the pain from his wounds paled in comparison to the
heartache he felt when he found his wife and kids had left him.
Sal wasn't surprised that Maria had taken the kids and gone. Their life together had
started badly and just gotten worse. Sal could never bring himself to share with her the
horrors that tortured his mind, and she felt rejected. He felt that his experiences as a cop,
as well as a soldier, were not understandable to anyone, even himself. Maria watched
over the years, as Sal became distrustful and cynical. She watched, as he became more
and more dependent on work and a bottle of Jim Beam for solace. By the time she had
taken the kids and left, Sal and Maria were little more than strangers sharing the same
house.
Sal reached the light box and threw the switch. When the bright lights illuminated the
building, he heard the sound of footsteps running out the door he had entered. As he
rushed back to the open door, another patrol car was just pulling up. While the other
officers jumped out of their cruiser, Sal hollered, "Did you guys see anyone running away
when you pulled up?"
One of the newcomers on the scene, a portly officer who had a reputation for enjoying
more than his share of donuts, replied with a sneer, "No Sal, we didn't see nobody. Whats
a matter, did the little punk get away from ya?"
Sal didn't reply as the other officers laughed and snickered. Angrily he turned his
attention to the footprints leading into and out of the building. As Sal studied the details
of the prints that were not his own, slowly his anger was replaced by a confident grin.
"Maybe the punk got away, and maybe he didn't. You guys stay here until the manager
arrives, I'm going for a little walk." As an afterthought, he looked at his fat cohort. "Why
don't you make yourself useful and follow me in my car."
As Sal followed the footprints embedded in the freshly fallen snow, he thought to
himself, "Shoot, this is easier than tracking a wounded buck. Of course if I were trackin' a
buck, I'd be better armed, and bucks don't shoot back."
The trail ended only about a block and a half away, at the doorway of a dilapidated
bungalow. As Sal climbed the porch stairs, he noticed the same set of footprints had
obviously exited the residence earlier in the evening as the snow now nearly covered the
older prints. "Gotcha." Sal whispered into the cold night air.
Sal rapped sharply on the door then stepped back off to the side, revolver ready. Inside
the house Sal could hear the whining voice of a boy followed by the sharp voice of an
angry woman. He heard the rattle of the knob, as he watched the door open spilling light
over the porch. A plain, tired looking woman stood in the doorway dressed in a tattered
bathrobe, rollers in her mousy blonde hair. Behind her, with a look of horror and shame
etched across his face, was a boy of about twelve years old. Before Sal could speak, the
woman greeted him with a strained voice, "Merry Christmas officer, please come in."
As he entered the house, Sal noticed a garbage bag sitting against a wall. An expensive
mink coat was visible at the top of the bag. As Sal's eyes became adjusted to the dim
lights of the house, he observed more details about the house and its occupants.
The house was devoid of furniture, except for a well worn three legged couch. The bare
wooden floors were covered with strewn clothing and garbage. Roaches climbed freely
on the stained walls, and the stench of old trash permeated the chilly air. Sal glanced into
the kitchen and noticed that the dented door of the rusted oven was wide open and the
burners were all turned on, the only source of heat for the home.
As Sal turned to face the boy and the woman, movement from the doorway caught his
eye. Peeking around the door were the doe-like eyes of three little girls. Sal winked at
them as he addressed the woman. "Ma'am, I have reason to believe that your boy there
forcibly entered the Sears store over on 110th Street. I'll bet my left eye that that stuff in
that garbage bag there was stolen from that store."
The woman did not speak and tears began to roll from her bloodshot eyes. She turned to
the boy and gave him an icy stare. The boy choked back sobs as he spoke. "I took dat
stuff from dat store officer. My mama an' sisters needed presents for Christmas. My
mama ain't got no money, and everyone knows dat Santa ain't real. I just figured that
everyone else done already got their presents, and dat big store wouldn't miss a few
things."
Sal steeled himself from the boy's innocent tear filled eyes. "Don't let the kid's words get
you all mushy." Sal thought to himself, "Everyone's got a sob story, but it doesn't mean
they're above the law." Sal gave the boy his most intimidating stare as he removed his
handcuffs from his belt.
Sal continued his glare as he addressed the boy's mother. "I'm gonna have to take the boy
to the station ma'am. If you can get a sitter for your girls, I'll allow you to go with him."
A look of horror came into the woman's eyes when Sal added, "I could always call Social
Services if you can't get a sitter." The look in her eyes told Sal that the woman was more
afraid of Social Services than of the police.
Before the woman could reply, Sal began handcuffing the boy, but before he was finished
the three little girls rushed into the room with tears streaming down their cheeks. "Please
don't take Martin to jail Mr. Policeman!" cried the oldest girl. "Santa won't take him no
presents in jail." Sal could not look into the eyes of the girls and was relieved when their
mother scolded them and herded them off into the bedroom.
As the woman tended to her children, Sal inspected the items in the garbage bag. It
contained some dolls, girl's clothing, an expensive necklace, and the mink coat. Sal noted
that not one of the items was something a teenaged boy would want. "The boy probably
got scared off before he could get his own loot." Sal muttered under his breath.
When the woman reentered the room, she seemed to have regained her composure. As
Sal took the boy by the arm to lead him out the door, the woman spoke. "Martin ain't a
bad boy officer. He only gets onto trouble because he ain't got no man around to tan his
fanny."
Sal asked, "So where is the boy's father ma'am?" As soon as the words were spoken, he
wished he had kept his big mouth shut. "Now I'm gonna get the sob story." he thought as
he turned to the woman and listened.
"Martin's daddy was a no good bum. He weren't ever good at nothin' but drinkin' and
usin' drugs, and beatin' up on me. He seemed to try to be a good husbin after Martin was
born, but his friends and da drugs made sure dat was short lived." The woman paused,
then continued somewhat bitterly, "When Martin was only two years old, on Christmas
Eve, his daddy was killed by the police while robbin' a likker store. Since then I been
through dozens of men an' jobs tryin' to get by. I never took no welfare..."
The woman went on with her story but Sal was no longer listening. In his mind he
remembered his own experience in a liquor store, ten years ago tonight. He remembered
that he never even saw the person he shot and had refused to look at his mug shots
afterward. The pain in his ribs returned, and Sal felt like he would vomit at any second.
"It couldn't be the same guy." thought Sal, "Even if it was, he shot me first and I just shot
at whatever shot at me." Sal had never even thought of the burglar that had injured him as
a real person. Until now he had never contemplated the fact that the person might have
had a life, let alone a family. The repressed feelings inside Sal seemed to erupt like a
volcano. He turned away from the eyes of the woman and the boy, hoping that they could
not read his thoughts.
"I fetched Martin's toothbrush. Can he take it with him?" asked the woman, her voice not
much more than a whisper.
In that second, something inside of Sal snapped. All the pain, sorrow and agony of his
past seemed to be lifted from his heart, and he knew what he had to do.
"No." Sal replied curtly to the woman's question.
Sal turned to the boy and began removing his handcuffs. "I'm going to give you a break
boy." He exclaimed in his best command voice. "But if I ever catch you so much as
spitting on the street, I'll lock you up and throw away the key."
Neither the boy nor his mother could say a word. They just stared at Sal with amazement
and gratitude.
Sal continued, "Now you take this key and put all of the stuff you stole into the trunk of
my car outside, and tell my fat partner that I'll answer all of his questions later." When the
boy hesitated, Sal barked, "Go on and do it before I change my mind!" As the boy ran out
the door, garbage bag in tow, Sal reached into his pocket and turned to the woman. The
policeman stared at the floor as he placed a wad of money into the woman's hand.
"Ma'am, I want you to use this money to get you and your kids something nice for
Christmas. I don't tolerate stealing, but it is Christmas and kids deserve to have a nice
Christmas."
The boy returned giving Sal back his keys. The woman still had not spoken and Sal could
not look at her. "Don't think that you're getting away with anything." Sal said firmly to
the boy. "I'm going to be coming around here quite a bit to make sure you tow the line.
I'm sure I can find a hundred chores around here for you to do to pay for your crime."
As Sal turned his attention from the boy, his eyes met those of the woman. Her eyes were
wet with tears and expressed a mixture of gratitude, sorrow, and Sal even thought...pity.
He quickly avoided the woman's eyes and started for the door. "Merry Christmas!" he
bellowed as he walked through the door and out into the snowy night air.
As he walked to his car, Sal thought he heard the woman say "God bless you." But the
words were barely loud enough to overcome the thunderous beating of his heart.
Sal knew that he bore no responsibility for the state of existence of Martin and his family,
but at the same time, he wanted to help.
"Maybe I want to help these people to make up for all the people I couldn't help." Sal said
to himself as he got into his patrol car. "Or maybe it was just the right thing to do."
As Sal closed the door, he thought he heard the tinkle of sleigh bells overhead. As he
looked up, he caught a shadow moving swiftly through the snowy night. He shook his
head and rubbed his eyes. "Got to start sleeping better," he thought as the patrol car eased
into the night. He gave his fat partner a look that made it no secret that questions were not
welcome, as they made their way through the snowy Cleveland streets back to the
stationhouse.
When the patrol car pulled into the underground garage of the police station, Sal took the
keys and went to the trunk to retrieve the stolen merchandise, as the fat man made a
beeline for the cafeteria. As he put the key into the trunk, he glanced at his watch and
grimaced.
"Damn, all the stores are closed by now...guess the kids are gonna have to get cash this
Christmas." His mood darkened, because he knew that his son had wanted Ninja Turtles,
and his daughter wanted a boom box...presents he had promised Maria he would buy.
"Just call me Father of the Year, I guess," he mumbled as he raised the trunk.
As he pulled the trash bag of stolen goods from the car, he noticed two additional
packages also lay in the trunk...packages that were not part of the stolen goods and not
there when he went on duty earlier that evening. His face turned bright red as he noticed
that one was a Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle action set, and the other a small Sony
portable stereo/tape player. At first he thought that his fat friend may have actually
thought of something more than donuts and gone to the department store for him as he
reclaimed the stolen merchandise, until a note attached to the boom box caught his eye.
You did a family a great service tonight, and I hope you
will do one for me as well. I am way behind this year, so
could you please deliver these to your children for me.
Merry Christmas.
Kris Kringle
A few moments later, two officers just coming on duty were dumbfounded as they found
Sal lying on the concrete floor, laughing hysterically and singing jingle bells as if he had
been drinking. They were even more shocked when he jumped up and hugged them both,
screaming "Merry Christmas!!" before running into the station house like a madman, a
twinkle in his eye that he hadn't had in years.

2010-12-20T09:30:00.001-07:00

Merry Christmas
http://ping.fm/NPV5n
Remember that a gift should be treasured; not only the ones that are wrapped but ones that are bestowed upon you.

Years ago, there was a very wealthy man who, with his devoted young son, shared a passion for art collecting. Together, they traveled around the world, adding only the finest art treasures to their collection. Priceless works by Picasso, Van Gogh, Monet and many others adorned the walls of the family estate.

The widowed elder man looked on with satisfaction as his only child became an experienced art collector. The son's trained eye and sharp business mind caused his father to beam with pride as they dealt with art collectors around the world.

One year, as winter approached, war engulfed the nation, and the young man left to serve his country. After only a few short weeks, his father received a telegram. His beloved son was missing in action. The art collector anxiously awaited more news, fearing he would never see his son again. Within days, his fears were confirmed. The young man had died while rushing a fellow soldier to a medic.

Distraught and lonely, the old man faced the upcoming Christmas holidays with anguish and sadness. The joy of the season that he and his son had looked forward to would visit his house no longer.

On Christmas morning, a knock on the door awakened the depressed old man. As he walked to the door, the masterpieces of art on the walls only reminded him that his son was not coming home. As he opened the door, he was greeted by a soldier with a large package in his hands.

He introduced himself to the old man by saying, "I was a friend of your son. I was the one he was rescuing when he died. May I come in for a few moments? I have something to show you."

As the two began to talk, the soldier told of how the man's son had told everyone of his, not to mention his father's, love of fine art. "I am no artist," said the soldier, "but I want to give you this."

As the old man unwrapped the package, the paper gave way to reveal a portrait of the man's son. Though the world would never consider it the work of a genius, the painting featured the young man's face in striking detail.

Overcome with emotion, the man thanked the soldier, promising to hang the picture above the fireplace. A few hours later, after the soldier had departed, the old man set about his task. True to his word, the painting went above the fireplace, pushing aside thousands of dollars worth of art. His task completed, the old man sat in his chair and spent Christmas gazing at the gift he had been given.

During the days and weeks that followed, the man realized that, even though is son was no longer with him, the boy would live on because of those he had touched. He would soon learn that his son had rescued dozens of wounded soldiers before a bullet stifled his caring heart.

As the stories of his son's gallantry continued to reach him, fatherly pride and satisfaction began to ease his grief. The painting of his son soon became his most prized possession, far eclipsing any interest in the pieces for which museums around the world clamored. He told his neighbors it was the greatest gift he had ever received.

The following spring, the old man became ill and passed away. The art world was in anticipation that the collector's passing and his only son dead, those paintings would be sold at auction. According to the will of the old man, all art works would be auctioned on Christmas Day, the day he had received the greatest gift.

The day soon arrived and art collectors from around the world gathered to bid on some of the world's most spectacular paintings. Dreams would be fulfilled this day; greatness would be achieved as many would claim, "I have the greatest collection."

The auction began with a painting that was not on any museum's list. It was the painting of the man's son. The auctioneer asked for an opening bid, but the room was silent. "Who will open the bidding with $100?" he asked. Minutes passed, and no one spoke. From the back of the room came a voice, "Who cares about that painting? It's just a picture of his son." "Let's forget about it and move on to the good stuff," more voices echoed in agreement.

"No, we have to sell this one first," replied the auctioneer. "Now, who will take the son?" Finally, a neighbor of the old man spoke. "Will you take ten dollars for the painting? That's all I have. I knew the boy; so I would like to have it.

"I have ten dollars. Will anyone go higher?" asked the auctioneer. After more silence, the auctioneer said, "Going once, going twice, gone." The gavel fell.

Cheers filled the room and someone exclaimed, "Now we can get on with it and we can bid on the real treasures!" The auctioneer looked at the audience and announced that the auction was over.

Stunned disbelief quieted the room. Someone spoke up and asked, "What do you mean, it's over? We didn't come here for a picture of some old guy's son. What about all these paintings? There are millions of dollars worth of art here! I demand that you explain what is going on!"

The auctioneer replied, "It's very simple. According to the will of the father, whoever takes the son...gets it all."

Puts things into perspective, doesn't it? Just as those art collectors discovered on Christmas Day, the message is still the same: the love of a father, whose greatest joy came from his son who went away and gave his life rescuing others; and because of that father's love, whoever takes the Son gets it all.

In life, many things will catch your eye, but only a few will catch your heart.

--- Author Unknown

2010-12-17T10:09:00.001-07:00

A SOLDIER'S CHRISTMAS
http://ping.fm/erAeG
The embers glowed softly, and in their dim light,
I gazed round the room and I cherished the sight.
My wife was asleep, her head on my chest,
my daughter beside me, angelic in rest.

Outside the snow fell, a blanket of white,
Transforming the yard to a winter delight.
The sparkling lights in the tree, I believe,
Completed the magic that was Christmas Eve.

My eyelids were heavy, my breathing was deep,
Secure and surrounded by love I would sleep
in perfect contentment, or so it would seem.
So I slumbered, perhaps I started to dream.

The sound wasn't loud, and it wasn't too near,
But I opened my eye when it tickled my ear.
Perhaps just a cough, I didn't quite know,
Then the sure sound of footsteps outside in the snow.

My soul gave a tremble, I struggled to hear,
and I crept to the door just to see who was near.
Standing out in the cold and the dark of the night,
A lone figure stood, his face weary and tight.

A soldier, I puzzled, some twenty years old
Perhaps a Marine, huddled here in the cold.
Alone in the dark, he looked up and smiled,
Standing watch over me, and my wife and my child.

"What are you doing?" I asked without fear,
"Come in this moment, it's freezing out here!
Put down your pack, brush the snow from your sleeve,
You should be at home on a cold Christmas Eve!"

For barely a moment I saw his eyes shift,
away from the cold and the snow blown in drifts,
to the window that danced with a warm fire's light.
Then he sighed and he said "It's really all right,
I'm out here by choice. I'm here every night."

"It's my duty to stand at the front of the line,
that separates you from the darkest of times.
No one had to ask or beg or implore me,
I'm proud to stand here like my fathers before me."

"My Gramps died at 'Pearl on a day in December,"
then he sighed, "That's a Christmas 'Gram always remembers.
My dad stood his watch in the jungles of 'Nam
And now it is my turn and so, here I am."

"I've not seen my own son in more than a while,
But my wife sends me pictures, he's sure got her smile."
Then he bent and he carefully pulled from his bag,
The red white and blue... an American flag.

"I can live through the cold and the being alone,
Away from my family, my house and my home,
I can stand at my post through the rain and the sleet,
I can sleep in a foxhole with little to eat,
I can carry the weight of killing another
or lay down my life with my sisters and brothers
who stand at the front against any and all,
to insure for all time that this flag will not fall."

"So go back inside," he said, "harbor no fright
Your family is waiting and I'll be all right."
"But isn't there something I can do, at the least,
Give you money," I asked, "or prepare you a feast?
It seems all too little for all that you've done,
For being away from your wife and your son."

Then his eye welled a tear that held no regret,
"Just tell us you love us, and never forget
To fight for our rights back at home while we're gone.
To stand your own watch, no matter how long.

For when we come home, either standing or dead,
to know you remember we fought and we bled
is payment enough, and with that we will trust.
That we mattered to you as you mattered to us."

--- Copyright © 2000 Michael Marks

2010-12-16T09:01:00.001-07:00

Christmas Envelope
http://ping.fm/Pi9JH
It's just a small, white envelope stuck among the branches of our Christmas tree. No name, no identification, no inscription. It has peeked through the branches of our tree for the past 10 years or so. It all began because my husband Mike hated Christmas-oh, not the true meaning of Christmas, but the commercial aspects of it-overspending, the frantic running around at the last minute to get a tie for Uncle Harry and the dusting powder for Grandma-the gifts given in desperation because you couldn't think of anything else.

Knowing he felt this way, I decided one year to bypass the usual shirts, sweaters, ties and so forth. I reached for something special just for Mike. The inspiration came in an unusual way.

Our son Kevin, who was 12 that year, was wrestling at the junior level at the school he attended; and shortly before Christmas, there was a non-league match against a team sponsored by an inner-city church, mostly black. These youngsters, dressed in sneakers so ragged that shoestrings seemed to be the only thing holding them together, presented
a sharp contrast to our boys in their spiffy blue and gold uniforms and sparkling new wrestling shoes. As the match began, I was alarmed to see that the other team was wrestling without headgear, a kind of light helmet designed to protect a wrestler's ears. It was a luxury the ragtag team obviously could not afford. Well, we ended up walloping them. We took every weight class. And as each of their boys got up from the mat, he
swaggered around in his tatters with false bravado, a kind of street pride that couldn't acknowledge defeat. Mike, seated beside me, shook his head sadly, "I wish just one of them could have won," he said. "They have a lot of potential, but losing like this could take the heart right out of them."

Mike loved kids-all kids-and he knew them, having coached little league football, baseball and lacrosse. That's when the idea for his present came. That afternoon, I went to a local sporting goods store and bought an assortment of wrestling headgear and shoes and sent them anonymously to the inner-city church. On Christmas Eve, I placed the envelope on the tree, the note inside telling Mike what I had done and that this was his gift from me. His smile was the brightest thing about Christmas that year and in succeeding years. For each Christmas, I followed the tradition-one year sending a group of mentally handicapped youngsters to a hockey game, another year a check to a pair of elderly brothers whose home had burned to the ground the week before Christmas,
and on and on. The envelope became the highlight of our Christmas. It was always
the last thing opened on Christmas morning and our children, ignoring their new toys, would stand with wide-eyed anticipation as their dad lifted the envelope from the tree to reveal its contents.

As the children grew, the toys gave way to more practical presents, but the envelope never lost its allure. The story doesn't end there. You see, we lost Mike last year due to dreaded cancer. When Christmas rolled around, I was still so wrapped in grief that I barely got the tree up. But Christmas Eve found me placing an envelope on the tree, and in the morning, it was joined by three more. Each of our children, unbeknownst to the others, had placed an envelope on the tree for their dad. The tradition has grown and
someday will expand even further with our grandchildren standing around the tree with wide-eyed anticipation watching as their fathers take down the envelope. Mike's spirit, like the Christmas spirit, will always be with us.

May we all remember the Christmas spirit this year and always.

2010-12-15T09:22:00.001-07:00

THE CHRISTMAS ORANGE
http://ping.fm/77cTO
I'd like to tell you a story my grandmother told me when I was six or seven years old. We had gone to her home for Thanksgiving dinner and the drive was rather a long one. I had filled the time with making a list of all the things that I wanted for Christmas that year.

Later that evening after I was ready for bed, I showed the list to my grandmother. After she read it, she said, "My goodness, that really is a long list!" Then she picked me up and set me on her lap in the big rocking chair and told me this story:

"Once there was a little girl who came to live in an orphanage in Denmark" (Now my grandmother was from Denmark, so this story might even be true.) "As Christmas time grew near, all of the other children began telling the little girl about the beautiful Christmas tree that would appear in the huge downstairs hall on Christmas morning. After their usual, very plain breakfast, each child would be given their one and only Christmas gift; small, single orange."

At this point I looked up at my grandmother in disbelief, but she assured me that was all each child would receive for Christmas.

"Now the headmaster of the orphanage was very stern and he thought Christmas to be a bother. So on Christmas Eve, when he caught the little girl creeping down the stairs to catch a peek at the much-heard-of Christmas tree, he sharply declared that the little girl would not receive her Christmas orange because she had been so curious as to disobey the rules. The little girl ran back to her room broken-hearted and crying at her terrible fate."

"The next morning as the other children were going down to breakfast, the little girl stayed in her bed. She couldn't stand the thought of seeing the others receive their gift when there would be none for her."

"Later, as the children came back upstairs, the little girl was surprised to be handed a napkin. As she carefully opened it, there to her disbelief was an orange all peeled and sectioned."

"How could this be?" she asked.

"It was then that she found how each child had taken one section from their orange and given it to her so that she, too, would have a Christmas orange."

How I loved this story! I would ask my grandmother to tell it to me over and over as I grew up. Every Christmas, as I pull a big, juicy orange from my stocking, I think of this story. What an example of the true meaning of Christmas those orphan children displayed that Christmas morning. How I wish the world, as a whole would display that same kind of Christ-like concern for others, not just at Christmas, but throughout the year.

--- Author Unknown

2010-12-14T09:20:00.001-07:00

" Ideas can be life changing. Sometimes all you need to open the door is just one more good idea."
Jim Rohn

2010-12-13T09:41:00.001-07:00

The difference between the impossible and the possible lies in a person's determination.
Tommy Lasorda

2010-12-10T09:16:00.001-07:00

As we express our gratitude, we must never forget that the highest appreciation is not to utter words, but to live by them.
John F. Kennedy

2010-12-09T15:25:00.001-07:00

I am not bound to win, but I am bound to be true. I am not bound to succeed, but I am bound to live up to what light I have.
Abraham Lincoln

2010-12-07T10:38:00.001-07:00

Sometimes when we are generous in small, barely detectable ways it can change someone else's life forever.
Margaret Cho

2010-12-06T09:40:00.001-07:00

Imagination is more important than knowledge. Knowledge is limited. Imagination encircles the world.
Albert Einstein

2010-12-03T09:54:00.001-07:00

What wisdom can you find that is greater than kindness?
- Jean Jacques Rousseau