Yesterday, I went to Sussex and went to another choir briefly with my mum, which was far more exposing as it is very small; however, it was also enjoyable and they were friendly and their music beautiful. Afterwards, we went to the end of a storytelling evening at the college where my mum works, given by a class she taught. It is highly entertaining, with one woman speaking parts of both a Rose and a Snail with courage and great humour - the Snail didn't care for the world and was very self-contained whereas the Rose was pretty and bright and unsettled by the Snail's talk. I heard about three stories and enjoyed them a lot, the room packed with lively (grown-up) students. Later, I worked on my book - so much minor work like perfecting font size and page numbering size, that was slow and really not designed to be done by humans! Where are the next generation of human computer programmers who will make page numbering a doddle? Anyway, I made some progress and also read a chapter of Dickens. I saw an old friend and had a valuable time with them but later could not sleep as it gave rise to many work-related issues that we discussed.
Today, I learned that my brother's wife is due two twin girls by caesarian on the 28th of June. I will be a double uncle overnight! My mum always wanted a girl to balance out the three boys she received and now she has two - as her granddaughters: much the easier task to be a granny than than a mother! I spoke to my older brother, too, who is coming down from Scotland on Friday for a family reunion so I am very happy about this. Then, after arriving back in London, I went to my photo shoot. The session was free but I pay £25 for one photo from it (normally a lot more) and can buy 3 for about £45 or £30 each if I want more. It was a bit of a rush to get back and iron the shirts for the session (they told me to bring several outfits) and I am not genetically designed to iron shirts but I did it and got there on time.
I will return to view the photos next week and select those I want to purchase. You might see one of them here soon! I am very optimistic about the future and today; there is just always so much to do! Hopefully, I will have the time to blog tomorrow.
Saturday, 19 May 2007
Thursday, 17 May 2007
Day 21: Lost in Translation & Hope from the Hopis
Gregg Braden shows in The Isaiah Effect, how the most powerful way to get what you want in life was originally in the Dead Sea Scrolls but was translated and thus the meaning distorted. Compare the following texts:
"Whatsoever ye shall ask the Father in my name, he will give it to you. Hitherto have ye asked nothing in my name: ask and ye shall receive, that your joy may be full." Modern, condensed twelth century version.
The original, retranslated Aramaic version:
"All things that you ask straightly, directly...from inside my name, you will be given. So far you have not done this. Ask without hidden motive and be surrounded by your answer. Be enveloped by what you desire, that your gladness be full..."
Thus prayer, rather than asking that our creations come to pass, becomes giving thanks for what we create from having the feelings of our creation already fulfilled.
To further quote from the excellent The Isaiah Effect:
"As the hearts and minds of mankind become so separate that they forget one another, the earth acts to bring the memory of our greatest attributes back into focus. 'When earthquakes, floods, hailstorms, drought and famine will be the life of every day, the time will have then come for the return to the true path.' So said the peace-loving Hopis. In addition to offering the signs of such a time, the Hopi traditions go even further, recommending a course of action to bring the hearts and minds of man into alignment with the earth once again.
Deceptively simple, the prophecy reminds us that 'when prayer and meditation are used rather than relying on new inventions to create more imbalance, then they [humanity] will also find the true path.' The words of the Hopi serve as simple reminders of the quantum principle which states that to change the outcome of events already in motion, we are invited to shift our beliefs regarding the outcome itself. In doing so, we attract the possibility that matches our new belief, and we release the present conditions, even those already under way."
Gregg Braden details many impressive research projects from around the world that have established a direct link between prayer and reduced war and crime activity, with only a small percentage of a city's population needed to pray and effect the change.
So, experience what you want: see, feel, hear it completely. Then, you have it!
"Whatsoever ye shall ask the Father in my name, he will give it to you. Hitherto have ye asked nothing in my name: ask and ye shall receive, that your joy may be full." Modern, condensed twelth century version.
The original, retranslated Aramaic version:
"All things that you ask straightly, directly...from inside my name, you will be given. So far you have not done this. Ask without hidden motive and be surrounded by your answer. Be enveloped by what you desire, that your gladness be full..."
Thus prayer, rather than asking that our creations come to pass, becomes giving thanks for what we create from having the feelings of our creation already fulfilled.
To further quote from the excellent The Isaiah Effect:
"As the hearts and minds of mankind become so separate that they forget one another, the earth acts to bring the memory of our greatest attributes back into focus. 'When earthquakes, floods, hailstorms, drought and famine will be the life of every day, the time will have then come for the return to the true path.' So said the peace-loving Hopis. In addition to offering the signs of such a time, the Hopi traditions go even further, recommending a course of action to bring the hearts and minds of man into alignment with the earth once again.
Deceptively simple, the prophecy reminds us that 'when prayer and meditation are used rather than relying on new inventions to create more imbalance, then they [humanity] will also find the true path.' The words of the Hopi serve as simple reminders of the quantum principle which states that to change the outcome of events already in motion, we are invited to shift our beliefs regarding the outcome itself. In doing so, we attract the possibility that matches our new belief, and we release the present conditions, even those already under way."
Gregg Braden details many impressive research projects from around the world that have established a direct link between prayer and reduced war and crime activity, with only a small percentage of a city's population needed to pray and effect the change.
So, experience what you want: see, feel, hear it completely. Then, you have it!
Wednesday, 16 May 2007
Day 20: The Road Continues-or is that The Read
Today, I am feeling the strain of using my eyes so much and working on the computer. However, it is good to get on with things and there is a lot to do - always! I began David Copperfield last night and it's good to return to Dickens, very much in the same way we return to the house of an old friend - everything is more or less the same and comfortingly welcoming. It was his 'favourite child' he said, although he loved all his 'children'. The BBC Big Read that I am still attempting to get through contains a lot of children's books but there is a lot to be gained from reading classics and it was a joy to re-read Swallows and Amazons - made me want to take up sailing! Interestingly, a man in my choir also said he got into boats (he has two) after reading all the Arthur Ransome books as a child.
The power of books is a strong and positive force for good and will always be so, no matter what new inventions come about. A childhood spent reading a lot is a rich one and thank God that writers like JK Rowling and Phillip Pullman continue to enthrall readers - young and old alike - just as CS Lewis did with the Narnia books when I was a boy. I hope to take a break from London for a day or two tomorrow so may be off duty. Happy days to you!
The power of books is a strong and positive force for good and will always be so, no matter what new inventions come about. A childhood spent reading a lot is a rich one and thank God that writers like JK Rowling and Phillip Pullman continue to enthrall readers - young and old alike - just as CS Lewis did with the Narnia books when I was a boy. I hope to take a break from London for a day or two tomorrow so may be off duty. Happy days to you!
Tuesday, 15 May 2007
Day 19: Too Little Time, Too Little Time!
Too little time and so much to do! I got a haircut and thought I was getting a free photo shoot with it as free but this was due to talking at cross-purposes and I must come back later for the photo shoot which may be reduced from £90 to £25 or £30. Most confusing, as they had an ad saying the photo shoot was free! Still, some things must be done and I need the photo for professional purposes now - for the website, which I must still get to grips with! I have a completed author profile - now I must do all the other things too. Need a holiday! Saw my friend at choir yesterday which was good and read another friends short story today which was touching. That reminds me, I want to start doing some newspaper reviews and magazine reviews of books - may even do so on the net. However, may go down to Sussex for some fresh air and a brief break. Finally finished the book I've been reading from the BBC Big Read Top 100 Best Books of All Time: Swallows and Amazons. Now I will begin David Copperfield by Charles Dickens. I think I already read it when I was a kid but may have given up half way as it a long one! Only about fifty books left to read and I will have read the whole list.
Monday, 14 May 2007
Day 18: Three Necessary Keys to Get What You Want
There are three necessary keys, as identified by Shakti Gawain in her excellent book Creative Visualization, to make creative visualization work. They are:
1. Desire. You must have a true desire to have or manifest that which you have chosen to visualize. By desire I don't mean addictive, grasping desire, but a clear, strong feeling of purpose. Ask yourself "Do I truly, in my heart, desire this goal to be realized?"
2. Belief. The more you believe in your chosen goal and the possibility of attaining it, the more certain you will be to do so. Ask yourself "Do I believe that this is possible for me to manifest or get it?
3. Acceptance. You must be willing to accept and have that which you are seeking. Sometimes we pursue goals without actually wanting to get them; we are more comfortable with the process of pursuing. Ask yourself "Am I willing to have this completely?"
Part of the process of me getting my book published is really about using all those three keys. The Isaiah Effect - Decoding the Lost Science of Prayer and Prophecy by Gregg Braden is another excellent book that can help to appreciate the power that we have in creating our futures through seeing them first. It ends with a story I read elsewhere too about a Down's Syndrome boy competing alongside eight others, who had become friends, in the Special Olympics but, seeing one friend had fallen at the start of the race, he turned back to help him up. Each of the others seeing this turned back too and all nine of them walked the race, arm-in-arm to the finish.
Achieving things in our lives can be done with respect and love for one another and what a beautiful story to illustrate that. The other point made here is when we are inspired and have positive emotions, then dreams, actions or resolutions made from those feelings are strong and transformational.
Gregg Braden ends his book after that story by saying 'above all other reasons, we have come to this world to love.'
1. Desire. You must have a true desire to have or manifest that which you have chosen to visualize. By desire I don't mean addictive, grasping desire, but a clear, strong feeling of purpose. Ask yourself "Do I truly, in my heart, desire this goal to be realized?"
2. Belief. The more you believe in your chosen goal and the possibility of attaining it, the more certain you will be to do so. Ask yourself "Do I believe that this is possible for me to manifest or get it?
3. Acceptance. You must be willing to accept and have that which you are seeking. Sometimes we pursue goals without actually wanting to get them; we are more comfortable with the process of pursuing. Ask yourself "Am I willing to have this completely?"
Part of the process of me getting my book published is really about using all those three keys. The Isaiah Effect - Decoding the Lost Science of Prayer and Prophecy by Gregg Braden is another excellent book that can help to appreciate the power that we have in creating our futures through seeing them first. It ends with a story I read elsewhere too about a Down's Syndrome boy competing alongside eight others, who had become friends, in the Special Olympics but, seeing one friend had fallen at the start of the race, he turned back to help him up. Each of the others seeing this turned back too and all nine of them walked the race, arm-in-arm to the finish.
Achieving things in our lives can be done with respect and love for one another and what a beautiful story to illustrate that. The other point made here is when we are inspired and have positive emotions, then dreams, actions or resolutions made from those feelings are strong and transformational.
Gregg Braden ends his book after that story by saying 'above all other reasons, we have come to this world to love.'
Sunday, 13 May 2007
Day 16 & 17: Fame, Glory & Solutions for the Planet!
Ok, got your attention with that headline! Firstly, about Solutions for the Planet. I am reading a book from the Kryon series (Book 8) that makes some very interesting points about how we can survive on this planet with ever-decreasing energy sources. I shall quote from the book and you can learn more at www.kryon.com
"World Energy
Some have asked, 'Kryon, what about the world environment? What are we supposed to do for energy in the future that won't deplete our resources, or spoil our delicate environmental balance?
We are going to reiterate something we've said before, for there is a potential at hand for you to use energy resources that we have asked you to investigate many times before in the past ten years. You have not done so yet, for the wisdom marker was not yet passed, and there didn't seem to be an emergency. Now you will begin to understand the wisdom in these words.
There are two sources that we will give you again, and they represent the answers to creating much of the energy production on Earth. Both of the sources are abundant. Both of them are free, and neither of them will deplete any resource anywhere on the globe. They have been with you from the beginning and have been given to you for your discovery. Yet they have not been developed and used even though they are both obvious and are with you all the time.
The first and grandest one is the gift of your moon, and what it does to your oceans. Most of the population of the earth lives near coastlines on the various continents. The majority of the population is grouped in cities around the coastlines. Right where you need the greatest creation of electrical power, there happens to be tons and tons of push/pull energy that comes and goes on a schedule that is well understood and is consistent. This vast energy pushes and pulls and begs you to use it to create the hydroelectric conversion for clean production of electricity. Compared to the technology you have elected to use for nuclear power, this one is technically easy.
Physically, you've had the mechanical inventions for this conversion for a very long time. Basic physics can be applied to take the push and pull of the wave actions and tides and turn the wheels for the generators. The biggest wheels you can conceive of can be turned with the tons of pressure available to you at the shoreline. And you can count on that push-pull action to the end of time! What a resource, yet development is in its infancy. It's free and never becomes exhausted. It does not deplete a natural resource, and it's been placed where you need it most. Many think that the moon was given for Humans to gaze at by those in love. [Laughter] Listen! You needed it to create the tides for a moment like this! That was the intent all along. Let the inventions begin that will harness it.
Here's another one: Think of the time and expense on your planet that has been spent on creating heat for steam - steam that spins electric generators. We speak about your work with nuclear energy. Think of the resources it has taken, the risk, and the problems you now have as a result of what you've done. Think of the time expended to create just one of these energy-producing facilities. Think of the short time it can be in service, and then compare it to the disappointment that you can never again use that land for anything! What does one of those facilities actually do? It creates heat for steam. That's all it does.
We have given you the answer to heat generation before. If you want to create steam - lots of it- there is an engine that will be around long after humanity is gone. It's an engine that is producing heat for this planet, and all you have to do is dig! Dig far enough down and you'll find it. For the promise is this: No matter where you dig on Earth, if you dig far enough, you will find heat! Why not take some of the resources that it took to buid the atomic engines and instead research solutions to the difficulties extracting heat from the depths of the ground and converting it to steam? How long is the heat going to last? Forever! And it's been there as long as Earth has, and will remain there as long as Earth does, and it's for you. Use the heat engine that we gave you!
We give you these two examples and again invite you to develop them. This is the answer to energy for the planet! It will not deplete any part of nature, will not change the temperature of the earth, nor put anything into the air. It's free, clean, and it's from your partner, the planet Earth. You wonder about your partnership with the planet? Take a good look. It sits there waiting for you to discover and develop it."
Now, Fame & Glory! I bet you thought it was mine. Not quite yet. It was in fact the fame and glory of The Highgate Choral Society, of which I am a member, and that of Paul Patterson, composer of Stabat Mater, who attended a sell-out performance last night of his piece and Haydn's Nelson Mass that was attended by local MP Lynne Featherstone and many others. I look forward to reading the review in the Independent as the media were also present. See you soon!
"World Energy
Some have asked, 'Kryon, what about the world environment? What are we supposed to do for energy in the future that won't deplete our resources, or spoil our delicate environmental balance?
We are going to reiterate something we've said before, for there is a potential at hand for you to use energy resources that we have asked you to investigate many times before in the past ten years. You have not done so yet, for the wisdom marker was not yet passed, and there didn't seem to be an emergency. Now you will begin to understand the wisdom in these words.
There are two sources that we will give you again, and they represent the answers to creating much of the energy production on Earth. Both of the sources are abundant. Both of them are free, and neither of them will deplete any resource anywhere on the globe. They have been with you from the beginning and have been given to you for your discovery. Yet they have not been developed and used even though they are both obvious and are with you all the time.
The first and grandest one is the gift of your moon, and what it does to your oceans. Most of the population of the earth lives near coastlines on the various continents. The majority of the population is grouped in cities around the coastlines. Right where you need the greatest creation of electrical power, there happens to be tons and tons of push/pull energy that comes and goes on a schedule that is well understood and is consistent. This vast energy pushes and pulls and begs you to use it to create the hydroelectric conversion for clean production of electricity. Compared to the technology you have elected to use for nuclear power, this one is technically easy.
Physically, you've had the mechanical inventions for this conversion for a very long time. Basic physics can be applied to take the push and pull of the wave actions and tides and turn the wheels for the generators. The biggest wheels you can conceive of can be turned with the tons of pressure available to you at the shoreline. And you can count on that push-pull action to the end of time! What a resource, yet development is in its infancy. It's free and never becomes exhausted. It does not deplete a natural resource, and it's been placed where you need it most. Many think that the moon was given for Humans to gaze at by those in love. [Laughter] Listen! You needed it to create the tides for a moment like this! That was the intent all along. Let the inventions begin that will harness it.
Here's another one: Think of the time and expense on your planet that has been spent on creating heat for steam - steam that spins electric generators. We speak about your work with nuclear energy. Think of the resources it has taken, the risk, and the problems you now have as a result of what you've done. Think of the time expended to create just one of these energy-producing facilities. Think of the short time it can be in service, and then compare it to the disappointment that you can never again use that land for anything! What does one of those facilities actually do? It creates heat for steam. That's all it does.
We have given you the answer to heat generation before. If you want to create steam - lots of it- there is an engine that will be around long after humanity is gone. It's an engine that is producing heat for this planet, and all you have to do is dig! Dig far enough down and you'll find it. For the promise is this: No matter where you dig on Earth, if you dig far enough, you will find heat! Why not take some of the resources that it took to buid the atomic engines and instead research solutions to the difficulties extracting heat from the depths of the ground and converting it to steam? How long is the heat going to last? Forever! And it's been there as long as Earth has, and will remain there as long as Earth does, and it's for you. Use the heat engine that we gave you!
We give you these two examples and again invite you to develop them. This is the answer to energy for the planet! It will not deplete any part of nature, will not change the temperature of the earth, nor put anything into the air. It's free, clean, and it's from your partner, the planet Earth. You wonder about your partnership with the planet? Take a good look. It sits there waiting for you to discover and develop it."
Now, Fame & Glory! I bet you thought it was mine. Not quite yet. It was in fact the fame and glory of The Highgate Choral Society, of which I am a member, and that of Paul Patterson, composer of Stabat Mater, who attended a sell-out performance last night of his piece and Haydn's Nelson Mass that was attended by local MP Lynne Featherstone and many others. I look forward to reading the review in the Independent as the media were also present. See you soon!
Friday, 11 May 2007
Day 15: Visualise What You Want!
Today, I have been taking time to visualise what I want by creating a Treasure Map - an actual, physical picture of my desired reality for my life when my book is published. I cut out photos and created images of me happy and enjoying being on a sandy beach and holding my published book. I also did a mock-up of my title at number 1 position in The Sunday Times Bestsellers List! A great, fun and very powerful technique that is worth taking time out to do. You can make it any size that's convenient for you and even carry it around in your wallet. Mine is big and on card so I can put it on the wall and see it when I work. Visualise, visualise, visualise! It is not just about work, it's about creating and visualising what you want, too. Now, though, I will get on with more writing - today completing my Author Profile. Have a great day/evening!
Thursday, 10 May 2007
Day 14: Preparing for Publishers
Preparing for publishers is taking a lot of my time...too little sleep, too many things to do! However, if anyone needs help - either now or in the future - with getting a book published, I strongly recommend Julia McCutchen who has a website at www.juliamccutchen.com. She worked in publishing for many years and brings expertise and professionalism to what is a long and frequently challenging process.
Mentoring is something that most successful people will tell you was a part of their ascendency and features as a strong part of Chicken Soup for the Soul author Jack Canfield's success strategies too. He features in The Secret and recommends mentoring as a key path in his book One Minute Millionnnaire and although mentoring by an expert is frequently expensive, it is actually the short route to success.
Today I must press on with a lot of tinkering.
Mentoring is something that most successful people will tell you was a part of their ascendency and features as a strong part of Chicken Soup for the Soul author Jack Canfield's success strategies too. He features in The Secret and recommends mentoring as a key path in his book One Minute Millionnnaire and although mentoring by an expert is frequently expensive, it is actually the short route to success.
Today I must press on with a lot of tinkering.
Wednesday, 9 May 2007
Day 13: Big Inbox - Day of Action
I have a big inbox today and one from my writer 'step-father' (ex partner of my mum) seems well worth sharing:
Subject: Don't let them ignore it Date: Thu, 03 May 2007 09:36:39 -0700
Dear Avaaz member,
This Friday, the official body of the world's top climate scientists will release a historic report. Their findings: humankind has the power to stop climate catastrophe. But to do it, politicians need to act--and fast.
The science is now crystal clear that it's not enough for individuals and corporations to go green. Government action is required. Our political leaders will be responding to this report over the next few days. But politicians have shown time and again that they won't listen to science unless their bosses--we, the people--tell them to. Click below to send a personalized message directly to your national leader:
http://www.avaaz.org/en/climate_action_leaders/?cl=8612301
Years from now, once we've won this fight, our victory will seem like it was inevitable. But at this moment, it is your work--joining with others around the world to turn scientific facts into political action--that makes it possible. We're glad to stand with you. Ben, Iain, Ricken, Graziela, Paul and the Avaaz Team
PS - Here are some links on the Climate Scientists' report: The United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change Homepage: http://www.france24.com/france24Public/en/administration/afp-news.html?id=070502152617.u19nj8p4&cat=null
Sydney Morning Herald: http://www.smh.com.au/news/environment/top-global-scientists-gather-on-climate-change/2007/04/30/1177788024609.html
OPENTRACK Do not hit reply to this email to unsubscribe.
https://secure.avaaz.org/act/?r=unsub&cl=8612301&b=100&lang=en _________________________________________________________________>
Subject: Don't let them ignore it Date: Thu, 03 May 2007 09:36:39 -0700
Dear Avaaz member,
This Friday, the official body of the world's top climate scientists will release a historic report. Their findings: humankind has the power to stop climate catastrophe. But to do it, politicians need to act--and fast.
The science is now crystal clear that it's not enough for individuals and corporations to go green. Government action is required. Our political leaders will be responding to this report over the next few days. But politicians have shown time and again that they won't listen to science unless their bosses--we, the people--tell them to. Click below to send a personalized message directly to your national leader:
http://www.avaaz.org/en/climate_action_leaders/?cl=8612301
Years from now, once we've won this fight, our victory will seem like it was inevitable. But at this moment, it is your work--joining with others around the world to turn scientific facts into political action--that makes it possible. We're glad to stand with you. Ben, Iain, Ricken, Graziela, Paul and the Avaaz Team
PS - Here are some links on the Climate Scientists' report: The United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change Homepage: http://www.france24.com/france24Public/en/administration/afp-news.html?id=070502152617.u19nj8p4&cat=null
Sydney Morning Herald: http://www.smh.com.au/news/environment/top-global-scientists-gather-on-climate-change/2007/04/30/1177788024609.html
OPENTRACK Do not hit reply to this email to unsubscribe.
https://secure.avaaz.org/act/?r=unsub&cl=8612301&b=100&lang=en _________________________________________________________________>
Tuesday, 8 May 2007
Day 10, 11 & 12: Friends & Moving Forwards
On Saturday, I also picked up a free sample from a stall selling natural cleaning products, although I only opened it on Sunday. Inside were five soapnut shells with the following words on a leaflet:
Do you want your laundry clean, soft and fresh naturally?
Use soapnuts!
Environmentally friendly, sustainably produced, bio-degradable and compostable!
Have you ever worried about how your chemical detergents are affecting the environment, but never found the alternatives satisfactory?
Soapnuts are the answer!
They are economical (from only 3 pence a wash compared to 25 pence for a standard non-bio)
They leave your laundry fresh, clean and soft eliminating the need for softeners.
Because they are natural and chemical free they are gentle on your skin and clothes.
Suitable for sensitive skin, allergy and eczema sufferers.
Soft enough for your whole family.
Soapnuts grow on trees in India and Nepal; the shells contain "Saponin" a natural soap, the nuts inside are used in the pharmaceutical industry. We have been assured by our supplier in India that everyone involved in the production of these soapnut shells is paid fairly and no child labour is involved.
To use soapnuts in your laundry:
Just put this sample of 6-8 (ish) half shell pieces into a knotted sock, place in your washing machine drum with the laundry and wash on your usual cycle
Your washing will come out fresh, clean and soft
You can do 4-6 consecutive loads from one lot of soapnuts!
When the soapnuts are exhausted they will appear softer and thinner.
Throw them on your compost and put some more into the sock for your next wash.
I tell mum, who has returned from performing (she is a dancer, specifically, a eurhythmist), that I can use the sock I ruined for the purpose and we laugh. However, I give them to her and tell her to let me know the result for my eager blog-watchers.
On the back of the leaflet are Frequently asked questions and I read some of them to my mum:
What happens to the soapnut shells in the rinse cycle?
That's just one of life's imponderables; they just don't seem to leave any residue. Don't ask me why!
What else can I do with soapnuts?
Loads of things! Boil a large handful of crushed soapnut shells in 500ml of waters, simmer for 5-10 mins then strain and you have great cleaning liquid, wash your car, cooker or cat!
Can I eat them?
No, don't even try! They may be great for washing but they are not edible, nutritious or good for you.
And one last question. What do I get for my money?
A beautiful unbleached cotton bag full of lovely soapnuts, a smaller cotton drawstring bag to put them in when you wash your laundry and a crystal clean, clear conscience.
In A Soapnut Shell www.inasoapnutshell.com
I was intrigued by this and thought I would do my bit for the environment by sharing this information publicly. Let me know how you get on if you try the soapnuts. I also took a leaflet called Making a Change! Reduce Chemicals In Your Home that I'll save for another day. We remove a clump of bamboo-type grass that has taken over the back garden and my mother's ex-partner (of many years ago) joins us and we sit in the summerhouse and discuss writing. He has written one and a half novels but when I say publishers prefer writers to have a media profile, with a blog or a website, he says 'Then I'll never be published!' But he often jokes and his eyes twinkle as he speaks. In the evening, mum and I watch TV and I fetch her some oatcakes with sliced apple and a pot of tea. I work on my book at the same time, trying to end it at an earlier point so that I'm not too long and although prior to starting the process, I thought it impossible, seeing The Secret the other night helped me stay optimistic and I found a way to do it! This really felt like a minor miracle so even though my mother's ex was not impressed by an article on it in the Independent and had no plans to see it, it still can motivate.
On Monday, I worked on my mission statement for this blog and this is my first draft: 'I keep readers informed about the days leading to the publication of Off The Rails, with exclusive extracts from the book.' I head back to London and get a lot of reading done, catching up with my goal of a chapter a day. Then I meet my friend from choir, who has suggested a name when I asked her if she wanted to choose a pseudonym, but I have forgotten it today, and we went for a mineral water before choir in the old church, now a pub in my part of London. It is good to have the pre-choir chat we have as often as I am in the choir and we meet again afterwards for a drink before she gets the bus home. On Saturday we perform. I move forwards with my book by further completing an Author Profile for Publishers today. There is more to do later tonight on the format etc. and I am looking forward to having it done!
Do you want your laundry clean, soft and fresh naturally?
Use soapnuts!
Environmentally friendly, sustainably produced, bio-degradable and compostable!
Have you ever worried about how your chemical detergents are affecting the environment, but never found the alternatives satisfactory?
Soapnuts are the answer!
They are economical (from only 3 pence a wash compared to 25 pence for a standard non-bio)
They leave your laundry fresh, clean and soft eliminating the need for softeners.
Because they are natural and chemical free they are gentle on your skin and clothes.
Suitable for sensitive skin, allergy and eczema sufferers.
Soft enough for your whole family.
Soapnuts grow on trees in India and Nepal; the shells contain "Saponin" a natural soap, the nuts inside are used in the pharmaceutical industry. We have been assured by our supplier in India that everyone involved in the production of these soapnut shells is paid fairly and no child labour is involved.
To use soapnuts in your laundry:
Just put this sample of 6-8 (ish) half shell pieces into a knotted sock, place in your washing machine drum with the laundry and wash on your usual cycle
Your washing will come out fresh, clean and soft
You can do 4-6 consecutive loads from one lot of soapnuts!
When the soapnuts are exhausted they will appear softer and thinner.
Throw them on your compost and put some more into the sock for your next wash.
I tell mum, who has returned from performing (she is a dancer, specifically, a eurhythmist), that I can use the sock I ruined for the purpose and we laugh. However, I give them to her and tell her to let me know the result for my eager blog-watchers.
On the back of the leaflet are Frequently asked questions and I read some of them to my mum:
What happens to the soapnut shells in the rinse cycle?
That's just one of life's imponderables; they just don't seem to leave any residue. Don't ask me why!
What else can I do with soapnuts?
Loads of things! Boil a large handful of crushed soapnut shells in 500ml of waters, simmer for 5-10 mins then strain and you have great cleaning liquid, wash your car, cooker or cat!
Can I eat them?
No, don't even try! They may be great for washing but they are not edible, nutritious or good for you.
And one last question. What do I get for my money?
A beautiful unbleached cotton bag full of lovely soapnuts, a smaller cotton drawstring bag to put them in when you wash your laundry and a crystal clean, clear conscience.
In A Soapnut Shell www.inasoapnutshell.com
I was intrigued by this and thought I would do my bit for the environment by sharing this information publicly. Let me know how you get on if you try the soapnuts. I also took a leaflet called Making a Change! Reduce Chemicals In Your Home that I'll save for another day. We remove a clump of bamboo-type grass that has taken over the back garden and my mother's ex-partner (of many years ago) joins us and we sit in the summerhouse and discuss writing. He has written one and a half novels but when I say publishers prefer writers to have a media profile, with a blog or a website, he says 'Then I'll never be published!' But he often jokes and his eyes twinkle as he speaks. In the evening, mum and I watch TV and I fetch her some oatcakes with sliced apple and a pot of tea. I work on my book at the same time, trying to end it at an earlier point so that I'm not too long and although prior to starting the process, I thought it impossible, seeing The Secret the other night helped me stay optimistic and I found a way to do it! This really felt like a minor miracle so even though my mother's ex was not impressed by an article on it in the Independent and had no plans to see it, it still can motivate.
On Monday, I worked on my mission statement for this blog and this is my first draft: 'I keep readers informed about the days leading to the publication of Off The Rails, with exclusive extracts from the book.' I head back to London and get a lot of reading done, catching up with my goal of a chapter a day. Then I meet my friend from choir, who has suggested a name when I asked her if she wanted to choose a pseudonym, but I have forgotten it today, and we went for a mineral water before choir in the old church, now a pub in my part of London. It is good to have the pre-choir chat we have as often as I am in the choir and we meet again afterwards for a drink before she gets the bus home. On Saturday we perform. I move forwards with my book by further completing an Author Profile for Publishers today. There is more to do later tonight on the format etc. and I am looking forward to having it done!
Saturday, 5 May 2007
Day 9: Herding the Cows
Today I looked after a friend's son who has Down Syndrome while his mother went off for an hour and I helped him with his number one passion - herding and milking cows. We helped the farmer drive the slow mellow herd up from the fields and Tim told me that it is the first spring with no rain he has known; that the short grass is usually waist high. However, he said it probably hits big farms worse, which he says is good (as he is a small organic one). Also, he enjoys the sun, like we all do. We get some of the cows into the milking area but others buck around and are restless. I enjoy listening to the words they use to herd, the boy saying 'Hey up! Ogleogleogleogleogle!' before wielding the little stick I got him and shouting at the cows to speed them up. The sun, after being clouded earlier, is now glorious and hot. Earlier, I saw old friends and had an organic beef burger at a Green Day fair at the college my mother works at. I saw my mother's ex-partner who plans to visit tomorrow. Last night my mother's lodger leant me The Secret and I enjoyed the motivational element of it. Now I must get on with major book revisions that, in line with The Secret, I predict will be at least possible if not easy!
Friday, 4 May 2007
Day 8: Rest and Relaxation
Today I enjoy the warmth and calm beauty of my mother's garden with wisteria making its brief and fragrant flowering over the porch and an array of colours and scents providing a welcome respite from London. Birds hop close to me and feed from the generous amounts of seeds mum has spread for them and, later on the forest, I even see a rabbit that stays a few feet from me, relaxed in the balmy weather; robins and squirrels - even a fluffy gray cat - come close to me too.
Yesterday, my mother pointed out her Solomon's seal plants and showed me the back garden where the frogs are back in the pond. It is yet to turn into the dance of pinks and whites and colours that summer will hasten but is a calming range of greens. We must re-plant one fern that is taking over, however!
Last night I talked to a friend who is helping me with my book and am highly optimistic after being given several leads to pursue. There is still much to do but I am clear on the way ahead - clarity being such a boon.
Yesterday, my mother pointed out her Solomon's seal plants and showed me the back garden where the frogs are back in the pond. It is yet to turn into the dance of pinks and whites and colours that summer will hasten but is a calming range of greens. We must re-plant one fern that is taking over, however!
Last night I talked to a friend who is helping me with my book and am highly optimistic after being given several leads to pursue. There is still much to do but I am clear on the way ahead - clarity being such a boon.
Thursday, 3 May 2007
Day 7: Turning Setbacks into Success
These are tips that have helped me and continue to help me to turn setbacks into success.
1. Recognise the setback as feedback
1: What is the feedback here?
2: What is the lesson to learn?
3: What do you need to do differently?
4: What has changed?
2. Manage your state
Get enough sleep, exercise and rest. Many underestimate the power of making a physiology change. Create anchors or triggers to help manage your state: I press a certain exact place on the base of my thumb every time I need to feel energised or happy and that acts as an anchor by re-triggering many many positive experiences that I had when I pressed the anchor point at that time. This is an NLP technique and one of the keys to successful anchoring is to press the skin to the bone but to select a place that is easy to use in a normal gesture like clasping your hands so you can do it anytime and anywhere. Another key is to anchor just before or at the peak of the experience (a music concert, a birthday party, just feeling happy, etc) and hold the anchor for ten seconds then later reproduce it by the exact same touch.
3. Aim not to be comfortable but to be resourceful
Have a higher tolerance for ambiguity and create and use anchors for resourceful states of mind.
4. Be flexible
Be flexible a: mentally b: physically c: emotionally
Ask yourself what is needed for flexibility for each.
5. Change your perspective
In NLP this is often called second position: think what the other person feels, hears or sees.
6. Be active, keep going, don't give up
I am off to the country so may leave you with this for a few days unless I manage to track down a Wifi Hotspot. Thanks to those who gave me email feedback and feel free to leave comments here at any time.
1. Recognise the setback as feedback
1: What is the feedback here?
2: What is the lesson to learn?
3: What do you need to do differently?
4: What has changed?
2. Manage your state
Get enough sleep, exercise and rest. Many underestimate the power of making a physiology change. Create anchors or triggers to help manage your state: I press a certain exact place on the base of my thumb every time I need to feel energised or happy and that acts as an anchor by re-triggering many many positive experiences that I had when I pressed the anchor point at that time. This is an NLP technique and one of the keys to successful anchoring is to press the skin to the bone but to select a place that is easy to use in a normal gesture like clasping your hands so you can do it anytime and anywhere. Another key is to anchor just before or at the peak of the experience (a music concert, a birthday party, just feeling happy, etc) and hold the anchor for ten seconds then later reproduce it by the exact same touch.
3. Aim not to be comfortable but to be resourceful
Have a higher tolerance for ambiguity and create and use anchors for resourceful states of mind.
4. Be flexible
Be flexible a: mentally b: physically c: emotionally
Ask yourself what is needed for flexibility for each.
5. Change your perspective
In NLP this is often called second position: think what the other person feels, hears or sees.
6. Be active, keep going, don't give up
I am off to the country so may leave you with this for a few days unless I manage to track down a Wifi Hotspot. Thanks to those who gave me email feedback and feel free to leave comments here at any time.
Wednesday, 2 May 2007
Day 6: Welcome, World!
Maximum Overdrive! Major publicity drive today has helped to alert the world to my blog and I will have a line of silence to compose myself and breathe now I have an audience:
That's better! Silence and space are underestimated necessities in this hi-tech world. Talking of which, I will have to delay the photo of me and the renowned composer Patterson (in which I am blinking at the flash!) as yes, yet again, simple steps are designed for techies not humans! I have spent time researching other people's websites today, which was a bit overwhelming but instructive. www.therawfoodcoach.com was interesting as it was given by a publishing friend as a worthwhile example of a full-scale, serious website. Funnily enough, I have another friend who follows the raw food diet too. It's something I know very little about so will check it out again though I can't see myself dispensing with what already works for me: the 'Eat Right for Your Blood Type' diet. More info on the latter can be found at www.dadamo.com
I saw another website that made me laugh as it is by the author of "Help! My Teenager is an Alien" and is www.sarahnewton.com I know at least one person who may relate to this! Those writing books may find www.advice4writers.com of interest. Just Write seems to be the most useful advice a writer can be given, of course, and regular writing, ideally with daily targets, so you can measure your progress weekly, monthly and six-monthly, is an idea. I will not have time after the demands of Publicity today to further develop my website but look forward to it soon! You will be the first to get the website address! I will try and write a mission statement for this blog over the next few days as a mission statement for any project is a great way to focus in on goals and objectives. To go with the time of year here in England where the skies are blue and the sun is warm, I will end with another poem from Off The Rails (there is one at the beginning of each chapter):
Spirit of Flight
Swooping eagle-calm
in skies of cool colour
clear as crystal
bright as sun.
Spreading my wings
soaring over rivers
soaring over mountains.
Melding with atoms
of a higher birth
teaching younger children
what it is, this mirth
to fly so free
as energy
pure and true
the essence of me.
That's better! Silence and space are underestimated necessities in this hi-tech world. Talking of which, I will have to delay the photo of me and the renowned composer Patterson (in which I am blinking at the flash!) as yes, yet again, simple steps are designed for techies not humans! I have spent time researching other people's websites today, which was a bit overwhelming but instructive. www.therawfoodcoach.com was interesting as it was given by a publishing friend as a worthwhile example of a full-scale, serious website. Funnily enough, I have another friend who follows the raw food diet too. It's something I know very little about so will check it out again though I can't see myself dispensing with what already works for me: the 'Eat Right for Your Blood Type' diet. More info on the latter can be found at www.dadamo.com
I saw another website that made me laugh as it is by the author of "Help! My Teenager is an Alien" and is www.sarahnewton.com I know at least one person who may relate to this! Those writing books may find www.advice4writers.com of interest. Just Write seems to be the most useful advice a writer can be given, of course, and regular writing, ideally with daily targets, so you can measure your progress weekly, monthly and six-monthly, is an idea. I will not have time after the demands of Publicity today to further develop my website but look forward to it soon! You will be the first to get the website address! I will try and write a mission statement for this blog over the next few days as a mission statement for any project is a great way to focus in on goals and objectives. To go with the time of year here in England where the skies are blue and the sun is warm, I will end with another poem from Off The Rails (there is one at the beginning of each chapter):
Spirit of Flight
Swooping eagle-calm
in skies of cool colour
clear as crystal
bright as sun.
Spreading my wings
soaring over rivers
soaring over mountains.
Melding with atoms
of a higher birth
teaching younger children
what it is, this mirth
to fly so free
as energy
pure and true
the essence of me.
Tuesday, 1 May 2007
Day 5: Publicity
Oh the joys of publicity! Too little time and a vast number of people to notify but it's all good. Must rush off to see one of my best friends and her husband and son tonight so will leave you knowing that this writer is enjoying the journey which is getting busier and busier yet closer and closer to the goal. Last night, my choir's rehearsal was graced by the presence of the composer of the piece we're singing - Paul Patterson - and I got a photo of me and him to download to this site (with a lot of luck!) tomorrow. London is sunny today. To anyone joining this blog from Brazil, ola e bem vindo. I wish the blogs provided translation buttons, it would make life much easier for my international fanbase. Until tomorrow! After that I will be out of London for several days in Sussex which will be a welcome break. May manage a little blogging but no WiFi generally there. Fica com Deus, os Brasileiros!
Monday, 30 April 2007
Day 4: Website started! Rock and Roll!
Today, I managed to create a website, the photo adding process being unbelievably designed by a human being! Will tell you all the address soon, my legions of eager watchers throughout the known and infinite universe! Haha. Must rush to eat and attend my choir tonight. I never managed to become a rock star despite singing with my friend in a band at school but I settle for continuing to sing with my choir once a week. We perform a week from Saturday at Highgate. Haydyn's Nelson Mass and local composer Paul Patterson's Stabat Mater. It is at St Joseph's church, Highgate Hill, London, UK, N19. Near Highgate tube. The performance starts at 8 on the 12th. Come if you can! Time to rush to an all-important pre-rehearsal chat with my best friend Lilly (not real name-should I treat this like a book?!!).
Sunday, 29 April 2007
Day 3: A day of Doubt!
A day of doubt after several hours trying to locate a URL for a photo and needing to download a ton of software for photos which still doesn't help! Wonder if all this blogging stuff is not just one of those many distractions writers manage to create whereby they have an excuse to not get on with the hard bit - the writing! I did, however, upload a photo of me to the site, via a button on my new toolbar, but only to today's posting. Ho hum. Still waiting for a human being to program a computer one of these days.
Meanwhile, I am continuing to read, having set myself the task of reading the BBC Big Read Top 100 books of all time. I have read about forty and am having to read many childrens' books as part of this as many youngsters seem to have voted too. At the moment, I am reading Swallows and Amazons (though out of sequence, as my local library don't seem to have heard of Gabriel Garcia Marquez's 100 Years of Solitude! Plebs!) I used to feel I didn't have the time to read but realise there is no other way to become a skilled writer - we must perfect ourselves just like in any other profession by study and assimilation.
Will this site just languish in a vacuum somewhere in the outer reaches of cyberspace or will I succeed one day in getting this blog out there and linked in to the great and glorious world? Doubt is bogging me down but that's understandable after hours trying to get the hang of it all. Will try to send an email to my friends and get the show on the road today. Hope things will improve.
To cheer myself up, I re-read something I wrote a few weeks ago:
I was walking to the back garden wearing my socks to feed the birds today, I explain to mum when she returns from Switzerland, having brought in my funny-looking sock.
"I tried to avoid the wet patch of the path (wet from the dripping pipe above that needs fixing) so I swung on the door handle to the shed hoping the door was locked, whereupon, of course, the door swung open and I had to leap onto the soggiest bit of the path by the drain got one sock wet.
"As it didn't smell better when I washed it with soap, I poured thick bleach on it, turning it into this!"
Mum laughs wholeheartedly as I hold up an orange and blotchy sock (that had been brown) and says it's okay and rather retro.
She gives me some excellent Swiss chocolates and I try not to eat them all (not very successfully!) while we sit watching the best comedy sitcoms of all time on TV.
That's your lot, today, people of the World! Haha!
Meanwhile, I am continuing to read, having set myself the task of reading the BBC Big Read Top 100 books of all time. I have read about forty and am having to read many childrens' books as part of this as many youngsters seem to have voted too. At the moment, I am reading Swallows and Amazons (though out of sequence, as my local library don't seem to have heard of Gabriel Garcia Marquez's 100 Years of Solitude! Plebs!) I used to feel I didn't have the time to read but realise there is no other way to become a skilled writer - we must perfect ourselves just like in any other profession by study and assimilation.
Will this site just languish in a vacuum somewhere in the outer reaches of cyberspace or will I succeed one day in getting this blog out there and linked in to the great and glorious world? Doubt is bogging me down but that's understandable after hours trying to get the hang of it all. Will try to send an email to my friends and get the show on the road today. Hope things will improve.
To cheer myself up, I re-read something I wrote a few weeks ago:
I was walking to the back garden wearing my socks to feed the birds today, I explain to mum when she returns from Switzerland, having brought in my funny-looking sock.
"I tried to avoid the wet patch of the path (wet from the dripping pipe above that needs fixing) so I swung on the door handle to the shed hoping the door was locked, whereupon, of course, the door swung open and I had to leap onto the soggiest bit of the path by the drain got one sock wet.
"As it didn't smell better when I washed it with soap, I poured thick bleach on it, turning it into this!"
Mum laughs wholeheartedly as I hold up an orange and blotchy sock (that had been brown) and says it's okay and rather retro.
She gives me some excellent Swiss chocolates and I try not to eat them all (not very successfully!) while we sit watching the best comedy sitcoms of all time on TV.
That's your lot, today, people of the World! Haha!
Saturday, 28 April 2007
Day2: Every kick up the backside is a step forward on your path
Today's title is a Rumanian proverb and what better way to summarise the require attitude to get a book published! We must turn setbacks into success, sooner or later and with repeated effort.
I spent last night reinstating chunks of material back into my book, even though my book as it stands will probably need to be slimmed down during the editing process. Not 100% sure of whether to stop this book early and start my second book with the material from the end of this one. Need to get some professional feedback on that.
Nearly did not include this poem in my book, but decided to last night. I wrote it in Cannes.
NOSTALGIE
Remember, ma cherie
Ile Saint-Honorat's cicada-loud trees
revitalising our London hearts
with sun-celebrating wild life
with needed meditation.
Remember, ma cherie
sitting to picnic
on delicieux salade et fruit
by the warm sea
where I found you an old silver spoon
Remember, ma cherie
taking photos of one another
near the sea's blue under the arch
of Abbaye Notre-Dame de Lerins
where our unwinding began.
Remember, ma cherie
the immaculate streets dripping flowers
houses jolie with shutters
palm trees everywhere adding elegance
to the church of beauty.
I spent last night reinstating chunks of material back into my book, even though my book as it stands will probably need to be slimmed down during the editing process. Not 100% sure of whether to stop this book early and start my second book with the material from the end of this one. Need to get some professional feedback on that.
Nearly did not include this poem in my book, but decided to last night. I wrote it in Cannes.
NOSTALGIE
Remember, ma cherie
Ile Saint-Honorat's cicada-loud trees
revitalising our London hearts
with sun-celebrating wild life
with needed meditation.
Remember, ma cherie
sitting to picnic
on delicieux salade et fruit
by the warm sea
where I found you an old silver spoon
Remember, ma cherie
taking photos of one another
near the sea's blue under the arch
of Abbaye Notre-Dame de Lerins
where our unwinding began.
Remember, ma cherie
the immaculate streets dripping flowers
houses jolie with shutters
palm trees everywhere adding elegance
to the church of beauty.
Friday, 27 April 2007
Day 1: Brief Blastoff
Struggling with photos! Not managed to get the wonders of the photo technology on this site working for me yet! But happy to have kicked off by following through with my intentions to get visible and create a blog. Enjoyed looking at other sites today, especially a popular artist's blog site.
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