Joshua Bell

Violinist, Joshua Bell, playing in the Washington D.C. Metro Station on a January morning in 2007. This social experiment on people's perception, taste, and priorities was organized by the Washington Post.

Question:

If we do not have a moment to stop and listen to one of the best musicians in the world, playing some of the finest music ever written, with one of the most beautiful instruments ever made... how many other things are we missing?

Post-it Tuesday

Hyde Park, Boise

banned book week

In Honor of Banned Book Week

a poem by Ellen Hopkins

To you zealots and bigots and false

patriots who live in fear of discourse.

You screamers and banners and burners

who would force books

off shelves in your brand name

of greater good.

You say you're afraid for children,

innocents ripe for corruption

by perversion or sorcery on the page.

But sticks and stones do break

bones, and ignorance is no armor.

You do not speak for me,

and will not deny my kids magic

in favor of miracles.

You say you're afraid for America,

the red, white and blue corroded

by terrorists, socialists, the sexually

confused. But we are a vast quilt

of patchwork cultures and multi-gendered

identities. You cannot speak for those

whose ancestors braved

different seas.

You say you're afraid for God,

the living word eroded by Muhammed

and Darwin and Magdalene.

But the omnipotent sculptor of heaven

and earth designed intelligence.

Surely you dare not speak

for the father, who opens

his arms to all.

A word to the unwise.

Torch every book.

Char every page.

Burn every word to ash.

Ideas are incombustible.

And therein lies your real fear.

Happy Anniversary

In Honor of our Anniversary...

friendly tips I've been given for a happy relationship:

• A super important tip: Make your relationship a priority, especially when you have a family. What your kids need most is to be loved by parents who are happy and productive participants in the world.

• Find small ways to lighten the other's load. Small tokens of unsolicited support make a big impact - say, 'I love you, I'm proud of you, I think you're doing a great job.' At the end of the day, isn't that all we want to hear anyway?

• Take a mini-moon. Frequently. Mini-moons are little honeymoons. Find a babysitter and spend a weekend away. Visit a city you've never been to before, check out that B&B you saw online, drive to the next town up the road and pretend you're far from home. It needn't be expensive or elaborate, just a few days to refocus and reconnect.

• A cup of hot tea in bed is the secret to a happy marriage. (hot tea in bed is the secret to a happy anything actually.)

Intention Friday

Set your intention for the weekend.

My intent is to allow people freedom from my judgement.

I intend to "give people a pass".

This weekend I've got a "pocket full of passes".

Who am I to judge?

Who knows how much pain their unconscious behaviors cause them?

What's your intention this weekend?

internet acts of kindness

Feeling like the world is becoming less friendly? Social theorist Jonathan Zittrain begs to difffer. The Internet, he suggests, is made up of millions of acts of kindness, curiosity and trust.

Another Boat

I just returned from a wonderful family trip to Disneyland ... and I learned something interesting while I was there:

The kids and I were heading to the dock to ride the paddleboat one day. We were hurrying because we were afraid that we were going to miss the boat. When we arrived at the dock we found that we had, in fact, missed the boat. The kids were disappointed. But the Disney Guide said to them, "Don't be disappointed; there's always another boat. And if you miss that boat, there will be another boat. And if you miss that boat too, guess what there will be?" And the kids cried out, "Another boat!" Again the guide said, "And after that?" Cheerfully the kids yelled, "Another boat!"

'Another Boat' became our mantra for the week's vacation.

If you've ever felt that you've missed your chance, or if you've ever thought that opportunity has passed you by ... just remember another boat, another boat, another boat. The Universe has boats lined up for you. It's a steady stream ... and it doesn't matter how many you've missed up to now because: there's always another boat!

Post-it Tuesday

International Peace Day

Today is International Peace Day

Visit Peace One Day to learn more.