Thursday, December 31, 2009

NEW YEAR'S EVE BLUE FULL MOON FLASH MOB PARTY TONIGHT! 2010 New Year’s Eve Meet & Howl at Midnight, Sheep’s Meadow, Central Park, NYC!


NEW YEAR'S EVE BLUE FULL MOON FLASH MOB PARTY TONIGHT! 2010 New Year’s Eve Meet & Howl at Midnight, Sheep’s Meadow, Central Park, NYC!
Originally uploaded by lorenzodom

As you may already know, tonight there will be a rare Blue Full Moon, which will be at its apex around midnight. The next Blue Moon on New Year’s Eve will not come around for another 29 years on December 31, 2028. I don't know about you, but I will be 71 by then, and likely not living in New York City anymore.

Thus, on this beautiful and rare occasion, I’m proposing we do something extra ordinary.

*

Every year, for some forty odd-something years, this day rolls around and I’m usually at a loss for how I want to celebrate New Year’s Eve.

By now, I know I don’t want to be at a club— it’s ludicrously too expensive, I know I won’t be able to get my money’s worth at the open bar, and I’ve been there, done that, one too many times.

I also know I don’t really want to drudge about in the snow in the streets of New York City, trying to hail a taxi in the freezing cold, ruthlessly competing against an onslaught of inebriated, and often belligerent, revelers.

Finally, what I do know and I am most certain of, is that New Year’s Eve has always been best celebrated amongst good, fun, and often, crazy friends. Because ultimately, it doesn’t matter what or where or why you are doing what you are doing, when you are with them.

Thus, I’m organizing a ku-razy, “somewhat”-spontaneous flashmob get-together in the snow, to howl at the biggest, baddest and bluest moon you’ll likely ever see in your lifetime at midnight, in the middle of Central Park, directly beneath the fullest moon of your lifetime.

We’ll meet at Sheep Meadow, directly across from the lights Tavern on the Green, which, by the way, will be lit for the last time tonight.

So, bring a bottle of bubbly, your snow boots, good cheer and be ready to howl at the moon.

*

Tonight, New Year’s Eve, December 31, 2009

Where & When:

11:30
Meet at Sheep’s Meadow in Central Park, across from Tavern on the Green,
at 67th St & Central Park West, NYC.

Forecast: Slight chance of snow, 34

Friday, November 6, 2009

Newfound Optimism


Chronicles from The Art of Happiness: Newfound Optimism
Originally uploaded by lorenzodom

New York City, November 4, 2009:

"The best laid plans of mice and men often go awry.”
- To a Mouse, Robert Burns


Almost a year ago, on my 41st birthday on November 22, I made a vow to do something positive and begin a new blog, The Art of Happiness.

My intentions were to mount a goodhearted rebellion, to proselytize at the pulpit of the rising sun, to posit the good against all the bad that we are bombarded with on a daily basis by the media.

Alas, I could not keep up and so my efforts went to the wayside. So goes the best laid plans.

Nonetheless and allthemore, after reading about “10 Bodies Found in Home of Cleveland Rapist,” “Another NYU Student Commits Suicide,” and “Another NYC Police Officer Avoids DWI Blood Test After Killing Pedestrian” this morning, I am once again inspired to renew my efforts.

“The greatest accomplishment is not in never falling, but in rising again after you fall.”
Vince Lombardi


Thus, for lack of time to research and write about any good news, I’ve decided to share some personal good news, for now.

Yesterday, my dear friend Sj came by my office to share her good news—she had accomplished a long held dream of running and finishing the New York Marathon.

Needless to say, I was elated for her and decided to write her a letter in commemoration of her achievement. I’m sharing that letter here to spread the good news.

Date: November 3, 2009
Subject: Say Goodbye to The Old You

Sj,

I just wanted to thank you for stopping by to share a little bit of your glory with me today. I am honored and happy that you made an effort to include me in your shining moment, especially since it inspired me.

When I received my medal exactly 16 years ago, I arrogantly dismissed its value, feeling that the accomplishment was enough and that this trinket was meaningless.

However, I still have my medal and ribbon, and recently I hung it around the boys bunkbed post, because Robert, my running partner back then in 1993, suggested, as I was packing up to move out of 215 W 108th, that it might inspire the boys if I shared it with them.

After seeing yours around your neck this afternoon I fully understand what he meant, because it inspired me.

Both my sister Sabina and Chelsea have been great motivators lately. My lil' sista has been periodically sending me updates on her K-bell training and diet; and my darling girlfriend has been gently pushing me to get some exercise, all the while setting the example by going to the gym whenever possible herself.

That's why although I was still sick (and exhausted after a week of having the boys) I ran a mile on Sunday, and two miles downstairs in our gym yesterday.

Today, however, I pushed myself after hearing the story of your marathon run and ran three miles non-stop today. It wasn't easy, but I figured if Sj can be disciplined enough to train for all those months, and push herself all the way on the big day, the least I can do is run three measly miles.

Thank you for that push. I really needed it.

I am sincerely very proud of you and extremely happy for you. I can readily see that you are a new person indeed, you not only brim with confidence—your newfound optimism instills it, and that is an amazing accomplishment in and of itself.

L

Thursday, June 4, 2009

Happy Days

New York City, NY June 4, 2009:

Happiness is here again.

After a far-too-long break from blogging (three months!), I’m returning to posting and presenting what makes us happy—here at The Art of Happiness.

Moreover, it also happens to be a topic of frequent reflection, introspection and earnest discussion in the media these forlorn days.

Before I left for a short trip to the sunshine state this last weekend I picked up the current issue of The Atlantic, which promised to divulge the secrets of WHAT MAKES US HAPPY (in cocky big and bold pink letters), as you can see above, on its cover.

Written by Joshua Wolf Shenk the article is “an inside look at an unprecedented seven-decade study of a group of Harvard men suggests that one thing, above all, truly makes a difference.”

It was good reading for the plane ride to Northern California (the happiest place on earth, at least for me) and those early mornings when I was alone in the kitchen drinking coffee, while others were still asleep—but I wouldn’t recommend buying the magazine, especially if you’re looking to save money, like everyone else these days.

Because, not only can you read the entire article online here, but I will reveal the most important point as follows:

What allows people to work, and love, as they grow old? By the time the Grant Study men had entered retirement, Vaillant, who had then been following them for a quarter century, had identified seven major factors that predict healthy aging, both physically and psychologically.

Employing mature adaptations was one. The others were education, stable marriage, not smoking, not abusing alcohol, some exercise, and healthy weight. Of the 106 Harvard men who had five or six of these factors in their favor at age 50, half ended up at 80 as what Vaillant called “happy-well” and only 7.5 percent as “sad-sick.” Meanwhile, of the men who had three or fewer of the health factors at age 50, none ended up “happy-well” at 80.

There were a few other tidbits of interesting conclusions and anecdotal evidence in the article, but I’ll let you read those yourself.

This morning, I also came across a new New York Times column that focuses specifically on the art of happiness titled Happy Days: The Pursuit of What Matters in Troubled Times.

(Speaking of troubled times, much like other papers, The Times has introduced human (people) interests sections like these, veering away from its traditional hardcore “all the news that is fit to print” and make you feel like we are doomed, because they are desperate to attract readers (and advertisers) in order to survive. You can read about their woes here— Lack of Vision To Blame for Newspaper Woes—and here— Newspapers plot survival as quietly as they can.)

Anyway, The Times’ column has good intentions and its mission is as follows:

The severe economic downturn has forced many people to reassess their values and the ways they act on them in their daily lives. For some, the pursuit of happiness, sanity, or even survival, has been transformed.

Happy Days is a discussion about the search for contentment in its many forms — economic, emotional, physical, spiritual — and the stories of those striving to come to terms with the lives they lead.

Moreover, I was pulled in to read the column by one particularly popular piece posted two days ago called Reprieve by Tim Kreider, who reflects on the value of life after experiencing a near death stab in the throat with a stiletto. It is an article worth reading which can be summed up with the following quote about his year after the incident: “It’s easy now to dismiss that year as nothing more than a sort of hysterical high. But you could also try to think of it as a glimpse of grace.”

Also, read-worthy are many of the 200+ comments which follow the article and reflect on their own near-death experiences, a few of which can be read here: More Light!

Monday, March 2, 2009

Life Without Limbs: Nick Vujicic


Life Without Limbs: Nick Vujicic
Originally uploaded by lorenzodom

Never Give Up
New York City, March 2, 2009:


With the help of his older brother, my youngest son, Nicky, created a posthumous certificate of appreciation for Helen Keller this weekend.

It reads, “This certificate is awarded to Helen Keller for being a good woman and teaching other blind and deaf people.”

He wasn’t exactly sure why his first grade class had this project, so I inferred that the teacher wanted them to appreciate someone who made the most of her life and inspired millions, despite not having some of the senses most of us take for granted.

During hard times like these I think it is a good example to be reminded of, because everyday it seems that I know of more and more people who are losing their jobs, homes and sense of self-worth.

Thus, it is good to be reminded that despite the circumstances, despite one’s suddenly inability to pay the bills, despite the devastation and losses that some people are having to endure, one must never give up.

Because there are and have been many people who either have had far less than we have or were up against far greater odds, and yet they never gave up and ultimately, they were able to lead extraordinary lives, much like Helen Keller.

This morning my dear mother sent me a video about one such fellow by the name of Nick Vujicic who declares “I have no limbs, but I have my little chicken drumstick.” This 25 year old man was born without arms or legs, but managed nonetheless to pull himself up (literally) from what most of us might imagine is a condition of permanent despair, and has been able to turn his blight into a marvelous blessing and incredibly inspiring message that he now carries as a missionary across the world.

Take just two minutes to watch this short video and you’ll immediately see what I mean:
Are you going to finish strong?

If you're as inspired to know more as I was, I recommend watching this Australian 60 Minutes segment about his life story: “ No Limbs, No Limits” (running time: 13:34).

Here are some transcript excerpts:

Peter Overton: This 25-year-old Australian is climbing over every obstacle life puts in front of him and he's doing it with style. You really can do anything, can't you?

Nick Vujicic: Well, there's no harm in believing so. Everybody's going through something, you know, we are all going through something. It's just my pain is a bit more visible than yours or somebody else. When that clicked, it was like a light bulb went... ..just flashed in my brain. I'm like "Hey, now life I see as an opportunity." "This circumstance, there's gotta be something good."

Peter Overton: No arms, no legs...

Nick Vujicic: No worries, mate!

*

Peter Overton: Do you pray for arms and legs?

Nick Vujicic: Every now and then I do, I do pray for arms and legs. I do have faith that God can, right now in front of us, just come down with his light or whatever and bang! I have arms and legs. But the joy of having no limbs and being able to be used in such a unique way and powerful way for people like... you can't give me any amount of money to even consider taking a magical pill to have arms and legs right now. I am here tonight to tell you this - that no matter who you are no matter what you are going through that God knows it, he is with you, he is going to pull you through.

If you want to contact Nick, or find out more information please visit the website: www.lifewithoutlimbs.org

*

Other Inspiring Stories About Some Who Never Gave Up

Helen Keller, both blind and deaf for most of her life, yet went on to become one of the most inspirational and accomplished figures of our time.
Harvey Milk, martyr, revolutionary and social activist who led the way for gay rights and equal political representation.
Abraham Lincoln, 16th president of the United States who was self-taught and led the fight against slavery.
Christopher Reeve, best known for his portrayal of Superman, he was paralyzed after a horse riding accident, but preserved for almost ten more years, championing the cause for people with spinal cord injuries and human embryonic stem cell research.
Stephen Hawking, despite being stricken with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, which has left him almost completely paralyzed, he is a world-renowned theoretical physicist and a record-breaking best selling author.
Randy Pausch, author of The Last Lecture, who knew he was dying from pancreatic cancer, and decided to make the most of his last days by leaving behind an inspiring lecture of hope about “Really Achieving Your Childhood Dreams.”
Jill Bolte Taylor, a neurologist who was able to “observe” her own stroke as it happened, and after recovering, went on to share her inspiring insights gained from her experience.

Tuesday, February 24, 2009

Happiness, Falling From The Sky


Happiness, Falling From The Sky
Originally uploaded by lorenzodom

1. From Mud to Men 033, 2. From Mud to Men 001, 3. From Mud to Men 026, 4. Mude Mites (One for Rusty Rabbit), 5. The Mud Mites, 6. From Mud to Men 040

HAPPINESS, FALLING FROM THE SKY

New York City, NY February 24, 2009 — Backyard, San Jose, CA, circa 1975:


There's been a lot of ballyhoo lately over the little-film-that-could from Bollywood.

Ever since Slumdog Millionaire won eight Oscars, including Best Picture, two nights ago, the media has had a field day with this rags-to-riches story of many levels.

For not only does the movie tell the tale of a boy who makes it out of the slums by ultimately beating a conniving game show host at his own game, but the film was also made on a “shoestring” budget—a mere $13 million, a tenth of the cost of its cinematic rival "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button."

Whether or not the movie actually merits these coveted gold statuettes may be debated for some time to come. Personally, I thought the movie was “okay.” However, I found the real-life story of how it was made with real people, who live in real squalor, much more intriguing.

I hope with the spurt of media coverage on the impoverished areas where the movie was filmed that people in Western society will get some insight into how a lot of the world lives, and in turn realize how lucky we have it, despite our current maelstrom of economic worries and woes.

This morning, I read a version of an article that the Metro picked up off the wire from AP. The excerpt is titled “The Oscar goes to…India” and is pared down to a cheery summary, ending with a quote from one of the neighbors of the child stars. As he watched his little friend strut the red carpet on a television set that was being shared in a dirt yard with a dozen other people, Sohail Qureshi told a reporter “It seems like happiness is falling from the sky.”

I was touched by this expression of genuine glee and in a moment of make-believe, it made me feel that all of a sudden a whole country was happy for one of its own.

Or at least, that’s what the media would make us believe. For if you read the whole story below, you’ll see that the real picture is a bit gloomier. Following is an excerpt:

“If the Oscar excitement brought a sheen of glamour to the community, it vanished Monday shortly after the final award was announced.

The journalists left, the dancing stopped and life pressed on as always. The sweatshop men hunched over humming sewing machines. Squatting children relieved themselves by the train tracks. Mothers washed their dishes in murky water.

"I am poor," Fakrunissa Sheikh, 40, said inside her lean-to next to Azhar's.

About 65 million Indians -- roughly a quarter of the urban population -- live in slums, according to government surveys. Health care is often nonexistent, child labour is rampant and inescapable poverty forms the backdrop of everyday life.”

*

That said, I still think there is something to be said about the revelry amidst the ruins.

Like I’ve written elsewhere (see Pocket Change: Let’s Start A Revolution), once pulled out of poverty, studies have shown that it doesn’t make a difference if you’ve got $100,000 or $100 million, because ultimately happiness is determined by making the most of what you’ve got; it is a matter of attitude and gratitude, not simply means.

Thus, even though these people face poverty that many of us will never know, somehow they found time to have fun and be happy for one of their friends, regardless of their circumstances.

I grew up playing in empty dirt lots and on train tracks, the concept of the Gymboree did not even exist; I drank water from garden hoses, which we used to fill a shallow dirt hole in backyard, so that my cousins and I could roll around like swine and mud wrestle; I caught butterflies and bugs with my bare hands and kept them in old Mason jars, the lid of which I poked holes in with a number 2 lead pencil. Point is, I didn’t have much growing up, but somehow, with a little imagination, my childhood friends and I made it work, we were authentically happy, if not often overjoyed.

I’ve observed this basic principle many times over the last nine years watching my own children, who have had as much fun playing in the mud as I did 34 years ago. In fact, my two rambunctious boys seem to have much more fun with empty appliance boxes, string, and sticks than with the treasure trove of plastic Christmas and birthday gifts they have stored and largely untouched in a sprawling playroom in the basement. Their favorite game of late has been hide-and-go-seek and it honestly amazes me how they all hide in the same places over and over again, but somehow they exuberantly can play the game for hours.

Point is, when it comes to happiness, less is truly more. If you can be happy with yourself, the little you’ve got and the people you are fortunate enough to share it with, than you can be as happy as anyone else in the world.

I think the last line of the article below sums it up the best for me:
"When she comes back," Saba said, "we will have the biggest party."

Yeah Saba!

Oscar celebrations fill Mumbai's crowded slums
(From The Associated Press, Mon. Feb. 23 2009)

MUMBAI, India -- In the narrow lanes behind the Mumbai train tracks, the slum's first Oscar party turned into a raucous celebration of two hometown heroes, complete with Bollywood dance moves and squeals of joy from old friends.

Every time the big-eyed girl who calls this slum home appeared on TV, her friends gawked, beamed, shouted -- and danced.

Rubina Ali, nine, was plucked from the tin roof shack she shares with her parents and six siblings in this squalid Mumbai slum to star in "Slumdog Millionaire," the darling of this year's Academy Awards.

Her friend and neighbour, Azharuddin Mohammed Ismail, 10, was also chosen for the film, and both were flown to Los Angeles to watch "Slumdog" nab eight Academy Awards, including the Oscars' highest honour for best film.

Crowds gathered around the few television sets in the slum and it took barely a minute for word of each award to spread through the slum's winding lanes.

"It seems like happiness is falling from the sky," said Sohail Qureshi, a neighbour who said he had watched Rubina grow up.

The Bandra slum could not be farther from the Hollywood glitz, stretch limousines and designer dresses of the Oscars.

Azhar lives in a lean-to made of plastic tarpaulins and mouldy blankets. Rubina's home is perched above an ocean of trash. Dirty train tracks and a clogged highway form the slum's borders.

Hordes of journalists descended on the neighbourhood Monday. TV tripods straddled the thin stream of sewage outside Rubina's home while rows of satellite trucks idled outside a usually sleepy tea stall.

"Normally, no one talks to us and no one comes here, but now everyone is here," Mohammed Ismail, Azhar's father, said before a bouquet of flashing bulbs.

If the Oscar excitement brought a sheen of glamour to the community, it vanished Monday shortly after the final award was announced.

The journalists left, the dancing stopped and life pressed on as always. The sweatshop men hunched over humming sewing machines. Squatting children relieved themselves by the train tracks. Mothers washed their dishes in murky water.

"I am poor," Fakrunissa Sheikh, 40, said inside her lean-to next to Azhar's.

About 65 million Indians -- roughly a quarter of the urban population -- live in slums, according to government surveys. Health care is often nonexistent, child labour is rampant and inescapable poverty forms the backdrop of everyday life.

Although everyone from the local butcher to the prime minister called the Oscar coup a proud day for the country, "Slumdog Millionaire" was hardly a phenomenon with Indian audiences.

"Hit in the West, flop in the East," read a front page headline in DNA's Sunday newspaper. The film was a tough sell in Indian movie theatres because it was largely in English, featured few giant stars, and skimped on the dance numbers.

Many people here also objected to its gritty portrayal of India, as well as its title, which some took as derogatory. The film sparked protests in Mumbai and at least one north Indian city by slum residents who said the movie demeaned the poor.

"No one can call me a dog," Sheikh said Monday. "I work very hard."

A widow and mother of seven, Sheikh is a housekeeper who said she earns 600 rupees (US$15) a week.

She said the movie has been good for the families of Azhar and Rubina, but that her days are as difficult as ever.

"Look at my house," she said, pointing to the walls made of rags and the mud floor covered with a thin plastic tarp. "What has changed?"

The "Slumdog" filmmakers said they wrestled with the complications of working with children from impoverished families. Danny Boyle -- who won the Oscar for best director -- and producer Christian Colson decided to help Azhar and Rubina by securing them spots in Aseema, a nonprofit, English-language school in Mumbai.

Rubina's parents were thrilled with Boyle and his team.

"Whatever a parent could have done, they have done much more than that," Rafiq Qureshi said during the run-up to the awards.

Neighbours said they were nothing but happy for the child actors.

"It's Rubina's fate," said Mohammed Muzzammil, 22. "We don't want anything from her success."

Rubina's best friend Saba Qureshi wants something, however -- lots of stories and pictures from Los Angeles.

"My eyes couldn't believe that I was seeing Rubina in America," said Saba, who led her sisters in Bollywood dance numbers throughout the morning. "She looked like an angel."

"When she comes back," Saba said, "we will have the biggest party."

Thursday, February 12, 2009

Happy Birthday Abe!


Happy Birthday Abe!
Originally uploaded by lorenzodom

“Most people are about as happy as they make up their minds to be.”
Abraham Lincoln

Abe was born on this day, February 12, in 1809 in a humble, one-room log cabin in southeast Hardin County, Kentucky. Americans will be honoring their 16th president this coming Monday on President’s Day, which commemorates both Lincoln’s and George Washington’s birthdays.

Notably, President Lincoln‘s humble origins have long served as anecdotal evidence that anyone can pull themselves up by their own bootstraps, regardless of circumstance, and make something of themselves.

Apart from having parents who were uneducated farmers, his family lost their home when he was seven, and his mother died when he was nine. After a few other moves and harsh winters, Abe finally decided to strike out on his own at the age of 22, canoeing down the Sangamon River to the village of New Salem. Later that year, he was hired to take goods to New Orleans via flatboat on the Sangamon, Illinois and Mississippi rivers.

Along this journey into adulthood, Lincoln had all but 18 months of formal schooling, and he was largely self-educated and an avid reader. With great political aspirations in mind, he eventually taught himself law and was admitted to the Illinois bar in 1837 at the age of 28. He went on to serve four terms in the state legislature and one term in the U.S. House of Representatives before he was elected President of the United States in 1860.

Much like President Obama is attempting to do today, ultimately Lincoln successfully led the country through one of its greatest internal crises, the American Civil War, successfully preserving the Union and ending slavery.

Thus, today, perhaps it is no mystery that Barack Obama has consciously chosen to follow in Lincoln’s footsteps every step of the way, ensuring that that Americans understand that he is honoring and hopefully building upon the strength and accomplishments of one of this country’s greatest leaders. (For more on this see Obama looks to Lincoln while launching presidency, AP, 2/12/09)

Alas, as the Civil War drew to a close, Lincoln was assassinated on April 14, 1865 and became one of America’s first martyrs in the name of freedom and equality of all men.

"I leave you, hoping that the lamp of liberty will burn in your bosoms until there shall no longer be a doubt that all men are created free and equal."
The Collected Works of Abraham Lincoln edited by Roy P. Basler, Volume II, "Speech at Chicago, Illinois" (July 10, 1858), p. 502.

NO MONEY, NO PROBLEM

Immigrants in the Big Apple take economic crisis in stride
Thursday, February 12, 2009:

(Source: AMNY)

By Sheila Anne Feeney

Not everyone is fretting about their lost investments, bemoaning the imminent or actual loss of their job and despairing about their foreclosed future.

Many visitors or U.S. citizens from other countries, while not in denial about the severity of the economic crisis, continue to enjoy time with loved ones, appreciate the arts, music and culture, pursue their hobbies and, yes, dance.

Most Spaniards, for example, “don’t go to therapists or cry,” during times of adversity, says Guzman Libran Aleman, 26, a Madrileño who is living in Washington Heights while learning English.

Spain’s 14 percent unemployment rate is nearly double that of the U.S., he notes, but Spaniards still go out dancing in (no cover) discos, converge at cafes and savor life’s pleasures. “You don’t need money to enjoy your free time, your friends and your family,” he says.

These New Yorkers who hail from other countries often are more resilient to financial crises than American-born denizens, observes Michael A. Cohen, director of the graduate program of international affairs at The New School.

Europe and Latin American immigrants “have much more of a social safety net,” Cohen explains. Thanks to socialized health care, the norm in most developed countries, you will never lose your home or go bankrupt “as a result of getting sick,” he notes. It’s true that in countries where health care is guaranteed, mortgages are rare (most people pay cash for their homes), education is free or inexpensive and investments are far more regulated, people have less cause for anxiety.

But even immigrants from impoverished countries often see their struggles here in a positive light: Any adversity encountered in the U.S. pales in comparison to greater suffering at home.

“Americans are blessed so much, but they don’t see it,” says Rezie Asprah, 34, who was trained as a dentist in the Philippines, but works as a dental assistant in Queens and as a film extra on her days off.

There is always a way for industrious, entrepreneurial people to turn a dollar, adds the debt-averse Marina Recalde, 25, an Argentinean filmmaker. “You just can’t sit around and wait for someone to hire you,” says Recalde, who started a documentary film business with her husband and survives on a cluster of part-time gigs.

IMMIGRANTS’ ADVICE TO AMERICANS:

Change your attitude,

“Be grateful for all the little things you have and don’t ask for so much,” says Rezie Asprah, 34, of Astoria, who is originally from the Philippines.

A little global perspective
“There are a lot of people with problems much worse than mine,” reasons Guzman Libran Aleman, 26, a Spaniard living in Washington Heights.

Focus on your goals
Don’t become distracted by the hail of bad news around you, and enjoy the arts, counsels Lucas Garzoli, 23, a Harlem resident and film student from Argentina: “I worry about myself — not the financial situation of the world.”

Take action
“Think about what you can do instead of complaining,” says Marina Recalde, 25, an Argentinean residing in New Jersey. “If you play the drums, offer to give low-cost drum lessons.”

JESSICA: I’M A HAPPY GAL

(Source: Bits O’ Buzz, AMNY)

Jessica Simpson doesn’t care about the scrutiny over her weight gain. “Honestly, I am right where I’m supposed to be. I am so happy,” she said on CBS’ “Early Show” yesterday.

Wednesday, February 11, 2009

IT’S THE POWER OF LOVE

(Source: FIT, AMNY)

By Roxanne Anderson

Many of us diet and exercise but just can’t seem to get to our own personal level of optimum health. The missing ingredient could be love, which is part of something that many health counselors call “primary food.” Health and love are fundamentally linked.

Love makes you live longer
Studies done by Dr. Dean Ornish, founder of the Preventive Medicine Research Institute, have shown that love actually helps us live longer. He believes that the time we spend with friends and family is essential for survival. In addition, research published in the Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health shows that people who never marry are almost two-thirds more likely to suffer from premature death. This finding suggests that marriage represents an effective social connectedness to another person.

Hugs are good for the heart
A team from the University of North Carolina studied the effects of hugging on both partners in 38 couples. The study showed hugs increased levels of oxytocin, a “bonding” hormone, and reduced blood pressure — which cuts the risk of heart disease. Most adults today are starved for touch, but a little bit goes a long way.

Satisfying relationships help fight cancer
The University of Iowa found that cancer patients with satisfying relationships had more white blood cell activity than those with few social connections. Also, the work of Dr. Bernie Siegel, author of “365 Prescriptions for the Soul,” cites studies that reveal that among cancer patients married men live longer than single men, and that married male smokers have fewer cases of lung cancer than their single counterparts. Being well connected with people is an essential part of life. Bring more love into your life by strengthening your current relationships. Think about what you really want from other people, and experiment with the amount of alone time versus social time that is right for you and your social network. Most important, don’t forget plenty of hugs.

Friday, January 30, 2009

Pocket Change: Reexamining the Value of Our Culture of Consumerism


Pocket Change: Let's Start A Revolution
Originally uploaded by lorenzodom

I just finished reading Stumbling on Happiness by psychologist Daniel Gilbert, in which he concludes that more money does not lead to greater happiness, once one’s basic needs are met.

After someone has enough to be lifted out of relative poverty, it doesn’t really matter if they make $100,000 or $100 million dollars, because more often, more money simply leads to less of what really counts in life.

However, much like Joseph Heller explains in Catch-22 through the shenanigans of his character Milo Minderbinder, sometimes organizations and national cultures are set up to irrationally self-propagate and perpetuate.

Thus, Gilbert likewise concludes that money only makes the world go around because it is self-serving. If we didn’t live in a society that valued its status as an economic superpower, we might all be happier because we’d be working less, have less debt and have less stress.

In turn, we’d have more time to spend time with people simply; more time to pursue activities that do not necessarily require an exorbitant amount of disposable income or use of credit cards that are already over-extended; and we’d allocate more time to all those intangibles that count and that we otherwise neglect because we are constantly trying to make or spend more money.

In other words, if we made an effort to spend less money, we might end up much happier in the end.

Today, with the dire economic downturn, for many of us, making an effort to spend and consume less is not only a prudent goal, but an urgent necessity.

Thus, I propose that maybe it is time that we reexamine the value of our national Culture of Consumerism. Maybe we need to actively watch less TV, buy things only if we really need them, and spend more time with others, and ourselves at home.

In essence, we need to first become conscious of those things that we unnecessarily spend money on and then we need to proactively not spend money on them, even, and especially, after the economy recovers.

Think about it next time you go shopping for anything—clothes, food or entertainment. Think about whether or not you actually have the time to enjoy or use it all; think about whether or not you actually are making the most of what you’ve already got at home; think about whether or not more actually means less.

Moreover, we’ve got to think about the value of everything we own or possess or store and have to maintain. When’s the last time you used the board games you have stored in the closet? When’s the last time you read all those books you have gathering dust on the shelf? When’s the last time you wore that outfit or those shoes or that tie?

If you find that you have all these things for no good reason, consider selling or better yet, giving them away. Because if you set out to sell everything on e-bay, you’re just using more time to perpetuate the ugly money cycle; whereas if you magnanimously donate your used goods to Goodwill or the Salvation Army you don’t have to worry about setting prices, packaging, shipping, corresponding, worrying and waiting.

Ultimately, you should sit down and assess how you might improve your life, your self and most importantly, the lives of others, by adopting a lifestyle that requires spending less. And then, you should systematically, over time, set out to change your life accordingly.

Over time, if we make an effort to be less materialistic as individuals, together we can ultimately change the culture that pressures us into proving our net worth. And over time we will improve our way of life by demonstrating that what is most important is that we have a grasp on what we are and not what we have.

To laugh often and much;
To win the respect of intelligent people and the affection of children;
To earn the appreciation of 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 have lived.
This is to have succeeded.
Ralph Waldo Emerson

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