Comfort and Joy

Having Faith is having strength and courage. They all join together. Are my requests and desires folly? It doesn't matter. What I believe in matters... And if I look beyond the physical, what matters is what I feel in my heart and how I make others feel. As I grow beyond my physical "needs" I open up to Faith, Belief, Love and Compassion.

For a couple of weeks this time of year, that is what this season brings us. We all can tap into the comfort and joy if we choose.

I love the smell of PVC in the morning...

I love shopping and playing dress-up in the fabulous fashions at Nordstrom and designer stores. I say "playing dress-up" because most of the time that's as far as it's gonna go. I'm not in the bracket to actually puchase real designer clothing. Our outlet stores give a pretty good quick fix, but I haven't gotten very close to the real thing.

Now with the downturn of our economy, even those who can afford to splurge are cinching in their Prada corsets. Never fear! In last Sunday's New York Times I read about the "Recessionistas"; those Fashionistas that are making do with what Nature never intended...polyvinyl chloride!Designers are designing for the masses (that means most of us) and thanks to Target and others you can get your designer fix. Knock-offs are nothing new, but I suppose they are on the upswing right now.

I'm sticking to my Hippocritical Oath! I too have an adorable PVC bag or two. I've got PVC stuff all over the house; laundry basket, coffee maker, coat hangers, mop, stereo equipment, computer, TV...anyone out there NOT have any of the toxic stuff? (I'd love to hear about it..nothing, really??) And to be sure, it is toxic. So, I'm just saying...let's be aware. Read about PVC here. And some great alternatives for a healthy home here.

But I like the Recessionista idea a lot! I say take it a bit further and make it more about recycling. I was about to buy a new pair of shoes the other day, then decided to wait until I got home and do my closet switch over from summer to fall/winter. Lo and behold I dug out 3 pairs of brown shoes and others that were, yes! back in style again! Really, what goes around definitely comes around in fashion.

And how about a Swap Party? Organize a free-for-all with your friends (I would think men's clothing could work too). More fun to share and sans the often musty ambiance of the local thrift store. Read about "how to" here.

I encourage you to visit http://therecessionista.blogspot.com Mary Hall's got it down and is providing a great resource! And she's been written up in the New York Times! The lady is living my life I tell ya! Big Smile! =)

Les-Misbarack

Uplifting! Inspiring! Oh..just have fun!

My Husband's Shirt

Ironing a shirt. Who does that very often anymore? I have just maybe three shirts that need ironing. Linen shirts. And my husband has just one linen shirt. I tried to convince him that linen can be wrinkly. But he's more fastidious than that. So, this morning I was ironing my linen shirt for a meeting, and I pulled out his to iron too.

Ironing is an opportunity to sort out thoughts. With just two shirts this morning I had composed the opening paragraph for a newsletter article I need to write. Not many of us iron shirts these days. But during my lifetime, and of course way before, ironing has been a main component of housekeeping. Not enough to stuff laundry in machines and throw scented dryer sheets in the mix. Before all that, one had to iron just about everything: shirts, sheets and my dad's under shorts! Knowing how ironing can be a peaceful few moments of time, I thought about all the women through time, pressing away and their minds sorting and conjuring thoughts, ideas, dreams and plans. So many people tell stories; cultural and social pastimes. Think of all the stories that were conceived over the warm scent of clean cotton, whispering steam, steady back and forth movement of arms. Smoothing out wrinkles. On the cotton and in the mind.

Ironing can be meditative. I've noticed how relaxed I feel after ironing. Maybe the warmth, maybe the steam is sort of cleansing. But I personally get a sense of satisfaction when I spread out the fabric and press in with the iron, holding it just so long and smoothing out the creases. Seeing the wrinkles gone, the color and texture of the fabric back to its properly attractive state; it actually makes me smile. Such easy entertainment. Meditative, soothing, uplifting, centering. I think of all the hundreds of dollars spent on meditation retreats, special mats and cushions, comfy pants, soft shoes; oh, just a lot of things we often think we have to have. I'm thinking maybe I get to combine two of my favorite things, in such an unexpected way: shopping for clothes and going deep into thought to create insights, dreams and plans. Ironing! I will consider this next time I shop. It really goes "back to basics", doesn't it? Shop for natural fabrics and simple comfort. Wash, iron and wear. And ironing for my husband is another whole experience of being able to do something nice for him. A traditional role of give and take. Ironing brings back memories and feelings of home, kitchen, family and a blissfully incorrect wash of certainty that life was so much easier "back then". My ironing allows me guilt-free moments to let my mind drift, or busy myself with new ideas and strategies. Quiet time, although busy in the mind. Who knows? Maybe I'll get crazy and tackle our bedsheets next laundry day!

All in a day's journey...

A “walkathon”. Remember that word? I guess a marathon is 26 miles, and then folks would do fund raisers by walking the 26 miles, so that everyone could participate. Well, this noble idea grew and the Susan G. Komen, 3Day Walk for Breast Cancer became a walkathon XXL. Sixty miles, over three days. I just completed this 3Day Walk last weekend. We started out on Friday, September 5th. No, make that Thursday night, September 4th. Because we decided to stay overnight in South San Francisco to get to the Cow Palace at 6:00am. So really, the event starts the night before, when you’re apprehensive, excited, buzzed and tired all at the same time. It takes a lot of logistics to get families and jobs wrapped up and put aside so that you can get off on your adventure. I slept just fine that Thursday night and got up with my roommate at 4:30am. Can’t eat breakfast that early, so granola bars were toted along. A long weekend of many granola bars lay ahead.

Our 3Day route was fantastic! I love San Francisco and lived there for many years, but never have I walked all over the city. All over the entire city and more. On Day 1 we started at the Cow Palace, walked through South San Francisco over to Westlake, down to the beach and along the Great Highway, up into Golden Gate Park, taking Arguello to Jackson Street and up into Laurel Heights, up, up into Pacific Heights and down, down to Lombard Street, crossing to the Marina District and out to the Marina Green stretching way out along the new (to me) trail into Crissy Field…our campsite for two nights. 20.4 miles and it was 88 degrees in San Francisco on Friday.

I trailed behind as our team made it in to camp. Now we had to find our gear bags (35lbs.), drag them to our tent site, pull out a pink pup tent and spread it out, hook up the poles. My tentmate and I just kept moving, plodding, feet burning, legs aching, but nothing mattered more than getting that tent up. And then the air mattress. “Whrrrr” as the battery pump puffed up our mattress; our eyes and fingers working in tandem, focusing on that pump like it was our last hope for survival. Oh what a beautiful sight! The mattress! Toss in the sleeping bags and phoof! Laying down!

A lot of the weekend is a blur to me. The grass at Crissy Field is long and lush and lumpy…a gopher cityscape! We plodded over the grass. Fifty some-odd yards to porta-potties and funny, little stainless steel shower trailers, and cafeteria style food lines for dinner and breakfast. I remember the amazing foot massage machines in one tent along the amenities “boulevard”; a life saver! Medical tents and kind and generous volunteers everywhere. It was roughing it with lots of hugs. On one morning, at about 4:30am I plodded through the cold, wet grass to the potty. As I made my way back to the tent I looked around me and saw others moving slowly through the fog and fuzzy semi-darkness. Hunched with arms hanging, methodically stepping, plodding over dirt clods with bruised and wounded feet. All I could see was a scene from “Night of the Living Dead”! I’m sorry! But that’s what we looked like…zombies!

Day 2: As we walked over the majestic Golden Gate Bridge at about 8:00am and marveled at how sunny and balmy the weather was, I knew we were in trouble. The GGB should have been shrouded in fog, with an icy wind. This meant heat and the temperature in San Francisco on Day 2 sizzled it’s way to 93 degrees. In Mill Valley, our halfway point, it reached 101. I didn’t make it all the way that day. I only got as far a the end of Sausalito; my feet burning and a particularly angry blister on my right foot. I got it cleaned and bandaged at the lunch stop. My tentmate got as far as our Mill Valley lunch stop, over 12 miles. But her feet were burning and blistered too. We made the woeful decision to be bussed back to the camp, to rest and hopefully heal enough to get all the way through Day 3. We had to! We had to do all of Day 3 and we would bandage our feet, stoke up on Advil and walk until we were bloody!

Now, my teammates will tell you that I am a complainer. Yes, I know it was said. But I don’t see it as all that negative. My complaining is simply thinking out loud, letting off steam, and telling it like it is! Ooh, ow, why so many hills?, this is just mean, my feet are on fire! And “Uff da” became my mantra. (Uff da is an exclamation of Norwegian origin that is relatively common in the Upper Midwestern states of the United States, meaning roughly "drats," "oops!" or "ouch!" especially if the "ouch!" is an empathetic one. www.nationmaster.com/encyclopedia/Uff-da) Up and down every curb…”Uff da!”

This beautiful walk, exciting stories and new women (and men) to meet and talk with. Wild and crazy “cheering sections” that greeted us over and over along the route with costumes, music, candy and wet wipes. “Pit stops” with water, food and porta-potties. Water, food and porta-potties. Water, food and porta-potties. That was our life for three days.

Day 3: Fog. Glorious fog! Cool, damp, fluffy, beautiful fog! No sun! We started out for our last 14 miles in loving fog and gray skies. We were all sore and beat; but the cool morning and anticipation of our achievement gave us strength. We walked together all the way. We made our first 6 miles and 2nd pit stop in about 1.5 hours. We were stoked! Piece o’cake! A little sun came through and we enjoyed our walk through magnificent San Francisco. The intricate architecture of Pacific Heights. The crowded downtown streets and glamorous stores of Union Square. Sax Fifth Avenue had all of its windows done in designer stilettos! Eek! It looked like a torture chamber to me! I hope I recover from the shock; I do love those shoes.

Advil is a wonderful drug. I took my doses every couple of hours and my nasty blister rested in peace. As we marched through the Financial District and up into North Beach we were closing in on our final destination. At 12 miles we all hurt. A lot. But we did it. We marched/hobbled together into Fort Mason, our holding area before the closing ceremonies at the Marina Green. We whipped on our victory t-shirts and sat on the asphalt to cheer the stream of walkers as they arrived. We cried at the site of their limping and pain, disabilities, sweat, red faces, huge smiles, whacky costumes, team spirit, war-whoops and laughter. We hugged. Each other, group hugs. And finally, we located our husbands and families and at the end of the ceremonies we scattered; anxious to start our final journey to home, bathtubs and beds.

My cast of characters? My team? The Tickled Pinks! Lani, Lorri and Tami – mother, daughter and granddaughter. Three generations of a family that knows the terror of breast cancer. Lani is our 10 year survivor and a beautiful 60-something! She has never camped in a tent, or walked miles and miles, just cuz. I think Lani logged about 12 to 15 miles each day; taking care of herself and using the “sweep vans” as needed.

Lorri and Tami, mother and daughter, a vision of determination and fortitude. They walked the entire 3 days. I am truly inspired by them.

Rachel, our road-side warrior. We met her during our training walks and she was alone, ready to do this crazy thing all on her own. We scooped her up into our team and she walked the entire 3 days. Her husband, two kids and mother showed up all along the route to support her, and us. A beautiful family, a continuous beam of love throughout our journey. And Sally and Christine. Often they walked slower than us. Not always with us, but…always with us. Smiling faces, hugs and support. We all gave and gave and gave.

My tentmate? Linda! Apparently we were separated at birth. Such an odd story. She is Lorri’s aunt and Linda and I have been connected all our lives through our extended families; beginning in Vallejo, CA. I babysat her niece and she babysat mine. We both graduated from high school in 1971; but across town from each other at “rival” high schools. All my life I’ve heard, “you know Linda, right?” No, I had never even set eyes on her. And she has the same story. For some reason our paths would not cross until we were 55 years old. For me it was like a scene from “The Parent Trap”, seeing my twin for the first time at camp! We had an instantly great time. We laughed and laughed and made wonderful jokes about how miserable we were. I whole-heartedly thank God for Linda!

I’ve got two things, two gifts of life, that came from my 3Day experience:
1. The magic of an all out physical challenge and exertion for a cause exclusive of oneself is a stress and anxiety purge. Whatever projects and problems were festering and nagging at me just the week before are now simply my stuff to do. I am calm, restored and harmonized. It has to be a challenge that is for and about someone or something other than yourself. The fortitude it takes to keep going and push through real and imagined pain to finish just because you said so. A commitment, a promise and an achievement that will make a difference to someone, some world.

2. I am now awake and present to the importance of fighting cancer. Over the 3 days I was immersed in the loss and longing for family members and friends that lost their battle with breast cancer. Any cancer; it’s all an unnecessary evil. Cancer is mutated cells. In a sense there will not be any cure for cancer, it’s not a bacteria or virus we can inoculate. But there is research and science that is developing cellular health through glyconutrients and more. I’m a novice at this, but I want to know more and I want to support it. http://www.glyconutrientsreference.com/whatareglyconutrients/scientificvalidation.html

Will I do this 3Day walk again? I don’t think so. Uff da. BUT, I will be a cheering station! I will jump up and down and dance along the route and bring joy, laughter, love and Kleenex to the walkers. What a great bunch they were, the Cheering Stations!

It’s Wednesday and I’m still in flip flops. You couldn’t pay me to put on a pair of shoes yet. The blister was really ugly, but healing. I had a massage on Monday, more healing. I’m walking normal again, not hobbling. I so had my doubts a few weeks ago. I thought I had made a mistake with all this stress of fund raising and training walks. But last February a message came through my mind that said I needed a physical and spiritual challenge. I chose the 3Day and I got everything I asked for! (wink)

www.the3day.org, www.komen.org, www.nptrust.org

Bringing Power to the People

This story appeared in my local Napa Register newspaper. Christine Elles is VintageHigh School graduate of the class of 2005,is double-majoring in political science and environmental studies at UC Santa Barbara, with support from UCSB’s Tom Rogers Scholarship in Environmental Studies.
She is on an incredible journey and I just wanted to share her mission and adventure. Arvis
Christine's story:

Last month I touched ground in La Paz, Bolivia, one of the highest cities in the world. At an elevation of 12,000 feet, La Paz messed with my mind and body. I very happily arrived eight hours later at the jungle city of Cochabamba, at about 8,300 feet, which is my home for the summer.

For more of this story, click on or type the URL below: http://www.napavalleyregister.com/articles/2008/08/18/life/doc48a8f37f3f3d6073067077.txt

Management of Cancer with Chinese Medicine

This important article was submitted by Isabelle Saint-Guily, MS, LAC

Management of Cancer with Chinese Medicine

“According to the World Health Organization, more than 10 million people worldwide are diagnosed with cancer every year, and more than 6 million die of cancer. It is projected that in the next 20 years, these numbers will increase by 50%.” Li Peiwen, TCM Oncology Department, Beijing, June 2003.

Western Medicine treatments include surgery, radiation therapy, chemotherapy, hormonal therapy, or a combination of these. Unfortunately, both chemotherapy and radiotherapy are harsh, and produce side effects which may become a major problem to the patient. Sometimes the treatment has to be interrupted because the side-effects have become too strong and cannot be tolerated. Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) has proven to be an effective way to reduce these reactions to the side effects, allowing the treatment to continue. Acupuncture and Traditional Chinese herbs are now used routinely in China, alongside Western Medicine in the treatment of cancer.

Surgery: Surgery is currently one of the main methods used when treating cancer. Before the surgery, TCM herbs are used to raise the total white blood count and increase T lymphocyte activity: it strengthens the patient’s resistance to infection and enhance immunity. Also by administering herbs which nourish the Qi (energy) and the Blood, the body’s ability to withstand surgery will be increased, and postoperative complications will be reduced.

In TCM, surgery damages Qi and Blood and affects the functioning of the organs. After surgery, by replenishing Qi and Blood and reestablishing the paths of energy, TCM can reduce the possibility of recurrence of cancer, and builds strong conditions for future chemo and radio therapies.

Radiotherapy and Chemotherapy: In TCM terms, most of the side effects in radiotherapy are Heat patterns, with Yin being severely damaged. In chemotherapy we see patterns of damaged Qi and Blood, Spleen-Stomach disharmony and depletion the Liver and Kidneys. Treatments involve clearing Heat, nourishing Yin, fortifying the Spleen and harmonizing the Stomach, nourishing the Blood and the Qi and enriching the Liver and Kidneys.

Some studies have demonstrated that Chinese Medical herbs, used with radiotherapy and chemotherapy can enhance the immune system and protect the bone marrow.

Combining TCM and Western Medicine can improve the constitution of patients and enhance their quality of life.

“Statistical data covering recent decades indicates 70% - 90 % of patients undergoing radiotherapy or chemotherapy combined with treatments involving TCM completed their course, compared with 50-70 % for those undergoing therapies without TCM treatment.” - Li Peiwen: Management of Cancer with Chinese Medicine.-

Success from the Heart - Isabelle Saint-Guily, Napa Valley Acupuncture

I find it inspiring to learn about how one chooses a profession that brings joy and gratitude to their clients or customers, and to themselves. Many women are coming to full bloom in their 50’s and this is wonderful to behold. In our 21st century the 50+ woman is vibrant, charismatic and has the confidence and wisdom to proceed with projects she knows are important; that bring joy to her heart as well as others. Our evolution has accelerated in just my own lifetime. Not many years ago a woman over 50 was ignored, even considered “washed up” as in the movie, “Sunset Boulevard” from 1950. Gloria Swanson plays the tragic figure of Norma Desmond, a “has-been” movie star, and it is mentioned that she is just 50 years old! “Phooey!” I say! Recently Isabelle and I got together to discuss why and how she embarked on her journey from massage therapy to Chinese Medicine. I first met Isabelle in a business networking group in 2003. I watched her business grow from a massage table in a spare room in her home, to an office with two treatment rooms in a business complex in Napa, CA. For me, Isabelle’s journey to her success in Acupuncture and Chinese Medicine exemplifies a woman whose work and success are from her heart. Now, at 50 years old, Isabelle is thriving in business and her life. Her vocation brings health and joy to her patients; including me!

Some questions I asked Isabelle:

Q: How old were you when you began to build the business you have today? Was it a straight journey or did you begin with something else that twisted and turned and evolved into what your business is today?

A: In my twenties I was divorced and my kids were just two and four years old. I needed to become self-sufficient and I had very little experience. At the time there seemed to be just two industries in the Napa Valley that were feasible for me; wine and spas. I chose the spa industry because my ex-husband was in the wine industry and I didn’t want to be running into him! With massage I could work weekends and from my home. My passion for massage therapy developed right away. I found I had a natural intuition to feel what people needed. I was giving my teacher a massage and I intuitively moved to massage her head. She was impressed because we had not started instruction about the head yet, so this really acknowledged my intuition for working on what is needed. I then became trained in Chi Nei Tsang, a massage therapy that focuses on the abdominal area, a part of Chinese Medicine. This ignited my passion for Chinese Medicine and I began my education to achieve my license. In California you must be trained in both Acupuncture and Traditional Chinese Medicine to obtain your license.

Q: How did you recognize what was in your heart to do?

A: Giving massage is very centering, calming and opens the door to intuition; this is what brings me joy as well as to the person receiving the massage. As it led me toward Acupuncture I was fulfilling my intuition and passion for intellectual theory and methods – science. I love the philosophy of Tao; the harmony with nature, as if I was born to be Tao.

Q: Did you ever or how often did you think you were wasting your time or that it was a foolish venture? How did you overcome your doubts?

A: With the acupuncture I never felt any doubt. But in the beginning with school, the kids and working it was very difficult to manage everything. The financial aspects were intense too. Some say you keep your eye on the big picture; but this was not how I persevered. If I looked at the huge mountain of my commitment and project I would be overwhelmed! I had to look at just each month at a time. One month closer to my accomplishment. I stayed in touch with the beauty of how organic Chinese Medicine is. It is pure nature and science.

Q: In the book, Success Built to Last, Stewart Emery emphasizes having a "disciplined practice" to keep on track; ways to measure how you’re accomplishing what you've set out to do. Do you have a disciplined practice or two, or more; and what is it?
A: I’m very happy with my QuickBooks program. It allows me to make monthly income comparisons with what I did last year, and even over the last five years. I can compare revenue and expenses and I can see that in June my income is always lower so that I can forecast for that. I can see that the acupuncture facials are profitable; they provide a very effective alternative to cosmetic surgery and the QuickBooks analysis shows me where I can develop more revenue. This year I am focusing on oncology, the benefits of acupuncture in treating cancer patients; helping to relieve their discomfort during cancer treatment. This is a calling for me and I’m happy to work more to increase my revenue.

I also use the Franklin Covey planner and time management system. It has been great in keeping me on track with my goals.


Q: How does your business reflect your passion?

A: My office is in a small complex on the quieter side of town. I chose not to be in the hub of the medical/professional offices because that part of town is so crowded with traffic and shopping areas. This way people, including me, are not all stressed out just getting to my office! People say that my office and treatment rooms have a very calming atmosphere. I have photos I have taken of nature and music that is soothing. All of this reflects my passion for the harmony of nature and well-being.

Q: What's so great about being 50+ years old?

A: Being 50 doesn’t seem any different to me…except my hair! (now an adorable short gray hairstyle). Becoming 50 you gain respect and acknowledgment for who you are and what you are doing. I believe that age doesn’t matter. You know, the Native Americans never paid attention to age, they didn’t know how old they were; but they look to the elders for wisdom.

Q: What does success mean to you?

A: Just being happy and fulfilled; wanting to go to work!

Who Knew?! Making a great connection...

I'm in training for the Susan G. Komen 3Day Breast Cancer walk. My team, The Tickled Pinks, will be walking in the San Francisco Bay Area walk, September 5,6 and 7. Well, this is indeed a commitment. And the walking is arduous. No doubt about it. We're training at about 12-14 miles now. That's about 4 hours of walking. I've been a bit of a whiner too! My Sundays are kaput! Walking at 7:30am on a Sunday! Phooey! But, in my heart, I knew there are good reasons for this and some hidden benefits...I just knew it...Today, I happened to look at a photo I took in Florence, Italy.

It was a photo of the plaza around the Uffizi museum and gallery. My hubby and I traveled there just last October, 2007. The walking!! All over Florence, Rome and Venice. My feet felt like pounded beef! In fact, I had to trick my husband into walking to this plaza in the photo. "Oh, there's something I want to see just over here"; "just around this corner"; "oh, just a little farther down this street"; "um, just over there"...really! I kept him in suspense until we were there because he had dug in his heels and said, "I can't walk anymore!!"

When I reminisced over this photo a connection sparked! WALKING! Oh my! After all this walking we've been doing, to get to the 3Day event in San Francisco, I could walk ALL OVER ITALY!! I could frickin' walk from France to Italy! Bigga deala!

So, think of it! How great this walk is for raising money for breast cancer, and how it effects our lives in ways we never expected. I'll get back to Europe, or any other magnificent destination, and I'll be able to get myself around in the most intimate way without feeling like my legs are lead. This is like a gift! New feet, new legs! Who knew?!

And here I present you the opportunity to be a part of this widespread joy and gratitude. Make a donation to the Susan G. Komen 3Day Breast Cancer Walk here.

Success from the Heart

There’s a majestic redwood tree at the end of my backyard. In the morning, when I sit on our deck steps, way across from it and look up to see the top of the tree, I swear there’s actually a physical connection. I lift my head to focus in on the top branches and when I take in the forest green against the sky blue my body takes in a deep breath. It seems to be a natural reaction: inhale…exhale..ahh.

This is why I work from home. I haven’t achieved financial success yet, but I’m living physical and emotional success and I don’t want to give that up. Everyday is different. This morning, around 6:00am, when I opened my eyes my mind said clearly, “So, what will today bring?”

I don’t get bored. No, I left boredom on the desk of my former corporate cubicle years ago. Didn’t pack that up with my photos and favorite pens. In contrast my work is usually deep in my laptop somewhere; researching, writing, digging through the world wide web. I have to consciously pull myself away and rest my eyes on something “real”. Here at home I can walk outside and grab a cat, prune a rose or just stare at the redwood tree.

But…”show me the money!” I’m really not inclined to become a recluse and I’m not independently wealthy, so money must be made. I’m determined to make this work….this, work. I’m coming to terms with the sort of creature I am and it’s not easy for me to step up and out. I’m working on getting, visualizing, a bigger picture, a broader realm of work, home and abundance.

“Success from the heart”; that’s what I call it. I’ll be interviewing great women I know, and want to know, that are 50+ years old and have achieved the obvious, conventional terms of success in their business. But a beautiful secret to reveal is that their success comes from their hearts; not solely their bank accounts. Stay tuned for more! And tell your friends! =)

P.S. I wrote this sitting on those back steps with cats frolicking and birds chirping…isn’t that just the best?!

Coffee Surprise

Usually coffee can make me jittery; but on this calm morning at our simple "stay-cay" in Guernville, my cup turned kind of Zen on me. I like it!.Just passing along the photo. It really was like this; I did not swirl or stir or retouch the photo. Is it a sign?

Stretching the Time of the Days

I'm stretching out these fews days that I'm calling my vacation this year. As of July 2nd, I was hurrying to get work tasks done and put away, so that by the 4th of July I was focusing on only the fun stuff. The good part was that it was completely acceptable to most everyone that we should be on vacation during this holiday weekend and beyond. We had a great 4th of July on Friday. Our town does it up very well with parade and street fair and great live music going on into the night before the fireworks after dark. This year Gator Beat performed the final concert of the evening. A great Cajun/Zydeco band from the North Bay Area; guaranteed to make you dance. It was a very satisfying 4th for me and I slept late Saturday morning and lazed through the rest of the day.

Today, I'm noticing how much I want to stretch this time of zoning out and staring at the cats and birds around the backyard. We've got 4 days at the beach ahead of us. Four days! It seems a King's ransom in time this year. And a heat wave scheduled in the weather report too! I can't help being stuck in fast forward to this vacation...I want to leave now and have it last forever.

Am I a lazy sot? A dreamer? Oh yes, a dreamer...my favorite past time. My inside world is opulent, lush and spans the universe. The place where my stretching is never restricted; unlike the sinew surrounding my bones. That's all there is to this. A purpose to stretch the time of my time off...time away...time turning into more time. Quality of time. Party Time. The time has come. Time and time again.

How to Find Fair Trade

A few of my friends have asked me what to look for when shopping for Fair Trade items. Basically you scan the package labels and look for a label such as posted here. This label "Fair Trade Certified" stands for Food and Drink products. It guarantees that food products were produced and purchased according to Fair Trade Standards. The certification is run by TransFairUSA. www.transfairusa.org But wait, there's more! When shopping for crafts, gifts and Fair Trade Businesses, look for the Fair Trade Federation label. You can view the label on the site: www.fairtradefederation.org This Federation covers a wide group of craft importers and other businesses, including food and drink.
To keep up with sustainable businesses and all things Fair Trade and eco-friendly, I highly recommend Co-op America and all they have to offer. An annual membership can be as little as $25.00 To shop directly and learn much more use their National Green Pages, online or in print. www.greenpages.org That should get you off to a good start!

Bridging the "Gap"

I advocate for Fair Trade and using local merchants and services as much as possible. In doing so I don't usually like to take a walk on the dark side; you know, digging up dirt about corporations, grousing about how awful everything is and belaboring labor laws. Just not my style; I'm more user-friendly, I like things warm and fuzzy. But to learn and get the concept of why Fair Trade and corporate responsibility are vital, you might want to take a peek behind the curtain. Kind of like knowing your favorite restaurant; such great food...what's the kitchen like? I mean really?? Co-op America, www.coopamerica.org, has a new website called "Responsible Shopper". Here's the scoop from them: "We comb through reports from the news media, the government (from the EPA to the FDA), and our environmental and social justice nonprofit allies to compile comprehensive data on some of the largest corporations in America. Then, we put it together in our easily searchable Web site, so you can make informed purchasing decisions on everything from cosmetics to groceries to clothing and much more.

Through Responsible Shopper's “Go Green” feature, we also link you to strategies for shifting your purchasing and investing to more responsible options."

For me it's a way to take a look and make an informed choice. I'm not organizing a march against The Gap, throwing things at innocent shoppers who cross the line. (The Gap? What about The Gap? I love their clothes!...sorry, take a look: http://www.coopamerica.org/programs/responsibleshopper/company.cfm?id=229 ) I want to support what's working well, for all involved. It's a learning experience.

KAIPPG - The Connection with Zawadi African Tea

If you've been reading this blog...as sooo many of you are, I'm sure; you'll remember one of my heartfelt projects is promoting Zawadi African Tea. I want to bring to light the Kenya AIDS Intervention Prevention Project (KAIPPG); the organization that receives donations from the proceeds of Zawadi African Tea. I just love how people get connected! How our hearts and minds send out light beams of energy, calling to one another. Actually, I just heard a bit about heart/mind energy. It seems our heart center has been scientifically measured to be sending a stronger percentage of energy, a more intense energy field than our heads. So there you have it! We really do communicate from our hearts; reverberate, resonate, red-hot energy. KAIPPG is a grassroots service NGO located in Mumias within Western Kenya, founded in 1995. This is the area that Robert Kihanya, of Zawadi African Tea, is from. KAIPPG has a nine member board, twelve full time staff, and a large team of trained community based volunteers manage the operations of KAIPPG. Since 2000 they have been working with communities to address the "scourge and impacts of AIDS among orphans and other vulnerable children (OVC)." From the 2007 Report I've learned that KAIPPG implemented an extensive nutrition/food security and OVC education programs in Mumias, Teso and Busia Districts in Western Kenya for families affected by HIV/AIDS.

Through my connection with Robert Kihanya and Zawadi African Tea, I've connected with KAIPPG's founder/director, Janet Feldman. We have had a great phone conversation and she is fun as well as accomplished and passionate about her work. And she's the same age as me! She has a background in arts, history, and international relations, with special focus on international conflict-resolution; is a trained mediator; collage artist; and a social-change activist. I'd rather you went to a couple of websites to learn more about Janet. It gives a much broader acknowledgment of who she is and be's. And it makes more connections all around!
http://profiles.takingitglobal.org/Frida; http://orgs.takingitglobal.org/27731

Janet is on the farthest east side of the U.S., Rhode Island; and I'm nearly on the edge of the West coast in California. Our connection has just recently been made, but I feel we'll be working together on who knows how many things. The best part of being in your 50's and beyond is knowing what you can do and knowing you can do it.

Paddling Up and Down the Streams

I am in the midst of creating and organizing several new streams of income. I have to bring in a certain amount of income each month, or at least over the year, to maintain and supplement our expenses ("our" being me and my hubby). I am determined to do this by working from home and using my own inherent talents and skills, and other skills I have mastered over the years at other people's companies.

The main attraction of working from home, being independent, a "solo-preneur", is all the freedom you'll have. Working when it suits you, wearing whatever is comfy, time for the family and recreation. The hardest part of working from home, being independent, is realizing how little freedom I now have. Because I may be able to drift outside on my deck for a break, but my mind rarely goes "on break" anymore. With my income solely dependent on what I produce, my mind goes into overdrive to keep churning thoughts, ideas, strategies, plans, goals, products, services, advertising, and on and on. And then my heart or inner being or chakras or whatever the hell, balks and whines and gets my knickers in a twist because I long to "while away the hours, conversin' with the flowers". Perfect example is this posting right now. I want to get this down, posted on the blog. But I also want, at 7:00am to sit outside with my giant mug of tea and gaze over our backyard, watching the birds and cats. Is this a tug of war with my left brain and right brain? Are the left brain and right brain supposed to be at odds? I was hoping we could all just get along.

The other whacky part...and I say whacky because it just seems ludicrous, is that I KNOW about all kinds of wonderful things to counteract the muddle and spin. Why don’t I just do my yoga practice every morning upon rising? Because I’m stiff and sleepy and I’d rather wake slowly. See? So whiney! Is that the left or right or the soul of me? From time to time I must get down to the soul, sole, sol of me.

Morning musings are a good thing. Flushing out the sludge that coagulates from the dreams that either plaque or entertain me all night long. I don’t intend to make anyone groan by relating my dreams…oh, except this one: a couple of months ago I had a long dream that all the people of Earth realized that, “Matter doesn’t matter.” There was even a best-selling book, called something like “Who Needs the Planets?” And then I saw that we all just sort of spread out wide and thin and floated over the Earth, realizing peace and harmony. It wasn’t a huge religious or even spiritual experience – it was more just practical, logical. In my dream I saw a wide floating vapor, covering the Earth – and the vapor was just us, floating free.

Eco Travel In Our Own Hometown

When talking about ecotourism, I don't think many people envision the Napa Valley, California and its infamous Wine Country. I live here, in Napa, California and in 2006 when I returned from an inspiring trip to Kenya and Tanzania my head and heart were full of the concept of responsible travel. I had seen the vast beauty of the Rift Valley and I became aware of how our Earth is actually the same no matter if it is the wide open landscapes of the Rift Valley or the concrete freeways throughout California. It is our home and here we are, all of us, all over the globe, digging and toiling in our Earth; completely dependent on our planet. In addition to this, I believe that deep within each of us is an inherent commitment to care for our planet, our home. Africa raised my environmental consciousness and now I view my own tromping around quite differently. I started to think about other “eco-travelers”, travelers who want to be responsible wherever they go and I began to perceive that ecotourism has more than one issue to it; that we can support others in making choices for responsible travel whether on a short road trip in our own region or traveling around the world. I presumed that those who travel responsibly, “eco travelers”, are not exclusively planning adventure excursions in the wild. They may be from the Bay Area, perhaps statewide or international and they may want to visit the illustrious “Wine Country”. In addition to enjoying beautiful scenery and warm, seductive weather, they also love wine-tasting, fine restaurants and plush accommodations. And they will want to know they are being responsible and respectful of the destination they are visiting. Napa Valley is just about 30 miles from end to end and about five miles across at the widest and we have nearly 5 million people visiting here each year! So, I began to research the possibilities of finding tours, attractions, accommodations and restaurants that support the eco traveler in matching their values and commitments when traveling. It wasn’t easy to uncover, but the good news is that during 2007 the county government and the people of the community strengthened their commitment to be environmentally responsible. Throughout the Napa Valley there are tours, attractions, accommodations and restaurants that strive to be environmentally responsible and raise awareness of ecology and conservation. The Napa Chamber of Commerce now lists businesses that have become “Green Certified”, a business that has been certified through the Bay Area Green Business Program (www.greenbiz.ca.gov) and other acknowledged certification programs and “green-minded” businesses that are taking steps to conserve natural resources and prevent pollution, such as using more efficient lighting, purchasing in bulk, watering landscapes efficiently, recycling cardboard, using less toxic products, etc.

The United States Green Building Council (USGBC) developed the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Green Building Rating System™ and it is the nationally accepted benchmark for the design, construction and operation of high performance green buildings. In November of 2006, the Gaia Hotel (www.gaiahotelnapavalley.com) opened in the Napa Valley, setting precedence in accommodations as a LEED certified “green” hotel. Along with this positive movement, a limousine and tour company, California Wine Tours, has introduced its “Green Fleet” of “luxury hybrid vehicles”, giving tourists the alternative to the dreaded Hummer. This is brand new green but there has also been devotion to the Napa Valley landscape and the major trade it yields for many years. The winemaker that first catapulted Napa Valley wines to world renown with his highest scoring chardonnay in the Paris Tasting of 1976 went on to develop Grgich Hills Winery, one of the valley’s foremost vineyards that are certified organic using biodynamic farming. This holistic farming practice uses the earth’s natural cycles and organic preparations to grow balanced, healthy vines without artificial fertilizers, pesticides, or fungicides. In 2006, Grgich Hills switched the winery to solar power.

I think the more we know of our own regions and what is being done to further our sustainability and environmental protection, the more we can encourage others to seek out eco friendly choices for our local recreation and leisure activities. I hope to venture out to as many wonderful places around the world as time and money will allow and I also hope to call myself an “eco traveler” in my own hometown.

Global Warming Effects Inside Our Own Bodies

Cosmetics with a Side of Infertility from the Toronto Star, December 27, 2007
People are applying a toxic stew of chemicals to their bodies daily, author declares, Heather Gehlert of
Alternet.org
Carcinogens in cosmetics? Petro­chemicals in perfume? If only this were an urban legend. Unfortu­nately, it's a toxic reality, and it's showing up in our bodies.
In 2004, scientists found pesti­cides in the blood of newborn ba­bies. A year later, researchers dis­covered perchlorate, a component of rocket fuel, in human breast milk. Today, people are testing posi­tive for a litany of hazardous sub­stances from flame retardants to phthalates to lead. In her new book, Not Just a Pretty Face: The Ugly Side of the Beauty Industry, Stacy Malkan exposes the toxic chemicals that lurk, often un­labelled, in the personal care prod­ucts millions of women, men and children use every day. AlterNet spoke with Malkan about these toxins and her five‑year Campaign for Safe Cosmetics to get the beauty industry to remove them from its products.

Question: There are so many envi­ronmental issues you could have written a book about, Why cosmet­ics?
Stacy Malkan: I think cosmetics are something that we're all intimately connected to. They're products that we use everyday, and so I think it's a good first place to start asking questions. What kinds of products are we bringing into our homes? What kinds of companies are we giving our money to?

Q: It has something pretty interest­ing in common with global warm­ing, too.
SM: It does. I think of it as global poisoning. I think that the ubiqui­tous contamination of the human species with toxic chemicals is a symptom of the same problem (as global warming), which is an econ­omy that's based on outdated tech­nologies of petrochemicals ‑ pe­troleum. So many of the products we're applying to our faces and put­ting in our hair come from oil. They're by‑products of oil.

Q: Many cosmetic products on the market right now claim they are pure, gentle, clean and healthy. But, as you reveal in this book, they're far from it. Toxic chemicals in these products are showing up in people. What were some of the most sur­prising toxins you discovered in cosmetics?
SM: Lead in lipstick was pretty sur­prising. We (the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics) just released that re­port. Many personal care products have phthalates, which is a plasti­cizer and hormone disrupter. That's‑ why we started the cosmet­ics campaign ‑‑ because we know that women have higher levels of phthalates in their bodies, and we thought that cosmetics might be a reason. There's so much that we don't know about these products. Many, many chemicals are hiding in fragrance. Companies aren't re­quired to list the components of fragrance. Products also are contaminated with carcinogens like 1,4 dioxane and neurotoxins like lead that aren't listed on the label.

Q: I just want to know what ingredi­ents to avoid, but you say protecting myself is not as simple as that. Why not?
SM: There are no standards or reg­ulations like there are in, for ex­ample, the food industry, where if you buy organic food or food labeled "natural," there's a set of standards and legal definitions that go behind those words. That's not the case in the personal care prod­uct industry, where companies of­ten use wards like "organic" and "natural" to market products that are anything but.

Q: Generally spearing, risk assess­ment involves two factors: a hazard and people's exposure to that haz­ard. Could you explain some of the unique challenges to assessing risks with cosmetics?
SM: Risk assessment is an extreme­ly oversimplified way of pretending we have enough information to know haw much chemicals we can tolerate in our bodies. A risk assess­ment equation will say, "How haz­ardous is a chemical, how much are we exposed to it from this one prod­uct, and. is that hate?" There's a lot of information left out of that picture: studies that haven't been done to determine impacts on fe­tuses, the feet that we're exposed to so many of these chemicals in so many places every day, and the fact there have been no, or very few, studies about chemical mixtures.

Q: Do you think part of the problem with creating awareness around this issue is that the effects are toxins are often not that immedi­ate? People don't say, "Oh, I've been to this toxic site and now I have a rash all over my body."
SM: Right, and that's what we hear from the cosmetics companies when they say, "Well, my product is safe if used as directed, and you can't prove otherwise:" Which is true.

Q: Can you give me an idea of how many chemicals one product can contain?
SM: The average woman in the U .S. according to our survey uses 12 products a day with about 180 chemicals and men use about six products with 80 chemicals com­bined. But it depends on the prod­uct.

Q: What practical advice can you give to people wanting to clean up their cosmetics bags?
SM: My best advice is that simpler is better. Really, fewer ingredients, fewer products. For instance, hair colour and bubble bath are two things that I've given up. But there are a lot of good (non‑toxic) prod­ucts out there on the market and I would say start by switching out the ones that you use the most fre­quently like shampoo and deodor­ant that we're putting by our breast tissue, experiment with different kinds of natural products and just make changes as you can. The onus at this point is on consumers to do our own research.

Q: Anything else you'd like to add?
SM: It's really important to recog­nize that the beauty industry is all about profit and bottom‑line thinking. It's not concerned about our health issues.

*To learn more and take action, visit safecosmetics.org. Go to cosmeticdatabase.org to find out what toxins are in your personal care products.
Heather Gehlert is a managing editor at alternet.org.

Zawadi African Tea

Sometimes shopping for Fair Trade items takes more time and effort. But there is way more satisfaction in knowing that your dollars are making a difference worldwide. Our dollars can be a gift – a gift with purchase! There’s something for everyone. I am so glad to have discovered this tea and its founder, Robert Kihanya. Please read on to learn more about this great venture, Zawadi African Tea.

Shortly after my return from East Africa, in 2006, I was doing my usual grocery shopping at Vallergas, a locally owned store in Napa. I was browsing the tea isle with my new awareness of Fair Trade products. In Kenya our group visited the Kimlea School for Girls and I had met these smart, clever, industrious girls and learned that most of their families made a living from picking tea in the Kenya plantations for $3.00 a day. A day.Now, back home in my cool, abundant American grocery store, I looked over all the beautifully colored packages of tea from all over the world. I narrowed my search for Kenya tea, and Fair Trade. On the bottom shelf there was a simple brown box with a black tea leaf and hand logo; Zawadi African Tea. I picked it up and sniffed through the cellophane wrap.
In my mind I was instantly transported back to Kenya – flashes of the dirt roads, the bright cloth, simmering stews, leather and beaded belts, and the wide, wide sky. “Wow!” I thought. “Who makes this? How come it’s so much like Kenya?” On the box I read: Zawadi means Gift in the Swahili language. The box told short stories of “Kenya family farmers” and “The Zawadi Gift” of giving a portion of the proceeds as a donation to the Kenya AIDS Intervention/Prevention Project Group, KAIPPG.org.
I had to know more and researched the company’s website, www.zawadiafricantea.com I was delighted to discover that the founder and his company were right here in the San Francisco Bay Area. I wanted to know more about this project and I knew I wanted to contribute to it somehow. Longer story shorter…I am now working with Robert Kihanya and Zawadi African Tea as an Account Manager for Sales and Distribution. Who knew?!


When and why did you create the project of Zawadi African Tea?
I came from Kenya in the mid-1980’s and went to college in Texas. In the summer of 2002, I was visiting Kenya and I saw a lot of kids without a place to stay, orphaned by the AIDs virus. When I got back to the United States I wanted to create something to help. I wanted to create a project where people could buy a product that is essential to them and the proceeds would give back to the community. In Kenya I met a lot of members of the Kamuchege tea co-op. Kamuchege is the village in Kenya where I grew up. They asked for my help to look for a market for their product. Their problem is there are a lot of agents to buy the tea but the system is divided up among so many “hands” that it reduces their profit.

Is it a non-profit project? How is it funded?
Not a non-profit, but part of the proceeds go to the Kenya Aids Intervention/Prevention Project Group (Kaippg.org) to help the orphans. Janet Feldman, Director and Founder of the organization reports to me on what the money is used for; for example, blankets for the children. Zawadi African Tea is a licensed, sole proprietorship and I am the President and Founder. In the beginning I funded the company with a loan from my 401k plan. This went to purchase the tea, shipping and to hire people in Kenya to get the product here. I also needed to fund the website design, packaging and marketing. My former girlfriend worked with me on the marketing and distribution. Now it is myself and two distributors. I also had help from friends and an intern from Golden Gate University majoring in Computer Science and Website Design. By the beginning of 2003 we had the samples and started marketing to stores and restaurants. Our first sale was in June of 2003 to Rainbow Grocery in San Francisco. They are still a steady customer for us.

What is your vision for the Zawadi African Tea business?
The entire project, Zawadi African Tea includes other items such as gift baskets with African art objects. The vision is to promote African products worldwide and for the business to grow and become self-sustaining. My goal is to quit my job and work this full-time, with staffing and partners and that it provides an efficient, sustainable source for the children in Kenya. I envision an annual income that would cover all the expenses and sustain substantial growth. The vision goes beyond the tea. It is to promote all kinds of African products, Fair Trade and organic products to support small farmers and artisans. And I have a vision for a future Zawadi African Tea Shop!

What are your biggest challenges in keeping the project going?
Advertising and sharing the products and getting customers. Tea has become a very competitive product on the shelf; it’s a challenge to stand out. We need to do demonstrations and tell the story. I look for committed partners to run with the project; people who have a passion for the story and the purpose and not just the tea. People who are supporting the project are consumers of Zawadi African Tea as well as well as business partners; not just looking for a job but enrolled in all aspects of the project.

What would be the best support, right away, that someone could do for Zawadi African Tea?
Buy the tea, drink the tea, learn about the story and then contact a store manager and ask them to stock Zawadi African Tea. Be an advocate for the whole project of Zawadi African Tea and Fair Trade and share this with their friends and community. If there is a store or retail outlet that someone has in mind, they can contact us by email: Robert Kihanya, Robert@zawadiafricantea.com; Arvis Northrop, arvis@ecotravelconnections.com

Alrighty then, let's get started

I was going to call this blog "A Woman of the Middle Ages", because that would be me and I thought my musings and trips and tumbles now at 50-something would be of infinite interest to many. Maybe...

But mostly I want to keep yakking and prodding about my advocacy for responsible travel and Fair Trade. I'm not perfect, I still shop at a big box now and then; but I spend extra time reading labels and browsing websites of products and companies to make sure I'm not contributing to ugly, unfair practices. And I want to include my brilliant friends and colleagues to contribute their passions and expertise on who knows how many subjects!

So this is the intro post. I haven't even had breakfast yet; so I'll be back....
(this is a short post, forget the "read more"...that's a Blogger thing)