PS on "BAD08", SALA; Ruth is gone

Hi Lovelies!

What a lot (thousands I believe) of fabulous posts about Poverty yesterday! I only got to a few but they were well-written, positive and encouraging or celebrating action.

I have a link that someone gave me with a review of the Walking Tour in SALA. It speaks kindly of my efforts.

The sun is shining, the roses are blooming. A fitting day for Ruth Tuck’s funeral. (I have mentioned her before; there isn’t too much on the web, but she has been a massive influence on myself and a heap of people).

Keep well,
Meg

Do what you can for those who need it

[image with link removed, broken]

Greetings fellow earth-dwellers! Welcome to this tiny neck of the Blog Action Day 2008 woods.

Nowadays I have more than enough food, stuff and resources, and even when things were hardest I didn’t have any real concern about the availability of necessities. I can’t say I have really been in poverty.

The Blog Action Day organisers suggest people start or join a Kiva loans group. Check it out! There are several that may strike a chord to choose from: a womens one, an artists for change one, and a bloggers one, as well as tons of other regional and themed ones.
When I am able I enjoy being about to give a little money where it seems useful. I feel that my money does a whole lot of good directed to tprf.org (check that out as an option too).

Look after your good selves,
Meg

Crazy crises a catalyst?

Hi dear bloggy buddies!

I am wondering if maybe all the crazy crises could be a catalyst for us to make changes to live in a more ideal and thoughtful manner:

  • world changes leading to a more co-operative political situation,
  • a more fair monetary system,
  • fewer people travelling,
  • more transacting locally,
  • more quality in transactions (human and trade),
  • better and more extensive public transport,
  • continuing world aid leading to more equality of access to resources,
  • people being kinder to each other, and
  • more bike riding! Or even unicycling.
  • Oh yeah and all of us getting together and curbing global warming in plenty of time.

Let me know your opinion in the comments section.

See you tomorrow for Blog Action Day,
Meg

New music link

Hi Lovelies!

Today: a link to a product which I have been part of making (just so you know I haven’t totally been lazy, even though I haven’t been progressing the printmaking). It’s downloadable printable music theory lessons, for music teachers or substitute teachers taking music lessons, at about Grade 8 level. So if that is you, or if you know someone who might need such a thing, it’s a handy website/product. It’s also in my blog roll.

While we are talking about work I have done, I am currently trying to do webby technical stuff to my card site to make it suitable for people to visit. Also I have 12 designs but only like 6 on the site so far. Also Tangerine Epiphany is really hard to type in, so I have purchased tangerinemeg.com…much better! Will keep you updated on that.

Along the way I am learning more about SEO (search engine optimisation) so hopefully that will help get some visitors. I bought the Itty Biz SEO Ninja ebook. That link is to a pretty long blog post but if the book interests you there is a “buy now” button at the end.

I am loving the warm spring weather; running or riding in the mornings enjoying all the flowers, and the weird and wonderful spring scents waftin’ around. Now the vegies will be extra grateful for getting watered I guess. All my plants get washing machine rinse water enhanced with bokashi compost magic. Lucky them! I can see the luxuriant growth.

Hope you guys are enjoying your lives,
Meg

Charlie quote that's cheering

Greetings Blog-reading ones!

Hope your weekend has been fun so far.

I would like to quote some more inspiring words from Charlie Pabst:

Don’t get yourself down that someone may be better, richer or faster than you. Let them
inspire you instead. Do your own good work.

I will give you the link to his eBook “A Human’s Guide to Freelance Living” again as I find it such good simple kind cheering information.

Take care of yourselves,
Meg.

Happy to be home

Hi there treasured fellow mortals,

Thanks for your patience. I have been away and am just returned. I have dealt with the majority of the dozens of emails that arrived whilst I was away, and wanted to say “Hi” to you guys before I collapse and sleep.

Not a lot of running, on-line-fun or art-making has been going on for me this week. However, I did manage to be a little bit green by staying for one of the nights at a lovely eco-hostel in the Grampians, at Halls Gap. It was a bit of a shame to have to move on so quickly, but suffice to say some of my favourite aspects of life were in play there: community-building, being amongst nature’s beauty (Aussie bushland) and stepping lightly on the earth (ecological building design in action). I will post some photos when I get them developed. Funny old me… I used film! (When film is obsolete, what will I use for travel packs of shampoo and conditioner? Right now I use little plastic film containers.)

Take good care,
Kind regards,
Meg

A number, a time, a new mark to surpass

Hi Guys!

Short post today to let you know my FunRun time. It was 44mins, 54 seconds. If you work it out you will realise that I am a slow runner (and unfortunately slower than last year by about a minute), but I didn’t stop, and I walked away smiling. I am happy with my achievement, and am already planning to get fitter and go faster next year.

Take care, you wonders,
Meg

Breathing (of fire) and Running (of fun)

Greetings me hearties! (Hope you enjoyed Talk Like a Pirate Day on Friday, now I’m going to move on),

How awesome that breathing fire is a learnable skill!
The first session I had 3 goes. The first one was not much. I went on a bit long for the middle one, so it came back at me a little. The last one apparently looked pretty good.
It has been videod but I have yet to see that. One has no sense of how it’s looking when one is doing it (I may have shut my eyes too). When the flame came back at me I just felt a little heat, apparently I was on fire a tiny bit and I subsequently discovered the left half of the peachy fuzz has been singed off my face – wondered what that smell was that wasn’t going away! The second session was good too, with a duo Fire Ball Spit as finale.

The FunRun. It’s the City/Bay Fun Run, but I do the half. Kmart/Bay doesn’t quite have the same ring really! I like the sound of hundreds of other shoes along with my own going “plap plap” softly, rhythmically on the pavement. I like the physical process unfolding: the warm up (first k), then getting into the groove, and then the numb-legged sprint at the finish line. I also like the sense of camraderie intrinsic to the community-event-ness  of the occasion. I could let you know my time after Tuesday if you like. I will even admit to being a  hoarder of tiny safety-pins (I collect them during the year to pin the four corners of the race number to my t-shirt).

Have a good start to the week, I wish you well,
Meg

Ships log from the briney journey

Heave ho, and Avast, me on-line friends! and welcome to Talk like a Pirate Day.

I just read a beautiful little free eBook: A Human’s Guide to Freelance Living. There are TONS of short (parrot-free) memorable quotes; here’s a nice clear warning, on not worrying about competitors:

You can only follow someone so long. Then they stop suddenly and you run into them,
pushing your nose up into your brain and killing you.

Good one, Charlie Pabst! This eBook is good life information for all.

I did my larrrrrrst pre-FunRun-run today, and tried to run a bit farrrrster than usual. Tomorrow a big bike  ride (cross training), then the 6k (3.73miles) FunRun is on Sunday, nearly down to the ocean. Wish me luck!

And I think I just ordered a unicycle on-line. (Not completely sure that the payment worked…we’ll see). Should be fun balancing on the deck of the ship.

Didn’t see the ducklings this morning. They must be grown-up enough to venture further afield than the pond. Wow, already!

Have a good weekend both landlubbers and seafolk,
Meg/Calico Bess Bonney

New fruit trees better than a puppy!

Hello dear readers,

I am chuffed to report that yesterday another pair of fruit trees (not pears) was planted in my garden. The spot had been enriched with bokashi compost 2 and 6 weeks ago. The trees are a medium-late apricot (a Trevatt) and an All-In-One compact (3-3.5m) self-pollinating Almond. Nature obliged us with some lovely rain overnight and today to help water them in. I was surprised how pleased I was to have the new additions!

The existing apricot, plum and peaches are blossoming, but the blustery wind is blowing the petals off a bit. Hope that bees and fruit can manage.

I am hopeful that we will get tons of Youngberries this year, I believe I have pruned at the right stage; the new growth is abundant and vigorous, but I am still waiting to see buds. The grape vine looks happy that Spring is here, too.

Take care of yourselves,
Meg