Sands Communications » Stuff I like

A vote for honesty

vsands — Thu, 25 Mar 2010 19:04:33 +0000

Ah well... so much for keeping up with the blog. I hope to write more in the coming weeks, but in the meantime, I want to share something beautiful that I accidentally ran across. Its simplicity, directness and honesty make me want to find the bit of Native American hidden somewhere in my heritage.

The Invitation By Oriah Mountain Dreamer, a Native American elder

It doesn't interest me what you do for a living. I want to know what you ache for, and if you dare to dream of meeting in your heart's longing.

It doesn't interest me how old you are. I want to know if you will risk looking like a fool for love, for your dreams, for the adventure of being alive.

It doesn't interest me what planets are squaring your moon. I want to know if you have touched the center of your own sorrow, if you have been opened by life's betrayals or have become shriveled and closed from fear of further pain.

I want to know if you can sit in pain, mine or your own, without moving to hide it or fade it or fix it.

I want to know if you can be with joy, mine or your own, if you can dance with wildness and let the ecstasy fill you to the tip of your fingers and toes without cautioning us to be careful, be realistic, or to remember the limitations of being human.

It doesn't interest me if the story you're telling me is true. I want to know if you can disappoint another to be true to yourself; if you can bear the accusation of betrayal and not betray your own soul.

I want to know if you can be faithful and therefore be trustworthy.

I want to know if you can see beauty even when it is not pretty every day, and if you can source your life from God's presence.

I want to know if you can live with failure, yours and mine, and still stand on the edge of a lake and shout to the silver of the full moon, "Yes!"

It doesn't interest me to know where you live or how much money you have.

I want to know if you can get up after the night of grief and despair, weary and bruised to the bone, and do what needs to be done for the children.

It doesn't interest me who you are, how you came to be here.

I want to know if you will stand in the center of the fire with me and not shrink back.

It doesn't interest me where or what or with whom you have studied.

I want to know what sustains you from the inside when all else falls away.

I want to know if you can be alone with yourself, and if you truly like the company you keep in the empty moments.

The Museum of Conceptual Art

vsands — Sat, 31 Jan 2009 16:52:07 +0000

I stumbled upon this little gem this morning and got sucked right in. It's a highly random but delightfully interesting compilation of essays, humor, letters and other stuff that would be fab in a blog format but rests without pretense on a humble web page. I'm not sure who maintains it or why, but it's worth a visit. I'm still laughing over the "Masterpiece Helper Photoshop Plugin." Proof of my generally easy-to-amuse nature.

Psst: Secret posts

vsands — Mon, 26 Mar 2007 01:38:00 +0000

If it's true and you've never told anyone about it, put it on a postcard and send it to Post Secrets. In any case, go see what others have posted. It's a must-see!

Today’s inspiration

vsands — Tue, 13 Mar 2007 01:41:00 +0000

"To live content with small means; to seek elegance rather than luxury, and refinement rather than fashion; to be worthy, not respectable, and wealthy, not rich; to listen to stars and birds, babes and sages, with open heart; to study hard; to think quietly, act frankly, talk gently, await occasions, hurry never; in a word, to let the spiritual, unbidden and unconscious, grow up through the common. This is my symphony." -- William Henry Channing

But can it find my mind?

vsands — Mon, 20 Nov 2006 15:15:00 +0000

Popgadget: Personal Tech for Women mentions a product for which I've wished (often in obscene terms). Women, rejoice: Finally, no more "Where's the hoozit?" from the men we live with. Forget the tv remote: Now we can all fight for the transmitter.

Which he will lose.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
SmartFinder, by Evan on devices

"The average amount of time that a person spends looking
for misplaced things over the course of a lifetime is one year."
-- Harpers Index

...The SmartFinder comes with four color coded receivers which can be attached to things like keys, wallets, purses, mobile phones, and TV remotes. They even suggest adhering one to the kids; they're kidding about that (I think). With a remote control transmitter that can send a radio signal through walls and floors to activate the 85 decibel alarm on the receiver, locating items up to 25 meters away, you may never lose your keys again. It doesn't say anything about refrigerator doors, so "Uncle" Rog, who left his keys in the fridge one time, may still be out of luck.

Unlike the "clapper" system I had before, the SmartFinder has a low battery warning. Comes with 2 keyrings and 2 double-sided adhesive pads provided for attaching the receivers to anything.

£29.95 at Girls Shop UK

Cool Thing of the Day

vsands — Sun, 05 Nov 2006 03:03:00 +0000

It's chocolate! What a cool gift. Suedy's Kook-Ki Sushi!

When your cups runneth over

vsands — Sun, 01 Oct 2006 23:16:00 +0000

I guess you could say this is an article of clothing that can do, er, double duty. If it ever became a fad, what would we call this? The sag bag? The true over the shoulder boulder holder? The breast purse ever?

How to Make a Bra Purse (from WikiHow.com)