Author: Soul Food Friday

Happy Soul Food Friday!

This week:

Get Cheras to Cheras

Wherever you are in the world, you can be a Changemaker at Change.org

If you are local:

Learn about Youth Success Week Oceanside – January 10-17, 2016 with a planning meeting November 19^th

Thank You for Inspiring Our Students with Opportunities for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion

Then enjoy some Spring Promise to lighten your mood as Winter nears…

Get Cheras to Cheras

This clever global vid will get you smiling…

Wherever you are, be a Changemaker at Change.org

Hi  –

Change.org is launching a new program — and we want you to be a part of it. Like you, Change.org coaches are some of our most successful users who support new petition starters to help them win.

Being a Change.org coach is a significant opportunity to impact the world. You’ll magnify your personal impact by working one on one with inspiring people fighting to make big changes. Many people are starting a petition for the first time, and you’re the leader they need to make the world better.

Click here for more information or to apply to be a Change.org coach

Coaches come from all walks of life — professionals, parents, experts, activists. As a Change coach, you’ll spend up to 3 hours each week helping other people make change by encouraging them, asking them strategic questions, and supporting them to win.

Get more information or apply now to be a Change.org coach

The Change coaches network needs you. Join me and other changemakers and become a coach today.

Thanks for being a changemaker,

Carl, for the whole Change.org team.

Contact us · Privacy Policy · Start a Petition

If you are local:

Youth Success Week Oceanside – January 10-17, 2016

 Join us for our community Kick-off Thursday November 19^th 6pm to learn about this motivating initiative and how you can participate!

CAYS Community Alliance for Youth Success was founded three years ago to bring the community together in support of youth. Come meet Stedman Graham and other founding members, and to be inspired by the vision to create an event that will serve as a national model.

 To learn more go to www.YouthSuccessWeekOceanside.org and be sure to watch our inspiring video. An overview flyer with schedule is attached.

An Opening Event starts the week on Sunday January 10^th at the QLN Center, and the week closes with student performances at the Amphitheater on the follow Sunday, January 17^th. These are open to all citizens. During the week nearly thirty presenters will deliver sessions to students in Oceanside schools and organizations.

On Tuesday and Thursday a special Leadership Success training presented by Stedman Graham and Steve Farber, is offered free to all business people and citizens.

We hope to see you on November 19^th, 6-8pm, QLN Conference Center, 1938 Avenida del Oro, Oceanside, CA 92056.

Please rsvp   caysoceanside@gmail.com

Facebook: www.facebook.com/youthsuccessoceanside

Twitter: @YouthSuccessWeek 

CAYS Organizing Committee

Stedman Graham, Stedman and Associates CEO and CAYS co-founder

Bobbi DePorter, LFI President and CAYS co-founder; President of Quantum Learning Network

Luisa Csathy, Founder, Giving Tree Movement

Ken Druck, Founder, Jenna Druck Center

Steve Farber, CEO and Speaker, Extreme Leadership

Neville Billimoria, SVP and Chief Advocacy Officer, Mission Federal Credit Union

Helice Bridges, CEO and Founder, Difference Makers International

Starla Lewis, CEO, C.E.L.L

Marlaine Cover, President, The Global Presence

Tia Ross, CEO, Motivating the Teen Spirit

Marcy Morrison, Career Coach

Lisette Omoss, Community Volunteer, Realtor, Photographer

John Cotter, Speaker, Community Activist, Career Educator

CAYS Committee Chairs:

Program:  Helice Bridges 

Logistics Venues:  Robert MacPhee  

Parent & Student Engagement:  Margaret Malek 

Marketing:  Alexa Morr 

Fundraising: Tia Ross, Ken Druck 

Thank You for Inspiring Our Students with Opportunities for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion

Shout Out Shirts:

I wanted to share with you some photos from Barrio Logan College Institute. We helped gather donations from local Colleges and also made donations from Mission Fed.

At the end of the school day the children pick their shirt from the college they want to go to and they scream from the top of their lungs:

“Who is Going to College?”  

 We are helping to inspire our future leaders!

 Shout Out Shirts

Finally, Enjoy Some Spring Promise to lighten your mood as Winter nears…

Lighten Your Mood

Thanks this week go to Karen “Sneha-ji” M, the CAYs team, Mission Fed, UC San Diego and the Barrio Logan College Institute, Larry H, and Changemakers everywhere!

Pay it forward

Love,

Neville

Happy Soul Food Friday!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This week:

All’s Well that Begins Well

Just Start

The Notorious RBG: The Supreme Court Just Turned Cultural Icon

Pictures from Drones that Will Take Your Breath Away!

 

All’s Well that Begins Well so let this vid set the tone:

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v=10152199824702499&fref=nf

 

 

Just Start with Robin Sharma:

Language is powerful. The words we use drive the deeds we do.

Call a condition a problem and you get to reply to it from the position of a victim.

Speak an excuse, and you get to deliver your power to it, sometimes for a lifetime.

 

Words can destroy people’s confidence, provoke their greatness, electrify your performance and free entire nations.

Maybe two of the best ones to recite to automaticity so they become a part of your vocabulary are…

…Just start.

 

Nothing happens until you move!

And once you do, life begins to put the wind behind your sails. The Muse comes out to play. Your best self starts revealing more of its higher nature.

 

So…

 

–just start the needle-moving project that will rewire your career

 

–just start the conversation needed to forgive the unforgiven

 

–just start the run that will become your marathon

 

–just start the craft that will raise you to genius

 

–just start the relationship that will lead you to love

 

–just start the book that will awaken your thinking

 

–just start the course that will transform your life

 

–just start the habit that will shift your productivity

 

–just start the dream that will change the world.

 

You’ve been blessed with hidden jewels that lie deep within. These are the talents that slumber, the gifts that lay dormant, and the calls on your life that we all ask you to live.

 

Without you showing up, shining fully, standing up after you’ve fallen, persisting when you feel like surrendering, we’ll all be less of a human family. Things will be colder. And the world will be less bright.

 

So please. Just start. We’ll applaud your rise. And watch your star blaze the path that so many will follow.

With love, respect and enormous encouragement.

 

The Notorious RBG: The Supreme Court Justice Turned Cultural Icon

Ruth Bader Ginsburg has been underestimated for her whole life and her story will blow you away…

Choose YOUR authentic heroes- she is one of mine!

http://www.npr.org/player/v2/mediaPlayer.html?action=1&t=1&islist=false&id=450547606&m=452012221&live=1

 

 

Pictures from Drones that Will Take Your Breath Away!

Seen from a drone.PPS

 

Thanks this week go to Larry H, Robin S, Citizens that pay for NPR rather than free loading off others- so stories like RBG’s can be aired and shared, Underestimated women everywhere, & Pets that love us unconditionally- often modeling more humanity than “humans”…

 

Don’t wait. Initiate!

Pay it forward today…

Love,

Neville

Happy Soul Food Friday!

This week:

Enjoy The Meaning of Life, Character Matters Honors REAL ED, and Natural Quotes

The Meaning of Life

I was in New York last week looking forward to lunch and the waiter greeted us with “What can I do for you”.

I couldn’t resist shooting back “Tell me the meaning of life”.

And he said – without a moment’s hesitation – “To love and be loved”.

I jotted it on my phone. I can remember that more than the meal I ate because not only is he right but if he is – many of us are in big trouble.

We’re too worried about making money.

Handling the stress in our lives.

Dealing with difficult people.

All the money in the world is meaningless if we cannot remember that we’re on this earth first and foremost to love and to be loved

Character Matters: Gratitude is the Queen of Virtues and Empathy is the King

USD’s gem Edward DeRoche is presented the 2015 Sanford N. McDonnell Lifetime Achievement Award, and it is most well-deserved for modeling and mentoring matters of character in education and beyond!

Pick it up at around 11 minutes if you are short on time and experience “REAL ED”…

Pictures and Quotes to Brighten Your Day

Thanks this week go to James R, Pat M, and Larry H.

Stay Positive and Pay it Forward!

Love,

Neville

Happy Soul Food Friday

This week: Social Equity and Cultural Diversity

Here is an ROI (Return on Inspiration) poem from the A4E Summit in the past week:

Ode to Empowerment, Owed to the ‘Heart-ist’ in YOU

Inspired by the Presenters at A4E

It’s not important what you look at,

What’s important is what you see,

See me, respect me, remember me.

 

What good is sight, if you have no vision?

Realize, with re-a-l eyes,

There is no division.

 

Know your vision and stay true to it,

Through passion, purpose, and strategic partnership.

 Empower a compassion-based, kind comm-unity

Ennoble self-efficacy with universal access to opportunity

 

See me, respect me, remember me,

My demography won’t determine MY destiny!

 

Failure is a bruise, not a tattoo

Our world so needs the transmutation in you.

To hide your pain is to hide your power,

This might be your finest hour.

That’ MY sister, MY daughter, MY kin, MY wife,

Love it. Own it. Elevate Your Life!

 You are the change we wish to see,

Let’s manifest it thru A-4-E.

Remember lasting change comes from within,

I will stop now as time is running thin…

 

Your soul speaks.

Are you listening?

Your soul speaks.

Am I listening?

Is your heart singing yet?

A4E Summit

The Alliance 4 Empowerment (A4E) is a non-profit organization created to empower underserved people with the universal opportunity to live with dignity, self-esteem, respect and love, in the San Diego region and beyond. Our goal is to create inspired, innovative & inclusive communities that are sustainable economically, socially and environmentally, and to develop platforms for full participation of women and youth globally.

A4E provides a hand up instead of a hand out, ensuring recipients thrive through the power of Social Credit loans, rather than a historical dependency on charity.  This unique model strives to overcome poverty at the root level through a more efficient use of capital and innovation. Our primary focus is building financially inclusive communities, by helping hard-working individuals develop their existing skills into profitable, self-sustaining small businesses, in a nurturing, loving and supportive environment.

To attain this goal, A4E partners with existing community organizations. Instead of working in silos, A4E  collaborates with other effective nonprofits to identify as well as work with qualified social entrepreneurs to leverage global connections with the expertise to enable them to maximize their impact, increase employment and use resources sustainably. Knowing that access to affordable quality health care is essential for communities to thrive economically and socially, A4E advocates for community access to quality healthcare and wellness programs, that contribute to long-term growth and prosperity.

Here is a link to the first part of the A4E summit:

As a sampler, you might want to listen to the two keynotes by UC San Diego Vice Chancellor Dr. Becky Pettit, starting at 36:16 and Dr. Twyla Garrett, Senior Advisor to Homeland Security at 1:07 as their stories will definitely strike a chord as they set the stage for the day!

Usher’s New Video Confronts Racial Injustice Like You’ve Never Seen

“It is important not only to feel the issue but to face it.” #DontLookAway

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/ushers-new-video-confronts-racial-injustice-like-youve-never-seen_56253b1be4b0bce3470198aa

Mixed Race Indians Celebrating Cultural Diversity

Being a mixed race Indian child myself this article resonated for me…

 “What are you?” might just be the most commonplace question every Indian child learns to respond to, dodge, or deflect, depending on how they feel about the person who’s doing the asking. Ethnicity, race, and personal identity continue to forge an inexplicable link the world over—often highlighting our differences rather than bringing us together. The latter two, however, are aspects of the human experience we consider far too little…

http://homegrown.co.in/11-mixed-race-indians-share-stories-that-celebrate-cultural-diversity/

Amazing Pictures From Around The World

Thanks this week go to all the inspired souls at  A4E, the Cathedral Clan in Bombay and now distributed world-wide, everyone focused on building inclusive communities and Larry H for the pics!

Pay it Forward…

Love,

Neville

Happy Soul Food Friday!

This week:

• Resiliency and Risk Taking

• The 21^st Century Earth’s Prayer to Complement the Timeless Lord’s Prayer

• Invitation | Gala Luncheon | 70th Anniversary of the United Nations | Oct 24, 11-2pm

• Save Neville the Dog

• Incredible Photos to Commence the Weekend:

 Resiliency and Risk Taking:

In the past week, San Diego Grant Makers held their annual conference with an underlying theme of risk taking and resiliency. These quotes during a plenary session featuring California State Assembly Speaker Toni Atkins, and California Endowment Director of Healthy Communities Beatriz Solis, facilitated by San Diego Grant Makers CEO Nancy Jamison really resonated for many of us…

The Earth’s Prayer to Complement The Lord’s Prayer

It is crazy that I wrote this in 2009 after being inspired on a trip to Europe, yet it seems as timely today as when inspiration struck.

I am guessing Pope Francis would agree with me…

“Leaving an inhabitable planet to future generations is first and foremost, up to us.” —Pope Francis

The Earths Prayer

Invitation | Gala Luncheon | 70th Anniversary of the United Nations | Oct 24, 11-2pm

My friend Bettina Hausmann is the President of the United Nations Association in San Diego.  They are having a really amazing event to celebrate United Nations day on October 24th, 2015 that coincides with the 100 year celebration of Balboa Park, the 70th anniversary of the UN, and the UNA-SD connection with Eleanor Roosevelt, who was instrumental in getting the UNA-SD started 69 years ago. Her grandson will be a featured speaker, which is really cool!

Please attend if possible and equally important if you could broadcast this widely to your networks that would be GREATLY appreciated.  Bettina and her team are rallying the San Diego region to display its global connectedness (see information below and feel free to forward as you see fit).

Save Neville the Dog: I couldn’t resist this…

Incredible Photos to Commence the Weekend:

Photos Incoyables

Thanks this week go to Grant Makers everywhere, Quadruple Bottom Line leaders focused on people, planet, profits and purpose, Bettina H & Alan D, change agents that stand up for the plight of those that can’t, and Larry H for continuing to feed me soul food that I can share with you!
Pay it forward…

Love,

Neville

“Leaving an inhabitable planet to future generations is first and foremost, up to us.” —Pope Francis

Happy Soul Food Friday!

This week:

 A Feel Good to Launch Your Weekend:

Now THIS is literally Soul Food…

Talk about bringing joy and wonder to your meals!

Advancing Social Capital:

“What matters is the Mortar, not just the Bricks!”

With a little help from my friends, I have been advancing notions of Social Capital optimization for years, and this example just underscores its importance

http://www.npr.org/2015/10/02/443412777/is-the-professional-pecking-order-doing-more-harm-than-good

For the complete TED talk by Margaret Heffernan…

https://www.ted.com/talks/margaret_heffernan_why_it_s_time_to_forget_the_pecking_order_at_work?language=en

Language and Communications:

What do Dolphins Talk About?

Denise Herzing has been studying the same pod of wild dolphins for 30 years. Every summer, she and the dolphins are reunited. But this summer, things are a little different—this summer, with help from Thad Starner (one of the inventors of Google Glass), she’s testing a new device that could change the conversation for good.

http://www.radiolab.org/story/what-do-dolphins-talk-about/

Little Known Punctuation Marks and How to Use Them:

You know I love quotes, but how about these to spice up your language and communications?

http://www.ragan.com/Main/Articles/50240.aspx?utm_medium=email&utm_source=Savicom&utm_campaign=Little-known%20punctuation%20marks&utm_term=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ragan.com%2FMain%2FArticles%2F50240.aspx

Supporting the Wonderful World of Education:

“I’m a School Principal.  What is YOUR Super Power?

School Administrators work hard to ensure students receive a quality education with one end game in mind….a happy, productive life for each student. They inspire every member of their school communities to embrace this vision through action. In observance of the importance of educational leadership at the school, school district and county levels, October 12-16 is designated as “Week of the School Administrator.” Be sure to celebrate your school administrators changing lives behind the scenes every day!

Speaking of “Cool” Principals Check This One Out…

If You Are Local:

Are you committed to the FULL participation of girls, women and youth in their own economic and social transformation?

Then you’ve got to be at the Global Empowerment Summit: October 16th and 17th, 2015 in San Diego, California

 Here is your invitation to participate in our Inaugural Alliance4empowerment & UC San Diego, Global Empowerment Summit on October 16th and 17th, 2015 at the Sanford Consortium and Bella Vista Social Club & Caffe’, in San Diego, California. This conference, made possible by the generous co-sponsorship of the University of California-San Diego, including Dr. Suresh Subramani, Executive Vice-Chancellor, will bring together world renowned innovators who are changing the world, and offer a unique opportunity for collaboration and exchange of ideas, actions and solutions for local and global implementation.  Outcomes of this dialogue will encourage and direct attention to new fields of action and enable the joint exploration of visions and strategies to provide the necessary platform for full participation of girls, women and youth in their own economic and social transformation. 

Inspire, engage, expand and support global collaboration!

Here is the web site with the invitation and summit program:

http://www.alliance4empowerment.org/global-empowerment-summit/

Kids Free October at the World Famous San Diego Zoo:

Take Your Kids to the Zoo this month on us…

Thanks Mission Fed!

Perspectives on Dyslexia: Sat Oct 10^th at USD
“You laugh because you think I am different. I laugh because you are all the same…”

Making Mission’s Possible:

Our Mission Fed Community Newsletter

Mission Fed Community Moments continue

Our support of the San Diego community never slows down. In this edition of Mission Possible, we’re highlighting the city’s largest outdoor art festival, Mission Federal ArtWalk. And, take a peek at a variety of other community events, including our Eastlake Branch Grand Opening in its new location, a volunteer visit to Helen Woodward Animal Center and San Diego Padres infielder Cory Spangenberg’s visit to the winning Read With A Pro classroom. Plus, enjoy an update on the soon-to-open Mission Fed JA Finance Park.

Achieving maximum results

We were thrilled that we were able to reach our goal during the Miracle Month of May in support of Rady Children’s Hospital in San Diego, and we had a wonderful time visiting a variety of schools with our Max Out My Class campaign with MAX 105.7 FM. To find out where Mission Fed will be in the community, check out our Events Calendar.

Thanks this week go to all of you who deeply invest in the practice and principles of social capital optimization, the noble warriors in the fight for education & social justice, the civic activists championing the causes of emerging populations and disenfranchised communities, and hard working parents tirelessly working to make Mission’s possible!

 Change the Conversation for Good

YOU are Beyond Measure!

 Love,

Neville

Every totalitarian regime is frightened of the Artist. 

It is the vocation of the prophet to keep alive the ministry of the imagination,

to keep on conjuring and proposing alternative futures

to the single one the King wants to urge as the only thinkable one.
–Walter Breuggemann

Happy Soul Food Friday!

This week:

The Difference Between Equality and Equity:

Support Education: Back to the Future with the Brave New Library that is more about “connections” than “collections”…

Speaking of Equity, Access and Connectivity, Schoolkids Don’t Just Need iPads. They Need Data Plans!

Who Are YOU? Who Who? This might surprise you…

The Difference Between Equality and Equity:

Education must be about equity and access, and the Education Synergy Alliance is working to provide both!

A recent trip up north for members of the ESA team was illuminating.  San Francisco Unified elevates these principles in every session. They talk about it explicitly, measure it, and hold themselves accountable for it both in internal planning, and in frequent dialogs with the public. This is an image they are using across the district to foster dialog about equity:

Support Education: Back to the Future with the Brave New Library that is more about “connections” than “collections”

Support your local library! They are working to transform their place in 21^st century society. We were proud to be part of one celebration of curation at the iconic UC San Diego Library…

http://chancellor.ucsd.edu/chancellor-khosla/blog/supporting-the-education-and-research-mission-of-the-campus

Speaking of Equity, Access and Connectivity…

Locally, Vista Unified, Qualcomm Education, UC San Diego and Mission Fed totally agree and are working on “The Connectivity Convening” in November for communities nationally to ensure connectivity for all families to stop the digital divide from getting any larger!

This article will spark some interest…

Schoolkids Don’t Just Need iPads. They Need Data Plans

By Issie Lapowsky
http://www.wired.com/2015/09/qualcomm-education-homework-gap/

Who Are YOU? Who Who…

We have all seen old pics…

Thanks this week go to Laura K, Meredith S, Sandy T and the ESA team, UC San Diego Alumni building the future, Vicki M/B, Devin V, Alan D and Steve for advancing connectivity for all communities, and to Larry H for keeping the soul food coming!

 Pay It Forward!

Love,

Neville

“What we do in life, echoes in eternity”

Happy Soul Food Friday!

Whether you are just starting your career, been running hard and at risk of burning out, or contemplating the end of life, here is something for anyone along the continuum.

“Wherever we go, There we are”,  so a little compassion and a little humor can go a long way to making our journey purposeful…

This week:

• Take a 30 Day Compassion IT Challenge

• Sugar Kids Beauty: Georgia’s Teacher of the Year working with Real World Scholars Innovative Platform IS a Thing of Beauty!

• Even The Heart Pumps Blood To Itself FIRST:

• The Last Voyage of the Vollmer Twins Will Give You Perspective:

• New Seniors Exam: Just need 4 out of 10 to Pass…

Take a 30 Day Compassion IT Challenge:

Join the 30-Day COMPASSION IT Challenge!

View this email in your browser

I’m SO PUMPED to announce a new program we’ve created to encourage people to “compassion it” every day during the month of October.

The 30-Day COMPASSION IT Challenge!

“What makes this challenge unique?” We’ll be using a step-by-step approach to cultivating compassion over the span of one month. We’ll offer daily recommendations of actions that incorporate each of these important steps to cultivating compassion:   Week 1 – Mindfulness Week 2 – Compassion for a Loved One Week 3 – Self-Compassion Week 4 – Recognizing Common Humanity Week 5 – Compassion for Our Planet
Is it difficult to register or time-consuming to participate? Nope. We are going to make this super easy for you. A couple of days prior to the start, we’ll send you two PDFs. One will be a calendar you can use as a guide, and the other will include “cheat sheets” of actions you can take each week.

“WHY would I want to do this?” Research indicates that compassion makes us happier and healthier. It FEELS GOOD to “compassion it” every day. Plus, by creating buzz on social media, we’re inspiring others to incorporate compassionate actions into their daily lives. We’ll all use the hashtag #compassionit in our photos, posts, tweets, and smoke signals to get the word out. Remember, the more people who participate and learn about compassion, the more compassionate the world will be.

Click here to join the 30-Day COMPASSION IT Challenge, and please invite others! It’s going to be an unforgettable month of compassion for ourselves, each other, and our planet.

Want to make the world a better place by spreading compassion to as many people as we can? If so, please invite your friends, followers, co-workers, and family members. All you need to do is cut and paste the words below and send them along.

Thank you very much!   Sara Schairer

Hi friends!
I just signed up for the 30-Day COMPASSION IT Challenge, and I hope you’ll join me.

COMPASSION IT—a nonprofit whose mission is to inspire daily compassionate actions and attitudes—will email us tools and guidance to help us practice mindfulness and compassion during the month of October. And … it’s a free program!

Please invite your friends, too! Let’s work together to make our world a better place.

Feel free to reach out if you have questions.

Compassion It-ly and with gratitude,

–Your Name 

COMPASSION IT is a nonprofit organization whose mission is to inspire daily compassionate actions and attitudes. Sales and donations support our compassion education programs.

Copyright © 2015 Compassion It, All rights reserved. Subscribed to list or purchased products from Compassion It.

Sugar Kids Beauty: Georgia’s Teacher of the Year working with Real World Scholars IS a Thing of Beauty!

Kids don’t learn to ride a bike by reading about it, or learn to swim by watching videos of swimming, so why would they learn entrepreneurship any other way than by practicing it?

Real World Scholars have created a platform to do just that, and here are kids that can barely read that have ideated, manufactured, marketed and sold products with current sales of $1,612.40  and more than 115 product sold. 

What makes this even more impactful is that the school is 10 percent homeless and 90 percent of the students are on free/ reduced lunch.

You can learn more about them at: www.sugarkidsbeauty.com 

Even The Heart Pumps Blood To Itself FIRST:

Time in the bank: A Stanford plan to save doctors from burnout with implications for all of us…

http://wapo.st/1Nx0HdF

The Last Voyage of the Vollmer Twins

Talk about living life with intentionality…

Click here: The Last Voyage of the Vollmer Twins | Williamsburg-Greenpoint, NY Patch

A New Seniors Exam:

New Senior’s Exam, you only need 4 correct out of 10 questions to pass.

1) How long did the Hundred Years’ War last?

2) Which country makes Panama hats?

3) From which animal do we get cat gut?

4) In which month do Russians celebrate the October Revolution?

5) What is a camel’s hair brush made of?

6) The Canary Islands in the Pacific are named after what animal?

7) What was King George VI’s first name?

8) What color is a purple finch?

9) Where are Chinese gooseberries from?

10) What is the color of the black box in a commercial airplane?

Remember, you need only 4 correct answers to pass.

Check your answers below ….

ANSWERS TO THE QUIZ

1) How long did the Hundred Years War last? 116 years 1337 – 1453

2) Which country makes Panama hats? Ecuador

3) From which animal do we get cat gut? Sheep and Horses

4) In which month do Russians celebrate the October Revolution? November

5) What is a camel’s hair brush made of? Squirrel fur

6) The Canary Islands in the Pacific are named after what animal? Dogs

7) What was King George VI’s first name? Albert

8 ) What color is a purple finch? Crimson

9) Where are Chinese gooseberries from? New Zealand

10) What is the color of the black box in a commercial airplane? Orange (of course)

What do you mean, you failed?

(And if you try to tell me you passed, you LIED!)

Pass this on to your brilliant friends.

Thanks this week go to Sara S, John C, Sean A, Jeff B and Larry H for keeping it real…

Pay it Forward!

You Can’t Take it With You…

Love,

Neville

Every totalitarian regime is frightened of the Artist. 

It is the vocation of the prophet to keep alive the ministry of the imagination,

to keep on conjuring and proposing alternative futures

to the single one the King wants to urge as the only thinkable one.
–Walter Breuggemann

 

Happy Soul Food Friday!

“The best way to find yourself is to lose yourself in the service of others”.

– Mahatma Gandhi

Even though American happiness levels are at a four-year high, 4 out of 10 Americans have not discovered a satisfying life purpose…

Connecting to the season, Shanah Tovah –As I understand it, conveys hope for a good year rather than a happy one. Leading a happy life is often associated with being a taker, but leading a meaningful life is about being a giver…

This week:

Make Your Life into a Masterpiece The most important masterpiece you’ll ever create is your life. But to create your masterpiece you must first design it. You must have a vision of what it looks like. Once you have a vision and design it you can begin the process of building it. To help you with your design you can ask questions such as: What does your life look like when you are at your healthiest, strongest, and best? What does your family situation look like while you are pursuing success in your work? What matters most? What priorities drive you each day? What are you doing that makes you come alive? What are you born to do? What are you doing to live and share your purpose? When you look back on your life what do you want to be able to say about it? How do you want to feel? What will you have wanted to accomplish? What legacy will you have left? I asked these questions at the peak of my unhappiness 13 years ago and realized that instead of creating my masterpiece I was building a piece of a junk. Over a period of a few weeks filled with a lot of walks and prayer the answers to these questions came to me and I began the process of designing and building my life as a writer. For some the answers to these questions may lead you to a new career. However, for most, it will simply lead to changes that will align your life with the vision and design you have for it. For example you may need to exercise more and eat healthier to create your masterpiece. Or perhaps you may need to spend more time with your family because your masterpiece includes great relationships with your kids. Or you might realize that you are not spending enough time on your priorities and therefore your masterpiece is not developing like it should. Whatever your masterpiece looks like, your design will help you see what you need to do, or stop doing, in order to create it. I also want to caution you to make sure you are building your masterpiece and not someone else’s idea of what your masterpiece should be. I know this well. My mom always wanted me to be an attorney. I planned on going to law school after college. When I didn’t get into law school, because my LSAT score was so poor, I gave up on the idea of being a lawyer. However, after getting my masters in teaching, opening several restaurants and running for city council of Atlanta at the age of 26 my mom’s vision for me still stuck with me. I ended up going to law school in Atlanta for a year and a half. But while taking my second year exams I had this strong feeling that there was something else for me. I stood up and walked out on my final exams and never looked back. I recently spoke to a school where the wife of my friend from law school is the principal. My friend said when I walked out of the law school exams no one could believe it. He said it was legendary. But I don’t think it was legendary to quit. What I think is legendary is when someone stops trying to create someone else’s masterpiece and instead focuses on designing and creating the masterpiece they are meant to build. You have one masterpiece to create and I want to encourage you to design and build YOUR masterpiece, not someone else’s. I also want to encourage you to stay positive as you move from the design phase to the building phase. You will face challenges during the building process but always remember, negative thoughts are the nails that build a prison of failure, but positive thoughts will build you a masterpiece. Stay flexible and adaptable through the process. It’s okay for your plans to change, especially when your plans must give way to the ultimate creator’s master plan. And lastly, make sure you choose the right habits because what you do each day will become who you are. Your habits will transform your design, vision and plans into the masterpiece of your life. -Jon Gordon Can Paradoxical Intention/Thinking Serve as a New Model to Promote Peace in the Middle East and in Your Community? Recently, I was privileged to spend an afternoon with two internationally regarded thought leaders and peace-seekers.  Dr. Ken Druck, the founder of the Jenna Druck Center in San Diego and Yitzhak Frankenthal, the founder of The Arik Institute for Reconciliation, Tolerance and Peace in Israel. Ken lost his daughter Jenna and Yitzhak his son Ari-both in tragic circumstance. Both men have beneficently taken the terrible personal experience of losing a child, and transmuted that into a commitment to addressing root cause issues of deep human suffering, developing effective strategies for dealing with loss, creating systems change, and helping others transform adversity into opportunity. Ken is a nationally sought after master facilitator, executive coach and organizational and family consultant. He is the go-to- person globally when horrific issues like the Sandy Hook school massacre or an airline disaster occur. He is also the go to guy for resiliency-period… Ken currently has a national program running on Resiliency on KPBS and is the author of “The Real Rules of Life”. Here is an article op/ed Ken co-wrote from earlier this year… How Civil is America’s Finest City? http://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/news/2015/feb/11/civility-San-Diego-restoring-respect/ Yitzhak is a pioneer/peacemaker who founded the Parent’s Circle in 1995 to forge peace in the Middle East.  This was Yitzhak’s way of honoring his son, Arik, who had been kidnapped and killed by Hamas in 1994. Yitzhak led a small army of bereaved Israelis in reaching out to bereaved Palestinian families who also sought peace as the way to honor their loved ones. Yitzhak has met with virtually every Israeli President of the modern age, is tenacious in his approach and might well be on to an effective way to systemically and permanently address the middle east conflict: Hameiri “I will strain my potential until it cries for mercy.” — Og Mandino A Pre-Eminent Psychiatrist Who Survived The Holocaust Explains Why Meaningfulness Matters More Than Happiness: “the last of the human freedoms — to choose one’s attitude in any given set of circumstances, to choose one’s own way.” A Lesson About Happiness From A Holocaust Survivor Failure is a Nearly Inevitable Part of our Work: Rightly understood, there is no failure, only feedback so stay the course or as my reflexology friends say, “press on regardless!” Master Resiliency with Martin Seligman director of the Positive Psychology Center at the University of Penn https://hbr.org/2011/04/building-resilience On the lighter side…  Shop Italian Style: This will bring joy to your heart and a kick to your step…

Let me take you out with some Jumping Jive:

Cab Calloway and the Nichols brothers will blow your mind & light your fuse!

Thanks this week go to Larry H, Ken D, Yitzhak F, & Vince R & Givers of Self in Service to Others!

Invest it Forward!

Love,

Neville

“You are the only person on earth

who can use your ability.”

— Zig Ziglar

Happy Soul Food Friday!

“Many a friendship, long, loyal, and self-sacrificing, rested at first upon no thicker a foundation than a kind word.”

— Frederick William Faber (1814-1863) English Priest and Hymn Writer

A Little Kindness Goes A Long Way:

Are YOU this trusting?

This week:

Learning From and Celebrating Artists of Life:

Architecture-Frank Gehry’s Lifelong Challenge: To Create Buildings That Move

http://www.npr.org/2015/09/10/438944405/frank-gehrys-lifelong-challenge-to-create-buildings-that-move

Music- Marching to the Beat of a Different Drum:

http://www.teamrock.com/features/2015-09-10/neil-peart-marching-to-the-beat-of-a-different-drum

Life After 50:

http://www.health-beauty.sandiegoprofessionaljournal.com/lisa-lapides-sawicki-san-diego-certified-life-coach/

Lisa Sawicki Self-Coach NOW

Creating Mission Moments in Our Community:

 Donating 1,000 Backpacks to low income kids:

During the month of August Mission Fed held a Back To School Drive to collect backpacks and school supplies for low income children in areas of San Diego. This week Mission Fed was able to deliver over 1,000 backpacks through SAY SD to students of the SDCOE to help them start school off on the right foot with essential school supplies. The generosity did not stop at just 1,000 backpacks- there were so many school supplies donated that local school teachers were able to come in and stock up on much needed supplies for their classrooms or afterschool programs.

Thank you to our partners at ABC 10, Boyer Moving and Quill for their donations and partnerships to help make this dream of filling 1,000 back packs for local students a reality!

Behind the Scenes: Your Mission Fed Moment

It takes teamwork to achieve success, just like with our new Mission Fed commercials. Our Multimedia Producer and Developer Robin M put together some awesome behind-the-scenes footage of how the commercials were made, and we’re using this video to intrigue our members, while asking them how the Mission Fed team worked behind the scenes to create their Mission Fed Moment. Members can share a photo and caption (50 words max) or a written submission (100 words max) telling their story. Watch the video and enter the contest here:  https://www.missionfed.com/BehindTheScenes

Win $500

Visit our website and watch our behind-the-scenes video of the making of our new Mission Fed Moment TV commercials. Then, tell us how the Mission Fed team helped make your Mission Fed Moment possible!

Prizes

$500 First Prize in each category $200 Honorable Mention in each category

$200 Honorable Mention in each category

How to enter

Choose your category:

• Submit a photo and a 50-word max caption, explaining your Mission Fed Moment

OR

• Submit a 100-word max story about one of your Mission Fed Moments and how we made it happen for you

Submit your entry by Wednesday, September 30!

Must be a Mission Fed member age 18 or older to enter. One entry per member. You may not enter both categories. Anyone who enters both categories will be disqualified. For the photo category, any captions over 50 words, and for the written category, any entries over 100 words, will automatically be disqualified. Except where prohibited by law, any photo or written entry submitted for the purpose of entering the Contest will be considered property of Mission Fed, with permission to use the submitted story, photo, caption, and name and city/state of residence of entrant in all forms of media, in perpetuity, without further compensation. Visit MissionFed.com/BehindTheScenes for Official Rules.

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Finally, Some Humor to Launch The Rest of Your Week:

Thanks this week go to Larry H, Diana A, Arman S-B, David S, & The Whole Mission Fed Team for doing what is necessary to create Mission Moments!

Love,

Neville

“Let no one ever come to you without leaving better and happier.

Be the living expression of God’s kindness:

kindness in your face, kindness in your eyes, kindness in your smile.” – Mother Teresa