Happy Soul Food Friday!

Happy Soul Food Friday!

This week:

We CAN Get There from Here
By Ken D & Neville B

The most votes in a US Presidential election have been cast, with Donald Trump garnering more votes than any other candidate in the history of the United States, except for Joe Biden.

Now, results from a deeply divided country continue to trickle in, both at the top and through to the bottom of the ballot. As anticipated, about half our country has to absorb, make sense of, and adjust to present realities in our collective efforts toward charting our course forward in service of the future of our beloved but fractured nation. 

It is a proud testament to American democratic ideals that so many of us exercised our right to vote. That said, simply voting in this election, might in hindsight, turn out to be the second most important decision of our lifetimes, not the first as speculated by both sides during this lengthy, polarizing and divisive election season.

After nearly a week of excruciating uncertainty in the national ballot counting enterprise, the presidential election was called on Saturday. Within minutes of one another, news channels, on all the major networks and on both ends of the political spectrum, declared Joe Biden the President Elect. Now, headlines across America and some parts of the world will read either “Trump Loses”, or “Biden Wins”.

Whether you’re dancing in the streets in jubilation and relief, or find yourself in a state of abject disbelief, disappointment and despair, the decisions you and I will make in the coming hours, days and weeks, regardless of which side of the political aisle you choose to position yourself on will, in our opinion, turn out to be the most important decision we make with respect to the future of our country.

We see four basic choices:

First, if your candidate won, your default choice might be to gloat; self-righteously rubbing the noses of everybody on the other side, including family members, friends, neighbors, co-workers and strangers in their frustration, humiliation and defeat. Exuberant expressions of victory are one thing.  Mean-spirited gloating is another.

Second, is the choice to feed that beast of rageful anger, despair and/or grief by taking up arms with conspiracy theorists and those who are determined to vengefully contest the election at all costs? Legal issues supported by evidence must always be explored, but contempt prior to investigation is something else altogether.

Third, is the choice to temperately and rationally determine if there is in fact, a substantial, legal basis for contesting and/or challenging the results of this election? There arguably will be claims, investigations and possibly even recounts in the most closely contested areas in the weeks to come. Based on the evidence, if nothing untoward is found, will the disaffected be willing to suspend their disbelief, moving forward constructively and accepting the reality of the results?

Fourth is the inspired choice to join those in your community and across the nation who are determined to co-create a positive path forward for our cherished democracy? Will we be willing to come together with diehard patriots from the other side who are equally committed to building a trans-partisan roadmap to begin the healing, reconciliatory rebuilding of our deeply divided nation? Would you be willing to roll up your sleeves to help till the soil of common ground on which we can build the kind of safe, just and prosperous nation we all want for ourselves, our kids, our grandkids and future generations?

Once again, the whole world is watching.  Particularly our kids, so let us lead by example.

When the “future you” is being held to account; either by our own selves, or by the next generation(s) and are asked point blank where you stood on those fateful days in 2020, and asked whether you chose to encourage the divided states of America or united states of America, what will you say?

The most important question of the day, today is, “How will you and I elect to get there from here?” We think it is crystal clear what will happen if we choose gloating and/or vengeance. Oppositional defiantly disordered liberals and conservatives can only contribute to the increased escalation of dangerously political civil unrest. Without self-regulation our worst nature spills out of our heads and hearts into the streets, society, and by extension into our government.

Choosing instead to allow the courts to weigh the evidence of any electoral wrongdoing, evaluate whether it was enough to materially change the results of this election, and as needed support the transition of power will help our nation find its best path forward from 2020.

We are a great democracy in the throes of a historic and evolving experiment to create a more perfect union. Let’s all take some time to process, decompress, and recover from the stress of this vitriolic election, while giving others the grace to do the same- all while staying COVID safe and characterologically strong in our collective resolve to set the table for America’s best possible future as we approach the Thanksgiving holiday.  Please elect to support those who are doing what is best for America’s health and wellbeing, give our democratic institutions a chance to succeed, while personally modeling leadership by rolling up your sleeves and doing your part in voting America First. And let us ensure that our current leaders will follow suit.

We can get there from here. Please do the right thing. It is the right thing to do!

Speaking of Inspiring Veterans that were willing to come together with diehard patriots from the other side…

John McCain’s Concession Speech from the 2008 Election Has Gone Viral with Over 12 Million Views

Here it is (4 minutes)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v5Mba8ncBso

On a lighter note-
Brilliant Puns:

Thanks this week go to Ken D, Chris B, Bob C, and to all of you that serve and sacrifice for the betterment of humanity!
Please pay it forward
Love,
Neville

Follow me on Twitter: https://twitter.com/NevilleB108
Follow me on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/nbillimoria

Happy Soul Food Friday!

This week:

“I never considered a difference of opinion in politics, in religion, in philosophy, as cause for withdrawing from a friend.” – Thomas Jefferson to William Hamilton, April 22, 1801

“With malice toward none; with charity for all; with firmness in the right, as God gives us to see the right, let us strive on to finish the work we are in; to bind up the nation’s wounds…to do all which may achieve and cherish a just, and lasting peace, among ourselves, and with all nations.”
–President Abraham Lincoln, Second Inaugural Address, 1865

“Don’t Let Me Down”

Lake Street Dive – [The Beatles cover]:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fPYm5cjP23Q

Voting for AMERICA- No Matter Who Wins:
As we sit on the cusp of this historic and divisive election, I wanted to share this Op/Ed that Dr. Ken Druck and I co-authored, and was published in The Hill in Washington DC the evening before the election.
https://thehill.com/opinion/campaign/523997-voting-for-america-no-matter-who-wins
If you agree with our premise, please share this and help us spread the word, so we can meet this moment in our nation’s history, and through our collective will chart a civil course forward for every generation that follows…
Love,
Neville (and Ken)

The Real Choice is Between Trump and John Dewey: “Democracy is not something you have, it is something you work on together.” He is not up for election, but it is in his spirit that I have now voted by mail: the great American philosopher John Dewey. With him as our guide, we can restore American democracy
By Tim Whyte, U.S. Citizen and Secretary-General of MS.

When I recently mailed in my vote for the upcoming US presidential election, I was caught off guard by doubts: Is this worth it? Will my vote be counted at all or will it be discarded by the army of lawyers who, after the election, will try to have as many votes as possible declared invalid? Does it still make sense to maintain my citizenship in a country where the democracy and ideals I hold dear are all but publicly abandoned?

My doubts are partly related to the fact that it took an alarmingly long time to even get my ballot this year. At first I thought it was probably just because of the many absentee ballots this year. But soon my concerns grew: could it be deliberately mislaid? I could see on the Oregon Electoral Office website that my ballot had been sent, but after more than a month, I still had not received it. Finally the ballot arrived and I got to vote. But I was left with a question that I think many Americans share: how did we get to this point, where my first thought is whether my vote will even count this year?

There are indeed many things that are unusual about the US election this year, but one of the most worrying is that so many ordinary voters on both sides have gradually lost faith in the most fundamental thing in the democratic toolbox, namely the ability to hold a fair election. And with good reason. The president has thundered against the voting by mail which will be used by many millions of Americans (mostly Democrats) during the COVID crisis. Now we have an ugly mix of heavily armed civilian militias at the polls, restrictions on how ballots can be returned in some states, and an army of lawyers who are trying to discount as many votes as possible.

Seen from Denmark, it may seem like a peculiar way to decide an election. It is. But it is important to remember that the history of the United States is, in a way, a long struggle to expand the right to vote. The founding fathers’ battle cry of “no taxation without representation” was more groundbreaking as an idea than reality. From the Civil War to women’s suffrage and the civil rights movement, Americans have since fought to be allowed to vote. But unlike many other democracies, the exercise of restricting the right to vote is still today an active part of the Republican Party’s strategy of maintaining power. During the 2000 election, Republican lawyers stopped recounting of votes in Florida, where several thousand votes were declared invalid. That was probably crucial to Bush winning the election. Even then, Republicans called it a fight against voter fraud. The good news is that trying to restrict the right to vote usually motivates people to fight even harder to be allowed to vote. The preliminary figures this year also show that a historically large number of voters will vote this year.

But even though the conflicts over suffrage are old, there is still something special this year. For one thing is certain: no matter who wins this year, there will be millions of Americans who do not recognize the result. It is a problem that goes beyond the election process itself and is about a deeper democratic crisis in the United States. And it is here that the United States’ version of Grundtvig and/or Hal Koch, the great American philosopher John Dewey comes into the picture.

John Dewey said of democracy that it is more than a form of government. It’s a way of living together. The more I look at my second homeland now, the more I think about Dewey and what we have lost. Many Danes associate the United States with the extreme individualism that characterizes the Republican Party in particular today. But it is a simplified picture of American culture, society, and history that ignores a far more community-oriented spirit that characterized most of the last century. John Dewey was absolutely central to this. He was the greatest American philosopher and intellectual in the first half of the 20th century, but he was also a social reformer who played a crucial role in building the public education system and understanding democracy and society. Much of what he said about the basic form of democracy shows exactly where the country is off track today.

Take, for example, the resistance to wearing a face mask, which viewed from Denmark seems completely incomprehensible and which, according to the leading American epidemiologist, has made the corona pandemic significantly worse in the United States. The president, along with many Americans, has made this out to be a matter of individual freedom. But Dewey would say they have completely misunderstood freedom. One of Dewey’s basic points is that freedom is not something we are born with or can achieve alone. It is something we achieve through collaboration with others. My freedom to take the bus, send my children to school, participate in society and generally stay alive in the midst of a pandemic is conditional on others wanting to wear a face mask, maintain social distance and practice good hygiene. To put it another way: freedom is achieved through community cooperation.

Dewey says the same about equality. And that, in turn, is quite revealing of the vastly different ways Americans view the major social movements, BlackLivesMatter and MeToo. Republicans are allergic to all talk of systemic racism or sexism because everyone is born equal in the United States and therefore it is a mockery of the country and their self-esteem to claim that people’s conditions are different. Aka AllLivesMatter. But Dewey would say that equality is something we create for each other. That we obviously are born with different preconditions and perspectives on life, and the task of society must be to ensure that everyone has the best possible opportunities for growth.

Fundamentally, the democratic crisis in the United States is not just about a single president or presidential election. It is about rebuilding the democratic culture of the United States. According to Dewey, democratic culture is first and foremost about three things: our ability to influence the small and large communities of which we are a part; the ability of those communities to help us reach our potentials, and last but not least, our ability to be able to participate in several communities and groups across the board. In all three areas, the United States has been challenged by the extreme economic inequality that has developed over the last 40 years. The political system is deeply dependent on money and has given many ordinary voters an experience that they cannot really influence it, no matter who they vote for. Social mobility has stalled in the United States, so the American dream is in reality far more accessible in Denmark than it is in the United States today. And the polarization in media, education, income levels, and even voting districts has become so extreme that the various communities and groups in society are virtually living in different countries. Developments in social media in recent years have only made the polarization more extreme.

This is not the country that I love and feel a part of – I can barely recognize it. But in choosing to hold on to my American passport, it’s because there’s another story about the United States that’s worth fighting for. In deciding to be hopeful and use my right to vote, it is because – as Dewey said – democracy is not something you have, it is something you work on together. That work is imperfect and unfinished, and that is exactly why millions of Americans continue to engage. Movements such as BlackLivesMatter, MeToo and the climate fight have in recent years inspired not only Americans but people all over the world. And that work continues.

Peaceful Protesters Social Media Kit:
I get that many of us will be upset with the results given the polarizing nature of the election and divisiveness in our country.
That said, here are some tips on peaceful protesting that might serve us all well.

Sky Art By Mother Nature

Thanks this week go to Ken D, Elizabeth D and The Future Design Society, The San Diego Non-Violence Coalition,  Charles B & Larry H.
Please pay it forward with civility!
Love all,
Neville

Follow me on Twitter: https://twitter.com/NevilleB108
Follow me on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/nbillimoria

Happy Soul Food Friday!
This week:
Happiness, Unyte & Safe Voting!

PLEASE Vote!
And stay tuned for “Voting for America (No Matter Who Wins)

Was it really four years ago that we wrote an op-ed titled Making America Stronger (No Matter Who Wins)? Here we are again! Watch for the most recent one in the next couple of days…

Preventing and Countering Election-Motivated Violence Without Causing Panic:

At first glance, the terrorist threat that recently captivated the nation—a thwarted attempt by a militia cell to kidnap Governors Gretchen Whitmer and Ralph Northam—may appear to be an anomaly—a one-off plot hatched by a fringe group influenced by the “boogaloo” movement, but with fewer followers. Or it could be part of a pattern of growing extremist activity in the run up to the 2020 presidential elections. Our efforts at the Anti-Defamation League (ADL) currently focus on mitigating the potential for Election Day violence. https://www.lawfareblog.com/preventing-and-countering-election-motivated-violence-without-causing-panic

Pledge Civility 2020:
Join the nonpartisan call for a civil, respectful and safe election.
Make the civility pledge now!
https://www.peoplesallianceforjustice.net/pledgecivility

UNYTE #BeAnAlly:
Ross sits down to listen to people’s stories on what it’s like to be Black in America
The Unyte.Life brand promotes racial justice and equality by giving Black Americans and allies ways to express their goals through art, apparel, and more.
In doing so, people from all walks of life come together to create a better future for the America we all share.
Unyte is the brand for allies. Unyte is for you, your neighbor, your friend, your co-worker, your family… for everyone.
Join the movement and use your voice to make others heard.
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC7Q3SGVE9ZCmsrwR2bktHFA

Are We Trading Our Happiness for Modern Comforts?
As society gets richer, people chase the wrong things with Arthur C. Brooks

One of the greatest paradoxes in American life is that while, on average, existence has gotten more comfortable over time, happiness has fallen.
https://www.theatlantic.com/family/archive/2020/10/why-life-has-gotten-more-comfortable-less-happy/616807/

“Self-Care with Friends” with Kelli Pease:
I created the “Self-Care with Friends” workbook because of the difficulty I was having connecting with my friends over the last 6+ months during COVID. The workbook allows people to connect with friends and complete an 8-week self-care challenge together from a distance. I am giving the workbook away for free (both hard copies and digital copies) because I’m so passionate about helping people during 2020, a hard year for most of us. Here is the link to sign up: https://mailchi.mp/237f646afe08/self-care-workbook
The website: https://happsters.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/happsters/
Love, Kelli

The Beatles- We CAN Work it Out:
“In We Can Work It Out, Paul did the first half, I did the middle eight.
But you’ve got Paul writing, ‘We can work it out, we can work it out’ – real optimistic, y’know, and me impatient, ‘Life is very short and there’s no time for fussing and fighting my friend’.” (John Lennon)
Even the Beatles had to compromise and work it out and this video clip is adorable!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qyclqo_AV2M

Thanks this week go to Carl L, Ken D, Ross G, Arthur B & Kelli P.
Please pay it forward and please VOTE!
Love all,
Neville

Follow me on Twitter: https://twitter.com/NevilleB108
Follow me on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/nbillimoria

Happy Soul Food Friday
This week:
Soul Soothing and Soul Searching- starting with some warm and fuzzies and leaving with some tough decisions…

The Love Story We All Need Right Now- My Octopus Teacher
My Octopus Teacher could have easily joined the bloated canon of creative works by men who decide to rediscover their purpose by connecting with the rugged natural world.
But it falls into no such trap. Instead, the film captures one of the most touching accounts of interspecies friendships ever to grace the world. 
https://www.thecut.com/2020/09/my-octopus-teacher-on-netflix-is-the-love-story-we-need.html

Give me Love, Give me Peace on Earth:
Something to soothe your soul…
https://www.youtube.com/watch?vv=s-KAvPbO8JY

Unity Day was Wednesday, October 21, 2020
Wear and share orange to show that we are together against bullying, and united for kindness, acceptance, and inclusion any day that moves you.

https://www.pacer.org/bullying/nbpm/unity-day.asp

Getting Political-

Vote and Help Get Out the Vote Whatever You Believe!

If you have already voted, thank you.

If you have already decided who you are going to vote for, please vote your conscience.

If you are committed to getting out the vote, we are down to the short strokes so get busy!

If you still haven’t decided, purportedly around 10% of Americans have not, here are some parting resources & thoughts as we get closer to election day…

You are probably not surprised who I am supporting in the election.

We were disappointed to have our yard sign defaced and this was our reaction:

Get ready to cast your ballot with the help of the KPBS Voter Guide!

To see what’s on a ballot based on a specific location, enter an address or ZIP code.

Click here to learn how to use the KPBS Voter Guide.

Please note: an email address is not required, but feel free to enter it if you’d like to get the latest news including all of our election coverage via email.
https://www.kpbs.org/news/election/

USA TODAY EDITORIAL BOARD: Elect Joe Biden. Reject Donald Trump.
Our View: In 2016, we broke tradition in urging you not to vote for Trump. Now we’re making our first presidential endorsement. We hope it’s our last.

Recent polls show that more than 90% of voters have decided between Biden and Trump, and nothing at this point will change their minds. This editorial is for those of you who are still uncertain about which candidate to vote for, or whether to vote at all. It’s also for those who settled on Trump but might be having last-minute doubts.
https://www.usatoday.com/in-depth/opinion/todaysdebate/2020/10/20/elect-joe-biden-reject-donald-trump-editorials-debates/5919435002/

The Lincoln Project: Career Republicans Call on America to Vote Out President Trump: A group of longtime Republican strategists who have worked with the likes of John McCain and George W. Bush have launched a scorching campaign against the President
https://www.cbsnews.com/news/the-lincoln-project-republican-strategists-super-pac-trump-60-minutes-2020-10-11/

Why People Who Hate Trump Stick With Him
Since 2018, I’ve conducted roughly 50 focus groups with Trump voters to understand the shifting dynamics within the Republican Party.
https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/2020/10/why-people-who-hate-trump-stick-him/616758/

Thanks this week go to my Conscious Leader Brothers & Sisters, and to everyone that is voting- both at the ballot box and with their pocketbook.

Please pay it forward with courage and consideration!
Love all,
Neville

Follow me on Twitter: https://twitter.com/NevilleB108
Follow me on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/nbillimoria

This week:

“The greatest threat to our planet is the belief that someone else will save it.”

Local Land Acknowledgment:

I acknowledge the First Nations people throughout the world and recognize their continuing connection to land, waters and community.

I recognize San Diego was built upon the unceded territory of the Kumeyaay Nation

I pay my respects to the Kumeyaay people, culture and elders; past, present and emerging.

I am honored- and I hope you feel the same way- to share this space with them…

This is my message to the western world – your civilization is killing life on Earth
We Indigenous people are fighting to save the Amazon, but the whole planet is in trouble because you do not respect it, says Indigenous campaigner Nemonte Nenquimo

https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2020/oct/12/western-worldyour-civilisation-killing-life-on-earth-indigenous-amazon-planet?CMP=oth_b-aplnews_d-1

Love all must include the whole planet!

Think Global. Act Local.

Local Change Is Creating Big Impact:

While the federal government is dismantling protections for our environment, climate, and health, towns, cities, and states across the nation are continuing to fight back. Local communities are stepping up to fight the climate crisis, transition to clean energy, protect safe water and clean air, safeguard wild places, and help secure a more sustainable and equitable future for all. States are taking bold climate action and transitioning their economies to clean, renewable energy. A rundown of some of our most significant wins in communities across the country.

https://www.nrdc.org/stories/local-change-creating-big-impact?fbclid=IwAR1Rtm38doeYaZZmSAMLocpOq0Gw5yDjh2eGj_d8lDiPGBQDrZbbgy3DSC0

Distant Early Warning- Rush
A musical reminder from one of the great Rock and Roll bands

On a more Positive Note-
Here is a list of 22 positive things that are happening in the world: https://www.investmentwatchblog.com/here-is-a-list-of-22-positive-things-that-are-happening-in-the-world/

A President We Can All Get Behind-

3,200 Years In One Photograph:

3200 YEARS IN ONE PHOTOGRAPH

~ AT SEQUOIA NATIONAL PARK ~

Thankfully, no loggers took it down, nor forest fires or earthquakes!Just a quiet life in a California forest for all these years …3,200!

Not every tree has a nickname, but ‘The President’ has earned it.

This giant sequoia stands at 247 feet tall & is estimated to be over 3,200 years old.

Imagine, this tree was already 700 years old during the height of ancient Greece’s civilization and1200 years old when Jesus lived while Rome was well into its rule of most of the western world and points beyond.

The trunk of The President measures 27 feet across,with 2 BILLION needles from base to top.

Because of its unbelievable size, this tree has never been photographed in its entirety, until now.

National Geographic photographers have worked along with scientists to try and create the firstphoto that shows The President in all its glory

They had to  climb the tree with pulleys and levers and took thousands of photos.

Of those, they selected 126 and stitched them together to get this incredible portrait of  The President.And here it is:

The man standing near the trunk of the tree is a good indicator of the tree’s size.

Incredible, isn’t it?

Thanks this week go to Indigenous People the world over, and locally to Sanya D, Feroza A, Luisa N & Larry H.
Consider paying it forward.
Love all,
Neville

Follow me on Twitter: https://twitter.com/NevilleB108
Follow me on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/nbillimoria

“If you have come to help me, you are wasting your time. But if you have come because your liberation is bound up with mine, then let us walk together…”

— Lila Watson, Australian Aboriginal woman, in response to mission workers

Happy Soul Food Friday!

This week:

• Creating Our Own Happiness
• The World Happiness Report 2020
• Addressing the Personal Energy Crisis &
• The Comedy Wildlife Photography Awards

Global Reality in Many Cases, Mirrors a Personal Reality:

Humanity stands at a crossroads.
Depending on the choices we make now, future generations will either look back at our time with anger or with gratitude.
Currently, we are set on the former course. If we continue our reckless over-consumption of resources and destruction of the environment, driven by an insatiable appetite for economic growth, our descendants will face a world of scarcity, uncertainty and conflict.
Not surprisingly, global reality in many cases, mirrors a personal reality, where our careless over-expenditure and mis-management of personal energy inevitably lead to “emissions” (toxic outputs) and “exhaust” (debilitating stress and burnout).
Sadly, neither the dominant economic paradigm, nor the dominant health paradigm of the last 30 years has been the “solution set” we’re seeking…
Both Mother Earth (Pandemic + Climate Change) & Father Profit (Economic Meltdown) at the Macro and Micro levels are saying, “No MAS!”

Want to Be Happier? Make More Free Time (from Harvard Business School):

Enjoying life requires time, but too often we willingly give it away in pursuit of money and career. 
Too much work and not enough play is making an increasing number of people feel “time poor”—stressed from having too many things to do and not enough time to do them. In 2011, 70 percent of working Americans reported that they “never had enough time,” and by 2018, that number increased to 80 percent, according to Gallup US Daily Poll data.
https://hbswk.hbs.edu/item/want-to-be-happier-make-more-free-time?cid=spmailing-32621043-WK%20Newsletter%2010-07-2020%20(1)-October%2007,%202020

World Happiness Report 2020

The World Happiness Report is a landmark survey of the state of global happiness that ranks 156 countries by how happy their citizens perceive themselves to be.
The World Happiness Report 2020 for the first time ranks cities around the world by their subjective well-being and digs more deeply into how the social, urban and natural environments combine to affect our happiness.

Spoiler Alert: The top ten are clearly dominated by Scandinavian cities: Helsinki (Finland) and Aarhus (Denmark) are ranked first and second, Copenhagen (Denmark), Bergen (Norway), and Oslo (Norway) fifth, sixth, and seventh. Stockholm (Sweden) comes out ninth. Thus, more than half of the top ten cities worldwide according to how positively their inhabitants currently evaluate their lives are located in Scandinavia. Two of the top ten cities are located in Australia and New Zealand: Wellington, the capital of New Zealand, is ranked third and Brisbane (Australia) is ranked tenth. The only top ten cities that are not located in either Scandinavia or Australia and New Zealand are Zurich (Switzerland) and Tel Aviv (Israel).

Stay Happy!
https://worldhappiness.report/ed/2020/#read

The Personal Energy Crisis:

Mobilizing a global movement toward Health, Happiness & Well Being

Inspired by The Happy Planet Index 2.0- Why good lives don’t have to cost the Earth

Who would have “thunk”, 7 years ago, when I put this together, that we would find ourselves here at this crossroad with this complexity…

Finally, this should make you happy!

The Comedy Wildlife Photography Awards: An owl dangling precariously from a branch has scooped the overall prize of this year’s  Comedy Wildlife Photography Awards. Out of the 3,500 entries, Tibor Kercz won the overall prize with his series of images showing an owl losing its footing and trying to claw its way back on to a branch.  Other entrants included a yawning dormouse,  a photo bombing sea turtle and a rather shocked seal.  Take a look at all the winning photos from the competition. Tibor Kercz’s photo of an undignified owl was the overall winner

Andrea Zampatti  won the Land category with a photograph of a dormouse

Troy Maynewon Under The Sea category with a photobombing sea turtle

John Threlfall won the In The Air category with a bird and an ominous vapor trail

‘Highly Commended’ photos:

Daisy Gilardini photographed a polar bear clinging on to its mother

Penny Palmer caught a sea otter reaching for the sky

Carl Henry’s was highly commended for his photo entitled All Dressed And Ready For Church

Olivier Colle spotted a hare munching on grass

Katy Laveck-Foster snapped two cheeky monkeys

Jean-Jacques Alcalay captured the moment it looked as though a wildebeest was riding on the back of its companions

George Cathcart was highly commended for his photo entitled WTF

Douglas Croft caught a fox getting a hole in one on a golf course

Daniel Trim snapped two mudskippers appearing to be in mid-song

Thanks this week go to Bob C for the great pics and to all of you investing in our collective happiness!
Please pay it forward.
Love all,
Neville

“The U.S. Constitution doesn’t guarantee happiness, only the pursuit of it. You have to catch up to it yourself.”– Benjamin Franklin

Follow me on Twitter: https://twitter.com/NevilleB108
Follow me on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/nbillimoria

Happy Soul Food Friday!

This week: “They’re living our dreams. And I love it.”

Perspective-

Imagine If You Were Born in 1900:
Think we have it tough? This will give you some perspective on our current conditions…
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0B9pAs8aYGQ

What to Do When the Future Feels Hopeless:
Humans like to feel optimistic about and in control of where their life is headed. The pandemic has made it very hard to feel that way.
https://www.theatlantic.com/family/archive/2020/09/what-do-when-future-feels-hopeless/616448/

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Celebrating Women-

Last Sunday was International Daughter’s Day!

The observance began in India as a way to eliminate the stigma associated with giving birth to a daughter. To this day, in some parts of the world, male children have more value than female children. This day promotes equal value for both boys and girls, ensuring both are educated and provided with equal opportunities. Even if you missed it last Sunday, celebrate your daughter this week!

Spend the day with your daughters. Allow them to teach you something you didn’t already know. Listen to their aspirations. No matter their age, look forward to where your daughters will take you, and the adventures that are ahead… Raise a Glass to These Daughters!

The Original 9, a group of nine women’s tennis players who symbolically signed $1 contracts 30 years ago in September 1970  to help establish the first women’s professional tennis tournament. Their dream was to get the same level of recognition enjoyed by their male counterparts, and their actions laid the foundation for the success of women’s tennis as we know it. While there’s still a ways to go for equal pay and recognition, the success of tennis stars like Serena Williams and US Open Champ Naomi Osaka is proof that their legacy lives on. “When I see them getting big checks and winning matches and seeing all the attention they get, then our dreams have come true,” says Billie Jean King, a member of the Original 9. “They’re living our dreams. And I love it.”

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History Repeats Itself-

The History Behind Dr. Martin Luther King Jr’s “I Have a Dream Speech”:
How we got there…
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vP4iY1TtS3s

MLK’s “I Have a Dream” speech in its entirety:
Sure seems just as relevant and resonant today!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vP4iY1TtS3s

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Creating Our Own Future-

“The future is not the result of choices among alternative paths offered by the present, but a place that is created – created first in the mind and will, and created next in activity.
The future is not some place we are going to, but one we are creating.
The paths are not to be found, but made, and the activity of making them changes both the maker and the destination.” –John Scharr

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Scientific American Endorses Joe Biden
We’ve never backed a presidential candidate in our 175-year history—until now.
https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/scientific-american-endorses-joe-biden/

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National Security Leaders for Biden: AN OPEN LETTER TO AMERICA

We are 489 retired Generals, Admirals, Senior Noncommissioned Officers, Ambassadors and Senior Civilian National Security Officials supporting Joe Biden for President.
https://www.nationalsecurityleaders4biden.com/?fbclid=IwAR2RzYLMwBoUngugHbbhm3YBeFu074_uVSTztyZobZGUgwvTbd2Jqg564lY

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Whatever You Believe: VOTE and Help Get Out the Vote!

Covid Humor:

New Monthly Budget-
Gas $30
Entertainment $100 (all those streaming channels…)
Clothes $0
Groceries $1,524.50

I told my suitcases there would be no vacation this year. Now, I am dealing with emotional baggage.

I sneezed in front of my laptop & the anti-virus started a scan on its own.

A wise man once told his son: when you accumulate the understanding to know why pizza is made round, put in a square box, & eaten in triangles then & only then will you be able to understand women.

Lockdown & social distancing can go four ways. You’ll come out a monk, a hunk, a chunk, or a drunk. Choose wisely.

Someone just used my driveway to turn around; now I am standing outside with 2 open beers and a lonely face.

Remember BC … we used to eat cake after someone had blown on it? Now that I am living through a plague, I totally understand why Italian renaissance paintings are full of naked fat people lying on couches.

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Thanks this week go to Bob C, Luis N, Chris B, Dan L Charles B, Mehrad N, and Larry H.
Please Pay it Forward, Live Your Dreams and Help Others Live Theirs!

Love,
Neville

Two roads diverged in a wood, and I – I took the one less traveled by, And that has made all the difference.”

– Robert Frost (1874 – 1963)American Poet

Follow me on Twitter: https://twitter.com/NevilleB108
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Happy Soul Food Friday!

“Real change, enduring change, happens one step at a time.”
– Ruth Bader Ginsburg

This week:
Striving for Balance:

Equinox Blessings for Balance in Our Inner and Outer Nature from Billy S:

Aloha Friends,

The Autumnal Equinox is Tuesday, September 22, 2020 at 6:30 am PDT.
It marks the start of Autumn for us in the Northern Hemisphere.  For our friends in the Southern Hemisphere, Spring has just begun.

The Equinox reminds us about the passage of time, the motion of the Earth, and the changing of the seasons. After the Autumnal equinox, the days become shorter and the air cooler. 

Translated literally, equinox means “equal night”.  On the equinox, the length of day and night is nearly equal in all parts of the world. Twelve hours of each, because the sun is positioned above the equator. It’s one of two times a year that the day and night are about the same length.

On this day, the Sun rises directly in the East, and sets directly in the West.

Wishing you a special day, symbolic of balance in our life and with the environment.

Stay in tune with nature and health, Billy

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United Nations International Day of Peace Sept 21, 2020: Shaping Peace Together:

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Each year the International Day of Peace is observed around the world on 21 September. The UN General Assembly has declared this as a day devoted to strengthening the ideals of peace, through observing 24 hours of non-violence and cease-fire. This year, it has been clearer than ever that we are not each other’s enemies. Rather, our common enemy is a tireless virus that threatens our health, security and very way of life. COVID-19 has thrown our world into turmoil and forcibly reminded us that what happens in one part of the planet can impact people everywhere.
https://www.un.org/en/observances/international-day-peace

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National Voter Registration Day 2020:

Voting has never been more important, regardless of your political ideology.

60% of eligible voters are never asked to register. Let’s not allow that to be an excuse.

Register now and get your mail in ballots here!
https://nationalvoterregistrationday.org/

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Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Champion Of Gender Equality, Dies At 87
Ginsburg, the second woman to serve on the Supreme Court, died from complications from cancer. Her death will set in motion what promises to be a tumultuous political battle over who will succeed her.

Ginsburg’s death on Rosh Hashanah is especially significant for some Jewish (and non-Jewish) Americans:

Ginsburg, the first female Jewish member of the U.S. Supreme Court, died on one of the holiest days in Judaism, as many of the country’s nearly six million Jews welcomed the new year 5781, based on the Hebrew calendar. Ginsburg was raised in a secular household, but explained in 2018 that her religious background influenced her life’s work: “I am a judge, born, raised and proud of being a Jew. The demand for justice, for peace and for enlightenment runs through the entirety of Jewish history and Jewish tradition.”
https://news.yahoo.com/ginsburgs-death-rosh-hashanah-especially-212022821.html

I found this quote about how she’d like to be remembered—deeply moving: “Someone who used whatever talent she had to do her work to the very best of her ability. And to help repair tears in her society, to make things a little better through the use of whatever ability she has.”

And it reminded me of hearing about this Jewish sentiment and concept:

The “Notorious RBG” was one of my living hero’s, and my heart is broken for our loss of her as a champion for women and for the historically marginalized members of our world. 

As we process, this loss, along with so many others, while celebrating her life and contributions, maybe the following can lighten our load and lift our hearts…

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A Prospective Antidote for Some of Our Pain:

This vid should warm your heart…

Dog Rides Bus Alone

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A Trace of Grace:

If music is one way to access that inner place of both suffering and healing, this piece from an entirely different tradition, might help you feel the full extent of your emotions:

Turn it Up and Lean In!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cHkXM-i_1MU&feature=youtu.be

Thanks this week go to Billy S, the Notorious RBG, Larry H, Glenda O and Arman S-B.

Pay it forward!
Love,
Neville

Bonus Reel: September by Earth Wind and Fire!
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=Gs069dndIYk

Follow me on Twitter: https://twitter.com/NevilleB108
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Happy Soul Food Friday!

This week:

New Jersey man spots Ocean Beach trash volunteers on web cam where Two homeless men have picked up litter every day for four years
“We are homeless, not moral-less. My dad taught me the first time I went fishing you always make a place look better than when you got there”…
“Thank you for being a good citizen. More people need to take a page out of their book. God bless them, that’s amazing.”
https://www.cbs8.com/article/news/local/zevely-zone/new-jersey-man-spots-ocean-beach-trash-volunteers-on-web-cam/509-e4c09d6a-a026-45d1-b16d-81e7a51aa2de

Robin Williams As the American Flag
Comedic Inspiration & Patriotism for the week after 9/11
https://www.youtube.com/embed/Q_L1vLv84vs

This Quick Morning Ritual is the Perfect Way to Start Your Day, Says This Former Monk
A former monk turned purpose coach and digital media producer is connecting business leaders to the power of thinking like a monk with 4 steps to mental mastery
“The ultimate form of mastery that hardly receives fanfare is being able to personally master your own mind”
https://www.inc.com/marcel-schwantes/this-quick-morning-ritual-is-perfect-way-to-start-your-day-says-this-former-monk.html

Where the Docs Go for the Real Scoop on the Covid Pandemic:
Harvard Medical Grand Rounds with Dr. Fauci
You can start at the 4 minute mark if you want to dispense with introductions and even play it at fast speed if you are in a New York State of mind
2020.09.10 Harvard Medical Grand Rounds

Growing Mindsets, Heartsets & Skillsets-
Whether Just Starting Your Career or Striving to Be CEO, Here are 3 Opportunities Next Week to Advance Your Purpose and Conscious Leadership Aspirations
Must Be Present To Win!

1. Do What You Love. Make a Difference. Live Your Dreams.
   An Interactive Webinar for Recent College Grads Navigating A Post Covid Era
   Tuesday Sept 22^nd from Noon to 1:30p Pacific

2. Leading Consciously in Times of Challenge
An Interactive and Appreciative Inquiry-based Experience
September 23rd 2020 from Noon to 1:30 PDT

We find ourselves in extraordinary times. The coronavirus pandemic has added a significant amount of stress and uncertainty to existing life and work demands.
For many, these challenges trigger a reactive mindset with fear-based thoughts and feelings that can lead to disconnection, which has been intensified with social distancing.

Since we are all fundamentally wired to connect—and leadership is an act of influence where everyone “leads from their seat”—mindset is emotionally and socially contagious.

Now more than ever, it’s vital for all of us to engage in a creative leadership mindset.
This includes ways to lead consciously and stay connected within ourselves and with what matters most, in order to elevate ourselves and others for the benefit of everyone we serve.
This is particularly important at this moment in time where it is vital that we double down on a commitment to diversity, inclusion, justice and equality.

In this interactive session on “Leading Consciously in Times of Challenge,” I’ve invited my dear friend and beloved colleague, Dr. Daniel Friedland to share with us a neuroscience-based perspective to frame the leadership challenges we are facing, as well as facilitate a powerful appreciative-inquiry based experience to help us reflect on, share and find inspiration on how to advance our growth as conscious leaders in these challenging times.

“Dr. Danny,” as he is affectionately known by many is a leadership trainer and coach, CEO of SuperSmartHealth, and the author of Leading Well from Within: A Neuroscience and Mindfulness-Based Framework for Conscious Leadership. You can learn more about him and his work here.

Register here for the Sept 23^rd event as this will likely fill up:
https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZIqcuivqD4oHNIzpT8_veRNaTeA0HM5yiSK

Thanks this week go to Bob C, Larry H, Paul C, Marcy M, Danny F, Eric K and you for reading this far!
Pay it forward. You are the one this world has been waiting for…

Love all,
Neville

Follow me on Twitter: https://twitter.com/NevilleB108
Follow me on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/nbillimoria

This week:

Heart Openers-

This Charming 7 Year Old Boy Hands Out Tickets (and Flowers) and Will Make Your Heart Sing!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oS4tUEpch7g

Black Single Mom with $7 to Her Name Donates Lottery Winnings to Police Officer Shot on Duty
There is still hope for humanity & how America heals, everyone.…
https://pjmedia.com/culture/jeff-reynolds/2020/07/21/black-single-mom-with-7-to-her-name-donates-lottery-winnings-to-police-officer-shot-on-duty-n669378

The ABCs of Conscious Capitalism for Kids
Kidpreneurs Spotlight

Growing Mindsets, Heartsets & Skillsets-
Do What You Love. Make a Difference. Live Your Dreams.
An Interactive Webinar for Recent College Grads Navigating A Post Covid Era Tuesday Sept 22^nd from Noon to 1:30p Pacific

Leading Consciously in Times of Challenge
An Interactive and Appreciative Inquiry-based Experience
September 23rd 2020 from Noon to 1:30 PDT

Here’s the registration link for our session:
https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZIqcuivqD4oHNIzpT8_veRNaTeA0HM5yiSK

We find ourselves in extraordinary times. The coronavirus pandemic has added a significant amount of stress and uncertainty to existing life and work demands.

For many, these challenges trigger a reactive mindset with fear-based thoughts and feelings that can lead to disconnection, which has been intensified with social distancing.

Since we are all fundamentally wired to connect—and leadership is an act of influence where everyone “leads from their seat”—mindset is emotionally and socially contagious.

Now more than ever, it’s vital for all of us to engage in a creative leadership mindset.
This includes ways to lead consciously and stay connected within ourselves and with what matters most, in order to elevate ourselves and others for the benefit of everyone we serve.
This is particularly important at this moment in time where it is vital that we double down on a commitment to diversity, inclusion, justice and equality.

In this interactive session on “Leading Consciously in Times of Challenge,” I’ve invited my dear friend and beloved colleague, Dr. Daniel Friedland to share with us a neuroscience-based perspective to frame the leadership challenges we are facing, as well as facilitate a powerful appreciative-inquiry based experience to help us reflect on, share and find inspiration on how to advance our growth as conscious leaders in these challenging times.

“Dr. Danny,” as he is affectionately known by many is a leadership trainer and coach, CEO of SuperSmartHealth, and the author of Leading Well from Within: A Neuroscience and Mindfulness-Based Framework for Conscious Leadership. You can learn more about him and his work here.

Register here for the Sept 23^rd event as this will likely fill up:
https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZIqcuivqD4oHNIzpT8_veRNaTeA0HM5yiSK

Pictures that Color:
Enjoy the power of color with just the click of a mouse
https://mp.weixin.qq.com/s/cj2hkTMugQvaGFvw_MsAzg

Covid Confusion
What day is it, what room are we in?

Thanks this week go to Larry H, Marcy M, Danny F, Bob C & Kurt C

Please pay it forward, vote and help get out the vote- whatever your affiliations
Love,
Neville

“Closing down in the midst of pain is a denial of a man’s true nature.
A superior man is free in feeling and action, even amidst great pain and hurt.
If necessary, a man should live with a hurting heart rather than a closed one.” 
–Author David Deida

Follow me on Twitter: https://twitter.com/NevilleB108
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