11/29/06

It is our choices, Harry, that show what we truly are, far more than our abilities. ~ Albus Dumbledore, Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets

11/28/06

Art and music are the drugs of choice for millions of kids. If we expect them to just say no to a chemical high, we must recognize the healing alternative: their own creativity. Demand and support the real anti-drug program -- arts in education. ~ Fred Babb

11/27/06

Nothing is more satisfying than to improve the world in ways that you approve of. ~ David Campbell, Take the Road to Creativity and Get Off Your Dead End

11/23/06

If the only prayer you say in your whole life is 'thank you,' that would suffice. ~ Meister Eckhart

happy thanksgiving to you and yours!

11/22/06 - happy 50th ginger!

"Brilliant!" ~ Harry Potter

happy birthday to one of my favorite muggles! ;)

11/20/06

Sometimes you need more confidence than the facts dictate. ~ The Little Book of Big Ideas

11/16/06

The power of ideals is incalculable. ~ The Little Book of Big Ideas

11/14/06

There are many things in life that will catch your eye, but only a few will catch your heart. Pursue these. ~ The Little Book of Big Ideas

11/13/06

You can’t stop the waves, but you can learn to surf. ~ Jack Kornfield

daughter of an immigrant

on december 23rd, 1951, a 36-year-old bulgarian man boarded a ship in bremerhaven, germany bound for a new life. he arrived at the port of new york on january 9, 1952.

this man was my father.

i am the daughter of an immigrant. the daughter of a man who had the courage to board a ship for a new life in a new world. certainly he must have handed down some of that courage to me. in tribute to him, i shall endeavor to make the most of that courage.

this morning, with some help from my sister, i found the ship's manifest that listed my dad's name. the file is about 1mb - click on the small image below if you would like to view it.

we are all descendents of immigrants, we all carry their courage in our genes. what amazing things we can accomplish with that courage.

manifest of the usns general greely, january 9, 1952

11/9/06

Look, I don't want to wax philosophic, but I will say that if you're alive you've got to flap your arms and legs, you've got to jump around a lot, for life is the very opposite of death, and therefore you must at very least think noisy and colorfully, or you're not alive. - Mel Brooks

11/7/06

The greatest discovery of our age is that people can alter their reality by altering their states of mind. ~ William James

11/6/06

The average pencil is seven inches long, with just a half-inch eraser—in case you thought optimism was dead. --Robert Brault, software developer, writer (1972- ) (thank you ginger!)

11/2/06

To dare is to lose one’s footing momentarily. To not dare is to lose oneself. ~ Soren Kierkegaard