Wordplay: See ya.
Writings: Enough, with Derek Sivers
Let me be the 101st parrot.
Regular Brother Ian readers (that would be you, because you’re here, hey) know that the editorial staff and I are huge Derek Sivers fans. I was just telling this little story to a young monk yesterday. It was a nice touch when I told him two other stories, and asked if he would like to hear another and he smiled, “No, that’s enough.”
Here’s Derek’s little essay:
+++++++
You Have Enough, by Derek SIvers
I love my Kindle and E71 but you won’t hear me rave about them. I don’t want you to want them.
Companies spend a fortune begging you to want their stuff. I won’t add to that noise.
Retail therapy is the worst kind.
I’d like to get 100 parrots and teach them to say “It won’t make you happy!” – then let them loose in shopping malls, big electronics stores, and car lots.
Then, when people are considering spending thousands of dollars on a giant TV, or going deeply in debt with a new car, a surprising squawk might shock them back to their senses.
The quickest way to double your income is to halve your expenses. Any study of happiness will tell you it’s best to actively appreciate what you’ve got.
I feel a responsibility with my PA system of blog, Twitter, and Facebook to only put helpful thoughts into the world.
So, no product raves here. You already have more than you need.
At a party given by a billionaire on Shelter Island, Kurt Vonnegut tells his friend, Joseph Heller, that their host, a hedge fund manager, had made more money in a single day than Heller had earned from his wildly popular novel Catch-22 over its whole history.
Heller said, “Yes, but I have something he will never have: Enough.”
Poetry: Expect Nothing, by Alice Walker
Expect nothing. Live frugally
On surprise.
Become a stranger
To need of pity
Or, if compassion be freely
Given out
Take only enough
Stop short of urge to plead
Then purge away the need.
Wish for nothing larger
Than your own small heart
Or greater than a star;
Tame wild disappointment
With caress unmoved and cold
Make of it a parka
For your soul.
Discover the reason why
So tiny human midget
Exists at all
So scared unwise
But expect nothing. Live frugally
On surprise.
Alice Walker
Starpeople: NASA chief scientist predicts proving extraterrestrial life with 10 years…
A few weeks ago, NASA chief scientist Ellen Stofan made news by saying, “I think we’re going to have strong indications of life beyond Earth within a decade, and I think we’re going to have definitive evidence within 20 to 30 years.” It was a bold statement, but NASA is now backing those words with action.
The field of astrobiology just got a significant boost thanks an ambitious new alien-hunting initiative launched by NASA. Called NExSS, the initiative will bring together an impressive array of experts and teams across a variety of scientific fields.
Here’s more, in the story posted at io9.com, by George Dvorsky.
Poetry of Music: Love Song to Mother Earth, with Briar’s Child (it’s everywhere!)
When you hear Briar’s Child (Cassie O’Sullivan and Jon Loyd)’s song “Love Song to Mother Earth,” it’s great – it weaves the images of a planet whose people are locked in a struggle to hurt it (some folks) and protect her from that (other folks).
It offers a frank admission of wonder of her glory while admitting to being scared where this seems to be going.
The video is here as well (if you want to share it)...thank you, Jon & Cassie!
Love Song to Mother Earth from Briar’s Child on Vimeo.
Thoughts: Earth Day, and going home….
Poetry in music: David Attenborough, with what a beautiful world we live in (a reminder!)
One of the most beautiful songs on the planet is “Wonderful World,” by Louie Armstrong, and some of the most beautiful photographic reminders come from the BBC’s video archives…
Put them together with David Attenborough sharing the words, and you have a quick two-minute reminder that we live in a pretty cool place.
Starpeople: Orbs over Atlanta….
What do you do when you see orbs flying along with your plane? Grab your camera phone, of course.
That’s what someone did & captured the film below. It’s hard to explain, but the article makes a go of it, in a refreshingly unconvinced voice that also suggests there are parts of the film that are not easily (or at all!) explained…here’s their story.
Reminds me of the Phoenix Lights, which even the governor admitted to watching…
About Brother Ian
Over the centuries, Brother Ian has been collecting stories & information & discourses for the purpose of elevating the human condition as needed, dissecting it when necessary, and building the case for hope.
In the spirit of noting that organized crime, organized baseball, organized labour, and organized religion tend to engender controversy & occasional discord, I promise to be neither organized or critical of those who are.