Gaia Community: thinq4yourself's Blog

Take a Lighter Flight

http://thinq4yourself.gaia.com — Thu, 15 Oct 2009 16:39:01 GMT

A new post on climate change is up on All You Can Green. Just follow this link to read it. ... http://allyoucangreen.com/2009/10/15/take-a-lighter-flight

Take a Lighter Flight for Blog Action Day

Tags: climate change, environment, blog action day, terapass

Falling Slowly

http://thinq4yourself.gaia.com — Wed, 18 Mar 2009 03:37:37 GMT

I started watching this movie tonight by accident and this scene with a melow duette grabbed my attention. They were sitting in a music store, he had a guitar and she sat at the piano. The rest is history. The song was amazing. And a very good movie.

Take this sinking boat and point it home
We've still got time
Raise your hopeful voice you have a choice
You'll make it now

Falling Slowly

Tags: hope, contentment, love, excitement, movie, music, new, old

Gone Baby Gone!

http://thinq4yourself.gaia.com — Thu, 05 Mar 2009 16:22:28 GMT

OK, So I haven't been on Gaia in a while or blogged in a while. Life's been busy throwing me struggle after struggle...which has been a great experience of learning & growth (got to look on the flip-side)!

But today I found myself looking at the last time I wrote here, and I wanted to follow up on Coming back to my Hometown with...

Gone Baby Gone to...

St Petersburg

and loving it. A good move, a good place, and good times. More to come...

Tags: home, change

Coming back to my Hometown

http://thinq4yourself.gaia.com — Tue, 11 Nov 2008 13:56:21 GMT

Sarasota, Florida is on the surface a clean-cut wealthy and elegant town, but on the back roads and behind some of the better neighborhoods you'll find hidden areas of slum, where hookers, crack heads and criminals collaborate together to further perpetuate their poor quality of life. If you are already prone to this kind of behavior, you will likely be able to sniff out likeminded individuals. If you are not, you should be careful, as this lifestyle is easy to get sucked into. From living in Sarasota and Siesta Key for most of my life, I have witnessed so many people lose everything in their life due to drugs and excessive/compulsive/addictive partying, and a lifestyle where spending all day cooking out at the beach far outweighs the money they are losing from not showing up to work. It's very sad, but seemingly one of those habits people just get stuck in and can never find their way out of....in my hometown.

I am middleclass...neither wealthy or poor, not at all interested in substance abuse, and make a very fun & rewarding living. Although, I have been known to kick back a few too many naked juices, but that's about it.

What am I doing here? This is the question I keep asking myself after leaving 4 years ago and coming back. Either way, I am here, so I must make the best of it. But I do not think that I intend on staying for long...

Tags: home, hometown, sarasota, florida, drugs, crime, decisions, change

the only way i can describe this...

http://thinq4yourself.gaia.com — Sat, 04 Oct 2008 20:55:51 GMT

It both utterly amazes & fascinates me that when I sit & listen to conservatives, especially Christian Conservatives (Religious Right) talk about politics, is that the only way they know how to get involved is to smear their "opponent", using their Religion to help them choose their political stance. Why is it that they always seem to be "against" something, instead of just "for" something? A personal campaign ran on negativity against something instead of positivity for something. I just don't get it. Well, this is for the "followers"...

THERE is no such thing as a "Christian politics." If it is a politics, it cannot be Christian. Jesus told Pilate: "My reign is not of this present order. If my reign were of this present order, my supporters would have fought against my being turned over to the Jews. But my reign is not here" (John 18:36). Jesus brought no political message or program.

I hope that one day everyone, especially the religious right, actually spends time on issues instead of smear campaigns. Please, wake up.

THERE is no such thing as "Christian politics."
Jesus brought no political message or program.
Jesus was not a conservative. A Republican. A Democrat.
He was an Independent. He listened to the issues, regardless of who brought them.

So, if we were to take a lesson from Jesus, let us not distort it by portraying negative "against the other" political campaigns. Just be positive about your beliefs and who you are "for".

Quick Suggestion: Try changing the name of your groups from "Christians Against Obama" or "Sarasota Against Obama", etc. etc, to something like this...

"Christians for McCain" or "Sarasota for McCain". It's a much more positive message.

Tags: politics, obama, religious right, christan conservatives, sleepiness, unconscious living

the shift

http://thinq4yourself.gaia.com — Sat, 27 Sep 2008 21:26:56 GMT

THE SHIFT

the 2008 shift report

Tags: shift, reality, change, global

Vote Here After Some Campagning

http://thinq4yourself.gaia.com — Sun, 07 Sep 2008 20:57:29 GMT

It's time for some campaigning...

Campaign musical goodness.

Tags: barack, obama, barack obama, hilary clinton, bill clinton, campaign, vote here

Coco Tea on Barack

http://thinq4yourself.gaia.com — Sun, 07 Sep 2008 20:53:33 GMT

Coco Tea on Barack

Tags: barack, obama, barack obama, coco tea, reggae

Do you think more about the past or the future?

http://thinq4yourself.gaia.com — Fri, 05 Sep 2008 14:23:37 GMT

i think more about the future, live more in the present, and learn more from the past.

Tags: QaR, past, future, memories, imagination, thinking, daydreaming

i heart mountains...forever.

http://thinq4yourself.gaia.com — Mon, 15 Oct 2007 05:30:57 GMT

(cross-referenced from thinq4yourself@wordpress) (post if not formatted nicely)

Today is blog action day, and another important day in speaking some words about the environment. I've been thinking quite a bit since signing up about what to write, when just about every corner of the environmental front is under assault by government, industry, and just plain stupidity among humans. But the other night I was fortunate enough to finally watch Mountain Top Ministry on PBS's Bill Moyers (thanks DVR), which was yet another disturbing piece on Mountain Top Removal (MTR). That made up my mind...

I love mountains. I always have. I've been going to the mountains since I was a wee little lad, specifically the Smokies, the Blue Ridge, & the Appalachians. Being from Florida, mountains were not an every day sighting. You had to drive 10 (or more) hours to see any good mountains, such as in North Carolina which is riddled with these majestic examples of contour, texture, & habitation. That's where my family & I ended up every year a few chosen times a year. The mountains. The Smokies. The Appalachians. We love mountains.

Well, it's a good damn thing we didn't decide to pick West Virginia...because their mountains really do suck (don't believe me?).

A massive dragline, dwarfed by the huge scale of the operation, at work
on a mountaintop removal operation near Kayford Mountain, W.Va
Photo by Vivian Stockman, Oct. 19, 2003

How majestic. Excellent job destroying something that only took 300 million years to create. Well done section 515(c)(1) of the Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act, and thank you ~~President~~ King George W. Bush, Massey, and all ye who defend this practice and continue to rape our 300 million year old mountains in the name of coal. This is the 21st century, why can't you innovate like everyone else has.

What does President Bush have to do with this? Everything. The Bush administration has declared war on mountains and the people who live there. Seriously.

Toxic West Virginia

So what do you, the average American citizen, have to think about this? It seems you do think about this. A September 2007 survey conducted by the Civil Society Institute found that 65% of Americans oppose the Bush Administration's proposal "to ease environmental regulations to permit wider use of 'mountain top removal' coal mining in the U.S." The study also found that 74% Americans are opposed to the expansion of MTR coal mining in general, and that 90% of Americans agree that more mining should be permitted only after the United States government has assessed its impacts on safety and the environment.

Christians for the Mountains

What does Mountain Top Removal look like? As you can see...it's all about the "Former" mountain contour. Former.

i love them mountains (so does woody)

Most of the links are inline [click4yourself], so click away and learn as much as you can about this eXtremely important, relevant issue that has everything to do with you, your children, and the future of environmental protection. It took these beautiful mountains 300 million years to create themselves for you to enjoy, so a few hours of education and a few more of action to stop this hideous crime is not much to ask in return. I leave you with this...

Mountain Wars

Some Useful References
Ohio Valley Environmental Coalition
Wikipedia
(and much more here)

mountain justice summer
vbs.tv (toxic west virginia series)
stop mountaintop removal

Tags: conservation, environment, stayhuman, blog action day, coal mining, industry, mountaintop removal, mtr, president bush

When would you prefer to be recognized?

http://thinq4yourself.gaia.com — Tue, 21 Aug 2007 13:01:01 GMT

Everyone should be recognized for for the things they have done; for we have all had those moments where time stood still just for us, just maybe no one noticed. I don't think that anyone should be excluded from being remembered. Those who build community gardens should be recognized just as much or perhaps even more than the philanthropist with millions in cash donated, the politician with a track history or the activist who is fighting for what's right; and even more so the villagers who stand up to the seemingly all powerful oil company should be recognized, the young son who dies for another's war, and of course our all of our most loved family members.

After I'm gone; I would rather not be forgotten. I am someone who really enjoys the art of being, the time spent creating something, and all of the fruits of labor when truly vested in something. And I really enjoy that when I'm gone, or moved on, that it was me who contributed or created or led the charge or had the idea. So when I'm gone world…please feel free to bask in my glow!

Technorati Profile

Tags: QaR, recognition, legacy, equality

What, for you, is the purpose of spirituality or religion?

http://thinq4yourself.gaia.com — Fri, 17 Aug 2007 13:05:52 GMT

religion is something that serves no purpose in my life.

religion is not about the experience, is it not about the mystery, it is not about hope, it is not about the self or the mind, it is not about the truth, it is not about embracing everything & everyone around you, it is not about choice, and it is not about love. religion has very different goals, focused on and around itself as a surviving system.

these things here, these are of the spiritual. they are personal. They can be learned and taken anywhere by anyone at any time, and shared throughout. They do not require a dominant system in place to carry out or come to fruition...they only require human attention. People only need an open mind, an open heart, and to listen. Everything else is extraneous (i.e.-religion).

The most beautiful thing we can experience is the mysterious. It is the source of all true art and all science. He to whom this emotion is a stranger, who can no longer pause to wonder and stand rapt in awe, is as good

TEDTalks: Dan Dennett (2006)

Tags: QaR, religion, spirituality, TEDTalks

Share a memory of your grandparents (or another older friend).

http://thinq4yourself.gaia.com — Tue, 24 Jul 2007 20:09:16 GMT

grandpa loui & grandma louise...
staying with them in Punta Gorda, eating bbq corn chips, driving to church on Sunday, and then off for beer & pizza at their favorite pizzaria, Monty's. good times.

grammie & pop-pop...
turtles. london broil. spider man. good times. usually a sunday. hot pepper (unkl mike)

Tags: QaR, aging, grandparents

the HIPPO juggernaut

http://thinq4yourself.gaia.com — Wed, 11 Jul 2007 03:17:16 GMT

(cross-referenced from thinq4yourself@wordpress)

did you know that the HIPPO juggernaut is destroying the earth? as in right now, as you read this…

Habitat destruction (climate change)
Invasive species (ants, pathogenic virus/bacteria)
Pollution (your SUV)
Population expansion (humans with any more than 3 kids)
Over-harvesting (excessive fishing & hunting/NRA members)

It’s so serious, that we could see half planet earth’s still surviving animal & plant species be reduced to extinction or critical endangerment by the end of this century.

In fact, human forced climate changed alone, if unabated, could eliminate 1/4 of all surviving species during the next 5 decades (i could be alive…your younger siblings & children definitely will be).

The scary thing is that our knowledge of biodiversity is so incomplete, that we don’t even fully understand the magnitude. Did you know, of the 200,000 known living species in the United States alone (believed to be only partial coverage), only about 15% of the known species have been studied well enough to evaluate their status. Of that 15%, 20% are classified as in peril (in danger of extinction). In other words, out of the 30,000 we do really know about, 6,000 are in danger of extinction right now…today.

Watch this and check out the http://eol.org project:

2007 TED Prize Winner E.O. Wilson

- - - - - - - - -

Cool video with lots of information to put in your pocket. Watch it and then take personal action, no matter how small a way:

The Encyclopedia of Life

Tags: click4yourself, thinq4yourself, eol, encyclopedia of life, juggernaut, habitat destruction, E.O. Wilson, TEDtalks, pollution, green, environment

If you could give anything to someone you loved, what would it be

http://thinq4yourself.gaia.com — Fri, 06 Jul 2007 12:59:40 GMT

.freedom.

of thought.
of speech.
of experience.
from fear.
from doubt.
from pain.
to exist wholly.
to live naturally.
and to risk it all.

.freedom.

Tags: QaR, gift, love, freedom

What does patriotism mean to you?

http://thinq4yourself.gaia.com — Thu, 05 Jul 2007 13:55:58 GMT

"Dissent is the highest form of patriotism."
~Howard Zinn

A simple phrases which so easily captures the essence of American patriotism...political dissent. Dissent is what helps a country develop democracy; it is the crucial expression of one's love for their country in the form of healthy disagreement.

As a fellow citizen of planet earth, I take today, the 4th of July, 2007, the 231st anniversary of independence of this country, to pledge my allegience to and display my dissension for [the policies of] America the great; America the free:

- - - - - -

Patriotism in its most common usage is best defined as the last refuge of scoundrels, who label every infamy and abomination as patriotism. Let me list some of the things these above-mentioned scoundrels define as patriotism:

* Fighting wars of aggression thousands of miles away.
* Fighting wars of colonial oppression.
* Poisoning the atmosphere with auto emission and pollution and acid rain.
* Ruthlessly destroying the forests.
* Promoting racism as a means of winning elections.
* Cutting away at civil rights.
* Lying about every question of the public good.
* Bleeding the people dry and destroying all that America stands for with an armaments industry large beyond reason or need.
* Spending our wealth on armaments while our cities crumble, our infrastructure disintegrates and our schools are left without teachers.

I could go on and on, but what the hell! What they call patriotism down there in Washington stinks to high heaven of brainlessness, racism, greed, fear and hatred of the common people. Internationalism, brotherhood, a left-liberal approach to life--all these can only enhance the well-being of any and all countries. Patriotism, however, as a word, applies to true love of one's country and a code of conduct that echoes such love.

~Howard Fast
Novelist; columnist for The New York Observer

- - - - - -

"I am a citizen of the world first, and of this country at a later and more convenient hour."
~Henry David Thoreau

Happy fourth...and pOwEr to the pEaCuFuL!

Tags: QaR, patriotism, fourth of july, independence day, peace, power, click4yourself, dissent, peaceful, thinq4yourself, politics

Pick three words that describe you as you are right now.

http://thinq4yourself.gaia.com — Wed, 04 Jul 2007 15:13:29 GMT

peaceful. intrigued. fain.

Tags: QaR, words, description, self

Infectious Repetitious

http://thinq4yourself.gaia.com — Wed, 04 Jul 2007 14:58:42 GMT

Be careful with your meme's...you never know who you will infect.

Ants, terrorism, and the awesome power of meme

For more information on Ants, terrorism, and the awesome power of meme, check it out on TEDBlog or TEDTalks.

More Depth:

~The Selfish Gene
~The Blind Watchmaker
~Darwin's Dangerous Idea

Tags: TEDtalks, thinq4yourself, dan dennett, meme, culture, terrorism, islam, darwin, ideas, philosophy

Above the Law

http://thinq4yourself.gaia.com — Tue, 03 Jul 2007 23:45:56 GMT

--------
No man is above the law and no man is below it; nor do we ask any man’s permission when we ask him to obey it.

~Theodore Roosevelt
--------

Standards of American justice under George W. Bush
Bush Above The Law
Above the Law: Salon (2004)
Above the Law: Salon (2006)
Why is George Bush Above the Law?
Lewis Libby owes his freedom to our corrupt political elite
George W. Bush: Above the Law
Bush Challenges Hundreds of Laws
Bush shuns Patriot Act requirement
Bush is ‘above the law’
Is George Bush above the law?
Bush Says He is Above the Law
Bush claims oversight exemption too

that should do for now. There are hundreds more…

Tags: scooter libby, conquest, impeach, libby, click4yourself, thinq4yourself, thinqabout, protest, destruction, war, justice

Where did you come from?

http://thinq4yourself.gaia.com — Tue, 03 Jul 2007 21:02:42 GMT

A difficult place shadowed with overbearing religious fanacitism and lacking the simple freedoms of individuality and free thought.

_freeyourself & thinq4yourself_

I also came from a very safe, secure, and rooted family life that always valued togetherness and the service of helping others.

Tags: QaR, question, history, free thought, freedom, religion, individuality, family, service, stewardship