I also have a post in the comments-if you want to hear my “take” on it…
http://www.mama-is.com/the-public-option-in-health-care/comment-page-1/#comment-2430
I have, so it seems…created a discussion which led to a whole bunch of women being angry, and incredibly spiteful…all because I am inviting women to join in an Artist’s Collective…and because at this moment in time, I don’t have every answer people would like to know. Apparently, in this situation, not having the answers is akin to being “up to no good”.
You can read the whole discouraging, demoralizing, negative and venomous discussion here:
(You may need to create an Artfire account to view it, but it’s free and doesn’t take long…)
Among the things I found most saddening, was that these women can’t see an opportunity when it’s offered to them.
It’s quite possible that they would look at the opportunity and feel it not a good opportunity for them-that would be totally fine! But to try to completely discredit my concept, and “warn” others of falling into a “trap”, is a bit much considering who they are speaking of. They obviously don’t understand the concept of co-operative effort! It is disheartening to, without any bad intentionns at all-quite the opposite in fact, be torn limb to limb and accused of being a liar. AND then to be mocked for my parenting style, and treated like I was hypocitical for wishing for female unity, and then making a statement about my experience with American vs. Canadian artists. (Which was truly my honest observation!)
I originally had planned to write a lengthy piece detailing WHY they were missing out on a great idea, and defending my reputation, which is really very good. I AM an honest person, I wanted to shout-kids DO start Junior Kindergarten at 4 here in Canada, and Anthropologically, breastfeeding should be done until 6 or 8 years old!!! I wanted to defend myself, make amends, hug everyone and tell them their wounds are so obvious…
But instead, I’ve decided to take some of my own advice. I wrote something recently on a friend’s facebook wall, when a bunch of women were arguing with a man about the benefits of placentophagy. Personally, I don’t know if I would consume my placenta-unless I were hemorraghing, but I DO think women are wise to consider all of the choices…there certainly are benefits! They were going on and on with him, and how he was a “man” who didn’t understand, and trying to convince him of the validity of this option, (and other birth options that came up in convo.)
This is what I posted and, aside from the gender difference, the advice still rings true:
As Women, this is one of our biggest lessons.
Here we are as women-the bringers of life, the vessels of creative force-wasting our time and valuable energy discussing what WE KNOW that WE KNOW- Our Red Tent secrets with this Man. There are some men, who would be making us tea in our Red Tent, quite aware that mystical happenings are taking place, and happy to just support and let it be. But those men are rare-and valued-respected-LOVED- above all other men by those of us who KNOW.
BUT:…
We must learn that when a man is childish like this, we need to respond with compassion for his ignorance, and treat him the same way we would treat a 4 yr old who is absolutely convinced the grass is PURPLE. A sweet and loving pat on the head, and we let them believe it’s PURPLE until one day, quite on their own, they realize-discover, that is WAS GREEN, and always has been.
==========
So, I will only say this: I am proud of the openness with which I approach life and people. I have been through more hell than most could fathom. The experiences I have had caused me great harm-and I wanted to shut the world out, and for a time I was wary of everyone-suspicious and interested only in “catching” someone before I was caught. I choose to be open. I choose to love. I choose to raise my consciousness, because when I do these things, the GREATER consciousness is also raised.
This conversation has taught me a lot about myself, and I am thankful for that. I sure do have some growing to do.
I am sad that I was taken so wrong-but I am hopeful that the right women-the bright women-the ones who still have hope, joy, passion and trust in tact-(because these are after all, the kinds of women I want to surround myself with!) will find me. Will hear word of it in the whisperings our alternative communities share-and will offer their creativity-their talent-their time, their wisdom and the “fire in their belly”, toward a collective project to make the world a more loving, more nurturing and more resiliant place. A center for it to grow from…an epicenter if you will.
I don’t know at this point what changes I will make to my project’s plan. I DID learn a couple valuable things in spite of the venom.;) And I’m not one to ignore my lessons, even if I don’t particularly enjoy the teachers the Universe chose to deliver them through.:) (lol) One of my biggest concerns, is Insurance. I would hate to have anything harmed-I would feel really badly about that, and even worse if I were not able to compensate the artist. It would be unspeakable to me to have to make that phone call…
I did speak to my insurance broker, and I believed her when she said everything could be covered. I will revisit this with her, and clarify that these items won’t belong to me-to be absolutely certain it would still be covered. I am also re-thinking my consignment percentages. Even though they are very competitive in my area, I want to be sure the women involved in this receive the benefits of financial gain, as well as the benefits of my marketing experience and networking talents.;) Money is good!
I am meditating on exactly what I need to do….and when I am re-organized, I’ll contact all of you who have expressed interest.
For now, I’m going to work on releasing this disheartened feeling, and try to let go of the shock of being treated this way by other women-I need to remove the frustration I feel at being so completely misjudged, and redirect this energy into motivation.
You’d think I’d know by now that not all (or even most) women are ready for me. 
ROFL!
I don’t review restaurants very often. I have a tough time even finding somewhere I can eat with all my restrictions and etc., and the places I DO find are very often specialty places which have plenty of PR, and are pretty much impersonal.
But yesterday, my daughter Genna and I decided to have a Mother/Daughter day exploring our new town an hour and some away. We drove to Fergus Ontario, and had such fun exploring all the wonderful shops and meeting the people of the town. We’re very excited to move there.:)
For lunch, we stopped by a place called:” Carmen’s Sequel Cafe”, located at 240 St. Andrew Street West, and went in. The decor was very simple, though we both thought the lattice-work they employed to hide the florescent lights was ingenius! At first, we thought we’d take it “to go”, since I assumed only my daughter would be getting a sandwich, since I can never can eat anywhere, but when I looked at the menu I saw that they make their salad dressing from scratch, (along with everything else!), and decided to speak to the cook, Mary-(who is also the Manager) to see if maybe I could actually eat a salad…WITH dressing!
Mary was both patient and honest about what her dressings contained, and since I couldn’t choose just one, I received a side of both the “Pear Poppyseed”, and “Creamy Maple” dressings. My daughter also decided to try their Sweet Potato/Dill soup and a Reuben sandwich, that she really enjoyed-even though she thought that “Dill” meant “Dill pickle, and spent the first few bites trying to locate them in her soup.:)
But back to my salad! I honestly have never had dressing as good as these!! Not only do they fresh-juice the pears, they both tasted so fresh and pure, that I was immediately smitten. The Creamy Maple dressing, was not only an excellent Canadian twist to salad dressing, but also a perfect balance between creamy and sweet. Frankly, I think they should consider selling containers of their fresh dressing. I know when I move there in September, that I would be very likely to purchase this from them on a regular basis. The dressing makes the salad-and with all the fillings commercial dressings have, this was a real treat.
All 3 of the ladies I spoke with with friendly, helpful and patient-service was fast, in spite of the fact that we changed from “to go” to “eat in” last minute.
I would recommend this restaurant to anyone-especially if you don’t have a gluten sensitivity…because those baked goods looked AMAZING!
Carmen’s Sequel Cafe can be contacted at: 519-787-1212
All in all, I would give this cute and quaint cafe’ 4 out of 5 stars!
Hello Ladies!
I know several of you have contacted me in the past couple weeks, asking what has become of my intention to open a Female Artists Collective, and I’m writing you today with exciting news about where the project is, and the opportunities there are to be involved. Be prepared that this email may be long, since there’s much to communicate-so you may want to grab a cup of coffee, or your favorite Herbal tea, and settle in! 
When we were last in contact, I had my eye on a property on Prince Edward Island, which is located in Ontario Canada. It was a lovely property, and held such potential! Unfortunately, after my family and I drove there, we discovered that what we thought would be a fairly reasonable drive from Toronto, where my husband has clients he must meet with at least once a week, was actually a 3 hour drive. While I felt this concept would work really well there, he was not willing to take the chance that because of distance, he could lose his clients and well, then my venture had better work-and work well!
We looked in several other locations, all within an hour and 1/2 of Toronto. Either the property was perfect, but out of our budget, or it was on too little land, without “shop” potential, or it wasn’t in a town that I felt demographically could/would support my business.
Then we found it. (Drum Roll Please!)
We’ve purchased a property in Fergus Ontario, and we move in on September 1st!! It only has 1 Acre, but is laid out very well, allowing for much potential for many uses. We border another residential property on one side, and a small dairy farm on the other-the cows look at us over the fence, and the air is sweet with country air. (Aaaahhhhh..good to be back to what I know!)
The most exciting feature about this property, is a 970 square foot shop, with it’s own entrance/driveway/small parking lot at the back of the property! The driveway opens to a major (not highway though) road, and our house driveway onto a dirt road! I couldn’t be more excited!!
Fergus, is a small town with a high average income, (mansions abound), a quality of life that supports the downtown core, which is filled with boutique shops (about 5 minutes from us) and it has a very active artist’s community. The cities of: Guelph (22 minutes), Kitchener (40 Minutes), Orangeville (36 Minutes) and Toronto/Brampton/Mississauga (Approx: 1 Hour and 15 minutes) are all close enough to bring in customers and students. There are also several Studio Tours in the area, which I will be applying for us to be a participate in.
The shop is Steel Construction, and is insulated/drywalled and has a small woodstove for heat in the winter. I’ll be renovating the inside of course, but it’s got such great “bones”!
It is surrounded by trees, but is visible from the road, and I will be putting a sign up at the end of the driveway to advertise and create a presence locally.
Isn’t this exciting!!!???
Here is my vision:
As a fellow artist, I understand how frustrating it can be to send product to be sold on consignment. To begin with, there are hardly ever advertising opportunities, since the shop wishes to keep all business going through their shop-a second issue I’ve found, is that there is rarely any feedback on either the product or the sales, and you’re left just waiting and hoping for some money for product you created with the high hopes of someone loving it!
So I will be doing this slightly different. What I am offering is a more personal arrangement. You will have your picture (if you wish), your paragraph about your work and your business cards there with your product. So not only will you make sales through the shop, but you could be contacted for commissioned work by the customers directly, thus bypassing the sales “fee” completely!
I will also provide customer feedback upon request at anytime, and will share things of importance with you personally as we go along. It is my sincerest intention to help you become your best, and to succeed at what you love.
I am looking not for women who “need” to make money, and do so by making things. But for whom creating is a way of connecting to Spirit, and a source of joy. If you ind yourself “lost” in time when you create, then I may be looking for you! In order to stay true to my vision, all product will be high-end, and I will not inviting “crafters” to participate, as I want it to represent the best of Divine Creative Energy-the kind women attune themselves with, and make the world a better place through. Everything will be reviewed and it will be a “by invitation only” type shop. I don’t want to exclude anyone, because I know firsthand what rejection feels like, but in order to keep the project on track and focused, I will need to do so.
I also intend to offer classes/workshops for women/children which foster creativity, healing through creative expression, spirituality through creativity, and finding our voice through creating. I will also invite artists and artistic souls to share their perspective and teachings as well.
I will hold special events, where women can come and share in Creative Day-retreats where they can be encouraged to stretch, and supported in their journey, Picnics/Play days and Art classes for home/unschooled children and other-abled children too, and many more ideas!
Many things afoot….
SO: Here are the ways you can apply to be involved:
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Option 1: Straight Consignment: Here’s how it works:
You let me know you’re interested in being considered, and I send you an email requesting you send me 1 Sample. If you are a painter or have product worth more than $50, you are welcome to send prints/greeting cards, or to Pay for return shipping, should you not be invited. Keep in mind that I will be shipping from Ontario Canada. If you ARE invited to participate, I will catalog your sample as one item in my shop, and put it for sale. There are 2 Consignment Options: 60% (you) 40% (the shop). This percentage does NOT include the monthly advertising co-op of $5.00/month. If you’re concerned about a monthly fee (which may be purchased at 6 month installments) you may also opt for a 50% (you)50% (the shop) split, which will then also cover your monthly co-op amount.
You MUST leave your product in the shop for a 1 year contract, and then should you wish to continue, it will be on a 6 month by 6 month contract.
Option 2: Rent Space for your product in the Shop: Selection process is the same as above…But You pay $35/month, which includes your co-op advertising fee, and you make 100% of each sale back. You still must commit to 1 year, and rental amounts can be paid monthly, in 3 month or 6 month increments. If you pay for a year, you get a discount of $20, and it costs $400.00. After the first year, you may renew or discontinue your contract without penalty.
*The co-op advertising gives us the chance to advertise the shop/events in local newspapers, radio and TV.
You are welcome to switch your contract type after the first 6 months, but each time you switch, there is an admin fee of $20.00, since it requires re-tagging your product and changing the catalogue system.
ALL artists are required to pay a one time set-up fee of $35.00, which includes admin and inventory set up. This fee never happens again, as long as you stay with us! If you discontinue your contract, and then decide to come back on board, the admin fee applies each time you re-join. So basically, join and stay forever!
I will be starting a newsletter within the first 6 months or so, and will be featuring one artist in each newsletter. This service is covered by the co-op advertising fee, but other services like blog features, newspaper features, and etc. will be offered as paid (a la carte…)options throughout the year. These additional advertising opps are NOT mandatory. I just want to be able to offer opportunities to further your business!
I will also have a website at some point, but probably not more than a landing page for the first year. I’m happy to link to your sites for free from the landing page, once it’s up!!
WHEW! This is really long!
Ok-finally…I’ll need to know your feedback on the above options. I would like to know who feels they would like to apply for consideration, and which option looks the best currently. I would also like to have a vote on naming the center, since I’ve narrowed it down to 2 names…
If you’re a local artist, or travel to Ontario-I’d love to have you come and share your talent with us in person! Please mention that in your email.
And finally, if after reading this announcement, you no longer feel it’s a good fit for you, please simply reply with “no thank you” in the subject line, and I’ll remove your email from my mailing list.:)
Thank you all for reading this incredibly lengthy email, (this is why I am currently writing a NOVEL! lol), and I look forward to hearing back from you soon!
With Excitement!
Marcie
I don’t know you. I don’t know your life, your beliefs, your struggles or fears. I have no idea how many kids you have, or whether you even want any at all. I don’t know if you are currently working, if you’re male or female or whether or not you are currently happy with the life you’re leading. One thing is certain though, every single person on the planet, regardless of their status, title or creed-as long as they are not inflicted with mental illness-has the desire to live and to be free. It is this desire that unifies us.
Far too many live in societies/countries that do not allow the pursuit of happiness-the mere thought of an individual’s rights is laughable at best, and deadly at worst. And for as long as I can recall I have felt compassion and shed tears for these oppressed and misled people who live under these circumstances.
About a year ago, I started to look into some of the information I was receiving from my husband about the state of the situation here in N. America-primarily the US. For over a year before that, I had made it clear that not only did I not want to hear it, but that hearing it and focusing on it would only send energy in that direction-calling to our reality the very thing we sought to avoid.
But then…..
I, along with many other Americans, watched the elections with increased interest this year. We looked at our candidates and wondered if any of them could really fix the root of the problems brewing-the result of decades of disservice and power-hungry decision making which led our country there. Ron Paul, who was the only candidate truly interested in eradicating the problem was very obviously discriminated against, and pushed out of mainstream media. In spite of the fact that Ron Paul had HUGE support numbers in the polls, and his campaign was funded by millions of individuals who believed in his message of smaller government and getting rid of the privately owned business we work to support called, (quite misleadingly) the “Federal Reserve”.
At least as a congressman, he can-and often does- stand up and say the truth-with the hope that it might not fall on deaf ears.
As a little positive side-note, his campaign altered the viewpoint of the young people in this country, which is starting to spread-into lower levels of government-and this is a great place to get “planted” if you ask me.
As the final sets of two on the ballot, Americans watched the election with fervor-heck the WORLD watched with fervor. Obama was elected and the world celebrated-there was crying and wailing with joy, relief and hope all mashed together and rolled into one fast moving ball. Downhill. But we couldn’t see this, because we were so overcome at finally being out from underneath one of the worst president’s in the history of our country-a far longer venture than expected, since most believe he “stole” his second term.
The problem is, something was not revealed to the American people-something that on the onset may seem minor, but in fact has created a situation the US has never seen before.
President Obama has not proven his Natural Born Citizenship-which is a qualification for being eligible for presidency. He refuses to present his original longform birth certificate, and what he did present would never have sufficed-say, if we were going to get a license to drive. So how is it, that we can’t get a license, insurance, a bank account or any other US privilege, without proving our citizenship, but Obama can become PRESIDENT!? I won’t go into all the details of this, but for a summed-up version, watch this:
If his Grandmother says he was born in Kenya, and he refuses to release his birth certificate, his University records or his medical records, (where all the other candidates had no issues doing so-), it does give us a reason to think.
If someone feels he is above the laws for attaining the office he’s holding, and may very well have usurped the presidency, what does that say about who we have in the office, making decisions that will change the course of our country for better or worse?
Now-we all know he has “stimulated” the economy quite literally to death. Generations to come, will look back on this historic first few months in Obama’s presidency as the one that cost them everything. And we sit here, waiting for our check from the government-ignoring the billions of dollars being pumped into building manufacturing plants that create-of all things-bullet proof glass to protect Government Buildings. We turn our eyes away from the US government stockpiling storable food-for well over a year now. We pretend that the fears about FEMA camps are both unfounded and the stark-mad ramblings of off-center conspiracy theorists.
Because it’s easier than the alternative.
I’m not one of those people who thinks that there is evil around every corner, or that every politician is deliberately making choices that work together to reduce our rights and increase Government control….
But when Obama passes gun laws that go against our Second Amendment rights, increased spying on civilians, refuses to be “transparent” about the money we now owe as individuals-money that was taken from us under threat of martial law…
When the Missouri Police send out a notice saying that all patriots and Ron Paul supporters (among other things) should be considered terrorists....and under the Patriot Act, anyone suspected of being a terrorist can be arrested without cause and charged without a trial, and taken somewhere undisclosed….(What are those FEMA camps for again?) when we consider that big Pharma has just now made the B2 Vitamin copyrighted-and it will soon be illegal to buy/sell it in any form at all-that there is RIGHT NOW Bills that will both regulated and end Organic farming, and even private food gardening-all in the name of “food safety”, (they’re taking away your food source!!), that there are more things going on right now that you realize-look at the ways that people are behaving in their daily lives-losing jobs and then killing themselves and their entire families, killing strangers for $5.00, worldwide rioting, collapsing of entire nations, and a proposal for ONE WORLD CURRENCY… we have to ask ourselves if we’re willing.
Are we willing to wake up? Is it possible that we are NOT immune to tyranny and oppression? Are we willing to look at our lives and see what we can do both practically and energetically to make a difference to this unraveling situation? Are we willing to take up the responsibility of protecting our way of life, and to stop giving away our power by expecting politicians to do it for us? Are we willing to see the way things really are, and in spite of it: LOVE (everyone-actively), HOPE (for the best, and the brightest), PROTECT (those people and things we cherish as well as those we don’t), PREPARE (food,power,protection,and information) and then MANIFEST (thoughts are things-energy IS material) into existence the reality that will turn the tide?
PEOPLE: Our forerunners died so that we could have the very rights we are willingly giving up. They set-us on a course that few in this world have the privilege of experiencing, and even less that understand its value.
We MUST see where we’re headed in order to alter our course. And I’m telling you-we need to step it up. Time is SHORT!! Our kids are depending on us to give them a life of freedom-not a life of servitude paying for our mistakes-our unwillingness to start earning the freedoms we have taken for granted for so many generations.
Ask yourself whether you’re willing to look your kids in the eye, and answer for the information you knew-or refused to consider, simply because you couldn’t “handle the truth”. Remember that Nazi Germany didn’t happen under a horrible leader who was hated by his people. It happened (and see if this rings a recent bell) because a good-looking, (at least according to them), sweet talking, intelligent man who was both charismatic and an excellent orator…stole the hearts of the people, and convinced them that the way out was HIS way-that he was going to SAVE them. He accomplished his horrible end, step by step-incrementally. Because if he woke up on his first day in office, and said: “Hello people! Today I’m going to start the annihilation of your friends and family-based on their sexual orientation and religion-please remember I’m the answer to your problems, and ignore the screams and shock.”, he would have had a revolution-a rising up of people.
Make a list of everything Obama has done in office. Look in alternative media-(aka: media sources that are not censored) to make a complete list, and then ask yourself if the things Obama is doing, are in fact things you would have permitted and supported if he announced them all on one single day-would you have been smiling and crying at his election date, if you knew he hadn’t shown his ID, and refused to do so? Would you have told your representative to sign the stimulus package if you really understood what it would cost you?
And finally ask yourself why you sat back and did-said nothing so that he could do every single thing on that list. The reason? We are conditioned to feel connection to our leaders-we’re taught to obey authority, and to believe that they know best.
But what if- at the end of all this whittling away, there lies a sharp end…to all as you know it.
Now Go. Do something about it.
Hello Everyone!
I hope you’re enjoying a lovely Spring day where you are (or Fall, I suppose) and are finding reasons to be thankful, joyful and hopeful!
I wanted to tell you about a new service I’m launching at the start of May, and give you the chance to enjoy a discount for being one of the first to sign-up.:)
As many of you know, I’m a writer by birth and spent many years as a professional writer-writing everything from books to webcontent and even brochures and sales letters. Well, I have found a way to help all the wonderful WAHMs and Small Biz owners to bring traffic to their website, while doing what I love!
I am offering an article writing service-basically, I will write/rewrite 1 Article and submit it to various article directories with your website information in the resource box. This is a legitimate, and high-quality way to generate more traffic-and therefore more sales! In just 3 months, you could see a HUGE increase in both numbers-and what’s even better, whatever is posted online stays public indefinately. This means you could be reaping the benefits of this investment for a very long time! Unless you are paying every month, pay per click advertising can’t promise you that kind of exposure!
Here are the packages I’ll be offering starting May 1, 2009:
1 Article about your business or product and:
25 Re-writes and submissions: $175.00
50 Re-writes and Submissions: $325.00
100 Re-writes and Submissions: $575.00
Or-receive the articles to submit yourself, for $3.00/article!
Or-sign-up for a monthly service, which is 25 Articles submitted every month for for $100/month!! (Requires a minimum 3- month committment.)
BUT: I’m going to offer this new writing service to 20 of my readers and clients who sign-up before April 30th, for the following price:
25 rewrites/submissions: $100
50 Re-writes/submissions: $200
100 Re-writes/submissions: $400
Monthly service: $75.00/month
I’m only going to take 20 people at this price-but those 20 people will get this special start-price for the next 5 years, no matter what my prices are for the general public! (Talk about a great way to beat the recession!)
Send me off an email if you’re interested-be sure to send me your website link in the email, so I can verify that you fit the WAHM or Small Biz requirement.:) mmacari@gmail.com
To your Success!
Marcie
Tags: affordable advertising, article writing service, Business Consulting, business services, small business, WAHM, work at home moms
Well-here it is! The day before Mother’s Day, and many of you have been waiting expectantly to hear my specials this Holiday. I realize that it may seem counterproductive to have a sale this short, and basically on top of the actual Holiday….but there’s a method to my “madness”:
1) This special is far too good for me to keep up with it, so it HAD to be short-I mean, this has never been done before in either of my companies, and for good reason! (Excited yet?)
2) Well, I happen to believe that while Mother’s Day is special, and I’m all for honoring and celebrating our moms….There’s a line from a movie that I love: “The key to a woman’s heart is an unexpected gift at an unexpected time.” and I agree. Mother’s Day is fantastic-do it up, love your mom, show her you are thankful….but even better, give her a gift NOT on Mother’s Day-and see how much it lights up her face.:) AND, with this deal, you’ll have enough to give some to your Mother in Law too-or keep it for yourself!
Here it is: In order to take advantage of this incredible deal, you must do the following:
1) Leave a comment.
2) Contact me via email to let me know you saw this post, and want to take advantage of the special.
I will then send you off a pricelist, which includes all of our products, (new ones too!) which are not yet listed on the web….you then place an order through email, and I will Paypal Invoice you! (Retail Orders Only Please!)
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MOTHER’S DAY B1G1 SALE!
Buy any item, and receive a duplicate FREE!
Better hurry-this sale ends Sunday Midnight EST! (May 10th 2009)
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Ready, Set…..GO!
Tags: Gifts for Mom, Mother's Day, Mothers Day Specials, natural body care
Hi Everyone,
I’m posting these vids here, since I’m uploading them on my youtube channel-and it seemed like a good place to mention them.:)
EFT-or Emotional Freedom Technique-has been tremendously helpful for me both in emotional/trauma release, and in my physical struggles.
I am extremely tired in these videos, and totally upstaged by my Yorkie…so bear with the distractions, and I hope you find some of the info useful. Please feel free to write me with any questions-
Here’s to Healing YOURSELF!
Marcie
Video 2:
Video 3
Hello all-in addition to working on selling our house, I am going through a personal and intense time of change-a metamorphosis of sorts, and I find myself awake a lot at night just staring into the darkness thinking…I remembered last night a poem I really liked many many years ago, and went on the hunt for it this morning…
I found this now brown sheet of paper, and discovered that though I got it in Buffalo New York in 1998 (11 years ago), it was actually a Canadian-Toronto to be exact-newspaper. I’m now living in Toronto. I found this oddly reassuring-like there really is some woven tapestry that we follow, with touchpoints along the way…..
Anyhow, I really love the message in this quirky little poem.
Enjoy.
===============
If You’re Different
If you’re different, don’t worry or care
Be round, when the whole world is square.
For the great fun of you,
Is there’s just one of you,
And that makes you precious and rare.
Be prepared to stand up and to fight
For the fact that there’s black and there’s white.
Though they’re ten million strong,
They can all be quite wrong,
And you all alone, can be right.
When you’re holding the truth hold on tight,
Protect it with all of your might.
When they all march astray,
On two dumb feet of clay,
Be the only one left, who is right.
So be different, don’t worry or care,
Be round, when the whole world is square,
For the great fun of you
Is there’s just one of you,
And that makes you precious and rare.
By: Sol Mandlsohn
President and Founder
Bay Bloor Radio
~Published in Xtra, Jun 18 1998
I know to many of my readers, the subject of this post/review may seem a little strange. Water after all, while most definitely natural, is not MADE by anyone-so how could this bottled water really be worthy of a review on this blog?
Read ahead to see why this bottled water company unequivocally gets my vote!
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+1 Water was a new discovery I made, while looking into alternatives for bottled water. Aside from the implications of removing water from one location and transporting it to another, most people who purchase bottled water, do so with mixed emotions. On one hand, they appreciate the convenience of picking up a bottle already filled with water, and then not having to carry the empty container around for the rest of the day, but most people would agree that the waste created by this action is neither good for our health nor our planet.
Problem is, even with PBA-free alternatives, it is still creating waste that we then have to live with for many many years, or turn into something else plastic to sit around for even longer.
Alternatives to this dilemma have included glass bottles, which frankly is wonderful for the taste of the water, but certainly not something you could toss into a lunch kit or a hiking pack. There is, of course, stainless steel to consider, and while it does help to keep water cool, you can’t buy it already filled, or each bottle of water would cost more than your lunch! Not to mention the production of the packaging, and how it effects the earth, and of course then taking this stainless steel home…..
+1 Water, a Canadian company, has found an ingenious way to combine the natural resources of spring water in Ontario, with a corn-based bottle which can be recycled-and in some places, COMPOSTED!
I requested a sample, and took some time feeling the water bottle, which was surprisingly solid-not the flimsy plastic I was expecting Corn to produce. I also noticed that it doesn’t smell-it doesn’t have that gross “plastic” scent of most other water bottles, and the water doesn’t have any plastic taste.
I was pleasantly surprised by both the quality of the water, (which is true spring water) and the creative use of resources to produce a low/no waste packaging concept for such a much debated quandry.
For me, choosing a product also is about their contribution to the world and it’s people. This company really walks the talk! They are actively involved in providing and contributing to projects which provide clean drinking water to the the world’s most needy.
Thumbs up for +1 Water-great job!
I kept hearing about it….and I finally gave it a go-it’s a great way to get ahold of people quickly! I’ll be posting blog post links for both blogs, contests, sales, and personal updates there-soo much less time involved!
Follow me here: http://twitter.com/shebirths
As soon as I hit 1000 follows, I’m going to offer a really exciting contest!!!
Thanks~!
Marcie
Today, I use the term:”Wild Mama” loosely, since my interviewee though Wild, is not a “Mama”-unless you count her 6 Rescue Dogs as children. (And those of us with dogs would agree it’s not that much of a stretch.:) ) Those of you who know my book and work also know I believe ALL women give birth-though not always to children. TL is most definitely a birther-a creative woman with a passionate love of all things Spiritual. I’ll be interviewing her, and also embedding some of her musical works.
To hear more of her music, and to see her playing her base guitar.;), you can visit her Youtube Channel for additional vids.
Enjoy!
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Today, my interview is with TL (which stands for Terry-Leigh) Sanderson-Smith. I met TL over 15 years ago when we were both in a drama/musical company together. I was immediately impressed with her and her talent, and had never forgotten her gift. There are certain people in this world, who seem unassuming enough-but when they offer their talent to the world, you know that they are touched by Spirit. TL has always been and continues to be this kind of artist.
Though we’d lost contact for several years, I was so excited to find her on Facebook a few months ago, and have been enjoying “catching up” since then. Throughout the years of not being in contact, I would occasionally search online for her name-looking for an album or MP3 somewhere, certain that she was famous by now in her native country of South Africa-but never found anything. I later learned that she did indeed have a recording contract, but was taken advantage of by greedy people, who never saw her project to fruition.
In my opinion, these people did a grave disservice to the world, so I am THRILLED to offer a North American Debut of both her music and her amazing vision!
Interview:
You were born/raised in South Africa-how do you feel this has altered your worldview?
I see the world as a beautiful place with boundless opportunities… all we need is to start getting along with each other and stop destroying this planet!
What is one thing you would want westerners to know about your country?
South Africa has every possible type of living terrain you could hope for, although it is small it is extremely diverse geologically & very exciting with all the different cultures.
Oh yes, lions & wild animals do not roam the streets… we are quite civilized here!
(For my SA readers: Here’s a song of hers in Afrikaans!)
Click to hear “NADER” by TL Sanderson-Smith
Do you have any musical influences? What 2 musicians would you want to have lunch with, and why?
I have many musical influences, Tracy Chapman, Indego Girls, Deep Dish, Christina Aguliera, Paul Oakenfold, Barbara Streisand, Anita Baker…the list goes on. As for lunch…whoa only 2? Ok um…Adam Lambert, because he is one of the most incredible live performers I have seen…he is second to non with his vocal ability & he seems like a beautiful person. And Deep Dish… would love to do music with them, they have some of the best new sounds and club mixes ever!
You write most of your own lyrics-what inspires you?
Life and the experiences I have gone through & people I have met inspire me. Though, I have written 1 song about someone I have never met – Mr. Nelson Mandela… but I dont have to meet him to know what a truly absolutely amazing human being he is.
I also write songs about making the world a better place to live in…in other words my vision & hope.
Do you have any formal musical training? If so, where? If not, what inspired you to teach yourself?
No formal music training, I dont read sheet music…
My older sister got a guitar & went for a few lessons & she showed me the chords she learned – so I would say she was my first teacher, I was about 8 or 9 when I got my own guitar… I used to play for our Sunday School for praise & worship for the children from the age of about 10 or 11, then in high school at age 14 one of our organists started a church band… her & I on guitar, then it grew to have keyboard, bass & drums later on. Jenny was also a music teacher so I learned a lot of new chords from being part of that, she also was the first one to get me to write my own music because she wrote her own songs.
What is one of your most memorable performances/gigs?
The 1997 Gay Pride Parade in JHB, first time I had performed in front of thousands of people – totally radical, most enjoyable!
What instruments do you play? Do you aspire to any others?
Female artists, both performance and The guitar, keyboard self learned at the age of 20…and then a few years later I figured out the bass guitar as well… I would like to perfect playing the instruments I play now…
Female artists, both performance and visual arts, are still paid significantly less than their male counterparts. How do you feel the pay discrepancy reflects our need for reform for women in this arena?
I dont believe it’s only in this arena woman are not seen or paid as equal, it needs to change in every field… sport, business & our complete mass consciousness needs to shift somehow… I wish I knew where to start for this change to happen.
What is your ultimate dream for your music? Be specific….What does success look like for you.?
I think any musician’s ultimate dream would be to have a number 1 hit in the USA, Canada & the UK (ok, an international hit), that is my ultimate dream for sure. Success? Having the songs I have written touch people’s hearts enough to make the world a better place for us all to live in peace & harmony.
What has been your greatest challenge in your music?
Getting it to sound like what I hear in my head, and finding other musicians to work with that add the right drums & instruments, I really would like to focus on what I do best.
If people were only going to hear one of your songs, which one would you want them to hear, and why?
‘Now’s the Time’…cause it is a happy song with a strong message of peace,
which is really one of my ultimate visions.
What is the message you are here to bring to the world through your music?
That peace & love is the answer to all the problems we face as a group consciousness. All we need to do is believe that the world can be a better place & it will be, fighting & violence has only brought more of that energy… it’s time to try brother & sisterly Love, compassion & understanding without judgment of our cultural differences.
What is one thing you would like your fans/listeners to know about you?
That I believe infinite love is the only truth, everything else is illusion…
That I am an animal lover & love nature…
Oh & that I am addicted chocolate!
What are your 2 top pet peeves?
Gosh these restrictions…I just cant limit it to two!
Wasting water & pollution…Cruelty towards people or animals…
Running out of chocolate:( grrrrr
What is one hope you have for the young girls of the world?
To know they are capable of anything they set their minds to & to become independent before having babies.
If you could be anywhere in the world, doing anything you want-with no time, distance or financial limit, what would it be and why?
Performing my music at major events all over the world, with a special focus on the song I have written for Mr. Nelson Mandela – my goal with that song is to raise funds for his ‘46664 Aids Awareness Campaign‘ & ‘the Nelson Mandela Children’s fund’…
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In closing, on a personal note-I want to share with you another TL Sanderson-Smith song I love! Enjoy!
Be sure to comment and follow her journey to fame on Twitter!
Click to Hear “Don’t Let Me Go” TL Sanderson-Smith
Tags: AIDS in Africa, Emerging World Music Artists, Indie Music, Musicians, Nelson Mandela, South Africa, South African Music, Terry-Leigh Sanderson-Smith, TL Sanderson-Smith
Hello Everyone!
For those of you who don’t know me, my name is Marcie Macari, and I’m the owner of Bloomin’ Cosmetics, Bloomin’ Belly Soaps, Bloomin’ Body and She Births. I’ve been operating my business(es) fairly steadily online now for a few years, but as of November I will be opening a brick and mortar shop just outside of Fergus Ontario!
This shop, will be “Bloomin’ Boutique”, and will have not only my handmade body/home care products, but several
other artistic and interesting gifts/cards. It won’t just be a retail shop however! (Because when do I ever do just one thing!?)
It will also offer “Womyn in Bloom” Classes-everything from poetry readings, to art classes, from female spirituality and healing art workshops, to babywearing and cloth diapering. Really anything that enriches or interests the womyn who come to my shop! I also plan to offer “Lil’ Sprouts” classes for kids too!:)
I haven’t yet set an official opening date for November, though I expect to be able to finalize the plan with my wonderful PR lady in the next week or so-but in the meantime, I’d like to tell you about an opportunity for you and your business to be a part of our Grand Opening!
The Challenge:
So here’s the deal: I am opening this shop on the smallest budget known to woman. Seriously-it’s laughable.
I’ve even been told I can’t do it-not on this amount of moolah. And they are right! I can’t do it-ALONE!!
But I believe that barter is an amazing tool for getting things done-and if everyone benefits,
has fun, and builds something together that couldn’t be built alone…well, then isn’t that what Community is about!?
The Event:
The Grand Opening will be a coming together of several different groups of people-
current customers, new customers garnered by asking to place flyers in local shops,
shop owners, friends, family, their (and your! ) friends and family, and yes-even some members
of the media. Honestly, I don’t know how many people to expect-but I have already been
receiving some feedback, and this could turn out to be a very good!
The Opportunity:
If you have items I need to complete my project, or services I need that you are willing to offer (reliably please!), then I will gladly offer you advertising options in ratio to the approx. value of your trade in exchange.
Alternatively, if you don’t have anything on my “needs” list, and don’t offer a service you feel would benefit me,
(You may want to ask anyway!) but would like to “get in on this”, then I’m happy to give you my very reasonably
priced advertising rates, and I’ll use the moolah to help me purchase said items. Additonal advertising will consist of
mentions on my Blogs, Tweets, (that’s Twitter.com for those who are new…), and hopefully others will join in and do the same!
The Dream:
I would like part of the feature of this shop, to be that it was built using barter to accomplish much of its reno-currently, the structure stands as a 22 x 44 steel shop, which is insulated, woodstove heated, and has hydro. It is primed and fairly clean, but needs a TON of work. I want one of the “angles” for the media to be that this shop, which will support women and children in the community, (and indirectly the men too!) was brought together by the inspired gifting and focused intention of a group of otherwise unconnected people.
In this downturned economy, when many people are self-protecting-this story could inspire and encourage so many!
The Next Step:
If you’re interested, simply write to me at: bloominboutique (at) gmail.com and I’ll send you the full info sheet!
Here’s to Building something amazing….together!
Sincerely Yours,
Marcie Macari
