Ramble on...

In the depth of your hopes and desires lies your silent knowledge of the beyond; And like seeds dreaming beneath the snow your heart dreams of spring. Trust the dreams, for in them is hidden the gate

estrellasoul — Thu, 25 Sep 2008 17:29:55 GMT

In the depth of your hopes and desires lies your silent knowledge of the beyond; And like seeds dreaming beneath the snow your heart dreams of spring. Trust the dreams, for in them is hidden the gate to eternity. - The Prophet - Kahli Gibran image credits: http://www.pbase.com/pygmy/image/33822271

Obama's "civilian national security force.": Full Text of Obama's speech, July 2, 2008

estrellasoul — Tue, 29 Jul 2008 07:58:16 GMT

When i was a "kid" i thought "adults" must have all the answers, know whats going on, know where they're going, when i got a bit "older" i thought by a certain "age" all people must have some things figured out... that they would at least know how to share and love and listen to each other and try their best to be understanding, helpful & cooperative...unfortunately its hard to know who and what you can trust, its really easy to paint a pretty picture of whatever you want people to see with words, but actually walking that path is where real change is. you gotta be on your toes & do your best as much as possible, you have to be open and strong @ the same time, and recognize when to be gentle and quite, and sometimes silent. there is a need for honesty & kindness with ones self as well as others...I don't know if any of this has much to do with everything floating around about Obama's "civilian national security force." but its what it makes me think about...and i agree with him, I was really bummed out about funding for Americorps being cut during the Bush Administration. We the people have a responsibility we seem to have forgotten about, or we're just plain sleeping on the job, and i know the hardships & the excuses, sometimes its hard to tell the difference, and yes i know there are a lot of people working themselves to death & back to carry the extra weight, their services are irreplaceable, and they should be seen as leaders to be followed into our future. Text of Obama's speech A New Era of Service University of Colorado, Colorado Springs July 2, 2008 In two days, we will celebrate America's Independence Day. We'll come together with family and friends to enjoy a day off. Maybe you'll cook out, watch a parade or take in some fireworks. Hopefully, you'll get a break from things like politics. But I'm sure there will be a moment or two, when the fireworks grow quiet or the parade has gone by, when the enormity of the American accomplishment will sink in, along with a deep pride in your place in the story of the United States America. I hope you take that moment to think about what you can do to shape the future of this country we love. These days, it's easy for us to get caught thinking that there are two different stories at work in our lives. There is the story of our day-to-day cares and responsibilities - the classes you have to take or the bills you have to pay; the bustle and busyness of what happens in your own life. And then there is the story of what's happening in the wider world - a story seen in headlines and websites and televised images; a story experienced only through the price you pay at the pump or the extra screening you pass through at the airport. This is the divide that separates you from the ability to shape your own destiny. So I am asking you - on this 4th of July - to reject that divide, to step into the strong currents of history, and to shape your country's future. Because your own story and the American story are not separate, they are shared. And they will both be enriched if together, we answer a new call to service to meet the challenges of our new century. I say this to you as someone who couldn't be standing here today if not for the service of others, and who wouldn't be standing here if not for the purpose that service gave my own life. You see, I spent much of my childhood adrift. My father left my mother and me when I was two. My mother remarried, and we lived in Indonesia for a time. But I was mostly raised in Hawaii by my mom and my grandparents from Kansas. Growing up, I wasn't always sure who I was, or where I was going. But during my first two years of college, perhaps because the values my mother had taught me -hard work, honesty, empathy - had resurfaced after a long hibernation; or perhaps because of the example of wonderful teachers and lasting friends, I began to notice a world beyond myself. And by the time I graduated from college, I was possessed with a crazy idea - that I would work at a grassroots level to bring about change. I wrote letters to every organization in the country I could think of. And one day, a small group of churches on the South Side of Chicago offered me a job working to help neighborhoods that had been devastated by steel plant closings. My mother and grandparents wanted me to go to law school. My friends were applying to jobs on Wall Street. Meanwhile, this organization offered me $12,000 a year plus $2,000 for an old, beat-up car. And I said yes. I didn't know a soul in Chicago, and I wasn't sure what was waiting for me there. I had always been inspired by stories of the Civil Rights movement and JFK's call to service, but when I got to the South Side, there were no marches, and no soaring speeches. In the shadow of an empty steel plant, there were just a lot of folks who were struggling. I still remember one of the very first meetings we put together to discuss gang violence with a group of community leaders. We waited and waited for people to show up, and finally, a group of older people walked into the hall. And they sat down. And a little old lady raised her hand and asked, "Is this where the bingo game is?" It wasn't easy, but eventually, we made progress. Day by day, block by block, we brought the community together. We registered new voters. We set up after school programs, fought for new jobs, and helped people live lives with more opportunity, and some measure of dignity. But I also began to realize that I wasn't just helping other people. Through service, I found a community that embraced me; citizenship that was meaningful; the direction I'd been seeking. Through service, I discovered how my own improbable story fit into the larger story of America. There is a lesson to be learned from generations who have served - from soldiers and sailors; airmen and Marines; suffragists and freedom riders; teachers and doctors; cops and firefighters. It's the lesson that in America, each of us is free to seek our own dreams, but we must also serve a common purpose, a higher purpose. When you choose to serve - whether it's your nation, your community, or simply your neighbor - you are connected to that fundamental American ideal that we want Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness not just for ourselves, but for all Americans. That is why this is a great nation. Because time and again, Americans have been willing to serve on stages both great and small; to draw on the same spirit that launched America's improbable journey to meet the challenges of each defining moment in our history. One of those moments came on September 11, 2001. Whether you lived in Manhattan or thousands of miles away in Colorado, you felt the pain and loss of that day not just as an individual, but as an American. You also felt pride - pride in the firefighters who rushed up the stairs while workers rushed down; pride in the police who provided comfort, and the neighbors who lent a hand; pride in your citizenship, and the tattered flag that flew at Ground Zero. That's why Americans lined up to give blood. That's why we held vigils and flew flags. That's why we rallied behind our President. We were ready to step into the strong current of history, and to answer a new call for our country. But the call never came. Instead of a call to service, we were asked to go shopping. Instead of a call for shared sacrifice, we gave tax cuts to the wealthiest Americans in a time of war for the very first time in our history. Instead of leadership that called us to come together, we got patriotism defined as the property of one party, and used as a political wedge to take us into a war that should have never been authorized and never been waged. We have lost precious time. Our nation is less secure and less respected in the world. Our energy dependence has risen, and so has the specter of climate change. More of our children have been left behind, and our American Dream risks slipping away. The burden of service has fallen on to the backs of our military - and their families - who have endured tour after tour of duty bravely and brilliantly, even though they haven't always gotten the care and support they have earned. When I was thinking about whether or not to seek the presidency, there were voices that counseled me to wait. Why not stay in Washington for a few more years, they said, to master the game. But the fact is, I had been in Washington long enough to know that it needs to change. I am running for President, right now, because of what Dr. King called the fierce urgency of now. This moment is too important to sit on the sidelines. Our country faces determined enemies abroad, and definitive challenges at home. But I have no doubt that in the face of these odds, people who love their country can change it. That is why I am running for President. That is why I'm determined to reach out - not just to Democrats, but to Independents and Republicans who want to move in a new direction. And that is why I won't just ask for your vote as a candidate - I will ask for your service and your active citizenship when I am President of the United States. This will not be a call issued in one speech or one program - this will be a central cause of my presidency. We will ask Americans to serve. We will create new opportunities for Americans to serve. And we will direct that service to our most pressing national challenges. There is no challenge greater than the defense of our nation and our values. The men and women of our military - from Fort Carson to Peterson Air Force base, from the Air Force Academy to the ROTC students here on campus - have signed up at a time when our troops face an ever-increasing load. Fighting a resurgent Taliban. Targeting al Qaeda. Persevering in the deserts and cities of Iraq. Training foreign militaries. Delivering humanitarian relief. In this young century, our military has answered when called, even as that call has come too often. Through their commitment, their capability, and their courage they have done us all proud. But we need to ease the burden on our troops, while meeting the challenges of the 21st century. That's why I will call on a new generation of Americans to join our military, and complete the effort to increase our ground forces by 65,000 soldiers and 27,000 Marines. A call to service must be backed by a sacred trust with anyone who puts on the uniform of the United States. A young person joining our military must know that we'll only send them into harm's way when we absolutely must. That we'll provide them with the equipment needed to complete their mission safely, and deployments that allow adequate time back home. They must see that we'll care for our military families while they're deployed, and that we're providing our veterans with the support, benefits, and opportunity that they have earned when they return home. That's what I've fought for on the Senate Veteran's Affairs Committee. That's what I'll promise as Commander in Chief. Just as we must value and encourage military service across our society, we must honor and expand other opportunities to serve. Because the future of our nation depends on the soldier at Fort Carson, but it also depends on the teacher in East LA, the nurse in Appalachia, the after-school worker in New Orleans, the Peace Corps volunteer in Africa, and the Foreign Service officer in Indonesia. Americans have shown that they want to step up. But we're not keeping pace with the demand of those who want to serve, or leveraging that commitment to meet national challenges. FDR not only enlisted Americans to create employment, he targeted that service to build our infrastructure and conserve our environment. JFK not only called on a new generation, he made their service a bridge to the developing world, and a bright light of American values in the darkest days of the Cold War. Today, AmeriCorps - our nation's network of local, state and national service programs - has 75,000 slots. I know firsthand the quality of these programs. My wife Michelle once left her job at a law firm to be the founding director of an AmeriCorps program in Chicago that trains young people for careers in public service. These programs invest Americans in their communities and their country. They tap America's greatest resource - our citizens. As President, I will expand AmeriCorps to 250,000 slots, and make that increased service a vehicle to meet national goals like providing health care and education, saving our planet and restoring our standing in the world, so that citizens see their efforts connected to a common purpose. People of all ages, stations, and skills will be asked to serve. Because when it comes to the challenges we face, the American people are not the problem - they are the answer. We'll send more college graduates to teach and mentor our young people. We'll call on Americans to join an Energy Corps to conduct renewable energy and environmental cleanup projects in their neighborhoods. We'll enlist veterans to help other vets find jobs and support, and to be there for our military families. And we'll also grow our Foreign Service, open consulates that have been shuttered, and double the size of the Peace Corps by 2011 to renew our diplomacy. And we'll use technology to connect people to service. We'll expand USA Freedom Corps to create an online network where Americans can browse opportunities to volunteer. You'll be able to search by category, time commitment, and skill sets; you'll be able to rate service opportunities, build service networks, and create your own service pages to track your hours and activities. This will empower more Americans to craft their own service agenda, and make their own change from the bottom up. We also need to invest in ideas that can help us meet our common challenges, because more often than not, the next great social innovation won't be generated by the government. The non-profit sector employs 1 in 12 Americans and 115 nonprofits are launched every day. Yet while the federal government invests $7 billion in research and development for the private sector, there is no similar effort to support non-profit innovation. Meanwhile, there are ideas across America - in our inner cities and small towns; from college graduates, to seniors getting ready to retire - that could benefit millions of Americans if they're given the chance to grow. As President, I will launch a new Social Investment Fund Network. It's time to get the grass roots, the foundations, the faith-based organizations, the private sector and the government at the table so that we can learn from our own success stories. We'll invest in ideas that work; leverage private sector dollars to encourage innovation; and expand successful programs to scale. Take a program like the Harlem Children's Zone, which helps thousands of kids in New York through after-school activities, mentoring, and family support. We need to make that model work in different cities across America. And just as we support small businesses, I'll start a new Social Entrepreneur Agency to make sure that small non-profits have strong support from Washington. Finally, we need to integrate service into education, so that young Americans are called upon and prepared to be active citizens. Just as we teach math and writing, arts and athletics, we need to teach young Americans to take citizenship seriously. Study after study shows that students who serve do better in school, are more likely to go to college, and more likely to maintain that service as adults. So when I'm President, I will set a goal for all American middle and high school students to perform 50 hours of service a year, and for all college students to perform 100 hours of service a year. This means that by the time you graduate college, you'll have done 17 weeks of service. We'll reach this goal in several ways. At the middle and high school level, we'll make federal assistance conditional on school districts developing service programs, and give schools resources to offer new service opportunities. At the community level, we'll develop public-private partnerships so students can serve more outside the classroom. For college students, I have proposed an annual American Opportunity Tax Credit of $4,000. To receive this credit, we'll require 100 hours of public service. You invest in America, and America invests in you - that's how we're going to make sure that college is affordable for every single American, while preparing our nation to compete in the 21st century. For our veterans, I was proud to be a strong and early supporter of Jim Webb's bipartisan GI Bill, so that today's vets have the same opportunity that my grandfather had under the GI Bill. To marshal their talents in building a new energy economy, I will launch an initiative to give our veterans the training they need to succeed in the Green Jobs of the future. It's time to end our energy dependence at home so our national security isn't held hostage to oil and gas from abroad. And we will not leave out the nearly 2 million young Americans who are out of school and out of work. We'll enlist them in our Energy Corps, so that disadvantaged young people can find useful work, clean polluted areas, help weatherize homes, and gain skills in a growing industry. And we'll expand the YouthBuild Program, which puts young Americans to work building affordable housing in America's poorest communities, giving them valuable skills and a chance to complete a high school education. Because no one should be left out of the American story. Now I know what the cynics will say. I've heard from them all my life. These are the voices that will tell you - not just what you can't do - but what you won't do. Americans won't come together - our allegiance doesn't go beyond our political party, region, or congregation. Young Americans won't serve their country - they're too selfish, or too lazy. This is the soft sell of the status quo, the voice that tells you to settle because settling isn't that bad. That's not the America that I've seen throughout this campaign. I've seen young people work, and volunteer, and turn out in record numbers. I've met members of our military - like the thousands of soldiers and airmen here in Colorado Springs - who signed up to serve in the wake of 9/11. I've met community workers who want to care for our kids; students who want to end the genocide in Darfur; businesses that want to expand opportunity; farmers who want to help free us from the tyranny of oil; seniors searching for ways to give back; and people of every age, race, and religion who want to come together to renew the American spirit. Renewing that spirit starts with service. Make no mistake: our destiny as Americans is tied up with one another. If we are less respected in the world, then you will be less safe. If we keep paying dictators for foreign oil, gas prices are going to keep rising, and so are the oceans. If we can't give all of our kids a world-class education, then our economy is going to fall behind. And that's how it should be. That's the bet our Founding Fathers were making all of those years ago - that our individual destinies could be tied together in the common destiny of democracy; that government depends not just on the consent of the governed, but on the service of citizens. That's what history calls us to do. Because loving your country shouldn't just mean watching fireworks on the 4th of July. Loving your country must mean accepting your responsibility to do your part to change it. If you do, your life will be richer, and our country will be stronger. We need your service, right now, at this moment - our moment - in history. I'm not going to tell you what your role should be; that's for you to discover. But I am going to ask you to play your part; ask you to stand up; ask you to put your foot firmly into the current of history. I am asking you to change history's course. And if I have the fortune to be your President, decades from now - when the memory of this or that policy has faded, and when the words that we will speak in the next few years are long forgotten - I hope you remember this as a moment when your own story and the American story came together, and - in the words of Dr. King - the arch of history bent once more towards justice.

I wanna go to Harvest Fest!!!!!

estrellasoul — Fri, 18 Jul 2008 22:16:01 GMT

*excerpt from http://www.wookiefoot.com/home.cfm In 2005, Wookiefoot and the Harvest Fest Community began fund raising for international relief and sustainable development causes. Our community rallied to the call, and in within two years our annual fund raising efforts have more than quadrupled! In 2006 we threw our first 100% charity fund raising festival, PROJECT EARTH where we collectively raised close to $20,000 in the first year. In 2007, we saw it nearly double again, exceeding all of our expectations by raising over $44,000. Now we must balance the growth of this unique event with the preservation of its integrity and vibration. We hope to see it grow not just in the resources it provides for those in need, but also the education and awareness for people here in our country as well. Thank you to everyone for volunteering their time, talent, energy, and donations to enable this magic to come to life. In the last two winters, we've gone on missions across Nepal, India, and Southeast Asia to find smaller non-profits where we could see their positive effects first hand. We met many visionaries who were strongly affecting change at the community level, with responsibility and sustainability. We are currently funding a de-landmining program and amputee orphanage in Cambodia, an organic farm whose proceeds go to building libraries in Laos, an elephant refuge in northern Thailand, and a fair trade, anti-child labor, school building project in Nepal. To learn more of our travels abroad or of Aimee and Megan's volunteer experiences, please click here. http://www.wookiefoot.com/travelin.cfm We are so grateful to our family, fans, and community for pulling together and sending our collective love and energy to people who need it most. We were fortunate enough to have the first hand experience of what that energy is creating, and now we would like to bring that home and share it with all of you at PROJECT EARTH. http://www.wookiefoot.com/ProjectEarth/main.cfm Wookiefoot and the Harvest Fest Community (that's all of YOU!) had a great year in fund raising for international relief and sustainable development causes last year. CLICK HERE for more on Wookie Charities... ACTIVATE!!! http://www.wookiefoot.com/WookieFootCharities/main.cfm Thanx 2 U we R in business 4 "good" http://www.wookiefoot.com/home.cfm The Other Side of the Jar http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y1uHAy_XKm0 The Other Side of the Jar Part II http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SQOASiQKNIA OUT OF THE JAR III (Project Earth Video) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w3uEMP-mDsA

Water

estrellasoul — Fri, 13 Jun 2008 20:32:55 GMT

ournal Entry: Fri Jun 13, 2008, 1:18 PM I live in a northern suburb of a Cedar Rapids IA along the Cedar River. All of downtown C.R. is flooded. In a town nearby, Palo, is a nuclear power plant, which is underwater. The National Guard is here to help, FEMA will be here soon, we have a curfew starting @ 9pm ending @ 5a for the time being. I guess the President has called in... No one alive has seen flood water like this in the area. The highest the river has been recorded is 20.0' in 1961 & 1851 before that. in '93 it was 19.3' The river is currently recorded @ 25.7' We've had rain all week, and before this we had tornados. Downtown of my hometown is flooded as well, pretty much all of my immediate family lives along the Cedar River. My Dad's Wife's Sister's house her husband built in New Hartford got hit by a tornado, they were going to salvage the main beams and foundation, and rebuild, but now it's covered in flood water. At the same time, the only thing that has affected me directly is that i didn't have internet last night. and our electricity has been out a fair amount with all the thunderstorms and tornados. All my immediate family is high and dry. It's surreal. I've only seen pictures and video on the internet, don't wanna get in the way, and it's all anyones talking about right now. if anyone wants to watch the local news coverage... its pretty decent... http://www.kwwl.com/Global/category.asp?C=130142&nav=menu82_6 picture; “Water: H2O=Life” at the American Museum of Natural History, Visitors enter "Water: H20=Life" through a veil of mist. Photo: D. Finnin/AMNH

know any REALLY funny movies?

estrellasoul — Tue, 03 Jun 2008 03:21:37 GMT

I recently got a spot on tarot reading from a good friend i hadn't seen in a while, like me, she reads for the present, & it was very affirming, especially at this time, to see my personal understanding reflected in a outside source "apart" from myself.... One thing i see is that i need more laughter in my life & i think the best way to implement this would be funny movies ;) so, anyone know any REALLY funny movies? i wanna laugh so loud that i wake up my neighbors, that the cats look at me funny that i cry and my belly hurts :) help a sistah out? Picture: "Make a Joyful Noise" by Jennifer Float

I miss my friends

estrellasoul — Tue, 06 May 2008 04:43:40 GMT

...<3...

*~

estrellasoul — Tue, 15 Apr 2008 01:43:01 GMT

In the consequence of your actions opens a doorway in my solitude letting in creations breath. Late night discovery's no matter the mode find windows facing the same horizon, a comfort in the consequence of your actions. People are disappointing and amazing right on time and when you least expect it mirroring my path with the choices i have yet to understand. Am i to break the glass or refill it? or do i walk through it? Is it time to close the door? for now i revel in my solitude, savoring creations breath. ~* )O( *~ so many sign posts that show me where not to tred garish lights that turn me away away from the noise and confusion deeper into the woods i know where i'm headed the way is written in my heart the path remains a mystery to be unraveled though it's here my sight is clear following the stars that sing to my soul

You Say You Want a Revolution...

estrellasoul — Wed, 19 Mar 2008 07:00:41 GMT

so i recently went a bit crazy in the brain pan, took a week off work and everything, i wrote, cried, drew, knitted, talked, walked... it all out, i listened and contemplated the wisdom of my friends, music, everything, including me, and i now feel much better, the pieces are falling back into new places and i have room to breathe stretch and grow again, and for the most part its just wonderful! i think i had a growth spurt, or a damn broke... i think the growth spurt broke the outdated damn...a damn i didn't even realize was there some of it was bricks from long long ago and some of it i had re-conditioned myself, being back in IA...it was hard letting go of my life in CA and moving back here, i moved back for reasons i don't regret, and i'm still here for reasons i do not regret...i think that who i really am just can't wait it out anymore, and i'm still gonna be here for a while, and if people get freaked out, so be it. *thanks for the picture John, and your kind words :)

time is of the essence

estrellasoul — Thu, 06 Mar 2008 10:11:12 GMT

i wish things were more simple....but they're not. things are confusing, and busy and huge, and sometimes the path is hard to find. even when you know what it is...and there's all these distractions & hoops...and when you have to make a path...you just don't know...and time is of the essence...i wish things were more simple. http://www.hsc.wvu.edu/wviih/pdfs/sedgeman/03.pdf

Across the Universe -`<,._-^'=,.-+~

estrellasoul — Sat, 16 Feb 2008 02:02:06 GMT

A friend from work let me borrow her copy of 'Across the Universe' she thought i would like it and didn't know I'd already seen it in the Theater. When i saw it in the theater i wasn't sure that i liked it because it was so much to take in and like no other movie I'd seen before, after seeing it again, i'm sure i LOVE it!!! They made a story 'about the 60's' thats 'narrated' using songs by the Beatles, i grew up listening to the Beatles and i love how they "re-did" the songs. It doesn't clash with my memory/impression of them, the echoes in my head actually go along with and fill in parts that they purposefully simplified or didn't include in their versions of the songs. The visual art is great too! how they use the feel from the time period, and use new techniques with computers. and watching the special features has given me a whole other depth of appreciation for the project, the director Julie Taymore is amazing! I think the whole thing is just Brilliant!! Official Movie Website http://www.sonypictures.com/homevideo/acrosstheuniverse/ Movie Trailer http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bQ6d3m-GFyw

Current Contraceptives / Birth Control

estrellasoul — Thu, 31 Jan 2008 09:56:51 GMT

Over the past few months i have become aware that i have not been keeping up with the world of contraceptives... the only implant currently avail in the US is called Implanon, a single implant inserted into the upper arm, the implants i was previously familiar with (Norplant) are no longer available in the US. There's a Intrauterine device, or IUD thats new to me called the Nuvaring, i was aware of the patch, one of my best friends uses it...and there are so many different oral contraceptives, i don't even know where to begin! and i've read that there's research that has shown that women who use birth control pills are 27% less likely than those who have never used oral contraceptives to develop ovarian cancer...now i haven't read up on this so, i don't really have any idea if this is true or not... theres also research about the dangers of taking birth control pills if your a smoker. i guess people are even trying to develop a male contraceptive pill, i haven't found any definitive info on this, but that's definitely thinking outside the box! General Overview of Contraceptives http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Birth_control Info on Different Contraceptive Choices http://www.advocatesforyouth.org/youth/health/contraceptives/index.htm http://www.emedicinehealth.com/birth_control_overview/page6_em.htm#Hormonal%20Methods Nuvaring (IUD) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/NuvaRing http://www.nuvaring.com Implanon (implant) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Implanon http://www.implanon-usa.com oral contraceptives (pills) http://www.oralcontraceptives.com/ http://www.plannedparenthood.org/birth-control-pregnancy/birth-control/the-pill.htm Ortho Evra (the patch) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Contraceptive_patch http://www.orthoevra.com Mirena (IUD) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/IntraUterine_System http://www.mirena-us.com Condoms & Spermicide http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Condom http://www.plannedparenthood.org/birth-control-pregnancy/birth-control/condom.htm

BRRRRRR!

estrellasoul — Wed, 30 Jan 2008 09:17:03 GMT

brrrrrr!!! its sooooooooooo cold tonight so i'm going to go read in bed w/a cup of tea. All creative endeavors will have to wait till a warmer day/night. currently im reading His Dark Materials by Phillip Morris, its a trilogy; The Golden Compass, The Subtle Knife, The Amber Spyglass. I am enjoying the read. Also found some new music today @ work; Andy McKee, really beautiful harp-guitar music, yup, a harp-guitar, all one instrument, didn't even know such and instrument existed! go to the link if you wanna see/hear him in action http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f27megLOleQ&feature=related

Addicted to Avatar: The Last Airbender

estrellasoul — Tue, 15 Jan 2008 06:51:13 GMT

So, yeah, I'm totally addicted to a cartoon called Avatar: The Last Airbender, cause well, its pretty awesome :D my 12 year old brother, wait maybe he's 11 still, i can never remember his actual age...turned me on to the show, asked for the first season for Christmas 2 yrs ago, said i would like it too, i finally got around to checking it out about a week ago, and now i'm drooling for the next episode just like all the other avatar junkies... http://www.avatarchapters.org/ ...if you wanna check it out :D

Need Help with 40s-50s era Fleetwood Deluxe automatic zigzag sewing machine (made in Japan)

estrellasoul — Sat, 12 Jan 2008 06:38:40 GMT

I was recently given my grandmothers sewing machine. She didn't really use it while it was hers (my mom doesn't sew either) So she doesn't know how to thread it, or anything. It was made in the 40's to 50's, says its a Fleetwood 767-b Deluxe Automatic Zig Zag, made in Japan, but from what little i have been able to find on the internet, this was during a time that Japan was making a bunch of sewing machines to be sold in the US, and then they would just put names on them (like Fleetwood) that would seem more appealing to the U.S. As far as i can find, there aren't any manuals to be found, and one source said that these machines were based of the classic singer 15 model, but i looked at a picture and they don't really look the same. I've tried 'just figuring it out' and its not working :( So if anyone has any info on how to thread it, or how to thread the bobbin, or any info about this machine at all, i would be forever grateful! my Google skills don't seem up to the challenge. My next try will be taking it to a sewing machine repair shop, even if they're not familiar with this specific model, i bet they would be able to at least figure out how to use it! I'll post a picture as soon as my camera battery is re-charged. On another note, i started sorting stones into colors for mosaicking, the stone's were given to me by Nick and Shelley, they used them in vases for floating candles at their wedding...they're semi-precious stone bits and they're all really small and not really uniform in size at all, so i'm worried about loosing them in the concrete mortar, i have this picture in my head of how its suppose to look when it's finished, (well feel really cause its moving in my head) The stones are really special, and the mosaic is going into a wood bedside dresser that I salvaged from a dumpster and refinished, and my dad finished up the part i had chiseled into the top to inlay the stones in with more precise tools (he does finishing carpentry) so i kinda have pretty high expectations for this project...i guess maybe its just going to take some time if i wanna it to turn out well. i still have to find drawer pulls for it too. Also now that the holidaze have passed, i should have time to sit down and learn how to use the small loom my dad got me!!! There's a video that came with it that i need to watch, and when i went to the Amana Colonies a couple summers ago, i bought a big bag of their left over string from the blankets they make on their big giant industrial looms. The free form loom i've been working on making, is coming along slowly, more slowly than i had anticipated The frame is made, but i decided to use fence staples in it for the warp (the threads that are aligned vertically on the loom before you start weaving) i have to hammer them in, and hammering is loud, which means i can only do that during certain hrs of the day, Airyck sleeps when i would be up during the day, and then i work in the afternoon, right now its too cold out, and again its still too loud to do while people are sleeping. maybe my neighbor will let me bring it over and do it at her house :P right now i only work on it on the weekends, when i'm home, and have the time. For Christmas the is yr, i asked for Duct Tape and cycling clothing to make a dressmakers dummy out of, one thats only my size, but its a start, i got 6 roles of duct tape and no cycling clothes, so i will have to look @ the thrift store for spandex clothes :P i have designs ready that i want to make, but its really hard to pin stuff on yourself :P when spring comes, i think i'm going to try growing plants that i can use for dying, i've been reading about it a little bit over the past few yrs and been growing plants indoor and outside for a few yrs now, that i think im ready to try. i also want to ask the my landlady if i can have a small garden in the yard this yr instead of pots on the deck since some plants are just happier in the ground...i must admit that pots seem awfully confining. i think she'll go for it, she was glad that our cats WEREN'T de-clawed :) and she gives us her old magazines and little presents every once in a while. i really like our land lady! i guess this entry has started turning into my crafting agenda for the recent future

Caucus Noob

estrellasoul — Fri, 04 Jan 2008 05:34:23 GMT

so this was the first yr i went to a caucus, it was pretty interesting, there was a fair amount of people there, and everyone was very civil and good natured with each other, though i have to admit it was one of the more disorganized, organized events i've taken part in, i figured it would have been much more structured, there wasn't a speaker system, it was all very chaotic but it worked :) it's probably different in other areas. i had wanted to go to the indy caucus too, but this was really great too :) Now i have another yr. to do more research on who i want to give my vote to for the presidency.

there's a caucus for the Independents!!!

estrellasoul — Mon, 31 Dec 2007 04:48:22 GMT

a friend recently posted a bulletin on myspace, i felt it needed to be reposted and passed along ... Independents.... I just received this email.... http://www.caucusofthefuture.com/ The Iowa Counter-Caucus: an independent alternative to business as usual Posted 12/27/2007 9:09 AM CST on Des Moines Register As the nation's attention turns to the presidential nominating cycle and the lead-off Iowa Caucuses, a group of anarchists, independents, progressives, socialists, and other radicals are bypassing the two-party system and making plans for an alternative People's Caucus of their own. The Caucus of the Future: Direct Democracy in Action will be held at the Drake Legal Clinic, 24th & University in Des Moines, Iowa on January 2 and 3. "The Iowa Caucuses, no matter how "progressive" they are considered, are still based on representation--thus giving the illusion of democracy," says Adam Senecaut, 26, a self-identified anarchist and an organizer of the counter-caucus. "The Caucus of the Future aims to provide a different model--one where ideas, skills and resources are not voted upon or bought and sold, but shared." "This isn't to say that the Iowa Caucuses should be avoided," Senecaut continues. "Voting and direct action can be applied together--one does not cancel the other out. But we should be careful not to give all of the power we share as a whole to a small minority of elected officials." The Caucus of the Future is about participatory democracy, organizers say, taking matters into our own hands, solving our own problems, becoming our own leaders. Workships are scheduled to include: alternative energy and fuel, sustainable agriculture and permaculture, alternative media, direct action, self-defense, folk history, bicycle repair, community gardening, consent, gift economics, urban exploration, community organizing, alternative education, and more. Groups like the Des Moines Catholic Worker, Unconventional Action, and the RNC Welcoming Committee will be in the house, as well as distinguished activists like Nobel Peace Prize nominee Kathy Kelly and militant pacifist Frank Cordaro. Music by Dave Lippman, Secret Show w/Latex Nuns, the Power Plant, Waster, Take Control, Shrill, and more will close out each night. A more inclusive schedule can be viewed here. True to its do-it-yourself philosophy, delegates to the Caucus of the Future are encouraged to host their own workshops and skillsets. http://www.caucusofthefuture.com/get-involved "Direct Action is any action that sidesteps regulations, representatives, and authorities to accomplish goals directly--actions that cut out the middleman to solve problems without mediation," Senecaut says. "A man that hands out fliers regarding an issue he's passionate about rather than relying on the media to cover it for him is direct action; folks who serve food for free publicly to those in need instead of waiting for elected "officials" to solve the "homeless problem" is direct action. Direct action is the opposite of representation." According to Senecaut, the Caucus of the Future aims to enable and empower citizens by providing a forum where ideas, skills, and resources can be shared without the coercion of the profit motive. "That's the first step," he says, "learning to take responsibility for our own lives rather than abdicating it to representative officials. The more often we learn to apply this, the sooner we'll understand how best to create a better world together." Fellow organizer Elton Davis, 46, a christian anarchist with the Des Moines Catholic Worker, is more blunt. "If everybody stood up and took responsibility for their own actions with concern for their fellow planetary travellers, we wouldn't need no damn government," Davis says. Davis is critical of the Iowa Caucuses and says they are only "inclusive" if you are a Democrat or a Republican. "Basically, a two-party system is a de-facto dictatorship of, well, two parties," Davis says. "I think we should all boycott the party system, and then we would send a message to the parties to send us a more acceptable candidate and, while we're at it, a better system of democracy. Say, proportional representation?" Proponents of direct action and participatory democracy say that voting disempowers people and turns them into armchair quarterbacks, waiting for this or that "leader" to solve their problems instead of calling the shots themselves. Don't expect a representative of the corporate profit margin to save the world, Davis and Senecaut seem to be saying, because only you can do that. "Our main problem is that we don't know our own strength," Senecaut argues. "Vote or don't vote, but get on with it! What are we doing in our own communities to make life a better place for ourselves, for everyone? Do we even know our neighbors? Voting is a lottery, whereas direct action always provides something of worth." If the slogan "if another world is possible, then another U.S. is necessary" is true, then the Caucus of the Future is an event Americans from all over the country should consider mobilizing for. No matter how crucial the next presidential elections are, creating new grassroots infrastructure and networks is key to building a strong, sustainable movement for social justice and human rights, a movement that can hold the next president accountable to the people regardless of who he or she is. --------------------------------------------------- dont forget.... how to locate your caucus...... Democrats: http://www.iowafirstcaucus.org/caucus_finder.php Repubs: http://www.sos.state.ia.us/elections/voterreg/PollingPlace/search.aspx

to whom it may concern

estrellasoul — Fri, 14 Dec 2007 12:14:38 GMT

Just a heads up...i dropped my cellphone in the bathtub, so now the battery doesn't hold a charge, so my phone only works when its plugged into the charger/electrical outlet. Also it now randomly shuts off even when its plugged in, i then have to take out the battery, wait a few secs then put it back in the phone and wait for it to turn back on, whole process usually takes about 1-2 min...hopefully i will be able to get a new phone within a week. or my current one will have a change of heart ;)

crafters holiday crunch time

estrellasoul — Fri, 23 Nov 2007 17:50:18 GMT

crafters holiday crunch time is here...has been here, will be here for a while :) its like finals for crafty folk!

Grrr....

estrellasoul — Fri, 02 Nov 2007 16:57:16 GMT

My neighbors in the house next door recently got a dog....so that they could keep it on a chain and in a kennel in their yard all day long!!! LAME!!! it barks and whines all day, cause they just leave it alone...poor buddy! it's been regularly waking me up 2-4 hrs early, and im getting really pissy! if it's still happening once winter is here, i think i'm going to call the authorities. on another note... Nightmare Before Christmas is playing @ the Wherenberg theater here in town...in 3D!!! i'm planing to see it this Sat. and... I've been learning how to make chain maille. So far i've learned how to make a bunch of different basic chain patterns, spiral chain, 4 in 1, corduroy, box chain, byzantine, caged byzantine, japanese hex maille & 2/4 grid. I'm using 10 gauge salvaged aluminum wire, its fairly easy to bend, lightweight and fairly durable. I've been wanting to learn for a while, but prefer using found materials whenever possible :)

how and why do i feel sound?

estrellasoul — Thu, 20 Sep 2007 10:41:18 GMT

lately i've been thinking about the physical feelings that accompany certain sounds, like "nails on a chalk board" or when people sing in certain ways, i can feel a physical vibration in my body...also when im in the shower at a certain temperature it makes my teeth "vibrate" its a really weird feeling, almost like a milder version of the "nails on a chalkboard" sound, so i'm wondering how much of sound perception is physical feeling...so i decided to utilize google...matter is energy in its latent or potential state...To differentiate the stimulus or signals from the world around us (external vibrations) according to their form, frequency or type we name the following: Photons: they stimulate the eyes, causing the sensation of light and colour (from the Greek "fotos" = light) Phonons: they stimulate the ears (from the Greek "fonos" = sound) Osmons: they stimulate the smell (from the Greek "osmos" = smell) Thermons and Rigons : they are related to the stimulus of heat and cold respectively (from the greek "Termos"= heat and 'Rigos' = cold)......so do things that stimulate the ears excite phonons? and the others respectively? and i still don't understand how/why I "feel" the vibrations...i don't have emotional conditional to the "nails on the chalkboard sound" yet when i hear it it sends waves of vibrations that are "unpleasant" physically, rippling through my body, long after the original sound was created, i even get goose bumps. and i'm not sure that Phonons, Osmons, Thermons and Rigons are even "real" words, cause my spell check doesn't like them and when i google them, only some of them pull up other sources besides the article i found them in...interesting stuff...especially when connecting the dots...time for bed though, im getting too scatterbrained :) ...to be continued...

Splat! Meow!

estrellasoul — Fri, 07 Sep 2007 03:47:57 GMT

Ewwwwwwww! i just smashed a mosquito on my to do list on my wall above my work desk @ home, and it was a gusher! it left behind a great big red splots bug guts included (see i told you i was really violent) Thankfully Lynda came to my rescue and covered it up with a lovely Hello Kitty sticker :)

my computer is sick :(

estrellasoul — Fri, 31 Aug 2007 21:51:39 GMT

ach!! my computer has a trojan virus/s everything runs slow, takes some things forever to open, things arn't saving properly, it wont let me go to 2 out of 5 internet pages....i have to reformat EVERYTHING! bah!!! oh well, theres worse things in life :) this is forcing me to begin the much needed, much procrasted task of backing up all my computer content.

i liked the movie stardust

estrellasoul — Sun, 12 Aug 2007 04:38:43 GMT

I wish i knew of a movie that could show the multifaceted crystal that is Truth, i don't even know how to describe what i'm desperately desiring at the moment now, but one of the saddest things is two people who can see, but can't see each other, or one cant see the other because they can only see so much of the light spectrum, like how they say that when you listen to really loud music and your ears are buzzing, that the buzzing is hearing damage and once it goes away, you will never hear @ that frequency again. i don't know if thats true...i don't know if theres such a thing as permanent spiritual damage, maybe its all just a trick of the light, again i don't know how to say it really, i don't know how to say it so its understood! and that so frustrating. and to be told "oh your still so young" how could you even know or understand yet anyway, or well thats beyond us, so theres no way you could understand that, and to understand well enough your nature to know that this is true, but not in the way that they're thinking. and peoples motivations make things so confusing, are they doing the wrong things for the right reasons, the right things for the wrong reasons.... is what your learning the same as what they're teaching, does it matter? whose the teacher?....Teachers? Guides? Fools? Sages? God, Gods, Goddess, Goddess', macro, micros, time/space, Source, Be, I Am, Death, Fear, Life, Love... i wish there was a way to blog in a 3D branching format, it would fit my thoughts better, but its not good to be selfish, adapting is key (a key?) but so is standing up for whats right and being innovative and creating things that help, but what is helping, who knows whats really for the best, how do you know, do you listen? what do you listen to? do you feel? how do you feel? do you read a book? what do you read? what can a human perceive? can they trust their perceptions? can they place their trust elsewhere and in turn trust their perceptions of said trust? need to eat...mmm this food is good, i'm glad i have it...eating...adding to another place earlier in the path...done eating, calmer, more complacent...is that a good thing? ...zoning...the lists are coming, ordering, shifting, lining up, dispuring, re-arranging.... im going to go do something now.

Pictures from Seattle Trip

estrellasoul — Thu, 26 Jul 2007 09:12:47 GMT

http://s69.photobucket.com/albums/i41/estrellasoul/Seattle%20Trip%20Spring%2007/

Will Work For Peace

estrellasoul — Fri, 20 Jul 2007 22:26:19 GMT

About a year ago, a friend (Jennie) gave me a pin with the words WILL WORK FOR PEACE written on it. It quickly because one of my favorite phrases, and personal motto's. Rolling this phrase around in my head invoked the image of a person standing by the side of a road or on a city corner, holding a cardboard sign with the words "Will Work For Peace" writing on it. this idea has inspired me to make a compilation CD with that theme in mind...songs about working for peace, be it a world view or personal. When i make compilation CD's to give to people (which honestly hasn't been that often) i like to decorate em...and i started to think wouldn't it be great to make a collage of pictures of people from many places, many languages, cultures, walks of life, holding their "Will Work For Peace" Signs! If you would be interested in contributing a picture to this collage, pls send and e-mail to " willwork_forpeace@yahoo.com ". attach a file of the picture in jpg format. once the collage is finished i will e-mail back a file of the finished project to all who participated :) pls be creative !! and if you have any questions, send an e-mail and i will respond as soon as i am able.