Some people are expressing disbelief that President Obama has been awarded the Nobel Peace Prize less than a year into his first term. And in some ways this is understandable. After all, wouldn't it be more reasonable to consider him for this honor after his first or second term, and to judge him on what he has accomplished rather than on the "hope" that he represents?
But if you look a bit beyond the US borders, and ask yourself what peace really means, I think it is clear that now is indeed the time for this prize.
Obama is a bridge (literally even!) between races and nations, and his election to president has changed the entire feel of international relations. The world as a whole has experienced a shift from a hostile to a hopeful undertone.
That shift is extremely significant, and (IMHO) worthy of a Nobel.
A few quotes to illustrate this...
A friend of mine who just got back from traveling in the middle east had this to say:
"Just spent 6 weeks in the Middle East and it was extraordinary how optimistic Egyptians (as well as people from all over the world) were about Obama (especially after his speech in Egypt) and how welcoming they were to people from the United States, compared to how it was in the past 8 years. I felt such a difference from my travel overseas 2 and 5 years ago.
In Palestinian territories the city police would smile, kiss their thumbs and say "America." Locals often commented about how much more safe and friendly people were toward people from the United States. Canadians said they did not feel they had to continue to wear the Canadian maple leaf patch on their backpacks to distinguish themselves from those from the United States. Turks in Istanbul were so warm and welcome."
I've heard similar from a LOT of traveler friends. The world feels a lot safer in general since Obama's election, and particularly for Americans abroad.
A few comments from past Peace Prize winners also illustrate why Obama has earned this prize...
Gorbachev:
"I congratulate you on being awarded the Nobel Peace Prize. I am convinced that it is the right decision, which significantly reinforces our family of Nobel laureates. Your efforts have helped to bring about a significant change in the international climate. I feel close affinity to your vision of the global world and of relations among nations. Implementing it will require strong will, statesmanship and mastery of communication. It will also require support from Americans and from men and women of good will throughout the world.
The decision of the Nobel Committee is a recognition of the significant role the United States of America plays in world affairs and of the hopes people are placing in the United States President. Therefore your success, Mr. President, is in the interest of all those who want to see a secure and just peace in the XXI century."
Another former Nobel winner, Mohamed ElBaradei, director general of the International Atomic Energy Agency in Vienna, said Obama has already provided outstanding leadership in the effort to prevent nuclear proliferation:
"In less than a year in office, he has transformed the way we look at ourselves and the world we live in and rekindled hope for a world at peace with itself. He has shown an unshakable commitment to diplomacy, mutual respect and dialogue as the best means of resolving conflicts. He has reached out across divides and made clear that he sees the world as one human family, regardless of religion, race or ethnicity."
An old friend said that Obama being awarded the peace prize made her think that "the world had gone insane - why we don't just cut to the chase and proclaim Barack Obama Emperor of the Universe".
To me, it doesn't sound like the world has gone insane. Rather - for the first time in a long time the world is on the path towards sanity.
Congratulations President Obama! This is a proud day for the United States.
UPDATE: I had a friend point out that giving Obama the Peace Prize now is like "giving out the Superbowl trophy mid-season to a struggling team to help get them motivated."
Working towards peace is not a competition that can be won like the Superbowl or an Olympic Medal. The Peace Prize has a very different purpose, and it has often gone to people who are in the midst of doing work for peace, with the hope being that the award will help build momentum. The Peace Prize is judged with a very different criteria than the science awards which are often given out decades after the fact.
I started off today planning to write a "WTF - too soon!" post until I did some more research into the criteria and history of the Nobel Peace Prize, and into the progress towards peace and diplomacy under the Obama administration that has already been acknowledged by many around the world.
The research changed my mind. I think the time is right for this award.
It looks like even Obama was caught off guard by this. I really appreciate his humble response:
"This morning, Michelle and I awoke to some surprising and humbling news. At 6 a.m., we received word that I'd been awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for 2009.
To be honest, I do not feel that I deserve to be in the company of so many of the transformative figures who've been honored by this prize -- men and women who've inspired me and inspired the entire world through their courageous pursuit of peace.
But I also know that throughout history the Nobel Peace Prize has not just been used to honor specific achievement; it's also been used as a means to give momentum to a set of causes.
That is why I've said that I will accept this award as a call to action, a call for all nations and all peoples to confront the common challenges of the 21st century. These challenges won't all be met during my presidency, or even my lifetime. But I know these challenges can be met so long as it's recognized that they will not be met by one person or one nation alone.
This award -- and the call to action that comes with it -- does not belong simply to me or my administration; it belongs to all people around the world who have fought for justice and for peace. And most of all, it belongs to you, the men and women of America, who have dared to hope and have worked so hard to make our world a little better."
The sky calls to us If we do not destroy ourselves We will one day venture to the stars
I believe our future depends powerfully On how well we understand this cosmos In which we float like a mote of dust In the morning sky
The surface of the earth is the shore of the cosmic ocean Recently we've waded a little way out And the water seems inviting
serolynne and I started re-watching Carl Sagan'sCosmos on Hulu recently. It is just as true and relevant now as ever - perhaps some of the best television ever filmed.
The awesome folks at O'Reilly accepted our proposal, and were excited about us being on the agenda. They even featured us in an interview for the O'Reilly Radar as part of the build up towards ETech.
We would be sharing the stage at ETech with big name CTO's and CEO's and a whole host of well know visionaries and leaders. Would people really want to see our travel photos and hear about our experiments in lifestyle hacking?
Apparently, yes.
Our "Tales from Technomadia" session on Thursday morning went over extremely well. We had a great crowd, and several people told us that we were one of their highlights for the whole week.
Wow.
We are just two geeks and a kitten living in a moderately teched-out trailer. Are we really that interesting? It is humbling to have people telling us how much we inspire them.
But we do encourage people to think about different ways of living, and that indeed strikes a chord. ETech has been all about finding new ways to look at the world, new approaches to problems, new visions.
In addition to giving our talk, some of the other highlights from my week at ETech include:
Refactor your Wetware - An in depth look at how the brain works, and how to use your own better.
Robots: The Next Ten Years - Prediction made: robot teams will be competitive playing soccer against human teams at the World Cup level by 2050, and perhaps by 2025. Wow.
Jackhammers, Polymers, and Diamonds: New Applications in Explosives - She didn't blow anything up, but Christa Hockensmith was amazing. She will be hosting an Explosives Camp this summer for high school students - perfect for any kids hooked on MythBusters-style explosive science.
Robot Cars Solve Everything. Well, Almost. - Not only do robot driven cars have the potential to save millions of lives, they also have the potential to save vast amounts of energy too. Amazing stuff happening here, and coming sooner than you might think...
Viral Forecasting - Amazing big-thinking science is aiming to head off the next pandemic before it even starts. Wow.
And there was more... Late night Werewolf games, fascinating hallway conversations, and all sorts of incredibly interesting and inspiring people about.
My summary of ETech 2009: It was a great experience of both inspiring others and being inspired. I loved it!
A week ago, I had never heard of this organization. But an email forwarded to me from a friend about this month's topic - "traveling on purpose", intrigued me. I was particularly interested in one of the featured speakers, Todd Sotkiewicz, the general manager of Lonely Planet - my favorite travel books!
As full time purpose-driven travelers, how could we miss a topic like this?
Easily, it turns out.
Thursday afternoon rolled around, and we really weren't feeling up for venturing in to the city to check out some unknown organization. It would have been easy to stay at home catching up on projects, and maybe watching a DVD.
Inertia is a powerful force.
But then I noticed that the roster of special guests had been updated, and now also included Doug McConnell, the host of OpenRoad.TV.
Doug has always been one of my traveling inspirations. His prior show, "Bay Area Backroads" was some of my favorite Tivo fodder, and I always used to say that he had the best job in the world. I had considered it a good omen when I ran into him and his crew filming on Treasure Island during the beginnings of my own nomadic journey back in April of 2006.
The universe had spoken. I couldn't miss a chance to meet both the GM of Lonely Planet, and Doug McConnell!
And I am SO glad that we broke free of our stay-at-home-inertia and went.
Rather than a lecture style setting with a speaker and an audience, the Abundance League runs their meetings as a talking circle. Everyone gets to share, and there is a lot of time for mixing and mingling.
And mingle we did. We spent extensive time talking with Doug, Todd, and dozens of other absolutely fascinating and inspiring people. And - it was extremely energizing to be held up as inspiring in our own right. Todd even used us a running example during his talk.
I couldn't be happier that we ventured out on Thursday night. The overall message of the night was to "just go", whatever the adventure ahead that is calling you.
Obama, speaking yesterday before a crowd of 12,900 in Richmond, Virginia:
"...There are no real or fake parts of this country. We are not separated by the pro-America and anti-America parts of this nation – we all love this country, no matter where we live or where we come from. There are patriots who supported this war in Iraq and patriots who opposed it; patriots who believe in Democratic policies and those who believe in Republican policies. The men and women from Virginia and all across America who serve on our battlefields may be Democrats and Republicans and Independents, but they have fought together and bled together and some died together under the same proud flag. They have not served a Red America or a Blue America – they have served the United States of America.
We have always been at our best when we've had leadership that called us to look past our differences and come together as one nation, as one people; leadership that rallied this entire country to a common purpose – to a higher purpose. And I am running for President of the United States of America because that is the country we need to be right now.
This country and the dream it represents are being tested in a way that we haven't seen in nearly a century. And future generations will judge ours by how we respond to this test. Will they say that this was a time when America lost its way and its purpose? When we allowed the same divisions and fear tactics and our own petty differences to plunge this country into a dark and painful recession?
Or will they say that this was another one of those moments when America overcame? When we battled back from adversity by recognizing that common stake that we have in each other's success?
This is one of those moments. I realize you're cynical and fed up with politics. I understand that you're disappointed and even angry with your leaders. You have every right to be. But despite all of this, I ask of you what's been asked of the American people in times of trial and turmoil throughout our history. I ask you to believe – to believe in yourselves, in each other, and in the future we can build together...."
This is exactly the sort of attitude and inclusive leadership we need in a President. The other candidates who boast about visiting "pro-America" parts of the country have missed the point entirely.
Obama has inspired a broader base of support than any other presidential candidate I have ever seen. Here in Fallon we have folks coming out to volunteer of all ages and races. From urban and rural areas. Rich and poor. Blue collar and white collar.
We have even seen folks who have never voted for a Democratic in their entire life coming out to support Obama.
I think we have now seen what it really means to be "a uniter, not a divider".
My dear friend Ian Rhett has just released another toe-curlingly amazing song and video:
"What kind of Amazing Grace will it take to house homeless children, end war, and save families from disaster? 1.3 million children living in poverty. Millions displaced and a war costing us trillions. Do something. Please."
According to the UN, it would cost just $30 billion a year to completely eliminate hunger around the world. That seems cheap compared to the $700+ billion we are about to spend to bail out Wall Street.
We've been in Iraq five years now, longer than both the Civil War and World War II.
In our history, only the Vietnam War lasted longer.
There is a lot of legitimate debate over how and when we should best end this. And even more debate over whether or not this fight should ever have begun.
When you are fighting something as amorphous as terrorism, how do you even know when the war is over?
I am glad however that there is NOT much debate over whether or not we should honor and respect our troops. They have a tough job to do, and for the most part they do it admirably.
My dear friend Ian Rhett wrote a song a few years ago, dedicated to his sister who is serving in the Marines. The song, and the video to go with it, are powerfully moving.
To mark the fifth anniversary of this conflict, I'd like to encourage everyone to listen to this song and watch the video here.
No matter what your stance on the war, you will be moved. And if you are moved, please share this.
"Semper Fi" is the Marine Corps motto, and means "Always Faithful". "(I Know Why You're) Semper Fi" is a song inspired by my sister, an active duty Marine. I'm a musician committed to generating kindness and inspiring peace and I'm also profoundly grateful for the commitment to serve demonstrated by my sister and her military community.
The goal of the video is to create a middle ground in a deeply divided national dialogue about the war - to respectfully acknowledge the sacrifice and dedication of the men and women fighting on our behalf, and to ask aloud, "When does the time for peace finally arrive?"
Supporting the troops doesn't mean giving the government a blank check of public support. In my opinion, supporting the troops means not only acknowledging their commitment, but also taking responsibility for speaking out to their civilian leadership on their behalf by exercising the rights for which they and their predecessors fought. Their job is to follow orders, and they do it better than anyone else on the planet. Our job as citizens is to hold our government accountable. To be silent, in my opinion, is to dishonor both freedom and the sacrifices made in its pursuit.
This speech (and the song made from it) leaves me feeling lit up and inspired.
Our country needs leaders like this.
It was a creed written into the founding documents that declared the destiny of a nation.
Yes we can.
It was whispered by slaves and abolitionists as they blazed a trail toward freedom.
Yes we can.
It was sung by immigrants as they struck out from distant shores and pioneers who pushed westward against an unforgiving wilderness.
Yes we can.
It was the call of workers who organized; women who reached for the ballots; a President who chose the moon as our new frontier; and a King who took us to the mountaintop and pointed the way to the Promised Land.
Yes we can to justice and equality.
Yes we can to opportunity and prosperity.
Yes we can heal this nation.
Yes we can repair this world.
Yes we can.
We know the battle ahead will be long, but always remember that no matter what obstacles stand in our way, nothing can stand in the way of the power of millions of voices calling for change.
We have been told we cannot do this by a chorus of cynics...they will only grow louder and more dissonant ........... We've been asked to pause for a reality check. We've been warned against offering the people of this nation false hope.
But in the unlikely story that is America, there has never been anything false about hope.
Now the hopes of the little girl who goes to a crumbling school in Dillon are the same as the dreams of the boy who learns on the streets of LA; we will remember that there is something happening in America; that we are not as divided as our politics suggests; that we are one people; we are one nation; and together, we will begin the next great chapter in the American story with three words that will ring from coast to coast; from sea to shining sea --
The truth is, wishing something into existence does not work.
But there is actually some learnable "magic" that comes from having your brain open to opportunity. This is the REAL secret to manifestation and the laws of attraction.
I just read this great article that demonstrates this, written by a psychology professor (Richard Wiseman) who has extensively studied luck.
He describes a famous experiment that shows how easy it is to be blind to what is right in front of your face:
I have shown an amazing 30-second film, made by the psychologist Daniel Simons and his colleagues. The film contains six basketball players. Three of them are wearing white T-shirts, while the other three are wearing black T-shirts. The people in white T-shirts have a basketball and, during the film, pass it to one another. Halfway through the film, a man dressed as a gorilla slowly walks on, saunters through the players, beats his chest at the camera and then walks off.
The audience members are asked to watch the film and count the number of times the people in white T-shirts pass the basketball to one another. At the end of the demonstration, I ask one simple question: "Did you spot the gorilla?" Most people look at me blankly--because they have completely missed him.
Some more excerpts:
The human brain is amazingly good at detecting what it wants to find. When you are hungry, your brain focuses on finding food. When you are thirsty, it looks for liquid. The problem is, your brain can become so focused on seeing what it expects to see, it misses things that are obvious but unexpected. Lucky people tend to have a somewhat relaxed view of life. They are less concerned with mundane details and more prone to look at the bigger picture. Ironically, by trying less, they see more. ... So there you have it. Opportunities do not haphazardly fall into the laps of lucky people. Instead, those people are unconsciously doing all sorts of things to increase their chances of attracting good fortune. They are looking at the big picture, opening their minds to the unexpected, breaking routines and connecting with others. It is hard work and the hours are long, but the rewards make it all worthwhile. And what if all that hard work doesn't appeal? Is there a shortcut? Of course there is--just send me $5 and your bank details.
"Some days I think that there’s nothing true in this life but what we make of it. If we see it as easy to find and are willing to work to get it, maybe everything’s within reach. Maybe all we ever wanted would be a little closer if we just had some more faith and better eyes to look for it."
The Ferret has also posted a good follow-up essay on the same topic that is worth reading.
The way that I distill it all down is simply this:
No matter how hard you look or how much you wish, you will not automatically find what you are looking for. Wishing alone will never make make it so. But the looking and the wishing and especially the believing are key regardless, because our brains are amazing at finding the things that we program them to look for. And unless our minds are open to seeing the gorilla, who knows what we might miss.
When I first saw photographs from a Royal Del Luxe performance several years ago, I was blown away, touched, and inspired.
This is monumental art - interactive and alive in ways that I had only ever before encountered at Burning Man. But Royal De Luxe creates this magic in the middle of cities, turning the mundane world into a stage and the awestruck bystanders into participants.
I was trying to describe Royal De Luxe last night while hanging out for New Years Eve, and words failed me. Only pictures and video could explain this, so YouTube came to my rescue.
The video above is from the visit of "The Sultan's Elephant", when a giant girl and a time-traveling elephant visited London in the summer of 2006.
The entire room had their jaws on the floor after watching this video, so I think it is worth sharing here. Enjoy, and be amazed.
You can read a great article with lots more details about the Royal De Luxe here.
Here's another video clip, this one focusing on the elephant. Amazing!
Steve Roberts is the original Technomad, and meeting him and reading his book Computing Across America while I was in college planted deep seeds of possibility in me. He is one of my chief inspirations, and I also now consider him a good friend.
Over the years though, Steve has grown rather stuck and mossy - buried deep in his lab focusing too much on trivialities.
But I think he's at last found the vehicle that will carry him forward. Steve blogged about his first outing in his new boat yesterday, and I am thrilled for him.
A quote he posted along with this blog entry also left me feeling abuzz with inspiration:
"I've always wanted to sail to the South Seas, but can't afford it." What these men can't afford is not to go. They are enmeshed in the cancerous discipline of "security." And in the worship of security we fling our lives beneath the wheels of routine—and before we know it our lives are gone.
What does a man need—really need? A few pounds of food each day, heat and shelter, six feet to lie down in—and some form of working activity that will yield a sense of accomplishment. That's all—in the material sense. And we know it. But we are brainwashed by our economic system until we end up in a tomb beneath a pyramid of time payments, mortgages, preposterous gadgetry, playthings that divert our attention from the sheer idiocy of the charade.
The years thunder by. The dreams of youth grow dim where they lie caked in dust on the shelves of patience. Before we know it the tomb is sealed.
Where, then lies the answer? In choice. Which shall it be: bankruptcy of purse or bankruptcy of life?"
I've gotten really fired up lately around a new way to approach one of the business ideas I have been exploring, and that's had me avidly researching all sorts of cool companies and technologies and development methodologies - most of them in some way or another related under the "Web 2.0" umbrella.
"Web 2.0 is the business revolution in the computer industry caused by the move to the internet as platform, and an attempt to understand the rules for success on that new platform. Chief among those rules is this: Build applications that harness network effects to get better the more people use them."
Rather dry - and it fails to capture the true paradigm shift that is going on in technology, and in society.
But during my research today I stumbled across this AMAZING video that "explains Web 2.0 in just under 5 minutes."
This is worth a watch, for geeks and non-geeks alike:
This was created by Michael Wesch, Assistant Professor of Cultural Anthropology, Kansas State University.
I love how he elegantly goes from written text to html to xml/css to rss to blogging to online communities to "mashups" to the semantic web to the evolution of human intelligence - all in a way that even a non-geek who has never looked at a line of HTML can understand.
He concludes with this:
We'll need to rethink a few things... copyright, authorship, identity, ethics, aesthetics, rhetoric, governance, privacy, commerce, love, family, ourselves.
*tremble*
He totally has managed to hit a resonant chord within me. I'm inspired!
"A magic day when super-science mingles with the bright stuff of dreams..."
I'm back from a great week cruising the Caribbean with serolynne and the other members of the "Fun Party".
The first night of the voyage was particularly magical. The captain of the Disney Magic waited off shore at Cape Canaveral for the shuttle launch, and we had an AMAZING view from the top deck of the ship across the water towards the launch pad. We were so close that with binoculars you could make out the outline of the shuttle sitting on the pad.
But you did not need binoculars at all for the main event. WOW!
The video I just uploaded can barely capture the magic. The way the clouds continued to glow after the shuttle passed above them is one of the most beautiful and exciting things I have ever seen, with a ghostly steam trail cutting across the dark sky back towards the ground.
This little known gem of a song from Rush captures the magic of a shuttle launch incredibly well:
Countdown Rush, from Signals. Words by Neil Peart, Music by Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson.
Lit up with anticipation We arrive at the launching site The sky is still dark, nearing dawn On the Florida coastline
Circling choppers slash the night With roving searchlight beams This magic day when super-science Mingles with the bright stuff of dreams
Floodlit in the hazy distance The star of this unearthly show Venting vapours, like the breath Of a sleeping white dragon
Crackling speakers, voices tense Resume the final count All systems check, T minus nine As the sun and the drama start to mount
The air is charged --- a humid, motionless mass The crowds and the cameras, The cars full of spectators pass Excitement so thick --- you could cut it with a knife Technology --- high, on the leading edge of life
The earth beneath us starts to tremble With the spreading of a low black cloud A thunderous roar shakes the air Like the whole world exploding
Scorching blast of golden fire As it slowly leaves the ground Tears away with a mighty force The air is shattered by the awesome sound
Like a pillar of cloud, the smoke lingers High in the air In fascination --- with the eyes of the world We stare...
Thank you Disney for waiting around for the launch while most other departing cruise ships sailed on. Disney Magic indeed!
Some scary thoughts about the risks of global warming are written up here.
I think I really need to read the book mentioned ASAP - James Lovelock's Revenge of Gaia.
It seems to me that we are in a race between theTechnological Singularity and an environmental collapse - a singularity of a different sort. And Lovelock seems to be convinced that we have already crossed the event horizon towards that collapse - too late to turn back.
No matter which explosion wins - the changes of the next century are going to be revolutionary in scale. And things are going to get messy.
The scary thing is that BOTH the blind squandering of our natural resources and a return to "nature" are recipes for disaster. The extremists from both side are missing the big picture.
And the big picture is the only thing that will save us. Evolution is not going to save us. Nature is not going to save us. Keeping our heads in the sand and "staying the course" is CERTAINLY not going to save us. But INTENTIONAL evolution however just might. The power is in our hands....
This snippet from a letter from Richard Dawkins to Prince Charles says it clearly:
But the very fact that Darwinism is true makes it even more important for us to fight against the naturally selfish and exploitative tendencies of nature. We can do it. Probably no other species of animal or plant can. We can do it because our brains (admittedly given to us by natural selection for reasons of short-term Darwinian gain) are big enough to see into the future and plot long-term consequences. Natural selection is like a robot that can only climb uphill, even if this leaves it stuck on top of a measly hillock. There is no mechanism for going downhill, for crossing the valley to the lower slopes of the high mountain on the other side. There is no natural foresight, no mechanism for warning that present selfish gains are leading to species extinction - and indeed, 99 per cent of all species that have ever lived are extinct.
The human brain, probably uniquely in the whole of evolutionary history, can see across the valley and can plot a course away from extinction and towards distant uplands. Long-term planning - and hence the very possibility of stewardship - is something utterly new on the planet, even alien. It exists only in human brains. The future is a new invention in evolution. It is precious. And fragile. We must use all our scientific artifice to protect it.
It may sound paradoxical, but if we want to sustain the planet into the future, the first thing we must do is stop taking advice from nature. Nature is a short-term Darwinian profiteer. Darwin himself said it: "What a book a devil's chaplain might write on the clumsy, wasteful, blundering, low, and horridly cruel works of nature."
{thanks to pure_agnostic for the links sparking this post...}
Friday night I was invited to attend the "All Night Dance Celebration", a quarterly event hosted by the Rhythm Society to mark the changing of the seasons.
What an amazingly good time!
The energy in most public dance spaces I have been to is a mix of predatory sharks trying to hook up, or people hiding behind big defensive walls. Most people end up zoned out essentially dancing with themselves, or connected only with the small group they came with. Often everyone feels tight and tense and closed hearted. But no worries - you'll be kicked out at 2AM anyway no matter how much fun you happen to be having.
Not at an ANDC.
The Rhythm Society very intentionally creates an amazing open hearted community environment of sharing and connection (and yes, dance!) that is unlike anything else I have ever experienced done on such a large scale other than at Burning Man. And just like at Burning Man, the music and dancing doesn't stop until the sun comes up.
The venue for Friday night's ANDC was stunning - the Unitarian Universalist church on Cathedral Hill in SF. There was one main dance area, two chill areas, a food and mingling area, a massage room, a kids play area, and an outdoor courtyard with a sacred fire.
All gorgeously decorated by volunteers, including the rose window from the Conexus Cathedral hanging over the dance floor.
Did I mention a play area for kids? Indeed - all ages are welcome, and the diversity of the crowd was awesome. Folks aged 8 to 80 where dancing all night together. The mix of ages and backgrounds felt great. It was a family-friendly space - and that brought an energy you'll never find at a normal dance club.
The guest list for the ANDC is carefully controlled - only Rhythm Society members can invite guests, and the invitations are barcoded and serial numbered. This guarantees that everyone there has the right energy and attitude, and that everyone is at most just a degree or two of separation away from each other...
The doors are only open from 9:30 - 11:30, and once the opening ritual is conducted at midnight all late comers are turned away to keep the energy contained.
The music and the DJ's were amazing, the chill spaces plush and full of cuddly energy, and there was a never-ending stream of yummy free food provided.
And the best part was all the open hearted people everywhere talking and sharing. There were so many people present that I felt close to that I didn't even have time to say hello to all of them.
The whole event was amazingly well put together, other than there being a mixup such that there wasn't crash space in the kids area for sleeping - forcing dawnd and Allegra to head home early - drat!
As the sky started to lighten, the sacred fire was extinguished in a closing ritual, and everyone filed into the main sanctuary of the church to end the night with a stunning pipe organ concerto. What an magical end to the night!
I think I am ruined for life.
Between the magic that is the Rhythm Society's ANDC, and the intensity and energy and enormity of Burning Man - I can't see how any traditional dance club will ever be able to measure up for me again.
I certainly know that I am hooked now. After dancing till Saturday's gorgeous dawn, I am hugely inspired to get more involved with the Rhythm Society now.
It is an amazing world that we live in that people can come together in community to create such incredible things. I love it!
Rachael gave me this book on my 31st birthday. I finally read it on my flight home from St. Louis this past Wednesday.
Wow. Why did I wait so long?
This is a short (115 pages) book of spiritual wisdom, conveyed as brief poetic answers to questions posed to a prophet about to depart across the sea for his homeland.
This is as divinely inspired of a book as any I have ever read. The words flow like music, the imagery is beautiful, and the wisdom is timeless and true. There is nothing in this book I found myself disagreeing with.
If this book had been written 1500 years sooner, it would have surely been worthy of incorporating into the bible. Reading this - you definitely feel closer to the deeper wisdom of the universe.
It actually makes me sad that Christianity has stopped growing to incorporate new wisdom, and new ways of sharing old truths. I could easily imagine some of the sections of The Prophet being read in church.
Divinely inspired books are still being written. This is one of them.
And now at last I know the source of one of my favorite quotes and bits of wisdom: Say not, "I have found the truth," but rather, "I have found a truth."
This book is definitely a truth - and one worth sharing.
I don't know if she ever reads this journal - but thank you Rachael, wherever you are. *love*
So riding Caltrain home from work tonight, while looking for something/anything to read I just happened to pick up a copy of the Palo Alto Daily News that was lying discarded on a seat.
In the paper, I stumbled across the full transcript of the commencement speech that Steve Jobs gave at Stanford's graduation ceremony yesterday.
It was an awesome, inspiring speech.
I have been searching for an online transcript so that I can share it, but I've come up empty handed so far.
But - I have the paper... If I don't find the speech online, I will summarize it here.
I really want to share this, and I've already inspired one friend by sharing it with him.
Needless to say, I am feeling inspired tonight. :-)
"Don't wait for ideal conditions. You'll never find them," they admonish. "Begin! And the conditions you need will come to you."
I am discovering again and again just how good this advice is, unless perhaps you are a NASA launch engineer holding a bad weather forecast printout. ;-)
In searching for my favorite Goethe quote along these same lines, I found these inspiring words:
(From W.H. Murray, "The Scottish Himalayan Expedition")
Until one is committed there is the chance to draw back; always ineffectiveness. Concerning all acts of initiative (and creation) there is one elementary truth, the ignorance of which kills countless ideas and splendid plans:
that the moment one definitely commits oneself, then providence moves too.
All sorts of things occur to help one that would not otherwise have occured. A whole stream of events issues from the decision, raising in one's favour all manner of unforseen incidents and meetings and material assistance which no man would have dreamed would come his way.
I have learned a deep respect for one of Goethe's couplets:
Whatever you can do, or dream you can, begin it! Boldness has genius, power, and magic, in it. Begin it now!
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<Ah -- Google reveals that this quote is not actually from Goethe, but likely from a loose translation of Faust... The power of the Internet:
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