Save 400 lives, NOW (and look good doing it)

December 8, 2009

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There are many causes to champion, but my favorites are the ones that clearly, without a doubt save lives.  Clean water….How can life truly be possible when your children are drinking from polluted swamps?

 

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In January I dedicated my birthday to raising enough money to build a well that would provide 400 people safe drinking water.  All of the money goes to building the well because Charity Water’s administration costs are covered by sponsorships.

 

It is not complete. And I have less than a month to fund this well.

 

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But this is not about making me look good. 
This is about making YOU look good… literally.

 

In exchange for helping NOW… I’m offering a gift…

 

Some of you know that that I co-founded a fashion company called “The NOW Project” – a clothing and jewelry line dedicated to inspiring people to live in the moment, and make a difference immediately.  Together, my partners and I helped bring yoga to at-risk youth.

 

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We had a line of jewelry and clothing designed by the wunderkind talent, Erica Rose Trumpower. Our flagship product was “The NOW Watch.”  It was a reminder to be in the NOW.  I called it “The Reverse Time Machine” – rather than going to the future or the past, you go to the present… it’s a watch that does not tell time.

 

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But they never came to market…
It’s a very long story, but even though we fought for two years for the trademark that our brand eventually received, we were sued by a brand that owned the word “now” on all watches.  While we had a 50% chance of winning, the cost and time involved would have killed us.

 

These are the remaining NOW pieces. And here are the reasons I think you’d like one:

  • They are contraband.  You won’t see find this on the free market
  • They cost us over $1500 each (R/D, production costs, legal, etc)
  • Designed with unique shapes to an eye-catching conversation starter
  • Stainless steel, heavy quality design
  • Makes a great gift for the holidays

So…
The first 9 people who donate at least $75 to fund this well, will get a NOW piece.

 

1.  Go here to donate $75 or more!
2.  Email me your receipt ([email protected])
3.  Tell me if you prefer a men’s or women’s piece

 

As I said, only nine remain, so I’ll give them on first come, first serve basis.

 

Thank you for reading this far, and thank you for being a part of this!

It came out magical…out from blown speakers

December 4, 2009

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From Blown Speakers by The New Pornographers

The Invitation

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It doesn’t interest me what you do for a living. I want to know what
you ache for, and if you dare to dream of meeting your heart’s
longing.

It doesn’t interest me how old you are. I want to know if you will
risk looking like a fool for love, for your dreams, for the adventure
of being alive.

It doesn’t interest me what planets are squaring your moon. I want to
know if you have touched the center of your own sorrow, if you have
been opened by life’s betrayals or have become shrivelled and closed
from fear of further pain! I want to know if you can sit with pain,
mine or your own, without moving to hide it or fade it, or fix it.

I want to know if you can be with joy, mine or your own, if you can
dance with wildness and let the ecstasy fill you to the tips of your
fingers and toes without cautioning us to be careful, to be realistic,
to remember the limitations of being human.

It doesn’t interest me if the story you are telling me is true. I want
to know if you can disappoint another to be true to yourself; if you
can bear the accusation of betrayal and not betray your own soul; If
you can be faithless and therefore trustworthy.

I want to know if you can see beauty even when it’s not pretty, every
day, and if you can source your own life from its presence.

I want to know if you can live with failure, yours and mine, and still
stand on the edge of the lake and shout to the silver of the full
moon, “Yes!”

It doesn’t interest me to know where you live or how much money you
have. I want to know if you can get up, after a night of grief and
despair, weary and bruised to the bone, and do what needs to be done
to feed the children.

It doesn’t interest me who you know or how you came to be here. I want
to know if you will stand in the center of the fire with me and not
shrink back.

It doesn’t interest me where or what or with whom you have studied. I
want to know what sustains you, from the inside, when all else falls
away.

I want to know if you can be alone with yourself and if you truly like
the company you keep in the empty moments.

———————
The Invitation
by Oriah Mountain Dreamer

The Superior Man (The David Deida Workshop – Part 1)

November 10, 2009

Personal Exploration ,Uncategorized

If you’re a man, and you haven’t read Way of the Superior Man, pick it up immediately.  It will either save your current relationship or your next one. (If you’re a woman, do not tell a man to read it.  Simply leave it around somewhere for him to check out on his own).  I first read the book about 4 years ago.

The book is about the tragic loss of masculinity within our culture, and the triumphant rise of men who dare to claim it back.  If I can share one story, it would be a simple parable of a man coming home on the day he won his million dollar contract.  He’s so happy and overjoyed, but when he gets home, his woman smiles briefly and quickly asks, “Did you remember to bring the milk?”…  So how does the man react?

The man is severely disappointed.  He just accomplished a major goal, and all his woman can think of is the milk (which he did forget).  Now I could identify with this man.  How could this woman be so insensitive?  I would have felt thoroughly deflated in this situation…  Little did I know, I was identifying with the weaker man.

David re-tells the story, only this time the man hears the question and instead picks her up his arms, kisses her and says, “Baby, I’ll buy you all the milk you could ever want!”  And she melts in his arms.   What’s the major difference here?  In the second story, the man is unperturbed.  He doesn’t need her validation.  He’s so secure in who he is and his own purpose, that any question or complaint from his woman can’t shake his resolve.   Wow. I had totally missed the boat.

Cut to 4 years later, and I’m sitting in a room with the superior man himself, and 300 men and women, in the hills of San Diego.  Each person clearly committed to their own growth, to their partner, or their future partner.

Next… Part II – The Source of All Pain

Zappos Insights – The Studio

October 28, 2009

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Having fun with the video team and the Zappos talent. It's Corporate Training meets Wayne's World .

Climbing with the team

October 23, 2009

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"Rock Climbing" with Donavon and Jon.