Wednesday 28 March 2012

#100happy today - If not Now, When?

Due to my growing addiction to [StumbleUpon], I found art crossed with philosophy, score!

[Marc and Angel Hack Life: Practical Tips for Productive Living] is a kickarse blog which asked readers of its sister site, [Thought Questions], to think of a question that makes you think... and make it into an illustration. Here's some of the best ones:





And my favourite:

Find more [here]

~~~~~~~~~~~

And now please enjoy "If Not Now, When?" by Incubus. Thankyouplease.



I have waited
dined on ashes
swung from chandeliers
and climbed Everest,
and none of it's gotten me
close to this.

I've waited all my life
If not now, when will I...

We've been good
even a blast
but don't you feel like
something's missing here?
Don't you dear?

I've waited all my life
If not now, when will I
stand up and face the bright light?
Don't hide your eyes...
It's time.

No umbrellas
no sunglasses
hell and hallelujah everyday.

I've waited all my life
if not now, when will I
stand up and face the bright light?
Don't hide your eyes...
It's time. 

[lyrics by Incubus]


Thursday 22 March 2012

Quote of the Day - Albert Einstein

Albert Einstein - what a dude. Here's some of the kickarse stuff he said:

"A person who never made a mistake never tried anything new."

"Everyone is a genius; if you judge a fish on its ability to climb a tree, it will live its life believing it is stupid."

"Learn from Yesterday, Live for Today, Hope for Tomorrow."

Monday 19 March 2012

#100happy today - Kickarse Poetry and Prose: "Desiderata"

Go placidly amidst the noise and haste, and remember what peace there may be in silence. As far as possible without surrender be on good terms with all persons. Speak your truth quietly and clearly; and listen to others, even the dull and the ignorant; they too have their story.
Avoid loud and aggressive persons, they are vexations to the spirit. If you compare yourself with others, you may become vain or bitter; for always there will be greater and lesser persons than yourself.
Enjoy your achievements as well as your plans. Keep interested in your own career, however humble; it is a real possession in the changing fortunes of time.
Exercise caution in your business affairs; for the world is full of trickery. But let this not blind you to what virtue there is; many persons strive for high ideals; and everywhere life is full of heroism.
Be yourself. Especially, do not feign affection. Neither be cynical about love; for in the face of all aridity and disenchantment it is as perennial as the grass.
Take kindly the counsel of the years, gracefully surrendering the things of youth. Nurture strength of spirit to shield you in sudden misfortune. But do not distress yourself with dark imaginings. Many fears are born of fatigue and loneliness.
Beyond a wholesome discipline, be gentle with yourself. You are a child of the universe, no less than the trees and the stars; you have a right to be here.
And whether or not it is clear to you, no doubt the universe is unfolding as it should. Therefore be at peace with God, whatever you conceive Him to be, and whatever your labors and aspirations, in the noisy confusion of life keep peace with your soul. With all its sham, drudgery, and broken dreams, it is still a beautiful world. Be cheerful.
Strive to be happy.

~ Max Ehrmann, 1927

Saturday 10 March 2012

#100happy - Love Is Not All

 Love Is Not All
Love is not all: it is not meat nor drink
Nor slumber nor a roof against the rain; 
Nor yet a floating spar to men that sink 
And rise and sink and rise and sink again; 
Love can not fill the thickened lung with breath, 
Nor clean the blood, nor set the fractured bone; 
Yet many a man is making friends with death 
Even as I speak, for lack of love alone. 
It well may be that in a difficult hour, 
Pinned down by pain and moaning for release, 
Or nagged by want past resolution's power, 
I might be driven to sell your love for peace, 
Or trade the memory of this night for food. 
It well may be. I do not think I would. 


Edna St. Vincent Millay

Thursday 8 March 2012

#100happy - Best of the Web: "to Australia the long way"

This awesome travel blog follows Sarah and Craig on their trip to Australia. They're going the long way: through Laos, Cambodia, Vietnam and... who knows? They aim to get to Aus by August but haven't planned which route, so it's all one big adventure.

Click the picture to visit the blog.

Tuesday 6 March 2012

#100happy today - Guest Post by Sarah

Today's post is a guest post by Sarah, who writes the blog "[Yet another Brit in USA]" about her recent move from the UK to California and how she's settling in to a new life there. Enjoy!






Sometimes LITTLE things make you happy.

The little things today which made me happy were:

- Waking up naturally.

- Seeing a hummingbird buzzing around the tree, said hummingbird then settled in the tree. Yes there is a nest in the tree outside of the apartment!

- A drink in the Champagne cafe.

- Resisting the cakes in Champagne cafe.

-Eating the FREE Quesadilla we got yesterday from Cafe Coyote for checking in on Yelp.

-Practicing driving for almost an hour and a half and seeing my improvements (though there are still many still to do), this drive was on highways, freeways, windy roads in fact all different roads. Slowly but surely I will get there. 

- Malteaster bunny from my friend Becki.

- Trader Joe's 2 dollar wine. It tastes AMAZEBALLS and I prefer it now to the Gallo & Family one!

- Contact from a restaurant in response to my Yelp review - Free food voucher on its way.

- Hot showers.

- Stationery bought by Marcus for me- Envelopes, paint, paintbrushes, computer paper, sharpies (24 pack!).

- Sexy times.

- Penpal letters.

Sunday 4 March 2012

#100happy - Best of the Web: POST PALS

Name:Vikki

Age: 26

Location: England

About me: I’ve been ill on and off since I was young, and have been bedbound for the past 7 years with severe ME. For 5 years I was unable to walk or even sit up but I have now improved and can go out of the house in my wheelchair from time to time which I'm loving! Like so many with chronic illnesses all my friends lost touch with me and I became isolated. When I first became bedbound I was sent so many cards it wasn’t long before my walls and ceiling were covered, it became my reason to wake up each day. 

It was this that gave me the idea for Post Pals, although I hoped it would "catch on" I didn't dream it would touch as many lives as it has, both families with seriously ill children and of the volunteers around the world. I'm so very proud of it! I do the running of Post Pals from bed with a laptop, and my room (and I confess a big chunk of my parents house) looks like a cross between a mail room and a toy shop!

Since setting up Post Pals I have won "Readers Digest Hero of the Year 2006" and "Beacon Award for Young Philanthropist 2008".

I first got into voluntary work at the age of 5 when I helped my grandparents working for Rainbow Trust from the charity's early days. In 2002 I completed my 200 hours on the Millennium Volunteer scheme with AYME, at the time of setting up Post Pals I was also volunteering online for Brainfog and Patchworx (an American charity for seriously ill young people which has now closed).

My main passions are keeping Post Pals going and raising awareness of severe ME.

Saturday 3 March 2012

#100happy today - The First Day of Spring

Today I went for a drive through the countryside and it was 11 degrees at 4pm and the sun was getting in my eyes. This is a good thing - it means spring is finally here, hurrah!

I saw lambs and crocuses (crociii?!) and blue sky and tiny little buds on the trees.

Spring is the time of new beginnings and for me, new year's resolutions. To me, it's pointless making a resolution to be better in January, the bleak midwinter, because it's too cold and dark and I start biting my nails again by the 3rd.

The REAL new year starts on the first day of spring. A fresh start.

Here's the best of the spring photographs on deviantART:


^ "Spring" by ~aimeelikestotakepics


^ "Spring" by *007TINAR

^ "Spring" by ~loLO-o


^ "First Lamb" by =FriendFrog


^ "Duckling" by ~SzandorDuBois










and some tree buds by me :o)