Red Line Sunrise

Practical commuter shoes belie the heels in your receptionist's tote. You turn pages of daily devotions. I glimpse your tender scalp through feathered hair and a cloud of perfume.

Roller Skating and Energy Efficiency

Tomorrow the City of Cleveland is hosting a kick-off event to the Year of Energy Efficiency. The Cleveland Conserves Energy Efficiency Fair will be 11am-2pm in Cleveland City Hall Rotunda. The event will feature businesses, nonprofits and City-based departments related to energy efficiency and conservation.

Of course, since I'm involved in the planning we had to make it just a little wacky and fun. The Little Hollywood Dazzlers will also be performing. They are a group of 5-9yr-olds who dance on roller skates. They are led by 71-year-old professional skater Maurice Cooke who is passing on everything he knows to the youth.I am an avid believer that rollerskating brings people together.

Below is a preview of the Little Hollywood Dazzlers. Stop on by the event is free. You can learn about how to give yourself the gift that keeps on giving: energy efficiency.

Geek Brunch

New Year Intentions

I intend to be more forthright when it matters and less forthright when it doesn’t.

I intend to jump from Adho Mukha Svanasana into Dandasana with grace.

I intend to make a new dance and teach it to some dancers and to organize a performance of the new dance.

I intend to take Ballet class again.

I intend to bicycle throughout winter.

I intend to be a better friend by calling, writing and visiting.

I intend to dress a little snazzier.

I intend to talk less about my cats, but to love them more.

I intend to knit my sister a hat.

Ok, that’s it for now.

Happy Holidays

Two gifts from Shel Silverstein (and me) to you:

Weird Bird
Birds are flyin' south for winter.
Here's the Weird-Bird headin' north,
Wings a-flappin', beak a-chatterin',
Cold head bobbin' back 'n' forth.
He says, "It's not that I like ice
Or freezin' winds and snowy ground.
It's just sometimes it's kind of nice
To be the only bird in town."


The Giving Tree

Seeing Differently

SeeShell Snorkel Mask on Longboat Key

I attended Foundations and Frontiers in Appreciative Inquiry in Longboat Key, Florida last week.

David Cooperrider said that "All change begins in the imagination of the mind" and that inquiry and change occur simultaneously. A change in the questions will result in a change of the answering results. Therefore, our collective image of the future will be what creates the future.

How do you cultivate wonder and a renewed vision? Cooperrider cited Fred Polak's 3 parts to a re-birth of vision:

1. Influence optimisim-the belief that humans can indeed effect the future

2. Artists, poets and spiritual leaders to demonstrate how to vision and appreciate

3. Societies that work in the public space--real civic dialogue.

I need to reflect more upon the workshop, but have some initial ideas on how to implement some of what I have learned in my work.

Its the "Crooked River" stupid

I am dumbfounded that people are seriously considering straightening the Cuyahoga River to accommodate a parking lot. The word Cuyahoga literally means CROOKED in the Iroquois language. We should be investing in infrastructure that supports a walkable, bike-able urban core that relegates cars to the periphery. Not a plan that esteems a parking facility more than the beautiful, iconic oxbow of the Cuyahoga River.



In other awful news, Senator Voinovich's solution to Governor Elect John Kasich's plan to nix the 3C rail is to reallocate the funding to roads and bridges. Really? I'd rather see the money go to a rail project in another state if our leaders refuse to use it here for non automotive infrastructure.

So, Ohio will move a river and refuse millions in federal funding because we can't see beyond our steering wheels. Great. Guess it's time to write some letters.

Car-free: Day 1

Greyhound trip from Columbus to Cleveland was great and I got some good reading done. I am officially car-free in Cleveland. Walked to brunch with friends today. I get to cancel my car insurance and get a rebate just in time for some holiday shopping. Good deal.