Thanksgiving Awareness

At our best, this day we shun petty and albeit deeply rooted personal limitations and gaze subjectively on our lives. In that moment, we risk seeing the bare truth that our life is in fact an abundant gift to which we are not entitled nor unworthy of - it is a gift, nonetheless.

We are blessed with this miracle of life and the people around us. I wish for you a Happy and Joyful day.


"At times our own light goes out and is rekindled by a spark from another person. Each of us has cause to think with deep gratitude of those who have lighted the flame within us." 
-Albert Schweitzer

Happy Thanksgiving, Wikipedia Style

I started this post with the intent of reiterating the history and purpose of Thanksgiving in an effort to put the meaning of the holiday into perspective. In short, it is delightful to me that as a culture, humans across the world recognize the need to be grateful. There is power in gratitude.

Then I thought I'd do a post on gratitude in genreal and perhaps talk about the under tap resource of personal gratitude on a daily basis - complete with a few catchy sayings and games to play to harness thr 'attitude of gratitude.'

Then I went to Wikipedia - in an innocent search for some basic information on Thanksgiving and Gratitude... and I found this:

Which links to this: A personal appeal from Wikipedia founder Jimmy Wales.

I had no idea that Wikipedia was NOT a stand alone, profit center until I got to thinking... there are no ads, no distractions. Just a pure information resource. I value the web and those who make it a productive and useful place. Wikipedia provides more information than any other single source on the web. It is the new (in terms of traditional history) encyclopedia.

So, use whatever evaluation process you require, but take a moment and consider saying "Thank You" to the providers of Wikipedia with a small donation. 

I hope your Thanksgiving is just that: a thanks giving time. Peace.

Happy Halloween!

In October 1975, I had one of my best Halloween experiences ever. Thanks to the connections of my High School drama teacher (meaning her 'boy friend'), I spent a few hours in the hands of the local mortician (yes. kinda creepy) receiving 'make up' and 'augmentation' in order to be a corpse for the school haunted house.

I scared quite a few school kids that year, and enjoyed every minute of it. The event was such a success that my ghoulish photo appeared in the yearbook that year (see above), but it just doens't seem to do justice to the memory...yes, that IS a real coffin I'm in.

Happy Halloween!

Yesterday at The Office

Tweeting for Mother's Day Because of My Mom

Today I sent some tweets about my Mother's wisdom. Part of the series is captured below. Find more via your twitter account by searching the #WhatMomDid hashtag.

7:38pm, May 09 from HootSuite

#WhatMomDid - a series of Mother's day tweets about my mother's lessons 2010

williamskim
7:29pm, May 09 from HootSuite

Sometimes you have to hike up you courage and take a chance.#WhatMomDid

desertlioness
5:22pm, May 09 from TweetDeck

RT @WilliamsKim: My mother taught me that laughter is always good for you and most of time acceptable. #WhatMomDid

williamskim
2:38pm, May 09 from HootSuite

If something is bothering you it's best to talk about it - #WhatMomDid

williamskim
2:36pm, May 09 from HootSuite

Taught me that God always has your back and mom always has your heart. #WhatMomDid

Poetic_line
11:40am, May 09 from Twitterrific

RT @williamskim: Mother taught me that forgiveness hurts less than hate. #WhatMomDid

williamskim
10:53am, May 09 from Twitterrific

#WhatMomDid - a series of tweets about a mother's lessons for Mothers' Day 2010.

williamskim
10:47am, May 09 from Twitterrific

Makes me laugh! #WhatMomDid often at myself

williamskim
10:46am, May 09 from Twitterrific

When you hurt so bad you want to quit life, surviving is the first step to thriving. #WhatMomDid

williamskim
10:44am, May 09 from Twitterrific

Mom showed me that life will often give you much more and less than you expect, and acceptance makes both work for you #WhatMomDid

williamskim
10:41am, May 09 from Twitterrific

From mom I learned that children should only do some of what parents do. #WhatMomDid

williamskim
10:39am, May 09 from Twitterrific

My mother taught me that laughter is always good for you and most of time acceptable. #WhatMomDid

williamskim
10:38am, May 09 from Twitterrific

From mom, I learned that my best and my worst - aren't.#WhatMomDid

andibob
10:35am, May 09 from Twitterrific

RT @williamskim: #WhatMomDid My mother gave me a love for poetry

williamskim
10:35am, May 09 from Twitterrific

Mother taught me that forgiveness hurts less than hate.#WhatMomDid

williamskim
10:34am, May 09 from Twitterrific

#WhatMomDid My mother gave me a love for poetry

williamskim
10:32am, May 09 from Twitterrific

Because of my mother I see more of nature's beauty. #whatmomdid

Sharing the Green Thing Today - My St. Patrick's Day Post

Abigial Harenberg is on a quest - 365 Self Portraits this year, one every day. Check out her flickr record here. She has promised me a special photo for St. Patrick's Day so be sure in click over to see what she came up with.

Stay in touch by following her on Twitter or vis Her website.

Happy St. Patrick's Day.

For more St. Patty's Day Fun - see previous post, but then, "where's the green in that?!"

Some Green Worth Sharing

Let's Hear It for Green

I wandered in the woods off the Blue Ridge Parkway one spring and found this place. Now this is some green worth celebrating.

No need to ask, "Where's the green in that?" (see previous post).

Top 10 Ways to Play on St. Patrick's Day

If you are not Irish and you don't drink, what is the point of St. Patrick's Day? Really.
Although one could argue that the day is intended to remind us of the success of the historical St. Patrick's success in advancing Christianity on Ireland - the practical connection is completely lost. For me, it is a good topic for a blog post...

So, how about these Top 10 Ways to Play on St. Patrick's Day?

1. Wear green - creatively. Don't just wear a little pin on your lapel, or a green blouse - get creative. Wear a hat, sport a bow-tie, or dye your eye brows green.
2. Offer green M&M's to people all day (and then whisper "They're not really M&Ms - after they eat them)
3. Write Green - Use a green pen for everything you write that day, or change your email font color to green.
4. Randomly ask people "Where's the green in that?" in response to anything they say.
5. Post "Have you seen my leprechaun?" on all of your Social Media statuses.
6. Send a FTD Shamrock bouquet to your boss (or at least call the florist and try)
7. Ask people to tell you difference between a clover and a shamrock and then reply with #4 above.
8. Rank everything on a 1-5 Shamrock scale and announce your rating - everywhere! "Yeah baby! I'm talking 5 Shamrocks!"
9. Just say "Shamrock" every chance you get. It's fun to say. All together now - SHAMROCK!
10. Provide a #10 for this list in the comments...