The United Kingdom's only jewish Prime Minister, Benjamin Disreali is credited with starting the Conservative Party and was most known in his day for wearing fancy clothes.

I feel a very unusual sensation - if it's not indigestion, I think it must be gratitude.

There's no sensation quite like that of gratitude.

A native of Johannesburg, South Africa, Basil Rathbone is most worldly known for his role as Sherlock Holmes, although he was commonly also casted as the sauve villian for such movies as The Adventures of Robin Hood, A Tale of Two Cities and David Copperfield in the 1930's. It is even rumored that he was screen-tested and interviewed for the role of Rhett Butler.

Never regret anything you have done with a sincere affection; nothing is lost that is born of the heart.

We must choose to live our passions and not look back.

Actress Uta Hagen was involved with over 22 Broadway Productions and is credited as one of the most important acting teachers in America. She wrote with wit and clarity about the technical craft of acting.

We must overcome the notion that we must be regular...it robs you of the chance to be extraordinary and leads you to the mediocre.

Think. Stand. Jump. Be Creative and follow your dreams and passion. We must live the life we feel inside us, just waiting to be free.

Intrigued by Western and Eastern philosophies, 1946 Literature Nobel Laurerate Hermann Hesse was awarded with these words,

"for his inspired writings which, while growing in boldness and penetration, exemplify the classical humanitarian ideals and high qualities of style."

His last work was The Glass Bead Game. Interesting to note, his popularity in America occurred during the late 1960's and into the out-spoken 1970's. Hesse died in August 1962.

If you hate a person, you hate something in him that is part of yourself. What isn't part of ourselves doesn't disturb us.

All cut from the same cloth, should we mend our own imperfections, others would also be no longer visible.

Until the 1920's, this man was known chiefly in avant-garde and esoteric literary circles. The 1947 Nobel Prize of Literature went to French writer André Paul Guillaume Gide with this statement, "for his comprehensive and artistically significant writings, in which human problems and conditions have been presented with a fearless love of truth and keen psychological insight."

It is said his works gravitate around his continuous effort to achieve intellectual honesty and self-exploratory.

It is only in adventure that some people succeed in knowing themselves - in finding themselves.

I think we determine its an adventure when we're already on the roller coaster, or when the ride has come to its stop.

Once-time ambulance driver Ernest Hemingway was honored with the 1954 Nobel Prize in Literature with these stated remarks, "...for his mastery of the art of narrative, most recently demonstrated in The Old Man and the Sea, and for the influence that he has exerted on contemporary style."

il faut d'abord durer

French in origin the phrase translates to "first, one must last." I invite you to give me your perspective. It reminds me that we must act with the thought that our actions will be remembered for eternity.

1978 Nobel Laureate of Literature, Gabriel García Márquez wrote various novels, screenplays and most known for his journalistic writings traveling through Mexico and Europe.

A man knows when he is growing old because he begins to look like his father.

I don't know why, but i am shocked when told of the 'spitting-image' resemblance, mannerism and habits of his.

In his will, Alfred Bernhard Nobel established an Award to recognize and inspire those of genius, creativity and perserverance.

If I have a thousand ideas and only one turns out to be good, I am satisfied.

I wonder sometimes the unlimited potential I could have, if only I focused my energies.

More about the life of Mr. Noble.

2000 Nobel Prize Winner of Literature, Gao Xingjian is revered for his writings and story=telling. In time, he was banned by the Chinese government for his expressions of life, politics and society.

When you use words, you're able to keep your mind alive. Writing is my way of reaffirming my own existence.

I find the expression of thoughts in writing or in speech to cleanse my mind and clarity of spirit.

Read more about Gao.

Britian's Margaret Thatcher is the only woman to be Prime Minister of the United Kingdom. Her reign lasted 11 years and 2 US Presidents.

Standing in the middle of the road is very dangerous; you get knocked down by the traffic from both sides.

As a dear friend often tells, "If you don't stand for something, you'll fall for anything." Whether right or wrong, we must make a decision, stand by it, learn and live.

Bo Jackson was the first athlete named to play in the All-Star Game of two major sports, baseball and football. Nike catch phrase
'Bo Knows' soon made him a household name and an athlete icon. Jackson suffered a career-ending injury in 1991, by which he never fully recovered physically and making this comment,

God has his way of opening up our eyes to see reality.

No matter of social status, it seems to me that we too often get caught up in our lives failing to see reality. If we were only to sit back, open our eyes and see what is around us, perhaps we would all be more grateful.

Business mogul and Richest Man in the World Andrew Carnegie said,

As I grow older, I pay less attention to what people say. I just watch what they do.

Carnegie publicly stated his wealth was given to benefit the community, he called philanthropy a moral obligation. During his life, he donated over $350 Million and was directly responsible for establishing over 2500 public libraries believing every person had the right to self-educate themself.

It is sad commentary that we too commonly say one thing
and do another.

The famous War-Time Prime Minister and British Leader Sir Winston Churchill said,

Courage is what it takes to stand up and speak; courage is also what it takes to sit down and listen.

When I feel compelled to speak, it is sometimes tougher to stay silent than is to speak my mind, and other times, it is more righteous to speak than let be overshadowed in silence. For this reason, it is not in speaking or listening that courage is found, but in the decisive action of doing one lest the other.

A quick side note of trivia: Churchill proposed marriage to the Academy Award-Winning Actress Ethel Barrymore, she declined.
I say she had courage.

Author and Pulitzer-Prize Columnist Anna Quindlen tell us,

The thing that is really hard, and really amazing, is giving up on being perfect and beginning the work of becoming yourself.

Hamburger king Ray Kroc said,

"When you're green, you're
growing. When you're ripe,
you rot."

Note: Kroc is not the original founder of McDonald's (see wikipedia), he created the corporation franchising McDonald's across the US and internationally.

The literary and spiritual writings of Ralph Waldo Emerson have been loved by generatioins. He is known as a poet, essayist and a gifted writer of prose. Today, he tell us,

"What lies behind us and what lies before us are tiny matters compared to what lies within us."

The great Negro League Pitcher and Baseball Hall of Famer
Satchel Paige said this,

"How old would you be if you didn't know how old you was?"

The man's got a point.

On this day of birth, we remember the creator of Sherlock Holmes, Sir Aruthur Conan Doyle, Sr. Though most notable as a writer with over 50 books to his name, Conan was also a respected Physician and merritime surgeon.

Mediocrity knows nothing higher than itself, but talent instantly recognizes genius.

Former US Secretary of State and revered Nobel Peace Prize honoree Henry Kissinger said,

Each success only buys an admission ticket to a more difficult problem.

Thanks to Puneet for today's quote. 'Go for it. Just go for it.'

Belovedly known to many as Mr. October, Reggie Jackson is a Hall-of-Famer who has inspired many on and off the field.

I didn't come to New York to be a star, I brought my star with me.

Painting by Gabe Perillo

Olympic gold medalist and World Champion Boxer Sugar Ray Leonard jabs...

You have to know you can win. You have to think you can win. You have to feel you can win.

Portrait by Edgar S. Nocom

The 40th American President Ronald Reagan stated...

There are no constraints on the human mind, no walls around the human spirit, no barriers to our progress except those we ourselves erect.

Sir Arthur Conan Doyle gives us the words of Legendary Detective, Sherlock Holmes...

The temptation to form premature theories upon insufficient data is the bane of our profession.

Do we not all form judgements with incomplete and limited knowledge?

My dear friend Charlie Brown and his creator Charles M. Schulz had this to say...

In the book of life, the answers aren't in the back.

How often we attempt to use shortcuts to find success. Start at page 1 and read it through.

American Dance Legend Martha Graham shaped the Art of Dance for more than a century.

"Dance is the hidden language of the soul of the body."

Sometimes the most profound quotes have been made without credit to who spoke the words. To me, this means that the wisdom of an 'Anonymous quote' lives in each of our hearts.

Love is what makes two people sit in the middle of a bench when there is plenty of room at both ends.

Born in 1859, Jerome K. Jerome was a master playwright and a heralded author of his day. He is mostly well-known for his comedic work, Three Men in a Boat.

Time is but the shadow of the world upon the background of Eternity.

From his message, let's not watch our shadows, but make them move.

Author, Philosopher and Jesuit Priest Teilhard de Chardin shares with us...

You are not a human being in search of a spiritual experience. You are a spiritual being immersed in a human experience.

Spiritual leader Sri Sathya Sai Baba tells us,

Life is a challenge, meet it! Life is a dream, realize it! Life is a game, play it! Life is Love, enjoy it!

As K-Sra ponders the human need for revenge, we learn from Civil War Commander and the 18th American President, Ulysses S. Grant who gives us insightful wisdom in response.

Every human being, of whatever origin, of whatever station, deserves respect. We must each respect others even as we respect ourselves.

In irony, these words come from a man whose Presidential term is now viewed historically as marginally corrupt. Yet, his personal reputation is still regarded as being of high moral personal integrity. It begs question, or rather this simple retort,

It is not words which credence integrity, but action.

April 26th marks the Birthday of Roman Emperor and Stoic Philosopher Marcus Aurelius. Aurelius penned a series of writings now called Meditations.

To refrain from imitation is the best revenge.

Created uniquely, why do we revert to imitation.

Today we learn from the words of Radio and Journalism Icon Edward R. Murrow.

Difficulty is the excuse history never accepts.

How often do we use 'difficulty' to explain our hesitations and failure to act.

Emigrating to America in 1849 from Scotland, Explorer and Naturalist John Muir was responsible for establishing Yosemite as a National Park. Mr. Muir is pictued on the California State Quarter issued in 2005.

In every walk with nature one receives far more than he seeks.

Into the time period of Advent, the days following Easter, we continue with the words of President Thomas Jefferson...

Had the doctrines of Jesus been preached always as pure as they came from his lips, the whole civilized world would now have been Christians.

And if I may add, the world would be filled with Love, rightfully so.

Image is from the collection of Danny Hahlbohm

We learn from the wise words of Mother Theresa...

If you can't feed a hundred people, then just feed one.

Greek philosopher Epicurus quoted so wisely...

Do not spoil what you have by desiring what you have not; remember that what you now have was once among the things you only hoped for.

How true it is that we often do not appreciate the little things, the blessings of life in earnest for more - but at the same time, not really understanding why we want 'more.'

Words from my good friend, Winnie the Pooh...

You can't stay in your corner of the Forest waiting for others to come to you. You have to go to them sometimes.

Sometimes wisdom comes from those you least expect. A lesson that wisdom is within us, we just often fail to realize it.

Master Teacher and Lord Jesus Christ gives us this message...

In the world you will have trouble, but take courage for I have conquered the world.

On this Good Friday, we quote the teachings of Jesus Christ.

If you bring forth what is within you, what you bring forth will save you.
If you do not bring forth what is within you, what you do not bring forth will destroy you.

And in His words...

Live in me, let me live in you.

On this day of Holy Thursday in Christian society, we hear from the 3rd American President and Declaration of Independence author, Thomas Jefferson.

Of all the systems of morality, ancient or modern, which have come under my observation, none appear to me so pure as that of Jesus.

Britian's Noble Laureate Bertrand Russell tell us...

To be able to fill leisure intelligently is the last product of civilization.

I guess that means no television. =(

Again I refer to 'Honest Abe' for words of inspiration.

Nearly all men can stand adversity, but if you want to test a man's character, give him power.

-Abraham Lincoln
16 President of the U.S.

The real-to-life Mark Twain hath writ...

Twenty years from now, you will be more disappointed by the things you didn't do than by the ones you did.

So throw off your bowlines. Sail away from safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover.

Motivational Expert Brian Tracy says this...

Negative emotions are the either triggered by fear of loss or fear of failure.

Simply refuted, fear nothing and do not fail.

President Abraham Lincoln commented this on Success...

Always bear in mind that your own resolution to succeed is more important than any other thing.

Our determination and perseverence will take us over troubled waters and through the valleys of challenged times. We must remain focused and forge ahead.

"We only know what we know: our knowledge."
-Don Miguel Angel Ruiz

Okay, how true is that!

"We have to move from the illusion of certainty to the certainty of illusion."
-Sam Keen

How often do we think to know something is certain, when reality snaps us back to discover the real truth. It reminds us to forever be in a mode of learning, or as said, being a student.

"In quarreling about the shadow
we often lose the substance."
-AESOP

In a most recent discussion/debate with a friend, i realized or should i say, it reminded me that we often get so tangled in the superficial that we become blinded and do not see the core of the objective. We ignore the truth which is in front of us - lost in ourselves and our emotions.

Today's Quote:

"Act the way you'd like to be and soon you'll be the way you act."
-George W. Crane

Well said Mr. Crane. It is our habits that define us.

Today's Quote:

"Once the whole is divided,
the parts needs names. There are
already enough names."
-Tao Te Ching

We are one society, one people, one world coming from one God. Why we think we are all so different and seperate defies everything around and within us.

Today's Quote:

"There is no place to which we could flee from God
which is outside of God."
-Paul Tillich


I ask you this, does it matter which religion you are if the core of your faith and beliefs are to serve God?

Has the politeness of society gone awry?

We are busy, we are stressed, we are self-absorbed. Is that where politeness has gone? I ask, whose job is it to be polite if it doesn't start with 'I'?

The History of Valentine's Day...

Every February, across the country, candy, flowers, and gifts are exchanged between loved ones, all in the name of St. Valentine. But what is this mysterious day - where did we get the name and why do we celebrate this holiday?


The history of Valentine's Day -- and its patron saint -- is shrouded in mystery. But we do know that February has long been a month of romance. St. Valentine's Day, as we know it today, contains vestiges of both Christian and ancient Roman tradition. So, who was Saint Valentine and how did he become associated with this ancient rite? Today, the Catholic Church recognizes at least three different saints named Valentine or Valentinus, all of whom were martyred. Vist the History Channel to read more.


Interesting Facts about Valentine's Day...

According to the Greeting Card Association, an estimated one billion valentine cards are sent each year, making Valentine's Day the second largest card-sending holiday of the year. (An estimated 2.6 billion cards are sent for Christmas.)

Approximately 85 percent of all valentines are purchased by women. In addition to the United States, Valentine's Day is celebrated in Canada, Mexico, the United Kingdom, France, and Australia.

Valentine greetings were popular as far back as the Middle Ages (written Valentine's didn't begin to appear until after 1400), and the oldest known Valentine card is on display at the British Museum. The first commercial Valentine's Day greeting cards produced in the U.S. were created in the 1840s by Esther A. Howland. Howland, known as the Mother of the Valentine, made elaborate creations with real lace, ribbons and colorful pictures known as "scrap". (information provided by American Greetings)

And one last thing... Vist my friend K-SraSra's site for sweet Valentine's Day Poem.

Hello Friends!

I have returned from my 2 month-plus exploration of peanut butter testing and wow... i had no idea there were so many types, flavors and varieties!

organic, roasted, low-salt, no salt, low fat, no fat, crunchy, creamy, all-natural, and a few that i cannot remember!

did you know they still make PETER PAN pb? one of my favs and one of America's!

This is what i learned...
In 1922, Joseph L. Rosefield began selling a number of brands of peanut butter in California. These peanut butters were churned like butter so they were smoother than the gritty peanut butters of the day. He soon received the first patent for a shelf-stable peanut butter which would stay fresh for up to a year because the oil didn't separate from the peanut butter.

One of the first companies to adopt this new process was Swift & Company for its E.K. Pond peanut butter ~ renamed Peter Pan in 1928. In 1932, Rosefield had a dispute with Peter Pan and began producing peanut butter under the Skippy label the following year. Rosefield created the first crunchy style peanut butter two years later by adding chopped peanuts into creamy peanut butter at the end of the manufacturing process.

Pretty neat, huh? Skippy and Peter Pan share some history!

Tell me, Tell me... what's your favorite Peanut Butter - and why! =)

(By the way, special thanks to KSRASRA - for mentioning me on her site. that's just cool!)

Peter Pan info came courtesy of Peanut Butter Lovers.com:

In honor of November being Peanut Butter Lover's Month, here's information all about Peanut Butter! Yum! =)

Peanut butter goes back to many countries and times. Dating back over 100,000 years ago, a fossilized peanut was discovered in the Republic of China . For centuries, peanuts have been crushed and ground into paste to be used in cooking. Africans made peanut stew as early as the 15th century, and the Chinese have used peanuts in sauces for hundreds of years.

Civil War soldiers dined on peanut porridge, but peanut butter didn't really make the scene in America until the late 1890's. Although Dr. George Washington Carver developed 300 uses for the nutmeat, shell and foliage of the peanut. Peanut butter was invented in 1890 by a St. Louis physician seeking an easily digestible, high protein food for some of his patients who couldn't eat meat because they had bad teeth. Friends and relatives of the patients found they liked the new health food so well that by the early 1920's it had become a staple food throughout the nation. About the same time, Dr. John Harvey Kellogg, cereal pioneer, began to experiment with peanut butter and eventually patented it. A Kellogg employee even began selling hand operated peanut butter grinders in 1897 and it was in 1904 when this yummy gooey treat went mainstream when it was introduced at the Universal Exposition in St Louis.

The Jif plant in Lexington, Kentucky is reportedly the largest peanut butter factory in the world. Peanut butter accounts for over half of U.S. peanut production, and Americans eat almost 7 pounds of peanuts and peanut butter per capita. Eighty three percent of all Americans purchase peanut butter. By the time an American graduates from High School, he or she will have eaten 1,500 peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. Their consumption equates to more than 700 million pounds of peanut butter annually, or enough to cover the floor of the Grand Canyon.

An acre of peanuts can yield more than 30,000 peanut butter sandwiches, the most popular ones for kids to take to school. It takes 540 peanuts to make a 12-ounce jar of peanut butter. Runner peanuts are the preferred nut for peanut butter making since they are uniform in size making them better for even roasting. Seventy percent of all peanut butter sold is smooth and the remaining thirty percent chunky. Creamy peanut butter is preferred on the East Coast, Chunky on the West Coast.

Peanut butter sticks to the roof of your mouth because of a process called hydration of the peanut protein. The high level of protein in peanut butter draws the moisture away from your mouth as you eat it, just like a sponge soaks up water.

And finally peanuts aren't really nuts, they are legumes, in the same family as beans and peas. But even though their physical structure and nutritional benefits resemble legumes, their use in diets and cuisine more resembles nuts.

Source: American Peanut Coalition

In honor of the big Turkey Day to come, let me quote the man, Martin Luther...

"The fewer the words - the better prayer."

In other words... two words - 'Thank you' says it all.

Happy Thanksgiving everyone.

Walked into a coffee shop the other day for a business meet, i couldn't help but notice the tremendous number of people who were in there ordering their $4 latte's and $6 double expressos.

I think maybe it was the bell effect of Pavlov's conditioning. There was a bell at the front door - and as soon as you walk in. you are complelled to order something - anything that has a high price attached to it. i'm much more of a simple guy i guess. not really a coffee drinker - would much rather prefer a cup of tea, maybe that chai stuff if its not overloaded with sugar.

but that's my rant for today. so it left me wondering, do people go to coffee shops for a beverage? or do they gather at the hope of seeing someone they know? it's the place to be seen... or they just don't know what else to do...

i leave with this thought from another wise teacher, Baba Ram Dass:

"The quieter you become, the more you can hear."

My friend, K-Sra-Sra posted this on her blog. We're going to borrow it today.

Sonoeme Eaxilpn Tihs

"Cdnuolt blveiee taht I cluod aulaclty uesdnatnrd waht I was rdanieg. The phaonmneal pweor of the hmuan mnid, aoccdrnig to a rscheearch at Cmabrigde Uinervtisy, it deosn't mttaer in waht oredr the ltteers in a wrod are, the olny iprmoatnt tihng is taht the frist and lsat ltteer be in the rghit pclae. The rset can be a taotl mses and you can sitll raed it wouthit a porbelm. Tihs is bcuseae the huamn mnid deos not raed ervey lteter by istlef, but the wrod as a wlohe. Amzanig huh? Yaeh and I awlyas tghuhot slpeling was ipmorantt!"

As said by the wise teacher Koichi Tohei,
"Power of Mind is infinite while brawn is limited."

Each day is a Gift. Every Moment - a Blessing.

If more individuals were to think like this,
how much better a place this world would be? We have been placed on this earth to make a difference. Create. Innovate. Love. Live. Give. Be.

"Do every act of your life
as if it were your last."

- Emporer Marcus Aurelius
"The Philosophic Monarch"

Reading the news today... It saddened to see yet another headline about the loss of life because of War. Terrorism, Greed, the Quest for Power... all of it really needs to stop if we are ever truly going to live in Peace.

It leads me to a quote by Unto Tahitinen - an author and leader of Non-Violence.

"There are two ways of avoiding war: One is to satisfy everyone's desire; the other, to content oneself with good."

If only, we would focus on doing good.

Image created by Joshus Hund

So what makes Halloween the fun and outrageously ridiculous holiday that it is. A whole bunch of people just give away free candy. Buy pumpkins, carve 'em up! Dress up - look stupid - get candy. America. I love this country.

I ask... What costume did you wear as a youth...?

For me... Mom dressed me up as Little Orphan Annie - Freckles, red curly hair and all. =) ahhh. Child hood memories. I got alot of candy that year! Happy Halloween.

Learn the history of Halloween

As seen on a bumper sticker...
"My karma ran over my dogma"

I had a beautiful breakfast with a dear friend of mine. He's known as the 'General' and I, the 'Colonel'. Thrice my age - a wonderful spirit with such vigor for life. We talked and reminisced about his earlier days - and the road i now travel in a profession similar to his. its difficulties, its struggles. no judgements, no criticism. listening. understanding. giving guidance when asked. how refreshing - inspiring.

In his simple words...
"Don't get discouraged. Rome was not built in a day.
Keep at it kid, you're doing good."


A wise proverb reads...
"To know the road ahead, ask those coming back."