Founding Fathers

There is some interesting information here.

How to Tie Your Shoes

Don't laugh. You probably don't do it right! This was posted on TED.

Musician

A man sat at a metro station in Washington DC and started to play the violin; it was a cold January morning. He played six Bach pieces for about 45 minutes. During that time, since it was rush hour, it was calculated that 1,100 people went through the station, most of them on their way to work. Three minutes went by, and a middle aged man noticed there was musician playing. He slowed his pace, and stopped for a few seconds, and then hurried up to meet his schedule. A minute later, the violinist received his first dollar tip: a woman threw the money in the till and without stopping, and continued to walk. A few minutes later, someone leaned against the wall to listen to him, but the man looked at his watch and started to walk again. Clearly he was late for work. The one who paid the most attention was a 3 year old boy. His mother tagged him along, hurried, but the kid stopped to look at the violinist. Finally, the mother pushed hard, and the child continued to walk, turning his head all the time. This action was repeated by several other children. All the parents, without exception, forced them to move on. In the 45 minutes the musician played, only 6 people stopped and stayed for a while. About 20 gave him money, but continued to walk their normal pace. He collected $32. When he finished playing and silence took over, no one noticed it. No one applauded, nor was there any recognition. No one knew this, but the violinist was Joshua Bell, one of the most talented musicians in the world. He had just played one of the most intricate pieces ever written, on a violin worth $3.5 million dollars. Two days before his playing in the subway, Joshua Bell sold out at a theater in Boston where the seats averaged $100. This is a real story. Joshua Bell playing incognito in the metro station was organized by the Washington Post as part of a social experiment about perception, taste, and priorities of people. The outlines were: in a commonplace environment at an inappropriate hour: Do we perceive beauty? Do we stop to appreciate it? Do we recognize the talent in an unexpected context? One of the possible conclusions from this experience could be: If we do not have a moment to stop and listen to one of the best musicians in the world playing the best music ever written, how many other things are we missing? By: Kristof Burm

Thomas Jefferson

Thomas Jefferson This is amazing. There are two parts. Be sure to read the 2nd part (in RED). Thomas Jefferson was a very remarkable man who started learning very early in life and never stopped. At 5, began studying under his cousin's tutor. At 9, studied Latin, Greek and French. At 14, studied classical literature and additional languages. At 16, entered the College of William and Mary. At 19, studied Law for 5 years starting under George Wythe. At 23, started his own law practice. At 25, was elected to the Virginia House of Burgesses. At 31, wrote the widely circulated "Summary View of the Rights of British America” and retired from his law practice. At 32, was a Delegate to the Second Continental Congress. At 33, wrote the Declaration of Independence. At 33, took three years to revise Virginia's legal code and wrote a Public Education bill and a statute for Religious Freedom. At 36, was elected the second Governor of Virginia, succeeding Patrick Henry. At 40, served in Congress for two years. At 41, was the American minister to France, and negotiated commercial treaties with European nations along with Ben Franklin and John Adams. At 46, served as the first Secretary of State under George Washington. At 53, served as Vice President and was elected president of the American Philosophical Society. At 55, drafted the Kentucky Resolutions, and became the active head of Republican Party. At 57, was elected the third president of the United States. At 60, obtained the Louisiana Purchase, doubling the nation's size. At 61, was elected to a second term as President. At 65, retired to Monticello. At 80, helped President Monroe shape the Monroe Doctrine. At 81, almost single-handedly created the University of Virginia, and served as its first president. At 83, died on the 50th anniversary of the Signing of the Declaration of Independence, along with John Adams Thomas Jefferson knew because he himself studied the previous failed attempts at government. He understood actual history, the nature of God, his laws and the nature of man. That happens to be way more than what most understand today. Jefferson really knew his stuff. A voice from the past to lead us in the future: John F. Kennedy held a dinner in the white House for a group of the brightest minds in the nation at that time. He made this statement: "This is perhaps the assembly of the most intelligence ever to gather at one time in the White House with the exception of when Thomas Jefferson dined alone." "When we get piled upon one another in large cities, as in Europe, we shall become as corrupt as Europe." -- Thomas Jefferson "The democracy will cease to exist when you take away from those who are willing to work and give to those who would not." -- Thomas Jefferson "It is incumbent on every generation to pay its own debts as it goes. A principle which if acted on would save one-half the wars of the world." -- Thomas Jefferson "I predict future happiness for Americans if they can prevent the government from wasting the labors of the people under the pretense of taking care of them." -- Thomas Jefferson "My reading of history convinces me that most bad government results from too much government." -- Thomas Jefferson "No free man shall ever be debarred the use of arms." -- Thomas Jefferson "The strongest reason for the people to retain the right to keep and bear arms is, as a last resort, to protect themselves against tyranny in government." -- Thomas Jefferson "The tree of liberty must be refreshed from time to time with the blood of patriots and tyrants." -- Thomas Jefferson "To compel a man to subsidize with his taxes the propagation of ideas which he disbelieves and abhors is sinful and tyrannical." -- Thomas Jefferson Thomas Jefferson said in 1802: "I believe that banking institutions are more dangerous to our liberties than standing armies. If the American people ever allow private banks to control the issue of their currency, first by inflation, then by deflation, the banks and corporations that will grow up around the banks will deprive the people of all property - until their children wake-up homeless on the continent their fathers conquered." A friend emailed this in February.

Soldier's Deck of Cards

This was posted on facebook March 22.

Best Friends Forever

This was posted on facebook Feb 27.

Nobody's Perfect

This was posted on facebook March 5th by Loving Them Quotes.

Deer Images

This was posted on facebook on March 8 by Couponshopaholic.

Ants on Butter

This was posted on facebook on March 6 by Kenneth Francis, Jr. with this caption. "Do NOT eat what ants would NOT touch. Top right: margarine, left: reduced fat margarine, bottom right: natural butter."

Living Chair

This was posted on facebook by Organic Green Roots on March 11. It was titled: Living Art, Ten years in the making.

Title Search Humor

Part of rebuilding New Orleans caused residents often to be challenged with the task of tracing home titles back potentially hundreds of years. With a community rich with history stretching back over two centuries, houses have been passed along through generations of family, sometimes making it quite difficult to establish ownership. Here's a great letter an attorney wrote to the FHA on behalf of a client: You have to love this lawyer... A New Orleans lawyer sought an FHA loan for a client. He was told the loan would be granted if he could prove satisfactory title to a parcel of property being offered as collateral. The title to the property dated back to 1803, which took the lawyer three months to track down. After sending the information to the FHA, he received the following reply: (Actual reply from FHA): "Upon review of your letter adjoining your client's loan application, we note the request is supported by an Abstract of Title. While we compliment the able manner in which you have prepared and presented the application, we must point out you have only cleared title to the proposed collateral property back to 1803. Before final approval can be accorded, it will be necessary to clear the title back to its origin." Annoyed, the lawyer responded as follows: (Actual response): "Your letter regarding title in Case No.189156 has been received. I note you wish to have title extended further than the 206 years covered by the present application. I was unaware any educated person in this country, particularly those working in the property area, would not know Louisiana was purchased by the United States from France in 1803, the year of origin identified in our application. For the edification of uninformed FHA bureaucrats, the title to the land prior to U.S. ownership was obtained from France , which had acquired it by Right of Conquest from Spain . The land came into the possession of Spain by Right of Discovery made in the year 1492 by a sea captain named Christopher Columbus, who had been granted the privilege of seeking a new route to India by the Spanish monarch, Queen Isabella. The good Queen Isabella, being a pious woman and almost as careful about titles as the FHA, took the precaution of securing the blessing of the Pope before she sold her jewels to finance Columbus 's expedition. Now the Pope, as I'm sure you may know, is the emissary of Jesus Christ, the Son of God, and God, it is commonly accepted, created this world. Therefore, I believe it is safe to presume God also made the part of the world called Louisiana . God; therefore, would be the owner of origin and His origins date back to before the beginning of time, the world as we know it, and the FHA. I hope you find God's original claim to be satisfactory. Now, may we have our loan?" The loan was immediately approved.

Callings 14

This is the final entry in our series.

Callings 12 & 13

Callings 10 & 11

I took a red poinsettia star and desaturated it for this image. I then turned into a rainbow star for the following image. I am still experimenting with different rainbow designs.

Callings 8 & 9

Callings 6 & 7

I was surprised to see this quote by Nietzche. It doesn't sound like nihilism.

This is an interesting observation.

Callings 4 & 5

Don't we behave like these monkeys sometimes?

Callings 2 & 3

Callings 1

I have finished reading a book called Callings: Finding and Following an Authentic Life by Gregg Levoy. It is an inspiring book, so I want to share some of the quotes included. I have taken images from my 2011 poinsettia designs and used them to illustrate the texts. This is the first entry.

Illustrated Thought of the Week

This is a digital star made with photos of poinsettia leaves. I created it as part of my 2011 Christmas card design, but use it here to illustrate another Chinese proverb.

Illustrated Thought of the Week

I'm offering one more illustrated thought of the week. I have been reworking my barrel cactus designs and have added this digital flowers star. This could be my life's motto.

Illustrated Thought of the Week

I just ran across this quote, and like it so much that I am adding to this collection.

Abundance with Hedgehog Flowers

More Inspiration

I have used digital flower stars made with photos of hegehog cactus flowers to illustrate these two messages.

ILLUSTRATED THOUGHT OF THE WEEK

I recently bought a book of poetry by the Sufi poet, Rumi. It inspired me to share this quote as an illustrated thought of the week. I paired the quote with a teddy bear cholla star. Have a good week.