#97: Food For Thought (Friday, October 31)

Some statistics: 

• To end world hunger would cost $30 billion a year -- the same amount that was spent last December to buy gifts
  
• A mother dies every minute because there is no doctor, nurse or midwife by her side. The amount that US consumers spend on bottled water each year would be enough to pay for 700,000 midwives that could end this strategy.
  
• $11 billion dollars could cover the cost of implementing universal primary education, half of what Americans spent on ice cream last year.
  
• Every 5 seconds, a child dies from poverty. The $50 billion China spent preparing for the Olympics could help save these children.
  

You're probably wondering what this has to do with you. You've worked hard for your money and you should be able to enjoy it, right? That's true, but by making small lifestyle adjustments, you can make a difference:

For the cost of a few bottles of water or a drink at the club, you can feed a hungry person right in your neighborhood, or  protect a family from malaria for up to four years (www.nothingbutnets.net).

Purchasing fair trade products helps to ensure that farmers in developing countries can earn enough to lift themselves out of poverty (www.transfairusa.org)

Our actions do impact the lives of others.

#96: Spot Check (Friday, October 24)

There are nine Fridays left in the year. Nine more opportunities to accomplish the things you'd planned to do at the beginning of the year. Where are you on that list? Did you start out the way you hoped, then slowly fall off? Did find reasons why you couldn't do the things you planned? Well, you have nine more chances to catch up.

Ask yourself a few questions:
- What did I do this year that made me happy?
- Who did I meet that changed my life (made it better or worse)?
- What's the one thing I wanted to do this year that I haven't done?
- Why haven't I done it?
- How can I make the next 9 weeks fantastic?

This is your spot check...there will be a quiz on December 28! LOL.

#95: What Have You Done With Your Dash? (Friday, October 17)

A few weeks ago, two of my dear friends lost their mothers within a few days of each other. I recently had the chance to speak with both of them and although they don't know each other, their advice was pretty much the same:

"We stress and worry over a lot of unimportant things, many of which won't matter a day, a week, a month from now. What's important is what you do with the time you're here."

The dash between your birth year and the year you leave this earth is entirely up to you. The catch is, you never know whether you're midway through the dash, or somewhere towards the end, so it's important to make the most of every moment. Be happy, be kind and live it up. Make your dash count!

P.S. Here's how to avoid sweating the small stuff that doesn't matter: Ask yourself two questions: "Can I do anything about this problem?" and "Will this matter next week?" If your answer to any of these questions is "No", put it out of your mind and move on.

P.S.S. I didn't come up with the brilliant idea of the dash on my own. There's actually a book about making the most of your dash. I just can't remember what it's called, or who wrote it.

#94: Moving Mountains (Friday, October 10)

There is an old saying, "Faith can move mountains." I think it can be used with trust as well. A relationship -- whether it be a friendship, business partnership or romantic relationship -- without trust is one that is on rocky ground and doomed to fail. Trust is the foundation on which all human interactions are built.

Even the strength of our economy is based on trust: the value that money has is simply because we have confidence and trust that when we give someone that piece of paper, it has value. Without our trust in the value of the paper we use as money, it would be worthless. The current market conditions are a result of lack of consumer trust...and fear.

Even in these difficult times when everyone is worried about their jobs, and trying to make ends meet, it's still important to trust that things will get better. Despair, fear and panic will only make things worse. Your role in stimulating the economy is important. Trust that everything that happens is part of a larger plan, and things will always work out...even when you don't see a viable solution.

Be patient, be positive, and don't stop living. Be prudent with your spending choices, but don't let it stop you from making the most of the time you have here. Remember, you can't live your life based on a the value of a dollar.

#93: Preserving the Memories (Friday, October 3)

This image was on the side of a NYC tour bus. I saw it as I was leaving work tonight. I couldn't capture the entire bus, because I was using my phone. But I'm sure you get the point. LOL.

I love taking pictures. Most of my friends can attest to being caught in an unflattering pose or two once I have a camera in my hand. LOL. It's partly because I only have about 7 childhood pictures (my older siblings have even less, so I'm not complaining), but there's a more important reason: I like to think that by taking pictures, I'm helping my friends and loved ones preserve a memory of a certain event, and that long after we're gone, the images will be there for generations to come.

This past summer, it didn't feel like I did much; but I recently went through and looked at all the pictures and realized what an amazing summer it had been. I saw the Murakami exhibit; roadtripped to Philly with someone I'd only met the day before (who ended up also being my travel partner to Brazil); met so many new people; saw my first baseball game live; watched a historic US Open match with two African-American male players; reconnected with an old friend; saw Stevie Wonder live; ate an authentic German meal; helped make history at Habitat for Humanity; roadtripped to DC for carnival; danced my Sunday away at Ft. Greene Park; spent my Labor Day Saturday feeding the homeless; relaxed upstate...and those are just the events I have pictures for!

I also had two major milestones this summer that are just as important even though there are no pictures: I conquered my fear of drowning by going white water rafting, and went after a longtime dream of becoming a firefighter.

I lost my camera during my trip to Brazil, and although I was upset for the first day after it happened, I'm over it now. I'll get another one and continue to take pictures and preserve the memories.