#195: Dreams (Friday, September 24)

Sometimes in our quest to excel and be the best "us" we can be, we get sidetracked by life, responsibilities and "stuff". We get busy, we move, we get married, have children, change jobs, get hurt...and sometimes the world just makes us question or doubt our purpose.

This is just a break from the norm to remind you (and me too) to always remember what's important. It's also one of my favorite poems...

Dreams by Langston Hughes

Hold fast to dreams
For if dreams die
Life is a broken-winged bird
That cannot fly.
Hold fast to dreams
For when dreams go
Life is a barren field
Frozen with snow.

#194: The Journey of Sixty Miles (Friday, September 17)

"The journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step." - attributed to Confucious

A few decades ago, breast cancer used to be the silent killer of women, mostly because many were ashamed to talk about it. For many women, their identity is closely linked to their femininity so when an illness threatens to rob them of their identity, it's understandable that it might be difficult to speak openly about it.

And although the conversation is a lot more open these days, one in eight women in the US will be diagnosed with breast cancer in her lifetime.

My friend LJ is working to raise money for a cure and needs your help. In October, she'll be doing the Susan G. Komen 3-Day Challenge. She'll walk 20 miles each day for three days, then set up a tent at a camp site each evening to meet with other walkers and hear their stories.

The minimum donation to participate in this event is $2,300. Help LJ meet her goal by donating what you can on her site: http://www.the3day.org/site/TR?px=4652845&pg=personal&fr_id=1472&et=YTHsAlo0bAY4tiK1yRIxVw..&s_tafId=237809

Did I mention that LJ will be participating in two half-marathons in the weeks leading up to the event AND that she also got accepted for the ING marathon. Simply phenomenal.

Be excellent!

#193: Parris Jaru (Friday, September 10)

I don't know Parris Jaru personally; I heard about him through a friend who met him at his "studio" in Soho. He sells wonderful artwork on the street. She told me he was Jamaican from a small tribe in the Blue Mountains. You know that piqued my interest.

He's currently showing at the Midoma Gallery - Salon in Manhattan, and I went to check out his work. At first blush, I thought it a little esoteric, but y'know...I like it. There are a couple pieces (Where the Eye Abounds and Profile) which I really like.

So, if you're in Manhattan anytime before September 18, check out Parris' exhibit at Midoma Gallery - Salon and if you're not in NY, then visit his website at: http://www.parrisjaru.com/

#192: Yes, Lioness! (Friday, September 3)

I first heard of Marjorie when I was doing the magazine years ago. Someone recommended her artwork and tees. At the time, she was living out of the country, so I didn't actually meet her until years later, but when I did, she was just as endearing in person as her artwork suggests.

Marjorie is an artist, illustrator, entrepreneur and creator of the website Yes Lioness. For the non-Caribbean among us, the phrase "Yes Lioness" is typically a greeting used by Rastafarians to acknowledge a black woman who is perceived to be powerful, strong and the embodiment of a queen. (Dontchya love it?!)

I love her work. She has artwork, clothing, greeting cards and even cute yoga stuff. Check out her site at www.yeslioness.com and her Etsy store.

Be excellent!

#191: Classroom to Life (Friday, August 27)

I met some good people this summer. People who have interesting passions and are putting them into action. One of them is Diana Blain. I met her on a night out in Brooklyn at one of those events only Brooklyn can have. She's actually the cousin of a dear friend of mine.

So we got to talking about things we like to do, and I mentioned my love of volunteering and traveling. As luck would have it, she founded a non-profit organization that would allow me to do both things at once: Classroom to Life aims to provide educational travel opportunities to inner city youth 9-13 years old who typically don't have the chance to travel outside of their local communities.

How awesome is that? Check out her site at http://www.classroomtolife.org and if you have wanderlust and love to volunteer, complete an application form while you're there. There's nothing more phenomenal than watching a child discover the world.

Be excellent!