Surfer Crossing
Originally uploaded by _BigK_

HAWAII BOUND! (Kalani Sanders's Photo)

Surfer Crossing
Originally uploaded by _BigK_

I cannot WAIT to touch down in my beloved Hawaii in just a few short weeks!  I'll be joined there by a wonderful friend from England ... and will be met at the airport by another wonderful friend -- someone who knows the Island of Oahu like the back of his hand, as he's lived there for nearly 30 years!  Who's got it better than me?!

That sign over there to the right stands outside a terrific surf shop up on the North Shore in the town of Haleiwa.  We'll be staying on the North Shore (home of the famous "Bonzai Pipeline") for the first few days ... in a little 2-bedroom cottage in Pupukea.  I'll get to explore stuff I never got a chance to when I lived there.  That's part of what this trip is all about.  Mainly, though, it's a physical and spiritual retreat for ourselves . . . with FUN permeating every day!  (We're going to do what WE want to do when WE want to do it.  My friend and I figure we both deserve it -- given what we've each been through in the last 10 years with our kids!  It's LIBERATION time!)

I found myself overcome with fear today . . .

It struck out of the blue, it seemed, almost like a presence crawling up my neck. The fear was of losing my job (I'm an "at will" employee . . . can be dismissed without cause with no explanation) since there is such a climate of fear as so many wonder about the "security" of their jobs. But then, almost as "out of the blue" as the fear arrived, a beautiful thought came to me. In one sentence I know so well: "I shall not want." Psalm 23. One of my most beloved. So I began to type out on my computer what I recalled of it from memory, and as I did, the fear shattered like broken crystal. I found this on YouTube ... and thought the acoustic guitar mad fantastic!

Southern Ocean

Southern Ocean
Originally uploaded by rozsavage

Whoo, Whoo ... I got to be one of the names on an earth ball that Roz Savage presented at the Copenhagen Climate Change summit (for being one of her supporters on the Big Ben to Brussels walk I helped sponsor). Exciting stuff, indeed. :-)

Road to Raw, Part II - Check Out My New Blog - Click on Link to the Right --->

I've been following the adventurous ocean-rower (and eco-advocate) Roz Savage, as she's rowed from Honolulu, Hawaii to Kiriboti and after 104 days at sea, she has just arrived on land. For a bit of inspiration, check out her WEBSITE. Her journal/blog entries are terrific ... and as she listened to mucho books on tape as she rowed along, one can avail oneself to quite a few good book reviews at the same time.

PS: She also solo rowed the Atlantic and has a book about that coming out next month, I believe.

FOOD, INC.

Check out this compelling new documentary coming out soon entitled, "FOOD, INC.".

Staying "Forever Young" ... or how to simplify, simplify, simplify!

I haven't visited this blog in over a month -- but all is well in Naomi's world. Just completed another move (within about 7 months of the last one ... boring story not worth discussing) and feel as if my 2009 goal of "Simplify! Simplify! Simplify!" is being taken to a whole new level. By the time I'm finished settling in, I'll be down to about a THIRD of what I owned when I originally packed my things for this latest move, and I'm thrilled. My goal is to have only books that I love and will reference again, only ONE of any item (that's something other than clothing), and in general to have fewer possessions than I have ever had. Anything I keep will be something that inspires beauty, or is useful, or clearly contributes to people's well-being.

About the featured YouTube song, Forever Young, been thinking lately about just what that means, as the song has always appealed to me. And it's not because I see aging as a bad thing, either ... aging is simply one's life unfolding so it cannot really be a bad thing. But "forever young" is such a soul attitude, knowing there is still so much to see, do and become. In other words, living with a child-like mindset of unlimited possibilities despite how our bodies are changing with time.

So enjoy Joan's sweet version of this Dylan classic ... and live FOREVER YOUNG today!