how to stay alive forever

it's two for one day... it's two blogs in one day... it happens sometimes... and i'm going to say that it's because i'm fucking awesome but what it's really about is that i've been on my china / tibet / political awareness soap box for a week and i've got some other things to say... just a few things... and in fairness i found this awesome website and i laughed out loud and i thought that as a reward for continuing to read despite my affiliation with very liberal views and world peace diatribes you should be rewarded by something fabulous:

1000 Life Lessons or HOW TO STAY ALIVE FOREVER

seriously... spend some time reading it. it's genius... then come back here and hear all about how my life has changed drastically in the past 7 days. no really it has... i'm not just saying that as some abstruse carrot dangling before your pretty little head.

first let's start with the playlist cuz listening to greatness while reading how things are is always lots of fun.


so i've been learning and growing and changing in this past week... on the eternal road to self knowledge, self awareness, forgiveness, patience and love... it's a pretty big mission statement but i get up everyday and i give it the good old college try. i don't even really know what that means but i know i try. so here is a recap of what i've learned....

1. sweating the small stuff is still a really bad idea. let go of the things that are inconsequential or can't be changed. it will change your perspective, a bad hair cut and your perspective on friendships and lifelong bonds.

2. anyone who is involved in a miscommunication is 50% at fault. yep. even you. you were there and so you were involved and so you either didn't speak clearly or you didn't listen fully.

3. lessons in life are hard to learn sometimes. that doesn't mean you are stupid or on the wrong page metaphorically speaking. sometimes you're overthinking it. sometimes you aren't thinking about it enough. either way once the lesson becomes clear embrace it, take note of it and move forward with confidence.

4. people that blame and get defensive have something to hide. they aren't being forthright, they are making excuses for inexcusable behavior and you can let them go. it's really a moot point once you get into the phrase "i did it because..." all you need to hear is that they did it. when a person doesn't take responsibility for their actions everything else is pointless.

5. everything in the world and in the universe starts and ends with love. it is the purpose of life, it is the purpose of death, it is the purpose of living and it is the thing that defines us. it is the only truth. it makes sense on every level - science, philosophy, religion and emotionally. everything ever worth talking about or experiencing is about loving and the feelings that come from that love - positive or negative - it's all from the same beginning.

6. good music is still good even if no one else loves it like you do.

7. if you wait for external validation for your thoughts and words and emotions you will be waiting along ass time. go ahead and validate yourself.

8. six year olds are capable of understanding human interaction in a simple and perfect way. they are also sometimes difficult but they give really good hugs and take awesome naps.

9. bad things happen to good people. good things happen to bad people. it all comes out in the wash. additionally it's not always apparent from the outset what the outcome will be - sometimes bad things end up being good and vice versa.

10. jameson and ginger ale fix almost all that ails a person.

look at what you've done...

if you take a moment and review today's news i think that you will see... you... the reader and the people that have spoken out for tibet and for justice and for righteousness.... you will see the reward for signing petitions and being resolute in the face of tyranny. i'll just say that today i am proud of what has been accomplished and i am hopeful that there is awareness... that there is openness to building a better world. i am grateful to see the House of Representatives speaking out against the chinese government. i am happy that people are finally beginning to see that the chinese government has not only oppressed it's own people, continued a regime of terror and genocide in tibet but ALSO supported the sudanese government in darfur... not to mention their disgraceful and disgusting human rights violations... (in case you were wondering it rivals the former government in iraq).

here are some clips of news from today:
"In Washington, meanwhile, the House of Representatives overwhelmingly passed a resolution criticising China's "disproportionate and extreme" response to protests in Tibet.

By 413 votes to one, the House called on China to release Tibetans imprisoned after peacefully demonstrating, and allow international monitors and journalists unfettered access to Tibetan areas of China." - BBC World News

or watch it here - a good overview of last night and today...

Olympic Torch Protest in San Francisco

although i have other things on my mind tonight they will have to wait... there are more important things than my own personal complaints about the life i have created for myself.

tonight the most important thing is that we are on the eve of the Olympic Torch protest in San Francisco.

you can view the BBC's footage of the protest in London here: Olympic Torch Protest in London

i ask humbly and simply that you really really think about the actions of the Chinese Government and their history of human rights violations. i remember very clearly the tiananmen square protests of 1989. we lived in hong kong then and it was a moment that i will never forget. some people know exactly where they were when jfk was killed or when elvis died. i'll never forget that footage and the knowledge that a government can oppress and erase whatever it is they see before them that they don't agree with. i suppose some people think that i'm just off on a tangent here... going on about what is pc or what is currently popular.... and i have ceased to try to be understood in this world. i have accepted that all i can do is use my words, heart and mind for good and let everyone else sort themselves out. keep my side of the street clean as my friend zach says.... sometimes thats the best a girl on the punk rock retirement plan can manage.

i wish i could more clearly express that i believe everything comes down to love. it's the basis of the universe. it is the basis of science, religion and of basic human instinct. love is the answer. it's in everything and causes everything. you can manifest whatever destiny you want... i'm choosing to manifest one based in love that asks for peace and harmony in the world, in the hearts of man and in our understanding. i am asking for these things simply because there is no other logical conclusion to come to.

tonight or tomorrow as you hold the things dear to you close remember that autonomy, democracy, freedom and free will come at price. you have the responsibility to use it for the good of the whole and to bring the universe to right. you have one job and it's to love - yourself, others and most importantly the global community and the planet. make a difference. change the world. do one small thing. use the voice you have been given. i promise that if you do it in love the harmony, peace and love will come back to you tenfold.

i leave you tonight with a simple prayer for peace for the world, health and comfort for His Holiness the Dalai Lama and for a peaceful protest tomorrow in San Francisco that reverberates through the american nation so loudly that we are moved to action on the global front.

May all beings everywhere plagued
with sufferings of body and mind
quickly be freed from their illnesses.
May those frightened cease to be afraid,
and may those bound be free.
May the powerless find power,
and may people think of befriending
one another.
May those who find themselves in trackless,
fearful wilderness--
the children, the aged, the unprotected--
be guarded by beneficent celestials,
and may they swiftly attain Buddhahood.

The Buddha

free tibet

and in bombay

mt. everest

one world one dream

tibet action day

learn more / get involved / change the world(click on one of the words to go to the website): Tibetan Youth Congress
Avaaz.org - The World in Action

with my whole heart

i understand it's hard to see the forest for the trees sometimes... we're all guilty of that. i know that sometimes it's hard to understand the big picture of the world and the universe and all the opinions and voices and politics. i know that it seems difficult to start today and inform yourself when there is a long history of he said / she said between countries and leaders and religions.

i encourage you to find out about the atrocities that are being committed by the chinese government. i encourage you to understand that the plight for freedom in burma (or myanmar), in tibet and all over the world today. i encourage you to open your heart and understand that the suffering of few that you may not know or see affects how we view each other and treat each other.

i feel it necessary to express to you that i believe that the crimes against people by the chinese governement are serious enough that i literally have lost sleep over it in the past week. i wish that there was more i could do than sign petitions, be informed and use this small forum to express clearly where my heart lies. i wish there was more that i could do than boycott the 2008 olympics, the olympic sponsors and all souvenirs of the olympics. i wish that i had won the lottery a few weeks ago so i could spend those millions on changing this situation.... on changing the world but alas i am one person with my eye on the forest and the injustices and the climate of oppression that is filling the world.

with every particle of my being i want to impart this small piece of wisdom that i firmly believe: you must stand against injustice no matter how big or small. you must stand against oppression and against inhumanity. please if you do nothing else with your freedom and your tax rebate check please take the time to learn a little bit and make up your own mind - have any opinion you choose but please have an opinion.

in closing i give you this clip of His Holiness the Dalai Lama asking for a miracle. i ask that you in your prayers or thanks or thoughts or whatever it is that you believe in give a moment and ask the universe to bring peace to the people of Tibet in the coming weeks, to bring peace and well being to the Dalai Lama himself and to bring solace and comfort to those in need.