Richard Chandler - How To Create Rich Success In Your Life

We Rebuilt Famous Quotes Homepage!

2012-02-05T17:46:00.000-08:00

Hello All,

We finally rebuilt our Famous Quotes Homepage website! I hope to add a few more posts here, too, in the coming months.

Best,

- Richard Chandler

Thank a Musician Over the Holiday Season!

2010-12-19T22:29:00.000-08:00

This is the time of year that a great many musicians play loads of music. It is important to acknowledge that there is a great deal of work and time put in to this, with practice time, rehearsals and driving time that musicians do which the public doesn’t see in order to provide the Holiday Season entertainment that most people expect to be treated to. So thank a musician for their dedication and let him or her know that they are appreciated.

- Richard Chandler

Thanksgiving... A Time To Be Grateful for Mother Earth

2010-11-28T18:11:00.000-08:00

Oddly enough, the youtube.com video, upon which this post is based, is a Thanksgiving Day message. As we are enjoying what we often refer to on Thanksgiving, as “earth’s bounty,” it is a very good time to reflect on the undeniable fact that all of what we are enjoying is due to the earth itself. To the extent that we continue to behave as if the ways in which we consume have no consequences, is, in my view, the very opposite of the gratefulness that Thanksgiving Day engenders.

We are not only inspired by this video. We’re also inspired our nephew, Andrew Gustafson, who has embraced a new career of helping homeowners begin to live off of the earth’s clean, nonpolluting energy, through the sale and installation of solar heating and electrical power. As we as individuals, families, businesses, organizations and local through national government agencies embrace these technologies by being willing to pay more in the short run to save a great deal in the long run, we will not only benefit personally, we will eventually reverse the damage done to our planet and restore it for ourselves and future generations.

One day we hope to eat fish the fish in our lakes and rivers as often as we want, without being concerned about mercury toxicity from acid rain. That will happen as we support the clean, green technologies and the people and organizations that are forging ahead and leading us into doing what we all know, in our hearts, is right for our beautiful planet. Happy Thanksgiving!

- Richard Chandler

Polarity Therapy Conference - A Travelogue

2010-11-24T17:37:00.000-08:00

A week ago, I returned from upstate New York, where I attended our very first gathering of the International Polarity Education Alliance, which is made up of both new and very experienced Polarity Therapy professionals. Our time together was very warm and rewarding, as I connected with friends from past Polarity Therapy conferences as well as with interesting new people. Here is a link to a short travelogue about what I experienced.

- Richard Chandler

A Short Commentary On the Recent Election

2010-11-14T19:58:00.000-08:00

Within two days after the elections, I visited with two friends who served as election judges, both of whom are very patriotic, in the sense that they love and care about our county, and I believe both of them voted quite differently from each other.

As you can imagine, one of the two was extremely disappointed with the national results. She strongly felt that we are becoming too insensitive to all of the people in our country, in the sense that we are too wrapped up with own personal lives, and less willing to think about our fellow citizens, who are not doing so well economically.

She strongly feels that we need government leaders who are willing to pass legislation that helps the middle class, as well as the and less economically advantaged, to better their lives, by having government better support all of its people through more free and low cost access to education, healthcare and opportunities to work.

Ironically, those that I know who were happy with the election results, volunteer quite often to help the less economically fortunate… most often doing so through church organizations and local initiatives.

It seems to me that both approaches are critical, and not mutually exclusive.

- Richard J Chandler

Our newest commentaries are posted first on Famous Quotes Homepage . com

The Wisdome of Having 2 or More Web Browsers

2010-10-24T19:11:00.000-07:00

Because web browsers often crash, consider having at least 2 of them, so you’ll always have one working one in which to download a fresh copy of the one that crashed.

Please consider making FamousQuotesHomepage.com as your homepage for your primary or secondary website browser. And one more thing. It has useful homepage links to email, weather, fresh and interesting news stories, Google search, and updated weekly quotations.

Thanks so much,

Richard

The Need to Continually Improve Our Computer Skills and Upgrade Our Hardware and Software

2010-10-17T12:27:00.000-07:00

On Sunday, I had some issues with my computer not working properly. After doing my best to resolve them on my own, which took at least an hour, I brought the computer into Office Depot and received some valuable help from Chris, who said they would charge nothing for assessing the problem. His assessment, which lasted about 20 minutes, eventually helped resolve the issue, and I am grateful for his time and expertise. Without his help, I would not have been able to complete the updates on this, and our other websites, or write this message.

This incident really brought home the fact that we are very dependent on our computers to get our work done. Without good, properly operating equipment, and the ability to use it well, and fix difficulties that arise with some speed, we simply can’t get our work done.

In Bonne’s work as a group home counselor, her employer recently switched to a paperless system to track everything having to do with their clients. The high volume of forms, client logs, medical information and programming directives, has moved from a paper system to a complex, web-based program. Without already having fairly high-level computer skills, Bonne could have been one of the many employees who recently lost their jobs due to an inability to navigate through the new program with reasonable speed and accuracy.

Who would have thought that group home counselors would need good computer skills to work with developmentally disabled adults? And here is the reality… It was more than enough to learn the complex program itself that here workplace now required within the short timeframe they had to learn it. If she hadn’t been skilled and reasonably fast in basic computer skills, such as keyboarding, cutting and pasting, working with a mouse and navigating quickly through multiple screens, she would have been let go as so many were. As a group, the older, (now former), employees were especially affected.

Prior to this switch to paperless client care, her employer had no computers in their group-homes at all, so there was not an opportunity at her workplace to acquire basic computer skills. And there were only a few months of notice that skills with computer-only client-care would be required.

Where did Bonne get her skills? She has assisted in the administration of our own, small, natural-healthcare businesses for many years, as well as having used her computer personally, for emailing and navigating the internet. Had she not done this with her own laptop over the years, she could have gone from full-time employment, to no employment, like so many of her former co-workers, who hadn’t kept up with computer literacy, because lack of computer skills now is the new illiteracy.

- Richard Chandler

Politicians Manipulate Advantages of a Tax Cut for Small Business

2010-10-03T17:03:00.000-07:00

Of the 26,911,465 business establishments operating in the USA, only 7,387,724 had employees, which is less than a third of all businesses. (US Census statistics) Recently, politicians have been claiming the difficulty of small businesses to create jobs, as a reason for not letting the tax rates of Americans earning $250,0000 or more to automatically return to the rates that were in place prior to the George W. Bush tax cut for wealthy Americans.

As a small business, in the 'no employees' category, I feel this lobbying for renewing the Bush tax cuts, which is on personal income, (not business income), by Republicans, supposedly on behalf of small businesses, is misplaced and misleading. It implies that not renewing this tax break for wealthy Americans somehow affects small businesses in general. It certainly doesn't affect mine. Even if we did earn a personal income of over $250,000, (which is not likely in my lifetime, as our income would have to increase many-fold to do so), we still wouldn't hire people. It is just too much life-complication for a very small business like ours.

And my suspicion is that the scheduled return of pre-Bush-era tax-rates still would not be all that relevant, in terms of hiring decisions for businesses, with an increase in personal tax rates for those earning a personal income of $250,000 or more. Why? Because the decision to hire or not to hire would likely have to do with whether it would make sense for overall for the long-term profitability of the business itself, and not so much for the amount left over for the business owners after some share of the business profit is removed from the business and added to the payroll that owners typically pay themselves as employees in their own businesses. In other words, for a business that is large enough and complex enough to have employees, decisions to hire and retain employees aren’t so directly tied to an increase in the owner’s personal tax rate.

So, as far as I’m concerned, if you are a politician lobbying to renew the Bush tax cuts, do so based on the honesty of declaring how you want to keep more of your personal money when you have high incomes, and not on the basis of somehow keeping small businesses from being detrimentally affected.

- Richard Chandler

Writer Jonathan Franzen - Cover of Time Magazine

2010-09-12T21:58:00.000-07:00

I get a lot of pleasure out of reading. I really do. But it has been many years since I deliberately read fiction for pleasure. In other words, other than reading through a few fiction pieces from the New Yorker over the years – yes, you’re right… the cartoons are the only part of the magazine that I consistently read – I have read no other fiction, relegating novels to a minor list on my fantasy retirement plan.

Then, I read the cover article about the writer Jonathan Franzen in the August 28, 2010 issue of Time Magazine, written by another writer, Lev Grossman. (His quotations from that article are shown below.)

And the article itself blew me away. It was so well written, and so enthusiastic, in a measured way, that I wanted to discover more about Lev Grossman’s own writing. So I went to Barnes & Nobel, (our main local bookstore), and purchased the Codex. I read it over three days and was thoroughly entertained! And in addition, learned some new things about early books and the early renaissance period of time in England.

- Richard Chandler

Combat Operations Troops Now Gone - 5th Anniversary of Katrina

2010-09-06T05:04:00.000-07:00

Milestones & Commemorations… The week of August 30th marked two events for our country – the end of the combat mission in Iraq and the 5th anniversary of Hurricane Katrina. On Sunday, I heard the president’s speech about Katrina. This past Tuesday evening, he addressed the nation on Iraq. In my view, it is good for us to acknowledge that despite the fact there still remains much more to do in Iraq, Louisiana and Mississippi, a great deal has been accomplished.

James Carville, a CNN contributor and resident of New Orleans stated that it wasn’t a 50/50 accomplishment, but more like a 75/25 accomplishment with 75 being how far we have come in the five years since the disaster. Of the high in USA troops of 140,000 in Iraq, we have brought 90,000 home and the remaining 50,000 are primarily in a support and training role with combat action only if attacked.

So while neither of these warrants celebration, it is good for us as a nation to acknowledge that over time, with planning, funding, action and resolve, we Americans can solve problems and make things better. A good part of patriotism is being proud of the accomplishments of our nation. Let’s take just a little time to do that, temporarily setting aside our strong personal opinions of what we think wasn’t right and could have been better or different, to acknowledge that with the incredible commitment and sacrifice of our troops and the people who have dedicated themselves to restoring the Gulf region, things have changed for the better.

- Richard Chandler

A ‘present-day’ meaning for Christmas

2009-12-26T20:50:00.000-08:00

While there are many views on the meaning of Christmas, mine relate with Abraham Maslow’s table of human needs, shown at the top of the quotations section below. For me, Christmas is a birth of the most noble of principles and values into our physical world. A treasured few include love, compassion, being of service, tolerance of differing views, cultures and beliefs.

These most principled of values, which for me also include artistry – the manifestation of our inner vision of truth and beauty within the physical world – are in fact, ‘self actualization’, as shown by Dr. Maslow. And Christmas is about birthing the most elevated ways of being, into our world… a world where humans too often live lives focused on fulfilling their more basic of needs, rather than seeking to manifest the higher ones.

With most people this is not by choice. Because of poverty and being on the receiving end of exploitation, there is little time or resources available to do anything other than survive and try to feel safe in the world. So, like the main character in Charles Dickens’s Christmas Carol, we would do well to reflect on any ways in which we may be, as individuals or as a society, like Mr. Scrooge… on the ‘dishing it out’ side of exploitation.

Once we are OK on that count, how may we give birth to our highest of aspirations, artistry and service or seek to be a more decent human beings, in our own corner of the planet?

- Richard Chandler

The Real Reason Why Healthcare Reform is Opposed

2009-08-29T19:01:00.000-07:00

If, like most all of you, the hours you have heard politicians promise to reform healthcare were added up, it would amount to days and days of rhetoric. But now, we collectively have elected a president who is following through on that promise, and if this is not derailed by misinformation and emotional manipulation, we may finally have more certainty that we will not lose or health or our finances, should we or a family member have a serious health challenge.

For Bonnett and me, it is long past the time to treat an issue that affects our health and pocketbook in such a direct way, like a rematch of the election, and focus instead on the actual proposal itself, so all Americans can have the best healthcare possible, utilizing the best health practices now in use in our own country as well as other counties. We of course also need to do this with very close scrutiny of costs.

So please keep informed on the details of the proposals. Make sure your information is real, factual and about the healthcare proposal itself, and not misinformation put out with the intent of manipulating and scaring people in an effort to win a political battle that will surely cause all of us to continue losing to rapidly escalating healthcare costs and declining healthcare service.

This issue affects you and us very personally. If you were voting on the present healthcare system we have now, as if it were a proposed healthcare plan, the very plan we will continue to have if healthcare reform is derailed, would you vote for it?

- Richard Chandler & Bonnett Chandler

(Note: The major cause of bankruptcy in the USA is unfunded health expenses.)

Micheal Jackson Memorial Service of July 7, 2009

2009-07-09T21:55:00.000-07:00

When I went upstairs for lunch, the Michael Jackson Memorial service was on TV and I was immediately drawn in by the superb musical tributes. As a musician, this service reminded me of how much music is deeply appreciated… and in honoring Michael Jackson’s artistic contributions, the work of musicians and dancers in total is also honored. This reflection, sparked by the heartfelt singing of Jennifer Hudson and Stevie Wonder, uplifted me.

- Richard Chandler

I posted a video of Usher and a news link on my site: MusicQuotesHomepage.com

Local Environmental Citizen, Harry Davis

2009-05-26T22:09:00.000-07:00

Recently, I had the pleasure of having a meal and beer with my good friend, Harry Davis. Harry is very committed to working in a local way to mitigate the effects of environmental degradation and global warming. Earlier in the day, he did volunteer work by planting a community-based organic garden using heirloom seeds.

By growing a portion of our own food, we learn a great deal; including discovering first-hand appreciation for those who provide us with food. We also decrease the transportation costs and thereby of help to lesson global warming.

- Richard Chandler

President's Weekly Video Address: Credit Card Reform

2009-05-16T21:22:00.000-07:00

President's Weekly Video Address: Credit Card Reform

The new presidential initiative announced below takes away disincentives for workers who have lost jobs from seeking retraining and education and makes it more possible to immediately gain new educational skills to fill jobs that remain in demand. For me, it is exciting to witness bold action that helps people being put into practice at a time when it is needed.

- Richard Chandler

Big Money Likes Tax Loopholes... Not Happy with President's Proposals

2009-05-06T20:27:00.000-07:00

Supporting policy that makes better sense for middle class Americans, by closing down loopholes in our tax code that permit skimming what should stay here - for jobs and revenue - and exporting it elsewhere, makes sense to working people. I find it very interesting to note that actually doing this, as the President proposed, (see below), will be opposed by many in congress who will give lots of reasons, other than real ones having to do with big money supporters, for opposing what makes good sense to most Americans.

More from the administration proposal here...

- Richard Chandler

The 'Armenian Holcaust' of 1915

2009-04-25T22:23:00.000-07:00

Yesterday, I had the privilege to visit with a friend of Armenian descsent who brought my attention to another genocide tragedy. Like the Holocaust, this tragedy was horrific in how it occurred and in its scope, which included the murder of over 1,500,000 Armenian people in the early part of the 20th century. Below you will find our President’s complete statement calling for acknowledgement of the genocide, (the president instead used the Armenian word for the event, the ‘Meds Yeghern’.), although he had used our own word, “genocide,” to describe it in past statements and speeches, while still a US Senator.

April 24, 2009 Statement of President Barack Obama on Armenian Remembrance Day:

Ninety four years ago, one of the great atrocities of the 20th century began. Each year, we pause to remember the 1.5 million Armenians who were subsequently massacred or marched to their death in the final days of the Ottoman Empire. The Meds Yeghern must live on in our memories, just as it lives on in the hearts of the Armenian people.

History, unresolved, can be a heavy weight. Just as the terrible events of 1915 remind us of the dark prospect of man’s inhumanity to man, reckoning with the past holds out the powerful promise of reconciliation. I have consistently stated my own view of what occurred in 1915, and my view of that history has not changed. My interest remains the achievement of a full, frank and just acknowledgment of the facts.

The best way to advance that goal right now is for the Armenian and Turkish people to address the facts of the past as a part of their efforts to move forward. I strongly support efforts by the Turkish and Armenian people to work through this painful history in a way that is honest, open, and constructive. To that end, there has been courageous and important dialogue among Armenians and Turks, and within Turkey itself. I also strongly support the efforts by Turkey and Armenia to normalize their bilateral relations. Under Swiss auspices, the two governments have agreed on a framework and roadmap for normalization. I commend this progress, and urge them to fulfill its promise.

Together, Armenia and Turkey can forge a relationship that is peaceful, productive and prosperous. And together, the Armenian and Turkish people will be stronger as they acknowledge their common history and recognize their common humanity.

Nothing can bring back those who were lost in the Meds Yeghern. But the contributions that Armenians have made over the last ninety-four years stand as a testament to the talent, dynamism and resilience of the Armenian people, and as the ultimate rebuke to those who tried to destroy them. The United States of America is a far richer country because of the many Americans of Armenian descent who have contributed to our society, many of whom immigrated to this country in the aftermath of 1915. Today, I stand with them and with Armenians everywhere with a sense of friendship, solidarity, and deep respect.

- Barack Obama (1961- )

The President's Statement of Halocaust Remembrance Ceremony of April 23, 2009

2009-04-24T21:36:00.000-07:00

We gather today to mourn the loss of so many lives, and celebrate those who saved them; honor those who survived, and contemplate the obligations of the living.

It is the grimmest of ironies that one of the most savage, barbaric acts of evil in history began in one of the most modernized societies of its time, where so many markers of human progress became tools of human depravity: science that can heal used to kill; education that can enlighten used to rationalize away basic moral impulses; the bureaucracy that sustains modern life used as the machinery of mass death -- a ruthless, chillingly efficient system where many were responsible for the killing, but few got actual blood on their hands.

"While the uniqueness of the Holocaust in scope and in method is truly astounding, the Holocaust was driven by many of the same forces that have fueled atrocities throughout history: the scapegoating that leads to hatred and blinds us to our common humanity; the justifications that replace conscience and allow cruelty to spread; the willingness of those who are neither perpetrators nor victims to accept the assigned role of bystander, believing the lie that good people are ever powerless or alone, the fiction that we do not have a choice."

- Barack Obama (1961- )

But while we are here today to bear witness to the human capacity to destroy, we are also here to pay tribute to the human impulse to save. In the moral accounting of the Holocaust, as we reckon with numbers like 6 million, as we recall the horror of numbers etched into arms, we also factor in numbers like these: 7,200 -- the number of Danish Jews ferried to safety, many of whom later returned home to find the neighbors who rescued them had also faithfully tended their homes and businesses and belongings while they were gone.

We remember the number five -- the five righteous men and women who join us today from Poland. We are awed by your acts of courage and conscience. And your presence today compels each of us to ask ourselves whether we would have done what you did. We can only hope that the answer is yes.

We also remember the number 5,000 -- the number of Jews rescued by the villagers of Le Chambon, France -- one life saved for each of its 5,000 residents. Not a single Jew who came there was turned away, or turned in. But it was not until decades later that the villagers spoke of what they had done -- and even then, only reluctantly. The author of a book on the rescue found that those he interviewed were baffled by his interest. "How could you call us 'good'?" they said. "We were doing what had to be done."

"That is the question of the righteous -- those who would do extraordinary good at extraordinary risk not for affirmation or acclaim or to advance their own interests, but because it is what must be done. They remind us that no one is born a savior or a murderer -- these are choices we each have the power to make. They teach us that no one can make us into bystanders without our consent, and that we are never truly alone -- that if we have the courage to heed that "still, small voice" within us, we can form a minyan for righteousness that can span a village, even a nation."

- Barack Obama (1961- )

Their legacy is our inheritance. And the question is, how do we honor and preserve it? How do we ensure that "never again" isn't an empty slogan, or merely an aspiration, but also a call to action?

I believe we start by doing what we are doing today -- by bearing witness, by fighting the silence that is evil's greatest co-conspirator.

In the face of horrors that defy comprehension, the impulse to silence is understandable. My own great uncle returned from his service in World War II in a state of shock, saying little, alone with painful memories that would not leave his head. He went up into the attic, according to the stories that I've heard, and wouldn't come down for six months. He was one of the liberators -- someone who at a very tender age had seen the unimaginable. And so some of the liberators who are here today honor us with their presence -- all of whom we honor for their extraordinary service. My great uncle was part of the 89th Infantry Division -- the first Americans to reach a Nazi concentration camp. And they liberated Ohrdruf, part of Buchenwald, where tens of thousands had perished.

The story goes that when the Americans marched in, they discovered the starving survivors and the piles of dead bodies. And General Eisenhower made a decision. He ordered Germans from the nearby town to tour the camp, so they could see what had been done in their name. And he ordered American troops to tour the camp, so they could see the evil they were fighting against. Then he invited congressmen and journalists to bear witness. And he ordered that photographs and films be made. Some of us have seen those same images, whether in the Holocaust Museum or when I visited Yad Vashem, and they never leave you. Eisenhower said that he wanted "to be in a position to give firsthand evidence of these things, if ever, in the future, there develops a tendency to charge these allegations merely to propaganda."

Eisenhower understood the danger of silence. He understood that if no one knew what had happened, that would be yet another atrocity -- and it would be the perpetrators' ultimate triumph.

What Eisenhower did to record these crimes for history is what we are doing here today. That's what Elie Wiesel and the survivors we honor here do by fighting to make their memories part of our collective memory. That's what the Holocaust Museum does every day on our National Mall, the place where we display for the world our triumphs and failures and the lessons we've learned from our history. It's the very opposite of silence.

But we must also remember that bearing witness is not the end of our obligation -- it's just the beginning. We know that evil has yet to run its course on Earth. We've seen it in this century in the mass graves and the ashes of villages burned to the ground, and children used as soldiers and rape used as a weapon of war. To this day, there are those who insist the Holocaust never happened; who perpetrate every form of intolerance -- racism and anti-Semitism, homophobia, xenophobia, sexism, and more -- hatred that degrades its victim and diminishes us all.

"Today, and every day, we have an opportunity, as well as an obligation, to confront these scourges -- to fight the impulse to turn the channel when we see images that disturb us, or wrap ourselves in the false comfort that others' sufferings are not our own. Instead we have the opportunity to make a habit of empathy; to recognize ourselves in each other; to commit ourselves to resisting injustice and intolerance and indifference in whatever forms they may take --"

- Barack Obama (1961- )

whether confronting those who tell lies about history, or doing everything we can to prevent and end atrocities like those that took place in Rwanda, those taking place in Darfur. That is my commitment as President. I hope that is yours, as well.

It will not be easy. At times, fulfilling these obligations require self-reflection. But in the final analysis, I believe history gives us cause for hope rather than despair -- the hope of a chosen people who have overcome oppression since the days of Exodus; of the nation of Israel rising from the destruction of the Holocaust; of the strong and enduring bonds between our nations.

It is the hope, too, of those who not only survived, but chose to live, teaching us the meaning of courage and resilience and dignity. I'm thinking today of a study conducted after the war that found that Holocaust survivors living in America actually had a higher birthrate than American Jews. What a stunning act of faith -- to bring a child in a world that has shown you so much cruelty; to believe that no matter what you have endured, or how much you have lost, in the end, you have a duty to life.

We find cause for hope as well in Protestant and Catholic children attending school together in Northern Ireland; in Hutus and Tutsis living side by side, forgiving neighbors who have done the unforgivable; in a movement to save Darfur that has thousands of high school and college chapters in 25 countries, and brought 70,000 people to the Washington Mall -- people of every age and faith and background and race united in common cause with suffering brothers and sisters halfway around the world.

Those numbers can be our future -- our fellow citizens of the world showing us how to make the journey from oppression to survival, from witness to resistance, and ultimately to reconciliation. That is what we mean when we say "never again."

"So today, during this season when we celebrate liberation, resurrection, and the possibility of redemption, may each of us renew our resolve to do what must be done. And may we strive each day, both individually and as a nation, to be among the righteous."

- Barack Obama (1961- )

Thank you, God bless you, and God bless the United States of America. (Applause.)

Broadband Access - The New Rural Electric Upgrade

2009-04-02T21:22:00.000-07:00

There are several people that I know who live about 25 miles outside of St. Cloud, MN, and only have access to dial-up internet service. Their lives are hampered by this, as the internet is now geared towards much faster speeds, so pages take forever to load and online videos are virtually unavailable to them. Even when they can have something load overnight, it often crashes.

We as a country passed legislation years ago to require that everyone and anyone who lived in a rural area was served by electricity. This proved to be a very good idea for everyone, and not just those who were rural residents.

The time has come where the same benefit for our rural citizens to have broadband internet access has arrived. The beneficiaries again are not just those rural residents, but all of us. When the totality of our citizenry have this basic access that those of us who live in more populated areas have enjoyed for some time, commerce will increase, education of rural children will be updated and our ability to send a rural friend a video to watch will finally be possible.

Here is the link to our President and Vice President's agenda for farm, business and residential improvement for rural areas. Please support this agenda, even if you are not a rural resident. Time has proven that support for our rural areas benefits us all.

- Richard & Bonnett Chandler

Use Social Network Sites with Discretion

2009-03-31T22:04:00.000-07:00

Bonnett and I are getting having a blast using facebook to connect with old friends, family and our ever growing circle of new facebook friends. But as the article below states, we all need to be quite careful in putting out our personal lives in such a public way. So we implore all of you who use social network sites to be careful, and encourage your contacts to also be careful with their personal information as well as yours.

- Richard Chandler

AIG... Were All Mad!

2009-03-18T19:28:00.000-07:00

We’re all mad at AIG!!! But what can we do about it? Anger gives us the energy boost we need to really do something different. How about this… Take your anger and use it to do something that helps, even just a little bit, to improve your life, the lives of those whose life yours directly touches and your neighborhood or your workplace.

Simple things that cross your path will do just fine. You might pick up some trash next time you go for a walk. You could be more diligent in placing recyclable trash into the recycling container instead of the regular trash. Perhaps just extend a bit more warmth and presence to everyone with whom you have contact with today.

My hope for you, and for me, is to use the energy of the justifiable anger over the AIG bonuses to fuel more personal contribution to better our world. This helps break the tendency towards cynicism while making good use from all of that anger energy.

- Richard Chandler

Commentary on Low-Tech Fixes for High-Tech Problems

2009-02-21T22:03:00.000-08:00

I was inspired by reading Low-Tech Fixes for High-Tech Problems . When money is a little tighter for most all of us, and a lot tighter for a good many, it makes sense to have some fun with finding a better or lower cost way to get something done. Bonnett and I take delight in getting good deals on what we buy and sometimes being fortunate enough to find new less expensive ways to obtain what we need for our home or business. And in addition to your immediate savings, you get an added benefit... a good story to tell your children and grandchildren about 'the good old days' of 2009, when you discovered a novel way to keep things going, despite having less money to work with.

- Richard Chandler

Aging Parents - Navigating Very Difficult Decisions

2009-02-07T20:24:00.000-08:00

Commentary based on this article link: What I Wish I’d Done Differently Please read the Jane Gross New York Times article here first, then afterward please read my commentary. What I Wish I’d Done Differently

Commentary

The article immediately below is ‘must reading’ for any of you that have a parent of retirement age or beyond. The writer, Jane Gross, lays out a summary of the progression of health decline of her own mother over a period of years, and what she would do differently with the wisdom of hindsight.
Ms Gross’s story reminds me of what my wife, Bonnett, and her family, have gone through as they increasingly had to manage the healthcare and the living situation of their parents, who are both now age 96. Thankfully, many of the decisions that Bonne and her brother Douglas made on behalf of their parents have proved to be very good ones.

The fact that her parents are still alive, and living a reasonably engaged and happy life together, is evidence of the wisdom of their decisions. This would not have been their fate had Douglas and Bonnett failed to be proactive in navigating through an often complex process without clear indicators of how to best proceed.

We are also thankful that the healthcare is very good in Minnesota. As you read this, I am happy to report that Bonne and Douglas’s parents are living together in a room in a first rate nursing home with an on-staff geriatric medical doctor. Prior to that, they were in a nursing home that was at a much different level of care than is the case in their present home, Country Manor in Sartell, Minnesota.

Before entering the nursing homes, Bonne and her brother moved them out of their apartment and into an assisted living facility, which had reasonably good resources. All of these moves were necessitated by a reduction in her parent’s capacity to keep living where they were. None of these moves were easy for her parents. But they were necessary. And Bonnett, her brother Douglas, his wife, his sons, their wives and children, (the parent’s great grand children) are all very engaged and visit Bonne’s parents frequently. I am very proud to be a part of this family.

- Richard Chandler

First Published on Famous Quotes Homepage

Feel Patriotic! Go to the New Whitehouse Websites

2009-01-25T20:13:00.000-08:00

After listening to our president’s weekly address, I went to the site which will give us as citizens the access to how our funds are being spent by showing these transactions on the website recovery.gov. Since the act has not passed, the main thing on the site today was a link to The Whitehouse site.

I found the site to be extremely comprehensive and easy to navigate. The part that we found most helpful was the link called 'agenda', which has summaries of the proposals our president, with our help and cooperation from congress, intends to enact. This information, posted and updated for all to see, is an innovative departure from all that has gone before. We hope you too appreciate that even in the very first days of his term, we as ordinary citizens are already more informed and involved than ever before.

- Richard & Bonne Chandler

Our President's complete inaugural speech transcript with plenty of famous quotes...

2009-01-22T19:50:00.000-08:00

My fellow citizens:
I stand here today humbled by the task before us, grateful for the trust you have bestowed, mindful of the sacrifices borne by our ancestors. I thank President Bush for his service to our nation, as well as the generosity and cooperation he has shown throughout this transition.

Forty-four Americans have now taken the presidential oath. The words have been spoken during rising tides of prosperity and the still waters of peace. Yet, every so often, the oath is taken amidst gathering clouds and raging storms. At these moments, America has carried on not simply because of the skill or vision of those in high office, but because We the People have remained faithful to the ideals of our forebearers, and true to our founding documents.

So it has been. So it must be with this generation of Americans.

That we are in the midst of crisis is now well understood. Our nation is at war, against a far-reaching network of violence and hatred. Our economy is badly weakened, a consequence of greed and irresponsibility on the part of some, but also our collective failure to make hard choices and prepare the nation for a new age. Homes have been lost; jobs shed; businesses shuttered. Our health care is too costly; our schools fail too many; and each day brings further evidence that the ways we use energy strengthen our adversaries and threaten our planet.

These are the indicators of crisis, subject to data and statistics. Less measurable but no less profound is a sapping of confidence across our land -- a nagging fear that America's decline is inevitable, and that the next generation must lower its sights.

Today I say to you that the challenges we face are real. They are serious and they are many. They will not be met easily or in a short span of time. But know this, America: They will be met.
On this day, we gather because we have chosen hope over fear, unity of purpose over conflict and discord.

On this day, we come to proclaim an end to the petty grievances and false promises, the recriminations and worn-out dogmas, that for far too long have strangled our politics.
We remain a young nation, but in the words of Scripture, the time has come to set aside childish things. The time has come to reaffirm our enduring spirit; to choose our better history; to carry forward that precious gift, that noble idea, passed on from generation to generation: the God-given promise that all are equal, all are free, and all deserve a chance to pursue their full measure of happiness.

In reaffirming the greatness of our nation, we understand that greatness is never a given. It must be earned. Our journey has never been one of shortcuts or settling for less. It has not been the path for the fainthearted -- for those who prefer leisure over work, or seek only the pleasures of riches and fame. Rather, it has been the risk-takers, the doers, the makers of things -- some celebrated, but more often men and women obscure in their labor -- who have carried us up the long, rugged path toward prosperity and freedom.

For us, they packed up their few worldly possessions and traveled across oceans in search of a new life.

For us, they toiled in sweatshops and settled the West; endured the lash of the whip and plowed the hard earth.

For us, they fought and died, in places like Concord and Gettysburg; Normandy and Khe Sahn.
Time and again, these men and women struggled and sacrificed and worked till their hands were raw so that we might live a better life. They saw America as bigger than the sum of our individual ambitions; greater than all the differences of birth or wealth or faction.

This is the journey we continue today. We remain the most prosperous, powerful nation on Earth. Our workers are no less productive than when this crisis began. Our minds are no less inventive, our goods and services no less needed than they were last week or last month or last year. Our capacity remains undiminished. But our time of standing pat, of protecting narrow interests and putting off unpleasant decisions -- that time has surely passed. Starting today, we must pick ourselves up, dust ourselves off, and begin again the work of remaking America.

For everywhere we look, there is work to be done. The state of the economy calls for action, bold and swift, and we will act -- not only to create new jobs, but to lay a new foundation for growth. We will build the roads and bridges, the electric grids and digital lines that feed our commerce and bind us together. We will restore science to its rightful place, and wield technology's wonders to raise health care's quality and lower its cost. We will harness the sun and the winds and the soil to fuel our cars and run our factories. And we will transform our schools and colleges and universities to meet the demands of a new age. All this we can do. And all this we will do.

Now, there are some who question the scale of our ambitions -- who suggest that our system cannot tolerate too many big plans. Their memories are short. For they have forgotten what this country has already done; what free men and women can achieve when imagination is joined to common purpose, and necessity to courage.

What the cynics fail to understand is that the ground has shifted beneath them -- that the stale political arguments that have consumed us for so long no longer apply. The question we ask today is not whether our government is too big or too small, but whether it works -- whether it helps families find jobs at a decent wage, care they can afford, a retirement that is dignified. Where the answer is yes, we intend to move forward. Where the answer is no, programs will end. And those of us who manage the public's dollars will be held to account -- to spend wisely, reform bad habits, and do our business in the light of day -- because only then can we restore the vital trust between a people and their government.

Nor is the question before us whether the market is a force for good or ill. Its power to generate wealth and expand freedom is unmatched, but this crisis has reminded us that without a watchful eye, the market can spin out of control -- and that a nation cannot prosper long when it favors only the prosperous. The success of our economy has always depended not just on the size of our gross domestic product, but on the reach of our prosperity; on our ability to extend opportunity to every willing heart -- not out of charity, but because it is the surest route to our common good.

As for our common defense, we reject as false the choice between our safety and our ideals. Our Founding Fathers, faced with perils we can scarcely imagine, drafted a charter to assure the rule of law and the rights of man, a charter expanded by the blood of generations. Those ideals still light the world, and we will not give them up for expedience's sake. And so to all other peoples and governments who are watching today, from the grandest capitals to the small village where my father was born: Know that America is a friend of each nation and every man, woman and child who seeks a future of peace and dignity, and that we are ready to lead once more.

Recall that earlier generations faced down fascism and communism not just with missiles and tanks, but with sturdy alliances and enduring convictions. They understood that our power alone cannot protect us, nor does it entitle us to do as we please. Instead, they knew that our power grows through its prudent use; our security emanates from the justness of our cause, the force of our example, the tempering qualities of humility and restraint.

We are the keepers of this legacy. Guided by these principles once more, we can meet those new threats that demand even greater effort -- even greater cooperation and understanding between nations. We will begin to responsibly leave Iraq to its people, and forge a hard-earned peace in Afghanistan. With old friends and former foes, we will work tirelessly to lessen the nuclear threat, and roll back the specter of a warming planet. We will not apologize for our way of life, nor will we waver in its defense, and for those who seek to advance their aims by inducing terror and slaughtering innocents, we say to you now that our spirit is stronger and cannot be broken; you cannot outlast us, and we will defeat you.

For we know that our patchwork heritage is a strength, not a weakness. We are a nation of Christians and Muslims, Jews and Hindus -- and nonbelievers. We are shaped by every language and culture, drawn from every end of this Earth; and because we have tasted the bitter swill of civil war and segregation, and emerged from that dark chapter stronger and more united, we cannot help but believe that the old hatreds shall someday pass; that the lines of tribe shall soon dissolve; that as the world grows smaller, our common humanity shall reveal itself; and that America must play its role in ushering in a new era of peace.

To the Muslim world, we seek a new way forward, based on mutual interest and mutual respect. To those leaders around the globe who seek to sow conflict, or blame their society's ills on the West: Know that your people will judge you on what you can build, not what you destroy. To those who cling to power through corruption and deceit and the silencing of dissent, know that you are on the wrong side of history; but that we will extend a hand if you are willing to unclench your fist.

To the people of poor nations, we pledge to work alongside you to make your farms flourish and let clean waters flow; to nourish starved bodies and feed hungry minds. And to those nations like ours that enjoy relative plenty, we say we can no longer afford indifference to suffering outside our borders; nor can we consume the world's resources without regard to effect. For the world has changed, and we must change with it.

As we consider the road that unfolds before us, we remember with humble gratitude those brave Americans who, at this very hour, patrol far-off deserts and distant mountains. They have something to tell us today, just as the fallen heroes who lie in Arlington whisper through the ages. We honor them not only because they are guardians of our liberty, but because they embody the spirit of service; a willingness to find meaning in something greater than themselves. And yet, at this moment -- a moment that will define a generation -- it is precisely this spirit that must inhabit us all.
For as much as government can do and must do, it is ultimately the faith and determination of the American people upon which this nation relies. It is the kindness to take in a stranger when the levees break, the selflessness of workers who would rather cut their hours than see a friend lose their job which sees us through our darkest hours. It is the firefighter's courage to storm a stairway filled with smoke, but also a parent's willingness to nurture a child, that finally decides our fate.
Our challenges may be new. The instruments with which we meet them may be new. But those values upon which our success depends -- hard work and honesty, courage and fair play, tolerance and curiosity, loyalty and patriotism -- these things are old. These things are true. They have been the quiet force of progress throughout our history. What is demanded then is a return to these truths. What is required of us now is a new era of responsibility -- a recognition, on the part of every American, that we have duties to ourselves, our nation and the world; duties that we do not grudgingly accept but rather seize gladly, firm in the knowledge that there is nothing so satisfying to the spirit, so defining of our character, than giving our all to a difficult task.

This is the price and the promise of citizenship.

This is the source of our confidence -- the knowledge that God calls on us to shape an uncertain destiny.

This is the meaning of our liberty and our creed -- why men and women and children of every race and every faith can join in celebration across this magnificent Mall, and why a man whose father less than 60 years ago might not have been served at a local restaurant can now stand before you to take a most sacred oath.

So let us mark this day with remembrance, of who we are and how far we have traveled. In the year of America's birth, in the coldest of months, a small band of patriots huddled by dying campfires on the shores of an icy river. The capital was abandoned. The enemy was advancing. The snow was stained with blood. At a moment when the outcome of our revolution was most in doubt, the father of our nation ordered these words be read to the people:

"Let it be told to the future world ... that in the depth of winter, when nothing but hope and virtue could survive... that the city and the country, alarmed at one common danger, came forth to meet [it]."

America. In the face of our common dangers, in this winter of our hardship, let us remember these timeless words. With hope and virtue, let us brave once more the icy currents, and endure what storms may come. Let it be said by our children's children that when we were tested, we refused to let this journey end, that we did not turn back, nor did we falter; and with eyes fixed on the horizon and God's grace upon us, we carried forth that great gift of freedom and delivered it safely to future generations.

- Barack Obama (1961- )

The new piece of music written by composer John Williams was especilly moving to Bonne and me. Barack Obama became our president as we heard that piece, as he became president at noon, as the swearing in happened after noon. Here is the 'Gift to be Simple' Piece.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~

January 18th 2009 'Lincoln Memorial' Concert

2009-01-19T20:05:00.000-08:00

I was able to watch a live broadcast of the Sunday, January 18th Lincoln Memorial concert and was very entertained and moved by the extraordinary performances by a great many well known USA musicians, The musicians included the 'All Branches US Military Band, military and military academy choirs and the Irish Band 'U-2'. Interspersed with the music were quotations and readings from the speeches and writings of presidents Washington, Lincoln and Martin Luther King Jr. Vice President-elect Joe Biden and President-elect Barack Obama both gave very short but heartfelt speeches.

What was evident for me as I watched the event is how important the arts and music are to our country socially, historically and as a way to bring us all closer to each other as we celebrate the smooth transition of power that our democracy so nobly demonstrates.

HBO is likely to rebroadcast the event over the next few weeks so you can have an opportunity to enjoy the concert for yourself.

- Richard Chandler

First Published on Famous Quotes Homepage

2009 New Year's Resolutions Commentary:

2009-01-06T19:14:00.000-08:00

So many New Year’s resolutions are framed as a guilt-oriented reaction to something we don’t want. The main example for this is the “weight loss resolution.” My own lack of success for the standard kind of New Year’s resolutions seems to be shared with most others too.

The standard New Year’s resolution seems to be made up of this kind of belief: ‘If I could only somehow become more disciplined and resolved to change some character flaw which stands in the way, then I would have a happier and more successful life’.

What hasn’t worked for me is this heavy handed approach where one part of me is put in charge of whipping the other part, that lazy sloth-ridden part, into submission. I have never been able to sustain an ongoing battle like this over a long period of time. So eventually, out of frustration, the resolution gets dropped, and usually long before the year is halfway through.
I’ll talk about what does actually work for me in a future commentary.

- Richard Chandler

2009 New Year Thought

2009-01-02T10:58:00.000-08:00

Just as our new president and his growing new team will be using the next three weeks to do the foundational organization work for taking charge of the administrative branch of our national government, all of us could do much the same... We can also dedicate this time to laying a foundation for moving our individual and collective lives in a new and more uplifted direction.

For me, despite the economy, this means staying very focussed and giving superior service for my massage therapy practice and my yoga practice.

The best in 2009,

Richard Chandler

- Richard Chandler

Bailout Landmine Commentary

2008-12-15T21:00:00.000-08:00

As our elected leaders continue to grapple with allocating the new 850 billion of debt on behalf of all of us, with the intent of making our mutual economic future brighter rather than even more grim, I revisited the wisdom of Peter Drucker. It seems to Bonnett and I that the rush that allocated at least half of this amount, without having anything like the process we have recently witnessed for the auto companies, was foolish. Where is the accountability, to us as taxpayers? What provisions were built in to the allocations to make sure that our national interest was and will be served?

We are curious to actually be informed about whatever may be decided upon in the months to come, and to know if it will make sound business sense to the companies involved, and to us, the financers. It is only right that this happen prior to money being handed out, so we have time to weigh in on it prior to final votes.

We hope there are also provisions to call back in the money, and take possession of the outstanding company assets, should these beneficiaries of the money continue to make decisions that handsomely reward top management, while losing money and asset value.
It is our hope that the focus for the coming ‘jumpstarting’ capital infusion will be used to rebuild infrastructure, as that is the only way we can be assured of long-term benefits from such huge expenditures.

Please take a minute or two to click on this Peter Drucker link, as well as this Warren Buffet link, for some inspiration of how to do things in a more successful way.

- Richard Chandler

How Music Lowers Blood Pressure

2008-11-14T22:23:00.000-08:00

We just heard about a new study on the news today that demonstrated that listening to one's favorite music lowers blood pressure, as the walls of the veins and arteries expand as one listens. So put on a cd and relax your way to better health!

- Richard Chandler

A Model for Success by a Surprising Source

2008-11-13T18:38:00.001-08:00

“We are pleased with our performance in the quarter, given the challenging economic environment, ... We continue to strive to be an innovator in the industry by constantly updating our products and merchandise as we seek new customers, while remaining faithful to the traditional Polo customer. This strategy, balanced with sound business practices in a competitive marketplace, is what built Polo Ralph Lauren and made it a leader for three decades, and this strategy will take us into the next decade.”

- Ralph Lauren (1939- )

How the Junior Senator Barack Obama, while still in his first term, could run for president and win (even winning the primary against the Clintons), is mind-blowing!

For me, a good part of that success seems related to what Ralph Lauren said in the quotation shown above and again below. There is something magical about serving people by innovating, finding new customers, [new voters, Independents and Republicans], being responsive to present customers, [Democrats], and having sound business practices. [Running a campaign very efficiently]

We might all do well to utilize this model for success in whatever large venture we would like to successfully execute. It works. It has worked for decades and will work far into the future because it is based on what matters most... serving others in responsive, intelligent and respectful ways.

- Richard Chandler

First Published on Famous Quotes Homepage

Honoring Veterans Day

2008-11-11T21:28:00.000-08:00

Today, we had a day to commemorate our veterans, including those who are no longer with us. Bonne and I hope you might find something you can do to participate, even doing something so informal as to thank a current or past military man or woman for their service to our country.

I have the good fortune to play contrabasson in the St. Cloud State University Wind Ensemble. We are put on the "American Spirit Veterans Tribute" concert this evening at SCSU in their Ritsche Auditorium at Stewart Hall. It is a treat for me to play these American arrangements, including two by one of my favorite composers, John Phillip Sousa. I hope you too found some ways to honor our veterans today.

- Richard Chandler

Living Composers Featured

2008-11-10T21:13:00.000-08:00

I had the good fortune to hear the live broadcast of the Friday night Minnesota Public Radio broadcast by the Minnesota Orchestra in which they played seven new works by living composers. The pieces played were unique and profound. Our orchestra played them with beauty and conviction. We do well to remember that "all music was once new." Please check out the links below to read about how living composers are generating new works for our times and perhaps for the very distant future.

Composers Institute nurtures talent and new orchestral music
From Belarus to Minnesotat, a composer's journey

- Richard Chandler

What We Can Do To Help Our Country, Our Planet & Ourselves

2008-11-06T10:51:00.000-08:00

What can you and I do as citizens to help our country.... starting today? We can do our part to help the environment and reduce dependence on foreign oil by doing these things, that ironically, will also personally save us money!

1. Immediately throw out all of the incandescent light bulbs that you can replace today with compact florescent light bulbs. This will pay for itself relatively soon in lower electric bills. Bonne and I did this and find that our lower energy costs far exceed the initial investment in new bulbs. (Please remember that the compact fluorescent bulbs contain mercury and you must be very careful if one breaks and make sure you recycle them by returning the burned out ones to the place of purchase.)

2. Use surge protectors that you can shut off for all ac/dc adapters that power most computer, television, telephone and a host of other electronic equipment.

3. Shut off the lights when you are not in a room!

4. Pump up your tires. Most tires are under-inflated and your gas mileage suffers as a result. More money back in your pocket, less use of oil and fewer carbon emissions poisoning our air.

- Richard Chandler

First Published on Famous Quotes Homepage

3rd Obama – McCain Debate Commentary

2008-10-19T20:09:00.000-07:00

Barack Obama - John McCain 3rd Presidential Debate

Many of you will be quite pleased that with this last presidential debate, I'll quit commenting on the politics of the day.

Not much changed in terms of the candidate’s messages or their ways of delivering their respective message.

Some of what I found interesting were the nonverbal responses made by one candidate as that person listened to his opponent, particularly when an attacking statement was made. The listening candidate’s expressions and gestures seemed to clearly show how they felt about the statement in many instances.

Both candidates’ various messages seemed more defined this time, (but still not in anything like a definitive way.)

We watched a network that gave undecided voters a way to weigh in on what they thought of each candidate’s message as it was delivered, which we saw as a line on the screen that went above the middle line for a positive response to what was said and would show a ‘below the line’ reading for a negative response. It showed that these undecided voters did not like the attacks. The reading went above neutral line most often when the message was positively focused on how to move our country forward by solving a particular problem.

All of us as citizens might benefit from this same approach. Perhaps we will all have much higher marks if we place the focus on how we can work together to solve our critical problems and create the nation we wish to have, leaving our more petty concerns, fears and grudges behind. In light of how much needs doing to restore prosperity, focusing on anything else is self-sabotage.

- Richard Chandler

Commentary on 2nd Presidential Debate

2008-10-11T21:31:00.000-07:00

My observations on the second debate were much the same as what seemed to be the case with the 1st debate, but perhaps it was even more clear with this second one. Both candidates looked and acted like they could be our president.

So the real question for me, (and perhaps for you too), is which candidate has the ideas that you feel will be most helpful for you as a citizen and will best move us forward as a nation.

- Richard Chandler

Commentary on Biden - Palin V.P. Debate

2008-10-05T21:29:00.000-07:00

It seemed to me that we were left with the sense that both candidates for the VP position were stronger than our perceptions of them prior to the debate. I noticed that the questions of the moderator were actually answered much more frequently and with more specificity by Senator Biden.

There was more civility between the two of them than I had expected, and that was heartening, as at the end of this election it serves all of us to work together for our common good and not waste valuable time bickering over non-relevant topics.

Having said this, people like you who go to this quotations website are likely to decide who to vote for based on the content of the candidates answers and not so much on who we personally like or can best identify with in terms of their personality, gender or biographical story. And of course, what we individually believe is best for the country will vary widely for all of us. Please vote... Our future is best served by an engaged citizenry.

- Richard Chandler

Commentary on the 1st Obama McCain Debate

2008-09-29T00:15:00.000-07:00

I watched and listened to the presidential debates. I watched and listened to some of the more neutral commentary from news people. And I watched and listened to the partisans on both sides emphatically state their viewpoints in ways that were not unlike the many political commercials that we have heard.

After mentally dismissing virtually all of what was said by the partisans, a great deal of what was said by the candidates, (as it was simply meant to discredit the other), and some of what I heard from the more neutral news commentators, I was left with an overall good feeling about the debates. Here are three reasons why:

Unlike what I remember from George W. Bush’s debates, it seemed like both candidates where to some extent thinking on their feet and not just reciting parts of their speeches.

They both showed a good deal of toughness while at the same time not abandoning civility. It looked to me like both candidates had what it took to be our president.

All of us have widely varying differences on which candidate’s policies, views and plans would be best for our country for the next four years, and for that, it serves us as engaged citizens to discuss and debate these issues and vote for who we feel would be the best president for our country.

At the same time, based on this debate, it is hard for me to understand how anyone could deny that either candidate would not be up for the job. So for me - separating out why I feel that one candidate has ideas that make more sense to me in terms of what we as a country should do and how we should do it – I was left with a feeling that both had outstanding leadership skills, even though there might be wide differences of opinion on which way we as a people should be led.

- Richard Chandler

Why Stack Rocks?

2008-05-18T23:29:00.000-07:00

Quite often, the people who are out on walks past our property will stop for a minute and ask us the following question: Is there a meaning behind your stacks of rocks? They often go on to say they have seen this sort of thing before, in places like Sedona, Arizona or in Alaska. There is a meaning behind rock stacking, even though our reasons for stacking rocks did not have to do with this explanation.

In a number of native cultures, including the Hopi Indians of Arizona and many of the Eskimo Native Americans of Alaska, a stack of rocks was
seen as a symbol of a protective entity.

Because a vertical stack of rocks looks like a human figure to some extent, these stacked rocks were seen as entities protecting the property, perhaps warding off harmful spirits and helping to protect the sacred space of a particular outdoor area.

We actually have the same tradition in Christian culture, where gargoyles were fashioned out of stone and added to the borders of cathedrals constructed from medieval times through the renaissance, for the purpose of protecting the sacred space of the cathedral from infiltration by malevolent spirits.

So placing stacks of rocks around one’s property might be seen as a pragmatic way to do to ward off negative influence or predatory energy.

Our own reasons for stacking rocks were not so esoteric. We wanted a fence to separate our property from the adjoining park that would let the dogs and kids know where the park ended and our property began. But a chain-link fence seemed too utilitarian and a solid fence was too closed off. Both kinds of fences are not all that aesthetically pleasing. They are also very expensive.

So what we did is plant a series of small arborvitae bushes every 10 feet alternating with a stack of rocks between each bush along our property lines. This creates the illusion of a fence, and to our taste, is much more interesting, organic and artistic.

We were inspired to do so by the art of Andy Goldsworthy, who uses found objects in nature, including rocks, icicles, driftwood, twigs, leaves, rocks, and a host of other nature mediums to construct his art. The picture is from his roof top exhibit at the Metropolitan Museum of Modern Art.

And if these stacks of rocks also ward off evil spirits… all the better.

- Richard Chandler.

Bonnett & Richard’s Solar Project - Part II

2008-05-14T21:38:00.000-07:00

How We Lowered Our Carbon Impact Along with Our Utility Bill (If you missed Part I, you'll find it in the post just below this one)

So here is how it works: Our water is piped from the city water system into our mechanical room. Just after the meter, the water splits into two pipes… one for cold water and the other as it travels toward the hot water heater. A few feet prior to where this ¾” copper pipe enters into the natural gas hot water heater, we soldered a series of valves and two copper pipes enabling us to divert the water in a way that follows a parallel pathway to the pipe that leads to our outdoor faucet for watering the lawn.

These two pipes connect to two new outdoor faucets and the faucets in turn are connect to six interconnected 120’ lengths of ¾” commercial grade black hose. This hose totals 720’ and is the solar collector.

The parallel lengths of hose are set into the inside corner of the house and travel up onto the roof where the hose is wrapped around the roof vents to keep it in place.

After gathering heat from the sun and the surrounding shingles it travels down again, into the return faucet, copper pipe, inside valve and finally flows into the gas hot water heater at a very warm temperature when the sun is shining and at the outside air temperature when the sun is not shining. Through this process, our gas hot water heater has only a little firing to do when the sun is out as the water is now much closer to the optimal temperature.

Once we again return to freezing temperatures, all we have to do is to drain the hoses by disconnecting them from the outside faucets. I will use gravity to do most of this work and hook up a small air compressor to one of the hoses to make sure the water is blown out for the winter. Inside the house we simply turn the inside valves to reopen the direct flow to the hot water heater and shut off the diverted flow which goes to the outside.

To get the very most out of this solar system we will focus our times of doing laundry and running the dishwasher during the day when the sun is out. Because hose is only ¾” in diameter, it doesn’t take long to heat up a fresh batch of hot water.

Even though our old Maytag washer worked perfectly fine, at the end of 2007 we purchased a frontloading clothes washer which has significantly cut the gallons needed to do each load by over two thirds. Since we have a very busy massage therapy practice, we do a great many loads of laundry in addition to our personal laundry.

Our new solar collector combined with the new washer will significantly reduce our use of energy, saving us money and lowering our carbon footprint. Even though this project cost us some money, we feel our financial investment will be paid back in a couple of years. Prior to the monetary payback, we take pleasure from knowing that we are immediately helping our planet in a small way. We are also gaining confidence that as individuals we can find many more innovative and low cost ways to go green. We have compiles a few environmental and commentary quotes here.

Bonnett & Richard’s Solar Project - Part I

2008-05-11T21:43:00.000-07:00

How We Lowered Our Carbon Impact
Along with Our Utility Bill!

In a nutshell, we wanted to do something more. While our florescent light bulbs were in place throughout our entire house and we just finished converting our outdoor light fixtures to accommodate the new fluorescent floodlights, we wanted to do more… something more dramatic.

The idea of preheating the water with the sum before it entered our natural gas hot water heater had been percolating for sometime. It seemed simple enough… find an inexpensive way to route the water out of the house and into some kind of solar collector, and then back into the house a whole lot hotter than it left. Have it leave the house just before entering the hot water heater and then back in and directly into the gas hot water heater at a nice hot temperature.

While this idea works well for the months before it freezes, it can’t be used in the colder seasons, so any system we constructed would have to allow us to easily switch it back to a direct route into the hot water heater as well as to drain the water out of the collector.

Even for us Minnesotans, limited as we are to only 7 months when water doesn’t freeze, it seemed to us that if the system was easy to build and install, and didn’t cost us too much, it would pay back the cost of it in a few years and give us some savings from then on. More environmental quotes and commentarty here.

Powering Your Future With Today's Supply Of Fuel

2008-03-16T22:02:00.000-07:00

The electric power went off in our home, along with approximately 9,999 others in St. Cloud, Minnesota for a good half-hour on Sunday evening. We scrambled for flashlights and candles. Our pet birds were out and we gathered them up using a flashlight and put them back into their cages, while observing their questioning looks and unusually quiet concern.

One thing about outages… at the time they are happening, we have no idea of how long they will last. So we are uncertain and don’t know if we need to continue to find and light more candles, or just go about our business as best we can, with little light, no heat or cooling, while noting the many reminders of how much of our modern life is tied up in activities requiring electricity.

My recurring thoughts during that time were along these lines: “How can we be more prepared for an outage the next time one occurs? What do we need to have in place if the outage lasts for more than a short time? Why is it so easy for us to put off these kinds of preparations when we know that being prepared is vital and the only time we actually can prepare is when everything is working just fine?

Much of our success in life revolves around these very issues. Retirement is a good example. Upon reaching some age, it is likely that we will no longer wish to work. And even if we do wish to work, we may no longer have the physical and mental acumen to be able to continue working.

We also know that a paid off home along with our retirement social security benefit, (if it is there for us in the amounts that are currently being projected), will be insufficient to give us enough for our health-care, transportation, utilities, food, clothing, insurance and other required expenditures to be met. And if we want even more than this - some travel, educational enrichment, leisure recreation, replacement for vehicles and maintenance for our homes – it is paramount that we save and invest while we are working, so we can live independently and fully into our old age.

Then there are the unexpected and unplanned events, along the lines of power outages, such as serious or chronic health issues or accidents that prevent us from working, uninsured losses or downturns in our personal or the country’s economic condition, leaving us short of income, but with just as many or even more personal expenses.

As you read this, consider that it is easy to tell yourself that you ought to do something, but much harder to act on those thoughts. It’s easy to put off taking action, especially when it seems that there are so many areas to prepare for.

So here are three action-oriented ideas you can do right now:

If you haven’t done so already, gather up your batteries, flashlights, matches and battery-operated radio and store them in a place where you can easily find them in the dark. If your supply of any of these items is insufficient, immediately write a note to yourself, so you remember to purchase more of them, the next time you are at a store. (7 – 12 minutes)

2. Find a jar with a lid and stick a Posti-note on it that says: “Save and Invest!” Gather all of the loose change that is sitting around on your dressers and counters and place it into the jar. Keep it out to remind you that a little saving and investing on a continual basis will increase your happiness and wellbeing in the present because you are taking care of your future. (5 minutes)

It may also be a prompt for you to call your bank and arrange for a small amount of money to be automatically transferred each month from your checking account into a tax-deferred retirement plan, such as an IRA.

3. Have a conversation with your mate or family members about some easy-to-implement ways that all of you can prepare for sudden unexpected events. Even simple ideas, such as stocking up on sale-priced grocery commodities, personal care items, gasoline and paper products will be helpful in the event of sudden spikes in prices or shortages. (5 – 15 minutes)

So even if a power outage only lasts a half hour, because a squirrel worked his or her way into the power company’s equipment, as happened here in Saint Cloud, you can feel more confident now, and grateful in the future, when the next unplanned event occurs, because you took some small actions in the present to secure stability rather than suffer through a stressful, chaotic and predictably painful future.

Relax….. Accomplish!

2008-03-09T21:42:00.000-07:00

I have two overriding fears in my life… plus a whole host of other ones that, at the moment, don’t quite rise to the level of ‘overriding fears’.

The first one has to do with being at the end of my days on the planet and looking back at what transpired. What I hope to feel at that time is some degree of contentment arising out of having created and accomplished much of what was of interest to me, and which contributed to the wellbeing of others with whom I had direct and indirect contact.

It would be simpler if my interests were more focused to just a few areas. But they aren’t. Is this an issue for you too? Do you find that you have interests, even passionate ones, in a number of unrelated arenas?

For me, these arenas include music, writing, learning, natural health, yoga, environmentally ‘green’ living, as well as the ones most all of us share… time with our mates, family and friends, doing my best in our vocations, financially keeping things solvent now and building some reserves for retirement, and having adequate leisure time to relax, unwind and rejuvenate.

It often feels like a lot to juggle! Yet there is nothing in my list that I could leave out, without feeling the pain of neglect from the growing hole in one of those areas of my life. What are your life’s vital interests? How do you manage to make time for them all?

And the second fear is born out of the first. The fear is that both my wife and I are living with too much stress, which has the potential to increase risk for major health problems, inevitably leading to loss of lifestyle options and a shorter tenure on earth, than might have been the case had we been more committed to relaxing and less obsessed with accomplishing.

So I have a kind of strategy. It’s not all that elegant of a strategy, but it is all that has occurred to me thus far. (I’m hoping you will have some ideas to share in the comments section for my benefit and the benefit of those that read this blog.)

What I endeavor to do is to categorize a good deal of my activities that I wish to accomplish under the umbrella of ‘relaxation’. For example, today I did some yoga and shoveled the driveway and sidewalk for exercise. It was relaxing being outside in the sun pushing snow and scraping ice and my yoga was ‘free form’… I had no particular agenda for accomplishing a particular routine or putting in a prescribed amount of time doing yoga.

I practiced some saxophone and hope to put in 10 – 15 minutes of piano practice before bed. (Bonne and I take an hour piano lesson together every other week.) This is pure enjoyment for me, even though I do have music lessons in the next few days on both instruments and I like the idea of having practiced sufficiently to play the pieces well.

Then there were the websites that I updated and of course the time for writing this blog. Again, doing these kinds of projects are my idea of a good time. And Bonne and I had some very wonderful time while alone together today. It was a pleasure… none of that time was under the category of accomplishment!

Let me know how you sort out the polarities of accomplishment and relaxation in your own life. If you wish, please leave a comment about the ways you put together your life so it feels balanced and you feel fulfilled and satisfied.

In friendship,

Richard Chandler

First Published on Famous Quotes Homepage

“I always like to look on the optimistic side of life, but I am realistic enough to know that life is a complex matter.”
- Walt Disney (1901-1966)
http://www.famousquoteshomepage.com/Success_Quotes_Help_You_Acheive_Greater_Professional_&_Personal_Success.htm

Welcome!

2008-02-28T17:42:00.000-08:00

This being my first ever blog entry, it seems like something profound, memorable or at least a bit ‘catchy’ would be warranted. I know a writer, Susan Montag, who teaches writing techniques in workshops for writers and to college students, who told me that perhaps the biggest obstacle to writing is that we all want it to be very good writing from the onset and therefore find it very difficult to actually start writing. She had a solution for this kind of self-imposed pressure...

She said the first thing to do was to buy a notebook, and not all that good a notebook. The very worst ones were the beautiful kind, hardbound and made with tasteful covers and expensive high-quality paper. She said that very few people could bring themselves to write anything at all in this kind of notebook as hardly anybody’s writing was all that good as a first draft. Purchasing that kind of notebook was the surest way to never get started.

Her instructions were to go to a drugstore, maybe even Wal-mart, and buy the cheapest, crappy spiral-bound one that you could find. The next step, she said, was to find some pens, and scribble up the cover as well as quite a few of the inside pages. Spilling coffee on it was also recommended.

Now, she said, you have the kind of notebook where you can write anything you want in it and you won’t care that there is nothing profound, memorable or necessarily interesting about the writing. You can actually make a real start as a writer with this kind of a notebook.

With that in mind, here then, is my first blog. Subject areas for future entries will be music, natural healthcare, yoga, more successful and happier living, ageing parents, adult children and the somewhat offbeat life that my wife Bonnett Chandler and I share with the rest of our flock, (2 cockatiels and a parakeet), Igor, Bela and Mason.

“I shall be so brief that I have already finished.”

- Salvador Dali (1904-1989)

PS More quirky quotes, a few pictures and a very brief bio. of Salvador Dali here: http://famousquoteshomepage.com/Art_Quotes_Artist_Quotes.htm
© February 28, 2008 Richard Chandler