Here I am. Checking in on you….

During times of major stress, uncertainty, and change, it is handy to use a bag of tricks to maintain health and sanity. Trying times call for intuition, common sense, creativity, and practicality. It is time to remind you to create or check on your bag of tricks, so that it is ready when you need it.

Much like an emergency go bag, the bag of tricks can serve you well during hard times. Actually a go bag may be a literal part of your bag of tricks. How does that work? Well, you want to be prepared in case of an emergency or natural disaster, because being prepared gives peace of mind, which relieves stress. Therefore, keeping a go bag ready may be something you choose to do to ease anxiety during uncertain times. …

The band Toaster Ghost is a sci-fi/psychedelic flavored indie rock band from the Driftless Area of western Wisconsin. They released their debut album “Electric Breakfast” this Summer, and Jeff Sherin, the guitarist, is here to introduce you to the new sounds and lots of other fun facts.

Make sure you don’t miss this band, and the joy their music can give you.

Tell us about yourself, Jeff…

Jeff: I am a lefty lead guitarist, amp enthusiast (Divided By 13 and Vox in particular), mystery box maker, and am known to multi-task during gigs by creating feedback and adjusting knobs during solos while also making burnt toast onstage that I toss out to the hungry audience. …

Shifting our thoughts and actions to create lasting change that contributes to the Common Good

After I earned my MA degree in Servant Leadership in the Spring of 2006, one of the major lessons that stayed with me was the understanding that real change — that is ethical and accountable, the kind that lasts — does not happen overnight, it takes time.

For an ethical leader (and the average person seeking to change destructive habits and live more ethically), this means being dedicated to the best possible outcome and positive impacts for all involved. It also means caring more about long-term results than about immediate satisfaction. …

Starving marine life, and everything you need to know about sustainable seafood — if there is such a thing anymore…

There are devastating impacts from overfishing and farmed fish upon wildlife and our marine ecosystems. As we look at these issues, keep in mind that overfishing and factory fish farms (aquaculture) make all the other problems even more stressful and devastating. Sadly, the beautiful ocean of this Earth has become an extremely stressful home for marine life.

While humans may not live in the ocean, our lives depend upon the ocean as well. If the ocean life cannot survive, we won’t be able to either. …

Current Movements, Realities, And Options Related To Sustainable, Ethical Fashion

Exactly a week ago the United Nations Environment Assembly launched the “UN Alliance for Sustainable Fashion” in Nairobi, Kenya. Its goals are to end the environmental and socially destructive aspects of the fashion industry at large. This new alliance welcomes other organizations to collaborate for the cause. For example, UN Environment is pushing for governments to adopt and maintain sustainable manufacturing practices. The International Trade Centre plans to promote fashion artisans from the developing world. The Food and Agricultural Organization plans to facilitate the use of sustainable oceanic materials for fashion, which they call “Blue Fashion.” …

Facebook Isn’t Really Free — You Pay With Your Most Valuable Currency!

I left Facebook (FB) back in June of 2018 — not long ago. In fact, I would like you to appreciate the fact that I left about a month before my birthday. I did that purposefully, and I am glad I did. For those familiar with that particular hook that keeps many in FB, it is the ego gratification of 50–100s of birthday greetings from “friends.” What I discovered is that the people I am truly close to found a way to wish me a happy birthday without FB — go figure.

Leaving, for me, wasn’t just about privacy issues and scandals, the experience of negative effects from FB, or the negative repercussions it and other social media has on young people. All of that definitely made my decision to leave FB more firm and resolute, yet my personal reasons for leaving revolved around how FB tended to suck the creativity and inspiration out of me, while also leaving me at a loss in another way. The layers of FB became over-stimulating, yet empty, and I saw how relationships I was excited to have on FB eventually faded into laziness and apathetic connections. I was receiving way too much input, much of it useless, with very little return, and it became a compulsive loop of behavior to check in anyway, and scroll into oblivion. …