Quote of the Week - Blake (not that Blake - even better Blake!)

"Isn't it strange;

fear, in its assuring way, convinces you your next move will be disastrous. You ignore the warning and your move turns out to be the best thing you could have done for yourself and the people you love and those you wish would just heal.

Yup. Strange."

-John S. Blake

How'd I meet John S. Blake? I think he MySpace messaged me that he and this guy were touring and could they come feature in Cali at my spot. Read a few lines of his work and knew he was real. The other guy didn't make it. But the night John S. Blake, John West, and Judy Holiday featured at Down Home was pretty much legend.

That was January 2007.  I don't think I've ever seen anyone turn their life and their self around so doggedly and with so much success as he has - all the while writing and performing exceedingly high quality work.  John's is excellent advice to take -- has been to the very edge and come back all the way.

Do the best with this Monday you can!  And then with Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday...

Here's a present --- this goes with John's TEDX Talk:

The Art of Listening

I completely love this Ted Talk.

Because the more I delve into life, the more I realize that listening is the key.

Listening and being listened to are what create true bonds, community, what imbue people with self-esteem, and empower individuals and communities to transcend divisive issues and solve complex problems.

A lot of what I know about listening comes from performing and directing and working with performers.  A lot of that comes from Judith Weston.  When I'm on stage, talking a mile a minute, I consider it my actual job to deeply listen to the audience.  I create them as a partner in the process of unveiling the text.  Truly this is the only way I connect and the only way I get myself on the stage.

Quote of the Week - Heffernan

"Openness alone can't drive change." 

-Margaret Heffernan

Watch Margaret Heffernan's amazing Ted Talk.

What is your fear of conflict keeping you from saying or doing?

i love this

It's like a bunch of teeny tiny Ted talks...

What Matters Now