Brummet's Conscious Blog

-- Quote of the Day -- “The individual has always had to struggle to keep from being overwhelmed by the tribe. If you try it, you will be lonely often, and sometimes frightened. But no price is too high to pay for the privilege of owning yourself.” ~ Friedrich Nietzsche -- What is a "Chat Room"? -- - I am glad you asked. When hosting a live broadcast of one of our two radio shows, I open a " chat room ". This is where listeners can post comments, questions and suggestions. If you go into the chat room and find that you are unable to interact using your keyboard, you are likely appearing as a " guest ". In order to communicate in the chat room, rather than watching what others are saying, you'll need to register as a listener. I know - that sounds complicated, but it is really very easy and very, very fast. All you have to do is go to the Blogtalk radio home page and click on the link for registering as a listener... you don't have to give your rea...

-- Quote of the Day -- -- “There was a village it was on the Nissitissit River…in the early 1800’s it was a thriving little mill town …and had a lot of small industries… I think the lunacy and insanity that enveloped the valley was more environmental poisoning from the stuff that they were working on and the stuff in the river and the 40,000-acre drainage basin above it and the 5 villages above it. …In the early 1800’s nobody wanted to admit that there was lunacy in their family… they referred to as people it dying in an unusual way out there. To make felt they had to use mercurial oxide… They were exposed to mercury through their footwear. …I found they also had a velvet shop and you can’t iron velvet, you have to steam it so when I researched the colors back then… they were filled with arsenic and vermillion. …Even wallpaper was poison back then. …The term “mad as a hatter” was from hat makers who used felt in their hats and went stark-raving mad…” ~ Rosemary Chaulk 10/30/08 This fas...

-- Conscious Discussions -- We are closing Literacy Week here on Conscious Discussions with Darius Graham, blog manager and author of: Being the Difference - True Stories of Ordinary People Doing Extraordinary things to change the World . ...Rather than attempting to describe this work I’m going to read a quote here instead: “ Time after time we hear about causes that celebrities support and the billionaires who give away large sums of money to worthy causes. What we don't hear about often are those individuals who never make headlines, yet toil in obscurity hoping that their work will make the world a better place. That's what this book and blog are about: chronicling and celebrating ordinary people doing extraordinary things to make the world a better place. No celebrities or billionaires here, just real people making real change. ” Tune in to the Conscious Discussions talk radio show hear more about Darius's passions, Books All Around (a literacy organization), McCul...

-- Best Green Blogs -- Dave and I are very pleased to announce that this blog - Brummet's Conscious Discussions - that I have been managing has been included in the "BEST GREEN BLOGS" listing! We are honored, and excited by this rating. If you are interested, please check it out - and if you like, leave a comment about this blog- on the Best Green Blog site. According to their site: " Best Green Blogs is the web’s largest directory of green and sustainable themed weblogs. Writers from all over the world are publishing articles and stories dealing with a wide variety of topics dealing with environmental issues and green living; and Best Green Blogs is an attempt to capture some of that independent publishing spirit. Whether you are blogging about green parenting in Chicago or organic gardening in China, we want to hear about it! Our selection of categories is diverse, but what they all have in common is the desire to educate people about making smarter, more sustai...

-- Conscious Discussions honors Literacy Week -- Today, we are featuring the Literacy Bridge Organization... Cliff Schmidt is the executive director for Literacy Bridge, a nonprofit organization empowering children and adults with affordable tools for knowledge sharing and literacy learning. Prior to founding Literacy Bridge, Cliff ran a successful open source consulting business, specializing in intellectual property issues, nonprofit governance and community development. He has served many nonprofit organizations, such as the Eclipse Foundation and The Apache Software Foundation, where he was elected as a board director and appointed vice president of legal affairs. Cliff received his undergraduate degree from MIT and his M.S. in Computer Science and Engineering from the University of Washington. Literacy Bridge is a nonprofit organization tackling illiteracy head-on through the development and deployment of innovative new technology. Their Talking Book Device, a low-cost digital aud...

National Family Literacy Week !! -- Authors Read -- Authors Read - a 15 minute radio program - offers authors, storytellers and poets a chance to read from their published work. This radio program stemmed from my work as a book reviewer; as a reviewer and a voracious reader I have been enabled to donate more than a thousand books into our community in less than 6 years through various charitable organizations including: Grand Forks and West Boundary Columbia Basin Alliance for Literacy - Women's Resource Center - Whispers of Hope Org. - Grand Forks Public Library - Community Futures Resource Center Authors Read is just another way that Dave and I can support literacy on a global scale. There is nothing like hearing a story told the way the writer intended it to be read… straight from the writer's lips is even better! Today’s Authors Read Radio guest: Penny Pearlman - Reading From: Pretty Smart; Lessons from Miss Americas To access this archived episode simply click on the h...

-- Quote of the Day -- “Communities doing composting are assured of about 70% waste diversion. ...Our solid waste is 50% (urban areas) to 70% biodegradable waste (including agricultural waste in the rural areas) and with at least 20% recyclables to a high of 40%. Composting prevents the production of methane in landfills and is a big mitigating factor to address climate change (global warming).” ~ Sonia Mendoza of the Mother Earth Foundation in the Philippines -- Eco-Resources -- - www.climatchoices.org : The Union of Concerned Scientists is the leading science-based nonprofit working for a healthy environment and a safer world. UCS combines independent scientific research and citizen action to develop innovative, practical solutions and to secure responsible changes in government policy, corporate practices, and consumer choices. – www.inspirenelson.ca : Inspiring others to use everyday actions to make a difference. Find Dave & Lillian Brummet, excerpts from their books, informa...

-- Quote of the Day -- “…The real strength of the network is really the volunteers. …These people devote a lot of time to the success of this network – and they have done so for the past 30 years - we counted recently and found that volunteers give about 4,500 hours of their time every year to the organization. We cannot express the value of this time that they give to us, and it has had a great impact on the network. …Working together in collaboration is the key (to change) - numbers mean a lot to government and corporation.” ~ Robert Henri 07/29/08 This quote was taken from an interview on the Conscious Discussions talk radio show that aired on July 29, 2008 - Our guest, Robert Henri was in to represent the Canadian Environment Network and this informative interview can be found by clicking on the hyper-linked show title here, or look to the right on this page to find the link to the Conscious Discussions radio show. -- Experiencing Writer's Block? -- Here are some techniques ...

-- Quote of the Day -- "Writing is an adventure. To begin with, it is a toy and an amusement. Then it becomes a mistress, then it becomes a master, then it becomes a tyrant. The last phase is that just as you are about to be reconciled to your servitude, you kill the monster and fling him to the public.” ~ Winston Churchill -- Eco-Travel Tips -- Vacation Station radio - Join Nancy Reid & Lisa Smith and their guests as they discuss saving money, investing in a vacation home, and eco-tourism; Lillian was one of these guests in to discuss green eco-traveling options for about 20 min. - archive available at: www.blogtalkradio.com/vacation-station -- Authors Read -- Why Epiphanies Never Occur to Couch Potatoes, by Mark Amtower, is a wonderful self-help book about defining the ethical parameters you are willing to operate within and staying within those bounds. Visit the Authors Read radio show to hear today's featured author share an excerpt from his published work. To acce...

-- Conscious Discussions -- How many times have you had to fumble at an apology that really was not all that effective? Were you left feeling like the situation was incomplete and that your relationship was marred? The art of apologizing is yet one more life skill that just does not seem to be taught to us when young and with this skill so much trauma could be avoided and the world would be a more peaceful place. Lauren Bloom is the founder and CEO of Elegant Solutions Consulting, a consulting firm dedicated to helping professionals, business and association management executives build trust with their clients, customers and members by “walking the ethics talk” in their daily practices. She is an attorney by trade and is also the author of –The Art of the Apology – How to Apologize Effectively to Practically Anyone. A simple, yet effective, apology can neutralize hostility, competition or jealousy - it can even avoid or prevent legal action! …This interview is now archived and you can ...

-- Quote of the Day -- RE: Marketing Via Contact Lists “…And sometimes you just get people that are offended. Sometimes people completely misinterpret an offering. The best thing to do is not respond, if they are not asking to be taken off the list; or respond in as kind and as gentle of a way as possible. …For every one person that complains or misunderstands, there are probably ten or twenty more that feel the same way but do not communicate it. Even if they are way of base …use this information to do a better job of communicating to our people. …It is important to understand how to not spam but it (e-marketing) is also, as a business owner, one of the greatest leverage tools and one of the ways your customers will appreciate you communicating with them through email. So it is a very important skill to learn as a business owner. ” ~ Winton Churchill 10/14/08 Today's quote was taken from an interview that aired on the Conscious Discussions talk radio show on October 14, 2008 - w...

-- Quote of the Day -- "Life's most persistent and urgent question is: What are you doing for others?" ~ Martin Luther King, Jr. -- Positive Eco-News -- According to the Japan for Sustainability newsletter (www.japanfs.org), two bordering communities in southern Japan were chosen as a the world’s largest demonstration site for the residential application of hydrogen energy fuel cells. These communities are expected to reduce energy consumption and pollution by 30%. -- Busy Mid Feb -- Feb 15-23 is the BC Women’s Institute week here in Canada ... & the 19th is Heritage Day ... Whew ! A lot going on this week :) -- Conscious Discussions -- Today's broadcast on the Conscious Discussions talk radio show featured the founder of the Experience Project Organization - Armen Berjikly (BUR - JICK - LEE ). This is a wonderful organization that provides hope, inspiration, companionship and support to members. Armen is passionate about building technology that connects peo...

-- Quote of the Day -- "In today's world, some 774 million adults lack minimum literacy skills; one in five adults is still not literate and two-thirds of them are women; 721 million children are out of school and many more attend irregularly or drop out; and literate environments with access to reading material and suitable publications are lacking, with the result that neo-literates cannot sustain their skills." ~ Kochiro Matsuura, Director-Generalof UNESCO (Sept, 2007) -- Authors Read -- Doris Fisher is a popular children's author & has several books available ( One Odd Day, My Even Day, My Half Day, Happy Birthday to Whoo, Play with Your Food , & the Grammar Allstars series ). Regular listeners may remember Doris reading My Half Day on Sept 29, 2008 - she returned back on Dec 1st, 2008 to read from another book in that series: One Odd Day .– Today we will hear Doris read her book: My Even Day . To access today's broadcast simply click on the hyper-lin...

:) :) Happy Valentines Day Everyone !!! :) :) -- Quote of the Day-- “…Find your core essence, find what brings you joy. …We so often take care of other people, so come back to yourself, take care of yourself, love yourself, appreciate yourself – respect yourself.” ~ Traci Slatton 05/09/08 Today's quote was taken from an interview that aired on May 9th, 2008 on the Conscious Discussions talk radio show. During this interview, Traci & I were discussing the trend in today's society for finding one's self in mid-life. Simply click on the hyper-linked show title, or look to the right for the link to the website. From there look for the archives according to the month in which they aired. -- Authors Read -- Brian McClellan is the author of 2 books - The Real Bling: How to Get the Only Thing You Need , a powerful guide to personal and professional development. -- The book we will hear him read from today is: A Love Letter to Black People - Audaciously Hopeful Thoughts on Race...

-- Quote of the Day -- “…My passion is really to help others to discover their passions; to acknowledge it, access it, awaken it and express it to the world. …We don’t get over the vulnerability because vulnerability is an important piece of the process. The way to do this is to be vulnerable, to be open and to allow ourselves to be afraid. Because the fear is not the problem; it is when the fear stops us that creates the problem. ” ~ Mark Gerson 08/12/08 What is the meaning of your life? Why do you exist? What will your legacy be in this moment? I've seen a lot of information in the media as of late dealing with issues of discovering yourself, being healthy and looking younger. Few of us understand that these things go hand in hand. From my own personal experience of discovering my passion, I can tell you that I have never felt so complete, so fulfilled in life as I do now. Things are not perfect and woes did not disappear - but my focus in life shifted to the point that I no lon...

-- Conscious Discussions -- Teresa Holler - a physician assistant, professional wellness speaker, and author of 2 books. The latest, "Holler for Your Health" empowers readers to take control of their own health destiny by altering their buying habits. Teresa and host, Lillian Brummet, delved into how the average individual can learn how to avoid harmful chemicals lurking in common products. We also discussed common myths, issues with water, plastic and detoxing methods. To access this interview at your convenience simply click on the hyper-linked Conscious Discussions show title, or click on the link located on the right side of this blog. Find Dave & Lillian Brummet, excerpts from their books, information about their radio shows & free resources & articles at www.brummet.ca

-- Quote of the Day -- “Civil engineering has not changed since the Roman era… they would pull water… and then they’d run it to the city, flush the city and send it down the river, and that really hasn’t changed much. …The solids are now captured… so the goal is to get that back onto the land. For example in the city of San Diego … a biosolid treatment plant… they squeeze all the water out of it they take as much energy out of that they can through anaerobic digestion – put that energy to electricity, and then, unfortunately they are then using it as alternate organic cover for their landfill. …If we can shorten that cycle to using the materials closer to home (and building healthy soil) …will take less energy and be more sustainable. (There is this) economic piece to the circular (aspect of sustainability) …Compost is both carbon and the nutrients, if we are going to tie up those nutrients… we need to follow the carbon, where is the carbon going to go – in the soil, water or air? …We ...

-- :) 1st Review for the 2nd Edition of our 3rd Book ! :) -- "It is my opinion that every author, whether they are published or hoping to be published, should own a copy of this book. The information is presented in a concise, clear fashion and each subject is covered in a way that makes it easy for the author to apply the suggested techniques to their own marketing requirements." ~ Carol A. Guy, author of Spirit Lake Books I & II Carol is the editor that Twilight Times Books publisher hired to work on the final manuscript for this latest edition of Purple Snowflake Marketing - How to make Your Book Stand Out in a Crowd . She was so moved by the book that she was inspired to voluntarily write this review as well. Carol is, in my personal opinion, one of the best - if not the best - editors that Dave and I have had the pleasure of working with. Thank you - Carol - for your wonderful suggestions on improving the manuscript! * The 2nd edition of Purple Snowflake Marketing ...

-- Quote of the Day -- “…If a person has a couple of hours and they would like to give back a little to your community, look in the yellow pages and you can find food banks… the local library is always looking for someone to help; women’s centers… …any organization would be absolutely thrilled and grateful to receive monetary support, but if somebody did want to donate their time, any organization in your area… or if you have some type of personal connection with a particular organization. The other day I drove by a food bank and saw a line of people out front and thought, maybe I’ll drop in and see if they need some help.” ~ Carol Denbow 09/04/08 So often when we think of how we, as an individual, could possibly have an impact in the world we forget that small, daily actions are the key. I chose this quote of the day to encourage our readers to think small - think of something you can do today that only takes a few minutes of your time that will improve your community in some way. Thi...

-- Quote of the Day -- “We must not, in trying to think about how we can make a big difference, ignore the small daily differences we can make which, over time, add up to big differences that we often cannot foresee.” ~ Marian Write Edelman -- Authors Read -- Lynn Goodwin, owner of Writer Advice and author of You Want me to do What? – Journaling for Caregivers, was our guest today on the Authors Read radio show. Her extensive knowledge in the field of writing was dipped into during an interview that we had with Lynn over at the Conscious Discussions talk radio show on Sept 18, 2008 . I encourage our listeners to check that out when you have time. To hear either of these radio episodes with Lynn, simply click on the hyper-linked show title of choice or look to the right for the link to either of these programs. -- Updates -- We are currently completing the final publishing preparations for the 2nd edition of our 3rd book, Purple Snowflake Marketing - How to Make Your Book Stand Out i...

-- Quote of the Day -- “…New wood stove technology uses a secondary combustion system that burns off unused fuel, this is the secret. Old air tight stoves sat there and smoldered away and mostly the fuel would go up the chimney and if you were unlucky it would condense into creosote in the chimney and cause all sorts of issues from there. …So new stove technology means that you will use much less fuel, getting more BTUs out of each piece of wood …and polluting less. …Get your firewood in the spring, or the year before, let it dry over the summer - and don’t dampen those stoves down. …Get a thermometer, which will show you a range of temperatures you should be keeping your flue gas at in order to avoid creating creosote and pollution. ” ~ John Vere 11/20/08 This quote was taken from an interview on Conscious Discussions talk radio with John Vere, an environmental advocate, who explained how to burn wood as a fuel for winter heat more efficiently. Learn how to reduce emissions, burn wo...

-- Quote of the Day -- “Our society consumes at least 10 times as much per person as people did at the turn of the last century - but are we 10 times happier?” ~ David Suzuki --Eco-Resources -- – http://www.ecostiletto.com - Eco-Stiletto features green picks in Fashion, Beauty, Parenting and the Good Life and explains, in real-girl terms, how eco-friendly choices can help reduce your carbon footprint. - http://www.sustainlane.com - Sustain-Lane is the web's largest people-powered guide to sustainable living. The hub of Sustain-Lane Media's offerings, SustainLane.com is filled with personal accounts of how-tos, news, and local business and product reviews for sustainable living. The site connects interested consumers with the tools and information on everything related to green, including: * The largest directory of local, green-friendly businesses in the United States with over 20,000 small business listings; * Consumer-generated how-tos, news and product reviews of new green ...

-- Quote of the Day -- “I do feel that poetry chose me… The biggest attraction to poetry for me was when I started reading poetry when I was a teenager - To see that with such a compact amount of words you could get an idea across, you could validate people’s feelings, you could give people some joy… I think poetry is like the poor step-sister in the literary arts. When you say ‘I have a new poetry book coming out’, people will say, ‘yeah, well what else do you do?’ …There is a very fine line that you have to walk when you work with political poetry. You want to get your point across, inspire people and express yourself… but you never want to be dogmatic or polemical. So writing political poetry is very, very difficult. …When you write poetry you can write for yourself – or you can write for the public; but not both. …Poetry is getting out there on the Internet more and more. There is a plethora of people who take it on as a first love. …I think songs you basically take a poem …with e...