Brummet's Conscious Blog

-- Conscious Holdiay Tips & Ideas -- As promised, I'll continue to offer wonderful eco-conscious gift and celebration options for you to consider over the holidays - and for any upcoming holdiay season, be it a birthday or an office celebration. I'll probably continue this until mid/late-december, so keep dropping by for fun craft and other tips! - As I mentioned before houseplants make wonderful gifts, but this holiday let's purchase a living, potted Christmas tree (it removes carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide, ammonia, ozone and nitrogen oxides). A living Xmas tree can be donated to individuals, the city, schools or parks when the season is over. Alternatively, plant it in your own yard for privacy, shade or erosion control. - Dehydrated, canned or preserved foods - especially those you have grown - make excellent gifts. Alternatively look for locally produced jams and preserves. Frozen homemade meals are treasured gifts for time-suppressed or physically limited indivi...

-- Quote of the Day -- " Change has a considerable psychological impact on the human mind. To the fearful it is threatening because it means that things may get worse. To the hopeful it is encouraging because things may get better. To the confident it is inspiring because the challenge exists to make things better. " ~ King Whitney Jr. -- Conscious Holiday Tips -- Today, as promised, we continue to offer more conscious holiday tips, ways to green your events and green eco-gifts that benefit the planet and the gift recipient. Consider the following - Dimmer switches or compact fluorescent bulbs; don’t forget those 3-way CFL bulbs for lamps, the smaller ones for chandeliers and outdoor lighting. The gift recipeint benefits by having a convenient way to reduce energy consumption. Some retailers and power companies continue to offer rebates, so be sure and keep the receipts for these purchases and you might be able to save a little money too! - For the gardener on your list a s...

--Quote of the Day -- "Try not to become a man of success, but a man of value" ~ Albert Einstein -- Announcements -- The Brummets have recently been featured on two wonderful sites. Brandi Drury has opened up a great opportunity for readers and authors via BK Walker Books : http://bkwalkerbooks.weebly.com - She has decided to feature our work there and also on her blog: http://bkwalkerbooksetc.blogspot.com/2009/11/triple-book-feature-by-dave-and-lillian.html Gathering Authors owner Jeannine Morales also featured our work on her site - http://www.gatheringauthors.com - Gathering Authors offers authors an opportunity to join in and share thier written work (stories, articles, books...). Check out the Book Palace page on this site where you can find us featured and our 3 books listed. Both of these were fun experiences; Dave & I are grateful for the opportunity to network with Brandi and Jeannine. -- Authors Read -- Today on Authors Read radio Lillian (me) will be shar...

-- Quote of the Day -- “ …There are so many ways to go green, one of the tenancies for going green is reusing and for the holidays there are so many ways to reuse whether its decor or cloth wrapping – we don’t feel it is boring to reuse – we call it ‘tradition’. …One of the most beloved piece of décor was kind of like an advent calendar, but was a cloth and felt calendar that my mom made with 25 pockets. And behind each pocket she put in little activities that the family would do together each day leading up to the holidays. Whether it was baking gingerbread cookies or going ice skating – it now hangs on my wall and I bet my girls would say it is their favorite thing about the holidays .” ~ Corey Colwell-Lipson Oct 15, 2009 The quote today originates from the Greening Holidays & Events interview that aired on the Conscious Discussions Talk Radio show back on Oct 15th, 2009. Check out the archived interview by clicking on the hyperlinks here or look to the right to find other rece...

-- Eco-Holiday Gift Giving -- Over the next few weeks I'll be sharing tips on how to green your holiday season this year. Earlier this week I shared some eco-friendly craft and gift ideas that your family or any adult or youth group could participate in. Over the next week I'll be sharing suggested holiday gift giving items that can save the recipient time and money while allowing them to make a lasting difference on the planet - What could be better than celebrating Green on such a holiday as this? * Gift certificates are an exceptional gift option due to the lack of wrapping, time and energy involved, but also because the purchase of these certificates helps keep the local economy strong. Consider the following outlets when looking for gift certificates this year: wine or beer making shop, a new or used bookstore, music lessons, restaurant, recreation centers often offer gift certificates to their programs and courses, exercise/dance/craft classes... some colleges also offer...

-- Weekly Book Promotion Tips Available for Authors! -- Dave & I are very excited to announce a wonderful new writer's tip service that AllBooks Review will offer as of today! These tips are excerpted from our author's marketing plan guide (e-book) Purple Snowflake Marketing - How to Make Your Book Stand Out in a Crowd . AllBooks Review is the review source for published authors - with at least six blogs, an extensive main site and a strong social-networking system online via twitter, etc. this organization is a huge asset to any author and comes highly recommended in the resource section of our e-book. According to the AllBooks Review sites: " We do not discriminate between TRADITIONAL AND POD PUBLISHERS. Shirley Roe is an author and Managing Editor for AllBooks Review . As a freelance writer,she spends time between Canada and the USA. Her published work, including inspirational articles and award winning poetry, has appeared in magazines, anthologies and daily n...

-- Sharon Klein Show Interviews Lillian Today!!! -- I am very excited to share with you all that I will be interviewed on the Sharon Kleyne Radio Program - interview airs 10 AM (pacific) this morning, however I believe it will also be archived for listeners convenience. Click on the hyper-link above to access the show, or copy the URL listed here: http://www.modavox.com/worldtalkradio/vshow.aspx?sid=1384 -- Last Week's Prize Draw Winners -- Judy won a copy of Tom Riddell's nonfiction book: Pieces of My Path - while Miss Jane won a copy of Lillian Brummet's e-book of poetry - Towards Understanding . -- 5 Fun and Eco-friendly Crafty Gift Ideas -- The joy of the holidays is making its way into our homes and offices, but there are a lot of people out there on constrained budgets, while others want to instill conscious living patterns in their children. Families are aching to spend time together, but sometimes, they just don't know what to do that would be fun for everyone...

-- Quote of the Day -- “… It (Chronic Depression) can be very difficult to recognize if you don’t know what to look for. Depression is basically a long period of feeling hopeless with extreme sadness and despair. Chronic Depression also comes in many forms - as insomnia; people with chronic depression are preoccupied with thoughts or feelings of guilt or regret and many times self-hatred. In my case I had very poor self-confidence and poor concentration and memory as well as the anxiety that started out in me grew into a depressed state. …As far as children, I find it interesting that… depressed children often display an irritable rather than a depressed mood. And this is often not noticed until many years later. …For me my anxiety level rose so high it inhibited my ability to concentrate and this was what then sent me into clinical depression. ” ~ Tom Riddell Oct 20, 2009 Today's quote of the day originates from a Conscious Discussions Talk Radio interview that aired on Oct 20, 2...

-- Authors Read Radio -- On today's broadcast: host Lillian Brummet shares information about the work she & her husband do... Awards they've won for their work in the media to make the world a better place, including the Community Heroes Award along with a letter of acknowledgment from the Premier of BC, Canada. Learn how to support their efforts to make the world a better place... & more. Yesterday's Authors Read episode featured CL Talmadge - syndicated columnist & author of the Green Stone of Healing Series. CL shares an excerpt from the fourth book - Outcast . To access either of these archived episodes simply head on over to Authors Read Radio & use your mouse to access any archived show that appeals to you. -- Join Lillian on Authors Supporting Authors Radio -- Join Lillian on a wonderful radio program this evening at 5 PM (Pacific) - Authors Supporting Authors - Host Linda Hermin will be grilling Lillian about the world of writing. Simply click on...

-- Conscious Discussions Radio -- Today's Conscious Discussions Talk Radio show takes into consideration the conscious celebrations happening today and I will be covering issues from poverty to hunger. Join us live at 10 AM (pacific) & drop in to our live chat room if you can - or call in with your thoughts on the topic of the day. Alternatively, you can access the archived interview later today simply by clicking on the hyper-links here or those located to the right side of this screen. -- Conscious Celebrations -- Many regions around the globe will be hosting events and lectures in honor of International Men’s Day (Nov 19th). According to the internationalmensday.com website - " Objectives of International Men's Day include a focus on health, improving gender relations, promoting gender equality, and highlighting positive male role models. It is an occasion for men to highlight discrimination against them and to celebrate their achievements, in particular their ...

-- Quote of the Day -- " Treasure the love you have received above all. It will survive long after your gold and good health have vanished. " ~ Og Mandino -- Towards Understanding, Reader Review! -- I received this note recently by one of the Towards Understanding readers: " ...I always look forward to discovering inspirational things throughout the day. The inspirational discovery I found within your book was simply uplifting and wonderful. With the world in its current condition, it may be hard for the person who is hanging off the edge of life to find hope. I believe your book is that hand that reaches out to such a person and gives them every reason not to give up. As I read about your life, some of it felt so familiar--not only in my life, but in the lives of people I know. It is easy to relate to, which is why I believe it will comfort many people, especially young women... " ~ T.S. Wilkins What a lovely thing to hear from a reader! Thank you T.S. Wilkins f...

-- Quote of the Day -- If we could see that everything, even tragedy, is a gift in disguise, we would then find the best way to nourish the soul. ~ Elizabeth Kubler-Ross, M.D -- Prize Winners for Last Week's Contest -- Congratulations to last week's prize draw winners - Judy K., T.Wilkins & Lizanne E. - who will receive Michael Hanson's short story collection Sha'Daa , Tom Riddell's nonfiction book Pieces of My Path & Lillian Brummet's e-book: Towards Understandin g. Thank you for participating everyone! *Check out this week's prize announcement and enter before Sunday! Prize Draw Contest for Nov 16-23: Enter to win a copy of Lillian Brummet's e-book Towards Understanding - info @: www.brummet.ca & a copy of Tom Riddell's nonfiction book: Pieces of My Path (www.tomriddell.com) To enter the draw all you need to do is: Email me at: ldbrummet @ yahoo . com (remove spaces before sending) with the word "prize" in the subject line...

-- Prize Draw Reminder -- Michael Hanson - Sha'Daa: Tales of the Apocalypse ...& ...Tom Riddell's nonfiction book: Pieces of My Path ... & Lillian Brummet's poetry e-book: Towards Understanding :) To Enter the Draw and Win Prizes from the List Above: Email me at: ldbrummet @ yahoo . com (remove spaces before sending) with the word "prize" in the subject line. Deadline will be on Nov 15th - noon (pacific). Find Dave & Lillian Brummet, excerpts from their books, information about their radio shows & free resources & articles at www.brummet.ca *Help Dave & Lillian continue to offer fun prize contests every week, fresh interesting content in their daily blog, bi-weekly newsletter & their 2 radio shows by purchasing one of their three books that are available in hardcover, paperback or e-book formats - visit www.brummet.ca for information. *

-- Conscious Discussions Talk Radio -- Do you love your job? Recent Gallup polls show most Americans don't, and yet 98% of U.S. Cellular employers not only say they love their jobs but report that their jobs actually make them better spouses, parents, and citizens. Today’s featured guests, Myra Kruger & Dave Esler, have studied this issue thoroughly and are here today to share their knowledge, tips and resources with you. Learn how to create a competitive advantage, how to relate to others and much more on today's Conscious Discussions Talk Radio episode: Create a Positive & Productive Workplace -- Great Tool For Authors -- I was invited by the owner of Bookbuzzer to join their site and promote my books using their tools. I flagged her email and then proceeded with the huge list of to-do's in the office for a couple of weeks. She sent me a reminder and I decided to try it out today. Man, oh man - I love it! What a fun and interesting way to promote the book... How ...

-- Quote of the Day -- “Success is the ability to go from one failure to another with no loss of enthusiasm” ~ Sir Winston Churchill (1874-1965) --The Ginza Honeybee Project -- I have taken excerpts from a very long article about an amazing and inspiring project happening with honeybees to share with you today. *Source: www.japanfs.org - original article written by Yuriko Yoneda Ranked with the Fifth Avenue shopping district in New York City, Japan's Ginza district in Tokyo is one of the world's leading downtown districts, complete with high-class department stores and designer shops. Today, bee honey collected from hives there is starting to attract people's attention. Ginza honeybees are nicknamed "Ginpachi" (short for "Ginza bees" in Japanese), and recently they have become somewhat of a new mascot for the district. This outstanding project is administrated by a non-profit organization called the Ginza Bee Project, which is run by volunteers of Ginza...

-- Conscious Discussions Talk Radio -- In this devolving job market & evolving social media landscape, the bottom line is you need to know how to network. Here's where most people make a critical mistake. What is it? Find out from today's Conscious Discussions Talk Radio featured guest Thom Singer, the man who was invited to give his motivational & instructional networking talk 47 times in 2008 & 38 times so far in 2009. Singer has nearly 20 years of sales & marketing experience, has authored 6 books to date, is an expert in branding, positioning & networking, & has trained thousands of professionals in the art of building professional contacts that lead to increased business. Join us for the live or archived episode (live listeners are welcome to drop into the chat room) & learn about social networking, book production, the writer's world, workplace competition, resume & interview tips & more! The show airs live at 10 AM Pacific & ...

-- Quote of the Day -- “ Forgiveness does not erase the past, but it does enlarge the future .” ~ Paul Boese -- Social Networking -- One of the unexpected benefits for me with online social networking is running into old friends, people I haven't seen or heard from in more than 20 years. My friend Brenda was in one of the circles of people I knew back when I was 16 (I had been on my own at this point for 2.5 years) and we stayed in contact until I was 19. Just a little over a year ago - Brenda found me online via one of the social networking sites and we started our friendship anew. Its been great fun catching up with her. Since then I've met numerous old acquaintances and family members, and am still finding people today. Just the other day I met up with another one of my best friends and look forward to bridging the gap between us. For me, when I started with social networking, it was all about finding contacts and networking with like-minded individuals in the fields of env...

-- Quote of the Day -- " Courage doesn't always roar. Sometimes courage is the quiet voice at the end of the day saying, 'I will try again tomorrow'. " ~ M A Radmacher -- Prize Draw Announcements -- Last week's prize draw winners are Lizanne, Robin and Dennis!! Congratulations to you all! This week's prize draw ( Nov 9 - 15th ) is for the following: Michael Hanson - Sha'Daa: Tales of the Apocalypse ( www.shadaa.com ) & ...Tom Riddell's nonfiction book: Pieces of My Path ( www.tomriddell.com ) & Lillian Brummet's poetry e-book: Towards Understanding ( www.brummet.ca ) To enter the draw all you need to do is: Email me at: ldbrummet @ yahoo . com (**remove spaces before sending**) with the word "prize" in the subject line. Deadline will be on Nov 15th - noon (pacific). -- Announcement -- Steaven Snow's Books website recommends the Brummet's work on the Emerging Authors Page: http://www.linavenpublications.com/id72.html...

-- Quote of the Day -- “ I’m 64.5 years old and I meet a lot of people who say, ‘I can’t change, I’ve always done this…’ and I think of myself as a perfect example and say, ‘Of course you can change! As long as you are alive, you can make choices and decisions based on what you think is right.’ … I get to be out there and show people that you can be 60, 70, 80, or 90 and still change and grow. …The first step for greening any event is the the 3- R’s, which sounds so basic. …Think about how you can reduce – maybe the party can be done with less food, less packaging. …And Reuse, How can we do this and make it fun? Perhaps everyone can bring their own plate for food. …and of course for recycling make sure that you have the recycling bins and compost bucket ready for use. …If you took one item with reduce, one with reuse, one with recycle – you would be so much farther down the road (of greening your world) ” ~ Lynn Colwell Oct 15, 2009 I chose this quote today to go along with the events ...