tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30785064280991696272024-03-05T11:01:59.292-06:00Anita SpeaksIf you're not green and growing, you're ripe and rotting! Tips to help you reach your potential. Be who and what you were meant to be.Anita Lewandowski Brownhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01255269472173875654noreply@blogger.comBlogger19125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3078506428099169627.post-46649076262521514942011-03-12T16:00:00.013-06:002011-03-20T17:43:20.454-05:00The Word of the Day: Vol-a-palooza<div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div>palooza:</div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" border-collapse: collapse; font-family:Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;font-size:11px;"><table id="entries" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 11px; width: 475px; margin-bottom: 5px; "><tbody><tr style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 11px; "><td class="text" colspan="2" id="entry_917056" style="vertical-align: top; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 11px; padding-right: 15px; line-height: 1.8; padding-bottom: 10px; "><div class="zazzle_links" style="color: rgb(237, 101, 35); "></div><div class="definition">an all-out crazy party; partying at one place with a ton of people like there's no tomorrow</div><div class="definition">To use it in a sentence: "<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic; ">That palooza for Anita's birthday was crazy fun!"</span></div><div class="example" style="text-align: center;font-style: italic; margin-top: 5pt; margin-bottom: 5pt; "><br /></div><div class="example" style="text-align: center;font-style: italic; margin-top: 5pt; margin-bottom: 5pt; ">* * * </div><div class="example" style="text-align: center;font-style: italic; margin-top: 5pt; margin-bottom: 5pt; "><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">and a Vol-a-palooza is a crazy fun party doing volunteer stuff! </span></b></div><div class="example" style="text-align: center;font-style: italic; margin-top: 5pt; margin-bottom: 5pt; "><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Serving your community, making a difference...</span></b></div><div class="example" style="font-style: italic; margin-top: 5pt; margin-bottom: 5pt; "><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" font-style: normal; line-height: normal; -webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 0px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 0px; font-family:arial, sans-serif;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-size:medium;">Join me for VOL-A-PALOOZA as I celebrate my 53rd birthday!</span></b></span></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" font-style: normal; line-height: normal; -webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 0px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 0px; font-family:arial, sans-serif;"><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-size:medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">As you know, a year ago most days we didn't know if I'd wake up on the right side of the dirt. </span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 124px; height: 166px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOeM4YrP9us6OymsNu_SfKB7uk9Liza4irOOEMdS5a9XaOjkwqu4V99dp6OpLA82vpWOwl7OD0c11AQPqFl5D31Kb6xSCj5yI2u67C5APFHAw6FBgeElYJUOz875Y394Yz_IZRjWSBXQ7i/s200/mail-1.jpeg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5583320771048015922" /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-size:medium;">My 2010 birthday was spent at the Nebraska University Med Center. Times were uncertain and unpleasant. (That's what they tell me anyway, I don't remember.) BUT with the love and support of family and friends, I have a new lease on life and a new appreciation for... well, a lot of things! Health, family, friends, caring doctors and nursing staff (even though I was convinced at the time they were all plotting to kill me - my alternate reality at the time), each sunrise, the sound of the cranes flying overhead, the ability to walk, being (somewhat) sane and least in the same "reality" as most of you, being able to go to the bathroom like a normal person - well, just LOTS of things. :) </span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">And, I'm thankful that I am able to give back to the community that I love. </span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">I'm hoping you'll join me in showing gratitude. </span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">This year, I want to return to the volunteering celebrations I've had in past years where we've painted (at Citizen Advocacy), we've called (for Stuhr Museum), we've built (Habitat for Humanity). </span></div><div> </div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Please join me for "Vol-a-palooza!" on Saturday, April 16th from 9am-noon at <a href="http://Stuhrmuseum.org">Stuhr Museum</a>, Grand Island NE. </span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">We will be helping Stuhr get ready for the opening of Railroad Town and we'll be doing a variety of things - possibly painting, sprucing up the gardens and cleaning up in general. Dress to get dirty! </span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">At noon, we'll share a meal in the garden area, no need to bring anything, I'll take care of that. </span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">If you are unable to help physically but want to do something </span><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">AND even if you are available to come out to Stuhr,</span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"> please consider filling a grocery sack with non-perishable food items or paper products (Food Stamps don't cover toilet paper or any paper products) that we'll donate to "Food for Thought". It's a program to send a backpack of food home with selected students. Ten families from eight schools in Grand Island with the highest poverty levels are selected by school social workers and administration. The school ensures a hearty breakfast and lunch, but this will ensure they eat on the weekends, too. </span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><b>To help me make sure there's enough lunch to fill everyone up, please let me know if you're able to come out. Bring family or friends - the more the merrier! </b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Plus... I consider strangers to be friends I haven't met yet anyway. </span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">~Happy Birthday to ME!~</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">In abundance, </span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Anita Lewandowski Brown</span></div></span></div><div class="example" style="font-style: italic; margin-top: 5pt; margin-bottom: 5pt; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></div><div class="example" style="font-style: italic; margin-top: 5pt; margin-bottom: 5pt; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></div></td></tr></tbody></table></span></div>Anita Lewandowski Brownhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01255269472173875654noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3078506428099169627.post-83441732395669627742011-03-06T11:46:00.006-06:002011-03-12T09:44:50.083-06:00The Power of Affirmations<div><br /></div><b><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal; "><b>"I live and dwell in the totality of possibilities. </b></span></div></b><div style="text-align: center;"><b>Where I am, there is all good. </b></div><div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>Life is wonderful and I am always moving to the greater good."</b></div><div><br /></div><div>I'm an avid believer in affirmations, in fact I have several I repeat on the way to work every day. Some days other trivialities of the world take up space in my mind and I'm not affirming on the drive... in fact, I'd fallen out of the practice until Wednesday, October 27, 2010. For some reason, on that eight minute drive I said those affirmations over and over and over with such force and belief that I was WILLING it to be!</div><div><br /></div><div>It was about 8:45am when my leader came and asked me to meet with him. </div><div>I knew what it was about. </div><div><br /></div><div>On October 1, my company had announced they were exiting the medical insurance business and that, because of that decision, several employees would be laid off. We would find out prior to November 1 if we were affected and, if so, when. </div><div><br /></div><div>As we walked to a meeting room, I sighed a BIG sigh. </div><div>It had been a good run. Twenty-six years and counting. A position I loved. Had learned alot along the way and increased by skills. Had greatly enlarged my network of contacts, friends and associates. And it had provided me security and income as I raised my three children. I rationalized that it was okay, they were all raised now, with children of their own. </div><div><br /></div><div>We sat down at the table and my comment was "Just give me a good date :)", referring to the lay off date. We all knew they would be staggered and I was hoping for one in the future since I was scheduled for surgery in just a few days on 11/2. </div><div><br /></div><div>I received a "second quarter, 2011" date. </div><div><br /></div><div>I know I was in shock but honestly, I was okay. </div><div>I knew it would all work out. </div><div><br /></div><div>After all... I'd reminded myself on the way to work:</div><div><i>"Today is a new day. I am now in charge. </i></div><div><i>Now is the moment in which I am creating the future in my life and my world. </i></div><div><i>Life is a joy and filled with love. </i></div><div><i> I am healthy and filled with energy. </i></div><div><i>All is well in my world. </i></div><div><i>I prosper wherever I turn. My income is constantly increasing.</i></div><div><i>I am willing to change and grow. </i></div><div><i>I am loving, lovable and loved. </i></div><div><i>Everything I need comes to me in the perfect time sequence. </i></div><div><i>It is becoming easy to make change. </i></div><div><i>I am free of the past. </i></div><div><i>I live and dwell in the totality of possibilities. Where I am, there is all good. </i></div><div><i>Life is wonderful, all is perfect in my world and I always move to the greatest good."</i></div><div><br /></div><div>And so it is. </div><div><br /></div><div>In Abundance, </div><div>Anita Lewandowski Brown</div></div>Anita Lewandowski Brownhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01255269472173875654noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3078506428099169627.post-30917871015155235312011-02-25T14:53:00.000-06:002011-02-27T08:21:30.207-06:00The Many Things Mohawk I have Learned<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">My husband is Native Mohawk from upstate New York. Over the years I have learned many things that intrigue and interest me. I want to share a few of these with you. </span><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span><div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-size:medium;">* * * </span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">GOOD-BYE:</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">There is no Mohawk word in his clan for goodbye. The closest is "dokshaw" (and I am not spelling this correctly) which means (loosely) "Later."</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">"Why?" I asked. </span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">"Because we always hope to see our friends again. We don't recognize the word goodbye."</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"> * * * </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">SYMBOLISM OF THE TREE OF PEACE:</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 15px; "><a 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" alt="" align="middle" border="1" height="196" id="imgthumb1" class="imgthumb1" title="http://www.indymedia.org/or/2009/06/925229.shtml" width="193" style="padding-top: 1px; padding-right: 1px; padding-bottom: 1px; padding-left: 1px; margin-top: 3px; margin-right: 3px; margin-bottom: 3px; margin-left: 3px; " /></span></a></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" border-collapse: collapse; -webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 5px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 5px; font-family:'bookman old style';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"> </span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" border-collapse: collapse; -webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 5px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 5px; font-family:'bookman old style';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">The Tree of Peace is a tall white pine that has been planted by the Onondaga, representing the great binding law which unified the five Nations. The cardinal points for north, south, east, and west are represented by four white roots growing from the Tree of Peace. The number four has great significance in Haudenosaunee (Mohawk) lore. Four also represents the four winds that blow. An eagle sits atop the tree of peace, watching over the five Nations, ready to cry out at the first sign of approaching danger. The eagle is considered to be a messenger sent by the Creator. The next symbol is that of a circle, representing unity and the cycle of life. According to Haudenosaunee lore, the Peace Maker made the Iroquois chiefs gather around the Tree of Peace, forming a circle by holding hands in order to keep the peace. The next symbol is a bundle of five arrows, each representing one of the five founding tribes of the Iroquois League. The Peace Maker demonstrated that one arrow could easily be broken, while a bundle five would remain strong.<br /><br />All life is believed to have come from the Sky World, which is represented as a dome, or arch. In addition to the Tree of Peace, the Haudenosaunee often make references to the Celestial Tree, from which all lights in the Sky World originate. The Earth itself is represented by Turtle Island a giant turtle whose carapace features thirteen plates, each of which represent one of thirteen moons that make up an entire year. North-America (Mother Earth) is often represented as a turtle.</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"> * * * </span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">SEEING THUNDER and HEARING LIGHTNING</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">He speaks of "seeing thunder and hearing lightning". </span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">"Don't you mean HEARING thunder and SEEING lightning?" I ask. </span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">When you are in tune, even those things that are silent speak to you. </span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Even those things that are seemingly invisible can be seen. </span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">I've thought about that a lot. </span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">A beautiful thing to consider. </span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">He often says, "There is a lesson in the leaf of every tree and every blade of grass has a story to tell." What I've learned is that even seemingly inanimate objects in this world have a spirit.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">LISTEN. See what the Universe is saying to you at this very moment. </span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">* * * </span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">LIVING SPIRIT:</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 140px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJvPrbTigjzeezSgaX2EFNgJT05F2Zeo6B2HRO54KNeJtVBAOZa-RWzLGmh4sU5QoFkbpboH4aQymeLKLzPcLwANZIY0uWX-Q5Ekc32cdx0M8ccrcVwk_o20BIzY0t297xMwFi6n-blKzt/s200/living+spirit.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5577736944535211314" /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">He is an artist and author and many years ago, he dotted (he does pointillism) a piece titled "Living Spirit", shown at the top of this post. Here is his story that goes with this piece:</span></div><div></div><blockquote><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">All things in life, whether animate or inanimate, have a spirit and these spirits speak to those who have the ears to hear. For the one who is able to hear this voice, the world and everything in it becomes a living, breathing being and things take on a life of their own. </span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">There is a lesson in the leaf of every tree and every blade of grass has a story to tell. It is for each of us to learn to listen and hear this voice so that we may learn from the earth. </span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">In "Living Spirit", the inanimate comes alive and the spirit screams its message to the old one who respectfully listens to its voice. </span></div></blockquote><div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"> * * * </span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">I hope I will learn to listen. To hear. </span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">To hear the lessons of other cultures and incorporate them into my own. </span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">...I hope you've enjoyed these tidbits from my husband, Ralph P. Brown.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">To see more of his artwork, visit </span><a href="http://www.MirroredWindows.com/"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">www.MirroredWindows.com</span></a></div></div></div>Anita Lewandowski Brownhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01255269472173875654noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3078506428099169627.post-46767855478273605482011-02-25T14:43:00.002-06:002011-02-25T14:52:54.693-06:00Through Which Door do YOU Enter?There is a museum in Los Angeles called the Museum of Tolerance. <div><br /></div><div>When folks enter the museum, they enter a foyer and are greeted by a volunteer who asks them to enjoy this area and wait for their guide. The guide enters, welcomes them and tells them a bit about the tour they are about to take. Then the guide will say:</div><div><blockquote>"Before you, you see two doors. One is marked 'Prejudiced' and the other is marked 'Not Prejudiced'. Decide now through with door you should enter."</blockquote></div><div><br /></div><div>Those visiting are alarmed and not prepared for this. Usually they look around at each other, not knowing what to do, not wanting to be the one who steps forward. But there will be one brave soul who walks up to the "Not Prejudiced" door and turns the knob on the door. </div><div><br /></div><div>It is locked. </div><div><br /></div><div><i>What is the story?</i></div><div><i>Each of us is prejudiced. </i></div><div><i>None of is "there". We all have work to do. Work to do on ourselves. </i></div><div><i>Be aware and find the ways in which you might be prejudiced. </i></div><div><i>Awareness is the key. </i></div><div><i>Once you are aware, you can work to evolve and change yourself, your thoughts, your actions. </i></div><div><i><br /></i></div><div><i>You can, you know. </i></div><div><i>See people for who they are. Individuals. With no regard to race, creed, religion or anything else to which you might assign judgment. </i></div><div><i>Love one another. </i></div>Anita Lewandowski Brownhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01255269472173875654noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3078506428099169627.post-19107131042014348722011-02-25T14:43:00.001-06:002011-02-25T14:43:51.073-06:00Never Underestimate. Never assume.Always on the lookout for some activity that will "teach", I asked my oldest granddaughters to accompany me to a Holocaust Survivor banquet at a museum in our state. It was going to be a dressy affair, a banquet with Jewish appetizers, guests of great importance, some talks and remarks from Holocaust survivors. These survivors were now old, but during the Holocaust were in their early twenties, were teens and some were children. <div><br /></div><div>I drove the ninety miles to pick them up. They were waiting and all dolled up and looked very grown up! (They were ten at the time.) We drove the additional thirty or so miles to the museum. It was decorated tastefully but the real beauty was the pictures of Holocaust survivors on the wall. Current pictures of them, accompanied by a short story of something the remembered from the Holocaust. </div><div><br /></div><div>This was not like any other museum show I've gone to, where you slowly walk along the wall and look at the pictures. Every person there would stop. Look at the pictures. Read each story. Look at the picture again. There were tears. You could tell people were connecting the stories they'd heard in history class with real people. </div><div><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 1px; "><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/sollang/20836456/in/set-485803/" title="Dear Dad" class="image_link" style="color: rgb(0, 99, 220); text-decoration: underline; background-color: transparent; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; "><img id="primary_photo_img" src="http://farm1.static.flickr.com/17/20836456_7d3a9a7ade_m.jpg" width="240" height="148" alt="Dear Dad" class="pc_img" border="0" style="border-top-style: none; border-right-style: none; border-bottom-style: none; border-left-style: none; border-width: initial; border-color: initial; padding-top: 1px; padding-right: 1px; padding-bottom: 1px; padding-left: 1px; " /></a></span></div><div><br /></div><div>Oh, and there was really good food. Food I couldn't even pronounce and had no clue what it was. You could tell that some of the guests of honor were THRILLED with the menu, to be eating cultural tidbits that reminded them of who they were, of where they came from. </div><div><br /></div><div style="text-align: right; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: medium; "><div class="setThumbs-indv" id="setThumbs-indv22156973_div" style="float: left; "><span class="photo_container pc_s" id="photo_thumb22156973" style="text-align: center; position: relative; display: block; "><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/sollang/22156973/in/set-485803/" title="Front step chilling by Sol Lang" class="image_link" style="color: rgb(0, 99, 220); text-decoration: underline; background-color: transparent; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; "><img src="http://farm1.static.flickr.com/17/22156973_fb5696694a_s.jpg" width="75" height="75" alt="Front step chilling by Sol Lang" class="pc_img" border="0" style="border-top-style: none; border-right-style: none; border-bottom-style: none; border-left-style: none; border-width: initial; border-color: initial; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 3px; margin-left: 3px; " /></a></span></div><div class="setThumbs-indv" id="setThumbs-indv336087521_div" style="float: left; "></div></span></div><div> After a bit, the program began. The museum director said a few words and then invited a few of the survivors up to talk. Their stories were incredible. Engaging. Unbelievable. They shared the torture and fear they endured, but they also shared how those trials, those atrocities, made them better people. More tears. </div><div><br /></div><div>This was a fundraiser for the museum as they were trying to raise enough money to KEEP the photo display they had borrowed for this event. The photos of the survivors. Their stories. </div><div><br /></div><div>After the speakers (and of course, several standing ovations), the museum director once again took center stage to appeal to the audience for donations. On each table were donation slips. These were slipped into a paperback book that included each picture and story that was in the exhibit. I wasn't sure the girls were picking up on this part (asking for money) and worried that they might be bored and thinking... "Grandma was nuts if she thought we'd have fun at this event!" I noticed them looking at the books and reading the donation slips. The donation slips were premarked with dollar amounts $1000, $500, $250, $100 and "other". (Keep in mind this was a high-faluting group, waaay the other end of <b>my</b> socio-economic upbringing or status.)</div><div><br /></div><div>One of the girls tapped my arm. "Grandma, do you think it would be okay if I gave them $25.00? I have that much in my bank at home." The other said, "I only have $17 but I want to give it to them, too." </div><div><br /></div><div>"Do you know what they're going to do with this money?"</div><div><br /></div><div>"Yeah. They're going to make sure other kids see these pictures and read these stories. Maybe things like this (the Holocaust) won't ever happen again if kids learn about it." "And if they see that these were little kids and ugly things were done to them maybe we won't have war," piped in the other twin. </div><div><br /></div><div>I have never been more proud of them. And I'm not sure I ever can be. </div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>We made a point to stay and talk to some of the survivors and I wanted them to meet the Museum Director. Not really because he was exceptional. More for his benefit. I wanted him to know the lesson I had learned that night. </div><div><br /></div><div>The lesson that you should NEVER underestimate the power of love. The power of a story. The power of human connection. And you should NEVER assume who will act upon that love, that story, that connection. You see, never did it even occur to me that the girls would consider a donation. And I'm guessing he didn't either. </div><div><br /></div><div>Never underestimate. </div><div>Never assume. </div>Anita Lewandowski Brownhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01255269472173875654noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3078506428099169627.post-70042617249397722902011-02-24T16:21:00.000-06:002011-02-24T16:27:44.120-06:00Almost a year ago<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwwXqtHkmo2JsUtiTKAAGlRf9KJZ-4shYdq0dVV5eyfexxpPKU1bfNiYB-Y9o0Tse83mD-rAEy0GJNv83H3mAABfEVfafj9Bim_wrImn7h-Adage8Fgdo6-Auo3YbQuWv8UAeP08XVrjv3/s1600/mail.jpeg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 124px; height: 166px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwwXqtHkmo2JsUtiTKAAGlRf9KJZ-4shYdq0dVV5eyfexxpPKU1bfNiYB-Y9o0Tse83mD-rAEy0GJNv83H3mAABfEVfafj9Bim_wrImn7h-Adage8Fgdo6-Auo3YbQuWv8UAeP08XVrjv3/s200/mail.jpeg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5577386082523801042" /></a><br /><div style="text-align: center;">Just remembering (which is a funny term since I was so out of it I can't remember anything much that happened for about six weeks) a year ago.</div><div><br /></div><div>Had ulcer rumblings that went untreated and ended up with a perforated ulcer which caused all kinds of hurt (organs shutting down, lung collapse, blood clots and the list goes on...)</div><div><br /></div><div>Just reflecting with gratitude for Dr. McBride and her staff at the University of Nebraska Med Center in Omaha and all those who offered up prayers on my behalf. </div><div><br /></div><div> What blessings I received, what lessons I learned... it's all good. Life is grand. God is good. </div><div><div><br /></div></div><div><br /></div>Anita Lewandowski Brownhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01255269472173875654noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3078506428099169627.post-28555419026109073422011-02-20T10:06:00.000-06:002011-02-21T10:38:07.596-06:00The Virtual Dr's Appointment<div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikXweJYIbQESW0vsCCQIKwYXd5uZIERFwjdVqs91O63b2dcOMbs-F8CegIb-njGjlYQiiu7kML6s1a_w4QvLvPqbM450Awy-eHF0yMs7rVRH14UCdbxmjpXPQUxjAClQgIC164eEBOB1Yv/s1600/101_2069.JPG"></a>Now, many of you know that I've had my share of health issues in the past year. <div><br /></div><div>In a situation where life and death choices had to be made, my daughter made the decision to transfer me to the University of Nebraska Med Center by ambulance last spring. Now I want you to know that I LOVE my doctor and all her attendings and nurses and entourage in Omaha. But I do not like the two and a half hour drive every time I need to see her. It's bad enough when I'm hurting and want to drive across town to the ER and instead of that, call to beg a friend or relative to drive me to Omaha... but for the easy stuff, there's just gotta be a better way!</div><div><br /></div><div>I'm proud to let you know that I've found it!</div><div><br /></div><div>Monday morning I woke up and my t-shirt was damp. What?! So I looked and my stomach incision (it's a big one) that had complete healed following surgery in November had broken open and was oozing stuff. (I know, not real appetizing.) Thinking that this wasn't a normal thing, I contemplated the drive to Omaha to have the doc look at it. No, no, say it ain't so. I don't wanna drive 5 hours and sit and wait and use up a whole day! So all day long I thought I should but I didn't want to. Woke up Tuesday and still oozing, the opening was bigger and I knew something had to be done. </div><div><br /></div><div>Technological, I am not. But I grabbed my digital camera and snapped a couple pix of my stomach area (not a pretty picture). </div><div><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FF0000;"><b>WARNING WARNING WARNING! </b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FF0000;">PICTURE CONTAINING GRAPHIC DETAILS</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikXweJYIbQESW0vsCCQIKwYXd5uZIERFwjdVqs91O63b2dcOMbs-F8CegIb-njGjlYQiiu7kML6s1a_w4QvLvPqbM450Awy-eHF0yMs7rVRH14UCdbxmjpXPQUxjAClQgIC164eEBOB1Yv/s200/101_2069.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5576182347302006018" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 112px; " /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><br /></span></div><div><br /></div><div>I emailed the doc's nurse with the photo attached and explained the ooze and no pain and how long and all the specifics. In twenty minutes, the doc's administrative assistant called me to say that the doc had diagnosed the problem (cellulitis) and prescribed antibiotics to pick up within the hour at the pharmacy. </div><div><br /></div><div>Voila! Is that cool or what? I am so proud of me for figuring out how to do that and for thinking of that as an option to a whole day ordeal. </div><div><br /></div><div>Now, the next step is figuring out how to take care of myself in such a way I don't have ooze or a need to go to the doc... I have some ideas. Wish me luck!</div>Anita Lewandowski Brownhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01255269472173875654noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3078506428099169627.post-34172287212474058422010-01-24T11:52:00.000-06:002010-01-24T12:17:28.853-06:00The Teacher Will AppearI had an interesting lesson. It reminded me of a favorite quote from Dr. Wayne Dyer, <div><div style="text-align: center;">"When the student is ready, the teacher will appear."</div><div><br /></div><div>It was a Sunday and church didn't start till 11am but I had a few errands to run prior to getting there and, in an effort to make the most of my time (and money), decided to run the errands on the way and prior to church. It was about 9:20 when I pulled out from the house thinking I would drop some items off at my mom's and visit for a spell, run by a friend's house and then run into work. I was at the corner (only a half a block away) when my teacher appeared.</div><div><br /></div><div>Standing there on the corner, taking a sip of a canned soda and wrapped in all manner of winter gear was "James". I should have let you know that the weather was cold. Lots of snow all over and some folks had not yet scooped their sidewalks. It was windy. James was prepared to be out in this though. He had his boots, winter coat, hat and gloves. Even with all outerwear, I realized I knew him. This was a gentleman who attends my church! </div><div><br /></div><div>I pulled up to the stop sign, rolled down the window and asked if he needed a ride somewhere. "Yes! Thank you!" and I told him to hop in. He got in, thanked me again and I asked where he was headed. "To church." He must have noticed the look on my face... remember, church didn't start for a good hour and a half AND our church is across town! Granted, we don't live in a metropolis but across town is STILL a good 5, maybe 6 miles. He continued, "my car broke down last week. Yesterday I dropped my phone and it quit working." He'd already walked about a mile when I saw him. </div><div><br /></div><div>Explaining that I had several errands before church, I told him I'd take him there first then be back before it started. He asked about my husband, how I was feeling (I've been under the weather) and warmed my heart when he said, "Sister Brown?" I turned to look at him "yes?" "You are a nice lady." Besides that incredible compliment, I learned more about him in that ten minute car ride than I had in the years we'd gone to the same church. Arriving at our destination, he was appreciative and didn't mind being there ninety minutes early. </div><div><br /></div><div>I took care of my errands and got to church on time. But all that morning, that night and even weeks later, I sit and think.... THAT man has a testimony. He knows what is important and he is committed to it NO MATTER WHAT. Nothing is going to stop him from what is important to him. Not the cold, or the miles long walk, or time. </div><div><br /></div><div>Would I do that? Not only to attend church, but for any of the other things that I claim are important in my life? </div><div><br /></div><div>I learned a lot from James that day. And he is an inspiration to me. Thank you, teacher!</div><div><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">"When the student is ready, the teacher will appear." - Dr. Wayne Dyer</div><div><br /></div><div>What are YOU ready to learn?</div></div>Anita Lewandowski Brownhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01255269472173875654noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3078506428099169627.post-65492157719663927552009-11-26T15:49:00.001-06:002009-11-26T16:15:23.785-06:00Thanksgiving: Family and ChatterMy son and his family from Utah were here today. And my daughter and her family from Lincoln. We were missing my mom and Gordie (sick) and my youngest son (not able to travel here). Had the basic menu since I did all the cookin': turkey, smashed potatoes, gravy, stuffing, corn, dinner rolls, frog eye salad and pumpkin pie with whipped cream for dessert. It was a FUN but short time together. And I laughed....<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Here are some random things heard (in no particular order) during our time together as a family:</span><br /><br />"Where are the kids?"<br />"They're fine. They're outside. Some are counting the cats as they come out of the sewer and the others are playing ball."<br />"Sounds like when we were kids."<br /><br />"Remember when that homeless man lived out by the jungle?"<br />"What?!"<br /><br />"Seriously. When the weeds are 2 foot taller than what you are, it's a jungle."<br /><br />"Those mornings you told us to ride our bikes to swim practice in the mornings, we'd ride off, then sneak back when you weren't looking, hide the bikes in the jungle, then climb up in the fort and sleep."<br /><br />"I get that and that and that when she dies."<br />"My mom has more Facebook friends than I do."<br />"The apothecary has all those drawers. Do you know what is in them?"<br />"When your mom dies we're going to be making A LOT of sandwiches to feed people."<br />"Two drawers down, three over. Should be candles. It's kind of alphabetically arranged."<br />"She has like 7, 8, probably 9 times more Twitter followers than I do."<br />"You Twitter?"<br />"I'm like 'Mom, will you Retweet me?'"<br />"What's in this drawer then."<br />"You sound really messed up with this friend thing."<br />"Will you Retweet me once a week?"<br /><span style="font-style: italic;">(sometimes you have several conversations going on at once...You have to focus to keep up!)</span><br /><br />run, run, run <span style="font-size:180%;">BAM!</span> (silence) <span style="font-size:180%;">WAHHHHH! OWWWW!</span><br />"Holy cow, did you see how far he bounced off that sliding glass door? He was at a full sprint!"<br />"Are you okay?"<br />"Why didn't you tell me you were going to do that? I could've filmed it and won $10,000. I would've split it with you. "<br />"Wow, he's going to have a goose egg. Do you want an ice pack?"<br /><br />"Hola!"<br /><br />"Hey, don't throw concrete when you're out there."<br /><br />"I want to sign her cast too."<br /><br />"Can I have another piece of pie?" Please?"<br /><br />"This rock has a fossil in it, can I have it?"<br /><br />"I was counting on Trev being here. That's why there's an entire 'nother pot of smashed potatoes. I don't know how to pare down when he's not here to eat them."<br />"Freeze them and send to him."<br />"When he was in Lincoln last week, he wanted to eat at Old Country Buffet. Remember when he just got an entire plate full of mashed potatoes and gravy? Like every time we went there?"<br />"Who broke the news to him that it's a senior center now?"<br />"They probably had mashed potatoes there."<br /><br />"You're going to use the red pitcher for gravy?? I've <span style="font-weight: bold;">got</span> to get a picture of that."<br />"Do <span style="font-weight: bold;">not</span> put that on your blog."<br /><br />"...I remember that. I bent down to tie my shoe and Jared bolted, it was just me. Then you came into the room with your arms full and said, 'Do you know what this is?!'"<br /><br />"No no! Don't scrape your dishes in the sink! I don't have a garbage disposal. You have to scrape them into the trash."<br />"Really?"<br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">(during a lull in the dinner conversation) </span>"Yeah, the way we can get all the kids to be quiet is to feed them."<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">I cannot wait to do it all again next time. (And learn some more things that I never did know happened when they were growing up!)</span>Anita Lewandowski Brownhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01255269472173875654noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3078506428099169627.post-79883651514586889482009-11-01T09:36:00.000-06:002009-11-01T09:55:44.268-06:00<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size:180%;">I am stressed out!</span><br /></div><br />Then <a href="http://www.mirroredwindows.com/">Ralph</a> said he heard something like this from Wayne Dyer...<br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Go get a bucket and fill it up with stress. </span> <span style="font-style: italic;">...What?! You can't do it? Why not?</span><br /><br />Because stress is all about perception.<br />It's not something we can go "get".<br />It's something we invent. <br />Stress is "our response to events we perceive as threatening to our needs".<br />Key word in here... PERCEPTION!<br /><br />Perception.<br />My sister-in-law is the general manager for a large casino. Lots of employees. Lots of responsibility. Lots of change. Lots of stress.<br />She was talking to a family member, saying how stressed she was.<br />The family member, a server at the casino, said "I know what you mean!"<br />Oh my gosh, what is going on in her life that I don't know about? What could be so bad? "What is going on?" she asked.<br />"I am three issues of PEOPLE magazine behind in my reading and it's so stressful!"<br />Perception.<br /><br />Perception.<br />I know a gal who moved here from the Washington DC suburbs. Keep that in mind. DC suburbs to small town Nebraska.<br />She was in the car with a friend, stopped at traffic signals at a highway and street intersection near our mall. (A whole 'nother pecerption issue. What is a mall? I digress.) The friend was apologizing about "all the traffic!"<br />The gal from DC said she looked around. Saw about 7 cars ... and rolled her eyes.<br />Perception. <br /><br />We each have our own perception of STRESS, too!<br />We perceive it, we think it, we invent it.<br /><br />So what I've been trying to do is this.<br />When I'm stressed about something, I find the blessing.<br />Like ...<span style="font-style: italic;">"My neck and shoulder hurt so bad! Thank goodness for Tylenol."</span><br />or ... <span style="font-style: italic;">"I really don't like all the driving I have to do. Thank goodness I don't have to take a hand cart or a horse!"</span><br />or ... <span style="font-style: italic;">"I don't have time to get all the things done I really want to. Need to! Thank goodness I have a washer, dryer, dishwasher (go on and on) and don't have to do all that the old fashioned way!"</span><br />or ... <span style="font-style: italic;">"My job is so stressful. They don't understand me. They don't appreciate me. They drive me crazy! Thank goodness I have a job to go to."</span><br />or ... <span style="font-style: italic;">"Gas went up again?! It costs a fortune to drive. Thank goodness I </span><span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;">have</span><span style="font-style: italic;"> a car."</span><br />or ... <span style="font-style: italic;">"My family drives me nuts! Why do they do what they do?! God love 'em and thank goodness God loves me for putting them in my life."</span><br /><br />You get the gist. I hope this little tip will help you like it's helped me.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">I reframe my thoughts and look for the good. </span> <span style="font-weight: bold;">It helps me stay balanced. </span><br /><br />In abundance,<br />Anita Lewandowski BrownAnita Lewandowski Brownhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01255269472173875654noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3078506428099169627.post-79781293401481089972009-10-24T18:34:00.000-05:002011-02-27T08:37:15.377-06:00Just say "NO"<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdzdR7P8z4ToRlCc6LTatIkjfM44rKD-URmqddGFLQQY3rn757v4ivHobxheNR3B6Jgzs4KubrFeh1jAw1_7E8mWBiICBLHHO1wP34UlUjRHmG8GudjMappfEgPCfahIWJv4OeAuXb97gt/s1600/just_say_no-1.gif"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdzdR7P8z4ToRlCc6LTatIkjfM44rKD-URmqddGFLQQY3rn757v4ivHobxheNR3B6Jgzs4KubrFeh1jAw1_7E8mWBiICBLHHO1wP34UlUjRHmG8GudjMappfEgPCfahIWJv4OeAuXb97gt/s200/just_say_no-1.gif" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5578377651031173426" /></a><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#0000EE;"><u><br /></u></span></div><div>I am the poster child for not being able to say no. For some reason, my actions stem from the belief that I need to take care of others before myself.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;">WRONG, WRONG, WRONG!</div><br />I remember about nine years ago when I ended up in the hospital, because of a disease of choice (yes, you read that right. I made choices that resulted in this condition.) I was in the hospital for over a week and my then-90 year old grandmother (who by the way is THE most wise person I know) wrote me a note as she was unable to come visit. She said, <strong>"Anita, you must learn to take care of yourself. If you don't take care of yourself, you will not be able to even help those around you."<br /></strong><br />Now I would like to say that I arose from that hospital bed, completely changed my life and I am a different person making altogether different choices because of that profound statement. I didn't. I am still working on it. All these years later. But I AM getting better.<br /><br />Do you know that every time you say "yes" to something, you are saying "no" to something else?<br />That if you say "yes" to everything, then NOTHING is of real importance? You've just leveled the playing field to say everything is of the same importance. </div><br /><div><br />Yes, it is easy when someone says, "Are you busy?" to say "no".<br />When they say "Got a minute?" we say "sure". </div><br /><div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>Be thoughtful when you answer.</b></div></div><br /><div>If you are busy, say "yes, can we schedule a time to meet?" and when they want a minute of your time, say "no, can we schedule some time later?" </div><br /><div>It's <strong>your</strong> 1440 minutes in a day. Yours to use. Or... yours to give away.<br /><br />Some of you may remember the song "Cat's in the Cradle". The whole gist of this song is of a man who works all the time and all his boy wants is to spend time with his dad. The dad is too busy. The son grows up. The man retires. The man then aches for a connection with his family but now the son is too busy. "He'd grown up just like me" the man laments, realizing all too late that he sacrificed the <strong>best</strong> he could've had (a lasting relationship with his son) because he was busy with the <strong>good </strong>(providing and working for his family). Priorities. It's all about priorities.<br /><br />USA TODAY did a survey many years ago to find out how much time the average dad spent in one-on-one conversation with their child in the average week (not yelling or screaming). The sad result was 7 minutes.<br />Is that child important? YES<br />Is that child <em>a priority</em>? Not really. I mean, he's going to be around for awhile, right? In some cases, they're still around in their twenties and thirties! :)<br /><br />Priorities. What are you saying yes to?<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;">Practice this: </div></div><div style="text-align: center;">The next time someone asks you to (fill in the blank) say "No thanks" </div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">OR </div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">you can just buy some time so you make a right (for you) decision and say "Let me think about it". </div><br /><div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><strong>We need to learn to say "No thanks" 10 times more than we say "yes" because, again, if we are saying "yes" to <i>everything</i>, </strong></div><div style="text-align: center;"><strong>we are saying "no" to something important.</strong></div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><strong><br /></strong></div><div style="text-align: center;"><strong><div><br /></div></strong></div>In Abundance, <div>Anita Lewandowski Brown<br /><div><strong></strong> </div><br /><div><strong></strong> </div><br /><div><strong></strong> </div></div>Anita Lewandowski Brownhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01255269472173875654noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3078506428099169627.post-16320652232937534172009-10-04T18:50:00.000-05:002009-10-05T12:38:13.673-05:00Stop and smell the Roses? Stop and Look and Listen to All You're Missing<ul><li>Do you stop and look at the sky, maybe watching the clouds as they move across the sky, always changing and moving?</li><li>Do you stop and listen to the cacophony of noises at dusk, when the birds and other animals are settling in for the night?</li><li>Have you ever noticed how many colors of green there are? Or marvel at the way the sun skips off the top of moving water? Or smile over the playfulness and awkwardness of young puppies playing and rolling around, tripping over their own big paws? Or listen - just listen - to your favorite CD, whatever it is? Not driving, just sitting, eyes closed, enjoying?</li></ul><br /><div style="text-align: center; font-weight: bold;">How much beauty do we miss in the average day?<br /></div><br /><a href="http://view.picapp.com/default.aspx?term=waterfalls&iid=5756974" target="_blank"><img style="width: 304px; height: 413px;" src="http://cdn.picapp.com/ftp/Images/1/0/8/5/Fall_Creek_Falls_bdce.JPG?adImageId=4269493&imageId=5756974" alt="Fall Creek Falls" border="0" /></a><script type="text/javascript" src="http://cdn.pis.picapp.com/IamProd/PicAppPIS/JavaScript/PisV4.js"></script><br /><br />I read the following and it made me ponder the questions - what do I not even notice? or what do I notice but no make the time to enjoy and be grateful for?<br /><br /><a href="http://view.picapp.com/default.aspx?term=violinist%20playing&iid=3260901" target="_blank"><img src="http://cdn.picapp.com/ftp/Images/c/0/1/9/Palestinian_Checkpoint_Violinist_01cf.jpg?adImageId=4269173&imageId=3260901" alt="Palestinian Checkpoint Violinist Plays At Nablus University" border="0" height="164" width="234" /></a><script type="text/javascript" src="http://cdn.pis.picapp.com/IamProd/PicAppPIS/JavaScript/PisV4.js"></script><br /><br />In a Washington DC Metro Station on a cold January morning in 2007, a violinist played six Bach pieces for about 45 minutes. During that time approximately two thousand people went through the station, most of them on their way to work. After three minutes, a middle-aged man noticed there was a musician playing. He slowed his pace and stopped for a few seconds and then hurried to meet his schedule.<br /><ul><li>Four minutes later, the violinist received his first dollar: a woman threw the money in the till and without stopping continued to walk. </li><li>Six minutes later, a young man leaned against the wall to listen to him, then looked at his watch and started to walk again. </li><li>Ten minutes later, a three year-old boy stopped but his mother tugged him along hurriedly, as the kid stopped to look at the violinist. Finally the mother pushed hard and the child continued to walk, turning his head the whole time. This action was repeated by several other children. Every parent, without exception, forced them to move on. </li><li>Forty-five minutes the musician played. Only six of the people stopped and stayed for a while. About twenty gave him money but continued to walk their normal pace. He collected $32.</li><li>An hour later he finished playing and silence took over. No one noticed. No one applauded. There was no recognition. </li></ul><span style="font-weight: bold;">Now, as Paul Harvey would say, the rest of the story...</span><br />No one knew this but the violinist was Joshua Bell, one of the best musicians in the world. He played one of the most intricate pieces every written, with a violin worth $3.5 million. Two days before, Joshua Bell sold out a theatre in Boston where the seats averaged $100.<br /><br />This was organized by the Washington Post as part of a social experiment about perception, taste and people's priorities. The questions raised - Do we perceive beauty? Do we stop to appreciate it? Do we recognize talent in an unexpected context?<br /><br />If we do not have a moment to stop and listen to one of the best musicians in the world playing some of the finest music every written, with one of the most beautiful instruments... What else are we missing?<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size:180%;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">What are you missing?</span><br /></span></div><br /><br />Checked at http://www.snopes.com/music/artists/bell.aspAnita Lewandowski Brownhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01255269472173875654noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3078506428099169627.post-43291946986795203212009-10-04T12:19:00.000-05:002009-10-04T12:19:00.773-05:00Are you stressed: Make another choice<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size:130%;">Are you stressed?</span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">Do little, ordinary things that go wrong in your daily life just...<br /><span style="font-size:180%;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">PUT YOU OVER THE EDGE!? </span></span></span><br /></div><br />They do me sometimes. In fact, let's be honest... A LOT of times. It could be the person who doesn't speak when you answer the ringing telephone (because it's a machine calling most likely) or the person in the car in front of you who is going f-i-f-t-e-e-n m-i-l-e-s a-n h-o-u-r and you are the biggest rush to get to work, to an appointment... wherever it is you probably should've been there 10 minutes ago because your schedule is thistight every day, all the time. I could go on and on with the things that stress me out but I'm sure you are picturing your own scenarios.<br /><br />Let's switch gears for a minute.<br />Have you ever seen a gerbil in their cage? watched them run on their little "wheel"?<br />Have you ever noticed how they get off the wheel?<br />Think about it... Let me tell you what happens. They run on their little wheel until, because of exhaustion, the FALL off! They fall off and knock themselves out!<br /><br />And... when they come to.... they immediately get back on the wheel.<br /><br />Now my next question to you is... "How many of you are gerbils?"<br /><br />(My hand sheepishly goes up.) I teach this stuff! I know this stuff! But, time and time again, I rush, rush, hurry, hurry, stress, stress until... I get knocked out. Happened just this week (again) when I ended up at the ER, complications of chronic ulcers... caused by ... stress. And after about four days of doing absolutely nothing (my equivalent of being knocked out), I come to (can actually function again) and here I go, jumping on the darned wheel again. I'll take a shower in a minute and run to give a presentation at a local church. I'll run by work (haven't been there in four days) and catch up a bit. Come home, do dishes, laundry, probably vacuum and go to bed at a decent time (one point for me there for actually planning to go to bed at a decent time. I do know sleep is important.) Tomorrow I'll get up early, get to work, work till noon then take off on a 2 1/2 hour trip, visit and home by about 11pm. I hear the hum of the "wheel" already.<br /><br />You may be nodding your head saying "Yes, that's the way I've always done it, too." But I have news for you! Today... today you can "choose to do it different!"<br /><br />I choose NOT to get on the wheel today.<br />I have committed to the speaking engagement, but afterwards I choose to visit and spend time with my 98 year old grandma. I choose to come home and make the most beautiful piece of peanut butter toast (about all I can keep down right now) and serve it to myself on a beautiful plate and make the presentation exquisite! None of this standing at the sink and inhaling it today. I choose to spend some time with that book I've been wanting to ready for six months and can never "justify" spending my valuable time on. I choose to just lay on the couch and listen to my newest "Wicked" CD and get lost in the music. I choose to journal about my feelings. I choose to NOT get back on that wheel. At least for today. <span style="font-weight: bold;">To honor my self, my spirit, my emotions and my body and take care of it and treat it with love today. </span><br /><br />I know this stuff. I teach it.<br />A wise Ralph told me... "The longest journey is the one from the head to the heart."<br />Making what you KNOW part of who you ARE.<br /><br />I'm working on it.<br />Now, next time you fall off that wheel when you come to just lay there for a minute and think before you act. Before you get back on that wheel, reflect and discover how YOU can honor yourself today.<br /><br />Because loving yourself is the best thing you can do for those you love.<br /><br />In abundance,<br />Anita Lewandowski BrownAnita Lewandowski Brownhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01255269472173875654noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3078506428099169627.post-54455305660367338392009-09-27T17:02:00.001-05:002009-10-11T15:27:43.974-05:00A Lesson from Emma: Reacting to Things that Scare Us<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjewKoNfgCA8IcGdDuzGGBg1nxHYqfKGQtWLHySTfRIeCp5Lwr6qMGmZd0EdG6so_ir2GWisxvJuDsgoqz1teWO50veTx71YIHjP0Tkb7SWRS1nZNApKZOg4P7VGeIaPrQdF3WkvUXcZ3eK/s1600-h/emma+sue.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 213px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjewKoNfgCA8IcGdDuzGGBg1nxHYqfKGQtWLHySTfRIeCp5Lwr6qMGmZd0EdG6so_ir2GWisxvJuDsgoqz1teWO50veTx71YIHjP0Tkb7SWRS1nZNApKZOg4P7VGeIaPrQdF3WkvUXcZ3eK/s320/emma+sue.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5386337017367064658" border="0" /></a><br />The funniest thing I ever did see.... and one of the best lessons I ever did learn.<br /><img src="file:///C:/Users/Anita/AppData/Local/Temp/moz-screenshot.jpg" alt="" /><img src="file:///C:/Users/Anita/AppData/Local/Temp/moz-screenshot-1.jpg" alt="" /><img src="file:///C:/Users/Anita/Desktop/emma%20sue.jpg" alt="" /><img src="file:///C:/Users/Anita/Desktop/emma%20sue.jpg" alt="" /><br />My granddog was staying with me for a few days and I needed to mow the lawn. I thought Emma, an Australian shepherd, would enjoy spending a few hours outside with me while I was taking care of things. I knew we were in for an "adventurous" couple of hours when I started the mower.... "vrm. Vrm. vrm. VROOOOOOMMMMMMM!", the mower started and Emma was over to investigate in a New York minute!<br /><br />She barked and she jumped at the mower. She barked and barked and growled and jumped again at the mower. She got down on her front two feet and growled and lunged toward it again and again. Even as I put the mower in motion, she was at "its" heels, jumping toward and growling and barking the entire hour and a half.<br /><br />At first it was funny. Then it became annoying. Then it became a lesson.<br /><br />I got to thinking how sometimes we want to beat down and destroy the things we fear. We act tough - possibly putting on a front so they don't figure out that it is we, who are truly frightened. We want to pounce on them and smother them so they never again make a sound or upset us.<br /><br />But perhaps these things that scare us, frighten us, upset us - perhaps they are a tool to help "sharpen" us, to "prune" us or to make us more beautiful (inside or out).<br />Perhaps they make us better and actually make our lives easier in the long run. (Can you imagine taking care of your lawn WITHOUT a mower? Might be time to buy a goat!)<br /><br />Thank you, Emma, for helping me look at life in another way.<br />... And that reminds me - time to go mow the lawn!Anita Lewandowski Brownhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01255269472173875654noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3078506428099169627.post-38399349325588364682009-09-27T09:51:00.001-05:002009-10-11T15:41:19.807-05:00Honor to the Survivors: Learning from themHistory. His Story.<br />Let me share some of His Story about living in Nazi concentration camps.<br /><br />My eleven year old granddaughters and I recently attended a special event at the Strategic Air and Space Museum where a Holocaust survivor was to speak. The Museum had hosted a photography exhibit entitled "Portraits of Survival", with photos of survivors and brief comments about their life during that time and now. It was life-changing for all three of us.<br /><br />The exhibit hosted over 57,000 visitors from around the world in the last 90 days. In reading comments left by those who experienced the show, I believe that they, too, had their lives altered in some way.<br /><br /><a href="http://view.picapp.com/default.aspx?term=Holocaust%20survivors&iid=4165201" target="_blank"><img src="http://cdn.picapp.com/ftp/Images/8/e/c/1/Survivors_Of_Warsaw_5c51.jpg?adImageId=5139917&imageId=4165201" alt="Survivors Of Warsaw Ghetto Uprising Immortalised In New Movie" border="0" height="234" width="234" /></a><script type="text/javascript" src="http://cdn.pis.picapp.com/IamProd/PicAppPIS/JavaScript/PisV4.js"></script><br /><br /><div style="text-align: right;"><a href="http://view.picapp.com/default.aspx?term=Holocaust survivors&iid=4165206" target="_blank"><img src="http://cdn.picapp.com/ftp/Images/a/6/7/2/Survivors_Of_Warsaw_3a98.jpg?adImageId=5140147&imageId=4165206" width="234" height="234" border="0" alt="Survivors Of Warsaw Ghetto Uprising Immortalised In New Movie" /></a><script type="text/javascript" src="http://cdn.pis.picapp.com/IamProd/PicAppPIS/JavaScript/PisV4.js"></script><br /></div>Following are some of the things I read and learned that touched mine.<br /><br /><ul><li>"People should learn to be kind and find ways to support one another in this world." - A Survivor. What a truth we should all follow! If only we could love other people as our brothers and sisters. And know that "What affects one, affects all."<br /></li><li>Fred's mother sent him outside the train station as she knew they were going to be sent to the camps. Fred was four. Can you imagine the feelings of the mother as she did this? Sending her child to the unknown because she knew the known?<br /></li><li>"I can't hate anymore because I saw what hate did." - Joachim, an Auschwitz survivor. How can you hate people you don't even know anyway? I cannot understand this.<br /></li><li>"We worked hard not to be a burden in this country, we left Europe with nothing." - Katherine, an Auschwitz survivor. This lady and her husband are successful business people in Omaha.<br /></li><li>Bea shared that the first English words she learned where "gum" and "chocolate". "All we knew was that American always had it."</li><li>"I don't complain. I don't waste anything - somebody else does not have what we have." - Fred, World War II and Jewish survivor. If we could all be so grateful for whatever it is that we have.<br /></li></ul>And in another manner, I found out about... Irena Sendler<span style="font-size:130%;"><span style=";font-size:24;color:black;" ></span></span> <div> <div><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="color:black;">There recently was a death of a 98 year-old lady named Irena. During WWII, Irena, got permission to work in the Warsaw</span><span style="color:blue;"> </span><span style="color:black;">Ghetto as a Plumbing/Sewer specialist. She had an ulterior motive because being German she KNEW what the Nazi's plans were for the Jews. Irena smuggled infants out in the bottom of the tool box she carried and she carried in the back of her truck a burlap sack for larger kids. She also had a dog in the back that she trained to bark when the Nazi soldiers let her in and out of the ghetto. The soldiers of course wanted nothing to do with the dog and the barking covered the kids' and infants' noises...<br /><br />She managed to smuggle out and save 2500 children. She was caught and the Nazi's broke both her legs, arms and beat her severely. Irena kept a record of the names of all the kids she smuggled out and kept them in a glass jar buried under a tree in her back yard. After the war, she tried to locate any parents that may have survived and reunited the family. Most had been gassed. The children she helped got placed into foster family homes or adopted.<br /><br />What stories. The incredible stories of what happened, how people endured, coped and kept positive attitudes. What incredible insight that we can all learn from. From His Story.<br /></span></span></div></div>Anita Lewandowski Brownhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01255269472173875654noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3078506428099169627.post-66327789418212335092009-09-25T20:46:00.000-05:002009-09-27T09:50:01.066-05:00Control: How to have all you wantDo you have control in your life?<br />How does it feel to have control? To have no control?<br />What do you do? How do you handle the emotions and feelings?<br />Let's explore...<br /><br />First, a visualization... Consider the room you are in.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;">THE WALL OF NO CONTROL<br /></div>The wall to the right of you is the Wall of No Control. On this wall are all the things in life that you have No Control over. What lives on this wall?<br /><ul><li>The weather. We certainly have no control over that!</li><li>Traffic. Again, no control.<br /></li><li>If you live in Grand Island, Nebraska... Trains! We have so many trains in this town AND train tracks to navigate around. When you have one stuck on the tracks, stopped - try controlling that!</li></ul>Anything else?<ul><li>What about... other people. Once you figure out that other people live on the Wall of No Control and you accept that, your life will get oh-so-much-easier! One of the best things I got out of going to Al Anon meetings is my knowledge that this is so - I have no control over other people. I can try to influence...but I cannot control. We don't even have control over our children when they are small! Ever try to make a small child quit screaming?</li></ul>How do you feel when you're in that place of No Control? Perhaps you feel scared, anxious, mad, sad... Because those aren't normally feelings we strive to have, let's keep reading.<br /><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;">THE WALL OF COMPLETE CONTROL<br /></div>On the wall to the right, we had the Wall of No Control. And to the left of you is the Wall of Complete Control. On this wall are the things in life that you have absolute positive complete control over. What is on this wall?<br />.....<br />.....<br />I'm waiting....<ul><li>Y O U. That's it. What you say, what you think, how you feel, what goes into your mouth, what comes out of your mouth, your attitude, your actions. YOU. That's the bad news, right? No, that's the good news because you CAN control ALL of you. </li></ul>You can control what you say. Each of us has the ability to think and then speak. Unfortunately, it's easier to "blurt" and oftentimes we say things that are not what we intend. Take a minute and THINK before you speak.<br /><br />You can control what you think. What?! Yes you can. Choose to focus on the positive. Choose to look for the positive. Your brain is a computer that only does what you tell it to do and if you wake up and roll out of bed mumbling, "This is going to be an awful day," your brain will go about it's daily duties looking of EVERY AWFUL thing it can find! However, roll out of bed grateful and thankful for the opportunity to go about your business this day and your brain will LOOK for every wonderful blessing and joy there is in life. Honest!<br /><br />You can control how you feel. Eleanor Roosevelt said, "No one can make you feel inferior without your consent." How true! And no one can make you feel sad or mad or... even happy unless you choose to! These are YOUR feelings, no one else's. You control them. And how do you FEEL when you're in compete control? WONDERFUL, happy, joyous!<br />We HAVE control over the most important part of our lives - US!<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;">THE VOID IN BETWEEN<br /></div>More to ponder lies in knowing there is a void between this Wall of No Control and the Wall of Complete Control. Know that even when you can't control, you CAN adapt to the situation or influence the person.<br /><ul><li>Live with the knowledge that there are things outside your control, but you can adapt. </li><li>Live with the knowledge that there are people who may act in a way that you do not want, but you can influence. </li></ul>And when it's all said and done, we have choice. Choice to be grateful and happy for the life we are given.<br /><br />God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change,<br />The courage to change the things I can,<br />And the wisdom to know the difference.<br /><br />How does it feel to have control over your life?Anita Lewandowski Brownhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01255269472173875654noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3078506428099169627.post-2745295178204364952009-07-05T09:01:00.000-05:002009-07-05T09:21:40.789-05:00Networking - A little thing with HUGE results!<blockquote></blockquote><blockquote>"We are all connected, like a net we cannot see." <br />- NYC cab driver</blockquote>This one of my favorite quotes and I can't even give real credit to the great mind that spoke it! You all know it's true...You meet someone somewhere and within 5-10 minutes you find you had the same high school English teacher, you have a mutual friend, you have the same vehicle or each have a red front door. Some weird connection you may have never guessed. And... I believe that connections are one of the most important thing you have going for you!<br /><br />More people are afraid of walking into a room, striking up a conversation and networking than you would imagine! So what do you do? Well, if you really believe connections are important, you suck it up and thank God for this wonderful opportunity! <br /><br />Here are a couple of hints and suggestions for "working a room":<br /><br /><ul><li>Have your "hello" ready. Walk up, extend your hand and greet someone. "Hello, I'm Anita. I'm so glad to be here because...." Remember, the "roof" is your connection if you don't have another. You are both in the same place so talk about what or why you're there. </li><li>Take advantage of things going on - ask them what they thought of the program or speaker you just heard, or what you're about to hear. Ask them what they thought of the food. The tip here is ASK QUESTIONS. Someone once told me, "Anita, you can talk to anyone." No. I can ask questions and listen and take cues to ask more questions. </li><li>If two people are talking - face to face - and it appears they are in their own conversation, don't bother them. On the other hand, if they are more side to side, an open triangle so to speak, it's an open invitation to join them. I know it's scary but suck it up and do it anyway. If you walk up and try to introduce yourself and they don't acknowledge you, that's fine, not a big deal, walk away and try someone else. There are others out there wanting to connect and meet YOU.</li><li>Once you strike up a conversation with someone, don't monopolize their time. Talk for a short while then excuse yourself and go meet someone else new. If you're shy, like me, you'll WANT to hang there. I mean you've found a nice person and you're talking.... isn't that the point? Well, yes but also to meet many people while you're here. Not just one. Meet, connect and cultivate. That's what networking is all about. We're working on the "meet and connect" part right now.</li><li>Let them know you've enjoyed visiting with them, that you'd like to keep in contact and ask for their contact information. Always ask for theirs first. Don't just hand them your card. You don't want to be perceived as the smarmy sales person who is there to hand out as many business cards as they can. Be interested in THEM. It's all about THEM, not you. Any benefits you receive are secondary. </li><li>When they do give you a card, look at it. Look at them. Don't just take it and shove it in your pocket or purse. Be genuinely interested. And then ask if they'd like your contact info. You may want to take notes on the back of the card so you can remember key things you visited about, but don't do that in front of them - do this later on. </li><li>Thank them for their time, use their name, mention one thing you're really glad you talked about or found out and - if this is really something you mean - tell them you'll be contacting them soon. Be sincere. If you really have no intention of contacting them, why say that?<br /></li></ul>Hopefully this has given you some ideas on networking with a big group of people. There are so many other things we can talk about in regards to networking... more some day later. Right now, I'm going to take my granddog for a walk!Anita Lewandowski Brownhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01255269472173875654noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3078506428099169627.post-52080332626803726092009-06-25T16:18:00.000-05:002009-06-25T16:51:54.012-05:00<div style="text-align: left;">Tonight is our <a href="http://toastmasters.org">Toastmaster</a> annual dinner/banquet. The one were we recognize all the INCREDIBLE Toastmasters we have in our club and install our new officers. Georg and I are charter members - we were members of the club when it was brand new back in 1990! Can you believe it! That's almost 20 years of learning abut and more so PRACTICING communication skills. The skills that will truly unleash your potential and are key to your success.<br /></div><br />You see, I believe that success in life, in relationships, in society, in your career are all related to two things. And these two things are inter-related.<br /><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);font-size:130%;" ><span style="font-weight: bold;">COMMUNICATION </span></span><br />(including speaking, listening, verbal and nonverbal skills, and even messaging skills!)<br />and<br /><span style="color: rgb(102, 51, 255);font-size:130%;" ><span style="font-weight: bold;">NETWORKING</span></span><br /> (which is all about how you relate to people, how they relate to you and how you care - if you care - about them)<br /></div><br /><span style="color: rgb(51, 102, 255); font-weight: bold;">Communication</span><br />I joined Toastmasters because I would become physically sick if I had to stand and give my name. Imagine that! Having these tendencies was not beneficial in my career OR my personal life. I would just as soon no one look at me or notice I was there. How's that for an exceptional way to sabotage yourself? Now I'm very comfortable in a speaking, teaching/training or facilitating role. All because I practiced, I had people who were willing to provide feedback and I was teachable enough to not take offense to it but used that feedback to my advantage. Here are your steps in becoming a proficient speaker:<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">First</span>, you need to be comfortable and not throw up!<br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Second</span>, you need to have your comments in a logical order so they flow and it is easy to follow you and what you are saying.<br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Third </span>you need to listen. Listen to what they say. Listen to what they don't say. Listen to their eye contact, their body language. You can see if your message is getting through or if you need to engage them in any one of a number of ways. Do you need to throw a question out to the audience? Do you need to change your approach and add a personal story or quote? Do you need to change your planned presentation and use a visual to pull them in.<br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Fourth, fifth and so on</span> includes things like adding meaningful gestures, pauses, speaking at a comfortable rate of speech (comfortable for them, not you), posture, using visuals, eye contact, word emphasis and so on.<br /><br />With <span style="font-weight: bold;">emailing</span>, you should consider many of the same things!<br /><ol><li>Be comfortable with your writing. If you're not, find a mentor or someone who will read through your emails before you send them and give you hints and helps. </li><li>Use a logical order. Introduce your topic and get their attention. Tell them what is in it (reading the article) for them. Concentrate of 5 (+/- 2) key points and give examples, stories or facts to back those up.<br /></li><li>Summarize and leave them with a plan of action. What do you want them to do as a result of this interaction. </li></ol><br />Consider the same things when you send an email as when you give a speech or presentation.<br />Communication is communication, no matter how you're engaged in the process.<br /><br />Now on to NETWORKING! The little thing that makes a <span style="font-size:180%;">HUGE</span> difference in your relationships. <br /><br />...But this will wait till our next post as I gotta get ready for a banquet!<br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">To success in all-ways, </span><br />Anita Lewandowski Brown<br /><a href="http://www.Anitaspeaks.net"></a>Anita Lewandowski Brownhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01255269472173875654noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3078506428099169627.post-48879917529903187962008-04-27T10:41:00.001-05:002008-04-27T10:49:18.638-05:00Speaking...You know I never much liked speaking when I was a kid - it called too much attention to myself and I sure didn't want anyone noticing me, much less LOOKING at me! I would do whatever it took to get out of a speaking assignment - in fact, took journalism in high school as it was the ONLY way to skip speech class requirements. Now... after almost 20 years as a Toastmaster, I wonder if I would have accomplished more, influenced more, done more if I would have taken advantage of those opportunities.<br /><br />Now I realize the importance of being able to share your ideas, share your thoughts, share your listening ear... I know that you are judged every time you open your mouth. And also on the times when you don't. I understand that it is a skill that ANYONE can gain... if they are willing to step outside the comfort zone and face fear head on. And, hey, I still get butterflies when I get up to speak... and it's okay! I've lived through every speaking engagement I've ever had.<br /><br />Thank goodness for that boss who "strongly suggested" I join a Toastmasters club that was forming for I've discovered that I have a gift for speaking and touching others through my words and lessons and in sharing all the information and knowledge I've gained! I'll be blogging about random thoughts, ideas and things that I find interesting and worth investing my time to write and your time to read. I'm open to thoughts and ideas, too...Anita Lewandowski Brownhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01255269472173875654noreply@blogger.com2