quiet by susan cain

I found a book at Carolina Bookstore in Cuenca; it’s called Quiet The Power of Introverts in a World That Can’t Stop Talking. It’s written by Susan Cain. I don’t think this book could have been written any better. To read it is to have a clear understanding of what it means to be an introvert. And, if you’re an extrovert, you’ll discover things about yourself that will enhance your life; things you never stopped to think about before because you were always so busy. I’m an introvert and, for most of my life, have been surrounded by a lot of extroverts. And, so I say, If you’re an introvert Quiet will rescue you from thinking you’re a bit anti-social. And if you’re an extrovert, Quiet will enhance your life by giving you a chance to take a breather from your daily strivings. So . . . introvert and extrovert, this well-researched, wonderfully interesting, completely absorbing book just might give you both a new lease on life.

Could Quiet possibly be one of the best books extroverts and introverts can give each other – on this special day? Quite possibly, yes.

Happy Valentine’s Day and ¡Feliz Día de la Amistad! (Day of Friendship in Latin America) to all you introverts and extroverts!

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cafe, tinto, por favor. Gracias.

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Nescafe is usually served in many restaurants in Cuenca. I can’t help but wonder how that ever happened. Thankfully, there are two places a few busy blocks from where I live, the El Centro area, that have coffee from Loja, the southern part of Ecuador. And that is something to get really excited about.

20130827-164846.jpg walking down the block the smell of coffee attacks. I like that.

20130827-165230.jpg It was necessary to substitute my wonderful French Press for what is seen in the pitcher in the photo. That’s when I discovered that as long as quality coffee is put into that little white (well, it used to be white) bag, along with the right coffee to water measurement, the end result is as good as making it in a French Press – a little more work, but worth it.

20130827-165844.jpg My Spanish is non-existent at the moment, which means I go along the streets and enter shops unable to ask the simplest of questions.

20130827-170911.jpgThe young person in the photo next to the coffee grinder works at the cafe where people happily purchase a cup, or a pound. She’s very good at pantomiming, and for now that is our form of communication.

I’m still waiting for the sun to stay long enough to warm an apartment made of stone and cement. It’s chilly in Cuenca, Ecuador. Should you decide to vacation here, bring a few warm clothes, oh, yes, and an umbrella.

Let’s wish each other the loveliest of evenings.

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“Not all who wander are lost.” J.R.R. Tolkien

“Ever since happiness heard your name, it has been running through the streets trying to find you.” – Hafiz

“Emancipate yourself from mental slavery; none but ourselves can free our minds.” – Bob Marley

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rick archer and steve m. taylor

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I watched an interview with Rick Archer interviewing Steve Taylor who wrote Back To Sanity: Healing the Madness of Our Minds. Have you read it? I would describe it by using two words taken from Emmet Fox’s writings. Back To Sanity was for me “thrillingly interesting.”

Some questions seem to not have satisfactory answers, and that certainly includes the ones about spirituality. Well, if you’re ready to hear a meaningful dialogue about the state of our world, awakening, the ego, and some other rather important and interesting subjects having to do with the human race, you’ve nothing to lose and much to gain by sitting quietly and watching and listening attentively to the Buddha at the Gas Pump interview. www.batgap.com

A short meditation at the end by Steve Taylor, and a reading by him of two of his poems guides the listener, along with the rest of the interview, to a new kind of knowing. About what? you ask. I have a feeling that if you’re reading this, you already know. www.stevenmtaylor.co.uk

The interview is long (shorter than a movie though) but if I didn’t think it well-worth our attention, mum would have been the word.

On Rick Archer’s website are many other interviews, and if they’re as good as the one I just heard, we’re in for some exceptional listening.

I hope your weekend was as lovely as mine was. Tomorrow is Monday. Let’s say Hooray! to that.

Sweet dreams.

michael

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Hello, my name is Frances, and I’m usually the one posting on this blog. It’s been interesting, fun, and totally enjoyable. Now it’s time to add some new creative writers and bloggers to the mix. Michael is the newest edition to favorito.com (he’s been here, but in the background), and soon he’ll begin posting. He’s creative, has a dry sense of humor, and perceives life in, well, you’ll see. I’m betting he’ll write in a loosey-goosey (relaxed, calm, unperturbed) fashion because that’s usually his style. But people change, and one never knows what will appear when fingers are placed on a keyboard – to have no rules and to simply write is pure delight. These are amazing times; all kinds of information just about falls at our feet. And so, we’ll continue exploring and entertaining through writings, photos, and videos.

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“Success is not the key to happiness; happiness is the key to success.”
– Albert Schweitzer, 20th century Nobel Peace Prize Winning Medical Missionary and Philosopher
(taken from The Power by Rhonda Byrne)

“just label it”

The name of the website www.justlabelit.org and the following important message says it all. I copied it from an email I received after subscribing to the website. After reading it, if you want, click on to the website and add your name to the list.

“Help us find 5,000 new people to contact the FDA in the next 5 days!

Tell your friends and family why you support the labeling of genetically engineered foods with just a few clicks!

We have a right to know how the food we buy is produced. Yet the FDA’s current policy does not provide us with the ability to make informed choices about genetically engineered foods because they are not labeled.

Over forty countries – including Russia and China – require the labeling of genetically engineered foods. We have the power to fix this here in the United States, and there’s never been a more pressing time.

The FDA is on the brink of approving genetically engineered salmon, which would be the first genetically engineered animal on supermarket shelves in the United States. The salmon is engineered to produce growth hormones year-round that cause the fish to grow at twice the normal rate. The government already requires labels to tell us if fish is wild-caught or farm-raised – don’t we also have a right to know if our salmon is genetically engineered? But without labels, we’ll never know.

You stood with more than one million Americans for our right to know by contacting the FDA demanding that genetically engineered foods be labeled. But there are so many others who haven’t heard anything about the reasons to label genetically engineered foods.

Will you tell your friends, family, and colleagues why genetically engineered foods should be labeled and ask them to join you in contacting the FDA? Click here to send them a message!

You’re not alone in your support of this issue. Not only have more than a million people already contacted the FDA, but studies show that 91% of Americans support mandatory labeling of genetically engineered foods.

We need to let the FDA know how much public support there is for this issue. It’s our job to show them how many of us care about labeling genetically engineered foods. That’s why it’s so important to tell friends and family about this issue and the need for labeling. Can we count on you to spread the word?

Please, send a message to your family and friends with just a few clicks and help us meet our goal of 5,000 new people in the next 5 days.

Thank you for spreading the word today.”

David Bancroft
Just Label It

Yes! Magazine

I read last month’s issue of YES! With relish and It helped me to understand what’s going on in the world. I don’t know why I didn’t come across this powerful and practical magazine before last month. YES! writers are well-versed; they tackle the nitty-gritty of today’s very important topics, those that affect all of us, and inform us about issues that are not necessarily aired in quite the same way in the media. YES! readers are given a no nonsense account of how the important issues work, or don’t, on behalf of we the people, and the many ways in which those things that pertain to us are changing due to the creative endeavors of citizens the world over. Knowing what’s actually happening, as opposed to thinking we know, lends power to daily living. www.yesmagazine.org

Check it out, there’s nothing to lose and a whole lot to gain. If you’ve been reading YES! all along, good for you, and next time you discover something of interest, tell us about it;-)

I hope you all had a marvelous weekend.

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