#FF Friday's Fab Finds: Art, Education, & Inspiration

Thought for the Day: This week I had too many finds to fit the post, so I held on to some for next week. By then I may have 15 or more to choose from! Let me know if you would like more or less finds each week. I have 5 great finds for you to explore. There are stories about amazing teachers who go above & beyond the call of duty, endangered artwork on part of the remaining segments of the Berlin Wall, a mind boggling viral video about the distribution of wealth in America, a mom's invention, that was right beneath her son's feet & how a woman overcame adversity & became a supporter & role model for homeless teens.

I hope you will have time to check these out over the weekend. While you are at it, you may want to come back to listen to Saturday's Songs for the Soul (last weeks segment featured Psychology & Music). This week I feature a songwriter who's songs have been covered by Elton John, Willie Nelson, Bonnie Raitt & Faith Hill to name just a few.  I have been fortunate enough to get to know this amazing writer who taught at one of the songwriting retreats that I organized. She has used music as therapy & in the process has helped others as well. On Sunday you can check out Sunday's Comic Strips (last week's Sundays Comic Strips) which bring a humorous look at psychology. Have a great weekend!

Here are this week's Fabulous Finds-->

1) The first find is by Julie Fishman from Mom.Me. In a slide show: Leaders to Admire, she features teachers who, "Despite budget cuts, pink slips & unions under fire, a lot of our nation’s teachers are working harder than ever. From raising money, to starting clubs, to working without pay, the 10-plus following teachers have inspired students, parents and community members with their tenacious efforts and huge hearts. Read on for your daily dose of optimism."

http://mom.me/parenting/education/6186-inspiring-teachers/

2) The second story is a find that may soon be lost. It is endangered artwork which is an integral part of the history of the Berlin Wall. A picture is worth a thousand words & this link takes you to my third fabulous find, a video on Huffington Post Arts & Culture with pictures of the historic artwork which may be destroyed. I'm not an architect, but I would suggest that they find a way to incorporate the wall into the plans. Any hotel that did would become a destination & an instant landmark.

Berlin's Famous Street Art Threatened »

3) My third fabulous find is a Video explaining the distribution of wealth in the United States.

The differences between people's impression of the distribution of wealth, the ideal people imagine & the reality of how wealth is distributed in our country may surprise you.

4) Marlo Thomas's blog share wonderful inspirational stories about women achieving their dreams. This week a story she shared is my fourth fabulous find. It tells the story of how a mother faced with her husband's chronic illness & the need for a source of income found an unmet need on a baseball field & persevered till she created a solution: Cleatskins,

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/02/25/baseball-mom-scores-big-marlo-thomas-it-aint-over_n_2759258.html?icid=maing-grid7|heroes|dl39|sec1_lnk3%26pLid%3D279314

5) Finally, my fifth find is another inspiring video about how a woman, Lauri Burns, overcame her abusive & tumultuous upbringing & what led her to becoming an advocate for foster kids & homeless teens with the Teen Project.  --> 

http://www.makers.com/lauri-burns?icid=maing-grid7|heroes|dl29|sec1_lnk3%26pLid%3D278402

I hope you like these finds & share them with your friends. Let me know what you think. Would you like me to share more or less finds? What do you think about them?

 
 

What Do You Get When You Combine Corporate Sponsors, NPOs, Academics, & Entrepreneurs?

Thought for today: It is amazing where dreams can lead if you allow yourself to keep an open mind to the opportunities that begin to open up as you move towards your dreams. Have you ever started moving towards a dream & found yourself involved in even even greater things than you imagined? 

When we would go on vacation with my father we never made hotel reservations. He loved to drive & have the freedom to adjust the trip so that he could stop to make side trips to unexpected destinations. This lead to something I'd call the psychology of unexpected discoveries. On one trip we drove across 4 of the western provinces of Canada. My father's lack of clear plans, at times lead to driving for hours until we found a motel room. On this trip, he assumed that there would be no problem finding a motel in Calgary, Alberta, since is was a large city. We arrived in Calgary around 9 PM. By 10 PM, with four tired kids & an exhausted driver he knew he was wrong. At a gas station he asked someone what was happening? It turned out that we had stumbled into town in the middle of the Calgary Stampede, the world's largest rodeo! There were no rooms at any hotel or motel in the city. Local residents had rented their homes months before the event & left town for the week. Somehow, my father convinced someone to let him rent a room in their home for the night. We slept on the floor & on couches. The next day we went to the rodeo & had one of those lifetime experiences you never forget. 

When you dream, it's important to leave room for these kinds of treasures, which happen even when you have mapped out your DPS (Dream Positioning System). Don't worry, there is always room for "recalculating" & your DPS will go on automatic pilot & take you to new adventures. Here's one of mine that just happened. These kinds of unexpected encounters leading to even larger dreams seem to keep happening since I began to work on my book. I'd love to hear how working towards a dream has led to even better things than you first imagined.

Last night, around midnight, I received an e-mail from Donnetta Campbell about the upcoming event I have been helping to organize & will be participating in next Thursday in Stamford, CT. My involvement began as part of my efforts to publicize my book & the NPOs involved in my book. Since then it has pulled me into far more powerful opportunities. At first glace the event, Wings of Change (http://www.yerwoodcenter.com/event/wings/), may appear to be just another benefit for a good cause. It is for a good cause, but it is more. The main benefactor is the Yerwood Center, an after school program in Stamford. The Yerwood Center is transforming Saks Fifth Avenue for a magical evening event 6-10 pm filled with Fashion, Art, Music, Dining, Auction & Dancing! There will be a tribute to Gene Wilder & other celebrity appearances (Joe Franklin, Kelly LeBrock). 

However, this event is much more. It is the culmination of cooperation between multiple nonprofit organizations, authors & visionaries on a mission to change the world. The day long event begins with a series of talks sponsored by corporations like GE, UBS, Barnes & Noble & Saks 5th Avenue. Topics to be covered during the day include: Learning about Mother Theresa as a CEO (Ruma Bose), Empowerment & Diversity (Gina Otto), The Value of a Woman (Joy Rose, Founder The Museum of Motherhood & Mamapollosa), Your Kids Diversity & Bullying (Wayne Soares), Would My Child Tell? (Jill Starishevsky), Wellness After Grief & Illness, & Raising Digital Kids (Digital Mom) to name a few.

In last night's e-mail an even larger picture emerged. I knew that there were plans for Donnetta Campbell's company, The Barnyard Group, to open office space in the Stamford Innovation Center. There will be an open house on Thursday from 4 to 6 PM to celebrate the new space & the new initiatives. What I did not know was the full scope of what will be happening in the Stamford Innovation Center.  

Here's what I learned about this part of the project:

  "(Stamford innovation Center is) a COMMUNITY… a team of individuals & organizations who are dedicated to helping our entrepreneurs succeed. To achieve this mission we have partnered with the City of Stamford, the State of Connecticut, & committed Corporate Sponsors. Together we will catalyze & grow the entrepreneurial ecosystem, engage the entire community, & build the critical mass needed for entrepreneurship to thrive.

  It is all about the relationships & network…

Investors (VC Firms, Angels, State Funds, Corporate Innovation Teams, Debt/Loan Providers…)

Customers (Corporate & Public Sector Customers, Gatekeepers to the Corporate Community…)

Experts (Educators, Experienced Entrepreneurs/Mentors, Industry Associations & Experts…)

Talent  (Exceptional students and a highly skilled workforce)

Service Providers (Attorneys, Accountants, Bankers, PR, Marketing, Web Design, Consultants…)"

What do you get when you combine corporate sponsors, NPOs, academics & entrepreneurs? You get the psychology of unexpected discoveries. You get innovation, opportunities, new ways to solve problems & change the world. I am excited to be part of this exciting development. I know it will lead to new dreams & ways of accomplishing dreams in multiple realms of business, nonprofit, & social entrepreneur endeavors. You can still become part of this exciting journey. Join me & other "wake up" dreamers to an opportunity to meet & learn from visionaries developing new ways to collaborate for social change! If you live in the NY, NJ or CT area, there is still time to RSVP for the free (but space is limited) workshops & open house & the gala evening event ($100 donation). For a schedule of the daytime events & to RSVP for either the workshops or the evening gala: www.yerwoodcenter.com/event/wings. For the Stamford Innovation Center's open house from 4 -6 please  RSVP here.

Please tell me know about your unexpected encounters on your way to your dreams. I'd love to hear about your adventures & discoveries on your dream journeys!