tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-40010581712107481442024-03-13T07:13:25.072-06:00Small Hands, Big IdeasSmall Hands, Big IdeasGrace Boylehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16946406185527236890noreply@blogger.comBlogger116125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4001058171210748144.post-36114908229003077792009-04-28T09:10:00.003-06:002009-04-29T15:57:45.623-06:00Small Hands, Big Ideas Has Moved!I will be redirecting soon, but thought I would say it here:<span style="font-size:180%;"> </span><span style="font-weight: bold;font-size:180%;" >I've MOVED</span>, to WordPress that is.<br /><br />I've been meaning to take the leap for a while now and I have finally done it. You can find the new Small Hands, Big Ideas at: <a href="http://smallhandsbigideas.com/">http://smallhandsbigideas.com</a>. To subscribe you can use this feed address: <a href="http://feeds2.feedburner.com/smallhandsbigideas">http://feeds2.feedburner.com/smallhandsbigideas</a><br /><br />Please scoot on over that way, because I won't be here anymore. Thanks Blogger, it's been fun and exciting starting out this blog here but I'm movin' on up.<br /><br />Yours Truly,<br />Grace<br /><br /><span style="font-size:85%;">New Blog:<a href="http://smallhandsbigideas.com/"> Small Hands, Big Ideas</a></span>Grace Boylehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16946406185527236890noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4001058171210748144.post-48184347119640600582009-04-27T09:00:00.003-06:002009-04-27T09:00:07.955-06:00A Comparison: Men VS. Women's Online BehaviorIn high school I did a <a href="http://istpp.org/enews/2002_06_20.html">science fair project</a> in conjunction with a Brain Research Institute evaluating risk-taking behavior in adolescents, while focusing on the prefrontal cortex development in the brain comparing men and women. I'm far from a science geek, but data and research like this really astounds me (hey, I even got 5th in the State of Iowa) and I think it pertains to everyday life.<br /><br />What I found and learned in high school, has helped me with relationships (personal, friendships, professional) and I'm still intrigued because men and women are so different. I know, I'm stating the obvious but did you ever wonder <span style="font-style: italic;">why?</span> Since I spend a lot of my time online, I started to find interesting studies about the <span style="font-weight: bold;">significant difference in online behavior of men versus women.</span><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_4N07k9HDqZU/SfIHmi6LPqI/AAAAAAAABTk/ScCOnDzMup4/s1600-h/dating-online-365-4-721727.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_4N07k9HDqZU/SfIHmi6LPqI/AAAAAAAABTk/ScCOnDzMup4/s400/dating-online-365-4-721727.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5328329667919953570" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:78%;">Photo Credit: <a href="http://www.come-date.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2008/07/dating-online-365-4-721727.jpg">Come Date Blog</a></span><br /></div><span style="font-style: italic;"> </span><br /><a href="http://www.pewinternet.org/%7E/media/Files/Reports/2005/Internet_Status_2005.pdf.pdf">Pew Internet Study</a> shows the that <span style="font-weight: bold;">men are "the hunters,"</span> where their status comes from how well they are able to accomplish tasks and go online, get what they're looking for, and get out. <span style="font-weight: bold;">Women are "the nurturers and gatherers,"</span> they employ social networks for information, make comparison to find the best option and maintain these connections. This can be tracked back to prehistoric age with <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hunter-gatherer">hunter-gatherers</a> and really can connect to any activity in life.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Compared with women, online men are more likely to use the Internet to:</span><br />-Check the Weather<br />-Get News<br />-Check for sports information<br />-Get Political information<br />-Get financial information<br />-Do a job-related search<br />-Download software<br />-Listen to music<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Compared with men, online women are more like to use the internet to:</span><br />-Send and receive email<br />-Get maps and directions<br />-Look for<a href="http://www.irishhealth.com/article.html?id=12046"> health and medical information</a><br />-Use websites to get support for health or personal problems<br />-Get religious information<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">More women than men send and receive email and they use it in a "richer and more engaging way."</span> Women write to friends and family, but there is a commonality between men and women that we both appreciate email for its "efficiencies and convenience."<br /><br />I find the comparison between what men and women interesting in this specific example: <span style="font-weight: bold;">After 9/11 men visited more websites to tell them about things that were happening while more women said the internet helped them find people they needed to reach. </span>There's a distinct difference between the actions of their online behavior with a curiosity versus a need to connect.<br /><br />This is an interesting concept that we choose different websites, we react differently and treat the online space differently. However, at the <a href="http://www.pewinternet.org/Reports/2005/How-Women-and-Men-Use-the-Internet.aspx">end of the study</a> the researchers cite, "our data show that men and women are more similar than different in their online lives, starting with their<span style="font-weight: bold;"> common appreciate of the internet's strongest suit: efficiency.</span>" The second strength that men and women value is the internet as a "gateway to limitless vaults of information." Of course, there is room for generality here and there are the exceptions. I believe the information is interesting but it's nice to find a common ground even amongst our inherent differences. What do you think?<br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Male or Female: Do you agree with these statistics? How do you think you're sharing or contributing to the online behavioral generalities?</span><span style="font-style: italic;"><br /></span><p><em></em></p> <p><em></em><em></em></p>Grace Boylehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16946406185527236890noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4001058171210748144.post-80780676041324989952009-04-25T10:00:00.002-06:002009-04-25T17:12:02.009-06:00Humility<div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size:130%;">"I can’t even articulate how powerful and attractive I find humility…especially in the shared presence of talent, strength and intellect. Any fool can brag and bluster – afraid that if they don’t highlight their own value, no one will notice. But it takes such unrelenting bravery, such confidence and peace to choose to be humble and understated instead."<br /></span><div style="text-align: right;"><span style="font-size:130%;"><span style="font-size:85%;">{via <a href="http://beenthinking.tumblr.com/post/94491992/last-night-i-went-to-a-fundraising-reception-for">been thinking</a>}</span></span><br /><br /><div style="text-align: left;">I couldn't agree more. I am deeply moved by humility and think it is a subtle characteristic and tool for success. I'm more apt to look up to and respect a powerful individual, who knows their worth versus someone who brags and talks about themselves (no matter how successful they really are).<br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">What do you think? Is humility as attractive to you as it is to me?</span><br /></div></div></div>Grace Boylehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16946406185527236890noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4001058171210748144.post-85951642486853904402009-04-24T09:00:00.004-06:002009-04-24T09:00:07.002-06:00Friday Linky LoveI love paying attention to everyone's digital and real-life contribution via the Web for Earth Day and beyond. Specifically, these were some of the best tips and commentary I found for your green dose.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_4N07k9HDqZU/SfDuNlp0kDI/AAAAAAAABTc/_7D0JlTU43E/s1600-h/_wikipedia_commons_9_97_The_Earth_seen_from_Apollo_17.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 399px; height: 400px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_4N07k9HDqZU/SfDuNlp0kDI/AAAAAAAABTc/_7D0JlTU43E/s400/_wikipedia_commons_9_97_The_Earth_seen_from_Apollo_17.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5328020276392529970" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:78%;">Photo Credit: <a href="http://www.boingboing.net/2009/04/22/happy-earth-day.html">BoingBoing</a></span><br /></div><br />1. Ma Vie en Vert: <a href="http://mavievert.blogspot.com/2009/04/three-ways-to-earth-friendlier-beauty.html">Making Your Beauty Regime Earth-Friendly in Four Easy Steps</a><br />2. Advertising Age: <a href="http://adage.com/article?article_id=136091">Green-Marketing Revolution Defies Economic Downturn</a><br />3. Green Living Ideas: <a href="http://greenlivingideas.com/news-events/good-ideas-earth-day">"Good" Ideas For Earth Day</a><br />4. The Happiness Zone: <a href="http://thehappinesszone.blogspot.com/2009/04/earth-day-is-my-birthday.html">Earth Day if my Birthday</a><br />5. Twilight Earth: Earth Day-<a href="http://www.twilightearth.com/2009/04/earth-day-celebration-or-environmental-guilt-forgiveness/">Celebration, Gimmick, or Eco Guilt Forgiveness Day?</a><br />6. The Good Human: <a href="http://www.thegoodhuman.com/2009/04/22/greenwash-of-the-week-earth-day-coca-cola/">Greenwash of the Week: Earth Day & Coca-Cola</a><br />7. Seventh Generation Blog: <a href="http://www.seventhgeneration.com/learn/blog/celebrating-earth-day-re-generating-some-great-ideas">Celebrating Earth Day by (Re)Generating Some Great Ideas </a><br />8. The Huffington Post: <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/craig-crawford/the-politics-of-earth-day_b_190762.html">The Politics of Earth Day</a><br />9. Daily Kos: <a href="http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2009/4/22/723219/-Happy-Earth-Day,-National-Parks%21">Happy Earth Day, National Parks</a><br />10. Boing Boing: <a href="http://www.boingboing.net/2009/04/22/happy-earth-day.html">Happy Earth Day</a>Grace Boylehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16946406185527236890noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4001058171210748144.post-51004556935840574242009-04-23T09:00:00.009-06:002009-04-23T09:22:53.989-06:00What Inspires You? Guest Post XII: Erica Prather<span style="font-style: italic;">I admire Erica's strength which became immediately evident as she jumped into the Lijit office with vigor in January and is still going strong. I get to see her pretty face across from me each day! With her </span><a style="font-style: italic;" href="http://www.examiner.com/x-3332-Denver-Dance-Examiner">writing background,</a><span style="font-style: italic;"> I knew Erica would be a great addition as the 12th in What Inspires You, especially as she is just getting into the blogging scene. </span><br /><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Erica Prather</span></span><br /><span style="font-size:100%;">Bio: A 23 year old Kansas native, Erica originally hails from Wichita, but has made homes in Lawrence, KS, New York City, and now Boulder. With a penchant for traveling and living a semi-nomadic lifestyle, Erica decide to move to Boulder in September of 2008, in search of a place (or at least state) to finally plant some roots. Armed with an English degree, stage time in plenty of ballets over the years (performing in over 50 Nutcrackers!) and a dry sense of humor, Erica enjoys the ‘Colorado Lifestyle.'</span><div id=":38" class="ii gt"> <p> </p> <p style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_4N07k9HDqZU/Sc0MXnX6GRI/AAAAAAAABNg/M36jU2jXbV8/s1600-h/n16802023_38661828_6705.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_4N07k9HDqZU/Sc0MXnX6GRI/AAAAAAAABNg/M36jU2jXbV8/s400/n16802023_38661828_6705.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5317920334840207634" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:78%;">Erica at the Ellis Island Wall of Honor, pointing to her ancestors' names from Croatia </span><br /></p><p style="text-align: center;">Blog: <a href="http://www.clickyourheelsthreex.blogspot.com/">There's No Place Like Home</a> Twitter: <a href="http://twitter.com/ericaprather">@ericaprather </a><br /></p><p>There are so many things that inspire me; including the people that have guest posted before me on this blog. I’d have to resound all of their notions that inspiration can be found everywhere; but my strongest source of inspiration comes from <i>strength. </i>It’s not always easy to be strong, but strength is one of those mysterious things that somehow replenishes itself thousand-fold without you ever really knowing it. </p> <p>Of course there is physical strength, and I admire that very much. But the kind of strength I am talking about is not physical.</p> <p>I’ve always known my entire life that the best things in life don’t come wrapped in packages or with price tags. Strength is one of those things. I come from a family of very strong individuals, and it has been stressed to me from the time I was born that being strong isn’t just a ‘good quality’ – it’s a necessity. The strength to face your fears. The strength to tell someone how you feel. The strength to be a true, honest friend. The strength to carry yourself with integrity and do the right thing, always. The strength to push yourself into doing something that might make you a little bit uncomfortable. I truly believe that all of the qualities in a person I most admire – sincerity, curiosity, independence, emotional intelligence, humility, self-awareness and self-confidence – to name a few, come from a place of strength. </p> <p>My mother always says “You come from peasant stock – your ancestors were strong farmers and worked outdoors. So are you.” I admire the strength of individuals I do not know – people such as Lance Armstrong that refuse to succumb to an illness and play the victim, and literally strongly cross the finish line. But of course I admire people in my own life that have made a difference (big or small) by merely being strong.</p> <p>Both of my parents emit this strength in everything they do – the way they love each other and their children, their commitment to their careers and their community, and the way they are each very much their own person. My father especially overcame a less than ideal childhood to not only pay for his own college education (and be the first in his family to go to college at that), but also to start his own architectural firm and raise a family. But he couldn’t have done it without the strength of my mother, who sacrificed quite a bit by always having the steady job when times are tough in the architecture industry. </p> <p>I admire the strength of my Croatian ancestors who left the former Yugoslav to seek a better life in America. I admire the strength of my friends who have lost jobs. I admire the strength people have in their beliefs. I admire the strength people carry as they battle a long illness; the list goes on.</p> <p>Sometimes strength has a negative connotation – you can be bullheaded or stubborn. As my mother says “Your biggest virtue is oftentimes your biggest vice.” </p> <p>But being strong doesn’t necessarily always have to equate to that. Strength is something that you have inside that nobody can take or buy from you; yet you can let others borrow your strength when they need it most. People and communities give each other strength when others feel they have nothing left. And you <i>always </i>have more strength than you realize. The strength to get out of bed when you don’t really feel like it. The strength to move to a place where you hardly know anyone. The strength to go about things alone. The strength to mend a broken heart after somebody has busted it into a billion pieces. The strength to carry on after a tragic loss. The strength to admit you were wrong or made a mistake and say you are sorry. The strength to cry and be vulnerable and open. We can all be strong for each other, be aware of when someone else needs our strength. </p> <p>To me, strength and hope are in the same family, and we can always use more of that. Find whatever gives you strength or empowers you – family, friends, the activities that you love to do, and dedicate time to those things every day. I can tell you right now that whoever you are, you won’t find strength in money, power, or activities that generally involve instant gratification. </p> <p>Buddhist philosopher Daisaku Ikeda says, <span style="font-style: italic;">“</span><span style="font-style: italic;">Strength is Happiness. Strength is itself victory. In weakness and cowardice there is no happiness. When you wage a struggle, you might win or you might lose. But regardless of the short-term outcome, the very fact of your continuing to struggle is proof of your victory as a human being.”</span></p> </div>Grace Boylehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16946406185527236890noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4001058171210748144.post-12238008393842269812009-04-22T13:13:00.004-06:002009-04-22T13:43:18.023-06:00Video Interview with Jun Loayza of Viralogy-Awesome Revolution<div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;">It's true, I do have small hands and (huge) ideas! If you're interested in hearing me, really my voice, no more writing here, check out the conversation and interview with <a href="http://twitter.com/JunLoayza">Jun Loayza </a>of<a href="http://awesome.viralogy.com/blogger/grace-boyle-small-hands-and-huge-ideas/"> Viralogy- Awesome Revolution</a>.<br /><br />I talk about the big risk and leap I took in moving West to Boulder, how I got my job at Lijit and find out what really drives me, my passions and the <span style="font-style: italic;">secret </span>career I've always wanted.<br /><br /></div><object classid="clsid:D27CDB6E-AE6D-11cf-96B8-444553540000" id="viddler" width="437" height="370"><param name="movie" value="http://www.viddler.com/player/1ed7069d/"><param name="allowScriptAccess" value="always"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><embed src="http://www.viddler.com/player/1ed7069d/" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" name="viddler" width="437" height="370"></embed></object><br /><br /><div style="text-align: left;">I think Viralogy's Awesome Revolution mission and series of Awesome Bloggers is fantastic. Jun gives a voice to bloggers and their community, because the human touch goes so far. Check them out on <a href="http://twitter.com/AwesomeViralogy">Twitter</a><a href="http://twitter.com/AwesomeViralogy"> </a>and their website, <a href="http://awesome.viralogy.com/">here.</a><br /></div></div>Grace Boylehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16946406185527236890noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4001058171210748144.post-32392147266037842892009-04-22T10:00:00.007-06:002009-04-22T10:00:09.351-06:00Happy Birthday Earth (and Mom)I'm happy to say that Earth Day is also my beautiful <a href="http://thehappinesszone.blogspot.com/">mother's</a> birthday and my good friend, <a href="http://www.clickyourheelsthreex.blogspot.com/">Erica</a> so big celebration to be had for these wonderful women (yes, you too Mother Earth)!<br /><br />I'm all about greening up our Earth, sustainability, eating organic (I was raised that way) and being environmentally friendly. However, I kind of feel the same way about Earth Day as I do about Valentine's Day. Why do you need <span style="font-weight: bold;">one </span>day to help the Earth? Why do you need one day expressively say you love someone? It should be habitual and part of your regular life, practice. Just a thought. Do you feel the same way?<br /><br />Either way, part of my contribution (amongst many others) today, for April 22nd was in buying my mother an <a href="http://www.outdoordecor.com/product_detail.asp?item=VCM10016">Odor Free Compost Caddy</a>. We always compost at our house, but we use a bucket which isn't too appealing and yes, can smell a bit odd after the disposed food is there too long. This green bucket is only $20.50, can hold up to 2.5 gallons and is easy to transport out to the garden or wherever you compost.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_4N07k9HDqZU/Seei28M2gcI/AAAAAAAABSk/yEK0ZsQ7gxA/s1600-h/images_products_P0032106.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 320px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_4N07k9HDqZU/Seei28M2gcI/AAAAAAAABSk/yEK0ZsQ7gxA/s400/images_products_P0032106.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5325404149145567682" border="0" /></a><span>For</span><span> other blogs contributing useful, green content on Earth Day try: <a href="http://mavievert.blogspot.com/">Ma Vie en Vert</a></span><span style="font-style: italic;">, </span><span><a href="http://www.thegoodhuman.com/">The Good Human, </a><a href="http://www.twilightearth.com/">Twilight Earth,</a> <a href="http://www.forcedgreen.com/">Forced Green</a> and <a href="http://crunchydomesticgoddess.com/">Crunchy Domestic Goddess. </a><br /></span><span style="font-style: italic;"><br />What other green gift ideas for the Earth (or someone you love) do you have up your sleeve? </span>Grace Boylehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16946406185527236890noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4001058171210748144.post-4943363808806137872009-04-20T09:00:00.006-06:002009-04-20T09:00:08.536-06:00What Inspires You? Guest Post XI: Matt Cheuvront<span style=""><span style="font-style: italic;">I only met Matt (online of course) last month, but he is a force to be reckoned with. I think his blog features really meaningful questions, thoughts and initiatives. We've been exchanging guests posts and sharing a lot of ideas which has made me realize he is just one of those people you want to talk with more. I'm happy to be featuring Matt as the 11th in this riveting, What Inspires You series.</span><br /></span><p style="font-family:georgia;"><span style="">Bio: Matt Cheuvront is a 23 year old jack-of-all-trades. His blog, <i>Life Without Pants</i>, is a reflection of his attitude on life: Free, thoughtful, and uninhibited. By day, Matt is an account manager at an <a href="http://www.buntingroup.com/" target="_blank">Ad agency </a>in Nashville, TN, buying and selling billboards, working for the weekend. But away from the nine-to-five, his passion is writing, learning, growing, and maybe watching some football, playing Xbox, and having a few beers. To dive deeper into the rabbit hole, visit Matt's blog, <a href="http://www.lifewithoutpants.com/" target="_blank">Life Without Pants.</a></span></p><p style="font-family:georgia;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_4N07k9HDqZU/SdzQv95kfnI/AAAAAAAABRM/r6UdafaSn-o/s1600-h/mail.google.com.jpeg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_4N07k9HDqZU/SdzQv95kfnI/AAAAAAAABRM/r6UdafaSn-o/s400/mail.google.com.jpeg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5322358382133542514" border="0" /></a></p> <p style="text-align: center;font-family:georgia;"><b><span style="">Blog: </span></b><a href="http://www.lifewithoutpants.com/"><span style="">Life Without Pants </span></a><b><span style="">Twitter: </span></b><a href="http://twitter.com/mattChevy"><span style="">@MattChevy</span></a><b><span style=""><br /></span></b></p><p style="font-family:georgia;"><b><span style="">Inspiration:</span></b><span style=""> <i>n. Stimulation of the mind or emotions to a high level of feeling or activity. Something, such as a sudden creative act or idea, that is inspired. Divine guidance or influence exerted directly on the mind and soul of humankind.</i></span></p> <p style="font-family:georgia;"><span style="">I get home at the end of a long work day, remove my slacks (<a href="http://www.lifewithoutpants.com/" target="_blank">life without pants</a>, right?), sit down, and ponder this question. <i>"What inspires me"?</i> Nothing comes to mind, not because there isn't anything that inspires me, but because it's such a general and <b>epic </b>question. <i>Where does one draw their inspiration from? How do we come up with innovative and exciting ways of thinking? What drives us? Motivates us? Stimulates us?</i> I look around for the answer, and then...I'm inspired. My inspiration, after all is said and done, starts with me - <b>I inspire myself.</b> Before you label me as conceited and arrogant, hear me out.</span></p> <p style="font-family:georgia;"><span style="">Do you ever think about how amazing the human mind really is? Do you ever just take a step back and think about how people come up with ideas? I challenge myself, and challenge all of you to take a look at yourself - think about what you've done in your life, how far you've come, how much you've accomplished. Odds are, you've done a lot more than you give yourself credit for. We inherently sell ourselves short. It's just something we do as human beings. We love to give credit to others when they inspire us, enlighten us, or change us for the better - but for some reason, we neglect to give ourselves the credit we deserve.</span></p> <h2 style="font-family:georgia;"><span style="font-size:13;">If you <i>really</i> stop and think about it, we, ourselves, are our greatest source of inspiration.</span><span style=""></span></h2> <p style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="">I am reminded of one of my favorite movies, American Beauty (which if you haven't seen it I strongly recommend - it will change your perspective on a lot of things). The story tells the tale of Lester Burnham, a husband in a loveless marriage, a father of a daughter who hates him, a man with nothing to live for - going through the motions without ever asking 'why'? But finally, something clicks, he realizes that in order to make his life worth living, he has to <i>LIVE</i>. He says, <i>"It's a great thing when you realize you still have the ability to surprise yourself."</i> - think about that for a second. The ability to surprise yourself, the concept of exceeding your own expectations; it’s a pretty incredible thing.</span></p> <p face="georgia"><span style="">That's what inspires me - striving to do more, <i>to be more,</i> to inspire, educate, enlighten, and entertain others. Of course, my inspiration comes from everywhere - teachers, coworkers, friends, family, peers, fellow bloggers and writers - we're all inspired by what's around us, but sometimes we forget how much we can inspire ourselves. Divinity comes from within, and the path to enlightenment is an inward journey. Strive to be better than you think you can be. You'll end up not only inspiring yourself; you'll inspire everyone around you.</span></p>Grace Boylehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16946406185527236890noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4001058171210748144.post-43437679004523449822009-04-18T09:00:00.002-06:002009-04-18T09:40:35.641-06:00A Featured Favorite: Illustrator, Hannah StoufferLos Angeles based artist, <a href="http://www.hannahstouffer.com/">Hannah Stouffer </a>depicts incredible imagery through her illustrations, with colors that burst. Recently, <a href="http://sourharvestblog.blogspot.com/2009/03/interview-with-hannah-stouffer.html">Sour Harvest</a> interviewed Stouffer and described her work as an <span style="font-style: italic;">"infatuation for icons and images that reflect and categorize historical eras, genres and subcultures, her work is an opulent, elegant and beautifully intricate mixture of illustration and design."</span><br /><br />In one of the last questions of the interview they asked, <strong style="font-weight: normal;">"If people walk away with one thing gained/learned from one of your shows, what would you hope that would be?"</strong> and she said:<span style="font-style: italic;"> "The greatest human conflict is dealing with contrast."</span> Beautiful. I was moved by her images, and I hope you will be too.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_4N07k9HDqZU/Sdorci8ZIpI/AAAAAAAABQ8/BRrSM1hRd3I/s1600-h/TheFrights.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 396px; height: 400px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_4N07k9HDqZU/Sdorci8ZIpI/AAAAAAAABQ8/BRrSM1hRd3I/s400/TheFrights.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5321613679108104850" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_4N07k9HDqZU/SdorctF5AqI/AAAAAAAABQ0/AM69f7agKLo/s1600-h/classicromantik.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 394px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_4N07k9HDqZU/SdorctF5AqI/AAAAAAAABQ0/AM69f7agKLo/s400/classicromantik.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5321613681832297122" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_4N07k9HDqZU/SdorcGWnjvI/AAAAAAAABQs/o99t6YCusOM/s1600-h/clashofunions.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 277px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_4N07k9HDqZU/SdorcGWnjvI/AAAAAAAABQs/o99t6YCusOM/s400/clashofunions.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5321613671433473778" border="0" /></a><br /><em>The heart of darkness exists within the light. Black Dawn, Dawn After Dawn Tepid Neon, Frozen Clarity. This contrast, and the ever present existence of the two is constant. Macabre Elegance. Darkness Falls Forever... Since The Beginning.</em><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size:85%;">For more of Stouffer's work visit her website: <a href="http://www.hannahstouffer.com/">http://www.hannahstouffer.com/</a></span></div>Grace Boylehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16946406185527236890noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4001058171210748144.post-84126470915377819932009-04-17T09:45:00.002-06:002009-04-17T09:51:38.349-06:00Friday Linky LoveAs finals and graduation time is approaching, I want to focus on more career related links that I hope can be a resource and helpful, even if you're not about to graduate. Here's what I like, from this week.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_4N07k9HDqZU/SedVLrqAvTI/AAAAAAAABSc/GlLf_TNwHig/s1600-h/Graduation+Hats.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 270px; height: 355px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_4N07k9HDqZU/SedVLrqAvTI/AAAAAAAABSc/GlLf_TNwHig/s400/Graduation+Hats.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5325318743574756658" border="0" /></a><br />1. L.A. Times-Business: <a href="http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-smallbiz10-2009mar10,0,4792138.story">Student Consultants Teach Firms How to Get to the Next Level</a><br />2. Life After College: <a href="http://www.lifeaftercollege.org/blog/2009/04/12/motivated-by-achievement/">Motivated By Achievement: A Blessing and a Curse</a><br />3. Smile Like You Mean It: <a href="http://bossygirls.blogspot.com/2009/04/theres-nothing-zen-about-balance.html">There's Nothing Zen About Balance</a><br />4. Telegraph: <a href="http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/newsbysector/banksandfinance/5137489/Goldman-Sachs-hires-law-firm-to-shut-bloggers-site.html">Goldman Sachs Hires Law Firm to Shut Blogger's Site </a><br />5. SmartBlog on Social Media: <a href="http://smartblogs.com/socialmedia/2009/04/13/is-your-social-media-presence-really-yours/">Is Your Social Media Presence Really Yours?</a><br />6. Newsweek: <a href="http://blog.newsweek.com/blogs/wealthofnations/archive/2009/04/10/if-jobs-are-being-cut-why-aren-t-paychecks-too.aspx">If Jobs Are Cut, Why Aren't Paychecks, Too?</a><br />7. Nashville Business Journal: <a href="http://www.bizjournals.com/nashville/stories/2009/04/13/daily12.html">Ford Gives $20 K to Metro Career Academics</a><br />8. CNN-Travel: <a href="http://www.cnn.com/2009/TRAVEL/traveltips/03/23/blogging.travel.complaints/index.html">Pushy Bloggers to Travel Industry: Be Nice</a><br />9. Modite: <a href="http://modite.com/blog/2009/04/15/will-gen-y-will-ruin-local-community/">Will Gen Y Ruin Local Community?</a><br />10. JS Online: <a href="http://www.jsonline.com/news/opinion/42998747.html">Liberty-Loving Gen-Yers Will Reshape Politics</a><br /><br /><span style="font-size:78%;">Photo Credit: <a href="http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://laprensatoledo.com/Stories/2007/102607/Graduation%2520Hats.jpg&imgrefurl=http://laprensatoledo.com/Stories/2007/102607/Grad.htm&usg=__pLgVaIJbUReMMOLvp_ruebOXl_8=&h=355&w=270&sz=44&hl=en&start=1&sig2=iepdqs_TRzW5QMjgEwkGOg&um=1&tbnid=3IfbLshnPkXwiM:&tbnh=121&tbnw=92&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dgraduation%2Bhats%26hl%3Den%26client%3Dfirefox-a%26rls%3Dorg.mozilla:en-US:official%26hs%3DWGU%26sa%3DX%26um%3D1&ei=CVXnSbTkLo7y6gP_2pDWAw">La Presna</a></span>Grace Boylehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16946406185527236890noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4001058171210748144.post-54634654732216756892009-04-16T09:00:00.014-06:002009-04-16T09:00:10.004-06:00What Inspires You? Guest Post X: Jacqueline Malan<span style="font-style: italic;font-size:100%;" >Not only is Jacq one of my closest friends in Boulder, but she is also my co-worker so I get 50+ hours with this fine lady. Although I make fun of her as she continually asks me how to embed a YouTube video to her blog, I think you will find that her intelligence and depth is way beyond her 25-years of age. I'm happy to be featuring her as the 10th in What Inspires You?</span> <p style="font-family:georgia;"><i><span style="font-size:12;"> </span></i></p> <p style="font-family:georgia;"><span style="font-size:12;"><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-weight: bold;font-size:130%;" >Jacqueline Malan</span><br />Bio: Jacqueline Nicole Malan works for a Boulder based start-up called <a href="http://www.lijit.com/" target="_blank">Lijit Networks</a> in the heart of downtown. Fairly new to the new tech and social media, she previously worked in the non-profit sector of Washington, DC where she worked with agencies such as the <a href="http://www.ned.org/" target="_blank">National Endowment for Democracy</a> and the <a href="http://ufcw.org/" target="_blank">United Food and Workers Coalition</a>.</span><br /></span></p><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_4N07k9HDqZU/SdPqcKh8JzI/AAAAAAAABPM/KwGGJnNiTM0/s1600-h/me.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 341px; height: 256px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_4N07k9HDqZU/SdPqcKh8JzI/AAAAAAAABPM/KwGGJnNiTM0/s400/me.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5319853354438633266" border="0" /></a>Blog: <a href="http://cowgirlswest.blogspot.com/">A Cowgirl's West</a> Twitter: <a href="http://twitter.com/jmalan">@JMalan</a><br /></div><p style="font-family:georgia;"><span style="font-size:100%;">Lots of things inspire me, from simple beauties produced by mother earth to the tragedies of war and violence. What they do is inspire me to take action, to speak up for what I believe in, provide me the choice to remain silent, to believe in a greater good, to nurture, to feel compassion, and to love. But above all, I seek inspiration through my mother. Now, I know you're thinking its cliche but, my mother is an unbelievable pillar of strength and independence. She is a lioness and we (my sister and I) are her cubs.<br /><br />My mother Nancy Hubsmith Rozance, born on a hot summer day in July came into this world with enthusiasm and determination. An aspiring thespian to date, it is no wonder why complete strangers are drawn to her. Her loving character and eagerness to know more about those around her is what makes her so unique. Often taking on more than she can handle, she dedicates her time and money to causes she feels passionate about(for example, when she remarried my now father Jack, they asked for guests to make donations to a local charity they support instead of having a gift registry). However, this is all just surface level. To really understand why my mother inspires me I have to give you a glimpse into our lives.</span></p><p style="font-family:georgia;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_4N07k9HDqZU/SeZHgwo7P_I/AAAAAAAABSU/0qmNpZ1a8Wo/s1600-h/famiy.jpg.BMP"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_4N07k9HDqZU/SeZHgwo7P_I/AAAAAAAABSU/0qmNpZ1a8Wo/s400/famiy.jpg.BMP" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5325022237550133234" border="0" /></a></p><p style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size:100%;">Growing up in Connecticut, we weren't your typical New England family. Most families came from a household of four or more. My parents were divorced when I was young, and my father failed to remain in our lives. My biological father has since passed, and when asked recently if it made me sad (since I had never gotten the chance to know him) straight faced I responded simply, "no." You see my mom, my sister, and I have become a three legged stool bound together through an ever enduring love. With the absence of my father's presence, I did miss certain things but, in the end it made for an unbelievably strong relationship between us musketeers, something I would never trade to this day.<br /></span></p><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_4N07k9HDqZU/SeZCl4o65BI/AAAAAAAABSE/XT2PauyvDHw/s1600-h/Steve%2BMiller%2BConcert%2Bat%2BRed%2BRocks%2BSummer%2B08.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_4N07k9HDqZU/SeZCl4o65BI/AAAAAAAABSE/XT2PauyvDHw/s400/Steve%2BMiller%2BConcert%2Bat%2BRed%2BRocks%2BSummer%2B08.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5325016828038800402" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;">Family as Inspiration: Jacqueline with her Mom, Sister and Dad</span><br /></div><p face="georgia"><span style="font-size:100%;">My mom was a single woman who held two MBA's, an extremely competitive fireball in a predominately male industry. She worked hard but, did not forget how to nurture. As a child, I remember although she traveled almost weekly she never once missed the things that mattered most at that age. She still found time to read us stories before bed, help us with our science fair projects, drive us to every practice and watch every game, and bake cupcakes to bring into school for our birthday's. And growing up, we had more than most families with two parents.<br /><br />This is what inspires me...her love. Her unwavering determination to give me and my sister the best that life has to offer. Never saying no and giving up, never complaining and always carrying her head held high, not worrying about what others think, and bringing her best qualities to life. Having the strength to raise two teenage girls by herself without any help or anyone to turn to ask for advice. This amazes me, this inspires and this makes me want to grab life with both hands knowing that anything is possible.</span></p>Grace Boylehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16946406185527236890noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4001058171210748144.post-77163788486790156892009-04-14T09:00:00.007-06:002009-04-14T09:25:59.381-06:00The Debate: Location VS. Career?When looking for a college, I was very much focused on specifics: a major in public relations and marketing, a smaller college in the North East (I'm from Iowa, so this was a distance leap), strong study-abroad program, rooted in education and then, where it was located. I visited many fantastic school's and programs that I got into around the country, but either the college town was in the middle of nowhere or the campus <span style="font-style: italic;">was</span> the entire town. I couldn't see myself being able to enjoy or thrive. Flash forward four years of college living in Burlington, Vermont one of the <a href="http://www.ci.burlington.vt.us/city/healthiest_city_designation_20081116.pdf">healthiest</a> and most progressive cities in the country at <a href="http://www.champlain.edu/">Champlain College</a> a nationally recognized small but powerful college, known for it's <a href="http://admission.champlain.edu/acad_majors/upside_down.asp">upside-down curriculum</a> and offering real-life experience. I know, I couldn't have made a better choice.<br /><br />As my college tenure was ending and I was filled with hope and aspiration (plus <a href="http://www.champlain.edu/Our-People/Meet-a-Few-of-Us/Grace-Boyle.html">5 internships under my belt</a>) I began to think, should I take the traditional path of many classmates, head to Boston or New York City where there are a plethora of jobs in my industry but still close enough for comfort? <span style="font-weight: bold;">I said No. </span><span style="font-weight: bold;">I'm not satisfied with safe.</span> I want to walk to the edge. So the wheels began to turn. I researched, networked and used a little intuition (I'm an ENFP, I gotta). I landed on Boulder. This was a good 6 months before I was set to graduate, but I knew it was going to be Boulder.<br /><br />Flash forward today, here I am living in the <a href="http://www.dailycamera.com/news/2008/nov/26/forbes-boulder-is-countrys-smartest-town/">smartest town in America</a>, "the <a href="http://outside.away.com/outside/destinations/200608/best-outside-towns-2006-12.html">perennial town</a>" for its 300+ days of sunshine, the <a href="http://www.silicon-flatirons.org/index.php">Silicon Flatirons</a> with fresh, innovative startups and a community that cares. These reasons and <a href="http://smallhandsbigideas.blogspot.com/2009/03/dear-boulder.html">more</a> are why I've found my niche in Boulder. I find myself smiling looking up at the Flatiron mountains as soon as I walk out my door in the morning, or when I'm snowboarding the majestic Rockies, or working at a <a href="http://www.lijit.com/">fantastic startup</a> with intelligent, <a href="http://www.lijit.com/blog/2009/04/03/we-can-has-cheezburgers/">forward-thinking people</a>, or when I attend a <a href="http://www.bdnewtech.com/">New Tech Meetup </a>and meet another incredible entrepreneur driven to move to Boulder and incubate their idea. I know I also made the right decision and I surmounted all the challenges that stood in my way.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_4N07k9HDqZU/Sd-CkjDHRAI/AAAAAAAABR0/mPNAPyfgUVk/s1600-h/boulder.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 220px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_4N07k9HDqZU/Sd-CkjDHRAI/AAAAAAAABR0/mPNAPyfgUVk/s400/boulder.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5323116848970417154" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-style: italic;">Boulder, in all her glory. Photo Credit: <a href="http://www.colorado.edu/mcdb/Lykke_Andersen/Boulder.htm">Colorado.edu</a></span> </span></div><br />Career-wise, I moved to Boulder first as the location knowing that the career would <a href="http://www.lijit.com/">soon follow.</a> This was in August of 2008 and I know even in this short time, things have changed, I see and hear this everyday. However, the<a href="http://modite.com/blog/2007/08/01/the-power-of-place-%E2%80%93-what-do-you-think/"> power of place </a>has been discussed in terms of your identity and career, especially for Generation Y. Some might have said my decision was idealistic and that it was easier to interview locally or head back to your hometown to start your first job, but I knew I wouldn't be satisfied. <span style="font-weight: bold;">I believe that choosing a location that inspires you would be conducive to my career creativity and growth. </span>I don't think it's naive. I understand the constraints and wasn't looking for my dream job, <span style="font-weight: bold;">I was willing to work to make it work.</span> I also had a list of contacts and companies I had been in touch with, so I wasn't jumping in blind. I wanted to live in Boulder and I accepted the challenge upon moving here (without a job) but I knew my capabilities and for me, it worked.<br /><br />It may not be for everyone but really, how much can your job define your happiness if you're in a dreary location that doesn't support you and who you are? <span style="font-weight: bold;">When you're in a location that is robust with intelligence, education and experience the people become analogous to the qualities of the place you live in.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Would you move first for the location, if you knew the job opportunities existed? How important is where you live, versus the career you want to pursue?</span>Grace Boylehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16946406185527236890noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4001058171210748144.post-31875549959905318022009-04-13T09:00:00.009-06:002009-04-13T09:00:10.751-06:00What Inspires You? Guest Post IX: Aaron Steinberg<span style="font-style: italic;font-size:100%;" ><span>Aaron and I go way back, he may have even been my first boyfriend (gasp) and we were born just 12 hours apart. Nonetheless, as a 20-something living and working in NYC, I'm happy to be featuring Aaron as the ninth in this What Inspires You series because he writes his own blog (you will find out about its compelling content soon) and is probably one of the funniest people I know-I've got a lot of love for this man. Warning: Don't say I didn't warn you ;)</span><br /><br /></span><span style="font-weight: bold;font-size:130%;" >Aaron Steinberg</span><br />Bio: This biography is going to be a bit different. I’m not going bore you with the inconsequential details of my life, or at least not right now. My “real name” is Aaron, but when in my writing life I go by Cole, much like Mark Althavan Andrews is better known for his pop alias, Sisqo. I have mixed my love of writing with my love of talking about and thinking about all things sexually and romantically related, and thrown it together in a blog with my counterpart Simon. And, I am still working on short stories and a few half written novels in my spare time.<span><br /></span><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_4N07k9HDqZU/Sc06JaXTUFI/AAAAAAAABNw/bw2i3yaJgdg/s1600-h/n14500973_31153514_4622.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 268px; height: 400px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_4N07k9HDqZU/Sc06JaXTUFI/AAAAAAAABNw/bw2i3yaJgdg/s400/n14500973_31153514_4622.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5317970668364714066" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family:georgia;">Blog: </span><a style="font-family: georgia;" href="http://simonandcole.com/">Simon and Cole</a><br /><div style="text-align: left;font-family:georgia;"><span style=""><br />The basis for all of my inspiration is my <span style="font-style: italic;">experience</span>. For me, and I find this to be true for many people I know, life and its corresponding emotion is a fairly severe sine wave—a roller coaster shape, for those of you that hate math. And, I get inspired by the <i>good</i> and the <i>bad</i>, the highs and the lows.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;font-family:georgia;"> <p><span style=""> Within times that I consider positive, there is inspiration all around. Usually something triggers a happy time, whether it be a new relationship, a new story, a new language, or a new place. In the down times, I find inspiration in the why and the how. I start to consider how I got there, and how others get to the same place. I try to figure out ways to get back to me, to pull myself back into good. In the end, all of these thoughts, algorithms, and processes need to go somewhere, and when it comes to me the inspiration usually ends up on a page. My inspiration is a catalyst for my passion…writing.</span></p> <p><span style=""> My passions are generally intense, but temporary. Meaning, basically I have come across few activities, or hobbies, that have excited me for any long stretch of time. Desire, for me, is much more fleeting than it is for most people. I will watch a show like <i>Law and Order: SVU</i> and immediately want to become a sex-crime detective, or watch the <i>Big Lebowski</i> and want to be a fraudulent millionaire.</span></p> <p><span style=""> The one thing that has held my attention, minus a small teenage hiatus, is writing. I love to write. Within writing I have two passions: 1) writing fiction stories (short stories and novels), and 2) philosophical diatribes, usually pertaining to something sexually based or relationship oriented. </span></p> <p><span style=""> See, for many people, me included, a fair amount of the ups and downs of life are connected to relationships, and I’ve always been fascinated with why someone does this to them, and why she responded that way, and what the best way to present that is. Writing has a purpose for me, and that is to council (or in my fiction, to make a point within the story telling). My entire life, people have asked me for advice, specifically about relationships. I was always that friend that everyone went to if they wanted to bitch about their boyfriend not listening to them, or their girlfriend being too flirtatious with other guys. I’m just that guy. I always have been.</span></p> <p><span style=""> A few months ago, my friend Simon and I came up with a plan. We wanted to use our inspiration to be proactive and fight against settling into a bland post-college existence. This new year was about letting go of fear. We started a blog: <a href="http://simonandcole.com/" target="_blank">simonandcole.com</a> for us to share ideas, and some stories—most of all, to promote honesty, which we feel is the most underused tool for good relationships, and overall-positive life experience (think about it…are you really honest with many people? Like seriously honest? It’s so much easier to play games and go along with a group than to stand out and be <i>weird</i>). The blog is still in the works, but I have high hopes. </span></p> <p><span style=""> Being able to put my thoughts down on paper inspires me. Telling a story inspires me. I would love the opportunity to spend my life having sex, and then answering people’s questions about relationships and sex, and answer them honestly. To have ladies write to me asking what the hell this guy is actually thinking, and explain it, that would inspire me. If I could spend everyday helping to council people in relationships (while writing the occasional novel of course), I would be pretty fucking fulfilled…and inspired.</span></p></div></div>Grace Boylehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16946406185527236890noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4001058171210748144.post-85322389730576787672009-04-11T10:00:00.000-06:002009-04-11T10:00:08.305-06:00A Featured Favorite: Blitzen Trapper<div style="text-align: center;"><object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/bqtlcHiSHTE&hl=en&fs=1&color1=0x234900&color2=0x4e9e00"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/bqtlcHiSHTE&hl=en&fs=1&color1=0x234900&color2=0x4e9e00" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object><br /><div style="text-align: left;"><br />I love music. I also love creatively directed videos. Stumbled across <a href="http://blitzentrapper.net/">Blitzen Trapper</a>: Furr and it made me smile. <span style="font-size:85%;">{Via <a href="http://blackeiffel.blogspot.com/2009/02/blitzen-trapper.html">Black*Eiffel</a>}</span><br /></div></div>Grace Boylehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16946406185527236890noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4001058171210748144.post-18682025133317477562009-04-10T09:00:00.000-06:002009-04-10T10:16:39.517-06:00Friday Linky LoveEclectic links for Friday April, 10th. I hope you enjoy your weekend, I have visitors and snowboarding on the agenda (yes, that's Breckenridge below, yes I love Colorado).<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_4N07k9HDqZU/Sd5wDI01c5I/AAAAAAAABRs/Kphap1Jemts/s1600-h/416100474_a941dda271.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_4N07k9HDqZU/Sd5wDI01c5I/AAAAAAAABRs/Kphap1Jemts/s400/416100474_a941dda271.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5322815008809513874" border="0" /></a>1. Justice For All: <a href="http://akhila.wordpress.com/2009/04/04/forget-all-the-rules-and-write-what-you-love/">Forget All the Rules, and Write What You Love</a><br />2. Elaine Young: A Champlain Professor: <a href="http://champlainprofessor.blogspot.com/2009/03/champlain-for-reel-crowdsourcing-at.html">Champlain For Reel: Crowdsourcing At Champlain College </a><br />3. ChangeOrder: <a href="http://changeorder.typepad.com/weblog/2009/04/short-urls-say-hello-to-marketing.html">Short URLs, Say Hello to Marketing</a><br />4. PSFK: <a href="http://www.psfk.com/2009/04/visually-mapping-web-trends.html">Visually Mapping Web Trends</a><br />5. NY Times Frugal Traveler: <a href="http://frugaltraveler.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/04/08/3-cushions-a-million-guests/?ref=travel">Three Cushions, a Million Guests</a> <span style="font-size:85%;">(in reference to Couchsurfing.com)</span><br />6. The Urban Muse-<a href="http://www.urbanmusewriter.com/2009/04/open-thread-whats-your-ideal-workspace.html">Open Thread: What's Your Ideal Workspace?</a><br />7. Startup Whisperer: <a href="http://www.startupwhisperer.com/2009/04/can-you-explain-your-product-to-your-parents.html">Can You Explain Your Product To Your Parents?</a><br />8. <a href="http://beforeidieiwantto.org/">Before I Die I Want To</a> <span style="font-size:78%;">(what do you want to do? And what are you waiting for?!)</span><br />9. Shatterboxx/Jamie Varon: <a href="http://www.shatterboxx.com/why-i-followed-my-passion-and-why-you-should-too/">Why I Followed My Passion and Why You Should, Too</a><br />10. <a href="http://www.realgeeksride.com/">Real Geeks Ride</a>: <span style="font-size:85%;">You just need to check their cause out and if they're stopping through your city, maybe you can host them or support their ride. Everyone digs a geek on a bicycle, right?</span><br /><br /><span style="font-size:78%;">Photo Credit: <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lukewisley/416100474/">Luke Wisley</a></span>Grace Boylehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16946406185527236890noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4001058171210748144.post-64616735815826169012009-04-09T09:00:00.001-06:002009-04-09T22:05:02.100-06:00Are You Anti Voice Mail?When I call my good friend, <a href="http://cowgirlswest.blogspot.com/">Jacqueline</a> and she doesn't pick up, I definitely opt out of leaving her a voice mail. I know it gets lost in the 5 others she hasn't checked from last week on her Blackberry. However, I know that if I send a quick text, DM on Twitter or Facebook message that I will get a quick reply. Sound familiar?<br /><br />The New York Times recently wrote a piece, <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2009/04/02/fashion/02voicemail.html?_r=2">"You've Got Voice Mail, But Do You Care?"</a> which reiterated this common theme that we live in an age of instant gratification. It's a burden to hit the playback button or (gasp) have to dial into your password and wait for the her drone-like voice, prompting you to the next step.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_4N07k9HDqZU/SdkycAf_LaI/AAAAAAAABQk/RnDFQuUuqPM/s1600-h/20070831TEXTING_ad_500.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 287px; height: 314px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_4N07k9HDqZU/SdkycAf_LaI/AAAAAAAABQk/RnDFQuUuqPM/s400/20070831TEXTING_ad_500.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5321339891466841506" border="0" /></a>The article showed research that people take longer to reply to voice messages than other types of communication. "Data from uReach Technologies, which operates the voice messaging systems of <a href="http://topics.nytimes.com/top/news/business/companies/verizon_communications_inc/index.html?inline=nyt-org" title="More information about Verizon Communications">Verizon</a> Wireless and other cellphone carriers, shows that <span style="font-style: italic;">over 30 percent of voice messages linger unheard for three days or longer and that more than 20 percent of people with messages in their mailboxes “rarely even dial in” to check them,</span> said Saul Einbinder, senior vice president for marketing and business development for uReach, in an e-mail message."<br /><p>On the flip side, research showed that "<span style="font-style: italic;">91 percent of people under 30 respond to text messages within an hour, and they are four times more likely to respond to texts than to voice messages within minutes</span>, according to a 2008 study for <a href="http://topics.nytimes.com/top/news/business/companies/sprint_nextel_corporation/index.html?inline=nyt-org" title="More information about Sprint Nextel Corporation">Sprint</a> conducted by the Opinion Research Corporation." I'm not surprised.</p><p>Is it Generation Y that is driving the voice mail away? My mom always says, "Did you get my voice mail?" I say, "No, but I saw you called." Oops, sorry Ma. </p><p>This shift away from voice mail probably is a generational divide, in which younger people are substituting text for talk, while my grandparents and parents leave long, lengthy voice mails. Yet, I gotta stick up for the voice mail. I still think they're important and as impatient as I can be, as much as I'm a texting fan, there are those times when it's nice to hear someone's voice or they need to tell you something specific or even just say hello.</p><p><span style="font-style: italic;">So, I wonder, are voice mails going to become obsolete? Do voice mails take a back burner to other immediate forms of communication in your life? </span></p><p><span style="font-size:78%;">Photo Credit: <a href="http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/07243/813588-28.stm">Post Gazette, Anita Dufalla</a></span></p>Grace Boylehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16946406185527236890noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4001058171210748144.post-76124136541216764382009-04-08T09:00:00.005-06:002009-04-08T09:13:24.828-06:00What Inspires You? Guest Post VIII: Rebecca Thorman<span style="font-style: italic;">I'm pretty sure the Internet Digital Goddesses reached down to Rebecca and myself to connect us because through e-mails, tweets, helping each other with our respective start-up company's and blogging exchanges, we realized that we have more than being ENFP's in common. I also greatly respect Rebecca as <a href="http://modite.com/design/">both</a> her <a href="http://modite.com/blog/">blog's</a> are poignant and she walks to the edge in life. Great number eight Rebecca, in my What Inspires You Series:</span><br /><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Rebecca Thorman</span></span><br />Bio: Rebecca Thorman works at the start-up company <a href="http://alice.com/">Alice.com</a> in marketing and sells toilet paper. On her blog <a href="http://modite.com/blog" target="_blank">modite.com/blog</a>, she gives career and life advice for the next generation of workers.<br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_4N07k9HDqZU/ScwJU2p4ebI/AAAAAAAABNI/8gd8YdbQHnw/s1600-h/n8608679_36815279_8253.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 303px; height: 204px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_4N07k9HDqZU/ScwJU2p4ebI/AAAAAAAABNI/8gd8YdbQHnw/s400/n8608679_36815279_8253.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5317635513890929074" border="0" /></a>Blogs: <a href="http://modite.com/blog/">Modite/Career and Life Advice</a> & <a href="http://modite.com/design/">Modite/Character</a> Twitter:<a href="http://twitter.com/modite">@Modite</a><br /><br /></div>I attached a photo I took of my books. I don't have bookshelves... yet. Books have always and will continue to be my inspiration. And I will never get a Kindle.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_4N07k9HDqZU/ScwLCwIHxkI/AAAAAAAABNQ/82s7VfBG8Go/s1600-h/3271369611_a07666e9ae.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_4N07k9HDqZU/ScwLCwIHxkI/AAAAAAAABNQ/82s7VfBG8Go/s400/3271369611_a07666e9ae.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5317637401924322882" border="0" /></a>Grace Boylehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16946406185527236890noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4001058171210748144.post-35451229480518621032009-04-07T15:26:00.003-06:002009-04-07T15:29:47.402-06:00Remember<div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_4N07k9HDqZU/SdvFM8NNxyI/AAAAAAAABRE/JoVH0JqJvMM/s1600-h/2795391606_5c53c8cb88.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_4N07k9HDqZU/SdvFM8NNxyI/AAAAAAAABRE/JoVH0JqJvMM/s400/2795391606_5c53c8cb88.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5322064210779031330" border="0" /></a>Words to live by. I had to share.<br /></div><span style="font-size:85%;"><br />Four Rules originally uploaded by <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/roland/2795391606/">Roland</a> {thank you <a href="http://www.swiss-miss.com/">swissmiss</a>}</span>Grace Boylehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16946406185527236890noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4001058171210748144.post-19109645382645208022009-04-06T09:00:00.000-06:002009-04-06T09:00:10.734-06:00Interview with Allison Berman of Pro Mujer-Microfinance for Women<span style="font-style: italic;">One of my best friends, Allison Berman, lives in New York City as a 20-something Finance Analyst and works at the Spanish Non-Profit, <a href="https://promujer.org/">Pro Mujer</a> ("for women"). I am intrigued by micro-finance and even wrote a post earlier about </span><a style="font-style: italic;" href="http://smallhandsbigideas.blogspot.com/2008/12/meaningful-holiday-gift-ideas.html">Meaningful Holiday Gift Ideas</a><span style="font-style: italic;"> which included Pro Mujer's services. Then the inspiration wheel began to spin and I inquired further, encouaring Ali to let me interview her to share here. She obliged and below is the interview:<br /></span><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_4N07k9HDqZU/ScgRBK7nRWI/AAAAAAAABMg/TwIvx47T25I/s1600-h/IMG_4744.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_4N07k9HDqZU/ScgRBK7nRWI/AAAAAAAABMg/TwIvx47T25I/s400/IMG_4744.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5316518071922804066" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;">Ali in Greece, just part of her many travels and life abroad</span><br /></div><span style="font-style: italic;"><br /></span><span style="font-weight: bold;">G: What is Pro Mujer and what sort of services do you provide?</span><br />A: Pro Mujer is an international micro finance (banking and/or financial services targeted to low-and-moderate income businesses or households, including the provision of credit) womens development organization whose mission is to provide Latin America’s poorest women with the means to build livelihoods for themselves and futures for their families through microfinance, business training, and healthcare support.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_4N07k9HDqZU/Sb8azuqQTBI/AAAAAAAABKw/X4LAA4H4gjc/s1600-h/logo.gif"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 154px; height: 104px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_4N07k9HDqZU/Sb8azuqQTBI/AAAAAAAABKw/X4LAA4H4gjc/s400/logo.gif" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5313995561321384978" border="0" /></a><br /><br /></div></div>Pro Mujer provides an integrated package of financial and personal development services that women require to build and improve their small businesses. Over the last 18 years, Pro Mujer’s microfinance institutions (in Bolivia, Mexico, Nicaragua, Peru and Argentina) have disbursed $582 million in small loans — ranging from $50 to $1,500 with an average loan balance of $268. Pro Mujer serves 222,000 clients (borrowers and savers); and more than 1.1 children and extended family members.<br /><br />Along with the financial services, a key part of the Pro Mujer model is health services. Since the survival of a clients business and ability to succeed is intimately tied to her physical and mental health, Pro Mujer uses the repayment meetings to raise women’s awareness of the importance of taking good of themselves through primary health care and regular screenings to detect disease early. Though the model differs from country to country, based on client needs and the existing health infrastructure, the goal is the same- to help women maintain their own health and the health of their children and families through primary health care and regular exams that detect disease early.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">G: That's incredible! So specifically, what do you do at Pro Mujer?</span><br />A: I work with the finance team at Pro Mujer, as a Finance Analyst. I take care of the day to day accounting, help with the management of our small $2.5 million dollar loan fund, pay the bills, maintain our account receivable/payable with our country programs, and other administrative financial work.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">G: In terms of services, I noticed that Pro Mujer offers financial services AND empowerment training? Can you explain this?</span><br />A: While most microfinance institutions focus only on financial services, Pro Mujer uses a holistic approach, making sure that clients are better prepared physically, emotionally and economically to improve their lives and that of their children. Pro Mujer teaches women about domestic violence, women’s rights, communication skills, using workshops and group discussions to raise their awareness about leadership, gender issues, and self-esteem. It also links clients with other organizations for counseling, legal assistance, and education and vocational training programs.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">G: With the economy like it is what have you had to do to not lose donations and investors?</span><br />A: This is difficult to say. It currently is unclear how the economic crisis will affect our funding, as we have yet to finish the 1st quarter, which is always slower in general. It is important to stress to donors and investors that Pro Mujer has a vision looking forward and is still anticipating growth in the coming year. Although we are being affected by our current economic situation, in the countries where Pro Mujer works, almost half of all families live on less than $2 a day. When you put that into perspective of our lives, whatever you can do to help a good cause is always important.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">G: What about micro finance and loans for women<span style="font-style: italic;"> inspires</span> you?</span><br />A: It is inspiring to see how motivated our clients are. Although I have yet to go visit the operations (hopefully soon!), I hear endless stories and have met a few clients in person. What inspires me everyday is how believing in someone can lead to success. Our historical loan repayment rate in 18 years is 99%. The women want to succeed and create a better life for the family; they just needed access to credit.<br /><br />Angela Narváez is pottery maker and a client with Pro Mujer Nicaragua. Angela’s first loan was $80. Today, almost nine years later, her loan is $670. Angela uses her loans to buy clay, pieces of wood, paint and cement and to travel to larger markets where she can get a better price for her pieces. “I used to sell the clay tortilla dishes and clay cows for $2 a piece, but now I sell them for between $4 and $8. Pro Mujer taught me how to market our products, make new designs, paint better and diversify our products” says Angela. Angela said her family has also benefited from Pro Mujer. Her daughters attend school, everyone is eating better, and they bought furniture and appliances that have raised their quality of life. “My family encourages me to stay with Pro Mujer. They know what a huge difference it has made in our lives,” said Angela. These stories are what inspire me about the work that Pro Mujer does.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">G: How can we do our part by giving back?</span><br />A: You can visit our website to learn more about Pro Mujer and read some inspiring stories about how our organization has helped the very poor rise out of poverty. Please visit <a href="http://www.blogger.com/www.promujer.org/donatenow">www.promujer.org/donatenow</a> to help poor women in Latin America to start their own business and obtain healthcare for themselves and their families.<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_4N07k9HDqZU/ScgRBK7nRWI/AAAAAAAABMg/TwIvx47T25I/s1600-h/IMG_4744.JPG"><span style="font-size:85%;"><br /></span></a>Grace Boylehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16946406185527236890noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4001058171210748144.post-27089007274603160642009-04-05T10:34:00.002-06:002009-04-05T10:38:01.957-06:00I've Got Soul, But I'm Not a Soldier<div style="text-align: center;"><object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/-ae3tFI8wXE&hl=en&fs=1&color1=0x234900&color2=0x4e9e00"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/-ae3tFI8wXE&hl=en&fs=1&color1=0x234900&color2=0x4e9e00" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object><br /><br /><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size:85%;">Nike, <a href="http://www.nike.com/nikeos/p/nike/en_US/courage">Courage </a></span><br /></div></div>Grace Boylehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16946406185527236890noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4001058171210748144.post-23461086773099001042009-04-04T09:00:00.002-06:002009-04-04T09:49:06.884-06:00March Photo-A-Day ProjectAs I have <a href="http://smallhandsbigideas.blogspot.com/2009/03/photo-day-in-march.html">previously referenced</a>, I embarked on a project to take a photo-a-day in March (my birthday month) and just finished it. You can see the full set in my sidebar with the Flickr badge or go directly to the set through my <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/gracekboyle/sets/72157614918071123/">Flickr page.</a><br /><br />Through support from friends and family (thanks everyone!) I <span style="font-style: italic;">think</span> I'm going to keep going but before I do, I want to post a few of my favorites then also share what I learned, maybe <span style="font-weight: bold;">you </span>might even try something similar.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">I Learned:</span><br />-Bringing your camera everywhere with you can be a bit daunting (and heavy in my bag or purse) but I caught so many beautiful people and images because <span style="font-weight: bold;">I had it with me.</span><br />-It's not hard to take a photo-a-day. Granted, I only did it for a month but I never missed a day.<br />-Your vision of the world opens up, because you're looking through your eyes <span style="font-weight: bold;">and </span>a lens. When I had my camera on me, inspiration would hit and I was so happy I could capture it.<br />-It's different. Try breaking up your routine while also giving yourself something habitual. At the end of each day I felt good that I had gotten a photo in, that I was able to capture something unique and then knew that sharing it was half the fun.<span style="font-weight: bold;"> <span style="font-weight: bold;"></span></span>I suggest and encourage you try it. You never know what you might see.<br />-Time flies. Cliche, but true. I can now look back over this month and see where I've been and what I did. It's a beautiful timepiece and I now have it forever.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Favorite Shots:<br /></span><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_4N07k9HDqZU/SdUYK7KfZ5I/AAAAAAAABP8/qA-Q4kmihCA/s1600-h/3362089240_ea539ae404.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_4N07k9HDqZU/SdUYK7KfZ5I/AAAAAAAABP8/qA-Q4kmihCA/s400/3362089240_ea539ae404.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5320185110767560594" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">March 9th</span>, downtown Boulder sunset</span><br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_4N07k9HDqZU/SdUYKyxKmEI/AAAAAAAABP0/ycmu-bWw0Z0/s1600-h/3367378902_0b64785491.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_4N07k9HDqZU/SdUYKyxKmEI/AAAAAAAABP0/ycmu-bWw0Z0/s400/3367378902_0b64785491.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5320185108513855554" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">March 13th</span>, my birthday hike with best friends that surprised me from home 12 hours away</span><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-weight: bold;"></span><br /><br /></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_4N07k9HDqZU/SdUYKlP9S3I/AAAAAAAABPs/SWOZlaxN1-c/s1600-h/3388282634_3b5be7eb69.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_4N07k9HDqZU/SdUYKlP9S3I/AAAAAAAABPs/SWOZlaxN1-c/s400/3388282634_3b5be7eb69.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5320185104884910962" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">March 21st</span>, a word I always find an affinity with. The morning light had hit this brown bag perfectly from my window. See, never know what you may find or see...</span><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_4N07k9HDqZU/SdUYKFcMTfI/AAAAAAAABPk/wrgr7-8k8Go/s1600-h/3406457120_99a58c5b31.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_4N07k9HDqZU/SdUYKFcMTfI/AAAAAAAABPk/wrgr7-8k8Go/s400/3406457120_99a58c5b31.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5320185096346291698" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">March 30th</span>, music always will be an important part of my life as is Taylor, my friend visiting with her backpack and mandolin (cross country)</span></div>Grace Boylehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16946406185527236890noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4001058171210748144.post-74076398103168910692009-04-03T09:00:00.005-06:002009-04-03T09:00:11.218-06:00Friday Linky LoveIt has been a long week for me, amidst April Fool's day (I did no pranks, lame, did you?) However, reading these articles encouraged me and also interested me. I hope they do the same for you.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_4N07k9HDqZU/SdUc22Qv-7I/AAAAAAAABQE/8s92F4S5SPY/s1600-h/3407827334_0ae7579354.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 332px; height: 332px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_4N07k9HDqZU/SdUc22Qv-7I/AAAAAAAABQE/8s92F4S5SPY/s400/3407827334_0ae7579354.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5320190263412390834" border="0" /></a>1. Young Successful Entrepreneur: <a href="http://www.junloayza.com/startup-tips/startup-tips-losers-focus-on-traffic/">Startup Tips: Losers Focus on Traffic</a><br />2. <a href="http://dtrndr.com/">dtrndr </a><span style="font-size:85%;">(Yea, that's right. The entire blog is rad)</span><br />3. Modite: <a href="http://modite.com/blog/2009/03/30/stop-writing-about-social-media-to-be-a-successful-blogger/">Stop Writing About Social Media To Be a Successful Blogger </a><br />4. Conversations Matter: <a href="http://modite.com/blog/2009/03/30/stop-writing-about-social-media-to-be-a-successful-blogger/">The Rise of the Customer Service Rep</a><br />5. Geeks Are Sexy: <a href="http://www.geeksaresexy.net/2009/04/01/six-of-the-best-april-fools-tech-jokes/">Six of the Best April Fool's Tech Jokes </a><br />6. She Takes On the World: <a href="http://www.geeksaresexy.net/2009/04/01/six-of-the-best-april-fools-tech-jokes/">Spring Cleaning Your Finances</a><br />7. Ad Age: <a href="http://adage.com/digital/article?article_id=135717">Samsung Sheep Sit In Top Spot on Viral Chart-What People Watched the week of March 23, 2009 </a><span style="font-size:85%;">(click through to the videos, they're epic)</span><br />8. Life Is Like a Box of Chocolates: <a href="http://lifeschocolates.blogspot.com/2009/04/do-success-and-happiness-go-hand-in.html">Do Success and Happiness Go Hand In Hand?</a><br />9. Hongkiat: <a href="http://www.hongkiat.com/blog/70-outstanding-out-of-bounds-photos/">70 Outstanding Out of Bounds Photos</a><br />10. The Writer's Coin: <a href="http://www.thewriterscoin.com/2009/04/01/no-sympathy-left-world/">Is There No Sympathy Left In the World?</a><br /><br /><span style="font-size:78%;">Photo Credit: <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/atomicjeep/3407827334/">atomicjeep</a></span>Grace Boylehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16946406185527236890noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4001058171210748144.post-19635441725582396712009-04-02T09:00:00.000-06:002009-04-02T09:10:25.512-06:00What Inspires You? Guest Post VII: Nisha Chittal<span style="font-style: italic;">Nisha enthusiastically reached out to my via Twitter about her interest in this series and I am equally as excited about having her here on my blog. Her writing style is sharp and well-versed as she is an associate editor at </span><a style="font-style: italic;" href="http://www.citizenjanepolitics.com/">CitizenJanePolitics</a><span style="font-style: italic;">, writes her own blog, interns at </span><a style="font-style: italic;" href="http://www.readwriteweb.com/">ReadWriteWeb</a> <span style="font-style: italic;">and is still in college! So here comes Nisha, full of inspirational force, lucky number seven: </span><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;font-size:130%;" >Nisha Chittal</span><br />Bio: I live, most of the time, in Champaign, IL. I am graduating from the University of Illinois in May 2009 with a BA in Political Science and Middle Eastern Studies. On my blog, Politicoholic, I write about the things I'm passionate about: politics (duh), current events, social issues, technology and gov 2.0 issues, and sometimes just about my crazy life.<br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_4N07k9HDqZU/ScwFyJnRyFI/AAAAAAAABNA/40-jEeyvbb0/s1600-h/n1948645_461.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 136px; height: 195px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_4N07k9HDqZU/ScwFyJnRyFI/AAAAAAAABNA/40-jEeyvbb0/s400/n1948645_461.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5317631619149973586" border="0" /></a>Blog: <a href="http://politicoholic.com/">Politicoholic</a> Twitter: <a href="http://twitter.com/nishachittal">@nishachittal</a><br /></div><br />As someone who thoroughly enjoys writing, I love words. I love playing around with words and I believe that the right words at the right time can make a huge impact. I actually enjoy copyediting (I know, weird. But somehow I end up editing friends' papers all the time and kind of love it). So naturally it fits that when I sat down to think of what inspires me, the first thing I thought of was not necessarily a person or an object, but a quote -- a series of words strung together.<br /><br />It's one that really speaks to me, and is probably my all-time favorite quote. It describes, using the perfect words, exactly how I want to live my life - if it weren't so long I'd call it my motto. But it's not short enough for that since it's three paragraphs long. Three perfect paragraphs though! I love it so much I blew it up, printed it out, and tacked it up on my bedroom wall so I can see it everyday or whenever I need motivation. Reading this quote reminds me of the things I aspire to do and the people I aspire to be like. When I'm freaking out about little things, it's a good reminder of the big picture in life and the larger things I'm striving towards.<br /><br />I spent my high school years in a boring suburb feeling like I was so restricted. And I was -- I made safe decisions and did safe things. But as anyone who reads my blog knows, I have a strong dislike for anything "safe" or "stable." I like risk. I like doing things that other people consider crazy, and things that most people would not normally do. Some of these decisions have been considered crazy, but I have an enormous amount of blind faith that no matter what crazy decision I make (like moving to Cambodia), everything will work out the way it's supposed to in the end.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;">Anyways, here's the quote, straight off of my bedroom wall:<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_4N07k9HDqZU/ScwFx_g1I2I/AAAAAAAABM4/v19aaJsFIj4/s1600-h/DSCN6817.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_4N07k9HDqZU/ScwFx_g1I2I/AAAAAAAABM4/v19aaJsFIj4/s400/DSCN6817.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5317631616438575970" border="0" /></a></div>Grace Boylehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16946406185527236890noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4001058171210748144.post-32692552122248268462009-04-01T09:00:00.007-06:002009-04-01T10:41:08.906-06:00A Featured Favorite: TheDieline<span style="font-style: italic;">{I realized I feature a lot of things that I stumble across on the web that I think, can't go unnoticed and I want to share. Maybe not as much as Caitlin on <a href="http://www.bossygirls.blogspot.com/">Smile Like You Mean It</a> (love her blog, you should check it daily) but enough that I thought whenever I do, it will be under "A Featured Favorite." With that being said, here's the first}</span><br /><br />I love branding, designing and packaging. I enjoy checking out branding redesigns and using my eye to decipher what works and doesn't (in my mind). For this reason, that is why I totally dig <a href="http://www.thedieline.com/blog/">TheDieline: The World's #1 Package Design Website</a>.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_4N07k9HDqZU/SdKMZFrszHI/AAAAAAAABOQ/F_uUNVCGnAw/s1600-h/FireShot+capture+%237+-+%27TheDieline_com%27+-+www_thedieline_com.png"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 67px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_4N07k9HDqZU/SdKMZFrszHI/AAAAAAAABOQ/F_uUNVCGnAw/s400/FireShot+capture+%237+-+%27TheDieline_com%27+-+www_thedieline_com.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5319468472528063602" border="0" /></a>My favorite sections are: <a href="http://www.thedieline.com/blog/redesign/">Before & After's, </a><a href="http://www.thedieline.com/blog/brand_spotlight/">Brand Spotlight's, </a>and <a href="http://www.thedieline.com/blog/creative_dielines/">Creative Dieline</a>.<br /><br />Check out these Creative Design's they've featured. Then for your branding goodness head to TheDieline or follow them on Twitter (<a href="http://twitter.com/thedieline">@thedieline</a>) for design updates.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_4N07k9HDqZU/SdKRND-GJyI/AAAAAAAABOo/AVB1yW5gKUU/s1600-h/6a00d8345250f069e20112790f10b928a4-800wi.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 308px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_4N07k9HDqZU/SdKRND-GJyI/AAAAAAAABOo/AVB1yW5gKUU/s400/6a00d8345250f069e20112790f10b928a4-800wi.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5319473763468060450" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_4N07k9HDqZU/SdKRNHvZEAI/AAAAAAAABOg/iegzuCiGQCE/s1600-h/6a00d8345250f069e2011278dafb5828a4-800wi.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 327px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_4N07k9HDqZU/SdKRNHvZEAI/AAAAAAAABOg/iegzuCiGQCE/s400/6a00d8345250f069e2011278dafb5828a4-800wi.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5319473764480126978" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_4N07k9HDqZU/SdKVtzAyfRI/AAAAAAAABOw/98_c3Z1zBio/s1600-h/6a00d8345250f069e20105371672ba970b-800wi.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 400px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_4N07k9HDqZU/SdKVtzAyfRI/AAAAAAAABOw/98_c3Z1zBio/s400/6a00d8345250f069e20105371672ba970b-800wi.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5319478723898146066" border="0" /></a>Grace Boylehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16946406185527236890noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4001058171210748144.post-73043069916273634712009-03-31T10:00:00.004-06:002009-03-31T16:12:41.500-06:00Laughing Out Loud, Does the Body GoodI'm a big fan of laughter. In fact, I tell people that it's a hobby of mine. I've got big dimples and if you know me at all, you would probably say my laughter precedes me. It's just an innate part of my personality and what I enjoy in life. Nonetheless, I've got the science to prove it!<br /><br /><a href="http://www.boingboing.net/2009/03/30/science-of-the-laugh.html">BoingBoing</a> just posted the "<a href="http://www.boingboing.net/2009/03/30/science-of-the-laugh.html">Science of the Laughing Cure</a>," which came from this month's <a href="http://www.sciam.com/article.cfm?id=laughing-matters">Scientific American Mind</a> article, "How Humor Makes you Friendlier, Sexier." I concur. "Laughter relaxes us and improves our mood, and hearing jokes may ease anxiety."<br /><br />Norman Cousins, the journalist, author and editor of <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0393326845?ie=UTF8&tag=boingboing0e-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=0393326845">Anatomy of an Illness as Perceived by the Patient</a> found there was no pain reliever better than clips of the Marx Brothers. For years, Cousins suffered from inflammatory arthritis, and he swore that 10 minutes of laughing at the hilarious team bought him two hours of pain-free sleep. "Amusement’s ability to counteract physical agony is well documented, and as Cousins’s experience suggests, humor’s analgesic effect lasts after the smile has faded."<br /><br />Cousins' work as an adjunct professor at the School of Medicine at the University of California, Los Angeles, let him investigate the effects of emotions on biological states and health.<br /><br />From his investigation and work they found: "The community of patients inspired by such miracle treatments believes not only that humor is psychologically beneficial but that it actually cures disease. In reality, only a smattering of scientific evidence exists to support the latter idea—but laughter and humor do seem to have significant effects on the psyche, even influencing our perception of pain. What is more, psychological well-being has an impact on overall wellness, including our risk of disease."<br /><br />So take that. Lighten your load and remember a good laugh with friends is more than fun, it's beneficial to your psyche and can significantly improve your overall well-being.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_4N07k9HDqZU/SdECNz3P3pI/AAAAAAAABOA/60ryB047aVw/s1600-h/2672_511598850330_68901685_30810213_8252897_n.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 368px; height: 400px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_4N07k9HDqZU/SdECNz3P3pI/AAAAAAAABOA/60ryB047aVw/s400/2672_511598850330_68901685_30810213_8252897_n.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5319035071184756370" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;"><a href="http://www.twitter.com/katmaund">Kat</a>, <a href="http://twitter.com/jenicaivy">Jenica</a> (my closest girlfriend's from college) and myself laughing ourselves silly. </span><span style="font-size:85%;">It does the body good.</span><br /></div>Grace Boylehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16946406185527236890noreply@blogger.com