The Little Words Mean the Most

R U an authority on...

 

the shape of raindrops

or the color of unicorn's horn

 

 

 

My desk Sunday night: What the week looks like, in terms of projects that need doing

 

those are two open dictionaries at the bottom of the picture

Marching for Truth, Justice and the other thing

The board chair, Planned Parenthood of Southern New England, after the post-inaugural protest

 

15th-century home in France seeks new lover

 

¶ We've enjoyed it for more than 17 years. This lesser-known area of France (the Languedoc) is filthy rich in everything that makes a place interesting: landscape, the arts, the Med, incredible food, history (settled since the Phoenicians), boutique wines. We did a lot to make this old, old, old house a pleasure to stay in; weekly rentals covered most of the mortgage and renovations. The house is in the oldest quarter of a small and ancient southern French wine-making village, a few steps from the medieval church. (Oh, the bells!) The 3-level house sleeps 9, with 3 full washrooms, 2 outside decks, and other important modernizations. Carved into the fireplace mantle in the vaulted-ceiling room is a snarky Latin phrase, from the building's early days as a tavern. NOW WANTED: a visionary new owner who will lift this rare house to "stunning-hood." Are you next in line to restore its full glory? Visit the listing. Comes complete with any furniture you want to keep. (Are we leaving France? Not on your life! We've moved just up the street in the same village to a smaller and slightly newer place, from the 1890s.)

 

SPECIAL OFFER: Buy this extraordinary property ... and we'll gift to you our hard-working website URL, ourhouseinfrance.com, to get you started in the holiday rental business.

these were not things i did

 

THESE were things I succeeded @

on the outbound envelope from my earliest explanation of my company: Marketing, Employee & Fund-Raising Communications | Writing & Web Content | Public Relations & Advertising Counsel

I'm not all that good at web content >>>>> yet

 

The Bride's Vows Were Different

 

"Until death do you part."

"Until death doth us part," Scott translated. Kind of the clearest indictment of heaven he knew: death would part us? Where's the love in that? Let it go, he reminded himself, raking his eyes over the medieval vaults. Scott was done. He was married. He stopped repeating the minister's words. More than a few sighs escaped. "Aw" murmured the congregation.

"Oh, that was perfect!" his sister whispered. "You are so lucky, Scott!"

He could almost hear her. She was a good encourager. A family brace. She'd always had loads of friends. Growing up, if Scott looked lonely to her, she'd assign some of her many friends to be nice to him, at least lightly. "Once a day, say hi. It will make Scott's day. You remember what it was like to be a freshman? You could be preventing a suicide!!!! No," [magic fingers ensued], "not Scott! Somebody. Spread the love."

Now he noticed. Odd: the bride's vows hadn't stopped at the same place. They were longer. Her vows asked for more.

"Amber, do you realize that people never really change?" the minister said. "That they will apologize and feel shame for their bad behavior. YET. They will continue to do the same irritating, inflaming, vile, disgusting, irrational acts over and over. Men are pigs.

"And do you understand that optimism is an unnatural condition? That fear and pessimism are Darwinian?"

Scott was glad he'd brought the chloroform, in a sealed plastic bag. Though he didn't disagree, this minister worried him. Boundary issues mostly. He seemed to be slowing down though.

 

Popular speaker retires most popular show

 

The playbill listed it this way:

Following the Path to Donor Nirvana: The 6 Realizations Approach [this is an elastic program that can be adjusted to the available time by adding or subtracting examples]

Fundraisers: there are just six things you absolutely need to know to get a good return on your communications' investment.

Join Tom Ahern as he guides you through his Six Sacred Realizations of Donor Communications. (Cue the calming music.)

Realization #1: Your case for support is NOT about your organization's need for cash. It's about the savory, enticing opportunity you've put in front of the prospect. #2: Every donor communication sends a message. Unfortunately, it's often the wrong message. #3: Give your donor an important job to do....

Collect 'em all. Make lots more money.

 

This particular workshop began as a tribute to a detective novel series set in Bangkok, written by John Burdett. His chief character is a despairingly incorruptible Buddhist cop whose mother runs a brothel. I love these books. LOVE. I've been an off-again wanna-be too-lazy-to-be Buddhist-ish-inclined chaser after truth (and dilettantish tea lover) for many impotent decades.

Felt fundraising and donor-retention communications could use a few Buddhist principles. Make things easier to figure out. Make things a bit more spiritual.

Scott Harrison, founder, charity: water, 2006

'The dictionary defines charity as simply the act of giving voluntarily to those in need. It's taken from the word “caritas,” or simply, love. In Colossians 3, the Bible instructs readers to “put on charity, which is the bond of perfectness.” Although I'm still not sure what that means, I love the idea. To wear charity.'

Nirvana has passed for me, though. The same six principles are thoroughly (like chain-link fence thoroughly) threaded into all my shows now.

Thank you, everyone, so many! who mostly unwittingly contributed to Nirvana. Your ideas (always attributed) reached thousands and thousands.

The dangers we faced where we hiked: "Convince it you're not prey"

Plus: falling machinery AND knock-you-dead scenery. Final report: lucky to get out alive.

 

Cactoy