Somber Moment

Here we are again, rocked from within. The Norwegian bloodshed reflects so many stories from around our globe, We need to read and understand the language these horrors speak to the larger story of Western "Culture" if we are to head off future mayhem and chaos.The extreme levels of fear at the heart of so much hatred and misunderstanding are to be somewhat expected when so much change is taking place in such a small amount of time, but the underlying causes of these fears are being perpetrated on purpose by large media conglomerates and the money seems to  never be on the side of telling the whole story. More and more people around the planet are feeling estranged and unable to participate in meaningful ways that can shape the discussion on a number of issues. There are many alive today who remember a time when all things seemed possible. Now, it seems we have to have a focus group to wordsmith even the most innocuous documents. Lest we offend anyone, we are taught to just keep our mouths shut. Unless, of course, the person has had their tragedy paraded in front of a camera somewhere, then they can be subject to ridicule, judgement and the most vehement, unadulterated, loathing. The corporate monsters who purvey these emotionally charged events have infinitely long tentacles, to gather their imagery. The personal desolation, dislocation and desperation cannot translate through their cameras. The very act of covering these stories is to point out that we cannot fathom the level of hurt that these people, wherever they are, must overcome.

More and more, I am seeing with clarity that we are all one people. For many, many years I have understood the fiction of race. Such arbitrary distinctions make me sick. Didn't anyone ever tell you that Goddess doesn't make junk? No matter who the tragedy spotlight falls upon, it affects us all. The dozens who perished are multiplied a million-fold by transmitting the images around the globe. The youth who were targeted had not yet faced their trials on the bloody field of politics, they were entering a phase of life where their ideals could be expressed through influencing decision-making that will either help and make happy or hinder and hurt the next seven generations. The small-minded groups and parochial alliances and associations who denigrate others, especially those "others" they do not understand, need to be educated at every opportunity. Those who point cameras at those who would outright lie and make shit up on the news, should be at least fined, possibly imprisoned, and definitely have their access to the public discussion curtailed as severely as possible. Frequently, I wonder if everyone has seen the photos of Earth from space. We are on such a tiny life support system, you would think that we would all treat it better. Like a marble floating in the void, this blue and green, white and brown, red and black sphere is the be all and end all of what is available to us. We have that, and the sun. Nothing more. If we cannot find ways to abide, our species is doomed.

Now, we need to see the isolation and estrangement that our society loves to dish out take it's rightful place in the annals of history. Right next to them in the dustbin of time, we need to place the male dominance bullshit, misogynistic underpinnings of the "good old boys" club and the boys will be boys crap right in there as well. These men who think that they have the answer to what the world needs are loathe to admit that the womenfolk amongst us have not had a crack at things for centuries and are only now beginning to get a small slice of their pie.  Building the culture of the future must not ever become dominated with a language of exclusion, division or identification with the hateful rhetoric of so-called "patriots", nationalists or religious zealots. The heathens typically have a much more sane approach. Learn from others, celebrate our true differences while understanding that in all of our variety, as long as we don't hurt one another, we are all entitled to respect. I think that more than anything, we need to shout from the rooftops, WE ARE ALL ONE HUMAN FAMILY!

Perhaps then, people with perverse ideas of "right" and "wrong" would get a grip, begin to understand that we are all deserving of compassion. No society is completely free from exploitation and greed, but in our lifetime, what a gift it would be to sow the seeds of cooperation and civility, not only amongst all of our own people, family and friends, neighbors and nations. We are all in this world
 together. It is high time we begin to act like it! My thoughts are with all of those who care about the future of our planet. The Norwegian tragedy points to the desperate need we all have of taking back the reigns from the powers that be and get involved locally in crafting a better world for generations to come. It is a virtual guarantee that is we all sit home, rather than taking to the streets for what we believe in, we will have far more of these sad moments to share while we become ever more addicted to the trauma of others paraded out for us to grapple with on tv.

Profound New Need Spurs Development of a New Camp and Resort

The recent collapse of the housing market is continuing to create homeless children and young adults. Our understanding and curriculum based on fun ways to learn about sustainability can help put these young adults on the path to the future, with your help. The market for land and real estate generally has collapsed so completely that there are millions of Americans who are under water, or upside down in their mortgages. In fact, owing the banks more than their homes are worth. Don't tell anyone, but the simple fact is that every mortgage assures the bank far more money than the home, or commercial property is worth, but that is for another post. In some counties across America, the number of homeless children has doubled over the past year. The lingering crisis in the housing market is crippling families and creating desperate timers for millions. ECO-Tours of Wisconsin Inc. is a local not-for-profit that has worked for years to stabilize the climate and build relationships between our guests and mother Earth for over seven years. Now, we are embarking on a new project that can help spread our message to both a wider audience and more deeply instill our insights into ecological systems through the founding of a new camp.
This camp/resort will be a time share for those who can afford it and a pressure relief valve for families facing another crisis that is based in the fallout of old way thinking. The work that ECO-Tours has accomplished in their first six years is amazing. over 120,000 native trees have been planted since our inception and an additional 200,000 tree seeds have been planted across northeast Wisconsin which have begun a process of reforestation that transforms waste land and highly degraded acreage into lush and essential habitat, water absorbing native vegetation and corridors for wildlife and humans to enjoy year round. We have planted in hundreds of sites across Northeast Wisconsin and are working to secure land on which to found a new sort of summer camp, one designed to work with homeless youth who will be introduced to the scientific principles of ecology, given opportunities to see firs hand sustainable systems for food and energy production and live in a community of individuals who take to heart the responsibility we share to both one another and Mother Earth. Founder, Tony C. Saladino wants to open the doors to adventure for young adults and teach by example the myriad ways that each of us can become better stewards of our part of this wonderful system we call the Earth as well as the entire globe of ours.
We have found forty-seven acres on the shore of Lake Superior, surrounded by millions of acres of wild lands. In addition there is a parcel of commercial space and another forty acres of cleared farm land nearby that will be for organic food production. Financial need is great, but through the power of social media, the internet generally and the power of good ideas to thrive, we are plunging ahead into the project full sail. Especially in these days, when the mercury tickles the hundred degree mark, imagine being able to send needy children to the shores of thew Greatest Lake for a few weeks and having young adults come back ready to solve many of our most pressing environmental problems. The physical location of the camp would be difficult to improve upon. In addition to being in a beautiful and idyllic place, there are dozens of opportunities for recreation. Learning too is facilitated by the clean fresh air, the nutritious food and ability to spend long days in the out of doors.
Our unique vision includes resort-like facilities for those who seek adventure but lack gear and for those who wish to be guided into their wilderness experiences.
We will continue to reforest areas that have been denuded by the heavy hand of humankind. Tree planting and selection of appropriate species for each microclimate has always been a strong focus of our efforts, we will continue to provide this type of information and activity because it provides a unique connection to the Earth and the living systems that depend on the stability and protection that trees provide. Those who can afford to support our work are encouraged to donate what they can. Those who wish to come as guests, we sell eighty day packages at $10K. We are ready to move into this new phase of the existence of ECO-Tours as soon as possible, please help with what you can and help spread the word by sharing this information with friends, loved ones and networks that you feel would support our programs.
Anyone wishing to find out more about the developing business plan, our educational opportunities or leadership training exercises, contact us on facebook, as ECO-Tours of Wisconsin Inc. or use the Director's email: tnsaladino42@hotmail.com

The Helping Stone Folklore For Today

In days of yore, the story of The Helping Stone was well established. Stone Soup gets it's earliest beginnings in the blend of trickster and the give away. Stone, and stones have always been alive to native peoples wherever they were on the planet. I have lived in Helfenstein, so I know. In many areas, great boulders that could not be moved by humans nearly made a "bridge" across many rivers and streams. When humans would add smaller, but still great boulders into the stream to complete the crossing, these were called helping stones. Is not each of our lives mirrored in this genetic epic unfolding story that is humankind's existence. Where it is difficult to cross, we provide one another touchstones to make the passage a bit easier. My understanding is that we are all Helfenstein to one another. That is why, nearly twenty years ago, I helped to found the Helfenstein Soup Council. The thesis of our group then and continuing mission today is to help one another through our own growing abundance and practice in the art of the give away. When we each give to our own measure, toward the goodness and riches of the whole, all of our relationships change. The stone, which is in our minds inert and unchanging ,is as alive as the soils we grow our food in. In the folk tale of Stone Soup, the beggar is turned away in each and every home in the hamlet. Then, one by one, they are drawn into providing ingredients for a hearty stew because of the magic stone placed in the pot for "flavor". they all had something to give toward the magic stew.
We are both sustained by the stone and given to the stone as tools for the betterment of the planet we co-inhabit. The neighbor girl was over the other day and out of the blue, she said, "It's cool how you are always doping something for the Earth."
I could only think to tell her that if you included all the microorganisms in a handful of healthy soil, they could easily outnumber all the people in the whole Fox River Valley, all the people upstream of us. She thought about it a good long time and said, "Wow." The only guarantee we have in life is that by teasing out any one thing to study, amazement lurks at the answer to every inquiry. life is by nature miraculous, and by looking at the discreet elements, any enlightenment will be eclipsed by what you are missing about the whole. The rock solid truths about life that come from the helping stone theme, as well as the stone soup story belie a holistic view on  abundance, sharing, giving in whatever ways we can for the sake of all.
This is a cry for the Helping Stone to reassert itself in our collective mythos. By the dynamic action of making each and every river ford a bit less treacherous for your fellow inhabitants of the planet. Your life may ultimately depend on those critters in the handful of soil that results from the erosion of that same stone. Stranger things have happened. The fact that the HSC continues to forge ahead long after I have retired from the group, is a testament to their continued community building, creative energy and sustained effort. Many thousands have been helped through their programs for further information about how to give away to this important group find them on facebook. Helfenstein Soup Council

Personality Calesthenics

When we say, what doesn't kill us makes us stronger, or still waters run deep, we are trying to shed light on the inexorable part of living that we often overlook or outright ignore completely. Like spoiled brats, we run the risk of get lost (from creating ourselves) in the shuffle, thinking we are the center of the universe and that all things, even personality should "come to us". Understand, coming from a child of certain privilege, I have also faced privation. I have been the minority, the bitch, the street person, but never forever and never for too long. I have learned that the world is most often a mirror, reflecting all that we are beholden too. Frequently, the reflection can be disturbing, but realizing that you are what you think has been driven home to me in many powerful ways recently that I will try to share.
I have just come from a place that is idyllic in ways that are hard to get a handle on. One local described "her people" as proud, of whatever they do, and in a most basic way, always willing to share, their time their talent and the many blessings they receive daily as residents of their unique environment. Those who know me know of where I speak. There is always a real risk of over popularizing fabulous areas, lest they become cesspools of exploitation and deceit and because of that I would not want to focus on where the place actually is. Instead, I want to focus on what qualities make it unique so that the unchained abandon with which life is lived can be experienced everywhere on Earth in the same way, or at least a similar one.
First off, I noticed that artists are taken seriously. They are a reflection of a culture's essence, a bonding of each individual to place, to human effort, to beauty, or at least the quest for it. On a related topic, I recently heard that the Japanese spend about 17% of their GDP on the arts. In my country, (USA) it is abysmally low, barely seven percent. Quizzically, that includes such big ticket items as the 24-hour news cycle and the movie and television industry, some aspects of which could be considered anti-cultural. Has anyone heard of a recent top story about the power of loving one's neighbor recently? The art of storytelling is appreciated. Virtually everyone seems not only entitled, but expected to occasionally engage in cogent use of story-telling, as a tool to enhance understanding and demonstrate lucid contemplation about whatever topic may be at hand. Food also is at the heart of creatively interfacing with the local environment. In many real ways, the art of cookery and the esoteric realms of herbs and their use are commonplace. Raising even the ditch-diggers labor to the level of art, through limber metabolism allowed only through the consumption of top tier veggies and local artisanal cookery.
When I was a youthful and opinionated art student, I spent countless hours degrading the very idea of craft as a blatant step into "commercial art" which was also snobbishly discounted, relegating it to the scrap heap of mechanism and rote practice of production. This idyllic place, more than any other single factor, has taught me the need for art to be practiced in both the commercial realm and what we refer to as craft. Recognizable and utilitarian objects need to be art-laden and as such, adjuncts to our making meaning in the world. Touchstones to humanity can accompany us on our journey at each moment, in fact without them, life can lose a sense of connection, to the land, her people, and our essential needs, wants and desires. For a place and a people to have the capacity to transform and old curmudgeon like myself deserves special mention, only because it is my trip and reflects a deep need we have in areas all across the planet.
When we are raised in and environment of adversity, there are two probable outcomes that seem mutually exclusive and polar opposites. Scientific research has proved, beyond the shadow of doubt, that humans are kind, helpful and compassionate, innately. Only through abuse or neglect can  they be turned into psychopaths, sociopaths and greedy, hostile organisms. On the other hand, the ability to persevere, trust and attain true greatness can come about through these same traumatic experiences. Who are we to deem such an amazing growth opportunity inherently "bad". Now the grist for our mill. If I had not suffered subjugation, sexual humiliation at the hand of a pedophile, been malnourished or worse, beaten with a dowel rod, would I be the "same person" I have become today? I can truly say "No!" Everyone has got to play Jesus from time to time, that is why his myth is so powerful for us. The moment when "he" has been attributed the saying "God Bless them for they know not what they do." Who has not had to bear that cross? The growth is not in experiencing the personality building events, but the grappling that takes place between who we think we are and who we are always in the act of becoming.
I am an unabashed theatre geek. Obsession with the idea that all life is indeed a stage lies at the heart of why so many give so thoroughly to our discipline. When I was growing up backstage, everyone we knew did theatre, we all believed that society's ills could be healed through the concerted efforts that we put to the art and science, as well as the rudimentary technologies at our disposal. By practicing the art of musicals and plays, we were consummate storytellers. Bending and stretching the stories allowed us to bend and flex the mirrors we had at our disposal to focus attention on who we are as a people, and as individuals engaged in a larger society. Without the constrains of having to live each and every mistake, we as story-tellers as well as our audiences, might learn better ways of being that would further the culture as a whole.
The passel of lighthearted comedies that has "gotten us through" the recent economic downturn notwithstanding, several of our recent long lived plays dealt with topical social issues, such as exploitation, class warfare, power and control and the tragedy of war. Sadly, too many still wink, wink, nudge, nudge their way through misogyny and patriarchy. Out-dated religious icons are in complete disproportion to their incidence in the lives of people I know. In most theater, perhaps because the only shows that bring in enough money to be produced, themes that somehow support the status quo will always carry the season.
I believe that we grow more, in both more robust and adaptive ways, when we stretch into realms that are not fully explored. Just as with our individual development, the same growth can occur in cultures, or societies. If I didn't see the discipline of theater from the inside, I could not fathom how to achieve beneficial social change. When I was young, I sat tables and handed out literature for dozens of causes and groups. During my canvassing days, I spoke to over one million individuals. During my 80 Day, Great Lakes Bicycle Trip , I sent a direct message to over 8 million folks. We can all live better and more lightly on the planet. Being a stand (as the Erhart Seminar Training, EST folks call it) for something grows the personality in unique ways. The growth that ensues when something other than yourself is the main focus of your every waking moment transforms even the most mundane acts into enlightening experiences.
Don't do these exercises as novel events, like a three-times per week exercise regimen. Take this approach to heart, seek constant betterment of all that you deem important and don't sweat the little things. Remember that everything you touch should have the hand of humans in it somehow, these people have their own creative expression to share. As we explore and define who we are, shaping ourselves into ever better folks, our truest natures can be ever more closely approximated. When we grow beyond our own fears and expectations, there are those who clamor to attribute our growth to a "higher power" or other miracle. This sort of mumbo-jumbo is superstitious nonsense exempting the speaker from realizing the truest potential of their own existence. Ultimately, we cannot be judged in "heaven" but by our actions while earth bound. Each and every one of them.
Blessings on your path and may you realize the depth of love I have for y'all, that is why I have attempted to express this. May your growth be uninhibited by dogma or expectations. The true you may shock, and occasionally misunderstood but without you, the world would be a bit more inhospitable and a little less balanced. If we all do our parts to change things, we lead by example and invite reciprocation.

Bull Work Allows Time For Reflection

As many times as I forget this maxim, I am reminded of the sheer joy of building a wall, back-filling some dirt for flowers to grow and generally make the soil a more hospitable place for life. I began, I suppose knee deep in water building walls. Frequently streams would eddy and slow just a bit by the time we had positioned hundreds of stones end to end across a small stream's breadth. I never knew why, but that activity, or any sort of wall building exercise is fun, always a challenge and always way more work than you think it will be before you start. The joy is there at the end of the project, but whilst in the mix of  doing it, a calm takes over, a peace that is rare in modern life.
Tons more dirt to move and yet, nearly half the fill is in! During the past week, harvesting bricks, moving trees and plants, etching the surface deep enough to lay in the bottom tier of bricks, making sure it was somewhat straight and level, then shifting huge quantities of dirt across the yard to back fill. Second verse, same as the first. The saving grace was that near the front yard, the ground sloped up enough that I only used a brick and a half. That way I could shift less dirt, stay relatively level for the entire 102 foot length and keep the height just enough to discourage the possible mower deck infraction up against our fence. Point is, the endless hours doing mundane work allow the mind a chance to see what is really going on with things that get overlooked in day to day life.
No words can describe the calm reflection that is possible when confronted with endless hours of stacking, shoveling and putting brick to brick, stone to stone or any other material at your disposal in service to the earth. Harmony comes closest for me, in describing the feeling, but each will find their own version of bliss when trying this exercise. Frequently organisms make themselves known to you, moving dirt, like turning compost aerates and mixes those inhabiting it into quite a jumble. Inoculating soils with organisms is most of the fun. A layer of this and a bit of that combine to create endless combinations. Like with all creatures, the nexus of their activities overlap at the "edge".  Just as variety is the spice of life for humans, bacteria, fungi and a host of other critters live where they can find three things, food & water, a safe place to reproduce and exchange gasses. When all those things combine, viola, life increases exponentially.
These dozen or so days, toiling may seem a waste to some, but to the future generations of life in my backyard, that will have an awesome quality of life, my efforts make the difference between life and death. Whether they are presented more habitat or not is the result of my effort, there is a sublime peace that comes over one who touches the Earth this intimately. After spending time thinking about getting things in order, making sure all the resources are on hand and that the right mix of elements are present for those who will live in the soils, it is good to remember that our own affairs are much like the building of the wall itself.
Our experiences and education are like amassing the materials. The plan, as many of us realize part way through life, may need a bit of change, depending on the lay of the land and the variety that we infuse into our lives are what lead to tilth, not just in the soil, but in life itself. Just as a sweater will unravel if you just pull one strand, our lives are all one thing.
The fact that we see things, individual items and their attainment as real, is not fact at all. We are only deluding ourselves. What is real is the tie that binds it all together. The meanings and messages that surround us are not disparate elements either, the flow of objects and ideas is like a torrent and by moving your body steadily and doing basic boring work, we can attune to a different time signature of life. Giving, only as fast as one can and taking prudent and determined steps toward the goal, lead to a calm enough mind to relax, slow down and gaze more steadily upon what is of true importance in our lives as well as those of the people around us who we care about.
Blessings and may you too find a boring job to fall into, the results might surprise you, they always do me.

Thursday Farmer's Market, Under the Willows, Cornucopia, Wisconsin

This was one of my favorite Farmers' Markets. Not only were the foods offered at good prices, considering that this food outlet is in the town with the northernmost Post Office in Wisconsin. The crashing of the waves on the shore of Lake Superior in the background only added to the experience. The warmth of conversation between vendors and customers in the local park was remarkable. Unlike many markets, just enjoying the feel of earth beneath your feet, rather than concrete or asphalt helped make this an out in this world experience. In addition to atmosphere and ambiance, the bursting out quality of all the veggies, grains and savory meats were to inspire the chef in anyone. Creator's hand was upon everything that was up for sale. There were not many booths, but the ones that were there mattered. A "best" booth could not be found amongst them, for each and every one excelled at artistic presentation, quality products and the friendliest of service. Anyone who routinely displays at a farm market should take a lesson from the crews who sets up here, on Thursday afternoons. I believe the hours are three to six.

Watching the "Flow" of Humanity

For some reason I have frequently managed to see things from a far that would irk me to no end if I were to actively participate in them. Part of being a stagehand is having most of the time everyone else works off and working during most everyone else's time off. As we returned from the Northwoods yesterday, we came upon the most amazing throng of humanity, trying to rush to their vacation location. I estimated that we passed ten thousand cars within thirty miles, each one alternating between twenty miles per hour and fifty, jamming on the gas and alternately hitting their brakes. some of the vehicles smelled like hot clutch and brake pads but to a person they were unable to allow themselves the peace of mind that comes with waiting until traffic clears before proceeding on to the cottage, cabin or campground that they were looking for.
I have been in traffic, so don't get me wrong. I'm not putting undo judgement on those many thousands of folks who were trying to get Up North, I'm just glad that I was able to arrange for a couple days off earlier and made it home safely before the traffic really got bad. Word to the wise, try to get to Northern Wisconsin by Thursday, or take your time and use back roads instead of the interstate to get there. Inevitably, there will be a place where the four lane divided highway turns to a two lane and then, there may be hours of jockeying until the traffic begins to sort itself out. Especially on long weekends, the less time you have to spend in bumper to bumper traffic the better! Ironically, the more money poured into advertizing certain "vacationlands" at least in Wisconsin, the more likely you are to be sitting in traffic at a dead stop, especially in peak season.
Don't tell anyone, but usually, there are three simple ways to both ease the backlog of cars on the road and reach your destination without the headaches brought on by the crush of weekend warriors with boats, campers and toys in tow. First, and most often overlooked, get off the main road! Our tax dollars have paid for way more roads than we could ever use, why do so many rely on the most direct route, even when it guarantees and hour or two time penalty added to the normal drive time? I always figured that an hour spent exploring a new route, seeing the sights that bring me to "Vacationland" in the first place and often finding things I never knew were there, more than offsets the headache of sucking fumes from a stationary line of cars on the way through the tiny towns with thousands of rubbernecking tourists.
I certainly don't want to take away your fun if that is your thing, but cruising at fifty on an unfamiliar road has always felt more enjoyable to me than riding the clutch or the brake through a town filled with advertizing and tourist traps. Old way thinking has led us to a point at which you can now find the same t-shirts with off color remarks in every town, sometimes in several shops in the same town. The same sunset with loons with whatever town name embroidered on them you might wish and the proliferation of cottage art from China crowding out the real thing made by local artisans. Making a real living from tourism, especially in the future will require a bit more creativity and an easing of the crush of humanity bent on consumption. If we just change where we are coming from, or the way we "get there", amazing things will begin to happen pretty much without effort.

Secondly, leave early! Not just a few hours, I mean days early. If Friday is shaping up to be a headache, call in sick to work and go up on Thursday. The boss may grumble, but in addition to not sitting in traffic for hours, you will benefit from an extra day in the woods. You can bet that work will still be there when you get back. Frequently, we forget to step out of the "norm", taking in sights at odd times, or going a bit out of the way to make it to our goals frequently provides us with opportunities that would surely be overlooked sitting in a long line of cars or waiting for a break in traffic. The best times to be in a resort area is during the week. Just ask the locals, they know to stay off the roads after 2PM on Friday and all day on Sunday. By learning from the locals, your experience can be better than you may imagine. Developing the skills needed to get the most out of your vacation may take some time, extra planning and ingenuity, but these are well worth the benefits that they can yield.
Lastly, but certainly not least, consider taking a break. State, town and city parks, wayside rest areas and other diversions along the way may change the way you look at the land you would normally skip over. Like the pebble tossed across the surface of a lake, it is contact with the water that keeps it afloat. The way we see ourselves in the world is based on the contact we have with the landscape. Cottage life has never been about the time spent getting there, rushing or running to get something done, get somewhere special, fighting for parking or that certain nick-knack. It is about all of those things melting away into nothingness, experiencing the call of nature, the whisper of the wind in pines, or the silent steps of a wary critter walking through your camp. Vacationlands exist for the benefit of those who have spent too much time in the city, being part of long lines, trying to catch their breath in a hectic world. spending a little time and possibly money in a local diner, a park, or at a local rummage sale might not get you closer to the cabin, but at least you can relax a little rather than looking at the bumper of the car ahead of you. Expecting everyone to heed these three rules is probably too much to ask, but for those who take the road less traveled, I salute you. Thank-you for doing your part to ease the crush on Vacationland highways. Especially North of the stress line, why bring that city life with you?