Smile and laugh for mind and body health By Tracey Vale

Copyright, Tracey Vale 2010

Smiling and laughter lifts the spirits, improving mind health as well as concentration, immunity and physical health. Scientists have discovered that even forcing yourself to smile has the effect of boosting your mood. A smile releases ‘feel good’ brain chemicals, or endorphins, to boost mood and relieve stress and anxiety. A smile also releases serotonin, a natural, stress-reducing chemical and reduces stress hormones such as cortisol and dopamine.

Smiling and laughter also strengthens the immune system and boosts physical health. It causes the body to increase production of antibodies and white blood cells, thereby boosting immunity. 

Studies have shown that smiling lowers blood pressure. Add some laughter and you are gaining overall health benefits through toning the stomach muscles and exercising the diaphragm and heart. Vigorous laughter increases the heart rate and breathing rate. Vanderbilt University scientists discovered that laughter can increase your burning of calories by an impressive 20 percent.

As a universal sign of happiness, smiles also make you seem more confident, sociable and attractive. It has been shown that people who smile more are more likely to be promoted at work. A study from the Scotland University of Aberdeen, revealed that participants chose people who were smiling to indicate the category of ‘attractive’. Another study revealed that 69 percent of male participants believed a woman was more attractive when she smiled, rather than wearing make-up.

Smiling increases life expectancy. The University of Illinois conducted a research study that revealed that people with a happy disposition, who smiled more often, increase their life expectancy by almost ten years. Similarly, laughter reduces stress, anxiety and anger, contributing to increased physical and mental health.

A 2010 study from Wayne State University analysed baseball cards, from Major League players of 1952, to prove increased life expectancy. The study found that the athletes who were smiling broadly in their picture, lived an average seven years longer than their non-smiling counterparts.

Smiling also strengthens relationships and attracts happier people to you. It is contagious, as proven in a Swedish experiment where participants couldn’t resist smiling when seeing others do likewise. Remember the famous quote: "Smile and the whole world smiles with you"?

A study at the University of California Berkeley used the year book pictures of 21-year-old women, then analysed their lives 30 years later. Those with the biggest smiles in their year book photos were all found to have stronger marriages and better wellbeing and overall health, based on psychological and physical health tests, than those who didn’t.

The benefits of a positive, healthy attitude have been well-documented for recovery from illness, with many hospitals adopting programs to boost happiness and increase laughter. Researchers found that just one hour of comedy-watching, boosted tumour-fighting cells in test tubes, with effects lasting for up to 12 hours.

Smile, laugh and reap the rewards.

References

http://health.yahoo.net/experts/dayinhealth/science-smiles Article titled Surprising Facts About Smiling, by Lisa Collier Cool, which cites the book Smile: The Astonishing power of a Simple Act, by Ron Gutman, TED Books, 2011. Cited online 12/10/12.

http://www.nursingschools.net/blog/2010/07/say-cheese-15-fascinating-facts-about-smiling/ Cited online 12/10/12.

http://www.ihavenet.com/Health-Top-10-Surprising-Facts-About-Smiling-BSBY.html Cited online 12/10/12.

http://www.drstandley.com/facts_laughing.shtml Cited online 12/10/12.

Health Benefits of Turmeric

Source: Wikimedia Commons

The benefits of the spice turmeric, often termed the 'queen of spices', have been recorded as early as 1280AD by Marco Polo and have been used medicinally by China and India for thousands of years.
Turmeric is commonly used to boost flavour in culinary dishes and gives the yellow colour to curries--but it also has many medicinal benefits.

Turmeric contains dietary fibre, manganese, Vitamin B6, iron and potassium. It is used to promote healthy skin; in the treatment of Alzheimers; and is effective in the fight against cancer, heart disease, diabetes and a host of other conditions and uses. For more details, refer to this article, 'Top 10 Health Benefits of Turmeric', by thedetoxdiva, available here: http://thedetoxdiva.com/top-10-health-benefits-of-turmeric/

Fennel's Health Benefits

From Wikimedia Commons

Fennel provides a host of health and medicinal benefits. It is used in the treatment of constipation; respiratory conditions such as congestion and bronchitis; indigestion; flatulence and anemia. Fennel also regulates hormones to ease and regulate menstruation and aids in the fight against macular degeneration.

Fennel is effective in reducing inflammation to the stomach, digestive tract and eyes due to the components in its essential oils. Anetol, cineole, iron and histidine are among these components. Anetol and cineole reduce inflammation while iron and histidine boost blood health and treat anemia. Fennel also contains minerals, such as magnesium and cobalt, and antioxidants, essential for tissue regeneration and anti-aging.

From Wikimedia commons

Fennel is a diuretic and therefore beneficial in the removal of toxins from the body. It is also beneficial for lactating mothers and for a host of other reasons including hair health and sharpening of memory. Fennel treatments are achieved by using its seeds, vegetable bulb or as topical cures.

For more details of the health benefits of fennel, see this article:
http://www.organicfacts.net/health-benefits/herbs-and-spices/health-benefits-of-fennel.html

Natural treatments for teen problem skin, By Tracey Vale

Acne treatments need not be expensive with a number of natural treatments available that are not only effective but also soothing to the skin. Many store formulations contain chemicals and are over-drying, which compounds the problem by causing the glands to produce more oil to compensate.

Slight changes in your normal routine and habits will assist in reducing the occurrence, severity and longevity of breakouts.

(1)   Clean your face morning and night. Don’t use harsh soaps or any cleansers with fragrance or alcohol added. Use luke-warm or cool water. Natural cleansers are listed below in the remedy section.

(2)   Drink plenty of water throughout the day. This aids in flushing toxins, which are released through the skin, and maintains healthy skin and circulation.

(3)   Avoid touching your face, especially problem areas. This prevents spread of bacteria, aggravation and the increase of dirt and grime.

(4)   Exercise. This improves skin health from the inside out, improving overall health, circulation and the elimination of toxins.

(5)   Nutrition. Ensure your diet is balanced and antioxidant-rich, with plenty of fruits and vegetables. Antioxidants aid in the removal of toxins and in the repair of damaged cells. Avoid greasy, high-fat content foods.

(6)   Vitamins. Daily consumption of the vitamins A, E and niacin has been shown to be effective in acne treatment.

(7)   Use a natural exfoliator once or twice a week. This needs to be a gentle process as harsh scrubbing will exacerbate breakout problems. Natural exfoliators are listed below.

(8)   Use a steam treatment once a week and follow with a natural mask treatment. See remedies below.

Natural Remedies

Steaming: Electric face steamers can be purchased relatively cheaply and are very effective. Alternatively, fill a large bowl with boiling water and place a towel over your head so that it covers the bowl and concentrates the steam. Wash your face first and, with your skin still wet, sit with your face over the steam. Raise your head away from the water if is too hot. Do this for around 10 to 15 minutes, and then gently pat your face dry. Your pores will be opened by the steam and will respond to a natural toner. You will also find that blackheads and whiteheads are looser and respond well to gentle exfoliation.

Witch Hazel: Witch Hazel is a natural toner that is very effective in the treatment of acne. Available from supermarkets and chemists, it is inexpensive and is applied by soaking a cotton wool ball and dabbing over the skin. Use after steaming, cleansing and exfoliating. Witch Hazel cleanses, tones and reduces the spread of acne-causing bacteria.

Tea Tree Oil: Tea Tree Oil is a natural disinfectant and is very effective in the treatment of acne. It can be found in many quality natural treatments available across the counter. Use in its natural form by dabbing onto problem areas. It reduces the spread of bacteria, cleans and assists in drying out breakouts.

Aspirin Mask and Exfoliator: Not strictly a natural remedy, but it is readily available and effective as a home remedy for acne treatment. Crush an aspirin tablet and mix with enough water to form a smooth paste. Apply over the skin as a mask. Relax for 10 to 20 minutes, while it dries. Rinse off with a little luke-warm or cool water, rubbing gently over the skin to exfoliate at the same time.

Baking Soda: Combine a teaspoon or two of baking soda with water and use as a cleanser for daily face-washing. Baking soda balances skin tone and unblocks clogged pores.

Baking soda combined with a small amount of water to form a smooth paste can be used as a face mask. Apply to the face and leave on for 15 to 30 minutes. This paste is also effective as a natural exfoliator.

Oatmeal: Oatmeal is naturally soothing and can be used in facials, exfoliators and masks. To make an oatmeal facial/exfoliator, combine 2 teaspoons of oatmeal with 1 teaspoon of baking soda and enough water to form a paste. Smooth over the face and gently rub in. Rinse off and pat dry.

For an oatmeal mask, combine 3 tablespoons of oatmeal with ½ cup of milk or water. Apply as a mask and leave on for 15 minutes. This will soothe and cleanse.

Orange Peel: Rub moist orange peel over affected areas to cleanse and reduce spread of bacteria. Alternatively, pound the peel and mix with a little water, then apply to the skin as a cleanser. Rinse and pat dry.

The importance of writing well for children, from Roald Dahl

"The prime function of the children's book writer is to write a book that is so absorbing, exciting, funny, fast and beautiful that the child will fall in love with it. And that their first love affair between the young child and the young book will lead hopefully to other loves for other books and when that happens the battle is probably won. The child will have found a crock of gold. He will also have gained something that will help to carry him most marvelously through the tangles of his later years." Roald Dahl

Image from Wikimedia Commons

"I have a passion for teaching kids to become readers, to become comfortable with a book, not daunted. Books shouldn't be daunting, they should be funny, exciting and wonderful; and learning to be a reader gives a terrific advantage.”

"We are the music makers, and we are the dreamers of dreams.”

"So Matilda’s strong young mind continued to grow, nurtured by the voices of all those authors who had sent their books out into the world like ships on the sea. These books gave Matilda a hopeful and comforting message: You are not alone.” From Matilda.

"We have tears in our eyes
As we wave our goodbyes,
We so loved being with you, we three.
So do please now and then
Come and see us again,
The Giraffe and the Pelly and me.

"All you do is to look
At a page in this book
Because that’s where we always will be.
No book ever ends
When it’s full of your friends
The Giraffe and the Pelly and me.” From The Giraffe and the Pelly and Me. 

"When you're writing a book, it's rather like going on a very long walk, across valleys and mountains and things, and you get the first view of what you see and you write it down. Then you walk a bit further, maybe up onto the top of a hill, and you see something else. Then you write that and you go on like that, day after day, getting different views of the same landscape really. The highest mountain on the walk is obviously the end of the book, because it's got to be the best view of all, when everything comes together and you can look back and see that everything you've done all ties up. But it's a very, very long, slow process.”

And some other quotes from the inspirational, funny and creative children's writer, Roald Dahl, on what would have been his 96th birthday:

"We have so much time and so little to do. Strike that, reverse it.”

"A little nonsense now and then is relished by the wisest men." From Charlie and the Great Glass Elevator.

"So please, oh please, we beg, we pray, go throw your TV set away, and in its place you can install, a lovely bookcase on the wall."

“And above all, watch with glittering eyes the whole world around you because the greatest secrets are always hidden in the most unlikely places. Those who don't believe in magic will never find it.”

“It doesn't matter who you are or what you look like, so long as somebody loves you." From The Witches.

"Don't gobblefunk around with words.” From The BFG.

"Two rights don't equal a left." from The BFG.

 “Grown ups are complicated creatures, full of quirks and secrets.” 

“If a person has ugly thoughts, it begins to show on the face. And when that person has ugly thoughts every day, every week, every year, the face gets uglier and uglier until you can hardly bear to look at it.

"A person who has good thoughts cannot ever be ugly. You can have a wonky nose and a crooked mouth and a double chin and stick-out teeth, but if you have good thoughts it will shine out of your face like sunbeams and you will always look lovely.” From The Twits.

"I began to realize how important it was to be an enthusiast in life. He taught me that if you are interested in something, no matter what it is, go at it at full speed ahead. Embrace it with both arms, hug it, love it and above all become passionate about it. Lukewarm is no good. Hot is no good either. White hot and passionate is the only thing to be.” From My Uncle Oswald.

"Bunkum and tummyrot! You'll never get anywhere if you go about what-iffing like that. Would Columbus have discovered America if he'd said 'What if I sink on the way over? What if I meet pirates? What if I never come back?' He wouldn't even have started.”

"But there was one other thing that the grown-ups also knew, and it was this: that however small the chance might be of striking lucky, the chance is there. The chance had to be there.” From Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.

"I was already beginning to realize that the only way to conduct oneself in a situation where bombs rained down and bullets whizzed past, was to accept the dangers and all the consequences as calmly as possible. Fretting and sweating about it all was not going to help.” From Going Solo.

“The life of a writer is absolute hell compared to the life of a businessman. The writer has to force himself to work He has to make his own hours and if he doesn't go to his desk at all there is nobody to scold him...A person is a fool to become a writer. His only compensation is absolute freedom. He has no master except his own soul, and that, I am sure, is why he does it.”   

Publishing Options, By Tracey Vale

The following was written for a business client, but is equally relevant to any field of fiction or non-fiction.

• Traditional Publisher: Requires an agent for representation; no fee to publish; pays an advance (although, not always); generally takes 50% of the book price; has prestige; marketing and distribution is taken care of but the author also needs to work on marketing.

• Self Publish in text book format. There are a few options:

(1) Pay a printer to publish a number of books up front. The cost per book decreases with a larger order. You will need to organise appropriate type-setting, layout and design first. You will also need to handle all marketing, promotion and distribution.

A distribution company can be used. They will need to accept the book first and can be quite choosey. Your books, say 1000, are taken on consignment and are promoted and delivered to bookstores. They will re-order as the bookstores demand.

(2) Use an online publisher to self publish. There are a number of these available and most are full-service re editing, design, layout etc. Again, the price per book decreases with a larger order. An example is www.bookmasters.com

(3) Print on Demand. There are also a number of these on the web and they are also full service re design etc. The cost to the buyer is generally higher per book but can still be cost effective. They are especially useful for those not wanting to pay costs in advance. An example is lulu.com and www.advisorpress.com. Distribution is also handled through the publisher’s website.

You have more creative control when self publishing and will need to do, or organise, all the marketing yourself, although book publishers with an online presence will display, sell and distribute your book. There are also better profit margins to self-publishing.

• Self Publish in e-book format. The e-book has the highest profit margin and eases distribution. A website dedicated to the book is required along with an appropriate sales letter.

• Upload in e-book format. Sell your e-book through Amazon and Barnes & Noble etc.

• Combine. A combination of options works well and is generally adopted. For example, The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, by Stephen R. Covey and first published in 1989, is currently (16/7/12) number one on Amazon’s Top 100 bestseller list for business and investing in e-book (kindle) format. It is also at number three in paperback version and number 17 in audio format. (These have been in the bestseller list for between 490 and 2003 days prior to the day of his death, July 18, 2012, and are still rising.)

Useful Links

• http://800ceoread.com/attribute/show/1-The_Business_Book_Bestseller_List/ Best selling business books for 2012. 800ceoread also publishes and promotes.
• http://www.cnbc.com/id/46103871/12_Business_Books_for_2012?slide=2 CNBC top 12 business books 2012.
• http://www.amazon.com/Best-Sellers-Books-Business-Investing/zgbs/books/3 Best sellers in business and investing: Amazon.
• http://www.amazon.com/gp/new-releases/books/3 Amazon top new releases in business and investing.

  

Olympic's dark days--a twist on the Munich Massacre

Olympic's dark days--revisit a twist on the Munich Massacre with this free flashfiction

September 2012 marks the 40th anniversary of one of the most heinous and traumatic events in Olympic History--the Munich Massacre in 1972, during the second week of the Summer Olympics. Tracey Vale explores an intriguing twist in her free ebook.

September 2012 marks the 40th anniversary of the tragic events of the Munich Massacre. This free flashfiction, 'Olympic Honour', by Tracey Vale, offers the hope of redemption through a new Olympic challenge in London.

The free ebook is available for a limited time by downloading Ether Books free app, then go to the tab 'What's Hot' and scroll down to Tracey Vale, Olympic Honour. The app is available here: http://itunes.apple.com/app/id362070951?mt=8

In 1972, in Munich, Bavaria, members of the Palestinian terrorist group, Black September, took advantage of lax security at the Summer Olympics, entering the Olympic village with ease, dressed in tracksuits and carrying their ammunition in gym bags.

Members of the Israeli team were taken hostage, and eventually killed. Numbering 11 athletes, they were robbed of their chance to compete. An Israeli coach and a West German police officer were also killed in the ensuing massacre.

The free flashfiction, 'Olympic Honour' explores a charater related to one of the terrorists who disagrees with their actions. She defects to another country to start a new life but remains plagued by her family's past. How will she achieve redemption? How would you feel if you were related to one of those terrorists?

Israeli Yossef Romano, 31, was the first of the athletes to be killed, grabbing a gun from one of the intruders, only to be killed by another.

See the promo poster here: http://www.tumblr.com/blog/expresswords1
and download the free flashfiction from Ether books with their free app here: http://itunes.apple.com/app/id362070951?mt=8 

Free Olympic-themed Flash Fiction

September 2012 marks 40 years since one of the most tragic events in Olympic Games history—the Munich Massacre, occurring in the second week of the 1972 Summer Olympics in Munich, Bavaria.
Author, Tracey Vale explores what could have happened if a close family member of one of the terrorists defected to Israel.

Read her account in this flash fiction read, titled ‘Olympic Honour’, available for a limited time at Ether Books. Download their free app here: http://itunes.apple.com/app/id362070951?mt=8 and look up the title.

A free flash fiction read

Wish upon a star

"We all have days when reality seems all too difficult, and hiding under the doona in bed starts to look increasingly appealing. Instead of surrendering to stress and sorrow, take a moment to breathe deeply, clear your mind and believe that possibility can bewitch actuality. Pick a dandelion and wish upon its seeds, or find the first star in the sky as dusk falls. reality can be a stern master but, just sometimes, magic can happen."
Source: Quote from Notebook Magazine, January 2006, p.35

Mt. Lofty Botanic Gardens. Copyright 2012, Tracey Vale

Popcorn packs a healthful punch, By Tracey Vale

A recent study by scientists at the University of Scranton, Pennsylvania, has revealed that popcorn is packed full of antioxidants and fibre. One serve provides more of these health benefits than that provided by total daily requirements of fruits or vegetables.

The study revealed that the hull has the highest concentration of polyphenols, a type of antioxidant, and fibre. Polyphenols are more diluted in fruits and vegetables due to the high water content, which is generally around 90 percent, compared with a four percent water content in popcorn. It is, however, important to note that popcorn must not be seen as a replacement for fruit and vegetables, also valuable for their high nutrient and essential vitamin content. Instead, use popcorn to replace unhealthy snacks such as potato chips and biscuits.

The level of polyphenols found in popcorn also rivals those found in nuts and products such as wholegrain tortilla chips.

Antioxidants are important in reducing the risk of cancer and many other diseases, including heart disease.

300 milligrams of polyphenols are found in one serving of popcorn, compared to 114 milligrams found in one serving of sweetcorn and 160 milligrams found in one serving of fruit.

The daily requirement of fruit provides 255 milligrams of polyphenols, while the daily requirement of vegetables contains 218 milligrams.

Popcorn is the only snack that is 100 percent unprocessed wholegrain. Other products listed as ‘wholegrain’ are only required to be at a level of 51%. One serving of popcorn provides 70 percent of daily wholegrain requirements.

In order for popcorn to be healthy, however, it must be cooked in a way which maintains the health benefits without adding unhealthy ingredients. Cinema popcorn is not healthy due to its liberal slatherings of butter and salt. Similarly, packaged popcorn has unnecessary additives, as does packaged microwave popcorn kernels.

Air-pop the popcorn, keeping oil and salt to a bare minimum. A healthy, quick microwave method is listed below. Flavour can be varied by adding your choice of the following:

• Grated parmesan cheese
• Mixed herbs
• Chopped dill
• Chilli powder
• Curry powder
• Cinnamon
• Mixed spice

Combinations of ingredients include:

• Parmesan, mustard powder, pepper
• Parmesan, oregano, dried tomato powder
• Curry powder, turmeric, ginger
• Pepper, onion powder, turmeric, ginger,
• Pepper, onion powder, mixed herbs
• 2 teaspoons sugar (replace salt), ½ teaspoon cinnamon
• Malt vinegar in a spritz spray bottle, sprayed onto salted popcorn

Healthy Microwave Popcorn

½ cup popcorn kernels (makes about 4 cups)

½ teaspoon olive oil

salt to taste

brown paper bag, folded down twice at the top (1.5cm folds)

Mix kernels in a cup with the oil and salt. Tip into the paper bag and fold the top over. Place upright in the microwave and cook on HIGH for 2 ½ minutes. Any uncooked kernels can be re-cooked once the popped corn is removed from the bag.

Resources:

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/03/120325173008.htm

http://abcnews.go.com/blogs/health/2012/03/26/popcorn-packs-antioxidants-study-finds/

http://voices.yahoo.com/how-delicious-homemade-popcorn-seasonings-4529913.html

Autumn Collection

By an Autumn Fire, by Lucy Maud Montgomery

Now at our casement the wind is shrilling, 

Copyright Tracey Vale

Poignant and keen
And all the great boughs of the pines between
It is harping a lone and hungering strain
To the eldritch weeping of the rain;
And then to the wild, wet valley flying
It is seeking, sighing,
Something lost in the summer olden.
When night was silver and day was golden;
But out on the shore the waves are moaning
With ancient and never fulfilled desire,
And the spirits of all the empty spaces,
Of all the dark and haunted places,
With the rain and the wind on their death-white faces,
Come to the lure of our leaping fire.

But we bar them out with this rose-red splendor
From our blithe domain,  
And drown the whimper of wind and rain
With undaunted laughter, echoing long,
Cheery old tale and gay old song;
Ours is the joyance of ripe fruition,
Attained ambition.
Ours is the treasure of tested loving,
Friendship that needs no further proving;

No more of springtime hopes, sweet and uncertain,
Here we have largess of summer in fee­
Pile high the logs till the flame be leaping,
At bay the chill of the autumn keeping,
While pilgrim-wise, we may go a-reaping
In the fairest meadow of memory!

Autumn Fires, by Robert Louis Stevenson

In the other gardens
And all up the vale,
From the autumn bonfires
See the smoke trail!

Pleasant summer over
And all the summer flowers,
The red fire blazes,
The grey smoke towers.

Sing a song of seasons!
Something bright in all!
Flowers in the summer,
Fires in the fall!

Autumn Song, by Katherine Mansfield

Now's the time when children's noses
All become as red as roses
And the colour of their faces
Makes me think of orchard places
Where the juicy apples grow,
And tomatoes in a row.

And to-day the hardened sinner
Never could be late for dinner,
But will jump up to the table
Just as soon as he is able,
Ask for three times hot roast mutton--
Oh! the shocking little glutton.

Come then, find your ball and racket,
Pop into your winter jacket,
With the lovely bear-skin lining.
While the sun is brightly shining,
Let us run and play together
And just love the autumn weather

Autumn, by William Morris

Laden Autumn here I stand
Worn of heart, and weak of hand:
Nought but rest seems good to me,
Speak the word that sets me free.

Autumn in the Garden, by Henry Van Dyke

When the frosty kiss of Autumn in the dark
Makes its mark
On the flowers, and the misty morning grieves
Over fallen leaves;
Then my olden garden, where the golden soil
Through the toil
Of a hundred years is mellow, rich, and deep,
Whispers in its sleep.

'Mid the crumpled beds of marigold and phlox,
Where the box
Borders with its glossy green the ancient walks,
There's a voice that talks
Of the human hopes that bloomed and withered here
Year by year,--
Dreams of joy, that brightened all the labouring hours,
Fading as the flowers.

Yet the whispered story does not deepen grief;
But relief
For the loneliness of sorrow seems to flow
From the Long-Ago,
When I think of other lives that learned, like mine,
To resign,
And remember that the sadness of the fall
Comes alike to all.

What regrets, what longings for the lost were theirs!
And what prayers
For the silent strength that nerves us to endure
Things we cannot cure!
Pacing up and down the garden where they paced,
I have traced
All their well-worn paths of patience, till I find
Comfort in my mind.

Faint and far away their ancient griefs appear:
Yet how near
Is the tender voice, the careworn, kindly face,
Of the human race!
Let us walk together in the garden, dearest heart,
Not apart!
They who know the sorrows other lives have known
Never walk alone.

The Autumn, by Elizabeth Barrett Browning

Go, sit upon the lofty hill,
And turn your eyes around,
Where waving woods and waters wild
Do hymn an autumn sound.
The summer sun is faint on them --
The summer flowers depart --
Sit still -- as all transform'd to stone,
Except your musing heart.

How there you sat in summer-time,
May yet be in your mind;
And how you heard the green woods sing
Beneath the freshening wind.
Though the same wind now blows around,
You would its blast recall;
For every breath that stirs the trees,
Doth cause a leaf to fall.

Oh! like that wind, is all the mirth
That flesh and dust impart:
We cannot bear its visitings,
When change is on the heart.
Gay words and jests may make us smile,
When Sorrow is asleep;
But other things must make us smile,
When Sorrow bids us weep!

The dearest hands that clasp our hands, --
Their presence may be o'er;
The dearest voice that meets our ear,
That tone may come no more!
Youth fades; and then, the joys of youth,
Which once refresh'd our mind,
Shall come -- as, on those sighing woods,
The chilling autumn wind.

Hear not the wind -- view not the woods;
Look out o'er vale and hill-
In spring, the sky encircled them --
The sky is round them still.
Come autumn's scathe -- come winter's cold --
Come change -- and human fate!
Whatever prospect Heaven doth bound,
Can ne'er be desolate.

A song of Autumn, Adam Lindsay Gordon

‘WHERE shall we go for our garlands glad
At the falling of the year,
When the burnt-up banks are yellow and sad,
When the boughs are yellow and sere?
Where are the old ones that once we had,
And when are the new ones near?
What shall we do for our garlands glad
At the falling of the year?’
‘Child! can I tell where the garlands go?
Can I say where the lost leaves veer
On the brown-burnt banks, when the wild winds blow,
When they drift through the dead-wood drear?
Girl! when the garlands of next year glow,
You may gather again, my dear—
But I go where the last year’s lost leaves go
At the falling of the year.’

In autumn moonlight, when the white air wan, by Robert Seymour Bridges

In autumn moonlight, when the white air wan
Is fragrant in the wake of summer hence,
'Tis sweet to sit entranced, and muse thereon
In melancholy and godlike indolence:
When the proud spirit, lull'd by mortal prime
To fond pretence of immortality,
Vieweth all moments from the birth of time,
All things whate'er have been or yet shall be.
And like the garden, where the year is spent,
The ruin of old life is full of yearning,
Mingling poetic rapture of lament
With flowers and sunshine of spring's sure returning;
Only in visions of the white air wan
By godlike fancy seized and dwelt upon.

All photographs Copyright Tracey Vale 2012

The Fire Under Fyodor Dostoyevsky, By Tracey Vale

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Dostoevsky_1872.jpg

The opening chapter of a book, the name of which I can’t recall, reminds us that we have, on average, a certain number of days left and that we should think of our lives in this way and not waste the time we have left. ‘Carpe Diem’, or ‘Seize the day’ is a quote made particularly famous in the movie Dead Poets’ Society and one that suits this message.

The renowned Russian writer, Fyodor Dostoyevsky (1821-1881) was reminded of this in a way that most of us will never experience, a completely jolting, terrifying experience causing him to value his time and talent and compelling him with an incredible drive.

It was December 1849, Dostoyevsky was blindfolded as part of his punishment for the ‘Patrashevsky conspiracy’, believed since to be a primarily harmless group, following his arrest for sedition. The firing squad, under orders from the Russian Czar, had lifted their rifles and prepared to shoot when a messenger ran toward them, yelling “Stop!”, signifying a last-minute reprieve. Instead, he was sentenced to four years imprisonment in Siberia.

“Czar Nicholas had decided to sentence the Petrashevsky radicals to hard labor soon after their arrest. But he wanted to teach them a harsher lesson as well, so he dreamed up the cruel theater of the death sentence, with its careful details—the priest, the hoods, the coffins, the last-second pardon. This, he thought, would really humble and humiliate them. In fact some of the prisoners were driven insane by the events of that day. But the effect on Dostoyevsky was different: he had been afflicted for years with a sense of wandering, of feeling lost, of not knowing what to do with his time. An extremely sensitive man, that day he literally felt his own death deep in his bones. And he experienced his "pardon" as a rebirth.”1

He returned to St. Petersburg with a new motto: to do as much as he could in the shortest possible time, to achieve to the best of his ability. As this attitude was directly the result of his overturned execution, he became angry at those who expressed pity for his time of imprisonment. There was no residual bitterness—only an open view of his future. He pledged to utilise every moment, forcing himself back to that day whenever he felt himself straying from this goal.

“…he would have to write, and not the way other novelists wrote—as if it were a pleasant little artistic career, with all its attendant delights of salons, lectures, and other frills. Dostoyevsky wrote as if his life were at stake, with an intense feeling of urgency and seriousness.” 1

It was a lasting pledge, right up until his death in 1881. He wrote 11 novels, including Poor Folk, Crime and Punishment, The Idiot, The Devils and The Brothers Karamazov, 17 short novels, three novellas and three essays. Acknowledged as an important and relevant psychologist in world literature, his work has influenced such writers as Ernest Hemingway and Sigmund Freud as well as influencing thinkers behind both the French and Russian revolutions.

References

• 1. The 33 Strategies of War by Robert Greene: Cited 4/5/12 at http://www.artblog.net/post/2012/01/dostoyevsky/
• http://www.yamazumiyourlife.com/pivot-points/ Cited 4/5/12
• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fyodor_Dostoyevsky Cited 4/5/12
• http://www.utoronto.ca/tsq/DS/01/003.shtml Cited 4/5/12

Work-Life Balance- an inspiring poem

The following was from a terminally ill girl in a New York hospital and was sent in an email to Timothy Ferriss, author of The 4-Hour Work Week, a New York Times Bestseller.

Slow Dance

Have you ever watched kids

On a merry-go-round?

Or listened to the rain

Slapping on the ground?

Ever followed a butterfly's erratic flight?

Or gazed at the sun into the fading night?

You better slow down.

Don't dance so fast.

Time is short.

The music won't last.

Do you run through each day

On the fly?

When you ask: How are you?

Do you hear the reply?

When the day is done

do you lie in your bed

With the next hundred chores

Running through your head?

You'd better slow down.

Don't dance so fast.

Time is short.

The music won't last.

Ever told your child,

We'll do it tomorrow?

And in your haste,

Not see his sorrow?

Ever lost touch,

Let a good friendship die

'Cause you never had time

To call and say, "Hi"?

You'd better slow down.

Don't dance so fast.

Time is short.

The music won't last.

When you run so fast to get somewhere

You miss half the fun of getting there.

When you worry and hurry through your day,

It is like an unopened gift thrown away.

Life is not a race.

Do take it slower.

Hear the music

Before the song is over.

Source: The 4-Hour Work Week, Timothy Ferriss, Vermilion, London, 2008, p. 284-5.

A reflection from Steve Jobs

"For the past 33 years, I have looked in the mirror every morning and asked myself: 'If today were the last day of my life, would I want to do what I am about to do today?' And whenever the answer has been 'No' for too many days in a row, I know I need to change something...almost everything--all external expectations, all pride, all fear of embarrassment or failure--these things just fall away in the face of death, leaving only what is truly important. Remembering that you are going to die is the best way I know to avoid the trap of thinking you have something to lose."

Steve Jobs, CEO of Apple Computer (despite having been a college dropout), Stanford University Commencement, 2005

Source: http://news-service.stanford.edu/news/2005/june15/jobs-061505.html , as cited in The 4-Hour Work Week, T. Ferriss, Vermilion, U.K., 2008

Note: Steve Jobs was first diagnosed with pancreatic cancer in 2003. He was born 24/2/1955 and died 5/10/2011.

A writer's quote from Norman Mailer

"The writer can grow as a person or he can shrink....His curiosity, his reaction to life must not diminish. The fatal thing is to shrink, to be interested in less, sympathetic to less, desiccating to the point where life itself loses its flavour and one's passion for human understanding changes to weariness and distaste."

Norman Mailer (31/1/1923-10/11/2007) American novelist, journalist, essayist, poet, playwright and screenwriter.

Favourite Quotes from Nelson Mandela

I have great admiration for those who conquer adversity and fight for what they believe in, no matter the cost. The following are my favourite quotes from one of the world's most inspirational people, Nelson Mandela.

By Michael Steer, Copyright 2012

“I am fundamentally an optimist. Whether that comes from nature or nurture, I cannot say. Part of being optimistic is keeping one’s head pointed toward the sun, one’s feet moving forward. There were many dark moments when my faith in humanity was sorely tested, but I would not and could not give myself up to despair. That way lays defeat and death.” (Long Walk to Freedom)

“The greatest glory in living lies not in never falling, but in rising every time we fall.” (Autobiography)

“I learned that courage was not the absence of fear, but the triumph over it. The brave man is not he who does not feel afraid, but he who conquers that fear.” (Autobiography)

“No one is born hating another person because of the color of his skin, or his background, or his religion. People must learn to hate, and if they can learn to hate, they can be taught to love, for love comes more naturally to the human heart than its opposite.” (Autobiography)

“For to be free is not merely to cast off one’s chains, but to live in a way that respects and enhances the freedom of others.”

"There is no easy walk to freedom anywhere, and many of us will have to pass through the valley of the shadow of death again and again before we reach the mountaintop of our desires."

"We must use time wisely and forever realize that the time is always ripe to do right."

"Let there be justice for all. Let there be peace for all. Let there be work, bread, water and salt for all. Let each know that for each the body, the mind and the soul have been freed to fulfill themselves." (Speech, May 10, 1994)

“A good head and good heart are always a formidable combination. But when you add to that a literate tongue or pen, then you have something very special."

Sunrise Over Pt. Noarlunga, by Peter Kemp, Copyright 2012

“I have walked that long road to freedom. I have tried not to falter; I have made missteps along the way. But I have discovered the secret that after climbing a great hill, one only finds that there are many more hills to climb. I have taken a moment here to rest, to steal a view of the glorious vista that surrounds me, to look back on the distance I have come. But I can only rest for a moment, for with freedom come responsibilities, and I dare not linger, for my long walk is not ended.”     

“Resentment is like drinking poison and then hoping it will kill your enemies.”  

"There is no passion to be found playing small - in settling for a life that is less than the one you are capable of living.”   

“It always seems impossible until it’s done.”