28Oct 2011 by CJ

A record player could spin a song that stirs a cherished memory

Life & Living, Love & Relationships
As a youngster I was always fascinated by a record player, remember those? No matter how they were packaged or sized, for some reason I just loved their functionality - even drawing pictures of them in art class when I was in first grade. I might be alone on this one, but truthfully I miss not having one around. Back in the day, it wasn't uncommon for many living rooms to feature a piece of furniture which resembled an enclosed console table. But cleverly housed inside was in fact a record player, speakers and even some storage for 33's and 45's (record sizes for those of you who don't remember). My grandparents were one such household, and as you can imagine I loved going there and listening to a few…
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06Oct 2011 by CJ

Jobs passing teaches us about the fragility of ALL life…not just celebrities

Information & Education, Life & Living
Steve Jobs passing is a story you'll be hearing a lot about over the next few days. I've been doing some reading online regarding Jobs passing and some people, who obviously are obsessed with Apple, are mourning the man as though he were a member of their own family. One young twenty-something even said, "this is a dark day for America." Are you serious? Yes, Jobs was an immense talent, but I'm still not sure that his technological creations have truly added to the quality as much as the convenience of one's life. Still, I feel bad for his family, but I'm not sure this is really a dark day for our country. People forget that deaths are occurring every day and probably every hour if such a study were…
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05Oct 2011 by CJ

Pain is real and it’s important to deal with it rather than dismiss it

Life & Living
Pain is real - something I was reminded of when I was flipping through a desk calendar. A friend of mine purchased a calendar for me last year - filled with quotations from Eckhart Tolle, the author of the best-selling book The Power of Now. Each month is filled with beautiful photography of natural landscapes, but more importantly an inspirational passage from the widely respected teacher regarding how living in the "Now" is the truest path to happiness and enlightenment. If you have the chance, the book is worth the read. I was particularly moved by October's excerpt. "The greater part of human pain is unnecessary. It is self-created as long as the unobserved mind runs your life. The pain that you create now is always some form of nonacceptance,…
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24Aug 2011 by CJ

Taxing the rich may not be the answer but something doesn’t add up

Life & Living
People have very strong opinions for or against taxing the rich more than your average ordinary citizen. I myself am not sure that taxing the rich is the answer to all of our fiscal problems, but from a logistical and mathematical standpoint it just doesn't make much sense to me. I mean how could you tell a family of four, with a combined income of under $50,000 a year, that they will pay the same tax rate as those earning $1,000,000 or more? Even if you’re fortunate enough to be a part of such an elite group, does that really mean it’s fair? And while Governor Christine of New Jersey and most of the Republicans in Washington continue to protect their wealthy friends and neighbors, one unexpected person recently made…
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22Aug 2011 by CJ

A compassionate society is able to rise above themselves for the good of others

Generosity & Kindness, Life & Living
Author Dorothy Allison was recently interviewed by "The Writer" magazine and had these very interesting words to say about a compassionate society. "I think the lack of honesty in the media in this country is killing the country. I think we are  living a culture of lies. And at this point, the winning voices are the loudest voices. I'm 60. I can look back at what has happened in this country, the fight for civil rights and justice and a genuinely compassionate culture we put in place, and now I look around and now I see a mean, desperate place. It is very frightening." Though Ms. Allison is 24 years my senior, I can relate to what she is saying. Lately I find myself wondering how things have gotten so out of…
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