Friday, February 12, 2010

Social Media: Grad Level Theories


Do you ever just get tired of updating?

In our hyper-interactive reality, creating catchy phrases to update the 700+ web friends that I've acculumated can be creatively draining.
At work, we're creating a webinar in April about the role of social media in community foundations. While I'm really excited about all the increasingly new tools that are available for exchange between information producers and consumers, I do wonder what the impact of Internet-based applications will be 5-10 years from now, and is it lucrative for us to be involved with NOW?
  • Will it bring in new donors (like the overwhelming philanthropic response to the Yele Foundation, enabled by information sharing on Facebook and Twitter)?
  • Will it sustain organizations (like Kiva.org, whose social finance work enables 1 loan every 18 seconds to social entrepreneurs, much of which, in my mind, is generated online).
  • Will it effectively replace numerous philanthropic transactions (like Localgiving.org, whose information portal enables donors to contribute directly to organizations whose profiles have been vetted by local community foundations and are featured on the platform.)

While I do enjoy the constanct information exchange, I wonder what role it will have in the future of my work, my play, and my world.

ciao y'all.

a

New to Me Music - GWO KA

In my weekly afro-dance class, we've started a new routine that is choreographed to a genre of music called Gwo-Ka. The song we're using is called "Colas-la" and it's by Claude Rolcin et le West Indian Combo off the "Tumbélé!" Biguine, afro & latin Sounds from the french Caribbean 1963-74.

IT'S BAAAAD!!!

Some Gwo-Ka background:

Gwo ka is a family of hand drums used to create a form of folk music from Guadeloupe. There are seven basic rhythms in gwo ka, and multiple variations on each. Different sizes of drums establish the foundation and its flourishes, with the largest, the boula, playing the central rhythm and the smaller, markeur (or maké) drums embellishes upon it and interplays with the dancers, audience or singer. Gwo ka singing is usually guttural, nasal and rough, though it can also be bright and smooth, and is accompanied by uplifting and complex harmonies and melodies.[1]

Rural Guadeloupans still use gwo ka drums in communal experiences called lewozes; this is the most traditional manifestation of gwo ka in modern Guadeloupe. Gwo ka is also played at Carnival and other celebrations. A modernized and popularized form of gwo ka is well-known on the islands; it is known as gwo ka moderne.[1]

Hope you enjoy!

Thursday, February 11, 2010

The Cycle

give a man a fish and he'll eat for a day. but if you teach a man to fish, he'll eat for a lifetime.

if you give a woman a fish, she will feed her family first and might possibly go hungry.

if you teach a woman to fish, she will feed her family, open a fish market, and build her community's economy until outside forces take away her fishing rights or pollute the lake.

if you help a woman buy the lake, she will feed her family, enlarge her fish market business, build her community's economy, and keep the lake environmentally clean and have something to pass on to future generations.

what are you up to today?

Unplugging in an Electric Wonderland


still on my unplugging kick. when you relax on purpose, it really keeps your mind clear, body strong, and spirit relevant. this is the good life!

monday's unplug - skipped the extra session at the gym and journaled most of the evening
tuesday's unplug - practiced writing Chinese characters (the monotony of which is quite relaxing:)
wednesday's unplug - popped a bottle of moscato, ate chicken wings, and lounged in front of the tv
today's unplug - got up really early, read more Leviticus, journaled, and spent some time with Jesus in prayer. i also cleaned and cut up some cilantro this morning. i realized that prepping and cleaning my veggies early in the morning makes it less like a chore - more like a soothing exercise in taking care of self.

that be it for now.
ciao y'all!
a

Tuesday, February 9, 2010

Unplugged - Romans 12:2

UNPLUG.

breathe easy, calm down, catch one's breath, chill out, collect oneself, compose oneself, cool off, feel at home, hang loose, lie down, loosen up, make oneself at home, mellow out, put one's feet up, recline, rest, settle back, sit around, sit back, take a break, take a breather, take a load off, take it easy, take ten, unwind, wind down.

Just back from a weekend-long board meeting in Toronto that occupied lots of energy. It was a wonderful exchange, but exhausting nonetheless. I got back Sunday afternoon and had to rush off to Mandarin class, which added to the stress. I love the class, but it requires lots of concentration, which at that point, I was running low on. It took me forever to think of the synonym for relax that meant to totally disengage from my environment – and then it came to me….unplug.

Being the ENTJ alpha-dominant female that I am, I had to plan in my unplug time – and I really should – otherwise, I’ll never take it. My unplug on Sunday night was a dip in the sauna, and my unplug on Monday was early morning prayer and a review of Leviticus. Prayer always brings such a presence and balance of mind. I pray everyday – usually for my loved ones. But on Monday, I made lots of space for just connecting with God in the way that my spirit directed, and I’m so glad He was on the other end.

Romans 12:2 (KJV) And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.

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