Street Entertainment from San Diego…
1) What shoes did I wear? đ
2) What were the 3 options I got on the card in the end?
3) What would be your little gift to the world? Do you have an untraditional talent or idea that would bring people some smiles?
Make the day!
Johanna
Hm… this video makes me listen and appreciate – quietly.
Made me think of the chosen quote by Catrine NĂ€smark to her portrait of Blues Brothers:
âWe are on a mission from God.â Blues Brothers
What is your unique talent? Are you taking good care of it? Are you sharing it with the world – near and/or far, small or large?
Please do. Let us enjoy.
Johanna
I have a sweet, and rather new, routine to go to the oldest farmers market in San Francisco every other Saturday. Part of that routine is also getting lost driving there… enjoying the conversation with my friend Isma Mrkonjic. One of her many talents is her poetry. She shared with me her favorite poem, and I had to record it. You know – there is never the “right moment” or the “right location” to communicate something important. It “should be” a nice environment, it “should have” a beautiful back-ground, it “should have” peaceful background music… Sorry guys, and gals, and mom – when you have something important to say, the message will be delivered and heard. No matter surrounding. So voila, here comes a very beautiful poem. Watch the video below. Recorded from the parking lot of Urban Flow Yoga in my car… Actually, the setting is perfect. Time spent with my mom driving to school in the morning, or back from dance classes in the evening, used to be cherished peaceful conversation-time with her. Also, yesterday, I had a session with my own coach, which ended with a question: “Who do you admire and why?“ The response came easily: my mother. She is warm, loving, generous, talented, has good taste, great chef, efficient, get things done!, no matter how much and what is on her plate: moves forward…”. So maybe there is a right moment after all. It may just not look like we imagined. Who do you admire, and why? Will you let them know? Happy Thanksgiving everyone, and… Thank you Mom – I love you! Johanna
I am sharing an email I just received…
Imagine that you had won the following prize in a contest: Each morning your bank would deposit $86,400.00 in your private account for your use.
However,this prize has rules, just as any game has certain rules. The first set of rules would be:
Everything that you didn’t spend during each day would be taken away from you.
You may not simply transfer money into some other account.
You may only spend it.
Each morning upon awakening, the bank opens your account with another $86,400.00 for that day. The second set of rules:
The bank can end the game without warning; at any time it can say, Its over, the game is over! It can close the account and you will not receive a new one.
What would you personally do?
You would buy anything and everything you wanted right? Not only for yourself, but for all people you love, right? Even for people you don’t know, because you couldn’t possibly spend it all on yourself, right? You would try to spend every cent, and use it all, right?
ACTUALLY This GAME is REALITY!
Each of us is in possession of such a magical bank. We just can’t seem to see it.
The MAGICAL BANK is TIME!
Each morning we awaken to receive 86,400 seconds as a gift of life, and when we go to sleep at night, any remaining time is NOT credited to us.
What we haven’t lived up that day is forever lost.
Yesterday is forever gone.
Each morning the account is refilled, but the bank can dissolve your account at any time….WITHOUT WARNING.
SO, what will YOU do with your 86,400 seconds?
Those seconds are worth so much more than the same amount in dollars.
Think about that, and always think of this:
Enjoy every second of your life, because time races by so much quicker than you think.
So take care of yourself, be Happy, Love Deeply and enjoy life!
Here’s wishing you a wonderful and beautiful day.
Start spending.
…and it’s not Black Friday that I am preparing you for ;).
Enjoy the long weekend!
Johanna
Or, I should rather say “Web Cam Art Shared (with Permission)”.
I got an email sent to me with the text “…happened to be browsing this just at sunset the other day – I think web-cam art may become a new
genre đ pretty remarkable.. đ – http://sv.berkeley.edu/view/index.html
About The ProjectOVERVIEW: The goal of this project is to help children understand the weather by correlating the view from the Lawrence Hall of Science with weather data and satellite imagery. This project is part of the Lawrence Hall of Science Weather Exhibit and the FOSS Weather CD-ROM.
Enjoy the sunset – I am not sure about the weather where you are right now, but the rain is making big time music on the fire stair outside of my window.
Johanna
Silicon Valhalla:
There are just SO MANY SMART SOLUTIONS coming out from Sweden. I am so proud that I can explode at times.
You may know of the safety match, screw propeller, cream separator, telephone handset, zipper, household vacuum cleaner, Hasselblad camera, tetra pak, three-point safety belt, airbag sensor, pacemaker, Losec, digital hearing aid… the list is long. You may not know that Anders Celsius (1701-17444) created the centigrade thermometer and Eva Ekeblad (1724-1786) invented the process of producing potato vodka. And there is a new generation of Swedish inventions coming!
How many of you are aware of the Swedish invention Solvatten and the impact it has just started to have on health, wealth and community involvement in places where there is very little or no access to clean water? See this informative video from CNN.
Solvatten is one of 20 innovations selected for the “Innovative Sweden Exhibition”, with a kick-off event that took place at Stanford Nov 2, 2011.
Be Curious. Change the world.
Sweden may be a small country, but we are full of great ideas. Our curiosity, creativity and desire for change have made us innovators. We lead the world in innovations in a variety of fields. Our curiosity has enhanced and upgraded the way we all live.
Every day more than 25 million people use Skype to communicate. And Spotify will revolutionize the way we enjoy music. These ideas build on a history of Swedish Innovations, including the three point seat belt, the pacemaker and color graphics technology.
Now itâs time for a new generation of innovations from Sweden. Innovations that will improve lives.
Get a glimpse of the latest in the fields of clean technology, information and communication technologies, life science and gaming. From hydrogene fuel cells to eye tracking devices. From cleaning water with sunshine to cameras that see in the dark. Youâll find these innovations in hospitals, schools, at home and all around you.
Feel the power of curiosity. Join us and challenge yourself to change the world. Welcome to Innovative Sweden.
See the exhibition Innovative Sweden – showcasing 20 cutting edge Swedish innovations.
The event was live tweeted by my team member Anna at Herringbone; filmed and live streamed by topnotch filmmaker Tobias Elvhage – you can see it here on Bambuser – yes, another Swedish innovation. The next stops for the Innovation Sweden Exhibition will be Toronto, January 23- February 12 2012, Washington DC, March 1 â April 30 2012, Rio de Janeiro, May 21 â June 24 and SĂŁo Paulo, July 9 â middle of August.
Puh – feel so much better to have shared. đ
Johanna
Thank you to Life at Just Another Fucking Startup and Peter  @poppetotte Sandberg for the web comic strip.
Hm – what started out as “awkward” this morning hit me as “actually – its not that bad”, after half a package and a few hours later.
It’s Cappuchino Flavored Thins I’m talking about. With other words Anna’s traditional Christmas ginger cookies with a different twist. And 0 Trans fat! Only at IKEA abroad.
I’m wondering if there is hope for real taste of Swedish Christmas this year – honestly IKEA, what have you done with the food store?!?! So much of the real good stuff is gone?!?! – maybe it’s time to find Grand Ma’s old secret recipe for “lunch ginger cookies”…
…instead of these for dinner… But actually – not that bad. Sometimes you just gotta give it some time and trial. Or, does ‘hunger’ make you blind?
Want the real good stuff! I know it’s there. The Marabou chocolate at least…? Please.
Johanna
Don’t we all have a story in our baggage?
Watch this TEDxSantaCruz talk about TRUST by Gonan & Johan Premfors, founders of Parentology in Dubai. It is only 11 minutes.
“I hope Schwarzenegger won’t be upset about our little joke.” Johan Premfors on Facebook…
Process summary:
1. Swamp realization
2. Open heart
3. Boundaries clearing
4. Design relationship
5. Garden
“Trust yourself as you trust others, and you will reach the stars.”
Make the choice.
Join the garden,
Johanna
Gonan and Johan are the main drivers behind the coaching and human consciousness movement on the Arabian Peninsula. Both are faculty members of the Coaches Training Institute (San Rafael, Ca.) They are the founders of Parentology, a relationship philosophy and series of workshops, currently delivered on four continents. Johan and Gonan have worked with thousands of people including business leaders, families, professional athletes, and governments.
Gonan is from Istanbul, Turkey but has lived in Dubai since 1988 where she enjoyed a long career in finance before embarking on the human development path in 2005 by bringing the Coaches Training Institute and professional coaching to the Arabian Peninsula.
Johan is from Stockholm, Sweden but grew up in Pakistan, Kenya and Turkey. He is a former private banker turned telecommunications entrepreneur and later professional coach.
They live in Dubai with their teenage daughter.
This TEDxSantaCruz talk is part of over 2 dozen surrounding our theme of “Engage!” This inaugural TEDxSantaCruz event was held June 11, 2011 at the Cabrillo College Music Recital Hall in Aptos, CA (Santa Cruz County). http://www.tedxsantacruz.org/
November 13, 2011. Fathers Day in Sweden. Exactly 24 years since my father had a severe life changing injury. Almost 2 years since he passed away.
After my morning routine of meditation and writing my morning pages, I picked up an old book from 1930 that my father gave me at Christmas 7 years ago; “The Pearl Diver” by Victor Berge. The first chapter reads:
“My First Love.
The first time in my life that I fell in love, was in a sailing boat. Now, thirty years after, I can’t even remember her name. But it was clearly a case of love at first sight. It is the most vivid memory from my childhood in Sweden.”
I can absolutely see why my father gave me this book. He loved the sea, he was a sailor in to his core, felt more joy and made more plans than me, when I took my diving certificate, recommended where I could go, dreamed about and was always looking for new boat prospects to buy even though it was motor boats towards the end and more a process of looking than buying, because of physical limitations.
Celebrating the memory of my father extra a day like this. Being reminded of his strength, positive outlook, and to enjoy life the fullest while you can. And find other ways to enjoy what you love if you can’t do it the traditional way.
Light and love always.
Your daughter,
Johanna
Via Guy Kawasaki and Alltop.com, I came across this fabulous picture and post:
Redditor “Dakshesh” posted an image showing Mahatma Gandhi busting a move on the dance floor. Via Reddit.
Same day I also came across a blog post on Franspiration with this quote:
âWhen you dance, your purpose is not to get to a certain place on the floor. It is to enjoy each step along the way.â ~ Dr. Wayne Dyer
Another way of saying that the destination is not the goal, it is the journey.
This, is my signature poem on dance and life:
Dansa mig, LIV,
Dansa mig levande vind!
Jag Àr din
med all min följsamhet
och frihetslÀngtan.LÀr mig de svÄraste stegen!
Testa och trÀna och tÀnj mig
i turer som ingen kan ana!
Allt vill jag vÄga och vinna
med dig som partner i dansen!
Och faller jag sÄ faller jag gÀrna,
nÀr du Àr den arm som för mig,
den famn som fÄngar och bÀr mig.Margareta Melin, ur KÀrleken en bro 1992
Below is an attempt to translation – but as Margareta Melin felt when I emailed with her a few years ago: it doesn’t make it justice.
I think you do get the meaning of it though.
Dance me, LIFE,
Dance me living wind!
I am yours,
With all my grace
and longing for freedom.Teach me the most difficult steps!
Test me, train me, and stretch me
in routines that no one can foresee!I want to dare and win, everything,
with you as my dancing partner!
And if I fall
I fall with joy
when you are the arm that leads me
the arms that catches and carries me.
Enjoy your next step on the dance floor,
Johanna
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