Ripples v8.05: Ripples of being VITALLY ALIVE!
1/30/06: your FREE weekly splash from Paul & The Ripples Project

=o=o=o=o=o=o=o= PEBBLE =o=o=o=o=o=o=o=o

While we have the gift of life,
it seems to me the only tragedy is to allow part of us to die-
whether it is our spirit, our creativity, or our glorious uniqueness.
-Gilda Radner, submitted by Dani S., Eugene OR

=o=o=o=o=o=o=o= BOULDER =o=o=o=o=o=o=o

Seek out that particular mental attribute
which makes you feel most deeply and vitally alive,
along with which comes the inner voice which says,
\"This is the real me,\"
and when you have found that attitude, follow it.
-William James, submitted by Linn W., Milwaukee WI

=o=o=o=o=o=o=o= PONDER =o=o=o=o=o=o=o=o

You may have noticed a postscript last week asking for some help with an audio version of Ripples that we hope to launch in a few weeks. I have spent several months pondering and researching and processing and chatting about this concept and I have become intrigued by the possibilities of having a weekly audio splash of inspiration to complement this email. I admit I have also been somewhat intimidated and unsure about whether I could commit the time and energy to create something worthwhile.

Thanks to some new goodies released from Apple just this month, the process of creating and publishing a podcast* has been streamlined and simplified. I installed the software and then received some fantastic assistance in the form of cheery voicemails from a few Ripply Volunteers. Suddenly this project seems not only worthwhile but also FUN. Instead of dreading the many steps we still need to take in order to publish our first episode, I am enthusiastically engaged in the process. It is helping me feel more VITALLY ALIVE!

I truly hope you can seek out a task in your work or school or life this week that could help YOU feel more VITALLY ALIVE. It might be a new activity you attempt or it could be a fresh spin on something you have already done many times; experiment with your passion!

Vitally yours,
Paul
P.S. If you would like to pitch in your enthusiasm for Ripples, please call 608-237-2266 (a local call for our Madison area subscribers) and leave us a 15 second message about what you like about Ripples or perhaps a fun quote or resource (website, book, etc.).

*If you do not yet know what a podcast is, you can either google the term OR wait a few weeks and we will launch our \"pondcast\" with a full explanation!

TO SUBMIT A QUOTE
send quote with the source (if known) and
your first name, last initial and where you live
with SUBMISSION in the subject line

TO SUBSCRIBE FREE
just send us an email from your address
with SUBSCRIBE ME FREE! in the subject line

TO CHANGE ADDRESS
Click the link below to unsubscribe your old address,
AND send a blank email from your new email address
with SUBSCRIBE ME FREE! in the subject line

TO VIEW ARCHIVES
and other goodies, visit us online:
http://TheRipplesProject.org

————————————–
To Unsubscribe, please click here:
http://www.theripplesproject.org/12all/box.php?funcml=unsub2&nl=currentnl&email=subscriberemail

Ripples v8.04: Ripples of TRUE ACHIEVEMENT!
1/23/06: your FREE weekly splash from Paul & The Ripples Project

=o=o=o=o=o=o=o= PEBBLE =o=o=o=o=o=o=o=o

The roots of true achievement lie in the will to
become the best that you can become.
-Harold Taylor, submitted by Linn W., Milwaukee WI

=o=o=o=o=o=o=o= BOULDER =o=o=o=o=o=o=o

My mother drew a distinction between achievement and success.
She said that achievement is the knowledge that you have
studied and worked hard and done the best that is in you.
Success is being praised by others.
That is nice, but not as important or satisfying.
Always aim for achievement and forget about success.
-Helen Hayes, submitted by Sharon S.

=o=o=o=o=o=o=o= PONDER =o=o=o=o=o=o=o=o

This week I enjoyed a visit to Michigan to help Community Financial CU with their annual staff training. They spent some time celebrating their 2005 success, while most of their energy was directed towards the exciting opportunities that 2006 holds for them. I like the Helen Hayes\' quote above about focusing on achievement, although I think my suggestion would be to focus on achievement MORE THAN success rather than to completely \"forget\" about success.

If you have not yet taken time for this task, spend a few minutes today acknowledging all your 2005 successes. Then it is time to ask yourself, \"What could I do this week to help me evolve as the best that I can become?\"

And then, my friend, DO IT!!

Peace,
Paul
P.S. Ripples needs your voice! Would you be willing to call a Madison area phone number and leave a voicemail message with an enthusiastically read inspirational quote or a question you would like me to answer? We are planning an exciting new chapter for Ripples: a weekly audio version that would complement this email newsletter. As we create the first few episodes of \"Ripples: The Podcast,\" please reply to this email with MY VOICE in the subject line if you would consider taking 2 minutes to help. I will then send you more information in a few days.

TO SUBMIT A QUOTE
send quote with the source (if known) and
your first name, last initial and where you live
with SUBMISSION in the subject line

TO SUBSCRIBE FREE
just send us an email from your address
with SUBSCRIBE ME FREE! in the subject line

TO CHANGE ADDRESS
Click the link below to unsubscribe your old address,
AND send a blank email from your new email address
with SUBSCRIBE ME FREE! in the subject line

TO VIEW ARCHIVES
and other goodies, visit us online:
http://TheRipplesProject.org

————————————–
To Unsubscribe, please click here:
http://www.theripplesproject.org/12all/box.php?funcml=unsub2&nl=currentnl&email=subscriberemail

Ripples v8.03: Ripples of DR. KING!
1/16/06: your FREE weekly splash from Paul & The Ripples Project

=o=o=o=o=o=o=o= PEBBLE =o=o=o=o=o=o=o=o

Make a career of humanity…and you will make a greater person of yourself,
a greater nation of your country, and a finer world to live in.
-Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., submitted by Carrie S.

=o=o=o=o=o=o=o= BOULDER =o=o=o=o=o=o=o

Many people fear nothing more terribly
than to take a position which stands out
sharply and clearly from the prevailing opinion.

The tendency of most is to adopt a view
that is so ambiguous that it will include everything,
and so popular that it will include everybody.

Not a few men who cherish lofty and noble ideals
hide them under a bushel for fear of being called different.
-Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., submitted by Harriet B.

=o=o=o=o=o=o=o= PONDER =o=o=o=o=o=o=o=o

Each year we strive to dedicate our \"third Monday in January\" issue to the amazing ripples of Dr. King. This day does not exist simply to remember one of our planet\'s most important leaders. We have a responsibility to ask ourselves how we are keeping Dr. King\'s dream(s) alive. It is essential to remember that Dr. King often stressed in his speeches that it is our everyday actions that are the keys to ending oppression and spreading peace. In an earlier issue we were reminded that Dr. King thought that \"Life\'s most urgent question is: what are you doing for others?\" Answer that question this week by taking some ACTION on behalf of others (co-workers, classmates, neighbors, family, friends, strangers, etc.). And if they offer a thanks, say \"These ripples were brought to you by Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.!\"

Peace,
Paul
p.s. If you would like to view our archived issues honoring other quotes from Dr. King, please visit this link:
http://theripplesproject.org/news_search.php?mode2=news_search&news_search=Martin+Luther+King&submit=Submit

TO SUBMIT A QUOTE
send quote with the source (if known) and
your first name, last initial and where you live
with SUBMISSION in the subject line

TO SUBSCRIBE FREE
just send us an email from your address
with SUBSCRIBE ME FREE! in the subject line

TO CHANGE ADDRESS
Click the link below to unsubscribe your old address,
AND send a blank email from your new email address
with SUBSCRIBE ME FREE! in the subject line

TO VIEW ARCHIVES
and other goodies, visit us online:
http://TheRipplesProject.org

————————————–
To Unsubscribe, please click here:
http://www.theripplesproject.org/12all/box.php?funcml=unsub2&nl=currentnl&email=subscriberemail

Ripples v8.02: Ripples of NEW ENDINGS!
1/9/06: your FREE weekly splash from Paul & The Ripples Project

=o=o=o=o=o=o=o= PEBBLE =o=o=o=o=o=o=o=o

I may not have gone where I intended to go,
but I think I have ended up where I intended to be.
-Douglas Adams, submitted by Bezzmer B. Marquette MI

=o=o=o=o=o=o=o= BOULDER =o=o=o=o=o=o=o

No one can go back and
make a brand new start.

Anyone can start from now and
make a brand new ending.
-Carl Bard, Submitted by Denny B., Denver CO

=o=o=o=o=o=o=o= PONDER =o=o=o=o=o=o=o=o

Many of us have been pondering the idea of \"new year\'s resolutions\" the past few weeks, and some of us are so on top of things we have already set AND broken our resolutions! Several members of our Ripples community commented that they don\'t like the concept of resolutions, and have posted some alternative methods of goal setting (see the community section of our website for more info).

I enjoy this week\'s quotes because they take the emphasis off of beginnings and instead focus on the ENDINGS. If you have resisted the idea of resolutions, maybe this week you can just create an image of what you want your life (school, work, health, relationships, etc.) to like at the END of the year, and start taking some consistent actions that will help you get there.

Your fellow Ripplers may enjoy hearing about your NEW ENDINGS, so why not take a moment to share? Click here:
http://theripplesproject.org/smf/index.php?topic=170.0

Happy Endings!

Paul

TO SUBMIT A QUOTE
send quote with the source (if known) and
your first name, last initial and where you live
with SUBMISSION in the subject line

TO SUBSCRIBE FREE
just send us an email from your address
with SUBSCRIBE ME FREE! in the subject line

TO CHANGE ADDRESS
Click the link below to unsubscribe your old address,
AND send a blank email from your new email address
with SUBSCRIBE ME FREE! in the subject line

TO VIEW ARCHIVES
and other goodies, visit us online:
http://TheRipplesProject.org

————————————–
To Unsubscribe, please click here:
http://www.theripplesproject.org/12all/box.php?funcml=unsub2&nl=currentnl&email=subscriberemail

Ripples v8.01: Ripples of LIVING MOMENTS!
1/2/06: your FREE weekly splash from Paul & The Ripples Project

=o=o=o=o=o=o=o= PEBBLE =o=o=o=o=o=o=o=o

Life is nothing but a series of moments.
Start living the moments and the years
will take care of themselves.
-Gary W. Fenchuk, submitted by Sharri d.S., Eugene OR

=o=o=o=o=o=o=o= BOULDER =o=o=o=o=o=o=o

For a long time it had seemed to me
that life was about to begin — real life.

But there was always some obstacle in the way.
Something to be got through first,
some unfinished business,
time still to be served,
a debt to be paid.
Then life would begin.

At last it dawned on me that
these obstacles were my life.
- Fr. Alfred D\'Souza, submitted by Pat J., Waukesha WI

=o=o=o=o=o=o=o= PONDER =o=o=o=o=o=o=o=o

Welcome to 2006!

I am excited to begin our eighth year of sending out Ripples and I am going to celebrate by trying to savor each LIVING MOMENT this week. Won\'t you join me? Make an extra effort to remember that this very moment exists just for you to enjoy it. Even the bumps in the road are worth experiencing in the moment because then you can forget them and move on to something more fun.

Enjoy the new year and ENJOY THIS MOMENT!

Peace,
Paul

TO SUBMIT A QUOTE
send quote with the source (if known) and
your first name, last initial and where you live
with SUBMISSION in the subject line

TO SUBSCRIBE FREE
just send us an email from your address
with SUBSCRIBE ME FREE! in the subject line

TO CHANGE ADDRESS
Click the link below to unsubscribe your old address,
AND send a blank email from your new email address
with SUBSCRIBE ME FREE! in the subject line

TO VIEW ARCHIVES
and other goodies, visit us online:
http://TheRipplesProject.org

————————————–
To Unsubscribe, please click here:
http://www.theripplesproject.org/12all/box.php?funcml=unsub2&nl=currentnl&email=subscriberemail