5 From Bernie DeKoven - The Funsmith

Bernie DeKoven is always "having fun, just for fun". I stop by regularly and have accumulated a few of his highlights to share here. I think you'll enjoy!

1 - San Francisco in jello! Yes, check out the work of Liz Hickok

2 - The Hema department store has created what might arguably be the most playfully frame-breaking vision of an online catalog absolutely ever, so far. Click, watch, and, in a most Rubenesquely Goldebergish manner, be amused.

3 - Matthew White's site:

Basically, I'm not out to convince you of anything, so you don't have to believe me if you don't want to. I created this page for my own benifit. Maintaining an online atlas gives my research structure and direction. It brings up questions that I can then seek answers to, and let's face it, questions are always better than answers. I would hope that you come away from this site with fascinating questions rather than smug answers. It's the only way to learn

4 - The internet anagram server. Yes, you give it a word or two and it will produce the anagrams from it. For the several that I checked on, it seems to do them all by the dictionary and does it very well!

5 - Food art. Yes, lots of fun.

Enjoy!

Thanks to Bernie for finding these in his travels!

Caring.com

My father has had some recent health issues. Yes, he is getting as much older each day as I am. Hard as that is to believe as it is to accept, we are as young as we will ever be. This has forced my siblings and I to face some issues with his health, his driving, and his medical coverage. I found Caring.com and a quick read shows it to be a good source of information. For example:

1. figure out if my parent has Alzheimer's
2. understand why driving is such a charged issue
3. keep my parents from getting scammed
4. sort through the Medicare maze
5. move my parent to assisted living or a nursing home
6. understand my parent's cancer prognosis

If your parent or parents of friends have similar needs, let them know about this site.

Difficult Relationships

One of the places I've passed through many times in my cyber-wandering is the advice-column of Rod E Smith, a true gentleman who gives of his time and wisdom to help those navigating the turbulent waters of human relationships.

Rod's latest thoughts include these "times" when relationships suffer:

1. When being right (correct, moral, accurate) is so important, so insisted upon, that it is at the expense of being loving. A healthy person can sacrifice his or her need to be right in order to love.
2. When anxiety and love are confused. “I am anxious about you” is a far cry from “I love you” and are not the same thing. Anxious people often believe true love necessitates worry. “How will he know I love him if I don’t worry about him?” is the plea of the anxious partner or parent. A healthy person remains non-anxious.
3. When love and control are synonymous. “If you love me you will dress (speak, think, see, hear) according to my will,” says the controller, “or I will question your love for
   me.” Healthy love celebrates freedom.
4. When love means “melting” into each other, giving up individual identity in the name of love. “We’re so close we even think each other’s thoughts,” proclaims the unhealthy couple. Healthy love elevates separateness, space and individuality.

Of Rod himself, we learn:

Rod Smith has taught family therapy and courses on related topics for various institutions, primarily The University of the Nations, in many locations around the world. He is an excellent resource person for all kinds of troubled or Difficult Relationships. Rod is also a writer. His “YOU AND ME” newspaper column is widely enjoyed in South Africa where it has been published daily for almost to 7 years...

Rod Smith has presented seminars and retreats to professionals and lay audiences in over 20 countries. He is the Executive Director of Open Hand, Inc. an initiative which provides home-based counseling services to individuals and families in Marion County by referral from the Juvenile Court, the Office of Family and Children, and Child Protection Services. Rod no longer sees clients referred through these state run systems.

Recently, Rod has addressed topics from readers such as

• My wife and best friend had an affair…..
• We’re engaged but she and her ex still lean on each other…
• Invasive sister-in-law….
• Children do not want to visit father and stepmother…
• He vents and his venting gets out of control…..
• When is it time to cut “friendship” ties?
• Why are some dads so passive?
• Seven things healthy parents know about teenagers…
• I want to end my affair…

Advice and ideas worthy of the reading...

5 for Friday

On the Billy Collins trail today we find:

1 -

Like Donnell Alexander says, "It's about completing the task of living with enough spontaneity to splurge some of it on bystanders, to share with others working through their own travails a little of your bonus life."

But, it's mostly the kind of place that folks looking for "girls and cars" stumble across by accident.

Visit Tiny Cat Pants for more of this...

2 -

Regardless of their current eternal standing, people who leave shopping carts haphazardly in parking lots may end up going to hell. I know there’s no direct reference to intentionally orphaned buggies in scripture, but I think it may be implied.

read more of Michael Snyder, the author of My Name is Russell Fink, here

3 -

My new chapbook is out! Another Circle of Delight has hit the stands (well, okay this blog and my website). I did a preview reading in Crockett at Valona Cafe a couple months ago. Publisher David Alpaugh (Small Poetry Press) found the cover art, which thrilled me. Click on the cover art to see a bigger version. The title and cover art refer to the keynote poem (is that an actual term?), "A Walk After Reading Dante's Paradiso."

Find out more about the chapbook and author Rachel Dacus here.

4 -

An American woman, newly embarking on the second half of her century here on earth, reflects on Life in General, and her own in particular

Read more on Becca's Byline here.

5 -

"What it all comes to is a confused and incoherent mixture of stories which are as old as the hills but are still unfinished" Ward Six is a daily digest of book reviews, literary analysis, personal observations, anecdotes, and opinions.

visit Ward 6 here

All Things Sherlock - Scott Monty

Hey, that's my name! I need to be part of this.

You may recall that the Hitchhikers found A Study in Sherlock by Douglas Johnston.

Well at the recent PodCamp Boston, what do I find but a new podcast called "I hear of Sherlock everywhere".

I caught up with Scott Monty between sessions and we had a quick chat. If you like all things Sherlock Holmes, then this is one of a number of sites to keep in mind, heck mind, in your RSS Reader!

Baker Street Blog

It turns out that the game is really afoot: Douglas and Scott are getting together on this Sherlock stuff.

Stay tuned as the trail is still fresh!

Teaching for the Future - Dave LaMorte

Dave and I met during last years PodCamp Boston and worked together on the welcome/registration desk this time. We have a good deal in common.

• He is student teaching (I fondly recall those days).
• He is from NJ and will be going back to NJ sometime in the near future (we used to live in NJ).
• He is an artist (I appreciate and enjoy all kinds of art).
• We are both podcasters.

Click on over to check out his site and podcast. You'll be glad you did.

Something Used - Hugh McIntyre

I met Hugh at the welcome desk when he came by to volunteer for next year's event. As I cruise amongst the links on his MySpace pages, there is a good stuff going on there.

Hello there everyone! My name is Hugh McIntyre and I run Something Used. Something Used is a booking agency and soon to be a clothing line! I do much more than that, however. Every event I do has a purpose. There is always a cause that I try to educate people about, aide, or support in some way. I believe that educating people leads to action, which leads to a better world for everyone. While my end goal is to save the world, I know I am going to need a lot of help in doing it, so I appreciate all I can get :-)

Click through to his page and find more about Hugh and maybe you can help him.

"It's a Purl, Man" - Guido Stein

I wrote after last year's PodCamp Boston:

One of those PodCampers who came in as a relative unknown and made his mark big time. Guido knits and is proud of it. Read his site name slowly and you'll catch a wicked pun.

I got to spend more time with Guido this year as he helped out at the registration desk. I observed his teaching how to use the drop spindle (and did catch some video of that which I hope to share; assuming it came out successfully).

If you are interested in knitting, this is one podcast to subscribe to.

Even if you are not, Guido may very well get you interested!

Utterz - Simeon Margolis

One of the slick applications I found at PodCamp Boston was Utterz.

Chris Brogan included Simeon and myself in an Utterz that he posted while at PodCamp.
Note: The problem with Permalink and commenting is still there but Simeon is working on it.

Check out Utterz!

Norah Dooley

Norah was one of the unsung heroes of the recent PodCamp Boston. She went to attend a session on story telling and the presenter failed to show up. Since she was a story teller herself, she stepped up and lead the group in an impromptu session that according to what I heard in the hall was one of the better sessions there.

Nice work, Norah!

She stopped by the registration desk with a question and shared her own point of view on the experience, confirming that the story someone else did tell at the end of the session was a powerful one.

Check out her website to see her work!

Being one of the little people - Sara Streeter

I met Sara at the registration desk when she came by with some questions. She is putting together a NewBCamp for Providence in February 2008. She is on Twitter, on MeetUp, and her blog: Being One of the Little People. I get the distinct impression that she won't be one of the "little people" for long!

She did not have a business card but took time to carefully write out a handcrafted set of contact info on a folder yellow stickie note. Way to go, Sara!

Rural Free Media - Sharon Mahoney

I anticipate being on the PodCamp Boston trail for a bit, there were so many connections made during the event, I will try to cover them in a reasonable amount of time.

Sharon Mahoney, will be podcasting at Rural Free Media soon. We met at the Friday night party and had a good discussion. When we caught up during the day Saturday and Sunday, she was doing well and enjoying the conference.

You can bookmark her site and stay tuned for when she starts up.

Loud Mouth Man - Nick Butler

Yes, with a handle like loudmouthman, and the completely comfortable presence to wear a kilt, Nick is one cool dude. My tri-corner cap paled in comparison.

I had a good time talking with him at PodCamp Boston. I like his business card text: "social networker and opinioneer". His card is distinct; one of the small form factor type. I almost lost it amongst my pile.

Fear not, Nick. I did find it and hence this posting!