Life and Random Thinking

Like Music & Recycling – Mozart from Garbage

Posted on December 12, 2012 by dfolstad58

English: Paraguay (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

I was totally impressed by the music these kids create with recycled materials.

This band is from the country of Paraguay, – just peek your eyes to the right to see where it is in South America.

Ok, you caught me, that isn’t Mozart above, it is Vivaldi, but they play Mozart also –

The name of the group is Sounds of the Earth which is a group of young people who are being creative with their time, not only creating beautiful music, but also creating the musical instruments. Wonderful that some people don’t allow money to be a roadblock.

So what is the lesson or inspiration from this for myself.

I am surrounded by blessings and I am reminded to look not under the tree this Christmas but look around me. I have been looking into a charity for children called Plan Canada is highly supported by the Government of Canada so that private citizens donations are matched by the government having a multiplier effect.

This program allows you to buy a goat, or goats, or a library which has ongoing positive outcomes rather than just a onetime handout to help the children. Just in time to make a selfless gift before the end of the year.

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WATCH: The Recycled Orchestra: Slum Children Create Music out of Garbage (newsfeed.time.com)

Posted in music related | Tagged Canada, Christmas, Landfill, Mozart, Musical instrument, Paraguay, Recycling, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart | Leave a comment

John Lennon & Pearl Harbour

Posted on December 9, 2012 by dfolstad58

It’s December and even as I look forward, I find myself also looking backward. Not a good thing, you fall down a lot, you bump into things and you fail to live in the moment. I have to try harder to face forward.

Le mémorial de Pearl Harbour (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

I mention Pearl Harbour because December 7, 1941 was the anniversary of that event. I am too young to have been alive in 1941 but the history of that event is very interesting. Most historians would probably agree that it was a surprise attack that should not have been a surprise. The Americans had broken the Japanese code and they knew the Japanese were there in force. Most would surmise that the politicians save in Washington, 10 hours away and the width of the Pacific Ocean were willing to take the risk in order to have the USA finally get on board and help end World War II. I think it was that and more; including the naivety that we all exhibit now and then.

John Lennon – December 8, 1980 was killed in front of his apartment building in New York. A musician, an activist and a talent gone, weeks before Christmas.

December is a time of great anticipation certainly, and we treasure it even though in the northern hemisphere it is cold and dark. But even as we celebrate it is important not to be naive about what is happening, and what can happen in the world very unexpectedly.

My Christmas tree and all it’s lights went up and I pray that this will be a Christmas year of peace throughout the world, and much to celebrate of life, health and family.

Posted in Thinking Out loud | Tagged John Lennon, lennon, Peace, pray for peace | Leave a comment

No going back, except by music

Posted on December 4, 2012 by dfolstad58

Time travel is easy for me, music is the force that does it, no Delorean having to reach 90 mph, just a song, part of lyric and I bounce back to when I was in my teens. (that’s time travel!)

Paul McCartney (and Wings) (Photo credit: slagheap)

The music of the 70’s seems more poetic, there was the hippie stuff, but there was also the fun music – The Streak, Float like a Butterfly, Elderberry Wine, all the Stones, the Aerosmith, the Alice Cooper “School’s Out!”, Radar Love, How do you mend a broken heart?, Just my Imagination, Crocodile Rock, Seasons In the Sun, Silly Love Songs, Spiders and Snakes, and one I will never forget. ” Hooked On a Feeling”

I was a regular roller blade guy on Monday nights in Vancouver. One week we would go to North Vancouver, then the next week we would go to Richmond, and then the next Vancouver. I would fill out the car with girls who wanted a ride, turn up the music and we would go and have fun.

The guys would zip around when it was men only, and that was always fun and a bit on the edge. There would be a big crystal ball in the middle and the lights would go down for the couples only. All fun and innocent, great times.

I also went to the ice skating parties also, never was the best at skating but that didn’t matter because it was just going around in circles and enjoying the music.

Thanks for reading my blog, love your comments, and special hug to subscribers, you keep me going! .. of course to get those memories going ” B..B…B… Bennie and the Jets! (thump thump)

Posted in music related, Thinking Out loud | Tagged Aerosmith, Alice Cooper, Monday, School's Out, Streak, Time travel, Vancouver | Leave a comment

Self Imposed Barriers

Posted on December 2, 2012 by dfolstad58

Cliff jumping in Cyprus (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

What is it about self-imposed barriers? We do it all the time, afraid to talk in front of groups, not trying something (for me it’s dancing) because we’re not good at it; so we say we don’t want to do it.

I think when we ignore those barriers, we look at ourselves and wonder why we held ourselves back, back from achievement, back from fun, back from new experiences.

I know I hold myself back but gradually with more awareness I am willing to accept risk, willing to dare new situations, and possibilities.

I enjoy Toastmasters for many reasons, including the fact that I get to practice the art of overcoming barriers. The barriers of public speaking, sharing your opinion, the barrier of taking a leadership role, the barrier of daring unknown situations.

Do yourself a favor – tear down one of your barriers, and then follow with another, and another.

Live the one life you have, …..without the barriers.

Posted in Thinking Out loud, Toastmasters | Tagged Communications, Diving, Fear, Public speaking, Toastmasters International | Leave a comment

Acts of Kindness Happen Every Day

Posted on December 1, 2012 by dfolstad58

There is a viral story right now about a New York cop who was photographed in the process of an act of kindness. He didn’t know he was being photographed, he had noticed this homeless man without shoes and the cop went and bought him some boots and socks and gave it to him.

Simple. I know people do things like this every day and not for attention.

This leads me into another topic. How do you feel about picking on people who aren’t allowed to defend themselves? What if that person is a cop? What if that person is a government employee?

I have noticed a tendency lately for people to speak maliciously about police because of isolated incidences. They really are isolated incidences I believe. I believe that cops do more than give parking tickets, they are more like this cop in New York acting spontaneously and generously to a stranger than the opposites we may have seen being portrayed.

IMG_7117 (Photo credit: eridesign)

This also leads to another website I was reading today that portrayed government employees as terrorists. Of course this website wants to portray the government acting like a big bully because they profit from that fear because then people go to them and are afraid.

I know there are people who are insensitive in their jobs, but not is not the main. Some people have hard jobs to do, but we need and have asked them to do those jobs and I recommend we all open our eyes and see the person behind the job.

Knock those blinders off our own eyes, and be glad we have good people out there doing the tough jobs that we ask them to do.