San Francisco / Relationships / Relationship Advice
Write a love letter to Queen Elizabeth contest
May 20th, 2011 10:21 am PT
Janet Gallin, Love Letters Live
SF Love Letter Examiners
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Brenda Knight, San Francisco author and associate publisher of Cleis Press and Viva Editions, recently emailed me the following bit of information with the simple note, “You can have fun with this, right?” Well, yes, I can, and so can you.
Brenda has offered a prize of one of her wonderful books for the best letter to the Queen. Of course, you’ll be extolled on facebook and twitter as our winners and also be given the spot of honor here to share your winning letter with the Examiner.com readers.
Privilege has not shielded Queen Elizabeth or any of her family from sadness or tragedy. Personally, I think she has been absolutely heroic in maintaining her dignity through six decades of wrenching social changes and having to adapt publicly to unasked-for challenges in her family and political life. I think she deserves pile of love letters.
Remember that a love letter is not just for romance, but for any gratitude, appreciation, support, friendship or reviving times long past.
If you wish to write a formal letter, you should open with 'Madam' and close the letter with the form 'I have the honour to be, Madam, Your Majesty's humble and obedient servant'. This traditional approach is by no means obligatory. You should feel free to write in whatever style you feel comfortable.
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In honor of her coronation anniversary on June 2nd, please email me a copy of the letter you write to her at info@loveletterslive.com by contest deadline of noon May 29th. As Queen Elizabeth apparently does not have an email address (or a last name) you will have to write to her at home. Snail mail. And won’t that be nice when in another 200 years they are unearthed by someone and become part of her history and your part in it?
The address is:
Her Majesty the Queen
Buckingham Palace
London SW1A AA
I've just mailed mine and am eager to hear what you all say. And, thank you Brenda for thinking of this and offering the prize.
From me to you with love in the air,
Janet
By Janet Gallin, Love Letters Live
SF Love Letter Examiners
Janet Gallin hosts the weekly San Francisco talk-show" Love Letters Live" on KUSF, live-stream (KUSF.org. Click “Listen”) Wednesdays from 7:30 -8 p... Read more
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Friday, May 20, 2011
Friday, May 13, 2011
!ine, women, and wisdom -The Lazy Gourmets @ Omnivore!
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Monday, May 9, 2011
Some radical common sense about the way we live:
Fight Fatigue and Up Your Energy -- But Not By Finding Balance
If you’re tired of feeling tired all the time (both physically and mentally), as well as particularly stressed out with no energy level to speak of, I may just have the answer for you. Or rather, Linda Hawes Clever, M.D., author of the new book The Fatigue Prescription: Four Steps to Renewing Your Energy, Healthy, and Life may just have the answer for you. (And guess what? The answer is not balance!) This book is no pretentious meditation on the concept of fatigue: It’s a practical, no-nonsense guide filled with concrete tips on how to make your life better. And what could be better than that? (Besides feeling less fatigued, of course, and Dr. Clever also helps us with that dilemma.) The Fatigue Prescription is an interactive workbook both because of the way it’s laid out, and because I’m in the process of making it work for me. You should, too. But in the meantime, check out my Q&A with Dr. Clever about some of the finer points in her book:
Something you say on page 61 of “The Fatigue Prescription” literally stopped me in my tracks: “If your goal is to overcome fatigue, balance is not your ticket.” Whoa. This contradicts everything I’ve ever thought, read, or been taught about balance, which is that it’s something for which we should all strive. (But your take sounds oddly liberating.) So why shouldn’t balance shouldn’t be our ultimate life goal?
It’s not that I’m opposed to balance. It’s useful for easier living, yet it isn’t enough for whole and healthy living. I believe that balance is too difficult, too temporary, and often is someone else’s definition. Just watch a baby learning how to walk or an elderly person re-learning how to walk after a stroke. It’s hard. Whether walking, bicycling, or juggling many activities and priorities, finding balance is fleeting at best. It seems as if we snag a bit of time from one place—work—and slap it onto another place—say, a teacher’s meeting. That’s a very temporary solution and not at all satisfying. Also, who’s to say what the right “balance” is? Your neighbor? A friend (with household help and a nanny)? Your classmate? Balance isn’t a concept to get hung up on or to have as your ultimate goal. When you know your values, on the other hand, you can choose to live them, to set priorities based on them, to allot time according to them. This is good, solid ground — not shadowy, evanescent “balance.”
What roles do fear, anger, and not being able to let go of the past play in our overall level of fatigue?
Fear can be useful. It can get you out of trouble in a hurry, for example. Chronic fear, however, is paralyzing. Your body just isn’t meant to be fearful all of the time. Your body pressure, appetite, and even your muscles suffer (the latter because they may be tensed too much). Plus, you can’t always think clearly. This can lead to costly mistakes and impaired judgment, and those are exhausting. Being aware that you’re angry also can be helpful. Then you can re-use or re-direct the anger toward developing a constructive solution. Chronic anger or recurring anger can affect your body and blur judgment, just as fear can, as many have discovered. That’s tiring. Being able to “let go” is necessary for you to refill your energy bucket, clear your vision, regain your creativity, and move ahead. Not letting go means that you’re tired, unable to see and do new things with vitality, and immobilized. That can only bring you down.
Do people really need to have hobbies in order to be happy and healthy?
Not to duck the question, but it depends on how you define “hobby.” Many people consider a hobby something to do with your hands, as in a craft (quilting, painting) or collection (stamps, electric trains). I would be much more generous with the definition. A hobby is something that you find fun, engrossing, or expanding: Reading, biking, taking a course in Portuguese or Eritrean cuisine, or visiting all of the national parks. Part of your work could even be a hobby—learning a new program or specialty or becoming the company archivist. The point is, if you stop learning, you die. Also, all work and no play make you dull, sad, and, often, stuck. Whatever you call it, broaden your horizons and increase your zest with “hobbies.”
Can or should a person ever try to change their partner’s “bad” habits (slumped posture, bad breath, fear of going to the doctor, etc.) whether or not the partner is resistant to such change?
I can’t imagine anything more fruitless than trying to change a partner—unless the partner wants to change. (And the change would be for the partner’s sake, not yours.) Now, if you want to suffer, get at least two people irritated and grumpy, and enhance any existing passive-aggressiveness, then go for it. You might try, of course, to scatter some educational material around the house; enlist the help of friends, relatives, and a physician or dentist (I’m referring to the bad breath); and otherwise try to tip the scales. But the fact is, the only things you can control are your own behavior, your own attitude, and your own aspirations. On a good day. And on a very good day, you may influence your partner to change a behavior. A very, very good day.
Linda Hawes Clever, M.D., MACP, founder and president of the not-for-profit RENEW and Associate Dean for Alumni Affairs at Stanford University Medical School, is the author of the new book The Fatigue Prescription: Four Steps to Renewing Your Energy, Health, and Life. She received undergraduate and medical degrees from Stanford University. After interning at Stanford, she had several years of medical residency and fellowships at Stanford and the University of California, San Francisco. Dr. Clever is Board certified in Internal Medicine and Occupational Medicine.
Dr. Clever’s personal and professional interests center on health, “renewal” (the ever-necessary process of refreshing values, goals, and energy), leadership, building community, and the interactions of lives, health, and work.
Dr. Clever has been a pioneer in the care of immigrants and other low-income patients, training of nurse practitioners, humane treatment of AIDS patients in the workplace, and occupational health. She has led national, regional, and local medical and voluntary organizations and has written scores of papers, chapters, and editorials for medical journals, books, and newspapers.
Thursday, May 5, 2011
Words to Eat By- Art and Lemons
NEXT STOP ON OUR VIRTUAL BOOK TOUR: ART & LEMONS
Nikki Gardner of Art & Lemons
We’ve reached the second stop on our very exciting virtual book tour: Nikki Gardner’s gorgeous Art & Lemons blog. In Nikki’s own words, Art & Lemons is “about art, food, and story. I feature contemporary art and artists (especially photography), original vegetarian recipes made with whole and natural ingredients, and the stories that tie it all together.” Nikki’s Cauliflower with Brown Butter and Lemonsis irresistibly alluring—and these innocent-looking s’mores-esque Retro Grahams are screaming out for our attention. (You got it, little guys!)
Today Nikki shares a memory from her college days that fills us with nostalgia for smoky lounges, ’80s tunes, and the hearty and delicious vegetarian meals of our own collegiate lives. Visit Art & Lemons today to read about the May Birthday Celebration Dinner she’s planning, including our lemon vinaigrette and pasta with asparagus, leeks, and chevre recipes. While you’re there, take a few minutes to marvel at Nikki’s truly gorgeous food photography, and check out her featured artists, short stories, and, not to be missed, her The Lazy Gourmet giveaway.
Tuesday, May 3, 2011
Change your mind, literally:
I am very excited that Viva Editions is publishing Susyn Reeve and Joan Breiner's fall 2011 book, The Inspired LIfe. Their mission is to inspire people to embrace their full capacity for joy. Sign up for their newsletter, which offers helpful practices and "joy jumpstarters for a little daily boost!  | ||||||||||
Acceptance There comes a time when you have to stand up and shout: This is me damn it! I look the way I look, think the way I think, feel the way I feel, love the way I love. I am a whole complex package. Take me... leave me. Accept me - or walk away! Do not try to make me feel like less of a person, just because I don't fit your idea of who I should be and don't try to change me to fit your mold. If I need to change, I alone will make that decision. When you are strong enough to love yourself 100%, good and bad - you will be amazed at the opportunities that life presents to you. - Stacey Charter   Have you ever watched the television program GLEE? I am a fan and in addition to loving the music the messages of acceptance of who we are in our differences and similarities are powerful. Last week's episode, Born This Way, was about Acceptance. I have watched it twice, already, and have been telling my coaching clients that it is a must for anyone committed to cultivating healthy self esteem. So, since a picture is worth at least 1,000 words, rather than tell you about the episode, here are links where you can watch it on your computer.
-------------------- Our Recommendation for Mind Body Healing: The Map: Finding the Magic and Meaning in the Story of Your Life  We love to read and when we discover a book that excites us and guides us in mind body healing we want to share it. Our colleague Colette Baron-Reid has written just this kind of book. The Map: Finding the Magic and Meaning in the Story of Your Life, reveals a truly brilliant approach to creating the life of your dreams.
Did you know that you have a powerful personal map that reveals your life's journey? You do! When you plot points on this map and discover all the archetypal landscapes you've been through, YOU become the mapmaker with the ultimate capacity to shape your destiny.
Drawing from her years of expertise as one of the world's most acclaimed intuitive counselors, Colette shows you how to use the magic of metaphors and gift of imagination to delve into the most profound aspects of your subconscious, the places within you that light the way to lasting change and mind body healing. With The Map, you'll harness your power to live your greatest destiny today!
When you purchase The Map by May 15, 2011 you can enter drawings to win prizes including 2 Kindles and gifts from some of the biggest names in the field of: personal growth, spiritual growth, relationship building, mind body healing, Life Coaching and Meditation... including our prize: A 7-Week Coaching Calling in "The One" Coaching Package (to identify and remove the obstacles to unprecedented love in your life). |
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