TEDxConejo - A Thought Provoking Day

Together - 2012 Theme for TEDxConejo

I've learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.  
                                             Maya Angelou

What a Great Way to end my year long commitment to this blog!

It started as a challenge to myself last year after I attended the 2nd annual TEDxConejo.

For 2012, ideas of Gather, Share and Connect pushed the attendees to dream, to act and to find their passion!

Every speaker had a story to share, I was moved by many.

Marica Wieder, CEO and founder of Dream University, dared everyone "to dream."
Not only to dream, but to dream big was her message.
www.dreamuniversity.com

Fr. Greg Boyle, founder and executive director of Homeboy Industries, inspired me the most.
It wasn't just what he has done for the ex-gang members.  It was his idea and emphasis on "Kinship."
"You cannot stay an enemy to your rival once you get to know them as a person, a brother, a sister, a kin in this world we call home."
http://homeboy-industries.org/

Bibi Caspari, founder of Forward Step, a learning coalition toward personal development for the at risk population, reminded the audience that "Everyone matters."
No matter how small the step (toward change), how little the movement, no one is ever insignificant.
She heighten her emphasis with the example of the butterfly effect in the chaos theory.

"The butterfly effect is the sensitive dependence on initial conditions, where a small change at one place in a non-linear system can result in large differences to a later state."

You can look up the science behind the butterfly effect.
http://forwardstep.org/

So after a long and intellectually, emotionally and spiritually challenging day, what is the bottomline?
Everyone has a message, a story to tell, a life to live out.  What will continue to be mine?
Dreaming the impossible into the I'm Possible?
Take action, no matter how small the movement?
Be engaging in the world of kinship?

Maybe one of these, maybe all of these, maybe not yet...
But I do realize that My Life is My Message.  I have to live it, and hopefully live it well.

Sunday Affirmation - What a Savior

Laura Story
...What a Savior

You are my only hope
Your kindness is my friend
In Your presence You restore us 

Jesus You are stronger
More than any other
Hallelujah what a savior
Jesus You are higher
My soul´s deepest desire
Hallelujah what a savior 

Laura Story is always inspirational.  As we move closer and closer to Easter, such affirmation of His truth, His deed and His Grace!

Laura Story talks about What a Savior

What a Savior with Lyrics

Good Eats - Yes...It's Corned Beef time of the year!

Once a year...
Corned Beef and Cabbage Dinner
(ok, maybe 3 times a year. we do stock up if there is a good sale)

It's not often the every member of the household scream, "YEAH!" to dinner.  But in our house corned beef has that effect.

Extremely easy, but you can still pretend you "slaved over the stove" for that ultra delicious dinner.

I am including two (2) different recipe.  The really really really easy one pot dinner over the stove and the "a little bit" more work oven baked version with Guinness!

I do like my corned beef a bit firmer so I included a cooking time range.  And the "Horseradish Cream" is a Must at our house. Every time, I have to laugh and ask if Nerdy Hubby wants a little beef with his plateful of  cream.

No-Fail Corned Beef & Cabbage Dinner

Ingredient:

3-4 pounds corned beef brisket with spice packet

12 small red potatoes

6 carrots, peeled and cut into 3-inch pieces

1 large head cabbage, cut into small wedges

Direction:

1.  Place corned beef in large pot or Dutch oven and cover with water. Add the spice packet that came with the corned beef. Cover pot and bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer. Simmer approximately 30-40 minutes per pound or until tender.

2.  Add whole potatoes and carrots, and cook until the vegetables are almost tender. Add cabbage and cook for 8-10 minutes. Remove meat and let rest 15 minutes.

3.  Place vegetables in a bowl and cover. Add as much broth (cooking liquid reserved in the Dutch oven or large pot) as you want. Slice meat across the grain.

Flat Cut is leaner; Point Cut is more flavorful due to the fat;
 Don't overcook the poor cabbage, it should not be gray;
Never forget the Horseradish Cream

Oven Baked Corned Beef in Guinness

For the Corned Beef
2 bottles Guinness beer (or other dark beer)
2 tablespoons dark brown sugar
3-4 pound corned beef brisket, rinsed well and patted dry
1 tablespoon pickling spice (or the spice packet that came with the corned beef)
1/2 onion
1 entire head of garlic, halved

Water, enough to be an inch of liquid in the pan

For the Vegetables
1 head cabbage, cut into 6 sections
6 carrots, cut into chunks
12 red potatoes, cut into chunks

directions:

1. Preheat oven to 300F.

2. Put all the ingredients except the vegetables into a Dutch oven or a oven proof large pot, if needed, add enough water to cover the beef.

3. Bring to a simmering boil on the stovetop, be careful not to let the beer boil over.

4. Once it begins simmering, cover the pot and place in oven to roast for 3-4 hours, flipping meat once during halfway point, add more liquid if necessary.

5. Check for desired tenderness (I like my corned beef a bit firmer). Then remove from liquid and cover with foil to keep it warm.

6. Drain the liquid into a pot to remove the onion, garlic, and spices. Bring to a simmering boil.

7. Cook the potatoes and carrots in the simmering liquid for 15 minutes then add the cabbage and cook for another 10 minutes. Check for doneness.

8. Plate the vegetables and serve with sliced up corned beef. Pour some liquid over the plate. 

Examples of Dutch oven and oven proof pans;
Some people do this in an Electric Roaster Oven

Horseradish Cream

1 tablespoon of prepared horseradish (or to your taste)

1 cup of sour cream (or you can replace 1/2 cup of sour cream with Greek style yogurt)

1/2 teaspoon of salt

a dash of pepper

Combine everything and refrigerate for at least an hour. Taste and re-season if necessary. 

Sunday Encouragement - Live Like That

Live Like That 
by Sidewalk Prophets

Much thoughts on people, people's stories, and telling stories this week.

Many love to speak of the past, reminiscent about the past, maybe even feeling trapped by the past. They speak as if life just happened (to them).

Life is always moving forward, even if we don't recognize it or ignore it.

Hopefully, Many More of us do live today with the future in mind.  

Love the encouragement and the reminder of this song...Live Like That

Am I proof
That You are who you say You are
That grace can really change a heart
Do I live like your love is true


...if love is who I am
Then this is where I'll stand
Recklessly abandoned 
Never holding back...

Sidewalk Prophets - Live Like That

Sidewalk Prophets Speak - Ben

Sidewalk Prophets Speak - Shaun

Sidewalk Prophets Speak - Justin

To Tell A Great Story = Lives To Be Shared

Great Story Telling...


May it be a novel, a play, a screenplay (I do live near Hollywood) or poetry, it's all about the delivery!


Taking the readers/audience on a journey...
Asking them to trust you, one page, one scene, one word at a time...
Promising them that it will all be worth it...
The End will need to be in mind every step of the way...
The Key of "the end" is Personal and may be Subjective,
Yet...It's a Journey to be Shared!

The Master Storytellers on TED.com - Andrew Stanton, Sarah Kay, Charlie Todd, etc
Here is Sarah Kay at work!

The Poetry of Sarah Kay

In Praise of Youth Orchestra(s)

The Infamous YOLA - Youth Orchestra of Los Angeles at the LAPhil
http://www.laphil.com/education/yola.cfm

YOLA changes lives - one child, one family, one community at a time.

Gustavo Dudamel's YOLA teaches children to be a better musician, a better leader, and a better person.  Many went from hopeless life circumstances to a life full of promises!

Next Event of YOLA:  April 21, 2012 at First Congregational Church of Los Angeles

Join us for the second annual YOLA Neighborhood Project (YNP) Day, where over 1,500 students from YOLA and YOLA Neighborhood Project schools in South L.A. and the Rampart District will come together to perform Beethoven’s “Ode To Joy.” Led by YOLA conductor Bruce Kiesling, the day will celebrate the power of music that unites our communities.

A Little Closer to Home...

The Glendale Youth Orchestra

http://www.glendaleyouthorchestra.com/index.html

Celebrating 20 years, the mission of the Glendale Youth Orchestra is to provide qualified young musicians an environment in which to explore, comprehend, appreciate and develop a lasting interest in music in a quality setting.

Next Event for GYO:  Sunday, March 11, 2012 at 7:00pm at the Alex Theatre in Glendale, CA

$10 General Admission

At Home...In Santa Clarita Valley...

The Santa Clarita Valley Youth Orchestra

http://scvyo.org/2011-2012-calendar/

The Santa Clarita Valley Youth Orchestra (SCVYO) Foundation is a non-profit organization which supports three instrumental performing groups at the College of the Canyons in Santa Clarita, California: the Prelude Strings, Intermediate Orchestra, and the Symphony of the Canyons.   The foundation seeks to provide an instrumental education program for students eight years old and above.  SCVYO is one of the few orchestral music programs available in the Los Angeles area that allows students to study and perform masterpieces from all periods of the orchestral and chamber music repertoire.

We envision the SCVYO as a gathering of talented youth who, through exposure to expert instruction, musical knowledge, and ethnic diversity acquire a love of beauty, learn to pursue excellence, demonstrate personal growth as musicians, and enrich the cultural life of our community.

Next Event for SCVYO:  Thursday March 15, 2012 at 7:00 pm at COC's Performance Art Center

Something Old, Something New, and a Little Bit of The Blues at PAC Main Stage Thu., March 15, 2012 at 7:00 pm $10/$5 Symphony of the Canyons, the college’s top student orchestra, performs a concert full of comforting classics, newer works and bluesy offerings including Strauss’ 'Blue Danube' waltz.

Tickets at http://www.canyons.edu/Offices/PIO/CanyonsPAC/tix-symphony3.html

International Women's Day - March 8th

http://www.internationalwomensday.com

International Women's Day - 2012

My Hope for the day and the month...and to the years to come:

Celebrate the Women that We Are...

Move Forward the World that Embrace "Her Strengths"...

Inspire the Girls to Be Women of Worth...

March is Women's History Month. March 8th 2012 marks the 101st year of  International Women's Day.

Women have come a long way, but yet, the road toward a better world continues.

What holds dear to my heart is the organization,
"Christians for Biblical Equality" - CBE Official Website

Christians for Biblical Equality (CBE) is a nonprofit organization of Christian men and women who believe that the Bible, properly interpreted, teaches the fundamental equality of men and women of all ethnic groups, all economic classes, and all age groups, based on the teachings of Scriptures such as Galatians 3:28:

“There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus” (NIV 2011).

CBE affirms and promotes the biblical truth that all believers - without regard to gender, ethnicity or class—must exercise their God-given gifts with equal authority and equal responsibility in church, home and world.

Leadership is about Gifts, Not Gender...

The Hunger Games Trailer...So Many Versions...

The Hunger Games (2012)

It's been call the most anticipated movie since Harry Potter.
Teens and Adults are racing to finish reading the book so to be ready for the movie.  Some are happy that the movie is coming out so that they don't have to read the book at all.

Whatever may be may be...It's a Big Deal.

So I was trying to at least keep up with some of my clients with the movie trailer...I found quite a few...

Official Release - Lego Version - Spoof Version -
Hopefully to tie one over until 3/23/2012!

Official Movie Trial

The Lego Version (made by fan)

The Hunger Games Spoof 

The Value of Balance...Extrovert...Introvert

Extrovert...Introvert...

As a parent and as someone who guides people toward self understand,  personality is always a topic of interest.

There has been an covert sentiment that Extroverts are better than the Introverts of the world.  Many people have been led to believe that there is something "wrong" or "less desirable" in being an Introvert.

Reality is that, these terms in their truest sense, are just a description of how people feel recharged and refreshed.  Extroverts more often than not feel rejuvenated after spending time with people, lots of people.  Social activities would be their choice to bring life back to a balance.  Introverts on the other hand, will need solitude. Activities which give them time alone help them to recuperate and go back out into the world.

Susan Cain talks about The Power of Introverts at TED.com

Good Eats - Curry Chicken Salad

Long-Time Addiction...Chicken Salad

Every So Often, I need my Chicken Salad Sandwich Fix!

My secret ingredient for the sandwich...Strawberry Preserve/Jam. Just a light spread on one side of the sandwich. And if you do not disclose the secret...You will be famous for your Chicken Salad Sandwich.  Trust me...it's true :0)



Chicken Salad with Curry & Tarragon

Ingredients:

 4 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves - cooked and diced

2 stalk celery, diced

1 apple - peeled, cored and diced

1  cup seedless grapes, halved

½  cup chopped toasted pecans (optional)

Dressing for the Salad:

½  teaspoon curry powder

¼ teaspoon of tarragon

2 teaspoon of apple cidar vinegar

2 teaspoon of yellow mustard

1 teaspoon of sugar

3/4 cup light mayonnaise

Salt & Pepper – to taste

Combine the all ingredients (except the pecans) with the dressing.

Refrigerate for 3 hours or overnight.

Sprinkle pecans over salad and serve.

Enjoy! 

Sunday Assurance - When I Call on Jesus...

Nicole Mullen
...sings When I Call On Jesus

It's an older song, but the message always rings true!

It's been a week of seeing impossibilities.
Yet, also a week of knowing the possibilities.

In Him, All Things Are Possible!
Whatever our situation, circumstances...
Hope lies with Him who will move mountains to come to us.

Tan Le - One of the Many Faces of "Possibility"

Tan Le
...At the age of 34, Tan has already lived 4 life-time of experiences.
A Vietnam Refugee at the age of 4
College at the age of 16
A Law Degree
A Goodwill Ambassador for Australia in Asia.
Young Australian of the Year
Co-founder of two telecommunication/technology companies
Most currently CEO of Emotiv - developing technology for brain-computer interface

Yet, today's story is about none of the above accomplishments.

It's about her story...a very personal, yet extremely eloquent and moving story of herself, her mother and her grandmother.

In the face of True Impossibilities...
She became a role model of "Possibility."

Impossible >>> I'm Possible

A Glimpse into the life of school age children at my house...

Homework Time
The math problems are "impossible" to be solved.

Poetry Reciting 
It's "impossible" to remember the whole thing.

Dinner Time
I'm full already, it's "impossible" for me to finish my plate.

If you can't tell by now, if I get a dollar for every "impossible" I hear, I would be able to retire tody.

We talk a lot about "trying," "practicing," "doing," and even "praying."
We emphasize the values of "Not Giving Up", "Give It Your Best," and "Achieve Your Own Goals,"
But kids will be kids...complain, complain, complain!

The latest "impossibility" is piano practice for an upcoming recital.
If it's not the notes, then it's the tempo, or the techniques, even the ending gesture.

So I did what all moms in the 21th century would do...Go To Youtube...
Searched piano...and of course for Lang Lang...showed them the following video.
Mine are no virtuoso...my goal is just for them to be able to read notes.

But...
Just for a few minutes, I got them to stop complaining! :0)

Lang Lang & Marc Yu - Schubert Fantasia Part I 

(you can find part ii & part iii on youtube)

TED - Technology...Entertainment...Design

TED Conference 2012



Always the last week of February
Always in Long Beach California
Always Awe Inspiring

Each year, the world's leading thinkers and doers gather for an event many describe as the highlight of their year. Attendees have called it "The ultimate brain spa" and "A 4-day journey into the future, in the company of those creating it."

At a price tag of $7500 and an official application to attend, it's a bit of our reach for most. (I calculated if you save a dollar a day, it will take 20 1/2 years to get you $7500; it's worth a try!)

But the free videos are accessible to anyone and everyone who have access to the internet.
If a person can be "In Love" with a concept, TED would be it for me.
I don't always agree.  I don't even always understand. But I am always intrigued!

TED2012 
we celebrated the reinvention of the art of spoken word, and nudged it a further step forward -- through the rich use of multiple technologies, formats and approaches for the most powerful possible impact on an audience. 

TED2012 Program...Just a Glimpse into the Lineups of "Brain Power."
http://conferences.ted.com/TED2012/program/guide.php

This was posted by them for fun...