Current Inspiration

Erik Proulx

is the Inspirational person of the week.

Thanks to Pamela Slim for sharing this on FaceBook this morning!!!

Erik has created a touching masterpiece. Enjoy!

xoxo Pam

Accountable

The Inspirational word of the week is…

Accountable: (adj) 1. responsible to someone or for some action 2. able to be explained.

So I went down to visit Occupy Detroit on Thursday.

I was surprised to see how much smaller it looked since the last time I was down there. Although considering the freezing cold weather, it’s really a miracle that there any people still down there at all. It was actually snowing on my way down there! Brrrr!

I wanted to see for myself what the condition of the park looked like, as well as talk to the Occupiers themselves and ask them…..

“What do you most want to see happen because of the Occupy Movement?”

The condition of the park looked really good. There were a few tents set-up ( I didn’t count  them but not more than 20) and some pallets in a pile waiting to be transported away from the site. There were at least 5 or 6 police cars park around the park. Later when I talked to Sara Coffee of the facilitation group, she said they like to eat their lunch there. Later a I read a press relase that described how the police had no problem with the Occupiers and in fact have been dropping off homeless people at Grand Circus park, advising them to go find food and shelter from the Occupy Detroit movement.  This not only illustrates the overwhelming need for help for the homeless population in downtown Detroit, but also the humanity of the police officers. Bittersweet.

The first person I talked with was a gentleman named Derrick (pictured below on left). His first response to my question was equality for all people, but then he told me as a resident of Detroit, he’s most frustrated by the lack of jobs. With all of the jobs leaving the city, there’s just no way for someone to be able to support themselves. It’s when a company focuses on making profits ahead of creating a healthy economy, that’s causes the downward spiral like we see in downtown Detroit today. It’s absolutely not true that people don’t want to work! There just aren’t any jobs to be had. He also talked about how the people who make the rules should have to live by them. Whether that’s the Mayor of Detroit (who actually lives in Farmington Hills) or the U.S. Congress getting full pensions and free health care at tax payer expense!  I thought that was an extremely valid point, Derrick!!

The other gentleman in the picture was Rafael (on the right). He came in from Occupy Lansing to show solidarity with the Occupy Detroit movement. He’s also concerned about the lack of jobs in our country as well as the lack of willingness from the House and Senate to do anything about it. Since they don’t choose to live by the rules and policies they set for the rest of the country, they face no consequences. They’re not accountable for their actions but we all have to live with the consequences. Rafael also shared with me a poem he wrote that you can read here. It was very moving.

Ultimately, what these gentleman and I agreed upon was that we want to see money taken out of politics through campaign finance reform, the end of corporate lobbying and the repeal of Citizens United.

After chatting with these gentleman, I moved over to the medical tent to talk to a few other people, including Lee Gaddies, the Social Justice Chair of Occupy Detroit and Sarah and Stephen Coffee of the facilitation committee. I asked Lee my question (see above) and he said the occupy movement is about restoring justice, and economic and social fairness. We talked about getting more people engaged and how we want to harness the energy behind people who come in excited to see change, but if they don’t want to join a committee or even commit to helping, there’s only so much we can do. (As a volunteer with the DDA I completely understand this!)

Then we discussed how important it is to model the behavior we want to see from others, especially those we’ve placed in power. We can’t really hold others accountable unless we hold ourselves accountable first. While talking with the Occupiers in Detroit, I said that I would consider taking a step into a political office, if only for a couple of years. I’d be happy to do my part to serve my country, I just wouldn’t plan on making a career of it. I think it should be an honor to serve your country, not a permanent career.

When a guy from the Detroit news came in to interview Lee in the medical tent, I chatted with the Sarah (pictured on the left) and Stephen Coffee and a few of the other Occupiers. I was totally impressed by the passion in their voices and the dedication of their actions. These people aren’t just talking, they’re actively trying to make a difference.I think they’re truly honorable, every one of them.

With my notes in hand, I left Grand Circus Park to drive back home to Ortonville as the Occupiers went about pulling their stuff together, cleaning the park and figuring out where everything needs to go. On the way out, I saw this sign of the rules for the park

I especially like the second to the last one, “No Stealing”. Maybe we should put something like this up in Washington D.C.

Friday was their last day. It’s too cold outside and the Occupy movement really isn’t about the park. It’s about the idea of people coming together and engaging with each other to figure out how to fix the problems in our country.

The Occupy Detroit movement is not going away, it’s just changing geography. There will still be meetings and rallies, concerts and marches. Thanks to the internet, and the dedicated volunteers of the Occupy movement, people can find out when and where to meet and become engaged by going to www.occupy-detroit.us. There’s a full list of all committee meetings, complete with times and locations. Instead of gathering in Grand Circus park, the meetings will be held at places like the Central United Methodist Church, or LAX, or the Broadway Cafe, just to name a few. It’s good to see the Occupy Detroit movement getting support from the local business people. (I’m sure they couldn’t get that support if they were violent or antagonistic.)

Personally, I’m planning on bringing my You’re the Boat analogy to the Arts & Culture and Education committee’s as soon as it’s done. In the mean time, I’ll keep speaking well of the movement and promoting it’s message through my actions and my website.

For instance, after I got home, I checked my e-mail and found this from Eric Byler of the Coffee Party…

When we say “the 99%,” we mean our nation as a whole, and that includes everyone, even the 1%.  Help us let our elected representatives know that from this point on, America will be asking a crucial question of every policy and every politician put before us — does it serve our nation as a whole, or does this serve only the wealthiest 1%?

Please CALL CONGRESS today:

• U.S. Capitol switchboard: (202) 224-3121
  
• FIND your Representative’s direct number
  
• FIND your Senators’ direct numbers

Perfect timing! So, yes I did call my Representatives and Senators and let them know that I will be watching their policies and positions to see whether they serve the best interests of our country.

Then I came across this….

“Accountability is up the line, judging the decision against the effect on everybody, not just on the disgruntled person. You can’t run a society by the lowest common denominator.” Philip K. Howard

I think he has some very good ideas, especially less government intervention in our daily lives and simplifying laws.

I must admit to being apprehensive about the last part, “giving authority to judges and police”. With the corruption we’ve seen through all levels of the justice system, how can we know who to trust? How can we make sure they’ll be held accountable for their decisions? How do we know people can be trustworthy? Because I am and I know of others who are honorably serving their community right now, as well. Honorable people exist and we need to remind everybody of that. Let’s hear more about those who are doing good work and support them by replacing those who don’t.

By putting our energy and attention into vision and solutions, we’ll be denying the drama and problems of their power over us. The only way we can move forward is by letting go of what’s happened in the past in order to focus on implementing the solutions we want to see in the future.

I’m willing to do my part. I can only hope to inspire others to do the same.

What do you think, my friendly blog reader?

What do you most want to see happen because of the Occupy Movement?

How will you hold your elected officials accountable?

How will you serve your country?

Who do you know that serves honorably?

I would love to read your thoughts and suggestions in the comments below!

xoxo Pam

p.s. Have a great weekend and I’ll see you on Monday with the Inspirational person of the week.

p.p.s. If you like this post, you might also like these… Priority, Understanding, Resolve, Occupy Detroit.

Resolve

The Inspirational word of the week is…

Resolve: (noun) 1. a determination to follow some course of action. 2. firmness of purpose or intent. (verb) 1. to come to an earnest decision; to determine

I just got back from Occupy Detroit and I have to tell you, my friendly blog reader, that although the numbers have indeed gone down from last Friday, (there were well over a thousand demonstrators that first evening) the number of full-time Occupiers has increased dramatically. The number of tents has more than doubled (if not tripled) and the amount of supplies has increased exponentially. In fact, while I was down there, I saw at least 3 cars stop by to drop off supplies.

After I dropped off some dry towels and hay bales, I talked with Justin, who is helping to run the food tent. He’s been running a restaurant for 5 years, but is now turning it over to his Mom in order to come down and live at Grand Circus park full-time. He’s using his expertise to help organize the supplies, cook and keep everything sanitary.

I asked him what they needed the most and he replied “Shelving and bins. In order to keep the food safe and sanitary, we need to be able to organize our supplies so that everyone will be able to help serve food in a healthy manner.”  He also talked about needing dried goods, like beans and rice, and spices, as well as propane to cook the food and hay to keep the mud to a minimum.

Although the regular media is portraying this effort as ‘a scattered bunch of ungrateful, lazy protestors’ what I’ve seen with my very own eyes are a bunch of people of all ages and races, working together. I happened to arrive right before lunch time and saw at least 50 people get full plates of hot food. Although I could have gotten a plate for myself, I chose not to so that there would be enough for the others who really need it. It looked really good tho, with chicken, peppers, onions, rice and bread.

Despite the rain and gloom, everyone seemed up-beat. I chatted with at least half a dozen people and they were all glad to meet me, shook my hand and thanked me for coming out. We talked about how impressed we were with the growth of this movement, as well as the resolve we saw in everyone who came down to be a part of it.

I wish I could share with you how incredible it felt to be down at Grand Circus Park. Although the weather was absolutely crappy, the mood of the people was radiant, hopeful and determined.

“It’s good to be doin’ what I’m supposed to be doin’ with the people I’m doin’ it with.”

The problems of this country need to be addressed and that’s what this Occupy movement is all about. For too long, we the people have been ignored and exploited. The time has come to lead ourselves. We need to show our children that we can make a real difference by getting up and doing something to help fix our problems. They deserve to be hopeful about their future and proud of their parents.

I resolve to do my best to set a good example. I hope you will too.

This movement isn’t going away. In fact, it’s growing rapidly. A lady friend of mine told me about a website called OccupyTogether.org. It’s a website built to be a hub of information about all of the Occupy movements that are springing up around the country and the world. As of this writing, there are currently 1,588 Occupy meetups with many more slated to start soon. Take a look and see where you can go to find people dedicated to making a lasting, positive change.

xoxo Pam

p.s. That lady friend of mine also wrote a poem called “The Revolution will not be televised”.  Click the link so you can read it on Jen Louden’s website.  It’s phenomenal!

OccupyDetroit

“If you think you’re too small to make a difference, try sleeping with a mosquito.” Dalai Lama

I’ll be completely honest. I’m here to inspire you.

Although what I’m about to tell you isn’t easy, in all fairness, it needs to be shared in order to start the healing process our country so desperately needs.

For years the ‘news’ corporations have been breeding mistrust and cynacism. Although they say they’re “Fair and Balanced”, their main interest is holding on to your attention. By pointing out everything that’s wrong and scary and then amplifying it, their power comes from keeping your energy stifled and stagnant.

Your frustration and anger proves them right.

Your fear of doing something wrong stops you from doing anything at all.

Your silence empowers them to take advantage, and so they have.

So the question is, how can you get news without television?

You need a ‘news’ diet.

Instead of stuffing yourself with the lies and propaganda so easily found in your television set, you need to go out into the real world and talk to real people about what is really happening. That’s where the news is. Just like eating junk food is never going to make you feel satisfied, sitting behind a television screen is never going to feed you what you really need, because what you really need is to be engaged.

Get out of your own head. Go outside. Talk to people. Give up the idea that you’re right and everyone else needs to change because that’s exactly what created these problems in the first place.

“You must be the change you wish to see in the world.” Mahatma Gandhi

The OccupyWallStreet movement is a non-violent demonstration bringing together people who are interested in the peaceful exchange of ideas in order to create a process to address the problems we face and generate solutions accessible to everyone.

“Human solidarity, empathy with one’s fellow person, is our guide. Democracy and consensus, our compass.” Even Rohar of OccupyDetroit media

I was at the first General Assembly of the OccupyDetriot movement last Friday evening. My friend Heidi convinced me to go, and I can’t tell you how glad I am that she did. (Thanks Heidi xoxo) I was absolutely amazed and thrilled to see well over a thousand people gathered in Grand Circus Park. Although we saw a couple of mildly heated exchanges, the people around them were quick to dispel any violence. No one was screaming or cussing. There was no spitting or fighting.

What I did see what a very orderly exchange between the facilitators and the people of the event.

See it here for yourself….

I was indeed “inspired by the process, modeling the society they wish to create”.

The People’s Mike method was fantastic! Although I’ve been to many, many meetings in the past, this one was different because it left me feeling empowered and excited to help. By the end, although I was tired and my throat was sore, I felt exuberant at the same time. So I talked with a couple of people from the Arts & Culture work group about my ‘You’re the Boat’ analogy. They thought it would be a great idea to share it not only with their group but with Education as well. So I will, after I’m done building the new Boat. (It’s coming along nicely, btw).

The working groups is the other part that truly inspired me. According to the minutes from the General Assembly meeting that first night, they are……

• Media = To create media that will show what we stand for.
• Food & Comfort = To keep our community fed & comfortable.
• Education = To define the economic situation in America.
• Legal = To help demonstrators who are taken to jail. Although they won’t pay your bail, they will help you contact your family and friends.
• Direct Action = To plan, train and engage in non-violent direct action in order to achieve political, economic and social goals outside normal government channels.
• Student = To address student debt collectively and start study groups in occupation @ local colleges and universities.
• Information = A free library at the Park
• Arts & Culture = Because we all need to keep our spirits up during the Revolution!
• Outreach = To bring in more people and organizations to the movement.

All of these working groups have a few people in them, but need many, many more volunteers in order to be most effective. I would love to join each and every group, however, that would burn me out and then I couldn’t help anyone. So, I’m planning on trying to make it down there once a week to bring supplies and inspiration. I’ll also be writing about it here on my blog and sharing it through-out the internet.

My friend Heidi really loved the rally and wants to support the movement too, but with her job and family, she doesn’t know when or how. I’m sure there are a lot more people like her, so what’s the answer? How can you and Heidi help?

Speak well of the movement. The demonstrators need your support, as well as your faith in their mission to make a difference in this country.

Stop rumors that there are ‘angry mobs’ and instead talk of the multitude of different kinds of people coming together.

Share your belief in what these demonstrators stand for, such as democracy, freedom, accountability and equality for all Americans.

Send them good vibrations, as well as blankets, food, water, tents, heaters, and books.

Most importantly, try to focus your energy on the solutions to the problems in this country, as well as the vision of a future we can all look forward to. And when you get distracted by the details, problems and drama, try again. Please.

Remember, We are all in this together.

So, my friendly blog reader, I hope this has inspired you to understand that there is still hope for our country.

You can make a difference. Start now.

xoxo Pam

p.s. I’ll be heading back down to OccupyDetroit later this week to bring supplies and inspiration. If you are in the SouthEast Michigan area and have something you would like to donate, please let me know by contacting me at pambelding at gmail dot com.

p.p.s. For more information about the OccupyDetroit movement, check out their website at www.occupy-detroit.us.

Serve

The Inspirational word of the week is…

Serve (verb) 1. to offer 2. to be of use, helpful 3. to show obedience.

I was talking with a lady friend of mine this morning. We were discussing the vote about the Debt Ceiling yesterday. We’re both astounded at the lack of accountability our Congress has toward the middle and lower classes. Instead of focusing on taking care of ALL Americans, it seems our elected representatives are only interested in serving the big corporations that lobby a.k.a. bribe them. Our Congress, Democrats and Republicans alike, are serving their own interests above the best interests of our country. The rich are getting richer, big corporations are getting stronger and the rest of the country is carrying the burden. Instead of making realistic cuts (like to their own health care and pensions) and forcing big corporations to pay the taxes they’re already supposed to be paying instead of subsidizing them, Congress voted to cut services and programs for the people who need them the most.

I don’t bring this up to frustrate you, my friendly blog reader, but to illustrate the point that what we love the most is what we serve.

In his speech to the Northwestern University Graduating class, Stephen Colbert talks about the most important lesson he was taught about improv……

“You’re not the most important person in the scene. Everybody else is. And if they are the most important people in the scene, you will naturally pay attention to them. But the good news is you’re in the scene too. So, hopefully, to them, you’re the most important person and they will serve you. No one is leading, you’re all following the follower, serving the servant. You cannot win improv. And life is like improvisation. you have no idea what’s going to happen next and you’re mostly making things up as you go along. And like improv, you can’t win your life.

But if we should serve others and together serve some common goal or idea — for anyone, what’s that idea? And who are those people? In my experience, you will truly serve only what you love, because as the prophet says, ’service is love made visible’.  If you love friends, you will serve your friends. If you love community, you will serve your community. If you love money, you will serve your money. And if you love only yourself, you will serve only yourself. And you will have only yourself.

So, no more winning. Instead, try to love others and serve others, and hopefully find those who love and serve you in return.”

It’s quite obvious who our elected officials are serving.

It’s easy to get caught up in the details, problems and drama.  Focusing on what we don’t have makes us feel even weaker, more frustrated and angry. We lose confidence and end up wallowing in self-pity and apathy.  It’s a vicious cycle and it needs to stop.

So what can we do about it?

First, we can focus on filling ourselves up in order to be able to give from a full cup.

For instance, I didn’t post the inspirational word last week because I was really tired. I don’t want to write from a place of frustration and resentment. I want to offer inspiration, courage and joy!  So I spent the weekend relaxing, playing with my family and filling myself up with inspirational stuff that makes me feel good, strong and healthy. Like Goddess Leonie’s Goddess GuideBook e-courses and Jen Louden’s Savor and Serve Cafe. Both of these ladies, Leonie and Jen, are my s-heroes and I’m so incredibly blessed to have found them. I would highly recommend them, my friendly blog reader. If they’re not you’re cup of tea, then go find your own sanctuary, some place safe to go in order to re-charge and replenish. You deserve to feel better. We all do.

We can recover! We can speak up! We can call our elected officals and tell them what we think. In the mean time, we can go out into our community and share a laugh with the people we know and love. That’s how we can make a difference, right now.

We become the stimulus we need when we speak well and often of the people, opportunities and events within our community. Pam Belding (yes, me!)

I serve my Captain best when I help people find something good to look forward to in a fun atmosphere and then share it.

One of the things I was working on last week was the Enjoy the process Coloring contest at the BB&E. People were instructed to simply fill in the supplied shape with anything they wanted. Paints, pens, pastels, or gravel, glitter, grass, dead leaves, shells, paper, pudding. Anything at all!! As long as it was FUN!!  The point was to ENJOY THE PROCESS. Each entry cost a dollar. Everyone in the park was invited to vote for their favorite piece in each category. We had 19 entries, 7 in the 12 and under and 12 in the 13+. All of the moneys collected went to the winners of each category (pictured below). All of our entries were beautiful and extremely creative!  I’m really looking forward to doing it again next year!

I don’t know how the problems in our country are going to be fixed, and you probably don’t either. But I do know that when we nourish ourselves, help take care of our Crew and do our best to enjoy the process, we create a life worth looking forward to. And that serves everyone.

I hope you’ve enjoyed this post, my friendly blog reader. I hope it has inspired you to nourish yourself, to serve the people you love, to look for the good and appreciate the blessings in your life.

Have a wonderful week!

I’ll be back on Monday with the Inspirational song of the week.

xoxo Pam

p.s. “Just because I don’t know now, doesn’t mean I won’t know then. Just because I don’t know how, doesn’t mean I won’t know when.”

Summer break

Hello, my friendly blog reader!

My week has been busy with the BB&E farmers market, DDA board meeting, promotions committee meeting, sponsorship, coloring contest, Coffee Club, and much, much more.  Whew! I’m beat!

I was hoping to write about the Inspirational word of the week, Service. However, in order to do it justice, I need to give myself some more time to rest and recuperate and spend time with my family.  Forcing myself to do write this post without the right amount of energy behind it would be a dis-service to you and me both.

In the mean time, please feel free to surf around on the site. After more than 2 years of writing twice a week, there’s plenty of inspiration to be found!

I’ll be back on Monday with the Inspirational song of the week and then later with the Inspirational word, Service.

BTW…..who do you serve?

xoxo Pam

p.s. Thanks to Brenda Timmermans for the wonderful picture!!

Replenish

The Inspirational word of the week is……….

Replenish (verb) 1. to make full or complete again. 2. to supply with fresh fuel. 3. to fill again.

I’ve been thinking about this word a lot since my post last week.

About how we always seem to be needing something and how much better we feel when we get those needs met.

Replenishment is a job in and of itself. It takes time and dedicated effort to do it, but how many of us really stop and think about it?

I asked my darling husband the other night, “How do you replenish yourself?” He replied that he has never really thought about it.

And honestly, I haven’t either. Although I know I do the job, I can’t say that I’ve put a whole ton of thought into it.

Grocery lists, moving-list, and the weekly schedule are all things that keep my life on track, but they don’t make me happy.

I need more than a list to make me feel fulfilled.

So I asked myself……

How do I replenish my ‘spirit’, not just my pantry?

and the next thought that came to my head was this…….

Laughing and dancing with my friends and neighbors at the BB&E really, really filled me up. Having fun and feeling like I was a part of something special that night, I could feel my spirit expand!

However, that was just one night last year. And as much fun as that was, I need more and different ways to replenish my energy.

Here’s a picture of my girlfriend Debbie and I working on the BB&E newsletter in my gazebo.

As you can tell, we’re having a ball, writing copy, picking out pictures and making the newsletter an absolutely gorgeous piece of promotional material.  I’d love to share it with you, but the file is too big to fit on this blog post. If you’re interested in seeing it, just let me know and I’ll e-mail you a copy!

We’ve not only been working on the newsletter, but on the Ortonville DDA website as well. We’ve been working with Molly, our Executive Director to build it up from scratch. Fortunately, it’s a wordpress site, so it’s user friendly, but it still has taken us a lot of time and work to fill it up with all the stuff we need to share with everyone. Most importantly, it’s been fun! Learning new stuff and creating something worthwhile replenishes my energy!

All of the time and work I’ve been doing lately has been replenishing me, as well as my community.  I noticed last night, after spending 4 hours on the DDA website during the day, I felt drawn to get back to it after dinner, to fix some things and add more links. I know this is something I need to be doing and it feels good to be drawn to it. However, in order to sustain a happy home life, I need to spend quality time with my family, so I turned off the computer.

I need to remember to balance what I want to do with what needs to be done. To develop equanimity in my life (equanimity is the relationship in your life between what is happening to you and what you’re doing about it) and to focus on being engaged with, savoring and enjoying the people I love the most.

Therein lies the meaning of life.

Replenishing energy doesn’t have to come from being excited and busy, (although it totally can be), it can be simple fun too.

The key is to recognize it and then allow that good, fulfilling energy a clear path into my soul.

I  see pure happiness by throwing the rock for Tootsie and watching her happy enthusiasm as she pulls and pushes it with her paws!  She can do this for hours!! She’s such a blessing!

And spending quality time with darling husband and wonderful son gives me that satisfying feeling like “I am here. There’s nowhere else I’d rather be. I’m so lucky to have such a happy family.”

I’m savoring my life when I stop worrying about stuff I can’t control and look around at all the blessings that surround me.

Not that bad things don’t happen, but when I try, I can look past the frustrations and distractions and see the bigger picture.

Life is a gift.

Thank you!

I hope you enjoyed this post, my friendly blog reader!

I’d love to read your thoughts in the comments!!

Have a great weekend and I’ll be back on Monday with the Inspirational song of the week!

xoxo Pam

p.s. Thanks for reading along, my friendly blog reader! I offer you grace, peace and joy! xoxo

Right Now

Today is Monday, which means it’s time for the Inspirational song of the week….

Right Now by Van Halen

I can’t embed the video but here’s a link!

“Right now, Catch that Magic moment and do it right! Right Now!”

“It’s what’s happening!”

What’s happening over here in Michigan is this Friday night, the Beets, Beats & Eats farmers market starts in Ortonville.  The BB&E is held in Crossman park which has mature trees, grass and play equipment for the kids, not to mention all of the entertainment, food and vendors!

Last year we averaged 200 people per night. With the economy and gas prices keeping people close to home, we’re looking forward to having at least that many people again. My friends and I have been working diligently to make sure everyone who comes out will have a wonderful time.  If you’re in the SouthEast Michigan area, make sure to come over for a really great time!  Tell your friends too!!

It’s so nice to know there’s something to look forward to in Ortonville!

Check out our website for more information and you can even check out our Fan page on FaceBook!!

I hope you have a wonderful week, my friendly blog reader.

I’ll be back later this week with the Inspirational word of the week.

xoxo Pam

All you need is love

Today is Monday, which means it’s time for the Inspirational song of the week….

“There’s nothing you can do but you can learn how to be you in time…..it’s easy!”

I hope this song finds you well and happy, my friendly blog reader.

Funny thing, I had an epiphany this past Friday night and this song helped to drive the message home.

After some last minute ’difficulties’ came up the night before our CreekFest event on Saturday morning, I was talking with my darling husband out on the boat. I said “You know what? Who do we serve? Do we serve the people who need what we do? The people who love this community and want a chance to come out and be a part of it? The people who support us and appreciate all the hard work, time and effort it takes to make this happen? Or do we listen to the grumpy, cranky people who don’t get it and probably never will?”

And that’s when this song came on over the mp3 player!

I couldn’t help but laugh and cry a little bit!

My friends and I have worked for months to make this festival a success. And it was! (pics to come later!)

So, this song is dedicated to everyone who works hard to make life better for other people!!!!

All you need is Love!!!    All Together Now!!!!  :)

xoxo Pam

Huge hugs and thanks to Liz, Molly, Debbie, Lois, Donna, Brenda, Dagmar, Larry, Bob & Mike! You all make me very proud to be a part of  Ortonville! xoxoxooxox

Des Moines, Iowa

I’m still recovering from my trip to Des Moines, Iowa for the Main Street National Conference.  Although I have an idea for the Inspirational word of the week, I’m not ready to write it yet. Instead I need to ‘download’ my recent trip in order to clear space in my mind.  Here goes…..

In order to be able to bring 3 people to the conference, we saved money by renting a van and driving the 10 plus hours to Iowa. Debbie, Molly and I were lucky enough to have a ‘token male’, Paul Zelenak to drive us over there. He’s the Village Manager of Lake Orion and a big part of Main Street Oakland County. Even though he got a little testy with us because we kept having to stop to pee, overall he was a knight in shining armor and drove the whole way. He even pumped the gas and helped us with our bags. Thanks Paul! xoxo

We stayed at the Embassy Suites on the River in Des Moines. The room was spacious and comfortable, with plenty of room for all three of us. It even had a little kitchenette and a vanity sink in the bedroom so there was no fighting for mirror time in the morning. We all got along well, making the trip just that much easier.

The opening reception was held at the Iowa State Fairgrounds. There were animals, classic cars, games and lots of free food! I sincerely think this was one of my favorite parts of the whole trip!

The Iowa State Fair is the setting for the 1930’s Will Rogers movie State Fair. It’s also the inspiration behind the Rogers & Hammerstein Musical, State Fair. All of the buildings have been renovated and placed on the National Historic Register.

Having never been to Iowa before, I was pleasantly surprised at how nice everyone was. There were lots and lots of volunteers running around wearing shirts that said, “Ask me, I’ll tell you where to go.” And they did!  The food was great (see the giant table of pie!) Molly and I asked if we could have a pie and a lady was kind enough to give us a WHOLE strawberry rhubarb pie to take home!  We walked around the rest of the evening carrying this pie!  We got lots of offers to help us eat it! We even carried it on the sky-tram ride across the fair grounds.

The next day, we started taking classes. The hotel had a FR*EE shuttle to and from the convention center, (all we had to pay was a tip for the driver).

Des Moines also has a fr*ee trolley system that takes a loop through the downtown. We used this, as well, when we had plenty of time. The last day, before our last class, Debbie and I went to the Pappageorge Sculpture Park on the other end of the trolley loop.

I took some pictures…

before heading into a class with Sylvia Allen of Allen Consulting. Her’s was my favorite class of all. She helped me get over some of my fears about asking for sponsorship. She reminded me that we are actually doing these nice folks a favor by giving them direct access to their customers. When we have events like CreekFest and Beets, Beats & Eats, our sponsors can get up close and personal with the people who need what they do. I think the knowledge from this class will definitely help me, our events and our community a lot!

Thanks Sylvia!!

Speaking of helping people, Sylvia has a huge heart and has put together a non-profit called Sylvia’s children to help drill wells, build schools and hospitals and much, much more. Take a look at the link and help if you can.

We headed back home after Sylvia’s class, excited to put this fresh inspiration to good use. Paul got a ride home with the Ferndale crew, so Debbie drove, I navigated and Molly handed out drinks and snacks. Molly had taken class on Branding, so we came up with some ideas about what makes Ortonville special and took notes for well over an hour. Although we stopped for lunch and potty breaks a couple of times, we drove straight home. The traffic slowed down to a crawl at the Iowa, Illinois border, but once we got past that, it was smooth sailing the rest of the way.

We finally arrived home in Ortonville at 1:45am. Exhausted and inspired, our trip was finally over! Whew!!

Thanks for following along, my friendly blog reader. I truly appreciate getting to share my adventures with you!

xoxo Pam

p.s. I’ll be back on Monday with the Inspirational song of the week.