My definition of art contains three elements:

Art is made by a human being.
Art is created to have an impact, to change someone else.
Art is a gift. You can sell the souvenir, the canvas, the recording… but the idea itself is free, and the generosity is a critical part of making art.

By my definition, most art has nothing to do with oil paint or marble. Art is what we’re doing when we do our best work.

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If you haven’t read it yet from my Facebook profile or newsletter I send, here is another opportunity to read this inspiring story from Tim Sanders. sandersays.com
My grandmother, Billye Coffman, raised me on a farm in eastern New Mexico.
She took me in after my mother abandoned me in a motel room in Odessa TX.  At the time, she and her husband were breaking up after twenty years of marriage.  Tough stuff.  He left us in less than a year.  He cleaned out the accounts, ran up the bills …

Do more than belong: participate. Do more than care: help. Do more than believe: practice. Do more than be fair: be kind. Do more than forgive: forget. Do more than dream: work.

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It is the end of the year and most of us are working around last-minute budgeting in our businesses, busy holiday calendars and clean up of either a good or a bad year.

I am sure that most of us also have a heavy feeling in regards to the economic outlook of the new year. Let me suggest you turn off the news and focus the end of the year on the following six things.

1. Make a list of the good things that happened this past year and be grateful. Actually tell God thank you for His kindness. Make the list exhaustive.

2. Plan out the holiday season with great creativity. Some of us are more event-oriented, while others want more solitude. No matter what you are inclined towards, get creative with planning. E.g. I have scheduled 2-3 movie nights with the family, a planned Christmas light expedition, taking a Saturday to create gifts for our neighbors, etc.

3. Hand write 5-10 special thank you notes to those who have impacted you the most personally or professionally this year. Make them longer than a typical note.

4. Read more biographies or fictional novels. Turn the TV off, read more. It will inspire you much more.

5. If married, surprise your spouse with an impromptu date. Don’t wait for Christmas to give them a gift. Make it personal and dote all over them.

6. Watch It’s a Wonderful Life (again). Seriously, we need some perspective in our society. Remind yourself of what is important. Reclaim your priorities.

This Christmas could be the best ever. I would bet that worry and fear will try its hardest to take away joy this year. Don’t let it.

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2009 will be a year of less for me.
Less consumption.  Less waste.  Less use.  Less.
This will be driven by two factors:  Consciousness and Reality.
First, reality.  We will all likely make less next year than this year, and costs will mostly stay the same (except for gas). There will be less money to spend, and conservation will be a survival tactic.
Second, consciousness.  We are all part of the bigger picture, either for good or for bad. When it comes to the environment, we are on a crash course with it. At …

I’ve been following Tom Peters blog for a while and I’ve decided to post this one on attitude. Tom is right on here…, right attitude wins!…always.  As a friend here always say: keep it real and I would like to add: for everyone’s sake, please!

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In the last few months, I’ve developed a theory about why people are selfish.