Archive for November, 2009
Let’s go Viral!
We received this from a friend of a friend, and thought it important enough to pass on. It is also adorable, and we hope it brings a smile to your face! Click here and help Breast Cancer Awareness.
Our daughter-in-law, Emily (MacInnes) Somers, created, directed and choreographed this in Portland last week for her Medline glove division as a fundraiser for breast cancer awareness. This was all her idea to help promote their new pink gloves. I don’t know how she got so many employees, doctors and patients to participate, but it started to really catch on and they all had a lot of fun doing it.
When the video gets 1 million hits, Medline will be making a huge contribution to the hospital, as well as offering free mammograms for the community. Please check it out. It’s an easy and great way to donate to a wonderful cause, and who hasn’t been touched by breast cancer?
—Ann Somers
Holiday Open House at BWP
We had a lovely holiday open house at Beyond Words Tuesday afternoon complete with a benefit for a local 10-year-old girl. Chloe is scheduled to have her 2nd operation in early December to remove a brain tumor. You can read more about her and her story at www.chloewatts.com
Three employees donated beautiful artwork; Mary sewed two quilts, Lizzi painted a watercolor and Cindy N made a beaded ornament and even brought a hand painted Christmas ornament made by her mother. We raised some money for Chloe’s medical expenses and had a wonderful time chatting with customers and vendors.
Jackie won the bid for the poppy watercolor; here’s a photo of her accepting her new painting from Lizzi, the artist herself.
It was lovely meeting new people, although I especially enjoyed greeting people I usually only chat with via phone. I think everyone agrees that this should be an annual event!
The Blessing of Pierre Prandevand
This past week, we had an author visit our office. His name is Pierre Prandevand and he is the author of a book called The Gentle Art of Blessing. I found this topic of interest as it mirrors a shamanic teaching: being aware of your own energy, and living in a good way to bring about the best karma to all.
In the shamanic teaching (and it really isn’t a solely shamanic teaching as it has echoes in many other areas, I find), I am to be aware of how I am being at all times, of what energy I am putting out at all times. It is an awareness of how I am affecting others, life, my energetic environment. I am to take a step back and see how I may need to alter my behavior, my energy, my intention, how I respond versus how I react.
Mike Dooley on the Road
What a pleasure it has been to send Mike Dooley on a nationwide tour. Whitney, our fabulous publicist, set up dates for Mike to promote his newest book, Infinite Possibilities, in New York, Denver, Tempe, AZ, Los Angeles, Portland, OR and Seattle, and today he’s off to a home turf event in Orlando, FL, Mike’s hometown.
Whitney and I followed the tour every step of the way, and in each city, the Mike Dooley magic happened. Each event seemed to build on the other, ending in over 400 enthralled attendees in both Portland and Seattle. Mike was as gracious as could be at each venue and showed up ready to spread the message he is well-known for, “Thoughts Become Things.”
What stands out to me, a person who works very hard at promoting the fine books that we publish, is that when you think it will be effortless, it IS effortless. Mike certainly brought that attitude to the party and I will be using that lesson learned for the rest of my life. Thanks, Mike, for that gift, and to all of our readers for their support of Infinite Possibilities.
Check out some pics from the tour below, and visit our Facebook page for the full photo album, and plenty more!
Backstage at AM Northwest
The Gentle Art of Blessing
Tomorrow marks the release date for our re-issue of an updated version of Pierre Prandevand’s Gentle Art of Blessing. And Wednesday, November 11, we are thrilled to have Pierre both visit our office and then do an event at the New Renaissance Bookstore Wednesday evening at 7:00 PM.
Pierre Pradervand has worked for decades in personal development and social justice across the world, and currently lives in Switzerland so it is a real treat to have such a beautiful and inspiring gentleman with us in Portland. I have watched a video of one of his talks and it was incredibly moving and profoundly inspiring.
In his wonderful book, The Gentle Art of Blessing, described blessings in these simple but eloquent terms:
“To bless means to wish, unconditionally and from the deepest chamber of your heart, unrestricted good for others and events; it means to hallow, to hold in reverence, to behold with awe that which is always a gift from the Creator. He who is hallowed by your blessing is set aside, consecrated, holy, whole. To bless is to invoke divine care upon, to speak or think gratefully for, to confer happiness upon, although we ourselves are never the bestower, but simply the joyful witnesses of life’s abundance.
For you Portlanders, don’t miss Pierre’s exclusive event, one-night only, at New Renaissance Bookstore.
A storm in God’s tea-cup perhaps?
Jessica Maxwell’s essay for Powells.com has provoked some lively discussion in the comments section. It is terrific actually, and as Jessica herself responded: “Thank you all for your clearly passionate interest in Roll Around Heaven, and for jumping into this lively dialogue with both hooves.” Read the essay here and join the debate!
Even better, join us at Powell’s City of Books on Burnside, Portland, OR, on Friday, November 13 at 7:30 PM where Jessica will be reading from Roll Around Heaven and encouraging a passionate and fun discourse!
The Living Matrix is AMAZING..!!
The Living Matrix
OK.. I have been into healing and energy for a long time. Even in my design days I knew that children would surround themselves with certain colors that they needed for healing, this DVD takes healing to a whole new dimension and affirms the knowledge that I do have the power to heal, myself and others, or at least contribute to all of the above… You have got to see this one..!!!
A Inspired Tour
Mike Dooley’s tour has been hugely successful so far, in New York, Denver, and Mesa, Arizona, and we are looking forward to more delighted and inspired crowds when he appears at Dobson High School, in Beverly Hills CA, tonight and the Bagdad Theatre in Portland OR on Thursday. That is before heading up to Seattle on Sunday (Nov. 8 ) at the Seattle Unity Church and finally back to Orlando Florida (Nov. 16 ) at the Plaza Venezia Barnes and Noble.
Mike Dooley in Times Square, NY
I like how Mike describes his format here on his website (reprinted below)
As a guest of several premier book stores in the US, the Celebration is hitting the road! At each location I’ll speak for about 45 minutes before turning the microphone over to you for “Questions & Answers.”
