SEVA

34 Little Ways to Share With the World

Posted: 05 Apr 2010 02:43 PM PDT

Post written by Leo Babauta. Follow me on twitter or identica.

As kids, we’re taught that sharing is good, and yet competition is what is really drilled into us. We compete for profits, positions in a corporation, status symbols, space.

We’re tearing each other down instead of building each other up.

A culture of sharing has always existed, from the earliest tribal times, and it’s seeing a resurgence on the Internet these days. This is a good thing.

I’ve written many times before about helping others, developing an attitude of giving and compassion, and having faith in humanity. As have many others.

But now we’re going to look at where the rubber meets the road: how you can start sharing today. Build communities, beautiful public spaces, stop thinking about private property and how you can build fences, and start thinking about ways to use common resources to reduce wastefulness and to start tearing down those fences.

Here are some ideas to get you started:

1. Help an entrepreneur with a Kiva donation.
2. Volunteer your services with a homeless shelter, soup kitchen, or other charity organization.
3. Donate money, food, or others goods to charity.
4. Bake cookies or brownies and share with a neighbor.
5. Put your favorite recipes on a blog and share with the world.
6. Volunteer your expertise (whatever it is) to the world, and give those services to anyone who needs them.
7. Give step-by-step instructions for doing something valuable you know how to do, online, for all to read.
8. Give your books away to friends or charities.
9. Start a community garden in your neighborhood, or contribute to an existing one.
10. Start a CSA, or become a member of one that exists.
11. Become a member of Freecycle, and participate.
12. Join or form, and participate in a cooperative (food, bikes, books, housing, more).
13. Give people a ride in your car. Carpool.
14. Let strangers use your car when you don’t need it.
15. Hold potlucks every week, rotating among friends/family.
16. Look into co-housing.
17. If you own copyrighted work, uncopyright it.
18. Perform random acts of kindness.
19. When someone wants to repay you for something, ask them to pay it forward instead.
20. Contribute code to Free and Open-Source Software (FOSS).
21. Donate money to a small programmer who has created FOSS, or buy shareware.
22. Clean up a park near you.
23. Sign up, participate, and contribute to bike sharing, car sharing, and other sharing organizations.
24. Help transform streets back into public spaces meant to be shared by everyone. (more)
25. If you’re in southern California, check out Neighborgoods.
26. Borrow and lend things in your neighborhood by using Share Some Sugar.
27. Barter via Craigslist. Or try u-exchange, trashbank, care to trade, trade a favor, or joe barter.
28. Share your tips with others online or through a free ebook.
29. Create great software and give it to the world for free.
30. Smile. Be compassionate in all human transactions.
31. Invest in a friend who wants to start her own business. Don’t ask for the money back for at least a few years.
32. Make things, and give them to people.
33. Read to the blind, help the elderly, assist those with disabilities.
34. Start or contribute to a tool-lending library in your neighborhood.

This list is only to get you started. The ways you can share and make this world a better place, today, is limited only by your imagination.

Post inspired by Sharable, an amazing amazing site.

TEQUILA!!!

When you think of Mexico what comes to mind??? In most peoples 5 top associations you would probably find tequila. Drinking tequila is sort of a national pastime here. The people are proud of tequila and rightfully so. Tequila drinking in Mexico is much different that what you find in the US of A. People drink it much like a scotch or fine wine. They smell, sip, swirl, savor and appreciate it. Where as in the US stereotypically we take shots of it. I must confess I am no where near a tequila aficionado and to be honest I have found sipping tequila very tough based its high alcohol level. However I have decided to try an acquire the taste and pleasantries that apparently go along with it.

Now when I heard that there was actually town called tequila here in Mexico I was flabbergasted, in a good way...Think about it...There is not a town called vodka or vino or any other major spirit (that I am aware of). This my friends is a special opportunity which I was eager to take advantage of. I heard somewhere that luck is the crossroads of preparation and opportunity. I was prepared and the opportunity presented itself.

So off I went to tequila on a train poetically named the "tequila express". On the way there we were serenaded my mariachi's and offered (of course) tequila to drink. Tequila is a magical town where one can explore the tequila factories and haciendas learning and tasting along the way. The experience is very similar to that of visiting a winery. After this experience I appreciate tequila much more and will continue the process of trying to acquire a fondness for it.

Mexican Drivers License

Well its official, I am now a registered and legal driver in Mexico. The peculiar thing is that there was no drivers test...I simply walked into the DMV, provided some personal information, got my picture taken and voila I was given a drivers license. You would think in a city of over 20 million people with crazy traffic and even crazier drivers there would be some sort of vetting process...

36 hours in Mexico City

Happy to see DF getting some positive press. It seems like external perceptions are mostly negative but then again they are external...

http://travel.nytimes.com/2010/01/24/travel/24hours.html?th&emc=th

LUCHA LIBRA

I have a confession to make. As a child I was a huge fan of wrestling. Every Saturday I would religiously watch the WWF. I was captivated by the intense action and drama. Then one fateful day around the age of 10 the news was broke to me by my older brother that the wrestling was not real rather it was all a choreographed act. I refused to accept this! It couldn’t be…The experience was like when young children who believe in Santa Claus find out he is not real….the deception!!! Alas we all need something to believe in.

Fast forwarding to the present day in Mexico City I have been asking people about things to see in la ciudad. Lucha Libre (translated as “free fight” aka wrestling) has constantly come up as something to check out. Apparently it is a Mexican pastime. I was excited to have the experience, especially since I had been a fan of wrestling in my childhood. Mexican wrestling is very similar to what I grew up watching but it is a wee-bit more exaggerated and there are more humorous characters,my favorite is a “little person” dressed up as a monkey . Most “luchadores” wear masks, which adds a twist (see below) and allows fans to buy masks and wear them in support of their favorite wrestlers. Any visitor to Mexico City should not miss the Lucha Libre experience.

Masks (mascaras) have been used dating back to the beginnings of lucha libre in the early part of the 20th century and have a historical significance to Mexico in general dating to the days of the Aztecs.^[9] Early masks were very simple with basic colors to distinguish the wrestler. In modern lucha libre, masks are colorfully designed to evoke the images of animals, gods, ancient heroes, and other archetypes, whose identity the luchador takes on during a performance. Virtually all wrestlers in Mexico will start their careers wearing masks, but over the span of their careers a large number of them will be unmasked. Sometimes, a wrestler slated for retirement will be unmasked in his final bout or at the beginning of a final tour, signifying loss of identity as that character. Sometimes, losing the mask signifies the end of a gimmick with the wrestler moving on to a new gimmick and mask. The mask is considered "sacred" to a degree, so much so that fully removing an opponent's mask during a match is grounds for disqualification.^[10]

Field Trip #1: Para comer tacos de lengua de vaca

Every weekday morning at 7:30am I meet my Spanish teacher Imelda for my daily lesson before I start my workday. Our Spanish conversations are fairly limited thus far based on my competence in the Spanish language and one morning we were talking about food. I constantly walk by tacos stands that are sprinkled on the streets and inhale the intoxicating smells wafting from the grills. During our conversation this image popped into my mind. I asked Imelda, Que es tu favorita taco? She answered, “Me favorita tacos es La Lengua”. La Lengua? Que es la lengua I thought? She proceeded to tell me that La Lengua is cow tongue! Which apparently is a favorite taco of many Mexicans due to its tenderness. I asked around to verify my source and multiple people concurred. During my next lesson I asked Imelda if we could go on a field trip to a taco stand to try La Lengua tacos. She agreed and today we went on our 1st field trip. My 1st glance at La Lengua was alarming. Upon the request of Imelda the cook picked up a huge cow tongue and showed it to me. The thing was massive and I almost gagged as I peered at it. I was relieved when I saw that la lengua was diced up and put into the tacos for patrons to eat. When it came time to try it, Imelda curiously watched my reaction as I hesitantly took my 1st bite. I must admit it was a pleasant surprise. La Lengua was tender and tasty! So much so that I even ordered a second one. One of the gifts of living in a foreign country is the assortment of different cultural experiences you can have. Not all of them have to be extreme however I find that when I step out of my comfort zone my learning and enjoyment increases.

Rosca de Reyes

Today at work I got an email saying please join us for rosca de reyes at 3pm (read the below description from wiki to learn more).I had no idea what to expect and was excited to find out. 40 people crammed into a conference room to cut a large colorful round cake which had 10 little baby Jesus figurines hidden inside. If you pulled one out than on the 2nd of February you had to buy tamales and atole for everyone in the office. Since I was the newcomer to the team everyone insisted I cut my slice 1st and what do you know!!!! There was a baby Jesus in my slice of cake and my co-workers laughed and cheered. The cutting process took another 10 minutes as people carefully chose where to cut . During that time 9 more figurines were uncovered. Some of the lucky ten seemed happy to get the figurine others a little upset due to the fact they would have to buy tamales and atole for everyone on the team.Customs from diverse cultures are something I enjoy participating in and learning about. . I found the tradition very interesting and fun to participate in.

Rosca de reyes or roscón de reyes (kings' ring) is a very fine cake prepared carefully and delicately.

Although the name indicates that it should be round, the Mexican “rosca de reyes” generally has an oval shape due to the need to make cakes larger than 30cm across for larger parties. For luxurious decoration, Mexican people use tanned and fig fruit, quinces, cherries, etc.; which besides from making it pretty, enriches its flavor.

It is traditionally eaten in January 6, during the celebration of the "Día de Reyes" (Wise Men Day). In most of Spain, Mexico, and sometimes Hispanic communities in the United States, this is the day when children get presents from the Three Wise Men (not from Santa). They leave a shoe outside, filled with hay or dried grass for the animals the Kings ride, before they go to bed along with a note. The Mexican “rosca de reyes” has an oval shape. For decoration, Mexican people use dried and candied fruits like figs, quinces or cherries

The tradition of placing a trinket (figurine of the Christ Child) in the cake is very old. The baby Jesus, when hidden in the bread, represents the flight of Jesus, fleeing from King Herod's evil plan. Whoever finds the small baby Jesus is blessed and must take it (a representation of baby Jesus) to the nearest church on the 2nd of February (Día de la Candelaria). In the Mexican culture, also has to have a party and provide tamales and atole to the guests.

In some places, the roscón de reyes is replaced by Panettone, sometimes with trinkets.

READ THIS: What Matters Now

This is a great compilation of diverse thought leadership. I like how each page covers a different topic and is offered in bite sized pieces that are easy to digest.

Check it out and pass it on!

http://sethgodin.typepad.com/seths_blog/2009/12/what-matters-now-get-the-free-ebook.html

Do Interesting Things

Do Interesting Things

Posted: 07 Sep 2009 10:08 PM PDT

“Whatever you dream you can do, begin it. Boldness has genius, power and magic in it. Begin it now.” - Goethe

Post written by Leo Babauta. Follow me on Twitter.

We live in interesting times. We’re blessed that way.

The world is changing rapidly.

The way we work is changing, the way we live has already changed. Entire industries are crumbling, and more are growing on their ruins. People are empowered to express themselves, to create, to become a part of a global conversation and transformation, in a way that has never existed before.

What will you do with that?

What will your place be in this new, interesting world? Will you have a voice? Will you be a creator, or just a consumer?

Do something.

Do something interesting.

Be a part of the conversation, and say something remarkable. Create something unique, new, beautiful. Build upon the works of others and transform it into your own.

How to do this?

Write a book. Or an ebook. Write poetry and publish it on the web. Create interesting, lovely or funny videos, put them on You Tube. Be passionate. Write a web app that will solve a problem in people’s lives. Become a watchdog to replace the faltering newspapers. Explore the world, and blog about it. Try something you’ve always been afraid to try, and put it on video. Be yourself, loudly. Start a new company, doing only one thing, but doing it very well. Start a business that does a service you’ve always wanted, or that you are frustrated with in other companies because the service sucks. Put your heart into something. Say something that no one else dares to say. Do something others are afraid to do. Help someone no one else cares to help. Make the lives of others better. Make music that makes others want to weep, to laugh, to create. Inspire others by being inspiring. Teach young people to do amazing things. Write a play, get others to act in it, record it. Empower others to do things they’ve never been able to do before. Read, and read, and then write. Love, and love, and then help others to love. Do something good and ask others to pass it on. Be profound. Find focus in a world without it. Become minimalist in a world of dizzying complexity. Reach out to those who are frustrated, depressed, angry, confused, sad, hurt. Be the voice for those without one. Learn, do, then teach. Meet new people, become fast friends. Dare to be wrong. Take lots and lots of pictures. Explore new cultures. Be different. Paint a huge mural. Create a web comic. Be a dork, but do it boldly. Interview people. Observe people. Create new clothes. Take old stuff and make new stuff from it. Read weird stuff. Study the greats, and emulate them. Be interested in others. Surprise people. Start a blog, write at least a little each day. Cook great food, and share it. Be open-minded. Help someone else start a small business. Focus on less but do it better. Help others achieve their dreams. Put a smile on someone’s face, every day. Start an open-source project. Make a podcast. Start a movement. Be brave. Be honest. Be hilarious. Get really, really good at something. Practice a lot. A lot. Start now. Try.

Change in Direction

While on this backpacking trip I have been interviewing with HSBC regarding potential employment. Yesterday I formally agreed to join them in Mexico City as Head of Solutions Centers- Latin America. The bank is going through what many are speculating is the biggest HR Transformation in corporate history. My role will be helping the Latin American region streamline their operating model and manage the transformation from a human capital perspective.

My backpacking adventure will be cut short as they want me in London for 2 weeks of meetings starting on September 21st. So I will hustle down to Buenos Aires to reconnect with my cousin Chris then fly back to Denver to drop off my backpack, pick up some suits and finally cross the pond to London.

I will be relocating to Mexico City no later than Nov 1st.

Huayna Potosi

While in Arequipa I attempted to book to trek to one of the mountains that served as a backdrop for the city. The mountain I had my eye on was over 6000 meters high and I was told that I had to properly acclimated to even attempt the challenging hike. Having only been at a high altitude for a few days I couldn't make the ascent despite my desire. For the next few days having meals on rooftop patios I stared longingly at those mountains. When I got to Bolivia I was pleased to find out there were other magical mountains I could hike. I gave myself 5 days to acclimate in La Paz (the highest capital city in the world) before heading out to Huayna Potosi for a 3 day trek.

Huayna Postosi is 6088 meters and a beautiful yet intimidating spectacle. The 1st day of the trek was training on how to ice climb using crampons for traction and ice axes for rising up through icy terrain. The second day we climbed to Alto camp which was a tiny shack at 17,000 feet. 18 of us crammed into this small space and after some soup went to "bed" at 6pm because we were waking up at 1am to reach the summit by sunrise. That night my head felt like it was in a vice from a lack of oxygen. I got no more than 2 hours of sleep but was still charged by the upcoming ascent. We awoke as planned at 1am and hit the ice at 2am. The climb up to the summit was completely in the dark and probably better that way as had I been able to see the terrain we were hiking through I might have had second thoughts. ..We reached 200 ft below the summit right at sunrise which was a treat. Above the clouds there were priceless vistas to gaze at.

We were so close yet so far away from the summit. Completely spent some people decided not to summit. If it were not for my guide I am not sure I would have made it to the top. He continued to push and challenge me to keep my eyes on the prize. When I was finally at 6088 meters a sense of peace and accomplishment washed over me having completed one of the most challenging feats of my life.

Now all I had to do was get done the mountain...

"Death Road"

On my way to Bolivia I read about "death road" which some say is the most dangerous rode in the world. There are an average of 100 deaths per year on this narrow and mountainous road. In fact, the week before I took a ride down the 3000 meter Yungas road a tour guide had died. The road itself isn't that dangerous rather it is the mix of bullish bus drivers, sleep deprived truckers and tourists that create the drama. With proper equipment, a good guide and a wee bit of caution the bike ride is a lot of fun and death can easily be avoided.

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