This month’s feature articles:

Regular monthly features:

Highly creative people do things in these categories:

• they seem to have rituals; for example, they like to walk;
• they crave silence;
• they go to retreats and colonies;
• they are inspired by travel;
• they use imagination;
• they trust their dreams;
• they seek solitude so they may go into a state of reverie (or flow);
• they fast;
• they meditate;
• they get inspiration from the muse;
• they are inspired by others' works of art, science, and music;
• they improvise;
• if they are blocked, they read or write self-help books.

At the end of the year, businesses usually do an evaluation of their efforts. With a new year coming soon, it might be valuable to do an honest, frank and personal evaluation of the state and quality of our own lives too. Here are some questions to ponder and reflect upon:

Self

• What have I added to my life this year – intellectually, physically, and spiritually? (meaningful reading, arts, music, exercise, motivation, healthy eating, getting to know the universe, what am I like as a person?)
• What did I do to show love for myself? What did I do to show love for others? (This is not a matter of selfishness. It is not what you don’t do. It is what you actually do demonstrably.)
• What shows that I love and am loved by others?
• What did I want this year and what did I really need? (vain and superficial vs. substance and depth.) Did I choose to not afford something? (did you say no to yourself?)

Others

• What do I do to show that I value the time of others? (return calls, thank people, be on time for meetings, etc.)
• What people have I injured or harmed in some way that I should reconcile with? (used harsh words, physically abused, ignored, rejected, neglected them, lied to them, hurt their feelings, thought the worst about them)
• What did I do to help others that were in need? (e.g. neighbours, in schools, leaders of all kinds, local community – giving of my time and/or expertise and/or physical effort. (NOTE: no matter how much you gave, donating money doesn’t count as an answer to this question)
• What people have I honoured and thanked in some way – or need to - because of what they did for me this past year? (not just close friends and relatives. How about those who perform in the public services that are taken for granted or criticized by us and the media)

Planet

• What am I doing to show that I am worthy of continuing to live on this planet? (Thomas Berry – "We are a communion of subjects, not a collection of objects.")
• What did I do to show respect for ALL life around me? (think about plants, insects and animals in neighbourhoods and in lawns –things we usually spray, poison, kill, eradicate, ignore, hurt through carelessness, kill by pollution, destroy habitats)
• What efforts have I really made to reduce, reuse and recycle and be a helping partner of nature? How have I reduced my demands and the strain on nature and the resources of the world?

Go skating at Cedarena (natural outdoor rink surrounded by Cedar trees)

Oak Ridges Trail Association (go winter hiking)

Omega Centre Bookstore (considered Canada’s largest centre for self-discovery, spiritual & emotional growth)

Ontario Curling Association (join?)

Ontario Genealogical Society (do your family tree with help from experts)

Posada Navidena (Mexican festival at Harbourfront)

Red Cross Summer Experience (contact them about volunteering)

Royal Astronomical Society (visit over the holidays)

ROM Friday nights FREE.

Salvador Dali Museum (check it out on the internet or visit while in Florida)

SAT (Scholastic Aptitude Tests) (arrange to write?)

Second City Comedy Club (tickets as interesting different present?)

Society for Educational Visits & Exchanges in Canada

Spanish Centre (go for cultural events)

Speed Reading Centre (check it out, learn how to read faster with more comprehension)

Student Athlete Prospect Pool (good athletes should register)

Studio Audience Participation (go over the holidays)

Toronto Kite Fliers Club (get ready for the winds of Spring)

Toronto Swing Dance Society (winter exercise?)

Valens Conservation Area –Winter Camping spot

Willowdale Gem & Mineral Club (lots of rock)

York Academy of Martial Arts (winter exercise)

Young Peoples Press (write articles for the Toronto Star)

Youth Bowling (get winter active)

December 8-15 – Jewish Hanukkah

December 17 – US National Wright Brothers Day

December 21 – First day of Winter - Winter Solstice

December 25 – Christian Christmas Day

December 26 – Boxing Day

December 26 -Jan 1- Kwanzaa

December 26 – Full moon out tonight

December 31 – New Year’s Eve

____________________________________________

This career involves finding and placing actors in film productions, TV extra positions and leading roles, and also in voice productions such as cartoons or animation.

There is lots of competition in the business. About 50-60 agencies with modern technology are constantly on the lookout for new talent in larger, local theatres and small productions. Agencies are very serious.

Networking skills will be very important. One must have connections in all the major film studios, production companies all over North America. As well, one must know the needs of the film/video industry. Trends will mean young and beautiful stars will be in more demand at one time and at other times more mature actors are needed. It is not necessary to always have talent that looks like Julia Roberts or Tom Cruise. Jim Carrey, for example, sells because he is quirky. With regard to voice production, characters can be any age and size as long as their voices are needed.

A way to start in this field might be to work for an agency and learn how it operates. As well, when you are out at high school productions or summer stock theatre, be on the lookout for interesting people. Suggest they visit an agency and follow up on it to see what happens. Another interesting way of getting a feel for the business is to sign up to do work as an extra in the movies that are in production in your city. You will meet actors and extras who can give advice and inspiration.

With regard to money, commissions are variable. You may end up with a $20 million actor or a $20 thousand one.

The manufacturing industry is heavily dependent on plastics. The first man-made plastics were invented in the 1860’s. Today there are over 4000 firms producing plastic products. Plastics represent over 7% of Ontario’s gross domestic product and has a great range of job opportunities and careers.

As a plastics engineer, there are many opportunities to develop products that are solid, soft and forgiving, flexible and chewable. Working with polymers, you would get involved in processes such as extrusion, thermoforming injection, rotational moulding.

There are the usual business occupations such as managers, clerical, sales, etc. but there are also many specific workers that design and work with the highly specialized machinery, moulds, etc.

Expect income to be in the $30,000-$100,000 range.

____________________________________________

(from an article by Associated Press, in the Toronto Star)

In Devizes, England, cricket fans were saddled with an unexpected bill of 60,000 pounds when their 150-year-old cricket club groundkeeper’s shed was set on fire by a bunny.

The rabbit had been hiding in a stack of branches. Paraffin was poured onto the sticks and set on fire. The bunny got covered by paraffin and was accidentally set on fire too. The blazing bunny made a dash into the groundskeeper’s shed but searchers could not find it. Within 30 minutes, the place was on fire.

In the shed were mowers, tools and other things used for the upkeep of the cricket grounds and club. There were no remains of the rabbit so it was guessed that it had managed to escape but not until the fire was started.

As is proven so many times, real life is often stranger than fiction. ___________________________________________

(by O.S.)

Ever feel that gift giving has become a real pain? It is so difficult to find gifts for some people and then one has to worry about the cost as well. Here are some suggestions for gifts that won’t cost an arm and a leg and will be really meaningful and useful:

"Accent on Essential Life Skills" – This is a manual of 48 "how to" skills that improve creativity, thinking and problem-solving. The skills are for children and adults. Use the skills in educational, personal and business settings.

SEND US YOUR IDEAS FOR GREAT GIFTS AND WE WILL SAVE THEM FOR NEXT YEAR.

____________________________________________

• Pet bites go up about 10% and accidents caused by pets go up too around Xmas because of all the excitement.

____________________________________________

____________________________________________

(from an article by Bill Hulet, Green Party member, in New Directions magazine)

Throughout history, religions have tried to teach people that happiness is within a person instead of in the material world. Up until the 20^th century, people generally lived within their means and did without if necessary. When people survive on less, it reduces friction and strife.

During the 20^th century, things changed. We went from an agricultural world to an industrial one. Businesses needed to sell products in order to stay solvent. Productivity increased and that meant fewer workers and more products to sell. However, those who did not create goods were still needed to consume the goods produced.

The masses of people, for centuries, were more interested in enjoying life as well as working. They didn’t demand the material wealth of the world but instead lived life for rewards in the hereafter. With this in mind, there was now a great need to create an artificial demand for goods and services. Advertising was ready to take off.

Despite what people say, advertising has worked extremely well. The notion that people become happier when they have less – as most religions propose – has been turned over almost completely as advertising convinces people that they get happier as they get more.

As demand goes up, production goes up. As production goes up and gets more efficient, there is a need to increase people’s consumption. Advertising promotional campaigns take care of that.

There are problems with all of this. If we eat too much we get bigger. Unlimited buying puts huge stresses on the resources and environment of the earth. Unhealthy living produces unhealthy people. We all suffer from environmental obesity.

During a recent visit by the Dalai Lama, Tibetan religious leaders were amazed at the huge numbers in our society that suffer from obesity, depression, self-loathing, and unhappiness.

Perhaps we should get back to the old way of looking at life and seek meaning within ourselves instead of trying to buy it.

____________________________________________

(based on an article by Tyler Hamilton, Toronto Star)

It was revealed in June 2004 that a group of Toronto-based articling students collaborated to cheat on their law bar admissions course. An anonymous tip gave it all away. They thought their emails were private.

Here are some basics everybody should know about using email:
All your emails are saved and readily accessible at any time. It is a text-based medium and can easily be copied and forwarded to others. Copies of all the billions of emails are stored in ISP servers, corporate servers and often in the sender and receiver computers. Remember Enron and/or the Toronto computer leasing case? Be very careful what you write and send to others. It can easily be found and used against you. If you want to be sure of privacy, use the telephone or write a letter.

New wireless technology makes email an even easier target to intercept. Hackers and undercover security forces can easily pluck messages from the air at distances of more than a kilometer. Fake email messages are easy to plant.

New technology is being designed to secure emails. Password protection on the sender and receiver sides encrypts the messages. Unfortunately both sides must be subscribers to the service. This will be part of "value added services" coming to the Internet sooner than you think.

Editor: Free email providers e.g. Yahoo or Hotmail, can disable your password and close your account at any time! Read the Terms of Service very carefully. Locate your free website on a different site from your email provider. E.g. MSN and Yahoo instead of Yahoo and Geocities which are related. Both the site and email address will probably be disabled and wiped out if the provider decides you are a problem. Reasons for wiping out your site might be: they decide you are sending out Spam, illegally selling something on your free website, disabling their advertising on the free website they provide, illegal or criminal activities.

Be humble for you are made of earth. Be noble for you are made of stars. – Serbian Proverb.

I have never let my schooling interfere with my education. - Mark Twain

"I cannot say whether things will get better if we change; what I can say is they must change if they are to get better." - G. C. Lichtenberg

"Do you know the difference between education and experience? Education is when you read the fine print; Experience is what you get when you don't." - Pete Seeger

When I was in school, I cheated on my metaphysics exam. I looked into the soul of the boy sitting next to me. - Woody Allen

THE GREAT FUMAR'S INVESTMENT TIPS

Get in on the ground floor and make some BIG bucks. Watch for these consolidations:

1. Hale Business Systems, Mary Kay Cosmetics, Fuller Brush, and W. R. Grace Co. will merge and become: Hale Mary Fuller Grace.

2. Polygram Records, Warner Bros., and Zesta Crackers join forces and become:
Poly Warner Cracker.

3. 3M will merge with Goodyear and issue forth as: MMMGood.

4. Zippo Manufacturing, Audi Motors, Dofasco, and Dakota Mining will merge and
become: ZipAudiDoDa.

5. FedEx is expected to join its major competitor, UPS, and become: FedUP.

6. Fairchild Electronics and Honeywell Computers will become: Fairwell
Honeychild.

7. Grey Poupon and Docker Pants are expected to become: Poupon Pants.

8. Knotts Berry Farm and the National Organization of Women will become: Knott
NOW!

____________________________________________

Courtesy of DiscoverTeenergy.com
All Rights Reserved