We are now at www.atypicalspirituality.com. Leave me some comments on my blog (I'm Tank) and let me know what you think.

Thanks

Tank

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Software: Delicious Library

Macs are incredible and they just became even better if you have a camera of some sort attached to them (yes, this means iSight too). You can use your camera as a barcode scanner to keep track of all your movies, games, books, and music. You simply scan in the barcode and it will do the rest of the work of keeping a working list of everything you own. It also has a feature where you can set up accounts for your friends so that they can 'check-out' from your library and you can keep track of who has your stuff. I still haven't used this program very much, but found it to be very well designed and a great idea. You should all check out their website for more information and a free trial.

Book: Cradle to Cradle: Remaking the Way We Make Things

This book is written by an architect and a chemist who are both concerned with the way we make things. I am only about half way through the book, but I have really enjoyed reading it. The basic premise of the book is that we need to design items in such a way that they can be recycled for the same purpose over and over again (they call this kind of recycling, upcycling). An example: When we are 'done' with a car they are crushed and melted to be reused, but because of the way they are constructed different types of metals are being melted together and they create a weaker metal that cannot be used in cars again (they call this kind of recycling, downcycling). Eventually this recycled product will be recycled to the point that it cannot be used, and when these products are recycled they let off harmful chemicals into the air for humans and plantlife to breathe. This is just one example that I have poorly explained.

The books is actually not made out of paper, but instead a plastic that can be melted down and reused for another book. It is also waterproof, which means you can take it safely into a hottub, bath, or to the beach and not worry at all. They do propose ideas on how to make more books like this and make them completely reusable so that we will not just throw away the product at the end (what they call 'Cradle to Grave') but we will use the materials all over again to create a product just as good as the first (what they call 'Cradle to Cradle'). This book is targeted for people who are interested in design/environment, but I recommend this as a read for everyone. It has changed the way I think about helping the environment.

Okay, one more idea from the book. It's a short one I promise. The focus of most enviromental agencies and our country in general is to make pollution less, use less energy with a bigger yield, make less waste, etc. They say that our focus is to make everything 'less bad'. But they propose that we should focus on making things 'Good', not 'less bad'.

As you can tell, I'm still sorting out alot of the ideas in this book, GO GET IT NOW!

Music: Ray Lamontagne

Okay, so I am going to see one of my favorite bands in a couple of weeks and they originally had Ray as their support act, so I naturally got ahold of some of his music, and I loved it. The CD I got was called 'Trouble' and it was incredible, but he just came out with a new CD called 'Till The Sun Turns Black' and I think it might be even better. I fallen in love with his music over the last couple of months, but I will shut my mouth and let his music do the talking, just go to his myspace (the link above). Oh, and by-the-way, he isn't opening for the band I am going to see now and I am darn mad.

Tank

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I have changed the template which you might notice or might not. It would be awesome if you would try some of the features (like commenting) and letting me know if it is working and/or if you like the way it looks. The main thing that is different is the little tabs that are on the header, we can put links up there to where we want, however they still have the generic links to whatever sites the designer thought were important. If you click on the 'Gecko and Fly' link you will be taken to the designer's blog and design site if you want to look at more of his work/redo your own blog.

Thanks in advance for your helpful comments.

Tank

UPDATE: I just took out the pictures of us three on the right because I think it makes it look better.

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I just finished my first week. A week of yelling, laughing, spitting, falling, running, jumping, playing, teaching, resting, pleading, disciplining, (and a lot of other words ending in "-ing"). My new job is with Tulsa Public Schools. I work at an Elementary school that brings together, monday - friday, little people of varied ages, races, personalities, and dimensions. My job description is a Sign Language Interpreter for the Deaf. However, my real responsibility is to be a role model, communication facilitator, and teacher. No, i dont have a license to teach, but "illegal teaching" happens everyday, everyplace, and in everyway. I am a rebel of the educational system. I have to teach. I have to tell the little boy in the bathroom to wash his hands after he pees. I have to tell the kids who pushes the other one that his behavior is not proper and he needs to apologize. I have to show the student who is struggling with his math problem a new way of thinking about it. I am an educator, and proud of it.

Little people are funny (as in young people, not physically challenged people). Their abashed honesty is sometimes disconcerting, but attractive. Sometimes they pee their pants...that is funny. somtimes they laugh at things you shouldnt laugh at, again, adorable. They can be bratty and pains in the ass, but really, they are mostly innocent and good hearted. They havent had much time to be jaded by all the shit in the world. its nice.

I had a little convo with a fellow educator who works for TPS. We shared a mutual satisfaction that is recieved from being involved in a young one's education. it really is spectacular. You can look back and say "I taught them how to READ!" I mean reading is pretty important and to teach that is pretty dang cool. So, the long and short is, Ive got a kick ass job. Thanks Dad!

Oh...the procreation part of the title:
sometimes other kids make me NOT want to procreate. being involved in education has, so far, definitely made me WANT to procreate. i mean not here and now, at Shades of Brown, but somtime and somewhere and with someone. LOL. scary.

Give peace a Chance.

M. Josiah Fehlauer

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I don't know if you have listened to the new Nick and Josh Podcast yet, but you should. I highly recommend you all skipping to the end where they do the tallskinny because you will hear a very special guest, me. You should listen to the podcast and then go to Nick and Josh's blogs and let them know how much they have changed your lives. All the links are on the right side of the page for their blogs and the podcast.

Tank

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I came across this website the other day with this band giving away their music for free and I like what I've heard so far so I thought I would pass along the website for all to enjoy. You can download or listen to their album here. I think the song called Metropolitan (Watercolor) is the best so far, so maybe you should start there. You can also get a quick listen to them at their myspace before you commit to downloading their music and wasting your hard drive because we all know how annoying that is.

Tank

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I'm still on the search of a healthier life although I haven't updated nearly enough. As far as exercise I don't do it enough, but I have gone to the gym a few times in the last week which is always an improvement.

Pt. 2 : Diet

Before Super Size Me came out I wasn't very conscience of what I ate. I got food because I thought it tasted good and I was hungry, those were my requirements. In fact I regret seeing that movie in some respect because it was easier for me to eat fast food because I didn't think about it. I haven't stopped eating fast food, but I eat less, and now I can't help but think about what the food (with its steroids and other chemicals) is doing to me.

I think it is important to eat food that is good for me. Organic foods, salads, etc. Is it also important that I eat food that is good for other people. Who benefits from the money that I am spending on this food? In the case of fast food, restaurants, grocery stores, I have no clue, probably a corporation somewhere. I still eat/shop at all of these places and I won't completely stop anytime soon, but I have started buying food from my state's coop (found here). I know that my money is going directly to local farmers because I buy food directly from them and it is delivered to me for prices that rival the prices at my grocery store. Not only that but 90% of the products sold are organic which is a huge plus because I am buying organic foods for the price of non-organic foods found at Wal-Mart. I think it is healthier to spend as much money as I can of food where I know I am helping support my local farmers, and benefit my health in the process.

I go through most of my life dehydrated, not extremely dehydrated, but dehydrated. If you would like to check for yourself if you are hydrated or not go pee-pee and if it is yellow then you are not hydrated like your body needs. I have started watching how much water I drink daily and try to drink at least 8 8oz glasses of water a day (which is 64oz). I think I feel better when I am hydrated, I feel like I sleep better. This is something I hope to practice for a long time to come.

My biggest goal as far as my diet is concerned is to cut out fast food altogether and only visit restaurants every once and awhile. I want to cook at home, and not only that but become a good cook. My biggest problem with this is time, it is hard to set aside the time to prepare food, cook food, eat food, then wash the dishes for the next meal. To be able to do this I need to learn how to schedule my time and use it wisely. I think if I am going to be healthier and slow down my life so I can spend more time doing quality things I need to be intentional with my time and that requires planning.

Tank

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I won 70 dollars playing poker last night. I lost 8 dollars tonight. Im still up..I consider that successful. I didn't like losing 8 dollars... I like winning money. I dont like losing money. What should I do with the money I won.....? I should invest it...no, I should blow it...no, I should put it in my piggie bank..I dont know. What am i talking about? its late....


LATE!!!

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