Grappling with ways to be effective as an encourager and promoter of change...

Working toward a greater goal (making positive change) and opening myself up to possibilities toward that -- is this good enough? Should I not perhaps consider a very specific way to do this, apart from planning work with extant NGO's and advocacy groups? Like Paul Farmer, who has brilliantly plied his medical trade toward huge impact on global and national scales (see Mountains Beyond Mountains, his biography by Tracy Kidder). Like Wade Davis, National Geographic Explorer-in-Residence, who has spent his life not only exploring and cataloging the world, but also helping to conserve both environmentally and culturally.

These are amazing role models...but how do I get there from here? I worry because there's no going back to age 18; I certainly don't think my time has passed, but what are the possibilities for prime effectiveness from this, my unique juncture in space and time? I want so desperately to do GREAT things (wish I'd done it sooner!) and specificity may be key at this point. And, of course I'm not thinking specialization, per se, because that's overdone by Westerners, in my opinion (de-emphasizing gorgeous interconnectivity)...more along the lines of clarity and initial focus upon a particular facet of possible action. Typical: more specific, Misty!

Being one's best ain't easy. At least, not yet!

Whew. Who's got time to work? (haha) Spending time helping out in my little girl's classroom, working with a couple of her classmates to try and help them envision a different life for themselves than their role models at home are able to provide, helping my friend who's just had her 3rd and 4th babies (yowsa!), sorting things out for India, applying for scholarships (etc.), caning some chairs for a professor, managing home life, focusing on my daughter, reading/preparing for travels, keeping in touch with friends, trying to set up my service project, making and keeping doc appts...whew! Where does work fit in??? And yet, so necessary.

Anybody know of a good daytime-hours summer job? I'll just have to squeeze in the rest of life around the edges, I suppose, just like most everyone else...Life doesn't have to be that way, I am certain. What I'm not certain of is how, exactly, that works.

Grant me courage and wisdom to follow (forge) my own path, to find success on my own terms, and to really enjoy life along the way!

I am excited to be here, though trying to get through my trepidation over doing this online interaction thing. Wow, how old and weird that sounds...probably it's because I'm a geographer and a strong earth sign -- very dedicated (more than I'd like sometimes) to the tangible and 'solid.'

Anyway, I am definitely a seeker. Of truth, justice, and a world-citizen way! Way into loving Life and Love and Life, doing great things in/for our world (physically and psychically), and exploring...which is why I'm here. Always trying to expand and improve, always excited about adventure.

I dig word play and concise poetry. I believe in paradoxes though I love consistency, and I want to be simple but oftentimes my mind is just too open for that. Or maybe not open enough, who knows?

Not so sure about society, though I could go on and on about culture -- my love for it and whether it actually exists or not. I do love the idea of community and am always interested in exploring how it's played out, how it changes, how it's not really an 'it' and so on...

Thinking that the *zaadz community is really cool and looking for help on getting myself involved and finding out if I can make actual friends online. (Do you really make friends in virtual reality??)