Cool Idea: through the lens lightly

A friend in real life prompts this latest Cool Ideas by Cool People post.

My friend is Mary Beth, and she blogs at In The Painting of Chaos. She came through the Infertility Tunnel with two adorable sons, courtesy of Dr Alexander of Colorado Reproductive Endocrinology. (Oh, yeah, courtesy of her husband, too.)

Her Cool Project is a year-long commitment to put up a photo of herself (or her family) every day. Titled My Book of Days, it's Mary Beth's way of blending her passion for photography with her need to define herself.

I admire Mary Beth's creativity and fearlessness, and her willingness to face and embrace herself exactly as she is.

I've pulled some of my favorites from her 93 shots (so far) this year. Take a gander -- you can click on any photo to see her caption, which reveals her thoughts about the image. Like many of us, she is eager for feedback, so click on over and give her some.





So, MB, here is your award. And a plea: will you do my family's portraits this year? How about next weekend -- I'll have my hair done in anticipation of your affirmative response. I'll skip the face paint, though :-).

Image from bigfoto.com

(I am waiting for someone else to bestow this award on another Cool Idea the world should know about (( hint, hint)). Next time you are looking for a post idea, why don't you write about a cool person doing a cool thing?)

Cool Idea: make hugs, not war

Joanne of Forever Parents has awarded the latest Cool Ideas by Cool People Award. And this is so clearly cool that even Oprah has taken notice.

Juan Mann (if you ever had any doubts, truly Juan Mann can make a difference) is the cool person behind the Free Hugs campaign. To get a sense for this idea, check this out:



Here you go, Juan. Your free hugs campaign merits you the Cool Ideas by Cool People Award.

Image from bigfoto.com

I bet you also know of a cool idea by a cool person. So....you're tagged. Write about the CI-by-CP and award that person with this emblem. Let your readers know how they can find out more about someone and something cool.

Email me at bestlightlori at gmail to get the icon code. I'll keep a running list of Cool Ideas by Cool People here.

Now. Go forth and hug.

Cool Idea: summer fun

Faithful readers will remember that my husband and I spent two years teaching at an international school in Syria in the late 1990s.

We had a wonderful time living in a culturally rich community (expats from dozens of countries), getting to know mainstream Islam (which is represented by radical Islam about as closely as Fred Phelps represents Christianity), and traveling all over the region.

But I hated working in a Syrian bureaucracy. Our school was under the umbrella of an agency which was under the umbrella of another agency which was under the umbrella of the World Bank. Think of a series of egomaniacal Director Generals all hell-bent on showing how important they were, each wrapping his layer of red tape around our little school.

But there was a bright spot. Our Headmaster, a man from Indiana who reminded me of Bob Newhart, was one of the best leaders I've ever worked with. He was guided by his principals rather than by the political winds. He had high expectations and held us to them. He put in longer hours than anyone on his staff. He didn't let petty personality problems mire him down, sticking instead to issues. He was humble, one of the few PhDs I've met who didn't insist on being called "Doctor." I learned a lot about effective leadership from him.

I recently heard from Tom, who is now back in Indiana. After we caught up on all the people we knew back then, I asked him what he's up to.

And here's where I'm awarding another award for Cool Ideas by Cool People.

Image from bigfoto.com

Tom has created All American Road Trips, which brings together a group of people with a common interest who go on a road trip across US Highway 50.

For example, people signed up for the Teacher's trip will meet in Ocean City, MD on July 3 to begin their Road Trip, the eastern start of Highway 50. Over the next 3 weeks, this group of new friends will travel 3000 miles through 100 counties in 12 states, consuming all things Americana, and ending up in San Francisco.

Travelers provide their own transportation, meals, and payment for arranged hotels.

For a modest fee, Tom's company provides a tour coordinator, hotel discounts, insider information, and trip memorabilia.

I asked Tom why he started All American Road Trips:

"The idea was to bring together people of similar interest for the purpose of taking the classic American road trip. We are particularly interested in getting folks off the interstates and bringing some business back into small communities."

This isn't Tom's first ambitious project. He sees it as an outgrowth of The Great US 50 Yard Sale, now going into its ninth year.

If you're considering a road trip over the summer and would like to connect with new friends and have some details handled for you, click on over to Tom's site.

Now. I want to know what cool ideas and cool people YOU discover. Keep an eye out for the next cool thing, and write it up on your own blog. Email me at bestlightlori at gmail to get the icon code. I'll keep a running list of Cool Ideas by Cool People at the bottom of this post.

Go on. Recognize the cool in your life.

Cool Ideas by Cool People: The Grady Grossman School

"Adoption feels like a genetic connection because it links you directly, not only to your own gene pool, but to the genes of all humanity, all the way to the roots from which we all originated...

Adoption carries the added dimension of connection not only to your own tribe but beyond, widening the scope of what constitutes love, ties, and family.
It is a large embrace."
-- Isabella Rossellini, adoptive parent

So begins Kari Grady Grossman's book, Bones That Float: A Story of Adopting Cambodia. It had me at hello.

Kari's story starts with infertility experienced by her and her husband, George. Kari and George eventually adopt their son, Grady, from Cambodia and their daughter, Shanti, from India.

Kari expertly weaves together her personal narrative with well-researched lessons in history, geography and politics. Adopting and loving a new son develops into adopting and loving a village, a people, a nearly broken country.

I don't want to fawn too much, so trust me. Read it. Click on over and order a copy. Or read excerpts. I'll wait.

The fact that it's a great read is just the start. What you really get out of purchasing this book is empowerment for people on the other side of the world who so desperately need it. Kari and George self-published this book so that a large portion of the proceeds -- 25% of the cover price -- goes to self-sustaining projects at the Grady Grossman School for young children in Chrauk Tiek, Cambodia.

In short, you get a good book AND you get to teach a village to fish.

With the adoption of their son, Cambodia's history -- the ancient and proud as well as the recent and devastating -- becomes part of the Grossmans' DNA. Have you ever read If You Give a Mouse a Cookie? Well, adopting their son leads to building a school. Building a school leads to brainstorming ways to keep it running. Keeping it running means teaching their Cambodian friends to fish rather than giving them fish.

Educating the children of Chauk Tiek was the first ambition. But the ensuing goals are even more crucial.

• Support teachers: Bricks and mortar were the easy part; harder is the ongoing need for teacher salaries and supplies (it's common practice to pay for student supplies out of teacher salaries). Teachers are barely above subsistence living, meaning a day in the classroom is a day not finding food for the family.
  
• Increase attendance: it is hoped that nearly 500 children served by the school complete their primary education. Again, a day in school must be more necessary than a day planting or gathering food.
• Ensure sustainability: besides the effects of genocide and the lingering horrors of land mines, Cambodia's latest struggle is an environmental one. Ancient forests are being destroyed for subsistence living. The Grady Grossman School is looking at alternative fuel sources (biomass briquettes) that villagers can produce and sell, thereby saving the forests and providing a sustainable income.

Very cool. For nearly eight years, Kari and George have dedicated their creativity and their energy to this village in their adopted country. You can follow the challenges and defeats of their most current trip (from which they just returned) on their blog, Be The Change Network.

More coolness:

• Need a reason to organize a Bones that Float book discussion? Once 100 book discussions have taken place (and Kari is eager to participate), the 100 hosts will have a chance to win a free trip to Cambodia. Current count is 26.
  
• Watch Kari and George's 11 minute documentary that further illustrates their efforts.
  
• If you're moved by Kari's work, you can get code for her book for your own sidebar.
• More ideas on how you can Be The Change for Cambodia.
  

I'm inspired. How about you?

With such a spirit of creativity and dedication, Kari and George and the Grady Grossman School are awarded my first Cool Ideas by Cool People Award.

Image from bigfoto.com

Please consider who in your sphere inspires you, and pass this award along. Let's recognize and share the Cool!

Couldn't we all use more Cool in our lives?

Image from bigfoto.com

I've been collecting cool ideas by cool people for awhile now, and I'll be posting them periodically.

The primary criteria for receiving this award are creativity and dedication. I choose a person or idea that takes me off the beaten path. I find worthy a person who follows his/her own muse. In short, I honor people and ideas that make me say, "Now that's cool."

But I'm not the only one to do the choosing, finding, honoring. There's enough Cool in the world that we all can give away this award. As often as is warranted.

I bet you also know of a cool idea by a cool person. So....you're tagged. Write about the CI-by-CP and award that person with this emblem. Let your readers know how they can find out more about someone and something cool.

Email me at bestlightlori at gmail to get the icon code. I'll keep a running list of Cool Ideas by Cool People at the bottom of this post.

Mine will be up soon...take a moment to think who and what yours will be.

Recipients
The Grady Grossman School: reversing the fortunes of Cambodian children.
All American Road Trips: bringing together groups of people with a common interest who go on road trips across US Highway 50.
Free Hugs Campaign: changing strangers into people; spreading the love.
My Book of Days: 365 portraits of the inner through the outer.