"To fight the good fight ~~"

This is why I continue to believe -- in the face of all that is inconceivable.  And, what it means to ‘me when I think of the phrase “to fight the good fight” |  Sharing a message posted by my Facebook friend William Li Campanello | My heartfelt thanks to the people of Albuquerque and Anonymous for standing up to state terrorism in New Mexico. #APDProtest

http://m.washingtonpost.com/news/morning-mix/wp/2014/03/31/albuquerque-protests-turn-to-mayhem-late-sunday-mayor-says/?tid=hp_mm

Stephanie Doty

Weary of Wonderland

March 31, 2014

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Acceptance -- as the night follows the day

Forgiveness is personal

You love, are wounded in your cage.
I bathe you with my tears.
I, Woman, am armed.
My weapon -- Forgiveness.

I forget my enemy,
Revenge

Attribution: Unknown

Stephanie Doty
Weary of Wonderland
March 25, 2014
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From Human Wrongs Watch | Decline of the Middle Class

“You should hope that this game will be over soon.” The Third Estate carrying the Clergy and the Nobility on its back. Date: 1789.
Source: Bibliothèque national de France. Author: M. P. Permission: This image is in the public domain, with some restrictions**.

The Decline of the Middle Class

Who is Roberto Savio?  [the author of this piece]

Founder and president emeritus of the Inter Press Service (IPS) news agency and publisher of Other News.  http://www.other-news.info

Stephanie Doty
Weary of Wonderland
March 24, 2014
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Water Factoid

Important information for #WorldWaterDay on one of the diseases we fight, schistosomiasis. Learn more about our work to fight waterborne neglected diseases here: http://www.cartercenter.org/health/index.html  

 (Great graphic provided by END7!)

Stephanie Doty
Weary of Wonderland
March 22, 2014
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FROM Stillness Speaks~~

Stephanie Doty
Weary of Wonderland
March 21, 2014
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It begins within and travels outward ~~

Ahhhhhhhh – ‘tis so; ‘tis very, very true. It took the last two people who metaphorically clobbered me over the head, while giving me a sucker punch in my heart before I was able to FINALLY accept that I do NOT deserve to be abused by anyone for any reason whatsoever. Then began one of the hardest things I ever had to do . . . develop enough understanding and acceptance that would enable me to become compassionate and forgiving -- of others, of myself, let go and AT LONG LAST know the pure, sweet JOY of freedom . . . .  I ALWAYS had this capability within me, but I simply did not know or believe that I am good enough [as I always have been].  Now I do know and accept this as my reality, it has made ALL the difference in how I now intentionally choose to live my life. I'm still flawed and occasionally feel wobbly, but this, too, is okay.

That day does arrive when we fully awaken and realize we are no longer captivated by the ill-conceived concept of Wonderland.  That, for me, was a transformational moment when I realized how simply amazing my perspective has become AND I now breathe in the beauty and natural wonder of being alive.

And so it is~~now and forevermore.

Stephanie Doty
Weary of Wonderland
March 20, 2014
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CELEBRATE INTERNATIONAL HAPPINESS DAY

International Happiness Day
Stephanie Doty
Weary of Wonderland
March 20, 2014
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Passionate Life

 

Little that I've read or seen has filled my gratitude cup to overflowing as this awe-inspiring photograph.  I have, indeed, felt the intensity of this girl's passion on rare occasions throughout my adulthood.  But, it's been all too easy during the last few years to 'forgot' this unbridled passionate feeling when I've also experienced a tangential disappointment and frustration -- with people, with myelf, with life.

However, today, I am reminded that I do not have to allow my weariness with wonderland  to fully define my life.  When I once again saw this photo AND read the additional information provided, I reclaimed my sense of wonder and simple amazement at how truly awe-inspiring life CAN be -- even at what may seem like the darkest time.

Sister of Truth, Something Beautiful Is Calling

Stephanie Doty
Weary of Wonderland
March 19, 2014
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John Perkins, discussing his life as an 'Economic Hitman"

 

John Perkins - The Secret History of the American Empire

John Perkins spent three decades as an Economic Hit Man, business executive, author, and lecturer. He lived and worked in Africa, Asia, the Middle East, Latin America, and North America. Then he made a decision: he would use these experiences to make the planet a better place for his daughters generation. Today he teaches about the importance of rising to higher levels of consciousness, to waking up -- in both spiritual and physical realms -- and is a champion for environmental and social causes.

www.marlboro.edu

 Buzzsaw : Confessions of an Economic Hitman w. John Perkins

John Perkins, author of Confessions of an Economic Hitman, and much more, discusses the corporate worldwide empire, global debt trap, and how the planet's economic engine runs on blood and suffering in this Buzzsaw interview. The mega-selling author discusses the truth about financial oppression and conspiracy, and how the world can be rewired to liberate humanity with host Sean Stone in this uncensored interview on TheLipTV.

GUEST BIO:
As Chief Economist at a major international consulting firm, John Perkins advised the World Bank, United Nations, IMF, U.S. Treasury Department, Fortune 500 corporations, and countries in Africa, Asia, Latin America, and the Middle East. He worked directly with heads of state and CEOs of major companies. His books on economics and geopolitics have sold more than 1 million copies, spent many months on the New York Times and other bestseller lists, and are published in over 30 languages.
ADD'L LINKS:
http://www.johnperkins.org,
https://www.facebook.com/johnperkinsa...

Stephanie Doty
Weary of Wonderland
March 18, 2014
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It may, indeed, behoove us to seriously consider the issues raised ~~

 

Four Horsemen - Feature Documentary - Official Version

"Four Horsemen is a breathtakingly composed jeremiad against the folly of Neo-classical economics and the threats it represents to all we should hold dear."
- Harold Crooks, The Corporation (Co-Director) Surviving Progress (Co-Director/Co-Writer)

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Stephanie Doty
Weary of Wonderland
March 18, 2014
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Chris Hedges | Brace Yourself!

Stephanie Doty
Weary of Wonderland
March 18, 2014
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Oliver Stone's The Untold History of the United States (2012) | Parts 1 through 10

http://www.filmsforaction.org/watch/oliver_stone_the_untold_history_of_the_united_states_2012/

Oliver Stone: The Untold History Of The United States (2012)

Part 1   Part 2   Part 3   Part 4   Part 5   Part 6   Part 7   Part 8   Part 9   Part 10   

There is a classified America we were never meant to see. From Academy Award®-winning writer/director Oliver Stone, this ten-part documentary series looks back at human events that at the time went under reported, but that crucially shaped America's unique and complex history over the 20th century. From the atomic bombing of Japan to the Cold War and the fall of Communism, this in-depth, surprising, and totally riveting series demands to be watched again and again.

With heart-felt gratitude to  my Facebook friend Kathy McConaghie for sharing this all-important link 

Stephanie Doty
Weary of Wonderland
March 18, 2014
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MARK YOUR CALENDAR | The National Conference for America's Children

Prevent Child Abuse  

[From the PCA website] | Prevent Child Abuse America, founded in 1972 in Chicago, works to ensure the healthy development of children nationwide. The organization promotes that vision through a network of chapters in 50 states and nearly 600 Healthy Families America home visiting sites in 39 states, the District of Columbia, American Samoa, Guam, the Northern Commonwealth of the Marianas, Puerto Rico, US Virgin Islands, and Canada. A major organizational focus is to advocate for the existence of a national policy framework and strategy for children and families while promoting evidence-based practices that prevent abuse and neglect from ever occurring.

Stephanie Doty
Weary of Wonderland
March 16, 2014
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Dr. Wayne Visser -- A gentleman who epitomizes to me the authenticity of a Renaissance Man

Dr. Wayne Visser 

Just when I thought I'd reached the end of my metaphoric rope, I had the pleasure of discovering a 'lifeline' in the guise of this truly remarkable gentleman -- Dr. Wayne Visser.  I read a couple of his poems about Africa, became mesmerized by how he expressed himself and began to explore just who this man is and the genesis of his passion.  To me, Wayne epitomizes my vision of an authentic Renaissance Man.  It is from this perspective that I share my discovery and this information with you.

And, thus, my weariness with the generally perceived concept of  wonderland has abated somewhat.  With people like Wayne sharing this earth and leaving the imprint they do, my faith in the good of humanity has been restored.

I have taken the liberty of including one of his poems that I read and left me in a true state of wonderment.

I Weep for Africa

I weep for Africa –
And my tears water the ground
Where the tree of life first took hold
And its severed roots still spread wide

I weep for Africa –
And my tears salt the wounds
Where the battle for freedom first was fought
And its fallen heroes still lie scattered

I weep for Africa –
And my tears mark the stain
Where the blackness of slavery left its trail
And the rust of chains still bleed red

I weep for the invisible:
For all those who still live in darkness
Because the light of the world’s media is dim
And poverty’s face does not sell

I weep for the forgotten:
For all those who died nameless
Because the eye of the world’s memory is blind
And history only remembers the conquerors

I weep for the ignored:
For all those who cry out in vain
Because the ear of the world’s commerce is deaf
And free trade is freedom for the few

I weep for Africa –
Whose mountains are scarred by greed
And whose deltas are slick with corruption
Because power is like cancer

I weep for Africa -
Whose valleys are lined with graves
And whose rivers flow with blood
Because revenge feeds on itself

I weep for Africa –
Whose villages are skeletons of mud
And whose cities are phantoms of dust
For progress leaves many homeless

I weep for the mothers:
For all those who cradle sickness
Because their compassion does not pay
And life still has a price tag

I weep for the fathers:
For all those who sweat for food
Because the forges of industry are infernal
And labour is still just a commodity

I weep for the children:
For all those who grow up too soon
Because the killer virus reaps a bitter harvest
And childhood is still a luxury

I weep for Africa –
But not tears of pity
For this is a land of countless assets
And a people of abundant resourcefulness

I weep for Africa –
But not tears of despair
For this is a land of vast potential
And a people of inextinguishable hope

I weep for Africa –
But not tears of judgement
For this is a land with its own destiny
And a people whose sun is on the rise

Yet for my forgetting of her ancient ways
And my ignorance of her hidden secrets
For my deafness to her fireside stories
Africa weeps for me too

And for my dwelling in her shadows past
And my cutting loose her community ties
For my arrogance looking from the outside in
Africa weeps for me too

Yes, for turning my back on her wild spirit
And bleaching the arc of her rainbow vision
For my veil of salty tears shed for her
Africa weeps for me too

 

Wayne Visser © 2008

Stephanie Doty
Weary of Wonderland
March 16, 2014
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TURN TOWARD TRUTH -- always -- CREATE AN ALTERNATIVE REALITY

Stephanie Doty
Weary of Wonderland
March 15, 2014
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I bow -- with love; with gratitude; with humility -- I bow

to everything that I don't understand
to everything that brings me to my knees in surrender
to the burning grief that stretches my heart open
I give thanks for being opened into the essence of love...

www.lookwithin.net

Stephanie Doty
Weary of Wonderland
March 15, 2014
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For those who dare to doubt~~watch me!!

Stephanie Doty
Weary of Wonderland
March 14, 2014
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Lifeline from unimagined drowning, financial death

After three separate individuals decided NOT to repay me for money I had advanced to them, I was in a state of financial despair. I'd trusted each and felt betrayed by their actions -- not to mention their outrageous declarations of 'indigence' and attitudes of 'entitlement.'  For more than a year, I weighed the consequences to me [primarily the ruination of my credit rating] if I should decide to pursue debt consolidation. Feeling more and more like I was drowning in a sea of financial interest [from which I could find no relief] I finally concluded debt consolidation was my best, if not only, solution. It will take until late fall of 2017 before this nightmare ends and I will still owe a huge, outstanding student loan.  However, when each of the bank's representatives that I contacted for help refused to talk sensibly with me and the three individuals continued not to honor the outstanding indebtedness to me, I believed I had no viable recourse other than debt consolidation. Even though I continue to struggle financially, debt consolidation has helped me to stop feeling victimized -- by so-called 'friends' [who never were friends to me] and financial policies and laws that are all vile in the extreme. 

Financial 'Relief'

Stephanie Doty
Weary of Wonderland
March 14, 2014
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Oh my oh my oh my ~~

Stephanie Doty
Weary of Wonderland
March 14, 2014
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Ubuntu "I am because we are" | an alternative society

Stephanie Doty
Weary of Wonderland
March 13, 2014
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Not ever

Stephanie Doty
Weary of Wonderland
March 13, 2014
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To be OR not -- mirror, mirror

Choices 

Stephanie Doty
Weary of Wonderland
March 13, 2014
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Someday -- and then again - - for far too many, the best/only 'someday' is NOW

 

Thanks to my Facebook friends  at Growing Bolder for this haunting reminder

Growing Bolder

We're thrilled to share another powerful post from Team GB Elite blogger Karen Putz. Find out how she learned the hard way to stop putting things off until "someday." Here's a tip: someday doesn't exist.

http://karenputz.growingbolder.com/someday-doesnt-exist/

Stephanie Doty
Weary of Wonderland
March 12, 2014
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Wake up -- the time is here; the time is NOW!!!

Stephanie Doty
Weary of Wonderland
March 12, 2014
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Whimsy : Salvation

And when all is said and done . . . .  Well, whoever believes whimsy isn't responsible for achieving balance in an otherwise sometimes odious world is not anyone I'd ever believe knows much of anything worthy of note.  That's what I think -- and so it may be that diversity and whimsy become our salvation.

Stephanie Doty
Weary of Wonderland
March 12, 2014
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Ban Bossy [in THIS day and age??? SIMPLY AMAZING]

Article written by Charlotte Alter, 03/10/14

3 world leaders, 2 Supreme Court Justices, 2 presidential candidates, 2 members of Congress, and a TV host, not to mention a CEO, a First Lady, and Anna Wintour

 Ban Bossy

A year after the publication of Lean In, Sheryl Sandberg is back with another initiative to promote female leadership. This time, the Facebook exec takes aim at the language we use to describe women and girls who take charge. Her “Ban Bossy” campaign hopes to change a culture in which men are bosses, but women are “bossy.” Along with her co-sponsors, former Secretary of State Condoleeza Rice and Girl Scouts CEO Ana Maria Chávez, Sandberg is asking people to stop referring to women as “bossy,” especially when they’re talking to little girls because of its negative connotations.

Stephanie Doty
Weary of Wonderland
March 11, 2014
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Just when I thought all was lost, life's most priceless lesson was given to me

 

It was then that I learned my life was just beginning.  

Stephanie Doty
Weary of Wonderland
March 10, 2014
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The Scourge of Silence --

Stephanie Doty
Weary of Wonderland
March 9, 2014
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George Orwell's Cautionary Tales [Largely Ignored]1984 and Animal Farm

Stephanie Doty
Weary of Wonderland
March 9, 2014
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Too important to ignore

Stephanie Doty
Weary of Wonderland
March 9, 2014
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The Duality of Dream and Nightmare

And so it begins that once upon a time
everyone believed in Santa Claus,
the magical kingdom and happily ever after.
Because that was what we were told you see.

We were taught that this was the American dream.
And so nobody had a care in the world
at least not that others could see.
That was just the way it was to be.

Alas, not everybody wanted that dream.
To some it was nothing more than a nightmare.

Those people lived in silent desperation.
Women had babies they did not want.
Men worked at jobs they hated.
But their children knew; oh yes -- their children knew.

But they all lived together and didn’t say a word.
They kept their disappointments to themselves.
They lived in twisted confusion, wondering
“Whatever could be wrong with me?”

You see – we were never taught otherwise
than to want the American dream.
 
Even if it was nothing but a nightmare.

Stephanie Doty

Weary of Wonderland
March 8, 2014
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Awakening Spirit
Leith Merl
August 30, 2011
2011 by Stephanie Doty. All rights reserved; unauthorized use is prohibited