I'm feeling more like myself tonight, helped by a day working at home and an evening spent at the pub with Jess catching up on life, love and all things. Work's website needed attending to, one of my many "fascinating" tasks, and that was followed by 50 lengths of the pool (my current average), a dip in the spa pool and a few minutes in the steam room. Steam rooms are very hot.



We tried the Marlborough Arms, just off Tottenham Court Rd, tonight and I'm pleased to say it was a great success. A large pub with a newly refurbished interior, it had a large variety of drinks and we had no problem finding a table despite it being fairly full. Staff were lovely and the prices weren't bad either so all in all a great other local.



Tomorrow I am off to see the New York Philharmonic play Gershwin's Piano Concerto in F Major and Stravinsky's Rite of Spring at the Royal Albert Hall as part of the Proms season. I *LOVE* the Proms and firmly believe that this is one of the best British/London institutions. M(attias), my Swedish flatmate, and I will pay 5 pounds (that's two to three cups of coffee here) for this pleasure and that's a bargain if ever I heard one. Beautiful music in an amazing venue, what more could I ask for?



In other news, I am a tad worried about the ever-more-concerning issues in the Caucasus and in particular Russia's involvement. We live in "interesting" times. And lastly I'm outting myself as an Obama supporter, I was never really a Clinton fan at all, and it's fascinating to watch the changing face of US politics through this campaign. But bed calls for now . . .

I am pondering whether it is time to move on again- I'm not too sure what from exactly. There's lots of things, including my job, and maybe it's just a feeling of restlessness. It's been a while since I lived in one house for more than nine months and I feel settled, but for some reason I'm not sure that's a good thing. I'm not sure I'm meant to be settled. This year has been very very odd for me and I guess I'm growing up, realising more about what makes me tick, but also realising some of my more serious failures. Summer's an odd time to ponder this, but maybe it's easier then.



There's a lot of maybes in this. I'll keep mulling it over and let you know . . .

These will be added to my sidebar eventually but for now here are some of the 'web 2.0' sites I use for various things.



Facebook - Primary social networking site

MySpace - For those people who refuse to use Facebook (checked on a monthly-ish basis)

Bebo - I refuse to use this at all regularly as it drives me bananas but I have the page for those Kiwis who still haven't moved onto Facebook yet.

Orkut - More of that social networking. It's Luiz's, Livia's and Dany's fault this time (you know I love you guys!)



Webshots - All my photos are here.



TakingItGlobal - youth activism networking organisation/site (and a special one for me - I've been involved with them for a while now)



LinkedIn - Professional networking - imagine your CV online.



Twitter - Micro-blogging service



Last FM - UK based internet radio and music community site. Necessary for expanding my music collection.



Goodreads - A book version of last.fm, brilliant for finding more books to add to my shelves when my non-specific shopping becomes dangerous.



And of course this baby - my blog - which I update as often as I can (read - less often than I want to).



I realise this makes me somewhat of an internet geek :o)

The Canadian Commission for UNESCO was proud to work with Parks Canada and other partners in organizing the Youth component of the 32nd Session of the World Heritage Committee. The World Heritage Committee held its annual meeting in Québec City from July 2 – 10, 2008, coinciding with the city’s 400th anniversary celebration.

The World Heritage Youth Forum brought together 30 young people between the ages of 18 to 25--15 Canadians and 15 others invited by Canada from countries representing the five geographical regions of UNESCO--who spent more than two weeks learning about world heritage and the Convention, undertaking educational visits to Canadian World Heritage sites and attending sessions of the World Heritage Committee. The complete report of the World Heritage Youth Forum will be available shortly on the Canadian Commission’s web site at www.unesco.ca

An outcome of the event is the “Six Billion People, One Common Heritage” dossier, launched through a partnership with the National Film Board of Canada. It contains many photos and texts posted by the youth participants as well as the video they produced and presented at the opening ceremony of the 32nd Session of the World Heritage Committee. To view the video: http://citizen.nfb.ca/youth-and-world-heritage

Today, the Web site aims at being a platform for exchanges and discussions about World Heritage between youth from all over the globe, and all are invited to contribute.

To do so, please go to: http://citizen.nfb.ca/six-billion-people-one-common-heritage

Further information about the work of the 32nd Session of the World Heritage Committee can be found at https://www.canada2008.ca/en

For information about World Heritage sites in Canada, go the Parks Canada web site at http://www.pc.gc.ca

Source: Canadian Commission for UNESCO www.unesco.ca


La Commission canadienne pour l’UNESCO est fière d’avoir collaboré avec Parcs Canada et d’autres partenaires dans l’organisation du volet jeunesse de la 32e Session du Comité du patrimoine mondial, qui s’est déroulée à Québec du 2 au 10 juillet, dans le cadre de son 400e anniversaire.

Pendant plus de deux semaines, 30 jeunes, âgés de 18 à 25 ans - 15 Canadiens et 15 personnes venant de pays qui représentent les cinq régions géographiques de l’UNESCO - se sont réunis au Canada pour en apprendra davantage au sujet du patrimoine mondial et de la Convention. Ils ont visité certains sites du patrimoine mondial du Canada et ont assisté à des sessions du Comité du patrimoine mondial. Le rapport final de la composante jeunesse sera bientôt disponible sur le site Web de la Commission au www.unesco.ca
L’un des résultats de cet événement est le lancement du site « Six milliards d’êtres humains, un héritage commun » lancé grâce à un partenariat avec l’Office national du film du Canada. Le dossier contient plusieurs photos et articles publiés par les jeunes participants ainsi que la vidéo qu’ils ont produite et qui a été présentée lors de la cérémonie d’ouverture de la 32e Session du Comité du patrimoine mondial. Pour visionner la vidéo : http://citoyen.onf.ca/video-volet-jeunesse-32e-session

Aujourd’hui, le site se veut être une plateforme d’échanges et de discussions entre jeunes de partout intéressés par le patrimoine mondial et tous sont invités à y contribuer. Pour se faire allez au : http://citoyen.onf.ca/six-milliards-d-etres-humains-un-heritage-commun

De plus amples renseignements sur les travaux de la 32e Session du Comité du patrimoine mondial se trouvent à https://www.canada2008.ca/fr

Pour plus de détails sur les sites du Patrimoine mondial au Canada, veuillez consulter le site Web de Parcs Canada : http://www.pc.gc.ca

Hi,

I think it's important that we not only give more foreign assistance, but that what we do give is spent in the most effectively as possible. To that end, I just sent a letter to the President of the World Bank and a couple of other important development figures asking them to publish information about what aid projects they are funding.

I hope that you'll join me in taking action by sending a letter: http://www.one.org/international/accra/?rc=accrataf

We've seen aid achieve some amazing things in recent years - like over 29 million more children in school for the first time, and over 2 million more Africans with access to AIDS medications. But some aid money could be spent more effectively, and this is our best chance to make it happen.

Thank you

I know that this blog was supposed to be about my road to the marathon, but today's entry is not really about running--more like my lack of running these days.  At the moment I just feel so overwhelmed, useless, and all round tired (emotionally and mentally more than physically).  I haven't slept more than two nights in my own bed since July 29th and won't sleep in my own bed again until August 25th.  My diet is thrown off and I can't eat where or when I want.  Am just worried about if I will actually fulfil my goal and my dream at this point.  Agh am way too emotional.

ABC4All / YOUTH
http://www.abc4all.net/youth/

**********

From Wilfried Fink
http://abc4all.net/mentorwilfriedfink.htm

Teach Lucid dreaming to the youth?!!!!!

The Wonder of Lucid Dreams
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6R3tQqLa-vk

I had an incarnation as a blind wise man in Konya (Turkey). I was quite content, but I forgot an important part: I didn't teach my ability of lucid dreams at that time. Even this life I needed a strong reminder of getting sick and lying dowm for 10 days in complete darkness to finally start teaching.

I have a Step-by-step ebook on lucid dreaming in german.

Thanks to Lucipedia I didn't have to translate it to english.

http://www.lucidipedia.com/misc/index.php
Maybe the best gift we can give to the youth!

***********

From okonta emeka okelum
http://profiles.takingitglobal.org/fotosofiacares

Hi, Burt / ABC4All
its great you are at it again for the global youth, i really love your effort at helpin us on this network get going, as a leader in my country, 3rd - 7th August 2008, 08/08/08 and 12th August 2008 are great days for me in Nigeria.

Between 3rd to 7th i organised some youths in Asaba, to discuss some major issues of the international HIV/AIDS Conference at Mexico, since transmission was not possible for us through the hub, we met had our own hub meeting, we set new agenda/goals for working in the country and review our right based approach and set new frame work on right issues, for 08/08/08 i attended a youth program were i had a brainstorming session with the leaders and organizers of the event on the significance of the event and the day (08/08/08) as well as new ways to work for children, youth and women groups' welfare and sustainable development.

Tomorrow being 12/08/08 i will be travelling 3 states away from my home state (delta state) to deliver a lecture at the inauguration ceremony of a new NGO at Ebonyi State, i will be speaking on THE TOPIC: UN-MDGs and National Development:issues and approach for voluntary and participatory community service projects.

I hope to mobilize and recruite new volunteers for the UN-MDGs in Nigeria, already we now have on TIG a group called UNITED NATIONS ONLINE VOLUNTEERS IN NIGERIA (UNOVIN), I LONG FOR MORE VOLUNTEERS AND AM AT WORK ON THAT,

Thanks burt, for circulating my last request for working partners, pls i as a full time volunteer need some coperation from some of our network members who want to work in Nigeria, i long for those to work with, pls link me with some you know who want to come to work in nigeria, thanks Burt, you are a global leader, one day i will meet you in Nigeria, when you come pls reach out on me, last week i paid an advocasy visit to the chairman of a local government council, on my capacity as an online volunteer for the UN, i presented the UN-MDGs to him, and had him commit to make UN-MDGs work in the council area, this he accepted and asked that i work with the network on fashioning out a workable project that can help the council achieve the Goal One of the UN-MDGs, PLS can you help us figure out any group or individuals who are ready to help the young council chairman with novel ideas and donor support for realizing the goal one, he is ready to work with any willing international partner/business and donor agency.

i trust this network and i heavily rely on your partnership and direction to make a huge impart, my country is very virgin and green, pls work with us at FOTO-SOFIA to see more growth and development for all.

thanks

OKONTA EMEKA OKELUM
TEACHER IN CHARGE
FOTO-SOFIA
ASABA
DELTA STATE.
fotosofia4care@gmail.com

**********

From David Gibson
http://profiles.takingitglobal.org/DavidGibson

Young people can save the world on their way to college. The Global Challenge (www.globalchallengeaward.org) has registered over 600 high school aged youth from 40 countries, who want to work on teams to develop detailed solutions to global warming and the future of energy. Teams are forming now and will work until Earth Day in April 2009. Many will receive scholarships for college. Their solutions in the past have highlighted biofuel oil from Jatropha plants, new designs for electric cars, using algae to clean dirty smokestacks, and new civil engineering designs for controlling traffic, automating home energy use, and using human-powered electricity generation. High school aged youth worldwide are encouraged to join, form a team and help save the world!