Time Out: SocialVibe

Hey guys!

Many of my readers are members of a site called SocialVibe. For those who aren't, what would you think about a site that donated money to a charity of your choice simply by having people visit your web page, blog, MySpace, Facebook or anywhere else you can put an HTML code?

That's right - one of the most revolutionary websites of the 21st century is alive, kicking and saving lives.

Here's the deal: You sign up to SocialVibe. If all you want to share with a website is your email and a password for that site - you're okay here. Everything else is optional. When you sign up, you choose from one of the many charities that are supported...From charities for veterans to children to animals to education and disaster relief. After that, you choose a sponsor. Some of the sponsors are Ed Hardy, Jones Soda, MAC, and Calvin Klein.

The sponsors are the ones who will be donating the money to your charity. After you do all that, they'll give you a personalized code and a thing called a 'badge' that you can resize and pick your own colours for. Here's my badge:

If you see that, guess what? You just donated to charity.

Just by looking at this page, my sponsor (Jones Soda) gave my charity (Direct Relief International) some money. And this is how it will work for you. It's not intrusive, it's easy to do and, hey, how many times do you hear a person saying that their MySpace page saved a boys life in Africa? Or maybe donated 150 books to a needy school?

Get your charity on. Sign up with SocialVibe today.

(Oh, and as an extra bonus: everyone who signs up to SocialVibe via any of the links on this blog, SocialVibe automatically donates $1 to Direct Relief International. Rock on!)

- Tara

What Is Your Peace Quotient?

We are often urged to practice peace with every step. But how closely do our behaviors match up to this ideal?

Here’s a fun quiz to give you an idea of where you fit in on the spectrum of peace. You may want to share it with your friends and co-workers! Take the Peace Quotient Quiz here to see how well you practice peace in your daily life:

Which of the following is CLOSEST to the response you would usually have to the following situations?

1. When someone tailgates me, I usually:
a. Mouth obscenities at them or flip them the bird.
b. Slow down to really, really aggravate them.
c. Pull over so they can pass me.

2. When a salesperson is really snippy to me, I usually:
a. Snarl at them or make rude remarks to them.
b. Report them to their supervisor.
c. Make an effort to be especially friendly, since they must be having a bad day.

3. When a serious misunderstanding crops up between me and a friend, I usually:
a. Yell at the person or write them a nasty note.
b. Talk behind the person’s back to our other friends, to make sure everyone is on my side.
c. Suggest a meeting so we can talk the problem through.

4. A loved one is very upset with me for something I did. I usually:
a. Remind him or her of the obnoxious things she or he has done in the past. The best defense is a good offense!
b. Get back at them by giving them the cold shoulder and punishing them with silence.
c. Empathize with them for feeling upset.

5. After an especially grueling day at work, I usually:
a. Take it out on those nearest and dearest to me. I can be a real bear!
b. Pour myself a stiff drink or flip on the television.
c. Take a brisk walk, meditate, or take a soothing bath to wind down and de-stress.

6. In my group of friends or relatives, I am usually:
a. The cause of conflicts, or at least at the center of them.
b. The one who keeps conflicts going by talking about people behind their backs.
c. The person others come to for advice on resolving conflicts.

7. The following most clearly sums up my attitude to life in general:
a. Nuke ‘em. Or, sue the bastards.
b. Trust no one. Everyone is out for themselves.
c. We’re all in this together, so we may as well do our best to get along.

SCORE:

If you answered mostly a, you tend to be a bit belligerent and pugnacious. You might benefit from an anger management course! And have you had your blood pressure checked lately?

If you answered mostly b, you are more passive-aggressive. You usually avoid direct confrontation, but you’re not exactly promoting peace, either. You might want to get some assertiveness training so you can be more direct without being aggressive.

If you answered mostly c, congratulations! You are doing your best to being peace and understanding to your little corner of the world.