Balance Egg on Equinox, Being White, & Tiny Home Tour in Detroit

​Welcome to Fall,
  Every year, my birthday falls near the Autumn Equinox.  I like this.  This year, I turned 36 years old and it was the first time I heard that the fall and spring equinoxes are the only times of the year when one can stand an egg up on its end.  A few of us tried and a couple succeeded….And, yes, I now know it is a myth (Thomas-did you know that all along??).
  These last couple months have been full, sometimes too full, sometimes full with a sweetness.  How about for you?  It is very rare for me to run into someone for whom life isn’t busy.  Are you one of those people?  Is that just how it is or do you work at it diligently?  I know busy in and of itself isn’t a bad thing but it seems like busy is often times synonymous with stress.  I heard a radio piece that said that when we see events in our lives as challenging and get ourselves ready for the challenge, this can be a healthy type of stress.  If our natural response is to get really ‘stressed out,’ our fight or flight nervous system kicks in and this causes a lot damage in many ways to our body.  So, we get to train our reactions and doing so keeps us healthier. 
  Jon and I have been doing high-intensity 25-minute workouts most mornings for the past month and it’s been awesome!  It’s goofy stuff but I love it.  I’ve loved group exercise since doing Jane Fonda workouts with my mom on the living room carpet as a kid. 
  You probably know that I love the idea of connecting tiny houses to sustainable agriculture.  Small, alternative, creative living spaces for short-term (or long-term) stays to help reconnect kids and adults to their food.  I may not have shared that I also love the idea of connecting fitness to farms.  Several years ago,  the”FFAB” Fabulous idea came to life and never turned into reality.  FFAB is “Farm Fitness and Brunch”.  Participants do actual farm labor that really helps the farmer out (i.e. moving compost, watering trees located where no sprinkler will reach) with a qualified instructor who keeps them motivated.  Afterwards, there is a local-foods brunch and chance to connect with each other.  And who knows, those that want a more immersive experience could stay on the farm for a few days in a tiny house and do a FFAB workout every morning?   Do you know anyone who you think would honestly enjoy this other than me? 
  On a serious note, are you a white person?  If so, are you engaged in any meaningful conversations about racism in our country today?  If you aren’t, do you want to be?  I was a part of some challenging, transformative dialogues as a part of Bioneers Detroit and beyond and would like to work with others to strengthen regional conversations where I now live in NW Lower Michigan (email me if you are interested).
 
 
Warmly yours in the pursuit of joy and justice,
 
Lisa (& Jon)
 
For Now Tiny Homes
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  P.S.  Bioneers Detroit will take place Oct. 27-29, 2017 and includes a tour of very small houses for folks with barriers to shelter.
 
P.P.S.  I’m grateful that I made an error in the most recent newsletter because I get to share the quote again!  “One who hopes for ultimate peace, gives up the search for worldly desires”-again not quoted exactly but gives the essence of words of Webu Sayadaw.  And, what’s #currypowder and the President’s Cup golf tournament have to do with those wise words?  See here. (http://www.cnn.com/2017/09/29/golf/india-anirban-lahiri-meditation-retreat-golf-presidents-cup-new-jersey/index.html).