DIY: How to Smile

Hello Superforest!
Iman here with another amazing short film to share with you all. I am proud to present you with: VALIDATION.



So you, yes you, although I may not know you personally, although I cannot look you in the eyes and tell you this: YOU are GREAT! YOU are AMAZING! You can change the world...even with a smile.

So show off that beautiful smile and help others do the same. Print out this simple reminder and pass it on:

DIY: How to say I love you

Hello SuperForest,
I found this lovely video on YouTube today and thought I'd share it with you all. "Nicola is sitting on a bench reading a book* when she is approached by Sam, an intrusive boy who strikes up an unusual and intimate conversation with her. The film identifies Nicola and Sams mutual feelings of lonliness and isolation, which partly stems from being part of a generation that would rather communicate through the internet than in person." (Taken from YouTube)



Written by Hayley Stuart
Directed by Hayley Stuart/Francesca Sophia
Sound by Ian Kirton

Have a wonderful weekend,
-iman

Three Easy SuperForest Actions for 2009

Good Morning SuperForest!

And a happy holiday season to all!

As 2008 winds to a close and we begin to plan our 2009's, we'd like to offer three ways to improve your "SuperForest-ness" this coming year.

While this list is not perfect, much thought has gone into it and we hope that it serves as a starting point for a longer conversation about three simple ways one can improve ones sustainability.

Here they are, in reverse order:

1.) Hack Your Toilet.

As zany as it sounds, the simple act of putting a brick into your toilet tank can have hugely positive repercussions.

Here's how you do it, via an SF post from last year:

Hello and Good Morning!

Just to start things off, I want to say thank you to whoever is reading this.
Thank you for taking the time to read my zany little blog. I hope you enjoy it.

That said, I think a lot about the toilet.

I work in an office in Chelsea, and me and my fellow co-workers all share this one bathroom. Since I try to drink lots of water (hydrate before you dehydrate), I end up using the bathroom several times a day. I'd say, roughly four times during the course of a work day.

Let's do some math:

Four toilet flushes @ 1.6 gallons per flush = 6.4 gallons of clean water, (now mixed with my "contributions") down into the sewer system.

Just to put this number in perspective, the average African gets by on guess how many gallons of water a day?

One.

So, before I've factored in showers and hand washing and assorted other water uses throughout the day, I'm already using more than six times the amount an African would use in a day, (and they'd probably use it for drinking.)

My point is that every little action can promote a positive reaction.

So here are two very simple things you can do to help minimize the amount of clean water you use.

1.) Don't flush pee alone. It makes pee sad to be flushed down by itself. Admittedly, in an office setting, this may prove to be counter to what your co-workers find acceptable. Fair enough, do it at home.

If you pee three times for every flush, (and if you are hydrated enough, your pee shouldn't smell or look that bad.) you've saved 3.2 gallons of water. Nearly an Arrowhead bottle. Good stuff.

And number 2.) (Ha!) Hack your toilet!

Do it like this:

Firstly, you'll need a specially constructed, non-deliquescing, adamantine, water displacement device, (or, n.d.a.w.d.d.)

If you can't find one of those, a brick will work just fine.

Like this:

Give 'ol Mr. Brick a good scrub to remove particulates, and then...

Open your toilet tank. Just take the top off. Simple.

Position your brick above the toilet tank. (Important note! Do not let go! Porcelain is easily chipped.)

Insert brick into toilet tank. Not the bowl! The tank. Don't worry, tank water is clean. (In fact, in case of zombie attack, a nice commercial building with lots of toilets can provide fresh water for a little while. Really, in case of zombie attack, you should leave the cities and heavily populated areas, favoring mountain peaks and glaciers. I digress...)

Now that the brick is in the tank, position it so that it does not interfere with the movement of your float arm. (That's the little rod with the plastic bulb on the end.)
In this photo, the brick is a little too far to the right. I scooted it over to the left so the float wouldn't hit it.

Pop the lid back on. (Just like when you took it off, but in reverse.)

And don't forget to do this!:

You've not really touched anything supernasty, but better safe than stomach bug.

And you're done! The brick will displace volume that would have otherwise been occupied by clean water, so your toilet will use less each time it refills.

Here's the staggering thing:

Doing this simple thing will save you approximately 11,000 gallons of water a year.

That's the size of a pretty good sized swimming pool. You now have 11,000 gallons of clean water that instead of having peed or pooped in, you could use to, say, fill up a swimming pool.

Or, really do the planet a favor and buy a composting toilet.


Love to all,


-Clean Hands McGirk

p.s. I just tried it out, and things are working beautifully!

Remember, if you aren't having fun, you might not be doing it right!


2.) Compost.

If you have a backyard, slap a compost bin in a corner of it. By diverting your kitchen scraps into the bin, you will be significantly reducing how much of your ex-swag gets trapped in a landfill.

Composting is so very simple. It requires very little energy on your part, and you'll be amazed at how, once you cut food scraps out of your out-going trash stream, all you end up throwing out is plastic.

And, once the composting has been accomplished, you'll have on your hands some of the best organic fertilizer you could hope for.

Okay, but what about if you live in an apartment? Or you don't have a backyard?

Ready for this?: Freeze your food scraps.

An answer so magically simple! SuperForester Maia gave us this amazing tip:

If you cannot run your own compost bin, simply keep a plastic bag in your freezer and throw your kitchen scraps into it as needed.

Then, once a week, or whenever you like, you can walk over to your local farmer's or green market and drop it off! So easy. And since the scraps that you will be freezing are fresh food, you will never have to deal with stinky, bugs, anything.

Freezing scraps makes it so easy! Frozen food scraps means that you can drop them off anytime you like, or until you run out of space in your freezer. Unless you lose power, you'll be sitting pretty and contributing significantly to your own personal sustainability.

In short, composting is easy, nearly effortless, and a massive step towards a more sustainable life equation.

Here's the composting wiki and a few more sites that explain composting further:

Compost wiki.
HowtoCompost.org.
vegweb.com/composting.

3.) Make Things.

At the heart of these three tips is the underlying idea of taking a step back, and looking with objectivity at how much you consume versus how much you produce.

An easy and fun way to balance out that equation is to make things.
Best yet, if you can find ways to make things out of the materials that you would have thrown out anyways, you've found a huge win/win.

That doesn't mean we should all be giving each other dolls made of old socks and lint as presents this year. But you would be pleasantly surprised at how many wonderful and useful things can be made out of humble materials like cardboard.

Got a bit of tape and some excess cardboard on your hands?

Make someone special a custom laptop case!

Got an old rice sack?

Make a "Little Rice Sack that Could" drawstring bag!

Got a big pile of plastic bags?

Turn 'em into plasti-yarn and get to weaving!
With plasti-yarn weaving, the only limit is your own imagination.

Everyone has to deal with the endless supply of cardboard, plastic, and packaging. Instead of looking at those materials as trash, see them for what they really are: materials!

You may not need a laptop case, or a drawstring bag, or any indestructo-yarn, but we guarantee you that someone you know would love one.

Make 2009 the year that you really look at the abundance all around you. See the massive supply of art materials and making-supplies that we currently mis-label "trash."

Learning how to use your hands to make things for the people around you out of "trash" is the single coolest and most rebellious act you can undertake.

Because:

Making more will help you consume less.

The gravest insult anyone can call you is Consumer.
The method for winning back your independence is by becoming a Maker.

Here are two of our favorite Makin' sites:

Instructables.
Makezine.

Massive love and thanks to all the makers, tinkerers, doers, thinkers, and dreamers out in SuperForest.

Thank you for a fantastic 2008, and here's to further growth and fun in 2009.

When we stick together, there's nothing we cannot accomplish.

Love to All,

Jackson

p.s. As always, if you have questions or comments, simply email us: superforestnyc(at)gmail(dot)com.

Yayyyy!

A SuperForest Exclusive: Sean Fournier "Oh My"

Hello SuperForest,
Honestly, I have absolutely no idea how to start this post. Normally the words flow freely, cascading upon the blank page, but this time, it’s different. Probably because, through the course of preparing for this post, Sean Fournier has become more than a name on a web page or under a track title on an iPod. The process has made the name, and the soul behind it, human to me. And what a human he is. It is not often that someone comes across such a genuine being, but Sean is truly a man committed to his music and his message and his positive vibes earn a SuperForest standing ovation. The way I discovered Sean’s music, or rather, the way Sean’s music discovered me, was an incredible chance occasion. While wandering aimlessly around Facebook, my mouse happened to wander to the far right of the screen; a little visited area littered with bright advertisements and occasionally, suggested artists. I accidentally clicked. Frustrated with the fact that I had unwillingly entered an unknown site and with my finger already sliding my mouse over to the back button, I hear music. Wonderful music. Joyous music. And within the minute I was hooked. If you give it a chance, I’m sure it will have the same effect on you:



Sean was kind enough to take the time to respond to a couple questions via Facebook:

SuperForest: What inspires you to write music?

Sean Fournier: Growing up, I would write poems simply because I would always have these crazy ideas and stories in my head. I just had to get them out. Later on in life, when I picked up the guitar, the focus naturally shifted from crafting poems to songs. My journey into songwriting progressed quite organically in that I moved at my own pace. I had no teacher so I taught myself from a chord book. I refused to learn other people's songs because if they were my own songs, then people couldn't tell me I played it wrong.But the true inspiration to write music didn't reveal itself until after I started sharing my music with others. To have someone relate to something that I made simply blew me away. Ever since then, I began to write my music with the listener in mind. My goal now is to craft my songs in a more generic style. That way my music becomes more personal and relatable to more people.

SuperForest: What kind of message do you want your listeners to take from your music?

Sean Fournier: I want my listeners to think of me as a solid songwriter. I put so much thought into what I write and a ton of time into making quality songs. It's not the best out there, but it's the best to my ability. My goal with my free album, 'Oh My', is to make people want to spread the music to their friends and family. Believe me, I need all the help I could get and I am extremely interested in building a strong connection with my audience. Overall, I would like my listeners to be satisfied with my current music and excited for the music to come.
____________________________

So listen up people. Your ears (and heart) will thank you.

Have a lovely week,
SuperForester Iman (with SuperForester Sean)

Johnny Cash & Roger Miller "King of the Road"

Hey All,
Found this little treasure on youtube the other day. Classic!:

I couldn't help but be reminded of a certain character Carla and I created a while ago...

SuperForest Vocab: "Meet Shock"

Good Morning!

At the end of a post about a trip I'd taken to one of the new Wired stores here in NYC, I asked if there was a word or term to describe the feeling one gets when one has only experienced something digitally, (be it a product, place, or individual,) and then is lightly shocked when the item in question is physically interacted with.

We think we're ready to test drive a new term: meet shock.

A play on the word "meat," meet shock is used to describe "the awkwardness inherent in a real life interaction with someone or something you only know from the web."

Here is the conversation that lead to the sparkly new term:

First,

carla said...

I was actually just thinking about that the other day. Seeing something with just your sense of sight is one thing but to see it in person is something completely different. It is kind of like having a ghost materialize before your very eyes, which yes, would feel quite strange.

Or maybe the ghost and the material object (or person) are two separate entities. The ghost represents that idealistic vision you have of that person or thing. You can't help it, but that ghost will always be present during that first encounter and that awkwardness is born of your comparison between the ghost and the object/person standing in front of you.

Do we want it to be a verb, adjective, or a noun? Maybe we should start there.

December 7, 2008 11:41 AM

jackson said...

Adjective! Adjective!!!

Yeah yeah yeah!

December 7, 2008 1:16 PM

iman said...

I'd say "transwebward". A mix of Transition,Web and Awkward. Because you're going BEYOND (trans-)your WEB relationship and infuse it with AWKWARD.

EX: My transwebward encounter with the shirt I had seen online revealed that it was far too loose fitting.
(Or)
EX: My transwebward meeting with the Superforest team surprised me greatly.

December 7, 2008 1:31 PM

iman said...

Oh! And as the only teenage girl on this team, I think i MUST mention that it sounds like "Edward" from the Twilight saga. haha.

December 7, 2008 1:33 PM

spoon said...

I have one of those Arbor boards! Their stuff is great.

December 7, 2008 10:42 PM

jackson said...

transwebward is good.

Has anyone played Second Life? In SL they refer to the real world as "meat space." Maybe something along the lines of "meat shock"?

That sounds awful.

But when something makes the leap from purely mental to physical it is definitely jarring. Mostly in a good way.

December 7, 2008 10:59 PM

carla said...

I like transwebward. "Meat shock" is good too. lol I've never played Second Life but "meat shock" sounds like something a vegetarian would experience.

And yes, I agree, hopefully all of our transwebward experiences will be full of joy and excitement! :D

December 8, 2008 1:02 AM

carla said...

or instead of meat shock, it could be "meet" shock...a play on words and at the same time, you are meeting (or meating) that object/person for the first time so it kind of works.

December 8, 2008 1:30 AM

jackson said...

Meet shock is brilliant and you are brilliant.

Meet shock.

Amazing.

December 8, 2008 9:56 PM

So, one can go on an internet date and report back to ones friends:

"We totally hit it off. Light meet shock in the beginning, but we got over it."

Or visit a store and hold a previously coveted item and remark later:

"Man, I checked out the Brunton SolarRoll. Much floppier than I'd expected. Total meet shock."

Or you can actually turn off your computer, and like, go freerunning in the park with some cat from your Warcraft guild, and then go home and sign back into IM and be all like:

"Lulzzz! HiroSandwitch338 is like 1000 yrs old in real life. Mi5555 shizzzzzzzzz!"

You can say or do any of those things.
We totes understand if you don't.

Ah ha ha ha!

Love!

Jackson and Team SuperForest

SuperForester Jason Mraz presents: Alone with Everyone

Hello everyone!
I hope this message finds you all happy and loving, because there is ALWAYS something to be happy about and there is ALWAYS something to love. Its just our job to find it! Today Jason Mraz posted something on his wonderful blog and I feel it needs to be shared:



Another cross-continental flight: Two eyes in the sky. I’m going home for 2 nights. Reflecting on the year I count at least 200 different places where I made a bed in 2008. I am overjoyed as much as I am distracted by the demand. Still, it’s a beautiful world full with all kinds of loving people, some I get to speak with and many that I don’t. I am sorry to those I miss by a few seconds, however, in our oneness, by our swimming in the same primordial soup, made up of the same stuff, if I’m in your thoughts then I’m closer than I’ll ever be.

My mind plays tricks on me from time to time and makes me wish I had someone to share these sky high views and career triumphs; someone other than the band & crew, someone to hold my hand and say I love you. My heart knows exactly who that person is and I think of her while gazing out the airplane window. And just like that, she is there with me. I can feel her love even without her being there and even without her knowing it. It is a feeling I create.

We choose love. We choose anger. We choose happiness. We choose boredom.

You pick and choose based on the rush you give your body when it experiences a certain emotion. Some people, or the lack of some people, help you to trigger these emotions. So if you want Joy, all you have to do is trigger it yourself.

After a layover in Los Angeles, I pick up a commuter flight to San Diego. The plane never gets too high to lose details about my familiar coast. I use my fingernail on the window to follows the roads and trace the route home. It takes about 15 minutes for the plane to fly over my community and I can see where I’ll be surfing as soon as I get off the tarmac. The sun will take a bow and the water will settle to mirror quality stillness. I’ll hitch a ride on the dark side of a wave and feel solace, connected with the entire planet, alone with everyone, grateful that I have my health, my heart, and my awareness.

If you’re interested in developing your own awareness skills in time for the generous holidays, start by turning off your TV. You will never be alone to hear your inner voice if the TV is constantly talking to you, teasing, or tempting you.

Then, try writing in a journal when you wake up. Spend 5 – 10 minutes writing any and everything; dreams, goals, frustrations, even write about not knowing what to write if you have to. Then, turn the page. Don’t read it and immediately judge yourself because most of that journal is meant for getting the garbage out. After a few days you’ll feel your thoughts are becoming nicely sorted as your dreams find order again, becoming reachable and practical, AND you’ll be leading with your heart instead of an insecure mind. I guarantee it.

For further practice, try waking up with the 5 Tibetan Rites, or any of the thousand available Yoga and meditation methods. These teach patience and peace as well as allow your inner voice to sing! Or for the more energetic, go for a run or a ride. You make it as hard or soft as you want. It’s your day. It’s your experience. How will you remember it?

In Joy,
Jason
- at home

Free Hugs!

Hello everyone,
I hope you had a wonderful Thanksgiving radiating with the love and positivity that the Universe is constantly throwing at us. And what is more representative of love and positivity than a big hug from a total stranger!? I'm sure we've all seen the FREE HUGS signs and shirts, and are often hesitant to accept them, but, to quote the Free Hugs Campaign website, "sometimes a hug is all we need".



Love to all,
iman.

Dog Intelligence Science

This is SuperForester Max: This is what is left of his bed:

Upon being scolded for tearing up his bed, I noticed that Max immediately closed his eyes, as if the fact that he couldn't see me meant that I couldn't see him. Little did I know the true importance of eye contact to our furry friends.

Amazing!

Badly Drawn Boy

Hello SuperForest!
Its the weekend, and you know what that means...more funky jams from DJ Iman. Last week we were in the hills of Barcelona listening to the electric tunes of the Pinker Tones. This week, we travel to the UK. Today, the spotlight shines on one of my personal favorites: Damon Gough, more commonly known as "Badly Drawn Boy". His special brand of indie rock/pop/folk is sure to leave you smiling. There is really no way to describe his sound in a way that does it justice, so I'll let him do the talking (or singing in this case).

Born in the UK:


Disillusion:


Silent Sigh:


You Were Right:


Enjoy!
-iman

Let it "be"

Hey SuperForest,
I was having a weird day last week and in that sea of funky feelings I got to thinking: It is too often that we choose to tone ourselves down to something we believe society will accept. Too often that we choose to be watercolors rather than the bold acrylics we truly are. Today I urge you to break these false boundaries. You can be anyone and do anything you want to do. Let the person you choose to be and the actions you choose to take be a reflection of your inner being.

No doubt.
No fear.
No denial.
We live as we will and hold nothing back.
We are free.
We are human.
We are happy.

Have a great day,
-iman.

"Obama Win Causes Obsessive Supporters To Realize How Empty Their Lives Are"

Howdy SuperForest!
Here's a little video discussing what some Obama supporters have been doing now that their candidate has been elected:


Obama Win Causes Obsessive Supporters To Realize How Empty Their Lives Are

SuperForest itself has posted well over 50 posts mentioning President Elect Barack Obama, what ever will we do?

Have a great day!
Iman.

Source: The Onion

The Pinker Tones

Hey SuperForest,
Boy what a week!
With the results of the recent presidential election, we’ve got reason to celebrate.



Let’s kick off this weekend with some groovy tunes, courtesy of the Pinker Tones. With a recording studio hidden in the hills of Barcelona, their funky beat has traveled beyond this wooded fortress and into Europe’s club scene. Headed by “Professor Manso” and “Mister Furia", both focused on spreading their positive vibes across the world, the Pinker Tones symbolize that euphoria that presents itself in all music.









Have a great weekend!

Iman.

Thriller- 25 years!

Peace SuperForest!
It has officially been 25 years since the “funk of forty-thousand years” permeated our radio waves and consumed our pop culture. This classic video has earned many many many remakes over the years but none are as creative and entertaining as this one:




Performed by inmates in the Philippines.

Have a great week!

SuperForester Iman Presents: Build - The Little Rice Sack That Could!

Wow! Would you like to know how to to turn one of these:



Into one of these?



Here's the newest member of Team SuperForest, SF'er Iman, to teach you how!
Take it, Iman:



Hello SuperForest,

Iman here once again!

Coming at you straight from San Diego where I have just completed my second post, hopefully the second of many to come. Once more let me thank you! You beautiful reader, for this world (and blog) would not be the same without you. I hope you find the message of this post as handy as I have.

First, get an empty rice sack...


Cut it like this.


Then, sew up the side, like this...


Flip the top over to make a lip and sew it like this.


It should look like this.


Another strip of rice sack, bent over...


And sewn shut...

Sew this handle onto the top lip, flip the whole works inside out, and there you have it:

The Little Rice Sack That Could!

Hooray!

(Amazing Iman. Such a helpful post!)