If you have a website, you most likely have included a way for readers to contact you via email. “Click here to email Joe Shmoe” is a common sight. In order for your web browser to know what to do when you click that phrase, it goes to the html coding embedded in the web page. You click on the link, and the email address is automatically entered in your email program’s “Compose Message” screen, ready to go.

The standard HTML coding to tell browsers the email address is a simple command. Unfortunately, people with nothing better to do than send you Spam have developed methods to “harvest” your email address from the coding on your website. They have created automated programs to look for “mailto:name@yourdomain.com” and then they’ll send you all kinds of junk.

How to get around this? There is a freeware program called The Enkoder that “protects email addresses by converting them into encrypted JavaScript code, hiding them from email-harvesting robots while revealing them to real people.”

All the email links on this site are created using this program. What your reader sees is exactly what you’d expect to see. For example, look at the email link on the Contact page.

Keep informed of Project Simplify happenings and receive pre-release info directly in your email inbox! Newsletters will be short, sweet, and Simple (of course!) The plan is about 2 publications a month.

Rest assured, your address will never be given, lent, sold, shown or otherwise shared with any 3rd party for any reason.

All you need to do is find “Join our updates list:” in the sidebar and enter your email address in the field directly below. Then click the “Add me” button.

UPDATE: Our newsletter - The Weekly Simplifier - has been launched. You can sign up for it here. Back issues can be found at our newsletter archives.

In humble gratitude to my clients, I introduce the testimonials page on the website. The words of these people truly warm my heart.

I just received a file with the extension .wps attached to an email. Being a Mac person who uses Microsoft Office for Mac, I’m familiar with .doc but was unfamiliar with .wps and I couldn’t open the file. [fyi, .wps = Works Text Document (Microsoft)]

A quick Google search led me to a comprehensive resource to discover what different file extensions refer to:
FILExt - The File Extension Source.

Scroll down to the alphabet running across the page and click on the first letter of the extension in question. Then they are listed alphabetically.

A film festival, for me, is like a hub. A junction in time and space where people from all over the world converge to share and hear stories. Being an environmental and social justice festival, many of the films of the 2006 Wild & Scenic Environmental Film Festival were both beautiful and tragic, inspiring and heart-wrenching.

Some of the stories seen and heard this weekend included the plight of the Tibetans forced from their homeland by the Chinese occupation program (film: What Remains of Us), the ongoing disrespect and pillaging of Native American homelands for resource exploitation (film: Homeland), community supported agriculture (CSA’s) providing a sustainable living for organic farmers (film: The Real Dirt on Farmer John), Carhenge (the mock Stonehenge in Alliance, Nebraska), and many many more.

I spent most of the weekend in the VIP lounge serving as a human resource for the film makers. Giving directions to the different venues (there were 5!), helping them meet up with the Emcee of their sessions, answering questions, and generally playing hostess.

One of the films I did have the opportunity to see was Heather Rae’s “Trudell,” referring to Native American activist and spoken word poet, John Trudell. [I highly recommend the film if you have the chance.] I’m slightly embarrassed to say that this was my first introduction to this charismatic, tirelessly dedicated, intense man about whom the Fed. Bureau of Invest. wrote something to the effect of: “He is extremely eloquent…and therefore extremely dangerous.” They have also collected over 17,000 pages of information on him and his activities.

I’m at a loss for words. I find myself colliding with a huge ugly ball of emotion—anger, outrage, sadness, fear. I do not have adequate words right now to express how I feel about the invasion of human rights and dignity that is a part of the institution of this country founded on the precepts of “liberty and justice for all.”

Being so blatantly reminded of the current state of affairs of our world (which has the ability to paralyze me in a sea of helplessness) also encourages me to remember how absolutely crucial it is for us to be living our Dreams. Our Dreams (those rooted in our Hearts) are where Simplicity is second nature and Priorities are in favor of All. There is Plenty for everyone.

Ugh and ick-ola! Am I Simple right now? Part of me wants to jump up and yell,”No!” but I find that just asking the question moves me closer to my internal Simple Space (which enforces the power of intention!) I could have continued the afternoon jumping from one ToDo to the next, feeling over-committed and over-whelmed. Instead, I choose to take a time out and find the root of the hectic energy before moving on to the next adventure.

I’m finding expectation to be a likely culprit of this unwelcome state. Last night when my head finally let go of the Film Festival and greeted old friend pillow, I had images of Monday morning dedicated to writing (fun fun fun!) and planning. What actually happened was a morning dedicated to neighbors, PG&E serviceman, HVAC contractor (heating and air conditioning expert), and email catch-up. Rather un-gratifying.

Hmmm, looking through the looking glass, I also see the following culprit cackling away in success: Inappropriate Scheduling (my Monday morning is normally dedicated to planning…so why did I schedule HVAC appointment at 9am?? That should have been an afternoon or Tuesday appointment.) Bingo. Monday morning planning & writing time and 9am service appointment cannot peacefully co-exist unless I get up around 6:30, which is unlikely after a weekend of Film Festing. This is where unflexible expectation has the ability to wield great power over my state of being–basically, my head didn’t keep up with the shifting priorities.

OK!! Let go of the wicked shoulda/coulda/woulda gremlims. Let go of the frantic “make up everything I missed this morning even if it takes me all night long” vibe. Let go and breathe. Ahh, I do hereby reclaim a Calm head space. Now I can allow the best next step to emerge.

tip: let a frantic headspace be an indication that you have conflicting priorities. Take a moment. Release Frantic. Review your priorities. Identify the most appropriate priority for Right Now. Let the rest go (and write them down if your head freaks out in fear of forgetting.)

I probably won’t be posting very much this weekend, as I am volunteering as VIP Liaison for SYRCL’s (South Yuba River Citizens League) 4th Annual Wild and Scenic Environmental Film Festival, being held here in Nevada City. (Check out the schedule of events here.) Two of the VIPs I’ll get to rub elbows with are social justice & enviro activists Winona LaDuke and Julia Butterfly Hill.

If you’re local, be sure and check out this unique multi-day event. (Tickets can be purchased here.) I’ll post a wrap-up for the rest of you, maybe later this weekend, or Monday.