Finding a Voice

I have enjoyed using this blog, “Finding a Voice.”

It made sense for the past few years to reflect on life here.

But in the past couple of years I have been getting new clarity

on who I am

and what I am called to do.

I set up a website and used it to explore this calling: www.siretona.com.

Now that it feels like a good fit, I have set up a blog

to reflect on the focus,

to help bring things into clearer focus.

Feed it to your blog reader.

Add it to your blog roll.

Bookmark it.

Visit me there: www.siretona.blogspot.com.

Thank you for listening as I was Finding a Voice.  

Dara Hallett and I have started a blog for our immanent Minus 40 Tour. We’re going to post some thoughts about each other (her first one about me is called “Gregarious Colleen”), reflect on songs we’re going to sing on the tour, and talk about some of the things close to our heart – like the people and organizations we’re raising money for. Once the tour starts, watch for pictures. I hope we can even post a couple of videos!

So here’s the link: www.minus40tour.blogspot.com.

And here’s a simple website: www.minus40tour.homestead.com. It has a link to our schedule.

Note: It’s possible that the website is marketing overkill, but it was free to add it on my Homestead account and the scrapbooker in me had fun setting it up.

I received the following email from my friend Crystal, with whom I lived and traveled in China. She’s living there now and frequently sends me quirky news items.

> Thought you would enjoy this!!! Colleen, I always remember you telling those guys to stop smoking on the train!!!

>

> --- On Thu, 12/25/08, spsark <spsark@yahoo.com wrote:

> From: spsark <spsark@yahoo.com>

> Subject: SCN -  SOCIETY:  Chinese man detained for 3 days for smoking on train

> To: Steves_China_News@yahoogroups.com

> Date: Thursday, December 25, 2008, 2:58 AM

Chinese man detained for 3 days for smoking on train

Wed Dec 24, 2008

BEIJING (Reuters) A man was given three days in detention for breaking a non-smoking rule on a new high-speed rail line, Chinese state media said, an unusually severe punishment in a country where smoking bans are routinely ignored.

He was caught smoking in the toilet just after the train had left Tianjin for Beijing, triggering an alarm and causing the train to stop, the official Xinhua news agency said on its website (www.xinhuanet. com).

 The high-tech line connects the capital with neighbouring Tianjinin. It opened in time for this year's Beijing Olympics and features carriages more luxurious than usual in China, including swivel chairs and spacious, plush interiors.

No-smoking signs and rules are generally given short shrift in China and about half of all Chinese men smoke.

"It is strictly forbidden to smoke on the Beijing-Tianjin Express, and they hope everyone respects the rules, travels in a civilised manner and ensures the train's safety and punctuality," Xinhua said.

(Reporting by Ben Blanchard, Editing by David Fox)