Ponder for a moment:

How many people do you know that have suffered some kind of injustice at the hands of an inconsiderate friend or lover? Betrayal, theft, dishonesty, in any of it’s forms.

Or perhaps you have experienced the feeling of being totally wronged, first hand. Did it make you angry? Did you eventually decide to forgive that person? Or do you still feel a slight twinge of disgust at just the thought of them?

Let’s change the scenario a bit… let’s say your inconsiderate friend had actually killed a member of your family. Intentionally. And maybe instead of this person being your friend, they were a complete stranger. Would you have any intention of forgiving this person?!

That’s exactly what the As We Forgive Rwanda Initiative is encouraging in Rwanda. Is it possible?

IT IS POSSIBLE: “Innocent (left) murdered five people including the brother of Gespard (right).” They stand on the site of the executions with the message written on their arms: “Love is the weapon that destroys all evil.”

Photo Credits: Jeremy Cowart for CNN

More photos of the CNN photo essay by Jeremy Cowart here!

“[Laura Waters] Hinson whose film led to the creation of a Rwandan reconciliation organization, says that “some Rwandans liken unforgiveness to the experience of having acid eat you from the inside out. Others describe it like being trapped in a prison of hatred.”

“For the victims,” she says, “forgiving their offenders is a way of setting themselves free from the chains of anger and bitterness.”’ – CNN.com

Freedom. THIS… is freedom.

The human race has procrastinated long enough. It’s unsustainable to treat each other and ourselves terribly. This is a piece of the necessary change that we are seeing slowly shift in the world right now. An authenticity that breeds real and lasting growth, change, and maturity. The opportunity to learn about ourselves as humans and live better. Live free.

The shift is happening. Do you see?

XO

Abella

Unless you’ve been living under a rock the past couple months, you’re probably familiar with the “Occupy” movement. Until recently, I only had a general idea of what it was: 1% of our population makes significantly more money than the other 99%. This, however, didn’t seem like “breaking news” to me, so I decided to do a little reading on the movement to more fully understand it. Pretty wild stuff. For those of you who are a little fuzzy, I’ll highlight a few points:

• The protesters seek (in part) more/better jobs, more equal distribution of income, bank reform, and a reduction of the influence of corporations on politics.
• The top 1 percent of income earners have more than doubled their income over the last thirty years according to a recentCongressional Budget Office (CBO) report.
• In 2009, the average income of the top 1% was $960,000 with a minimum income of $343,927.
  

  Source: Congressional Budget Office, Average Federal Taxes by Income Group, “Average After-Tax Household Income,” June, 2010.

That said– I’d like to introduce you to Rusted Yucca Furniture. Travis Toms and Sam Rolph of Golden, CO are educated individuals. They have degrees in Urban Planning and Business Administration. For nearly a year now the two have been looking for jobs in their field that would pay the bills, and they have yet to find suitable employment. SO- have they thrown up their hands, moved into their parents’ basements, and nurtured their beer guts to the point of being mistaken for a pregnant Rosie O’donnell? NO!

Instead, they got creative. They started collecting wood that no longer served anyone a purpose (old fences, broken shipping palettes, etc.) and began RE-purposing it into fine furniture.

The fact that Trav and Sam truly love the work they’re doing is evident in each final product. No two pieces are alike, but they all are re-purposed from unwanted pieces of timber, and exhibit exquisite craftsmanship & a signature rustic Colorado style. These characteristics speak for themselves and, as such, the business is taking off. Their extremely reasonable prices even sweeten the deal.

If you want to support these local artisans and businessman, you can visit their website at http://rustedyucca.wordpress.com/
You can also meet them and purchase furniture in person at the farmer’s market off 2nd and Santa Fe every Saturday.

Garth Henrichs, a famous author, was quoted as saying: “The person who is waiting for something to turn up might start with their shirt sleeves.”

The point is: The job market is tough. Money is tight. What can you do to be creative, make money, and contribute positively? Occupy your time.

- Ches Sheridan Arms

The nature of our society is growth. As a culture we are always seeking bigger, better, MORE. As we age and embrace social norms this mentality transcends the societal whole and takes root in our individual consciousnesses. We begin to lose sight of the wonderful things we already have in life and covet the shiny, the expensive, and the unattainable.

Are we ever, simply, content?

I met some friends at a local coffee shop yesterday. An hour after purchasing my Americano “Frosty the Snowman” (or some variation of) had played four times. We have entered Holiday Season: Defcon 1. Within the next 2 weeks we will hit Defcon 5 and grannies will be beating soccer moms with their canes for the last waffle-maker at Target.

How silly.

SO- let’s take a step back and look at what we, and our loved ones, already have in life. Do any of you really need new, expensive, and shiny? Do any of you REALLY need a 6-setting space-age polymer waffle maker?

This holiday season I propose a challenge: Buy (or better yet: MAKE!) unique gifts. Think of each person on your list and give them something that is individually meaningful to them. Re-purpose old items you never use or bake them something delicious!

A couple days ago Abella wrote you a piece on Upcycling. <– GREAT place to get started!!!

 And as for the time you’ll save not standing in lines or filing police reports on “Gladys,” donate it to those less fortunate. Head down to the shelter ONE night this month and serve some meals. Hold a toy drive like the one above. ANYTHING!

 If you get “that warm fuzzy feeling” you’re probably doing something right.

- Ches Sheridan Arms

What does it really mean to give back? If you asked ten people they might all give you different answers: To help your local schools and the children of the future, donating to non-profits, recycling, to be politically active, tithing and church offerings, planting trees, and so on. These are all valuable ways to make a difference in peoples lives and help protect this planet. For me, this concept is about contributing to our planet more then we take. This is a very difficult task to undertake if you choose to live and work in a thriving metropolis like Denver. However it is still our responsibility as humans to really take care of our planet that is clearly starting to suffer from our perpetual consumption of its resources. Even if Companies and individuals who can find a way to have a Zero Carbon Footprint will help tremendously.

Today I would like to feature a company who has internalized the concept of giving back into the ethos of their entire brand. Acciona is a leader in building and supporting sustainable life on this planet and focuses it energy on Infrastructure, Clean Energy, and Water (Global Leader in Reverse Osmosis). Acciona ranks number one on the Dow Jones “Sustainability Index”, and employees over 30,000 people in 32 countries to help build a better tomorrow.

Please take a minute to check out their website and learn about a few of the global efforts being made for a sustainable future on this planet.

Several people I know in Denver, including myself,  use a bike as the main mode of transport. There’s lot of obvious benefits–it’s good for the environment, better for our health, and our calves are the envy of the town (well….probably  not the last one). It also is one of the best and long lasting options for sustainable transportation. Plus, it is just a lot of fun…. as showcased in the video Empire…

Empire is a film about people having fun riding track bikes and fixed gears in the city. The final teaser was released last year…check it out:

And for you two-wheelin’ Denverites…if you have not checked out  Loops yet, then I recommend you heading over to Crema Coffee House on a Tuesday around 7pm, and set off into the night for a 15-20 mile ride through Denver with a couple stops along the way. What could be more fun?

- Rustin Coburn

Lately, I’ve been feeling a little micromanaged … by my Google calendar.

“Go do this!” it says, “K, now go that!”

“What – you don’t have time to get from there to there within the allotted time frame because of traffic?”

“What – you’re ‘tired’? Well take a power nap then so you can get on to the next thing!”

Perhaps you can relate… complete this (and do so quickly) so you can go on to that. No time to enjoy this or that, not really. Just focus and complete the task.

Perhaps this is a flaw in over-scheduling oneself? Perhaps.  Regardless, it seems to be how we operate as a society. I mean, how does one support themselves, have any kind of down-time, and go to school simultaneously? Or how does a mom juggle a few children, a relationship with her husband, a job, and her own personal endeavors (church, friends, etc.)?

Well it’s the American way!

And it’s gotten me feeling like, between my harsh and bossy calendar, and the many expectations to blow out of the water, in spite of what the constitution might say, I’m not really free at all.

Well that’s certainly not sustainable…

So what does it mean to be free?

I’m not really sure…

So I decided to ask Google. I stumbled upon a little website meant for Mr. Martin’s class of sophomores, wherever that might be. Some interesting points to ponder, check it out:

What do you think?

XO

Abella

As my hipster friends will inform you, I am far from a proper hipster. While I have my own category of sweet tea available on the shelf, it certainly is not definable. As my friends and past lady friends will tell you, I have the best snowflake tattoo ever on my back. Super impressive. 4″x4″, located on the left shoulder. So sick. Holler ladies. This has allows me to have my own category, and thus, I can continue to write on the subject of the hipster as an unbiased outsider.

I found a nice opinion piece written by William Deresiewicz in the The New York Times this past week. My man William is well beyond my league in terms of education and intellectual man-processing. If we got into a heated Mixed Martial Arts exchange, he could most likely take a single word, spell it out loud, and that act alone would succinctly bludgeon my face.

The title of the piece “Generation Sell” is William’s explanation that the millennial generation is an entrepreneurial one. Over all, I could not agree more with the name of the op-ed article or the over all theme. My generation of millennials is a radical group fused of go-getters and creative business folk. To me, the millennials understand the business cycle better than any other generation. We/they/us understand how to market product, make it sexy, build substance behind the product, produce a quality product and tie it all together with a solid business strategy.

I think William missed a comes across very harsh on the millennials or as he puts it, “Generation Sell” later in the piece. Take these following quotes:

“The self today is an entrepreneurial self, a self that’s packaged to be sold.”

“The millennial affect is the affect of the salesman. Consider the other side of the equation, the Millennials’ characteristic social form. Here’s what I see around me, in the city and the culture: food carts, 20-somethings selling wallets made from recycled plastic bags, boutique pickle companies, techie start-ups, Kickstarter, urban-farming supply stores and bottled water that wants to save the planet.”

Perhaps I am misunderstanding Mr. Deresiewicz, but I feel that he is dramatically disconnected with the millennials, and specifically the hipster. When the fuck is being an entrepreneur an issue? Or selling a bad quality? Or especially wanting to save the planet an societal problem? I hop on ye ‘ol Facebook and Twitter universe everyday and I am constantly reminded what is right with the hipster. What I see are tweets and status updates of how the millennials are taking shit into their own hands. And this starts with business. From my perspective, my friends and colleagues are merging economics with fun with community. And, along with these daily status updates of awesome from my peers comes the personal pressure to step my game up to compete with them. You see, I want to be the better than the best. I think some of my friends feel the same way.

I was eating lunch yesterday with a colleague/friend and we were discussing ethics in business and how as of late, many top companies within their respective verticals were creating sustainable practices or more planet aware programs as a part of their business strategy. Why are companies feeling the pressure to implement such programs? Because the hipster entrepreneur is forcing them to do so with competitive products and business models. Companies like Nike and Pepsi are trying to find new ways to be sustainable because their hipster customers (not consumers, not a good word) are more educated about the social substance of products.

To be clear, I do not think William is a hipster hater or completely disagrees what the millennials bring to the table. However, I do not think Mr. Deresiewicz is truly considering where we are at as a society and as a planet. Recently, we have seen volatile economic conditions that have cost me many personal setbacks in starting my own ventures. I have personally failed only to rub dirt in the wound, pick myself up and attack life with the fury of a hungry mother-scratching hippo. And I probably have too many hipster peers and friends who have similar stories. If this is staying “too positive” or “too affable” than we are headed for better things as a country in my opinion. See you at the top ballers. Time for a shot of tequila.

-Tyler Browning

Mmmm… California Eggs Benedict: Warm Hollandaise, tender ham, fresh avocado, and ripe tomato– all served on a buttery croissant.

If I was getting “The Chair” tomorrow I know what would be gettin’ cooked for a second time my belly.

When it comes to dining out Denver has a plethora of palatable choices. But, what is it that motivates our decisions as to where we stuff our stomachs? Is it speed and convenience? The likelihood of running into friends? Perhaps a severe allergy to shellfish…

While these are legitimate reasons to pick (or avoid) a spot for your next meal, do any of us consider if the restaurant is concerned with social responsibility? Is the beef in that burger grain-fed, family farmed, certified organic? Probably not.

But don’t fret! There are many delicious options out there.
Snooze, An AM Eatery has switched all of their whole eggs to cage-free and are sourcing pork from a producer that does not confine breeding pigs in gestation crates.
If you’ve eaten at Chipotle you’ve probably seen their commitment to “Food With Integrity” printed on cups, bags, etc. I wont go into detail as to all of the initiatives Chipotle is taking, but click the link (in the last sentence) or Google them. Truly awesome.

These are two great choices in the battle for dining mindfully. If you’re curious to see which of your favorite joints are on-board with this, check out the website for Eat Greener Denver. They’re an association of locally-owned, independent restaurants that are stewards for sustainable action in the restaurant industry.

We would hope that with the progressive atmosphere of business today all of our favorite eateries would have some concern for people and planet (The Triple Bottom Line). The fact of the matter is, it is up to us as falafel fans and croque mossier connoisseurs to be mindful of where we grub. By frequenting businesses that are socially and environmentally conscious we are doing our part.

- Ches Sheridan Arms

For those of you who may have missed the first installment, get caught up over here. With this being my second iteration on the Triple Bottom Line (3BL) business strategy, I intend to cover the issues surrounding the Triple Bottom Line strategy. The main point of contention from my perspective is that while this is certainly a feel good business approach, the reality may be that it is a very tough business model to implement.

Operating a true, Triple Bottom Line business requires a company to create weights or values to each of these 3 bottom lines of People, Profit, Planet. That is, financial officers and accountants must assign a value to the ‘People’ and ‘Planet’ lines just like the traditional financial bottom line of ‘Profit’. This obviously is a sticky point as a company must estimate how successful they truly are on the social and environmental side of the 3BL. While these efforts are very commendable, it is tough to attach a value to them. Also, the public and private companies depending on investors may have a hard time justifying the stated values to those potential investors. And would the investors agree with the valuation given to ‘People’ and ‘Planet’.

While I hope that this does not deter entrepreneurs or businesses from realizing a successful 3BL business strategy, it certainly gets these firms and individuals thinking about the great task of executing a Triple Bottom Line company. I also hope that businesses can think creatively about how to approach a Triple Bottom Line company. For example, can the ‘People’ and ‘Planet’ line items be positioned to be profitable in there own right? Something to seriously evaluate and researching in my opinion.

-Tyler Browning

WHEW! So it’s Wednesday now and the week is in mid-swing. Halloween is [finally? unfortunately? gratefully?] behind us. We continue, however, to re-live the debauchery through the posts and pictures of our online friends.

(On second thought… if they gave you Sharpie ink poisoning, pissed in your shoes, or screwed with you in any unacceptable manner while you were passed out, are they truly your friends? BUT, I digress…)

This week social media outlets have served as a fragmented storyboard– allowing us to reminisce about (or put the pieces together from) the weekend. Because this holiday is my single favorite of the year I wanted to take a couple moments to pay homage to another All Hallows Eve of epic proportions.

The first moment will be in silence… for all those lost in our inebriated states. Thank you, you sweet little brain cells. I would like to say you wont soon be forgotten– but in all honesty, I’m still using Facebook to piece together Saturday night. I can only assume you were once cordial contributors to my IQ.

The second moment will be to share the Halloween experience had by the crew over here at DVLP Life. Now, we’re not normally ones to brag, but let me tell you: we’re awesome. From epic costumes to awesome company, we did Halloween right. And now a look behind the scenes at the staff:

Rustin Coburn
Costume: Blackmail!
Props: Postage Stamp,
Photographic Memory (more dangerous than a camera)
Attended: Taxi Eurotrash Bash and
The DTC Haunted Hotel Party

Abella Balla
Costume: Dust Bunny
Props: Hot Pink Sunnies (found on floor),
Rabbit Ears,
The Keys to Every Guy Dressed as Mr. Clean’s Heart
Attended: Taxi Eurotrash Bash and
The DTC Haunted Hotel Party

Ches Arms
Costume: Tyler Durden
Props: Stunna Shades, Red Leather Jacket, Undeniable Swagger
Attended: Taxi Eurotrash Bash and
The DTC Haunted Hotel Party

Tyler Browning
Costume: Lucha Libre
(The Masked Wrestler)
Props: Leather Mask, ‘Shiver Me Timbers’ Chest Carpet, Smokin’ Blonde Sidekick
Attended: Hudson’s Wholesome Festivities and Skrillex

_________________________________________________________

Awesome?
Yeah… we know. And now I’ll open the comments section up to you!

- Tell us how you rocked the casbah this weekend!
- Vote for your favorite DVLP Life hoodrat!

Ready?! GO!

- Ches Sheridan Arms