I'd like to extend a very special THANK YOU and CONGRATULATIONS to one our PNNers, Ed of Aberdeen! Today marks the one year anniversary of PNN's very first Link of The Week! Way to go, Ed! A little over a year ago Ed e-mailed me with the suggestion to recommend other worthwhile and positive websites. I thought it was a great idea but simply didn't have the time to "go surfing." Ed rose to the challenge I placed before him to select a Link of The Week and has even recruited a previous award-winner, Nancy of Make A Joyful Noise, to help create a graphic Award the recipients of the PNN Link of The Week Award could display on their websites. This brought in the unexpected gift of many new subscribers to PNN and has helped our growth tremendously.

http://www.charityfrogs.org

http://www.thehungersite.com/

1. On Oprah Today

4/24/00 - What Do You Stand For? (PG)

On today's show, Amazon.com's CEO, Jeff Bezos, joins Oprah to present this week's $50,000 Angel Network Use Your Life Award to a woman who survived a violent marriage and went on to create a highly successful program that helps other abused women reclaim their lives and their spirits. Then, have you ever been confronted by a situation that challenged your convictions? Oprah talks to people who are using their lives to stand up for something they believe in, including a woman who battled terror, hate, and destruction to help her neighbors, and a man who took heroic steps to try to prevent the doomed Space Shuttle Challenger from launching. We'll also hear from a man whose crusade for improvements in dilapidated schools was worth millions of dollars, and a photographer who risks his life to document atrocities and put a face on human suffering around the world.

--- © All information above provided by: www.Oprah.com

 

 

 

2. Not Dead Yet! --- by Sharon Palmer

 

On the Mend -- Now What?

Well, it's been nearly four weeks since my brain surgery. I wish I could say that I am doing so well that I'm out jogging and gardening now. I'm not quite there yet <G>, but I fully expect to be at some point. The "when" isn't entirely up to me, but to God, although I pray it happens soon.

In the meantime, what do I do now? I could lie here in bed and vegetate, but I know from experience how old that gets after a while. I am still limited, and I am still slow, but I am not dead (yet!). <G> My mind still works, and my heart still feels, and I still have dreams that I feel I can turn into realities.

My first dream, that I've had since I was a child, is to see the book inside me that is yearning to become something tangible, well, become something tangible! To see my name on the cover of a book, sitting on a bookstore or library shelf, would be the most incredible sight! My second dream is to start a support group for people with chronic pain and chronic illnesses. That one may depend on my physical recovery before it actually comes to fruition, but at least I can start the planning stage now.

The main desire in my heart is to help others. My book will deal with that, and naturally, so will the support group. Another dream I've had is to start an emergency fund for those who have Arnold-Chiari malformation, as I do, and/or syringomyelia. Many, many people with these ailments are disabled, and unfortunately, will always be disabled. Naturally, they need financial help.

Unfortunately, getting Social Security disability is like pulling teeth these days. You can apply, but chances are 99.9% that you will be turned down on the first try. Social Security does that routinely, hoping you will give up. If you appeal, it will take forever. It usually takes at least three tries (which means at least two years), with a lawyer, to get disability payments. The average amount is around $850 per month, which is hardly worth all the work and anxiety, but it's all we have! In the meantime, the disabled have no income whatsoever, and no medical insurance either. People who are waiting to be approved often lose everything they have during the waiting process. It's horrible! What I want to do is to be able to help these people in the interim, so they are able to maintain until they get approved.

As you can see, I have big plans. I also have expansion plans on the emergency fund dream. I would like to be able to help in more ways than just getting people through the disability waiting period. But it's probably best to take this one small step at a time. The dream will always be there, though.

I don't exactly know what I'll be able to accomplish from my recovery bed, but I'll do absolutely everything I can. Then, when I am able to forge ahead, all the preliminary work will already be done!

Too ambitious? Maybe, maybe not. I just know I have to try! Whatever works out is what is meant to be. I like to think that everything I've been through has been for a reason. If I'm being too philosophical about that, then I will just make my own reasons! I've been through a lot, and I have a lot to give as a result. I feel like this is my calling, which is all it takes to make it so. I know where I'm headed now; I just need my head back to normal (?) to get there!

Look out, world -- here I come!!

--- © Sharon Palmer

http://www.sfpnn.com/sharon_palmer.htm

 

 

3. "One of my favorite saying I got off a soda bottle: NO DEPOSIT, NO RETURN. To me that means you'll get out of life about what you're willing to put in. All champions have made great sacrifices to win their victories. So when someone talks to me about their goals and dreams, I ask them one question: 'What are you willing to do about it?' "

--- © Quoted in A Hero In Every Heart

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0785273077/positivenewsnetw

 

 

 

4. PNN Link of The Week 04/24/00 --- Recommended by Ed of Aberdeen

Somewhere Out There

http://www.geocities.com/SouthBeach/Bluffs/5147/sot.html

This angelic website is dedicated to all of our cyber friends SOMEWHERE OUT THERE. As you listen to the beautiful song sung by Linda Ronstadt and James Ingram, think of those words directed at YOU. It is appropriate that we reach out to all of you on this first anniversary of our Monday Links of the Week selections.

I strongly suggest that you go to the "pull down boxes" containing the names of Nice Willie's Place Links & his Country Love index of pages by Bert Earnest [ aka: NiceWillie ] shown at the bottom of this website for many other wonderful Internet experiences. He is from the beautiful Colorado Rockies and it is reflected in many of his web creations. I look forward to visiting them all.

Peace ... Ed of Aberdeen

http://members.aol.com/EdAberdeen/index.html

http://www.sfpnn.com/ed_of_aberdeen.htm

 

 

5. "Sometimes it's a form of love just to talk to somebody that you have nothing in common with and still be fascinated by their presence."

--- © David Byrne, Love Quotations From The Heart

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0894718568/positivenewsnetw

 

 

 

 

6. * * * * * Sir Froggie's Pondering * * * * *

http://www.sfpnn.com/sir_froggie.htm.

Or view his columns and other work by JMP at: http://www.themestream.com. Search for Sir Froggie or Jeanette M. Pintar.

You can also sign up on ThemeStream to have Sir Froggie's Pondering automatically delivered to you or receive the weekly column and corresponding cartoon by e-mailing: SubscribeFrog@Sfpnn.com.

http://www.sfpnn.com/the_shopping_pond.htm

http://www.sfpnn.com/visit_amazon_com.htm

http://www.sfpnn.com/pnn_current_issues.htm

http://www.sfpnn.com