Welcome (and hello March). I forgot to tell you something Monday which you may have seen if you pop by our Facebook page: just as the radio show here in Victoria was ending, I awoke on Friday morning to news from Rob that I’d gotten a voice job. Like so many others, I audition for hundreds and get maybe five or six a month. Nothing I could live on, that’s for sure! But this one is as the voice of a crow in a video game(!) and we did it by Skype on Monday with a producer in Denmark. What a world! Always a new adventure awaits!
 
Today I wanted to share with you someone else’s labour of love, for a change. I mean, you’ve been here through so many of the steps and turns that this kid has taken in the past 15 years that this blog has been going – yes, we mark a decade-and-a-half this month – that I thought I’d share with you a brand new website that I’ve just had time to immerse myself in.
 
A woman I know and truly love has partnered in a brand new website called cultivating-kindness.com. Its content is helpful, interesting and inspiring; from the benefits of having a sister to mental health tips (the two are sometimes not unrelated!) like rewiring your brain to be healthy. It’s just lovely and, best of all, the spirit behind it is one that is meant to be shared, spread and even taught. Here’s some background on the site’s creators:

Anita Reynolds MacArthur is MBSR certified and recently completed The Chopra Center’s Mindfulness for Kids program. She is the author of two award-winning children’s picture books. MacCheeky Book #1 focuses on getting along and Book #2 focuses on sharing. Anita presents in schools on the importance of literacy. In each story, the main character learns how being mindful of others and self leads to happier experiences for everyone. As a mom to three teenagers, she chaired Parent Council for a decade and is a Huffington Post blogger. Anita was introduced to meditation 10 years ago and has been practising ever since.

Meantime, here’s what you need to know about Anita’s partner in this new venture:

For the past 10 years, Stephanie Gomez has lent her Marketing expertise to pre-schools and meditation organizations. She leads workshops and provides consultation on all aspects of Marketing including web design, social media best practices, and online advertising. Steph has been practising meditation for more than 10 years.

Between the two of them, they have more than 25 years’ experience in educational publishing, from kindergarten through grade 12. And they’re even offering you a chance to submit articles for their consideration. If that’s something you might be interested in doing, I’d urge you to send a note; I haven’t met Stephanie but I can tell you that Anita is one of the kindest, sweetest and most deeply connected souls I have ever met.
 
If you recognize her married name, it’s because her husband is our longtime producer and lifelong friend, Ian MacArthur. This site is, as I say, a labour of love for two very busy women who just want to make the world a better place. I think you’re going to like it a lot. Make a note to please visit cultivating-kindness.com (or via Instagram and Twitter – all on the site). It’s like a warm cup of chamomile for your soul. And who doesn’t need that?

Tomorrow, tying up some movie threads as we get set for this weekend’s big awards night – and why we need to cheer on Toronto!