That would be us; you and me and several million others out there who, according to the new book, RenGen: The Rise of the Cultural Consumer and What It Means to Your Business, by Patricia Martin, are directing the future of the world economy in a distinctly positive direction.

Who are the RenGen (Renaissance Generation) exactly? Well, see if this sounds familiar in an exert from the New York Times interview with the author:

The sociological definition of a generation is a 30-year swath of individuals living contemporaneously. The conditions we are facing today are what it looks like right before a renaissance.

Two things are going on simultaneously, and they live in creative tension. One is that we are ending one civilization and we are creating a new one. Witness what is happening on Wall Street. The second is the outpouring of creativity facilitated by the Internet. There is a generation that will lead us into what will literally be a second renaissance.

As for their characteristics - they are eco-conscious; they take their cues from nature so they are willing to accept products that are flawed but authentic rather than slickly produced and inauthentic.  They want to make a difference. They want to live many lives. They don’t want to be told, “You can’t be an architect and a poet.” They are sensualists. Because they are both idealistic and cynical at the same time, they have learned to trust what they experience rather than what experts tell them. That is why design and aesthetics are so elevated right now.

I went through the above checklist and um, authentic? Yes, that’s me. Cares about the environment? That too. I actually prefer products that have distinct flaws. They feel more human to me. And yes, I trust my personal experience and how I feel over what any individual might have to say, no matter what qualifications they have. For example, I didn’t choose my financial adviser based on her experience (although it is vast), but rather on how I felt about her. She is a woman who is naturally connected to the energy of money, a philanthropist and has high ethics.

This idea that cultural consumers are on the rise really resonates deep within my core. There is an internal knowing that this is true. “After all”, I thought,  “I am the director of my life as are those I interview and meet (online and off) on a daily basis.” I see successful creative entrepreneurs (introducing unique products and services that care about the environment and humanity) all around me that are not affected by the current state of affairs.

If we just sit back now for minute, take a deep breath (or two) and not allow the fear of the economy to cloud our direction, we can continuously move forward in a tour de force unlike any seen before. And that (imho) is what it means to change the world. Stay focused.

There’s a new book coming out soon by Abraham-Hicks, called ‘Money and the Law of Attraction.” I’m a firm believer in choosing our thoughts to manifest our reality and just wanted to share this exert entitled, The Subject of Money Is Really Two Subjects. . .

“The subject of money is really two subjects: (1) money, plenty of money, and (2) absence of money, not nearly enough money. Often people assume that because they are speaking the words “I want more money,” they are speaking positively about money. When you are feeling fear or discomfort as you speak, you are not speaking of the subject of money, you are speaking of the subject of not enough money. And the difference is very important, because the first statement brings money and the second holds it away.”

The book is set to be released on my birthday August, 12th. Hmm, I like that. Click here for more info.

Ed Begley, Jr. actor and eco-activist.

Okay, so I just got Ed Begley Jr.’s new book, “Living Like Ed” at one of my favorite local haunts, Powell’s Book Store. Funny thing, when I picked it up and read the introduction (written by Ed’s wife Rachelle), I was immediately drawn in. It was a familiar female voice speaking to me. She describes her early days while dating Ed, her challenges of combining green and chic and the influence he has had on her life. I appreciated her candor as she spoke of the challenges combining her love of aesthetics with sustainability. That’s definitely the “pink” on this planet.

Anyway, I’m already way into the book. It’s user friendly, filled with important and useful eco-living tips and there is a raw integrity in Ed’s voice which I really appreciate.

Green Bonus: I’m hoping I’ll get to meet you, Ed, this weekend March 28-30 while you are here in Portland, OR at the Sustainable Better Living Home and Garden Show and maybe interview you (?) for Planetpinkngreen.com…I’d love to share your voice with others…

Femme Facade, by Peggy Bonnett Begnaud

I just read a story that Paulo Coelho wrote in the April issue of Ode Magazine which really spoke to me. Thank-you Paulo for sharing your gift…

Disappointing The Devil: On Facing the Terrors of Life with Joy in your Heart. By Paulo Coelho

The man is admiring the sunset on a beautiful beach besides his wife, enjoying a well-deserved holiday. Everything seems absolutely in place, when all of a sudden from the bottom of his heart comes a nice, friendly voice that asks him a difficult question:

“Are you happy?”

“Yes, I am,” he answers.

“Then look around you carefully.”

“Who are you?”

“I’m the devil. And you can’t be happy, because you know that sooner or later, tragedy can appear and upset your world. Look carefully around you, and you’ll understand that virtue is nothing but one of the many faces of terror.” And then the devil began to show everything that was happening on the beach:

The excellent family man who at that very moment was packing and helping the children get dressed would like to have an affair with his secretary, but was terrified at how his wife would react. The wife who’d like to have a job and her independence, but was terrified at how her husband would react. The children who behaved well, terrified by the idea of punishment. The girl reading a book, alone under beach umbrella, pretending to be casual, while her soul was terrified at the possibility that she’d never find the love of her life. The young man with the racquet exercising his body, terrified at having to live up to his parents’ expectations. The old man who didn’t smoke or drink, saying he felt much better that way, when the truth was that the terror of death whispered like the wind in his ears. The couple running past, their feet splashing the water where the waves broke on the beach, all smiles, and hidden terror saying they would grow old, uninteresting, invalid. The rich man who stopped his speedboat in everyone’s view, waving and smiling and sunburned, and filled with terror because he could lose all his money at any moment. The owner of the hotel who came out to greet his guest when the sun was setting trying to make them all happy and full of cheer, all the while demanding miracles of his accountants with terror in his soul because he knew that no matter how honest he was, the men in the government would always discover all the flaws they wanted to find in his accounts.

Terror filled each one of those people on that lovely beach during a sunset that would take your breath away. The terror of remaining alone, the terror the dark that filled their imaginations with devils, the terror of doing something not included in the manual of good behavior, the terror of God’s judgment, the terror of justice that punished any fault, the terror of the injustice that left the guilty free and threatening. The terror of risking and losing, the terror of winning and having to live with the envy of others, the terror of loving and being rejected, the terror of asking for a raise, of accetping an important invitation, of going to unknown places, of not managing to speak a foreign language, of not having the ability to impress others. The terror of growing old, of dying in a terrible way, of being noticed on account of your defects, of not being noticed becasue of tyour qualities, of not being noticed either for your defect or your qualities.

“I hope this has made you calmer,” concluded the devil. “After all, you’re not alone in your fears.” And he prepared to take his leave. “Please don’t go away until you hear what I have to say,” answered the man. “We have the capacity to detect pain, remorse, wounds–or terror, as you prefer to call it. But my father once told me the story of an apple tree so laden with apples that its branches wouldn’t sing in the wind. Someone passing by asked why it didn’t try to call attention like all the other trees did. ‘My fruits are my best advertisement,’ answered the apple tree. “Of course, I’m no different from anyone else, and my heart is filled with many fears. But despite everything, the fruits of my life speak for me, and if someday a tragedy should happen, I know I haven’t spent my life without taking risks.”

And the devil, disappointed, left him to try to scare other—weaker—people.

Scuppie defined as a socially conscious upwardly-mobile person by scuppie.com… This is hilarious! I love it…

Ok, so the author of this soon to be released “The Scuppie Handbook” Chuck Failla, sent me a link this morning to his website…. And I have to admit Chuck, I include myself in the definition of a scuppie (see above caption)…I actually think it’s totally eco-chic (cute and funny at the same time) to be included in this rising demographic… The way I see it is this…Nothing wrong with living well, earning money and embracing the good things in life as long as we are conscious human beings in the process, giving back by doing things like reducing our carbon footprint, volunteering on projects, supporting fair trade, the local economy and embracing overall sustainable living practices. Moreover, from what I’ve seen lately, it is the socially conscious upwardly mobile person who is making significant positive changes in the world and putting his/her money towards manifesting visions. That’s powerful…

Read about how Chuck got the idea for the scuppie by clicking here…It’s a good one…Keep up the good work and thanks for reaching out!