A former boss told me, “You’re the average of the five people you spend the most time with, so be really selective.” I often think about this.

Where you choose to invest your time and who you invest your time with is tremendously important. If you spend your time with a complainer who is never happy, it’s going to rub off on your own state of mind. It may even affect your ability to complete your goals, as you’ll find yourself joining in with the chorus of complaints. Instead of wasting time with negativity, it’s better to invest your time with people who are making things happen. These are people who are trying to make a difference. When you surround yourself with positive, productive people, you can’t help but become a part of what they are accomplishing. Thus, the decisions we make everyday—where we spend our time and who we spend our time with—are vital to our own success.

This brings to mind Chloe Steepe, a woman who I’ve had the pleasure to meet and know through her not-for-profit group called, Connected in Motion. Chloe is someone I want to spend a lot of time with; she makes conscious life choices to be positive and productive while living with diabetes.

Chloe’s organization connects people who have Type I or insulin-dependent diabetes with sports, recreation, and healthy living. Chloe inspires me and others with her positive approach to life. She shares her personal experiences living with diabetes, enabling her to make a true connection to other people who are also living with diabetes. Her determination to make the world a better place and her commitment to living well with diabetes is infectious to those around her.

The connections people make with each other through organizations like Chloe’s are tremendous. It’s kind of like going to a party and instantly connecting with someone who you’ve just met but s/he happens to be from your hometown, or you share something in common. You instantly click and have a great time talking, feeling completely comfortable with each other, as if you didn’t just meet but instead have known each other for years. Times that feeling by a hundred and you would know what it’s like to connect to other people who choose to live well with diabetes; the connection is really that strong.

Words alone do not articulate and convey the uniqueness of this community. Here is a video clip to watch to get a taste of what it’s like to surround yourself with great people who share common experiences. In my case, it was a weekend in January of playing sports and sharing time with new friends who have diabetes. You can hear the passion and see the special community with your own eyes in this video clip. The people in the organization truly make the experience wonderful.

Here are three lessons I learned (and they really apply to everyone):

1.We are the average of the five people we spend our time with. Be very selective. Look at your life and what you want for yourself, and then figure out who are the people who will have a positive influence and the ability to inspire you. These will be the people with whom you will want to spend your time.
2.Your physical environment matters. It is important to change your environment from time to time. If you stay in the same place, it is hard to change your thinking and go beyond the parameters of where you currently reside in your life. New environments introduce new ways of thinking. I’m lucky enough that I get to travel a lot for my work. Being on the road for my work and changing environments so frequently enables me to constantly shift my way of thinking. I get out of my comfort zone and encounter new experiences that have an impact on the way I look at things. You do not have to travel or even spend money to experience a new physical environment. In fact, it could be as simple as going on a walk, working in the library instead of your usual office, going to the park, or anywhere that is different from your ordinary work place. In other words, a simple change of scenery can be powerful.
3.Action is essential. Everyone can talk about their great ideas, but talk is cheap. Having the ability to act is what will make you successful. You need to move toward your goal and what you want. This requires you to also carefully choose the people you want to surround yourself with, because these people will have an impact on your ability to act. Pick up the phone, send that e-mail, do whatever you need to do to make something happen. The key is to act.
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To find out more about Shawn’s exciting new telecourse please visit www.born2bealive.com

 
Chicken Momos is a delicious snack which can be steamed as well as deep fried. Learn how to make/prepare Chicken Momo by following this easy recipe.

History: This dish is native to the Himalayas of Nepal.
Description: Nepali Meat Dumplings

Preparation Time: about 1 hour for assembly and 15 minutes for steaming

MoMo Ko Achar:

5 Tomatoes (Fried it)

3 teaspoon sesame seed

2 teaspoon garlic

1/2 teaspoon timur (Szechwan pepper)

2-3 teaspoon Fresh lemon

Salt according to taste

3 teaspoon Chilli powder

Mix the Achar ingredients in a mixer. Achar is ready to serve.

Amount/Measure/Ingredient

Dough for wrappers:

3 cups All-purpose flour
1 tablespoon oil
1 cup water
Pinch of salt

Filling:
1 lb. lean ground lamb or chicken
(Note that beef is not eaten in Nepal, the world’s only Hindu Kingdom)
1 cup onion, finely chopped
1/2 cup green onion, finely chopped
1/2 cup cilantro, chopped
1 teaspoon garlic, minced
1 teaspoon fresh ginger, minced
1/2 teaspoon timur (Szechwan pepper)
1/2 teaspoon turmeric
1 teaspoon cumin powder
1 teaspoon coriander powder
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
3 fresh red chilies, minced
1 cup Nepali cheese (homemade paneer), roughly crushed (optional)
2 tablespoon clarified butter
Salt to taste

Preparation:

Dough:
In a large bowl combine flour, oil, salt and water. Mix well, knead until the dough becomes homogeneous in texture, about 8-10 min. Cover and let stand for at least 30 min. Knead well again before making wrappers.

Filling:
In a large bowl combine all filling ingredients. Mix well, adjust for seasoning with salt and pepper. Cover and refrigerate for at
least an hour to allow all ingredients to impart their unique flavors. This also improves the consistency of the filling.

Assembly:
Give the dough a final knead. Prepare 1-in. dough balls. Take a ball, roll between your palms to spherical shape. Dust working board with dry flour. On the board gently flatten the ball with your palm to about 2-in circle. Make a few semi-flattened circles, cover with a bowl. Use a rolling pin to roll out each flattened circle into a wrapper. For well excecuted MOMOs, it is essential that the middle portion of the wrapper be slightly thicker than the edges to ensure the structural integrity of dumplings during packing and steaming. Hold the edges of the semi-flattened dough with one hand and with the other hand begin rolling the edges of the dough out, swirling a bit at a time. Continue until the wrapper attains 3-in diameter circular shape. Repeat with the remaining semi-flattened dough circles. Cover with bowl to prevent from drying. For packing hold wrapper on one palm, put one tablespoon of filling mixture and with the other hand bring all edges together to the center, making the pleats. Pinch and twist the pleats to ensure the absolute closure of the stuffed dumpling. This holds the key to good tasting, juicy dumplings. Heat up a steamer, oil the steamer rack well. This is critical because it will prevent dumplings from sticking. Arrange uncooked MOMOs in the steamer. Close the lid, and allow steaming until the dumplings are cooked through, about 10-15 min. Take the dumplings off the steamer, and immediately serve. To serve, arrange the cooked MOMOs on a plate dressed with tomato achar.

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लमजुङ, कार्तिक २ गते ।
तिहारको अन्तिम दिन अर्थात भाईटीका आज सोमवार लमजुङमा दिदीबहिनीहरुले दाज्युभाइलाई टीका लगाएर उल्लासमय तवरले मनाएकाछन् ।
विगतका वर्षरुमा जस्तै यसवर्षपनि स्थानीयवासिन्दाले आ-आफ्नो गच्छेअनुसार भाईटीका अर्थात तिहार मनाएका हुन् । लमजुङमा दिदीबहिनीहरुले दाज्युभाइलाई फलफूल, सेल रोटी साथै मीठामीठा खानेकुार र उपहार दिने चलन छ । दाज्युभाइले पनि आफ्नो गच्छे अनुसार रुपैँया अर्थात उपहार दिन्छन् । तर, गुरुङ गाउँमा भने अलि फरक छ । गुरुङ गाउँमा भाइखलकहरु एकठाउँमा जम्मा भएकाछन् र त्यहीँ दिदीबहिनी पुगेर टिका लगाउने र वर्षरिको दुःखसुख साटासाट गर्ने चलन छ । दिदीबहिनीले सेलरोटी र गाउँमा निर्मित स्थानीय मदिरा दिएर दाज्युभाइको उत्तरोत्तर र दर्ीघायूको कामना गर्छन् ।

लमजुङ यतिवेला तिहारको रमझमले धपक्कै बलेको छ । नेपाली समयको विहान ११ बजेर ५३ मिनेट गएदेखि दाज्युभाइले दिदीबहिनीको हातवाट टिका ग्रहण गरेका थिए ।
तिहारको समय यतिवेला के बालबालिका, के बृद्धबृद्धा, कोही पिङमा झुण्डिरहेकाछन् त कोही देउसी भैलोमा झुमेकाछन् । शहर-वजार, गाउँ टोल जता ततै स-साना केटा केटी देखि लिएर ठूला उमेरकाहरु प्रायः देउसीभैलो खेल्न मस्त छन् । देउसी भैलौको रौनकले शहर वजार तथा गाउँ टोल अहिले संगीतमय बनेको छ ।
देउसी भैलो खेल्ने उनीहरुका उद्देश्य पनि फरकफरक छन् । केटाकेटीहरु रमाईलोका लागि खेलेकाछन् भने पाको उमेर समूहकाहरु संकलित रकमवाट विकास निर्माणका लागि देउसी भैलो खेलेकाछन् । विशेष गरि युवा युवतीहरु देउसी भैलो खेलेर संकलन गरेको रकमबाट आफ्नो क्लबका लागि केही गर्न चाहन्छन् ।

लमजुङका गाउँटोल अनि शहरबजारमा रोटेपिङ र लिङ्गे पिङहरुमा पनि छुट्टै रौनक छ । देउराली-भञ्ज्याङ, चौतारी साथै गुरुङ गाउँका रोधीँहरुमा मादल र वाँसुरीको रन्को छ । गाउँ टोलका गल्लीहरु पनि सरसफाइले सुन्दर देखिएको छ । घरहरु अघिपछि भन्दा दुलही झैँ सिङ्गारिएका छन् । त्यही भएर त होला लटरम्म फुलेका सयपत्री र मखमली फूलको वस्नाले त तिहारलाई झनै रमाइलो वनाएको आभाष भएको छ । साँझ पख वत्तिको झिलीमिलीसँगै देउसी भैलो खेल्नेहरुको नाचगानले त झनै तिहारको रौनकनै चुलिएको छ ।

त्यसो त तिहार भन्नासाथ जुवा तास खेल्नेहरुको संख्या पनि कम छैन । जुवा तास खेलेर तिहार मनाउनुको साटो देउसी भैलो खेलेर तिहार मनाउन राम्रो हुने देउसी पाराखीहरु वताउँछन् । त्यसैले तिहारमा जुवातास खेलेर दिनचर्या विताउनु भन्दा देउसी खेलेर रमाईलो गर्नुनै उचित ठान्छन् उनीहरु । यसले गर्दा एकातिर आफ्नो संस्कृति पनि जोगिन्छ, अर्कोतर्फधनको नाश साथै विकृति र विसंगतिको शिकारबाट जोगिन थप मद्यत पुग्छ ।

Posted on:October 19, 2009, 10:33 pm

लमजुङको एउटा सिङ्गो गाउँ सातवर्षेखि सुनसान छ । गाउँका घरहरुमा ताल्चा मारिएको छ भने मानिसहरु अहिले सदरमुकाम वेसीशहर तथा आसपासका शहरबजारमा वस्दै आएकाछन् । विस्थापित जीवन विताईरहेका उनीहरु गाउँ र्फकन अझै सकेका छैनन् ।
मालिङ गाउँ विकास समिति वडा नं. ७, मकैमराङ गाउँ । तामाङहरुको वस्ती रहेको सो गाउँका घरहरु टाढाबाट नियाल्दा मानिसको वसोवास भएको भान हुन्छ । नजिक गएर नियाल्ने हो भने जो कसैको मन कुँढिएर आउँछ ।

तत्कालीन राज्य र माओवादीका कारण सातवर्षेखि विस्थापित मकैमराङका वासिन्दा अघिपछिको त के कुरा, दशैँतिहार मनाउन समेत गाउँ जाँदैनन् । दशैँ तिहार भन्दै मरिहत्ते गर्ने नेपालीहरु देशविदेशवाट गाउँ र्फकन्छन् । उनीरुलाई पनि आफ्नो गाउँको माया नलागेको होईन, घर नफिर्नुमा १० वर्षो युद्धकालसंगै धेरै कारणहरु उनीहरु सामु विद्यामान छ ।
सशस्त्र द्वन्द्वकालीन सयमको २०५९ साल असार महिनामा तत्कालीन नेकपा माओवादी र तत्कालीन शाही नेपाली सेनावीच मकैमराङमा दोहोरो भीडन्त भयो । गोली हानाहानको डर र त्रासले स्थानीयवासिन्दा गाउँवाट विस्थापित भए । भीडन्तमा माओवादी कार्यकर्ता रामचन्द्र अधिकारी मारिए । पछि माओवादी र सेनाको छुट्टा छुट्टै अनुसन्धानका कारण सास्ती खेप्नुपरेका स्थानीयवासिन्दा अन्ततः विस्थापित भए ।

माओवादी र सेनाका कारण विस्थापित मकैमराङवासीहरु अहिले लमजुङ सदरमुकाम वेसीशहर तथा पोखरा बस्दै आएकाछन् । सातवर्षम्म गाउँ र्फकन नसकेका उनीहरुलाई गाउँको जतिकै माया आफ्नो डेराको पनि लागेको छ । ‘गाउँमा जान नसकेर नगएको पनि होईन’ विस्थापित पार्वती तामाङले भने, ‘गाउँ फर्कौँ भनेपनि केही छैन, घरहरु भत्किसेकाछन्, त्यस्तो घरमा गएर के खाने, के लाउने -’ उनी अहिले वेसीशहरमा विस्थापित जीवन विताउँदै आएकीछन् ।

१४ घरपरिवारका खेतवारीहरु झाडी भएको छ । कान्ला तथा गह्राहरुमा रुखविरुवा उम्रिएको छ । ‘नजिकै भएका दलित समुदायले कसैकसैका खेतमा काम गरेर खाएकाछन्’ अर्का विस्थापित नीलकुमारी तामाङले भनिन्, ‘गाउँका सवै खेतहरु बाँझै छन्, कस्ले गर्ने ।’
मुलुकले प्रत्यक्ष वा अप्रत्यक्षरुपमा धेरै कोल्टे फेरिसकेको छ । संविधान निर्माण पक्रिया, शान्ति स्थापनाको पहल भईरहेको छ । तर, विस्थापितहरु अझैपनि आफ्नो गाउँ र्फकन सकेका छैनन् । उनीहरुमा अहिले त्यो जाँगर छैन । द्वन्द्वले विस्थापित बनेका उनीहरु अहिले गाउँमा भएका भौतिक तथा चलअचल सवै सम्पत्ति नास भएकाले गाउँ र्फकन नसकेका हुन् । सरकारले द्वन्द्वका विस्तथापितलाई सहयोग गरेकै कारण कतिपय आफ्नो घर फर्केर दुःखसुखका जीवनयापन गरिरहेकाछन् । तर, द्वन्द्वका कारण विस्थापित र भौतिक सम्पत्ति नास भएर गाउँ र्फकन नसकेकाहरुलाई खासै पहल चालिएको भने देखिएको छैन । त्यसैले उनीहरुको मन खिन्न छ । ‘गाउँमा फर्कौँ भनेपनि अव त यतै रमाईलो लागिसकेको छ’ विस्थापित अमृत तामाङ भन्छन्, ‘बरु जसोतसो यतै गुजारा चलाउनु ठिक छ, अब गाउँ फर्किन्छ जस्तो लाग्दैन ।’ उनी भन्छन, ‘गाउँ सुनसान छ, अब कोही पनि जाँदैनन्, आफू एक्लै गएर के गर्ने, के खाने -’

संघीय लोकतान्त्रिक गणतन्त्र नेपालको घोषणा भईसकेको छ । आफ्नै गाउँघरमा वस्न नपाउनेलाई राजनीतिक दलले कुन आधारको संघीयताको अधिकार दिन्छ, हर्ेन अझै बाँकी छ । संघीय नेपालमा विस्थापित भएर वाँच्नु विस्थापितहरुको रहर भने पक्कै होईन । उनीहरु राम्रो वातावरण र आधारभूत आवश्यकता सरकारले पुरा गरिदिए आफ्नो घर र्फकने चाहना ब्यत्त m गर्छन् । तर, चाहनाले मात्रै उनीहरु न घर र्फकन सकेका छन् न सरकारले दिएको राहतले नै । गाउँको मायालाई आँखाभरि सजाउँदै वसेका विस्थापितहरुलाई दीगो पुनर्स्थापनाको खाँचो छ । दीगो पुनर्स्थापनाका लागि आधारभूत आवश्यकता नपाउँदा उनीहरु शहरका कुनाकाप्चामा कष्टकर जीवन गुजार्दै आएकाछन् ।

मकैमराङका विस्थापितहरु
रामकुमारी तामाङ -पोखरा)
पदमबहादुर तामाङ -पोखरा)
केशबहादुर तामाङ -वेसीशहर)
मुमबहादुर तामाङ -वेसीशहर)
लुकबहादुर तामाङ र्-इशानेश्वर)
सिंहबहादुर गुरुङ -पोखरा)
पार्वती तामाङ -वेसीशहर)
डम्मर कुमारी तामाङ -वेसीशहर)
मेरसिंह तामाङ -पोखरा)
बेलजंग गुरुङ -वेसीशहर)
सोममाया तामाङ -पोखरा)
निरुमाया तामाङ -पोखरा)
तेजबहादुर तामाङ -बेसीशहर)
कृष्णप्रसाद घिमिरे -वेसीशहर)

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