In Memoriam ... Dorothy M. Lesch

Dorothy Martha Lesch

Born: March 24, 1927 -- Died: January 31, 2007

Wife of Irving Robert Lesch and Daughter to Christian and Selma Proehle. Mother of Christine Gail Lesch-Quinn and Lee Robert Lesch. Grandmother to 8 grandchildren.

The following tribute (by her daughter Christine) was originally sent by email to friends and family on Wednesday, 31 Jan 2007 at 11:35 PM

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My love to all of you,

My mother, Dorothy M. Lesch, gave up her battle with her physical self last night. Certainly, everyone who knew her is missing her, but there are beautiful parts to her passing that I want to share with you ...

Last Sunday, my Mom was admitted to the hospital's Critical Care Unit because of Pneumonia and conjunctive heart failure. Obviously, they were concerned because in addition to the current difficulties, a few years ago, after having a stroke, she lost her vision to Macular Degeneration (the wet kind), as well as suffering from diabetes and multiple other physical challenges.

Nevertheless, by Wednesday morning, they felt she had improved significantly enough to be moved out of the Critical Care Unit, and onto the fourth floor. We were beginning to feel relieved.

However, also on Wednesday morning, my father (Irving) was having such difficulty breathing that they admitted him for testing for possible pneumonia. After a bit of finagling by a social worker, they decided to put him into the other bed in Mom's room.

Then, at approximately 1:00 AM on Wednesday, Mom's heart rate began to slow. Because he was so close by at the time, my Dad was able to hold her hand while they were working on her. Her heart just kept getting slower and slower ... and he just kept telling her how much he loved her and what a great life they had together.

At 1:31 AM she left us, quietly and peacefully ... with my father still holding her hand.

Dorothy and Irving Lesch would have been married for 54 years on April 11, 2007.

Here is the amazing part of this beautiful story ...

My father was released from the hospital later that morning. It was the ONLY time he has stayed overnight in a hospital since they were married. He is back home tonight.

My Mom was a very strong, fun loving, independent woman. She taught me so much. They both have.

I will miss you Mama ... I love you, and I thank you for giving me life and for nurturing me.

There is a one day Visitation/Memorial on Friday, February 2nd, at ...
Brust Funerral Home
135 S. Main St.
Lombard, Il 60148
630-629-0094

If you would like to, Donations can be made in her name to:
Macular Degeneration Foundation Inc.
PO Box 531313
Henderson, NV. 89053
1-888-633-3937

Times like these always make me appreciate all of you, my wonderful family and friends.

Blessings upon Blessings,
Christine Quinn

The "GET OVER YOURSELF" Seminar

Greetings everyone!

I am coming to Portland, Oregon and Orlando, Florida for my 3-Day "GET OVER YOURSELF" Seminar. These weekends promise to be a major turning point in the life of everyone attending!

We will focus on "how-to" balance your relationships, your career, your physical health and your spiritual self. Just as automobiles with four perfectly balanced tires will ride nicer, get better gas mileage and have less maintenance issues ... when our lives are balance, we glide thru each day with less stress, attracting more abundance and have fewer physical issues.

Balancing the tires on a car is not particularly difficult if you have the right tools, and know how to use them. Balancing your life is just as simple when you have the right tools, and know how to use them.

Since 1973, over 200,000 people have proven these tools and concepts to be effective in Creating ... Physical, Relationship, Career and Spiritual ... Desired Results. Pesented in the U.S.A., Canada, New Zealand and Israel.

Based upon the concepts and techniques of "THE ORIGINAL" Personal Growth Seminar ... Jim and Jan Quinn's LifeStream Seminar ... Facilitated by their son, James Roswell Quinn ... Over 3,000 seminars ... Accept No Substitutes ... Be There !!!

Join us and get YOUR life in balance.
The "GET OVER YOURSELF" Seminar
Portland, Oregon ... November 10 -- 12, 2006
Orlando, Florida ... December 8 -- 10, 2006

Times:
Friday: 7:00 PM -- 11:00.
Saturday: 9:00 AM -- 9:00 PM.
Sunday: 9:00 AM -- 4:00 PM.

Tuition: $399.00 ... Bring a partner for only $99.00 !!!

For More Informatio, or to Register, Contact:
Jody Gonzalez in Portland
Toni Weel in Orlando

The Dahau Survivor and the Keynote Speaker

Most people do not easily forgive when they have been hurt. Resentment makes it difficult. Hatred makes it almost impossible. We feel justified in thinking things such as, “If I forgive you for what you did, it implies that what you did was not so bad. But, since what you did was wrong and hurtful, I will not forgive you.”

To resist forgiving is to rationalize the withholding of your love, abilities, and gifts. When you fail to forgive, you may or may not hurt the other person … but you definitely damage yourself.

Behold the magnificent apple tree, which never says … “I only give my apples to the deserving.” Regardless of the reason, we know that an apple tree which stops bearing fruit is dying. Similarly, a human who stops giving love is also dying. We die emotionally at first, but eventually the rest of the body follows.

Negative reactions triggered by your resentment are Fear-Based. It does not matter if your reasons are important or petty, real or perceived; to do so means you have made a decision to allow others to run your life … because of fear. The fact you can rationalize the behavior only proves you would not otherwise have acted in such a manner. In other words, when you react to your fears, the negative circumstance is in control … not you.

Hate begets hate. Hating the haters is not the answer, for you have already chosen to emulate them in your own way. Comic-pianist, Tom Lehrer, said it best when he jokingly proclaimed, “I know there are people in this world who do not love their fellow human beings, and I hate people like that.”

Forgiveness does not mean you condone the hurtful actions of another person. It does mean that you have decided that those actions are not going to control you. Choosing to forgive when the conditions are hurtful, especially when you are tempted to react with hate, is true self-control.

When you forgive, you are 'giving forth' love. Obviously, the person you are resenting benefits when you forgive, simply because you are not striving to hurt them back. More significantly, however, you benefit when you forgive. Clearly the person who hurt you did not create the forgiveness … you created it. As such, to forgive another is to stay in charge of your self.

Victims react BECAUSE of problems. Visionaries forgive IN SPITE of them. Mother Teresa created peace and love in Calcutta. You and I have created turmoil at birthday parties. The question is; can we do better?

A True Story

In 1982, I attended a lecture in Evanston, Illinois. The events of that evening had a profound impact on my view of the power of forgiveness.

The speaker was famous for his forgiveness messages, so most of the people in attendance were already supportive of this topic. It promised to be an inspirational evening for people who were, at least conceptually, quite open to his ideas. This was not a hostile crowd.

An impromptu survey of several people revealed I was one of the few in the audience who had not read any of the speaker’s books. To remedy this situation, I went to the lobby and bought one. Perhaps, I thought, I might even be able to get it autographed.

The speaker came out to a rousing ovation, and spoke on the power of love and forgiveness for more than an hour. He had us in tears one moment, then laughing a few minutes later. He spoke beautifully and effortlessly. Everyone was having a marvelous time.

Firmly he stated messages such as, “You have to forgive your enemies. You have to forgive family members who've hurt you. Forgiveness is the key to peace and happiness.” People were practically cheering. So far, so good.

“You have to forgive strangers who've stepped on your toes, or even accosted you,” he continued to even more applause. “And you must forgive yourself for the people you've hurt.” We loved that one.

The speaker was on a roll and we responded with continued applause and cheering until he said something rarely heard in a public address. He said, “In fact, the Jews will never be free until they forgive Hitler.”

Our celebration of good feelings hit a wall, and there was an abrupt silence. You could hear a collective gasp of disbelief at what had just been spoken, followed by an “explosion” of vehemence, the likes of which I have never witnessed.

Almost as he said, “In fact, the Jews will never be free until they forgive Hitler”, a tiny woman in the third or fourth row stood up and started screaming at him. Her tirade was a mixture of profanity, insults, and tears. It was quite difficult to decipher, but what I could understand sent a chill down my spine.

It became apparent that she was a survivor of the Dachau concentration camp. It was clear her hatred for Nazis would not tolerate any attempt to diminish her resentment and loathing.

She lived in nearby Skokie. Many survivors of concentration camps settled in this community after World War II. There were probably several other Holocaust survivors in the audience, and many of their children. This was not the place to say, “In fact, the Jews will never be free until they forgive Hitler”.

For several minutes, she spat her hatred at the speaker, and then literally collapsed from exhaustion into the arms of the people sitting next to her. For a moment it appeared she had actually died. Fortunately she had not, but she was totally spent.

I had been watching the speaker during her attack. Never had I seen a man so naked before. He just stood there and took it. You could see the depth of compassion on his face. I watched him struggle to find something, anything, to say to her.

I wager that he wanted to come down off the stage and embrace her and tell her he was sorry for what he said. But, he knew the truth. Her hatred of Nazis was killing her.

He knew this woman really needed to forgive for her own sake. However, any response on his part, “Hating the Nazis is killing you”, or “Forgiveness is divine”, would sound like empty platitudes, and he knew it. He really had nowhere to go.

Then, I heard someone crying. This was the only sound in the theatre of stunned observers, and it began to attract attention.

A young man was standing and weeping. For a few moments I wondered about what he might do. Finally, he spoke through his tears … with a thick German accent. If I live to be a thousand, I hope I never forget what he said that evening.

He began softly and with compassion. “Ma’am. Nobody has a right to hate more than you do. I can't imagine the horrors you've lived through. I can't imagine how anyone could treat another human in the ways you and others were treated. What makes it worse for me, however, is you are literally speaking of my parents and grandparents. It shames me as a German. Nobody has a right to hate more than you do.”

“But,” and he pointed at the speaker and continued quite firmly, “you must listen to this man. I have been having the Holocaust shoved down my throat since I was a child. I have been made to feel guilty and responsible. It has made me angry because I was not alive when those atrocities occurred.”

“I am not alone,” he continued. “Thousands, perhaps millions of other young Germans are fed up with being judged for acts that were committed by others. If it keeps up, they will react. You did not deserve to be treated the way you were treated, and we have not deserved to be made to feel guilty for it. Keep on hating … Hitler would approve.”

With that, he made his way through the crowd toward the woman. When he reached her, they embraced. The speaker visibly sighed with relief.

I watched as people reached in to hug the people, who were hugging the people, who were hugging the two of them. I would have given anything to be a part of that hug, but I was too far away. However, the speaker was being ignored. So I went up on stage, and had him autograph my copy of his book. I really did.

Finally, he got everyone to take their seats and spoke some beautiful words, bringing closure to what we had all witnessed. However, I knew it was the words of this young man I would always remember …

“Keep on hating ... Hitler would approve.”

Joe Ranft ... In Memoriam

Here's to you Joe Ranft.

My friend Joe Ranft died in a car accident on California's Highway 1 on August 16, 2005. Joe was a major player in the Feature Animation industry. He provided stories, storyboards, voices, artwork and more ... for some of the most beloved Feature Animations of all time (see below for a complete list of his credits).

For all his amazing achievements, I will always remember him as the voices of Heimlich (A Bug's Life) and Wheezy the Penguin (Toy Story 2).

Those people who know me have heard me speak of Joe often. He was the man who , a decade ago, hired me to teach my leadership workshop to Walt Disney Feature Animation. Much more recently, he was striving to have me present it to Pixar.

Joe was only 45. He was born on March 13, 1960 in Pasadena, California. Joe is survived by his wife (Su), two children (Jordan -- 13 and Sophia -- 9), his mother (Ruth) and father (James), his two brothers (James and Jerome) and a sister (Ruth Ann Scott).

While the national media have virtually ignored his passing ... by August 19, searches for Joe Ranft were ranked THIRD by Technorati (a website that tracks search activity of over 15,000,000 BLOGS).

Goodbye Joe. You will be remembered. You will be missed. Your work is eternal.

"... and in the end, the love you take, is equal to the love you make."
(Lennon & McCartney)

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Joe Ranft -- CREDITS

2006
The 78th Annual Academy Awards -- In Memoriam
Cars -- Co-Director
Cars -- Screenplay
Cars -- Story
Cars -- Voice (Red/Peterbuilt)
Cars -- In memory of
Cars -- Dedicatee

2005
Tim Burton's Corpse Bride -- Executive Producer
Tim Burtons' Corpse Bride -- Dedicatee

2004
The Incredibles -- Additional Voices

2003
Finding Nemo -- Voice (Jacques)
Fish Extreme Skate Adventure -- Voice

2002
Mike's New Car -- Special Thanks
Beauty and the Beast: Disney's Animation Magic -- Himself

2001
Monsters, Inc. -- Additional Voice
Monsters, Inc. -- Additional Story Material
Monkeybone -- Voice (Streetsquash Rabbit)

2000
Buzz Lightyear of Star Command: The Adventure Begins -- Voice (Wheezy)

1999
Fantasia/2000 -- Story
Toy Story 2 -- Story Supervisor
Toy Story 2 -- Additional Story Material
Toy Story 2 -- Voice (Wheezy the Penguin)
The Brave Little Toaster to the Rescue -- Character Designer: Other Characters

1998
A Bug's Life -- Story
A Bug's Life -- Voice (Heimlich)
The Brave Little Toaster Goes to Mars -- Creator of Additional Original Characters

1997
The Brave Little Toaster to the Rescue -- Character Design

1996
James and the Giant Peach -- Storyboard Supervisor

1995
Toy Story -- Story
Toy Story -- Story Supervisor
Toy Story -- Voice (Lenny the Binoculars)

1994
The Lion King -- Story

1993
Tim Burton's The Nightmare Before Christmas -- Storyboard Supervisor

1991
Beauty and the Beast -- Story
Drop Dead Fred -- Title Designer

1990
The Rescuers Down Under -- Story

1988
Oliver & Company -- Story
Who Framed Roger Rabbit -- Storysketch

1987
The Brave Little Toaster -- Story
The Brave Little Toaster -- Directing Animator
The Brave Little Toaster -- Voice (Elmo St. Peters)

1982
Luau -- I.Q.

Ashley Smith Praised as a Love-Based Leader

PRESS RELEASE
March 26, 2005
CONTACT: Nan Hanna-Paquin, Publicist 315-483-0116

(Chicago, Illinois) After sifting through the horrors of the recent Atlanta killings, one cannot help but be inspired by the amazing story of Ashley Smith. First, Brian Nichols overpowered and shot a female deputy. He murdered a judge, a court reporter, a male deputy, and a customs officer. Three trained and armed officials were unable to control Nichols. Incredibly, Ashley Smith was able to successfully influence him and thus save her own life because of one thing … her Love-Based leadership.

“Ashley Smith touched hearts of millions with her courage and compassion,” says author James Roswell Quinn. “She proved that people can accomplish miracles when they move from love instead of fear.”

Love-Based leadership is a term coined by James Roswell Quinn, public speaker and author of the compelling book, CONTROLLING OTHERS FOR LOVE AND PROFIT … “Controlling others is not the solution, it is the problem.” Quinn is uniquely qualified to explain why Ashley Smith was successful in reaching an “unreachable” person. He is the veteran of over 1,200 seminars and keynote addresses on Love-Based leadership … in the United States, Canada, and New Zealand. His concepts have helped tens of thousands of people deal with situations ranging from minor irritations to unimaginable tragedies.

How? Quinn shows you how to use Love-Based leadership to reach people who are frustrating, ignoring, overwhelming, or intimidating you. Love-Based leadership is basically leadership by self-control. Basically, whenever something is going wrong, first identify your automatic non-think Fear-Based reaction (Fight, Flight, Freeze, or Facade) and then do the opposite. It works every time.

“CONTROLLING OTHERS FOR LOVE AND PROFIT is an extraordinary manual for creating results by overcoming negative Fear-Based behaviors. The concepts and techniques are effective across cultural boundaries and personal backgrounds.”
John Nemanic – Chairman & Co-Founder: Hostopia.com
Former CEO & Co-Founder: Tucows.com
Former CEO & Co-Founder: Internet Direct

# # #

To book James as a guest, or to request a Soft-Cover review copy of his book, please send your mailing information and email address to Nan Hanna-Paquin … Hannapaq@aol.com

Author: James Roswell Quinn
ISBN: 0-9754417-0-1
Soft Cover: $19.95 US

Bag End, the Party Tree, and me ...

This is the last remaining film site constructed for the Lord Of The Rings. Located near the town of Matamata, New Zealand. It is definately worth the two hour drive from Auckland International Airport. I'd advise getting there early in the day, or phone ahead for reservations. Afterwards, it is so much fun to watch Lord Of The Rings and be able to say, "I was standing on that spot!" Tours to other locations are available, but to see more than just a few interesting sites requires lots of time ... and experienced guides. New Zealand ROCKS!

Buckminster Fuller

From the book, “Controlling Others For Love And Profit” by James Roswell Quinn. The following Foreword from the book is written by Lloyd Steven Sieden, author of “Buckminster Fuller’s Universe … His Life And Times”
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Businessman, statesman, inventor, futurist, architect of the geodesic dome, and the man who coined the phrase “Spaceship Earth” … R. Buckminster Fuller has one of the longest listings in the history of Who’s Who in America.
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Now is the time, we are the people. This has been proclaimed by many societies throughout recorded history, but never has it been truer than at this critical moment in the evolution of humankind. We stand at a juncture when, as my mentor Buckminster Fuller wrote in 1983, "The cosmic question has been asked. Are humans … worthwhile?”

We find ourselves in the last stages of a great cosmic final examination. Bucky said our exam can be boiled down to one simple question, "Am I choosing love or fear?" He recognized this choice of love over fear is actually quite logical today, but was not rational for our ancestors even a few decades ago.

“Limits are what we fear.” … R. Buckminster Fuller

In the 1930's, Fuller was the first person to take a thorough accounting of all Earth's resources. He determined that we were continually doing "more with less." Fuller surmised that our "more with lessing" would eventually create a world in which there was enough for everyone, and he sought to determine when that would take place.

His calculations led him to predict that that shift would occur in 1976. It has now been proven that, in 1976, humankind became so efficient that we could feed everyone on Earth. That statistic also applies to all other resources including non-physical ones such as love.

“Humanity is taking its final examination. We have come to an extraordinary moment when it doesn’t have to be you or me anymore. There is enough for all.” … R. Buckminster Fuller

There is enough of everything, but most of us continue to react from the mindset of pre-1976 when we had to fight for "our share" and to make sure that our family and friends had what they needed. We did this out of fear, which was valid prior to the 1976 transition. Now, more than ever, we need to recognize that there is enough for everyone and begin to contribute and share wholeheartedly. In other words, we need to act out of love rather than out of fear.

The question then becomes, how does one individual accomplish this? How can we each manifest what makes the most difference, and give our individual gifts in the most effective manner possible?

This seems like a difficult challenge until we consider all that was accomplished by the great women and men who lived in an era where there really was not enough to go around. Those brave individuals gave of themselves in ways we can only describe as heroic, even though their peers often perceived them as unstable.

These wise ancestors often used a strategy we too can employ. They looked to see where they could make the most difference with the least effort, thereby allowing them to do much more with very little. Bucky Fuller compared this behavior to that of a ship’s trimtab.

“A large ship goes by, and then comes the rudder. On the edge of the rudder is a miniature rudder called a trimtab. Moving the trimtab builds a low pressure which turns the rudder that steers the gigantic ship with almost no effort. One individual can be a trimtab, making a major difference.” … R. Buckminster Fuller

James Roswell Quinn has been a trimtab with much of his life. Rather than devoting the majority of his time to one-on-one consultation, he shares his talents and insights with groups of people. I have personally utilized many of the techniques he teaches. James has a great deal to offer at this critical juncture in the evolution of humankind.

The trimtab principle is available to each of us as well. We may not be the people who stand in front of a room or write a book, but we have a responsibility to uncover our unique talents and gifts and share them with the World in an effective manner.

Within our ‘World that works for everyone’ that has emerged since 1976, we are all vital to the process of making a global shift by becoming accountable for leading from a position of love in all aspects of our lives. We need more people who reflect this perspective of love, rather than the fear that has dominated our society since the dawn of recorded history. We need "average individuals," as many leaders have described themselves, to step forward into their true calling.

Quinn has been on the leading edge of supporting this emerging reality and the transformation that it offers to every crewmember aboard Spaceship Earth. He has gained a wealth of information from the facilitation of several thousand seminars and workshops.

“Controlling Others For Love And Profit” is a great tool-box for those seeking to make a positive difference in the world. Many have embarked on the journey toward becoming, what James Roswell Quinn describes as, a Love-Based leader. It may not always be smooth sailing, but I can assure you it is the only way our children and their children will survive and prosper.

I invite you to choose the path of love and become a trimtab on behalf of all humankind. Each of us can make a difference. We can contribute our gifts to one another and, in the process, receive the rewards of being gifted with the talents of others.

Bucky’s tombstone reads, “Call Me Trimtab”

Making the decision to choose love does not require sacrifice. The path of love is a path of joy. It promotes a sense of wellbeing for all who choose it. Choosing love brings forth the best in each of us, and calls us to greater challenges and possibilities. Choosing love opens doorways that we did not know existed and allows for the magic called synergy to blossom in our lives and the lives of those we touch.

In choosing love as a way to live and lead, each of us helps to lay the foundation for a new civilization in which we will manifest the often imagined heaven on Earth. That possibility is here now. It lies within each of us. Turn the pages of this book gently, and you will surely find clues to your personal journey on this path.

Lloyd Steven Sieden

“Whether humanity is to continue and comprehensively prosper on Spaceship Earth depends entirely on the integrity of the human individuals and not on the political and economic systems.” … R. Buckminster Fuller