 
Delivered fresh on March 28th, 2011
Greetings!
I was reading an article today that suggested something I did not know: The one sure way to tell a fake diamond from the real thing is that a fake diamond will look perfect. The real thing, the diamond that has true value, will always be - flawed. Dana DANA DELIVERED! User's Guide: 1) Open up your Dana Delivered! email. 2) Choose an article from the menu on the left hand side or just start from the beginning and read all the way through. 3) If you are reading an article and want to finish, Click on "Read More..." and you will be taken to our website. You can finish reading and while there, have a look around. Note: Dana's Dailies changes, well, daily so come back often. 4) Click on any of the words highlighted in red and you will be taken right to our site, DanaRoc.com. In INSPIRING PEOPLE: Dana talks with Writer, Producer, Rapper and Social Activist, Genesis Be. Read Dana's EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW with Genesis Be! Take a minute to read DANA'S WEEKLY INSIGHT and make sure that you listen to the AUDIO VERSION as well. There may be someone who needs you to pass that along. Check out DANA'S DAILIES for no other reason than to hopefully smile. And come back and visit the blog all week at www.danaroc.com/dailies. The special article FROM DANA'S GUESTS: this week is a speech delivered by Professor and Author Samantha Powers. Read this speech and be both challenged and encouraged! Check out AUGUSTE ROC'S MY TWO CENTS (For Whatever It Is Worth). There is something in it for YOU! While it may be "Two Cents" but you'll find it's worth a whole lot more. Feel free to email your comments to Auguste at auguste@danaroc.com. This week's THE GOOD LIFE : BOOKS selection is What Are You Optimistic About?: Today's Leading Thinkers on Why Things Are Good and Getting Better by John Brockman. Because it's time to shift gears and get happy! Something useful in THE GOOD LIFE : WEB SITES is FINCA this week. Check it out! And there's more so sit back, grab a cup of coffee, relax and enjoy. As always, thanks for reading! Stay cool. Be hungry. Never look back. Always reach back. Fear not. Believe always, Dana M'mm! M'mm! Good!
Have you ever been caught knowing something beyond a shadow of a doubt, while someone else was trying to share with you, another point of view? And, have you ever had somebody try to tell you something that you were just too stubborn to want to hear, only to find out later on that you should have paid attention to what they had to say? There have been times when I have been fortunate enough to recognize in real time, that if I would only be willing to listen, I just might be able to learn. There have also been times when I have found myself realizing in hind sight that I was wrong and that someone else, after all was said and done, was right. The case could be made indeed that there is profound value in discovering something all by yourself, but it can also be argued that there is a unique benefit in being open to the tried and true experiences of another human being. I just sat there staring into that piping hot bowl of Bean with Bacon soup, watching in disbelief as several teeny tiny worms floated around in the broth. Hungry, I wondered how in the world Campbells could have overlooked such a thing, while at the same time I was thoroughly confused about how my aunt, who was home from college on spring break, could have possibly neglected to recall this defective soup and protect me from what had definitely become traumatic. I was willing to forgive my aunt her relative inexperience with this sort of thing and I was prepared to be generous when pointing out to her the oversight, convinced that she would be equally offended and appalled. Instead however, when I brought the floating worms to her attention, she just sort of laughed as if I had made a cute little joke and then she warned me to “finish eating the soup”. Certain that it was just that she hadn’t seen what I was seeing, I convinced myself that she had simply misunderstood but when I called her back for a more thorough examination of the tainted soup, she was impatient when she had to explain to me again that the “worms” were actually hypocotyl, a healthy part of the bean, to which I replied without speaking, “If it looks like a worm and floats like a worm, as far as I am concerned – it’s a worm”! A Hypocot-o who? A healthy part of the bean my foot! What did she think, I was stupid? I did not care at all how many colleges she was on a spring break from, there was something that she clearly did not understand here, something that was absolutely crystal clear to me! She had no idea what she was talking about and, as far as I was concerned, I did! Imagine. My unwillingness to be informed by her expertise fueled in me a self righteous indignation that ultimately resulted in my early dismissal from the table and a mandate to go straight to my room for an unscheduled nap while the other kids got to go back outside to play. Later on that evening, as if channeling the spirit of Mommy Dearest herself, my aunt spitefully served me that wormy Bean with Bacon soup all over again for dinner. There I sat staring into that awful slop, watching in disbelief as several teeny tiny worms were beginning to dry up in the broth. Defiant, I wondered how I would ever bring myself to trust Campbells again, while at the same time, confused about how my aunt could have been so awful herself. In the end the soup was tossed out and I was excused from the table and allowed to get on with my life. Years later I would discover in biology class that hypocotyl was in fact a healthy part of the bean and I would laugh as I recalled the afternoon when my aunt tried to tell me what I was too stubborn to hear. I am relieved to have finally figured out that, although experience has the potential to be a great teacher, other people serve as our greatest resource for discovering that which we do not know. I have therefore come to expect that at any given moment in time and from no one in particular, I might expand my modest little universe if I am willing to accept that maybe, just maybe – I don’t know. And you? Ever catch yourself knowing more than you actually do, while someone else is trying to share with you, another point of view? Ever had somebody try to tell you something that you were just too stubborn to want to hear, only to find out later that if you had only paid attention to what they had to say, perhaps you would not have missed out? Life has a funny way of revealing to us that the more we learn, the more we discover just how much we don’t know. And, accepting that we don’t know what we don’t know, while learning to appreciate that somebody else just might know better, is critical if what you want to do is continue to expand. We can not know what we do not know but we can choose to recognize that, if we’re lucky, there will always be someone who knows something that we don’t, and if we’re smart we will allow therefore, for the possibility that their experiences might serve us, maybe even save us, but at the very least serve to foster in us, a healthy sense of humility, curiosity and the willingness to grow. Dana Have a great week!
  Writer, Producer, Rapper and Social Activist, Genesis Be
Activists occupy a special place in my heart. Young activists passionate about making a difference, courageous about taking a stand for what they believe in – they are my heroes. Genesis Be is young and gifted and determined and focused and she is living her future right now. Amazing! DR: Tell me about your music. GB: Mississippi to Manhattan has basically taken 4 years for me to complete. I took on the role of Executive Producer, Writer, Performer, Mixer, Master and Engineer of the album. It's my journey, having been in the Clive Davis Department and taken what they have taught me and applying it to my music. It's a very interesting process. This is the first time that I have dug in technologically with the music, with my own music... DR: What do you mean by that? GB: As far as learning how to use software applications, pro tools and logic and understanding how to properly mix sound and master. I am still learning, for sure. People do this their whole lives...I have been taught by some of my mentors about how to use the software and I have a respect for them and everyone else who calls themselves an Audio Engineer. It's a lot of work and it takes a lot of time and not everyone has the ear for it. This album is something new for me as far as a challenge. It's my fourth album. I am not a stranger to executive producing my own projects but taking on the role of mixer and master was definitely an interesting experience. The album is releasing April 19th and I am really excited to see the response to it. DR: Tell me about the message. GB: To be honest, there is really no underlying message as far as one thread. I talk about things like domestic abuse. I speak about things like molestation... DR: You laugh. Why is that?
 Samantha Powers: Address to Pitzer-Claremont College Class 0f 2008
Samantha Powers is a shining and brilliant example of what the future of leadership in America looks like... Samantha Powers The following is Samantha Power's address to the graduating class of Pitzer-Claremont College in California It is an indescribable honor to be here with you today, class of 2008. It is an even greater honor that you extended the invitation before what I now -- with exaggerated self-importance -- call "Monster-gate." I am grateful to you for not rescinding the invitation after I opened my big mouth and became global villain for a day. If you ever needed evidence that even college graduates never grow up -- they just get more sophisticated at disguising their inner child -- I offered it. Thanks for standing by your humbled commencement speaker. Since I graduated from college in 1992, I have been blessed to have been a part of some pretty momentous causes. Yet I count as the greatest privileges of my life the...
 Eager Beaver
You've got to understand the rules if your going to play the game! I remember I was nine years old when my fourth grade teacher announced, in class, that - the youth basketball league would begin next week at the community gym! I was overwhelmed with excitement about the opportunity to play, for my very first time, on a basketball team. Every night I would dream of being on the court and playing basketball in an actual game. I kept reminding my Mom to buy a new pair of Chuck Taylor basketball shoes for me so that I would look like a real player on the court. I was beside myself. It was all that I could think of and imagine because I saw myself as a basketball player. At nine years old I saw myself as an athlete and a hero and there was nothing that was going to prevent me from showing up and making my basketball debut. It was the first day of the youth basketball league and the gym was packed with kids. I remember that the excitement was thick in the air and I remember that I was picked to play on the 'Knicks' team and my team was scheduled to play first - Now I am out of control! I didn't know any of the other boys on the team. The ages ranged from nine to twelve and I happened to be the youngest. But I wasn't fazed by any of this. I was here to play! It wasn't until the second half when the coach would tell me to report into the game. My time had finally arrived and I stepped onto the court in my new Chuck Taylor's! Before I knew it, the ball fatefully ended up in my hands and all I knew was that the ball was going into a basket. I headed, full sprint towards the basket, dodging everyone in my way, practically the full length of the court without ever taking one dribble. After the referees whistle stopped play and calm was restored amongst the kids, I realized that I was being frantically waived off the court. My coach motioned for me to get back to the bench where he proceeded, mercifully to explain the rules of the GAME. Besides just being an amusing childhood memory, the events of that day provided me with a key to playing in any GAME in life - You've got to understand the rules if your going to play the game! Where in your life have you had the drive to initiate a project or a dream and yet, neglected to familiarize yourself with the rules of the GAME? Your drive and passion may fuel your aspirations, but if you don't know the rules and if you haven't identified that there will be opposition, you too will be sidelined, Chuck Taylor's or not. I did eventually get over my embarrassment and the lesson that I learned that day continues to pay-off. That's my two cents (for whatever it's worth), Auguste Roc
 The 100 Years Project - Allegra and Dario Brosco
Name: Allegra Brosco Age: 42 years old Where are you from: Rhode Island Where do you live: New York City Occupation: I’m with my kids mostly but I am starting up – going back to work. I was the Co-founder and CEO of a food company for seven years. I just resigned. So, now I’m doing private clients and individual projects. 100 Years from now what do you want to be remembered for: I want to be remembered as someone who was kind and giving on small and large scales. Name: Dario Brosco Age: 3 years old Where are you from: New York City Where do you live: New York City 100 Years from now what do you want to be remembered for: Batman!  FINCA
Why I am recommending FINCA: This is one of the most exciting programs that I know of! FINCA provides low cost loans to low income entrepreneurs, primarily women, who would otherwise not qualify. This allows them to thrive in their communities and lift themselves out of the grip of poverty. Just an incredible program!
 What Are You Optimistic About?: Today's Leading Thinkers on Why Things Are Good and Getting Better
Why I am recommending this book: With all of the bad news out there these days, optimism is something that we could all use a little bit more of and John Brockman taps some of today's most intriguing minds about what they are personally optimistic about.
Click here to purchase this book. Amazon.com Click here to purchase this book.
 
Greatness is the direct result of sacrificing one's personal comfort for the possibility of honoring a commitment far greater than ones self; of making one courageous choice after another. In other words - Gandhi wasn't born Gandhi. Ghandi became.
 
DanaRoc.com is a multimedia Internet destination featuring Dana Delivered! -- an ezine filled with interesting stories and fun tidbits delivered fresh to your email inbox first thing every Monday morning. Both entertaining and informative, Dana Delivered! is packed full of sound advice, inspiring perspectives, great original interviews with influential and successful people, insightful and interesting guest articles, regular columnists, Dana's recommendations and more.
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