My 2 cents on the matter is that we are all to blame, including myself – and I’m no Walmart/Gap/Abercrombie Stench clothes shopper. We’re all one community and I’m aware of the poor conditions around the world (as we all are).

This tragedy reflects our lack of responsibility. It’s a common occurrence these days. We’re all busy working to make money and gain power with little regard to the impact of our actions. This ignorance isn’t an excuse, as our actions are our choice. And define who we are.

The funny thing is our actions are about the only thing we can control. So why not do our best for all our communities, for the world. Because we’re interdependent.

There’s no small or large, just one.

We can create the change we desire, every person and all together.  So take one for the team. Work and act responsibly.

Written by Brad Black, EO’s co-CEO

At EO, we try our best to do our best – to serve ourselves and to serve others. We’re passionate and have permission to experiment, dream, make mistakes, and get up again. We believe this enables us to create some of the best and innovative products in the world.

We’re looking to hire someone to help us tell our story. We have lots of them, adding new ones daily. This person needs to be an amazing storyteller, writer, communicator and love what we do, and how and why we do it.

Some helpful hints to getting this job: 1. You have to care about yourself and others, 2. Have the desire to inspire and to be enthusiastic, 3. Have the written skills to engage Shakespeare and kids in one stroke of the pen and 4. Be able to get the word out to the world, so that the world responds. We know this is a tall task, as was a 4 minute mile.

We want you to be free, to run like the wind, to sing and be heard, to be our EO voice. Form letters, standard resumes and all ho-hum will get tossed.

Written by Brad Black, EO’s co-CEO

We live in a culture that embraces power, control and alpha (fe)males. Tenderness, thoughtfulness and respect are seen as a weakness. I say ‘huh?’, not in my world. However, this doesn’t mitigate feeling pushed around.

So, what to do?

You continue to operate from within. Find like-minded people/community. Get clear on who you are. What’s the objective? Move forward tenderly and with sure footing, with poise.

Sometimes there has to be a change in strategy, an adjustment that acknowledges the roadblock. However, strongly believe that you must move forward and that you can’t do it alone – so communicate and get moving.

I don’t like to be pushed around, however I’m not afraid (as much). I acknowledge that I am strong, although I bleed. I belong, although I’m different. And, it’s a perfect world.

Written by Brad Black, EO’s co-CEO

I hate pain though, especially anything to do with my teeth and mouth. I tell myself that I must be channeling some past life torture scene or tooth decay 10,000 years ago that ultimately killed me.

In this life, there is one thing I hate more than the drilling of my teeth, and that’s novocaine. I hate the cocktail of chemicals that gets shot into my body, the 1 hour residual effect after I leave the dentist chair, and worse, the needle sliding into my gums.

While there is a time and place for novocaine, it wasn’t for today. So, I went without it. Sure there was some pain that shot down to my toes, however not bad. And, at times I would laugh at the ridiculousness of it all while chocking on cotton balls.

It’s a beautiful thing, the drilling of one’s teeth. It’s a modern convenience – and to have a choice of taking pain meds or not while sitting in a comfortable chair.

Here’s a cheer to our times, my dentist Dr. Dawn and to a chemical free visit.

Written by Brad Black, EO’s co-CEO

Are we seen in a neutral space, or with expectation – “Hey, I want you to be the way I want you to be, versus the way you want to be?” Are we given a second chance – especially if the first experience didn’t turn out the way as was intended or expected?

Change operates on multiple levels – your change may make you “acceptable” to the other person (who didn’t change), or vice-versa, or both changing or neither. However the dynamic has shifted the relationship.

Whelp, we’re dressing differently here at EO. And while over time we’re always changing – we’re still simple, walk lightly and smell pretty damn good.

We hope you like our new look (rolling out to a store near you).

Written by Brad Black, EO’s co-CEO

Tear Free?

We’ve been asked if our new EveryOne Kids line is Tear Free. Simple answer: Heck no!! Tears are good and necessary.

‘No Tear’ is achieved by temporarily numbing the tear duct. It’s the same method used in pesticides to anesthetize bugs. The terrible part about this is that the child/baby cannot naturally react (create a tear) to defend itself against getting soap in their eye – and to wash it away with the tear.

Tears are good.

All our products use much milder cleansers that are low in irritation.

We recommend keeping any soap out of the eyes of infants, toddlers, kids, teens, tweens, adults, seniors, goats, dogs, elephants and executives at the companies that make “tear free” – regardless if it’s labeled “tear free” or not. However if any soap does, wash it out with water.

Written by Brad Black, EO’s co-CEO

I try to live by this, to be happy. Easier said than done I know, however I find it to be true. Happiness heals. It’s infectious. It’s a good road map to live your life by. And, it’s a choice.

The opposite is to wallow in your misery. For me, I have plenty of it and it gets pretty dark sometimes. However the rebound is exhilarating, like a good bungee jump (from holy shit to HOLY SHIT!!!) – And making us a better person along the way.

After a holiday of giving to others (and receiving too), it’s time to give to yourself. To help you achieve your bliss, I’d like to offer you a 25% off EO on our website. Lather on extra lotion. Soak in your bubble filled tub.

It gets better. Please share with your friends. Let’s make everyone happy(er)!!!

Details: Use code: EOTREATS2012. Will run to midnight this Sunday night (30^th). We’re all on vacation, so we’ll start shipping on January 3^rd.

EO Website

Have a great 2013.

Link to: Ted talk – Wade Davis.

1: There is much work for me to do in my life. And by work, I don’t mean making a living$. I mean to deal/heal my own shit while striving to be happy, joyous and compassionate.

2: I am resilient – and this is where the Shit Knife comes in (about nineteen minutes into the video). You can put me in an igloo in the North Pole in the middle of winter (and far from Santa too), and I’ll still find my path.

Written by Brad Black, EO’s co-CEO

Written by Brad Black, EO’s co-CEO

That’s what I felt that when I read about the people who live on a tiny island I had never heard of before, Ikaria, in Greece.

A lot of people were interested in why they seem to live so very long, into their 90s and beyond, so a study was made and a very long article was written for the NY Times talking about what was found there.

These people nap every day. They visit with one another, every day. They all  grow some of their own food and their simple, clean meals of are made at home and enjoyed together, not in a rush, with laughter, and usually some wine too. They drink tea, made with the wild herbs of the season. They enjoy long marriages, and they have sex, complete with “good duration” and “achievement” for decades too. Their community is nosy, and insular and not private at all. This ensures they get out, and they watch their step, and they know they belong to something larger than themselves. They look out for one another, and most evenings include more visits, more laughter and some more of that wine.

It sounds pretty good to me.

Written by Brad Black, EO’s co-CEO