AllSunnyDaze

"All of My Needs Are Met" (and so are Yours!)

2012-02-03T09:25:00.000-05:00

This is a "textversation" that i had with a dear friend this morning. I think many others can benefit from this as well, so here goes....(DF = Dear Friend; M = Me) please excuse any formatting issues, as this is posted from my (very) Smartphone.

DF: "Looking to my gem ( that's you) for a gem . What is the best thing Eileen said to you 'the other day?'"

M: "...one of my favorite reminders is, "when you set a CLEAR intention, the mechanisms for it to manifest will fall into line.". (slightly paraphrased, but that's the gist)."

DF: "Nice, and how do you set a clear intention?"

M: "Well, you state what you want. An affirmation, for instance. Ie, "my body is beautiful and I take care of it thru healthy eating and fitness activities.". Or, "I am now experiencing a perfect loving, romantic relationship with a loving partner with whom i share a mutual love and respect.". Just a couple of options."

DF: "Thank you, perfect, got it."

M: "When we set an intention or state an affirmation, it is important that we are specific about the "what" but not the "how". God/Universe will provide the path for us to get to the "what" and as long as we are a vibrational match to that which we are wanting, the path will be clear to us. It is also important that we remain open to the possibilities. One thing that Rev Michael says in his books/recordings is "all this or something better". Just remember, we are ALL perfect creations. Spiritual beings here in this body, on this Earth having a Human experience. Sometimes it is easy forget out divine essence and truth of who we are. We get caught up in the daily happenings and forget that our true purpose here is to experience joy and happiness. We also forget that joy and happiness are already ours! Our True nature, our Essence IS Love! So, when we find ourselves seeking outwardly for that "thing" or "someone" to "make" us happy, we need only remember that we already have everything we need within us. We ARE LOVE - JOY - HAPPINESS and ALL OF OUR NEEDS ARE MET! Xoxoxo"

Ode to "Joe's"......

2012-01-29T22:30:00.000-05:00

Grocery stores frighten me. Well, perhaps "frighten" is too strong of a word, but I certainly experience some degree of anxiety when I enter an unknown store. It's like visiting a new planet for the first time. There are all sorts of things all over the place - shelves, food, perishables, non-perishables, produce, canned goods, bottled goods, bagged goods, crunchy things, soft things, you get the idea.
Wondrous places, these "grocery" stores. It takes me a while to warm up to one, and when I do, I like it to stay the same. No re-organizing please. Aisle 1 is for produce and produce only. Cereal and healthy snacks in aisle 2, etc.
Today I went to Trader Joe's. I go there for one particular item and that item is located on the right side of the store, second set of shelves in from the wall. It was there, anyway, the last time I was in the store. Today was different. Even the entrance was in a different location. The entrance was moved about 20 feet to the right. I nearly walked into the window trying to get in. Don't worry, I figured it out before I looked completely stupid. Besides, I was chatting on the phone as I was walking, so folks probably just figured that I was talking to my reflection in the window. The confusion had only just begun. I entered the store (which I do not frequent, so it's always a bit intimidating) only to find a complete and total reorganization. Instead of wine and beer in front of me, it was oranges and bananas. I love oranges and bananas, but at this point I was FEELING bananas! And people. People everywhere! It seemed like an impending snowstorm shopping excursion! (and no snow in the forecast, by the way) I stood still in an attempt to get my bearings, then realized that if I didn't move I would soon be run down by any one of a number of shopping carts. I shuffled in, then realized that I might need a basket so I exited the entrance, grabbed a basket, darted back in and stood still for a few more seconds.
Every person in that store was there to be in my way, I'm certain. They all knew I was coming and they got there first. They were waiting for me. They were laughing.....all of them....laughing while planning mayhem and confusion at my expense.
Okay, that part isn't true, but it was really busy. I wondered while I wandered around and around, dodging carts, people, small children and produce. I looked for peanut butter, cheese and juicy oranges. I found carrots. Carrots are good and they were on my list so I grabbed them and put them in my basket. Much to my delight, on the opposite side of the store was a shelf full of the very item that I was seeking - Organic, sulfite free Red Wine. I grabbed a couple of bottles and continued my quest for peanut butter. I found salsa for someone who couldn't find it herself. I dodged carts, twisted out of the way of small children and marveled at the long checkout lines. I wished that I could open the wine. Giving up on the peanut butter, I made my way to the last checkout line and snuggled in behind a man and three small girls. We were next to the many different types of beer. I gazed at the shelves wondering if I should taste test a couple of brews. I opted to remain in line as a wonderful and seamless transition of cashiers was taking place. As the customer in front of me was leaving with his goods and I approached the register, one cashier left and another slid in with her till. It was a lovely dance that they did.
Also at this time another store associate needed to pass behind me. (I should note that I was wearing a short bill cap, a scarf, fleece jacket, ripped jeans and blue converse sneakers - not a fashion plate, but comfy). So as I squished up against the check-out counter for this associate to pass behind me, he said, "Excuse me, Sir".
I turned and glanced at him and said matter-of-factly, "No problem, Ma'am".
What? His hair was longer than mine......
I didn't look at him long enough to see his reaction, but I think he got the point.
The cashier was quite kind and quite empathic. She started to ask how I was, but quickly shifted to, "are you ok?" (I guess the annoyed look was still plastered on my face.)
I regained my cheerful demeanor (note sarcasm here, as I did NOT open the wine in the store), and smiled at her. "Oh, yes, I'm fine, thank you. He just called me Sir, so I called him Ma'am.... figured it must be opposite day. This is how I entertain myself," I told her, sheepishly.
The cashier got quite a kick out of my antics. I graciously paid for my wine and carrots and dodged my way out the door into the parking lot. There was a very nice lady in the parking lot who helped me safely cross the street by gently herding me with her cart. So kind. She was very nice.
I left and went to Whole Foods for the peanut butter and other obscure items (like bread and cheese). Whole Foods feels safe. They may not carry $6.49 bottles of organic wine, but they have great bananas and I know where the peanut butter is.

With Grace and Gratitude

2011-12-04T08:04:00.000-05:00

Last night I was reading a thread on a social media network that contained this Link about the National Defense Authorization Act and more than a few opposing comments. As I skimmed through the written portion of the article as well as the comments on the thread, I became more and more disheartened. Images of soldiers on every street corner, of citizens being "captured" and taken away at will, of my children living in fear of a single misstep all floated around in my head. This was something else that must be FOUGHT AGAINST! (The images went well beyond that, but no need to be a complete Debbie Downer here, after all, this Blog is AllSUNNYDaze, not rainy daze....)

Soon after reading this, I went on a little jaunt to buy dog food. Something about the motion of the car seems to get my creative juices flowing (either the motion or the fact that the car is the only place I can find quiet these days) and so it began.

I was thinking about how awful it would feel to be under complete military control. Then I thought about the threat of military control or even the perceived threat. Other people have experienced it and they have survived, but this nation was founded on a completely different set of values. The more I continued this line on thinking, the more I realized how bad I was starting to feel. I could actually feel my vibrational frequency lowering, as if I was slowing down inside my car. In my mind I saw soldiers prevalent everywhere. They were patrolling streets, roadways, towns, buildings, you name it, they were there in my mind. The police departments were no longer needed because the local and state laws no longer mattered, only the Federal laws were implemented. So, in my mind I was completely oppressed and jobless, and still heading to Target to buy dog food. "At least I still have this freedom," I thought. And then I began to realize that I still have ALL of my freedoms. The images of soldiers began to be joined by images of Lightworkers milling around, unassumingly going about their business with serene smiles on their faces. (The image of Lightworkers was inspired by a poem that I stumbled upon on Facebook. I can't find it now. Has anyone else seen it?)
As the new images arose in my mind's eye and the realization that nothing "bad" had happened, I feeling of gratitude began to settle within me. I brought my focus back to the NOW. I was in the car. Driving. I pulled into the parking lot of the shopping center and marveled at the lights. Wow. What beauty! I got out of my car and freely walked into the store where I saw a young friend restocking shelves. I innocently asked her how much the items in the dollar bins cost, she whacked me in the shoulder and we both laughed. I recognized the joy that I was experiencing. I moved onward through the store, chose to purchase a DVD and then, still experiencing the feeling of awe for simply being able to have this experience, I grabbed the dog food and headed to the checkout. (For mental imagery purposes, I'm not a large person and while I'm also not the size of an elf, a 40 lb. bag of dog food is not a whole lot larger than I am.....sort of like an ant carrying a sunflower seed.....)
Still experiencing the higher vibrations of of joy and gratitude I completed the checkout and made my way back to the car.
The point of all of this is not the activity that I was performing, it is the realization that it is our VIBRATION that matters! It is our focus on what we desire and our attention to how we are feeling at the moment that affords us the opportunity to SHIFT to a positive feeling. Yes, the link that I posted above tells a sad tale. The possibilities are disheartening. But there is a gift in all of that! The GIFT is the opportunity for each of us to look past the sadness; to allow ourselves to look within and find what it is that slows and lowers our vibration, then to find that point of focus that raises us up and reminds us to let our light shine. Where there is Light, there is NO darkness. What may seem a battle that is to be met with resistance is actually an opportunity for a change of perspective.
(Please do not misunderstand what I am saying here. There are times when action is needed. "Bad" things happen and if we can be of service to assist and help another, then so be it. We "serve" with grace and gratitude, not from anger or sorrow.)

The point of all of this? Focus on the little things. The wonderful things. After reading and getting the gist of the link above as well as the associated comments, I recognized a dark path just ahead. Then, I suddenly realized how immensely fortunate I am NOW. All of the good that exists NOW....the fact that we are currently living in the "Land of the Free"..... that I can go and buy dog food where ever I want.... and from there, I found joy and gratitude in each breath..... In the NOW.

Breath. Return to NOW. What are you feeling right NOW. What is beyond that feeling? Just feel it and be with it and just be here NOW and enjoy.

With Grace and Gratitude, thank you for being YOU and for sticking with me through the random thoughts!

Blessed and Tongue Tied

2011-11-04T18:23:00.002-05:00

Have you ever felt inspired? I know I have. Just a few moments ago I felt inspired to write and update this page after many months of finger tapping silence. Just as I sat down at a little table at the bookstore cafe, however, I realized that there was a very intense conversation going on behind me and I couldn't seem to tear my ears away from it. How rude of me. And how interesting. I could have done without the food in the mouth talking, though, but that was certainly none of my business, being the eavesdropper.

They have now taken their drinks and moved on and I am grateful for that.

Last weekend I had an amazing experience at the Mind Body Spirit expo! Sharing in the joy with my lovely wife and a wonderful friend on Friday, we perused tables and vendors and treats before the biggest treat of all, an up close and personal experience with Dr. Michael Bernard Beckwith and Rickie Byars Beckwith of Agape International Spiritual Center. Wow and more wow.

I returned on Saturday to see Doreen Virtue. It was snowing. October, East Coast, south of New York, North of the Carolinas.....not supposed to be snowing yet! There was no stopping me for this one, though! I'm not one to be star struck. Celebrity status is not something that I am overly excited about normally. I appreciate and respect the work and the individual as just that, a working individual with talents different than my own. I am grateful for the gifts that they share with the rest of us. Well, something about this expo blew all of that right out of the water for me. I will take you back in time to experience this portion of my journey......

Friday. This day was much easier, as I had my wife and our friend to speak for me. I said little, as far as I can recall. I just enjoyed the experience, immensely, I might add.

Saturday. This trip I made alone. As I said, it was snowing. I hadn't thought about checking the car for an ice scraper or snow brush, but thankfully Target was nearby and I was able to purchase one. I made it back into the expo just in time to visit a lovely booth to purchase a couple of shirts that I had my eye on the day before. (These lovely ladies were just fantastic. I look forward to posting links to their business as soon as I write them for permission to do so.) It was then time for the Doreen Virtue book signing!!!!! I had some books and I was getting them signed!!!! What to say? I had no idea what to say! I waited in line, anxious, excited and just plain thrilled to be there....the energy was amazing! It was my turn. I handed her the books. I smiled. She asked my name. I smiled. She smiled. I thought, "I wonder if she is seeing Angels around me?"

"guh, SHELLEY," I blurted out.

Still trying to think of something to say, I finally settled on explaining that she was one of my first Twitter followers. Yes, Doreen Virtue had followed slmusings on Twitter. (She's not following anymore.....alas, it was one of 25000+, so I'm not offended.) My explanation, by the way, was met with a rather blank, but kind stare. I then realized that someone with her busy schedule probably does not check her own Twitter follows. She likely has a staff for that. Oh well. No matter! My books were signed and I interacted with Doreen Virtue, Angel Therapist, Spiritual Doctor of Psychology, and Author of more than 20 books! I happily skipped away, anxious for the reception prior to her lecture.

Fast forward about 30 minutes to reception time.

I scurried to the room where (I thought) the reception was to be held and got in line. It seemed odd to stand in line for a cheese and cracker style reception, but I figured that maybe everyone was really hungry and maybe Doreen was hanging by the cheese to greet everyone. Then a very nice lady got in line behind me and kindly explained that this line was for a reading by Deborah King. (I am not really familiar with her teachings, but the brief explanation that I received was fascinating and I am anxious to learn more.) Now I was in a quandary. In attendance at a very spiritually uplifting event, I had found myself in the wrong place, but was it the right time? I mean, clearly I was here for a reason, but was the reason to get a reading from Deborah King, or to simply learn who Deborah King was? I had paid quite a lot for the Doreen Virtue full package tickets. My new friend helped me. She suggested that I go check out the reception, then return to line if I couldn't find it. Just then an expo helper came to guide some other wandering souls over to the reception. I hopped on their train and followed. (please keep in mind that I was still quite giddy....just thrilled to be there....think "kid in candy shop"....lego addict in lego store.....small child on Christmas morning...you get the point. (the term "excited utterance" might also come to mind.))

Ok, so enter reception room.

The first thing I did was tell my favorite sign language story to an interpreter. The story involves pizza, lesbians and a miscommunication. Yeah. Good one. (remember the "excited utterance" thing? yeah....) After recovering from that moment, I signed in, got my name tag and shuffled off to find a table. Everyone there seemed to have a large group, so I tossed it out to the Universe and followed the lead of my "guides/Angels/intuition". Making my way toward the back with my snacks, I saw a table with one lovely lady seated next to a chair with a coat on it. I deduced that this must be a table with only two people and therefore plenty of room to spare. I gently asked if I could join her and she graciously welcomed me to her table and into her presence. What a WONDERFUL wonderful person, and I say that with sincerity, not just because she told me that I was one of the funniest people she had ever met. (Okay, the compliment was worth more than it's weight in gold, but still, she was (is) super!) My new friend "El" introduced me to her friend "En" and we chatted like we had known each other all our lives. Isn't it just wonderful how the Universe works? As we were sharing, Doreen Virtue was making her way around to each of the tables, visiting and taking pictures with everyone. She arrived at our table and I got my phone out for a photo.

She said, "Hi, everyone! Are you having a good time?"

I stood up.

She stood there.

I smiled.

>pause<

She smiled.

(I have no idea if anyone else was speaking at this point)

I finally realized that there had been a question, so I said, "Thank you, these are my new friends".

I then realized that the question had not had anything to do with my new friends, really.

Doreen then asked if we wanted a picture and I managed to compose myself long enough to muster my two new friends into a photo. I got a rather blurry shot of them, as I was so excited I could barely hold the camera still. I then, ever so calmly, made my way over to Ms. Virtue. Feeling very small, yet full of Love and Light, we posed for our picture. I think I then said something to the effect of, "blah blah blah blurt blurt blagh....I like pancakes and fruit cups and Angels are really fun....blah blah blah".

Yeah.

I'm smooth.

Maybe I didn't really say anything. I might have asked her out on a date. I really don't know. It was weird. I felt weird. And giddy.

Truly, it was amazing to meet her in person, especially just a day after being in the presence of Rev. Michael and Rickie as well. They are such wonderful teachers and sharers of their gifts. I feel blessed to have experienced this entire event.

Doreen's talk itself was just incredible. I am still feeling the effects of the expo even a week later, and am finding such joy all around.

With that, I close this little update, as it is time to leave the cafe and enjoy a weekend with a dear friend with whom I get to spend too little time.

Many Blessings to all!

Namaste

Mind Set

2011-03-28T20:53:00.000-05:00

Just saw that Dr. Oz is about "Can you think yourself skinny" C'MON!!!! Why would any of us be overweight then if all it took was a mental change??? Don't I wish!!!!

I saw this quote today and it struck me instantly as an amazing opportunity. I should specify that I did not watch the Dr. Oz show, so I cannot speak to the thoughts or ideas that he presented. I can, however, present some (mostly) educated comments and a (unique?) perspective in regard to the statement above.

"Can you think yourself skinny?" At face value, this may seem absurd. The thought that we could say to ourselves, "I'm skinny", and then have all of our "extra" mass disappear into oblivion, seems outrageous to say the least! I mean, we all know that if we just sit around on the couch just "thinking" about weight loss, all we will do is expand exponentially. Right?
Let's first take a look at why we might expand in such conditions. (and by "expand", I do mean at the waist line, NOT in the field of awareness; although, we would certainly be more aware of the tightness of our britches!) Follow me into the "field of expansion" for a venture into the world of Wanda Weighinscale, if you dare.....

Wanda returns home after a stressful day at work. She has been busy all day and is tired, hungry and feeling unhappy about her body condition. In short, she is uncomfortable with her current place in life. She saw a preview for a show about "thinking herself thin", so she decides to try it. After all, there are no hours left in the day to go to the gym, besides, she's just too tired to go. She's tried all of the weight loss plans and diet foods, and nothing has worked for her. She steps on the scale and consistently sees an unsightly number, bringing her attention over and over again to the fact that she weighs much more than she would like.

Wanda plops herself down on the couch and begins to think. She thinks and she thinks and she thinks about how she would like to be thin. All the while she is thinking, she is feeling more and more resentful of her current condition. She is envisioning in her mind's eye the many thin models and athletes that she has seen on television and in the magazines. Now she is reminded of the "fat jokes" that she hears around the office and that she used to hear in high school. Her self loathing is increasing, her frustration is off the charts. But, she is still thinking about being thin, so surely it must be working. She continues this process for a week, gradually placing more and more thought on picturing herself thin, even though each time she looks in the mirror she sees someone who is not her image of "thin". Wanda finishes her "work out" on the seventh day and heads to the scale. She is disheartened when she sees that she has actually gained a pound.

"How can this be possible," Wanda wonders. "I've been picturing myself thin, I've been thinking about being thin....."

What Wanda has not realized is this. While she has been picturing herself as thin, she has been harboring resentment that she is not thin. She has actually been placing her focus on her LACK of thin, which has been pushing her thin away.

So does this mean that it is not possible to "think ourselves thin"? In my humble opinion, absolutely not! (Not exactly, anyway) Let's go back to Wanda....she's still staring in the mirror, feeling sad. Maybe we can cheer her up a bit.

Looking at her over sized reflection, Wanda steps off the scale and slides it angrily across the floor.

"I love you"....

Wanda jumps and looks around. She is the only one home.

"I LOVE you"....she hears it again, this time from the direction of the mirror.

Wanda turns and looks at herself in the mirror. It's as though her reflection is speaking to her. She hears distinctly, "I love you just as you are. Don't you love me?"

Wanda is perplexed.

"I LOVE YOU! YOU! As you are! You are beautiful and you are all I have. Without you, I cannot exist in this world. I need you and I Love You!"

Wanda stares intently into the mirror and says, "Who are you?"

"You!"

Now Wanda thinks there is an echo. She repeats more slowly and distinctly, "Who.....are......you?"

"YOU"! She hears, this time sounding much more forceful. "I am YOU. I am part of you and you of me. We are one. Together, we are you. Without the you of us, we cannot exist. I love the you that is you and the you that is in me. I need only for you to love me back so that we may be One again."

Wanda is not a fan of riddles, and thinks carefully about this. Suddenly she understands. Her reflection is telling her that she must love herself as she is and for all that she is. It is her self-loathing and frustration that is keeping her from feeling complete. It is not that she is too heavy or too tall or too short or too "whatever". It is her mind-set that is keeping her from feeling good about herself. If she is to bring her body back to a state of wholeness and well being, she must begin within.

Wanda stares intently into the mirror and says, "Thank you".

Her reflection smiles back at her.

Wanda gazes into the most beautiful eyes she has ever seen and a smile that is as vibrant as the sun. She blinks and the cobalt blue eyes blink too. It is then that Wanda realizes that she is gazing at herself, not a disembodied reflection. She recognizes her own beauty. She sees past the appearance that she has long perceived as over-weight and unattractive and recognizes the glorious light that shines within her being. Wanda finally feels what it is like to be beautiful, in her own mind.

From that moment on, Wanda no longer felt the sense of frustration or anger about her physical appearance. She no longer paid attention to the newest "fad" diet. She had no need. Her intention was to love herself and care for her body, knowing that this "vessel" is all that she has to remain part of the physical world today. Wanda began to honor her body, her spirit and her mind. Through this sense of honor, Wanda found herself drawn to nutritional teachings that she understood and enjoyed. She found herself meeting others with similar experiences and she began to exercise more than she had ever thought possible.

Wanda experienced a change in her mindset. She learned to love herself and learned that she IS enough, just as she is. She released the stressful thoughts of "needing" to lose weight and shifted her focus to well-being and gratitude for her life experience. Wanda's new love of self brought her to a place of joy and thanksgiving that she had never thought possible and with this joy came a new sense of vibrancy and energy. This change of mind set lead Wanda to a new physique.....one that she had always dreamed of experiencing, but never thought possible.

Thank you, Wanda.

Wanda's story may be one of extremes, but I think it illustrates my point. While we may not lose weight or gain our ideal circumstance by simply sitting and thinking, a change of our thought patterns is an excellent first step. It is the CHANGE OF MIND SET and the FEELINGS associated with this change that lead us on our desired path. A very wise woman has said to me MANY times, "When the intention is clear, the mechanisms for it to occur will fall into place." And so it is with anything that we desire. As we set our intention, allow our mind set to shift and feel that what we intend already is, it SHALL BE SO!

Random Tales from a Rainy Day

2011-02-05T23:18:00.000-05:00

The less than balmy head of Old Man Winter continued rearing today in the form of very cold rain (the sleet and ice missed us, for the most part, thankfully), making our not-so-plowed streets quite challenging to navigate. Despite the odds, we all ventured out. Mare to Yoga, Baby Ruth and the KitKats to dance class and I to a morning of fitness and Martial Arts fun. Today's story really begins, however, with my fantastic idea of a "quick" shopping trip after the organized group activities ended.

Taking the weather into consideration, I thought that the stores would certainly be slow and would absolutely welcome any customer who ventured through the doors. Expecting a barren wasteland of parking spaces and snow mounds, I made my way to the local Best Buy/Target/Wegman's plaza. My crowded spaces radar perked up a bit when I observed the traffic in the turning lane. Still, I scoffed at the idea that anyone else could possibly have the same sense of adventure that I have! Onward I trekked. And then around. And around. And around. Around the Best Buy parking lot I drove until finally a spot availed itself to me. I happily trotted into the store to retrieve my bargain, only to find that the bargain did not exist AND I was by no means the only customer with a sense of adventure for the day. Somewhat disheartened, I vowed to place an order from Amazon.com later in the day (for 1/3 the cost) and headed back to my car. The thing that helped me to keep my chin up was the knowlege that I was going to provide a wonderful spot for someone to park. All of those folks who had been circling the lot like I had just done would be making a mad dash for this one little spot. I got out of there as quick as I could, then realized that there were at least five or six open spots around me now. Apparently everyone else saw me leaving so they left too. Oh well.

(Don't worry, the adventure continues)

I braved the odds and made my way over to Target. I think the last time I saw such mayhem in the parking lot was "black Friday". Between the cars, pedestrians, shopping carts and snowbanks, I wasn't sure which way to go. I contemplated driving home to park in my driveway and to then walk back, but like I said before, it was cold and rainy. (and it would have been a 10 mile walk) Finally I located a parking spot in the Wegmans area. This was suitable, as I would be ending my excursion with a jaunt into this store. The downside was the walk to Target, two stores down. Wishing I had put on some waterproof boots, I sloshed my way through the parking lot, down the sidewalk and into the store.
I was on a mission. I had my mental list. It contained two and one half items. (the one half was for the thing that I thought I might get if I saw one for a good price)
I made my way to thing number one - storage container for Barbies. On the way I stopped to gaze longingly at the display of rubber rain boots. I pretended that they were on my wet feet and continued to the containers. There I met a very nice lady looking for a lid. Together, we found her lid and solved some of her moving problems.
Yes, a piece of tape with a label on an opaque lid would render the same information as a "see through" lid. AND, the lid would even fit the container.
She was a very nice lady. We both chose our special storage devices, wished one another well and continued on our way. I took a "quick" look for thing "one half" and found many wonderful, shiny, new objects on the way. The ideas began to flow. (I think Target has something in the lights that taps into those with addictive/obsessive type personalities. Somewhat like the coffee at Starbucks. It's probably not crack, but it must be similar.) Anyway, I regained my focus and turned the corner.....ah, the bargain bin. Did you know that kid's clothing is much cheaper than that for adults? AND, a boys size XL fits wonderfully on someone my size......$4.50 for a champion workout shirt! BARGAIN!
Regaining focus once again, I trudged onward for item # 3. Then I saw the pretty colors. I began to drift toward the fitness aisle and caught myself just in time to weave in front of an unsuspecting customer and her cart. She bobbed, I weaved and we shared the path. As we pressed on, I commented to her that I am clearly too easily distracted. She shared a knowing smile, nod and chuckle and we parted ways.

Having successfully completed my Target quest, I snapped the lid onto my spiffy new container which now contained the rest of my wares and ventured out the door to begin the trek to Wegman's. Of course, at this point, it had started to rain even harder. I was really wishing for those rubber boots; maybe even a raincoat or an umbrella! I looked up and noticed a man in front of me with an umbrella.
I then contemplated acting out the scene that was playing in my mind:
Catching up to the Man with the Umbrella (aka "my new best friend"), I would duck under his cover and walk along with him. Of course, he would look at me quizzically, and I would say, "Hi".
Not knowing what to do or say because he would be much too polite to send me back into the rain, he would just furrow his brow and say, "Hello".
"So, where ya going?" I would ask.
"Uh....", he would stammer.
"Well, I'm going to Wegman's. May I travel with you?" (Of course, by this time we would be almost there and my mission would have been accomplished whether or not he granted permission.)

In reality, by the time I finished playing out the scenario in my mind, I was almost at Wegman's. "The Man with the Umbrella (aka "my new best friend") had already ditched me for another direction.

Wegman's.
It was a MADHOUSE! I wondered if there was a storm brewing, then remembered that the Superbowl is tomorrow. Gotta get everything fresh for the big game! Not I. Nope. I was there for three things...maybe four or five, but no more than that! Twisting and weaving, dodging and ducking, I maneuvered my cart in any direction I could go. Then I realized that I should probably get out of the entryway before someone saw me dancing. (I love the security camera and screen where you can see yourself when you first walk in!)
Seriously, I did twist, weave, dodge and duck to get through the store. It was like driving on the Garden State Parkway in heavy traffic. You've got to keep your head up, eyes open and scan for openings and brake lights, then just GO!
Making my way through the store and having more than a few near collisions, I realized that I was nearly laughing out loud. Normally I would have found this to be a very stressful situation, but today I found it quite entertaining. I even found a smile for the folks who glared at me for asking them to pardon me rather than ramming into them with my cart.
Finally, in the mustard aisle, after another series of near misses, I made another friend. A lovely lady and I shared a dodging situation due to a "thinker" in the middle of the aisle. Having successfully navigated around this person, I blurted out my fantastic idea to my new friend.
"Ya know, there should be pull off spots in the aisles. We could call them 'thinking booths'. These would be small areas where you can tuck in and study your list or just contemplate your next move. They will be like phone booths, but not. And they could contain a map of the store, this way, you can plan your attack! Then, when you arrive at your desired purchase, it could be a 'push-by'.....a 'grab-and-go. No more than 5 seconds will be allotted for anyone in front of any product. If you can't figure it out in 5 seconds, you don't need it and you must move on."
I moved on after that. I may have startled her, but she did laugh. A little. (Besides, I really do think there should be "thinking zones" in the supermarket, esp. on busy days.)
I maneuvered up to the registers and then it dawned on my that I had no reusable shopping bags. Being a woman of green that I am, this pained me a bit. Then I realized that I did, in fact, have my brand new container from Target in the cart! How lucky! I could fit nearly everything in my new box with my Target goodies.
It was my turn to pay and I confessed to the cashier that I did not have a bag. She assured me that it was ok.
I then stated proudly, puffing out my chest a wee bit, "But I DO have this crate"!
She laughed.
(She was pleased, as I was, that I had such an ingenious idea. At least I think that's why she laughed.)
She looked at the items in the crate and asked if I would like her to scan them from there. I replied that I would rather she didn't, as I had already paid for them at Target.
We shared another laugh and a few more smiles and nods and then the paying was complete.

Feeling quite lovely about my experience overall, I headed back toward the car. Of course, by this time I no longer had any concept of where I had parked, but at least I did know that I had driven there to begin with!

Fortunate misadventures

2011-02-04T20:25:00.001-05:00

We are expecting treasured guests any minute, so I am taking a few moments to begin the tale of today's adventures.
It all began this morning, which really should come as no surprise. When else would the day's adventures begin? Unless of course it's a nightshift day. That would, of course, indicate that the day would begin at night. No need to confuse things, though.
I got out of bed and slid my chilled toes into my warm, snuggly slippers, then donned my soft and fuzzy bathrobe. It has snowflakes on it and I love it. I headed downstairs and straight for the coffee pot. Morning routine out of the way and two lovely young ladies ready for adventure, Baby Ruth, KitKat #1 and I began some fun with Photo Booth. We had a grand time "riding the roller coaster" and playing with the special effects. Not long after this, it was time to head off to Kindergarten registration, handled by my lovely wife.
Fast forward a few hours to the afternoon "appointment". I scheduled my first "One to One" session today at the semi-local Apple store. By "semi-local" I mean that the store is located about 30 miles away, but I am partial to this one because of the kind sales person that I encountered during a visit with a friend. I should note also that I have had this computer for about 9 months. I purchased a full year of One to One lessons since I am switching from PC to Mac. I am just now beginning those lessons, so I want to pack as much in as possible!
I met my Tutor for the day, a lovely gentleman by the name of Jon. He was nice, funny, personable and quite knowledgable. I am certain that I dazzled him with my Mac-literacy. He gave me tips and taught me new tricks. I now know how to use keyboard shortcuts, swipe my fingers in various configurations across the track pad and balance a ball on my nose.
The most significant part of the visit (significant in regard to this post, that is) came when Jon and I began the quest of determining the source of an iWeb blog comment issue. (For some reason, when attempting to post a comment to the blog, the user gets a very distorted comment screen. This is a known issue on message boards, but has yet to be fixed from what I have seen.) At the time, we were viewing my web page (here come's a plug....), http://www.soul-musings.com and reviewing some special features of iWeb. Jon was unsure of the solution to the comment posting issue, so he did what any humble tutor would do. He asked a co-worker.
Mr. Brilliant-pants Co-worker puffed his chest out and strutted over to us. He said, "Oh, well, you need to ." (as he was saying this, he reached between us and began to tap on my keyboard.
Slightly concerned, I said, "Uh, wait, what are you doing?"
Continuing to tap, he said, "Well, the configuration just needs to be reset in order to....." (I tuned him out at the words "Configuration and reset". (I should also note that I know enough about computers to be quite dangerous, and my reasoning for the Mac Class is to continue my seamless transition from PC to Mac, as well as learn the subtleties of a new system. I know full well what a "configuration" is and I did NOT want mine "reset"!)
Quite in-dignified by my questioning of his performance, Mr. Brilliant-pants proceeded to puff up and tell me something about resetting the browser settings after publishing the website in order to get everything to appear as it should.
Now, had he been patient and finished listening to the explanation of the issue, he would have heard that the problem exists not ONLY on my system, but also on that of anyone who has attempted to access my comment section. He would also have heard that there are, in fact, discussion threads about this same issue on various web sites.
It was at this moment that I observed all of my carefully CONFIGURED Top Sites (akin to "bookmarks", but quicker to view/access and clearly easier to erase) disappear and RESET back to the default setting. I then saw myself grabbing Mr. Brilliant-pants Co-worker by the wrist and twisting his arm into the shape of a "Z", followed by a swift knee to the inguinal crease and then a kick right in the head. Thankfully, part two of this visualization was just a fantasy. (Thankfully for Mr. Brilliant-pants, that is.)

Jon sat with his head on his hand, mumbling apologies as I declared, "YOU JUST ERASED ALL OF MY TOP SITES! WHY? WHY WOULD YOU DO THAT?"
I dared not turn around, as I feared that part two of above fantasy would come to fruition. Mr. Brilliant-pants mumbled something about being sorry and just trying to help, but that's what had to be done, so he was sorry, sort of. (Yeah, and your fish swam sideways through his castle, so I just "had" to flush him down the toilet.) Thanks, Man.
As I inhaled a deep, cleansing breath, I realized that iWeb and my entire business was still visible on the screen. I quickly closed the program before any more RESETTING could be done. As I did this, the irony and overall significance of the situation came to me.
My business, SouL Musings, is about Raising the Positive Vibration of the Soul. At this moment I was vibrating, alright, but not so positively. I looked at Jon, who was mortified, and said, "You know, my day job is very different from this business here (pointing at screen). This business is all about a calming, Zen-like attitude and focus. I am going to return to that focus now, as all things in life happen for a reason and for us to learn from them." (Yes, I said all of this. I think I was scaring him.)

The truth of that matter is, however, all things do happen for a reason. Even the most seemingly frustrating situation can have a positive outcome if we allow it. The reconfiguration and resetting of my top sites lead to my learning of a way to set my preferences to avoid this issue in the future. (I knew that the resetting was possible because I had accidentally done this previously and had FINALLY gotten them back to my desired settings.)

I also learned something about EGO. Mr. Brilliant-pants was quite pleased with his knowledge of Macs, Safari, and iWeb. He was eager to demonstrate this knowledge. So eager, in fact, that he didn't listen to the full explanation, nor did he take the time to consider that the "student" may have had a tiny bit of a clue about the situation at hand. While he was coming from a place of helpful desire, his ego took over when I questioned his actions. None of this was intentional on his part, but it was highly frustrating from my point of view.

The moral of the story? Listen. Listen to the totality of the question being asked or statement given.
Allow. Allow the question or statement to merge with your own knowledge of the given subject. Respond. Respond to the inquiry from a place of humility and common ground.
I am certain that this lesson was mine, not that of Mr. Brilliant-pants Co-worker. I hope that he gleaned a bit of newfound knowledge as well, but I am absolutely CERTAIN that I did!

In the final moments prior to our guests arrival, I was reminded that the cars needed to be pulled forward in the driveway. This is a task that I am made for! Out the door I went in my slippers with their handy dandy rubber soles and warm fuzzy insides, tiptoeing gently over the ice that had reformed from the melting snow earlier in the day. I made my way gingerly around the mini-van and attempted to press the "unlock" button on the keyless entry device. Unfortunately, I hit the "lock" button instead. More unfortunately, before I could grab the door handle, I slipped on the ice causing an acute loss of balance. Fortunately, there is a large pile of snow next to the van to soften the fall and shorten the distance of same. More fortunately, as my hand slid into the snowy glove, I applied adequate pressure to the "unlock" button, thereby unlocking the doors of the van. You see, all seeming misfortunes have their way of becoming fortunate!

Love and Blessings everyone!

Raising the Vibration

2011-01-12T13:36:00.001-05:00

Yesterday was January 11, 2011. 1.11.11. If you are a fan of my SouL Musings Facebook page, you may have seen the following post (which I copied and pasted from a friend - can’t take credit for it):

Mother Earth needs our help....On 1/11/11 at 11:11 am your local time, we are organizing a global wave of love. All you have to do is get into the feeling of love and tone the AH sound 11 times. Let's stand together and sound a wave of healing that WILL be heard around the world. Sound is energy that can transform the world. Can you spare 11 breaths or about 111 seconds for Humanity? If visualization comes easy to you, visualize feeling love. If you are not good at visualization, grab your lover, hold your baby or child, snuggle with your pet, or smell some beautiful flowers. It doesn’t matter how you get there so long as you find a place of unconditional love that you can hold and build for approximately 11 breaths or 111 seconds. We will then tone the heart sound Ahhhhhhhh 11 times while holding the thought of love in your mind/body/spirit. Imagine you are exhaling pure unconditional love out into the world and with each exhale a pink cloud of love embraces mother earth restoring Earth and humanity to a divine state of perfection. Don’t try to imagine what a divine state of perfection looks like. Just trust and believe that it does exist and hold that feeling of love. If you have never toned before it is so easy and we do it all the time after a good meal. Inhale slowly until your lungs are full, on the exhale try to hold the AH sound until all the air is expelled from your lungs slowly. Repeat 10 times for a total of 11. Don't trying to hold it to long or you will lose your breath. That’s it. Imagine the exuberant feeling of love and sound your trumpet ahhhhhhhh. Please invite ALL your friends and let’s start a wave that will be heard around the world. Sound is healing. *1 Corinthians 15:52* In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.

As I borrowed a quiet moment at 11:11 AM and trumpeted the “ahhhhhhh” or “ommmmm” sound while generating a feeling of unconditional love to surround our planet, I wondered why I don’t do this more often. This particular moment (and again at 11:11pm) was certainly one of great power and also a perfect time to coordinate with others across the globe, but there is certainly no need to wait another 100 years to practice raising the vibration of love across our planet.

In the essence of time, (I had hoped to spend more time with introspection and chatter in this post, but circumstances dictate that I must be brief today) I propose this:

Each day at 11:11 (or 10:10, or 1:11), take a moment, come back to your heart center, breath deeply, inhaling unconditional love and joy deep into your own Divine Being and the exhale this feeling, holding an image of our planet with waves of this love surrounding her. (Or any other visualization of your choosing.) The more we do this as individuals, the more we share in proliferating the positivity for all. The more we intentionally focus our energy, the more we train ourselves to stay in the vibration of Love and Joy without the need for a reminder.

We are living in a time of great possibilities. The energy of our planet is shifting and we are more than capable of shifting with it, creating more positive vibrations and more GOOD than we have ever imagined. It is up to us to determine the course of the shift as well as our flow along with it by remaining open to the possibilities, focusing our attention on unconditional love and gratitude and sharing our Divine gifts with one another.

Love and Blessings.

Namaste’

Companionship, Camaraderie and Christmas Trees

2010-12-21T23:37:00.002-05:00

Today we ventured into the Big Apple to see the one and only Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree. Last year the tree hailed from the very town in which we reside. I'm not sure where this year's was born.

It is not just the fact that we saw the tree that makes this day blog-worthy, but rather the totality of the adventures that does so. Allow me, if you will, to guide you through our day.

First off, I would be remiss if I did not point out that today is December 21, 2010. On this date, the Winter Solstice rode in on the energetic waves of a full moon and total lunar eclipse. Happy Winter Solstice, everyone! I set my alarm for 2:40 this morning in order to see the eclipse take place. It was an amazing sight. Beautiful beyond words. Such an amazing gift to behold.

The moon viewing did throw me for a wee bit of a loop. I went back to sleep after watching, and upon waking at a reasonable hour of the morning, I had to think back as to whether or not the images were dream images or if I really had been laying on my deck swing at 3:00 AM this morning. Once I got that all sorted out, I got up and went about getting prepared for the day.

We managed to get the majority of our "chores" completed before our travel-mates arrived. As Mrs. M and Mini-M walked in, we were just putting on the final touches. Coats, gloves, scarves, hats all on and we were ready for business.....until Mare and I realized that neither of us had done a diaper check on the KitKats. So, a couple of diapers later and once again we were ready....after we searched through the stuffed animal "bag" for "Lily Mae", found suitable replacements and showed our guests the pink Christmas tree in the girls' room. Off we went.....after a couple of bouts of screaming about who would be buckled by whom. Everyone safely stowed in the van and away we rolled - to the train station.

Now, if you know me, you know that I thoroughly enjoy rallying the troops, bringing everyone together in the spirit of teamwork and camaraderie, no matter the difficulty of the task at hand. (Keep this in mind as you read on.)

Tickets acquired, we made our way to the inside of the train station for a "potty break". Yes, the five minute drive to the train station was arduous and YES, 'twas I who needed the break. The girls (Baby Ruth, KitKats, AND Mini-M) promptly strategically placed themselves in random seats so as to include the other riders in our "team". Mini-M did a fabulous job of quietly "meditating" while the other three (my three young ladies) did their best to counter her quiet. Finally aboard the train, everyone did very well. Arrival at the Penn Station and ensuing visit to the facilities there also went rather smoothly, except for the part where I had to squeeze into an undersized stall with a KitKat and Baby Ruth (remember, we are all about teamwork) who was complaining about the automatic flusher AND the less than pleasant scent of the train station restroom. (Curse my teeny bladder) ;-)

Finally at the tree, we admired her splendor from just a few feet away. We took photos - we even included strangers in our pictures - wouldn't want anyone to feel left out. We took photos for strangers, we bumped into folks that we didn't know, we shared wall space with random folks as we watched the skaters on the ice below. It was lovely. A reunion of sorts of many folks who have never met and will likely never meet again, all in the spirit of viewing a magnificent tree, covered in colorful, sparkling lights.

We admired the beautiful decorations as we made our way to a most delightful bakery where we purchased some decadent treats. Giant red Christmas balls made for a wonderful backdrop for treat eating. Our teamwork activity here consisted of a "who can get the most icing on your face" challenge followed by "who can feed the pigeons the largest bite of cupcake" challenge. We assisted with stranger photos here also, then headed for the subway. On the way to the subway we made sure to make all of the folks dressed in character costumes (from Elmo to Mickey/Minnie Mouse to Sponge Bob and Santa) feel welcome in the city. We gave hugs, high fives, low fives and wide-eyed stares, even a pocketful of change to someone's stocking. Kelsie even gave an NYPD officer a very nice wave and a hearty "helwo".

A couple of subway stops later and we were at our dining destination, carefully chosen by Mrs. M and her area expertise. (A FABULOUS "tour guide", I must say.)

The girls (and by "the girls" I really only refer to three of the four little people with us), once again, wanted to help everyone to feel at home in the restaurant. They did what kids do. Stevie announced that the restroom here smelled much better than in the train station. (Thank goodness!)

Our day concluded with a rather uneventful subway ride back to Penn Station, though I should note that Kelsie decided that she would much prefer to stand on the subway than sit. She also demonstrated her superior listening skills by following none of my instructions but listening intently to the kind gentleman next to her.

We arrived back at Penn Station just in time to catch an express train home, despite our slow moving pedestrian train as we hopped our way down the steps. Okay, so it was just Kelsie who was hopping, then leapt from the last three steps, leaving me with nothing but a mitten in my hand. Thankfully Mare had her other hand. We hopped aboard the train and walked to and fro until two kind gentlemen finally consolidated seats and gave the seven of us a section together. We entertained the passengers on this otherwise "quiet car" by playing games such as "I spy", "how far can I fit under the seat", "musical seats" and by just plain squealing. (Not sure if we were on a designated "quiet car", but at least we didn't get kicked off the train.) Stevie included the nice man behind us in "I Spy". He was a good sport.

We finally arrived back at the beginning leg of our journey and began the stroll to the car. For some reason, the majority of the folks who got off the train at this stop were in a bustling hurry as though they were about to miss the last connecting space shuttle out of cape canaveral. This bustling not only seemed odd to me due to the fact that the parked cars are not likely to drive away themselves BEFORE the driver gets in them, but also raised my concerns with holding tightly to slow moving kiddies who insist on hopping every couple of steps. This concern was heightened as we made our way down the steps to street level. Kiera poking along on one side of me and Kelsie hopping happily on the other. Kelsie also likes to bring folks together in camaraderie and teamwork. She managed to hop herself sideways on the steps and appeared to be falling. However, I still had her hand. Rather than just stand up, though, she decided to turn the opposite direction which REALLY freaked out the folks behind us. Quite a few kind strangers came swooping in to help us (teamwork) as Kelsie finally stood up and unpretzled herself and resumed her hopping. It was at about this point that Kiera's pokiness lead to me scooping her up and carrying her, which lead to a slipping of her mitten. Once again, we worked the crowd by loudly exclaiming, "My Mitten, my mitten!"

I turned and looked - no mitten on the steps. The folks around us looked. No mitten. Kelsie hopped. No mitten. I ensured Kiera that I would find the mitten AFTER we allowed all of the other people to pass by. Kelsie hopped, Kiera screamed and the nice man behind me noticed that the mitten was still on Kiera's hand. (Mind you, at this point we are only about 1/4 of the way down the steps) Kelsie hopped in joy and someone carefully removed the mitten and placed it on Kiera's arm (which was pretty close to my chin at this point). By now we had generated quite a bit of assistance from the bustling folks behind us, and if they weren't helping us, they certainly were watching the traveling spectacle! I'm also pretty certain that a few of the commuters had joined Kelsie on her stair hopping crusade, though I didn't turn around to see for sure. In my mind, as I carried Kiera's mitten in my teeth, I envisioned an entire stairway full of tired commuters happily hopping down each step and squealing with delight at each landing. (Camaraderie)

We are finally home and after only one whack in the head with a plastic baby doll head between the KitKats and two Mommy tantrums (one of which resulted in multiple ornaments being removed from the tree to encourage better listening skills from the 5 yr. old), the cherubs are tucked into bed sound asleep.

All in all, it was a beautiful day with terrific kids and wonderful friends - the type of friends who seem like they have been a part of your life since the beginning of time. A very special day indeed.

Another Site? Same Name?

2010-10-06T20:33:00.000-05:00

I am in a quandary and taking a break from the vacation posts. You see, this site is meant to showcase our photos, especially those with the affirmations. Beyond that, the plan is to add my own thoughts on whatever comes to mind, most of which pertain to the spiritual and interconnectedness of us all. I registered the name, Soul Musings, with the county clerk, just like I’m supposed to. I have a FEIN #. I’m thinking that I’m all set to get out and peddle my wares. Then Mare “googled” Soul Musings. Yep. There’s another one. The nature of the site is different - still spiritual and seems to be a like minded individual. No artwork displayed, and many wonderful things posted. While it is different from mine, I still feel odd. Actually, on some level, I can hear my inner doubting Thomas saying, “See, I told you. Why would YOU think that you have an original idea? Someone has already done it, just like your other ideas. Just stick with your day job and forget it.”

The interesting part of this, however, is that although I hear this voice, on a deeper level I simply FEEL that I still need to keep going. The name is the same, the message is similar, but the content and delivery are very different. Perhaps this is another, more striking example of the interconnectedness of us all. Who knows, perhaps I will make contact with the owner of the other site and we will join forces!

SouL_MusingS

Vacation Dreams

2010-10-04T08:03:00.000-05:00

Vacation, Night 2 - wee hours of the morning.

Dream:

Office like place. Two office spaces connected through adjoining doors. The door could be unlatched from the opposite side by reaching one's hand through. The “other” office was like an “alternate universe”. (yes, I did watch a Fringe episode before going to bed.) I was with a group of people and we had been on the "other" side. We returned and brought back all of the “toys” that we had taken. Actual toys - stuffed animals, legos, toy helicopters, etc. Some were broken. The “guy” in charge said that none should have been broken. He said that the broken toys meant that we had maintained an attachment to them and had we not been attached, they would not have been broken. I struggled with this and my thought process was as follows:

If we are told to bring the toys back with us and that they are to remain intact, then wouldn’t we, by default, be maintaining an attachment to them? We would want to protect them and keep them safe. Therefore, we would be attached. (This was going on inside my head within the dream. I didn’t actually ask the question, and on some level, what the “guy” was saying made sense and I knew it to be the truth.)

Upon waking, which I was very glad to do because of the continued strange nature of this dream, I filled Mare in on all the details. (There was a lot more to it, but the "attachment aspect" seems the most significant right now. The backwards bathing suit, missing the bus, driving with an old friend and seeing the home of my deceased grandparents take a backseat to the above.) As I was describing it to her, it hit me. The “guy” was indeed correct.

We do not need to “hold on” to things/people to keep them safe. We need to let them go. By releasing the attachment and letting them go, we are trusting in the will of the Universe. We are trusting that they will be safe. It is the doubt that we bring into the situation that allows for things to be broken. In the dream, we all needed to simply trust that the toys would be safe and safe they would be. The attachment was created by the DOUBT related to their safety. It was because of this doubt that some of the toys were harmed.

To release the attachment does not mean to release caring or to release intentions for the Highest Good of oneself or others. Releasing attachment means simply to release the doubts and fear associated with a LACK of caring and good.

I have been told, I have read, I have even told others and myself to Let go and Let God (or Let go and Let Flow). Saying and doing are two different things, but with each “eureka experience” such as this dream, I feel closer to my goal, closer to the present moment, closer....to my Highest Good.

Namaste'

(I mentioned above that I had watched a "Fringe" episode prior to going to bed. I am guessing that there are a few folks out there who may say that this dream was not so much a lesson as it was a continuation of the events of my day. That is entirely possible and is certainly a valid position to take in dream study and interpretation. Here is my thought on the matter:

Our dreams, our lessons and our Spiritual Journeys occur in the form necessary for us to understand the deeper meaning. By presenting to me in the manner in which this dream did, it was not difficult for my brain to process the data. It was already in a familiar form. I just needed to delve a tiny bit deeper to glean the underlying meaning. What's more, someone else could have had the same dream and it could have taken a totally different meaning! Incredible, isn't it? Dream study and interpretation, like poetry and other art forms, is in the eye of the beholder. Perspective......it's all about perspective.)

Check out SouL Musings for affirmation photos related to releasing attachment.

Sometimes a Fantasy, is Allllll ya need......

2010-09-04T20:04:00.000-05:00

It's Labor Day weekend, summer is winding down, fall is winding up and the fun continues! With three girls under the age of five all anxious to get back to dance class, the oldest anxious to start pre-school, and the twins looking forward to dance class (yep, it's all about balway - aka ballet), I figured that I should have something to fill my time. I mean, really, while Mare is busy running around with the girls, keeping up with the housework, walking the dogs, cleaning the bird cages, taking time for her own sanity and making my lunch, there's GOT to be something for me to busy myself with.
(FREEZE.....don't smack me or make that tsk-tsk sound....keep reading......)
So, of course I do have my day job to go to. That's fun and time consuming. Then there's Karate and fitness fun time - fun, healthy, simply a way of life. There's house-cleaning, bird cage cleaning, dog walking, playtime with the kiddies, conversation and camaraderie with my wife, and simply taking time to enjoy this Beautiful Journey of Life. BUT, since that's all child's play, I decided that I should get off my butt and take part in a FANTASY FOOTBALL LEAGUE!!!!!
OH YEAH!!! Look out Chambursburg Alum's, MY TEAM IS GONNA ROCK!!!!
The Draft is Sunday and the trash talk is already humming!
As I washed the dishes this evening, I went through my draft choices in my head. First player that came to mind......William "The Refrigerator" Perry. oops. ok, not gonna work. Next: Joe Theismann....ok....Joe Nameth? ummm.....ooohh, I got it....Emmitt Smith....er......I then realized that I have absolutely NO idea who plays where, does what with whom, why or when.
I consider myself an athlete, both past and present. I love athletic things, I even enjoy watching football and root for the Brooklyn Dodgers any chance I get! (*wink*) But what am I thinking?
No worries, I'll keep talking trash and convince everyone of my stellar statistical mind, but the reality is that any "good" draft choice or game winning line-up that I post will be born purely out of intuition and luck.
Hopefully I will get home from work in time to meditate and clear my Third Eye Chakra before the draft!
(geeeez, I hope none of my fellow league mates read this - don't want to let the cat out of the bag on this one!)

Kryptonite.

2010-07-26T20:57:00.000-05:00

A super hero (heroine) should never divulge their weakness. Unless, of course, that super hero wants others to feel more secure in their own “areas needing improvement”. I suppose it could even be categorized less as an expression of weakness and more as gallant leaps outside the comfort zone. I mean, let’s think about it. In order for a super hero to be “super”, she or he must be constantly one step ahead of the villain, right? For that to happen, the faithful heroine must keep the training and learning curve alive by exposing herself to new and sometimes difficult situations. It is possible that within those situations, their may be persons/places/things/scenarios that bring about a less that heroic appearance to the super hero.

For example, Superman had everything going for him - good looks, charm, a good cover in Clark Kent, and he could fly. He was more powerful than a locomotive, he could stop a speeding bullet with his chest! He could overpower a room full of 50 villains while leaping over a tall building in a single bond, but put one little colorful stone from the planet Krypton near him and it was all over. Superman wilted like week old roses.

The other day, I decided that it was time to expand my super hero skills. I took a flying leap outside of my comfort zone and landed smack-dab in the middle of a pile of Zumbanite. I should give some very important background information here, in order for the big picture to be crystal clear.

My ventures into the world of rhythm and movement were back in high school when I was in the band and glee club. There was the jazz band - a wee bit of be-bopping happened there. I played the trumpet, so not much more than a bob of the head or tap of the foot going on for me. There was the marching band. We marched. One foot in front of the other, head level, rolling from heel to toe on the outside of the foot and squeezing the cheeks (not the ones on our faces) tightly together as though we were holding marbles between them. There was no room for shoulder swaying, hip thrusting or belly swinging there! We did, however, “Play that funky music, white boy” and made sure to “get down and boogie” without tipping our boxy feather toting hats off of our heads. Now, the Glee Club was a slightly different story. There I had the opportunity to bust some moves in the girls ensemble. We rocked out with a jazz square or two.

All of that was over 15 years ago, so any “skills” that I may have had simply evaporated over the years. I have played field hockey, basketball, softball and I even spent some time on the track team. None of these activities involve any sort of fancy hip or shoulder movements. These days I am accustomed to linear activities. I study a style of Martial Arts that involves kicking and punching in straight lines and defending ourselves by using the shortest distance between two points. It is methodical, powerful and doesn’t require any fancy hip or shoulder action.

With all of the above in mind, it should come as not surprise that I found (part of) my own personal “kryptonite” - Zumba. (Really, it goes beyond Zumba to any sort of dance.) If you don’t believe me, just ask those who were present for the class. Everyone with whom I have spoken who has participated in Zumba has told me what a wonderful workout it is. I have no doubt that they are telling the truth, however, I think the key is that you have to keep moving. I spent so much time trying to figure out which way to go so as not to crash into a wall or another person, that I never quite got “jiggy with it”. I did, however, get rather winded, but that was partially from the laughter when I caught a glimpse of myself in the mirror (better to laugh than cry, I always say), and partially from the stress of seeing my heroic self-image crumble to the ground in a puddle of Zumba-muck. I think that maybe my body just doesn’t work in the way that some folk’s do. It’s the smooth flow that throws me off kilter. The feet go this way, the arms go that way and the shoulders and core go somewhere else in between. My feet wanted to go towards the door, my head wanted to hide under a rock and my core had stage fright and froze right where we stood.

Every now and again, I would catch on to the movement, but by the time I got the hands and feet coordinated together, it was time to move on to a different song. The general rule of thumb, it seems, is to just keep moving. I did my best, but I felt like a hamster trapped in a ball avoiding all of the skilled artists dancing happily around me. I tried correlating the movements with karate techniques. When we did the head and chest circle things, I thought of avoiding knife attacks. This was a slight overkill on my part, but it got my head moving. Some of the arm movements became strikes, and the fancy feet were just that - fancy (though not at all to be classified as graceful). The unfortunate part of this mental imagery that I was using was that it caused my mind to wander. I would then get so caught up in my visualization that I wouldn’t recognize immediately when the rest of the folks changed direction. I never actually crashed into anyone, but that was out of sheer luck, I think.

Despite the fact that I gave the appearance (at least I think so) that I have absolutely no rhythm or skill, I think the class was a success overall. As I made mental correlations with techniques from the martial arts realm, I realized (again) the interconnectedness of all things. There are styles of martial arts that are meant to appear as dance so that an “outsider” won’t know what is occurring. Dancers dance to music. Dance is a form of total athleticism. Athletes (in many other sports, i.e. field hockey, softball, basketball, football, you get the point) often listen to music before competing. Musicians, like athletes and dancers spend hours and hours practicing and honing their skills. People (in general) are entertained and amazed by all of the above, just as we are all amazed by “superheroes”.

All of these thoughts ran through my mind as I jumped, jived and wailed, bopped, hopped, twisted and turned. It was not long before I realized that my mind hand wandered a wee bit too far and I was clearly not doing the same things that the rest of the participants were doing. I can only hope that I wasn’t picking my nose or anything more embarrassing than proving that I have not two, but at least three or four left feet.

The truth of that matter is, however, that in order to grow, we truly must leave our comfort zone at times. I ventured out into the world of Zumba, got scared, and returned to my comfort zone immediately afterwards by taking a Yoga class. As much as I “fear” losing my super powers to Zumbanite, I also recognize the experience as a wonderful opportunity. Throughout my life, I, like many other people, have done only those things that I have been good at. I have stayed away from those things with which I did not feel total confidence. I may never become a dancer or a Zumba instructor, but I am beginning to learn that it is okay to simply have fun and enjoy what is happening at the moment. It’s okay to have many left feet, as long as those feet are given the freedom to flow in the way that they are able to flow at a given time. We need not “force” our feet or anyone else’s feet to travel in a particular direction. We need only trust in the “force” and allow our feet to travel in the direction of our Highest Good.

Look out, Zumbanite, here I come!!!!!!

It's All Fun and Games Until.........

2010-07-21T23:24:00.000-05:00

If you have read my Facebook update for today, you already know the main subject of this post. However, you have not received the full impact of the day's adventures. Read on, if you so choose.

The Start

It was a bright and sunny morning that began with a short drive to leave a car at a garage followed by a lovely bike ride through the park to get back home. I decided during the ride that I really should do this every day that I am off work (the bike ride, not the car to garage part). It was really a lovely ride. Now, as is our usual "M.O." (That's "cop talk" for Modus Operandi, btw - or so they tell me), Mare and I were in a bit of an individually collective rush. She wanted to go for a walk with Lucy (Lab) before Stevie and I needed to leave for Stevie's day at Dance camp. I pedaled as fast as my little legs could go and made it back just in time.

We can fast forward a wee bit here. No one needs to know that the girls watched an episode of Avatar: The last Air Bender while I showered and that we had scrambled eggs after that, then started to get Stevie dressed for camp as Mare arrived back home with Lucy. Since there is no need to put that part in, I'll skip right to the part where Stevie and I were just about to walk out the door when Mare yelled something to the effect of, "Oh No! Holy Sh%t! What is.....we......we.....we have a leak!"
"huh?" I said, with the usual level of brilliance that I display around the house. Then what she had said registered with my cognitive senses and I darted to the front room where she was standing and staring at the ceiling.

Sure enough, there it was. A crack in the ceiling with little bubbles lining the edge of it and drips of water going "plop", "plop", "plop" onto the table underneath. Crap. Definitely a leak. Obviously. Not that I doubted Mare's assessment by any means, I was just hoping that maybe something had spilled onto the ceiling and was dripping innocuously into the air and evaporating before causing any puddles. Now, the positive part about the water dripping in this particular area is that it was over top of a table of houseplants, so, I simply pulled the table forward and allowed the water to "plop", "plop", "plop" into the plants.

Putting our heads together to determine the source of the leak, we concluded that it was, in fact, NOT the toilet based solely on the layout of the house and fact that the bathroom is not over that particular area. (We are clearly destined to be the next Cagney and Lacey.) After some brief pondering and a sprint up the stairs, I was able to determine that the leak was coming from the area of the upstairs window containing the air conditioner. Apparently when I installed it, I did not provide enough of a tilt for the condensation to drain out the back and it had pooled into the window sill and begun draining into the wall, thus seeping its way out to the ceiling and down through the pre-fab crack. (Pre-fab crack sounds much better than just letting you think that we have cracks in our plaster ceilings.)

Now might be a good time to remind those who may have forgotten that I have a "special" gift. It is called "distractabilititis" or, as Mare calls it, "adult A.D.D." Personally, I think it is just an underrated ability to juggle multiple activities/tasks.

Anyway, being so concerned about the ceiling and a.c., I darted off with Stevie to camp, then headed to the gym for a rigorous workout. (Exercise always helps me get focused on what needs to be done.) Then I stopped by Target to pick up a new Britta pitcher since ours had mysteriously thrown itself onto the floor when Mare took it out this morning. (forshadowing, perhaps?)

The Fix Begins

Upon returning home, I began my attack on the situation at hand. I went up to check the floor and dripping situation. The a.c. was off and heat rises, so it was quite toasty upstairs. The good news was that the dripping had stopped. Simple enough to remedy, I thought. I shall simply take the unit out, place a bit of wood underneath, and tilt it back so that the water drains outside rather than in. And so I went to work.

I went to the garage, found some wood and cut it to size. I went back upstairs, then realized that I needed the screwdriver that I had left downstairs. I went back down and found the needles (for inflating balls) that I had just purchased at Target, looked for my flat basketball and had a snack. Finding the basketball and pleasantly full from my snack, I went to the garage for the wood that I had forgotten out there. I pumped up the basketball, made a couple of shots, then remembered the wood.
Upstairs with the wood I went, then back down for the screwdriver that was still downstairs. While getting the screwdriver, I also grabbed the tub and tile caulk. Back upstairs I trotted and proceeded to begin the recaulking of the edge of the bathtub. I then realized that I had planned to replace the gasket behind the tub drain, so using the screwdriver that I now had in my hand for removal of the air conditioner, I removed the overflow cover from the tub. Of course, in order to get the old gasket off, I needed to be BEHIND the tub, so I pulled all of the laundry out of the closet in order to get to the pipes. It was then that I realized just how hot it really was upstairs, which reminded me that my REAL mission was the air conditioner reconfiguration. So, back to the bedroom I went, screwdriver in hand, and proceeded to pull the unit out of the window.

Everything in place, I was now ready to return the air conditioner to its rightful place on the sill. I popped that puppy in there and realized that I needed the window to open just a wee bit more. In order for that to happen, I needed to release the top part of the window and open it as though I were removing the bottom pane, this way, the top part of the pane tilts in and the bottom remains in the track. The window was now free to move, so I pushed up. Nothing. Pushed harder and still nothing. Frustration started to set in, so I rooted to the ground and pushed from the very core of my being.
Up went the window in the blink of an eye. In that same blink, OUT went the air conditioner which had, apparently, been leaning against the window for support. Suddenly, the air conditioner that had been in my window was replaced by a power strip, dangling as if to say, "you plug one more thing into me and I'm going to jump too!"

"Oh F*&k," I exclaimed, and then began to laugh so hard that I was crying. As I was laughing, I was wondering what the heck was so funny, yet I couldn't stop laughing. Mare wasn't sure if I was crying in pain or laughing. She heard a thud, the birds flew from their perches and scattered, the dogs ....well, the dogs didn't really do anything.

The Aftermath

On the ground, down below, lay our air conditioner. No longer in any condition to provide air for us. It lay broken and mangled. The damp ground did not provide a welcome cushion for the fall. Humpty Dumpty would not be put together again. And I laughed. Mare came up to investigate and she laughed at the fact that I was laughing. We laughed.

She walked back downstairs, I sighed, wiped my eyes and turned to close the window which promptly fell forward and whacked me on the forehead. I stopped laughing.
I checked for blood, saw none, then saw myself throwing the window out with the air conditioner. I quickly realized that this would not be a positive course of action and just yelled at the window instead. That was much more effective. The window did not apologize. I think the bonk on the head was the window's way of letting me know that it was grieving the loss of the air conditioner as much as we were. Clearly windows have feelings too.

So, having more time on my hands since I had no air conditioner to reconfigure, I returned to the task of removing the gasket from the partially dismantled bath tub overflow drain. While removing the old gasket, I thought it would be a good idea to fish around under the floorboards behind the tub and see if I might locate the electrical box for the kitchen ceiling light. I closed my eyes (which was totally unnecessary since I couldn't see under there anyway, but at least this way I could ward off any monsters that might come out after me) and reached as far as I could under the floor boards. I touched something hairy. It was prickly and hairy. I would have jumped, but my hand was under the floorboards and I was in the closet. (the actual closet, not the "other" closet....I came out of that one years ago.) Anyway, I closed my eyes tighter and felt again......I gently grabbed the hairy, prickly thing and pulled it out.
It was a vacuum cleaner brush attachment!
Very interesting. What else could be in there?

The Search, The Grab, The Conclusion

We obviously needed to repair and replace a couple of things around the house, so after picking Stevie up from camp, we decided to take full advantage of the hour prior to getting her back for her evening class. I darted into Home Depot to grab a new gasket and an air conditioner. No on the a.c., yes on the gasket. Lowes was also sold out of air conditioners. That left only one place available.....Walmart. *sigh*
Walmart came through for us. I grabbed one of the two remaining reasonable sized units available, balanced it on my cart (with the help of a very kind gentleman - customer, that is) and scampered off to pay for my treasure.

After dance class, I put on a bit of a show for the neighbors as I tried numerous positions in my failed attempts to get the air conditioner out of the box. I finally conceded my loss and drug the open box across the grass to the front door. Eventually I got it out with Mare's assistance and lugged the thing upstairs where I promptly got jammed in the doorway to the bedroom, air conditioner stuck on one side, my finger on the other. After a lengthy howl, I realized that I needed to back up, turn around, and back myself into the room.

A wave of the magic wand and "poof" the new unit was placed in the window and purring like a mountain lion that just swallowed a snake. This thing is rather large and much louder than the one that got away. The important thing is that it works and it did not fall out of the window.

We now have a new air conditioner, a new overflow drain gasket, and a freshly caulked tub. I have a dent in my finger and a bump on my head, and I am now certain that there is a pot of gold, a gnome, and perhaps some other fun treasures strategically placed within the walls and ceilings of our house.

Tune in tomorrow for a quick recap of my evening venture outside of my comfort zone.....aka. Zumba

Thanks for stopping by!

The Semi-Random, Less than Predictable Adventures of Kay Oss

2010-07-14T18:59:00.000-05:00

Hello, my name is Kay. I'm basically a drifter. I go where ever and whenever the wind takes me, in fact, half the time I don't know where I am! It's okay, though. I rather enjoy the element of surprise. The best is the look on people's faces when I end up on their doorstep. I usually drop in at just the right moment, at least by my standards. The funny thing is, no one seems to have the same standards as I do. I mean, we all need a sense of adventure, right? So, I'm not sure why folks seem to get upset soon after I am dropped off. Maybe it would all make more sense if I just take you along on a typical day for me (and by "day", I mean a period of time. Light or dark makes no difference in my book).

Are you ready? Here we go:
I'm hanging out under my favorite Japanese Maple tree, reading a book and just enjoying the twilight hours. I hear a rustling in the leaves and I know it's time to fly. I quickly tuck my book into my bag and tighten my straps.
Whooooooooooosh........I'm (we are) off! (Hold on tight!!) Soaring on the air currents, no particular destination in mind.
I learned a long time ago to make no attempt at controlling my landing spot. As it turns out, where I go is a completely random event. What happens when I get there is often random as well, although the folks who are there do have some input as to what actually occurs during my stay. The weird part is that they seldom realize that they have any say whatsoever. So strange! The most interesting thing, from my perspective, is that there is ALWAYS someone there. I have never landed on a completely deserted island or even in an empty house.
As suddenly as I am swooped up, I feel myself falling. It's not like one of those dream falls - you know the kind I'm talking about - where you are falling and falling and then just as you are about to hit bottom, you wake up with a tremendous start, limbs flailing in all directions. Anyway, it's just a gradual float downward and then PLOP! I'm sitting in front of a lovely little house.
On this occasion, it is a nice little house with semi-manicured flower gardens, bricks that had been painted and are now peeling and siding that is definitely in need of a good powerwashing. (I am not being critical here, just descriptive.) I like to look around before I go inside. Sometimes it just doesn't seem worth my time to even try to take up shelter for any period of time. This house, however, is perfect. In fact, I am so excited to introduce myself to the residents! Come on! Let's go in!!!! I'm not even going to ring the bell, I'm just going right in.....wait......uh oh.....dogs....Perfect! That makes it even better! I LOVE dogs! I love the sounds that they make when I ring the doorbell. Such beautiful barks, whines, growls and howls! Let's see what these two can do!
"DING DING"
(Obnoxious barking, yipping, groaning, growling, and howling ensue.)
Ah, perfect! What a din. And....yep, there it is, the shouting above the doggie chatter.
The door opens and I slip in without a sound (well, without a sound on my part, anyway). This is when the fun really begins. The now irate home owner is behind me looking out the door, clearly curious as to what has started the bark-bash. Of course, I'm already inside, so they have no idea that it was me. Soon enough they will welcome me to their humble abode.
Now that I've heard the chatter of the dogs (who are still at it, by the way), it is time to see what else can be accomplished.
Ah, birds. Perfect.
A little wave of my hand and so begins the chorus of squawks. Dancing, flapping, jingling the bells. Ooh, one of the dogs was startled by the bell and bumped into the cage, startling the white bird. Now she is in flight. Wow! Great wing span!
Oops, she has knocked over the bottle of water on the table. Uh oh. Here comes a toddler.
Ouch! That was a loud scream!
Apparently the little one is afraid of the flying, squawking, water spilling avian.
Another adult is now bounding down the stairs.
"What's going on?" she asks as two more children who appear to be under the age of 5 come running from the back room.
"Mommy, Momma! The dogs are barking and I spilled my cereal!" cries one.
The other states, matter of factly, "I stinky".

"Aaahhhhh," cries the door opening adult in answer to the question posed by the other, "Welcome to CHAOS!"

And there we have it. I have been welcomed to their home. I, Kay Oss, shall spend the night here tonight. That is, unless these folks figure out how to adjust quickly........

Night on the town (or "Oh my God, that feels so good, you have NO IDEA!")

2010-07-10T22:36:00.003-05:00

Notice: 1.) If you have children, you are likely to identify closely with the contents of this post.

2.) If you are thinking about having children, you may or may not want to continue.

a.) Social misfits and those who prefer the "quiet" life - you are safe to continue.

b.) Social butterflies, those who prefer the "wild" life - carefully consider your options.....

Okay, now that the official "Notice" is out of the way, let me continue. (If anyone is still reading...."tap, tap tap....testing 1,2,3.....tap....is this thing on??")

Once or twice a month, or every other month, or so, Mare and I afford ourselves the opportunity to venture out - alone. (By "alone", I mean just the two of us.) I should specify. Whenever Nanny or Gram come to visit, we leave Baby Ruth and the KitKats with the lucky "Grand" and off we go, usually to dinner and a movie. Good times.

Our plan tonight was just that, well, except for the dinner part. In a concerted effort to consume low calorie, healthy treats, Mare whipped up a tasty dinner for us all. We then planned to go to a movie. You guessed it, the key word there was "PLANNED". We were very well intentioned. Dinner was planned and in the works in plenty of time. Pajamas were ready for the Chillin's. Nanny was set with her evening activities and bed time rhetoric. I even completed the set up of the two new car seats! We were Rockin' and Rollin'!

Now, who can tell me what car seats come in? Anyone? Yes, that's correct. They come in boxes. Very large boxes. We had two. What is the best toy EVER? (If you are connected to me on Facebook, you already know the answer, so no cheating!) YES! Excellent! CARDBOARD boxes that are large enough to hold a small child. What is better? (Yes, there is something even better.) Our boxes were large enough to hold not only one small child, nor two, but rather a small child AND an adult. I think it is needless to say but I'll put it out there anyway. Baby Ruth and the KitKats and I spent the next 40 minutes or so playing in the boxes. We played roller coaster, we hopped around the room in the box, we slid into the boxes, we tipped the boxes over (landing on the soft bag of stuffed animals). It was a grand time.

Next thing we knew, it was time for dinner and Mare and I had only 30 minutes to eat, change clothes and head to the movies. Not wanting to rush and get indigestion, we decided that a trip to the bookstore for some browsing and bonding would suffice. At least we would be out and about. So, we put the girls to bed, tucked everyone in (including Nanny) and bid them all good night. Then, we started thinking outside the box. Since we would be heading out anyway, why not stop by Target to return some umbrellas which we had purchased earlier in the day for the KitKats and which had promptly broken in one way or another. While in the shopping area, we decided, we may as well stop by Walmart to pick up the Ship to Site package that was now available. We would still have plenty of browsing and bonding time.

First stop, Target. I waited in the car while Mare made a successful return. We then headed over to Walmart. Now, I have not been in a Walmart in quite some time and I am very much a creature of habit, especially when it comes to stores and shopping. I go to the same places, walk the same route through the store, look at the same items and areas, and usually purchase similar items each time. (fyi, see # 2(a) above) Well, what a special treat it was to venture into a new realm.....the realm of Walmart. It is different there. I'm not sure what makes it so different. I mean, the products and prices are very similar to Target, so why the difference in the clientele? Alas, that is a discussion for another post. Anyway, immediately upon entering, I was drawn to the rack of "MMA" shorts. I had no idea that Walmart carried such items! Much to my dismay, the only pair in my size was a less than attractive pair of brown camouflage shorts. During my search, Mare had ventured off to pick up our shipment. I spent the next few minutes wandering aimlessly about in the front of the store looking for her like a lost child. Finally, I decided to venture off to the restroom all by my "big girl" self. Just as I entered the stall, she called me to let me know her exact whereabouts. Based on the background noise from my end of the line, I think it was unnecessary for me to tell her where I was.

Finishing my "business", I meandered through the store, browsing and picking up a few necessities that were on sale. (FYI, Toy Story band aids are only $1.68 right now) I then made my way to the back of the store for a joyful reunion with my date for the evening. She had also collected a few "necessities". (I am looking forward to drawing with the new glitter markers and Color Wonder paper! Hey, maybe we'll decorate our boxes!) We even managed to find some new, hopefully heartier, umbrellas for the KitKats. (As we perused the umbrella selection, I had the mischievous notion to open up ALL of the umbrellas and leave them for the night shift clean up crew. Of course, having worked in the retail world, I wouldn't dare do such a thing, but it made me giggle nonetheless.) (again, see #2(a) above)

Our work completed at Walmart, we checked the time and decided that, despite the late hour (it as nearly 9:00 PM), we would carry on with our plan and head to Barnes and Noble. After all, they are open until 11:00pm on Friday and Saturday nights; probably for folks just like us.

Upon our arrival at B&N, I insisted that we check the hours, just in case they did close at 10. I figured there was little point in going in if we had only half an hour. Mare, on the other hand, thought that would be plenty of time. Much to my delight, my extended hour hunch was confirmed and we decided to forge ahead.

"Heck", we thought, "maybe we'll stay until 10:30."

Mare said, "I don't care, we can even stay until 11:00, as long as I can go right to bed when we get home. I want to get up early and walk the dogs." (yep, just what I'm thinking about during a "night on the town" with my wife.)

Anyway, so in we went and decided to get crazy and go to the cafe'. We ordered caffeinated beverages and began our browsing. A couple of good finds later, we decided to settle into some seats and begin our bonding. Mare opened her magazine and I pulled out my laptop. She read, I composed. Sickening, the romance, isn't it?

Every now and again I read a quote to her. She showed me another magazine that she thought I might find interesting. I nodded in appreciation as I handed it back to her, barely able to take my fingers from the keyboard lest I not complete my work for the night. (By "work", I mean "composition", and by "composition", I refer to this Blog post.)

Yes, my friends, we live on the edge of romance and extremism. We are Livin' Large and Lovin' Life! I was not able to complete this while in the store. The "we will be closing in half an hour" announcement came over the p.a. system, and not wanting to be stragglers, Mare promptly paid for our purchases as I closed my laptop.

We exited the store and Mare then exclaimed something that every "husband type" wants to hear at least once in a while: "Oh my God, that feels so good, you have NO IDEA!"

Yep, she was referring to the balmy air outside the store. She had been quite chilly inside.

We have now returned home. Mare has gone to bed as planned, and I am unwinding from our adventures with my "Mac-Daddy", some blue corn chips and a Shipyard Summer Ale. Now who can top this evening?

C'mon, I dare ya!

;-)

Templates, irony and random musings

2010-06-24T08:54:00.000-05:00

The irony of it all. I just had to do it.....I was perusing the new Blogger templates and I found this one. It's RAIN on a window. HA HA HA HA. It is Not a "sunny day"! Or is it?
Sometimes I really enjoy a rainy day. I mean, I enjoy the sun too, but the rain can be nice. A slow, steady rain, pelting gently against the windows, soaking into the ground for a natural flower watering. I enjoy it most on a warm summer day. I even enjoy running in the rain on days like that, though usually I am working.

There are so many lovely templates to choose from. I'll keep this one for a little while, at least until I feel a need for shift in my Blog feng shui.

Goals and Goal Setting.....my perspective, that is

2010-06-23T22:32:00.000-05:00

Yesterday I heard the following exchange between two women a young lady with whom I am familiar and another (an attorney) who I had not previously met:

(A) Attorney: "So, what did you do before this job?"

(YL) Young lady: "Oh, I was a paralegal."

(A) "Really? So, what are your goals now? Do you have any goals?"

(YL) "No, not really. I don't have any goals, I mean, this opportunity came along and I decided to take it."

Upon speaking with "YL" after the exchange took place, she informed me that she felt rather silly leading this woman to believe that she had no goals in life. While she was amused, she felt uncomfortable with the likelihood that this woman was passing judgement on her perceived lack of gusto. We had a nice chuckle at the probable thought process of the attorney. Maybe something like, "oh, this poor girl. She had such a future, now here she is running around carrying papers and getting coffee with no real goals." On the surface, it may seem exactly that way. YL may have had a promising legal career ahead of her. She may have continued her studies and become a high powered attorney, making history with her legal prowess. Or not. Who knows and who cares. YL saw an opportunity in front of her, one that she saw as an exciting adventure (btw, I really can't say what she does, so suffice it to say that it is not a job for just anyone) on which she felt a calling to embark.

The reality of YL's scenario is that she does, in fact, have goals. Now, we did not go into a detailed discussion of her long term life plans or anything, but in our brief chuckle over her conversation with the attorney, we did focus on the goals of the moment. At the moment, ("moment" meaning "this point in time" generally speaking) her goal is to be the best that she can be at whatever it is that she is doing at the time. An admirable goal, I think.

All of this lead me to ponder the premise of "goal setting". What exactly does this mean, how important is it, to whom, and why? Books by "experts" have been written on this subject. I am not an expert goal writer, or an expert anything, for that matter. I do, however, have some thoughts on the subject.

Some may argue that goals must be measurable and being the best that one can be at a given time is not directly measurable and therefore cannot be a goal. Okay, perhaps, but who are we to challenge someone else's goals?

I am a part of a Martial Arts program in which we often tell students (and as students, are reminded) to set goals, write them down, keep track and then raise the bar as we achieve those goals. We don't question one-another's mission, as we are all involved in the Martial Arts for our own personal reasons. We do, however, help to motivate one another to become stronger, quicker, more fluent Martial Artists, and to carry these skills into our everyday lives. We encourage one another to be the best that we can be and we give one another the space to do so in our own time and in our own way while simultaneously "raising the bar" for ourselves and each other. The goals that I refer to here are measurable in some way and they are ever changing.

So what of the non-measurable goals - those times of “flux” where we are just working to be the best that we can be? In my mind, this is perfectly acceptable. I will refer to this as a “tweener-time”. A time in which we are still working, moving, and living life one day at a time. A “floatation” time, if you will. I hesitate to say a time of waiting, because that implies a lack of doing. I will say a time of being instead. This might be a time in which we are entering into a new venture with unknown opportunities, or it might be a time just after we have accomplished something that we have been working toward. It could be any time. The important thing is that we sometimes need these down times to reflect, regroup and reassess our personal plan. It is during these times that we are allowing ourselves to be the space in which we can grow and learn and be certain that we are headed in a comfortable direction. (By “comfortable”, I mean a direction that resonates well within us.)

An important point to keep in mind, however, is that we might be well served to limit the amount of time that we spend in these “tweener-times”. I certainly would not give a time-frame, as we are all different. However, the measure that I like to use is my own level of restlessness. Personally, I tend to get antsy if I am not working on or toward something specific. I am learning, however, to embrace the “tweener-times” and use them to my advantage by reflecting and reassessing, then preparing for the next endeavor. I would say, then, that when restlessness begins to set in, that may be a good time to sit down and plot out a list of goals, plans or intentions. To use a phrase that I have heard on more than one occasion lately, “write your life plan in pencil”; Or, write out your list of goals, plans or intentions in ink, but be open to the possibility of shifting gears and directions as life moves along.

In other words, be open to recognizing and seizing opportunities as they come along. Who wouldn’t want to do that, you might wonder. I think that most of us want to be open to and recognize opportunities, but sometimes those opportunities are mistaken for roadblocks. Sometimes, as we travel the pathway to our goals or intentions, we come across some sort of obstacle. Whether it is physical, emotional, spiritual, alien, or some other entity, the very “thing” that seems to block our path may, in fact, be a doorway to a new beginning. Whether a roadblock or a doorway, this bump in the road is an opportunity for us to learn and grow. It very well may turn out that, after stepping through the doorway and achieving a specific goal, we look back at the obstacle and realize that it was vital to the achievement of our goal.

For instance, I have been working on this post for a couple of days now. I have encountered many bumps along the way that have precluded me from completing it. However, each of those bumps has provided me with another bit of insight into what I want to say and how I might say it. My current, immediate goal is to finish writing this and get it posted!

So here are the bullet points: (each of which, of course, could easily have an entire chapter devoted to it.)

-- Goals are good whether they are broad and vague to the outsider or are daily/weekly/monthly goals/plans.

-- It is important to allow ourselves to be the space for ourselves and others to achieve and or modify our/their goals.

-- It is important to give ourselves the freedom to “move” and/or shift our focus and our goals

-- Be willing to recognize and seize the opportunity - roadblocks vs. doorways.

What is actually happening with YL is that she has given herself some leeway in her life plan. She began one path and when a new doorway opened, she remained flexible and followed it. She has an overview map of the area and is willing to travel previously unchartered territory on her journey through the land. This, I think, is something that we could all do. In fact, I think many of us do this, though we may find ourselves resisting a potential opportunity because we see it as an obstacle in our path rather than a doorway to a new journey. So, let us all embrace our willingness to see the doorways, gather our thoughts and lists of goals and journey together on the Pathway that is before us.

It's All So Clear NOW

2010-06-20T21:44:00.000-05:00

Do you ever get the feeling that you are playing a constant game of "catch up"? Don't worry, that's a rhetorical question. I feel like this nearly every day. Always one (or more) steps behind on my "to do" list for the day.
I know, I know, that's not a very positive way of looking at things. Pretty much goes against the grain of everything I like to say when speaking from my soap box. Alas, I speaketh the truth (my truth, as it were).
I think that today I figured out exactly why I am always a task or two behind schedule.
Aside from the fact that I am certain that I have "Adult A.D.D." (for instance, while cleaning the bedroom, which should consist of dusting and vacuuming, I often find myself constructing a new piece of furniture or rearranging the room), something always comes up.
This evening's adventure sums it up quite nicely.

The background:

My lovely wife baked a banana bread/cake for my co-worker (our neighbor and kind gentleman who looks after our dogs and house when we are away and simply one of the nicest people I have ever or will ever meet.) She asked my to take it over to him.

Here's how it went:
The Beginning:

I grabbed the loaf, stuck it in a bag, grabbed the keys and went to the garage to pump up my bike tires. (successful on all accounts)
I hopped on my bike and off I went. I peddled furiously for the 3 blocks that it takes to get to his house. Knowing that he was at work, I thought it would make sense to "break in" - i.e. enter the house via the door by using a key to open it. Earlier in the day I had gone over to leave some keys for a vehicle and they were still there....(this is foreshadowing, folks....just not very subtle. It is also important to note that I have about 6 different sets of keys to different vehicles, houses, offices, etc. Some are combined, some are not. Please also note that I did NOT have a cell phone with me.) Yep, I could probably just stop here, but that would be no fun, so I shall continue.

The Arrival:

I hopped off of my bicycle and trotted happily into the sunroom. I pulled out my wad of keys and proceeded to jam some keys into the door knob. (one at a time, of course.) None worked. Probably because they were the keys to the back door of MY house. So, I placed the loaf so gently on the table and hopped back on my bike to peddle home and retrieve the "proper" set of keys. Surely his house key must be on the other key ring. Off I went.

Back Home:

I ran in, grabbed the other keys and zipped back over. (btw, bicycle safety....always wear a helmet!!)

The Re-Arrival:

I hopped off the bike and trotted back into the sunroom, certain that I had the right keys this time. (still no phone with me, btw, though I did hear a "voice" when I left my house the second time saying, "Wait, grab your personal cell....grab it....I'm serious....you should get it." To which I responded, "huh, yeah ok, whatever", and off I went Sans phone.)
Needless to say, this was also the wrong set of keys. Not a one would even fit in the door. Then it occurred to me. The door key was attached to the car key that I had brought over and "hidden" earlier in the day. Duh! All those trips for nothing. It had been here the whole time! As Stevie (formerly known as "Baby-Ruth" in this Blog) would say, "Mommy, you're so SILWY!"
So, I retrieved said keys and, being quite proud of my detective skills and sneakiness of dropping off a prized loaf of Banana Goodness to an unsuspecting pal, I let myself into the house.

The Incident:

As soon as I opened the door, I heard it. A lovely feminine voice saying, "System Armed. Disarm System Now", followed by "BEEP BEEP BEEP". "Back door open. Disarm System now." "BEEP BEEP BEEP".
So I said, "*(&&^&%***@@@#$%^&^*)*()#)" Then I spun in a circle looking for a phone that I knew wasn't there. I then recalled seeing a little flip phone in the car in the driveway. The car that I had the keys for......PERFECT!!! I grabbed the phone to call home and get a phone number to call the my pal whose house I had just entered. Luckily I was able to get through and get the numbers as the alarm was screeching at me in the background. Unluckily, it was a prepaid cell phone and I had used up the rest of the minutes with that one call.
CRAP.
So, I relocked the house, let the alarm keep screaming at me, and peddled furiously back home to get my cell phone. (btw, it is a very rare occasion indeed that I don't have at least one, if not TWO phones attached to me. Of course this is the time I pick to go without technology!)
Faster than the wicked witch going after Toto, I zipped back home, grabbed my phone and dialed.
I have to confess. I was talking on the phone while riding. No, it wasn't hands free. One hand on the handle bar, the other on the phone, holding it to my ear as I peddled and breathed heavily, hoping to get back with an alarm code before the police showed up and tackled me to the ground. (This is why it is important to wear a helmet!)
I made it back, re-entered and keyed in the alarm code. The plan was to escape and be on my way prior to the arrival of the "locals". That didn't go as planned either.
Just as I was "sneaking" back out of the house, there they were......the "locals"......out front and coming my way. Not that it mattered. I mean, really, how much was I going to get away with on a bicycle anyway?
Thankfully, I had the password and aside from a bit of embarrassment on my part and the loss of the banana bread surprise, there was no harm done and we all went on our merry way.

I'm hoping that is the best friggin' banana bread that my lovely lady has ever made! (and I'm sure it is.)
So you see, it's not that I procrastinate and make myself fall behind in my "chores". It's that the universe likes to give little quizzes and drop hints to us just to see if we are paying attention. There are too many points to mention at which I could have made a teensy tiny turn to avoid all such chaos, so I shall leave it up to interpretation.

And so we have Clarity.

All in a Day's Work

2010-06-17T23:02:00.005-05:00

My day began the other morning in the typical manner: wake up, groggily get a cup of freshly ground and brewed coffee (mmmm), shower, get dressed, make breakfast (note, the last two usually occur simultaneously), grab the goodies and run out the door. And so began my adventures.

Arachniphobicoffeeia

I made my way east, continuing my routine with a coffee pick-up at a "local" Dunkin Donuts. It is at this point that I generally, uneventfully, make use of the restroom. This morning, as I was doing what we ("we" meaning "potty trained humans) do in the porcelain throne room, I saw him. Right in front of me and coming fast; large, black, and hairy, he was coming right at me.
Faster and faster - it was definitely Aragog! I know they showed his "character" dying in one of the films, but he is out and about ladies and gentlemen!
As he got closer and larger, it was all I could do to keep from shrieking and running out of the restroom into the parking lot, pants (with all of the attached equipment - those who know what I do know what is attached) around my ankles, hoping against hope that I wouldn't trip and fall and be woven into an intricate web of ARAGOG cuisine. I was, however, frozen, partly due to fear - mostly due to the fact that I really had to pee. I'm sure he smelled my fear. It was one of those moments where time seems to slow down, unfortunately it didn't slow for Aragog. He kept coming at me and I couldn't stop peeing.
Closer and closer he came; he just kept coming. He was nearly to my right shoe, just millimeters away from my toes, when I finally managed to grab my belt and all it's attachments and leap to safety. I put myself back together faster than Harry can create a patronis charm, washed my hands and I was OUT OF THERE!
I slammed the door shut behind me to make sure the 8-legged giant didn't come after anyone else. I am certain that the entire eastern seaboard was saved by my courageous act of door slamming. He was, after all, at least the size of a quarter!

The Squeegee

Fully recovered from the Aragog incident, I continued on my way and began my search for a squeegee. You see, there are not only gigantic (quarter-size or larger) spiders here in the great Garden State, but also humming bird (or larger) size flying insects which I am fully convinced are filled with tar and purposely fly into the car windshield. Due to the many miles spent traversing the roadways up and down the state, it became imperative that I locate a squeegee.
   I stopped at the first logical place I saw - a gas station.
   The 105 year old attendant was more than happy to assist me.
   I didn't see the usual squeegee on the pump set up, so I said, "Excuse me, Sir, do you have a squeegee?"
   He seemed to be looking in my general direction, so I took that to mean that he did know that a voice had spoken.
   "Hi", I said as I raised my hand in a friendly neighborly sort of way. "Do you have a squeegee for my window?"
   He made a motion with his arm in the general direction of the pump behind me as his vocal cords resonated with a low rumble. I walked toward the pump but still didn't see the squeegee. Meanwhile, the gas-man was assisting another customer with the refueling of his truck. I wandered aimlessly about for a couple of seconds, then decided to try again.
   "Excuse me, I'm sorry, I don't see the squeegee. Where is it again?"
   This time, the ancient fellow gestured toward the building.
   It occurred to me that I must have misjudged the direction of his first gesture, so I sheepishly made my way toward the doorway. I fully expected to find a squeegee and bucket right in front of me, ready for my tar-bug removal project. However, all I found were boxes and a broom handle, minus the broom.
   Now the frustration was beginning to set in. Was this guy just not understanding what I was saying, could he not hear me, or was he just toying with my emotions? Just then, the driver of the freshly fueled work truck piped in.
"What do you need?" he asked, as though he hadn't heard my pleading requests for a squeegee the whole time he was watching his gas get pumped.
   "Oh, I was just looking for a squeegee for the bug-covered windshield, but they don't seem to have one here."
   "Did you try windshield washer fluid?" He asked.
   "Huh?" I muttered intelligently.
   "You know, washer fluid? For the windshield? You put it on there and it helps clean the window?"
   "Yes, I know what it is", I retorted, "but I still need a long object to clean it. My arms just aren't that long." (For the visual, I was dressed in a business suit and driving a large SUV, so the option of cleaning the windshield without an extension of my arm was just nonexistent.)
   "No", he said, "I mean use the windshield wipers. You put the fluid in the tank, then you squeeze the little button and the windshield wipers clean it for you. Did you try that?"
   Unable to bite my tongue any longer, I said, "Sir, I'm not an idiot. I know how to use the windshield wipers and the cleaning function. I have tried that about 10 times and these tar-filled bugs do not come off that way. It will require some scrubbing."

   "Why would you have a squeegee? Is this your gas station? I mean, do you work here?"
   "No, I don't work here, but this is my truck," he said, pointing to the large work truck next to the gas pump.
Not completely sure how to respond, I said, "Oh, ok. Well, I certainly am not expecting you to have the equipment to clean my windshield."
   "Ok, let me see what I have."
He said this with a tone of utter annoyance, as though I had asked him to use his tongue to clean the bugs from my windshield.
"No, really sir, it's ok."
"Fine, just a second, let me just see if I have any glass cleaner," he grumbled as he pulled open his side container door and began to rummage through is things.
Still not understanding why my windshield project had become so personal to him, I assured him that there was no need for him to dig through is things and that I really didn't have time to continue my quest. He seemed very annoyed and frustrated, but I had no time to help him with that. I hopped back in the car and the tar-bugs and I quickly departed the scene.
I have no idea why my inquiry into the existence of a squeegee caused such confusion with one (very old) man and such an attempt at martyrdom in another. All I know is that the next time the windshield is covered in bugs, I'm just going to clean it with my sock. It will be less stressful for everyone.

Sock Puppet??

Later this same day, the bugs and I and our passengers were stopped at a traffic light. I noticed that the driver of the car in front of us seemed to be in a heated conversation based on the movements of his head. I also noticed that there seemed to be no passenger, so figured he must be on the phone.
Then, I saw what appeared to be a tiny head in the center of the car. A closer look, (aka, slight lean forward and a squint) revealed something quite interesting. I saw with a tiny bit of surprise and a large dose of certainty, a SOCK on the man's hand.
Yep, I was certain that he was talking to a sock puppet.
I stared, dumbfounded. Really? A person talking to a sock puppet? Alone, in the car? Did he think that would count as a passenger for the HOV lane??
I squinted through the tar-bug splatters and leaned forward to get a better view of the puppet show. My line of sight cleared a bit as I leaned around one of the larger splatters and then I just felt plain silly and rather disappointed.
There was no sock puppet. No puppet at all. It was just his hand and a cell phone. He may have been talking to the hand, but at least it was holding a communication device, not wearing a sock.
Crap, I thought. If only that guy would have had a squeegee in his truck.......and then the light turned green.

Light, Love and Beauty

2010-01-21T23:19:00.003-05:00

I have embarked on a most intense and personal spiritual quest over the course of the last few months. I suppose it is safe to say that this is not a new quest nor am I alone in my “questing”, as we are all here on this Earth as a sort of adventure to learn all that we can in as many “ways” as we will allow ourselves. (The joy of Free Will!) It is my current plan that this post will be the first of quite a few in relation to this adventure. I think there would be many a spinning head if I were to try to cram everything that I deem important and relevant into one post. SO, get ready to hold on for the ride, if you dare!!!!

Each morning when I wake (or a bit later if I forget), I have been participating in an exercise recommended by my “Spiritual Adviser”. I express my Gratitude for the day to come and I state that I am open to receiving at least two wonderful gifts (or surprises) this day. Here is one of today's gifts:

This evening in the car on my way home from work, I was thinking about a conversation that I would like to have with a dear friend who recently returned to my life after a long absence and has more recently drifted back to the shadows. I began to verbalize my part of the conversation aloud.

“I just wish you could see yourself as you are. You are a wonderful, beautiful woman. Allow yourself to be who you truly are, not who others expect you to be, but WHO YOU ARE, on the inside. You are a beautiful being of Light, Love and Beauty. Be true to yourself and everything else will fall into place.”

It was then that I realized a “voice” was shouting over me (inside my head).

The “voice” said, “Are you listening to yourself? You are talking to YOU!”

Wow!

What an experience.

“I am a beautiful being of Light, Love and Beauty. A wonderful being of Hope, Joy and Peace. I am an extension of God's Grace.” EVERY SINGLE one of us is this! WE are Love. We are ALL extensions of God's Grace. How often we forget this; How long it has been since we have remembered this!

To the dear friend who has helped me get to this point, THANK YOU. Until we meet again, may you see within yourself your own Truth, Love and Grace.

Although I am grieving what appears to be a great loss in my life at the moment, I am also celebrating the many gifts that I have been receiving over the last 6 (or so) months and continue to receive each day. I have received a much needed awakening. The greatest gift in that is that I didn't even know that I was asleep!

As I continue this journey and ponder the many events and lessons along the way, I will continue to share the things that I am learning. I hope that in some way my experiences and “talks with myself” can help others sort through “stuff”. It seems that there truly is good to be found in even the darkest of hours if we allow our own Light to shine long enough to look around us. (and by "around" I mean "within".)

We are all connected. Allow your own Truth to set you free of your personal limitations. Allow yourselves to simply BE Light, Love and Grace and see how the world shines more brightly around you!

Stay tuned for snippets on “Unconditional Love/Unconditional Giving” and quite a few other things that will come to mind when I am less sleepy.

Meditative Writing

2009-12-06T20:35:00.002-05:00

During a particularly melancholy period of my personal journey, I had the occasion to write down some of my thoughts and questions. This was a very interesting meditative writing experience and seemed worthwhile to share. (Modified slightly) Some of the information is my way of “thinking through” the situation, other parts seemed to come through me rather than “from” me. The questions between paragraphs are my questions and much of what follows them is the “answer” that I received. (I should also specify that I do understand that not everyone is here to experience the same lessons. The lessons that I write about below apply to those of us who ARE learning these particular things. If any of this resonates with you, perhaps we are classmates.)

Enjoy.

I find that I feel less melancholy when I remember that my thoughts control my feelings and that I control my thoughts, thereby controlling my reactions to things that happen in my life. The difficulty, of course, lies in controlling these negative thoughts.

I have, once again, begun looking “without” for my happiness. I have been searching for that outer source to bring me the peace and joy that I seek, forgetting (or perhaps choosing to ignore) that happiness only comes from within. Although I do find great joy and happiness in speaking and being with a certain person, it is not this person or a relationship with them that ultimately provides me with joy and happiness. I have already been provided with all of the happiness and joy that I need. We all are filled with joy, peace and happiness. These things are within each of us. They are a part of us and we are a part of them. We share them (“IT”) with those around us.

It is during the times that I (we) lose site of this inner containment that I (we) begin to search outside of ourselves for “IT”. It would seem then, that the loss (or misplacement) of our “IT” occurs when we begin looking for “IT” on the outside. Therefore, it must hold true that there is never any need to look for “IT”. “IT” is always there, always within, always with each of us. Sometimes “IT” goes deeply within and hides, seemingly lost.

[Why?]

Perhaps this is so that we may more readily experience those things that are meant to be part of the Human Experience. Perhaps that is part of our lesson on reaction to things and letting go of expectation. The knowledge that “IT” (“IT” being joy, happiness, peace, tranquility, alignment with “Source” of God, etc.) is always within allows the release of all expectation, all attachment to the outcome of any given situation.

Expectation and the attachment to the outcome are simply methods of seeking “IT” from the outside. By expecting something or attaching to an outcome, we are telling ourselves and the Universe that we do not feel that we are enough. We are looking for something to fulfill us, something that we can hold on to and “bring in” to our being. Ultimately, this does not work. We may, initially, increase our level of joy and happiness, but in the long run it will fade away and we will, once again, be left to seek that elusive “outer IT”.

We must remember that “IT” is within each of us. “IT” is the Light, the Truth, the Way, Joy, Peace and Happiness and WE are all of these things. As Human Beings we are simply parts of the greater Whole – We are the Universe experiencing itself in HUMAN FORM. (From “The Secret”, I think – alas, that part is a borrowed quote, though I am not sure where I heard it at the moment.)

[Why do we experience sadness and depression if we are all of “IT”?]

This is part of the experience. Humans have the ability to experience these emotions, but some of us are just now learning that these emotions do not serve us well. They do not lead toward our Highest Good.

The release of these emotions led me to the thought of a toddler having a tantrum or seemingly inexplicably loud cry. He or she is experiencing a wonderful release in the only manner he or she is able to comprehend. We, as adults, do not do this of course. Just as a child identifies with their toys or a special blanket, so too do we identify with our emotions. They are OURS and we want to hold onto them! Depression and sadness take hold because we are, in no uncertain terms, afraid to release them. If we let them go, we may have nothing left. We fear the unknown. Despite the seemingly delusional way of thinking, our Ego or “little me” (as referred to by Eckhart Tolle, A New Earth, The Power of Now) does not want to let go of the comfort that has been established by these emotions which have become so dear to our hearts.

[Why hold on? Why are they “dear” to us if they are so negative and are NOT self-serving?]

They are a part of us. They are part of our challenge and part of our lesson in letting go. The challenge that we face is to learn to let go and allow the Divine Plan to work for us. Our Souls have chosen to come into this life, into this body in order to learn particular lessons.

The following is my own account/experience, though I wrote it with an open mind and “free-flowing” pen.

I am at a crossroad in my life. I can choose to allow myself the freedom of “flow” and acceptance, or I can choose to fight it and continue to seek outwardly. However, I am tired of seeking. I am tired of feeling negative and I am tired of waiting (however unintentional it may be) for someone else to determine my happiness. I am tired of all of these things, yet I still hesitate to move on. Why do I hesitate? Why do I hold so tightly to this negativity which is NOT serving my Highest Good?

Like water, I want to flow, to go with the current. (This does not imply unconditional conformity in any way. I refer only to the general flow of life.) I want to allow myself to drift with the currents because ultimately I will arrive at my intended destination no matter what. It is simply a matter of how much of a struggle I must endure to get there and how long it will take to arrive. I can choose to continue to tread water at the edge of the proverbial whirlpool and try to swim upstream to escape, or, I can take a deep breath, relax and let go. (For the lifeguards out there, you know what happens when we become tense and struggle in water – we drain ourselves of energy and ultimately we sink. When we relax and breathe calmly, we become buoyant and we float. Simply put, anyway.)

The “whirlpool” is not there to drown me (us) in sorrow or depression! The whirlpool is there to PROPEL me on my journey! It is there to assist me around the next bend and past the next obstacle.

My first step is to acknowledge the existence of the whirlpool and to stop resisting it. Although it may seem a treacherous obstacle, by resisting this “treachery”, the fear persists. It is the acceptance of what is that allows the release of fear. We do not fear what is. We fear what might be. What might be is a product of our thoughts and as we know, we sometimes allow our thoughts to get away from us.

We can, of course, imagine a future that is bright and cheery and for our Highest Good. This is a wonderful thing. However, it is our attachment to the outcome of the situation as well as our lingering imagination that lessen our ability to be present in the moment.

Getting back to “what might be”, for some people (yours truly, for one), this sometimes becomes a very negative thought pattern (I will continue to use “I” statements here, so as not to offend anyone who feels that this does not apply to them. *wink*) I think of how I want things to be in the future (which is ok), but then I begin to expect a particular outcome. I immediately form an attachment to the outcome of the situation and thereby block my own flow to achieve that which I so desire. WOW! I want immediate gratification and when I realize it doesn’t exist I become frustrated, angry and sad. Then I begin the thought pattern of wondering if these things will ever come to pass. I hold so tightly to my “ideal” that I cannot move toward it, nor can I move away from it. In order to move on in any manner, I must LET GO and LET GOD get me to my next “stop”. I must relax, accept what is and simply go with the flow.

Remember, the JOY is in our JOURNEY. It is not found only at the destination.

The Twins are here, the twins are here!!

2007-08-31T08:54:00.000-05:00

Just a quick update to announce the arrival of our two little bundles of joy.
I will be taking a blogging break for a while as we adjust to the newest additions to our brood.

Take care all!

SM

Wildlife tunnels??

2007-08-02T07:46:00.000-05:00

I read an article in the paper yesterday about the widening of the Garden State Parkway and the effect on certain species of wildlife. In order to lessen the negative effects on certain species of lizards, amphibians and snakes, someone came up with the idea to build "wildlife tunnels" under the roadway. In theory, this sounds like a wonderful idea. The little critters (in theory) will utilize these handy dandy tunnels to cross from one side of the busy road to the other and won't have to worry about traffic.
Now, here's my mental image of the project.
A newly widened superhighway winds gently through the midst of the New Jersey Pine Barrens. Various species of animals have set up residence on both sides of the highway. These animal families need to get to the opposite side, of course, for food, fun, and frolic. (Hey, animals have extended families too, and everyone loves a good family reunion!) Unfortunately, there is a nearly continuous flow of traffic. Way too many cars to allow the safe passage of a tiny frog or lizard. But WAIT! Not to worry! The brilliant humans have solved the problem. There are tunnels UNDER the road. Now Sal the Salamander can cross with ease.
Here it is from Sal's point of view:

One warm sunny day, Sal A. Mander crawled lazily from his murky puddle. As he did every morning upon waking, he pitter pattered over to his favorite mud spot and settled in for his morning bath. Sal sensed something different this morning. Something big.
"What is this strange vibration I'm sensing?" Sal wondered. (Salamanders are very sensitive to atmospheric change, you know.)
Then he saw it. The giant flat snake had grown even larger! Sal would have jumped right out of his scales, if salamanders had scales, that is. His heart pounding, Sal scurried to higher ground for a closer look. He could hardly believe his eyes. Now there were even more of those strange creatures with the round legs zipping over the giant flat snake's back.
"Those crazy humans must be feeding it again," thought Sal. "Now how am I going to get to Sally's house? Those zippies don't care what or who is in their path - they'll run right over me!"

Sal crept closer to the flat giant and bumped into Timmie, the cheerful timber rattlesnake.

"G' Mornin' Sal," quipped Timmie cheerfully.
"Hi Timmie," Sal said glumly.
"What's wrong, Sal?"
"Are you kidding, Timmie? Look at that! How am I supposed to get to Sally's house now? I'll never make it across the giant flat snake with all of those zippies up there!"
"No worries, Sal! Look at this." Timmie wagged her tail at a strange little tree-like object.
This was unlike any forest flora Sal had ever seen. It was a flat, shiny, yellow thing atop a green stick. There were markings on it that resemble all sorts of floor dwelling forest creatures walking, hopping and slithering into a long black hole. Sal was certain that it was some strange graffiti created by a flat snake artists trying to lure them all into the giant flat snake's belly.
Timmie sensed Sal's anxiety and explained the sign to him.
"Sal, this is a sign that the humans put here for us. Look over there - that is our safe passage to the other side of the flat giant."
Sal blinked, realized that he wasn't wearing his glasses, and quickly put them on. Now he could clearly see what was in front of him. Just a few yards away was the "black hole". Just outside of it was posted a sign, "WILDLIFE TUNNEL".
"Wild life?" wondered Sal aloud. "But I sort of enjoy my dull every day existence. Why would I want to enter the wild life?"
"No, no," chuckled Timmie, her tail rattling with glee. "Wildlife Tunnel - that is our path to the other side. We no longer have to cross over the top. Now we can go THROUGH."
"Ohhhhh," said Sal in amazement.
"C'mon, let's try it out!"
Sal and Timmie ran and slithered through the tunnel safely to the other side of the giant flat snake with hundreds, no thousands, of unaware zippies zooming along overhead.

So, do you think the brilliant engineers will post signs directing the fauna to the tunnels (like the one's that are posted so that the deer know where to cross)?

Hairy Tongue and other random thoughts

2007-07-29T19:34:00.000-05:00

Baby Ruth apparently has a hair on her tongue. She is holding her "Baby Tad" which is covered in dog hair despite having just been vacuumed, and pitter-pattering over to me with her tongue hanging out. This can mean one of two things - she ate something disgusting, or there is a hair on her tongue. My vote is for hair.....yep, that's it......a hair......
All is now well in our little toddler's world. Hairy Tad is on the floor, collecting more hair, and Baby Ruth is bouncing and spinning on the "Bounce and Spin Zebra".

If you happen to read my posts on occasion, you will notice that I removed the "Chinese Horoscope" thing. I dunno....thought it was dumb after re-reading it and it seemed to throw off the Feng Shui of my page.

Since my last post, the majority of my spare time has been spent training for the aforementioned Black Belt test. No amount of push-ups seem to be enough to get me to where I need to be. (In fact, as I type I am doing push-ups - mentally.....sort of like learning by osmosis.....I'm sure it will help, won't it?)

This afternoon I took my darling little canines for a walk. We came upon a house in the neighborhood that has been for sale for quite some time. It is a tiny little bungalow type cape thing with window boxes that hold very brightly colored FAKE flowers. There is a large "LUXURY - TWO BEDROOM" sign in one of the windows. As the dogs and I trotted by, I couldn't help but wonder how this place could possibly be luxurious or contain two bedrooms. Okay, two bedrooms maybe, but luxurious? If you're a hobbit, perhaps. Then, as I continued to stare, I suddenly got an image of the basement of this home. (I don't know if it actually has one or not.) In my mind, the basement is the complete opposite of the image that the seller is trying to portray on the outside of the house. It is dark and dingy and there are shackles on the wall. There are wooden benches along one wall with large eye bolts in them so that the "prisoners" can be chained there. Then there are the fingernail marks on the walls and blood spatters on the windows which are covered from the outside.
I don't know why this image came to mind, nor do I want to explore it further. I know one thing - I will NEVER attend an open house at that place, no matter how curious I am about the inviting "Luxury Two Bedroom" sign! (The place probably hasn't sold because all of the prospective buyers are now chained to the benches in the basement until an appropriate offer is made.)

Methods of Thought

2007-07-05T12:33:00.000-05:00

Earlier today I received an e-mail with the following link (thanks Mom):

http://www.buzzle.com/articles/law-of-attraction-should-be-renamed
-the-law-of-distraction.html

I purposely did not make the link "clickable", as I do not really want to promote this individual's ideology. However, reading the article would probably help you make more sense of what I am about to say. So, the link is there - just copy and paste it into your address bar if curiosity gets the better of you. ;-)

This is what my Mommy wrote in her e-mail. I have included it because it provides a quick summary of the article:
Here is a blog to read from someone who doesn't like the idea of the Law of Attraction. I agree with him in that many people may have the idea that you don't have to actively do anything to create what you want because you can just think it and then have it.

For those of you who know me, you most likely know that I am a firm believer in the "Law of Attraction". Of course, until the recent media hype, I had no idea what to call it, but now I know the buzz phrase. What is the "Law of Attraction", or, to be super cool, the "LoA"? Check out my sidebar link to The Secret for an in depth description. In my mind, though, the "LoA" can be summed up in the following statements/quotes:

"What we think about, we bring about"

"Like attracts like"

"If you build it, they will come"

"Energy flows where attention goes"

In other words, we are in control of our own lives and our own destiny, and it is up to us to choose wisely both in our thoughts and actions.
The debate comes in to play when portions of "LoA" lectures, videos, books, etc. are taken out of context. I liken it to taking a quote from the Bible without reading the rest of the passage. (Yeah, like THAT would ever happen)

Anywho, in case you still have no idea what I am talking about, I'll explain a bit further......many proponents of the "LoA" use health and wellness as a big selling point for the theory. The idea (very simply put) is that, through the power of positive thinking and conscious awareness, we can control the health and well being of our own body. This even includes healing oneself of a potentially terminal illness.

The skeptics will say that this is impossible; That only a deliberate and well planned regimen of pharmaceuticals and western medicine will affect the healing process. (Please understand that I am looking from one end of the spectrum to the other. There are many levels/schools of thought to this....very gray area, not black and white as I just made it sound.)

As the author of the.....oh, heck, here's the direct link.....Article
states, some people interpret the "LoA" to mean that they can get anything that their little heart desires simply by sitting around and thinking about it. The author begs to differ, and therefore titled his article "Law of attraction should be renamed the Law of Distraction".
Prior to reading his article, this was my reply to my Mother's e-mail:
I haven't read the blog yet, but wanted to comment on the not liking the Law of Attraction. The way I see it, like it or not, the law exists. It is somewhat like gravity, in my opinion. People may not like the fact that if they leap from a building without something to propel them upward, they will inevitably fall to the ground at the rate of 9.8 m/s/s. As for thinking and not doing, that is simple ignorance. Back to the gravity example, if I simply think about flying from a building and not plummeting to my doom, it won't work. However, if I align my thoughts and actions to this desire, then I will find a way to acquire a jet pack and will then fly rather than fall.

After reading his article, I find it very interesting that he claims to be such a skeptic of the law of attraction.
He sums it up in this one point:

this is a quote that the author used from a proponent of the "LoA":
"(4) Proponents say that by abiding by these, and avoiding "negative" thoughts, the Universe will manifest a person's desires."

Here is the author's rebuttal:

My experience tells me that (by and large) the only person/thing that will create forever positive change in my life is ME... yes, thinking plays a role but typically it's more about my actions, my life choices, my ability to persevere and deal with discomfort, my ability to adapt and... my drive to create something from nothing."

YES!!!!!!! Craig (the author of the article), that is exactly what the "LoA" is stating!!!! It IS up to you, the individual, to make your own life choices and adapt - to create something from nothing, if that is what you want to do! The only additional piece of information that the Law of Attraction proponents include in their statements is that an individual attains his or her goals with the ADDED ASSISTANCE of POSITIVE THINKING.
BTW, I fully agree with this, especially as it relates to health - whatever ailment someone has, if they TRULY believe that their chosen healing modality will bring them back to health, and they go forth with the "treatments", then they will find good health again. (Is there more to it than this simple statement? Yes, but I will only have your attention for a limited time, so let's leave it at that for now.)

Now, I do agree with Craig that there are people out there who misinterpret, or, I should say, under-interpret the whole concept. It is not through thought alone that we can achieve our wildest dreams. It is through the alignment of our thoughts, our actions, and (I'm going to take it one step further) our attitude that enables us to achieve our goals.

With all of that said, I do think that the whole concept of the Law of Attraction is becoming way too commercialized. It's one of those things that is much better received when it is not about making money. Alas, we are all learning a little something from it, and it is proliferating some sort of intellectual thought. Please realize also that this is not a new concept. There are books upon books about the power of thought and positive thinking, some of which date back centuries!

(keep in mind, that if your "wildest dream" is to become a green sea monkey and swim to the enchanted underwater forest where you will live out the rest of your days in bubbly paradise, you might want to rethink your goals.....or wait for your next incarnation - uh oh, another can of worms opens with that one, no?)

Please, send me your comments, e-mails, whatever....I'd LOVE to hear from you about this "controversial" topic!!!!

I have been Tagged for the first time

2007-06-25T18:13:00.000-05:00

It seems that I have been "tagged" by Ciar Cullen. Gosh I feel so special to be part of the game.....

Here are the rules:
A. Each player lists 8 facts/habits about themselves.
B. The rules of the game are posted at the beginning before those facts/habits are listed.
C. At the end of the post, the player then tags 8 people and posts their names, then goes to their blogs and leaves them a comment, letting them know that they have been tagged and asking them to read your blog.

1. I don't know 8 people with blogs to list at the end of this.
2. I used to manage a clothing store and now feel compelled to refold items (even ones that I didn't touch) when shopping.
3. I don't shop often, thankfully - see # 2.
4. I sometimes rearrange my basement "lair/office" space and then feel as though I've gotten new furniture.
5. My job at the Paper Mill ROCKS!
6. My first job was working in the bakery section of a "butcher shop" - I made hundreds of cookies. mmmmmmm.....
7. Please don't ask me to make cookies now, unless you want 90 dozen and have a very large mixing bowl.
8. Ciar Cullen is still my friend, even though she tagged me. :-)

I am tagging Hope. My only other blogging buddy that I know of.

To Terry, Sandy, and others who have gone before me

2007-06-16T18:29:00.000-05:00

Once again, I sit and work on my Black Belt written test. I have put much thought into it since the last post, but have not had time to actually work on it. Right now, I am taking a break from the hard thinking and am attempting to enjoy the beautiful weather outside in my backyard. I say "attempting" because of the ridiculous number of mosquitoes that quite enjoy my "sweetness". So much for sitting in my "thinking garden".
Now, perched on the deck swing, I shall explain my title......

First of all, it is important to note that those mentioned in the title are still physical entities on this Earth. Where they have gone before me is on the same journey which I am now experiencing. As I prepare for the upcoming big day, I can't help but look back over the past few years of training. (The view is an interesting one.)

Training for this test has been a great adventure thus far, and help along the way has come from numerous sources. This opportunity is something that I have anticipated for many years. Although I may not have been fully aware of it at the time, my training for this test began at least six years ago when I first entered our school. Many life changing events have occurred outside of my Martial Arts career, but I now am beginning to understand what was happening the first day that I stepped into the Dojo.
It was, if I recall correctly, one week (or so) prior to a Black Belt test. I was there to complete my registration form and pick up a uniform. As I completed my little tasks, the doors to one of the training floors opened and out came a bunch of very sweaty, very exhausted people. Something more than the sweat and fatigue caught my attention, however. (that is, aside from the thought of "Holy S*#T! What have I gotten myself into?") I noticed that this group of people of varying ages and walks of life appeared to have a certain bond with one another. I recall overhearing conversations about what they were going to have for breakfast the following Saturday and what they should eat the night before. There was a particular "energy" about them that I did not recognize as well as a certain amount of "aloofness". (I mean this in a good way.) (I came to find out moments later that they were preparing for a Black Belt test which was scheduled for the following week.)
Up to that point and for some time after, I must admit, I had thought of Martial Arts training as simply a class that people attended. Nothing more, nothing less. (Of course, I knew that historically speaking there was much more to it than that, I mean, I did see the original Karate Kid!) I just didn't expect to experience the "more".
I officially met Terry at my very first class. She was one of the people in that group that I mentioned earlier. I had the honor and privilege of learning the "rules" and proper basic techniques from Terry. I have not stopped learning from her to this day, although she is not presently training with us. I am frequently reminded of little "Terryisms" during my own training, and they are invaluable! Although I miss her fine tutelage at our school, I feel quite fortunate to be able to continue to receive the "isms" through the cyber world and such. ;-)
Another member of the aforementioned group was young Sandy. Sandy has also since moved on to more pressing endeavors at the present time, but as with Terry, I continue to learn from the lessons that Sandy taught me nearly two years ago.

What I am really trying to say is, I am now beginning to understand that "fog" that those sweaty, exhausted people seemed to have around them. It was a fog of knowledge and understanding. It was a fog of realization that we all have limitations and that in order to get past those individual limitations, we have to rely on those around us. It was also a fog of energy and intent and the ability to manifest things that we never thought possible before. (It was also the fog of stress, pressure and a boatload of information floating around inside a human brain.)

So, Sandy, Terry, (and the others) Thank you for being there at the beginning of my journey and for providing me with many of the tools that I need now as I approach the steepest part of the climb. I am truly grateful, and am thrilled to have this opportunity!

Greetings, Earthling it's all a BIG TEST

2007-06-03T19:40:00.001-05:00

Do you ever get the feeling that you are from a different planet?
I have been convinced for many years now that some day, "my people" will come back to get me. Maybe it has something to do with the dreams I had as a child of the space ships in the sky just beyond our neighborhood. Just thinking about it, although it is more than 20 years later, gives me a feeling of awe and excitement. In reality, I think that either "my people" forgot that they dropped me off, or this is all some cruel joke. Today, I feel quite sure that whether or not I am actually from another planet, it appears to other "Earthlings" that I am.
All right, here is the background on the alien thing. Bear with me....I'll get to the point in time.
The day began as any other non-work day. I got up, had coffee, walked the dogs, read the paper, etc. The plan for the day was to work on the written portion of my Black Belt test which is due in a couple of weeks. Now those who know me, and especially my fellow classmates (current and former) know well how consuming this testing experience is. The preparation in and of itself is enough to make you feel alienated from the rest of society. So, after my initial morning activities, I hunkered down with my test, laptop, and a few other resource materials and dove into the typing. This lasted for approximately 20 minutes before I got antsy and began exploring the ins and outs of the new laptop. Then, I built a new bird feeder and removed icky bugs from the window overlooking our backyard and new bird feeder. (Yeah, I was like this when I was actually in school too. It's amazing that I have a degree!)
With all of those necessary activities out of the way, I felt able to truly concentrated on the test materials.....so I made an egg burrito. It was one of the best darn egg burritos I have had in a long time!
Procrastination finished, I plopped back down and actually finished one question. (Essay questions, not the True/False jobbies) Actually, the questions are interesting and thought provoking and fun to research. So, being that they are such fun to research, and research can be done with books, and books can be found in a book store, it seemed high time to head off to the book store! Lady M and Baby Ruth also thought this seemed like a good idea, so off we went! (I did take along the test and laptop with the intention of working on the material in the cafe.) The next big decision was which store to go to. I chose Borders because, although on the other side of town, the cafe' is roomier and the whole place has a better feel to it. Of course, I inadvertently began heading towards the local Barnes and Noble and had to turn around to head back to Borders......should have followed my instinct, though. We arrived at Borders and braved the rain only to find that the Cafe' was closed (I assume for renovations based on the large tarp around it.....otherwise, I don't want to know why it's closed.) So, off to Barnes and Noble we go, but not to the one that I initially drove towards. This one is inside a little mall. Perfect for Lady M and Baby Ruth. They trotted off into the mall and I headed straight for the cafe' area for some coffee and a scone.
(This is where the "from another planet" thing comes into play)
I patiently awaited my turn in line, mouth watering over the coffee with soy milk and the blueberry scone that I was about to devour. The experience went something like this:
BARISTA 1: [mundane look on his face] "Can I help the next customer?"
ME: "Yes, could I have a grande coffee of the day with a little bit of soy milk, please an"...[he interrupts]
BARISTA 1: "OK that will be $1.87" *ka ching* goes the register
ME: [annoyed with being interrupted AND potentially missing out on that mouth watering scone that I shouldn't be eating anyway but now MUST order] "Uh, AND a blueberry scone, please."
BARISTA 1: [begrudgingly adding it into the total] *sigh* "blueberry?"
ME: "Yes, blueberry. Sorry, guess I didn't say it fast enough." (OK, uncalled for, but give a customer a chance to order, will ya? I had my scone, which was not spit on because I watched it the whole way to the counter and I slid over for my coffee which I witnessed being poured into the cup. Barista 2 placed the 3/4 full cup in front of me and placed the lid on it saying, "you wanted soy?"
ME: "Yes, please"
Barista 2 nodded and cocked his head toward the 3/4 full cup of very dark liquid.
ME: "Oh, is it in there already?" I asked while removing the lid and gazing curiously at the dark coffee.
BARISTA 2: "Yeah, it's in there."
ME: "Oh, uh, really? Uh, could I add a bit more, perhaps?" (my inner alien is saying, "it's in there? are you f-ing kidding me? I just watched you pour the coffee into the cup and it's just as black now as it was then, besides the fact that I just paid nearly $2.00 for a cup of coffee that isn't even full!")
BARISTA 2: "You want to add more?" (apparently he speaks inner-alien, because he sure gave me an odd look!)
ME: "Yes, could I?"
[BARISTA 2 gets out the soy mild and pours a few globs into my cup]
ME: "Perfect, thank you very much" - trying to sound pleasant.
Again, BARISTA 2 looks at me like I just came out of a steam room and forgot my robe.
ME: "Heh....gee...(yes, I said "gee") I feel like I'm from a different planet today."
BARISTA 2: [no smile, not even a smirk] "yeah, like us all, some days"
ME: [thinking, OK, now we are on the same page] "Heh heh....I just wish I remembered the trip, I bet it was a good one"
BARISTA 2: absolutely no comment, grin, smile, or other indication of amusement as he turns his head and looks at me as though I just turned green and began to beam up right in front of him.

I never did get beamed up, but I did have another interesting experience before we left the store. I met a lovely young man in the martial arts book aisle who was looking for a particular book. Prior to us speaking, I pulled a book off of the shelf to read the back cover. He glanced at it and said happily, "Oh, that's the one that I was looking for." I handed it to him and said,"looks interesting, enjoy". I had to convince him that I did not want to buy it because I was looking for something by Prof. Wally Jay. He inquired as to who that was and what sort of book I needed, so I proceeded to explain Small Circle Theory Jujitsu in 30 seconds or less. (This was good practice for me, as I need to talk about it on my test.) He then realized that the book he now had was not what he was looking for, but rather one with a similar title. I happened to know the book well ("The Way of the Peaceful Warrior" by Dan Millman) and informed him that he would have better luck in the fiction or Spiritual sections. We ended our chat, he went in search of the "Peaceful Warrior" and I levitated over to the Bargain books where I soon came across a bargain copy of "Peaceful Warrior" and "Sacred Journey of the Peaceful Warrior" combined under one cover. What a deal, I thought, as I grabbed the book. I must find that guy and give him this book!
Utilizing skills learned from watching The Secret, I found the fella sitting with a lady friend at a table. He had a new copy of "Peaceful Warrior" and I happily presented him with the bargain that I found. It occurred to me only after a brief exchange and a couple of silly comments on my part that it must have seemed very odd to his lady friend that a stranger came trotting over to their table and presented her beau with a book that he had been looking for earlier and had, in fact, already found. (oh well)
Finally, once again utilizing skills learned from The Secret, I managed to "manifest" and empty table and sat down to answer another question on my test. It was just about that time that Lady M and Baby Ruth showed up and were ready to check out.
So, here I am, twelve hours after beginning the work on my test, still trying to finish it...........Today's experiences reinforced for me the need for patience, kindness, and the importance of helping one another even in the most unlikely of ways. Also important virtues in the world of Martial Arts.......I think I just answered another question from my test......

Welcome Beni MLK Bu

2007-06-01T18:32:00.000-05:00

Please join us in welcoming our new friend, Beni MLK Bu! (Pronounced "Benny milk Boo")

Baby Ruth (18 months in a couple of days, for those who have been out of the loop for a while) received a gift card from her aunties K and L, and we made a very special trip to Build A Bear today. It was a very difficult decision as to who to stuff and bring home. The finalists were Shrek, Winnie the Pooh, and the little guy in the picture. Obviously, the turtle won in the end and is now enjoying his new home on our living room floor.

The whole experience went rather well. Baby Ruth was enthralled by the stuffing machine and very much enjoyed collecting the little hearts that go into the animals. You're really only supposed to put ONE in the critter, but we sure tried for more. Then, of course, there were the shoplifting attempts. Apparently, according to Baby Ruth, anyway, a turtle just can't have too many skirts and "Hello Kitty" tank tops. Lucky for us, we found them in the bottom of the stroller before leaving the store. (My previous retail career taught me to always keep an eye on those "empty" strollers - now I REALLY know why.) It's the toddlers that you have to watch out for!
As it turns out, skirts really don't fit well on turtles - sort of makes them appear to be in "drag". We, therefore, opted for the "overall" look instead.
After the outfit shopping, it was time to name the little fella. Baby Ruth didn't want to say his name aloud, so she typed it right into the computer. The actual spelling was "BEN I,,,MLKB U", but we were able to translate.

Once again, Beni MLK Bu, we welcome you to our humble abode!

Perspectives from the dirt

2007-05-23T22:14:00.001-05:00

Once again, it has been quite a while between my posts. It really all goes back to the earlier post "Life gets in the way of itself". Busy busy busy.
Actually, it's not that I've been any busier than usual. I mean, there are the everyday chores, the doctor visits for Lady M and the Twins that she is "brewing", that thing called "work", and the training for the upcoming Karate test in August (this one's sure to be a doozy), but really, nothing "extra". I've just put the blogging on the waaay back burner. Enough excuses?

OK.

Lately I have been pondering perspectives. I ponder frequently, and try to do so from different points of view when possible. What got me started on this particular ponder was a recent softball game.
I play in a local "bar league" (AKA "lolly-pop ball") and this year am the manager of my team. (This sort of fell in my lap by default.) We play only on Wednesday nights, and have a blast each time we play. There are quite a few of my "co-workers" from the paper mill on the team, as well as pals from outside the mill. Many of us are former college players, either softball or another competitive sport. Now, we are older, wiser, and have day jobs. We are in the "B", or maybe even "C" league. I don't know which letter, but it's really more of a "beginner" league. We don't even have playoffs at the end of the season. I think the idea is for teams to earn their way into the "A" bracket, but we see things a bit differently, it seems. We are PERFECTLY content where we are.
We get together on Wednesday nights and play in the dirt. We try to tell ourselves that we don't care if we win or not, but being the natural competitors that we are, deep down we really want to score more runs than the other team. BUT, regardless of the final score, we have FUN. We blow off steam, we goof off, we take too long getting on or off the field (not on purpose, of course).
Here's where the perspective thing comes in. The other teams seem to take it so much more seriously. (I guess they really want to get to the "A" division.) They get upset when they make an error, and by upset, I mean angry. The umpires also get their panties in a twist on occasion. Very few smiles when things are going a bit awry.
This isn't the MAJOR LEAGUE for Pete sake!
We must drive them all crazy! We simply enjoy getting out there on the field. What is the difference? Are we more well-adjusted and happier with our lives? Perhaps.
I'm thinking, though, that we, as individuals and as a group, simply look at things from a different point of view. Our team consists of two current Div. I college softball coaches - they get paid to win games; numerous former scholarship players - they too, in effect, were paid to play; and quite a few people who are responsible for the lives and well-being of many people on a daily basis.
When Wednesday night comes around, it's all about the bat, the ball, and the dirt. It's fun. There is no pressure (as long as we have enough players....which is another perspective in and of itself).
My personal point of view, as team manager, has shifted slightly since last year. Although I have a ton of fun at the games, I do find my own panties in a twist each week as we scramble to find enough players from our roster to field a team. Most of the time we manage to get at least 9 together for a game. Then, the lineup must be done. My method of creating the lineup, prior to tonight, was ALPHABETICALLY. Do you think that is how they do it in the Majors? Tonight, I decided to live on the edge and go completely at random.
The absolute best part of all of this? Despite our fun-loving, care-free attitude and "strategically masterminded" line-ups, we have managed to WIN all of our games thus far!
Of course, it is not about winning or losing. Every one knows that it's how you play the game. Beyond that, however, it is how you perceive the game (life). There is a time and a place to be serious, no doubt. It is during those in between times (the "Wednesdays") that we should all take a moment or two to just go play in the dirt.

Tragedy and The Little Things

2007-04-02T23:08:00.000-05:00

Earlier this afternoon, I began a post about the satisfaction that I felt after rearranging a small area of our home. The beginning of that post is in italics below, just as I left it prior to heading out for our days activities. I am not finishing the post in the manner originally planned due to a recent local newsworthy event which occurred at my Alma Mater. It was (and is) an absolutely tragic occurrence that has hit rather close to home in a sense. Before I go on about the "news", here is the beginning of my original post:

It is the smaller things in life that I find very exciting and fulfilling. I just finished the most lovely project, and I must say, I feel lighter on my feet. (NOT, however, lighter in my loafers, if you catch my drift - I'm light enough there as it is.)
What did I do?

I REARRANGED our computer station! Now, instead of turning sideways to reach the keyboard and see the monitor, we have the option of sitting in front of it! If you know us and have been to our house, you know that we try to maximize the space that we have by cramming as much into one room as possible.

Now, about this tragic story.
Last Wednesday night into Thursday, a Fraternity at a local college (my Alma Mater, as I said) held a party as part of the "pledging" process. As is expected at a college frat party, large quantities of alcohol were being consumed. A freshman, Gary D., who was pledging the fraternity, participated in the festivities. Gary consumed significantly more than his share of alcohol, passed out and was later taken to the hospital where he died the next day. I know of this only by reading it in the newspaper, so I have only the perspective provided by the reporters. I do not always trust what is written, but over all, the coverage of this event thus far seems o.k. According to quotes in the articles, Gary was not one to drink frequently or in large amounts. Unfortunately, this particular night was different. Gary did what was apparently expected of him in order to become part of a group (fraternity).
I do not mean to imply that Gary succumbed to peer pressure. I did not know Gary, but based on the quotes from those who did know him, he seems more the sort who would stand by his principles and do the right thing. Again, I did not know Gary.
What I do know, however, is that his story is one that should not be. It is also one that has been told before, and unfortunately one that will likely be told again with someone else as a main character. This is partly what makes it so tragic. I mean, it goes without saying that when a young person loses his or her life that a tragic event has occurred. The real tragedy here is that it is not a "freak accident". It is an avoidable event that finds away to repeat itself. In Gary's case, it seems that alcohol poisoning led to his death (this is an assumption, as autopsy/toxicology results, to my knowledge, have not been released). For other "young" people, it may be an alcohol related motor vehicle accident, or a drunken stunt gone wrong. (For those of you who know me, you know what I do for a living, and although I have not seen as much "devastation" as some, I have seen enough from both sides to know the pain and suffering that ensue.) Whatever the "reaction", the catalyst is often overuse of alcohol (or other drugs) and the result is all too often death or serious injury.

I mentioned in the beginning that Gary's story hit rather close to home. What makes it somewhat personal is that I attended the same school. I lived on campus, played two sports, was involved in many campus activities and am well aware of the fraternity that he was pledging. This is a relatively small school with a small campus. It has been 10 years since I graduated, and I still feel part of the "family". That is the beauty of the school. It is like a large, extended family.
The other reason that brings it close to home is that one of his Professors is someone whom I consider a very good friend. Prior to reading a news article this evening, I did not know that he was one of her students. As I was reading one article, she came very clearly into my awareness and I thought, "Wow, I think he was one of K's students." Before I could talk myself out of this thought, I glanced at the next article and right at the beginning was a quote from one of his professors - my Friend.
"Professor", I am not sure what the psychic connection is there, but it was interesting.

What is it that makes teenagers and early 20-somethings think that they are invincible? Clearly I was there once, but I just don't recall my thought processes at the time. (I'm a bad barometer, though - I was more of a "goody goody" - no drinking, no drugs - I can HONESTLY say that I didn't inhale. *wink*)
What does all of this have to do with my title, Tragedy and The Little Things?
Well, as I read the articles and glanced back at my blog, I thought about perspective and the little things in life. Today, as I bask in the glory of my newly arranged furniture, a family (immediate and extended) mourns the loss of a loved one.
Does this mean that I should not enjoy my new setup? That others who were touched by this story, or any other story of heartache should not find enjoyment in their daily lives?
Absolutely not.
What this means is that all of us should take time to appreciate what we have, appreciate those we love.
Express gratitude to those who love us and to those who help us along life's paths, as we lend a helping hand to those who need our love and guidance. Be patient and kind to one another and most importantly, ENJOY THE JOURNEY.

My thoughts and prayers go out to Gary's family and friends.

Our Zoo

2007-03-02T21:48:00.000-05:00

Our humble abode is never lacking in excitement, depending, of course, on what you consider "excitement". Most this is now due to a very busy toddler, but the rest of our "clan" is never far behind.

Today, as we do many a day, Lady M, Baby Ruth, Big Dog, Little Dog, and I went for a nice walk in the park. These are always lovely until another dog passes by and "Little Dog" - a Jack Russell - tries to eat the passerby, regardless of the breed or size. She is a very "tough" little dog, despite the fact that she has only two top front teeth. Thanks to our brave "Little Dog", we made it safely through our walk without being accosted by any large dogs. It was upon our return home that our brave "Little Dog" showed her true nature.

One of our birds has a new favorite toy. A large plastic ball with a smaller ball with a bell in it inside the large ball. Birdie loves to jingle the bell, pick it up, drop it, etc. (She is actually obsessively trying to get the darn little ball out. - we have O.C.D. issues around here.) Anyway, as it turns out, our brave "Little Dog" who will readily take on any Doberman, German Shepherd, or any other large breed that she encounters is TERRIFIED of this ball and bell!

From the first jingle, "Little dog" began panting, pacing and darting from room to room until she could finally get to her "safe haven". It seems that as long as she is tucked securely inside her travel crate, all is well in her world. I guess it makes her feel like she is finally going to get out of this joint.

Joke of the day

2007-03-02T21:45:00.000-05:00

I just had to post this one....

"11 minutes to go"

A cop was patrolling late at night in a well-known spot.

He sees a couple in a car, with the interior light brightly glowing. The cop carefully approaches the car to get a closer look.

Then he sees a young man behind the wheel, reading a computer magazine He immediately notices a young woman in the rear seat, knitting. Puzzled by this surprising situation, the cop walks to the car and gently raps on the driver's window.

The young man lowers his window . "Uh, yes, officer?"

The cop says: "What are you doing?"

The young man says: "Well, Officer, I'm reading a magazine."

Pointing towards the young woman in the back seat the cop says:

"And her, what is she doing?"

The young man shrugs: "Sir, I believe she's knitting a pullover sweater."

Now, the cop is totally confused. A yo ung couple. Alone, in a car, at

night in a Lover's lane....and nothing obscene is happening!

The cop asks: "What's your age, young man?"

The young man says :"I'm 22, sir."

The cop asks: "And her ... what's her age?"

The young man looks at his watch and replies:

"She'll be 18 in 11 minutes."

Myself vs. I

2007-02-21T10:00:00.000-05:00

Thank you for your patience during my extended meditation exercises. If only my personal experience was as relaxing as the cartoon me appears! I could attempt to explain myself for allowing so much time to pass between blog updates, but I simply have no excuse. Just like everyone else, we are a busy family. My work at the Paper Mill seems endless, but this is a good thing, as it pays the bills! I think that one part of my "anti-posting" campaign is due to a type of writer's block. It's not that I have nothing to write about - there are plenty of day to day events that could be construed as amusing, anecdotal, or educational. The thing is, as I read back over some of the past entries, I feel a lack of "funny" come over me. I want to "hear" that side splitting laughter coming out of my screen when others read what I have written. If not laughter, then a strong sense of "hmmm....." is good. Bottom line is, I've suddenly (ok, it's not so sudden) begun a heated competition with myself to see who can have the best blog entry, and since I know that I am the best, there is no competing with me! (When I say "the best", I mean in the competition between Myself and I - there is no comparison to be made with some of my other blogging friends -- i.e. TheEverythingGirl, Ciar Cullen, to name a couple.)
I am wondering, (Ciar Cullen, perhaps you can answer this) is this normal? I mean, in the "writer" sense. Not that I consider myself a writer, really, but there are a couple of things brewing that I intend to finish one day.

So, where does this leave us?
It leaves me sitting on the couch with a laptop right where it belongs - on my lap, pondering what to do next. One phrase keeps coming to mind - an entry that I have had in my drafts since August. (Where does the time go???) Now seems like an appropriate time to review that one. . . . . stay tuned.........

Life gets in the way of itself

2007-02-21T09:32:00.001-05:00

Have you ever felt that life had a tendancy to get in the way of itself? What I mean is, do you ever feel so busy and aspire to do so many things, whether it is in one day or over the course of "time" that very little is accomplished? Sort of like running in circles, but more like an outward spiral. In keeping with previous posts regarding "The Secret" and other motivational inferences, I prefer to take a more positive view than this sounds so far. First, though, I think I need to explain more fully what I mean. Strap on your seatbelts - I am about to take you on a journey through my mind.....are you scared yet? *sinsiter cackle*

Wow! This is more challenging than I thought! All right, I'll begin with daily "aspirations". For me, as for everyone, I suspect, these things change depending on the day. It could be walking the dogs, petting the birds, cleaning the fish, playing with Baby Ruth, grocery shopping, house cleaning, laundry, an oil change for the car, or perhaps all of the above. (OK, so I don't do much of the grocery shopping, but I pitch in everywhere else......supermarkets frighten me.....so much food....so many people........) In addition to these tasks, which are on-going, there are the larger "one-time" projects - painting the doors, replacing doors, a bit of sewing, painting the trim, building a room or buying a house (this last to accomodate our growing family). As the weather warms, there is landscaping to think about. Next we have the walks in the park, blog updating, other writing, time for meditation, planning for the upcoming rec. softball season, and for me a very important part of life, Martial Arts - which leads right into the daily dietary considerations - to fast or not to fast.....and a wealth of other contemplations when it comes to deciding what to consume.....green things are good, processed things are bad.....and what about the air that we breath? the plastic toys? the "mainstream" diapers? aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!!!!
(hey, I warned you that this was a journey through my mind......)
All right, so there are many activities that are available to be accomplished and completed. These are in addition to that little thing called "job". I love my job at the Paper Mill, and often welcome the opportunity to go there. Not because I want to get away from home, but because I enjoy what I do. It does, however, take time from the other things that I want to do. Overall, I feel very fortunate to have so many opportunities to do different things. BUT, the big BUT.......this is where life tends to get in the way of itself. Corporate folks might take the "time management" perspective and say that it is just a matter of managing my time and that I should, perhaps, keep a daily planner and stick to it. What that says to me is, "aaargh! one more thing that I have to do....I have to take the time to sit down to figure out how much time I have for each activity." -- not so helpful.

Where is the positive message in all of this? (A very good question, that is!)

Clearly, priorities must be set, and met. Family first. This includes SELF. We are no good to anyone else if we are not good to ourselves first. This is not an act of "selfishness", although it may sound like it. As I said, I am thankful to have so many opportunities to accomplish different things. The challenge for me lies in my effort to "quiet my mind". I am making an increased effort to set aside some time for daily meditation, in one form or another. The other things to be done are still going to be there afterwards, and if I am lucky, the Fairies (remember the Fairies? - scroll down....) will return and do all of the painting for me!

So, while life does sometimes get in the way of itself and trip us every now and again, we must focus on simply being. Everything will come together in its own time - just enjoy the journey!

Remember: "What we think about, we bring about!"

Weekend with Gram

2007-02-21T09:31:00.000-05:00

My Mom came to visit this weekend. She used to come to see me, but not so much any more. Now that Baby Ruth is with us, she is the star of the show, as she should be. We had a lovely time going to the park, eating, and playing. Baby Ruth and Gram both seemed to enjoy themselves very much, as did both of our dogs. The little one loves to have someone new to snuggle with at night, and Gram fits the bill quite nicely!
As for the dogs, we seem to have some mixed up priorities in our household. We came to this conclusion one evening as we were playing on the floor with Baby Ruth and the dogs came pouncing in. With glaring eyes and a stern voice, Lady M, pointing at the sofa said, "GET UP THERE AND LAY DOWN!"
Who tells their dogs to get ON the couch so that the humans of the house can have the floor to themselves?? (uh, that would be us)
So, now the dogs have the right idea. They come into the room, see us playing on the floor, and hop right up where they belong - on the furniture. The big brown dog wanted to demonstrate this to Gram this past weekend as we were taking a short break from the movie that we were watching.
Into the living room she trotted and seeing Baby Ruth on the floor, promptly hoped onto the couch next to me. Now, it is very important for a dog to have things arranged just so, and the blanket that was on the cushion was simply not positioned properly. So, in large doggie fashion, she dug and flipped the blanket with her head, tossing it to and fro when suddenly her concentration was broken by a noise from the kitchen. Brown Dog popped up facing the kitchen, front feet on the arm of the sofa, with the blanket draped so daintily around her head and shoulders. We began to chuckle, and then we saw it. Lady M had been folding laundry and apparently an article of her clothing had been left behind. Well, Brown Dog found it. Standing with her front paws on the arm of the sofa and the blanket draped around her, Brown Dog was proudly displaying on her neck a rather large bra hanging by a single strap.

I know that it is not nice to laugh at others, and I did feel somewhat guilty for howling with laughter when I saw the confused look in the dog's eyes, but it was one of the funniest things that I have ever seen!

Please pardon my absence while I meditate......

2007-02-07T23:53:00.001-05:00

I'll be back soon..........

Cartoon ME in the magical forest with my pet dragon

2007-01-12T20:25:00.000-05:00

Dream

2006-12-26T15:50:00.000-05:00

I know that I said that my previous post would be my last for 2006, but I wanted to share this dream that I had last night. It was quite strange, to say the least, but in the end seemed to have a good lesson.......get comfortable, it’s a long one.....oh, and please pardon any changes in tense and person that may occur......

The dream began with a woman with blonde hair, who I think was supposed to be me. Perhaps this was me from a past or future life. This woman was in a car crash or something that occurred suddenly and sent her into a large amount of water. This incident involved something contrary to the law. Perhaps drinking and driving (we all know this is a no-no, right). My recall is a bit fuzzy, but I know there was water and she was in it. The next thing that I recall is her in the grass next to what may have be softball fields. It seems that she has just climbed out of the water and has been handed a blanket with a pink ribbon on it.

There is a blank period here. Next, I recall seeing her in a building with other people. (I should mention that while I am “seeing” this action from the third person, I am also experiencing it as this woman.) She is in a room. She knows that there was an accident of some sort and knows that she may be in serious trouble, but then through either her own realization or by overhearing a conversation, she realizes that no one was ever able to identify her. (Apparently, she is thought to be dead, but is clearly alive and well - with no identity. By “identity” I mean that she has nothing to call herself. She “knows” who she is, but there is no word or name for her now.) There are people there who she knows, yet she says that she doesn’t remember who she is and this seems like the truth. In her mind, although she feels that it is real, the images of the crash seem like a dream.

She is walking around this building which seems like a dormitory or a hospital or a research facility of some sort. The people whom she knows from before the “incident” all look exactly the same, as does she. They know her, but also know that she doesn’t remember her name, so they don’t either.
(This CLEARLY was a very strange dream! It was like a time paradox or something. The more I write, the stranger it seems........alas, I digress......)

She is shown to her room, which looks like a large dorm room and she will share it with four others.
(please bear with me as I skip around a bit. some images are lost, while others just pop up at random)

She sees a calendar. It is a large white “wipe-off” board with all of the rooms listed. A square around the room means that that room has mail. She goes to get the mail. It is in what appears to be a nurses station. She is handed the mail and has some herself. (I don’t recall what it was, just that it seemed very strange to get mail in this place.)

She is walking around/exploring. She sees a date on a newspaper - a year. It is 5639, or something close to that. It is nearly 3000 years from our “local present time”. She asks multiple people what year it is and all confirm that it is 5639 (or so). Perplexing!

She is talking to one of her “old” friends, who still looks the same and has the same name. She asks how this is possible and her friend just shrugs, giving her a “you know how it is” look. She asks her friend how old she is. Her friend says that she is 15,000 years old - or was it 1500? - either way, it didn’t add up and didn’t make sense to her.

Again, everyone confirms the year.

She is, once again, walking around and exploring outside the building. She is walking on a pathway around the side of the building. Concrete steps are bordered by shrubs atop stone walls. It is very pretty. Beautiful green grass covers the grounds. There are other people around as well. Near the top of the walkway there is larger wall. Above this wall is a giant talking bird. The bird seems to be preaching or giving out some sort of directive. At first, from a distance, this bird seems real, but when she gets closer, she realizes that it is mechanical. She can see the wires holding it up. Now the entire area seems like a movie set. There are also large wild, black cats with large fangs wandering around. She is not sure if they are real or not, but they don’t bother anyone.

After this, there is some more blank space.

She is inside looking at a newspaper again. She is reading over someone’s shoulder and is looking at the dates on the tops of the pages. The dates all seem different. She perceives that she is only supposed to see the first page. (year 5639) To her, this also seems like a movie prop, but when she asks the date, she is again told “5639”. The person turning the pages seems to turn very quickly to the page with that date. She is now beginning to feel uneasy. Something does not seem right.

She is back in her room. A bed needs to be made and one of her roommates is working on it. She says that she is going to go get the mail, but the person making the bed needs help first. She helps, then goes to get the mail. She feels as though she should not be seen, quickly reaches in for the mail and leaves.

She is in a house with someone else - a friend. They are looking for something. The house seems empty. As she goes to the back down a long hallway, she notices that there is a large amount of “stuff” here. Many shelves of books, papers, toys, etc. line the hallway. She tries a couple of doors - knocks on them, I think. An old man’s voice is heard from behind one of the doors. She and her friend both feel the need to leave, but she continues back the hallway. She encounters a snake coiled on a chair. It is real, but looks like a “beanie baby” snake - it is bright blue and green with some other colors. It lifts its head and hisses. She backs away and hurries down the hall.

She feel strongly that things are not right and that she needs to leave this place. In a previous discussion she had asked someone about some sort of “old” tool or device - something that we use today, but should have been obsolete in that time - a pencil sharpener or something - it seemed primitive for that time period. Although she feels that everyone here seems somewhat aloof and secretive, she also senses something much more powerful. Everyone seems to have a very high level of awareness. She can feel it, and feels that she has it too, but her fear of the unknown - unknown place/time/consequences - seem to be keeping her from experiencing it fully.

She is outside in a forest-like area. She is running, perhaps for exercise - it doesn’t seem to be for escape.
She is climbing up rocky steps. The seem to just rise out of no where. At the top of the steps is a rock path with a metal railing. The path just stops at random and a wide stream of muddy water flows through . The walkway continues on the other side. At first it seems that there is no way across, then she realizes that people have now developed the ability to run across water. As she realizes this, another “jogger” runs by, on the water. She knows that if she believes, then she can do it too. Her friend is with her and can’t find her way up the steps. She directs her friend.

Next they are in an area with a thick pink liquid. She gets in and begins to swim. She gets it in her nose and it is hard to breath. At first she begins to panic and starts to sink. Then she realizes that she must relax and she becomes very buoyant. Her friend wants her to taste the liquid. She does not, but it smells like strawberry. She “swims” to a chair holding a black bunny with pink ribbons. The bunny is mechanical. It says to take a ribbon and it will help her “hop” along. She knows that this ribbon will enable her to jump and nearly fly. She marvels about this to her friend and her friend points out that she had a pink ribbon on her blanket earlier, but she didn’t use it. She now olds the ribbon and begins to “hop” along the top of this liquid.

This is where I woke up.

No, I am not crazy. I just have very vivid dreams, and am certain that there are many important messages in there. Perhaps the messages are not just for me, as I felt compelled to post this particular dream for all to read.
What came to mind as I finished writing this in my dream journal was this:
In regard to the ribbons: Sometimes we are given “gifts”, but we don’t know what to do with them. It is not until sometime later, perhaps after some Life Lessons and a reintroduction to the “gift” that we figure out how important it was to begin with.
Our challenge, our goal must be to recognize these “gifts” immediately as we receive them. The “Universe” will help us learn to understand and recognize them.
Be careful what you wish for, and express gratitude for what you have.

I absolutely WELCOME any and all comments on this one!!

SEASON'S GREETINGS!!!!

2006-12-22T20:17:00.000-05:00

MERRY CHRISTMAS, Everyone!!!!!! To everyone who celebrates Christmas, that is.......

Happy Hanukkah, to those who celebrate Hanukkah......

Happy Winter Solstice, for those to whom it applies.......

And a HEARTFELT Seasons Greetings to anyone and everyone!!!!!!!!!!!

I hope you all have a wonderful, joyous Holiday Season and an even Happier New Year!

Please accept my apologies for the lack of posts lately. The busy season is upon us, and I too have been caught up in the hustle bustle of everyday life. Times are tough at the "Paper Mill" these days and I've had to work extremely long hours just to keep the fires lit. It's tough, but someone has to do it.

For now, I leave you with one last post for 2006........(see below).........

(Wholesome) Parents of the Year (??)

2006-12-22T19:27:00.000-05:00

I am quite certain that, based on the last week, Lady M and I are going to be nominated for "Parents of the Year". (yeah, right....)
Again, I do apologize for the lag in posts. Obviously it is a busy time of year for all of us, so I really have no excuse, other than to say that I've been trying to work as much overtime as possible at the "Mill" so that we can get "Baby Ruth" some nice presents this year. *wink*

Anyway, on to the award explanations.......

A very good friend of mine who, until fairly recently, was a closeted Romance writer, recently had her first book signing. (WAY TO GO CIAR!!!!) (By closeted, I mean that I did not know that she was such a phenomenal writer....in fact, I had no idea that she wrote at all.)
Unfortunately, I was working the day of the signing, and because it is crunch time at the factory, I couldn't get the day off. So, I badgered "Lady M" until she conceded and agreed to go purchase a signed copy of Ciar Cullen's "Lords of Chi" for me. At the time, I could think of no reason why this would not be a good idea. "Lady M's" comment of, "Oh good, I'll get my Dad's magazines while I'm there" should have been a clue, however.
(I should mention that the book is technically -Ciar, correct me if I'm wrong- EROTIC FANTASY FICTION.)
So, long story short, I sent my wonderful partner and our beloved offspring to Borders in the local mall to purchase an Erotic novel and Playboy magazines ("Dad's mags")!! I can only imagine the thoughts going through people's heads as "Lady M" approached the counter with a signed copy (which I am VERY proud to have, btw) of "Lords of Chi" and a stack of Playboy magazines with a toddler in her arms.
I imagine things like, "Oh, that poor child! What kind of environment is she being raised in?" and "Oh, you filthy woman........what do you teach this child?"
The reality is, most likely no one noticed or cared, but in my mind, this is strike number one against us for parents of the year.
Strike two came when young "Baby Ruth" decided to titter totter up to the Christmas tree, snatch one of the light bulbs off and pop it in her mouth. This has been a recurring activity, hence strike number two.
I'm giving myself credit for strike number three.
In an effort to get us out the door on time, I decided that I'd try my hand at multitasking. Nothing Earth-shattering, just thought that I'd let the dogs out while changing "Baby Ruth's" diaper. So, out go the dogs (btw, it is rather wet outside) and I set to changing the diaper which, of course, was full of poop. As any well trained young human will do, as soon as I pulled off the dirty diaper and applied the diaper cream, "Baby Ruth" demonstrated her quickness and scurried across the floor. At the same time, in came doggie number one tracking muddy paw prints across the freshly cleaned carpet. I recovered "Baby Ruth" and finished the diapering process. I then grabbed a baby wipe in an effort to clean the floor. During the second that it took me to turn around, "Baby Ruth" began her investigation of the poop filled diaper. I quickly recovered the diaper and turned my attention to the dirty paws afoot. Again, "Baby Ruth", the investigator extrodinaire, turned her attention elsewhere. I glanced back (again, maybe a second or two later) just in time to see a little tiny pointer finger jammed into the opening of the diaper cream.)
Needless to say, the baby wipe that was meant to be used to clean paws was used to clean little tiny fingers.

Although we may not be candidates for "(Wholesome) Parents of the Year", I think we are doing OK. I mean, at least we're not running a "meth." lab in the basement and turning tricks on the nearest street corner! (not that I know anything about this sort of thing......uh.....I mean.....I just overheard something like it at the "Mill" the other day.......yeah, that's it.....)

Fairy Update

2006-11-27T17:05:00.000-05:00

The Leaf Fairy has returned! Seriously! I spent a few hours the other day raking and mulching leaves, only to have more blow into the yard the next day. On Saturday, I looked out the window and could see grass again in the rear of my yard! It can mean only one thing, I'm certain......the Fairies are back in action!!!!!!!!!!!!

The Stick Fairy also returned, in the form of my neighbor......she came to collect sticks for firewood and said she wants more! (This must be a work of magic!)

Has anyone else seen evidence of their return?

Yet another "Secret" example

2006-11-24T10:05:00.000-05:00

The other day, I made a rather unfortunate discovery in our house. Our cable wire, which enables our internet connection as well as television reception, had been chewed through by a cute little mouse. (I no longer think of the little mousie as "cute", by the way. Well, it is fuzzy and what not, and I still want to use a humane trap to get it out of our home, but it has lost some of the cuteness factor.)
Anyway, clearly it is important to have that internet connection, so I set my mind to getting a new cable wire. The only problem was, where to find it. I thought that I may need to contact the cable company to get that particular type of coax....or perhaps an electronics store.......then I began to brainstorm....perhaps while driving, I might come across a cable company truck and ask the technician what kind of cable and where to get it.
That day at work, I happened to be in a day long meeting and told the cable eating story to a few co-workers, along with the hope that I would come across a cable technician who would help me. On the way home, my co-worker and I spotted just the truck that I needed. Unfortunately, it was on the highway. I dropped off my passenger and continued on my way home. Then, like a flashing beacon on a dark and stormy night, there it was. A CABLE TRUCK pulling out of a gas station. I followed the shining star over the river and through the woods (ok, so it was through a neighborhood, but 'tis the season). I figured the driver was going to a job.....actually, I followed him home. (oops)
I excused myself for being so bold and asked the technician about my dilemma. He was very kind and friendly and just happened to have an extra bit of cable, just the length that I needed!

The moral? "If you think it, you will bring it"
Or, for the movie lover, "If you build it, they will come".

WATCH "THE SECRET"!!!!!

I received this in an E-mail from a good friend (for whom I am very thankful) and want to share it with everyone. Enjoy, and HAPPY THANKS LIVING!

2006-11-24T09:26:00.000-05:00

Holiday Lessons to Live By...

You may be aware that while I was growing up, my father was a Protestant minister. For years, I attended service three times per week and, like most kids, often just wanted it to "hurry up and get over with."

However, with my current understanding of the mind, I now know that while I sat in service and doodled, fidgeted or pestered my little brother, my unconscious mind was wide open and received many great teachings and truths.

One of those teachings came back to me in my meditation this morning, and I thought it was very appropriate for this week.

I remember my father saying almost yearly from his pulpit, "We need to not only practice Thanksgiving but 'Thanks Living'."

It's definitely no accident that a major portion of my teaching in The Secret is centered on gratitude. Likewise, I devoted an entire chapter to this technology (and I use that term intentionally) in my book The Science of Success.

While some who don't understand the power of energy, vibration and attraction may think that gratitude is not a big deal, I can promise you that:

Gratitude is the mother of creative vibrations.

You see, when you're grateful for what you currently have in your life, it focuses you on the best. And that puts you in a vibration (feeling) to attract and receive more of the best.

When you have a lack of gratitude in your life, you're focusing on the worst, and that puts you in a vibrational feeling that attracts to you more of the worst.

Life is a self-fulfilling prophecy and YOU are the prophet.

Now as you stop and think about this, it's very practical.

Think about the person who's constantly ungrateful and full of complaints and problems. Do you want to be around them... much less help them? Probably not.

Conversely, think of someone you know who's constantly grateful and appreciative in life. Same question: Do you want to be around them? Would you like to help this person if possible? Probably so.

The universe and all its inhabitants line up in support of the person who's in a vibration of gratitude.

Here's my recommendation as you move into the Holidays this year: Make the theme of the Holiday Season "giving thanks."

While eating turkey and watching football may be the norm around your household, sit down for a least a few minutes and have each family member (including you) list out loud at least 3 things that you're grateful for.

You'll be amazed at how positively this affects the energy in your household. Who knows... you may find it addictive, and you'll find yourself one step closer to "Thanks Living."

Thanks, Dad.

Your success coach,

James Arthur Ray
President/CEO
James Ray International

P.S. Please feel free to share this message with your family and friends this Holiday Season.

The Secret

2006-11-12T08:48:00.000-05:00

The other day Lady M and I watched a wonderful movie. Actually, it wasn’t so much a “movie” as a documentary type film. Either way, it was excellent! It is called “The Secret”. I highly recommend it! It seems to only be available on the website at the present moment, so I have included the link. I’m not going to go into detail about it, because that would ruin the “plot” and give away “the secret”. With that said, however, I do feel that “the secret” is something that should be shared. It is better, though, that you enjoy the secret when you are ready. That is when it will make the most sense and be best put to use.
Curious yet?
Here’s a little story.....

After watching “The Secret”, I decided to fix myself a nice bottle of water with lemon. In order to do this, I first had to remove the pieces of lemon that I had had in my water from earlier. Using a fork, and not giving much thought to the task, I successfully removed the first piece of lemon. I immediately began to ponder the ease in which that lemon came out. I wondered why it hadn’t fallen off the fork or gotten stuck in the opening. I started to picture in my mind all of the ways in which this lemon removing task could have gone awry. (In other words, my mind was wandering at random.) I began to fetch out the second lemon piece. Wouldn’t you know, that darn lemon wedge would NOT stay on my fork! Again and again it fell off. I tilted, poked, prodded, did everything but turn the bottle upside down and dump the water and lemon out. All to no avail. Then, I remembered “The Secret”, and thought, “Hmmm............well, it’s worth a try”. So, I applied “the secret”. Within seconds that lemon was on the fork, out of the bottle and in the trash.

This probably doesn’t seem like an earth shattering or space shifting event, but I found it to be an excellent little experiment. If applying “the secret” can have such immediate consequences with a rather mundane task, what can it do for bigger events? I’m not sure just yet, but I intend to find out.

Enjoy “The Secret”

Hll no, we won't go....Hll no, we won't go.....H*ll no..

2006-11-02T23:34:00.000-05:00

(Jeninius, this one's for you)

Has anyone else been having issues with things just not getting done as quickly or easily as they once did? Things like the laundry or dishes. Perhaps there is an excessive amount of dust around the house, and you (or the responsible party) just can’t seem to get rid of it. Does your house seem to be in a constant state of disarray - inside and/or out? Like us, is the clutter overwhelming? How about those leaves? Where do they all come from? Are the trees really that big? They just don’t rake themselves, do they? Does anyone else feel stress over these things?
Well, everyone will be happy to know that I have found the reason for this stressful “mess”. (Notice I didn’t say that I’ve found a solution)
I was commiserating with a friend this evening about the many tasks and little time available to complete them when it came to me. There is a strange phenomenon occurring right now. I’d like to say that this is the first time that it has ever occurred, but I doubt that. I think it has happened many, many times before now, and will likely happen many more times. What is this strange phenomenon, you ask?
The FAIRIES have gone on strike! Yes, Fairies!
You know, like the “laundry fairy” (not to be confused with the “sock monster” - that one is still working, as my miss-matched socks will attest), the “dust fairy”, the “landscape fairy”, the “pooper-scooper fairy”, and many others.
I really am surprised that I didn’t figure this out sooner. All this time, my partner and I thought that we just were not using our time wisely. How WRONG we have been! It’s not that there are not enough hours in the day. The problem is that the FAIRIES ARE ON STRIKE! I know this because I can hear them getting their little signs and things ready at night. For the longest time, I thought that we had a mouse in the house. I thought that it must be a smart mouse, because it just would not get into the trap. (A humane trap, of course.) Well, as it turns out, it’s not a mouse at all, but rather a gathering of striking fairies.
This revelation makes me feel much better about the state of our house and our abilities as “housekeepers”. I’ll admit, I was starting to feel quite a bit of stress about my own lack of competence, thinking that I just do not know how to budget my time. Then I realized, it’s NOT my fault! It’s NOT “Lady M’s” fault! We are doing the best that we can, given the circumstances. If the fairies won’t work, there is not much that we can do but sit back and wait. Oh, we’ll do our best to keep things in order until the little buggers return to work. I mean, we don’t want them to be overwhelmed as soon as they get back. But, the point is, we will no longer feel inadequate. We can’t possibly be as efficient as a magical little fairy, so why try to live up to it!
So, for anyone else who has been feeling a bit behind on the “chores” lately, don’t fret! It is NOT YOUR FAULT!
If anyone reading this has any ideas for bargaining tools to end the fairy strike, please let me know.

Lessons at the Fair

2006-09-26T08:58:00.000-05:00

Yesterday Lady M, Little S and I had a lovely trip to a very large fair with Lady M's parents. We'll call them "Jorge'" and "Cinderella" for the purposes of this post. (just randomly chosen names, no specific reason for them)
We began our adventure by forgetting the stroller for little S and having to return home to get it. Thankfully we were only about 10 minutes into the 2+ hour trip. Now, I am not at all fond of these type of events, so when we pulled back into the driveway to retrieve the stroller, I did consider running away to hide under a shrub. Unfortunately, we don't have any shrubs,
so off we went.
Our drive was lovely. Only one pit stop was needed (by me, mostly) and it would have been a quick one, had it not been for the three tour buses filled with senior citizens - mostly ladies - who filed into the restroom just before my fair maiden Lady M got there. (oops) Then, of course, there was the bus that parked directly in front of the parking lot exit because, in the words of the bus driver who I found strolling out of the rest area, "well, first thing's first, ya know." I used my "authority" and "gently" requested that he pull the bus forward a few feet so the cars could get out.....he kindly obliged and we were once again on our way.
We arrived at the fair, and my educational experience began.
(A bit of history)
Growing up, I recall attending a few festivals/fairs. The memories of the one annual festival that we attended consist of riding the Ferris Wheel with "Pap.", throwing ping pong balls in goldfish bowls, and getting annoyed with the other little kids who were riding the train with me and kept ringing the d@mn bell. (yes, I was prudish even as a little tyke.) We attended the other semi-local event primarily for the horse shows, if memory serves correctly. All in all, I know little of Fair etiquette.
(Back to the present)
As it turns out, the main goal of fair attendance is to eat as many different things as possible and play as many inexpensive games as quarters will allow. Shopping must also be squeezed in throughout the day. The way to attain these goals is simply to PACE yourself. Do not eat too much at one time. Choose the order of cuisine based mainly on the layout of the fair, and choose one's path through the fair based on the level of hunger (or nausea as it may be). My personal goal was to have a semi-nutritious lunch and some rice pudding. So, we started off with pierogies (very nutritious). The rice pudding, although nearby, was to come later, when it was time to leave. (This was where I learned my food lesson - Lesson One.)
After snack number one, we began the migration. We formed a sort of train. Jorge' and Cinderella on the motorized scooters, Lady M with the stroller containing Little S, and I following the slow moving caravan, not sure of where to go and somewhat afraid of getting lost among the farm animals.
We soon came upon a balloon man trying desperately to hold onto his large supply of character/animal balloons. (It was a bit breezy and he had a LOT of balloons.)
Grandma (Cinderella) wanted to get Little S a balloon, so a lovely pink dolphin was chosen. Unfortunately, as I was attempting to tie said dolphin to the stroller, the wind blew it at little S, thereby frightening little S and eliciting blood curling screams any time the pink dolphin floated in her direction. The dolphin spent most of the rest of the day tied to the back of Grandma's scooter and I spent most of the day chasing Grandma on the scooter to re-attach the dolphin to the seat so that it wouldn't whack her in the head. The good thing about the balloon on Grandma's scooter was that it made her much easier to find. It is amazing how easy it is to lose "elders" on scooters at a fair. (I should mention that it was senior citizen day and scooters can be rented at the fair).
(Lessons two and three - bring a fish net? or Buy a smaller balloon (2) and Attach a blinking light on a pole to the rear of the scooters (3))
Little S enjoyed her first fair game. She got to pick up swans from a little pool. She's a good picker and even gave the swans back to the game lady. She won TWO prizes - a stuffed beetle and a crab - she picked them out herself. Little S continued her string of victories throughout the day, winning a stuffed frog, dog, unicorn, and lizard of some sort. Not bad for a 10 month old, no? (ok, so she had some help)
(Lesson Four - bring a wagon for the "loot")
All in all, it was a "fair" experience. I learned important lessons, we left with a trunk full of stuffed things, and I got my rice pudding. The best part (for me, anyway) is that the adventure will not occur again for a full year!

Where Are My Pants?!?

2006-09-04T08:46:00.000-05:00

Have you ever asked yourself (or someone else, for that matter) the question, "Where are my pants?"
It happened to me a couple of weeks ago . . .

Wow, that sounds a bit risque', doesn't it? Hmmm....well, read on. It will all make sense in a moment.

As I prepared to leave the house for the gym/martial arts school where I train a few times a week, I realized that I had a Gi (Karate uniform) with no pants. Perplexed, I looked around the basement, in the laundry, in my gym bag, any place I could think of where my pants could be hiding. I have an uncanny knack for putting things in strange places when I get distracted, so believe me when I say that I looked everywhere. No pants. Of course, I'm now running late and feeling quite frustrated that I have no bottoms. (I do have other pairs, but that's not the point.)
"How can someone possibly lose a pair of pants?" I asked aloud, exasperated.
"Did you check the laundry?" offered "Lady M", trying to be helpful.
I'm sure she was stifling laughter, however, at my latest frantic search for some important article/item that I absentmindedly misplaced at the most inopportune time. (Not that this happens often, or anything.)

So, off I go, pantsless, to the gym. (How's that for a mental image?)

Let's clear that up. I was wearing shorts, and I had a complete uniform in my bag. Just not that particular pair of pants.

I tend to do my best thinking while driving in the car. (Whoever decided that hand held cell phones are the hazard is wrong, btw, it's the thinking thing that gets me in trouble. I do digress, however.) So, as I'm driving, I go through in my head the last time that I was at the gym. I mentally finished class, went to the locker room, changed my clothes, packed my bag...WAIT....back up....finished class.....YES......that's it.........
On this particular night, I had rushed to change clothes and scamper out because I was meeting some co-workers for a late evening cocktail. OK, so now I know that I had been in a hurry to leave, but that just didn't explain the missing pants.
Then, another image came to mind. I had been at the gym one afternoon since then. I had seen a pair of pants lying on the counter in the locker room. Of course, I had no reason to think that they were mine, but now I was not so sure.
When I arrived at the school (gym - interchangeable, really), I asked "Ms. R" (a friend and lovely lady who works at this place of fitness fun) if she had, by chance, found a pair of pants in the locker room. Her eyes widened with a look of shock and a hint of disgust.
"Geesh," I thought, "what's the big deal?"
Ms. R confirms that she did find a pair of karate pants, then she adds, "They had a pair of panties with them."
PANTIES?!?!?!? (she said panties - this always makes me giggle. I don't know why.)
Sheepishly, I asked what kind, then realized, before she replied, that this may not have been appropriate. I mean, it's one thing to find someone's pants, but quite another to find two pairs. Really, in that sort of situation, are you going to check out the brand of underpants that someone wears?? Ms. R's reply pretty much supported that statement. I never knew her voice could go that high.
"I don't know, I threw them in a locker, I didn't look!" She retorted in a high pitched, faced paced tone.
I slinked my way to the locker room and checked the locker in question. There, in a balled up heap, was a pair of karate pants. I carefully extracted and unrolled them. In the mess was a lovely pair of pink jockey underwear. Yep. They were mine. Of all days to leave my britches behind, I pick the day that I wore PINK UNDERPANTS. How un-macho. I'm not sure which was more embarrassing. The fact that I forgot my pants, or the color factor. (I'm kidding - any color of forgotten underwear is quite disconcerting.)
As I was self-consciously stuffing my pants into my bag, Ms. R. walked in.
I informed her that they were indeed my pants and told her how sorry I was that she had to find my sweaty drawers.
"Hey, at least you know that they were mine," I said, trying to ease the grossness of the situation. (This, apparently, was little solace.)

In the end, we had a good laugh over it, but, from now on, I will DEFINITELY check and recheck to make sure that I have all of my pants.

My Morning's (mis)Adventures

2006-08-29T12:20:00.000-05:00

What a morning!
It started off great with a trip to the car doctor, AKA Toyota Dealership service center to get the oil changed in my lovely wife’s car.
Somehow, I find it quite entertaining to sit in these places every now and then. It’s not like I go there weekly just to sit at the little make-shift cafe tables or anything, but when the opportunity arises (when a car needs some professional attention), I sometimes prefer to wait rather than leave the premises.
It was oddly quiet in there, library-like, most everyone reading a newspaper or jotting notes on paper. Their was a lovely lady to my right (an older lady) who was enjoying a small snack (which she had brought in a plastic bag) while sipping her FREE cappuccino that she had obtained from this new fan dangled machine after a brief lesson from another customer. She, too, was reading the newspaper.
Then, of course, their was the lady who walked in wearing one pink and one yellow sneaker. What’s that about? hmmm....
I always enjoy people watching. Whether at a car dealership, coffee shop, or just out on the street. I can be entertained for hours. As it turns out, the dealership was BY FAR the best time of my morning’s adventures. The rest of the trip went something like this:

While at the dealership, I discover that the registration for wifey’s car was two months overdue. This is not good. Driving with expired registration is bad. So, with fingers crossed, I leave the dealership en route to the DMV. Quick phone call to Lady M, and she says not to worry, it’s registered and the card is in her wallet. “Phew”, I say, and direct my travels to Shop Rite to purchase Lassie’s best dog food for our canine companions.
Phone rings (I have now passed the DMV).
Lady M: “uh...this is a 2005 card...I guess it’s not registered”
Me: “ugh...great....all right, I’ll go back to the DMV after Shop Rite...I’ll just get cash at the store”

I arrive at Shop Rite and head directly to the rest room - too much coffee. I enter the rest room to find three young female employees laughing and having a loud conversation. As I walk in, the three become silent for the moment that it takes me to enter the stall, then their conversation went something like this:
Obnoxious teenager # 1: “Fag”
Obnoxious teenager # 2: “You’re gay”
Obnoxious teenager #1: “You’re a faggot”
Obnoxious teenager # 2: “Lesbian”
Obnoxious teenager # 3: “You know it. That’s actually a complement for me”
All three obnoxious teenagers break into hooting laughter and indecipherable profanities and other rude utterances as they make their way into the hallway.
Perhaps I am becoming a prude, or just a bitter old maid, I don’t know. Regardless, I was beyond irritated with these three, and perhaps even a bit intimidated. Actually, I think I was most aggravated by the fact that I couldn’t pee until they left....fight or flight had set in. I was ready to fight, and my bladder decided to help by not releasing anything that may come in useful in battle.
As I left the rest room, I could still hear the obnoxious laughter and banter making its way down the steps and out into the store. As a former store manager (clothing), I would have been mortified to see my associates behaving like this in front of customers.
“The ‘Warrioress’ must take action,” I thought. Since I left my sword at home, I decided to march straight to customer service and request the presence of a manager. In a very “Warrioress -like” way, I explained the situation to the manager and he immediately knew the three individuals that I was referring to. He assured me that he would turn the matter over to his HR manager and the situation would be dealt with accordingly.
Mission accomplished. Almost. Still need the dog food and have no desire to speak with another store associate. Thank goodness for self-checkout. (NOT! and the hits just keep on coming.....)
With my trusty bag of Lassie’s Best, I pitter patter over to the self checkout aisle where Earl (not sure of his name, but we’ll call him Earl, the keeper of the Self-Checkout lanes) watches my every move, then provides me with a pretty orange paid sticker on my bag. Earl continues to hover behind me as I complete my transaction using the pin pad device as directed by the computer terminal. I happily request a cash back amount of $50.00 (DMV, remember?) and press ENTER.
The machine whirrs, and whirrs, and whirrs, and doesn’t give me any money. Earl, observing the travesty, comes to my aid. He feverishly punches in his password and code, and like any hero would, reads the instructions on screen. The screen says that it is having a problem dispensing $10.00 bills and that the tray should be removed and checked. Earl exits the screen and valiantly struts to his phone to request assistance.
I hear: (Earl) “Oh, really, court? Not here, huh? OK. So, I should just ask him to leave his name and phone number and tell him that we’ll call him when Mike gets back?”
At this, I interject, “If you are referring to ME when you say Him and His name and number, that is completely unacceptable and I am not leaving this store without my money!”
To make a very long story a bit shorter, it took 3 store associates and me nearly shedding a tear to come to the understanding that I would absolutely not leave my name and phone number in the hope that “Mike” would soon return from court to retrieve my money from that particular register. AND, I am not “Him, His, or SIR”. (I was wearing shorts and a tee shirt, for G’s Sake! I know I’m not well endowed, but there is something visible above the waist!)
What were these people thinking? I have been out of retail for a few years now, but has it changed that much? I never would have dreamed of sending a customer away without their change, let alone a direct debit from their bank account!
Finally I got my money, and do you know where they got it? Such trouble these people went to....they had to reach below Earls terminal, into a zippered bag, and pull out $50.00. Wow. Later, they will have to replace it from the drawer of the bastard register that would not dispense $10’s. And, Gee, the customer left (somewhat) satisfied - after nearly 20 minutes of “discussion”.

The DMV, btw, was not a success story either. As it turns out, the registered owner of the vehicle must register in person or have a notarized form indicating permission for another individual to complete said transaction.

This all occurred prior to 10:00 AM.

The Moral of my story?
Hmmm....People-watching is fun, Shop Rite is not, and you might as well just sleep ‘til noon.

Warrioress

2006-08-29T10:47:00.000-05:00

Thanks so much, Ciar Cullen, for the great quiz you posted! After years of soul searching, I have finally found my true identity!

Look out world, here I come!

Dilemma

2006-08-24T09:18:00.000-05:00

Today I am taking a slight diversion from the style of my previous posts. The fun, sarcastic, silliness shall give way to my introspective, moral side. Well, maybe. Anyway, I have found myself in a quandary this morning. May I begin, however, by saying what a beautiful morning it is! It rained a bit last night, just enough that I won’t be needing to water the plants, and the air is cool and energizing. Not chilly, just comfortably cool. The dogs and I are actually outside right now, blogging. Okay, so the dogs are actually checking their e-mail (that is to say, wandering around sniffing the grass and whatever else they can find to sniff or roll in).

My dilemma.....
I was flipping channels earlier and came across the Science Channel’s “How It’s Made” program. I love this show. I love all of those Discovery type shows and channels....anytime I can find out what makes something or someone “tick” I enjoy. I do digress.
So on this particular installment, they were talking about chicken hatcheries. I have seen fish hatcheries, but never a chicken hatchery. Do you know what these poor little chickies go through just a few days after hatching???
First, all of the eggs, hundreds of them, are in these large trays that are incubated. The chicks hatch, all jam packed together, they dry off, then off they go in the large trays which are stacked on top of one another. They are rolled down the stark hallway of this institution like building by a skinny man in a white coat. Then they go on a conveyer type thing where the chicks are separated from the shells. How, you may ask. Well, the conveyer is made of rolling metal bars that are just far enough apart for the little chicks to fall through onto another conveyer. So here go all of these cute little fuzzy chicks, scrambling over one another and clutching at smooth steel with their little tiny feet to avoid the fall into the unknown and suddenly FLOOMP.....there they go, one by one....down to the gender sorter.
The next conveyer takes them round and round while other people in white coats with earpieces in their ears (I didn’t get that part....are they communicating with the mother ship?) snatch them up one by one and check the gender. (this, by the way, is done by comparing two rows of feathers. If one row is longer than the other, it is female. If both are the same length, it is male) After the gender checking, they are tossed, not placed, but TOSSED into a tube which sends them plummeting to a gender specific conveyer belt.
From this one, the get tossed again into large (but not that large) trays, or as they called them, “special shipping containers” (plastic trays with holes in them) - 150 chicks per tray. If the buyer has requested vaccinations, the tray gets misted with a spray to ward off bronchitis infection.

I’m not sure where they go from here. I was too upset to watch any more. The chicks all had looks of panic in their eyes and were breathing so hard that it’s a wonder any survive.

Here is my dilemma. I eat chicken. I eat eggs. I like green eggs and ham, Sam I am. (oops sorry)
I no longer feel morally sound eating this. I thought about changing to the free range option. I mean, why support such a horrible industry, right? I don’t eat veal or lamb because of the treatment of the animals. (I don’t eat red meat at all...mostly because of the physical issues that I get after eating it.)
Free range chickens are happy chickens, right? They run around, free to do and eat as they please, snacking on their organic grains (which are probably grown right next to the pesticide ridden farm next door, but that’s a whole other discussion). So, I thought for a fleeting moment, no more institutionalized chicken for me. It’s free range all the way.
Wait....why should I eat the happy chickens who live the good life? Shouldn’t they enjoy their life? I should eat the ones who are destined for misery. But wait. If I do that, I’ll be supporting their miserable existence and thereby perpetuating the cycle of violence and destruction.
And what about eggs? For me this one is easier. I think I will switch to free range eggs. They are more expensive but I will just limit my consumption of them.

So, do I not eat chicken anymore? What about turkey? Ham/pork? It’s all basically the same process, right?
I have dabbled in a meatless diet before. It’s not the easiest thing or cheapest thing to do. I think, today at least, I may be headed in that direction once again.

What do you all think? (this is my pleading way of soliciting comments so that I know if anyone actually reads my dribble drabble.)

Our Beach Umbrella

2006-08-13T21:36:00.000-05:00

How about this beautiful weather we've had recently? Wow! Such a difference from the heat wave, no?! I thought that, in honor of the glory of Mother Nature, I would post a little something about the "fury" of Madam Mother Nature. (No, this is not a Katrina story or anything so dramatic....merely a recent experience of mine at the wondrous Jersey Shore) Read on, my little sea turtles, read on......

A few weeks ago, my sister flew in from the Midwest to visit with us. We thought that it would be lovely to take a day trip to the beach, so we packed up our things, our many, many "things" and off we went. For those of you who are not readily familiar with our "group", the "things" included a cooler (obviously, I mean, we ARE going to the beach!), chairs, blanket, umbrella (which we purchased JUST for this trip), personal beach gear for three adults and ALL the fixin's needed for an almost 7 month old who had never been in the sand before.
We headed out about mid-morning, amid sunny skies and a lovely inland temperature. On the way we stopped for sandwiches to fill the cooler, (What ELSE would go in there? Geesh!) along with our water bottles. We parked nice and close (sort of...there was a mini-dune hike involved) and unloaded the goods. Now, I pride myself in the ability to carry a LOT of stuff at one time, but this was a load that even I couldn't handle. (or could I.....) Anyway, off we went, three adults, sharing the carrying duty, and one little "monkey", in the arms of her Aunt.
We found the perfect spot and set up camp. It went something like this:
Blanket down....uh oh....."Wow it's windy down here".....Okay, blanket down....ugh...."someone put a shoe on the corner"....Okay, blanket down, cooler on this side..."yeah, that's it".....aargh......"now you got sand all over it!"......oh well......"I'll get the umbrella ready" (that's me, SM)......umbrella in the sand.....oops....forgot the twisty posting thing....twisty posting thing in the sand...."hmmm, should it be that deep?".....umbrella in the post...."Wow, that's short, well, we do plan to sit under it"....crawling under the umbrella......"uh, should it be this short?"........
So camp was set up and we ate our lunch amid the sand and wind and sun. Quite tasty and relaxing (yeah right) so far. As I attempted to adjust the umbrella a bit, the "little Monkey" was carted off to check out the shoreline. (I should mention that just prior to this, we looked down the beach and noticed quite a bit of haze forming.) Apparently, the ocean is quite intimidating to a 7 month old.....she did calm down after a few minutes and some sea shell distractions. (NO, she was NOT in the water, just near it and held by her mother). It was about this time that I headed back to the car for something. I gingerly picked my barefoot way across the stone covered parking lot and just as a reached the car, I felt rain drops. "Gee, glad I came back", I thought as I put up the windows.
As I turned to head back to the beach, (a little rain never hurt anyone and a passing shower is to be expected in the summer, no?) I noticed the rather ominous clouds that had made there way up the coastline. I had almost made it across the stones before the first CRACK of thunder. Over the stones, up the dune, down the dune I ran....Sprinting towards me with the (now screaming) "little Monkey" is Aunt K, closely followed by the nearly EMPTY HANDED (remember all of the "stuff" that I mentioned earlier...Yeah, well anyway....) lovely "Lady M". The rain was really coming down now. Big, HUGE drops. Very cold. Our dialogue went something like this:
Me "Here, take the keys"
Lady M. (breathless) "It...Gone....Uh....There (pointing into oblivion)....Gone...."
Me "WHAT?!? What's gone? Huh??"
Lady M. "Thing....Gone....Wind.....Blew....Away.....there...."
Me "The umbrella??"
Lady M. "YES....gone....there" (pointing down the beach)
There it was. Tumbling down the beach amid stirring sand and blowing sea water. Our beautiful new $19.99 beach umbrella which we planned to use on our deck after the trip to the beach. Now I had a choice to make. Obviously, I was about to test the limits of my pack-horse capabilities, so did I want to try to salvage the umbrella, or did I want to let some lucky stranger find some free shade down the beach. I looked again, and there it went, further down the beach. Now, the choice was obvious. I MUST HAVE THAT UMBRELLA! I looked at our low lying blanket, anchored down by shoes and cooler and folded up chairs and bags, then back at the umbrella (now at least 300 yards down the beach and blowing).
The race was on. There's nothing like a good run in the sand. (NOT) Down the beach I raced, sea spray, wind and sand particles coating my face and lungs, getting closer, hoping the wind will cooperate for just a few more seconds. Not going to happen. Another gust and into the ocean goes the umbrella. I MUST HAVE THAT UMBRELLA! "Determination and effort" was the motto of my high school athletic department. I felt it kick in.....(I do not like to go into the ocean....big waves, lot's of water, many things on the bottom that you can't see).....Into the water I went....out went the umbrella with the tide....further into the water I went.....IN CAME THE UMBRELLA WITH A WAVE.....toward the beach I ran away from the wave....out went the umbrella with the tide....except, THIS TIME, I grabbed it as I stepped off the sandbar and ended up in the water up to my chest. Not to worry, I can swim just fine, I just choose not to do it in the ocean when possible. That being said, have you ever tried to swim or even wade while dragging an open umbrella (beach umbrella) through the water? Yeah, it's rather challenging.
All right, use your imagination for the rest. Suffice it to say, I retrieved the umbrella and on the way back to our "campsite" I dropped off the beach chairs that belonged to the people nearest us. Upon arrival at our little site, I stuffed the soaked and sandfilled umbrella into its bag, packed up all of the "loose ends", hobo style in the blanket, hoisted the yet to be unpacked folding chairs onto my shoulder, draped the bags around my neck, scooped up the cooler, looped the umbrella pack around my other shoulder and tossed the "hobo-pack" over my back. I began the trek back to the car as the rain poured down and thunder cracked all around. Frustration had just begun to set in when I suddenly realized that I was carrying a lightening rod (my beautiful new beach umbrella) in the middle of a beach during a thunderstorm that was directly above us. "OMG...."
Imaginations again, please.....picture a fairly small person "running" - term used loosely here -through the sand with a whole lot of stuff in their arms.....
I made it back to the car where everyone else was nestled quite comfortably. They were rather inquisitive as to why I was soaking wet and covered in sand. (I won't repeat my retort here....it might be flagged as objectionable content.) Oh, and by the way, at this point the sun was out and the rain had stopped. (Just in time to rinse off the sand, pack the car and head home)

The umbrella sure looks lovely on our deck.

Language Barriers

2006-07-22T13:58:00.000-05:00

I would like to start this off by saying that it is not intended to represent political views of any sort. I write based only on my own experiences or the experiences of those close to me and represent only my own perception of things. blah blah blah

Not long ago, there was a fair amount of chatter in the newspapers and on the news about an area establishment that had posted a sign indicating that non-English speaking folks were not welcome. Apparently what they really meant was that if a customer did not order in English, then the employees would not understand them, as the employees were unfamiliar with other languages. I hadn't thought all that much about it at the time. It really didn't affect me, I mean, I don't eat cheese steak and I do speak English, so why be bothered. At the same time, however, I thought (think) that it is a matter of respect that, when taking up residence in a new place, one learn the language or dialect of said place. (At least carry with you a handbook of common phrases.) I realize that this is a very touchy subject for some, and I don't wish to ruffle any feathers (if anyone even reads this) - my apologies if you're already ruffled. In any event, a give and take is necessary here. We would all do well to expand our minds with some "extra phrases".
To get on with my own experiences with the language barrier, I seem to be running into this type of obstacle more and more lately. It is not always a "language" issue, but rather a general communication barrier. It may be something that occurs at work, where I will present instructions to someone only to have them do the complete opposite of what I said.....is it in my delivery, or is it a problem with the reception? It may come in the form of a simple misunderstanding....Me: "What?!? You want me to put the dog in the fryer??" M: "No, you J*ck*ss! Check the clothes in the dryer!"
Or, it may be an actual problem with language. For instance, I was in Staples the other day looking for a refill for my favorite pen. Of course, I was having quite a bit of trouble locating the proper refill and said to the kind looking customer next to me, "why is it, when you find a favorite pen, you can never find the right refill". The lovely lady looked at me with the blankest (is that a word?) expression I have seen in a long time. She pointed toward customer service and said, "You go ask help there". Yeah, English was not exactly her first language. Oh well. So much for small talk in the pen aisle.
This would not have struck me so funny if not for a recent softball game that I played in. (yes, there is a connection between pen shopping and softball playing)(?huh?)
So, in this game, I thought that I recognized one of the players on the opposing team as someone that I played basketball with a few years back. At one point in the game, while we were on defense, I took the opportunity to ask one of the base runners the name of this player. I looked at the runner on second base and said, "Is your teammate's name Jennifer?"
The runner looked at me, right in the eye, pointed to her ear and mouthed the words, "I'm deaf".

What are the chances of that??

I love to talk to people, so tend to do that wherever I go. Perhaps the recent situations are a hint to me to just shut up. Hmm.......

Today I am Bob

2006-07-14T18:14:00.000-05:00

This evening, the family and I went out to enjoy a lovely dinner at our favorite Tex/Mex feeding trough, followed by a visit to the omnipotent coffee joint, Starbucks. We placed our beverage orders, and the barista asked for a name to put on the cup. Now, for whatever reason, I am always a bit taken a-back by this. I mean, it's not a big deal to tell the person your first name and have it written on a cup, right? (sometimes people pay money to have a mug with their name on it - we were getting it for free!)
In any event, as it came time to give my name, I proudly stated my full first name. I pondered this for an instant, thinking, "wait, I could tell him ANY name, and he wouldn't know the difference". I then blurted out, "WAIT! Can I be Bob today?"
I thought that I would get a little giggle, or at least a grin from the "friendly" barista, and then he would shrug and pass the cup on to get filled.
However, without so much as a smirk, he took his little blue sharpie, scratched out my name, and wrote BOB ever so big and bold.

I thought this was the best thing since sliced bread. I asked to be Bob, and he made it so! This Barista ROCKS!

Then I noticed that he still wasn't laughing.

Hmm....I guess I'm not the first person to ask to be Bob on their cup.

Sh*t rolls downhill

2006-07-10T09:11:00.000-05:00

Everyone has heard the saying "sh*t rolls downhill", right? You know, when your boss gets an earfull from their boss, then turns to you, gives you a slap on the wrist, and you are then compelled to find an even more lowly being and give them a good solid PIECE OF YOUR MIND!

Well, I want to let it be known that sh*t does indeed roll downhill. I know this because I witnessed it first hand. This event actually took place a while ago, but I was reminded of it yesterday during a similar experience.

We enjoy frequent family outings to the local park for a nice jaunt and discussion of the laws of nature. The family, of course, includes two adults, two dogs and a mini-human (stroller size). So, on this particular visit, we are strolling along, marveling at the ducks, geese, other water fowl and the many droppings of same that litter the walkway. (Many people find these droppings a nuisance. We don't. They are a delicacy for the dogs and it saves money on dog food.)
(I'm KIDDING-animal rights types)

So, anyway, we're walking, talking, pulling the dogs away from the droppings and trying to keep them next to us like the darling little angels that they are at home. yeah, right. It is important to know that to our right, at the bottom of the hill, are quite a few people playing games, sunbathing, eating, etc. All of the fun park-like activities. It is at this point that our Lab decides that she must relieve herself, but certainly not on level ground! I imagine her thought process was something to the effect of "Gotta go, gotta go, where do I go, ooh, ooh, this is perfect....." So, off she goes, just off the walkway, as any well trained polite dog will do. The unfortunate thing in this instant is that just off the walkway is a very steep, sloping hill, leading right down to where the other park revilers are frolicking. She squats, and realizing what is about to happen, I grab a bag and jump down next to the squatting dog. Now, usually, the "doggie doo" is oblong and in a pile. Not this time. This time she manages to create lovely solid round balls. Off they go down the hill as I try to scoop them up ever so gracefully. Unfortunately, our other little canine has become confused. "Where ever shall I stand, shall I go here? Shall I go there? I know, I'll go 'round and 'round!" Yep, around my legs is what she meant. Now here I am, scurrying down this rather steep embankment, trying to catch the poop without letting go of either leash while hopping to get my foot out of the tangles without stepping on the Jack Russell.
(Remember the frolickers? Yep, they're all still there, along with other walkers, joggers, etc)

The moral of the story?

Sh*t DOES indeed roll downhill.

(btw, I did manage to collect all of the "balls" and stay on me feet)

Sunny Daze?

2006-07-08T07:59:00.000-05:00

Yeah, whatever that may mean.
So, now I have a Blog....now what? I actually meant to sign in so that I could post a comment to Hope at THEEVERYTHINGGIRL.blogspot.com (hint hint...check it out), but somehow took a wrong turn and ended up with my own blog. Now I feel compelled to post something on it.
Yes, I could have stopped signing up, rather than trying to come up with some fancy, creative name for it, but.....the idea sort of intrigues me.
And so was born "AllSunnyDaze".

If anyone should happen to read this, don't get excited (or worried, as the case may be). It is not likely that there will be any consistency with my posts. BUT, ya never know.....