Sunday, May 31, 2009

Day of Rest

Smiling Dee at the overlook behind my house. :-)


Every time you
SMILE at someone,

it is an action of LOVE,
a GIFT to that person,
a BEAUTIFUL thing.
~Mother Teresa

Saturday, May 30, 2009

Good Enough Girl


Pictured above is a project that my niece completed in school. A few years ago, my nephew had the same Gallon Girl...errrr... Gallon GUY. Anyway, Brother D/MENSA GUY said, post-eye-roll: "You know, Gallon Girl would have TEN fingers is she were metric." [insert minor metric rant here]. I remember we were supposed to switch to metric back when I was in grade school. It never happened. Except for science class, everything was inches and pounds.

It's an interesting metaphor about change and growth. The metric system makes sense. It's accurate. Most of the rest of the world uses it and yet...here we are, continuing with Gallon Girls & Guys for the next generation. Why don't we change it? As Jim Collins would say, It's good enough. Our nation is not striving for measuring excellence and accuracy. We won't change it until we have to; until there's an absolute need to. Until then, we're stuck with 8 fingers.

Friday, May 29, 2009

Lessons from the Road

I was on the way to an appointment in Silver Spring, and I got lost. And yes, for those of you who are wondering, I was using the GPS. But it got confused.

Yes, it can and it did.

Anyway, I ended up on a quiet little street, and saw this:



And this:



Worth the 3-minute detour. BEAUTIFUL. :-)

3 years ago, I was on my way to a Brimhall seminar. I was on an unfamiliar highway and uncertain where I was. I got stuck on an off-ramp and was heading off the road when I managed to maneuver back over and onto the road--which was why I was pulled over by a police officer. He said to me that it wasn't worth risking an accident and that "even if you get detoured off the main road, you can always get back on if you need to."

I had been struggling about whether to go to Dave Dobson's Funshop. I had just finished massage school 2 days earlier, was seeing Brimhall the next day, and then flying out the next. The Funshop seemed like a detour and I was debating about going. Did I really need to go? It was a detour, and thanks to that police officer, I took it. I think if we're not picky about the messenger, the answers will come from wherever they will.

Thursday, May 28, 2009

What do you notice that you don't notice?


I have spent the past few days with Dave Dobson going back in time to Friday Harbor, May 1988. I'm sitting with John Morgan, Jerry Stocking, Doug O'Brien and others listening to Dave's Funshop Experience. I started off just jotting down notes but soon turned to my computer and have been transcribing. I'm on Tape # 6 out of 20.

If you ask me WHY I feel compelled to do this, I couldn't tell you. Just as I could give no clear reason WHY I attended Dave's Funshop the week after I'd finished massage school. Dave has had-- and continues to have, a profound impact on me. And for that, I am grateful. There's much more I could say, but I'm going to refer you to John's blog, because he wrote the post that I don't have time for, that elegantly describes what these past few days have been like.

And now, for all you Dobsonians out there:

I'm off to go play with the lab animals. cyasoon

Wednesday, May 27, 2009

I'm back...again

I've had no internet for the past coupla days. Anyway, just a quick note to say that you can hear THE Bruce Lipton TONIGHT, 7 p.m. Eastern, on a *FREE* teleconference interview with Jennifer McLean, one of the gals I met at my first Jerry Stocking course. Details here. And now, I'm going back into Dobsonian hibernation....

Sunday, May 24, 2009

Day of Rest

'member saying grace?


God is good,
God is great,
Let us thank Him for our . . .




I'm sorry, what was that? OH . . . God is SUFFICIENT. So He's not good or great? Oh, He is-- but also sufficient. I see. And apparently He likes ice cream because He's on a Tastee Freez sign. Because God is like ice cream. You have the basic concept of ice cream, and then everyone gets to choose what flavor God they want.

Mother: Billy, what flavor do you want?
Billy: Can I have a large Loving God?
Cashier: Do you want sprinkles with that?
Billy: Oh, yes!

[Enter unspecified Christian preacher] I'll take a small, sugar-free, fat-free Wrathful God.
Cashier: Do you want sprinkles with that?
Preacher: NO, but can you add some smiting to it?

[Enter 2 friends]
Friend 1: I've never been here before. What should I order?
Friend 2: Well, there's Patriarchy which most people order or you could try Matriarchy. My family is Patriarchy so I'm Patriarchy.
Friend 1: I'll try a small Shakti Surprise.
Cashier: Do you want sprinkles with that?
Friend 2: And I'll have the Traditional Everyone-else-is-wrong.
Cashier: What size?
Friend 2: Can I have that in Cathedral? No, make it a Vatican.
Cashier: Do you want sprinkles with that?

Drivethru window order: Can I have a small, plain non-denominational? [to friend in car] Do you want anything?
Friend: No, I don't believe in dairy.
Driver: That's all!
Cashier: Bless you. That's $2.50, please drive around.


Oh, the flames of hell are licking my heels for this one. I think I'm channeling Eddie Izzard this morning. Feel free to . . . flame me in the comments. ;-) XM Radio Guy Bill Hutton emailed: Does this make the Holy Mother the Dairy Queen? Hahahaha Have a GLORIOUS day.

With S P R I N K L E S

Saturday, May 23, 2009

Visual Auditory

I do collages, but this one was different. Usually I'm v. precise and spend a lot of time with colour, shape, images. This one is mostly words & phrases. I went thru a magazine [Ladies Home Journal with Ellen on the cover--because she's a . . . wait for it . . . that's right . . . Cover Girl]. Anyway, I flipped thru v. quickly & just cut & ripped out words that got my attention. I didn't think about it, I just did it. And this is what I got:

Quote by the candle from Ellen:

As I've aged and matured,
I just feel better about myself,
more confident and
more comfortable
in my own skin.

Yeah, like that. :-) This is going to be one of those pieces that I look at and get something different out of each time. What do you notice first? I look at that "Unblock Feeling" and it makes me think of a Jerry Stocking course. And there's nothing like a healthy dose of *giggles*[snort] So as Jerry likes to say, time for me to go play. And by play I mean do dishes. How do you make that fun? I'm going to listen to some v. fun music. And *splash* :-)

Friday, May 22, 2009

Down by the river

One of my favourite things to see is Fisherman Willie . . . fishin'



What a catch!

This is from last summer: a 12-lb. catfish that I caught, but when Willie said I had to put my hands in its mouth to get a picture--well, you see there are no pictures of me with the fish! Another GLORIOUS day here in the wilderness--the smell of wild roses is wafting into my living room with a nice breezy breeze. :-)

P.S. I almost forgot (haha) Have a GREAT Memorial Day weekend!

Thursday, May 21, 2009

Today is your day


Today is your day
to dream yourself awake
Today is your day
life is what you make
Today is your day
to hold most dear
Today is your day
to let go of fear
Today is your day
to give it a rest
Today is your day
to clean up this mess
Today is your day
to give it a go
Today is your day
to give up what you know
Today is your day
to learn something new
Today is your day
your day for you.

Wednesday, May 20, 2009

. . . and I'm back

Internet was down for the past coupla daze, but I'm back on line. I saw this the other day and I hesitate to show it only because Mum will be adding it to her Bucket List and then dragging me along!

Sunday, May 17, 2009

Day of Rest: The Face of Accomplishment

Yesterday, Chiro-sister got her massage therapy degree. She's been teaching anatomy & physiology at AIM for 3 years, and decided to go through the practical part of massage school for this last year. [Side note here: I'm SO impressed with the curriculum at this school. Not only do they have a kick-ass A & P teacher, but Ruthie would tell me all the wonderful techniques she was learning. What? You're learning lymphatic drain massage? COOL!]

Ruth spoke to her students and read a passage from The Velveteen Rabbit:

The Skin Horse had lived longer in the nursery than any of the others. He was so old that his brown coat was bald in patches and showed the seams underneath, and most of the hairs in his tail had been pulled out to string bead necklaces. He was wise, for he had seen a long succession of mechanical toys arrive to boast and swagger, and by-and-by break their mainsprings and pass away, and he knew that they were only toys, and would never turn into anything else. For nursery magic is very strange and wonderful, and only those playthings that are old and wise and experienced like the Skin Horse understand all about it.

"What is REAL?" asked the Rabbit one day, when they were lying side by side near the nursery fender, before Nana came to tidy the room. "Does it mean having things that buzz inside you and a stick-out handle?"

"Real isn't how you are made," said the Skin Horse. "It's a thing that happens to you. When a child loves you for a long, long time, not just to play with, but REALLY loves you, then you become Real."

"Does it hurt?" asked the Rabbit.

"Sometimes," said the Skin Horse, for he was always truthful. "When you are Real you don't mind being hurt."

"Does it happen all at once, like being wound up," he asked, "or bit by bit?"

"It doesn't happen all at once," said the Skin Horse. "You become. It takes a long time. That's why it doesn't happen often to people who break easily, or have sharp edges, or who have to be carefully kept. Generally, by the time you are Real, most of your hair has been loved off, and your eyes drop out and you get loose in the joints and very shabby. But these things don't matter at all, because once you are Real you can't be ugly, except to people who don't understand."

"I suppose you are real?" said the Rabbit. And then he wished he had not said it, for he thought the Skin Horse might be sensitive.

But the Skin Horse only smiled.

After Ruth spoke to her students, she joined them as a classmate as they received their diplomas:

Ruth receives diploma from Joseph, founder of AIM. He is AWESOME! For energy ball enthusiasts, check out the one behind Ruth.

YAY!!!

Now we have 2 massage therapists in the fam!

CONGRATULATIONS, SWEETIE!
WUV YOU!!!

Saturday, May 16, 2009

She has the GIFT

Niece Z & I looked for 4-leaf clovers yesterday on the way from the car to the house. We found 10! YAY, us! More fam FUN today!

Friday, May 15, 2009

Thursday, May 14, 2009

Bleeding Your Truth

Want to be an effective writer? Just bleed your truth.

This was a tweet from Scott Ginsberg, who has been wearing a name tag everyday for years. Author and speaker, he's all about being approachable and friendly. What's striking about his story is that he took ONE idea and has created a career with it. That's all it takes--one, simple idea. How many ideas do you have floating around your head like thought balloons waiting to materialize? That's the question I've asked myself as I've struggled to bring one-of-many projects to fruition. What are you an expert at? DO THAT. Even if it's nothing more than being an expert about yourself. This quote came at just the right time! THANKS, Scott!

Wednesday, May 13, 2009

Random abuse of quotation marks

Sign at Walmart:

"Must?" Wait. So it doesn't have to be? Does that mean should? "Closed?" So . . . not really closed? "Opened?" What? Wouldn't it be funny if they'd written "door?" It looks like a door to me, but "Management" must know better . . . .

Tuesday, May 12, 2009

Quote of the Day

I'm reading Elizabeth Lesser's Broken Open, How Difficult Times Help Us Grow. Here's a quote-for-the-day:

. . . every catastrophe can hand us exactly what we need to awaken into who we really are. It's difficult, though, when you're in the middle of a painful transition, to mine the experience for inner growth.

Monday, May 11, 2009

It's not you . . .

Scene from Seinfeld: Girlfriend breaking up with George

GF: It's not you, it's me.
George: Are you giving me the It's not you, it's me speech? Because I invented the It's not you, it's me! Let me tell you something: if anything, it's me, baby!


I heard a new one recently: it's not you, it's your patterns. Nothing personal, it's just the patterns you're running. Or are they running you? What's so automatic that you aren't even aware of it until someone points it out? And then if they do, do you see it? Or do you tell them how they're wrong? What keeps showing up in all your relationships? That's a clue.

And by relationships, I'm not just talking about people. We have relationships with everything: our house, our finances, our work, our car. What kind of patterns are you running? Do you see a common pattern linking everything?

What if your pattern is procrastination? Things pile up: laundry, dishes, bills. Your houseplants are thirsty and your friends think you've forgotten their birthday until they receive the belated birthday card. One pattern threads its way through all your relationships.

Patterns are neither good or bad. As Dave would ask: Are they useful? Dave used to say that most people are resistant to change. It's much easier to outgrow a pattern than to change it. It's much easier to update yourself than to change. How do you go about updating? The first thing is to become aware of it. As John says, Notice when it shows up. Awareness is the first step to throwing in the clutch. And then you can get curious about how to create a more useful pattern now.

These patterns are installed by our amateur parents & others as we're growing up. That's not a license to blame your childhood, just recognition. As adults, we're given consciousness so we can choose. How's it working for you? It's not you, it's your patterns. Choose a different pattern, and have a different life.

Sunday, May 10, 2009

HAPPY Mother's Day

She's British and a nurse. We grew up with Stiff Upper Lip Syndrome in doubley. Her answer to all-things-bleeding was the butterfly stitch (band-aids with little triangle shapes cut out). I wore a box of band-aids on my chin when I landed on a cinder block with my chin when I was 12. One time she had to do actual stitches on Brother D. She gave him a washcloth to bite on and when he said it hurt, she told him to "just think of England." That's our family joke, now. So, this is the card I got for Mum.




BNO? Mum calls us all her Blessings, & I'm Blessing Number One.

And here's a Cakewrecks-inspired cake I saw in Walmart in honour of M-Day:

HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY to anyone who is a mother or has ever had one. :-) H.

Saturday, May 9, 2009

Star Trek Awesomeness

From Star Trek Inspirational Posters. Go see.

I went to the new Star Trek movie last night. Wow. I can see why they're already talking franchise. It was fantabulously AWESOME. Really. AND you don't really even have to be a Star Trek fan to appreciate it. Altho, if you are, then it makes it doubley funner. You'll get all the inside jokes as you identify who's who when they first appear on the screen.

It's the story of Captain K. & the Gang as they're just finishing up Starfleet Academy. It was so cute last night in the movie theatre. There were a few families there and there was a point in the movie when Spock does the signature "Live long and prosper" hand gesture, and through the audience, you could see various hands up in the familiar V. BTW, that is how Brother D's kids all say good-bye to my brother. "Bye, Daddy! Live long and prosper!" Hand-in-V. Ah, milestones.

Speaking of Brother D, XM Radio Guy tweeted:

Go see the new Star Trek movie and may the force be with you.

Hahahaha Whenever he used to cross-reference Star Trek/Wars on his radio show, he'd get the indignant emails from all the geeks. Why is he giving away Star Trek pez dispensers on a Star Wars Anniversary show? Doesn't he know the difference? Why don't they check their facts before they allow this to go on the air? Hahahahaha Seriously, go see the movie. And of course, LIVE LONG AND PROSPER.

Friday, May 8, 2009

Creating Our Own Reality: Really?

Last week, I wrote a post with a mention of the reticular activating system, the part of our brain that filter's what we experience and notice. Then Doug O'Brien wrote:

I wonder if this is what is meant when people say we create our own reality. Is it that we notice what we want to notice and disregard the rest, and then act as if our perception is reality?

I hadn't thought of it that way. Usually when people say that, they are referencing The Secret about how we are responsible for what we create in our lives. That we can direct and attract what we want with the Law of Attraction. I just had a thought: What if the Law of Attraction works for those people because they believe in the Law of Attraction? So they are filtering their experiences looking for evidence of it working, ignoring all the times that it doesn't work. Hmmmm . . . .

How do you see the world? You see it as you believe it. Here's a variation on an exercise I learned years ago from Tony Robbins. Look at the picture below and notice all the brown: the trees, the leaves, the ground. See all the different browns?

There's a LOT of brown! It's everywhere all over the picture. Now . . . look for the green. There's actually a lot of green in the picture, too. Do you notice that one colour stands out more than the other when that's what you're looking for?

Tony's original exercise was to look around the room and notice everything that's brown. Now close your eyes and think about everything that's GREEN. What happens? Now open your eyes, and look for everything that's green. Did you notice more green?

Most people do. Why is that? We notice what we sort for.

How do you sort your reality? We sort with our beliefs. I like to say Belief Goggles. We put on these goggles to see the world and think that it's reality. It's OUR reality. Bruce Lipton does a wonderful exercise in his seminar where he gives out 2 sets of 3-D glasses. We look at a picture on a screen with each set. One set shows Halloweenish figures and scary things. The other set shows flowers and sunshine. Same picture, different experience. The picture doesn't change, we do. Change your goggles, change your experience, change your life. Or not.

Some people not only cling to their own goggles, but they insist that other people wear the same ones. Religion comes to mind. What's the difference between a fundamentalist Christian and a fundamentalist Muslim? The content. The structure of the belief is the same. And then both sides look for evidence to support their beliefs. [thumping bible] Well, in the Bible it says x. Yes, but in the Koran it says x.

Beliefs are the filtering system, so that your experience of the world remains consistent. The question is: Do you have limiting beliefs or empowering beliefs? Is there a difference between a person who believes I am a failure versus someone else who believes I am a success? Which belief would you want to adapt?

In answer to Doug's question, YES. We do create our own reality. And we get to decide if the beliefs we continue to hold onto are useful and life-enhancing. Or not.

For another angle of approach, Doug has written a blog post exploring the reality topic, as well. Does he say we create our own reality? Hmmm . . . go see.

Thursday, May 7, 2009

Hilarious without meaning to be

Yesterday, while stopped on the interstate, I tuned into a radio station to get some traffic info. I heard an ad that was so not-meaning-to-be-funny but was:

Give Mom the gift of safety for Mother's Day. Give her the firearm of her choice.


Because nothing says I love you, Mom like a handgun. It got me to thinking about how other businesses could use Mother's Day. Forget the obvious choices of bouquets, jewelry, or spa treatments . . .

Instead of flowers that wilt and die, give your mother something she can really appreciate: Valium. The old-fashioned remedy for ennui and angst, tranquilizing mother's since the 1950's.

This Mother's Day, give Mom a pest-free home. We'll kill your bugs inside and out for her special day.

Trying to think of something special for Mother's Day? Why not consider her own storage unit to fill with future useless crap she gets for Mother's Day.

This stuff just writes itself as XM Radio Guy says. Last year for Mother's Day, XM he gave away pregnancy tests, pearl necklaces, and I forget what else, on his radio show. Hahahaha

Wednesday, May 6, 2009

From my book

I'm writing a learning program that incorporates my teaching, brain-based learning experience, and other skills. I have a section giving permission to be average and get a "C." Some high achievers need that. Some low achievers need to know they don't have to be perfect in everything. Some parents need to know that, too.


When you can’t stand the subject or your teacher

Let’s face it. Sometimes you’re going to get a class that’s a dud. Maybe it’s the subject matter. Perhaps it’s the teacher. Or maybe it’s both. I won’t say which college, but the subject was economics. I am still baffled as to why I was required to take that class. And the teacher was horrible. He shuffled into class wearing leather bedroom slippers and polyester leisure suits from the 70’s, reeking of cigarette smoke. He also spat when he talked and I was stuck in the front row. Beyond the poor fashion sense, he was hostile to students and picked a few to yell at. You know those teachers who want you to succeed and do well? He was not one of them. I kept my mouth shut and did the bare minimum to get through. I have successfully failed to remember any content from that class. However, I am a firm believer that there are lessons everywhere, if you’re open to finding them. Often, it’s not the content of the class, but the presentation of it. In the case of this particular class, this is what I learned:


Sometimes you just have to survive.


That’s it. Put in the required time and effort, and when it’s done, it’s done. Kind of like eating a food you didn’t like when you were a kid. Hold your nose, chew & swallow.


Sometimes you do what you have to do, in order to do the things you want to do. ~Denzel Washington

Often times you'll have a great experience, or at the very least, a good story. Many things in life are pass/fail. Sometimes "good enough," really is.

Tuesday, May 5, 2009

Randomness & Quotes

A few random thingies:

Bird lover Jerry Stocking is tweeting on Twitter! Favourite tweet today:

If you only know a one way street to get to your destination you may not be able to get home.

XM Radio Guy sent me this today. "You can't make this stuff up. It just writes itself," he says.

Have you ever had to show up for jury duty? One guy made it clear he didn't want to serve. I guess he told them! Check it out.

As you know, I'm a huge fan of Cakewrecks. They did something for Trekkies (Serious Star Trek fans prefer to be called Trekkers. Whatev). What's equally as entertaining is the controversy that ensued over one of the cakes. Totally in the Get-a-Life category.

Last link, but I really loved this week's Grasshopper Note. Here's a quote:

Whatever is present in your life "should" be there. Why? Because it's a reality. Are you poor, struggling, lonely, miserable, sick, unlucky, frustrated, unfulfilled, etc? The minute you attempt to explain it away, the deeper you get into the shadows. The minute you accept it for the reality it is, you cease the echoing explanations and explore the options.
OK, off to explore my options. :-) H.

Monday, May 4, 2009

Sunday, May 3, 2009

Day of Rest

Here's the if-it's-raining rule for my nephew's soccer game: standing water and thunder 'n' lightening will get you canceled. Otherwise, suck it up. You won't melt. After the game, we went to this really cool playground. Had a great time climbing the rock wall and sliding down the spiral slide. We were there for over an hour and I was dead-tired! Great workout!

I found my first run of 4-leaf clovers for the season: 4 at the soccer match. And one more at Pioneer Sister's just before I left. Just for fun. It's raining and wet and a great day for staying in and reading. Happy Day of Rest! :-) H.

Saturday, May 2, 2009

Out the door with a quote

Am spending the day with Pioneer Sister & kids. Soccer games and whatnot. Yesterday I cracka-lacked with a learning program I'm designing. I was tippy-tapping away on the computer and had 3 pages knocked out. The next time I looked, I was at 7. I love those kind of creative days. Anyway, back tomorrow.

What answer to the meaning of existence should one require beyond the right to exercise one's gifts?
~W.H. Auden

Friday, May 1, 2009

Quote of the Day

I read this from Seth's blog and thought how true. Ideas for me are the easy part. It's executing the LIST that I've set up for myself that is the challenge: scripts for CD's, 3 books, re-writing both websites . . . time to get cracka-lackin'! :-)

On to a creativity challenge: Doug O'Brien wrote such a thought-provoking comment to yesterday's post that I'm saving a response for another post.

I wonder if this is what is meant when people say we create our own reality. Is it that we notice what we want to notice and disregard the rest, and then act as if our perception is reality?

Would anyone else like to respond as well? Calling all philosophers and writers. We can post with links to everyone's blogs. It will be like Ornament Thursday without the crafts. We'll post next Friday . . . for . . . wait for it . . . yes! Philosophical Fridays. Or just Friday. Next Friday, May 8th. Email me or leave a comment to this post and let me know you're in.