get ready ....

to read an amazing blog:

http://mikedowellmemorium.blogspot.com/

the short version is that this is a memorial site for a husband, father, soldier

the long version is a tale of love & it's strength

get a tissue & enjoy the read

funny

this is still a funny set, even after all these years

http://snltranscripts.jt.org/92/92smattfoley.phtml


do the funny folks get called home because we need more laughter in heaven?

when we lose our sense of the absurd,
the uproarious,
the silly,
we lose more than our sense of humor

we lose os part of what makes us human

then we begin to see ourselves as 'oh so very serious'

and worse yet

take our selves too seriously

then we begin to lose a bit of our humanity

we begin to think it's ok to hurt people for information

to lie for the protection of the unjust

to ignore the facts to get our way

we need more funny here on earth

blog plug

"forgive me if I ever consider myself more than gathered ashes."
~~by Dr. Charles~~

http://drcharles.blogspot.com/2005/02/ashen-physician.html

I highly recommend this blog:
The Examining Room of Dr. Charles

The writing is wonderful and that particular post that i have the like for is one that touches the heart.

read & enjoy

now

You don't get to choose how you're going to die.
Or when.
You can decide how you're going to live now.
~~Joan Baez~~

I choose to live now.

each day, just now.

It is easy to get caught up in looking back at the
"when things were..."

or to look so far ahead,
to the "when things will be..."

now.

right now.

enjoy the moment.

enjoy the ride

live truly

"True religion is real living;
living with all one's soul,
with all one's goodness and righteousness."
~~~~ Albert Einstein ~~~~

each day I try to live fully with goodness in my heart

and I give thanks for the day

to enjoy the time,

the challenges to face & learn from,

the people in my world

namaste

peace

guts dx 1

mycoplasmal infection

that's what my guts have ...
an infection of a nasty tiny little bacteria
it lives inside the cells

(as it must being the kind of bug that it is)

causing colitis

auto-immune diseases

and it hurts

(well it really causes the body to hurt itself)

so antibiotics for 6 months

(maybe more)

& I have an answer to my pain

coldness

our furnace wasn't working very well for the past 2 weeks

it didn't blow like it should

but it's all better now

& just in time

we are having bitter cold weather here

sunny with clear skies

and

COLD

might have to build a fire tonight,
just to keep the chill out of my old bones

5 Simple Things

There's something kind of fun that is making its way around the blogosphere,
"Five Simple Things."
It's self explanatory, so here goes:
Debb's List of Five Simple Things

5 things I plan to do before I die:
1. Organize my studio.
2. Be debt free
3. Grow an herb garden
4. Learn more artful ways of doing
5. Experience life fully

5 things I can do:
1. Curl my tongue.
2. Love with all my heart.
3. Walk gently in the world
4. Yoga
5. Dream

5 things I cannot do:
1. Sing in tune.
2. Sleep thru the night.
3. Stop thinking
4. Tolerate cruelty
5. Spell very well

5 Things that attract me to other people:
1. A sense of humor
2. Kindness
3. Intelligence
4. Playfulness
5. Honesty

5 things I say most often:
1. I'm sorry.
2. I love you.
3. No problem.
4. What a drag!
5. I'm tired.


5 people I want to do this next:
1. Bob
2. Liz
3. Bevvie
4. Bbarb
5. Annie

Googling 'needs'

a bit circling around in the blog-o-shpere is to plug your name plus the word "needs" into the google search engine and then share whatever pops up.
Here are the top few things that appeared when I googled "Deborah needs"

Deborah needs to learn.

Deborah needs to be in a position where she will actually learn.

Deborah needs to start eating cheeseburgers again.

Deborah needs to focus on her strongpoints.

Deborah needs to find her own cure.

Deborah needs some help.

Deborah needs to do more promo!

Deborah needs financial help.

all interesting.

all true in one way or another.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

on a side note when I googled for "debb needs" I got this:

Debb needs to remember that she set herself up for this.

blog bits

How You Life Your Life

Debb is honest and direct. Debb tells it like it is. Debb is laid back and chill, but sometimes she cares too much about what others think. Debb's friends tend to be a as quirky as she is - which is saying a lot! Debb tends to always dream of things within reach - and she usually gets them.

How Do You Live Your Life?

guts (round 2)

tomorrow for round 2 of testing

&

it'll be a couple of weeks before an answer is collected from the doctor

here's hoping for an answer with a functional response

an answer that we can do something about

an answer that has a history of success

an answer, just that would be good

guts

we all got 'em
guts that is...
and mine are going to be searched,
poked, probed and biopsied
let's hope for an answer
with an option of cure.

our place on this earth is so small
and yet...
if we choose to...

our impact can be huge

choose to be positive and keep our place joyous

kids

are we the only people on the planet that
couldn't
didn't
have kids

no we aren't

but it really feels like

a solo venture sometimes

we didn't then because we couldn't

and now we can't

and we are a minority of 2

top fourty

My Top 40 music choices
in no particular order.........

just 40 assorted bits of music that help to define my world

I may have many albums or just the artist listed in my top fourty,
because sometimes it's the way the songs move together that makes the sound memorable

1: Rocky Horror Picture Show Soundtrack

2: The Big Chill Soundtrack

3: Spiderweb by Joan Osborne

4: REM

5: School House Rocks

6: It's a Wonderful World by Louis Armstrong

7: Sunny Came Home by Shawn Colvin
8: Bat out of Hell & Back into Hell by Meatloaf

9: Song Remains the Same by Led Zepplin

10: Thunder Drums by Scott Fitzgerald

11: Dark Side of the Moon by Pink Floyd

12: The Wall by Pink Floyd

13: Voices of the First Women

14: Outback

15: R Carlos Nakai

16: Talking Heads

17: David Bowie

18: Rolling Stones

19: the Beatles

20: the Doors

21: Mikey Hart

22: Depeche Mode

23: the Grateful Dead

24: Bonnie Raitt

25: Tina Turner

26: Liz Phair

27: Billie Holiday

28: Paul Simon

29: Dire Straits

30: Marcia Ball

31: the Bon-Ton Blues Soul Accordian Band

32: Eric Clapton

33: Elvis Costello

34: B B King

35: Santana

36: Madonna

37: Melissa Etheridge

38: Elton John

39: the B-52's

40: Sting

hooked...

...on these tests

(thanks for the link to the site jerri!)

ok so right brained am I

& you?

Brain Lateralization Test Results

Right Brain (64%) The right hemisphere is the visual, figurative, artistic, and intuitive side of the brain. Left Brain (24%) The left hemisphere is the logical, articulate, assertive, and practical side of the brain

Are You Right or Left Brained?
personality tests by similarminds.com

who me?

HMMMMMMMMMMMMM

What Famous Leader Are You?
personality tests by similarminds.com

I figured that it'd be Einstein
(my sis tells me I'm way to detached & analytical)

weeding the weekend away

Cleaning the backyard.

Plants that were once, this fall, in bloom & wonderful
are now just weeds.

Definition:
weed
A plant considered undesirable, unattractive, or troublesome,
especially one growing where it is not wanted.


weed·ing,
To clear of weeds.
To remove weeds.

forest for the trees

why is it so hard sometimes to see:

where we are,

where we are going,

or

where we have been?

could it be that our view is obstructed?

clouded by what we want

& not clear to see what we have.

work

lookie, little blood cells!

I don't get to look at these that often anymore,

being in the clinic and out of the main clinical laboratory,

but I still work with them....well their cousins anyway.

I'm writing SOP and reviewing current SOP for the clinic and in doing so I get to research current issues that relate & often time get to see pics like these that remind me of my professional roots.

pause

lott'a latte (ya' gotta' scroll for it)

Wednesday, October 05, 2005

todays thought

I, Being Born a Woman and Distressed
by Edna St. Vincent Millay
I, being born a woman, and distressed
By all the needs and notions of my kind,
Am urged by your propinquity to find
Your person fair, and feel a certain zest
To bear your body's weight upon my breast:
So subtly is the fume of life designed,
To clarify the pulse and cloud the mind,
And leave me once again undone, possessed.
Think not for this, however, this poor treason
Of my stout blood against my staggering brain,
I shall remember you with love, or season
My scorn with pity - let me make it plain:
I find this frenzy insufficient reason
For conversation when we meet again.

Friday, September 30, 2005

Waiting to Inhale

rain

the top of moutains

garlic

my husband

wet dog

(yes wet dog....means my furkids have had a bath)

these are a five of my favorite scents

what are yours?

Wednesday, September 28, 2005

blog-o-type

You Are a Double Espresso Hey Energizer Bunny Girl! Do you ever slow down? You're a mix of high energy and ambition, perfectly matched with strong espresso When you want something you get it - by any means possible You're driven, determined, and no nonsense. Which is just how you like your java. What Kind Of Coffee Are You? Take This Quiz :-) these quizzies are quite fun..... for a saturday morning thanks to Jerri http://jerrilance.blogspot.com/

Your Blogging Type is Confident and Insightful

You've got a ton of brain power, and you leverage it into brilliant blog. Both creative and logical, you come up with amazing ideas and insights. A total perfectionist, you find yourself revising and rewriting posts a lot of the time. You blog for yourself - and you don't care how popular (or unpopular) your blog is!

What's Your Blogging Personality?

well interesting.....

monday thought

Do not pray for tasks equal to your powers.
Pray for powers equal to your tasks.
Then the doing of your work shall be no miracle, but you shall be the miracle.Phillips Brooks

and what a glorious thing that would be

creativity

http://www.lassp.cornell.edu/sethna/FrustrationCurvature/

working with a color like orange can be quite a challange

mind you I like oranges, oragne juice, squash, pumpkins, pumkin pie & other things orange

but

to create something with orange is turning out to be a bit harder than I expected

the beads begin to make the shape I want & like the orange carpet,

turn, twist & begin to be their own thing

not a bad thing, bit very much their own

so I put it down for a pause

we need to work together,

the beads & I,

for this to come out the way we both want

often creativity is like that

a process of give & take between the artist & the art

a wee break

sunshine

sunflowers

blue sky

big views

pause

relax

enjoy

change in the air

Change is in the air and I am flying with it.

I am transitioning to a new job within the place I work. The ripples of that transition are just beginning to expand. It has altered the way that my co-workers have to deal with processes at the office.

It isn't easy for some to accept change. For some it takes a long time to get used to even a small change & the major events can really trun life into a tail-spin for them.

"It's not Fair."

"You can't do that to me."

"This time we'll do X-Y-Z."

All said with the gnashing of teeth, the stomping of feet and the requisite glares of anger at being forced to do something; something different, something new, something.

I am sorry for folks that see all change as a punishment to themselves, an upset to their lives, an event of clamity.

Change is a part of this life, a part of living each day on this wonderous plane, a gift from spirit to allow growth.

It is not an event that can be controlled.

It can be an adventure, a chance to shine in the glory of new learning, new doing & new ways of doing things.

But for some it is a death knell to the way they want things done, they way they know to do things and to the way they know.

I prefer to look at things the way Allan Cohen has stated it:

It takes a lot of courage to release the familiar and seemingly secure, to embrace the new. But there is no real security in what is no longer meaningful. There is more security in the adventurous and exciting, for in movement there is life, and in change there is power.
Alan Cohen

where I am

Stand in the place where you are
(Now face North)
Stand in the place where you are
(Now face West)
Your feet are going to be on the ground
(Stand in the place where you are)
Your head is there to move you around,
so stand.

~~~~~~~~~~~R.E.M. "Stand"

this song by R.E.M. has been in my head for most of the week.

so often we are not looking at where we are

we look at where we think we should be,

where we think we ought to be,

where we aren't.

I'm looking around at where I am
& I like it.

I have new places to go,
new jobs to tackle,
new goals to achieve,

but where I am ....
right now...

at this moment...

is good.

my head is there to turn me around
should I need it
& this week I did

& went with my head where it looked...
at a better place for me to be.

so here I am.

here I will be.

this is where I stand.

vacations & anniversaries

we get to go play in the mountains for our anniversary this year

19 years with one of the best friends I never thought I'd have.......
my husband

we were married on Labor day because that was a long weekend off work & we could get all of our family together easily for the 'big day'

it is a bit of work to make a good realationship.....both people have to work with each other, for each other & balance that with work for & on themsleves

but when it is good it is SO very good

and this is Good

girlfriends Part I

good friends

girl friends

the very best of life are those 2 things

I am blessed with some of the very most wonderful good girl friends:

Jerri
who is a thoughtful, winsome soul

Bbarb
a generous, glorious person

Carol
one of my oldest & dearest friends

Miki
now passed but her presence is still making an impact on my world

Liz
who is a confident, boisterous woman with a rockin' sense of humor

Annie
one of the sweetiest people I've ever met

Crystal
a joy of a person,
she makes you feel wonderful just being in the same world with her

Sharon L
so confident in herself & where she is in the world
that you have to really notice where you are

Kerri, Ava, DebW, Sharon H, Bevvie, Audrey, Nikia, Dena, Tammy, BethAnne, LeeAnne, Carol (OR), Marcia, Janice, Carol (MO), Annette, Sandy

I don't often enough tell these wonderful people how much they mean to me,

how much it has meant to me to have them in my life,

how thankful I am to have met them
& how rich my life is because of them

may we all be so blessed to have good friends and girl friends

lifelines

"Some one ought to do it, but why should I?"
--
"Some one ought to do it, so why not I?"
Between these two sentences lie whole centuries of moral evolution.
Annie Besant

so I try

I try to do what ought to be done.........

I try to live my life with purpose and clear intent

it is not easy nor is it clear
& yet I keep trying

the work of few is felt by many

we work

we try

we find a way to be heard

I live in a haiku

or so it seems sometimes

as there is only the echo of my work

in the actions of others

namaste

dreams & goals

there are goals at the end of our dreams

they are the reason we get up and move in the morning

those are often little goals

getting out of bed

or

getting thru the day

or

getting to the weekend

no matter how small,

they still count as goals

the dream we have of life lived well make each of those a reality

then there are the BIG goals

career

family

personal value

they also are a part of a life lived well

enjoy this link:

http://www.thedreammovie.com/

it's all about a goal being a dream with a dealine

live well

our patio to be............now is

we'll be working on our patio today

got the rock yesterday

~3000 lbs of flagstone

to cover ~200 square feet

of this

and here it is.....
all done but for the plantings
we are going to put creeping rosemary between the stones
with sage & lavender & bush rosemary on the perimeter
mayne add a potted bit of peppers and tomatoes
(for home-made salsa)

the lizards are out (& the furgirls)
enjoying the new flagstone

what a wonderful idea.................

"Dare to be average!"

I have been a "flybaby" for a while now and it has made a huge difference in my life.

For those who don't know about the Flylady, here is her webbie:

http://www.flylady.net/

the thought that you can dare to be average is an interesting one

you need not be the very best, if you are having fun.

you need not get "A" grades, if you are learing for enrichment.

you need not be the master artist, if you can feel good when you paint.

you need not make a fortune, if you can enjoy what you do at work.

we will not all be the Bill Gates, Mozart, Richard Feynman, Bach, VanGogh, Stephen Hawking, Mick Jagger, or Sean Connery in our chosen profession..........

what ever profession that might be.

but we can enjoy what we do,

how we live,

and who we are

to the fullest possible extent of our being

family

You hear a lot of dialogue on the death of the American family.
Families aren't dying.
They're merging into big conglomerates.

~~~~~~~~~~ Erma Bombeck ~~~~~~~~~~~~

and Erma is right about that,
the merging of families.

Above is just one small section
of the huge conglomerate that is my dad's side of my family.

and there they all are.

Now mind you this is only a portion of my dad's side of my family.

My mom's side is not so numerous,
but has a variety of characters that rivals larger clans.

& then there is my hubby's family
OY VEY!
what a crew they are.

All of my famliy members are wonderful people,
in their own interesting and different ways,
but without variety

how dull would visits be,
how boring conversation,
how dreary our world.

So here's to my vast, glorious, robust & wonderful family!

Love you oodles,
one & all.

pause

When before the beauty of a sunset or a mountain,
you pause and exclaim, "Ah,"
you are participating in divinity.
Joseph Campbell

floors

floors are the foundations of a room

if the floor covering is icky & ugly & old

then the room becomes an uncomfortable place to be

so I'm re-doing the floor in my spare room

the carpet was gastly nasty

tore that all up

sealed the cracks in the concrete floor

&

now I'm re-surfacing it

the concrete color isn't the most consistant

but that's mostly me since I'm just pouring it into the water for the concrete till it looks ok

the new floor is very tactile

which is kind of nice

and the color is working out mostly ok

we'll see in another coupla' sections

if there is a pattern happening or not

I can always paint it after it's all new

kind of a metaphor for ourselves

we can un-cover & then

re-cover

re-surface

re-seal

re-state

re-paint

re-heal

re-lease

& it's always at our foundation where the work starts

can you hear it?

music is the sound of god's voice in our everyday world

Jazz Is the Sound of God Laughing
http://tinyurl.com/8ejut
by Colleen Shaddox

this is a great essay
and it makes one think...............

what would the soundtrack for your life be?

bluesy and hopeful?

or gospel, joyous & uplifting?

or jazzy (the sound of god's laughter)?

or classical, delicate & resourceful?

can you find the music in your life?
can you hear the music in the world?

can you hear god laughing?

moments

The same stream of life that runs through my veins night and day runs through the world and dances in rhythmic measures.
~Rabindranath Tagore, Indian Poet, Playwright and Essayist

we so often pass thru life in fits & starts,
not really seeing what is around us,
not really feeling what is within us,
not really hearing what is said to us.

we need to remember to pause
to just wait a moment
to see
to feel
to listen

our memories are made of those moments when we took that pause
shouldn't we be making more of those every day

a man once said that this life is the longest thing we will ever do

shouldn't we enjoy more of it along the way
shouldn't we make this the journey worth remembering
shouldn't we particiate more actively in the events along the way
shouldn't we remember that we are all part of a bigger picture

wednesday

welcome to the middle of the week

leaving

Now I do try to keep the political commentary out of my blog..............

out of my journal................
and out of the workplace..........

But this needs to be said,
this needs to be commented on,
and the excerpt that most concerns me is this:
"...the new contract, to deliver intelligence services in Iraq through 2009..."
the article is here:
http://tinyurl.com/d734y

are we ever going to leave?
the government keeps saying we aren't an occupation force but contracts like this seem to indicate otherwise...................

when are we bringing our soliders home?

stitched gums

and so there is the gum graft (#2)

and from inside my mouth,

the place where the graft was harvested

harvested

what a word for this part of the operation

there was lots more blood with this graft than there was with the first

choking on it at times even

altho, truthfully,

I was practically upside down in the dental chair so the surgeon could see what he was doing
and the suction thingy was right there

but the taste....

blech

so now I get to heal

and keep my teeth

keep my health

purple part deux

so I get to go for part 2 of the gum surgery today........

not overly excited about this...........especially as the doc mentioned 'shaping' the previous gum graft........................so does this mean both sides of my mouth will be numbe & sore & PURPLE for days?

guess we get to find out in a couple of hours...............maybe I should take & post a pic this time........................

I do like the way the 1st graft took......and I lost a bit of the weight that I wanted to (eating only the very softest & luke-warm foods very slowly will do that)

and I'll be keeping my teeth for a good long time.............so it's worth it & not a vanity thing...a health thing..........vanity would be a boob job, teeth are for health.................

no really
read about it
here:
http://www.breathcleaner.com/TIPS_gums.html
It is important to know that research has shown that people with gum disease are twice as likely to suffer from heart disease. Several theories explain this link. For example, oral bacteria may enter the blood stream and intensify fatty plaque formation in the coronary arteries. Gum disease also increases the amount of fibrinogen (a potent natural clotting agent in the blood stream). That would increase the chance of blood clots and a stroke.

and here:
http://my.webmd.com/content/article/104/107269.htm
Gum disease does more than endanger your teeth and gums. It can also lead to and worsen far more dangerous ills.

so I'm keeping my health by keeping my teeth

and I can smile more & better with healthy gums which makes the day just go by all that much more happily

clearing the air

rain is wonderful

and rainbows are better

they clear the air
clear the skies
and if you sit patiently & watch
they clear the mind

listening

do we really hear when we listen
(or so pretend)
to each other
to ourselves
to the world

to really hear what we are listening for, we need to pause, breathe and turn our ears on, turn our hearts on


to really hear each other, our selves & the world,
we must first hear the quiet silence of peace,
then we can truly hear, truly listen, truly understand what is being said

even if it is unspoken

so pause
breathe
be still
listen

you'll be amazed at how much you'll hear

traveling time

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Time to travel

to get away, even for a bit

to relax

to rest

to recharge

Love the summer traveling time

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Vacations are wonderful time to visit with family and friends

time to get into the out & about

time to explore the world around us

time to share yourself

family visit

We have family visiting

this is a good thing...........they are wonderful, generous, gentle, vivacious, spontaneous people to whom we happen to be related

an unusual occurance for many it seems

I was talking with my on-line family of buzzard sisters, and we have more than a few blood relatives that we'd rather not have to deal with any more than necessary.

I have some of those in my blood relatives as well..................but these visiting are NOT of that ilk. (which is why we are enjoying the visit so very much)

what a gift to have family members that supports & encourages each other in the day-to-day world

& what a shame that there are so few of those in our real-life world

be sure to let those you care about know you are thinking of them
give them a jingle, a hug or send a card (email or snailmail)

they are a precious, wonderful part of your world.

clean carpets

carpets take forever to dry.................

even when they are professionally cleaned & you live someplace with extremely low humidity

so we are walking on damp flooring...............not wanting to move any of our predominantly wooden furniture back onto damp carpet...........

we did decide that if this doesn't really clean the carpet of the pet-mess smell, then it will come out......piece by piece & we'll do the following:
1> paint the cement flooring
2> tile the floors
3> wood laminate
or 4> some combination of the above

this house is a bit older & the carpet had been here thru a renter or 2 (at least that's what we were told when we bought it) and that can generate areas where the current resident pets feel obligated to mark the turf as theirs...........................unfortunately that is all too often in the main living areas................

carpet will remain clean or be removed...............

and the cleaner guy (bless his heart) commented that taking out ALL the carpet in the house would be way too big a job.................

LOL...............oh my --- he's never seen me at that kind of work but my hubby has & did that comment make him laugh......

so off to watch the carpets dry & dream of hardwood laminate, tile & brightly painted flooring......................

company.........

company is coming.............

they are making lists of places to visit
things to see
foods to eat

this is going to be a good visit

it's only for a long weekend so we'll see just how much we pack in to do & enjoy

the company all by themselves will be wonderful
no matter where we go or what we see

dad's day

My dad has taught me many things....................

..........how to think & discuss those thoughts clearly
mind you it was taught by discussion of topics that we didn't agree on

........how to look at the bigger picture & our place in it
we are but a speck of time, and how we live (or don't) won't have much (if any) impact on that very big cosmic picture, but it does have immediate and lasting effect on those around us whom we love

............how to consider the other side and to think before speaking
that now might be something that causes me to pause for a bit too long in heated or urgent discussions, but when I do speak out now, it is more well formed & expressed because I did Think First

..........how to be happy in the Now
for that is really all we have. Right Now, this moment in time, and how we live it can make a wonderful memory, have a positive influence on those around us or be a blip that is unnoticed (which is a sad way to live)

............how to look around & explore where we are
adventure in the everyday places, we used to take longish drives once a week to see what there was to see around the area where we lived..............each week a new place & that is something that I continue to do no matter where I am...............

so as the song says...............Stand in the place that you live................that is something else my dad taught me

for all those things & so many more.............
Thanks Dad
& Happy Father's Day

Happy Father's day....... 

sunshine and dust devils

it is summer ........
well nearly - June 21st is the solstice this year
and the weather is warm
the sun is shining
and the wind is making afternoon dust devils
they appear and fade like djinn

and as long as you are well away from them, they are marvels to watch
upclose, well, they can move your car very easily, or you, or your dog

respect is key here................dust devils are not to be fooled with

but they do make wonerful summer wind watching

purple

purple is an intersting color

one of my favorites.................mostly

I say mostly because there are some things that should NOT EVER be purple.......................like the inside of one's mouth............
but that is the thing that happens when one has had little bits of one's gum peeled out for grafting elsewhere in one's mouth

if only I could get a decent pic of this............it's almost Dali-ish in appearance.................but then that's just too much information I suppose

at least it doens't hurt as much as yesterday ........... and the only very soft foods are kind of fun (at least right now) like:
jello......haven't had jello in years
sherbert..............also a treat I've not had for years
mac & cheese with chopped spinach or tuna (those were staples when I was growing up)
tuna noodle casserole............
mashed potatoes, with lots of butter & melted cheese
or maybe even twice baked.....those innards are yummy soft
pasta.....lots & lots of pasta with cream sauce

altho I do suspect that by the end of 2 weeks this is going to be very old......for now it's like being a kid again.......soft comfort foods abound.................and the kitchen is getting a workout

Anne Bancroft 1931-2005

and here's to you Mrs Robinson, you were never ordinary.

"Film critics said I gave a voice to the fear we all have: that we'll reach a certain point in our lives, look around and realize that all the things we said we'd do and become will never come to be -- and that we're ordinary." http://tinyurl.com/75jlg

teeth

so today I had gum surgery.......................it hurts, it's swollen, I have a freak'nstien smile

but I will be able to keep my teeth

they are important to me, my teeth that is...............

I had years of braces and in the process many teeth got pulled
because
much to the amazement of many of my friends
my mouth was too small

it is still small
the voice I have is large but the mouth isn't

and the teeth that remain I'd like to keep

it's simple really
at least to me.............. I'd like to be in my all when spirit calls me home
and that means I do have to work to keep my teeth

other parts have been removed as health became an issue..........that will happen as we age it seems.................but my teeth, my smile, my small mouth with the large voice, those I'd like to keep

goddess reclining 

when we find spirit

and I do not mean that thing we all had to proclaim at pep rallies in school......but the deep abiding love that is the source of all life
.....you know, Spirit

when we find & connect to spirit (no matter what belief system you use), we become an active part of something so much bigger than ourselves, so much better than the physical being we live in day-to-day

we become an active, integrated part of the Whole
a part of Life
a piece of god

we always have the copasicty for this connection, but we get caught up in the thoughts of day-to-day living and often need a reminder

I think it was in Grosse Pointe Blank (a really good little film by the way) where a conversation takes place that fits what today was for me:

Debi: Shakabuku.
Marty: You wanna tell me what that means?
Debi: It's a swift, spiritual kick to the head that alters your reality forever.

that's what I got today
by spending some time connecting with Spirit
I hope it holds..................I really don't want more than one or 2 of those in this lifetime

what a great way to approach life.........

Twenty-Four Brand-New Hours
Every morning, when we wake up, we have twenty-four brand-new hours to live. What a precious gift! We have the capacity to live in a way that these twenty-four hours will bring peace, joy, and happiness to ourselves and others. < http://www.thedailylama.com/Lib/007.html >

now how do we translate that into everyday actions & affairs?
that might be the hard part.....unless we live fully conscious

now how do I do that...................how does anyone?

personally here is what I do....................
I clean my space.....less clutter means less around to bog my mind down in the morass of mess

I also try to sleep well .........lately that has been a challenge & we'll see how that shakes out in the next week

excercise.......well I've been having a walk, it's not much but I'm moving

sunshine.....there was a report last year that indicated that we need at least 20 minuts of good sunshine (no sunblock allowed for full benefit) each day for better emotional, mental & physical health, so I'm sitting in the sunshine for a while every day..................

water.........drink more, wash self daily (and I bought a snap pool.................so I'll be soaking up the sunshine this weekend on a floaty in the kiddie pool in my backyard..pretending that I'm on a beach somewhere)

meditation...........see floaty thing above......that is meditation (of a sort)

talk to family & friends..................often.................keep the lines open for good communitcation, doesn't need to be BIG talks, just daily stuff is imprtant to share as well, it keeps us connected

and that's what I try to do to live consciously

peace