Wednesday, June 30, 2010

The Coffee Table

It has taken me a month to get all my boxes put away after our move. Part of the problem is a husband who is working seven days a week and having to travel for his job over the last month. But things are settling down and there are finally pictures on the wall. But a very funny thing happened the other day, so I thought I would share. You may remember my post on how we came to this particular house, well it gets better:

I decided last week to hire some people to help us move the furniture from one bedroom to another. A task that was too much for my husband and myself. The doorbell rang and the man at the door looked perplexed. He asked me if the people who lived here before gave me their name. I said no. I had found them myself in the phonebook. He laughed and said they had just moved the previous people out of this house a few weeks ago. They knew the house well! Not only that, but it seems we have the exact same coffee table! What are the odds of that? They also had two other pieces that matched my coffee table, which we had not bought - but it was the exact same piece. It is large, with glass and leather around the edges. I guess I hadn't noticed it when we did a quick walk-through. I had noticed the piece that they had used to hold a television, which was the sofa table that matched my coffee table. Each room had window treatments that exactly matched the furniture I would put in that particular room - which I hadn't noticed when we decided to take this house.

It seems that when you open yourself up to synchronicity, through intention, all sorts of funny things can happen.

Saturday, June 26, 2010

Cardinal Cross



It seems we have entered a new era, today, at 7:31 a.m. EST. The Cardinal Cross refers to the aligning of planets in a perfect cross. In astrology speak - this is a very big deal! The last time it aligned in this way was in 1971, a time of great upheaval. Many believe this to be the beginning of tremendous changes on our planet and the beliefs we carry. What do you think?



Project Peace On Earth 2010 Promotional Trailer - AOMUSIC from AOMUSIC on Vimeo.


Friday, June 25, 2010

Big Brother?



This is what a local bank wanted for information, in order to open an account. They cited the Patriot Act. Does this worry anyone but me? This is just a checking account!


Information

Hubby
Me
Name



Address



D.O.B.



SSN



Home Phone



Driver’s License #



      Issue date



      Expiration date



Passport #



      Issue date



      Expiration date



Employer Name



      Years at



      Work Phone #



Approximate Net Worth




Thursday, June 24, 2010

A Hopi Elder Speaks



A Hopi Elder Speaks

"You have been telling the people that this is the Eleventh Hour. Now you must go back and tell the people that this is the Hour. And there are things to be considered . . .
Where are you living?
What are you doing?
What are your relationships?
Are you in right relation?
Where is your water?
Know your garden.
It is time to speak your Truth.
Create your community.
Be good to each other.
And do not look outside yourself for the leader."
Then he clasped his hands together, smiled, and said, "This could be a good time!"
"There is a river flowing now very fast. It is so great and swift that there are those who will be afraid. They will try to hold on to the shore. They will feel they are torn apart and will suffer greatly.
"Know the river has its destination. The elders say we must let go of the shore, push off into the middle of the river, keep our eyes open, and our heads above water. And I say, see who is in there with you and celebrate. At this time in history, we are to take nothing personally, Least of all ourselves. For the moment that we do, our spiritual growth and journey comes to a halt.
"The time for the lone wolf is over. Gather yourselves! Banish the word struggle from your attitude and your vocabulary. All that we do now must be done in a sacred manner and in celebration.
"We are the ones we've been waiting for."

-- attributed to an unnamed Hopi elder

Hopi Nation
Oraibi, Arizona

Wednesday, June 23, 2010

Habits



One of the things that I've come to realize over the last several years, starting with Katrina, is that we can no longer look to the government to protect us. I guess I had been living in a bubble, but I thought that in an emergency the federal government would be there to solve the problem, if the need was great. Like some giant bird swooping down to fix whatever was wrong. (Too many movies, I think.) But I no longer have faith in its capability to handle huge problems. New Orleans, banking deregulation, the two wars we should not be in, MMS's non-oversight of mining and the Gulf oil spill, Congress's inability to do anything at all, have made me realize that we just have each other in the long run.

I could whine and cry about this realization, I guess, but like so many of you, I'm tired of that. Instead, I've decided to take a hands-on approach. If I see a need, and I have the ability to help in some way, then that is what I'm going to do. It may be a simple blog post, or a donation, or putting change in the jars sitting on the grocery counter, but whatever it is, I'm going to jump in with both feet. It's easy to donate all of your used household items to a good cause, it's easy to pass on information on our blogs, it's easy to pull in and let teenagers wash your car to raise money for a school project, it's easy to buy a box of cookies from the Girl Scouts, it's easy to tip an extra dollar to the waitress bringing you your breakfast.

I think we need to take a grass-roots approach to helping each other. If everyone did one little thing, each time they could, think of the overall impact. Today I donated the comments money from Lori's fundraiser for the Gulf animals covered in oil. Tomorrow I will make it a point to not look the other way when I see a need, but make a sincere effort to help in some way. I'm going to do this until it becomes habit - just like brushing my teeth. I'm going to do it until I don't even notice I'm doing it anymore.

Tuesday, June 22, 2010

Helping The Gulf Animals!



Love sea glass? Want to help the oil drenched animals in the Gulf? Then hop on over to Lori's blog - she is accepting comments until 6:00 p.m. today to win a GIANT BOTTLE OF SEA GLASS! For every comment she receives she will donate $1 and also have a give-a-way. I've joined her in donating $1 for every comment. So hurry over and leave one. And while you're at it - check out how you can help too. People are getting creative!

Sunday, June 20, 2010

Synchronicity and Band-Aids



My husband returned from a business trip and said he had experienced a synchronicity. (I love it when he talks like that.) Anyway, it seems he had been jogging while away when he evidently fell down, scraping his leg. He also mentioned all the friendly, pretty, people on the jogging trail. I'm sure that didn't have anything to do with the fall...

The synchronicity involved a band aid. It seems when he returned to the hotel room his leg was bleeding enough to need a big band aid. The hotel gift shop only had small ones. Then he looked in his dop kit and found one very large band aid, perfect for the wound, and for keeping his suit from becoming soiled during the day. He had no idea where the band aid had come from, and he knew he had not put it in his bag.

The funny thing is I remember putting it in his shaving kit. I had been unpacking from our recent move, and for some reason had a large, lone, band aid in my hand. Not knowing what to do with it at that moment, I stuck it in his shaving kit. I have no idea why I did that. I guess it just seemed opportune at the time.

Anyway, he's decided to buy some more big band aids to carry in his kit, just in case!

Saturday, June 19, 2010

A Mighty Force



I have believed for some time that there is an energy at work in our world. Whether or not you believe in the End of Days or 2012, or just that the world is going to hell in a hand basket, there is no doubt there is something going on.

For instance, never before have we had such immediate access to everything that is happening. The Internet, television, 24-news, magazines, etc., all provide instantaneous information. Not all meaningful, and not all of value, true. But we can have instant access to almost anything.

Which brings me to the Mighty Force.

I think there is an energy that is going against all of those that have practiced to deceive. From Wall Street to Main Street, from corporations to politicians, the world is changing for those that have hidden behind a mask of decency and legitimacy only to have their real intentions revealed before the entire world.

Will anyone ever feel the same about Tiger Woods? How about Goldman Sachs and the henchmen of Wall Street? As for politicians, Nevada has it's very own hypocrite in John Ensign. Running on a holier than thou platform of Christian ideals he has been revealed to have been having an affair with his best friend's wife the entire time. Now he's being investigated for trying to pay off the husband with a job that promised his senatorial influence. The latest mask to be ripped was Senator Joe Barton of Texas. His bias for the oil companies came through loud and clear when at the hearings last week he pontificated about how the White House did a "shake down" on BP for requiring a 20 billion dollar account for clean up of the Gulf. Even his own party wants him off the powerful Energy and Commerce Committee. And then there is BP. Avarice was the name of that company's game.

These are just a few examples of what makes up our news these days. I think if your intention is to put on a mask that is meant to hide your true intentions, and those intentions are self motivated in a bad way - you better be careful. There is a Mighty Force that is seeking you out.

Thursday, June 17, 2010

All About George



I love Maira Kalman of the New York Times. It is well worth your time to take a minute and just enjoy!

Tuesday, June 15, 2010

A Disturbing Trend



Is anyone else incensed by the Abby Sunderland story? She is the young woman who attempted to circumnavigate the globe, solo, and non-stop. Caught in high seas in the Indian Ocean, she lost her mainsail and required rescuing. At age 16, she hoped to be the youngest to attempt this feat. Her brother, Zac, had already completed his globe-trotting trip and was selling his e-story, and other items, on his website.

It seems the family had shopped around for a reality series and had big money in sponsors. Wild Eyes was said to be tricked out with more than $400,000 in gear, while being touted as only a $90,000 boat. Does this smell to anyone, other than myself? The parents home-school all seven of their children, with another on the way. There is nothing wrong with this, of course, unless you are raising children to be daredevils in order to make a living. Which seems very much a possibility with this family. Son Zac is already planning his next adventure - a motorcycle trip from the furthest northern point of North America to the most southern point of South America.

It is said the rescue costs to rescue young Abby could top one million dollars. Not to mention the lives at risk to go out into 40-foot seas to find her. (One captain fell overboard during the rescue.)  Every year people climb mountains, sail the oceans, and do other dangerous deeds to outdo and break records. Hundreds of people put their lives at risk to rescue them, millions of tax dollars are spent, and yet there seems to be a never-ending supply of people willing to risk their lives, and others, to do what they want to do. Especially if it might lead to fame and glory, not to mention, moneyAustralia has current legislation in the works to pass on these costs. Which is only fair. If you want to attempt a dangerous and costly adventure, you should share in the liability if things turn sour.

Especially egregious are parents willing to risk the lives of their children. Anyone remember the little child killed trying to fly a plane at eight years old? It's really about the parent's ego, their desire to have their children accomplish what they could not. You see it in children's sports, and now with reality television you see it in the Indian Ocean during winter. They will tell you it is their child that wants to do the daring deed, but from a developmental point of view - that's BS! Young children do not have the capacity for understanding the risk. Period. That's why they need their parents. Adolescent's main developmental goal is social - and that's where most of their time and energy is directed, not wanting to spend weeks alone at sea in foul weather. In my opinion, Abby's parents should be arrested for child exploitation, not planning their next caper.

Sunday, June 13, 2010

Gulf Prayer



Masaru Emoto is a Japanese researcher and author who has done studies on the power of thought on water. The MacGregor's did a post on him here, and posted this prayer here. It was written for the Gulf catastrophe. Please feel free to take it, use it, and pass it on.

To whales, dolphins, pelicans, fishes, shellfishes, planktons, corals, algae and all creatures in Gulf of Mexico
I am sorry.
Please forgive me.
Thank you.
I love you. 




Thursday, June 10, 2010

Overwhelmed



Surrounded by unopened boxes, what am I doing right now? Blogging, of course. When in need of distraction - what could be better?

For some reason this move has been harder than the last two. I am having a very difficult time throwing out food that was in storage for two years. With so many hungry - it seems such a travesty. But without knowing what is spoiled and what is not, most of it is going. The temperatures in Minnesota are extreme, leaving even canned goods suspect. The boxes remain stacked next to the pantry. They've been there a week so far.

On top of a move, we will have company tonight and tomorrow night. My nephew is graduating high school and family will be here from out of town. I need to make a cabbage salad - an absolute favorite of my family, and requested by my sister:

Fume Chicken Salad

1/2 head cabbage, shredded
4 green onions, chopped
2 TBL sesame seeds, toasted
1/2 C slivered almonds, toasted
1 chicken breast (marinated in teriyacki sauce) - cooked, cooled, sliced thinly
1 pkg Top Ramen noodles (without seasoning), crumbled

Dressing

1/2 C canola oil
3 TBL rice vinegar (I always use more)
2 tsp sugar
1 tsp pepper
1 tsp salt or soy sauce
1/2 pkg dry mixture from soup

Just before serving, break up dry Ramen noodles; add dressing and toss.

I always double this recipe, as it goes that fast!

My brother just called for directions to my house. Eek!

Wednesday, June 9, 2010

Semantics & Our Economy





Jayne did a post on her take of the economy, found here, as only Jayne can. Funny and biting, she is always a kick to read.

However, we had weekend visitors who are currently out of work. This was a man who was at the top of a division of one of the largest companies in the world. If he can be out of work, anyone can.

I was reminded, once again, of the economy. Sometimes, just for a moment, you forget once you start working again. After all, any paycheck feels like hitting the lottery after two years without one. Then you pick up the paper, or tune into the news and are brought back to our current state of affairs.

So what exactly is the difference between a full-blown Depression and the current Great Recession? We still see long lines of people looking for jobs on the streets, curled around corners and continuing for blocks. We know that families are being displaced by the thousands every month. We know that schools are struggling to feed hungry children, who are not getting enough at home. The only new job numbers being added are the census workers. And now I read that some job postings are saying that the unemployed need not apply. They are only looking for employed workers! Whoa, I wouldn't want the karma coming to the genius who thought that one up.

So what is the difference? Can anyone tell me?

Sunday, June 6, 2010

What was I thinking?



My clothes were in storage for so long, now it's - what was I thinking?? That is so not cute...

Goodwill is going to make a killing as we realize we no longer need all the wool we did while in Minnesota. I will miss wearing hats everywhere in the winter, however. I had some cute ones with flowers on the side that made everyone laugh every time I wore them...

Why did I ever think I needed so many scarves and spatulas? My husband has a plethora of white socks, and Lucy is amazed to find a whole tub of toys she'd forgotten about. The Internet is working, but not email. The invisible fence is in, but Lucy won't venture further than the door for fear we will leave her here, forever encased in this lovely tomb. So she's sticking close.

I'm watching Ice Road Truckers in between boxes, and catching a blog here and there. Hope you have all have had a great weekend!

Tuesday, June 1, 2010

Moving Break



See you in a few!

Hope to have internet by Friday.