Chinook Winds

Chinook winds, or Chinooks are found in the western area of North America, where the prairies and great plains meet mountain ranges. While it is the name of a People where the name was first derived, it has been claimed by folk usage and is said to mean 'ice eater' - which is a great name for it. Those winds can make a foot of snow vanish in a day, easily; using a combination of melting and evaporating. The temperature can also drastically change.

According to records, the greatest change within a 24 hour period due to Chinook winds was recorded in Loma, Montana. The temperature went from -48º to 9º Celsius (-54º to 49º Farenheit). This brings welcome signs of Spring, but sadly, it is all a false alarm. Winter will return sooner than not, with more freezing temperatures and more of that lousy white stuff!

Chinook winds are more prevalent over southern Alberta, in a belt from Pincher Creek and Crowsnest Pass through Lethbridge. They are averaging 30-35 Chinook days a year, which makes that the most desirable area of Alberta to be living in! Luckily I'm on the verge and get to enjoy the bonuses, here, too.

These winds can also gust in excess of 120km/h (75 mph), which is considered hurricane force. Personally, I love the strong winds, and miss the wind storms that are prevalent on the West Coast! However, it can make for a royal bloody mess here. Trains get derailed, empty semi's have been blown over by strong sudden gusts. If the snow hasn't melted, look out, the entire road can vanish in a white out.

So, while bringing a welcome respite from the harsh temperatures and insanity triggering whiteness of the never ending snow, the Chinook does have it's downsides, as well. 

I discovered some fascinating lore while hunting about on DuckDuckGo...

Native legend talles of a girl named Chinook-Wind, who married Glacier and moved to his country. Somewhere in the area of Birkenhead River. but Chinook-Wind pined for her warm sea-home in the southwest (somewhat similar to myself pining for Vancouver Island), and she sent a message to her people. Her people sent her an answer, they came to her in the vision of snowflakes and told her they would come to get her. In large numbers her people came to take her home, but they quarreled with Glacier who did not want to let his woman go. In the end, Chinook-Wind's people were able to overpower Glacier and they took her home.

A parable to weather patterns? Simple family history? One will never know, will they?!

Overloading

When you overload yourself it has consequences. You take on one thing, then another, and then another. You've got a list of all of these things that you are supposed to be scheduling into your day, and it grows and grows and grows. Until all of a sudden, you are actually buried under a bunch of little things you've got to accomplish.

There's not enough time in the day. So, you end up being grumpy, and exhausted and feeling simply overwhelmed.

I just did this to myself during the last week or so, so I know all too well how easily and quickly it can sneak up on you and drop you into the oblivion canyon where there is no escape. That is, unless you stop.

Yesterday, I stopped. I took the day off and said piss on it. The world won't stop turning if I don't write my blog, or my journal. The courses I am taking, oh well... I can either catch up, or return to them at a later date. I need a break.

I am on the road to burnout and I cannot afford to do that at this point in my life. So...

This morning I got up with a new outlook on things. I took that daily list and dissected it. There isn't much that I actually HAVE to do daily. I put that in a list on one side of the page and then wrote everything else down on the other side. That list is an IF I GET TO IT, I GET TO IT section. One day I can do one course, the next a different one. Simple, right?

Well, we will see how that works.

All I know is letting yourself become overloaded isn't good for you mentally, emotionally, spiritually OR physically. I find myself fighting off that virus, again. I am tired. I am on the verge of depression, and my body has aches and pains that have no need being there.

No, it wasn't worth it. At my age I ought to know better, but I was caught off guard and felt that I could handle it all. Guess what? WRONG!!!! lol

So, I shall take it gently for the rest of the week and do what I desire. Next week I will do what I can on the days that I can. We shall see how that goes.

For now, I need to do an article on how to select a sleeping bag, which is not so simple for women as it is for men - believe you me!

Frozen in Time

You know it was just a couple of days ago the sun was out and it was almost nice outside. I know better though, that's just a false sense of hope. Mother Nature is not about to let Spring come to us, not yet. However, the odd day will be tossed out there so we can feel good and soak up a little of that wonderful Vitamin D that we so badly need during the dark months of winter.

There was a soft rime coating everything the other morning, but this morning, it was a lot worse. Everything is white and it won't warm up enough to melt at all. Even the thermometer is dressed in white spikes.

Animals, they hustle outside and then scurry back in very shortly thereafter. Their business outside is their own and I don't mind - most of the time. To be honest, anything that saves me room in the litter box is quite welcome! Doesn't mean I have to clean it any less often, but it does make it a little less unpleasant.

I find myself dreaming of tropical paradise destinations. Not for visiting, mind you, for living. Yes, I think perhaps I could do something so crazy as to move somewhere more agreeable year round. Where I could sit outside on a beautiful deck and practice yoga or meditation, write, or daydream and work on plots for writing at one point or another. It would be sweet. A warm ocean to swim in not too far off so I can hear the waves crashing against the shore. Yes, it would be agreeable.

I will sit here and drink my coffee and dream of warm white sands, green leafy vegetation, warm gentle breezes, and the sound of the surf.... It is one way to escape this cold netherhell region I am in - for the moment. Perhaps my creative visualization efforts will result in something... I will try!

Break Stuff

You know... it's definitely just one of those days. In fact, it has been one of those bloody weekends. The whole inauguration, then the protest marches, the arguing the fights, the bullshit. Get the fuck along people. Like Madonna said, and I really don't know how I feel about quoting her, "it won't work until we learn to love one another..." The woman is right, yet women are telling her to go back to london... seriously?! WTF?! If women can't get along, how the hell can we expect the rest of the world to take us seriously... hello?! Is there any sanity out there?

Anyhow the one thing that just kept playing through my head today were the lyrics to a Limp Bizkit song...

Break Stuff

Its just one of those days

Where you don't want to wake up
Everything is fucked
Everybody sucks
You don't really know why
But you want to justify
Rippin' someone's head off
No human contact
And if you interact
Your life is on contract
Your best bet is to stay away motherfucker
It's just one of those days
It's all about the he-says, she-says bullshit
I think you better quit, let the shit slip
Or you'll be leaving with a fat lip
It's all about the he-says, she-says bullshit
I think you better quit, talking that shit
Its just one of those days
Feeling like a freight train
First one to complain
Leaves with a bloodstain
Damn right I'm a maniac
You better watch your back
Cause I'm fucking up your program
And then your stuck up
You just lucked up
Next in line to get fucked up
Your best bet is to stay away motherfucker
It's just one of those days
It's all about the he-says, she-says bullshit
I think you better quit, let the shit slip
Or you'll be leaving with a fat lip
It's all about the he-says, she-says bullshit
I think you better quit, talking that shit
Punk, so come and get it
I feel like shit
My suggestion, is to keep your distance
Cause right now I'm dangerous
We've all felt like shit
And been treated like shit
All those motherfuckers
That want to step up
I hope you know, I pack a chainsaw
I'll skin your ass raw
And if my day keeps going this way, I just might
Break something tonight
I pack a chainsaw
I'll skin your ass raw
And if my day keeps going this way, I just might
Break something tonight
I pack a chainsaw
I'll skin your ass raw
And if my day keeps going this way, I just might
Break your fucking face tonight
Give me something to break
Just give me something to break
How bout yer fucking face
I hope you know, I pack a chainsaw
What!
A chainsaw
What!
A motherfucking chainsaw
What!
So come and get it
It's all about the he-says, she-says bullshit
I think you better quit, let the shit slip
Or you'll be leaving with a fat lip
It's all about the he-says, she-says bullshit
I think you better quit, talking that shit
Punk, so come and get it

Written by Brendan O'brien, John Everett Otto, Leor Dimant, Samuel Robert Rivers, Wesley Louden Borland, William Frederick Durst • Copyright © Universal Music Publishing Group

Hoar Frost or Rime

I've heard the term for both, and seen both, however until I actually looked it up I didn't really know what was up.

I've spent the afternoon sitting here watching a rare fog get heavier. I hadn't really noticed that the Ponderosa pine tree beside the deck was changing until a moment ago. However, it is rapidly going from green to white. The temperature outside is rapidly dropping, and it will fall even further once what feeble daylight we have is gone.

I mentioned hoarfrost and got a grunt to the affirmative. But when I checked it out online, I discovered that what we have - at the moment - is rime. Soft rime, to be precise.

According to wikipedia: Soft rime is a white ice deposition that forms when the water droplets in light freezing fog or mist freeze to the outer surfaces of objects, with calm or light wind.

  While things may change a little later, this is the type of 'frost' we have at the moment.

I've often seen leaves looking like this back home in Victoria, and never realized it was rime. I remember scraping it off of leaves as a child and marveling at the texture and temperature. It would melt quickly in the sun when that ventured out again.

Here in Alberta, I've not really noticed it. Probably due to the fact that fog is a rarity, especially a heavy fog. Normally you can see through it quite easily, and I do find myself amused by the reactions of those dealing with it. I've had it so thick you can't see your hand in front of your face, so this is nothing.

Rime needs fog to form. Freezing fog, to be exact, and it is definitely that today. It went from a plus temp to -7 celsius. For those of you in farenheit, that's 19.4 - still bloody cold!

I'm wondering if it will in fact become hoarfrost later, or at least a hard rime. The branches look so beautiful when covered in spiky ice pointing all over the place. It really gives an ethereal appearance to the world that tickles my fancy and my imagination!

Wherever you are, I hope you are warm, dry and enjoying the day!

Sick in Bed

Chinook Brings Illness

it might not be the direct fault of the current chinook, however there are some amazing virii running around central Alberta at the moment. I've been fighting off something for what seems like forever, and yesterday I honestly thought I had it beat. I enjoyed the day, the weather, risked a shower (when your hair takes hours - literally - to dry, it's a risk), and welcomed the day off from feeling shitty.

Sadly, when I woke up this morning, somewhere around the hour of 'oh shit' I was back to feeling like hell. Only this time, my throat was feeling dry and crackly. So, today has been spent battling a fever and catching up on some simplistic no brainer stuff. I'm not pushing it, going to give this another battle for all I am worth. I've watched others coughing up lungs all week... sounding like they were drowning upon the mucous build up. I don't want it, don't need it.

Hydrating, comfort food, plenty of rest... so if I don't get back here for tomorrow, it's because I'm either too exhausted from fighting off germs, or I lost the battle and have been overrun with icky illness.

Off to look after me!

Television

Okay, why is it that when you want to watch something, there's almost always something else on that you wanted to see at the exact same time. It's just insanely unfair. I get the fact that streaming allows you to catch those episodes that you missed, but... Then there's the nights when you find yourself with a couple of hours to kill and absolutely nothing interesting on the boob tube.

I just find it completely frustrating and nonsensical. The shows you really like get cancelled due to not enough of an audience. Maybe that's because nobody can watch six shows at once.

I realize that shows come and go and everyone's tastes are different. However, some great shows have been cancelled, for no real reason. A huge hue and outcry couldn't even save them... Fringe, Firefly, The Unit, among numerous others.

I'm loving Grimm and The Librarians, NCIS in all it's spin offs, Lucifer is amazing, but how long until someone pulls the plug? I hate that someone can dictate without giving the public an option AND then listen to the viewers.

Today we have more viewing options than ever before, and some great entertainment... step up to the plate and figure out a way to keep ALL viewers happy!

Time Flies

Ok, I began today with the best of intentions. A list of core things to accomplish on a daily basis, which isn't that difficult or that many, yet somehow I managed to lose so many hours that almost nothing got done at all. Yoga has been hold for a few days due to illness, but I missed my daily meditating. First time in almost 2 weeks. Thankfully, I can do a different meditating later tonight so I don't lose anything.

What I'd like to know is how someone can start out with the best of intentions and then get so sidetracked that nothing gets done.

The internet is supposed to be helpful, but most of us spend so much time caught up on social media than we forget about our own lives. Or perhaps, that is the reason that we do so? Do we need someone to turn it off for us after a certain amount of time? A parental monitor for the supposed adults of the world?

I wasted almost an hour trying to find some information this evening on a gun. I gave up in absolute frustration and turned to FB to search for the answer. A friend finds it within minutes of my posting- using a whole new whole search engine. So, I'm now taking a break from google and trying out DuckDuckGo. It can't hurt, right?! It's also trackless which is nice, too. I like my privacy for the most part.

So, tomorrow looms ahead of me. Writing corrections to make... meditation program to catch up on, not too mention the housework that has been lagging due to illness. I need to put away the iPad and not spend the day on it.

I don't know how effective I will be, but I have to figure something out. This cannot continue. Not only did I get nothing done, but I actually made more work for myself. Organizing Untamed Writers pictures, then posting some of them on our FB page and uploading to the website. It never ends.

Meanwhile, my mouth feels funny and I don't know if I have a problematic tooth, or if it is my sinuses.

Anyhow, I digress once again...

See... tech makes it too easy to avoid life.

Untamed Writers

Today I put together the first slideshow for our Untamed Writers website and blog, loaded it up on our FB page and found it to be much easier than I had thought it would be. In fact the hardest part was A) choosing the jpegs for the slideshow and B) waiting for the finished product to upload to YouTube with my 'out in the middle of nowhere' internet. 

Initially the jpgs were double what I needed, so sifting through I ended up with a choice - scenery or us. I went with the human factor. I did get them pared down finally, and I hope my efforts are enjoyed. 

The slideshow is connected to FB, and a copy of it will be added to our FB video files.

Crystal will have the fun part of adding a permanent link to our homepage and ensuring all works well. 

Unfortunately doing all of this today has made me really itchy to get back to the open road!

Anyhow, our theme song  is:
Feels Like Home
*2010 Colleen Eccleston 

It is a track that gave both Crystal and I goosebumps and we just knew it would fit, and then Colleen graciously allowed us the use of it. It all came together, a perfect fit! It is an amazing song by an amazing artist, and I'm honored that we have been granted the permission to use it. 

For a Monday it has been great.
For a 'blue' Monday, it has been phenomenal! 

A DUH Day....

So even though I was sick in bed yesterday and still am far from 100% today, whose outside scraping the ice and snow off of the deck in the beautiful brilliant warm life giving sunshine?! Yup! Not the brightest idea, most likely, but it made me feel better. Fresh air and lots of vitamin D falling from the heavens, git to suck it up while I can when in this part of the Country. Winter is a very long harsh mistress when the prairies come into play.

Even the Mexican import, Tigre, is enjoying the deck's smooth and drying surface! I love love love the sunshine. My back is feeling tight, my sinuses are kinda pissing around with the mucus transfer., etc. but i feel fabulous emotionally!

Got a coffee... gonna bundle up and enjoy the fresh air for a little bit while this false Spring aka Chinook sends its love all over me!

Sick in Bed

In all honesty, there's nothing worse than feeling like a sack of shit and knowing that if you stay inside and take it easy you are going to be doing yourself a favour.

Take some meds, then take some more four to six hours later. Try to ignore the nausea rolling through the belly, and the muddle headed side effect of the meds.

It's hard to read when your eyes are feeling kind sore and you brain doesn't want to keep a straight thought for a minute. Television... yeah, there's the answer, boring reruns. I'm searching for CSI, NCIS, something ANYTHING that's formulaic easy to follow and not hard on the eyes or mind. Not available.
Back to ST:TNG reruns. Yeah, I could pop in a DVD, or stream something, but then I've got to spend time making more decisons that I don't feel like dealing with.

I'd read, but pretty much everything is on the ebook and that's bugging the eyes. Yeah, sinuses are screwed and light sensitive. The books I do have are too big and heavy for me to hold for any time right now.

Hot and sweaty, cold and shivering. So sick and tired of this. Why can't the body just make up its mind and stick to one or the other? I know, I know.... believe me, been sick enough time, and add in the damned nursing and I know why. Doesn't mean that I have to like it.

Ok, it's time for more of those dreaded little pills. The good thing, I'll get groggy and perhaps even get a little nap and be far away from all of this for a brief time.

It's either that or bring my Grandmother back from the dead to make me some soup and toast and bring cooling cloths or warm blankets... it's so much better when you end up sick as a kid.

Cheeri.....ACHOOOOO!

Friday the 13th - Your problem?

This Friday a percentage of people will be so paralyzed with fear that they simply won't get out of bed. Others will totally refuse to fly, buy a house, or act on a hot stock tip. It's Friday the 13th, and they're completely freaked out. It's been estimated that billions are lost in business on this day because people will not travel or do business as normal.

The phobia attached to Friday the 13th afflicts an estimated 35-40,000 in the United States alone. With symptoms ranging from mild anxiety to extreme panic attacks. Yes, seriously. It is a wide spread affliction. The fear of Friday the 13th is called paraskavedekatriaphobia or paraskevidekatriaphobia, a specialized form of triskaidekaphobia, a phobia of the number thirteen.

People who believe in luck, specifically bad luck are more likely to be anxious on days like Friday the 13th and thus more prone to have accidents. In other words, being afraid of Friday the 13th could be their undoing.

This fear of 13 is strongly rooted in today's world, with more than 80 percent of high-rises lacking a 13th floor; airports skipping the 13th gate, while hospitals and hotels regularly have no room number 13.

Many triskaidekaphobes, as those who fear the unlucky numeral are known, point to the ill-fated moon mission of Apollo 13.




How did Friday the 13th become such an unlucky day?

Apparently, Friday the 13th superstitions originated in a Norse myth about twelve Aesir gods having a feast in Valhalla. The mischievous Loki crashed the party as an uninvited 13th guest and arranged for Hod, the blind god of darkness, to shoot Baldr, disputedly the god of joy and gladness, with a mistletoe-tipped arrow.  Baldr's the son of Odin and Frigg, the husband of the obscure goddess Nanna, and the father of the god Forseti. Baldr was killed and the Earth was plunged into darkness and mourning as a result.

Friday was originally named after the Goddess Frigg, the Norse Goddess of Marriage. However, she was later confused with the Norse Goddess Freya, Goddess of Love. She in turn took her place as Friday's namesake. Apparently, Freya was banished to the mountains as a witch when the Norse and Germanic converted to Christianity.

A folklore historian, Dossey, said fear of Friday the 13th is rooted in ancient, separate bad-luck associations with the number 13 and the day Friday. The two unlucky entities ultimately combined to make one super unlucky day.

There is also a biblical reference to the unlucky number 13. Judas, the apostle who betrayed Jesus, was the 13th guest to the Last Supper. It is also well known among Christians as the day Jesus was crucified. Some biblical scholars believe Eve tempted Adam with the forbidden fruit on Friday. Perhaps most significant is a belief that Abel was slain by Cain on Friday the 13th.

In time, in ancient Rome, Friday was known as the 'witches' Sabbath. According to history, it was believed that upon this day, each and every week, 12 witches and the Devil met. This equals 13 spirits in all... See where this is going? Seriously?!

It is also said that the number 13 suffers because of its position after 12. Numerologists consider 12 a "complete" number. There are 12 months in a year, 12 signs of the zodiac, 12 gods of Olympus, 12 labors of Hercules, 12 tribes of Israel, and 12 apostles of Jesus.
In exceeding 12 by 1,13's association with bad luck has to do with just being a little beyond completeness. 

However...

Friday the 13th has always been a good luck day for me, even as a weekly church going little girl. So, I must have been destined to be a Pagan, or something from birth?

The story is different for Pagans, however. In fact, the number 13 is the absolute perfect number. It represents good luck as well as moving with the flow of Divine energy. An important perspective of most Pagan beliefs. Don’t fight the situation, accept it and move on. This brings peace and harmony, not the discord that fighting it would. Even if you’re flowing with the tide, you are always in full control of the wheel of your ship. Guide it safely forward and you’ll reap the benefits of the opportunities that cross your path.

As for the dreaded back cat crossing your path on Friday the 13th. Don't fear, that adorable feline isn't interested in you and is in fact a bearer of good luck. It appears that Western Culture has painted a different picture, beginning with the overly religious pilgrims landing in the US. They saw everything that didn't bring exactly what they wanted as bad juju, as well as any coincidence that might have been bad tipped the scales and immediately gave birth to another stupid superstition.

Some of this is personal opinion. If you don't agree... that's alright. It's a free world! <3

Backwards Fucked-up World

I think this world of ours is a wee bit backwards. We run on money, not on people. The things we need the most, or cannot avoid are the most expensive. They give away condoms, they give away needles and even some drugs to combat addiction. Well... what about tampons? What about drugs to combat the things that cannot be avoided in life? No, that's where prices are raised and people can barely afford them.

Healthy eating isn't affordable. Why? The corporations want people sick. They make way more money off of tragedy and murder (as far as I'm concerned they are just as guilty as if they'd used a knife or a gun!). That's just not right, but we continue to let it happen. A full fast mood meal (I'll take Dairy Queen because McDonalds is not a top choice in my mind) is $7 - including dessert. The same meal made at home, however, is more like $20+. If you want a nice healthy salad, you can expect to put out a few dollars, too. I advise you to skip the organic section, though. In all honesty there is NO such thing, not anymore. Ground water, rain water, fertilizers on neighboring fields, wind blown spray, etc., etc.

Necessary drugs (diabetes, cancer, thyroid, epilepsy, parkinson's, MS, etc., etc.) yeah, forget it unless you have a plan at work or have managed to successfully jump the endless line of bureaucratic hoops, you're totally screwed. No, if you are unlucky enough to have some ailment requiring medication, you are nothing more than a cash cow.

Does anyone do anything out of the pure goodness of their heart anymore? Maybe once in a while, but everyone needs to eat. I would rather utilize the skills of someone local, someone reasonably priced, and someone I know is real. Harder and harder to find, even out in the bloody frozen boondocks of Alberta Canada, but it does exist.

The dentist, who will cut out over half of his own earnings just to ensure the patient is treated.
The doctor,  who finds samples to let the poorer of his clients have so that they can be healthy and still afford food or heat.
The mechanic, who cuts his rates.
The handyman, who will work for food.

These people are out there. A dying breed, but they are there. If you happen to find one, do what you can to help them in return. Word of mouth advertising, bring them something you baked, or something in return.

Pay it forward, people. Please, pay it forward.

Toothache Blues...

You see it all around you
Good eatin' gone bad
And usually it's too late when you realize what you had
And my mind goes back to a pizza I ate some years ago,
Then I said,
I got a toothache, and it really hurts
If you hold that tooth tightly
You're gonna make it worse
Your dentist needs someone to work on
He’s got a whole lot of spaces to fill

This toothache is painful, when your mouth hurts this much
To overprotect it, to baby your tooth this much
And my mind goes back to a pizza I ate some years ago,
Then I said,
I got a toothache, and it really hurts
If you hold that tooth tightly
You're gonna make it worse
Your dentist needs someone to work on
He’s got a whole lot of spaces to fill

Don't aggravate that tooth
Dental hygienic fool
Don't let it get in your life’s way
Yeah, yeah, yeah,

You see it all around you
Good eatin' gone bad
And usually it's too late when you realize what you had
And my mind goes back to a pizza I ate some years ago,
Then I said,
I got a toothache, and it really hurts
If you hold that tooth tightly
You're gonna make it worse
Your dentist needs someone to work on
He’s got a whole lot of spaces to fill

To get rid of that toothache, use some Novocain
If you don’t use plenty,
It will continue to hurt
It will just keep on hurtin’
Yeah, yeah, yeah

Yeah, I got a toothache, and it really hurts
If you hold that tooth tightly
You’re gonna make it worse

Yeah, I got a toothache, and it really hurts
If you hold that tooth tightly
You’re gonna make it worse
yeah, yeah, yeah

Religion - Fact, Fiction or Both?

I am watching this extremely fascinating and also even more controversial documentary entitled "The Messiah Before Jesus," on 'Decoding the Ancients (history channel). The story found on the 'Gabriel Stone.' Three shepherds fit the description and possibility, each one was researched, one by one they fell away. Until one was left... His name was Simon, not Jesus. He was from Perea. He was a revolutionary, a descendant of King David, the line of Joseph. He was crowned king, claimed saviour and redeemer.... his name in Greek - Christ. He had hundreds of thousands of followers. He was beheaded, his body cut to pieces and left in the desert. Where he apparently rose from the dead 3 days later. Hmmmm.... interesting. As I'm sure you know, it was a time of slaughter, slavery, rape, destruction of babies, etc. etc. The people needed someone to stand up, someone to believe in.... Apparently, Simon fit the bill. The Gabriel Stone decoded... the original model of Jesus of Nazareth...

This is followed by more documentaries debunking many of the myths. Christianity was given a HUGE boost when Mount Vesuvius blew its top. Now it appears that there were two separate Caiaphas'. 

It appears that the ostentatious one is preferred by the religious scholars, whereas the modest less elaborate one is actually the real one. 

People need something to believe in. Most will choose the pretty items, the fancy words, the lines of shite. 

The bible contains bits and pieces of truth, certainly. But truths that have been corrupted and twisted to man's wants and needs of the time. Sheep.

My soul is singing at this factual evidence. Truth; pieces of the real story.

The Universe is the only thing that is all powerful and forever. We are little pieces of the whole; our souls microscopic pieces of the whole.

Seek the truth. ABSOLUTE!

 A symbol, nothing more. Each religion has their own version, and many incorporate this simple design. A crossing of ways, directions, ideas... It symbolizes many things. 

Just working the grey matter... ;)

*** Simcha Jacobovici, a Canadian documentary maker specializing in biblical archaeology, was behind at least one of these shows.

Winter Wonderland

Sleigh bells ring
Are you listening
In the lane
Snow is glistening
A beautiful sight
We're happy tonight
Walking in a winter wonderland

Gone astray is the bluebird
Here to stay is a new bird
He sings a love song
As we go along
Walking in a winter wonderland

In the meadow we can build a snowman
Then pretend that he is Parson Brown
He'll say are you married?
We'll say no man
But you can do the job
When you're in town

Later on
We'll conspire
As we dream by the fire
To face unafraid
The plans that we've made
Walking in a winter wonderland

In the meadow we can build a snowman
And pretend that he's a circus clown
We'll have lots of fun with mister snowman
Until the other kiddies knock him down

When it snows
Ain't it thrilling
Though your nose gets a chilling
We'll frolic and play the Eskimo way
Just walking, talking
Hand in hand in a crazy winter wonderland

It might not be Christmas anymore, but it is definitely winter here. A wonderland is pushing it just a little far, and I have no desire to go out and play, but I can dream by the fire, and my nose (and everything else) gets a chilling if I step out the door...

I dream of spring....

Cell Hell...

Alright, what's the deal with the cell phone screw over we are getting here in Canada? Yes, I am aware this has been going on for forever. We have the highest rates and the lousiest plans in the bloody world. However, now that we all know about it, why isn't someone doing something about the problem?

A friend is looking for a better plan, one that doesn't charge him up the ass for going over on minutes. Freedom Mobile was looking pretty decent until they made a faux paus. Apparently Canada ends in Vancouver. Yes, Vancouver Island is neglected. Ummm hello.... that IS the Capital of BC! Anyhow, so yeah, no kiosks, no offices, no service. In fact since it would be considered long distance, apparently the charge is astronomical .15 cents a minute. WTF?!!!!!! Yes, that is freedom.

There's Virgin, Rogers, Telus and Bell. The main usual culprits who slip into your wallet and not only take up residence, but eat away at the lining until there is NO wallet anymore! It's a holy mess and you've been charged and over charged, and they're laughing all the way to the bank.

Samsung Galaxy 7. A phone known to have serious dangers. A phone that is requested by the stewardesses aboard any flight. Yeah, by NAME! Hmmm.... why are they still being sold, and why on earth are they given with a huge discount on phone plans?! Do we want to kill off the users and earn less money? Seriously, it cost only pennies to put together in some factory with child labor, I'm sure. I'd think full cancellation of that phone model would be beneficial to all by now. Complete refund, etc.

I honestly don't get the bullshit. I've got a great plan, I'm not going to complain about it - but the price, while not as much as I could be paying, is totally abhorrent.

We need to step it up Canada. Get into tune with the rest of the world with our LTE and WiFi world, and make it something far more efficient and affordable for all.

Stepping off the soap box for the moment...

Ideas

I've run across this quote a number of times recently, and have to agree with it 100%.


I believe that it is difficult to kill an idea because ideas are invisible and contagious, and they move fast. I believe that you can set your own ideas against ideas you dislike. That you should be free to argue, explain, clarify, debate, offend, insult, rage, mock, sing, dramatize, and deny. I do not believe that burning, murdering, exploding people, smashing their heads with rocks (to let the bad ideas out), drowning them or even defeating them will work to contain ideas you do not like. Ideas spring up where you do not expect them, like weeds, and are as difficult to control. I believe that repressing ideas spreads ideas. ~ Neil Gaiman


Ideas are contagious, and they breed worse than bunny rabbits. The more you try to contain them, the more they spread and the harder it becomes. Trying to repress an idea could be dangerous to your mental health. If you can't talk it out, then write it down, build on it, shape it. Add the other ideas that will inevitably follow. Don't try to stuff them into the deepest darkest part of yourself, you will only create irreparable harm when your brain blows up from the pressure of trying to contain an ever increasing babble of ideas.

As a writer I let one idea percolate within when it feels right. The idea soon expands into a linking set of ideas and thoughts. Ever growing until it is just too much to keep and I have to let it out or pay the consequences. That is when the plot outline is scribbled down.

Sometimes I will have an errant thought and have to scribble it down so I do not forget. I have a black hole within the library called memory, and sometimes things vanish. I never know if an idea will expand like a dry sponge when it meets with water, or fall forever away into the cold dark depths. So I tend to write them down.

Ideas can come from a myriad of places, feelings, things, people... the origins are as endless as the ideas themselves. They are fascinating - living, growing, mutating and tickling the imagination and minds of those who have them.

Ideas are good. Ideas are self-expression. Pay attention to your ideas and see where they will lead you!

Dharma

“Dharma” is an ancient Sanskrit word found in Hindu, Buddhist, Sikh, and Jain teachings that is often used to describe “the right way of living” or“one’s true life path.”

I took a quiz this morning just the usual curiosity motivating me. I answered a handful of multiple choice questions, and got the result that definitely is me.....

Your Dharma type is The Outsider.

Outsiders are the eccentric, off-beat, free-spirits of society who are motivated by innovation and creative expression. Of all five Dharma types, Outsiders are the revolutionaries who like to challenge the status quo and inspire people to be the most authentic versions of themselves possible.

Vices: Egotism, self-deception, self-isolation

Virtues: Empathy, creativity, freedom

Life purpose: You are born to shake up the world, create change, and liberate people from the old, pointless paradigms, traditions, and social habits. You will thrive in any field that allows you to express your visions, beliefs, and dreams in an open and uncensored fashion. (For example, you might prosper as an entrepreneur, artist, or activist.)

Lesson to learn: Realize that true freedom doesn’t come from outside of you; it comes from within you. Taking self-responsibility for your freedom will help you to fulfill your life’s purpose. 

Famous Outsiders: Tim Burton, George Carlin, Bjork, Krishnamurti, Maya Angelou

You can read more about The Outsider Dharma Type in Simon Chokoisky's  book: "The Five Dharma Types: Vedic Wisdom for Discovering Your Purpose and Destiny." 

Schedules vs Lists

I have one list that I live by daily, and I do my very best to adhere to it...

However, it appears that life won't be that simple for awhile!

Schedules are something that I am just NOT good at. Seriously, I'm more of a spontaneous do it when I want or need, or remember kind of person. Imagine my not so surprised reaction late last night when I realized I hadn't done my post for the day. Yeah, it was pretty much like that. Only 4 days into the year and she's missing already. OOOPS! Hey, I'm only human! I did manage a save, a bit lame, I know, but it was still a save all the same.

It is a time of 'changes' and perhaps even learning to schedule somewhat so I'm not scrambling and struggling at the end of the bloody day for something important that was forgotten or left out. Lists are always a good thing to have when trying to accomplish more than one project in a day. I think I need a course in time management, but I don't have the time or room for another course, not right now.

It doesn't help that a lot of the things I am taking or working on are of a deep spiritual nature and require thought, peace and focus. I'm still thinking about some answers to a question 8 months after the fact! I still haven't found the answers I seek, maybe I never will. How can I move on when I haven't completed a point? I'd feel rather guilty if I skipped.

Anyhow, back to the topic of schedules. We all have them. We all live by them, and some people cannot move without theirs. I've always bucked the system and been a little rebellious, and of course it hasn't always been for my own good. In this instance, I believe I may have to stretch - just a little - and put together a schedule for myself. Not completely anal and what has to be done at what specific time, more a list of what needs to be done in a day.

So, sometime today when I have time in between wracking my brain for things that are not right in my life and how to right them and the yoga challenge I've begun, the housework, the writing, the journalling, the writing course, etc., etc., I am sure I will find the time to make that list.

Until then....

Ch-ch-changes.....

CHANGES

I still don't know what I was waiting for
And my time was running wild
A million dead-end streets
Every time I thought I'd got it made
It seemed the taste was not so sweet
So I turned myself to face men
But I've never caught a glimpse
Of how the others must see the faker
I'm much too fast to take that test

Ch-ch-ch-ch-Changes (Turn and face the strange)
Turn and face the strain
Ch-ch-Changes
Don't have to be a richer man
Ch-ch-ch-ch-Changes
Ch-ch-Changes (Turn and face the strange)
Don't want to be a better man
Time may change me
But I can't trace time

I watch the ripples change their size
But never leave the stream
Of warm impermanence and
So the days float through my eyes
But the days still seem the same
And these children that you spit on
As they try to change their worlds
Are immune to your consultations
They're quite aware of what they're going through

Ch-ch-ch-ch-Changes
Ch-ch-Changes (Turn and face the strange)
Don't tell them to grow up and out of it
Ch-ch-ch-ch-Changes (Turn and face the strange)
Where's your shame
You've left us up to our necks in it
Time may change me
But you can't trace time

Strange fascination, fascinating me
Changes are taking the pace I'm going thru

Ch-ch-ch-ch-Changes
Ch-ch-Changes (Turn and face the strange)
Look out you Rock'n' rollers
Ch-ch-ch-ch-Changes
Ch-ch-Changes (Turn and face the strange)
Pretty soon now you're gonna get older
Time may change me
But I can't trace time
I said that time may change me
But I can't trace time

Written by David Bowie • Copyright © Peermusic Publishing, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner/Chappell Music, Inc, BMG Rights Management US, LLC, Tintoretto Music

Emotional Control - Stifling or Freddom to Feel?

INNER PEACE BEGINS THE  MOMENT THAT YOU CHOOSE NOT TO ALLOW ANOTHER PERSON OR EVENT TO CONTROL YOUR EMOTIONS…

Ok. I just suffered an event that could actually have me throwing a royal temper tantrum. I had written this entire blog post out, a good hour of work might I add, just to have it vanish on me when I went to save it. Ok... so what do I do? I laugh, shake my head, sigh and begin again, hoping that I can not only write it as well as I did initially, but perhaps better! IRONY!

As an empath, I am always dealing with emotions. I hate crowds, even grocery shopping can be a real effort at times. Thankfully the season of crowded stores, sidewalks, roads and coffee shops is now over for another year and it is somewhat safe to go outside. The reason I dislike crowds - I pick up on their emotions if I am not prepared. Maybe someday I will go into that in further detail, but for now, all I can say is being an empath is HELL for the most part. So much negativity and pain out there!

Anyhow, I was looking through some things last night and ran across the above statement about emotional control. That set my brain to working at the problem from a slightly different angle. Do we actually allow others to control our emotional responses, or is it all us? I truly think it is ALL US! A person can evoke a response from you, but that response is yours and not their fault, so they aren’t controlling…

I decided to go googling and was honestly disgusted with a lot of the information that I found. Did you know that by following six simple steps you can control your emotional rationality in any situation? I call BULLSHIT! Here is why...

1. Don't react right away.
No, never ever react right away. Stuff those emotions away nice and tight. This leads to ulcers, insomnia, eating disorders, etc.
2. Ask for divine guidance.
Oh, definitely NOT! It’s not that I don't believe in the Divine, however, have you ever known the answer to be immediate, if it arrives at all?
3. Find a healthy outlet.
Finally, a constructive idea! Yes, find a healthy outlet for all that pent up emotion you've been stuffing so you don't react right away. Seriously, this is a great way to deal with any emotions you can be feeling. Anger, joy, sorrow... creativity will fun the gamut with you. Or, take a little advice from Olivia Newton John and "Get Physical," at the gym, at home, just do something great for you! Meditation is one of the best methods of outleting!
4. See the bigger picture.
Once again, this isn't always a possible.
5. Replace your thoughts.
The time for that is long before, not during.
6.  Forgive your emotional triggers.
This might make you feel better and it could be constructive, BUT it won’t change how you FEEL.

There are things that you can do to help yourself be able to control the extent of your emotion. But seriously, do you want to stifle them? Or control everything that you feel? We feel for a reason. We feel because we are human. However, emotional extremes don't have to rule your world...

Thich Nhat Hanh, a Bhuddist monk, has a great deal to say about emotions/feelings. He sees the functions of meditation to calm and, ultimately, to stop so that we can look deeply. The two aspects of meditation are shamatha ('stopping') and vipashyana ('looking deeply'). Of course, we cannot look deeply until we are still. This DOES NOT mean suppressing emotion. Suppression suggests energy spent, and in this case wasted and very damaging. In truth, emotions are really the product of thoughts and bodily events.

The 5 Stages for Calming, according to Thich Nhat Hanh, also contain the fundamentals of such learned psychologists as Freud, Assagioli, and numerous others.

1. Recognition.
2. Acceptance.
3. Embracing (this is the one most ignored and forgotten).
4. Looking deeply.
5. Insight.

"Calming allows us to rest, and resting is a precondition for healing." - Thich Nhat Hanh

This is MY list:
Be aware of your emotions. Validate them.
Understand your emotions. WHY are you feeling this way?
Be aware of your triggers. Look for the deeper WHY. The core….
Embrace the emotion and the core reason for it. Accept them.
Change your viewpoint! Look at it differently. Insight brings Calm. 
Choose how you want to react. OWN YOUR EMOTIONS!
Journal your emotion/s. Write it down. Draw it.
Take responsibility for your emotions. OWN THEM!
Create a calming mantra.  (One I’ve heard recently is: ‘Relax, release, ease’).

Learn to listen to your emotions, to identify and understand them, and then choose them or the level or reaction. This is a life change, and will take some effort on your part. However, it is worth the effort for the benefits. You will feel far more empowered and in control of your life. You will also find yourself happier and even healthier as you won’t be as stressed out all of the time.

So, just get a grip and don't let things get to you so much. Like me and this article... or rush hour traffic. You know it's a given everyday, so turn up the radio and sing along, look at the beauty in the world around you while you are sitting there. Learn to choose positives over negatives when there is an option. There won't always be one, I'm afraid, but you can make your life better with just that effort.

***There is the MEDICAL FACT that UNCONTROLLED EMOTIONS are a symptom/sign of one of the worst ailments in the world - DEPRESSION! *** Due to this you might want to look at the mental state you are in before you go screwing with your emotional responses. Seriously. Depression sucks, I know!

A Work in Progress

As I look at my life I see many areas which need work. In fact, if I look closely at all of them I will most likely be overwhelmed. So I won't. I will pick out which one is the most urgent. Even then I am torn between my financial world and my Self. Perhaps, I can work on them simultaneously and add or subtract other areas as they become more pertinent or urgent.

So finances. Well, a job would be the. Most likely of options, but present circumstances dictate that I cannot use conventional methods for gainful employment. Thus, I need to rely upon myself and my talents and gifts, as well as the Internet. Leaving, at the moment, my editing business - Void Girl.

Step 1 - Advertise. Get myself out there into the mainstream and be noticed. Social media, word of mouth, all helpful tools.

Step 2 - I will cross that bridge when I think of it.

Self... something that is continually changing and growing. A focus on health, happiness and loving me for me. I'm already well ahead of the game as I do like who I am, and I know I am headed in the right direction. So... now to enrich the mind, sharpen the focus make use of the power of the Universe and the tools of intention and manifestation.

Step 1 - finish a few of those fascinating spiritual and healing courses I've signed up for.

Step 2 - start with the little changes, like walking everyday (inside or out), strengthening and honing my body as well as my mind. Hydrate, a difficult one for me for a myriad of reasons. Meditate as close to daily as possible.

Then there is something that ties everything all together as well, which I began to do yesterday. Organize! Make use of the bullet journal technique, focused journaling, and regular old day by day. Look for the patterns, make the changes. I now have a chart showing me where I am on every course I am taking, from lesson 1 thru to completion. Some of those courses I've been registered in for almost a year and haven't even begun. So, there is something to be said for organization.

Time management is also something I need to focus on in order to pull everything together. However that will be hard for me as I am disgustingly spontaneous. Schedule? Seriously? This will be a difficult one, however, I am not going to beat myself up about it. One day at a time... one step at a time.

No resolutions. They inordinately fail - even when made with the best of intentions. No, I shall begin small and doable and with intent finish a great distance from where I began. No overreaching, and it's okay if I trip or stumble now and again.

The wheel is turning....

Happy New Year

---

I am welcoming 2017 with wide open arms. Farewell to the pain and challenges, the hardships and anguish carried by 2016, but a thank you for the experience which only furthers who I am.

I am filled with expectations for a better year; of changes. All of which  are towards the goal of better self and better life.

2017 -  the year I figure out exactly where I want to be. The year I dedicate to loving myself, living life to the absolute fullest and experiencing everything that I can. The year I focus on writing and promoting my editing business. The year I finally begin to break out of the chrysalis I have locked myself into. It is time to shine, to sparkle and to FLY!

Yes, I welcome 2017 with wide open arms and even more importantly an open heart and open eyes!

Happy New Year!