Mind Treasury

2011-02-20T21:21:00.000-08:00

Barney Fife Security - Framed Metal Sign

2011-02-20T11:22:00.000-08:00

Collectible, wooden framed, metal sign features nostalgic images of years gone by. Perfect for decorating the garage, den or recreation room. Also makes a great gift!

Buy this item for $12.00 from my eCRATER store.

Other Items:

Southern Comfort Race Vintage Bar Metal Antique Nostalgic Collectible Tin Sign

NASCAR - Jeff Gordon one size fits most official NASCAR hat

Wii Dual Racing Wheel

Wii Magnum gun

ARRL THE RADIO AMATEUR'S LICENSE MANUAL 1976 HAM RADIO

Southern Comfort Race Vintage Bar Metal Antique Nostalgic Collectible Tin Sign

2011-02-20T11:15:00.000-08:00

Southern Comfort Race Vintage Bar Metal Antique Nostalgic Collectible Tin Sign

Buy this item for $10.00 from my eCRATER store.

Other Items:

Barney Fife Security - Framed Metal Sign

NASCAR - Jeff Gordon one size fits most official NASCAR hat

Wii Dual Racing Wheel

Wii Magnum gun

ARRL THE RADIO AMATEUR'S LICENSE MANUAL 1976 HAM RADIO

NASCAR - Jeff Gordon one size fits most official NASCAR hat

2011-02-20T11:10:00.000-08:00

For more than a decade, Chase Authentics has been identified by real NASCAR fans as authentic, driver-endorsed merchandise that is synonymous with race day action!

Buy this item for $5.00 from my eCRATER store.

Other Items:

Barney Fife Security - Framed Metal Sign

Southern Comfort Race Vintage Bar Metal Antique Nostalgic Collectible Tin Sign

Wii Dual Racing Wheel

Wii Magnum gun

ARRL THE RADIO AMATEUR'S LICENSE MANUAL 1976 HAM RADIO

Wii Dual Racing Wheel

2011-02-20T10:47:00.000-08:00

Connect your Wii remote control for virtual gaming action! Also with motion plus. 2 pack

Buy this item for $5.00 from my eCRATER store.

Other Items:

Wii Magnum gun

Barney Fife Security - Framed Metal Sign

Southern Comfort Race Vintage Bar Metal Antique Nostalgic Collectible Tin Sign

NASCAR - Jeff Gordon one size fits most official NASCAR hat
Wii Magnum gun

ARRL THE RADIO AMATEUR'S LICENSE MANUAL 1976 HAM RADIO

Wii Magnum gun

2011-02-20T08:53:00.000-08:00

Works great with Call Of Duty, Metal of Honor, Resident Evil and House of the Dead. Also with motion plus.

Buy this item for $5.00 from my eCRATER store.

Other Items:

Wii Dual Racing Wheel

Barney Fife Security - Framed Metal Sign

Southern Comfort Race Vintage Bar Metal Antique Nostalgic Collectible Tin Sign

NASCAR - Jeff Gordon one size fits most official NASCAR hat

ARRL THE RADIO AMATEUR'S LICENSE MANUAL 1976 HAM RADIO

ARRL THE RADIO AMATEUR'S LICENSE MANUAL 1976 HAM RADIO

2011-02-20T08:47:00.000-08:00

This paper back book was put out by the American Radio Relay League from 1976. It is a study guide for the amateur exam and includes the complete FCC regulations of the day. Inside you will find charts, diagrams and photos along with some advertisments in the back. Great resource for your library or for the collector of vintage ham material. This is in good condition and 115 pages long

Buy this item for $4.00 from my eCRATER store.

Other Items:

Barney Fife Security - Framed Metal Sign

Southern Comfort Race Vintage Bar Metal Antique Nostalgic Collectible Tin Sign

NASCAR - Jeff Gordon one size fits most official NASCAR hat

Wii Dual Racing Wheel

Wii Magnum gun

2011-02-19T01:50:00.001-08:00

TUT - notes from the universe

2011-02-07T02:40:00.000-08:00

Curtains finished and other projects

2011-01-20T04:00:00.000-08:00

I finished the bedroom curtains last night. It took me three days for the complete project but keep in mind that I'm not working right now so I have the time to devote. I think they turned out pretty well but I'm waiting to see how the light of a sunset look streaming through them. It's been dreary and cold here for the last couple of weeks and I haven't seen a pretty orange/pink sunset in a while.

It's my hope that the sun will glint on the beads and will filter through the pattern of the crochet to shadow dance on the walls.

My cousin Cheryl is a photographer and has a beautiful cat. She has asked that I make her some berets for the cat to wear so she can do a photo shoot. I whipped out four little hats and will mail these out to her, probably tomorrow. I used the dogs sock monkies and faithful old kermit to model three of the hats.

Today I have to stick around the house. They are delivering the new tv. When the tv decided to crap out on us a couple of weeks ago Bob started researching the best prices and found a 47" for $599.00 through Tiger Direct and there was no shipping and handling. Now that is going to be some serious tv watching with that big of a screen. I know some people have larger but this will be the largest yet for me and I'm loving it.

I got a call last night from Borders and although I was supposed to work 4 hours in the store on Friday night I'm now being told that there is new management coming in and they want to interview all of the people that were intended as new hires (leftovers from the seasonal help) so will be setting up an appointment.

It's okay with me that they are taking their time. I was only working there part-time awaiting word from the federal government as to whether they are going to fund my training as a medical assistant through TRA. School starts February 1st and I should be hearing something official at least a week before school starts.

So...looking for more projects to keep me busy. Lord knows I have enough yarn stash that I can work on! There is always household cleaning to be done and I need to exercise. At best I've worked out 4 times since the first of the year and it's already the 20th. So much for New Years resolutions once again. Just like those Monday morning diets that last until Tuesday.

More snow on the way and the temperatures are still low teens and twenties. This cold snap has dragged on for several weeks now and it's starting to wear on people's nerves. We are all badly in need of a shot of spring.

Creative moment!

2011-01-18T09:29:00.000-08:00

For quite some time I've had a todo list of crocheting projects I've wanted to get to but had to put off until after the holidays. This week and last the time presented itself and my creative juices were flowing.

I had decided I wanted to crochet some curtains for our bedroom. All that was up at the windows was generic cranberry colored valances and the windows themself are really nice as the ivy growing on the house grows up around those bedroom windows, and the other back bedroom, and it's really pretty. I didn't want to put full curtains up and cover the view of the ivy so decided to make valances but I wanted to see some texture too so that when the evening sun comes in the window it would cast some pretty shadows around the room.

I basically made the design up myself by looking at several crochet patterns and winging it. I've been wanting to try some crocheting with beads too so my first attempt is the edging on these curtains. I just happened to have some cheap pony beads on hand so used them but it would have been really nice to invest in some more unique beads. Maybe another project.

I really only have one curtain completed...the one shown in the middle window of the picture posted below. You can see the contrast of the valances that were up at the window and also the one curtain, on the left, for which I haven't completed the edging (the edging was an afterthought while working on the second panel.)

This picture is just to show some of the beaded crochet edging detail. I'm hoping after the curtains have hung for a while the cotton will begin to stretch and will hang a little more loosely.

I doubt if I will pursue any addtional curtain crochet for a while but I sure do enjoy working with the beads and I have scarf designs playing around in my head now and can't wait to get started. I'm seeing some nice ladies Steelers black and gold beads on some scarves and shrugs for next season and some other fancy things. Oh if my body could just keep up with all of the thoughts whirling through my head. It's like a whirling durvish of ideas. (Thanks for the editing touch Kathy)

Shivering under the blankets

2011-01-14T03:18:00.000-08:00

Along with several more inches of snow our tempertures have been in the teens and low 20's for several days and I just can't get warm. I'm so thankful that I've had the opportunity to be a winter bear and curl up in the easy chair with the dogs and some warm fleece blankets.

I haven't left the house since I returned on Monday night after working my last day of the seasonal job. Today I finally have to put on some makeup, a pair of boots and my warmest clothes and venture back out into the real world. I'm almost out of bread and with Bob gone I'm surviving mostly on "sammiches" so bread is of the utmost importance. I would have gotten the old bread maker out and opted for staying in a few more days but I have an eye exam scheduled and will be picking Amya up to stay the night.

In the meantime I've finished two knitted scarfs, watched Dr. Phil daily to see what is going on with Ted Williams, worked out on the WII a couple of days, gave two of the dogs a bath, read a little, started two movies but haven't finished either (I think I have ADD) and have done some additional housework and have started a third knitted scarf. I've also done quite a bit of internet research and have done a lot of soul searching and thinking. Mini-vacations are so therapeutic!

The blue scarf on the left is a mix of two different yarns, the pinkish one on the right is just a boucle type yarn I purchased at Big Lots for a dollar a ball. It works up very nice but I sure wouldn't want to crochet with it as it's nubby and it would be hard to see the stitches. Keeping the stitches separate on knitting needles is the way to go.

The third scarf will also be a mixture of two different yarns purchased at Big Lots. The colorful nubby yarn should only require one ball for the entire scarf but it will take at least two balls, maybe three of the other.

I've received my first molds for the cobblestones and am going to go purchase my mold release and concrete mix today. I think I'll wait until Bob is home to make my first mix though. He has had some experience at brick laying so I'll depend on his expertise for my first adventure in cobblestone making.

Well off to read an ebook and knit some more. Yes I can do both at once because I only have to look at the knitting when I turn the row.

Winter vacation and getting knitty with it

2011-01-11T03:10:00.000-08:00

This post is mostly for Julie to explain a process I'm using to make scarves.

I'm frugal to a fault and although I love the more expensive yarns I do my best to make my own specialty yarns by mixing two, or more, skeins of unique yarns together.

Big Lots has been one of my favorite shopping stores and especially since they started carrying the Gala brands for $1.00 a ball. I find that for about $4 - $5 dollars I can create a one of a kind scarf that works up really quickly.

I knit to relax while watching tv so most of the time I will knit a straight garter stitch, knit every row, which means I don't have to count stitches or pay much attention to the work in progress.

I like soft yarns but I also like to contrast them with something colorful and different.

For this project I'm using a soft tweed like yarn that is a mixture of blue and brown along with a more colorful ladder yarn. I'm working with circular needles because they are easier for my little hands to manage and I can pull up the ends when I'm not working on it and keep the stitches from falling off more easily.

For this scarf I cast on 20 stitches of the blue tweed yarn. On the second row I mixed the tweed and the ladder yarn together and knit across the row.

On the next row I drop the ladder yarn and work two rows with only the tweed. The ladder yarn just lays on the side and on the third row I pick it up, along with the tweed (working a double strand) and knit across.

Repeat the process until the scarf is the length desired.

When it comes to the fringe I will probably just use the tweed yarn as the ladder yarn isn't quite as pliable. It all depends though...I might decide to not fringe at all.

I woke up at about 4:30 this morning and started the scarf but I will probably have it completed by lunch today. I'm on a mini-winter vacation so have time between blogging, checking my email and checking my Facebook updates to knit!

I have a box in the basement where I'm keeping my completed projects that will either be used for gifts throughout the year, at Christmas, or sold at the craft bazaars next fall / winter. Until I start making rocks I should get quite a few scarves completed.

Gerald Celente: Internet nuke bomb waiting to go off

2011-01-10T18:18:00.000-08:00

Making rocks

2011-01-10T17:50:00.000-08:00

So...I've been tossing this idea around for a while...making my own cobblestones and/or river rocks. I did some pricing research today and bought three molds on ebay.

One is for making inspirational stones. I figured it would make nice gifts.

The other is for making cobblestones which I'll use in the area between the breezeway and the pool.

And the other is for the river rocks that I plan on putting in front of the window box.

For some reason blogger won't let me put another photo in place to show the river rocks. I'll have to post those in a separate message.

Tonight was my last night working the kiosk selling calendars. I'm going to be working for the bookstore part-time though. So far they are planning on scheduling me on Friday nights and then some weekends. As long as I can still get to the track one day a weekend to watch Jen race it still should work out.

It looks like we have another bout of snow headed our way but I don't need anything from the store and I don't have to go to work for the rest of the week so it's me, the dogs, some organizing around the house and knitting. Can't complain.

Good morning

2011-01-10T04:01:00.000-08:00

Bob is in Florida for a race right now and I'm taking it easy for a couple of days, kind of like a mini-vacation. I miss him terribly when he is gone and I don't do "alone" too well but I'm finding that the time I do spend alone becomes time for reinventing myself and inner reflection.

I haven't taken down the Christmas decorations yet so that's one thing on my to do list. The dogs need baths and there is always cleaning and organizing to be done. I also haven't really started on my New Years resolution of dieting and exercising but today will be the start of that journey also.

Oh believe me, I've cut way back on the goodies! I made sure that the last of the chocolate covered peanuts were all packed in Bob's things to take. I've even frozen the cookies, but even frozen they are good for dunking in hot coffee so they just need to go!

It's really cold outside and I only go out when I absolutely have to. I love the change in seasons but I've had enough of this wintery crap. I'm already planning my outdoor gardens and can't wait to be able to walk and work on some outdoor projects.

We have a large window box on the front of the house that gets partial sun. It needs to be scraped and repainted but once that task is completed this picture depicts what my plans for planting are for that window box.

I'm also planning on making a rock garden under the window box. This is a small area that is hard to mow and just grows big ugly weeds that you nearly have to hand pull.

I just want to plant some low lying plants and a few succulents in that area.

There is an area between the breezeway and pool/deck too that I want to pour full of cement and use a mold to make a cobble stone appearance.

I've been scouring over projects at the Mold Store.

I'm planning to put herbs and flowers in pots all around the house and deck and am going to plant tomatoes, onions, a salad garden, cucumbers, green peppers, green beans and hot peppers. I want enough for our own personal use for salads through the summer but I also want to be able to make some home made salsa and tomato juice/sauce to can.

The mudroom needs to be retiled and painted. There is tiling to be done on the landing in the basement. All of the trim on the house needs scraped and repainted.

I've started a bunch of plant cuttings and will be nursing these along to give as Christmas gifts next year. I'm working on knitting scarves, dish towels and other things for gift giving or even sales next Christmas season at craft bazaars.

I'm just so excited about all of my upcoming plans that this cold weather is really seeming to hinder me and my spirit. I know that I have to focus on what is at hand right now and to keep smiling. So today it's walking at least 2 miles with Leslie Sansone, using my Shake weight in hopes of toning my arms and I think I'll do some step aerobics using the WII.

Today is my last day of work at the Day-By-Day Calendar store in the mall. I'm taking the rest of the week off. Woot woot! Hopefully I'll get word within the next couple of days whether I get my funding from TRA/TAA to start school.

I'm reading emails and getting paid!

2011-01-09T09:13:00.000-08:00

Checking in

2011-01-09T09:06:00.000-08:00

I had started this blog quite a while ago and then let it fall into disrepair but have decided to open it back up and start blogging again.

Here is a little catch up information. I was laid off of my job of over 20 years in September of 2009. After the lay off I decided to use some of the severance money to move back to my home state of Pennsylvania. My son, who wasn't working either, decided to make the journey with me. He was born in Pennsylvania but was five when we moved to Indianapolis.

We moved to the beautiful town on Franklin, PA in October of 2009. Franklin is a Victorian town where many of the houses have been well maintained and are listed in the National registry.

One example of a home there is shown below:

It was my dream before moving there to purchase a pink kayak and enjoy the river that was close to my new home. I did realize that dream and was hooked on kayaking from my first trip on the water. As a matter of fact my first trip was featured on the front page of the local newspaper!

We got to enjoy many of the festivities in Franklin throughout the year, such as Franklin on ice.

Bob and I also went bike riding on some of the trails.

I worked briefly for Joy Manufacturing as a parts chaser, or inventory control. My job consisted of tracking parts for some of the huge mining equipment they manufacture at the Franklin facility.

Later in the summer I found out I was eligible for TRA/TAA funding for school and have been attempting to get started on classes for Medical Assistant which are scheduled to start February 1st. It has been a grueling process of paperwork and testing and as of today's date I'm still waiting on official word from Harrisburg, PA.

Fast forward to the present...

John-Michael moved in with his fiance, Angie, and is living in Butler, PA. I moved in with Bob and am living in Pulaski, PA.

I've been working a part-time seasonal job selling calendars for Day By Day Calendars, a subsidary of Borders Express bookstore. That job will end in two more days.

If I don't start attending school I will be looking for full-time work. Wish me luck because there isn't much out there that pays more than minimum wage.

Have to get ready for work now. We'll chat more later. Have a great day.

I'm earning extra cash the easy way

2011-01-09T08:40:00.000-08:00

In only minutes a day I'm earning extra cash.

I do a daily click on five links, enter a code and cha-ching 15 cents.

I post on a forum in a blog type setting and earn 3 dollars a month.

I sometimes use the offers they give to make my online purchases, only things I would buy anyhow, and pick up a few dollars here and there.

I play the games on their pages, which I would play anyhow on other sites, and increase my chances of earning some extra money.

You earn money when your friends join, confirm their email address and each time they cash out.

You can earn a few cents by watching paid to watch videos too. There are so many ways to earn if you work at it!

Angels

2009-09-06T09:39:00.001-07:00

In the arms of an angel.

I want my job back!

2009-09-03T08:34:00.000-07:00

I'm going to be laid off and most of the people I have worked with and loved for 20 years have either already been laid off or soon will be and mostly all of the jobs are being outsourced (IT and customer service positions) to India, Pakistan and Mexico.

We spent years honing our skills and making the company we worked for a finely oiled machine and now people in other countries who know nothing about our company and could care less and can't speak English well enough to be understood are going to be given our jobs. We're all just standing, watching from the wings and predicting that the company will fail miserably within the next year or sooner.

Had the company asked most of us to take a cut in pay or even work from home to save office space they could have held on to a highly dedicated, highly trained staff of professionals who really gave a damn about this company and were proud to be employed by it. We loved our jobs!

We would have worked in dimly lit offices, put up with flucuations in air conditioning or heat or anything to keep our jobs if the company would have just made us an offer. We would have put on our game faces and pitched in to keep the business growing and maintain our jobs. In return the company could have still managed to turn out quality product while maintaining a highly motivated and dedicated staff.

I saw this coming. Everybody I talked to saw it coming. Why didn't we do something before now? I've finally woke up and I'm trying to find ways to help stop this madness.

As of this writing I only know a couple of things to do to take an active stance.

Stop purchasing anything but American Made products. Find US Made.

When contacting service and are confronted with a foreigner on the other end of the phone demand that you speak with an American.

Write your Congressmen or even the President.

Speak up and let all of our friends, family, social website contacts know and try to get them involved in the activism necessary to have our voice heard.

I can soooo relate to the words of this song by U2.

"Give Me Back My Job"
I don't want your millions, mister
I can't use no diamond ring
I want the right just to live, mister
Give me back my job again

I don't want your Rolls Royce, mister
I can't use your pleasure yacht
I want some food for these children
Give me back my job again

We work to build this country, mister
While you enjoy your life of ease
And you steal all that we build, mister
See them folks, they starve and freeze

I don't want your millions, mister
I can't use no diamond ring
I want the right to live, mister
Give me back my job again

No I don't want your millions, mister
I can't use no diamond ring
I want the right to live, mister
Give me back my job again

I don't want your foodstamps, mister
And that welfare line don't interest me
Give me a chance to earn my wages
And give me back my old job please

(This track can be found on the Carl Perkins album Go Cat Go, and features Bono, Johnny Cash, Willie Nelson, and Tom Petty)

Getting pumped

2009-08-31T06:22:00.001-07:00

I'm really getting pumped about the move back home. I found out there are wonderful bike trails that you can travel along the river and gain access to several small surrounding towns.

I snitched the following pictures from another person's site. Hey I didn't see any copyright information so if the owner comes along and wants me to take them down, drop me a line and I'll oblige.

I'm hoping we go into a period of Indian Summer once I get settled in so I can use the trails a bit before the snow sets in. Actually I don't even mind walking in the snow if I'm dressed properly. Bike trail information.

There are also scads of festivals and other activities that go on throughout the year so it looks like there will always be a new adventure to look forward to.

Just take a look at all the listings. City of Franklin.

And they have a pretty nice civic theatre. I've been here a couple of times with my daughter. Barrow Civic Theatre.

Plus I'll be fairly close to my beloved Cooks Forest.

I need a mountain bike for my rides and my goal is to eventually have a pink kayak with a headlight for night time and an ooga horn.

Inspirational links

2009-08-28T05:38:00.000-07:00

Every day I go looking for positive inspiration.

Here are a few links that you might enjoy. I hope you manifest as much peace and comfort from these as I have.

Even Now

The Goodness of Life

The Wonder Of It All

Don't take it to a social network

2009-08-22T06:01:00.000-07:00

I'm going to exercise my freedom of speech on this site, afterall, that is why I created this blog...so I could talk about what's on my mind far away from the maddening crowd of social networks.

For instance I found this article with a petition to save the world from stupidpeople.

The Internet is a tool for people to conduct business, and have fun. However, all too often, stupid people screw things up, for everybody. How does this happen? What can we do to stop it?

First, I would like to illustrate the nature of the problem. There are two major ways in which stupid people ruin the Internet for everybody. Each point will be discussed, followed by the solution the signers of this petition wish to see implemented immediately.

1. Spam. If stupid people were not allowed to use the Internet, we would have less spam. Allow me to prove this by the following logical argument. Why do people send spam? Because they know there are stupid people who will click on the "f-r-e-e p0rn" links. They know people out there will actually buy pills from a non-reputable seller online. If we remove the stupid people from the Internet, all the companies which rely on spam to do business will go bankrupt within a short time. Other sources of spam, like viruses, are perpetuated solely by stupid people. Anyone with half a brain knows not to open an attachment called "my_webcam.zip" from "sexygurl@hotmail.com". Finally, the last source of spam, chain letters, will be reduced by many orders of magnitude due to the fact that only stupid morons forward meaningless joke emails that you have heard 100 times already to you after you told them to cut it out and threatened to block them and did but they got a new screen name and didn't get the hint.... In conclusion, banning people from the Internet will stop spam.

2. l33t sp33k. peoplE whO typE likE thiS anD thinK itZ cooL. lol omfg rofl bbq stfu. PEOPLE WHO TYPE IN ALL CAPITALS CAUSE THEY DONT KNOW WHERE THE CAPS-LOCK KEY IS OR WHAT IT DOES. People who just wont shut up, and break every code of decency on the internet in forums, IRC channels, and instant messengers. Poor spelling and uncool typing style wastes approximately 10,000,000 (ten million) person-hours of hard-working people's time a day. Trying to de-cypher the questionably literate is a waste of everyone's time and money. I have a dream! I have a dream, that when stupid people are banned from the Internet, prosperity and intellectual discussion will take place of Role Playing. Proper grammar will take the place of smilies. I have a dream, that one day, little Asian boys and girls will not drop their vowels and overuse the letter Z. One day, people of all countries and dialects will forsake making up crappy new words like "hax0r" and just speak english the way it was meant to be spoken: like an ENGLISHMAN! Together they will join hands and sing the words of the old British monarchy: "You and I", "You and I", not "me and you", but "you and I"!

I hope that you, Mr. President, can introduce a bill to ban American-based ISPs from giving stupid people access to the Internet. Furthermore, I wish that international ISPs that do not wish to comply be economically blockaded and/or bombed until they come to their senses and join the fight for justice.

This will be good for the economy, too! I know you like that word "the economy"! lol

Clip.

Now I realize that this post was all in fun but you have to admit there is a lot of truth to what the writer is saying.

I'm aware that a lot of people don't know how to spell properly and their grammar usage is atrocious but it's the pettiness that really gets to me.

For instance, I split up with my boyfriend and we still both have a presence on some social networks with mutual friends. He removed me from his friends lists, and that's perfectly understandable and probably the best for both of us to not be able to see what the other is doing or saying. I too made my sites private so he couldn't see the anger and bitterness I was telling my personal friends about, but I didn't do it on social sites where it was visible to anybody other than the intended audience of a few select friends.

However, we still share a couple of common friends (although the ones I'm referring to are certainly not my friends) and I chose not to remove them from my friends list because I didn't want to appear to be angry at them (it's not their fault we split up) and I didn't want to be petty.

I've kept my messages on a personal level knowing full well they would be watching what I wrote. I've even tried to be sociable with them by posting a nicety or two but of course... no response.

One person though, names unnamed, posted a message that was fully intended for my eyes regarding the living arrangements of her brother, my X. Just a little blurb to let me know he has a new apartment and is living alone and loving it. Well good for him!

Not wanting to stoop to the same level of pettiness exhibited by this person...I read the message and moved on. But deep down inside me I wanted to ask...how he is being transported to his job with no vehicle, how he will maintain an apartment on his own with drug addictions that cost him more per month than the normal cost of an apartment. I wanted to ask if she has seen history repeat itself with his various relationships and how each woman he has been with has complained about his bad temper which is displayed when he is drinking (most of the time but can crop up at any given moment). I wanted to let her know that she doesn't know as much about her own brother as she thinks she knows and that the previous women he has been with can't ALL be crazy.

I wonder about the similarities of the temperment of the people in this family. They all seem to possess the same identifying character of being openly opinionated, argumentative, judgemental and having a bad temper. Hmmm... makes you wonder doesn't it?

But no... I will post my message on my own little board and if perhaps you stumble upon the words I've written and recognize yourself as a character in this story... Keep your comments to yourself. You know my email and phone number and if you want to engage in a war of words... have at it. Ready and waiting.

Wide open space

2009-08-07T14:09:00.000-07:00

This is my night... I'm gonna to cry...come hell or high water... I need this and I won't be denied!

Good story... I'll think of another title and post a picture.. when I'm in the mood and I'll even clean up the format.

2009-08-07T13:49:00.000-07:00

When I was a little boy, my mom liked to make breakfast food for dinner every now and then. And I remember one night in particular when she had made breakfast after a long, hard day at work. On that evening so long ago, my mom placed a plate of eggs, sausage and extremely burned biscuits in front of my dad. I remember waiting to see if anyone noticed! Yet all my dad did was reach for his biscuit, smile at my mom and ask me how my day was at school. I don't remember what I told him that night, but I do remember watching him smear butter and jelly on that biscuit and eat every bite!

When I got up from the table that evening, I remember hearing my mom apologize to my dad for burning the biscuits.. And I'll never forget what he said: "Son, I love burned biscuits."

Later that night, I went to kiss Daddy good night and I asked him if he really liked his biscuits burned. He wrapped me in his arms and said, "Your Momma put in a hard day at work today and she's real tired. And besides - a little burnt biscuit never hurt anyone!"
You know, life is full of imperfect things.....and imperfect people.. I'm not the best housekeeper or cook. What I've learned over the years is that learning to accept each other's faults - and choosing to celebrate each other's differences - is one of the most important keys to creating a healthy, growing, and lasting relationship.

And that's my prayer for you today. That you will learn to take the good, the bad, and the ugly parts of your life and lay them at the feet of God. Because in the end, He's the only One who will be able to give you a relationship where a burnt biscuit isn't a deal-breaker! We could extend this to any relationship in fact - as understanding is the base of any relationship, be it a husband-wife or parent-child or friendship!

"Don't put the key to your happiness in someone else's pocket - keep it in your own."

The cost of stress with a broken heart

2009-08-07T12:08:00.000-07:00

Somehow I've always known and felt this was true. I'm dealing with it now, or at least trying to deal with it.

“Broken Heart Syndrome”: Severe Emotional Stress and Heart Disease

Research has shown that some people may respond to overwhelming emotional stress by releasing large amounts of catecholamines, such as epinephrine (adrenaline) and norepinephrine (noradrenalin), into the blood stream. Along with this massive release of catecholamines are small proteins produced by an over-stimulated nervous system.

These substances are temporarily toxic to the heart and can disrupt its function. The result is stress cardiomyopathy, a condition that mimics a classic heart attack, including chest pain, fluid in the lungs, shortness of breath, and actual heart failure.

Researchers have dubbed this condition “broken heart” syndrome, because it is brought on solely by emotional stress rather than by the classic physiological causes, such as plaque build-up. Patients who have experienced this condition do not have blockages in their arteries; they do not have elevated levels of cardiac enzymes that are typically released into the blood stream after a heart attack; and they do not suffer permanent muscle damage. Instead, the muscle damage suffered after broken heart syndrome is reversible, unlike that suffered from a classic heart attack. Recovery time after broken heart syndrome is also much faster- most completely recover within two weeks.

Patients who have suffered broken heart syndrome show initial catecholamine levels that are two to three times that in patients who suffer classic heart attacks, and seven to thirty-four times as high as normal levels.

But broken heart syndrome is not the only way the heart is affected by emotional stress. While broken heart syndrome can be caused by a single traumatic event, the deleterious effects of stress on the heart can also be cumulative. Stress that lasts over a long period of time can negatively affect the entire body, including the adrenal glands. The importance of strengthening the body from the effects of years of chronic stress is critical to heart health and function.

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I saw the doctor and he suggested pray, meditation, walking and exercise. I have been doing all those things as I feel moved and have time to do them. My back problems have been flaring up again which is another thing I've always believed... that my physical problems are made worse with my emotional problems.

It's not just the love interest problems I've been having that are wearing on me either. I'm about to lose the job I've had for 20 years and am on a path of being alone on a financial upgrade. I've always made enough money to support myself and others around me and now I'm facing the inability to do so and it's happening during a time of a faltering economy. I'm scared. I'm lonely and I so desparately want and need to cry but my stubborness hasn't let me give way to the free fall of tears that I need so badly. My motto has usually been... "don't cry because all you'll get is a wet face".

I've always tried to think positively and always thought I had the strength to make it through whatever difficulties life presented me with but thoughts were carry overs from younger years and I am so much older now.

I've lost faith in humanity. I've totally lost faith in men (which has always been an issue with me anyhow) and I wonder if there is such a thing as compassion or empathy anymore. Oh wait... it does still survive or I wouldn't have held on to and tried to help others less fortunate than me!

However, I'm becoming a bitter, crazy old bitch and this is something I always swore I wouldn't allow to happen to me. I always said I wanted to age gracefully like Katherine Hepburn. Oh well, there is the face that is presented to the screen and the world... maybe she was as bitter as I've become and we just never knew it.

Okay, I've vented and I feel a tad bit better... off to find other positive reading material that will at least help me get through the next hour or so of this life.

Abraham Hicks - Limit irritation to 17 seconds

2009-08-07T07:30:00.000-07:00

Cancer update from John Hopkins

2009-07-26T06:01:00.000-07:00

AFTER YEARS OF TELLING PEOPLE CHEMOTHERAPY IS THE ONLY WAY TO TRY ('TRY',BEING THE KEY WORD) TO ELIMINATE CANCER, JOHNS HOPKINS IS FINALLY STARTING TO TELL YOU THERE IS AN ALTERNATIVE WAY.

Cancer Update from Johns Hopkins:

1. Every person has cancer cells in the body. These cancer cells do not
show up in the standard tests until they have multiplied to a few billion.
When doctors tell cancer patients that there are no more cancer cells in
their bodies after treatment, it just means the tests are unable to detect
the cancer cells because they have not reached the detectable size.

2. Cancer cells occur between 6 to more than 10 times in a person's lifetime.

3 When the person's immune system is strong the cancer cells will be destroyed
and prevented from multiplying and forming tumors.

4. When a person has cancer it indicates the person has multiple nutritional
deficiencies. These could be due to genetic, environmental, food and lifestyle
factors.

5. To overcome the multiple nutritional deficiencies, changing diet and
including supplements will strengthen the immune system.

6.. Chemotherapy involves poisoning the rapidly-growing cancer cells and also
destroys rapidly-growing healthy cells in the bone marrow, gastrointestinal
tract etc, and can cause organ damage, like liver, kidneys, heart, lungs etc.

7. Radiation while destroying cancer cells also burns, scars and damages
healthy cells, tissues and organs.

8. Initial treatment with chemotherapy and radiation will often reduce tumor size. However prolonged use of chemotherapy and radiation do not result in more tumor destruction.

9. When the body has too much toxic burden from chemotherapy and radiation the immune system is either compromised or destroyed, hence the person can succumb to various kinds of infections and complications.

10. Chemotherapy and radiation can cause cancer cells to mutate and become
resistant and difficult to destroy. Surgery can also cause cancer cells to
spread to other sites.

11. An effective way to battle cancer is to starve the cancer cells by not
feeding it with the foods it needs to multiply.

CANCER CELLS FEED ON:

a. Sugar is a cancer-feeder. By cutting off sugar it cuts off one important
food supply to the cancer cells. Sugar substitutes like NutraSweet, Equal,
Spoonful, etc are made with Aspartame and it is harmful. A better natural
substitute would be Manuka honey or molasses but only in very small amounts.
Table salt has a chemical added to make it white in color. Better alternative
is Bragg's aminos or sea salt.

b.. Milk causes the body to produce mucus, especially in the
gastro-intestinal tract. Cancer feeds on mucus. By cutting off milk and
substituting with unsweetened soy milk cancer cells are being starved.

c. Cancer cells thrive in an acid environment.. A meat-based diet is acidic and
it is best to eat fish, and a little chicken rather than beef or pork. Meat
also contains livestock antibiotics, growth hormones and parasites, which are
all harmful, especially to people with cancer..

d. A diet made of 80% fresh vegetables and juice, whole grains, seeds, nuts and a little fruits help put the body into an alkaline environment. About 20% can be from cooked food including beans. Fresh vegetable juices provide live enzymes that are easily absorbed and reach down to cellular levels within 15 minutes to nourish and enhance growth of healthy cells. To obtain live enzymes for building healthy cells try and drink fresh vegetable juice (most vegetables including bean sprouts) and eat some raw vegetables 2 or 3 times a day. Enzymes are destroyed at temperatures of 104 degrees F (40 degrees C).

e. Avoid coffee, tea, and chocolate, which have high caffeine. Green tea is a better alternative and has cancer fighting properties. Water-best to drink purified water, or filtered, to avoid known toxins and heavy metals in tap water.. Distilled water
is acidic, avoid it.

12. Meat protein is difficult to digest and requires a lot of digestive enzymes. Undigested meat remaining in the intestines becomes putrefied and leads to more toxic buildup.

13. Cancer cell walls have a tough protein covering. By refraining from or
eating less meat it frees more enzymes to attack the protein walls of cancer
cells and allows the body's killer cells to destroy the cancer cells.

14. Some supplements build up the immune system (IP6, Flor-ssence, Essiac,
anti-oxidants, vitamins, minerals, EFAs etc.) to enable the bodies own killer
cells to destroy cancer cells. Other supplements like vitamin E are known to cause apoptosis, or programmed cell death, the body's normal method of disposing of damaged, unwanted, or unneeded cells.

15. Cancer is a disease of the mind, body, and spirit. A proactive and positive spirit will help the cancer warrior be a survivor. Anger, un-forgiveness and bitterness put the body into a stressful and acidic environment.. Learn to have
a loving and forgiving spirit. Learn to relax and enjoy life.

16. Cancer cells cannot thrive in an oxygenated environment. Exercising daily,
and deep breathing help to get more oxygen down to the cellular level.. Oxygen
therapy is another means employed to destroy cancer cells.

1. No plastic containers in micro.

2. No water bottles in freezer.

3. No plastic wrap in microwave.

Johns Hopkins has recently sent this out in its newsletters. This information is being circulated at Walter Reed Army Medical Center as well. Dioxin chemicals cause cancer, especially breast cancer. Dioxins are highly poisonous to the cells of our bodies. Don't freeze your plastic bottles with water in them as this releases dioxins from the plastic.

Recently, Dr. Edward Fujimoto, Wellness Program Manager at Cast le Hospital, was on a TV program to explain this health hazard. He talked about dioxins and how bad they are for us. He said that we should not be heating our food in the microwave using plastic containers. This especially applies to foods that contain fat. He said that the combination of fat, high heat, and plastics releases dioxin into the food and ultimately into the cells of the body. Instead, he recommends using glass, such as Corning Ware, Pyrex or ceramic containers for heating food You get the same results, only without the dioxin. So such things as TV dinners, instant ramen and soups, etc., should be removed from the container and heated in something else. Paper isn't bad but you don't know what is in the paper. It's just safer to use tempered glass, Corning Ware, etc. He reminded us that a while ago some of the fast food restaurants moved away from the foam containers to paper. The dioxin problem is one of the reasons.

Also, he pointed out that plastic wrap, such as Saran, is just as dangerous when placed over foods to be cooked in the microwave. As the food is nuked, the high heat causes poisonous toxins to actually melt out of the plastic wrap and drip into the food. Cover food with a paper towel instead.

Looks like I need to make a few changes in my life.

Wunderground weather

2009-06-18T07:45:00.000-07:00

Peroxide vs Bleach

2009-05-04T06:24:00.001-07:00

This is very good information to know. I’m leaving the message it in tact as it came to me (in an email). Somebody did Snopes it and the information is true. It sure sounds like a frugal alternative too.

This is something you can get at the dollar store which does a lot in your home and save money in the process!!!! I didn't know about all the uses for Peroxide but now that I do - race you to the dollar store.......

Peroxide VS Bleach

This was written by Becky Ransey of Indiana (a doctor's wife), and I want to share it with you. She was over recently for coffee and smelled the bleach I was using to clean my toilet and counter tops. This is what she told me:

"I would like to tell you of the benefits of that plain little ole bottle of 3% peroxide you can get for under $1.00 at any drug store. What does bleach cost? My husband has been in the medical field for over 36 years, and most doctors don't tell you about peroxide.

"Have you ever smelled bleach in a doctor's office?

NO!!! Why? Because it smells, and it is not healthy! Ask the nurses who work in the doctor's offices, and ask them if they use bleach at home. They are wiser and know better!

"Did you also know bleach was invented in the late 40's? It's chlorine, folks! And it was used to kill our troops.

"Peroxide was invented during WWI. It was used to save and help cleanse the needs of our troops and hospitals. Please think about this:

1. Take one capful (the little white cap that comes with the bottle) and hold in your mouth for 10 minutes daily, then spit it out. (I do it when I bathe.) No more canker sores , and your teeth will be whiter without expensive pastes.. Use it instead of mouthwash.

2.. Let your toothbrushes soak in a cup of peroxide to keep them free of germs.

3. Clean your counters and table tops with peroxide to kill germs and leave a fresh smell. Simply put a little on your dishrag when you wipe, or spray it on the counters.

4. After rinsing off your wooden cutting board, pour peroxide on it to kill salmonella and other bacteria..

5. I had fungus on my feet for years until I sprayed a 50/50 mixture of peroxide and water on them (especially the toes) every night and let dry.

6. Soak any infections or cuts in 3% peroxide for five to ten minutes several times a day. My husband has seen gangrene that would not heal with any medicine but was healed by soaking in peroxide.

7. Fill a spray bottle with a 50/50 mixture of peroxide and water and keep it in every bathroom to disinfect without harming your septic system like bleach or most other disinfectants will..

8. Tilt your head back and spray into nostrils with your 50/50 mixture whenever you have a cold, plugged sinus. It will bubble and help to kill the bacteria. Hold for a few minutes, and then blow your nose into a tissue.

9. If you have a terrible toothache and cannot get to a dentist right away, put a capful of 3% peroxide into your mouth and hold it for ten minutes several times a day. The pain will lessen greatly.

10. Put half a bottle of peroxide in your bath to help rid boils, fungus, or other skin infections.

11. You can also add a cup of peroxide instead of bleach to a load of whites in your laundry to whiten them. If there is blood on clothing, pour it directly on the soiled spot. Let it sit for a minute, then rub it and rinse with cold water . Repeat if necessary.

12. I use peroxide to clean my mirrors. There is no smearing, which is why I love it so much for this.

"I could go on and on. It is a little brown bottle no home should be without! "With prices of most necessities rising, I'm glad there's a way to save tons of money in such a simple, healthy manner!"

This information really woke me up. I hope you gain something from it, too.

Pass this on .. and on .... and on!

After I received the above e-mail from my sister, I checked this out online and here is what I found. Basically what was just said above....I have included the web address in case you are interested.....Dee

http://www.livinghiho.com/article/hydrogen-peroxide-vs-bleach

Hydrogen Peroxide vs. Bleach
Thu, 10/02/2008 - 12:56pm — Cricket

Chlorine bleach is a chemical that most of us have in our homes. It's very handy for multiple applications including cleaning and disinfecting; but may not be all that earth friendly. A good alternative to consider is hydrogen peroxide.

Most of the debate about chlorine bleach (sodium hypochlorite) stems from its ability to form more toxic byproducts such as dioxin, furans and other organochlorines when reacting with other elements.
Hydrogen Peroxide on the other hand, is simply water with an extra oxygen molecule (H2O2) and breaks down into oxygen and water. It's certainly kinder on the environment. H2O2 is produced by both animal and plant cells and is formed naturally in the environment by sunlight acting on water.

Many industrial bleaching operations, such as those used in the production of paper, are increasingly moving towards the use of hydrogen peroxide for a greener bleaching process. It's also the active ingredient in many "oxygen" bleaches and is used extensively for lightening hair.

Do be careful when purchasing and handling this substance as some commercially available "food grade" hydrogen peroxide is 35% pure, highly corrosive and can be toxic or fatal if ingested at that strength.
Hydrogen peroxide should be diluted down to 3% as a base for most applications. It's also readily available in 3% solution from your local pharmacy or drugstore; which is probably the preferable and safer way to buy it, especially if you can take your empty bottles back for exchange/refilling - that can help cut down the cost.

If you choose to dilute a 35% solution yourself, add the hydrogen peroxide to distilled water rather than the other way around and wear gloves, body and eye protection when doing so.

Hydrogen Peroxide tips and uses

- Keep it out of direct sunlight and in a cool place, as exposure to the sun and heat will quickly break it down into oxygen and water; rendering it ineffective. Store it in a dark bottle and remember to keep it out of reach of children.

- Dip your toothbrush in a 3% solution of hydrogen peroxide solution to help kill bacteria on the brush after brushing.

- A tablespoon of 3% hydrogen peroxide solution in a cup of water can be used as a mouthwash - swish for up to 60 seconds once a day; but don't swallow and be sure to rinse your mouth out afterwards. This can also help whiten teeth.

- Hydrogen peroxide in a 3% solution applied to a rag can be used to clean benchtops and cutting boards to help kill salmonella and other bacteria

- Half fill a spray bottle with a 3% solution and then top it up with water for use as a bathroom and toilet disinfectant and cleaner. This is especially useful if you have a septic, greywater or blackwater treatment system as it won't harm the bacteria in the treatment areas - the hydrogen peroxide would have diluted to a point that renders it harmless by that stage through the interaction with flush water.

- Mix a 3% hydrogen peroxide solution with two parts water in a spray bottle and use on areas affected by mold. You can try a neat 3% solution for areas like bathroom tiling, but be careful on the strength in relation to painted items as it may bleach them.

- Make a whitening toothpaste by mixing baking soda and enough 3% Hydrogen Peroxide to form a paste

- Use 3% hydrogen peroxide to sterilize cuts and abrasions - the fizzing you'll see occur is normal.
- To help kill bacteria such as E. Coli on fruits and vegetables, add a quarter cup of 3% hydrogen peroxide to a sink full of cold water. immerse, rinse with cold water and drain. By killing bacteria this will also help keep fruit and vegetables fresher for longer. You can also use a spraybottle containing a 50/50 mix of 3% hydrogen peroxide and water - just spray and rinse.

- Add a cup of 3% hydrogen peroxide to your whites wash in place of bleaches

- Remove bloodstains from clothing by blotting stain with 3% hydrogen peroxide, then rinse promptly with cold water to avoid bleaching of the fabric.

- To remove yellowing from lace curtains or tablecloths, fill a sink with cold water and a 2 cups of 3% hydrogen peroxide. Soak for at least an hour, rinse in cold water and air dry

So there you have it - hydrogen peroxide can not only be a more earth friendly replacement for chlorine bleach, but has many more uses around your home!

In researching this article, I found all sorts of weird and wonderful tips relating to ingesting and inhaling hydrogen peroxide. Some claimed cures for cancer and many other ailments. Please, consult your doctor before ingesting hydrogen peroxide - bear in mind that it can be quite corrosive in higher concentrations and cause damage to your respiratory and digestive tract.

Wash me

2009-04-25T02:29:00.000-07:00

What do you do when you find a dirty car?

(a) Write WASH ME?
(b) Do a pretty drawing?

THIS is SCOTT WADE . Check out what he does with the dirty cars by carefully and artfully removing portions of the dirt. According to his website, he lives real close to a dirt road in San Marcos , Texas .....

Life Is Too Short,
Break The Rules, Forgive Quickly,
Kiss Slowly, Love Truly,
Laugh Uncontrollably,
And Never Regret Anything
That Made You Smile.
Life May Not Be The Party
We Hoped For,
But While We're Here, We Should Dance...

More about Jobe

2009-04-22T15:13:00.000-07:00

http://www.fox59.com/pages/landing_news/?Best-Friend-Charged-in-Fatal-TruckTrain-=1&blockID=272312&feedID=2319

April 22, 2009

Mother Becky Drysdale is still grieving over her 25-year-old son's death.

"He was very thoughtful, kindhearted, hilarious," said Drysdale. While she remembers her son Jobe, it's his best friend she's now worried about.

"My son is gone but you don't want someone else's life to replace another one."

Jobe Drysdale's best friend, 25-year-old Stephen Fields is charged with operating a vehicle while intoxicated resulting in death.

"I dont feel he should be charged," said Becky. Joshua Drysdale, Jobe's brother agrees.

"I know he(Fields) would trade places in a heartbeat with my brother, if he could," said Joshua.

Police say Fields and Drysdale had been out drinking at a bonfire late Saturday night near Richmond in Wayne County. Fields was driving home but stopped by railroad tracks in Wayne County where he says his friend Jobe went to relieve himself. Fields then says his truck started to roll into an oncoming train. He says Jobe tried to stop the truck but ended up getting hit and killed by the oncoming train. Prosecutors say they're unsure if Fields was in the driver's seat when the truck rolled so charges could be modified in the case. The two young friends grew up together in Kennard. Becky Drysdale wants the charges against Fields dropped.

"As close as they were,and as much as love as we have for one another the story of what happened doesn't matter."

FreeMesa

2009-04-20T02:45:00.000-07:00

Get Awesome Free Stuff at FreeMesa.org

How to fold a fitted sheet

2009-04-09T12:07:00.000-07:00

I've done this for years and it amazes me that everybody doesn't know how but practice or not mine never look as neat as Jill's does in this video.

All Is Well

2009-04-07T16:59:00.000-07:00

Waterfalls

2009-04-05T10:31:00.001-07:00

Affordable travel

2009-04-05T01:05:00.000-07:00

A friend of mine has started his own travel agency business. The rates are very good so check it out. You know you need a vacation!

Click here.

In My Life

2009-03-31T20:17:00.000-07:00

I want to leave a legacy

2009-03-29T10:04:00.000-07:00

Things on my mind

2009-03-25T09:24:00.001-07:00

Calm
Compassion
Delight
Generosity
Effortlessness
Wealth
Gratitude
Abundance
Creativity
Willingness
Change
Growth
Freedom
Mastery
Kindness
Health
Presence
Acceptance
Courage
Confidence
Self-Love
Action
Forgiveness
Systems
Forgive
Plan
Release
Trust
Knowing
Patience
Friendship
Fun
Grace
Laughter
Love
Expansion
Exploration
Adventure
Openness
Discipline
Awe
Awareness
Risk
Gentleness
Choice
Spirit
Prayerfulness
Power
Allow
Artfulness
Attention
Beauty
Joy
Focus
Ritual
Heal
Order
Clarity
Pioneer
Peace
Laziness
No
Yes
Deliberate
Commitment
Savor
Integrity
Listen
Zen

I'm addicted to Facebook

2009-03-19T10:53:00.001-07:00

Kimberly Anne Rumbarger Talboo's Profile | Create Your Badge

It's a Beautiful Day

2009-03-18T03:01:00.001-07:00

Forever And For Always

2009-03-06T10:23:00.000-08:00

Photos from New York

2009-02-28T06:56:00.001-08:00

I got to go to Ground Zero but there really isn't much to see anymore plus my camera was full and I had no where to unload it. I was in awe though and a feeling of such sadness grabbed me while there. There is one tiny memorial left, which I didn't get a picture of, where people still put mementos and flowers for their loved ones.

This is a wonderful basin I saw in a Chinese restaurant. I so want one like it!

Photos from the Garden City office and the training

2009-02-28T06:48:00.000-08:00

The following pictures are from the Garden City Bookspan offices where my boss and I went last week for four days of Agile Process training.

I'm not going to label each picture but rather am posting so everyone that wants to can grab them. I might revisit this later and label but I'm short on time right now.

Dining Room and updated living room with rug

2009-02-16T13:57:00.000-08:00

Okay now. He has completed painting the dining room but he has continued to add color and splash to the living room and kitchen.

He painted the kitchen table, except for the top, which he left the natural wood color.

In addition he added a rug to the living room.

Now for the dining room. Keep in mind we don't yet have the blinds up and he has a couple of side tables and carts to paint and add to the room.

IBC breast Cancer - Ladies please watch

2009-02-13T09:38:00.000-08:00

Ladies, I didn't know this until a friend of mine at work alerted me to this video. Please, please, take the time to watch this video. This can happen at any age and isn't detectable through a mammogram.

The Law of Attraction Explained

2009-02-12T17:01:00.000-08:00

How To Use the Law Of Attraction - Part 1

2009-02-12T16:53:00.000-08:00

This pastor, author and coach, Rich Cavaness, teaches how to use the Law of Attraction but he teaches that the "Source" is God but the principles are the same.

Happy Birthday Shannon!

2009-02-12T02:16:00.001-08:00

click for more cards send this card through mail

Update - Photos of the laundry room and kitchen

2009-02-11T15:37:00.000-08:00

End the war

2009-02-08T04:17:00.001-08:00

Very Last Country Song

2009-02-07T17:56:00.001-08:00

Very Last Country Song - Sugarland

Let's talk about Karma

2009-02-06T05:02:00.001-08:00

If I always think as I have always thought, I will always do as I have always done, I will always get what I have always gotten.

I always thought that Karma meant that whatever goes around comes around in that if I was good in my dealings with other people, kept my morals high and fought fair the same would happen to me. I just couldn't understand why if I was faithful to my mate they would cheat on me or why if I was gentle in my thoughts about other people, striving to not be judgemental were they so inclined to be the opposite of me? How could anyone be mean and nasty toward me when I tried so hard to exude gentleness and kindness to them?

Recently I've been studying and have come to a whole new understanding of what Karma truly means. Yes I will still try to be as good of a person as I want others to be but there is a little more to it than what my actions bring about... I have to control my thought patterns as well.

Here is a wonderful article that explains it very simply. For those of you not wanting to click away from this page to read I've taken the literary liberty of posting the article in full below:

This word karma is becoming quite main stream of late. I remember 20 years ago, if you asked 10 people about reincarnation and the word karma, 2 or three would say they had heard about it 6-7 would say they didn’t believe in it, and 1-2 would be on the fence. These days I find 7-8 have heard about it, 1 or two say they categorically don’t believe in it and 2-4 would say they are sitting on the fence. That being said, very few understand the meaning and depth of this word.

In essence karma literally means action. It doesn’t necessarily mean that karma is bad, but there are three types of karma that the individual soul can perform: good, bad, and neutral. The idea is to stop performing negative karma, start performing positive karma with the ultimate aim of performing neutral karma, karma without expectation, emptiness, desire; karma that is filled with power, truth, joy, and peace, the innate qualities of the soul

The Law of Karma

The law of karma, a.k.a. cause and effect, as you sow, so shall you reap, essentially states that everything in our universe is in balance and that there are universal laws that endeavour to keep the universe in harmony, balance, and equilibrium. Of course another factor that needs to be considered, is that the universe is in a state of steady decline, (even though it appears to be expanding and from some perspectives (evolving). This principle is in accordance with the law of entropy. Entropy (a word bringing back traumatic memories of our high school chemistry days) states that everything starts out at its highest, most ordered, newest, most powerful state and then over time, gets older, weaker, dispersed, degrades to a point of chaos.

This very second, the body is aging. Everyone over 30 suspects this and everyone over 40 knows this to be true. Despite that new cells are being created over-all the body is sagging, less flexible, aging, in a sense dying a slow death. It takes more and more effort to keep the body in shape. Although the body is aging, it is the soul, the spirit that experiences this aging process through the body. The soul itself by definition is eternal and thus cannot age, but we experience aging, decline, entropy because of being in the body. The body is actually more correctly perceived to be a costume, a very sophisticated, interface, container or vehicle for the spiritual being to move around and experience the world through. The body is very much related to us, as we can’t experience ourselves without the sense organs to express our selves, but the body is not who we are. I am not a body with a spiritual dimension, I am a spiritual being, a soul, living in a physical context.

The law of karma basically states that everything we create: thoughts, words, actions, feelings, motives, and intentions goes out into the universe and causes a domino affect of reactions in our universe. Because we are the creators of our world, both our inner and outer worlds, everything we create, has our "email address" attached to it, as it emanated from us, i.e. it has our energy fingerprint stamped on it. This is why “karma”, the return of our choices and actions, knows where to find us.

Another analogy would be to see the world as a giant mirror reflecting the collective thoughts, words, actions of souls back to each one of us. In the same way that after an accident has occurred, onc can interview 10 witnesses and get 10 different accounts of what happened. Each one who sees the mirror, perceives the events differently. That difference of how one perceives the reflection lies in ones self-awareness. As is your perception of yourself, so will be your perception of your world, your reflection. This principle is why astrology is a powerful diagnostic tool for one’s karma as all astrology does is it enables the astrologer to understand, perceive and predict the timing of the return of one’s karma using the main planets to interpret the reflection of the past choices we sent out into our universe.

Who is in Control?

One might say “but wait a minute… I didn’t create that mess…” but ask yourself, given that you are the one witnessing, observing, experiencing your world, there would have to be some rational explanation about why things particularly happen to specific people at specific times, rather than just filing everything away as a bunch of unrelated, random events. What karma says is that everything is very specific, because the creation (ones choices) returns home to their creator. This is why we say: the only one who has witnessed all of the events in your life, the common denominator has only been you. Your mom, kids, spouses, friends, employers/employees have witnessed many of them, but you are the only one who has seen and experienced them all! Thus you are the creator or your own life experience and no one else is. It is not possible for the world to be so violent because it is filled with non-violent people. We live and experience the violence of the world, because we create and sustain violence and destroy with violence. If you have no violence on your "hard drive", if you totally are ignorant of violence, it won’t know where to find you. Even when people intend you sorrow, they can only offer it to you, they can’t force you to accept it. So you still have to be complicit in every poor decision to act and experience negativity.

This is a very powerful realization because then you have to conclude that the events in your life are only the return, ripple effect, of your past actions coming back to you in your present. The key to using karma in a positive way is to put an end to allowing your negative past to influence you in your present and for you to use will power to choose positively, despite the negative karma returning in the form of negative circumstances in your present. This allows you to disassociate the negative past from the present allowing you to make a positive change in your future. The “will power” to make good and positive, benevolent and unselfish decisions is derived from being in connection with your higher self and values. The method to do this is meditation, a non-invasive way of going within and stabilizing in your positive, spiritual essence. When you emerge from meditation, your perspective, attitude is empowered and even negative situations don’t appear negative but you see them as opportunities to learn from, and correct your mistakes of the past so that your old karmic "visa bill" gets paid off. When one’s debts are paid it is possible to experience true freedom and happiness instead of the illusion of temporary happiness and freedom.

You are the Master

This is why we have the expression: every cloud has a silver lining. The clouds are our past karmic creation revisiting us to see if we are ready to change. In order to change I would have to first recognize that negative circumstances are positive opportunities to empower yourself in disguise. The deeper you go within yourself, you will connect with your inner truth and values (re-empower yourself) and this will enable you to step outside the box of self imposed limitations and weaknesses and discover very creative solutions to your problems, i.e. to solve the problem, you have to be aware of the problem and then forget about, stop being influenced by, and detach from the problem so that you can resolve it. Because negative past karmas (mistakes) are created under the influence of fear and emptiness, guilt, greed, ego, etc., then the return always comes in the form of fear, pain, sorrow, guilt, loss, and disempowerment. What goes in must come out, as the seed, so the fruit of the tree. The key is to realize your ego creates and attracts these situations to distract you and disempower you, and your effort is to remain stable and uninfluenced so that you can master your inner fear and thus master the external circumstances.

This is why they say: our greatest fear is not our unworthiness, weaknesses, and guilt but our greatest fear is to realize what amazingly powerful beings we are. However, ego doesn’t want us to realize our power, because then we would have no need for ego and have to change and take responsibility and face our negative past choices. So ego says to us: "don’t worry, you just leave this all to me. I’ll protect you". Then ego proceeds to separate you from all your goodness, strength, sense, and positivity, by convincing us we are weak and others are the cause of our problems: “you hurt me… you made me angry…” This language continues to weaken the soul because they represent the giving away of one’s power to others, circumstances, the environment. But ask yourself: Whose feelings are they? Whose thoughts are they?

Thus, the silver-lining can be realized in any negative situation when you stabilize yourself in your truth, power, positive and virtuous nature and become aware of another fundamental truth: that despite the appearance of negativity in situations, the situation is actually beneficial, but our ego-based fear, causes us to see the negative reflection of our disempowered state (the degree or our emptiness or disconnection from truth), and we become afraid. In a state of fear, our judgment and discernment becomes impaired and we end up making mistakes or harmful choices that hurt ourselves and others, i.e. “If I always think as I have always thought, I will always do as I have always done, I will always get what I have always gotten”. This is why there is no point running away from one’s problems. But each fear has to be faced from a state of detachment otherwise, wherever you go, your karma follows you.

Problems Vanish

In an imbalanced ego-based stage we do one of two things when we encounter negativity: flight or fight. Neither of these is correct as they both involve the ego states of inferiority or superiority. The correct method is to become detached and turn inwards and discover the seed of the negative karma within yourself that attracted you and the circumstances to one another, and transform it within yourself and then you will see the entire situation resolve and the negative circumstances triggering your fear (False Emotions Appearing Real) disappear as if it was a mirage.

Your Mind Does Matter.

It was difficult for me to admit that so many of the things that were bad that happened to me were my own fault. My fear of them and the amount of time I allowed my thoughts to dwell on my fears caused all of the bad expeiences to invade my "universe". It's much easier to just call yourself a victim and accuse the "bad guys" for their wrong doings than it is to allow yourself to acknowledge that you allowed and actually invited the bad results in the first place.

I refuse to be a victim of myself any longer. At least I have adorned myself with the armor to ward off attacks from the "meanies" by no longer allowing my thoughts to dwell on my fears but rather by changing my thought patterns to that which is pleasing to me, attracting the things I want to me. I actually have caught myself saying "stop it. you can't think like this so stop and think about something you DO want in your life". When you see a mud puddle in the road and you're wearing your new white sneakers what do you do? You walk around it of course! That's what I'm doing when a negative thought, a painful memory from the past, or a fear of something pops into my little pea brained head...I'm stopping, checking for a dry spot and walking around the mud. I'll just 'Keep on Truckin'

Transformation of the living room and bedroom

2009-02-05T16:52:00.001-08:00

We aren't completely done yet as we still have the mini blinds to hang and there are various accessories we want to start picking up, as soon as the yard sales start but how do you like it so far?

Happy Valentines Day from Tony and Sage Robbins

2009-02-05T05:01:00.000-08:00

LOA - Esther Hicks and Abraham part 5

2009-02-04T10:28:00.003-08:00

LOA - Esther Hicks and Abraham part 4

2009-02-04T10:28:00.001-08:00

LOA - Esther Hicks and Abraham part 3

2009-02-04T10:27:00.001-08:00

LOA - Esther Hicks and Abraham part 2

2009-02-04T10:26:00.000-08:00

LOA - Esther Hicks and Abraham part 1

2009-02-04T10:25:00.000-08:00

Enya - Watermark

2009-01-29T07:34:00.000-08:00

Visionary Art

2009-01-29T07:33:00.001-08:00

Healing with Tibetan healing bowls

2009-01-29T07:31:00.001-08:00

Quantum sound healing - Part 2

2009-01-29T07:30:00.001-08:00

Quantum sound healing - Part 1

2009-01-29T07:29:00.001-08:00

The Philosophy of Liberty

2009-01-29T07:10:00.000-08:00

I Believe

2009-01-15T06:24:00.000-08:00

A birth certificate shows that we were born, a death certificate shows that we died, and pictures show that we lived.....have a seat, relax, and read this slowly.

I Believe ..
That just because two people argue,
doesn't mean they don't love each other.
And just because they don't argue,
doesn't mean they do love each other.

I Believe...
That we don't have to change friends if
we understand that friends change.

I Believe...
That no matter how good a friend is, they're going to hurt you every once in a while and you must forgive them for that.

I Believe...
That true friendship continues to grow, even over the longest distance.
Same goes for true love.

I Believe...
That you can do something in an instant
that will give you heartache for life.

I Believe...
That it's taking me a long time
to become the person I want to be.

I Believe...
That you should always leave loved ones with
loving words. It may be the last time you see them.

I Believe...
That you can keep going long after you think you can't.

I Believe....
That we are responsible for what
we do, no matter how we feel.

I Believe...
That either you control your attitude or it controls you.

I Believe...
That heroes are the people who do what has to be done when it needs to be done, regardless of the consequences.

I Believe...
That money is a lousy way of keeping score.

I Believe...
That my best friend and I can do anything, or nothing, and have the best time.

I Believe...
That sometimes the people you expect to kick you When you're down, will be the ones to help you get back up.

I Believe...
That sometimes when I'm angry I have the right to be angry,
but that doesn't give me the right to be cruel.

I Believe...
That maturity has more to do with what types of experiences you've had,
and what you've learned from them.....and less to do with how many
birthdays you've celebrated.

I Believe...
That it isn't always enough to be forgiven by others.
Sometimes, you have to learn to forgive yourself.

I Believe...
That no matter how bad your heart is broken the world doesn't stop for your grief.

I Believe...
That our background and circumstances may have influenced who we are,
but we are responsible for who we become.

I Believe...
That you shouldn't be so eager to find
out a secret. It could change your life Forever.

I Believe...
Two people can look at the exact same
thing and see something totally different.

I Believe...
That your life can be changed in a matter of
hours by people who don't even know you.

I Believe...
That even when you think you have no more to give, if
a friend cries out to you........you will find the strength to help.

I Believe...
That credentials on the wall do not make you a decent human being.

I Believe...
That the people you care about most in life are taken from you too soon.

I Believe...

The happiest of people don't necessarily have the best of everything;
They just make the most of everything.

Thanks to all the wonderful people who help us throughout the journey of life.

Got soy?

2009-01-13T09:15:00.000-08:00

I love(d)milk. A big tall ice cold glass of milk is the one thing that really quenches my thirst when I'm hot and sweaty. I would always have a big glass of milk if my stomach was upset and usually would start my day with a cup of milk along with my toast.

However, the other day my son casually made a remark that he would rather I started to purchase soy milk for him because milk has mucous in it. Just the remark gagged me but then I started reading up on the subject and the gallon and a half of milk that is now in my fridge is going to be given to the neighbors who have 5 children! I will tell them about the mucous another day.

The supposedly hip milk mustache is actually a creamy layer of mucus, live bacteria, and pus.

I actually have tried both chocolate and vanilla soy milk and like the flavor but it is a little more expensive so I've stuck with regular milk but after reading up on the subject I'm willing to pay the extra money. Regular milk would just go bad now as I can't get it past my nose. I'll cut back on something else that isn't as good for me in order to afford the soy milk. I'm hoping more people will make this decision too and the local soy growers will benefit by the change too.

Believe

2009-01-13T06:30:00.000-08:00

Believe in your heart that
something wonderful is about to happen.
Love your life.
Believe in your own powers,
and your own potential,
and in your own innate goodness.
Wake every morning
with the awe of just being alive.
Discover each day the magnificent,
awesome beauty in the world.
Explore and embrace life in yourself
and in everyone you see each day.
Reach within to find your own specialness.
Amaze yourself and rouse those around you
to the potential of each new day.
Don't be afraid to admit
that you are less than perfect;
this is the essence of your humanity.
Let those who love you help you.
Trust enough to be able to take.
Look with hope to the horizon of today,
for today is all we truly have.
Live this day well.
Let a little sun out as well as in.
Create your own rainbows.
Be open to all your possibilities;
all possibilities and Miracles.

Always believe in Miracles.

Learning Tai Chi and incorporating my yoga stretches

2009-01-02T10:03:00.001-08:00

All my friends know that I have been interested in learning Tai Chi for many years. When I was living in the city I was in touch with a Tai Chi master and was in the process of learning from him but various life changes happened and we never got "around tuit".

Since I have been dealing with a collapsed disc in my back I have been trying to incorporate more of my yoga stretches to alleviate the pain and have been stretching almost daily. Tai Chi is a low impact aerobic activity that is designed to enhance both physical and emotion well-being. It consists of breathing exercises and a series of postures that flow into one another. These slow graceful body movements are said to improve body awareness and enhance strength and flexibility while helping a person to achieve inner peace.

Before engaging in Tai Chi you are supposed to warm up your muscles by stretching so this is where my yoga stretching will come into play. I will do about 10 to 15 minutes of yoga before started my Tai Chi routine.

Since I am not in touch with nor can I afford a Tai Chi master to instruct me I will be teaching myself with a DVD and various books and internet information.

Here is a good instruction lesson on YouTube that you might try too.

The Daily Om When Isolation is Okay

2009-01-02T07:03:00.001-08:00

When Isolation is Okay

Check on me in a few minutes and don't let me drown

2009-01-01T13:48:00.000-08:00

I'm ready for a soak in the tub. Would somebody please check in on me in a few minutes to make sure I haven't fallen asleep and slipped into the abyss to drown? My body aches and I'm so drowsy even making a cup of coffee seems like a major chore. I don't want to enter or look at my kitchen again for at least a week.

The last dish is washed and in the drainer to dry. The Christmas tablecloth and decorations from the kitchen and dining room have been stacked into a pile and are ready to be placed in a plastic bin and put away for yet another holiday season.

How many women have made the comment today "If I never see another dirty dish in my life it would be too soon?"

The last holiday meal has been cooked, eaten and the leftovers are in the fridge and I had the thought that I wouldn't have to cook another huge meal again until Easter.

However, I also had to think on the positive side and remind myself that at least we had food to eat this holiday season. We've had a tough year and I couldn't afford all the little extras I've had in years gone by such as all the snacky little concoctions. We even had lasagna for Christmas because I couldn't afford a turkey and today on New Years day I had a turkey that was purchased on sale after Christmas instead of the traditional corn beef and cabbage because it was more frugal than buying what was expected. But we had food and didn't go hungry and that's a blessing and something I recognize and am thankful for.

Has anybody else had to change their lifestyle as much as I have this year? I hear little snippets from friends about how they have cut down their gift giving, have had to cut back on certain things but it seems as though people just aren't talking about how much they've had to curb or my situation is drastically different because their sacrafices haven't seemed as bad as mine.

Let's talk. Tell me how your family has had to cut back and what you have done to maintain the semblance of normalcy in your life. Has it really affected the true meaning of the season? Have you found some new freedom in not being able to do the expected or having the excuse not to do has much? Have you been able to look on these lifestyle changes as a blessing and not a curse and looked at the positive side?

Super Size My Aspartame

2009-01-01T09:30:00.000-08:00

Lyrics and more information under video.

Super Size My Aspartame by trillion
(lyrics)

"hi, can i take your order?"

"yes, I'll have the depression, insomnia, migraines,
muscle cramps and chronic fatigue thanks..."

"so that's 4 packs of gum for you sir, anything else with that?..."

"ah.. and the chemical soup..."

"so that's a diet soda and 4 packets of gum, that comes to $4.60 thank you sir"

(sample - Sage Francis)
"they tell me that it's not that bad -- it fucks you up good but it's not that bad"

(chorus)
leave it in the fridge -- or right there it on shelf
cause it's time to grow up and take care of yourself
you don't put water in the petrol tank, so why ya puttin petrol in your water tank...
you'd think grown ups would be sure to think . so think about what you oughta drink
cos you aren't a baby now...

danger! Danger!
NutraSweet - Equal - Aspartame
it's poison...
danger! Danger!

"today we are talking about as-par-tame or aspart-a-me... it's the same thing.."

yo Someone will be peeved that I crash the game
cos those suckers wanna leave you with a plastic brain
It's drastic. They're sane but they act deranged
just read up all the facts about Aspartame
It's aspartic acid, methanol and phenylalanine as carrier;
which easily helps it get through the blood-brain barrier,
methanol is the poison in Metholated spirits and
it's a solvent and fuel in common death related irritants
it becomes formaldehyde and your body cant break it down...

eating Formaldehyde is deceit because your health's denied

so then it travels through your body depositing in your tissue.
The likely end is in your brain and to slowly dismiss you.
and look who's at the helm of this dreadful rotten barge
it's Captain Monsanto and it's deadly entourage

(chorus)
leave it in the fridge -- or right there it on shelf
cause it's time to grow up and take care of yourself
you don't put water in the petrol tank, so why ya puttin petrol in your water tank...
you'd think grown ups would be sure to think . so think about what you oughta drink
cos you aren't a baby now...

danger! Danger!
NutraSweet - Equal - Aspartame
it's poison...
danger! Danger!

dying to be thin -- crying, trying to fit in
expiring in the gym after buying diet slims
a grim outlook - a lunch brim full of naught
We've got more than a hunch but these crims are never caught
we can't trust insider studies - dump the books
cos the FDA are a bunch of crooks
allegiance to evil, deceit and bad facts
a seizure's the sequel of disease in lab rats
doctors see it in people on reprise of flagged snacks
it's a reason for unease in knees and bad backs

(bridge)
blasphemous swindlers playing tricks on the blind
the facts are like kindling -- sticks in your mind
then your action is instinct and quickly defined
so when you're actually dwindling it kicks you in line.

(chorus)
leave it in the fridge -- or right there it on shelf
cause it's time to grow up and take care of yourself
you don't put water in the petrol tank, so why ya puttin petrol in your water tank...
you'd think grown ups would be sure to think . so think about what you oughta drink
cos you are a big kid now...

danger! Danger!
NutraSweet -- Equal - Aspartame
it's poison...
danger! Danger!

"The corporations that make diet chemicals are the pharmaceutical companies making the medications that treat the symptoms from the use of these chemical sweeteners."

"oh hi, welcome back, can I help you sir?"

"hi, I'll have those anti-depressants, please"

"anything else? Would you like that super-sized?"

"yeah yeah, make it extra large thanks..."

"good choice sir, we wouldnt want you thinking and causing trouble..."

http://www.trillion.co.nz/

Learn more about this issue: Pick Your Poison-Aspartame Vs. Splenda

2001-01-01T01:49:00.000-08:00