December 18, 2009

ALL WE NEED IS....LOVE

the following is a free-write originally from 09/28/2009. it may be rough, in need of fine-tuning but sometimes there is perfection in that which we produce that we, ourselves, consider imperfect...not "up to par"...unacceptable by personal standards because of this thing we call "ego". just as a quick side note regarding ego, i happened across the following quite a few months ago...last april or may. if you're not familiar with the buddist/taoist "TEN BULLS", i suggest you check out the following link.   GOOD STUFF! 

09/28/2009

there is no greater love
than the love of self.
self-love begets all other love.

like rain,
love must fall. 
a storm brews.
cummulus clouds accumulate
dust
dirt
dihydrogen oxide
droplets

with faith,
the first drop falls. 
it is the first of which
to fall...in love
so small.
so innocent.

wondering,
"how am i to leap?"
"how do i fall?"
"should i fall?"
"will it be scary?"
"will it hurt?"
"will i ever fall?"

have faith! 
FALL!
fall gently. 
fall hard. 
fall with wonder
and amazement.
but most of all, fall with eyes wide-open...
tis a splendid ride...
the scenery satisfies the senses.

your leap
of faith
to others
seems so natural,
void of effort
and full
of bliss.

drop.......
by drop.......
one...
by one,
other drops
around you
fall.....following
your lead.

here.....
then there......
hither and yon.
oh so gently
and full of faith.

then by twos they leap together. 
faith finds them safely rejoined
where once separated. 
they come together en-masse
upon their long-awaited resting place...

...
..
.

LAKE NEMESIS!

so very still just moments ago.  it's contents content.  it perfects its reflective, glass-like surface. true to its nature?
  perhaps.  but, truthfully, a mere reflection of that around it.  look below the surface.  uneven.  shallow.  in the depths, true turmoil and carnivorous currents keep inward onlookers at peace with its reflective personality. 

the Drops'
 continuous efforts
errupt and echo forth.
a nemesis.
sugar-coated narcissists take even more cover.

gentle ... wet kisses
awaken the lake. 
so welcome.  a pleasant "good morning", indeed.

firstly, it tingles. "yes! it's growing",
and does so like wild-fire. (?)
kisses ripple from inside out sending shivers of sweet anticipation for more.

"more, Drops!  more drops!! MORE!!!
please!  i thirst for more!  oh, yes! 
let them fall freely...land upon me where they may. 
i've not a care as to where.  i'm a whore!"

ahhhhh!  lustful and gluttonous lake!  glass-like reflection no more!
eyes glossed over, yea.  nay, th'once crystal-clear reflections of shore
and tree, e'en narcissistic, over-grown shrubberies visage - il n'exist plus!

an absorbed soul in selfish, drowning love,
even gives way to pure love... true love...a love so genuine
you'd surely think a mirage.

but no!  its circular tides wash over you completely.
it's under-handed under-toe
passionately pulls
you in and down...
caresses you...
engulfs you
in whirlpooling arms and simply carries you way.

now love-ripples, from whence came drops of faith
and of love, thoroughly seek to disrupt false reflections
upon all surfaces by rushing, colliding and rejoining with one another...
any other...together in love eternal.
from one lake-end to the other, in every cove, around every not-so-random stone or boulder and up
to every shoreline in every direction, love flows.
no dead marsh will stop it's drive! 

"bring it on, Mother nature!
love me harder!  release your heart!
give it all to me drop...
by...
drop...NAY!
SATIATE ME!

you cannot love me too much!
blind me with falling sheets of love!
let loose the dam!
nothing on earth should make barrier,
limit or conserve the flow of love!

let it rage and rush like rapids...
roilling...and tides crashing. 
let it seek revenge...make up for lost and idle time at surf. 
be not concerned of destruction of faithless, loveless standers-by...
collateral damage is necessary sometimes.  if not for their roots holding them too tightly in earth's soil, they, no doubt would recoil.  genetics, social conditioning, "forrest mentality"...it lacks humus!  their faithlessness and green yet frightfully brittle trunks and these, their little sucker sapplings must give way.


I COMMAND IT!

whiplash, branch broken, some physical pain they will feel. it won't last long.  they'll make their way again.
somehow.
maybe.

but the pain upon their souls...
down to their sapless...
ringed cores...
THAT!, my love,
is where they will hurt the most and e'ermore. 

YOUR LOVE AMAZES THEM!
the wilds bewildered by it!

SO RUSH ON!

JUMP IN!

FALL DOWN!

DIG DEEP!

LOSE CONTROL THAT LOVE OF YOURS!

FEAR NOT THE PAIN!

when self-love exists, the sometimes-true cliche and often-times true law of physics, opposites attract, does not and cannot exist!  love will find you.  even when self-love is lacking, love will find you.  if one insists that love does not exist in one's life or if, perhaps, after a loving couple splits one might say they'll never fall in love again, then i'd say that the cliche, love is blind, is, in this case, true.

LOVE IS AN ABSOLUTE UNIVERSAL TRUTH!
WITH...a capital "T"!
it's U-N-T-O-C-H-A-B-L-E-!

December 8, 2009

SwINe VACCINATION


LONG LIVE OCHAM'S RAZOR!  

i don't know about you, but i'm with aristotle and einstein: keep it simple.  although ocham's razor is used in terms of explaining phenomena, i like to extend that philosophy to most things in life.  our newer generations and many in that of the older would agree that today's world is much richer and exciting with advancements in such areas as technology, medicine, space exploration, spirituality, or social awareness.  however, growing up these days is, most certainly, very different from mine and even more so from that of my parents, grand parents and so on.  that's no to say that life wasn't as good then.  life in any age is rich and full of wonder.  life is what you make it given the "tools" available.  i didn't have a ps2 or wii.  in the seventh grade, i didn't carry a cell phone with me to school or secretly text my friends duiring fifth period math class.  my older siblings didn't chat on-line, twitter or have a facebook page.  my parents didn't blog, use craig's list to sell their car or use webmd to figure out what to do with me when i was running a temperature and throwing up all over the place.  conversation, kickin' around with friends and playing catch reigned.  much of the time i yearn for those simpler days. 

that said,  i truly feel that the swine flu vaccinations may be unnecessary for many.  and no need to stock-pile the world's hottest, fastest growing commodity in price and demand: garlic.  KEEP IT SIMPLE!  we need only take extra steps towards SIMPLE, GOOD OLD-FASHIONED PREVENTATIVE health care NOW to strengthen and enable our minds, bodies and souls to stay strong and healthy through the "flu season" and beyond. 

the list below is by no means exhaustive of ways to prevent illness, but are those that i feel are lacking or over-looked by many and which are inexpensive (free, in most cases), easy to execute and have the biggest punch!

1.  give, express, receive lots of love!  i will expand upon this more in a bit.

2.  repeat #1 and often.


3.  eat "right": a no-brainer.  remember how you learned about food-groups and how to eat within each group in thrid grade science? you know why they start teaching you about food at such a young age?  yeah!  right!  IT'S NOT ROCKET SCIENCE!  think about it.  if we followed these elementary principles alone, became more aware of our eating habits and began to replace the "bad" ones, and, finally, started treating meal-time as an event, giving it the respect that it deserves, then we'd all be in much better health.  your bank account will be in better health too!  save your money and forego all of the "impulse buy", aka "scare-tactic-sales-driven" health care magazines at the grocery checkout lines.  fad diet books - what a joke.  sure, some good information but highly unlikely includes anything that is out of the realm of your education or common and intuitive senses.  have you noticed the freezer case at your gorcery store that holds "lean cuisine", "weight watchers" and so on?  it's huge!  not to mention the cost of these items - $4.99 for a quarter cup of vegetable "medley" and a pre-cooked, frozen chicken breast all weighing in at eight ounces?  convenient? maybe.  RIP-OFF? absolutely!  too, have you noticed what's in the freezer case right across from these delights and takes up twice as much space?  icecream, popcicles and frozen cakes and pies.  and next to those health magazines in the checkout lines - what do you see?  soda pop and candy! 


without getting too deep or detailed, some of the more important nutritional questions to ask, at least for me, are: do you skip meals?  do you eat late in the evening or shortly before you go to bed? do you eat plenty of fresh, in-season fruits and vegetables?  do you eat on the go?  do you go over-board on salt, sugar, fats, etc?

as always, eat lots of veggies and fruits especially from your very own garden.  if not, i suggest farmer's markets or purchasing in grocery store those items that are IN SEASON and grown locally and, at minimum, that which is grown in USA!   sure, guacamole is great for sunday afternoon football...but who needs rock-hard, out-of-season avocados from argentina or who knows where (really!) at $3.99 per!

with the holiday season upon us, we all know what that means!  gatherings, parties, celebrations...standing...eating or, more appropriately, "grazing" into later hours of the evening, often times just before sleep.  you wake up and, wholly crap!  you've gained 2 pounds...then 10...then...?   best get in the habit now of eating well cutting out or minimizing as much junk as possible: sugar, sodium, high-fructose corn syrup, hydrogenated oils - 

THEY'RE   E-V-E-R-Y-W-H-E-R-E!  

4. "eating better" means COOKING AT HOME AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE and COOK WITH LOVE!  i don't know too many other things better than a home-cooked meal! assuming it's not carbonized or anything like that! this is very powerful and when done properly, meaning when you successfully perform #3 with #1 on your brain, you will change lives and and keep needles out of our arms!  but before you wield your knife in the kitchen or at your husband, leave all angst at the front door lest tonight's special will read: 

"Ticked-off turkey with crybaby baby carrots, pity-party potatoes and  
"whine" sauce"

your energy / state of mind while cooking infuses your creations. this, in turn, adversely affects your diners or guests.  it's true!  i've seen it a thousand times!  naturally, this energy moves from one being to the next and unless you check that "tude" at the door (no charge) you very well could find yourself in your local ER or perhaps standing in the "frozen foods" aisle at your grocery store trying to find a quick-fox for hungry mouths at home. 
Mm'mm mm!  i HOPE you made enough for leftovers! 

physical well-being requires mental wellness.  being aware of your "vibe" is important to your health AND those around you.  in a sense, you, yourself, are a "doctor". 

yes, YOU! you alone have the power to affect another person's well being! 

this poor soul, in the wrong place at the wrong time, may dismis your grumbling but from you, on an energized, molecular subconscious level, is catching some major grief.  so cut it out!  you're making everyone sick and sick to their stomachs too! 

 DECIDE TO BE HAPPY! 

it's...JUST...THAT...EASY!  the bone to pick with whomever for whatever reason can ...SIMPLY...JUST...WAIT!  with some practice, these actions will wet the appetite in other areas of your life.  those around you will come to the dinner table hungry.  and not just for food but for that one defining ingredient that is called for in every dish you create:

LOVE! 

 put in a pinch.  heck, put in a pound!   i promise, no matter how much you put in, it will not burn nor taste bitter.  mastering this miraculously incredible and powerful skill, will make the best (mom/dad/lover/friend/professional cook) EVER! a "culinary diety"!  you might even get a tip!

"well...john....i'm single...it's hard to cook for one!" or "well...john...i suck at cooking!" cooking for one can be challenging for sure. granted, cooking has been my profession since 2000, but prior to that, i considered cooking for myself difficult with respect to portion sizes, buying the right amount to eliminate waste, having the ability to think ahead as to how to use excess ingredients in other dishes later in the week, not having anybody to share "kitchen duties" such as clean-up, and so on.  all of this, cooking for yourself or many, does become easier with a little more thought, planning and practice.  practice practice practice! just...DO IT! then do it again! then some more! sheesh!  get better acquainted with the kitchen, ingredients, versatility of ingredients - think outside your usual "oven-roasted chicken breast" box!, experiment, compare recipes pulling out the things you like and discarding the rest. as for those in households of two or more, everyone alike - moms, dads, kids - need to get fired up and comfy-cozy in the kitchen such that, one, you're acting and behaving like a real family, two, you regard this thing we call "dinner" as an EVENT rather than something you have to pickup from a fast-food "restaurant". 

lastly, plant a garden!  fresh fruits and veggies from your own backyard is heavenly!  nothing from your garden should go unused.  learn how to can, pickle, freeze or preserve foods!  growing up, my family always had a garden.  my family always planted way too much squash and zuchinni!  my family gave as much of it away to friends and neighbors.  my family's friends and neighbors gave their excess to us!  we accepted it graciously, but, i swear, many a squash we'd given away three days prior somehow made it's way around the neighborhood and landed back on my dinner plate! on a side-note, the expansion of agriculture, global trading and importation, and SOME biological imporvements has been great and has exposed and enabled us to use products or ingredients that we normally would not have access to.  however, my gut-feeling tells me that in the very near future we're going to see less and less nationally and internationally processessed foods.  i believe that our demand for these products will shift to a more localized focus.  a focus reminiscent and more self-sustaining much like that of 50 years ago.  we'll see more food co-ops, farmer's markets, personal and community gardens, etc.   i suggest brushing up on your cooking, gardening, preserving/canning skills.  what's more, i suggest getting a grip or, at minimum, a "nodding acquaintance" with HUNTING....AND...BUTCHERY!

 
ok...since this is getting to be somewhat of a novella rather than a blog post, let's put a wrap on it.


in summary: 
to the swiney vaccination
dare i say to you, "poo poo!"
we will beat you and the likes
"hey! i ain't got the flu!"

do it naturally, buy it local
can tomatoes, do it right
brush-up on those kitchen skills
make sure the seal is tight!

cook at home for family
three nutritious meals a day
dining together is an event
where all can have their say

go exercise or lift weights
no sweets or smokes today
read labels, plan your menus
"no hydrogenated oil? hooray!"

cook for many, cook for one
just practice...rise above!
most of all, don't cook with anger
cuz the best food's cooked with LOVE!





1. Leaked Letters Reveal Swine Flu Vaccine Lethal Link
The silence is almost deafening in the American press when it comes to information about the potentially lethal link between swine flu vaccine and the dreaded nerve disorder of Guillain-Barre syndrome, some health officials say.
But information about the link recently reached the public in the United Kingdom in two letters leaked to the Daily Mail. The letters were addressed to 600 senior British neurologists. One was from the UK’s Health Protection Agency and the other, from the Association of British Neurologists.
The specter of Guillain-Barre is too dangerous to be ignored, and news that the swine flu vaccine might cause it should not be soft-pedaled in the United States, some health officials say.
Guillain-Barre syndrome is an incurable autoimmune disorder that ravages the protective sheathing of the nerves, affecting the brain and the spinal cord.
It can cause death or permanent disability, or even paralysis to the point that patients must be put on respirators to breathe.
Although no one knows its exact cause, physicians know it can be triggered by surgery or by vaccinations such as the swine flu vaccine — and the vaccine is the big concern of the moment, given the precedent of 1976.
That year, the U.S. government rushed to develop a swine flu vaccine and gave it to about 40 million people. Soon after the deaths of 25 people from paralysis and respiratory failure, the government strongly suspected the vaccine was the cause and withdrew it. The swine flu itself, on the other hand, killed only one person. The new strain of swine flu used in the new vaccine is slightly different, but concerns about Guillain-Barre remain the same.
"I would not have the swine flu jab" because of the risk, said a senior neurologist who asked that his name not be used.
Yet another worry about the vaccine is the use of a component oil called squalene.
Squalene also can set off auto-immunity and is associated with multiple sclerosis, Alzheimer’s disease, ALS, and Parkinson’s disease, according to Dr. Russell Blaylock, a prominent American neurosurgeon.
Many British experts also are worried about squalene, going so far as to call the upcoming initial trial of the swine flu vaccine a “guinea-pig trial.”
The leaked letters beg doctors to be on the lookout for patients with Guillain-Barre symptoms, revealing deep doubts and fears in the UK about the safety of the new vaccine. The letter from the Association of British Neurologists, for instance, informed physicians that the vaccine caused a possible eight-fold increase in Guillain-Barre during the 1976 U.S. swine flu bout.
The Health Protection Agency letter reminded physicians that, in the 1976 bout in the United States, more people died from the vaccination than the flu. More than 500 cases of Guillain-Barre were diagnosed and resulted in the vaccine's being withdrawn after just 10 weeks.
Guillain-Barre By the Numbers: About 160 million doses of swine flu vaccine will be available this fall. In 1976, about one in 100,000 who got the swine flu vaccine developed Guillain-Barre.

Chef John's recipe for "DISASTER!"


take one cook, more if desired, and sprinkle with just a pinch of anger.  a smidge of bad energy could be substituted here.  macerate the cook in pissy vinegar for 10 minutes while he grumbles about everything from albacore to ziti.  next, place the cook before lots of beautiful, happy and smiling food-stuffs.  should you choose to remain in the kitchen area, i recommend a chef's coat, rubber/leather non-slip-sole slip-on shoes and protective eye wear. if not, come back in 3 hours to check on the cooks progress. done-ness test:  grumbling should have ceased, "juices" or sweat runs clear on the brow and/or around the neck and armpits, his face just slightly reddened.  make sure cook is not over-cooked.  you will know if over-cooked if he is wearing one or more ban-aids on fingers, hands, etc, or you might see various burns also on the hands as well as on forearms and, although very rarely, upper arms to shoulder area.  burns may appear on the tongue and or the cheek inside of mouth.  now, if he is still grumbling, has cross-contaminated others around him with his bad energy, has the severed tip of his thumb floating in a nearby bowl of milk and respective digit raised above his head, tightly bound in a bloody towel and looks as though he might faint, then just throw the darned thing out!  



December 2, 2009

Holiday Wreaths for sale! Hand-crafted, one-of-a-kind!

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November 15, 2009

where. oh where

where, oh where have you gone? are you alone? are you lonely? maybe you're having fun? is there someone to hold you when you need it? is it like the time we shared?

days go by like fading memories. do you ever try to remember me; in a car...a crowded bar...? well, i hope you are alright wherever you are.

do you hear me calling in the dead of the night? no, not me. not that ole rock. that rock is rolling away. 'tisn't anybody calling at all. did you make a mistake? was it all in your head? maybe it was me talking to your heart instead.

to you i call out. my voice, it echoes, calling out like the cries of a passing train. once more...one last time before it fades into the distant hills and dies.

if still within the sound of my voice, know that having you near always made me rejoice. if you.re still within the sound of my voice, why don.t you let me know? am i just that easy to let go?

November 14, 2009

LiEinG to thE MooN

i watched the sun go down while i stood on sacred ground. where once the night found us in the twilight of our love. you said you.d meet me here but i.m all alone. you sounded so sincere. did you lead me on? i told the starry sky to wait for you. i told the wind to sigh like lovers do. i even told the night that you were true; that you would be here soon. and now i.m lieing to the moon. and so the night takes me in like a sympathetic friend. and sends the wind through the trees so the willow weeps for me. the shadows fool my eyes and i think i see you. then they start to cry. don.t you know they believed you?

September 3, 2009

DYAD Live Part 2 from Be Johnny on Vimeo.

Dyad: Sonic Visual Improvisations, is the collaboration between Johnny DeKam and Jasch. We toured throughout Europe & North America between 2001 and 2003. Both artists wrote there own custom software in Max/MSP, each designed to exchange control parameters over a local network, creating a kind of iterative feedback loop (sound controlling video controlling sound etc). The visual performance always included a small set of objects/props shot with two cameras and hand controlled LED lighting. A microphone was trained on the ‘puppet set’ which would be used as a source for audio sampling and manipulation.

August 28, 2009



screaming silently,

inside his head.
listening...always...

...blabbering lips

circular thoughts

and heavy smoke rings,
on two axes collide...
point "y" misses again.

propellers go 'round
one more time...

...the song changes...the same old tune.

crumpled and force-fed
he'd lay on his bed...

...listening...

...always listening...

...blabbering lips.

pErsonaLiTy QUiZ




You Are An ESFJ



The Caregiver



You are sympathetic and caring, putting friends and family first.

A creature of habit, you prefer routines and have trouble with change.

You love being in groups - whether you're helping people or working on a project.

You are good at listening, laughing, and bringing out the best in people.



In love, you value harmony and mutual understanding.

You will apologize or give someone the benefit of the doubt, if it means getting over a fight sooner.



At work, you are good at building relationships and connecting with people.

You would make a great nurse, social worker, or teacher.



How you see yourself: Organized, dependable, co-operative



When other people don't get you, they see you as: Opinionated, critical, and know-it-all



http://www.blogthings.com/

COmPATIble zODIAC

fun quizzes for myspace profile and blog

http://www.lets101.com/blog/quizzes/compatible_zodiacs

"gemS" (AT leAST A PReCIOuS STONe)

fun quiz for myspace profile and blog

http://www.lets101.com/blog/quizzes/stars_say

August 27, 2009

love is paradoXicaL

this post shall be ever-changing:

CAREFUL!

I will give you love so deep
it will take your breath away.
I shall bring you to my heart
and bring you profoundly to my soul.
I shall call forth your greatness
and sing unheard harmony with your spirit.
For if i love you,
you must deserve it all
and i shall give you
nothing but my very
best.
-ME

To expect too much
is to have a sentimental view of life and this
is a softness that ends in
bitterness.

-Flannery O'Connor

you're young until you're not,
you love until you don't,
you try until you can't,
you laugh until you cry,
you cry until you laugh,
and everyone must breathe
until their dying breath.
-regina spektor


NOTHING IS REAL UNTIL YOU LET GO COMPLETELY
-kelly clarkson, "sober"


if you walk away, i walk away.
first tell me which road you will take;
i don't want to risk our paths crossing someday.
so you walk that way, i'll walk this way.
-bright eyes, "land-locked blues"

i didn't come this far for you to make this hard for me.
-lisa loeb, "how"

At the end of the day, faith is a funny thing. It turns up when you don't really expect it. It's like one day you realize that the fairy tale may be slightly different than you dreamed. The castle, well, it may not be a castle. And it's not so important happy ever after, just that it's happy right now. See once in a while, once in a blue moon, people will surprise you..and once in a while, people may even take your breath away.
-grey's anatomy

At the end of the day when it comes down to it, all we really want is to be close to somebody. so this thing where we all keep our distance and pretend not to care about each other is usually a load of bull. so we pick and choose who we want to remain close to, and once we've chosen those people, we tend to stick close by. no matter how much we hurt them, the people that are still with you at the end of the day, those are the ones worth keeping. and sure, sometimes close can be too close. but sometimes that invasion of personal space, it can be exactly what you need.
-grey's anatomy

VISIONS

this youtube video is one that my friend mark found and sent to me. if i recall correctly, the woman in the video was describing a vision she had many years ago. about 6 weeks ago, i had a vision that was ALL TOO FAMILIAR and when i heard her describe her experience, i...simply...lost it! when i had this vision, i described it to two people. i didn't even think to check online for others who might have had the same or similar visions. well, now i know there is at least one....

as for my experience, it was similar to that of the woman seen here. a number of other things were "seen" and i am working towards getting that posted here...until then...
">

August 26, 2009

SuggeSTED ReADINgS

"You could be honest too
if you'd only try," said the
grandmother.

"Think how wonderful it would be
to settle down and live a comfortable life
and not have to think about somebody chasing you
all the time."


admittedly, i've not read all that much since graduating from college. i've been, i suppose, rather "busy" since then. nowadays, i've a bit more time to myself and having not read much in many years, i've found my mind's curiosity and voracious need for new information almost insatiable. i've been gobbling up and soaking in as much information as possible on a great many and varied topics. being drawn in so many directions i, often times, find myself only being able to dedicate a "short while" to feeding my promiscuous and somewhat unfocused intellect.

for you see, this is my way. this is how i like it. i am a gemini....an air sign. we geminis blow furiously or slow. rarely do we blow your socks off. but when we do and that weather vane is about to come unhitched from its perch, know that we are just having fun. we don't mean any harm. when we blow on you to almost knock you over, well, we're still having fun. meaning, we enjoy blowing your hair all around...blowing your skirt up...blowing and blowing and blowing some more to lift you up in debate. i'm not totally certain about other geminis, but for me, when i'm in debate, that's really all it is. other signs would see this as a heated argument. but fear not! even if you are engaged in a "heated argument" with that charming, creative, passionate and loving gem of a gemini, understand that much of it is an "exercise". it may look like a tornado ripped thru your relationship or what have you, but the winds do die down almost as quickly as they came up and the light and warm breeze returns and gently loves you and kisses your wind-chaffed lips.

however, because we are so adaptable, most of the time we just breeze along just as happy as can be so long as we are not confined. we enjoy going this way and that, changing direction as we see fit. to other signs (EARTH especially), this blowing about aimlessly seems very chaotic. we are viewed as being fickle or indecisive....as having no direction...as having no solid opinions. but what these folks don't understand about us is...well, that's the way we like it. we do have direction and goals albeit that direction, most of the time, is not from point "A" to point "B". we like to meander around and check out points "C", "R", "A", "Z", "Y" before we make a decision. we like to inhale all vAIRriables possible, scrutinize it, think about it for a bit, then ATTACK! the only time we go from "A" to "B" directly and swiftly is when we are inspired by creativity and fun. we are great generators of ideas that come from outside the box. we are wonderful project "starters"; however, our "sticktuitiveness" and follow thru is lacking especially if that project lasts longer than we think it should. we get tired and, quite frankly, bored in a short period of time. we like to be on the go most of the time. we have gobs of interests and most of which we have not experienced in life we at least have an interest in trying it out. when we know what we want, we GO FOR IT! when we know what we KNOW and someone disagrees or believes what we are saying is incorrect, then we become the most stubborn of beings who will fight for our beliefs. when a gemini really....and i mean REALLY... knows something...or won't back down what so ever in debate, you better take note and think about what's taking place. you see, we are adaptable and mutable. we blow and bend with thoughts and ideas. we wisp about with our curious eyes wide-open at all times. we blow up ideas and information like a twister would trees, fences and rooftops. we carry this "debris" with us and pick up more along the way....clashing and colliding...mixing and matching the various tidbits and determine what works for us and what does not. we are fair and consider all that we take in. what doesn't fit in at that given moment is discarded from our swirling minds but it is not forgotten. we drop that junk from our airy grasp and shoot it back out, scattering it across the land. we know where to find it again if we need it and we run like the wind to retrieve it. we are much like the character Cliff Clavin, from "CHEERS". i'm certain he was a gemini. he was an expert in nothing but had a nodding acquaintace with everything. if i needed a partner in a game of TRIVIAL PURSUIT or had to choose an individual to be my "call-a-friend" lifeline, cliff is who i'd pick.

anyway, this post is an excellent example of what i've described above: i started out with one topic and ended up somewhere else altogether. my intent was to list a short story a friend suggested to me. and so here it is...




it's a coLorFUL WorLd!



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elegANCe AND TRuTH: HAND IN HAND




Zoe Ellis - "Still"


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August 21, 2009

THe PROblem wITH ANeCDOTeS

my friend mark found this video on youtube...it's groovy...and i just had to post here too.

thanks mark!

see more great posts, videos and awesome photography by mark at:
togetherseparated

SyNCHROmANCeR

so i hop on facebook the other day for the first time in awhile. my friend mark sent me a message in conjunction with a facebook application, "who is your guardian angel?" below are my results.
























in a prior post, i spoke of an email my mother sent me regarding the caduces / rod of asclepius / hermes / mercury /iris (mythological goddess as well as the flower) / and so on. prior to taking this fun, simple quiz i knew absolutely nothing about archangels and, for the most part, i still don't even though i've a book in my bedroom regarding such matter. there it waits for me to open it up and read thru it's informative pages. coincidence? nay!

i don't believe in coincidences.

i believe in synchronicity.

SyNCHRONICITy is simply a coincidence of events that seemingly have no relation to one another but do, in fact, have meaning.

when one is in "sync", it is a confirmation that the path he/she walks upon is TRUE and the "gods" are actively involved. has anyone noticed the increased use of "sync" with regards to technology these days? anyway, my angel results and my prior post on the caduces is, well,..IN SYNC! you can see for yourself if you like...it's all there...i won't connect the dots here.

for about 6 months now i've been, quite literally, devouring information in books, on the web, and all around me. i've become "aware". i am on a path of exponential growth in knowledge, awareness, intuition, spiritualism, humanitarianism, expression, freedom, love, selflessness, balance, experimentation, critical thinking, the order of things, symbolism, and the list goes on. all of this in relation to the world i see has sent my head spinning with joy and excitement. with all this new stuff inside my head and with continued growth and understanding as it applies to my life and mine AND your future, the act of "CONNECTING THE DOTS" between the past, present and future in every respect conceivable or not, has changed my life in such a way that it will never, ever be the same again. i look forward to sharing many of my experiences with you, whomever you may be, and hearing from you all as well.

as i dive deeper to discover new meaning in all that i've experienced, i just love it when i can, as i said above, "connect the dots". in other words, i am putting the contents of my "gray matter" to use, using all of my senses, and taking in all the information around me and putting it into "sync". and so i've come up with a name (one of many) for myself. i am a:


being a synchromancer is a challenge. if you don't know me, i LOVE a challenge. i am competitive. i play to win but my dear parents also taught me how to be a good loser. i love games...i love puzzles. life is a puzzle to which i discover new pieces each and every day and finding its place or relationship(s)to the other pieces of the puzzle in front of me. it's fun, challenging and satisfies my curiosity and intellectual promiscuity. i flip for verbal gymnastics. i may have an "argument" just for the sake of stretching my brain. many times while conversing, my mind is going so fast and i want to share so much and what i want to share goes in a thousand different directions such that my spoken words get a little sloppy and my focus fragmented. this gives the outward appearance to others with whom i am not in sync that i am cuckoo. i feel that way anyway...but i'm not cuckoo. i'm a friggin' genius... of sorts. but when i encounter someone with whom i am in sync, i feel delicious. this is how it is with my friend mark. we "get" each other. we are "in sync". unfortunately, most people out there are too busy with what they call "life" that life is passing them by and true awareness goes unnoticed. i believe this awareness feeds the soul. in herman hesses' SIDDHARTHA, the author of the introduction describes how in today's world (at least to "kids-in-a-candy-store-americans") all the goodies, entertainment, technological gizmos and gadgets (is the internet a distraction or a tool?) along with a fast-paced way of living leaves the soul undernourished. we're so busy with life and "stuff" that the things that are truly important "starve". at some point, something has got to give. and i believe that point has been reached. i believe that this is one explanation for the global phenomena of 11:11...and that's another story for another time. (oh...and this author that wrote the introduction to SIDDHARTHA in 1999 was living in boulder, colorado at the time and formerly of san francisco. in 1999, i moved to san francisco...formerly of boulder, colorado )

and so i suggest to all of you out there...BE AWARE! don't dismiss "coincidences". if you are already or are starting to "connect the dots" then grrrrrrreat! and when doing so, give it your attention...put the pieces of the puzzle together. it's not just a puzzle...it's your life and your future. recently, i was recounting some of my new-found and trivial (to him, anyway) knowledge and experiences to a friend. as i did so, i expressed myself with rapid delight and enthusiasm which was followed by critical thinking, deeper and/or rhetorical questioning for meaning. he said that he had done the same a number of years ago and was, on a lesser level than before, still practicing awareness. however, he recommended that i just take comfort in knowing that the connections are there and stop spending so much time trying to find meaning in everything. i was taken back. for starters, we don't know one another all that well. that said, he doesn't understand my mind, my craving for information, my hypercuriosity, my liking to debate and witty banter. secondly, being comforted in knowing that it's there is almost like not taking notice of it at all in the first place. it may not seem so important at the time but if it goes unnoticed it won't have any meaning down the road. this reminds me a line from "the color purple". as celie and shug avery strolled thru a field of purple flowers, shug said something like, "i bet it pisses god off when you don't notice the color purple." taking my friend's advice is kind of like that. or it'd be like buying a puzzle because you love to do them so much but when you get it home it just sits in the closet...but, oh no! it's there and that's good enough for me! nay! take notice! take notes! take everything in! you needn't connect all the dots right this instance. just collect the dots and set them aside until you need them. but realize, friend, you can't connect the dots if you haven't gathered any dots to connect!

GAME ON!

hey...these guys are pretty good too!

FiNAlly! AN A CAPellA wITH PIzazz!


A Ca Pella - The top video clips of the week are here

this is awesome! an acappella group with some pizazz and imagination! outfits aside, i've imagined a group like this from the age of 14 or so.

August 12, 2009

the new healthcare symbol...along w/ personal story in ancient tidbits

i received the other day an email from my dear, sweet mother. just a funny email from one of her friends that works in the healthcare industry. the picture depicted here is, well, pretty obvious: another one of america's fine agencies providing exceptional service.

below is a copy of our (mostly mine, circumlocutionist at large) correspondence re: this truly rich update to the symbol used in the medical world.

because my mother just passed on along the picture, i begin below with my response to her as to my knowledge and understanding of the symbol and a few derivatives as well as my personal experiences.




that symbol is taken from the cadeuces/sceptre/staff of the greek god hermes and his roman counterpart, mercury. then there is iris, the female or goddess version of hermes/mercury. (i love the word IRISIAN - and of all the flowers that jeff and i took w/ us from colorado to san francisco and, in fact, still have in the backyard are indeed irises!! they've always been my favorite for as long as i can remember...makes sense, huh?[I (we!) are gemini)







below, are some pictures of some irises in my sister's garden. aren't the beeyooteefull?



iris and hermes are related to the astological sign of gemini...twins. gemini is known as the communicator of the zodiac as were hermes and iris. of all the gods, they were able to travel freely, like the wind (air), between the 3 worlds - that of the gods on mt. olympus, earth and the underworld - carrying messages (hermeneutics) between the three. they also protected travelers/merchants on earth and were psychopomps - guiding the dead to the underworld. gemini, too, is an air sign and is ruled by the planet mercury. before all of the male gods became so prominent, the female gods were held in higher regard and worshiped more heavily. but man quashed goddess worship, like that of many other things. over time, iris disappeared and was replaced or represented thru the cadeuces that mercury/hermes carried. too, her female characteristics - physical, mental, spiritual - were incorporated w/ those of hermes...who's physical attributes are depicted as "womanish-man" or "manish-woman". his mental capacities included a higher intuitive sense - more common to women but stereotypically uncommon to men. his spiritual attributes were stronger than the stereotypical man in that he was more compassionate, a stronger nurturing sense and more was more sensitive. the original medicinal symbol was a rod w/ only one serpent - the rod of asclepius. but the sign we see today for medicine is depicted here (minus the screw, of course!) - 2 serpents (twins) wings of mercury (FTD florist symbol - winged shoes - deliverer of messages/flowers) although it has become acceptable to use the rod of hermes to represent medicine, it is incorrect.

(from wikipedia)

hermes is also the name given for a stone pillar with a carving of a man's head - a man of stature, wealth, ruler, politician, egoist. etc. and also included a carved frontal replication of his private parts - which i have no idea why! these hermes were mass produced and used to line or border territories and were used by travelers/merchants not only for good luck (they'd rub the nose of these pillar/statues for luck) but would also guide and protect them while on their journeys. when jeff and i were in paris and were visiting the louvre, there was a room full of these pillars and i thought it peculiar that most of the noses were missing. initially, i thought they were missing because they broke...or were defaced, quite literally, by hoodlums...and i'm sure that is true for many. for some, the noses were simply worn out from being rubbed for luck by travelers. eventually, the stone noses were replaced with metal - copper, i think. i don't recall having seen any of these copper-noses at the louvre but i wonder if that is perhaps where the phrase "hard-nosed" came from. funny...there is a heavy metal band out of argentina called "hermetica".

after having learned this a couple of months ago, i was watching the news and the symbol they used was the cadeuces and i thought to myself, "hey!!! that's the wrong symbol!" hehe

that's all i have to say about that!

love your gemini son,



her response:

that's quite a wonderful dissertation...Nice things to know...and to have seen in Paris.

and I think, just for you, I will plant iris bulbs in my new garden when we get our final landscaping done...well, I like them, too. And when they bloom, I will think of this story.

love and hugs to you, mother

wallflowers