It's Only Life, After All

Snoop loves Television

2009-12-26T21:23:00.001-05:00

especially animal shows

Pileated Woodpecker

2009-12-05T18:15:00.000-05:00

We hear them all time and catch glimpses occasionally, but this is the first time I was able to get an actual photo of one

First snow of the season

2009-12-05T18:11:00.003-05:00

Charleston Metro Band Christmas Concert

2009-12-05T18:07:00.001-05:00

The Charleston Metro Band Christmas Concert, held at the Alban Arts & Conference Center on December 4, 2009.

My brother Shawn on Tuba

Rock & Gem Show 2009

2009-10-17T17:24:00.001-04:00

Specifically, the Kanawha County Rock & Gem Club's 36th annual Gem, Mineral, Fossil & Jewelry Show and Sale. I always enjoy this show. I didn't spend much money this year but enjoyed looking at everything.

Rock & Gem Show 2009

Chickens in the Road Party on the Farm 2009

2009-10-13T08:26:00.002-04:00

I was so happy to be able to go to the Chickens in the Road Party on the Farm and meet Suzanne and Coco and Clover and Nutmeg and Boomer and even Mean Rooster!

Chickens in the Road Party 10-11-09

Chicago: An Adventure in the Big City

2009-06-29T19:40:00.000-04:00

Okay it really wasn't that much of an adventure, I just like the way that sounds LOL.

What it really was, was a trip to Chicago to attend training, specifically the Paralegal & Investigator Skills Workshop put on by the Office of Defender Services Training Branch. Since my husband had already scheduled to take this week off, I took a few extra days so we could turn it into a vacation of sorts. In order for us to be able to afford to do this, we drove instead of flying.

Tuesday: Indiana = Corn

We started off our trip on Tuesday, taking most of the whole day to travel. We went up into Ohio where we had lunch in Chillicothe (Bob Evans). Then on to Indiana. I had never been to Indiana. There were fields of corn EVERYWHERE. It was a pretty long, boring drive, about 7 1/2 hours, I think.

We had reserved a room at a Super 8 in Hammond, Indiana, just outside of Gary. I had wondered beforehand whether they had some kind of Jackson 5 museum, knowing they grew up there. I wish now that I had at least driven by the family home, which I saw on the news after Michael died. The hotel itself was okay, nothing fancy, but adequate for our needs. Best of all it was free thanks to our accumulated Wyndham rewards points. We had dinner at a restaurant next door, Johnel's. They had a huge menu with everything from sandwiches to steaks to seafood. It was a family type restaurant and the food was very good. It was a nice place to have a relaxing dinner after our long drive (approx. 7.5 hours?).

The only problem with our hotel was location. It was the noisiest place we have ever stayed! It was right beside the interstate exit so we heard lots of trucks all night. But also heard sirens and people and I don't know what else. The cooling system wasn't the kind you could just turn the fan on and leave it on - that would have helped tremendously. Instead it went off and on all night. We didn't get a very good night's sleep. Since I use ear plugs I probably got the most sleep :)

Hello from Indiana

Wednesday: On to Chi-town! Lincoln Park and the Shedd Aquarium

We got up early on Wednesday. This was my only full day in Chicago so I wanted to make the most of it. Unfortunately, that meant we entered Chicago in the middle of morning rush hour! I am glad I don't have to drive that every day.

I love zoos, so I thought a good place to start the day was Lincoln Park, which includes a FREE zoo, the Lincoln Park Zoo. We started at the Farm-in-the-Zoo section, since I love goats and cows and I knew they had some hands-on stuff. Unfortunately, everything I read said they opened at 9:00 a.m., and it was true that the GROUNDS open at 9:00 a.m. But most of the exhibits don't open until 10:00 a.m. So I was able to see the animals, but not pet the goats as I had hoped. Oh well.

I didn't get to see the apes because the exhibit wasn't open yet either. I intended to go back to it after we were done but by that time we were so hot and tired I skipped it. It was very hot that day, even though we started out early. The zoo was okay but not the best I've ever been to certainly (you do get what you pay for). But I liked it and appreciated that they try to keep it free so everyone has access. I especially enjoyed seeing the tiger have lunch, watching a crow sneaking in and eating the polar bear's food, seeing meerkats up close, etc.

When we were watching the rhino, there was a zoo employee walking around with a rhino horn. He stopped and talked to us, let us feel the horn, told us what it was made of (it's like our fingernails) and answered some questions about the rhinos. I thought it was a great idea having employees wandering around like that to interact with visitors, although he was the only one I saw. The rhino was so cute too. She was a 4 year old female and will be old enough to breed in a few years (hopefully with their 26 year old male). She was so playful, running around her enclosure. She got in the mud then ran over and stopped in front of us to show off to the guy (I think his name was Gaylen).

The zoo pictures:

Lincoln Park is a lovely place. It also has a conservatory, nature museum, beach and there was a farmer's market type thing there too. Unfortunately, by the time we were done with the zoo, as I mentioned before we were just so hot and tired all we wanted to do was get to the hotel, so we didn't visit anything else there.

Walking through Lincoln Park

We stayed at the same hotel where the seminar was being held: The Hyatt Regency on East Wacker Drive. It's a nice hotel and pretty expensive. I was very happy we were able to check in even though it was several hours before official check in.

The room was very nice. It had a very comfortable bed, a 37 inch flat screen and was very roomy. Our room was on the 4th floor and overlooked an intersection where a little grocery store is located. We turned one of the couches around and spent a lot of time looking out that window.

After we got settled in our room, we went downstairs and had lunch at the hotel in Bistro 151. Part of it is in the right of this picture - this is the lobby looking down from the floor where you check in.

Our hotel was on the Chicago River, near where it empties into Lake Michigan. It's a lovely area!

Regarding our hotel - although it was very nice, for the amount of money we paid some things were a disappointment. There was no bath tub, only a shower (and the way it was designed, most of the time you ended up with a big puddle of water on the floor directly in front of the toilet). There was a nice plasma tv, but not many channels to watch. And finally, I think it is outrageous that they charge almost $14 a day for internet access! Which of course we had to have. It helps so much in planning, finding your way around, reading restaurant reviews, etc. Not to mention checking email and Facebook :)

After we had lunch, we set off for the museum campus. We decided to take a bus. The bus system is great - there are buses coming along every 15 minutes for the most popular runs (museum campus, sears tower, etc.) We stationed ourselves in front of the Wrigley Building and waited. It took longer than 15 minutes but eventually it got there.

I couldn't decide between the aquarium and the museum of natural history. I really wanted to go to the museum more, but the aquarium was open later, and by the time we got over there (after waiting for the bus and traveling across town) we would have only had an hour and a half in the museum, so I opted for the Shedd Aquarium. It is right on the lake and it's such a nice area.

The aquarium was a disappointment. It's nice, and they have a lot of exhibits, but it just wasn't as good as I thought it would be. The biggest disappointment for me was the dolphin area - you could see them from below, through a window looking into murky water, but you couldn't access the area above, where they would jump out of the water and you could really see them. I don't know why it was closed. I thought they also had some kind of shows with the dolphins and whales but never really saw information on them. From below, we could see the dolphins play. Sometimes they would swim down to the bottom then up as fast as they could and jump into the air. I would like to have seen that from above!

We did get to see the beluga whales up top and they were my favorites. They are so pretty!! They swam around and would come up and spray.

Here's a short video of the whales. The people talking on it aren't us - they were standing beside us.

We took the bus back to the room. We decided to get off before the place we'd gotten on, thinking it would save us time. Unfortunately, we didn't really know where we were and got off too soon then had a little trouble finding our hotel! Not a big deal, except we'd stopped at a 7-11 and gotten a case of water and some pepsi and were carrying that back to the room. I was soooo hot and tired by the time we found it! LOL! It is confusing with all those buildings that look alike!! Not to mention there are is another Wacker Drive (North Wacker? we were on East Wacker) and Wacker Place.

Anyway. We decided to stay in the rest of the evening. I had a nice long cold shower and we settled in and watched TV and watched people outside. For dinner, we ordered pizza from Giordano's, which was close by. We decided to try their thin crust, thinking the deep dish might be too messy or get soggy on the way or something. It was GREAT pizza - one of the best I've had, and I've had a lot of pizza.

Thursday & Friday: Back to Work

Thursday my seminar started. I left my room at 7:30 a.m. for registration and breakfast. The seminar started at 8:30 and went until 5:30. Over the next few days, I spent most of my time learning. The seminar was great. I learned a lot and it was very interesting. At lunch, we ate in the hotel again, then I went back early to read the big stack of papers we'd gotten just before lunch. During the course of the seminar, we worked on a sample case and were periodically given more information and documents. We listened to lectures some of the time, and some of the time worked in small groups talking about the case and practicing skills such as interviewing. In one session on Friday I learned to use Microsoft Viseo - I don't even know if I have that in the office but hope I do as I have some ideas as to how I could use it to benefit the attorneys I think. I met lots of interesting people. The neat thing is that the majority of them work in federal public defender offices. Some were in private practice, but all of us did the same kind of work, on the same kind of cases, and there were people from all over the country. I'm really glad I got to go.

Thursday evening, by the time were were done, I still hadn't read all of the papers and I was tired! I didn't really feel like trying to figure out where to go or what we could do, and I didn't really want to fool with buses or cabs to get somewhere. We did walk around outside a little bit. We had dinner at Stetson's Chop House, a very nice restaurant in the hotel. I think it's the only time we've ever spent over $100 for a meal! And we only had water to drink! LOL. I had a very nice filet. The service was excellent and quite fancy (all one person did was refill drinks and sweep up the crumbs between courses). We even had sorbet between salad and main course. Not that I had salad. Dave had the price fix meal which included salad, an entree (he had salmon) and dessert. I chose the filet and a twice baked potato, and Dave shared his dessert with me (a marvelous chocolate torte with real whipped cream and raspberries). The kitchen was open so we could watch them cook. I wanted so badly to take pictures but was afraid that was too tacky!! LOL. At the end of the meal instead of mints we were presented with chocolate covered strawberries flash frozen with dry ice, the smoke from the dry ice swirling around them. I didn't think I liked chocolate covered strawberries but these were awesome!! I was glad we splurged and had such a nice meal, and even more glad we were able to just get on the elevator and go back to our room.

Friday I was in training again all day. We had lunch at Houlihan's, which was close by. The food was very good (it had Friday's type food only it was all freshly made in-house) but they had the a/c on so high it was freezing and that was uncomfortable. Friday evening we took a long walk, including down by the river on the River Walk.

The river is lovely but when you are down there beside it, it stinks soooo bad!! LOL Very strong fishy smell. So we didn't walk down there very long. While we were down there, this gentleman, whose name is Bela, stopped me and asked if I would take a picture of him in front of Trump Tower LOL. He was quite a character. I need to go email him the pictures.

Unfortunately I couldn't really get a good picture of Trump Tower with him, but here is the building:

And here's us sitting on a bench watching people:

By the way, although I guess sea gulls are as common in Chicago as pigeons, I really liked them, since we don't have them around here.

This is the view from our room at night. We don't have many (any?) hummer limos around here:

Friday night, again I really didn't feel like going anywhere or even deciding where to go out of all of the places in Chicago, and we ended up ordering pizza from Giordano's again so I could try the stuffed crust pizza, which is kind of like deep dish only with an extra crust. It wasn't nearly as good as the other one.

Saturday: On the Road Again:

On Saturday the seminar ended and we were ready to go home. It took us awhile to find the interstate (they need more signs for goodness sake!) but that allowed us to see a little more of Chicago. Then we made the long trek back home.

Overall I had a good time in Chicago. I hope someday I can go back when I don't have to work for most of the time, so that I can take in the many sites and museums I missed and try some of the restaurants. There are so many things to do it is overwhelming! I didn't make it to many of the things I wanted to see. I'd like to go to the navy pier, the beaches, Grant Park, the Field Museum of Natural History and Union Station to name just a few!!

Chicago is a beautiful city. There is amazing architecture and so many things to see. The people were so nice - we weren't treated rudely by anyone, either on the street (which is a madhouse sometimes trying to cross streets and such) or in any of the shops or restaurants. It is also very clean, considering what a big place it is and how many people are walking and driving around. I look forward to returning some day.

I'll leave you with pictures taken downtown as we walked and rode around:

More kitten pictures

2009-06-11T18:54:00.000-04:00

Hopefully have two people coming to see the kittens this weekend and am praying they will take some home with them.

Free Kittens! You know you want one!!

2009-06-10T18:57:00.000-04:00

The mother of these kittens is a neighbor's cat who continues to bring her kittens down here to get them away from the children up there. We cannot take on any more cats. We (and the neighborhood) are over run! These poor little guys are going to the shelter unless I can find them home. The mother is about half feral, but if I start now I can get these kittens used to people and suitable for adoption. If you would like to take one, please contact me ASAP!!!!

Owl

2009-06-07T13:41:00.000-04:00

We came across this guy when we were out for our Sunday drive, up in the mountains in the Campbell's Creek area.

He turned around to get a better look at us.

We could hear him calling to another owl, and the other answering him.

Sims 3 for iPod Touch (and iPhone)

2009-06-04T18:21:00.004-04:00

I am a huge Sims fan. The first time I saw the game, I KNEW it was the game for me. Create little people and control every aspect of their lives? It's like playing God! LOL I played the original Sims, Sims 2 and even Sims for the gameboy. And this week the newest Sims game, Sims 3, was released!!! Also released on the same day was the Sims 3 iPhone/iPod Touch application!! Since I had decided not to buy the desktop computer version just yet, I was thrilled to learn I could get one for my iPod Touch. And for only $9.99, it was a cheaper way to get my Sims fix.

Although it's certainly not the same as playing the full game, it is a scaled down version (unlike like the Gameboy game I have, which is really nothing like playing the Sims). The Sims look just like the Sims on your computer and can do a lot of the same things, with some limitations. For example, you are limited in how the Sim can look, what furniture you can get, etc. So let me tell you what I have learned about it so far (some things are unlocked as you go along and I haven't learned everything about it YET).

When you create your Sim, you can choose skin color, hair style/color and clothing but you don't have very many choices. You also choose the type of person they are, the choices being Jack of All Trades, Nice Guy, Jerk, Sleaze, Power Seeker and Maniac. You can further define their personality by also choose 5 personality traits (out of several) for them, such as good sense of humor, friendly, easily bored, conversationalist, slob, etc.

Your Sim starts out with a small home with the basic necessities and a little money. The only thing not included that I think is a necessity is the stove, which you can buy. Unfortunately, there's no cheaper alternative like the microwave in the old Sims game. You can't change the home at this level.

In order to cook, you need the stove but unlike past versions of the Sims, you also need to purchase recipes AND the ingredients for them. The cheapest recipe is grilled cheese, which requires buying only bread and cheese. Once you run out, you have to go back to the QuickMart and buy more ingredients before you can cook anymore. You can also get a quick snack from the fridge or buy a meal at the town's restaurant.

After buying the fishing kit (at the hobby store), you can fish in the town lake and catch fish to use in your meals. You can also grow your own vegetables, but you can't do that until you upgrade your house and I haven't gotten to that point yet.

Another purchase at the Hobby Store which I found to be important was the repair kit. I discovered that when my first Sim's refrigerator and tv both went out at the same time and I had limited money and had to sell a few things in order to buy the repair kit. That was the only way to fix the broken appliances (you can't hire a repairman!).

In order to make money, you must find a job. Jobs include working at the restaurant, the QuickMart, the town hall, the science lab, etc. Work places seem to be dangerous. My first Sim died from an attack from a lab monkey. However, I was able to load the saved game again and she was still alive. So don't despair when yours dies. I couldn't figure out how to get promoted at work and was just biding my time assuming it would happen after I gained skills or something. But then I noticed when talking to my Boss Sim that I could ask for a raise. I did and he gave me one. I don't know if it's always that easy. I had built up a good relationship with him beforehand.

You can meet other Sims in town or you can just go to a house and introduce yourself. You interact with them similarly to the old Sims, by choosing from available actions, sometime dependent on what kind of relationship you have. As you build your relationship, you go from acquaintance to friend to good friend. If you choose to be romantic, you can go from budding romance to date to partner. Those are all the levels I have seen so far. One note about interacting with other Sims - one thing I didn't realize right away is you have to scroll to see all the possible actions. Sometimes the other Sims will offer you money to do things, such as kicking another Sim's trash can, slapping another Sim or even bringing them some cheese.

The only real negative I have found so far is the fact that the game crashes regularly. But the beauty of the fact that it is an iTunes app means that the makers can push updates out for it whenever they want, so I hope this will be fixed soon. Most of the time it's not too aggravating, but the last time it happened for me I was trying to visit a particular house and every time I got there it crashed so I had to give up and do something else.

I haven't gotten very far in the game so I'm sure are other things to be discovered. So far I like it a lot and I think it will satisfy me at least for a little while. Eventually, however, I will have to buy the actual computer version.

EDIT: after posting this last night, I tried rebooting my ipod by powering it down and that seemed to help the crashing.

EDIT 03/13/11 - Comments to this post have become redundant - there's nothing more that can be said, so I am disabling comments.

At the doctor's office

2009-05-31T13:35:00.002-04:00

The oral surgeon's office, to be exact. I broke an old dead tooth off recently and am going to have an implant. I went to the oral surgeon last week for an evaluation.

I am fascinated by the 360 degree x-ray of my mouth. I thought it looked like I had a very odd jawbone until I realized it's my entire mouth, flattened out.

I love technology and how the x-rays appear immediately on the computer.

I'll have the rest of the broken tooth extracted in about a month, along with a bone graft. I found it interesting on the consent forms that they use cadaver and bovine bone! I jokingly told them I wanted the bovine bone (I could be part cow!) but they use cadaver. Although the surgeon said he would do whatever I wanted :).

After the extraction, I have to wait 6-8 weeks then a metal cylinder which will act as the tooth root is implanted. After that, I'll get an artificial tooth from my dentist.

Dental Implant Surgery - MayoClinic.com

Happy Mother's Day

2009-05-17T18:38:00.000-04:00

Yeah I know I'm a week late. I spent the weekend with my family. Saturday Mom, Sis, Niece and I had a sleepover at Mom's. Sunday we picked up Nephew and Lil Bro and went to Diehl's for lunch. Later I went to visit Step-Mom. I am blessed.

Sleeping Kittens

2009-05-02T15:33:00.000-04:00

Sleepy Snoopy

Stubby wakes up enough to wonder what I'm doing

Someone needs repotted

Billy's Soho's at Southridge

2009-05-02T15:20:00.005-04:00

We finally tried Billy's at Southridge today. I g uess it's actually called "Billy's Soho's at Southridge".

Billy's is located in what used to be Smokey Bones, near the Red Lobster and Olive Garden at Southridge. The menu includes "home cooking" type food, seafood and pasta, basically. You can see the menu at Fork You's blog here:

http://forkyou.wordpress.com/2009/03/16/billys-sohos-at-southridge-menu-and-update/

Although I think the prices are a little high, the portions are large and the service was good. The decor is the same as when it was Smokey Bones, which is a lodge-type atmosphere with log paneling, a stone fireplace and lots of tv screens. The restaurant is large and has ample free parking.

Overall we were pleased with our food. Husband got the meatloaf, which he said was "pretty good". He had his choice of mushroom gravy or brown gravy and chose the mushroom gravy. He chose the green beans as his side and said they were "very good." His meal also came with a salad and bread basket. The tomato came from my sandwich.

I had one of the specials - a prime rib sandwich. I ordered it with provolone cheese only, specifically said I wanted nothing else on it, but they still brought it with lettuce and tomato. No problem, since it was open faced and easily removed. I asked if it came au jus (the French Dip is my fav sandwich) and the waitress said it could if I wanted it to. I noted prime rib au jus on the menu so that should be easy enough. I envisioned thinly sliced, tender and juicy prime rib and the broth typically served with a French Dip. What I got, however, was thinly sliced hard and dry prime rib. They apparently grilled it after slicing it. The "jus" was gravy.

After hearing Fork You's raves about the onion rings, I chose them as my side and was not disappointed. They were delicious and among the best I've had.

This is probably not a place we'll go often, but we will try it for a change now and then.

Lucky Dog

2009-04-19T10:23:00.001-04:00

I spotted this dog riding around in Kanawha City. At the stoplight, he was barking at the cars that got too close to his car.

Man's Art Cannot Compare to Nature's

2009-04-05T20:12:00.000-04:00

Viola

Beauty is in the Eye of the Beholder

2009-04-05T20:11:00.002-04:00

Dandelion

Gratuitous Cat Picture of the Day

2009-04-05T11:50:00.001-04:00

Sometimes I can hear this old earth shouting

2009-04-03T18:15:00.001-04:00

"Sometimes I can hear this old earth shouting
Through the trees as the wind blows
That’s when I climb up here on this mountain
To look through God’s window
Now I can’t fly ...
But I got two feet that get me high up here
above the noise and city streets
My worries disappear"

- Arlos Smith

Thanks to my husband for that wonderful quote (actually lyrics from a song). Apparently Smith says that he wrote that part of the song while he was on top of Seneca Rocks, looking out over this beautiful valley.

I can soooo relate

Kitties

2009-03-29T10:19:00.002-04:00

"I has a sleep"

"I has a bench"

“Mommy, no look at Roscoe, look at MEEEE!”

Pansies

2009-03-29T10:16:00.000-04:00

Free Kolaimni Healing

2009-03-27T08:24:00.001-04:00

Free kolaimni healing starting at 6:00 p.m. this evening at Mountain Mama's (702C Jefferson Road in South Charleston, West Virginia). Last sign in at 8:00 pm.

I'll be there but you don't get to choose who works on you, you have to take whoever is available. But there are lots of great healers there if you want to come by!

<i>I think I need to post about kolaimni, don't I? It's a healing method similar to reiki that I am learning. More later.</i.

Happy Birthday Kittens

2009-03-25T19:42:00.001-04:00

Five years ago today, Stubby, Rascal & Junior were born. Take a walk down memory lane with me and see pictures from their first few months of life. They were such cute kittens!! And I love them so much. They have been a true blessing in my life.

Miss Bobbi & the Kittens: April-June 2004

Unfortunately, Junior is no longer with us in "body", only in spirit. I miss you, my little sweetie!

Daffodils

2009-03-21T17:48:00.001-04:00

Mom got me this Ikeban-style vase made from pottery at the Arts & Craft Fair last year. I finally tried it out. I like it!

Oh how I love SPRING!!!

2009-03-17T20:15:00.001-04:00

How old is that tree?

2009-03-17T20:11:00.001-04:00

By looking at the core of a tree, we can count the annual circles (rings). Each ring represents one year of life for the tree. As I understand it, the lighter circles are the growth in the spring and the darker circles are from the summer growth for the year. So you just count either the light or the dark (usually the dark because it's easier?)

I would like to know how old the larger trees in our yard are. I examined one of my sitting stumps.

Those two photos are of the same stump. This is a tree that came down in a storm a few years ago. I didn't count the rings, but it appears to be fairly old, maybe 100 or so? Maybe not. I don't really know.

This tree is a younger tree that was growing beside the sourwood tree and Husband cut it down. It wasn't very big around.

Frank Leach & the Leewood Fire: A Piece of My Family's History

2009-03-14T19:42:00.000-04:00

My father grew up in the coal mining community of Cabin Creek, West Virginia. I bought him the book A Pictorial History of Cabin Creek at Christmas. In it, he found a story involving our family. I found it very touching, as it involves my great-grandfather (dad's grandfather) and my great-uncle.

"The beginning of the year 1936 would bring to the town of Leewood, much sadness and destruction. On the night of January 1st the Cabin Creek Consolidated Coal company store at Leewood caught fire and was soon completely engulfed in flames and destroyed. The company suffered between $15,000 and $20,000 in damages, but even greater was the loss of human life. Three of Leewoods citizens perished in the blaze. The following is taken in part from articles that appeared in the Charleston Gazette in January 1936:

While fighting a fire that was believed caused by a defective flue which completely destroyed the Leewood store of the Cabin Creek Consolidated Coal Co. yesterday, Dennis Matthews, about 33, an employee of the company was burned to death.

Matthews, who had volunteered to fight the blaze was trapped in the building and was overcome by smoke. His charred body was recovered at daylight, the fire having started a few hours after midnight.

Gamer Williams, store manager, said smoke had apparently overcome Matthews while he was carrying water from the wash room to the blaze. A wall of flames prevented volunteer fireman from going to Matthews' aid, observers said. He had apparently gone into the building to fight the fire before it gained much headway and had apparently thought he was not in much danger.

On the following morning two additional bodies were recovered from the charred remains of the store building. The bones were all that was left of the bodies of Frank Leech, age 34 and Ernest Whitt, age 33, both of Leewood. The body of Dennis Matthews, whom they tried to save, was discovered soon after the fire.

Lying in one small pile of bones was an octagon shaped watch and an automobile key on a small steel string which was identified by W.A. Leech as the property of his son, Frank, who had left his automobile about 100 feet from the store when he and Whitt went to help fight the flames. Whitt's bones were found about five feet from those of Leech and about the same distance from the body of Matthews.

Company officials said the bodies of Leech and Whitt were found under a huge pile of salt which it was believed had fallen on them and knocked them unconscious. Whitt and Leech had been missing, but owing to reports they had left with another man in his automobile going to Charleston delayed the search for their remains.

T. L. Turner, an employee of the store said he observed both Whitt and Leech holding onto Mrs. Matthews about 100 yards from the fire, while her volunteer fireman - husband was inside the burning building. When Matthews began yelling for help the two released their hold on Mrs. Matthews and ran into the store in an attempt to rescue him. Neither of them returned.

The shadow of the tragedy that was not understood at the time appeared at the North-South Football game at Laidley Field that afternoon when a little old man dressed in overalls and wearing a miner's cap approached the press box. He sought out the announcer at the press box and meekly pleaded; "See if he's here, say over that speaker for him to come home if he is here. The store burned down last night and Mom and I think he might be burned up in it. They told us around home not to worry he might be here at the ballgame". The announcer had to have the little old man repeat his plea and he was then unable to make any meaning out of it as he had not heard that there had been any store fire. The announcer explained that he was only there temporary and that permission must be given by the game committee or James Duggan before he could make any such announcement over the speaker.

About 15 minutes later the little old man returned and stated that he had been unable to find the person in charge that he had been sent to locate. "Please mister", he pleaded, "ask for him, Mom's worried to death." The announcer, after explaining again that he could not make such an announcement without permission, asked "who is it you are looking for?" "He's my boy," the little man said. "My name's Leech, I want you to ask for Frank Leech, to come here or to go home. "

Virgil Frizzell, the chief announcer then appeared and over the loud speaker he asked Frank Leech, if present to come to the press box. There was no response.

The old man returned sorrowfully to his home. There he learned that the young man had gone into the burning building the night before in a heroic effort to save the life of a friend.

His boy, Frank Leech was dead."

The little old man in the miner's cap was my great-grandfather, William Allen Leach (I think it is misspelled in the story), and his son, Frank, my great-uncle. I never knew them and had never heard this story. It just broke my heart hearing my dad read it to me over the phone, the image of my great-grandfather begging the announcers for help in locating his boy. I am sure he and my great-grandmother were devastated at the loss of their son, but I hope it gave them some comfort to know he died trying to save someone else.

From the book: A Pictorial History of Cabin Creek, by Dale Payne 2008

iPod touch Kindle app - my first impressions

2009-03-05T08:37:00.001-05:00

I downloaded the Kindle application last night and played around with it just a little. The selection of books is GREAT. You could browse through them for hours on Amazon. I actually browsed on my computer instead of my Touch - I should have done it on the Touch too but didn't - maybe I'll do that tonight. There are lots of cheap (old, obscure and/or classic) books for less than $1. And then there are lots of current books as well, usually for $3 or $4 less than the paper versions I think (I didn't look at many of those yet).

I wish I could convert all the books I have waiting to read to Kindle versions!

The reader works well. It's very basic. I was disappointed that it doesn't include some of the features available on the actual Kindle and which are available on other reading apps (eReader in particular). eReader allows you to highlight text, make notes and look up words. The Kindle app does not. It does let you bookmark sections at least. Hopefully future releases of the app will improve the functionality.

I am still glad to have this option for my iPod. What a wonderful thing it is to have my games, music, photos, calendar, email, contacts, internet and now books in one small device I carry with me everywhere I go.

Someday I will have the iPhone and then I'll have my phone and camera in it too! And internet everywhere I go, not just in wifi spots.

I wonder what the future holds for these devices. Thinking of the things I carry in my purse - someday maybe it will also be able to be used as a debit card, hold a scan of your driver's license or identification, be coded to be used as a security card to get in my office building or a parking garage card. I love technology!!

iPhone and Touch now have access to Kindle books!

2009-03-04T08:24:00.001-05:00

I'm way excited about this! There are some reader apps for eBooks already and I have enjoyed reading some free books on them, but I was frustrated at the price and selection of the eBooks. The Kindle app takes care of that! I have not had the chance to try it for myself yet because I just found out about it this morning.

And if you have both, the second article talks about how the sync feature will keep your place so you can read the same book on both at the same time. Very cool stuff!

http://www.tuaw.com/2009/03/04/the-rumors-were-true-you-can-turn-your-iphone-into-a-kindle/

http://news.cnet.com/8301-17938_105-10187912-1.html

(thanks Oncee for the news!)

Around the House Today and a plug for La Carreta Elkview (go eat there! now!)

2009-01-31T16:26:00.001-05:00

Sunshine!!

Bird tracks, cat tracks and dog tracks!

My cute husband. Time to go get some Mexican food and buy some groceries

Our little road is still snow and ice covered

Thank goodness the hill is no longer a sheet of ice!

La Carreta! My favorite! If you're in the Elkview/Pinch area, go and eat at La Carreta in Elkview!! Off the Elkview Exit on I-79 (exit 9). In the little plaza behind K-Mart. It's muy delicioso!!

Hey these pictures are making me hungry

The view from our booth

Yay, we're home!

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Weekly Cat Pictures

2009-01-31T16:07:00.001-05:00

Miss Bobbi the Snow Cat

Miss Bobbi was rolling around on the driveway for some reason

Rascal balancing on top of the lawn chair we fashioned into a gate to keep dogs off the porch

Me and my Baby Boy Stubby

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Gratuitous Kitty Pictures

2009-01-27T18:49:00.001-05:00

Miss Bobbi

The Kitty Tent for the outside cats

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Snowy Day

2009-01-27T18:47:00.001-05:00

We had a bit of snow this morning! The roads were not very well treated when we left but we didn't have too much trouble. Our hill was pretty slick and the worst. I didn't think to take a picture there, darn it. Husband drove down it with the car in reverse!! I wouldn't have attempted it alone.

Driving through Pinch

I-64 West

Leon Sullivan Way (Broad Street) Exit

Downtown Charleston

Tonight, the trees were encased in ice! But the temp is rising slowly and the snow has been mixed with rain.

Rose of Sharon bush encased in ice - and raindrops!

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Weekend Update: Stubby Sick and Spending the Day with NIece

2009-01-27T18:25:00.001-05:00

My main concern over the weekend and Monday had been Stubby. He was throwing up and acting like he was trying to get rid of a hairball. Not unusual, although he hasn't done it for awhile. By Saturday night he acted like he didn't feel well either - a little lethargic and he didn't sleep in his usual place (by my head) Saturday night. Sunday he was lethargic and not eating or drinking.

So Monday morning I got up and took him to the vet (Elk Valley) first thing. The recording said they opened at 8:00, but the vet doesn't actually arrive until 9:00. I went to McD's and got some breakfast then came back and hung out to wait. I got one of the female vets (Amy?) who I liked very much. She was good with Stubby and he was a very good boy. He was alert and interested in everything so that made me feel better. She took his temp and examined him. When she squeezed his belly it was obviously painful. We decided to start with x-rays then do bloodwork later if necessary. She gave him the x-ray and I could hear him yowling in protest. We waited for the results but found he had moved and they had to do another. This time he was perfectly quiet - resigned to it. The results showed a lot of fecal matter in the intestines but it wasn't completely clear on the computer yet - still loading I guess - so I don't think she could tell about a hairball in the stomach. She recommended an enema and IV fluids since he was a little dehydrated. She took him back as I was leaving and he was just acting like she was his buddy and didn't seem too traumatized by me leaving. I'm sure that changed when he got the enema. We picked him up on our way home. They gave him subcutaneous fluids because he was somewhat dehydrated. He already appeared to feel better. She told us to watch him and if he continued feeling bad or vomiting to bring him back and we'd run some tests.

I was so worried about him on Sunday. Because of Junior's death I freaked out a little. But once I had him at the vet I knew he was in good hands and I was able to relax a little. Stubby is closer to me than any other cat I've ever had - I don't know what I would do if anything happened to him.

I did have a good day Sunday though, even with the worry. I spent the day with my Niece. She turned 13 on the 18th and we were out of town so I took her out to have our own private celebration - a girls day out. Sis met me halfway so I wouldn't have to go all the way out to the house and then drive back to town. We met at Wendy's in South Charleston and while we were there a huge great dane was running around in the parking lot. He was very friendly, my sister discovered (I wasn't getting out of the car until I saw he was!) and luckily had a name tag on with his owner's phone numbers. His name was Rex.

Rex had apparently broken whatever he was tied with because there was a hook on his collar with a frayed end. The owner was called and came very quickly to get him. My sister let him get up in her car because he was hard to hold onto to keep from running away. We were right beside a busy highway and he kept wanting to go over to the road.

Niece colored her hair with Kool Aid! LOL Note the bright red streak and tips. Hey you can see me reflected in the car LOL

After we took care of Rex, Niece and I went to Logan's Roadhouse for lunch. Her favorite food is steak. We had very good food but lousy service. After we left there, we went to PetSmart so I could buy some cat grass. While there we had to look at all the animals of course. We discovered chameleons have really weird hands. And we petted a sweet white cat. We wanted to take all three of the cats home with us. And some mice and a turtle. But we didn't.

The next stop was my house, because I had forgotten to bring her gifts (a moonstone pendant on a silver chain and a gemstone chip chakra bracelet). While at the house we also watched part of the Dog Whisperer.

Next we went to the Clay Center. We were a half hour early for the movie so we went to the gift shop and looked around. I wasn't paying attention to the time and when we left (without buying a thing) it was 4:01 and the movie was to start at 4:00. The doors were already shut and locked! Luckily someone heard us and we got in. There weren't very many people there anyway. The movie was a giant screen movie and it was Jane Goodall's Wild Chimpanzees. It was good but only 45 minutes long and basically just an overview of her studies. But it was fun seeing all the chimps. We were both already pretty familiar with her work.

When we got out of the movie we got in the photo booth and had our pictures made. My scanner separated them when I scanned it and I had to put them back together! It also left off the "Happy Birthday" design at the top. :P The really nice thing was that it gave us two strips so we each had one!

We left the Clay Center and stopped at Dairy Queen for dessert, even though it was snowing (as Niece said, "It's never too cold for ice cream.") After that I took her home. We had such a good time. I love hanging out with her.

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Stubby-like LOL cat

2009-01-27T13:09:00.001-05:00

This kitty looks just like Stubby! Posting this via an iGoogle gadget - hope it takes HTML

more animals

Don't Wait

2009-01-26T18:51:00.002-05:00

"Don’t wait until everything is just right. It will never be perfect. There will always be challenges, obstacles and less than perfect conditions. So what. Get started now. With each step you take, you will grow stronger and stronger, more and more skilled, more and more self-confident and more and more successful."

Mark Victor Hansen
Inspirational Speaker and Author

via Inspiration Peak

Lifecast

2009-01-24T17:27:00.001-05:00

Testing lifecast

Posted with LifeCast

Blogwriter lite

2009-01-24T17:26:00.001-05:00

Is what I used to post this and the last post with my touch. I think that's its name. It doesn't say it anywhere within the app.

Testing

2009-01-24T17:23:00.001-05:00

Testing an iPod touch app. I need to make a post about my fav apps so far. It's amazing how many there are! Maybe I can use this app to do that post.

2009 Bloggies

2009-01-22T19:09:00.000-05:00

My fav blog ever, Chickens in the Road, is up for best kept secret. If you like it, vote for it!

http://2009.bloggies.com/

I've also recently started reading Confessions of Pioneer Woman - awesome blog too and it's up for several awards as well.

Morgantown: Our Weekend in Pictures

2009-01-20T16:13:00.003-05:00

We drove onto the WVU farm

and saw some experimental sheep

West Run has changed so much. Like many other places in Morgantown, apartments and townhouses have sprung up in great numbers.

We stayed at the Super 8

We went shopping downtown

at Cool Ridge (the "hippie store")

They have everything from smoking accessories to buddhist stuff! I got some Auric Blends perfume.

Why is this man running from us??

Cheat Lake was icy!

Chestnut Ridge Church

Inside the church for the 11:00 a.m. Sunday service

It was kind of like being at a rock concert. The seats were almost all full by the time the service started.

It was very snowy when we got up to leave Monday morning!

We had a snowy drive home but the roads were not bad thank goodness.

We had to have lunch at Wings Ole on the way out of town

The Monongahela River, viewed from Wings Ole

'Alternative' Medicine is Mainstream

2009-01-15T19:15:00.000-05:00

By DEEPAK CHOPRA , DEAN ORNISH , RUSTUM ROY and ANDREW WEIL

"In mid-February, the Institute of Medicine of the National Academy of Sciences and the Bravewell Collaborative are convening a "Summit on Integrative Medicine and the Health of the Public." This is a watershed in the evolution of integrative medicine, a holistic approach to health care that uses the best of conventional and alternative therapies such as meditation, yoga, acupuncture and herbal remedies. Many of these therapies are now scientifically documented to be not only medically effective but also cost effective.

President-elect Barack Obama and former Sen. Tom Daschle (the nominee for Secretary of Health and Human Services) understand that if we want to make affordable health care available to the 45 million Americans who do not have health insurance, then we need to address the fundamental causes of health and illness, and provide incentives for healthy ways of living rather than reimbursing only drugs and surgery.

Heart disease, diabetes, prostate cancer, breast cancer and obesity account for 75% of health-care costs, and yet these are largely preventable and even reversible by changing diet and lifestyle. As Mr. Obama states in his health plan, unveiled during his campaign: "This nation is facing a true epidemic of chronic disease. An increasing number of Americans are suffering and dying needlessly from diseases such as obesity, diabetes, heart disease, asthma and HIV/AIDS, all of which can be delayed in onset if not prevented entirely."

The latest scientific studies show that our bodies have a remarkable capacity to begin healing, and much more quickly than we had once realized, if we address the lifestyle factors that often cause these chronic diseases. These studies show that integrative medicine can make a powerful difference in our health and well-being, how quickly these changes may occur, and how dynamic these mechanisms can be.

Many people tend to think of breakthroughs in medicine as a new drug, laser or high-tech surgical procedure. They often have a hard time believing that the simple choices that we make in our lifestyle -- what we eat, how we respond to stress, whether or not we smoke cigarettes, how much exercise we get, and the quality of our relationships and social support -- can be as powerful as drugs and surgery. But they often are. And in many instances, they're even more powerful.

These studies often used high-tech, state-of-the-art measures to prove the power of simple, low-tech, and low-cost interventions. Integrative medicine approaches such as plant-based diets, yoga, meditation and psychosocial support may stop or even reverse the progression of coronary heart disease, diabetes, hypertension, prostate cancer, obesity, hypercholesterolemia and other chronic conditions.

A recent study published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences found that these approaches may even change gene expression in hundreds of genes in only a few months. Genes associated with cancer, heart disease and inflammation were downregulated or "turned off" whereas protective genes were upregulated or "turned on." A study published in The Lancet Oncology reported that these changes increase telomerase, the enzyme that lengthens telomeres, the ends of our chromosomes that control how long we live. Even drugs have not been shown to do this.

Our "health-care system" is primarily a disease-care system. Last year, $2.1 trillion was spent in the U.S. on medical care, or 16.5% of the gross national product. Of these trillions, 95 cents of every dollar was spent to treat disease after it had already occurred. At least 75% of these costs were spent on treating chronic diseases, such as heart disease and diabetes, that are preventable or even reversible.

The choices are especially clear in cardiology. In 2006, for example, according to data provided by the American Heart Association, 1.3 million coronary angioplasty procedures were performed at an average cost of $48,399 each, or more than $60 billion; and 448,000 coronary bypass operations were performed at a cost of $99,743 each, or more than $44 billion. In other words, Americans spent more than $100 billion in 2006 for these two procedures alone.

Despite these costs, a randomized controlled trial published in April 2007 in The New England Journal of Medicine found that angioplasties and stents do not prolong life or even prevent heart attacks in stable patients (i.e., 95% of those who receive them). Coronary bypass surgery prolongs life in less than 3% of patients who receive it. So, Medicare and other insurers and individuals pay billions for surgical procedures like angioplasty and bypass surgery that are usually dangerous, invasive, expensive and largely ineffective. Yet they pay very little -- if any money at all -- for integrative medicine approaches that have been proven to reverse and prevent most chronic diseases that account for at least 75% of health-care costs. The INTERHEART study, published in September 2004 in The Lancet, followed 30,000 men and women on six continents and found that changing lifestyle could prevent at least 90% of all heart disease.

That bears repeating: The disease that accounts for more premature deaths and costs Americans more than any other illness is almost completely preventable simply by changing diet and lifestyle. And the same lifestyle changes that can prevent or even reverse heart disease also help prevent or reverse many other chronic diseases as well. Chronic pain is one of the major sources of worker's compensation claims costs, yet studies show that it is often susceptible to acupuncture and Qi Gong. Herbs usually have far fewer side effects than pharmaceuticals.

Joy, pleasure and freedom are sustainable, deprivation and austerity are not. When you eat a healthier diet, quit smoking, exercise, meditate and have more love in your life, then your brain receives more blood and oxygen, so you think more clearly, have more energy, need less sleep. Your brain may grow so many new neurons that it could get measurably bigger in only a few months. Your face gets more blood flow, so your skin glows more and wrinkles less. Your heart gets more blood flow, so you have more stamina and can even begin to reverse heart disease. Your sexual organs receive more blood flow, so you may become more potent -- similar to the way that circulation-increasing drugs like Viagra work. For many people, these are choices worth making -- not just to live longer, but also to live better.

It's time to move past the debate of alternative medicine versus traditional medicine, and to focus on what works, what doesn't, for whom, and under which circumstances. It will take serious government funding to find out, but these findings may help reduce costs and increase health.

Integrative medicine approaches bring together those in red states and blue states, liberals and conservatives, Democrats and Republicans, because these are human issues. They are both medically effective and, important in our current economic climate, cost effective. These approaches emphasize both personal responsibility and the opportunity to make affordable, quality health care available to those who most need it. Mr. Obama should make them an integral part of his health plan as soon as possible.

Dr. Chopra, the author of more than 50 books on the mind, body and spirit, is guest faculty at Beth Israel Hospital/Harvard Medical School. Dr. Ornish is clinical professor of medicine at the University of California, San Francisco. Mr. Roy is professor emeritus of materials science at Pennsylvania State University. Dr. Weil is director of the University of Arizona Center for Integrative Medicine. "

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB123146318996466585.html

R.I.P. Junior 2004-2009

2009-01-14T20:07:00.001-05:00

Our next door neighbor found Junior (Stubby's brother, one of the back porch cats) dead on her back deck. He wasn't eating the past few days and he disappeared last night. :(

His other brother Rascal and his mother Miss Bobbi are going to miss him so much. He would sleep with them when it was cold. And he and Rascal were buddies, always playing together. He was such a good cat too. A homebody. He rarely went out of the yard, next door was pretty much as far as he would go. He always slept on the porch all year long (Rascal and Bobbi don't always when it's warm). He always wanted to come inside. Or for us to come outside and just be with him. I considered bringing him inside with Stubby, but was glad I didn't because he and Rascal had each other.

We're going to miss him. :(

We haven't seen Spare since before Christmas. I have hoped that his real people have let him inside. I hope he is up there safe and warm.

The cat grass is a hit

2009-01-11T15:48:00.001-05:00

All three kitties LOVE the Chia cat grass!! I'm so glad Stubby likes it because he won't eat anything (canned food, treats, human food) except his dry food.

nom nom nom

The strawberry lady was here today

2009-01-08T22:12:00.000-05:00

Berry Delicious!

My lovely new quilt!

2009-01-07T19:26:00.001-05:00

My dear friend Sharon Waggy (a true artist) made me this amazing quilt! It's called “Bali Kitty Paws Pounce” and is made with Bali fabric. Note the MEOW and paws quilted on it.

The back of the quilt:

Snoop loves it (and apparently thinks it's delicious!):

Chia Cat Grass

2009-01-07T19:23:00.001-05:00

Cat grass January 4:

Cat grass January 6, growing like a weed!:

Suzanne McMinn's column in Daily Mail

2009-01-06T09:01:00.002-05:00

My favorite blogger ever now has a column in the local newspaper:

http://www.dailymail.com/foodandliving/200901040347

Her blog, Chickens in the Road, is linked over on the right under Blogs I Read

So Far, So Good

2009-01-04T19:10:00.002-05:00

I'm happy with the way the new year is starting out. The past few months I have struggled, as usual this time of year, with mild depression and lack of energy. I have learned to just roll with it and be easy on myself. I think I was a little too easy on myself though. I got out of some of the good habits I developed last year. That started with splurging on my birthday, then vacation, and as the days got shorter and shorter it got even worse. And then the holidays, I just let myself do what I wanted and decided to start again fresh at the beginning of the year. The days are getting longer now and every little bit of light helps!

We're not too far into the new year so I haven't had time to do a whole lot, but I am eating better and will start walking more tomorrow. As I mentioned before, I'm doing the 28 day Denise Linn Soul Coaching program and am on day 3. Today's exercise was clearing clutter. I have done that a little each day this weekend. Today I talked my purse and side table beside where I sit, which is always stacked with stuff. I'm also back to meditating every day, and have made the commitment to do that at least 15 minutes a day for the duration of the program (my chosen "empowering practice" from day 2).

Today we attended Unity of Kanawha Valley. Our friend Ric played the didgeridoo (an Australian Aboriginal instrument) in the service, which was very cool. I love the instrument and it is featured in a lot of healing and meditation music. I was impressed that he had one and knows how to play. They also had their annual burning bowl ceremony, where you write down things you want to release (for example I wrote down things like impatience, excess weight, worry, guilt, etc.) then each person takes their paper up and puts it in the bowl where it burns. My friends and I did a similar ceremony during our weekend away this summer. Today we also wrote a letter to God setting our intentions for the year then put it in an envelope and turned it in and later in the year they will mail it to us to remind us of our intentions. Pretty neat. I like the church a lot and hope to visit it again soon.

I enjoyed my long weekend and it's going to be hard to go back to a 5 day week after two 3 day weeks in a row!

I got a chia cat grass planter and it's finally sprouting! I just took a picture of it but I don't feel like getting it off the camera right now. I need to get in the shower so we can eat dinner. I have spaghetti sauce simmering on the stove.

I spent some time outside on Friday, it was a nice day although cool. I dragged (drug?) a log/stump up the hill. I want several as seats in the back of the yard. When our tree fell a few years ago a neighbor cut it up and I want to get a few more pieces up here. Today it's raining though. I'd kind of like to have a fire ring but it might just be a sitting ring. I want a stone circle too. Maybe I'll put flowers in it instead of a fire, because where I want it is too close to the woods and I'd be too scared of burning the forest down.

2008: My Year in Pictures

2009-01-01T17:27:00.002-05:00

January 3: Dave has a heart attack. :(

January 4: Dave gets a stent

January 18: Maddie (my niece) turns 12

February 12: Nick (my nephew) turns 15

February 15-17: We spend the weekend at Stonewall Resort thanks to Dave's work (work for Dave; relaxation for me)

March 1: We accidentally drive onto the WVU farm and visit with the experimental cows!

March 1: We stay at Waterfront Place and go to the WVBA dinner

April 16: We watch the circus elephants eat salad

April 19: I meet Aubrey Grace (Pam's granddaughter) for the first time at her grandmother's birthday party

April 27-30: We vacation in Hocking Hills, Ohio

April 30: The cats get really excited when we come home

May 10: I celebrate Mother's Day with Mom and Sis in Huntington

May 22: I spend a lot of time in the spring walking by the river

June 11: I meet nephew Ely (who lives in Oregon) for the first time

June 28: We enjoy FestivAll

June 28: The Raccoon Family comes for supper

July 9: Heavy rain brings flash flooding in Pinch

July 10: The cats discover a new past-time - chasing bird shadows (Roscoe is jumping there, not climbing!)

July 20: We discover a chicken hanging out at the Cracker Barrel

July 26: We go to a picnic in Virginia to see Aunt Bib

July 27: We visit Natural Bridge, Virginia

August 3: Mom, Sis & I celebrate our birthdays. I turn 45 on August 5.

August 9: We get our new sleep number bed and move the old mattress into the kitchen. Stubby thinks we should keep it there all the time.

August 12: I fall in love with Cathedral State Park

August 13: We walk to the top of Seneca Rocks, something we would not have even attempted a year before

August 14: We visit the Rockingham (Virginia) County Fair

August 15: We celebrate our 10th Wedding Anniversary at Harman's North Fork Cottages, where we spent our wedding night

August 18: I start my new job at the Federal Public Defender's Office!

August 22-24: I spend a great weekend with the girls at Willow House

October: Hoppy the Three-Legged Cat disappears and is presumed dead :(

October 12: We enjoy the fall colors on a trip to Morgantown

November 3: a mysterious sculpture is discovered by the river

December 11: Rock Band at Sis's house

December 15: I celebrate Christmas with my Girlies at Ruby Tuesdays

December 18: We attend the WVRC Christmas Party

December 24: We celebrate Christmas at Dad's

December 25: We celebrate Christmas at the In-Laws'

December 26: We celebrate Christmas at Sis's and do yoga with Wii Fit

Although 2008 started off rocky, all in all it was a good year. We were very blessed. And we look forward to all of the good things coming in 2009.

A New Year (a new opportunity to get it right)

2009-01-01T15:13:00.002-05:00

I don't really make New Year's Resolutions, because I've never been good at sticking to them. But I do find the beginning of the year a good time to reflect on my past and to look forward to and plan my future. This post is a result of my reflecting on how to approach it this year.

I think before making resolutions it's important to review the past and evaluate how I have been living my life. What have I done in the past year? Are there things I might have done differently? Have I been a good person? How have I contributed to my wellbeing and the wellbeing of others? What skills and lessons did I learn? Did I grow spiritually? How did I treat myself physically? How are my relationships with the people who are important to me? How is my job going? Am I being the best person I can be in all areas of my life?

I think it's important to look back at these things without judgment. "It's not good or bad, it just is." Evaluating is not about beating yourself up; it's about determining where you stand on your journey. Before you can move forward, you must look at where you've been.

I can evaluate myself in a loving, non-critical way. It's okay that I didn't accomplish everything I wanted to accomplish. It's okay that sometimes I tried and failed. The good news is, it's not too late to try again. I can start over. Failure is part of learning. As with many things in this life, the journey is sometimes more important than the destination.

Everything that happens to us teaches us something. If in the past year I have had some hard times, I will look carefully at them to see what lessons they brought me. Did the experiences make me stronger? Did I learn something about myself? Can I use those lessons to make better choices in the future? If I answer no to all of those questions, I need to look within. Perhaps I didn't recognize the lesson at the time, but if I can see it now and learn from it, it will help me in the future. What might I have done differently? How might I have reacted differently to things I couldn't control? Hindsight is invaluable in preparing for the future.

It's also important to make note of all of the positive things that I did over the past year, the big ones and the little ones. I will pat myself on the back for the challenges I overcame and for the things I did to improve myself, my life and the lives of those around me. Maybe I didn't accomplish all my goals, but I made steps toward them. Even baby steps are important and deserve recognition.

This is also a good time to make a list of the things I am grateful for. What blessings came my way this year? What good times did I share with friends and family? It is important to acknowledge and be thankful for them and for all the good things in my life. And though it's not as easy, it's as or sometimes even more important to be grateful for the bad things too.

Once I have evaluated and gained an understanding of my recent past, I can begin creating my future. There are a lot of different ways to go about this. Visualization, outlines, lists, resolutions, vision boards, etc. My only "resolution" will be to make better choices. It will help me make better choices if I know where I'm going. If I know what I want in my life and what kind of person I want to be, it will help me make conscious choices in my day to day life.

In general, I will be working on the following areas: healthy living (eating better, exercising, using/consuming more natural products); clearing clutter; volunteering; improving my home; and spending more time with people I care about.

I am going to start my new year tomorrow. I will have some time to myself in the afternoon while Husband works, and I'm going to use that time for some serious meditation and reflection. I'm beginning Denise Linn's 28 day soul coaching program that day, and the first thing you do is evaluate where you are in your life and what you want to improve. (The Soul Coaching program is about spiritual cleansing, renewal and transformation. It involves clearing away mental, emotional and physical clutter in order to listen to your soul.)

Whatever you do at this time of year, I hope that the coming year brings you everything you desire.

Being a Hero

2008-12-31T08:27:00.002-05:00

"To me, being a hero means:

To do what's right ... even if you are afraid.
To listen to the inner wisdom of your soul ... and not the random opinions of others.
To be kind ... and remember that sometimes the person you need to be kindest to is yourself.
To live by choice ... not chance.
To pursue excellence ... excel, but not compete.
To have integrity ... keep your word and your commitments.
To make corrections and changes ... not make excuses.
To be fair and treat all people with respect, and understand their point of view... even if you don't agree with it.

Most of all being a hero means accepting yourself with a depth of kindness even when you act less-than-noble. All bad behavior comes from fear or ignorance and when you judge anyone (including yourself) for acting badly or imperfectly, you lose the ability to influence that being.

When you accept your imperfections—and still are willing to brush yourself off and start again—you can make changes... for you are on a heroic journey of the heart. To me this is the best kind of hero. The kind of hero I strive to be. "

- Denise Linn

My Christmas

2008-12-27T17:16:00.003-05:00

Wednesday: Christmas Eve

I had to work all day, which was disappointing. I expected it but a coworker suggested they might let us go early so I got my hopes up. Next year I'll be sure to request annual leave.

We usually spend the afternoon and early evening at Dad's but since I had to work this year we started a little later. We went straight there after work. Dad made margaritas with his magic bullet and had a bunch of appetizers out.

Note that the men know their place - in the kitchen!

Usually we just drink and snack but this year we had a sit down dinner. Dad grilled filet mignon, and it was so good.

We had a great meal and very nice visit. We hung out and talked, opened gifts, and I played Cranium with Sis and the kids. Playing games with them is one of my favorite things in the world to do. We had a blast. We got home around 10:00 and I gave Dave his gifts (I had already gotten mine before Christmas).

Thursday: Christmas Day

Christmas Day we always go to Morgantown and spend the day with Dave's family. We got up at our usual time for work and got there around 10:15. We had a very nice visit and a great roast beef dinner. Gifts were exchanged. Sis-in-Law and I played some trivia games. And we looked at old pictures at my request.

It was a good day, marred only by the fact that I fell twice. The first time, walking out of the In-Laws' house, I wasn't paying attention and fell and landed on my butt. I didn't hurt myself. I got annoyed at Dave saying "Oh it's okay she falls all the time" and I said "I do NOT fall all the time!" I hate it when he says that. But a few hours later I proved him right when I fell out of the car onto the Dairy Mart parking lot after getting my foot tangled in my purse. That was the hard fall, the worst result being a pulled a muscle in my back which is still bothering me.

We got home relatively early and got to enjoy a quiet evening at home.

Friday: Boxing Day (if we were in England anyway...)

Today we spent the day at my Sister's house to celebrate with her family, Mom and Lil Bro. Unfortunately, Dave had to work most of the afternoon so I went up by myself and he came after for a little while. Actually that worked out okay I think because he gets bored while I play games with the kids all day. He got to come and visit, eat, open his presents and sit with a little dog by the fire.

The kids got a Wii for Christmas so we played that a little as soon as I got there, then ate.

After eating we opened gifts. My favorite gift I got this year was the hand-made stool that Bro-in-Law made from wood from the walnut tree they had cut down this year. He made them for everyone and they were so beautiful!! Niece picked mine out for me, because it was oddly shaped, and she knew I would like it because I like odd things. Or because I'm odd. One or the other. LOL.

We spent most of the rest of the day playing with the Wii. I got the kids Mario Kart which is a blast. They also had the Wii Fit and I let it determine my Wii Fit age (55! ack!). I did a little yoga on it with Niece and impressed her because the Wii told me after the initial evaluation that I did not have good balance, yet when doing yoga the virtual trainer repeatedly complimented me on my excellent balance. So there.

The Wii Sports is great too, we especially enjoyed the tennis. We also did bowling and played a bunch of other games on the Wii Party Games I think it was called. My favorite one of those was the shooting game. First you're shooting at cans then skeet, which I jokingly said were flying saucers, but then the next part there WERE flying saucers to shoot! There were little people running around the field screaming and little UFO's were coming down to abduct them!! It was hilarious. I wish the Wii wasn't so expensive - I would LOVE to have one!!

I was exhausted when I got home last night but happy to have had such a wonderful three days celebrating with family. I am so grateful for them and for all that we have. I hope you and yours had a wonderful holiday as well.

Merry Christmas! A Card for You...

2008-12-22T19:42:00.002-05:00

This is what you shall do

2008-12-19T13:03:00.001-05:00

"This is what you shall do: love the earth and sun, and animals, despise riches, give alms to every one that asks, stand up for the stupid and crazy, devote your income and labor to others, hate tyrants, argue not concerning God, have patience and indulgence towards the people, take off your hat to nothing known or unknown, or to any man or number of men; go freely with the powerful uneducated persons, and with the young, and mothers, of families: read these leaves in the open air every season of every year of your life: re-examine all you have been told at school or church, or in any books, and dismiss whatever insults your soul."

Walt Whitman quotes ( Poet, 1819-1892)

Roomba!

2008-12-13T18:50:00.000-05:00

I must say, so far I am impressed with our new roomba!! We got it on sale from Amazon last week. It appears to clean the floors (carpet and non-carpet) well. It picks up lots of cat hair that's for sure! You do have to clean it really well every time you use it if you have pets. And pick everything up off the floor. Although it does well at not getting the cords all tangled up. We didn't buy the virtual walls yet so we have been making our own barriers to keep it where we want it. It seems to run for a long time, over an hour today I think.

The cats aren't too alarmed by it. I wasn't here the first time it was used. Today they reacted kind of like they do with the vacuum. It's not as loud as the vacuum. Snoop stayed away. Roscoe and Stubby were both somewhat curious about it and watched it a little but then got bored. At first they would run when it came near them but eventually just walked away from it.

Here's a short clip of it with Roscoe. I tried to make Stubby ride it but he wasn't down with that...

Random Photos

2008-12-13T18:34:00.000-05:00

Vying to be King of the Cat Tree

Doesn't care who is King of the Cat Tree, is just glad Stubby isn't annoying him

Snow this morning - the moon was still out but I couldn't get my camera to capture its brilliance

The mall is all dressed up for Christmas

Watch out for big balls

Elder Brother

2008-12-07T18:49:00.003-05:00

I just finished watching a National Geographic show called "Ancient Voices, Modern World with Wade Davis" where "Davis travels to the war-torn South American country to visit the Elder Brother, an indigenous group that says it’s connected to the ancient Tairona civilization."

It was a good show. The tribe they visited was so interesting. The people and their clothing and beaded jewelry are so beautiful, and the landscape is breathtaking.

I love to watch shows about indigenous people. Every time I see one about South America I want to go there. Although I love the modern world and its conveniences, there is something very appealing about living a simple life in harmony with nature. I wish I could do both. :)

"The ancient Kogi, Arhuaco, Kankuamo and Wiwa of the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta in Colombia know themselves as the Elder Brothers, dismissing the rest of humanity as new-comers, as the Younger Brother who chooses to neglect and destroy the balance of the world. With their prayers and spiritual practice, the Elder Brothers work to maintain the cosmic balance.

They are a people who exemplify a wholly profound relationship to nature and to the Earth. ... 'Every element of nature is imbued with higher significance, so that even the most modest of creatures can be seen as a teacher, and every feature of the world mirrors the whole.'"

More here: http://www.realitysandwich.com/our_family_tree_learning_balance_heart_world

And more interesting links about these people, I want to look at them later:

http://www.crystalinks.com/kogi.html

http://www.theelderbrother.com/kogi/index.cfm

http://tierra-y-vida.blogspot.com/2006/09/kogi-elder-brothers-warning.html

Adventures in Hair Coloring

2008-11-30T13:33:00.001-05:00

So my hairdresser moved to Huntington and I didn't want to go all the way there just to get my hair done. Not to mention spend the $100 it would cost to get it done. So I figured I would try to do it myself.

The hair color I had done 6 months ago has grown out and faded. The Before Pictures:

My first mistake was going against my better judgment and choosing a shade that was too dark.

During Step 1:

After Step 1 (the base color):

Step 2 was highlighting, where I made my second mistake(s). I did try to do it right, I just wasn't very good at it. First I tried to do it the way it said, taking strips of hair and saturing them. Then I started adding random highlights just running the brush through my hair. Then I realized I didn't start high enough on the initial strands and tried unsuccesfully to fix that. I ended up with big chunks of highlighted hair.

The final result. It's darker than I wanted but I am getting used to it. I actually always wanted dark brown hair. This is dark red hair but it doesn't look bad, except for the highlights. LOL

I am thankful

2008-11-28T19:05:00.001-05:00

Every day I give thanks for the many blessings in my life. There are so many that I can't list them all, but I thought I would at least try to list some of them (not necessarily in any particular order).

(1) My husband, who is also my best friend. He not only loves me unconditionally, he makes me laugh and I love hanging out with him. Although he may think I'm crazy sometimes, he lets me be me. I could not ask for more in a life partner.

(2) My Family: My parents, siblings, nieces, nephews, in-laws, step-siblings, aunts, uncles and cousins. I am blessed to have a large and loving family. I am thankful all of our parents are still living and healthy. I'm grateful for my relatives who are passed that still watch over me from spirit.

(3) My cats (my children): Stubby, Snoop and Roscoe give me an amazing amount of joy and unconditional love. Each of them is so special and unique. I am also grateful for our extended cat family of outside cats who chose us: Spare, Bobbi, Junior and Rascal. I miss Hoppy but am glad he came to stay with us for awhile.

(4) Friends: I am so grateful for the wonderful friends I have in "real life" and here in cyberspace. My Girlies are my other sisters and I'm thankful to have a day set aside every week to commune with them. And there are people online I have a have a deep connection with that I've never even met.

(5) My new job: I have wanted a federal job for so long, and not only did I get that, but I got one that is interesting and where I can learn so many new things, and I like the people I work with. And I love the federal holidays!! I am also thankful that it gives me the opportunity to help people and to practice compassion.

(6) My home: I love our little piece of land (I typed "peace" first, freudian slip!) and its trees and flowers and birds and deer and possums and the cats that came along with the neighborhood. We're close to the city but far enough away for it to be peaceful. I love having a little space around us and hope someday we can have even more.

(7) The internet: what did we do before the internet?? I am thankful for having information at my fingertips. I am especially thankful for the ability to connect with people all over the world, people I never would have met otherwise. I am also grateful to use the internet to keep up with "real life" friends and family.

(8) Health: so often we take our health for granted until something shocks us into realizing we are not immortal. I am thankful for my husband's heart problems that started our year out, because it woke us up and helped set us on a path to better health. We are both healthier now than we were a year ago. I am grateful for all of the resources that have helped us learn and make better choices.

(9) Spiritual growth: the past few years have been a period of intense spiritual growth for me. I am grateful for the opportunities I've had to learn new things and meet new people that can help me on my path.

(10) Nature: Nothing feeds my spirit more than being in nature. I'm grateful there is so much natural beauty nearby. And I am so thankful for my trees, flowers and backyard wildlife.

(11) Machines, Appliances and Gadgets that make my life easier and more fun like my CRV, ipod, DVR, camera, new bed, dishwasher, clothes washer and dryer, PDA, cell phone, answering machine, tv, radio, computer, new printer, microwave, toaster oven, stove, refrigerator, freezer, heat pump, air conditioner, etc.

(12) I am also thankful for vacations, books, Mexican food, Oprah, medication and herbal remedies, comfortable clothes, pizza, Louise Hay, time alone, reiki, art, music, sunshine, jacuzzis, cabins, rocks, trees, crows, fresh fruit and vegetables, eyeglasses, roses, wildflowers, zoos and wildlife centers, state parks, national forests, comedy, chiropractors, swimming pools, board games, ice cream, family gatherings, and many more.

Give Thanks

2008-11-27T10:06:00.001-05:00

"Live your life so that the fear of death can never enter your heart. When you arise in the morning, give thanks for the morning light. Give thanks for your life and strength. Give thanks for your food and for the joy of living. And if perchance you see no reason for giving thanks, rest assured the fault is in yourself."

- Chief Tecumseh, Shawnee Indian Chief

Turkey Medicine

2008-11-25T23:13:00.000-05:00

Native Americans believe animals bring us lessons we need to learn - when you see an animal a lot, have a particular fondness for an animal or see one in an unusual situation, it may have a message for you.

They also believe each person has an animal totem (or totems) that teaches, guides and protects us through out lives.

"Turkey is quite a bit like buffalo. very sacred. It is one that gives unconditionally. If you follow a wild turkey and watch you will find other foods to eat. The feathers have been used to make caps for ceremony as well as to keep rain off. Almost every part of the turkey can be used for one thing or another and of course the bird is also a food source. To the Cherokee the turkey was as sacred as the eagle if not more so. They teach adaptivity for that is what has helped them survive the destruction of their forest. They are nest sharers with several hens keeping eggs in same nest and tending to them. This insures a greater survival for all the chicks. it teaches strength through being in the flock and allowing others to assist you in not only finding food but raising your young and being a part of the
whole."

source: Whitehorse Woman, about.com's Holistic Healing Forum

http://healing.about.com/od/animaltotems/a/totem-discuss.htm

"Native American Indians view the Turkey as both a symbol of abundance and fertility. After heavy, uncontrolled hunting by European settlers and American hunters, the Turkey almost vanished to near extinction by the early 1900's. The Wild Turkey is a resilient bird and a survivor. When reintroduced, they renewed their populations very quickly, symbolizing the renewal and rebirth that must take place for all nature in order for humans to survive.
...
Turkey is the symbol of the Mother Earth and her abundant harvest. All of Earth's blessings and the ability to use them to their greatest advantage are part of Turkey's teachings. The Turkey is also a symbol of sacrifice. In Turkey's death, we have our life. This reminds us to act and react on behalf of others. Act not out of
some sense of self-righteousness or religious guilt, but out of the realization that all life is sacred.
...
Turkey is telling you that you have much to be thankful for, even if you can't see it at the moment. Life is a wonderful gift and the world is full of abundance. And not only do we receive, we can also give back. What are you giving back? How are you helping to replenish what has been given to you? Turkey is asking you to be aware of the needs of others. Generosity sent out will be generosity returned. Genuine gratitude and willingness to give opens the door for good to enter."

http://snoedel.punt.nl/index.php?r=1&id=420211&tbl_archief=0

6 Ways to De-Stress Your Home

2008-11-24T18:28:00.000-05:00

"Your home - whether big, small, or somewhere in between - should be your sanctuary, a place where stress is left at the door and your soul is nurtured. For a more comforting environment, gradually implement the following changes into your home:

Bring the outdoors in. Green plants, cut flowers and blooming bulbs, or pieces of wood, rocks and other organic elements can create a feeling of nature indoors.

Paint a room to suggest a mood. For instance, blue and green promote a relaxed feeling and may be good choices for the bedroom, while warm colors (maroon, coral, burgundy) suggest a cozy environment and may be inviting in a family room.

Surround your senses with beauty. Artwork, fragrance, smooth textures and calming sounds all provide a pleasant environment in which to relax.

Set aside a room or area for peace and calm. A place for spiritual reflection and meditation can provide shelter from noise and distraction.

Clean out clutter. A low-maintenance home is refreshing after a day of hectic meetings, errands and chores. Fewer items can mean less frustration.

Create an atmosphere of love. Display handmade or meaningful gifts from loved ones and photos of family and friends.

http://www.drweil.com/drw/u/TIP03102/6-Ways-to-DeStress-Your-Home.html

In My Backyard

2008-11-22T19:25:00.001-05:00

chickadee in silhouette

chickadee at the feeder!

nuthatch

Brotherly Love

2008-11-22T19:14:00.000-05:00

Hanging with the Outside Cats

2008-11-22T19:09:00.002-05:00

Miss Bobbi and the Boys

My Baby Boy

2008-11-22T18:50:00.000-05:00

Arts & Craft Fair Loot

2008-11-22T18:37:00.002-05:00

The Capital City Arts and Crafts Show is going on this weekend. As always there are lots of wonderful artists and so many things to choose from it's almost impossible. Here are a few things I bought.

Pewter tree of life pendant

pottery turtle

Wooden candle holder by Harry Clendenen. Harry has many wonderful wooden pieces!! I used to work with his wife.

Citrine gem tree

I hear them all

2008-11-21T21:25:00.000-05:00

I love the music of the group Old Crow Medicine Show [and not just because I'm obsessed with crows - ha!].

I particularly love this song. When it comes up on shuffle, I usually repeat it 2 or 3 times.

"I hear the crying of the hungry
In the deserts where they're wandering
Hear them crying out for Heaven's own
Benevolence upon them
Hear destructive power prevailing
I hear fools falsely hailing
To the crooked wits of tyrants when they call

I hear them all
I hear them all
I hear them all

I hear the sounds of tearing pages
And the roar of burning paper
All the crimes in acquisition
Turn to air and ash and vapor
And the rattle of the shackle
Far beyond emancipators
And the loneliest who gather in their stalls

I hear them all
I hear them all
I hear them all

So, while you sit and whistle Dixie
With your money and your power
I can hear the flowers a-growing
In the rubble of the towers
I hear leaders quit their lyin'
I hear babies quit their cryin'
I hear soldiers quit their dyin', one and all

I hear them all
I hear them all
I hear them all

I hear the tender words from Zion
I hear Noah's waterfall
Hear the gentle lamb of Judah
Sleeping at the feet of Buddha
And the prophets from Elijah
To the old Paiute Wovoka
Take their places at the table when they're called

I hear them all
I hear them all
I hear them all "

The video: http://www.crowmedicine.com/media/video-ihearthemall.htm

The band's site: http://www.crowmedicine.com/

The Art of Now: Six Steps to Living in the Moment

2008-11-17T17:57:00.001-05:00

"Life unfolds in the present. But so often, we let the present slip away, allowing time to rush past unobserved and unseized, and squandering the precious seconds of our lives as we worry about the future and ruminate about what's past. ... When we're at work, we fantasize about being on vacation; on vacation, we worry about the work piling up on our desks. We dwell on intrusive memories of the past or fret about what may or may not happen in the future. ... .

Most of us don't undertake our thoughts in awareness. Rather, our thoughts control us. ... In order to feel more in control of our minds and our lives, to find the sense of balance that eludes us, we need to step out of this current, to pause, and ... to "rest in stillness—to stop doing and focus on just being."

We need to live more in the moment. Living in the moment—also called mindfulness—is a state of active, open, intentional attention on the present. When you become mindful, you realize that you are not your thoughts; you become an observer of your thoughts from moment to moment without judging them. Mindfulness involves being with your thoughts as they are, neither grasping at them nor pushing them away. Instead of letting your life go by without living it, you awaken to experience.

Cultivating a nonjudgmental awareness of the present bestows a host of benefits. Mindfulness reduces stress, boosts immune functioning, reduces chronic pain, lowers blood pressure, and helps patients cope with cancer. ... .

Mindful people are happier, more exuberant, more empathetic, and more secure. They have higher self-esteem and are more accepting of their own weaknesses. Anchoring awareness in the here and now reduces the kinds of impulsivity and reactivity that underlie depression, binge eating, and attention problems. Mindful people can hear negative feedback without feeling threatened. They fight less with their romantic partners and are more accommodating and less defensive. As a result, mindful couples have more satisfying relationships.
...
1: To improve your performance, stop thinking about it (unselfconsciousness).
...
That's the first paradox of living in the moment: Thinking too hard about what you're doing actually makes you do worse. If you're in a situation that makes you anxious—giving a speech, introducing yourself to a stranger, dancing—focusing on your anxiety tends to heighten it. ... To be most myself, I needed to focus on things outside myself, like the music or the people around me.
...
Focusing on the present moment also forces you to stop overthinking.
...
2: To avoid worrying about the future, focus on the present (savoring).
...
Often, we're so trapped in thoughts of the future or the past that we forget to experience, let alone enjoy, what's happening right now. ... Instead, relish or luxuriate in whatever you're doing at the present moment—what psychologists call savoring. ... When subjects in a study took a few minutes each day to actively savor something they usually hurried through—eating a meal, drinking a cup of tea, walking to the bus—they began experiencing more joy, happiness, and other positive emotions, and fewer depressive symptoms ... .
...
3: If you want a future with your significant other, inhabit the present (breathe).

Living consciously with alert interest has a powerful effect on interpersonal life. Mindfulness actually inoculates people against aggressive impulses ... . "Mindfulness decreases ego involvement," explains Kernis. "So people are less likely to link their self-esteem to events and more likely to take things at face value." Mindfulness also makes people feel more connected to other people—that empathic feeling of being "at one with the universe."
...
Mindfulness boosts your awareness of how you interpret and react to what's happening in your mind. ... Focusing on the present reboots your mind so you can respond thoughtfully rather than automatically. ... Mindfulness increases self-control; since you're not getting thrown by threats to your self-esteem, you're better able to regulate your behavior.
...
4: To make the most of time, lose track of it (flow).

Perhaps the most complete way of living in the moment is the state of total absorption psychologists call flow. Flow occurs when you're so engrossed in a task that you lose track of everything else around you.
...
Flow is an elusive state. As with romance or sleep, you can't just will yourself into it—all you can do is set the stage, creating the optimal conditions for it to occur.
...
To set the stage for flow, goals need to be clearly defined so that you always know your next step. ... You also need to set up the task in such a way that you receive direct and immediate feedback; with your successes and failures apparent, you can seamlessly adjust your behavior. ... As your attentional focus narrows, self-consciousness evaporates. You feel as if your awareness merges with the action you're performing. You feel a sense of personal mastery over the situation, and the activity is so intrinsically rewarding that although the task is difficult, action feels effortless.

5: If something is bothering you, move toward it rather than away from it (acceptance).

We all have pain in our lives ... . If we let them, such irritants can distract us from the enjoyment of life. Paradoxically, the obvious response—focusing on the problem in order to combat and overcome it—often makes it worse ... .

The mind's natural tendency when faced with pain is to attempt to avoid it—by trying to resist unpleasant thoughts, feelings, and sensations. ... But in many cases, negative feelings and situations can't be avoided—and resisting them only magnifies the pain.
...
The solution is acceptance—letting the emotion be there. That is, being open to the way things are in each moment without trying to manipulate or change the experience—without judging it, clinging to it, or pushing it away. The present moment can only be as it is. Trying to change it only frustrates and exhausts you. Acceptance relieves you of this needless extra suffering.
...
Acceptance of an unpleasant state doesn't mean you don't have goals for the future. It just means you accept that certain things are beyond your control. The sadness, stress, pain, or anger is there whether you like it or not. Better to embrace the feeling as it is.

Nor does acceptance mean you have to like what's happening. "Acceptance of the present moment has nothing to do with resignation," writes Kabat-Zinn. "Acceptance doesn't tell you what to do. What happens next, what you choose to do; that has to come out of your understanding of this moment."
...
6: Know that you don't know (engagement).

You've probably had the experience of driving along a highway only to suddenly realize you have no memory or awareness of the previous 15 minutes. ... Or maybe it happens when you're reading a book: "I know I just read that page, but I have no idea what it said."

These autopilot moments are what Harvard's Ellen Langer calls mindlessness—times when you're so lost in your thoughts that you aren't aware of your present experience. As a result, life passes you by without registering on you. The best way to avoid such blackouts, Langer says, is to develop the habit of always noticing new things in whatever situation you're in. That process creates engagement with the present moment and releases a cascade of other benefits. Noticing new things puts you emphatically in the here and now.
...
Don't Just Do Something, Sit There

Living a consistently mindful life takes effort. But mindfulness itself is easy. "People set the goal of being mindful for the next 20 minutes or the next two weeks, then they think mindfulness is difficult because they have the wrong yardstick," says Jay Winner, a California-based family physician and author of Take the Stress out of Your Life. "The correct yardstick is just for this moment."

Mindfulness is the only intentional, systematic activity that is not about trying to improve yourself or get anywhere else, explains Kabat-Zinn. It is simply a matter of realizing where you already are.
...
You can become mindful at any moment just by paying attention to your immediate experience. You can do it right now. What's happening this instant? Think of yourself as an eternal witness, and just observe the moment. What do you see, hear, smell? It doesn't matter how it feels—pleasant or unpleasant, good or bad—you roll with it because it's what's present; you're not judging it. And if you notice your mind wandering, bring yourself back. Just say to yourself, "Now. Now. Now."

Here's the most fundamental paradox of all: Mindfulness isn't a goal, because goals are about the future, but you do have to set the intention of paying attention to what's happening at the present moment. As you read the words printed on this page, as your eyes distinguish the black squiggles on white paper, as you feel gravity anchoring you to the planet, wake up. Become aware of being alive. And breathe. As you draw your next breath, focus on the rise of your abdomen on the in-breath, the stream of heat through your nostrils on the out-breath. If you're aware of that feeling right now, as you're reading this, you're living in the moment. Nothing happens next. It's not a destination. This is it. You're already there."

Excerpted from this much longer article: http://www.psychologytoday.com/articles/pto-20081027-000001.xml

How To Create a Serene Sacred Space

2008-11-16T09:15:00.001-05:00

""Sacred Space" is a special place you can retreat to and spend time alone in quiet meditation or retrospection. Here are a few helpful ideas for creating an indoor sanctuary.

Location - Choose an area within the interior of your home for your sacred space. Use a spare bedroom, a revamped pantry area, or a tucked away corner space apart from the main traffic areas.

Sweep Clean - Clear this space of stagnant energies by performing a ritual smudging (cleanse with smoke from burning sage wand). This should also be repeated periodically after you begin using your sacred space . If needed, give the walls in your space a fresh coat of paint.

Meditate: - After your space is cleared and free of "stuff" spend some time there in solitude before you begin introducing your new furnishings. What types of things do your love? Get in touch with each of your senses in choosing the furnishings and decorative items to fill the space.

Comfortable Seating: Choose from floor cushions, a gentle swaying rocker, recliner, or a stuffed chaise to stretch out in.

Calming Sounds: Introduce some wind chimes, water fountains, CDs & player, or a hand-carved wooden flute to play.

Taste: Peppermints for mental clarity, calming herbal tea blends, cinnamon red hot candies to awaken the taste buds.

Smells: Light scented candles, burn incense, keep a supply of freshly cut sprigs of lavender.

Visual: Decorate with mirrors, posters, paintings, art sculptures, altars.

Touch: Display several objects offering a variety of textures such as crystals, feathers, sea shells, woven cloths, a huggable teddy bear, etc.

Fresh Air: Having a window opening in your sacred pace is especially welcome to allow fresh air and sunshine for healing and happiness. If there is no window available, an air purifier is fair substitute.

Tips:

Once your space is ready, honor it by making your presence there regularly.
Set boundaries by deciding who else, if anyone, is allowed in your sacred space.

Keep a supply of colored pens and notebooks if you want to maintain a journal in your sacred space."

http://healing.about.com/cs/selfactualization/ht/How_sacredspace.htm?nl=1

Five Steps to Intuitive Healing

2008-11-16T09:13:00.001-05:00

"The magic of intuition is that it insists you live in the moment with no expectations, a continuing freshness. Intuition is our birthright, available to everyone. To access it, I've developed five steps that can be applied to any issue you'll ever confront from healing your body, to riding a roller-coaster of emotions to sexual awakening. I live by these five steps; they continue to sustain me. I suggest you give them a try. My hope is that they will bring you the joy and clarity you've been searching for.

Step 1: Notice Your Beliefs
Your beliefs set the stage for healing. Positive attitudes stimulate growth. Negative attitudes impede it. It's important to rid yourself of counterproductive attitudes that you may not even realize you have. If you examine your beliefs, choose life-enhancing ones, you'll create optimal wellness. No organ system stands apart from your thoughts. Your beliefs program your neurochemicals. I'm not suggesting that you be Pollyannish, but that you be completely true to yourself. This will free you from unconscious negative beliefs that can sabotage your healing.

Step 2: Be In Your Body
Your body is a complex and sensitive intuitive receptor. You must make a commitment to be in it completely to heal. Most people in Western society are conditioned to live from the neck up, ignoring the rest of their body. This stance is counter-intuitive. I'd like you to shift that perspective-to enjoy your intellect but revel in your physicality as well. Being aware of the sensuousness of your body opens intuition. Then you'll become more cognizant of early warning signs your body sends. This gives you a head-start on preventing illness, choosing healthy relationships, and avoiding detrimental situations.

Step 3: Sense Your Body's Subtle Energy
We are composed of flesh and blood, but also of subtle energy. Chinese Medical Practitioners call it "chi," a vital substance which penetrates the body and extends many feet beyond it. From an intuitive point of view, these vibrantly colored energy fields, whose centers are called chakras have a significant effect on our health. For that reason, it is important that we learn to sense this energy within us, recognize when it is off, and learn to correct the imbalance. Feeling energy can be very sensual, an extension of love. Learning to tap into your body's energy is healing.

Step 4: Ask for Inner Guidance
We each possess an intuitive voice that contains answers about our healing. Because our intellect is often so loud, this voice often gets drowned out. It's essential that we learn to access the stillness within--though meditation, quite contemplation, connecting with nature, prayer-in order to gain answers about our health. Spend a few minutes each day devoted to listening to this voice. It may appear as a gut feeling, a hunch, an image, a sound, a memory, an instant knowing-as if a light bulb suddenly switched on. Learn to trust the signals your inner wisdom sends.

Step 5: Listen To Your Dreams
Intuition is the language of dreams. Every ninety minutes each night during the REM stage of sleep, we dream. Dreams provide answers about health, relationships, career choices, any new direction. The secret is to remember them. I suggest keeping a dream journal by your bed. Before you go to sleep, ask a dream a question. For instance, "Is this relationship healthy for me or should I move on?" The next morning, write down any dreams immediately before getting out of bed. Try repeating the question, every night for the next week until your answer comes. As you develop the habit of remembering dreams, you'll be able to benefit from this form of healing. As a physician, I have a continual sense of awe for the relationship between body and spirit. As your heat opens, so does your intuition. Your intuition will teach you how to see and how to love. It will instill in you a renewed faith to face anything. "

by Judith Orloff MD

http://www.drjudithorloff.com/Free-Articles/Five-Steps.htm

More free articles from Dr. Orloff: http://www.drjudithorloff.com/free-articles.htm

Cats Galore

2008-11-02T16:55:00.002-05:00

As the weather grows cooler, the cat tree becomes more popular. I guess it's warmer up high.

Stubby

Roscoe

Snoop

Junior

Eb

Rascal

The Husband ... hey wait, he's not a cat...

Qigong or Qi Gong

2008-11-01T10:55:00.002-04:00

Qigong ("chee-gung") is an ancient (5,000-7,000 years old) Chinese system of exercises and techniques designed to work with and improve the body's qi (life force energy).

Qigong has been influenced by and has influenced many other Chinese philosophical practices. It incorporates Taoist ideas of balance and harmony and Buddhist ideas of mental and spiritual awareness. Central concepts of the patterns of energy flow are shared with traditional Chinese medicine, and qigong stimulates the same points on the body that acupuncture and acupressure use. Qigong is often prescribed by Chinese physicians as part of medical treatment.

Qi (or chi) refers to the fundamental life energy of the universe which is present in air, water, food and sunlight. In the body, this energy sustains life. We are born with qi and get it from food and air. The balance of our physical, mental, and emotional levels also affect levels of qi.

Qi moves through the body along 12 main meridians (channels), which correspond with 12 main organs. The organs interact with emotions on the mental level. Qigong improves the balance and flow of energy through these meridians and increases the amount of qi. Another goal of qigong is to balance yin and yang in the body.

Qigong is used for health and healing but also for physical fitness and as a martial art (tai chi and kung fu developed directly from it).

Qigong consists of postures (standing, sitting, lying down), movements (stretches, slow motions, quick thrusts, bending), breathing techniques (deep abdominal, chest, relaxed, holding) and mental exercises. Postures and movements are designed to strengthen, stretch, and tone the body to improve the flow of energy. Meditations and mind exercises are used to enhance the mind and move qi through the body.

Qigong exercises are meant to be performed every morning and evening. But qigong is not just daily exercise. It is a lifestyle with the goal to produce a state of harmony and stability. You can live consciously by incorporating qi principles in everything you do by paying attention to your body, attempting to improve your posture, and moving and breathing harmoniously to activate and harmonize qi.

Sources/More Info:

http://www.answers.com/topic/qigong

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Qigong

http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0HKL/is_5_7/ai_66918311

Videos:

I found some videos on You Tube to try out. I've only looked at a few of them so far but here are a couple I liked. Just do a search for "qigong" and "qi gong" and you'll find lots.

Cleaning pictures off my cell phone

2008-10-30T18:56:00.000-04:00

me at the doctor's office

At the doctor, brought to you by Viagra (the logo on the paper cover thingie)

Still at the doctor

Goose by the River

Giant Riverboat

Cracker Barrell Pecan Pancake

Fall pansies outside my office building (today!)

More outside my office building

The Dhamma Brothers: East Meets West in the Deep South

2008-10-29T18:56:00.001-04:00

I heard Jenny Phillips, the author of The Dhamma Brothers (book and documentary) on Oprah's Soul Series podcast. So interesting!! Especially in light of my new profession.

Phillips is a cultural anthropologist and psychotherapist who helped start and then documented a program at Donaldson Correction Facility (a maximum-security prison in Alabama) where a group of prisoners participated in an intense 10-day Vipassana meditation course.

"Along with her crew, Ms. Phillips documented the process: cushions and sleeping mats were laid down in a Donaldson gym, where the participating prisoners meditated in complete isolation. Convicts serving life sentences for gruesome crimes focused on their breath, much like the Buddha taught more than 2,500 years ago."

from NY Times Article Staring at Death, and Finding Their Bliss

The initial group had a 20% reduction in disciplinary histories and were better able to control their anger and conduct themselves. After the course ended, the group continued to meditate but months later the program was halted after the prison chaplain complained about it. Phillips was no longer allowed to film but continued to correspond with the inmates and their letters to her are in the book (Letters from the Dhamma Brothers). Three years later the administration changed and the program was allowed to proceed again.

I really, really want to read the book and see the movie now. My library has neither. A local spiritualist church sometimes shows films like this and I think this one would fit right in with the kinds of things they do so I suggested it. I hope they get it so I can go see it! Or I could buy the DVD for $20 LOL. I want to read the book first though. Along with Phillips, Oprah had two of the inmates on the program. It was just so interesting, but too short - just enough to make me want to know more!

From the Official Site (includes dates/locations of screenings): The Dhamma Brothers: East Meets West in the Deep South

"In interviews immediately before the Vipassana retreat, the men openly express fear and trepidation, wondering what they will find when they look deeply within and face the consequences of past actions and trauma.

They are shown packing their scant belongings and preparing for the journey inside, a very short walk down the prison corridor but a sea change in their lives as prisoners. We observe the transformation of the prison gym, a frequent site for violent battles among inmates, into a monastery, a separate, restricted place in which the inmate students can eat, sleep, and meditate in total seclusion from the rest of prison society. The Vipassana teachers, Bruce and Jonathan, prepare to live and meditate with the inmates. Teachers and inmates, men from culturally different worlds, are locked together in a dramatically revealing process. This is, most likely, the first time non-inmates have ever lived among inmates inside a prison. We follow the men day to day on the retreat. Seated on meditation mats on a red rug donated by the Warden, wrapped in navy blue blankets, the men sit still in silence as they journey inside. Their days are punctuated by a strict daily routine of eating, sleeping and
meditating.

In individual interviews after the Vipassana retreat, the men tell their tales of pain and self-discovery. During group interviews, the spiritual warriors of Donaldson Correctional Facility discuss their collective experiences and vow to try to maintain their nascent sense of solidarity. In the nameless, faceless anonymity of prison life, where daily life is organized around social control and punishment, Vipassana has offered an alternative social identity based on brotherhood and spiritual development."

Seven Steps for Overcoming Ego’s Hold on You

2008-10-23T18:20:00.000-04:00

An excerpt from a Wayne Dyer article - see link at the end for the entire article

"1. Stop being offended.

The behavior of others isn’t a reason to be immobilized. That which offends you only weakens you. If you’re looking for occasions to be offended, you’ll find them at every turn. This is your ego at work convincing you that the world shouldn't be the way it is. But you can become an appreciator of life and match up with the universal Spirit of Creation. ... Being offended creates the same destructive energy that offended you in the first place and leads to attack, counterattack, and war.

2. Let go of your need to win.

Ego loves to divide us up into winners and losers. The pursuit of winning is a surefire means to avoid conscious contact with intention. Why? Because ultimately, winning is impossible all of the time. Someone out there will be faster, luckier, younger, stronger, and smarter-and back you’ll go to feeling worthless and insignificant. ... Let go of needing to win by not agreeing that the opposite of winning is losing.
...
3. Let go of your need to be right.

Ego is the source of a lot of conflict and dissension because it pushes you in the direction of making other people wrong. When you’re hostile, you’ve disconnected from the power of intention. The creative Spirit is kind, loving, and receptive; and free of anger, resentment, or bitterness. Letting go of your need to be right in your discussions and relationships is like saying to ego, I’m not a slave to you. I want to embrace kindness, and I reject your need to be right.
...
I urge you to let go of this ego-driven need to be right by stopping yourself in the middle of an argument and asking yourself, Do I want to be right or be happy? When you choose the happy, loving, spiritual mood, your connection to intention is strengthened. ...

4. Let go of your need to be superior.

True nobility isn’t about being better than someone else. It’s about being better than you used to be. Stay focused on your growth, with a constant awareness that no one on this planet is any better than anyone else. We all emanate from the same creative life force. We all have a mission to realize our intended essence; all that we need to fulfill our destiny is available to us.
...
5. Let go of your need to have more.

The mantra of ego is more. It’s never satisfied. No matter how much you achieve or acquire, your ego will insist that it isn’t enough. You’ll find yourself in a perpetual state of striving, and eliminate the possibility of ever arriving. Yet in reality you’ve already arrived, and how you choose to use this present moment of your life is your choice.
....
6. Let go of identifying yourself on the basis of your achievements.

This may be a difficult concept if you think you are your achievements. God writes all the music, God sings all the songs, God builds all the buildings, God is the source of all your achievements. ... It’s when you attach yourself to those achievements and believe that you alone are doing all of those things that you leave the peace and the gratitude of your Source.

7. Let go of your reputation.

Your reputation is not located in you. It resides in the minds of others. Therefore, you have no control over it at all. If you speak to 30 people, you will have 30 reputations. Connecting to intention means listening to your heart and conducting yourself based on what your inner voice tells you is your purpose here. If you’re overly concerned with how you’re going to be perceived by everyone, then you’ve disconnected yourself from intention and allowed the opinions of others to guide you. This is your ego at work. ... Stay on purpose, detach from outcome, and take responsibility for what does reside in you: your character. Leave your reputation for others to debate; it has nothing to do with you. Or as a book title says: What You Think of Me Is None of My Business!"

Complete article here: http://spiritlibrary.com/wayne-w-dyer/seven-steps-for-overcoming-ego-s-hold-on-you

St. Theresa's prayer

2008-10-18T07:38:00.001-04:00

Saw this posted elsewhere.

"May today there be peace within.
May you trust God that you are exactly where you are meant to be.
May you not forget the infinite possibilities that are born of faith.
May you use those gifts that you have received, and pass on the love that has been given to you.
May you be content knowing you are a child of God.
Let this presence settle into your bones, and allow your soul the freedom to sing, dance, praise and love.
It is there for each and every one of us

Attributed to Saint Therese of Lisieux, I think:

http://www.catholic.org/saints/saint.php?saint_id=105

Or is it St. Teresa of Avila??

http://www.catholic.org/saints/saint.php?saint_id=208

I don't know. It doesn't matter, I suppose. What's important are the words and sentiment.

Reiki Principles Merchandise

2008-10-13T11:24:00.002-04:00

I wanted to design something I could print and frame, so I decided to turn the image into cafe press stuff while I was at it. This is a tile coaster but there are also other tile products, a mousepad and shirts.

http://www.cafepress.com/msjamiereiki

Autum Leaves Around the House

2008-10-11T17:44:00.004-04:00

Today was a gorgeous fall day with lots of colorful leaves. So I took a trip around the yard.

One of my favorite tree in my yard in the fall is the sourwood tree in the middle of the back of the yard. It's a gorgeous red right now.

The sumac leaves are gorgeously red too

Golden leaves - what kind of tree?

Maple leaves

My woods

Spare follows me around and rests while I take pictures

I stumbled upon a wild jungle animal!

RAWR

Trees across the road (neighbor's woods)

Husband painting the garage door

The last of the season's roses

Tiny daisies

The house

The road. Where Asplundh cut down my trees :( The trees used to go almost all the way to the road

Kanawha River Fish

2008-10-11T11:06:00.003-04:00

There was an exhibit in town last week that I wish I'd known about. Fortunately a friend got pictures of it.

"Life Below the Waterline" was an exhibit designed to showcase fish diversity in the region's rivers and streams. It was sponsored by the Ohio River Valley Water Sanitation Commission, a water pollution control agency focusing on the Ohio River and its tributaries.

Using the "electro-fishing" technique (putting electric current in the water to temporarily stun fish), biologists captured fish from the Kanawha River and displayed them in a 2,000 gallon aquarium. After the display, the fish were returned to the river unharmed.

I just had no idea how many different types of fish there were in our river!

Here are pics:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/catpillarjosie/sets/72157607868981239/

Marking Timber

2008-10-11T11:02:00.001-04:00

A small excerpt from this interesting article:

"You spend all day weaving your way back and forth through the hardwood forest, examining each tree in turn and deciding whether it should live or die. You repeat this each day, considering perhaps 30,000 or 40,000 trees and selecting perhaps 300 of them to mark with a blue paint spot. Each decision involves factors such as age, size, health, soil, slope, aspect, economic value, competition, potential growth, wildlife values, and more. You calculate all these in your forestry-educated brain. You raise your paint gun to deliver the death sentence, and then something unnamable crawls up from your belly and asks: Is this the right thing to do? How well does this action fit into the natural flow of the forest? What harm is this causing? What does this have to do with me? What is the best way to balance your love for the forest, your desire to keep it healthy and functioning well for wildlife and other benefits, and your need and the landowner’s desire to earn money?"

Northern Woodlands - Marking Timber

Does High Fructose Corn Syrup Make You Fat?

2008-10-09T19:06:00.002-04:00

"High-fructose corn syrup (HFCS) is made of roughly 55 percent fructose and 45 percent glucose. Since its introduction in the late 1970s, it has become the preferred sweetener for many food manufacturers, mostly because it is cheap ... .

Now, new research from University of Texas Southwestern Medical Centers shows what many have long suspected: our bodies make fat from fructose more readily than from other kinds of sugar. In the research, published in the Journal of Nutrition ... researchers found that lipogenesis, the process by which sugars are turned into body fat, increased significantly when as little as half the glucose was replaced with fructose. Fructose given at breakfast also changed the way the body handled the food eaten at lunch. After fructose consumption, the liver increased the storage of lunch fats that might have been used for other purposes.

Of course, HFCS isn't the sole cause of the obesity epidemic, but it is certainly a major offender. Regardless of what the new industry commercials say about its being natural, one of the best dietary decisions you can make is to eliminate it from your diet. Not only does HFCS boost fat storage, but it also serves as a "marker": any food that contains it is likely overprocessed and full of cheap, unhealthy, unnatural ingredients. Stick with natural sweeteners such as honey or maple syrup and use them in moderation - or better yet, retrain your taste buds to appreciate the subtle sweetness of fresh fruit. While fruit contains a small amount of natural fructose, the bulk, fiber and relatively low sugar density of the fruit's flesh minimizes the lipogenesis potential"

http://www.drweil.com/drw/u/WBL02109/Does-High-Fructose-Corn-Syrup-Make-You-Fat.html

The Lakota relationship with animals

2008-10-09T19:05:00.003-04:00

"From Wakan Tanka, the Great Spirit, there came a great unifying life force that flowed in and through all things -- the flowers of the plains, blowing winds, rocks, trees, birds, animals -- and was the same force that had been breathed into the first man. Thus all things were kindred, and were brought together by the same Great Mystery.

Kinship with all creatures of the earth, sky and water was a real and active principle. In the animal and bird world there existed a brotherly feeling that kept the Lakota safe among them. And so close did some of the Lakotas come to their feathered and furred friends that in true brotherhood they spoke a common tongue.

The animals had rights -- the right of man's protection, the right to live, the right to multiply, the right to freedom, and the right to man's indebtedness -- and in recognition of these rights the Lakota never enslaved an animal and spared all life that was not needed for food and clothing. For the animal and bird world there existed a brotherly feeling that kept the Lakota safe among them.

This concept of life and its relations was humanizing and gave to the Lakota an abiding love. It filled his being with the joy and mystery of living; it gave him reverence for all life; it made a place for all things in the scheme of existence with equal importance to all.

The Lakota could despise no creature, for all were of one blood, made by the same hand, and filled with the essence of the Great Mystery. In spirit, the Lakota were humble and meek. 'Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth' -- this was true for the Lakota, and from the earth they inherited secrets long since forgotten. Their religion was sane, natural, and human."

The old Lakota was wise. He knew that a man's heart away from Nature becomes hard; he knew that lack of respect for growing, living things soon lead to a lack of respect for humans too.

The old people came literally to love the soil and they sat or reclined on the ground with a feeling of being close to a mothering power."

Luther Standing Bear
Chief of the Oglala, Lakota (1905-1939)

http://www.indigenouspeople.net/standbea.htm

Celebrity Apprentice

2008-10-09T18:59:00.002-04:00

This year on Celebrity Apprentice (when does it start??). Joan Rivers, Melissa Rivers, Tom Green, Jesse James, Dennis Rodman, Khloe Kardashian, Claudia Jordan (who?), Brian McKnight, Andrew Dice Clay, Tionee 'T-Boz' Watkins, Herschel Walker, Scott Hamilton, Annie Duke (who?), Clint Black, Natalie Gulbis (who??) and Brande Roderick.

http://www.monstersandcritics.com/smallscreen/news/article_1434551.php/Celebrity_Apprentice_stars_announced_Joan_Rivers_Jesse_James_among_them

Soccer Pictures

2008-10-08T18:34:00.001-04:00

Nephew Nick plays for St. Albans High School

Niece Maddie (far left) plays for Hayes Middle School

Cats are disappearing

2008-10-08T18:20:00.001-04:00

First Hoppy/Buddha the three-legged cat. His real mother took him in, he bit her child and she put him out. He hasn't been seen since.

~~Now Stubbette and her new kittens haven't been seen in a few days.~~

I guess this is a good thing, but I don't have a good feeling about it. But if we can get Spare and Eb neutered, we might have a chance of keeping the cat population under control around here. Although there aren't any unaltered females around except Stubbette, that I know of.

EDIT: never mind, Stubbette is back. I'm sure the kittens are around somewhere.

2008-10-08T18:17:00.001-04:00

"God answers prayer in His own way, not ours." - Mohandas Gandhi

Kashi

2008-10-04T08:49:00.002-04:00

I love the Kashi Go Lean protein bars, so I thought I would try some other Kashi products. I eat Cheerios for breakfast every morning but no protein and am hungry too soon after. So I decided to try the Kashi Go Lean crunchy cereal, which has 3 times the protein of Cheerios. I had some this morning.

In terms of taste, I like the Cheerios better. The Kashi is a little too sweet. But the Kashi is definitely more satisfying. It has more calories, more fat and more carbs than Cheerios, but also has more fiber and more protein and the carbs are the better kind of carbs. It has 7 whole grains. It has less vitamins added, but I don't count on my breakfast cereal for vitamins, I take a multivitamin and other supplements with it. The Kashi is more expensive than the Cheerios, but it was on sale at Kroger's this week.

So the bottom line is, I like the Cheerios better, but the Kashi cereal is better for me. I'll finish this box and make a decision then. It may grow on me and I may like it better by the time I'm done with it.

I would like to try more of the Kashi products but Kroger's doesn't have that many. I'll have to look more at the Healthy Life Market, where I buy their TLC (tasty little crackers).

The cheese TLC are GREAT. The ranch crackers are too sweet though. I'm going to try some of the others. I really want to try their frozen pizza. I hope the Healthy Life Market carries it.

Kashi has a really good website which includes healthy recipes:

http://www.kashi.com/

Oh! and you can get a free Kashi cookie - I've been wanting to try the oatmeal/dark chocolate ones:

http://www.kashi.com/stealacookie/getmycookie

Ten Spiritual Tonics

2008-10-04T08:44:00.001-04:00

"1. Stop worrying. Worry kills life.

2. Begin each day with a prayer. It will arm your soul.

3. Control appetite. Over-indulgence clogs body and mind.

4. Accept your limitations. All of us can't be great.

5. Don't envy. It wastes time and energy.

6. Have faith in people. Cynicism sours the disposition.

7. Find a hobby. It will relax your nerves.

8. Read a book a week to stimulate imagination and broaden your views.

9. Spend some time alone for the peace of solitude and silence.

10. Try to want what you have, instead of spending your strength trying to get what you want."

- Abraham L. Feinberg

Affirmations

2008-10-01T18:53:00.000-04:00

I've known what affirmations are and how to use them for many years, but it wasn't until I read You Can Heal Your Life, by Louise Hay, that I actually started to use them.

Affirmations are a way of reprogramming your brain. Many of us have negative self-talk going on in our heads. You may berate yourself in your head if you've done something wrong, telling yourself that you are stupid or you can never do anything right. Maybe a parent or other authority figure told you that when you were younger. Or you may tell yourself that you have no willpower and can never lose weight. We don't have to listen to those voices. Instead, we can replace them with positive messages or affirmations.

Even if you don't have a lot of negative self talk going on, affirmations can help you change a pattern or habit in your life.

Eckhart Tolle talks about each of us having a "story" we tell ourselves. Well really it's the ego's story. For example, your story may be that you are the person who takes care of everyone. Or your story is that you are the fat woman with no willpower. Or the victim everyone takes advantage of. Affirmations can help us change our stories.

There are different ways to use affirmations, including repeating them to yourself silently; writing them out repeatedly; saying them out loud while looking in a mirror; and posting them where you can see them. I think saying them out loud and writing them down are two of the most powerful.

Most of the time I repeat them to myself silently. I do it at times where I can get in a rhythm or I'm doing something mindless. I do them when I'm copying, for example. Or walking down the hall. I have just recently started writing them down daily. I think Louise Hay recommends writing them 20 or 30 times. I just fill up a steno pad page with the affirmation, writing it over and over.

You can make up your own affirmation. It just has to be a positive statement and should be in the present tense. For example, if you are trying to lose weight, "I am the perfect weight." Or if you are trying to be a nicer person, "I am kind and considerate to everyone I meet."

Here are some affirmations I like to use for myself. Some are from Louise Hay, others I may have heard or read other places, and some I have made up myself:

All is well in my world
I am open to all the abundance in the universe.
I am healthy and whole in every way and losing weight every day.
I trust in divine order and release all anxiety and fear.
I am willing to release the need to be in control.
I am willing to release the need for excess weight.
Every day in every way I'm getting better and better.

I just pick one I need to hear right now and use it, or make one up that fits.

Here are a few of the many affirmation resources on the web:

http://www.louisehay.com/affirmation.php

http://www.aplacefortheheart.co.uk/frame.php?sp=/louise_hay/affirmation.htm

http://www.the-benefits-of-positive-thinking.com/louise-hay-affirmations.html

http://www.gems4friends.com/affirmations.html

http://www.vitalaffirmations.com/

http://www.mjbovo.com/Affirmations.htm

What are some of your favorite affirmations?

this week's quote

2008-09-30T08:41:00.001-04:00

"The natural world is the larger sacred community to which we belong. To be alienated from this community is to become destitute in all that makes us human. " ~ Thomas Berry

Synchronicity

2008-09-24T22:33:00.002-04:00

A few days ago, I was in the shower thinking about my eating habits and how I'm slipping back into bad ones, and I thought to myself "I am going to try to make better food choices." Then I remembered some advice I was given a year or so ago that really helped me. A quote actually, from that wise person, Yoda. Today, we had lunch at the Chinese restaurant. And what do you think my ~~fortune~~ advice cookie said? Yep.

From Misc pics

How weird is that??

* * *

Last year St. Joseph's Indian School sent me a dreamcatcher key ring and assorted other paper goods while asking for donations. I kept that key ring hung up in my bathroom, until I bought a bigger one in Virginia. A couple of weeks ago I started using the key ring as an actual key ring. Last week (Friday I think) I lost it! It just disappeared. I had a nice surprise when I got home tonight. In the mail was a packet from the school, and in it a new keyring!! Awesomeness.

Anybody need a kitten??

2008-09-21T10:22:00.001-04:00

Stubbette's latest crop of kittens has finally arrived, or at least made their way down here. They cannot stay! But they are cute. One is a miniature Eb (her older kitten)

From Cats

I probably shouldn't have left all those Kroger bags by the front door

2008-09-21T10:11:00.002-04:00

Stubby didn't do this (he was in bed with me and was surprised to see them when we got up). Most likely it was Roscoe. But Stubby did think they made a nice bed.

From Cats

Reiki Principles/Ideals

2008-09-21T09:22:00.000-04:00

"The secret art of inviting happiness
The miraculous medicine of all diseases
Just for today, do not anger
Do not worry and be filled with gratitude
Devote yourself to your work. Be kind to people.
Every morning and evening, join your hands in prayer.
Pray these words to your heart
and chant these words with your mouth

Usui Reiki Treatment for the improvement of body and mind
The founder , Usui Mikao"

http://www.reiki.org/FAQ/WhatIsReiki.html

There are several versions of the reiki ideals I find online. It drives me crazy that I can't find any consensus as to what is the correct translation. I know it doesn't really matter, it's just my perfectionism or wanting everything to be black and white LOL. The above seems to be one of the more complete translations. Others are more simple, like this (as I was taught):

"Just for today do not anger
Just for today do not worry
Honor your teachers and elders
Earn your living honestly
Show gratitude to every living thing."

I also like this version from the book we got:

"Just for today I will give thanks for my many blessings.
Just for today, I will not worry.
Just for today, I will not be angry.
Just for today, I will do my work honestly.
Just for today, I will be kind to my neighbor and every living thing."

A few cat pictures

2008-09-20T19:27:00.003-04:00

Stubby - and underneath, his evil twin Stubbette. Well they're not twins, but don't they look alike?? They are probably half siblings. Stubbette actually has a tail though.

Roscoe the Big Orange Cat

Snoop

Hoppy the Three-Legged Cat

Rascal and his Momma, Miss Bobbi

Miss Bobbi having a drink

Why does she put her paw in the water and lick beside it???

Rascal

Crows make monkeys out of chimps in mental test

2008-09-19T20:18:00.000-04:00

"Crows seem to be able to use causal reasoning to solve a problem, a feat previously undocumented in any other non-human animal, including chimps.

Alex Taylor at the University of Auckland, New Zealand, and his team presented six New Caledonian crows with a series of "trap-tube" tests.

A choice morsel of food was placed in a horizontal Perspex tube, which also featured two round holes in the underside, with Perspex traps below.

For most of the tests, one of the holes was sealed, so the food could be dragged across it with a stick and out of the tube to be eaten. The other hole was left open, trapping the food if the crows moved it the wrong way.

Three of the crows solved the task consistently, even after the team modified the appearance of the equipment. This suggested that these crows weren't using arbitrary features – such as the colour of the rim of a hole – to guide their behaviour. Instead they seemed to understand that if they dragged food across a hole, they would lose it.

Not-so great apes

To investigate further, the team presented the crows with a wooden table, divided into two compartments. A treat was at the end of each compartment, but in one, it was positioned behind a rectangular trap hole. To get the snack, the crow had to consistently choose to retrieve food from the compartment without the hole.

A recent study of great apes found they could not transfer success at the trap-tube to success at the trap-table. The three crows could, however.

"They seem to have some kind of concept of a hole that isn't tied to purely visual features, and they can use this concept to figure out the novel problem," Taylor says. "This is the most conclusive evidence to date for causal reasoning in an animal."

Three of the crows did fail at both tasks, however. The team plans further work to investigate why."

Journal reference: Proceedings of the Royal Society B (DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2008.1107)

http://www.newscientist.com/article/dn14745-crows-make-monkeys-out-of-chimps-in-mental-test.html?DCMP=ILC-arttsrhcol&nsref=specrt10_bar

Using Reiki in Everyday Life

2008-09-19T20:04:00.001-04:00

"One of the things that sets Reiki apart from other healing methods is that it can be used for a number of other purposes. Reiki can be utilized in all aspects of daily life! ... [Y]ou may be amazed to learn that Reiki can also be used on inanimate objects as well! Try it the next time you have a problem with your computer! Everything in the universe is created from energy; in giving Reiki, you are directing energy where there is a lack or an imbalance.

Reiki for Animals: You will find that animals seem to like receiving Reiki and can sense that something very special is being given to them by human hands, and they tend to become quiet and relaxed. Animals will usually let you know where to apply the energy by the way they position their bodies. Most dogs and cats will remain lying down until they have had enough Reiki, and then stand up or scurry off. ... Animals are more instinctive than humans, and therefore are able to judge better how much Reiki they need. When giving Reiki to animals, follow the same basic guidelines as when treating people, and pay attention to any areas that seem to draw more energy.

Reiki for Plants: Universal Life Force Energy is manifested in plants the same as in humans and animals, and respond very positively to Reiki. When treating household plants begin at the roots, by placing your hands around the pot. When you feel that the roots have drawn enough energy, move up and direct Reiki to the main body of the plant by holding your hands about 1 inch from the leaves. You can also give Reiki to seeds before planting them in your garden, by cupping them in your hands, and Reiki to trees by placing your hands on the trunk of the tree. If you have attained Second Degree Reiki, you can administer Reiki to plants and trees using the absentee, or long distance method.

Reiki for Food & Drink: Reiki energy can also be used to enrich you food and drink, and increase it's nutritional value. While food is cooking you can hold your hands above the pan. Once food is on the plate you can either hold your hands above the plate, or at either side of the plate with your palms facing in. As you can see, the second method would work very well when eating in a restaurant. Use the same principle for liquids. Hold the glass, bottle, cup, or container in your hands for a few minutes, giving it Reiki. Try it with a glass of water and see if you notice a difference! You can also do this with hot liquids.

Other Uses: There are so many uses for Reiki on a daily basis:

Before giving a present, spend a few minutes treating it with Reiki. You've just given a double gift!

Cleanse and charge rooms in your house, or even hotel rooms by using the first symbol in the corners of the room, or by holding your hands on the walls for a few minutes.

Visualize the first symbol in front of you to "protect" yourself from negative energies when in crowded locations.

Use Reiki for malfunctioning appliances, jammed locks, computers, car batteries jewelry, and for treating crystals and stones!"

http://hallsofreiki.com/reikinlife.html