Psyche Connections

Mary Mary - Get Up

2010-10-23T11:26:00.000-05:00

‎"Nothing in the past is as powerful as what we choose to do in the present moment." - Louise L. Hay

Love N Light
Linda

The One Book by Dan Zadra and Kobi Yamada

2010-07-22T23:13:00.001-05:00

The purpose of the 1 book is to inspire you to discover and celebrate your special gifts and, above all, to share them with a world that truly needs you.

What a lovely way to start and end a day~

I Choose Love

2010-03-29T22:33:00.001-05:00

I Choose Love, The Experience is a touring production that can be duplicated and performed, filmed, Webcasts, and televised in cities around the world simultaneously. The premier production will be in Asheville, North Carolina with anticipation of moving into larger media markets.

Shawn Gallaway‘s mission is empowering people to take caring, positive action in their lives and in the world right now. He accomplishes this with resounding clarity through his music and art. As a multi-talented guitarist, singer-songwriter, and visual artist, Shawn weaves music, song, and painting into a richly textured experience that calls for enlightened activism. Check out further information at http://shawngallaway.com/theexperience/

How does the idea and the video impact you personally?

Blogger and Facebook Community Word Collage for 2010 and 2010 Predictions from........ Beyond

2010-01-03T20:01:00.013-06:00

★❉.☀¸.•*✰☃HAPPY☃✰*•.¸☀.❉★❉.☀¸.•*✰☃NEW☃✰*•.¸☀.❉★❉.☀¸.•*✰☃YEAR!☃✰*•.¸☀.❉★❉.☀¸.•*✰☃HAPPY☃✰*•.¸☀.❉★❉.☀¸.•*✰☃NEW☃✰*•.¸☀.❉★❉.☀¸.•*✰☃YEAR!☃✰*•.¸☀.❉★❉.☀¸.•*✰☃HAPPY☃✰*•.¸☀.❉★❉.☀¸.•*✰☃NEW☃✰*•.¸☀.❉★❉.☀¸.•*✰☃YEAR!☃✰*•.¸☀.❉★
Here are the fun and inspiring responses to my request to the Blogging and Facebook Community for their two to five words of importance for them for 2010.... so that I could gather a word collage I am sharing here!

I am a believer that when more than one person gathers together with positive intention the result is magnified. Special thanks to contributors, Alex, Jessica, Ravy, Sheria, Tisha Marie, Jerri, DB, Chuck, Ryan, Beverly,Shila, Bev , Natalie, Marcus, Sharise, Tracey, Stan, Kerry, Steve, Rick, Mary, Cindy, Rohn, Karen and Cynthia

I have also lifted a great video on intention from Sharise
2010 Predictions from.....BEYOND that works with our words.See what YOU think!
Love and Happy New Year.
Linda

WORD COLLAGE
"reflection, learning, optimism, recovery, continuing education :)"
"love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control"
integrity, compassion, joy, responsibility, and ethics."
"Strength, courage, wellness, and faith"
In God we Trust!
Happiness- love- friendship-knowledge
"Overcomer, Live with Intention...."
"Sleep
Mint
Gauze
Brie
Qtip"
Write better. Publish.
Maintain an attitude of gratitude
Peace. Enough. Free. God. Love.
GROWTH
CHANGE
LOVE
JOY
ENTHUSIASM
Linda thanks for asking me for my five all-time (well, for this month) important words! And I thought carefully before sending, believe me!
Love ya, girl.
Steve
Balance Dogless
Overflow. Energy
ease, simplification, balance,
Star
Money
God
contentment
focus
bravery
friends
love respect, time, giving, listen, connection
That was fun...hope you'll send the result!
Relationship
Happiness

work
play
love
fun
sun

love love

I am still thinking on the words...:>)
"flow,courage,love,strong"
"health,wealth,happiness, love peace. Not necessarily in that order. :)"
Happiness, comfort, relaxation, appreciation, harmony.
calmness, compassion, confidence,
& most important loving joyfulness.
acceptance, acknowledge, embrace, hope, and love.

redefine, prosperity, health, abundance, peace

"ooh, can I play again? Chocolate, Cotton, Silk, Glass, Blue"

From A Distance,,, A Christmas Message with Love

2009-12-24T15:20:00.003-06:00

A Christmas message performed in pictures and music.
Songs performed by Bette Midler
Album 'Cool Yule'. Video made by Dr. Maithri Goonetilleke -
http://www.possibledreamsinternationl.org/ hyy://soaringimpulse.blogspot.com

WISHING YOU AND YOURS JOY,LOVE AND DREAMS COME TRUE!

Living Out of the BOX-INSPIRED

2009-11-16T23:37:00.001-06:00

Photo by: John P. Ford

As I watched Danny MacAskill in this INSPIRED video my spirits soared and life in that moment became movement, joy and the triumph of the indominatable spirit.....that spirit that lives in all of us and finds expression where ever we allow it breath and when we create room for it to be in our reality!

Nothing in this video is atypical. Nothing in this video is impossible. It is all possible things put together in a little different way with skill and practice so that the surprise is in the execution of the usual in unusual ways.

This wonderful video comes to me from my blogger friend , Beaux, at
This Isn't Happening (http://beaux24.blogspot.com/). Stop by and say hello to Beaux and send him thoughts of health and recovery and applaud his willingness to live in the now.

Beaux was diagnosed with a terminal illness about a year ago that requires a liver transplant. Beaux, his wife Lois and their two girls are waiting ...and living.

Check out what Beaux calls his blog ramblings. To me they are brave war crys of a family living as fully as possible in the moment. Thanks Beaux!
Love and hugs!

This quote on Beaux's side bar says much to me.

"Did we come here to laugh or cry?
Are we dying or being born?"
-Carlos Fuentes...Terra Nostra

What is happening in your life out of the box? Where is your thinking today? I love hearing from you and your words are inspirational. This blogging community rocks!

Perception, Illusion and Reality.Where is yours today?

2009-09-13T13:51:00.004-05:00

Photo by: John P. Ford

Living in Music City, Nashville, Tennessee USA, I am surrounded with
Illusion and the Reality that can be the life blood of experience or the anxiety of the moment.

Any Friday or Saturday evening can find visitors and Nashville natives seeking entertainment, fun and games and the connection with each other that sharing experience in music can offer in our lower Broadway and Second Avenue district.

From the Ryman to hawkers in Printer's Alley, a feeling of discovery and anticipation is almost palatable. While involved in experiences like being in The District, I tend to want to be in the middle of the experience... while also daydreaming....

It is a bit like a movie playing in my head.... like walking down two paths? It was like that last night. I was reminded of how much perception shapes every experience. Even every breath. During my daydreams it is a bit like a stream of consciousness. I tend to recall things I may not think of at other times. This dream was one of those moments.

I had a dream like this as a kid...We were visiting someone I did not know and we arrived very late. The stairs to the bed were old and winding. I climbed what looked to me then to be endless narrow and steep steps.

I slipped under the covers gratefully and fell instantly asleep only to wake with my heart pounding.

Standing unmoving by the door was a man in a trench coat and a fedora like hat. I convinced myself he could not see me so I became invisible!

I stayed awake all night long not moving to find as the sun came up....My man in the night was a coat and hat on the back of the door...Ah reality and Illusion and the juxtapositions they give to perception.

Your perceptions? Illusions? Please share your thoughts and experiences? I love your comments and I appreciate the sharing!

KEEP THE CHAIN FOR LIFE GOING

2009-09-03T21:50:00.002-05:00

No one should die because they cannot afford health care, and no one should go broke because they get sick.

I know you've seen this post many times today and you may think it's silly, but consider re-posting it anyway.

Keep the chain FOR LIFE going!

THE POND PRINCESS

2009-08-18T18:22:00.005-05:00

Photo by: John P. Ford

This new poem is the result of reworking an old one from several years ago and workshopping with a fellow poet, writer and blogger at aeroman101.blogspot.com . Alex is a real inspiration to me and I love the sharing quality of workshopping with him.

The poem was a crying out against the disappointment and unmet expectations in relationships and a discovery of what relationships have to offer in reality.

Alas, I have always preferred to live in a bit of fantasy. I continue to gain insights from that period of my life where so much time was spent in learning what is really important and a little about what is real! One thing I have learned deeply is how essential words are to me.

Can you relate? I would love your thoughts both on the poem and your personal experiences in life through love and family relationships and how it may or may not impact your writing. Your comments and thoughts are welcome and valued here.

''The Pond Princess"

The Pond Princess stands before the one
Worse for the journey she has chosen
For what they thought was the greater thing

To Sir Johan they gave her heart fast
Now as she waits she knows (at last) tired and worn
Her fabric fraying under the weight of him

Losing itself, slithering away from her bones
With the force of a wind in her back as he passes
With never a word, even while holding her, loving her

Herself alone, she would have long ago
Mounted her steed to let the wind blow her hair
While she looked for windmills to slay

One day, words pierce her heart, pin her
Foot to the floor, slice her solar plexus, her breast
Blood flows down her garment. No one sees

The blood is invisible as pain
But the words pick her up and gently rewind her on a thread
While she turns, methodically, reconnecting her heart, the word sews

Knowing that strength will come at the end of the sewing
When she takes up her sword and the Pond Princess turns to walk
From where she is now, moving from where she kneels now

For the healing to allow what she knew (in her body) as it sways
And she looks up and hears the words say:

"Fly with the eagles or play with others who know where to find the day."

Change Is Gonna Come. Lift me up! Dream with me!

2009-07-14T19:55:00.003-05:00

Inspiration and connection to me are the corner posts for making it through what can be a difficult point in the evolution of this planet as we know it today. We are lonely travelers in this world longing for and looking for a sense of belonging and purpose.

We all are carrying our personal burdens and usually none of us imagine what our fellow traveler deals with. All options for kindness , caring and recognition of the lonely journey are needed.

None of us is alone in this journey although it can feel as if the traveler is abandoned. Here is a group that, to me ,reaches our far beyond what the senses can experience. I believe in this movement and I believe in music and dance and love!...This says all three to me!

This is a powerful musical prayer to transcend distance and difference. Each of us count here.

What is your experience? Here is the story from behind the movement . I lifted this from Kyles beautiful blog DREAMS IN COLOR.....Thanks Kyles

Here is the story........

THE INSPIRATION
Playing for Change is a multimedia movement created to inspire, connect, and bring peace to the world through music. The idea for this project arose from a common belief that music has the power to break down boundaries and overcome distances between people. No matter whether people come from different geographic, political, economic, spiritual or ideological backgrounds, music has the universal power to transcend and unite us as one human race. And with this truth firmly fixed in our minds, we set out to share it with the world.
THE PRODUCTION
We built a mobile recording studio, equipped with all the same equipment used in the best studios, and traveled to wherever the music took us. As technology changed, our power demands were downsized from golf cart batteries to car batteries, and finally to laptops. Similarly, the quality with which we were able to film and document the project was gradually upgraded from a variety of formats-- each the best we could attain at the time—finally to full HD. One thing that never changed throughout the process was our commitment to create an environment for the musicians in which they could create freely and that placed no barriers between them and those who would eventually experience their music. By leading with that energy and intent everywhere we traveled, we were freely given access to musicians and locations that are usually inaccessible. In this respect, the inspiration that originally set us on this path became a co-creator of the project along with us!
THE EFFECT
Over the course of this project, we decided it was not enough for our crew just to record and share this music with the world; we wanted to create a way to give back to the musicians and their communities that had shared so much with us. And so in 2007 we created the Playing for Change Foundation, a separate 501(c)3 nonprofit corporation whose mission is to do just that. In early 2008, we established Timeless Media, a for-profit entity that funds and extends the work of Playing for Change. Later that year, Timeless Media entered into a joint venture with the Concord Music Group through the support of label co-owner and entertainment legend Norman Lear and Concord Music Group executive vice president of A&R John Burk. Our goal is to bring PFC’s music, videos and message to the widest possible audience. Now, musicians from all over the world are brought together to perform benefit concerts that build music and art schools in communities that are in need of inspiration and hope.
In addition to benefit concerts, the Playing for Change band also performs shows around the world. When audiences see and hear musicians who have traveled thousands of miles from their homes, united in purpose and chorus on one stage, everyone is touched by music's unifying power. And now, everyone can participate in this transformative experience by joining the Playing for Change Movement. People are hosting screenings, musicians are holding benefit concerts of every size, fans are spreading the message of Playing for Change through our media, and this is only the beginning. Together, we will connect the world through music!

Shy Calla Lily--Life in Black and White

2009-06-16T11:53:00.005-05:00

Photo by: John P. Ford

Black and White
Since age six or earlier I have aspired to write poetry. I have no idea why. I do remember wondering why no one else I knew did the same.While my mother occassionally read poems to me, they were not part of the general reading available to our family..

I remembered writing in my head before early school years. Since, I was published in the Sunday School Bulletin around the first grade, I must have shared my poetry with others at times..

What I have tended to do since being a young adult is to not share poetry I have written. I would start a Poetry Journal, misplace it and then forget about it! Often, I would discover poems years later in so obscure part of the storage areas.

Part of my process of Self-Reinvention was to begin a blog for the purpose of sharing some of my poetry. For me. on some level, this must be akin to riding down Main Street like the nortorious Lady Godiva on her white horse.

It just seems to be difficult to do! It is easier to not write poetry. I love writing in general so it is a peculiar thing to me that expression through poetry sharing is such a challenge.

My lovely blogger friend, Sarah at The Lemon Tree recently shared an email with me asking why I did not write more poetry. I am listening to her.
I am thinking about her question. Here is my poem for today....I will let tomorrow take care of itself!

Black and White

Standing barefoot
on charred ground
where yesterday
dreams flowered

Intent against
wind of pain
wind of beauty
too much
black and white

She kneels
in shades of gray
to smooth
the ashes at her feet

Dreamers Everywhere

2009-05-25T14:25:00.002-05:00

Photo by: John P. Ford+

TODAY IS MEMORIAL DAY.........A time of remembering

It is a misty day here with the heat building as the day goes.
I am daydreaming. I woke from night dreaming not sure which was real....the dream or the reality I encountered on waking. I was on a magical journey in my dream. Sometimes, dreams can highlight concern about world events but this was not the case.

In my dream I stood on a beautiful shore which reminded me of a place I visited in Ireland about 10 years ago. I was unable to see very far but knew that I was anticipating something wonderful. I did not second guess that possibility. I just waited with a sense of adventure and excitement to see what it was about.

One theory in dreaming is that a dream of adventure is a call to exploration of the unconscious. My dream's intent bacame clearer to me as a beautiful self powered boat appeared for me and hovered in the water.

I stepped on with ease. I believed in the dream that I was being taken through the Mists of Avalon. All I lacked was Arthur! This, it seems, was a self propelled trip!

The hero or heroine in dreams is said to symbolize a person's unconscious self. His goal is to find the treasure, the princess, the ring, the elixir of life, the golden fleece, and so on. These are all metaphors for one's true feelings and unique potential as in the pearl that is one's self.

You are invited to share your dream thoughts here. What are your dreams....sleeping or waking...Please share anything that you feel has been a learning for you. What were your dream struggles? What secret magical powers and potential did you learn about yourself?
What has inspired you in dreams...past or present?

JUST KEEP DANCING! EVOLUTION OF DANCE

2009-05-19T23:10:00.001-05:00

No Idea of where we will end up in the dance scene? If it were a 24/7 occupation dancing would still be a great idea! Let me know your thoughts!
Remember any of these? ALL RIGHT!

Neno's Award and One Lovely Blog Award

2009-05-14T18:45:00.007-05:00

Thank you Adoribible and Jesse Noe ! ! I very much appreciate you thinking of me and Psyche Connections. I love getting awards! I like the creative aspects of the making of these also! You are much appreciated! Please check out Adoribible. She is a fun and sincere gal.

Jesse blogs at The Art Blog 1968. Jesse is an Artist, A Philosopher and a Thinker who lives his belief in diversity and support for others. He is madly in love with beautiful ....inside and out...Julian of Hopeless Believer. Check these wonderful folks out. You will be glad you did I believe. Jesse has show over and over his determination to live life fully and to seize the day.

Much thanks to everyone who shares their awards. Thank you also for your your great patience in my lag in getting the recognition for these wonderful awards posted! You are much appreciated!

The reason I love blogging is the incredible opportunity to "meet" such creative and talented people. I love the diversity and I have and am learning an incredible amount about people...how we are all so different and yet so inherently alike.....Thank you for sharing your thoughts and your ideas and the heart of who you are through your blogs.

The award is:

* a dedication for those who love blogging and love to encourage friendships through blogging.

* to seek the reasons why we all love blogging.

The aims of this award:

* As a dedication for those who love blogging and love to encourage friendships through blogging.
* To seek the reasons why we all love blogging.
* Put the award in one post as soon as you receive it.
* Don't forget to mention the person who gives you the award.
* Answer the award's question by writing the reason why you love blogging.
* Tag and distribute the award to as many people as you like.
* Don't forget to notify the award receivers and put their links in your post.

It is with pleasure that I pass this award along to some truly inspirational bloggers. I do realize that some of you may not participate in posting blog awards. I totally leave that decision up to you....Just know that in my thinking you deserve this award and I love bringing attention to what I feel are excellent blogs. Thanks for participating in whatever level you choose if it is only a smile for the recognition of your talents!

Aaron at Butterflies and Thoughts

James at Art of Tea Global Network

June at 70 Plus and Still Kicking

Noelle at A Portrait of the Human Heart

Sarah at Dancing with the Waves of the Sea

Scot at A History of Emotions

Shadow at 1 Door Away From Heaven

Steve at Another Sober Alcoholic

A gift for every reader....Please take this one away with you...The One Lovely Blog Award..... Thank you for enriching my life with your blog!
Linda

Thank you Linda!
Please check out Linda's lovely award that I received recently. It has a vintage feel that I really enjoy and I am looking forward to posting it today.

I love reading Linda's blog. I find inspiration there every time I go. Check out her writing and here thoughts about life and spirit.

I would love for every blogger stopping here to take this beautiful award and post it on their blog with a smile to themselves for their participation in positive blogging as they see it. Thanks for participating on whatever level you feel inspired!

Being Inspired By Others ................Riccardo Muti

2009-04-27T22:38:00.002-05:00

Thank you Judith for letting me share this! Please check out Judith's wonderful blog.
Judith writes beautifully and is a trained musician as well as a lover of music.
She is an inspiring gal and I appreciate having the opportunity to meet her through this
blogging community.

I would enjoy hearing your impressions of this music.

Beauty and Music......What feelings are inspired in you the listener?

Your thoughts and ideas are invited and welcome here.

Intermezzo from the opera, Cavalleria Rusticana, by Pietro Mascagni
Conducted by the great Riccardo Muti

Delivering the Unexpected with Style and Grace...Susan Boyle

2009-04-18T12:23:00.005-05:00

Click Here.

Yes Virginia dreams do come true. By now, I suspect that you have heard about Susan Boyle
and the 20,000,000 plus views her youtube video has received since last Saturday. Jo , of Majority of Two, has a similiar post and I would expect posts are crossing with bloggers everywhere.

Susan, a middle-aged never been kissed unemployed church volunteer from an impressive family of musical talent has delivered the unexpected. Susan has the voice of an angel and an incredible musical range of talent.

Without a doubt the listener can see she is a talented singer . Susan was gracious in the face of judge and audience reactions that almost amounted to sneers for her physical appearance that did not jive with expectations.

Susan's success is rewarding to my mentality of God Bless the Underdog!
I love Horatio Alger type stories where people succeed, in spite of adversity, to achieve their dreams. I applaud situations where a person exceeds expectations in spite of all odds.

Have you watched the video? I invite your reactions and your thoughts on what are the messages for each of us in this phenomena. I have watched the video 10 or 12 times and spent the first several times in tears.

It is not just the beauty of the performance. That is evident. It is the beauty of being real. I salute Susan for being who she is and allowing her talent to shine through and apparently not feeling the urgency for a beauty make over in order to do it.

It is the reminder that in our youth obsessed society realness can in evidence without apology. I do not mean that I in any way object to anyone putting themselves forward in the best light they see fit. I support every individual's right to do so. I do find it sad and limiting when anyone is judged primarily by looks and age.

For me, the tears I experienced in the viewing of this performance are about refusal to give up on dreams. This refusal in spite of life wearing us all down just in the living of it. What are your thoughts, feelings or reactions? You are invited to share whatever touched base with you.

PLAYING FOR CHANGE...Stand by me.

2009-04-09T22:12:00.012-05:00

The Playing for Change Community is a group of artists and inspired people
who have come together to connect the world through music. This is a Multi Media Movement created to insprie, connect and bring peace to the world. This is an idea whose time is here.....This video highlights what is similiar about all people and the love and joy in life we are all seeking in spirit.

To check out the website, go here. Let me know your thoughts about this connection and the love and life giving force it inspires towards acceptance and world peace.

How do you see it? As a community of Artists, Writers and Muscians your ideas and thoughts are welcome and invited and deeply appreciated here. My stance is that all persons sharing the earth have the right to life and peace. Thank you for your time and care in sharing.

Happy Easter to everyone and wishes for the spirit of renewal for you and yours that it brings!

MEME.. Influences and Tripping the Light Fantastic with Mary Jane and Sniffles

2009-04-01T22:55:00.011-05:00

CatVibe thanks for tagging me for the Meme of 25 Influential things in my life!
I confess. I have been tripping the light fantastic on life's highway. I am just bee-bopping along watching rainbows and checking out new spring candle scents without a great deal of direction and purpose. Truthfully, if left to my own devices, I might mostly live my life this way. Fortunately or not I have influences directing me toward a more active involved lifestyle!

This life dance is fun and a tad addicting and includes things like enjoying buttercups and fresh winds and wishing to be at the ocean. I am doing those small celebrations of Spring that may have taken the place in our lives through the Pagan rituals of the distant past. My kind of dance right now for today..

I say all that to excuse the fact that I am a tad behind of responding to fun requests from favorite bloggers. If I have visited you a bit less, forgive me and put it off to spring fever. Ah well......I am stepping up to the plate this evening. You can always count on me to appear..although at times it will be with a slow hopefully measured waltz rather than an East Coast Swing!

Catherine at Witnessing a World of People and Places has given me this great invite by tagging me for my life influences. So hear goes Catherine. I think that is a great idea!

To be truthful. I am a compulsive reader. I fear I may always have been. I cannot remember a time when I was not. So some of my influences were happenstance because they appeared in front of me and I could not resist the read.

I am one of those people you hear about who must read the backs of cereal boxes, items left on the table and pages of open books. As an adult now, most of the time I am able to be more discrete about this.

I have learned NOT to read over peoples shoulders and to not read while they are talking or sharing scenery with me on day trips.This learning took years of being surprised at family and friends exasperation with me for not taking time to smell the roses . My family learned early on that if there was something they did not want me to read...best to not leave it in my sight.

I have always wanted to be a fairy child sprinkling magic fairy dust with a tinker bell type wand.. This longing has survived through adulthood. One of the primary influences for this was certainly my childhood training where only the good survived by the hardest. A tad bit of fairy dust could definitely come in handy.

Another part of the influence was comic books. My mother briefly worked at a comic book factory where she was able to bring home free comic books. You can guess the outcome with her eldest girl child being a READER.

It did not occur to my rather naive mom that comic books would need a censor so I got an overly wide range of reading material for a second grader. From these opportunities I developed a deep love for science fiction and fantasy and superhero comics that is still with me today.

I definitely got over the interest in horror comic books. Some of the ones I read were pretty horrific. My exposure to those books was at a young age prior to comic book content regulation. I try not to think of those too often. Mom read an article of outrage printed in our local paper about the need for comic book content revision for young children. Much of the variety of my comic book collection disappeared shortly after she read that article. Her theory was definitely better late than never.

It was during this period that I first encountered Mary Jane and Sniffles. Here is a site summary of this much loved and whimsical series. I still love them!

You can visit this site here! Here is info from the site that tells the tale well!

In 1941, when Dell Comics licensed the Warner Brothers cartoon characters, they let a tiny and adorable mouse named Sniffles sneak into the back pages of the first issue. Of course, mice were nothing new to the world of comics and animation, even then. So Sniffles' success hinged on his partnership with a small blonde girl named Mary Jane.

Mary Jane, like many other characters before and since her, possessed the ability to shrink to a fraction of her normal size, in order frolick with Sniffles in a kingdom of living toys.

Craig Chase, the creator of the stories, named the flaxen haired pixie after his wife, Mary Jane. But the girl's method's for shrinking and the quaint little rhymes preceding each resizing effort were purely part of his whimsical imagination.

When the series debuted, Mary Jane sprinkled herself in magic dust and chanted, "Magic sand, magic sand, make me small at my command!" At times, she'd vary her pleas to the powder: "Oh, magic sand upon me fall, and make me very, very small!"

But after eight years or so in print, the magic sand was no longer necessary, and Mary Jane murmured, "First I shut my eyes real tight, then I wish with all my might! Magic words of poof, poof, piffles, make me just as small as Sniffles." And with a cross of her fingers, she'd become miniscule.

While this Dell Comics duo did delve into the TV world during the 1940s, their small screen series wasn't quite as successful as their lengthy print run. They continued to appear between the pages of Dell Comics and Four Color Comics until 1961. The pair occasionally cropped up after that, in the end pages of a Bugs Bunny comic title during the '70s.

Here is my personal list of influences ....including my possible favorite of Mary Jane and Sniffles.
1) Anais Nin--anything she has written including her diaries.
2) Marion Zimmerman Bradley-- love anything she has written but especially the Mists of Avalon
3) Mary Jane and Sniffles, Dell Marvel DC and , Superhero comics in general..
4) Rumi , Rilke
5) Khalil Gibran
6) Kitaro--I can be on cloud nine in a heartbeat with his Morning Prayer.
7) The King James Bible
8) Dance...always.... and nearly any kind.
9) ) Elias DeMohan-Sound ,Color and Vibration System of Personal and Spiritual Growth
10) Carl Jung
11) The Poems of Dylan Thomas and Seamus Heaney And the writings of Ray Bradbury
(Not in the same category I know but equally well loved)
12) Mary Stewart (The Arthurian series)
13) Children of the Gods
14) Clarissa Pinkola Estes (Running with Wolves)
15) You already know what to do
16) C. S. Lewis
18) William Shakespeare
19) John Bradshaw....On: The Family and numerous other recovery and discovery authors popular in the 1990's
20) Deuter-Visionary Music for Healing and Well Being
21) Desiderata
22) D.H. Lawrence
23) Mrs Foster... My neighbor--An Africian American Woman confined to her bed for years of her adult life and my friend when I was a sixth grader
24) Historical Novels by Frank Yerby that I discovered (because of their informative sexual content) in the sixth grade
25) Dan Millman--The Way of the Peaceful Warrior and others.
26) The Beautiful and Wonderful Yellow Brick Road of the Internet Community. What a gift you are!

I could go on forever....This is enough for today. Thanks for listening! Here are folks I am tagging for their contribution.....The 25 influences they will share. I would like to tag these folks . Check these special bloggers out!

Allison at Keep Calm and Carry On
CathM at Catherine Mark-Besant
Christopher at View from the Northern Wall
DB at Vagabond Journeys
Diane at Coexist
George from LostNights Scribblings
Jesse at The Main Art Blog @ 1968
June Saville at 70 Plus and Still Kickin
Lorenzo at Crowned with Laurels
Shadow from 1 door from Heaven

Courtesy of Ghost Dansing

ACROSS THE RIVER ...................... CHARLI at BROKEN MANNEQUIN

2009-03-23T09:09:00.001-05:00

Photo by: John P. Ford

Each of us in this community of writers and poets and artists has connections that are special and even spiritual. Anyone with a connection with Charli knows what I am speaking about. For me, Charli was the first blogger I met.

Charli has encouraged me in my poetry and writing many times. She has shared by snail mail special notes and cards that I love including a Halloween Spook! Her spunk for living life as it presents itself to her is here in her words. Her approach is to embrace life! Charli's talent in poetry and writing is evident to anyone who reads her work.

This passage below is taken, with Charli's permission, from her Care pages. This is a difficult time for Charlie and she is meeting the challenge. Please read this. Words and thoughts have incredible power. Send yours to Charli for healing and strength. The link to her Care Pages is on her site and you can share with her any comments and encouragement you might feel.

From Charli

ACROSS THE RIVER

I ask this with a smile on my face. Okay - a sardonic one, but a smile, nevertheless.

I have much to be thankful for today.

First: The Big News. Just a few minutes ago, I received my long-awaited letter from the Social Security Administration awarding me disability benefits. It comes as such a relief. I have been terrified at thoughts of my future lately. The finances that come with chronic illness can be as frightening as the organ failure. I have been praying for help. Now I’ve got it. Thank you for all of your prayers – they worked! God is listening,.

This week I had a wonderful appointment with my primary care doctor and the medical student who works with her and follows me. I needed this appointment to be good, you see, because that appointment I spoke of in my last update - the one with my rheumatologist - went miserably.

That appointment - upon which I had pinned so many hopes - was horrible. I sat shivering and practically naked for nearly two hours in the exam room. My doctor dismissed nearly every concern I brought up. I was actually crying as she sat next to me and coldly took notes and she never paused to ask me if I was okay. She seemed intimidated, perhaps even angered, by my use of the vocabulary I’ve learned about lupus. I’ll spare you a rant and leave the issue by saying that I cried hopelessly for four days.

And now I’ve had this wonderful meeting with my wonderful primary care doc. Thank you baby Jesus! She listened to all of my concerns and although she was unable to do much (since she’s not a specialist), she absolutely agreed with my suggestion that I see a different rheumatologist. In fact she said she had been thinking about it for some time. She said, “I’d like to send you across the river and get you in to see someone who can understand what is going on with you. You have a complicated autoimmune disease that we’re calling lupus only because it looks like lupus. We really don’t know what you have.” (By "across the river" she means getting me a doctor in BOSTON and not Cambridge. Guess that's where the big girls play.)

She is going to get me in to see someone who specializes in “complicated” cases and who will hopefully put all my bizarre puzzle pieces into a bigger picture. I’m looking forward to meeting a doctor who’ll be able to understand my puzzles better.

Update on my health:
I had a migraine yesterday and today and spent much of last night painfully vomiting up pills and girl scout cookies (it’s that time of year!). I am feeling a little better, but very fatigued.

I am having trouble with my jaw – pain in my face that comes with chewing, sleeping, and sometimes for no discernable reason at all. My doctors all seem to suspect TMJ disorder – but no one is willing to diagnose or treat it until I see my dentist in a couple of weeks. Meanwhile, I’m taking muscle relaxants and eating soft foods.

The arthritis in my feet is making it hard to walk much. After standing and walking for more than half an hour or so, it feels like someone has stepped on my feet. They just throb. My right one hurts more than the left, which means I end up limping. Cute. Because of these weird foot troubles, my podiatrist (another specialist!) has prescribed foot orthotics. When I get them (they are made specially for each foot), I’m supposed to wear them in sneakers. I’m supposed to wear sneakers! No! Just in time for summer and sandal weather! I don’t even like sneakers! Pain is a strong enough motivator, I suppose. And thankfully, I own plenty of cute sneakers.

My kidney function has worsened slightly, but I’m not too worried. I think it will get better.

The fluid around my heart (that pericardial effusion) hasn’t gotten any better, but it hasn’t gotten any worse. This means I don’t have to endure any treatment for it yet – just keep a close eye on it.

I have started physical therapy for my back. I’ve been having problems sitting up for very long. Any more than a few minutes is painful and more than a few hours is extremely painful. It turns out that, because of some weird muscle thing in my back, one of my legs is 2 cm shorter than the other. (Which makes the foot pain worse, of course!) So I do my exercises every day and I’ll keep going to PT. Hopefully it works!

My lungs are actually doing okay today. Not better, but not worse. My pulmonologist is encouraging me to spend a month or two on a high dose of steroids to see if the damage done to my lungs is permanent. I’m dreading the prednisone. But breathing is important and she’s a good doctor who I trust. We’ll see what happens.

There’s more… I could bore you all to death with my various afflicted body parts. But I’ve probably given you enough for now!

The important thing is that I am feeling thankful and hopeful today! Ecstatic, really, since I got that disability letter. Thank you all and thank you baby Jesus!

Also – I got a big care package full of Avon goodies from my Aunt Carrie yesterday. Now I can really pamper myself! A celebratory bubble bath is in order! Thanks, Aunt Carrie!

SISTERHOOD AWARD

2009-03-16T22:05:00.010-05:00

"I do not believe that the accident of birth makes people sisters and brothers.
It makes them siblings. Gives them mutuality of parentage. Sisterhood and brotherhood are conditions people have to work at. It's a serious matter.
You compromise, you give, you take, you stand firm, and you're
relentless...And it
is an investment." (Maya A.)

Thank you PushtheButtonAlpha!

Love this SISTERHOOD award I just received... from Alpha Button Pusher over at PushtheButtonAlpha. I had admired the award on other blogs and I thought the concept was great. Thank you much Alpha. It is appreciated!

I am now able nominate other fabulous women bloggers for the award. This was TOUGH. Every blog I follow I see as having connective qualities. I would have loved to have given many more of this award! I contained myself but barely!

I nominate these blogs, which have given me laughter, learning, and their perspectives on the world. Please take a moment to check these folks out. I believe you will be glad that you did. The richness of the writing they share with the blog universe is apparent.

1)Cat at Witnessing a World of People and Places

2)Cheri at Butterfly Dreamer

3)Cynthia at Oasis Writing Link (OWL)

4)K Lawson at Old Mossy Moon

5)Natalie at Musings From the Deep

6)Self-Proclaimed Mistress of Nothing at Ramblings Of An Imperfect Being

Here's how it works:

1. Put the logo on your blog or post.

2. Nominate at least 5 blogs which show great ATTITUDE and/or GRATITUDE.

3. Be sure to link to your nominees within your post.

4. Let them know that they have received this award by commenting on their blog.

5. Share the love and link this post to the person from whom you received your award.

Now DO go read these wonderful blogs which have heart and soul!

QUESTION TO POETS AND WRITERS......When will the rain be gone?........When can I see clearly?......Is there a Santa Claus Virginia?..........

2009-03-06T08:00:00.007-06:00

Photo by: John P. Ford

Question to Poets and Writers

How does one get to be a poet? I believe it may be about intention, focus and writing and writing...which I am finding hard to do. Keep in mind,,,,I am not expecting to be paid. There is no punishment for writing...and obviously none for not writing. When does one know they have arrived? It is based on affirmation for others?

I do enjoy recognition, exchange and communication. It is not essential to me to do what I feel I want or need to do. I don't think I have to have permission. While I can see that all these things could feel warm and fuzzy, I don't think it is the totality of what I am wanting. Yes, it is about self expression but that is not the whole picture. I have wanted to be a poet since somewhere in the very early years.

While it would be fun to be published, if I really want that I could self publish. My intention is/has been to seek a community for learning and feedback, validation and connection and if I am brave, critique.. I have found some of that. Do I need a mentor? Five or ten mentors?

While I can spot a good and even a great poet from a snowstorm, I can't find my inspiration. Am I meant to be a muse and not a writer while wanting to be both? I tell myself things like....spring is almost here.

In rational moments I am not sure how that relates to being a poet. Great poetry can come from dark moments of life and in the middle of deep winter..

I could certainly write inspirational stuff. I am not feeling inspired. Maybe I really don't want to be a poet? Are there ten easy steps to at least learning to write consistently?

I do want to write with joy or intensity...with that feeling of flow or urgency that I have experienced. I want that feeling of needing to pull over to the side of the road to jot down the lines in my head that are becoming a poem even while I am driving. .

What is all this about do you think? Being a very action oriented person, I am seeking some magically inspired path perhaps? Direction?

Actually, I don't know. I am sure at some point something will be revealed to me .
What are your thoughts? What is the answer to the path needed?

A GAGGLE OF GALS...Wings to the Future..Beautiful Family

2009-02-26T11:22:00.007-06:00

Photo By: John P. Ford

Jesse....here is my post for you dear friend. I have really taken a long time to do it! In my process of lagging, I am no longer sure exactly what I was to have done so I am winging it!

Something, I think, was said about some photo in a particular folder? Here is my photo beautiful friend. It is about family and the extended meaning of that. Please know that I think of you every day and send healing thoughts your way. I am sorry that you are going through this difficult time.

In my thoughts,there is family of origin and family of choice. Family of origin is where you came from in the biological process. Family of choice is simply where there is a willingness to be there in a family like connected way and an agreement between the people involved about what that means to each. I know that you know that you and Charli are included in my extended family of choice.

Our family of origin is a colorful mixture. We claim Northerners, Southerners, East Coast and West Coast folks. We have extended family in D.C., Delaware, Louisana, California, Ohio, Texas. Arizona, Virgina and even Alaska.

We are descended from Irish, Welsh, Native American, and some think Fairies, Mystical Beings and perhaps Leprechauns. A few have been named Trolls but most of us try to ignore that naming.

We have reared Actors, Artists, Craftsmen, Educators, Administrative Educators, Farmers, Math and Computer Experts, Musicians, Performers, Nurses, Mental Health Professions, Ministers, Librarians, Truck Drivers, Small Business Owners and Poets and Writers. We have reared these folks to these callings not necessarily knowing we were doing it.

We have coped with family genetic issues including alcoholism, depression, diabetes, heart issues, cancer and obsessive tendencies and people who died way too young because of these kinds of issues. There is no easy way to cope with these things. Mostly, you just keep walking and praying and holding hands and connections with family of choice.

We claim folks who are single parents, married three to five times (on occassion). We understand it is not three strikes and you are out....but rather life.

We smile at groups of wonderful people who have eleven to zero offspring. Our extended crew includes those who claim heterosexual and homosexual orientation and some folks who prefer not to make a final commitment.

In this post you see a gaggle of gals I claim in my family . Here is the poem I have written about them and our family of origin. I look forward to your thoughts! Your comments are magic and help me learn.

UNCOMMONLY WONDERFUL ANGELS

Uncommonly Wonderful Angels

Rhi (Peanut Butter Bound), Naomi
Leah, Jessica
Becoming who they are
Where they find themselves

Family Heritage Roots
Wings to the Future
Soaring further in
Their lifetimes
Than you and I
Dared to dream

Great-Grand children of Earl and
Emily Ellen Of Tennessee,
Laura and James of Illinois
They are Already
Unknowingly alligned
Christian Soldiers of the Cross

Kith and Kin to
Gospel Music Bards
Cousins to Country Music
Pop-Rockers, Foot-Stompin

Hand Slappin, Fast Dancin
Music Makin, Big-Time Players
They have music
In their bones.

Doubt me?
Think I go on a bit?
Watch Them
Listen to their Music
Dance to their Music

When they think
They are alone
When they don't know
They are watched
Then give your take on it

Roll call on the family tree
Finds Strong-Hearted
Genuinely Loyal
Caring, sharing souls
Living life in the church
Word of the Lord

A song to be sung
Hard work to be done
Joy on the wing
Life lived to the fullest

A little free spirited
Crazy Wacky Outrageousness
Thrown in the mix
To keep things in perspective
To keep things in perspective

May I Have This Dance?

2009-02-25T15:24:00.009-06:00

Thank you Bird Lovers Only Rescue for letting me share this!

CHECK SNOWBALL OUT
Snowball is a medium sulphur crested Eleanora cockatoo and he loves to dance and sing. He loves the Back Street Boys. No one taught Snowball to dance...he just heard this song and suddenly felt like dancing. We're all jealous because he can outdance each one of us...nobody likes a show off! When he's really in the mood, he dances and sings. And at the end of the performance he takes a bow or two or twenty!! Enjoy the show.

Bloggers Extraordinaire CHERIE, LAURA,TRACEY-ANN and B.J.Roan Pass on AWARDS! Thank you all!

2009-02-18T01:11:00.009-06:00

A very special recognition to Cherie at Butterfly Dreamer for the creativity of originating an award with no expectations and for the purpose of recognition of Peace and love.

BEAUTIFUL and PRECIOUS ...as is Cherie.

FANTASTIC AWARDS AND RECOGNITIONS ARE HERE. THANK YOU!

LEMONADE AWARD from Laura at Under the Sheets - Shh and Tracey-Ann at Pensieri senza Colora.

What a lovely surprise to receive the Lemonade Award from Both Laura and Tracey-Ann.

These great gals are two wonderful bloggers.. They are both talented and creatve in expression and they are real and caring. Please take a moment to check out their sites. I can predict you will be going back again and again for visits!

Thank you both so much for thinking of me Laura and Tracey-Ann. I love getting awards and I appreciate the thought and the sharing. The rules are that I pass this award along to 10 people.

Before passing this award onto other well deserving bloggers, I am asked to share with you five attitude and five gratitude things that you didn't know about me.
ATTITUDE
1) I am not a morning person. It takes me time and transition to come from the world of dreams and sleep to this reality.I do try to not talk before coffee and to be kind to the people who must endure being with me.. I am kind as long as they don't want to talk on arising.
2) I need about 7-8 hours of sleep nightly. Without it I can be very cranky and into self pity. This would be the perfect time for you to see my attitude at work. I do a great snarl.
3) I will turn around and give you a look of attitude if you are sitting in a restaurant booth and rock back and forth on my part of the booth!
4) I am not much for ongoing negative statements not laced with weird humor. I may tell you so.
5) I really do not like music playing randomly in restaurants that I did not choose..I may or may not like it. Now if a violinist comes by my table...all to the good . Otherwise, Please..allow me to choose my own music or keep it calm and low in the evening...unless of course I am dancing!

And now for my GRATITUDE list:
1) I am thankful for this life of sharing and connecting and loving and learning more about love.
2) I thank whoever is responsible for the idea that we are never too old to have a happy childhood ...one that includes singing in the rain, dancing in the streets and playing in mud puddles.
3) I still write in a journal what I am grateful for on that particular day and at that time. I go back and reread those things I enter. I am in awesome realization of the diversity of life and the people I know.
4) I am grateful for the family and old friends and new friends and the wonderful blogger friends that color my life in rainbows. What an inspiration...really!
5) I am thankful for discovering blogging! This self expression is such fun and it has helped me learn more about myself and others and how we are all more alike than different. :>)

Thank you for sharing and creating this experience with and for me and you!

My wonderful nominees for the lemonade blog award are:

1)Artemis of the Eucalyptis at Slightly Unconventional Purple Pathways
2)Bast Crystal at Thoughtful Creativity
3)Cat at Wait. What?
4)Confessions of a Wandering Soul
5)Faith at Stones From My Heart
6)Kate at Blogging Is My Only Vice
7)Jewelery Girl at Jewelry and Junk
8)Jo at Flowers and Barbed Wire
9)Priya at Journal
10)Rab at The Seeker in Dreams
11)Self Proclaimed Mistress of Nothing at Ramblings of an Imperfect Being

YOUR BLOG IS FABULOUS AWARD from Julian at Hopeless Believer. To know Julian is to love her. Reading her blog is enjoying Open Hearted, loving and caring communication. Thanks Julian!

So, there are a few things you need to do after accepting this award:
1.)Post the logo on your blog.
2.) Pass it on to at least 10 of your blogger friends that you think they have a "Fabulous Blog".
3.) Please link me, Linda @ Psyche Connections in your post.
4.) Link the awardees as well.
5.) Let your awardees know you have passed this on to them by going to their blog and leaving a comment.

HERE are my FABULOUS AWARDEES.

1)B. J. Roan at Rubbish By Roan
2)Cat Vibe at Witnessing A World of People and Places
3)Jacqueline Michelle at Or Whatever
4)Karmen at Karney Life
5)K. Lawson Gilbert at Old Mossy Moon
6)Laura at Under the Sheets--Shh
7)Rachael at The Waxing Moon
8)Rhi at Peanut Butter Bound
9)Rikkij One Big Love
10)Susan Sonnen at Musings
11)The Pink Cowboy
12)Tracey-Ann at Pensieri senza Colore

BEST BLOG THINKER from B. J. Roan at Rubbish By Roan.

According to B.J.:

“This award acknowledges the values that every Blogger displays in their effort to transmit cultural, ethical, literary, and personal values with each message they write. Awards like this have been created with the intention of promoting community among Bloggers. It’s a way to show appreciation and gratitude for work that adds value to the Web.”

Here is the fun part. I am asked to pass this award on to 15 bloggers I consider worthy of the award. So although there are many more than 15 who deserve this honor, here is my list:

1.CathM at Catherine Mark-Beasant
2.Charli at Broken Mannequin
3.Cherie at Butterfly Dreamer
4.Christina at The Voice of the Sea Wind
5.Christopher at View From the Northern Wall
6.Cynthia at Epiphany: ReBirth
7.Cynthia at Oasis Writing Link (OWL)
8.Diane at COEXIST
9.L. Rochelle at Two Ghosts
10.George at Lost Night's Scribblings
11.Jesse at The Art of Jesse
12.Julian at The Innocent Piper
13.Jiggins at Con-tin-u-um and Refraction
14.Larry at LarryG Mobile Blog
15.Lorenzo at CROWNED WITH LAURELS
16.Paul at Paul Chambers
17 Selchie at Thought For The Day
18.Alan at Laid Back Think Tank

I confess. Math has never been my best subject!

Life ...A Spiral Route Up and Down A Mountain Side

2009-02-04T15:22:00.019-06:00

Capitola Beach, California
Photo by: Erica Foley

Life, to this traveler, is a twisting, turning, spiral route up and down a mountain side. In my thinking, travelers MUST travel in a spiral, with the ups and downs within that spiral. Sometimes the travel is by the hardest on foot with no staff or at times first class on the Silver Bullet!

These travels can create the feeling of being magically transported, flying, falling, crawling or of not moving.

Flying to the top of the mountain is breaktaking! Exhilarating! It can feel as if you have arrived at the ultimate! It will seem as if the world is yours! At times, it can feel as if you were magically transported!

All that is needed in this state is for the traveler to reach a bit and grab their personal lightening bolt that powers their life and the energy that goes with that!

When you are in a holding pattern it may feel as if there is no movement. It may actually be the incubation period of a new spiral path of your life. You are simply standing by ready to board the mountain train for the ride of your life.

Yet, at times it seems impossible to see even beyond the curve on the road more than a footstep! The fear is ...what can be on the other side. How can we trust what we cannot see?

When you enter these holding patterns you are making way for the new by giving up the old but often it feels like loss, pain , saddness. I find it may be difficult to experience change as gain!

It is hard to lay down the what have beens and the what might have beens because we cannot see around the bend. We must act on FAITH instead of FEAR with no guarantees.

Here is the result of a poem I workshopped with my friend and fellow poet Alex on this subject. I deeply respect Alex and his work and I enjoyed the process and the result. I wanted to share it in a post with this blogger community.

I love your thoughts, comments, reactions. It broadens my perspective and my horizons! I would enjoy hearing about any connections or specifics where you might identify with the topics or bits and pieces of it. I can also love hearing what you do not relate to or like about the poem? What are your thoughts and feelings?

HARD TO LAY DOWN

Sack cloth
Ashes and lemonade

Not what I thought
It would be

In the Golden Years
Yet here

It is
Struggling, walking, elusive

Too close for comfort
Clouding

Not without fear
The heart born

Dancing through Moulin Rouge
A misstep

Considering all
Wishing to be 15

Still in the middle of
The joy of everything is

Little comfort gained
From dreams of playmate

Soulmate sharing
You know the one

Mary Jane and sniffles
And off to adventure land

By the sheer will of it
Entering

By magic incantation
Exaulted in that perfect

Home comforted
Full of places visited

Order restored to whatever
That time when

Summer seemed
And winter just a blip on

All things lie ahead of us still
Lost in what might have been

Too many could haves
Like oil and water

Even while rewriting this
Tarnished troubadours

Sack cloth
Ashes and limonade

Are hard to lay down

Courtesy of Ghost Dansing

DANCING QUEEN....... Music, Dance, Feeling, Being. Love made Visible.

2009-01-25T13:32:00.015-06:00

FIRST VIDEO COMPLIMENTS OF A'JAY-THANKS!

nouvelle vague "dance with me" from bande a part

SECOND VIDEO COMPLIMENTS OF GHOST DANSING-LOVE IT!

Today, forgive me please CHARLI, JESSE,and SHADOW. I am playing hookey from answering interviewing questions! Alas ,my brain is resisting anything even minimally structured! I am caught up in music and dance thoughts!

I know STEVE and RHI and EZEKIEL and RIC will also understand as well as my friends who have given me wonderful interview questions in good faith!

I am in respite, I guess ,from a bout with a couple of weeks of a flu that caught
me when I was not looking!
Today, I just wanna have effortless fun!

All of that is ok. I will be back on track tomorrow. Today, I am being ok with going with the music flow...Ah...Sweet! Thanks for understanding all! As you can tell, I am feeling slightly guilty for my response lag!

No, I am not supporting T-Mobile necessarily but I do love this connected way they have created of getting their name and message across. I love art and self expression and connection with others who are open to it....even T-Mobile!

To me, dancing is the ultimate free style form of physical self expression where ANYONE can participate. It can lift spirits immediately, alter dark moods, enhance connection and open channels of feeling that few other ways can match.

Dancing can be shared with everyone from babies to challenged folks in wheel chairs. To dance is to love and express self. To dance with someone is to extend that love.

I am dancing in my head everywhere I am. You may think I am sitting demurely but that is not the whole story! I can listen to Kitaro's morning prayer and be at another elevation feeling wise instantly.

MUSIC. DANCE. FEELING. BEING. I believe DANCING is LOVE MADE VISIBLE.

Please share your thoughts? Where are you in your dancing today?

Journey to the Creative Self begins Early.....

2009-01-11T21:05:00.010-06:00

So many school years spent coloring in the lines and so little time or interest for bringing the arts into the world for growth, healing, communication and collaborative learning.

Your comments and thoughts and input matter here. What is the creative world to you?
How do you see it? What is your experience in this world of creativity? Self Expression? What are your fears about your own creative expression? What works for you? In an ideal world what would creativity actually be? How do you live your life in day to day creativity?

FANTASTIC AWESOME CONNECTION! FUN and MUCH APPRECIATED!

2009-01-10T00:15:00.013-06:00

Photo by: John P. Ford

Yesterday, I found a LOVELY and special comment on my most recent blog post from THAT GUY at MASS AFFECTED blog site. THAT GUY shares blog sites he finds of interest on MASS AFFECTED and features particular blogs at times.

I think of THAT GUY as a searcher of what he sees as blogger talent! A Talent Scout! I love it! Please check out THAT GUY'S great blog and his well done post here on behalf of PSYCHE CONNECTIONS.

I have to say I got another real smile later this evening as I read Alan's LAID BACK THINK TANK BLOG. Alan has created a recognition for the blog for the day and honored Charli at BROKEN MANNEQUIN. I would like to share that I see Charli and I as very much alike personal history and personality wise.

We share many things including a love for poetry and psychology and art....although we tend to approach things from different perspectives we often arrive at similiar places! I very much appreciate Alan's recognition of Charli and the great post he created for that recognition. Check out Alan's blog here. THANKS ALAN!

Much thanks to THAT GUY for featuring PSYCHE CONNECTIONS. This is an honor for me. The introduction to this blog is definitely thoughtfully and well done and much appreciated by this blogger! See what you think? I love the sentiment expresed! Thank you so much for thinking of PSYCHE CONNECTIONS and my attempt at blogging, THAT GUY.

THAT GUY and ALAN, You are noted here at PSYCHE CONNECTIONS for being caring, connected, great blogger friends. You are a fantastic connection and a source of new connections for us all in this blogger community. I truly believe it is all about connections! Please check out MASS AFFECTED and ALAN's blog and see who you can discover!

Your comments and your thoughts are valued here. THANKS!

Celebrate Your Life! ... Dreams do come true

2008-12-31T10:50:00.001-06:00

Photo by: John P. Ford
Nashville Skyline

THE NEW YEAR

Quotes from the writings of Anais Nin...

Dreams pass into the reality of action. From the actions stems the dream again; and this interdependence produces the highest form of living.

It is the function of art to renew our perception. What we are familiar with we cease to see. The writer shakes up the familiar scene, and, as if by magic, we see a new meaning in it.

There is not one big cosmic meaning for all, there is only the meaning we each give to our life, an individual meaning, an individual plot, like an individual novel, a book for each person.
ANAIS NIN

The New Year is a time to celebrate life and to let go of the old and to rewrite any of our chosen scripts needing a revision. Now is one time to invite into our lives the NEW and the revised!

I believe we are stonger in connection so I am offering a small connection today. The dreams we are holding tight can be set free through our actions and our intentions. I am dreaming of a more organized environment, a revised budget I stick too and a healthier lifestyle!

I would love your thoughts and reflections on the New Year and what dreams are forming or coming together for you for 2009. What do you want to write in your Life's book?

Merry Christmas and A NEW YEAR of Options

2008-12-23T00:59:00.016-06:00

Photo by: John P. Ford

This poem is about a feeling of being open to experience what life
is presenting with an open heart and living in the joy of the moment yet knowing that moment changes in a heart beat. I relearn this lesson daily.

This poem was written 12 years on on March 15th. Two weeks later a heart connected love died unexpectedly at age 45.

Wishing everyone wonderful and loving holidays continuing in the New Year and beyond
on a day to day basis.

SEEKER

Angels and Visionaries
traveling through
my here and now
frogs of beauty
who would be Prinzes

Mama's voice in
high adoration
on the inner air waves
Daddy on a John Deere
Waterford Crystal
warm beer

Misty Air -
Solar Eclipse -
Joy on the wing
Wanting to be
THERE NOW

Fractured prisms,
ancient wisdoms
my heart has
my head on line

Incense,
Starstones,
Sticks and Bones
Amethyst Crystal
caught in sunlight

Trailing
dustmotes
Beware the
Ides of March

Celebration,
Sound and color,
Mid-Life Crisis
Glory Hallelujah!

Going home in
a red
convertible
mustang
Ole Time Religion

Unicorns,
foghorns,
sailing vessels
put to sea

Arthur & Guinevere,
Tristan and Isolde
Ralph and Alice
You and Me

Soulmate,
Heart and Head
Out of sync,
The song unsung
Will the circle be unbroken?

Touching
Reaching
Longing
A Yearning Journey
Ecstasy. Despair.

Riding on a Harley -
Sunlight in the air
Children everyone.
Love always there

Sometimes now is
all that's needed
And to breathe
For awhile

Blogger Awards and Special Thanks

2008-12-15T18:14:00.019-06:00

I am pleased to offer a special thank you to Jiggins from Con.tin.u.um and to Charli at Broken Mannequin for honoring me with the Honest Scrap Award. I value both of these bloggers and I appreciate them thinking of me! Please pay Charli and Jiggins a visit! I will be passing this on to 7 other deserving bloggers!. Thank you again Jiggins and Charli.
The rules for this award look pretty easy:

1. List 10 honest things about myself (TRUE and interesting things - not just the color of yours socks!)
2. Pass the award on to 7 bloggers

Ten Truths about Me:

1. My childhood was a contradiction in every area, but filled with love and music and also crazy unreasonable expectations.

2. As an adult I feel I have lived through a dozen lives. Sometimes I look back and think...did I really do that?...Think that? give up so much for that?... and on and on.

3. I had a dog that really belonged to my brother, Chuck, who named him Ole Pete but I pretended he was mine. I loved to dress him in bonnets and aprons. (I have no idea why.)

4. I had 13 cats growing up... even before I was in school. Any number of them slept in my room. One mother cat choose my bed to give birth to her kittens.

5. I have always been an observer. At age 3 and 4, our family lived on a farm before we moved to Ohio.. I watched my Dad drive a horse drawn skid for days while he was working. Then I jumped on ....without him.,... and did the same thing he had done. I can still remember how shocked I was to see him running behind me to catch me. I thought I knew exactly what I was doing!

6. I am dealing with some short term health issues that are scary to me because they slow me down! I am dealing with it. However, I am used to running through my life and ...I have always wanted to have it all, experience wise!

7. I had my first child when I was 16. I have three children and every year I see more I could have given them in the early years had I known what needed to be given..They say I make way too much out of that.

8. My mother said I have always been a champion of the underdog , children and animals.

9. I am in love with life and with the people in it. I started this blog because of that need to connect and the need to create. There is nothing I would rather do that meet new people AND I am always afraid for that initial moment that I will be rejected or not understood....Like everyone, I want to be loved and valued..

10. As a child, I wanted to go to live in Wyoming and be a crack shot...sort of like Annie Oakley:>)

The following bloggers are people who I hope have not received this award already but if they have they deserve two... They are also truthful and interesting writers and ones that I deeply appreciate for both their writing and the personal qualities I have come to know. I am holding one in reserve for another wonderful blogger I may not yet know!

SEVEN TRUTHFUL BLOGGERS:

Jesse Mendez at The Art of Jesse

Matthew at Wasteland of Words

Christina at Another Day In Paradise

Steve at Another Sober Alcoholic

Jacqueline Michelle at Or Whatever

Rhi at PeanutButterBound

Robert Talk 3 Talk 4

BUTTERFLY AWARD from Christina
This is a great week for awards! Thank you Thank you!
I received this beautiful award from Christiana at Another Day in Paradise.
I love and appreciate it AND it has all my favorite colors!. Thank you Christiana!
I would like to pass this award on to some of my favorite bloggers friends who
put time and thought and caring into creating beauty in their blogs. Thank you all for the sharing and caring!

Charli at Broken Mannequin
Rabbit at Rabbit Can Fly
Christine at the Voice of the Sea Wind
Heather at Singing With My Heart
Stu at 陶明瀚...小学
Cherie at Butterfly Dreamer
Lorenzo at CROWNED WITH LAURELS

You Know...I wonder

2008-12-10T21:11:00.011-06:00

Photo by: John P. Ford

Looking for love....sometimes in all the wrong places and life spaces.. can lead to a level of disappointment that is a sad commentary on the hopeful dreams held close by the seeker in the beginning of the quest..the traveler may think they are at the point of...being there.........only to realize the other occupant was not at home for them.

This is disappointment and it can be a blue period...sometimes with need for regrouping and recovery and it is enough. Two souls in transit who miss the connection they wanted. Why games beyond that? I wonder. This is a poem written about these reflections.

You know.....I wonder

Watching you ignore me
I wonder what you are gaining
I wonder what it is that you really
feel I have done

To make you think that
this is the way
it should go for mutual greeting
of two souls in transit

When to me it seems
a smile, a hello or
even a glance or perhaps
an inclination of a nod
to each other

Would seem the
kinder thing and easier
for us both
who after all have done
no evil or real directed
unkindness to each other

We have, I believe
only led our lives
walked out paths and
while in the doing of it
briefly touched and

connected and attempted
friendship and deeper caring
one human in life
to another and often
with astute observations
on both sides

It is new to me this
Non-Approach of yours for
what seems to be of
no kind purpose and
I wonder why non-kindness

When to my way of feeling
life offers unkindness enough
without working to create it
with fellow travelers all
of us in need of a lighter touch

You know...I wonder
What is this all about
Are star crossed
travelers such as we
in need of all of this...Really?

For whatever the reason
or urge for the rally
I defer to one much better at
advent and execution of
this non-directed pain than am I

Therefore, I send you a
Salute, traveler
for your consistent effort
toward whatever it is
that you feel you accomplish

The game you play seems to
be one you value so
since I value you
As I thought/think you to be

I watch you and
learn even when you
think I am not looking
even when I am wondering

Encore....Or Play It Again Sam

2008-12-01T22:07:00.011-06:00

Photo by: John P. Ford

I have come to believe that life is a curious mixture of the magical and the mundane and the interplay between the two. When our day to day lives are steeped in the mundane we sometimes long for the mystical and the magical...a longing that can spark creativity and color our lives in rainbows and bolder patterns.... in a way that can elevate our experience to a more spiritual feeling level.... at least momentarily.....

We may dream and begin to search for a way to mentally create a wider path in living life so that we can be at least one inch above the reality where we may feel a bit stuck.

We may long to be uplifted. As spiritual beings living here in physical form on earth, we may become painfully aware of the limitations of the human form and seek to transend those limitations if only briefly.

Alternately, if our feet are too far off the grounded path, we may feel a longing for a connection to "reality". We may ask for reality checks and confront our thinking beliefs and search for answers in only what we can sense.

We will find ways to connect to nature and see our part in it. We may glorify what we can see in front of our eyes. We may begin to search for the more traveled traditional path that can offer the illusion of familiar territory.... A home base so to speak.

This poem is about the mundane and the magical and their intersections. It is about the transition from boyhood to adulthood and the gains and losses that are a part of that journey. It begs the question, is that journey ever ended or is replayed on various levels throughout life? What defines the poem? If you replaced the word boy with girl would it make a significant difference in the poem?

What is reality? Illusion? Spiritual connection? The meaning of a life lived?
I am still working of all these questions..All answers are a way of questioning.

Play it again Sam

The boy stood
at the top of the hill
Feeling he had
The matter at hand
Under his full control

Yet his half smile
revealed not the half of it
Fear Not, for he
has a heart of courage
and a mind

That at times is open
to Exploration
of the sacred cows
he has always felt

To be constant
that even now
ripple in form
in the heat
of the late afternoon

So. What is it
that the evening
will bring if not
that elusive

Peace. Contentment
and comfort
that belonging
that strikes the lost chord
of his youthful longing

The sirens song
the misty boat
of Avalon untenanted
yet powered on

The blood of passions
Red in life unshed
Unknown, Unclaimed
Laid Down unlived

How gently he
kneels to smooth
the ashes at his feet
the veils not yet parted

From the Lady of the Local Pond Series
With reflections

Superior Scribbler Award and Uber Amazing and Kreativ Blog Awards

2008-11-29T22:08:00.021-06:00

There are these delightful awards which circulate among bloggers as a way of giving recognition and praise. I love the idea . I see them often but I have never actually received one until yesterday. This Thanksgiving weekend I have been blessed with three! What fun! Thank you so much Jesse, Charli, and Terence!

Superior Scribbler Award, sent to me by Charli at Broken Mannequin and also by Terence at RabbitCanFly:

So here are the rules for this award:

1. Each Superior Scribbler must in turn pass The Award on to 5 most-deserving Blogger Friends.

2. Each Superior Scribbler must link to the author & the name of the blog from whom he/she has received The Award.

3. Each Superior Scribbler must display The Award on his/her blog, and link to This Post which explains The Award.

4. Each Blogger who wins The Superior Scribbler Award must visit This Post and add his/her name to the Mr. Linky List. That way, they’ll be able to keep up-to-date on everyone who receives This Prestigious Honor!

5. Each Superior Scribbler must post these rules on his/her blog.

So... Here are the bloggers' blogs to whom I bestow the gift bestowed upon me:

1. Broken Mannequin
2. Rabbit Can Fly
3. Random Thoughts on Life
4. The Voice of the Sea Wind
5. Matt's Myth

Jesse of The Art of Jesse kindly granted to me the Uber Amazing Blog award and the Kreativ Blogger Award . I am honored to accept these awards and to share them with others. Thank you Jesse! Thank you also to everyone who reads and comments! Your insights and your thoughts and the sharing is much appreciated.

My kind friend Jesse again handed out these to all bloggers. You are all welcome to please take this award and place it on your blog... :

Now for the rules for the Uber Amazing Award.

Put the logo on your blog or post.

* Nominate at least 10 blogs which show great Attitude and/or Gratitude!

* Be sure to link to your nominees within your post.

* Let them know that they have received this award by commenting on their blog.

I'll nominate:

* Broken Mannequin
* RabbitCanFly
* Butterfly Dreamer
* Moments In Phontography
* Peanut Butter Bound
* Random Thoughts on Life
* The Voice of Sea and Wind
* Today is Tomorrows Yesterday
* Talk 3 Talk 4
* Wayfarers Journey

Congratulations to you all and keep up the interesting and beautiful writing!

Shared Poem in Comments ..Created from Snippits on the Fridge.

2008-11-20T12:12:00.015-06:00

Miss Mary Bobo's Southern Table
Lynchburg, Tennessee
Ready for Thanksgiving Celebration
Photo by: John P. Ford

Just sharing a creative comment post from Alex.

Alex responded to the refrigerator poetry post as a true poet is likely to do....Write a poem!

I appreciate all readers and bloggers!. Thanks for taking the time to read and share your opinions and comments.

Writer On Board said:
Love it, Linda. Fun. I'll play:

morning yet they know not
I need a cup of liquid coffee
My sister...
I am over crap

Concrete poetry almost sacred translucent
Some delicious fever
From never more.....
I like me....no question

Always woman
This heart speaks out like a child at play
A brilliant wet secret on hot magic cloud
bring men of fire...sex, he too must

Make marbling
Perhaps green grass will dazzel that picture
perfume...lip is pierced...young girl I will heal you father said

Smile
Over ferocious daughter trust live laugh blush
Time to pick a flower
Open an old broken window

Change the hard blue universe
explore..listen..embrace..celebrate..dance..melt...
remember

Family, Friends & Reflections on Refrigerator Poetry

2008-11-16T19:54:00.018-06:00

Home Reflections Photo
Photo By: John P. Ford

A couple of years ago eight folks in a group of long term friends decided to form a poetry group. We dubbed ourselves the Live Poet's Chowder Society. We have been writing poetry, reading about favorite poets and meeting monthly alternately at each other's homes. We have an evening of sharing our poetic creations as well food and companionship and whatever presents in the way of conversation!

One of the shared things from the group was a gift to me from Karen W of magnetic words to create poetry on the refrigerator. I did manage to get the magnetic strips out of the box and randomly arranged on the front of the frig. Alas, I have not done much else with them until tonight.

My children and their broods and significant others also plan a joint family event monthly, again alternating homes where the event is held. As I took a seat in front of the frig tonight with the thought of using my gift, I noticed many arranged lines where the words were no longer random! I have no idea who assembled what as no one has come forth to take credit for the short creations. I want to share them here. None is related to the other that I can determine. Do you have a favorite?

RANDOM REFRIGERATOR POETIC OFFERINGS FROM FAMILY/FRIEND POETS UNKNOWN

From never more.....

I like me....no question

I need a cup of liquid coffee

My sister...
Open an old broken window
Change the hard blue universe

explore..listen..embrace..celebrate..dance..melt...remember

perfume...lip is pierced...young girl I will heal you father said

Perhaps green grass will dazzel that picture

A brilliant wet secret on hot magic cloud

This heart speaks out like a child at play

Concrete poetry almost sacred translucent morning yet they know not

Time to pick a flower

Over ferocious daughter trust live laugh blush bring men of fire...sex, he too must

Make marbling

Always woman

Some delicious fever

I am over crap

Smile (this one from me)

Give sorrow words. The grief that does not speak whispers the o'er-fraught heart, and bids it break. ~ William Shakespeare

2008-11-14T00:50:00.015-06:00

JACK DANIELS DISTILLERY
LYNCHBURG TENNESSEE
Photo By: John P. Ford

I appreciate the complexity of this photo from the photographic point of view and even more from the representational emotional point of view. The colors range from a blood orange red to misty white with mid tone grays. Color is emotional life in representation.

Red orange is the courage to go forward. Most of us will reach the need for this color quality at many points in life. Sometimes that courage is needed to just keep walking.

Visually, there seems to be a cottage type dwelling in the foreground. As the eye moves upward, more complex buildings present with the image culminating in a misty hill top structure that literally seems above it all with a feeling of mystical and magical qualities. Our lives are like that with many levels of the simple and the complex, the magical and the mundane.

Looking on the path, the water offers reflection of a kind that feels like an abstract painting. We are not sure what it is but we want to take a closer look!

Each of us is a work of art . We are like tapestries that form a beautiful complex pattern on the surface yet reveal errors of imperfections on the underside. The
errors are what make the beauty in the final pattern.

This photo is like a representation of life lived to me. We move from one spiritual dwelling or life space to another. We try to integrate the experiences into one cohesive whole. None of these buildings look as if they really belong together yet they make a lovely whole picture.

Sorrow is one aspect of life that can be devastating yet open doors to self exploration that we would have passed by if invited. Instead, we often find ourselves throw into experiences we would not choose.

No one would seek the kind of sorrow life losses or serious illness can bring. Sorrow and loss can be one path to personal integration and the resulting need for reinvention of self.

In Memoriam is a poem written after three years of grieving and living and learning to regroup after the loss of a love who was instrumental in helping me define who I was and now who I am.

In Memoriam

Approaching midnight
eve of April one
we sat in flickering candlelight
reviewing glorious old dreams and
spinning new ones
In rainbow colored threads.

Our voices high on life and promises
hearts open, fears shared
forgiveness given, energy pulsing
connecting our hearts with hope.
You spun fantasies of
What our life would be.

By December I'll be in
better shape than ever, you claimed.
In a year, I'll be hard and healthy.
I listened and I believed it.
Do it with me, you said do it all..
O.K., I agreed - - while I wished for
a tape recorder.

We danced slow
with no music.
Holding my hand
going up the stairs
one or two steps ahead of me
you turned and caught my eye.

I have always loved you
Even when you were with someone else
Even when I was with someone else
Even when I loved them too
Maybe even in another
Lifetime - you said with a smile

No one has known me
as you know me, you said.
I know - and I, you also
I shared , truthfully

Touching, holding, drifting
on the gentle waves
of your waterbed
we missed the entrance of
The April Fool Trickster.

Startled into wakefulness
I saw your eyes and
knew you were no longer there
Even though you body was
Still.......breathing.

Disbelief - belief
Terror, deadly calm
Sirens, phone calls, pain
Hospital waiting rooms.
Hard to keep breathing.

Am I still breathing?
People we loved surrounded us
With an invisible inner circle
of those I have loved and lost.
Why am I still breathing?

A thousand times
in my imagination
I have died with you
the death you died but once.

Today I am alive
In love with life
Breathing, full of plans
time filled with
what I want and love.

Yet even now or
Tomorrow, tonight,
next year, this afternoon
the trickster's shadow
will cross my path as
I reach one thousand and one

Illusions ....Poem and Understanding of Life...... in Process

2008-11-09T18:31:00.022-06:00

As children we know that reality takes place on more than one level. We intuitively know that outer reality and inner reality need to be in harmony. We know that each has validity. If we are blessed as children we are allowed to live this freedom for harmony that we were born to experience.

As adults we may forget this magic knowing. Many of us spend our lives in reinvention of the wounded inner self while we work at redefining what is really important or truly meaningful.

This is a poem written some time ago as a part of a series during one of those personal periods of emotional internal sorting and healing while struggling to redefine what is real and what is illusion in the external world.

This kind of experience and sense of loss can feel consuming. It can become a lonely journey that no one travels with you. It is hard to see fellow travelers even when they may be standing with you and holding your hand.

This poem is a reminder to me of how powerful our thoughts can be and how deeply they can influence our experience.

Illusions...A Poem

Crumpled paper moons
Faded neon crayon promises
Mine and theirs

Walking through
Shattered shards of
Priceless Crystal barefoot

Up splintered stairs
With no rails....
Mindful of slipping

In my own blood
Toward a stream
of Faint Light

The real danger... always
Believing I travel
Anyway except alone

Twas the Night Before the Final Vote

2008-11-03T22:28:00.004-06:00

When all through the house
mine and theirs
my favorite blogger
creatures were stirring
and I had my hand on the mouse.

Now Alex, Now John, Now Marcus
Covered it all
From predictions of outcome
To predictions of downfall

Music, Poetry and current events
Magic outlined by Charli
Favorite dreamer and life
and all of our laments

Religious experiences
From Rabbit and
Lovely word games from Jean
and I missing the historical perspective
and wondering about Christine.

Whatever your choice
Whatever your vote
You are ALL bloggers of note!

That Beauty That is Terror

2008-10-21T22:34:00.007-05:00

This poem was written awhile ago after losing someone I loved deeply and had been involved with at two extended time points in my life spanning fifteen years.
He was 45 at the time of his death which was not expected. Never had I felt as KNOWN as in this relationship. The ebb and flow of the connection was a given. After his death, I waited three years to even consider meeting someone else and then met someone immediately. I felt passionately and intensely about this new love but I had not yet been able to fully let go of the other relationship. This poem is about the new love that I met. Loving two people in this way, one of whom was not in this world, felt like an emotional tail spin.

I find I can still recapture all the feelings, the connection, and the disconnect and the struggle to stay in this new relationship, because I wanted to do so, while still not having said a total goodbye to someone that I felt to be a forever soul connection. At the same time, there was the feeling always that
my new love would disappear (i.e. die)

That Beauty That is Terror

Loving you
Without benefit of words
or without your presence
Can be as one of Rilke's Angels

That beauty that
Is terror
To this part-time
Little girl in a grown up world

Cursed and blessed with
Seeing potentials and feelings
She navigates by default a
Ship on a tilt alone
Toward unknown shores

While away from you
As Captain you seem
Otherwise occupied
Cerebral, distracted

Perhaps through
No fault of
Your own and
Perhaps as her illusion
Charting your own course

Leaving to the girl-child
The here and now
Day by day journey
Giving her few coordinates

Yet you remain
Ever the diplomat
Caring,responsive
Benovelence implied
Consolation given

Coming to you
Is like entering a
Haven from navigating
A respite
An oasis of connection

Moving within three feet of
Your skin and
Your touch
Is like moving
Through a mine field of

Chemistry and involuntary responses
A yearning energy of
Physical longing and wanting
Needing urgently, immediately
Yet never wanting the need to end

Being with you
In the biblical sense is
Fire in a desert, phoenix rising
Spiritual, passionate, consuming
Ultimate dirty dancing

Speeping with you is
Safety at a primal level
For a sensitive soul
Touching knowing without barrier
Being.

Rilke says the answer is in the journey

2008-10-12T01:00:00.007-05:00

I have learned over the years to refine my to do list to the point of including a ...breathe, Linda... note as a bit of a joke for myself. Before I was self employed, I traveled in a thirteen county area working as a consultant with a Mental Health Center. I made my car my office. As you can imagine this made for a pretty full back seat and trunk. I was a definite believer of the boy scout motto.

Traveling with me to lunch one day, My boss asked what I had in the back seat. It is just a film strip projector I shared.. He sighed with relief at my answer. Thank God , he replied, I was afraid it was a copier and you had figured out some way to plug into the cigarette lighter to make copies by the mile! I guess I was taking the concept of multitasking to a new level.

I have come to believe that multitasking is an illusion. The brain really can only attend to one thing at a time even if it is in overdrive. Being busy or too busy is a state of mind not an activity.

I expect I had learned somewhere in life to believe that we must be in demand to be creative and engaged? Maybe it seemed to me as if I had to be crazy busy to just make an impact or to justify that I was doing enough? I no longer believe that it is necessary or a good thing to be crazy busy.

I want to be the one who lives for the journey. I know it is my feelings and my thoughts that can make me feel crazy busy not the tasks. Of course I can get overwhelmed but I don't want to stay in that space any longer that it takes me to walk to my mental interior mirror and turn around with a new intention. I can let go of activities if I need to. I can change my circumstances. I can alter a lifestyle. My intention is to lead the most serene and lovely life possible with the one I have RIGHT NOW.

So toward that aim of serenity today, I walked through my office and lit the fall candles. I rearranged my favorite stuffed animals that have their imaginary lives there. They are of every personality and persuasion you can imagine and I like it that way. We are not a typical office I guess. We have it all I think. A gorilla who sings Wild Thing, A huge rabbit in a lovely cotton easter frock and even a popular Fred Flintstone .

I paused in the reception area to view the creative art made by children and adult clients and given to me over the years. I love just feeling those connections again in the moment. I have such a unique art collection. It makes me smile. I remember how blessed I am to be given the opportunity to do something I truly love doing. My intention is to express as much of the gratitude I feel as I can and to slow myself down in there here and now to fully experience what is offered in my life.

As my blogger friend Alex quoted today: Rilke says the answer is in the journey. So why the rush? I try to slow myself down all the time. Sometimes it works. I second that Alex.

Not a Cough in a Carload: Images from the Tobacco Industry to hide the hazards of smoking

2008-10-07T22:27:00.011-05:00

Stanford School of Medicine

Lane Medical Library & Knowledge Management Center

In support of patient care, education, and research, the mission of the Stanford's Lane Medical Library & Knowledge Management Center is to create opportunities for discovery, translation, and collaboration by providing people with easy, efficient access to in-context knowledge and learning whenever and wherever it is needed.

As part of the library's year-long centennial celebration, Lane hosted the Not a Cough in a Carload exhibit in the library's physical space from February through September 2007. In order to extend access to a broader audience and provide expandable digital display space for the Jacklers' extensive collection of tobacco advertising images, Lane developed this web-based interface. Questions and feedback about this online exhibit can be sent to LaneAskUs@Stanford.edu.

Dedicated to Marilyn E. Jackler who started smoking as a young woman because it was
"the sophisticated thing to do" and later was unable to quit.

Died of lung cancer June, 2007.

Prayer of St Francis - Sara McLaughlin

2008-10-07T19:05:00.004-05:00

Old Boyfriends Just Fade Away...Girlfriends Are Forever

2008-10-06T23:39:00.008-05:00

I have loved dancing always. I can be dancing and never move. I dance in my inner self if less of late in reality. I considered a degree in physical education, because of the dance options, equally with my final decision of psychology. I love what I do and the decision I made may have been a toss up. Although psychology is a lifelong love for me, I am truly one of those people who would rather be dancing than many other things.

I spent a lot of time playing hostess and social butterfly to large gatherings of diverse friends, with wine and dance on the menu, in the past. I still do this at times but the gatherings are smaller and more likely to include poetry from our Live Poet's Chowder Society! I first met Karen when my ex beau brought her to one of those fondly remembered parties at my home. Since he had never brought any of his current flames to my place, I knew this one might be serious.

He and I had spent three plus years in an up and down roller coaster relationship with both of us exploring our single independent status and alternately aiming to be together...sort of. I can truthfully say there were few dull moments. Time was spent ,with me at least, trying to decide where our relationship was headed when I met someone that helped me know definitely that the direction was not going to be long term.

Karen and he were together dating a year. They were married just a tad less than one year. I found out about their split when I was arranging a get together for their first year anniversary celebration. I received a call from her new husband telling me it looked as if I needed to hold off on sending out the invitations. I knew he was not committed to marriage in general but I had hoped it would take in the specific with Karen. In the short time I had known Karen I had come to admire and love her.. It was apparent that he adored her. Alas, even adoration is not always enough without the determination to stay married that needs to go with it.

I talk to him on occasion now via the internet and I can see how much he has grown. I am glad to have known him then and now. He is a fine and talented man. I find I can remember why I appreciated so much who he was then. He still has those qualities.

Karen and I worked through their divorce as the closest of friends. It was a dark and painful time and it passed. I find it amazing to realize that next week she is celebrating a 22nd anniversary with her husband Hal. Hal is solid and will be there for Karen for the duration. He is a forever friend to me..

Karen and I used to laugh and say we would all have to combine the time we had spent married between us all to come up with a group 50th wedding anniversary. She may make it closer to the 50th. You know, I have come to learn that life is not a ball game. It is not one, two,three strikes you are out. Relationships are tough to maintain and they can be fragile while appearing tough as steel.

Karen has seen me through a divorce and all that entails for a close lifetime friend. Karen has steadfastly seen me through the dark days of my life including death of my daughter-in-law Gay, the death of my sister Rose Marie three years later at age 40 due to incurable Lukemia, the death of my mother six months after that of my sister Rose and the loss of a love I thought a soul mate in another 10 years.

The truth is that while old boyfriends can give you a catch in breath, a hot feeling in the pit of your stomach and a nostalgia of the heart they do fade away if with sweet and warm fuzzy memory . Girl Friends are forever and that can make all the difference. Thanks for being my friend Karen.

May I present two bloggers of note

2008-10-01T19:58:00.024-05:00

Light-Paint Piano Player from Ryan Cashman on Vimeo.

Blogging Along in Nashville

I am blogging along here in Nashville. I have to confess. I never thought this would be an ongoing activity for me. It is amazing what a little unstructured time can do! I hope it is not going to be one of those idle mind devil's workshop kind of thing.

Thanks to Rhiannon, my computer whiz , I am also learning a little about the technical side of blogging and she is picking up the slack until I learn more. Rhiannon is a full time second year college student in music . She is incredibly talented, energetic and brilliant. Other than that Rhi is a pretty normal 18 year old. We blog along together through email and telephone calls.

My eldest angel , Naomi is working to complete her degree at MTSU, running the business end of my counseling practice , running her own business, Sugar and Spice, and maintaining a home and husband in a country farm house. Naomi has also helped with the technical side of the blog when I was beginning and totally at a loss about how to proceed. Check out Naomi's wedding photos to the right of this post

I have been writing and rewriting poetry for years. I have always been a believer in self expression. My nephew, Marcus Banks, tells me blogging is an act of shameless self promotion. Hey, I find I can be ok about that if a little fun is involved.

Marcus, is an excellent, seasoned, serious, committed and fun blogger. You can find Marcus at the following link. I have adored Marcus since I first connected with his gaze shortly after my youngest sister, Jerri, brought him home from the hospital.

Here is one aspect of Marcus. Check his blog out.

Marcus World

I also learned more about excellent blogging over the past year through the posts of John W. Evans, John was a Northwestern student at the time Marcus attended. I first learned of John in June of 2007 at the time of the loss of his wife Katie. John is a poet, a writer, and an incredible creative survivor.

Currently, John is a Wallace Stegner Fellow in Poetry at Stanford University. From the first time I heard John's name, I felt some psychic connection. This is not something I have burdened John with or that I have analyzed much ( yes, once or twice I admit) or that either John or I requested from the universe at large.. In fact, we have never met. Please check out the link to the KMF.

Katie Memorial Fund

John's blog can be found at

How to Like it

Finally, please check out John P. Ford's photo site. John is the source of the excellent photos I borrow from his site to spruce up my blog. John has spent the past 8 years refining his photography skills and knowledge. John is the eternal scholar and his ability to learn new things is pretty awe inspiring as the quality of his photos demonstrate.
Here is John's pbase site.

The Kitchen Sink

2008-09-26T01:36:00.009-05:00

While looking at this photo John made of my artful kitchen sink arrangement a couple of years ago, it occurs to me that the blog I am unfolding here is a kindred spirit to that photo. You may not know exactly what will show up in the final analysis although the original intention was for it to be a collected work of my poetry over the years. You will, even now, find poetry among the collage of miscellaneous posts.

I don't remember ever being able to resist, arranging, rearranging and then dismantling and arranging again.....almost anything, I apply this principal of need to redo and reorganize to almost anything from drawer and closet spaces to....in this case...the kitchen sink.

As a child, I remember doing this arranging activity with rocks. marbles, crayons and spools from thread and buttons from Aunt Rose's sewing. Yes, I confess to a dead bug or two. I even dug tiny plots of land in our yard and infused them with bits of interesting things. Only ,of course ,to dig again and re do after reflection on potential..

Annoyingly, I suspect, I went through many church services surreptitiously arranging song books, church bulletins, and anything else that presented itself to my wondering eye. I remember especially liking the upside down ones.

Often that wondering eye was looking up...from underneath a church pew. I remember finding traveling under the pews way more adventurous than the assignment of sitting still on the wooden church pews. I saw each pew as a leg of the journey.

It was often a study in shoes and how to...you guessed it...rearrange them and work around them. My mother , who tried her best to ignore me, offered way more understanding than I actually deserved. I have come to believe an arranger cannot really be helped in the long run.. Mom must have reached that conclusion early on.

Although, I was not able to reach the church ceiling, in my mind I re did the small seemingly far away tiles in a multitude of new patterns. I painted them in my head and even made some three dimensional and off center. I guess all of this could account a bit for me not easily remembering a great deal of all the many spiritual lessons and learning's I was exposed to in church often daily.. Please... hold my mother blameless.

Photographer: John P. Ford
http://www.pbase.com/sfzjohn/image/58684223

We are promised nothing and build everything from that

2008-09-23T23:49:00.014-05:00

"Curse, bless, me now with your fierce tears, I pray.
Do not go gentle into that good night.
Rage, rage against the dying of the light."

Dylan Thomas

Looking at those old faded photos of Gay with Naomi celebrating her first birthday in January of 1983...her only one with her Mother and her Dad and family......I can be transported there now and remember the smells and sounds of that small celebration.... Like stepping into that Video we wished we had taken. Gay had eleven months after that. We are promised nothing. We can take nothing for granted.... except that this too shall pass.

In Memoriam

Gay Ramsay Pruitt
May 17, 1960.........December 30, 1983

Poem in process

Many multi-links to the sacred

2008-09-20T23:41:00.004-05:00

I am coming to see the sacred as an embedded figure...It is absolutely everywhere.
Have a sacred, creative, spooky, cinnamon candle evening and/or consider welcome to any sacred you can see and open the doors to for entry.
Linda

I believe in all that has never yet been spoken

2008-09-20T21:45:00.011-05:00

I believe in all that has never yet been spoken.
I want to free what waits within me
so that what no one has dared to wish for

may for once spring clear
without my contriving.

If this is arrogant, God, forgive me,
but this is what I need to say.
May what I do flow from me like a river,
no forcing and no holding back,
the way it is with children.

Then in these swelling and ebbing currents,
these deepening tides moving out, returning,
I will sing you as no one ever has,

streaming through widening channels
into the open sea.

-- from Rilke's Book of Hours: Love Poems to God, by Rainer Maria Rilke / Translated by Joanna Macy
Amazon.com

The Dozen Cousins and Taps on Table Tops.

2008-09-19T16:44:00.005-05:00

Uncle Ross
sang bass
And Uncle Raymond
took lead

Uncle Bob Was a sweet tenor
and sopranoes and altos
were everywhere.
I wanted to be both

Aunt Nan
And Aunt Eunice
sang those golden bells
and Aunt Marie said
Lets try that one
one more time.

If we wanted to sing
We had to behave
We could not fight and
Yes she saw us

How did we feel
about being called
The Dozen Cousins?

Mama said to remember
we would be in the Lord's house
See if you can do better than the boys
she would whisper

She was afraid they would throw
us out of the church
if we were not sweet
So we learned to be sweet
with a mean beat

Once when we stayed awake
after the real musicians
went to bed
we danced too much
in the yard

Uncle Raymond caught us
and made us get up at 5:00 am
Did you know
It is not even
light at 5:00 am

We played taps
on the table top with
the old loose knife
from the drawer

We had to
fight to get it
And not let
Aunt Margaret catch us
Cause she said
we had to share

Donny rang bells
with half filled
water goblets
except the one
he threw the
snake in.
You could barely see it
Donny said.

Sonny played
drums with thumbs
and knuckles
on chair legs

We could all hum
a mean comb
and play
crooner sounds
with hand jive.

We loved to
do the twist!
Norman taught us all
Norm won the prize
for doing the splits

Though he lost his seams
down the back
the night he won the 100 dollars
He never missed a beat.

Invasion of the Body Snatchers

2008-09-13T13:35:00.008-05:00

I confess that I normally see my self as a basically sane person of warmth, caring and empathetic development with a touch of humor and perhaps a bit of elevated self-esteem. Today, I am relatively sure that I have been invaded by the body snatchers and that my invader is the Wicked Witch of the West or a close relative in kind with some sort of irritable, genetic affliction that cannot easily be contained. I have been able to refrain from demanding that the air not blow over my body. Trust me when I say that today that is no small achievement.

What I am reminded of in this process is that I simply do not do the sick thing well and even minor surgical procedures more poorly. I am making a note to myself now. NO MORE SURGERY. I am thinking of a tatoo with with those words and a rosebud, or better yet a small elephant, least I forget.

What do you think? I marvel at those people who seem to transend physical discomfort, loss of energy and various gross or painful symptoms all in the name of prevailing modern medicine and through assurance of recovery. I tend to come out fighting, perhaps a bit like Don Quixote and his rather demented dance with the windmill. I think there may be much to be said for chants, and incense. I am not sure if this created a cure but the sounds and smells would have been inviting.

I definitely do not find it to be better living through Chemistry. I am convinced that I have lost at least 50% of my short term memory since taking even a few pain pills..... with no assurance that it is likely to return in the forseeable future. Say a slient prayer now please for me. Some recovering people should not be left alone. Thank goodness, I am assurred by all who witness that this is not serious and that I will soon be up running around normally. HMMMM It is a toss up. Is the pain worse or are the loss of memory and sense of self...I do still remember my name....the more difficult?

The answer to this ongoing mental self evaluation changes frequently....at least every 2 to 3 hours. It sort of sneaks up on you as you struggle to respond to what you have every reason to think is a perfectly reasonable question from a family member but what appears visually to be coming out of the asker's mouth looks like colorful falling children's building blocks.

I keep telling myself....mantra like...in 15 years this will surely not matter....
I cling to the one consolation...I think...the laproscopic scars are covered with heart shaped bandages.

A New Beginning-Always in Process-Sacred spaces of the Heart

2008-09-09T17:20:00.006-05:00

I find myself totally enjoying John's photograph of the All Saint's Chapel again today. His photographic creations often offer the kind of beauty that speaks to me on emotional and spiritual levels.

I love the light, the colors, the stained glass and, yes Ezekial , the sense of openness, space and peace in this photograph. Looking at it can give me new access to memories from past visits to All Saints Chapel over a 20 year time period.

Finally, daydeaming about my personal and professional history in the Franklin County,Winchester, Sewanee Area is like sharing a warm cup of cinnamon cider with a life friend in just the recalling of those times. Ah....warm memories against a chilly day or a cold night.

As I child, the first creative writing I completed, at age six, was a Christmas poem about the Journey of Mary and Joseph for our local church bulletin! I remember feeling published! I thought I was making a new start in my life. Today, I feel much the same about new starts. They are journeys. This one is a journey of the heart.

I have always had a fascination with churches, small chapels and cathedrals, and I often seek out unusual ones when traveling. There are photos I want to relocate from sacred spaces in Ohio, Florida , Virginia , Ireland and Arizona in particular.

Any bloggers who have a photo of a well loved church or sacred place are invited to share it.. I would love to increase this small collection of sacred spaces.

All Saints Chapel - Sewanee, TN

2008-07-29T13:21:00.005-05:00

Photographer: John P. Ford
http://www.pbase.com/sfzjohn/

Wildwood Church

2008-07-15T16:24:00.002-05:00

Strangest Dream...Afterthoughts and Reflection

2008-07-12T20:28:00.005-05:00

I had just gotten in from work on the evening of July 2nd when I wrote this post...via a Cracker Barrell Stop I could have passed on. I am sharing it as an exercise in intuitive thinking and as an invitation for comments and thoughts or impressions. Dream interpretation can be one of my favorite activities. I am a dreamer both waking and in the sleeping sense. I am often preoccupied with dream thoughts when dreams occur. I am a dreamer that leaves a notebook and a pencil by bedside to hopefully not lose impressions for night dreaming.

Early Notes-July 1st and 2nd,2008

I had the strangest dream last night that I have been trying to sort through today. It is and has been continually on my mind throughout the early morning and so I am hoping for perspective through writing about it. I cannot find the usual connections that I am able to spot pretty quickly in my dreams. When I am able to do this it is the connection that makes the message in the dream meaningful to me. I am into knowing what my dreams are about for me. It has had me taking deep breaths all day! To tell the truth I was reluctant to go to bed without writing this one out! THANKS for listening!

I have tried to think...was there anything significant about yesterday,July 1st, that I am connecting with on an emotional/subconscious level? I am unable to determine what it is if that is the case. I do not know of any significance for me about the July 1st date. It is no anniversary of any event I am able to identify.

I am wondering if there is a pattern in these fragments that I am missing or not yet able to see? Keeping in mind of course that dreams like this do not always make obvious sense. Here is the gist of it as follows. I am writing it out here to check out any thoughts or reactions or connections to anything that you may see... but also to help myself clarify any message for me or that I might need to have. You may know how I am about these intuitive messages. I believe this dream is an intuitive message.

Here is what I can remember after a long and eventful day at work following a restless actually frightening night.. The scenes have been playing throughout my head and throughout my client's therapy sessions and they have been a distraction today.

The Dream
I am driving somewhere, in unfamiliar terrain, in a very strong almost protective car. I did not know where I was yet I was driving easily, if slowly,and following a path with no real difficulty. The car feels like my black Volvo but a slightly stronger.. .almost armored car version of the Volvo. Yet, everything does not fit with the visual I get of SAFE CAR. I am not sure what the make of the car is in the dream... just that it felt as if it should be incredibly safe . Should seems to be the operative word in the dream.

There is an almost ominous feeling about the drive that makes me restless even in the dream. I am not sure why I am making this trip. I am certain it is necessary that I make it despite no information about its purpose or my destination. In the dream, I am having silent conversations with myself. I can feel increasing concern but can find no reason for it in my dream thinking.

It is like I am on a hyper alert. . . I keep... casually I think... looking out the windows but it is raining heavily and I am not able to see clearly. I check and recheck the door locks, front and back, to be sure that everything is in place and again safely locked. At one point, I have to lean over to my passenger to do the door checks.The windshield wipers seem to be not functioning optimally and it sounds as if they are making a bit of a whining noise that I do not like yet as I glance at them they are working. In short, I keep getting the message that everything is not as it seems.

I am with a very tall, possibly somewhat big boned,young man ...who reminded me a bit of a younger cousin Albert yet I am aware it is not Albert. I am not sure I even know this young man I am thinking to myself in the dream. His features are not clear to me. The more I think on it in the dream I am sure I do not know with whom I am traveling. Yet it is apparent we are traveling together and that therefore I believe we should know each other. The tone between us seems casual and comfortable and almost a bit upbeat yet I clearly know that I do not know him. He acts as if he knows me. I seem to be the one out of sync here. I keep thinking silly things like I don't think I really know anyone this tall and with this BIG feeling. At times, he reminds me of my brother Ed yet I know clearly it is not Ed. I just keep proceeding forward. I am driving.

Casually , my companion suggests we get out and look where we are. I think this is ill advised but pretend to him it is fine. The rain is lifting and I think at least we may see a bit more clearly now. We leave the car running but step out and walk around the immediate area. I have left the driver's door ajar I notice. I am now on the passenger side of the car and he is behind the car. I want to tell him to stay closer but know that would be inappropriate and in the dream I am again wondering why I am feeling this way.. I can literally feel the mist on my face and smell the rain. This is BEING THERE in a very real sense.

As I look around I see we are on a road a bit higher than the ground to the left so that we are looking down into a lightly wire fenced area that resembles nothing I can describe as much as a rice paddy! I think to myself... In the dream, I think where are the rice paddys of the world?? Where in the world are we?? I can see a good distance off so I just watch. I do not stray far from the passenger door and I again find myself checking to be certain that both back doors are locked while telling myself in my head I am being a bit obsessive.. My unknown friend is chatting walking and making what I think are astute observational comments that I am paying little attention to as I am concerned about something in the far distance that appears to be running toward us.

Almost instantly I am able to make out that a bear is focused on us and running towards us. What appeared to be a tiny distant creature is fast gaining ground and he is not little. We are definitely its destination. I am instantly in the car ( no mean feat with this knee injury) and I have the passenger door locked and I am saying ..get in the car,...get in the car...get in the car... and my companion is coming in what feels like slow motion....walking through water speed...Finally he is in the car but unable to move quickly to secure the lock . He legs are spread out and his arms hang loosely at his sides.

I literally climb over him and secure the lock with virtually no seconds to spare...Seeing also is he is not able to drive, I manage to get my foot on the gas pedal, by the hardest....he is a long tall big man taking up much of the leg room. and we slowly inch forward and then faster to avoid the beast....and his now fast approaching family in the distance. I am telling myself mantra like ...move forward....move forward faster... faster....and I do. I glance to see a full tank of gas on the register...thank God in this case... and I wake up absolutely terrified and taking gulping deep breathes not sure at first if I am here in my bed or there...wherever that was. I am in a cold sweat and cannot....literally move for several moments for the pounding of my heart.

That's it.

Fragmented Attention and Distraction Addiction,Boundaries & Personal growth. Response to Marcus

2008-06-15T17:40:00.014-05:00

Marcus

What an absolutely on target, fully conscious article.
Thank you for making these points and for doing it with such clarity and in a meaningful frame of reference. Your article has sent me on a journey of thoughts of assessment for the fragmented attention process. I could have shared about 95% of points and thoughts in your article at one time or another in the past few years and increasingly so in the past two years.. What a true reminder you have given of the need to set our own boundaries.

I have been thinking along those personal boundary setting lines and how to make it happen in the way I need consistently. At this point in our distraction addiction, for many of us it could be a challenge to actually identify and define the inconsequential and the meaningful on a moment to moment basis.

It feels as if our actions can become a purposeless driven life! I find myself responding to silly or mildly novel and ultimately useless material just because it appears in front of my face at the click of a mouse. My delayed response after realizing what I am doing, yet again, is SCREAM!

On reading, and rereading, your article I am reminded of how years ago in graduate school we were told by the geek gurus how technology would enrich our lives. It was predicted that we would come to have much more free time for personal growth. I can still remember the informal debates about this in the early 70's with fellow graduate students . I admit to being quite skeptical at that point. Remember, I was the book person and I honestly could not see the need for computers at all. To me it all sounded a bit like magical thinking, I find magical thinking entertaining but rarely effective in problem solving or time management.

We all fantasized that the technology explosion....we were clueless about what that really would mean then.... would allow us all more time for creativity, self-expression and emotional/social connection.
We saw it as freeing us from the mundane and some of the daily grind. We believed it would mean more personal time for us! What we did not know or anticipate was what this increased technological support/structure/option would do to the quality of these creative and expressive aspects of our lives. I have come to believe that there really is a ultimate level for best focus and concentration and adding more input that beyond that perk point means quality is sacrificed for quantity or worse, meaningless repetition.

Have you noticed? Everything is becoming a short cut.To what end I am asking myself daily. Send a IM and it is no longer I love you but I Heart U. Laugh out loud is a simulated L0L .Please! Dining out is an experience in noise and over stimulation unless the diner does a research project of the restaurant before the experience. The quiet ones are hard to find. I am so OVER having to listen to someone else's selections of music while dining and overly loud conversation and overly exhausted children. I can be happier having a cheese sandwich at home in blessed silence. Courtesy and conversation in the store front is replaced with people with cell phones glued to their ears and non interaction. Yes I am guilty.

Just last night my friend, Marge , and I were reviewing the crazy busy and over stimulated life we see daily....some ours and some observations of others. We even talked of the foreshadowing of the possibility of books becoming non existent at some future point. Since Marge and I are dedicated book worms this is of no small concern for us. We talked of how a thank you note is almost a lost art. E cards are the thing. While they are fun and I enjoy them, there is almost a sacred quality to receiving a hand addressed card in the mail. The fact that someone has taken the time to send a written letter or a card that they also took the time to purchase and post in regular mail is note worthy. Pun intended. . With stamps being 42 cents this gesture counts on many levels.

Marge and I were reflecting on how it is now possible to drive on familiar streets in our town and quickly become lost on some of those streets because of rapid....seemingly overnight...change and growth, and even redirection of regular routes with minimal information. It is almost disorienting and can feel as if...did this prior place ever exist?

While I realize it is not necessary to have a route historical preservation....surely some continuity of identification and redirection for awhile during rapid changes could serve some psychological purposes. These is some value in knowing where you have been as well as where you are going....both literally and figuratively.

To Marge and I, and I believe to others, this is just one more physical manifestation of that which we all may be concerned about....life in the fast lane..... on roller skates in heavy traffic with no time to really experience...much less savor... those things that truly are the moments of our lives.

I love living in the moment but I am weary beyond belief of the feeling of running through the moment to the point that the end of the day it can feel like....What happened today? Where was the meaning in it for me? Where have we been? Where are we going? Yes boundaries....and assessment and time to breathe and know where we are going. What is important? What is the hurry? I promise to myself to participate less in running through life.

Well Marcus, I wrote this email because I was uncertain of how to enter into the post a comment process on your blog and I did not want to take a mini course to find out how to do it!. Since this has become such a long
reflection perhaps it is just as well that I did not pursue the technological path today.....Yet I note that I am reflecting about your article on a relatively new and fast computer with several bells and whistles and that I can preserve it on my blog with little effort.

Love and thanks for the distraction from the mundane!

Aunt Linda

Pictures of Naomi

2008-05-14T11:47:00.000-05:00

Naomi's First Birthday

Naomi's First Dance

Naomi's Wedding

Local Live Poet's Chowder Society February 08 Love Poem

2008-05-10T23:02:00.007-05:00

Let's Talk or Not

You are better at it than I am
Letting anger wonder around
until it cannot be easily found.
Letting time fill the spaces.

Letting the silence be heard.
Talking about tree colors,
techniques, and trivialities.
Saying things like
don't let those words
come out of your mouth

I expect that lack
of comfort in not
resolving with words
even those that may bring blood
for me comes in part
from an overly screamed youth
where conflict and creative survival
was the name of the game.

Sadly then maybe love
was conflict and
could not be easily felt
if not screamed or shouted.
Perhaps complete with
Threats and Ultimatums
If with a certain clear code
of what could never be said.

There was a certain
comfort in that predictability
of knowing eventually,
usually sooner than later,
there would be conflict.
So certain it was that
little time was there
for letting the silence be heard.

Hot words and lines drawn
strangely letting everyone
know they were loved
or at least in the playing field.
Watching my family even today
it is still hard to risk being silent.

We often stand at opposite
ends of this verbal playing field
You and I
You keep your own counsel
work out the scenerios

Creating you own reality show
in your head
You present your case
call in the jury
and set the sentence

Never showing an alteration
in tone or voice or
deviation from calm
your words not necessarily related
to the show in process.
All smoke and mirrors.
A certain artistic presentation.

I, in turn, can be in
Warrior Princess Mode
with you in a heart beat.
Weapons at hand and
ready to defend the terriroty
that feels at risk.

Turn around
you reach out or touch me
I forget what the war is about.
Sometimes silence can
fill the space for awhile
with no life threatening consequence.
So lets talk or not at times
Knowing love is there.

LSS February 9,2008

Horizons

2008-05-09T23:22:00.005-05:00

Sack cloth
Ashes and Leomonade
Lost chances,
lost romances and
making the best of it.
Whatever it is

Not at all what I thought
it would be all about
in the Golden Years.
Yet here it is....
Struggling to keep walking

While refrains of the spirit of
Carpe Diem
thought lost or elusive
still remain
too close for comfort
clouding the horizon

Not without fear to
the heart of even
this optimist born,
Dancing through Moulin Rouge
could be a mistep
considering all

While throwing in the towel
wishing to be 15
still in the middle of
the joy of everything is
yet to come... to she who waits.

Little comfort is gained
from dreams of
an eternal playmate
at your side
In anticipation of
soulmate sharing ,sustance found

You know the one?
Mary Jane and sniffles
Poor poof piffles
Make me just as small as sniffles
and off to adventure land
by the shear will of it

Entering into the storybook world
by magic incantation
fearless of even
fire breathing dragons,
exaulted in that perfect playmate

Always able to return
home comforted
Full of places visited,
kingdoms won.
Knowing knights are knighted and
order restored to whatever

That time when
summer seemed eternal and
winter just a blip on the
universe of all
things lie ahead of us still.

Lost in the universe of
what might have been
too many could haves
like oil and water
won't be an easy mix with
looking at what is

Even while rewriting the
script for one more act,
incorporating the
stage at hand,
knowing tarnished troubadours

Sack cloth, ashes and
lost maps to Treasure Island
may be the crux of it,
What might have beens are
hard to lay down.

Lss May 5, 2004

Allegory

2008-05-09T22:44:00.008-05:00

Chicago,Chicago
and All That Jazz
How I loved you
while you stood
horn in hand

Yourself draped
on the threshold of
a dream house
split level stairs
looking only at me

Something too grand and glorious
even to be put to music
Shining and Becoming
the Me I saw
reflected in your eyes

Razzle Dazzle
tap dance shoes
Silver Sparkles, Chrome toes
Clunky high heels
anything goes

Step to the left and
shuffle to the right
smile just right
checking it out
I don't think so

Long ago, presenting
short black lace gown
& baby doll panties
draped casually over an arm
Prentending to be fearless

Are you going to wear that?
You said.........
Understated as always
seeming incredulous
Smiling knowingly ..to you

No...I don't think so
I thought to myself.
Tonight remembering
I wonder
Where did I ever put that outfit?

Here I am
There I was
Standing in that window light
Where talk is of placing photo
subjects to be less uptight

Black and white balance
Learning a lot, learning a lot.
Notice the detail!
The hours, the hours
Hello. Hello.

Heel Toe, Heel Toe
Whirling, twirling
Dervish like turning
catching the light
Did you notice?
Probably not...

Somethings it seems
one just expects
to be there
What need to look
Is something gone you ask?

Who were those guys in
the forties and fifties
who played those arch top
Epitone Guitars
broadway movie score style

That they seemed to
look and see
What was there
in front of their faces
Here and now
with or without light

Razzle Dazzle
tap dance shoes
They never die
Like old indians
they just fade away

I am, you are, the music played
Good night Jimmy D
Where ever you are
Heel toe Heel toe

Lss May 23, 2003

Awards

2001-01-01T19:46:00.002-06:00

Thank you
Jesse!

Thank you
Jesse!

Thank you
Jesse!

Thank you
Charli and
Terence!

Thank you Jacqueline!

Thank you Jacqueline, Tracey-Ann, and Laura!

Thank you Charli and Jiggins!

Thank you Christina!

Thank you Julian!

Thank you B. J. Roan!