by jd6969

Indeed! No, this isn't the latest fashion trend to hit NYC. Karl Lagerfeld hasn't designed Hello Kitty gear for Chanel, unfortunately. Donning this fabulous cape won't earn you style accolades in any part of the country. Why? Because no one can see it!

Nay, Nay, didn't put weed in my eggs this morning--this cape is actually one of the MOST effective methods of deflecting energy in stressful situations or large crowds for a highly intuitive person. And it is so easy! Simply imagine yourself ensconced in a black cape which covers your head, leaving only your pretty peepers peering out into the world. (I call it a Hello Kitty cape because I decorate mine with Kitty ears, nose, etc. It just makes me happy, and it is my cape--can decorate it any way that gives me my jollies.) Next, say, "I only sense the energy of love and only the energy of love is emitted from me." C'est easy peasy, oui???

I can attest to the fact that this has saved my hide from energetic overload so many times. It is great to visualize before a funeral, an encounter with a perpetually negative relative, or in any situation in which you really, really need to ensure you don't absorb the energy.

Sounds kooky, but it truly works! So, how are you going to decorate your cape, and in what situations will you need to "wear" it? Happy cape creating to you! Let me know how yours works.

Well, at least my beloved mumsy knows best about many things, except her beliefs about underwear. She thinks the barn like, briefy, up-to-your-navel knickers are best. Uggghhh….diaper pants. But our disagreement regarding underwear is a topic for another day, so I shall shut up.

I am blessed with a hilarious, wise, witty, loving mom. No college education for Mumsy, but I will be dipped if she isn’t smart as a whip..book smart AND common sense to boot. Below are a few bits of her very finest advice which improved my life vastly…maybe Mumsy can help you be happier and save money too!~

She told me early on to watch the company I kept because you can’t help who you fall in love with. No joke on that one! The few times I have ever been blessed to really fall in love, it was lightening speed fast, strong as an ox, and wild as a bull in a china shop! No stopping Cupid’s arrow when it pierces you, so cavorting with fine companions only is excellent advice. Not that I didn’t kiss a few frogs until I met my prince…..ahem…..more than a few, as Mumsy will attest, but I only stuck around for very long with the good ones. And this advice is key to life in general because you are judged by the company you keep, and you tend to behave like them. Hang out with fartknockers, and you will likely wind up one yourself.

Mumsy said that when you are more often happier away from a man than when you are with him, it is time to bid him adieu. See ya! That one saved me some grief….and throughout other areas of my life as well, not just in the romance department. I have used this sage wisdom to judge when it was time to leave friendships, jobs, gyms, all types of situations. Works like a charm!

And for saving me money? Well, toward the end of a long term relationship which I had felt for sure would wind up in marriage, I brokenheartedly shared with Mumsy that I hated to leave this man right before Christmas. Things hadn’t been proceeding well at all for quite a while, had talked to Mr. Brick Wall until I was midnight blue in the face, and it was time to go. Mumsy says, “Cousin Jack always used to dump his girlfriends right before Christmas so he wouldn’t have to buy them a gift. Why buy him and his family presents, spend your holiday in Ohio, and be unhappy, knowing you want to leave him?” I pondered this and figured Mumsy knew what the hell she was talking about as usual. Cousin Jack was just being a tightass–he repaired the relationships after the holidays–saucy scoundrel!—but I truly didn’t see the sense in wasting time and money on someone who was no longer invested in our relationship. So I did the dirty deed, he packed my Christmas tree I had up at his house, and off me and my tree went! My dog got to try to eat off my family’s holiday table that year instead of his family’s! HA HA HA! So indeed, why invest your resources of time and money in ANY situation which doesn’t serve you? Again, stellar words from the woman who birthed my squirley ass.

What is your Mom’s best advice? Please share!

Do you have little hills of books around your comfy bed? So many books–so little time! And there they recline…gathering dust like it is an Olympic sport. “One day I will read that,” you mutter as carelessly wipe the dust bunny on top of Mt. Self Help onto the floor. Here is my shortcut guaranteed to get you the most bang for your time outta that pile of books–you will whip through them in record speed.

First, turn on your intuition.

Next, simply hold a book you are dying to glean valuable advice from, and set the intention that you know exactly what chapters, pages, or even just paragraphs you most need to read which will serve your personal growth. If you hear chapters, IMMEDIATELY schedule time to read them. A “to-do” item never gets done until we schedule it. If pages and/or paragraphs are suggested, turn to them and read. Ask to receive the message you need quickly and efficiently. What do you need to do about what you have just read, if anything? Great. SCHEDULE IT! If action isn’t required, how can what you just learned benefit you? Invest just a few moments pondering this.

See? Told  ya it was quick!

Were I more technologically adept, I would plaster a photo right here____________ of when I weighed about 35 pounds more than I do now. Visualize this….I am a small boned, 5’6″ female with an hour glass shape. I am now a size 6-8 and weigh around 132 pounds. 20 years ago, I was a MUCH more round and ” buxom” (Mom’s term for my appearance at that ever expanding point in my life), scrunching my rolls of fat into a size 12 rather than admit I needed a size 14. My C cup funbags had exploded into a double D. Ouch. Physically and emotionally.

Nothing in my life was going well at that point….my beloved granny had died unexpectedly. Not knowing what else to do, I grieved by stuffing every food into my piehole that wasn’t nailed down. Toiling endlessly at two jobs and part time school only compounded the eating extravaganza. Thus, I just didn’t need the crap I heard from friends and strangers about my weight. It was amazing. There were more remarks than this, but below are some of the “highlights.”

One of my bosses pinched a newly acquired roll of fat on the outside of my knee, saying, “Wow. Look at that.” Another co-worker, as I lifted a heaping spoonful of apple pie into my mouth, chimed in,  “You don’t need that.” Men no longer opened doors for me as they had when I was thinner, or in any, way, shape or form acted the same around me as they had when I was smaller. Walking down the street was painful, as my uber big boobs were common fodder for men yelling at me. One person looked at me and had the nerve to say, ” You have such a pretty face. Too bad you’re so overweight.” I wish I were lying. I am not.

Please, folks, don’t give others grief about their weight! Many people have metabolic or thyroid issues, hormonal problems, etc. that make it next to impossible to lose weight. Some are simply genetically predisposed to be larger, and I saw that first hand when I was a weight loss counselor. And others are  doing the best they can–I was just a heartbroken, confused, overworked young student managing a devastating loss in the only way I knew how at that time. No one will ever benefit (or be motivated to lose weight) from a snide look cast their direction, or a snarky comment.However, we all will benefit from empathy, compassion, and respect for others, regardless of their physical appearance.

And “skinny” folks have it just as bad. And women with small funbags. Or short men. The list of what isn’t considered “attractive” or “right” about our various shapes, sizes, and colors is endless! And SO many people are picked on, teased, and mistreated for the simple “sin” of being who they are. Please realize beauty comes in every shape, form, and size. Our bodies aren’t public property for others to comment and stare at just because they get a nappy troll attitude looking at us. Consider this point:

If you tend to be judgmental about appearances, stop and consider what that says about how YOU feel about YOURSELF!

Well, there. I have had my say. I will save the topic of aging for another day. That one is a doozy!

Natural relief from physical and emotional discomfort is now available with reiki treatment. This non-invasive, gentle form of hands on healing has been used for thousands of years across the globe. It is an excellent accompaniment to any medical treatment and a useful method for soothing pets emotionally during times of stress. Reiki can be used to maintain good health and emotional well being for a pet who is currently free of symptoms.

Reiki works by increasing the life force energy and calming the mind. Animals and humans exude warmth and energy, but stress and illness cause a decrease in energy; the main energy centers of the body become blocked. By allowing this Universal Energy to flow into my hands, I then pass it along to your pet by laying my hands on certain positions of his or her body. Simply stroking and massaging the animal while the energy is flowing can be equally effective. Distance reiki can provide relief as well.  Your pet may feel tingling or warmth during the reiki, and the relaxation that most pets experience is highly therapeutic. Results will vary for each animal, as will treatment frequency and duration, and I welcome feedback from the sessions.

Some of the main benefits of reiki are shorter healing times when your pet is ill, alleviation of tension and anxiety through intense relaxation, release of muscle tightness, peaceful sleep, and elimination of pain or discomfort. Reiki can be performed at home, during or after surgery, or while your pet is recuperating at the vet’s office after a procedure.

I immensely enjoy sharing the art of reiki with both humans and animals, and I look forward to helping your beloved pet enjoy a longer and more fulfilling life. Reiki isn’t meant to replace veterinarian care, but to complement it.  To schedule an appointment, please call me at 317-440-8783.

Today’s post is courtesy of our dear canine daughter Daisy. For the first time in her 11 years, she has a massive turd stuck soundly to her fanny. Niiiccceeee…..and of course, she isn’t having any part of Mom removing it. I won’t go in to details of this timely event, but I am aggravated, to say the least. Called the vet: “You can bring her in to us.” DO NOT have time for that maneuver, so am going to just go with my gut which says: “Let it be. It will take care of itself.” All righty then.

After thoroughly swaddling the couch and carpet with protective covers, I pondered this situation. So how does a stuck dog turd teach us a much needed lesson? It goes like this:
In America, we are all big doers. We live to ACHIEVE, and by God for that to happen, we MUST DO! TAKE ACTION! Be busy–very busy! Nothing will happen if you don’t is the popular philosophy. And when life situations seem really stagnant and aren’t moving as we would like, then by crackey, light a fire under that ass and move faster! Take even MORE action–pronto!

Doing nothing when life isn’t flowing and is very, very stuck seems counterintuitive, doesn’t it? Cause and effect rule our Universe, so there will be no effect if there is no cause. This is where all you have to do is nothing with the intention that the Universe take care of it. In stillness and trust lie the actions and answers we need. All we have to do is provide the space and merely trust, go about the business of living, feeling in our heart and soul that all will indeed be resolved in the right way at the right time.

So I am going on about my work as Daisy sleeps soundly with a temporary extra friend on her fanny. I have asked the Universe to remove it in a way that involves nothing from me, and I trust it will happen.

What can you ask the Universe for help with?

Last October, Dad was in a fine fettle. He had been in the hospital since August 8th, and he was CRANKY with a capitol C. Who wouldn’t be?

As I slumped helplessly in the chair beside Dad’s bed, wishing I could do more to lift his spirits, here comes ol’ Pat and Vanna on the crap box affixed to the wall across the teeny room from his bed. Eager contestants were just drooling to spin that wheel, visions of $$$ dancing in their heads. I chuckled simply because my granny always told me she thought Pat Sajack was cute. Ewwwwww! He has zipper head! Yuck. Guess you have to be on the other side of 60 to get that one, I don’t know. Anyhooters, Dad grumbles that Vanna White has never done anything with her life except flip letters on a game show. He stared disgustedly at Vanna, like she just farted or somehow befouled the air. I merely shook my head and pondered his remark.

My parents are of the generation where one’s profession is a large part of what constitutes a person’s worth. I suspect there are quite a few people who still view it that way. Despite being raised to marry a man with a “good” job–ACK! (insert sounds of a cat spitting up a hairball)–I never cared if my love had a good job. What I cared about was that he was happy with his work and contributed regularly to the good of society. I think Vanna, and all the other folks like her performing “brainless” work, or whatever you care to call it, such as our trash men, our gas station attendants, our convenience store clerks, and servers are every bit as worthy, respectable, and necessary to all of us are our brain surgeons, lawyers, and doctors. A person’s worth stems from the fact that they are part of the Divine–we are all one in the tapestry of life. My ability to respect another human comes from how they treat themselves and others, not from the origin of their paycheck. We all need to be true to ourselves, do the work that makes us happy, and give to  society in a manner which makes us groove and glow. We are all needed to make the world go round.

So Vanna, Girl, you keep flippin’ those letters. Someone had to do that job all these years, and you have done it with style. Let us give Vanna and ourselves a round of applause for our unique contributions! And the next time you buy a Coke at the Shell Station, be grateful for the person ringing you up. There would be no beverage in your hot little paw if he or she weren’t there to sell it to you.

The Mad Humper struck again in spinning class this morning! Who is the Mad Humper?  She is a lady who rides her spinning bike in such a manner that she appears to be engaging in a boisterous, clothed bout of coitus with the bike. This activity could easily be filmed for a clothed exercise porno. I have never seen anything like it. I often wonder what the benefit of such gyrations could be–who knows? Maybe I should try it and find out for myself. HA HA! She has to be aware of how odd her activity looks. After all, I have heard one spinning instructor, in the middle of class, comment that we should ride the bike completely opposite of  what the Mad Humper does. She had to know that was directed to her because no one rides a bike like she does. Yet her gyrations never missed a beat as she continued. And I admire that.

So why am I writing in praise of the Mad Humper today? Because ol’ girl is authentic. She is true to herself, no matter what anyone else thinks about how she looks, or how she is detracting from the quality of her workout. That is great! I love it! When a person is authentic, they are genuine, true to what works for them and who they are. They easily engage in life allowing their unique gifts from Spirit to brilliantly shine. They treasure themselves, and others can easily sense this. Accepting others is so much easier for authentic folks because they accept themselves first, quirks, warts, weirdness, and all.

If you seek a more authentic life, keep these thoughts close to your heart:

Being authentic serves others as well. When you just do your thing, you are contributing to the world in a way in which absolutely no one else can.

You experience better physical and emotional health when you are authentic. The stress of living a life dictated by others takes its toll.

Start in baby steps. What is the biggest drain of not living an inner directed life for you personally? What is one action you can take which will begin to transport you into a healthier course?

For more information on authenticity, peruse this link: http://www.emotionalcompetency.com/authenticself.htm

So please, go be a Mad Humper in your own authentic way today.

I certainly didn’t intend to write on this topic today, or any day, for that matter. Being a happy person surrounded by other happy people, and being the hell out of the social work profession, has stopped the flow of suicidal folks in my life. Yet as I eagerly scrolled down my Facebook account to see what was up in my world, I was overwhelmed with acute sadness when I saw a high school classmate had posted the photo of our friend who committed suicide when we were in our early 30′s. It was so devastating. Rob was the LAST person you ever would have pegged to kill himself. A series of severe misfortunes proved too painful, and Rob chose to leave our world. I felt the need to share this information so that maybe you will know how to approach and assist a friend or family member who you suspect is suicidal. Doesn’t mean that if you do, they will choose help and decide to stay. All we can do as loved ones and mental health clinicians is try our best to help. The rest is up to them.

So how do you know that a loved one is considering suicide? Common signs are frequently talking about death, stating there is no hope for their situation, becoming withdrawn, giving away treasured items, and guilt. It gets even hairier if they already have a psychiatric diagnosis of borderline personality disorder, depression, post traumatic stress disorder, or schizophrenia.

How to approach them? First, tell them you have noticed they seem very depressed, hopeless, or whatever it is that is worrying you. Ask  if they are suicidal. Ask  how they feel. Be open to listening. Suggest they get help. If they are getting help and are still suicidal, suggest they talk to their therapist about inpatient hospitalization. I know it is hard to broach this subject, but your intervention may be what saves their life.

For a very detailed and accurate article about suicide prevention, give this a twirl:

http://helpguide.org/mental/suicide_prevention.htm

Please share this too. You never know whose life might be spared if more people become aware of this information.