Peak Experiences

So I sat front row at the Rush concert last night. No, not front row as in "Row A" but front row as in Pit Row 1, Seat 1. This was a huge checkmark off my Bucket List. Been a big fan since I was 15...I'll be 40 next year - you do the math. Yes, it was amazing, life-altering, indescribable, new happy place making. But as usual, I have to analyze it to death.

As anyone who has been a fan of a TV show or movie, we get to feel like friends to these folks. We get to know their eccentricities, senses of humor and a bit of their personal lives. I'm sure they don't really dig that kind of stuff, but hey - we're human. So I wore my "All Hail King Lerxst" shirt (guitarist's nickname as we were sitting near him) and got my 2 or 3 smiles and a thumbs up. I was disappointed not to get a shirt that was being tossed or a drum stick that was being handed out, but I have absolutely no reason to complain. It's the anti-climax that is really bumming me out.

I guess that's the thing about events. They pass so quickly. And with the "holy trinity" in their 50's, who knows if I'll get another chance to see them again? I'm sitting here trying to come up with my point, but nothing cogent is coming to me. So I'll say this: last night was the second best night of my life after the birth of my baby. My wedding was great and all but I don't like the spotlight all that much. So yes - I am happy. I hope it lasts. And I hope all of you reading have either had or will have such a moment in your lives. I really do.

God's Cake

A daughter is telling her Mother how everything is going wrong. She's failing algebra, her boyfriend broke up with her and her best friend is moving away.
Meanwhile, her Mother is baking a cake and asks her daughter if she would like a snack, and the daughter says, 'Absolutely Mom, I love your cake.'
'Here, have some cooking oil,' her Mother offers.
'Yuck' says her daughter.
'How about a couple raw eggs?' 'Gross, Mom!'
'Would you like some flour then? Or maybe baking soda?'
'Mom, those are all yucky!'
To which the mother replies: 'Yes , all those things seem bad all by themselves. But when they are put together in the right way, they make a wonderfully delicious cake! '
God works the same way. Many times we wonder why He would let us go through such bad and difficult times. But God knows that when He puts these things all in His order, they always work for good! We just have to trust Him and, eventually, they will all make something wonderful!

God is crazy about you. He sends you flowers every spring and a sunrise every morning. Whenever you want to talk, He'll listen. He can live anywhere in the universe, and He chose your heart.

Not Enough for a Snow Man

But enough for a head. Muhahahahaha!

Ike and the Hummingbird

So, it looks like Hurricane Ike is coming to visit. We are going to board up and "hunker down." I was feeling pretty apprehensive about it until I went out into the garage and saw a lone hummingbird flitting around. I got a broom and the bird landed on the bristles, which allowed me to take it outside - then it flew away.

Last year, I had an intuitive tell me that the hummingbird is my symbol for peace and prosperity. I will look at this as a good sign! I'll try to keep you posted as events unfold, as long as we have power.

Rush Hours

Last night, we went to the Rush concert at the Woodlands Pavilion. I usually am a big spender and get really nice seats, but since we made sort of a last-minute decision to go, we ended up buying lawn seats at the gate.

I had heard on the radio that a local station was giving away front row seats to the person who wore the most radio station paraphernalia. Since I had no shirt, raincoat or anything else promoting that station, I made a point to seek out the DJs that were broadcasting from the concert. I asked them for some bumper stickers and they helped me basically cover my body in them.

They were so cool to tell me approximately where to stand so that the station rep would see me on the lawn after the show had started. I almost missed out to a guy that had written the station number all over his face, chest, arms and legs, but since I had official stuff on, they gave me the tickets!!!!

So, we spent the last 75% of the show in freaking front row!! There is no other way to enjoy a concert!*



*All of this happened in my head. But the show was great from the lawn, too.

Check This Out

It'll make you smile!

Happy Birthday Punkin!

Happy 8th birthday to the love of my life! (The kid, not the dog) We had a great day, playing hookey, pretending to be pop stars, having lunch and shopping! As the cliche goes, I can't picture my life without her and she brings me a lot of joy (and other emotions, too).

For those of you who don't know me, my childhood wasn't so great, and I have to admit that I may be overdoing it with her, but it makes us both happy. And when it boils down to it, happiness is what we're all after, right? Why do you want money, a car, a satisfying job, intimate relationships? Because they cause you to be happy, that's why.

So what makes you happy? Even if others may not approve?

The Impossible Dream

From today's DailyOM:

When it comes to the things we want, there always seems to be an endless list. No matter how many times we get something off that list, we add new things to replace it. In life, this drama of wanting and getting and wanting is all part of the dance. The things we want motivate us to get up and get them.

And yet, at the same time, we can torment ourselves with our wanting, especially when we want something we can't have or can't find. It is in cases like these that it might be fruitful to entertain the idea that maybe what you really want is right in front of you. Maybe you are using this desire you can't fulfill to distract you from truly engaging the blessings you already have. It may seem like that doesn't make sense, yet we do it all the time. It may be easier to see in other people than to see it in ourselves. We have all heard our friends wishing they were more this or less that, and looking at them we see clearly that they are everything they are wishing they were. We know people who have wonderful partners and yet envy you yours. We wish we could give these people a look at their situations from our perspective so that they could see that what they want really is right in front of them.

It's not too far-fetched to consider that we might be victims of the same folly. It can be scary to have what we want. We get caught up in the chase and forget to enjoy the beauty right in front of us-like a child who never wants the toy she has in her hand but always the one just out of her reach. Take a moment today to consider the many things you are holding in the palm of your hand and how you might best play with them.

You're an Angel

Anyone who's read this blog for 5 minutes knows that the metaphysical fascinates me. I have been reading Angels 101 by Doreen Virtue. My cousin by marriage has been able to talk to angels since childhood, so you know I have been totally chatting her up lately. She has a fantastic site if you're interested.

Anyway, I was thinking about times when angels in human form have helped me in the past. One time in particular sticks out:

Punkin was about 8 months old and had chronic ear infections. We were on our way into the city to see her ENT doctor. I had a blowout on a major freeway! I know how to change a tire, but it had been years since I had done it. I called AAA and waited for at least 30 minutes on the side of the highway, cars whooshing by at a dangerous proximity. I finally decided to take matters into my own hands, but of course all of the tire changing tools were housed under Punkin's car seat. Ugh.

I moved her into the front seat and got to work. I had barely lowered the spare from under the chassis when a big car full of black guys pulled up behind me. For whatever reason, I didn't feel afraid. They got out, changed my tire with their fancy tools, told me where to go to get a new tire for a good price, and absolutely refused any payment. They said, "God bless you," and drove away.

To this day, I am convinced that they were angels sent to help me. We ended up in the doctor's office, me covered with grease and feeling very grateful.

What about you? Have you been "touched by an angel"?

A Little Pursuit

Well, we have the first offer on our old house - exactly 5 days after we put it on the market! We're negotiating, but it looks promising.

I got the good news while sitting in the theater watching The Pursuit of Happyness. I had gone out to the restroom and listened to my messages. I was filled with such gratitude to the Universe and God! Even though nothing is set in stone yet, I am reassured that my thoughts are once again becoming things.

The movie I definitely give 5 stars! I've always enjoyed Will Smith's work, way back from The Fresh Prince. His little son Jaden is a cutie pie! This movie will make you laugh and cry, feel sad and joyous, take you to the depths and the heights. I recommend it highly for anyone who needs a little inspiration.

cats and dogs

it was so foggy this morning, i couldn't see more than 10 feet in front of me! it was nothing like i'd seen before, except maybe glimpses of the trailer for "the fog." seriously. they called it "sea mist."

today was amazing. i was on the phone from 9am until after 1pm fielding inquiries, new clients wanting appointments and missing in action clients wanting to come back. and here i thought the holidays were the "slow" time of year! i suppose the saying "be careful what you wish for" was validated for me today. hey - i'm not complaining.

my wonderful husband talked to my in-laws and we're having christmas eve at our new house! yay! i can't wait to have a house full. i even went and bought a tree today, which i wasn't going to do if we were going out of town.

my cup runneth over and spilleth!

i finally saw field of dreams today. it really was a great illustration of how our sixth, seventh, eighth and ninth senses work. (9 senses? google it!) i think it was such a hit because it rings true with us...how most of us wish we could dare to dream. or because it inspires us to dare. but i'm just speaking for myself.

wake up!

you know, i can get so caught up in my head that i don't see what's in front of my face. i was walking through my house to change clothes and stopped to talk to the lady that helps out around the house. then i helped the guy who's painting punkin's room move a piece of furniture. then i thought about how good my yoga class had been and how i had gotten some last-minute shopping done. then i talked to the guy who's heading up the painting crew, getting our old house ready to put on the market. i edited 14 pages of my book and felt satisfied with my progress.

don't ever let me tell you that i am not blessed.

ode to contentment

my computer seems to be hooked up properly and my internet connection lives. punkin is getting respite at her friend's house and the captain is at h*me dep*t. our new hd flat screen tv is piping out "police academy 4" and i chuckle at the sound of bobcat goldthwait's trademark screech. (whatever happened to him?) soft light streams into my new office, illuminating the things around me that were mere thoughts two months ago.

it's all good.

vacation, day 4

today, we started out with a hearty breakfast and then went for a hike at bell rock. the trail made a loop around a large rock formation, and i wasn't in the mood for a 2 hour hike. so i left punkin and the captain to their trail and walked back to the car after an hour out.

i used my free time driving down a scenic route and then stopping in at a local "trading post" to look around. the local art is amazing! i've never seen such intricate pottery - the designs cut into the clay were so precise and complex. i ended up buying a necklace made of glass for myself and some trinkets for other people.

after i picked punkin and the captain up from the trailhead, we went back to the hotel to rest a while. our schedule has been so weird here - we've only been eating 2 meals per day. for our afternoon nourishment, we drove down to oak creek via hwy 89a, an incredibly scenic route down into the valley. the temperature dropped over 10 degrees as we descended, mostly because there were so many trees that no direct sunlight could be found. we stopped in at a restaurant on the creek to eat.

after our refill, we drove back up into sedona and got to see the late afternoon sun on the side of the red rocks. they really look like they're on fire! uptown was all lit up for the holidays, which reminded me that thanksgiving is this week! it definitely does not feel like late november here!

tomorrow ia basically a travel day, since we have to drive to phoenix before boarding our flight home. i feel satisfied and rested, though i could name tons of things that i didn't have time to experience here. that's just food for our next trip! i would highly recommend sedona for anyone who appreciates the beauty of nature and the mystery of the metaphysical.

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great advice alert!! read it here.

vacation, day 1

wow, what a day! i woke up earlier than i had wanted to this morning. i had a chance to sleep in, but my body clock is...well, like clockwork. our flight was uneventful (which is a good thing). the drive from phoenix to sedona was very nice. we noticed how the desert shrubbery changed from saguaros to prickly pear to these trees that looked like they were on fire!(that's the technical name)

as we came around the bend on hwy 17, all 3 of us exclaimed "whoa!" in unison. i don't think i have ever seen anything as majestic as sedona's red rocks. if anyone ever needs proof that god exists - here it is!

we're looking forward to our first excursion on the rocks tomorrow. if i can distract myself long enough, i'll keep posting here!

the 'hood

thanks for the help, everybody! y'all are the best! unfortunately, now blogger doesn't want to publish any of my pictures! use your imagination...the house rocks! we had the inspection yesterday and everything looks great.

another halloween has come and gone. you can tell just by walking outside - there are candy wrappers all over the street and our next door neighbor's trees got tp'd! [brings back memories, huh, kambri?]

punkin dressed up as a cheerleader and i painted her face and put her hair in pigtails. i wore a witch costume that i've had for years. i got a little more creative with the make-up this year, which was fun. the thing i love about this neighborhood is that everyone really knows one another. we were all out last night, ringing door bells and saying hello to people we hadn't seen in a while. we don't have to worry about some psycho putting poison candy in the kids' bags - everyone is so nice!

i'll miss that when we move, but i am also hopeful that we'll get to make new friends soon. apparently, our neighbors-to-be have kids that are around punkin's age. it'll be great - i know it!

resolutions revisited

it's time for me to revisit my new year's resolutions. here they are, directly copied and pasted from my january 1 post:

• i will start up my exercise program again [gym 1x this week, 2x next week, 3x/week after that]
• i will read the entire Bible in a year, using "Bible gateway" as my guide
• i will say a prayer, no matter how brief, every day
• i will go back into therapy by the end of january

exercise...i didn't get up to 3x/week, but i'm steadily hanging out at 2x/week yoga class. i've found much more benefit in yoga than the gym would ever provide. i get to exercise my mind, body and spirit in a creative environment. that beats shallow conversation whilst quietly hating what one is doing on some oversized torture machine.

the Bible...i don't think i ever started reading it. i find most Bible passages to read like shakespeare. while i can get the jist of it, the language is too vague and flowery to really draw me in. i have been exposed to many scripture quotations in my studies, though. church hasn't helped at all - in fact, when i told my ministry leader that we were visiting different churches, they kicked me out so fast that my head is still spinning. organized religion rocks.

prayer...in one form or another, i find myself praying almost constantly.

therapy...i don't think i started in january, but i did start and am making good progress.

actually, i have made progress in a lot of areas, including my mood. as of today, i have completely stopped taking klonopin (for anxiety - i took it for 7 years) and zoloft (anti-depressants - i took it for 5 years). i never thought i would be able to say that!!

i wonder what other surprises are in store for me?

do you ever wonder...

...who wins those ginormous baskets at school carnivals?

crazed

when my house gets too cluttered, i get crabby. my daughter has so much stuff! and she's not very good about organizing it. so, not only is her playroom a disaster, but it has oozed slowly into the living room, my work area and even into my bedroom.

this morning when i got out of bed, something in me snapped. i looked at the giant pile of dishes in the sink and the useless piles of little plastic things lying around all over the place. i looked at the boxes and baskets of itsy bitsy toy parts, dried up markers, broken crayons, plastic easter egg halves, and the like, and i just broke inside.

i spent the better part of an hour cleaning the dishes and scooping up things by the armload and putting them into plastic trash bags. my daughter wanted me to play, but i had a mission. my husband wanted me to go buy this and that, but i was too focused. i finally got to the bottom of her toybox, dumped the rest of the stuff out into the trash can, and hauled it all out into the garage.

it was an intense hour, and i am a little tired after all that, but what a difference! i hope that my family will cooperate with me about keeping things a little more reasonably neat around here. i live with 2 packrats and i tend to be more of a minimalist. it's not a great combination, but hey - i love them.

i'm strange and i like it. that's just the way i am.