A Voice from the Other Side…
A person’s psychic abilities are generally categorized in four distinct areas:
-clairvoyance : able to see beyond the range of ordinary perception.
For as long as I can remember, I’ve been highly clairsentient and claircognizant. I’ve also had random moments when my clairvoyance tuned in quite clearly. However, I have never experienced any degree of clairaudience. I thought that perhaps I needed to cleanse all the toxins from my body and clear my chakras so the energy could flow more freely through my being. I’ve worked diligently on doing just that over the past several months.
THEN CAME SATURDAY!
I had gone to the mall to buy some jeans at J C Penney. As I was driving out of the parking deck, I heard a muffled voice, but couldn’t make out what was said. I assumed it was some other shoppers walking to their car, since the parking deck allowed voices to carry farther than normal. A few minutes later, while waiting for a traffic light to turn green, I heard the same muffled voice. I looked to the right, and saw a car with two people in the front seat… and made the assumption that it was them. I didn’t give a second thought to either of those “conversations”. THEN… as I approached an intersection, I was trying to decide whether to go straight ahead through downtown or turn right and hit the expressway. Normally, it was easier for me to go downtown, since traffic was usually heavy on the expressway. As I was getting ready to continue going towards downtown, I heard the same muffled voice (only this time I understood the words) say “Right”. I looked out every window, and there were no other cars or people close by. My first thought was “that was weird”. But, I decided to turn onto the expressway. When I did, I saw that there was hardly any traffic on that road, and I could easily move over into the far right lane. About a quarter mile down the road, I could either take an exit that would take me through a residential area or continue going straight and merge onto Interstate 26. I knew there was bridge repair work being done on the interstate which often led to long traffic jams. I was preparing to turn into the residential area when I once again heard that muffled voice say “Straight”. That was when it “hit me” that I was hearing a voice from the spirit world guiding me on my way. I thought “Wow! My clairaudience has FINALLY started working!”. Still, I ignored the words of guidance and turned off into the residential area; I didn’t want to risk getting stuck in traffic. As I drove on towards home, I heard the voice (once again muffled and incomprehensible) a few more times. It no longer mattered what words of wisdom were being related to me, because I was so damned happy about my clairaudience breakthrough. When I got home, I once again heard that muffled voice. I looked around, although I KNEW there was nobody else nearby. I checked my stereo, but the CD player, radio and satellite were all turned OFF… as I knew they were.
THEN IT HIT ME!
I reached over and opened the glove box. Lying there was a zipped hardshell case containing my….
…
…
…
…
GPS.
The weekend before, I had tried to use it on my trip to Columbia, SC, but for some reason it wasn’t picking up a signal. So, I turned it off and put it in the glove box. I knew I had turned it off, but when I unzipped the case… the damned thing was ON. That once “disembodied voice” (no longer muffled) was telling me that I was at my destination.
Oh, well! ONE DAY, my 4th psychic ability will kick in. Yeah, one day. No doubt about that. ONE DAMNED DAY!
A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to Work…
Sometimes we are so connected to the present moment, that we often overlook what we see or incorrectly hear the words that enter our ears. The latter was the case for me last Thursday.
When I left home at 6:00 A.M. to go to work, it was raining cats and dogs (or more like tigers and wolves). I always keep a small folding umbrella in the car for just such times. I needed to stop off at the local grocery store to buy a six-pack of bottled spring water, so braved my way through the torrential downpour. I parked as close to the entrance as I could and got out of the car… trusty umbrella in hand. As I walked into the vestibule where the shopping carts are kept, I noticed a man standing there shaking his arms and stomping his feet… as a seeming deluge of water streamed off him. It looked as if he had walked a mile in the downpour. As I approached him, I said “Kind of wet out there, isn’t it?” He looked at me with a big grin on his face and said, “The sky peed on me!”. Yeah, that would have been funny IF that was what my ears had actually heard. But, no… I didn’t hear him say “The sky peed on me”… What I heard was “This guy peed on me!”
My first thought was “That is something that I really didn’t need to know!”… followed by “I hope to hell that he doesn’t think I’m going to do the same for him!” Then I quickly walked into the store to complete my errand. About halfway back to the water counter, it dawned on my early morning mind what he had actually said. I just cracked up laughing right there… I kept repeating those words in my mind… “the sky peed on me…. this guy peed on me” and saw how easily the auditory center of my brain “mis-heard” his actual words. That put a huge smile on my face, and those words resulted in several more laugh breaks throughout the day.
That actually led me to wonder how often we hear people say something, and “hear” it incorrectly… causing tense feelings, rumors or that dreadful four-letter word “hate”. It would benefit us if we would take pause to understand what someone actually says, and what the true intentions behind the words are. I’ve often said that words themselves have no meaning… it is the intention and emotion behind those words that make them “good”, “bad” or whatever else we may perceive.
My Personality Profile
I’ve heard from several sources that one of the “matchmaking” sites had an amazing personality profile test that was extremely accurate in defining the character of whoever took the test and provided honest answers. I decided to take the test (without paying lots of money to “meet my matches” )… primarily to see just HOW accurate that test was. I was surprisingly impressed that the results pretty much drew an accurate picture of Joseph! Below are the results of that test:
About your personality
You see the big picture. You easily take the broad, long view of almost any topic. You are comfortable juggling myriad facts. You tend to synthesize material easily and think in webs of factors, not straight lines.
You are imaginative and enjoy ideas.
You are also socially savvy. You are good at both talking and listening. And you generally read people’s faces, body postures and tone of voice accurately, so you often intuitively understand what people want and need.
You are also highly compassionate. You care deeply about others. So you are inclined to make personal sacrifices to be a supportive friend and colleague.
You are idealistic and altruistic; you like to work to improve the world.
And you have an adventurous side; you enjoy new ideas and novel experiences and you want to share these with an enthusiastic partner. But you are particularly fond of people who are direct, decisive, focused and tough-minded, people who complement your more flexible, agreeable and affable style.
With Negotiator (Negotiators are imaginative, empathic and nurturing) as your primary type, you can be:
With Explorer (Explorers are spontaneous, creative and open-minded) as your secondary type, you can be:
Relating to others
As a Negotiator, you seek a spiritual, life long connection to a “true love”. But you don’t want someone who is emotionally dependent. You admire people who need a good deal of autonomy. Marriage is important to you; but the social pledge of matrimony is far less sacred than the personal commitment you privately make to your beloved. You strive for harmony in your primary relationship. So you express your love regularly – with hugs, thoughtful presents, romantic weekends or by creating other special times together.
And you want a mate who is daring, playful and adventurous, yet one who will balance you – someone who is calm, decisive, strong-willed, focused and supportive of your enthusiastic, caring and imaginative spirit.
In love and relationships
You dislike conflict. You seek “win-win” solutions. You are good at sharing power and ideas. And you are a master at the art of intimacy – building deep and exciting relationships with others. Nevertheless, you often enjoy solitude or intense interactions with just one individual or a few close friends. And you particularly enjoy people who like to play with abstract theories and ideas, provide insights, search for symbolic meanings in life and relationships and have a broad interest in the world.
Things to be aware of
~Because you can see so many angles to an issue or decision, you can be indecisive.
~Your need to please can make you placating and your trusting nature can make you gullible
Things I Fear & Things That Creep Me Out…
FEARS:
1) My Biggest Creature Fear:
I can answer this in three words – Six Legged Critters. If it is an insect, or in the least bit entomologically inclined, it had best not even think about getting anywhere near me. In fact, I had better not even see it. If you want to see my blood pressure spike to the point that my face turns red and I shake like a leaf, just try putting an insect on me… yeah, you may laugh for a couple of seconds, but TRUST ME…. you’ll quickly realize what the cliché “Die Laughing” truly means (that is, if you even live long enough to get that first snicker out). You may ask where my fear of insects came from… check out my blog from 03 January 2008 “The Brainiac and the Bug from Hell”.
2) My Biggest Emotional Fear:
This is one that I have harbored for as long as I can remember… the fear that when a close friend becomes romantically involved with someone, he will either end our friendship or scale it back almost to the point of non-existence. I have had this happen a couple of times over the years, but thankfully the best friends I have now are truly loyal. Still, that fear lingers over me like an emotional Sword of Damocles. I’m probably more vocal about my love for my friends than most guys tend to be, so I can understand how a close friend might sometimes wonder if my love for him goes beyond friendship and brotherhood. Years ago, I had a buddy tell me that since he had a new boyfriend, he could no longer have me as a friend, because he was afraid his lover would be jealous of our closeness and think we were fooling around behind his back. To me, that is absolute bullshit! The other friend that did this said it wasn’t his idea, but his boyfriend demanded that he choose between him and his closest friends. Obviously, that friend made the wrong decision… and his relationship ended after only a year.
3) My Biggest Irrational Fear:
That somehow I will lose the knowledge of who I am (not humanly, but spiritually) and become lost on my journey through this incarnation. I try to take care of myself through good nutrition, exercise, meditation and a few close friendships… but wonder if my fear itself will be the catalyst that dooms it to become reality. But, merely realizing that I do have that fear is a step in the right direction of ending that very fear. I know all too well about the power of the Law of Attraction, so I’ve made great progress over the past few years in turning that fear into nothingness.
THINGS THAT CREEP ME OUT:
1) Minivans: Yep… you read that right! MINIVANS. I have never known anyone who drives a minivan that could drive “worth a shit”. It seems that whoever is driving one of those ridiculous vehicles never has his (or more commonly, her) mind on the actual driving. Yeah, I know! I could say that about the driver of ANY vehicle, but there must be something about minivans that brings out the worst in people. And, the driving abilities aside… minivans are just downright FUGLY. When I was a kid, it seemed to be an unwritten rule that when a married couple had kids, they HAD to buy a station wagon. Now, that same rule seemingly applies to minivans. And… it is no longer just parents with kids; now, it seems like old people are beginning to trade in their Cadillacs and Town Cars for….. Yep! For MINIVANS! Good grief.
2) School Buses: I honestly don’t have a clue as to why school buses creep me out… but, they do. I don’t think it is the ugly yellowish-orange color; or the fact that they drive so slowly and stop every few feet; or that they carry several dozen snot-nosed yard apes; or the almost always peculiar people who drive them…. or what! I just don’t have a clue. All I know for a fact is that SCHOOL BUSES CREEP THE HELL OUT OF ME!
3) Guys who wear toupées: I can honestly say that I have NEVER seen a head rug that looked anywhere near good. I don’t care how expensive they are, I can always tell when someone is wearing one… yep, even a mile away. Some guys seem to go to great lengths to do the best job with their toupée that they can, but it seems like the majority just toss it into the air then run under it and let it stay wherever it lands. I’ve seen them on backwards,sideways… and once, even upside down.
4) Almost as bad as toupées are guys who grow their hair long on one side and COMB IT OVER. Good grief! Have you ever seen a guy who does this walk past an electric fan? HAHAHA… Now, that’s hilarious. Who the hell do they think they’re fooling? The best advise I can give them is to grow up and buzz your hair… that looks a hell of a lot better than either combing it over or wearing rugs.
5) Body Odor: Being nearsighted, it seems that my olfactory sense has gained in strength. If someone forgot to use the deodorant, or neglected the foot powder, or has skid marks in their undies… unfortunately, my wonderful nose lets me know about it in no uncertain terms.
6) Body Hair Gone Wild: Rather than rehash this again, click this link to read my blog from 16 January 2008 “Better Use a Lawn Mower… Dynamite Could Get Messy!”
I think that’s enough for now. Trust me… there ARE a few other things I fear, and plenty more that Creep Me Out… but those are for a future blog. What are YOUR fears… and what creeps YOU out?
Online Quiz Results…
OK… since this is blog post # 200, I thought I’d dig into my Face_Book archives and group together most of the online quizzes I’ve taken over the past year. This post will be a bit lengthy, so you don’t have to read all the quiz results (though, I’ll be impressed if you do)… just scroll through and read the ones that spark your curiosity. It’s actually kind of scary, since the majority of these were “right on the mark” for describing who I am….
1) What kind of person are you?
You are the peaceful kind of person.
You are very calm and can stay calm no matter what most of the time. You love to live life and meet new people, you’re also a very kind person. You try to be peaceful and love sharing how you feel. You like to be alone sometimes so you can enjoy peace. You try not to be mad or sad even. You like to be peaceful and you wish that everyone would just be friends and end their drama.
2) What is your Best Trait?
Compassion.
You don’t judge others’ faults but rather have compassion on them and what they are going through. Your first instinct when you see someone in need is to comfort them and show them how much you care. You are gracious, and love flows out of you naturally. Even in situations where most people would back away, you are right there for people with your arms wide open. You feel empathy for those who suffer, and this might be because of your kind nature or maybe even because you can relate; whatever the reason, you help heal wounds and are a shoulder to cry on.
3) What kind of soul do you have?
Crystalline.
Crystalline beings are very reflective. They take a very long time to grow and change but when they do, you can’t change them back… it is ’set in stone’ so to speak. A crystalline person has an easier time giving than taking. When they do receive something, a debt is naturally implied in their minds whether or not it is expected. This is because of a deep sensitivity to people and objects. Crystalline folks are extremely absorbent of all kinds of energy. They would be wise to trust their instinct when it comes to people and objects in their lives.
4) Find out your ruling planet and its meaning:
The Sun.
Since your zodiac sign is Leo, you are born under the influence of Sun. You are wise and mature beyond your years. You live your life with dignity and pride. Your good health and physical strength come naturally to you. You are very generous whenever there is a chance to help others. Power and ambition are driving forces in your life. You are also in touch with your creative side.
5) What Does Your Birth Date Mean?
Born on the 3rd of August.
You have a creative mind. You love to explore new places and learn about new things. You are easy-going in life. Your loved ones are very happy in your company. You have big dreams in life. Try your best and you shall achieve them soon.
6) What does your day of birth say about you?
Born on a Wednesday.
Adventurous. Great sense of humor. Altruistic. Loves to enjoy life. Caring and loving. Faithful friend. Confident personality. Quite sensitive. Warm and considerate towards people.
7) What do your name initials reveal about you?
Your initials of J D M reveal that…
You are quite honest. You love experimenting with new things. You are kind towards poor people. Acting with determination is in your blood. You think in a balanced way. People recognize you for your sharp mind. Few people are as hardworking as you are. You have great confidence in yourself. You have strong clairvoyance.
8 ) What word best describes you? This one actually gave me 2 responses…
a) Caring: You are caring for others and incredibly patient. You would be a wonderful teacher. You try to help people as much as you can with their problems. People tell you everything and you will make lifelong friends.
b) Blissful: Everything makes you happy. You don’t need a reason to be happy you just are! It takes a whole lot to bring you down. You may have a hard life but you are a complete optimist.
9) Which flower are you?
Lily.
You are a nurturer. Kind and gentle. You make strong solid friendships and seem wise beyond your years. You are peaceful and honest. Others gravite to your inner beauty, and you have a very soothing influence on most. You seem to know all the answers, yet are very humble. You live simply and treasure the natural beauty around you.
10) What is your Native American soul animal?
The Eagle.
The Eagle personifies divine power. It flies through the heavens, listening to the divine knowledge directly from The Creator. He sees many things from this height, the true perspective of the world. The Eagle teaches us to see both sides to everything, the “Ying and the Yang”, The Eagle teaches us to see both positive and negative events as a learning experience. Those with the power of The Eagle are wise, spiritual people. They always ‘hit the nail on the head’, they can see the true perspective of everything.
11) What is your soul like?
Gentle.
You have a gentle soul. You are kind and tend to be quiet, not saying that you don’t have fun or dislike being around people, but you like your “alone time” as well. You appreciate the little things in life as well as the magnificent. You prefer the quiet and the serene to the loud bustle of the rest of the world. You have a gift with people and/or animals, and you can use that gift to help them. People cannot help but like you, but you are also a target, your quietness percieved as a weakness to some. You are strong in your moral sense of right and wrong and will go out of your way to help some one. There really should be more great and kindly people like you in the world, keep on smiling, people love it when you smile
12) What is your purpose in life?
You are a Visionary.
“You have the ability to see things in a way that others cannot and your perception is second to none however you do not always follow the logical path even though you can almost always predict how things will turn out. You are gifted in business and your insight into the future makes you an excellent person to give good advice to those around you.”
13) What race from Lord of the Rings are you?
Elf.
Tall, beautiful, and gifted. (Well, at 5″9″, I suppose I’m taller than someone who is 5-foot 8-1/2 inches tall).
14) What is a word that describes you?
Loving.
Any guy would love to be yours with your loving heart and personality. Guys dig the sensitivity and care that you bring with you everywhere you go! Never let that go! It’s something that not only pleases guys, but the whole world as well. The world needs more people like you!
15) What is unique about you?
Your wiseness.
You make a lot of smart choices. You like to think a lot about everything.You are the smartest person your friends know of. You are a great person.
16) Who is your Guardian Angel?
Raphael.
Hebrew word rapha means “doctor” or “healer”. Raphael is a powerful healer and assists with all forms of healing – humans and animals. He helps to rapidly heal body, mind and spirit. The chummiest and funniest of all Angels, Raphael is often pictured chatting merrily with mortal beings. He’s very sweet, loving, kind and gentle and you know that he’s around when you see sparkles or flashes of green light. Part of Raphael’s healing work involves spirit releasement and space clearing. He often works with Michael to exorcise discarnate entities and escort away lower energies from people and places. Raphael also helps with inward spiritual journeys, assisting in searches for truth and guidance. Raphael not only helps you to heal from physical, emotional and mental pain, he also heals wounds from past lives. He is a Keeper of Holy Grail the highest spiritual energy of unconditional love that heals everything.
17) Who is your cartoon twin?
Bugs Bunny.
Bright and good-looking, you have the world at your feet. You are a non-conformist, however, which will lead you down an unpredictable path in life.
18 ) Which Planet Do You Come From?
Arcturus (Otherwise, known as Nekkidarsia).
Arcturus is the fourth brightest star in the night sky, in the constellation Bootes about 36 light years from Earth, and its name is roughly translated to mean “Guardian of the Bear”. Beings from Arcturus are of 5th dimensional consciousness who are expert energy workers and light healers. Arcturus is a portal between the 3rd and 5th dimensions, the realms of physical and spiritual reality. If you are of Arcturian origin you are an extremely evolved and love motivated being with strong healing powers and a desire to help humanity in every way you can.
19) How knowledgeable of the occult are you!
The result is Adeptus Major.
An impressive display of occult knowledge! You’re obviously no stranger to the mysteries of the universe, but you’ve still got a way to go on the path of hidden knowledge. You’ve mastered the elements, skryed the aethers, and have taken your True Will by the horns. What are you doing taking quizzes online? There’s Great Work to do!
20) Numerology Reading:
Your Life Path Number is 4 (You are trustworthy and sincere). Your Destiny Number is 2 (You are spiritual and peaceful). Your Soul Number is 8 (You are courageous and ambitious). Your Birthday Number is 3.
21) What type of Love are you?
Eros.
Eros is passionate, physical, lustful love-the kind that gives you butterflies in your stomach and a tingling in certain other places. Romantic love that has tremendous passion, physical longing, deep intensity, and intimacy.
22) What spiritual power do you posess?
Chi master.
Your discipline and meditation skills makes you excel in the arts of chi; whether it be for healing or for hurting you make sure to stay balanced and calm. It is easy for you to avoid danger and relate to people on their level even if your level may be higher than theirs.
23) Which book of the Bible are you?
Revelation.
More mystical than the average bear, you are not always easy to understand. Sometimes your eccentricity can be downright scary to more conventional minds. But life with you is never dull. For you, life is fraught with hidden meaning, and outward appearances are only the beginning of the path to wisdom. Intuitive and poetic, you don’t feel compelled to lock down your entire world in concrete answers. For you, the future is full of promise, despite its uncertainty. If you can stay humble and avoid a love of mystery for its own sake, you will avoid pretension and realize your spiritual potential.
24) What Apostle Are You?
John.
You are very tender and loving. You are an idealist who hopes for the best in all people. When you speak or communicate, you speak in language that is esoteric. You are very humble and don’t want to be in the light too much.
25) Which 80’s Song Describes You?
“Things Can Only Get Better”.
You are an eternal optimist, always finding the silver lining and looking on the bright side of things. This can get a little tedious for your cranky friends, who call you Pollyanna and Goody Two Shoes behind your back, but they secretly wish they were more like you. You frequently hug and comfort strangers.
26) How addictive are YOU?
You are the Addiction Everyone Craves.
Master of it All. Smelling good, looking good, touching good, walking sexy, dressing lovely, and most of all, people can’t let you go! It’s you or nothin’ baby! You Are their spark, their Light, their dreams for passion! You ARE the passion. Energy flows through you so easily, and into those others, making them want to feel that feeling, more and more and MORE! You got it going ON! Your Love, if you have one, must be so wild about you. Wanting more and such… And the crowd, must be flowing with jealousy.
27) Which color best suits your personality?
Blue.
You are a deep, sensitive dreamer. You are usually laid back and calm, though, like an ocean, you can kick up a good storm, too! You are probably a daydreamer, who has his head in the clouds. You love spending time with your friends, and probably just go with whatever they want to do. You are emotionally inclined -you feel things deeply and strongly. You are extremely loyal, and your friends can always count on you to be there for them. Blues are almost always very intelligent. Other people admire you and strive to be like you, but you probably have a hard time understanding why. You can be light and fun at times, and other times deep and introverted. It just depends on your mood. You, in a nutshell: Deep, emotional, wise, loyal, slightly moody, feeling, sensitive, supportive, intelligent.
28 ) Which Candy Are You Like?
Hershey’s Kiss.
You’re a very simple person. Easy to please and you care about the more meaningful things in life. You’re really nice and have a big heart and would help out anyone who needed you.
29) What is your Spiritual Personality?
Pagan.
You value the personal approach to a spiritual life, and have your own opinion on who or what god is. You have a world of opportunity available to you, regarding how you pray, if you choose to partake in rituals or cast spells. You are an eccentric individual who values other people’s religions, that is until they try to infringe on your own free practice. You believe in doing the right thing according to your own personal ethics.
30) How Smart Are You?
Genius.
You are the equivalent of Einstein! You have a high IQ or are good at guessing.
31) What Personality Trait Stands Out Most In You?
Intelligence.
You are an ambitious person. You plan for the future carefully and do it well. You work hard and excel in school. Just remember, it’s okay to have fun once in a while. You’re very perceptive and pay attention to details rather than the overall picture. You’re trustworthy because you can keep a secret. You’re able to understand things most people don’t. You hate lying and find that honesty is easier, even if it hurts. Trust is one of your more important morals.
32) What Egyptian Deity Are You?
Ra.
The most wise and honorable King of all Gods you are.Your decisive and unbeatable nature let you control the things around you every second.Every good quality a human mind can think of you have.Truly you deserve your golden crown oh Mighty One …..I bow at your summoning……
33) What kind of Mage are you?
White Mage.
A healer, protector of his friends and family, he will always do what is right… relieving friends of any negitive effects that might be afflicting them. A pillar of moral goodness, bringing happiness to those around them. Sourcing their power from the peace and light within them.
34) What is your spiritual gift?
Prophet.
Your spiritual gift based on the chakra charts is self-awareness. Your Spiritual Strength Is Intuition… You have a strong connection to the Divine which makes knowledge and truths outside this world accessible. You are able to reach greater spiritual insights and revelations and to share these revelations with others. Be careful not to become attached to the ego. Spiritual knowledge belongs to all. It should be shared with others to spread awareness. You also have a strong inner awareness of God or a higher universal force. The Crown Chakra brings us closest to the spirit realms. You will be able – with practice – to enter higher consciousness states. You have active or dormant abilities that most other people do not possess such as increased perception and pre-cognition.
35) Which Hogwarts Student Are You Most Like?
Harry Potter.
Courageous and loyal through and through. You would fight to the death for your friends and for what you love. Self sacrificing you have gone through a lot that many your age don’t understand. You are independent and brave, but have close friends you can always rely on.You enjoy time with them. Some times you can come across arrogant or have a quick temper, but beneath it all you are caring and humble.
36) The Ultimate Grammar Quiz
My Result: Grammar Master.
You are at the top of the heap when it comes to grammar and spelling. Even the tiniest error in the newspaper disturbs you. You proofread billboards, don’t you?
37) What landscape fits you the best?
Forest.
You enjoy nature. The colors of the forest capture your personality. You are bright and shy, but have good intentions always. You love animals, and dont tend to have a lot of friends, but those that you do have, love you unconditionally. You are the top student of whatever you study, and you live a good life.
38 ) What kind of mask do you wear?
Beauty.
You are beautiful inside and out. You aren’t too aware of your beauty, although all the people around you are. There are times when you feel like you’re wearing a mask, but no one around you can notice the difference with or without it. You may feel vulnerable at times, but you usually get through it. You sometimes wish you had someone to help you through those tough times, but you are always hopeful and don’t give up easily. People who first meet you notice your beauty at a glance, but most people notice it when they get to really know you.
39) What Is Your Magickal Destiny?
Gifted.
Magick? That’s life for you. You don’t question it, in fact you live with it. You have a deeper view of the grand scheme of things, and you have sway in the lives around you. You probably have a gift for healing, seeing into the future, or mental telepathy. People sometimes or often come to you with their problems, and you do your best to put your abilities to good use. There is no ordinary for you. In everyday life you seek meaning from the time you wake to the moment you drift off to sleep. You care so deeply for those in your life that you feel their pain and joy. You don’t tolerate lies or injustice, and you live as harmoniously with the planet as you can. A great many people look up to you, so be careful about harsh words and cynicism. You don’t let the pain of other bring you down.
40) How old a soul are you?
Very Old Soul.
When the winds of change blow, you sense the outcome ahead of others, having seen so much before. Surprises come in smaller forms to you, as in the unexpected experiences of the senses, deepening your appreciation of the physical. You want life to last so you can explore your mature understanding of existence. You have become patient with the younger souls, understanding their paths and of the challenges they face. You forgive much, often acting as mentor without pushing your beliefs upon others. You give without great expectations of receiving. Love has become the most valued concept in your universe – this life may be your quest to perfect your ability to express and receive perfect love. Thoughts of dying do not fill you with dread, as you understand death is a part of life, and life is a process of becoming… so death is a graduation, not an end. At rest, you feel at one with the universe and are grateful for your current home, Earth. You have a heartfelt affinity for history – the connections to various periods throughout time are undeniable. Very old souls are adept at recognizing other old souls… mutual respect forms naturally between them.
41) Which Gay Icon Are You Most Like?
Ellen Degeneres.
You are warm, funny and compassionate. But that doesn’t mean you can’t be dripping with sarcasm at the same time. You probably love animals more than people, but you can still breathe life into any party. Everyone LOVES to love you but you don’t let it go to your head. You’re likely to drop a beat and start dancing without warning.
42) Which philosopher represents you?
Plato.
You believe that this world is a reflection of a different one, of “pure forms”. The world we see here and now is in perpetual transformation, but we can’t have such transformation unless it is determined by an unalterable element that we see as a principle. There is no diversity without a pre-existing unity, just as there can be no number 2 without a number 1. The access to the world of principles is obtainable through revelation, as a mark of the soul. The act of being is eternal in itself, and a particular existence is nothing more than a small step on this scale of eternity. In terms of ethics, u believe in the preservation of life. To you, Good and The Being are one and the same, and Bad is nothing more than a principle of deccomposition. Perfection and the ultimate Good can never be attained, since this life is governed by the verb ‘to become’, but that doesn’t mean the individual can not strive to achieve a certain balance in whatever he does, which puts the individual in contact with his true self.
43) What is your Temperament?
Melancholy.
You are a deep ocean. You are emotional and thoughtful, artistic and musical. Even if you don’t draw or play an instrument, art and music play a big part in your life. You are talented and creative. You are philosophical and poetic. You are always an original. You underestimate yourself and are sensitive. You put others before yourself. You feel their pain. When someone has a problem, they come to you. Not to solve it, but to cry with them. You appreciate beauty. You see things others miss, and can feel a problem coming like a chill before the rain.You make friends cautiously and the friends you have are few and very close to you. You are very faithful and devoted. You value loyalty and can become resentful if betrayed. You seek out special people who see your depth and beauty and they travel with you for long friendships. You have a deep concern for other people and will listen to their complaints. People rely on you. Introvert: The Resident Genius.
44) What is your type of intimacy?
Consummate Love.
This is the ideal form of intimacy in a long-term relationship. It has equal amounts of Commitment, Passion and Closeness. It is difficult to maintain this level of intimacy in a relationship, and takes work on both sides of a partnership to do so. Closeness is defined as a desire to know about the other person, their likes/dislikes, their personality, their opinions and overall you enjoy who they are as a person. Passion is a desire to be with the other person, to engage in various activities with them, to be there for them. It has a physical component which may be sexual or may just be affectionate gestures. Commitment is when you have shared goals with the other person. It is a defining element of a true partnership, where both people are linked through common desires and needs. It may mean cohabitating or shared futures in some way. A part of a respectful and mature relationship involves the ability to negotiate these three aspects, juggling them when needed and realizing when one is lacking.
Random Randomness
Questions I’ve Been Asked Over the Past Few Weeks…
1) What kind of gas mileage do you get in your new car?
~ I don’t know for sure. Does it really matter what the exact number is? I mean, does it save me that much more money or make my car more valuable if I get 34 MPG rather than only 32? All I know or even care about when it comes to MPG is that I only have to fill the tank once every one or two weeks. It’s not like I’m running out of gas every time I go somewhere.
2) What is the temperature outside?
~ Once again… why does it matter what the exact temperature is? 90-degrees feels just as hot as 85-degrees as far as I’m concerned… and 20-degrees feels just as cold as 10-degrees. To me, it is either hot, comfie or cold. I don’t need a thermometer to tell me that I’ll freeze my ass off if I go outside, or if the sweat will start pouring off my head. That’s what my sensory nerves will do… I guarantee they’ll tell me whether it is hot or cold.
3) Why did you buy gas at Ingles? It’s 2-cents per gallon cheaper at Sam’s Club!
~ OK… let’s do a bit of elementary math here: Let’s say that my car gets 30 miles per gallon, and that gas at Ingles costs $2.50 per gallon. Ingles is 3 miles away, and Sam’s Club is 15 miles away. If I put 10 gallons of gas in the tank at Ingles, I pay $25.00 and the round trip of 6 miles uses 2/10 of a gallon. I use 2% of the gas, which costs me 50-cents. Now, if I put the same 10 gallons of gas in the car at Sam’s Club, it costs $24.80 and the round trip of 30 miles uses 1 full gallon. I use 10% of the gas, which costs me $2.48. So… to save 20-cents on the fill-up, I paid an extra $1.98. Yeah… that really makes sense!
4) Do you still like your new car?
~ No, of course not! I mean when you pay almost $20,000 for a new car, you are only allowed to like it for a few weeks. I think there’s a law somewhere that states that. You silly person! OF COURSE I still like my new car. In fact, I’m so in love with it that I don’t even need a guy… <just kidding, in case one of you cute guys is secretly in love with me> hahaha
5) Are you glad it’s finally Friday?
~ NO… I actually think it sucks that I have to take a whole weekend off work. I love my job so much that I keep begging them to let me work Saturday and Sunday without any additional financial compensation. I even offered to move a bed into my office so I wouldn’t lose any of that valuable work time that enables all the over paid executives to play golf all day while I lovingly work my ass off so they don’t have to. Wow… was THAT ever a dumb question!
6) Do you wish you would win the lottery?
~ Nah… what would I do with all that money? I’m so used to being piss-poor, that I’d probably have no idea how to spend it, anyway. hahaha… Yep, another stupid question!
7) Wow! That’s a lot of books! Do you like to read?
~ What? Me read? I only keep a few thousand books neatly arranged in book cases, because it adds to the decor of the place. If I keep the shelves filled with books, I don’t have to worry about buying hundreds of knick-knacks to fill the empty space. Besides, having all those books makes visitors think that I’m super intelligent. (Well, actually I am… shhhhhh!).
8 ) Did you really get in the hot tub naked?
~ Duh…. yeah! I mean, what’s the purpose of wearing any clothes in a hot tub? Even shorts or a swim suit seem rather unnecessary to me. Well, if the hot tub was in a public place… sure! But, a private hot tub? Come on! I’m not ashamed of my less-than-perfect body (well, I’m sure it’s “less perfect” than SOME bodies), so why should YOU be?
9) Would you like change back, sir?
~ First of all, as much money as I pay for something… of course, I want my change back. I was asked that this morning at the grocery store. I bought a jug of distilled water for 69-cents, and paid for it with a $5 bill. Did the cashier really think that I was going to give her a $4.31 tip for checking me out and taking my money? Even in a restaurant, don’t ask me if I want my change back. I’m a very generous tipper, so I WILL leave you a tip… but I’ll decide on how much it will be.
10) Are you going to eat your cookie?
~ Yesterday at lunch, a co-worker actually had the nerve to ask me that. If I buy a cookie when I order my lunch, OF COURSE I’m going to eat it. Even if I don’t eat it right then, I’ll take it with me and eat it for a snack later. Buy your own damned cookie, you cheapskate! hehehe
11) Why does that man look like he’s pissed at the world?
~ Now, how did you know I could read his mind? Yep, I know exactly what everyone in the world is thinking… and why they are thinking it. I even know why you’re so dumb! I’ll tell you a secret: If you want to know why that man looks like he’s pissed at the world…. GO ASK HIM! He’ll either tell you, or he’ll knock you flat on your inquiring ass.
12) You’re gay? Do you really like guys?
~ What? ME like guys? What a fresh concept: Gay guys liking other guys! If I had realized that was possible, I’d have become gay years ago. Imagine that… all those years of not getting turned on by female creatures, and never having a clue that just because I was gay that I could like guys!
13) Would you like a lid on your coffee?
~ I was actually asked that question by a Starbucks barista the other day. Sure, she was new there… but isn’t it common sense that when someone gets a “coffee to go”, that they just might possibly want to keep that hot liquid from splashing out all over their brand spanking new car as they drive to work?
14) After you pee, do you shake “it” or wipe “it”?
~ First of all, it’s none of your business whether I shake or wipe “it”. Second, “it” has a name… come on, say the word P-E-N-I-S. That’s right PENIS! Now, that wasn’t so bad was it… and I don’t believe I saw a bolt of lightning come down from Heaven and strike you dead for saying “Penis”.
15) Would you like your receipt?
~ Yes… Yes, I would like my receipt. Why? Is the item I just bought going to fall apart when I get it home? And if it does, are you going to refuse me a refund or an exchange if I don’t have a receipt? OR… are you going to use my receipt to write up a fake refund so you can pocket some extra cash? Yep… I bet that’s what you have planned. I worked in retail management for several years, and I know how you dishonest cashiers operate. Then again… perhaps you ARE honest, and just not very swift in the intra-cranial department.
Individuality & the Human Creature…
“People watching” is a term that I’ve heard a LOT of folks use when describing things they like to do. We all observe the actions, body language and appearance of those around us, whether we do so deliberately or merely in passing. Years ago, I was no different from the average “watcher”, in that I would see someone do something, then pass some sort of “judgment” on that person for the action I had observed. As time has passed, I’ve matured emotionally (as well as intellectually), and have learned to accept the fact that each person is unique. When I observe someone doing something, I very rarely pause to define that person by what I saw him (or her) do. I admit, being part human, that there ARE times when I DO implant that action in my mind as a defining trait of the person I saw do “it”; but, 99% (more or less) of the time, I allow the observation to pass through my thought processes as merely an idiosyncrasy of an individual human entity. I’m a highly “accepting” person, in that I realize we are all individual beings with unique characteristics. I respect those people who feel self-confident enough to “be themselves” and not worry about what anyone else might think about them or something they might do. That is exactly the person I have become. I am ME… like me or not. And, I honestly don’t care what anyone thinks about any trait I may have or anything I may do. And, yes… if you observe me, chances are that you’ll see me do some things that you just might deem to be rather “odd”. Everyone reading this, whether they know me personally or not, has some opinion about what sort of person I am, whether that opinion originated from reading my blogs, viewing my photos, talking with me on the phone, chatting with me online, seeing me naked on webcam (hahaha… JUST KIDDING… had to throw that in there to wake you up), hearing someone else talk about me or meeting me in person. The very first impression we receive about someone is generally a lasting impression. That may change as we get to know the person, but whether or not we take time TO get to know them more often than not hinges on the feeling we got the first time we became aware of that person. As I was growing from childhood into adolescence and then into adulthood, the main words of advice that my elders told me was to “be sure to make a good first impression” when meeting new people. That never really made logical sense to me, as the only “impression” I wanted to make was that people would know that the person they were observing was indeed THAT person, rather than some person who was putting up a “hope you like me” facade. Too many of us human entities TRY to fit in with whatever group of people we happen to be around at a given time. We have a natural tendency to be “afraid” that nobody will like us for who we really are, so we try to become the person everyone else WILL like. I found out years ago that when I tried to “change” myself to be like everyone around me, I lost my individuality and was no longer “different”… and became just “another face in the crowd” of the drones of humanity. In essence, I was no longer ME. As I grew to respect my uniqueness, I realized that same “respect for ME” that I had for myself extended out to the people around me. I found that by “being different” by “being ME”, I was more apt to be respected as a person than I ever was by trying to be like everyone else.
Soooo… Do you want to be like me? I admit, that would be a highly tempting idea for most humans, but… COME ON, PEOPLE! You KNOW there is only ONE ME. And, I doubt that anyone could ever emulate ME exactly. That is the beauty of individuality and the uniqueness of our idiosyncrasies… you may WANT to be like me, and you may TRY to emulate me; but, you can never BE me. It is so much easier to just be YOU. Relish every single trait you have that makes you “YOU”. You just might find that by being YOU, you will garner more respect than you ever could by TRYING to get respect by attempting to “fit in”.
Which of these 2 clichés makes more sense? “Birds of a feather flock together” or “Variety is the spice of life”? I think I’ll opt for the latter.
“The man who trims himself to suit everybody will soon whittle himself away.” -Charles Schwab
“Did you ever see an unhappy horse? Did you ever see a bird that had the blues? One reason why birds and horses are not unhappy is because they are not trying to impress other birds and horses.” -Dale Carnegie
Latest Cabin Review…
As most of you know, I just took another one of my 3-day “ME Time” retreats to a cabin in the Tennessee hills. Those mini-vacation get-a-ways are highly therapeutic and provide me with some much needed time away from the noise and negativity of modern society. This time I went alone, as I do once or twice a year… occasionally, I will let someone go with me or meet me there (but they have to ask). I think “Briar Brook” cabin was the 5th one in East Tennessee that I’ve rented in the past 2 years. I like the area between Knoxville and the Tri-Cities… especially Wears Valley, which is situated between Sevierville, Pigeon Forge and Townsend. OK… on to the cabin review:
When I was taking the photos, for some reason I neglected to get a full outer shot of the cabin, so I’ll use a couple from the internet…
Here is how the cabin looks as you drive down the driveway.
This is the rear, from down the side of the mountain. I started to take a pic of this, but not only was the land too steep to safely walk, BUT I saw way too many yellow jackets buzzing around near the ground… and one correctly placed bee sting could put a damper on my human existence.
The driveway leading to the cabin was quite steep, but at least it was paved… so no problem whatsoever.
I did think to turn my front wheels AWAY from the mountain side…. just in case, ya know!
The walkway to the front door was an extension of the covered upper level deck.
The main living area wasn’t huge, but it was a decent size, and was faced with an entire wall of windows that overlooked the wooded mountain side.
The living area opened up onto a wonderfully quiet and private upper deck. I carry my own folding nylon chair with me when I go on retreats, and it was a nice, quiet place to read, study and meditate in the midst of nature.
Here is another view of the upper deck.
A view through the living area, showing the dining table which was situated in an alcove surrounded on 3 sides by windows. I couldn’t get a decent photo through the window screen, but there was a bird’s nest with 3 baby birds in it right outside the window to the right of the table.
The kitchen wasn’t a super large gourmet kitchen, but it had all the amenities I required for cooking and eating.
The main bedroom was simple in design, and provided me with 3 good nights of sleep.
(I didn’t take a pic of the main floor bathroom, so if any of you have a bathroom fetish…. well, live with it).
hehehe
The stairway to the lower level opened up off the kitchen.
The lower level also had a fireplace…
… along with a jacuzzi and a bumper pool table.
(forgive the camera shake and the ensuing BLUR)
1) What the hell is “bumper pool”? I think I prefer a “regular” pool table!
2) I didn’t use the jacuzzi… for 2 reasons: a) The jets kept shooting out crud from the pipes (it obviously hadn’t been used a lot)… and b) I saw a huge spider and a rather large black scorpion playing in the jacuzzi. YUCK!!
But, the lower level was a bit damp, since it was half below ground (the side towards the driveway)…
The only part of the cabin that sort of “creeped me out” was the “dark” side of the lower level… down the hallway to the bathroom, bedroom and laundry room. The bedroom had no windows, and probably hosted some creepy crawlies at night… I didn’t try to find out.
The ONLY part of the lower level I used (and quite often, mind you) was the hot tub on the lower deck. It was totally private, and well-maintained (no wonder the jacuzzi had been neglected). I would have taken a pic with the cover off, the jets turned on and my naked butt in it…. BUT, you would have drooled over that pic so much you might have missed all the others.
Over all, this is actually one of my 2 favorite cabins so far (even with the lower level that sort of unnerved me a bit). The other favorite was the one I stayed in last August for my birthday retreat (Mountain Valley View).
I will definitely keep this cabin on my list of possible “return trips”.
If anyone ever wants to accompany me on one of my “cabin get-a-aways”, just let me know… and I’m sure we can find a place we all like.
DAMN… it just hit me! I gotta go back to work tomorrow!
Well, I suppose every good thing has its counterpart, hunh?
Perception of Life…
As I’ve grown more attuned to my spiritual awareness and my true being over the past few years, I’ve come to realize that there are 2 ways to look at any situation or experience: with a negative attitude and with a positive attitude. Sure, there are a multitude of other ways you can view these things; but, each of those is either connected to a positive or a negative reaction. As spirits in human form, we epitomize the concept of duality… not just in the differentiation of the ego and the higher self, but in our reactions to everything that confronts us. Humanity tends to classify everything in a way that makes it either good or bad; right or wrong; painful or pleasurable; “black” or “white”. The ego, in my opinion, is “jealous” of our higher self (which is our TRUE self), and is constantly trying to be “right” by attempting some sort of confrontation with not only its “roommate” (the soul),but with every other thing around it… animals, plants, politics, religion, etc.
The manner in which we look at any given situation dictates whether or not the ego will be “victorious”. If we anticipate the unfolding or outcome of some event with the emotions of hate, anger, fear or disappointment, we are opening the door for Mr. Ego to show his power. However, if we “trust” that the event will unfold as it should for the greater good of all, the ego will have nothing to hold on to in order to prove its self-conceived superiority. That is the main reason we should approach each event we face (regardless of magnitude or perceived importance) with not only an open mind, but a non-judgmental attitude to the possibilities of the reason for that event.
As I look back on the almost 55 years of my human life, I can easily see how so many events that I deemed highly negative were in actuality “positive”, in that they veered me onto the “right track” of my life journey, or at the minimum taught me an important lesson. I can see that no matter how painful I had perceived some event to be, it was a major factor in shaping me into who I am now. One of the major catalysts in the transformation of my “outlook” on life has been the time I spend out in nature, away from the extreme negativity of humanity. I “knew” at a very young age that ALL life is precious, for every “living” thing contains a soul… not just animals, but plants as well. Trees are among the most majestic of all living entities, not merely because of their height, but because they are collectors of all the knowledge that has been put forth by humanity. When I walk through a secluded forest, or sit among a grove of trees, I feel an amazing amount of pure energy. My favorite place to meditate is beneath the oldest tree I can find. As I relax my body and clear my mind of the “junk” of human thought, I can feel myself meld into the energy of the tree… and we become one. Trees, unlike humans, are not in a constant battle with the ego, but are a portrait of true spiritual “being”. It saddens me to see the mass destruction of trees by human greed, yet I know that for every tree that is destroyed, a higher level of awareness permeates humanity. More and more of us are beginning to say “NO” to greed, hate, anger, fear and all forms of negative emotion, and for the first time in millenia, there appears to be a strong “hope” for the future of this Earth and humanity. A new age is upon us, and we can choose whether to deny the ego its need to be “right” by not opening up our thoughts to negativity or question, but by just “being” and letting our minds be truly open to ALL possibilities… or we can continue on as we were “taught” by our teachers (parents, government, educators, the media, organized religion, etc.) and allow the ego to grow stronger and further hinder our growth as spiritual beings. It is OUR personal choice,and NOT just the choice of the ego. If we can just learn to relax our thought processes and not allow the negative ideas and questions that the ego thrives on to enter our minds, we can literally block the ego from having the option of “being right” yet again and hindering the growth of our spirit.
