Random Thoughts for the Month…
Since it has been a little while since my last blog post, I thought I’d just do another one on “random thoughts”… mainly a quick stream of whatever pops into my mind (and, I do have a number of things on my mind today):
1) I think the item that is weighing heaviest on me today is that inane (fancy word for ‘freaking stupid’) “spring forward” time change that we are forced to go through every year around this time. My sleep time is precious, and to lose an entire hour of “heaven” is truly a rather difficult thing. Just the shift in a single hour plays havoc with my circadian rhythm. It takes me several weeks to adjust to the rearrangement of that 60 minutes. Then… about the time I get comfortably adjusted to the “new” time, it is autumn, and the time shifts yet again… even though I finally “gain back” that “lost” hour, I have yet another period of adjustment to put up with. I realize that “wonderful” entity we call the government is supposedly making us reset our clocks in an attempt to provide more daylight during the hours that school busses are picking up their precious cargo (at least that is the story); however, I believe they are just trying to play havoc with our sanity and immune systems so they can kill off a few more of the “common folk”. Yeah, yet another conspiracy theory. hahaha Hey, ya never know!
2) I had written in a post back in December about how I sent a Christmas parcel to my friend Joshua in Liverpool, England. When the postal service tried to deliver it to Joshua, they insisted on charging him an outrageous Value Added Tax (for receiving a gift through the mail). Since Joshua had lost his job to the crappy economy not long prior to that, he didn’t have that much cash on hand, and the postal delivery man got really pissy and basically said “Screw you… I’m returning it to the sender”. I honestly thought the jerk would just keep his newly found treasure for himself, since as time went buy, neither Joshua nor I saw that parcel. Finally, last week, it was returned to me… and I had to pay the exact same postage to receive it as it had cost to send it (not cheap, mind you). The parcel contained something rather nice, or I would have just told the postal guy to keep it. The candy I included had gone bad after 3 months, so I threw it out… but everything else is still in great shape. Within the next week or so, I plan on sending it again… only this time, I know how to do so without Joshua having to pay money he can’t afford.
3) One thing I’ve seen developing within me over the past few years is my ability to see and feel the auric energies of other living entities… people, animals and plants. I’m far more attuned to the feeling of that energy than I am to seeing it, though each presents itself at appropriate times. I’ve always been more clairsensient and claircognizant than I have been clairvoyant or clairaudient. Lately, I’ve been feeling some very strong energies from some people who cross my path. It seems that the closer the Earth and humanity gets to the dawning of a new age, the stronger my energies and my energy sensing receptors are getting. Feeling so much “good” energy from more and more people around me makes me smile and confirms the hopes that I have for the future of the Earth and those who survive the current negativity of mankind to be part of that paradise.
4) I’ve been a “good boy” for the past 2 weeks (hey… don’t laugh! That’s really not a record, ya know). The company I work for is having a “health challenge” in an attempt to get us to exercise more (and you KNOW how difficult that is in a place where 90% of the employees are your basic southern redneck). Out of around 100 people, only 18 signed up. I mainly did it to show the ones who think they’re sports studs that they don’t have anything on me…hahaha. And, after 14 of the 31 days, I’m only 1 of 2 who haven’t missed a single day of exercise. I use the treadmill every morning (a MANUAL treadmill, mind you… not one of those electric powered ones. Mine runs on MY own power). Then, in the evening after work, I work out a while on my CrossBow machine. Yay me! 
5) I think the best internet move I’ve made in a long time was to dump My_Space and add Face_Book. Everyone that I consider to be my “true” family is there, and are among those on my “friends” list. To me, “family” has absolutely nothing to do with blood lines or birth certificates. My real family are those I call my closest friends. Those are the ones I can always count on to “be there” for me with absolutely NO judgmentalism or “conditions”. They support me for ME… not for how my actions will affect their own social status. So… I give a big THANK YOU and an eternal HUG to you who are my true family. I love each of you more than anything.
6) I’ve had my current car (2001 Nissan Sentra SE… 88,890 miles) since October of 2000. It has been the best car I’ve ever had… and actually still is. For the past few months, however, I’ve had the “itch” to get something new. Imagine my surprise (though not really) when I found out that one of my best friends was considering the same car. Tony bought his car several weeks ago… but I still haven’t (a 2010 Kia Soul+). I’ve been “talking” with the internet “saleslady” for several weeks, and finally agreed that I would meet her at the dealership yesterday morning for a test drive. Before I left the house, I got an e-mail from her stating that it had been a long time since we first made e-mail contact, and that we should really set up a time to meet face-to-face. That almost pissed me off, since she couldn’t even remember that I was the person she had ALREADY scheduled for a test drive that very morning. Obviously, I was merely another “potential vicitm” of the relentless car sales machine. When I got to the dealership, guess what? She was nowhere in sight. A salesman approached me and asked what he could do for me? I told him I had an appointment with Kathy, and he said she wasn’t there. He asked if he could help, and I just shook my head and said “Not today” and left…. an hour of my day wasted because of some ignorant bitch’s idiocy. (Gee, that felt good…. hahaha). I think I’ll just wait until the end of the month when the dealership still hasn’t met its sales quota and see just how well I can screw them out of that big profit they think they’re going to make off me.
7) Sleep habits are funny and individual things. I’ve never been able to sleep comfortably on my back… at least not for long. I generally tend to sleep on my right side, with my arm folded beneath my pillow. The past few days, I’ve noticed a soreness in my forearm right below the elbow. I know exactly what it is… the onset of tendonitis. I’m trying to make a concerted effort to sleep in some position that my arm is not twisted in some crazy position… and believe me, it “ain’t no easy matter”. I’m rubbing arnica lotion on my arm, and it is helping a LOT… though the only thing that will return my arm to constant comfort and keep it from becoming injured is to STOP sleeping with it twisted beneath my head. I think my arm just misses having a sweet guy to hold at night… yeah, that’s it!
OK… methinks that is plenty of randomness for this time.
“A Picture is Worth a Thousand Words”…
This is the second in a series of 15 blogs I plan to write on my thoughts and comments concerning several well-known “sayings”:
2) A picture is worth a thousand words:
~ Wikipedia online encyclopedia states that ” ‘A picture is worth a thousand words’ refers to the idea that complex stories can be described with just a single still image, or that an image may be more influential than a substantial amount of text”.
That concept has been proven true so many times in my life. I believe the more important lessons in life that we are meant to learn are more readily instilled into our very being through experience (what I call “living pictures’) than they ever could be through “reading” alone. To illustrate that point, I’ll discuss one of the more valuable lessons I’ve learned thus far in my time on Earth… the concept of death.
As a child, I was raised in a God-fearing home of Southern Baptists. We were “taught” that after we died, we would live in a paradise (which they called “Heaven”), never be sick or feel hurt again, and that we would be reunited with our loved ones who passed on prior to us, and “live happily ever after” in “God’s eternal house”. However, the actual act of death that we had to suffer through prior to reaching our Heavenly home was greatly feared by everyone I knew… even the so-called purveyors of “faith”. They saw death as an end, rather than a continuance, of life… even though that “great reward” was awaiting them. I also believed that same dogmatic “philosophy” not only as a child, but as I grew into young adulthood. It took not one, but THREE “pictures” to lead me to the understanding of “life” and “death” as I now know it. Those “pictures” involved not just the deaths of 3 loved ones, but the experiences of coping, learning, growing and finally knowing. I’ll briefly talk about each of them. I’ve gleaned the highlights of these stories from 2 pages on this site (the pages “Ann Marie” and “Erik”):
1) The death of my 6-year old sister, Ann Marie, in January 1974:
Her death was the closest to ever touch me thus far in my life. I wanted to cry so badly to release the stress, but I couldn’t… no matter how hard I tried. For the next 12-1/2 years I held a hurt close to my heart, and it was eating away at my very soul. On what would have been her 19th birthday, I felt particularly bad and decided that maybe if I wrote her a letter it would take some of the hurt away from me. I got a pen and paper, and wrote, “My sweet Ann Marie” as a greeting, but my mind went blank and I tried hard to think of what to write her. Eventually, I just shut my eyes to rest a bit, hoping that would help me with the letter. The next thing I remembered was waking up. I had fallen asleep on the couch, with the pen still in my hand. I looked down at the paper and was shocked to see the poem below written on it, in MY handwriting…. Yet, I had absolutely NO recollection of writing anything more than “My sweet Ann Marie…”. I now know that one of my guardian angels wrote the poem with my own hand in order to remove the heavy burden that had ensnared me all those years. Ever since, I’ve been able to talk about her and smile, knowing that I have fond memories of her:
My Sweet Ann Marie
My heart was pierced with blades of flame.
My eyes refused to cry.
Yet, deep within, I drowned in tears
the day my sister died.
No one can know just how I felt–
the world just ceased to be.
I struggled to save memories
of my dear, sweet Ann Marie.
She truely was a gift from God
for all of us to share.
Her love of life was endless,
and her beauty was so rare.
Her smile could melt a stubborn heart.
Her laughter was so free.
I miss the gentle, tender love
of my dear, sweet Ann Marie.
Many years have come and gone–
the hurt has slowly passed.
Yet, deep inside, I feel a pain
that will, forever, last.
Though she was taken from this Earth,
with me, she’ll always be!
I cherish all the memories
of my dear, sweet Ann Marie.
-20 October 1986
2) The death of my beloved paternal grandmother:
Gram (as I called her) died at the age of 83 in March 1994. Her death hit me fairly hard, as she was the one relative that I seemed to have the closest connection with. One day, a few weeks after she died, I left my Daytona Beach apartment and walked down to the beach (4 blocks away). I finally found a fairly quiet spot and sat down, then buried my face in my arms and started crying. It felt good to release at least some of that pain. After a bit, I felt a hand touch my shoulder, and looked up. It was a guy that I had never seen before; yet he had approached me with the utmost compassion. When I looked at him, he smiled the most gorgeous smile I had ever seen and asked if I was OK. He sat down on the sand next to me, and we just started talking. He said his name was Erik. I was 39 years old and he said he was 24; yet, his wisdom and compassion seemed to be ages older than my own. Every word he said had a soothing effect on my soul, and before long every ounce of hurt I felt about Gram was gone. I had only pleasant memories of her and could talk about her with a loving smile on my face.
That leads straight into story #3…
3) The “death” of Erik, my first love:
After a few hours of talking on the beach, I asked Erik where he lived. He said that he had just arrived in town that morning and his next task was to find a job and a place to stay. I asked Erik if he would like to stay at my apartment until he could find something permanent. He smiled and said that he’d love to. He said that the reason he had come to Florida was to get away from his family. They were extremely conservative, religious people and absolutely hated Erik for “choosing the homosexual lifestyle“. He told me a few weeks later that he couldn’t live with them hating him, and that he had to return “home” to attempt a reconciliation of some sort. He also told me that he would see me again soon. That was the last time I ever saw Erik in the flesh. Several weeks later, I got an anonymous letter in the mail,stating that Erik had failed in his family reconciliation, which depressed him and led to his committing suicide. I was in severe grief once again. I was totally pissed off at him for killing himself like that after rescuing me from the grief of Gram’s death and showing me a love like I had never known before. Four years later, in April 1998 (the same month we met), I learned that Erik was indeed one of my guardian angels. As I lay in bed one night, all I could think about was Erik. He had helped me accept Gram’s death, but I just couldn’t understand WHY he had to die. As I was trying so hard to fall asleep, I felt pressure on my bed… as if someone were sitting beside me. I opened my eyes, and even without my glasses, I saw Erik as plain as if it were noon on a sunny day. A glow emanated from him, and he smiled that beautiful smile that had captivated me from the start. He then explained to me (not through spoken words, but rather his thoughts became my own) that his main “mission” as one of my guardians was to help me understand what death truly is. He told me that I had to experience severe grief in order to understand that death was not an end to our being, but a stepping up to a new level of the journey of our soul… and that “we are not really humans, but just play them on Earth TV” (yes… even angels have a sense of humor).
So… ARE pictures worth a thousand words? At the very minimum! To me, when my guardian angels teach me valuable lessons with the pictures of experience, I have to say that a picture is worth a quadrillion words… or more. I could never have truly learned what death is, merely by reading books or listening to philosophical dogma. I no longer fear death, for I know there is truly NOT a real death. We merely move forward from one classroom to the next in our soul’s quest to learn and grow.
Happy Valentine’s Day… to ALL of you…
For some crazy reason, most people have the idea that Valentine’s Day is “for lovers only”. That concept is about as outdated as saying that marriage is for heterosexuals only. Humanity has, throughout history, tended to create its own laws and regulations with the intent of “guiding” the masses towards some end that benefits those “in charge”. Telling someone other than a parent, child or lover that you love them is still frowned upon by the drones of society who have been brainwashed by organized religion, the government, psychologists and the media. And, it is especially true if that statement of affection is between two men. Fathers have a very difficult time telling their sons, “I love you”. Brothers face the same taboo. But, in those situations, most people dismiss it as being “OK” since there is a parental/child or a sibling connection. Far too many people view any form of affection between friends (especially same-sex friends) as being wrong or a “sin”. Judgmentalism and love are two of the most incompatible emotions there are. Any person who has a judgmental heart has no room left for true love to enter. Far too many hearts on this Earth are filled with hate, judgmentalism, fear and confusion; and with that, we are experiencing new fluctuations in the energy field of not only the Earth itself, but among her inhabitants. Strange weather patterns and geological upheavals are bringing frustration, hurt and pain to an increasing number of people; increased areas of unrest and war are marring peace, happiness and a satiety of life among more and more inhabitants of this planet. What do I think is causing this? Simple…. a lack of respect for the planet and for each other. A lack of LOVE! Love is one of the most powerful sources of energy there is. Combine LOVE with a sincere GRATITUDE for what we have and who we are… and the world WILL change for the better, and will become the paradise promised us in ancient texts. We don’t have to have a devastating calamity befall the planet in order to kick our asses onto the path of love; however, with the way humanity is heading, that is what it will take.
I, for one, am destined to do my part to bring love, peace and gratitude to the Earth. We aren’t meant to be at war; we aren’t meant to harbor hate, jealousy, fear, anger or any other negative emotion. What we ARE meant to be is a society of true, unquestionable LOVE. We are meant to be a society that shares all resources without greed or stinginess. We are meant to not only learn from each other, but to teach each other. But… that can only be accomplished when we rip off the armor of hate, greed and judgmentalism that we have learned to hide behind. It can only happen when we don our shining attire of love and gratitude. I have been tailoring my personal garment of LOVE for some time now, and it is glowing brightly on this Earth. Imagine how beautiful our world would be if everyone did the same. Shine your love on the world! For love is not just for lovers… LOVE is for everyone. It is who we are and it will light the path to where we are destined to go.
So… from the heart of my soul to yours: I LOVE YOU!!
Poorly Worded Ads…
I ran across these ads while reading through a local “buy and sell” newspaper. My comments are in yellow:
1) Antique desk with matching bench, trampoline. and bicycle.
~ I’d like to see that matching trampoline & bicycle.
2) Hide-a-bed, $100. Out in the country, easy to find.
~ Well, if it’s easy to find, it must not be hidden very well. Maybe they should call it an Easy-to-find-bed.
3) Looking to buy Lowes, Home depot, Walmart, Ingles gift crabs.
~ Do you think that perhaps… just maybe… they meant “cards”?
4) Old country antiques, miscellaneous shape and conditions. Some brand new.
~ Brand new antiques? Talk about an oxymoron! Or maybe, it was just a moron who posted this ad.
5) Wanted: To rent your field for outdoor wedding 150+. All i need is the space.
~ Sorry…. but around here, you have to take the cow patties also.
6) LOST: Luggage. Fell out of GMC pickup on Monday, 1/25/10 around 4:30 pm. Please return; I need my clothes.
~ Hmmm… was this guy driving naked?
7) We want to invite everybody to Holy Ghost revival service every Sunday at 2:30. Come expect a miracle!
~ I think the only miracle they’re likely to see would be if I actually showed up.
8 ) February 12 & 13. Estate sale. 18 Hookers off Dogwood Rd. 8am until.
~ I checked a local map, and there is actually a Hookers Gap Rd. that connects to Dogwood Rd. Surely, that’s what they meant to say. Surely!
9) I been too lazy to take down my Christmas tree, so if anyone wants one they can come and haul it off. And, it ain’t no dead live tree neither.
~ Really, folks. Not EVERYone around here is that stupid. Really, I promise. Well, at least I’m not, anyway.
10) 4 year old black male. Registered with papers. Available for stud services. $400
~ I’m assuming they’re talking about some sort of a dog, as this was in the “Dogs at Stud” section.
11) Adorable 9 week old puppet. Brown/black with white feet Looking for good home.
~ Now, THAT’s scary! Do you think they meant “puppy”?
12) Boxer. Potty trained. Needs a good home. With papers.
~ I was wondering what became of Mike Tyson.
13) Large black male, neutered, rabies shot. Free to good home, preferably with kids.
~ Or, maybe THIS one is Mike Tyson. Now, I’m confused.
14) Nothing confusing here folks – I have 2 bags of cedar mulch – UNOPENED! – and I’m willing to trade them for 6 Miller High Life’s (12 oz, w/cardboard caring case) or 1 like-new Suzuki V-Strom DR650. Your call….
~ I’m willing to bet that everyone with a Suzuki just lined up to get those bags of mulch.
Plus, here are a few things I found while browsing eBay:
1) Very Old Verse Book for Children 153 Yrs. Old!
~ 153 year old children? Damn! Talk about immaturity!
2) Old Young Boys Story
~ I wonder what age you have to be before you are consided to be ‘old’ young, rather than ‘young’ young.
3) A TREATISE ON BAKING BY JULIUS E. WIHLFAHRT, BAKERY CONSULTANT…IN COLLABORATION WITH ROBERT W. BROOKS, THIRD EDITION 1935, 468 PAGES….BOOK SPLIT INTO TWO PARTS: INGREDIENTS-BAKERY TECHNOLOGY AND FORMULAS AND METHODS….15 CHAPTERS….ALSO FEATURES MARKETING…..HARDCOVER BOOK IS IN GOOD CONDITION….MINOR SMUDGES AND WEAR…SOME FADING AND SPOTTING….WRITING ON INSIDE FRONT COVER AND FIRST PAGE…SOME FRAYING ON COVER AND SPINE.
~ Hmmm… no further comment needed.
“Like Father, Like Son”…
I am planning on doing a series of 15 blogs on my thoughts and comments concerning several “sayings”. There may be other posts between these, but I’ll let you know as I continue the series.
The first one is on “Like Father, Like Son”:
1) Like father, like son:
~ Part of the American ethic states that parents are supposed to be the prime role models for their children. Through much of our history, sons were expected to grow up to be like Daddy and a daughter’s goal was to follow in Mommy’s footsteps. A boy more often than not went in to the same line of work as his father (who had followed his own father)… whether it be a “family business”, working in the mines, medicine, law or the military. Children were expected to be true reflections of their parents. That was not only in appearance and mannerisms, but in goals and attitude as well. Genetics and nurturing may well account for many of the similarities in looks and personality, but so much of who a child becomes is centered around the discipline and “brainwashing” he receives while under parental care. The majority of parents tend to want to do “what’s right” for the child… but so often, it ends up being what the parents WANT to be “right” for the child. Children who do not conform to the expectations of their parents are far too often viewed as “sick” and taken to a physician or psychiatrist who diagnoses the child as having some newly created “dis-ease”, such as ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder). The child is then prescribed mood altering drugs that inhibit his true nature and forces him to conform to the preferred personality dictated by the parents and society at large.
My parents raised me in a rather sheltered environment. The extended family was what I would call somewhat “simple minded”. They were interested only in the moment, in having fun (even at the expense of others), in “winning” whatever game they played, and relished in the belittlement of those who were “different” from the status quo. I remember as a boy in the late 50s and early 60s how my relatives would use the words “nigger”, “queer”, “Jew-boy”, “Spic”, etc. as if any group other than WASPs (White, Anglo-Saxon Protestants) were of a stature far below themselves. I think that even 2 or 3 of my great-uncles were members of the Ku Klux Klan. Now, don’t get me wrong! I loved (and still DO) both of my parents. In fact, if any person could be elevated to the level of Sainthood, it would be my Mom. My Mom has no pretense to be any person other than who she is. My Dad, on the other hand, is very self-conscious of how his peers view him. Even though he is a very compassionate man, he molds himself to “fit in” with whoever is in his group of friends. As a child, he was “trained” to be macho… as all boys who grew up in the first half of the 20th century were expected to be raised. I NEVER introduce any of my friends to my Dad. The last time I did, my Dad didn’t say a word, but just stared at my friend with a judgmental look on his face. My friend felt VERY uncomfortable (as did I). My Mom, on the other hand, has always taken my friends into her fold and made them feel comfortable.
So… “Like father, like son”? NO… not in my case. I love my Dad, even with his flaws (for we all have our own flaws). But, even though I love him, I have NO desire to be like him. We are two vastly different entities. I suppose you could say that I am somewhat of a rebel, in that I absolutely will NOT conform to the expectations of society. I am ME and that is that! If someone likes me, it has to be for the person I truly am… not for someone they want me to become. I know my Dad loves me, but I also know he holds a bit of animosity towards me for not being the son he wanted me to be… I don’t go hunting or even fishing; I didn’t find a “nice girl” and get married; I didn’t go to medical school and become a pharmaceutical-pushing “faux doctor” (true healers treat the cause of an illness, not the symptom); and I’m not a super macho he-man who tries to impress “the guys” and woo the girls. I am ME. My Dad is afraid to be himself… and I think that after almost 78 years of life, he honestly has forgotten who his “true” self is. He was raised by his grandmother, who spoiled him to an unbelievable extent. To this day, he is highly impatient, has a quick temper, and is often times extremely immature. I don’t say these things to hurt my Dad, as that is the last thing I would ever want to do. I merely describe them in an effort to show the vast difference between us. I can see the wisdom of my spiritual elders in the decision for me to incarnate as the gay son of my conservative Southern Baptist parents. They have been nurturing to me, as well as given me some very important life lessons that I can carry with me back to the spirit world. Sure, it has been tough at times, but that is part of the journey. So, even though I have no desire to be like my Dad, I have the utmost respect for his role in my development.
Inspirational Quotes…
I have a link to this video on my “Spiritual Trek” page, but couldn’t add another “Pop-Up Player” since I already had 5 there… so here it is:
“Open that Damned Closet Door!” … or not…
A few weeks ago, I got an anonymous instant message on Yahoo! Messenger. It was from someone who described himself as a shy guy in his upper 20’s. He said he had “accidentally” found my website when he was “playing around on Google”, and after reading pages and blogs for a good while, he decided to contact me via one of the means of contact I have listed on my site. After chatting with him for a few minutes, he said he was a gay man who was very deeply “in the closet”. He was only “out” to a few other gay friends (and his boyfriend, of course) and that all of them kept pestering him to “come out” to everyone. He told me that he really didn’t want to do that, as it would cause him more problems than benefits. I didn’t ask him why he felt that way. I’m sure he had his reasons, and I respected that. He asked my opinion on the matter, as he “respected” me (even though he didn’t know me) since he had read so many of my blogs and knew I spoke from the heart and say things exactly as I see them. I thanked him for the honor he gave me by saying that. Then I told him what I thought about him being pressured to “come out” to the world. I related to him how the philosophy of Joseph differs from that of the majority of humanity. Most people tend to do what they think everyone else expects them to do. They mold their lifestyles around the expectations of their peers and elders, as well as other authoritative people. Very few people are willing to be themselves 100%. The first bit of advice I gave the guy was to “be himself” and do what HE thought was the right thing to do. “Being oneself” doesn’t mean that you have to reveal EVERY single aspect of who you are; and it doesn’t mean that you have to reveal anything to the entire world around you. I told him that if he felt any discomfort about telling someone something personal, then the time wasn’t yet ripe to do so. He said that the thing that bothered him the most was that he didn’t understand why it was deemed necessary for him to “come out” of the closet and tell everyone that he was gay. I then told him my views on “coming out”. To me, “coming out” (with all the nervousness, shame, fear and whatever other emotions an individual may feel) is analogous to a “confession”. When someone confesses something, it is generally with a lot of guilt. To confess something is to say that you are admitting some sort of wrong doing on your part. Now, unless I’m totally ignorant (and I’m rather certain I’m not), being gay is in no way “wrong”. And, it is nothing that needs to be dealt with by confession. It is merely one of many parts of who we are. He then asked me if I was “out”. I told him that I have never had a moment when I went up to someone and said, “I’m gay”. BUT… I also told him that anytime someone asked me if I were gay, that I told them the truth (unless I felt as if doing so would endanger my life). To me, it doesn’t matter if someone knows I’m gay or thinks I’m straight. For that matter, I don’t care if they think I’m an alien or an angel on Earth. I discovered long ago that regardless of what you tell someone, they’re going to believe whatever they want. That’s human nature. Most people are ruled by their ego, and rarely allow their higher self to guide their thoughts and actions. The guy then thanked me for chatting with him, and said that he felt a LOT better about being “in the closet”. He told me that his being gay was nobody’s business unless he wanted it to be. I agreed with him, and told him that he is a unique individual… as is everyone. We should respect that of each other, and in doing so we will grow stronger on our journey through this life. I told him that his struggles with the “coming out” issue was just one of many “tests” he would face in life as he grew into the person he incarnated to become. I told him that there is no such thing as a “mistake”, as each action has a lesson to teach us. We grow from our fears, our anger, our hurts and our loves. As the chat ended, the guy (I never asked his name, as it wasn’t important) typed, “Oh.. btw… I’m gay!… haha… I had to say that” Of course, I already knew he was gay (he had told me earlier)… but I thought his sense of humor on the matter was appropriate. I think he felt better about himself after our chat, and I have no doubt that he better understands the fact that HE is in control of his life, rather than his peers and others.
Scattered Thoughts (more or less)…
Tonight, I have so many random thoughts floating in and out of my mind that I decided it was time for another blog post of just that…. RANDOM THOUGHTS.
1) Anybody who knows me, KNOWS that I love eBay. I’m constantly in search of antique books dealing with metaphysics, herbalism, indigenous and far eastern spirituality, old cookbooks and old medical books… and, I can often find some good deals there. However, more often than not, I see a book I’m interested in on eBay and end up finding a better copy cheaper on ABEbooks.com. The thing that tends to aggravate me about bidding on eBay is when an “eBay virgin” (someone who has only bid on a few items since becoming a member) starts a bidding war with the other bidders. eBay virgins generally don’t care how much they have to pay for an item… as long as they “win” the auction. Now, I realize that the sellers LOVE bidding wars… but the bidders want to “win” the item as cheaply as possible and get a good deal. What I now do is use an auction sniper (Auctionstealer.com) when I bid on an eBay item. It is a free service, but I pay my $19.95 every 3 months to get unlimited snipes and a bid placed automatically 3 to 7 seconds prior to the end of the auction. By doing that, I limit the bid increases over the course of the bid… unless there is already a war going on between 2 or more “virgins”.
2) Last Tuesday, my new Dell Studio XPS 8000 computer FINALLY arrived (after Dell changed the ship date 3 times… it was originally due 09 December). It came loaded with Windows 7. After using the PC for 5 days, I have come to the conclusion that it is the best computer I’ve ever had, and I actually like Windows 7 at least as much as I liked XP. I still have to download new drivers for my laserjet printer, but my inkjet was Windows 7 compatible. I had to order the newest version of Printshop… otherwise I wouldn’t be able to design and print my famous ( haha ) greeting cards… and Valentine’s Day is coming up quickly. Anybody who wants to get on my greeting card list let me know… all I need is a mailing address.
3) Over the past few years, I’ve felt my spirit growing at an accelerating rate… even though my ego has tried its best to hold back my higher self. Yet, our true destiny will always guide us in the right direction. This new year… 2010… excites me! I “know” that the year will unfold some amazing things… not just for me, but for the entire Earth. I can “see” and “feel” special energies rising in my closest friends, as well as myself. A new age is rapidly dawning on Earth, and I highly recommend that each of you grasps hold of that excitement and energy and allow it to guide you towards your own special destiny. So many of us who are currently incarnated have been given the task of helping to heal the Earth of the pain and neglect that our forebears have wrought. Let your own inner feelings dictate how you proceed on your journey… even though your ego will demand that you listen to the status quo ( media, organized religion, gossips and fear mongers).
4) I finally did it! Yep…. I deleted my MySpace profile. Every single person that I cared about on MySpace is now my friend on Facebook… so I no longer had any desire to keep MySpace. That site was more of a high school drama site than anything else. Facebook is far more conducive to mature interaction. If you’re reading this and aren’t yet a Facebook friend of mine… just let me know, and I’ll be glad to add you.
5) The favorite Christmas gifts that I ever get are the gifts of continued friendship with those who are closest to me. Whether I consider you to be a best friend, “family” or am secretly in love with you…. hahaha…. I love you more than any other gift I could possibly receive. Another favorite gift that keeps repeating each year (thankfully…hahaha) is the gift of this website that Chuck gives me. Without that gift, I wouldn’t be able to write this blog and keep these pages available for your viewing pleasure. I’ll only mention one other gift that I received this year: Joey sent me the season 1 DVD set of True Blood. I’ve watched the first 4 episodes, and I must say that I am now a diehard fan of that show. In addition to thanking each of my friends for their love and friendship… I want to give a very special “Thank You” to the four friends who are my very best ( I’ll list in alphabetical order, rather than being thought to show a favorite order… for once you are a “best friend” you are #1 in my heart). Those 4 are: Chuck, Joey, Joshua and Tony.
6) As I got the Christmas tree put up a week later than usual this season, I didn’t take it down until this morning. I always get rave reviews for my tree trimming, but I have never been able to take a photo that came close to doing the tree justice…. so just take my word that it was gorgeous 
.
7) I am looking forward to warmer weather, as that is usually when I take my first mini-vacation to a rental cabin in the Sevierville/Pigeon Forge, TN area… usually in Wears Valley. This year, I hope to do that about 3 times (did it 2 times each of the past 2 years). I’ve invited Joey (and his doggies, if he wants to bring them and I can get a “pets allowed” cabin) to come up sometime in April… he wants to visit Dollywood. Anyone else who would like to share a peaceful few days sometime during the year, let me know and I’ll be glad to have you join me. I always try to choose cabins that are private and secluded… as it is very conducive to meditation and relaxation.
8 ) After having been without a telephone for 3 days during the power outage the weekend before Christmas, I bought a new landline phone. My old one was cordless, and would not work when the power was out. Sure, I have a cell phone… but it only gets enough of a signal at the house to get and send text messages. My new phone is a corded phone. Even though it has caller ID and a digital message screen that won’t work without electricity, the phone itself works just fine when the power supply is cut off. So… next time the power goes out (and I hope that is NEVER….hahaha), you can still call me.
OK…that’s all folks (in my best Porky Pig impersonation).
HAPPY NEW YEAR…
H is for HOPE. We often start each new year with hopes and desires of wonderful things that we want to accomplish. Yet, when we “hope” for something, we’ve already doomed that desire to a greater possibility of failure. When we use the word “hope”, we aren’t really sure if we will ever achieve something, but still desire it. A better way of viewing this is to KNOW and SEE the end result.
A is for ATTITUDE. The way in which we approach any situation dictates how it will play out in our lives. If we see a “roadblock” as an obstacle, it is too easy to admit defeat and give up. If we see it as an opportunity, we are more apt to use our creative imagination and find a way around it.
P is for PERSEVERANCE. Too often, we give up when faced with difficulties. Very few great accomplishments have been a success on the first, or even second or third attempt. The key is for us to learn from our mistakes and apply those lessons in achieving our goals.
P is for PRIDE. To take pride in what we do and who we are is good; but, to allow that pride to elevate us above our fellow humans and to think of them as lesser individuals is NOT good.
Y is for YESTERDAY. Never regret anything that you did in the past, for the past is our teacher for things to come. If we grow from our mistakes, then they weren’t truly “mistakes”.
N is for NOW. It is human nature to procrastinate. The person who grabs hold of ideas and opportunities as they are presented to him is one who moves forward on his journey through life with much excitement and little frustration.
E is for ENERGY. Positive energy, such as that found in the emotions of gratitude, love, happiness and compassion, is one of the most powerful forces known to mankind. It is the creator of all we are and aspire to be.
W is for WISDOM. Intelligence is gained in a classroom. True wisdom is gained from life experience and learning to listen to our higher self.
Y is for YOU. The majority of people are spectators in life. They mold themselves to the expectations of those people they deem to be of a higher authority. They become drones in a “borg-like” collective. To truly be who you are destined to become, you must be YOU… not someone other people want you to be.
E is for EQUALITY. We are souls training in a human classroom. None of us is “better” than another. We are simply at different stages in our learning and growing process.
A is for AWAKEN. We are living in an exciting time. Humanity as a whole is beginning to awaken to its true destiny. The restraints of government and organized religion are beginning to crumble as the people become wiser to who they are and “why” they are here.
R is for RELAX. Too many people believe that they must worry about things. “Worry” is a negative emotion, and is detrimental to health and life. Worry causes stress, and stress causes all illness. One should never worry about anything over which he has no control. Do what you can… then just RELAX!
Refreshing Online Merchant…
It seems as if the majority of merchants, whether online or in the physical market place, are interested in you only for your money. Most could care less about YOU as a customer, let alone a person. The employees mostly want to earn their meager paycheck and get the hell out of the store. Rudeness and complacency seem to be the only requirements for one to gain a job in the retail business.
There are exceptions, however:
In the physical market place, there are two stores that have welcomed me with open arms every single time I visited. The closest to me is Earth Fare in the Westgate shopping center in Asheville, NC… and the other is about an hour away in Johnson City, TN ( Natural Foods Market). In both stores, the employees are very friendly and genuinely concerned about the customer. They seem to go out of the way to help, and always with a positive attitude.
Yesterday, I had the pleasure of dealing with a rare online vendor that reacted with lightning speed to my order, then sent me the following e-mail that made me smile:
Joseph-
Thanks for your order with CD Baby!
Your CDs have been gently taken from our CD Baby shelves with sterilized contamination-free gloves and placed onto a satin pillow.
A team of 50 employees inspected your CDs and polished them to make sure they were in the best possible condition before mailing.
Our packing specialist from Japan lit a candle and a hush fell over the crowd as he put your CDs into the finest gold-lined box that money can buy.
We all had a wonderful celebration afterwards and the whole party marched down the street to the post office where the entire town of Portland waved “Bon Voyage!” to your package, on its way to you, in our private CD Baby jet on this day, December 29, 2009.
We hope you had a wonderful time shopping at CD Baby. In commemoration, we have placed your picture on our wall as “Customer of the Year.” We’re all exhausted but can’t wait for you to come back to CDBABY.COM!!
Thank you, thank you, thank you!
Sigh…
We miss you already. We’ll be right here at http://cdbaby.com/, patiently awaiting your return.
CD Baby is a site that helps new recording artists market their music. I’ve found several CDs here that I heard on Live365.com internet radio, but couldn’t find in a store or even on Amazon.com. They even have a sister site, Film Baby where new, hard-to-find DVDs from independent film makers can be found. Film Baby was one of the first places you could buy Jason & deMarco’s DVD “We’re All Angels” that was featured on Showtime.
I’m glad to have stumbled across these two sites. I won’t be a stranger to either… that’s for sure!