Hi there! If you're reading this, I have a favor to ask. You see, I've moved my blog to my new website. You can get the same quality writing, fun photos, and other joyful silliness over there, I promise!
So, the favor: will you please click over and "follow" me at my new home?
If you're already a follower of this blog via Google or the RSS feed, please make the update now, while you're thinking about it. The new address is http://www.starcatscorner.com.
If you're seeing this on Facebook via NetworkedBlogs, I hope you'll follow me there.
Thanks so much in advance! I look forward to seeing you over at Starcat's Corner. Pour your favorite beverage, settle into a comfy spot, and let's get caught up. Blessings!
Showing posts with label community. Show all posts
Showing posts with label community. Show all posts
Saturday, September 15, 2012
Saturday, August 18, 2012
Starcat's Favorites: August Craziness
August is often a very busy month for our family, and this year is no exception. We're busy with Dryst's soccer pre-season, birthday party preparations, working, getting ready for our autumn activities (yes, the planning process has begun), making fresh salsa, creating music, being present for some folks who need our help, grieving and healing, and of course, sneaking in a swim in the pond whenever we can.
I've still managed to keep up on my reading this week; much of it is inspirational, which helps keep me going when I start to feel overwhelmed or exhausted. Here are some links worth sharing.
This article addresses that feeling of getting overwhelmed, and offers ideas on how to create space for yourself within the chaos.
You can embody kindness by being more open, and letting go of fears that hold you back.
Sometimes we just need to go beyond our comfort zone, and seek out the types of adventures that wake us up to our passions.
Especially during a busy time, it's important to love what you do. Even when you don't.
For further help on living and loving life, check out these tips that keep you on your toes.
What can your body tell you that you might not be aware of consciously? This video has interesting information and an intriguing exercise on behavioral kinesiology.
And finally, if you can take a few moments to relax, even during a busy week, the stillness will help you recharge and restore your energy.
I've still managed to keep up on my reading this week; much of it is inspirational, which helps keep me going when I start to feel overwhelmed or exhausted. Here are some links worth sharing.
This article addresses that feeling of getting overwhelmed, and offers ideas on how to create space for yourself within the chaos.
You can embody kindness by being more open, and letting go of fears that hold you back.
Sometimes we just need to go beyond our comfort zone, and seek out the types of adventures that wake us up to our passions.
Especially during a busy time, it's important to love what you do. Even when you don't.
For further help on living and loving life, check out these tips that keep you on your toes.
What can your body tell you that you might not be aware of consciously? This video has interesting information and an intriguing exercise on behavioral kinesiology.
And finally, if you can take a few moments to relax, even during a busy week, the stillness will help you recharge and restore your energy.
Monday, August 06, 2012
A Festival of Inspiration
Blessings of August, and big Happy Birthday smooches to my lovely Leo friends, including of course my dear BlackLion, whose birthday is today! This past weekend he and I attended an amazing music festival. We went with the Dark Follies troupe, and had a fantastic experience there. The vibe was joyful and inspiring. After a very stressful week, it was great to be outdoors in a beautiful setting, playing and listening to music with a delightful group of people.
I'm going to skip the official Starcat's Favorites post this week, since the week is well underway at this point, but I do have a couple of links that I wanted to share with you. One is a song that seems to capture my experience of the festival. It's not even the type of music that was being played there, but it feels right as a description.
The other is something I've been working on for a while, but am now really feeling in my whole being. I'm finally (again?) coming to the point of understanding that I feel best when I follow my heart. I am often drawn to pleasing others, and find it enjoyable, yet to rely on the approval of others for my own joy is a recipe for depression. I am still delighted by doing things for people, yet my self-love is growing, and I'm no longer dependent on their attention. It's a good place to be in, particularly as I face some challenges along my path. The truth that it is indeed my path, and that I am the one in charge of it, is such a huge help. The other piece that is falling into place is that it doesn't have to be lonely. I can be fully in my personal power, and still connect with kindred spirits. Actually, that's the best way to connect, when I'm feeling uplifted and free.
It's a work in progress for sure, and I'm sure I'll still stumble now and then. Yet for the moment, I'm feeling empowered. Many blessings to you on your path!
I'm going to skip the official Starcat's Favorites post this week, since the week is well underway at this point, but I do have a couple of links that I wanted to share with you. One is a song that seems to capture my experience of the festival. It's not even the type of music that was being played there, but it feels right as a description.
The other is something I've been working on for a while, but am now really feeling in my whole being. I'm finally (again?) coming to the point of understanding that I feel best when I follow my heart. I am often drawn to pleasing others, and find it enjoyable, yet to rely on the approval of others for my own joy is a recipe for depression. I am still delighted by doing things for people, yet my self-love is growing, and I'm no longer dependent on their attention. It's a good place to be in, particularly as I face some challenges along my path. The truth that it is indeed my path, and that I am the one in charge of it, is such a huge help. The other piece that is falling into place is that it doesn't have to be lonely. I can be fully in my personal power, and still connect with kindred spirits. Actually, that's the best way to connect, when I'm feeling uplifted and free.
It's a work in progress for sure, and I'm sure I'll still stumble now and then. Yet for the moment, I'm feeling empowered. Many blessings to you on your path!
Sunday, July 29, 2012
Our Fun Feline Fae Tea Party!
So, when I found out about the fantastic Mad Tea Party being hosted over at A Fanciful Twist, I knew it would be a perfect thing to become a part of. Why, you might ask? Well, for several reasons. First, on the very day that it starts, we had already planned our annual Big Backyard Bash! And believe me, do we ever have some whimsical, fae, phantasmagorical, mad-in-a-good-way friends! Second, I have just been researching in my journals in order to write the preface to my book, Starcat's Corner: Essays on Pagan Living (you just knew I was going to sneak in another book reference, didn't you?). The time I was diving into was when I went to Vermont Witch Camp in 2005, and the theme was....drumroll please...Through the Looking Glass! So obviously it was all cosmically meant to be! So I present to you, for your viewing pleasure (whether or not you made it here in person)....Our Fun Feline Fae Tea Party!
First, we happened to drink some delicious potion...I guess that's how it begins sometimes, right?
Here is BlackLion enjoying the Stargazer lilies that are Quester's pride and joy:
We had some lovely fae feline folk show up for the gathering...
And even a Mad Hatter type!
Plus hoopers, dancers, and some of our musician friends.
There were people spread all through the backyard, near the fire pit, the tribe of kids playing football and having an epic battle in the field, a couple of visiting dogs, and endless dishes of delicious foods and drinks!
We even had a sighting of our friend Godzilla, though I don't have a picture...
Here's Dryst enjoying himself (and hamming it up):
I received some very cools gifts, even though it's not my birthday. One had a lizard friend on it!
This fae feline version of a Mad Tea Party really rocked!
First, we happened to drink some delicious potion...I guess that's how it begins sometimes, right?
We even had a sighting of our friend Godzilla, though I don't have a picture...
Here's Dryst enjoying himself (and hamming it up):
I received some very cools gifts, even though it's not my birthday. One had a lizard friend on it!
This fae feline version of a Mad Tea Party really rocked!
Wednesday, June 06, 2012
Mid-Week Missive
I'm just stopping in to say hello. It's been a full but fun week so far. Our Full Moon gathering last night was fantastic! Our circle members honored the Venus transit across the sun, as well as celebrating the Full Moon. We plumbed our depths and listened to the voices of our intuition. Mine had a lot to say, and it was useful advice about the flow of my life, enhancing my creativity, and balancing all the plates I have spinning in the air right now. I thought it was very cool that it started to rain just as we were diving into our personal waters, and then by the end of circle it had cleared off enough to see the moon!
This morning, besides doing my daily practice, I've been making split pea soup with Quester (it smells SO good), creating a card for a friend who's recovering from surgery, and brainstorming with BlackLion to come up with some new ideas to implement for Feline Dreamers. I'm thankful for all the inspiration and support I'm receiving right now. And still so jazzed about the book!
I hope your day is filled with simple pleasures and huge bursts of love.
This morning, besides doing my daily practice, I've been making split pea soup with Quester (it smells SO good), creating a card for a friend who's recovering from surgery, and brainstorming with BlackLion to come up with some new ideas to implement for Feline Dreamers. I'm thankful for all the inspiration and support I'm receiving right now. And still so jazzed about the book!
I hope your day is filled with simple pleasures and huge bursts of love.
Saturday, May 26, 2012
Honoring Creative Expressions of All Stripes
BlackLion and I have recently, through our drumming with the Dark Follies vaudeville troupe, gotten involved in the steampunk movement (click here if you'd like to learn more about what that means). We attended the Steampunk World's Fair in New Jersey last weekend, and had such a fun time! If you link up with me on Facebook, you can see my photo album. The costumes are so creative and fantastical that I could have sat in one place, just people-watching!
Not only did we enjoy performing and hanging out with the troupe, we also got to connect with some unschooling friends.When we returned from the trip, I was looking through Facebook at the pictures other people had posted. My friend Dayna, who was there because of her son's passion for all things steampunk, had posted a picture of him in his costume, which included a replica of a flintlock gun. I noticed there were a lot of comments, and started to read them. I was amazed to find that a couple of people were objecting to seeing a young teenager in a "warlike" costume, and even offended that she would "let" him be part of this type of event. They seemed truly offended by the photo.
Why was I so astonished? I'd attended the full three days of the festival, and despite the presence of weapons as part of some of the costumes, I'd seen nothing at all to indicate violence or conflict. The vast majority of the folks at the festival were polite and jovial. Everyone seemed to be enjoying the shows and vendors, and although alcohol was being served and consumed, I never witnessed any fights or altercations. The festival attendees were there to have fun, show off their creations, and connect with others.
I'm a very peaceful and non-violent person, and it never occurred to me to look askance at the stories that were being spun as part of the steampunk genre. ElvenTiger and Dayna's son hung out together at the festival, and part of their play was having mock battles. In fact, when we were getting ready to leave, they said farewell by staging a "big final battle," which took place on the midway, with BlackLion providing a dramatic drum soundtrack. They were so clearly playing, having fun exploring ways of being in the world, that it never triggered any fears or worries that they would bring real violence into their experience. They, like the other attendees, were exercising their imaginations.
As someone who values peace as well as imagination, I strive to honor creative expressions of all types and stripes. I don't think that playing violent video games, re-enacting historic battles, or role-playing swords and sorcery leads to more violence in the world. In fact, I see these as healthy ways to channel the natural aggression that we brought forth from our earlier days as humans. We are evolving, and by expressing ourselves creatively, we unlock new ideas and ways we wish the world to be. Rather than fearing the actions of those who act or dress differently than we do, particularly teens and young adults, let's look deeper and honor their unique self-expression. We teach by example, and what better lessons than living our ethics and valuing the diversity of human experience?
Not only did we enjoy performing and hanging out with the troupe, we also got to connect with some unschooling friends.When we returned from the trip, I was looking through Facebook at the pictures other people had posted. My friend Dayna, who was there because of her son's passion for all things steampunk, had posted a picture of him in his costume, which included a replica of a flintlock gun. I noticed there were a lot of comments, and started to read them. I was amazed to find that a couple of people were objecting to seeing a young teenager in a "warlike" costume, and even offended that she would "let" him be part of this type of event. They seemed truly offended by the photo.
Why was I so astonished? I'd attended the full three days of the festival, and despite the presence of weapons as part of some of the costumes, I'd seen nothing at all to indicate violence or conflict. The vast majority of the folks at the festival were polite and jovial. Everyone seemed to be enjoying the shows and vendors, and although alcohol was being served and consumed, I never witnessed any fights or altercations. The festival attendees were there to have fun, show off their creations, and connect with others.
I'm a very peaceful and non-violent person, and it never occurred to me to look askance at the stories that were being spun as part of the steampunk genre. ElvenTiger and Dayna's son hung out together at the festival, and part of their play was having mock battles. In fact, when we were getting ready to leave, they said farewell by staging a "big final battle," which took place on the midway, with BlackLion providing a dramatic drum soundtrack. They were so clearly playing, having fun exploring ways of being in the world, that it never triggered any fears or worries that they would bring real violence into their experience. They, like the other attendees, were exercising their imaginations.
As someone who values peace as well as imagination, I strive to honor creative expressions of all types and stripes. I don't think that playing violent video games, re-enacting historic battles, or role-playing swords and sorcery leads to more violence in the world. In fact, I see these as healthy ways to channel the natural aggression that we brought forth from our earlier days as humans. We are evolving, and by expressing ourselves creatively, we unlock new ideas and ways we wish the world to be. Rather than fearing the actions of those who act or dress differently than we do, particularly teens and young adults, let's look deeper and honor their unique self-expression. We teach by example, and what better lessons than living our ethics and valuing the diversity of human experience?
Monday, April 23, 2012
My Busy-ness
Over the past few weeks, I've come up with a bunch of ideas of things to post here, but haven't actually sat down to write them up. Why? I'm busy. I know, lame excuse, everyone's busy, you hear it all the time. This isn't the type of busy I've had in the past, though, where I was stressed out and overwhelmed. For the most part, it's been stuff that I want to do, creative and fun things that keep me on the go. This movement fits well with the energy of spring, and feels like it's part of the forward momentum that we've been enjoying in regard to Feline Dreamers and living our dreams. So what exactly have I been up to?
Unschooling: I've been spending time with my kids and their friends, which also includes some of my friends. We hosted last week's homeschool group (since our usual hosts are traveling), and have been teaching a cooking class with BlackLion at our weekly co-op. I'm also taking an art class with ElvenTiger at co-op. With teens, there's also a lot of chauffeuring them around. ElvenTiger has her weekly swim class, and hangouts with friends. Dryst is now in a very busy lacrosse season, with practices and/or games every day but Sunday. He's also been to a couple of concerts with his friends lately, Seether being the most recent.
Writing and editing: I've been working on putting together my book, which I'm still extremely thrilled about! As well as writing articles, keeping journals, and editing scripts for our guided meditation CD. I'm thankful for all the creativity that is flowing through me!
Drumming: My involvement with Dark Follies has really ramped up. We have lots of rehearsals and gigs, plus my own drum practice. I'm a bit intimidated, as I still don't feel like a "real musician" sometimes. But I'm learning so much, and really enjoying the process! BlackLion and I are even creating a skit for the June stage show - faeries will be involved. Tee hee!
Socializing with family and friends: Aunt Peg is doing much better, and I'm so thankful! We've still been helping her with laundry and other tasks. It's also fun to visit with her more often, and we plan to keep it up. We do our weekly evening with Mom and Dad, which is always fun, plus lately we've hung out with my brother and his wife for a birthday gathering, and we have some regular role-playing games that we're a part of as well. And cats to snuggle, of course!
Cooking...and uncooking: Inspired by some friends at Life Rocks!, BlackLion and I have been adding more raw and living foods to our diet. It feels challenging to fit this in with the desires of the rest of the family (for their usual meals) and adapt to the high cost of some of the items. I feel like if I was just preparing foods for myself, I could easily eat all or mostly raw foods. But I'm taking my own advice and practicing "vibe first, then act," setting an intention to eat more healthfully and letting it unfold naturally.
Healing: I have a new Reiki client, and really enjoyed working with her at my home. Usually I make house calls to my clients' homes, but she prefers coming to me, and it's working well.
Radio: I've been doing some on-air shifts at the public radio station, helping them out when people need time off and earning some extra money in the process.
Connecting: Even though I've been busy, I've been making an effort to get on Facebook and make contact with folks there. I have lots of ideas that I'm excited to share! And I'm giving attention to my various daily practices that help connect me with the energy of the Divine.
Even so, there is much correspondence unfinished, a long-intended visit to a friend and her baby that hasn't happened yet, and new plans in the works for our Full Moon circle. I'd also love to do more yoga and walking, moving my body more deliberately. And I'm ready for more prosperity to flow in and help us with our monthly bills. Overall, though, I'm thankful for the busy-ness of a fulfilling life. Bring it on, world, I'm ready!
What about you? What have you been doing so far this spring?
Unschooling: I've been spending time with my kids and their friends, which also includes some of my friends. We hosted last week's homeschool group (since our usual hosts are traveling), and have been teaching a cooking class with BlackLion at our weekly co-op. I'm also taking an art class with ElvenTiger at co-op. With teens, there's also a lot of chauffeuring them around. ElvenTiger has her weekly swim class, and hangouts with friends. Dryst is now in a very busy lacrosse season, with practices and/or games every day but Sunday. He's also been to a couple of concerts with his friends lately, Seether being the most recent.
Writing and editing: I've been working on putting together my book, which I'm still extremely thrilled about! As well as writing articles, keeping journals, and editing scripts for our guided meditation CD. I'm thankful for all the creativity that is flowing through me!
Drumming: My involvement with Dark Follies has really ramped up. We have lots of rehearsals and gigs, plus my own drum practice. I'm a bit intimidated, as I still don't feel like a "real musician" sometimes. But I'm learning so much, and really enjoying the process! BlackLion and I are even creating a skit for the June stage show - faeries will be involved. Tee hee!
Socializing with family and friends: Aunt Peg is doing much better, and I'm so thankful! We've still been helping her with laundry and other tasks. It's also fun to visit with her more often, and we plan to keep it up. We do our weekly evening with Mom and Dad, which is always fun, plus lately we've hung out with my brother and his wife for a birthday gathering, and we have some regular role-playing games that we're a part of as well. And cats to snuggle, of course!
Cooking...and uncooking: Inspired by some friends at Life Rocks!, BlackLion and I have been adding more raw and living foods to our diet. It feels challenging to fit this in with the desires of the rest of the family (for their usual meals) and adapt to the high cost of some of the items. I feel like if I was just preparing foods for myself, I could easily eat all or mostly raw foods. But I'm taking my own advice and practicing "vibe first, then act," setting an intention to eat more healthfully and letting it unfold naturally.
Healing: I have a new Reiki client, and really enjoyed working with her at my home. Usually I make house calls to my clients' homes, but she prefers coming to me, and it's working well.
Radio: I've been doing some on-air shifts at the public radio station, helping them out when people need time off and earning some extra money in the process.
Connecting: Even though I've been busy, I've been making an effort to get on Facebook and make contact with folks there. I have lots of ideas that I'm excited to share! And I'm giving attention to my various daily practices that help connect me with the energy of the Divine.
Even so, there is much correspondence unfinished, a long-intended visit to a friend and her baby that hasn't happened yet, and new plans in the works for our Full Moon circle. I'd also love to do more yoga and walking, moving my body more deliberately. And I'm ready for more prosperity to flow in and help us with our monthly bills. Overall, though, I'm thankful for the busy-ness of a fulfilling life. Bring it on, world, I'm ready!
What about you? What have you been doing so far this spring?
Sunday, March 25, 2012
Much Gratitude
As I write this, Merlin cat is snuggling on my lap and purring. He seems to be feeling much better, and is back to his normal schedule of spending lots of time outdoors, especially during the run of warmer weather we've been having. He does enjoy more snuggles and Reiki than he did prior to his injury, which we're not complaining about at all - cat snuggles are awesome! I'm so very thankful that he's healed and well. I'm thankful for his sweet brother Percy, too.
This led me to wanting to share some of the other things I'm thankful for. I'll just list a few - really, there are so many that it would take me a long time to write them all. I'm so blessed!
- My book contract. Yes indeed, I'm going to be a published author! My book, Starcat's Corner: Essays on Pagan Living will be published this year, most likely by autumn. I'm so thrilled! Being a published author has been a lifelong dream of mine. And it looks like this will be just the first of many books!
- My amazing family and friends. Some of them threw me a "congratulations" bonfire party on Friday night. I had lots of fun! Others have been sending me e-mails and texts and notes on my Facebook page, to congratulate me on my forthcoming book. And even aside from that, I'm grateful for the daily love and support that flows to me from my loved ones. They are so terrific!
- My band. The Dark Follies Rhythm Orchestra has expanded to include some melodic instruments (fiddle and accordion). We've been rehearsing all fall and winter, and we're going to debut our new sound in a couple of weeks. It's so much fun to be part of the band, and the Dark Follies troupe as a whole! We have a bunch of gigs coming up this spring and summer. I'm thankful for the joy, learning, and travel that come from my participation.
- Life Rocks! Beyond the fact that my life does, indeed, rock, I'm also going to a conference of that name next week. The Life Rocks! Radical Unschooling Conference is going to be such an uplifting and fun experience! I'm glad to be part of it, and to be, along with BlackLion, one of the presenters. We'll be doing a session based on empowering your intentions. We're also offering some coaching sessions during the conference, as well as attending a lot of the awesome events. Plus there's a freaking waterpark in the hotel! I'm so grateful to be going this year!
- I'm also thankful for the challenges in my life. I was talking with an old friend on the phone today, and he was describing a different way to use prayer. Instead of praying to the Divine to intervene and help you solve your problems, the method he'd encountered recently was to realize that the challenges you face are there to help you grow. So when you pray, you ask for patience, courage, and strength to face the challenges in your path. It makes sense to me. Those things that I haven't yet figured out encompass some of the biggest opportunities to learn and grow and move forward on my path. My thanks.
What are you thankful for today?
This led me to wanting to share some of the other things I'm thankful for. I'll just list a few - really, there are so many that it would take me a long time to write them all. I'm so blessed!
- My book contract. Yes indeed, I'm going to be a published author! My book, Starcat's Corner: Essays on Pagan Living will be published this year, most likely by autumn. I'm so thrilled! Being a published author has been a lifelong dream of mine. And it looks like this will be just the first of many books!
- My amazing family and friends. Some of them threw me a "congratulations" bonfire party on Friday night. I had lots of fun! Others have been sending me e-mails and texts and notes on my Facebook page, to congratulate me on my forthcoming book. And even aside from that, I'm grateful for the daily love and support that flows to me from my loved ones. They are so terrific!
- My band. The Dark Follies Rhythm Orchestra has expanded to include some melodic instruments (fiddle and accordion). We've been rehearsing all fall and winter, and we're going to debut our new sound in a couple of weeks. It's so much fun to be part of the band, and the Dark Follies troupe as a whole! We have a bunch of gigs coming up this spring and summer. I'm thankful for the joy, learning, and travel that come from my participation.
- Life Rocks! Beyond the fact that my life does, indeed, rock, I'm also going to a conference of that name next week. The Life Rocks! Radical Unschooling Conference is going to be such an uplifting and fun experience! I'm glad to be part of it, and to be, along with BlackLion, one of the presenters. We'll be doing a session based on empowering your intentions. We're also offering some coaching sessions during the conference, as well as attending a lot of the awesome events. Plus there's a freaking waterpark in the hotel! I'm so grateful to be going this year!
- I'm also thankful for the challenges in my life. I was talking with an old friend on the phone today, and he was describing a different way to use prayer. Instead of praying to the Divine to intervene and help you solve your problems, the method he'd encountered recently was to realize that the challenges you face are there to help you grow. So when you pray, you ask for patience, courage, and strength to face the challenges in your path. It makes sense to me. Those things that I haven't yet figured out encompass some of the biggest opportunities to learn and grow and move forward on my path. My thanks.
What are you thankful for today?
Tuesday, February 14, 2012
Love to You
Happy Valentine's Day! Whether you really get into the holiday, baking and making little cards for loved ones and friends, or you are feeling sad about the expectations of romantic love that it brings, or you have a cynical view of the commercialization that goes on - no matter what your beliefs or notions or deep feelings, I wish you love.
I wish you deep nurturing self-love. I wish you inspirational star-dazzled divine love. I wish you comforting cuddly feline love. I wish you supportive and kind family love. I wish you joyful and laughter-filled and hugs-when-you-need-them friend love. I wish you awestruck nature love. I wish you magical one-night-stand love. I wish you mystical spirit-guide angelic love. I wish you quietly shared long-time partner love. I wish you resting in your sacred space love. I wish you passionate brand-new love. I wish you in-the-zone doing-the-work-you-adore creative love. And I wish you traditional swept-away romantic true love, too!
All of this and more! On this day, and all days, and always!
Blessed Be my Lovely friends!
I wish you deep nurturing self-love. I wish you inspirational star-dazzled divine love. I wish you comforting cuddly feline love. I wish you supportive and kind family love. I wish you joyful and laughter-filled and hugs-when-you-need-them friend love. I wish you awestruck nature love. I wish you magical one-night-stand love. I wish you mystical spirit-guide angelic love. I wish you quietly shared long-time partner love. I wish you resting in your sacred space love. I wish you passionate brand-new love. I wish you in-the-zone doing-the-work-you-adore creative love. And I wish you traditional swept-away romantic true love, too!
All of this and more! On this day, and all days, and always!
Blessed Be my Lovely friends!
Friday, November 25, 2011
Little Epiphanies
I was having an interesting conversation with Quester this morning. We were talking about how some folks prefer to socialize one-on-one, some like small groups, others enjoy large gatherings, and various combinations of those options. He mentioned a good friend of ours who said she would rather be either with one or two friends, or at a big party where she can focus on just one or two of the other guests at a time. Small or medium sized groups, on the other hand, seem way too chaotic and confusing to her.
This was a new idea to me. I have a couple of introvert friends who prefer to gather one-on-one, and I'm familiar with that concept. But I'd never really thought of the fact that a small group, like a family, could feel intimidating.
Personally, I prefer those small to medium sized groups, like a family setting or an informal gathering of friends, and it's even better when it's in my own home or backyard. While discussing it with Quester, I suddenly realized why. I was thinking of how I like to incorporate my friends into my family life, or gather with a few of them at once. And it came to me that the way I deal with my introverted self, especially as someone who has partners and kids who I live with, is to group my social interactions together. "Geesh," I told him, "if I had to go see each person individually, that's one day for her, and another for her, and another for him, and on and on, and I'd just never have any time to myself!"
This little epiphany made me laugh. And it was cool to realize that, within the labels of "introvert" or "extrovert," there are many varieties of experience and ways to live a balanced life. We continued our conversation, and went off on a bunch of other fascinating tangents about personal preferences and living in community. Not bad for a day when Mercury is in retrograde, eh?
This was a new idea to me. I have a couple of introvert friends who prefer to gather one-on-one, and I'm familiar with that concept. But I'd never really thought of the fact that a small group, like a family, could feel intimidating.
Personally, I prefer those small to medium sized groups, like a family setting or an informal gathering of friends, and it's even better when it's in my own home or backyard. While discussing it with Quester, I suddenly realized why. I was thinking of how I like to incorporate my friends into my family life, or gather with a few of them at once. And it came to me that the way I deal with my introverted self, especially as someone who has partners and kids who I live with, is to group my social interactions together. "Geesh," I told him, "if I had to go see each person individually, that's one day for her, and another for her, and another for him, and on and on, and I'd just never have any time to myself!"
This little epiphany made me laugh. And it was cool to realize that, within the labels of "introvert" or "extrovert," there are many varieties of experience and ways to live a balanced life. We continued our conversation, and went off on a bunch of other fascinating tangents about personal preferences and living in community. Not bad for a day when Mercury is in retrograde, eh?
Friday, November 11, 2011
A Bounty of Gratitude
I thought of several things I wanted to post about this week, but never quite got around to sitting down in front of the keyboard. So I thought, instead, that I'd share them in the form of a gratitude list. These are the things I'm thankful for as this week ends.
- I'm thankful for a new skill I've learned recently, which is using html code to format a web page. Mind you, I'm not yet at the level of creating pages or sites. But I'm very thankful to take some web maintenance off BlackLion's list by not only writing the copy, but formatting and posting it as well.
- I'm so very grateful that we are releasing the 30-Day Core Belief Kit. This has been a journey of creation over the past four years, and we've poured our hearts and souls into it. I'm really pleased with how it came out, and so excited to share it!
- I'm thankful that my kids and their friends like to hang out at our house. We took Dryst and four of his buddies to the midnight release of a video game called Skyrim that they were all so excited about. Three of them came back home with us and played most of the night, and this morning (well, closer to noon) we made them brunch before they headed home. When I posted about this on Facebook, one of my brother's friends asked if it reminded me of how the crowd hung out at my parents' house. I guess I'm carrying on a tradition!
- I'm grateful for my feline friends. Merlin is sweet and beautiful and always smells good. Percy is loving and purrful and slept on my lap today. Purr!
- I'm so thankful for my wonderful Full Moon circle. We had such a beautiful evening. Every time we celebrate together I learn more about myself and about life. I'm so blessed to have these wonderful folks to do magick with. I feel whole and holy.
- I'm thankful for my parents. They have both been sick lately, and I wish them continued healing. They are amazing and awesome! Aunt Peg is, too. Aren't I lucky?!
- I give thanks for all the many blessings in my life. Happy 11/11/11!
Monday, November 07, 2011
Our First Feline Dreamers Video!
We made a video this morning to promote our upcoming release of the 30-Day Core Belief Kit (also known as CBK). I'm so excited!
We'll have more details up on the website very soon. The release is next Monday, November 14th.
Last night we watched some Christine Kane videos to get inspired. I dreamed of the CBK all night, and got up this morning and wrote a bunch of copy for the website and other places. When BlackLion suggested making a video, I was ready!
If you want to help us publicize the CBK, let me know. Also, if you'd like to review it on your blog or website, we can probably arrange for that. Did I mention I'm rather excited?! This is our biggest and most powerful project so far!
We'll have more details up on the website very soon. The release is next Monday, November 14th.
Last night we watched some Christine Kane videos to get inspired. I dreamed of the CBK all night, and got up this morning and wrote a bunch of copy for the website and other places. When BlackLion suggested making a video, I was ready!
If you want to help us publicize the CBK, let me know. Also, if you'd like to review it on your blog or website, we can probably arrange for that. Did I mention I'm rather excited?! This is our biggest and most powerful project so far!
Saturday, October 29, 2011
Eye of the Storm
I'm sitting here at the laptop with my cup of decaf chai tea (with soymilk and honey, mmmm) and taking a few moments to write today's blog. I'm really psyched that I've almost made it to the end of the month, and have posted every day! Especially given the fact that I've been so very busy. It's been fun, though! And at least one person has said that she hopes I'll continue to post every day (or at least close to that). We'll see what happens.
After this we're off to the final Dark Follies show. It's been so much fun! We have some friends coming tonight to see it, plus a cast party afterwards. Apparently we might get some (more) snow tonight. That's OK, the show must go on! I'm tired, but not exhausted. I think I've been pacing myself pretty well. I'm not one of those people with vast amounts of energy (activity-wise), but I have very good endurance and stamina.
Our vending at the Gorham Art Fair (for the Maine Wholeschoolers) went well today. Tomorrow morning I can sleep in (oh joy!!!) and then have time to prepare for the lovely ritual I'm helping lead. And next week will be a lot more reasonable as far as commitments and running around goes. I'm pretty pleased, overall, and hope you all have a lovely evening.
After this we're off to the final Dark Follies show. It's been so much fun! We have some friends coming tonight to see it, plus a cast party afterwards. Apparently we might get some (more) snow tonight. That's OK, the show must go on! I'm tired, but not exhausted. I think I've been pacing myself pretty well. I'm not one of those people with vast amounts of energy (activity-wise), but I have very good endurance and stamina.
Our vending at the Gorham Art Fair (for the Maine Wholeschoolers) went well today. Tomorrow morning I can sleep in (oh joy!!!) and then have time to prepare for the lovely ritual I'm helping lead. And next week will be a lot more reasonable as far as commitments and running around goes. I'm pretty pleased, overall, and hope you all have a lovely evening.
Thursday, October 20, 2011
Hardy Girls, Healthy Women
Last night I attended a gathering of about a dozen homeschooling Moms who are interested in learning more about empowering their pre-teen and teen daughters. It was held at the lovely home of a woman I'd "met" online. She runs an e-mail list for homeschoolers in my area (a great resource), and she's also a devoted reader and fan of this blog (which, dear readers, is very flattering indeed!). And, in one of those "Maine really is a small state" moments, it turns out that I worked with her brother for years! They're both smart, witty, kind, and really fun folks.
Anyway, she hosted a talk by a young woman named Megan from Hardy Girls, Healthy Women (HGHW), a group founded by author and activist Dr. Lyn Mikel Brown. It's based in Waterville, Maine. HGHW has been around for 11 years now, and their mission is to empower girls to be strong and confident in the face of a mainstream culture that urges them to focus primarily on their looks and the latest fashions.
The first part of the talk was sobering and disturbing. Despite the feminist activism of the past 40 years, some things are getting worse for girls and women. Recent research by the American Psychological Association shows in detail how the sexualization of girls in the media is increasing, and the damaging effects it has on their still-forming world view and self-esteem.
The empowering part was that research also demonstrates how these negative effects can be dissipated when girls learn to think critically about media images and gender stereotypes. This is particularly so when they work together with peers and with mentors close to their own age. HGHW has a whole list of programs that put girls together in groups (run by these same girls, and young women a bit older), not only to help them understand and deal with these cultural biases, but also to empower them to become activists themselves and work to make changes in their communities. They also have a whole lot of fun in the process.
It looks like the hostess of last night's gathering, who is very involved with HGHW, will be starting a group for girls ages 11-14 (or so), and I'm going to see if it's something that ElvenTiger and her friends would enjoy. She's adapting it a bit from the usual school-based programs, so it will be more useful to homeschoolers. The program will most likely be art-based, which is right up the girls' alley.
I'm so thankful I went to this event, not only because this is valuable and fascinating work, but also to finally meet the hostess in "real life." There were four or five of us Moms in attendance who are part of the new Thursday homeschool co-op, too, including the Mom of one of ElvenTiger's new friends, so that was cool. I'm also grateful for the work that Megan and the others at HGHW are doing. I've included some links in this post, in case you want to check it out for yourself and the young women in your life.
Anyway, she hosted a talk by a young woman named Megan from Hardy Girls, Healthy Women (HGHW), a group founded by author and activist Dr. Lyn Mikel Brown. It's based in Waterville, Maine. HGHW has been around for 11 years now, and their mission is to empower girls to be strong and confident in the face of a mainstream culture that urges them to focus primarily on their looks and the latest fashions.
The first part of the talk was sobering and disturbing. Despite the feminist activism of the past 40 years, some things are getting worse for girls and women. Recent research by the American Psychological Association shows in detail how the sexualization of girls in the media is increasing, and the damaging effects it has on their still-forming world view and self-esteem.
The empowering part was that research also demonstrates how these negative effects can be dissipated when girls learn to think critically about media images and gender stereotypes. This is particularly so when they work together with peers and with mentors close to their own age. HGHW has a whole list of programs that put girls together in groups (run by these same girls, and young women a bit older), not only to help them understand and deal with these cultural biases, but also to empower them to become activists themselves and work to make changes in their communities. They also have a whole lot of fun in the process.
It looks like the hostess of last night's gathering, who is very involved with HGHW, will be starting a group for girls ages 11-14 (or so), and I'm going to see if it's something that ElvenTiger and her friends would enjoy. She's adapting it a bit from the usual school-based programs, so it will be more useful to homeschoolers. The program will most likely be art-based, which is right up the girls' alley.
I'm so thankful I went to this event, not only because this is valuable and fascinating work, but also to finally meet the hostess in "real life." There were four or five of us Moms in attendance who are part of the new Thursday homeschool co-op, too, including the Mom of one of ElvenTiger's new friends, so that was cool. I'm also grateful for the work that Megan and the others at HGHW are doing. I've included some links in this post, in case you want to check it out for yourself and the young women in your life.
Thursday, September 08, 2011
Empowered Birth: My Story
This is Empowered Birth Awareness Week. I heard about it on Facebook (which is a source of many intriguing things I might not have heard about otherwise) and decided to help spread the word. What is empowered birth? Basically it's the notion that moms and families should be the ones to make decisions about how to give birth, not hospitals or doctors or other organizations. This doesn't mean rejecting the use of medical assistance for birth, but rather using it as a tool that we access when it is necessary.
Believe me, I appreciate the availability of Western medicine. My firstborn, my son, who just turned 15, was delivered by emergency c-section. When I was pregnant with him, Quester and I carefully researched all our options. We decided to give birth in the hospital, with the help of a nurse-midwife. We wanted a natural labor, without medication, and we had other ideas that we felt were helpful, such as playing music we chose, having a friend who is a massage therapist on hand, and the like. We created a birth plan and shared it with our nurse-midwife and the local hospital (we lived in central Maine at the time). Yet due to the large size of Tristan's head, and the fact that he was posterior, he got stuck. He was delivered on a Friday night, well Saturday technically, because it was 2:31am when he finally emerged into the world.
A couple years later, I became pregnant with my daughter. We were now living in southern Maine, and contacted two nurse-midwives with a respected practice in Portland. I had done more reading, and knew I wanted a VBAC (vaginal birth after Cesarean). The nurse-midwives confirmed that the reasons for the Cesarean were particular to that situation. They also, when I told them my son's birth story, opened my eyes to becoming even more empowered. During the long labor I was having, and despite my birth plan, one of the nurses had several times offered me pain medication. At the time, I was very focused, and just said "no thanks." But when I told the story, the two nurse-midwives turned to look at each other in shock. "That's SO unethical!" one of them breathed. Offering pain drugs to a mother who's in the vulnerable space of intense labor, I could now see, was indeed not a very empowering thing to do.
These two nurse-midwives were wonderful throughout my pregnancy, and helped me deal with the emotional as well as practical notion of waiting for my daughter to be born. She was a week overdue, and they calmly reassured me that she would be born when she was ready. The birth itself, again in a hospital, was smooth and as easy as possible. I felt very supported, and was able to do much of my labor at home. My daughter too was posterior for a while, but with the support of my midwife, I relaxed about it, and my daughter turned all on her own, about an hour before she was born. When she at last emerged, I recall being surprised when they put her on my belly. "Wow, she's really here!" I felt really powerful and strong, being able to deliver her naturally after my previous experience.
Whether you decide on a hospital birth, doctors, midwives, doulas, or doing it all on your own at home, I think the key to empowered birth is making your own decisions. Do the research, listen to your intuition, check with trusted advisers, and have a backup plan. And then think about the lineage of mothers throughout the ages, trusting their bodies, giving birth as part of the natural order of our humanity. Choose what works best for you and your family, and many blessings to you!
If you want to learn more, check out this link.
Believe me, I appreciate the availability of Western medicine. My firstborn, my son, who just turned 15, was delivered by emergency c-section. When I was pregnant with him, Quester and I carefully researched all our options. We decided to give birth in the hospital, with the help of a nurse-midwife. We wanted a natural labor, without medication, and we had other ideas that we felt were helpful, such as playing music we chose, having a friend who is a massage therapist on hand, and the like. We created a birth plan and shared it with our nurse-midwife and the local hospital (we lived in central Maine at the time). Yet due to the large size of Tristan's head, and the fact that he was posterior, he got stuck. He was delivered on a Friday night, well Saturday technically, because it was 2:31am when he finally emerged into the world.
A couple years later, I became pregnant with my daughter. We were now living in southern Maine, and contacted two nurse-midwives with a respected practice in Portland. I had done more reading, and knew I wanted a VBAC (vaginal birth after Cesarean). The nurse-midwives confirmed that the reasons for the Cesarean were particular to that situation. They also, when I told them my son's birth story, opened my eyes to becoming even more empowered. During the long labor I was having, and despite my birth plan, one of the nurses had several times offered me pain medication. At the time, I was very focused, and just said "no thanks." But when I told the story, the two nurse-midwives turned to look at each other in shock. "That's SO unethical!" one of them breathed. Offering pain drugs to a mother who's in the vulnerable space of intense labor, I could now see, was indeed not a very empowering thing to do.
These two nurse-midwives were wonderful throughout my pregnancy, and helped me deal with the emotional as well as practical notion of waiting for my daughter to be born. She was a week overdue, and they calmly reassured me that she would be born when she was ready. The birth itself, again in a hospital, was smooth and as easy as possible. I felt very supported, and was able to do much of my labor at home. My daughter too was posterior for a while, but with the support of my midwife, I relaxed about it, and my daughter turned all on her own, about an hour before she was born. When she at last emerged, I recall being surprised when they put her on my belly. "Wow, she's really here!" I felt really powerful and strong, being able to deliver her naturally after my previous experience.
Whether you decide on a hospital birth, doctors, midwives, doulas, or doing it all on your own at home, I think the key to empowered birth is making your own decisions. Do the research, listen to your intuition, check with trusted advisers, and have a backup plan. And then think about the lineage of mothers throughout the ages, trusting their bodies, giving birth as part of the natural order of our humanity. Choose what works best for you and your family, and many blessings to you!
If you want to learn more, check out this link.
Sunday, July 10, 2011
Down to Earth Homemaking
Today I hosted a small gathering at my home, sort of an afternoon tea for women in the Red Temple group of Pagan women. I had set a batch of herbal sun tea out on the picnic table this morning to steep (Indian Spice flavor). I washed and hung out two loads of laundry, and BlackLion and I tidied up the house. I put a batch of strawberry-orange muffins in the oven just before the meeting, and set out plates and cups. Along with the muffins, I served homemade strawberry jam that a friend had given me, Cabot butter, and some homemade salsa with white corn chips. There was also local honey for the iced tea. One of my friends brought along some banana-walnut muffins she'd made.
During the meeting, as I went to the stove to check on the black beans I was boiling up for dinner, another friend asked about how I managed to cook beans from scratch without them ending up mushy. I told her about my methods for cooking beans, and then I had a little mini-realization - I should blog about my experiences as a homemaker and how I do things.
I haven't wanted to put myself in a category, such as locavore or vegan, because I really don't fit fully into any particular box. We are vegetarians, and we do eat dairy and (local) eggs, but we also eat a lot of vegan foods. We like to buy local veggies, but we don't focus solely on that. We enjoy organic food when it's possible, but sometimes it's too expensive for us. See what I mean? Purists from any of those categories would look askance at me.
But I suspect there are more families like mine, and some who would want to get tips and hints on how to do what we're doing. Our intentions are to eat healthy foods, make a lot of things from scratch, choose local and organic foods when we can, be kind to the environment, and keep to our budget. The things that, to me, are just part of our lives now, such as cooking with all kinds of dried legumes, making up our own recipes, and making more things on our own (like salad dressing, bread, and mustard), might be a new interest or goal for someone else. I guess I shouldn't assume that just because I'm not doing everything from scratch (yet?) that I don't have valuable information and wisdom to share. I don't have to be "finished" a process to share about how it's going. A revelation! Heh heh.
So, along the lines of one of the blogs I like to read, A Handmade Life, here are some photos of this weekend's projects.
BlackLion made these sesame bulkie rolls for Friday night's dinner, which was homemade falafel patties, kale salad, and oven fries.
These are the strawberry-orange muffins, adapted from my Mom's orange muffin recipe.
Indian Spice herbal sun tea. Some of us had it plain over ice, while others added honey. Mmmm!
Our family's semi-famous homemade salsa, a regular dish for us. This batch was made by Quester and I, with some help from the hungry and impatient kids.
Two loads of laundry today, plus the swim towels from the jaunt to the lake that BlackLion and the kids took during my afternoon gathering.
And just for fun, some roses from Quester's flower garden. These are "my" mini yellow roses - the original bush was a gift from my Mom. Quester has nurtured them along, though.
And finally, a red rose that Quester rescued from a friend's rose garden. It was small, but is doing well here.
Please comment with your feedback! Let me know if you'd like to hear more about this aspect of my family's life.
P.S. I forgot to mention (or photograph) the Cherry Chocolate Chip ice cream that I made (my own recipe). My friend said it tasted like Cherry Garcia, and BlackLion said it's the best he's ever had (and that's his favorite flavor). Wow!
During the meeting, as I went to the stove to check on the black beans I was boiling up for dinner, another friend asked about how I managed to cook beans from scratch without them ending up mushy. I told her about my methods for cooking beans, and then I had a little mini-realization - I should blog about my experiences as a homemaker and how I do things.
I haven't wanted to put myself in a category, such as locavore or vegan, because I really don't fit fully into any particular box. We are vegetarians, and we do eat dairy and (local) eggs, but we also eat a lot of vegan foods. We like to buy local veggies, but we don't focus solely on that. We enjoy organic food when it's possible, but sometimes it's too expensive for us. See what I mean? Purists from any of those categories would look askance at me.
But I suspect there are more families like mine, and some who would want to get tips and hints on how to do what we're doing. Our intentions are to eat healthy foods, make a lot of things from scratch, choose local and organic foods when we can, be kind to the environment, and keep to our budget. The things that, to me, are just part of our lives now, such as cooking with all kinds of dried legumes, making up our own recipes, and making more things on our own (like salad dressing, bread, and mustard), might be a new interest or goal for someone else. I guess I shouldn't assume that just because I'm not doing everything from scratch (yet?) that I don't have valuable information and wisdom to share. I don't have to be "finished" a process to share about how it's going. A revelation! Heh heh.
So, along the lines of one of the blogs I like to read, A Handmade Life, here are some photos of this weekend's projects.
BlackLion made these sesame bulkie rolls for Friday night's dinner, which was homemade falafel patties, kale salad, and oven fries.
These are the strawberry-orange muffins, adapted from my Mom's orange muffin recipe.
Indian Spice herbal sun tea. Some of us had it plain over ice, while others added honey. Mmmm!
Our family's semi-famous homemade salsa, a regular dish for us. This batch was made by Quester and I, with some help from the hungry and impatient kids.
Two loads of laundry today, plus the swim towels from the jaunt to the lake that BlackLion and the kids took during my afternoon gathering.
And just for fun, some roses from Quester's flower garden. These are "my" mini yellow roses - the original bush was a gift from my Mom. Quester has nurtured them along, though.
And finally, a red rose that Quester rescued from a friend's rose garden. It was small, but is doing well here.
Please comment with your feedback! Let me know if you'd like to hear more about this aspect of my family's life.
P.S. I forgot to mention (or photograph) the Cherry Chocolate Chip ice cream that I made (my own recipe). My friend said it tasted like Cherry Garcia, and BlackLion said it's the best he's ever had (and that's his favorite flavor). Wow!
Sunday, June 26, 2011
Getting the Word Out
I'm a writer. I write mostly non-fiction articles, essays, and books on spirituality and learning to live consciously. And that's how I want to earn a living, or at least contribute to my family's financial needs. It sounds simple, huh? I even have confidence in my art. I've been practicing for a long time, I have interesting things to say, and I think that lots of people would like to read what I write.
The thing is, how do I get the word out? The traditional "submit to a literary agent or publisher" route is one of my avenues, certainly, although it's well known for only being rarely accessible, and the online world has changed everything. For our Feline Dreamers business, BlackLion and I are trying various social networking, viral marketing type ventures, but we don't really know much about marketing, so we're mostly feeling around in the dark. We'd like to increase our audience from the low hundreds to, oh, millions, ideally! Most of the "write online articles for money" gigs that I've found are only interested in topics I either know nothing about or sound deadly boring. That's a sure way to kill creativity.
Just recently, I've had two magazines interested in having me write an article for them. Not huge magazines, but respectable and hip. So that's the next step. After mulling ideas over in my head (always my first step), I'm in the process of sitting down to create the first drafts. This could lead to something big! It's another step towards my writing goals. What am I afraid of?
The thing is, how do I get the word out? The traditional "submit to a literary agent or publisher" route is one of my avenues, certainly, although it's well known for only being rarely accessible, and the online world has changed everything. For our Feline Dreamers business, BlackLion and I are trying various social networking, viral marketing type ventures, but we don't really know much about marketing, so we're mostly feeling around in the dark. We'd like to increase our audience from the low hundreds to, oh, millions, ideally! Most of the "write online articles for money" gigs that I've found are only interested in topics I either know nothing about or sound deadly boring. That's a sure way to kill creativity.
Just recently, I've had two magazines interested in having me write an article for them. Not huge magazines, but respectable and hip. So that's the next step. After mulling ideas over in my head (always my first step), I'm in the process of sitting down to create the first drafts. This could lead to something big! It's another step towards my writing goals. What am I afraid of?
Saturday, June 25, 2011
300th Post!
Welcome to the 300th post on this blog! I started with the first post back in January of 2006. My thanks to JWL for helping me set it up, and for hosting it on the Freakwitch website for the first few years. I enjoy blogging, and having a place like this to share my personal musings and our family's adventures is a lot of fun. I've discovered summer is a bit of a busy time to keep up with a blog challenge, but I'm going to do my best to blog frequently anyway.
So, what's up today? We had some weekend plans, but for various reasons they were postponed. I was disappointed at first, but the book I'm reading has helped me just be present with what is. It's a fabulous book, "Taking the Leap: Freeing Ourselves from Old Habits and Fears" by Pema Chodron. I highly recommend it, and for those of you who don't have much reading time, it's only 100 pages long, so go for it! I've been doing some introspection this week, and feeling the beginnings of a new transformation at this turn of the seasons. This blog entry by T. Thorne Coyle asks some of the questions I've been asking myself lately.
Our new e-mail list, Making Your Life a Masterpiece, has already taken off and is blossoming. Please join us if you're inspired to explore spirituality in a fun online community. Not much else to tell, I guess. We enjoyed some strawberry picking this week, as part of our celebration of the Summer Solstice, and I think today we're going to make some strawberry gelato. Thanks for reading my blog! I hope you find it enjoyable! Have a fun and interesting weekend, all.
So, what's up today? We had some weekend plans, but for various reasons they were postponed. I was disappointed at first, but the book I'm reading has helped me just be present with what is. It's a fabulous book, "Taking the Leap: Freeing Ourselves from Old Habits and Fears" by Pema Chodron. I highly recommend it, and for those of you who don't have much reading time, it's only 100 pages long, so go for it! I've been doing some introspection this week, and feeling the beginnings of a new transformation at this turn of the seasons. This blog entry by T. Thorne Coyle asks some of the questions I've been asking myself lately.
Our new e-mail list, Making Your Life a Masterpiece, has already taken off and is blossoming. Please join us if you're inspired to explore spirituality in a fun online community. Not much else to tell, I guess. We enjoyed some strawberry picking this week, as part of our celebration of the Summer Solstice, and I think today we're going to make some strawberry gelato. Thanks for reading my blog! I hope you find it enjoyable! Have a fun and interesting weekend, all.
Thursday, June 16, 2011
Making Your Life a Masterpiece
BlackLion and I have just started a new Yahoo group and would like to invite you to check it out and join us if you wish. We wanted to create a place for people who are walking their own spiritual paths but are looking for community and support.
"Making Your Life A Masterpiece" is a place for those of us who are following our own unique joyful spiritual paths. Living consciously is a creative journey. You are the artist, and life is your palette!
The vision for this new community: We share our thoughts, ideas, tools, quotes, and other resources. We give and receive feedback on our day-to-day challenges and triumphs. We help inspire each other to new heights. We create space to unite our strengths and work together on projects. We help each other brainstorm new ideas and creations. We share our energies, and have lots of fun in the process! Everyone has something to offer.
Come on in and join the party! Live the life you’ve intended for yourself and your loved ones, while celebrating with friends in a spiritual community that values reverence and mirth. Let's create!
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/makingyourlifeamasterpiece
"Making Your Life A Masterpiece" is a place for those of us who are following our own unique joyful spiritual paths. Living consciously is a creative journey. You are the artist, and life is your palette!
The vision for this new community: We share our thoughts, ideas, tools, quotes, and other resources. We give and receive feedback on our day-to-day challenges and triumphs. We help inspire each other to new heights. We create space to unite our strengths and work together on projects. We help each other brainstorm new ideas and creations. We share our energies, and have lots of fun in the process! Everyone has something to offer.
Come on in and join the party! Live the life you’ve intended for yourself and your loved ones, while celebrating with friends in a spiritual community that values reverence and mirth. Let's create!
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/makingyourlifeamasterpiece
Monday, June 13, 2011
Why I Love Facebook
Facebook has become an extremely popular social networking tool - which in itself is a fairly new phrase to describe relating to other people online. Yet despite the large number of people using it, I hear a lot of complaints about Facebook, too. Some people are afraid that their personal information will be stolen or co-opted for some nefarious purpose. Others find it to be a "time-waster," or complain about how other people use it.
I have to admit that I actually love using Facebook. Why? Well, the main reason is that I like to keep in touch with friends and acquaintances without having to use the phone. I really don't like phones much, and never have. I'm a writer, so it makes sense that I'd prefer the written world of e-mail and even (gasp!) snail-mail letters (yes, I do have two or three people I correspond with using pens, stationery, and stamps). Facebook seems to be a mutually convenient way to keep in touch, even for those who aren't drawn to long written communications. And photos are fairly easy to post, thus allowing us to share glimpses into each others' daily lives.
Also, because I own my own business, which I'm trying to expand, Facebook is a great way to network. I can post blogs, send out meaningful quotes, and let folks know what's going on. And if they're not interested, they can just breeze right by it, without having to delete stuff like they would an e-mail.
Facebook has also sparked my creativity, many times. I have a diverse group of friends, and often they'll say something or share a quote that I might not have run across otherwise. It helps inspire me with new ideas and send my thoughts off in previously unknown directions. Photos, links, videos...and all for free, and collected in one easy place. I'm not one for surfing randomly around the web, but this way I can still discover lots of cool things pretty easily.
And finally, I can connect with people all around the country and the world who share my interests. Some of the things that I love just aren't part of the mainstream, like unschooling, vegetarianism, and Pagan spirituality. But I can find plenty of others to talk with about those passions, and make connections that I can follow up on later with a face-to-face meeting. It's a lot of fun! Come on over and befriend me if you like - my Facebook name is Nikki Shields, and I'm from Maine. You can also find me through our Feline Dreamers page on Facebook. Chat with you later!
I have to admit that I actually love using Facebook. Why? Well, the main reason is that I like to keep in touch with friends and acquaintances without having to use the phone. I really don't like phones much, and never have. I'm a writer, so it makes sense that I'd prefer the written world of e-mail and even (gasp!) snail-mail letters (yes, I do have two or three people I correspond with using pens, stationery, and stamps). Facebook seems to be a mutually convenient way to keep in touch, even for those who aren't drawn to long written communications. And photos are fairly easy to post, thus allowing us to share glimpses into each others' daily lives.
Also, because I own my own business, which I'm trying to expand, Facebook is a great way to network. I can post blogs, send out meaningful quotes, and let folks know what's going on. And if they're not interested, they can just breeze right by it, without having to delete stuff like they would an e-mail.
Facebook has also sparked my creativity, many times. I have a diverse group of friends, and often they'll say something or share a quote that I might not have run across otherwise. It helps inspire me with new ideas and send my thoughts off in previously unknown directions. Photos, links, videos...and all for free, and collected in one easy place. I'm not one for surfing randomly around the web, but this way I can still discover lots of cool things pretty easily.
And finally, I can connect with people all around the country and the world who share my interests. Some of the things that I love just aren't part of the mainstream, like unschooling, vegetarianism, and Pagan spirituality. But I can find plenty of others to talk with about those passions, and make connections that I can follow up on later with a face-to-face meeting. It's a lot of fun! Come on over and befriend me if you like - my Facebook name is Nikki Shields, and I'm from Maine. You can also find me through our Feline Dreamers page on Facebook. Chat with you later!
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