Countdown: T Day -7

Halp!

Send in da kitty kavalry, pleeze.

Me needz bakkup!

Animals Save the Planet

My friend, Sandrine, the mother of little baby Maya, sent me a link to a wonderful and witty website, sponsored by the cable network, Animal Planet.

It's a series of mini cartoons that show the importance of being green (as in environmentally conscious, not jealous) and helping to conserve our planet for Maya and future generations.

Claymation, adorable animals, funny cartoons, and saving the Earth! How can you go wrong?

Click here to view, or you can cut and paste the following link into your browser: http://www.animalssavetheplanet.com/media/swf/design_video.swf?vidNumber=1

My favorite is the prairie dogs video! Drop me a line & tell me which one you enjoyed the best.

Awareness is like Conditioner

I have light brown curly or wavy hair. Depending on the weather, I can look very different. I have my Kate Beckinsale days, and I can also have days when I look like Elmo’s brown cousin, Shmelmo. Since I was a child, I have always had knots in my baby fine hair, and combing it used to be an ordeal until the magnificent day I discovered, drum roll please…, Conditioner!
All of a sudden, tangles became a thing of the past, as I could now actually run my comb through my hair without cringing.
Now, I’m not sure exactly how it works: I just know it has something to do with the hair's cuticle and miraculous botanical extracts and formulas closely guarded by Mr. Garnier & Mr. Sassoon. But even though I don't know exactly how it all comes together, the conditioner still works to dissolve & untangle all the little knots on my head.

But what about the jumbles and messes inside the head, you know, under all the hair? Well, awareness, the non-judgmental and non-preferential seeing of something, is just like conditioner for those messes!

Simply seeing what is without judging it or wishing it were different, is enough to dissolve our mechanical behaviors, no matter how long they have been previously stuck. So we have the choice to simply look at a behavior and say “oh. I did that” without tacking on the rest of the sentence which is usually, “I’m so _________.” (Which, let's admit, we usually fill in with an unflattering word, like ‘stupid’, ‘dumb’, ‘pathetic’, ‘lazy’ … And if you notice that you tacked something on, then just don’t continue the cycle. Just like you don’t have to read or forward a chain email telling you Bill Gates is going to give you a penny for every fwd you send, you can just hit ‘delete’ instead and get rid of the Spam in your thoughts. You can even make a game of it.

No Assembly Required

You know that feeling you got as a kid, opening up your presents on Christmas morning or on your Birthday, and you ripped open the wrapping paper, and -oh my golly- there it was: the Snoopy Sno Cone Machine / Model Train set / Barbie's Dream House, in all its put-together glory in the big glossy photo on the side of the box. At the bottom, there they were, those three dreaded words sure to strike dread in the heart of any parent: "some assembly required." But in your sugar-induced euphoria, you gleefully ripped open the box, and out tumbled dozens of plastic pieces and tiny screws & bolts. And then watched in a fit of frustrated agony as it took your Mom or Dad and 2 uncles (one of whom was an engineering major in college) about four hours to put together. And then it still looked nothing like what was on the box? Remember that?
Well Transformation is nothing like that! In fact, there's no assembly required. Transformation can start right away! You don't need to wait till you are "better" or "all put-together." Where and as you are right now is not only enough, it is perfect.
All it takes to transform is the non-jugdgmental and non-preferential seeing of what is. The way your life is right now - across the board - including your job (or lack thereof), your relationship (or lack thereof), family, education, physcal condition, home, commute, internet connection (or lack thereof), wardrobe is perfect for you to experience Transformation.
That is something I had forgotten lately, and luckily was reminded by some pretty cool people I am proud to call my friends.

Save an Italian Wildlife Oasis

My lovely friend, Nicki, has posted an important anouncement on her delightful blog, The Life I Chose. She has alerted all those who love Positano and all those who want to help save rare and endagered wildlife (that should cover everyone on the planet...) to the threat to the magical wildlife preserve, Il Vallone Porto, located just outside Positano, Italy

Please sign the online petition to save the valley, http://www.firmiamo.it/positanovalloneporto.

Nicki writes:

This wonderful wild canyon is about to be destroyed. Somebody has decided that there could be a risk of flash floods in the valley and a proposal has been accepted to build a 24 metre long concrete dam through the valley, tearing down all the trees, woodland, plantlife and ancient pathways, and destroying many species of rare ferns, flora and creatures.This valley is under enviromental protection and it has already been scientifically proved that going ahead with these works would worsen the situation.A petition has been launched to try and stop these people from destroying one of the most beautiful natural areas left in Positano. Gianni has translated it into English and tonight we have corrected it and typed it up. I am posting it here below and I beg all of you, especially anybody who has ever been to Positano or cares about wildlife, natural beauty, rare little animals or magical woodland streams to please click on the link and sign the online petition to help us save the valley.

Please SIGN THE ONLINE PETITION!!

Life is a Reflection of You

Lately, I've been clearing up everything around me because, quite frankly, Life has been getting pretty messy around me. So I cleaned up my apartment and went through my closet and tidied up my desk at work. I also found time to clear out old emails and empty my spamboxes.

While doing so, I found this story in an email from my dear friend, Jorge. I don't know where it's from, so I am unable to credit it, but I really loved it because it helps me shatter certain excuses or illusions that I can hide behind when I am lazy. Some examples of these excuses are: "I have too much work", "It's not my fault", or "Yes, but it's because of________________."

Now you can fill in the blank with gravity, the greenhouse effect, shifting economic climates in developing countries, the low dollar exchange rate, my shoulder pain, lack of sleep. Either way, if I'm willing to tell the truth, it's all hooey. Plus, it begs the question of our really being the authors of our own lives. In reality, we actually have the Life we have created for ourselves.
Personal Responsibility... 1, Hapless Victim Theory... 0.

A son and his father were walking in the mountains.Suddenly, his son falls, hurts himself and screams: "AAAhhhhhhhhhhh!!!" To his surprise, he hears the voice repeating, somewhere in the mountain:"AAAhhhhhhhhhhh!!!"Curious, he yells: "Who are you?" He receives the answer: "Who are you?"Angered at the response, he screams: "Coward!"He receives the answer: "Coward!"He looks to his father and asks: "What's going on?"

The father smiles and says: "My son, pay attention." And then he screams to the mountain: "I admire you!" The voice answers: "I admire you!"Again the man screams: "You are a champion!" The voice answers: "You are a champion!"

The boy is surprised, but does not understand. Then the father explains: "People call this ECHO, but really this is LIFE. It gives you back everything you say or do. Our life is simply a reflection of our actions. If you want more love in the world, create more love in your heart. If you want more competence in your team, improve your competence. This relationship applies to everything, in all aspects of life; Life will give you back everything you have given to it."

Your Life is not a Coincidence. It's a Reflection of You!

Are We There Yet?

It's funny how pervasive a certain pattern of thought can be if left unexamined.
When I am not practicing awareness, I can quickly fall into a pattern of thinking that this moment isn't it, and instead wait for some future, shinier, better moment to come along.

But have you ever been stuck in traffic and really wanted to trade places with the silver car 4 cars ahead of you in the right lane? If only I could be where that car is, I could relax. What happens when you get there? Don't you just pick out another car that seems to be much further along than you are now? Or, have you ever greeted a friend's promotion or raise with the thought that all your worries would disappear if only your own boss would be equally magnanimous and insightful as to recognize your true worth? Has a cousin's engagement ever made you long for the day you could escape relationship limbo & enter the promised land of the affianced?

Well, living one's life as a constant race to get to what's around the next corner, or anywhere other than exactly whee you are in this moment, is a bit like driving around with a backseat squirming with 5 year-olds enagaged in a full-on concert performance of "Are we there yet? Are We there yet? Are we there yet?" ect... etc... It sure doesn't make for a very pleasant ride...
At best, it can leave you with a splitting headache. It can also make you miss a turn-off, or in other words, distract you from the true path you should be following.
But a distraction like that can cause fender benders - little bumps on your journey that will cause a ripple effect of debris that will need to be sorted out, taking more time and energy away from the things you are passionate about.

So answer that impatient chatter thus: Yup. We're there. We have arrived. We're here. We are right where we are supposed to be. The moment is perfect. So enjoy the scenery!