A Little Reminder...

Not sure when I wrote about this first go 'round, but it doesn't really matter. I feel the urge to remind you AND meself about the words we choose to use. It seems to be coming up a lot lately; folks who say things like "Man, I'm old!" or "I am so tired." or "I am sick of...." What they may not realize is that whatever follows "I am..." is precisely what is becoming. It is a non-stop ticket to THAT. Whatever "that" may be.

This isn't just some fuufuu nonsense I'm talking here. Words are sound. Sound is energy. Energy is circular. These are facts, not LaLa bullshit. The saying "what goes 'round comes 'round" is pretty much the same as what some folks like to call Karma. Whatever you put out, comes back. I've been known to call it the The Boomerang Effect.

I know these things to be true (for me) because I have experimented with them, over and over and over again. AND, just because you don't believe it, does not make it false. Belief certainly makes a thing more powerful, but not believing doesn't make it not so.

The point here is this: YOUR WORDS ARE YOUR WAND. You don't have to believe me. You can do your own little experiments. You can focus on what you're saying and see if those words don't bring a "thing" to manifest. Haven't you ever noticed when you get all excited about something and then, in short order, that something starts showing up all over the place? You start looking for that "thing". You're excited (energy). You're talking about it incessantly (more energy). You can't stop thinking about it (even more energy). Pretty soon..."it" shows up.

You say something like, "It was pure magick!"

You are absolutely correct.

So I'll say it again:

Your. Words. Are. Your. Wand.

If you want to BE old, keep saying it aloud.

I am old.

If you wish to be well, say that.

I am well.

It won't be long before your body agrees.

If you think it doesn't matter, that, too, is your choice.

Just because you don't believe it does not mean it isn't true.

Your words are your wand.
Choose them wisely (AND KINDLY!)

The End.

For the sheer JOY of it....

There is a guru I know who likes to say that the funnest part of being a Being on Planet Earth is realizing the power of your thoughts and using that knowledge to create the life you want. I'm pretty sure there's more than one such guru. I'm also quite certain that regardless of which one you happen to hang out with, you'll find that pretty much every other wisdom they share is covered by that one "rule"

You think it, you create it.

Or, in the words of the fantabulous Mike Dooley, "thoughts become things".

I could probably quote another twenty or so who said the same stuff in "other" words.

None of that matters. What does matter is that once you figure that one out, and you actually set your Self to living it, all manner of magickal stuff starts to happen.

I kid you NOT.

Now, if you've been here for any length of time you already know that this is one of my very favorite things to meander on. And every now and then I like to come back 'round to it because...well...it really is true and it really does work and there ain't nothin' funner when it does.

Honest.

So in the name of revisiting, I'm gonna toss this out to you, just in case you forgot. Or you didn't read the others over the course of my stay here. Or it happens to come out a little differently than the last time. Truth be told, I don't usually read 'em after I do my final proof. I just let them go and wait to see what comes up next. That's kinda my M.O. when writing (here). The ol' "take a breath. then another. then let your fingers fly" method. Because of said method, it is likely that the topics are revisited, but not the manner in which the topic is expressed.

I hope.

Lest I digress...

I got to thinking about all the magick that's been flyin' around here lately. How often I've found meself giggling over some "proof" from the Universe when I get all focused in and expectant. The trick, I'm thinkin', is in that latter....the "expectant" part. Once you start down that road, the things that show up will blow your pretty little mind and have you asking, "what took me so long???"

Here's the deal-eee-O:

Let's say you get it in your head that you're going to wake up, every single morning, and before you peek one toe out of the bed, you're going to take a few minutes to bask in the warm coziness of gratitude; for that bed and that pillow and the dog/cat/kid/person lying there next to you all happy you're awake. You're going to say a few thank-yous and get focused in on what you're wanting to experience on this fine new day. You think it, you see it, you feel it, you get it all crystal clear in your head and then you hop out of that cozy bed and git on with your day. Little by little, stuff is showing up. The very same stuff you made up your mind to be/do/have today. And the same thing happens the next day. And the next. And pretty soon you're full-ON expecting that all the stuff you focus on is absoTOOTly coming to you. {No, Mrs. Spiegelmeyer. That is not a typo.}

That's where the magick is.

The expectation.

I'm thinking it's because the Universe has as much fun as we do with all this co-creation stuff. And the more we play with that Energy, the more that Energy plays with us.

Like two kids on horseback, riding for the sheer joy of it. And for no other reason.

That is what it's all about.

Doncha think?

Thinking...how?

So I've been thinking about all the kinds of ways to think. Yep. You read it right. See, what I'm thinking is that if we paid a little more attention to what we're thinking and how we're thinking it, we might do a much better job of the whole living thing. Because in the words of my favorite guru: "thoughts become things". So....if you would just stop for a minute and....think ~~~

There's positive thinking and negative thinking. Right brain, left brain, no brain thinking. Inspired thinking, independent thinking, stinkin' thinkin' (can you say "12 Step Program"?), lateral, powerful, critical thinking. You've got your fast thinkers, slow thinkers, big thinkers, and free thinkers. Let's not forget deep thinking, big thinking, smart thinking and lateral thinking. Did I mention creative thinking?

Of course...there is The Thinker...(actually, I think it's called "The Thinking Man"; but I could be wrong in my thinking....)

and thinking caps...

and who could forget the thinking cats?

we can think outside the box

wonder what everyone else is thinking...

or just not be able to STOP....

We can think that we can, think that we can't (and be right, either way), or think that thinking is wayyyy over-rated. But lest ye forget, I'm here to remind you that somewhere, someone is thinking of YOU...and sending you love just because you're on the planet.

P.S. 

I almost forgot about

WHAT THE HELL WERE YOU THINKING???

P.P.S.

I love her, I really do. She can SING. But really????

The Road to Funk

You don't have to believe in the Law of Attraction to experience it. You don't even have to subscribe to any particular tenet to experience what must surely be the "natural order" of life. Because no matter what you call it, what you experience on a daily or even momentary basis is a direct result of your choices. All of it. Regardless of your beliefs, all you need to do to realize just how much power you have is to pay attention. It will all become crystal clear, even after a very short time. Here's what I mean:

Let's say you've been in a Funk for a few days (or weeks or months. YIKES!) You can't seem to get yourself into any kind of flow. Your every thought is wrought with fear or anger or worry or some other Ickiness. You try to distract yourself with tasks or hours of television or loud music or five bottles of Jack Daniels. (double YIKES!) You get out your journal and write til your hand hurts. You take long naps. You go to the gym twice a day. You consume massive amounts of chocolate. All to no avail. No matter what you try, nothing seems to get that pesky Funk to lift. Now, according to this Law of Attraction, the reason you're not able to lose the Funk is because the Universe is matching what you're focusing on. In other words, if you're doing all this stuff to get your mind off the Funk, what you're really focusing on is the Funk. So, what you get is more Funk.

If, on the other hand, you were to wake up one morning and think, "Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! What a grand opportunity I have on this bright and beautiful morning! I am alive and well and open to all manner of possibility to grace my life." In those thoughts there is not a trace of Funk, yes? There isn't any mental note of a Funk that has been present for the last however many days. There is only eagerness for what may come on this brandy new day. If you were to walk through your entire day keeping those thoughts at the fore of your mind, simply looking for things that make you smile and ignoring everything that doesn't, you would not have a moment to think about the Funk. You would be so focused on what Grooviness might show itself that the Funk would be trampled by your focused attention on the Groovy. Because you can't have both. It's one or the other: Funk or Groovy. {You can call it whatever you want. I just happen to like the word "groovy" and think we should revive it. There. I said it. I like the word "groovy". So there.} Anyway, the point here is that you DO have control of where you take your thoughts. The wheel is yours. You can steer your pretty little Self where ever you wish to go. And if you're still in that Funk, it isn't because the Funk is your lot in life. It is because you aren't paying attention to where you're going. You're on Auto-Pilot, allowing your thoughts to take you without any input. This is not rocket science. Nor is it fluffy PollyAnna baloney. It is a proven fact: our thoughts are ours to use however we wish. Don't like the Funk? Focus on the Groovy. Simple as that.

One last thing before I get on with this glorious day: even if you think all of this is nonsense, or you think this Blogger is high on crack, or you think the time it took for you to read this post is time you'll never get back...if you are on the road to Funk the only person who can get off that road is YOU. Unless, of course, you're letting somebody else drive.

it's ALL in your head

You know I'm big on choosing Joy. You also may know, if you've been here for any length of time, that I am a huge follower of the theory of "Creating Your OWN Life". As in: it is what you make it. Or (in case I need to go even further...) THOUGHTS BECOME THINGS.

Any way you look at it, the choice is pretty clear. Well, it is for me anyway. Either choose to live as joyfully as you can or NOT. Whatever happens in your world on a daily basis is absolutely your doing. Too much responsibility? Maybe. But I've never been one to shy away from that sorta thing, particularly if it happens to be the responsibility of how joyfully or miserably I live my Life. I will admit there was a time that this was not how I lived my life. The part about taking responsibility I mean. I was one of those who used to blame everybody and their mother for my ill fate. Beginning with my parents and ending with the last man who made the choice to live with me. Poor guy. He had NO idea what he was getting into. But I digress...

The point is, there came a moment when it all became crystal clear to me. It was, of course, after I ditched the Poor Guy and hit the road to return to the Great Pacific Northwest. With dogs and cat and every possession I owned, we traveled across country with nary a care in the world. We were met with kind truckers, generous travelers, and other assorted characters who made the trip more than a mere cross-country relocation. Those folks (and some critters too) turned it into one of my greatest adventures. When we finally reached Washington, I was both happy to be home and sad that the adventure had ended. But I was wrong. It had only just begun.

Shortly after my return I realized that everything I'd theretofore held as my truth was about to unravel. FAST. And as it did, I became even more aware of just how much of the crapola I was living was caused by my own thinking. I had intended to start over. But I was still holding on to all manner of junk that had weighed me down in the first place. Even though I'd left behind the Poor Guy and all the crap that went along with that relationship, I was still carrying it. Just couldn't seem to let it go.

Call me stubborn, but it took a while to figure out that it was, truly, all in my head. Every smidgen of ill will and discomfort, poor choices and broken toes, bad jobs and horrible hair, stupid encounters and feckless repairs.... all a result of my thinking. All a result of my inability to truly start over. All a result of me living in my own Denial.

But every camel has its straw. And when mine landed, it was not pretty.

Flash-forward about 10 years (between which there was more unraveling, more traveling, more angst, more blame...)

FINALLY, I got the whole picture. And when I did it felt like somebody had lifted the weight of that camel off my back. (Camels are not small critters. It is said that the average camel weighs somewhere around 1500 pounds. If you happen to be a smallish person {I weigh in at a whopping 105 pounds}, 1500 pounds is a whoooooole lotta extra weight. Know what I mean?)

I felt free as the proverbial bird in the sky. And even though there were occasional moments of lingering sadness, it was mostly the dregs of some romantic notion that the Poor Guy would get his shit together (as if all this were his fault. SHEESH!) and come knockin' at me door. Happily, he did not. Nor did I continue to wish as much. When I finally reached that place of Knowing, of being truly happy in my skin, all manner of ickiness fell away...leaving me to muse over what I might like to do for the rest of my Adventure here on Planet Earth. The choices are endless, the possibilities countless, the magick at my fingertips.

For today, I sit in this incredibly beautiful space, writing to my heart's content, living with His Curly Highness and enjoying most every minute of my days. To be sure, there are still occasional challenges that make me rethink thoughts, suffer change and wonder aloud if I'm completely crazy or only half way. But regardless of the verdict, I wouldn't trade my life for anyone elses. I love the fact that in MY world, everything really is in my head. And whatever this pretty little head can imagine, this crazy little Imp can live.

I'd say those are some pretty fantastic choices.

His Curly Highness ~ {after I cut his curliness off. He is NOT amused.}

A dandy little trick (yes you can!)

There is no such thing as "ignore". It's really quite impossible to ignore something you just don't wanna think about. By virtue of the brain's wiring, it just won't work. The only way to actually "ignore" is to think about something else. IMMEDIATELY. Like this:

Let's say you have this monster pain-in-the-ass goin' on. Maybe you're in some kind of physical discomfort. Or you have a roommate or boyfriend or co-worker who just drives you up the wall. ('course, if it's your guy who's doing this, I'm wondering why you're still there. But that's a whole 'nother story....). Anyway...so there's this monster pain-in-the-ass goin' on and you're trying really, really, really hard to ignore the thing. But if you're saying to yourself, "I'm just gonna ignore this crap", you're still thinking about it, aren't ya? The ol' Catch 22. T'aint no fun at all, huh?

So what if...when this monster pain-in-the-ass shows up, you right quick switch gears. You do a literal about-face and think about something that makes you laugh or makes you happy to see or makes you giggle from the memory of it. It could be anything at all; it could be the way your dog does that happy dance when you walk through the door. Or the way your best friend always knows when to drop by with that super-delicious chocolate cake she makes just cuz she was thinking about you. Or maybe it was that time you went kayaking and saw all those whales with their brandy new babies. How 'bout that time you sat on the beach with your favorite person in the whole wide world and watched the sun blaze the sky as it settled for the day, after which you walked to the nearby sushi bar and ate yourself into bliss and drank a gallon of sake.

You get the point.

Doesn't matter what it is, just think about something, anything that floats your boat. You must have something that comes to mind, right? If you can train yourself to do that, instead of trying to "ignore" whatever it is that's got you all in a huff, you can (and will) eventually see that icky crap disappear outta your life. Entirely. Not kidding. If you think I'm nutso over here, you are mistaken. Just try it. Next time something pops up that you want to ignore, stop for ONE SECOND...and think of something supergroovycool. See what happens.

Go 'wan. Give it a try. 

Is it really just a "mind thang"?

Anyone who's been here for any length of time knows that I'm pretty big on how thoughts create worlds. I believe what Mike (Dooley) says: that "thoughts become things". And I believe that we all have the power of the Great Universal Intelligence at our fingertips. But that's me. Whether or not you agree is pretty much irrelevant. You get to choose your bible...and live however you wish. (Gee. Aren't you glad I gave you permission?) And if you happen to believe that what I'm offering up here is a bunch of hooey, that's A-OK too. I'm not here to persuade you. Simply to share the magick that is my Life. Just cuz...it's FUN!

Anyhoooo....

I had another one of those very cool moments yesterday whilst on the phone with my Sis. I wasn't feeling all that terrific; lots of pain going on in my little body. But my spirits were up and my heart was open and I was ignoring the Ouch as much as I could. When she picked up the phone and asked who I was, I told her "I'm fantastic!" And then I giggled. (She is well aware of my sarcasm. It's a family thang.) She asked if there was anything she could do for me and I said it would be terrific if she could bring me a large man with soft hands and a pretty face so he might give me the massage of my life. We both laughed. Then she said...."OK. WAIT. Just listen."

She then went on to announce some of the best news I've heard in years. About her daughter and new son-in-law. She said, "I'm going to be a grandma!" I almost fell outta my chair. I was just so tickled I wanted to dance down the street with a bouquet of balloons. I wanted to sing and shout and YAHOOOO all the way to her house. Thrilled, I tell ya.

But here's what was just as cool as hearing the news: the moment she told me, all manner of pain just disappeared. I am NOT kidding. For the 15 minutes we were on the phone, all I felt was happy tingling all through my body. It was as if somebody had given me a shot of Demerol. NO pain whatsoever.

When we hung up the phone, I was still feeling pretty terrific and stayed that way until I stood up. Then the nerves sent their messages to my brain and the Ouch came back. GEEZ. But here's the thing: how is it that the moments when I was distracted, that pain went away? How is it that the whole while I was celebrating with her, I felt nothing but JOY?

Could it be that it really IS just a mind thang?

it's all !S-D-R-A-W-K-C-A-B

{Confused? (the word is written backwards...get it?) Lemme tell ya...I had to really focus to do that without first writing it down. Good brain exercise. Try it. Quite a fun challenge.}

Moving on...

Let's just say that maybe things aren't exactly as you'd like them to be at the moment. Let's say it's about your cash flow. Or that person in your life. (or the lack thereof). Maybe it's about your job. (or the lack thereof). Or the way your body looks or how your kids are acting or that pain-in-the-butt neighbor who insists on cranking up the chainsaw at 7 a.m. every Sunday morning. Whatever "it" is, you think it's the reason you're not happy.

So then you say to yourself, "As soon as I get that handled, I'll be happy. Just gotta get that handled."

And you push and shove, push and shove, push and shove, trying to get it handled.

To no avail.

The more you push and shove, the bigger it gets. The more it pushes and shoves back. The more you try. The bigger it gets. Back and forth. On and on. Until you think you're never going to get to "happy".

But what if we've got it backwards? Bear with me now...

What if...we were to get happy first? What if, every time that annoying 'whatever' popped up, we were to say to ourselves, "STOP! JUST STOP! I'll think about that later. Right now I'm going to think about something that already makes me happy."

What if?

I'm posing this (for the millionth time) because I've been practicing a LOT lately. And I can assure you...it does take practice. It's not something we're trained to do. Mostly we've been trained to attack our "problems" head on and work it out. Did you see that word? WORK. Isn't work something that requires great effort? Isn't work something that most of us are averse to? Isn't work what we must do in order to get to play? How many times have you said, "THANK GOD IT'S FRIDAY!" The majority spend their whole lives waiting for Friday to get here. And Mondays get the bad rap. You know what I'm talking about, yes?

Practicing your mental train (of thought) takes a little time. But not as long as you might think. If you were to plant that seed of "STOP!" in your brain right now, and then listen for it...listen and feel your way to another train of thought...you'd be amazed at how much things change. I am NOT kidding. It goes something like this:

{Scenario #1}

The Bonehead that's always pissing you off walks into the room and begins his usual asinine behavior. Maybe he goes over to the microwave and puts his stinkin' sandwich directly on the platter (instead of being sanitary and considerate to the others, and placing it on a paper napkin or some such). He always puts cheese in those stinkin' sandwiches, which, of course, melts onto the platter. He never, ever cleans up after himself. Leaves the melted cheese on the platter and gets busy on his stinkin' sandwich. You've asked the Bonehead to stop doing this at least a hundred times. He continues to ignore you and everyone else, and puts his stinkin' sandwich on the platter. You can feel your blood pressure rising. You want to go over and slap the crap outta him. Instead, you allow yourself to seethe while the microwave heats his stinkin' sandwich. You're thinking you could just as easily heat that stinkin' sandwich with your hot thoughts right now. Seething hot thoughts.
It takes you an hour and a half to forget about it and get back to whatever you were doing. But next time you see the Bonehead, it all comes rushing back.

Round and round and round you go.

{Scenario #2}

Here comes the Bonehead. He's got another stinkin' sandwich; meatballs and mozzarella cheese. You just know that stinkin' sandwich is going to make the biggest mess ever. But instead of going all bonkers on yourself, you say "STOP!"...and then you turn your attention to the beautiful dinner you had with your best friend last night. Or the way your dog goes crazy when he sees you coming. Or how that really nice lady at the grocery store packed your groceries without crushing your bread. You remember that time you went to the coast for the weekend and spent days relaxing with nary a care in the world. You touch the necklace around your neck; the one you got from your mom when you graduated. You close your eyes for just a few seconds and take yourself elsewhere; you take yourself to some 'happy' place where there aren't any Boneheads.

Your breathing stays normal. Your blood pressure is right where you like it to be. Your body temperature remains at a steady 98.6. You have effectively taken yourself to another place and/or time where everything is as right as rain. Big, happy sighs ensue.

Feel the difference?

Whether it's about the Bonehead at work, the noisy neighbor, those size 7 jeans you want to get back into, or the person you'd like to have come into your life...FIRST you get happy. THEN all that other stuff comes flowing in like you were born with a magic wand and the power to make anything happen with the wave of a hand.

What if?

{REMEMBER: Joy is a CHOICE.}

JUST STOP!

...."well, my life is really great...except for this one thing...."

Ever hear yourself saying that? Ever notice how there's that one pesky something or someone that just keeps you from ultra-appreciation? Ever notice how that one thing wants to take over all your other thoughts?

Me too.

And then I heard something that made so much sense, I couldn't believe I hadn't thought of it myself.

"Well, just stop thinking about it. Never speak of it again. Just STOP."

hMMMMMMMM.....

Of course my brain wanted to argue the point. "...but how do I do that when it's poking me like a thorn in my foot?"

Just STOP.

"but they just won't leave me alone."

Just STOP.

"BUT....."

JUST STOP!!!

Turns out this is a whole lot easier than I thought it would be. Note that I'm not saying "DON'T think about it." Because there is a vast difference between the two. One is a 'negative' command, which the brain does not register. In other words, when you say "don't do such-and-such", your brain only hears the "such-and-such"; NOT the "don't". Think about it.

Let's say you're about to remove a delicate glass globe from the ceiling fixture so you can clean it. You climb the ladder, unscrew the fasteners, and say to yourself, "DON'T DROP IT!"

KA-BLAMMM! The instant you think the thought, that beautiful glass globe falls right outta your pretty little hands and shatters all over the floor.

Ever do that?

Me too.

BUT...if, instead, you say to yourself, "I'm going to remove this lovely treasure and carry it down the ladder and clean it and put it back up easy as can be."

That is a whole different thought. See what I mean?

So then...back to the point. There's that 'thing' that's buggin' the crap outta you. With a little practice, every time it jumps into your brain you say, "I'm just going to think about something else for now. I'll deal with that later." Turn your attention to something that makes you smile. Turn your attention to something you're happy about. Just turn your attention elsewhere. Pretty soon that thing that's been annoying your for so long isn't going to be a 'thing' at all. Pretty soon (and honestly, it doesn't take long at all!) is going to be in the wind forever. Because as you train your mind to go elsewhere, that thing that began as a huge thing suddenly becomes a NOthing.

Just try it. I'm tellin' ya....

IT WORKS!

running on auto-pilot ~~~

The thing about running on auto-pilot is that there's a whole bunch of stuff you 'miss' and then, when other stuff results, you can't figure out why. For example: you get in your car to run this errand or that. You put the key in the ignition, fire up the engine, put the car in gear, and GO. Before you know it, you've reached your destination without even knowing how you got there. This is a prime example of running on auto-pilot. In this particular example, I've left out any mishaps or crashes that may occur as a result of your auto-piloting. Mostly because I don't think it's necessary to get into all that drama. Point is, you got from here to there without noticing one single thing. It's as if you were in some kind of time-warp. When this happens to me (not often anymore, thank the heavens!) it always gives me the creeps. Which is why I don't run on auto-pilot anymore. Just don't like the feeling. Also don't much care for the results (or lack thereof).

Here's the thing: this AP mode also applies to the thoughts we think on a regular basis. We're just too 'busy' to pay attention. We have so much to do. We have all this stuff that needs tending. We only have so many hours in a day. Etc., etc., ad nauseam. But the sad end of this stick is that if we're not paying attention to said thoughts, we are on a never-ending loop that never brings anything new into our lives. Like that movie, "Groundhog Day". Poor guy just kept living the same day over and over until he was about to go insane. Or maybe he did go insane. When he finally figured out what was happening, he also realized that it was some grand lesson he was meant to learn. He had to stop being the drone he was and pay attention. Once he got that, his endless loop stopped. He was a new man. He was 'reborn'.

Same goes with these continual thoughts we think without knowing we're thinking them. How in the world do you expect to change anything if you're thinking the same thoughts. Just ain't gonna happen. In order to make the changes in our lives we so desperately want, we must pay attention to what's going on in our little pea-brains. We must set intentions and stay focused. We must demand more from the gray matter between our ears. It's not about "earning" or "working for" or "deserving". It's about knowing, deep in your gut, that you ARE worthy. That you have already done all you need do to warrant these things you wish for. It's about paying close attention to the things that bring you joy and ignoring the things that annoy you. Because, in the end, it's not about erasing the "bad stuff". It's about creating the "good stuff". This is completely within your power, if only you will readjust your focus. Then, little by little (and sometimes in grand leaps) you will see the changes unfold as easily as a flower blossoms. No pain. No work. No aggravation. Just a gentle, easy unfolding that is as 'right' as rain. It isn't nearly as hard as you may think. And if you will be gentle with yourself, as you would with a child or a puppy or a treasured friendship, your world will blossom just like that flower.

I am NOT kidding.

holy moly!

{Before we begin; in case you didn't know... "moly" is a magick herb given to Odysseus by Hermes to nullify the spells of Circe. I just like saying "HOLY MOLY!"; makes me giggle every time. And now you know.}

So then...let's get on with it.

I say "Holy Moly" because...I thought I'd written this really cool piece today. Turns out I didn't. HOLY MOLY! Guess I did a little time traveling or some such. Else I'm losing what's left of my mind. Either way...I was about to do yet another experiment and when I came to edit, I saw that I'd somehow not posted that brilliant piece. Go figure. It gave my brain a little start, then my heart a giggle, then the whole idea that I was going to post earlier flew right out the window and another one came flyin' in. Such fun!

It's always amusing to me {note the word "amusing". As in "muse"-ing. As in "muse": get it?} when I have those moments of utter genius and they somehow get me so engaged that I go off into some otherworld...and then realize that hours have passed. It's eerie and cool and sometimes a little unsettling. But always it is amusing. So rather than chide (myself, that is), I shall relay the curious events that led me to this moment.

Took Bruzer for our morning stroll a little earlier than usual. Figured it would be good to just get out there. Had some kind of YaYa's goin' on and wanted to cut 'em loose. The place where we walk is quite stunning. There are tons of trees and flowering bushes (yes, we have flowers in January. It's Southern California, remember?) and hummingbirds and Red Tailed Hawks and all manner of wow-factor. It also happens to be very quiet; no cars zooming by or those pesky super-boomer stereos blasting out as they go by. In short, it's a little slice of paradise. Bruzer likes it because there are no burrs to get stuck in his curly little paws. I like it for all the pretties AND because it's quite flat which means I can walk much further with nary a nudge of discomfort. Perfect all the way around.

So there we were, toodling along, enjoying the early morning sunshine, when out of the blue this icky thought came flyin' into my head. It surprised me so much I actually stopped walking. I thought, "WHOA! WHERE THE HECK DID THAT COME FROM???" Bruzer noted my pause and stopped to look at me. "What's up? Why are you stopping? We're not done yet, are we?" {if you think he doesn't 'talk', you are mistaken. I can hear every 'word'.} I gathered myself and continued on, focused on breathing and letting that ick keep right on goin'...to somewhere else.

But dang it! It just kept popping back up. The more I tried to push it off, the more insistent it was. Oh brother. This is gonna be one of THOSE, huh?

At some point I realized that it wasn't going to go away until I just let it go full-blown. I needed to NOT stop it but rather to let it be as loud and obnoxious as it wanted. Some thoughts are stubborn like that, you know? Some thoughts have a mind of their own. {Huh???}. But you know what I'm sayin' here. Come on. It's happened to you too. That pesky little nagger that won't let you be. Try as you might, ya just can't get it to leave you alone. So....quit fighting it!

About the time I watched that sucker come into full view, I laughed aloud and watched it poof into nowhereland. POOF. Just like that, it was gone. Truth be told, I can't even remember what the thought was. No kidding! It was a nagger because I was fighting it for air time. As soon as I granted it (said air time) it vanished. And when I use the word "poof"....I mean it. Ya know those fun bubbles you see on cartoons...and then they go poof and you see the little splat and then the bubble is gone? Like that. Only more colorful.

Now, in case you're wondering if I really have lost my mind, please do not despair. I have not. It's just that I'm letting my mind have more fun with stuff. And that whole pesky, stubborn, icky thought was just one more way I'm doing that. The best part is that when you stop fighting stuff and you just let it live it's moment, it's gone faster than you could have gotten it gone even if you have a flame-thrower or one of those handy grenade launchers. Proof of this is that I can no longer recall what that thought was. I can only recall the power struggle and the way it all worked out.

Imagine that.