I hated parties, but this one was for a producer friend of mine and one of the guys at the paper had cajoled me into showing up.

“Come on, baby,” he said in his really sweet, seductive way that made me want to crawl into his arms, “There’s going to be a Stones cover band and everything.”

After making an ass of myself, dancing to “Sympathy for the Devil” with my sloshed buddy, Roppo, I made a b-line for the bar.

“Let me buy you a drink, Norah,” my city editor, Brian, said.

“Oh. Okay.  Can you get me a Diet Coke with lemon?”

“You on the wagon?”

“Yeah.” It was too much to explain I get high off of water.

My phone started to vibrate. “Gotta take this, Bri.”

“Sure.”

“Sean?” I went outside to the sidewalk so I could hear. “Where are you?”

“Well, I just finished visiting her brother and sister.” He sounded a little nervous.

“How was it?”

“God, Norah, difficult.  They hated Meehan from the start.  She wouldn’t listen. I think her brother feels guilty for not protecting her after he knew the guy was violent. It’s just hard. He gave me a great interview – talked about how as a kid, she got a job at a local restaurant.  She was 14 or something and she just walked into the kitchen and asked if they needed someone to bust some suds.”

I laughed. “Shut the fuck up.  Now that’s funny.”

“Yeh, some of it was fun. Listen, Norah, I’m supposed to jailhouse him in the morning.  Are you near a computer? Can you tell me what the hours are or if it’s like Manhattan Correctional where you go by first initial of last name?”

“I’m at a birthday party for Chuck Vincent at Bar 9.  Can I call you when I get home?”

“Yeah, sure, sure. I’m sorry to interrupt, hun.”

“No prob. I needed an excuse to duck out of there before they start asking me to sing my favorite Stones song with Roppo.”

“Alright,” Sean laughed. “I don’t feel so bad then.”

“Trust me. You are doing me a favor.”

“Norah? Do you think they’ll let me talk to this guy?”

“Elegua.”

“What?”

“Elegua, Santerian god who unlocks all doors, clears a pathway.  Or, if you feel more comfortable with Saint Anthony, he also removes obstacles. Then there’s always Ganesha.”

“Okay, okay,” he teased. “Enough already. How about you pray for me, babe?”

“Your choice, hun.”

***

It was a little dicey when I worked days. People were starting to notice my disappearances, but I felt compelled.

My phone was vibrating. “Can I call you back, sweetie?” I was now officially calling Sean sweetie more than Tom. Goddess help me.

“Yeah, Norah, but quickly.”

“Okay, give me a few minutes.”

I walked by the photo desk. “Coffee run. Tony? Aaron?” No takers. How much coffee could I buy, before the guys got fed up with this routine?  They probably thought I was having relationship problems.

I waited until I was otuside the building this time.  I felt like I was cheating on my job.  The sneak was kind of fun, but stressful.

“Hey, Sean, what’s up?”

“It didn’t work.” He sounded defeated.

“I’m sorry. The spell?”

“Yeh, I was kind of hoping.”

“Hey, no one’s perfect. Wrong day?”

“Nah, just that they aren’t letting press in,” he said.

“Okay, so no biggie. Neeexxxt.”

He laughed. “I’m gonna visit her dad today, Norah. I’m really not looknig forward.”

“Okay. It’s cold out here. I can”t get in touch with her when I’m freezing my ass off. Let me get into the hallway upstairs.”

“Would you? Thanks, sweetie. I can’t thank you enough.”

“Oh, I’m sure you’ll think of a way,” I teased.

The longest hallway outside the city room was where we put photo editors and archivists - all in private suites.  It was the best place to be if you didn’t want to disturb people. I went to the tall, narrow window at the end of the hall. It was a bright kind of cloudy outside.

“Okay, Sean. I need you to stay open and to relax. What’s the dad’s name?”

“John.”

I took a deep breath.  “So I’m seeing him at a drafting table. Does he paint or draw?”

“He’s a photographer, Norah. Not a painter as far as I know.”

“Well, I’m seeing him looking at a big drawing of some kind – or maybe a painting he’s working on – a night sky above an ocean. I feel he’s going to show you this and, if not, ask.”

“Okay.”

“Laila wants her dad to know she loves him so much and she is with him, especially when he paints. I see her standing behind him in this sparse, well lit studio. There are photographs all around and his drafting table is to the left when you face the windows.  Quite a nice space.”

“Norah, you are the best. Did I ever tell you, you are my favorite channeler? “

“Sean, just get over there. I gotta get back to work.”

“Talk to you later. I’m coming back to the city tonight.”

Here are Ways #s 4 and 5 from the last post which promised you 5 Ways to Be More Great-full (Boost Your Gratitude Attitude)…

#4: FAMILY (or couple’s) GRATITUDE BOOK
We just spent a very pleasant hour doing this great art & writing interactive project. So simple and yet so meaningful and fun! Quality family time!

We do not watch television, nor do our children. We are dedicated to parenting consciously and strive to support a vibration of love in our household. Yet, given that my husband and I are both entrepreneurs, with seven businesses between the two of us, and given that our children are still quite young, we know how important and sometimes challenging it can be to come up ideas (not to mention time, energy and materials) for positive family experiences.

I myself am about the least craftsy person you will ever meet and can draw a stick figure on a good day! So believe me when I tell you: Yes, you CAN do this project, and probably with what’s already available in your home. It really ranks high on simple, high on fun, high on memorable, and low on expense. (I can NEVER do those Origami things, puuleeeeeazzze, can we talk?)

Thanksgiving weekend is the perfect time to do this Family Gratitude Book…but of course so is any day that ends in “y.” Monday, Tuesday…. Enjoy!

Materials:

All you need is:

Some blank paper (we used printer or copy paper, white)

Construction paper

Ribbon or brass brads to secure the book

Markers, pencils, hole punch and/or scissors

Optional: Stickers, stamps, other art supplies, scrapbook, photos

Definitely: A little bit of time and lots of love!

We started by making a brainstormed list of everything we are grateful for. You can do this any way you like; follow your own creative impulses & inspiration. We have four family members, so I decided to color code what we wrote on this collective page or you could just all write and draw without attributing who said/drew what, or make a chart, have sections of the page, etc. The things my 6-year-old called out first were written in yellow, my 10-year-old chose blue, I picked purple and my husband green. We made a color key on the page and wrote and drew various things we are thankful for: Our dog came first, followed by a lovely torrent such as family and friends, food, a good home, music, the Earth, music, health, God, life and so on.

Then I gave each family member a separate page on which to do whatever they like, the only requirement being that whatever is on the page relates to or represents what they are thankful for. We stuck in some more blank pages, so we can add more later as we are inspired.

The kids each got to pick a color for the front and back covers. The older did the words, the younger did the drawings. We punched holes, added brads, all signed the masterpiece and voila! A Family Gratitude Book.

Not only a wonderful way to spend part of our Thanksgiving Day, but a precious keepsake, and, I trust, a new family tradition as well. We will be sharing this book with family all weekend long and inviting them to add to it as well. And of course, it can be done any day! Every day bears its own gifts if we just open the package.

Today we focused mainly on what we are thankful for in our current lives (now), but we could also include wonderful memories (past) and gratitude for all the blessings on the way! (future)

Alternative for Couples: You can also do this as a Couple’s Gratitude Book or Journal, a beautiful way to show appreciation and deepen connection. So few marriages last or are happy, as we all know, and I am blessed to have a deliriously, deLIGHTfully ecstatic marriage, 12 years strong and better every day. One of the reasons is of course, the selection of the right mate; but in order to do so, we had to do the necessary self-healing and inner preparation to bring whole, healthy individuals to the relationship. Much of this work is presented in my book: The Radical Self-Love Workbook. But it is also essential to nurture even the best of relationships, and my husband and I do so daily in many creative ways such as this.

More tips on love and relationships are at

www.LoveandSpirit.org

and at my love blog: loveandspiritblog.wordpress.com.

Whether you do the Gratitude Book as a homemade book like we did today, like a scrapbook or journal, and whether you do it as a family activity or a couple’s relationship-enhancer, it will help you see your life through the eyes of love and gratitude, and bring you even closer with those you love. Enjoy! And I welcome you to send me a comment or email to share your experience.

#5: Honor the 4 Directions and 4 Sacred Elements:

Earth, Air, Fire, Water

You do not have to be Native American to appreciate one of their traditions, which is to honor the Medicine Wheel, facing each of the four directions, thanking each one for their gifts. This is also a tradition in all indigenous cultures including pre-Christian Europe (a.k.a. Wicca, Druidry, paganism, et al.), Africa, Australia, Hawaii and South America.

In fact, if you scratch the surface beneath contemporary religions on any part of the Earth, you will find an ancient shamanic tradition that honors all the directions and all of nature as sacred.

All things follow this cycle of birth, growth, fruition and quietude, whether we are looking at seasons, a lifespan, a day, or a garden. The beauty of Medicine Wheel ceremony and the paradigm itself is that it can be applied to our lives in so many ways.

So how do you honor the directions and elements, to give thanks for what they give to us so generously? Here are a few ideas:

* Altar: Create an altar to each direction or a Medicine Wheel altar encompassing all the directions/elements. This can be in your home or outside. My husband specializes in creating Medicine Wheels as a sacred practice on the land, and has helped others to do this as well.

* Cherokee Dance of Life – You would need to learn this in person from someone who has learned it, oral tradition. This is an incredible moving meditation to all 4 directions, peoples, and elements which also honors Mother Earth and Father Sky, balances their energies as sacred partners in our hearts, and helps us give away the gifts of Spirit that are our special medicine to share with the world through our right work and service. Occasionally my husband and I share this Dance with our community. If you live near Sacramento, and would like to experience this dance, let us know so we can invite you. Or perhaps Spirit will guide you to another teacher of this beautiful tradition.

* Drum, chant, play flute to each direction

* Give offerings such as cornmeal, tobacco or sage smoke to each direction

* Speak aloud from your heart to each direction and give thanks

* Sweat lodge

* Vision quest

If you do either sweat lodge or vision quest, please do so with the guidance of a Native elder to be sure you do it properly and safely.

* Journal or journey (shamanic meditation) to discover what power animals comprise your personal Medicine Wheel of your own energy field. I love to lead these meditations when I am called to do so. Honoring your own inner Medicine Wheel supports a strong aura and keeps you connected to your spirit guides, if this resonates for you.

Associations with Each Direction

Depending on which culture or even which tribe you consult, there are somewhat different associations with the directions, colors, elements and meanings, the medicine or power that direction helps us receive and embody. The one I am most familiar with follows but this is not dogma, merely a summary of what I have found to be the more universal associations. Follow your own heart and work with any spiritual practice in the way that resonates for your own heart and inner truth.

While I have a small amount of native blood, I was adopted and was not raised in that tradition. I discovered shamanism after my initiation and spiritual awakening 15 years ago. I do not claim to be a tribal elder or teacher of any one tradition. I am an interfaith minister, meditation teacher, hypnotherapist, energy healer and intuitive life coach. I have been on the path of Spirit, studying, practicing and sharing healing and wisdom teachings from many cultures for several decades, so I offer here a simplified summary as a starting point for your discovery journey. You would do well to study more in depth with a local teacher steeped in the particular tradition that calls to your spirit, and of course feel free to research further on the Web, in books, classes, and listen to your own inner guidance. I always say the best way to pray, do ceremony or ritual is the way that feels best to you, with harm to none, of course. But we do need to honor the specific traditions so they are not all diluted through multiculturalism.

From the East we have the yellow people (Asia) and the gift of Air, Brother Wind, clarity of vision, inspiration, the new day, new beginnings, establishment of purpose and intention, and springtime.

From South, we receive the wisdom of the black people (Africa), Fire. The tools, strength, perseverance and energy to follow through and manifest, midday/ noon, summer, also humor and passion, innocence and trust.

The West gives us the culture of the Red people (such as Native Americans), the setting sun, Water, emotions, the fall season, self-evaluation toward completion, looks-within time, peace, rest and healing.

And the North represents the White (European) people and all their cultural gift. The sacred mountain, winter, midnight, time to slow down, go within and be still to receive guidance for what comes next. Completion, what you keep from the past cycle and all that you have accomplished and learned. It is also associated with the Spirit and wisdom.

Note: You can also honor the other 3 directions: Earth (below), Sky (above) and Center (within).

I hope you enjoyed these five creative ways to give thanks and I wish you abundant blessings on your journey!

Finally, in the spirit of Sufi mystic poet Rumi, I invite you to kiss the ground. Blow kisses to the sky. Bow to everything. Everything is sacred.

With Love,

Sage

More resources for your path, including free special reports on abundance, love, transformational classes, soul and energy healing sessions, intuitive readings, matchmaking and more are at:

www.LoveandSpirit.org

Taylor@LoveandSpirit.org

“Let the beauty we love be what we do.

There are hundreds of ways to kneel and kiss the ground.”

- Rumi

Click to see this full size. Gorgeous

First off, the print version I found in Post magazine is far more beautiful than any of the net version pics. The colors are more vibrant and it’s brighter, showing the beautiful markings of the pythons (anacondas?) in greater detail.

Let’s talk about this photo. Dang, this might not be a short post. The snake/staff thing is called a CADUCEUS. It represents Thoth (Egyptian-Tehuti), who like ISIS (a divine feminine figure) was a master of magic. Now, I also remember a time of magic from a past life. That is for another blog, however. Most of us recognize the Caduceus as a medical symbol or representative of the healer or healing arts.

Let’s back up to late October/early November. I’m chatting with AA (that’s short for Aaron) online. After we decided to send each other some healing/distant reiki he said he saw/felt something like a double helix coming from me….I never told him this, but that was exactly how I was projecting a yin/yang balanced type of energy of my own design & thought. I had never put it together what a double helix was but had been actively using one in visualizations. I had to look up the double helix  online.. then found it is mostly seen in relation to the structuring of DNA.

DNA - Double Helix

There’s alotta new age discussion on the evolution of DNA repair and healing. And then, read up on how your own INTENTION is extremely important in your own healing and that of others….

In the shaman tradition of Munay-ki, the serpents are representative of the South direction on the medicine wheel. You have to look at it metaphorically. A snake or serpent will spend its life on the ground having a VERY LIMITED view of the world. Imagine what life would be like seeing it at a few inches high and never more than maybe a foot off the ground? Never seeing danger, food, shelter or what lies ahead until you truly come UPON it. It speaks of foundation and beginnings. It’s the starting point of the medicine wheel.. we are down low, it’s all about us, our problems and we have a truly limited perspective of issues when we are in the SOUTH…the direction of the serpent.

In the Caduceus, the serpent is NOT close to the ground. He, with help from another, has entwined themselves up a central support in a DOUBLE HELIX. In order to physically achieve this, it seems they’d have to make use of  their constriction abilities. Constriction could be seen as SUPPORT, and this direction is seen as upward movement in the symbol. Now that they are so high, they are seen as having wings….interesting eh?

It seems symbolic of many things: new life, taking flight,inner power, new energy, taking the darker side of life’s experiences and making them work FOR you..If you are a snake that can fly, surely you have done something magical to make it happen, or used your abilities successfully to achieve the impossible.

THEN throw in my recent angel reading in which I have been seen with great big wings now, and at the moment consider myself a “healer in training”.

Healing, symbolism, wings, serpents, DNA, yin-yang, energy, magic, and a whole lotta WOW when you think about it.

When I found this picture, all these coincidences came to mind and just summed it all up…fitting for a blog. I’m just not a big fan of House. Maybe I should photoshop my face into the picture. LOL

There. I’ve said it. I want to be vegetarian.

Actually, it’s not so unusual for me to say it. I say it all the time. So why aren’t I?

It’s a really good question. And the answers are long and complex and fraught with emotion that spans decades of struggle.

So here’s my blog to try and figure it out for myself and explain it to you as well.

My name is Lucy Gabrielle.

I am an animal communicator, animal intuitive, animal healer, author and holistic practitioner. (If you want to find out more about me and the services I offer through my “normal” blog, you can find out here.)

Knowing and working with animals the way I do places me in a difficult and ironic position when it comes to my diet.

My spiritual beliefs and my emotional self desperately wants to be vegetarian. But over twenty years has passed since I first started experimenting with my diet and still I am not vegetarian. The mind is willing, but the body does not follow.

I frequently come up against the question, “Are you vegetarian?” and the resulting judgements from my guilty, negative reply. And so it is nearly a daily battle that I have with myself, there are weekly tears, and there is much soul-searching about why exactly I seem not to be able to be vegetarian.

As a writer, naturally, I want to write about it….

With the future of America’s health care in the hands of the Senate, I thought it would be good to find out where we go to get our healing.  Of course it is completely unscientific, but it’s good to know where we stand.  Maybe your trust is in your health plan.  I know that doctors can relieve the pain, but only God can heal.

Some trust in horses and some in chariots (and some in the U.S. government), but we trust in the name of the Lord our God.

Take a moment and think.  Then fill it out.  We may all be surprised. 

Because I have been hurt and I have know pain in my life and I have come to terms with it I can help someone else to heal. I know how to touch someone heart today and help them lessen their burden. I had people that did that with me and now I can pass on the gift to another.

• Gutted ;> had to sit and watch the whole Gok Wan show “how to look good naked” with Jourdie ….I bet lots of other men pretended not to be watching too…The thing I like about it is that it shows real women…not fake airbrushed silicone bimbos…keep it up Gok ; >> and be proud ladies…very proud…beauty is in the mind and soul and the odd flaw makes you sexier. Its also refreshing to see girls who arent up themselves with a “look at me,look at me” attitude…Gorgeous but cant see it in the mirror…but by the end of the show they just begining to drop their barriers….excellent TV

• Celebrity Jungle…I think Peter Andre backhanded the clinic where Katie price just had her lips plumped up…my god she looks freaky…they are dreadful…Scareyyyyyyyyyy…..she used to be gorgeous…now….just RUFFFFF.

• Jourdans tosspot History teacher…who incidently I think is a complete plank and not fit to teach teenage girls, caught her just outside the school gates with friends at lunchtime and has given her an hours detention on Friday night…He really is a knob…she was about 2′0 over the boundary…he  is so so anal…rules are rules Mr Phillips…get a grip Mr…If she was 5 maybe but she 15 going on 21.

And Fatty Kerry Katona Shows Her Green Eyes

I’m A Celebrity: ‘Katie Price will not be queen of the jungle’, says Kerry Katona

Kerry Katona, the former winner of I’m A Celebrity, has slated Katie Price for returning to the jungle. The reality star hit out at Jordan for being “everywhere” and claimed that the glamour model will never steal her crown. She told OK! magazine: “There’s just too much Katie everywhere. “I don’t know what going into the jungle will do for Katie’s career. It’s not going to make anyone like her any more or any less. “She won’t be queen of the jungle.” However, Kerry doesn’t rule out her own return to I’m A Celebrity and says she would sign up to the new series to “pay the bills”.

The mum-of-four went on to reveal that she considers herself a member of “Team Pete” because she thought Jordan’s handling of the divorce was “disgusting”. Kerry said: “I saw a clip of Katie kick off at Pete and it’s disgusting. I love Pete, I’m Team Pete all the way, he’s a sound guy.” The 28-year-old also attacked Jordan’s relationship with Alex Reid, labelling it as a “rebound thing”. She said: “Personally I don’t think it will last, it’s definitely a rebound thing. “Mark has tried on my clothes on holiday p***ed up as a joke! I don’t know if Alex does it as a joke or not, but each to their own.”

How To Keep A Woman Happy….It’s not difficult to make a woman happy.

A man only needs to be:

• a friend
• a companion
• a lover
• a brother
• a father
• a master
• a chef
• an electrician
• a carpenter
• a plumber
• a mechanic
• a decorator
• a stylist
• a sexologist
• a gynecologist
• a psychologist
• a pest exterminator
• a psychiatrist
• a healer
• a good listener
• an organizer
• a good father
• very clean
• sympathetic
• athletic
• warm
• attentive
• gallant
• intelligent
• funny
• creative
• tender
• strong
• understanding
• tolerant
• prudent
• ambitious
• capable
• courageous
• determined
• true
• dependable
• passionate
• compassionate

WITHOUT FORGETTING TO

• give her compliments regularly
• love shopping
• be honest
• be very rich
• not stress her out
• not look at other girls

AND AT THE SAME TIME, YOU MUST ALSO

• give her lots of attention, but expect little yourself
• give her lots of time, especially time for herself
• give her lots of space, never worrying about where she goes

Never to forget:

• birthdays
• anniversaries
• arrangements she makes

HOW TO MAKE A MAN HAPPY

• Show up naked
• Bring beer

Poor Ole Roy

Didnt Tony make a stupid mistake whilst trying to Kill Roy Cropper last night??

He left a knife that he had stolen from Roys cafe,covered in his own blood…by the side of the canal….doesnt take Sherlock does it ??

X Factor Rigged ? Surely Not

You know the amazing unburstable bubble that is Jedward? Well, someone’s just tried to burst it. Big style. A mysterious X Factor “insider” has claimed that sound technicians were forced to turn down the twins’ vocals during their performance of Under Pressure… well, Ice Ice Baby, really… on Saturday’s show – or they’d get the sack. Ooooooooh, dramarama-tastic. “It is totally outrageous – and unfair to the other contestants,” says someone who sounds like they’ve got a bit of PMT. “It is cheating. The only time the sound levels on the mics were lifted was when they were rapping. I  am disgusted. A work colleague of mine was threatened with the sack before Saturday’s live show.” “Every week session singers come in to the studio to record backing tracks to some of the contestants’ songs. The twins have had backing vocals on all their live performances so far. The sound crew are always told to turn the levels of their mics down so their vocals are mostly covered by the backing singers. We are used to tweaking levels, it is part of their job but what we were asked to do on Saturday was beyond a joke.” They added, in full Points Of View mode now (ask your mum), “It makes me truly sick that we are part of this manipulation.” Unsurprisingly, the official X Factor line is that Jedward haven’t received any special treatment. “All the contestants sing live on Saturday night and are given an equal amount of technical support,” says a spokeslady. So, the plot thickens.

Talkin Of Freaky Lips

Eighties singer Pete Burns shows how smoking a cigarette can be a real drag. The former Dead or Alive frontman, who has undergone extensive plastic surgery, appeared to struggle to hold it between his pumped up lips as he lit up outside a west London café yesterday.

Freak !!!

Hippos 1—-Croc 0

Their bone-crushing jaws, 24 razor-sharp teeth and armour-plated skin are enough to ensure most animals keep their distance.  But, as our incredible pictures show, even crocodiles are no match for a herd of angry hippos. This young reptilian predator paid the price for swimming too close to a mother and her calves while they bathed. As 50 hippos gathered into a defensive circle around them, the crocodile panicked and raced over their backs in a bid to escape.

It was the last mistake he ever made. The beast’s defences were no match for the maze of angry mammals, who proved their bite is every bit as lethal as his. The spectacularly rare battle of the beasts was captured by Czech wildlife photographer Vaclav Silha. He had set up his camera on the banks of the River Nile in the Serengeti national park, Tanzania, when the unbelievable scene unfolded before him. But the 45-year-old got more than he bargained for when a colossal fight broke out between the group and a sneaky crocodile he had spotted earlier. ‘Mutual respect between these animals means fights occur very rarely,’ he said. ‘One of the only reasons you might see a conflict is if the hippos have young and they think the little ones are under threat. That’s exactly what happened here.

‘The incautious croc got too close to a female who had calves and the whole group gathered into a defensive circle around them. It was a strong message for the crook to clear off. ‘I have absolutely no idea why but the crocodile suddenly raced across the backs of the hippos. I think it might have panicked and thought it was a possible escape route. I couldn’t believe my eyes. ‘It was the worst choice the reptile could ever have made and it was definitely its last. ‘The island of hippos suddenly erupted with teeth and all I could see was the crocodile being repeatedly crushed in their huge mouths.’ Described as one of the most aggressive creatures in the animal kingdom, an adult hippo can apply several tons of pressure in a single bite. ‘Even the toughest crocodile could not have withstood being repeatedly bitten like that,’ said Mr Silha, from Prague. ‘There was no way for him to escape. I few seconds later his lifeless body slipped below the water and I didn’t see him again.’

Even More de Jour

Brooke Magnanti, the research scientist who confessed to being Belle de Jour, the £300-an-hour call girl, broke off contact with her father after she discovered he was sleeping with prostitutes.“I cannot say for certain until I speak to her, but it may have affected her. I guess she came to the realisation that prostitutes are just people, it’s not the stereotype that people often seem to think,” he said. “They are people with good hearts who have had problems in their lives and have fallen down. Often because of a bad family life or bad relationships or suffering violence, they have low self-esteem.” Miss Magnanti, 34, lifted the lid on one of the literary world’s best-kept secrets when she unmasked herself as the former prostitute behind a best-selling diary. She made a cryptic reference to her father’s use of prostitutes when she confessed to her past in a newspaper at the weekend, describing him as “a bit of a do-gooder… who helps women”, adding that if she broke the news to him in person about her secret past she might start by saying: “You know all those lovely streetwalkers that you try to help?” Mr Magnanti, a gardener who lives on the west coast of Florida, explained what his estranged daughter had meant by the comment. “After Brooke left high school and went to college, her mother and I got a divorce, which was very upsetting to me. “At that point I started to see prostitutes. There were a few that I befriended and two that I had a relationship with who even moved in with me briefly. I tried to get them to stop using drugs and stop working as prostitutes. “Drugs and prostitutes go hand in hand in most cases, though apparently in my daughter’s case it was quite the opposite, thankfully.” Mr Magnanti still professed to be shocked about his daughter’s past. “It’s broken my heart. No parent wants to hear that. I was very proud when she got her PhD. She is a very intelligent girl and I wish she had become well-known under different circumstances. I would rather things had worked out differently but it’s her life to live.” Miss Magnanti, who was born in Florida and came to England to study for a doctorate at Sheffield University, has said she turned to prostitution after moving to London, where she found she could not afford to pay her rent. Miss Magnanti’s decision go public as the author of The Intimate Adventures of a London Call Girl, which was turned into a hit ITV series starring Billie Piper, has been supported by her colleagues at Bristol University. But her confession has outraged a former boyfriend of seven years, who was known as “The Boy” in diary. “Brooke has outed me to my family and friends without giving me any warning. She never asked if she could write about our life together and I feel humiliated,” he said.

I for one find the whole story a testimony to Ms Magnanti, she didnt sponge off the state or whinge or moan, she did something about it and she and her family should be proud of her.  Her detractors should be aware that Miss Magnanti is carrying out vital research into children’s cancers.

Sad Story Of The Day

French woman marries boyfriend one year after he died

A woman in France has married her boyfriend of six years – a year after he died.

Magali Jaskiewicz and Jonathan George had planned to wed at their local town hall in November 2008, but he was killed just two days before the ceremony in a motorcycle accident. Ms Jaskiewitz, 32, used a little-known section of the French civil code that allows posthumous marriages if all the formalities for the wedding were completed before one of the partners died, including the setting of a date. She proved to officials that she and Mr George had been living together since 2004 and that they shared a bank account. She also provided a photo of the wedding dress she had bought to wear to their wedding. Standing alone in the aisle at the town hall, she was “married” to Mr George at a ceremony attended by 30 family members and friends in the village of Dommary-Baroncourt, in eastern France, on Saturday. Around ten posthumous marriages are carried out each year in France, French interior ministry officials said.

7 Reasons Not To Mess With Children

A little girl was talking to her teacher about whales.
The teacher said it was physically impossible for a whale to swallow a human because even though it was a very large mammal its throat was very small.
The little girl stated that Jonah was swallowed by a whale.
Irritated, the teacher reiterated that a whale could not swallow a human; it was physically impossible.
The little girl said, ‘When I get to heaven I will ask Jonah’.
The teacher asked, ‘What if Jonah went to hell?’
The little girl replied, ‘Then you ask him’.
_____________________________________________________________________________________
A Kindergarten teacher was observing her classroom of children while they were drawing. She would occasionally walk around to see each child’s work.
As she got to one little girl who was working diligently, she asked what the drawing was.
The girl replied, ‘I’m drawing God..’
The teacher paused and said, ‘But no one knows what God looks like.’
Without missing a beat, or looking up from her drawing, the girl replied, ‘They will in a minute.’
____________________________________________________________________________________
A Sunday school teacher was discussing the Ten Commandments with her five and six year olds.
After explaining the commandment to ‘honour’ thy Father and thy Mother, she asked, ‘Is there a commandment that teaches us how to treat our brothers and sisters?’
Without missing a beat one little boy (the oldest of a family) answered, ‘Thou shall not kill.’
____________________________________________________________________________________
One day a little girl was sitting and watching her mother do the dishes at the kitchen sink. She suddenly noticed that her mother had several strands of white hair sticking out in contrast on her brunette head.
She looked at her mother and inquisitively asked, ‘Why are some of your hairs white, Mum?’
Her mother replied, ‘Well, every time that you do something wrong and make me cry or unhappy, one of my hairs turns white.’
The little girl thought about this revelation for a while and then said, ‘Mummy, how come ALL of grandma’s hairs are white?’
___________________________________________________________________________________
The children had all been photographed, and the teacher was trying to persuade them each to buy a copy of the group picture.
‘Just think how nice it will be to look at it when you are all grown up and say, ‘There’s Jennifer, she’s a lawyer,’ or ‘That’s Michael, He’s a doctor.’
A small voice at the back of the room rang out, ‘And there’s the teacher, she’s dead.’
___________________________________________________________________________________
A teacher was giving a lesson on the circulation of the blood. Trying to make the matter clearer, she said, ‘Now, class, if I stood on my head, the blood, as you know, would run into it, and I would turn red in the face.’
‘Yes,’ the class said.
‘Then why is it that while I am standing upright in the ordinary position the blood doesn’t run into my feet?’
A little fellow shouted,
‘Cause your feet ain’t empty.’
_____________________________________________________________________________________
The children were lined up in the cafeteria of a Catholic elementary school for lunch. At the head of the table was a large pile of apples. The nun made a note, and posted on the apple tray:
‘Take only ONE . God is watching.’
Moving further along the lunch line, at the other end of the table was a large pile of chocolate chip cookies.
A child had written a note, ‘Take all you want. God is watching the apples.

_______________________________________________________________________________________

The top ten most irritating phrases:

1 – At the end of the day

2 – Fairly unique

3 – I personally

4 – At this moment in time

5 – With all due respect

6 – Absolutely

7 – It’s a nightmare

8 – Shouldn’t of

9 – 24/7

10 – It’s not rocket science

“now the God of hope fill you with all the joy and peace in believing, that ye may abound in hope through the power of the Holy Ghost.”  Romans 15:13  

 there’s no turning back now. daddy is finally in the forefront of the battlefield called cancer.  he is in the first line of painful attacks which began to radiate to his back now; all the way to those who care for him.  because when we realize that he is in pain, we can almost feel his suffering too.   perhaps not in physical terms.  nonetheless, it is way too consuming.  it slowly eats away whatever courage we have gathered. 

 they say cancer is a painful disease.  i know that it is. but how painful can it possibly be? i guess even those who are afflicted cannot exactly equate with words.  daddy is already old and weak.  the doctors said it is no longer advisable for him to undergo surgery.  so we’re left with lesser options, yet relatively effective as well. 

 in this corner, is Manny Pacquiao. 

 so how did he got into the middle of this fierce battle that is my dad’s?  first of, there’s no longer any need to explain who manny pacquiao is, what with his 7  boxing titles and millions of dollars not to mention his new diamond studded belt.  likewise, we’ve already heard how every time manny pacquiao had major fights abroad, the Philippines experience zero crime rate.  and how ironic that during his fights, the nation unites as one solid pinoy country. YOU KNOW (that’s manny’s famous line)

Manny Pacquiao

yesterday was no exception. every filipino in every corner of the archipelago and the world as well, was glued to the tv, internet or radio, if not that fortunate enough to sit on the ringside, to witness every punch thrown and received by pacman.  daddy was that filipino.  he never missed any pacman bout on tv, and i can say he is really a fan.  but yesterday was special.  aside from the usual peace that a pacquiao fight brings, manny brought into our family something more precious than money can buy.  as daddy watched manny’s fight, daddy forgot he has a fight of his own.  mommy said, it was as if his pain was gone.  i recall the times past when he would watch with such eagerness and excitement.  i can just imagine how manny brought my daddy back to his old self;  when he was young and well, even if for just 12 rounds.  and for that, i salute you manny.

in the other corner is Zoladex.   

 “zoladex relieves some symptoms of  advanced prostate cancer in men and advanced breast cancer in premenopausal women.  it reduces the levels of testosterone in men and estrogen in women.  the hormones mentioned are said to encourage the growth of certain cancers. ” – from www.healthsquare.com

zoladex

“The following adverse events were reported in greater than 1%, but less than 5% of patients treated with ZOLADEX 10.8 mg implant every 12 weeks. Some of these are commonly reported in elderly patients. 

 WHOLE BODY – Abdominal pain, Back pain, Flu syndrome, Headache, Sepsis, Aggravation reaction

CARDIOVASCULAR – Angina pectoris, Cerebral ischemia, Cerebrovascular accident, Heart failure, Pulmonary embolus, Varicose veinsDIGESTIVE – Diarrhea, HematemesisENDOCRINE – Diabetes mellitus HEMATOLOGIC – AnemiaMETABOLIC – Peripheral edemaNERVOUS SYSTEM – Dizziness, Paresthesia, Urinary retentionRESPIRATORY – Cough increased, Dyspnea, Pneumonia SKIN – Herpes simplex, PruritusUROGENITAL – Bladder neoplasm, Breast pain, Hematuria, Impotence, Urinary frequency, Urinary incontinence, Urinary tract disorder, Urinary tract infection, Urination impaired. ” – from www.rxlist.com

today, daddy will have his first zoladex implant.  based on the side effects noted, we fear that the worse is yet to come.  in fact,  the adverse events mentioned seem far more terrifying than the disease itself.  but if it’s any consolation it is said that “symptoms may actually get worse during the first few weeks of therapy. however, as hormone levels subside, the patient should begin to feel an improvement” – from www.healthsquare.com

whatever the outcome of daddy’s treatment, in three months he is scheduled for another implant.  we’re not sure also, if manny pacquiao will decide to fight anew in three months. but one thing is certain, zoladex and pacman brings hope to daddy.  momentary hope that lasts maybe for 12 rounds or three months.

but then again there is a hope that springs eternal.  and that hope is our Lord Jesus Christ, our Saviour… our Healer.  He is my daddy’s doctor. 

Another friend ask me to send her energy and I was very surprised when I connected with her I could see her sexual energy flow and merging with her heart energy, I enjoyed touching it, it was very nice combination.  I have different experiences each time I give Reiki. The next day my friend told me she was horny all day. ~lol~ That was not my intention I made a point of focusing on her heart.

I know I was horny all day myself. We are going to see if we can connect this weekend and send energy to each other and see what shows up.

I have been depressed a lot this week, mostly yesterday and today though.  I have been praying a lot and thinking and talking to the hub… it hasn’t been the best of days but it hasn’t been the worst of days.  I am really glad to have a healed relationship with my hub now… I would never be able to press on without it.  It is now one area of my life that I feel confident and secure in and trust will be ok.  Anyway, I have had some breakthrough with my personal growth…

so I have come to realization that I AM A VERY PASSIONATE PERSON!!!  I just didn’t notice how…  I am always sitting around trying to find out what I am passionate about and getting so angry or depressed when I can’t find anything… well, HELLO!!! Stop right there!  That’s a sign in itself.  I am an extremely emotional person and you can’t be extremely emotional without passion! Duh!  So I started thinking… why do i get so emotional?  What do I get emotional about?  As i continue to do that I know the answers will keep pouring in with God’s guidance.

Also, I decided to take a personality test again… it’s been a while and I am really trying to do whatever I can to spring myself fwd in my life right now…  Well, I took the Myers Briggs and it came out INFP- The Healer.  http://www.personalitypage.com/INFP.html

Upon reading the description I quickly realized why I struggle so much, lol.  With things like, “Their primary goal is to find out their meaning in life” and “INFPs have very high standards and are perfectionists” and “INFP is driven to help people and make the world a better place” listed there, you can see how I get trapped in these emotional places…

I have taken personality tests a million times, constantly trying to define myself (just like it says up there, lol) and this time I think I actually agree with so much of what it says and am beginning to understand myself better from it.  Thanks to my mentor for suggesting I try it again!  I did so with an open mind and am feeling a bit better now!  Not that it had all the answers or even the bulk of what I am looking for… but it is a start and I can go from there…

I am now smiling… it feels good to smile!

The ‘I am sorry’ mantra goes like this, “I am sorry. Please forgive Me. Love Thanks Divine. I forgive you. You forgive me and release me”.

It will remove the connection between us and the healee. Immediately, healing will happens to the healee.

Case History

A girl got married. It was arranged by her parents. In her husband’s house, she went through lot of suffering. Her husband wasn’t on talking terms with her either.

Mother used to consult me and chant remedies for the sake of her kid. Everyday she called me without fail. When the phone rings, I used to wonder, why healing hasn’t happened. So I affirmed, “I Balakumar forgive you Lakshmi. You forgive me and release me”. Within one day the problem got resolved as the disconnection has happened.

Karmic Connection

When somebody comes to us for healing, it shows we are karmically connected to them. When the connection breaks, the problem is resolved immediately. While chanting I am sorry mantra, we can draw the Reiki symbols too. Healing is thus very simple.

Requesting for Healing

A person can ask you for Reiki in two ways:

• By a straightforward method – asking you directly
• When he is angry with you – he is indirectly asking you. As a Reiki channel, your gate of love is open. You have the power of Reiki. He doesn’t have it. He can only fight. You can retaliate with a fight or rectify it with Reiki love. This conflict could be resolved by adding to the affirmation for the highest good of everybody concerned and give it Reiki.

Woke up as early as 5am, I can’t find my way to sleep back again. Mama and Gel is going to Manila, Jeng is going to school. Good thing J came and did not left until Jane and Cj arrives. You might wonder why I can’t be alone, it’s because I can’t stay in a place where nobody is around. That is my phobia since I got sick. I read my daily thought and from short hours of sleep, my worry still lingers me. I am praying every single moment of my time and I will not stop until  Jah touches me. I will not stop praising Him because I believe that from the moment I called him and He was beside me,watching over me. HE is the great healer and I know He really is.

I worked today,I extended two hours more because I really wanted to finish the set of backlinks I am working on. Just ate dinner, and I’ll take medicine before I sleep. The pain is on/off and it made me more quiet. I don’t want to talk to anybody but just focus on work. If I don’t feel good, my bed is at my back, I just lay for a few moment and get back again.

My eagerness and focus on work is on very good status, for my opinion. I am determined to work on my tasks so well and I review them most of the time. I lessened time for playing and watching television. I don’t know but whenever I recall this day, my first year working with John, I feel special,I feel like I am as normal as employees are.Thanks John. You’re a heaven sent to fill my frustrations before.

I miss you Jon, and iif you could only see and hear me, I know you’ll never let me go. I remember your words saying, the more I felt bad, the more you’ll hold me tight and never leave me alone. I hope you still have those words. Always pray baby, I am missing you, I love you dear… 3 months tomorrow there,you’re doing great,mwah!

“You’re a healer. You don’t know it yet, but you are a healer.” The 6′ 2″ seventy year old black man lay sprawled across my massage table, his dreadlocks carefully plaited so they fell on either side of his shoulders.  He was right-I didn’t know it yet.  I think, however, that I’m starting to learn it.

I practiced massage professionally for over 11 years, Reiki energy work for 7 years.  I’ve worked on professional and Olympic athletes, movie stars and fitness gurus.  I’ve worked with people on releasing old emotions that stem from sexual and physical abuse.  I’ve talked to and even though I’m not supposed to say it…counseled people from most every walk of life.  I could always feel energy, was always sensitive to heat and tingling.  People with Fybromyalgia ALWAYS feel tingly…like static in my hands.  It’s like their neural pathways are off and emitting a confused frequency.  Yet, I still never thought of myself as a healer…an artist…yes.  But never a healer until recently.

When I am doing my yoga, since the kung fu seminar maybe 3 weeks ago or so, I feel strong heat and pulsing in my hands.  Sometimes if I look at them, they are flush.  When I sweep my arms around my body, it is like the air is as thick as water.  A few times, I’ve even experienced jolts of energy in my hands.  I could even feel the energy around my body helping me move my body…not unlike air will hold an airplane in the air, the energy around my body moves my body, not my muscles. 

Then, Bryan asked me to massage his calf.  His calf will occasionally seize up, and I’ve massaged it before but relief was always temporary.  It usually takes a month or two for the cramps to go away.  Well, the other night, I massaged his calf but energy started pouring out of my hands pretty intensely.  I had never felt anything like it, and neither had he.  He started seeing flashes of blue and then indigo in his mind’s eye, and  he felt tingling in both feet.  He felt intense heat across his knee but my hand wasn’t on his knee…one was underneath and the other was on the side of his calf with my thumb poked into it.  He could have sworn my hand was across his knee.  The feeling for me was as intense as it was for him.  The energy felt like it had substance and was thick..and it was beautiful.  As a continued I had a moment of happiness like I had experienced in my meditation the other night.  Finally, I felt like pulling my hands away.  He felt very relaxed and when he woke up in the morning, the calf was 95% better.  

If I can help heal people, then I have to do this kind of work in my life…not as work but as just honoring who I am.  I’m thinking of finding out about how to volunteer this kind of healing energy work for very sick people.  Think of how wonderful and meaningful that would be for me!

If anyone knows any information about the kinds of things I’m experiencing with energy, I’m on a path to learn more.

Namaste.

“Thus says God, the Lord, who created the heavens and stretched them out, who spread out the earth and what comes from it, who gives breath to the people on it and spirit to those who walk in it:” – Isaiah 42:5 (ESV)

“Every man is stupid and without knowledge; every goldsmith is put to shame by his idols, for his images are false, and there is no breath in them.” – Jeremiah 10:14 (ESV)

“For what happens to the children of man and what happens to the beasts is the same; as one dies, so dies the other. They all have the same breath, and man has no advantage over the beasts, for all is vanity.” – Ecclesiastes 3:19 (ESV)

“then the LORD God formed the man of dust from the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living creature.” – Genesis 2:7 (ESV)

“The God who made the world and everything in it, being Lord of heaven and earth, does not live in temples made by man, nor is he served by human hands, as though he needed anything, since he himself gives to all mankind life and breath and everything.” – Acts 17:24-25 (ESV)

*********************

Sia – Breathe Me

Help, I have done it again.
I have been here many times before.
Hurt myself again today.
And, the worst part is there’s no-one else to blame.

Be my friend.
Hold me, wrap me up.
Unfold me,
I am small.
I’m needy.
Warm me up,
And breathe me.

Ouch, I have lost myself again.
Lost, myself and I am nowhere to be found.
Yeah, I think that I might break.
I’ve lost myself again, and I feel unsafe.

Be my friend.
Hold me, wrap me up.
Unfold me,
I am small.
I’m needy.
Warm me up,
And breathe me.

***************

A prolonged silence ensued, punctuated only by the occasional whimpering of the adorable thief. Finally, the not yet deceased boy spoke up. “That old heart that’s scattered throughout this graveyard is too worn and battered to ever be healed. I’m afraid there is nothing you can do for me, little thief. It is simply beyond repair.” This puzzled the girl, for the boy’s beaming countenance could very well have illuminated an entire town. “If that’s true, then why are you smiling?”…

***

*******

The Valley of Dry Bones

“The hand of the Lord was upon me, and he brought me out in the Spirit of the Lord and set me down in the middle of the valley; it was full of bones. And he led me around among them, and behold, there were very many on the surface of the valley, and behold, they were very dry. And he said to me, “Son of man, can these bones live?” And I answered, “O Lord God, you know.” Then he said to me, “Prophesy over these bones, and say to them, O dry bones, hear the word of the Lord. Thus says the Lord God to these bones: Behold, I will cause breath to enter you, and you shall live. And I will lay sinews upon you, and will cause flesh to come upon you, and cover you with skin, and put breath in you, and you shall live, and you shall know that I am the Lord.”

So I prophesied as I was commanded. And as I prophesied, there was a sound, and behold, a rattling, and the bones came together, bone to its bone. And I looked, and behold, there were sinews on them, and flesh had come upon them, and skin had covered them. But there was no breath in them. Then he said to me, “Prophesy to the breath; prophesy, son of man, and say to the breath, Thus says the Lord God: Come from the four winds, O breath, and breathe on these slain, that they may live.” So I prophesied as he commanded me, and the breath came into them, and they lived and stood on their feet, an exceedingly great army.

Then he said to me, “Son of man, these bones are the whole house of Israel. Behold, they say, ‘Our bones are dried up, and our hope is lost; we are indeed cut off.’ Therefore prophesy, and say to them, Thus says the Lord God: Behold, I will open your graves and raise you from your graves, O my people. And I will bring you into the land of Israel.  And you shall know that I am the Lord, when I open your graves, and raise you from your graves, O my people. And I will put my Spirit within you, and you shall live, and I will place you in your own land. Then you shall know that I am the Lord; I have spoken, and I will do it, declares the Lord.” – Ezekiel 37:1-14 (ESV)

***

“When he had said this, he showed them his hands and his side. Then the disciples were glad when they saw the Lord. Jesus said to them again, “Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, even so I am sending you.” And when he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit.” – John 20:20-22 (ESV)

“But as for you, continue in what you have learned and have firmly believed, knowing from whom you learned it and how from childhood you have been acquainted with the sacred writings, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness,” – 2 Timothy 3:14-16 (ESV)

“The Spirit of God has made me, and the breath of the Almighty gives me life.” – Job 33:4 (ESV)

“Let everything that has breath praise the Lord! Praise the Lord!” – Psalm 150:6 (ESV)

*********************

“The Spirit of God has made me, and the breath of the Almighty gives me life.”

Haiix,,

Sethekk Halls one of the most difficult instances in Auchindon I attempted it earlier today with a good friend of mine-Eriseeas, a guildie and a random DK.

Erii and I have leveled simultaneously together since we were both level 60, being lovers of dungeons we had attempted, failed and succeded against many of the Outland Dungeons that we had encountered so far. Erii knows I’m a healer, and I will heal, even though I will express my ”hate” for the task by moaning about it throughout most of the dungeon xD.

After mailing him a “Simple Black Dress” :P * we set out recruiting for our group. Our lives were now in the hands of a lvl 80 Death Knight.

All went well – that is at first. Erii and I began to realize that this guy was not very able as a DK.  His DPS was incredibly low (in the 900’s) and he constantly lost agro. I can’t really blame him for the second reason as Erii is a tank warrior and for a strange reason I felt that he was trying hard to piss the DK off. xD

After dieing a couple hundred times, okay maybe a slight exageration, 5/6 deaths-I left the party and logged out handing over the laptop to Azraf who’d organised Zul’Gurub .

* Been Getting my crappy tailoring skill up!

Healing,, 

I often find that when I’m healing I loose focus and start looking at my skills or checking whose online. I think this maybe a common probelm that healers have. I mean after being ordered by the tank to drink-when you know you can handle your heals properly with 80% mana D:  and then waiting for an AFK/BRB member to return it’s no wonder that sometimes we healers loose focus.

I’ve never been told that my healing is rubbish &+ I am often praised for my healing but I know that if during the raid/instance a single member dies and it is because I got bored and I was skimming through my quests or something then it’s My own fault.

Actually now that I think about it, it is probably just me and not healers in general. :[

Guild Merges

A senior, high ranking member of my Guild- Chaos Theory informed me of a possible Guild merge. :/ Details are still apparently unclear and wether or not this is going to happen is still being decided by the GM; Buzzmeister.

My opinion on the matter is probably irrelevant as I’m not a very high ranking member of the guild, a mere Seargent.

A little voice inside me oppses and says that I am a member of CT and I love it so my views matter but around all these big 80’s ^,-S presenting ones views clearly is a scary matter.  Nobody said I couldn’t express them here though soo *cough*

I don’t mind the Guild merging however I would not like to leave CT where I have so many friends An awesome tabard and brilliant people,,I’ll never leave CT!

What I Learnt Today,,

I have to stop losing my focus in dungeons/raids and Chaos Theory may merge!

Baiix,,

You Love Me,

Tazzii

Whisper of the Heart ~

“…Let me be the first reader of your story.”

“Uh, ummm…”

“How’s that?”

“Do I really have to show it to you? ‘Cause…I don’t know yet whether or not I can write well.”

“Ha ha ha ha. That’s something we craftsmen have to face, too. You can’t possibly expect it to be perfect at first. Oh yes. Maybe I should show you something nice. Here we go. Have a look. This is a stone called mica schist. Try peeking into the crack. That’s right, like that.”

“Ohhh! It’s so pretty!”

“It’s called “beryl”. There’s an inclusion of raw emerald.”

“’Emerald’? The gemstone?”

“That’s right. You and Seiji both, you’re like that stone. Unpolished stones in their natural state. Now, I like even unpolished stones very much, but things like violin-making and story-writing are different. You have to find the rough gems inside yourself, take the time, and polish them. It’s very time consuming work.”

“That rock has the largest stone, right?”

“Yes. Actually, that one, when you polish it, instead turns out to be worthless. The smaller ones further inside are of higher purity. And in a part you can’t see from the outside, there might be even better stones. Ah, this won’t do. You get old and you start getting preachy.”

“I’ve become very afraid of finding out whether or not I have have a beautiful crystal like this inside me. But I want to write. When I’ve written my story, I’ll be sure to show it to you first.”

“Thank you. I’m looking forward to it.”

****************************

Magnetic North – Drift Away

Gimme the beat boys, gimme that flow,
Let me live within the rhythm, let me free my soul, and drift away.
Give me the beat boys, give me that flow,
Let me live within the rhythm, let me free my soul.

Gimme me the beat boys, gimme that flow,
Let me live within the rhythm, let me free my soul, and drift away.
Give me the beat boys, give me that flow,
Let me live within the rhythm, let me free my soul.

Let me drift away, reminiscing the days I miss,
Listening to hits played on 92 and 106.
Sitting in my room, hearing the tunes, of 2 Pac,
Bone and Biggie be blaring from my puny boom box.

From the Crossroads, to Juicy, to Life Goes On,
I used to rock, The Fugees, the old skool songs,
Like Regulate, my favorite from Warren and Nate,
I was always saving up all my money, so I can blow it on tapes.

‘Cause after school, I would walk straight to the record shop,
And walk through every section, stopping at hip hop,
Just to find a song to buy to bring back home, so
I can sing along, when I feel lonesome.

That’s what I did just to pass the time.
I was a, young kid, but the sound was sublime.
‘Cause the music, I always found, to be therapeutic.
Looking back at my life now, I know how I got through it.

Gimme me the beat boys, gimme that flow,
Let me live within the rhythm, let me free my soul,
And drift away. (Just drift away.)
I said drift away. (Just drift away, you know.)

Give me the beat boys, give me that flow,
Let me live within the rhythm, let me free my soul,
And drift away. (Just drift away).
I said drift away. (Just drift away).

Growing up, I was social but,
Never was the type to open up.
So my closest friends, were never close enough.
I suppose to them, I was emotionless…

So, my headphones were my constant companions,
Around my neck, they were constantly hanging.
And late at night, when I’m haunted by phantoms,
The songs I would jam would subconsciously ban them;

And damn,
I know it’s just lyrics and beats,
But lyrics, to me, are like infinite peace,
And peace –

Is what hip hop had brought me,
Strumming my pain, like it was “Killing Me Softly.”
Killing me – but what a way to die -
Overdosed on flows, comatose on rhymes.

And I,
Wanna drift away,
Staying conscious enough just to hit replay,
Okay…

Gimme me the beat boys, gimme that flow,
Let me live within the rhythm, let me free my soul,
And drift away. (Just drift away.)
I said drift away. (Just drift away, you know.)

Give me the beat boys, give me that flow,
Let me live within the rhythm, let me free my soul,
And drift away. (Just drift away).
I said drift away. (Just drift away, you know).

Gimme the beat boys, the freestyle shows.
I wanna get lost in that hip hop soul.

C’mon Mister DJ, don’t let me down now.
Take me away from today, with surround sound.

And drown out all the noise from the outside
World, while I curl up and close both my brown eyes.

And cool down, let me sink in the song,
Believing every lyric, as I lip-synch along.

See it talks to me, it whispers in rhymes,
Relating life stories that ain’t too different than mine.

So gimme that beat boys, and free my soul,
I wanna get lost, if it’s possible.

‘Cause these songs ease my thoughts, and let my heart sleep,
While the bass drum replace my heartbeat.

****************************

Casting Crowns – Stained Glass Masquerade

Is there anyone that fails?
Is there anyone that falls?
Am I the only one in church today, feeling so small?

‘Cause when I take a look around,
Everybody seems so strong.
I know they’ll soon discover
That I don’t belong.

So I tuck it all away, like everything’s okay.
If I make them all believe it, maybe I’ll believe it too.
So with a painted grin, I play the part again,
So everyone will see me the way that I see them.

Are we happy plastic people?
Under shiny plastic steeples?
With walls around our weakness,
And smiles to hide our pain?
But if the invitation’s open,
To every heart that has been broken,
Maybe then we close the curtain
On the stained glass masquerade.

Is there anyone who’s been there?
Are there any hands to raise?
Am I the only one who’s traded
In the altar for a stage?

The performance is convincing,
And we know every line by heart.
Only when no one is watching,
Can we really fall apart.

But would it set me free,
If I dared to let you see
The truth behind the person
That you imagine me to be?

Would your arms be open,
Or would you walk away?
Would the love of Jesus
Be enough to make you stay?

Are we happy plastic people?
Under shiny plastic steeples?
With walls around our weakness,
And smiles to hide our pain?
Well if the invitation’s open,
To every heart that has been broken,
Maybe then we close the curtain
On the stained glass masquerade.

Is there anyone that fails?
Is there anyone that falls?

****************************

“then the LORD God formed the man of dust from the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living creature.” – Genesis 2:7 (ESV)

“Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal…” – Matthew 6:19 (ESV)

“My days are past; my plans are broken off, the desires of my heart.” – Job 17:11 (ESV)

“How long must I take counsel in my soul and have sorrow in my heart all the day?” – Psalm 13:2 (ESV)

“I am poured out like water,
and all my bones are out of joint;
my heart is like wax;
it is melted within my breast;
my strength is dried up like a potsherd,
and my tongue sticks to my jaws;
you lay me in the dust of death.”
– Psalm 22:14-15 (ESV)

****************************

The incessantly throbbing core was shattered into innumerable tiny shards, and now that beautiful capacity for love was debased to a mere matter of stocks, with the degree of one’s sway over the owner of that fractured organ dependent upon, & proportional to, the number of shards in their possession…

***

Her heels clapped loudly against the cold marble soil of the cathedral’s innards – a rotting labyrinth of catacombs. “Oh my! What a mess!” she exclaimed. “This place looks as if it has been abandoned for years.” Taking a step forward for a closer inspection of a particularly twisted passageway, she heard a faint crunch beneath her heels. She stooped down to determine its source, & discovered a shard of glass. On closer inspection, she realized the spendid tomb was littered with them.

Shimmering like shipwrecked vessels of wine, the starry array of crystalline splinters arrested her attention. Her curiosity engaged, she cautiously stole another member of the constellation, eyeing it with apprehension as she lifted it to meet her gaze. Expecting the typical translucence, she was surprised to see a luminescent scene etched upon the lens’ surface. Budding roses, bashful tulips, vehement violets, weeping chrysanthemums…the phantoms of things past playing out upon the glass.

Inclining her ear towards the glistening fragment, she found she could also hear the echo of the sea emanating from the shell, resonating within her. The cadence rolled in and out, like the tide, sound waves streaming across the atmosphere, beating against her hull, washing over her deck, bathing her in the undulating brine. This one seemed to be gurgling Life is a maze, and love is a riddle. Stowing the shard away, she sought out others strewn about the crypt. She found each one possessed its own melody.

As she was gathering up the sparkling disarray, a booming voice suddenly thundered, “Halt! What do you think you’re doing? Who said you could enter my chambers?” “I-I’m sorry,” she stammered. “The place looked abandoned. I didn’t think anyone still lived here.” “You weren’t entirely wrong. This is a mausoleum…but it also happens to be my home. Now…what is that you’ve got there?” The shard in her hand immediately responded, I just want to save you while there’s still something left to save.

"All hearts are made of glass..." Beautiful, yet fragile.

The inhabitant’s anger at the reply was unspeakable. “That is a fragment of my heart…you’ve been collecting them! Put them back – now!” She looked confused. “Excuse me, come again? Your heart? How is that possible? These shards are all made of glass. The most unique glass I have yet seen, but glass nonetheless.” “Foolish girl,” he chided. “All hearts are made of glass. Why do you think they’re so fragile? Most people just can’t see them for what they truly are. Mine is visible only because it is broken.”

Comprehension dawning as her eyes swept across the room, taking in the magnitude of the implications, she remarked, “B-But…there must be thousands of shards in this room alone! It would literally take forever to try to re-assemble them!” The crypt dweller’s eyes glazed over. “Exactly. That’s why I don’t even bother.” Almost as if some kind of connection still remained between himself and the fragments, a shard chimed in: Now I can’t stand to part with this broken heart.

“Well…there must be something we can do…” “Excuse me? We? As in us? Nah-uh. This is my problem, and mine alone. You can’t help me. You don’t even care. Which I find rather funny, since you’re the one who still has a heart.” Her face flushed from this assault on her character. She was the one with a heart, not him. “And just what would you know about care, Mr. Heartless? You “live” in a tomb, waiting around for your body to decay, just as your spirit has waned.” She mockingly stuck out her tongue.

He had to restrain himself from reciprocating the jesting gesture. “You may mean well, girl, but you’re only exacerbating the problem. Look – your verbal assualt has already caused another splicing.” Sure enough, there at her feet, a brand new shard had splintered off from another existing piece. Blood was still dripping from the fresh incision. “Well, all I can say is, I hope you’re happy, missy.” Though she was fuming mad at him now, even she had to acknowledge her part in aiding the fracture.

Unable to contain the confluence of emotions welling up inside of her, the intruder finally broke down in tears. Separated from his heart, a useless heap of tarnished shambles anyway, the undead boy remained unmoved by her distress. Yet somehow, as he gazed upon her weeping form, he relented, and was moved to attempt anything to assuage her hurt and anger. Certain fragments of his heart, though not re-joining, were glowing with white-hot intensity. “I’m sorry. You are caring. I can see that much.”

“Really?” she sniffled. “Yeah,” he affirmed. A prolonged silence ensued, punctuated only by the occasional whimpering of the adorable thief. Finally, the not yet deceased boy spoke up. “That old heart that’s scattered throughout this graveyard is too worn and battered to ever be healed. I’m afraid there is nothing you can do for me, little thief. It is simply beyond repair.” This puzzled the girl, for the boy’s beaming countenance could very well have illuminated an entire town. “If that’s true, then why are you smiling?”

****************************

Falling Up – Broken Heart: Ghosts Of Seaside (Exit Lights Album Version)

****************************

“The LORD is near to the brokenhearted and saves the crushed in spirit.” – Psalm 34:18 (ESV)

“He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds.” – Psalm 147:3 (ESV)

“And I will give you a new heart, and a new spirit I will put within you. And I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh.” – Ezekiel 36:26 (ESV)

“And I will give them one heart, and a new spirit I will put within them. I will remove the heart of stone from their flesh and give them a heart of flesh” – Ezekiel 11:19 (ESV)

“The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise.” – Psalm 51:17 (ESV)

“…but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” – Matthew 6:20-21 (ESV)

****************************

Treasure in Jars of Clay

“But we have this treasure in jars of clay, to show that the surpassing power belongs to God and not to us. We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not driven to despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed; always carrying in the body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be manifested in our bodies.

For we who live are always being given over to death for Jesus’ sake, so that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our mortal flesh. So death is at work in us, but life in you. Since we have the same spirit of faith according to what has been written, “I believed, and so I spoke,” we also believe, and so we also speak, knowing that he who raised the Lord Jesus will raise us also with Jesus and bring us with you into his presence.

For it is all for your sake, so that as grace extends to more and more people it may increase thanksgiving, to the glory of God. So we do not lose heart. Though our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day.

For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal.”

– 2 Corinthians 4:7-18 (ESV)

****************************

“So we do not lose heart. Though our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day.”

Don't you come any closer!!!

A Hindu man has given up his family, home and job to wallow in the slimy polluted mud banks of the River Ganges. Avinash Tripathi says “Only by reconnecting with the rawness of nature can man find true healing,” The filthy Holy Man claims he now has the power to heal others. Good luck with that ! That’s dysentry right there!

Déjà quelques réponses dans le Cercle des soigneurs. Merci Brisea, Brumirius, Chanti, Talisia, Woop et Mister anonymous pour votre participation.

Paladins, Prêtres, Chamans, Druides, je vous invite à passer par cette page et répondre au questionnaire proposé afin de participer à cette grande enquête qui permettra aux joueurs du World of Warcraft francophone de mieux connaitre leurs soigneurs, leur gameplay et quelques-unes de leurs caractéristiques.

Merci de votre participation.

-Cc

No matter where you are on this Earth, our God is not unreachable. Even with the near seven billion people on this planet He can still hear you. Your prayers are not in vain nor are your cries ignored. My God, your God, and our God is always with us unless we push Him away. How strong is our prayer when we call Him by name, but what name do you call Him by?

He is our King, Lord, Savior, Redeemer, Forgiver, Creator, Caretaker, God, Messiah, Teacher, Healer, Father and so much more than words could attribute to Him. One of the names that touches me most is the name…Dad. It’s this one name that makes me feel like a young child who can run to his Dad anytime he needs help or just wants to be loved.

In my personal experience of the two words, father and dad, I would give dad the stronger response. It just sounds so much more personal and intimate than father does; at least in Earthly terms. When you think of, “father”, what comes to mind? Someone who simply has a child? A man who is somewhat there for his kid? Perhaps someone who cares for his son or daughter to the minimal extent?

When I think of a father I get these images but a few others as well, yet when I think of, “dad”, all negative descriptions fade. Dad should be reserved for the fathers who go above and beyond the call of the minimal extent and who love unconditionally. Dads are in a sense are the holy grail of fatherhood. They not only have a child but go crazy with love for them. They not only teach them the “cool” stuff, but also engage in any way they can. Dads stay even when the child reaches the age of rebellion and they continue to love them. No dad ever disowned his child or children.

In the heavenly sense of the words Father and Dad are just as powerful, for God has no negative qualities. Whatever negative Earthly father you may have experienced is not the same as the Heavenly Father. I’m not sure where the feeling of closeness I have towards “dad” comes from. Like I said before, it just seems so much more personal and intimate than Father. Maybe you’re the exact opposite or just like me, either way it doesn’t matter. This one name of God that appeals to me more than the others won’t always be the same as the quality of God that excites you. I encourage you to find a quality of God that makes you feel so close to Him. Find a name that you can call out because it’s your soul’s desire, not because the pastor or teacher said for you to stick with Father. Find a name that brings you home to Him no matter the situation and a name that allows you to learn His heart and mind. May our Dad continue to shower His love over you and may you respond in the same way.

Finally we got ourselves some parties going in Aion and I have to say that the game feels good. Especially after the Ascension, which is the class change quest in Aion, the game has become better and better. After completing Ascension, you get to specialize in class you want to. I was a priest in the beginning, so I had two choices; chanter and cleric. I chose the latter one as I had already planned earlier. Cleric has few handy skills, for example couple of ok nukes and some melee skills, so you can actually solo even if you can’t find a party. But when it comes to parties, cleric is pretty much the character you need, whatever your party is going to do. At the moment I’m level 18 and got few nice skills to keep your party alive, one small heal, one heal over time and one major heal. Debuff remover and resurrection skills have also been in use pretty often. There’s actually a quest for resurrecting from which you get experience points and kinah! So let your mates die and become higher level and richer!

The quests have been pretty well done, although you can clearly see Aion’s Asian background. Some of the quests are pretty kinky, for example the one in beginning where you have to steal the clothes of some bathing girl. The quests have varied quite a lot, from basic farming to finding some jewelry. So far the greatest quest has been the Ascension, which is mostly videos. Not that I wouldn’t want to play the quests through, but the videos in Aion are spectacular. They enrich the game more than you could imagine.

On a sidenote: the female warrior sounds like someone is violently killing a pig, repetitively. We had the honor to listen to that sound over and over again during the weekend as Reijo played his game sounds through speakers.

drippy gutters = the purest of all evil. seriously. it better get sorted. or else… trouble. me not pleased.

but for some reason, even though i was ill last night and missed out on all the fun, and then didnt get to sleep till three, and then got woke up by the mighty dripper at like eight, today, i just cant help feeling happy. pure happy. its ace. i loves it. why the hell did I think i wasnt ever gonna feel like this again?!

how pathetic of me.

I hope i wasn’t to miserable that I upset any one, and if I was, then I’m sorry. I’m happy now!

Music realy is a healer. thanks iPod… you too iPig. now I need to get some funny posts back again… It must of sucked without them…

College tomorrow, yay. ill be glad when this half term is over. too many people made it suck. ahh well, they’re obviously losers.

omggggg, start decorating my mum and dads room today… and ima gonna be getting paid for it. score.

Im thinking bowt painting it some reallyyyyy rank colours just to piss em off.

Shite my dream was weird last night. good weird. not like the nightmares ive been having the last few days. Bowt maralyn mansion. urgh. they realy were nightmares. lets not go their.

last night, i got to be a duck. yes a duck. a lol fuck. and all I could do was talk like a lol person. it was weird. i dont remember any of my lols but i remember vickis… only shes gonna get it but hey. ‘and den i poke your face like dis… poke poke poke…’

ima gonna miss that dream… lets hope i have another one. oh, by the way, vicki was a duck to. so was bertman. hehehe.

any who ima gonna go and make pancakes… cuz being happy again calls for nutella pancakes.