Like a little boy right under the Christmas tree, tearing up the gift wrap in disbelief, receiving his very first Nintendo.

Dan, “Macam menang Lucky Draw sia!” Haha.
I’d love to see his priceless reaction over & over & over again. Although I wished I could have done more, it wasn’t so bad after all. It was all definitely worth it.
♥

PS. Post up those photos real soon will you, baby?

Druid

• Tranquility now has a 8 min cooldown. (Down from 10 min)

Minor change to a lightly used spell. In my opinion, the cooldown time is the least of this spell’s troubles.

Personally, I think that Tranquility should be changed to a group heal that you can use around once a minute. Sort of like Prayer of Healing with a cooldown. As it is now, it’s hard to find decent situations to use it.

Happiness is in the mind, and the mind is supported by the body – a healthy mind lives in a healthy body. Your happiness depends on your mind and it depends on your body. Without physical health you can’t be completely happy, and without mental happiness you can’t be completely healthy.Yoga can heal a stressed mind by helping you rid yourself of negative feelings and thoughts. The mental aspect of Yoga is a form of self-help, which creates a positive state of mind through tranquility. Yoga will empower you to take control of your life with a calm mind.

But do you know which yoga asana you should do to get peace of mind ? The answer would be – ‘Mantra Yoga ‘ .

Mantra yoga is a great science to dismantle the negative system and create a great inner order. When the inner world of our mind is orderly, then one will see the external world more orderly.

You may also try meditating.The aim of meditation is to bring inner peace within our self and the world in a positive and spiritual way. The world is not a peaceful place and within every soul there is some form of tension and stress. It is therefore essential to create positive and peaceful thoughts to bring peace to our mind. Meditation is one of the best methods to bring about transformation and nurture the natural qualities within.

I lit up a smoke as I was sitting on the roof this morning, my morning ritual, and as I was watching Feredes still burning above me, I thought, this is the end of the world. I’ve been thinking the same thought every day for about as far back as I can remember. It’s funny how thoughts don’t seem to have any real meaning until you’re feeling heat from a thousand explosions charring your skin, and you smell the burning flesh of millions of people being carried on the wind, and you know that this is happening on another six planets and eleven moons at this exact moment, and there’s nothing you can do but sit down and watch, and have a cigarette too, because it’s about the only good thing you have left to enjoy, and because the bittersweet scent of it mildly conceals the unpleasantness.

I brought my short-wave radio with me to the roof, as I usually do, and I wasn’t surprised to hear Deanara’s voice coming through it. I caught her broadcast mid-sentence: ‘…toll has risen overnight to twelve million souls, leaving the total count at… three billion…’. There was a silence following that sentence, and knowing Deanara, she was thinking the same thing I was after all these years. This is the beginning of the end. I listened on, as I smoked and watched the sun rising from behind Feredes.

‘Three billion people have died this week. What could I possibly say to inspire when there is nothing? What could I possibly say that would come close to honoring the lives that have been lost?’

I only slept a few hours last night. The attack started early in the evening. Everyone in town thought we were going to be targeted too, but they ignored us. There was a mad rush to pack vessels and jump to the furthest body of Atrialle, but Jessen was able to keep everyone around just a bit longer, making them realize that there was no danger. Attackers only go for high-profile targets, not little orbiting towns like Tranquility. People seem to listen to Jessen.

‘I have no false illusions about this. Atrialle is dying because of our conflicts, and the events of this week have ensured that She will die even faster. During the past six cycles, our world has lost five of its keystones.’

Signole. Terion. Kestral. Waderam. Feredes. I had just enough fingers to count them all, while flicking a long string of ashes onto the metal roof.

‘Our specialists have estimated that at the current rate, Atrialle will be destroyed in three months. We still hold Desidine, despite daily attacks from the Pirax. And we still hold the Carapace, but our forces are running short.’

Well, Deanara never was any good at giving inspirational speeches. She’s more of a military strategist than a politician. But I suppose that’s more important if you’re the leader of the Carapacians. Brayan, on the other hand, was a pretty damn inspirational person, especially last night. He is going to die in this town no matter what. With all the explosions in the sky and people running all over town, what was Brayan doing last night but tending to his tobacco garden and singing. If there was anyone who is the personification of Tranquility, it would be Brayan. I decided to help him gather his little harvest, and I got some free smokes out of it.

‘I call on all of you who are listening, and who still believe in honor and freedom, to prepare to join us at the Carapace. We will make our final stand here, against the Pirax, against their allies, and against anyone who dared to dictate the terms of your lives.’

And prepared I will be. I spent the rest of the night working on Magellan. I got the flight capacitors installed, finally, and the throttle assembly is done too. I just have to do a bit of touch-up work on the pressure seals and program the onboard hardware, take the thing on a few test flights, and it’ll be spaceworthy. But it won’t be joining your fight, Deanara. I need to get the hell out of this place once and for all, away from all the conflict and misery. If I only have three months left, then I need to find home, wherever it is, before it’s gone forever. In all likelihood, it’s probably already gone up in smoke, burning to the ground like the millions of homes above me.

My fingers sting with the sensation from having held onto the butt end of my cigarette a few seconds too long. I flick it off the edge of the repair station. I can hear Jessen and the guys starting to rustle around with the power tools downstairs, so I figure I’d better join them. I guess it would be as good a time as any to let Jessen know that I’ll be disappearing in a few cycles. I know he’s going to be disappointed, but that’s life I guess. Full of people and places and things and times and experiences and jobs and friendships that will all, soon, end.

Being a dedicated fisherman has brought Sakwinder Narwal to some interesting destinations. His passion for fishing has taken him to all ends of the United States looking for new and exciting experiences that only a fisherman can appreciate. Fishing seems to be what provides him with a sense of inner peace.

Sakwinder Narwal has spent time in the Florida Keys in search of tarpon bonefish and permit. A bit of a thrill seeker, he has also fished for sharks off of Montauk Point in New York. He has spent some time on the Delaware River in New Jersey looking for the American Shad. Furthermore, not only has the food and the music driven Sakwinder Narwal to Louisiana, but the fact that the area is known for a large population of Redfish.

Sak Narwal feels that his passion for fishing has taken him to some of the wildest and most beautiful natural settings. Because he has such a deep rooted interest in fishing, he challenges himself to know anything and everything he can about fish; such as fresh and salt-water fish and the technology behind it all.

Because he loves the connection a fisherman has with nature, Sak Narwal is not the type of fisherman looking to cash in on his next meal. He loves nature and the relaxation that comes with fishing, which is why he throws everything back into the water that he catches.

His escapades for fishing have taken him from coast-to-coast. From Alaska to New York and all the way down to Florida, Sak Narwal enjoys the opportunity to visit different nature sights and get in a bit of fishing at each location.

It’s All About Jesus!

Spirit of Prophecy Bulletin

SMALL STRAWS IN A SOFT WIND by Marsha Burns — October 30, 2009:

The stress caused by the issues of life have the potential to create stress in your physical body. Now is the time to deal with the issues and to tie up loose ends that keep you from maintaining peace emotionally, mentally and physically. Do not delay in taking care of these matters; procrastination is your enemy. Be diligent to methodically and consistently keep moving towards freedom and tranquility, says the Lord.

Job 27:21 Now acquaint yourself with Him, and be at peace; thereby good will come to you.

One may have awakened around midnight again.  One may have spent time writing down the events in one’s life.  One may have dozed back off to sleep.

The alarm went off at 3:00 AM.  One reset if for 3:20 AM.  At the sound of the alarm one laid there for just a few minutes more.  Finally, one may have gotten up and logged onto one’s computer.  The screen may have been locked.  One’s mouse was not responding to the clicks, yet the pointer would move around on the screen.

One could not believe this was happening. One prayed a quick prayer for help.  One needed to read the Spirit of Prophecy Bulletin before one’s prayer time.

One may have rebooted the computer.  At first the mouse was quirky, still not responding to the clicks.  The mouse finally responded, one logged in and read the Spirit of Prophecy Bulletin.

It may have been 3:30 AM when one entered the bathroom.  One started cleaning and praising at the same time.  One thanked the Lord and confessed one’s sins.

Confessing one’s sins took all of one’s time to the point that one had to finish up quickly, before 4:30 AM.

At 4:30 AM, one logged onto the site where one may pray for prayer requests.  Everything went smoothly.  Thank you Jesus!

One’s stomach may be upset and hurt from time to time.  One may believe one picked up whatever one’s grandson had.  One may not have a fever or any other symptoms.  Thank you Jesus.

One made a decision about the apostle who one felt compelled to pray for.  The desire to contact the individual became very strong, yesterday.  Just as one was about to contact the individual, one pulled back.  One began to read the Spirit of Prophecy Bulletins, starting from the most recent first, looking for help from the Lord.

The message from 10/28/09 spoke to one:

SMALL STRAWS IN A SOFT WIND by Marsha Burns — October 28, 2009:

Be aware and watch for the enemy’s devices that will saddle you with imposition as he pressures you to act out of a sense of obligation instead of being moved by My Spirit. Just as you, My people, are learning to move in the unbridled liberty of the Spirit, the devil will do his utmost to keep you bound by religious exercise. Recognize it and refuse to be brought into bondage in any way, says the Lord. Obligation has its roots in a spirit of fear. The fear of rejection results in being a people-pleaser.

1 Thessalonians 2:4 But as we have been approved by God to be entrusted with the gospel, even so we speak, not as pleasing men, but God who tests our hearts.

One may have felt obligated to share what one had experienced with the apostle.  Thoughts came to one’s mind about the possible consequences if one did not say anything.  One felt fear.  One’s mind may have been under attack.  Satan is a liar and the accusations just would not stop.  These may be the very things the Lord warned about.  One let go of this issue completely and gave it to Jesus.

As a child my favorite characters on television were the old guys (usually Asian karate masters) who were always perfectly calm and had everything figured out, and they’d always sit there and smirk as the young fledgling hero fumbles all over the places like a jack ass unable to comprehend the supreme truth about life that the master knew. See if you can remember any of the old, wise characters from these show: Karate Kid, Kick Boxer, Dragon Ball Z, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. (Let me know if you can remember any other old, wise masters).

Anyway, one day it dawned on me. Fumbling around like a jack ass sucks. And what’s to keep me from being the calm, centered old dude too? All I have to do is understand the supreme truth that the old guys woudn’t tell me. Figuring it out should be easy. All I have to do is work the problem backwards.

See, I already know that the old guys knew that all the problems in life aren’t worth stressing over. I just need to know why. And the answer to the question is inherent in the question. Nothing is worth stressing over because it doesn’t matter. If it did matter then it would be worth stressing over.

It never clicked in my head why this is true until I read Mark Twain’s autobiography. Mark Twain became a millionaire four or five times through the course of his life, and every time he did something stupid to bankrupt himself, but he kept picking himself up. He died bankrupt, but you’re going to die anyway, and when you die it doesn’t matter how much money you have anyway.

The difference between the old, wise, tranquil guy and the guy who jumps out of a sky scraper when the stock market drops is perception of priorities. When you know what’s important then you don’t worry about the unimportant things. When you have a skewed perception of what’s important then overreact to unimportant events. So let’s ask the question, what’s important?

Imagine the worst possible things happening to you (All at the same time or separately. It’s up to you). Your loved ones die. You go bankrupt. You go to prison. You lose your legs. You’re in high school and you lose your social standing. Once you’ve lost in every way that you can lose in life what have you really lost? All you’ve lost is external luxury. But you still have your self, the only thing you ever really did own. Nobody can take that away from you, and as long as you have you then you can still till a life for yourself.

And on your death bed you’re facing the one inevitability that’s been in front of you since birth. It’s not logical to fear the inevitable. And the big kicker about death is that when you die you lose everything in life anyway. So if you lose something in life…shit…you were going to lose it anyway.

And suicide is an irony. If people had to choose between suicide and a better life they’re probably choose a better life, but at the time they believe there’s no way out of there situation. But hell, if you’re at the point that you’re willing to kill yourself you’ve lost everything in your mind. You’re free to do anything. Nothing is more empowering than that sense of freedom, because it actually is real freedom.

Anyway, during your life shit happens. So don’t be surprised when it does, and don’t freak out because you think it’s the end. It’s never the end until you’re dead, and in the mean time shit happening doesn’t change the fact that you’re still you and you can still experience life.

So the old, wise guy realizes that nothing really matters. but the reason the young jack ass hero can’t achieve the same Fight Club-esque sense of freedom from worry is because he’s trying too hard. Don’t try to hold the philosophy that loss is unimportant tightly in your mind. Just let go. All you’ll lose is your anxiety. Then when shit happens in your life you can say, “Fuck it dude. Let’s go bowling.”

…or you can freak out all the time and make a miserable jack ass out of yourself over nothing.

I’ve started teaching an early morning class over the past month, and despite my initial (and ongoing) aversion to alarm clocks and the awkward fumbling along the wall to find the light switch in the darkness of the early hour, I’m surprised at how I look forward to each AM class.

According to the definition used by my friends, I would fall into the category of a “morning person.” I usually wake up before the alarm clock is set to go off, regardless of the time it’s set to do so…I don’t need a cup of coffee to get going, and I’m more often than not cheery and alert upon rising. Never having been a fan of breakfast (despite being fully aware of its benefits), I don’t need to eat to kick-start myself in the morning…I can just get up and go, no worries and rarely without a smile on my face. All of this does not, however, mean that I like doing it. In fact, there are few things in my life that I hold dearer than the fact that I rarely have to wake up before 9am. This reason for this may lie in my past career, where it was not unusual to have to be at work for 7am, which required waking up at 5:15am (something that has since been relegated to catching early morning flights). One of the many pleasures I have encountered since leaving that career behind is catching up on sleep. As far as I’m concerned, depriving one of sleep in the line of duty should be reserved solely for those saving lives…doctors, nurses, our brothers and sisters in the armed forces. As was my situation, selling clothes to people who are buying said merchandise as a form of therapy is unnecessary and will never be part of my reality again as long as I live. Having gotten that out in the open, and now having the opportunity to return from the tangent I found myself forging, nothing has surprised me more since starting the AM class than the overwhelming feeling of tranquility and connectedness that I find myself immersed in at 6:30 am outside waiting for the bus.

Standing outside watching the absence of light recede, hearing the om-like vibration of the silence that descended on the city overnight, feeling the ocean-like sound of my breath as it operates my body’s mechanisms, even making eye contact with my fellow early risers as we pass each other on our respective ways through the murky morning…there’s a certain perfection to being awake at that hour, regardless of all the other factors and how they play a role in creating an atmosphere. If I close my eyes and just focus on my breathing, I could easily convince myself that I’ve tapped into another level on consciousness, some primordial essence of being that has existed long before human beings and will outlast us by eons. It is commonly suggested that yoga be practiced during the wee hours of the morning as there are few distractions and more organic energy to tap into throughout the asana practice, and I now understand why. I have obviously gotten up earlier than usual to practice yoga throughout my years as a yogi, most consistently for my teacher training weekends, but I must have been so focused on getting there on time that I missed all the beauty and purity of those mornings.

Teaching the class also offers a meditative quality that rarely presents itself in my later classes. The tone, cadence and fluidity of my voice takes on a unique quality during those sessions that leaves me feeling as rested as I do after the most restorative of savasanas, and so I look towards these classes with anticipation each week, knowing that not only will my altered state benefit my students, but will leave me feeling like I managed to tap into an energy reserved for the select few, the fortunate ones, the ones who understand the validity and benefits to rising early.

I can’t say that I’ll be rousing myself from my slumber daily, or that I could easily go without as much sleep as I’ve grown used to over the past year, but my intention is to get myself up and receptive earlier, and more often, so that I can partake in that feeling of connectedness to the universe that has presented itself to me. I’ll keep you posted on my progress, and feel free to try it out yourselves…and let me know what your observations and findings are

So this little slice of heaven was taken at Playa Norte on Isla Mujeres, Mexico.  Have I mentioned how much I loooooove Isla??  I did?  Oh, yes.  That’s right.  I found it impossible to drink in all of the serene shades of blue so I snapped tons of photos to help me in that quest at a later time.

I love the blue gradient in this photo…from the turquoise of the water all the way up to the sky’s blue hue, with an interspersing of fluffy white clouds!

To help you slip into this tranquil moment, picture the breeze gently blowing, waves softly crashing on the soft white sand, and the bathtub-temperature water enveloping your increasingly relaxed body.  Ah, there you go.  Now you’re there.

Yup.  Taken with the trusty Canon Powershot G7.