Conscious Brilliance

Autumn's Beauty

The birth of autumn is an event missed by many. Autumn reveals itself slowly, hovering on the edges of our consciousness until its crisp breezes are strong enough to pierce our summer clothing, and we notice for the first time the transformations taking place all around us. It is only when the last fruits and vegetables have emerged in the crisp tangy air and the trees have begun to deck themselves in shifting patterns of crimson and gold that we internalize that fall has indeed returned. Autumn is invigorating and a time to gather our thoughts, in the same way that we might once have collected crops. Just as animals collect acorns to store them, we reap the fruit of our accomplishments. Autumn also ushers in a new slowness of being for most of us, as the tone and tempo of our lives change along with those of all of Mother Earth's children. As the days grow shorter and the blossoms that brightened our gardens through summer's heat begin to droop and wilt, we tend to acknowledge the changing season without understanding that we, too, are in transition. The brilliance of autumn's foliage, the flocks of southbound geese honking overhead, and the arrival of a bountiful harvest are all signs that our lives will soon be changing. Whether the season's cooler days are a prelude to a cold winter or a long stretch of sweater weather, we feel obliged to slow down and take stock of our lives. Autumn's pleasures and rituals revolve around the gathering of abundance in preparation for the winter to come. There is ample time to contemplate what we accomplished during the warmer seasons while tasting the year's first cider or breathing in the sweet fragrance of leaves breaking down. The same stirring that inspires animals to burrow deep into the earth compels us to celebrate the rich bounty we instinctively know will not appea! r again until springtime. Appearances deceive in autumn. The transformations undergone by living beings seem much more like endings than the transitions they really are. Dormancy, not death, is the hallmark of fall. Your priorities will likely change as nature flares into sunset brilliance and then lapses slowly into slumber, but remember to rejoice in the beauty of nature where every finale serves as an overture for a new beginning.

I just love this website!

I am so looking forward to autumn!

Angelus' Words

See what no eye can see,

go where no foot can go,

choose that which is no choice--

then you may hear what makes no sound--

God's voice. --

Angelus Silvenius

Luz & Tom

S(He's) the Greatest Dancer!

RIP-roarily FUNNY!

I'm still laughing!

Courtesy of Flickr Friend-Mike.

Makes me feel like really dancing

but oh to have that figure!

Angels 101

Angels 101
by Doreen Virtue
Posted by: DailyOM

"There are countless numbers of angels who want to help you, me, and everyone live in peace. Just as people hold different specialties, so do the angels. Here is a brief guide to the various types of Heavenly beings who would love to help you: Guardian Angels: The angels stationed permanently by your side are called guardian angels. These are nonhuman celestial entities sent directly from the Creator. They’re not our deceased loved ones, who—while they can definitely act like angels—are called spirit guides. Our departed friends and family members, like all people living or deceased, have egos. Although they may be well-meaning, their guidance isn’t as pure and trustworthy as that of guardian angels, who are with us from the moment we’re born until our physical death. No matter what we do in life, our angels will never leave us. Guardian angels are protectors and guides, ensuring that we stay safe, happy, healthy, and fulfill our life mission. Yet, we must act as a team with our guardian angels to fulfill these intentions. That means asking for help from them and then receiving the help they give you. Speaking as a lifelong clairvoyant, I’ve never seen anyone without at least two guardian angels stationed by their side. One is loud and bold, to ensure that you’ll work on your Divine life purpose; the other is quieter, and serves to comfort and soothe you. Yet, not everyone clearly hears their angels. If everybody did, we’d have a completely peaceful world! You can have more than two guardian angels, and there are benefits to being surrounded by additional ones. They act like a castle moat, protecting you from negativity. The more angels you have with you, the stronger you’ll feel the sensation of their Divine love and protection. It’s also easier to hear a whole choir of angels, rather than the voice of just one or two of them. Invoke additional angels by requesting that God send them to you, by asking the angels directly, or by visualizing yourself surrounded by more of them. You can ask for as many angels as you’d like. Some people have additional guardian angels because a relative or good friend prayed for them to be surrounded by a number of them. Those who have had near-death experiences have extra angels to help with their adjustment to life following their experiences on the Other Side. Every time God thinks of love, a new angel is created. That means that there’s an infinite number of angels available to everyone".

Courtesey of Daily OM


This past summer my guardian angels brought me to a special woman by the name of Beth Woolf who is an angel messenger. We met twice and she shared the messages of my angels as I clearly had not been hearing what they were telling me. What an eye-opening experience! My mom recently saw Beth as well and another friend asked me to bring her to the "Angel Lady" and each of us has left the sessions with a newfound sense of purpose and direction. I just ordered my copy of this book and as soon as I get a house I want to make it a haven for my angels. One of the first things I want to do is purchase a few angel statues and display them in and around the yard to serve as a reminder that they are always near guiding me.

Morning Dew

Music: Lucia, Oscar Lopez

Mood: Anxious

A Magical Potion

Morning Dew

The world awakens each day from its nightly slumber, transformed by a sparkling layer of morning dew on the grass, on flower petals and leaves, on cars and car windows. These glistening droplets last only a little while, an integral part of what imbues the early morning with its aura of magic. If we sleep too late, we miss the magnificent display of sunlight playing upon an infinite amount of tiny crystal balls. To step onto the dew-covered grass is to anoint our feet with a form of water that comes only once a day for a short time, a rarefied gift of the night air that will soon evaporate in the full light of the sun. If we inhale slowly and consciously enough, it is almost as if we are drinking in this magical elixir formed in the boundary between darkness and light. In one myth, morning dew is believed to be tears from heaven, and in another, the droplets are poured from the vessel of the goddess of dawn. When we see the earth draped with these shimmering drops, it is easy to imagine fairies bathing in the water, or a sky god weeping from a longing to be closer to his beloved earth goddess. Seeing the sparkling beauty of the earth emerging from darkness, we may understand this longing in terms of our own gratitude; how blessed we are to be here. Perhaps heaven really does long to be here on earth, and perhaps that is why we are here—as conduits between the divine and the earthbound. As we drink the morning dew in with our eyes, our skin, our breath, it is easy to imagine that it really is a magical potion, a gift from heaven, a reminder of our true purpose, and a daily opportunity to be transformed.


What do you think?

Courtesy of Daily OM

Admittedly, I've not seen much of the morning dew of late as I'm either sleeping or inside getting ready for work or sadly too busy running to work to notice the dew. Soon, I hope to have a home and I long to be able to step outside in the backyard and breathe in this magic potion.

Blip!

Blip!
Originally uploaded by nieve44

Coming home from work tonight. My 13th day of 20 working back to back and not getting off till 7:00/8:00 on weeknights! I'm in robotic mode these days. I see blips of the sun going into work and the moon coming home from work. I'm hoping to get a much deserved three day weekend off on Labor Day and SLEEP!

Aniversario x 3

From

August 15, 2004.

What a difference 3 years make!

BTW, no regrets about the job...

except that I should've held out for more $$$!

Ironically, today in my office I was listening to

La Semana

and oh yeah, I was "Counselor in Charge" today.

Chunky Dunk

Chunky Dunk.
Originally uploaded by MadeIn1984

Came across this on Flickr and after having just eaten it really hits home as I just got in from walking the dog and with temps in the triple digits these days it sure makes me want to take a dunk!

Police Comments

These 16 Police Comments were taken off actual police car videos around the country:

#16 "You know, stop lights don't come any redder than the one you just went through."

#15 "Relax, the handcuffs are tight because they're new. They'll stretch after you wear them a while"

#14 "If you take your hands off the car, I'll make your birth certificate a worthless document."

#13 "If you run, you'll only go to jail tired."

#12 "Can you run faster than 1200 feet per second? Because that's the speed of the bullet that'll be chasing you."

#11 "You don't know how fast you were going? I guess that means I can write anything I want to on the ticket, huh?"

#10 "Yes, sir, you can talk to the shift supervisor, but I don't think it will help. Oh, did I mention that I'm the shift supervisor?"

#9 "Warning! You want a warning? O.K., I'm warning you not to do that again or I'll give you another ticket."

#8 "The answer to this last question will determine whether you are drunk or not. Was Mickey Mouse a cat or a dog?"

#7 "Fair? You want me to be fair? Listen, fair is a place where you go to ride on rides, eat cotton candy and corn dogs and step in monkey poop."

#6 "Yeah, we have a quota. Two more tickets and my wife gets a toaster oven."

#5 "In God we trust, all others we run through NCIC."

#4 "How big were those 'Just two beers' you say you had?"

#3 "No sir, we don't have quotas anymore. We used to, but now we're allowed to write as many tickets as we can."

# 2 "I'm glad to hear that Chief (of Police) Hawker is a personal friend of yours. So you know someone who can post your bail."

AND THE #1 WINNER IS....

"You didn't think we give pretty women tickets? You're right, we don't. Sign here

Running on Empty

Running into the Sun
Originally uploaded by nieve44

Running on - running on empty
Running on - running blind
Running on - running into the sun
But I'm running behind

Looking out at the road rushing under my wheels
I don't know how to tell you all just how crazy this life feels
I look around for the friends that I used to turn to to pull me through
Looking into their eyes I see them running too

For the past two weeks, I've been running behind, barely running into the sun and running on empty! I'm fininshing up my second week of working an extra part-time job and filling in for another person who is on vacation. Tomorrow, Sunday marks the 14th day of long hours of running back and forth between my regular job and the part-time job and running blindly. Thankfully, I"m on vacation the upcoming week and looking forward to some down time. Time to sleep, breathe, detox, and catch up with friends and loved ones. Even Chulo has been missing me.

More importantly, I'm finishing up my recovery period from my foot surgery. Just this past Thursday, I had the pin taken out of my toe and yes, it did hurt but was not excrutiating. So, now it's just one more week of walking with the stupid shoe but for now the toe is just bandaged and I only have to wear a sock to protect the foot. So, by next Friday if you see a shoe floating down the bayou you'll know its mine! ;-)

Touching Silence

Originally uploaded by nieve44

Music: Touching Silence, Nadama & Shastro
Mood: Sleepy (ok, not really a mood but you get the point)

My favorite time of the day...next to a sunrise but I haven't gotten to see to many of those lately. ;-( Title borrowed from song by 'Nadama & Shastro-A Reiki Offering' and I will have this photo in mind when I go in for my Reiki massage in the morning as I drift in and out of consciousness.

DCCLXXVII

*Above title taken from the Gregorian Calendar for the numbers, 7-7-7.

*Many couples consider today a date with destiny as the rush of weddings are at an all time high. The NY Times had this interesting article, "That’s because the date — the almost numerically perfect 7/7/07 — is being sought after by couples around the country as the ideal day for a wedding". I found this to be quite hysterical... "Oddly, some numerologists aren’t sure what all the fuss is about. For most couples, this is not the most desirable wedding date for long-term bliss” said Daniel Hardt, a numerologist and owner of the Life Path Numerology Center in Indianapolis. The triple 7 can lead to miscommunication. Interactions between the partners is likely to be strained. Marriage is difficult enough to sustain without the added burden of a potentially troublesome anniversary date, he said." Sorry Eva & Tony, which by the way I am so sick of hearing about their wedding! UGH!

I found Wiki's description of 7 to be more interesting! Lots of fun filled facts for this lucky date. No trips to the casino here or down the aisle for me today. Just a day at home but feeling lucky nonetheless for all my blessings. ;-)

Schmapped!

Schmap New York Third Edition: Photo Inclusion

Schmap New York Published Photographer: L.A. Rivera

Hi L.A. Rivera,

I am delighted to let you know that your submitted photo has been selected for inclusion in the newly released third edition of our Schmap New York Guide:

St. Patrick's Cathedral

Please enjoy the guide!

Best regards,

Luke Ritchie,
Managing Editor, Schmap Guides

A very pleasant surprised indeed in which I have been honored to have published. A few weeks back, I recieved a request to have my photo submitted/approved for the first round of inclusion to which I gave the o.k, and just last week got this email notice. Psss...the linked file is big and you may not initially see my photo until it fully loads and/or you may have to move the cursor around on the map for the photo to display.

Post-Op/OUCH

Post-Op/OUCH
Originally uploaded by nieve44

YEAH, I'm back home and back on the internet. Foot is coming along slowly in healing and still is painful but not like last week. As you can see right foot is all wrapped up and encased in a cast--which is a killer! I cannot wait to have the cast removed. Doc wants to operate on the other foot too but I don't think SO! Thanks to family/parents and friends for all the TLC. A big thanks to Mario for being there to hold my hand and to my nephew Martin for the endless card games we played. Thankfully, I"m off the next two weeks and will head back to the doc next week for my first post-op visit.

Universal Life Force Energy

Originally uploaded by nieve44

Last Sunday, I completed Level I of Reiki training and we learned about the concept of universal life force energy, which we hold in our hands and I will take this life force energy with me tomorrow/Monday as I go in for my foot surgery. Thus, I will be out of the loop for a few days.

Friday Funnies #2

Company Policy: Effective June 15, 2007

______________________

Dress Code: It is advised that you come to work dressed according to your salary. If we see you wearing Prada shoes and carrying a Gucci bag, we assume you are doing well financially and therefore do not need a raise. If you dress poorly, you need to learn to manage your money better, so that you buy nicer clothes, and therefore you do not need a raise. If you dress just right, you are right where you need to be and therefore you do not need a raise.
Sick Days: We will no longer accept a doctors statement as proof of sickness. If you are able to go to the doctor, you are able to come to work.
Annual Leave Days: Each employee will receive 104 Annual Leave days a year. They are called Saturday & Sunday.
Bereavement Leave: This is no excuse for missing work. There is nothing you can do for dead friends, relatives or co-workers. Every effort should be made to have non-employees attend to the arrangements. In rare cases where employee involvement is necessary, the funeral should be scheduled in the late afternoon. We will be glad to allow you to work through your lunch hour and subsequently leave one hour early.
Toilet Use: Entirely too much time is being spent in the toilet. There is now a strict three-minute time limit in the stalls. At the end of three minutes, an alarm will sound, the toilet paper roll will retract, the stall door will open, and a picture will be taken. After your second offence, your picture will be posted on the company bulletin board under the Chronic offenders category. Anyone caught smiling in the picture will be sanctioned under the company's mental health policy.
Lunch Break: Skinny people get 30 minutes for lunch, as they need to eat more, so that they can look healthy. Normal size people get 15 minutes for lunch to get a balanced meal to maintain their average figure. Chubby people get 5 minutes for lunch, because that's all the time needed to drink a Slim-Fast.

Thank you for your loyalty to our company. We are here to provide a positive employment experience. Therefore, all questions, comments, concerns, complaints, frustrations, irritations, aggravations, insinuations, allegations, accusations, contemplations, consternation and input should be directed elsewhere.

Friday Funnies

Music: Salvador Santana
Mood: Laughing

New blog--Friday Funnies

because it's the end of the week and

we all could use a good laugh to

kick off the weekend!

~~~~~~~~~~~

GRANDMA'S BOYFRIEND

~~~~~~~~~~~

A 5-year-old boy went to visit his grandmother one day and while playing with his toys in her bedroom while grandma was dusting, he looked up and said,"Grandma, how come you don't have a boyfriend now that Grandpa went to heaven?" Grandma replied, "Honey, my TV is my boyfriend. I can sit in my bedroom and watch it all day long. The religious programs make me feel good and the comedies make me laugh. I'm happy with my TV as my boyfriend." Grandma turned on the T V, and the reception was terrible. She started adjusting the knobs, trying to get the picture in focus. Frustrated, she started hitting the backside of the TV hoping to fix the problem. The little boy heard the doorbell ring, so he hurried to open the door, and there stood Grandma's minister. The minister said, "Hello son, is your Grandma home? "The little boy replied, "Yeah, she's in the bedroom bangin' her boyfriend."

The minister fainted.

Your Life Story

for Kym

~~~~~~~~

Maybe love is all anybody ever should believe in

Maybe life is just something that employs us till we die

Maybe all we know is that the sun will come up every morning

Maybe time can choose whether to be earthbound or to fly

everybody thinks they've got it down I won't worry,

the truth's always been found in your life story

Maybe you're the one waiting for the ship to find your harbor

Maybe you're the one looking past the forest to the trees

Maybe you still think the older that you get life just gets harder

Maybe you would trade everything for just one moment's peace Everybody strains to hear the sound of their heart's calling

Now you can write yours down it's your life story

Gather up your telegrams your faded pictures, best laid plans

Books and postcards, 45's every sunset in the sky

Carry with you maps and string, flashlights

Friends who make you sing And stars to help you find your place

music, hope and amazing grace

Maybe what we leave is nothing but a tangled little mystery

Maybe what we take Is nothing that has ever had a name

Maybe love will fade like the parchment pages of our history

Maybe life is made of flickers from some brilliant, burnished flame Everbody's waiting for a sign- I won't worry, I think we'll be just fine

In your life story It's your life story And my life story

This is our life story

~~~~~~~

Funny how your life story could be my life story

or her life story or his life story

but as MCC says, I think in time we'll just be fine.

~~~~~~~~

Lyrics by Mary Chapin Carpenter

What Does Love Mean?

This is so sweet. The last one will get you.

Slow down for three minutes to read this... it is so worth it. Touching words from the mouth of babes.

What does Love mean? A group of professional people posed this question to a group of 4 to 8 year-olds, "What does love mean?" The answers they got were broader and deeper than anyone could have imagined. See what you think:
~~~~~~~~~~~

"When my grandmother got arthritis, she couldn't bend over and paint her toenails anymore. So my grandfather does it for her all the time, even when his hands got arthritis too. That's love."
Rebecca- age 8

"When someone loves you, the way they say your name is different. You just know that your name is safe in their mouth."
Billy - age 4

"Love is when a girl puts on perfume and a boy puts on shaving cologne and they go out and smell each other."
Karl - age 5

Love is when you go out to eat and give somebody most of your French fries without making them give you any of theirs."
Chrissy - age 6

Love is what makes you smile when you're tired."
Terri - age 4

"Love is when my mommy makes coffee for my daddy and she takes a sip before giving it to him, to make sure the taste is OK."
Danny - age 7

"Love is when you kiss all the time. Then when you get tired of kissing, you still want to be together and you talk more. My Mommy and Daddy are like that. They look gross when they kiss"
Emily - age 8

"Love is what's in the room with you at Christmas if you stop opening presents and listen."
Bobby - age 7 (Wow!)

"If you want to learn to love better, you should start

with a friend who you hate,"

Nikka - age 6
(we need a few million more Nikka's on this planet)

"Love is when you tell a guy you like his shirt, then he wears it everyday."
Noelle - age 7

"Love is like a little old woman and a little old man who are still friends even after
they know each other so well."
Tommy - age 6

"During my piano recital, I was on a stage and I was scared. I looked at all the people watching me and saw my daddy waving and smiling. He was the only one doing that. I wasn't scared anymore."
Cindy - age 8

"My mommy loves me more than anybody You don't see anyone else
kissing me to sleep at night."
Clare - age 6

"Love is when Mommy gives Daddy the best piece of chicken."
Elaine-age 5

"Love is when Mommy sees Daddy smelly and sweaty and still says

he is handsomer than Robert Redford."
Chris - age 7

"Love is when your puppy licks your face even after

you left him alone all day"
Mary Ann - age 4

"I know my older sister loves me because she gives me all her old clothes

and has to go out and buy new ones."
Lauren - age 4

"When you love somebody, your eyelashes go up and down

and little stars come out of you." (what an image)
Karen - age 7

"Love is when Mommy sees Daddy on the toilet and

she doesn't think it's gross."
Mark - age 6

"You really shouldn't say 'I love you' unless you mean it.

But if you mean it,

you should say it a lot. People forget."
Jessica - age 8

And the final one -- Author and lecturer Leo Buscaglia once talked about a contest he was asked to judge. The purpose of the contest was to find the most caring child. The winner was a four year old child whose next door neighbor was an elderly gentleman who had recently lost his wife. Upon seeing the man cry, the little boy went into the old gentleman's yard, climbed onto his lap, and just sat there. When his Mother asked what he had said to the neighbor, the little boy said,
"Nothing, I just helped him cry"

~~~~~

Cha Cha Cha

The new 100 million dollar dance at Universal!

About time!

Admittedly, I have not seen any of their three films

but I am vaction/medical leave after next week

for a month and a half and

their films are on my list of movies to catch up on.

Thank you Universal!