...support...

so in order to assist my wrists during this tough time, i bought a brace for the left one. i would have bought another one for the right one but target only had one. until i get another one, i will wear a sweatband.

in other news, thien is back home in anaheim! i drove up to help him move down. and it's nice to have a brother again! i haven't lived with him for an extended period of time in 12 years! ay ya! it's never too late though! i can't wait for thailand for him; i must practice visualizing him as a monk.

i met with a friend who helped me get ideas on how to be more inclusive while i am facilitating and teaching at my sites. i hope it all works out!

when you are happy, everyone else is happy too! the happiness just overflows into others. leaving everyone better off!

check out ana laan! "paradise" is way happy!

for those of you heading out to vegas this weekend, have a fantastical time!!! :) say hi to chip for me! ;)

cuidate. y si necesites, preguntame para apollo.

from an e-mail rafa sent me.

How racism works

What if John McCain were a former president of the Harvard Law Review?
What if Barack Obama finished fifth from the bottom of his graduating class?

What if McCain were still married to the first woman he said "I do" to?
What if Obama were the candidate who left his first wife after she no longer measured up to his standards?

What if Michelle Obama were a wife who not only became addicted to pain
killers, but acquired them illegally through her charitable organization?
What if Cindy McCain graduated from Harvard?

What if Obama were a member of the "Keating 5"?
What if McCain was a charismatic, eloquent speaker?

If these questions reflected reality, do you really believe the election numbers would be as close as they are?

This is what racism does. It covers up, rationalizes and minimizes positive qualities in one candidate and emphasizes negative qualities in another when there is a color difference.

create your own green halloween costume!

http://www.greendaily.com/2008/09/22/make-your-own-halloween-costume/

September 22, 2008
Fostering Understanding
Pisces Daily Horoscope

You might feel that you have to keep your ego in check during negotiations, which may leave you feeling impatient both with yourself and with others today. It might be that you think you know what is right, but you feel frustrated knowing that if you assert your opinions your ideas might backfire. Letting go of your need to be perfect and correct could help you feel more comfortable with other people’s ideas and less attached to your own. Should you start to feel intolerant today you can imagine that you are a flower opening up to receive the sun’s energy. As you picture this, you might become more aware of the fact that your negotiations are the product of a symbiotic relationship between you and another person—their ideas are also necessary for success.

Seeing ourselves as receptive to others, we lessen the hold our egos have over us and open up to the abundance of ideas that exist in the world. Our desire to be right has more to do with our being afraid that someone else’s opinions won’t match our own or won’t take our needs into account. But if we are not extending the same openness to others, they won’t give it to us—sometimes trust and success begins with our laying our ego down on the line first. By acknowledging that others may experience the same sense of impatience with you, you will find it easier to be more receptive and to foster greater understanding in your interactions today.

i never thought that i had trust issues. i saw it plague my friends around me, as they kept people at bay and stopped themselves from fully experiencing relationships. but i understood why they did not let people into their hearts; they had been hurt before and didn't want to feel it again. but i was not afraid of hurting.

recently, i had an intense conversation with a good friend. and i started to piece together why i have had trouble sharing my feelings and concerns: i have not always felt that what i had to say would be safe with the other person. in awe, i tried to think of the people that i have had a track record of completely opening up to and there were only a handful. in my lifetime. and then it dawned on me that this fear of being emotionally rejected or not accepted has kept me from saying what i really feel and think, and ultimately, not trusting.

on a lighter note, i need to control my retail therapy. and cook.

September 21, 2008
Cultivate Constructive Interactions
Pisces Daily Horoscope

You may feel let down today which could be because your close personal relationships might not be meeting your expectations. This sense of disappointment might be the result of your having difficulty maintaining your trust in those who are near to you. While it is natural to feel disappointed at certain times in relationships, perhaps your emotions today are telling you that rather than focusing on the nature of your frustrations, it is better to bring your awareness to the ways in which you react to your loved ones. As you think about this, you might visualize yourself embracing your family members but keeping them at arm’s length, helping you to realize that even though these are people you love, they should not define who you are or how you perceive yourself. You may find this simple exercise makes it easier to feel better about your feelings.

Holding a space for our loved ones without requiring anything helps us to alleviate any negative emotions we may have. Since our family members are so close to us, their opinions often mean a lot to us. If we learn to detach with love in these relationships periodically, however, it gives us the space we need to reflect on what it is that is distressing us and to think about more positive ways to react to whatever may arise in our interactions. Finding a way to be compassionate without letting your feelings overwhelm you will allow you to cultivate much more constructive interactions with your loved ones today.

i really wanted to eat a fortune cookie today. and i wanted to share what mine said.

"luck helps those who help themselves."

September 14, 2008
Release Control
Pisces Daily Horoscope
From DailyOm

You may find that a resistance to accepting other people’s suggestions may make it difficult to make changes in your life today. It might be that you feel the need to protect your own interests, and you might feel the desire to control various situations as a result. Perhaps you could consider working on loosening your need to be in charge of things today. This would be a good time to learn how to be open to new thoughts and ideas. You may find that you will gain a greater sense of security over your responsibilities when you allow yourself to listen to other people’s suggestions. If you do feel your need to direct others arise, simply remind yourself that no matter how much you resist, change will occur with or without your input.

Making an effort to be responsive to at least one new idea helps us relinquish our need to feel control over a situation. Needing to be in charge often means that our fear of letting go overshadows everything else. Our feelings of power give us a false sense of security. We might think that things will remain constant, but change is the very essence of life. When we remember that the only thing we have control of is our minds, however, we become more open to the world around us. Change no longer scares us and we are able to feel our resistance to new ideas softening. By loosening your need for control today, you will set the necessary groundwork to transform your life.