but the bulk of the switch is done, from household cleaners to personal cleansers... The items I haven’t needed to replace yet include toilet bowl cleaner and drain-un-clogger, and I wasn’t that happy with the taste of the natural toothpaste I picked so I will try another. Not sure if it’s the flavor I selected or if I should try a different brand, will do the latter first… if anyone has any favorite products, feel free to recommend! I am not that big on citrus-y or otherwise food-y smelling cleansers though… I like oceany and other light “clean scents” or even scent-free stuff.

( 55 of my favorite peeps in the world )

I’ve always said that if my music or art or writing or anything I did or said touched just one person, that would be more than enough. After my latest creative project, I received so many thanks and comments to this effect (despite the requisite mixed feedback as well of course), that I feel I need to put my money where my mouth is and… chew it. Just kidding, I mean check this off. Of course, this is one of those entries that I will want to do again and again and again. =)

Hats off to me for becoming less enraged on a regular basis! I am well on my way to not giving a shit about anything not worth giving a shit about. Much progress in the last 6 months on this front, and it’s time to check this off (“we’ll continue to monitor your progress, Ms. Axel, but it’s safe to say you’re out of the dark now”) to make room for other worthy goals. =)

wow. more time for… everything! much less tension and stress, much less of that antsy feeling that “I am getting bored and must find stimulation” and also, less irritation at the constant commercial barrage and general idiocy of what is being broadcast as “truth” or even blatant disempowering propaganda. now that box is exactly what it is: a box. it plays movies when I want it to, the ones I want to see… and that’s about it. =)

I’ve kissed a few someones… not too few and not too many, but nevertheless, I can never get enough kissing! The ultimate icing for just about any cake, and depending on the mood you’re in, it can even be the cake. Sad, happy, angry, lonely, aroused, aloof, silly, supportive – kissing is great for all emotional occasions and for bringing the feeling out in ones that momentarily lack it.

Hey, you’re not going to live forever – and when you’re done, you won’t be fondly adding up the moments you spent watching one more episode of [insert addictive syndicated TV program here] instead of in liplocked bliss with your honey or sending kiddies off to sleep with the butterfly kisses… So give someone a smooch today, right now if you have the opportunity! You’ll be glad you did. ;-)

...is accepting people (and yourself) as is.

It has taken me a long time to learn that everyone is on their own journey of evolution, so what you see on the surface (or even below it) may be deceiving or simply more complex than your interpretations have a right to summarize… and also, there is the importance of living in the moment.

So, when you combine these realizations, you’re left with the stunning idea that living happily is about appreciating what and who is around you at any given point in time. No dwelling, no judging, no wishing any elements were any different than they are right NOW. Just acceptance and appreciation, either for the joy you feel at your observations or the challenge they bring which helps you to grow and remain curious and questioning.

So in honor of stopping judgment, I give you this song courtesy of The Original Sesame Street Lyrics Archive:

( Read more... )

(meanwhile, you may not be aware of the backstory on old Grover – check it out here)

Now reading:
The Hero Within: Six Archetypes We Live By (Carol S. Pearson)
There is also a newer book by this author called Awakening the Heroes Within (I think) that has 12 archetypes. I read an excerpt from that and it has some amazing things to say about human relationships and how timeless concepts manifest themselves in our seemingly modern “mythology-free” society. UPDATE: almost done with The Hero Within, it’s REALLY GOOD!! =)

Just finished:
How Can I Get Through To YOU? (Terrence Real)
Oh. My. God. This is perhaps THE single most brilliant book I have read in I don’t know how long! It just rocked me to the core, especially hearing bits of what people suddenly remember from their youth and how it affects how they do or don’t connect with others as adults. I noticed that the YOU in the title is highlighted, which is kind of interesting, since when people say this sort of trite phrase, they seem to stress the “through” more, like “how can I get THROUGH to you, for #$%@’s sake?” But stressing YOU makes me think it’s like “how can I safely reach the REAL YOU” or something. Anyway, this is down-to-earth writing by a very knowledgeable and spiritually-aware expert psychologist who has done his homework on the modern psyches of both men and women and takes a really accessible sort of evolutionary approach to everyday connection. He’s also at times funny and poetic, sometimes both – makes for an enjoyable read as well as a potent presentation of piercing evolutionary human theory.

Another great one is My Lover, Myself by Daniel Kantor, about how our own childhood myths about love and our roles affect us throughout life until we decode them and embrace the mythology of our personal identity through which we relate to others. Amazing book.