Good morning!

Good morning Christy. Pull together indeed. No other way.

Morning, Christyj – hope everyone Chez Reddhedd is good this morning.

Morning all — we’re having a plumbing emergency this morning, so I have to run out to buy a couple of things as soon as the ice melts off my windows. Be back in a flash…

(Is it me, or does that describe how things are in most of the country, regardless of plumbing?)

Thank you Christy! I hope we can all keep the negativity to a minimum and pass on some optimism. A little positivity goes a long way.

To make ourselves feel better this morning, I’ve created a Santelli Pinata for all of us to take a swipe at.

Our plumbing emergencies always seem to happen at 5 p.m. on Sunday afternoon, after the local hardware store has closed. :)

Morning everyone. Thank you Christy. We need to remember that we’ve faced perilous times before and have prevailed.

FWIW, I agree with Clinton. I’m hoping Obama’s speech Tuesday shows some optimism. We need leadership and some hope.

Well, we are very fortunate that this economic crisis afflicts us during a time when the government is not in the sole hands of the very dangerous people now out of office. It was a close one last November. I hate to think of what they would do with the additional power. Think of 911 doubled or more before this is over.

I also think that we have to push back at every Anti-Obama, anti-stimulus, anti-help the people of the United States meme that the GOP throws out there. They cannot be allowed to control the message because if nothing else, the American People need messages of pragmatism and hope…not the junk that is coming out now. And (as an aside), governors making noises that they won’t accept stimulus money for certain sectors are frankly wandering pretty close into racist territory… The country needs to pull together..not explode apart.

I have a bit of bad news. My daughter’s dog (the original Solai) had to be euthanized last night. Around 6pm she had a stroke. Rushed her to the vet but there was a great deal of hemorrhaging. She was put to sleep around 8. Very sad.

Good morning, all. Christy, I hope the plumbing emergency winds up having an easy solution. On the economy, it’s looking like it’s too late for that.

solai,
So sorry to hear that.

Hard to lose a friend like that.

I am so sorry…that’s a heartbreak at any age.

Jindal is rejecting federal aid for the unemployed. This is class warfare. It is estimated that 25,000 people will be impacted. There is already a recall petition going around for Cao from NO for voting against the stimulous time to add Jindals name to the recall.

Morning folks.

Yes, ma’am, it does indeed feel as if everything’s an emergency these days in. But with that, there’s a way to do things, and a right way to do things.

One of my favorite admonitions to colleagues and co-workers is the order in which these three words are used makes all the difference in the world: aim, shoot, run. I think we’ve gotten out of the habit of making sure the aim is right before we shoot, and then running — not away, but toward — the problem.

I suspect that at Chez Reddhedd, that plumbing emergency was encountered with a bit of judgment, a flashlight, a good look and assessment, and the crafting of a list of items needed to fix it at the hardware store. Christy will return with the appropriate stuff needed to fix the problem and they’ll get it done. Problem resolved — most likely for both the short and the long term.

What I’m seeing and feeling is that as a country, we’re not approaching the problems that we face in a similar way. We respond to a crisis with some politically driven quick fix (and yes, I’m thinking about TARP 1 and 2, and the ARRA) for which we really didn’t measure the problem and won’t really fix the issue for the short or the long term.

We do have a choice — a choice to make a careful (if reasonably fast) assessment a problem, develop a plan, execute it, and see if it’s working six months later.

And the “we” of which I’m speaking is the “we” of “E pluribus, unum”. Not the royal “we” of the Village, not the “we” of the conservative Wurlitzer or the “we” of the progressive blogosphere — but the we that includes all of us.

“My granny used to say that who you are shines brightest when no one is looking over your shoulder. And nothing tests that more profoundly than tough times.”

Christy,
We’ve got the tough times, ’cause no one was looking over anyones shoulder the last 30 years.’
But I am thankful for President Obama. He may, on occasion, be wrong. Aren’t we all? But isn’t it really nice to have a President who doesn’t smirk, is actually thougtful, and speaks in clear sentences?
I’d almost forgotten what it was like to have a person you like and admire in that office!
Have a nice weekend, all! :-)

It’s always hard to loose a family friend, either human or animal, especially to accident or sudden health issue. Sorry for your loss.

One of my daughters dogs passed a month or so ago. It was about nineteen years old and had stopped eating. Her other dog would take a mouthfull of food out of the bowl and drop it in front of Sheps mouth where she lay. It was sad to lose him but the caring by the other dog was uplifting.

Can you believe that? Who exactly is calling the shots with these guys? Do they think attaching ‘heartless bastard’ to Jindal’s name is the way to get him elected?

Thank you all.

Well, for someone who has national GOP ambitions, ‘heartless bastard’ is item one on the list that has to get checked off. Item 2 is : Being willing to throw your mother under the bus.

my inner oppo says “Governor Redline”

maybe these klowns should revisit what WH did with Santelli this week , jes sayin’

Mornin’ All

Absolutely.
The problem, of course, is that the entire House Republican cohort has decided to line up in step with its Leadership, which is, in turn, being pushed by the farthest-out-there Wingnuts in the cohort. The Senate Republicans are almost as ideologically Right-Wing pure as their House colleagues, save for the Snowe-Collins-Specter trio, and save for the fact that, most of them being themselves millionaires, they can always be counted on to bail out the financial institutions, though not the automakers and the middle class homeowners. Faux populism has no place among these Senate Republican plutocrats. That is THE major difference between the House and Senate GOP.
On the Senate side, it will all be much easier for the Dems when and if Franken is seated, leaving them at 59 and in need only of the ever-cynical and up-for-re-election-in-2010 Specter.
Still, it seems to me that the Obama WH now has the right idea: Get the president the hell out of town, on the road, and selling the program to the people–and the governors. As we’ve seen, even Republican governors–some of them at last–know that their states need help desperately.

The lesson: Bipartisanship works–with those who need it most.

Mike – animals are truly amazing. We once had two rams – one very big named Bill and one that was the closest thing to Danny Devito in a sheep costume named Fred. Bill got a terrible bacterial infection in one of his stomachs and it destroyed his ability to produce Vit. B – and he lost his sense of taste, smell and he went blind. We knew something was wrong when we went into their pen one morning and Bill was basically slumped up against the wall like a drunk and Fred was braced up against him, trying to hold him up. Fred followed our ministrations to Bill very carefully…which was pretty funny because those guys used to take it out on one another quite often.

Or if you are an alaskan governor – your daughter

I’m waiting for my sister who driving in from NYC to visit. Tonight at my synagogue we have services then a talk from a muslim couple on being a muslim american. This morning they are reading the parts of the torah and the koran (i’m not going)

In a way, this is the endgame of what Reagan & co. started with the “welfare queens” meme almost 30 years ago. We’ve demonized the poor and disenfranchised in this country to the point where it’s acceptable to either ignore them or their needs, or to actively take from them as they have no power to fight back.

Our country only works, and works well when the needs of all of us are considered. “From the many, one.” Not “From the many, only the rich and powerful and celebrated.”

(((solai))) I”m very sorry to hear this.

Item 3 = “Family Values”

aka – knowing the fair market value of the family member you’re getting ready to sell…..

so sorry..My dog is sitting next to me..I can’t imagine my life with out her. I am a widow and an empty nester

Good morning all.

Wow that Millineryman sure is deep. :) What a great way to start the day by being referenced in a Pull Up Chair post. I’m thrilled, and thanks Christy.

I do have to say I was struck by the quote by Washington. It resonated to me where we’re at right now. They had to create a new country, we have to reinvent one.

Or if you are a AZ senator married to a beer goddess your SIL.

hey Christy,

about that WH cocktail party the other evening . . .

Andy Stern throws down tee hee

Here’s a video of Sarah Palin and a religious wingnut getting ready to feed the poor in two towns that don’t include Emmonak, you know, the town where the people need fuel and are also starving:

http://theimmoralminority.blog…..n-and.html

As noted in the comments, I watched this video and came away with the feeling that ole Sarah was saying that they will get this food today but must move to the city soon, otherwise, no more food for them!

Yep, ole Sarah believes everyone should come to her area of the state, because if she can’t ’see you’ then she doesn’t care about you. Oh yeah, and you need to grow up like her husband Todd did! Spit.

And that gave me hope. This is the first time I’ve seen Gibbs. (The new teevee is now plugged in, but hasn’t yet been turned on. Saw him on a Net clip.)

I absolutely loved his gentle but firm voice. And his smack-down of Santelli was done in an altogether appropriate way. But there was no mistaking that Gibbs/WH will not suffer fools lightly.

The contrast between Gibbs and Perino, ergo Obama and Bush, could not be more clear. I like it. I like it a lot.

I want to point out this headline at Politico.com

Obama: ‘The beginning of the end’

Then if you read the article, this is what he actually said:

“I don’t want to pretend that this marks the end of our economic problems. … Today does mark the beginning of the end.”

Masterful headline, no?

She is in good company. That is about the same time they put down Socks, the Clinton cat, last night. So sorry for your loss.

Bush needed his beauty sleep so that he could keep that powerful brain energized

oh . . . and there’s this -

Utah Senate leaders stripped Sen. Chris Buttars of his position on the Senate Judiciary Committee on Friday in response to outrage and embarrassment from Buttars’ anti-gay tirade to a documentary filmmaker.

yep, you heard right Utah !

I curtsy respectfully in honor of your depth, sir. (See? No grin, no snark tag; she means it!) It was a powerful statement.

I have a feeling that Gibbs knows about the Bay of Pigs, too.

Home again. Bless the Starbucks gods who created the nonfat peppermint mocha to soothe my frazzled soul this morning…

i’m sorry solai. much love to your daughter and the family.

sorry about your news, Solai.

A couple of weeks ago my neighbors here in the complex moved out. They left some great stuff behind for whoever wanted it, so I got a TV with a DVD player, a lamp, some cool kitchen utensils (which must have some practical use), an ironing board, exercise ball, some other stuff, and a plant.

I now have ‘rescue plant’. It is still alive, amazingly enough, and I’ve named it Bob.

I knew that Bob was a male plant because after some attention and watering, he grew a new shoot – kinda reminds me of the Washington Monument.

It’s entirely possible that Bob is also gay….

As do I, MM. We’re in short supply of optimism.

So, so sorry, solai.

Nonfat? Where’s the fun in that? *g* Me, I’m a Caribou northern lite vanilla cooler kinda gal, even in the dead o’winter. Got a few inches of snow here last night. Hate to admit it, but it’s kinda purty.

It’s a great response, and I’d be tickled if CHS quoted me!

The other famous speech that speaks to this, at least for me, is Lincoln’s address to the Young Men’s Lyceum of Springfield, Illinois, 27 January 1838.

When people compare Obama to Lincoln, they needed to remember how much farther he has to go:

We toiled not in the acquirement or establishment of them–they are a legacy bequeathed us, by a once hardy, brave, and patriotic, but now lamented and departed race of ancestors. Their’s was the task (and nobly they performed it) to possess themselves, and through themselves, us, of this goodly land; and to uprear upon its hills and its valleys, a political edifice of liberty and equal rights; ’tis ours only, to transmit these, the former, unprofaned by the foot of an invader; the latter, undecayed by the lapse of time and untorn by usurpation, to the latest generation that fate shall permit the world to know. This task of gratitude to our fathers, justice to ourselves, duty to posterity, and love for our species in general, all imperatively require us faithfully to perform.

Some big shoes to fill. For all of us.

lol.

Again, thank you all.

That’s our role as citizens with the rights of free speech, assembly and a free press. While corporate swine have taken over the traditional press, we assemble and express our views on the virtual press.

The Obama team has shown they are savvy with the tooobz, and when they see they outpouring of rage against a termite like Santelli, it gives them the support they need to respond at the press briefings like Gibbs did yesterday.

It’s one of new way forward using the rights we have.

although I am sure he will disappoint on occassion, I have been a Gibbs fangirl since October 8th :D

We are our brothers’ planet-mates’ keepers.

Once the Christians recall their Christianity, and the Reaganites get past their “virtue of greed,” this planet will be a much nicer and safer place to live.

I’ve been thinking the lesson is to work the GOP, one by one, to peel off the more perilously situated ones electorally. Once that wall of intransigence begins to crumble, it will start a cascade.

But I could be wrong. *g*

October 8, October 8 . . . oh, pooh, can’t get there. Help me, Rhonda!

Well said. But it seems to me that even some on the progressive side can endanger the hope of eventual recovery. I support Obama because he is extremely smart, pragmatic, and, IMO, well intentioned. He promises what FDR did; i.e., a pursuit of the common good and experimentation in search of answers which work. It appears to me that NO ONE knows the absolute answers to this vast, complex situation, and too strident or cynical complaints about the experiment are not helpful to the cause of successfully navigating this situation.

Rachel Maddow’s summation of President Obama’s first month in office made me smile and feel wicked happy:

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/26315908/#29309051

Can’t get there either. Enlighten us.

If Bob starts to talk and says “Feed me, Seymour”, take one of those kitchen implements (preferably one with a sharp edge) and cut off all the shoots very quickly.

That’s a tough one for the family. Pets are members of the family, just another species.

Link doesn’t work.

sorry darlin’, it’s a youtube of his unprecedented beatdown of Hannity – turning ol Sean’s guilt by association gambit ( AYres) back at him . . . on anti semiticism (Andy Martin)no less – priceless

LOL.

Good Morning firepups. 5 inches of fresh snow in NE Iowa this AM.

Thank you to T.A.Y.S.E.R. for the picture of the lake near Kaprun. I learned to ski on the glacier outside Kaprun and very fond memories of the village at Christmas. Das ist Shoen.

Re: Robert Gibbs. He is a fine fellow….and yes he was raised to be well informed. Both parents are librarians and the mother has been especially active in Dem politics. The dad is now retired but she’s still going strong (head of acquisitions for Duke’s libraries).

His dad grew up in a very small town here in a poor rural area of NC. His uncle lives next door to us.

Very solid, up by the bootstraps, family…..just good people (and very proud of him).

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b2AaqcaMkU8

youtube of same

crosses fingers, strokes magic blogging dragon

Christy – that’s a wonderful photo!

Morning, Christy and dogs. What a beautiful picture, Christy. I want to go there for a while!

Solai, so sorry about the doggie. Cindy Loo Hoo is on my lap as I type…

I am listening to/occasionally watching the Gibbs/Hannity clip. Have never heard Hannity before. (The teevee thingie) What an arrogant, rude, interrupting bag of fecal matter. And as he spends all those minutes talking over Gibbs and finally says to Gibbs, “Let me finish!” as Gibbs attempts to be heard — well, I threw my shoe at the new teevee and shattered it to smithereens! (virtually)

It’s being reported that Jindahl is turning down 100 million for the unemployed in LA. Affects 25,000 + citizens. Unemployed marching on Baton Rouge would make a powerful headline.

I’m trying very hard to reduce some inches off my rear end. A mocha isn’t exactly a healthy thing to grab, but I at least shaved a few calories off with the nonfat part, I suppose.

It’s tough to try and be healthy eater and drinker at the same time what you are really craving is comfort food. Too bad when I’m stressed I don’t crave a “comfort jog.” LOL

See what you’ve been missing?

barbara, in the interests of your physical and emotional health do not watch these right wing gasbags, unless at some point in time they are on trial.

I just loved this photo. It really is a magical shot, isn’t it?

See, now that is something nice to know. Thanks for sharing it!

(The new teevee is now plugged in, but hasn’t yet been turned on. Saw him on a Net clip.)

Whatever you do, approach a new teevee gradually. Get a long extension cord and set it outside in the snow. Glance at it when you pass by the window. Do not look directly at the screen for more than a few seconds. Do not turn the sound up during the break-in period.

Me, too — I would go there in a heartbeat if we had the money and the time to do so. Isn’t it gorgeous?

But, alas, I’ve spent the morning running around trying to find something to fix a plumbing issue — which, mercifully, has now been fixed. Crazy Saturday morning instead of my usual weekly relaxing exhale here. Ugh.

Well then I have good news for all you cappuccino lovers. From a guy that ran a coffee shop I learned that skim milk froths better and thus makes a better cup of cappuccino. So, enjoy.

“comfort jog” as in…running? outside? moving quickly for a long time? intentionally? hoo boy, that’s a good one! *g*

So glad you were pleased. It struck me as just the sort of thing we ought to talk about a bit further. Thanks for saying it. :)

Yesterday for the first time in about 14 years I went to a library to do some research. I’ve gone over to donate books, dvds in that time, but since the internet came on board I’ve been using that.

I was so disappointed that the card catalogue was gone. I had this giddy expectation driving over because as a kid it was like an adventure for me going through the cards.

I still had fun exploring the shelf though. Lots of magic happens that way.

Bob doesn’t talk much yet.

I’ve also noticed a decided lack of drive and personal ambition – he mostly just sits.

I did move the remote away from him though – very annoying to keep coming home to find that the teevee has been left on a different channel…

sage advice. that brings a smile to my heart.

You are so funny! I can actually picture doing this. My daughter was the first to remind me that I should plug it in. That was a very big first step. Hey, that’s it! You’ve just started a 12-step program for responsible teevee viewing!

When I was a kid, I used to like finishing up a search on the library computers with a search term that was really obscure. So the next person who sat down would be confronted with a whole search cache on some astrophysics tangent or Amazonian tribal rituals or something fun like that.

No idea why it used to tickle me to do that, but it did. Clearly, I’ve always been a bit nerdy. *g*

Barbara – I found a way to use one of those old treadmills that you sometimes see in Jan. and Feb. next to people’s driveways — the DH put a piece of plywood on the magazine rack and I get it to go pretty slowly – 1.5-2 mph…I can actually walk and comment on that AND get some exercise in at the same time…

I regret having to tell you that it’s becoming clear Bob is a Republican. You must turn on Fox “News” for him and feed him Napoleon brandy and brie.

SIGH I’m trying to work myself up to a comfort walk. That’s about all I’d be able to pull off at this point, I’m afraid. Since my lupus diagnosis, I’ve been under-exercised because of joint issues. Now that we’ve gotten me on medication that isn’t badly reacting to my system but is, instead, actually helping, I can start — slowly — to get my rear end in gear again.

The frustrating thing is that I used to work out quite a bit — weights, interval cardio training, etc. — and what I want is to start going gangbusters, but if I do, then everything will freeze up again. So this is like forced zen training for me — learn to take things slowly and appreciate incremental changes or else. *g*

And the cocoa in a mocha is chocolate sans fat. Not a bad choice for the chocolate fix.

Just an fyi, folks; tbogg is up at the mothership.

That’s my problem, too (the all-or-nothing approach to exercise). Had a membership at the Y (just three miles from home) several years ago. Started at it like a wild thing. Eventually realized my monthly membership fee (automaticall deducted from my checking account, ergo like a slow leak) was more or less a charitable contribution. So I canceled. My little cardiac thingie in January suggested that I need to hoist this lard into action mode. So. I will if you will!!

Ha! I like that. Perhaps I’ll start doing that since my fun with the card catalogue is gone. I get the nerdy thing, I publicly admit to having fun with card catalogues, and I used to red encyclopedias for fun.

I’m off to do some props. We’re doing The Marx Brothers, The Cococanuts, which should be real whoot. I love the Marx Brothers so this is a lot of fun.

Good morning, all. Despite being dead broke and living in the middle of a construction site, we’re having out of town guests coming for Mardi Gras. Everyone’s chipping in supplies and camping out in my home. It’s wonderful to see them all again.

The seeds I planted last Saturday were pushing through the seed starter by Wednesday, so now I have romaine lettuce, brussels sprouts, bush beans and moonflower (no, you can’t eat those, but they’re food for the soul). I was planning on mixing the moonflowers with morning glories so that we’d have blooms night and day (moonflowers bloom evening and night).

mornin’ pups–
((((solai family))))

drive by, shoulder not cooperating this morning to reach for keyboard..

found a great site for fix-it last night–why?
all in the last week, all are not ‘emergency’ but need fixed asap/. no mr. fix-it here, ‘cept me.
1) sprayer fixture into kitchen faucet leaking, won’t tighten..already fixed hole sprouted in faucet arm, jbweld, but now need new faucet…slow drip bucket fix.
2)bathtub dripping into garage–luckily that part of ceiling not finished. slow drip, bucket fix.
3) when popping the shade down, bathroom light fixture came out of the ceiling, told friend to shove it back in there.
4)yesterday hot water was HOT , uh oh.

so, found this site—has electronics, plumbing, everything…so cool..i looked tthrough the site on things i already know how to do, and it is dead-on.
http://www.fixitclub.com/Major…..tml?page=1

will post what i was going to post before i read comments in tanother comment box. then might have to respond later, shoulder killing me at this angle.

Whoa, whoa, whoa! What does this mean, doing the Marx Brothers? Sounds like serious fun.

Maybe we should start a Sunday health club post? *G*

Oh, (((dmac))). Sorry about the shoulder. Truly. Sure you know what to do for it, so won’t advise. See? I can keep my mouth shut sometimes!! *g*

Are you serious, *g* notwithstanding? Lots of us could use the nudge. Well, okay, I could.

Lindy, the garden sounds lovely. WIll live vicariously through yours until we finally drag our way forward to spring. It was so cold out this morning that I had to let my car heat up for 7 minutes before the ice on my windshield finally began to budge a little bit…

Does Bob eat much? Kinda risky during an economic mess, jayt. You brave.

Did you first acquire Bob after the last time we saw Joe the Plumber?

(I have a bit of bad news. My daughter’s dog (the original Solai) had to be euthanized last night. Around 6pm she had a stroke. Rushed her to the vet but there was a great deal of hemorrhaging. She was put to sleep around 8. Very sad.)

My last dog died 20 years ago valentines day, it still hurts.

Some people find it helpful to cry lots and loudly.

Yes, please. But can we have it a little later than pull up a chair for the west coasters? I always get here too late on Saturday morning.

I’m so sorry to hear that, solai. At Rainbow Bridge she is whole again.

Been there, survived that when we had to have our first dachshund, Tasha, put to sleep several years ago. Still makes me sniffly to think about it. SIGH

I was thinking perhaps an evening thing — so we could start the week off nicely. Would that work for everyone?

Envious that you already have seeds in the ground. My seed order arrived so I can start tomatoes, peppers, brussel sprouts etc. but will have to wait 2 months at least before anything can go in the ground. The garden will not only provide cheap, healthy food but should knock off about 10 unwanted pounds off my frame.

If I come home and find that the teevee has been left on FoxNews, Bob’s name will change to “Newt”.

And then we’ll have “the talk” and I’ll walk him down the hall to show him the trash chute down which he can still easily fit, thereby becoming an un-rescue plant.

Christy, my daughter and a friend flew in from NY yesterday, and they think the weather we’re having down here is balmy. They said they froze trying to make it to the airport. It was in the low forties here this morning and last night…but should reach high sixties today. I’m really glad they found it balmy. We don’t having a heating system in the house yet and are using small, portable heaters that we can move from room to room.

i go out walking many mornings and often go to a dance class when i don’t go walking. what i’ve noticed is that i do it if i like it – the dance class is fun and it’s understood you can actually do what you want regardless of what the teacher and the class are doing – it’s called NIA and there are classes in many cities.

my house backs up to a greenbelt and myself and one to three other neighbors go out together. they have dogs and we usually hike down to the creek and back. last summer while they played with the dogs and fed the turtles i’d go for a swim.

I’m the props guy for the local theater. The Cocoanuts was a Broadway play before it was a film, it was written for a cast of 50. It’s larger then life and the gags are a mile a minute. We’re not doing it with 50, closer to 20.

It’s rarely done on stage, at least in the southern part of NJ. At read through I couldn’t stop laughing, and the actors were playing their parts cold. I could only imagine what it will be like once it’s up on the stage. The director is student of Groucho, he’s playing Groucho also and he’s very good at comedy.

or you could show him the compost bin.

I’m a morning girl, but I can still read it even if I can’t post…

me too. i’m Mountain Time and never make it here in time though I get up around 7AM.

second that! Thank you yellowsnapdragon.

when i hear ‘inaugural speeches’ i always think of this quote by marianne williamson often attributed to nelson mandela from his inaugural address. even though mis-attributed, i like the feeling it gives me that this is something he would say, and what it took for him to be the kind of man he is.

we all have obstacles to surmount, whether they be mental, physical or /and spiritual…how we go about doing that defines us and defines the outcome we can achieve. whether someone is watching or not isn’t the defining factor, how and where we lay the brick on the path through it is. and we aren’t the only one who will step on it.

“Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness, that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, and fabulous? Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God. Your playing small doesn’t serve the world. There’s nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won’t feel insecure around you. We are all meant to shine, as children do. We are born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us. It’s not just in some of us, it’s in everyone. And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others.”

bbl

Actually, everything is going into pots. The ground in my yard sat in toxic sludge for several weeks after the Army Corps of Engineers flood of 2005 and I would rather not plant food crops in the ground, so this is something of an experiment for me to see what I can and can’t grow in pots and raised beds.

mr cbl: “you’re telling me I can’t tear down this flowerbed, have to dig an extra 25 yards ’cause it’s got a moonflower ?!?!?”

cbl: “yep”

Perfect! I’m serious. I think I hear the body parts buried under a generous layer of lard weeping softly. The audacity of hope!

Isn’t that the bar where Coulter and Malkin hang out?

What about after the Sunday cuppa post, then? Around noon ET/9 am PT? Could be open all day, so folks can just check in and out when they want?

Oh, what fun! I “did” theater when I was a kid. Absolutely loved it. Haven’t trod the boards since. Sounds like you’re having a ball with this. Booyah!!

Okay, if we’re going to talk nerdy games, I have the best for long car rides. I don’t know where it came from but I don’t think it’s well known.
The first person states a letter. The others follow adding a letter. The object is to NOT be the one to spell a word, although you must have a word in mind or you may be challenged. (two letter words are exempt)
Example:
Person #1: T
#2: R
#3: U
#4: (if he adds an ‘E” he loses since he spells ‘true’. So he can instead add a “T”
#5: Probably trapped and has no choice but to say ‘H’ and thus lose. Of course, if he says “Z”, he will be challenged and still loses.

Is that clear? It’s the car-game I grew up with.

bookmarked. thanks.

hahaha…I used to say to my son, when he’d complain that he wanted a ’six pack’ that ‘they are already IN there — they are just hidden!

LOL! Yep!

Hahaha. Sounds like me and the Mr. doing a home remodel. He: easiest. Me: esthetics. Argument ensues.

In the interest of the newly emerging era of bicoastalshipness, I’m game for anything. Even bought a wii Fit, which I used once, was so appalled at my out-of-shapeness that I am too ashamed to appear before the wii trainer, who keeps saying very kind things, like, “For a fat girl, you don’t sweat much. Way to go!”

barbara–shoulder just locked up–fibromyalgia.. did a bunch of stuff this week and it’s retaliating..(moving stuff around, setting up pottery studio) put biofreeze on it and going to put tens on it.

just can’t sit at the computer very well.making it worse. and i need it to get better so i can play ms. fix-it..

and i love puc, so, wanted to try at least….other than that, life is good..

bbl

Good morning. Its way too cold here in Charlotte . But we planted three fruit trees and bought wood for our raised beds yesterday. Suburban living wont keep me from gardening!
Listening to Rachel’s Obama’s amazing first month. We do have somethings to celebrate.

I would really like that!

Has anyone ever used the ‘Topsy Turvy’ to grow hanging tomato plants? Thought it would solve some space issues.

Our crazy IT guy at work bought a Wii, which is now used for group bowling and boxing tournaments. Every lunch hour is now filled with people using it. No Wii Fit, though. He is threatening to bring that in also.

You could be right too. I still think this is more likely to work in the Senate than the House, though, yes, there are a handful of more independent Republicans there than the Stimulus votes would indicate. Castle of Delaware, Walter Jones of N.C. Plus another one or two from the NY/NJ area.

And, in the Senate, you could possibly peel off Voinovich of Ohio and maybe, just maybe Martinez of Florida. A better hope would be that Martinez retires early and the infinitely more independent Charlie Crist appoints himself to the Senate.

But, yes, right: Peel them off, issue by issue. There’s a least a shot at that working.

transcutaneous nerve stimulator, yes? My ex’s company was in that biz. Manufacturing of same. Didn’t realize it’s still being used. Glad, though. It’s a great concept!

solai, I haven’t. But I have used something like it…a five gallon bucket with a hole in the bottom and a stick to hold the plant in place when you first put it in. It works great, and you feed the plant through the top of the bucket and hang it up by the handle. Roma tomatoes love it!

We have a Wii Fit, too. And I love it although my fitness level is pitiful. But now that my FIL has moved in, I rarely if ever use it because he’s in the living room alla time where our Wii is, and I’m just not comfortable making an exercise fool of myself in front of an audience.

It has been such an adjustment having him here. Have I said that lately? I’m looking forward to nicer weather to just get out for a little walk by myself a little bit every day or get out in the yard pulling weeds and such. I need to find a more productive way to get my own space somehow…

Not topsy turvy, but I did upside down tomatoes last year and it was a disaster. I got enough tomato to do about a side salad. Maybe I used the wrong variety of tomato? Dunno.

I don’t know if it helps you with your fibro, but for me a heating pad or a hot soak in the tub does wonders when my lupus is acting up. But I’ve found that everyone reacts so differently that what works for me isn’t always good for someone else…

the wii bowling is so much fun. I’m an absolute loser at the tennis and baseball so don’t much try. Golf fun, too. Have never tried the boxing. My brother beats my butt at the bowling. He’s very kind about my constant failure. I throw the darn thing the way I used to throw a real bowling ball back in the day (175 average, pups! barbara was a pretty good bowler) and so I have shoulder issues too, bmac. Aging gracefully? Screw it! I’m going out sprawling and scrapping! *g*

what is a wii Fit?

The best part of living in the city is that we have to walk our dogs(and us) everyday. We back up on a greenway the city maintains. A four mile trail with wild life.

Let me give you a secret – I can’t bowl for real for anything. But if you forget all the technique except for lining up the red line on the spots on the visual lane and throw it straight, you can do pretty well. The best I ever did when I was in a league was 135 — I can now do over 200 regularly and, ahem..I’m actually company champ again – held off four challengers this past week (now buffing nails on shirt and wandering away…).

Wii fit

Oh, honey, I’m sorry. I know you’re doing this out of the goodness of your generous heart, and your FIL is so fortunate to have you in his life. That said, I worry about you. You have such an over-full life (I’m guessing). Any time for massage and/or acupuncture? Hot tub? Gin and tonic?

Apropos of nothing, but hilarious all the same, from TPM:

A little nugget from an article in yesterday’s New York Daily News pointed out by TPM Reader DS. Turns out my main man Sean Hannity was a big pal of Sir Allen Stanford too …

A big booster of Stanford has been Fox News host Sean Hannity who intones on his radio show, “Stanford Coins & Bullion, a member of the Stanford Financial Group – their name as good as gold.”
–Josh Marshall

Mr. ReddHedd bought me a half-day massage/facial/manicure/pedicure package as a Valentine’s present. Pathetically, I have yet to even schedule my appointment.

Which I think says it all in terms of where I am at the moment stress-wise. *g*

Bwahahahahahaha — karma’s a bitch, isn’t she?

It’s an electronic software package that hooks up to your teevee. wii Sport has several games you can play (golf, bowling, tennis, baseball, boxing). It’s totally interactive (the control fits in your hand and responds to the movements you make). You can play solo or with several others. Pretty darn realistic. Especially the bowling. Sights and sounds of the sports venue make it fun, and wii voices call out encouragement when you’ve done something good (e.g., “Nice strike!”)

wii Fit is an additional package, also interactive. Factors your height and weight and age, tests your balance (there’s a floor platform that isn’t wired, but is electronically part of the whole). Then it puts you through your paces. Balance, strength, flexibility, yoga, bunch of other stuff at an appropriate level for your fitness. Me? I just lie on the floor and listen to all of it. *g*

When the weather is nicer, we have a lovely walking trail down by the river which I like to do a coupla times a week. It’s a partial nature trail which has some lovely ducks and squirrels and such around, and makes for a nice couple of mile double loop especially early in the morning.

But it’s been so icy and nasty here this winter, that the trail has been a little too slick for my non-cooperative clumsy limbs to chance, I’m afraid. But spring is coming…

My brother does 200’s fairly often, too. Also friend Margie who says she doesn’t have an athletic gene in her body. Meanwhile, old slam-those-suckers-down with my great, big hook ball seems incapable of letting up and letting go. What’s that, you say? A metaphor? Hmmmm.

This week, please???

All that to say, I really wouldn’t do it any other way — he’s family and this is what we do for family, ya know? But I’m hitting a sort of emotionally exhausted wall at this point and I need to find a way to let off the pressure by taking better care of me and couple it with better mechanisms for not getting this stressed, exhausted and mopey. (Yes, I’ve reached that critical mass point this week, and I’m worn out.)

If folks have suggestions on that front, believe me, I’m all ears.

Our IT guy has the sound vocal sound effects turned off – we do get the sound of the boxing and the pins falling in the bowling though — all of our sound effects come from our co-workers making remarks behind us. We’ve got one guy who obviously wanted to be Jim Mackay in his youth…

I’m still trying to get over the idiot rant on CNBC from the other day. Who hires these buffoons? Why should anyone listen to such idiotic drivel?

Especially, when Mr. Ranter turns around and introduces a bunch of traders as somehow or the other being a cross-section of the American public.

Traders on the floor of an exchange! A cross-section of the American public!

Oh, hahahaha.

i’m reading what you wrote in all seriousness, absorbing what it is — until i get to your last sentence. now i’m laughing and laughing. good for my soul, girl. thanks.

and thanks christy for the link.

This is a strange recession. Despite my best efforts, beer consumption is down. http://www.stltoday.com/blogzo…..p-reports/

I think we could get a bi-partisan effort going to stimulate the beer industry by increasing consumption. Hell, most of my elephant friends can’t afford their Stoli or Grey Goose anymore, so they might be up for it.

AND THE KILLIN’ GOEZ ON AND ON AND…

Citizen Hardin Smith and the Firepup Freedom Fighters:

Of the many things that makes the FDL community so interesting and so important to the continuation of the struggle to advance the battle for peace and justice, is the curiosity and courage of folks here to climb up on the shoulders of history and make sense of what they see. I am an original boomer, class of ‘46, who was born with the experience of immigration, the Great Depression, war and injustice in my gene pool. My mother who grew up in the Depression is still alive and is for my three children, the living link to who they are and where we all fit in the great continuum…Mom is to my kids what I hope I will be to my grandkids and that is a living link to that experience that is part of them but knowable to them only through another’s memory.

That’s why the calling up of our collective memories, the letters of the Committee of Correspondence, Tom Paine’s “The Rights of Man”,” The Federalist Papers” Washington’s first inaugural, the letters between John Adams and Thomas Jefferson, Lincoln’s many gifts of understanding etc. is so important to us in OUR moment of history…so important to fueling OUR engines in the war to save history from our frailties and fears and the evils which are our eternal adversary. This is our time,we are being called to confront all the unknowns, all the terrors of uncertainty that have been passed along in our imperfect world by those who fought and succeeded in saving only the opportunity for us to find our moment of salvation. Let’s read and listen to the muse as it appears to us in all this heroic spendor and then dedicate ourselves to act with the confidence gained from that collective history.

It’s all about the struggle folks…the struggle and the courage to look the real terrorists in the eye and banish ‘em into the dustbin of history by way of Leavemnworth.

KEEP THE FAITH AND PASS THE AMMUNITION, THE WAR IS OURS NOW!!

another answer to your question re what is a wii fit?

that which barbara pitches whenever Norm Coleman’s name is mentioned.

yep, thanks..headed there, epsom salts, new batch, lavendar and cardomom and bergamot. gonna soak in case the water heater blows.

another thing is use the ‘ ball on the wall’ trick to knead out the trigger points. releases the muscles.
it’s the weather and did too much last weekend (best friend in town for my 50th) then too much the other day when i felt better. duh. worth it though. ha.

and whomever mentiond topsy turvy thing—they now have a 6′ tall stand that comes with it…and the bag has three holes-so, can plant tomato, breen pepper, cucumber, etc…all in one, also comes with a strawberry planter..am ordering one for my mom for her deck and one for me. 44 bucks i think…looks sturdy. http://www.topsyturvy.com
the only reason i didn’t try upside-down gardening before is i had nowhere to hang it. now it comes with a stand.

Christy, when I took care of my mom, the only thing that helped was a) getting a home health aid and b) getting in some exercise. I used to have to face her bedroom to make sure she would not make a break for the front door, but I could lift weights and keep an eye out. You really do need to get away – every day – even for just an hour. Take a walk; get your hair done; whatever – just an hour. The DH used to come up and spell me a couple of evenings a week until we were able to get an aid to sleep over a couple of nights a week so that I could get some actual sleep instead of the ‘twilight on the edge of the couch’ stuff. But the exercise and weight lifting help – even little stuff like tuna cans helps.

i was one of the test people back in the early 90’s, after 3 back surgeries….decided to try it again, got one last dec..still playing with it. keep forgetting i have it.

Perhaps you could either

1) move the wii Fit to your bedroom (or another room, if there is one) where you’ll have privacy using it

or

2) let fil know that it’d embarass you to exercise with him there and ask him if he’d mind being someplace else in the house while you exercise. i’m guessing there’s a possibility he’d understand that if you took the time to talk with him about it and let him know it’s important to you to exercise.

Yep — but there are logistical and mobility issues involved that make that less than pragmatic at the moment. Which is where the figuring out some different layout and other questions will be coming into play this weekend for us.

Because things have to change before my head explodes. *g*

Several weeks ago, a friend dragged me to an afternoon seminar on (ready for this?) breathing. I was serious skeptical, but what the hell, said I? I’ll get to lie on my back (bring mat and pillow, the flyer said) and commune with the ceiling tile.

Bottom line? It was a fabulous experience. I learned that I am a lifelong crappy breather. As my daughter says, “Breathe? Hey! I inhale in the morning and let it out at bedtime. Got a problem with that?”

The seminar generated PTSD re seventh grade chorus where the blue-haired Miss Powell tried to teach us how to breathe before, during, after singing. We were incorrigible as a group, which covered for my inability (more than disinterest) to do what she was asking.

Anyway, I highly commend this to you. Breathing work. Probably more than one seminar. It’s simply amazing, Christy. Seriously.

Amen brother. I was worried about you. The last comment I saw you post (can’t remember where) didn’t say “Pass the ammunition”. I’m glad you’re back in form.

Barbara..was this one of those ‘breath in one nostril and out the other one”? I learned that in yoga and frankly I use that when I am all clogged up and it works really well.

as well you should. he’s waaaay past his expiration date.

i stayed up all night on election night following the results of that election. thank god i’ve decided to get some sleep since then.

I keep meaning to head up to the local YMCA to pick up a schedule for their upcoming classes. Haven’t gotten around to that yet, either. (Beginning to see a pattern? *g*)

oooo, just an fyi – PW is up at the mother ship

((((( christy ))))))

Unfortunately, beginning my morning with a plumbing emergency has not brightened my outlook today. Sorry to vent it at you guys. Truly.

Yup, the nostril thingie, one, the other, both, neither. No wait. Not “neither.” The most amazing thing was the whole breath. Little instructor lay on floor encircled by some 40 or 50 of us watching as she inflated her stomach, then her abdomen, then her chest, held it, and released in opposite order.

I have been so totally stressed out for the past year and a half, and brother G’s health issues and The Troubles with David’s “children” is not helping. I absolutely have to do something about this, and it’s sadly encouraging to find others here struggling with the same body issues, albeit for different reasons.

I might do a diary about this. If I can do it lying down whilst sipping a Margarita. (That’s writerly BS. I don’t drink much. Ooooh, maybe that’s the problem!!)

That was an astounding comment, Norske.
True on all fronts!

Several weeks ago someone reminded us of a great Johnny Carson – Karnak the Magnificent skit

Karnak: The answer is keep the faith and pass the ammunition.

Karnak: Well, Buffalo breath what was the Question?

Ed Mc : Oh, Magnificent One, the question was, What do you do if you swallow a grenade.

oh, lordy. Picturing greenwarrior, propped up in a corner since November 4, cobwebs in hair, eyes glazed, clothes in tatters. Think Miss Havisham.

that’s what we’re here for. for better or for worse, in times of sickness and in health. rain, sleet, snow, etc. mixing my metaphors here. it’s good to share it all – the politics, the celebrations, the frustrations – all of it. love to you, sweetheart.

Citizen Hardin Smith:

“Unfortunately, beginning my morning with a plumbing emergency…”

I feel for ya Sister Christy but somehow an early mornin’ plunbing emergency seems appropriate to give some perspective to the mess we all find ourselves in at this moment. Keep on keepin on dear heart…at least the plumbin’ is fixable.

if you don’t want a whole ‘nother set of problems, i recommend sitting up while drinking margaritas.

If not here, where? Who loves ya, baby?

LOL. Virtual Margarita spewing . . . .

hah hah hah hah

Thanks for calling this out. I was so busy being a smart ass, I missed Norkse’s comment. Reckon there’s a metaphor in that, too.

(((Norske))) Thanks.

VERY important thing!!

my genius docotr is always reminding people to breathe…was just reminding best friend abvout this last week.

i forget the exact numbers-but something like 70% of people only take half-breaths most of the time…just reminding yourself to take full-relaxed natural breaths during your day will help. i am a half-holding breath person(busy brain people do it a lot), so, i am conscious of it and taking a second to think about it created a better pattern.

Hello all. I am adjusting to the news that we will be moving. Again. Big moves across oceans these last years, but it is back to NZ for me. Do I turn back to NZ Expat or keep AdAstra (off of the Kansas motto, Ad Astra per Aspera – to the stars through difficulties)? I do think the motto keeps me going. Since 2004, it has been Kansas, NZ, Kansas, Montana, and now NZ. Sometimes I think it is my husband’s form of PTSD (he had three years in Vietnam), but actually a lot of it is fallout to what has happened in his profession with the absolute avoidance of environmental care of the Bush administration.

This move means we leave the 18 year old behind and it is hard to put an ocean between my youngest and me, even if he is 6 feet tall and a college freshman.

We had a psychiatrist who fell for every story every sociopath ever told her. We called her Bleeding Heart Buffalo. Dances With Wolves spawned a host of nicknames for staff. Rarely within their hearing.

Sounds tres shallow, but buying decent new walking shoes and sox pushed me over the edge. They call out to me. Once they’re actually on, I’m 90% there.

Am not expecting too much of myself walking-wise, but its cheering and energizing spotting earliest signs of spring. And that is going to get better every day for the next few months.

Most people have no clue how to breathe properly. I learned how as a kid (age 7) because of a lung disease, so it’s pretty much always been there for me, but most folks don’t understand it.

My sister one day was telling me about how she’s learned to breathe through her Tai Chi exercises. I sat there and thought for a bit then realized what she was talking about was what I’d had to learn back when.

Which part was the more apt description — bleeding heart or buffalo? *g*

((((pups)))) hang in there christy. i went to the conservatory a few weeks ago, always does it for me this time of year….see if the local college will let you stroll through their greenhouse. take photos, tell them you are taking them for your blog, .

i got a few good ones, will send you one. an orchid. for other pups will upload it to my flickr page as soon as i find it. click on my name.

once again, a fine way to start saturday. keep your fingers crossed for my ms. fix-it attempts in the coming days.

have a great weekend.

p.s. lindy–do you have a good gumbo recipe? anyone?

Have just opened the bill for last week’s plumbing emergency here. Was pleasantly surprised. Seems they’re appreciating the business these days.

Am up for some getting in shape myself…..have six months until a “showing” as mother of the bride (my only child). Am starting during this cold weather with light free weights and shoulder exercises.

My twin and I have both had shoulder problems in recent years that we resolved with long spates of PT. My 60th is coming up soon and hope to avoid any further troubles.

Re heating pads. Purchased an amazing one when I lived in NYC. It’s a bit pricey but definitely worth the money. My sis and I now both use one and we prosletize for these people.

http://www.chattgroup.com/prod…..&cn=5

“I keep meaning to head up to the local YMCA to pick up a schedule for their upcoming classes. Haven’t gotten around to that yet, either. (Beginning to see a pattern? *g*)”

Not to put too fine a point on it but their schedules are likely on line. Or if you don’t have a computer, the phone. *g*

Both. She was very good with real crazy folks. We had the only patient with a frontal lobotomy that most of us had ever dealt with. About 30+ years ago he had walked into his civilian psychiatrist’s office and shot him dead. Did a number of years on a forensic ward, which is where they performed the surgery. She worked with this guy for years until he died of natural causes. Korean War vet. Schizophrenic.

(Lost second pp of my 187 and now the reply function – my computer is xxxxx
these days)
187, cont….

My new walking shoes take me out to see the earliest signs of spring. And that will get better and more cheering daily.

vty, Pollyanna *g*

What kind of walking shoes do you have?

One of my inspirations is a walking blog about walking the neighborhoods of NY City (http://www.walkingoffthebigapple.com/ ). Take a look. Lovely photographs and a new way at “being here now” while on the move.

Late to the thread, still catching up, but to this idea, Christy, big, BIG “yeppers”!

ok, i uploaded the photo, one of my very best ever…

orchid. click on my name. and click on the photo to enlarge or you miss the magical parts.

sayonara, bbl.

New Balance, nothing special but they fit.

Thanks very much for the link. Serendipitous – I’m currently reading Pete Hamill’s Downtown, My Manhattan

Time to get out of here. Either I’m losing my mind or my second PP reappeared after the fact :-/

Have a good day all.

Thanks everyone — think I’ll put on a pot of tea and do something crafty with The Peanut today. Call it stress relief, family style. *g*

Is it too much to hope that Hannity did all his investing with Stanford?

Naw, prolly realized it was a con and just settled for being the media whore that he is.

dmac, sorry. I don’t like gumbo much. (unsouthern of me, I know…I don’t eat cornbread either), but I think I might be able to find one for you. Let me look.

http://ezinearticles.com/?A-Good-Gumbo-Recipe!&id=802528

In my Mother’s last year, we got help from a home health care service provided by the Veterans Administration. (She was an Army Nurse during WWII) Also Social Security will provide some sort of in house assistance in the case of a disabled elderly relative.
There are many types of home health assistance available. Have you researched these for a little help?

Thank you for this gumbo-ey thread, Christy! Full of all kinds of tasty ingredients that simmer into a savory whole.

For shoe purchase go online to FamousFootWear.com. You can choose to see only shoes available in your size and usually get a “buy one and get the second pair free” deal.

I’m very late, but I really like this idea!

thanks!!

i see gumbo recipes, but never know if they are the ‘real deal’ or not….

will try it.

and the pups who mentioned walking shoes and new balance shoes–they sponsor many walking clubs–volkssmarching clubs…
http://www.ava.org/
is an interesting hobby and way to stay active. my parents have been to all 50 states and most of the provinces for walks. there are year-round walks and sponsored walks. check out your local club, lots of walks in parks and in cities..some in small towns, some in places like oak park-with a points of interest sheet to help you along. all 10 or 5k…my mom took a bus tour of italy with walking friends, each town /city sponsored a walk for them, had a walk and feasted with the locals. they are active members-have mapped out many walks in ohio.

they swear by SAS shoes, i have an ‘everyday’ pair that i love.
company out of san antonio
http://www.sasshoes.com/
replaceable inserts that you can stack to make them fit perfectly. i have had a pair for three years and they still look like new, wear them all of the time. dad has ‘bad feet’ and it’s all he wears. many styles.

the whole link didn’t ‘take’

here it is

http://ezinearticles.com/?A-Good-Gumbo-Recipe!&id=802528

and wow, it’s exactly what i was looking for!!!1 thanks lindy.and other recipes to boot..my stomach flipped.

falling outbreath-

inhale,expanding the abdoman, the ribs and the upper chest.Release in opposite direction with a big vocal sigh.

do 3x andsmile, breath & relax

read this OUTLOUD:

LAUGHING BUDDHA/SMILING YOGA MEDITIATION

Sit down, relax.
Breathe and smile.
Be happy, be peaceful
Let’s practice the smiling yoga.
Smile. Smile even more. Smile as if you were enlightened.
Happy, blissful, delighted,
A happy camper on the shore of nirvana’s shining sea.
Smile. Grin. Be silly
Breathing in. Relax your mind.
Breathing out, smile, smile,
And smile
Buddha’s have more fun.
So try to look as enlightened as you can.
Why pretend to be unhappy, harried and miserable?
Since we all pretend anyway,
Why not pretend to be happy for a change?
See how that feels.
Try to look and act as if you are totally enlightened.
What would that look like?
Free, joyful, light, and buoyant.
Glorious, radiant, peaceful.
Perfectly content and fulfilled.
Fully evolved.
Awakened Buddha.
Be Buddha.
You too can do it.
Be Buddha. You-dha.
Become buddhaful.
Smile widely, turn your head upward, elevate your spirit.
Let the mind unfurl and the heart soar.
Press your shining face up against the heavens,
Open to blessings, loving acceptance and forgiveness.
Look as enlightened as you possible can.
Smile happily.
Why not be happy?
Allow joy to happen.
Don’t close yourself up.
Be “there” now.
Be happy. Be peaceful. Be whole, complete, luminous;
Be at home and at ease before your own hearth
An organic homegrown American Home-Buddha in his or her own,
natural Buddha-field.
Smile, Home Buddha.
Enjoy yourself.
Be yourself, your true self.
Enjoy it. You deserve it.
Be happy.
Be Buddhaful
Be happy
Be beautiful
You are.

Lamya Surya Das Awakening to the Sacred