Is Your Furry or Feathered Friend Your Muse?

Daron's Usual Spot

Mine is. A constant non-judging unconditionally loving grey-haired green-eyed cat I call Daron, aka Baby Boy. 

Our furry and/or feathered friends require very little of us. Fresh water, pet food and affection. All equally important to them. 

In a world, especially the writing world, but also business, medical, engineering, heck, probably every profession out there ... there’s so much competition for the Almighty Dollar, when we’re finally home with our pet we can take solace. 

A writer has one distinct advantage over the working force: we can create worlds that no one has dreamed of right there in our sanctuary and our writing room…with our pet alongside us.

Yet we must subject ourselves to high scrutiny, sometimes mean-spirited reviews and sometimes helpful, sometimes not, critiques ... with little or no pay. I frankly don't get why we, as writers, put up with so much.

However, no matter what our chosen professions is we have to look at our work with sheer pride. And know we did our very best. Our best may not be selected by the powers that be. But, then who gives them power? 

There's a place for each and every one of our works. There's a fan base for each and every one of us.

My hope is to inspire my fellow writers continue writing and the byproduct of that is, quite honestly, to continue myself.

Growing up I was amazed at my brother Sammy’s artwork. He slaved away at his various mediums of fantasy art. He dropped out of college, re-entered, dropped out again, had numerous jobs related and not related to the field of art. Yet, one thing was consistent: he never gave up on his artwork. 

 Today he is gainfully working as a full-time tattoo artist. Not bad. Especially since tattoos are so very much in vogue.

I snidely and rather ignorantly judged him as wasting his time while I toiled away at an accounting degree only to have experienced seven years of painful career agony. I then entered into what became a lucrative profession, for a while, but almost at the cost of my mental health.

 Now I'm proud to say that, like my dear-old brother Sammy, I too have joined the ranks of the artists.

 But I've digressed ... back to our faithful friends. 

 I'd love to know about yours. Either as a response to this blog or face book or twitter let me know. 
 Is your furry or feathered friend your muse? Yes or No?

https://www.facebook.com/celiaboob

https://www.facebook.com/groups/HavingFunWithMr.Wrong/

www.funwithmrwrong.wordpress.com;

www.nowmotivated.blogspot.com/

I'll tally up the responses and let you know how many of you responded.

In addition, if you don't have a pet consider adopting one today! Your local humane society or animal shelter would love to see you!

Got a Front View!

Can You have happiness in your career AND your love life?

Lifelong Question ... For Me, At Least

However if you've experienced or are experiencing the following you may relate:

Career Crisis: Circumstances beyond someone's control that causes a sudden job loss or a demotion can have a negative affect on a person's metal state and their self-confidence. However, time gives a person tremendous advantage because they can look back on their life, with pride, and review what they've already accomplished. A younger person doesn't know what they're capable of, yet but, hopefully, their determination and inherent drive leads them to goal achievement.

If you've had the good fortune to be successful in your career, received rewards both financial and intellectual, then you've established a track record. That track record will repeat itself. Manifest itself again. Have faith in yourself. You're the only person that can. No one can give that to you. Give it to yourself.

If you're in a rift or otherwise haven't yet achieved something you set out for yourself ---don't give up. Know that you will accomplish your dreams .... as you have before.

Failed Relationship: As for relationships ... if you've made poor decisions before, unfortunately unless you fix the problem inside yourself that attracts the wrong kind, you will again. There are numerous books that can help you decipher whether or not someone is right for you. My all time favorite is by Women Who Love Too Much by Robin Norwood. Other books written by Ken Keyes, namely The Seven Keys to Happiness and Stanton Peel, namely Love & Addiction can also help.

Modern-day psychologists say that you should be able to size up a potential mate and make a decision about whether or not they are right for you within the first thirty minutes of meeting them. Don't sell yourself short due to loneliness or fear of not finding a mate.

If you don't listen to your inner voice your desperation can lead you to desperate actions and you will likely find yourself in yet another loosing situation. If you've recently broken up with someone, embrace the time you have to get reacquainted with you. Who are you? Where do you see yourself going in life? What qualities need to exist in your mate to compliment your life, to enhance the quality of your life to provide the perfect breeding grounds to achieve your personal best? Because the wrong person can sabotage your every dream. Thus you'd been better off by yourself.

I believe that we learn about ourselves through the interpersonal relationships we encounter. Each "failed" relationship isn't really a failure but an opportunity for growth. When people can't grow together or take away from each others path of success ... it may be time to go your separate ways. Sometimes working through the difficulties brings you closer together. Sometimes it's the end. But, always, you have yourself. Therefore be true to thyself ....at whatever cost it is ....for your own highest self.

Namaste.

Valentine's Day is For the Men Too

So often, we, as women, think of Valentine's Day as our holiday. It’s a time when the guy we're dating, or our fiancé or husband, had better not forget. He, for sure, should be counted on for a dozen roses, a box of candy and dinner out. Right?

Oh, the pressures we put on our men.

As the historical tale tells, St. Valentinus (and there is evidence that there was more than one), wrote the first Valentine card, from prison, in blood, to his lover, the daughter of his jail keeper. St. Valentinus is said to have cured the girl, miraculously, from an incurable disease and thus was canonized.

How these fabled events turned into a widely celebrated commercial holiday, one can only speculate. However, it, nevertheless, did.

Therefore, for generations women received gifts and cards on Valentine’s Day.

But what about the men? Should they not too be the recipients of such shows of love?

I have to say that, for many years in the past, I can't remember doing much reciprocation. I accepted, with gratitude, the flowers, the dinner dates, the gifts and smiled smugly to my inner self thinking, yep, we should keep him around.

But, women's roles in relationships have changed. We are more equal the men we date, on socioeconomic and emotional fronts. It’s more as if we are courting each other. Or, at least, some men will tell us that.

Regardless, what does it hurt to show a little love in return? You don't have to spend a fortune. You could set a picnic table with wine and cheese and buy a bottle of cologne. 

He may not acknowledge all the little details but you can always point them out. And, he will appreciate the gesture.

Chili Cookoff

Yesterday was great fun as I sat in booth 208 at the Chili Cook-off at from 5:30 AM to 5:30 PM.As I watched the moon grow dark yellow and set in the west, the sun crept up in the east burning off the morning dew and creating a chill. I started the day in a T-shirt covered by a long sleeved sweater, covered by a fleece jacket and ended the day in just T. There were many vendors giving away free stuff, my favorite. Throngs of people waited outside the gate, and even camped out overnight, to get into the concert venue. Lots of partying and drinking was going on, of course, and I'm nursing the results of my own participation in that, today.

But the greatest thing about the day was the chili. Cooking it, or, rather, watching it be cooked and prepped by my fiancé and his friends from the Fort Lauderdale Fire Department and eating it. And eating it. And eating it.

We were honored to have an opportunity to speak with the chief chili judge who informed us that there were 123 red chili contestants (and "red" is a specific kind of chili, in case you didn't know) and 73 salsa contestants plus a competition for booth and showmanship. The picture above is a chili booth. 

 As a contestant, you're up against some fierce competition including both circuit cooks who make their rounds about the chili cook-off contests throughout the country and professional chefs as well. The chili is judged based on five elements: taste, consistency, aroma, color (appearance) and bite. Taste, being the most important factor, should consist of the combination of the meat, peppers, spices, with no particular ingredient being dominant, but rather a blend of the flavors. The content can be any kind of meat, vegetables and chilies. For the consistency, chili must have a good ratio between sauce and meat. It should not be dry, watery, grainy, lumpy, or greasy. For aroma, obviously chili should smell good but also give an indication of what is in store for you when you taste it. The color or appearance should be appetizing. Reddish brown is generally accepted as good. Chili is not yellow or green. The key to the appearance is to have the vegetables disappear in the mixture. I recommended blending the veggies ... but, then again, I'm not the chef. Finally, bite or after taste, that’s the heat created by the various type of chili peppers and chili spices. The heat could start immediately or have a delayed effect.

Interesting enough, there are no beans in the red chili. Chili with beans is considered a home-style chili and that's judged in a separate contest.

For more information on chili cook-offs check out the official website and maybe dare to enter yourself http://www.chilicookoff.com.

A New Beginning -- 2012

A Sunset is Followed by the Dawning of Another Day

Beginning a new year brings about opportunity to embark on new shores. As we open to a new year today, consider the following questions:

• Where do you want to travel? In the sea of your career, or possibly a career change, or maybe a new position at the same job? 
• How will you shed the old skin of negative and limiting  beliefs? 
• What patterns of behavior have you wanted to stop and haven't done so?
• How are you contributing to the problems and strife in your life? 

Here's a simple affirmation that I, being a total control freak, need to adopt whole hearted: live and let live. Let go and trust that the Universe to deliver onto you that which is dearest and nearest to your heart. There is no desire, no true desire that is close to your soul which is not possible to achieve. It may take time, a lot of time, but the thing about time is that it's elusive.
In the spiritual world there is no present, past or future there just is and the three time lines continue simultaneously.

As respect to your goals for 2013, do the work you need to do to make it happen. And then and let the Universe do the work to deliver the results back to you in the perfect time and space sequence. This said from one of the most impatient people in the world. I've always subscribed to the belief that you had to MAKE it happen otherwise it will never happen. I've eased up quite a bit, because forcing things takes an awful lot of energy.

So do your part. Prepare, study, craft your skills then let the results happen. The thing about goal setting and business planning models is that you set the time frame within which you plan to accomplish the goals e.g. 2,6 or 12  months but oftentimes you have to readjust the timeframe or the goal itself.

That's why it's good to do a quarterly review and ask yourself:

1. Have I accomplished this goal? If not, what is my progress to date?
2. Does the goal make still make sense or should it be altered or deleted?
3. List your accomplishments during the quarter.This always puts you in a great mindset.

Hope 2013 brings you everything you want and more! Happy New Year!

Twelvth Day of Christmas -- The Feast of Giving

Today is Christmas morning let us rejoice and be glad. As a Christians, we celebrate the birth of the Baby Jesus who was the greatest gift that Our Father could give us: his only son the Lord Jesus Christ. Many times in my blog, I post things about the Universal Consciousness. As a Christian, I believe that one Supreme Being drives that consciousness: God. Many of you may have other beliefs and that's what's wonderful about this world: that we can be unique yet still part of a Whole.

Today we celebrate that in giving we receive. After we open the physical presents and sit down to share our Christmas Meal hopefully, we will also share a Christmas blessing. God wants us all to have joy and peace but this world is full of imperfections and sometime much heartache, war, poverty and injustice. God's gift to us was salvation through his own son. In addition, God is the giver who never stops giving. He is the Eternal Giver.

This upcoming year I will continue to give from my heart in the form of writing. I may or may not reach my goal of traditional publication, which, as best as I can tell, is about a .5% chance of happening; however, I will give and continue to work on my craft with joy and peace.

I hope that you, too, will give from your heart and feel the joy that life has to offer. Whatever your belief is, may you enjoy today with your family and friends.

The True Meaning of Christmas 

 This sentiment of the true meaning of Christmas appeared in The American magazine, vol. 28 (1889): "to give up one's very self — to think only of others — how to bring the greatest happiness to others — that is the true meaning of Christmas".

God who gave his only son initially inspired the giving of Christmas gifts. However, in the non-biblical definition, as it appeared in pop-culture, inspired an overt avoidance of the religious meaning. Instead, the commercialization of Christmas and the holiday shopping season was born.

According to research, The poem A Visit From St. Nicolas (1822) helped popularize the tradition of exchanging gifts, and thus the economic importance of seasonal Christmas shopping took it's seemingly permanent place in human history.

However, why can we not enjoy both the spiritual and material aspects of giving? First, we experience what Christmas means to us from a spiritual base and then we give to those we love in a material sense. I know, for me, there's no greater joy than seeing my loved ones open gifts they can enjoy and use beneficially. For those of you who have children, there is no greater joy; I'm sure, than to see the light and excitement shine through their eyes when they are opening their gifts from Santa on Christmas morning.

I've enjoyed posting the Twelve Days of Christmas and I hope you've received pleasure from my gift to you.

However you celebrate, may you enjoy the True Meaning of Christmas in your own unique and special way. Have a wonderful holiday!

Eleventh Day of Christmas -- Feast of Seven Fishes

The Feast of Seven Fishes is an Italian-American tradition.  Being of 100% Italian descent, I can boast of having had many of them. Some Italian families have eight to thirteen different fishes on this special Christmas Eve holiday and it is unclear when the tradition began. Eating seafood on Christmas Eve dates from the tradition of abstinence adopted by the Roman Catholic dictate, which requires the devoted to refrain from the consumption of meat on Fridays, and on the eve of specific holy days.

Dinner begins at three PM and you dare not be late!

Personally, I enjoy this dinner more than Christmas Day's fare.

This celebration commemorates the wait of the baby Jesus, the Vigilia Natale at midnight Christmas Eve.

The most famous dish Southern Italians are known for is baccalà (salted cod fish) phonetically spelled (b -ka-la). Our family is from Calabria and Sicily. I can't tell you when we last had baccalà. This year our family is getting together with close relatives and pooling our contributions including stuffed calamari or (ka la mare) which is the body of squid stuffed with a savory clam and clam infused spicy bread filling) and slowed cooked in gravy (our word for tomato sauce) served with spaghetti, of course. My parents adopted a lobster of sorts: large prawn roasted with a tangy butter sauce. There will be fresh shrimp, and fried shrimp (counting for two more fishes) now we have a total of five. Then perhaps there will be fried smelts, which are popped in your mouth and eaten, whole. If you can get them, broiled lobster tails are delicious served with hot melted butter. Don't forget the clams - steamed, baked or stuffed. And perhaps some scallops. You can always get more American phonetically pronounced (Med i can) and serve broiled tilapia or salmon. Now we have way more than seven. Oh, I forgot about the salad. Insalata dimara (seafood salad) my father-in-law who is Sicilian Napolidan (from the region of Naples) makes it with scungilli, conch, shrimp, calamari, celery, green olives, oil and lemon. You can always throw the anchovies (pronounced ah leech) on the antipasto. By now, surely, you've lost count, altogether, but you've got well more than seven fishes!

And why seven? According to research, seven is the most repeated number in the bible and appears over 700 times.
One popular theory is the number represents completion, as shown in Genesis 2:2: "By the seventh day God completed the work he had been doing; so on the seventh day he rested from all his work." Theories about using seven fishes include: they represent the seven Sacraments of the Roman Catholic Church and seven is a number representing perfection; the traditional Biblical number for divinity is three, and for Earth is four, and the combination of these numbers, seven. Then God on Earth arrives via the Baby Jesus Christ. Folklore would claim it's because of the seven hills surrounding the city of Rome.

However you celebrate, enjoy your Christmas Eve. God Bless!