“Eastbound and Down”

“Loaded up and a truckin’, we’re gonna do what they say can’t be done.” A song by Jerry Reed, made famous in the soundtrack of the 1977 movie “Smokey and the Bandit”. An iconic film with defiance as its theme.

This catchy tune is making a big comeback as the Canadian Convey is rolling its way across Canada. A massive gathering of big rigs, peacefully converging on the City of Ottawa to protest and request abolishment of Covid mandates. Peacefully, with no reports of disruptive actions, but with determination. These hard-working Canadians, who bring the goods needed to stock store shelves, are standing up to their government and demanding that they be allowed to freely move about. They are not against the jabs, just the mandates that require them, along with a “medical passport” and unnecessary quarantines. They believe in and represent the freedom of choice.

I have a lot of respect for people that can roll thousands of pounds of steel down a highway. Who can back up 65 feet of truck into a skinny alleyway. Who can spend days on the road, mostly alone, just to transport fresh food for us to enjoy. These people are necessary to our survival and should not be hampered by unnecessary rules. Think of the money, not to mention – rotted food, that is being wasted. You know those beautiful raspberries that turn moldy an hour after you bought them? Probably got held up at the border because someone breathed on another human.

Your personal opinion regarding Covid and the jabs, is just that: personal. A mandate of anything related to that takes away your personal choice. Medicine began with the oath of “do no harm” and patient autonomy. Your health, and that of your minor children, is your decision. For a long time, people have been making the choice to opt out of potentially life-saving treatments due to personal choice. What if you had cancer, but were unwilling to have surgery because the risk was too great – but the doctor told you it was mandatory, did the surgery anyway, and you died? Oh, the shit would hit the fan. There’s a reason why medical treatment is a choice. So why is This suddenly different? Did we all get dumb all of a sudden? Are we too stupid to know what’s good for us?

If you are okay with allowing someone else to tell you what you HAVE to do with-or-to your body, what’s next? Maybe MREs to eat, because the trucks are no longer allowed to deliver fresh food. You think I’m joking or crazy, but you ever eaten one of those things? Freeze-dried goulash and cardboard bread. You’d be happy to eat a half-moldy raspberry after that.

This convoy isn’t a bunch of half-crazy addicts about to mow down the country with thousands of pounds of steel. They are driving on behalf of you and your ability to get fresh, nutritious food (and other goods) quickly and easily. They are people trying to make a living and feed their families, just like you. They don’t care whether you get jabbed or not, only that you – and they – can choose. Because without choice, we are nothing. God gave us Free Will when we were placed upon the Earth. Do you really want to disappoint God?

P.S.: remember, there was a follow-up song “West Bound and Down”. Success in Ottawa might send those big rigs in another direction.

Mercury Retro-Gasp!

god-1293818_1280The blue screen of death just appeared on your computer. Your phone went dead for no reason. You lopped your hair off in a mad rant. The contract on your home has so many contingencies it will take a team of lawyers to decipher it. Your flight home just got delayed, which means you’ll miss your connecting flight and there isn’t another for two days. WTF.

Hello, boys and girls, Mercury in Retrograde has arrived. That cute little Messenger planet makes its periodic Michael-Jackson-Moonwalk around the sun, wreaking havoc on electronics, travel, contracts and communication.

Accidentally hit “Send” on that ranting email? Oops. You might want to follow up with an apology phone call. Or not. Exes have a habit of showing up during retrograde. Some things just shouldn’t be recycled.

Think this is all a load of bullsh*t? Au contraire, my friend, I’ve personally witnessed too many events to doubt its ability to screw things up. One trip to the Caribbean netted a bunch of Mercury meddling. A delayed flight. Landing a rainstorm. Room mix-up. And to cap it off, my phone died a mysterious death on arrival. Good thing there was plenty of rum at the bar. It ended up being a great trip just because we laughed and made the best of it.

Taking a chill pill is the best way to work through this cycle. This current one goes through July 31st, so plan on kicking back and enjoying the moment. Mercury’s gift is the ability to slooooow things down and since retrograde starts with “re”, think about all the words that do the same. Starting with Relax. It’s also a good time to clean up your sh*t too. Think recycle, repurpose, renew, hell even rent!

Take care of your electronics. Back up your computer and your phone contacts. Even get a service check-up on your car. Hey, its got electronics too! Mind your stuff so you don’t lose something important.

Don’t sign any contracts during retrograde unless you started the process, like a house purchase PRIOR to this cycle. Still, it is important to read all the fine print and make sure all the details are seen to. Don’t skip the inspection either. It’s not a good idea to buy a car or any other electronics during this cycle.

And for Gods Sakes, DO NOT in a fit of mad or any other emotional disaster, lob your hair off, get a tattoo or any other body changing process during a retrograde. Remember how long it took to grow out the last time?

Storm-ward Bound

snow, bomb cyclone,
DENVER, CO – MARCH 13: 16th Street Mall of Denver is covered by snow on Wednesday. March 13, 2019. (Photo by Hyoung Chang/The Denver Post)

Yesterday, March 13th, Colorado experienced a “bomb cyclone”. WTF?! A meteorological term for a drop in barometric pressure that exceeds 24 millibars in 24 hours. Another WTF. The radar picture does look like a cyclone. All I know is that it was an awful blizzard to drive in. Never mind that major highways were closed. Never mind that stoplights were covered in snow or not working. Never mind that the Governor called out the National Guard to get stranded motorists.

What was I doing on the road in a blizzard?

Because my workplace decreed that we all needed to show up for 3 hours of work. And then get sent home in the midst of the blowing snow. WTF.

Unless you are having a heart attack and need to get to the hospital, there is likely nothing you need to go out in a blizzard for. If you need to get home from someplace, then you probably shouldn’t have been there to begin with. Starbucks and most liquor stores were probably closed. You probably don’t need them either.

What is it that compels people to hop in their cars in the midst of wildly blowing snow? Last week, the news stated “the mountains are CLOSED”. That means don’t go there or you can’t go there. An avalanche took out I-70, the interstate highway that goes over the mountains. People were caught in that. People ski in that. With an avalanche pack that becomes a balloon. Might I say once again, What. The. F*ck.

When there is a blizzard or any other serious weather disaster, employers please tell your people to stay home unless you are in the business of saving lives. You just make it difficult for those who do to get to those people. If you are an adrenaline junkie, stay home and surf Facebook. There is plenty enough adrenaline-boosting juice obtained from reading troll comments.

Stay home, it is not worth endangering your life for either a momentary thrill or to read a bunch of time-wasting emails.

Mega-Madness

lottery-146318_1280Are you the lucky person holding the billion dollar lottery ticket?  If so, your life is about to change in ways you might not have imagined when you decide to use your car payment to buy tickets.  At least that will be paid off.  Or will you just trade it in for a top-of-the-line Maybach?  Probably for one for every day of the week.

I’m not so certain winning that amount of money is such a good idea.  Maybe the home that you love and have lived in for a long time will have to go.  Unscrupulous people will camp out on your lawn.  You might have to hire security to guard your home and follow you around.  Your spouse might leave you, taking half the money (not that they aren’t entitled).  Maybe the happiness that you have been experiencing in your life will suddenly turn into worry and fear.  If the government can’t manage a billion dollars, how can you?

Some people are good at managing money; I hope you are one of them.

A billion dollars can make a difference in many lives.  South Carolina was recently affected by the hurricanes and is in the process of recovering and rebuilding.  Maybe the winner will provide some community support, not saying that they should give away all or any of their winnings.  But what do you really do with that much money?  Many banks have an insurance cap of $250,000.  Think of how many bank accounts you would need to shelter those dollars, and the corresponding number of passwords you would have to remember.  I can barely remember the few I have.  It’s still hurricane season, so that trip to the Cayman Islands might have to wait.

I wish you well, whoever or whoevers you are.

Me, I don’t play the big lotteries.  Too much responsibility and disruption.  Winning the lottery for me would be to lessen my responsibilities so I play the smaller state version.  Then I can pay off my house and be able to pay people for services that make my life easier.  I just want the freedom to determine what my day is like, and not be on someone else’s time clock.  To  have fun and enjoy life.  To create and follow my passions.  That doesn’t take a mega amount of money.

Maybe just some minor-madness.

Life’s A Beach

IMG_0510We just got back late in the night from Grand Cayman.  Got a little jet lag settling in along with the urge to eat.  Travelling is exhausting and I often wonder if the destination is really worth the effort.

Life’s a beach and you need to be on one.

IMG_0511Our flight from Grand Cayman to Charlotte was delayed for 2 ½ hours due to a bird strike on the incoming plane.  I know that is fairly common, sad for the bird and stressful for all the humans involved.  Fortunately, our connecting flight to Denver had a three hour layover so we made the connection with minutes to spare.  This is an all-too-common story and many of you have worse tales to tell.  Still it makes you begin to wonder if travel is worth it.

Life’s a beach and sometimes you’re not sure where it is.

IMG_0547Being the anxiety driven person I am, I really have to want the destination to go through the effort involved.  We had not ever been to Grand Cayman so we looked forward to the trip.  Beautiful beaches, lush vegetation and pretty homes dotted this little paradise.  Sunshine, palm trees, blue water, what was there not to like?

But something was lacking.  WTF?!  Am I crazy?  (I think we have already established that.)

I longed for home.

Haven’t you ever prepped and packed, lugged and carried, rode cars and trains and escalators and glides, stuffed you and your things into a tiny space, and endured the drone of the jet engine, all in a mad dash to get somewhere so you could relax?  And then when the cortisol wore off, all you wanted was to be back at home in your own bed?  I’m quite certain I’m not alone in this thought process.  Sometimes the best place to be is in your own home, your own space with your own little beach. 

So click your heels, Dorothy, because life’s a beach of your very own making.patio tiki bar

Money Is The Root of All Believe-il

money-2724241_1920Poverty conscious or abundance.  Which would you choose?  Well, duh, abundance.  Why wouldn’t you?  If your belief system is rooted in poverty or lack, abundance might not seem to be a choice.

It is and you can have abundance in your life, but first you have to change your beliefs.

What might be readily apparent in your life, such as always thinking you’ll never have enough money or you’ll never be able to get out of the situation you are in, can be changed.  Yes, it can.  You know the saying “what goes around, comes around”?  That is the key to changing your life to accept abundance.

What messages do you tell yourself?  Whether it is something you say out loud or just think, those messages become reality.  When you go to the grocery store, do you think “jeez, all I can afford is lousy mac and cheese”?  Nothing wrong with mac and cheese, it’s the thought of that’s all you can afford.  When you take your car in for new tires, do you think “jeez, these a$$holes overcharge me for everything”?  Now what do you think will happen with thoughts like that.  You will overpay for those tires.  What you put out there comes right back to you.

What if the message was “I am so grateful/happy I can provide for my family or myself with good food”.  Or “I am really glad I have new tires for my car so I can be safe on the road and drive it for a long time”.  What do you think happens then?  Your experience will change.  Take it one step further “I am really glad/happy/grateful that I have a nice grocery store [tire shop] nearby that offers good service and good prices.  The people there are really nice and helpful”.  How does your view of the situation change?

This is not about being fake, blowing sunshine up someone’s a$$, or winning the lottery the next day.  (The lottery might not be out of the question, if your belief system is structured that way.)  A simple, “I feel good about this situation” is all it takes.  Just a brief moment of sincerity can cause ripples of abundance to flow through the Universe and stream right back to you.

What goes around, comes around and quite often multiplied.

Pay attention to the garbage that rolls around in your head.  Consider it fertilizer, if you must, to grow a new garden of thoughts.  Try thanking yourself for getting good food at the grocery store, for having enough money to meet your needs.  Then thank the Universe for providing abundance in all forms.

And look around you and see all the abundance that you might have missed when you were agonizing over the mac and cheese.

A Classic Beauty

One beautiful Saturday afternoon, my sweetie and I were sitting at an outdoor café enjoying a nice lunch. Someone driving a fabulously restored classic car – probably late 50s, early 60s, I don’t remember the model – pulled into a princess parking space right in front of the café. An older couple got out of the car and were seated at a table as close as possible to the car. We all know that when you have a car like that you want to keep an eye on it. However, the intriguing thing was that the man looked at the car almost the entire time they sat there. Now his companion was very attractive, but the car captivated his attention.

I’m not going to speculate on the status of their relationship or his profound interest in the car. That WOULD be purely speculation. I am focusing on the Classic Beauty of the car. In years, it is old. So are we. But someone took the time to restore the car and accentuate the best features. I had a peek into it when we went to our car. The interior was beautifully restored; the original upholstery was intact as well as all the mechanical parts. Think facelift without the plastic parts. I’m assuming that the engine and all the working parts had been carefully reworked.

We can be that Classic Beauty, too. Restore our parts, keep our engines well-oiled, our bodies nurtured and maintained and love every inch. Maybe our rear fenders are too big. Maybe we don’t sport the latest technology. Maybe we don’t meet someone else’s standards of what we should look like. If you love every inch of yourself, who the f*ck cares?

But I bet when you go strutting past, smile on your face, someone or someones are going to stop and stare. . .

And just a hint ladies: a man’s first attractor is always visual.