Soft & Supple

Is my skin. Every so often, I like to mix up some oatmeal for a facial cleanse or mask. Why go to the spa, spend money and time, when you have everything you pretty much need at home? More importantly, I'm trying to limit the amount of chemicals my body takes in, so I like to know what's in the goop I put on. Not to mention, it's kind of sexy fun mixing and messing and conjuring up crazy concoctions. I wanted to add something else and figured cucumber would probably make the most sense. It works well on the eyes. Judging by the feel of my skin, it works well there too.

To make the mask: Grind up 1/2 cup of dry oatmeal in a coffee grinder so it's fine like flour. Add in the juice of 1/2 a cucumber - however you want to do it. Blender. Processor. Good ol' fashioned muscle, although that doesn't work quite as well, you end up having to squish it all in your hands and squeeze the juice out. However, this makes for a tantalizing sensory experience. The look, the feel, the smell. Oooh, heaven!

Once you've had your fun, just wash your face with warm water, then rub the mix onto your skin and leave on for a minute or two. Too long, and either 1) it will become, literally, like glue, sticky and tough to wash off or 2) the boy will come home and exclaim something to the likes of: "Ewww, it looks like you dipped your face in a bucket of puke". My bucket of puke no doubt, because I would TOTALLY do that while you're out galavanting around. Disregard the mouth vomit and instead, think of how lovely your skin will look and feel. In the end your skin will thank you. You will feel refreshed. Rejuvenated. Soft & Supple. Like a nipple.

Classic Beauties

600+ sexy cars showed up on that fine hot summery day...

Show 'N' Shine '09 ~ Qualicum Beach, BC

The Philosopher and The Wolf

"The wolf is art of the highest form and you cannot be in its presence without this lifting your spirits."

I just finished an intensely enthralling book by Mark Rowlands entitled: "The Philosopher and The Wolf - Lessons from the Wild on Love, Death and Happiness."

If you haven't read it yet, I suggest you do. Believe me when I say: it is so worth it!

Rowlands writes about the eleven year bond he shared with his wolf Brenin and, as a result, what Brenin taught him. He discusses the differences in the way humans live their lives, in comparison to a wolf. Humans tend to live and define happiness in regards to a timeline... everything progressing toward some future fulfillment. This of course, is futile because each valuable moment is slipping away in the pursuit of others and eventually swallowed up by the inevitable: death. Wolves, on the other hand, find their happiness in simple moments. Repetitious, fulfilling moments. Each of which is complete in itself. Self-contained. Enough...

Of course, this probably doesn't make too much sense without the entire context, and for that you will have to read it.

Read it and be moved...

I Like You

Short and sweet.

Hot for Doctor

Having switched provinces, two years after the fact I figured it was probably time to find a local doctor for when I need one. After numerous long calls, snickering receptionists (like it's such an absurd thing to request a female doctor - they've got the same parts - makes sense does it not?) and no luck in my quest to find one...I bit the bullet and made an appointment for this afternoon to meet with the only doctor available to take on new patients. Good ol' Doctor C.

On a side note, have you ever noticed how many people gawk at you in the waiting room of a medical office? Close your mouth, avert your eyes and read a freakin' magazine or something. I'm not gawking at you, so kindly do the same, weirdos.

I had brought my book and was patiently absorbed when I heard my name called out. I looked up and found myself a hypocrite. Here I was, book in hand, peering over the top of it, gawking at the cutest doctor I have ever seen. Cuter, even than Patrick Dempsey. I somehow managed to grab my bag, book and stumble over to where he was casually waiting. What happened from there on in was a strange blur of medical history and professional banter, all I could seem to focus on were those gleaming blue eyes and charming smile.

That is until he shot me right back into reality:

"So, when was your last pap?"

Like it was a question about the weather.

I was like, huh?! Whhaaaaaaaooooooooooooohhhhh....that. Yeah. I was thinking there is NO WAY in HELL I will be able to pull it together to get through THAT one, with YOU. No offense buddy!

That I somehow made it through those awkward fifteen minutes of introductory dialogue was nothing short of a miracle. Especially the part where he recommended making an appointment for a physical. I would have liked to have seen my expression at that point.

However, Doctor C did seem like he knows what he's doing and there was something about him (besides the very obvious) that appealed to me.

Hmm. I guess we'll have to think about that one now, won't we.

Dirty Words

Ah, George. What would we do, if you hadn't graced us with your presence...

This Shit is Bananas, B-A-N-A-N-A-S...

Apparently I think Facebook was invented by a bunch of apes, because I happened to speak my point of view (I know eh, what was I thinking?!) in response to a biblical interpretation note...which may or may not have been, at least partially, influenced by an earlier status I had posted up there: "Jesus called, he wants his religion back". It was on a bumper sticker and c'mon now, tell me that isn't funny. I guess I have a sick sense of humour. Surprise, surprise.

Anyways, this note was all about interpreting people's status's, how people may read into it and completely miss what the person is actually referring to. She went on to reference the holy biblical book himself, and how we all interpret it differently. But really, the biblical authors had "one purpose in what they wrote, and no matter what I think about it, their purpose won't change". No matter what one may think. Hmm. Think being the keyword here.

I'm sorry but I just could not resist this temptation. (I'm a Sinner!) So I threw my few cents "out there". It wasn't an insult, more a point of view - you know, there are more than one of those these days. And hey, I like to spur on religious discussion once in a while because I actually do find it interesting. Just let's converse about it on a respectable level. Maybe I need to work on this, so I don't go ruffling your shiny feathers. Maybe not.

Whatever.

I've had more than my share of force-fed religion and I'm full. I can't help it anymore. I cannot, for the life of me, listen in silence, dumbfounded, to your self-righteous, all-knowing, all-forseeing nonsense, like the naive little girl I once was. Fear, guilt and manipulation does not do your religion justice. To hell with that noise.

I have a voice now and it's all mine.

I am finally free.

Well, at least getting there. It will be final when I can sit and read or hear your fantastical nonsense without my stomach doing catapults, when I can resist the urge to scream every profanity known to woman, when I no longer spew up into my mouth. It's still raw, all the damage you caused. But I am working on it. I am in control now. I will get there. In the meantime, expect to hear from me, because I will probably be throwing my few cents your way. And I will quite possibly, most likely enjoy it.

Sick, twisted. Call it what you will.

Dazed and Confused

"If you want others to be happy, practice compassion. If you want to be happy, practice compassion"

Sometimes, dealing with people is downright draining. (And it kinda makes you want to just throw in the towel and say alright, you asked for it). Not all people mind you, but the ones who are just full of that negative energy, walking around with a giant stump up their ass. Get over it. Get on with it. Life's passing you by and you're missing out. In fact, we all are, aren't we? At least, sometimes? I fight negativity every day, and yes, of course I've had that stump up my own ass. But I don't really like it up there. It doesn't feel quite right.

I was at superstore today. It was busy. People everywhere. No surprise, being a Saturday. I wasn't in a rush and was in a pretty good mood, so I figured I was up for the challenge.

What I don't get, is why it has to be such a sideshow? It's like people become these psychotic, robotic beings that you just want to whack out of whatever daze they've put themselves in. Of course, I'd never whack anyone, but the imagery is sometimes enough of a release. Stress relief. Gotta have it.

I'm just blown away by the lack of consideration for other people, the impatience, the rudeness, the selfishness, the attitude. Manners are becoming obsolete. And it's not just the grocery store, it's the workplace, the gym, the road...and well it's pretty much everywhere.

What is up people?

Is life so, so bad that you have to treat other people like shit because you're choosing not to act, but instead react to things that aren't the way you want them, things that may be going wrong for you? Things go wrong for all of us, regularily. We're all in this together, whether we like it or not. It's a fact of life. There's ups and downs, good days and bad days and here's a newsflash for you: not everything is going to be peachy every single moment of every single day.

Why not put it all aside for a moment. Take a moment. Breathe. Look around. See. Feel. Try smiling at the person next to you. Try letting someone else go first. Try words of kindness. Try to think beyond yourself. Beyond your problems. Try to think of others. It's not that hard, and you might just find that it's actually kind of easy once you get the hang of it. You might even find yourself feeling pretty good. And what's wrong with that?

I do recall a near collision today, in which two people stood standing there between mountains of bread and other baked goodies, staring at each other. With a twinkle in each eye, the older gentleman said kindly: "Ladies first". I grinned on the way by, with an appreciative: "Thank you"... and we both carried on... It was lovely.

We all have alot of work to do but it is not impossible...
And it starts with you and I.

Love and compassion are necessitites, not luxuries. Without them, humanity cannot survive.

It is not enough to be compassionate. You must act. There are two aspects to action. One is to overcome the distortions and afflictions of your own mind, that is, in terms of calming and eventually dispelling anger. This is action out of compassion. The other is more social, more public. When something needs to be done in the world to rectify the wrongs, if one is really concerned with benefitting others, one needs to be engaged, involved.

When you think everything is someone else´s fault, you will suffer a lot. When you realize that everything springs only from yourself, you will learn both peace and joy.

~ Wise thoughts from the Dalai Lama

Her Morning Elegance

Isn't that just great?!