November 2011 Blog Posts (149)

There are several aspects, components, definitions, forms, and outcomes relating to Domestic Violence. Here in this post- let's focus on targeting and bringing down the #1 perpetrator of domestic violence- ourselves.

I do consulting and coaching for victims, perpetrators, and survivors of…

As a writer focused on the theme of positive thinking, I speak often about how important it is for us as human beings to focus on the positivity and the beauty that is around us each and everyday. This is especially true in our modern world where we are constantly being inundated with so many negative…

Today, as I was driving to my local CVS, I was thinking about a conversation I had with my sister.  She's been steadily employed and I lost my job in 2008.  It's amazing how much my definition of having enough has changed since then.

I think everyone can agree that when pouring liquid into a glass as it begins to overflow there is more than 'enough' liquid in the glass.  However, I don't believe people can agree upon the definition of having enough in their personal…

The journey to find My Sanctuary was twisty and turney with no final destination in mind, really.  It’s not like I started out with the thought that I would find My New Favorite Place, but it just sort of happened. 

It all began with my first experience with yoga . . .

The first time I tried yoga, I was in my early 20’s.   I took it in a big gym setting and was not ready.  I was not ready to quiet down the chatter in my head.  I was not ready close my…

I cannot believe the number of black birds flying around these days. Come 4:30 or 5pm, as the sun sets, the sky is literally full of black birds resembling a formation of war planes swarming in overhead. They gather in city trees until each bare tree holds dozens, maybe even a hundred birds, in the crooked hands of its tips.

I keep thinking of the old children's tale: "Four and twenty black birds baked in a pie," from "Sing a Song of Six-Pence." I also think about the biblical…

Anxiety can get the best of us. Take yourself from chaos to calm by following the seven tips listed below and relieve your anxiety now.

1. Stop – Take three deep sighs. As you release your sigh make an audible “AHHHHH” sound.   The conscious use of sound creation creates wellness in your body.  Release anger and frustration through this simple vocalization and get the chaos out of your body.

2. Breathe – Take a deep…

Our Thanksgivings are now somewhat non-traditional.  Last year my aunt roasted a duck for the first time instead of a turkey.  This year, my family traveled to my place in Northern Virginia and we feasted on Cornish hens and a bone-in rib roast on Saturday instead of Thursday.

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Today is a rainy day.  Some say rainy days suck.  Others call these days gross or depressing.  Well, I must say I don’t like to be out in the rain, and I especially don’t like to drive in the rain, but I wouldn’t say rainy days are all bad.  Something about these days makes me want to slow down, reflect and sleep.  Too bad I am not near my bed right now……

Tuesday's Grace Notes

Thoughts on Gratitude.

Last Wednesday, as I sat in the waiting room for a follow-up mammogram, a woman emerged from the imaging area frowning and gripping her right breast.  I immediately said “aww, it isn’t that bad” as I thought I’m glad there are no first-timers out here, otherwise she’d scare them all.  Even I recall all the horror stories ranging from the nurse twists your boobs into strange angles to the nurse slams the plate down on your…

Black Friday. Cyber Monday. Hanukkah. Christmas, New Year’s Eve. The holiday madness begins in November and lasts through the New Year. I'm not a holiday grinch, but I cringe at the waste that comes from the holiday season every year. From Thanksgiving to New Years Day, household waste in the U.S. increases by more than 25%. The waste comes in the form of food, shopping bags, holiday cards, packaging, wrapping paper, bows, ribbons, and more. This adds up to an additional one million tons a…

When I was in seminary, one of the things Dr Ricutti taught us in Intro to Preaching was to have a title that would catch people’s interest. My guess is when you saw the title you thought about the A & E television station (Arts and Entertainment). I wish I could say this is what I have been thinking about this week. In some respects, I have. However, the A and E I have been spending a good part of my time thinking about are two things we tend to do easily in our lives: assumptions and…

I'm back from the chaos and fun of the weekend. We had a wonderful time with friends and family as well as a full house. We had expected around 25 people, but we ended up with 21. Good thing, because I don't know where we would've put any more.

The food was a hit, especially the sweet potato gratin (see previous blog for recipe) and, if you can believe it, the plain old…

I am a thinker. I am comfortable in my mind. I love to analyze. I love to know. I love to question. I love my inquisitive nature and all that I have learned about the world that I live in because of it.

But what if all of this knowing and thinking becomes a distraction? What if “knowing” how to fix a problem never gets you to the solution?

This is what has happened to me.

 …

If you were to ask my friends their one pet peeve about me, they would most likely say I never answer my phone or I never call them.  Well, that is not entirely true because I do text them.  And there is a time when I do pick up or call them, which is generally the window between my departure from work and my arrival at home.  They just aren’t available.  But they do know there are other times when I don’t…

It's been a long 3 months of adjusting to a new home, adapting to an ever-changing schedule with work, and learning to take things as I can. There have been a few set backs health-wise with the cold season back in October, but I feel I'm mostly back to 'normal'. But I'm hoping to improve on 'normal' by getting more time outside (walking along the lakeshore or scoping out High Park) and starting to eat better (lots of snacking has been going on, and only recently have I turned more to carrots…

It is amazing what I find when I straighten things out, or perhaps I just wasn’t supposed to find them until now. The reality is that I think I always knew they were there, but for some reason did not feel called to look at them or open the box. Today, however, I felt drawn to open them and there was that card staring at me. It said, "Our emotions tell us how we are doing in life." On the back it said, "If we don’t like our emotional reaction, we need to clean up the lies we belief. By…