Thursday, March 30, 2006

Pity us...

My friends and my road-fellows,
Pity the nation that is full of beliefs and empty of religion.
Pity the nation that wears a cloth it does not weave, eats a bread it does not harvest, and drinks a wine that flows not from its own winepress.
Pity the nation that acclaims the bully as hero, and that deems the glittering conqueror bountiful.
Pity the nation that raises not its voice save when it walks in a funeral, boasts not except among its ruins, and will rebel not save when its neck is laid between the sword and the block.
Pity the nation whose statesman is a fox, whose philosopher is a juggler, and whose art is the art of patching and mimicking.
Pity the nation that welcomes its new ruler with trumpetings, and farewells him with hootings, only to welcome another with trumpetings again.
Pity the nation divided into fragments, each fragment deeming itself a nation.
Kahlil Gibran

Friday, March 24, 2006

I would rather have a mind opened by wonder than one closed by belief.

Gerry Spence







The weekend awaits...enjoy!

~Namaste~

Thursday, March 23, 2006

small comfort

Human beings, who are almost unique in having the ability to learn from the experience of others, are also remarkable for their apparent disinclination to do so.


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If you don't change your beliefs, your life will be like this forever. Is that good news?



(Douglas Noel Adams)

Monday, March 20, 2006

Well, spring sprang.
We've had our state of grace and our little gift of sanctioned madness, courtesy of Mother Nature.
Thanks, Gaia. Much obliged.
I guess it's time to get back to that daily routine of living we like to call normal.
(Northern Exposure, Spring Break, 1991)



'tis the Vernal Equinox. Happy Ostara!

As the newly reborn sun races across the sky, the days become longer, the air warmer and, once again, life begins to return to the land. Twice a year, day and night become equal in length. To the elders, the equinoxes were markers in which seeds would be planted and then harvested.

The Vernal Equinox is a time of renewal, both in Nature and in the Home.

.........and nothing says renewal like a Cadbury mini-egg.

Friday, March 17, 2006

Go dtaga do ríocht

Here's wishing you the top o' life without a single tumble.
Here's wishing you the smiles o' life and not a single grumble.
Here's wishing you the best o' life and not a claw about it.
Here's wishing you the joy in life and not a day without it.

Here's to lying, stealing, and cheating!
May you lie to save a friend;
May you steal the heart of the one you love;
and may you cheat death.


Have a good weekend

a ghrá mo chroí
















May the road rise to meet you,
May the wind be always at your back.
May the sun shine warm upon your face,
May the rains fall soft upon your fields.


May you be poor in misfortune, and rich in blessings.
Slow to make enemies, and quick to make friends.
But rich or poor, or quick or slow,
May you know nothing but happiness from this day forward.

May the road rise up to meet you,
May the wind be always at your back.
May the warm rays of sun fall upon your home,
And may the hand of a friend always be near.

May your thoughts be as glad as the shamrocks,
May your heart be as light as a song.
May each day bring you bright happy hours,
That stay with you all year long.

May green be the grass you walk on,
May blue be the skies above you.
May pure be the joys that surround you,
May true be the hearts that love you.

Thursday, March 16, 2006

Advice...

Elves seldom give unguarded advice, for advice is a dangerous gift, even from the wise to the wise, and all courses may run ill. But what would you? You have not told me all concerning yourself; and how then shall I choose better than you?


Gildor (J.R.R. Tolkein, Lord of The Rings)

Wednesday, March 15, 2006

Mental Illness and Addictions


When one hears about these one tends to picture derelict street people, one doesn’t picture well-to-do “pillars” of a community.

When the pundits talk about living with these they usually talk about patients, and about recovery and treatment.

I live with both of these, but there is no end in sight as neither is being treated.

If you Google Borderline Personality Disorder - you’ll meet my mother-in-law.
Diagnosis:
A person with a borderline personality disorder often experiences a repetitive pattern of disorganization and instability in self-image, mood, behavior and close personal relationships. This can cause significant distress or impairment in friendships and work. A person with this disorder can often be bright and intelligent, and appear warm, friendly and competent. They sometimes can maintain this appearance for a number of years until their defense structure crumbles, usually around a stressful situation.
Symptoms
Relationships with others are intense but stormy and unstable with marked shifts of feelings and difficulties in maintaining intimate, close connections. The person may manipulate others and often has difficulty with trusting others. There is also emotional instability with marked and frequent shifts to an empty lonely depression or to irritability and anxiety. There may be unpredictable and impulsive behavior which might include excessive spending, promiscuity, gambling, drug or alcohol abuse, shoplifting, overeating or physically self-damaging actions such as suicide gestures. The person may show inappropriate and intense anger or rage with temper tantrums, constant brooding and resentment, feelings of deprivation, and a loss of control or fear of loss of control over angry feelings. There are also identity disturbances with confusion and uncertainty about self-identity, sexuality, life goals and values, career choices, friendships. There is a deep-seated feeling that one is flawed, defective, damaged or bad in some way, with a tendency to go to extremes in thinking, feeling or behavior. Under extreme stress or in severe cases there can be brief psychotic episodes with loss of contact with reality or bizarre behavior or symptoms. Even in less severe instances, there is often significant disruption of relationships and work performance. The depression which accompanies this disorder can cause much suffering and can lead to serious suicide attempts.

This is her to a “T” (except the sex & promiscuity part)
And to add an element of fun and excitement to the mix she has taken it upon herself to relieve many on-line pharmacies of a goodly number of medications. She bought herself a PDR and has been self-medicating for years…She is an addict. She’s been hauled off to the hospital to have her stomach pumped, on a number of occasions.
Besides the obvious problems this generates - she IS an expert manipulator and she is highly intelligent and can appear to be teetering at the brink, but can pull back at the last possible moment, thereby preventing anyone from actually forcing her into a treatment program of some kind while making our lives miserable by raging, guilting and bullying and general havoc creation.

And were you to Google Narcissistic Personality Disorder, you would meet my father-in-law.

Diagnostic Criteria
A pervasive pattern of grandiosity (in fantasy or behavior – behaviour in his case), need for admiration, and lack of empathy, beginning by early adulthood and present in a variety of contexts, as indicated by the following:
* Has a grandiose sense of self-importance (e.g., exaggerates achievements and talents, expects to be recognized as superior without commensurate achievements)
* Believes that he or she is "special" and unique and can only be understood by, or should associate with, other special or high-status people (or institutions),
* Requires excessive admiration
* Has a sense of entitlement, i.e., unreasonable expectations of especially favorable treatment or automatic compliance with his or her expectations
* Is interpersonally exploitative, (not so much this…this’d fall more in to the mother-in-law category)
* Lacks empathy: is unwilling to recognize or identify with the feelings and needs of others
* Is often envious of others or believes that others are envious of him or her
* Shows arrogant, haughty behaviors or attitudes

He is a nightmare to go anywhere with…A special spot in heaven is reserved for any service person (waiter, sales associate, etc) who has to deal with him.

Neither one thinks that they have a problem, both think that the other is troubled, and that WE are all to blame and responsible for cleaning up the mess…

The best treatment – move far away, get call-display, and develop a thick skin.

Tuesday, March 14, 2006














Come, my friends,
'T is not too late to seek a newer world.
Push off, and sitting well in order smite
The sounding furrows; for my purpose holds
To sail beyond the sunset, and the baths
Of all the western stars, until I die.
It may be that the gulfs will wash us down:
It may be we shall touch the Happy Isles,
And see the great Achilles, whom we knew.
Tho' much is taken, much abides; and tho'
We are not now that strength which in old days
Moved earth and heaven, that which we are, we are;
One equal temper of heroic hearts,
Made weak by time and fate, but strong in will
To strive, to seek, to find, and not to yield.

- Alfred Lord Tennyson, ""Ulysses"

The latest news is that baby Riley did indeed have a stroke and a "significant" portion of his brain (at the back of his head) is dead. He is scheduled for a whole whack of tests and stuff.. The doctors sound positive so that's a good sign...I think.Any and all prayers, positive vibes, and healing energy are appreciated


This amused me...several small towns in Vermont (I love Vermont!) have, in their town meetings, started to vote to impeach President Bush. grins! => http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/11724797/