It's only business

Business is tough these days. Anyone who is trying to make a living knows just how tough it is. But even if you are one of the lucky ones that have the steady income you had 4 years ago, you are still affected by how people conduct business. Basically, what I see are two different kinds of business people. The first kind are those who are taking it personally. These people think that the economy is singling them out and keeping them from the lifestyle in which they have become accustomed. These people, as a result, are jacking up their prices to compensate for the decline in sheer numbers....I believe some call it gouging. Or if they aren't gouging they are getting downright angry with anyone who doesn't (or can't) do business with them. It's as if these people feel entitled to your business...perhaps because you have done business with them in the past. But we are all, regardless of our situation, being more careful about who we do business with. And competition is a good thing. The pricing issue is one thing. It's easy to just say, "no...can't afford that" and walk away. It's the attitude stuff that bothers me more. I really don't think it's fair to be hit in the face with your anger because your business isn't doing so well.

The second type of business person is the one who is grateful for what they have. These folks are understanding of the situation that so many people are in and doing what they can to, A)stay alive but B)giving people a break. I have to believe that this second type of person will come out of this recession in better shape. Maybe I am naive, God knows,....but maybe, just maybe those people that you treated fairly will be loyal customers when things improve. I choose to believe.

I can tell you that there are a few of category one people who will never get my business again after having to deal with their negativity. And, you know...these people should be upset by that because, although I don't have any money right now...I might have money tomorrow...and won't they be so sad! And there are more out there who share my attitude...and some of them do have money now.

I guess if I had one wish I would wish that there was more widespread spirit of generosity. I am trying to do my best with walking the talk. I am offering reasonably priced massage to everyone. And I keep offering affordable massage for those people who know how good it is for their health. I am not simply trying to lure in new customers, although, frankly, I could use some, so if you are reading this please come see me!

I have to believe that what you put out there is what you will get back. It doesn't always seem that way, but I'm not gonna give up. There are two old sayings that are either anonymous or I just don't know who to credit. "Like finds like." and "Giving opens the way for receiving." Believe!!

Chi

This is an article that I read on a very good website, acupuncture.com. I am posting this because I think it is a good explanation of chi, and how everything affects our chi.

Weather and Emotions Affects the Flow of Chi
By Jaseng Center for Alternative Medicine

The word chi literally means "breath" and "air," as well as "energy." And all forms of life in the universe are animated by this essential life force. According to the tenets of Oriental medicine, humans and all other living things stand between "heaven," the source of chi, and the earth, which gives life to all things on the planet. And the energy of weather, which is called "celestial energy" as it also springs from heaven, passes through the human body system like electricity moves through a conductor. Chi circulates across the surface of the body, just below the skin, protecting the entire organism from invasion by extremes of environmental energy such as heat, cold, dryness and wind.
It follows, therefore, that the human energy system - the meridians through which chi flows - is strongly influenced by the various types of environmental energy and, in particular, weather conditions. When certain climatic conditions become extreme, specific internal organs are directly affected. The energy of cold, for example, attacks the meridian associated with the kidneys, so extreme cold can cause kidney malfunction.
In addition, the energy of strong wind or brutally cold weather has a negative influence on life force energy in the body, keeping chi from flowing smoothly in the meridian lines. This sometimes causes bodily aches and pains that seem to have no other apparent cause, and in many cases brings on the symptoms of a second-stage cold like headache, chills, and fever, with no evidence of viral invasion.
It goes without saying that working outside for a long period of time in the summer or winter, exposed to extreme temperatures, is harmful to one's health. Symptoms of this type of overexposure include fever, dry lips, constipation and heaviness in the chest. Some people who sit in damp grass or get caught in the rain experience headaches, arthritis, and bodily swelling, as extreme moisture can block the flow of chi in meridian lines.
Sudden shifts in emotions can also trigger a chain-reaction of energy imbalance throughout the body. And these reactions are just as strong as those caused by extreme climatic conditions. It is a well-known fact that a person suffering from extreme personal grief, such as the death of a spouse, becomes highly vulnerable to all sorts of disease. Fear is a symptom of temporary kidney dysfunction, but prolonged chronic fear can actually cause permanent kidney damage. Frequent fits of anger reflect liver problems, but a person who is almost constantly angry will damage an otherwise healthy liver. This then generates even more anger, creating a vicious psychosomatic circle. So, when you are angry, try to stop thinking about what is making you angry. You can do this by meditating, sitting in a quiet place, or simply listening to calming music. In the same sense, mental shock or psychological disorders - which can stem from anything from bad childhood experiences to watching too many horror movies - can also hinder the growth of the body. When the pathways and meridian lines of chi are disturbed by mental illness, they directly influence the condition of the bones, disrupting or even stopping normal growth.
Chi energy moves similar to how electricity moves through a computer, along a well-defined circuit, the meridians. And this energy can be manipulated to release blockages and increase health through meditation, acupuncture and moxibustion therapy. With moxibustion, moxa (artemisia) sticks are burned close to the skin over certain points on the meridians. Moxibustion and acupuncture are especially effective in treating breathing problems, pains in the chest and the back as well as disturbed chi circulation caused by an imbalance of energy in the meridian lines. These Traditional Chinese medicine modalities can be very helpful for many other health conditions that are caused by either weather or emotions.

Tis the season

You know how when you are coming down with a cold, everyone offers you advice on what to do? "Eat some chicken soup," "put on wet wool socks and go to bed," "drink water from the other side of the glass," (wait that is for hiccups..never mind) Anyway, it's so annoying all this advice. So guess what? That's right, I'm gonna give you some advice. Didn't see it coming did you?

OK. Now there are times when you just get a cold or the flu. No one is immune to every strand of virus (at least I don't think so...if you are one of those people who are immune than I apologize deeply.) But you don't have to succumb to every viral strand either. You know those people who seem to get everything? Ugh, I hate that...and of course it's always a co-worker that you have to cover for. So, don't be that guy/girl. When you feel something coming on, first acknowledge that you are indeed maybe getting a bug. Do not deny it, "I am NOT getting sick, I am not getting sick..." that never works. Listen to what your body is telling you. Slow down. Decide to go to bed early. Mix yourself a little potion. Echinacea tincture, (I like the Herb Pharm brand that is available at any health food store) mixed with an emergencee and drink it down! if you have the Vivasan lemon and orange oils I have written about..add them. Then get out your neti pot (available at drug stores everywhere) and follow the directions and rinse out those sinuses! This really works! Repeat this all a couple times a day. And get some rest!! I know I have written about this all before...but, like I said..'tis the season. Also, my very wise acupuncturist says that for me, I should not take anything that adds heat for a sore throat. For me...I should try to cool it down. Personally, I like popsicles for this. You can also drink Throat Coat tea which has slippery elm in it. She wants me to stay away from ginger tea, which adds heat. There are two different kinds of sore throat. If you are a hot person, like me (I know, right?) then you probably have a hot sore throat...if you are a cold person..then ginger is probably ok for you. Do what feels right for you.

Sometimes..you just get nailed. And it's usually at the worst time. In that case...I take Alka-Seltzer Plus Cold. It works pretty well if you just have to be somewhere and not have snot pouring out of your orifices. And do the neti-pot thing. I really helps speed recovery.

Be well, my friends.

Your annoying advice giver, Lee

Updates

Well, I put my sandals away. Fall is here, and except for the pretty trees, that basically means winter. And there's no place for sandals in the winter except for in the closet. So that is where they will stay until spring comes around again, in like 17 months.

For those few who follow this blog, I want you to know that I have written a letter to the Ford dealership who (were forced?) to break their oil change promise to me. I have not gotten a response. Oh, but this is not over.

Also, for those who follow....my blood pressure was 107/82 this morning. That's after coffee. So, that is pretty good. The HeartMath breathing exercises I have been doing are really paying off. I also read that celery seed extract is especially effective at lowering BP. I hadn't heard that before. I may get some..because there is no way I am eating a quarter pound of celery everyday....that is the food equivalent....you go ahead if you want to.

I found a new solution to an old problem for you dog lovers out there. Dogs get tartar in their teeth, and the vets tell us to brush their teeth. I have tried...but with my dog, it's a wrestling match...so I don't do it. And really, it doesn't seem to help very much and just makes their gums bleed. Well....solution! Biotene Maintance Oral Gel! Get it from your vet...it's about $15. You just rub it on their teeth and gums for a couple days then give them a bone to chew on. And I swear to you their teeth will be white and beautiful and tartar free. I am not kidding. I couldn't believe it....it's a miracle. So, I pretty much love my dog again. Anyone that knows me knows that I have "teeth issues" and that applies to canines as well.

OK, that is your update that I know you have been dying for. Enjoy the next couple of days before the weather gets ugly!!

True genius

I love to complain everyday about how not smart people are. It's fun..and sadly, all too true. But there is one person in this country who I consider to be the smartest person in the world. I do not know this person, I don't even know their name. I am not sure if it is a man or a woman (although I have to admit I hope and pray it is a woman.) This person is a marketing genius....and there is no limit to her power. This praise goes to the person who is in charge of raising money for breast cancer research. Is it Susan G Komen? Or is that the name of a woman who died of breast cancer and they developed this foundation in her name (probably)? I looked on komen.org but could not find any information about who is behind the scenes. That may be due to my limited working knowledge of the Internet and/or my short attention span. Anyway, I sort of tried. Nothing. However, there are a ton of ways you can give them money!

You cannot get through the day without being presented an opportunity to give money to breast cancer research. I know that this month is THE MONTH for this, but you have to admit that it really is every month. It is everywhere. Let's do a brief review: if you buy yogurt, you give. If you buy soap, you give. If you eat chocolate, you give. If you go to the store they ask if you want to "round up" for breast cancer research. if you buy anything pink, you give. You can run and walk for "the cure." You can get a massage for "the cure." If you buy hard lemonade, you give. Heck, even the funny pages in Sunday's paper were in pink, with the telltale little pink ribbons printed everywhere. The marketing genius I speak of has not ever had the thought, "that's probably enough." The list of corporate sponsors on their website is really, really long. Everyone from American Airlines to Zumba Fitness is on there. Holland America is on there...Ford Motors is on there....as well as Dansko (the best shoes ever) and Massage Envy...these are just a few that I noted. I mean this is a total all-out assault on the community. Their motto must be "leave no stone where there might be money unturned."

Now I am all in favor of eradicating breast cancer and all cancers for that matter. But I have to ask the obvious question here: if breast cancer research is bringing in so much money (and it has to be billions) what happens if they do find a cure? Won't that money stop?

Anyway, I would love to meet this person. She is a shining example of what you can do in this country!

The oil change scandal, part deux

Could there possibly be more to the story of my last blog entry? Well, sure. Many smart people have told me that the story doesn't make sense. (Well, two people...my mom and my friend, Hank) and I agree...it doesn't make sense. And you know what Judge Judy says..."if it doesn't make sense, it probably isn't true." Honestly, I have no problem accepting the fact that the government does all kinds of things that don't make sense...but still...there has to be more to the story. There must to be a law (whether that law makes sense or not) that the dealership was violating. I am over being mad about this. I mean really, I had a pretty good run with the free oil change deal. I am now simply curious about what the heck is going on. So I called Dick again and assured him that I was not trying to make trouble for him. I just want to know what the real story is. He told me, again, that the Attorney General told them that they are violating a marketing law and were fined and told to cease the activity immediately. He assured me (well, he told me) that it did not have anything to do with taxes. I asked him if they received any bailout money from the gov, and he said they did not. He really didn't have a good grasp on the whole thing...which could mean that his attorney handled everything, or that he is not too bright, or he is lying.

In life you have to let a lot of things go. Believe me, I know this. But sometimes you have to find out why you are getting the shaft. And I already know the reason that I am getting the shaft. Money of course. But this situation calls for details. I think I have a right to know who is sticking it to me. After all, it is personal.

Get used to it...there's more to come. Lot's more.

I am on-fire mad!! And this time I have a legitimate reason. Back in 2001 or so, my husband and I bought a truck from Miller Ford Nissan in Madras. As part of the deal for purchasing a truck there we were given free oil changes for the life of the truck. Or perhaps it was as long as we owned the truck. Either way, it was definitely a factor in purchasing the truck there as opposed to some other dealership. And for this many years, I have been taking the truck up to Madras to have them change the oil..and all it cost me is the price of the oil filter. A decent deal...for once. Yeah, well, guess what? They did away with that deal. Of course! I wonder what took them so long. Anyway, when I was notified that I was, again, getting the shaft, I asked "who do I need to speak to about this?" I was transferred to the general manager, Dick, who, to his credit, answered the call. I said, "what gives?" To which he replied with an explanation that surprised even me. He said the the Department of Justice told him that was he was doing was illegal....that "nothing is free" and that they had to cease and desist immediately and also pay a hefty fine. Dick went on to tell me that their attorney advised that they could fight it..you know...to stick up for their loyal customers...but that would cost them too much in legal fees (attorney fees) and that they better just do what the government says. What??? So.....there you go.

Now why in the world would the government be getting into the business of the car dealerships? Gee, I wonder. Do you think that all their "bailouts" might have something to do with this new policy?

For all you people out there who think that the government is the answer to all our problems..and that they give a rip about us..you are seriously stupid. I cannot say it any more plain than that.

Side effects

I think we can all agree that it is increasingly difficult to watch TV these days due to the commercials for prescription drugs. The drug companies are out of control! The most annoying of all (it's hard to choose, I know) has to be the guy who "trusts his heart to Lipitor." This guy has the most pathetic face of any man I have seen. He had a heart attack at 56! Unheard of!! He admits that he "should have listened to his doctor and done more for his high cholesterol.....what was I thinking?" Could he be any more whiny? Anyway, I have to change the channel when this ad comes on...not just mute the sound....because then I can still see his face. My mom and I agree about the utter pitifulness of this guy and she got DVR just so she wouldn't have to see it (well, maybe she wanted to miss a few other ads as well.) But then I saw another guy who "trusts his heart to Lipitor" who, I grant you, is not so loserish as the first guy, but close. So, I actually watched that ad (such is my life) and I observed something that I had not noticed before. There is a side effect to Lipitor that is clearly shown in the ads but, interestingly, not mentioned in the long, tiresome list of side effects that they read to you. Obviously, Lipitor makes men do stupid shit with their wives that they would not normally ever do! In the first pathetic guy (after Lipitor saves his life) he dons a stupid bike helmet (at a jaunty angle) and rides a bicycle on a bike path at like 2 miles per hour with his wife (and grown son no less, who probably has not left home yet.) This is not normal. In the less pitiful ad, the guy is antique shopping with his wife. Yeah right! I know of no real man that would do either of these things...willingly. I feel that it is my duty to alert you men to this alarming side effect. Be careful, guys!! I wonder what happens to women if they take this drug? Do they have to hang out with their husbands while they sit in their recliners and watch NASCAR? Do they have to follow them around when they are "puttering in the garage?" Good Lord.....beware!!

If for no other reason than what I have described above....please do not listen to the drug ads. You don't know what you may be getting yourself into!!!!

Miss me?

OMG, have you like totally missed me or what? Truth is that I have sort of had writer's block...or would that be blogger's block? Anyway, I have been reading so many good books lately....by actual people who can write well, that I intimidated myself. Do you wanna know what I have been reading? Do ya, do ya? OK...I will tell you. Firstly, I have to give a shout out to my friend Michele who has recommended all of these, I think. She is in a book club that sounds a bit formal to me....I mean they actually expect you to read the books and report back on them! So, I am for sure not joining that! I was in a book club once. It was made up of friends, Michele being one of them. And we not so much read, as drank. It was a beautiful group. We called ourselves "a drinking club that has a reading problem." Hahahahaha. Oh, we had fun us girls! Anyway, this new club that Michele is in is much more serious and the by-product for me is that I hear about some great books without actually having to be in the club. It's perfect.

The first one is Shadow of the Wind by Carlos Ruiz Zafon. Fabulous book set in Barcelona. The second and third one are Stieg Larsson's Girl With the Dragon Tattoo and The Girl Who Plays With Fire. Good books if you are in the mood to kick a guy's ass. Another one is Sara's Key by Tatiana de Rosnay. That story is sad...about the holocaust. Reading about the holocaust is probably something we should do once in a while. The pure evil of the time is hard to wrap your mind around...but it should be remembered...because, of course, it still happens....perhaps not to that astonishing degree, but genocide is attempted all around the world as we try to deny....but what can we do? Then I switched to a funny book (because I had to) by Bill Bryson, The Life and Times of the Thunderbolt Kid. That book was a memoir about Bill's childhood in Des Moines, Iowa during the 50's. A strange and wonderful time that has more to do with our culture than we give it credit for. Completely funny book that had me laughing so hard in parts that I couldn't continue reading due to the tears in my eyes! Now I am onto The Gargoyle by Andrew Davidson. That is a story of an ex porn star who gets badly burned in a car accident and is visited by someone from a past life. At least I think that is what it's about. The story has not revealed itself to me completely.

So, there you go. A very good list of books if you are so inclined. I have, in the hopper so to speak, a number of very serious books about living and dying that I will share with you later...if I feel like it.

I guess my solution to the early fall (I was so hoping for an extended Indian summer) is to read. Seems reasonable. And...what have you all been doing???

One of my favorite things

Sleep. I love it. There is nothing better than being really tired and crawling into my cozy bed (with my 600 thread count sheets that I bought cheap at Ross) and falling immediatly alseep. It's even better when I dream about George Clooney giving me butterfly kisses all night and waking up 8 or 9 hours later completely refreshed, hopping out of bed and excited about my day! And most nights some variation of this scenario does occur. Admittedly, I hardly ever dream about George and the hopping out of bed part is a bit much. But this scenario does not have to exist only in Utopia.

There are some nights when I fall alseep immediatly but wake up at 3 or 4 in the morning and set in to worrying about every little thing under the moon. I wonder things like: did I close the garage door? Do I have cream for my coffee in the morning? Did I pay my taxes in 1987? (I can't remember!) Is it really possible that Hillary could be our next prez? If I met George Clooney in real life..would he even look at me? If a car was travelling 30 mph for 157 miles and had two dimes and a half tank of gas would I be driving or would George? You know..things like that? And it seems like once you get started on these thoughts they clone or self mutate and multiply until you want to rip your head off. Because you know that when you do have to get up you will look and feel exactly like one of those zombies in Night of the Living Dead. Not a good look. But, wait....of course I have a solution for these night terrors! The Bach Flower essences Rescue Sleep spray. I swear this stuff works...under normal circumstances....meaning that if you are over-stressed and/or have insomnia problems, this will likely not work. But for those of us who have a clear conscience and usually sleep well, this stuff can be the difference between Night of the Living Dead and angel kisses from George. If you wake up and your brain starts to do that thing, you just spray a few shots into your mouth and you will fall back into slumberland. I am not kidding. It's awesome.

Regret

I have had this sense of regret around me lately. This is new..I don't remember feeling sorrow over doing something or not doing something (as is more often the case)...but there it is...and I can't shake it. But then I looked the word up and I'm not sure it is what I feel. The dictionary says that regret means "to feel sorry, disappointed or distressed about, a sense of loss, distress over a desire unfulfilled or an action performed or not performed." This doesn't fit the bill for me. I am not mourning anything...I just wish I could go back and not let a certain person into my life. I want to undo it. I don't think that is the same thing. It is all so uncool to admit regret in today's world. The "I-am-so-blessed-crowd" will tell you that you should never regret anything....because you can always learn from your mistakes, that pain helps weave the tapestry that is your life...blah blah blah. Well, yeah, I guess that is technically true but who wants to hear that? I read a quote from someone anonymous..."I regret every chance I missed at protecting myself from being hurt." Yes! That's it exactly! That is what I regret! I wish I could go back in time and say "no thanks!" That's what I want.

But of course, as is often the case, I am not gonna get what I want. And that leads me back to my heart issues and how to solve them. My blood pressure is reasonable, and I feel way better. I looked up what Louise Hay has to say about the BP ailment and she says that hypertension is due to a "long-standing emotional problem not solved." And she says that your self-talk mantra should be something like "I joyously release the past. I am at peace." I don't think I have any long-standing emotional problems..this one is pretty new. But I think her self-talk thing is probably appropriate. Sure can't hurt. It's always fun to see what Louise has to say about things in one of her books like, "You Can Heal Your Life" but she can be almost too simplistic. Of course, in the Reiki realm, I think the heart chakra has more to do with how you feel about yourself than anyone else...remember "I love myself, I love myself...and all that?" And according to Bach (the flower therapy guy who I have talked about before) I should get some Pine Bach Therapy. He says that Pine relates to the soul qualities of regret and forgiveness. To help me forgive me for not protecting myself, right? I think I am starting to get it.

So, I wish I could go back about one year and make a different decision. But I can't (and I have to interject here that I have never felt this "I wish I hadn't" thing before, except after a particulary hearty party.) The problem is that the lesson I have learned so far is "don't trust someone with your heart because they are not gonna take care of it." I am afraid that this is not a good lesson. I don't want to be one of those people who is all closed up. I guess there is no real solution here but caution. Caution caution caution. Maybe I should get some of that yellow tape and wrap it around myself. But I look terrible in yellow.

It is so easy to distract yourself from, well.....life... during the summer. You can just concentrate on the sun and the activities that come with warmth and light. But this morning it feels like fall. It is f-ing cold out there. And that means I am gonna have to get back to reality soon. Just like all you kids that have to go back to school. Ugh...maybe that's what I regret...that it can't be summer all the time.

The status of my heart

Well...so far my blood pressure has gone from about 130/89 (with some fluctuation of course) to 113/82... consistently. That's pretty good. I have been practicing the breathing that HeartMath recommends to (eventually) get to "coherence." Right now I am just focusing on getting to "neutral." They use the term neutral in relation to a standard shift car...as in you have to get to neutral before you put it into gear. For some reason I like that...as if you are getting your heart in position to be open for whatever possibilities are out there. HeartMath is a whole program with a workbook and everything and you have a consultant or provider who helps you through the process. I have only just started, but I am so impressed with the results already. I started focusing on my heart and then focused on breathing through my heart. You do this for a few minutes everyday. Within one day I felt the block in my heart chakra clear. I don't know how to explain this.. I am a Reiki practitioner so I have some experience here and I just feel it. I felt calmer and more in control and well, just better.

I have never been one to sit and meditate. I feel like I clear my mind better when I am moving around...like going for a walk or when I am working sometimes. But the result when you are doing the breathing exercises is much the same. When you are focusing on your breath you are not thinking about anything else. If your mind drifts..then the little machine that you have attached to your earlobe busts you. It's ok...it just gently reminds you to sharpen your focus...and get back to "neutral." It's so simple, it's crazy!

For some reason, the "add a link" thing doesn't work...so here is the address: www.heartmath.com if you want to get more information. I hate it when things don't work!

So, more later.

The real cure

Update: I have been doing some breathing exercises in accordance with the HeartMath outline and am happy to report that my blood pressure is down a bit. Sometimes it is really good, sometimes not so much. So I am working on it. And I do feel much better already.

But today I want to talk about something else that is good for your heart and that thing is fried green tomatoes. No, not the movie..although I like that flick..it's a good yarn. I am talking about the sweet, loving comfort that can only come from this delicacy. And because I am a most generous sort, I am gonna share the recipe with you so that you, too can experience the bliss.

I got this recipe from a woman who wore really big glasses. I mean plate size glasses..thus her nickname, "Plates." She was grumpy and caustic. I kinda liked her. She's passed on now...and I hope that they serve these on the other side!

Get yourself some green tomatoes and slice them in 1/2 inch slices.
Set up three shallow bowls. In the first one you put some flour, salt, a dash of sugar and a dash of cayenne.
In the second bowl whisk together one egg with a little milk.
In the third bowl put some coarsely crushed corn flakes.

In a nonstick skillet heat 1 Tbl unsalted butter and 1 Tbl olive oil over medium heat until the foam from the butter subsides.

Dredge one slice at a time in flour, egg wash then the corn flakes (press the cornflakes into the tomato) and place in skillet. Make sure you don't burn the corn flakes! Fry for about 2-3 mins per side then transfer onto a baking sheet and place in oven at 375 degrees for about 10 mins until tender.

Now I suppose that some people would tell me that the best thing for my heart is to shy away from "frying" anything. Yeah, well....life ain't perfect and a little pat of butter never killed anyone.

I like the tartness of the green tomatoes...it tastes fresh. My mom, on the other hand, likes to take regular red tomatoes and fry them up somehow until they are sort of like pulp then make a gravy out of the whole mess and slop it onto a plate. I mean, seriously...she would bathe in that crap if she could. Whatever...different weirdness for different folks.

Later! Breathe and eat, people!!

Moving on...I hope

I haven't been writing much lately. Truth is, I just haven't been inspired by anything but anger. And that's not always a good thing to share. Why am I so angry lately? Because it's more manageable for me than being sad. I have what millions of people across this world have...a pretty banged up heart. I don't think it's broken....but it definitely knows it was in a fight. And it's not the first time. So...how to fix a battered heart? I mean this quite literally. I know that my heart is not working correctly. My blood pressure is up, I can feel the energy that is stuck there and it is not quick to register things like joy and happiness. I am certain that this can be remedied....but how? There are many different schools of thought, of course. I am going to explore a few in an effort to get myself back on track. We all know that the thing that will likely work without fail is time. "Time heals all wounds." That old adage is mostly true, but, truthfully, I think a more accurate saying is that "time fades our scars."

Mostly, I think we don't want to admit when our hearts are broken. We cowboy up and move on. We tell ourselves "it's for the best," "it's better that I know now instead of later," "he's an ***hole!".....things like that. But in truth it affects our hearts in a very real way. Doc Childre and Deborah Rozman, PhD have researched the heart and have developed a "HeartMath Solution for Transforming Stress." This is something I have learned a little about and am going to embark on learning more. Very simply put, it is a system that uses some biofeedback to control your heart so that it will function better. Yeah! exactly what I need. According to Childre and Rozman the ancients believed that the heart rather that the brain was the seat of emotion. They have been able to demonstrate that the magnetic field of the heart is much more powerful than the brain and can influence not only our own brain waves but also those around us. Interesting. They are saying that our hearts actually have their own brains. This makes sense when it is explained that in the womb our hearts develop before our brains. How do they work before our brains get here? Huh? Wild. So, I am gonna learn more about this stuff and report back.

In the meantime, I am going to try some self-talk that triggers joyful feelings for my heart. From doing Reiki on other people I know that if the heart chakra is blocked it can have everything to do with how you feel about yourself. One of the ways you can clear your heart chakra is to tell yourself that you love yourself. I mean really....until you get it. This sounds too simple. But it really isn't. Especially when your heart has been stomped on and you didn't see that coming. You doubt your intuition, your ability to read people, your desirability. You know that somehow this is all a reflection on you. I think that unless you are a complete sociopath..you blame yourself even when you know in your head that it's not true. Your heart knows. And therein lies the problem. So....now that I have identified the problem I am going to work on the solution. And because I know that you are on the edge of your seat in anticipation, I will write of my findings. I make as good a guinea pig as anyone. So....here I go....."I love myself, I love myself...I love myself." Ugh......this is gonna take some work.

Is there a fungus among us?

Sorry for the cheesy title. I couldn't help myself. Anyway, if you do have some type of a fungus I may have a solution: Grapefruit Seed Extract. Vivasan is a company that I have talked about before. They are out of Switzerland and they make many natural products that enhance our health. One of their specialties is food grade essential oils. But today let's talk about grapefruit seed extract, which is also food grade (meaning you can safely take it internally.) According to Vivasan, it is reported to be effective against more than 800 bacterial and viral strains, 100 strains of fungus and a large number of single and multi celled parasites. Ewww parasites...gross. But we all probably have them in our intestinal tract..and we should probably try to get rid of them otherwise we are gonna end up on that show "Monsters inside of me." That is not a reality show I wanna be on. The only reality show I wanna be on is "House Crashers" where they come to your house and totally fix something that you were gonna try to fix yourself. And if anyone from DIY network is reading this I could totally use a new driveway. But I digress.....grapefruit seed extract can be taken internally (just a few drops) to kill candida, help alkalize our blood and kill infections and viruses that we may not even know about. It can also be used topically for toenail fungus. Now, I don't have the toenail fungus so I am not sure if it really works or not. I know some people that suffer from that irritating malady, but the only lady I know who is trying it right now, I haven't seen for a while. I will report back as soon as I get her report. Vivasan also reports that it can be helpful for cold sores, eczema, psoriasis and warts. I, personally, do not have a ton of experience with this product but if you suffer from some of these conditions and you are looking for an alternative solution, GSE is a pretty inexpensive product to try. Vivasan is a quality company. Something to think about anyway. And check out their website: www.vivasanusa.com.

Wait, what?

So, let me make sure I have this straight. Al Gore (allegedly) acts like a perv to a massage therapist and instead of believing that this is a possibility, the press throws all massage therapists under the bus. Are you kidding me? So typical.

I just caught up with the recent comments on The View (a show that sounds exactly like nails on a chalkboard to me) and was saddened that the one conservative on the show is the guilty one this time. Which leads me back to my blog of a couple weeks ago about massage and my disgust over men having this ignorant attitude. I guess women are guilty of it as well. So, move over men and make room for the ladies. I stand corrected. Ignorance knows no gender.

That's fine, whatever. I will feel so much better once what's-her-face from Survivor has to make a public apology because she insulted a whole profession. That will make everything right. Actually, that is the one time I sorta like the show is when one of them has to make a "sincere apology" on the air. Now that's entertainment!

True love

As you know, I am all about solutions. There is no shortage of problems, that's for sure..it's finding a way to solve the problems (even if it is temporary) that is the trick. And it's never just your own problems that you are confronted with...it's those of your friends. It's perpetual.
So this weekend (oh, by the way, "Happy fourf of Jujuy" as my nephew used to say when he was little) we girls set out to solve our problems. Solution for men stomping all over our hearts: hike. We hiked along one of the most beautiful rivers in the world. We saw wildflowers and vistas that made our hearts sing. And suddenly those stupid boys and their stupid lies just disappeared. And the solution for overdoing the hiking?: ibuprofen and Drunken Arnold Palmers (vodka, ice tea and lemonade.) We felt so good that we took the dogs for another walk after that magic elixir kicked in.

But the main solution here is simple. Friends. We don't always like what they have to say, we don't always agree with how they conduct their lives. We leave, we come back, we leave again but it is so worth it to make the effort because without them life is, well, not as fun. So I want to thank my friends out there who, for some reason that defies rational thought, are still my friends.

And, apparently, for many people the solution to our nation's birthday is to blow stuff up. Not sure I follow that thread of logic, but it makes for a lively time I guess.

Massage

Let's talk about massage for a minute, OK? Obviously, I am a massage therapist. This may not seem like that big of a deal to you, but, to me, it is a very big deal indeed. Like many people, I have always worked. When my husband was alive, I worked because he couldn't. It never occurred to me to not work. I don't feel extraordinary in this...lots of people work way harder than I ever did. But when the dust settled after my husband's death, I realized that the work I was doing as a juvenile probation officer was not providing me with a sense of accomplishment any longer. Politics, and bureaucracy and very irresponsible parenting made it all but impossible to rectify bad situations in a satisfying way. And I just got tired of it. Now, I absolutely could have stayed in my job for the next 13 years until retirement with the outside world being none the wiser. But I just couldn't do it. So I took myself to massage school. I had always been interested in alternative and eastern health remedies, and felt like massage was a good fit; school did not take thousands of years, it was not going to put me in debt, and it was beautiful in it's simplicity...but challenging all at the same time. It had it's ups and downs, but it was totally worth it. I love doing massage. Now here's where the jokes come in, right? I know...I have heard them all and I have laughed at the jokes...because they're funny and my skin is not that thin. But let's look at the serious side for a moment; massage is an ancient healing art that deserves some respect. There is so much to learn about the miracle of the human body. The simplest, focused, trained touch can improve someones life tremendously. That's downright noble don't you think? After years of trying to fix broken lives and not being able to..it's no wonder that I am amazed each and every time I release a tight muscle and ease someones pain. It's not me...it's the training and the technique and the thousands of years of knowledge. But I can't help feeling satisfied all the same.

So when it came to my attention that many people (well, men mostly) are uncomfortable with their wives or girlfriends giving massage to the other half of the population, I was confused...and angry. To think that there is anything shady going on during a massage is a testament to epic distrust for the massage therapist and nothing more. The MT is in control of that situation, believe me. And every massage is so much like a puzzle that you sort of forget that it's an actual person on the table....it's a series of muscles and tissues that needs to be solved. To equate a massage with the five second "back rub" a man gives his girlfriend or wife in the hope that it leads to sex is so ridiculous that I want to laugh. To those people who think that way I say, "grow the ^$#@ up!" Also, I say when are people going to understand that we don't possess each other? If someone you love has a job or career that they really enjoy don't be threatened by it as if they can't love their profession and you too. Good grief...be happy that they love what they do..and if you don't like what you do everyday then maybe you should think about being brave enough to make a change. My friend Eric used to say all the time, "don't blow out my candle to make yours burn brighter." It sort of applies here. Get over yourselves, men. Seriously!

The stupidest solution of all

Great news, everybody! Our omnipotent government has found the solution for obesity! Finally!

The talking heads love to remind us constantly that our fatness is at "epidemic proportions" and is a "crisis" that is so significant it warrants action of our government. Well, I figured that when the first lady took this cause under her well-toned wings, that our weight as a nation would plummet. Strangely, this did not happen. Huh! So the government's Plan B is to have the FDA change the food pyramid! Why didn't they think of this earlier? Of course this is the solution here. Everyone goes by that thing. Don't we?

The question that is nagging me, of course, is "how many people get paid a six-figure salary to come up with this crap?"

Personally, I think that a better solution would be to drop the price of produce. When you can get three things off the dollar menu at McDonald's or one bell pepper...and you are really hungry...what are a lot of people gonna do? I'm just sayin'.......

When life gives you lemons.....

When you get a text from your niece one evening saying, "Can I come over tomorrow?" DO NOT PANIC. Don't automatically start running through the questions, "What am I gonna do with an 11 year old all day? How early in the morning is she gonna be here? When is she gonna leave? Do I have any string cheese?" Instead, embrace the gift of a kid for the day and put that kid to work! The only question you should have is, "do child labor laws apply in this situation?"

So my niece and I built a porch swing (yes, some assembly required.) And things were going pretty well, until we discovered that there was a right and left piece and of course we put those pieces on backwards. That's when the swearing started. That kid will never have to ask what a bad word means. She knows them all. (I am a very bad aunt.) After I calmed down...she just looked at me and said, "I'm not undoing all of that." But we took a break and had some lunch and then we did just that. And hey, it went a lot smoother the second time!

And the swing is the most comfortable, restorative place to sit and contemplate all the things in your life that hit a glitch, but still work out. It's also a pretty inexpensive way to bring some shade to your patio. The dog moved in under it right away.

Thanks, A..you are a rock star...and good job with the rubber mallet!

Go green

I don't mean GO GREEN in the way you think I do. I mean make your poop green by adding green drinks to your diet! I think I wrote a blog before about chlorophyll, but I probably did not do a great job of explaining why it's so good for you. Well, I now have help. My good friend from massage school sent me a book written by one of our teachers. She is a Doctor of Natural Medicine, among other things, and knows a lot about chlorophyll. Her name is Toni Fain and her book is titled You Should Know This Stuff: Cheap and Effective Tools to Get Healthy and Stay Healthy. And this is what she says about chlorophyll: "Included in your daily diet of nutrients should be one the the 'green drinks.' There are about 5 0r 6 main green drinks: blue-green algae, spirulina, Green Magma and wheat grass, etc. Each of these contains the 'lifeblood' of plants--chlorophyll.
"Chlorophyll's chemistry is so close to our own blood...it's the cleanest, purest, freshest blood tonic I can think of! Chlorophyll is very similar to human blood. It detoxifies the liver and is an antioxidant. It calms nerves and alleviates insomnia. Liquid chlorophyll has valuable antiseptic qualities and yet is soothing and healing to all tissues." She goes on with some heavy science...but I won't include that here. I drink it everyday and I know it makes me feel good. It does turn your poop green...but that is a good thing! I mostly use the Chlor-Oxygen concentrated stuff that is made with alfalfa. But sometimes I buy the kind that is made with nettles. Toni is a big believer is mixing things up....don't just stay with one brand or one type. Did you know that alfalfa is the most nutritionally rich land plant because its roots can extend up to six feet into the earth, absorbing more nutrients from the soil? Deep soil has not been exposed to the pollution in the air, pesticides, etc., and is therefore more nutrient-rich. Did you know that?

Try it and see if your energy level improves!!

Well, I tried

If you read my blog from yesterday you know that I tried to give my business to a small, local guy yesterday instead of going to the huge box store. Well, I give my experience a D-. They didn't totally fail, but they came pretty close.

So I show up for my eye appointment on time, like I always do. I chatted with the owner for a few minutes who I have known casually for many years. He remembered me and we had a nice conversation. Then he asked if I was going to be buying new frames today. I told him no, today was just going to be for the eye exam, and that I would have to buy glasses later. He asked "why don't you just get it done all at once." Well, I was hoping that he would tell me what kind of deals they have going on now...but he didn't. So I told him that I can't afford to do both right now, (which I wanted to say, "thanks for embarassing me and making me admit it.") This is partially true. The other truth is that I am looking for a good deal on glasses. I am pretty sure that doesn't make me a bad person. So, as soon as he realized that I wasn't going to order glasses right now, he was done with me. Exit owner.

By this time 20 minutes have gone by and I have not been rescued from the waiting room yet. So I asked the none-too-friendly receptionist if I was going to be sitting there much longer. She said. "I hope not." You hope not? Really? OK, so I am officially getting pissed now. A couple minutes later, in saunters the "Doctor." He's a young, skinny guy who thinks he is "all that!" Instantly I am not impressed. He calls me to the back and starts the exam. I try to tell him that my needs for glasses has changed. I get about four words out of my mouth before he goes off on some stupid explanation about I'm not sure what. Thanks for listening, Doc. I calmly wait him out with that expression on my face that tells people I am so not impressed with you...(those of you who know me know this face well) then I persist with my "needs talk." He sort of listens but will not make eye contact with me. Not one time! He is an eye doctor! Isn't that his job....to look me in the eye? I was almost cracking up with the irony of it all. Anyway, whatever...he goes on blah blah blah that whoever issued my last glasses was all wrong and that they are too much correction for my eyes, blah blah blah. I said, "maybe my eyes got better?" He did concede that that is possible. Vindicated! We decide on my prescription and I go up front to pay. I pay in cash money and ask the receptionist who must have a very bad life where my prescription is.(I have decided that I will not be coming back here...I will take the prescription THAT I JUST PAID FOR and buy glasses elsewhere. Maybe Costco.) The receptionist says that I have to ask for that. What? Since when? She too pleasantly says I can have a seat and wait for it or come back. Final straw. I express my displeasure at that and tell her I have always gotten the little piece of paper when I get my eyes checked. She says again, "you have to ask for that." I told her that, obviously, I did not know that, and I will be back in a few minutes to get it. Thanks for the added errand,lady.
Maybe that is the reason people are going to franchises and big businesses. They don't want to have to deal with the tacky guilt trip laid at their feet from the small businesses who have had to struggle in these economic times. I, for one, am not the reason for the bad economy. I think I might be responsible for global warming...but that is where I draw the line!

I don't get it

This is what I don't get. Maybe someone out there can help me understand. The thing is that massage therapists in this area are struggling. Even the ones who have been around forever are struggling. Part of that is the economy, I understand that much. People feel like massage is a luxury, not an investment in their health, and I do understand that if you have to choose between food or heat and massage, you are probably going to choose the former options. I get it. But here's the weird part.... a franchise massage operation (you know who you are) comes to town and they are packed! What? How is this happening? Of course they are offering a pretty decent deal for a first massage, but so have all of us massage therapists. I mean everyone is offering a sweet deal...and the prices are all in the same ballpark. Of course, the franchise has endless money to spend on advertising...so that is definitely a factor. But it's more than that. Now here's the confession part of the blog: I just started working at said franchise. There I said it. But, you know, I need food and heat and massage too. So I go to work part-time there and I am busy! Like right away! They just opened! It's as if people actually trust a franchise more than a small time operator. It's as if they feel more secure going to a strip mall than a cute little day spa where the deer are laying peacefully in the yard. It's as if people want the anonymity that a walk-in place like this affords. Maybe people don't want to have to get to know their massage therapist. Is that it? Do people feel safer going to a McDonald's than a mom and pop diner? I am starting to think so.

Now, really, I don't have a problem with franchises, per se. It's a business like any other. The owners work hard, they employ people, they have a good product to sell, they have longer hours and a receptionist that answers the phone...all good things. But the thing I do have a problem with is that we usually expect that the product will be OK. Not great, but OK. And we all seem to be fine with that. At least it's consistent, I guess. Is that what we are more comfortable with....consistency over all else? When did this happen in our society? Is it like this everywhere? Is small business dead in this country?

I don't know what the solution to this is. Maybe we don't even need one. But I know I am going to think about it when I have a choice to make about where I spend my money. I was going to get an eye exam at Costco because I heard they are cheap (and I love Costco, really I do) but I decided to try the local guy who has been in business here a long time. I am sure he is struggling in these hard times. And I am going to hope for greatness.

It's my fault

So far this spring does not support the theory of global warming. It has been the slowest, coldest spring in a long time. I always have peonies blooming by May 13...this year they are not even close to opening. I'm pretty sure this is all my fault. You see, after the one nice weekend we had a couple weeks ago, I went ahead and put regular sheets on my bed and put the flannel ones away. I know, I know....I was arrogant and ridiculously optimistic. And now we are all paying. I also admit that I planted herbs before the snow is off Black Butte. I know better...it was wrong and I am sorry. But I, too, have had to pay the price for that.....covering up the plants every night and shivering in my bed.

Now, having taken responsibility for my irresponsibility, I want to move onto another topic. Antibiotics and your digestive system. I will make this brief. You all know, don't you, that after you have taken antibiotics for whatever infection you have contracted, that you have to put back the good bacteria into your system with probiotics. If this is news to you, than listen up. Antibiotics kill all the bacteria inside of you. They don't distinguish between the good and the bad, they just kill randomly. That means you have to be proactive with probiotics. Now any decent yogurt has these "friendly" bacteria...but usually you have to eat a lot of yogurt before will replace enough bacteria to be beneficial. Yogurt is good as an everyday wellness food, but after you have taken antibiotics you should get the heavy duty stuff. Any health food store has a selection of probiotics. I have found that the type that comes in liquid form and has to be refrigerated is the best. It comes in strawberry or blueberry flavors and tastes like strong, liquid yogurt. Believe me...this will help your digestive system immensely. And you know how much I care about your bowels!

Plan B

I was supposed to fly to San Francisco this weekend and partake in the spectacle that is Bay to Breakers. And, of course see my good friends. But, alas, plans fell apart when my dog's food, water and slobber wouldn't stay in his mouth. Solution for this? Take him to the vet, of course. But the cheap vet..not the ones that have been embezzling my money for the last 20 years. (I learn quick). Diagnosis: "Not sure. Something is wrong with his jaw." Keep him quiet and feed soft food. Oops, that means family is no longer an option to this weekend's dog sitting.
And my solution to cover up my disappointment? Work in the yard like a serf. All weekend. Luckily the weather was nice and it rained a little to help the new little plants be happy. I weeded, and mowed and planted and weeded and dug and weeded. I also hauled many pounds of rocks to fill in my rock garden that needs to be more rock and less garden. And the solution for when you drop a big rock in the road? Hope that your neighbor thinks you are not that bad of a person, overall, and helps you roll it to where it needs to be. I am kinda sore all over...but it feels good and helps divert my focus on the fact that I am not partying with my friends and seeing naked gay people run for 7 miles.

I also took a break and went to my niece's horse show for a little while. She is Really. Into. Riding. Horses. At least she was. Not sure if she will continue the love affair after this weekend. Her solution to her horse trying to buck her off? Jump. And call your aunt to schedule a massage. Brilliant.

Also my stand-by solution for almost everything: have a couple drinks. Do I really need to explain that one?

Whose solution is this anyway?

You know how you think you have a perfect solution for a problem and it turns out to be a perfect solution for someone else? No? Well, here is an example: The underside of my couch had a tear in it so I decided to take a dish towel and place it over the tear and staple it to the wood framework of the couch. This was a great solution for this problem. Or so I thought. Well, it turns out that my kitty, (not so little anymore) Pancho, decided that this "solution" of mine would make a sweet hammock. So he wormed his way into the space between the dish towel and the couch and, voila, a great place to unwind after a long day of, well, doing nothing, really. I have attached a picture for you so you would not think I made this up. I would not lie about a thing like this.

I tell you this story at the risk of appearing to be a crazy cat lady. Am I a crazy cat lady? Well, I am sort of crazy sometimes and I do have two cats but no one has ever accused me of being a "lady" so I think I am ok.

"Crazy Time"

Hey, did anyone else notice how windy it was yesterday? Which got me thinking...why does everyone hate the wind? There's a few things that the wind does that comes in handy. For instance....you don't have to blow dry your hair..and you get that messy, bed head thing going on. And if you mow the lawn, like I did, you will notice that you don't have to sweep the patio afterwards..the wind just made those grass clippings disappear. So, those are good things, right? But why do we all just dread the wind? I guess it's because it makes us feel untethered. It's hard to feel grounded when it's windy. But if you try, you can remedy that. Just stand still for a minute and concentrate on your feet and visualize them sinking down into the earth. A visualization that I use is to see yourself at the beach in the wet sand. You know how the tide goes out and you feel a pull downward? Well, that's a good way to "get grounded." And it works in any situation where you don't feel centered or in complete control.
My acupuncturist refers to these windy spring days as "crazy time." The wind makes us nutty. Something about positive ions and all that. Ever work with little kids on a windy day and you will want to go home and drink a bottle of vodka. Believe me. So, we stay indoors and avoid the wind instead of trying to fight it. And fight it is exactly what I think we do. So, I went outside for a walk and stopped fighting it. I just stood there and let the wind blow through me. And it felt really cleansing. Who was it that used to take "Air baths?"...Benjamin Franklin I think. The wind can really clear things out. Bikers always talk about "being in the wind" and a nice ride on a motorcycle in 70 mph winds does clear out the cobwebs!
After you let the wind clean you out..then it is important to reground yourself, especially if you are still feeling untethered. Eat root vegetables (a sweet potato always works for me) and warming liquids. And take down the wind chimes. God, those things drive me crazy when it's super windy out!

Kicking and screaming

Here's what I learned about cellulitis, staph infections and men who make terrible patients. Number one: cellulitis. Not something to mess around with. Cellulitis is a streptococcus infection that kills skin cells, leading to painful inflammation of the skin, and general malaise...body aches, high fever, headache. It usually occurs in the face or lower leg. It is easy to diagnose because you can see it. There is a clear demarcation between where the cellulitis is and where the skin is normal. The doctor said it can be caused my a staph or strep infection that can get into the tiniest lesion in the skin. It could be as a result of a spider bite or from seemingly nothing at all. Staph and strep infections are everywhere. My friend told me that her doctor told her (is that hearsay, your Honor?) that staph/strep are usually found in the cleanest houses. Houses where they use a lot of antibacterial cleansers which kill, 97% of these bacteria, which means those 3% left become very strong....since they have nothing to compete with. So, bottom line is this...if you, or someone you care about, comes down with something like this, take them to the doctor right now. It is a serious condition that can lead to even more serious systemic infection that can lead to, gasp, "very bad things."

The other thing I learned, well, reaffirmed, is that men make terrible patients. They just can't accept the fact that they are sick. "Oh, let me just sleep it off," was what my "man patient" told his son when his son was trying to get him to the doctor. Luckily the son threatened the man with the worst threat of all....wasteful spending,( i.e. an ambulance ride) and the man complied. Oh so reluctantly. Then the whole time at the hospital (2 days in all, most of that time hooked up to intravenous antibiotics) he perceived the hospital staff to be the enemy. I had to remind this man a couple times that these people probably saved his life. Then the moment he felt better he wanted OUT. NOW. I've seen criminals convicted of lengthy sentences who took it better than this man who had to "do one more night in lockup."
Lucky for him he had a girlfriend with perfect reasoning skills and infinite common sense who helped him make the right decision.

So my point is this: if someone you love has these symptoms get him or her to the doc ASAP. It doesn't matter if they want to go or not. They won't be kicking and screaming very hard..because they won't feel well enough to put up a decent fight.

The world exists for Lefty

It's yard work season. I have a big, messy yard. I wish I had a crew to help maintain it for me, but, alas, I do not. So I am working in the yard today. I just dug up a couple of lavender plants that are not doing so well, and planted them in planter boxes. I went into the garage to get a tool and came back out to see my cat, Lefty (he's the crafty one) going to the bathroom in one of the boxes. I was not gone 20 seconds. I do not have a solution for this.

The mighty have fallen

To all my loyal followers who log on everyday to read the wisdom I bestow, I apologize for not being there for you. Seriously, both of you...I am sorry. I was sick. Just when I think my immune system is bullet-proof, God laughs and says, "I don't think so, sugar," and slaps me down. Seriously, I could not move on Wednesday. EVERYTHING on me hurt. Then yesterday my mom brought me soup and Popsicles and that helped me turn the corner. I know, I know....I need to not get arrogant other-wise you-know-who will put the slap-down on me again. So, since this is a blog about solutions, I will share what things I do to help my immune system stay strong. Not impenetrable, but strong.

Echinacea. The tincture. I think this stuff works really well. The Neti pot thing that cleans out your sinuses with saline solution....it can really cut down on a virus going to infection. Of course, I already told you about the Vivasan orange and lemon essential oils that are food grade. I take a few drops of them everyday and I think they help me stay vertical. Good ol' chicken soup, Popsicles to help throat swelling and make you feel like everything is gonna be OK.

And here are a couple of funny little things that I noticed yesterday. I was feeling a little better and since the sun was out, I decided to go outside. Now, for us here in Oregon, spring is a precious thing and when the sun comes out, and it's not too freezing...you go outside if at all possible. So I went outside, even though I had a splitting headache that made me sensitive to light. I sat in the chair up against the house to drink it in...and it hurt, it hurt bad for a few minutes. But I closed my eyes and thought this mantra, "let in the healing light, let in the healing light..." and after a few minutes I started to feel better. So I sat there and I noticed how noisy my little neighborhood is. I had a guy doing some long overdue repairs on my old shed...so he had a circular saw going. And my neighbor in the back was using his riding lawnmower from 1970 on his teeny little lawn, (I seriously worried that that blade was gonna come frisbeeing over the fence.) And my other neighbor, who never does anything on his property, was clanging re bar around (probably because he knew somehow that I had a tremendous headache.) And there was another noise that I could not identify because I didn't feel like getting up to investigate. I also noticed that my dog was bored out of his mind, but he knew I wasn't feeling well, so he stayed close and loyal. My cats, however, did not give a rip. And the other thing is that I had two very real dreams. One, quite frankly, was disturbing. The other was about my dad. And in the dream he was just like he was in life. It was a nice visit. Trippy.

I think the biggest thing we have to do when God puts the slap-down on us is that we go with it. Don't deny it.....acknowledge it and, as with people, when you truly listen and acknowledge them, they feel better and they go away.

Moms

Every mom has a niche, right? Some moms cook too much food and make you eat it. Some moms hover and don't let you make a decision on your own. Some moms make you wear a sweater when it's 70 degrees out. Some moms get in your business until you want to kill yourself. My mom doesn't do any of those things. My mom proofreads. It's her thing. No, she was not an english teacher...she just reads ALL THE TIME and knows if there is ONE LETTER MISSING OR OUT OF PLACE. And then lets you know about it so you can fix it immediatly if not sooner. So, mom.....for every typo, for every misspelled word, for every apostrophe or comma that was misused...I humbly ask for your forgiveness. But, wait.....maybe I am just cleverly giving you a job so you feel needed and useful in your autumn years.

Love you mom. Email me tomorrow with any mistakes and I will clear them up right away.

It's the little things

The world has gone crazy. This country has gone crazy. There is so much to be disappointed in...to be angry about. I seems overwhelming at times. There is so much greed and selfishness and jealousy and outright hatred, that it's easy to forget that there are a lot of truly decent people in the world. And we have to pay attention to them when we see them...even if it is just to see the decency and recall the memory later when the bad things seem to pile up....so we can remember and bring hope back into our hearts. Here's an example:

A few months ago I was sitting in a restaurant in Eastern Oregon having breakfast with my boyfriend. In a booth across from me was a pretty old man and his wife. The waitress brought their breakfasts and set them down and the old gentleman asked the waitress for a napkin, so she went off to get him one. While she was off getting the napkin he reached into his back pocket to retrieve his billfold. This man had a very severe case of palsy, and he shook terribly. He reached back awkwardly to pull out his wallet from his back pocket, he shakily opened it up and took out a one dollar bill and placed it on the table. Then and he closed his wallet and started to put it back in his pocket...and it took him so long because of the tremors. Then he came back to the dollar bill and set to folding it and then he palmed it....like to used to do in the old days...and he held it there in his shaky hand until she came back with his napkin...and it took her a long time too.....and when she returned with it he said, "Thank you," and took her hand...so that both hands are shaking wildly now, and she feels the bill between their palms and she gives a nervous little laugh and looks at him and says, "Thank you," and you can tell she is surprised and touched too, and she walks off. And there I am watching this old man take so much effort to give this waitress a dollar for her effort....and I am crying. Not just a few tears welling up in my eyes, but the kind of crying that gets caught in your throat. And my boyfriend looks at me and asks, "what's the matter?" And I tell him even though the crying gets worse because I am trying to talk, and he just smiles and says, "I love you Lee Petmecky," and resumes his breakfast. And I was touched by that too..that he didn't think I was crazy or weird to be crying in a restaurant because an old man was being nice.

I swear it was one of the sweetest things I have ever seen. That old man was just being nice because he wanted to. He wasn't doing it to look good, or for any attention whatsoever. He was just showing another person his gratitude. And it was a monumental effort...but he did it....happily.

The root of all evil

What does the title of today's blog make you think of? I bet a lot of things are running through your mind! Especially if you are watching the news. But, I'll wager that only a couple of people will think of the psoas muscle. The what? How do you even say that? Pretend the "p" is not there.....so-as. The psoas was coined "the root of all evil" by my very funny friend from Barcelona that started massage school the same day as I did. And we were doomed to work on each other's psoas from that day forward. We learned (from our super smart teacher, Bob) that the psoas has a lot to do with the way you feel everyday. It is a big muscle that goes from your lumbar vertebrae to the inside of your thigh bone. It helps you flex your trunk, it helps you lift your legs and helps keep you standing upright, even if you've had too much to drink. But it does so much more than that. It also holds a lot of your past emotions and trauma. An unhappy psoas can create lower back pain. People are skeptical when you want to massage their abdomen ('cause that's how you get to it!) when it's their back that hurts....but when you relieve the stress in the psoas..you can't believe how good the absence of that tension feels. Bob also taught us that if your psoas is angry it tends to use up it's fair share of muscle resources...food if you will...also known as ATP...and that leaves all your other muscles not as able to work optimally. I know that when I have my psoas worked on, I will feel absolutely no pain anywhere for several days. It's one of those muscles that people don't really pay attention to because the psoas doesn't hurt like a sore shoulder or neck...they just know they don't feel that great...and don't know why. It also can hold onto some emotional trauma. Sometimes working on the psoas will trigger an emotional reaction, usually sadness. And some people are afraid of that, which I understand. It's hard to be willing to let go sometimes. But think of how healthy it is to be rid of that potentially damaging garbage from yesterday! So, if your back is hurting or you know you are holding tension in your gut....take a big deep breathe and call your favorite massage therapist and ask them if they are ready to work on your psoas! If they are like me, they will jump at the chance!!

Going natural....sort of

I'm all for being healthy and being natural, but I am not a nut about it. For instance...I die my hair...gasp...and I have been since I was about 28. I started going gray early and I didn't want to look like my mom yet (no offense, Mom) so what can I say? Some people say that dying your hair isn't the healthiest thing to do..so I thought I would try this new natural hair dye from Sanotint. I found out about this company when I was in Reno called Vivasan. They are out of Switzerland and they have some great products that I use everyday. Well, apparently, they got together with another company out of Milan, Italy that developed this permanent hair color that does not have all the harsh chemicals that traditional hair color has. I was skeptical...but I bought it and had my friend apply it at the salon where I work and, you know...I gotta say I am impressed. The color looks very natural, it covered the gray extremely well, and so far it hasn't faded any faster than the color I have been using. This color is a bit lighter than what I have been using and I notice that my hair doesn't feel as course. So, I think I am on to something. If anyone actually reads this and wants to know more I am happy to tell you more if you email me or make a comment on this blog. OK?

Anti-depressants

I woke up this morning to a beautiful spring day. NOT. It was snowing..pretty hard. And, I'll admit it..I cussed..out loud. I am sick of winter...it needs to be sunny....I don't feel like driving in the snow today....this is so unfair...how could the Gods do this to me today? Whaaaa whaaaa whaaaaa, poor me. Then I saw my two little kitties (Pancho and Lefty) standing at the sliding glass door wanting to go out in this mess. So, I opened the door (because that is pretty much all I am good for around this place) and let them out. They immediately started jumping and chasing snowflakes. Now, seriously, how cute is that? And then Pancho was running and sliding in the snow on the deck (you know like kids will do in their socks on the hardwood floors?) And I wasn't mad at the weather anymore. And I thought....who needs anti-depressants....really...just have pets around you. Because they make you laugh when you think the world is out to get you.

Now I am gonna go watch Martha. I never realized how much of a control freak b*&$# she is. And that makes me like her a lot more!

Flower solutions

Finally, it is starting to look like spring. It is a little bit of light at the end of a long tunnel...and it gives me hope. And spring makes me think of flowers and flowers make me think of flower remedies and flower remedies make me think of Bach. Ahhh...Bach. See how my mind works? Anyway....many people use Bach Flower Remedies in their everyday lives. I am one of these people. Never heard of them? Go to www.bachflower.com and read up about them. They are readily available at health food stores...and I gotta tell ya..they really work. I use Rescue Remedy pretty often. If I am feeling anxious about something I will have a few drops of it. I also use Rescue Sleep..which is a spray that I keep on the nightstand and when I wake up in the middle of the night and my mind starts to mull over every stupid thing in life that I should be worrying about but don't really feel like worrying about because I want to sleep, I spray a bit in my mouth and I fall back asleep. I swear it works. I also use Impatiens sometimes. I used to use this in my old job a lot. I like what it says on the bottle: "helps you deal with slow situations or people with good humor rather than impatience or irritability." Now if there is one thing in life that I need...it's that!

So check them out. Anything that helps us decrease the nervous tension in our daily lives just has to be good, right?

Playing Possum

I was walking the dog the other day and saw a possum. Right there in broad daylight. I haven't seen a possum in a very long time, unless you count the dead ones on the road. Anyway, my dog was looking at him and thinking (because, yes, I do know what my dog thinks)"What the *&%# is that thing?" So we stood there and watched that possum for a long time. Here's what I thought about that possum. That possum was the ugliest thing I have ever seen. It's fur was sort of mottled looking, kinda checkered brown and white. And of course it had that rat tail that gives you the creeps. And that pointy face and red eyes. A seriously not good looking animal. But here's the thing. It was downright merry. I could almost hear it humming a little tune. I wonder what a possum would hum..... maybe "I gotta feeling" by the Black Eyed Peas. And I thought..."good for you little possum! You don't care that you are hideous...and a bit thick in the middle." I mean, that possum was owning it ! So, like all good philosophers, I thought, "there is a lesson here." Be who you are. Even if you have a rat tail and a pointy face..be proud of who you are! That's what I liked about Napoleon Dynamite. Now he was a geeky kid, but he didn't care. He went on with his life as if he was the coolest thing ever. And he made it so. In the end he caught a delicious bass and got the girl.
So worry not about your imperfections. Go forth and be happy today!

Investment or luxury?

Many people view massage as a luxury...sometimes the ultimate luxury. But maybe we should look at it as an investment. An investment in our health, an investment in our relationships and an investment in, well...ourselves.

We tend to put ourselves on hold, don't we? "I don't need that." I think we do that because we view that massage is just for us...no one else....and isn't that kinda selfish? But really, if you don't have that ache in your shoulder that makes you just a little bit shorter to the people around you, isn't that going to help more than just you? If you address the sore muscles in your neck that lead to headaches, aren't you going to be more available?

Of course we all know the benefits of massage to our health; lower blood pressure, relief of chronic or, sometimes, even acute pain, increased range of motion, increased circulation and the list goes on and on. That should be enough reasons to want to invest in ourselves. But it's hard to measure how much this investment could save you in the long run. I get it. We have to measure things. Believe me...in my old job we spent a lot of time measuring everything!

So let's focus on what a good massage can do for you now. Every time I get a massage I learn something else about myself. This ultimately leads to feeling more content with myself, which I know helps me accept the imperfect world around me. It helps you be more aware of your body and how your emotions affect your physical body. It is an education that also just makes you feel better!

So, maybe you should get a massage today...or tomorrow. You get a lot for your money!

Seriously?

I was working on my friend last night (doing Reiki) and she said that when she reads my blog she "can't take it seriously." I started laughing. I told her that she isn't supposed to. Now, for sure, I know a lot of stuff, like I said in my first blog, I am not denying that. I think it is useful stuff, others would think it is completely useless and is taking up valuable space in my brain. Both are correct. One thing that I love about life is that it is basically just material (or fodder as my old lawyer friend used to say) for a good laugh. You know how they have "blue zones" where people tend to live longer than the norm? There are six main things that they all have in common: They put family first, they don't smoke, they rely mostly on a plant-based diet, they are physically active, they engage with people socially and they eat legumes. So, two of those...family and social engagement probably means they laugh. I know I laugh at my family and friends constantly and they laugh at me. So, what is my point? I don't know. I guess it is that health and wellness subjects do not have to be so serious. Drink wine with your family and friends and laugh at them. And you will live longer!

Oh, and this same friend is the person who inspired me to put taller legs on my couch so it is easier to get up. Most furniture is made for short people. This means that when you get up off the couch you feel like a fat, out of shape loser. Just raise the couch to a more normal height for you and, voila...you are not a fat loser anymore! I did not know that you can buy replacement legs for your furniture at Lowe's or Home Depot and just screw them on (well, in all fairness and because he will probably read this, I had my boyfriend do it)and it was easy! Just another perfect (?) solution for an imperfect world!

My dream

You know what I hope? I hope that through all this silliness about whether we should have government or private run health care, or whether our current administration is going about the health care bill keeping the constitution in mind, that we (the people) focus on how to STAY healthy instead of focusing on what the heck are we gonna do if we get sick. Now, of course, I know that we are all gonna die of something. And we probably will not see that coming (I hope), but I do believe that we can be doing more individually to stay healthy and feel better.

Everyone knows that emotional blocks can lead to physical ailments and disease, right? There are several ways to let that old emotional baggage go...and different things work for different people. There is plain old exercise, vacations, meditation, and so on. One of the best ways, that is, by the way super relaxing, is Reiki. Reiki is amazing at helping your body unblock what is blocked. The main thing that it does is help your body go into a parasympathetic state as opposed to the almost constant sympathetic state. Remember the "flight or fight" and "rest and digest" that we learned about the autonomic nervous system in, like the 8th grade? Well, remember back that to be in "flight or fight" all the time equals....STRESS! That stress keeps things blocked. Reiki is a great treatment for anyone, especially those that are stressed out or having trouble sleeping. Really, it is beneficial for anyone.

So, next time you feel like screaming about the health care fight...maybe you should try some Reiki! Now that's being proactive for sure!

Take care! Breathe!

Lee

the root of it all

I read somewhere yesterday that it is colon cancer awareness month. Well, let's make that even simpler and just call it colon awareness month. I love talking about the colon. Anyone that knows me knows this to be true. They say that all disease starts in the colon and that makes sense to me. Therefore, it must be very important to take good care of it and by taking good care of it I mean cleaning it out. Oh yeah. If you have never had a colon cleanse (or some call it a high colonic) you are really missing out. Stuff comes out of there that I am positive you do not want inside your body. Once you get past the "gross factor" it really is interesting.One time I lost six lbs in one day. Gotta love that. And I felt great!

Some people just cannot imagine going to a professional for this very personal thing. And I guess I can respect that. But remember that they are professionals and will make it comfortable for you in every way possible. However, if you just can't do it then there are several cleanses that you can do in the privacy of your own home. Research it and find one that does not use any chemicals and you will be better off for it. Then, once you have gotten rid of...oh so much..then you need to keep it flowing so to speak. Psyllium fiber is a must. You can find this in a variety of natural food stores, even Kirkland has a good product. If you do get backed up you can always drink aloe juice...which works wonders and is good for you in many ways. Also, if you drink chloroxygen in your water (couple of posts back) this will not be a stinky process at all!

Your colon is your friend, people. And like your friends, it wants your attention.

Rough morning?

You know how sometimes you sleep too much and you wake up with a sore neck and feeling really groggy? Well, here is the solution for that: hang upside down. Now anyone that has practiced yoga to any extent has tried a headstand. But I never liked to do a headstand where I put pressure on my neck. If you knew my neck you'd understand why. So what I do is get two matching chairs and put them face to face, so to speak...like in the picture. Then lean down facing the wall and put your head in between the chairs, resting your shoulders on the chairs, then push your hips up against the wall (your legs will follow) and voila you are doing a headstand that puts no pressure on your neck. Make sure you are as straight as you can be and if anything hurts, get down! Let your head just hang a few minutes, then come down in a controlled way. Believe me if I can do this anyone can. Really. Not only will this act as a gentle (and free) spinal adjustment, but it gets your blood moving (backwards at that!) and that helps your energy level and grogginess. That's my free tip for the day. Hope you like it!

48

So, I am 48 today. Yeah for me. When I say the number out loud it sounds bad. But I don't feel bad. Of course all my friends and family were telling me that I don't look anywhere near my real age, which, of course is just them being nice. But really, I feel the same as I have always felt. Except for being a little stiffer in the mornings when I wake up, I feel energetic and, well....good. Why is that? I am not in triathlon shape (or anywhere near that) and I am packing around a few extra lbs (just in case I get stuck somewhere without any food). I don't take any drugs and I like to exercise moderatly. I take glucosamine for my joints which, I think, helps. I put cholorphyll in my water too. I use Chloroxygen (that is the brand name) which helps build red blood cells and increases the amount of oxygen available to your cells. Check out a more thorough explanation at www.herbsetc.com . I believe it increases my energy level, it is good for my liver and it is a natural deodorizer. That is what I do, not to live longer, but to feel good while I am here. That is what I am interested in.
The one thing I wish I had an easy solution for is Coldstone Creamery Ice Cream cake. I just ate the leftover piece that my family brought over yesterday. So that makes two days in a row that I had some of the most decadent, fattening ice cream cake ever. Coffee Toffee. OMG....not sure the chloroxygen can fix that!

What not to do

Sometimes a solution is not what to do to solve a problem, it's what not to do, which avoids the problem altogether and there is no need for a solution. For instance, you should not eat bacon and pancakes and red wine and then go to bed. I learned this the hard way. I won't even go into how I got myself in this situation, but it really did not seem like that bad of an idea at the time. I, and the two others with me, have learned a hard lesson. When I woke up at 3:30 this morning and drank 2 qts of water and still needed more, I realized that it was a bad idea afterall. I woke this morning at 8 with a pretty serious bacon hangover. My two friends were in the same boat and yes, they did apologize for trying to kill me. Common sense can go a long way, but life is way funnier when you talk yourself into not listening to that little voice every once in a while.
Eat right, my friends!
Lee

feel better

Good Morning!

It's pretty easy to get stuck in the terribleness of our current economical situation. But then you see an old friend or you read something that inspires you and you remember that, really, things are the same. What really matters is the same. And we will all learn from this and not take things for granted. Right?
It's important to not stay stuck in the negativity. Do something to make yourself feel better. Of course it is different things to different people. It's usually simple and it's usually free or inexpensive. I saw Tom Hanks on Good Morning America this morning. I love him. He was talking about his new movie, The Pacific, I think. Which got me remembering about a book that made me feel better about our country. The Greatest Generation by Tom Brokaw. That book makes you feel better. Cooking a comfort meal makes you feel better. Massage makes you feel better. For my friend, Molly, changing the furniture around in her house made her feel better. Keep on keeping on. We can't stay stuck. In QiGong we learned to talk to ourselves. Whether it is a thought that won't go away, or a sore knee. Talk to it: say " I feel you sore knee. I love you knee. You have a little too much energy (chi) right now. You have the ability to heal yourself, now do a good job." Sounds silly....but just focusing on and acknowledging your "stuck places" can absolutely lead to clearing out that excess chi. Try it. Remember that your body wants to be healthy. It will respond to your directives. Have a good day everyone. Do one thing to make yourself feel better.

Lee

first common sense solution

So, the idea of this blog, besides giving me a place to vent, is to share things that have worked for me. I do not profess to know anything, really. I am not a doctor or a psychologist or any of that...blah blah blah. But I, like you, have had "issues" in my life that I have tried to deal with in the most common sensical (is that a word) and natural way possible. I really don't believe in going to the doctor and getting drugs for every little thing..and I think it is sick that the commercialism of drugs is so HUGE.

And times are tough. Times are really tough. Believe me, had I known that the economy was going to tank so badly I probably would not have quit my job and tried to start a small business. But that is talk for another day. In these tough times I think it is important to share cheap (or free) ideas to help people cope and just feel better! It's not rocket science. So I will start with the easiest thing ever. If you are feeling down, low, depressed, icky.....get up, put your shoes on and go for a walk. Preferably somewhere where there are no cars that can run you over. Try to go somewhere where you can hear yourself think. And leave the ipod at home. Just walk and be quiet. Take your dog if you have one. I guarantee you will feel more optimistic. After my husband died I would sit in my house and it felt like I could not move, I was empty. But I would make myself just walk out the door. And walk. And it ALWAYS made me feel better. I recently talked to a friend of mine who also lost her husband (just a year ago) and she walks about 50 miles a week. Wow...she is an over achiever. But I bet she would tell you that it keeps her from being completely and utterly depressed. So go for a walk. That is my simple suggestion of the day.
Lee

Perfect(?) Solutions

Perfect (?) Solutions for an imperfect world

That, among other things, is what I want to talk about. I know a lot of stuff. Really, I do. But my friends and family are sick of listening to the vast knowledge that is mine. So, I have to branch out and seek others to ignore me.

I changed careers recently from juvenile probation officer to massage therapist. I know, right? During all that I met some very interesting people. These people taught me things. Some good, some not so much. But it all helps, and hey, it's free. I will share these nuggets with you as my mood dictates. Sometimes (this is an educated guess) I will spew my opinions about what is happening in the world. Be warned. Anyway, it will be way easy for you to ignore me so I am not worried. When possible, I will credit the information that I am passing along to the person who I learned it from.

Since this is the first entry, and I am not positive it will work..I won't write too much today. Please go to my very new website www.leepetmeckymassage.com if you have a mind to. I need to figure out how to increase traffic enough so that Google recognizes me!

More later, I promise!

Lee