It's Summer!!!
So What'cha Gonna Do? Ever Heard of a Staycation?

This issue of The Urban Shaman explores the possibilities of Staycations. Let your creativity lead you to some of the best times of your summer without leaving the city, county or state. And I have included some safety precautions to follow before you go to the beach....

Remember, Life is short, play hard!
Peace n' Blessings,
Gail


Take a Staycation!

What does it mean? Staycation is a portmanteau that combines “stay” and “vacation” and refers to a holiday that takes place either at or near home.

With the economy sagging and the nationwide average price for unleaded regular gas passing $4 per gallon and $10+ internationally, a pricey destination might not be in the cards for many people. Staycations are the newest alternative and can take many forms, including backyard camping “expeditions” and romantic “escapes” to a local hotel, chartered boat cruises around your local marina and dinner, Let your creativity come up with the ultimate Staycation.

Imagine the perfect summer vacation: Swimming in clear blue water, tennis and a little bicycling, barbecued meals, a concert under the stars, a ball game with fireworks, maybe even a museum or two …. and all for free.

Well, okay, not for free – but for a fraction of what other people will pay.

How? By Vacationing at Home

Depending, of course, on where you live, the home-based vacation — also known as a "staycation" — can be a great alternative to an expensive two- or three-week trip, assuming you plan it well and really treat it as a true vacation. My family and I have done it a couple of times, and we had a ball.

The Do's and Dont's

First, treat the home vacation as a real vacation, not just a poor alternative. That means preparing. Pay the bills ahead of time, just as you would before traveling. Mow the lawn and do the other chores you’d finish before leaving on a trip, so they don’t hang over you on your vacation.

Get hold of some local travel guides — the ones out-of-towners would get. Around home, we all fall into patterns, and there may be all sorts of local attractions you’ve forgotten or never knew about.

Plan a list of activities just as you would if you went to Rome or Athens, else you fritter the days away.

Set a budget — something less than you’d spend traveling but more than you’d spend in your regular routine at home. Don’t get too frugal. If you’re saving a bundle on airfares and hotels, you can splurge on meals and entertainment.

Get everyone to pitch in. There may be practical reasons that Mom or Dad is the chief cook and bottle washer the rest of the time, but that’s no excuse for saddling the same person with the chores now.

In fact, all but the most essential chores should be avoided. One of the biggest threats to a home vacation is the feeling that, “Well, I’m home and have some time… Maybe I can finally get to tidying up the garage…”

Absolutely not – this is a vacation!

By Jeff Brown
© 2008 MSNBC Interactive


I have done this a few times this year... I pack up or buy a really good lunch and head down to the beach or up the hill to my local park (which overlooks the city) and enjoy the great outdoors. Or sometimes I choose to stay at home... I clean the house top to bottom before the weekend, make sure I have all my provisions (favorite foods and wine, bath salts, essential oils (lavender, ylang ylang, rose geranium), pull the candles out to change the atmosphere) turn off the phones and enjoy my own spa/retreat...

Some Ideas:

Hire one of the many mobile spa practitioners and enjoy a spa night complete with facial, massage, mani-pedi without leaving home.

Have exotic foods from other country’s delivered and do a theme night/weekends... Brazilian Food and drinks, Clothes, Brazilian Music, ect...

I love the idea of a backyard camp-out, gazing at stars, mallo-mars, grilled dinner and breakfast.
(and thank God you don't have to do your bizness in the bushes) Or if you can get a reservation,
go to your local campground, rents some tents and go for it.

Go on a foto safari... it's amazing whats in your own backyard/city/county/state.

Silent Meditation Retreat at home (these can cost thousands of dollars if you go to India)... going within, and discovering yourself. Do some yoga, go for mindfull meditation walks, be with yourself! Who know you might like who you meet...

Unplug the devices... WOW, now that's a thought... No phones, pda's, email, answering machines, TV, ect....
Can you do it? I dare you! Everything will be handled, you are not indispensable and it's great for your mental health.

Amtrak it!
Pacific Surfliner in Southern California

The Pacific Surfliner Route lies in a generally northwest by southeast direction along the Pacific Coast of California, connecting the cities of San Diego, Los Angeles, Oxnard, Santa Barbara, and San Luis Obispo. There are Amtrak motor coach connections between the Pacific Surfliners and the San Joaquin Valley. Amtrak's Pacific Surfliners also share some station facilities with Amtrak's Coast Starlight, and rail commuter services in Los Angeles, Orange, and San Diego Counties.

For instance, From Los Angeles’ Union Station, $34.00 will get you to San Diego’s Old Town on Friday night where you can hang out at the Zoo, the Safari Park, Jazz Clubs, Spas... ect... and you can return Sunday night and be refreshed.

Or go to the beach in Santa Barbara.... the train station is blocks from the beach, great little hotels and plenty of restaurants... $15-$19-$23.00 one way...
Wow, that’s cheaper than going to the beach in your car, sitting in bumper to bumper traffic and paying to park... Once again leave on a Friday, come back Sunday... You don’t even need a car and you’ll feel like a million bucks when you get back.

Amtrak even has diner cars, snack cars and beverage service to make your trip even more relaxing...
Explore you options at:

http://www.amtrak.com
http://tickets.amtrak.com/itd/amtrak

Healthy Beaches
by Paul McRandle

The dog days of summer are rolling in and your local beach may be the best place to cool off away from the heat of the city. But before you bodysurf on the swells, you'll want to be sure you'll leave as healthy as you entered.

According to the Natural Resources Defense Council's (NRDC) most recent report on national water quality, 2006 saw more beach closures than any of the 17 years NRDC has been monitoring them. High levels of bacteria in water were the occasion for over 60 percent of those closures and advisories. A third were due to pollution carried by rainfall into swimming waters. Beach closures in 2007 saw no change from 2006 levels, according to the EPA.

The risks of bacteria in water range from the unpleasant, such as ear, nose and throat infections, to the serious-cholera, hepatitis and amoebic dysentery. Even beaches regarded as safe can hold startlingly high levels of bacteria, found Dr. Andrew Rogerson, who headed up an EPA study of Florida beach sand. Bacteria concentrates in sand as water rises and recedes with the tides, leaving both wet sand and the dry sand just beyond it more heavily contaminated than the water.

And be careful of the elements as well. Sunscreen and sun protective clothing will shield your skin. Check for undertow or riptide warnings and swim parallel to the shore if you intend to swim a long distance.

Pregnant women, children, the elderly and those with a weakened immune system need to be particularly diligent about checking for advisories, but everyone should follow these basic precautions at the beach:

* For recent beach closings and information on how to find out if your favorite swimming spot is currently home to unsafe levels of bacteria, see the EPA's Beach Advisory and Closing on-line Notification (BEACON) site and Earth911's Beach Water Quality pages. Beaches that aren't listed may not be monitored regularly.

* Swallowing water is the most frequent way swimmers are exposed to bacteria, so keep your head above the waves.

* Avoid swimming near flowing stormdrain outlets, outfalls or runoff ditches. A study of City beaches beaches found that swimmers near stormdrains had a 57 percent greater chance of fever than those swimming over 400 yards away.

* Don't swim alone and don't dive into water you haven't been in previously.

* Don't swim after a heavy rain or near trash.

* Keep an eye on the waves-don't be caught unawares by large ones.

* Shower after visiting the beach.

* Disinfect cuts or abrasions to avoid infection.

* Those with suppressed immune systems should be checked for cuts both before and after swimming.

To help preserve the health of our beaches:

* Some chemical preservatives and stabilizers in sunscreens can damage coral reefs. For reef-safe lotions, see our Sunscreen Buying Guide.

* To protect your beach, contact the Surfrider Foundation (www.surfrider.org).

* Since the stormwater runoff accounted for the majority of closures, support measures to reduce runoff in your community.

The Green Guide @ 2008

Ever Wonder Where Your Plastic Bottles Go and Look Like When
You Don't Recycle?
Be responsible!
(or get a stainless steel bottle and filter/ionize/bottle your own water)

we only have One Planet. Play nice...

Are You Feelin’ It?

For the last little while, I have been feeling unsettled, as if something, some energy is shifting. As if the consciousness of the planet is in a state of rebirth... Either people are really kind and considerate or they are complete pricks. I kinda know what's going on with me on the inner level, but I wanted to do the outer search... So I looked up The Age of Aquarius... yep, I did.

A very interesting read...

I also have included information on being a care giver which is very close to me... If we are lucky enough to still have our parents or loved ones who face health issues... We have to remember to take exceptional care of ourselves in order to care for our loved ones. , I felt compelled to share this info for the challenges some of us face now and for those that will in the future.... There is an old saying “The caregiver usually gives out before the patient”.

These are exciting times we are blessed to experience...

Life is not just a journey... make it an adventure!
ENJOY!
Much love to you all...
Peace N' Blessings, Gail

What does
Age of Aquarius mean?

"What lies ahead for Humanity? With all the problems we have, it's hard to believe our future is bright. Inflation and recession, environmental deterioration, diminishing resources, unrest and oppression in developing countries, and apathy, loneliness and lack of direction in developed ones all combine to severely cloud the horizon...

Jesus was the one to announce the Age of Aquarius: "a man will meet you carrying an earthen pitcher of water; follow him into the house where he goes in" (Luke 22:10; Mark 14:13.) The Last Supper was the symbol of the future "unio mystica."

"So, now a New Age has started which is called the Age of Aquarius, meaning the pitcher carrier of spiritual holy water that is the work of Kundalini."
Shri Mataji Nirmala Devi

It may seem fantastic, but the signs in the heavens point to an extraordinary renewal in the years just ahead. If we recall some recent trends, this prospect doesn't seem so outlandish. It wasn't too long ago that we heard about the dawning of the Age of Aquarius, and about the revival of spirit among the new generation. We can still hear the echoes of John Kennedy's call to action and see the vision of Martin Luther King's dream. Before he and his dream were shot down in 1968, he said we as a people "would get to the promised land." The promise seems empty now, yet the planetary cycles support his prophecy. For what we discover when we examine these cycles is compelling evidence that a renaissance and a golden age is right around the corner." [1]

"You are probably familiar with the term New Age, and you may have heard or read about the dawning of the Age of Aquarius. This simply means that we are leaving one age (Pisces), and entering into a new one (Aquarius). This happens every two thousand years - the last one coinciding with the arrival of Christ.

What does this have to do with you? Well, it has quite a lot to do with you and everyone else on the planet. For a start, if you haven't already undergone any changes, you might be feeling the urge to change now, or you may be witnessing changes around you. Either way, you will certainly be aware that life on planet Earth seems to be going off the rails in one way or another.

This is characteristic of the changing of the Ages as people struggle to adapt to the new energies. You will also have noticed certain major developments - such as science, computers and technology, all of which are now forming the backbone of our society. UFO's, alternative medicine, astrology, vegetarianism and other subjects previously considered weird or cranky are growing rapidly in popularity, and are all subjects associated with the sign of Aquarius. These subjects will become more and more commonplace, and astrology and other 'mystical' methods of self-help and understanding will help people to become more in tune with their spiritual selves in preparation for the New Age.

People are already beginning to look within for the answers they seek, instead of outwards to money, possessions and other people. The more enlightened members of society will welcome the New Dawn with its emphasis on humanity, kindness, truth, spirituality and enlightenment." [2]

You also probably have heard the song, Age of Aquarius, "the one about the time when Jupiter aligns with Mars. Well, there's really more to it than that, as Jupiter and Mars align relatively often. What's really remarkable about this epoch is the powerful change that will sweep through our world, the shift in mood, action and intention that is already palpable. The estimated start date is thought to be sometime around the millennium, but, though its exact start date is contested among astrologers, astronomers, theologians and others, the effects of the Age of Aquarius have already been felt." [3]

The Age When Everything
Becomes Unified...

"In the New Age we break free of centuries of false doctrines, destructive indoctrinations, absurd ideas, and children’s stories about God, education, medicine, and love. The corrupt foundations of false society crumble. This time of crises is not the signal of the end of the world. What comes is not the end, but the beginning. The dream humanity has lived for centuries ends and we awaken to a bright new day, a bright new way .

Now in the Age of Aquarius, everything becomes unified. All our differences, all our dualities mix together like the fragrances of a flower shop, with all of the different flowers adding their bouquet to the overall mix until they are inseparable. Each individual flower remains distinct and individual, each one’s fragrance is unique and discernible when you come up close to it, yet joined together in unity with the others in the wonderful mixture that is the smell of the shop.

Our individual worth comes from inside, from what we have inside, through our development, our evolution, and what we can give to society. Now our drastic differences dissolve and we integrate into the whole. We integrate and unify with the energy of the universe, with the great cosmic spirit.

Mystically, Aquarius signifies friendship. Friendship bursts upon us in its most elevated sense, in its most noble aspect — with understanding, collaboration, and fraternity. Love and friendship will have nothing to do with possessing or ego. The idea of love meaning "you belong to me" ends in the New Age. The thought of friends of convenience, friendship based on an ulterior motive such as business ends. Love and friendship based on anything other than pure love, the divine and pure love of God, changes the sentiment into a coin of exchange — you no longer have love or friendship because of who you are, but because of what you do or can do for me.

This is the era of peace, of unity, of love. The polarity of Aquarius, Leo, floods us with its complementary characteristics. The celestial throne of the Sun, Leo, encourages, ennobles, enriches, and enlightens us for the growth of our hearts, the growth of our inner beings. Together with Aquarius, Leo promotes the integration of our individuality with our unity with all humanity. We realize that we must first be something in and of ourselves to be something for others.

Under their combined influence, friendship with an agenda disappears into true fraternity, into pure unity. Then we can prepare ourselves for unity with the universal spirit. . . . In the Age of Aquarius, we break from the past to invent the future we desire in our society and in our person. The answers we find will be wholly new ones, totally original ones, but they require a thorough examination of what has been and what we wish to come. All our institutions as we know them must adapt to this new reality." [4]

This Golden Age is destined to synthesize all religious regimes and free the minds of ignorance and delusion forever. Once enlightened, each human being will begin his or her individual journey within, and strive to become the new race of super conscious humans awakening seekers of Truth and the eternal Spirit, healing peoples of many tongues and nations in the process. In this new millennium there will be no more falsehoods or derision, but spiritual living and third-eye vision. The Human Family is truly entering the Age of mystic revelations and the mind's true liberation which is broadly known as spiritualism or New Millennium Religion.

"The "New Age" is actually a synthesis of many different beliefs and currents of thought, the emphasis being on a rejection of the limitations of reductionist materialism and an emphasis on the way that one can alter one's personal reality through the application of belief, visualisation, and positive affirmation. In a sense it is a spiritual awakening, an activation of the "theosphere", an integration of holistic healing, alternative spirituality, esotericism, environmental sensitivity, alternative life-styles, awareness of other dimensions of existence, and attunement to the cosmos. for more on this, go to...

www.gravity.org/mythology

REFERENCES 1. www.california.com
2. www.ajco.demon.co.uk
3. www.astrology.com
4. Walter Mercado, Beyond The Horizon: Visions of a New Millennium,
A Time Warner Company, 1997, p. 106-8.
5. www.kheper.net
6. Dan Costian (Ph.D), Bible Enlightened, 1995, p. 254-61
7. Knowledge of Reality Magazine 1996-2006


How to Be a
Healthy Caregiver...

Alzheimer caregivers report that they frequently experience high levels of stress. Too much stress can be damaging to both a caregiver and the person with Alzheimer’s.

If you experience some of these signs of stress on a regular basis, consult your doctor. Ignoring them can cause your physical and mental health to decline.
Symptoms of caregiver stress

Denial
Anger
Social withdrawal
Anxiety
Depression
Exhaustion
Sleeplessness
Irritability
Lack of concentration
Health problems

Be a healthy caregiver

Taking care of yourself is one of the most important ways to be a healthy caregiver.

Know what resources are available. Adult day care, in-home assistance, visiting nurses and Meals-on-Wheels are just some of the services that can help you.

Become an educated caregiver. As the disease progresses, new caregiving skills are necessary. Find information on alz.org or contact your local Alzheimer's Association.

Get help. You are not failing as a caregiver by asking others for assistance. Seek the support of family, friends and community resources. Alzheimer's Association support group meetings are a good source of comfort and reassurance. Or you can join our online community.

Take care of yourself. Watch your diet, exercise and get plenty of rest. Make time for shopping, lunch with friends or even a golf outing. Take advantage of community services such as adult day care or in-home companion services to care for your loved one while you take a break.

Manage your stress level. Stress can cause physical problems and changes in behavior. If you experience symptoms of caregiver stress, use relaxation techniques that work for you, and consult your doctor.

Accept changes as they occur. People with Alzheimer's change and so do their needs. They often require care beyond what you can provide on your own. Look into care services such as in-home caregiver services and residential care.

Do legal and financial planning. Consult an attorney to discuss legal, financial and care issues. If possible and appropriate, involve the person with Alzheimer's and other family members.

Be realistic. Many of the behaviors that occur are beyond your control and the control of the person with Alzheimer's. Grieve your losses, but also focus on the positive moments.

Give yourself credit, not guilt. You are doing the best you can. Don't feel guilty because you can't do more. Your loved one needs you, and you are there – that should make you feel proud.

www.alzla.org

Earth... We Only Have One
Treat Her With Respect!

What can we do to help preserve our precious planet?

Have you made any changes?

Simple things can make a big difference.

• Changing out your light bulbs to CFC’s
• Using reusable shopping bags (not just for food
shopping)
• Planning your car errands and trips (save time and
gas)
• Switching to the many biodegradable nontoxic
household cleaners and personal care products (what
goes down the drain, goes in the ocean)
• Recycling
• Home water filters (bottle your own water)
• Paying your bills on-line (no paper)
• Read the newspaper on-line (some magazines are doing this too)
• Buy recycled paper for you printer and use both sides...
• Water less (your grass will survive)
• Find out ways to lower your carbon footprint (see link in “Other groovy
souls” section to the left)

These are some of the things I’ve done this past year and they were a no brainer... I have included a story about an environmental visionary Van Jones, he is the director of an amazing advocacy group Green for All, in Oakland, CA... This guy is inspiring... Please take the time to read this article “Green For All” and let it get your creative juices flowing! The articles in this April/TUS are from a cool publication called "Whole Life Times" you can go online at www.WholeLifeTimes.com to see how to receive monthly issues.

Earth Day is a great chance to rethink how we consume and many times we waste our precious resources and make a change in our lifestyles to do better.
Who knows... make a difference and... BE THE CHANGE!

enJOY!
peace n’ blessings,
Gail

What Counts?
Compiled by Jenny Rough

1/3 Amount of earth’s natural resources that have been mined, chopped, blown up, or otherwise extracted in the past three decades alone.

5 Percentage of earth’s population living in the U.S. (yet Americans use up to 30 percent of the world’s resources and create 30 percent of the world’s waste).

3 to 5 Number of extra planets we would need if everyone consumed at American rates.

75 Percent of global fisheries that are fished at, or beyond, capacity.

100,000 Number of synthetic chemicals used in commerce today, many of which wind up in our bodies (human breast milk is the food at the top of the food chain with the highest level of many toxic contaminates).

30 Percentage of kids in the Congo who have dropped out of school to mine metals, the majority of which end up in cheap and disposable electronic products bought by Americans.

99 Percentage of stuff we harvest, mine, transport or otherwise produce that is trashed within six months (many products are specifically “designed for the dump”).

3000 Number of advertisements targeted at American consumers each day.

4.5 Pounds of garbage each American makes each day (twice as much as we made 30 years ago).

SOURCE: www.StoryofStuff.com, an online film narrated by Annie Leonard that takes viewers on a journey through our consumer-driven culture from extraction to production, distribution, consumption and disposal. For more dirty details, check out our chat with Leonard in this month’s Conversations section.

Worth Repeating

“I really didn’t like TV-Turnoff week, except I did notice that my grades went up and I was in a good mood all week.”
—Second grader Drew Henderson on the annual program (4/25 to 5/1 this year) designed to counteract the more than 16,000 murders and 200,000 acts of violence an average American child witnesses on TV by age 18. (www.tvturnoff.org)

“If we fight evil with inhumanity, what does that make us?”
—Mort Rosenblum on waterboarding, in which suspects’ faces are held underwater until their lungs nearly burst. The Bush administration has refused to classify waterboarding as torture.
(huffingtonpost.com, 2/15)

“When we stop working with our hands, we cease to understand how the world really works.”
—Clive Thompson on the importance of basic mechanics in solving our country’s nastiest problems, like oil dependence and climate change. (Wired, 2/25)

“The federal government works deliberately and forcefully to prevent the local food movement from expanding.”
—Minnesota farmer Jack Hedin on federal laws that make it financially disastrous for growers of federally subsidized commodity crops to help meet the demand for organic fruits and vegetables. (NY Times, 3/1)

“That’s interesting. I hadn’t heard that.”
—President George W. Bush, upon hearing that numerous analysts are predicting $4-a-gallon gasoline. (White House news conference, 2/28)

www.wholelifetimes.com

Green For All
By Jessica Kraft

Since we reported on the idea in last year’s Earth Day issue, “green collar” jobs, have generated quite the buzz. After cycling through the mainstream media and the blogosphere, the term is now common parlance among business leaders and community organizers who want to bring about a New Green Deal. It even got some play during the presidential campaign, with contenders on both sides of the aisle citing it as a way to end dependency on foreign oil, protect natural resources and reduce carbon emissions.

Green for All, a new advocacy group out of Oakland, CA, is the organization driving the discussion. According to director and environmental visionary Van Jones (author of last Earth Day’s cover story), green collar workers are the labor force of the future — they’ll be the ones weatherizing buildings, installing solar panels, servicing electric vehicles and building green rooftops. They’ll be the local union members getting livable wages in positions that can’t be outsourced to India. And if Green for All succeeds, this first generation of workers will come from today’s impoverished inner cities. Their message is that the legacy of American inequality can be reversed through environmental innovation. “The green economy will simultaneously address our economic, ecological and moral crises,” said Jones at a recent conference of green builders.

While serving as director of the Ella Baker Center for Human Rights, Jones, along with a coalition of groups including the Apollo Alliance and the Center for American Progress, lobbied congress and the Oakland City Council to establish a green jobs corps. Their efforts paid off. Last summer’s massive federal energy bill included the Green Jobs Act providing $125 million to train veterans, formerly incarcerated workers, at-risk youth and the urban poor for clean-tech occupations. Now Jones and his new organization need to hold Washington to its promise. Field director Jeremy Hays said that the Green Jobs Act has yet to be cemented into the 2009 federal budget. “We’re going to keep on top of them until congress gives us a clear signal of an actual allocation.”

But federal procrastination hasn’t deterred the Green for All vision. Now that one act has passed, they’re pressing lawmakers to fund another $1 billion in national green jobs training by 2012 that will bring 250,000 workers out of poverty and boost green industries. In preparation, they’re building a national network of green entrepreneurs, educators, union workers and government officials who are sharing best practices and getting technical assistance for the job training programs.

Since opening in March, Green for All has been responding to a deluge of interest. “One minute we plugged in the fax machine,” said Hays, “and the next minute we’re standing in a pile of messages from community leaders and activists all wanting to work with us.”

Early this month, Green for All is putting on “ The Dream Reborn,” a conference in Memphis commemorating the 40th anniversary of Martin Luther King’s assassination. One of the conference’s goals is to facilitate partnerships between labor, activists and communities of color. “The green economy is a complicated puzzle,” remarked Hays. “Some people are banging away on job creation strategies and others are doing training programs, so we want to develop ways for people to talk to each other and create a community of practice that brings the green economy to the next level.”

When the federal funds become available next year, Green for All will help manage a competitive grant process to determine allocations to various training programs. To stay informed and find out how you can get involved, visit www.greenforall.org .

From Whole Life Times April © 2008
www.wholelifetimes.com

It's Spring Again
and Life is Blossoming

Don’t you just love the energy of Spring? We had a spectacular “First day of Spring” here in SoCali, it was in the 80’s and clear as a bell. It felt like Summer, but that’s LA for you.

All the metaphors of celebration. All the sleeping beauty’s blooming out and nature’s aromatherapy in the air. Nature's hibernation is over and we’re all rearin to go for it!



For the last few weeks I have been antsy... why I even did my “Spring Cleaning” a month early. However on a deeper level, I felt a kind of weirdness as if something big was on the horizon.
It IS! For all of us!
Tap into nature’s energy and kick butt and take names...

“Be the change you want to see”. ~Gandhi

“Remember today, for it is the beginning of always. Today marks the start of a brave new future filled with all your dreams can hold. Think truly to the future and make those dreams come true.” ~Unknown

Life is not just a journey... make it an adventure!
ENJOY!
Much love to you all...

Peace N' Blessings,
Gail


One of my Coolest Friends from Toronto Canada posted this on his blog and it was so inspiring, I had to post it myself... Thanks for being your magnificent self Reyji...
Hope you don’t mind the foto.
It’s my fav :-) enJOY!

Instead of striving to get where you wish to go,
simply allow yourself to be there.
All that is, is available to you in the moment you're in.
As long as you're trying to understand something, you will fall short.
Let go of the desperate need to understand, and you'll find that the
understanding is part of you already.

When you think you lack something, that blocks it from your awareness,
your experience and your life. Instead of filling your thoughts with what is
missing, focus on what is possible.

Relax into the limitless abundance of now.
There is always enough, and it is
all here for you to allow.

Life's overwhelming richness is mirrored in every little detail.
The only thing separating you from that richness is the
wall you imagine to be around yourself.

Allow the goodness, the possibilities, the value and joy to fill your life
in this moment that is now.

-- Ralph Marston

Technology Part 1
Phones...
The GOOD,
The BAD
and The UGLY...

Once again, I’m late with the blog this month, but I just had to do the Leap Year thing...
Why not?
Sooo, HAPPY LEAP YEAR DAY!

What is leap year anyway?

Life is not just a journey... make it an adventure!


Much love to you all...
Peace N' Blessings,
Gail


The GOOD...

In Case of Emergency/ICE...

In Case of Emergency, or ICE, is a program that enables first responders, such as paramedics, firefighters, and police officers, to identify victims and contact their next of kin to obtain important medical information. The program was conceived in the mid-2000s and promoted by British paramedic Bob Brotchie in May 2005.[1] It encourages people to enter emergency contacts in their cell phone address book under the name "ICE". Alternately, a person can list multiple emergency contacts as "ICE1", "ICE2", etc. The popularity of the program has spread across Europe, and has started to grow into North America.[2]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/In_case_of_emergency
http://www.snopes.com/crime/prevent/icephone.asp

Free 411

Google threw a new product called Goog-411 into Google Labs today - a free telephone based information service that could replace toll 411 calls. About 2.6 billion 411 calls are made in the U.S. each year, and it is a $7 billion/year market.

Goog-411 can be accessed by dialing 1-800-GOOG-411. The product is completely automated and there is no way to talk to a human for additional or clarifying information. You tell it your city and state, and then ask for a specific business or business category. In my tests the product was excellent. Although the voice recognition was only working at about 70% efficiency, I just said “back” and retried when it didn’t understand what I said. Results are spoken back or text messaged back to you, and you are automatically put through to the phone number requested.

GOOG-411 is using Google’s normal local business information available on Google Maps and elsewhere. Businesses that want to add or correct data can do so here.

The product competes head on with Jingle Networks, which has taken 6% market share in the U.S. 411 business over the last year. AT&T is also experimenting with free 411 calls. None of these products come anywhere close to as good as TellMe’s rich client business information tool for mobile phones, but few phones support TellMe at this time (TellMe was recently acquired by Microsoft).

The paid 411 market is so dead. I’m betting these free alternatives take at least 50% market share within a couple of years.

The BAD....

The Secret to Breaking Through On-Hold Hell...
by Tom Barlow Feb 25th 2008


When was the last time you called a company and talked to a real live person before first wandering through a labyrinth of voice-mail hell? All the while, being told that your call is important, then being pitched 15 minutes of ad copy while waiting for someone to pick up?

The web site www.gethuman.com was designed to help you with this problem. It lists hundreds of companies and the code to punch in that will take you to a real, live human being. For example, when calling Blue Cross and Blue Shield, saying the word "associate" at the prompt bypasses the computer menu. At Kitchenaid, 3420 does the job, as does #### for MetLife.

The site also has suggestions to try for bypassing phone tree hell when you don't know the code. Tricks to try:

1. Interrupt by pressing 0 repeatedly
2. Talk: Say "get human" or mumble
3. Pretend you have a rotary phone by not responding to the prompt to
press a key
4. Select "Spanish" even if you don't speak it -- the queue is often
shorter and the customer service rep will be bilingual.
5. Once connected, ask how you can access people directly next time,
then add it to the gethuman database.

and The UGLY...

CELL PHONE ETIQUETTE
By Tony Gaston


Man, we are all so guilty of these rule violations; I know I am;
So, I have the following proposal.....
What do you think? Care to add on?

Cellular phones are definitely 21st century. Unfortunately, our
technologies have outpaced our etiquette.
The cellular telephone requires a new set of telephone rules.

If you do not know it yet, it is rude to:

-Talk on the telephone in public place in a manner that all who are around you must listen to the mundane and dreary details of your life.

–You and a friend undertake a journey together. It need not be a long
journey, but it is rude to have your passenger (who is alive and
present) ignored as you either make or take a phone call while they
sit there and twiddle their thumbs. How do you think it makes a person
feel when it is apparent you would rather talk to a person who is not
present. It always make me think: "Am I that boring?"

–Cell phone to cell phone. A call is received; the person says: "Hold
on a minute." Then you hear in the distance breakfast or lunch being
ordered while you hold on. Or, you hear an uncompleted conversation
with another person. Or, after this person has disturbed me with a
cell call while I am driving or otherwise involved, places me on hold
to answer the first, and any call waiting call placed to the caller.
How rude and boring.

–For some reason cell phones seem different than hard line phones or
else why, in "the old days" when you visited a person in their home,
they would not think to pass the time talking on the phone to some
other person. But, with a cell phone, a lot of people think nothing of
answering a cell call and talking for extended periods, or relaying
parts of the conversation as though the unknown cell caller were
present in the room.

–There you are at the grocery or department store check out line and
the person at the register is on the phone trying to talk, and pay the
bill at the same time. This always results in a longer wait in the
line. Hang up before you get to the counter. Of course, a better ideal
is not to make the other people in line listen to the dreary details
of your life or love life while they wait, captive in line.

–By the way, why is it that People think it is "sooo cool" to walk
around with that wireless earplug/phone terminal in their ear? It
looks like you are an escapee from the Borg Collective, or waiting for
Scotty to beam you back up to the Starship Enterprise. At the very
least, it makes you look like you only have one foot in the "here and
now."

I am sure as we advance, that new etiquette outrages will present
themselves, but this is a good start. STAY CONNECTED TO THE
COLLECTIVE (If you really want too.)

Consideration
of Others...

Welcome to the late but not forgotten January Issue of my blog. This year seems to be speeding by already... I looked up, and realized, I had better post something before the end of the month... well... it’s the end of the month.

Have you noticed that people have lost their people skills?
Consideration of others is a lost virtue...

This post was inspired by a good friend of mine. We often commiserate on the subject of lack of consideration of others.

How driver’s have forgotten road etiquette, people who honestly believe that they can drive and talk on the phone, or be in a public place and share their importance and conversation with complete strangers in the most inappropriate places... a restaurant, the bank, ect., people cutting in line, those blocking your way and acting like you have the problem when you say... “Excuse me”... Excuse me, but when did that become an insult?. It’s hard not to lose your center (and want to react in any fashion other than with grace...) when these instances rear their ugly selfish heads...

These are true tests of patience in us all. The electronic age is on us and we have forgotten the old ways... we have virtual friendships, and e-mail... we don’t have to be polite or be personal... we don’t have to interact with real people face to face any more. This has made it easy to forget our actual people skills... We have very few intimate relationships with those we did years ago. People are basically rude, arrogant and impatient because of the “instant gratification junkies” we have become (I want it now... and I want it my way... double click :-)...
The result is a severe disconnect with real time humanity...
One of the many causes for our 21st century stresses.

I found this lovely passage from a book by Douglas Fairbanks entitled, Laugh and Live, written in the early 20th century. It was his thoughts on how to have a happy life... and I thought I’d share it with you...

Life is not just a journey... make it an adventure!
ENJOY! & Much love to you all...
Gail the Groovy









Consideration for Others
Laugh and Live
Chapter 9
by Douglas Fairbanks

Consideration for others is man's noblest attitude toward his fellow man. For every seed of human kindness he plants, a flower blooms in the garden of his own heart. In him who gives in such a way there is no hypocritical feeling of charity bestowed. His very act disarms the thought. It is as natural for an honorable man to show consideration to others as it is for him to eat and sleep. Acts of kindness are the outward manifestations of gentle breeding—a refinement of character in the highest sense of the word.

What would we do in this world without the helping hand, the friendly word of cheer, the thought that others shared our losses and cheered our victories? If consideration for our feelings and thoughts did not exist on this earth we would never know the depths of the love of our friends. There would be no such thing as an earthly reward of merit. We know that no matter what happens to us in the battle of life there will be someone to cheer us on our way. We may be strong and thoroughly able to rely upon ourselves but there comes a time when we need friendship and sympathy. Society would crumble into dust without these influences. The family circle would degenerate into a hollow mockery if consideration each for the other was absent. It sweetens and makes wholesome what otherwise might only be an existence of monotonous toil.

Consideration for others is the milk of human kindness. For what we do for others our recompense is in the act itself . . . we should claim no other reward. Observation brings to view that they who give in real charity cloak their acts from the eyes of all save the recipient. Givers of this type rise to the supreme heights of greatness. It is a part of their wisdom to know what is best to be done and they go about it as a pleasure as well as a duty.

Consideration for others pays big dividends. It is a virtue that makes for strong friendships and true affections. Those who possess it have a hard time hiding their light under a bushel. In teaching fortitude to others they partake of the same knowledge. In the hours of their own affliction they retain their courage and keep their minds unsoured. They are the sure-enough good fellows" of life and their presence is the signal for instantaneous good cheer. We all know them by their gentle knock at the door. In a thousand ways they impress themselves upon our lives, have entered into our councils, have given us the right advice at the right time—and when the sad day comes along their strong shoulders are there for us to lean upon.

The world helps those who help themselves. We have little admiration for the man who is forever whining. Society has no work for such people as these. When we have exhausted every means of helping such a man we must in selfdefense pass him up before he contaminates our sense of justice. We must keep our visions clear.

Consideration for others is a prime refinement of character. To be able to use it in our daily lives becomes one of our greatest consolations. Sympathy begets affection and kindly deeds—in a relative sense it binds together the properties which go to make the soul within us. Browbeating, scolding, irascibility and the like are microbes which react against the milk of human kindness, to which, if we succumb, leaves us stranded and alone amid a world of friendliness and good fellowship.

Year’s End...
A Time For
New Beginnings

Well it’s the end of the year again... Seems the year's-end comes around faster and faster.

As we look back on 2007... Our growth... Our accomplishments... Lessons learned... The loses...
The new relationships... The vicissitudes of life...

Know that this is when you can reflect on all these experiences with profound gratitude and set powerful intentions for an abundantly prosperous new year... My wish to you all is... A fresh start with unlimited possibilities.

Here are two quotes for your New Year!

“Every man believes that he has a greater possibility”
~Ralph Waldo Emerson

“We will open the book. Its pages are blank. We are going to put words on them ourselves.
The book is called Opportunity and its first chapter is New Year's Day.”
~unknown

Life is not just a journey...
make it an adventure!
ENJOY! & Much love to you all...

Gail the Groovy


My friend, Ralph Warren, in Antwerp, Belgium shared this with me, and I am sharing it with you...

The Four Candles
of Life...


The Four Candles burned slowly. Their ambiance was so soft you could hear them speak.

The first candle said, " I Am Peace, but these days, nobody wants to keep me lit." Then Peace's flame slowly diminished and went out completely.

The second candle said, " I Am Faith, but these days, I am no longer indispensable." Then Faith's flame slowly diminished and went out completely.

Sadly the third candle spoke, "I Am Love and I haven't the strength to stay lit any longer. People put me aside and don't understand my importance. They even forget to love those who are nearest to them." And waiting no longer, Love went out completely.

Suddenly, a child entered the room and saw the three candles no longer burning. The child began to cry, "Why are you not burning? You are supposed to stay lit until the end." Then the Fourth Candle spoke gently to the little boy, " Don't be afraid, for I am hope, and while I still burn, we can relight the other candles." With shining eyes, the child took the Candle of Hope and lit the other three candles. Never let the Flame of Hope go out of your life. With Hope, no matter how bad things look, Peace, Faith, and Love can shine brightly in your life.
Author Unknown

The A, B, C’s of Happiness

Act - Take the first step for your life
Be Present - Be in the moment
Change - Change is uncomfortable, but change is the only constant in life
Determination - Are you committed to see you intentions become reality?
Energy - Be positive, your energy has an effect on everything

Fear - Have courage and your fears will disappear
Gratitude - Be grateful for everything in your life
Humanity - Compassion for others
Intentions - The first step to your success
Joy - Loving your life as it is
Know Yourself - Who are you... really? If U don’t know U, U can’t see others
Loving - Open your heart to love, because love is all.
Meditation - Is the key to knowing yourself and spirit.
Nice - You catch more bees with honey than with vinegar
Optimistic - Be optimistic, everything will work out
Passion - Find what you love to do and Do what you love
Quiet - Be still and know...
Restoration - Take time to restore yourself... Heal yourself
Self Awareness - Know yourself, Love yourself, Be yourself, Be authentic.
Trust - Trust that everything is unfolding as it should
Understanding - Without it you will never know compassion
Visualize - Think it, See it, Be it...
Willingness - Be willing to give of yourself
Xenial - Be kind to others/guests
Yes - Say yes to living your dreams
Zenith - Realize your power, you are perfect whole and complete!

“All high achievers plan their work and work their plan, for they are keenly aware that "luck" is most often being prepared to take advantage of a situation.”
INTENTION + ACTION = SUCCESS
unknown...

Some Things to
Make You Say...
Hummmmm

The nicest thing about the future is that it always starts tomorrow. What are your intentions? How have you prepared?

Money will buy a fine dog, but only kindness will make him wag his tail. Be kind in your dealings, being better than or superior to... breeds contempt in others. And it will always make you work harder for the same outcome.

If you don't have a sense of humor, you probably don't have any sense at all.
Oscar the Wilde said... “Life is too short to be taken seriously”
Laughing at yourself is a great gift.

Seat belts are not as confining as wheelchairs. An ounce of prevention beats a pound of cure any day... Regrets are no fun...

A good time to keep your mouth shut is when you're angry. People will remember your kindness... but being cruel will erase that kindness for a lifetime. .

Business conventions are important because they demonstrate how many people a company can operate without. Cut to the chase and cut the excess... Time is precious.

Why is it that at class reunions you feel younger than everyone else looks? You are as young as you feel, there are no requirements for you being who you feel you are at any age. (of course, being insipid does not count :DOH)

Scratch a dog and you'll find a permanent job. Feeding the egos of attentions seekers and fools does not pay a good pension... and the sacrifice is your “self”.

No one has more driving ambition than the kid who wants to buy a car. Remember to call up that same determination, drive and imagination in all you desire to accomplish.

There are no new sins; the old ones just get more publicity. You reap what you sow... Cause and Effect... Karma.... Only you an prevent your own living hell.

There are worse things than getting a call for a wrong number at 4 AM. It could be a right number. Be grateful for you family and friends.

Think about this ... No one ever says "It's only a game" when their team is winning. The trick is to show the same grace when you are losing and without failure, there can be no real success.

Be careful reading the fine print. There's no way you're going to like it. Next time you want to sign something without reading it thoroughly... Think of the Sub-Prime market crash this year... You are the only person responsible for your actions...
nuf said.

inspired by an email... and embellished....

HAPPY
NEW YOU

HAPPY NEW
YEAR !

Peace n' Blessings!!!!

A Season for Gratitude
Giving Thanks

November is the Start of the
Holiday Season...

I wish you and yours a wonderful and...
Happy Thanksgiving...
Also, if you have any suggestions for future blogs... Use the “comments” button on the bottom of this months blog... or email me at: TheUrbanShaman@aol.com
Life is not just a journey... make it an adventure!
ENJOY!
Much love to you all...
Love n' Light,
Gail Oliver

A Season For Gratitude...

Gratitude is the substance of a heart ready to show appreciation, or thankfulness; it is not simply an emotion, which involves a pleasant feeling that can occur when we receive a favor or benefit from another person but rather the combination of a state of being and an emotion; often accompanied by a desire to thank them, or to reciprocate for a favor they have done for you.

When you live charged with gratitude, you will give thanks for anything or anyone who has benefited you, whether they meant to or not. Imagine a giving thanks when the driver in the car next to you lets you merge without protest, or when the water flows from the tap, or you have a place of shelter on a cold night.

When you open up to the trait of gratitude, you see clearly and accurately how much good there is in your life. Gratitude affirms. Those things you are lacking are still there, and in reaching for gratitude no one is saying you ought to ignore or those shortcomings. But most of us tend to focus so heavily on the deficiencies in our lives that we barely acknowledge the good that balances them.

When gratitude is established, it is a sign of a heart that has been made right and whole. Gratitude opens the heart. Gratitude can't coexist with arrogance, resentment, and selfishness.

A simple and effective way to practice gratitude is by making giving thanks part of your everyday life.

Giving Thanks

Do you take many things in your life for granted? By looking at the world a little differently, you just might realize how much you have to be thankful for. Here's how to stop and smell the roses.

The Steps...

• Pay attention to the people around you. You will find that everybody has
something to worry or complain about, not just you. It's easy to focus on those who seem to have it all, but you never know what's going on inside. They might look happy, but they might be miserable as well. Don't look at others and think "I should have it like they do." Look at those who aren't as fortunate as you are and take note of blessed you are. Count your blessings. If it helps, consider volunteering or start a relationship with someone who is not as fortunate and find small or gradual ways to help them.

• Practice acceptance. Stop dwelling on how things should be, what could've been, and what you don't have. Recognize what you do have--whether you like it or not, it's yours to keep or to change. Accepting your lot in life is not about resigning yourself to unhappiness. It's about not wasting time wishing for what you don't have.

• Become a problem solver. Use your lemons to make lemonade. Get in the habit of asking yourself how you can turn the negative into a positive. The most successful people in life, and those who have the most to be grateful for, are also those who've endured tremendous trials and managed to persevere and turn it all around.

• Learn to see hardship as a chance to develop character. Imagine yourself looking back ten years from now and recounting your difficult circumstances, and being proud of how you handled it and worked through it.

• Develop a gratitude journal. It's pretty simple. At the end of every day, write down five things that have made you happy or appreciative that day; not necessarily big things, even small ones count.
For example: 1) nice weather, 2) being thanked by a customer at work, 3) my pet, 4) having people who love me, 5) a funny joke or a song you like.

• Take joy in the small things. Blow bubbles. Walk the dog. Get lost in the park. Goof off or watch a funny movie and have a good laugh. Life's treasures are the small pleasures; give thanks for each small gift you receive!

Tips

• Avoid negative people whose social interaction consists of comparing their lives and competing for who has it worse.

• Volunteering to help those in need will help put things in perspective.

Warnings

• Variation is a part of life; the seasons, day and night, hilltops and valleys, light and darkness.

• No matter how positive and thankful you are, remember that life will always have its ups and downs. You're going to have to take the good with the bad.
wikihow.com

Recipe for Feelin’ Groovy...

This appeared in a Dear Abby column from a newspaper dated May 1961. Here is a wonderful recipe for feeling good written by a woman named Maxine.

Recipe for Happiness
2 heaping cups of patience
1 heart full of love
2 handfuls of generosity
Dash of laughter
1 head of understanding
Sprinkle generously with kindness
Add plenty of faith and mix well.
Spread over a period of a lifetime and serve everybody you meet.

If you were to implement this recipe during the holidays as you interact with your family, you would be contributing to heaven on earth. If you were to commit to feeling good every moment, what a contribution to peace on the planet that would be! There is no greater gift.

Have a Happy and Joyous Thanksgiving.
Love and Light to you all!