Deception Passion

Kwuh-kwal-uhl-wut aka the Deception Pass Maiden near Rosario Head on Fidalgo Island. 11/16/17

Often I get a flood of strong emotion with even a mention of Deception Pass. Every time I go over the bridge the connects Fidalgo and Whidbey Island I look down at the shoreline and remember that very first kiss. 

We were walking down the beach one day as the waves crashed against the shore and the seagulls soared overhead. Our two sets of footprints were sure to be erased by the rising tide as we drifted closer together the further we got away. The cool salty air swirled around us gently with no indication of the impeding inclination. Suddenly the forward motion stopped and it felt as if we were two black holes caught in each others gravitational field. As our eyes connected and lips collided the waves rippled through space and time. The universe would never be the same. 

In fact everything has changed since that day. It was unexpected and innocent really, neither of us knew what would happen when we followed the magnetic pull towards each other. Sometimes love bends the rules and breaks our pre-conceived notions of what is possible. I know I didn't know then what I know now, if I did, I may not know how to get from there to here.

Yet there we were, together, today, so close to the first place where our hearts expanded in a unified field of love almost 17 years ago. 

Eschew Obfuscation

Espouse Elucidation.

Day 7, today is the 7th day in a row that I have written something here. I was wrong before although I wrote day 4 with a question mark, it was actually day 5. I started practicing my French lessons again using the duo-lingo app the same day I began writing with the intention to do it every day and the app says this afternoon that I'm on a 7-day streak. Easy way to keep track, all I have to do is keep practicing French everyday and I will know for sure how many days in a row I write without back tracking and counting manually on here. Is that all perfectly understandable? I am attempting to avoid confusion by writing clearly. Why am I keeping track anyway?

I want my book to be published with HayHouse and I have one shot coming up. The due date for my proposal is in January of 2018 so I'm demonstrating my ability and determination by showing how disciplined I can be. One of the first things I read in the book "Building your Platform" was something about writing everyday. I can do that. I am doing this. Lets see how long I can continue to do this. I just have to remember to keep working on my proposal/book every day too until it's completed and sent off for HayHouse to get excited about. Oh and the other thing I need to work on is convincing one of my favorite Authors to commit to writing my foreword. (Still on my to do list.) Enough for now, time to go to line dance class and boot, scoot and boogie it off. 

Oh and by the way, the title of this post was inspired by a friends Facebook post this morning that said, "Bumper Sticker spotted this morning: 'Eschew Obfuscation!' I spit out my coffee and nearly drove off the road." I nearly spilt my own coffee at the humor in the wordplay but also because I was imagining my friend Richard, dressed up in his fancy Town Crier garb (in my mind) at the same time as he experienced that moment.  If you knew Richard you would understand better, but I assure you it is very amusing. Totally worthy of mention as the title for this. Words are so much fun. 

Compassion for Ignorance

My first real attempt at night photography in early 2017 during a full moon snowshoe adventure.

How do we remain compassionate in the face of ignorance?

As Thomas Gray would say, "Where ignorance is bliss 'tis folly to be wise".

What if you can't help but be informed and paying attention? How can one remain compassionate for all of humankind when some humans are incomprehensibly lacking in something that seems like common sense.  I am sympathetic and concerned about the suffering of others yet somehow infuriated at the same time at how some humans seem to lack the kind of knowledge to make important changes to the way we each live each day and how our actions are affecting this entire planet.  Especially those people who have the power and resources to bring about positive changes on a large scale.

Are they choosing to ignore the physical evidence? Do they just not want to take responsibility for their actions? Is changing our ways as individuals and communities really that much of a challenge? It's going to take each every individual and the collective whole to make the changes happen on a scale that will improve the life of everyone. It will be easier when we work together which is why we must maintain compassion for ignorance and do our best to educate without judgment or discretion. 

I agree, Thomas Gray, it appears foolish to be wise when ignorance is apparently keeping others happy. Yet, once one has the wisdom, one can not go back to pretending one does not see. The truth is we get to choose how our future plays out if only we choose to believe we have that power. And therefore with compassion I pray for the day that ignorance goes away on its own and we start moving forward together for the betterment of all beings on this planet.

And I am only doing my best though I fear even my best is not good enough.

Impulsive

My newest pair of Altra Running shoes, it was an impulse buy during a flash sale and I love them!

I can be a bit impulsive at times but I suppose that can be a good thing. For instance, the day Altra sent out an email about a Flash sale and I really didn't need another pair of running shoes. I just couldn't help myself after seeing these reflective beauties by my favorite brand.

If you don't know about Altra running shoes, they created the first zero-drop sole which basically means you're not running in heels. Traditional running shoes add thickness to the heels for some odd reason and it's just not natural. The other thing about Altra shoes are the nice wide toe box, it's actually shaped like a foot. A natural foot that is, a foot that hasn't been trained by high fashion uncomfortable shoes or traditional running shoes. I used to always have issues with hot spots on my toes because most darn running shoes don't leave enough room in the right places.

For a girl who used to wear flip-flops everywhere with toes that like freedom to move, this relatively new shoe brand was a dream come true. And my newest pair light up the night with reflective material that's oh so pretty in the daylight too. At the price I got them for I wish I would have bought two pair (guess I'm not that impulsive). I wore them on my run yesterday evening and as the sky darkened on my way home I felt safer knowing how quickly they flash with any light. Thanks Altra for these super awesome shoes!

Altra Impulse Flash with a flash from an iPhone 6. Pretty sweet eh?

11/11 2017

Another day, another dollar, another blog post, another holiday. Today is November 11th, it's also Veteran's day, originally know as Armistice day. Today and everyday I am Thankful for all the Veterans and for all the people in the world who continue to work for Peace. I pray for healing of all the hearts of humankind and believe that one day soon we will all live in a much more connected and Peaceful world.

We must just keep writing it in the sand, no matter how many times its washed away. We belong to each other, we are made of this earth and we are connected to everything in this universe. The almighty dollar is losing its reign as our hearts expand and our consciousness continues to evolve beyond material illusions. More of us are coming to realize what brings true happiness and how priceless that feeling is. Love is the answer without question and we are here to share and expand the love in these seemingly separate and disconnected times. Much love to all of you all over the planet today and always. We are family. Thank you.

Tunnel Vision

The tunnel from the Klipsun Trail that connects to Northridge Park.

Day 2 of my attempt to focus and write something on here every single day.

Is there a light at the end of the tunnel?

Does the struggle ever really end while we are here on earth in these bodies?

These amazing manifestations of flesh and bone animated by our spirits on a journey through time and space in this place of duality. I believe heaven is here on earth so why is it so challenging for us to see it most of the time? This planet is absolutely incredible yet we take it for granted, like we take our bodies for granted, like teenagers take their parents unconditional love for granted.

Why do we continue to assume things are true without questioning them?

Why is it so easy for us to fail to properly appreciate the amazingness of this life we have been given?

I ask myself these questions and continue to wonder what the meaning of it all is. I see the potential in every single living thing yet when it comes to myself often I feel stuck. I get distracted and caught up in old patterns of thought. Just when I think I know better and have figured out a different way of getting work done there's something that manages to get in my way.

I'd love to have all of the answers all of the time. I'd love to be open, honest, kind and compassionate regardless of events that occur in my life but I get mad, I get frustrated, I feel the whole range of stinking emotions and I just have to accept them for now.

I want there to be a light at the end of the tunnel but I don't want to have tunnel vision either. I guess that's why I'm here again, reincarnated into another incredible creation, a body which is just a mass of flesh and bone, animated by this consciousness of spirit, struggling and learning as a separate being that I know is really connected to the whole.

And I'm doing my best not to take it for granted while attempting to change my conditioned mind. Hoping to figure out ways to create more peace and harmony in the world. Doing all I can manage, every single day, by trying to remember to make the choice to believe in something without being able to see it.

In spite of my personal struggle & regardless of the pain I have felt, in spite of what ever social programming I have had. I know there is something more, something better, some way to live this life like it is truly a gift. A gift that all of us are meant to share and enjoy equally. 

So much for writing something short... and something not-so-amusing (but yet it is still a musing of mine;). 

Changing Choices

Just before the start of Round the County out of Roche Harbor on Sunday last year.

I chose this picture for this post today because Round The County is coming up this weekend. The annual party at Anacortes Yacht Club is tomorrow night beginning a tradition that takes place every year. Orcas Island yacht club hosts this two day event that has an overnight stop in Roche Harbor on San Juan Island. I won't be sailing this year because I'm making the choice to change.

One of the changes I'm making today, is to this website as I have now made my A-musing Blog my homepage so the first thing you see when you visit will be the last thing I have shared online. I'm making the choice to write more and to work on a lot of my projects I have had good intentions of finishing before now. I've suffered from a lot of distractions and a bad habit of procrastination coupled with some healthy excuses. The time has come however to choose to change and part of that involves sailing less and writing more. My goal is to attempt to write something on my blog every day followed by a good amount of time writing other things after on the computer. I need to get my books finished and published so now is the time to push. I hope you enjoy my daily musings in the meantime and I hope all my friends have a safe and fun time sailing around San Juan County this weekend with out me.

Halloween & Snapchat

Halloween is one of those holidays that has morphed into a strange tradition, especially in America, where most people associate it with dressing up and going trick or treating. How on earth did the evening before a day of honoring the saints, "All Hallows Eve" turn into such a ritual as it is today? A celebration where most people are candy crazed and ingest enough sugar to send themselves on an emotional roller coaster ride as their insulin levels spike thru the roof. It's insane to think most of us condone this behavior when we know the detrimental health effects even if it is "just once a year". Sugar is extremely addictive, it has been considered close to crack cocaine on the addictive scale yet we take our kids out all dressed up at night and the goal is to get as much candy as possible! 

Then we have to try and regulate the consumption of the sugar-crack in the days following halloween when the sugar is sitting there, when it's everywhere, all dressed up in different ways and begging us to put it in our mouths. Our brains pleasure center making us crave more with each bite, so much so that most of us can't help but make an excuse to have just one more piece. I know that personally I often lack the self control to moderate when it comes to sweets. Like a lot of addictive substances abstinence is often the best remedy for those who lack the willpower to have just one... or two... or three and then stop. There are plenty of good reasons why we all need to know how to moderate or abstain from sugar and why it may be a good time to think twice about what this holiday is all about. Diabetes is a huge problem in the united states because sugar is so readily available and completely acceptable to consume. There's not much regulation on how much sugar we can consume and not nearly enough education about the detrimental effects of it either ;(unfortunately). Just look at the picture for this post and imagine it's me on sugar.

The crazed crack bear selfie created using a snapchat filter is how I feel on too much sugar, like a deranged animal that needs a muzzle to stop it from putting more candy in it's mouth. I fully admit that I am already a sugar addict, I do my best to moderate but it's a challenge when the temptation is everywhere. Especially when it's celebrated and acceptable to gorge on (even if only for some people just this one time per year). And the dressing up thing? It's fun but it's also one of those things where you wonder how it came to be and where to draw the line. There are some super scary snapchat filters I wish I could get out of my head after swiping left to see what was available for today. I don't use snap chat that much and my discovery of those filters during this time of year may have been a mistake. I still have creepy images superimposed on my own face that I am trying to shake off. It really makes me wonder what happened to the original meaning behind All Hallows Eve.

What were the original rituals performed on the eve of a day to honor Saints and martyrs? Who really knows what the true story is of our rich and varied history with all the different religious ideas of how to act accordingly? I was reading that some people abstained from certain foods to prepare for an celebratory feast on November 1st, which make makes more sense to me and sounds healthier... Therefore I hereby announce that on this Hallow 'een I'm going to do a fast of sorts. I will abstain from consuming sugar to prepare for the following day where I will honor the souls who have passed away by consuming healthy harvest foods (I smell roasted pumpkin coming;). I will also be abstaining from snapchat until the holiday is over to avoid more creepy halloween filter damage to my brain. The images I see in general don't easily leave my photographic memory and I need to be more careful this time of the year.

Regardless of your opinion on how to best celebrate this Halloween, I hope you have fun, stay safe and that you also have the ability to moderate as well as make good choices for your body and for your families too. My goal with this post is simply to offer my thoughts in order to raise awareness of a different perspective on a ritual that we usually don't think twice about because it's socially acceptable and commercially viable. It's actually often that the Treats are kind of forced on us and it's always good to look at the other side recognizing that we have a choice. Maybe that's the Trick part of the whole darn thing?

I wish you a healthy & happy Hallow's Eve!

Magnificent

Today is a magnificent Monday, especially because I'm getting caught up with some writing. Thanks to my partner, who is outside right now working on his trees (which are quite lovely with the autumn colors). He had insisted after breakfast today that we both focus (avoid distractions) and make time for the things we love. He was up and out the door early as usual this morning so I even managed to get up and go for a run first thing. I love to run and I've been saying this for weeks... "I should get up and go for a run in the morning..." only to wake up at first light, pull the covers up and roll over. I still run, just usually not in the morning, even though I love mornings too.

Today is different. Its been a productive day as you can probably tell because this is the 2nd post for today! I actually had already written something intended for this blog on my phone when I didn't have reception last Wednesday. I was just going to copy and paste it here and call it good but when I opened up the website editor I saw a saved draft from the total eclipse that I never really started but really wanted to finish (all I had was the picture and the title). Being the magnificent being that I am on this magnificent Monday I was motivated to write a little more here. Which leads me to the copy and paste part about a recent trip to the wild Washington coast that I wrote while sitting in super soft slightly sulfury Sol Duc hotspring waters.

Crouched over the super heated water bubbling up from the bottom of the big round pool at Sol Duc hot springs I hold my phone in its old no-longer waterproof lifeproof case just above the surface as I write. The sun is streaming in low above the tree line to the east on this early October day highlighting the steam rising off the hot water in the cold air. There are white fluffy clouds contrasting the clear blue sky high above and the heat has already penetrated deep into my bones after three days of camping near the coast and in the woods.

We woke up in the tall ancient moss covered fern laden grove about 2 miles down from the famous Sol Duc waterfalls and gateway to a wilderness wonderland in the central Olympic peninsula. Green is abundant and fortunately this attempt to visit these sacred waters yielded success as the Canadian thanksgiving weekend has passed and less people are still here. We tried to visit on our way out to the coast but after a full day of travel and a memorial service our tensions were high and crowds were not on the agenda. We passed the soak and proceeded to find solitude amongst the crashing waves of the Pacific Ocean sooner than later. We set up camp in the dark and chose a non ideal spot on the grass- there were still plenty of people on the most Northwest point of Washington who were also camping before the days become even shorter and the winds blow all the colors off the trees. 

We awoke to the hot sun and took our chairs, coffee and cold bacon quiche to the beach to watch the earth rotate as the salty h20 drummed its rhythm upon the sand and found its way into our hearts. Healing within as just the sound of the ocean washes away layers of emotion that are held within compounded by frustrations somewhat unknown. As clarity came into our beings we hashed out the details within the layers and left them as a trail on the sand with our footprints to be cleansed completely away with the rising tide later that day.

It often times takes such clean beautiful spaces to unearth uneasiness and anger that is so easily hidden within in the concrete jungles of time and space. The clusters of similar energy are conducive to hiding it away for a later day unknowingly harming our bodies that are designed to heal when we allow how we feel to emerge and be expressed. The combination of lack of nature hides the truth from ourselves as our mental filters are constantly overloaded. It takes the simplicity of nature to clear away the smog and begin to see clearly again that which has been eating away at our hearts.

Always find a way to make time to be in nature no matter how many excuses are available. You will find the clarity like agates glowing amongst the millions of opaque stones in places where you need it most. Then take the time to heal your body no matter how many people you see… afterall they're seeking the same thing in these healing waters called Sol Duc. Water is life, being mostly water we seek the waters that are the most pure, that hold the key elements to health and wellness. It's more than the minerals and sulfur, it the strait heated waters holding the energy of this sacred earth in every molecule. Water like our bodies like this planetary body has memory. Let's remember how Beautiful this life truly is in its most simple form. 

Totality Awesome!

I totally meant to finish this blog post and publish it over a month ago. Here it is now instead. If you've seen my YouTube channel you already know I had the opportunity to experience the total eclipse with a group of friends at Silver Falls State Park in Oregon. Honestly I didn't expect it to be nearly as amazing as it was. There was a bit of concern over all the hype in the news about crowds and traffic and there was some personal family drama before we even left Bellingham that made it even more tempting to bail on the whole trip. The VRBO place was already booked in Portland and we had financially committed to my friend who planned the trip so we went anyway. And I'm really glad that we did.

It was totality awesome! We found waterfall paradise and a deluxe place to watch the moon pass in front of the sun with a gathering of friends and beautiful strangers who had some sweet set-ups for viewing that they were happy to share with us. The sense of community was heart-warming as we all witnessed this rare occurrence. There was even a couple with their child visiting from France who had planned their trip so that they would be in the right place at the right time.  We walked around, visited with each other and made new friends, looked through other peoples telescopes with solar filters and different homemade viewers, we even played music and hula hooped as well as took lots of photos and video during this time spent in this wide open field. A field which had recently been cleared and purchased by the state to become park land which just so happened to be the best spot in the area for watching the total eclipse. Serendipitous indeed.

We are blessed to be living in such a time and place that is evolving rapidly no matter how chaotic or backwards regressing it seems at times. Think about it this way, just to be able to predict the time and place to witness the moon pass in front of the sun during broad daylight is incredible. With all the knowledge and technology we all have access to, that we not only get to drive to a far away place to see this astronomical event, but to have a vacation rental house to stay in with devices to capture and share it with the world in an instant. It is amazing and I'm grateful to be alive in this time period of life on earth. I do believe this eclipse marked the beginning of a new era so to speak. Or at least a layer of it which is hard to define and explain with the confines of conventional belief systems. Nevertheless, the collective energy feels different since the eclipse and I think it's the start of a shift in the right direction for all of humanity. The big picture is challenging to see when we are puzzle pieces that have yet to find the exact place where we fit but it is actually happening. And I do believe that soon it will all make more sense.

"Soon", now thats a whole other subject/word I've been thinking about too. Soon is defined as in or after a short time. But what is a short time? Isn't it all relative to the scale we are looking at? I thought about this because I listed on my website that my books are "coming soon", it has not happened as quick as I'd hoped for but does that mean I was wrong to list it as soon? What time frame am I looking at for completing these amazing projects I have on my list? It seems I have so much time but not enough time to make time to call it sooner than later but still soon enough in relative terms. Life's too short relatively speaking to sacrifice living life to it's fullest in the moment for short term accomplishments, right? I know, and these projects will be done soon. I promise. It's the rainy season in the northwest and I'm ready to buckle down to get my books done.  Thanks for reading my blog and for being yourselves. You are totally awesome!

Under the red sun

I wrote this on August 8th, 2017 and saved it as a draft with the intention of getting back to it later that day. Swept up in the flow of life I haven't even looked at it until today, 15 days later. I was reminded of this especially yesterday morning as I was walking with Mark to go get coffee at 7:30 am in south eastern Portland. The day after seeing the totality eclipse the smoky haze was obscuring the sun again just on the eastern horizon and I was thankful we were going to be heading back north into clear blue skies again shortly. Just another reminder of how important it is to have gratitude for the things we often take for granted every single day. Who knew after almost two weeks of hazy grey smoke in the sky that every day since I would be awestruck and grateful for every bit of blue sky and clouds I see. And grateful for so many things even I had started to take for granted. So here's my draft below and I'm not going to edit it for fear that I may not post it if I overthink it.

Paddling under the red sun it was a smoke & mirrors kind of feeling, the lighting at twilight was just not right. Pretty in a way, yes, but reminiscent of the fires that created the smoke it smelled eerie and forlorn. I hesitate to give too much attention to it because of the way it makes me feel, sad and introspective. Why all the wildfires and how can we put them out? Has it just been too hot and too dry? What can we do to prevent them in the future? How can we make it rain and extinguish them? I want clean air and blue skies again.

How do I shift my focus from what is to what I want? I look outside and all I see is haze. I look inside my imagination and dream of lush green forests with huge puffy fifth dimensional clouds delivering life giving water to the land, and clearing the air. The mountains rinsed clean, purified & restored the sky is blue again and the sun shines with the freshness of summer rain. It's so vivid in my mind I can almost taste it and then I walk outside back into reality. My nose wrinkles as I gaze back up into the haze. 

Out of desperation to do something I posted on Facebook a request for all my friends to Imagine rain. If believing is seeing than I thought that if only I could get enough people on board we could make it happen. Maybe we all need to do the Rain dance too. I even thought maybe we needed a visual demonstration of what I was imagining so I  had my help from my Goodman to create a video clip of what I was visualizing. Rain sounds so soothing and lovely right now. It's August in Washington, some people call it Fogust and I long for the salty sea foggy air instead of this thick gray haze of smoke choking the mountains and obscuring them from view. I'm seeing red in my head because my heart knows something just isn't right.

Under the red sun the time has come to change the way we think. We really oughta recognize that humanity is on the brink of either a breakthrough or something unfathomable. Under the red sun the spirits have warned us that this time would come, that we need to either recognize that we are all one and work together or continue to face this extreme weather affecting all places and all of our faces. We can no longer choose to look the other way, I know it's hard, I've heard us all say but what is the alternative? Under the red sun the time has come to wake up and smell the smoke of the natives who are speaking from the spirit world. Our current way of life is not sustainable and it's going to take every ounce of creative hope & desire to change the path we find ourselves on. Mother earth is wise and we must learn to respect her ways. I can not really see beyond what I feel is a calling to say something out loud in spite of the fear that you may not want to hear.

I'm guilty too, as guilty as you, this is not a game of blame, this is our life and the time to wake up to the truth. We have so much more power individually than we know and if we use that individual power collectively we can choose to direct our future faster better stronger and thrive on this planet longer. The latent power of our minds must be utilized, the infinite power of our hearts will move us in the right direction and under the red sun the smoke will clear as we walk with intention & gratitude in each moment.