Attitude is Everything

 

Whether the glass is half empty, or half full is no concern of mine.  The next round is on me, and that's all that matters.

Cheers!

Ho! Ho! Ho!

Interested in exploring more winter folklore? One of my favorites, and oft overlooked, is the Deer Mother. 

The Company You Keep: SoulTalk

On this first day of Winter, a time of deep reflection and introspection sometimes referred to as the dark night of the soul where we travel inward, and chase out the false-self, making way for truth and love to proliferate, it is only appropriate that I share the opportunity to join the ten day, guided online journaling workshop created by J.G. Lewis to celebrate the beginning of this new cycle.

Image courtesy of J.G. Lewis

Whether you've been journaling for years, are just beginning, or need a little inspiration to get back on track, 10 DAYS / 10 QUESTIONS will get you thinking more and writing more.  There will be tips and best practices, a supportive community, and ideas and advice on how you can strengthen your journaling practice.  IT WILL BE FREE + FREEING.

January 1 -10, 2018

10 DAYS / 10 QUESTIONS

SIGN UP for this FREE 10-DAY

JOURNALING WORKSHOP

©J.G. Lewis

Register by email at soultalk@mythosandmarginalia.com

See you there! xoxo

Smart Cookie!

Sugar Cookie Essential Oil Bath

Clove Bud

Frankincense

Nutmeg

Peppermint

Rosemary

Combine 4 drops of each essential oil in a warm bath (Epsom salt optional, but encouraged!) and let all of your holiday stress, or end of year worries melt away.  This warming oil concoction is ideal for promoting good circulation, soothing the adrenal glands, fortifying the thyroid, and lymph system stimulation and drainage - perfect for restoring peace, and vitality during cold, Winter months.

xoxo

Last Call...

If you're a regular around here, you know every winter I roll out the bi-annual charity post for Pat Rothfuss' Worldbuilders organization that raises money throughout the year on behalf of Heifer International.  However, this geek-tastic gang concentrates its efforts toward two main drives each year; one in the winter when our hearts are warm and fuzzy, and a summer event to celebrate the author's birthday, and after last year's record breaking Two Million (and some change) USD grand total, they are currently sitting at the One Million USD mark with one day left to donate (though they almost always extend the deadline by a week to accommodate those paid mid-month).

So, why Heifer?  It's no secret, there are a lot of charities out there that are organized, and overseen as chaotic dumpster fires, at best.  This is a huge problem when the dumpster is full of well-meaning people's money, while the human beings it was all meant to help are still suffering.  With Heifer, things are refreshingly different with a rating of 97% on Charity Navigator's accountability transparency scale, they have nothing to hide, which means you can find out fairly quickly that 75% of all donated money goes straight into supporting their programs, while 5% is put toward administration costs.  Another cool, insider tip for those donating is that you can contact them, and ask to be taken off their mailing / advertising lists so that even MORE money can go toward helping people in need.  I'm a sure thing, so I don't need them to waste money that could go toward feeding a hungry person on printed materials sent to my mailbox reminding me to donate.  

Ok, ok that's cool and all, but what makes Heifer International so special?  Unlike many organizations, Heifer doesn't just throw money at people.  Cash is great, I guess, but what is someone supposed to do with it when there is NOTHING to buy, and NOWHERE to buy it?  See, we're not talking about folks who've just fallen on hard times, Heifer aims to help depressed areas so crippled with poverty (and often generational) that paper and coin just isn't going to fix.  This is when they swoop in with regionally appropriate tools, systems, education and customized training, and get to work laying the foundations for new community economies.  Why does this excite Pat, his Worldbuilders, and their geeky ilk?  It's quite simple, really.

Geeks believe in solutions.  They're not happy just dumping dough.  Good deeds without real results are just empty gestures, and that's not good enough, making Heifer + Geeks a perfect match.  Heifer is out there getting results.  The programs they tailor to each area's unique circumstances, and challenges truly change people's lives, not just once, but over and over again in a true ripple effect, which is, frankly, quite wonderful.  

If you're interested in learning more, watch the video below, or if you're already feeling generous, click here, and consider putting a few dollars toward building a world you're pleased to be part of.

xoxo

Twitter Prophecies

I was born, and now I'm going back home.  The only way you can make it is to be the best you can be to yourself in this game.

 -Stormy Peterson's Phone

@therealbradg

8 A.M.

"When they came to harvest my corpse

(open your mouth, close your eyes)

cut my body from the rope,

surprise, surprise:

I was still alive.

Tough luck, folks,

I know the law:

you can't execute me twice

for the same thing.  How nice.

I fell to the clover, breathed it in

and bared my teeth at them

in a filthy grin.

You can imagine how that went over.

Now I only need to look 

out at them through my sky-blue eyes.

They see their own ill will

staring them in the forehead

and turn tail

Before, I was not a witch.

But now I am one."

 -Margaret Atwood 

Half-Hanged Mary

You Say it's Your Birthday...

This is Stormy, Pusheen's "cute little sister".  Apparently, we have a lot in common ... We're both adorable, bratty, and Scorpios celebrating birthdays today.  Bon anniversaire, my little not-so-alter ego!

Fall-ing in Love Again

 Fog horns and ferries
blankets of cool monochrome
ships passing unseen.

Lord Almighty, I Feel My Temperature Rising!

And, not just because I'm a hunk of burning love.  As Summer lulls on, the mercury keeps surging, and it's got me looking for new ways to stay hydrated, and cool

leading me to peppermint infused water.  

Since the menthol in peppermint can actually induce a mild sweat, it's considered a cooling agent, and is quite refreshing in small doses.  Peppermint is also a source of calcium, magnesium, and potassium - some of the crucial building blocks for our electrolytes, which are often easily depleted by guzzling tons of ordinary water in hot Summer months.  Ok, so while we may not be bowled over by the trace amounts of minerals in herbs, and able to forsake all other forms of food (1 Tbs of fresh leaves = 9 mg of potassium), it certainly doesn't hurt to slip 'em into your jug, and infuse your beverage you were already going to drink!

15 Seeds to Order and Sow Now!

July is a great time, in the Pacific Northwest, to buy and even start your seeds indoors for an August planting of your Fall, Winter, and early Spring crops.

Below, are fifteen plants (including my personal favorites) to consider swapping out with varieties who've already had their early Summer hurrah, and produced all they're likely to this season.

Beets
(Bull's Blood, Detroit-Golden)
Broccoli

(Early Purple Sprouting Broccoli)
Brussels Sprouts
(Long Island Improved)
Cabbage
(Golden Acre)
Cauliflower
(Pusa Meghna)
Cilantro
(Coriander - Slow Bolt)
Collard Greens
(Georgia Southern Creole)
Kale
(Scarlet)
Leeks
(Giant Musselburgh)
Lettuce
(Red Romaine)
Mustard Greens
(Red Giant)
Radishes
(Black Spanish, Sparkler)
Spinach
(Monstrueux De Viroflay)
Swiss Chard
(Rainbow, Fordhook Giant)
Turnip
(Gold Ball)

As always, my favorite seed mongers include: Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds, Garden Hoard, and Seeds Now.  Happy planting!

xoxo

All Wrapped Up: Canvas People

A couple Seven years ago, I snapped one of my all-time favorite photographs on a beachy, mid-day stroll where (nearly) everything had come together perfectly, and quite accidentally.  All I knew was that the lowest tide of the year was coming up at some point, and I needed to get my toes into some cold saltwater as quickly as possible.  What I didn't know was that I'd have to trek nearly the length of a football field to get to said saltwater ... Never one to be easily discouraged, however, if even under the blistering sun back then, I cuffed my off-brand denim jeans from the men's department of my local one-stop-shop, and slogged out to the water's edge, flip-flops in one hand, borrowed digital camera in the other, and me ducking every now and again beneath the safety of the pier's shaded underbelly.

What I found at the end, aside from the refreshing tingle of chilly Puget Sound waves lapping at my ankles, was totally worth it.  And now, thanks to a company I first patronized in 2011, I have it on an 18 x 24 canvas on my wall.  After many setbacks, and a pace so glacial it could drive a sane man to weep with madness, I'm finally catching up on my to-do list.  Thankfully the stars aligned, and Canvas People offered a 90% discount, and quick delivery to make up for all of my slack in this project!

It might need a gaudy frame...

And now, here it hangs above my uneven chairs in my crooked cottage (note to self: will rearranging chairs to go with the slope make them look even?)  Ah, the joys of renting a 100+ year old house sitting on an underground spring ... the baby earthquakes in the bay aren't exactly helping matters; before it's said and done, I might end up with a houseboat!

If you've got some goodies of your own you want to turn into masterpieces for your wall, place an order with Canvas People through August 22, 2017 and get 70% off your order + $4.99 shipping - gaudy frames, optional.
  

Fill Your Cart With Color

Buying the same things as everyone else is beige. Shop vibrantly and find what makes you, you. #FillYourCartWithColor

A post shared by ebay.com (@ebay) on Jun 11, 2017 at 9:25am PDT

The new eBay #FillYourCartWithColor campaign couldn't have come at a better time.  With Etsy's latest moves to stiff-arm shop owners being my final straw with this corporation I decided to jump ship, and sidle up to one of its biggest competitors.  But why eBay of all places, aren't they even worse?!  Sometimes it just comes down to "better the devil you know, than the devil you don't," and after seven years with Etsy, I can say with all sincerity, I don't even know what that company is anymore, and highly doubt anyone who works at their headquarters has even a slightly better clue than I do.

To me, eBay has never pretended to be anything it's not.  It's gritty, and unapologetic, and I kinda like it.

With that in mind, I popped some fresh listings up, and I hope you'll join me over there for some color-holic mayhem!  If you're like me, and haven't got a beige bone in your body, click: here, or hit the SHOP link in my sidebar, and paint your world with all the colors of you!

xoxo

Steppe into the Past

Glittering sunshine
hypnotic sweet air rises
valley wakes anew.

Nerd Alert!!!

They're baaaaAAAaaaack ...

Pat Rothfuss' well-oiled, charity machine is at it again.  Worldbuilders is throwing a week-long "Geeks Doing Good" fundraising event (on behalf of Heifer International) in celebration of the Author's (and all around geek aficionado) birthday.  Plus, if you missed out on his end of the year charity merry-making, where they raised a sum over two million dollars, this is your chance to jump in, and score some geeky goodies (ofttimes limited edition) for a good cause.  Head on over to his blog and read up on the event, or just dive right into the Indiegogo page, and start shopping!  Last year's summer event raised over $200,000 USD in just one week to help people around the world deliver themselves from crippling poverty.  To read more about what makes Heifer International unique, head here.

xoxo

Mess With the Bull ... You'll Get the Horns

Because of Etsy's insistence on becoming a payment processor, and my non-compliance with this mandatory service change my shop will be SUSPENDED by May 18, 2017. If you're desperate to have an Etsy experience with me before it ends, click here to shop now! To stay in touch, or receive updates about my store you can always stay tuned here, or find me on Instagram:@The.Longshoremans.Daughter or Facebook:https://www.facebook.com/TheLongshoremansDaughter.

The Space Between

Never think that everything you've learned, and all the ways you've grown have taken you further away from me; somehow making us grow apart.

The truth of it is, I've been waiting for you to meet the person I've always known you to be.

Welcome home.

Ēostre

Hair alive and wild
meringue tipped cerulean
gales taming my heat.

Special Delivery: Garden Hoard

My seed stash is officially reaching hoarder status, and I blame it all on companies like Garden Hoard, Baker Creek Seeds, and Seeds Now for dazzling me with their enchanting selections of organic, heirloom, and non-gmo inventory.  But, I suppose all things considered, seeds aren't the worst things in the world to be "hoarding," and you're certainly not likely to find a family of dead cat skeletons under my seed collection, so I figure I'm still within a healthy range.  I am, however, desperate to get them in the ground.  Like, toddler on Christmas Eve all planting season long -- My window sills are already overtaken with the ones I couldn't wait any longer to start, and now I wait for the weather to relax a little since I'm not trying to turn my garden dressed like the Gorton's Fisherman in a monsoon.  I know I'm PNW stock, and like a good rainstorm, but even I have my limits, especially when it comes to Spring yard work.

Until it dries up around here, you'll have to excuse me while I fan-girl out a little bit over Garden Hoard.  Female owned, and operated, Garden Hoard brings us a decent sized inventory cultivated, and grown on their newly-ish acquired Renegade Acres where they've been able to consolidate their growing operation to one location.  What I love most about this business, aside from getting to watch it grow from its infancy (@gardenhoard for those kool kats on ig), is the amount of care, put into every aspect of it.  This is a business that wants to grow, and thrive, run by people who really believe in what they're doing -- and that's something I can totally get behind.  A lot of seed companies will throw in a free packet of something or another, and that's great (who doesn't love a freebie?), but Katie & Christopher stuff orders with complementary seed sowing, saving, and fact sheets that, if you're a nerd like me, can be tucked straight into your gardening book (gigantic 3-ring binder in my case) creating an excellent little quick reference library.  And since they do everything hands-on, personally, it's nice to have pieces of their advice for what has worked for their seeds based on first-hand experience, and not just generic generalizations.  I can't sing their praises enough, but if you're looking to put in a garden this year, especially if this is your very first, I definitely think Garden Hoard is worth checking out!

xoxo

Invictus

 Out of the night that covers me,

      Black as the pit from pole to pole,

I thank whatever gods may be

      For my unconquerable soul.

In the fell clutch of circumstance

      I have not winced nor cried aloud.

Under the bludgeonings of chance

      My head is bloody, but unbowed.

Beyond this place of wrath and tears

      Looms but the Horror of the shade,

And yet the menace of the years

      Finds and shall find me unafraid.

It matters not how strait the gate,

      How charged with punishments the scroll,

I am the master of my fate,

      I am the captain of my soul.

-William Ernest Henley 

A Small Leak Will Sink a Great Ship

~Benjamin Franklin

"Leaky gut" is a phrase you've probably heard a lot recently, especially as the syndrome picks up popularity in alternative health circles, and natural publications.  The problem is, it doesn't exist, at least, it isn't a diagnosis taught in medical school.  This poses quite a problem when trying to find a qualified physician to help you navigate the path of the theory of intestinal permeability.  That's what you need to call it, by the way, to be taken remotely seriously by a healthcare professional: Intestinal Permeability.

What's the big deal anyway?  What's all the fuss about?  Why is everyone obsessed with guts these days?  Well, Hippocrates (the Father of Modern Medicine 460-370 BC), himself told us, "All disease begins in the gut," and with recent developments in our understanding of the importance of the human microbiome, as well as the gut-brain connection it seems science is finally making strides to catch up with his teachings.  Just think how advanced we could be if mankind didn't have to learn every single lesson the hard way, but I digress.  Gut health, if you've done any personal research on the topic already, you've discovered is incredibly important, and when it's compromised even by the smallest of "leaks" the effects are far reaching, and linked (but not limited) to:

• Allergies
• Asthma
• Autoimmune disorders
• Bowel problems (probably the most obvious)
• Diabetes (II) 
• Depleted immune function
• Eczema (among a whole host of skin conditions) 
• Female reproductive health complications
• Mental health (anxiety, depression, bi-polar, etc.)
• Migraine 
• Thyroid dysfunction
• Weight management problems (overweight / underweight)

Life After The Day of the Dead: Marigold Drying Instructions

A couple of summers ago I discovered the deliciousness that is fresh Marigold Tea. 

October 2016: Brocade Mix (Tagetes Patula)

Never one to be bowled over by the beauty or even particularly interested in marigolds, I began planting them strictly as borders in my raised garden beds to act as a natural pesticide, and guardian to the other, more tender plants inhabiting the protected interior.

What anyone who's ever grown this little flower possibly most easily recognized for its association with Dia de los Muertos will tell you is how ridiculously easy they are to grow, how prolific the blooms are (they go positively wild with frequent clipping, and proper dead-heading), and how insanely long the growing season is (especially in the mild PNW) -- Last year they were still going strong all the way through mid-November. 

Semple vs. Kapoor

Throughout history, the art world has been (g)littered with rivalries ... how far back this goes, I can't even begin to imagine, petroglyphs perhaps?  Da Vinci / Michelangelo, Van Gogh / Gauguin, Picasso / now some people would put Matisse here, but I'm going with Modigliani.  C'mon, painting over someone else's work?  That's a nice bit of drama, just look at the  Banksy / King Robbo paint-fracas in which each artist notoriously paints over the other's works.  I feel, however, their defacement is on a more playful scale.  By trying to one-up each other they push the limits of their respective humor, and creativity, and it's endlessly entertaining for the audience, but there's a new feud in town, and it is the stuff of which petty dreams are made!

Stuart Semple versus Anish Kapoor:

It all started with Surrey NanoSystems' creation of the black-est substance on earth in 2014.  According to their website:

Vantablack® is a super-black coating that holds the world record as the darkest man-made substance.  So dark, in fact, that it absorbs light to such an extent (99.965% actually) that it renders many 3D objects flat to the human eye.  

Promptly expressing interest in using the material for artistic purposes after learning of its existence, Anish Kapoor wasn't ready to stop there.  Taking his enthusiasm a bit too far (for many in the art world) Mr. Kapoor aquired the exclusive rights to the substance known as Vantablack® and in doing so prevents anyone else from using it in their artistic endeavors.

Enter Stuart Semple.  This absolute legend is having NONE OF IT.  Disgusted by the (is this a stretch?) Faustian bargain between Kapoor and NanoSystems -- whose CEO is admittedly a Kapoor fan-boy leaving little wonder to how the artist jumped the queue to being considered for an artistic partnership with the company -- Semple (and his band of mad scientists) began creating his own "est" colors: Pinkest Pink, Greenest Green, Yellowest Yellow, Loveliest Blue, and even the world's glitteriest glitter dubbed "Diamond Dust" all available for sale on his website Culture Hustle, and all of which Anish Kapoor is banned from using until he can learn to play well with others.  Upon purchasing from his online store you agree to the terms and conditions of owning the pigments, and media for sale by Semple:

*Note: By adding this product to your cart you onfirm that you are not Anish Kapoor, you are in no way affiliated to Anish Kapoor, you are not purchasing this item on behalf of Anish Kapoor or an associate of Anish Kapoor. To the best of your knowledge, information and belief this paint will not make it's way into the hands of Anish Kapoor.

But he hasn't stopped there.  Last month, Semple released his own version of the blackest black, a two part medium consisting of a matte acrylic Super Base able to hold more pigment than any other acrylic medium available today, and a micronized pigment, Black, also known together as Flattening, Ultra-matte, Artistic, Key-chromer ... or, FU A.K. for short.  Did I mention it's also non-toxic, and does not require the laborious methods of applying heat and pressure that is necessary for Vantablack® to perform its magic, and is a lot easier and cheaper to make resulting in a very consumer-friendly 16 GBP price tag?  Oh yeah, adding insult to injury, it's also scented ... black cherry, rather fittingly.  As if you needed another reason to buy.

FU A.K. is a fraction of the $ of Vantablack? That's none of my business.

Kapoor did, in fact, end up with a pot of Pinkest Pink thanks (allegedly) to London's Lisson Gallery, a crime so heinous, Stuart "No Chill" Semple has insisted on a course of specific, if not deliciously tedious, action (found here) to be followed in order to keep the matter from escalating.

All antics aside, there is a clear winner here: Artists.  Thanks to Semple's efforts to clap back at art media monopolies, cronyism, and the enormous egos that rear their ugly heads in the art world, we have a whole new set of pigments (and glitter) in our kits to play and create with (at an affordable price, even!).  What could be better than that?

I will, without a doubt, be following the development of this color war now having found my very own petty-soul-twin in Semple.  Meanwhile, why don't you grab some supplies and share your creations?

**UPDATE**

#ShareTheBlack

Naked Kisses

Although it waited behind painted lips,

Her kiss never masqueraded as anything else.

Always honest,

It left him raw, and exposed.

Showing Some Love

During this month of love, it might be nice to extend some support to independent authors, and self publishers who work extraordinarily hard to usher their creations into existence to delight our senses, and enrich our lives.  Discover a few rascals I've had the fortune of knowing, below:

Revolution of the Spirit: Awaken the Healer,
A delicious handbook revealing 9 essential ingredients to living our best, and most sacred life, by: Holistic Medical Practitioner, Gerri Ravyn Stanfield.

To Write of Hope,
A charmingly sized collection of poems staged on original photographs of the equally rugged, and delicate Wisconsin wilds, by: free-spirited, maker of beautiful things, and all around cool chick, Jen Brady. 

• Her poetry is also featured on track #4 of Hannah Busse's debut album: Underneath Our Surface.

In My Head,
Instagram sensation Jon Storm (or @JmStorm) has announced the release date of his debut book of selected poems (August 1, 2017) with pre-sales happening now!  If you've seen this guy's work floating around the interwebs recently, you know this book is NOT going to disappoint.  If his refreshingly honest take on love, life, and loss isn't enough, knowing that his beautiful verses come from such a genuine person is really the cherry on top.  It's rare to come across someone nowadays completely unaffected by popularity, and notoriety, but this all around decent human being is the real deal, and someone whose work I will always be able to support, and recommend without hesitation.

Soul,
Mastering the art of the flashback in his debut novel weaving together scenes from 19th century Puerto Rico with 1980s New York multifaceted creator, mischief-maker, and poet: José Rafael Prieto.

• Keep an eye out for his book of selected poems due in early March: 

For You Beloved: From Beyond The Obvious And Within The Darkness

(Available now!)

xoxo

Do a Little Dance, Make a Little Love ... Get Down Tonight!

Daysy Update:

You may remember, eight months ago I decided to invest in a little device that monitors and tracks a woman's fertility from daily basal body temperature readings.  Not only can this genius little computer help a couple conceive, it likewise can also help you avoid pregnancy (with 99.3% accuracy, ranking it better than most other forms of contraception available to us today), as well as keep a close eye on your personal hormone fluctuations (my reason for purchasing) which comes in handy when your body is on the fritz and you're experiencing imbalances.  A great reference source for learning, and understanding the correlation between your basal body temperature and hormone fluctuations is the book Taking Charge of Your Fertility by, Toni Weschler.  Hormones get a really bad rap; if they're not being blamed for bad monthly behavior, then they're at fault for boys' "uncontrollable urges" or they're only deemed important to pay attention to when you're actively trying to conceive, but the truth is you can't live your best, most vibrant life if your hormones are all out of whack.

#GoldenHaiku

 

Camellias blush
at the warmth of our kisses
thawing winter hearts.

My submission for this year's contest.  It wasn't selected, but I still love it.

Fresh Start: Be Your Own Guru?

Part One:

Author, and Jack of all trades, Jonathan Fields shared a post on his website in 2010 beginning with these words:

I spent the better part of the first 40-years of my life looking for a guru, that person who would just blow me away with her or his prescience, kindness, compassion, vision and guidance.  The one who would give me the answers.  Who would tell me what to do to get to that place where I finally felt like I had “made it.”
So many others I knew had found one and their lives seemed so much better, more directed and purposeful for it, but that never happened to me. I would attend lectures, teachings, seminars, trainings and retreats and, inevitably, end up leaving early because some combination of information, integrity, pace or delivery did not resonate.  Why couldn’t I find that person?
It finally dawned upon me…

The person I was looking for was the one I would need to become.

I found his article a few years after its publication because of a search for a blurb by the same name posted on a page run by a little online magazine startup several acquaintances of mine began writing for around the same time.  Incidentally, this publication does not treat their contributors very well at all, so if you come across any magazine titles similar to pachyderm diaries I highly suggest avoiding becoming a contributing author, but I digress.  The gist of the blurb by, Rachel Brathen was to always trust your intuition, and know that your wisdom is much more vast, and valuable than you're probably aware.  And each time you read, or learn something new that resonates deeply within you it's really because it is reminding you of what you already know to be true.

Lucky Number 13

It seems only fitting with the Chinese New Year ushering us from sly, trickster Monkey to organized, and grounded Rooster that I find myself at the same time reflecting on moments from my past spent with my stubborn, and impulsive monkey-twin.

2001: Don't hug me. I tickle.  You won't escape.

I also came to the harsh realization during my January fresh-start-purge, where I tear through the house like a Tasmanian devil throwing out everything that is no longer serving me, that this is the only photograph I have with my dearest friend -- something I can only allow myself to be partially regretful about, because it means that we were always too busy in each other's company that we simply didn't have time to give a single thought to a camera let alone be bothered pulling one out to preen and pose in front of.  There is something, however, that gets me a little downhearted knowing that all of that time spent together, and all of those shared secrets over 2 A.M. long-distance gossip sessions is now condensed into a two-inch-by-three-inch creased, and fading memento.  I suppose that is the natural order of things; ashes to ashes, dust to dust, and all that, but I find myself unwilling to give up the ghost (pun very much intended) just yet. 

With that, I found myself reaching for the scanner to preserve the moment beginning to slip from its thin, glossy, 2D time capsule just a bit longer.  No need to pull out the Kansas records, and broom & dust pan just yet, especially now that the pain has finally subsided.  I can look back fondly at what was, and no longer with that dull ache enduringly in my heart, no longer willing myself to forget in order to ignore the cavernous void his absence left in my life. I can now carry in my heart - in the giant space where the pain once lived, the man who believed I was pure magic, and capable of unimaginable feats.

Life is a funny thing with its cycles, and signposts, and symbols.  Some people have numbers (13, 303, 429) lucky or otherwise guiding or following them, sometimes adding comfort in new situations.  I, however, am not so much a numbers girl, instead, I seem to have repeating Richards -- each one leading me to the next in ways that could only be described as cosmic.  I'm not exactly sure why this is the case (and I'm sure there's an obvious joke to be made here), but what I do know for sure is that individually they have all taught me something new about my strength, and resilience, and have afforded me the opportunity to see myself through different eyes, and challenge, or embrace what I find through this new point of view.  For that, I can't be anything but grateful, and appreciative.

Another Year Over, And a New One Just Begun

Word for 2017: Enchanted...

xoxo