The full moon is passing overhead; can you feel it? Oy, with the Taurus Moon and money drama! Holymother. Time for a Corona and contemplation =) Beer is such good food. Seriously. AND as long as you accommodate for the 90 calories each beverage contains, you can justify it by... by saying it's full of vitamin B and .... and ... it's like a liquid fiber or something. And it's... made from growing things which must be good... so... whatever, it's mentally fulfilling. SO THERE. I'm hanging steadily at my weight anyways, so have a frickin beer already. I think minus 40 pounds deserves one or four.

Anyhoo, reading my astrology on Susan Miller's Astrology Zone and good Christ I think she checked my bank account when she wrote about it, for real!

Quote for Aries: A shortfall of cash may make you tense as the month opens. At the full moon November 2 you will need to write a large check, and as a result, you may have to delay spending in other areas".

Um, ya think? Well some'll get paid now, some later, waddyado. Tell American Express that it's planetary and I could do nothing about it =) Hopefully I'll get a customer service rep that follows astrology =) Riiiiiight.

Over at stage left, I still manage to pull rags out of a hat and make it work in some way shape or form. I'll be so glad when this year ends though, holymotherofgod alright already. Trauma, drama, call yo' mama, it's SUCKED in the worst effing ways. I keep *trying* to learn that Pollyanna "so many things to be grateful for" thing. Maybe I should try trepanation. Get myself another hole in my head; you can never have too many.

Rather than list what's wrong I'll tell you what I'd LIKE to have happen. Lately as an exercise in daydreaming, I've entered into loads of contests. Trips to New York to meet Michael Buble, trips to Disneyland, vacations for a year- that kind of thing. I'd love to win one of these. Or anything at all right now- I'd take winning a free coffee at Tim Horton's!

I'll take anything. Think I'll start with another beer....

I blame it on the planets.

Ever feel like you're pulling a large rock over your shoulder? With a thread? And you need to pull it, oh- a mile down the road somehow? Seems to be where I'm at some days. I feel like that. A mile away things look GREAT, if I can just get there... to THAT place. Which isn't HERE. And 'that place' feels somewhat unattainable or at least extremely delayed from this perspective. It's not just one particular thing that has me feeling like this, either- it seems to permeate through everything in my life right now. I manage to keep myself motivated with the whole "oooh, that is SO going to kick ASS when we get that boulder moved down the road" thing. I hear that next year is "so going to be my year" and good god, let's hope it is. Let's hope all those planets align and Jupiter showers me freely with gifts and goodies to my hearts content.

Today I figured maybe if I wore a bright color I would feel better, and it did work actually. Bright pink is elevating. I figure tomorrow I'll wear clown shoes and see if that does anything for me. I hate being 'this way' where everything feels so gloomy all the time. I ENJOY feeling good. I LIKE to be up, positive- happy!

In fact I was just discussing with sister the other day about people who have that BIZARRE ability to almost have this naive, stupid-happy attitude in their lives regardless of WHAT goes on in it! And at the risk of stereotyping, we pulled a few examples from our childhood up of women we knew who were Christian (like dedicated believers). They had that total trust that everything would just work out, no matter what. Life was ALWAYS amazing and blessed and wonderful! Shit could be POURING DOWN on them and they would stop and say wow, what a wonderful shit storm this is- I bet EVERYTHING will be fertilized and grow even better! Isn't god amazing?! And I would want to stab them in their eye sockets with something sharp. And punch them in the face. =) But how do you GET to BE like that!?!? Like what are they ON?!? How do you TRUST the process of life THAT MUCH to know, to accept, to LOVE everything that happens, regardless of how much it totally blows?!

/summons Yoda up

Learn this I must! Weird they are, but good the lessons they teach...!

Trick or Treat, Smell my feet

Give Me Something Good To Eat!...(that's lowfat, low sodium, low calorie but tastes like it's high fat, high sodium and high calorie... THERE'S a trick!!!) Fell off the diet wagon on my days off, I will confess. Into a plate of spaghetti and bowl of ice cream with delicious butterscotch sauce. And then pizza and beer. So we were way, waaaaay off the diet. But waddyado, when it gets gray and cold outside and you're reminded daily that you live in Siberia, eh? Plus my gym (pool) membership just expired this week, so I really have to watch what I consume until I renew it... whenever that happens.

Fall Back Daylight Savings is TONIGHT omg YAY! SO GOOD to gain an hour of much needed sleep...!! I bet the ghosts and goblins out there trick or treating are loving that aspect too!

Enjoy your ghostly visitors, peeps- when I get home from work I'll be googling the Giant Pumpkin for a snippet of Charlie Brown. Him and me have live with a similar mindset... Good grief!

I'm a fire sign.

It's why I go through life with a box of matches in my hand lighting things on fire. It's just how I roll. Probably explains the hostility levels to a point =P

Having said this, I get this weekly horoscope emailed to me each week and if I wasn't so thrilled to read THIS :

Every two years, fiery Mars is in Leo for six weeks; however, we have begun a stretch where it will be in Leo for eight months! (In 1994-95, Mars was in Leo for six months; but the last time it was in Leo this long was 1962-63. Do these dates ring a bell, Pavlov?) This week, the Sun and Mercury are in Scorpio, shortly followed by Venus. This is like a reunion of the Hatfields and the McCoys. Not good! The energy of Leo and Scorpio is like mustard and ice cream. In the month ahead, we will be tested! We can be snarky and impatient, or we can flash a Scorpio Julia Roberts' smile or the pearly whites of Leo George Hamilton. (Their teeth must have put their dentists' kids through university.) As an Aries, your ruler is Mars, and you're a Fire Sign. Leo is a Fire Sign. Therefore, while Mars is in Leo for the next 8 months, you'll be magnificently energized! This will also heighten romance, love affairs, vacations, sports, children, and anything to do with the arts. Mars will move forward and backward during this time, which means the energy will change in its style. Nevertheless, it will continue to stir the pot in those areas of your life. But lo! What fist in yonder window shakes? Expect disputes with others about shared property, insurance matters, and inheritances during the next month, while three planets hover in Scorpio. Oh well. With your rising sign in Gemini, During this eight-month sojourn of Mars in Leo, you'll be more assertive, aggressive, and even argumentative because you so strongly identify with your ideas. If others disagree with you, you'll take it personally. The upside is it makes your speech vigorous and convincing. (You'll be irresistible if you're in sales.) It's great news for actors, teachers, writers, salespeople, and even those who drive for a living. You're PowerPoint on steroids! Nevertheless, in the next month, while all this action is going on in Scorpio, expect dissension and disputes in your job, and with lovers, sports activities, and children. You have to pull in your reins a bit. Gently, gently. (At least, for the next month.)

I am so screwed.

Hopelessly hooked on Sons of Anarchy- what an amazing, amazing show. The premise of the show (which airs on FX Networks ) follows a vigilante motorcycle gang in SoCal in a small town. The gang was created years ago by the father of the central character JAX. Dad died leaving his best friend (Clay) in charge of the renegade group. Clay also married the leader's widow, Jax's mother (Katy Sagal of Married with Children fame). At the risk of over simplifying, I liken the show to the Lion King, in that Clay (much like Scar) is the leader of the pack and Simba (son of deceased "good" leader Mufassa) is growing up, seeing what is wrong with the leadership and positions himself over time to assume his rightful position as leader. So this is the motorcycle, grown up, rougher version for adults of the Lion King. And hey, it also takes place in a jungle of sorts =P

Pretty darn popular show, too-
The FX biker drama has been averaging around 4 million viewers all season, but Tuesday's episode — which pulled in 3.7 million viewers to handily win the night among cable channels — was competitive with the major networks in the adults 18-49 demographic. More significantly, Sons' 2.2 rating outperformed both The Jay Leno Show (1.8) and ABC's The Forgotten (2.0) in the demo.

/inserts hearty hand clapping applause for their success!!!***

Gotta tell you who is IN this show, though. Clay is played by Hellboy actor Ron Perlman. (apparently no relation to Rhea Perlman from Cheers by the way but both Aries woot woot). Gemma (Jax's mother) is as mentioned Katey Sagal. Jax is played by Charlie Hunnam, who I actually didn't realize I'd watched before in movies such as Nicholas Nickleby and Green Street Hooligans. Maggie Siff (Jax's love interest) has been seen on Law and Order, Nip & Tuck, Grey's Anatomy and more. I recognized a few of the "gang members" like Kim Coates from Prison Break, CSI & other shows and Tommy Flanagan from his role in Bravehart. Truthfully as someone who really DOESN'T watch many movies I was impressed that I was like, hey I know that guy, and that guy, and her and him... !!! Pretty great collection of professionals. And really great show if you get the chance to watch it, check it out.

It's completing filling my void while I wait for LOST to return and doesn't hurt that sexy Jax and bad boy Sawyer could possibly be related lol!!

My bad!
I must be back at work after vacation; I'm not posting as religiously as I was last week !!!
I have, however, returned to both blogging and the gym... (one hobby having much less aftermath than the other, she says knowingly). Started back on the weights on Sunday night. I did a 45 minute cardio slash weight circuit and knowing I hadn't worked out in oh... five weeks, I worked hard but didn't kill myself. And I'll tell you, on Monday I didn't feel AS BAD as I thought. My pecs were noticably raw feeling, but otherwise my lower body was pretty residual, which surprised me. So of course, this must mean we can do MORE !! (Yes, this is where the story gets ugly...) I spend Monday just doing weany workouts at home- you know, some abs on the floor, some pliat squats- a weany workout. Next day still not much trauma to the lower body, so smart girl says hey, let's go to the gym after work. Wednesday night I hit the gym running on the elliptical. Woo! Look at 'er go! Fifteen minutes later, I transfer over to Station One and put some plates on the leg press and pump it out. Then the hamstrings. Then hey let's walk around the track and do WALKING LUNGES every 50 steps or so while we're walking around! WOO! Then we'll finish with upper body, some abs and we're on our way home. Oh, but wait there chickie. Let's just get through those lunges first. I did two sets of 15 and when I ATTEMPTED the third set?! Oh, well, that's a not go' happen kinda moment. I go halfway down for one lunge and I feel that stiff little tweak in the quad. The feeling of holy crap something is so not good right now hits me. Bad scene! Abort! ABORT!! ABORT MISSION!!! I start jogging feably back to the weight room, stiff legs carrying me the last 20 feet there and I gingerly hop back on the elliptical. Must get blood flow to the area!! Go, go, go!
*sigh*
Anyhoo, it worked and I didn't end up in the emerg after all. But by jezus can I just ONCE do ANYTHING with ANY sort of semblance of MODERATION???!!! Oh, nooooo. Not me. Once I limbered back up & completed the rest of the workout I headed home. Wednesday feelin' it a little but not bad overall. ALMOST opted to take the day off but at 10pm I felt like I needed to do SOMETHING (ok plus I snuck a piece of banana bread at 9pm and knew that would sit there until morning otherwise) so I went for a 50 min walk. At minus 4. Outside. Because I'm hardcore like that. Thursday I could so feel it. Chairs were unkind and unrelenting pieces of furniture to get in and out of. Thursday was a day off FOR SURE!!
=)
On the plus side I feel WAY more energetic, hovering on that damn scale all week at the same weight give or take one measly pound. But it WILL move. And I DO feel better. And that IS the point...!

Woke up with George Michael Kissing a Fool in my head. Total loungey music, but I so love it =) Makes me go all Michael Buble. But as much as I respect Buble's voice, I find his musical choices rather simplistic although this might be at the direction of his agent or label. Likely they want him to sing songs that fans can sing or do karaoke to. More likely to sell his tunes....

New Moon tonight in Libra (hence the picture). New Moons are the beginning of the lunar cycle. This means the moon is completely in line with the sun and the earth. We see a dark sky with no visible moon- this is why it's considered a time of newness and rejuvenation. The new moon is the three days after the new face of the moon and also includes the day of the new face of the moon. Because it's the beginning of a lunar cycle it's energy is thought to assist with new beginnings of any sort, like beauty, health or personal improvement regime or starting new employment. Good timing for my other half. And for me; I need to get back on the horse and hit the gym. ROUTINE, people, I need ROUTINE.. and motivation !!! I'll google some reasons why to work out.

Oh yeah, now I remember. =P

Ha! Twice today I heard SOMETHING about Disneyland. On the radio today there was a commentary about Disneyland and on the computer at work, outta nowhere, there was a Disneyland reference which NEVER happens. So I tell you people, Disneyland and or a vacation of some sort (this or something better) is COMING, ah tell yooo whut!!! Oooh, how EXCITING! Course I promptly came home and entered about 500 online entries for sweepstakes vacations. I look forward to my mailman now sending me POUNDS of junkmail for MORE contests and giveaways, and hey- bring it! I feel POPULAR when this happens! Gosh darn it, people LIKE me !! ... And they're all marketers...!!! Hey, like attracts like... =)

Little bit of tension going around today, I noticed. Seemed to be everywhere and I wasn't the only one that made mention of it. Got home and the littlest cat found herself enjoying a wrestling match with a plastic grocery bag, which was all fun and games until it attacked her back, wrapping itself around her neck and arm which freaked her RIGHT out. We didn't quite know what was going on when an inflated grocery bag ran down the hallway and past our office door. And then flung itself down the stairs. And ran through the living room. And down the basement stairs at which point I was in full action chasing this poor, trapped and startled animal (and her plastic parachute) down 2 flights of stairs. Managed to catch her as she came back up for Round Two running back UP the stairs in an effort to free herself. Clutching her mid air, I unravelled her from her apparently dire situation. As she clung to me for dear life, panting and heaving with her eyes wide open for the next 10 minutes I assured her the plastic monster was dead and its carcass now discarded.

Not 20 minutes later the neighbour, outside in the dark, apparently needed to hose something off. He rather miscalculated where the hose was pointing and noisily hosed down our back windows by accident. Well, if every feline inside our house didn't then scatter under some piece of furniture wondering what the hell THAT was, is it coming inside and does it bite?! Because by Jesus that was LOUD and SCARY! I had to resort to shaking the bag of Temptations to see where everyone was hiding and count paws to make sure they were all still here. One was so scared that even the Temptations didn't bring him out. I had to FIND him, take him to the window and SHOW him nothing was there. He's not impressed.

=)

Only 70 days left until my next holidays....

Yno what I'd really like to do for vacation? I'd like to actually GO ON ONE. As in leave this place and GO to Disneyland. That would be excellent... EXCELLENNNNNT! Last time I was there was 1991. That was a long, long time ago- feels like it was in another life. But THE greatest themepark ever- I loved loved LOVED it! My favorite place there (at that time, there must be so many new things now) was the Haunted Mansion. That was the BEST ever; I bet I could visit it a hundred times and see something new that I missed the last time. Okay, and space mtn rocked. And Thunder Mountain. And Splash Mountain. And and and... well, actually the whole experience was AWESOME !!

I'ma put it on my Wish List. After all Disneyland is where dreams come true (insert trademark here) =)

Happy Thxgvg peeps!

I think I'm being summoned.

Ever press that NEXT BLOG button on the Blogger toolbar? Sometimes it takes you to some crazy places, sometimes it takes you to things you apparently need to see. First link that came up for me? A life coach site. What the...! Wasn't I just discussing that?! Next site after that? An artist that sells their work online, creating their own prosperity and abundance. Wh...wha...?! After that? I get a blog post in which someone says YAY, cool weather is here, I love how brisk it is ! GAHHHHH!!! Okay, alright already, FINE, is this like Ebeneezer Scrooge and the three ghosts or WHAT?! Like hey Holymotherofgod, see what life coaches can do? And hey holy, you nay sayer that creative people and artists starve and can't make money selling their wild and wacky wares online. Why not?! And oh wait one more- are you bitching about it being cold?! Because other people who are CAPABLE of celebrating CHANGE are posting about how GREAT the seasons are instead of posting about S***, so do you GET IT YET?!?!

/runs screaming from the internets....

Oh good, one more forward and now I see musicians that also celebrate their talents like I could if I'd invested in mine instead of letting my musicality die a slow death in the closet with ALL MY OTHER SKELETONS !!! AHHHHHHhh! I'm so slitting my wrists- just as soon as I'm done blogging and stuff....
=)

Okay, and did I mention I should've taken drama? Because I totally should have; I would've so been good in soap operas...=)

Seriously though, sometimes coincidence can be freaky with the timing. I got a few examples here at this link. I'll choose this example, for no particular reason :

While on a business trip sometime in the late 1950s, Mr. George D. Bryson stopped and registered at the Brown Hotel in Louisville, Kentucky. After signing the register and being given his key to room 307, he stopped by the mail desk to see if any letters had arrived for him. Indeed there was a letter, the mail girl told him, and handed him an envelope addressed to Mr. George D. Bryson, room 307. This wouldn't be so odd, except the letter was not for him, but for room 307's just-previous occupant - another man named George D. Bryson. (Source: Incredible Coincidence, Alan Vaughan)

WEIRD !! I wonder if I should've been a police sketch artist?! After checking those sketches I'm feeling quite inspired...

Gee, that looks like a spade

Calling a spade a spade today. Or perhaps I should say seeing things for what they really are. No harm in this- in fact, recognizing what something is instead of perhaps what you wish it to be (or thought it was) is a good thing. Maybe something to do with Mercury wandering into Libra in the last 24 hours, although today Mercury is squaring Pluto (meaning at 90 degrees, or causing friction). We could expect "deep concentration, penetrating logic, uncovering what's hidden, revealing secrets. Words exchanged may cut deeply. Also Libra-Sun and Jupiter are trine (this is good), offering hope or opportunities despite what may be uncovered today. Mercury and Pluto were previously linked in the same manner on August 25 & 26. Perhaps, a resolution to events/issues from that period will be in store today."
Yesterday for instance I found out sadly that I AM on the hook for the $1500 bill for the condo flood repairs from last year, despite my repeated, insistent arguments to the contrary. However the company is open to allowing me to make payments to them which I am thankful for, seeing as this is how it has to be. Sucks though; that's a big bill and I worked so, so hard on fighting it. Evidently I should have submitted some documentation about a year ago that may have changed the outcome. I guess the silver lining is this will be a write off next yr when I submit for taxes since I paid for upgrades to the rental unit, so let's look at it that way =)

Otherwise I've been looking up with some curiosity what life coaching is. Just who is a life coach? What credentials must they have? Who would invest in this (as opposed to using a psychiatrist, psychologist, counsellor, or talking to coworkers, peers and their social circle)? It's rather a recent phenomenon, this "coaching" business- sort of blossoming over the past decade or so. The word itself has sort of been reinvented in the PC movement, as many terms we previously used have been. You know how it is; you're not so much FAT as you may be gravitationally challenged. Or not so much a panhandler as you may be an unaffiliated applicant for private sector funding. =) Seriously though, there are so many types of coaches- career or business coaches (mentorship, leadership.. ps is this now another name for Manager?!), life coaches, fitness & weight loss coaches, dating & relationship coaches, conflict and mediation coaches, grief and loss... I can see the merits of many of these specific areas of "coaching" but am curious honestly WHAT makes coaching so different than other existing traditional professions, other accreditations and degrees? AND just who uses a coach and why when these other professions exist? Do tell, I am curious to know.... Personally were I to need direction myself I would contact my benefits administrator (looks at self), go through my workplace benefits and make use of a counsellor. It's a paid for benefit and I would like to think that many benefits plans make this option available to them. Maybe my workplace is special.
Arguably if I were to need business direction, or assistance starting up a new company I may contemplate contacting a career coach or business advisor (probably after researching, investigating, reading books, joining an investment club, seeking professional opinions and talking to people already in that industry). And truth be told I have hired a personal trainer before (which you could label a fitness coach) when I wanted personal direction at the gym years ago. Can't say I would use the dating coach or any of the other above listed niche market coaching options. Again- all covered using certified counsellors or psychologists, and investing in self care, self development and self awareness programs.
Interesting, nonetheless -and very specific, tailored to the needs of the client. Some clients I am sure need more one on one, customized assistance where they can pick up the phone and contact their coach when they need it (?) I think I need to understand this a bit more. Do tell people, do tell ..??

I'm such a sucker for talent shows and just watching in awe these amazing, amazing people. People with dreams. Ordinary people with amazing gifts. People we should celebrate. People who are fine representatives of the human spirit. If only each and every one of us would find inside of us what we are gifted with and show it willingly, with pride.

I'll begin with the youngest and work my way up:

6-year old Emily Bear playing piano at the white house

Elizabeth Barrett reading at 17 months old

Natalie Okri age 10, wants to be a diva like Beyonce, thank you very much.

Shaheen, Welsh singer

Greg Pritchard a hotel waiter with a hidden talent.

Shaun Smith, I know I know I know I know this guy's good

Eugene, the librarian- sad and funny at the same time

Paul, the mobile phone salesman- and opera singer

And lastly- Dream a Dream, so says Susan Boyle

S***, the four letter S word

The S*** is back.

Three weeks (or so) of summer, which waits until SEPTEMBER to come, and already there it is- that S***. I don't even want to say the word. Don't want to ACKNOWLEDGE it's existence. Truly it is EVIL in white flaky form, falling sneakily from the heavens, looking all soft and innocent. It isn't, of course. It kills people, you know. S*** is eeeeviiiilllll.

I was watching a comedian the other night on TV; the really sarcastic guy- what's his name... Not Ron White, although if you ever want a representative for "bitter" and "sarcastic" I think he'd volunteer... No, it was Lewis Black. He said he'd never heard of people who would voluntarily live where it was -30 to -50 for 6 months of the year. He says it's not so much that the weather is suggesting you not live there, it's God's way of saying GET THE HELL OUT.

It's about minus 6 or 7 at the lowest right now, so probably have to consider this warm weather going forward, if this cold spell continues. You never know here; the weather can change on a dime. From morning to night you can go from using the AC to using heat. In one day. Mom's lucky to have headed back to the balmy west coast just in time to escape this.

We made a huge, huge ham Monday night for her arrival here. Today is pea soup day. Mmmm, pea soup with big chunks of haaaammmmm... mmm.

*sigh*

Yeah, the gym. I should go there. Haven't gained, haven't lost- just hanging in there. I s'pose it takes activity to further this quest for weight loss. I'll contemplate that while I eat my pea soup =)