Alright. I have some consistent Brain Pain today despite a considerable consumption of Advil and caffeine. Through my fog I will write to you and hope it doesn't sound as stoned as a likely am =P

Could be the coming full moon this Friday but is everyone a crankypants or what?! I know I am. I sort of go in and out of this funk, like I'm bipolar or something. One day the sky is the limit and the next day I'm tying a noose around my neck! Maybe like this here cow I should try something different to allieviate it LOL...

So. It begins with The Duplex. Long term I would love to wiggle myself into much larger commercial real estate endeavors and I think it can be done with the right execution. Winnipeg, so they say, is THE place to seriously consider investing. Looking at the commercial investment opportunities (first with triplexes or four plexes and secondly at smaller apartment buildings) you can see affordable is the key word. Which is odd for someone who comes from Langley where residential houses sell for what, 500-600 thousand? Granted you require 25% down for commercial investments. But the ROI is fantastic. One step at a time, but I want to keep my eye on the prize.

2009 is only 23 days away, any thoughts about what next year holds? I know I have plenty on my plate for the New Year. The usual (health) and the unusual (where will this real estate path lead?) I think I will spend the next few weeks contemplating the ins and outs of such ideas. Perhaps everything will become crystal clear once I dive in, we shall see! And your plans for New Years??

Last thing I will blog about are The Voices (LOL!) Ever get those voices in your head? (And no this is NOT the medication speaking... I don't think...) But yno how when you're about to leave for the day a little voice says hey do you have everything? It's a voice like that. Well, lately I seem to have one speak at me when I'm in the kitchen. Rather hilarious. Actually the other day I was making eggs and was shaving some parmesano over it. And apparently I was being vicious about it because I literally heard my voice in my head YELL to shave it evenly and to take care with my food preparation LOL! It was SO LOUD that I actually was kind of startled LOL!!! I was like, what is this, I've conjured Emeril into my kitchen?! What the heck =P Apparently I have mental issues regarding shaved cheeses ROFL!

Your Moment of ZEN ....do you have Someday Syndrome?

Wow long time no write...

I *think* we own a duplex! We successfully bid on this one in a great area of Winnipeg a few days ago and are awaiting financing approval. The condo is NEARLY finished and should be ready to go to market next month, all spit polished with new floors, new cabinets, new countertops, new paint, new lighting, new everything. Ideally this should be a great step up from where we were and resell for good coin.

The duplex has excellent revenue and is in really great shape. One side (the left in this photo) has rented for 1300 plus utilities and the other half 1000. Our choice is to live in the 1000 side ourselves and complete the last of the work it requires while we rent out the side that has already had all the work done and virtually covers the mortgage payments. GREAT GREAT area of town. We will also have the option at any time of selling either half, should something horrifying happen financially (*knocks on wood). Move in date is Feb 1st which gives us time to sell the condo OR again worse case, sublet it out.

What else... new position at work- Administration Manager as of last month. Very different work; very challenging. I started a new business on the side also... I will be getting licenced in the next few months in insurance, learning about mutual funds and become qualified to broker mortgages. These are all things I look forward to learning and in the coming months I can see this blooming into a great home based side business. Excellent write offs and financial rewards in the long term. I've always read books about investing and now I look forward to applying what I have learned and will learn in practical terms. The cool thing about this is (a) I learn a lot that will benefit me and (b) it puts me in a situation where I can teach other people how to help themselves. So up my alley. Love that. Gonna be a bright, bright sunshiny day =)

Remembrance Day weekend hence the photo, Lest We Forget...

What amazingly mixed weather lately. Literally 10 days ago we were basking in plus 18 degrees wearing tshirts and shorts. Last week (Wednesday night I think) we got hit rather suddenly with winter-freezing rain, bitterly cold winds and skating rink roads as a result. Winnipeg is like that, though. There are no Spring and Fall seasons really, just extremes! (Probably why it suits me so well) Like they say, in one day you can go from using the air conditioner during the day to the heater at night! But the shock of going from plus 18 to minus 10 with wet snow and raining sleet is a bit much for us Rookie Winnipeggers! Beautiful day today; just minus 6 degrees but relatively clear with little or no wind. And WIND is the Big One. If there is WIND here (and often there is. Chicago may be the windy city of the States but I swear Winnipeg is the Windy City of the Prairies...) it absolutely rips through your bones and freezes your organs! Oy! And yet get this- we are the third fastest growing economy in Canada's major cities (2007). Must be quite a few of us unsuspecting outsiders moving here thinking it can't be that bad LOL!!!! (***/slaps forehead***)

Work's getting done on the Home Front- drywallers this week, painters the next, floor guys after that installing new laminate throughout, new kitchen cabinets and countertops installed probably the first week of December. Likely have everything back together by mid December I guesstimate... Kind of a little muddled on whether to move back in, like what would be the point? I'm going to list it for sale in January anyways. We should just sit tight, keep our things on storage and have the space staged for sale right?? Find a duplex to move into instead. Hmph. Have to see how this pans out. Very grateful to see this complete and move into a new direction. Everything is working out as it should. Desiderata. Absolutely!

Happy Halloween Everybody!

Should be fun to see all the kids dressed up tonight, eh? Last Halloween I lived on the other side of the city so it should be interesting to see what happens here. I dunno if there are more or less kids here (?) or if where I lived previously had more... I work until 9pm but I figure that the streets will still be filled with trick or treaters!

This Halloween morning there is SO much to do, none of which is related to the festivities. In less than a week we have to relocate to a hotel in which we will stay for one month while renovations go on. We have to pack up our clothes, computers, cats and whatever other items we care to take. After this is complete we'll have to come back here and organize the things left in our place to have all contents removed and stored while the work's completed. Two walls need the wallpaper stripped with some TSP, the toilet needs to be removed and some floor trim needs to be removed. I guess it doesn't sound like much when you write it down, so that's good! It's just the time frame that's scary especially when you're working every day... I'm getting on it this morning before work and will pick at it a day at a time until we leave. And hey, it'll look fantastic when it's done (repeat) it'll look fantastic when it's done!

What a great time I had tarot reading last night at a friend's social gathering! I believe there were probably 300 plus guests and I had a steady line up of interested people from 8pm until 1130pm without fail. All readings were by donation to the wedding couple (that the social was being held for) by suggested donation of $10. The time went by SO fast that when someone came to relieve me around 11pm I thought only an hour (if that!) had passed! Suddenly someone told me it was 1145pm and I was completely shocked! By quarter after one in the morning after what I decided was my last reading, I finally pulled down my displays of various curtains and sheets that constituted by Gypsy Caravan Tent. Right while I was pulling it down I had ANOTHER person approach me for a reading which I declined due to the time. Besides at 1am the people coming for readings at a social are not necessarily in the best (or most sober) mind frame to read for!! Can't complain about one person I interacted with, though. Every single one was listening carefully, receptive to what the cards had to say and then referring other people to me afterwards!! Who knew!!

Tomorrow is Day One in my new position. Friday afternoon I was relocated to another department where I HOPE I will do well (insert nervous laughter here). I really do appreciate what shuffling around management does for the company. I think where we have all "landed" with regards to our new positions works well for all of us and definitely gives us the opportunity to learn something completely different; something outside of our box. I'm finding as I go along I'm liking big changes more and more. Last year when I first heard the words Front End Manager I literally froze. Omg, run the largest department in the warehouse and the front lines of the operation with virtually 80% new hires during OPENING DAY with the CEO of the company watching?! Dude, I saw my life flash before my eyes. Then last Friday I get the opportunity to change over to Administration which comes with huge responsibilities for the financial well being of the warehouse and I'm thinking okay, let's do it. Why not!

In the menial world of chores and daily routine today is organization day at home. Grocery shopping, laundry, dishes, cleaning, snore and yawn. Hence taking a moment to post to give myself some brief reprieve from all this excitement. While I wait 40 minutes for the laundry to dry let's play a game I found from Isn't This Kind of Personal?! Let's call it 35 Things About Me.

I am: pretty outgoing
I think: constantly!!
I know: every day is a Gift and tomorrow is another day, Scarlett!
I want: you to try this too!
I dislike: when people hand you coin back sitting on top of bills. Super big pet peeve, I know it's minor but omg why do people do that?
I fear: heights if I'm on the edge of something like a building or a cliff or there's a sheer drop. If the threat of me falling to a really tragic end is REAL then it happens to SCARE ME!!!
I feel: pretty relaxed. Life is good.
I hear: the train going by.
I smell: laundry detergent on my fingers LOL!
I crave: sourdough toast. I love it.
I cry: at stupid, girlie movies and even cartoons LOL!!!
I usually: make lists.
I search: for my purse or key or shoes which I CONSTANTLY hide on myself which REALLY aggravates me! I piss me off a lot...
I wonder: where the next 5 years will take me.
I regret: things I say and do all the time. In fact my brain has this unfortunate need to remind me of things that I said and did even YEARS ago that have no importance or relevance in my life today. WHY it does this I don't know. It really isn't useful reflection!!
I love: to dream, to contemplate, to problem solve, and help other people do the same things. I love fresh clean sheets, hot towels, a nice dinner either in or out, a comfortable inviting place to call home. I love BC, I love trees and mountains, the smell of the ocean. I love the rain, I love a hot summer day, I love the first snowfall, I love checking out the fall leaves on the ground this time of year. I love good humor, laughter and sharing personal stories. I love animals and little kids who tell you how life is from their perspective. I love so many things I could blog all day about it!
I care: a lot... whoaaa whoa whooooaaaaaa
I always: go hot or cold. I'm 100% or zero, not much in between !!!
I am not: good at hiding how I feel. Pretty well you can see it in my face. I suck at the poker face!
I remember: when I was in my 20s I just wanted to be older and more established. Now I want to be in my 20s and know what I know now..!
I believe: anything is possible.
I dance: like an idiot but I have fun =)
I sing: alright; way outta practice. I'd LOVE singing lessons ...
I don't always: listen very well. And I have a TERRIBLE memory. I always say never tell me things. Email me or write them down but for the love of gawd don't trust me to remember anything you say. You may as well be Charlie Brown's teacher. I don't respond to sound, just sight!!!!!
I argue: Argue?! I don't argue. I INSIST. There's a difference. Arguing insinuates that the other person gets the opportunity to speak their side. I merely insist. :P
I write: daily. Whether blogging, making lists, journalling... I write daily.
I win: word games. How nerdy is that :P
I lose: omg any suduko games. I totally don't get those. They're as confusing as Magic Eye which I have NEVER been able to get.
I wish: I could turn off the negative switch inside my head that imagines horrific things, or reflect on anything that was hurtful or bad from the past. At least I'm not the only one that does this though. Good thing that I found that out!!
I listen: to my little voices (muhawhawhawhaw!!)
I don't understand: why more people don't donate blood (?) Not to sound self righteous but are that many people afraid of needles or something?? Or why people don't donate more in general- or realize that giving back when you get a lot is necessary for Karma?! I fully believe in giving.
I'm scared: of horror movies. Won't watch them. Don't get people who derive pleasure from them. They freak me out,; I feel like I'm witnessing something that I shouldn't. What pleasure do people get from watching people freak out and die in horrible ways? On the flip of this I really LOVED Six Feet Under so what does that say about me?!
I need: to write things out to "get them"... again with the visual personality. And because I need to read and re-read things to absorb them. You don't get that opportunity with speech unless you go around recording people.
I forget: things all the time. ALL THE TIME! Since birth!
I am happy: with where things are and where they're going.

Sometimes you just need a box of Resolve to deal with life, doncha! Good time to resolve things during a Waning Moon cycle; last quarter moon is tomorrow. I am full of resolve to resolve what requires a resolution!

This week all sorts of things are presenting that I expect to see finalized (if not at least planned out for future execution)... Some financial contracts are nearing completion, I'm making plans to meet someone regarding starting up a financial business as I get my own in order. I'm making plans to have things done in the condo (drywall, flooring, kicthen). All good things are en route. They just take RESOLVE!

I've had a few days to digest my seminar experience. I feel the need to share what I got out of it!

Firstly, let me assess the structure of it. The MC and comedian was, again, fantastic. Throughout a very long day of varied speakers he kept things light. I was naive in that I did not expect to be marketed for other events and or books that the speakers were hocking. How I overlooked this obvious and implanted marketing genius, I don't know. I should have expected this. One stock market seminar we were invited to (that was a week away I should add) for the low, low price of $495 and another 3 day seminar on real estate (much more reasonably priced) at $99 for 3 days. No rush, it's only a week away, and the opportunity to sign up is now. People are standing by in the back of the room to sign you up for the next 20 minutes. Go, go, go!!! I stayed, stayed, stayed. Sorry, but I don't have $495. In fact, I paid $100 for my $220 ticket on Kijiji.ca because I'm broke, broke, broke. So sorry, sorry, sorry but I'm ain't coming, coming, coming!!!! LOL... But I will gladly read any of your books whenever I can retrieve them from our local library =)

Secondly, I personally would prefer a shorter 3 hour format. Giving up a full 8 hour day off is on the border of too much for me. A three day seminar, even if it is for $99, is still 3 days of my life. I would prefer to read a book or invest in a one on one meeting with someone about a particular subject as opposed to committing to a 3 day seminar with who knows how many others. Oy. I prefer smaller, more intimate groups where I can learn about the other people I am sharing the experience with. Like the meditation groups that I miss terribly at Aleesha's. That kind of setting works for me. I dig it. A sea of five thousand is somewhat excessive and very impersonal for me. I like personal; I really do! (Does it show at all? LOL...)

Lastly, I don't know what I expected from Tony Robbins but it was more depth and less cheerleading. I got more from some of the other speakers, sadly, than I did from the keynote personality who is widely noted for his wisdom and insight. His speech was limited to physiology and its relation to mental state. Okay, already, thanks for that tidbit. I recognize that. I was looking for more than this.... Then again, much of the information recited throughout the day was common sense, get-connected-with-your-Self psychology splattered with various opinions on "financial opportunities" that exist. Truthfully I have gotten more from what I have read lately, more from what I am DOING lately, more from my dreams and discussions with those in my inner circle than from this seminar. If anything I feel affirmation that I am doing right by myself with the plans I have in motion. Funny sidenote- I was just saying at work yesterday how things that I literally hear do little for me. I need to READ things to absorb them. Too bad I don't listen even to myself ROFL!!!!! That's hilarious....

No experience is ever a loss... I simply suggest that anyone can learn; it's a matter of finding the right format for those messages that you can hear best. I think I hear best from other sources. Having said this I had a lovely lunch with someone I met at the seminar that I would not otherwise have met. We found some common ground and had a lovely discussion about our spiritual beliefs that I think resonated for us both. My hundred dollars from Kijiji was well spent learning about her, learning about these seminars and their formats and learning about HOW I LEARN (which is by READING and WRITING apparently!!!!) !!!!

Dreams have been very creative lately. I have only snapshots in my mind now of the last one 2 nights ago. Something about me standing on an overpass with no traffic whatsoever (Lickman, if you must know) in the dark, and a girl (probably in her 20s) rollerblading up the overpass, sliding to a stop on her kneepads in front of me. Something about her training for a competition (? note to ambitious self that always needs to compete). Flash forward to me being in a clothing shop suddenly. Some dude who worked there (and I have to mention that he had his pant legs pulled up at different lengths with his socks likewise!!) was showing me around. I recall picking through some various clothes and somehow being made to feel or feeling like nothing fit (note to fragile fat ego). Flash forward again to an indian reservation on the oceanside during the daytime. I had collected various prizes and donations for a charity they had. I felt pleased and proud to offer them what I had collected and met with a young indian man to give them to him. We were on a wooden wharf and he drove down on a dirtbike that somehow morphed into a car and I remember feeling uneasy about the weight of the vehicle on the wooden wharf. But it held, although I could see the wood bending under the tires, and when he parked I gave him the prizes. We had a discussion about what I had for him, and I remember telling him how much I felt fulfilled by being able to do this. I really love getting donations for charity. Interesting that his vehicle grew. I wonder if I am saying that I can grow this vehicle to myself?? This is something I can make bigger(??) in my life...

When I woke up I remember thinking how cool it was to have this verbalized in my dream, that I like to fundraise and be philanthropic and charitable. How neat that I dreamed I had a discussion about something that I do enjoy, do derive fulfillment from. Something I need to think more about and incorporate more into my life as I go on. Far out, man. Far out indeed!

Ah, and in case you are thinking, what's up with the mint plant... This whole post, in one way or another, is about prosperity. It's about the giving and receiving process in it's many forms (okay except for the ambitious rollerblader and the clothing store part of the dream!). I would like to invite YOU to play the prosperity game. Click here; it is completely free. You have nothing to lose and all sorts of virtual money to gain! Try it and every day you will receive!

Went and saw Tony Robbins today. It was CRAZY. Long freakin 8 hour day that started at 6am for me. I left the house before 630, got to the Convention Center at 6:45 and headed inside. I was already 6th in line. By 715 there were a few hundred people waiting and by 730 a few THOUSAND. The doors opened at 735am and I got a GREAT seat in the front row of the General Seating section, almost smack on center stage with plenty of leg room. Everything started at 830am with a total of 5 thousand in attendance by start time. Wow. That is a LOT of people- some from PLP and outlying areas. The MC was amazing (James Cunningham, comedian) Had me in stitches ALL DAY. And the various speakers and do check out their links here if you have time (Mitch Joel, Phil Town, Michael Lipkin, James Smith, Richard Dolan) were all fantastic speakers in their own rights and offered so much valuable information and insights. Mitch Joel I guess has attended a Costco Corporate event previously; at least that's what they mentioned. Got a little crazy when Robbins finally came on for the last 2 hours. Doing things like jumping up and down screaming like IDIOTS for 2 hours. And yelling at each other, we had to leap into the arms of people we didn't know like they were our long lost lovers. Omg. Somewhat odd although I know he was (a) trying to get some blood flowing to 5 thousand exhausted people and (b) trying to ENGAGE us. Can't imagine everyone feeling comfortable with this kind of event though. There are people who have a bubble of personal space that is as good as sacred to them. Then there are Marketers who are shameless self promoters who are fearless handshakers and networkers... ROFL!! You should see THEM in action, baby!! Lordy! I thought I was one of the worst, well hell no, some people there TAKE THE CAKE!!! =) Good that I went though, some good stuff to be learned. Lots to blog about but my spine is absolutely on fire from sitting in a folding chair for 8 hours while I scribbled eagerly on my lap what I learned from each speaker. Must lie horizontally with Rub A535 hot pads on me and rest. Will speak more when I am vertical.

I have to share this with you...

This morning was a tough morning. Here I am, fresh off reading these great books about the Law of Attraction and the Power of Intention and in a great new mindset. I get up with the intention of having a fantastic day, an open mind and being receptive to meeting with the condo people who came here at 10am. We meet, talk about all the options and opportunities available to me; meanwhile my 2 cats erupt in a vicious scrap on the floor. Was I giving off a hostile vibe?!! Apparently my cats picked up on it and displayed it for everyone LOL...
Second incident: John comes home in a complete funk. Today is the day he has to renew his driver's licence. He is told, however, that he cannot as we mailed in his payment for his speeding ticket too late/ it hasn't been received/ hasn't been processed. Since he drives for work (from appointment to appointment) he is insistent that his career is in jeopardy and life as we know it is over. I suggest a phonecall to clarify this to the Motor Vehicle Branch. Oh, we can just pay it and clear this up? Fantastic. Case closed. Still in a crap mood, he leaves to pay it. I lie on the bed trying not to absorb this. Oy. So many bills this week... so... many... But wait. Remember the books! Let's meditate and try to chill out here and keep things in perspective, Drama Queen. So I light a candle, sit on the floor, talk out loud to myself about all the great things that are happening right now. The cats are relaxed around me, also chilling out while this is going on. Pepper gets up and slides towards me, arching her back along my little impromtu table that has my candle on it. Hmmm, her tail is really close to that can... OMG PEPPER YOU'RE ON FIRE !!! I grab her and catch her tail which is briefly on fire and put it out. I start to scold her but erupt in laughter instead... Omg did I not JUST blog about lighting myself on fire and running around?! ROFLMAO that my cat has to display this for me!!!!
=D
Poor Pepper. Hard to shoot the flaming messenger sometimes.... !!!!!!!

Happy Thanksgiving

I am thankful for ...

... my family and all my friends
... my boyfriend who loves me
... my 2 little furry feline friends, Pepper and Bob
... my health
... my career and all the great coworkers I've loved working with and still work with
... my blog and the people I meet through it, met through it and will continue to meet!!
... a warm, dry, safe place to live that will look fantastic in a few short months!
... the opportunities and challenges that Life presents
... being in the process of change
... the beautiful fall colors around me
... my talents, my capabilities and my shortcomings
... you reading this!!

Have a fantastic Turkey Day everyone!

After reading Spiritual Business I find myself completely drawn to the principles written about in it. I've been digesting the book since finishing it, contemplating what I need to do and more recently putting it into practice. Kate did a fantastic job of explaining how we all possess the ability to succeed in Life and business. She suggests that we combine our Spirit Selves with our Business Selves, take a whole-istic approach to Life so we can learn the tools to manifest what we want and need. Her book delves into the power of intention, assessing our beliefs and values, creating our spaces that we work and live in, understanding and respecting lunar cycles and astrology, having personal and business integrity and so much more. I was truly inspired, can ya tell!!!

So I visited the Winnipeg Library for the first time since I got here. I signed up for a library card and took out the Law of Attraction by Michael Losiers (who's from BC, yay!) and the Power of Intention by Wayne Dyers (author of Your Sacred Self). Finished the Law of Attraction today and am just started on the latter. What spoke to me most in the Law of Attraction was the whole part about "the universe is unaware of the words DON'T, NOT and NO." Well crap, I do that a lot. Actually when I get in a funk I have this NEED to SHARE my trauma with OTHERS. Shit! Note to self- keep the whine in a bottle LOL!!! Dang! =)
Most of the time I am a pretty energetic, entertaining Being that enjoys bantering and being uplifting. But on the flip when it comes to my Self and how I treat ME, I can take that valuable energy, use it in ways that certainly do NOT benefit me, light myself on fire and run around screaming at people that omg I'm on fire!!... Nvm who did it, can't you see I'm on fire?!?! (ROFL because it's true and a HILARIOUS analogy!!!) Anyhoo, (a) I cannot be trusted with matches and (b) to quote the Law of Attraction, I am in the process of engaging in constructive behaviour. I've decided that I need to change in order for things to change and so much can happen in the next days, weeks and months!
I got a ticket to Tony Robbins. Yay me! And I paid half price. Someone was selling one online locally, I met her and bought the ticket. Wednesday I go. Here he is with his wife Bonnie Humphreys (of DW Poppy highschool by the way, so good for Bonnie. ...She came a long way from Mister Tenor's Grade 10 Social Studies class where I knew her!!) I believe Bonnie is now known as Sage Robbins, which is (pun intended) a very WISE name choice (nyuk nyuk!!) I'm only kidding, it's a lovely new name for her new life. Very much looking forward to the course. It's the first of it's kind I've ever taken and am looking forward to what I can learn from it. I'll let you know soon!!

UPDATE:
Never seen the movie Batteries Not Included. John saw it listed on tv tonight and insisted we watch it. It was one of his mother's favorite movies. What a great flick! And what is it about? Do you remember? It's about a group of people who live in an old brick apartment block that's slated for demolition and are being evicted. Each of them have a story. They all need help... well, a miracle actually, and each are in desperate need of some Higher Power to help them out of their current situation. Collectively putting out into the universe that they require assistance. Law of Attraction anyone?!?
=)

Copy and paste this into your browser...
http://www.money-health-relationships.com/shermans-lagoon.html

Working on some financial exchanges this week. I checked with the experts and this seems to be what's going on right now in the skies. Funny, the money markets are ALL over the place lately. Up, down, around- and the Canadian Dollar is absolutely out of control... For months we have been stronger than the US buck -now as of today we are barely at 87 cents.... Dude. This is ugly... Anyone that could trade money will be coming out ahead right now for sure. Wish I had the funds NOW to invest! I was watching TV last night regarding the interest rates and prime falling; people assessing why the prime rate wasn't reduced further as in the States. I thought, though, that it made sense for the US to drop prime to encourage people to borrow. The more people borrow, the more money coming into the financial institutions, the easier they can recover. In Canada we weren't hit nearly as badly financially so does it not make sense that they wouldn't drop prime further? Our institutions are only interested in lowering their own interest rates for borrowing, not ours!!! They're still making money on us!!!! Damn Canadian banks... Love to see mortgage rates drop although I doubt this would happen.
Anyways I had to laugh. Here I am attempting to "heal" my finances right? And I'm printing out a legal size document regarding my mortgage. The only paper I have in legal size? Purple. Like amethyst, like lavender, like healing... like wow.... How appropriate!

sidenote...
Tony Robbins here next Wednesday. Eight hour seminar. Two hundred dollars. That's a LONG day and a LOT of money. But I have this interest in seeing Mister Banana Hands in person (that's a Shallow Hal reference, if you're wondering!!). Could be interesting and certainly he IS the motivational speaker of the century, I would argue.... But 200 bucks and 8 hours... yeesh.

Today's Great Idea...
pass it on
Thanks for the cards...
Thanks for a great day at work...
Thanks for my great life...
Thank you World for everything =)

Only a few short weeks until Halloween (or Samhain). In the Spirit of the Season I dug up some Superstitions and Wives Tales to entertain us - some odd, some funny, some that make you slap your forehead!

Here they are:

Halloween History & Culture
Bizarre Superstitions
More Superstitions
...and MORE superstitions!!!
Old Wives Tales

Welcome, October!!!

All the fun things about this month are almost here. And some of the creepy things about it, too. But what a creative month October is. Mother Nature gets out her paint brush and the trees change color, the frost appears on the window and dare I say the snowflakes gently fall from the sky near the end of this month (at least here they do). People discuss and plan their Halloween costumes and parties. Lots of neat ideas, excitement and brainstorming going on... Fun, fun, fun!!!

Super book. I just received it Thursday and have been reading it daily ever since. Spiritual Business is a really great read filled with self-evaluating exercises devised to give the reader an interactive, thought provoking Spiritual journey. All while you're contemplating your personal dreams and ambitions. It sort of ties everything together; connects the dots, if you will. I dig it, albeit that I'm only in Chapter 2 and on page 57.

In other news, there is no news. Still waiting to hear anything about my condo. Anything. I'm about 5 seconds away from calling a lawyer and 3 seconds away from phoning the local building supply place to have drywall delivered so we can start the work ourselves. Which likely I will do this week. It's already frost season and I can't leave my things out on the porch any longer. This week I'll have to bring everything inside, store it... somewhere... somehow, and we'll find a new way of living. We'll find a way of forgiving... Somewhere... (sorry, I can't help but break into song sometimes... LOL!!) Too much "time to spare" apparently =P

MERCURY RETROGRADE THOUGHTS...

Sept. 24-Oct. 15: (real estate forecast during the retrograde period) Mercury retro in Libra is a picnic for your legal team but potentially expensive for you. The hard aspects between Mercury and Jupiter and Venus to Neptune in the first half of the month could manifest as a do-or-die battle between what you long for and what you can afford. Stall as best you can until October 31 when Mercury clears its shadow. A real-estate treat (not a trick) is more likely then.

Canada in retrograde

September retrograde news for all signs

I wish I was more knowledgable about astrology. My skilz are non existent other than being able to find links to make free natal charts (which I can't read LOL !!!) Judging by conversations with family (plus my cards and my horoscopes which I like to consult really to affirm what I already know or give pause to other perspectives) I may have to concede that allowing the condo's insurer to do the work may expedite the repair process and reduce my stress levels. When I initially asked to be paid out for damages I (naively) thought it would be a painless, relatively simple process whereby they assess the damages and I simply receive money. Of course I've never in my life had to make a home insurance claim. And good gawd I hope I never have to again; this is SUCH a pain in the ass!!! Seven weeks out and still no news of a payout so I'm beginning to feel a severe case of WTF....

I can't help but feel a strong focus on money, money, money lately! Have you noticed in my posts at all? Am I obvious about it?! LOL... Seriously strong pull towards what I have (er, feel that I DON'T have hence the 5 of cups in my reading this morning), what I want, how to get it, how did I get here and how do I get out of this. I have quite a few options to help myself and I can see that in the long haul things could be fantastic. Yesterday afternoon I took the bull by the horns and sat down with the Good, the Bad and the Ugly and took a good, hard look at my snotty financial health. I called up my financial institution and spoke at length with them about various options I didn't know I had, which at least gave me a sense of optimism. Then last night I went to a financial company's meeting and my interest is peaked about the options they offer. I simply need to exercise some patience and make wise decisions that offer long term stability. Perhaps during retrograde I can contemplate what's best, deal with debt from the past and wrap up some old business.




SIDENOTE: About that LHC (large halldron collider) experiment I posted about before... I was JUST talking to coworkers about the fact that the testing for this giant Time Machine was heading into retrograde. What happens?! It experiences technical difficulties, to be shut off until Spring 2009 LOL!!! HA! I called it!!!

Last note about retrograde: People From The Past. Nice to speak to Jay for well over an hour yesterday and catch up after probably not hearing from each other for about sixteen months or so. That's a long time! I expect some other Past Peeps will appear and I look forward to speaking to them, too.

THOUGHTS FOR TODAY

If you have sex with a prostitute against her will, is it considered rape or shoplifting?
How important does a person have to be before they are considered assassinated instead of just murdered?
Why do you have to 'put your two cents in'... but it's only a 'penny for your thoughts'? Where's that extra penny going to?
Why does a round pizza come in a square box?
What disease did cured ham actually have?
How is it that we put man on the moon before we figured out it would be a good idea to put wheels on luggage?
Why is it that people say they 'slept like a baby' when babies wake up like every two hours?
If a deaf person has to go to court, is it still called a hearing?
Why are you IN a movie, but you're ON TV?
Why do people pay to go up tall buildings and then put money in binoculars to look at things on the ground?
Why do doctors leave the room while you change? They're going to see you naked anyway.
Why is 'bra' singular and 'panties' plural?
Can a hearse carrying a corpse drive in the carpool lane?
If the professor on Gilligan's Island can make a radio out of a coconut, why can't he fix a hole in a boat?
Why does Goofy stand erect while Pluto remains on all fours? They're both dogs!
If Wile E. Coyote had enough money to buy all that ACME crap, why didn't he just buy dinner?
If corn oil is made from corn, and vegetable oil is made from vegetables, what is baby oil made from?
If electricity comes from electrons, does morality come from morons?
Do the Alphabet song and Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star have the same tune?
Why did you just try singing the two songs above?
Did you ever notice that when you blow in a dog's face, he gets mad at you, but
when you take him for a car ride, he sticks his head out the window?

This post is ABOUT blogging. Everyone blogs for different purposes. There are personal blogs like Diaryland and blogs about community purposes; blogs about finances and investments. There are blogs about spirituality and personal growth. There are blogs like mine that are random like my brain. There certainly are all sorts of blogs out there. One thing I have always wondered about is the blogging for dollars aspect and being paid to blog. I checked out Pay Per Post which I found on Give Me My Five Dollars Back. I thought, hey what an interesting concept.

Pay Per Post is more of a marketing agreement. They offer you topics to blog about on various products and services and you are paid to post about that subject IF your blog meets the requirements (some restrictions include not being on blogger, for instance). Pay Per Post is also Linked to Social Spark which essentially does the same but has more opportunities. Other bloggers rate the opportunities so you can see which ones were most liked by other writers. It's all an interesting concept if you have a blog that has a commercial focus. Being from a marketing background I kind of LIKE the idea but don't want to introduce that here, necessarily. Besides I have enough on my plate right now !! Like getting my condo repaired so I don't have to blog from the end of my bed with my computer propped on top of my dresser in my bedroom. Yeah... let's concentrate on that first LOL !!!

Winnipeg announced this past week that it intends to create CENTREPORT- an inland port created to use the airport and Winnipeg's geographic location in North America to import goods from Asia and Europe and distribute those goods throughout the rest of Canada and parts of the United States by air, rail and truck. IMHO with the election upcoming, this is Winnipeg's concerted effort to qualify the province and city for millions in federal money to build new roads, rail lines and add new infrastructure like sewers and utilities around the airport.
So does Winnipeg have what it takes to be a port? Winnipeg has a 700,000 population and immigration rate of about 11,000 people a year which it intends to double in the next decade. I would think immigration and population growth, attracting qualified people here would be a major focus to make being a port city a reality.

I wonder what upgrades will this provide to Winnipeg were it to receive substantial federal and provincial funding? I know that some roads are being developed More importantly from my perspective- what might it do to real estate values?? This simply fuels my fire for purchasing investment properties here as many other investors are also doing. I spoke with a realtor who was representing three BC investors who are looking for duplexes to rent out. That’s probably one of Winnipeg’s strengths that make it a strong contender for a port location. This place is cheap like borscht for business.

I can see that in the next few years Winnipeg is really working on making it competitive. The Winnipeg Airport is being upgraded, slated to be ready by 2009-2010, the same time frame for this Centreport development. Over the next few years I would suggest that Winnipeg will have a different face altogether, and a great place to invest while the development is going on.

One thing I DO hope changes is the MEDIA here. Not to bash the Global TV newscasters but just take a look at what they wear on air. Actually, just look at the general image they portray. It’s like the women are forced to wear suit jackets on air that don’t fit them- what’s up with that?! There’s no polished, salon styled hair. No beautiful jewelry or baubles to look at but maybe I’m used to looking at Pamela Martin who has been a BC news anchor since the 70s, and prior to that a teen model. I think on Global TV Winnipeg the meteorologist is 22 years old, I’m not sure. And the Winnipeg newspapers? Get this with the Winnipeg Sun: ONE PAGE for discussions about Money. ONE STINKIN’ PAGE. Absolutely ZERO pages detailing the markets and stocks. No Business section. Three pages of city-wide news, six pages of world news, the same of entertainment and movies, I think 3 pages of classifieds with a dismal number being real estate related and the last HALF of the paper dedicated to sports. Mortgage rates nowhere to be found. Horoscopes exist, as do the comics. But no rates, no business and no stocks in the Winnipeg Sun. Again, I think if Winnipeg is to portray itself as a world player and international port that our media a news should mean serious business. Perhaps we could start by having a business section in the newspaper?!?
(PS to this post- the FREEPRESS in Winnipeg DOES have these details I'm griping about. It's just the Winnipeg SUN that licks. Freepress, interestingly enough, is laid out exactly like the Vancouver Sun...)

Physically I'm not doing so well lately. Stress sits in the pit of my stomach and runs up and down my gut daily. I keep waiting for some sort of resolution with my condo repairs from the flood that was oh, August 4th and it's taking a toll on me. Meanwhile I literally live in a slum condo in River Heights where I continue to pay mortgage payments and condo fees while tripping over the boxed contents of my kitchen. I think I'm going to nickname my condo EKG (east kildonan condo) because it LOOKS like it's from EK and plus it NEEDS an EKG to see if it has any LIFE left in it!!!

This whole insurance process is ASININE. For weeks I have had the Condo Board, the property manager, the condo insurance adjuster and their contractors arguing about who is responsible for paying me out for damages. Everyone points fingers at everyone else and plays telephone tag with me, assuring me that "they'll get back to me by the end of the day". Do they?! Oh, noooooo. I suspect it will be somewhere around Christmas that I am even able to START working on the repairs and see any money from WHOEVER it turns out is responsible for paying me. The good news, I try to tell myself, is that when completed the condo will be worth "so much more" and the equity will soothe my financial woes. It's just that until everything is done and my place re-assessed I can do nothing further financially. I can't refinance my mortgage and assimilate my debts. I can't invest if I wanted to in any of the fantastic deals that are available in the real estate market anytime soon either. I must sit on my hands for the winter. At least they'll stay warm...!!!

Little concerned about the markets this past week, eh? I wonder how much of my RRSPs are left now- I hesitate to look. I was just reading on Garth's blog about the impact of the market failure on the average person applying for loans and credit products. He says there will be "far tighter restrictions on loans and mortgages to new borrowers, to builders, for renovation and lines of credit". It may well be a time to sit tight, fix what's broken, have fun painting and putting up new light fixtures from IKEA. Meanwhile I'll put the cash in the mattress until (as Garth puts it) this "financial nuclear winter" is over!!

Lots of discussion lately at work about the Large Hadron Collider experiment that is going on and whether the end of the world is near. As with all science experiments there are variables (ha! I remembered something from school!) and some outcomes that may not necessarily be in line with what was originally hypothesized. For those of us that are not knowledgable about protons and electrons and magnets, the most we can do is speculate and read the internet. Personally I'm sure it's mostly safe and after billions of dollars are spent and people pray that they live through it, it might answer a few questions that have plagued man for centuries. 'Course, Stephen Hawking has 110 bucks against that....

(from technewsworld.com)

Here's the real deal: There is a very small chance, scientists say, that the LHC could theoretically create a black hole. Even on that off-chance, though, the hole would be too small and short-lasting to pose any actual danger. What's more, the collider isn't doing anything that's not already happening in nature; it's just doing it in a more controlled and observable environment. In effect, then, if what the LHC is doing would end the Earth, the Earth would have been ended ages ago by Mother Nature.

"There are multiple layers of safety," Steve Giddings, professor of physics at UC Santa Barbara, told TechNewsWorld. "It's been a little bit surprising -- this has all been played up more than is justified," he commented.

Fittingly, almost any scientist you ask will tell you the same thing: There is absolutely no reason to prepare for a doomsday (unless, of course, that's just your idea of a nice afternoon).

"Almost all of my coworkers won't even take that possibility seriously, because it's just not realistic from what we know from basic quantum mechanics," Giddings pointed out.

So relax, guys. The science guys think its all good... so it must be, right?!... Right?!!!

(Click on picture to enlarge if you can't read the writing)

So last night I had this dream. I was at a restaurant- sort of an outdoor patio, and I was apparently managing it (how unlike real life)... Anyways some of my staff (who really are my staff from work) were working away in the kitchen, cooking up a storm for opening night and the place was completely packed. I went out to see how people were doing in the dining room- were they comfortable, having a good time, eager to try the food? Yada yada yada. And they were. The conversations were relaxed and well humored, talking about what people enjoyed and what things in their lives they enjoyed. Suddenly one of my staff comes out with the first plate from the kitchen and serves me this huge platter of filet mignon with mushrooms, potatoes and gravy. It looked absolutely fabulous and smelled even better. I should have been pleased and praised the dish, been thankful for it but I was totally startled and reacted with dismay. "What are you doing?! I'm not hungry! Feed some of these people!!" She was taken aback and thought she was doing right serving me first, scuttling off with the dish. Anyways when I woke up I lay there thinking about it. Am I ungrateful!? Do I not get the gifts I am being given? Do I not appreciate people in my life perhaps or the gifts they bring me? Do I have a full plate?! Worse- am I a jerk manager?!? LOL... !!! SHIT!! No, seriously, I try to make it fun at work. I think what theme spoke to me the most was just being reactive. Lately I've been dealing with trying to get my condo repairs STARTED which have NOT NOT NOT being going well and it is making me extremely worked up and emotionally charged. I WANT MY KITCHEN WORKING!!! LMAO !!!!! HA! I love the way my brain works in the dream state LOL... Yes, I have NO kitchen right now; just a stove and a fridge plugged in but otherwise no counter tops, no cabinets, no way to make a decent meal. Meanwhile I wait for the insurance agency and condo strata council to pay me the appropriate amount for the damages so that I can repair everything. Right now it appears that they are not willing to pay an amount that is anywhere near the amount required to fix everything. With the full moon only days away I will have to cool my heels and ATTEMPT to have a level head dealing with this emotionally charged situation. I have the hardest time with these ram horns sometimes....

Very interesting meetings lately regarding my real estate investing thoughts and dreams. I have had some discussions with people who are already investors themselves, listening to their long term goals and what seems to currently work for them. And I met with 2 realtors. The first I met this morning to discuss what action I should take if I am serious about investing (ie getting pre-approved, squaring away debt, socking away some money for a safety net, etc). The second I met this afternoon to see some properties to establish what we could purchase in certain areas of the city for a smaller investment. It was when we were looking at a duplex that we met The Green Finch. He was trapped upstairs in the window, looking for a way out from the opposite window that he had flown in through. I tried to help him escape by trying to open the window but they had painted the window shut and I couldn't open it. However, it made him panic and he flew sporadically around and straight into a closed window. He seemed to survive but was extremely stunned and I left him to recuperate at the open window he had come in from. An odd experience for certain. Note to self should I be reincarnated as a bird that windows are paneful. (WHAT!? I COULDN"T HELP IT !!!! =P) Seriously though, folks, duly noted that when we panic or make decisions in haste or fear the desired outcome can be missed. Often we manage only hurt ourselves in the process of flailing wildly towards what we think is the goal. Stay calm and focused, make decisions only when we know where we want to go, how quickly we want to get there and fly freely towards the intended destination.

Mom got me a terrific sterling silver totem ring from Pender Island, made by Val Lancaster from the Namgis First Nation (a band from the Gulf Islands). It has a Hummingbird wrapped around it signifying energy, persistence, joy, sincerity, luck, spiritual healing and other great attributes. I have to say that I resonate with Hummingbird. I always do things [too] fast, run quickly from one thing to the next, have pretty high energy and am pretty tenacious. I feel like I understand this totem energy. It reflects me whether that's good or bad LOL !!!

Overall I feel really enthused about where potentially Life is headed. Specifically I feel encouraged about the potential that investing offers. Obviously there is risk involved in any investment regardless of which vehicle is utilized. The best you can do is educate yourself, investigate thoroughly, start slowly and cautiously to see if it works for you. In Winnipeg you can literally search the www.mls.ca website for properties under $100,000 and return 236 items. Evidently oil in Manitoba last year had the highest volume for production on record, yet Manitoba is not yet known as an oil province. (In fact when I read that link I had to laugh at the reporter even comparing teeny tiny Virden Manitoba to Calgary OMG LMAO!!! I think Virden has 30 residents...pulleeeez!!!!!) At any rate the real estate market gained the average Winnipeg homeowner a 15% raise in value this year over last (condos being the softest market overall) Perhaps Winnipeg has some strength over the Coastal provinces where sales have waned. Both Vancouver and Toronto have softened markets while Saskatchewan and Manitoba have maintained their sales if not increased values overall, with new construction and industry on the rise in Winnipeg this year.

Good for buyers that condo sales have stayed consistent and not escalated like single family homes have. Probably why I managed to purchase so affordably last November, and why buying one to rent out would be financially accessible and easy peasy....

Despite what I read on Garth Turner's blog I think there is some longevity in real estate investing. Especially in such an affordable city like Winnipeg where you can easily locate rentable condos and properties anywhere from $60-$160,000. Very feasible mortgages to carry. I would say probably 99% of rental units here require lease agreements as opposed to month to month rentals in BC. Leases are fabulous for landlords. Nothing like securing your rental income and stability from a tenant! Heck, I could become a slum lord here in NO TIME at all =)
There are some lovely blogs to read out there about real estate investing, such as the Million Dollar Journey which also has lovely information about the tax benefits of being said slum lord.
Basically it enables you (a) to build equity in real estate, of course, but WHILE you are doing so you are also able to write off these things:
* Mortgage Interest (from your annual statement)
* Property Taxes
* Insurance
* Maintenance/upgrades
* Property Management fees and some condo fees
* Utility bills (if you include them in the rent)
* Office supplies
* Car (if you do the property maintenance, to supervise or inspect your property,)
* Internet connection, telephone, cell phone (portion used for business)
I could use my computer for business- online banking, communicating with the tenant, yada yada and BLOG about my investments etc thusly making my computer a [partial] write off. As would be my internet connection (% for business use), office space in my principal residence (% of mortgage interest/tax/insurance and utilities), office supplies related to the business, domain and web hosting costs, any advertising costs and even travel (if it’s for the business).
My thoughts are to start dabbling in real estate investing by purchasing another small affordable condo in the Spring that I can sublet at a rental price that will cover rent/ condo fees/ property taxes and property management fees. From here (let's say next Fall) I would like to purchase a duplex, renting out the other half. If I were to make a 5 year plan I would like to say that in five years I would like to 100% sublet my duplex and my 2 condos and move on to purchase myself a principal residence. Long term, I have the ability to continue renting these units out or sell and reinvest in another vehicle.
The cons of real estate investing? These are market volatility, being a landlord... being a landlord and... did I mention being a landlord?! So much depends on the market and securing decent tenants. What if the interest rates skyrocket like in the 80s? What about having so much invested solely in real estate? How do I "balance my portfolio" (she said, wryly, knowing that the portfolio at this time consists of what... RRSPs and an RRPP?! Phht!) Still, this warrants further discussion and I plan to meet with a Chartered Accountant to see if this is worth creating a business plan for. Then... then I will rule the world!!!

September 2, 2008 ... For All Signs

A Libra Moon today indicates that creating order is the focus, through pleasing interactions with others and aesthetics in our environment. Libra's influence is especially strong now, with the Moon, Mercury, Venus, and Mars all in the sign. We tend to solve problems diplomatically and tactfully now. Balancing our personal desires with those of another is likely to figure strongly now. "Paralysis by analysis" could be an issue, as the tendency to weigh all perspectives and to consider all possibilities can leave us sitting on the fence, afraid to make a definite decision. Moderating, negotiating, and compromise are themes today.

I hear this, people. So many things to do but where to start? The condo work needs to start yesterday, as much as I enjoy washing dishes in the bathroom sink or tub. I should just pick a spot in here and get going. Perhaps today I will order drywall to be delivered (since sports cars aren't exactly useful for this ...) and strip the [terrible and tacky!] wallpaper off the walls that are going to have to be repainted. I have some scrap material to get rid of but will have to purchase some tools to break it all down so it fits in our condo garbage bins. The fun part is "redesigning" the space. I have some fantabulous ideas for organizing it all as we go along. While in BC I went to IKEA and picked up some lighting and storage items. The closest IKEA here is roughly 12 hours away, sadly. Had I taken a TRUCK or VAN with me I could have purchased my kitchen cabinets, sink (which at Rona here is priced at over 400 dollars), pull-out faucet (also considerably cheaper), countertop, heck- I could have REALLY loaded up! Regardless I saved a couple hundred on the lighting alone which I comparison shopped in Winnipeg for unsuccessfully. In fact one lighting store here LAUGHED at me when I told them the cost at IKEA and stated that there was no way they would be in the same price point, let alone close in cost.

I looked everywhere when I was there for Beaver Jalapeno Mustard, which I simply cannot locate here in Manitoba. I was going to pick up a few litres of Greek Salad Dressing from the Rendezvous Restaurant but they were CLOSED! Luckily they actually MAIL you their delicious salad dressing and apparently have international fans, sending their dressing as far away as England. I did manage to get 20 pounds of fresh juicy peaches (9 bucks!) and plums in Keremeos at the Mariposa Fruit Stand which never disappoints. In Sooke I picked up my favorite homemade hot pepper jelly; in Granville Island I found some lovely pickled beans by Glenwood Preserves and in Langley I picked up some Urban Fare Jalapeno Lime spread... yum! In fact I spoke at length with a Save On Foods Manager about their growth and company expansion and various aspects of their store operations. Apparently Save On may indeed work on breaking into the Prairie markets which would be great, especially if they can bring me all these foods that I just imported!!

Well, it was a lovely visit to BC. I literally ran around and saw as many people as I possibly could! The drive is not for the faint of heart. I happen to be DRIVEN (nyuk nyuk) in the first place and can manage to handle the 28 hour trauma of driving straight (with intermittent cat naps on the way, of course). So glad to be HOME in my own bed and in the Winnipeg summer temperatures. Today for instance... 34 degrees and sunny!! At home? Mild to cool, I would have to say. I froze my a$$ off in Cranbook at 11pm on the drive home getting gas at 7 degrees out with a chilling north wind. As expected it rained for 8 of the 10 days I was in BC. I wish somehow I could have the best of both- so where do I have to move to get that?!! Hmmm. Must think about that. Definitely love the 2 homes I now have; there are some great perks to both Canadian provinces. Maybe in November I will pine for BC a little more than right now!! *grin* Right now, it's good to be home in Friendly Manitoba (albeit minus the mountains, omnipotent pubs, the Pacific Ocean with it's huge new ferries and orcas (which I saw a few pods swimming and playing... VERY COOL), wild berries to pick, mild winters, familiar faces, White Spot and Lou's Grill... okay maybe I missed it a LITTLE bit...)
/*cries*...
...'Til next time, British Columbia!!
=)

In Jamaica things are Seriously Easy Going. Life is slower, but enjoyed. Things here are Seriously Slow Going. Not used to the Gulf Island life!! Doh! Not that it helps that it's been absolutely RAINING like anything (although at this moment there is a reprieve). Figures, since Winnipeg is enjoying a fantastic, tan-inducing heat wave and here I am trapped in the usual BC liquid summer weather. Makes it tough since 99% of what there is to do here on the island is outside. Yesterday in a few hours Mom and I hit all the artsy shops, visited the one mall (I use this term loosely- it's a strip mall of about under a dozen businesses) and essentially travelled the 13 mile-big island (or at least the six mile half that is South Pender). Too bad I didn't bring my USB cord for my camera phone or I would upload the photos... There are amazing artists here to be sure. I may in fact get in touch with my own artistic side and use the abundant time I have indoors to explore my own creative abilities. What the heck... I'd say something about making hay in the sunshine but somehow the saying doesn't quite add up!

Ok, this is backwards!! I travel from Winnipeg to BC only to find out that it is COLDER HERE... Argh, with the BC weather. In the 10 days I will be here literally ONE DAY is forecasted to have sun. Ah, but it is good to be back in the cloudy, moist, lush, green, populated Mainland. Filled with familiar faces, the old stompin places and the hectic, caffeine-fueled paces!! Yes, the home of soy, tofu, coffee, hemp necklaces, dreds, surf boards, organic and anything that is sundried, chemical free and not tested on animals. It's a place where driving is both War and Art- an aggressive dance between vehicles jockeying for their rightful place on Highway One. (Super great to have out of province licence plates as it gives me the right of way a wee bit more than normally!!)
Truth be told I feel somewhat out of place in BOTH provinces. I no longer feel like I belong here, and I don't quite yet feel like I belong there! Things here are somehow not like I remember. Everything is greener, trees are taller, grass is longer and I never noticed how much MEADOW exists everywhere. I guess I just got used to seeing Winnipeg landscape for the past year...
Nice to be here, though.
Good to see you, BC... good to see you!

Yesterday at work I had a cricket visit me. He had somehow found himself a way inside the warehouse, well away from any doors. He was chirping away down the hallway at closing and I could tell by the sound that he was definitely indoors! I was the only one around so I followed his noises, tip-toeing up to him while he sang. I spotted his little coat tails peeking out from under the wall, got a cup to put him in and transported him outside. All the way wondering what Cricket was trying to tell me! And here is his message:

The appearance of Cricket is your life heralds an awakening of sensitivities and finding light within the dark. Dreams become more clairvoyant. Trust in your intuition – it is more accurate than you believe. Make sure to stay grounded and balanced while exploring your intuition and psychic abilities. The appearance of Cricket might also be a reminder than you are using psychic powers without proper grounding. In China, the Cricket symbolizes a fighting spirit. In England, it is considered good luck to find a cricket on the hearth. Crickets were believes to be familiar who watched over and guarded the home's occupants.

Today for everyone......The Moon is in Capricorn until 6:57 PM EDT, and we are acutely aware of the need for structure and planning ahead. We are also instinctively are aware of the limitations of time. Nevertheless, the Sun in awkward aspect to Uranus early in the day can suggest some unexpected changes of plans or hard-to-pinpoint stresses. This afternoon offers us increased stamina and "emotional energy" with which to tackle realistic projects. The Moon enters Air sign Aquarius at 6:57 PM EDT and we open ourselves to new ideas, methods, and experiences.