Just For Today

For today, for what it's worth, life is good.

Have a great weekend, all.

Giving Thanks

Here's a little something I wrote last year about the Holiday Season, and well, I still feel this way so I thought I'd share it again. :)

Happy Thanksgiving to all - friend, foe, those I know, and those whom I do not. May we all have somewhere to be and have someone to love.

Love to all

***

This is the time of year when my very soul is enlivened by the delicious scents of cinnamon and pumpkin spice, when apple cobblers and pumpkin pies are baked in our homes, when cozy boots, sweaters, and scarves clothe us all, when Halloween, Thanksgiving (my most beloved holiday) and Christmas impend their promised magic, when luscious wreathes adorn inviting doors, pumpkins are carved and their seeds baked, and Christmas music fills the air. The weather cools promising snow angels and icicles for many, when geese leave for winter, when children giggle as they whisper their greatest of wishes to Jolly St. Nic, when homes are warmed by blazing fires, when candlelight flickers and glows in windowsills, when families walk under the night sky to enjoy the neighborhood's lights, when friends stop in to enjoy a glass of mulled wine or spiced cider, when family visits from afar, and when stockings are hung by the chimney with care. When New York City is jiving with rosy-cheeked ice skaters, when Salt Lake City bustles with excited reverence while it's lighted Temple is a beacon in the nights, when choirs raise their voices in joy and praise, when parents become suddenly secretive so as to hide their family's gifts, when life ~ even if just for a while ~ is cheerful and sweet. When we lay aside our cares and worries, when we create with gladness in our hearts the very magic the season is intended for, when we come home and warm the chill from our fingertips, when we watch a little longer the the giddy playing of bundled children outside, when we sip our cocoa and slowly savor the marshmallows just that much more, when pieces of candy canes stick to content children's smiling cheeks, and when we relax in our warmed homes while our children play in the golden and rusty leaves outside. When Halloween begs us to give a trick or a treat, when Thanksgiving reminds us what is really important, when Christmas brings it's resounding joy. When we bring glad tidings to those less fortunate than ourselves.

Oh how I wish this were so year 'round, oh how I wish. Until such a time, I will hold tightly to my season, to the cheer in which my soul so delights!

Because of One Great Man

Today is the National Day of Non-Violence. This is because it is also the celebration of Gandhi's birth. Two great days in a row: yesterday was Vegetarianism day, and today this. Awesome. Gandhi was my first Hindu inspiration. As previously noted, I feel very connected with all things Indian, but as Indian culture is not very prominent in the States, I hadn't heard of this great man until I was in my teens. Now that I study Hinduism and Indian culture more academically, I have found it to be a pleasure to get to know this man more. The most beautiful part to me is that his message didn't die with him. Through his courage and efforts he is known, and thus his message is known. The UN recognized Gandhi's contribution to the world and has codified this day to be a national day of non-violence. I think he would be most pleased even if it is only one day. It is a start in the right direction.

Michael Jackson (1958 - 2009), RIP

Michael Jackson (1958 - 2009), The King of Pop, was pronounced dead today, June the 25th, year 2009.

I don't quite know if I have the words to adequately express my feelings right now. I heard just moments after the pronouncement as I was sitting on my porch with my husband. I couldn't believe what I was hearing and went to look at news sites to see if indeed he had passed away. I was shocked to see that he had. I guess I would sum it up by saying simply that I am heartbroken. I feel profound sadness and love for his three fatherless children, I pray and hope that they are put into loving and protective hands and that they are comforted. For the rest of his family, the ones who truly loved him and don't just want to capitalize off of him even now, for his friends, of which I am sure he had many, and for his fans the world over such as myself.

I have been a Michael Jackson fan for what feels like my entire life. The year I was born was not but a few months after Thriller came out so from the earliest I can remember I knew and loved his songs. I remember wanting to marry him and being so in love with him. But weren't we all? Even news reporters themselves couldn't help but feel overcome and jubilant around him. I think Michael Jackson was magical, profoundly sad and hurt, immensely talented, and endlessly caring. I don't give a moment of credence to any of the horrible allegations he's been plagued with over the last decade of his life. He was a good man and by all accounts a fabulous father.

I am still shocked. I watched today as his body was transported from hospital to the Coroner's office - it was both surreal and numbing. Too bizarre, too sad to be real, to real to not be. I don't want to believe it, I feel like he was robbed of life for the last 50 years and had hoped that he could spend the rest of his days in as much peace as possible. I wanted to maybe, hoping against all hope, go to one of his only 50 last concerts (all of which were immediately sold out, however - big surprise!), and basically I just feel so sad for him. But at the same time I am also very grateful - for his influence of course in music and entertainment (he was the very best), and to his countless years and contributions to charities all over the world. He was and is truly one-of-a-kind, irreplaceable, always alive in our hearts and minds.

I will always love you, Michael Joseph Jackson. You are one of the few who will be immortalized, as you should be.You made an indelible mark on my heart and will always hold a place in it, as I know is true for your millions and millions of fans worldwide. May you finally know peace. God bless you, Michael.

My all-time favorite Michael Jackson song, Dirty Diana. We love you, Michael.

Papa, Daddy, Pops, Daddy-o

So of course, it's Father's Day. But! It is also the Summer Solstice. How cool! Two holidays in one!

But most importantly, a tribute to my father.

My Father

My father loved me, I knew it then and I know it now. But you may not have gleaned that by looking at his life and his own involvement in mine.

However, what I have learned as I've gotten older and considered my father's love, is that none of that really matters. Firstly, it is all in the past and thus is irrelevant. Secondly, what I choose to remember and focus on is what really counts. I choose to sift out the negative memories and feelings and focus on the good times and things I loved about my childhood and father. Though my time with him was far too short, I was able to spend time with him nonetheless and I am so grateful for that. One of my favorite things to do with my dad was dream about the life we were going to create for ourselves. He would describe my future room in detail and all the things he wanted to give to me, because the fact is, we were poor. I always was as a child, so when I went to live with him after the death of my mother, life was no different in terms of money and lifestyle. But despite this fact, I distinctly remember telling my father that we were rich. Because we had each other, and I truly believed that. I was just so happy to be with my dad that I didn't care that we lived in a house with eight other people, that we didn't have a car or new things or any money. My father would do what he could to make sure that I had a treat now and then, one of our favorites was ice cream. I fully blame my father for my addiction to ice cream that still holds on strong to my little soul today. We used to walk to our local market in Seattle to get a cup of the most delicious vanilla bean ice cream and I still remember how good it tasted. It came from a machine, which usually denotes nasty stuff that I would rather pass by. But this stuff was excellent, true vanilla bean with bits of the bean in the cream - what could be better? Anyway, we would pour a cup, walk around the store to eat it, fill it up again and pay for one serving. Fun.

I loved my father then and still feel the same today. If I could be guaranteed that there indeed is a heaven and that we will be reunited with loved ones, I would become a devout believer if for nothing else than once again be with my father and look into his eyes. He was the one parent who tried, who loved me. He ultimately sacrificed his own life for the sake of mine; how much more loving could a father be?

Happy Father's Day to all the good and devoted fathers today, including my husband - one of the best fathers I have ever known. His girls are so very lucky to have his love, time, patience, and example of what a good man is. I love you both, eternally and abundantly.

Hidy Ho

Ever since I began journaling, which was, oh, a bout 9 or 10 years ago, I have always wanted to immortalize what I consider to be important days. The first day of each month is that to me. So with today being the first day of June and all, I wanted to at the very least post on this date. There are some things that I could whine and gripe about, there are somethings that I could wax hopeful about, but, well, I am too whiny to bother... hopefully.

Instead I shall link to what I've been reading today. Tomorrow I'll post something more substantial.

CJane's new blog! (awesome!)
Otep talks about gay marriage.
GM files for Bankruptcy (duh?!)
Dick Cheney has a dirty little secret (what's new??)

EARTH DAY

Bon matin. In celebration of Earth Day, I am going 100% vegan, just for today, but it's my little way of doing more.

So, in accordance with my 24-hour diet, I thought I'd post my menu for the day and encourage you too to go animal-product-free today. :D

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Breakfast:

Smoothie:

* rice milk (preferable in smoothies)
* fresh papaya (stinky, but good)
* spirulina blend (powdered form)
* flax oil (Omega-3)
* frzn. strawberries
* frzn. pineapple
* frzn. mango

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Mid-Morning Snack:

Granola:

* rolled oats
* Golden Syrup (British sweetener)
* dried raspberries

Banana

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Lunch:

Salad:

* redleaf lettuce
* whole avocado
* half a Roma tomato

Dressing: "Liquid Gold"**

* 1/2 C flaxseed oil
* 1/2 C water
* 1/3 C lemon juice
* 2 T raspberry vinegar
* 1/4 C Bragg Liquid Aminos
* 1/2 C Red Star Nutritional Yeast***
* 2 t Dijon mustard
* 1 t ground cumin

** dressing courtesy of Becoming Vegan, an excellent resource book on veganism.
*** I buy my Nutritional Yeast in bulk at my local health food store, but this will work too.

Slice of my favorite bread.

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Mid-Afternoon Snack:

The Best Popcorn In The World (according to me :D )

* 1/4 C organic popcorn seeds
* 2 T Red Star yeast
* dash of Spike seasoning
* drizzle of warm veggie oil

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Dinner:

wholewheat rainbow pasta
tomato sauce (the usual: fresh garlic, bell peppers, basil, etc.)
vegan Parmesan cheese (Red Star yeast, whole sesame seeds - blend)

crook-neck squash
zucchini

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Voila! A day's worth of food that includes absolutely no cruelty! How about it? Wanna try it?

Happy Esther

History of Easter

Fifteen and Seven Years Ago

Two of the world's greatest Rock Stars died. Of course, that would be Kurt Cobain of Nirvana and Layne Staley of Alice in Chains.

Both of these bands are my all-time favorite rock groups. I spent the majority of my teen years rockin' out to Nirvana and have spent the last ten years since rockin' out to Alice in Chains, with the lucky and glorious opportunity to see them live in 2006 and hopefully at least once again before I die. It's on my bucket list, for sure.

I could go on to explain the whys and hows and the whatfors, but suffice it to say that they are legends, you don't need me to tell you that.

They will never be forgotten in the recesses of my mind, they will always fulfill a place in my heart that can't otherwise be filled.

Long live Rock-n-Roll!

It's A Beautiful Day

Hey, y'all. Just wanted to give any one out there reading the good news that has just been made fact to me: I am pregnant! Yay!

We've wanted to have a baby for some time and it's finally the right time for us. So at this point, I am going to finish up this semester, my summer class, and probably even do my first semester at university come fall since I am already accepted and ready to start. At that point, I'll get permission to get a deferment for maybe two semesters and start again once Baby is sitting up, etc.

We are overjoyed and very humbled by the task ahead.

Cheers, all. It's a beautiful day!


Oh, and by the way... APRIL FOOLS!!! :p

ERIN GO BRAGH

Before I start, I want to wish my father Michael a very happy 60th birthday today, and to anyone reading, please do me the honor of wishing my Pops a happy one. He was a great man, who like many of us, suffered more than his fair share but still held his head high in the face of adversity. Through trials and tribulations, he always loved me and I knew it. Whatever our fate after mortality, I hope that at the very least, he's in peace. Much deserved peace.

You will always live on in my heart, Dad. I will do my very best to honor you and live the life you were never able to live. I dedicate my degree to you - something I know you'd be so proud of. My Irish eyes always smile at the memory of you.

I love you, Papa. I love you...

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Now on to gayer events! Today, as you all know, is none other than St. Paddy's Day! A day when we Irish get to be vocal about the many things we have accomplished as a people. Not only those in Ireland today, but those of us here in the US and of course, of course our ancestors. Irish immigrants. More than 12% (just over 36 million) of the United States population can trace their ancestry back to Ireland. A great deal of the hard work it took to make America the country it is today was done on the backs of Irish immigrants in work such as canal building (Erie being the most famous), bridge building (Golden Gate again being the most famous example), railroad laying (the first transcontinental railroad prior to WWI), servitude, lumber work, civil construction, and so much more. Despite their hard work, it largely went unappreciated and Irish immigrants were discriminated against and harsh stereotypes were cast upon them, many of which I still hear today. Even though the Irish have been primarily Catholic since before our recent memories will allow, they were originally a Pagan peoples, as were most of the Western Europeans before the Crusades.

I raise my glass to my Irish family, to my Irish ancestors, all Irish peoples of days gone by of today and of tomorrow...

ERIN GO BRAGH

Friday the 13th - Ooooohh...

Of COURSE I'm doing a post about Friday the 13th, well, at least I'm posting ON Friday the 13th - not too sure I really have an expanse of knowledge about this silly day, actually.

Let's see. Some say mention of it dates back to the late 18th century, but is more commonly found in folkloric writings and media portrayals in the 19th century.

Well...

Basically, it's just a fun day to party. Much like the *SCARY* 06/06/06.... just a made-up day to have some fun. No significant meaning to either one. But April Fools Day is interesting too, but I'll save that for the actual day. Hey, I need blogging fodder too!

Cheers and have fun tonight. Do things I would do!! Bwahahahahaha!!!!