Wrapping Up 2010

There's been a blog delay while I got a few gifts together and did some baking this month. One of the major items was getting a dozen of my short stories online for folks to read if they wished; a couple friends and relatives have ereaders, so I was on a learning curve to set these up in downloadable formats. Anyway... (The Crazy Dozen @ http://pickledtales.com - one of my favorites is 'The Survey Taker Rides Again' and I think Jim will enjoy it.)

So - thoughts on 2010. A year ago in January I wood-burned a sign "It's Getting Weirder". I was right, and it still is. Between weather and Wikileaks, seems everything is more agitated. People's lives are fairly disturbed, too - finances are challenged, folks are moving around, and a bit of Active Instability occurring. This explains Matt getting divorced and married in the same month, a friend going through 4-5 jobs that didn't pan out, cars going ka-blooey, a close friend reappearing temporarily and disappearing thoroughly, a new friend stepping in that is seriously trying to take care of me ---- 4 kinds of chocolate and a back massage for Christmas... AND he read my short stories!

Just proves we're not immune to 'the weirdness' here, but learning to flow with it or stay centered (in the eye of the hurricane it's calm) is challenging - and no, I'm no good at this, either. That we're not battling severe floods or house collapsing or power outages or total chaos makes it easier. So much of the world is getting clobbered by extreme weather and it isn't letting up. We have a predicted 7 - 11 more inches of snow coming through New Year's Day, which makes me glad I put "the snow support" over my room - amen!

I know - a touch of spring fever already, looking forward to shoveling off the 'snow support' and sitting coatless in the sun. I shoveled the first round yesterday, so I'm thinking the current batch is Dennis's and Sera's to deal with. I've learned to drape a tarp over my car when the forecast suggests it; makes it a lot easier to clear the car when I'm ready. We're at the bottom of a lovely little hill that likes to challenge vehicles. I thought the plow-guy was being nice dumping sand, and then I realized he was stuck for 10 minutes and was dumping it to get himself out.

Now... did you know Coca-Cola owns Minute Maid? I just found out, though I am aware of these 'companies within companies'. I wonder how many of various products actually end up owned by very few companies, which do control our lives to some extent. Aren't we all glad Wall Street bankers had a banner year while minimum wage in some areas went up a dime? Folks are starting to clue in "there's something sour in our monetary system" but it's a tangled web intended to deceive. That Wall Street rakes in profits while states are going bankrupt is a symptom of the insanity. I doubt Wikileaks can share much on it that would surprise me.

This seems like a rather boring post, and I apologize if it seems so to you, too. I will share a little news blip: gent was 106 years old and gave up smoking. Hello, if he's made it 106 years without smoking killing him, then maybe it's not a good idea to switch now! Odds are his system will get confused and viruses will have a field day setting up shop, leading to his demise. This is an untested personal observation, but I've seen a few middle-agers quit smoking only to die within a few years from unrelated causes. Folks will suggest they should have quit sooner, but another possible conclusion is 'upsetting the apple cart' - a body is used to operating under set chemical conditions - habituated, if you wish - and a radical change could leave an opening for anything to develop. It's a bit like turning the soil in a field and leaving it for any opportunistic seed to grow.

I'm curious if Attitude doesn't affect one's health more in the long run; guilt and shame (socially levied) could wear a person into cancer, while 'a death wish' could strangle a person with alcohol or prescription meds (don't get me started on that one!) or suicidal driving. Stress eats people, regardless of personal habits. Case in point, my dad told me of a health guru on TV, wonderful gent in his late forties, looked like he was in his mid-twenties. 'Live' TV back then, and the guy had a heart attack and died on-air - go figure! Dad was about to change his evil ways but decided all that health-living wasn't all it was cracked up to be, lit up his pipe, filled his coffee cup and had a piece of chocolate. I suggest stressing over anything, including health, is BAD for you!

Now all I need to do is past this invaluable advice on to my supervisor and children and bill collectors... BTW, my supervisor quit smoking, has a good deal of stress related to this situation; I wonder how her health will be in a year (I know, blame the smoking, not the stress or attitude). If there's a healthy way to quit smoking, then it doesn't include Chantix - potentially deadly side affects and increased suicidal thoughts - or eating oneself into a grave. Well, how do you apply a negative and expect things to turn out positive?

That's a conversation I had with my sister. She's been 'fighting to quit' for some time - note the term, 'fighting'. Inner battle then, part of her seriously doesn't want to quit or she wouldn't be battling it continuously. I suggest folks don't beat themselves up over it because this is not a healthy approach! Your body and mind will hear your angst, and produce conditions to reflect it if you repeat it often enough. Ever wonder what the benefits are of getting sick?

A person doesn't think this way normally, but there are situations that 'generate ill health' - sometimes just so you'll take a break and not 'do what you didn't want to do in the first place' like burning yourself out on a job or holidays. Kid on crutches here has figured out, despite her ability to do pretty much anything she wants and hop around in all directions, that she can get folks to do it for her if she hangs a sad face on. I don't claim this is the only reason for ill health and I'd be absolutely wrong to do so; too many other influences, including possible past-life issues, to be this glib.

It just seems wise to ask yourself when a bug strikes, "What's the potential benefits of me being sick right now?" and answering honestly. Sometimes we all need a break but won't allow it until we're knocked flat and we can justify it. Sometimes we wear ourselves this thin with pressure before we'll surrender.

Sure, and there's a scene in The Celestine Prophecy series where he sprains his ankle; they ask him what the benefit is, and he indignantly denies any until he thinks about it some. It ties to a past situation in his youth and gives him time to think more thoroughly before proceeding in a given direction. He couldn't have done this without 'spraining his ankle', so he did. It could have been a fluke accident, but it was what he needed at the time.

Gads, reminds me of the lady that became fully paralyzed for no apparent reason, spent about a year 'doing nothing'... but thinking. Hard lesson, but what a change this must have brought into her life, hmm? Talk about losing control, letting others serve you, pondering this thing called Life in a way none of us would ever wish for! Considering I don't even sit still well, I'd have gone stark raving mad.

Personally, I'm wondering if my glasses are helping or hurting me. They keep upping the strength; I imagine this just encourages weaker vision in the long run, kind of like a cast on a leg weakens muscles. Actually, just high-top boots continously will weaken ankles, making it difficult to wear 'regular shoes' any length of time (happened with an ex-). In some possible universe, reducing the strength of glasses may help eyes 'get back to seeing', much like the boots above. I'm my own worst enemy on this; too much computer and tend to leave 'reading' glasses on while roaming the house. I'll have to give myself a stern lecture. I also think sometimes "we've seen too much" and our bodies adjust to serve this. A few interesting reports on hypnotism showed folks could read fine without glasses while 'under the influence' -- how can that be??

Great. I hope whatever 2011 dishes up, it's wonderful and enchanting and glorious. A piece of wisdom (from Celestine Prophecies, again) is: See Beauty. I try to remember this, but sometimes I have to stretch for it, like on a slick road on a grey day where the planet seems to be weary. I do know it does help relieve stress whenever a person can achieve this state. I bet it helps eyes see better, too!

I plan on writing this blog a bit more frequently in 2011, barring crises, major crisis, solar flares or other phenomenon. It's a little gift to those who read it. :)

I'd love to hear from others how they think 2011 will develop, because I have a feeling it's gonna get wilder. Wondering what others' gut impressions are and any suggestions for staying sane...

'Hugs as big as the blizzard' going out to all of you.