the goods: list 32

• "Within us / is the soul of the whole, / the wise silence, / the universal beauty, the eternal One." ~ Ralph Waldo Emerson
• today is a day all to myself. my parents, bro and the family dog got in a car this a.m. to travel back to their homes after full and festive days here in new england. today this: a morning walk in the wind and cold to the library and grocery store; a phone chat with Trish to check in and plan for meeting up tomorrow; loads of laundry; a string of sent e-mails, offering my thanks for holiday wishes and treats; an updated budget and paid bills; downloaded photos; and, this sitting here ~ stretched out on the red couch, wrapped in blankets ~ with the twinkle lights and a candle lit.
• time with sister*friends in the days ahead: meeting up with Trish tomorrow; celebrating d.'s 31st on the 31st; and, brunch with K. on the 1st.
• being a part of her "Dig List." i can't wait to SEE her in january!
• thinking about my word for 2010. i thought it was going to be "voice" or "clarity" and then days ago another word showed up and i think she might be the one for this new year. more about this later.

the goods: list 31

• a new opportunity to generate income (and do important work) as i continue to build my practice. so. very. exciting! what a ride this week was ~ from the time of last friday morning's first phone call to schedule a friday afternoon phone interview, the in-person interview on monday, the "pros" and "cons" list, the trusting self and the not trusting self round and round, the final in-person interview, the formal invitation, the working and re-working details to this morning's "yes, i accept!" cheers to '09 adventures. wow. what. a. year.
• "The grace that has seen you through thus far will see you through always." ~ Alan Cohen
• an excerpt from Karen Maezen Miller's new book, Hand Wash Cold: Care Instructions for an Ordinary Life:
• hosting a local Mondo Beyondo gathering on thursday night. honoring this time of year. sitting in the darkness ~ illuminated by candlelight, twinklelight and each others' voices ~ together; listening to words (words by her, her and another) about wintertime; and writing holiday cards/messages to ourselves.
• inHERview with Christine Chitnis.

the goods: list 30

• i opened my first holiday card of the season on monday. i heart mail. and, i heart holiday wishes slipped through my mail slot. i think mail is miraculous. when i receive this kind of mail, i imagine all of the hands that touched this treasure along the way. i think of each hand touching a piece of mail as blessing it in some way and when i receive it, grace, like rainbow jimmies, is sprinkled on top.
• this recipe.
• a phone interview this afternoon with an invitation for an in-person interview. i am being big. very big (a piece of my autumnal equinox vow). and, bRAVe, oh so bRAVe in this (my declaration/intention for 2009).
• the business card and letterhead order is in!
• "What in your life is calling you? / When all the noise is silenced, / the meetings adjourned, / the lists laid aside, / and the wild iris blooms by itself / in the dark forest, / what still pulls on your soul? / In the silence between your heartbeats / hides a summons. / Do you hear it? / Name it, if you must, / or leave it forever nameless, / but why pretend it is not there?" ~ Terma Collective
• an upcoming inHERview! stay tuned.

the goods: list 29

• by inches* post by Andrea Scher. a poem by Maya Stein. yes, to these words. "By inches, a change sneaks into you, even if it doesn't look like much."
• Chilly Cow Pumpkin Frozen Custard. i added another pumpkin good to my list of pumpkin favs.
• her glow.
• speaking the whole truth with a friend & letting the tears fall while she listened & listened & listened. thank you, K.
• it's almost time to listen to Jen Lee's, Solstice: Stories of Light in the Dark.
• christmas & holiday tunes.
• twinkle lights.
• this post by Heather, one of my fire*side beauties from Squam Art Workshops. Heather rocks!
• grace, a post by Jeanine. Jeanine included these words by Rumi in this post: "When you are so weak, give up to grace. / The ocean takes care of each wave / till it gets to shore."
• living in these words, the words of Anne Lamott, "All you could do finally was to just show up...as it turns out, showing up was the most important thing. Your there-ness, your stepping into their line of vision, was almost life-giving...So you showed up when it felt like the whole world was falling apart, and your being there said that just for that moment, this one tiny piece of the world was OK, was better. You didn't do anything; you were just there."

the goods: list 28

• winning Owl. lucky, lucky, blessed, blessed me. thank you for this offering, dear Pixie.
• waking sunday & simply feeling lighter & lightFULL.
• my friendship with K. she is one of the beauties i connected with fire*side at Squam Art Workshops in september. K. lives nearby. how did i/we get to be so very lucky? she is generous, wise, thoughtful, brave, talented...
• Rose Cousins. K. & i went to see her perform on sunday night. soulful, playful & inspiring. there was even a My Little Pony Cheerilee on stage with her ~ such fun! thank you, Jen Lee, for introducing us to her music.
• a visit from t. hours spent at the kitchen table. a late afternoon walk & a walk to dinner. receiving her latest cd (early! the cd release party is december 9th.). thinking of these words: "being unapologetically me."
• another Skype date with ab. such a treat to be a part of her 365 self-portrait challenge on flickr & to chat about hope*fully/yes*fully seeing her this winter!
• celebrating another friend's great leap into the unknown. it's wonder*full to have partners in the leaping!
• Heidi Swanson's photography.
• sending out 26 notes of gratitude.
• gathering with six other women at our monthly local Mondo Beyondo meet-up. sitting around a candlelit table sipping glasses of water & red wine. enjoying warming-in-every-way soup, salad & bread. "retiring to the living area" & reading to one another (this & more): David Sedaris; Patti Digh; Alice Walker; Edith Wharton; Vicki Forman; and, Shel Silverstein. i heart these gatherings.
• exploring The Pioneer Woman per A.'s recommendation. thank you, A.!
• a harvest meal at our home this saturday evening with at least 10 lovely beams of light. on the menu: turkey, gluten-free orange cornbread stuffing, soup, greens, roasted squash & sweet potatoes, brussels sprouts & gluten-free pumpkin bread.
• my inHERview with Susan Tuttle. read it here.

the goods: list 27

• The Charter For Compassion. listen & watch here; it is 2:10 in length. you will see the face & hear the voice of a dear interfaith seminary classmate; she appears for the first time at :18. sign the Charter here.
• a friday night birth*day celebration for roomie s. cozying up in the living room, watching a movie, nibblin' on popcorn & sweet spoonfuls of ice cream. tonight the celebration continues with game night!
• a wednesday afternoon & evening visit from a beloved. cups of tea in hand. she sitting on the center of my bed. me sitting on the wing chair. open heart speak & open heart listening. a reiki session for her. a walk to dinner. she treated me to her company & a meal at a local indian restaurant.
• my fam is journeying north for a new england christmas ~ a vision coming into being. they are staying in my home while the roomies travel elsewhere for the holiday. happy, happy me.
• my ticket is purchased. the tradition continues. i will travel south to the home of cherished ones the first weekend of december. we will be making christmas together.
• Pixie's words about owl. owl is one of my primary totems ~ perhaps my primary totem.
• this video by Kate:

Hail to the Good Things from Kate Swoboda on Vimeo.

the goods: list 26

• Companions for the Journey: A Voice and Story Retreat in NYC hosted by the warm, generous & true Jen Lee. i have been a follower & fan of Jen Lee's work for over a year. i purchased two copies of her Solstice: Stories of Light in the Dark cd last december ~ one for me & one for a treasured friend. in the winter i played The Portfolio Project game with Jen. and, this september i had the privilege of not only sharing a cabin with Jen at Squam Art Workshops ~ i also participated in her Story Weaving class. Jen is a gifted, soul*full & play*full being & teacher. if you hunger to speak, to tune your voice, to tell your story & to have that story be heard & held lightly in the light ~ this retreat will be the perfect place for you. register here. Jen has this to say about this retreat:
  There comes a time when you can be silent no longer. When the Self you've been ignoring is clamoring for your attention. When you are ready to stop clinging to what has been, and embrace a future that is calling to you.

  One in which you are seen, known, and still loved.

  You don't have to figure it out alone.

  It's time to find your voice. It's time to tell your story. It's time to have companions for your journey.

  It's time to come.

  February 25-28, 2010

• sunday dinner at home with my roomies + 1. vegetarian chili & gluten-free corn bread made with manchego cheese & scallions. conversations about our work, books, movies, history & herstories. apple crisp for dessert.
• Allowing dreams post by Susannah. i heart thinking of my commitments & dreams as children ~ protecting, nurturing, believing in & encouraging them.
• a thursday day trip to providence to visit with a goddess. a guacamole & chips, tortilla soup & cheesecake lunch; a walk along the river; and, mango tea at the bookstore. when i returned home ~ dinner, play & visiting time with a dear friend & his boy.
• conversations with beloveds about thanks*giving week & christmas*time plans.
• a saturday late afternoon/night date with a gorgeous, smart & silly 1.5 year old. this is what i am looking forward to today.

the goods: list 25

• clean sheets.
• my dear roomie, l.m., returning home after being away for three and a half weeks.
• my first Skype date with one of my fire*side beauties from Squam Art Workshops. awesome to SEE her. there will be more of this ~ much more of this!
• another Mondo Beyondo meet-up with local folks. magazines + scissors + paper + glue stick + the voices of six (five + me) fabulous women = mondo beyondo inspiration!
• halloween treats: receiving the best news ever during a two hour reconnecting conversation with a sister ~ one i have known & grown with for over two decades; a walk in the woods at Walden Pond with another beloved sister ~ receiving the whirling wind, the silence, the smiles, the tears, the being held by the great momma earth; chatting with my parents on the phone in the evening; and, a playful & sweet double feature with my roomie, l.m. ~ Mr. Magorium's Wonder Emporium & Waitress ~ with freshly baked chocolate chip walnut cookies & cappuccino ice cream.
• creating an altar in honor of bella for The Day of the Dead (El Dia de los Muertos). i am attending a traditional Mexican celebration of remembrance at a local cemetery tomorrow late afternoon/early evening ~ honoring bella, my maternal grandmother & others.
• the beginning of a new month. a favorite month. a harvest month. a thanks*giving month. this month there will be: creation, fulfillment, process, warmth, laughter, gathering, travel, learning, reading, writing & celebration.

the goods: list 24

• my first snow since leapin' north! um, yes, sunday, october 18th. october. mid-october. it's not even halloween yet. um, yes, i chose this. i did, i did!
• these words from The Art of Intimacy by Thomas Patrick Malone, MD & Patrick Thomas Malone, MD ~

  "If you walk on the beach, especially in a protected area...you experience a different ecosystem...That what you see is different, new, and strange to you heightens your seeing, and you feel an increased sense of connection to your surroundings. If you are out at night on that beach, you may look up and see a broad band of light sweep across the sky...You can actually see satellites go by overhead...nebulas and other galaxies. In short you see the night sky...Seeing it this way, you suddenly realize why earlier people cared so deeply about the heavens, why they named the constellations, why they charted the planets, why they looked at the sky. You feel how they could be connected, and sense how powerful an experience that connection is. In doing so, you connect yourself, in space to your stars and sky, and in time to your ancestors and descendants."

• tuesday tea dates with Trish.
• a recent 60 Minutes interview with Drew Barrymore. watch here.
• last friday i attended a fabulous yoga class at a gym in the city. it was exactly what i needed after a challenging/in my head/stuck/heavy week. getting back in my body, moving deeply & powerfully, being in a new landscape & with a kindred, on the mat to my left ~ was the perfect kind o' medicine. after leaving the class, feeling open & connected while navigating unfamiliar city streets to get to an appointment, a woman approached me as i stood at a crosswalk. she turned to me & said, "excuse me, may i ask you a favor?" i turned to her & said, "yes." she said simply & clearly, "please include in your prayers, Linda, a woman who has cancer." i looked directly into her eyes ~ beyond her eyes, even ~ and, i said, "yes. yes, i will." "thank you," she said. i am keeping Linda in my prayers. after this encounter i thought ~ what an awesome thing, to simply walk up to another being & make a request like this. yes, let's do more of this ~ ask such things of one another...if i may, ask you a favor ~ please keep Linda, a woman who has cancer, in your prayers...thank you.
• this book (found via Jeanine). read it here!
• love mail to a fire*side beauty & my beloved soul*sister, s. we go way back ~ back since high school.
• finding two scribblings on the sidewalk at dusk ~ they looked like angels wings to me.
• an updated playlist ~ scroll on down to the bottom of this page to have a look & listen.
• yesterday's inHERview with Helen of Dixon Hill. read it here.

the goods: list 23

• this courageous life ~ Kate Swoboda's personal website. she's a rock*star. in recent years i have followed her blog every now & then. it's inspiring to return to her words & work this week (thanks to this post by Vivienne) as her present journey is all about leaping & adventuring ~ as is my life.
• this post by Jen Lee. it's a post about dreaming & knowing & being bRAVe & creating a new life. i heart the reference to You've Got Mail ~ one of those movies that touches me in deep ways.
• i totally dug the Maine Roller Derby! i attended an intra-league bout on saturday night in portland, maine. it was engaging, colorful & energizing. watch a short documentary profiling the Boston Derby Dames here. along these lines ~ i am looking forward to seeing Whip It on friday night.
• speaking of powerFULL women (& films!) ~ i am anticipating the upcoming release of a movie entitled, Amelia, about Amelia Earhart.
• an upcoming inHERview with a "fire*side beauty"! [on the left side of this page you will find a list of some of my "fire*side beauties" ~ a collection of women i connected with at Squam Art Workshops, women i continue to commune with via phone, e-mail & in person.]
• this past sunday evening, as part of an annual heart*fest weekend in portland, maine, 12 people gathered around a table for a harvest meal after a day spent sailing, beach walking & downtown portland, maine exploring. i have known these 12 people for 34, 20, 3.5 & 2.5 years. the source of this heart*fest/harvest weekend is our bella. for the main course: a prayer of thanks; a cranberry walnut salad; roasted brussel sprouts, squash, beets, yams & onions; and, salmon. for dessert: a home*made pumpkin pie & two pies (mixed berry & apple) from the yummy Two Fat Cats.
• exploring the spirituality/spiritual practice of play. if you're interested, read more here.

the goods: list 22

an image taken tuesday afternoon when meeting a kindred ~ trish

• this is the goods list 22 & 22 is one of my fav numbers ~ it's my birthday day.
• winning a "Loved In All Things" necklace made by Jan. i won this treasure here. my 3 word "comment"/response to this question ~ what do i love the most about where i live? ~ was: how i feel. what do you love most about where you live?
• Susannah's video. find it here. if you want to catch a glimpse, a moment, of me ~ i am at 5:19.
• a friday night cuddled up on a friend's couch, me at one end & her at the other, stretched out, tucked under the same blanket, spilling wide open & receiving each other's words.
• an inHERview with Liz.
• time spent sitting around the kitchen table with my roomie dears. on saturday night it looked like this: freshly baked, star*shaped pumpkin bread treats to eat; cups of tea to sip; and, Holly Hobbie, school supplies, lunch boxes with mini canteens & favorite Halloween costumes to reminisce about.
• affected by this word: flourish. excavating what flourish means to me now as we have encountered one another along the path. i embrace her: flourish. such a lovely name. "To flourish is to bloom, to grow, to do the opposite of languish. And lately I've been struck by the link between flourishing and wishing. For isn't this the primal wish of every living being: to flourish? And in order to truly understand another living being - whether a little girl, an old man, a dolphin, or a lemon tree - isn't it necessary to know precisely what makes them flourish, as a genus, a species, an individual? Which is to say, isn't it necessary to know what they wish for?" from The Wishing Year by Noelle Oxenhandler. i wonder: what do you wish for? leave an "offering"/a comment.
• new books to read: & .
• hosting the first art*making night: an opportunity for friends & neighbors to gather in the presence of creative community & make art. a night filled with knitting needles, an iron, velcro, cups of tea, warm embraces, getting-to-know-you chatter & giggles.
• e-mail exchanges, a monday night phone date (next time: a Skype date!) & a sunday mornin' cafe date with my fire*side beauties. {find links to many of these wonders on the left side of this page.} they are keepin' me warm during this new season in my landscape & heartscape.
• packin' my li'l suitcase (the one bella named "pierre") for a heart*fest weekend in maine. such fun we will have! let's just say Roller Derby, gathering around a dinner table with 12 beloveds on sunday night & a light hike and/or beach walk.

the goods: list 21

• walking the path in my neighborhood at dusk & encountering a man on a bike singing sweetly, "la di di, la di dah", with two wee ones in tow.
• rereading an e-mail this afternoon & realizing a dear friend will be in town this week. calling her right away. tomorrow we have a play date at 3 p.m.-ish.
• connecting with local Mondo Beyondo class participants. a handmade (made with marker on construction paper) sign to greet me; a glass or two of wine; poster paper, magazines + glue stick; conversation & laughter; plans to get together again on october 28; and, a ride home with a new friend.
• my first monthly meeting with treasured beings with whom i attended interfaith seminary, who live in the area i now call home. opening prayer, checking in, open discussion, checking out & closing prayer. holding space for another & having space held for me by others = divine.
• collecting leaves, twigs & acorns for the autumnal equinox ceremony. gathering with a small group of women on friday night in my candlelit living room to honor what we've harvested this past season, give thanks for the abundance & name/claim our vows/intentions for this autumn season. my vow: to cultivate play, vitality & being big.
• magic: reading The Wishing Year by Noelle Oxenhandler. "...I want to say that a wish is a desire with something added. For while a desire can remain quite passive, latent, held within the realm of possibility. A wish, as I intend to use the word, takes aim. It tries to cross the threshold between the possible and the actual." ~Noelle Oxenhandler
• connecting nearly daily via e-mail with my "fire*side beauties", lovelies with whom i sat around many fires while attending Squam Art Workshops. see the list of many of 'em on the left side of my blog.
• spending most of this past sunbright saturday walking with my dear roomie, l. to the farmer's market & then the grocery. through our neighborhood & along the path.
• sunday night dinner with roomies, l. & s. sharing news, herstories, scrumptious slices of homemade bread, bowls of homemade butternut squash soup, warm chocolate chip cookies & cups of tea. i am one lucky, lucky girl.
• three phone calls with three women of three different generations with whom i used to work: nourishing, playful & celebratory.
• talking about my dear bella, telling her story, my story, our story - a love story that lives on & on & on... honoring her by connecting with this organization.
• tonight, tomorrow night & wednesday night: a string of phone dates with beloved sisters with whom i haven't spoken in weeks or months.

the goods: list 20

• an excerpt from a prayer entitled, "Earth Prayer", by Mark Nepo: "Let us live deeply enough / till there is only one direction... / and slow enough till there is only / the beginning of time... / and loud enough in our hearts / till there is no need to speak..."
• i am now in my new home after days & days of moving, lifting, traveling, unpacking & letting go of even more of what i no longer need. i live in a sweet three bedroom shared with two lovely 30-something women. it is a light-full, spacious, cozy & inspiring space. i am hugely blessed & wildly grate-full. did i mention i live just blocks - blocks! - from 2 homes filled with some of my beloveds?!
• a scrumptious & sunshine-y saturday morning at the farmer's market. in my bag from a local organic farm: kale, arugula, red onions, broccoli & green beans. yum!
• early morning walks through my new home*town & along the bike/walk/running path.
• making sunday morning blueberry pancakes to share with my roomie, l. receiving nourishment from the shared food, tea & unfolding conversation.
• the time & space to watch a movie in the afternoon & another at night on sunday night (snuggled under a blanket on the couch, candles lit & tea mug in hand with a roomie nearby).
• preparing for Squam Art Workshops.
• preparing for my next inHERview. so excited to post this at the end of the month!
• creating an autumnal equinox ritual.
• a new library card, three books - including this one - & one cd checked out.

the goods: list 19

• time spent this week with beloveds in this new landscape: at the beach on my birthday, making wishes & sending them out to the ocean; at the farm snapping photos & resting under an oak tree; on the sunporch sharing silence & sighs; around tables enjoying nourishment - food, wine, toasts & laughter - together; in the car singing tunes on our way to & from day adventures...
• enormous gratitude for this one month temporary home. my first landing spot in my leap north. a space inhabited by two generous beings. thank you, thank you, thank you, m + d.

• week 1 of Mondo Beyondo. what a colorFULL community! brilliant tasks, exercises & conversations are unfolding here - including: creating a list of my Mondo Beyondo dreams (dreams that enliven me!); listening to an interview with SARK (she spoke of her commitment to "what brings me the most joy" & inspired me to name what i'm committed to - alive & awake choices); being sent on a secret mission (spreading kindness); and, connecting with local peeps who are participating in the course (i want to co-create a local gathering of Mondo Beyondo-ers!).
• spending time yesterday with bella's favorite creature:

• an appointment in a square by the river to meet up with one of my lovely new roomies, sign the lease & ceremoniously receive the key to my new home. i move in on wednesday. so excited!
• tomorrow's train ride to be with my parents & bro for a few days.
• a friend went to the beach on wednesday & at one point during her day she set the intention to "find heart-shaped stones/rocks for gem." she found 5! 5 - all within reach of the chair she was sitting on! magic...
• honoring my sleep*less & sometimes turbulent nights, my anxious heart & my chattering mind. honoring my need for space & quiet; knowing it's okay that i haven't returned all those phone calls & e-mails. trusting that this - the whole of this - is an invitation. it is a part of this adventure & the greater adventure - being who i am precisely created/intended to be. all is well. i am well.
• Eugenia Last's "Astrological Forecast" on my birth*day: "...look to the future with optimism. Now is the time to make crucial changes that will set you up for the future. Positive action will bring results financially, personally and emotionally. Reevaluate and release what you don't need."

the goods: list 18

• on monday night, while conversing with a soul*sister, these lines from this song worked their way to me & whispered through me: "Peace in the struggle / To find peace / Comfort on the way / To comfort..." these words rose as my prayer for her. this week i have a long string of souls for whom i wish & sing this prayer. in particular, three college students - one who nearly lost his life, one who nearly took a life & one who was a witness. for them, their families & friends & for all of us, i sing & pray peace & comfort.
• the trailer to a movie entitled, Lemonade. watch here.
• Kindness Swap. i heart this idea!
• on wednesday night i found my new home space in this new geography. this find was pure magic. i move into my new home on or around september 1. there are so many gifts in this. including, being a 10 minute walk to two homes of beloved friends. lucky, lucky me.
• a 24 hour visit with family friends & my momma. my momma & i had a slumber party. such fun!
• this message from an excerpt entitled, "Aimlessness", in Peace Is Every Step by Thich Nhat Hanh: "There is a word in Buddhism that means 'wishlessness' or 'aimlessness.' The idea is that you do not put something in front of you and run after it, because everything is already here, in yourself...we do not try to arrive anywhere...If we keep thinking of the future, of what we want to realize, we will lose our steps...Each moment brings us back to life...By taking good care of the present moment, we take good care of the future." let us honor our steps. let us be brought back to life in this moment & this moment & ...
• sitting here at my desk, by the window, receiving the warm breeze & softening in the sunlight.
• thinking about the fall. fall in this new geography. cherishing summer.

the goods: list 17

• Megg's blog: More to Me.
• an excerpt of a commencement address given by Sue Monk Kidd & Ann Kidd Taylor. listen here. Ann's words speak to me: "The novelist John Gardner suggested that the true search in life is for one's 'necessary fire.' I believe he was referring to the genuine, inborn desire in one's heart - the one that feels required, as if it is part of your purpose for being here. Your necessary fire is an endeavor that holds the possibility to bring you alive, but also one with which you have a deep compatibility, a true affinity." what is your necessary fire? Sue & Ann's new book, Traveling with Pomegranates: A Mother-Daughter Story, will be published in the fall.
• as part of my daily morning practice, i read an excerpt (one a day, a vitamin of sorts) from Thich Nhat Hanh's work, Peace Is Every Step. this morning i underlined these words in the passage entitled, "Walking Meditation", "Walk as if you are kissing the Earth with your feet." and, these words, "Every step makes a flower bloom under your feet."
• i am reading, often in the moments before sleep, Everyday Spiritual Practice. this work is a collection of essays on spiritual practice written by various writers & edited by Scott M. Alexander. always words & phrases like these resonate & delight: "connected"; "sense of oneness"; "to know our place and our value"; "essence"; "continuous play of creation"; "appreciation"; "using all of our senses"; "feeling the ground"; "dedicate"; "flow"; "cradle"; "whispering"; "observe"; "miracle"; "practice"; "impeccable"; and, "deep currents."
• feeling at home in the north. grateful for my proximity to dear, dear friends - friends with whom i feel at home. in particular, three women, two men & two wee boys. i feel lucky. so lucky. and, cared for. and, hopeFULL.
• with most of these dear, dear friends (see above) i spent the weekend exploring this new geography. by the ocean. in the sunshine one day & underneath a heavy blanket o' clouds the next day. walking. driving. laughing. tearing. making alive & awake choices. speaking. listening. hugging. holding.
• these are my prayers & intentions for the week: listen for the heartFULL "yes!" live conscious. schedule my days. be powerFULL. speak the truth. create.

the goods: list 16

• this post by Jamie Ridler. i am imagining that anything is possible.
  
• this post by Jen Lee. her words, "I am going as myself."
• this on-line course by Jen Lemen & Andrea Scher! i signed up for the inaugural class - a happy birth*day present to me. i've been waiting for this course & it's happening at the perfect time.
• by the time this post is posted the big move (putting things in temporary storage) & all those details & the string o' choices & questions related to physically/literally moving things will be complete.
• i am totally in awe & grateFULL for what i've been learning & practicing these hours, days, weeks & months of this year: allowing the energy to flow & move forward. i am bearing witness to what allows for flow & what alleviates & eliminates stuckness: powerFULL. the whole of this - choosing to leap north, creating new home & work; living; learning; and, loving - connects to the words i chose for 2009: bRAVe in this.
• my inHERview with danielle marie.
• rice pudding. 'been lovin' this lately...
  
• breakfast. having breakfast for breakfast, lunch or dinner.

the goods: list 15

• a notecard from a beloved sister received last monday evening. her words, "lighting the way." and, Roderick MacIver's words on the front of this notecard, "So much of the satisfaction in life is in taking a risk for the thing you love."
• What would you ask for? post at my topography. today i am asking for: help and support as i prepare to move; a healed, strong and well body; loving partnership; calm and ease; a lightFULL, comfortable and inspiring home space; and, work that delights me and calls for me.
  
• inspired by this post by Andrea Scher, i am asking this question: what am i paying attention to (and, what will thrive with the attention given)? being in my body; spirit's guidance; listening to my heart; inspiration; movement; rest; love; and, ease.
  
• Marianne's Stepping Out (and in to what she knows she needs to do).
• stumbling upon these words in a seemingly unlikely place (an ad in a newspaper on a table next to the photocopier in the office supply area at my work): "trust is everything."
• reading about this Norwegian custom here: lighting a candle when someone comes to visit your home. how sweet this is.
• walking by a bridal shop on 13th street on thursday afternoon and seeing a woman trying on her wedding dress.
• summer sunSHINE! after so. much. rain.
  
• this song.
  

the goods: list 14

• two of my current anthems: Right Outta Nowhere by Christine Kane & Hold It Up To The Light by David Wilcox. "Right outta nowhere / You open your heart / And believe in everything / You're going somewhere / And all you need to know / Is that you're free..." (Christine Kane). "It's the choice of a lifetime - I'm almost sure...This far it feels so right / I will hold it up - hold it up to the light" (David Wilcox).
• "Staying with our bliss, our calling, over the long haul has in fact brought me and Vivian our happiness. And that means staying with it in times of unhappiness. Riding out the storms, the times of bewilderment, and hanging on and staying with it...It will happen...We need to allow things the time to come into their own. To their moment of flowering, of opportunity, and to be there and intersect that opportunity, to be taken and lifted by that opportunity onto the next one, which will then include the next dark time. Probably. No doubt. There will be more bewilderment. / It requires a surrender to the call. And the call is both graceful and demanding. It requires wholeheartedness. That is the key. It is the opposite of energy leakage, of things drifting off or being bleached away or being stolen from you. Energy leakage is the opposite of wholeheartedness. It is whatever drags me down and sideways and steals my energy. It steals my devotion. Devotion is wholeheartedness." - Fritz Hull (interviewed by Rod MacIver, Heron Dance, Issue #35, Summer 2002)
• 
  
• hours with my bro yesterday evening & night. he worked on repairing my pc laptop for hours & hours, even after i tucked myself into bed.
• this evening's collage making. creating a whole of pieces. the words, "It's all about connection to what really matters." and, these words: "source" & "love" & "home" & "magic" & "shine on" & "thank you." these images: a butterfly, a heart, a girl cartwheeling in a field, a sparkly fish, the beach, a ladybug & a leaping frog.
• today's sunlight.
• listening to a mix made for me by lovely t. sweet*ness.
• thinking about what i value after reading this by Magpie Girl. on my values list: connection, partnership, creation, wellness, healing, presence, beauty, simplicity, service, awe & magic.
  

the goods: list 13

• wednesday night's teleseminar with Christine Kane. topic: "5 Major Mindset Shifts for Taking [My] Life to the Next Level this Summer." some notes/reminders: intend my week; know my vision; "in my perfect & effortless life - who am i being?"; "if it's not a 'hell yes' it's a 'hell no'"; "energy flows where attention goes"; eliminate "attention splatter"; and, "experience completion."
• a friday afternoon nap.
• saying, "thank you, thank you, thank you" - face to face, heart to heart - to the abundance of generous beings here, in this city, who have made the biggest, life-saving difference to me all of these years...
• watching season 1 of Bones on hulu & dvd. i heart the characters.
• receiving a text from a wyoming love: "Thinking of you, my friend. Hope you're well. Love you."
• receiving an e-mail from a sister: "all will unfold in absolute Divine perfect order." this is one of my mantras these days.
  
• creating a cleansing, joyful & magical summer solstice ritual for saturday, june 20th.
• Vivacious Photography
• sitting across the table from a friend, sipping iced teas, witnessing & acknowledging how incredibly awesome he is. passionate, talented, committed, healing, brave, awake, alive - himself. he is truly a rock star. it's been a gift to be a big sister to him these years & offer him the cherished treasure of being seen & understood.
• listening to Sinead Lohan.
• Away We Go - funny, touching & sweet.