Blessings of Enlightenment

So you met his family and the wedding is off!

2008-07-24T13:10:00Z

Your new love seems perfect and for the last 6 months everything has been wonderful but last weekend you met his family and boom just in an instant the rose colored glasses have been shattered! You hate them! They are crude and ignorant or snobby and selfish, or his sister watched you all night like you were going to steal the china; his son from his first marriage (who lives with his Mother now) was a demon and his Mother...his Mother was from a nightmare you once had.

What do you do now? You are telling yourself that it will be okay because once you are married you can get him to move to another location and you will never have to see them except twice a year...not...I just don't think that is going to happen for separating someone from their parents is extremely difficult. First of all he adores his Mother probably because he has entrusted her with raising his son and his only sister is his best friend.

If you have seriously considered dropping him and running away that may be a little extreme also.

You have to have a serious conversation with yourself and really examine why you had such an adverse reaction to the family and list everything that was offensive to you. Look at each thing carefully and see if perhaps some of the reaction was due in part to your fear of the unknown and you expected them to be terrible even before you got there. Maybe they were more afraid of you and what you might be doing to their loved one. Perhaps they have seen him hurt before and think you are another gold digger out to destroy him.

Sometimes the things we see in others are just reflections of our fears and we can deal with them if we look at them and the reason's behind them.

Take the time to have a talk with your intended and let him know that you have reservations about fitting in with his family. Ask what does he suggest you do to overcome those fears and make inroads to understanding what to expect from them in the future.
Sometimes, though it is rare, you might be surprised to know that he may feel exactly like you do about his family and he may understand totally that they are a pain in the behind! Do your best to let him know what your boundaries are and that you expect him to help you with negotiating with his family and making peace in the future. Sometimes it just takes a little time to really find out what the dynamics are in a family situation also.

Be open with him and try to work through your reservations before taking the next bus out of town.

I remember only too well the first time I met my husband's family. I was from California and working in a good job with a fair amount of sophistication or so I thought at the time. I was not prepared for a family who lived in rural Ohio and who thought everyone from California was demonized or worse. They already knew I was ten years older than their baby brother and that was bad enough. He was from a family of 11 brothers and sisters who I thought were born in the dark ages. However I grew to love my Mother-in-law and even tolerated her smoking a pipe! The first time I saw that I about lost my cookies! The brothers were easy to win over but his only sister was a piece of work and it took me ten years to get used to her ways. His family taught me so much about honor, loving, support and unconditional love that now I wonder why in the world I was so afraid of in the first place.

You can work through the family dynamics if the love for each other is strong and you work together to resolve the problems. You must never, ever let him know however you think his Mother or his siblings needs mental help even if it might be true!

Blessings to you and good luck with all your endeavors this week. Keep smiling and maybe the next time you connect with "the family" it will not be so traumatic.

Rosie

I will be online from early morning until late at night this week and if you see that the “away” or “arrange a call” sign is by my listing please know that I have probably just stepped away from my computer and will get back to you ASAP. If you cannot find me on the listing (I think I am somewhere on page 999999) then please type in ROSALEA in the "search for an advisor space" or use 1-800-Ask-Keen and the extension 01888797 to call me.

Making Herbal Vinegars!

2008-07-23T17:12:00Z

Today I wanted to share with you a project that I do every year and one that I love doing. When my fresh herbs are at their peak in the garden I begin gathering tarragon, basil, lemon balm, dill, and coriander to make my herbal vinegars which I give in gift baskets at Christmas. This year I purchased some really pretty bottles online and I can hardly wait to fill them.

I begin the process with of course washing the herbs well and slightly bruising each batch before filling a quart size canning jar. You must have an acid proof lid to put on the jar when finished.

I sterilize the jars and place them on a clean cloth while getting the herbs together. I also measure sufficient vinegar to warm slightly in the microwave. Make sure you warm the vinegar and don't get it hot for if you get it hot it breaks down in flavor. Measure enough for 3 jars at a time then proceed with filling the jars with herbs as the vinegar warms. I usually only warm it for 2 to 3 minutes depending on the microwave power that you have. I use a little puny microwave and it just takes a minute or two to warm the vinegar sufficiently. You want the sun to warm your vinegar each day also so make sure you have a sunny place to put your jars. I put my jars on the screened in porch window and they do fine.

Fill your jars with the combination of herbs you like. For a lovely tarragon vinegar I put tarragon, a clove of garlic (sliced) for the first day and then I cover the herbs with warmed (not hot) cider or wine vinegar.

I have used white vinegar but the results are just not as good. After covering your herbs with warmed vinegar then cap and put in a sunny window.

For the tarragon vinegar you should remove the clove of garlic you put in on the second day and replace it with two fresh cloves that you will leave in the vinegar for two weeks. You will need to shake daily for two weeks and test for flavor.

If you want a stronger flavor then strain the vinegar and add fresh herbs until the desired strength is obtained. With tarragon I usually will strain and add fresh herbs after two weeks because I like the stronger flavor.

I make fruit vinegars the same way and red raspberry vinegar is to die for! It has a wonderful flavor and I always use wine vinegar when preparing my raspberry vinegar.

Some of my favorite herbs for vinegars are: Basil, bay, chervil, dill leaves, fennel, garlic, lemon balm, marjoram, mint, rosemary, savory, tarragon and thyme.

Favorite flowers for vinegars are: Carnations, clover, elderflowers, lavendar, nasturtiums, primroses, rose petals, rosemary flowers, thyme flowers and most favorite of all sweet violets.

Blended vinegars can be made with all of the above herbs and use your imagination and taste to create your own speciality.

You can add seeds like carroway, anise, celery, coriander, cumin, dill, salad burnet and garlic cloves to enhance the flavors of your special vinegars also.

After your vinegars have reached the proper strength you can strain them through cheesecloth one last time before putting in your sterilized decorative bottles and jars. You can sterilize your bottles quite well in the dishwasher.

You can make wonderful herbal oils in the same manner. I use safflower and olive oil only to cover the herbs so avoid strong tasting oils. When you are making herbal oils you cover the jar with cheesecloth and allow to steep in a sunny window for two weeks then strain the oil and check the flavor. If it is as strong as you like then strain again and bottle. If not strong enough then pour the strained oil over another batch of fresh herbs.

Herbal butters are a lovely way to add the full flavors of fresh herbs to savory snacks and dishes. Spread on toast and crackers and use the butters to spread on grilled fish and meats for a special piquant flavor. I love herbal butters on fish baked in the oven also.

I hope you will take the time to try your hand at making wonderful vinegars for your salads and for gift giving. It is a wonderful practice and they look so gorgeous in beautiful bottles especially the raspberry vinegar.

Blessings of joy to you this day and I hope you love the vinegars.

Rosie

I will be online from early morning until late at night this week and if you see that the “away” or “arrange a call” sign is by my listing please know that I have probably just stepped away from my computer and will get back to you ASAP. If you cannot find me on the listing (I think I am somewhere on page 999999) then please type in ROSALEA in the "search for an advisor space" or use 1-800-Ask-Keen and the extension 01888797 to call me.

Keeping it in Perspective!

2008-07-23T12:49:00Z

Good Morning from the soggy mountains this morning. We had a storm last night that washed the earth clean and everything smells fresh and new this morning. I am keeping those who are in the path of the newest hurricane heading towards Texas and Mexico in my prayers. I hope all will take precautions and move to shelters before the worst of the storm arrives.

The storms this year have devastated so many and sometimes even I complain (especially when the rain and lightening are banging on the roof) that I am sick to death of the storms. I forget very easily that there are those who have lost everything they owned this year due to the stormy weather and flooding. I am grateful that I have been spared this day and pray all of us will be spared from any further disasters.

I think we all have a tendency to dwell on our own problems of the day and forget to view the bigger picture. When we encounter a seemingly serious (but maybe very common) human problem, it is always tempting to blow it completely out of proportion and turn it into a major drama and stumbling block that will paralyze you with fear and stop you from moving forward.

Life wrenching issues like divorce, cancer diagnosis, loss of a loved one are huge in our perspective but in the grand scheme of life and human existence, such problems are very commonplace and happen everyday.

When you fall prey to the fear what one of life's wake up calls will bring to your doorstep take time to consider a larger reality if you can and use that as a means of regaining your perspective. When you develop the right perspective all problems become solvable or acceptable.

This morning while I was complaining about the damage to our roof from the lightening storm last night I stopped for a time and reflected on those in New Orleans, the Midwest and now those who are facing the hurricane in Texas and it pulled me back into the right perspective and I could say "well it could have been worse"!

You may ask "what could be worse than death?" Death might be a striking blow from the perspective of your individual ego, but it’s about as common as you get. Everything that’s alive here on earth eventually dies. Plants die. Animals die. People die. Even the people you know right now. And even
you.

If your relationship is ending or you are contemplating divorce you probably are thinking that there is nothing worse than this that can happen to you and at the moment it feels like the truth.

However when you look at the big picture the reality is that most marriages end in divorce. The ones that last seemingly forever are very few and far between. Furthermore, many of the relationships that don’t end in breakup or divorce certainly aren’t happy and fulfilling for the couple. They may have been genuine soulful partnerships once, but now they’re just living arrangements; the separation has already occurred in the couple’s hearts.

Keeping perspective is difficult and when you get caught up in your own ego then it's easy to lose perspective. When you catch yourself doing this, take a step back and see how your problems appear against the larger backdrop of human existence. Even a seemingly serious problem like a death, divorce, or disease is only a minor speck in the grand scheme of things.

Our personal problems can be compared to icebergs. About 5% of them can actually be seen by others in our external reality. The other 95% remain in our imagination. Unlike real icebergs, your imagined portion is subject to your conscious control. You can feed your problems with fear and turn them into gigantic threats, or you can shrink them by broadening your perspective. When you artificially inflate your problems, you reduce your ability to solve them. But when you shrink them in your mind, they soon become relatively easy to either solve or accept.

I know that this sounds like simplification and denial but it is more than that. When we take the drama out of our problems and put them in the correct perspective then they can be handled one minute and day at a time.

Lessons in life are there to teach us to be problem solvers and to learn to love. We need to know in our hearts that when we look at our problems from the heart and handle them like they were minor glitches in the world they become easier to deal with each time we encounter another major lesson.

Blessings to all this day!

Rosie

I will be online from early morning until late at night this week and if you see that the “away” or “arrange a call” sign is by my listing please know that I have probably just stepped away from my computer and will get back to you ASAP. If you cannot find me on the listing (I think I am somewhere on page 999999) then please type in ROSALEA in the "search for an advisor space" or use 1-800-Ask-Keen and the extension 01888797 to call me.

Pelagra and BeriBeri and how they relate to Anorexia

2008-07-22T12:57:00Z

This is the second blog today that I have created that covers anorexia and other eating disorders. I wanted to define for those who might not know two diseases that sometimes complicate and accompany eating disorders. The first is Pellagra:

Pellagra is a disorder brought on by a deficiency of the nutrient called niacin or nicotinic acid, one of the B-complex vitamins.

Nicotinic acid plays a crucial role in the cellular process called respiration. Respiration is the process by which nutrients (specifically sugar, or glucose) and oxygen are taken in, chemical reactions take place, energy is produced and stored, and carbon dioxide and wastes are given off. This process is absolutely central to basic cell functioning, and thus the functioning of the body as a whole.
Niacin is a B vitamin found in such foods as yeast, liver, meat, fish, whole-grain cereals and breads, and legumes. Niacin can also be produced within the body from the essential amino acid called tryptophan. Dietary requirements for niacin depend on the age, gender, size, and activity level of the individual. Niacin requirements range from 5 mg in infants up to 20 mg in certain adults.

Pellagra can be either primary or secondary. Primary pellagra results when the diet is extremely deficient in niacin-rich foods. A classic example occurs in geographic locations where Indian corn (maize) is the dietary staple. Maize does contain niacin, but in a form which cannot be absorbed from the intestine (except when it has been treated with alkali, as happens in the preparation of tortillas). People who rely on maize as their major food source often develop pellagra. Pellagra can also occur when a hospitalized patient, unable to eat for a very prolonged period of time, is given fluids devoid of vitamins through a needle in the vein (intravenous or IV fluids).
Secondary pellagra occurs when adequate quantities of niacin are present in the diet, but other diseases or conditions interfere with its absorption and/or processing. This is seen in various diseases that cause prolonged diarrhea, with cirrhosis of the liver and alcoholism, with long-term use of the antituberculosis drug called isoniazid, in patients with malignant carcinoid tumor, and in patients suffering from Hartnup disease (an inherited disorder which results in disordered absorption of amino acids from the intestine and kidney).
Pellagra causes a variety of symptoms affecting the skin; mucous membranes (moist linings of the mouth, organs, etc.); central nervous system (including the brain and nerves); and the gastrointestinal system.

The classic collection of symptoms includes redness and swelling of the mouth and tongue, diarrhea, skin rash, and abnormal mental functioning, including memory loss. While early patients may simply have a light skin rash, over time the skin becomes increasingly thickened, pigmented, and may slough off in places. Areas of the skin may become prone to bacterial infection. The mouth and tongue, and sometimes the vagina, become increasingly thick, swollen, and red. Abdominal pain and bloating occur, with nausea and vomiting, and bloody diarrhea to follow. Initial mental changes appear as inability to sleep (insomnia), fatigue, and a sense of disconnected-ness (apathy).

These mental changes progress to memory loss, confusion, depression, and hallucinations (in which the individual sees sights or hears sounds that do not really exist). The most severe states include stiffness of the arms and legs, with resistance to attempts to move the limbs; variations in level of consciousness; and the development of involuntary sucking and grasping motions. This collection of symptoms is called "encephalopathic syndrome."

Diagnosis is purely based on the patient's collection of symptoms, together with information regarding the patient's diet. When this information points to niacin deficiency, replacement is started, and the diagnosis is then partly made by evaluating the patient's response to increased amounts of niacin. There are no chemical tests available to definitively diagnose pellagra.

Pellagra has been associated with Anoxeria recently and has been identified as one of the contributing factors in early deaths associated with that disease.

Treatment of pellagra usually involves supplementing the individual's diet with a form of niacin called niacinamide (niacin itself in pure supplementation form causes a number of unpleasant side effects, including sensations of itching, burning, and flushing). The niacinamide can be given by mouth (orally) or by injection (when diarrhea would interfere with its absorption). The usual oral dosage is 300-500 mg each day; the usual dosage of an injection is 100-250 mg, administered two to three times each day. When pellagra has progressed to the point of the encephalopathic syndrome, a patient will require 1,000 mg of niacinamide orally, and 100-250 mg of niacinamide by injection. Once the symptoms of pellagra have subsided, a maintenance dose of niacin can be calculated, along with attempting (where possible) to make appropriate changes in the diet. Because many B-complex vitamin deficiencies occur simultaneously, patients will usually require the administration of other B-complex vitamins as well.

Untreated pellagra will continue progressing over the course of several years, and is ultimately fatal. Often, death is due to complications from infections, massive malnutrition brought on by continuous diarrhea, blood loss due to bleeding from the gastrointestinal tract, or severe encephalopathic syndrome.

The second disease that should be addressed if you are dealing with someone who is in the advanced stages of an eating disorder and that disease is called Beriberi.

Beriberi is caused by a lack of thiamine (vitamin B1). It is common in people whose diet consists mainly of polished white rice, which is very low in thiamine because the thiamine-bearing husk has been removed. It is also seen in chronic alcoholics with an inadequate diet, as well as being a rare side effect of gastric bypass surgery. If a baby is mainly fed on the milk of a mother who suffers from thiamine deficiency then that child may develop beriberi as well.

The disease was often found in Asian countries (especially in the 19th century and before), due to those countries' reliance on white rice as a staple food. Beriberi is a nutritional disorder caused by deficiency of vitamin B characterized by damage to nerves and heart; general symptoms include loss of appetite and feeling of lassitude.

Its symptoms include weight loss, emotional disturbances, impaired sensory perception (Wernicke's encephalopathy), weakness and pain in the limbs, and periods of irregular heart rate. Edema (swelling of bodily tissues) is common. In advanced cases, the disease may cause heart failure and death. It may also increase the amount of lactic acid and pyruvic acid within the blood.

Wet beriberi affects the heart; it is sometimes fatal, as it causes a combination of heart failure and weakening of the capillary walls, which causes the peripheral tissues to become edematous.
Dry beriberi causes wasting and partial paralysis resulting from damaged peripheral nerves. It is also referred to as endemic neuritis.

Treatment is with thiamine hydrochloride, either in tablet form or injection. A rapid and dramatic recovery within hours can be made when this is administered to patients with beriberi, and their health can be transformed within an hour of administration of the treatment. Thiamine occurs naturally in unrefined cereals and fresh foods, particularly fresh meat, legumes, green vegetables, fruit, and milk.

Christiaan Eijkman, a Dutch physician and pathologist, first demonstrated that beriberi is caused by poor diet. His work led to the discovery of vitamins. Together with Sir Frederick Hopkins, he was awarded the 1929 Nobel Prize for Physiology or Medicine for the discovery.

General references

American Dietetic Association, 216 W. Jackson Blvd., Chicago, IL 60606-6995. (800) 745-0775. 〈http://www.eatright.org/cdr.html〉
Angstadt JD, Bodziner RA: Peripheral polyneuropathy from thiamine deficiency following laparoscopic Roux-en-Y gastric bypass. Obes Surg 2005 Jun-Jul; 15(6): 890-2
Alan Hawk. The Great Disease Enemy, Kak'ke (Beriberi) and the Imperial Japanese Army, Military Medicine, Apr 2006 .
Diagnosing Beriberi in Emergency Situations, by Prof Mike Golden, Aberdeen University. (n.d.)
Neil McIntyre and Nigel N. Stanley. Cardiac Beriberi: Two Modes of Presentation. British Medical Journal. 1971 September 4; 3(5774): 567–569.
Mouly S, Khuong MA, Cabie A: Beri-Beri and thiamine deficiency in HIV infection [letter]. AIDS 1996 Jul; 10(8): 931-2
Shivalkar B, Engelmann I, Carp L: Shoshin syndrome: two case reports representing opposite ends of the same disease spectrum. Acta Cardiol 1998; 53(4): 195-9
Jeb Sprague and Eunida Alexandra. Haiti: Mysterious Prison Ailment Traced to U.S. Rice - Inter Press Service (IPS). 17 January 2007.
Weise Prinzo Z, de Benoist B: Meeting the challenges of micronutrient deficiencies in emergency- affected populations. Proc Nutr Soc 2002 May; 61(2):251-7

Blessings of Enlightenment to you this day!

Rosie

I will be online from early morning until late at night this week and if you see that the “away” or “arrange a call” sign is by my listing please know that I have probably just stepped away from my computer and will get back to you ASAP. If you cannot find me on the listing (I think I am somewhere on page 999999) then please type in ROSALEA in the "search for an advisor space" or use 1-800-Ask-Keen and the extension 01888797 to call me.

Anorexia and Vitamin Supplements

2008-07-22T09:18:00Z

Good morning from the sunny mountains today! It looks as if it is going to be a wonderfully hot day for those who like hot weather. I am waiting for Autumn myself and you can keep the hot weather. It makes me wilt like a leaf.

I am including a very interesting research report today that addresses Anorexia and some of the problems associated with it. So many young adults are suffering from this debilitating disease and it is prevalent among our young mainly because of the advertising and propaganda spread by the fashion police in the world. If you have anyone in your family that is suffering from anorexia and bulimia it might be very important for you to heed this research.

Vitamin Supplementation Prevents Anorexia
(OMNS February 9, 2008)

Anorexia is primarily due to vitamin deficiency. Approximately one in twenty teenage girls in America is struggling with an eating disorder. Parents can help eliminate the risk of anorexia by providing their children with vitamin supplements.

Anorexia is an acknowledged clinical marker of beriberi, the disease specifically caused by a deficiency of vitamin B1 (thiamine).

[1] Anorexia is also commonly observed as an early symptom of pellagra (niacin deficiency)

[2] and is a known complication of scurvy, vitamin C deficiency.

[3] Prevention is especially important, because beriberi/anorexia often does not respond well even to treatment with high doses of thiamine for months, and sometimes does not respond at all. But as a rule, high potency vitamin supplements are an effective cure for the loss of muscle mass caused by beriberi and the skin lesions caused by pellagra.

The vitamin B1 in almost every multivitamin and B-complex vitamin pill is either thiamine mononitrate or thiamine hydrochloride. The body’s ability to absorb these two forms of thiamine is limited

[4] by the maximum amount that can be handled by the body’s two specialized thiamine transport proteins.

[5]. This means many doses per day of oral thiamine are necessary for effective treatment. Another class of thiamine molecules, called allithiamines, are much better absorbed.

Since allithiamines are not included in standard multivitamin preparations, we recommend their reformulation to include this specific form of B1.

The conventional medical approach to eating disorders such as anorexia typically includes psychological/behavioral treatment, medication, and food-groups dietetics. It is surprisingly rare for physicians to link eating disorders with vitamin deficiency, and few doctors recommend vitamin supplements for prevention.

Dieting without supplementation causes vitamin deficiency, and vitamin deficiency can lead to anorexia. Dieting is the number one cause of vitamin/mineral deficiency in America. Deficiency is entirely preventable with nutrition supplements. A fraction of the population is more prone to becoming thiamine deficient while dieting due to genetic conditions associated with proteins that bind thiamine

[7,8]. The risk of thiamine deficiency is also increased by eating processed foods. A high intake of simple carbohydrates requires increased thiamine intake. Vitamin and mineral supplements contain no calories, and do not cause weight loss nor weight gain. They do help promote normal appetite.

Harold Foster, PhD writes:
"In both open and closed trials in sub-Saharan Africa, mixtures of nutrients were given to HIV-positive patients, some of whom were in the late stages of AIDS. Even just twice the US RDA of ascorbic acid and four times the US RDA for thiamine resulted in improvements of appetite . . . after only a few days of supplementation."

Erik Paterson, MD, writes:
"Many years ago, an emaciated, teenage girl was made to come to see me by her worried parents because of her revulsion against food. She admitted that she hardly ate anything, but explained that she felt that she was fat: a typical case of anorexia nervosa. I tried to persuade her to eat right. She adamantly refused. So I made a deal with her. I pointed out that by not eating she was making herself malnourished with respect to vitamins. The deal was that I would not pester her to eat if she would take vitamin pills, specifically vitamin C and B-complex vitamins. She agreed. Two weeks later she and her parents returned to tell me that she had developed a strong appetite. After another month, her emaciation was clearly disappearing. She never became anorexic again."

[9] A well-formulated daily multivitamin supplement, at least 1,000 mg per day of vitamin C, plus additional B-vitamins will greatly reduce the incidence of anorexia and other eating disorders. If you are helping to care for a family member with anorexia, and your physician didn’t recommend vitamin supplements, get a second opinion.

References:
The Bolen Report Feature Article
[1] D. Lonsdale. Evid Based Complement Alternat Med. 2006 March; 3(1): 49-59.
[2] S. R. Roberts. "Pellagra: Its Symptoms and Treatment," The American Journal of Nursing, Vol. 20, No. 11 (Aug., 1920), p 885-890.
[3] L. Goebel. http://www.emedicine.com/med/topic2086.htm Last bullet in section on physical symptoms.
[4] D. Bender. "The Nutritional Biochemistry of the Vitamins," Cambridge University Press, 2003, page 151.
[5] V.S. Subramanian et al. "Vitamin B1 (thiamine) uptake by human retinal pigment epithelial (ARPE-19) cells: mechanism and regulation." Journal of Physiology (Oxford, United Kingdom, 2006), Volume Date 2007, 582(1), 73-85.
T.P.S. Nibber, "Reply to Dr. Lonsdale," Townsend Letter for Doctors and Patients, August-Sept. 2004. http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0ISW/is_253-254/ai_n6176277/pg_2
[7] B.H. Robinson, N. MacKay, K. Chun, and M. Ling, "Disorders of pyruvate carboxylase and the pyruvate dehydrogenase complex." Journal of Inherited Metabolic Disorders, 19, 452-62.
D. Bender, "The Nutritional Biochemistry of the Vitamins", Cambridge University Press, 2003. Sections on Thiamine Responsive Pyruvate Dehydrogenase Deficiency (p 156) and on Maple Syrup disease (p 158).

Blessings of Joy and Enlightenment to you all this day!

Rosie

I will be online from early morning until late at night this week and if you see that the “away” or “arrange a call” sign is by my listing please know that I have probably just stepped away from my computer and will get back to you ASAP. If you cannot find me on the listing (I think I am somewhere on page 999999) then please type in ROSALEA in the "search for an advisor space" or use 1-800-Ask-Keen and the extension 01888797 to call me.

A Simple but Startling Secret to Being Happier: Stop Being Right

2008-07-20T12:45:00Z

Good morning from the misty mountains this morning. It is certainly summer weather this week and is very humid. We have been staying cool by sitting on the front porch swing waiting for a cool breeze to come by. Thankfully the trees around the house cool so nicely and I love them except when a lightening strike splits one in the middle and they land on our roof!

I have been thinking a lot this week about the anger that I have witnessed in the stores and on television news etc. It is all pervasive it seems and is affecting us all. Everyplace you go someone has an angry face to show to the world. I was doing some research about this when I read this excellent article that I wanted to share with you. I hope you enjoy the simple truth of it. Have a lovely Sunday with your friends and family and just be content knowing that all is as it should be and no matter what is going on right now "this too shall pass" and a return to center always follows a wild swing of the pendulum.

Which would you rather be, right or happy?

Far more often than most people realize – to their great detriment – it really is an either/or proposition. Do you typically choose being right or being happy? Which of these values do your actions typically show that you hold higher?

Most people, without even being aware of it, choose being right at the expense of their happiness. And by the end of this piece you may be surprised to see how much you do, too.

People fight, stress themselves out, make themselves and those around them miserable with their ego’s need to be right. It cuts life short and destroys relationships, businesses, and nations.

Nothing is more deadly to happiness than the pursuit of being seen as right. For personal proof of this, consider the people you know who are most insistent on their politics, their patterns, their viewpoint, their way… they tend to judge the most, insult the most, complain the most, and suffer the most. They reek of misery. This is often also reflected in their physical health.

Nothing is more deadly to happiness than the pursuit of being right.

Yet most people aren’t even aware that the choice between these two values – being right or being happy – is present in most of life’s key situations. And being unconscious of it, as usual their egos instead make the choice for them. And being the ego doing the choosing, as usual the choice is shortsighted, fear-based, defensive and unhealthy to the Self’s greater good.

Further, the more intimate the situation – the closer to home -- the less likely most people are to recognize and remember the choice between these two values of being right or being happy. And the more damage making the wrong choice does.

The need to be seen as right is enemy #1 to love and marriage. A parent’s need to be seen as right severs ties to their children like nothing else can.

So Which Value Do You Really Hold Higher?

To “be” right implies a need for others to recognize you as such … to be proven right, seen as right. Again, it emanates from the ego and is vastly different than doing right, which has no need for external recognition. Doing right has no need for others to know you are right.

So to what extent would you choose not being seen as right if you could be happier for it?

Could you choose not to prove your point if you were all the happier for not doing so?

Of course there are many situations where differences need to be sorted out, and where your particular and opposing viewpoint may in fact make an important impact on a given situation. There are many situations where in fact others see black where you see white, and by helping them to see white you achieve some important benefit like saving money or preventing accidents or the like.

Dealing with disagreements is standard fare in life.

Dealing with them harshly – that is, with the ego, as if every opposing viewpoint is a personal insult to your rightness – does not have to be. There is a world of difference between contributing to the greater good (between a couple, in a family, a business, a nation, etc.) versus needing to be seen as right.

And all that said, in MOST situations where people claw, struggle and crack away at their happiness to be proven right, it means little to nothing to less than nothing anyway.

Is it really right if you ARE right about putting the toilet seat up or down but it ruins your morning, and chips away at the health of your relationship, to prove it?

Is it really right if you ARE right about religion, the economy, and your politics but you end up angry and despising large segments of the population to prove it?

An Intense, Transformative Experience for You to Try

The next time you KNOW you are right about something with a spouse, significant other or anyone close to you whose viewpoint opposes yours, consciously back off the need to BE right.

Even as that “I’m right about this!” feeling wells up inside your chest, catch it and stop yourself from reacting this time.

Instead, consider if there is truly a reason to even pursue the issue at all: will resolving the difference really lead to an important benefit, such as preventing accidents, improving health, making or saving money or the like? If so, consciously remind yourself to proceed softly and kindly this time … remind yourself (and tell the other person!) that you are pursuing this discussion gently to achieve the desired benefit, not to have to be seen as right.

Chances are, though, that like most such situations, your need to be right is mostly an ego thing. The potential benefits of the other person seeing you as right don’t equal the stress, the erosion of peace and happiness, that can occur to demonstrate you are right.

In which case, just back off your ego’s desire to prove you are right at all. This time. Let it go with your spouse, significant other or whoever you are in disagreement with.

Let them believe they are right.

And watch and evaluate your own reactions to letting them believe they are right.

Most people are astonished at how difficult this actually is for them. Through this experience most people are startled at the chokehold their ego actually has on them. Even though knowing that you having to be seen as right can harm the peace and happiness, letting someone (especially someone close to you) believe they are right to avoid the harm is a mighty hard thing to do.

“But they’re going to THINK they are right!” your ego may shout. “They’re ALWAYS going to think they’re right!” you may hear your ego insisting.

Recognizing your ego’s chokehold on your happiness in this manner is the first step in removing that chokehold.

After this first time of letting go of the need to be right -- even and especially if it means your opposition will think they’re right – watch what happens. Likely, here is what will happen: your world won’t collapse. Things won’t fall to pieces because you didn’t demonstrate you were right.

Likely, here is what will also happen: there will be no arguments. No clashes between your ego and someone else’s. Nothing cracking away at your greater peace and happiness.

So then, if you want to move toward being happier, try the experience again when the opportunity arises. Consciously back off the need to be right again. Watch how your ego responds this time, so you know where you need to work on being in control of it versus it being in control of you.

And watch how your world doesn’t cave in even if you aren’t seen as being right … how quite the contrary occurs, in fact.

Approaching it like this – consciously backing off the need to be right one situation at a time, versus trying to commit to doing it for good – makes your success and happiness much more likely.

Another thing that tends to happen is that, over time, those close to you see and feel the example you are living and they end up following suite. Though not necessarily at the pace you might prefer, but they end up backing off the need to be right, too, making life all the more pleasant.

Our greatest right of all is our gift, our blessing, our ability to pursue our happiness. But most people are their own biggest barriers in that pursuit. Is your need to be right preventing you from achieving this greatest right?

Which would you rather be, right or happy?

Source: Article by Brian Vaszily, Founder of IntenseExperiences.com &
Creator of The 9 Intense Experiences

Blessings of joy and peace to surround you this day!

Rosie

I will be online from early morning until late at night this week and if you see that the “away” or “arrange a call” sign is by my listing please know that I have probably just stepped away from my computer and will get back to you ASAP. If you cannot find me on the listing (I think I am somewhere on page 999999) then please type in ROSALEA in the "search for an advisor space" or use 1-800-Ask-Keen and the extension 01888797 to call me.

Full Moon Madness!

2008-07-18T13:56:00Z

Good morning from the hazy mountains! It is a full moon Friday and I think the tension is very high in the world. I hope you all take a moment to count to ten before losing your temper today for it looks as if road rage and impatience is going to be the order of the day in the inner cities and thoroughfairs throughout the land. I have had calls this morning that people are feeling like turning around and just going back home today instead of proceeding on to work.

There are a lot of studies that disclaim moon "madness" but I really think it exists and people's emotions are highly sensitive during the full moon phase. This seems to be a real phenomena especially for those who work in law enforcement. Most prisons and mental institutions establish a lock down procedure if the tensions appear very high.

I have witnessed a lot of problems arising in marriages, families and especially with some of my daughters friends in college during a full moon also.

On top of it being a full moon which always makes me emotional I am feeling an earthquake warning inside and I just wish I could identify where and when the earthquake is going to hit. I just know that this one is going to be a large earthquake and there may be a lot of lives lost.

I get very worried about earthquakes and when I feel one that is imminent I tend to worry about my family in California. I am always aware that a major earthquake is coming to that area and I believe it is overdue.

Being an earthquake "barometer" is really not fun. I feel as if the earth is moving under my feet and I am going to lose my balance. It makes me nauseated and edgy. When the earthquakes are a long distance away the feelings are not as intense and I can usually determine by the intensity of the feelings whether they are centered in the US or another country but I am not able to pinpoint the location exactly. At times I am given direct warnings from my guide Joseph when the event is going to impact many people. Today I feel an earthquake is coming and soon but I believe it is across the ocean and in a semi tropical country.

I heard that a famous psychic had predicted an earthquake in the Philippine Islands and he may be right. I certainly hope we are both wrong.

I usually do not try to predict any event but the feelings are strong this morning and perhaps the fact it is the full moon adding its own intensity to the situation.

In any case I am going to be watching the events pan out in the world today and the feelings of dread I am having I hope will begin subsiding.

I would like to hear from others who experience "unease" or "warnings" of world events and disasters. I wish you would share your insight with others. As psychic's and sensitives we all have some insight into the future but to me earth disasters affect me in my body and I receive information through visions also. I do not always pay attention to the visions for they come in waves and sometimes they just do not make any sense until after the event happens.

This full moon is going to be eventful for a lot of people and some will profit from it and some will weep during this phase but it is interesting to find out if any of us share a common unease and if it is a universal feeling.

I hope that you will enjoy the day and if need be you will shut out the world tensions and just enjoy your family if possible. Be careful traveling and driving in traffic today and I hope you have a blessed evening.

I am going to take pictures of the full moon rising over the mountains tonight for last night it was beautiful but I did not take the opportunity to catch it on film.

Blessings of peace and safety for all this day!

Rosie

I will be online from early morning until late at night this week and if you see that the “away” or “arrange a call” sign is by my listing please know that I have probably just stepped away from my computer and will get back to you ASAP. If you cannot find me on the listing (I think I am somewhere on page 999999) then please type in ROSALEA in the "search for an advisor space" or use 1-800-Ask-Keen and the extension 01888797 to call me.

Getting ready to tie the Knot?

2008-07-17T02:24:00Z

Are you getting ready to tie the knot?

If you are considering marriage it is a good idea to honestly assess your motivations and feelings before taking the plunge!

One of the first things you should ask yourself is:

What do I love about my partner?

If your answers are shallow with little depth then you may be looking at a rocky start. Replies such as "she is beautiful", "he is so much fun", and even "because we like to eat at the same restaurant" are not solid reasons.

Usually however, after some introspection most couples are able to really pinpoint their attraction for one another and identify positive partner qualities like compassion, intelligence, good provider, conscientious, and a good lover as some of the most admirable qualities. Communication is the last thing they usually list on the "must have" side of their list. However it is probably the most important attribute to look for in a partner.

If you are not able to communicate then you are in for a relationship that is doomed for failure. When one partner withdraws and refuses to communicate, pulls the "silent treatment" and hides how they feel then they are definitely going to be a difficult partner throughout your marriage.

Couples need to jointly work on a plan for their marriage. Even though some may feel preplanning casts a cynical cast on their relationship it does not have to work like that. With cooperation you can define the areas where both of you blend well and other places where a lot of work is needed.

It does not take a relationship counseling guru to help you realize that a little work on your marriage before you tie the knot will save you a lot of heartache later on.

The following questions are some important ones you should be thinking about before proceeding to the alter:

1. Why am I asking this person to marry me?

Are you proposing because you think it is the right thing to do because you have been together for a long time?

Are you asking because she may be pregnant? If this is the primary reason you are asking you need to work on your relationship a little more. Statistically it has been shown that those who marry because of pregnancy have a very high failure rate.

2. Can we as a couple work through the problems and the rough patches in a rational manner?

If you have been with your partner for quite some time you are probably aware of how you both deal with problems. Take a look at the disagreements and see if there are ways that both of you can learn to deal with rough patches a little better. Develop a "fight" plan before you get married and stick to it. Resolving conflict is something you will have to do throughout your marriage and you need a plan to learn to fight fair. If you are always the one to have to compromise then you better examine why you are allowing this type of disrespect.

3. Can we communicate?

Talking is not necessarily the same as communicating. You need to be able to talk to this person in your life in a constructive way. If you have already argued, you already know if this is possible. We don't always get along with the people we love, but we should be willing to get along with them most of the time and try to love them when we are feeling negative about them. If you felt like you came away from the situation understanding the other person better, you are able to communicate.

If you have ever walked away from an argument and felt devalued and degraded it is time to really analyze what you see in your partner and work on the skills needed to communicate well.

4. How do I conceive marriage and what are my expectations?

We all have preconceived ideas what marriage is all about but we have been influenced by other people's experience usually. Some believe the fairy tale version and are really let down when reality of paying bills, feeding kids and keeping your significant other content sinks in. Write your expectations down and have your partner do the same and you may be surprised what you will discover.

5. Do we share the same values?
Values do not always include religion but it can be part of your value structure. You need to define your values and what you believe in.

Conflicting values can be fun to debate before you get married but believe me when you have to face a family that has a total new set of values for you to adjust to can be daunting. Find out what your partner's family structure is and how does he relate to your family and the values they live by is an important place to start. If you have to live with someone who thinks your values are useless and old fashioned or trite then you are in for a troubled marriage.

6. Do we share the same religious and spiritual belief system?

If you are not sharing the same religion you must be willing to respect your partner's differences and not expect them to change to the way you believe. This is an important topic to agree on before marriage because you are going to have to decide what religion you are going to raise your children in and compromise may be necessary. Those who do not share the same religion must be able to agree about how to spend holidays and how to teach your children about religion.

7. Where are we financially?

Marriage is initially not about money but deciding how you are going to pay bills, save for the future, make purchases etc are vital points that need to be discussed. Financial stressors are one of the leading causes of marital failure. It is smart to sit down and look at your combined financial picture and your discuss your goals. If you are financially responsible and your partner has no credit to speak of then you must know that when you combine your assets you will be taking on the debt of your partner without an agreement stating that it is not your responsibility and you do not assume his name.

My advice is to keep your credit separate but that takes a lot of work and most couples do not do that at the beginning. You need to know if your partner is willing to live within your means and establish a plan for dealing with financial problems when they come.

8. Define your differences.

If you and your partner are fundamentally different you need to see if you can truly live with those differences. These differences can range between something you strongly dislike or something that is minor. You need to determine your "dealbreakers" early on. Be honest and save yourself future aggravation. If he is a musician and you cannot stand the fact that he will be working in bars and have a late night then you need to speak up before marriage because he will resent having to change and 9 times out of 10 will refuse to do so. If she has a habit of visiting with her Mother every weekend and you cannot stand being around them that much then you better talk about that also.

Make a list of your "dealbreakers" and discuss them with your partner. You may be able to reach a compromise you can live with but if you don't it is better to back away before you tie the knot.

With a little introspection you should be able to construct a pretty solid plan to work within if you ask the right questions of your partner and listen to their response with an open mind. You need to ask if they are willing to share this time with you and find out the necessary things you will need when you start spending your life together.

You may find out that your partner is just not the one for you or at least find out that you need more time to resolve your differences before taking the plunge into a committed marriage.

Take note and see if they see your relationship as a team effort and if they have positive role models in their life. If your partner isn't clear about what they want from your relationship, this isn't a problem necessarily, but it can be something that you might want to think about before you ask the big question. A partner that isn't quite sure what they want may indicate that they are not yet ready for marriage, or not easily satisfied. Of course, at the point you are ready to propose, you should already have an idea of your future potential as a long term couple.

It is so easy to get swept away with the romance and flowers and good sex at the beginning of a relationship but marriage takes planning and consistent care. You should be asking just how well you really know this person you want to spend your life with. You need to consider their family and where you will fit in within the family structure also for that can be a major dealbreaker in the future.

If your partner's friends and family do not like or accept you then you need to see if your partner stands up for you and places you first. This can make things a lot easier for you in the beginning if you know that he understands that you cannot help how his or her family reacts to you.

In the beginning stages of a relationship, you will always want to be together – at work, at home, etc. But as the relationship evolves and you learn more about each other, you need to step outside of your comfort zone and find out what makes you happy on your own. It is also vital to maintain balance in your relationship. While you want to have similar interests in your lives, you also need to maintain your own individuality without any interference from your partner.

In short, you need to get your own life! While your partner may be a high priority in your life, you also need to nurture your own learning, hobbies, and interests in order to grow as a person.

A very valid case could be made for the fact that you're never really ready for marriage and an engagement, but you try anyway. Things aren't going to be perfect, but they should feel perfect for you. In every relationship, there are going to be ups and downs, but it's what you do with those moments that will define you as a couple.

This is why it's so important to make sure you ascertain your readiness for marriage. A wedding proposal is a big step that shows you are ready to become committed to your partner, and what better time to explore your own feelings?

If you take the time to really plan you are going to know during the engagement if you are making the correct decision to marry.

Blessings of joy to you in all your endeavors

Rosie

I will be online from early morning until late at night this week and if you see that the “away” or “arrange a call” sign is by my listing please know that I have probably just stepped away from my computer and will get back to you ASAP. If you cannot find me on the listing (I think I am somewhere on page 999999) then please type in ROSALEA in the "search for an advisor space" or use 1-800-Ask-Keen and the extension 01888797 to call me.

Arrogance!

2008-07-16T12:06:00Z

Good morning from the heavily wooded mountain top this morning. The picture above is from the area we live in and depicts a part of the long bridge spanning a deep gorge in Fayette county. Each year residents and visitors take turns parachuting and bungy jumping off this bridge on the celebrated bridge day. Not this ole girl...I usually cover my eyes when crossing this bridge and do not open them until I get across. I have always had a trepidation about spanned bridges and felt the same way about the Golden Gate Bridge in California. The view from the bridge is spectacular however and I wanted you all to see how heavily wooded our mountains are here in West Virginia. They are beautiful but the lumbar mills are gradually taking all the old growth trees and cutting them down.

I had a visitor yesterday that gave me great joy. She is a young friend of mine who has sat on my front porch and graced us with her presence every once in awhile for the last ten years. To protect her identity a little I promised to not publish her name. I will call her Eve just for now.

She is a young girl who has been away to college but who I have known since she was a teen. She loves to come and play scrabble with me on the front porch and I just love her to be around me. She lights up the world with her light! We usually spend the afternoon while she is here arguing about everything and I love it! Which leads me to the topic of this blog: Arrogance and what it means to me. What exactly does the word arrogance mean to you?

Eve and I had a three hour discussion about this word and believe me this girl is brilliant. She is studying to be a mechanical engineer and she is as bright as a new penny but opinionated as an old rattlesnake. She can be one way and it is her way or no way! She challenged me to define the word arrogance and really sat me back on my heels a few times. I do use that word to define people I think are full of themselves, who do not want to hear what others think, and are generally in love with themselves!

A general dictionary defines arrogance in many ways like, “offensive display of superiority, self-importance, overbearing pride, pompous, haughtiness, behaving in a superior manner toward inferiors, etc.”

We rarely think of ourselves as arrogant however it is always someone else who is displaying arrogant tendencies! I believe that arrogance does exist in various degrees in everyone including you and me. Eve insisted I explain my views on the difference between a decisive person and an arrogant person. She explained that she thought using the term "arrogant or arrogance" was unfair and biased in many ways and you know I think she may be right!

To me arrogance is like having a special scent that you cannot smell but others can! Unless someone lets you know they can smell something funny you will never know you stink!

I have found that arrogant people can impact you in many ways especially if they hold positions of authority like professors and teachers, a boss or a police officer etc. They can make life hell for you if you dare to disagree with them. Depending on your position the chance of controlling an arrogant person and their ego is slim and it is most often easier to just let them have their delusions of grandeur and walk away from them.

Do we all need to take a look at how pompous we are becoming or if we are coming from a place where we have become intolerant of others and their opinions? I think we do and that includes myself. We need to observe how we are relating to others and if we have become so enamored with our own opinion that we fail to observe that most people are a little put off by our bravado.

Here are a few signs that could indicate you are a trifle bit arrogant! If you are exhibiting any of the following signs you might want to take appropriate steps to puncture your bloated ego periodically.

If you find yourself thinking that you are so knowledgeable that you are an expert and you gradually become dismissive of suggestions and recommendations by others you should take warning;

If you have a fancy job title and others look up to you this fact alone can corrupt a person's ego faster that anything else. If you think you are so important you cannot be replaced then you should take warning;

If you develop contacts and connections with famous or important people in your field and you find yourself "name dropping" and letting others know that they should be well aware you are connected. You know think that you really are a VIP and you have the power to crush mere mortals then you should take warning;

If you have a success in your field or career with promotions that are the envy of others, and everything you do seems to bring you rewards and you begin to feel you have the midas touch then you should take warning;

If you don't answer anyone's questions anymore instead you answer with another question; you have become a master at the quick snide remarks that make others run for cover then you should take warning;

If you think your body, health, looks are the envy of others then...you are probably just conceited on top of everything else!

All in all we all have some of the traits of an arrogant person and henceforth, thanks to my young friend Eve who really opened my eyes to another way of viewing, I am going to look at myself very carefully before I pass judgment anymore on another!

I think that arrogance has its place but I have not quite found a niche for it as yet. I tend to avoid arrogant people like they have the plague and I usually do not associate with too many who are arrogant or over the top in love with their own opinions.

If you are surrounded with arrogant people or see them cropping up in your workplace or you happen to be hooked up romantically with someone who is arrogant just let us know so we can compare notes about how we feel about arrogant people. Personally I find them to be quite boring what about you?

Sending you blessings this lovely Wednesday morning! I hope your day brings you joy. Make sure you find a creative way to avoid all the arrogant people in your world today!

Rosie

I will be online from early morning until late at night this week and if you see that the “away” or “arrange a call” sign is by my listing please know that I have probably just stepped away from my computer and will get back to you ASAP. If you cannot find me on the listing (I think I am somewhere on page 999999) then please type in ROSALEA in the "search for an advisor space" or use 1-800-Ask-Keen and the extension 01888797 to call me.

Competition between Women!

2008-07-14T10:03:00Z

Good Morning from the Misty Mountains this Monday morning! It is a lovely daybreak this morning and I have had so many calls this week about dealing with women in the workplace that I thought I would include an article from a post that really presents an interesting concept.

During my years working with the Department of Defense I encountered numerous situations working with women that really made me super cautious. This article defines some of the reasons women have not advanced as rapidly in the workplace as our male counterparts.

I hope you will find the attached article informative as I intend to follow up with other articles dealing with office bullies also.

Note: This article is free to reprint as long as you reprint it in its entirety and...you give the Author credit.

Competition between women
by Caye Colbert

It is a "man's world" for a reason. Long gone are the days when women had to fight for basic rights. Essentially, we have won. We have achieved equal status to men in the eye's of the law. Why, then, have woman still failed to gain the social status of their male counterparts? Simple. Most women are too busy fighting amongst themselves to get anything done.

Consider your typical circle of female friends. You will usually find two types of women in this group: the leader and the followers. This pack mentality is very similar to that of dogs. If one of the packmembers disagrees with the Alpha dog, chaos ensues. The Alpha dog will attempt to turn the rest of her pack against the "traitor", while the "traitor" will likely attempt to rally the support of the pack herself and bring down the current Alpha dog. A third type of female does exist, however. This is one who looks for equals among friends and will not attempt to usurp the pack, but will leave the group with her tail between her legs instead. Women in this third group are typically not involved in one enormous clique, anyway. They tend to bounce around between several smaller groups.

So how does this mentality among women hurt our progress? Simple. It discourages independent thought. We, as human beings, are social creatures, but when we develop this type of hierarchy, we stop thinking for ourselves. We are part of a mob, and as anyone who has taken Sociology 101 knows, a mob only has one brain. Wherever our mob goes, we follow.

What sets men apart? Men also tend toward a group of their own sex, but their dynamic is completely different. You cannot usually discern a true leader in a male pack. There may be an individual who instigates most of the dude activities, but this is hardly the same thing. When two males in a given group disagree, it does not become a pack matter. Two men will be "men" about the situation and deal with it themselves. Why are they so different?

My theory is this: on the outside, at least, men are more independent. They do not readily reveal their insecurities to their friends and therefore do not become completely dependent on their buddies for emotional support. Woman cannot stop themselves from exposing all their insecurities to their friends. They begin relying so much on their girls for their own emotional survival that they forget how to take care of it on their own. So within a female group, one will arise who is a little wiser than the others. She herself will have plenty of anxieties but will be clever enough to hide them. She will then become the queen of her pack, adored by all her followers.

So, what do we do?! Stop gossiping among friends! Do not limit yourself to one group of friends! If you disagree with a friend, talk to her (and ONLY her)! Do not let someone else do your thinking for you! Most importantly, ladies, treat each and every one of your precious female friends as an equal. We, as women, have in us an amazing capacity to love and nurture each other. Let us not waste it just to "fit in".

Blessings to all this day and let me know your unique methods of dealing with women in the workplace so we can compare notes!

Rosie

I will be online from early morning until late at night this week and if you see that the “away” or “arrange a call” sign is by my listing please know that I have probably just stepped away from my computer and will get back to you ASAP. If you cannot find me on the listing (I think I am somewhere on page 999999) then please type in ROSALEA in the "search for an advisor space" or use 1-800-Ask-Keen and the extension 01888797 to call me.

My Political Rant for the Week!!!!

2008-07-13T00:39:00Z

Good Evening from the Mountains! We are blessed with cool breezes this evening and we can feel the storm coming on the horizon. I am really sick of rain lately but thankful we are not in a drought. Our fire season is during the winter when the woods get dry as the chaff on wheat and rain is scarce. The snow cover helps but not totally for heavy snow usually does not arrive until January. It was so odd for me to see green grass all summer after the brown grass and dry fields of California in late summer.

We have an abundance of green here and woods which also causes some concern in summer with deer ticks which cause lime disease and mosquito's who breed prolifically in standing pools of rain water. I love the change of seasons however and even look forward to winter but not when it snows so heavily we cannot get to the store. This year I am really dreading winter for the fuel costs to heat a home are going to skyrocket.

Tonight I am going to get a little political with my blog because the economy is weighing heavily on my mind as I am sure it is weighing heavily on everyone's mind.

Like everyone else I am preparing for at least two years of bad road ahead of us and maybe even five with the economy and the climate changes. We are going to see some dramatic changes in the weather because of the damage we have done to our Mother Earth. This cleansing is going to bring great hardship and our Government will not be there to help. Just look to New Orleans and you will get an idea of what is coming.

Bank failures are going to be happening at least once a week and we are going to see a take over by the Feds in many, many cases. I have suggested to everyone before to spread their money (if they have that much that is) around to local banks for they will be the least likely to fail because of the mortgage crisis that has hit many savings and loans and other FDIC banking institutions. Cut your spending and using credit cards to a minimum also. It is still wise to invest in gold and silver but soon it will be so expensive that you will not be able to do that much longer I believe. I see tax revolt coming that will be slow and subtle as people refuse to support the way that congress and our government is using our tax dollars. I don't think that will become apparent until 2009 however.

We need to get lean and mean and in a hurry. There is much talk about the economy but we have to start at grass roots and start preparing to take care of your own family and friends.

Today my partner and I decided to shut down our business we had in the Caribbean Islands. We were distributing food from US companies and shipping to restaurants and stores in the Islands. It is totally impossible to make a profit now with the high cost of fuel needed to ship goods. We have to factor in the cost of shipping from warehouse to dock and that cost alone increased over 100% and we could not defray the costs. We just decided to close down for a couple of years to wait out the fuel crisis.

I Know that as Americans we are a tough bunch and we will survive and survive in ways that will surprise others but the next two to five years are going to be times when the tough will have to be tougher and we will have to learn to heal ourselves and others in addition to the lack of food supplies. Because of the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) a lot of our food supplies will not be examined nor will it be safe. Although I believe in free trade I think this treaty is really a bad one and has caused us much grief. The fact is the only safe food supply we will have will be home grown. That means not feeding the stock prepared feed from established companies also. We have Mad Cow Disease in the US and our government conveniently will not disclose those facts. That is the main reason that I stopped consuming red meat altogether. We just don't buy it anymore.

Last week we were informed by one of our major food suppliers that over 1000 chickens were being buried in Arkansas due to the Avian flu virus. Did you see that in any news articles? No because it was hidden. We had to stop sending all Tyson Chicken to any of our customers because it was pulled off the shelves but our media never mentioned it. I have stopped buying Tyson chicken altogether since then. That is just an example of the deceit that is being carried out by the FDA. We need to watch our food sources and buy local if we can.

Even as a psychic that can see into the future it is still fluid and anything can happen and it probably will. We can bring about great change if we raise our consciousness as a nation. That will take each one of us being consciously aware that we are here to learn to love and to care for Mother Earth as well as ourselves.

As a whole the future looks a whole lot more frightening for those in third world countries for we may moan and groan about not having gas for vacation, but they will be moaning because the food that is supplied for them will not be there anymore. If they were all involved in alternative fuel production we could save the world and we could put the nations that are sitting on huge stock piles of oil on notice that they cannot bully us anymore. Think of what African nations could be if they were producing enough power by wind, solar or other means to just care for their own. That would be a first and it would be wonderful for nations like Darfur and Ethiopia to name just two.

We all should call our congressmen/women and representatives to let them know we want the auto industry to make every new vehicle they produce run on alternative fuel as well as gas. It would only cost about $100 to do that and it would put OPEC on notice that we intend to wean ourselves off foreign oil.

There should be an economical way to retrofit all the older vehicles that every American can afford to have done also. There is a bill currently being discussed in committee that will propose that and we all need to get behind our representatives to get them to get a bill out there and get it signed. If we have control over what fuel our auto's and trucks use you will see the cost of oil dropping like a sledge hammer.

This will not be possible however until after the elections next year because Bush will never let that bill get through unless congress would be brave enough to override his veto and that will never happen. You can see by the actions of his crony Carl Rove that this administration thinks they are above the law. Carl Rove has completely ignored a subpoena by the United States Congress and just goes about his life like he is above it all.

We have increased our need for foreign oil from less than 10% to over 60% since the Bush family and Cheney were in office. Does that tell you that the connection with Saudi Arabia is being solidified by our government and that it has set us up as a country for takeover by foreign investors? It is time to take this fuel crisis seriously.

I am generally not a doom and gloom person but I am very fearful for many people during the coming depression. The crime is going to escalate because people are going to be going hungry in large cities. We are going to have to protect what we have from our own I am afraid.

Right now we can do something about this and by that I mean we need to take back our power from those who are in office and who have taken it away from us. We need to vote and keep voting until we get rid of the old Guard in our government and elect forward thinking environmentalists. We need to stop spending money we don't have to protect our interest in oil. First of all we need to demand investment in alternative fuel and cars that are equipped to run on alternative fuel. My son just purchased a gadget that he installed in his truck that gives him outstanding fuel savings. That is a start but we need to stop listening to the rhetoric that biofuel is the cause of food shortage because that is a bare faced lie that is just government propaganda.

Get informed and start looking at what is coming up for vote on the floor of congress and voice your opinion if need be. Let your representatives know that you want the bill requiring all auto's to be capable of using biofuels be passed. Let them know that if they do not vote for that bill when it comes up that they will lose your vote the next election.

Personally I am going to start heading even further up into the mountains. I intend to weather out the next five years living like the Walton's did I believe if I live that long. I think as a nation we are filled with strong, loving people as a whole who have been sold a bill of goods that is going to be hard to swallow in the next five years. It is time to get smart and informed. Don't sit back and think your retirement programs are safe because they are insured. Insurance companies are going to start folding like a deck of cards after a few more disasters hit in the United States.

If you are going to survive you have to get prepared right now for unemployment, no fuel to travel, food shortages and lack of food in many cases, no health care that can be had for those without insurance and the premiums will be too high to afford if you lose your job. We are going to have to start really taking care of ourselves through this crisis because when the US is in turmoil it will crash other economies across the world.

Don't be an ostrich and hide your head in the sand and say "oh this is just going to be a mild recession" because you are in for a shock if you believe that. This will be a white collar depression and when the rich lose money we all will suffer at the lower ends twice as much.

I hope this is not too harsh and I do not want to foment panic but I do know that we have to be realistic and look at the facts that are facing all of us.

Thank you for stopping by and viewing my political rant tonight and I hope you all will be safe from the majority of the things that are coming our way.

Blessings of security and safety to all this evening.

Rosie

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