Fast forward to September 11, 2001.  Was Osama bin Laden a household name up until that morning?  Another maniac with a dream of hate and annihilation to preach to another select group.  People crazy enough to take the lives of innocent others that they never met, and blow themselves to smithereens while they were at it, all in the name of Allah.  A jihad, a holy war, an oxymoron created by a group of moronic entities.

Now we have a man of the cloth wanting to burn the Koran.  I am not even going to publicize his name.  I will refer to him as the ignorant bigot, or IB for short.  He has a flock of 50, which I’m sure has grown by now, thanks to the internet and the media.  I cannot understand all of this hatred toward your fellow man, let alone hatred being spewed by a man of the cloth.  He even had the audacity to say, he thinks Jesus would burn this book if he was around.  I’m not extremely religious, but from what I understand, Jesus was the King of Peace, wasn’t he?  What the hell bible is this man reading?

The point is, IB is in the minority.  However, our first amendment is allowing him to perform this act legally.  However, he intends to perform this act without thinking about our children fighting a war overseas, trying to secure the safety of our homeland.  What kind of message is this going to send to the terrorists in Afghanistan?  Is he trying to start his own, private, selfish holy war?  Are we really going to allow this to happen?

Something else remains engrained in my brain from high school history class and that is the phrase, history always repeats itself.  Well, we better hope that phrase does not pertain to what may take place this coming Saturday.  Some legal team, somewhere better find a loophole in the first amendment.  Some forensic private detective agency better find some reason to put the IB behind bars before he tries to burn anything.  Any unpaid parking tickets?  Any child porn surfing?  I bet he’s tried to look.

Here’s the bottom line.  Go to Disney World and ride It’s a Small World.  It’s that simple.  We are not all white, all black, all Asian, all Indian, all Jewish, all Christian, all Buddhist, all Islamic.  What we are is simple.  We are one another’s sister and brother.  We are all children of  God, the universe or whatever you believe in.  We all want to be loved.  We all want to be liked.  We want health, happiness, families, jobs, food on the table.  The simple things.  Why is this so hard to comprehend?  It’s simple.  If we were all alike, the world would be one boring place.  All of our collective minds have created this beautiful world.  It is only going to take a couple of moronic bigots to ruin it.

I researched as I do about excessive spending and found an article in Redbook magazine (July 2010) that offered questions to ask yourself before making a purchase.  They seem like common sense questions that I should’ve thought of on my own but of course didn’t as I haul out yet another bag from my closet!

1. Do you really HAVE to buy this item?  Is it a need or a want?  Is it something that you can perhaps borrow from a friend or swap with another?  There are plenty of swap web sites now for items such as books, purses, and household and kitchen items.  If you truly love it and KNOW that you can use it, then go ahead and purchase it.  If there is a little doubt then…

2. Have you found the best deal for that item?  This is a great question especially for those big ticket items.  The author of this article recommends that you check out at least 3 other stores before making your final choice.  If you’re an on line shopper, check on discount codes or coupons prior to hitting the check out button.  This can often save you a little bit more.  It’s also been suggested to remove your on line credit card info or password for a frequently visited site.  Having to add that information each time you wish to make a purchase allows you to give it a bit more thought and not buy so impulsively.

3. Are you well rested before making that purchase decision?  Like everything else in life, sleep on ‘those’ decisions that hit the pocket more than others.  It’s been shown that we spend more when we’re emotional or just not thinking clearly.  One night of rest and you’ll be a bit clearer about the buy.

4. Are you buying it just because it’s on sale?  Oh my god, this question is directed to me!  I think because an item is one sale that I must have it.  Hell, I don’t even know what to do with it half the time but I ‘saved 20%!’  What is it they say, “A bargain isn’t a bargain if you don’t ever wear it?”  No truer words said.

5. Have you asked about any future deals? If there‘s something you like, ask the store manager if they know when and if the item will go on sale. It doesn’t hurt to ask, especially if you’re a regular customer there.

6. The final question is yet another I neglect to ask myself when I go shopping.  Can you really afford it?  Duh!   What a silly question and one I often push aside.  I’m learning though.  If I don’t have the money to buy it outright, then (I getting better but not fully cured) I’m not buying it at all. 

Still I often wonder why I buy.  I certainly don’t NEED for anything.  As I look around the house, I see I have done well at clearing those items that were ‘just items’ out and have kept those that have more meaning to me.  I’ve felt good in giving items to family members or friends who have similar taste and would treasure the gift of the item more so than I enjoyed having it around.

I’ve also looked at why I do keep some items over others that I have given away.  Do they remind me of a happy time or was it a gift from someone who means a great deal to me?  Or does just having more to display fill my ego or work to impress others?  Items that I have around me should be truly seen as articles of beauty.  Some I see as inspiring (like my Buddha collection throughout the house). 

Whatever the reason for my purchases, being mindful is what I need to become to prevent these future closet clean outs.  I need to think before I shop and I also feel I need to heed the words of Eckhart Tolle when he suggested to Oprah that she didn’t need to buy everything.  She could simply enjoy the beauty of things by savoring the moment in their presence.  Okay, I’m not there yet either but at least I’ll think a little harder before putting down my credit card!

Affirmation prayer is easy to adopt as a practice.  All you need to do is relax, concentrate, meditate, realize and give thanks.  Sounds like what we once described as meditation?  Well, the two can parallel one another.  As in the book, Eat, Pray, Love prayer is defined to the author as the act of talking to God while meditation is the act of listening.  Either way, take the time to use this powerful tool within your day and you’ll feel better for having done so.  After having given up on prayer in my own life, I’ve recently adopted the practice again.  It has allowed me the time to release my own control and ask for the assistance of the universe in guiding me.  It’s been a welcome relief to many tension filled days and has enabled me to ask the universe to care and guide those I care for as well.  Let me know what you think about prayer or meditation and if you sense that there is a power to its practice.

Organization is key to my not pulling my hair out.  And like most things, I research which methods of organization work well with my personality and my needs.  I recently came across a web based organizing tool on www.cozi.com which meets my needs perfectly.  It’s free and very easy to maneuver through.  I’m able to note my appointments, create grocery lists, to do lists and journal.  All of this information is able to sync with Outlook or other internet calendars and then send reminders to my iPhone and computer if I would like.  It also sends reminders to other members of my family with text messages that provide additional information regarding that date’s activities.  It’s perfect at reminding Paul, my partner, to pick up our son while I go off on another Goddess outing.  Check out this page and see if it would be perfect for you too.   Again, have a very Happy Academic New Year!

Here are some helpful hints for those who are novices in either attending or hosting a wine tasting of your own.  First I would suggest that you have a pen and paper to make notes on those wines that you plan on tasting.  As you prepare for the evening, avoid strong flavored drinks such as coffee, tea or sodas.  These affect your taste buds.

Pour the wine into the stemware, filling it only 1/3 of the way, allowing it to swirl without spilling it.  The swirling allows the oxygen to open up  the wine’s aromas and flavors.  Always hold the glass by its stem.  Holding it by the bowl will affect the wine’s temperature and your ability to see its clarity though your left fingerprints.

Check out the wine’s appearance.  Hold your glass at an angle against a white background.  If its a white wine, you would look for a pale, straw color which indicates a crisp, refreshing wine.  If  the color is deep and golden it may indicate an older vintage.  A young red may have deep, purple hues while an aged red would appear brownish or brick colored.

Take your glass and give it a good swirl by holding the base of the glass on the table’s top.  Take your nose and place it into the glass,taking a few deep whiffs.  You want to try to identify the wine’s characteristics – fruity, earth or wood influenced.  Your nose will be able to identify any ‘off’ scents like vinegar, or wet cardboard.  Pass on that wine.

Finally, the best part of the evening – the sip.  Be sure not to slug this wine down.  Take a sip and allow it to reach all areas of your mouth.  Your goal is to assess its level of acidity, tannins, body and flavors.  Does it taste like its aroma?  Are the flavors faint or rich?

The most important aspect of wine tasting is your overall impression of the wine.  Did one overpower another?  Can you taste the quality?  Take notes as the evening continues.  Keep these notes for future purchases and remember, wine and what you enjoy is totally all about you.  Enjoy the ride!  Cheers!

Books: Your local library is always willing to take some gently read books. You can also contact www.booksforsoldiers.com and learn how book care packages can be send to a soldier or a unit.

Bras: Yes, bras. Gently worn, clean bras can be accepted by some programs other than homeless and domestic violence centers. Visit www.support1000.blogspot.com for such an organization.

Cell phones: Domestic violence centers. You can locate these accepting centers at www.shelteralliance.net

Eyeglasses: Pearl Vision and Lenscrafters donate to Onesight which recycles them for the needy.

Shoes: Look for local drop off centers through www.soles4souls.org

Suits, business clothes, accessories: Dress for Success has done wonders for low income women entering the workforce. www.dressforsuccess.org

Check out your local agencies for miscellaneous items.  Goodwill, churches and schools  are often receptive to receiving your unused items.

“One man’s garbage is another man’s treasure”

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1.  They can bring down bad LDL cholesterol.  8-13 nuts a day drop LDL by 6% and your blood vessels will dilate more readily, allowing blood to flow more freely through arteries that supply the heart and brain.  People who eat 21 halves a day, six days a week, reduce their bad LDL cholesterol by nearly 20%.  (Pretty impressive)

2.  They decrease your risk of a heart attack.  12 walnut halves a day decrease the risk of a heart attack by 60%.  (Even more impressive)

3.  Walnuts lower your diabetes risk.  If you eat an ounce of nuts or a couple of tablespoons of peanut butter five times a week, your risk of type 2 diabetes drops by half.  (Amazing)

4.  The healthy fat in about 6 walnuts halves starts a chain reaction that slows the rate at which your stomach empties.  Eating them about 25 minutes before a meal helps you feel more satisfied by that meal, and less likely to finish what’s on your plate.  (Better than diet pills, and tastier too)

 Get yourself this tasty nut and feel guilt free about snacking on it.