Thoughtful Reflections

A Quote, and a Message from the Universe

2008-09-05T15:51:00.001-04:00

This I like:

"The Mind, Once Enlightened, Cannot Again Become Dark."
Thomas Paine

Also, thanks to Dawn today,I received my first note from the Universe. It read:

Whenever your perspective on something creates emotional pain, Jessica, it's always because your perspective is still so narrow that you've yet to see all the good it will make possible.

Because it will.

I can see clearly now...
The Universe

Ooh, I like this already! Happy Weekend!

A Windowsill Garden

2008-09-04T17:01:00.000-04:00

A couple of weeks ago I decided to try this.

Having not grown anything before,I thought Mini Sunflowers would be a good start. Vase, soil and seeds all in one box. I brought everything to work for my sunny windowsill.

First:I soaked this bag of soil over night.

Next: I carefully separated the soil in order to plant my seeds

Then I waited, and watered.

And waited some more!

Finally, on Tuesday, I came to work and saw this.

And more of the same today! A nice start, don't you think?
More updates as they become available! :)

Ben Franklin and LibriVox

2008-09-03T20:30:00.003-04:00

Thanks to a post by Hawg, I found LibriVox. The provide free auto books from the public domain. In their words-"Acoustical Liberation of Books in the Public Domain."

So, I spent my afternoon listening to poems by Emily Dickinson, and the first three chapters of Ben Franklin's autobiography.

Franklin's book is one that I picked up a few years ago, and was very excited about. At the time, School was absorbing every spare second, and left me no room for pleasure reading. :(

Needless to say I am excited about my afternoon discovery! You should check LibriVox out too...it's a great way to feed your brain while you're working.

Tell me, what are your thoughts about audio books? Do you use them? Like/Dislike...etc

Wordless Wednesday

2008-09-03T09:23:00.000-04:00

Happy September!

2008-09-01T23:59:00.000-04:00

I cannot believe it's September already. Time goes by so fast. Spring is my favorite season, but I have a special love for Fall as well. Something about the leaves changing, and the air turning crisp really appeals to me.

Also, I'm turning 30 at the end of the month....yikes!

I am actually, pretty much ok with it. Well, ask me again in a few weeks, and you may have a different answer. :)

Awards! :)

2008-09-01T22:03:00.003-04:00

I've received some awards this weekend! Yay!

This one was given to me by Lala at Coastal Commentaries!

This one was given to me by Kimmy and Lena!

And last but not least, Lena gave me this one as well!

Thanks guys...you've all made my weekend a little brighter!
For anyone that hasn't, go visit these folks...they're great!

I'm not following any of the rules tonight. I pass on all of these awards on to my loyal readers, and commenters. You know who you are!

Updates to My BlogRoll

2008-08-29T12:00:00.001-04:00

Here are some recent adds to my blogroll. Takes some time, and give them each a visit. They are all unique and wonderful in different ways! In no particular order, I've added:

Coastal Commentaries
Potter's Blog
No More Empty Fortune Cookies
The Eagle the Lion and the Dove
Vixen's Den
Another Day in the Same Life

Ask and You Shall Receive...

2008-08-28T23:40:00.002-04:00

I did, well in a round about way. :)

After having a lengthy talk with a friend about the book Eat, Pray, Love (which, if you didn't know already, I adore. Read more of my thoughts here.) I was convinced that she needed to share in its glory, and I willing relinquished my very used copy.

Anyway, during our discussion I mentioned that I wished that there was some way I could speak to Elizabeth Gilbert, the book's author. I wanted to thank her for sharing her story, and ask some questions. I had previously searched, and searched for an email address, but came up empty. Apparently, she wants a bit of privacy. Who could blame her; if the address was readily available, I bet she would have tons of women trying to contact her, and ask questions.

So, today Borders sent me an email, and to my great surprise there was a link for a book club video that featured a round table discussion with Elizabeth Gilbert, and a few women who had read the book. I watched, of course, and it was great. A lot of my questions were asked by the book club members, and answered by the author. It was really the next best thing to talking to her myself.

I can't wait till Elizabeth Gilbert's next novel comes out...I'm determined to be first in line at the book signing! :)

Another Puppy Mill Raid! :)

2008-08-27T19:30:00.000-04:00

Yes, the Humane Society has done it again! Another puppy mill raid...1,000 dogs were saved.
Read here, my post about a previous raid.

A Passing Weather Predicament

2008-08-26T13:08:00.003-04:00

This morning, I awoke to the sound of raindrops hitting my window.

With such force that, in fact, their noise sneaked in and took over my last dreaming moments; showing up as unrecognizable static, which surrounded me and eventually was able to lure me to a conscious state.

The sky’s darkness lingered slightly longer, and the clouds resisted parting, even for a moment, so that light could appear, and witness the world.

Later, on my approach to the city, I spotted groups huddled together, sharing umbrellas, and shielding themselves temporarily from the unwavering downpour. A passing weather predicament bringing people together.

The Best Parts of My Weekend

2008-08-24T21:50:00.003-04:00

I got this cool meme from Dawn at Twisted Sister. It originated from Ferd at The Best Parts. Go visit them to see what they loved about the weekend. :)

Rules: This will be very easy and quick to do, so really, you have no excuse. Your assignment is simply to think back on your weekend and list three things that made you happy. Write a flash blog post with your three joys and let me know.

My Three:

1.

Watching this cute little guy eat his dirt snack made my Sunday!

2.

I finally started reading Sacred Contracts which Lauren recommended months ago. :)
Now, is the right time for me to be reading it, definitely. It's amazing! I'll write more as soon as I'm finished.

3.

And I watched this funny movie. Harold and Kumar crack me up! If you like their first movie, I suggest you check this one out. It's just as good....maybe a bit better. Trailer below!

China Bans iTunes (Songs for Tibet)

2008-08-21T10:06:00.004-04:00

This is pretty disturbing, but not surprising. The Chinese government has blocked itunes in their country. This is after 40 Olympic athletes downloaded a pro-Tibet album called Songs for Tibet. The intent was for them make a small statement by listening to the album while they were competing in China.

I know this is on par for a restrictive government, but I guess since the latest regulation has to do with music, it really smacked me in the face. I cannot imagine not being able to buy and listen to the music I want to hear.

The way this government treats its citizens upsets me to no end. Below is a video from the Songs for Tibet website. It's very moving. If you can, buy the album...all of the proceeds go to peace related projects.

Monday Already?

2008-08-18T13:42:00.005-04:00

Today I feel like I need to join them!

I'm behind on reading, and commenting. I'll catch up just as soon as my hunger for brains subsides.

Meanwhile, tell me how you spent your weekend. I would love to hear. :)

Something I'm Pondering Today

2008-08-15T13:56:00.004-04:00

First, I want to say Happy Independence Day to my readers in India! :) I hope you all have a great weekend!

Now, what I'm thinking about:

Is it possible that there are slightly different versions of ourselves who are living slightly altered lives; in different dimensions, or alternate realities?

Yes, I am being serious.

Maybe that would explain the days where we feel a little bit off, but can't put our finger on what is exactly causing the disturbance.

Wednesday Thought

2008-08-13T15:36:00.001-04:00

Free last minute Nine Inch Nails Tickets Rock! :)

Funny Barack Obama Video

2008-08-12T13:35:00.002-04:00

It doesn't matter where you lean politically, you will LOVE this video. It is really funny! :D Watch, Watch, Watch, and then let me know what you think!

Monday, Movie Recommendations, and Music

2008-08-11T15:03:00.000-04:00

I know it's Monday, but I'm really feeling pretty good. And I'm planning on taking advantage of this Monday happiness and using it as a motivator for the rest of the week!

I've seen a couple of movies recently that I want to recommend.

First, Pineapple Express-if you want to laugh continuously for 2 hours than go see this movie. If you want something with a deeper meaning than this flick is not for you. It is the funniest new movie that I've seen in a long time. These actors are amazing...the fact that they can take stoner jokes to a new level, and keep people who are not high entertained for the entire film, pretty talented.

Next, Bringing Up Baby-All I have to say is when you mix Cary Grant, Katharine Hepburn, and a Leopard(which looks strangely like a cheata) fun ensues! A wonderful movie from 1938 that still holds up today. I always love Cary Grant, and Katharine Hepburn does an amazing job too.

Enough with the movies, on to another topic: Music!
As many of you know, I love music. It doesn't matter what type...I'm pretty much open to it all. There is a mood for everything.

So, I've added an iPod widget, on my sidebar, with five songs. It's a sampling of what I'm listening to, and I'm going to change the songs every week.

Check it out! :) You feed readers too, please.

Happy Monday!

Dogs Can Catch Human Yawns

2008-08-09T17:47:00.004-04:00

This is cool!

Read the article below to find out about a study done by a group at Birkbeck College, University of London. The study proves that dogs can catch human yawns.

Of course, after I read the article the first thing I did was put both of my dogs through a series of yawning tests. :) My technique was a little off, as I couldn't manage to get them to look me right in the eye too much, but finally Buddy gave in and yawned right after I did!

If you have a dog...go ahead and test them. It is loads of fun! :D

Here is part of the article:

Dr Senju and his team wondered whether dogs - that are very skilled at reading human social cues - could read the human yawn signal, and set out to test the yawning capabilities of 29 canines.

The team created two conditions, each five minutes long, in which a person - who was a stranger to the dog - was sat in front of the animal and asked to call its name. Under the first condition, the stranger yawned once the dogs had made eye contact with them.

"We gave dogs everything: visual and auditory stimulus to induce them to yawn," Dr Senju, told BBC News.

Under the second condition, the same procedure was followed, but this time the stranger opened and closed their mouth but did not yawn.

This was a precaution to ensure that dogs were not responding to an open mouth, explained Dr Senju.

Yawning yet?

The team found that 21 out of 29 dogs yawned when the stranger in front of them yawned - on average, dogs yawned 1.9 times. By contrast, no dogs yawned during the non-yawning condition.

The researchers believe that these results are the first evidence that dogs have the capacity to empathise with humans; although the team could not rule out stress-induced yawning - they hope to in future studies.

"Dogs have a very special capacity to read human communication. They respond when we point and when we signal," Dr Senju told BBC News.

The researchers explained that along with floppy ears and big soppy-eyes, humans have selected dogs to be obedient and docile. The results from this study suggest the capacity for empathy towards humans is another trait selected in dogs during domestication.

Dr Senju thinks that these traits would have been useful to humans when they began to live side-by-side with canines approximately 15,000 years ago.

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Now playing: Mickey Finn's T-Rex - Bang A Gong ( Get It On )
via FoxyTunes

An Award!!

2008-08-07T14:58:00.005-04:00

Marlene at The Fearless Blog has given me the BFF Award. Go visit her! Her posts are always informational, entertaining, and they will enlighten you. Thanks Marlene! :)

Here are the rules:

1. Only 5 people are allowed to receive this award
2. 4 of them followers of your blog.
3. One has to be new to your blog and live in another part of the world.
4. You must link back to who ever gave you the award.

Aw, only five...I wish I could nominate more, but here goes.

Arv-Thoughts On The Wall
Lauren-Can You Be Part Of My Life
Hemanth- Me Myself And The World
Barbara-Writing From the Inside Out
Harsh-MyWrite, MyRight

Please visit them!!! :)

Not Really Wordless Wednesday

2008-08-06T15:02:00.003-04:00

But there are Pictures! :) These are from a Poison show I went to a few weeks back. My group was situated next to some people that were obviously pretty drunk. They seemed to be having a blast. The guy at the top, who we lovingly nicknamed "Cave Man," stopped every person who came by and tried to dance with them! Most people cooperated! He was really funny.

I've been sitting on an award, and a couple of tags for a little while... I'm hoping to get to them tomorrow. Until then, enjoy these pictures! LOL

A Much Needed Message From the Universe

2008-08-04T16:08:00.002-04:00

I saw this here and here. I really needed to read it today, and I'm sure we all could use a reminder like this from time to time.

To: YOU
Date: TODAY
From: THE UNIVERSE
Subject: YOURSELF
Reference: LIFE

This is The Universe. Today I will be handling ALL of your problems for you. I do NOT need your help. So, have a nice day and have some fun… okay… and remember, I love you.

P.S. And also remember…

If life happens to deliver a situation to you that you cannot handle, do NOT attempt to resolve it yourself! Kindly put it in the SFTUTD (something for the Universe to do) box. I will get to it AT THE RIGHT TIME. All situations will be resolved, but in UNIVERSAL time, not yours.

Once the matter is placed into the box, do not hold onto it by worrying about it. Instead, focus on all the wonderful things that are present in your life now.

If you find yourself stuck in traffic, don’t despair. There are people in this world for whom driving is an unheard of privilege.

Should you have a bad day at work, think of the man who has been out of work for years.

Should you despair over a relationship gone bad, think of the person who has never known what it’s like to love and be loved in return.

Should you grieve the passing of another weekend, think of the woman in dire straits, working twelve hours a day, seven days a week to feed her children.

Should your car break down, leaving you miles away from assistance, think of the paraplegic who would love the opportunity to take that walk.

Should you notice a new gray hair in the mirror, think of the cancer patient in chemotherapy who wishes she had the hair to examine.

Should you find yourself at a loss and pondering what is life all about, asking what is my purpose? Be thankful. There are those who didn’t live long enough to get the opportunity.

Should you find yourself the victim of other people’s bitterness, ignorance, smallness or insecurities, remember, things could be worse. You could be one of them!

Should you decide to share this with a friend or three, Thank you. You may have touched their life in ways you will never know!

Now, you go and have a nice day… THE UNIVERSE

To Put it Simply...

2008-08-03T14:12:00.001-04:00

see more dog pictures

Random August Post

2008-08-01T14:02:00.002-04:00

Well, it’s August, and I’m determined to make it an amazing month despite the way I’ve been feeling for the past week. (Just kind of sluggish, and blue.)

I’ve been trying to break my mood…with diligent bouts of exercise, but it's not doing its usual trick. Despite that, I will continue with it because without the activity…I know how bad I would feel, and I don’t want to go down that road.

Maybe the weather is playing its part…it has been kind of crazy here. (Hot, muggy, and on and off rain.) In fact, on Tuesday…I got caught in a huge storm while I was waiting for the bus. It was actually pretty cool…minus the fact that we were all congregating under a tree…which I’ve heard can be a bad thing when lighting is involved. :)

I’m thinking of entering this poetry contest…kind of spur of the moment. The deadline is tonight at 11:59 PM, and I’m still considering it. I’ve been lacking in the creative inspiration department, for the past month or so…maybe submitting my work, will motivate me to sit still, and write more. Who knows? I don’t care about winning at all…I’m still skeptical that what I write is actual poetry to begin with, I just think it’s cool that I actually have work that I’m contemplating entering to begin with. If that makes any sense.

I know I’ve been rambling, and this post seems a bit scatterbrained. That’s just the type of mood I’m in, and I’m pretty much ok with that. :)

Silly, but I'm Curious

2008-07-30T16:54:00.004-04:00

Tell me please, what is the first thing that comes to your mind when looking at this picture. Like I said...this request is kind of silly, but it's like a poll of sorts. I will tell you my reasoning behind it, after I've received sufficient responses. :) Thanks for indulging me! Happy Wednesday!

Update: If you are curious about why I asked...check my comments! :)

William Shatner Singing Rocket Man....FUNNY

2008-07-27T10:07:00.002-04:00

Watch this...it's so funny! :D