Hats off to people who can make fun out of awkward situations! Just today I was goofing off with the cvs self check out guy after some minor problems. He ended up telling the next person in line that mine was available "if shed hurry up". I left there giggling! The real star of the show would be Howard Stern on America's Got Talent though. After some beefcake guys got up on stage and pretty much did an exotic dance, the crowd was booing and some of the audience members really looked offended. Howard got up there and started dancing with them with a complete straight face the whole time, and the whole house was histerical! Im definately taking note...laughter really can save the world!

I think we've all experience personal prejudices, and its not always for race or religion. Sometimes we deal with it without ever realizing it...we start to expect to be treated differently by the way we look, dress, or even the way we do things. Here's the positive point I was getting at: I feel a sense of personal power by giving people what they dont expect! When I have a normal conversation with a grimy bum on the street, or not even flinching at the most obvious person in the room! One of the hardest things for me to do is treat a famous person normally. I really have to work at not "fanning out" and regarding their personal space. Keeping a nonjudgmental attitude is starting to become my autopilot, but its a delicate balance we have to make as our judgement is one of our best defense mechanisms. Because of my own unpleasant experiences, Im careful not to ask too many personal questions with people Im just meeting and let them offer me things they want me to know. This is a little gift and I try to treat it as such by not passing judgement or having a negative attitude towards them. Im not perfect, but every time someone trusts in me I feel like the world is right despite a sea of wrongs...

So theres a NATO summit in Chicago next week, and Im reminded of wto in Seattle. What a crazy time...its seemed like the whole city was in riots! Buses were tipped over and set on fire, and riot police were everywhere shooting rubber bullets and tear gas into the crowds. For some insane reason, my friends and I were out walking around to have a look. I was minutes from being fired on by a line of gun pointing riot police after breaking through the crowd to see what all the fuss was about! Thank goodness I can run pretty fast when put in a sticky situation like that. Afterwards online Christmas cards with photos from the mayhem were circulated for months...people were able to laugh about it at last:-) My thoughts and prayers are for Chicago next week...wishing them a peaceful and productive event...

Counterintuitiveness: the part of our thoughts that betray us when were overly cautious or project a prior experience onto a new one. Its natural to have this, but acting on it is another story. Sometimes we may feel like were entering into a dangerous situation, or someone means us wrong. Its up to us to keep these feelings to ourselves until its proven. Like red flags...we take note of things happening and being said until we get enough evidence to get the heck out of dodge! These situations are often very exciting for me, as theres a suspense and tension in the air im trying not to let onto. My adrenaline in pumping overtime and Im trying to keep calm on the surface. Making it through this with another person is often a bonding experience...leaving you feeling closer to them than if you had met under normal circumstances. Although the original thoughts may have been bad, theres a real relief that they werent true! Today I had someone flub up with this and pretty much tell me off after I had asked an otherwise innocent question. Thankfully I had the wisdom to comfort this person and let them know I understand and have been there before! The apology was much appreciated:-)

We are all super heros!

I went to see The Avengers last night, and now Im all inspired to help others find their super powers and get everyone together to do something great and make the world a better place! Some people are literally doing this: Real Life Superheroes in the news - YouTube Its tempting to create my own masked avenger costume and join them, but I think my persona would be a little too complicated with wings and mind reading abilities and things like that Im still working on. What would your super hero be like? Other people work for companies where helping the world be a better place is just as important as profits and margin...invisible super heroes working behind the scenes without fancy costumes and the like. As for me, fighting my own demons sometimes seems hard enough...blasting the proverbial bad guys that always seem to put a wedge in things. Its sometimes hard to remember that there are others out there who need a little more help, and make me think that keeping myself strong and powerful enough to reach out and help them if I can is the important thing...

Our habits are like a modern day whitchcraft...like a spell over us, the more we practice something it becomes a part of us. My thoughts on similar planes: osmosis, cancer, or even minimalist music! A conclusion would be that its not just the big descisions in life that change us, but also the minute ones we do every day that really make us who we are. Being in control of these things can make or break us. They say the Beatles being great musicians is no accident...they spent countless times playing and performing together before they became a sensation and thier fame was inevitable! If theres something you really love in life, stick with it and you will eventually personify it.

New York is the perfect place to practice a zen lifestyle...ie: doing things efficiently and peacefully. In the midst of all the chaos, its easier to find the tranquility of things. Like feeling the eye of the hurricane...while everything around you is spiraling out of control its a bigger contrast to your own serenity and mindfulness. In order to stay focused you must find your own zone and be acutely aware of it at all times...your own life's rhythm! Pounce when the universe allows you an opening, and rest when the universe provides, you trust and respect each other in a harmony that is only yours...

You missed a spot...

I wasnt going to mention this, but thought I would since I might actually do it. Ive been getting lots of requests from people to come over here and clean or do odd jobs. What I really would like is a ride to and from the airport, so I chose somebody that says he just got his liscence and is a future prospect for that. I think I do a pretty good job doing my own cleaning, but there are a few domestic jobs Im tempted to let go of. I think I will probably start training on friday, and well see how it goes. Maybe I can eventually open my own cleaning business;-) Just kidding...it is pretty funny though, considering the amount of requests Ive gotten!

Read beteen the lines...

Everyones an angel if you look for it inside them! Thought my accountant was pulling some shananigans when he emailed my my tax forms to sign and send over. By the time he sent me the correct password to open the protected documents he said, "oops, its too late to efile now. Ill send you a hard copy". He forgot to mention that what he was really sending my was records to prove my income for the new place in seattle! Not a day too soon,  May 1st was supposed to be my move in date. One more trip to kinko's;-) Also getting a much needed hair trim today...happy Cinko de Mayo everyone!