Where's Waldo?
Pawing the seat of the chair under the table getting ready for a snooze.
Notice how dark and grey it is outside? Been that way for a couple of days now. And cold.
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Guess what I found!
My cupcake template!
Oh, the small joys in life!! :)
Had gotten inbetween some other papers, like I had suspected. It was cut too small, as you can see, in my experimenting so it was perfect for a sample. Instead of using the square die they will be cut with the rectangular die you see on the right. Much more balanced.
This is the next big project...finish the birthday cards for 2012.
Finally! ;)
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My December Ink Drop arrived already yesterday!
Wintery Blues! I only have one empty pen...hummm. Guess I'll have to pick one of the five to play with.
Iggy found the Handi-Wheels in Fargo online before I had even looked and posted the link in the comments. Good Lord! $11 one way! $22 round trip! This is because it is a wheel-chair accessible bus and they mostly transport them, it appears. But why take such advantage of people in wheelchairs? Is it because their insurance or the state or federal government pays for the transportation? I just found that ridiculously high!! ??? Guess I'll stick with the $5.00 round trip senior bus. Wait till I tell Caroline!
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I decided to do my meditations at night before I go to bed. I thought it might help with sleep, too. Anyways, this first week is all about "Who Am I?" So last night we're doing this visualization of walking down a blank corridor slightly tilting downwards...no problem. We see an elevator and go inside and push the button...no problem. We are hurtling upwards so fast that when the elevator stops we're kind of lifted off the floor a little...wait a minute here! We walk out onto the roof of the tallest building on top of the tallest mountaintop...Huston we have a problem!
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I know I am supposed to feel "on top of the world", but my stomach was doing flip flops! And when I can focus he's telling us to shout, "Who am I?"..."Who am I?"..."Who am I?"
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"Afraid of heights!!!"
Karma jumped.
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That visual meditation did nothing to calm me down before bedtime--ROFL!
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But later on in the meditation he did keep saying softly, "Who are you?...Who are you?...Who are you?" and then he shut up for a long while and let us be.
Two pictures came to me.
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The first one was when my mom had this job where she drug us three bored little kids along in the car while she delivered photographs all over Minneapolis for a photography studio. I was watching all the people in the cars, trucks, and buses. So many of them seemed bored or sad. I decided to cheer them up. I'd smile and wave through the back seat windows...hoping to catch people's attention...especially if they looked unhappy or crabby. And most of the time when I caught their eye anything from a corner lift on the side of the mouth to a full blown laugh would occur. If they gave me the cold stare--I frowned...I drooped...I grabbed my heart with both hands...and pleaded for a smile. That usually worked. Oh, the smiling and laughing...just warmed me all over!! Still does, just remembering. I even got my younger brother and sister to join me sometimes. I wonder if they remember?
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The second picture that came to me was me lying on my back hidden in the prairie grass in the field with my dog panting beside me on a summer day watching the white clouds drift by in the blue sky and the metallic dragonflies landing on the tips of the grass that waved tall in the breeze. I was eleven. I was empty and full at the same time. I felt connected to everything and yet thinking nothing at all. Blankly expansive...as my dog drooled on my belly as I slowly scratched her ear.
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Who am I?
I am social. I am solitary.
I love to lift people's spirits. I love animals and nature.
I am me.
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But...I am afraid of heights and moving fast. ;)
Have an enlightening weekend.
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"Until mankind can extend the circle of his compassion to include all living things, he will never, himself, know peace."
Albert Schweitzer
27 comments:
Hi ya's!!
I have a set of 4 mini dies for cupcakes (base, top, etc) - do you want them? I was looking for something else and came across them. I'm not sure if I got them from SU or not (they might be specifically Cuttlebug items), but now that I have my SU cupcake punch, I never use it. I could send it along with your embosslit if you think you could use it (??)
Looking forward to seeing your new "blues"!!! How fun to get new colors every month!! I'm a color girl myself and can never have enough, lol!
Karma is wonderful!
I'm not afraid of heights at all and LOVE being way up high. Thomas is a little bit afraid but pretends not to be. But I'm crazy afraid of snakes!!!
Who am I? I wouldn't know where to start.....
That going to the top of the highest of the highest wouldn't work well for me either. It sounds like the "who am I" exercise worked well for you though. I like the story where you would work on getting people to laugh.
Oh, Karma! You really try to steal the show every time! What a little character you are.
I love your cupcake design and am gad your new inks have arrived. Can't wait to see what you'll be up to next. Susan's latest mandala is stunning. You will love it!
Your meditation sounded decidedly unpleasant. Had it been me, I'd have aborted it. How like you to persevere till the end. I enjoyed your two flashbacks and what you learnt about yourself. I absolutely love your writing and the last comment you left on Dee's blog, too. You have such good insights, Rita!
I hate when I can't find something but I am so excited when finally find where I put it- congrats on finding your cupcake template. I like the rectangle!
I think the meditation sounds like it will eventually work for you. I like the pictures that came to your mind. I do that sometimes when I can't sleep, just picture a happy time in my mind.
Hugs,
Beth
Firstly, for how much things cost these days that's not too bad of a price. However, I'd stick to the cheaper one too (as long as it's an option for you and something you feel comfortable using).
Secondly... ROTFLMAO! Seriously, I'm now in hysterics over your meditation reaction. Not being afraid of hights I was much more interested in all the fluffy clouds. OK, so he never mentioned clouds, but I had clouds... Fluffy ones in different shapes like I used to love to watch!
YAY on finding your cupcake templates!
The Handi-wheels bus fare is quite steep. I wonder if people in wheelchairs get a subsidy at all from the Government? Bradley, who is legally blind and hearing impaired, can use taxi services and only pay half-fare. He also gets totally free public transport services such as bus, train and ferry etc. In any case, I'd be sticking with the Senior's bus too.
That can be a problem with guided meditations which is why I prefer to meditate without them. I remember my sister once guiding me and a few friends through a meditation and it entailed us swimming out past the waves and swimming with dolphins. Well, we didn't know it til afterwards but my friend couldn't swim and was afraid of going in deep water so it kinda spoiled the meditation for her. She had to improvise.
I loved reading your two memories. You ARE a beautiful person, Rita...back then as a child AND now.
Love,
Serena xo
I meant to add that I've always loved that quote by Albert Schweitzer. xo
Jeannie--Can you shoot me a picture in an email? I'd love to see what you're talking about. ;)
I love never knowing what we are going to get in the Ink Drop. Such fun!
We all have our fears, I guess.
Hope you're having a good weekend. :)
Rubye--Sounds like you're not fond of heights, either. I hear you, lady! ;)
A smile is such a small gift. Always available at a moment's notice and free! :)
Desiree--Yes! I just loved Susan's mandala! So bold and yet decorated so delicately. Just lovely!! :)
Yes, I'm glad I stuck with the mediation or I wouldn't have had those wonderful memories come back to me so clearly.
Thanks you so much! You always have interesting and thoughtful things to say, too. :):)
Carolyn--I know! I got so excited! I even let Karma smell it and everything. She wondered what in the world was so exciting--LOL! ;)
Beth--Normally I just meditate quietly on my own to instrumental music. Guided mediation has always been a toss up for me, as you can tell--LOL!
That sounds like a good idea for sleeping!! Nice thoughts!! :):)
Tori--$22 round trip is a lot for here! I can imagine Caroline's mouth will fall open. You could take a cab for less than that, but they don't have the kind of wheel chair service they probably need. The bus is only a couple dollars, too. So the senior bus is about right. Handi-Wheels is really high.
If I wasn't afraid of heights I would have been looking at the fluffy clouds, too--LOL!
Serena--What bothers me is that if they do help them with the transportation costs, then they are just charging more because it will be paid for by the government. That is what the doctors and pharmacies do, too. *sigh*
I know what the girl who can't swim felt like--LOL! I had to improvise, too. I sat down next to the elevator as far away from the edge of the roof as I could--LOL!
Yes, nice quote by Albert. :):)
I love the images of you as a child, trying to win smiles from the bored folks around you, and especially lying in the prairie grass with your dog by you, empty and full at the same time! That's a great image to meditate on!
I especially like that last one, lying in the grass being one with everything, scratching your dog's tummy. I felt like I was there, too.
Very interesting journey you are on right now, Rita. I look forward to following it... :-)
Karma tries to be sneaky but you caught on a long time ago. LOL
Have fun with your new inks.
The Handi-Wheels sounds kinda expensive to me, too. I just hope and pray things work out okay for you whenever you need to get to your appointments.
I'm not crazy about elevators or heights. I think that medication exercise would have left me more stressed than before I began.
Your memories are wonderfully heartwarming.
CarolC--They were good memories. Made me think I should try harder to make people smile now as I move through my days. ;) But I love the times in my life I have felt expanded out into everything. Awesome!! Thanks! :)
Djan--I remember that one summer day lying there hidden in the wall of grass so clearly. The feeling of being connected to everything--loving everything--ahhh!
Thanks so much!! :):)
That cupcake template is so cute! I can see one could be very creative with that! Enjoyed reading the two memories you shared. I think that was a great way you tried to pass the time while you were in the car being with your mom while she was doing her delivery work!
betty
AliceKay--I think it's unfair to charge so much for the wheelchair riders, too!
The meditation did get better after we got past the heights thing--LOL! Whew! ;)
Thanks re:the memories. Hope you are having a restful, recharging weekend. :)
Betty--Thanks so much! After I came up with that idea I didn't mind the long times in the car anymore, either. ;)
Happy Sunday! :)
I forgot you guys have that $2 bus ticket. Well, over here you wont get anywhere on that amount of money; even going just one stop will cost you a little over that (I think it's £1.50 one way, and £1.70 return, which is between $2.50 and $3 one way, and between $3 and $3.40 return; depending on the conversion rate for the day). And that's the cheapest you're getting anywhere for, and tickets are done by distance here; there's a flat rate, then they add so many pence per x amount of distance, rounding it up to the nearest 5p.
Tori--Well, even at your higher rates, $22.00 round trip is still a lot.
I Like your writing but I also like those quotes! Thanks for sharing.
Anne--Thanks so much! :)
Dear Rita,
Your two childhood remembrances were so vivid. The first of you laughing and making others laugh, the second of you in tune with Oneness. These lines especially engaged my imagination: "I was empty and full at the same time. I felt connected to everything and yet thinking nothing at all. Blankly expansive." They are what I'm trying to express in a posting I'm writing now. I think these words reflect a very human longing to be all and nothing at all.
Peace.
No wonder I never found Waldo - I didn't know he looked like Karma!
:)
So, you found Waldo Karma and the cupcakes! Sounds like you had a great day!
Dee--I've had moments like that in my life off and on. I knew it must be similar to what you were talking about that time in school. It's hard to describe what it feels like. I think you understand. :)
Iggy--Darn! She forgot to put on her red and white striped turtleneck and hat--LOL!
Yup! Was a pretty great day! :):)
True.
Waldo's over this way...one town just north...but be careful...it's a speed trap! OH...THAT waldo...the little fluffy one hiding under the table on a chair...
it'a always nice to find those missing things! especially when you forgot that it was even missing. then it's like you have a NEW stencil!
i think you need to just do your meditation when the time is good for you to just kick back and relax...clear your head of junk & whatever comes to your mind that's happy & feels good...go with the flow...
Laura--There's a Waldo, FL? LOL! You're so funny!
I get excited about little things. Easily joyed, I guess. ;)
Normally that is the kind of meditation I do--just my own thing to peaceful music. This guided meditation stuff I have tried in the past and it's a mixed bag for me. Can be good or not so good--LOL! Something different. Most of them have been okay, though. :):)
yes! there really IS a waldo...it even shows it on that OLD map from the 1800's on my last post! and it's STILL there...but i doubt it was a speed trap back then! ha!
Laura--Speed Trap Waldo, FL---ROFL!! I love it! ;)
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