I had it all figured out

I could've sworn I saw fireworks
From your house last night
As the lights flickered and they failed
I had it all figured out
Why do I do this to myself every time?
I know the way it ends before it's even begun
I am the only one at the finish line.

I don't want to wait anymore I'm tired of looking for answers

Take me someplace where there's music and there's laughter

I don't know if I'm scared of dying but I'm scared of living too fast, too slow

Regret, remorse, hold on, oh no I've got to go

I won't take the easy road
The easy road, the easy road

Show me my silver lining, I try to keep on keeping on

Only dreams give birth to change

New Year's Day. A fresh start. A new chapter in life waiting to be written. New questions to be asked, embraced, and loved. Answers to be discovered and then lived in this transformative year of delight and self-discovery. Today carve out a quiet interlude for yourself in which to dream, pen in hand. Only dreams give birth to change.

So I wonder where the new year will take me. What travels of new adventures will I take? 

A lot of these resolutions fail because they’re not the right resolutions. And a resolution may be wrong for one of three main reasons:
It’s a resolution created based on what someone else (or society) is telling you to change.
It’s too vague.
You don’t have a realistic plan for achieving your resolution.

Your goals should be smart — and SMART. Specific. Measurable.Achievable.Relevant.Time-bound.

There are far, far better things ahead than any we leave behind!

Wonderful Winter

Wintertime in Second Life has so much to offer, there is not enough time to see it all. Winter reminds me of my childhood when I spend many hours in the snow.

Shimmering lakes of silvery ice
welcomes skaters' scarring slice.
Hills adorned in lacy white
watch children sleigh into the night.
In the brilliant pristine light,
snowbirds in tall trees take flight.
Evergreens draped in capes of snow,
their heavy branches hanging low,
blanket earth as north winds blow.
Winter's dance is quite a show,
an ice-kissed, dazzling, magical place,
transformed by winter's cold embrace! © Patricia L. Cisco

I met these nice furries who shared a sleigh ride with me. Thanks, Umber, Blimp, Sobe, Nichole and Syrithareal for the fun adventure. I ran into the gang later that day at another Winter Sim, which was cool because it was like we knew each other. :)

Santa Giveaway

Every year for the past five years Jake Vordun plays Santa to his Second Life Customers. 

I do not know of any other creator in Second Life who does this. The wait is long but so very worth it. Thank you Jake for doing this, it is absolutely amazing. This was my third year being part of it and I love what I got. I ended up buying the rest of the set and am very happy with it.

If you never been to Fancy Decor you should really check it out. The quality of the items are first class. Everything looks great. Don't forget to visit the museum which will give you the feeling of a real museum. One of my favorite places to visit in Second Life.

Thanks again Santa Jake...

Celebrating the holidays in Second Life

Celebrating the holidays in Second Life is a lot of fun with so many winter sims and decorated places. There are many events going on as well where you can grab some holiday gifts for your friends or maybe just for yourself.

Please do stop by the Retreat and enjoy the holidays here. It is a perfect place for your winter pictures too. There are free little gifts you can pick up along the way as well. This is open to the public. Members of the group are granted Rezz rights so you can use your props for pictures.

quiet time inside the chapel

Come inside the cozy chapel to find some quiet peace and reflect on the past year. Maybe you are planning a wedding? It can all be done here at the chapel.

Relax in the info center which is the first building to your right when you enter the gate. Meet up with friends and chat and make plans.

The Retreat plaza is designed to dance under the moon (literally) or you can just sit down and enjoy the scene. Go visit the gallery while here and enjoy the art. 

Want to ice skate? No problem! Follow the path all the way to Gray's Ice-skating rink and grab some hot chocolate to warm yourself.

Happy Holidays and a very Happy New Year from everybody at the Retreat and Basement Club!!!!

There is a train heading to nowhere

There is a train heading to nowhere

With me as its only passenger.

With every hour that goes by

It is taking me further away from you.

Time flies, the hours pass by

Soon a new day will arise.

It's not too late yet

But if the door shuts, then what?

There is a train heading to nowhere

Soon you will be alone just like me.

But say a word, say just a word

And everything will be the way it was.

Inspired by this song:

Holiday foods from Europe....now I am hungry

Glühwein is a spiced hot mulled wine, commonly prepared in fall and winter in Germany, Austria, and Switzerland.
The alcoholic beverage is a must-have german holiday drink at the Christmas markets and après ski parties in the mountains.
It’s guaranteed to warm you up from within!

During the "Weihnachtsmarkets" we have these little stands where you can drink the Glühwein or some other hot drinks and eat some potato pancakes.

"Kartoffelknödel"

What’s a holiday feast without spuds? Potato dumplings ("Kartoffelknödel" or "Kartoffelklösse") are another go-to recipe at Christmas-time in Germany. "Kartoffelknödel" is most often made to complement a roast with gravy alongside a hearty helping of "Rotkohl." The side dish begins as a dough made from potatoes, flour and bread. It’s seasoned with nutmeg, rolled into a ball, and boiled or steamed in saltwater. Day-after-Christmas leftovers are said to be just as delicious when sliced, pan-fried and slathered with butter. Yum!

There are so many more...Holidays are made for eating so forget about diets.

not natural

What is an alien? Someone belonging to another country or people; foreign. Someone strange; not natural, a foreign-born resident in a country who has not become a naturalized citizen.

The United States defines aliens into several categories:

deportable alien
An alien who may be deported because she was an inadmissible alien when she entered the United States or has violated the regulations (for example, by committing a serious crime) governing the conduct of aliens who are within the country.

illegal alien
An alien who enters or remains in the United States without legal authorization or by fraud.
An alien who marries an American citizen, but with no intention of living with his or her spouse as husband and wife, for the purpose of improperly entering the United States or avoiding deportation.

inadmissible alien
An alien who cannot legally enter the United States. There are many reasons why an alien may be prohibited from entry, including a criminal record or poor health.

nonresident alien
An alien who permanently resides outside the United States.

resident alien
An alien who legally-established permanent residency in the United States.

For many years I was a resident alien and had my Green Card

(actually, the card was blue, no idea why they called it Green card? Maybe because it was quite costly to obtain?)

I think that an alien lives next door.
I think that he does but I'm not quite sure.

I think that he has two alien eyes
just like dinner plates but twice the size.

And alien ears that both stick out
and flap, like the wings of a bat, no doubt.

And frog-like flippers for his feet
upon which he hops down the street.

And tentacles, not arms or hands
that he can stretch like rubber bands.

To capture people when they run
while he's chasing them just for fun.

I think he must eat people too
'cause that is what space creatures do.

I think that he does. He must, you see
if he is an alien just like me.

Come to the Basement Club where the "aliens" hang out and will always welcome you.

to embellish the truth

Gingerbread Man agreed to dance with me since nobody else does.

'Twas the night before Christmas and Santa's a wreck... How to live in a world that's politically correct? His workers no longer would answer to "Elves", "Vertically Challenged" they were calling themselves. And labor conditions at the north pole Were alleged by the union to stifle the soul. Four reindeer had vanished, without much propriety, Released to the wilds by the Humane Society. And equal employment had made it quite clear That Santa had better not use just reindeer. So Dancer and Donner, Comet and Cupid, Were replaced with 4 pigs, and you know that looked stupid! The runners had been removed from his sleigh; The ruts were termed dangerous by the E.P.A. And people had started to call for the cops When they heard sled noises on their roof-tops.

Christmas at Calas Galadhon

Second-hand smoke from his pipe had his workers quite frightened. His fur-trimmed red suit was called "Unenlightened."
Rudolf was suing over unauthorized use of his nose and to show you the strangeness of life's ebbs and flows, And had gone on Geraldo, in front of the nation,
Who suddenly said she'd enough of this life, Demanding millions in over-due compensation. So, half of the reindeer were gone; and his wife, Joined a self-help group, packed, and left in a whiz,
That making a choice could cause so much commotion. Demanding from now on her title was Ms.
And as for the gifts, why, he'd ne'er had a notion


 

Nothing of leather, nothing of fur, Which meant nothing for him. And nothing for her. Nothing that might be construed to pollute. Nothing to aim. Nothing to shoot. Nothing that clamored or made lots of noise. Nothing for just girls. Or just for the boys. Nothing that claimed to be gender-specific. Nothing that's warlike or non-pacific.


https://calasgaladhon.com/

No candy or sweets...they were bad for the tooth. Nothing that seemed to embellish the truth. And fairy tales, while not yet forbidden, Were like Ken and Barbie, better off hidden. For they raised the hackles of those psychological Who claimed the only good gift was one ecological. No baseball, no football...someone could get hurt; Besides, playing sports exposed kids to dirt. Dolls were said to be sexist and should be passe, And Nintendo would rot your entire brain away. So Santa just stood there, disheveled, perplexed; He just could not figure out what to do next. He tried to be merry, tried to be gay, But you've got to be careful with that word today. His sack was quite empty, limp to the ground; Nothing fully acceptable was to be found. Something special was needed, a gift that he might Give to all without angering the left or the right. A gift that would satisfy, with no indecision, Each group of people, every religion; Every ethnicity, every hue, Everyone, everywhere...even you. So here is that gift, it's price beyond worth... "May you and your loved ones enjoy peace on earth."

Raising Men

I already made up my mind that the simple things I am describing in this blog section do not happen, because men like this do not exist, The problem is that most men were raised by women, by their mother or grandmother. To be honest, women made some major mistakes raising these men.

The perfect man? NOPE...

There are certain qualities the perfect man should possess. Now, this is different for each person because we all have unique tastes of personalities. 

Honesty: I rather have someone be brutally honest with me inside of someone who sugarcoats a situation or opinion. If I have to find out later what he really wanted to say, it will create distrust and me then thinking what else did he lie about. Don't do it!

Humor: Yes, of course, be funny and charming when you need to be but don't be a clown of a jerk that annoys and twists everything someone says. You know those fools I am talking about. They think they are funny, but they really are not. Be creative with humor and make it taste sweet and move my stomach.

Looks: Oh I hear this so many times when people say that looks are not important. I believe that is a lie. We all have different ideas of what looks good, but we have to feel that he is appealing, at least to us. Screw the rest of the world! Men do this all the time, they drop you like a hot potato if you are not appealing to them. Don't be fooled! Do what men do.

Creative: Whether it is art or music or other joys in life, be creative. Be out of this world and unique, but be YOU. Always be you. 

There is this saying about women she is a princess in public and porn star in bed. Well let me tell you this, dear man, we women also want this BUT we want romance in bed. In public be kind when we are around. Do not refer us to your old lady...ever...and I mean ever?
An old lady is a term used to refer to your girlfriend or your wife, etc. Usually, somebody who you may like, but really don't have much respect for.

Les anges dans nos campagnes

The man, who has seen the rising moon break out of the clouds at midnight, has been present like an archangel at the creation of light and of the world.!~Emerson

Les anges dans nos campagnes
Ont entonné l'hymne des cieux
Et l'écho de nos montagnes
Redit ce chant mélodieux
Gloria in excelsis Deo!

The "angels" or malakhim (Heb.: מַלְאָכִים), i.e. the "plain" angels (Gr.: ἄγγελοι, pl. of Gr.: ἄγγελος, angelos, i.e. messenger or envoy), are the lowest order of celestial beings, and the most recognized. They are the ones most concerned with the affairs of men. Within the category of the angels, there are many different kinds, with different functions. The angels are sent as messengers to humanity. Personal guardian angels come from this class.

My favorite of all the angels is the archangel, Raphael. Archangel Raphael is the archangel who is called upon to support healing and to guide in all matters involving health. Archangel Raphael uses a variety of healing methods, including direct intervention, where he miraculously and instantly heals ailments; and guidance, where he directs the person toward the best avenues to health.

You chose a warrior, remember?” “As you chose an archangel.

If you need healing of any kind, you may want to try to ask Raphael for help. It doesn't hurt. In a sense, you have to claim your personal sense of power to act on the guidance you receive in order to anchor higher light and healing into your personal experience.

Don't rush all the time

It is nothing new that we are always in a rush.

It's easy to get caught up in the holiday rush, but what about the rush of everyday life? Life is speeding up, and with it, our inner angst. We want to cram in as much as we can and be productive, but at what cost?

I believe there are several reasons for being in a rush all the time. One could mean it is a habit. Hurry up and don't be late! This is very much true for a German, we do not like to be late to anything, ever. When it comes to eating we take our sweet time.

Stop and smell the coffee, maybe in a diner and take your time.

Another reason may be that we avoid something. We don't want to feel our real feelings or deal with our stuff. Constant movement is a distraction to deeper, underlying feelings that cause us dis-ease and discomfort. We fear other people's judgments and perceptions of us. When we constantly exude a sense of urgency, we feel valuable in the eyes of others.

Wait! I need to get on.

We feel the pressure: We feel a constant pressure to perform. This can come from the voice of our parents or society, where we feel we need "to do" in order to "be loved." We feel the need to hurry up and cram everything, in order to feel worthy of love. This can come from people-pleasing and the need to prove ourselves. A false perception: The idea that the grass is greener somewhere else. The future is better than now. We feel like we're missing opportunities by slowing down.

Never be late to a Grum Set. You will miss out on all the great tunes.

Knowing what is causing us to push alleviates the pressure that comes from rushing. If you don't know, you can simply stop. Stop and take a breath. Invite some space in. Acknowledge to yourself, "I know I'm rushing right now," and invite yourself back to the present moment. It's a good time to practice self-compassion, and compassion for others who are cutting you off on the freeway!

Ice Rink

I take one step 
onto that ice
and an immediate shock
of electricity shoots through me
strength and adrenaline rushes through my blood stream
my heart sings
my soul screams, finally free
my body rips through the cage that it has been kept in for so long
sick of being confined to the ordinary mundane movements
of an ordinary life
finally
it is free
I am free

and i dance
i dance the dance i have danced my whole life
a dance unlike any other
a dance on ice

my soul intertwines with the soul of the ice
it is my partner and we are inseparable
we dance together, like two lovers
long removed from each other
finally reunited
grasping each other in a loving embrace

I have missed the cold awakening hug of the wind
encircling me as a spin
the sparkling ice beneath my skates 
twinkling approval up at me as i dance with it

I jump
and i can fly
I am free
nothing in the world can hold me back
no one can cage me
you can't cage my spirit or my soul

I belong on the ice
its a part of me
and always will be

Come visit the NEW Ice Rink at the Retreat.

“Failure is unimportant. It takes courage to make a fool of yourself.”

Life isn’t easy. It’s filled with challenges, upsets, hard times and massive amounts of pain and failure. But life is also filled with an endless array of simple pleasures. The upshot of failure is spiritual growth, mental understanding, emotional maturity, and physical strengthening. Don’t allow a little thing like failure to get you down.

The anti-quitter bias has kept many people stuck in jobs, relationships, or promises that aren’t good for them. The fear of quitting makes them stick it out or even work harder, which can have huge costs to their mental health and emotional well being. However, quitting is not always the worst choice a person can make. When done strategically, abandoning the pursuit of a goal may be a much healthier approach than perverse perseverance.

“When it rains look for rainbows when it’s dark look for stars.”

As a result, green often represents feelings of peace and tranquility. Some green hues can also help you relax and feel at ease. To achieve a greater sense of balance, try wearing a green stone or green clothing close to your heart, where you can focus this peaceful energy. One of the most positive aspects of green is its reference to inspiration and hope. Since this color symbolizes not only rebirth but also a long life, it paves the way for anticipation, optimism, and immortality. In fact, virtually all of the great religions of the world highlight green as a symbol of paradise and wisdom. Meditate with green to renew your sense of hope, to seek out inspiration during a trying time, or to find a constructive path for moving forward.

If I make someone smile

I have known beauty in art,
in nature, and in bodily form,
once I was beautiful and I enjoyed
it and all the access it gave me

I have read, I have written,
I have been over-educated
I have known both the ease
and burdens of privilege

but in all the ugliness that comes with life,

I have known what it is to be awake,

for a few moments at least,

or maybe I had the delusion that I was,

which I’ll take just the same.

That is not me,

But only what I let you see.

I am more complicated than you will ever know.

And yet I am really very simple,

I still naively expect the best from people.

Something I always try to give others,

Honesty, caring, mindful of feelings, doing what I can.

If I make someone smile,

If I help someone understand something,

If I make a difference,

I am successful.

waiting for nothing

Stayed up all night

With the bugs in the bright

And the air turned cold and black

Turtle trapped on its back

I'm waiting for nothing

Waiting for nothing

There are angels hiding under

Trestles above the ground

They hover there forever

So they can't be found

It's too late now It's too late now It's too late to fix my broken hands To fix my broken hands

I'm waiting for nothing
Waiting for nothing