Lazy Days of Summer

Summer really does tend to be a time of reduced productivity. Our brains do, figuratively, wilt.

One of the key issues is motivation: when the weather is unpleasant, no one wants to go outside, but when the sun is shining, the air is warm, and the sky is blue leisure calls. Summer weather—especially the muggy kind—may also reduce both our attention and our energy levels. One common finding is a link between relative sunshine and happiness: although people who live in sunnier places, like Southern California, are no happier than those who live in the harsher conditions of the Midwest, day-to-day variations in the sunshine make a difference.

Does hot summer weather make you want to take a nap constantly? If you feel like falling asleep earlier in the summer months, it's both a reflection of your higher energy use and a reaction to changing light.

If you can find some motivation to get up and do the things you have planned then get started. Summer flies fast and before you know it the lazy days of summer are over. Damn! I am really talking about me here because I plan a million things and get little done. Shoot, time for a nap.

Dare to be

“Men were created before women. ... But that doesn't prove their superiority – rather, it proves ours, for they were born out of the lifeless earth in order that we could be born out of living flesh. And what's so important about this priority in creation, anyway? When we are building, we lay foundations on the ground first, things of no intrinsic merit or beauty, before subsequently raising up sumptuous buildings and ornate palaces. Lowly seeds are nourished in the earth, and then later the ravishing blooms appear; lovely roses blossom forth and scented narcissi.” 
― Moderata Fonte, The Worth of Women: Wherein Is Clearly Revealed Their Nobility and Their Superiority to Men

“Dare to Be
When a new day begins, dare to smile gratefully.
When there is darkness, dare to be the first to shine a light.
When there is injustice, dare to be the first to condemn it.
When something seems difficult, dare to do it anyway.
When life seems to beat you down, dare to fight back.
When there seems to be no hope, dare to find some.
When you’re feeling tired, dare to keep going.
When times are tough, dare to be tougher.
When love hurts you, dare to love again.
When someone is hurting, dare to help them heal.
When another is lost, dare to help them find the way.
When a friend falls, dare to be the first to extend a hand.
When you cross paths with another, dare to make them smile.
When you feel great, dare to help someone else feel great too.
When the day has ended, dare to feel as you’ve done your best.
Dare to be the best you can –

At all times, Dare to be!” 

Not all those who wander are lost

“Every dreamer knows that it is entirely possible to be homesick for a place you've never been to, perhaps more homesick than for familiar ground.” 
― Judith Thurman

Sometimes you do not have to physically travel anywhere, but let your mind travel to places you long to be. Don't let your luggage define your travels, each life unravels differently. During the summer months, I don't travel much but I do travel in my dreams to many places and sometimes to places I have been before as a child or young adult. I treasure those dreams because they are my dreams.

A dream where you were watching the local sights with admiration is a symbol of success. You will succeed in almost everything that you decide to do. If you happened to be in some historical place, this plot means you will somehow make a huge contribution to your own future. Such a dream is a hint that you have to mobilize your powers and try doing what you used to consider impossible.

Do not give power to the PUPPET MASTER

Don't let someone play you like a fiddle...be your own fiddle player. You are in charge of you not what others think or want you to do.

"When people don't like themselves very much, they have to make up for it. The classic bully was actually a victim first.

Tom Hiddleston

Master manipulators use language in order to confuse their victim. They can appear charming at first and then switch at a moment’s notice.

They are effective communicators and language is their top weapon in their arsenal. Without effective use of language, they would not be able to lie, win arguments hand down, use sarcasm and drop in the odd glib comment.

With the language they employ, they control the other person. They will ridicule and then turn the insult back on the other person by being surprised that they took it to heart.

This is a little like the person telling a hurtful joke at the expense of a loved one saying it was only a joke. A master manipulator will rationalize their actions as an excuse for hurtful behavior.

By rationalizing what they have done, they are able to present their actions in a good light. This is another covert way they can keep their real intentions under wraps. It is another tactic they use to control a person. It allows them to carry on using this same behavior, without issue.

Gaslighting is a manipulative tactic that can be described in different variations of three words: 'That didn't happen,' 'You imagined it,' and 'Are you crazy?' Gaslighting is perhaps one of the most insidious manipulative tactics out there because it works to distort and erode your sense of reality; it eats away at your ability to trust yourself and inevitably disables you from feeling justified in calling out abuse and mistreatment.

How can you fight back? Ground yourself in your own reality sometimes writing things down as they happened, telling a friend, or reiterating your experience to a support network can help to counteract the gaslighting effect.

Sowieso

"Friends, sun, sand, and sea, that sounds like a summer to me."

Commit to growing yourself. Do not avoid problems and or complain about problems. Don't let them bother you. In fact, don't even call them problems; refer to them as "challenges" or "situations". Let go of the emotion and drama you create when you don't get what you want. Just stay present and handle one situation at a time with an open mind and an open heart. Trust yourself and in the universe that everything will work out in the end.

Ey stranges, kleines Leben Verläuft auf Seitenwegen Ich such' die Mitte, doch mein Glück liegt meist daneben So selten Flugrakete, bin mehr so Zugverspätung Doch die Ernte kommt immer, man Es ist gut gesät und Ich hab kein Stress mit warten Geh' auch durch schlechte Phasen Ich bin geduldig und nehme zum Schluss die besten Karten Und fällt der Jenga-Turm, egal gibt eh Verlängerung Halt neuer Plan dann, ey, Leben ist Veränderung Egal was kommt, es wird gut, sowieso Immer geht ne neue Tür auf, irgendwo Auch wenn's grad nicht so läuft, wie gewohnt Egal, es wird gut, sowieso

Have the courage to follow your heart and intuition.

I know for sure that everything will work out. No matter how crazy or bleak the situation is, it will work out. Everything passes, good and bad.

Wave Rider

To the wave Rider timing is everything. They wait for the right time to catch that wave that will let them stand up for the longest. That's the opportunity you seek. You get ready for that big wave and then hop on board for a big ride when it does finally come your way. Watching for the right wave and getting onboard on time is the trick to the surfer's success.

That's true of opportunists in any walk of life. They watch for the right wave to come along and then climb aboard when it passes by at full crest with enough power to take you where you want to go. Not every moment holds the same opportunities, of course. Picking the right time is crucial.

Life is like the ocean: sometimes it’s stormy, choppy, and a complete mess. Other times it’s calm and perfect. In the ocean, risk and opportunity go hand-in-hand. The more waves you go for, the more you’ll catch. Every day in the water and every wave presents a new opportunity.

Without taking a risk in life such as relationships with others you will never get that opportunity of the right wave. Once you know the consequences of your risk (whether good or bad), you’re overcome by a sense of calm. You’re no longer forced to confront a fear of the unknown.

"A wise poet once said you’ve got to catch the wave, to enjoy the ride. You’ve got to hold on to come out the other side."

Happy 50th anniversary of the Moon Landing...

See you in Orbit one day, Neil!

She's taking her time making up the reasons
To justify all the hurt inside, guess she knows
From the smiles and the look in their eyes
Everyone's got a theory about the bitter one, they're saying

Mama never loved her much and
Daddy never keeps in touch
That's why she shies away from human affection, but
Somewhere in a private place
She packs her bags for outer space
And now she's waiting for the right kind of pilot to come

And she'll say to him (she's saying)

I would fly you to the moon and back
If you'll be, if you'll be my baby
I've got a ticket for a world where we belong
So would you be my baby?

She can't remember a time when she felt needed
If love was red then she was color-blind 
All her friends, they've been tried for treason
And crimes…

Courage comes from fear...

Drinking up some courage so I can surf later.

Courage is not the absence of fear. Courageous people do feel fear, but they are able to manage and overcome their fear so that it does not stop them from taking action.

What am I actually afraid of? Is it the right thing to be afraid of? Should I be this afraid of it – or rationally, should I be less or more afraid?
Courage gives us the strength to evaluate an emotional response (fear) and act rationally and rightly.

Only those who will risk going too far can possibly find out how far one can go.

Confidence gives us the power to act on our convictions, have faith in ourselves or in others, and take action. Over-confidence however, means that we may be too ready to take action, and take unnecessary risks. There were many times when I was way too over-confident especially when it comes to relationships just to fall flat on my behind as I got rejected so many times.

I can do this...my fears give me the courage to go on.

Ultimately, perhaps the question to ask yourself is:

How will I feel when I look back on this? Will I feel that I have acted in accordance with my values? Crucially, try not to let your emotions, whether fear or over-confidence, get the better of you, but think rationally about what you want to do, and what is the right thing to do in the situation.

Elf und Elf macht zweiundzwanzig!

There are many different kinds of elves I found out researching these alien creatures. There are those that enjoy the water. Sea elf~ These elves are the ones who build large castles and civilizations by the ocean shore. Sea elves are brave souls to face the raging ocean before them. 
Jungle waterfall elf ~ These elves are exotic Elfin creatures that live both in the jungle in tree houses and beautiful homes hidden deep in the trees. They are not wearing much clothing, showing their enchanting beauty, so when mortals see them, they often fall in love with them.
Mountain Waterfall elf~ These elves have built homes on the side of the mountains with waterfalls surrounding them. Lake or Lagoon elf~ This elf is one who likes to tend to the health of the lakes. River elf~ This elf lives inside the mountain or caves in beautiful cave-like dwellings but often comes to the river to bathe and to relax by. Rain elf~ Though we don’t know their name specifically. These elves only come out in the rain. Snow or Ice elf~ These elves live near the Arctic and Antartica circles, Canada, as well as Russia.

I figured it is worth a shot and I asked Grum if he would surf in the ocean with me BUT the answer was no. I guess he is not a water elf then. 

My favorite water elf is "Jungle water elf" because they do not wear many clothes. Who needs clothes anyway!

Or, maybe it is his gray skin that might wash off and it turns out that he is purple underneath? If you have any suggestions about this let me know in the comments below.

Journal or Diary?

A personal journal is a record of significant experiences. It is much more personal than a diary. It contains feelings, emotions, problems, and self-assurances and can be used to evaluate one's life. For a journal, one does not just record one's experiences but also thoughts, feelings, and reflections.
My blog is a journal of my experiences in Second Life and sometimes emotions and problems occurred. I like to look back throughout the months and years how even life in Second Life changes. I suppose it is not much different than in Real Life because each of us is connected to that life. 

Many people have this notion that to journal effectively you have to sit down and write pages and pages of poetic language about your feelings. But really, journaling just means setting aside a little quiet, undistracted time to sit down and think about your life. Just like any habit, journaling is a practice that can take a while to get into. Try dedicating just five minutes each day and see how you can grow from there!

Save it for a rainy day when you need to read something to cheer you up when you need to see what you have done when you feel you were creative.
Before you speak, listen. Before you write, think. Before you spend, earn. Before you invest, investigate. Before you criticize, wait. Before you pray, forgive. Before you quit, try. Before you retire, save. Before you die, give.

Invaders at the Retreat

Why is he on there?

It began to seem to her as if the invader might leave marks on the pink convertible she treasured so much, but Samson ( she always names the invaders who come to her Retreat) continued to crack his acorn.
The night was full of surprises and visitors and you can find them too when you look around here at the Retreat. 

Oh no, I might get crossed eyed.

The Retreat offers a state of being tranquil; calm. You can also enjoy the art gallery, which offers paintings and drawings from the Real World by me. The art gallery also hosts other artists, so check it out and go visit the special exhibits (next one coming in August).

Who is this? A giant bat, a deformed owl?

Then I saw this fluttering around in the garden. He calls himself the Retreat Guardian. I considered this position because it could mean the place is protected from intruders but he rather looks alien. Sure, "I can see the sea of tranquility!" in other words, there goes the calm and quiet. 

On the good side of the invader, he does some great art and picture taking so make sure you check him out...
Grum the Gray and also look at his Flickr. I decided he can stay and clean up this place.

Lilac or Lavender?

The main difference between lavender and lilac (colors) is that the lavender is a pale purple with a bluish tinge while the lilac is as a pale purple with a pinkish tinge. 

Lavender is a light purple shade with a bluish hue. There are many variations in this shade such as pale lavender, lavender blue, lavender-pink, etc. Lavender color is considered to be a feminine, graceful, and elegant and has long been associated with distinguished, wealthy women. Lavender represents beauty and femininity and is considered to be the ‘grown-up pink.’

Lilac is a pale muted violet color with a slightly pinkish hue. There are variations in this shade such as pale Lilac, deep Lilac, French lilac, etc. Pale lilac was also considered to be a color worn in the last stages of mourning in England and Europe. Lilac shade is often associated with qualities like immaturity, superficiality, youthfulness, vanity, and extroversion.

What about Violet???

Violet is a particularly quiet girl, sometimes naïve, but is sensitive and compassionate. A Violet is very loving and loyal, she is a very good partner because cheating is a word that is irrelevant to her. She is very intelligent and is a bookworm. She is very attractive but is to shy to flirt all the time. Violet is one of the most caring people you will ever meet...

The "violet" people are contended with their achievements and are self-sufficient to the core. This self-sufficiency makes them introvert and some time into their own world. They often are considered deep and usually towards meditation. The self- sufficiency and meditation makes these people very good communicators.

Kuchen im Himmel (pie in the sky )

Na, Süßer!

In German pie simply means "cake". I do not understand how in English pie is not cake? There is the word Torte which is a more cream or fruit filled kind of cake, but it is still a cake (a layer cake with a filling of custard, cream jelly). I know he did not mean Pi because Pi is squared and a piece of pie is most likely a triangle. I suppose you can say: easy as pie, extremely easy or simple. 
The word pie itself is pretty old. It’s recorded by the 1300s. The slang pie, however, is much more recent. It’s evidenced by the 1990s. A dealer would get a kilogram (kilo) of cocaine and cut it up for lower-level dealers to distribute—like a regular pie, just for a very different kind of craving. This pie was first just used as a reference to drugs by those in the urban drug-dealing community. It spread to a wider audience when black hip-hop artists incorporated the drug-dealing lingo into their hit songs.

pie means WHAT????

English is confusing you know...pie could also mean pizza. Why not call it pizza? There is cutie pie and also the female well you know the part, may be called that as well. 

Here is the true definition of a pie:
A pie is a baked dish which is usually made of a pastry dough casing that covers or completely contains a filling of various sweet or savory ingredients. Pies are defined by their crusts. A filled pie, has pastry lining the baking dish, and the filling is placed on top of the pastry but left open.

741hz

Finding the right frequency...

Everything about you is ‘alive’ with a vibrational frequency. Every thought, every emotion, every cell, every organ… everything that makes up ‘you’ is basically different vibrations clustered together. The chakras are the energy centers through which energy moves. When the chakras are open, everything is in balance and harmony.

Chakra frequencies and colors correspond to various areas of your life. Vibration is everything. And every vibration has its own frequency. By exposing the mind and body to the Solfeggio frequencies, you can easily achieve a greater sense of balance and deep healing. The Solfeggio frequencies align you with the rhythms and tones that form the basis of the Universe.

Never tried a frequency? Just do it, what do you have to lose?

741 Hz – Cleans the cell from the toxins. Frequent use of 741 Hz leads to a healthier, simpler life, and also to change in diet towards foods which are not poisoned by various kinds of toxins. It also cleans the cell from different kinds of electromagnetic radiations. Another important application of this sound frequency is cleansing infections – viral, bacterial, and fungal. This tone leads you to pure, stable and spiritual life.

An angel's hold

To see an angel, you must see another’s soul. To feel an angel, you must touch another’s heart. To hear an angel you must listen to both. 

Land of the Free

Enjoying the fireworks at the Retreat

As we celebrate the day of independence I wonder why so many people do not appreciate the freedoms we have. They rather misuse them.
Independence Day is a day of family celebrations with picnics and barbecues, showing a great deal of emphasis on the American tradition of political freedom. Activities associated with the day include watermelon or hotdog eating competitions and sporting events, such as baseball games, three-legged races, swimming activities, and tug-of-war games.

Many people fail to understand that the concept of free speech is related to the federal, state and local government. For the most part, they cannot regulate Americans' speech. But private entities such as Facebook, Twitter, and Craigslist certainly can (and do), by deleting posts deemed racist, obscene, violent or undesirable.

I am an Immigrant but now I am an American

Morality, on the whole, is important, but which moral traits are most important? For example, honesty, purity, and generosity are all elements of morality, but are they all equal in their importance to evaluation? Sometimes honesty can be undesirable, such as the person who is unflinchingly honest even at the cost of feelings (No, I did not need you to tell me my new haircut looks bad). Sometimes we find people who are extremely wholesome and sincere to be insufferable goody two shoes. I can tell you what traits I do not like and they include hate for others and wanting harm for them. As Americans, we should be the example to the world and show that we love and tolerate and we are done with hate.

A moral standard refers to the norms which we have about the types of actions which we believe to be morally acceptable and morally unacceptable. Specifically, moral standards deal with matters which can either seriously harm or seriously benefit human beings. Moral standards define YOU...

Some people are careless....

What makes some people tick? I had this haunting experience with a person I met several years back in Second Life. He was married at the time and had been in SL for a long time. Always made new avatars once women figured out he was just a cheater looking for companionship in Real Life. Not that he is a bad person, not at all but why not be honest?

His careless behavior in RL exposed my phone number and name to his wife, who ended up calling me several times and left some not so nice messages on my voice mail.

Years later I get this skype call from some weirdo who claims he is her man and I am a "Biatch" and that was at 6am. WTF. Again his careless behavior exposed my skype messages we exchanged. I have not used skype in ages, so they were old. Lady let me tell you about your man: 2 weeks before he sends me a picture of you he asked me to marry him (no way in hell will I marry a liar). Then recently he asked me to come to visit him in the summer(no thanks). He also said he is just friends with this weirdo from Peru...so keep him. Trust me, lady, I have no intention of wanting him or taking him from you. Be careful with weirdos who are desperate finding love!!!

In rare cases can you find love in second life, I mean rare. I am not in the business for that because you only end up being hurt and become emotionally unavailable.

People THRIVE on positive reinforcement. They wither with criticism.

Emotionally unavailable people tend to be perfectionists, always looking for the fatal flaw or character defect that gives them permission to exit a relationship and move on. In reality, they are debilitated by their own self-criticism and fear of being rejected. They are so frightened of intimacy that eventually they'll find an excuse for leaving a relationship. (The booby prize is thinking that you'll ever be good enough to meet their impossible standards.)

Often emotionally unavailable people will say, "I'm just not good at having a relationship," or "I don't think I'm ready." Believe them! In this case, they are not lying. But don't fall into their trap: there is something terribly seductive about trying to be "the one" who turns them around. Don't try. Accept their negative pronouncements.

I have seen this so many times in Second Life as well as in Real Life, it can be so predictable if you have your eyes open you can see it. If you find yourself constantly attracting emotionally unavailable partners, it’s probably because you are emotionally unavailable. We attract what we give out. This is the honest to god damn truth too. Easier to blame others I guess than think you could be the one that is not right here. 

Stop agreeing with your negative thoughts. If someone said, you’re a purple elephant,  you wouldn’t argue about how you really aren’t and how even purple elephants have feelings. You would just shrug and say ‘OK, whatever. So when someone points that out, or you see an advertisement with a 120-lb model, your mind comes up with ‘I’m ugly’ and you agree with it. Stop! Who cares if you are skinny or fat, tall or short, it does not matter at all. Like my mother said there is a lid for every pot and when you are not emotionally available even being a model looking type of person is not going to give you what you want.

People THRIVE on positive reinforcement. They wither with criticism.

Gratitude can be a challenge, but it can also be a goal.

Rainbows take our breath away. Friendship comforts. Love captivates. How easy it is to be grateful during happy moments, but what about those that make us feel sad?

How easy it is to fight the evil in your protected armor but what about heartaches?

Those we love oftentimes disappoint us, and we disappoint them. Life is not always rosy, but we can still put those rose-colored glasses right back and look for rays of light that appear to emanate from passing clouds. Listen to what it is the man you are with is telling you. If your man says he can't imagine living with anyone, believe him. And don't keep hoping that he will change. He won't change and that could break your heart.

Store up treasures of joy. When you are with someone you care about deeply, relish the good times, the loving moments. Keep them in your heart where no one can take them from you. Only you can dissipate joy through anger or resentment. That sense of an empty heart is something all of us are familiar with.

When we are hurt, we immediately want to protect ourselves. We change some behavior to act as a defense mechanism for the “next time.” These mechanisms compound to build a thicker and thicker wall “protecting” our heart. 

When we go through a traumatic event, it’s normal to have emotions that bounce up and down. One moment you may feel as if you are getting better, only to have something happen that will trigger the blues again. Expect this. As you focus on healing, you will find the good moments extending longer and longer.

Alrighty then I will be grateful for the simple things in life, like the five senses...oh wait I have to skip the "feeling one" that one is the one I always get reminded of my shortcomings. 

Nothing really matters
Anyone can see
Nothing really matters 
Nothing really matters to me
Anywhere the wind blows