Weekly Inspirations & Beautiful Lake Powell

This past week the father of my oldest son Logan took him to Lake Powell for their annual trip with his grandparents, I used to go to Lake Powell every year as well and the memories I have of going on those trips are some of my most fondest. It truly is a magical place.

Don't give room for temporary depressions. Things come and go. Nothing is permanent in this world. Even our bodies come and go. You once had a young body; now you have an adult body. Someday you will have an old body, and one day you will even have a dead body. But still, you have a body. It's the body that goes through all these changes. You are immortal. Identify with that real you, the real "I."

When you play soccer, you kick the ball around. The ball goes through all the motions, but you are doing the playing. You enjoy the movements of the ball. Likewise, let your mind be your soccer ball. Wherever it goes, just enjoy it.

Even to enjoy nice, beautiful writing on a board, the board should be black because the chalk is white. You enjoy the white writing because there is a black board behind it. Don't forget that. You enjoy the pain because there is pleasure behind it.

We are the knowers, we are the seers. Remember that truth always. Apply this whenever you are in a depressed state. Jump up, shake it off and say, "Hey, l am a lion! This is all just temporary. I have come across this before and l know it will go away." You can heal yourself. There is a beautiful part of the mind, a powerful part of the mind, that can always get you out of any problem. Use that part, the brilliant part, the bright part. Don't succumb to the other side of the mind.

Daybook 6-30-2011

Outside My Window: There is a heat advisory & the temps have hit 115..sprinkles here and there but really..it is a dry heat. Is it just me or does Arizona get a little hotter every summer?

I Am Thinking: I have got the weekend on my mind, fireworks, 4th of July food, a trip to the casino, the Ohio Players live in concert..it can't come soon enough!

I Am Thankful For: The work that I do, the learning experiences I am having, the people that love me and this season in my life

From The Kitchen: Summertime around here is all about the grilling, the corn on the cob, fresh fruits and of course ice cream!

I Am Creating: Inner peace & peace around me slowly but surely in every nook and cranny

I Am Going: To enjoy my vacation next week, my first week on in over 5 years..focusing on finishing up my classes and spending time with my favorite guys

I Am Reading: WSJ (Wall Street Journal) Magazine & Food & Wine Magazine

I Am Hoping: To spend some down time touring the local museums with my 10 yr old next week

I Am Hearing: The hum of the fans..a familiar sound this time of year

From The Teaching Rooms: Learning about the inner workings of the brain and the unconscious mind, studying the theories set forth by Sigmund Freud and psychoactive substances. Researching the effects of multinational companies operating in poor nations, environmental & social.

Around The House: We have been spending lots of inside time on these dog days of summer..projects planned for the weekend..beauty everywhere I see.

One Of My Favorite Things: Doing yoga with my 10 year old and seeing him get excited and actually ask to do it along with me..seeing his body and resistance get stronger

A Few Plans For The Rest Of The Week: Finishing up the last 2 days of work and learning then enjoying a long weekend with a plan to visit my sister and enjoy couple time for the 4th

Here Are A Few Pictures From The Week To Share

Jake's 5th Birthday Party!!

Workin Up a Sweat!

Can I Have My Birthday Party Here Too??

Jake & His Best Bud Choo Choo

Held at Pump It Up in North Scottsdale 6-18-11

"At times our own light goes out and is rekindled by a spark from another person. Each of us has cause to think with deep gratitude of those who have lighted the flame within us." Albert Schweitzer

06-24-2k11 Logan on Lake Powell



Wishing I was Poolside At



I Am Still Alive...



Excuse the short sabbatical of sorts...whos idea it was to engage in summer school must have fell and bumped their head.. oh wait yes I am the one to blame and it is sort of a drag that my summer so far has been spent studying peoples brains but hey its like 120 outside, it is no mans land out there and time is best spent indoors when AZ becomes this inferno..I was driving through Old Town Scottsdale today looking at all the poor touristas rambling around with their water bottles and sunburns thinking to myself my god not even the locals are out braving this heat, should be some sort of indication to stay indoors...But work is done for the week..the online classroom is down for tomorrow (oh darn) and I will be indulging in a little me time and movies..but before I get that on I do declare the best happenings of the day as it is time for 5 Things On Friday...

1. My son Jake turned 5 Years Old Today!!
2. It has been 5 years almost since my divorce and thank god I am finally over myself! ( somewhat:)
3. 5 hrs to do a job that normally takes 2.. Murphy's law of a Friday afternoon work day
4. 5 episodes of What Not To Wear in the DVR for my viewing entertainment this weekend
5. Yes 5 the number of ice cream sandwiches collectively consumed in my house on any given day

What do you think about...

Greenpeace International's New Ad Campaign which aims to send a message to Mattel to stop destroying rain forests for their packaging???



I don't know about you but I want a t-shirt...

United Colors of Benetton

Anyone remember United Colors of Benetton?

I used to love their ads...and still do..they captured current events, spurred controversy and all in the name of selling sweaters.

Speaking of sweaters I would have given my right arm to have owned one of their colorful cable knits circa 1989, no matter the color I just wanted one bad.

Here are some of my favorites over the years.

I will start with a glimpse into the Aids epidemic 20 years ago

The picture of a young man  David Kirby in his dying hours,as photographed by Therese Frare was ran by United Colors of Benetton as part of an add campaign in 1992 and became as you can imagine incredibly controversial.. The add was run with the consent of his loving parents to bring awareness to the devastation of Aids which had taken his life. The Catholic church would denounce this photograph and foundations would call for the boycott of Benetton as a result.



In the words of the great Oliviero Toscani the man behind these infamous ads:

Our prints does not tell people to buy our clothes, they are not even hint at it. All of our increasing aim at creating disputes over those items that are usually true, but that we believe should be widely discussed.

Read more: United Colors of Benetton - campaign archive - the Fashion Spot http://forums.thefashionspot.com/f79/united-colors-benetton-campaign-archive-77555.html#ixzz1Oia6bGrE

20 Things On Tuesday

This Weeks Topic: Current Events 6-7-2k11

1. Almost 40% of homeowners who took out second mortgages in the form of home equity loans are underwater on their loans.
2. Banks, investors and companies are scrambling to cope with uncertainty.
3. Bill Gross's Pimco took a bath in loading up on Lehman debt before the investment bank cratered, new court documents show.
4. Nobel peace winning economist Peter Diamond withdrew his name from consideration to become a Federal Reserve governor.
5. Obama's top economic adviser. Austan Goolsbee, has decided to resign later this year to return to the University of Chicago.
6. Rep. Anthony Weiner admits to sending pictures of his penis to women online.
7.The White House holds talks with Israeli and Palestinian negotiators as it tried to jump-start Mideast peace talks.
8. The State Department plans to spent close to $3 billion to hire a private security force to protect diplomats in Iraqi's U.S. troops pull out.
9.Five U.S. troops were killed by a rocket barrage in Baghdad, the largest one-day toll for U.S. forced in Iraq in 2 years.
10.Syria vows to retaliate after forces were ambushed.
11.NATO launches a series of air strikes against Tripoli as it seeks to build pressure on Gadhafi.
12. Chinese companies embark on shopping spree in Europe.
13.Former Sen. Santorum entered the race for the GOP presidential nomination with a harsh critique of Obama.
14. Apple's Steve Jobs takes a break from medical leave to show off the company's new online music service ITunes Match.
15.AZ Governor declared a state of emergency in two counties where a massive wildfire has forced evacuations and threatens New Mexico.
16. Alabama county aims to slash 33% of its workers.
17.Japan concedes severity of blast.
18.Bargain hunting continues in Greece.
19.Riskier behavior is seen in gay teens, study finds. Survey conducted on 156,000 anonymous teens via the Center for Disease Control and Prevention.
20. Top used keywords according to Google searchers used to find my blog, "How to Get Laid in Your 30's", "Motivating Forces", and "Avocado, Strawberry & Lemon".. Okay I will go with that...

Discuss?

Preschool Graduation 2011

Jake Has Graduated From Preschool!

It was a very nice evening, a lot of effort and care went into making it a memorable celebration for the kiddos!

Most of the children graduating have been at the school since they were infants like Jake and it was a bittersweet celebration in that they will be going to kindergarten this Fall all grown up!

They did a reception afterwards and the children presented each parent with a flower pot with a growing flower to represent themselves.

We had chocolate cake with whipped cream icing & fun balloons

This certainly is a milestone in the life of my soon to be 5 year old, I remember when the older boys graduated preschool as if it was yesterday!

Flowers For Mom

Diploma Time

Graduates

Soon To Be In Kindergarten

Cousins

 

I Should Be Sleeping..

Especially since I woke up this morning reluctantly at 7:00. Because I started my Monday off at the dentist where I got my big fat lip in a battle with something sharp and walked out bleeding, and because after 4 shots the tooth still wouldn't get numb it was exhausting. Because on channel 8 (public television) I am DVRing a musical show of 50's & 60's singers but it's looking more like an infomercial.Because my youngest son has been asleep for going on 3 hours and because all of my homework, office work, and mommy work is done for the day..even my Wailana yoga with the silly Hawaiian dance moves.
This is Me On Monday
Starbucks in hand at 11:39 pm
Thinking about Macrobiotics & Old School Piano Music
Patting Myself On The Back For Having Finished 25 B-Day Party Invites
Proud of My Ability To Serve Dinner Out of Whatnots & Save the Grocery Store For Tomorrow
A Stack Of Wall Street Journals A Week Deep With One Vanity Fair At The Front of The Line to Read First
Hoping you all have a beautiful week, How did your Monday Pan Out??

Daybook 6-4-2k11

Outside My Window: It's summertime baby Arizona style the heat is on and this village idiot who drives a black on black car is now officialy burning her tail on a daily basis, outdoor activities are now limited to the early morning or late evening unless they involve water...and lots of sunscreen

I Am Thinking: About this little blog I have been moonlighting on the side. Of embracing summertime and the ways for which I will go about doing this.

I Am Thankful For: All of the new shoes I now posess bought with all of the money I have been able to save since I quit buying Vodka.

From The Kitchen: We actually had meals out 4 times this weekend which is a total rarity for us but it was a busy weekend for me and I was happy to get out of the kitchen. This week everything I will be making on my "menu" is courtesy of Lottie&Doof lots of pasta dishes this week made with healthier alternatives & cookies from Gwyneths new cookbook. I will be buying a bag of whole wheat flour for the first time as I try my hand at homemade biscotti..pretty rad.

I Am Creating: Strong muscles due to yoga 6 days a week & walks/runs whenever possible.

I Am Going: To relax next weekend as much as possible before I kick the next few weeks into high gear celebrating Fathers Day & Jakes 5th Birthday while juggling my soon to start Psychology course which will top off the two accelerated summer courses I am already taking, I should have mastered the art of the written exam after this summer!

I Am Reading: The drinking diaries on  Blogher & chapter upon chapter in my cultural anthropology book.
I Am Hoping: To have a little time off this summer even if it's just for a week..I think the last time I took a whole week off of work was like say 2006..too long.

I Am Hearing: Family Guy on the tube

From The Teaching Rooms: I am learning about the effects of drugs on society & studying etic and emic ethnography and its role in anthropology and field studies.

Around The House: Squeaky clean..well almost..for the first time ever I am excited to say my huband took the downstairs while I took the upstairs and we killed this cleaning of the house today. Although he was done with his half in less than 2 hrs and it took me over 3 I so appreciate his help! It took me an hr just to scrub our shower which really wasn't even that dirty..yikes! House is fresh and ready for the week.

One Of My Favorite Things:Butterfly kisses from Jake, the long conversations I have with Logan sometimes about nothing in particular, the fact that Nicholas doesn't let a day go by without telling me he loves me at least once.

A Few Plans For The Rest Of The Week: Doing some massive studying and test taking before Thursday...making some awesome meals..having fun with my beautiful family

Here Are A Few Pictures From The Week To Share

Splashpads

Luau Cakes

Love!

Making Wishes

Summertime Birthday Parties