Psychic Vision: Removing Energy Cords

As I've stated many times before, I have an adult son with mental illness and other special needs.  He lives in another state and is in and out of crises.  Sometimes the crises are literally life and death in nature.  Often when he calls, I try to connect him with resources, but more times than not, it's to assist him in stabilizing his mood as we talk.  Sort of like talking someone down from a ledge.

There has been an increase in these calls in the last couple of months.  I hang in there because they are windows of opportunity to get him connected with services.  But they are draining.  Sometimes I get headaches from my contact.  Sometimes overwhelming fatigue.  Sometimes such a heavy sadness.  I fully believe there is an actual transference of energy from me to him.  He feels better, calmer, more focused.  I feel like the life has nearly been sucked out of me.  It's that empath thing I've talked about before.  Something I don't have a handle on...and really don't have a handle on it when it comes to people I love dearly.  Perfect strangers can suck energy off of me so imagine when my love and compassion flows free toward someone I love who is in trouble.

On one such day...when I was feeling defeated, and hopeless and had a headache and felt spacey and far away, I took a long shower.  I sat on the floor of the shower allowing the water to beat down on the top of my head.  I imagined the water rinsing away the attachment and the cords that linked us one to the other.  The cords were strong, and rope-like.  At one point, I saw the image of an octopus clinging tightly to my body.  In my mind's eye, I gently, one by one, peeled each tentacle away from me until I had free the octopus.

As I instruct others when we do energy cord removal, if the person who has attached their energy cords to you is strong enough, simply gently and with love, return their cords to them, for them to handle their own...er...shit.  If, like in the case of my son, due to disability or extreme fragility, you cannot reasonable expect them to handle their own shit and you feel like you would be setting them adrift if you disengaged, imagine handing that cord over to whatever your image is of higher power, God, Goddess, angels, beings of light, relatives on the other side...whatever.  Imagine gently disconnecting the cords from you and handing them over to higher power...the source of infinite energy and love.

So I handed the little octopus over to higher power.  Then I saw a being of light holding what appeared now to be a cross between an octopus and a little spider monkey.

I felt my son's energy settle into a snuggle with higher power...fully safe and resting in the embrace of the divine.

Since my roots are Christian, my spiritual imagery often is as well.  So it looked perhaps a bit like this: 

Never mind that my son is 27.  Never mind that I no longer call myself Christian.  When a being is in trouble, we are all like little frightened children wanting to be held in a protective embrace where we can take a break from the storms of our troubles.

The energetic world works much faster than the spiritual world.  I had successfully unhooked the energy cords but I still felt like crap.  It took until the end of the next day before I felt it lift.  I don't perform this ritual nearly often enough.  I'm a person who would benefit from doing it daily.

Dream Analysis: Dream of my Father

I had a dream about my father.  My dad died in 1988, when I was 28.  In this dream, instead of him having died from his cancer, he had survived it.  He still went through all of the same stuff, except for the death bit.  I was talking to him and it was a heartfelt, serious discussion (something we never had...he wasn't a "talk about your feelings" guy).

I asked him, "In what ways, has the experience of having/fighting/surviving cancer changed you?"  Honesly, I don't remember his responses.  I remember him tearfully telling me something about how hard it was to not have his job, as that was his identity (college professor).  I remember I quoted him something I learned from a video about a tribe when I was taking Sociology in college:  "If you are what you do...and you don't....then you're not."

My dad also had a loud voice and a snap (not violent, just crabby loud) temper.  I asked him, if this experience had helped him to not react the same way, if he had learned to "not sweat the small stuff".  He replied, "No, I still get pissed."  I don't think my dad ever used the word "pissed" :-)

It wasn't a super meaningful, or touching exchange that moved me much when I woke up.  My dad and I were not what I would call close.  Perhaps we both shared a somewhat aloof personality style.  But the dream made me ponder something...I've had dreams like this before and had forgotten them.  In all of the dreams, Dad survived the cancer but was changed from the experience (for the positive)...he had mellowed.  Perhaps he's showing me he's mellowed on the other side...or perhaps he's showing me he's still around.

I'm not certain if this was a visitation or just a dream.  Sometimes it's hard to tell. Sometimes I have a sense of certainty about it.  I didn't have a strong sense of it one way or another this time.

According to The Dream Book:
Father:  "Wiser, more mature masculine self; the wise old man within.  Aspects attributed to God, the protector and provider; or qualities projected on own father or father figure."

That's not really speaking to me, so I just don't know.

Movie Review: War Horse

War Horse is a film based on the 1982 book by the same title.  In a nutshell, it is the story of a thoroughbred (Joey) and his boy (Albert).  A love story.  A story of souls destined to be together.

Young Albert falls head over heels in love with Joey from the day he is born to other owners.  When Joey is nearly grown, he is auctioned off and unbeknownst to Albert, his father starts a bidding war for the horse; admiring its spirit and machismo.  The bidding war is with his landlord and he cannot seem to stop himself from outbidding him, even though he is bidding more money than he has.

When he gets home with the horse, his wife has a fit, but young Albert is thrilled.  Albert promises to break him, and teach him to plow.  And he does.  But crops fail and there is no money for rent.  Albert's father sells the horse to the military and Joey becomes a "war horse".  Albert is bereft and eventually joins the military as well.

During the course of the movie, Joey is trained to do really tough war work.  Many horses fall dead in their tracks from overwork.  He changes hands a few times, but in the end, finds his way back to Albert, his soul mate.

You can read about the cast and more specifics on the plot via the link above.  Fourteen separate horses were used just for Joey's role.  The film is 2 1/2 hours long, and is rated PG-13.  From my conservative position, I say, stick with the rule of thumb and don't take children under 13, unless you are certain they can sit still that long, and can handle brutal war sequences and animals being wounded and shot by their handlers.  I closed my eyes and plugged my ears in some places.  I'm a wimp, but I sure wouldn't take a young child to see it.  The war scenes and the trials the horses endure is very realistic and disturbing.  Especially the scene where Joey runs through multiple layers of barbed and razor wire until he is so tangled he collapses.

As for how well I liked the movie?  Hmmmm.  It had it's pluses and minuses.  Critics overall have been generally favorable towards it, but some have found it too long, too slow, and too lacking in content.  I can't say that I agree with that.  I was entertained.  The scenery is fantastic, the horses beautiful, the characters are richly developed and likeable.  The action is realistic without being graphic (or it would have been an R), and the war and animal trauma scenes were difficult for me to handle.  It did move at a slower pace but to me, that allowed for the development of the characters.  Will I remember it?  Not for long.  Do I recommend it?  Can't really say that I do or don't.  If you like going to movies for diversion and entertainment, this will certainly entertain.  I wasn't bored.  Because it moves at a slower pace, it's easy to get up and run to the bathroom without missing much...that can be a plus.

It is clearly quite a production.  I was not moved by the depth of the relationship between Albert and Joey.  I'm not sure what was lacking, but something.  If you're on the fence, rent it when it comes out.

Movie Review: Bad Teacher

I like to catch up on movies that I missed in the theater or those that I figured might not be worth the price of admission, but might be worth a peek later.

Bad Teacher, starring Cameron Diaz, Justin Timberlake, Lucy Punch and Jason Segal arrived from Netflix.  There's not a whole lot to say about this movie really.

It is the story of a gold digger who only teaches school for her own selfish ends.  To be specific, she's saving up for a boob job so she can land a rich man.  She's course, crude, underhanded and shocking.  Throw in hot and you've got a typical frat style movie.  It rates up there with The Hangover and Bridesmaids.

I don't think we laughed.  There may have been a shocked snicker here and there because we couldn't believe what was going on.  We watched the unrated version.  If it's gonna be gross and off-color, may as well dip yourself in it fully.  It had great actors, doing darn good jobs with a really bad story.  Cameron Diaz is quite a good comic actress.  Justin Timberlake has never been so nerdy.  Lucy Punch does a great job of the most syrupy, borderline crazy teacher, and Jason Segal is the most grounded of them all.

It is a real stretch to call it a story of transformation and redemption, but perhaps that's what it is.  Cameron Diaz eventually has some growth...and not in the chesticle area.  I'll go out on a limb and say if you liked the two movies I mentioned above, you might also like this one.  And if you didn't, you probably will not.  I'm not sorry I saw it...I'll be forgetting it super quick.  Bad Teacher?  What?  What's that?

Like I said, we watched the unrated version.  I'm not sure what the simply "R" version had in it.  Lots of swearing, graphic sexual references, nudity, sexuality (scene of "comical" dry humping sex), drug use...you know...it hits all the frat-boy markers.  So no, not for kids.  R movies are typically not for kids.

Here's the Trailer:


Here is a gag/blooper reel. As you can tell, there is quite a bit of swearing throughout.

Recipe: Kahlua Cream Pie

You've made two fifths and a snort of Kahlua.  Whatcha gonna do with all of that?  I made some Kahlua pie.


There are many recipes online for Kahlua pie.  Some are creamy like a cream pie and some, like this one, are like a firm, ice cream pie.  I found the recipe at COOKS.COM



Kahlua Cream Pie

1 cup heavy cream, beat stiff
1 pt. vanilla ice cream, whipped until soft
1/4 cup Kahlua
1 chocolate bar, grated
Baked graham cracker or chocolate pie crust
Mix cream and ice cream and Kahlua until smooth.  Pour into pie shell.  Sprinkle with chocolate on top of pie and freeze.

I'm not sure that mine went exactly according to plan.  Although my cream was beaten stiff, it collapsed when stirred together with the ice cream and Kahlua.  It was runny enough that it would have been the same if I had just poured the cream directly out of the carton into the mixture.  So maybe when done right, it is fluffier than mine turned out.  Didn't stop us from eating it.

I purchased an already made Oreo pie crust.  I didn't feel like making one.  It's not like this recipe is healthy so...ya know...so what?  I did use organic cream, and 5 ingredient Hagen Daz  ice cream...and home made Kahlua...and an organic, free trade dark chocolate bar, so give me a break.

Note...what I didn't do?  If you SLIGHTLY soften your chocolate bar, it will grate in actual cheese-like gratings, vs the dust that I made.  The original recipe called for a Hershey bar, but Hershey is a crap company so I won't do that.  In fact...below is the video on why Hershey is crap.

Recipe: Kahlua

Perhaps I should have been thinking ahead and given out this recipe in October, or early November, in time for the holidays.  But I only made it myself for the first time then....and I don't think ahead....and I don't like holidays.  So there you have it.

This recipe came to me through my mother, and through a family friend before that.  This family friend is going to be 94 in 2012.  WOOT!  Must be the Kahlua!  I think my parents made it once in the late 60's or early 70's.  I actually have a recollection of a vanilla bean in a bottle of hooch.  I was fascinated.

So here goes:

Home made Kahlua

A fifth of vodka and one large (organic) vanilla bean slit lengthwise.  Put bean in vodka and let stand two weeks or longer.  Shake bottle every day. (This is also how you make vanilla extract...only use more vanilla beans, 100 proof vodka, and leave it sit a couple of months or longer).

Mix together 4 cups of (organic) sugar, 2 oz of (organic) instant coffee.  Stir in 2 cups of (filtered) boiling water.  Stir until sugar and coffee is dissolved.  Strain vodka and add to mixture.  Skim off foam (Yummy!).  Bottle and let stand several days until flavors blend.  Yield:  2 fifths and a snort.

This is what it looks like after the vanilla bean has sat in the bottle for two weeks.


There was no foam on mine to eat either.  Tre' sad.  I stirred until all was dissolved, but there was no foam. 

For gifts, I bought one dozen 4 ounce corked bottles (scroll down the page until you get to the cork top bottle section).  I don't think these would hold up for mailing (I gave them out to locals), but you can also find small bottles with screw-top lids.  Four ounces seems to make a nice taste.  And some left for us.  We don't drink, I just wanted to try this recipe.  I'm going to look for a Kahlua pie recipe next.

The moment of truth.  How did the taste test comparison stack up?  It's a tough job, but somebody has to do it.  What I made is VERY similar.  It has a stronger coffee flavor (which may have something to do with my ability to measure, or with variation in coffee brands).  Mine had a less alcohol bite to it than the commercial stuff.  My husband didn't like either one but said the commercial stuff tasted more like cough medicine and mine tasted more like coffee.

I made some Kahlua pie out of some of it and it turned out not too shabby.  The recipe I found online was a bit more like an ice cream pie than a fluffy cream pie.  There are many different recipes for Kahlua pie.  That's a picture of our pie.

I typed up the recipe, slapped on some ribbons and attached the recipe cards and have them all ready to give away.  Now...hmmm, I just have to locate people who really like Kahlua or coffee liquor.  I don't really want to drink it...I didn't really have a plan in mind...I just wanted to try making it once.  The recipe made about 24 of these cute little corked 4 oz bottles.  I bought the bottles and vanilla beans from Mountain Rose Herbs.

Ghosts of Presents Past

The last few days, I was trying to see how many past Christmas gifts I could remember that I had particular fun with, or that were unexpected, or even getting that special item I had begged for.

Honestly, I don't remember the euphoria of getting that ONE thing I had begged Santa for.  I don't even remember what those things were.  I DO remember that when the Christmas Wish Book would arrive from Sears, and Wards and JC Penney, it was a happy day of dreaming and making lists.  Flip straight to the toy section and start writing down the item, the catalog number, the price etc, in neat columns. 

I remember the feeling of utter despair when I would hand my "Christmas list" to my mom and she would say something like, "Now, pick out one or two things from that list".  I felt like throwing a tantrum and cancelling Christmas.  HOW could I ever narrow my beloved list of wants down to one or two items?  Honestly, I don't even recall getting any of those catalog items.  And yet, when Christmas morning came, there were gifts, and with the attention span of a gnat, I was distracted like a raccoon by other shiny objects, my lists quickly forgotten.

Here are a few of the noteworthy gifts I've received that popped into my 50 year old head this morning:

I got a used, beat up bike the year I was in Kindergarten or 1st grade.  I thought it truly ugly and I was really sad about it.  *I* wanted a new, store-bought, never been used by 1,000 other kids (especially NOT my sisters) bike.  But we didn't have any money.  My dad was still in college, with a stay at home wife and 4 kids.  I think my dad may have seen the utter disappointment in my eyes as I tried not to cry knowing after all...it was a BIKE.  He said we would go to the store and pick out any color of spray paint I wanted and he would paint it for me.  I chose a deep purple with sparkles.

When I was about 8, I got a new, store-bought, never been used by 1,000 other kids (especially NOT my sisters) bike.  It was a pinkish purple, with a white banana seat with 60's style purple and pink flowers on it.  It had colored streamers coming out of the ape-hanger style handle bars and it has a white wicker (OK, maybe plastic) basket on the front with artificial flowers woven in the basket.  It was awesome.  I loved that bike.

I got a long, striped, stuffed toy snake in rainbow color.  It was longer than me, and probably about as big around as my leg.  I hate snakes.  But I loved that snake.  I can remember taking it to school for show-and-tell...I carried it to school in a paper grocery bag and when I got up to the front of the class, I began to slowly and dramatically remove it from the bag, prolonging the suspense at how long it was.  Yup.  I was proud of that snake (and I'm sure I never asked for that).  It was WAY better looking than the silly snakes in this photo. 







And who in my era doesn't remember getting the original Slinky?  I was sad that we didn't have any stairs.  Somehow, they always ended up in the bottom of the toy box with other toys tangled to it, bent and sprung, never to slink quite the same.

And the ever famous Silly Putty.  It had a specific smell and taste.  Don't ask me how I know.  You could press it to the colored comics and then stretch the image to distort it.  You can still find this stuff in dollar stores.  I know.




One year we got one of the very first hand held blow dryers.  It had almost no power and there were 4 of us with very long hair so we had to take turns.  But it was revolutionary.  It was orange.

My great grandmother would send us a giant box of oranges (or the money for it and our parents bought them, I'm not sure which).  I thought that was the weirdest, dumbest, most boring Christmas present EVER.  My mother later explained that when my great grandmother (and even grandparents) were growing up, if you didn't live in Florida, citrus fruit was rare, expensive and dear.  It could not be transported like today.  So to her, she was giving us something very precious indeed.  I wish my parents had explained that to me then.

I once got a pair of red patent leather maryjane shoes.  Not like these, they were much better than these.  Oh did they make me dance!  I felt like a woman!  I had to BEG for those.   Because, well, you know, they won't match with EVERYTHING quite like those hideous penny loafers (so called because you could put a penny in the slit...why?  no idea) or saddle shoes would.  Lord I hated those.  They actually made me cry I hated those ugly shoes so much.  But the maryjanes?  Ahhhhh, bliss.

One Christmas the four of us girls got an autoharp to share.  Most people don't even know what one is.  They were a big deal to us, because our music teacher played one for music class instead of a piano.  June Carter Cash played one sometimes.  Our arms weren't big enough to play it held against our chests, so we played it on our lap or the floor with a arm cross over style.  We had to set the timer to take turns playing it so we wouldn't fight.  But we fought anyway.

Another year we got an electric keyboard and music book.  Same story...set the timer, fight anyway.

In 5th grade, I got a music box that played the theme from the movie Love Story.  It was a photo cube that rotated.  I put my boyfriend's photo in it.  Ross.  Oh man did I love that boy.  That may have been the same year he gave me a smiley face hand mirror.  A little tiny thing with a swirly gold trim and handle and a pink smiley face on the reverse side.  I treasured that for a very long time.  No idea what happened to it.  I'm fickle like that.

That same year I also remember getting feeted pajamas for big kids...they were yellow and fuzzy and hell when you had to pee in a hurry.  I got a captains telescope and I would sneak out of my room at night and try to spy on people with it (while pretending I was Harriet the Spy).

Another year I got a series of the latest, greatest Wizzers.  They were tops that you scraped rappidly across the floor to build speed and then watch them spin.  Two things happened with those.  One, my dad was trying to teach me how to use it, when he released it from his hand too soon and it flung through the kitchen window.  Oh man....so glad *I* hadn't done that or I would have been toast!  Two, when I was holding one of the wizzers before releasing it, I accidentally (or on purpose, not sure which), touched the tip of it to my long hair.  In the blink of an eye, it wrapped my hair from waist to skull in a "never-get-it-out-until-you-die" tangle.  Mom had to CUT a chunk of my hair out.





I had a Mrs. Beasley doll.  This was a doll that Buffy had on Family Affair (a popular TV show when I was a kid).  She was rather dull, but OH, to have something that Buffy had...it was like being her twin!  I can't say for absolute certain that this was a toy I got and not one my sister got.  If it was my sister's, by rights, it SHOULD have been mine.  I coveted it if it wasn't mine.

Ahhh, the spirograph...now that was fun.

And Creepy Crawlers.  You can watch vintage commercials for these toys on YouTube.  They're fun to watch.  There was a liquid plastic, poured into metal molds, then heated to blistering hotness, cooled and popped out of the molds.  They still made this when my son was little but had changed it to make it safer.  Less effective.  The blistering hot molds were part of the fun.  Later they came out with other shapes like flowers.  Not as fun.  And also Incredible Edibles, where the plastic goo was edible...so you could make and eat a bug in front of your friends.

Loved me a good game of Operation!

Don't Break the Ice!  you would set up the game and take turns with little hammers knocking out a block of ice, trying not to dislodge the guy in the middle.

Sort of like a game of color coded slap jack for kids.  No idea why I liked it, but I did.

This board game was based on a hit kid's TV show by the same name (in the mid 1960's).  I always wanted to be a guest on the show.  Somehow the cardboard version wasn't quite the same.

And of course, who didn't have Monopoly?  Or Candyland?  We had all sorts of board games.  I did NOT get Mystery Date (which I wanted).

Twister anyone?  I think they still make this.  It was originally for kids but then got popular as an adult party game.  Naked Twister, and drinking twister, and greasy naked twister. 

There was also a lesser known "Animal Twister" that we had since my little sister had not yet learned her colors, but could work with dogs and cats.

See, I remembered more than you thought I would!  More than *I* thought I would.  As an adult, there are very few gifts that stick out in my mind.  I do recall one year my son gave me a stuffed Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer music box that played the song and it's head would oscillate.  He bought he for me because he wanted it.

I got my favorite coat ever many years ago.  My hubby bought it for me while we were still dating.  Cuz no way could I afford a really warm coat.  This is an Eddie Bauer parka with a ruff on the hood made from coyote.  You can't really even find those anymore.  I know it isn't PC but I truly love that coat and I hope it never wears out.  It's down and the warmest thing I've ever owned in my life.

I never did get a pair of PF Flyers as a kid.  They were sneakers (some of the first ever made) that were advertised to make you run faster and jump higher.  But feet grow fast and name-brand shoes cost more than dime store shoes.  Plus, remember I said we had to wear those stupid penny loafers or saddle shoes?  Those were "substantial" school shoes.  Typically, unless we grew, we had one pair of "substantial school shoes" and a pair of black or white patent leather shoes worn only to Sunday school.  Ohhhh I wanted those PF flyers.

What are some of the gifts you remember wanting, getting, loving, or that didn't measure up to the hype or expectation?  I don't recall a disappointing Christmas (well, not until I was an adult living in poverty).  As a kid it was all magic and my parents always got us lots of fun stuff.  How they did it, I'll never know.  I know that sometimes my grandparents sent them money to buy our Christmas presents with, and I'm sure, just like I did when I was an adult, they did without so that we had fun.

YouTube Video Series Review: Epic Mealtime

My son, wild child that he is, turned me on to these videos and I'm grossly addicted.  There is just no explaining the draw to boys behaving badly.  Vicarious rebellion?  I can't explain myself.  I just find it fun.

This group of guys make gastronomical extravaganzas that defy explanation.  HUGE, UNHEALTHY mixtures of stuff.  Then they eat it like King Henry the VIII at a food orgy.

Here are some staple ingredients you'll see in most episodes:  Bacon strips and bacon strips and bacon strips.  Jack Daniels or beer.  So much meat.  Fast food items combines in unique ways.

Here are some staple phrases and names:  "Muscles glasses", and "Saouwsse" (sauce with an accentuated twist), lots of bleeped and not bleeped swear words.

There are many trips to fast food drive thrus for giant orders.

There are boys behaving badly.

I enjoy the humor, and honestly, I enjoy the creativity they show in most of their video posts.  It's fascinating to watch.

Don't watch if swearing offends you.  Don't watch if alcohol abuse offends you.  Don't watch if healthy eating is all you can think about.  Don't watch if you must count calories (they often do it for you).

Do watch if you have a twisted sense of humor.

Here the boys make "Ninja Turtle Soup"

Book Review: Sarah Plain and Tall

Yup, I actually do read children's books too.  I will collect books that I read and loved as a child too.  The Sarah Plain and Tall series, by Patricia MacLachlan is akin to the Little House on the Prairie series.  There are 5 books in this series (although I only have, and have read, the first three).  Although I don't know the specific age they are targeted to, I would call them an "early chapter book".  Very simple story line, very short book.  Since I've only read the first two, those are the only ones I can address.


Sarah Plain and Tall was written in 1984.  The setting is somewhere in the Western United States, on a homestead, in the late 19th Century.  In the first book, the Witting family is getting along.  There is Papa, and his two children, a boy and a girl.  Mama died during childbirth.  The youngest, Caleb, is around  4 or 5 I would guess.  Papa puts an advertisement in for a wife and mother.  Sarah, who is plain and tall (self described) responds.  She lives on the coast of Maine.  The first book is the process by which she becomes their newest family member.  This book won a Newbery Medal.

Skylark, written 10 years later (that's a long time to wait for a sequel!) describes the time in the family history when there is a severe drought and Sarah must take the children temporarily to her family home in Maine (and Papa stays behind) until it is over.  Skylark refers to Sarah's free spirit, which is like the bird.

Caleb's Story (2001) is about a time in the family history when Anna is old enough to move away for school/work and Caleb is the eldest child at home.  He is to take on the tradition where Anna left off, that of keeping a journal about their lives.  In this installment, they meet Grandfather, who everyone thought was dead.  He abandoned the family when Papa was little.

More Perfect Than The Moon (2004) I have not read.  According to Amazon.com, "Cassie is an observer, a writer, a storyteller. And for her, life is as it should be. But change is inevitable, even on the prairie. Something new is expected, and Sarah says it will be the perfect gift. Cassie isn't so sure. But just like life changes, people change too, and Cassie learns that unexpected surprises can bring great joy."  Cassie is conceived in the second book, and is perhaps 2 or3 when the third book begins.  I'm not sure how old she is when the fourth book begins/ends.

Grandfather's Dance (2006) I have not read.  According to Amazon.com, "Could anything be more perfect than a prairie wedding? Cassie doesn't think so, for a wedding brings:  two lovebirds together,  aunts from faraway Maine, a long white dress with a wedding veil, Zinnias, satin ribbons, dancing under a clear blue sky, and a world that smells of roses."  I'm not sure who's getting married....perhaps Anna, the eldest, who has a boyfriend away at war in the third story.

These stories are oldies but goodies.  They can easily be read to younger children who have the attention span to listen to stores without pictures, or for middle grade school kids to read on their own.  The first three books were later made into Hallmark Hall of Fame films and are not to be missed.  The star Glenn Close as Sara, Christopher Walkin as Papa and Jack Palance as Grandfather

Psychic Experience: Empathy to the Extreme

This will be another of those hard to explain experiences, but here goes.

Over the Thanksgiving holiday, I received a phone call that someone I know had experienced the death of a family member.  The death was related to long-term addiction challenges.  The person who experienced the death was in the same home as the caller.  Got that so far?

I know and love the person who experienced this loss, but never met the person who died.  Usually when I hear about a death or loss, it doesn't really impact me much at all.  I'm not the most emotive person you'll ever meet.  I rarely cry.  I'm not trying to be tough and stuff it, it just rarely happens.

As I was hanging up the phone, I had a wave of overwhelming emotion...like the loss was mine.  I was in tears and my breath was short.  I didn't do the big sob-boo-hoo thing, but this giant wave of grief swept over me.  It wasn't mine.  That's the only way I can describe it.  Somehow I was connected to those experiencing this loss and felt their pain.

Sympathy:  to feel sorry for someone
Empathy:  to be able to sense and experience to some degree the "walking in their shoes".
Empath:  one who feels deeply the pain of others.  That one...that's me.  But it is often transmitted energetically.  In this case, it traveled from the one(s) experiencing the loss, through the caller, through the phone line, and into me...like an electric current.  I KNOW that sounds impossible.  I'm describing how it feels to me...I have no way of proving any of it and I accept that many will find me daft.

I will openly concede that this may not be the case at all.   I will also concede that I take hard and personal, deaths associated with mental illness or addiction.  I have people very close to me with these issues.  I feel a global angst at the loss of those with potential who, through their chemistry, have little control over how things play out.  No, they are not powerless victims, but they are challenged beyond anything most of us will every be able to comprehend.  That is sad....really sad to me.  I will also conceded that in the month of November, I was assisting a loved one with these issues, traverse a potentially life and death crisis.  It is possible that my pent up emotions over the stress of that process finally got the better of me and released.  I think that is part of it.  But it also feels too simplistic for the depth of emotion I felt.

I went to visit the friend and to give my condolences.  As soon as I touched them to hug them, I again lost it (and was fighting my breathing and tears off and on in the car on the way over, the closer I got).  I then held a baby boy and all of that emotion about potential and life and loss overtook me again.  And so it went.  For a few days.  That simply is not like me.  Sure, I can tear up over almost anything.  A misty-eyed response and then it's gone.  This was heavy.  It was oppressive.  It wasn't mine.  I began to realize I picked it up and I had my suspicions of from where, and by what method, but of course I have no proof.  Things in the spiritual realm and the world of energy are like that.  One can only give their best intuitive guess based on past experiences.  I've felt this way before.  Usually it ends in illness, migraine, vomiting.  This time it was this pressure in my chest and the tears.  A sadness I just could not shake.

I started to wonder if my hormones were off.  This was so atypical for me.  I almost told my husband to keep an eye on me in case I went bonkers or was having some sort of mental breakdown.  Even when he would hug me to help me feel better, it made me cry again.  When the person who experienced the loss, left town to return home, with each passing hour the weight began to lift, so that by the time they completed their 6-8 hour journey, I was nearly back to normal.

It is interesting to note that this person was not expressing grief or emoting or breaking down or acting any differently than they usually do.  But obviously, there was something deep within that was energetically releasing...something most people never notice or sense.  Often I will.  By no means do I mean to imply there was any intent or even awareness on the part of the person who's grief I "shared".  In fact, I'm gonna go out on a limb and say they would find my explanation a bit fanciful.

I agree that there was a perfect storm, a culmination of my associating with the loss, of me having just been through a crisis with someone else in which I realized, yet again, how real the possibility of death is for this person, AND, a loss occurred and I felt it.  It's all tied together.  But it was more than "simple", it was more than "associated", it was deeply energetic.  I literally feel like, unwittingly, I syphened some of the pain away and took it in.  It has happened a lot in my life.  I've only been putting the clues together over the past several years.  I will often get ill when there has been a natural disaster (earthquake, flood, mass shooting), long before I ever hear what happened.  I just know I'm off and don't know why.

I've been learning to work with it, and it is getting better over time.  I think that if one is an empath, they are always an empath...with luck and work and awareness, they can learn ways to minimize the impact.

Movie Review: Sherlock Holmes; A Game of Shadows

Sherlock Holmes; A Game of Shadows is a sequel to the action packed Sherlock Holmes movie.

I'm going to have to admit that I'm not very good with complex stories because I'm a bit at a loss to tell you what the plot is.  I get that Sherlock Holmes is in the age-old battle between light and darkness with his nemesis and intellectual near equal, Professor Moriarity.  I get that there is an assassination plot to foil and a plot to stop the initiation of a world war (one which will financially benefit Prof. Moriarity).  That's about all I can tell you, so I'm gonna give you the abbreviated plot version from Popcorn and Soda's review:

"Sherlock Holmes (once again played with psychotic glee by Robert Downey, Jr.) is facing off against a foe who matches his intellect and has money to burn. The villain is James Moriarty (Jared Harris), a professor at one of the most prestigious colleges in the world, and a man who is looking to get rich off a world war that he is attempting to create. It’s up to Holmes and his trusty sidekick (once again played by Jude Law) to thwart his villainous attempts and keep the world safe from the clutches of an evil villain."

Well, I was close, right?

The special effects are fun, the action is non-stop, the sets and costumes are great and the acting is topnotch.  Robert Downey, Jr., Jude Law, Jared Harris and Noomi Rapace give outstanding performances.  I enjoyed the movie for all of those reasons, but was totally lost in the plot.  I'm sure I was lost in the plot of the first one too.

It is PG-13, for violence and action and, as I said, a complex plot.  Some idiotic parents had taken small children to it, and they just kept talking through it because they were bored.  Can't say that I blame them.  But...kids below the age of 5 at a PG-13?  Don't get me started.

Movie Review: Arthur Christmas

Arthur Christmas is a delightful animated movie about the passing down of the Santa title through the generations of Santas.  In this movie, there are three generations of Santas represented including two brothers in the third generation.

A change is in order, it is almost time for the handing down to the third generation.  Grandpa Santa is losing his marbles a bit, Father Santa is getting tired, and does not seem to be able to stand up to the intense personality of his eldest son.  His eldest son would like to automate and computerize everything...but will a personal touch be lost?  The youngest son, Arthur, appears inept but his heart is in the right place.  So how will this all turn out?  Oh my, such an adventure :-)

The animation is fantastic; all the way down to the liver spots on the elders.  Color and motion are a delight to the senses.

And I almost, ALMOST got to give this movie a total clean bill of health for actually sticking to a G rating without any inappropriate adult humor.  Then they brought in the chihuahua that humps a slipper.  It is subtle, and will fly past most kids.  But WHY does Hollywood insist on placing adult humor in G rated animated films?  It makes me so mad I could spit.  Is it because they think that if there isn't adult humor in G rated films people won't take their little kids to see it?  If there isn't something naughty in it for adults, they won't come?  Are adults really that retarded?  Are we not able to enjoy a movie with our children simply to watch their joy?  If that's the case, I'm deeply saddened.

It is a minor infraction (but why are there ANY infractions in G rated films?), and most children will not even notice.  Many adults may not notice either.  I used to have a slipper humping poodle, so I was pretty aware of what was happening.  The only way to send the message to Hollywood, sadly is by NOT seeing films that don't stick to the rating systems.  I'm a purist about protecting the innocence of children.  I think G rated movies should be a sacred safe place for children's entertainment.  They gotta grow up and be exposed to yucky stuff soon enough.

All that being said.  I did enjoy the movie.  I was having a bad day, and I'm totally not getting into the Christmas spirit.  I asked my Sweet Baboo to go with me and it helped lift me up.  It is a pretty sweet movie.  I'm always so impressed by how the world of animation has grown.  It's magic.  A sweet story where the heart and what's right always win out.  Ooops...did I give too much away?

Oh, and for my friend Larry, there is even a Justin Beiber music video to enjoy (SNORK!).



I put this here for you Larry. I know you love him.

Book Review: Buried Secrets by Joseph Finder

Buried Secrets by Joseph Finder is a work of crime fiction that had me turning pages like mad.  But admittedly, I groove to this genre.

This is the story of the kidnapping of a wealthy man's college age daughter.  It's never that simple though right?  Someone is hired to find her and bring her back, but he just never seems to get all of the facts or all of the truth about anything.  The government is involved.  Russians are involved.  Aren't they always?  The clock is ticking.  Soon she will die.

I thoroughly enjoyed it.  I think it would make a really good movie.

Dream: I Kissed Will Farrell (did I like it?)

Yeah, weird, right?

So...here we go:

I have this dream.  I'm in an acting class with a bunch of people.  For whatever reason, hubby is in it with me (that would never happen).  Will Farrell is too.

We have to do a scene together...a kissing scene.  We go for it.  We go at it.  Only it is more of what you would expect from both Will Farrell, as well as from me.  No romance.  Only exaggerated groaning, grappling, smacking the table antics.  Like an I Love Lucy escapade.  We're hamming it up like crazy and it's funny (at lease WE think so).

When we're done, I notice that my husband is no longer there.  Well, that's odd.  I'll just catch up with him later at the play (which is somewhere else you'll likely never see him).

This play is a gala event.  A total dress up party like the Oscars.  Everyone who's anyone will be there.  I'm dressed to the nines.  I'm waiting outside the entrance for hubby. Only he never shows up.  I don't know what to do.  Should I go in and watch the play?  Should I try to find him?  I'm confused.  It begins to dawn on me that he's hurt and mad about my kiss with Will Farrell.  What?  Why? 

At this point the dream gets a big wobbly.  It's a mixture of scenarios:  me going to find my seat and pensively watching the play.  Me trying to call him and knowing he's not answering.  Me trying to ask someone for a ride home.  Me finding that the door is locked and he won't let me in when I get home.

Well folks, there is nothing in my dream book about Will Farrell, a gala event, hubby being mad.  All there is is:

Kiss:  Affection, warmth, communication; also, the kiss of betrayal.

So I'm sort of at a loss.  All I can really come up with is that both my husband and myself have experienced betrayal in previous relationships and it would be a harsh blow if we ever hurt each other in that manner.  I think one needs to always be mindful of their behavior and that the old line "But honey, it didn't mean anything" or "It's not what it looked like" just won't fly.  I've always been aware and mindful that this man is so good to me, so important to me, so treasured and valued by me that I can't imagine every betraying his trust in me. Trust, once lost, may never be regained.  That holds true for both of us.  I think we've always both known that a betrayal would be the end for us.

But why this dream?  Why Will Farrell?  No idea.  I can only tell you that "the kiss was not what it looked like, and it didn't mean anything...honest honey."

Movie Review: Justin Bieber, Never Say Never

Holy cow no!  I don't have Beiber fever!  I'm older than his mother!  However, I've seen him as an occasional guest on The Ellen DeGeneres Show and was pleasantly surprised by his graciousness, and understated presence.  He really struck me as a kid with his head screwed on straight, despite the wild world of screaming fans that are an everyday part of his world.

When Ellen talked to him about this movie, I was interested.  It is said to follow how his career developed and the efforts and sacrifices he has made to build what he's got.  Good looks don't hurt him with the little girls either.  He truly is adorable.

According to Wikipedia:

The film follows the pop star Justin Bieber during 10 days counting down to what is considered his most prestigious performance, that of August 31, 2010 in Madison Square Garden, sold out in 22 minutes. It shows footage of the performances during this period from his My World Tour. It shows excited female fans (mostly young), and several instances of the "One Less Lonely Girl" routine of inviting a girl on stage to be the object of his affection, and of surprising random girls with free tickets to his concerts. The main people around Bieber, being like family and good friends to him, are interviewed, but Bieber himself is not. Various instances of praying together before a show are shown.

The film also includes a visit Bieber made to his original hometown while being in Canada for the tour. He is scolded for having damaged his voice while he had fun with his old friends. Reluctantly he accepts the postponement of the Syracuse performance. He is not allowed to speak for some days, and thus recovers enough to do the next performance, at MSG.

Also included are some of the story and old videos of Bieber's childhood. He was raised by his mother but also had a very special bond with his maternal grandfather. The latter still gets emotional about the time that Bieber and his mother moved to Atlanta.

It did not appear in all theaters and appears to have had a short run.  However, it did exceedingly well at the box office.

I was interested.  Just how DID this kid begin his assent to superstardom?  How did it happen so quickly?  He's reached Beatle Mania proportions.  He's also considered a joke in many circles.  Males in particular find him obnoxious.  Jealousy? Grown men are bothered by him.  Jealousy?  I began to wonder if people have become unable to separate Justin Beiber and his talent from the machine of bubble gum craziness that he's being built into.

In a nutshell, his talents were fostered early on, and he was determined with what he wanted to do.  He posted a few early videos on YouTube and people went crazy for him.  He entered some singing contests, and eventually a promoter took him under his wing.  Despite getting many many "no's", L.A. Reid eventually signed him for a record deal.  Things took off big time, from there.  When he couldn't get much air play on radio stations, he began to tour and appear on almost every radio station imaginable, and Tweeted to his fan base where he would be appearing.  That was his doing, not that of a promoter.  As a result, soon there were too many fans waiting outside record stations to see him.

He is involved in charity work, donating both money and his time in appearances.  Make a Wish is one of his faves, as is donating to a food bank where he and his mother once got food boxes.  There are others, and this is impressive for a young man.  He appears to come from a Christian based background and his faith is still an important feature of who he is and his family life.  At least from what I've seen, he is kind and generous.  He's more than meets the eye and the promotion of him simply as a teen heartthrob who doesn't need talent to sell tickets.  He and his staff/crew, also take great pleasure in going out on the street and giving away tickets to his show.  He can certainly sell out ever seat, but some are given away just to bring joy.

The fan base is rabid.  Embarrassing really.  People screaming and crying and fainting and freaking out.  I've never understood rabid, fanatical fans...in sports, or in entertainment.  I just don't get it.  It makes people look so stupid.  I'm an adult, and not of the target audience, but I find Justin's musical choices and performances very cheesy and without much ability to display his talent.  Forgive me, but it's the kiddie version of T & A.  He's being marketed as a young sex symbol, and all he really has to do is flip his hair, dance around a bit, make eye contact, smile and they swoon.  I think he's better than that.  I really do.

The movie (since I don't have Beiber Fever) was long...too long.  The performance pieces were my least favorite.  The background, history and childhood movie clips were my absolute favorite.  Early on it was apparent that this child had talent, and a vision and a desire for entertainment.  His musical, rhythmic and instrumental skills are undeniable.  His vocal ability is underutilized.  I see him as a R&B soul type singer.  He's getting older now, and soon will outgrow the little boy cutsie thing and need to develop as a singer.

I was impressed with what I saw in the movie as seemingly good people around him.  I did think toward the end, that somebody made a super bad choice in the number of performances that were booked.  He was clearly getting sick and run down.  You could see the push-pull of them caring about him, while still feeling the pressure that the fans must not be disappointed, and the paycheck for all best not be lost.  That would be a hard balance to strike.  One needs good people around them so that they don't get used up like Michael Jackson, Marilyn Monroe, Elvis etc.  Balance is key.

The movie is a bit over the top, but the back story that paints the picture of who he is and where he came from was of interest.  I'm always curious how people become phenomenons and icons.  I think there is more to Justin Beiber than an annoying riot instigator.  I think if he gave up the schmucky dance moves and the substandard song choices that pander to lovestruck little girls, he could sing some serious songs that would showcase his vocal ability.  He may even have to work a bit harder on those vocals.  He'll be 18 in March of 2011.  Time to grow up little man, and use that voice for more serious pursuits.  Below is the official trailer to Never Say Never, and a music video.

Book Review: Theodore Boone, The Abduction by John Grisham

Theodore Boone, The Abduction by John Grisham is the second in this young adult mystery series.  The first was Theodore Boone, Kid Lawyer, which I reviewed in an earlier post.

Theodore Boone is a middle school age kid who is obsessed with the law.  Both of his parents are lawyers and he fancies himself one as well.  He's always sneaking out of school to go observe in the court room.  He's helped some of his friends in sticky situations.  In this installment, one of his good friends appears to have been abducted.  Theodore doesn't think the police are on the right track, so he, as usual, takes matters into his own hands.

This book is a quick, enjoyable read.  It is written in the young adult genre so the story line and writing complexity are more straightforward than other adult mysteries.  John Grisham is a master with a legal mystery, and his branching out into the young adult category appears to be successful.  Theodore Boone will harken older readers back to the days of the Hardy Boys and Nancy Drew, but with greater sophistication and a major update.

His development of characters is such that you feel you know them and are included as a part of the family.  Theo is a good, respectful kid.  His lies and transgressions are minor in the big scheme of things.  Overall, his goal is to do the right thing.  Law, after all, is where he wants to spend his life.  You don't get there by being an unruly kid.

Movie Review: Knight and Day

Knight and Day, starring Tom Cruise and Cameron Diaz, is Mission Impossible meets James Bond meets Pink Panther meets One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest.

It is the action packed, Action/Comedy story of a government agent who is trying to expose a double agent.  Tom Cruise is labeled a rogue agent who must be stopped.  He's just plain crazy.  He chooses Cameron Diaz in an airport as an easy mark to temporarily and unwittingly use as a mule for a top-secret technology.  It just goes all kinds of crazy from there.  Nothing goes exactly according to plan and Cameron is forced to go along for the entire ride.

And of COURSE it ends up romantic.  It must, right?

My husband and I both enjoyed it.  But don't be expecting anything realistic.  Every stunt in it could never happen in the real world.  But that's not usually why we watch movies anyway.  The humor is campy, the action is non-stop.  Nothing too deep.  But good, reasonably clean fun.  It's PG-13, primarily for the violence and the complicated story line.  Maybe a curse word here and there.  I give it an average rating.  A fun diversion, but not too memorable.

CD Review: Whiskey and Women by Moonshine Bandits

Moonshine Bandits are about most things that I hate:  hard drinking, womanizing, objectification of women, drugs, fast living, patriotism, alcoholism, lawlessness and more.  No matter how long I live in "ruralville, USA", I've always been perplexed by the seeming incongruity of the redneck subculture that demands allegiance to country, God and hard work (at the end of a tight fist, or down the barrel of their shot gun) while turning a blind eye to the other vices mentioned above.  It has always seemed quite a Hodge-podge of values and morality that makes me shake my head. I don't get it.

AND YET...

I totally dig this album.  I can't explain myself.  A friend of mine posted one of their music videos on Facebook (thanks Suzanne), and the rest, is history.  It was all downhill from there.

Moonshine Bandits are a fascinating blend of Hank Williams style country, with hip-hop and rap.  I find the musical blend irresistible.  The music is creatively developed and has cleverly intertwined snippets of old song lyrics, famous name dropping, foul language, and absolute rebelliousness.  I cannot relate to ANY of the subject matter, but it doesn't seem to stop me from enjoying it despite my distaste for the behavioral soup I mentioned earlier.

Perhaps it speaks to my inner rebelliousness; even those things I have no interest in doing...they're taboo and "naughty".  One can blow off steam and in the privacy of wherever they listen to this music, one can belt out the disregard for the rules.  Much like when as  teen, I took great joy in belting out Aerosmith's "Big Ten Inch" song (despite the fact I would have no idea what to do with 10 inches if faced with the prospect).  Sometimes being rowdy in word only, is more than enough.

You can listen to a sample of each song on this album (scroll down the page, click the "listen to all" button), to get the general flavor or watch the videos posted below.  Or both.



This one has a Johnny Cash feel...to a point :-)

Poem: From: The Temple of My Familiar by Alice Walker

From "The Temple of My Familiar" by Alice Walker

"HELPED are those who are content to be themselves; they will never lack mystery in their lives and the joys of self-discovery will be constant.

HELPED are those who love the entire cosmos rather than their own tiny country, city, or farm, for to them will be shown the unbroken web of life and the meaning of infinity.

HELPED are those who live in quietness, knowing neither brand name nor fad; they shall live every day as if in eternity, and each moment shall be as full as it is long.

HELPED are those who love others in spite of  their faults; to them will be given clarity of vision.

HELPED are those who create anything at all, for they shall relive the thrill of their own conception, and realize an partnership in the creation of the Universe that keeps them responsible and cheerful.

HELPED are those who love the Earth, their mother, and who willingly suffer that she may not die; in their grief over her pain they will weep rivers of blood, and in their joy in her lively response to love, they will converse with the trees.

HELPED are those whose every act is a prayer for harmony in the Universe, for they are the restorers of balance to our planet. To them will be given the insight that every good act done anywhere in the cosmos welcomes the life of an animal or a child.

HELPED are those who risk themselves for others' sakes; to them will be given increasing opportunities for ever greater risks. Theirs will be a vision of the word in which no one's gift is despised or lost.

HELPED are those who strive to give up their anger; their reward will be that in any confrontation their first thoughts will never be of violence or of war.

HELPED are those whose every act is a prayer for peace; on them depends the future of the world.

HELPED are those who forgive; their reward shall be forgiveness of every evil done to them. It will be in their power, therefore, to envision the new Earth.

HELPED are those who are shown the existence of the Creator's magic in the Universe; they shall experience delight and astonishment without ceasing.

HELPED are those who laugh with a pure heart; theirs will be the company of the jolly righteous.

HELPED are those who love all the colors of all the human beings, as they love all the colors of the animals and plants; none of their children, nor any of their ancestors, nor any parts of themselves, shall be hidden from them.

HELPED are those who love the lesbian, the gay, and the straight, as they love the sun, the moon, and the stars. None of their children, nor any of their ancestors, nor any parts of themselves, shall be hidden from them.

HELPED are those who love the broken and the whole; none of their children, nor any of their ancestors, nor any parts of themselves, shall be hidden from them.

HELPED are those who do not join mobs; theirs shall be the understanding that to attack in anger is to murder in confusion.

HELPED are those who find the courage to do at least one small thing each day to help the existence of another--plant, animal, river, or human being. They shall be joined by a multitude of the timid.

HELPED are those who lose their fear of death; theirs is the power to envision the future in a blade of grass.

HELPED are those who love and actively support the diversity of life; they shall be secure in their differences.

HELPED are those who KNOW."

~  Alice Walker ~

Book Review: Play Dead by Harlan Coben

Play Dead, by Harlan Coben is a murder mystery spanning over 30 years.  There is a serial killer of sorts at work and a family secret that weaves tighter and tighter every day.

This is an older book, first published in 1990.  I really enjoyed it.  If I had any complaints about it, it might be that it seemed a bit long and could have been shortened a bit with less unimportant bits.  I liked that it was hard to figure out what was going on and the author strings you along with a little thread here and there.  There are some interesting twists, and it really isn't until the final chapters that you start to put the entire story together.  So it's a good mystery for sure.

And that's all I'm going to tell you.  I hate it when people ruin stories for me with too many details.  I'll leave you with the description from the back of the book jacket:

Theirs was a marriage made in tabloid heaven, but no sooner had supermodel Laura Ayars and Celtics star David Baskin said "I do" than tragedy struck.  While honeymooning on Australia's Great Barrier Reef, David went out for a swim...and never returned.


Now widowed and grieving, Laura has a thousand questions and no answers.  Her search for the truth will draw her into a web of lies and deception that stretches back thirty years...while on the court at the Boston Garden, a rookie phenom makes his spectacular debut...

Recipe: Edith's Famous Killer Potatoes

My neighbor Edith is about 80.  I took her to a neighborhood pot-luck a few summers ago and she brought a potato dish that everyone was looking forward to.  Seems these potatoes are the talk of her social circle.  She gave me the recipe.  I can't believe how easy it is...or how lethal (killer) the ingredients are.

We won't have these every day, but they sure make an impression at any potluck and are super duper EASY to make.  Even *I* can't screw these up.

Edith's Famous Killer Potatoes

Fill a 13x9 inch, sprayed baking dish about 3/4 full of thinly sliced, layered russet potatoes.  That might mean 3-4 really large baking size potatoes.  You can add in some dehydrated chives if you want.

2 pints whipping cream (DO NOT buy "ultra pasturized"...due to the heating of it, it won't thicken in this recipe).
2 tsp salt.

Put one tsp of salt into each pint carton of whipping cream.  Shake it up.  Pour it over the sliced potatoes.

Bake 1 and 1 half to 2 hours UNCOVERED at 325.  Let stand for 10 minutes before serving.

Yup...that's all there is to it.  And don't be a sissy about the fat and cholesterol.  It's a special dish.  Enjoy it.

Oh, and Edith adds "Grin while you accept compliments"

Note:  My sweet Edith died in August 2012.  Keep her recipe rolling along.

Product Review: Ahh Bra

I bought an like the pajama jeans...so it was a natural next step to try the Ahh Bra, right?

I hate bras...I really really hate them.  I don't care who fits me into them or how much I spend, there are not any I can truly say are comfortable.  I'm super sensitive.  If I could get away without wearing clothing at all, I probably would.

This bra makes lots of claims.  I'm surprised they don't have it offer to cook and clean for you. My mom said the topic of the Ahh Bra came up in her T.O.P.S. club one day.  Let's just say that larger women are reporting that it is NOT a good option.  Others report that it gives zero nipple coverage.

It is made from a firm but thin stretch material, without wires or molded cups.  I bought one in beige.  You figure your size by your shirt size.  I say, go up one more from that.  If you are quite overweight or very busty, don't bother.  They lie about what it will hold.  If you're not used to pulling on an athletic bra, it might be a challenge for you to get on since it is a pull-over style with no fasteners.  That is pretty easy for me because I'm more comfortable in athletic bras.

All in all, I will say it is fairly comfortable.  It claims not to roll up.  Notice in the photo above how far down the lower band sits.  After I move a few times it rolls right up underneath my boobs.  So it didn't exactly eliminate my constant pulling down that I do with all other bras.  If it stayed put in that area, I would be much happier.  It is not going to give you nipple coverage on a cold day.  It just won't.  It will not really give you amazing lift and shape.  It is pretty much a smasher.

I tend to wear fairly loose clothing so for most uses, this bra will work just fine.  If I wear something v-necked, or with a tighter fit where more coverage is required, I can use a different bra.

I think it is a good option for a small busted woman who is more interested in comfort than style (me).  I bought one at Wal-Mart for $20.  If you buy online, they want to sell you a pkg of three for $60 plus shipping and handling.  I don't want three...I'm not yet sure I want one. After wearing it a few times and washing it once, I notice I'm avoiding it just like all my other bras, simply because of the roll up of the band they claim will not roll up.  If it stayed put (maybe with some Bikini Bite?), it would be a very comfy bra.   I used to use Bikini Bite when I was a bodybuilder.  Basically it is a non-irritating adhesive that you roll-on to your skin to keep your suit in place so you don't have any embarrassing ride up or boob exposure during pose-downs on stage.  Ahhhh, I think it's just easier to avoid the Ahhh Bra and it's identical counterpart the Genie Bra.

Have you tried one?  What has been your experience?

Recipe: Tofu Patties

Yeah, yeah, "Ewww, Tofu!  Tofu is gross!"  Whatever.  Get over yourself and experiment with trying different ways to utilize this great plant-based protein.  There are plenty of ways that tofu is gross to me too.  But I keep trying.  If all you've ever done is try a bit of it right out of the pkg then you're probably an idiot.  Just sayin'.

As always, I wish I remembered where I found this recipe.  If you invented it, let me know and I'll give you credit.

First things first, Soy is a huge cash crop and totally in vogue these days.  The majority of soy produced is GMO soy.  Genetically modified organism, and NOT healthy.  Typically, a good rule of thumb is if you opt for only products that are all organic, or that state the product is non GMO.  So buy organic tofu.

Another thing about tofu is that it is hard to get all of the water out of it.  For recipes calling for firm tofu I always buy EXTRA firm tofu.  Then I remove it from the pkg, and place it between two plats (like the plates are when they are stacked, but with a brick of tofu between them) and weight it down on the top plate.  A pitcher of water, a heavy pan, just anything heavy enough to put pressure on the brick of tofu without totally smashing it.  Over the course of a couple of hours, just check in with it, and drain off the water that collects on the plate until it seems that's about as good as it's going to get.  THEN go about the recipe normally.

For recipes that call for the tofu to be sliced, marinated, grilled baked in it's standard whole form, try this trick:  Remove the Extra firm, organic tofu from the pkg and freeze it in a freezer bag.  Keep several in there ready to rock and roll for other days.  Thaw it, and gently press it between your hands.  Freezing it gives it an even firmer, stronger structure that will hold up better to many recipes.

Tofu Patties:

Saute in touch of organic extra virgin olive oil, finely minced:
1 onion
1/2 cup carrot
1/2 cup celry
2 cloves garlic (added near the end to prevent burning and bittering).
Set aside to cool a bit.

1 brick Extra Firm, Organic tofu, drained (in the two plate method).  Crumble it up with a fork in a large mixing bowl.

Add to the tofu:
1/4 cup nutritional yeast (this is not the same as bread yeast.  You'll find it at your health food store)
1 heaping TB corn starch
salt/pepper
juice of one lime
sauted veggies

smush it up with a fork to blend it well.  You could use a food processor and gently pulse, but the fork works fine and cleans up faster :-)

Form it into a ball and refrigerate it for 30 minutes to allow it to firm up a bit.

Form into patties.  For this recipe, I make about 4 patties.  Coat them well with Panko bread crumbs (not regular bread crumbs).

Gently lay them in a frying pan that has a few TB of  very hot EVOO or other organic cooking oil in it.  Try not to mess with them at all once you lay them in the hot oil.  They are fragile and will fall apart and make a mess.  Allow them to brown well before turning, then brown the other side well and remove.  You may lay them on paper towels if you wish to remove any excess oil.

These would work very well on a bun as a veggie burger, or as a faux fish fillet with some tarter sauce.  I never think to get that fancy, so I just eat it on a plate with some other veg or side dish.  The left overs refrigerated and microwaved just fine (although they will loose that intense crunch they had).  I have not tried freezing them to see how that works.  My guess is, they might further release excess water from the tofu and get soggy, but if you try it and it works, let me know!

My husband turns his nose up at tofu.  He was willing to try a bite.  He said it was "fine".  I'm not sure he would find it acceptable as a meal, but it wasn't gross like he feared it would be.  If you already enjoy tofu, you'll like this.