I was just writing the date at the top of my journal page and realized today is September 11th. This isn’t an ordinary day any longer in the US, however here in Brazil it is. With the absence of the retail marketing of those days, I am completely unaware of American Holidays. It is an interesting feeling being totally separated in that way. It is nice not to have a holiday forced upon me. It is nice to have the option of participating. It isn’t un-American, yet, it sounds like it as I type this.
Month: September 2008
Acupuncture is Fantastic!
Today I returned to my Acupuncturist after a 2 month haitus. I can definitely say that she unlocked my chakras and I feel so very cloud nine yet utterly relaxed. The secrets of Ancient Oriental Medicine and Acupunture never cease to amaze me.
Spring and New Love
Spring is like new love. All of the beautiful flowers start to bloom, new leaves start to grow, the days start to get a little longer and you almost forget the winter that has just passed. Spring makes us believe in beauty and love. We are more open and more kind than ever and we are trusting once again. Reveling in the simplicity of a new start and its unmistakable power brings great joy.
How do you know when you just don’t know?
So how do you know when you just don’t know? How do you come to the path of thinking to learn what you are supposed to learn? Everyone thinks a little bit differently, so how can the message be understood by the masses?
People can have huge hearts and good intentions, but when they don’t know they just don’t know any better. We are trusting when we shouldn’t be, we accept everything around us to be true. We accept the things that we personally see or hear almost unconditionally. We don’t question when we should because we don’t know any better to question. Furthermore what to even question in the first place.
So how do you know when you just don’t know?
Product of your Environment
This statement of being a “product of your environment” I thought was a wide overstatement as I was entering my young adult years. However, the more I have experienced and the more I realize that I am different from others, the more I realize how much I am a product of my environment. We all are, regardless of how much we try to rebel against it. The people around us, the things around us, the city or town, the neighborhood, everything is considered our environment. Of course it effects us, it effects us dramatically. It is something that should not be underestimated either. Instead embrace that fact.
It also makes me realize how important it is that you choose the right place for you in life. The right town and the right everything for you. You have that choice, it is something that an American can choose, so never overlook that. Freedom is priceless and we do have freedom and the attitude to pick up and go where we choose. To follow our bliss to the extreme if we choose. It is all a choice… So become the best product of the best environment, right?
Trusting Your Instinct: People
Living in another country I have realized how different the American culture is versus the Brazilian culture even though at times the book may look familiar on the outside. The story is inevitably going to read differently as each chapter progresses. We can never know how such chapters progress until we get the opportunity to be told the story, regardless the setting will always be a bit different from the Brazilian standpoint.
The best way to get around this, is to use your instinct. To be open, yet aware and try to look at the situation, the person and the scene in an honest light. I think the feel that you get from a person is unique, however, when you feel that it might be bad, that there may be an alterior motive, be extra aware and take care. It would be nice to avoid all people like that, but unfortunately there are always times at one point or another when those people come into our lives. It is up to me to determine where they will be in my life, and more likely than not they will not be a part of my inner circle.
Trust only those who are deserving of my trust is a hard lesson that I have had to learn. Not every deserves such a priveledge to be a part of another person’s life so choose wisely and hold to it. You don’t have to let everyone in, and you certainly do not have to treat them as they are all equal, because they are not. Characteristics are different, people are different and you must look deeper to figure out where they belong in it all or where they do not belong. Sometimes it is easier to figure out the latter of the two. 😉
Barack Obama Interview with Google
Barack Obama Interview with Google
This is a totally comprehensive interview with Obama’s plan of action if given the opportunity as the next American President.
Politics – Is Palin just a diversion?
I don’t want to be the one who thinks that everything is a huge conspiracy, but I have to wonder. Why is it that in the last few months of Bush’s Presidency he is pushing all kinds of things through while the media is totally focused on Sarah Palin. Is it part of McCain’s and Bush’s plan to divert the attention so that Bush can do just a little bit more to mess up our nations economy and relations?
Is it because Bush knows that McCain is his buddy and will do what he asks because McCain and the Bush family have been close for years? Is it a big master plan that the general public is totally unaware of? I am so confused and appalled that McCain has picked Palin as his running mate anyway, so is it too far off base to question the bigger motives of the Republican Party who are in fear of a sure loss of power?
Are the Republicans setting up the nation in such a way that the Democrats have to try to come in and save the day against the odds like Clinton had to? Until something happens under the Democratic reign that then leads the general public to think that going Republican again is the answer… Each party has to deal with the effects from the last. It is like any job really, but on a bigger scale, obviously. Think of how many times you have stepped into a new position where you have had to deal with all of the stuff that the last person didn’t do right or did in a different way than you would have? It takes time to reverse and reform anything.
If the McCain and Palin come into power it will be more of the same for sure and they will have to deal with the poor decisions that the Bush Administration made. If Obama and Biden come into power they will have such a huge project to undertake, that will overwhelm them to no end. They will be criticized eventually for not bringing the change that was promised because of the odds that they have had to play against. It will paint them in such bad light, until later when the bigger picture becomes clear…
Does a Name Define You or Do you Define your Name?
No Haggling or Bartering Here
All around the city on any given day there are “ferias” which are essentially open air farmer’s markets. They are fantastic! Today I stumbled upon one near my dermatologists office in Higeionopolis, an affluent mainly Jewish neighborhood, a straight busride from our house. It was near the end of the feria, so the vendors were anxious to sell off whatever they had left.
Needless to say, my excitement met their anxiousnes with open arms! I didn’t haggle nor barter, but they were literally giving away their goods to me! I usually feel bad bartering with these guys after a really insightful and great person pointed out to me that the vendors are in a different position than I am, and why make their lives any harder than they already are (this was said on the Navajo Reservation a few years ago while buying a piece of art.) So if I do have the money enough to buy, I should pay their fair price and now that is exactly what I do.
The fair price today was totally in my favor! Thank god I can speak Portuguese now, it certainly gives me more crediblity than before. I walked away with 2 Huge Bags of ripe bananas, a pineapple, 10 baby eggplants, 3 big green bellpeppers, 1 beautiful red bell pepper, 3 japanese cucumbers, 4 ripe papayas, 2 packages of super ripe strawberries, a kilo of tomatoes and one big bok choy for R$10.50!!! That is a little more than $6 USD!
I was totally overloaded and was sooo relieved to put my bags down when I got onto the bus. It was quite a venture on my way back, but thankfully everyone I came in contact was so nice and helpful. I offered up bananas but noone took them. An older man was walking my way just as I turned walking into my neighborhood and was sooo kind! He helped me with half of my bags all the way up to the driveway! I tried to give him some strawberries, but he refused and said “prazer” which means “my pleasure”.