Here is my Benji, the cutest, most wonderful doggie ever. When I took this photo, he was just 4 months old & living at a shelter called DAWG. He came home that day, which was March 29th, 2009; so we decided to make his birthday November 29th. He had a traumatic beginning, found on the side of the road in Lompoc with his sister & mother. They all got adopted. He has had a happy ending in a loving home in Santa Barbara.

There are many more sweet canine companions still waiting for a home. DAWG is open to the public on the weekends, or you can call for an appointment. The volunteers are so dedicated to helping the dogs adjust & stay comfortable. If you are not in a position to adopt, there are lots of opportunities to volunteer or foster a dog. For more info, please visit: http://www.sbdawg.org/

I Get What I Ask For

I recently renewed my interest in photography. In fact, I'm rather obsessed with taking pictures of just about everything. About 2 weeks ago, I made an intention, "I make good money taking photos." Well...Just 2 days later, I found high quality photo paper on the side of the road only a block from my house! This is the fastest manifestation I have ever experienced.

This led me to take more action. I chatted with the photography teacher on our campus (I work at a high school). We got to talking about 32 mm cameras, since I have yet to get my much coveted digital SLR, but have an old school version. I asked her where I could find some film, since it's no longer readily available. She said it's now really expensive, but she gets it cheap so she offered to sell me some.

I took photography in high school. Back then we had actual dark rooms. I learned how to manipulate light & speed. I also appear to have already had the knack for good composition. Thus, I create masterpieces on film. Even when I currently use an outdated digital point & shoot, I can capture Nature's beauty & life happening. Although I am absolutely drooling over a camera like the Canon Eos digital SLR with 10.1 megapixels, I can handle kickin it old school for a bit longer. This is how I roll. Lol.

I'll post my wondrous works soon.

A Novel Idea

Why don't I just tell you who I really am? Maybe I didn't know before. Perhaps that was the problem. Or I am just too prone to perfectionism to just let this ride. I have plenty of creative writing to share, & some of my old posts are noteworthy. Yet, I get the sense that I was hiding behind all those words. So many words. Most of my blogs were several paragraphs long. Truth is, I realize that none of you really care about all that. What most folks enjoy is hearing about the real deal.

It's late & it's raining. I am ready to cozy up in my bed. I love sleeping. I often recall my dreams. I write them down, & gain insight about my waking life. Sometimes I have prophetic dreams, where I predict future events. Other times I hope to God they aren't prophetic, since some really weird crap can go down inside my noggin at times. Anyway, it's time to go there & find out what's really going on. Good night all.

Z'ALL GOOD!

Z'ALL GOOD! is a new, free publication, which offers all good news to Santa Barbara County. Uplifting stories, along with those of you interested in low cost advertising, are encouraged to join me. I will cheerfully accept all offers (from anywhere)...as long as the news is positive! Thank you & have an awesome day! :)

Feel free to visit our Facebook fan page by clicking on the title above. There is also a link on the bottom left corner. Thanks!

Gratitude List

I am grateful for...

freedom

peace

honesty
recovery
friends
family
music
health
open mind
open space
humor
smiling
laughter
surrender
acceptance
empathy
intimacy
fertility
sleep
animals
nature
fitness
kids
communication
safety
sanity
clarity
compassion
creativity
respect
dignity
grace
support
guidance
direction

& LOVE...

If I already have a life, why do I need a second one?

I just heard about this cyberworld called Second Life in my Media Lit class. Our professor shared a story of a couple who met in Second Life and got married in real life. Well, one day the wife saw the husband's Avatar (which is basically a little character that you pretend is you) sitting on a couch with another female avatar in Second Life. Now she has divorced him for cheating on him.

WTF?!

I had to stifle my uproarious laughter so as to not disturb the class. I have never heard of anything so tragically ridiculous. How sad that people can actually feel as though this virtual reality is truly "real life". It's one thing if he were discovered flirting in a chat room with another woman, since that is likened to flirting in person. But these avatars are not even real. *sigh*

I have an avatar. Her name is Serendipity and she "lives" in Yoville, which is a cyberworld available on Facebook. Although I, too, participate in such an activity, my grasp of reality remains strong. I know that Serendipity is just a bunch of pixels in a graphically created program on a friggin computer. "She" goes to a "factory" and earns her "coins" to buy "furniture". This is just a cartoon character that I find mildly amusing at best. Notice I don't even refer to it as "her". She is NOT REAL.

Technology is clearly leading our society astray, when a couple meets, marries, then breaks up based on activities in cyberspace. Human beings are yearning for a true connection, and technology keeps separating us from each other.

Consider online communities like Facebook, myspace and the like. These sites are supposedly intended to bring friends together, but I gotta tell ya that I see maybe a tenth of these folks in real life situations, mostly on an infrequent basis. My myspace page has about 200 + "friends" on it, and I know that about 3 of them are real friends. In fact, out of this group of faces on a page, I speak to one of them in person regularly. Otherwise, that is exactly what they are: faces on a page.

So I guess I am not surprised that their relationship didn't last. After all, they met each others' avatars, not each other. Healthy relationships include real, live meetings to get to know one another; not what clothes their avatars are wearing, but who they truly are as people. They were doomed from the start, using alter egos in graphic form to make a good impression.

If you are someone using an avatar to pick up guys/gals, just remember that a cartoon is make believe and we humans are flesh and blood. Real people cannot hide who they are, even if they try really hard. Besides, an avatar can't give snuggles and kisses like a real man or woman can. They can't comfort you when you are down, share in your joy, or raise your kids. You might wanna try taking a risk and going out into the world to find that special someone. Reality is far more exciting and wonderful than any fantasy world.

Use 3 Words

I write things. I manipulate words. Experts advise practice. They suggest trilogies. Threes communicate concisely. This necessitates creativity. I recommend this. Use three words. Do it correctly. Notice the challenge? Keep work fresh. Keep it simple. Shorter is better. Sometimes we elaborate. Others will pontificate. I just write. Habitually I ramble. So trilogies help. Practice improves skill. Wordplay is chill. I use slang. That is okay. Whatever works today. Now I rhyme. I have time. Can you relate?

I choose wisely. Yet words flow. I need change. Growth is evident. Pain is immenent. Relief comes next. Joy will follow. Everything is connected. Our planet spins. Our stars shine. Babies are born. People grow up. I create imagery. Progress replaces perfection. Awareness succeeds reduction. Pain precedes growth. Sometimes we cry. We all die.

Keep it real. Live life fully. Spread peace around. Share your love. Enjoy the moment. Seize the day.