Ha Ha Ha!!

What do you think of your song Mum. I can't believe I found it. It's my Mum's birthday today. She died three years ago on the 2nd of July 2005. We kept hold of her for nine days as my sister and I wanted to bury her on her birthday and have a birhday party for her in her local pub with all her family and mates.

This song bloody drove me crazy for so many years. My Mum loved to drink and get merry and sing ( alot). Quiet as a mouse with out a drink but get a drink in her and she was funny man.

My house as a child was the house that all of us loved to be in, cause my Mum was great. All me mates loved her so much, I have to say I did get at a tad embarrassed at times. She always wanted to kiss my friends - was a very rigid hugger but a great kisser.

I quess I'm a bit like my Mum. I love to sing and dance, I loved singng and dancing for her whe she was dying. I sung her all her songs daily. All the kids have loved coming to my house to. My daughters mates always in my house and now my son's mates always in my house. I have four of them asleep upstairs now as I'm writing. I love my kids mates just like my Mum loved my mates.

Do you know what was well funny as I got older. My best friend Adele and I used to make my Mum and my Aunty Ann smoke cannabis. We'd make a joint and very gently coax them into smoking some. I know.... NOT GOOD , but funny as fuck.

 Ha ha!! Don't even have any guilt around it - my 12 step friends would be mortified, Hehe!! My Mum and my Aunty Ann stoned was the most funniest thing ever - wouldn't you say so Adele.

They laughed and laughed till they cried. I'm holding that memory with me today. I'm going to Colne today where I was brought up and where she is buried. I love cemetary's and she is layed to rest in the most beautiful place by the river in the hills. 

I'm going to spend the day at my Mum's grave. I'm going to take a little picnic and sing and dance for her, I'm going to take her her favourite flowers and write a card for her. She loved cards.

Mum I love you and the relationship we have today is so beautiful and free. Your my hero Mum. I miss you though. OH! I'm crying now. I really do miss you. Do you know what I want ? I want those three months back again when you were dying. I want to experience all that love,peace and ease again. I loved those three months Mum. Aww!! I have them don't I.

 Yes ! We knew you were dying, trying to re-assure you that you wasn't going to go to hell was the harderst bit for me. So scared you were going to hell. Catching you crying like a little girl broke my heart. I was strong though. God know's where I got that strength from. I won't write to much here today Mum. I've wrote about death and so detailed for about three years now and not just my mothers.

I'm so hurt and so sorry that you had all that catholic guilt. I hope I made it a bit easier for you. I quess out of all our familys member's it could have only been me who would have the conversation eh!! Thank you for trusting me Mum.

WORLD...

I LOVE MY MUM.

Keep Hanging out that washing Mum.

Rest beautifuly sweetheart and Happy Birthday. I'm going to party for you like it's 1973. Aww!!

Your Daughter and best friend

Diane XX

What we call Spiritual Healing is perhaps the oldest form of healing on Earth, but what exactly is it? A superb definition was given by Dr. George King, a Western Master of Yoga, in a pioneering work on spiritual healing called "You Too Can Heal". He stated that, "Spiritual Healing is a science in which the Universal Life Forces are conveyed from the healer to the patient.
"

The whole of creation is filled with Universal Life Forces, called in the East - Chi or Prana. These Universal Life Forces form a matrix upon which all of creation is built. Without them creation would cease to move whether that movement be a thought or physical object such as an atom or a sun. These pranas emanate from the cosmos, the major source being the Sun.

Prana is vital to life and an imbalance or lack of it is what is called disease. Around our physical bodies there exists what is called an aura. This is interrelated to the physical body directly through subtle channels which in the East are called nadis or meridians. Every part of our body has its subtle aspects and could not exist without these. Just as our physical body needs energy or food to survive, so does the aura or subtle body need energy. Unlike the physical body this energy does not have to be eaten but rather absorbed.

Energy or prana enters the aura through openings in it called chakras or psychic centres which are like little whirlpools. The health of these psychic centres within the aura has a great deal to play in our mental and physical health because what effects the aura affects directly its dense counterpart - the body.

Negative emotions and thoughts tend to contaminate our aura and inhibit the ebb and flow of prana through the higher psychic centres within it. One result of this is that the aura slowly becomes contaminated with more basic energies and unable to absorb the higher energies of intuition. These higher aspects of Prana bring balance and inspiration and without them disease can manifest.

A healer is a person who can at will draw upon the great sea of prana all around them and so energise their aura that they have an excess of this energy which can be then sent outwards to others. There are many ways to attract prana into yourself such as prayer, mantra, visualisation, healthy living, but the ancients found that deep breathing was perhaps the most potent. Because of this they devised systems of breathing exercises to energise the aura with this energy of life.

Dr. King, after deep psychic investigation and meditation, brought together a simple and powerful healing technique which revolutionised the Spiritual healing movement when it was first published in 1976. This technique, later called "The King Technique", was designed to firstly bring a balance to the psychic centres within the aura of the patient and also to help treat the condition they suffered from.

Unlike many schools of thought that believe a persons illness is a result of their karma and therefore should not be tampered with, Dr. King stated that it was the duty of all people to help others bear their karmic burden through giving service, which he regarded as the greatest of all the yogas.

He maintained that anyone can become an effective healer provided they have:

1.
A deep feeling for those who suffer

2.
Faith in their own ability

Combine these with a safe technique and miracles can and indeed do happen.

Learn. Apply. And you will discover that you too can heal.

Frank McManus has been Organiser of the New Zealand Branch of The Aetherius Society since 1996, and a member since 1980. The King Technique is published in "The Magic of Healing" by Richard Lawrence and "You Too Can Heal" by Dr. George King.
A big thanks to the Magic for this post and information which I have found to be very useful. Useful in way to me as I'm just about ready to move on ( If I can ) from my emotional journey.

I think I've done enough work ( not that it ever stops ) for the time being. I have been quite attentive to the emotional fucks ups/states in my being and have followed then quite intensly. Fortunatly I have a great watcher in me ( not sure how she works but I'm well aware of her ).

Thanks again Pagan Magic for getting to me think about what I need to be doing and pointing out to me in this post that I'm more than just my emotional state and over the years have actually absorbed more that what I origionaly thought. Very grateful for this.

Love,smiles and always magic

Di  :)

I'd like to ramble about that little or big 'fuck up' we have called 'THE EGO'

Yes!

 I feel affected by my own and others egotistic traits at the moment. I've not wrote for a while now about how affectd I feel by 'stuff', been trying to move away from writing - as much as my writing journey has positive effects on my emotional journey it can also be negative for me to in some ways. A story for a different day.

For our purposes, suffice it to say that the ego is the part of the self that most people present to the world.  But, unfortunately, far too many people confuse who they are with their ego. Think about individuals who define their worth by their beauty or their possessions. Or those people  you know you have to be "careful" around because they get defensive and/or hurt easily. These individuals take their ego too seriously... These people live for the facade, and hide the truth. Hide who they really are.

When I refer to the "self," I am referring to the "higher self:" The part of you that is connected to  nature or the Universe, or whatever you believe in. Your soul. Your center. The little voice in the back of your head in the pit of your tummy that knows - and tells you what you need to do. Most of the time, you won't like where the little voice is telling you to go. You will compulsively want to do what immediately feels good instead. Some of you instead fall prey to compulsively doing what feels bad - as in compulsively reacting out of guilt or shame. Either way, later, you're likely to find yourself thinking along the lines of, "I knew I should have..." There is confusion and self-doubt when the self is ignored. 

But, the self is not splashy or loud. The self whispers while the ego SHOUTS. The more busy-work, activity and distraction, chatter, or obsessive-compulsive activity of any type (e.g., any addiction) interferes, numbs or distracts your ability to hear the internal message. When you "sit with your feelings" or "do nothing," you give your higher self a better chance of being heard.

The higher self also speaks to you through your physical body. Your body often reacts to information from the self: you are so upset, you feel nauseous, get a migrain or your stomach is tied in knots You are so worn, you want to sleep but can't.. Your heart palpitates in fear or your knees quiver; you have recurrent dreams or nightmares... The self may be trying to talk to you! The self may be telling you that the emotional "air" you are breathing is toxic. In most cases, it is not the victim's job to learn how to deal with the stress of the relationship; it is the victim's job to heed the body's warning signals - and get out.
Self-Care or Self-Indulgence?

"Take care of the self", "be your own best friend", "love yourself." Ask yourself, What action enhances my self-esteem? Even if you crave the immediate feel good fix,instant gratifcation or cheap thrills let integrity be your guide!
An example is this when you feel hurt because someone insulted you. This is ego. Feel great with praise? This is ego. A managed ego state (or egoless state) is free from emotional attachment and reaction from the judgment of others. When ego is attacked or hurt, it does what ego does: fights and hurts back for ego is not love, it is separation.
Another ego fact made evident is the process of limiting. Words are limiting; emotions are limiting for you are blocked and biased. This is why a meditation method is to focus on nothingness because nothingness is really everything-ness. Words limit. As soon as we form a thought, we have limited ourselves. This does not mean don't think or feel, just know that when you do, you are only seeing, feeling, and experiencing part of the whole.

When you run from the whole and chase the parts, you start to create blocks. If I chase good and block bad I start to create a fear that bad will occur. The judgment of bad is again ego's labeling. I'll give you an example of this blocking. As a child grows up, their ego starts to develop. The powerful presence in their life is their parents. If a parent does something (or even the lack of doing something such as giving love) this causes the young person's ego to react, causing pain. This does not feel good so they start to suppress the inward flow of this emotion, or in some instances, they overreact for the rest of their lives resulting in the millions of obsessive compulsive, neurotic, anxious, phobic and suicidal people on this planet! They block their chakras, grow ill and eventually perish.

Once you acknowledge, understand, and accept ego, you can start to manage it, and eventually be free of it.

Because ego's greatest fear is the death of itself, we cannot "attack it head on." We have to be more subtle in our approach of ego. It also does no good to suppress it for suppression is not resolution.

How I personally deal with my ego state is to become friends with it. When I feel something that makes my ego react (an insult for example, a rejection, unkindness) or, I allow that feeling to come to the surface (non suppression).I feel the pain and presure resulting in a migrain of late. I analyze the triggers that that fire off in my brain (adrenaline, fear, etc.)and then I try to reprogram it with new emotions (love, laughter, and compassion). Fucking hard work tho. I allow the initial ego feelings to pass, and then I bring warmth and gratitude to the situation. I either thank the person for giving me this opportunity to grow, or I send them compassion for showing me that they are the pain in me and I am the pain in them. If they attack me, there is hurt in them, if I react, then there is pain in me. Healing is required of us both.

I really try and look at an attacking person as an aspect of me (wholeness). They are merely suffering individuals. This does not require my retribution, but my love. This is very hard to do though as long as ego is present, but it is doable.

This is a lifelong endeavor. It starts with acknowledgement, lives through understanding and acceptance and finds resolution in love.

There is a misconception in this day and age that the ego is a bad thing that must be subdued or banished from our being… however, by doing this we are only ignoring a part of ourselves that is as relevant as any other… by casting out pieces of our soul, we find ourselves in states of imbalance in which we may become incomplete and lost. If we stay in these states too long, soul retrieval may become necessary in order to make ourselves whole again.

Some of us will need to learn how to boost our egos, some of us will need to learn how to subdue it - but in both cases, the key is to first RECOGNISE it, then ACCEPT it as part of ourselves - the last thing we must do is pretend that it does not exist... what we like to ignore likes to turn around and bite us on the arse! This is your Higher Self's way of saying, "Hello...?! Am I awake down there?! I need to be paying attention to this!!!"

Unconditional acceptance of the self (including all of its negativities) leads to unconditional acceptance of others, for with it comes the realisation that we are all the same, and all completely different.

When we work with the ego in this way, something amazing happens... we begin to transcend it... and the ego learns bit by bit how to grow more humble... how to work with humility. And so the ego and the spirit combine, teaching each other that there is a time for identity and self-confidence and there is a time for self-release and vulnerability... the two are combined, like dark and light... one state cannot exist without the other.

OH!

Fuck..I need coffee now and I so need to smoke.

Love to all who stumble upon this post, let's just all be careful not to hurt others with our over inflated ego's or needs for ego boost.

Dose Pesky Ego's.

Love
Diane.

It's a world. X

Agency: UMS, Oman
Copy & Concept: Vinit Pillai
Copy Assist: Shivnay Sabarwal
Art: Riti Hamlai

Via

The Pendle Witch Camp.

PENDLE WITCH CAMP.

SPECIAL GUESTS

 Adele Nozedar - (Elect Trick Coven)
Author of 'The Secret Language of Birds'
will conduct the Summer Solstice Opening Ceremony

Tania Ahsan – Journalist, Writer & Artist

FRIDAY 22nd JUNE
CAMP CIRCLE
8pm  Opening Ceremony - Adele Nozedar
 

SATURDAY 23rd JUNE
CHATTOX MARQUEE
11am - Ian Robinson - Paganism's relevance in the modern world
12.30pm - Treb0r - Pagaian.org: The 1st Year
2pm - Moldavite Will - Crystal Wanderings
3.30pm - Oliver Robinson – Witchcraft on Trial
5pm - Chrissie Butler – Tai Chi Workshop
7.30pm - Maureen Stopforth - Pendle Witches: Historical Perspective

DEMDIKE MARQUEE
11am - Magda Wells - Magical Gardening
12.30pm - Jackus - Dream Healing Workshop
2pm - Adele Nozedar - Secret Language of Birds
3.30pm - Tania Ahsan - Spirit Stones
5pm - Mikka the Pagan - Origins of the Green Man
6.30pm - Mike Cadman - Drumming Workshop

BUZZY BEATS DOME
Freeform musical jamming with a range of instruments,
Junk musical instrument making  10am – 1pm, 2pm – 6pm

SUNDAY 24th JUNE
CHATTOX MARQUEE
11am - Lel Hoyle - Potions Workshop for Kids
2pm - Freyja Blue - Sonic Meditation
3.30pm - Ian Robinson - Could the Real Witch please step forward?

DEMDIKE MARQUEE
11am - Rachel Waddington - Ancient Deities: Symbols for a modern age
12.30pm - Daniel waddington - Gaia: State of the planet
2pm - Sam Lycett - Pathworking to Fairyland / A Fairy Wish
3.30pm - Runic John – Seidr Workshop: Northern European Shamanism

BUZZY BEATS DOME
Freeform musical jamming with a range of instruments,
Junk musical instrument making  10am – 1pm, 2pm – 6pm

 
FIRESIDE ACOUSTIC MUSIC
Marcus James,  Dawn,  Mrs Cakehead

STALLS
Murgens Keep,  Magda's,  Naturally Gifted,  Familiars, Dryburgh Falconry Centre
The Shamans Apothecary, New Aeon Books
CAFÉ
The Hawthorn Tree

 
ADULT TICKETS (18 and over @ £25 each)
YOUTH TICKET (11 to 17 years old @ £17.50 each)
CHILD TICKET (10 and under @ No Charge for 1st two, then £10.00 each)
DAY TICKETS AVAILABLE @ £15.00 per day

For more information contact:
ADE     tel. 07813 558381
ade@spiritedaway.co.uk
www.penwitchcamp.co.uk
* The online payment processing will not allow zero rated transactions, therefore online transactions for children are charged at £0.01.
Postal payments for children are free for the 1st two children then £10.00 each thereafter.

Smiles and Love.

Diane X

Just by the by here. I was born and bred in Colne in the Pendle Valley. Pendle hill was the view from my bedroom window. I was always in awe of the hill as a child and teenager. There is a lot of power in Colne, The Hill and the surronding villages, a lot of local folk are quite unbalanced with the power with their own power. Colne has it's very own special maddnessess.

I'm just kinda learning a bit more about myself,the journeys I have been on, the power I have and it's quite scary at times. I have quite a lot of power and  at times have got quite stuck with it. I don't really know what the power is, what the sense to it all is, I haven't got a clue but I'm prepared to learn more about it.

I have so many memories as a child walking up the hill. I used to play truant from school and walk throught Rouglee Valley through the river to the bottom of the hill ready for the treck up it. It's quite a walk and one that never phased me. I loved the walk through the river.

We used to camp out up the hill, tell our parents we were sleeping at each others houses and go and sleep with the animals in barns we could find.We'd tell each other stories and watch the night sky break into daylight. Smell the dew of the dawn. Even as a child I was always so aware of the sunrise and the energy I felt from being awake at that time ,to physically come alive with ther new day.

The smell of the sunrise as always been a real treat for me. I want to bite the smell of the sunrise - that how it gets me. Thats how powerful it is for me. Really powerful. I sometimes worry so much and want to change my sleeping pattern, however if I did I would visibly and sensualy miss the sunrise.  Anyway true to form again, I'm swaying off track.

Wanna hear a little story. I worked in Lancaster Castel for a couple of years a few years ago in the treatment unit for addiction and alcholism part of the prison. The cell that the Pendle Witches were in was in the prison part of the Castle, not the tourists bit.

I sweet talked a maintance man one morning to take me there and show me the cell. Yes! I've been in the very small cell and have actually put my wrists in their shackles. The shackles were very small- thought I'd got me wrists stuck.Smiling.In the middle of the cell is a well, a beautiful small stone well with clear blue water in the bottom. I had some paper or something in my pocket and put it in the well and prayed for all the love and magic to continue. I then picked up some old bits of stone and slate and put them in my pocket. Today I have them in my crystal bowl. I feel very privalaged to experience that magical experience.

I want to learn more about the witches. I want to learn more about my power and my maddness. I want to learn more about my love and my needs.

Always learning and always loving ( try to )

Diane :)

Sense noun, verb, sensed, sens.ing.

1. any of the faculties, as sight, hearing, smell, taste, or touch, by which humans perceive stimuli originating from outside or inside the body.

Your five senses play an important role in your daily life. Every moment in your life, you use at least one of your five senses. You touch, hear, see, taste, and smell in order to adapt to a new environment.

ICE Factor is now appealing to those five senses by incorporating the ICE PAK! The ICE PAK brings all the different sights, smells, feelings, sounds, and tastes together in the form of a Backpack for your next corporate promotion!

ICE PAK is designed specifically for Street Teams to grab the attention of consumers and provide the ultimate "Innovative Consumer Experience!" The sleek and unique ICE PAK appeals to the five senses of each consumer as Street Teams promote, brand, and direct market your company!

"YOU DREAM IT - WE ICE PAK IT!" - contact me for your next campaign

Nathan Hewitt

nhewitt@icefactor.com

SEGWAY® TEAMS

Interested in a campaign? - Please contact me

Nathan Hewitt
nhewitt@icefactor.com

SEE THE SEGWAY® TEAM IN ACTION

Interested in a campaign? Please contact me...
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nhewitt@icefactor.com

BLUETOOTH® PROXIMITY MARKETING
What is Bluetooth® wireless technology?

Bluetooth® technology is how mobile phones, computers, and personal digital assistants (PDAs), not to mention a broad selection of other devices, can be easily interconnected using a short-range wireless connection. Using this technology, users can have all mobile and fixed computer devices be totally coordinated.

Why would a company want to utilize Bluetooth® wireless technology as a marketing campaign?

Imagine being able to automatically deliver an advertisment or a form of multimedia content , directly into a consumers mobile phone. Consumers can receive a variety of information as soon as they are near your store. Information can be sent as pictures, videos, coupons, ringtones, and business cards.

Bluetooth proximity marketing can also be known as "viral marketing." Viral marketing is a marketing tecnique that facilitates and encourages people to pass along a marketing message voluntarily. A satisfied customer can tell a friend about a product or service from their experience and transfer the received Bluetooth content that could reach an unlimited amount of consumers.

• 100% Free Bluetooth® transfers for all of your customers
• Market pictures, videos, and store coupons
• Provide innovative and fun advertising to your target market

Do you have a visual example to help me understand this new media?

SHOW ME AN EXAMPLE

VIEW A PUBLISHED ARTICLE IN THE MEETING PROFESSIONAL

How amazing is this.....

This past few weeks I have been thinking a lot about Leonard Cohen and playing his songs. I have wrote a few things and some identification's to some of his music just recently and posted two of my favourite songs on my blogs. Suzanne and Famous Blue Raincoat. His intensity draws me to him.

Well reading the paper yesteday I noticed a clip about him. Well needless to say I was/am amazed and very excited.Read on...

WOO HOO!!!

Spooky. Hehe!

ON THE HEELS OF INDUCTION INTO THE ROCK AND ROLL HALL OF FAME, LEONARD COHEN ANNOUNCES HIS FIRST TOUR IN 15 YEARS
MARCH 11, 2008
Immediately following his induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame at the Waldorf-Astoria Hotel tonight, Leonard Cohen announced his world tour, marking a return to the live arena after 15 years. He is scheduled to open in Toronto on June 6 and 7, the city that gave birth to his career as a recording and literary artist, and then play Europe in the remainder of June, July, August and early September.

Cohen is arguably the greatest singer songwriter of modern times. At his induction into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame, he was recognized by Lou Reed as, "Without question one of the most important and influential songwriters of our time, a figure whose body of work achieves greater mystery and depth as time goes one." Among those inducted with Cohen were Madonna, John Mellencamp The Dave Clark Five, and the Ventures.
His songs have been famously covered by the great and the good, each version a fascinating attempt to move closer to Cohen's enigmatic muse. From Judy Collins' "Suzanne" to Jeff Buckley's seminal rendition of "Hallelujah," Cohen's songs have traveled as far and wide as their author. U2, REM, Sting, Nick Cave, Rufus Wainwright and the late Johnny Cash are among other famous devotees. It is estimated that his songbook has been covered over 1,330 times by other recording artists.
In 2008, Cohen's live tour will be as varied as his influence. He plays the UK's legendary Glastonbury Festival on June 29, for 150,000 fans. The Montreux Jazz Festival and Spain's Bennicasim are also stand out dates among arena shows at the O2 in London and more intimate dates such as Toronto's Sony Centre and the Manchester's Opera House in the UK. Rob Hallett from AEG Live said, "For many this tour will be the once in a lifetime opportunity to see the legend that is Leonard Cohen. We as a company are honored to bring this long rumored tour to reality across the globe."
In all, the tour will take in fans from intimate theatres to rock festivals proving the remarkable reach of Cohen's words and music across nations and generations. He will be joined by world renowned musicians: Roscoe Beck (bass & vocals, music director) Neil Larsen (keyboard, accordion, brass instruments), Bob Metzger (guitar, steel guitar & vocals), Javier Mas (acoustic guitar, oud & misc. string instruments), Christine Wu (violin, viola, cello & keyboard), Rafael Gayol (drums & percussion) and Dino Soldo (keyboard, saxophone, wind instruments & vocals).
Cohen has been a SONY/BMG recording artist for his entire career. He continues as an active songwriter with much anticipated new work that is planned for release later this year.
Cohen is beyond comparison and a true original, providing some of music and literature's most illuminating writing on love, sex, death and religion.
This is a world tour of epic proportions, but it is something even more than that. Leonard Cohen's eagerly anticipated return to the stage after all these years is nothing short of musical history in the making.
Leonard Cohen's World Tour Itinerary (as of 11-Mar-08)
06-Jun-08 Toronto Sony Centre For The Performing Arts
07-Jun-08 Toronto Sony Centre For The Performing Arts
14-Jun-08 Dublin IMMA
15-Jun-08 Dublin IMMA
17-Jun-08 Manchester Opera House
18-Jun-08 Manchester Opera House
19-Jun-08 Manchester Opera House
20-Jun-08 Manchester Opera House
23-Jun-08 Montreal Montreal Jazz Festival / Place des Arts
24-Jun-08 Montreal Montreal Jazz Festival / Place des Arts
25-Jun-08 Montreal Montreal Jazz Festival / Place des Arts
29-Jun-08 Glastonbury Glastonbury Festival
01-Jul-08 Oslo Aliset Stadium
03-Jul-08 Helsingborg Open Air
05-Jul-08 Copenhagen Rosenborg Castle
06-Jul-08 Arhuus Raadhus Parken
08-Jul-08 Montreux Montreux Jazz Festival
09-Jul-08 Lyon Festival
10-Jul-08 Bruges Cactus
12-Jul-08 Amsterdam Westendam
16-Jul-08 Edinburgh Castle
17-Jul-08 London The 02 Arena
19-Jul-08 Lisbon Passeio Maritimo
20-Jul-08 Bennicasim Festival
22-Jul-08 Nice Jazz Festival
24-Jul-08 Nyon Paleo Festival
25-Jul-08 Lorrach Stimmen Der Welt
27-Jul-08 Lucca Summer Festival
29-Jul-08 Athens Lykabettus Theatre
* Worldwide tour dates will continue to be announced within the coming weeks. Fans should visit http://leonardcohen.aeglive.com

This is one I won't be missing. It's a chance this life time for me to see him again. Last year I managed to see Blondie and Joan Armatrading also artists/singer/songwriters of my youth and I have to say these women were and are still amazing and their sweet, passionate mature voices boar no sign of ageing.

OH!! Leonard Cohen you may like to take some coffee with me and we can chat. Just look, he's 73 and has the energy to do all these gigs. Mr. Cohen, I wish you all the best and here's hoping for good health and passionate inspiring energy.

Smiles all the way

Diane :)

THE POSH 12th BIRTHDAY PARTY At the POSH Blackpool Tower Ballroom Sat 23 Feb 2008, in classy Blackpool! POSH! CLASSY! POSH! Oooooer! MAGAZINE: Edition 3 A Weekly Performance Event with David Hoyle. Tuesdays at 8 from the 11th of March. DUCKiE every Saturday at the Royal Vauxhall Tavern, London, with Amy Lamé, Readers Wifes and the Cloths. Only 5 quid in - 9pm till 2am - get there early. Left: Miss Cherry Ripe performs Sat 23 Feb. at the R.V.T. Below: DUCKiE! The 12th BIRTHDAY Sat 23 February 2008 at the Blackpool Tower Ballroom. Click here for DUCKiE!'s POSH 12th Birthday details and logistics.

]]> http://spinsterchronicles.wordpress.com/?p=303 Fri, 22 Feb 2008 07:47:16 +0000 Raindreamer http://spinsterchronicles.wordpress.com/?p=303 Most women have experienced it in one point of their life or another. Some one has either touched or commented in a sexual way that was not wanted. The worst cases are certainly rapes, but even lighter touch can wound and scar, which many men are not able to realize because their own experiences are so different.

My own experiences are quite bitter and because of them this is very hard posting to write and publish, but I try because I think this is an important issue. I've slowly learned to not blame my self. I don't dress provocatively and I was just a small girl when it happened the first time. Yet it has left scars.

Slowly I've been forgiving the men too, as I believe they truly don't understand, how they hurt. They don't mean to be evil, they just act out of their own limited experience and understanding of women. What we could really do is try to teach boys, when they still are able to take  in the message and not totally controlled by their hormones. I think men don't understand, because for them intimate advances and suggestions don't feel like harassment. They don't understand, like most women do, that male and female sexuality is deep down quite different.

My story is not beautiful and I think it is to blame my over-shyness in the intimate relationships with men. My gage started building up when I was five. I got a lot of unwanted attention from some what older boy.  At that age even kiss is too much, but he did more. He said he was in love with me, but it was not cute “being love” it is usually among children. I think this made me vulnerable for later accidents. Adults did not take my distress it seriously, yet they considered he had seen far too much adult action.  At that point he was propably victim too.

Again when I was at school and in my teens I got attention from a gang of older boys. They used to gather around me talking dirty and making suggestions. I was afraid of them and used to stare my feet. There was no trustworthy adult for me to talk about the situation. It lasted whole spring - longer than the first one. We had just moved and I really did not have friends in my new school either. Only later did I learn that they had been bullying others in the different ways too. I only learned it too late as I had already build my walls.

When I once again encountered this as an adult, I was too wounded to protect my self and get over it. It wounded me again and left me bitter. The worst was that men I tried to confide were either not able or willing to understand my distress. My experience was downplayed or called exaggeration. I felt lonely and helpless like I had the other times too. And I was angry and bitter, even if I would not have wanted to be. I have always wanted to be like other "girls" (women) - easy going with "boys" (men).

On top of these serious ones there has been unwanted touching (like pinching ass and rubbing) and propositions in many occasions of my life. I dress very modestly, but it does not seem to clear out this problem. I had even one experience where the question was about potential stalking. He definately crossed the line, although I might have taken it slightly too seriously, if that is possible.

Especially problematic it was in Italy and India. It is like some men think that foreign women are free game and to be treated badly. Most of the men are of course not like this, but it needs just one bad apple to make the taste sour. Men seem to have certain stereotype of either foreign women in general or western women in particular. There is also general attitude towards women especially in India, where the women only passenger cars are necessary in even local trains.  

Saturday, January 26, 2008

World must wake up to pandemic disease threat

http://www.speroforum.com
Dr. Michael T. Osterholm, a frequent writer on such topics as avian flu and bioterrorism, said the world fails to fully understand the implications of such threats.

 

By East West Center

Much of the world, including governments, business and the news media, is “asleep at the switch” about one of the biggest threats to human existence ever known, a leading American specialist on infectious diseases said here this week.

Dr. Michael T. Osterholm, director of the Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy at the University of Minnesota and a frequent writer on such topics as avian flu and bioterrorism, said the world fails to fully understand the implications of such threats.“

Planning is poor,” Osterholm said. “People just assume business will run as normal -- which it won’t! And no one, including the media, is paying attention.”

He spoke to a media conference sponsored by the East-West Center of Honolulu and co-hosted by the National Press Council of Thailand. To read an interactive blog on the conference proceedings, visit forum.eastwestcenter.org/mediaconference.

While the media has done lots of short-term reporting on the pandemic flu threat, it has largely failed to understand the larger, and quite terrifying, consequences of rapidly spreading disease, Osterholm said. For instance, an avian flu pandemic might directly claim a relatively limited number of lives, but the fallout from a pandemic could well be catastrophic

Just because these are small numbers, anyone who shrugs off the seriousness of this is a fool of history,” Osterholm said.

The fallout from a flu pandemic, he said, could include massive energy shortages around the world, a surge in other deadly infectious diseases, uncounted associated deaths due to shortage of medical supplies and treatment, and more.

The relatively fragile world health system could collapse, he said.

What drives the possibility of these catastrophic side-effects of a flu pandemic? It is in part, Osterholm said, because the world is vastly more interconnected today than it was during previous pandemics. What happens in one place will inevitably impact another.

In addition, he said, it is because the world economy has developed a “just-in time” approach to commodities, from medical supplies to food and energy, with the result that such resources are short and they can’t be easily moved around. “Energy, food, water, transportation, communications, equipment parts, security — all will be in short supply,” he said.

Even the systems to handle the remains of victims will be at risk of breaking down. “Cremation is a just-in-time industry,” Osterholm said.

But, said Osterholm, it’s an uphill fight. “The last time there was a commitment of sufficient time and energy was in World War II,” he said. “We don’t have that kind of commitment any more.”

WORLD MUST WAKE UP!

Will we all wake up in time?

Prepare

GetPandemicReady.org

Right... I got asked a couple question's yesterday.The question's were.

'Diane how do you identify a rude awakening'

I said. 'WHAT'

"Then from the identifacation of the rude how can you transform that into a spiritual awakening"

I said 'WHAT'

"Please,please,please don't ask me shit like this.I don't  know. I can't answer question's like this anymore.I don't have a degree, I've never been to college, hardly ever went to school and I don't go to church. Hehe!!!! How on earth am I gonna know shit like this." Ha ha ha!!!

I got told that I was trusted to answer the question and to just think about it. As if  I've not got enough to think about. Smiling.

BUT!!

Obviously it's in my head now.I'm going to have to try to run with it. How am I ment to run with this.I don't think I can even get on my feet with this one.

Right!!

Let me see if this little half a brain I've got can 'totter along' with this.

OH!! PHEW!!!

I don't think I can do this right now. My writing doesn't come from thought and interlect, it comes from my rambelings. I can't write and think at the same time. I'm just going to let this question swim around for a bit and when It flows it will.

I could have done without this in my head actually.

It's a world isin't.

Here's hoping for RUDE today Ha!! Smiles.
Di :)

If everyday is an awakening in what what ever way is it, you'll never grow old you'll just keep growing and that's about all I know.

LOVE.

While I have yet to transmute any common metals into actual gold or brew the elixir of life, I do consider myself a modern day alchemist and am beconing quite competent in transforming my world.

Here's the simplified verson of the Principles of the Modern Day Alchey.

1. Everything in the universe contains it's opposite.  (light and dark, love and hate).

2. The essence of everything is contained in everything.(as the poet Blake described seeing 'a world in a grain of sand'.

3. You have the ability to choose what you wish to focus on.

4.What you choose to focus on in your own mind will expand.

5.Once your level of internal focus reaches a critical mass, you will begin to look for and see evidence of it in your outer world.

6.Knowing everythign contains the essence of everyhting, you will now be able to see that which you are looking for in that which you are looking at.

The modern day alchemist does ot change anything inot gold, but rather sees the gold which is contained in all things.
(gruberism).

May you harness these principles. :)

Copyright 2007, Rob Gruber.

Smiles and Warmth.
Di :)
I found this whilst reading a great blog. I left a comment and asked for the writer permission to put his writing on my blog. Thanks so much iwishicouldtellyou. You did tell me ha! and I'm giving it to the world and for me that enables me to keep it(In a way I'm used to ) Hehe!! We keep what we got by giving it away.

Yup!! Back to recovery. I quess I will peridocialy be backwards and forwards with my recovery dance, a little recovery shimmy from time to time. Smiles.So I quess Im chatting recovery shimmy.

What is recovery?

Again I will answer that question the same as I always do.  Recovery is each individual's process of  change where action is applyed to enable one to maintaion a comftable,free and rewarding life.Yes... I am in my own recovery process,always have been and I quess I always will be.

Who needs recovery?

I don't know. I wouldn't like to say. I believe it's each individual's attitude to their ways of being that will dictate to them in their life if they need a recovery process.It was quite easy for me to want to change the way I was being.I was chemically dependant from a very early age, 17 and was experiencing the bondage and slavery my addiction had on me.I was desolate, helpless and desperate. I wanted to die before I had started to live. I had died, however a very small part of me wanted to live.

Is recovery easy?

Well I quess it's as easy or as hard as you make it, or in my case how others made it for me. AND MAN!! That was hard.

By that I mean when you enter into a treatment centre weather it be a concept house, a therapuctic cummunity or 12 step treatment centre and you have to conform to the rigid structure of how to address your feelings.My treatments one in particular the 12 step one was based on power and control, where humiliation tatcis and challenging and confrontive confrontations were in daily use. So very hard.

For me I found, and am finding out more so today that I became an example of a modle. I wasn't myself and it's taken for me to get to the age of 42 to finaly begin to feel some
sort of self.

For me I have found that I am in recovery from that one given recovery process and that has taken away the whole full meaning of what my recovery is,has and continues to be about.

Urmm!! What was the originol question to myself. Is recovery easy? No

Just a bit of recovery Shimmy. I'm smiling, I like that. Recovery Shimmy. I quess I'm just reminding myself - like I do and have done with this blog.

Smiles.

 I wrote on writerchic's blog a little about this little happening in a reply to one of her posts.

If you've been reading me you'll know that I had a dress made for me-if not this is the story.

I made friends this year with a dress maker/designer on line. We indulged in each other's beauty and spirit and got to arranging to make me a dress.

I gave her an idea and my measurments and she made me the most beautiful dress. I'm going to put a picture of it here soon, I haven't got one of it yet.We did it all thro our computers on-line.

We met at a Party in a castle last weekend with the dress. It was our first meeting, it was so beautiful as was the dress, as was everything about that party. Yes I was in awe of everything. :) Such a delightful experience.

Well my friend had wanted to buy the dress for me for Christmas and had given me 200 pounds.

Two hundred pounds, I couldn't believe it. How amazing. I didn't want to accept it and said so. I said and that the dress was only eighty pounds. He told me to keep the money, that he wouldn't accept it back and to treat myself with something nice. How wonderful is that. I did find it hard tho I have to say. It's a lot of money is 200 quid, well to me it is.Thank you so much my freind,aww! Much love. :)

 So...

I'm sat thinking what can I do with the money. The only idea that was in my head was to share it with Kate, the lady who had made me the dress.

So I did, I sent her 60 pounds and I kept 60 pounds. I'd got it given and I wanted to keep the beauty, by keeping the beauty for me was to give it. I'll keep that little precious treasure for ever. I'm like that.

We keep what we have by giving it away.

YAY!!

Well It's 5 O' clock and I'm worried about Manchester, sister, shopping and people.

I don't think I can do it.I don't think I can be part of all this hustle and bustle.I don't think I'll be able to breath or think.My sister is quick....ZOOOOOOOOOOM

Okey! I'll stop moaning about it.I usually find the worry and the procrastnation is far worse than the actually act anyway.

What I want to say is this...

I kinda live my days a lot thro certain quotes. I know I'm a bit wierd at times.One quote that has been around for the most part of my life which I try to adere to is, well I don't have to try now It's kinda engraved in me. It's

"YOU KEEP WHAT YOU"VE GOT BY GIVING IT AWAY"

Good Morning all. It's cold and wet but I'm pretty warm and dry for the moment.Lets just always keep giving in what ever way we do. I feel for most part we don't actually know what we give and what people recieve from us. But for me to actually reconize this is a bonus.

Diane :)

OMG!! I've just had a tune sent to me, It's one I was dancing to at weekend. A lovely mad one.All the ducks are swimminmg in the water. Ha ha ha!!

In life, many thoughts are born in the course of a moment, an hour, a day. Some are dreams, some visions. Often, we are unable to distinguish between them. To some, they are the same; however, not all dreams are visions. Much energy is lost in fanciful dreams that never bear fruit. But visions are messages from the Great Spirit, each for a different purpose in life. Consequently, one person's vision may not be that of another. To have a vision, one must be prepared to receive it, and when it comes, to accept it. Thus when these inner urges become reality, only then can visions be fulfilled. The spiritual side of life knows everyone's heart and who to trust. How could a vision ever be given to someone to harbor if that person could not be trusted to carry it out. The message is simple: commitment precedes vision.

Smiles and Dreams

The wind beneath my wings..

Right...I have a story.

If you know me you'll know I have had a history around drug dependancy's. I have attended various meeting through out my life.I got placed in a 12 step treatment centre about 15 years ago now after I had relasped for 18 months. I'd already completed a 12 month residential concept house treatment regim, and been clean for 7 years..So recovery wasn't new to me. I had also worked in the same treatment centre that I had completed for a few years to.I knew the dance and danced it very well. I wasn't new to recovery but I was new to the 12 step way of recovery...

Anyway I complete the 12 step treatment and end up working in the treatment unit to( repeating old patterns ). I got friends with the two women who cared for me when I was a resident, they became my sponsers for two years..

We all worked together in this 12 step unit which was so unbalanced around power and control with members of staff, I end up walking out for reason's I'm not prepeared to discuss and I never speak to these women again.

That was it,from being so unbelievable close to NOTHING. I was HEART BROKEN. Honest to god. That realonship with those two women taught me so much. Even through all our pain and anger, I can see why we all went threw what we did and I thank god that they came into my life as I'm sure they would thank me to..

To this day I have never had another sponser and never will.

One woman died, so traumatic and tragic, she drank herself to death, 36 yeras old leaving a 10 year old boy.   The other woman is tortured, she came back into my life so very briefly around the death of our friend but our realonship never gelled again. I think about these two very special women often.

This song was their song. My friend would play it all the time as she would tell me that our other friend was the wind beneath her wings. Sorry I can't name my friends.

If you watch this clip, I have cried so much this summer to this. I have a friend who is sick and I visualize me just whisking her away to be where ever she would want to be. aw!! Big tears here. It's the beach scene that gets me.  My other assiocation with this clip is not actually the song it's  the doing what ever needs to be done when someone close to you is dying. I assiocate it with the death of my mother.

Anyway, I"m rambeling. It's monday morning and I've got to do some bloody sewing, my son's school trousers and his blazer so I better get me skates on..

Good morning.

Rest in Peace and Paradise my friend.You were indeed the wind beneath my wings and you taught me so very much. I love you.I'm so sorry we all had to go through what we did and you had to die. Fuck!!

Crying now. Fuck

(((MY FRIEND))).

I know you'll be smiling down on me. HEY! Maybe it was you who guided me today to put this clip here. I've actually thought about it for a while now. Aw!!

Rest in Peace Sweetheart.

The sun'll come out
Tomorrow
Bet your bottom dollar
That tomorrow
There'll be sun!
Just thinkin' about
Tomorrow
Clears away the cobwebs,
And the sorrow
'Til there's none!
When I'm stuck a day
That's gray,
And lonely,
I just stick out my chin
And Grin,
And Say,
Oh
The sun'll come out
Tomorrow
So ya gotta hang on
'Til tomorrow
Come what may
Tomorrow!
Tomorrow!
I love ya
Tomorrow!
You're always
A day
A way!

I've been in some pretty tough situatuions where I've literally had to hang on for tomorrow.

Tomorrow is only 24 hours away you know...Just know that what ever you are doing and where ever you are 24 hours can take care of it. The other side of the World is only 24 hours away. New Zealand.

This song is on my mind this morning as my friend Annie has just made contact after years. I think I'll go as far as saying that Annnie was probably the first real fairy that I was fortunate to meet. The first time I meet this woman I wouldn't get out of her bed. She wanted to sleep, I wanted to talk. I had in fact woke her up, just to talk to me. I never even knew her. Annie this is for you.

The sun will come out tomorrow. :) 

I have two very real faries in my life. They come in the form of two women.Two very beautiful women. Here's the story.

About 10 years ago I worked in a little hippy shop, you know the type - selling stuff like stones,crystals,oils etc,etc. I loved that little job and the brief but very meaningful shop connections/interactions I had.

 It so wasn't like going to work. I worked there on my own so I was boss so to speak.To put it bluntly I did exactly what I wanted and that wasn't much other than be nice to people and chat about the items they were intrested in or not. I don't find that hard work. Most days.

Anyway this Lady and her daughter used to come into the shop.I loved chatting to Barbara abd Cherie. Cherie has some sort of Spina Bifida condition, I'm not sure what it is. Barbara has cared for her daughter all this time, on her own, she gets limited help,What a woman.I used to give Cherie little stones and bits and bats. I gave her all sorts of stuff.I wasn't bothered that it didn't belong to me and what the person who owned the shop would say. It never even came into my head.

This particular morning they came into the shop and we chatted and she told me it was Cherie's birthday the following day.Cherie's 40th. Well apparantly for people with the same condition as Cherie you don't live a long life. SO…For Cherie to get to 40 was 'HUGE'

I asked her If they would like to come out for some tea after I finished work the following day. They agreed. YAY!! At 5 they arrived. All dressed up. aww!! Cherie looked so beautiful. We got settled at our table, not forgetting Cherie is in a wheel chair, so it took a bit of banging about to get comftable.

I'd say we spent an hour chatting,eating,drinking coffee and blowing out candles. aw!!We disclosed a bit more about our personal lives and loves.

 It's the only conversation we have ever had where we talked about how painful life can get. She told me that she had no husband,she never married, she got pregnant and he left her.She had Cherie and has cared for her, dedicated her entire all life to her daughter.ON HER OWN. Cherie will be 50 now and Barbara well... at least 70.

I cried, man did I cry. THIS AMAZING WOMAN. 40 years she been pushing that wheel chair,in her head scarf,high heels and lipstick, with the most beautiful long grey hair. She is always so well groomed. This woman puts me to shame.

Well….

I started noticing that bags of gifts, little presents started appearing on my door step. I'll write in a moment a little about the items and how they are prestered to me.

I thought it could be 1 out of 3 women that coule be leaving me the beauty. I knew it was a woman. Barbara and Cherie never entered in to my head.I thought it was Ann, but NO WAY would Ann wrap presents up in newspaper.

This carried on for about 18 months before we relaized who our mystery faries were. My daughter was off school sick one day and saw them leaving us the presents. Aw!! Listen I'm crying here. I'm just going to take a break,have a fag and get some coffee.

 Phew!!!

So…I have two very real faries. This present leaving has been going on for 10 years now. I'd say on average over the year I will recieve 10 black bin bags full of little presents. So over 10 years I'd say about 100 bags of presents… Yes….Thats about right.

Right let me just say, how thay are presentered to me.I swear to god it's like Christmas day and pass the parcle all at once and your the winner every time.Each individual item from the smallest to the largest is wrapped in newspaper and various plastic bags. each item is wrapped 4 or 5 times.

The gits have ranged from, crystals, lava lamps,varses,loads of candles, body creams ( all gone off ) silk scarfes, make up ( gone off ) underwear ( new ) writings from william Shakspear, various books, pearls, you know I don't know if they are real pearls,jewerally.teddy bears, loads of beautiful sparkly stuff, pictures,fairy lights, video's ornaments…All kinds of wierd and wonderful stuff. Yesterday I got a huge teddy bear and 3 beigh and brown rather trendy hat boxes that sit on top of each other all filled with wonderments and treasure's. I love them. They look great in the bedroom.

My friend arrived yesterday and brought the bags in  I opened them in front of him. Ha! He was amazed so I told him the story. This is why I've woke up with it on my head.

I'm going to finish here. Can I just say.When we bump into each other in the street/shops, we hug and kiss and I always say thank you. We never mention the gift giving or recieving. NEVER.

 Well…In Sainsbury's the other month, Gobshite me was so overwhelmed I just had to say something. I just said that I wanted to thank her for all the beauty over these past ten years.

Now when I see her, we chat about the gifts and I feel so much admiration for this woman. I always want to cry when I see her.This woman gets the award from me for the courage and love and strenghts she has had to show, had to apply to her daily living.

Quess what. The other month she actually knocked on my door and gave the gifts to me. Aw! Person to person. Not fairy to fairy. aww!

How wonderful it is to be thought about with so much kindness and givingness in such an unselfish manner. Over the Years this woman has taught me that the beauty is not in the recieving, the beauty is in the giving. 

So For Barbara and Cherie. You'll never see this but I just want to say to the both of you, you have  opened parts of my heart with your lovingness, genorosity, compassion,strength,hope and optisimn. If there's anything ever that I can do…. I'm here. I know you know I'm here.

I hold you both very dear to my heart.

Ps…Sorry if this story is a bit long winded. But… I had to tell it all didn't I. Well I've touched on it. Hehe!! Phew! I'm wore out now. Coffee,smoke,song and maybe a little dance to start the day.

Have a great day all.

I wasn't going to write on this blog anymore or I was going to make it private if I knew how to do it. I could really take this blog on a journey if it was private.

See...I've been told I just talk about myself and I'm boaring and unintresting.So needless to say my confidence has been knocked some what.
She's probably right, however I've never been called boaring before. I call it myself but I'm allowed to.It hurts when you get called boaring and the reason people don't comment is because I'm unintresting.

My writing is ordinary and is probably of no intrest to you.I speak with simple words. My individul, thoughts and experiences are of no  consquence in the general scheme of things. But my expressing myself thro my writing  explore's that which made me as I am today and as I am continually remade throughtout my life.

I put no thought into my writing. I don't even know what I'm going to say ususally until I start to wtite. I think I actually sleep write.

My routine is. I wake between 3 and 4. Put the kettle on, put the fire on, turn the computer on, make coffee, roll a fag and start to wtite.

So...I'm writing literally 5 minuites after opening my eyes.It seem's to work for me- writing as I do. You see I sufffer with this intense lonliness ( I think we all do at different levels ) and my writing is like I'm sat with a friend and we're chatting.

My writing has saved my life you know and I know you may think me extreme as I say that but it's bloody true.

I'm not that bothered about blog comments and stats. I don't write for that reason. I never have.I just give the world my sleepy feelings. Thats all.I sing songs to you. I dance for you. I tell you my dreams and share my hope.

Now I have been told that I'm boaring and unintresting and that I just talk about myself I may try to write about other stuff like M.Tony Brown, Mr. Gordon Bush. Mr, what's his name Blaire. I could try and talk about all stuff like that.BUT...

I'm not that intrested in that sort of stuff. Taxes,intrest rates, bla...bla...bla... You think I would be as I own a property. I'd be quite happy living in a tent to tell you the truth.I haven't got a clue about property's and I've just had another great option given to me concening money and houses. I could write about stuff like that, but it doesn't intrest me.

I could write quite a lot about my present life situations but that would be talking about ME again.  There's such a lot of things I don't talk about, thats because it doesn't intrest me so I don't know what or how to write about it. I think I can only write through passion.I can only write about what touches me.

Anyway...I'm going to try to smoke and have my second coffee now.Sorry for being boaring and unintresting everybody.

Ther's tons of stuff I could write about but at the moment I just have to write as I'm writing.I'm sure we all write for different reasons. I know my reason.

Love&light to all today. :)