My creative half

Over the course of the last couple of weeks, I’ve discovered something interesting about myself…when my creative side is safe and secure, I tend to watch movies involving romance. I noticed about a year ago, that I stopped watching most of my movie collection and pretty much stopped watching movies all-together. Never really questioned it and chalked it up to lack of interest and need to focus elsewhere. A couple of weeks ago, I shed some baggage and dropped a layer of armour. I’ve basically shut down the desire to write, because I was tired of things being read into my writing and basic fear of what it might mean to others. Well, dropped that off a high pier, I’m tired of worrying about that because I don’t want others to feel they can’t do something because of my feelings, therefore, I should not let that dictate my own writings. I feel lighter, more in love with life and the things that I do. I am ready to start exploring the new depths that I have waded into and find the new treasures.

I’ve also started watching my sappy movies. It’s my guilty movie pleasure, but it stokes the fires that let me see the beauty in everything and not so much the negativity.

Good riddance to bad rubbish. And may the love letters flow from my pen.

Horrorscope

Scorpio (October 23-November 21)

The roots of big old trees are your power objects. I advise you to visualize them in your mind’s eye for a few minutes each day, maybe even go look at actual trees whose roots are showing above ground. Doing this will strengthen your resolve and increase your patience and help you find the deeper sources of nurturing you need. Another exercise that’s likely to energize you in just the right way is to picture yourself at age 77. I suggest you create a detailed vision of who you’ll be at that time. See yourself drinking a cup of tea as you gaze out over a verdant valley on a sunny afternoon in June. What are you wearing? What kind of tea is it? What birds do you see? What are your favorite memories of the last 30 years?

FreeWill Astrology

Given the way the last couple of weeks have been going, and my mum’s diagnosis of me having the flu, would probably be a good idea to nurture myself. I think it would be a good idea to go back and look at my roots. Any time there is a change of chapters, returning to roots is a good means to integrate the new things learned with the old things, in order to move forward. So, I’ll work on this, this week. 🙂

That said, things are going nicely. I found some decking, in the event that I have to suffer the horrid colour of paint on my patio, that matches the condo siding. My pepper plants are looking nice, growing slowly, but good. I’ll be able to afford new planters soon, so they’ll be ready. 🙂 The strawberry plant is doing wonderfully, too. The roses….not so much. The praying mantii were late in hatching, and the white flies have already destroyed a good bit of them. They’ll be getting cut back a good bit come winter, hoping to rid the world of some white flies. In the process of figuring out which new herbs to buy for the new planter box, preferably some Italian ones, given my love of Italian food.

Office is coming together, slowly. LivingSocial is all resolved, and I’m definitely getting interest from folks who want to be members. In the process of hoping to interview at least one therapist, soon. My yoga certification starts in September, super psyched about that, given my need to get active again. In the meantime, I’m looking around for affordable rollerblades in hope that I can start waking up early enough to go for a skate without overheating. One step at a time, and I am getting there. Balance is delicate, but it’s working, as long as I keep the bigger picture in mind and keep my reacting in the moment to the moments. I’m highly worried that I’m over-stressing myself to a heart attack. Just need to get through this point and I’m good.

Horrorscope

Scorpio (October 23-November 21)

Provocative new influences are headed your way from a distance. Meanwhile, familiar influences that are close at hand are about to burst forth with fresh offerings. It’s likely that both the faraway and nearby phenomena will arrive on the scene at around the same time and with a similar intensity. Try not to get into a situation where they will compete with or oppose each other. Your best bet will be to put them both into play in ways that allow them to complement each other.

FreeWill Astrology

Hrm, not quite sure what all this means as I haven’t seen any evidence of any new influences, much less provocative ones. Though, I will say the new found popularity I seem to have is interesting. I still hate talking on the phone and my out-of-control schedule is a hassle. I’m on my way to a new therapist in the office, which will be nice (really nice). I might actually reconfigure the first part of my week, as I found my two days off – in a row – was much what the Dr ordered. I’ve always thought that a split week would be doable, but I found that I was fully recharged after 2 hectic weeks over the span of 1.5 days off. Food for thought.

Not much else going on these days, besides work. I’m not stressing about the bills today, due to that nice sizable check arriving yesterday. So tonight, bill paying will be on the docket and hopefully everyone will quit harassing me for being so late.

I have made a few changes in life, the goal is happiness and balance. Some things that I had hoped would occur do not seem to be, so I gave up on them and cut them out of my life. Main focus is growing the business and getting my house in order, which is happening, slowly.

My health goals are going to be slow, as I need to figure out a better means to exercise, now that the summer heat is here and my body is saying “fuck you” to the concept of going outdoors and doing any amount of exertion. Yay summer!!!! Means the indoor yoga practice is going to have to get off its ass (and I’m working on that).

Beating myself up

I need to quit self-sabotaging at work. I was hoping to have next Thursday off, but I already have clients at one office. I’m trying to maintain the afternoon off, and maybe do something like today, where I went over to another client and did a lazy hour with her. It destressed me quite a bit, and made her feel good, too. Tuesday is out of the question as well, as I already have folks on there, so might as well add a couple more.

I’m exhausted and I’m getting sick and feeling quite over-whelmed, as I’m trying to fill out the other therapists schedules, without doing a 10-8 shift, and still maintaining enough recovery time, and time to return phone calls. I still need to find time to go to the bank, which means I don’t get to sleep in much tomorrow, the bills don’t like when you’re really late.

Yes, I’m whiney right now, some of the responses from the LS coupon have been less than stellar, but don’t have any constructive criticism whatsoever. So I don’t know what they were looking for in the first place, that led to the expectation not being met.

Anyway, I’m tired, going to veg out now.

Scorpio (October 23-November 21)

Hugo Chavez is the socialist president of Venezuela, not an astronomer or New Age philosopher. And yet he recently speculated that the planet Mars once had a thriving civilization that met its doom because its resources were drained off and poisoned by the excesses of capitalism. I love it when notable people go off-message and freestyle wacky fantasies, so I applaud Chavez’s improvisation. May I respectfully suggest you consider indulging in your own version of this art form? According to my reading of the astrological omens, it would be downright healthy for you to depart from your usual raps and unveil some unpredictable self-expressions to anyone and everyone who think they have you all figured out.

FreeWill Astrology

Well, at least it would definitely make things be more interesting than they currently are, I think. But I can say, I really don’t like the idea of being lumped in with Hugo Chavez. What a nutcase.

Been one heck of a week. Tuesday-Thursday has been non-stop appointment making, which is good but drives me nuts, given how much I hate phone conversations. So far, we have 4 people interested in some kind of membership, one of them I will be seeing again next week. Need to print out some more price menus, as my window one has been given away and my spare has also. Been some hit and miss, which I can deal with. I do need to hit up the school and put up an advert for a female therapist, as I need one by October, anyway, so this is a good time to at least run the possibility of building her client list.

The house is coming along, haven’t really done anything lately, but the doors have been picked out, outlets changed and fixed one to work. Picked out the window film, too for both the sunroom crappy window and the bathroom/bedroom door windows.

eydimork, if you read this, I remember you posting a recipe or something for portobello mushroom caps. I’m at the point where I would love to try and make them, and your description sounded absolutely yummy.

Pastry has received his wonderful packet from the embassy for his visa. So we’re on our way.

Lots of positive things. I’m hoping this LivingSocial coupon brings in more folks, I’d like to start being more social again. Now that I’m only going out to Acworth once a month, there’s a better chance, as that’s $15 of gas money that stays in my pocket, instead of being paid out every week (which means more trivia night at NRT!).

So, today I started my work at getting up earlier. I’ve changed all my alarms by 15 minutes and succeeded in getting out of bed 5 minutes after the last alarm went off. Goal is to be getting up by the last alarm by the end of the week. Next week, the second alarm.

An interesting note, last night Lexus curled up in my arms to sleep, right next to my head. It’s odd for her since she’s fairly anti-social (must be on her terms, not my desire to pet her if she’s sitting next to me). Not sure what’s going on, and I’m hoping it’s not a sign of something to come. This week is going to be busy as I get into the later part of the week, but that is a-ok by me.

Work is decent, my weekly headache has returned with a vengeance and is managing to avoid coming in. Not sure if it’s intentional, or just circumstance, but discussion will be had, somehow! Google voice is being a bitch and not letting me call anyone from my phone, which is annoying as I don’t wish to give my cell number out to clients.

I am now past page 300 in Inifinite Jest and finally hit the point where I can’t put it down. It was a slow starter, but once the ball gained some momentum, it really started rolling down hill.

I snagged a pack of outlet receptacles for the apartment, so I can start replacing those tomorrow and maybe get my room into some level of habitat. Need to call the BritJew so he can come take a look at my ideas for the door. Also need to call the community handyman and set up some time for him to quote me for the vanity mirror install.

I am focusing on being optimistic about this year. Things will be good.

Oh yeah, the gov’t sent me a receipt, the Pastry has been approved to petition for Visa status, so first hurdle passed, now on to the fun stuff!!

Scorpio (October 23-November 21)

In the Philippines, there is a geographic anomaly I want to call your attention to: a volcanic island in a lake that’s on a volcanic island in a lake that’s on an island. Can you picture that? Vulcan Point is an island in Crater Lake, and Crater Lake is on Volcano Island, and Volcano Island is in Lake Taal, and Lake Taal is on the island of Luzon. It’s confusing — just as your currently convoluted state is perplexing, both to you and those around you. You could be aptly described as fiery earth within cool water within fiery earth within cool water within fiery earth. Whether that’ll be a problem, I don’t know yet. Are you OK with containing so much paradox?

Yes. And I am finally comfortable with this and I am starting to enjoy it a good bit.

Please read the response, nothing about thanking me for my suggestion regarding the posting of information regarding the actual rail service – at least they didn’t like the fact that I took an elevator ride in a pool of urine.

—–Original Message—–
From: comments@itsmarta.com [mailto:comments@itsmarta.com]
Sent: Saturday, April 09, 2011 3:30 PM
To: MARTA Customer service
Subject: Web Comments

WEB COMMENTS
================================================

Name:
[omit]

Email:
[omit]

How often do you ride MARTA?
Every day

How would you rate your experience on the MARTA web site?
Somewhat Useful

Comments:
Today, I was going to take the train from Lindbergh Station to the airport, purchased my pass, only to arrive and find out the train arriving, and listed as going to the airport was going out of service. There were no signs noting any change to service on the platform, or on the screens that are supposed to be for train arrival/departure and other service notifications – but always run through advertisements more than MARTA information. This was after taking the elevator down to the platform, wondering what the overwhelming smell of ammonia was, and to have my companion point out that I was standing in a pool of human urine that covered almost all of the elevator floor.

At the point we found the train was not departing, we decided to leave and take my car, which was, thankfully, available to me. Upon exiting, the gate informed me that my pass had no more trips on it. I have not tested this, yet, but if this is the case, I will be looking for a full refund, as I purchased a round-trip and I do have receipts for both the airport parking lot as well as my purchase of my MARTA pass.

I completely understand how this business is losing money, when service such as this becomes a constant issue and the only source of up-to-date info is on the website, which not everyone has ready access to check when using the service. I’ve found this to be the issue for the last 3 weeks, having been a MARTA patron with a monthly pass for the last 6 months. If this increasingly becomes the norm, I will cease using the service, as well as encouraging everyone I know to do the same – and I will show up at meetings for the same purpose.

This is horrible and I can’t believe any company within the service industry thinks that I can encourage the lack of care towards its patrons, and then wonder why we don’t allocate more money towards subsidizing it.

~[omit]

And this is what they write back…