Category Archives: Uncategorized

Nope.

For a while I was blogging at Bravejournal.com, but decided to move to Ning because they offer a community setting, with forums and all sorts of useful tools. I used Ning until I realized that unless you are a member of that community, you can’t see my blogs. So now, I’m moving to WordPress to give it a try. Here’s hoping this move will stick.

Unfortunately, neither Bravejournal nor Ning offer export features, so my old blogs are all stuck on those sites until I manually move them over here. Maybe that will happen, maybe it won’t. We’ll see how ambitious I feel.

ORIGINALLY POSTED ON THE NING SITE ON DECEMBER 10, 2009 (I’m moving old posts from that site, which is closing down, to my WordPress blog):

I cannot BELIEVE that I haven’t posted a blog about this, but I guess that just shows how busy life has become … I became so distracted that I didn’t even post about my new book in my own blog!

Be Careful What You Witch For! is now available everywhere books are sold. Follow this link to find out more.

Meet Lola Garnett, a bored housewife, mom and office drone who wakes up with unexpected psychic abilities, and no instruction manual, and Twink, the reluctant, sarcastic fairy assigned to assist and educate her.

In this first book in a series, middle-aged Lola has resigned herself to an unsatisfying life of servitude as a wife, mother and office drone. The American Dream she’s living feels more like a coma, and she secretly longs for a more meaningful life. In a perfect demonstration of “be careful what you wish for…” she gets her wish when she wakes up from a nap one day with extrasensory abilities and powers.

The adventure really kicks into gear once she learns that her condition is the result of a botched spell coming from across the street, where her wanna-be-witch neighbor, Melinda Underwood, is foolishly playing with powers she doesn’t understand. Lola’s untrained intuition tells her that Melinda intends to use her equal, yet opposite, powers for evil against innocent people.

With the help of a tiny, sarcastic, ethereal sidekick, can Lola overcome her helpless resignation to overthrow Melinda’s evil plot and, while she’s at it, find her own self worth?

ORIGINALLY POSTED ON THE NING SITE ON NOVEMBER 25, 2009 (I’m moving old posts from that site, which is closing down, to my WordPress blog):

Those of you who have been subscribed to this site or listened to my radio show for a while know Glenna Dietrich. She was a guest several times on the show, and I was the Executive Producer of her CD set (with Elizabeth Anne Hill) An Interview With The Universe.

Glenna has been fighting a battle with cancer for over a year and last night she lost that battle. The world has lost an incredible woman. In one of our recent radio shows, and in many conversations she and I had on the phone this fall, Glenna always said she was going to beat the cancer, because she had worked too damned hard to help midwife this Shift of Ages we’re experiencing, and she’d be damned if she wasn’t going to stick around to see it happen. Well, apparently she has chosen to watch it from the other side.

I’ll miss Glenna tremendously. She was a dear friend. But I know I’ll still be in touch with her, just using a different communication device. No more phone calls, just a straight connection.

Glenna Dietrich, friend of the goddess and the wolf, at a crop circle in Minnesota

ORIGINALLY POSTED ON THE NING SITE ON OCTOBER 31, 2009 (I’m moving old posts from that site, which is closing down, to my WordPress blog):

I’ve been gone for a very long time (in case you hadn’t noticed). Since I last wrote, Jeff and I were notified that his mother had terminal cancer. As both of us are available (he’s laid off and I work at home) we closed up the house and moved in with her to assist with her needs and to possibly help her make her transition to the other side. “Remission or transition” was our battle cry.

Turns out that remission wasn’t in her future. After a horrible struggle, she passed on. Out of respect for her privacy, I won’t write about her personal process, but I did learn some interesting things about myself in the meantime.

I learned that I don’t fear death as much as I fear life.

She and I had many talks about what it means to die, and what might await us on the other side. She was Christian and I am New Age. (We gotta come up with a better phrase than that, don’t we? I don’t like that as a label.) She believed in Heaven and Hell, so she had a fear of death that I don’t share. What if she had made a mistake along the way that caused her to be barred at the Pearly Gates? My belief is that the “other side” is more like it is in the movie What Dreams May Come, that it’s exactly what we expect it to be … a more conscious, intense and malleable version of what we’re doing here in the physical.

So I don’t fear death itself. I fear getting there. I fear illness. I fear pain and suffering on my way to death. I fear getting on the back of Jeff’s motorcycle because what if we wreck and I’m smeared across the pavement, like so much ground beef? I allow this fear to ruin my enjoyment of flying down the Florida back country roads, glimpsing alligators and giant herons in the swamps. I allow it to spoil my delight in watching the sun set over the Gulf with the wind whipping my hair into a mass of snarls that will take forever to comb out once we get back home.

I fear making mistakes because what if someone notices and decides to point them out in front of a crowd of jeering yayhoos? I fear stepping forward with my books because what if they get bad reviews? What if once they are well known, I make a guest appearance on the Daily Show and Jon Stewart makes fun of me? What if I answer a question wrong and I’m humiliated in front of the whole world?

I fear enjoying life because what if it’s taken away? I didn’t realize, until I watched another human being die … something I’d never experienced before … that I haven’t really been living. I’ve been phoning it in, making just enough effort to be able to say, “Sure I lived! I did this, and this and this …” but my whole self wasn’t in it. I held a large part back, in reserve, in case I needed to quickly retreat into a cave somewhere.

During the last few weeks of her life, I kept trying to tempt her with yummy foods. I told her, “If I knew I only had a short time to live, you better believe I’d be eating all of my favorite foods. I’d savor every chocolate covered cherry I could find. I’d wallow in Trader Joe guacamole and crunch every Cheeto I could lay hands on.” Jeff and I bought all sorts of delicious things for her to eat, in an effort to make her final days a little more cheery, but she had already lost her appetite. So he and I ate. And ate. And ate. Boy, did we eat.

We both gained a substantial amount of weight. If she didn’t want any comfort food, we sure as heck did. And after she died, neither of us felt much like cooking so we treated ourselves to all of our favorite restaurants, the ones we knew we wouldn’t be able to visit in the future, because we’d have no reason anymore to visit that area now that she was gone. I lost count of how many Davis Bakery corned beef sandwiches we inhaled, or how many Trader Joe delicacies we dove into. Ben and Jerry’s stock certainly went up, after all the Cherry Garcia ice cream I ate straight out of the carton. I don’t even want to talk about all the Roman Burgers we ate at Mr. Hero.

Exercise? Ha! Neither of us bothered because it seemed so trivial in light of what we were going through. “We’ll get back in the swing once we get home again,” we both decided.

So now we’re home, and life is completely different. Or is it? I’m still not sure who the new Lisa is. I do know that while we weren’t home, at our own desks with our high speed internet and whiz-bang technology, I did still manage to publish my new book, but I wasn’t able to put my full attention on it like it deserved.

Or did I? Was Spirit allowing me “just enough” time and tech to do “just enough” work to get it accomplished, so that now that I’m back home all that pent up energy is ready to burst? It sure feels that way because suddenly everything is lining up perfectly. The book made it to its publication deadline and release date of October 31 (today!). It’s available on Amazon, on time, and book sellers are contacting me, instead of my having to find them! Synchronicity after synchronicity is happening to me and it’s a very exciting time.

I still haven’t gotten back to Curves, but after all the comfort food bingeing I came home with only a three pound weight gain (I stopped pigging out a couple weeks before we left). Not too bad, considering all the food I packed into my face. But I’m realizing how freakin’ unimportant gaining three pounds is when faced with the concepts of life and death. If you’re alive, if you’re drawing breath, then LIVE every moment, because this shit is REAL, not just some TV show you’re watching. And it really does end. So carpe diem … seize the day … and live each moment as if it’s your last.

What’s that famous saying? “Dance like no one is watching, love like you’ve never been hurt, and sing like no one is listening.” With that said, I think I’ll end this now. I have some dancing, singing and loving to do.

Have good days!
Lisa

ORIGINALLY POSTED ON THE NING SITE ON MAY 20, 2009 (I’m moving old posts from that site, which is closing down, to my WordPress blog):

I watched an incredible video yesterday with ethnobotanist Wade Davis (from the National Geographic Society), discussing how incredibly varied and valid cultures all over the world are. He discussed their belief systems and how they work for these people.

The video reminded me of all the research and study I’ve done over the years to learn as much about body/mind/spirit, metaphysics, spirituality, quantum physics, etc. that I could possibly soak up. I know that what I have learned is true (at least, as far as I … a human being … can comprehend). And yet I still allow the opinions of those who shaped me during my formative years steer my boat.

While watching Wade Davis explaining how these unusual belief systems worked for various indigenous peoples, I could completely comprehend what he was saying. But I also heard the voice of my father (a Republican, Rush Limbaugh ditto-head) and my elder brother (an atheist, linear-thinking-engineer and Mensa member) scoffing at the tools I use to create my own life.

Talk about being energetically castrated!

My dad and my brother don’t actually say these things to me (although they probably would if we actually conversed about them … not to belittle me, but because they enjoy a good debate), but that doesn’t stop me from hearing their voices when I think about the things I know to be true, like how to Shape Shift. I know, at the depths of my soul, how to do this. I KNOW how to maneuver my energy field to create a different future. I KNOW that I am the one steering my boat into calm or chaotic waters. And yet I allow their voices to run me into icebergs, time and time again.

Why? Because I love and respect them, and want their love and respect in return. I don’t enjoy being made fun of, especially by the people who helped me to become who I am. Yet even at the age of 48, I prevent myself from being who I fully am for fear of being ridiculed. In fact, I don’t even feel comfortable posting Shape Shifting notices on my Facebook page, because my family will see them and I can feel their disapproval through cyberspace.

What’s it going to take for me to finally stand in my power? When will it finally sink in that I might know something they don’t? After all, I’m the one who’s spent her life in pursuit of this specific knowledge, not them. Why do I allow their opinions (and they are just that … OPINIONS) to derail me in my personal creative efforts?

Is it because they are men and I’m “just a girl?” Is it because they are older? Or is it because, when challenged, I suddenly go blank in the head and can’t think of an intelligent way to respond to their demands for proof? Is it because this stuff cannot be easily scientifically proven yet?

Whatever it is, I know that what I’m doing works for me. And that’s all that matters, isn’t it?

ORIGINALLY POSTED ON THE NING SITE ON MAY 17, 2009 (I’m moving old posts from that site, which is closing down, to my WordPress blog):

Every now and then I notice that my life has become stagnant. I find that I am so frozen in a cloak of bad habit that the only way to break out of it is to stir up the energy in my house. Every time this happens, I’m amazed by the huge, happy shift that always takes place. Call it Feng Shui, call it spring cleaning, call it what you will, but it works!

For the past several weeks, as Jeff searches for work and is home most of the time, our lives have changed tremendously from what they used to be. Our routine, which used to be 9-5ish (he would leave at 7AM and get home at 7PM) has turned into one of treading water. We have stopped all forward progress. He is home while I’m working here in my home office, in our small house, so he’s in my office all the time. It’s caused a major change in the way I do my work. Eventually, we both sort of drifted into the not-getting-much-done doldrums.

A couple days ago, he commented on how gross the house was. Neither of us is a big fan of cleaning, and he’s a HUGE fan of making multi-level, deeply complex messes everywhere he goes, so I gave up trying to keep the house clean. Remember Pigpen from the Charlie Brown cartoons? He’s got nothing on Jeff. He literally follows behind me (not intentionally of course) and undoes all the work I’ve just done, so I don’t bother anymore. The result is a home encrusted with a thick layer of the solidified energy of resentment, boredom and ennui.

Anyway, after he made the comment about how dirty the house was, I grabbed that opportunity to suggest that we BOTH spend Saturday as a cleaning day. So we did. I also took this as an opportunity to do some Feng Shui tweaking. For example, in the money corner of the house, I made sure that it was really clean and uncluttered, and added a fountain to add life and movement to the area.

I know that this works. Many years ago, we had a Feng Shui expert do our house and within three days Jeff landed a job making more than he ever had in his life. That’s just one example. I’ve got many. If you’re sensitive to energies, you will be able to feel the difference in your house.

I don’t strictly follow the Chinese discipline of Feng Shui, although I’ve read lots of books on it. I’m familiar with how it works, but I use my own method based on my understanding of it. I’m sure if I weren’t too busy to devote my life to learning the intricacies I could create even more powerful shifts in my life.

After we finished with the house, I noticed that the fountain had a huge puddle under it. It was leaking (it didn’t leak before I moved it to this spot)! Just because this is the way my mind works, I immediately began to wonder what this means. Are we leaking money energy? Is this symbolically trying to tell us that we are allowing our resources to spill, wasted, onto the ground?

I know that money is just an energy flow, and that there is no lack of it except in our minds, but the fountain specifically needs to be refilled. It’s not like a lake or river, where I can say, “There’s more where that came from.” The fountain needs to be maintained … replenished … and if its allowed to spill out like that, the pump will burn up. And when I ponder it, I do feel a resonance with the idea that we’re letting our abundance life force just go wherever (due to the ennui? or is it causing it?) and it’s starting to dry up.

Just recognizing that this leak needs to be patched or repaired in some way has shifted my focus into a place that feels better. I feel much less blah and sedated. The house feels like a more magical place. We closed out the cleaning event with a thorough saging and now have a fresh, clean slate!

P.S. This counts as a Makeover in your Shape Shifter’s Daily Diary.

ORIGINALLY POSTED ON THE NING SITE ON MAY 5, 2009 (I’m moving old posts from that site, which is closing down, to my WordPress blog):

Well, I finally made it to Curves yesterday morning. Yay! I never thought I’d be celebrating exercising, but there you have it. It was difficult because it’s been so long, but I did it.

This morning, however, I woke up dizzy again and couldn’t go.

I don’t know if this has anything to do with it (part of Shape Shifting is exploring all facets of possible obstacles), but a small, petty part of me kind of resents the fact that no one at Curves even tried to contact me to find out why, after signing a one year contract and gung ho attendance for two weeks, I suddenly disappeared for over a month.

I might not have even expected them to do so, except that during my first week one of the women I was talking to said, “The staff here is so nice! I was gone for a couple weeks taking care of my mom last year and they took the time to call me to make sure I was okay and that my reason for not coming in had nothing to do with Curves or their facility.”

I was really impressed with that and was, frankly, surprised (and mildly hurt) that no one there took the time to check to see if I was okay. When I went in yesterday, they were friendly and all, but didn’t seem to give two shits that I’d been gone or had finally come back.

Now, the logical, grownup side of me is saying, “Well, geez, ya only went a few times. They didn’t get a chance to know you or your routine. How do they know you’re not one of those joiner/quitters? And, if that woman had never said anything to you about them calling her, it would never have even occurred to you that they would call and check on you.”

Yeah, I’ll cop to being a little whiny and childish on this one, but it’s there and it’s real. I need to look at whether or not this has anything to do with my being “too sick” to go back today. After all, vertigo basically boils down to being out of balance, and being “off center.” If I’m not feeling centered … knocked off my pins, as it were … then it makes sense that I don’t feel well enough today to go work out.

Plus, this is a lifelong challenge of mine, feeling like I don’t fit in or belong. I’ve always felt like an outsider and it doesn’t take much to reinforce that belief. I don’t know how to even begin shape shifting out of this destructo-mindset because it’s so powerful and displays itself in pretty much every circumstance I find myself in.

Our outer world mirrors our inner world. I guess I’m just surprised to see it manifesting itself so quickly in the exercise arena.