mohair by night.....

commute time....

....i break for breakbeats....

in regard to this ongoing commute in my life because of the jobie job, i've been forced to find numerous ways to distract myself in order to forget that this is actually my real and current reality.

the upside: it can be an educational time where i fill my head with informative self-motivating propaganda.
the downside: it's still two hours of my day that i'm sitting in a car.

the truth hurts. i've also realized that while listening to all the upful and informative sound bytes i can, (ie: The Phsychology of Achievement and Good to Great) there is also something to be said for belting out chorus lines with Cindy Lauper or Daft Punk. jus' sayin'. music is crucial.

the upside: swati jr. puts together a mean playlist. and thank god the 80's still rock!
the downside: dancing is restricted when you're buckled in. and only one foot can really tap to the beat.

besides listening, i've actually found ways to cut the commute down in time. yes, i tend to average a bit above the speed limit. (i will not convict myself further.) hey, i like to drive fast. i've got sharp eyes and can usually spot Po Po ahead of time. so no worries. my best time yet is kingwood to highland village in 40 minutes flat. of course, conditions must be right for that to be consistant. (for those of you who care: that's kingwood drive to the 59 to the 10 to the 45 to allen parkway to san felipe to willowick to highland village.) that IS quite amazing really.

the upside: driving fast on the freeway is better than a double espresso and makes you wonder if you may have a 4th career choice as a racecar driver afterall......
the downside: i have now realized a 6 cylinder would serve my needs better. especially for swift maneuvering.

perhaps Texas has gotten under my skin?! gazing at the huge palm trees wrapped in lil' white lights lining westhiemer ave. tonight, i almost felt i was in Cairo for a minute. i could be anywhere. but i'm in Texas. who cares. this moment is amazing. that's the upside. and it's fabulous.

it's that time of year....

now.

brain food:
seven habits of a highly successful person by: stephen covey.
the power of now by: eckhart tolle

sounds:
karshe kale and anoushka shankar. tabla beat science. mali street sounds. cyndi lauper. gaudi & nusrat fateh ali khan. aiko and raja's voices.

sights:
houston's skyline by night. shooting stars. tail lights. hot pink she-bop. las vegas like christmas decor. mendhi.

tastes:
swati's cilantro pesto. genmaicha in the morning. chocolate kisses. chai and pistachio burfi.

touches:
scottish mohair blanket. luon and beechlu. live fur and saliva. steering wheel. orange yoga mat/yamuna body ball.

my new man

his name is Nataraja (Raja). he found me and Aiko late one night at the park. appeared from behind some trees and let his presence be known. he didn't care much about me but was interested in communicating with Aiko. not into touch. skittish. aware of his surroundings. obviously wandering out on his own for quite some time. we let him be and walked off. at the end of our walk though, we circled back. maybe this was the friend i had been manifesting for Aiko B? maybe he'd finally arrived in our lives. he wasn't there when we returned. two weeks passed. Aiko and i were out on the bike cruisin' at top speed. before we got to west lake houston parkway, Raja came darting out at us. he crossed the street and headed to Aiko like they were long lost pals. she was happy to greet him. so i let him kick it with us. he ran behind us for miles. sometimes speeding ahead but always looking back to see if we were coming along. when we arrived back to our gate, i asked him to come in. he wasn't sure. "Aiko, tell him he'll like it here. tell him he should stay." and so he did. he escaped from our fence twice. the second time, he was waiting outside the front door for us. he's a keeper. today he had his shots, worming, first vet visit and his first bath (thank god!) he is now fit for polite company. he's taken to the leash quite well. and soon i hope to have him bike ready so he can cruise like the rest of us. he appears to be malamute. if not full, atleast mostly. and has many a pound to gain. he wagged his tail for the first time yesterday and is now letting us approach him, love on him and snuggle. love (and good food) is such an amazing thing!

Ethiopia Fund

GIVING BACK....

Eight weeks ago I arrived home from a month long stay in Ethiopia. It
was a personal Exodus of sorts; visiting holy sights such as Lalibela
and various churches on Lake Tana- the Headwaters of the Nile. Many
amazing insights came to me on my journey. Meeting and greeting so
many beautiful beings along the way has left a lasting impression on
me. So much kindness and wealth in spirit is present in this country.

Some time has passed now, yet the memories are still vivid. There are
parts of my journey that haunt me still and have taken me some time
and thought to resolve. I am also now determined to take some sort of
action as well.

There are several children from the streets of Addis Ababa that I have
created a friendship with. (Pictures of Mitu, Sarah and Fitsoom are
attached.) I am able to see that funds will be utilized properly for
their schooling, uniforms, fees etc. This is one way I feel that their
future can be uplifted and transformed. They are all eager to ensure a
future for themselves and are more than grateful for any assistance
that can be provided. I am hoping that anyone who feels inclined to
help these children monetarily, will do so. There are many other
children on the streets as well that can benefit from some funding.
Together, I think we can start something lasting. A little goes quite
far in Ethiopia.

Please email me if you would like to be involved some how or you would
like more information.
swatijr8@gmail.com

*For the month of December, all profits from my yoga classes will be
going into this fund for the children of Addis Ababa.

For stories and some pictures of my journey, check out my September
blog postings at:
www.swatijr.blogspot.com

Blessings,
Sarah J. Miller

*Increase and widen your desires till nothing but reality can fulfil
them. It is not desire that is wrong, but its narrowness and smallness.
Desire is devotion. By all means be devoted to the real , the infinite,
the eternal heart of being. Your longing to be happy is there. Why?
Because you love yourself. By all means, love yourself - wisely. What is
wrong is to love yourself stupidly, so as to make yourself suffer. Love
yourself wisely. Both indulgence and austerity have the same purpose in
view - to make you happy. Indulgence is the stupid way, austerity is the
wise way. Once you have gone through an experience, not to go through it
again is austerity. To eschew the unnecessary is austerity. Not to
anticipate pleasure or pain is austerity. Having things under control at
all times is austerity. Desire by itself is not wrong. It is the choices
that you make that are wrong. To imagine that some little thing - food,
sex, power, fame - will make you happy is to deceive yourself. Only
something as vast and deep as your real self can make you truly and
lastingly happy.*
Sri Nisargadatta Maharaj

I am in LOVE with my life!!!

watch out....

Symptoms Of Inner Peace
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
(Saskia Davis)


Be on the lookout for symptoms of inner peace. The hearts of a
great many people have already been exposed to inner peace, and it
is possible that people everywhere could come down with it. Under
the right circumstances, inner peace could reach epidemic
proportions. This situation could pose a serious threat to what
has, up to now, been a fairly stable condition of conflict in the
world.

Some signs and symptoms of inner peace:

- A tendency to think and act spontaneously rather than on fears,
which are based upon past experience.

- An unmistakable ability to enjoy each and every moment.

- A loss of interest in judging other people.

- A loss of interest in judging yourself.

- A loss of interest in interpreting the actions of others.

- A loss of interest in conflict.

- A loss of the need and even the ability to worry. (Please Note:
This is a very serious symptom.)

- Frequent, almost overwhelming episodes of appreciation and
gratitude.

- Frequent attacks of smiling.

- An increasing tendency to let things happen rather than make them
happen.

- An increased susceptibility to feeling the love extended by
others as well as the uncontrollable urge to extend it back.

- An unmistakable feeling that everything is okay.

Warning: If you have some or all of the above symptoms, please be
advised that your condition of inner peace may be so far advanced
as to not be curable. If you are exposed to anyone exhibiting any
of these symptoms, remain exposed to that individual only at your
own risk. Inner peace is contagious.


Copyright © Saskia Davis
All Rights Reserved