Thursday, July 28, 2005

Leader of the free world


Yes, ladies and gentlemen, that is the leader of the free world taking a break from his hasty duties to watch the launch. Makes me feel like college all over again. I mean could we buy the guy a bigger tv than the one we've got in the kids' room for watching Barney? And what is with the raggedy slab of carpet in the top right?

For the really snarky comments go here.

Tuesday, July 26, 2005

All Systems Go!

Congratulations to the team of Discovery. Beautiful launch today. Thanks to the kids at NASA for having so many cameras. We saw things in today's launch we've only read about. Great job by all and keep it up. We're behind you all the way!

One of these day Zipper and I will actually get to go see one of these bad boys launch. Keep your fingers crossed because I know I am!

(Can you tell I am a little jazzed about this whole thing?)

Sunday, July 24, 2005

Yay!

Finally I get to start reading Harry Potter. Well it's because my cheap ass didn't pay for better shipping when it was released therefore I didn't get it until Thursday of this week. Theoretically I'll know better next time, lol.

DO NOT send spoilers!

Friday, July 22, 2005

Cheekiness

"Women are repeatedly accused of taking things personally. I cannot see any other honest way of taking them." -- Marya Mannes

Insight








Your Birthdate: January 27

Your birth on the 27th day of the month (9 energy) adds a tone of selflessness and humanitarianism to your life path.

Certainly, you are one who can work very well with people, but at the same time you need a good bit of time to be by yourself to rest and meditate.

There is a very humanistic and philanthropic approach in most of things that you do.



This birthday helps you be broadminded, tolerant, generous and very cooperative.

You are the type of person who uses persuasion rather than force to achieve your ends.

You tend to be very sensitive to others' needs and feelings, and you able to give much in the way of friendship without expecting a lot in return.


Wednesday, July 20, 2005

Ooh they are going to love me...

UPS that is. I've got the motherlode of stuff coming to my house tomorrow it seems. Well that is if this tracking doodad works. Yeah right. I may have to come down with some unintelligible disease so I can go home. This is what I get for ordering things from CA and living in FL and being a cheap ass about shipping.

Tuesday, July 19, 2005

Who knew?

Sorry kids that I have not been updating as much lately. Seems that I am unknowingly on a one woman rampage to piss people off. More specifically, get them pissed off at me. How did I seem to manage this one? Good question. I have no bloody clue. I mean wtf? All I am trying to do is go about my business. Sure, sure I am used to having the occassional one or two people in the pissed off corner but 6 or 7 (current totals) blows my mind. I could understand if I somehow invited this wrath upon myself because of my actions but this one takes the cake.

I suppose if you're pissed at me too, leave me some berating. On that off beat chance that there is someone out there reading this that I haven't offended, leave the good news in my comments section. Until then, I am out.

Wednesday, July 13, 2005

Changes

To all you loyal readers out there, I want to make you aware of some changes that are going on here at Mystique, Inc. For starters, I've added some healthy reviews to my link under my books. All kinds of products tested by yours truly found fit for your consumption. I also added a place for you to yak back at me via email under the contributors. Over the last couple of posts I have also gotten quite verbose. Read 'em, leave 'em I am merely passing along information. Also check out the people I list under friends. I know the raptor has been up to posting (/cough *ranting* /end cough) here lately.

So in true Raven fashion, I thought I had a lot to say. Guess I was wrong. It's those times where I think I am going to leave a little tid bit where I leave a fucking novel. Take the good with the bad I say.

Well cheeky wee monkeys, it's way past my bedtime so I bid you adieu.

Tuesday, July 12, 2005

Knowing when to say when

No kids, I am not talking about how the perils of jazz and liquor will ruin your life (though I do not at all advocate testing the limits - no joke) or how you should just say no. I am talking about how people can get when they are going through some serious emotional shit and need someone to listen to them so they can work things out. I am no stranger to the drama. Frequently I find myself in a position of being asked to offer advice.

Never one to say that I am a self professed anything, I am usually good at being able to dial it in and specify words of wisdom to the situation at hand. Stuff like answering questions, investigating the what ifs and on those rare occasions being able to see the situation for what it really is and then relating it back without crushing their recovering spirit etc. Like everything else, sometimes I hit my mark and well others I graciously miss. And through all of this I think the best support any friend could give would be to help the person in question to come to their own revelations. It is the greatest reward to watch their emotional evolution and their ability to process what is going on. Through it all you know that it really takes some patience on your part to be able to let them see their way to what's going on around them and not feed it to them.

Advice giving is a risky proposition. You've got to take the high road and be able to be objective especially when you don't want to be. Through all the turmoil you and the person you helped are better for it. Well you hope so at least in most cases. Then there comes the time where you know that a revelation has been made and you're able to interject more of what you really saw going on. That's when you have to know to say when.

I will be more than happy to also admit that there are people out there who have sought out my advice and shunned me because I gave them my honest opinion. I dare not say that these people are too clouded with their wooly veil of misconception but I will say that they are active listeners where they give you the kind nod and uh huh but keep their personal agenda at the forefront. Another group of advice seekers (my wandering brother being the best example) enjoy interjecting their knowledge of what they know and applying it to every situation because there is no chance that they are wrong. Their perception of reality rests solely on the things that they 'deserve' and those that 'they work so hard' to receive known to the rest of us as the shit we work our asses off for and they feel entitled to have just dropped in their lap. Looking back at the descriptions, I suppose the argument could be made that these are just traits of the same kind of people. My degree is only in psychology so I wouldn't know. I wouldn't understand behavioral principles or theories of motivations for different people.

There are many people in this world who go through life living in their own fantasy. Everyone has their own way of expressing it whether it be to wait for opportunities to drop in their lap, taking risks blindfolded, suppressing their emotions in blind ambition and perceived drive and then still there are those who encompass all of those qualities and more. It's hard to sit back and watch some of the missteps that can be made when a person is wearing blinders to reality. You cringe listening to the supposed wisdom that they preach knowing that they are false words and plans with little structural integrity. And the worst part of all is when they apply their shortsightedness to you. Projecting what nuggets of knowledge they think they hold and pelting them at your own shell of reality. Who is right in this case? There is no general rule to be applied universally for this. Looking at my own life and when I am in this situation, most of the time my shell of reality is pretty damn accurate. I know I have been led astray enough times but I've seen the light and know better now. Sure I still make mistakes but I think on them long and hard before embarking on something I am completely unprepared for. It's a shame you can't convey that same idea of knowing when to say when to other people when you see them pursuing something they don't deserve.

I know my life hasn't gone the same direction as I had mapped it out to be. Luckily, I can accept that and be proud of what I have accomplished. I've learned to be true to myself and take what life gives me, even at those times where I have those champagne and caviar dreams on a beer and pretzel budget.

Saturday, July 09, 2005

Power Color


Your Power Color is Green


You feel most at home in a world of ideas.
You're curious and logical - and enjoy a good intellectual challenge.
You're super cool, calm, and collected. Very little tries your patience.
Your only fear? People not realizing how smart and able you are!

What's Your Power Color? Take This Quiz :-)



Hmm I don't know how much of that is really me because I know that there are all kinds of things that get under my skin but the fear part is very true.

Friday, July 08, 2005

Deep Thoughts

I woke up this morning with a bunch of random thoughts in my head. Not particularly sure why but much of my sagely advice has been sought here recently and I think that is what has brought on this period of enlightenment. Rough relations with the home folks, another batch of hurricane anxiety, guiding people making that big step to move out on their own, mix ups with the law, a wacky street neighbor, and a bevy of other missteps and wrong turns that really brings out the intuitive and advice giving side of me. I know that at least here I can air out some of my thoughts with little scruitiny and there's a chance it might help someone with a nod of encouragement or something. I'm no where near a professional (well maybe a little) but I do know that I have this uncanny knack to see things other people overlook.

A frequenly used metaphor for our life journey has to do with a path. I've got to say I give a lot of credit to this because it always quells up vivid images for me to relate to. With my disposition as a visual learner, I can also relate to others using my imagery through powerful verbal context. So here's my attempt to explain my latest revelation on the path we make for ourselves to travel... As always, there are small things on the path that distract us: a small stone in our shoe to a unique prospect that begs for our attention. Our reaction to these things make more of an impact than I think most of us are inclined to give credit. Most people will cringe at the pain and irritation that the little stone will cause but will overlook the consequences of taking too much stock in the shiny object that draws our attention away from the here and now.

There is a funny thing about shortcuts on this path. Sometimes they really do work for our advantage like a break in a move in fee because you were there at the right time or you were able to get a bonus deposit because you were setting up a savings account. Little things that boil down to a matter of circumstance. But there are always those shortcuts that look very appealing as you are taking them but you are unaware as to how they are going to come up behind you and bite you in the ass. Believe me, I've had my fair share of them. (Ooh Ooh work two jobs because you can make so much mad cash and still go to school at the same time. Now here I sit looking back wishing I could have made better grades in this class or that. But the biggest thing that I have come to terms with is that I am a better person for the mistakes I have made because I would be just as naiive had I not made them.)

As for taking the long way around, there are definitely pitfalls in that plan too. But more often than not, as you are making the journey you find out cues about you that help you better define who you are. Let's face it, the long way around is usually the more difficult path. In that same vein, there are more distractions as we take the longer route and even more possibilities to stray from our ultimate way. I don't know my ultimate way and that's an honest statement. I do know that there are certain qualities that I want to be ultimately endowed with as I make my way such as fairness to others and to myself, remaining inquisitive about the world around me rather than becoming a welcome mat for it to wipe its feet on, being true to myself (which is a quality that has taken many years to hone and I am still perfecting it), and realizing that happiness can be a bitter mix of good times and bad.

With all of this comes this revelation of reality. Looking into the mirror and seeing what truly is there rather than what we want to see. I've got the scars from roadblocks that I thought I could master and I've also got a list of healthy accomplishments that I was able to take on (yeah like scout badges or something). I know I've made some bonehead maneuvers and some of them repeatedly in a short amount of time. But I also know that watching others deal with life and throwing out a suggestion or two has helped me more than they could ever know. I don't have all the answers and neither do they. Together we've got a lot of the answers but there will never be a time where we are omniscient. It wasn't meant to be like that.

A funny anecdote to all of this is that when you're in a particularly reflective mood, the cliches you've heard thrown around all your life take on new meaning as if they actually make sense. Some of them, not all of them. It's almost like even when things are darkest, mundane things taken on a blinding clarity. I've really taken stock in 'that which does not kill you, makes you stronger'. And I'm making a late resolution to start vocalizing my feelings rather than sanitizing those that I feel are fit for public consumption and repressing those that are not. I've tested the waters and I know which people are strong enough to weather the storm and which are good for lookout.

This post is not meant to be a sermon from yours truly nor is it meant to say look how smart I am. Not in my wildest dreams (and I tell you, I've got an active imagination). But I dusted off my soapbox and I am taking my sweet time with it. So for all of you loyal readers out there (and I know that there are droves of them) leave some feedback if you are so inclined or don't take another second to read. I don't mind either way. It's my blog and I am going to talk until I am tired of listening to myself.

And on a special note of personal privilege, I'd like to recommend seeing Batman Begins. It's an awesome movie and if they plan on making more in this same style, I foresee a strong resurgence in the comic persona.

A shout out to the cat lady who works in my office

Just because they are slides does not mean you can scuff around like they are houseslippers. PICK UP YOUR FEET!

/end rant

Wednesday, July 06, 2005

Tired

I hate those mornings you wake up after not being able to sleep the night before and the littlest things piss you off. Yes I mean even the sunlight coming in the window irritates you or how the light in the bathroom is brighter than the light you see when you smack your head really hard. Now I am stuck at work with less than nothing going on which makes me long for my cozy pillow and sleepy time. Maybe later I'll be inspired to make a better entry.