tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-307871122024-03-07T02:56:25.922-05:00Skindiving “Be not the slave of your own past. Plunge into the sublime seas, dive deep and swim far, so you shall come back with self-respect, with new power, with an advanced experience that shall explain and overlook the old.”
~ Ralph Waldo Emerson
exskindiverhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09116951497970094346noreply@blogger.comBlogger1071125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30787112.post-83731662654965047482023-12-31T23:06:00.000-05:002023-12-31T23:07:09.460-05:00123123May God make your year a happy one!
<br>Not by shielding you from all sorrows and pain,
<br>But by strengthening you to bear it, as it comes;
<br>Not by making your path easy,
<br>But by making you sturdy to travel any path;
<br>Not by taking hardships from you,
<br>But by taking fear from your heart;
<br>Not by granting you unbroken sunshine,
<br>But by keeping your face bright, even in the shadows.
<br>~ Anonymousexskindiverhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09116951497970094346noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30787112.post-36924930251735633282023-08-31T15:02:00.000-04:002023-08-31T15:02:13.617-04:00Something to think about<p> There was a farmer who grew excellent quality corn. Every year he won the award for the best grown corn. One year a newspaper reporter interviewed him and learned something interesting about how he grew it. The reporter discovered that the farmer shared his seed corn with his neighbors. “How can you afford to share your best seed corn with your neighbors when they are entering corn in competition with yours each year?” the reporter asked.</p><p><br /></p><p>“Why sir,” said the farmer, “Didn’t you know? The wind picks up pollen from the ripening corn and swirls it from field to field. If my neighbors grow inferior corn, cross-pollination will steadily degrade the quality of my corn. If I am to grow good corn, I must help my neighbors grow good corn.”</p><p><br /></p><p>So is with our lives... Those who want to live meaningfully and well must help enrich the lives of others, for the value of a life is measured by the lives it touches. And those who choose to be happy must help others find happiness, for the welfare of each is bound up with the welfare of all.</p><p><br /></p><p>Author Unknown</p>exskindiverhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09116951497970094346noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30787112.post-50421791227076007772023-02-14T08:52:00.001-05:002023-02-16T08:56:47.310-05:002/14/23 <p class="mobile-photo"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiwE4GaQEuSMEMnMMBZ4Get78BhLh-5ZOcwvogc3diXxYbxvcQ8gdZpIGsYTU8B4iiXDEpIwmneRg4WVFJK-q3vlV7C4eSwk4Bu_EQk0NecCPoUtKVFbEWWvGvx9y2MfwXAD4UB6GBPrgfjbmgk-7iuZfs9MmbBbn8vQwxcthUALrjUaRXHARc"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_7200751214120654882" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiwE4GaQEuSMEMnMMBZ4Get78BhLh-5ZOcwvogc3diXxYbxvcQ8gdZpIGsYTU8B4iiXDEpIwmneRg4WVFJK-q3vlV7C4eSwk4Bu_EQk0NecCPoUtKVFbEWWvGvx9y2MfwXAD4UB6GBPrgfjbmgk-7iuZfs9MmbBbn8vQwxcthUALrjUaRXHARc=s320" /></a></p><p class="mobile-photo">I appreciate this so much.</p>exskindiverhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09116951497970094346noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30787112.post-72258952571908343492023-02-08T09:02:00.001-05:002023-02-08T09:02:19.565-05:002023<div dir="ltr">What Will Matter?</div><div id="AppleMailSignature" dir="ltr"><br></div><div id="AppleMailSignature" dir="ltr">by Michael Josephson</div><div id="AppleMailSignature" dir="ltr"><br></div><div id="AppleMailSignature" dir="ltr">Ready or not, someday it will all come to an end.</div><div id="AppleMailSignature" dir="ltr">There will be no more sunrises, no minutes, hours or days.</div><div id="AppleMailSignature" dir="ltr">All things you collected, whether treasured or forgotten, will pass to someone else.</div><div id="AppleMailSignature" dir="ltr"><br></div><div id="AppleMailSignature" dir="ltr">Your wealth, fame and temporal power will shrivel to irrelevance.</div><div id="AppleMailSignature" dir="ltr">Your grudges, resentments, frustrations and jealousies will finally disappear.</div><div id="AppleMailSignature" dir="ltr">So too your hopes, ambitions, plans, and to-do lists will expire.</div><div id="AppleMailSignature" dir="ltr"><br></div><div id="AppleMailSignature" dir="ltr">The wins and losses that once seemed so important will fade away.</div><div id="AppleMailSignature" dir="ltr">It won't matter where you came from, or on what side of the tracks you lived, at the end.</div><div id="AppleMailSignature" dir="ltr"><br></div><div id="AppleMailSignature" dir="ltr">It won't matter whether you where beautiful or brilliant.</div><div id="AppleMailSignature" dir="ltr">Even your gender and skin colour will be irrelevant.</div><div id="AppleMailSignature" dir="ltr"><br></div><div id="AppleMailSignature" dir="ltr">So what will matter? How will the value of your days be measured?</div><div id="AppleMailSignature" dir="ltr"><br></div><div id="AppleMailSignature" dir="ltr">What will matter is not what you bought, but what you built;</div><div id="AppleMailSignature" dir="ltr">Not what you got, but how you gave.</div><div id="AppleMailSignature" dir="ltr"><br></div><div id="AppleMailSignature" dir="ltr">What will matter is not your success, but your significance.</div><div id="AppleMailSignature" dir="ltr">What will matter is not what you learned, but what you taught.</div><div id="AppleMailSignature" dir="ltr"><br></div><div id="AppleMailSignature" dir="ltr">What will matter is every act of integrity, compassion, courage or sacrifice that enriched, empowered or encouraged others to emulate your example.</div><div id="AppleMailSignature" dir="ltr"><br></div><div id="AppleMailSignature" dir="ltr">What will matter is not your competence, but your character.</div><div id="AppleMailSignature" dir="ltr">What will matter is not how many people you knew, but how many will feel a lasting loss when you're gone.</div><div id="AppleMailSignature" dir="ltr"><br></div><div id="AppleMailSignature" dir="ltr">What will matter are not your memories, but the memories that live in those who loved you.</div><div id="AppleMailSignature" dir="ltr">What will matter is how long you will be remembered, by whom and for what.</div><div id="AppleMailSignature" dir="ltr"><br></div><div id="AppleMailSignature" dir="ltr">Living a life that matters doesn't happen by accident.</div><div id="AppleMailSignature" dir="ltr">It's not a matter of circumstance but of choice.</div><div id="AppleMailSignature" dir="ltr"><br></div><div id="AppleMailSignature" dir="ltr">Choose to live a life that matters.</div><div id="AppleMailSignature" dir="ltr"><br></div><div id="AppleMailSignature" dir="ltr"><br></div><div id="AppleMailSignature" dir="ltr"></div>exskindiverhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09116951497970094346noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30787112.post-817788601481509062022-08-05T15:25:00.002-04:002022-08-05T22:12:16.492-04:00Bonbons in bed <p class="mobile-photo"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhWAehw_er8o-tk8MfV2eOdxQIKzEzA3bhjcQ5oh9o2S_KP6sBlcfK6X8maEIHWvBs3PrY1n7NgBk9jQxVpK3BSrXKZ-NOR5YSjuPv3TEqGpSvwuhlzL9KMeEzN4JMT6IvuIQAz25dU359q-cfdy0QE9o8SQlreJMX0orKI7gpyVC-mew9g0xo"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_7128464459932253186" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhWAehw_er8o-tk8MfV2eOdxQIKzEzA3bhjcQ5oh9o2S_KP6sBlcfK6X8maEIHWvBs3PrY1n7NgBk9jQxVpK3BSrXKZ-NOR5YSjuPv3TEqGpSvwuhlzL9KMeEzN4JMT6IvuIQAz25dU359q-cfdy0QE9o8SQlreJMX0orKI7gpyVC-mew9g0xo=s320" /></a></p><p class="mobile-photo">I found an old half eaten pack of caramel M&Ms and proceeded to get in bed with it. I always told my kids to never eat lying down because, Mama Cass was rumored to have died eating a ham sandwich in bed but I laid down and ate them anyway.</p><p class="mobile-photo">Plucking each one up and into my mouth while I read essay after essay on my phone. I’m reading a blog of a woman I met virtually while we were both in South Africa. We posted from the same location and liked each other’s photos and got ourselves connected social media-ly.</p><p class="mobile-photo">Why does reading on a smart phone cause a double chin but not reading a book? I look away from the news of the day, washing my hands from current events, yet my fingers remain sticky from the stale chocolate.</p><p class="mobile-photo">I know I am not grieving like Uvalde, Buffalo, Petito parents. It seems dramatic to stay in a darkened room eating M&Ms because my 14 year old bulldog is in a shallow grave.</p><p class="mobile-photo">Mindlessly fishing into the narrow packet with my pointer and tall finger I come up empty. Had I known it was the last one I would have savored it. </p><p class="mobile-photo"><br /></p><p class="mobile-photo"><br /></p><p class="mobile-photo">.</p><p class="mobile-photo"><br /></p>exskindiverhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09116951497970094346noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30787112.post-81478657532430641152022-07-30T10:28:00.001-04:002022-07-31T11:08:13.165-04:00Pax out<p class="mobile-photo"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhgrPt2WVY3iP7kUIQeppp2J6viHOIQFl9FRAyqhx5Ss5wxEfBhtYHjHQawasEjca8f2h0B0nmDBJ3_DJUnm2i0yzS3yjnLse7raJuWWV0oW-kbZ0oOi1F-GwzayYNE6XimQsQLEjcDmRP4TRXKIiqTmPK0XkHoNGZdcEK7Af_k-z26oM60P28"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_7126172445321739186" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhgrPt2WVY3iP7kUIQeppp2J6viHOIQFl9FRAyqhx5Ss5wxEfBhtYHjHQawasEjca8f2h0B0nmDBJ3_DJUnm2i0yzS3yjnLse7raJuWWV0oW-kbZ0oOi1F-GwzayYNE6XimQsQLEjcDmRP4TRXKIiqTmPK0XkHoNGZdcEK7Af_k-z26oM60P28=s320" /></a></p><p class="mobile-photo"><br /></p><div dir="ltr" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 23px;">This pain is excruciating. Even if my brain knows that the timing was perfect, that he didn’t suffer, he lived a great life, and all dogs die- my heart is in pure agony.</div><div dir="ltr" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 23px;"><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><br /></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">A few days ago Pax seemed off.</p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">I mean more off than his normal off that had started when we thought we were losing him last December.</p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">I sensed it was time.</p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">So after a chat with his vet, I decided to take him on a 90 mile road trip, to enjoy one last trip to our camp. </p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Gabi was so kind to accompany me.</p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">We spent a couple of hours out there so that he could get one last paddle in, and a last ATV ride in too. Things he loved to do.</p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">I think the real reason I wanted to take him to the pond was to see if he had the strength, energy and desire to paddleboard. </p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">That was going to tell me all I needed to know about making his euthanasia appointment. </p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Riding my stand up paddle board was his absolute favorite activity in the world.</p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">The moment he saw the paddle board his eyes lit up and he tried to get up but couldn’t.</p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">So I carried him onto the board and we paddled for almost an hour. </p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Gabi and I took turns. </p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">We knew it was going to be his last ride so we weren’t going to half ass it.</p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Then we took him (and the two other dogs) on an ATV ride until the sun almost set.</p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">The sky was beautiful that day.</p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">I remember because Gabi pointed it out.</p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">I’m glad she did because I honestly don’t think I would have looked up because of how preoccupied I was with Pax’s “lasts.”</p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><br /></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">It was after 10 pm Thursday night by the time we got back to our house.</p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">I fed him part of my junior bacon cheeseburger before we settled down on the dining room floor.</p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">I slept beside him.</p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Any time he woke up, I was awake too.</p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Actually I don’t think I slept.</p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">His breathing pattern changed through the night.</p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">He was clearly on the decline.</p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">On Friday morning I called the vet and made the appointment for 4 pm.</p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Kika was given the day off from work because her boss knew what we were going through.</p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">So while waiting for Steve to come home from work- Kika, Gabi, and I plus Roxie and Boomer kept Pax company.</p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">He had a little bit of the banana that my friend Julie brought over at 7:30 am. She stopped in to say goodbye to him. </p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Julie was one of Pax’s favorite people.</p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><br /></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">At 10:30 am Pax had his last meal: Haagen Dazs strawberry ice cream.</p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><br /></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">As if to assure us that we were making the right decision, Pax </p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">started crossing himself over the rainbow bridge before his scheduled appointment. </p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">As soon as Steve got home </p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">we quickly moved his appointment up so that a vet and the lovely technician named Ashley could gently assist him.</p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Steve, Kika, Gabi and I were holding him until he was gone.</p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">He died a little bit after 3 pm. </p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Immediately after, Steve and I made the 90 mile journey back to camp to lay him to rest.</p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">His grave overlooks my prayer labyrinth.</p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><br /></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">I woke up today feeling completely unmoored.</p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">It’s not just because the past seven months have been consumed by caring for this guy either. It’s because Pax has been my faithful companion for 14 years.</p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">This guy has been with me through all the ups and downs of mothering, wife-ing and being.</p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">From giving me the confidence and reason to conquer a drive from Pittsburgh to Key West, Florida,</p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">to walking me out of depression and despair,</p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">To being beside me as I slept in a tent SOLO in the woods.</p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Pax helped me to become.</p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><br /></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">When Pax met me I was a different person than I am today.</p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">I would like to <strike>think</strike> actually no, I am sure that he left me a better person than when he found me.</p></div><p class="mobile-photo"><br class="Apple-interchange-newline" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;" /></p><p class="mobile-photo"><br /></p>exskindiverhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09116951497970094346noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30787112.post-38057482958666790152022-07-29T23:29:00.000-04:002022-07-30T21:14:58.702-04:00The thing is, I don’t want to sleep tonight because I am afraid to wake up to a world without Pax in it.<p class="mobile-photo"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgvGIQ1QNLAjMf8XrQZHkU7RpIEZ0tq6YGdkiR7HC4AGOtNpkrRnxdTvl3I9wAlt-G38_B8nZimX5loi1ZKt2wSx9YsQpRzfzXcXSwtrIXa7yiPD1yt2gV1yocOlwJuQdDaOW6J1vTNN-IBBqrChhrLGH4BMHy1fp8MT0q5IyNhLZzGyxhuwo8"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgvGIQ1QNLAjMf8XrQZHkU7RpIEZ0tq6YGdkiR7HC4AGOtNpkrRnxdTvl3I9wAlt-G38_B8nZimX5loi1ZKt2wSx9YsQpRzfzXcXSwtrIXa7yiPD1yt2gV1yocOlwJuQdDaOW6J1vTNN-IBBqrChhrLGH4BMHy1fp8MT0q5IyNhLZzGyxhuwo8=s320" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_7126002734774606098" /></a></p><p class="mobile-photo"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiNjfonB8aVJM1cb0P9kmY8eitXCOSpv3Rk7XWUVQ4AFiaPcIxpsZLRyUrJEyEkbwpFTwePv6c6dxeqsp643iIUU8tVbl7qgSCHxbiz1VI3wiWrPGgaDPf86E8kM_UnNyjzvDJQRuW-2alemq-OUw7M76Ip6qvf93VOrckdldrEVw5Xr_3hZmQ"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiNjfonB8aVJM1cb0P9kmY8eitXCOSpv3Rk7XWUVQ4AFiaPcIxpsZLRyUrJEyEkbwpFTwePv6c6dxeqsp643iIUU8tVbl7qgSCHxbiz1VI3wiWrPGgaDPf86E8kM_UnNyjzvDJQRuW-2alemq-OUw7M76Ip6qvf93VOrckdldrEVw5Xr_3hZmQ=s320" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_7126002742280682930" /></a></p><p class="mobile-photo"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhpKon3eewY3X_AhqNeELvXIhcqVVfgA87kBI8rnWRu5yyt8i_1qX2Yu2GCHEsgrSVNvK0s9D4rPpL3txMqZ7cyq_LuUOsmF3lleLxyDJXaZr7UTcVrlsB-SI0De_RP8ZYLgCDVEMqHLaL7YTta21E9KEcHqHZbxZ5nS611lQqNwY3KjaCym9U"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhpKon3eewY3X_AhqNeELvXIhcqVVfgA87kBI8rnWRu5yyt8i_1qX2Yu2GCHEsgrSVNvK0s9D4rPpL3txMqZ7cyq_LuUOsmF3lleLxyDJXaZr7UTcVrlsB-SI0De_RP8ZYLgCDVEMqHLaL7YTta21E9KEcHqHZbxZ5nS611lQqNwY3KjaCym9U=s320" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_7126002748802179826" /></a></p><p class="mobile-photo"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhfOqY6zloGD4wFoiU1Du7MMJ334Q0vO2mboAUlPa9Jd20o77bJNSNXK2IL4OO-r7_8Mg_73hjMQD6zWLlnU6ThDlptZCkxE5iRkcPiAIwnmyqduerHkmAffF6rr2R6c7we4_-PPeykdcFdt_o5jXLA67aIl-yYsFIdY7j6n0_KWNSr1MF8EBQ"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhfOqY6zloGD4wFoiU1Du7MMJ334Q0vO2mboAUlPa9Jd20o77bJNSNXK2IL4OO-r7_8Mg_73hjMQD6zWLlnU6ThDlptZCkxE5iRkcPiAIwnmyqduerHkmAffF6rr2R6c7we4_-PPeykdcFdt_o5jXLA67aIl-yYsFIdY7j6n0_KWNSr1MF8EBQ=s320" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_7126002754940444642" /></a></p><p class="mobile-photo"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiEZVUFRD-bEk6ds3h08Giv_0-Xqv5D366f8g8xc9rmZNGN3a2eV_xdGgXMg1dbu52heS1b1nr7fsacZod2LSu8eCcYu0zKJDm3N7_XG-N6h-N0FdtI2OYhBhsqGpy1DbR7K3IKKEgXnFkwEs-p_cS__0XQJHUyW1w4bMn8VWd25xnKtxHHfgQ"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiEZVUFRD-bEk6ds3h08Giv_0-Xqv5D366f8g8xc9rmZNGN3a2eV_xdGgXMg1dbu52heS1b1nr7fsacZod2LSu8eCcYu0zKJDm3N7_XG-N6h-N0FdtI2OYhBhsqGpy1DbR7K3IKKEgXnFkwEs-p_cS__0XQJHUyW1w4bMn8VWd25xnKtxHHfgQ=s320" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_7126002763312957394" /></a></p><p class="mobile-photo"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjQqxKQiBiZW3CsC6AaxqHeZXC7az1tZEu_7PSt41HktaM5wZIsPdwUZoAFBc2kNKt8jVJUB_AaBw95ko7sP3YaQf2pxotTDa2Rv-_tUuEo1qmlxI46OtLWupUTZrrpeEXkBTf4CodLrJbPzx2kPNOnWxNlUEy0xsOn0Ry6R1-CdrghQHiqKjc"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjQqxKQiBiZW3CsC6AaxqHeZXC7az1tZEu_7PSt41HktaM5wZIsPdwUZoAFBc2kNKt8jVJUB_AaBw95ko7sP3YaQf2pxotTDa2Rv-_tUuEo1qmlxI46OtLWupUTZrrpeEXkBTf4CodLrJbPzx2kPNOnWxNlUEy0xsOn0Ry6R1-CdrghQHiqKjc=s320" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_7126002772607935778" /></a></p><p class="mobile-photo"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjKWwsB9r7rwQogkBY_LEtVZdTJQJhpmGTYvj6S65h4EOZVIxqFPmiSKy3otz-NkgaHAtinMFfk7JqRenarRJEhIOHH4_dhzb3RNpZ433oQlptWSet_PBtOwzrjsTkTS_tbawF5Y5HNf6gaMRwpFKyZiUGsXNvzOt2gqU27fOeMTRY8hT8FFHw"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjKWwsB9r7rwQogkBY_LEtVZdTJQJhpmGTYvj6S65h4EOZVIxqFPmiSKy3otz-NkgaHAtinMFfk7JqRenarRJEhIOHH4_dhzb3RNpZ433oQlptWSet_PBtOwzrjsTkTS_tbawF5Y5HNf6gaMRwpFKyZiUGsXNvzOt2gqU27fOeMTRY8hT8FFHw=s320" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_7126002777626078418" /></a></p>We said goodbye to Pax today.
<br>He was 14 years old.
<br>These photos are from yesterday and today.
<br>The moment we knew that it was time to say goodbye, Gabi and I drove him one last time to our camp so that he could get one last paddle in, and one last ATV ride in too.
<br>And then just like that, today-
<br>He pretty much started crossing himself over the rainbow bridge before his scheduled appointment. So we quickly moved his appointment up so that
<br>the vet and the lovely technician named Ashley could assist him gently.
<br>Steve, Kika, Gabi and I were holding Pax.
<br>
<br>RIP Pax
<br>5/21/2008-7/29/2022
<br>
<br>(To be continued)exskindiverhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09116951497970094346noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30787112.post-75011672417941248492022-07-08T10:18:00.001-04:002022-07-30T21:16:06.585-04:00Our Neighbors of 27 years just moved<p class="mobile-photo"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjTKChEuZlnpru4sm7iRjopRQyOuYXsWVRKKXdWNNK8hIlVeZ_C9QbKuXngTWCqV_zeXj_s1AdM62MFPTrSUYV3QjC2TmZTCKsjJkZDKZBFIsAKQFcoQgENBZWeNxhcqc63oks9pHWFaLZN5tEFnXTfVsF-VhgpQy51CEuk4U6YdYWtgYLk6Fk"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_7118006082058891810" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjTKChEuZlnpru4sm7iRjopRQyOuYXsWVRKKXdWNNK8hIlVeZ_C9QbKuXngTWCqV_zeXj_s1AdM62MFPTrSUYV3QjC2TmZTCKsjJkZDKZBFIsAKQFcoQgENBZWeNxhcqc63oks9pHWFaLZN5tEFnXTfVsF-VhgpQy51CEuk4U6YdYWtgYLk6Fk=s320" /></a></p><p class="mobile-photo"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEj_f5FYDNoG2ewYDRqHMkkWAhQN58WYPEYa1TiGgX-4gnK-XLMQ0nIHI86x6zrnegOYTsxQD5cBzTtB58cR5p6t8xE7qeKWYyTijJMvSuJkIm9f23DWqkQT3K2avH5ClTRVoguU46QsiojgdYNDi4XAQ4rapHZTUZKY6BdT6UwMErwe7p81r58"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_7118006089511871458" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEj_f5FYDNoG2ewYDRqHMkkWAhQN58WYPEYa1TiGgX-4gnK-XLMQ0nIHI86x6zrnegOYTsxQD5cBzTtB58cR5p6t8xE7qeKWYyTijJMvSuJkIm9f23DWqkQT3K2avH5ClTRVoguU46QsiojgdYNDi4XAQ4rapHZTUZKY6BdT6UwMErwe7p81r58=s320" /></a></p><p class="mobile-photo">Mike, Linda and @lookie.lou.SHOE </p><p class="mobile-photo">have been our next door neighbors for 27 years. They’ve been a part of every milestone of our lives. They recently sold their home and left early this morning to move 430 miles away.</p><p class="mobile-photo">Good byes can be extremely hard for me. Some more than others.</p><p class="mobile-photo">I think this move hit me particularly hard because I associate meeting our neighbors with a time of my life when I felt extremely vulnerable. </p><p class="mobile-photo">In 1995 I was fairly new to the USA. I’m guessing their move is touching on an unhealed part of me. Most people don’t really think of immigration as something that can cause (dare I say it) trauma. But grief is complicated.</p><p class="mobile-photo">There are two types of losses. Physical (tangible loss like dealing with death of a loved one) But the often overlooked loss is symbolic loss, which refers to abstract loss, such as loss of a homeland, status, social environment, ego strength and social identity in which many immigrants experience the most. (Picard, Migratory Grief, 2016) I was reading up on the stages of grief recently. I learned that grief is completed in four stages: Numbness; Yearning and Searching; Disorganization and Despair and Reorganization. DISORGANIZATION! Aha! I knew there was a reason why my house is in constant in disarray. </p><p class="mobile-photo">Anyhow I digress. </p><p class="mobile-photo">Last night I made a Filipino meal (Chicken Sinigang) and we had them over for dinner. We shared have some favorite stories. Silently they have witnessed the development of our ever evolving family.</p><p class="mobile-photo">They’ve seen it all.</p><p class="mobile-photo">They have been the best neighbors ever.</p><p class="mobile-photo">The new neighbors will have big SHOES to fill. They had better ESTEP it up. (A pun on their surnames)</p><p class="mobile-photo">We miss them already.</p><p class="mobile-photo"><br /></p><div><br /></div>exskindiverhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09116951497970094346noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30787112.post-7531475856639770722022-02-23T14:26:00.001-05:002022-02-23T14:47:26.027-05:00Birthdays and the Effort of Surprise part 2<div dir="ltr"><a href="https://exskindiver.blogspot.com/2015/12/birthdays-and-effort-of-surprise.html">https://exskindiver.blogspot.com/2015/12/birthdays-and-effort-of-surprise.html</a></div><div dir="ltr"><br /></div><div dir="ltr">The tradition Elaine started continues in 2022 </div><div dir="ltr">(Happy Birthday Elaine 2/23)</div><div dir="ltr"><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEg7l9mWSa8Jrh3b9Zq2OQmOgyetr_csyMT8X8RscGf_Labue0cqbPuAPdCheerdsCsOfneZ1-7U2K4xyGsbwtydPRSDX9miF-0RIuWQl4Q7QPhtt6UVuM_gNqSjcZIaxta4fSmPt__4ZDzdxy5dO-DpddDbNgSSR8smkP_VdmpmvyGh4O1EUoM"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_7067988732091188434" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEg7l9mWSa8Jrh3b9Zq2OQmOgyetr_csyMT8X8RscGf_Labue0cqbPuAPdCheerdsCsOfneZ1-7U2K4xyGsbwtydPRSDX9miF-0RIuWQl4Q7QPhtt6UVuM_gNqSjcZIaxta4fSmPt__4ZDzdxy5dO-DpddDbNgSSR8smkP_VdmpmvyGh4O1EUoM=s320" /></a></div><div dir="ltr"><br /></div><div dir="ltr">Meet my new friend Jen. </div><div dir="ltr">She celebrated her birthday yesterday.</div><div dir="ltr">I met her a few months ago when I sent her an email about sharing yoga at a facility that she is the executive director for.</div><div dir="ltr">The site is still under renovation so I have not started yet, but nevertheless we are now connected through social media.</div><div dir="ltr">When she announced that she was celebrating the success of her fundraiser and celebrating her 2/22/22 birthday by wearing a tutu, I felt compelled to surprise her.</div><div dir="ltr">I have to tell you I was nervous to do it.</div><div dir="ltr">Did I mention that we aren’t close friends?</div><div dir="ltr">Plus, it was a rainy day, not really the best day to be traipsing around in a tutu.</div><div dir="ltr">Also, when I arrived at the place where I thought she would be- she wasn’t there. Awkward. </div><div dir="ltr">I was directed to go to a different office.</div><div dir="ltr">Aaaaargh. I almost chickened out. </div><div dir="ltr">But I remembered again my dear friend Elaine who did something similar for me on my 15th birthday. (See link above)</div><div dir="ltr">So I went anyway.</div><div dir="ltr">The look on her face when I walked into her office made everything worth it.</div><div dir="ltr"><br /></div><div dir="ltr"></div>exskindiverhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09116951497970094346noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30787112.post-37144396866553690122022-02-14T17:36:00.001-05:002022-02-14T17:36:32.238-05:00Valentine’s Day 2022<div dir="ltr"><span style="font-family: Charter, Georgia, Times, serif; font-size: 19px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">"Being deeply loved by someone gives you strength, while loving someone deeply gives you courage."-Lao Tzu </span><br><br><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKhT5XvJ2QsUQFJuyRgHA36PqsZZW9ZCExKQUdJz-jAN_BPiEpqCd94nVE8MlgEo4ddw0D35Oo5QnYXDgW9tCU2YaAfwdBW0VE9jkb3hHn9VM4r_4N2G8YeRIrnyWNFbxylhY_VQ/s1600/IMG_2001-792270.JPG"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKhT5XvJ2QsUQFJuyRgHA36PqsZZW9ZCExKQUdJz-jAN_BPiEpqCd94nVE8MlgEo4ddw0D35Oo5QnYXDgW9tCU2YaAfwdBW0VE9jkb3hHn9VM4r_4N2G8YeRIrnyWNFbxylhY_VQ/s320/IMG_2001-792270.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_7064698048674543074" /></a></div><div dir="ltr"></div>exskindiverhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09116951497970094346noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30787112.post-76689679334640234342022-02-02T18:11:00.001-05:002022-02-02T18:11:23.555-05:0002/02/2022 A great day to get fantastic news! So proud of Kika. <p class="mobile-photo"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgj66mGyPp0dIQfyQWKzpCKtSztRVxyGAAoN8IeuX00cbeFmik-rFpOXpqhhzbz_S0O8Bzo30y2FsnI1yH-czIMTZodbJqP88tEN27dRlKBVf-8pFpDfjm0CEppV3QCmX1zAe6HNg/s1600/IMG_0274-783569.jpg"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgj66mGyPp0dIQfyQWKzpCKtSztRVxyGAAoN8IeuX00cbeFmik-rFpOXpqhhzbz_S0O8Bzo30y2FsnI1yH-czIMTZodbJqP88tEN27dRlKBVf-8pFpDfjm0CEppV3QCmX1zAe6HNg/s320/IMG_0274-783569.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_7060254004289273842" /></a></p>exskindiverhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09116951497970094346noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30787112.post-89814209916107607372022-01-23T23:14:00.001-05:002022-01-23T23:14:21.473-05:002022<p style="box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px; caret-color: rgb(94, 94, 94); color: rgb(94, 94, 94); font-family: "Droid Sans", arial, sans-serif; font-size: 20px; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%;"><span style="box-sizing: inherit;"><span class="x-el x-el-span c1-1x c1-1y c1-b c1-7o c1-2d c1-46 c1-7p" style="box-sizing: inherit; letter-spacing: inherit; text-transform: inherit; color: inherit; font-weight: 700; line-height: inherit; font-size: inherit !important;"> The Cookie Thief</span><br style="box-sizing: inherit; clear: both;"> by Valerie Cox</span></p><p style="box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px; caret-color: rgb(94, 94, 94); color: rgb(94, 94, 94); font-family: "Droid Sans", arial, sans-serif; font-size: 20px; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%;"><span style="box-sizing: inherit;">A woman was waiting at an airport one night,<br style="box-sizing: inherit; clear: both;">with several long hours before her flight.<br style="box-sizing: inherit; clear: both;">She hunted for a book in the airport shops,<br style="box-sizing: inherit; clear: both;">bought a bag of cookies and found a place to drop.</span></p><p style="box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px; caret-color: rgb(94, 94, 94); color: rgb(94, 94, 94); font-family: "Droid Sans", arial, sans-serif; font-size: 20px; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%;"><span style="box-sizing: inherit;"><br style="box-sizing: inherit; clear: both;"></span></p><p style="box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px; caret-color: rgb(94, 94, 94); color: rgb(94, 94, 94); font-family: "Droid Sans", arial, sans-serif; font-size: 20px; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%;"><span style="box-sizing: inherit;">She was engrossed in her book but happened to see,<br style="box-sizing: inherit; clear: both;">that the man sitting beside her, as bold as could be. </span></p><p style="box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px; caret-color: rgb(94, 94, 94); color: rgb(94, 94, 94); font-family: "Droid Sans", arial, sans-serif; font-size: 20px; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%;"><span style="box-sizing: inherit;">grabbed a cookie or two from the bag in between,<br style="box-sizing: inherit; clear: both;">which she tried to ignore to avoid a scene.</span></p><p style="box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px; caret-color: rgb(94, 94, 94); color: rgb(94, 94, 94); font-family: "Droid Sans", arial, sans-serif; font-size: 20px; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%;"><span style="box-sizing: inherit;"><br style="box-sizing: inherit; clear: both;"></span></p><p style="box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px; caret-color: rgb(94, 94, 94); color: rgb(94, 94, 94); font-family: "Droid Sans", arial, sans-serif; font-size: 20px; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%;"><span style="box-sizing: inherit;">So she munched the cookies and watched the clock,<br style="box-sizing: inherit; clear: both;">as the gutsy cookie thief diminished her stock.<br style="box-sizing: inherit; clear: both;">She was getting more irritated as the minutes ticked by,<br style="box-sizing: inherit; clear: both;">thinking, "If I wasn't so nice, I would blacken his eye."</span></p><p style="box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px; caret-color: rgb(94, 94, 94); color: rgb(94, 94, 94); font-family: "Droid Sans", arial, sans-serif; font-size: 20px; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%;"><span style="box-sizing: inherit;"><br style="box-sizing: inherit; clear: both;"></span></p><p style="box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px; caret-color: rgb(94, 94, 94); color: rgb(94, 94, 94); font-family: "Droid Sans", arial, sans-serif; font-size: 20px; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%;"><span style="box-sizing: inherit;">With each cookie she took, he took one too,<br style="box-sizing: inherit; clear: both;">when only one was left, she wondered what he would do.<br style="box-sizing: inherit; clear: both;">With a smile on his face, and a nervous laugh,<br style="box-sizing: inherit; clear: both;">he took the last cookie and broke it in half.</span></p><p style="box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px; caret-color: rgb(94, 94, 94); color: rgb(94, 94, 94); font-family: "Droid Sans", arial, sans-serif; font-size: 20px; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%;"><span style="box-sizing: inherit;"><br style="box-sizing: inherit; clear: both;"></span></p><p style="box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px; caret-color: rgb(94, 94, 94); color: rgb(94, 94, 94); font-family: "Droid Sans", arial, sans-serif; font-size: 20px; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%;"><span style="box-sizing: inherit;">He offered her half, as he ate the other,<br style="box-sizing: inherit; clear: both;">she snatched it from him and thought… oooh, brother.<br style="box-sizing: inherit; clear: both;">This guy has some nerve and he's also rude,<br style="box-sizing: inherit; clear: both;">why he didn't even show any gratitude!</span></p><p style="box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px; caret-color: rgb(94, 94, 94); color: rgb(94, 94, 94); font-family: "Droid Sans", arial, sans-serif; font-size: 20px; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%;"><span style="box-sizing: inherit;"><br style="box-sizing: inherit; clear: both;"></span></p><p style="box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px; caret-color: rgb(94, 94, 94); color: rgb(94, 94, 94); font-family: "Droid Sans", arial, sans-serif; font-size: 20px; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%;"><span style="box-sizing: inherit;">She had never known when she had been so galled,<br style="box-sizing: inherit; clear: both;">and sighed with relief when her flight was called.<br style="box-sizing: inherit; clear: both;">She gathered her belongings and headed to the gate,<br style="box-sizing: inherit; clear: both;">refusing to look back at the thieving ingrate.</span></p><p style="box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px; caret-color: rgb(94, 94, 94); color: rgb(94, 94, 94); font-family: "Droid Sans", arial, sans-serif; font-size: 20px; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%;"><span style="box-sizing: inherit;"><br style="box-sizing: inherit; clear: both;"></span></p><p style="box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px; caret-color: rgb(94, 94, 94); color: rgb(94, 94, 94); font-family: "Droid Sans", arial, sans-serif; font-size: 20px; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%;"><span style="box-sizing: inherit;">She boarded the plane, and sank in her seat,<br style="box-sizing: inherit; clear: both;">then she sought her book, which was almost complete.<br style="box-sizing: inherit; clear: both;">As she reached in her baggage, she gasped with surprise,<br style="box-sizing: inherit; clear: both;">there was her bag of cookies, in front of her eyes.</span></p><p style="box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px; caret-color: rgb(94, 94, 94); color: rgb(94, 94, 94); font-family: "Droid Sans", arial, sans-serif; font-size: 20px; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%;"><span style="box-sizing: inherit;"><br style="box-sizing: inherit; clear: both;"></span></p><p style="box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px; caret-color: rgb(94, 94, 94); color: rgb(94, 94, 94); font-family: "Droid Sans", arial, sans-serif; font-size: 20px; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%;"><span style="box-sizing: inherit;">If mine are here, she moaned in despair,<br style="box-sizing: inherit; clear: both;">the others were his, and he tried to share.<br style="box-sizing: inherit; clear: both;">Too late to apologize, she realized with grief,<br style="box-sizing: inherit; clear: both;">that she was the rude one, the ingrate, the thief.</span></p><div dir="ltr"></div><div dir="ltr"></div>exskindiverhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09116951497970094346noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30787112.post-83549558431524858362021-09-29T22:15:00.001-04:002021-09-29T22:15:34.348-04:00Skydiving <a href="https://youtu.be/nC6JvBFfHNs">https://youtu.be/nC6JvBFfHNs</a>exskindiverhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09116951497970094346noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30787112.post-19308608329205795352021-09-25T19:42:00.000-04:002021-09-25T20:08:20.611-04:0028<p class="mobile-photo"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6t55NDy2x_poD2wRMzZOpcC6Tz97Si0DiSa0VeqrqeXPlzqXBM44U_UdxLP1lbGkoMV8nTay0-GljSoc3vF5MZBK0II7wG3nPIvwkgNwjQhXR86DzMzDWQn0SJdl3vs9c0KCUbw/s1600/IMG_5101-700730.jpg"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6t55NDy2x_poD2wRMzZOpcC6Tz97Si0DiSa0VeqrqeXPlzqXBM44U_UdxLP1lbGkoMV8nTay0-GljSoc3vF5MZBK0II7wG3nPIvwkgNwjQhXR86DzMzDWQn0SJdl3vs9c0KCUbw/s320/IMG_5101-700730.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_7012027608252752290" /></a></p>exskindiverhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09116951497970094346noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30787112.post-34766026349505989492021-08-12T22:31:00.001-04:002021-08-12T22:31:23.601-04:00My first Live Online Yoga Class! Please join me!<p class="mobile-photo"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7YhBn_PvPY4W1eyERt9ouBOCswV07WxwwSYtbF8KAgNCYpAOroI0XYHE2ZuuZEkw8L2eyQkXYkzgasPqsu4wFSXPw1DMYQo1lkqPFJAyU0K0AGe4kk5KfuXNHyfsAzTl5DTtTkQ/s1600/IMG_1179-783609.jpg"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7YhBn_PvPY4W1eyERt9ouBOCswV07WxwwSYtbF8KAgNCYpAOroI0XYHE2ZuuZEkw8L2eyQkXYkzgasPqsu4wFSXPw1DMYQo1lkqPFJAyU0K0AGe4kk5KfuXNHyfsAzTl5DTtTkQ/s320/IMG_1179-783609.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_6995736723733273234" /></a></p>exskindiverhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09116951497970094346noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30787112.post-928274316751127232021-05-28T08:36:00.001-04:002021-05-28T08:36:13.123-04:00The Untethered Soul (Revisited)<br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; caret-color: rgb(102, 102, 102); color: rgb(102, 102, 102); font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, Verdana, sans-serif;"><b style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; caret-color: rgb(102, 102, 102); color: rgb(102, 102, 102); font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, Verdana, sans-serif;"><br></b><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; caret-color: rgb(102, 102, 102); color: rgb(102, 102, 102); font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 19px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"></span><b style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; caret-color: rgb(102, 102, 102); color: rgb(102, 102, 102); font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 19px;">If we stop qualifying the conditions that will make us happy, we can actually choose to be in a constant state of happiness. We can make the choice to make happiness unconditional.</b><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; caret-color: rgb(102, 102, 102); color: rgb(102, 102, 102); font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, Verdana, sans-serif;"><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; caret-color: rgb(102, 102, 102); color: rgb(102, 102, 102); font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, Verdana, sans-serif;"><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; caret-color: rgb(102, 102, 102); color: rgb(102, 102, 102); font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, Verdana, sans-serif;"><b style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; caret-color: rgb(102, 102, 102); color: rgb(102, 102, 102); font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 19px;">Energy grows when you choose to keep your heart open</b><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; caret-color: rgb(102, 102, 102); color: rgb(102, 102, 102); font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 19px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">. </span><div><span style="font-size: 19px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; caret-color: rgb(102, 102, 102); color: rgb(102, 102, 102); font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, Verdana, sans-serif;"></span><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; caret-color: rgb(102, 102, 102); color: rgb(102, 102, 102); font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 19px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">How to keep the heart open?</span><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; caret-color: rgb(102, 102, 102); color: rgb(102, 102, 102); font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; caret-color: rgb(102, 102, 102); color: rgb(102, 102, 102); font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 19px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Answer:</span><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; caret-color: rgb(102, 102, 102); color: rgb(102, 102, 102); font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; caret-color: rgb(102, 102, 102); color: rgb(102, 102, 102); font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 19px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">When you feel brain keeps telling you </span><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; caret-color: rgb(102, 102, 102); color: rgb(102, 102, 102); font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; caret-color: rgb(102, 102, 102); color: rgb(102, 102, 102); font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 19px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">"what you don't enjoy" --</span><b style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; caret-color: rgb(102, 102, 102); color: rgb(102, 102, 102); font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 19px;">turn away from it.</b></div><div><span style="font-size: 19px;"><b><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; caret-color: rgb(102, 102, 102); color: rgb(102, 102, 102); font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, Verdana, sans-serif;"></b></span><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; caret-color: rgb(102, 102, 102); color: rgb(102, 102, 102); font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 19px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">That voice that constantly reminds you of what you don't like is an energy zapper.</span><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; caret-color: rgb(102, 102, 102); color: rgb(102, 102, 102); font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; caret-color: rgb(102, 102, 102); color: rgb(102, 102, 102); font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 19px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">It is like a passive-aggressive friend that you must either get rid of, or regulate exposure to. </span><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; caret-color: rgb(102, 102, 102); color: rgb(102, 102, 102); font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, Verdana, sans-serif;"><br><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; caret-color: rgb(102, 102, 102); color: rgb(102, 102, 102); font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; caret-color: rgb(102, 102, 102); color: rgb(102, 102, 102); font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 19px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><b>Notice, relax and release everything</b>.</span></div><div><span style="font-size: 19px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; caret-color: rgb(102, 102, 102); color: rgb(102, 102, 102); font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, Verdana, sans-serif;"></span><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; caret-color: rgb(102, 102, 102); color: rgb(102, 102, 102); font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 19px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">And then start your litany of gratefulness.</span><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; caret-color: rgb(102, 102, 102); color: rgb(102, 102, 102); font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; caret-color: rgb(102, 102, 102); color: rgb(102, 102, 102); font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 19px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">And I mean everything.</span><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; caret-color: rgb(102, 102, 102); color: rgb(102, 102, 102); font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; caret-color: rgb(102, 102, 102); color: rgb(102, 102, 102); font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 19px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Scrape all the nooks and crannies of your life for things to be thankful for.</span><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; caret-color: rgb(102, 102, 102); color: rgb(102, 102, 102); font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; caret-color: rgb(102, 102, 102); color: rgb(102, 102, 102); font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 19px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Do not waste a morsel of blessing.</span><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; caret-color: rgb(102, 102, 102); color: rgb(102, 102, 102); font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, Verdana, sans-serif;"><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; caret-color: rgb(102, 102, 102); color: rgb(102, 102, 102); font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; caret-color: rgb(102, 102, 102); color: rgb(102, 102, 102); font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 19px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">The results are amazing.</span><br><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; caret-color: rgb(102, 102, 102); color: rgb(102, 102, 102); font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, Verdana, sans-serif;"><b style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; caret-color: rgb(102, 102, 102); color: rgb(102, 102, 102); font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 19px;">Focus on what you want.</b></div><div><b style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; caret-color: rgb(102, 102, 102); color: rgb(102, 102, 102); font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 19px;"><br></b></div><div><b style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; caret-color: rgb(102, 102, 102); color: rgb(102, 102, 102); font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 19px;"><br></b></div>exskindiverhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09116951497970094346noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30787112.post-51308740265692059272021-04-11T01:58:00.001-04:002021-04-11T01:58:11.061-04:00Beautiful <p class="mobile-photo"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifJnHgWAjpmYLxuBrwF0155BOqVbRLZJBZeFXbrYRjQNmKlqROY7ZjmJlXt99DqjgN43GMTO11tGUlQTbngTK8OqS61Vo9SYGlsnuZNWmc9-Oq0s2dmnBogUZyph9en9uKJAJcmA/s1600/IMG_0610-791115.jpg"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifJnHgWAjpmYLxuBrwF0155BOqVbRLZJBZeFXbrYRjQNmKlqROY7ZjmJlXt99DqjgN43GMTO11tGUlQTbngTK8OqS61Vo9SYGlsnuZNWmc9-Oq0s2dmnBogUZyph9en9uKJAJcmA/s320/IMG_0610-791115.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_6949775456481985346" /></a></p>exskindiverhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09116951497970094346noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30787112.post-39064561636479295762021-03-25T19:25:00.000-04:002021-03-25T19:26:01.670-04:00It’s Official! I am now a certified yoga teacher!<p class="mobile-photo"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgM2ZGO6v9gxRB1Y4u-gJ9L1OnAxXt493BZs6C1V_TPPZalv_s6K2iFc0WONBQAD-3UtEdgtQM0lBGnVf6hPtDJcpL-k4a40czgTxfsMSQBYWvK-f_mXy2uYEg0OzDRH-pomLRPgg/s1600/IMG_1099-761770.jpg"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgM2ZGO6v9gxRB1Y4u-gJ9L1OnAxXt493BZs6C1V_TPPZalv_s6K2iFc0WONBQAD-3UtEdgtQM0lBGnVf6hPtDJcpL-k4a40czgTxfsMSQBYWvK-f_mXy2uYEg0OzDRH-pomLRPgg/s320/IMG_1099-761770.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_6943737033295223698" /></a></p>exskindiverhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09116951497970094346noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30787112.post-48092956244515315162021-02-11T10:41:00.001-05:002021-02-11T10:41:06.084-05:00This spoke to me today.<p style="box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; font-size: 1.1em; font-family: Graphik, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgb(249, 249, 249);">"We all have a bag. We all pack differently. Some of us are traveling light. Some of us are secret hoarders who've never parted with a memory in our lives. I think we are all called to figure out how to carry our bag to the best of our ability, how to unpack it, and how to face the mess. I think part of growing up is learning how to sit down on the floor with all your things and figuring out what to take with you and what to leave behind."</p><cite style="box-sizing: inherit; margin-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 20px; display: block; color: rgb(103, 103, 103); font-style: normal; font-size: 0.95em; font-family: Graphik, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgb(249, 249, 249);">Hannah Brencher</cite>exskindiverhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09116951497970094346noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30787112.post-51233281203016062282020-09-25T19:18:00.001-04:002020-10-26T19:21:43.765-04:0027<p class="mobile-photo"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbHVYumTPbgnw6a_Ug3ZAXh_NWiWFeguuUl-6kuO6symjp3kaQE_M9JyX9aQ_t4Z1IdhoWFE-x1Y2pA9jn-HwSEonrnNcqXQoYyEkTSWyUz3xrdMDR7enIOGNPLnSEu5NIJLK2Xw/s1600/IMG_6400-715401.jpg"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbHVYumTPbgnw6a_Ug3ZAXh_NWiWFeguuUl-6kuO6symjp3kaQE_M9JyX9aQ_t4Z1IdhoWFE-x1Y2pA9jn-HwSEonrnNcqXQoYyEkTSWyUz3xrdMDR7enIOGNPLnSEu5NIJLK2Xw/s320/IMG_6400-715401.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_6888072343506576770" /></a></p>exskindiverhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09116951497970094346noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30787112.post-55735877567376158362020-07-14T22:27:00.001-04:002020-07-17T10:36:26.856-04:00Rabbit Warren<div style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.2); background-image: none; border: 0px; caret-color: rgb(32, 33, 34); color: #202122; font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Lato, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-top: 0.5em; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<strong class="Latn headword" lang="en" style="background-image: none; border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><a href="https://en.m.wiktionary.org/wiki/rabbit#English" style="background-image: none; border: 0px; color: #6b4ba1; font-family: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;" title="rabbit">rabbit</a> <a href="https://en.m.wiktionary.org/wiki/warren#English" style="background-image: none; border: 0px; color: #6b4ba1; font-family: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;" title="warren">warren</a></strong> </div>
<ol style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.2); background-image: none; border: 0px; caret-color: rgb(32, 33, 34); color: #202122; font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Lato, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 0px 2.25em; vertical-align: baseline;">
<li style="background-image: none; border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 10px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">An <a href="https://en.m.wiktionary.org/wiki/underground" style="background-image: none; border: 0px; color: #6b4ba1; font-family: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;" title="underground">underground</a> system of interconnected <a href="https://en.m.wiktionary.org/wiki/tunnel" style="background-image: none; border: 0px; color: #6b4ba1; font-family: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;" title="tunnel">tunnels</a> occupied by rabbits.</li>
<li style="background-image: none; border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; line-height: inherit; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">A confusingly <a href="https://en.m.wiktionary.org/wiki/labyrinthine" style="background-image: none; border: 0px; color: #6b4ba1; font-family: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;" title="labyrinthine">labyrinthine</a> environment.</li>
</ol>
<br />
<br />
I just discovered that the word for what I have been painstakingly building and creating for Gabi’s rabbit for the past 8 years is called a warren.<br />
(Thanks Alicia)<br />
Today I spent hours cleaning and reconfiguring our rabbit's habitat.
<br />
It is a long and tedious process because I secure each box and cardboard tunnel with floral wire. So removing; and cleaning is part 1; redesigning his maze is part 2;
<br />
Securing each piece is part 3.
<br />
The amazing thing is, once I put Chubs aka Bitbit back in his enclosure, he runs around and tests each and every feature.<br />
It's almost as if he wants me to see how much he appreciates all my work.
<br />
Made me tear up.
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exskindiverhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09116951497970094346noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30787112.post-53530585696110331982020-06-30T17:23:00.001-04:002020-06-30T17:30:19.249-04:0010 years ago <div class="mobile-photo">
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10 years ago seems like an entire lifetime ago.</div>
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I am rarely on Facebook, I get on to greet people for their birthdays- and to like whatever my sister Karen has posted regarding her cycling advocacy work.</div>
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When I got on today to greet a former student of mine for her birthday,</div>
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this memory popped up.</div>
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You know how often times when you see something you’ve posted a decade ago, you cringe and say what was I thinking?</div>
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That didn’t happen today.</div>
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I read this status update and was filled with even MORE PRIDE that I took my daughters to a midnight screening of a movie they were very excited to see.</div>
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In fact.... I am so proud I may need this inscribed on my tombstone.</div>
exskindiverhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09116951497970094346noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30787112.post-69254215470230970772020-06-27T17:58:00.000-04:002020-06-30T18:13:45.927-04:00Draft"By the third time, the spiciness and the crunchiness, together with the spicy Louisiana secret sauce plus the fixins, failed to evoke the same joy and wonder as the first time"-My brother Ayo, describing a Popeye chicken sandwich
<br />
<br />
my resonse:<br />
"Ayo, When relationships end, (in this case with a chicken sandwich) it is a clearing.<br />
A new space for relationships (or other food) that are more in alignment. Trust your taste buds."<br />
<br />
For some reason, reading his description of food made me ponder tastes, preferences and relationships.<br />
It made me take stock of where I am in my life and how I choose to spend my time.<br />
Reminicent of that popular quote, people come into in your life for a reason, a season or a lifetime...<br />
<br />
It is all cyclical.<br />
<br />exskindiverhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09116951497970094346noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30787112.post-88784369956990671602020-06-05T17:32:00.000-04:002020-06-30T17:43:11.090-04:00Kapit Bisig <div class="mobile-photo">
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“If you’ve ever wondered what you’d do during slavery, the holocaust or civil rights movement, you’re doing it right now.”-Unknown<br />
<br />
<br />
Strangely enough Ms Marathon sleeper Gabi woke up to the robust and vigorous sound of a demonstration nearby.<br />
She jumped out of bed and summoned Kika, who in turn asked me if they could participate.<br />
I said, “of course.”<br />
And then followed it up with- “I am going with you.”<br />
<br />
(To be continued)</div>
exskindiverhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09116951497970094346noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30787112.post-11665053804389811732020-05-12T10:54:00.001-04:002020-05-12T14:15:02.627-04:00Checking In<div>
<div>
Current Status: Stay At Home; Shelter in place, Business Shutdown has been in effect since March 16th, 2020.</div>
<div>
Today is May 12th.</div>
</div>
<div>
.</div>
<div>
.</div>
I am sipping Earl Grey Tea this morning, even if I am normally a coffee drinker.<br />
<div>
Sometimes tea seems healthier.</div>
<div>
And I am all about trying to stay healthy during these times.<br />
<div>
<div>
I thought the many weeks of the Corona Virus Quarantine would give me time to sit at my computer and write but somehow, the weeks got away from me.</div>
<div>
Actually so much has gotten away from me.</div>
<div>
My house is a mess, the seasonal clothes are still in limbo due to how cold it remains outside despite it being spring time here in Pittsburgh.</div>
<div>
My Bible reading and meditation schedule is completely nonexistent.</div>
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I don't know how that started.</div>
<div>
Ever since we stopped going to church due to the virus.... although I may be just using that as an excuse.</div>
<div>
I don't know how it started.</div>
<div>
My life tempo is off.</div>
<div>
But in the words of Pema Chodron, "Start Where You Are."</div>
<div>
Okay. </div>
<div>
I am okay. As I peck this post out on my cell phone, I look around at the mess and think if I were dying right this second, what would I do? (I am not dying btw)</div>
<div>
I think I would write last minute instructions to my peeps!</div>
</div>
</div>
<div>
What would the heading be?</div>
<div>
I think I would call it:</div>
<div>
.</div>
<div>
.</div>
<div>
<b>Reminders for Life</b></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
•Make your bed before you leave your bedroom.</div>
<div>
•Say a prayer while making your bed. </div>
<div>
•Ask and you shall receive.</div>
<div>
•Be grateful.</div>
<div>
•Love yourself</div>
<div>
•Avoid sweets in the morning</div>
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•Movement is medicine </div>
<div>
•Surround yourself with people who love, respect and support you.</div>
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•Don't assume the worst in people however,</div>
<div>
•When someone shows you who they are, believe them.</div>
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•Forgiveness is for yourself </div>
<div>
•Today's emotional pain is most likely unresolved mental baggage. Examine that.</div>
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•Today's dysfunctional relationships are most likely due to something in your childhood. Examine that.</div>
<div>
•You can heal yourself.</div>
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•Tackle hard shit</div>
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•Think before you speak</div>
<div>
•Be brave</div>
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•Speak your boundaries </div>
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•Be kind always.</div>
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<br /></div>
<div>
•Vibrate good energy.</div>
<div>
•Don't gossip</div>
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•Treat others the way you want to be treated.</div>
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•Clean at least one thing everyday.</div>
<div>
•Substituting chores is a healthier form of procrastination.</div>
<div>
•Ask questions about things you don't know.</div>
<div>
•Keep an open mind.</div>
<div>
<div>
•It doesn't matter how many times you wash your hands during the day if after you've come into contact with the virus you neglected to wash your hands.</div>
<div>
•Stop touching your face.</div>
</div>
<div>
.</div>
<div>
.</div>
<div>
.</div>
<div>
(To Be Continued....my friend CK just called me to invite me for a socially distanced coffee outdoors.)</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
exskindiverhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09116951497970094346noreply@blogger.com