Today is the 34th anniversary of the other September 11th. The democratically elected President of Chile, Salvador Allende, was overthrown in a bloody coup in 1973.
The US was behind it.
General Augusto Pinochet was installed. Bloodshed, terror, and disappearances ensued. Thousands were murdered.
When we take a moment to think of the horrors of this day, let’s spare a thought for the Chileans, too.
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It’s abundance cheque time again. I’ve been writing them for a year now. My life is good.
For now, today, given the anniversaries of terror and bloodshed, I think I’ll ask for an abundance of compassion and common sense in the world.
Tuesday, September 11, 2007
Monday, September 10, 2007
Some Psychics Leave Me Cold
I’ve been thinking about consulting a psychic, just to see what’s going on in the inner realms. I can pick up enough of it myself, I think, but it’s always good to get another view. The trouble is there are so many frauds and fakes out making a killing off the gullible that it’s put me off.
Some readers are very good. They’re clearly gifted and they want to help. They know it’s what they were put on earth to do. Others, well, not so much.
The out-and-out liars wish only to relieve you of the burden of a too-full bank account. The well-meaners honestly think they have a gift, but are only reading human nature.
I’ve run across both and consider it part of my education. But the best education ever came from reading about the psychic’s standby, cold reading.
That’s a method where a reader tells a client many, many things he or she allegedly could not have known.
Quick assessments are made on the client’s age, dress, manner of speaking, and general carriage, then fed back as insight.
You can get the dirt here.
Follow the links. It’s fascinating.
And more here
And you might enjoy this. According to James Randi, psychic fraud buster who runs the James Randi Education Foundation, some well-known psychics don’t meet his sniff test for psychic gifts.
In essence a cold reading is made of vague statements that could apply to anyone at anytime.
“You’re having trouble with a relationship. You know what needs to be done, but you’re reluctant to do it because security is important to you. You need to know you’ll land on your feet.”
Or:
“You have some money worries, but they’re not too bad. I can see them ending. Soon!”
Perhaps:
“I see a problem with an authority figure. Hmmm I don’t know . . . a teacher . . . no, wait someone closer. Is it your dad? Or your spouse?” (Voice trails off as gifted reader stares into nothingness beyond your shoulder or at Tarot deck.)
You’ve just had some ideas tossed out and you pounce. You answer the question and the reader turns it around and offers it up as insight plucked fresh from the psychic realm.
No, buddy, that’s what I just told you.
Based on your age you could be having troubles with education, puberty, middle age, your marriage or a relationship, your aging parents, your job, your finances, your health, or any combination thereof.
The reader will fire out a few guesses and wait until you bite. Even if you don’t say word, your physical reaction will give it away.
Even though I made up those quoted readings some of it will fit some of you somewhere. And in the above list, is there anyone who hasn’t had a problem any of these areas?
Oh, if you’re worried about someone who’s crossed over, rest assured s/he’s not in any pain anymore and is happy and loves you very much. At least, that’s what you’re going to be told.
Here’s a cold reading that’ll fit most almost anyone.
One of my tests to determine a real from a fake was if s/he gave something specific. Then I found this at Straight Dope Staff Report.
Scroll down toward the bottom and you’ll find this:
"I'm seeing the end of August, maybe the twenty-sixth of August or a date close to that, which I think is significant for you, and a man – let me think – a man related to you, who wears glasses."
Were this fed to me during a reading I’d call it a hit. I might even be impressed with the reader’s apparent skill. That’s because my late boss, Brian Mazza, wore glasses and his birthday was August 26.
This explanation followed: “That sounds very specific, but think how much scope such a statement leaves for interpretation! Almost any date from August 20 to August 31 will do. It could be a birthday, death date, anniversary, vacation, social function, or important decision. It could be significant personally, socially, or professionally, every year or just one particular year. The man could be a husband, partner, brother, relative, friend, colleague, doctor or plumber (the word "related to" is pretty ambiguous, isn't it?). He could be alive or dead, well known or a distant acquaintance. In short, there are countless ways that the subject might interpret this comment as a hit.”
I had to laugh when I found that. It’s put me off even more.
I’ll probably still go, but I’ll be even warier of what an alleged psychic says to me.
Some readers are very good. They’re clearly gifted and they want to help. They know it’s what they were put on earth to do. Others, well, not so much.
The out-and-out liars wish only to relieve you of the burden of a too-full bank account. The well-meaners honestly think they have a gift, but are only reading human nature.
I’ve run across both and consider it part of my education. But the best education ever came from reading about the psychic’s standby, cold reading.
That’s a method where a reader tells a client many, many things he or she allegedly could not have known.
Quick assessments are made on the client’s age, dress, manner of speaking, and general carriage, then fed back as insight.
You can get the dirt here.
Follow the links. It’s fascinating.
And more here
And you might enjoy this. According to James Randi, psychic fraud buster who runs the James Randi Education Foundation, some well-known psychics don’t meet his sniff test for psychic gifts.
In essence a cold reading is made of vague statements that could apply to anyone at anytime.
“You’re having trouble with a relationship. You know what needs to be done, but you’re reluctant to do it because security is important to you. You need to know you’ll land on your feet.”
Or:
“You have some money worries, but they’re not too bad. I can see them ending. Soon!”
Perhaps:
“I see a problem with an authority figure. Hmmm I don’t know . . . a teacher . . . no, wait someone closer. Is it your dad? Or your spouse?” (Voice trails off as gifted reader stares into nothingness beyond your shoulder or at Tarot deck.)
You’ve just had some ideas tossed out and you pounce. You answer the question and the reader turns it around and offers it up as insight plucked fresh from the psychic realm.
No, buddy, that’s what I just told you.
Based on your age you could be having troubles with education, puberty, middle age, your marriage or a relationship, your aging parents, your job, your finances, your health, or any combination thereof.
The reader will fire out a few guesses and wait until you bite. Even if you don’t say word, your physical reaction will give it away.
Even though I made up those quoted readings some of it will fit some of you somewhere. And in the above list, is there anyone who hasn’t had a problem any of these areas?
Oh, if you’re worried about someone who’s crossed over, rest assured s/he’s not in any pain anymore and is happy and loves you very much. At least, that’s what you’re going to be told.
Here’s a cold reading that’ll fit most almost anyone.
One of my tests to determine a real from a fake was if s/he gave something specific. Then I found this at Straight Dope Staff Report.
Scroll down toward the bottom and you’ll find this:
"I'm seeing the end of August, maybe the twenty-sixth of August or a date close to that, which I think is significant for you, and a man – let me think – a man related to you, who wears glasses."
Were this fed to me during a reading I’d call it a hit. I might even be impressed with the reader’s apparent skill. That’s because my late boss, Brian Mazza, wore glasses and his birthday was August 26.
This explanation followed: “That sounds very specific, but think how much scope such a statement leaves for interpretation! Almost any date from August 20 to August 31 will do. It could be a birthday, death date, anniversary, vacation, social function, or important decision. It could be significant personally, socially, or professionally, every year or just one particular year. The man could be a husband, partner, brother, relative, friend, colleague, doctor or plumber (the word "related to" is pretty ambiguous, isn't it?). He could be alive or dead, well known or a distant acquaintance. In short, there are countless ways that the subject might interpret this comment as a hit.”
I had to laugh when I found that. It’s put me off even more.
I’ll probably still go, but I’ll be even warier of what an alleged psychic says to me.
Sunday, September 9, 2007
I Love This Result
Here's a quiz from Blue Pyramid that you might enjoy. I know I did.
If you've ever wondered what book you are ...
If you've ever wondered what book you are ...
I'm To Kill a Mockingbird!
by Harper Lee
Perceived as a revolutionary and groundbreaking person, you have
changed the minds of many people. While questioning the authority around you, you've
also taken a significant amount of flack. But you've had the admirable guts to
persevere. There's a weird guy in the neighborhood using dubious means to protect you,
but you're pretty sure it's worth it in the end. In the end, it remains unclear to you
whether finches and mockingbirds get along in real life.
Take the Book Quiz
at the Blue Pyramid.
Thursday, September 6, 2007
Wake Up Call With A Twist
I’ve had some different wake up calls over the years.
I mean this literally.
If I want to awaken at a certain time it commonly happens. Often it’s a natural progression, but a few times there’s been outside help.
A few days ago I decided I wanted to be up at 5 a.m. I’d been sleeping in, if you can call 6 a.m. that, and I wanted to get back on track. I have a better day when I’m up early.
So before I went to sleep I told myself to wake up then. The next morning I heard a deep, if slightly distorted, voice from the vicinity of my left ear say my name.
The distortion was similar to a tape being played as the batteries are nearly spent, slow, low, and barely discernable. I didn’t hear the “L” sound, but I heard “eeeaaaahh” and filled in the rest myself. It was exactly five o’clock.
Today’s had an interesting twist. I need to bake bread for my husband today and neglected to leave myself a note last night as a reminder. Instead I told myself I’d remember. This usually works.
But just to make sure today at 5:30 a.m. I got a bit of a boost. I was in that lovely half world between wake and sleep when I heard the bread machine go through one rotation of the knead cycle.
It was clear, loud, distinct, unmistakable, and came from the kitchen. It made me smile. I got up at 6 o’clock and left myself a note. I’ll get the bread going in a while.
Thank you, Spirit.
I mean this literally.
If I want to awaken at a certain time it commonly happens. Often it’s a natural progression, but a few times there’s been outside help.
A few days ago I decided I wanted to be up at 5 a.m. I’d been sleeping in, if you can call 6 a.m. that, and I wanted to get back on track. I have a better day when I’m up early.
So before I went to sleep I told myself to wake up then. The next morning I heard a deep, if slightly distorted, voice from the vicinity of my left ear say my name.
The distortion was similar to a tape being played as the batteries are nearly spent, slow, low, and barely discernable. I didn’t hear the “L” sound, but I heard “eeeaaaahh” and filled in the rest myself. It was exactly five o’clock.
Today’s had an interesting twist. I need to bake bread for my husband today and neglected to leave myself a note last night as a reminder. Instead I told myself I’d remember. This usually works.
But just to make sure today at 5:30 a.m. I got a bit of a boost. I was in that lovely half world between wake and sleep when I heard the bread machine go through one rotation of the knead cycle.
It was clear, loud, distinct, unmistakable, and came from the kitchen. It made me smile. I got up at 6 o’clock and left myself a note. I’ll get the bread going in a while.
Thank you, Spirit.
Wednesday, September 5, 2007
Staying Sharp
Don’t people do anything for themselves anymore?
Last night as I was putting away the food processor after having made a batch of fake sour cream I realized the blade needed sharpening.
The carrots and beets are due in from the garden soon and they need to be frozen. Chopping is part of the deal and the sharper the blade the better the result.
So I did what I have doing for more than 40 years -- I got a sharpening stone and did it myself.
I have two such stones. They’re flat and gray and originally belonged to my late Uncle Gil, a dentist. They were part of his dental tools. I don’t know whether he got newer, better ones or what, but he didn’t need these particular stones any longer so he gave them to my dad when I was eight.
Dad showed me how to sharpen a knife shortly thereafter and I took to it. It’s fun and it’s satisfying. I have a great sense of accomplishment from turning a dull blade into a fine edge in a matter of moments.
When I was 10 dad gave me one of the stones and I’ve always had it with me. I’ve kept the knives keen wherever I lived.
But once I did let things go. One day in the latter part of the 1990s my parents were visiting for Thanksgiving and dad set about chopping the ingredients for the stuffing.
I was busy close by when I heard a kind, if disappointed, voice, “Leah, this knife is terribly dull.”
Oops.
Dad put the edge on that knife for me, but never again have I let any knife under my care get dull.
I have his sharpening stone now too and I have no clue which was whose, but I was using one of them yesterday when I wondered how many other people would do this themselves?
Many people sharpen their own knives though it’s unlikely that many of them use a dental stone to do it
But a blade on a food processor? No, I bet that gets sent out to a pro.
My guess is the chief difference between me and the pro is technique. The pro likely does a downward pass on one side of the blade then flips it over and does a pass on the other side and continues back and forth until done.
I do one side at a time and use an up and down motion. It’s what my dad did, and it’s how he taught me to do it, and my edges can carve a translucent slice from a ripe tomato.
I also wondered if people know it’s okay to sharpen a serrated-edged knife? If one side is flat, you sharpen the flat side. It’s that simple.
Taking care of knives is also simple, but like so many simple things in life we’ve surrendered them to the pros because we’ve forgotten that we can do it ourselves.
Last night as I was putting away the food processor after having made a batch of fake sour cream I realized the blade needed sharpening.
The carrots and beets are due in from the garden soon and they need to be frozen. Chopping is part of the deal and the sharper the blade the better the result.
So I did what I have doing for more than 40 years -- I got a sharpening stone and did it myself.
I have two such stones. They’re flat and gray and originally belonged to my late Uncle Gil, a dentist. They were part of his dental tools. I don’t know whether he got newer, better ones or what, but he didn’t need these particular stones any longer so he gave them to my dad when I was eight.
Dad showed me how to sharpen a knife shortly thereafter and I took to it. It’s fun and it’s satisfying. I have a great sense of accomplishment from turning a dull blade into a fine edge in a matter of moments.
When I was 10 dad gave me one of the stones and I’ve always had it with me. I’ve kept the knives keen wherever I lived.
But once I did let things go. One day in the latter part of the 1990s my parents were visiting for Thanksgiving and dad set about chopping the ingredients for the stuffing.
I was busy close by when I heard a kind, if disappointed, voice, “Leah, this knife is terribly dull.”
Oops.
Dad put the edge on that knife for me, but never again have I let any knife under my care get dull.
I have his sharpening stone now too and I have no clue which was whose, but I was using one of them yesterday when I wondered how many other people would do this themselves?
Many people sharpen their own knives though it’s unlikely that many of them use a dental stone to do it
But a blade on a food processor? No, I bet that gets sent out to a pro.
My guess is the chief difference between me and the pro is technique. The pro likely does a downward pass on one side of the blade then flips it over and does a pass on the other side and continues back and forth until done.
I do one side at a time and use an up and down motion. It’s what my dad did, and it’s how he taught me to do it, and my edges can carve a translucent slice from a ripe tomato.
I also wondered if people know it’s okay to sharpen a serrated-edged knife? If one side is flat, you sharpen the flat side. It’s that simple.
Taking care of knives is also simple, but like so many simple things in life we’ve surrendered them to the pros because we’ve forgotten that we can do it ourselves.
Monday, September 3, 2007
Bloodletting
I killed off a useless meditation in my WIP the other day. It had to be done.
Originally I thought it was very useful.
I have had this particular meditation around for years and it doubled as deepener. That’s a method for enhancing a relaxation to induce a deep state of hypnosis.
Deepeners often use a counted level method such as riding down an elevator, or visualizations, or both. This one had a combination.
And now, four manuscripts after having cooked up the thing I still can’t find a place for it.
I’ve added it in to each of my manuscripts and then taken it out. In the first ms it didn’t last long as I came up with it late in the writing and it truly was superfluous.
It was great in the second manuscript. It stayed until near the end of the third pass before I finally had to admit it wasn’t right.
Ditto the third manuscript.
And now the end has come again in number four. It was in the first version of the fourth manuscript and I killed all of it off in June. I added it back in version 4.1 and it stayed for a bit more than two months.
I want so much to use it. I’m proud of it. But so far all it does is kick up my word count.
Sigh. Maybe it’ll find a home in my next manuscript.
Originally I thought it was very useful.
I have had this particular meditation around for years and it doubled as deepener. That’s a method for enhancing a relaxation to induce a deep state of hypnosis.
Deepeners often use a counted level method such as riding down an elevator, or visualizations, or both. This one had a combination.
And now, four manuscripts after having cooked up the thing I still can’t find a place for it.
I’ve added it in to each of my manuscripts and then taken it out. In the first ms it didn’t last long as I came up with it late in the writing and it truly was superfluous.
It was great in the second manuscript. It stayed until near the end of the third pass before I finally had to admit it wasn’t right.
Ditto the third manuscript.
And now the end has come again in number four. It was in the first version of the fourth manuscript and I killed all of it off in June. I added it back in version 4.1 and it stayed for a bit more than two months.
I want so much to use it. I’m proud of it. But so far all it does is kick up my word count.
Sigh. Maybe it’ll find a home in my next manuscript.
Wednesday, August 29, 2007
Where Did The Week Go?
It seems I’ve lost my ability read and comprehend a simple calendar.
I wrote last Friday about the sixth anniversary of quitting my job to write full time. I was wrong.
I left on August 31 and until yesterday afternoon I’d thought last Friday was August 31. Turns out I was a week early.
In retrospect last week may as well have been the anniversary. I recall not doing very much in my final days at the newspaper. Hit the final Monday deadline, of course, and wrote a final column in which I admitted my goal in life was to be completely useless, but that’s about it.
Oh, I’ve mixed up days before. Since I’ve been working at home I find I sometimes have to concentrate to sort out what day it is. Is it Tuesday? Saturday? What did we watch on TV last night?
Good thing I subscribe to a daily newspaper.
I wrote last Friday about the sixth anniversary of quitting my job to write full time. I was wrong.
I left on August 31 and until yesterday afternoon I’d thought last Friday was August 31. Turns out I was a week early.
In retrospect last week may as well have been the anniversary. I recall not doing very much in my final days at the newspaper. Hit the final Monday deadline, of course, and wrote a final column in which I admitted my goal in life was to be completely useless, but that’s about it.
Oh, I’ve mixed up days before. Since I’ve been working at home I find I sometimes have to concentrate to sort out what day it is. Is it Tuesday? Saturday? What did we watch on TV last night?
Good thing I subscribe to a daily newspaper.
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