Tuesday, June 11, 2013

Be the change that you wish to see in the world.




"Grief does not change you, darling. It reveals you."
As with anything in life - if its difficult, it teaches you something about yourself. The saying that anything that doesn't kill you makes you stronger is true, it may not be something that you notice immediately but eventually everyone realizes that the times that have seemed so difficult to get through, you do get through the trial... That's what Grief is, a trial to endure and teach us something of ourselves regardless of what causes the grief!


 "It's hard to fight when the fight ain't fair."
When it seems that the struggles you deal with in life are too large, when it seems that everything is mounted against you - remember what you are doing everything for, remember what the results will be when you get through the struggles... No the fight is never fair, if it was easy then would you appreciate the rewards as much?? It's a question that comes up often for those that struggle for years to achieve a desire... 



"And that is how change happens. One gesture. One person. One moment at a time."


"Things change. And friends leave. Life doesn't stop for anybody."



For the last 2 years, I have struggled overcoming the grief that comes with miscarriage... struggled to overcome the feelings of rage, loss, fear... struggled to deal with the knowledge that my husband didn't want to have kids *yet*, that he wanted to wait till things were "perfect"... fought for patience to be the force in dealing with everything specially with my husband. No one knows the time nor the hour that change can come... nor the person, place or thing that can initiate that change - one day it just happens, one day the things that were so hard to deal with in the past no longer are so difficult.  I'm not saying that it's easy, but dealing with the emotional baggage of Miscarriage/Infertility is not the horrifying event it was just a few months ago. I find myself easily discussing events surrounding it with strangers, friends and family.. if it comes up, I don't shy away from it or change the topic so quickly as I once did.. It's strange that I've fought this for 10+ years and FINALLY the pain has eased! 

My patience has been rewarded to some degree.. we're going through all the tests including ones that I've already done, and hubby is okay with it all, even on some level encouraged it.. that is a win for me, that is a step in a positive direction.. and maybe that's what has made the change for me?? Regardless, I'm in a better state of mind than when I moved here... 

Saturday, May 04, 2013

Nothing new... unless you count my hair cut!

I was really hoping that I'd get to announce all kinda news this weekend... hoping to announce a possible return to TTC (not that I've really gotten to ever really start TTC but still), to announce a new job, house being completed in the setup/organization stage, IDK... I just hoped to be able to announce something more than me cutting my hair off!


Cute right?

Thursday, April 04, 2013

New House in WA

This has taken a few days longer than I would have liked to get on here, but on here it must go! We've found (and already taken possession of the keys) our new house here in WA... and I'm so excited about it!!
The house is a two-story (1st I've ever lived in), 3/2.5 with a 2 car garage, small front yard and only a little bit larger back yard... living room/dining room, kitchen and a half bathroom make up the lower level of the house while the 2nd floor consists of 3 bedrooms, laundry area, 2 full bathrooms and a nook area.  I can't wait till we get all of our stuff set up!!
Kitchen, Stairs, Door to Garage, and hall to Half Bath

Living Room/ Dining Room and Fireplace

Kitchen looking to Living Room/Dining Room and Fireplace

Backyard
Master Bedroom

Master Bedroom

Master Bathroom

Hall looking to 2nd bathroom and 2 extra bedrooms

Nook

2nd bathroom

Thursday, March 28, 2013

Road Trip to Washington

So we finally made it to Washington... I had a really nice time visiting with mom and dad before getting on the road - Mom and I had a nice few days at Horseshoe Bay Resort, J and dad fished a little while we were gone.. so yeah it was nice to have that time before final pack up and driving the 2.5 days it took to get here!!
I took several photos on the way here of some of the more beautiful scenery.. specially in the canyon area of Utah and of course of all the snow capped mountains. I loved the rolling mountain hills around Pendleton, OR... but there are some very crazy mountain passes that we drove down to get to that point. I do wish that I could have gotten all the animals we saw on film too... between the Prong-Horn Antelope, Mule Deer, Elk and Big-Horn Sheep, I would have had an awesome photo collection of the trip!!












Sunday, March 10, 2013

Steps to sell a house... *continued (Part 4 & Final)*

Step 33: Get annoyed at Buyers for trying to move up the closing date (yet again) because it's a better time for them, absolutely no thought as to the fact that us as sellers are going to be moving to a whole other state that is 30+ hrs away and have things that we have to accomplish before closing.... GRRRRRRRRRRR... oh and this is all without the lenders approval or the appraisal having been finalized!

Step 34: Find out appraisal has come back at exactly what was needed to make sure the deal goes off without a hitch, settle on a closing date of March 14th.


Step 35: Try to finish prepping fragile items (crystal and collectibles back into original boxes) and pre-packing the trophy deer/fish mounts into hand-made wooden boxes.


Step 36: Set up a staging area of stuff that is NOT to be packed into the household goods by the movers this week.


Step 37: Start calling all of the companies to schedule either mailing address change or shut off of service. This step takes lots of work... ugh!!


Step 38: Clean out work office of all personal items, take them home to be packed up by the movers or find a home for them in personal vehicle.


Step 39: Have movers come in and box up all loose items, but since they got a late start means that they finished late too!

Step 40: Have movers argue with you about getting a semi-rig out to your home in order to load all furniture and boxes, they end up coming with a large U-Haul box truck to load everything, finishing loading about 7pm.

Step 41: Confirm that everything is on schedule with Realtor.

Step 42: Clean all rooms but the rooms that you are still "living" in, so those rooms can be shut off.

Step 43: Weigh vehicles empty on CAT Scales or Certified Scales.

Step 44: Load everything into vehicles.

Step 45: Clean the rest of house.

Step 46: Weigh vehicles full.

Step 47: Sign all paperwork required for finalizing closing on House.

Thursday, February 28, 2013

Time flies when your busy preparing to move!

"Speedy" the Snail
Man how the time has just flown by... and yet - it seems as if it's still just crawling at a snails pace!  It seems like yesterday I was complaining about when the investigation would be over or all the problems I feared we'd face trying to sell the house... now we're less than a month away from our presumed arrival in Washington State!! 

Where did the time go??

I could say that it's gone into all the busy everyday work of having a full time job, of the hectic time trying to prep the house for sale, visits with family and friends... I could state that my time hasn't been my own for more days than it has been, or that I've been ineffectual in keeping track of the time... In parts all of this and none of this truly account for the speed in which time seems to have passed though, it's bound to pass at the same speed regardless of what I've done or said I've done... It's just the perception of how quickly time passes when you are looking back over your shoulder.

However... I am very glad to say that I've gotten a lot done in the past few months...
1) Managed to get the house prepared for sale and under contract in less than a month, other posts can attest to how this has progressed.
2) Managed to acquire all Medical Records, that sounds easy but it wasn't - in fact this was almost an act of congress.
3) Managed to get most of my work at the office completed to a point where it will be relatively easy to hand over most of the work.
*) there has been lots more than these 3 things but since most of it was the work of less than a day, I don't feel it deserves it's own bullet really... I'm just really grateful that it so far has seemed to fall so effortlessly into place as of yet. 

Today in fact, I've decided to start cleaning out my office of personal items... man, this is going to be fun... I've got all manner of cups, trinkets, decor, etc in my office... I think I'm glad I didn't do more to my office than I did, cause seriously, this is going to take a few trips! This weekend will be the first weekend that I'll be able to finally talk my husband into getting everything together in a centralized location that will be actually going with us in our own vehicles instead of being packed by the moving company which is coming next week to start packing up our house... I guess we'll figure out what we'll be doing this weekend with everything and what we'll be doing without everything... this should be fun!

Wednesday, February 27, 2013

Steps to sell a house... *continued (Part 3)*

Step 28: Get appraisal scheduled.

Step 29: Try to match paint from dry wall repair, end up painting entire room because you can't match the exact shade...

Step 30: Due to illness and part laziness, you wait till the night before appraisal is scheduled to try and get the house straightened back up from repairs and "other" reasons for house to be a mess...

Step 31: Appraisal gets rescheduled due to rain. Get pissed off because you were late to work in your rush to get last minute pick up stuff done.

Step 32: Get appraisal done - in cases where appraisal comes in below agreed upon amount, buyer can renegotiate deal... Wait for the $$$ numbers to come back...

Monday, February 18, 2013

Steps to sell a house... *continued (Part 2)*

Step 21: Separate all the things that you will need or want with you from the things that you can live without for a few months. Determine the cargo area for both vehicles and how/where things will need to be loaded..  and if you have any "special" items in your home that need "special" boxes or storage units, get them built or bought ASAP.

Step 22: Get inspection results, nothing major. Still waiting on Appraisal...

Step 23: Get home after inspection and have to inspect everything in your house because it's all be moved around and jacked with... Grrr... Leave it the way you found it please!

Step 24: Try to persuade your spouse that it's time for a break... the stuff that still needs to be done will be done - eventually... but you're the walking dead for lack of sleep now.

Step 25: Get repairs done to home (drywall seams needed repair in our case).


Step 26: Have company that doesn't know when to go home!! Or how to help out... Grrr... Ok, can't say that about all the company, but most!

Step 27: Determine an idea of what you want in "new home" and cost per month that you want to spend on rent/payment and utilities.. begin looking..

Wednesday, February 13, 2013

Being kicked when down...

Let me say that I'm not trying to whine about how bad life is cause it's not bad.. I just know that I'm already stressed and frustrated over so many things that are going on (and also not going on) in my life right now that I really didn't need anything else coming along ruining my day so to speak. However, for every action there is an equal or greater reaction right? So for every good thing going on, there is a bad... 
I'm pissed off with my husband for his lack of help (or maybe it's his priorities for what needed to be done??) but the house is close to being sold and things need to be finished!! Thankfully the stove was finally put in so that's one thing off my load...
Getting ton of stuff done at work, but also just turned in my resignation letter which makes me oh so sad... I love where I work and I love most of the people I work with...
I'm thankful for all the help my niece gave me... but she announced she's pregnant and that totally ruins my ability to want to be around her now or even talk to her which makes me feel horrid!!!

We're getting closer obviously to leaving... but with every step closer to leaving I'm painfully aware of what I'm leaving behind...

Monday, February 11, 2013

Steps to sell a house... *continued (Part 1)*

Step 15: Receive a offer that is acceptable.

Step 16: Get into a fight with the other half because you are stressed out, irritated and he's being a jerk because he's stressed out and irritated!

Step 17: Decide to take offer. Sign all paperwork needed and return to Realtor.

Step 18: Schedule "Household Goods Transportation" - in other words schedule with the Military the day you want movers to come in and pack up your life into boxes and put it on a truck to be shipped to new destination, hoping it'll arrive at least mostly intact and unharmed.

Step 19: Fix all "issues" with house.

Step 20: Wait on inspection and appraisal...


Wednesday, February 06, 2013

Steps to sell a house...

Step 1: Drive yourself insane determining what all you need to have done inside and outside the house.

Step 2: Make a list and calm down.

Step 3: Immediately forget the lists and run around tearing your hair out...

Step 4: Remember the lists and get to work on prioritizing the needs on the list.

Step 5: Become overwhelmed at the amount of work and decide it's impossible to get it done.

Step 6: In a mad rush to get everything finished before the realtor shows up to preview the house and discuss possibilities, you make a chaotic mess of everything in the name of organizing and packing.

Step 7: Enlist help.

Step 8: Realize help really isn't all that helpful since you still have to go back over most of what they did either because it wasn't done thoroughly or because you still "Live" in the house.

Step 9: Finally start to see some progress, which makes you kick into overdrive and ultimately accomplish nothing more than to tire yourself out so bad you feel like you have to take a break for a week.

Step 10: Receive orders, freak out again because you've only got 2.5 months to finish organizing/sorting and cleaning the house, put it on the market and actually sell said house. (Did I mention this was prep work while waiting on Military Orders to come through?)

Step 11: Determine that you'll be listing the property "AS IS" the next week, but still want to have as much done as possible so you end up again working in overdrive the entire week with a big push on the weekend to finish as much up as you can.

Step 12: Sign paperwork with Realtor, take photos of property. Realize that for the next few weeks/months, you have to keep everything spotless for viewings. This gives you a headache!! Get a call from Realtor with a request to view house the next day... 

Step 13: Stress, panic, crunch number till you are cross-eyed and ultimately realize you don't give a flip about anything... tell Realtor to make all the decisions so you don't have to anymore.

Step 14: WAIT...  (I'll continue this when I know what the next steps are..)


Monday, January 28, 2013

Lots still left to do before listing...

OMG - I'm so tired already of all this prep for the move... Every night when I get home and every weekend so far has been dedicated in some way to getting the house cleaned and ready for listing to sell!!

We spend this weekend doing more stuff around the house - got the garage mostly cleaned up (with 2 full loads to the trash dump), most of the 5 acres mowed and cleaned up (had a nice bonfire thanks to all the fallen limbs/branches from all of our trees), got the bathrooms cleaned up nicely and organized, kitchen was organized after cleaning out all of the cabinets and disposing of anything that was expired/stale or messed up (broken, chipped, etc)... Now I need finish organizing and cleaning the guest bedrooms - maybe I can get that done over this week so that all that is left to do is the stupid drywall and stove issue along with some minor dusting/mopping/sweeping type clean up of the living room and dining room... maintenance basically!! Ugh... so ready for this to be over with! 

Good news though is that I finally got my new dog kennel in for Kai... Can't wait to get home to see if it's everything I was hoping for!!

*Jan 29, 2013*
Update: Kennel was everything I was hoping for... very sturdy, easy to put together and take apart (even has these awesome carry handles on the sides and top, as well as a carry/storage bag), has two nice storage areas for leashes or to store the carry bag, lots of vents, you can velcro the "doors/gates" (that are located on the front and side) up and open, same with the access panel on top which is perfect for allowing you to set it up quickly or drop in a snack for pup. Kai took a while to warm up to it, but he seems ok with it now although I still haven't gotten him to lay down in it... Mimic on the other hand was all about laying down in it, guess I need to get him one too!? LOL 
This weekend I'll test to see how much room it takes up in my car, and hopefully I'll have everything mostly arranged/organized so I can do a test run of how much room I'll have overall once all my clothing and other stuff is in the vehicle with the kennels!?? Ugh!!

Sunday, January 20, 2013

Busy but Beautiful day

Yesterday was such a pretty day, much like today... love these types of days during the winter - days were the sun is shining and it's warm enough to be comfortable outside without layers of clothing. DH and I got lots of projects finished up... got a few more started, so I can't complain about how busy we were, plus it was so nice to work with DH and not be fighting about stuff... we were having fun goofing off and being productive... 

First project done was the sidewalk from the front door around to the back door/carport - this is something we've been working on since the summer...
 

    

We also got the rest of the mulch laid out around the bushes in the front, we've gotta go back over the rest of the beds to get it all leveled back out but this the mulch project is mostly done too. DH also got the bushes trimmed up while I got my fire-pit rust free and repainted with rust-oleum paint... we sat around the fire after because the paint has to cure with heat, but it was actually kinda relaxing after getting everything else done. Oh, and I saw my first butterflies of the season fluttering around my rose bushes in my yard... so pretty!!

Today on the other hand has been very lazy day! So far we've laid around after eating breakfast, measured the deer mounts to figure out what size boxes we need to make for their transportation, spray painted some wall art I have, started some laundry and watched tv... LOL  - I've got plans on bathing Stitch (my SUV/car) and getting him all pretty again, maybe going ahead and measuring my cargo space to see how much space I have for the dog kennels... then I'm going to hopefully get some more work done on getting my books and clothing sorted, maybe even partially packed. I've got so much to do in the next month and a half it's unreal!!

Friday, January 18, 2013

Favorites Decoded: Scents/Smells

I don't know about you... but I have very distinct smells that I almost crave at times - Lavender  Vanilla, Citrus, Cinnamon, Woodsy, etc and each of those scents are required daily for various reasons. Our sense of smell is emotional, not logical. Scent has the power to uplift your mood, help you relax after a stressful day and energize you with an uplifting fragrance. I know that most people have specific scents that they find most agreeable to wear as perfume or surround themselves with in some fashion and that each smell has a tendency to be related in some way to their personality... so what does my favorite smells say about me? Mainly that I have a high-stress environment that requires both calm and focused energy, which is why I tend toward Lavender at home and more sharp/clean smells like Citrus around the office. My perfumes typically have a very woodsy or musky base to them with overtones of either subtle floral, citrus or vanilla... although occasionally I will go a little sweeter smell with fruity/berry overtones - my favorite perfume is "Fire & Ice" by Revlon which has top notes of orange blossom, tangerine and osmanthus; middle notes are orchid, magnolia, tuberose and narcissus; base notes are incense, amber, musk and woody notes.

So what about other scents... what do they indicate?


CITRUS SCENTS:

Derived from citrus fruits such as lime, lemon, tangerine and madarin, these fragrance types project a sharp, tangy aroma. Naturally refreshing and uplifting, citrus blends work well for those that don't want an overpowering fragrance.
If you like Citrus, you are lively and vivacious. These scents tend to appeal to the physically active person, someone who cannot sit still for long. They are admired and respected by all who come in contact with them.
LEMON: People who like the clean scent of lemon often prefer their home to be uncluttered and organized. They prefer white or light-colored furnishings and have a take-charge approach to life. You will find lemon-lovers outside a lot, taking a jog, walking their dog or enjoying a bike ride at sunset. If you are studying for a test or writing a term paper, you want to consider this scent as it was found to improve alertness, relieve stress and reduce keyboard errors by 50%!
ORANGE: This citrus scent attracts people who are whimsical and creative. Even though their house may not always be spotless, it is always warm and inviting – and is often the neighborhood hang-out. If you are feeling stressed or down, you may want to surround yourself with this scent. An Austrian study found that an orange odor gave people a more positive mood and greater sense of calmness.
GREEN (VERDANT) SCENTS:
Sharp, grassy notes blend with pine, juniper, leaves and herbs to create this fragrance that is perfect for the outdoorsy types.
Lighthearted and playful describes those that tend to enjoy this scent, and never fail to amaze everyone with boundless energy coupled with an air of superiority that is softened by self-awareness. You're an easly riser, in love with the A.M. hourse and usually can be found outdoors communing with the simple beauty of nature.

OCEANIC SCENTS:
Notes of Sea Breeze, Morning Dew
You are a carefree, sun saluting, simple girl/boy... 
MOUNTAIN SPRING: Those who love this fresh, crisp scent are often nature lovers. They live a green lifestyle and make a point to recycle, avoid plastic and drive a fuel-efficient hybrid car. Their pastimes include gardening, mountain biking and skiing and hitting up their local farmer's market. Their home is often decorated in earth tones, with leather furniture and nature-themed home decor.
OCEAN BREEZE: The scent of ocean breeze is loved by people who are laid-back and easygoing. They are often pet lovers and treat their animal like a member of the family. In fact, many are huge advocates of animal rights and love searching out and helping to protect endangered species. You will find ocean breeze lovers at a local charity, as they love getting involved in causes that are important to them and giving back. Their home is often decorated in light colors and has a shabby chic feel to it.
AROMATIC/CLEAN (FOUGERE) SCENTS:
Composed of herbal essences with the accent on Lavendar and hay-like notes of coumarin along with oakmoss, these are refreshing and sporty fragrances and capture the essence of fresh green ferns and other woodland notes.
Wear fern-y scents for that on-the-go vibe because you are outgoing and curious about the world around you, although that typically leaves you wishing for a calm in the eye of the storm you create.
LAVENDER: Lovers of lavender often have high-stress jobs and they love the relaxing scent of this purple flower. Many are trying to juggle multiple areas of their life, such as a job, family and household responsibilities, and will often unwind at the end of the day with a book and a glass of wine. They love vacationing at a wine vineyard or taking a yoga retreat to help them reconnect. Lavender can be traced back to the Egyptians and Greeks of ancient times and was used for its calming and stress relieving properties.
FLORAL SCENTS:
This is the largest and most popular category for women and is created mainly from flowers such as roses, orange blossoms, gardenias, jasmine and carnations.
You are sexy and feminine! Light flowery scents are preferred by women who embody all the grace implied in the word 'feminie': delicate, soft spoken and shy but can be determined and firm when needed.
FLORAL: Those who love a sweet floral scent are often romantics at heart. They have a soft spot for love stories, classic movies and believe wholeheartedly in love at first sight. They often have their home decorated comfortably, with warm colors and lush fabrics. Many lovers of floral scents forge a strong bond with friends and family and are known for their upbeat and caring attitude.
ORIENTAL SCENTS:
The heaviest category, perfect for sultry evening and cooler weather/climates, are composed of spices, musk, exotic flowers and wood essences.
If you like oriental scents, you are typically mysterious and intense. This scent attracts an emotionally charged individual, keen on making a favorable and long-lasting impression on others. You're the creative sort with a dramatic flair, very polished around the edges.

FRUITY SCENTS:
Nectarine, Blackberry, Raspberry, Peach
Ever ready for a party, your giggles light up the room, as does your spontaneity and fun-loving personality. 


WOODSY (CHYPRE) SCENTS:
Pronounced "sheep-rah", these scents/fragrances are described as woodsy-mossy compositions with hints of bergamot, oak moss, citrus and patcholi that enrich the sweet/earth aromas along with sensual flowers.
Those that prefer the woodsy scent are deep and lusty, typically feeling very sensual and erotic.

Now - why is it that I have such a strong attachment to certain scents?? Do I associate them with pleasant moments, certain people I care for, favorite memories...?? Yes, yes, and yes... most of us do pick fragrances due to those types of stimulus, adjusting for taste and other experiences. I know why most of my favorite scents are my favorite... vanilla, fruit and floral scents for instance reminds me of my grandmother Lindsey because she was almost always baking some sweet treat or out in the yard picking flowers or berries/fruit from the trees, so she always had this subtle/sweet mix of smells... Lavender is just a calming smell for me that I've learned over time... Cinnamon reminds me of Christmas due to my mother always buying those scented pine cones or stick brooms... Earthy/Woodsy smells to me are very masculine, powerful, strong smell although I tend to wear a subtle version with a sweeter/floral overtone, I tend to associate the scent with men like my father and husband because they are always outside so they have the scent naturally...

So I guess for favorite smells it's not so random as color or numbers seem to be...

Thursday, January 17, 2013

Favorites decoded - Colors!


what is my favorite color?
Don't think about it, be spontaneous with your answer; accept the first color that comes into your mind and don't analyze your choice. 



It is this instinctual choice of a color that tells you a lot about yourself, how you function and how others see you. It is the means to understanding your behavior and your character traits as well as your physical, mental, emotional and spiritual states. It reflects the way you operate in the world, your strengths and weaknesses, your vulnerabilities, your deepest needs and your challenges at that time in your life. Your personality color does not have to be one you wear all the time; it is usually your favorite, the color that excites you the most and makes you feel alive when you see it. That being said, you are often drawn to your personality color for clothing and home decorating. It is often a predominant color in your aura. 

Most of us do have a favorite color and many of us have had the same one since childhood. Some will change this color once or more times during their lifetime while others will have one color for their whole lifetime. Some will prefer another color for a while, depending on their needs at that time, but will come back to their original favorite when those specific needs are met. For those of you who don't think you have a personality color, look at the clothes you wear and the way you choose to decorate your home or office. Are there one or more colors you consistently choose? Then these will be the colors that reflect your personality and your deepest needs. Whether you like or dislike a color can be dependent on your own life experiences and your positive and negative associations to the color as well as your need for the qualities of that color. Surround yourself with the colors you love, either by wearing them or using them decoratively in your environment. They will empower you to be true to yourself, to show your true colors.


Meanwhile, the colors you dislike can tell you a lot about yourself as well, often reflecting your weaknesses and vulnerabilities. Your most disliked color will relate to areas in your life that need to be given attention or past hurts that need to be healed. It is a good idea to try to incorporate a small amount of your disliked colors into your life by using them in clothing or underwear or in your home, to help balance your energies. Rejecting whole colors can create imbalances in your life.

So what is my Favorite Color(s)? Well honestly I tend to have several if anyone asks... and the knee-jerk reaction answer changes among the 4 most constant... Blue or dark Red/Maroon tend to be my most often stated with Black or Silver thrown in fairly regular, but Brown and Green make their appearance with some frequency so I guess that makes 6 most constant favorites... I can tell you I dislike Orange although I love it's brillance and vibrant nature typically, Yellow and Gold are right there with Orange, but dislike is a pale word to describe my passionate hate for anything Pink...
If your favorite color is red, you are action oriented with a deep need for physical fulfillment and to experience life through the five senses. If orange is your favorite color, you have a great need to be with people, to socialize with them, and be accepted and respected as part of a group. You also have a need for challenges in your life, whether it is physical or social challenges. Choosing yellow as your favorite means you have a deep need for logical order in your everyday life and to be able to express your individuality by using your logical mind to inspire and create new ideas. If green is your favorite, you have a deep need to belong, to love and be loved, and to feel safe and secure. You need acceptance and acknowledgment for the everyday things you do for others - just a 'thank you' is sufficient. Lovers of blue have a deep need to find inner peace and truth, to live their life according to their ideals and beliefs without having to change their inflexible viewpoint of life to satisfy others. Indigo lovers have a need to feel in harmony and at one with the Universe and to be accepted by others as the aware and intuitive spiritual beings that they are. If purple or violet is your favorite color, you have a deep need for emotional security and to create order and perfection in all areas of your life, including your spiritual life. You also have a deep need to initiate and participate in humanitarian projects, helping others in need. If your personality color is pink you have a deep need to be accepted and loved unconditionally. If turquoise is your favorite color your deepest need is to create emotional balance in your life, to be able to express your hopes and dreams no matter how idealistic they may be and to make your own way in the world under your own terms. If your favorite color is magenta, you are a non-conformist who sees life from a different point of view. Lovers of brown have a deep need for a safe, secure, simple and comfortable existence with supportive family and friends. Lovers of black have a need for power and control in order to protect their own emotional insecurities. If white is your personality color, your deepest need is for simplicity in your own life and to be independent and self-reliant so you do not need to depend on anyone else. With gray as your favorite color, you are the middle of the road type, cool, conserved, composed and reliable. You tend to conform just to keep the peace. If silver is your favorite, you are intuitive and insightful and have a strong connection with a higher spiritual guidance. With a personality color gold, you radiate charisma, personality and individuality, making others feel relaxed and valued in your company

For a more in-depth color analysis of your Favorite Color and what it could say about you...
White: Symbolic of purity, innocence and naivete, white has strong connotations of youth and purity. If you are an older person, your preference for white could indicate a desire for perfection and impossible ideals, maybe an attempt to recapture lost youth and freshness. It may also symbolize a desire for simplicity or the simple life.
Red: The color of strength, health, and vitality, Red is often the color chosen by someone outgoing, aggressive, vigorous and impulsive—or someone who would like to be! It goes with an ambitious nature but those who choose it can be abrupt at times, determined to get all they can out of life, quick to judge people and take sides. Red people are usually optimistic and can’t stand monotony; they are rather restless and not at all introspective, so they may be unaware of their own shortcomings. They find it hard to be objective and may blame others for any mishaps. Quiet people with a preference for red may feel the need for the warmth, strength and life-giving qualities of the color, or they blanket their true feelings under a sober exterior. Red is usually chosen by people with open and uncomplicated natures, with a zest for life.
Maroon: Harsh experience has probably matured the Maroon person into someone likable and generous. It is often a favorite color of someone who has been battered by life but has come through. It indicates a well-disciplined Red personality—one who has had difficult experiences and has not come through unmarked but who has grown and matured in the process.
Pink: This color embodies the gentler qualities of Red, symbolizing love and affection without passion. Women who prefer Pink tend to be maternal. Pink desires protection, special treatment and a sheltered life. Pink people require affection and like to feel loved and secure, perhaps wanting to appear delicate and fragile. Pink people tend to be charming and gentle, if a trifle indefinite.
Orange: This color of luxury and pleasure appeals to the flamboyant and fun-loving person who likes a lively social round. Orange people may be inclined to dramatize a bit, and people notice them, but they are generally good-natured and popular. They can be a little fickle and vacillating, but on the whole they try hard to be agreeable. Orange is the color of youth, strength, fearlessness, curiosity and restlessness.
Yellow: The color of happiness, wisdom and imagination, Yellow is chosen by the mentally adventurous, searching for novelty and self-fulfillment. Yellow usually goes with a sunny and shrewd personality, with a good business head and a strong sense of humor. It is the color of intellectuality and all things to do with the mind. Yellow folks are usually clear and precise thinkers who have a good opinion of their own mental capacities and who have lofty ideals. They may at times tend to shun responsibility, preferring freedom of thought and action.
Green: The color of harmony and balance, Green symbolizes hope, renewal and peace, and is usually liked by the gentle and sincere. Greens are generally frank, community-minded people, fairly sociable but preferring peace at any price. Green people can be too self-effacing, modest and patient, so they may get exploited by others. They are usually refined, civilized and reputable.
Blue: Soft, soothing, compassionate and caring, Blue is the color of deliberation and introspection, conservatism and duty. Patient, persevering, conscientious, sensitive and self-controlled, Blues like to be admired for their steady character and wisdom. They are faithful, but are often worriers with somewhat inflexible beliefs and can be too cautious, and suspicious of flamboyant behavior.
Blue-Green: Exacting, discriminating, poised and attractive, the Blue-Green person tends to be sensitive, intellectual and refined, persevering and stable if rather detached. Blue-Greens have excellent taste, and are usually courteous and charming, capable but often refusing help or guidance.
Turquoise: Complex, imaginative and original, Turquoise people drive themselves hard and may be in a state of turmoil under their outwardly cool exterior.
Lavender: This is often chosen by a person who lives “on a higher plane,” who never notices anything sordid and who is always impeccably and beautifully dressed. Lavender people may be on a continual quest for culture and the refined things of life, high and noble causes but without the necessity of getting their hands dirty. A Lavender person is usually creative, charming, witty and civilized.
Purple: Purples are highly individual, fastidious, witty and sensitive, with a strong desire to be unique and different. Temperamental, expansive and artistic, a Purple person may become aloof and sarcastic when misunderstood. If you chose Purple, you tend to be unconventional, tolerant and dignified, likely to achieve positions of authority.
Brown: A Brown person has stamina and patience, tending to be very solid and substantial, conscientious, dependable, steady and conservative. Browns are not impulsive, and may be inarticulate and tactless but they love responsibility and are reliable and kindly. If you chose Brown, watch out for a tendency to be obstinate and inflexible.
Gray: The color of caution and compromise, diligent Grays search for composure and peace and often work hard without reward. Older Grays like life to run on an even keel with few ups and downs. Young Grays may be withdrawing from life and suppressing their personalities. Grays often have good business ability and tend to work too much.
Black: Dignified and impressive without being showy, Black people want to give the appearance of mystery, but their preference may also indicate a suppression of desires and worldly aims, suggesting hidden depths and inner longings.

Favorites decoded - Numbers!

I've been thinking a lot about Favorite Colors, Favorite Numbers, Favorite Flavors, Favorite Smells, etc that people pick, wondering if maybe we pick those for a reason or if it's completely random. My last post was about lucky 13, and that was what started this - I look for connections in everything and this is no different!

My favorite number is 15 because it's my birth and anniversary date and also because it has both the number 1 and the number 5, which I look at both of those as very important numbers -specially 5 (which I count as my lucky number).  I went over what 1 represents before, but 5 is pretty interesting symbolically as well... there are 5 elements (Earth, Wind, Water, Fire and Spirit or Chinese version is Metal, Water, Fire, Ground and Wood), 5 points on a star and every man/woman is a star ( 2 arms, 2 legs, 1 head), 5 sides to a pyramid, 5 senses (Touch, Taste, Smell, Hearing and Vision), 5 fingers/toes on hands and feet, 5 wounds on Jesus' body, 5 fundamental virtues (Wisdom, Truth, Love, Justice and Goodness), 5 Oceans (Pacific, Atlantic, Indian, Arctic and Antarctic), 5 parts of the geographical world (Europe, Asia, Africa, America and Oceanic)... I could go on and on with where 5 shows up repeatedly in religion, myth, and medical texts...

For me, my favorite number isn't random, even if my lucky number sort of is... guessing most people have a reason for their favorite number... 

So what's your favorite number say about you??
One: One primarily deals with strong will, positivity, pure energy. The number One reflects new beginnings, and purity. The symbolic meaning of number One is further clarified when we understand One represents both kinds of action: physical and mental. This combined with Ones urgency for new beginnings, we begin to see Ones recurring in our lives indicates a time to exert our natural forces, take action, and start a new venture. One encourages us our action will be rewarded in kind. 
Two: The symbolic meaning of number Two is kindness, balance, tact, equalization, and duality. The number Two reflects a quiet power of judgment, and the need for planning. Two beckons us to choose. The spiritual meaning of number Two also deals with exchanges made with others, partnerships (both in harmony and rivalry), and communication. Two urges us out of our indecision, calls us to unite with like-minds, and like-ideals. Two asks us to exert our natural flow of judgment to do what is best for our souls. 
Three: The spiritual meaning of number Three deals with magic, intuition, fecundity, and advantage. The number Three invokes expression, versatility, and pure joy of creativity. Three is also a timeidentifier as it represents Past, Present and Future. Consecutive Threes in your life may symbolize the need to express yourself creatively, or consider your present directional path in relation to past events and future goals. Three may also represent promising new adventures, and assurance of cooperation from others whom you may require help. Three typically symbolizes reward and success in most undertakings. 
Four: The symbolic meaning of number Four deals with stability and invokes the grounded nature of all things. Consider the four seasons, four directions, four elements all these amazingly powerful essences wrapped up in the nice square package of Four. Fours represent solidity, calmness, and home. A recurrence of Four in your life may signify the need to get back to your roots, center yourself, or even "plant" yourself. Fours also indicate a need for persistence and endurance. 
Five: The spiritual meaning of number Five deals with travel, adventure, and motion. With the highs that come with these attributes, Fives also carry instability and unpredictability, and radical changes. The spiritual meaning of Five draws our attention to the wonder of life, and beckons us to appreciate the perception of chaos all around us. Five has wild vibrations: primitive and erratic. When Five continues to pop up in your life be prepared for some action, like a trip. Remember, trips aren't all necessarily taken physically. Some of the best journey's are taken in the mind and spirit. 
Six: The symbolism behind number Six is legend. With Venus as its ruler, Six represents harmony, balance, sincerity, love, and truth. Six naturally reveals solutions for us in a calm, unfolding manner. We invoke the Six when we need delicate diplomacy when dealing with sensitive matters. The spiritual meaning of number Six also deals with enlightenment; specifically "lighting" our path in areas we require spiritual and mental balance. Sixes beckon us to administer compassion and consciously choose forgiveness in a situation. 
Seven:Sevens, like Threes, deal with magical forces. Sevens deal with esoteric, scholarly aspects of magic. Representative of scholarly activities, mystery, and the focused search for esoteric meanings. Seven deals with the activation of imagination and manifesting results in our lives through the use of conscious thought and awareness. Ruled by Saturn, Seven can represent impractical dreaming, but with a deeper understanding of the aspects of Seven, you can quite deftly utilize its magical vibration to your own benefit. 
Eight: The symbolism backing number Eight deals largely with business, success, and wealth. This is due to the fact that Eight represents continuation, repetition, and cycles. Such elements are seen in arenas where success is obtained simply because of dogged determination and repetition. Also, matters of business and wealth largely depend on cycles to fulfill their manifestation. It's like the snowball analogy: As it continues to roll, in gets bigger and bigger with each revolution. Eight represents that kind of momentum. 
Nine: The spiritual meaning of number Nine bring us to the very height of vibrational frequencies in this number sequence. Nine represents attainment, satisfaction, accomplishment, and our success to achieve an influence in our circumstances. The spiritual meaning of number Nine deals with intellectual power, inventiveness, influence over situations and things. Nine beseeches us to recognize our own internal attributes, and extend these abilities out into the world to make a positive, influential difference.

Monday, January 07, 2013

New Year.. Luck of 13 and still waiting..

New Year is here... it's 2013 - seems like an auspicious year, after all 13 is considered to be a number that has all the luck - both good and bad, although honestly I look at it as more good luck than bad!
Looking at it as individual parts, it has the #3 in it which is recognized as a very symbolic number dealing with creation, completion, order, advancement and mystery... the presence of the #1 preceding the #3 amplifies the symbolic meanings by adding elements of beginnings, initiation, solidarity, unity and birth.  #1 & #3 put together to form #13 and the individual meanings tell a story that is just beginning but will lead to greatness in the expression of the union of opposites.  Now also note that the #13 is a prime number which is divisible only by 1 and itself, making it a symbol of sorts for incorruptible nature, purity and integrity... it's reverse "31" is also a prime, which is cool and #13 is also considered a "Happy Number" (something I vaguely remember from High School). It's part of the Fibonacci Sequence, oh and speaking of things I vaguely remember from HS it's also one of three Wilson Primes!!
Transitioning out of a mathematical standpoint you'll see lots of representation of the #13 - there seemed to always be a gathering of 13 in historical or mythical lore from the number of guests at the Last Supper (12 disciples plus Jesus) to a Valhalla banquet that was for the 12 noble norse gods which Loki (trickster god) crashed, which in these two examples you can either point to Loki and Judas as the 13th figures and therefore unlucky/evil OR you can associate the 13th figure with the enlightened guests, Jesus and Baldur, therefore counting it as good/just. Greek Mythology has Zeus being the 13th god giving the #13 a symbolic push toward totality, completion, power, realization and attainment. Egyptian mythology shows another precursor to completion with the #13 playing a key role in the story of Isis and Osiris, or with 13 steps on the ladder to eternity and upon the 13th step the soul attains spiritual completion. In the Tarot, #13 is represented by the death card and is symbolic of transition/change or inevitability. There are 13 days between new moon and full moon and of course 13 days to get back to new moon, every 3-4 years we have 13 full moons in a year and the moon moves 13 degrees around the earth every day... which btw ladies, the #13 represents femininity in ancient cultures due to the connection between the number of lunar cycles and length in comparison to a normal menstrual cycle  (13 x 28 = 364 days).
I'll give and say that more often than not 13 is considered unlucky with the superstitious among us having influenced the exclusion of the 13th floor in most buildings and the 13th day of the month being the least likely to hold a wedding or financial deal, as well as the fact that a great many people will try to do as little as possible on Friday the 13th... BUT a number is just a number, you choose to make it lucky or unlucky as you feel you need too.  So... with all that said, I'm really hoping that 2013 ends up being a year of change, progress, completion of a stage, birth, purity and integrity for me... the luck is there for me to make or break right??

Next topic: in keeping with some points of the number 13... how about some changes to our military status!?? This is about the most ridiculous situation - still waiting on the Army to give us definite orders.. we put in and they kick back without reason, we put back in. Praying that we'll know something SOON!! It's been kicked back yet again today... this blows!!