One of the reasons I’m not
too crazy about winter is that
I miss talking to the birds.
I can hear them yapping outside the window as
I work at my computer, but I can’t yap back.
How could I? — The window is closed, and there’s this plastic film taped over it to keep the cold from filtering in.
And when we get strong winds and freezing temperatures — which is what we’ve been getting much too often this year — I keep the bamboo shade rolled down and the curtains shut tight; there’s no way I can strike up a conversation.
So when I step out the door and there’s a bunch of sparrows sitting in the tree that’s right in front of my balcony, I stop and chirp my little heart out. I like the way the birds stare at me, tilting their heads to one side and then to the other, and I always wonder: Am I making any sense to them, or is it total gibberish?
If I’m walking on the street and I see or hear a crow and there’s no one in sight, I caw. It’s annoying to have to restrain myself from cawing just because there are people around.
At home, when I’m on my balcony or in the yard or even when I’m walking in the lane, I don’t care what the neighbours think… I CAW CAW CAW!
But I try not to caw too often — I’m not THAT deranged.
Anyway, if you want to hear what I sound like when I
talk to birds, here’s a little slide show video I made.
It’s the first in a series of “Giggle Tips” videos I’ll be putting up on YouTube. As a Giggle Coach, I want to get as many people giggling
as I can.
I intend to conquer the World… one giggle at a time.
P.S.: The video is on YouTube, but for some strange reason, I can’t put it on my site; here’s the Google Video version instead.
Here’s a brief excerpt to give you an idea of what it’s all about (I took the liberty of presenting the information in bullet form for clarity):
There are three major Gateways through which you are invited to enter on this journey: Engaging Your Creativity;
Mastering Your Challenges as a Creative Woman; Actualizing Creative Results: The Power of Positive Priorities.
Within each Gateway, there are a series of Secrets — essentials for a successful transition to the next Gateway.
Within each Secret, there are specific Keys that unlock its mystery and spur your mastery.
By the end of the book, you will have compelling goals and a plan of action steps to guide you on your chosen path.
There are 12 Secrets, one for each week or each month of the year. You set your own pace.
Evidently, I’ll have to quicken my pace if I want to catch up with the rest of the group. This is week number 3, and the reports are due on Friday. I’ll see if I can go through Secrets 1 and 2 between now and the end of the weekend. Then I’ll explore Secrets 3 and 4, and by the end of next week, I will have caught up with the rest of the gang — over 100 participants.
I think I’ve told you before how easily I get bored.
If not, I’m telling you now: boredom follows me
around like a shadow. As far back as I can recall,
I’ve always ended up in a rut.
And this explains why I haven’t been posting as often as I’d like to: I get weary of writing the same thing on both my English blog and my French blog.
Once my English article is ready to post, I don’t feel like reproducing it in French, and vice-versa; the thrill is gone — I want to move on to something new. And to tell you the truth, I hate to translate, so imagine the fun I’ve been having over the past thirteen months.
But yesterday, on my walk back from the library, I had an aha! moment: I suddenly felt liberated from this self-imposed obligation of having identical blogs. From now on, each blog will be distinct and have a life of its own. I will do what I want, when I want, in whatever language I want.
Yet another milestone reached
on my road trip to happiness.
How sweet it is!
Why, you may ask, did I wait so long before taking this rather simple decision? I’m sure I could find many reasons that would explain my neurotic behaviour, but now is not the time to dwell on the past. Now is the time to snap out of this boring pattern, this masochistic discipline, and start using the rerouting opportunities presented to me by the RuneRaido.
In other words, I must master the art of being a bum
in order to boost my creativity.
Sheesh… you should have seen me sitting there on the carpet, my Treasure Chest excitement slowly deflating. Hardy har har!
But then I figured this was probably a sign: the Universe didn’t want me to get too excited and worked up about the new year. You see, I have a tendency to get a bit too high, at times; to go full speed ahead and then suddenly crash. Not a good idea.
So I guess I’ll be watching out for the rerouting opportunities if ever my plans don’t work out. And yeah, I’ll be relying on my good humour — it’s what has kept me going all through my life.
Laugh on!!
P.S.: Here’s the rest of the info on Raido — they say it’s good to read the right-side-up version for more enlightenment.
So it was New Year’s Eve and one of the last two rituals
left on my list was the emptying of my Treasure Chest.
Treasure Chest:
Where I hide my
deepest thoughts and wishes.
I had no idea what to expect; all through the years, I hadn’t peeked at all to read what was “in there.” Either I was satisfied the chest contained enough wishes to keep the Universe and the Law of Attraction busy working their magic, or maybe I myself was too busy getting my act together and moving on with my life, but whatever the reason, it sure was surprising to see that most of the thoughts and wishes scribbled on the pieces of paper dated back to 2005.
As I read the 25 little notes, I was struck by how gloomy that period had been for me. I was also relieved, grateful and happy for where I had finally ended up – in a much more positive and luminous state of mind. Glory be to the goddesses in heaven!
After going through the pile, I separated the lot into 6 categories and proceeded to analyse the results:
#1 — Ordinary stuff
New glasses with clip-on (Still have the same frame but in 2006, got new lenses that darken in the sun) *
Flowers/plants for my balcony (Have gotten them every summer) *
Get my teeth fixed (Mission accomplished first 3 months of 2008) *
#2 — Career stuff
New computer with flat screen (Purchased in August 2007) *
Business cards (Yup: Mudd cards in 2006, Oza cards in 2007) *
Find good printer and develop trusting/creative rapport (Autumn 2007 — met 2 brothers, really cool guys, who run Imprimerie MIRACLE on Wellington Street in Verdun) *
Find web designer who will build my site according to the plans in my head (Worked on building this site with Tina Stephen in December 2007; she has since switched to making handcrafted jewelry) *
Legally change my name to Mudd. Confused? Maybe this will help (Haven’t done it. I’ve got more important things to pay for.)x
Start my own business and/or take a web designer course (Did not take the course — way too expensive — but started to do motivational coaching in 2007 and am currently playing around with different ideas/projects. Though none of these are hauling in truckloads of cash, I’m confident the Universe will provide if I keep on working hard and being positive. Yeehaw!) *
Apply massive action in order to write and create as much as I can — books, plays, movies, podcasts, paintings, drawings, clothes, dolls, etc. (I decided to acknowledge my efforts and give myself a star; after all, I have been drawing and writing blog posts — in both English and French — for over a year. But I have to… no, make that I’m ready, willing and able to become more productive. Now that I’ve gotten rid of my perfectionism, I’m having more fun and picking up speed.) *
#3 — Heart, body, and soul
Become healthy both mentally and physically (MAJOR SUCCESS. I am fit, thin, and healthy. I’m also very proud to say I conquered a life-long depression and pleased to see that my happiness increases with every passing day — hip hip hooray!) *
Liberate myself from pent-up anger and make peace with the past (Another MAJOR SUCCESS with a crowningbreakthrough moment: The Door) *
That L. will turn out to be Mister Right (Ha! This one sure gave me a laugh. Had totally forgotten about this guy I met on the Internet in September 2005. No, he didn’t turn out to be Mister Right. I’ll have to tell you about our one and only meeting = too funny.)x
Still with me?
Be brave, I’m almost done…
#4 — Financial fears
Fear of not being able to clear my debts (This is the most recent note in the lot; it was deposited in the chest following the purchase of my computer and the cost of my dental work. I’m still paying the minimum monthly payment on bank loan / credit margin and working towards a better financial situation, all the while keeping a positive outlook and doing the best I can. Living in the NOW!) *
Fear of never crawling out of this hole, this debilitating slump, this deadly boring life (Ouch! See what I was reading on New Year’s Eve? LOL! — Nowadays, even if it’s not always easy, I sure don’t consider myself to be in a “debilitating slump”… though frankly I do get a little bored now and then. But most of the time, I’m rockin’ and workin’ my little butt off to move ahead and make my dreams come true.) *
Fear of growing old and being too poor to afford a comfortable lifestyle (Not worrying about that, either — I will find a way, everything’s going to be okay, I intend to live till I’m at least 133. Yippeeeeee!) *
#5 — Fears for “The Book Yet To Be Written”
(kind of embarrassing to share what follows…)
Fear of not being able to write my book (Well folks, it hasn’t been written. But contrary to how I felt back in 2005, the bum in me is going with the flow — no more pressure, no more guilt, no more driving myself nuts. If it happens, it happens. Que sera, sera, what will be, will be. This attitude is well worth a star, right? And please note that I’m slowly but surely writing the damn thing. No retreat, no surrender!) *
Fear that once my book is written, it won’t get published (Hey… if and when that book is written, and if I do decide to get it published, believe me, it will be published. So that’s another star for conquering another demon. Hooaw!) *
Fear that once my book is published, it won’t sell and will be a total flop (Geez… was I ever heavy back then. But the new and improvedmoi has a plan: once my book is published, I’m going to sing and dance on every corner of every street in every town across the WHOLE WORLD in order to sell it. Star please ) *
#6 — Wishes for other people
For my friend C. — that she not have to take care of her sick neighbour at all hours of the day and night (Neighbour was transfered to a special care home) *
For my daughter-in-law — may she have the strength and patience and health to take care of her two young sons, a.k.a. my darling grandsons (She eventually had a third son — sweet — and her health has never been better — Hallelujah!) *
For my friend J. — may she pass her medical tests without too much pain and may the results show that all is well (All is well.) *
For my son S. — that he control his anger towards his annoying and sometimes violent neighbour (He controlled it like a pro considering how dramatic and stressful the situation became; said neighbour has since moved.) *
For M.’s sister — may she be cured of cancer (Unfortunately, she died — you can’t win ‘em all ) x
FINAL SCORE:
23 *
2 x
That night, it was encouraging to see
how far I had come in the last 4 years.
I felt so proud and elated, so excited for
the new year about to start and for how
prolific and fantastic it would be.
If I’m walking on the street and I see or hear a crow and there’s no one in sight, I caw. It’s annoying to have to restrain myself from cawing just because there are people around.
The book we’re working with is Gail McMeekin’s 
) x
