Multi-Tasking.....Ouch!

I have come to a realization this past week. Why it has taken me so long to get here is a mystery, now that I am aware.
Multi-Tasking is dangerous to your Health!
How very busy all of our lives seem to be. I am always working on a "Self Imposed to Do List".
I was intent on staying In the Moment, Focused and Calm as well as multi-task at almost every given Moment.
As I felt the knot in in my stomach or the heart palpitation, I would stop for a brief second and re-focus myself....Calm, Breathe Meditate. Then right back to "Business at Hand".
The need this past week for an ultrasound (Abdomen) and feeling under the weather for the past three weeks gave me pause to look at how I was responding to the things presented to me on a moment to moment basis.
Through that observance, I have discovered that Multi-Tasking is the thing that definitely needs to go.
My life went like this....I am at work but part of me is elsewhere. I am at home and while doing one task I am thinking of the others or worse yet, doing three or four at the same time. I am out, supposedly to relax, and I am thinking of what is waiting for me to finish at home or at work.
I started to feel as if everything is being accomplished in fragments and quite truthfully, I was finding no Joy in anything that I was doing.
Yes, I did stay above water with my daily Meditations and spending time "In it, But Not of It". But it really was starting to feel VERY MUCH NOT RIGHT.
Then during one of my meditation sessions it became very clear to me. My Intent is to Honor and Bless each Moment. Multi-tasking is not congruent with this intent.
To Honor each Moment, I must be Present in it. Whether it be doing a load of laundry or meeting with a client. Clear and present in each Moment means Honoring the Action of the Moment and giving it the time it needs to be complete.
I knew this! I have always known this. Why did I forget? I realize that part of my forgetfulness is also a result of multi-tasking.
Where are my car keys?
Why did I walk into the kitchen?
What happened to the pair of shoes I wore yesterday?
Did I return that phone call?
Why is the milk under the sink and the dish soap in the refrigerator?
I am not losing it. I am not sick. (All the tests came back normal) I was afflicted with an ailment called "Multi-tasking". But no more.
My intent is to not only Honor the Moment, but to Honor the Action in that Moment and allow that action to receive my full Blessing....One action at a time.
My head feels clearer and my heart feels lighter already!

Customer No Service

Just How Bad Can Customer Service Get?

I had the strangest experience today.
My little Acer Computer was in need of repair. The fan had become quite noisy. It is still under warranty, so I sent it to the repair facility in Texas a few weeks ago. All went well and this past Tuesday I received an e-mail from the company stating that my computer was repaired and on its way back to me.
As promised, it was delivered early this evening by Fed Ex. I received two boxes instead of one, but both were in my name and address so I signed for them, took them indoors and promptly opened them. To my surprise, each box held an Acer Computer. So sitting in front of me now were two identical computers.
The first thought I had was that possibly my computer was not repairable so the company had returned it and replaced it with a new one. As I opened the computers to view them I quickly saw that each computer had a letter inserted into it describing the repair and addressed to the owner.
One computer was mine; the other belongs to a man in Tennessee
I located the customer service 800 # and called the company to tell them of the error.
The first person that I spoke to is a technician.He could not seem to comprehend what I was telling him. He asked over and over again, “Lady, you sent in one and we sent you two?”
Although I confirmed this as ”Yes,That is Correct” over and over, I got no information from him as to how we could fix this error , so I asked for a customer service rep. He tells me, “We only have one department here and this is it”. He then puts me on hold for 5 minutes. When he returns to the phone he asks again, ”Are you sure you received two?”
“YES I AM SURE ,I AM LOOKING RIGHT AT THEM.” I am now getting a wee bit testy. I did not know that my good deed would cause this much exasperation and I have had a long week and I am hungry and need a glass of wine and this idiot thinks that I am Joking!
“Hold on” he states again and there I am back on hold for 5 more minutes. When he returns, he asks me to read him the serial # on the computer not owned by me. Having already packed it back up ( I was expecting a quick phone call, a Fed Ex call tag and pick up and not a one hour project)I proceed to unwrap and open the box for thr second time. I read him the serial #. Back on hold again……10 minutes this time.
A different person comes back on the line this time. A young man, who seemed to have all the experience of a 19 or 20 year old. He is upset. Seems that the seriousness of the situation is apparent now that they have most definitly cross referenced the serial # and they now know that I am in possession of a computer that is not mine. But most importantly, they realize that they shipped it to me and someone, somewhere is waiting for their computer to be returned as promised.
So the young man has a sense of frantic in his voice and now he is proceeding to tell me what I have to do to solve his problem.
I have to pack up the computer, drive seven miles to a Fed Ex Office (he will provide me with the address) Pay to have it shipped back and I will be reimbursed as soon as they receive it.
I am speechless….. But only for a split second. Then the wrath of “You put me through all of this for the past 45 minutes” became words sternly and loudly spoken back into the phone.
I say to him
“ I am not driving seven miles to drop off something that you sent me by mistake, Schedule a pick up at my home and send Fed Ex to me with a call tag”.
“I cannot do that “ he states “YOU will need to drive it there. They are open until 9PM”.
“I DON’T THINK YOU GET IT”, I shout”I RECEIVED AN EXTRA COMPUTER,DELIVERED TO ME,IN MY NAME,AND AS A PERSON WITH INTEGRITY,I CALLED YOU IMMEDIATELY SO THAT YOU COULD RETRIEVE IT AND GET IT TO IT’S PROPER OWNER. YOU WILL NEED TO SEND A CALL TAG, BECAUSE THAT’S AS FAR AS I GO IN CORRECTING YOUR ERROR.I HAVE NO INTEREST OR TIME TO DRIVE TO A FED EX CENTER.I AM A BUSY PERSON AND I KNOW THAT SENDING FED EX TO ME WITH A CALL TAG IS A SIMPLE PROCESS FOR YOU TO DO. MY COMPANY DOES IT ALL THE TIME.
“Lady”, he says, I will get that computer back one of two ways. You will either do as I say and drive to a Fed Ex center or I will call the police and have you arrested and they will return it to us.”
I could not believe what I had just heard. I thought that he was young and probably inexperienced, but sending the police. “Did I hear you correctly?” I ask. You are threatening to send the police if I don’t drive to a Fed Ex Center with your mistake?”“Oh Please! Send the police! “ I say as I hang up on him. I am now having a fit of laughter.
So, the second Acer Computer is still in my possession. If it is not picked up in 7 days I’ll put it on Ebay! Any Bidders?
Oh, and by the way.If you hear that I am in jail for refusing to work for the Acer Company for free....Give me a few days to catch up on my sleep and then bail me out!

An Unwilling Participant

I believe that I have been an unwilling participant in an experiment to catalog the undesirable affects of Sun deprivation on human beings.
This experiment has been going on since late March and it looks as if it will continue for at least the next few weeks.
To date, the most commonly noted side affects to this experiment have been
· Paleness of the skin
· Frizzy and unruly hair
· A constant need for stimulating drinks
· The desire to nod off at the most inopportune times..like during a conversation.
· The strong desire to jump back into my bed as I make it up each morning.
· A slight, but annoying pain in my lower back.
· Yawning as soon as I sit down
· A “creak” in my neck when I turn it from side to side.
· Forgetfulness…Especially if it requires movement
· A nagging cough
· Craving sweet treats
· The need to shield my eyes from light bulbs over 60 watts
· Depression, knowing that as each sunless day slides by, winter is one day closer.
· Reduction in the quality of sleep
· Irritability , especially when I think that it is already June 15
· Inability to complete tasks that have more than 2 steps
· Decreased creativity, my vocabulary is suffering the most.
· Loss of interest….in anything that involves getting off of the couch after 6PM
I am considering a complete and total boycott of this experiment.
I am thinking about a week in the Bahamas. I know it isn’t the best time for travel in that part of the world, what with hurricane season and all. But I am willing to take my chances.

Expedia.com

Here I come!

Whispers in the Night

Whispers in the Night

It happened again last night, just as I was about to fall asleep. A voice, Plain as Day and very loudly, said something to me. I awoke with a start. It had only spoken three words. But the quickly I could not remember what the words were. I lifted my head from the pillow and looked around the bedroom. I half expected to see someone standing there but of course there was no one.
I laid my head down again and tried very hard to remember the three words that I had heard. I could not.
My husband and I both hear music playing late at night on some nights. He will say to me
, “Do you hear that?”And I will verify that I hear it also. He will describe the rhythm or beat and I will confirm. I guess if we had neighbors nearby this would not be so unusual. But we do not. And when the music plays, it seems to come out of our heat and A.C. vents.
Oh, and did I mention the doorbell? It is the doorbell on the side of our home that has a life of its own. It is a wireless doorbell. Battery Operated. We have changed to a new model twice now in an effort to stop the anonymous ringing. But it continues anyway. The funny thing is….all three door bells that we have chosen have had one chime option only. Yet when it chimes anonymously it has an entirely different melody! Strange but true.
We have now accepted the anonymous ringing of the doorbell. In fact, it has been happening so many years now that when we hear the anonymous melody we do not even attempt to answer the door. Friends and family have accepted it as well. If we are in their company when this happens we all laugh and remark, ”The ghost is here again”.
And then of course there are the lamps. We have had one or two turn on without assistance on a number of occasions.
Now I know what you are thinking! Faulty wiring??
Well we have had that checked although the house is only 12 years old. All is well. And remember , the doorbell is wireless.

So, I am quite accustomed to strange things happening. They seem to follow me where ever I am. It has been that way since I was a child.
My best recollection is of my dog “Penny”
A little black terrier that I loved very much. Penny was the family pet. But she was very attached to me. She would sleep with me, all curled up in the nook that my knees made as I slept on my side.
She was just tall enough to walk under a lawn chair and tickle your backside! In those days our lawn chairs were webbed nylon material on an aluminum frame. We would sit on our front porch and Penny would go underneath, back and forth, tickling us and making us giggle like crazy. It was a game that we played over and over on many a summer evening.
Funny thing is….Penny continued to do this and sleep in my bed for many years after her death.
I did not find this odd. I really just considered it normal. So I guess that is why I can hear loud voices speak to me at night and I don’t jump out of my skin.
As I understand more and more about Quantum Physics, I am beginning to grasp some knowledge in the flow of energy. After all it is all energy. We just recognize it in a way that is familiar to us.

I responded to the energy last night. I sent a thought of my willingness to listen if it wanted to try again. It did not respond. I guess I should have been paying more attention the first time!
Oh well, there will be other opportunities.
And of course the doorbell is a weekly reminder.

All That I Know

All That I Am

I Am in this Moment

No more, No Less

Simply what I AM

Floating Away

Moment floats like

A glorious bubble

On a spring day

Made full from pure breathe

Of a child at play

Breathe contains Seeds

Of All that May Be

Pregnant Potential

Transparent inside

Creating Me

Saturday, February 28, 2009
Put me in water and I get inspired to write!

Strong Intuition has always been a big part of my life. Even as a very young tot, I remember “knowing” and sensing many things in my surroundings and interactions with others. I could “play” my mother to the 10th degree!....
But somehow I knew she possessed the same skills and was interacting with me in the “game”.....
I have almost always followed my intuition. Even when my left brain sent out warning signals. Some would say that was not always a good plan.....
I even, at times, thought it may not be the best choice. But in retrospect, I now see that my life up to this very moment has been “Perfect”.....
Perfect is the new word that my grandson uses all the time. When I ask him if his food is good, he replies “Mommom, it is Perfect!” When I ask him if he likes his toy. He has the same reply. He is living in the world of perfect. I love it. ....
Last Wednesday evening, he described everyone that he knows by a color. He told me that I was yellow, his mommy was red, his daddy was blue, his G-Mom was green and he was Purple! I asked him how he knew and he said, “ I know it when I look at you.” Interesting?....
Well, Yellow is good as far I am concerned. Yellow is Light. I am LightRae.....
It works.....
Back to intuition….It has taken me down the most glorious paths. It has always provided the answers that I needed. It has provided the lessons to become who I am today. Who I am today is an awesome person. Full of and overflowing with Love. So connected to the Power that Be that I am living in a state of constant gratitude.....
But even so, I can feel the struggles of those around me. ....
What can I share? ....
How can I help? ....
Maybe nothing and maybe not at all.
But I am strongly compelled to write this blog. So I am following my intuition.
....
Quiet your heart, soul, and mind Dear One’s.
Everything that you need is within you.
Do not look for the answers “Out There”. ....
Be Clear on What you desire.....
Send it to your Soul as an Intention. ....
Keep that intention in your Mind.
It is your brain and you control it.
If you do not think that you have control over your brain and thoughts,
then I ask you...
Who or what does?...
Think of your intention before you make any chooses about any situation.....
Are the chooses that you are making bringing you closer to your intention or driving you further away from it’s creation in the physical world?....
Then Watch the Universe in all of its magnificent glory conspire to speed you to your intention!....
It is that simple.....
We, as human beings, make it hard.....
You are not controlled by your past.
You are being beckoned by your future.
What does your future look like to you?

Form that wonderful picture in your mind.Then go to it. Lightspeed.
....
Did you read this blog and feel it was meant for you?....
Maybe it was.
It is the Universe Calling.....

Stopping to smell the roses

I never wrote a blog from my Blackberry before but here goes it now. I am babysitting my grandson,who is happily watching Max + Ruby on T.V.I have been so busy lately. I have been working longer hours and spending most of my weekends catching up on all of the other things that seem to always need to get done. Seasons have a way of silently slipping away...Summer already gone. It was quick, that's for certain. I realized today that the close of 2008 is right around the corner. That's when I took a deep breath and told myself to slow down and look around. The glory of the season of Now is right here and I am rushing through it. Where am I going so fast?I am hearing myself say, I will do this or that when I have more time for myself. I don't want to get caught up in that trap again. All any of us really have is Now. So...I am taking some time to look around. Some time to feel the vibrant colors of the season touch my soul. Some time to sleep an extra 15 minutes.have a second cup of coffee,smell the roses. Fill myself up first so that I have something of myself to give with Love.

Aug. 2008