Raani Writes 'n Rocks

Work over vacation achievement pending.

The plan was to meditate every day, do writing practice daily and use the Maths Practice Problems for Dummies book daily. 

Not a thing done! 

The things on the list  that were finished?

I did journal a bit, cancelled a loyalty program and changed my medical insurance. 

I washed the car and dusted and cleaned inside - vacummed and wiped down surfaces. The car is spotless. 

I bought a genuine battery for my Blackberry, now to get a genuine charger (old one stolen) because @BlackberryHelp on Twitter says that it needs a genuine charger to work correctly. Phooey. 

I have started using The Four Agreements again. So far, so ok. 

Lessee how the rest of the year goes. 

 

Own photos

Last year, that's 2014 y'all, I put up a picture that I'd taken in India. 

 

This year, I'm doing the same with a picture of the Taj Mahal from that tour in 2013. 

New year Twain quote and Once a week?

1 January 2015.  1 January 2015.  1 January 2015. 1 January 2015.  1 January 2015.

 

If I didn't prime myself like this I'd mess up a lot of things writing last year's date.  

Happy New Year y'all. 

Let me try blogging weekly and see how it goes? 

 

This is from Twsinquotes.com

 

New Year's Day--Now is the accepted time to make your regular annual good resolutions. Next week you can begin paving hell with them as usual. Yesterday, everybody smoked his last cigar, took his last drink, and swore his last oath. Today, we are a pious and exemplary community. Thirty days from now, we shall have cast our reformation to the winds and gone to cutting our ancient shortcomings considerably shorter than ever. We shall also reflect pleasantly upon how we did the same old thing last year about this time. However, go in, community. New Year's is a harmless annual institution, of no particular use to anybody save as a scapegoat for promiscuous drunks, and friendly calls, and humbug resolutions, and we wish you to enjoy it with a looseness suited to the greatness of the occasion.

 

246 It is NAVARATRI time!!!!!!

Navaratri. I truly absolutely LOVE this time of year. It is my favourite event besides Diwali. It is worship of the feminine divine and it is a timely reminder of my value as more than a woman. 

I worry about uploading stuff due to copyright. Best to do is for you to search for videos of Navaratri celebrations in Gujarat. Most Hindu states and language groups celebrate, but Gujarati people take it to the highest level. They don't just observe dry fast/abstain from salt fast - most Gujaratis are ovo-vegetarian anyway, so abstaining from meat is not even a consideration, it is a way of life. 

They also perform beautiful prayer rituals and finally they dance in Garba and Dandiya Ras which is the most colourful, joyous, endorphin-creating experience I've had. Just watching mesmerises me. If I particiapte, I'm not all that successful as I am learning by watching. It will take a lot more practice for my skill to catch up with my enthusiasm. 

I'm actually not a very prayerful/pious person - I'm all about Kevin Smith's Dogma - have an idea of faith. Practice what works for you. I firmly believe that doing the right thing as much as you can, will bring you your just reward no matter what religion you practice. Firm practice and inssitence on one path is not a guarantee of achieving enlightenment or salvation or whatever else you need.

Joyous practice on the other hand is something very special. These aspects bring us, no, bring ME in touch with my Higher Self and that is something that I'm immensely grateful to have. I need to be taken out of my own head and smell roses, coffee and dance. 

 

 

250 Rhododendrons

Krissie (over on Refab) didn't quite ask about it, but I had to check! So I posted this on 23.09.14. 

 

Aren’t rhododendrons (galaxy tablet predictive spelling help) also called azaleas? *Hurries away to check with Swami Googleananda. Ooh, learn something new. Rhododendron with the capital R is a genus under which all azaleas fall. Lower case rhododendron is a subset of the genus and is not an azalea! 

 

251 Seriously, I'm catching up with my work.

9 days later. 

i'm still sick. And I'm so angry!  I'm angry that I'm taking forever to recover.  I'm angry that my supervisor is sure that I was malingering.  I'm angry that the unpaid leave that I took for a special conference had to be turned into sick leave and I MISSED THE CONFERENCE.  Well, two days of it. Trust me , if I could've crawled into the conference I would have. 

Bright side? I worked my behind off all weekend and finished all reports. And today it was heritage day public holiday so I made sure that all my records are up to date. Only thing now is to go in early to work and do the one marksheet I left behind accidentally. Oy. But this I can do. With enough cough syrup, I should be able to do anything! FYI - it's the non alcohol one. 

I truly am working on trying to control my mind.  Mind says, "play, re-read your fave Tamora Pierce, you're sick. Your supervisor is a tick on a rabid camel's ass. Go do what you love. You deserve it."

I say, "NO! I will not be held hostage by your pity-partying ways, I will do every single bit of work that it is possible for me to finish at home." And I did!

260 Three days in bed.

I got hit by a pretty nasty upper respiratory tract infection. That's the doctor's diagnosis, fyi. 

 

I spent three days in bed and then 2 of them after chasing my tail catching up. I'm still a little behind, but I don't care.  I'm waaaay ahead of where I thought I'd be even three days ago. I have to remind myself that it is the end of Monday. Exactly this time last week I couldn't speak for coughing. 

I posted this on REfab, "Stop letting other people thwart me. They can be dicks, I must just rise above their inherent stupidness.

I’m trying to do some deep work, figuring out if I’m passive aggressive and am I projecting or is it others. Since I’m actually doing the work, it seems like bit of both. However, since I’m frank and upfront about issues and I *don’t* use my additional knowledge to undermine others it looks like I just engage in the behaviour when pushed beyond any limit I set. This doesn’t happen often. So I need to learn to communicate better and not accept bullying because it is easier to just cave.

 

When I cave, I get angry. And then I get resetnlful because I don't express my anger. Communication is the key. 

 

Turns out I''ll probably be ok. It's just going to take time and energy management. 

270 Henna by a pro

My henna was done by the best person for me today. Turns out the lady is from India. I got to practice my basic Hindi with a true Indian. This is joy and gratitude.

271 Fatigue. It's not pretty like henna.

I'm chasing sleep and fatigue in weird cycles. I sleep well one night, then I work like a madman and stay up late and then mess my body up. This can't go on. Must set routine for me. 

 

On Tuesday I spoke to my fave beauty lady about getting henna done. It's her sideline. She's busy but not working as her workplace is being renovated. She's managing but not beautifying folks. She said, she'll "make a plan." Didn't hear from her and was crazy busy meself yesterday so I sent a message today. And she can't. GRRRR. My previous advice to her was "Underpromise and over deliver." With this reno, she's gonna lose clients no matter what. Instead of keeping them on tenterhooks waiting for opening day, let them go. She can get them back with specials and enticements later on. 

 

I'm a little pissed she put me on the "keep on tenterhooks list". Not for a bestie's wedding, which I've been warning her about for months. It's bad business. I'm getting over it. MAybe I should get some sleep. It'll help. 

 

Tomorrow I get henna (mendi, mehndhi, mehndi, mendhi???) done. Please Goddess that they don't charge an arm and a leg just to do the backs of my hands and a bit on my feet. 

Tired of words

I can't write today. I spent two nights crafting the best letter I could in an effort to gain support for a child with emotional difficulties. Please Goddess that it works.