Miss Manners: Lessons Worth Learning

emax1 Comment

Sitting with a scented candle the cozy colors of autumn’s splendor visible through the window and thinking on recent interactions with a gentleman I would describe as having Old World Manners.  Doubtless I’m aging myself with that phrase but as I let my mind wander, couldn’t help but acknowledge with pride I raised my kids with those same manners.  Though it may seem an outdated and perhaps unnecessary skill for parents to teach, not doing so can cost kids success.

Because you never know.

The Dinner Setting

My paternal grandmother saw brilliance in the man she wanted to marry, a WW II Air Force Captain.  She enrolled in finishing school, went on to be the wife of a powerful CEO.  This woman taught me a wide range of skills –  how to entertain the 1% including how to set a place setting for a full-course European meal.  The irony?  I was living in poverty thanks to her son.  

When was I ever going to…?

Lessons Worth Learning

I once asked her, given my socio-economic realities – why waste time and energy?  Her answer?  

You Never Know When

My grandmother was investing on my behalf.  

Learn Well

I had good reason to listen to her advice even as I acknowledged she was a bit bats in the belfry.

The mansion behind their property literally had a belfry even as I went without food, clothes that fit… power shut off in winter due to lack of paying the bills.

But…

I had dreams.  

From the time I was 6 I talked of traveling the world and being something more though I kept those dreams a secret in my heart.

A lot of her persuasion revolved around painting a vision of a time I lifted myself out of poverty and these lessons would come in handy.

She should have been an actress.  She was brilliant painting a time when…

She made me believe.

12 Years Later

10 – 15 years younger than my tech peers I nonetheless helped secure a huge win that put my district on the global map.  As such I was included in the award – a weekend stay at a 5-star hotel and a stipend for a nice dinner.

I worked 80 hours a week several weeks in a row alongside peers on a customer opportunity that brought in hundreds of millions of dollars.

Single I reached out to a high school buddy to go with me.

His parents grilled me for over an hour on details.

Ah Details

I chose a nice steakhouse away from restaurants where I’d likely run into my colleagues.  To my surprise my buddy started asking if his tie was crooked, if he’d placed the silverware correctly…

I assured him the wait staff had taken care of it.

It got to a point where he admitted he was terrified of shaming me at the upcoming award banquet.  

Needless to say I assured him there was nothing to worry about.

As the youngest recipient of the award I was equally nervous but I’d worked my tail off.

Doing The Right Thing

I’ve raised my kids with Old World Manners not with the idea I’m trying to shape them into world leaders but because it’s the right thing to do.  Smiling?  Treating People with respect?  Wishing them a good day?  Lifting them up when they need a helping hand?  THESE are the pillars upon which decent society was built and in spite of what you may read on the web it’s the fabric that still exists.

Across the globe.

Pass the baton of good manners…

If you didn’t have the opportunity to learn at home there are plenty of books on etiquette so take advantage of your local library and dream your future.

Be Well

Gotta Love Synchronicity

emaxLeave a comment

When I made the decision to release an app and workbook filled with tools and strategies for dealing with Esoteric EM frequencies I decided to

  • Make it as light-hearted as I could even though the impacts are serious
  • Have a tester for each of the formats
  • Have an October 1 release so it will be out for Halloween

Within days of the release I attended a conference.  While having wine at the hotel one evening I chatted with the bartender – a fellow Midwesterner and hockey lover.  When I told him what I do – chatted a bit about the release of Destination Unknown: Explorations of the Paranormal he got excited so I asked if he wanted a business card.  He asked for another for a colleague because, “She’s into holistic.”

The next evening Aaron and I were in the area relaxing with wine when a woman working the bar approached, explained she was the colleague.  She said, “Can I ask you a question?  What is Esoteric?”  

When I explained she got tears in her eyes.  

She hadn’t had a name to explain what was happening to her, didn’t know it was “a thing.”  

When I shared the purpose of the material she started to cry.  I understood.

Having been brought to tears myself by my sensitivity to these frequencies.  

It’s what motivated me to find solutions.  

Driven to Tears

As I mention in a previous post I knew the time was now to release this information because multiple people – all of whom were aware of my abilities – shared they were so overwhelmed by their sensitivity to Esoteric frequencies they were driven to tears.

I hugged her and promised it was going to be okay.  I felt confident in that promise because as I detail in Riding the Waves: Diagnosing Treating and Living With EMF Sensitivity, half the battle is knowing what’s happening.  

Putting a name to it.

Later that evening we were at a large social gathering.  I looked to my left to see a gentleman watching the entertainment screen which was about three floors below us.  Intuition guided me to approach.  In the course of sharing why we were there I mentioned what I do and my latest project. His reply?  “I need this.”

He got a business card too.

Over and over I handed out cards to people overwhelmed by their sensitivity to Esoteric frequencies.  The best part?  Over and over I gave hope.

In closing I’ll share a fun article I came across this morning and share a story.  

When we lived in the Bay Area we looked at a house in Lafayette.  When I was touring the 2nd floor I stepped into a bedroom and immediately knew someone had died there.

Knowing intuitively is clairsentience.

It was not good energy.

I shared it with Aaron along with the fact I felt evil – a word I rarely use – as we stood on the front lawn while listening to the real estate agent explain the bus stop for school was across the street.

When the agent came to our home to discuss an offer she told us

  • The owner’s son died – in the room I told Aaron about – from a protracted illness.
  • There was a convicted sex offender renting the house next door.

We walked away

Esoteric frequencies are serious business.

A helpful haunt? Spike explains why he’s at peace with a ghost in his home

From There to Here: The Journey

emaxLeave a comment

The journey to pursue my dream of being a writer is nothing like I envisioned when I left corporate in 2003.

3 months after being awarded a doctorate in holistic health.

I certainly never thought I’d come face to face with EMF Sensitivity which sent my vision on a serious detour.

From fiction writing.

While I’m the proud author of a number of fiction works nonfiction continues to take a significant place in my work and my life.

I have a passion for drawing on knowledge and experience to help others.

And then there’s the apps. 

Though I spent decades in tech with programming experience in multiple languages it had been years since I’d done any programming.  

Aaron to the Rescue!

My husband who supported my dreams from when I shared them on our first date and who’s been my partner in the madness of leaving safety to follow a dream offered to write the code if I gave him the content and the intent.

I’m proud of my work as all of it has been created with a passion for helping others.

Fiction is a wonderful way to explore a world you never knew existed and to take your mind off your troubles.

I can add that I’m hard at work on Podcast 4: Dealing with stressful and toxic environments holistically.

New EMF App

emaxLeave a comment

I am so excited to announce the availability of Destination Unknown: Explorations of the Paranormal, an EMF project years in the making.

Why so Long?

Experience made me aware of the negative impacts of Sensitivity to Esoteric EM frequencies but I struggled to find a way to do justice to the subject.  

Under the umbrella of my work on EMF Sensitivity.

A Project of the Heart

It was after talking with someone severely affected by these frequencies I knew I had to figure it out.

It was heartbreaking to hear him cry as he recounted experiences that were turning his life upside-down.

I asked him to give me time to organize my thoughts and get tools and strategies into a format I could share with him.

Interest 

It came as no surprise when soon after making the decision to take on this challenge I began running into people expressing interest in the subject matter. Obviously, the Universe was listening.

A good thing as I was feeling quite anxious about the project.

Need

More striking is the number of people who reached out to me in the months after I made the choice, seeking help for dealing with the toll these frequencies were taking on them.  

What makes this so striking is none of them were aware of the project.

I will be following up personally with them in the days to come.

Formats

The information is available as an app and as a workbook.

I hope you enjoy the fruits of a labor of love.  Be sure to listen to the message at the bottom of the page.

Manifesting 101: Irony and Angels

emax2 Comments

To say it’s been an interesting morning is an understatement.  

It all started last night.

The Irony

Aaron and I were winding the week down and chatting in the living room.  I told him how the Pilates and Hollow Holds were definitely making a difference strengthening my core muscles and how all the walking I’ve done the past 2 years has improved my balance and coordination.

Important after falling off a diving board and having a brain bleed at 10 left me paralyzed on the left side and balance challenged.

We decided to do pizza for dinner.  As he was coming in from the garage a half hour later I got up and ran to the kitchen to meet him and the pizza.

And slipped on the kitchen floor.  Yeah real coordinated.

I reflexively put out my left hand – behind me – taking the brunt of the fall on my left forearm.  Because it didn’t hurt too badly I decided to sleep on it and see how it was in the morning.  It wasn’t worse in terms of pain but it was pretty swollen so I decided to have it checked out.

Rats

My left forearm is broken.

More Irony and then Angels

Before they let me go the doctor asked me to remove my wedding and engagent rings when I got home. 

She worried if there was swelling it might interfere with circulation to my fingers.

I explained that might be a problem.  I’ve recently begun taking creatine so a bit of fluid retention.  I told her I would try a bit of soap to try to slide them off.  She was very concerned and asked that if that didn’t work I go to the fire department because they have tricks for getting rings off swollen fingers.  Promising I would I went to the pharmacy I normally go to to have a prescription filled.

They were closed and there was no sign displaying when they would be open.

There are 3 pharmacies within close distance so I went to a different one.

They weren’t going to be open til 10am which was 20 minutes later.

Angels

I decided to treat myself to Starbucks.  I’d just taken a bite of a croissant when a group walked in.  I looked up to see from their shirts they were firemen!

Even with all the synchronicities I’ve experiened throughout my life I was amazed.

Thank you universe!

I approached one of them and explained the situation, asked if he could help me out.  He smiled said he wanted to talk to his partner and asked if I’d heard of the dental floss trick for getting a ring off swollen fingers.

Nope.

They checked their gear – no floss.

They also tried a lubricant – no dice.

I went to the 3rd pharmacy to get dental floss while they waited at the seating area outside Starbucks.

A Rite-Aid.

Having recently declared bankruptcy the shelves were bare.  No dental floss.

Back to the original store which is a grocery with a pharmacy inside.

Comedy of Errors

I ended up in line behind two people with completely full shopping carts, with one of the two buying several pumpkins and gourds, all of which had to be weighed.  Me?  Only the dental floss.

I’m no good with self checkout.  It truly is comical.

Picturing the firemen waiting while I’m gone longer than a walk across the parking lot should have taken wasn’t as stress free as it might have been.

As a good friend points out from time to time Pat (patience) and I don’t necessarily get on well.

They were great – amazed the pharmacy across the parking lot didn’t have floss – and set to work getting the rings off.

During which I related the series of events that led to us being in the right place at the right time.

Success!

After a morning of adventure I’m home typing this story.  Still amazed I’m also grateful the nuns forced me to be right-handed when I was born  a southpaw.

Have an awesome day!

Be well

Dreams Take Decades

emaxLeave a comment

Just released an upcoming app to a beta tester** – listening to tunes to chill.

Separate Ways by Journey.

Glanced over to see the cover of a Metatron’s Army series notebook.

I was 16 when this series born of interesting creative life circumstances appeared in my mind’s eye.

The visual download was overwhelming.

The universe.  I drew it in pencil on typing paper I stuck to my bedroom wall.

Using toothpaste because we were renting and tape would pull paint off.  We’d be ding’d by the landlord.

Fast forward decades to publishing a story that lived in my soul for over 3 decades.  I decided having a visual cue would help so turned to a member of my team.

Um.

He proceded to tell me everything wrong with my drawing.

The “star” was too close to certain planets and the aspect ratio of the system was way off.

We had a discussion during which I listened and respected his expertise even as my heart pounded off my chest.  

I was in the process of releasing a story to the world no words could do justice to.

The Expert.

It was evident he wanted a happy customer.

I had to accept he had a handle on this I didn’t.

I told him to do as he saw fit.

That Notebook?

When I first saw it?  I got tears in my eyes. My chest felt tight.  

He somehow managed to design an image that filled a gaping hole in my soul.

Never stop believing in your dreams.

They never stop believing in you.

** App is for those dealing with Esoteric EMFs.

Responsibility: Who’s Is It?

emaxLeave a comment

Listening to Rag N Bone Man’s Skin

Powerful lyrics

My mind drifted to the people we believe we have responsibility to.

And how we ended up with these beliefs since we weren’t born with them.

Functional Dysfunction

Having lived the definition of growing up in a dysfunctional family it’s probably no shocker I might have an interesting definition if not perspective of who is responsible for who and what.

And how dysfunctiontals don’t miss an opportunity to put their responsibilities on others including and especially those too young and inexperienced and therefore totally unprepared to bear it.

Note:  The stories I share in my podcasts?  Trust me they’re stirring up memories that would be all too happy to stay dead and buried – but that wouldn’t help the world and those in it.

Nor would it honor those who gave me their trust and protection throughout the years.

Needless to say it’s taking a toll on me.

Choice

This isn’t the forum for going deep but I’m listening to this song and thinking of a man who made the choice to be a guiding light to someone; a man not much older who somehow surmised I’d missed out on a lot of important life lessons.  Dealing with life himself?  And adversity?  He stepped out of the rushing stream of life that was sweeping souls to the open ocean where … well you can imagine … to give me a fighting chance at survival.

He saw I was shark bait.

He risked his career and much more to be there for me not because he was born with a responsibility to me but because he chose to help someone take the next step.

As life would have it I’ve been gifted along the convoluted way to cross paths with people who likewise chose a responsibility to help me to the next step.

Including my beloved husband Aaron.

There are no words to express the depth of my gratitude to these souls but along the path of responsibility to my fellow man? I learned the importance and impact of something as simple as a smile or a hug.

And how it can transform someone’s life – like the lyrics of a song.

Be in the flow.

And enjoy the music of life.

Be well.

Life: 52 Pickup

emaxLeave a comment

Note:  This will be short and to the point.

Listening to More Than a Feeling by Boston.

Followed by Peace of Mind – another goodie.

About an hour ago I high-tailed it along my walk route to meet up with a couple who had a beloved doggie that got out.  I saw her a few mornings back and a mutual acquaintance put us in touch to let them know.

I met them at the location I saw her.

As Fate Would Have It…

Story of my Celtic life.

A young man taking a break from work chatted with me as I was going then coming.  Sitting here I was thinking of our convesation which led me to consider the ins and outs of life. A curiosity popped to mind.  

The Hand Life Deals You.

As in cards…

I hate this saying that was shoved in my face during my corporate years any time I expressed frustration.

By colleagues 10 – 15 years older though not necessarily wiser.

I suppose it’s a philosophical take on shit happens.

What They Missed.

Probably too busy trying to survive the same corporte morass.

Life doesn’t deal you a hand of cards like a poker game.  It tosses the damn deck and walks out without staying to watch you pick up the chaos.

Life happens.

Platitudes don’t.

We need to start giving ourselves credit where credit is due.

Be well 

The Voice Within

emaxLeave a comment

Was listening to the Voice by the Moody Blues when life smacked me upside with a message.

Believe it or not I missed the blinking neon traversing the universe.  Thankfully a good friend took the universal message – handed it to me so I could run with it.

Hey football season is upon us.  Perfect metaphor for a time that brings joy.

I grew up listening to this on 8-track tape with over the ear headphones.  And somehow in all those years I missed the message.

Or perhaps the message waited for me – for this day.

I’m writing content for the 3rd podcast in my Navigating the Holistic Path series.  

A central theme is the role of instinct in holistic caring for family. 

 Tired out from today’s work I decided to listen to tunes.  For some reason The Voice by the Moody Blues kept coming to mind so I downloaded it to a playlist I call LAStyle.

Playlist reflects an amazing beautiful incredibly creative period of my life as a teen of divorced parents living part-time in So Cal.

It was only away from today’s podcast work I was able to catch snatches of the lyrics.  I’ll admit originally when I heard “…calling you back to face the music…”  I thought the universe was taking me to task.  Then I heard “Understand the voice within…”  And “… trust your feelings it’s easy now.  Understand the Voice Within.”

Intuition.  Instinct.

Message received.

I’m grateful to my friend who mentioned this song to me recently.  

Look for magic everyday and you will find it.

Be well.