The Cosmic Justice of Adversity

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I was opening a bottle of malbec and reflecting how it came to be I’m able to use a sommelier’s corkscrew to open a bottle of wine.

The man who first taught me to use a corkscrew told me since I wasn’t strong enough he’d show me a different way.

He taught my mom and I at the same time.

This man – a doctor – explained since women didn’t have the upper arm strength to use a sommelier’s corkscrew without risk of injury we should put the bottle between our ankles and use a specific type of corkscrew.

No no no

The man I married apparently had a different opinion as evidenced by his teaching me to use a Christmas gift he received when we lived in the San Francisco Bay Area.

A sommelier’s set.

I remember him holding up a corkscrew I’d seen wait staff using.

Including women.

I’d always admired their quick dexterity, lamenting I didn’t have the strength to do so without injuring my … wrist?  Arm?  Rotator Cuff?

Or so I was told.

Aaron held up the other contraption while promising there was a better way.  When I explained the why of which I used the other he set a wine bottle on the counter and said “Watch.  I’ll let you do it but I’ll show you what you’re going to do.”

Under his patient guidance I succeeded the first time.

Years later I’m using that wonderful gift and feeling – not smug – just good.

As I was pouring it through an aerator I thought back to a similar situation.

Where adversity threw an opportunity in my direction.

As Fate Would Have It

It was a wild set of coincidences that led me to working at DEC.  A novice who needed to prove myself it came to be the senior TCs told me to clean out “the closet.”

In exchange for helping me become a Technical Consultant.

It was filled helter-skelter floor to ceiling with old VMS manuals

As well as bits and pieces of God only knew what in terms of computer parts.

I spent an entire weekend on a ladder organizing that room.

Method To The Madness

My tech mentor showed up “unexpectedly” to help me.

He spent four hours on a Saturday advising which manuals were worth keeping and which had truly outlived their usefulness.

He told me not to get rid of one piece of hardware.

I Might Use It Someday

Uh-huh where have I heard that before?

The other TC’s came in Monday beaming and suggesting I might be worth investing their mentoring in after all.

If…

Blackmail is Such an Ugly Word

They more or less collectively pointed to the pile of bits and pieces and told me if I could get the 8088 to load an OS they would agree to train me to be a consultant.

Unforseen Consequences

Not everyone was on board with promoting an administrative to the “elite.”

I was given a tiny cubicle so close to the back door it wouldn’t take much for me and my bits and pieces to go careening – helter-skelter – down the stairwell.

Less than three feet as it happens.

Who Was That Masked Man?

Aka Cosmic Justice

One Friday afternoon I was testing apps on this tiny little computer I put together.

I literally had to build the 8088 from parts and these were long past the days of an 11/780.

We’re talking MicroVAX era.

A gentleman popped his head over the cube wall and asked where everybody was.  I smiled and said “Oh it’s Friday.  They don’t come back from lunch unless there’s a proposal due Monday.  Then they work all weekend, often staying to 3 in the morning and coming back at 6 or 7 til it’s done.”

I told him I was always there helping out – which was 100% truth.

He pointed to the antiquated piece of equipment and asked, “What are you doing?”

I explained “Oh this is an 8088…”

He smiled and said “Yes, I know what it is.  It’s old.  Why is it on your desk? What are you doing?”

I explained the blackmail.

The “deal” negotiated by those making 2 – 3/x what I made.  

He smiled and we chatted for some time.  

I told him of the exciting OEM deals I was helping with and how I had just taken over managing the LAVC. 

Among other projects – having proven myself – I was working on.

I remember thinking he was a pleasant man but – being semi-customer facing and part of the region’s headquarter team – I was used to chatting with wonderful interesting people whose identity I didn’t know.

No Way!

The kind gentleman thanked me and went on his way.  A short time later a colleague I wasn’t aware was in his cube came rushing into my tiny piece of corporate real estate and gasped “Do you know who that was?!”

“Who?” I replied.

My apoplectic colleague hissed, “That was Uncle Ken!”

“Ken Olsen?” I replied my stomach dropping.

What had I said?

Though nothing was ever said directly the path to my aspirations was smoothed out.

The tiniest tiniest bit.

I will never forget that day.

The Take-Away?

You never know what Adversity is doing for you.

Even after a lifetime of it I don’t.

Walk the Talk

Manifesting 101: Wouldn’t it Be Cool?

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Happy New Year readers and visitors!  I hope 2025 brings joy and wonder.  

And good health!

Given many of us are thinking of what we want – or don’t – for the coming year I thought I’d share a holiday manifesting story.

On Christmas Eve I received a gift that included a hand-written note providing special information about each piece that was part of the gift.  Unfortunately in my haste to clean up wrapping paper the note was lost.  When I couldn’t find it I assumed it was accidentally thrown away.

I felt very bad as the gift giver made a point to tell me the note provided unique details about each piece.

Over the next days as I took my morning walk I considered the lost paper with no small regret.

I felt guilty I hadn’t slowed down to look at the paper when the gift giver mentioned it.

I did something else.  I visualized the paper in my mind and thought how cool it would be if it somehow turned up somewhere.  

As in maybe it didn’t get thrown out with the trash!

When I returned from my walks I would check various places thinking it might have wound up under a piece of furniture or in some other out of the way place.

No luck.

I continued to visualize the paper while I walked and casually thought how cool it would be if it turned up.

Randomly.  

I’d like to point out I did not consider what I was doing a manifestation attempt.

It wasn’t done with intent.

A few days ago I decided instead of taking down the Christmas tree I would go to the garage and break down boxes.

Which Aaron and I would take to the recycle center later this week.  

Normally I do this type of activity with Aaron but he was on a work call so I waded into the cardboard on my own.

Along with bubble wrap and styrofoam peanuts.

I was about 2/3 through sorting recycle from trash – organizing it for further disposal when I reached into a small box and pulled out the mesh bag that had held the gift.  Setting it aside – it too had gone missing – I thought “Wouldn’t it be cool if I found that paper in some box?”  

Drum Roll

I reached into the same box seconds later and withdrew the paper I thought lost!

What makes this pretty cool from the Manifesting 101 side

  • Though I was unhappy about losing the paper I didn’t do the visualization with the intent to find it.

It was one of a number of thoughts that went through my mind while walking on a chilly morning.

  • The Wouldn’t it be Cool? was not a heart-rending level of emotion tied to it all.

In spite of my disappointment at losing the paper.

  • Something told me to break down the cardboard boxes rather than take down the Christmas tree in spite of knowing I’d be doing it myself.

It’s an activity Aaron and I enjoy doing together.

  • If Aaron had been helping me chances are the paper would have been tossed into a recycle bag and lost for good.

I didn’t tell anyone I’d lost the paper so Aaron wouldn’t have known to keep an eye out for it.

Wouldn’t It Be Nice?

I want to circle back to what I feel is an important point when it comes to manifesting.

Pun intended.

The concept of releasing/letting go of attachment to an outcome is considered an important step in manifesting.  It’s also one of the steps I’ve had the biggest challenge with.

How the heck can you not feel emotion about something you want?

Some part of me must have been working in the background over the years to give me the key to this step because I’ve come to see that whenever I’ve manifested something it went with the following

Wouldn’t It Be Cool?

Or Wouldn’t It Be Nice?

I don’t know if this will work for others but for me when I feel that phrase?  The emotion attached is pretty low level.

Caveat

This isn’t to say it means I don’t care if I get it or not or that I’m not prepared to accept what goes along with having it.  It’s just that I recognize my life won’t be ruined if it doesn’t happen.

I had a plan B – to talk with the individual who designed the piece so I could get the information.

Knowing this, I can frame future efforts in such a way as to lower emotional noise that would interfere with its coming to be.

The Science in the Fiction

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I’m thrilled to announce a project months in the making.

Visitors will note a new link on my front page.

Above Choose a Path.

This takes visitors to a page with a number of scientific principles found throughout my novels.  Clicking on each principle will take readers to the story behind how it wound up in my work.

This project – that I’m very proud of – gives readers a glimpse into me as the author.

An author who draws from imagination, education, and experience.

Enjoy!

Feng Shui – Chicken or the Egg

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This is a piece about using Feng Shui to help and reflect where you are in life.

While I’ve been the beneficiary of feng shui since first implementing it after reading Terah Kathryn Collins’ book The Western Guide to Feng Shui Room by Room in the winter of 1996 I recently got one of the most important lessons.

One I’ve never encountered before.

I wanted to share because I think it’s an important perspective.

One that may prepare people for how the end result manifests.

It All Began…

Some two years ago this December I began a rather significant decluttering.

The biggest impacts were my home office and the garage.

It so happened that a good friend’s daughters were going to college and had rented a small apartment to share.

They needed a few things.

To my delight I was able to donate pretty much my entire home office along with some things from the garage to the cause.

Uh-oh

Less than a month later I hit a wall.

Complete burnout.

Two months after that I found myself in the ER.

Related to said burnout.

My ability to write was gone so completely I honestly didn’t think I would ever write again.

I did not connect this to donating my home office soup to nuts.

Turn Turn Turn

Purge Purge Purge

Over the next months as I continued to purge I found more and more of my life falling into chaos.

It sucked.

Those familiar with feng shui won’t be surprised.

It sucked.

It was easy enough for me to see the correlation and what got me through was understanding why my life was devolving into ever more chaos.

It sucked.

At the same time I was walking miles a day.  

Miles in which I did a tremendous amount of introspection.  

Slowly surely I put my health back together.

Next Stop?  Level Out.

No more clearing!

Focusing on restoring my health and well-being meant I wasn’t bothering with any other feng shui tweaks.  It wasn’t a conscious decision so much as my attention was focused on restoring my health.

And other obligations such as career and family.

Insight Gained.

Round Two.

I recently decided it was time to tackle a few frustrating energy spots in my home.

One of which I’d been trying for years to fix.

My approach is to try to determine the feel of what’s missing.

Put a name to the feeling.

I then think of a color scheme associated with the feeling.

For instance pink might say romance whereas for me red says power and energy.  Zing. Purple does not mean royalty though some associate it thusly.

I then look at what is in the area that has the opposite message.

What is pulling this energy away or blocking it from coming in?

I may take something from one energy area and move it to another.

It may pull or block in one but be perfect in another.

Analyze the feeling.

This was perhaps the most important lesson I learned.  As I sat working on an upcoming writing project I was semi-distracted by a feeling.

Where’d Everybody Go?

With my attention no longer focused on restoring my health and well-being I became aware that a lot of the items I was used to seeing – used to feeling – were gone.

The great clearing project of 2023!

As I pondered the feelings from the big empty I was reminded of the joke that we get rid of stuff then buy a bigger house so we can get more stuff – the idea being that we get rid of stuff – see the big empty – and fix it.

By getting more stuff!

I consciously resisted getting anything.

For months.

Even as I felt heightened awareness that there was an awful lot of space available.

For more stuff!

Aha!

Because I resisted the urge to fill those spaces with stuff – stayed focused on my upcoming writing project – I was able to determine the next step.

Grounding.

Imagine that you have a space that was being filled by stuff and taking some from – the middle.  Why the middle?  

I’m illustrating a point.

Depending on various factors the items to the top left and right would move in such a way as to fill in that space – using something natural.

Like gravity.

And like with gravity it all falls into place.

Organize! 

Having cleared I had areas of space whereas other areas had items in a jumble.

i.e. candles I have for when we lose power and/or decorate with for various holidays.

As I set about redistributing and organizing I came to realize the benefit.  I was grounding energy that had been akimbo since the great clearing!

I’d gone around for months feeling something was off but not knowing how to put a name to it.

As I’m putting the finishing touches on this stage of the tweaks I see that understanding the correlation between feng shui action and reaction isn’t enough.  It’s critical to stop and evaluate before trying to fix what isn’t – truthfully – broken.

It wasn’t fun living through the chaos but in giving myself space to go through it I came to see what next steps needed to happen.

Who We Are.

I also came to see the importance of doing clearing when we are going through major life changes.  This actually circles back to the advice from feng shui practitioners.  Specifically, not holding on to items that have negative associations.  But…

It was too vague.

For me at least.

I understood the idea that holding on to things that no longer serve us can cause issues including keeping us locked in an old version of ourselves.

Mentally and emotionally.

I now see that clearing has to happen to allow for inner transformation.

It creates a physical space that is mirrored within us.

As William Bridges explains in his book Transitions** the change may start at the end – not the beginning.

Having clutter – even if it wasn’t underfoot – was clogging up inner space.

Space needed for inner transformations I didn’t even know had to happen in order for me to level up.

The No Plan Plan.

My advice is to sit with any feng shui work and not have a knee-jerk reaction if the results don’t appear to be positive.  That chaos?  It was a blessing in disguise.  That’s because the chaos that ensued after clearing items no longer needed or used had a benefial effect within.

As above so below.

The shifting and organizing was also mirrored.

In my thoughts and feelings which became calmer and more organized.

I gained a better grasp of projects that are important to me as well as which ones needed to be reallocated or delegated to someone else.

Potentially helping them whereas it would only burden me.

I also created healthy boundaries.

A project long overdue.

I felt it a lesson worth sharing.

Knowledge is power. Experience is power to share.

Be well!

**A great read.

Manifesting 101: Pursue Your Dream and the Universe Responds

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Though I’ve been passionate about walking for decades** I’d gotten away from it after a move left me in a place where it was it was a challenge.

Not to mention I was working on publishing the Metatron’s Army and Dragon Core series.

Life Intervenes

Thanks to Covid and biting off more than I could chew in terms of writing and consulting I hit a giant brick wall.

And wall thy name is Burnout.

When this hilarity landed me in the ER I knew I needed to get back to basics.

Live what I write about – a holistic healthy approach to life.

Those first steps out the door in the middle of a Pacific Northwest Rainy Season were tough.

I would come home soaked through.

Not a Choice

I knew from experience that walking is therapeutic on an incredible scale.

For body mind and spirit.

I also knew if I was going to recover I had to keep at it.

Regardless of the weather.

I’d done it before.

Walked in snow and freezing rain and sleet in Michigan while working in a high-stress industry.

Hold Your Head Up

2 miles turned into 6 turned into 8

Every day 7 days a week

I found myself feeling better.

Slowly but surely.

Um – Have You Noticed?

Not really no.  

Too  busy watching my feet as I put them one in front of the other.

I would come home from the morning walk and kick off shoes soaked through, peel off soaked socks and do what I could to warm up.

I was so sick at that point I couldn’t handle coffee.

When I pushed myself out the door for the midday walk those dry socks became wet as I put on shoes still damp from the earlier walk.

And head out in the rain with an umbrella woefully inadequate for the task of a PNW Rainy Season.

Turn Turn Turn

Eventually the seasons changed.

I made a vow that by the time PNW Rainy Season came back around the following year I would be prepared.**

I began to see the same faces day after day.

A number of them told me seeing me slog through the inclement weather inspired them to start walking.***

I introduced myself to them.

So we could do more than smile and say Good Morning/Afternoon

A Fun and Funny Thing Happened

Weeks of putting one foot in front of the other turned into months and Good Morning/Afternoon turned into small talk that evolved.

I came to see that I’d attracted like-minded souls because I’d pursued something incredibly important to me.

Health in mind body and spirit.

Not The First Time

While out walking recently considering how I’d attracted such wonderful souls into my life I realized it wasn’t the first time.  Decades earlier while working for a Fortune 500 company going down in flames I found myself hitting the pavement of Kensington and/or Maybury.

It started with random conversations with colleagues during which we would discuss our plans for after work – usually working on one proposal or another – and/or the weekend.

Conversations during which a number of us said we would be walking at one of the local parks.

Within a short time those of us of like-mindedness were agreeing to meet to walk together.

No Geek Fest

These were never b*tch sessions.  

We were all so done with the stress and chaos of a career that ever seemed like we were Wylie Coyote to the Discrete Manufacturing Road Runner life.

Start Slow and Go From There

Great philosophy for manifesting dreams.

It started where we would talk about what we were doing after we were done with the walk.

Some talked about going out with their spouse or going to a sports game of their kids.  Some of us talked about our hobbies.  Mine was writing – had a dream of doing it full-time – learned some of my colleagues were on the same path.  One colleague played in a band.  Another entered marathons.

As trust between us grew we began sharing life philosophies.

And talking about dreams we wanted to achieve.

We offered advice to help each other realize those dreams.

We Liked Each Other!

Yeah But

We may have come to trust and like each other but walking 8 miles and discussing the meaning of life was a far cry from spending 80 plus hours a week in a cubicle.

We went to the mat against each other if necessary but once we were one with Mother Nature?  The gloves came off.

The Take Away?

Ah yes – corporate speak.

When you pursue what you love you will attract like-minded souls who can help you on your path to manifesting your goals.

** I invested in waterproof shoes and other gear that will get me through this year.

Aaron gave me an aawesome new umbrella for Christmas.

*** I discovered walking as a wonderful way to strengthen after being paralyzed by a brain bleed when I was 10.

Nine months after the incident that caused it – falling off a diving board – I walked 26 miles to raise money for Muscular Dystrophy.

Walking story from Nashville…

Link to Jamf Nation User Conference

Knowing: The 4th Component

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I’ve written that my work is drawn from imagination experience and education.  In an upcoming project I explore how a 4th component – Knowing – has influenced my writing.

Fiction and Nonfiction both.

Fiction

I share how decades of following the trail of something I couldn’t prove was ultimately validated years after publishing fiction works with the themes and information.

Included are stories of how conversations with various experts in the field played into my research efforts.

Nonfiction

“I know something’s wrong.”

I elaborate on how this solid belief allowed me to continue to dig for answers in the face of apparent evidence to the contrary.

And how doing so was ultimately the right course of action.

Never Give Up.

Never Give In.

I share how falling back on knowing helped through some of the toughest challenges.

And ultimately led to success.

Details to Follow…

Note: As I searched through my library of images for this post I was taken aback by how they beautifully illustrated my evolution as a writer.

A pictorial walk down memory lane.

Validating.

The perfect example of better late than never.

Be well!

More Career News

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I’m pleased to share I’ve been invited to promote Port In A Storm on shepherd.com.  

Where it is like wandering the aisles of your favorite bookstore.

A light-hearted paranormal romance it’s showcased along with some of my favorite reads.  

Scroll down to see my book.

I had a lot of fun with this light-hearted paranormal romance including and especially scouting a setting for the story.

For more of my work visit elizabethmaxim.com.

Author Notes: Funny Experience

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Note:  Will be short and sweet

I draw from education, imagination, and experience when creating.  As I was working on a scene from Messenger of the Gods I remembered an experience that had me shaking my head.

It’s pretty funny I think.

The Scene.

Mine not the book.

A tech consultant for a Fortune 500 Company I was in Corvallis, OR for a business trip.

Training.

I joined a group of classmates interested in checking out the very cool college town for lunch. 

There were about ten of us.

We found a cool place.

Few things create mealtime agreement as quickly as pizza.

We hadn’t been sitting long when a group of college students walked in.

Scoping the place out.

Our table was near the door so we were the first customers they saw.  

We Can’t Eat Here!

Someone in the group of young adult males said “Aw we can’t eat here.  This is an old person’s place!”

Who US?

Startled by the implication we erupted in laughter.

To give perspective I was 29 years old and being carded regularly.

What -?

What brought on this fun memory?  I have a series character – Seattle vice detective Lug/Lucas Drake.

Who when it comes to beer likes reds.

Aesop’s Cove is in Seattle so wanted to source a PNW beer.

I use various beers from throughout the country in my Dragon Core books.

For this scene I used Mosaic Red from Oregon Trail Brewery.

Located in Corvallis, OR.

Cheers!

New Book Excerpt: Messenger of the Gods

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I am proud to share an excerpt from the first project in over a year

Thank you Covid induced burnout.

Messenger of the Gods

Excerpt

Warehouse Square Seattle

Rowan Cahill came up the stairs to see her neighbor fiddling with a set of keys while struggling to hang onto a paper bag overstuffed with cans and boxes.

“Here let me help with that.”  Setting her portfolio down she stepped forward and reached for the bag.

In more pain than he wanted to admit Jake McLachlan waved off the offer barely managing to avoid dropping his keys as he did so.

“Don’t be silly,” she replied and tried to get a better grip on the bag.

“Really,” he insisted, “I got this.”

“Stubborn pride.”

The words proved prophetic as a bottom weakened by heavy cans ripped sending cans rolling away from the doorway and boxes dropping in front of it.

Jake watched in irritation as several cans and other items rolled down the stairs and his keys disappeared beneath a pile of boxes.  With a sigh of the aggrieved he bent over intending to get the keys only to crack heads with his would-be Samaritan who was also reaching for them.

Rowan stumbled and would have fallen had her neighbor not reached out to steady her.  Unfortunately he overbalanced and ended up going head-first into the wall behind her.

Seeing stars from hitting his head twice in succession Jake blindly slapped at whoever was trying to – what he didn’t know.  What he did know was instincts honed by centuries of defending against one foe or another had him hitting out with more force than he would have had he been thinking clearly.  Blinding pain made that an impossibility.

All the air went out of Rowan’s lungs as her chest made hard contact with knees.  A cry of agony snapped her out of panic brought on by having the wind knocked out of her.

“Oh my God, do you need an ambulance?” she gasped scrambling to get off her would-be knight.  She felt awful that in trying to keep her from falling he was hurt.

“Would you please -?”

“Do you need an ambulance?” she repeated.

“I do not need an ambulance!” he snarled.

“At least let me get you some ice.”  Grateful to be breathing easy she dug for keys she saw disappear beneath a box of rigatoni and hurried to get the one that looked like it was a house key into the lock.

Jake considered how lucky the pretty red-head dashing into his home without his permission was that the throbbing in his leg kept him from being able to shout.  Before he could decide on next actions she was back with a dish towel he recognized.

“Where does it hurt?”

When her handsome neighbor closed his eyes and shook his head Rowan looked down hoping to get an idea.  Zeroing in on his right thigh she brushed his hand away and placed the dish towel filled with ice.  “I feel terrible.”

Jake supposed he should be grateful burning pain was robbing him of speech.  It kept him from admitting she had nothing to feel terrible about.  If he’d accepted her help at the outset none of this would have happened.  “Who are you?” he managed.

It took a minute for the words to process but Rowan looked into eyes of grey.  “I’m your new neighbor.”

Jake couldn’t help but laugh.  “I know that.  What’s your name?”

“How did you know?”

“What?”

She hoped keeping the guy talking would keep his mind off the pain.

“How did you know I was your new neighbor?”  She didn’t think he could know given she moved in while he was out of town – a different neighbor shared that tidbit – and she had been ever since.  Until getting in at midnight the night before that is.

“You have to be otherwise you couldn’t have gotten in.”  Not because of any key but because protective wards had been cast over the entirety of Warehouse Square, an area where four turn of the century warehouses wrapped around a beautiful small patch of lawn the city called a park.  For tax purposes of course.

“Oh, well I suppose that’s true.  How’s the ice?  Is it helping? Not too cold?”

“It’s fine.”

“Good,” she said then zipped down the stairs to retrieve cans and other goods strewn about.

“What are you doing?”

Jet-lagged more than she’d admit Rowan shot a derisive look over her shoulder.  “You’re kidding, right?”  Without another word she disappeared inside.

Not about to let a perfect stranger no matter how pretty put her energy in his kitchen Jake grit his teeth against the pain and pushed up the wall before hobbling into his loft.

Clare’s loft.

The thought came from nowhere, sent him staggering.

“You are not okay,” Rowan snapped and grabbing the closest chair tried to force her good-looking neighbor into it.

“I’m not a bairn damn it!” Jake howled after again cracking heads with his neighbor.

“For the love of God you prideful man sit your ass in that chair and be thankful someone cares about you!”

The throbbing in his thigh did the talking and Jake was soon watching his neighbor open cupboard after cupboard as she put his groceries away.  He could have told her where things should go but she was right he was being prideful.  May as well revel in it while he could because as the gods were his witness his damn chivalry was bound to rear its ugly head sooner or later.