Lady Victoria Eclectic Pagan's blog: "Dear Friends..."

I just wanted to thank my friends that stopped by while I was stuck in limbo “Tech Hell” and out of touch for a while. My hubby and I were sharing one comp till we could get a new battery supply for his and unfortunately wound up with a nasty Trojan we did not want to share with anyone so I have been spending the last 2 weeks wracking my brains on taking care of this issue and had resorted to installing a new hard drive, salvaging what I could from my old drives (8 of them each over 150 GB) , installing Windows and all the drivers, and programs I had to only encounter inability to connect to the internet because I could not find the ISP’s installation disk and finally got a tech out to fix the problem today. Please be patient with me as I attempt in vain to catch up with everyone that I missed and hoping all are well and keeping warm. Miss ya and will be in touch real soon! {{{Hugs}}}

It seems every year as the days grow shorter and the nights so long and dark everyone is getting stressed or acting odd or not in their usual manner. Some of the reason is simply the sunlight is a stimulant of endorphins in our brains that keep our moods on an even keel. As the darkness grows many of us actually change our personality because those endorphins are at a low from not enough sunlight. If you are acting in an abnormal manner or have a loved one who is not quite themselves maybe trying or suggesting some of these known remedies can transform you/them back to the real person you know and love so well. Getting out into the sunlight as much as possible during the day or keeping window shades open and allowing as much sunlight to come into the home/office/ workplace as possible. Being in bright lit rooms after dark can help. There are personal head lamps made to beam the light into the eyes. These can be a big help in many cases. Those who celebrate by gift giving to all the friends, family and each and every person they know from the boss to the postal carrier and pizza delivery person and/or Having a big Holiday extravaganzas as well as many functions to attend to make it a perfect Xmas It is budget busting, time consuming and nerve wracking to say the least. The commercialism of buy-buy-buy, spend-spend-spend, give-give-give the biggest the best the most the coolest has gotten people whipped into a frenzy, deep in debt, burning the candle at both ends to get everything done for a perfect Xmas. Who benefits the most from all the chaos, craziness and meanness? The money grubbing owners of all the companies who've got the products that are the HOT item of the year. Then there are those of us who have to deal with the temporarily insane folk who dominate the stores (or phones) and the roads giving not a thought or a rude one accompanied by a not nice gesture or word to the other people who are around them. Stress making us jumpy, cranky and just plain exhausted. As the vicious cycle continues the stress levels grow stronger and we end up taking out our frustrations on our loved ones or growing anxious and depressed falling into the endless loop of Holiday depression and jeer. I might say another thing lately is the crap with the PC greeting! Bitching because someone says Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays, Joyous Tidings, Seasons Greetings, Happy Hanukkah or Blessed Yule is so wrong. If anyone voices a considerate greeting in any manner to me I say thank-you and the same to you. It seems to me if that stranger cares enough to express a kind thought in the manner they are most familiar with then a simple kindness of thank-you is required even if the word is not the same I would use at that particular time. A sneeze gets a "Bless-you" from all around and the sneezer most always says thank-you. Hmm, do we wonder why this is less offensive than wishing someone a Happy, Joyous, Merry, Blessed whatever? When I called across the parking "Happy Holidays" to my friend as she left for her vacation I was rudely told by a total stranger "It’s Merry Christmas. Remember the reason for the season." After a 45 minute (we will call it) "discussion" with said stranger he apologized and as he left he said "Blessed Yule" to which I replied "Thank you Merry Christmas to you." We both left with smiles and he with somewhat different opinion of a PC-NOT greeting! When we have dealt with the world of commercial craziness of phony holiday greed and demands our words have the tendency to take on the same tones with which we have been battered and our deeds begin to become less joyous, more guarded or imitating that which with we have been badgered. Before we give a word or deed of undeserved grief to a loved one or a stranger in our stressed anxious time stop and calm our selves with some of the focusing and centering grounding techniques we employ. Get that negative energy out and take in the energies we need to stay on the path of love and light through the dark days. They will be over soon and light will rule again on our earth and in our life and hearts. The Blessed Light of the PaganSun/XtianSon or any other spiritual path is for all and the love given with generous word and deed can and will come back in many ways. Blessings Abound! Victoria

Greetings & Salutations! Well, I just got home from another road trip – this one to Georgia where my hubby has been working the last 2 weeks on another dig site. What can I say, still honeymooners and can’t be apart that long without withdrawals. *smiles* This past Thursday, I turned 42 and had a very quiet day. No phone calls, no visitors – just me and the critters. It was oddly nice but made me realize that I need to get out and socialize again. The one saving grace was all the love shown to me by my dear friends on Fubar and I can’t thank you enough. I left a bit disappointed but upon my return seeing all the comments and reading my messages put me in better spirits. I should have realized that everyone has lives too and I was just feeling a bit down and selfish. I realized after the fact that people work and get a chance over the weekend and time off to spend it sharing their lives with me as well in different ways. {{{Hugs}}} It was a wonderful weekend, complete with no cooking, cleaning and domestic Goddess duties, in a lovely area exploring new things. The Little Ocmulgee State Park was a lovely place to explore nature’s bounty and beauty and we also took a trip up to Macon to see the Ocmulgee National Monument & Indian Mounds. Even found a local place to quench a thirst and meet some people and played pool after going to see The Golden Compass! We packed a lot into a little time, but it’s quality, not quantity of life and it’s great to be able to explore and enjoy life in love! Driving for 5 hours each way gives a person time to think (as well as sing along shamelessly to tunes on the radio and cd’s). Unfortunately watching speed limits in GA is not my forte and yup, this lead foot mamma got caught in a speed trap just 2.5 miles from the state line doing 74 in a 55 mph zone. Dammit! I missed one of their speed traps and got caught. I thought it was still a 65 mph zone and had the cruise control set for 74 thinking that a 10 mph leeway would be suffice. I was wrong and just wanted to warn everyone that this is the season for giving… tickets that is and just be careful when out and about. I know I was in the wrong and for my own good can even understand the officer’s reason for ticketing me. He felt obliged to inform me about the wildlife and deer in the area and would have hated to have to call the medics to scrape me or some poor animal off the road and cause an accident. I took heed and did the right thing, the speed limit the rest of the trip but could not help but wonder about all the other vehicles and the drivers out there that may not be so lucky as they sped by me. I’m talking about USPS mail trucks, multi-vehicle transports, moving and delivery trucks, oil tankers, SUV’s with the kids bouncing in the back, cars zipping and whizzing by with their glowing OnStar screens and vehicles with DVD’s playing with only the driver in it, others with laptop screens and cell phones vying for their attention and the lane changers that fail to use directional signals. Never mind quite a number of drivers that just could not seem to stay in their lane no matter how hard they tried just zooming past and not one law enforcement officer out there making sure that they too had the “gift” I received. Was I singled out? What exactly was the purpose for me being singled out along this 325 mile trip? Am I truly a lucky one instead of every other driver out on I-95 this evening? How many people do we know that have been in an accident that changed their lives? Was this a sign? Or was this just another act that made me conform to a system that is not foolproof and imposes rules and regulations as another money making, financial endeavor suppressing their free will? I guess I’ll have to ponder this event more and see what happens in the long run. Again, thanks to all who showed that I mean something to them and as far as those who didn’t, oh well, life goes on! Peace, love and joy!

A little note to apologize for my absence to all my dear friends... I have missed all dearly and just wanted to let you all know that you are thought of daily. My hubby was home since last Friday thanks to the threat of Noel and just left this morning for his last week on his dig at Corkscrew. During this time, I have been trying everything I can with lawyers, advice, and trying to keep true to karmic possibilities as probate, contesting of wills and Samhain have taken up much of my time at home. Packing up boxes, making donations to charities and dealing with the after effects of losing loved ones has been a time consuming as well as painful process for me and to top it off, I get a visit from a State Agency with an anonymous claim from somewhere out of the blue that I had neglected and abused my would have been mother-in-law. Thank Goddess Eugene was home when this unexpected visit came because I almost lost it. I had spent the last 3 years of my life dedicated to taking care of the woman who gave me a wonderful gift of love with her and her son only to have her daughter belittle, berate, degrade and bash me and my good intentions to keep her mother safe and happy in her twilight years. Greed is the motive of this baby boomer that thinks the world owes her everything and I am deeply hurt by the woman who called me sister. Thanks to this womans efforts, State Guardians got into the picture and every week we had a visitor from the office at random times and nothing of the sort was ever inclined as to my treating her poorly in any fashion, and the respite care worker who came to the house always had nothing but nice things to say as to the care and attention I provided to someone I called "mom" even though she was not blood related and I was not married into the family - I was treated as such till they expired. I have been busy obtaining witness testimonies, trying to find an attorney who would work with me to no avail as State Statutes are against me at every twist and turn. My "sister-in-law" won't even pick up the phone to answer my calls and is being a real pain dealing only with attorneys. I am at such a loss and very angry so not very good at the moment being a friend. My German/Irish/Indian temper is flaring and I suffered a bad asthma attack Samhain morning and my health is at risk. I have been taking a time out to care for myself because I have so much to live for. I have love in my heart, a very dear man - my husband as well as our 4 dogs and 2 cats to share my life with. No matter what material and monetary objects she tries to take from me, I am far richer having love and friends who understand that I am a human being with feelings and not the rock I portray helping everyone else. My world as I know it is changing and I will lose my home so I have to roll with it, but by the Gods/Goddesses I will not be taken advantage of or taken for granted. I have some fight left in me to at least get out of it what I put into it. All I ask is that you are patient with me while I get through this difficult time and know you are in my heart, mind and spirit always. In Love and Light, V

Well, I did it... and if you can read this, then you have made the cut. I am tired of all the "dead wood" and decided to go on a delete spree. Mind you, some friends I just can't part with even though they are rarely on here but when they are, it brings a smile to both of us. Time is a valuable resource that is not renewable - and I am a straight shooter and point it all out in the "About Me" section on my profile. Those that actually take the time to read it and still send a friend request deserve a fair chance. Those that can't or don't bother, are truly not worth my time and effort into trying to extend the olive branch of friendship. For all those dear people that have made the transitions here worth staying, I thank you for being true to yourself. For you have made my time here worth while and I hope that in some small way - our friendship has benefited us both and shall continue to do so. For anyone else that does not have the time, I understand and accept your decisions for your actions as well as inactions. I have the love of my life and responsibilities to tend to outside the box - we all have things to do, and I choose to surround myself with real people that not only call me their friend, but show it as well. Actions do speak louder than words, but it's the words of friends from many different places that brings this world a little closer together in peace, love and joy! Brightest Blessings One and All! Namaste!

Every thing's gone wrong today. No one reacts to anything you say. No matter how much you scream and cry, The world seems to be passing you by. No one seems to notice or care, That you're trying to be heard over your despair. But on one face a smile shines through, A smile that knows and cares about you. A smile with love to lend On a face you recognize as a friend.

Sorry all... just having one of those days and not my usual self... after all, I am human. A note of thanks to my friends who help me as much as I try to help everyone. I guess it's time to really figure out who matters and what does not.

When You Meet A Friend To meet a friend is to open a book there is no need to rush take your time read the pages one by one let the plot unfold as it will each page adds a nuance, a gesture, a word, a scene what will happen next you need to know your lips begin to move you suddenly realize you've become one of the characters in an enthralling life story you can not help yourself the heroine's dreams have become your dreams your lives have become completely intertwined then suddenly you realize with a deep sense of dread you're coming to the end of that wonderful volume but wait do not fear see over there -- stacked up on those shelves -- an infinite number of books by the very same author waiting, ready more stories to be read when you meet a friend…

1: Life does not work through indecision. Indecision promotes blocks, confusion and stress. Make a decision and allow life to find movement through you. Trust yourself. 2: The 3 C's of life are Courage, Capacity and Commitment. It takes Courage and a commitment to make many of life's decisions, and capacity to follow them through. The 3 C's of a successful relationship are Caring, Consideration and Communication. Communication opens the door between us, consideration allows us to pass through it and our ability to care for each other unites us. 3: Truth is not truth out of timing- yet it remains truth. We are the timing to recognize truth. 4: The mind recoils from the unknown, so we seek to make everything known, and, thus sage. Imagination is the key to the unknown- positive, uplifting imagination. 5: For as long as we search for Our God/dess Self, we deny that we are it. Loving your self reveals your truth. 6: Becoming free is not changing yourself into someone you think you should be. Becoming free is falling in love with who you are- right now. 7: Imagine a room of pitch dark and a room of bright light connected by a door. When you open the door what happens? Light floods into the dark room, illuminating it. Live accordingly, think thoughts of light. 8: F.E.A.R- False Evidence Appearing Real 9: Anything of the past that is unresolved is unresolved now. Living NOW resolves the past. 10: Life flows from the inside out, never the reverse. Understand this and you cease to be a victim. 11: Love responds- fear reacts. Love connects- fear separates. Love uplifts- fear deflates. Love creates- fear destroys. 12: There is no such thing as a mistake- only experience. There is no such thing as failure- only people's condemnation. There is no such thing as success- only people's approval. Let life live through you. 13: Do not get caught up in modifying your life, allow life to change YOU. Modification is a superficial exterior veneer, change is an inner shift in consciousness. 14: Pain is a measure of your resistance to change. 15: Decide whether you want to be an onlooker of life or a participant. This is the birthplace of choice. 16: You hear with your ears- but you listen with your mind. You look with your eyes- but you see from the heart. 17: Consciousness is not contained in your body- you are the consciousness that contains the body. Consciousness draws to itself form through which to express 18: Your mind cannot exist in the moment. You cannot think your way into the moment, you can only think your way out of it. This indicates that your mind/intellect cannot set you free. Only your consciousness is aware of NOW. True freedom is a state of consciousness. 19: We each live in our own universe, a universe of our making. It is designed to support our beliefs and our focus. Our thoughts are our focus, so observe your thoughts, focus on your blessings, and trust. This is how you become a participant. 20: Practice seeing all life around you as an aspect of yourself. In this way you shatter the illusion of separation. 21: Your mind does now know the difference between what you do want or what you don't want, it only knows what you focus on. Many people focus on what they don't have, what they are incapable of doing and their sicknesses. 22: If you focus on what you do have, it increases. If you focus on what you don't have, you will have even less. If you focus on your capabilities, they grow, if you focus on your health, it improves. 23: Your mind does not know the difference between a powerfully imagined reality and a physical happening reality. Why? Because there is no difference. 24: You only have a problem if you believe you have a problem. 25: Live these principles and you will be practicing reality. Practice reality until you overcome the illusion. It is only an illusion that you are not free, now!

One day a man saw an old lady, stranded on the side of the road, but even in the dim light of day, he could see she needed help. So he pulled up in front of her Mercedes and got out. His Pontiac was still sputtering when he approached her. Even with the smile on his face, she was worried. No one had stopped to help for the last hour or so. Was he going to hurt her? He didn't look safe; he looked poor and hungry. He could see that she was frightened, standing out there in the cold. He knew how she felt. It was that chill which only fear can put in you. He said, "I'm here to help you, ma'am. Why don't you wait in the car where it's warm? By the way, my name is Bryan Anderson." Well, all she had was a flat tire, but for an old lady, that was bad enough. Bryan crawled under the car looking for a place to put the jack, skinning his knuckles a time or two. Soon he was able to change the tire. But he had to get dirty and his hands hurt. As he was tightening up the lug nuts, she rolled down the window and began to talk to him. She told him that she was from St. Louis and was only just passing through. She couldn't thank him enough for coming to her aid. Bryan just smiled as he closed her trunk. The lady asked how much she owed him. Any amount would have been all right with her. She already imagined all the awful things that could have happened had he not stopped. Bryan never thought twice about being paid. This was not a job to him. This was helping someone in need, and Goddess knows there were plenty, who had given him a hand in the past. He had lived his whole life that way, and it never occurred to him to act any other way. He told her that if she really wanted to pay him back, the next time she saw someone who needed help, she could give that person the assistance they needed, and Bryan added, "And think of me." He waited until she started her car and drove off. It had been a cold and depressing day, but he felt good as he headed for home, disappearing into the twilight. A few miles down the road the lady saw a small cafe. She went in to grab a bite to eat, and take the chill off before she made the last leg of her trip home. It was a dingy looking restaurant. Outside were two old gas pumps. The whole scene was unfamiliar to her. The waitress came over and brought a clean towel to wipe her wet hair. She had a sweet smile, one that even being on her feet for the whole day couldn't erase. The lady noticed the waitress was nearly eight months pregnant, but she never let the strain and aches change her attitude. The old lady wondered how someone who had so little could be so giving to a stranger. Then she remembered Bryan. After the lady finished her meal, she paid with a hundred dollar bill. The waitress quickly went to get change for her hundred dollar bill, but the old lady had slipped right out the door. She was gone by the time the waitress came back. The waitress wondered where the lady could be. Then she noticed something written on the napkin. There were tears in her eyes when she read what the lady wrote: "You don't owe me anything. I have been there too. Somebody once helped me out, the way I'm helping you. If you really want to pay me back, here is what you do: Do not let this chain of love end with you." Under the napkin were four more $100 bills. Well, there were tables to clear, sugar bowls to fill, and people to serve, but the waitress made it through another day. That night when she got home from work and climbed into bed, she was thinking about the money and what the lady had written. How could the lady have known how much she and her husband needed it? With the baby due next month, it was going to be hard.... She knew how worried her husband was, and as he lay sleeping next to her, she gave him a soft kiss and whispered soft and low, "Every thing's going to be all right. I love you, Bryan Anderson." There is an old saying "What goes around comes around." Today I share with you this story, and I'm asking you to pass it on. Let this light shine. Good friends are like stars....You don't always see them, but you know they are always there.
www.hostdrjack.com

Well, it’s been a busy week and I’ve been battling lightning storms daily. Living in Florida (the lightning capital of the world) can get pretty intense to say the least. I’m sorry it's been a while since I have been on CT but can't take the chance of blowing up the computers so been busy being a wife, caretaker, critter tender, mechanic and all around crafty busy body. I do miss ya’ll and as soon as the weather breaks and I don’t go through brown/black outs from the storms, I’ll be back with a vengeance! {{{Hugs}}} Wishing All Peace, Love, Joy and Beauty... Each & Every Day! In Love & Light, Lady Victoria