CrazyLemon

Today's your day to know. You can take that one off your to do list. Here's your new task... Show up and play your one note in the symphony with grace and a joyful spirit. Sound easy. It is. And. with all the free time from worry. Why not take a walk in the park and enjoy some fresh air. The universal symphony is being handled.

You may be skeptical of such a bold statement. But. I assure you. There's nothing like genius satire to strike at the core of divorce/breakup/separation depression. Now. that I've gotten that off my chest... here's two of my favorite - season 10 episodes... dog whisperer (I have subsequently fallen in love with Cesar Milan) bengay - south park saves the world

My little Christmas friend dropped off a note... a note of compassion. a note of service. The note was simple. it brought with it no instruction manual. no complex packaging. no batteries required. it was what it was. Love Everyone. Simple. Direct. To the point. I immediately thought. impossible... how could I love everyone... what about all the greedy people that espouse their singleminded nuttiness onto the rest of us. and what about all those people who judge others and don't practice a love unto others motto. What about all the people I don't like. How am I going to love them? How am I going to love all the people who are suffering, who are ill, who are diseased? blah, blah and blah... As I let my brain parade through all the ways I wouldn't be able to Love Everyone. It occurred to me (even without a manual) that I wasn't being asked to question the guidance. I was being asked to be in service. So. I stopped. I stopped and changed my perspective. Love Everyone. is t...

Any Christmas concert that starts with "Alright... NEW JERSEY!" is an instant classic in my book. This cut and video from a Twisted Sister concert around the holidays... reminds me of the first lines of a Pablo Narudo poem written near the end of his career looking back at his beginnings... "something ignited in my soul, fever or unremembered wings, and I went my own way deciphering that burning fire." The heart and soul only cares that you do it your way... Have a Happy Holiday and a New Year filled with going your own way! "Through the years we'll all be together... so have yourself a Merry Little Christmas. Now." Ho. Ho. Ho. Let's go.

"I can't believe you even tried it. It's a complete waste of time." Have you ever had one of those conversations where someone is adamantly telling you something you've just done isn't cool. They haven't done it themselves... But they are absolutely sure, without any doubt, and with adamant certainty, they wouldn't like it, it isn't cool, and there is no way they would ever do it. Not only that, they will vociferously defend their position of never opening themselves up to even trying it, to the nth degree. I mean come on... At least don't be so defensive about something you haven't experienced. I don't want to have to get all Buddha abstraction on you, but.... Wayne Dyer summed up a Buddha saying with... "There is a fundamental difference between knowing something and knowing about something.... Knowing is reserved for direct experience." So I say... Open up. or. Shut up.

I know I'm just being cranky about the perceived lack of any sense (or in touch-ness) with the people (in the democracy) that has surrounded our Commander in Chief and his sidekick Tonto.... But, after knowing everyone was safe and no one was hurt... Have to make note of the irony of a fire near the VP's office just before the holidays... it just seems interesting... 'nuf said. Fire near White House under control - The White House- msnbc.com

"Life is anyone's guess... It's a constant surprise" From the poignant song Fifty Percent in the Broadway show Ballroom with music by Billy Goldenberg and lyrics by Alan and Marilyn Bergman. Don't shut down the surprise. Allow it to unfold. Dorothy Loudon is no longer with us but thanks to You|Tube you can experience the emotion and feeling of a classic from one of her final performances at Carnegie Hall. Enjoy.

Expression Alert - "going bananas" is good thing. It's the super thumbs up on nature's finest fruit... Eating bananas pretty much helps every problem you may ever have. Here's a few... Depression survey says: People feel better after eating a banana. Why: Bananas contain tryptophan, a type of protein that the body converts into serotonin, known to make you relax, improve your mood and generally make you feel happier. PMS: (for The Ladies): Facts: Bananas contain B6 that regulates blood glucose levels. Upshot: regulating blood sugar saves you from the craving of M&M's and popcorn and moody times. Anemia: Fact: High in iron, bananas can stimulate the production of hemoglobin in the blood helping in cases of anemia. Blood Pressure: Being high in potassium low in salt the US Food and Drug Administration has just allowed the banana industry to make official claims that banana's reduce the risk of blood pressure and stroke. Constipation: High in fiber = no n...

Symbols are all around us. Never more obvious-ly than when we're least expecting them. Sitting in a meeting pouring out a bunch of Mel information. Which can be exhausting. (And. I'm in a position to know.) A tiny feather popped out from one of the down stuffed pillows that surrounded me. The timing in the conversation was fascinating. It's presence interesting. Certainly, I could let it go and discard the tiny feather... but, it made me curious. And curious Mel likes answers. Tucked safely in my Tree House contemplating the cosmos, I looked up the meaning of feathers.... "Dealing with ascension and spiritual evolution to a higher plane." I gotta say. That was deeper than I expected.... (oddly, it didn't end there...) As I was letting the feather concept settle. Something else happened. The interrelated universe had another message to deliver. No kidding you.... into my closed up, windows & doors shut, heat on, house... A Ladybug crawled across my desk... ...

Is there any realm that Doritos could be considered a fruit group? If so. I might need to move.

Warner Brothers isn't alone in needing a hug. Upon closer inspection it turns out the entire lineup of Christmas holiday releases are dark, down and depressing... not just I Am Legend. There Will Be Blood No Country For Old Men Sweeney Todd PS. I Love You And... the worst offender. Aliens Vs. Predator: Requiem or AVPR... opening on Christmas day with the tagline - there will be no peace on earth. Nice. and. Light.

What is it with people who feel the need to bring it down... Aren't things hard enough. Don't rain on my parade... If you do. No worries. I'll be in my happy place. (with Barbara) on the boat. So there.

"The truth once known has the power to set us free." Gore brought it. kickin' it tribal with the African proverb "If you want to go quickly, go alone, if you want to go far, go together." and tucked it in... "We need to go far. quickly." Inspiring a course of passion and purpose. Using intelligent terms and articulate tones... Bringing emotion back into action. "When there is no path, you must make the path as you walk." A path of Vision. Possibility. Diplomacy AND Politics. Take the steps.

Is anyone as tired as I am of the de-structive dismal view of the future the movies and media are portraying? It's Christmas time. And even if you're not into the fat man in red suit swinging into action. We're awash in the spirit of giving and community. Come on. Does somebody at Warner Bros. need a hug?

"But he loves me." Even when the words fell out of my mouth. I knew they belonged in some sad sack drama that no one even wants to produce anymore. How had I fallen into the vortex? How had I forgotten every piece of sense? As I asked the questions. I knew the answer. I had trained myself to accept what I was getting. Because I hoped somewhere, somehow it would make up for me not loving myself. Mistake corrected. I only look backwards now in my rear view mirror. Things are smaller than they appear. andiamo!

Not sure what happened on Saturday night. I was at the happiest place on earth... my friend's combo 30th birthday bash (plus ten) and holiday extravaganza... enjoying slices of roast beef with a delightful horse radish sauce and something happened... Somewhere between the piano man and the cross dressing man sisters singing Jingle Balls and Twinkle Twinkle Little Star… I got depressed. and couldn't shake it off. Happily. I went home early.

Everytime I hear someone use an expression that really doesn't jive with the facts... I feel a debate coming on. Just participated in the UN's International Volunteers Day at Warner Brothers with a screening of HOPE NOT LOST (a chronicle of Melissa Fitzgerald's Ugandan Humanitarian Efforts with the International Medical Corps ) and a heartfelt donation of time and money and energy to supporting the kids (and 13 year old Beau Bressler) build a school (global heart academy) in Northern Uganda with the Just Like My Child foundation . I showed up. I hung out. I brought the good times. AND without asking there I was kicking it on a beautiful So Cal day with a balsamic chicken breast, mack and cheese (and some kind of random corn) with a big diet coke, all thanks to the kind lovely woman organizing the event offering up a free lunch ticket. So I say. Go ahead. open yourself up to giving. Open yourself up to recieving. Enjoy the simple pleasures of turning any tired feeling, say...

I saw it laying on my doormat. a kraft cheese singles wrapper. just laying there. Like it had blown in from a 3 day bender. Yes. It was a piece of trash that got away. Yes. it was littering my walkway. Yes. It was irritating. But. my my. how intriguing. Was there a party of small excited Norweigans that having just arrived in America decided to embrace their new found freedom of expression with a celebratory Kraft Single ceremony... and as sometimes happens... let the wrapper fly in the face of that freedom? This discarded packaging at my door was an eye opener. I had to reflect. I was never excited about the cheese behind the wrapper. This special treatment didn't seem right to all the other fine cheeses. The Kraft cheese didn't deserve to play dress up. It had a weird taste. It even felt weird. With all that said, there's no sign of the Kraft singles fever going away - they have their own website - they have their own brand team - they have thousands of recipes and thousa...

Does Mr. Nike care about me.... Or my wallet. It's that time of the year. Crazy Christmas spending time. When common sense takes a leap out the window. where that impulse circuit is shorted and you find yourself being able to talk yourself into any purchase. To make matters more interesting. My inbox is littered with holiday invite parties. Not just from family, friends and work people... but from every store that I've been to in the past year. Check out this invite from Mr. Nike. I like how they put on the invitation "you and your friends." I mean Mr. Nike likes me, so it's cool to bring everyone I know down to the store. Mr. Nike knows he'd like them too. If it was just one or two places inviting me for a signature cocktail, complimentary appetizers, maybe I wouldn't be as scared as I am. But its every place I shop. Let me clue you in to a few things. I shop because I need things. I don't want to take Mr. Nike out to dinner and get to know him better...

There are few spirits that capture the imagination of the world with the sheer force of their unbridled love of fear. The christmas that I got my Evil Knievel action figure with the windup motorcycle action crank. I was in love. I watched Evil work his magic. I watched in anticipation. Wondering. If the crazy mo fo would make it over whatever mountain he decided to tackle. I only remember the victories. Not the crashes. We've taken a hit in the landscape of adventure.

Things aren't what they should be in the grand ole U.S. of A. and we sit quietly grumbling about how things are screwed and deciding between the lesser of evils. Enough. Check out the turn out in Caracas, Venezuala protesting the proposed changes to their constitution. That's some people saying. Hello. We've had it and we want you to know we're not going to take it. I don't want to go back to the telling words of Network's Howard Beale... 'I'M AS MAD AS HELL, AND I'M NOT GOING TO TAKE THIS ANYMORE!' but we have to get angry. we have to use that anger as an energy. Not to be destructive. Not to be hurtful. But an energy to create positive action. An energy to move in a direction that brings humanity to the surface. Don't stand by. Stand up!

The Assosciated Press reports that obesity rates have finally flattened. There are only 74 million Americans that are obese and battling with our culture's over consumption. I, for one, am encouraged. It may seem like a huge number. But. We have gotten ahold of ourselves. I think this is an indicator that we've become aware. We're starting to work together to make significant changes. So, for 2008, let's give the center for disease control a break and start getting excited about celery. Koala Love!

Thanksgiving is a tough holiday for a lot of people. Just after Halloween you can feel the creeping anxiety of the most 'family friendly' of holidays. Somewhere between the planning and the bird things go tense. I don't need to go into detail. It is absolutely something we've all felt. That knot in the pit of our stomach, that unresolved issue that needs to bare its ugly head and is just waiting for that first helping of stuffing to break free. Enough. 2007 Thanksgiving is behind us! woo. hoo. Sadly. some of us didn't make it through... I have to report on a couple of losses. -Kevin DuBrow, the lead singer of the heavy metal band Quiet Riot was found dead over the weekend. Quiet Riot banged it out in the 80's with "Cum on Feel the Noize." I can still remember jamming it out on the dance floor to that hit from the “Metal Health” album. apparently, "metal health" couldn't help bouy the mental health through the holiday heaviness. -Minority ...

Munchkins take Mann's Chinese In a long overdue ceremony -- we returned to the land of oz and gave the munchkins their due. Viva La Munckins!

Take me out to the ballgame doesn't mean what it used to. United States of America v. Barry Lamar Bonds. Talk of Hank Aaron's chase of Babe Ruth's all time homer record filled the summer of 1974. Our family went to a Philadelphia Phillies vs. Atlanta Braves game. Being Philadelphia, they decided not to pitch to Hank Aaron and walked him. They did not want to give him the opportunity to shatter the record in its stadium. I remember the red of the phillies against the sharp green of the grass.

Take today to give yourself a standing ovation. Each day has the magic of the moment Step into it And hear the roar.

THOUGHT SEED OF THE MONTH! Family has so many meanings. so many options. We can feel embraced by our families, we can feel oppressed by their actions. we can struggle with the feelings that these people who raised you. Who brought you into the world are not the ones you go to for comfort. As the holidays approach it gets even more illusory. You can feel the creeping anxiety just about a week after Halloween. The idea that you are trapped. That you must spend time around a thanksgiving day table with people who have the title of your family. But somehow always leave you feeling sick. Sick to your stomach for what is lost. For not being able to open to the grace of the table. For not living in a place where they can honor themselves so they can only provide tension, and destruction. For me, being thankful is a daily event. I am thankful for all the lessons I've been taught by my family. I'm thankful for all the ways that they have contributed to my life. I am thankful that I don...

Are we living in a waking dream? It's not hard to look around and imagine everything is illusory. Are people's beliefs really forged on a knowing or a telling? I wanted to find peace. I wanted to know. I found my life. Wake up.

Sometimes the little things really make the difference... There's a place and a time and a rain and a shine A pond of perfection and beauty's whine I don't go there all the time but In the rhyme I play with mine Being, holding, nourishing The light may come the light may go The here and now bright with flight Finding those places and spaces as simple as looking loving and fine.

I married myself. It was a lovely afternoon. the sky was blue. the air was worn and the ever present screech of fire trucks slashed at the peace. Perfect. I VOWED TO: Love and honor myself. Cherish my oddities. Listen to my heart. Explore the capacity of my compassion. Obey my emerging power and stay with it no matter how terrifying. When I had completed my vows I knew this was a marriage made in heaven. Melanie is registered at Barney's.

Have you ever had one of those days you just needed help and you had no idea how to ask for it? I. Need. Help. Three words. Three simple words, and yet so tough to put together. I guess. At its core. It means. Give up control. Give over to some other. Trickier times I've never known.

Crashing Fear At the end of the coast In the midst of the fires Sun clogged in the sky Still there is time Exlore the ways We begin when we can Where we are No matter how many times we haven't We always can Grow in every way

Sizzling, Sacred and Surreal The freedom expressed and endured that created our reality retreats even as I write these words. Our sons and daughters mourn the graspless hopes that once flowed effortlessly through the air. We stopped breathing long ago, began accepting instant gratification and became hardened to the longer possibilities of meaning and purpose. Within the walls of our confinement we have lost our way. Each of us needs to reclaim the passion and purpose of time and place. We know not what can be done because trying has been supplanted with apathy. The war lost before it has begun. Is our thirst for instilled freedom a clipped eagle of intention that no longer holds any exhuberance? The towering oneness of an America merged with all positions and perils and profundity in and around the world enrapturing our humanity in a powerful vision of understanding. In picking up our liberties and not holding them as a shield but as an anthem for fostered longings, as an emblem ever ...

show up. take care. live life...

THOUGHT SEED OF THE MONTH! Great Things Grow From Tiny Actions... Doing something To be of use That's it That's all To give of yourself so you can share what you know what you are and be the instigator of all that needs to be in service of others. Public service is one of the great gifts of a free country

pix of Betty Crocker A Black Woman Speaks. . . Of White Womanhood Of White Supremacy Of Peace (the inimitable - Beah Richard) It is right that I a woman black, should speak of white womanhood. My fathers my brothers my husbands my sons die for it; because of it. And their blood chilled in electric chairs, stopped by hangman's noose, cooked by lynch mobs' fire, spilled by white supremacist mad desire to kill for profit, gives me that right. I would that I could speak of white womanhood as it will and should be when it stands tall in full equality. But then, womanhood will be womanhood void of color and of class, and all necessity for my speaking thus will be past. Gladly past. But now, since 'tis deemed a thing apart supreme, I must in searching honesty report how it seems to me. White womanhood stands in bloodied skirt and willing slavery reaching out adulterous hand killing mine and crushing me. What then is this superior thing that in order to be sustained must needs fee...

Alice... always took a great interest in questions of eating and drinking.

The shows the thing...

Lifelong Buddies

Talk to me about living and loving and I’ll talk to you about heartache and pain.

"How do you know I'm mad?" said Alice. "You must be..." said the Cat, "or you wouldn't have come here." Alice's Adventures in Wonderland

THOUGHT SEED OF THE MONTH! Miracles Happen. They Happen Everyday. In Every Way.

No matter what... we're always alice.