Category: Uncategorized

Popular Votes don’t decide the outcome …She had 223,000 more popular votes !
59,861,038 votes (47.7%)
59,638,006 votes (47.5%) Yet, if you know the American system – it’s about the electoral college. Luckily she’s gracious enough to not call it “rigged” as another you know who would have.

So impressed – “acceptance” and letting it go as all successful and effective people are capable of doing:

This is painful and it will be for a long time, but I want you to remember this. Our campaign was never about one person or even one election, it was about the country we love and about building an America that’s hopeful, inclusive and big-hearted.
We have seen that our nation is more deeply divided than we thought. But I still believe in America and I always will. And if you do, then we must accept this result and then look to the future.
– Hillary Clinton

It’s something about that highly educated advance- degreed white lady with ambition to make history – that common folks do not approve? Great credentials and lifetime of public service is commendable but it’s a suspect sometimes… suspect for mistrust. It’s a shame. I had high hopes for her and feel very sorry for her but she was surrounded by advisers who came too much from that same world of the bubble of ignorance – not ignorance of the ivory tower but ignorance of common folks whose mindset is more about … economy, the livelihood. Leaders have to have good advisers, good pollsters … and not be too insulated in a bubble of self-righteousness and superiority complex, ego trip of higher moral values, etc. She definitely had the wrong IT adviser and misguided focus-group focused on the wrong group. All these years in public SERVICE… so deserving of the nation’s highest job. She could have lived a much easier life just being a successful attorney or just being a former first lady or secretary of state but … that drive to stand against a bully, so commendable. But in the end, that’s the thing – it became more about the character of candidates rather than the issues and how things were going to get better for those who saw and felt the inequality all around them mostly based on access to quality education… safe neighborhoods, quality affordable health care, peace of mind with good jobs, jobs, jobs to raise a family with self-dignity.

Sadly this did not happen.
It’s very interesting and I have not heard the analysis, etc. but I think in some ways, I can understand it. And instead of denial, I will come to accept it. It’s not an acceptance of defeat but acceptance that we need to work harder. It’s so typical that a woman works really really hard and is the most qualified but they fill the position with a man – her own people trips her up.

That’s basically it – it’s beyond the analysis when some demagogue goes for the emotions called fear and anger. We are emotional beings and sometimes not equipped to question and easily deceived – not so rational when vital needs are not met. Those elite in the upper 3-5% can “afford” to be rational, intellectual, “right”, but … that’s the trouble. It’s that “Bread? Why? Let them eat Cake!” kind of lack of empathy being so removed from the daily struggles of many so called non-college educated “stupid” they would be referred to folks. There is still a lot of racism and … sexism. Because one has to place blame somewhere. With the first black President, his kind all supported him. With Hillary, probably many of her kinds, white middle aged white women who should have all voted for her and should have been so PROUD of her, FIRST WOMAN US PRESIDENT did not turnout. Many people just did not connect? Why? Sadly, wrong set of advisers, all themselves probably entitled with some Ivy League education, out of touch with people they needed to reach out to. Education for citizens to make that “rational” judgement based on reason, requires deep critical thinking about “issues” and “policies” and “vision” BUT many cannot AFFORD that education that has become the ticket for that tech-brain or desired professional globally minded jobs. So they remain susceptible to just going on “emotions” “gut” and sound bites. Better livelihood for all – and that’s about access to quality education and college education for all. Bernie-ish?

Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that.

– Martin Luther King, Jr.

It’s not easy. To be the laughing stock of the world; a joke; to be called the “ugly Americans”. Is that perception making America great again?
Let’s shift and make the change needed for really that better America for all hard working Americans, not just for the privileged where you know who comes from.

Take a deep breath, in – out. To the beach; to the forest. Turn off the electronics. May sensibility, peace and strength prevail.

It’s all condensed and really … it’s about LESS is MORE.
ＲＥＤＵＣＴＩＯＮ is the process of thickening and intensifying the flavor, in cooking technique. But it also applies in life. Reducing the excess, the clutter, the things, the indispensable for the silky shiny essence. It’s kind of that in yoga therapy. The complete opposite where I was always doing more and more. Instead, what results is simple yet complex, intense flavors of various degrees of delight. Enjoy as more and more serotonin is released when your gut is happy. Happy tummy, Happy life.

“GUTSU GUTSU” sounds … let it boil first then turn it down …simmering, heat reduced but beautiful silky sauce on the way…It’s a technique in the kitchen to try Sunday quiet afternoons for that nourishing supper to get ready for the upcoming week. Be nourished. Be strong. Exercise Mindful Eating – as exercise we played with Baxter Bell, MD. Reminded almost of Japanese tea ceremony or ceremonial ritualistic process, the steps to take:

– First see what you are eating. See how it’s presented.
– Smell it – bring the plate/bowl to your nose, smell and feel perhaps the steam …
– take it into your mouth but do not bite – just let it sit on your tongue.
– Let your taste bud turn on.
– Think about the flavors.
– Is it sweet? Savory? juicy? bitter? sour? what?
– slowly bite into it.
– think of that sensation – is it crispy, chewy, soft, crunchy, crumbly? what?
– very slow – do not swallow it for as long as possible without looking silly.
– bite as many times as possible – Kushi method recommends at least 50 times but … okay, I realize we are living a life timed.
– slowly swallow.
– begin every meal with a glass of water or tea if there’s no soup.
– At the beginning and end of the meal, always acknowledge – GRATITUDE:)

Obviously we cannot do this for every meal (or if we did, we would lose 10 lbs easily) but maybe at least for your Sunday supper to really relish the dining experience with friends and family. If alone, really relish the taste of something you put so much effort into making. Invite someone to share the goodness.

Now try it with an apple …

Gee, with this cone around my head – I’m feeling lousy. Can’t see; it’s dark.
Sad?
So sad.
Sadder?
Taking stock of what happened.
Wake up and it’s not so bad. Living in gratitude. Ahhhh … Mend & Heal – breathe in the NOW.
Moving inward from the the physical Koshas to … another layer upon layer …Where’s the sun? It’s within you. The sun and the moon and the stars… all within you. You are the manifestation of this universe.Salute the grey skies, not afraid of the rain, embrace the darkness and let the light shine 🙂
Bark less, wag more ! Be happy!! Rain or shine and shine, shine, shine. It’s BEAUTIFUL. This life.