I’m not sure what’s going on with me the last couple of weeks. Maybe its the fatigue. Maybe its the hypnotic level of monotony inherent in my job. All I know is that I am finding myself writing chants while at work.
First I wrote my chant to heal the Gulf. One I found myself singing as recently as an hour ago as I washed the dinner dishes.
More recently I have two other chants written, complete with a tune to sing them to, that I have yet to record and upload. It is a pleasant diversion to an otherwise mind-numbing and soul-sucking way to spend 8-9 hours a day. But, beyond that music has, for as long as I can remember, been the way I most easily connect with the Divine.
Chanting under my breath at work when there is a brief lull (20 seconds or so) between calls, chanting while I mix up a batch of Magic Dust or stir a pot of sauce, singing while I wash my hair or drive to the store. All of these are ways to sneak a little spellwork and weave a bit of worship into my days.
I highly recommend it.
Blessings
Jia
“Don’t worry if it’s not good enough
For anyone else to hear
Just sing, sing a song”
It was Thursday evening and my stomach was rumbling, so I decided to eat something. I searched the ‘fridge and found a burger and so I decided to have it as my last burger. Once school was out I was planning on starting my vegetarian ways.
It tasted delightful. Moist and soft. But, even though it tasted good I was still giving up meat for good because I feel terrible for the animals.
I decided to go vegetarian because one time when my Mom served chicken I was able to see the bird’s backbone and it made me very emotional. So, I asked my Mom if I could go vegetarian, and she told me that I could, once school was out for summer.
I’m excited for the summer. I will hopefully never eat a single piece of meat again.
Sephoni
Just an update. Sephoni made it through the whole summer as a strict vegetarian. However, school resuming weakened her resolve and she quickly returned to eating meat without any negative comments from Accolan or I. She may try again, she may not. Either way it was a learning experience for her.
– Jia
I’ve been having a really hard time keeping up with my weekly food shopping and once a week cooking. The weekends have been filled with family visits, redoing a room in the house, and fun, but the result is we’ve leaned too heavily on take-out and restaurant fare. And oh sweet Gods is my wallet feeling the pinch.
This week should find us slowly getting back on track.
Thanks to a good sale ($1.99 off each plus a 75 cent coupon) I have a good stockpile of Morningstar Farms food items to help Sephoni in her first week as a vegetarian.
I have leftover grilled lamb and BBQ chicken as well as tomato salad in my ‘fridge from dinner Saturday night with the girls who came to my Slumber Parties party on Saturday.
The freezer also contains Salmon Burgers and Boca Burgers that can be thrown on the grill, and with some quick sides (ie baked beans, bagged green salad, baby carrots, etc) can feed us well, quickly and cheaply.
Next weekend is the 4th of July holiday and, as I’ll have 3 days to cook I can easily return to our more frugal dietary patterns. Hopefully, this will also help the scale start moving again in the right direction.
Accolan, Reya, Sephoni and I live with my father. It came about as a temporary measure nearly 9 years ago for a number of reasons and just gradually became permanent. Dad’s house has three bedrooms and a bath on the second floor. When we moved in this because like an apartment for us. Accolan & I in one room, the girls sharing a bedroom, and the third bedroom became our TV room.
As the girls got older this setup has worked less and less.
We couldn’t all fit comfortably on the one couch anymore. With both girls over 5″ now (as well as Accolan & I being a bit fluffy) a three-seater is just too crowded.
The room the girls shared was too small for the job. Causing much in the way of clutter, as well as:
Reya’s mood disorder makes it even more important for them to each have their own space.
As my dad gets older we are making an effort to spend more time downstairs, because you just never know how much time you have left with someone.
as well as:
door slamming
yelling
otherwise normal and standard pre-teen & teenage angst
and much in the way of clothing crises of varying sizes and shapes
Back in the summer of 1991 when we moved in the girls were so young. Reya was 6 1/2 and Sephoni was going on 2.
Now we have a young woman living with us, turning 16 before we hit 2011. (I met my husband at her age!) I am amazed to watch her evolve.
Our younger daughter is turning 11 in the Fall. She is on the cusp of little girl. Still clinging to it while at the same time yearning for what lies ahead.
Was it a sacrifice to give up the TV room? Frankly? Yes.
My husband enjoyed our private evenings. For now were hiding in our bedroom watching TV on the laptop. But that too will go away as it doesn’t really work for the long run.
Reya sleeps tonight on her old bed in a room all her own. She barely remembers being able to do that.
Tucked into bed like I used to so long ago.
A room painted in shades of orange to compliment the color of her late grandmother’s drafting table. The one we gave her because she’s such a gifted artist.
A room yet to be fully decorated or accessorized, but its hers. And it makes her so happy that anything I may have given up on will be worth it … is worth it. I hope she realizes that she is worth it.
give vegetarian burgers, hot-dogs, & even sausage a try
load up on low-cal toppings
serve grilled vegetables
make your own side-dishes rather than use store-bought
read labels obsessively
drink low-cal or no-cal beverages
drink less alcohol
have more fresh fruit
have less ice-cream
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Credit for Thursday Thirteen graphic: AutumnDragyn
, Aerosmith
, the Carpenters
