My Favorite Actor
Guess Who?
He’s thirty-six but looks much older
Thirty-six, but behaves much younger
Inspires in women -- of all ages
A mysterious sexual hunger
He’s Scots but Irish by descent
Smokes packs of fags a day
And when he was a drinker
Could really put it away
Once a law school student
Who wasn’t very sober
He sang in a rock band Speed
‘Til his schooling was abruptly over
His hair is dark and curly
Especially when it’s long
But when he cuts it all off
Doesn’t look all that wrong
He’s prematurely graying
But he’s still quite a hunk
And all the sources say
He doesn’t live much like a monk
His dancin’ drives the ladies wild
His voice works like a charm
And if he likes to shag a lot
Well, no one sees the harm
He’s an actor in exciting roles
He auditions for movies galore
But his millions of adorin’ fans
Want to see him star in more
He was Creedy in Reign of Fire
And Marek in Creighton’s Timeline
Of course he was the Phantom
And played Dracula one time
He’s rarely on television
His movies mostly foreign
His fans are anxious to see Beowulf
The long wait is getting boring
A magnificent master of dialects
This handsome muscle-wrapped man
Can do any accent he chooses
To the delight of his worldwide fans
Could use a good razor for a change
Or at least a closer shave
But nonetheless his style is fuzzy
Like he ascended from a cave
Fans hope for lots more movies
He can sing for us ‘til he’s hoarse
And bravely do his own stunts
Only until he’s famous of course
We fans yearn to hug and kiss him
We love his he-man might
And when we crawl into our beds
We dream of him all night
By Sandy Schairer, 6/28/06 ©
Wednesday, June 28, 2006
Wednesday, June 21, 2006
Dealing With It
Dealing With It
by Sandy Schairer
Truth
Quite a concept
Rushes at me
Without reserve.
Not ready yet,
For it, I raise my hands to cover my eyes.
.
Save me from life
By living.
From death
By living, too.
.
I move forward in time
As if it were a choice.
Moving toward
Old and tired or
Wise and strong?
That is my true choice, in truth.
.
June 20, 2006
by Sandy Schairer
Truth
Quite a concept
Rushes at me
Without reserve.
Not ready yet,
For it, I raise my hands to cover my eyes.
.
Save me from life
By living.
From death
By living, too.
.
I move forward in time
As if it were a choice.
Moving toward
Old and tired or
Wise and strong?
That is my true choice, in truth.
.
June 20, 2006
Frogs and Goals
Frogs and Goals
Think
Of goal-setting
And
Just going with the flow
This way
If you were a frog
On the shore of the pond
And wanted to get to the other side
This would be your goal
Set this goal
DO IT
Now are you going to walk around the water on land?
Jump from rock to rock and hope there’s enough
And you won’t be stranded on an island in the stark middle of nowhere?
Or are you going to plunge in and swim
And hope the currents are right?
(A lot of frogs do that. We never from them again.)
No.
What you do is
You hop onto the Lilly pads
That just happen to be there
Go jump from one to the next
And jump again
Until you reach
Your goal
That’s life
That’s how it’d done.
Ribbet
Sandy Schairer
June 2006
Think
Of goal-setting
And
Just going with the flow
This way
If you were a frog
On the shore of the pond
And wanted to get to the other side
This would be your goal
Set this goal
DO IT
Now are you going to walk around the water on land?
Jump from rock to rock and hope there’s enough
And you won’t be stranded on an island in the stark middle of nowhere?
Or are you going to plunge in and swim
And hope the currents are right?
(A lot of frogs do that. We never from them again.)
No.
What you do is
You hop onto the Lilly pads
That just happen to be there
Go jump from one to the next
And jump again
Until you reach
Your goal
That’s life
That’s how it’d done.
Ribbet
Sandy Schairer
June 2006
Vanished
Vanished ?
Joyous day
Come again
Youth we did not appreciate
Gone away
Love
Independent of form
It takes what means it can
And blazes through it
Thank God
by Sandy Schairer
6/20/09
Joyous day
Come again
Youth we did not appreciate
Gone away
Love
Independent of form
It takes what means it can
And blazes through it
Thank God
by Sandy Schairer
6/20/09
Wednesday, June 14, 2006
EA Poe Poet
E.A. Poe: Poet
by Sandy Schairer
6/14/06
I used to love the poet
Edgar Allen Poe
The way he had his sounds
All lined up in a row
His clanging and banging
Of bells galore
And a raven who sat
On the top of his door
And when the clock chimed
Would say “Nevermore”
~
I thought his hard life
Made his talents more sharp
But his teenaged dead bride
Made his view sort of dark
A lot of his problem was
Drugging and drink
It drained his life’s blood
And beauty, I think
~
And now what’s a poet?
A silly old woman
Who sits with a pen
And tries to stay human
Are poems ever read?
It’s all mystery adventure
Like Da Vinci Code
And works of joint venture
So I'll bid Poe farewell
Go soak in the bath
And scatter some poems
On my own writing path.
End
by Sandy Schairer
6/14/06
I used to love the poet
Edgar Allen Poe
The way he had his sounds
All lined up in a row
His clanging and banging
Of bells galore
And a raven who sat
On the top of his door
And when the clock chimed
Would say “Nevermore”
~
I thought his hard life
Made his talents more sharp
But his teenaged dead bride
Made his view sort of dark
A lot of his problem was
Drugging and drink
It drained his life’s blood
And beauty, I think
~
And now what’s a poet?
A silly old woman
Who sits with a pen
And tries to stay human
Are poems ever read?
It’s all mystery adventure
Like Da Vinci Code
And works of joint venture
So I'll bid Poe farewell
Go soak in the bath
And scatter some poems
On my own writing path.
End
Comments and your original POEMS
welcome -- click on "comments" below
Keep it clean
Poetry: Insomnia Pays Off
Poem by Sandy Schairer 6/14/2006
Insomnia Pays Off
There once was a woman
Who just could not sleep
She drank cups of warm milk
And tried counting sheep
.
She tossed and she turned
Then put on the light
And went out of her room
And into the night
.
She descended the stairs
And wandered the house
Walking in darkness
A scared little mouse
.
Next day at the libr’ry
She checked out some books
With a stack of sixteen
She drew quite some looks
.
She read Mark Twain’s essays
And all about hist’ry
Romance and then SciFi
Of course tons of myst’ry
.
When her eyes grew so heavy
She gave a big yawn
And looked out the window
It was already dawn
.
She gave up on her reading
Books way overdue
So she turned them all in
Wondered next what to do
.
Getting some pens
And of course reams of paper
She began to write stories
Stayed up even later
.
When her M.S. was done
She switched off the light
And crawled into bed
Fell asleep, hoped she might
.
Her book soon was published
Sold copies galore
Up way past midnight
She wrote several more
.
Her lover soon left her
(Felt cold in the bed)
And found a young blond
To sleep with instead
.
But our best-selling author
Was rich past her dreams
Hardly did miss him
While riding moonbeams
.
Her book signings successful
With lines ‘round the block
But always were scheduled
Way past 9 o’clock
.
Only night-owls came to her
To get autographs
Her life was just wonderful
And full of great laughs!
.
The End
.
~Sandy Schairer 6-14-06
.
Insomnia Pays Off
There once was a woman
Who just could not sleep
She drank cups of warm milk
And tried counting sheep
.
She tossed and she turned
Then put on the light
And went out of her room
And into the night
.
She descended the stairs
And wandered the house
Walking in darkness
A scared little mouse
.
Next day at the libr’ry
She checked out some books
With a stack of sixteen
She drew quite some looks
.
She read Mark Twain’s essays
And all about hist’ry
Romance and then SciFi
Of course tons of myst’ry
.
When her eyes grew so heavy
She gave a big yawn
And looked out the window
It was already dawn
.
She gave up on her reading
Books way overdue
So she turned them all in
Wondered next what to do
.
Getting some pens
And of course reams of paper
She began to write stories
Stayed up even later
.
When her M.S. was done
She switched off the light
And crawled into bed
Fell asleep, hoped she might
.
Her book soon was published
Sold copies galore
Up way past midnight
She wrote several more
.
Her lover soon left her
(Felt cold in the bed)
And found a young blond
To sleep with instead
.
But our best-selling author
Was rich past her dreams
Hardly did miss him
While riding moonbeams
.
Her book signings successful
With lines ‘round the block
But always were scheduled
Way past 9 o’clock
.
Only night-owls came to her
To get autographs
Her life was just wonderful
And full of great laughs!
.
The End
.
~Sandy Schairer 6-14-06
.
Tuesday, June 13, 2006
Mythological Voice
Exercise at Writer to Writer talk about Writing in Your Mythological Voice. 6/12/06, Albuquerque. (By the way, the traffic is horrendous that time of day!)
.
There once was a woman who collected notebooks. Some of these notebooks had dates and some had lines, some had elaborate covers in beautiful blue or delightful orange. Sometimes they had designs on them, or the name of the company that printed them. They were all different except for one fact—they all had empty spaces, places to add things. Places to write or draw or scribble.
.
So you see, this woman who collected notebooks had a deep hidden passion to be a writer, an artist, and a scribbler.
.
She had a notebook just for poems. She had a notebook for stories. She had one for journaling her journeys through spirit, and through the world, and for work. She also had notebooks for memories and pet stories, and complaints and movie reviews. She even had a notebook for ideas and one was actually for notes!
.
But even stranger, was the fact, that she never ever read her notebooks. Once they were full, they went on the shelf and became dust-catchers.
.
Her husband built her shelves for them and refrained from complaining or from dusting them. and then one day, he asked her what should he do with them in the event of her untimely demise.
.
This was shock to her. She assumed someone someday would want to read them. Even him. Even her. A friend suggested she tell him, “Give them to my biographer, of course!” while sipping wine with a rose behind her ear.
.
She thought about it for days, weeks, years. Then of course the idea came to her and she opened a new spiral notebook with college-ruled lines and a red cover and entitled it, “What to do with my stuff when I’m gone.”
.
There once was a woman who collected notebooks. Some of these notebooks had dates and some had lines, some had elaborate covers in beautiful blue or delightful orange. Sometimes they had designs on them, or the name of the company that printed them. They were all different except for one fact—they all had empty spaces, places to add things. Places to write or draw or scribble.
.
So you see, this woman who collected notebooks had a deep hidden passion to be a writer, an artist, and a scribbler.
.
She had a notebook just for poems. She had a notebook for stories. She had one for journaling her journeys through spirit, and through the world, and for work. She also had notebooks for memories and pet stories, and complaints and movie reviews. She even had a notebook for ideas and one was actually for notes!
.
But even stranger, was the fact, that she never ever read her notebooks. Once they were full, they went on the shelf and became dust-catchers.
.
Her husband built her shelves for them and refrained from complaining or from dusting them. and then one day, he asked her what should he do with them in the event of her untimely demise.
.
This was shock to her. She assumed someone someday would want to read them. Even him. Even her. A friend suggested she tell him, “Give them to my biographer, of course!” while sipping wine with a rose behind her ear.
.
She thought about it for days, weeks, years. Then of course the idea came to her and she opened a new spiral notebook with college-ruled lines and a red cover and entitled it, “What to do with my stuff when I’m gone.”
Sunday, June 11, 2006
Prayer Gets Results
Prayer Gets Results
One thing I have always been proud of (in a non-conceited way) is that I have friends with different beliefs and ideologies than I have, and we get along well. Some are fundamentalists in religion, some non-believers, and conservatives in politics and even Bush supporters and military folks, even tho I am anti-war [on general principles of finding a non-violent way to solve differences] and I'm inot different forms spirituality, so to speak.
The thing I find is that we are all Americans and support each others right to freedom of belief in whatever form it takes. The old saying holds sway, "I may not agree with what you say, but I will defend, to the death, your right to say it!!!!"
And lets face it, we are all praying to the same Divine Being no matter what we call God in our heart of hearts.
A relative of mine, who lives at a distance from me, and I both have children and grandchildren all around the same ages, and we write now and again and let each other know how our families are doing. But mostly, we write to request specific prayer. We pray for each other and our various kids when we feel one or more of them are standing in the need of prayer and God's love and protection. (I must admit, I have never seen more rapid and/or thorough answers this particular branch of the family gets from their prayers!!! It's no wonder I request prayer from them as well as my minister, local friends, and church, when I need some spiritual support.)
She just wrote me today with this miraculous story....
"As you know our son is in Iraq and I wanted to share this with you and give glory to God at the same time! Yesterday, his humvee was hit by an IED. He and his guys were called out to investigate a dirt mound by the road. He had his driver pull up on the opposite side of the dirt mound (the side away from the road). When they pulled up, the IED exploded. It blew their humvee over. The truck behind them thought they were all dead. They were in a cloud of dust and smoke. But they all walked away from it, with headaches and ringing ears from the noise and pressure, but NO serious injuries. All the shrapnel blew into the road. After EOD cleared it, they went back and they found shrapnel and exactly half of the 125mm round was still intact. Only the side facing away from them blew up. He told his men that if they looked close at the round, they could see God's hand print. They all stopped and thanked God... even the atheist of the group! Keep praying for our son and his guys. Our prayers are working!!!
And more good news along this line, I requested prayer from her for my oldest son who has been very sick in California for about six months. Just last week, he finally found substantial help that he needed. He was in the hospital, assigned a social worker to help find him medical financial aid and he is now in a men's shelter for further rehabilitation and possibly long-term assistance until or if and when he can get back on his feet. I asked for prayer for him, and I just knew it would get results, even though it has taken six months. In addition, my son asked me to mail him a little cross to wear around his neck again to remind him of God's love.
Keep praying and expect miracles. Don't just believe, know that God cares.
Keep an attitude of gratitude.
Blessed be, Sandy
One thing I have always been proud of (in a non-conceited way) is that I have friends with different beliefs and ideologies than I have, and we get along well. Some are fundamentalists in religion, some non-believers, and conservatives in politics and even Bush supporters and military folks, even tho I am anti-war [on general principles of finding a non-violent way to solve differences] and I'm inot different forms spirituality, so to speak.
The thing I find is that we are all Americans and support each others right to freedom of belief in whatever form it takes. The old saying holds sway, "I may not agree with what you say, but I will defend, to the death, your right to say it!!!!"
And lets face it, we are all praying to the same Divine Being no matter what we call God in our heart of hearts.
A relative of mine, who lives at a distance from me, and I both have children and grandchildren all around the same ages, and we write now and again and let each other know how our families are doing. But mostly, we write to request specific prayer. We pray for each other and our various kids when we feel one or more of them are standing in the need of prayer and God's love and protection. (I must admit, I have never seen more rapid and/or thorough answers this particular branch of the family gets from their prayers!!! It's no wonder I request prayer from them as well as my minister, local friends, and church, when I need some spiritual support.)
She just wrote me today with this miraculous story....
"As you know our son is in Iraq and I wanted to share this with you and give glory to God at the same time! Yesterday, his humvee was hit by an IED. He and his guys were called out to investigate a dirt mound by the road. He had his driver pull up on the opposite side of the dirt mound (the side away from the road). When they pulled up, the IED exploded. It blew their humvee over. The truck behind them thought they were all dead. They were in a cloud of dust and smoke. But they all walked away from it, with headaches and ringing ears from the noise and pressure, but NO serious injuries. All the shrapnel blew into the road. After EOD cleared it, they went back and they found shrapnel and exactly half of the 125mm round was still intact. Only the side facing away from them blew up. He told his men that if they looked close at the round, they could see God's hand print. They all stopped and thanked God... even the atheist of the group! Keep praying for our son and his guys. Our prayers are working!!!
And more good news along this line, I requested prayer from her for my oldest son who has been very sick in California for about six months. Just last week, he finally found substantial help that he needed. He was in the hospital, assigned a social worker to help find him medical financial aid and he is now in a men's shelter for further rehabilitation and possibly long-term assistance until or if and when he can get back on his feet. I asked for prayer for him, and I just knew it would get results, even though it has taken six months. In addition, my son asked me to mail him a little cross to wear around his neck again to remind him of God's love.
Keep praying and expect miracles. Don't just believe, know that God cares.
Keep an attitude of gratitude.
Blessed be, Sandy
Monday, May 29, 2006
Mel Gibson vs. Dan Brown
Now Mel Gibson, the foremost authority on matters of Christian belief (yeah right,) has criticized Da Vinci Code for disparaging his beliefs. He has a lot of room to talk. What did his movie, The Passion of Christ, do if not tell a version of Christianity that is different from the beliefs of other Christian denominations, let alone all the Non-Christian religions.
.
Something else is going on here. This big debate about Da Vinci Code is a smoke screen.
.
First of all, lets get clear on the basics of this issue. It's RIDICULOUS to criticize fiction stories for not being true to a religious belief system. There are billions of books and stories that make-up all sorts of unreal, imaginary "facts," not only creating imaginary worlds and imaginary people, but imaginary belief systems, governments, and all the details thereof. Just because they LEAVE OUT or DO NOT INCLUDE a particular church and its beliefs, does not mean they are ANTI- or PRO-anything in the "real" world. That's like comparing lemons and plums.
.
The something else that is going on here, is the disintegration of basic rights that the American Constitution declared to be the basis of our form of government--democracy--and the freedoms that the developers of the constitution wanted to preserve for a nation of individual people. Even if they meant only free, rich, white men--we have these rights and freedoms written down and can and shold apply them to every citizen in the country and extend these rights to other citizens of other countries as a vaule and ideal we believe in.
.
I won"t even dip into the trashing of the Constitution and Bill of Rights by the current administration. That's way off the fear-factor and rage-inducing chart as a topic for me right now.
.
The 1st Amendment of the Constitution reads: Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the government for a redress of grievances.
.
Oh, my mistake. I see that it does not insist individual citizens and other groups beside the government are prevented from prohibiting freedoms of speech, press, assembly, and establishment of religion.
The government can't make any laws like that, but every person with a voice can speak up. And after they do, it's okay to prevent everyone one else from doing the same. Oh, of course. Freedom for YOU but not for ME.
.
Mel Gibson can make a movie about a controversial belief and sell it to the world, but no one else can make a movie about religion. Obviously, they have to check with Mel first to see if it fits in with his ideas. (I'll have to email him when I write my next hot romance story and see Mel thinks my characters are religious enough, and if he approves. HA, that'll be the day.)
Anyway, keeping this argument going--comparing apples to oranges--i.e., "Is Da Vinci Code blasphemous?" just keeps the citizens distracted while the real battle is overlooked.
.
The real battle is, do people still have the right to WRITE what they want? Newspapers and books, including FICTION without fear of reprisals?
.
Do people have the right to BELIEVE what they want about God and religion??? Or DISBELIEVE what they want about God and religion???!??!! Or are we on the verge, here, of having only ONE version of an idea stuffed down our throats and every OTHER IDEA prohibited? It doesn't matter what that one idea is, if NO ONE is allowed to think for themselves.
.
Do people have the freedom to read, watch, and/or write without fear of reprisals and recrimination? (I am not advocating breaking real laws here, okay?)
.
And what about fear? Do we have to be subjected to stronger and stronger propaganda and manipulated into feeling fear from everything under the sun, that is, until we turn to the government to save us from terror--a terror they created in our minds and hearts for just such a purpose?
.
Eroding our freedoms starts little --bit by bit-- so watch out for those agreeable, patriotic Americans that are willing to be strip-searched and forbidden prevented from carrying fingernail clippers and cigarette lighters when they fly on planes, just so they can be "secure" from terrorists. And God-fobid another set of terroritsts try to hijack a plane? What will the honest citizens use to stop them forcefully? Plastic cups and spoons?)
.
Do they not see that the people requiring these types of searches are implying that YOU yourself are a suspect? Assume that you are willing to give up a little freedom (and then a little more, and a little more) until the "saviors" like the government are not only in charge of your feelings, thoughts, shoes, and luggage but every little thing that everyone does or tries to do in this country? (Read the last part of the 1st amendment--freedom to redress the government for grievances. So we'd better speak up now, before that goes away.)
.
Are we going to continue to allow the chipping away at the freedoms that our founding statesmen wrote into our form of government? Are we gonna keep putting up and shutting up?
Are we going to keep looking the other way while this continues to happen? Are we going to get lost in the smoke screens and not even notice this is happening?
.
Why?
.
Of course, we're now going to get into the debilitating debate over the fact that this is really happening or not. But by the time we know it IS, it'll be too late. And it won't be any fun saying "I told you so" mainly because the freedom of speech and press to say such things will be GONE as well as our rights to protest unjust practices.
.
Let's be clear here. I do not mean forcefully, I do not mean illegally. I mean resistance using every legal and constitutional means available to us.
.
Are we going to wake up someday and see that the only book and movie available to buy, read, watch and/or write is how great the current family-in-power is and how wonderful the big oil, big medical, big pharmaceutical corporations, big-whatevers are in the way they are "helping" the common man? (For an enormous profit, of couse.)
.
I liked that bumper sticker I saw one time:
.
If you aren't mad as hell, you aren't paying attention.
.
I am not going to criticize writers and film makers for producing controversial, off-beat, strange, and bad art. They have the right to do that. Sometimes bad art is good.
.
Personally, I am going to go out and buy another copy of Da Vinci Code and go to see the movie again, and buy the video when it comes out because I want to vote with my spending dollar for freedom of expression and freedom of entertainment.
.
And hell will be frozen solid before I ever watch a Mel Gibson movie again, even if it has Tom Hanks in it, and even if it's the only thing on the television on every channel. He can make as many movies he wants on any subject, but I exercise my freedom to not have to watch them if I don't want to.
.
In fact, I defend his right to make whatever stories he wants into movies.
.
But I will NOT defend his right to take that right away from everyone other writer/director/producer/person.
.
In writing this, I feel I'm exercising my constitutional freedom as guaranteed by the constitution. You don't have to agree with me to give me that right. You have all these rights, too.
.
Use 'em or lose 'em.
.
.
Something else is going on here. This big debate about Da Vinci Code is a smoke screen.
.
First of all, lets get clear on the basics of this issue. It's RIDICULOUS to criticize fiction stories for not being true to a religious belief system. There are billions of books and stories that make-up all sorts of unreal, imaginary "facts," not only creating imaginary worlds and imaginary people, but imaginary belief systems, governments, and all the details thereof. Just because they LEAVE OUT or DO NOT INCLUDE a particular church and its beliefs, does not mean they are ANTI- or PRO-anything in the "real" world. That's like comparing lemons and plums.
.
The something else that is going on here, is the disintegration of basic rights that the American Constitution declared to be the basis of our form of government--democracy--and the freedoms that the developers of the constitution wanted to preserve for a nation of individual people. Even if they meant only free, rich, white men--we have these rights and freedoms written down and can and shold apply them to every citizen in the country and extend these rights to other citizens of other countries as a vaule and ideal we believe in.
.
I won"t even dip into the trashing of the Constitution and Bill of Rights by the current administration. That's way off the fear-factor and rage-inducing chart as a topic for me right now.
.
The 1st Amendment of the Constitution reads: Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the government for a redress of grievances.
.
Oh, my mistake. I see that it does not insist individual citizens and other groups beside the government are prevented from prohibiting freedoms of speech, press, assembly, and establishment of religion.
The government can't make any laws like that, but every person with a voice can speak up. And after they do, it's okay to prevent everyone one else from doing the same. Oh, of course. Freedom for YOU but not for ME.
.
Mel Gibson can make a movie about a controversial belief and sell it to the world, but no one else can make a movie about religion. Obviously, they have to check with Mel first to see if it fits in with his ideas. (I'll have to email him when I write my next hot romance story and see Mel thinks my characters are religious enough, and if he approves. HA, that'll be the day.)
Anyway, keeping this argument going--comparing apples to oranges--i.e., "Is Da Vinci Code blasphemous?" just keeps the citizens distracted while the real battle is overlooked.
.
The real battle is, do people still have the right to WRITE what they want? Newspapers and books, including FICTION without fear of reprisals?
.
Do people have the right to BELIEVE what they want about God and religion??? Or DISBELIEVE what they want about God and religion???!??!! Or are we on the verge, here, of having only ONE version of an idea stuffed down our throats and every OTHER IDEA prohibited? It doesn't matter what that one idea is, if NO ONE is allowed to think for themselves.
.
Do people have the freedom to read, watch, and/or write without fear of reprisals and recrimination? (I am not advocating breaking real laws here, okay?)
.
And what about fear? Do we have to be subjected to stronger and stronger propaganda and manipulated into feeling fear from everything under the sun, that is, until we turn to the government to save us from terror--a terror they created in our minds and hearts for just such a purpose?
.
Eroding our freedoms starts little --bit by bit-- so watch out for those agreeable, patriotic Americans that are willing to be strip-searched and forbidden prevented from carrying fingernail clippers and cigarette lighters when they fly on planes, just so they can be "secure" from terrorists. And God-fobid another set of terroritsts try to hijack a plane? What will the honest citizens use to stop them forcefully? Plastic cups and spoons?)
.
Do they not see that the people requiring these types of searches are implying that YOU yourself are a suspect? Assume that you are willing to give up a little freedom (and then a little more, and a little more) until the "saviors" like the government are not only in charge of your feelings, thoughts, shoes, and luggage but every little thing that everyone does or tries to do in this country? (Read the last part of the 1st amendment--freedom to redress the government for grievances. So we'd better speak up now, before that goes away.)
.
Are we going to continue to allow the chipping away at the freedoms that our founding statesmen wrote into our form of government? Are we gonna keep putting up and shutting up?
Are we going to keep looking the other way while this continues to happen? Are we going to get lost in the smoke screens and not even notice this is happening?
.
Why?
.
Of course, we're now going to get into the debilitating debate over the fact that this is really happening or not. But by the time we know it IS, it'll be too late. And it won't be any fun saying "I told you so" mainly because the freedom of speech and press to say such things will be GONE as well as our rights to protest unjust practices.
.
Let's be clear here. I do not mean forcefully, I do not mean illegally. I mean resistance using every legal and constitutional means available to us.
.
Are we going to wake up someday and see that the only book and movie available to buy, read, watch and/or write is how great the current family-in-power is and how wonderful the big oil, big medical, big pharmaceutical corporations, big-whatevers are in the way they are "helping" the common man? (For an enormous profit, of couse.)
.
I liked that bumper sticker I saw one time:
.
If you aren't mad as hell, you aren't paying attention.
.
I am not going to criticize writers and film makers for producing controversial, off-beat, strange, and bad art. They have the right to do that. Sometimes bad art is good.
.
Personally, I am going to go out and buy another copy of Da Vinci Code and go to see the movie again, and buy the video when it comes out because I want to vote with my spending dollar for freedom of expression and freedom of entertainment.
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And hell will be frozen solid before I ever watch a Mel Gibson movie again, even if it has Tom Hanks in it, and even if it's the only thing on the television on every channel. He can make as many movies he wants on any subject, but I exercise my freedom to not have to watch them if I don't want to.
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In fact, I defend his right to make whatever stories he wants into movies.
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But I will NOT defend his right to take that right away from everyone other writer/director/producer/person.
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In writing this, I feel I'm exercising my constitutional freedom as guaranteed by the constitution. You don't have to agree with me to give me that right. You have all these rights, too.
.
Use 'em or lose 'em.
.
Monday, May 22, 2006
Da Vinci Code
Thanks to all my friends who praised me for this post.
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There is another point too that people are overlooking. The Da Vinci painting of the Last Supper was not a snapshot. Da Vinic wasn't really there. His rendition of the last supper was his own imaginary painting in his free expression of his art.
.
_______________________.
My original post below. See my most recent one for further updates. Thanks.
_____________________________________________________
.
My friend Cheri took a poetry class and told me about a poem sequence called a Fibonacci...it's called "A fib" and based on the Fibonacci number sequence seen in nature and miminicked in art and architecture, music, etc.
It is done in the sequence of 0-1-1-2-3-5-8-13, etc. (Supposed to be syllables per line not words, which is more difficult. See PS below.)
So here is my Fibonacci for today
-
I
went
to see
Da Vinci Code
So now I'm a heretic
And I guess Christianity is in big trouble.
.
.
I don't get the uproar over a movie/book/story that's supposed to be fiction!!!!
.
(It's not like they are jumping on people and sucking the blood out of their necks...oops, Wes Craven did that. His Dracula 2000 (Yay, Gerry Butler) was supposed to be (warning -- spoiler) Judas Iscariot who couldn't die because of his sin of betraying Christ a few millennia ago. He appeared in America in 2000 and thought sex, drugs and Rock & Roll were "Brilliant." Did the churches boycott that movie? Heck no. And by the way, Jeri Ryan makes a hot vampire!)
.
There have been a lot of movies and books that make churches, police, FBI, medical institutions, schools, fraternities, the government, motherhood, you-name-it look bad. So, if it not based on anything real, what is the BIG DEAL???!?!?!?!?
.
Since when does a "lie" threaten anything of real worth? (That is, if you label creative fiction as lying--duh, I'm a writer, does that make me a liar when I write?)
.
And if by some remote chance a fictitious story were actually found to be true, are you telling me that the truth can hurt your belief system!!???!?!? Yeah, right. "The truth hurts." Why would Christians think the truth could hurt Christianity? And why do they care if people believe lies or anything else different than they preach, for that matter? Do we all have to believe exactly the same thing? (If you say "yes" then explain to me the thousands of Christian sects in the world that don't even agree with each other.)
.
Can anybody see the illogic in this Da Vinci Code protest, besides me?
.
People and groups of people and institutions like churches can believe what they want...and everyone else can believe what they want, too, AND they can go to any form of entertainment they want--regardless if it is "true" or "false" (is miniature golf a lie if we use smaller clubs and shorter putting greens?)
.
People are just looking for things to feel threatened about.
.
I think it is high time that churches and governments and other loud-mouthed people stop telling everyone one else what to think, believe, and write about.
.
This is still America, right?
.
Freedom of speech ring a bell with anyone?
.
And don't get me started on Harry Potter. If he is a magician and that makes him evil, what the heck are Siegfried and Roy? Aren't they magicians?
.
Good night for now. Love and Smirks, Sandy
.
There is another point too that people are overlooking. The Da Vinci painting of the Last Supper was not a snapshot. Da Vinic wasn't really there. His rendition of the last supper was his own imaginary painting in his free expression of his art.
.
_______________________.
My original post below. See my most recent one for further updates. Thanks.
_____________________________________________________
.
My friend Cheri took a poetry class and told me about a poem sequence called a Fibonacci...it's called "A fib" and based on the Fibonacci number sequence seen in nature and miminicked in art and architecture, music, etc.
It is done in the sequence of 0-1-1-2-3-5-8-13, etc. (Supposed to be syllables per line not words, which is more difficult. See PS below.)
So here is my Fibonacci for today
-
I
went
to see
Da Vinci Code
So now I'm a heretic
And I guess Christianity is in big trouble.
.
.
I don't get the uproar over a movie/book/story that's supposed to be fiction!!!!
.
(It's not like they are jumping on people and sucking the blood out of their necks...oops, Wes Craven did that. His Dracula 2000 (Yay, Gerry Butler) was supposed to be (warning -- spoiler) Judas Iscariot who couldn't die because of his sin of betraying Christ a few millennia ago. He appeared in America in 2000 and thought sex, drugs and Rock & Roll were "Brilliant." Did the churches boycott that movie? Heck no. And by the way, Jeri Ryan makes a hot vampire!)
.
There have been a lot of movies and books that make churches, police, FBI, medical institutions, schools, fraternities, the government, motherhood, you-name-it look bad. So, if it not based on anything real, what is the BIG DEAL???!?!?!?!?
.
Since when does a "lie" threaten anything of real worth? (That is, if you label creative fiction as lying--duh, I'm a writer, does that make me a liar when I write?)
.
And if by some remote chance a fictitious story were actually found to be true, are you telling me that the truth can hurt your belief system!!???!?!? Yeah, right. "The truth hurts." Why would Christians think the truth could hurt Christianity? And why do they care if people believe lies or anything else different than they preach, for that matter? Do we all have to believe exactly the same thing? (If you say "yes" then explain to me the thousands of Christian sects in the world that don't even agree with each other.)
.
Can anybody see the illogic in this Da Vinci Code protest, besides me?
.
People and groups of people and institutions like churches can believe what they want...and everyone else can believe what they want, too, AND they can go to any form of entertainment they want--regardless if it is "true" or "false" (is miniature golf a lie if we use smaller clubs and shorter putting greens?)
.
People are just looking for things to feel threatened about.
.
I think it is high time that churches and governments and other loud-mouthed people stop telling everyone one else what to think, believe, and write about.
.
This is still America, right?
.
Freedom of speech ring a bell with anyone?
.
And don't get me started on Harry Potter. If he is a magician and that makes him evil, what the heck are Siegfried and Roy? Aren't they magicians?
.
Good night for now. Love and Smirks, Sandy
Tuesday, May 16, 2006
My Writing
Hi!!! I've had some new friends and acquaintances interested in my writing, so I thought I would make it easier to find. You can now run ME on the internet and find me!! WhooHoo!! Me, Sandy S--chair--er.
.
Anyway, in addition to my anthology of flash fiction ABC 123 which is still available for $10 plus $2 for mailing, see the cover and ordering info in a previous blog.
I still have an anthology still on Fear of Writing e-book site...link to Fear of Writing is on the side bar under my profile and picture.
.
My e-book is called Once Upon a Blue Moon, click here ---->
http://www.fearofwriting.com/bookstore.htm#BlueMoon
.
Also on www.fearofwriting.com I have a story in the free anthology of the Santa Fe Fear of writing group called The Devil's Darning Needle (an old name for a dragonfly.)
My story is entitled A Thousand Years Ago, the last story in the e-book. Get a free download and see how great e-books are!!! Click here-----> http://www.fearofwriting.com/bookstore.htm#DevilsDarningNeedle
.
And, I am breaking into the romance field and have an e-book coming out in Aug. on Silk's Vault under my pen name. It's a spicy romance which isn't everyone's cup of tea, in fact, you have to be over 18 to access the site. But it's entitled Forever Marian.
.
For your reading pleasure, I thought I would add one of my flash fiction stories here for you to read. Enjoy!!!!
.
Read an Excerpt from ABC 123: Five Rainy Weeks by Sandy Schairer
“My lord,” I muttered. I’d never seen Reverend Kirby cry before. Except at a funeral. And that was his own mother’s funeral. “Reverend, are you okay?”
.
Rev. Kirby, the new minister in Webster, Iowa, swing around, swiping his eyes with a Kleenex. “Oh, Miriam,” he groaned.
.
I’m church secretary. Been here longer than Rev. Kirby’d been alive. I raised my brows in a "Yes?” gesture.
.
“I feel so terrible. It’s this rain. It just goes on. And on. And on. It’s my fault. I feel so guilty for praying for rain last Spring.” His voice cracked with a suppressed sob. “What’s it been? A month. Two months!? If I were Noah, I would have been instructed to build an ark by now.”
.
It’d been raining day after dreary day for weeks. People all over town’d been falling victim to SAD—Seasonal Affective Disorder--the depression caused by clouds and wet and dark. I could barely stave it off myself.
.
The Reverend was barely keeping up with the prayer list and visiting the sick and crazy, until today, when he cracked.
.
I put his rain hat on his head, his raincoat around his shoulders. It was still wet from when he’d come to the office this dark, dank Wednesday morning. I lead him to my car under my umbrella and drove him home.
.
I knocked on the door out of deference to his wife, Mrs. Reverend Kirby, Reba. Rebecca really. She answered the bell with what I can’t help but describe as a delighted yelp.
.
“Hi! Walter! And Mrs. Bellamy! Come in, come in. What are you doing here?” she demanded with relish.
.
“I live here, Reba,” Rev. Kirby said flatly as if it were a stupid question. He sounded on the verge of tears again.
.
“Oh, what’s the matter?” Mrs. Kirby fairly sang. She was grinning, laughing, dancing around (or was it staggering?) Trying not to spill the martini she held in her right hand or drop the cigarette in her left.
.
I blinked, kept silent, and backed out the door. I’d let the Kirby’s handle this. I went back to my car in the rain, drove back to the church on deserted streets. Nary a car on the streets but mine. Roads were flooded, nearly impassable. So were yards and fields. Soggy cattle watched me drive-by as if it were all my fault.
.
Once in the church office I turned on every light, lamp, and overhead florescent I could find. Even the broken lamps that were stuck in the closet without shades, the ones that still had bulbs.
.
The phone rang again and again. I made a list of prayer requests for the Reverend. During a short lull in the calls, I placed a call to my psychic advisor. As I suspected, she predicted more rain in the near future. I thanked her (though God knows why) and hung up.
.
I then placed a call to the weatherman at Channel 13. I begged him to report a clearing in the next few days or at least a let-up. He reminded me he didn’t make the weather, he merely reported it. With a long sigh, he hung up before I could explain how even an incorrect weather report would cheer people if only for a few days. Heck.
.
I saw then I had no choice, I had to call Beulah my psychic advisor again. I promised her the moon if she’d only cast a spell to stop this damnable rain. The town was out of control. Schools were closed. Sheep were up to their necks in water. For all I knew their wool was shrunken beyond hope. The cows were more than knee deep in water. Even Rev. Kirby was crying. Please could she do something? Please? Change the clouds into spun sugar, or the rain drops to frogs, for gosh sakes? I’d take out a bank loan to pay her, just name her price. I’d even rob the bank to pay her, I’d be that grateful.
.
She said, “Forget it,” and promised to do something. I could hear a strange grin in her voice. That night there was a thunderstorm complete with lightening. And three tornados. The next day the governor called for complete evacuation.
.
Oh well, mysterious ways and all.
~~
.
Meet the Author: Sandy Schairer started writing at age five when she had to ask her Grandma how to spell all the words. She’s a member of SouthWest Writers, The Land of Enchantment Romance Authors, and the Association for Research and Enlightenment. Sandy won the SWW Parris Award in 2004. She received her Ph.D. in Metaphysics in April of 2005 from American Institute of Holistic Theology. She lives in the east mountains near Albuquerque with her husband of 17-years, Ed-the-Woodworker—Custom Cabinets and Fine Furnishings.
.
Love and Hugs, Sandy : )
.
Anyway, in addition to my anthology of flash fiction ABC 123 which is still available for $10 plus $2 for mailing, see the cover and ordering info in a previous blog.
I still have an anthology still on Fear of Writing e-book site...link to Fear of Writing is on the side bar under my profile and picture.
.
My e-book is called Once Upon a Blue Moon, click here ---->
http://www.fearofwriting.com/bookstore.htm#BlueMoon
.
Also on www.fearofwriting.com I have a story in the free anthology of the Santa Fe Fear of writing group called The Devil's Darning Needle (an old name for a dragonfly.)
My story is entitled A Thousand Years Ago, the last story in the e-book. Get a free download and see how great e-books are!!! Click here-----> http://www.fearofwriting.com/bookstore.htm#DevilsDarningNeedle
.
And, I am breaking into the romance field and have an e-book coming out in Aug. on Silk's Vault under my pen name. It's a spicy romance which isn't everyone's cup of tea, in fact, you have to be over 18 to access the site. But it's entitled Forever Marian.
.
For your reading pleasure, I thought I would add one of my flash fiction stories here for you to read. Enjoy!!!!
.
Read an Excerpt from ABC 123: Five Rainy Weeks by Sandy Schairer
“My lord,” I muttered. I’d never seen Reverend Kirby cry before. Except at a funeral. And that was his own mother’s funeral. “Reverend, are you okay?”
.
Rev. Kirby, the new minister in Webster, Iowa, swing around, swiping his eyes with a Kleenex. “Oh, Miriam,” he groaned.
.
I’m church secretary. Been here longer than Rev. Kirby’d been alive. I raised my brows in a "Yes?” gesture.
.
“I feel so terrible. It’s this rain. It just goes on. And on. And on. It’s my fault. I feel so guilty for praying for rain last Spring.” His voice cracked with a suppressed sob. “What’s it been? A month. Two months!? If I were Noah, I would have been instructed to build an ark by now.”
.
It’d been raining day after dreary day for weeks. People all over town’d been falling victim to SAD—Seasonal Affective Disorder--the depression caused by clouds and wet and dark. I could barely stave it off myself.
.
The Reverend was barely keeping up with the prayer list and visiting the sick and crazy, until today, when he cracked.
.
I put his rain hat on his head, his raincoat around his shoulders. It was still wet from when he’d come to the office this dark, dank Wednesday morning. I lead him to my car under my umbrella and drove him home.
.
I knocked on the door out of deference to his wife, Mrs. Reverend Kirby, Reba. Rebecca really. She answered the bell with what I can’t help but describe as a delighted yelp.
.
“Hi! Walter! And Mrs. Bellamy! Come in, come in. What are you doing here?” she demanded with relish.
.
“I live here, Reba,” Rev. Kirby said flatly as if it were a stupid question. He sounded on the verge of tears again.
.
“Oh, what’s the matter?” Mrs. Kirby fairly sang. She was grinning, laughing, dancing around (or was it staggering?) Trying not to spill the martini she held in her right hand or drop the cigarette in her left.
.
I blinked, kept silent, and backed out the door. I’d let the Kirby’s handle this. I went back to my car in the rain, drove back to the church on deserted streets. Nary a car on the streets but mine. Roads were flooded, nearly impassable. So were yards and fields. Soggy cattle watched me drive-by as if it were all my fault.
.
Once in the church office I turned on every light, lamp, and overhead florescent I could find. Even the broken lamps that were stuck in the closet without shades, the ones that still had bulbs.
.
The phone rang again and again. I made a list of prayer requests for the Reverend. During a short lull in the calls, I placed a call to my psychic advisor. As I suspected, she predicted more rain in the near future. I thanked her (though God knows why) and hung up.
.
I then placed a call to the weatherman at Channel 13. I begged him to report a clearing in the next few days or at least a let-up. He reminded me he didn’t make the weather, he merely reported it. With a long sigh, he hung up before I could explain how even an incorrect weather report would cheer people if only for a few days. Heck.
.
I saw then I had no choice, I had to call Beulah my psychic advisor again. I promised her the moon if she’d only cast a spell to stop this damnable rain. The town was out of control. Schools were closed. Sheep were up to their necks in water. For all I knew their wool was shrunken beyond hope. The cows were more than knee deep in water. Even Rev. Kirby was crying. Please could she do something? Please? Change the clouds into spun sugar, or the rain drops to frogs, for gosh sakes? I’d take out a bank loan to pay her, just name her price. I’d even rob the bank to pay her, I’d be that grateful.
.
She said, “Forget it,” and promised to do something. I could hear a strange grin in her voice. That night there was a thunderstorm complete with lightening. And three tornados. The next day the governor called for complete evacuation.
.
Oh well, mysterious ways and all.
~~
.
Meet the Author: Sandy Schairer started writing at age five when she had to ask her Grandma how to spell all the words. She’s a member of SouthWest Writers, The Land of Enchantment Romance Authors, and the Association for Research and Enlightenment. Sandy won the SWW Parris Award in 2004. She received her Ph.D. in Metaphysics in April of 2005 from American Institute of Holistic Theology. She lives in the east mountains near Albuquerque with her husband of 17-years, Ed-the-Woodworker—Custom Cabinets and Fine Furnishings.
.
Love and Hugs, Sandy : )
Wednesday, May 10, 2006
Fine Furnishings by Ed Schairer
Fine Furnishings and Custom Cabinets, Tijeras, NMAbout Ed Schairer
Ed Schairer started in the woodworking business 35 years ago doing craft shows around the southwest offering smaller items such as handheld and wall mirrors. His woodworking talents developed gradually as he began to move into custom designed fine furniture and cabinets. His company, Fine Furnishings and Custom Cabinets, is known all over the state of New Mexico as well as major commercial clients in NM and other states. He works out of a shop in the mountains east of Albuquerque.
Ed is skilled in every phase of furniture manufacture from designing, handcrafting, and machine building-everything from complete home interiors to commercial display fixtures and lighted cases. He uses a variety of woods, veneers, finishes, and hardware for a one-of-a-kind professional look. Ed consults with potential clients in person and guarantees satisfaction of the finished product. His specialty is built-ins that blend with your décor and lifestyle at affordable prices.
Picture is of Ed at the recent Albuquerque the Magazine openhouse with the conference table he designed and built for the magazine.
~
He is my honey for over 18-years of happy married life!!!
~
Love and Hugs, Sandy
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Ed's son works with him in the woodworking business.
.
See www.schairercustomwood.com for more information and pictures
Tuesday, April 11, 2006
Evil People, What happens to them spiritually?
It's interesting that Sylvia Browne in her book Tenets of Novus Spiritus talks about dark entities just existing and then being reabsorbed back into Spirit at the "end" (of their "lives" or the end of the world as we know it, either one.)
It's as if "their job" is to represent evil and negativity on this planet Earth (which Sylvia and others believe is a gigantic school of lessons for spiritual evolution.)
If what is purely of the Earth (or matter realm) is illusion as some philosophies have stated, then the dark entities Sylvia talks about are merely shadows, similar to the shadows described by Carl Jung. They are part of the illusion.
A shadow by definition is merely a place where light is temporarily blocked. The light is still there and the shadow goes away when the light shines on it differently. Not real.
SO--I have decided that people who are purely evil and come here to create evil, negativity, suffering and destruction (while they are playing the role they chose or were assigned to somehow) are not "real." They are illusion. They are shadows. They cease to exist when they go back to Spirit and are basically obliterated or cease to be anything when they rejoin with Pure Spirit (and they lose their individuality or individual souls/spirits.)
Maybe. Sounds good to me.
Basically, these evil entities & shadow people are representations of evil...which in God's World or on spirit level perception...do not exist. These negatives represent something that isn't real, something that doesn't really exist.
That makes sense to me.
They are perhaps acting out the role of catalyst to bring mankind to a kinder, more loving, and stronger (as in-- tougher) place as we all go through our lifetimes & journeys toward enlightement.
This is just a theory that eases my mind when I wonder, What were these evil people thinking, coming here to hurt us?" Are we to forgive them? Does God forgive them? No, I don't believe they are "rewarded" or "punished" such as--in going to Heaven or Hell, they just cease to BE. No longer individual souls. Nothing.
I like that. I would rather think of Hitler and other purely evil shadows as going completely away into oblivion rather than reincarnating again and again living beside and among us and trying time and time again to "get it" (whatever it is--salvation, enlightenment, forgiveness.) (If perhaps there is a true soul that was misguided into using evil means for something, well, I am all for them working out their salvation and enlightenment here. That's not what I am referring to.)
Anyway, I hope Einstein has figured out by now if the Universe is friendly. Someday we'll know for sure.
Blessings, Sandy
It's as if "their job" is to represent evil and negativity on this planet Earth (which Sylvia and others believe is a gigantic school of lessons for spiritual evolution.)
If what is purely of the Earth (or matter realm) is illusion as some philosophies have stated, then the dark entities Sylvia talks about are merely shadows, similar to the shadows described by Carl Jung. They are part of the illusion.
A shadow by definition is merely a place where light is temporarily blocked. The light is still there and the shadow goes away when the light shines on it differently. Not real.
SO--I have decided that people who are purely evil and come here to create evil, negativity, suffering and destruction (while they are playing the role they chose or were assigned to somehow) are not "real." They are illusion. They are shadows. They cease to exist when they go back to Spirit and are basically obliterated or cease to be anything when they rejoin with Pure Spirit (and they lose their individuality or individual souls/spirits.)
Maybe. Sounds good to me.
Basically, these evil entities & shadow people are representations of evil...which in God's World or on spirit level perception...do not exist. These negatives represent something that isn't real, something that doesn't really exist.
That makes sense to me.
They are perhaps acting out the role of catalyst to bring mankind to a kinder, more loving, and stronger (as in-- tougher) place as we all go through our lifetimes & journeys toward enlightement.
This is just a theory that eases my mind when I wonder, What were these evil people thinking, coming here to hurt us?" Are we to forgive them? Does God forgive them? No, I don't believe they are "rewarded" or "punished" such as--in going to Heaven or Hell, they just cease to BE. No longer individual souls. Nothing.
I like that. I would rather think of Hitler and other purely evil shadows as going completely away into oblivion rather than reincarnating again and again living beside and among us and trying time and time again to "get it" (whatever it is--salvation, enlightenment, forgiveness.) (If perhaps there is a true soul that was misguided into using evil means for something, well, I am all for them working out their salvation and enlightenment here. That's not what I am referring to.)
Anyway, I hope Einstein has figured out by now if the Universe is friendly. Someday we'll know for sure.
Blessings, Sandy
Monday, April 10, 2006
The Da Vinci Code
Da Vinci Code
I recently received a newsletter with a link to a story about the new Da Vinci Code movie. It was about a Catholic priest, bishop or something, that was urging all Catholics to boycott the movie when it comes out.
Of course being an argumentative person…I love to debate…I don’t personally attack anyone, I emailed him with two words: It’s fiction.
He wrote back--Yes, he knew it was fiction but "unfortunately some people don’t know the difference between fact and fiction."
I thought, if he could TELL people to boycott it, he could just as easily tell them: It’s fiction.
___________________________
There are some questions about the controversy of Da Vinci Code.
One—If it’s fiction how does it threaten people? How does it threaten the truth?
Two—Does the truth need defending?
Three—Does a church really want uneducated people with closed minds (who don’t know the difference between fact and fiction) as members?
I recently received a newsletter with a link to a story about the new Da Vinci Code movie. It was about a Catholic priest, bishop or something, that was urging all Catholics to boycott the movie when it comes out.
Of course being an argumentative person…I love to debate…I don’t personally attack anyone, I emailed him with two words: It’s fiction.
He wrote back--Yes, he knew it was fiction but "unfortunately some people don’t know the difference between fact and fiction."
I thought, if he could TELL people to boycott it, he could just as easily tell them: It’s fiction.
___________________________
There are some questions about the controversy of Da Vinci Code.
One—If it’s fiction how does it threaten people? How does it threaten the truth?
Two—Does the truth need defending?
Three—Does a church really want uneducated people with closed minds (who don’t know the difference between fact and fiction) as members?
Four—If it IS proven (which it never will be) that Jesus was married, does that make Him any less the Son of God? Would the Catholics fire him as Savior? Would the Baptists? If Jesus decided to get married back in the old days, don’t you think He would have gotten God’s approval first? If He did get God’s approval, did God make a mistake?
Five—If Jesus went someplace else besides Heaven, such as France, after he was resurrected, would that really hurt Christianity?
__________________________
I like fiction, I like books, and I like movies. I also am a spiritual and sometimes religious person. I don’t think anything in the realm of fiction or even non-fiction that I read can remove the truth and my beliefs about the truth from mind. Nor can it interfer with my relationship with God and the guidance I receive from God about the Truth and every other matter.
I believe it's only in opening our minds to a variety of ideas and expanding our consciousness and awareness as wide as we can, that we reach our own understanding of Divinity and God and our relationship to God. And another thing, using our minds is FUN.
Dan Brown is a good writer. His stories have the backdrop of “religion” to make them interesting and specific. If he wrote a story about CIA or FBI, would those organizations urge everyone to boycott the books/movies to avoid picking up false beliefs about them? I don’t think so. (Take a look at X-Files. DUH.)
Just because something deals with religion doesn’t give anyone the right to dictate what others can do with their own brains. If you are a strong Catholic and believe in the church as an institution, you could watch dozens of movies that are not Catholic in flavor, and they won’t harm your spirituality or prevent you from going to church or even getting into Heaven.
Enjoy reading fiction.
Do NOT fear the written word. Opening your mind will not harm you. On the other hand, keeping your mind closed tight and remaining uneducated just might harm you.
Certainly, you can decide the difference between fact and fiction for yourself, right?
Think about it!!!
Do NOT fear the written word. Opening your mind will not harm you. On the other hand, keeping your mind closed tight and remaining uneducated just might harm you.
Certainly, you can decide the difference between fact and fiction for yourself, right?
Think about it!!!
As the modern "proverb" says: "If you want to make God laugh, tell Him your plans."-Anon.
PS - If this is your copyrighted picture, let me know, and I'll give you credit or remove it. Thanks. I have no intention of stealing it. I just love to see Jesus smiling and full of joy.
PS - If this is your copyrighted picture, let me know, and I'll give you credit or remove it. Thanks. I have no intention of stealing it. I just love to see Jesus smiling and full of joy.Tuesday, March 28, 2006
ABC 123 Review
"I completed reading your short fiction pieces and had a great time reading them. What I read was a good collection of greatly varied voices." from James in San Francisco.
Now on Sale
Wednesday, March 15, 2006
How to Quit Smoking FOR GOOD
Quit Smoking with the Spiritual Treatment
If you are among the fortunate few who have never smoked tobacco, smoking still concerns you. Statistics about second-hand smoke (inhaling a smokers residue smoke from surrounding environment) are as alarming as the dire warnings about smoking itself. Many buildings and establishments have banned smoking for this very reason. Many people will not allow smoking in their houses. Unpleasant smoke smell gets into the fabrics and materials of the house and lingers.
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In the days when my children were little, I asked my own mother to go outside to smoke when she was visiting my home. She understood and complied. She was one of the people who took up smoking as an adult, was able to quit smoking later in life with no difficulty. Others are not so fortunate; many begin smoking in childhood–used to be in the teen years, now statistics state it’s even earlier–and have a great deal of difficulty stopping. Some find it impossible to quit no matter how much they would like to.
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Besides being hard on the body, smoking is also hard on the wallet. The cost of cigarettes has jumped, as has the cost of “remedies” to help people stop smoking. Other costs include medical bills for health problems such as bronchitis, allergies, asthma and more serious ailments such as emphysema, lung cancer, and heart disease. Other costs may include unexpected accidents a person has when smoking while they do other tasks that demand more focused attention. An example would be driving at freeway speeds while lighting up, driving with one hand, or even dropping a cigarette; and something such as falling asleep in a chair with a lighted cigarette and starting a fire.
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The American Council of Science and Health has declared that cigarette smoking is now the leading cause of preventable death in the United States–attributing a half a million deaths a year to smoking or one in every five deaths
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Statistics on smokers obtained from Quit Smoking Hub (www.quitsmokinghub.com) indicate that in the United States alone, 26 million men and about 23 million women smoke cigarettes. When broken down into ethnic groups, a little over a fourth of all men in each ethnic group smoke (24 to 25%) while slightly fewer women in ethnic groups smoke (21% to 24%) with Asian women and Hispanic women smoking less (7% and 12% respectively.) American Indian and Alaskan Natives smoking nearly twice as much (both men and women at 41%.)
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Statistics also reveal that once a person begins smoking the chances of ever quitting completely are not good and indicate a high rate of relapse; in fact, a third of the half-million American smokers in this country attempt to quit each year. Only an estimated 10% of those are successful.
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While there is still uncertainty if smoking is an addiction, a habit or a compulsion, the major way of quitting has been to depend on an individual’s motivation and willpower. Those who tried quitting smoking and experienced debilitating withdrawal symptoms are more inclined to believe it is a physical addiction. Others find that the emotional pull is impossible to deal with. Compulsive smokers are often resigned to continue smoking for life.
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The products, remedies and techniques to aid smokers who wish to quit are not strictly scientifically developed and tested. Few studies and statistics are known on the effectiveness of these tools and aids since, in the majority of cases, the success of their use relies on the individual and his strength of will in applying the chosen method.
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Statistics and warnings of health risks may or may not have any bearing on whether a person starts smoking, tries to quit smoking, or actually quits. There are people who enjoy smoking and see nothing dangerous or “wrong” with it. There are occasional smokers who may have a cigar, for instance, on special occasions. There are those who smoke mindlessly in reaction to mental and emotional pressures. There are smokers who couldn’t care less about statistics and health issues, and smokers who feel terribly pressured by the statistics. Some feel pressured by other people or their own inner consciousness about smoking. Nonetheless, they remain smokers.
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I, like many others, experimented with smoking as a youngster before the statistics of health issues were know and publicized. I can still recall my first puff. My friend Sherri and I swiped a cigarette from one of my Mom’s packs and snuck down to the basement to light it up. We each took a few puffs and began to feel nauseated and dizzy. Sherri decided to go home and go to bed. I was so sick I couldn’t get out of bed the next day to attend school. However, this didn’t stop me from trying cigarettes again later in my teen years. I smoked because the other kids smoked, I wanted to fit in, “look cool” and feel “grown-up” (in those days most kids observed at least one parent who smoked and sometimes grandparents who were smokers.) In those days the cost of a pack of cigarettes was only 35cents and cigarette machines were everywhere accessible. Most teens that experimented with smoking didn’t smoke openly, we snuck cigarettes in private, sharing the cost of a pack, and even sharing an individual cigarette. It was the days, too, before designated smoking areas outside the high schools. One could be expelled for smoking at school.
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I didn’t continue smoking in high school. I came home from school one afternoon and found a newspaper article on the table about teenage smoking which my Mom had circled in red. Not a word was ever mentioned aloud, but it was powerful feedback that I took to heart. Fortunately, I became active in a youth group at our community church and surrounded myself with non-smoking friends.
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However, I started smoking again in college and into my twenties when I became a wife and mother. I was a compulsive smoker so my husband left me a pile of ten loose cigarettes in the morning which I would chain-smoke before I got busy with housework. I saved one cigarette to smoke just before he arrived home from work. I’d greet him at the door enthusiastically while I’d reach for the pack of cigarettes he always carried in his front shirt pocket.
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I quit several times over the years, but I always picked up the smoking habit again. Maybe not as a compulsive smoker, I became more open about it, especially around other smoking adults.
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During my mid-twenties, I began to attend Bible Study groups in my neighborhood. These were people who found organized religion lacking for various reasons. Our self-ordained minister, Bob Devilbus, lead a Bible study and prayer group in our neighborhood on a weekly basis. During one group meeting, I attended a prayer group in which Rev. Bob helped a young woman named Nancy quit smoking.
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As was Rev. Bob’s custom when he prayed for someone, he and Nancy stood in the middle of a circle of seated friends. Nancy had requested the prayer to help her quit smoking because she had been unable to do so on her own.
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Bob took Nancy through a series of imaginative steps to bring her to a place where she could put down cigarettes and not have to pick them up again. He asked her to close her eyes and reach back in her memory to the moment she picked up her very first cigarette. He then asked her to describe what had been going on in her life and her feelings at the time she lit that first cigarette. Nancy remembered she had just been dumped by a boyfriend and felt that “the rug had been pulled out from under her”, in other words, she felt betrayed and heartbroken.
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Bob then encouraged Nancy to actually feel these emotions in present day, the feelings she had avoided by turning to smoking. Through sobbing and tears, Nancy expressed and then came to the end of her feelings of abandonment, disappointment, and disillusionment.
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Bob then had Nancy imagine that Jesus was standing with her, holding her hand, healing the hurt. When the prayer session was over Nancy was over the old, hidden hurt, and no longer desired a cigarette. She was able to stop smoking without any difficulty or withdrawal symptoms.
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Years later when I started smoking again and came to the point when I was ready to stop I wanted to stop again, I remembered this process I’d witnessed Rev. Bob leading Nancy through.
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I decided to try prayer therapy for myself by working this technique alone. I sat quietly alone in my home, searched my memory for the time I had picked up smoking again. I determined it had to do with some feelings of sadness that I felt I couldn’t cope with. * I smoked instead of crying. I was pacifying my sadness by not allowing myself to experience these feelings. When I was ready, I allowed myself to cry and feel the deep sadness and talked my way through the feelings in prayer. The emotions began to disperse and I was left with a refreshed feeling of hope and power. I expressed my gratitude in prayer. I stopped smoking in that moment and did not experience any withdrawal symptoms or cravings. I was free from smoking for good. It has been over 30 years now, and I have not turned to cigarettes again.
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I would like to share with you the steps you can use with the prayer approach to quitting smoking just as Bob had done with Nancy, and I had done through my own prayer work.
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• Sit quietly and pray silently or offer an affirmation for the success of your endeavor.
• Reach back in your memory (I found that a meditative state is almost like self-hypnotism.) If you are unable to recall the first incident of smoking, ask in prayer it be revealed to you. If nothing comes, wait until you have an indication to attempt this process again, perhaps at a time when you feel spiritually inspired and especially grateful and full of love. Love is a great healer. I also found that journaling about my life often leads me to revelations about myself that I hadn’t consciously been aware of previously, so you may have luck refreshing your memory with journaling.
• When you have recalled the first time you picked up the cigarette, you will recognize the feelings that caused you to pacify or energize yourself with a cigarette, so go into that memory with all your senses and open your heart and mind to the emotions of that memory. Then, asking in prayer for guidance, help or protection, go right ahead and feel those feelings. They may crying, or anger, or fear, but remind yourself that these feelings are in the past, that you have moved on, and nothing in this session can really hurt you. As you continue, describe the feelings and thoughts behind them to yourself. You may address them to your Higher Power, voice them to yourself aloud, or write on a sheet of paper they pass through you. At some point, you will reach a blank in which nothing more will come.
• Instead of reaching for a cigarette to quiet the emotion that you’ve uncovered, imagine that your spiritual guide–your guardian angel or the Christ, Holy Spirit, or Divine Mother as you prefer--is with you, holding your hand and know that you are not facing the challenge of quitting alone.
• Pray in your own style: short or long, personal or general. I find that thanking God is a way to release something, in this way I can accept my highest good from any situation even seemingly “bad” ones. You may have some favorite Bible quotations that apply, “...in all things give thanks” or “all things work together for good.” Accept your healing by believing that what you have asked in prayer is done, feeling the thanks and gratitude that it is the truth for you now.
• Release is the final step of prayer. Release sets you free from the temptation to pick up the “fight” again. If the process is not complete and you find yourself in a struggle with craving, smoking or withdrawal, feel free to repeat this process until it feels complete. You may find there was more than one reason you turned to smoking, so a series of releases for each set of emotions may be beneficial.
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*My critiquer said I should tell why I was so sad and started smoking again. I will here, I had just found out my ex-husband had been fooling around on me. I was crushed. However, it was a long time ago, and the poor man died a few years ago--at 57!!! He started smoking when he was 7 years old. Sad but true. I'm happily married to a never-smoker now for 18 years. YAY. And I haven't had a smoke since the time I used this method. Over 30 years ago. Whoa. So it works! Sandy
Monday, March 13, 2006
From a Soldier
“Operation School Supplies”
In September 1945, Kisarasu, in war-torn Japan, an 11-year old girl named Natstu was ready to start school. At a local store, she eyed the only two yellow pencils the store had left. She needed the pencils badly, but due to post war inflation, the price was just too high. Then two American service members walk into the store. She had never seen G.I.s before, let alone African-American G.I.s. Out of the goodness of their hearts, they purchased the two yellow pencils for Natsu. She was so happy and never ever forgot the generosity of those Americans. Now, over 60-years later in Las Vegas, Nevada Natsu, shares that same experience with her 11-year old grand daughter.
It is my turn to return that good deed. I am MSgt Douglas L. Webster and along with my Commander, Lt Col Kathryn Kolbe and our entire Military Transition Team, we are appealing to all those who are able to help. The schools in Nasiriyah, Iraq are war torn and poorly furnished. The students need simple, basic school supplies such as: notebooks, folders, crayons, rulers, round-end scissors, erasers, glue sticks, soccer balls, jump ropes, and of course, pencils and pencil sharpeners. Please do not send food or money.
We appreciate your assistance. Thank you and Semper Fidelis. Please send packages to the following address NO LATER THAN -- 31 Mar 06.
Military Transition Team
c/o “Operation School Supplies”
CMATT Base Support Unit
APO AE 09331
In September 1945, Kisarasu, in war-torn Japan, an 11-year old girl named Natstu was ready to start school. At a local store, she eyed the only two yellow pencils the store had left. She needed the pencils badly, but due to post war inflation, the price was just too high. Then two American service members walk into the store. She had never seen G.I.s before, let alone African-American G.I.s. Out of the goodness of their hearts, they purchased the two yellow pencils for Natsu. She was so happy and never ever forgot the generosity of those Americans. Now, over 60-years later in Las Vegas, Nevada Natsu, shares that same experience with her 11-year old grand daughter.
It is my turn to return that good deed. I am MSgt Douglas L. Webster and along with my Commander, Lt Col Kathryn Kolbe and our entire Military Transition Team, we are appealing to all those who are able to help. The schools in Nasiriyah, Iraq are war torn and poorly furnished. The students need simple, basic school supplies such as: notebooks, folders, crayons, rulers, round-end scissors, erasers, glue sticks, soccer balls, jump ropes, and of course, pencils and pencil sharpeners. Please do not send food or money.
We appreciate your assistance. Thank you and Semper Fidelis. Please send packages to the following address NO LATER THAN -- 31 Mar 06.
Military Transition Team
c/o “Operation School Supplies”
CMATT Base Support Unit
APO AE 09331
Saturday, March 11, 2006
Pronounce Gerard Butler correctly! Please.
Gerard Butler, Scottish actor, who has starred in several movies and been either supporting or bit actor in NUMEROUS other movies and British TV movies, as well as appearing on the stage in his early acting career... has a name that Americans are murdering.
His name is NOT Gah-RARD.
He hates that, and his fans hate to hear that.
He is GER-ahh-rd with a very slight sound on the 'r', almost like Jarod in America.
Like Gerald, except it Gerard. Say it JARE-ahhh(r)d
Please, if you blankety-blank tv announcers and talk show hosts can't say Gerard with the proper Scottish pronunciation, call him Gerry. Please.
You don't call Ralph Fiennes: Ralll-FFFFFFF. He is Raef. Not Fee-N-iss. It Fines. Raef Fines.
So it GER-ahd Butler. Like Gerald without the L.
Please learn to say it right because you and all of us around the world are going to see more and more of him on the big screen. He has graduated from supporting and bit parts (playing murder victims, for gosh sakes, who bite the dust in the first reel.) NO, he is the Title Role Star.
Dracula 2000, PHANTOM OF THE OPERA for godsakes. He has a HUGE fan following. Millions of women and girls and a few boys and men are madly in love with this star.
For their sakes, say his name right.
Thursday, March 09, 2006
Short Stories/Book
Extremely Short Stories for Busy People ABC 123
by Sandy Schairer
Anthology of humorous flash fiction--26 stories each starting with a different letter of the alphabet, plus a bonus of five stories each starting with numbers 1 through 5.
NOW ON SALE
$10.00 plus $2.00 shipping and handling (includes tax)
Easy to read. G-rated
FUNNY!!!
You will LOVE this book !
Published by InstantPublisher 2005
Contact SandyLiz@juno.com now to order
Sick vs. Spiritual
Sick Vs. Spiritual? November 11, 2005 An old post from my previous blog site.
I do believe we can affect our bodily condition with our thoughts. Our thoughts are always our choice because they are based on our perception and that is also choice. We can choose to see things as terrible, or see them as okay. We can talk ourselves into feeling angry or sad as well as happy and contented depending on what we elect to "see."
A clinical RN told me once that emotions are triggered by a certain thought and they run through your mind for about three minutes. If you do not think another triggering thought, the bout of emotion is over like a little thunderstorm. However, if you sit there and allow the bad feelings to conjure up more thoughts of sad circumstances, you can string a lot of sad "3-mintes" together.
Not withstanding, I do not believe that we entirely create our own reality with our thinking. Truth be told, there is only one Reality and it is God. Our understanding, thoughts, feelings, experiences, education and choices determine our comprehension of that one reality. We can perhaps determine if we go through a sudden downpour of rain, that it's perfectly fine to run and get wet but your positive or negative thoughts don't control whether rain is wet and if it gets on you, you become wet.
One is viewpoint and related to truth--higher or lower truth, and the other is just a fact of nature or physical science (in other words the body level or material part of existence.)
We can cuss about getting wet or we can accept it and not create a bad feeling about the rain. Just deal with it.
The same holds true for illness, sickness or even injury. If we truly believe that our thoughts and feelings create our situation--even the physical--it doesn't necessarily mean that we are spiritually off base and need a psychic tune-up or a prayer for cleansing.
For instance, falling and breaking your arm may not have anything to do with your thoughts about God and the nature of reality, it might just mean that you THOUGHT that you could run on a wet surface without falling. If you get a cold, it might mean that you THOUGHT you could be in the same space and time with germs (who, by the way, are living entities and part of the same Wholeness of the Universe that we are.) It doesn't mean that we have been blasphemous or lax in our devotions or other such nonsense that went out of style after the Inquisition.
Germs and microbes evolved on this planet (or plane of existence, if you will) the same time mankind was developing into a higher sentient beings. They definitely have their job to do. They were given the mission to eat dead or dying tissue, basically, so we wouldn't be up to our knees in decaying matter. They eat the dead leaves, the birds that fall out of the
sky from heart failure. AND, since our tissues are continually sloughing off and dying so to speak as new tissue is generated and grown in its place, it might just be that germs get a little confused now and then and bite into adjoining tissue.
The symptoms of so-called illness are really the by-products of the miraculous body's attempt to toss out the invaders and reclaim the territory for us.
And since "all things work together for good, for those that believe..." then perhaps we ought to take a more gleeful approach to illness.Consider the fact it gets you out of school or work so you can get a much-needed rest (that you have perhaps been avoiding taking in your busy schedule.)
If the body is the temple of God, and Christ lives within as our piece of God and personal spirit, that part of us is always okay. Our soul can even be okay most of the time if we just declare it to be. I would like to propose that we declare catching something and feeling sick for a while is also okay for our little temples of God. Trust the body's wisdom. Declare that all is well.
Jesus Christ did that when he went to Lazarus's tomb and COMMANDED that Lazarus come forth after he was dead four days. If Lazarus was allowed to be resting completely dead for four days, I am sure Jesus would cut us some slack and let us rest and nurse our colds for a few days.
I am suffering from a nasal and throat infection (back in Nov.) and I, me, myself that lives in my body are all fine.
In fact, inside my body I am a thin, youthful, energetic, & sexy woman,regardless of what the mirror tells me.
The truth is, dear reader, that in the physical world anything and everything can happen--we are never safe. And in the spiritual world, where our souls live and move and have our being inside of God, nothing can possibly happen to us that isn't good from Good, we are always safe.
Now I am going to go rest my 60-year-old temple of God since I am at least one or two of the seven dwarfs today: Sneezy and Dopey and probably Grumpy.
Sandy Schairer, Ph.D., D.D., Metaphysician
I do believe we can affect our bodily condition with our thoughts. Our thoughts are always our choice because they are based on our perception and that is also choice. We can choose to see things as terrible, or see them as okay. We can talk ourselves into feeling angry or sad as well as happy and contented depending on what we elect to "see."
A clinical RN told me once that emotions are triggered by a certain thought and they run through your mind for about three minutes. If you do not think another triggering thought, the bout of emotion is over like a little thunderstorm. However, if you sit there and allow the bad feelings to conjure up more thoughts of sad circumstances, you can string a lot of sad "3-mintes" together.
Not withstanding, I do not believe that we entirely create our own reality with our thinking. Truth be told, there is only one Reality and it is God. Our understanding, thoughts, feelings, experiences, education and choices determine our comprehension of that one reality. We can perhaps determine if we go through a sudden downpour of rain, that it's perfectly fine to run and get wet but your positive or negative thoughts don't control whether rain is wet and if it gets on you, you become wet.
One is viewpoint and related to truth--higher or lower truth, and the other is just a fact of nature or physical science (in other words the body level or material part of existence.)
We can cuss about getting wet or we can accept it and not create a bad feeling about the rain. Just deal with it.
The same holds true for illness, sickness or even injury. If we truly believe that our thoughts and feelings create our situation--even the physical--it doesn't necessarily mean that we are spiritually off base and need a psychic tune-up or a prayer for cleansing.
For instance, falling and breaking your arm may not have anything to do with your thoughts about God and the nature of reality, it might just mean that you THOUGHT that you could run on a wet surface without falling. If you get a cold, it might mean that you THOUGHT you could be in the same space and time with germs (who, by the way, are living entities and part of the same Wholeness of the Universe that we are.) It doesn't mean that we have been blasphemous or lax in our devotions or other such nonsense that went out of style after the Inquisition.
Germs and microbes evolved on this planet (or plane of existence, if you will) the same time mankind was developing into a higher sentient beings. They definitely have their job to do. They were given the mission to eat dead or dying tissue, basically, so we wouldn't be up to our knees in decaying matter. They eat the dead leaves, the birds that fall out of the
sky from heart failure. AND, since our tissues are continually sloughing off and dying so to speak as new tissue is generated and grown in its place, it might just be that germs get a little confused now and then and bite into adjoining tissue.
The symptoms of so-called illness are really the by-products of the miraculous body's attempt to toss out the invaders and reclaim the territory for us.
And since "all things work together for good, for those that believe..." then perhaps we ought to take a more gleeful approach to illness.Consider the fact it gets you out of school or work so you can get a much-needed rest (that you have perhaps been avoiding taking in your busy schedule.)
If the body is the temple of God, and Christ lives within as our piece of God and personal spirit, that part of us is always okay. Our soul can even be okay most of the time if we just declare it to be. I would like to propose that we declare catching something and feeling sick for a while is also okay for our little temples of God. Trust the body's wisdom. Declare that all is well.
Jesus Christ did that when he went to Lazarus's tomb and COMMANDED that Lazarus come forth after he was dead four days. If Lazarus was allowed to be resting completely dead for four days, I am sure Jesus would cut us some slack and let us rest and nurse our colds for a few days.
I am suffering from a nasal and throat infection (back in Nov.) and I, me, myself that lives in my body are all fine.
In fact, inside my body I am a thin, youthful, energetic, & sexy woman,regardless of what the mirror tells me.
The truth is, dear reader, that in the physical world anything and everything can happen--we are never safe. And in the spiritual world, where our souls live and move and have our being inside of God, nothing can possibly happen to us that isn't good from Good, we are always safe.
Now I am going to go rest my 60-year-old temple of God since I am at least one or two of the seven dwarfs today: Sneezy and Dopey and probably Grumpy.
Sandy Schairer, Ph.D., D.D., Metaphysician
Wednesday, March 08, 2006
My Books
Extremely Short Stories for Busy People ABC 123
by Sandy Schairer
NOW ON SALE
$10.00 plus $2.00 shipping and handling (includes tax)
Contact SandyLiz@juno.com NOW to order
AND:
Once Upon a Blue Moon e-anthology of short short stories available at e-bookstore www.fearofwriting.com
A Thousand Years Ago my story in The Devil's Darning Needle collected works by Santa Fe Writing Group--FREE E-Book at www.fearofwriting.com e-bookstore
YAHWEH
Insights Today
I studied Carl Jung rather what someone wrote about Jung, and the theory that we are either intellectual with an emotional back, or emotional with a intellectual back. (In drinking terms, “back” means second or secondary, like washing down a jigger of whiskey with a glass of water.)
Jung was speaking of the soul, not bourbon. But…
His theory was that we spend most of our time in our primary state—either intellectual or emotional—and draw on our secondary state of being as needed. But, he also felt that we use our secondary state of mind to contact the Divine and God. For instance we might understand the concept of God in intellect but make a connection to Spirit or the Higher Consciousness or Divine Cosmos (God) within our emotions. Or vice versa.
Since I read that I have been trying to figure out if I am an emotion based being with intellectual tendencies, or an intellectural being with emotions. I’m stumped. I think I am both—they say women can draw upon both “hemispheres” of the brain at the same time more easily than men—and the theory is that the left-side of the brain is the seat of reason and logic and intellect, while the right side of the brain is for emotions, inspiration, feeling, creativity, etc.
Of course “real” psychologists don’t believe that. It’s a "new age" theory.
Anyway, I prefer my intellect, I like staying in mind—language, thinking, reasoning, logic…and that leads to suspect I am avoiding emotions and feelings because they are my secondary mental state—tho why I am avoiding them, I don’t know. Life hurts sometimes. SIGH. But if Carl Jung was right, This is where I will be actually contacting the Divine Beingness and spirituality, in my feelings on the emotional level.
Anyway, I ran across a word recently that intrigues me. Panentheism. Now pantheism is something I had heard of. It’s when the divine is considered to be inside of everything—like in nature—God’s spirit dwells in trees and even rocks. Very ancient, maybe even caveman roots to this theory—but I didn’t realize that it also means, God is ONLY inside of things. So Panentheism is a word that describes God as within and without. Sort of like: The Divine is within me, but I am also within the Divine. God is out there somewhere, but also inside my own mind or soul or spirit (as you will.)
I can buy that. I do not subscribe to the theory that God is only out there somewhere, up in Heaven or someplace else. That is dualism and a whole other topic.
In my church we address God at the beginning of prayers as “Mother-Father God” acknowledging that God is not just Daddy but also Mommy. Or rather not strictly male or female. That the Creator is combined masculine and feminine divinity.
It is interesting to note that the Bible names God at the beginning of time (Judeo-Christian history) as Jehovah which is translated as YAHWEH in Hebrew. (I am not sure of the spelling since ancient Hebrew didn’t have vowels.) YAHWEH means male/female. The creator is male/female combined or Mother/Father God.
The symbol of the Hebrew religion is a six pointed star, two triangles overlapping--one pointing up, one pointing down. It is interesting to note that separately the triangle pointing up is the ancient symbol for male, and the triangle pointing down is the ancient symbol for female. So the symbol is YAHWEH—Mother/Father God.
This was a revelation to me. I am having difficulty thinking of God as Mother and Father both and still being ONE GOD. But today I related that to the inner God and outer God concept. God outside of me is the Father, and God within me is Mother. I like that. For other people, it might be the opposite, just as some may relate to God more in the masculine or intellectual “Father,” and some with feminine or emotional “Mother.”
I have never had trouble believing God as a Trinity. Since I have the two “persons” of God now…Father and Mother (CREATOR and HOLY SPIRIT?) … I have not come to a revelation about the Third part of God yet. I have a lot of intellectual ideas about that—but nothing has been revealed to me on my emotional side yet—the place where I don’t just think I know God, but where I feel the Presence of God. ~~~
I studied Carl Jung rather what someone wrote about Jung, and the theory that we are either intellectual with an emotional back, or emotional with a intellectual back. (In drinking terms, “back” means second or secondary, like washing down a jigger of whiskey with a glass of water.)
Jung was speaking of the soul, not bourbon. But…
His theory was that we spend most of our time in our primary state—either intellectual or emotional—and draw on our secondary state of being as needed. But, he also felt that we use our secondary state of mind to contact the Divine and God. For instance we might understand the concept of God in intellect but make a connection to Spirit or the Higher Consciousness or Divine Cosmos (God) within our emotions. Or vice versa.
Since I read that I have been trying to figure out if I am an emotion based being with intellectual tendencies, or an intellectural being with emotions. I’m stumped. I think I am both—they say women can draw upon both “hemispheres” of the brain at the same time more easily than men—and the theory is that the left-side of the brain is the seat of reason and logic and intellect, while the right side of the brain is for emotions, inspiration, feeling, creativity, etc.
Of course “real” psychologists don’t believe that. It’s a "new age" theory.
Anyway, I prefer my intellect, I like staying in mind—language, thinking, reasoning, logic…and that leads to suspect I am avoiding emotions and feelings because they are my secondary mental state—tho why I am avoiding them, I don’t know. Life hurts sometimes. SIGH. But if Carl Jung was right, This is where I will be actually contacting the Divine Beingness and spirituality, in my feelings on the emotional level.
Anyway, I ran across a word recently that intrigues me. Panentheism. Now pantheism is something I had heard of. It’s when the divine is considered to be inside of everything—like in nature—God’s spirit dwells in trees and even rocks. Very ancient, maybe even caveman roots to this theory—but I didn’t realize that it also means, God is ONLY inside of things. So Panentheism is a word that describes God as within and without. Sort of like: The Divine is within me, but I am also within the Divine. God is out there somewhere, but also inside my own mind or soul or spirit (as you will.)
I can buy that. I do not subscribe to the theory that God is only out there somewhere, up in Heaven or someplace else. That is dualism and a whole other topic.
In my church we address God at the beginning of prayers as “Mother-Father God” acknowledging that God is not just Daddy but also Mommy. Or rather not strictly male or female. That the Creator is combined masculine and feminine divinity.
It is interesting to note that the Bible names God at the beginning of time (Judeo-Christian history) as Jehovah which is translated as YAHWEH in Hebrew. (I am not sure of the spelling since ancient Hebrew didn’t have vowels.) YAHWEH means male/female. The creator is male/female combined or Mother/Father God.
The symbol of the Hebrew religion is a six pointed star, two triangles overlapping--one pointing up, one pointing down. It is interesting to note that separately the triangle pointing up is the ancient symbol for male, and the triangle pointing down is the ancient symbol for female. So the symbol is YAHWEH—Mother/Father God.
This was a revelation to me. I am having difficulty thinking of God as Mother and Father both and still being ONE GOD. But today I related that to the inner God and outer God concept. God outside of me is the Father, and God within me is Mother. I like that. For other people, it might be the opposite, just as some may relate to God more in the masculine or intellectual “Father,” and some with feminine or emotional “Mother.”
I have never had trouble believing God as a Trinity. Since I have the two “persons” of God now…Father and Mother (CREATOR and HOLY SPIRIT?) … I have not come to a revelation about the Third part of God yet. I have a lot of intellectual ideas about that—but nothing has been revealed to me on my emotional side yet—the place where I don’t just think I know God, but where I feel the Presence of God. ~~~
Monday, March 06, 2006
Harry Potter and Da Vinci Code in the Movies
What’s With These News Headlines?
- "The Vatican's chief exorcist yesterday claimed the Harry Potter stories could lead children into Satanism."
- "Last week a catholic priest [who will remain unnamed here] urged Catholics to boycott the movie Da Vinci Code."
First it was the idea that movies are too sexual, then they’re too violent. That is, of course a matter of opinion and many cases it’s true. A movie-goer can plunk their movie down for anything on celluloid and sit through some pretty awful stuff out there. But a thinking person knows better and can decide what is offensive and what is just plain “not good” in the matter of script, plot, premise, and acting.
Neither warning about sex and violence has changed the movie industry much. (In fact, now we have violent and sexual video games and escalating sexuality and violence on television.)
In America, at least, people are allowed to think for themselves and decide what they want to watch and have the right to avoid watching what they don’t want to watch. YAY Democracy.
I don’t like graphic violence in movies; I think if it is integral to the plot it can be done with less gross, icky images. Yuk. On the other hand, I love CSI and remind myself when they show icky stuff having to do with insides of dead bodies—it’s FAKE. Also, I always have the right to close my eyes, turn off the tube, or walk out of the theater, if I haven’t decided to stay home and not go into a theater in the first place. No one is forcing me to go. So why do I need someone to force me not to go?
After attacking violence and sex, now we have the moral-watchdogs of the world telling us what movies not to see because they contain differing viewpoints of spirituality, religion, and thought provoking philosophical theory.
The most important thing to realize is that these movies are FICTION. They are based on made-up things out of the imagination. They aren’t real and they aren’t true!!!!
Where is the threat there? That movies will encourage people to imagine the “wrong things?” Are we to believe God doesn’t want us to use our brains for thinking and imagining? Must everything be work, work, repent, repent, close your mind, don’t think, don’t feel, and avoid entertainment, don’t escape reality for a couple hours, and turn your back on merriment?
Harry Potter uses the venue of MAGIC—such as the guy that gets up on the stage with a pointed hat, waves a “magic” wand, says abracadabra, and makes a rabbit appear out of a hat! There is absolutely NOTHING in Harry Potter series that shows him and his friends doing evil or worshiping Satan. In fact, they spend 3- or 4- hundred page fighting evil. It’s FICTION. DUH.
Da Vinci code is a suspense thriller and murder mystery. Again, the good guy goes around fighting the bad guys. It’s FICTION. DUH.
As a point of fact, almost ALL fiction portrays the fight between good and evil, and the development and growth of the character’s souls, to either a higher level or to a failure (which can teach people something, too.) There is just nothing else worth writing about except maybe wildlife—and even that is a constant struggle of survival over difficult and harsh circumstances of nature. Animals eat each other and eat plants that are alive, too. SO? Didn’t God want everthing to survive by eating?
Why are these two movies being singled out as evil influences? What about movies like What the Bleep Do We Know? This movie is obviously not Catholic. It attempts align spirituality with science--showing that both topics can be examined with open-minds. It brings up more questions than answers. It obviously aims to make the audience THINK about things. That’s all. It doesn’t pretend to teach universal truth written in stone that you’d better believe OR ELSE!!
What about the Bible? The stories in there contain violence and sexuality as well as people that dare to think and act for themselves. If Moses hadn’t killed someone and run off into the desert and married a woman from another race, the Jews might still be wandering around in the wilderness. (Oh, yeah, I forgot—the Catholic Church would rather their members NOT read the Bible but let the clergy interpret God for them. Have to have that go-between at all costs…can’t connect with Spirit directly. The Gnostics tried that and the church ran them out of business in the Year One.)
Thank God democracy hasn’t condemned thinking and spirituality along with pretend sexuality, enactments of violence, and discussion of alternative religions/viewpoints. Not yet any way. (I can see it coming if the so-called conservatives stay in power—they want to take the country back into the good old days—like the period when we burned people at the stake or their political and religious views? But that’s another topic for another blog. I ought to get to that before the government starts reading every single word put on the Internet. Wow, that’s going to create more government jobs than the building of Hoover Dam!)
You can still find all kinds of movies and TV shows that twist your mind into knots—but the freedom comes from being a discerning viewer, deciding for yourself what’s thought-provoking and inspirational and what’s evil and trash. Theoretically, watching portrayals of opposite beliefs can strengthen a person’s belief system and make them turn to it in a new and powerful way.
Letting good church members see what’s available out there in the world, can potentially teach them how to weed out the influences they don’t want to expose themselves (and their children) to. If the church tells people not to expose themselves to a variety of entertainment, it is any different than telling them NOT to think and decide for themselves? In that case, wouldn’t their actual “decision” for church rather suspect? What is it based on if not thought and choice?
I'm just wondering what gives religious groups the audacity to claim exclusive rights to everyone’s mind and soul? And to decide that certain individuals have a monopoly on what is true or not?
When aliens finally land on Earth, are all the various churches going to rush out and SAVE them? Does Christianity have an exclusive right to every being in the Universe? What if alien people (if they exist) know more about God and Heaven and spirituality than we do or have a greater awareness that we could learn from—such as peace and harmony and love?
If something can afford us a closer walk with the bliss that a relationship with the Creator can give us, what would be wrong with that? Finding joy and love and peace and unity and all those qualities spirituality aims to give human beings would be wrong HOW?
Next time you go to a movie, remember, “It’s just a MOVIE. It’s FAKE. And it designed to be FUN.” Think for yourself. Examine your beliefs. Exercise your discernment and discretion. There is plenty of choice out there for everyone in the movie world. Pick your favorite but let your neighbor pick his favorite.
What was it Augustine, the Christian Mystic said, “Love God and do as you will?”
I say that, too. Amen.
Rev. Sandy
Saturday, March 04, 2006
Writing Contest
SWW ANNUAL CONTEST
3721 Morris, NE, Albuquerque NM 87111 (505) 265-9485 FAX: (505) 265-9483
Open to adults and students. Annual contest (entry fee). Established 1982.
Purpose of contest: To encourage writers of all genres, writing fiction and non-fiction for adults and children, including poetry and screenplays.
SWW organization cost: $60/year and offers two monthly programs (first Sat. and 3rd Tues.) plus 3 to 4 all day conferences per year (fee), numerous 2-3 hour workshops (fee) and an awards banquet. The critique service is open to members and non-members. See website for contest information and organization/event info.
E-Mail: SWWriters@juno.com Website: www.southwestwriters.org
3721 Morris, NE, Albuquerque NM 87111 (505) 265-9485 FAX: (505) 265-9483
Open to adults and students. Annual contest (entry fee). Established 1982.
Purpose of contest: To encourage writers of all genres, writing fiction and non-fiction for adults and children, including poetry and screenplays.
SWW organization cost: $60/year and offers two monthly programs (first Sat. and 3rd Tues.) plus 3 to 4 all day conferences per year (fee), numerous 2-3 hour workshops (fee) and an awards banquet. The critique service is open to members and non-members. See website for contest information and organization/event info.
E-Mail: SWWriters@juno.com Website: www.southwestwriters.org
Friday, March 03, 2006
WHEN ARE AMERICAN'S GROWN-UP?
WHEN ARE AMERICANS GROWN-UP?
It’s my opinion that people come into their adult mind and awareness when they are 10-years-old. I met by best friend when we were ten years old the fist day of 5th grade. That’s 50 years ago now.
I distinctly remember being aware of everything in the world, myself, and others from a grown-up point of view that is not much different than my adult mind now. I wasn’t as knowledgeable then as I am now, but that’s a matter of education and knowledge. A person can still be uneducated and unknowing at a much older age and have an expanding awareness at a much younger age.
It’s also my opinion that people are fully grown at age 15. They know this instinctively. Our forefathers were starting new countries in their teen years, protesting tea taxes and fighting red-coated armies.
Unfortunately, our society tries to keep these teen-agers as children until they are 18 or 21, which is the cause of much of their rebellion and acting-out in institutions and at home. People want to claim their independence, make their own decisions, learn from their own mistakes and embark on a voyage of doing and learning—even if trial and error is difficult and painful.
We used to send kids into the army involuntarily (even during peace time) which gave them time to grow up and toughen up and make them realize the rat race begins with survival instincts. Now, we don’t draft kids into the military. As a result, they are not having their lives placed in danger by outside forces. As a result, I think they are setting up their own life-and-death struggles to “prove” themselves and make a right of passage into adulthood. Unfortunately, it’s by using drugs, drinking and driving, speeding on freeways, getting into gangs, creating domestic violence situations.
I don’t have any solutions to suggest. Are people only grown-up when they face a life or death situation? Are they grown up when they start to think and reason, or realize that they are a thinking entity? Or come to a realization that they have an immortal soul? Are they grown up when they say they are? Or when their parents say they are? Or the schools, the military, the employers? Are they only grown-up when the government legislates that they are? I really don't know.
Care to comment? Please post a comment on my blog. Thanks, Sandy Schairer
It’s my opinion that people come into their adult mind and awareness when they are 10-years-old. I met by best friend when we were ten years old the fist day of 5th grade. That’s 50 years ago now.
I distinctly remember being aware of everything in the world, myself, and others from a grown-up point of view that is not much different than my adult mind now. I wasn’t as knowledgeable then as I am now, but that’s a matter of education and knowledge. A person can still be uneducated and unknowing at a much older age and have an expanding awareness at a much younger age.
It’s also my opinion that people are fully grown at age 15. They know this instinctively. Our forefathers were starting new countries in their teen years, protesting tea taxes and fighting red-coated armies.
Unfortunately, our society tries to keep these teen-agers as children until they are 18 or 21, which is the cause of much of their rebellion and acting-out in institutions and at home. People want to claim their independence, make their own decisions, learn from their own mistakes and embark on a voyage of doing and learning—even if trial and error is difficult and painful.
We used to send kids into the army involuntarily (even during peace time) which gave them time to grow up and toughen up and make them realize the rat race begins with survival instincts. Now, we don’t draft kids into the military. As a result, they are not having their lives placed in danger by outside forces. As a result, I think they are setting up their own life-and-death struggles to “prove” themselves and make a right of passage into adulthood. Unfortunately, it’s by using drugs, drinking and driving, speeding on freeways, getting into gangs, creating domestic violence situations.
I don’t have any solutions to suggest. Are people only grown-up when they face a life or death situation? Are they grown up when they start to think and reason, or realize that they are a thinking entity? Or come to a realization that they have an immortal soul? Are they grown up when they say they are? Or when their parents say they are? Or the schools, the military, the employers? Are they only grown-up when the government legislates that they are? I really don't know.
Care to comment? Please post a comment on my blog. Thanks, Sandy Schairer
Author and Writer Sandy Schairer
Hi. Since my blog on The Writers Club vanished along with the hosting site, I decided to start over. Too bad, not everything on the web makes it.
I'm a writer and a published author. I have been a member of SouthWest Writers organization for about 13 years. I have served on the board of directors of this non-profit organization from 2003 through the present and am currently the secretary.
I am also a member of Romance Writers of America and it's local chapter Land of Enchantment Romance Authors: LERA.
I am also a current member of Association for Research and Enlightenment, the org. that is based on the Edger Cayce teachings. (I may renew, maybe not.)
I received my PhD in Metaphysics from American Institute of Holistic Theology in April of 2005. So -- I am a metaphysician who understands and offers support in the areas of holistic health and spirituality.
I am also an ordained minister from Universal Life Church with an honorary Doctor of Divinity with that organization (website.) I am a member of Unity Church in Edgewood NM. after 40 years of studying & trying nearly all relgions and all forms of spirituality.
I am the author of an e-book Once Upon a Blue Moon on fearofwriting.com. I'm the author of Extremely Short Stories for Busy People ABC 123, which is for sale for $10 plus $2 shipping and handling from sandyschairer@southwestwriters.com. Please consider sending for your copy today so you can see a sample of my writing. It is humorous flash fiction.
I am so glad to meet everyone and to be accessible on the internet. I promise to respect everyone's privacy and to practice common internet etiquette, and expect the same loving and fair treatment from everyone else.
Hello to my friends and family!
Love and Light, Sandy Schairer in New Mexico
I'm a writer and a published author. I have been a member of SouthWest Writers organization for about 13 years. I have served on the board of directors of this non-profit organization from 2003 through the present and am currently the secretary.
I am also a member of Romance Writers of America and it's local chapter Land of Enchantment Romance Authors: LERA.
I am also a current member of Association for Research and Enlightenment, the org. that is based on the Edger Cayce teachings. (I may renew, maybe not.)
I received my PhD in Metaphysics from American Institute of Holistic Theology in April of 2005. So -- I am a metaphysician who understands and offers support in the areas of holistic health and spirituality.
I am also an ordained minister from Universal Life Church with an honorary Doctor of Divinity with that organization (website.) I am a member of Unity Church in Edgewood NM. after 40 years of studying & trying nearly all relgions and all forms of spirituality.
I am the author of an e-book Once Upon a Blue Moon on fearofwriting.com. I'm the author of Extremely Short Stories for Busy People ABC 123, which is for sale for $10 plus $2 shipping and handling from sandyschairer@southwestwriters.com. Please consider sending for your copy today so you can see a sample of my writing. It is humorous flash fiction.
I am so glad to meet everyone and to be accessible on the internet. I promise to respect everyone's privacy and to practice common internet etiquette, and expect the same loving and fair treatment from everyone else.
Hello to my friends and family!
Love and Light, Sandy Schairer in New Mexico
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