Perhaps.

You may find changing your mentality on how you view things enables the positive to come out sooner — Life is far more about mental perception than you realize; the psychology of it is a very interesting thing.

Remind yourself that you’re on an ever-changing journey, and though life will certainly tangle itself up rather well at times, it’ll always find a way to become untangled, and place you gently (and sometimes not-so-gently, but at least you’ll get there) back on-track.

Enjoying the Up’s and Down’s equally may not be the easiest thing for you to accomplish, but if you can reach a point of peacefulness that runs off that mentality, I can tell you the life you live will be much fuller than those who focus on the negative — Dreading having to overcome or do things is a choice you make; if you think of it as another stepping stone that we all ultimately take, maybe you won’t feel so lonely, confused, or frustrated during the process — It just becomes what you have to do.

Furthermore, remember everything is relative.

If you forget this important piece of the puzzle, you’ll find it difficult to see eye-to-eye with many people.

For instance:
Person A has $10,000 in debt. Person B has $2,000 in debt. If Person B hasn’t ever had more than that, their emotional response to their debt [even though it's 80% less than yours] will most-likely be equal. And don’t get me wrong, Person B will recognize they have it much better than you if you’re Person A, but it’ll still be a tough road for them to travel down because it’s the worst they’ve known.

Again, Relativity.

You have the power to lay the foundation for what your core will be, and choosing a negative platform to stand on won’t hold you up very long.

If you find yourself there (and really I should say ‘when you find yourself there’, because ultimately we’ll all pay that scenario a visit once or twice) don’t give up hope. The neatly wrapped package you had once had, or that you’re looking for, will find it’s way to you. The trick is to be patient and positive, as tough as both those may be. Sometimes it’s helpful to remind yourself that we’re all in the same boat — This journey we’re on doesn’t come with a guidebook, and we will get lost from time to time. That’s an absolute — We can only do our best.

The great part is that we have complete control to define what “our best” means.

Set the bar as high as it can go, so each day you wake you strive to reach the top, and if you don’t reach it, no biggie –  You’ve probably just gone higher than most people, and certainly higher than you would have gone without having something to aim for. Not to mention you can always keep trying.

Each time you allow yourself to get bogged down with the immaterial you will lose another precious minute, another hour, another day. You’ll lose a moment you could have shared with a friend or loved one, or one of self-reflection, in which you learn a thing or two about who you are, who you want to become, your desires, or your goals.

So regardless as to where you are on your journey, keep reminding yourself nothing lasts forever. Sadly, that also goes for the good stuff, and though it’s never fun to think about, it can be beneficial to remind yourself of that from time to time — It’ll make you grateful for what you have, even when other parts of your life may be in disarray.

As the Holidays approach, carve out time to look around your world and pick out all that is good. And if you find things in your world that are making you unhappy, start by jotting down ideas as to how you can overcome them.

A lot of people want change to occur instantly, but there is no such thing as anything happening “instantly” in the bigger picture — Even the quickest and simplest actions in life took a lot of planning before they became routine.

So grab a pen and paper, glass of wine or cup of coffee, and cozy up in a relaxing environment to do a bit of digging.

You have the power to make your life anything you want it to be. Don’t waste that gift — It’s the biggest and most important one you will ever get.

I can picture her sitting there, looking a bit drained as she thinks about the road she’s had to travel on to get to this moment, but also with a smile on her face, as this chapter in her life is nearing its end. She projects a sense of pride for having pushed through. She fought the fatigue, she battled the nausea, and she enhanced her emotional & physical endurance.

She may lay her head back on the chair or bed she’s in and close her eyes, trying her best to relax. And however successful she may be at accomplishing that, she will also be ready to leave when it’s done, and not waste time locating the nearest Exit so she can travel back home, away from the sterile white walls.

While we’re there, I can picture myself kneeling down and taking shots below her; standing on a chair and taking shots above her; sitting beside her and taking shots with her. I can see myself holding the camera up as we both make goofy faces. I can picture asking one of the nurses to take a few photos of us together. I can also picture myself being nervous about them dropping my camera, but I will push that feeling down, and just make sure the neck strap is on securely.

Once we’re out of the hospital and surrounded by the familiar life that is her family, I can picture her in the kitchen making a snack for her son. I can picture her sitting on the couch reading a book to him afterwards. I can picture the two of them playing outside as her partner looks on smiling, and as her dog lays beside them, expressing his excitement that they are all together in his own way.

I will take photos of her doing day-to-day things. Some of those things will remain intact long after her body is cancer free. Others won’t.

She will still brush her teeth.
She won’t always brush her wig.

She will still put one foot in front of the other when she walks.
She won’t always do that on the way to chemo treatments.

She will still clean her house.
She won’t always lack the energy to finish.

She will still eat dinner.
She won’t always have graham crackers for it.

She once told me to process things hour by hour — Get through one before thinking about the next; deal with what you’re feeling in that moment, and wait for the rest until it’s in front of you.

She is strong.

Through our conversations, I can tell she’s never emotionally run away from this portion of her life, nor has she let her optimism get lost in the crowd.

She’s processed, accepted, and is running towards the rest of her life.

And she’s almost to her finish line.

Yes, it’s true — In moments of distress, artists thrive. Shocked? Somehow I didn’t think you would be.

When going through the “tough” in life artists get up, dust off, savor the moment, and continue down their respective creative paths even more enthusiastically than the day before.

Analogy.
The clock is pushing 1am and you’re still an hour away from home after a nice, long, relaxing weekend. You’re getting tired but don’t want to pull the car over (which I agree is not the best approach but for the sake of this stay with me). The sleep begins to take you over; your eyes shut without warning and that scares the hell out of you. What happens next is not exactly pleasant, and you know it won’t be ahead of time, but you do it anyway — You smack yourself in the face a few times with a decent amount of force to get the blood flowing, and to ‘about-face’ your senses.

Once you pull into the driveway you’re grateful that the mobility of your hand was useful.

You did what you had to do.

Everyone has it in them to overcome a situation and fight the effects, but are you one who will do it? In the car scenario, would you pull over, or push on through? Artists push on through. It’s not always the best decision. We don’t always do it with grace. And it’s certainly not the easiest road. But it’s second nature.

We don’t take a time-out to heal.

We create to heal.

An artist overcoming pain can dish out some of the best paintings ever painted, the best photos ever taken, the best films ever filmed, the best songs ever written. Raw emotion combined with imagination produces pieces so far outside our conscious realm it’s overwhelming and powerful.

And it’s so important to capture that moment as it’s happening.

Tapping into such a deep place can’t be done manually — You have to clutch that moment it in your hand, and hang on until you feel cleansed and satisfied.

It’s tough, if not impossible, to recreate the way your body feels, the way your mind works, or the way your words sound when moving towards recovery after turmoil. And it’s in that recovery process that our creative spark plugs switch themselves out for a new set, and push us to new heights of creation.

Don’t take these times for granted as a creator.

These are the moments when pure emotion turns itself into art.

Today I did not wake up in my own bed. I did not get ready in my own bathroom. I did not feed my cats, I did not let my dog out. I did not meet my neighbor at six fifty-five to drive to the train station. I did not stop at my usual coffee shop.

This evening I will not pull into my driveway. I will not put my key in the back door as I have everyday for the last year and a half. I will not be greeted by three small-to-medium sized furballs waiting for their dinner. I will not sit on my front porch sipping wine. I will not cook dinner on my grill. I will not watch the news on my tv while sitting on the couch come six-thirty.

As the week goes on, I will not be putting the trash & recycling out on. I will not be worried whether or not the fan is on in the bathroom after I shower. I will not empty the dehumidifier in the basement. I will not water the plants. I will not clean the house. It will no longer be my concern when the neighbors are screaming at each other.

Yes, today was a shift in my routine, alright.

I have migrated from everything in its own place to my clothes in bags, and whatever breakable items I have wrapped in towels stuffed in laundry baskets because I didn’t have enough time to get boxes and tissue paper.

It’s a nightmare to be this unorganized.

But here’s what I will do.

When I get off the train in about thirty-five minutes I will walk to my car. I will get on route ninety-five south. I will pass by my old exit. I will wind through providence until I come to exit fourteen-a. I will take it. I will end up at my parents house, where all of my bags and towel-wrapped glasses are being stored. I will shower. I will dig for some clothes. I will head out, close the door behind me, and forget for the moment that tomorrow night I have to sort through my belongings.

I will also keep my head up. I will remind myself that I took a big step in leaving, and that it’s to benefit myself in the long run. I will remember that as hard as it may be to believe the cliché saying, it is for the best.

Today…. there was a shift in my routine.

But what I did today will become a familiar routine to me soon enough, and take the place of the one I seem to be missing.

Many don’t walk with confidence; it’s sad to think we’ve become a society of insecurities. Walk with your head up, already! Be proud of who you are.

If I could rewind the clock and go back to playing all summer long with neighborhood friends, where my biggest decision of the day was which flavor of ice cream to have after dinner, I would. But just for a day.

There is a man sitting next to me smoking an oak colored pipe and reading. I enjoy watching him because he looks so peaceful, and so in the moment.

There are some very high-end baby carriages out here. How much do these things cost? I just saw one that matched it’s owner – The baby was comfortably relaxing in his Burberry-lined bed on wheels, whereas his grandmother was rocking a pair of closed toe Burberry shoes.

Why aren’t more people here? It’s windy, and a bit cloudy, but overall not a bad day.

An artist is paining a landscape in the corner. It looks good. A bit vanilla for my taste, but still, nice job!

This will be direct. Dirty flip-flops are unappealing. Stay away from light colors if you can, unless you’re able to properly take care of them.

This grass could use some help.

The Prudential is to my right; I can only see the top of the building. Damn. That’s high.

People have the ability to become much more interesting when put to music; Music has the ability to become much more interesting when paired with people.

Someone forgot their yellow dump truck in the middle of the grass.

Three venti Starbucks mocha frappuccinos with extra whip just walked by. To quote a new friend, “Why?”

A little bird is hopping around me. Does he think I’m food?

There are two sets of boys playing basketball. One set is getting every basket in. The other set, which consists of 3 well-to-do white males, have made 0.

The peaceful guy from earlier is now cleaning his pipe. Book is down.

An overweight black man just rode by me on his bike. There was a bell on his handlebars.

It’s starting to rain. Oh. Wait. Maybe this is why people aren’t here today…

“Walking in Memphis” recounts a visit Marc took to Memphis in 1986. Much of what he mentions I’m sure you can recognize easily — Elvis, Graceland, W.C Handy, Beale Street. But what about that last part? You know the one I mean; the one at the end that’s bound to give you chills:

Now Muriel plays piano, Every Friday at the Hollywood, And they brought me down to see her, And they asked me if I would — Do a little number, And I sang with all my might, And she said — “Tell me are you a Christian child?”, And I said “Ma’am I am tonight”.

To many people’s surprise, a gospel singer named Muriel, Muriel Wilkins to be exact, did in fact play the piano every Friday night at The Hollywood Cafe, and was Marc’s inspiration for writing “Walking in Memphis”.

Marc had been invited by Dr. Frank Witherspoon, a long time friend of Muriel’s, to come visit him in Memphis and then go down to Robinsonville to meet a sweet lady that played piano and sang. Marc Cohn remembers having to sit close to Muriel as she played that night in 1986 because she was unaccompanied by any amplification. During a break they began talking and she asked him to tell her about himself. He explained his life story and that his mother had died at an early age and how he seemed to be in a rut with regards to his writing. During her next set, she asked him if he would join her on stage. Muriel sang “Amazing Grace” a capella and asked him if he would do the same. Then she asked him to sing some songs with her, whispering in his ear the lyrics that he did not know. Marc recalls that before leaving around two a.m., Muriel “whispered things to me about my mother. Then she told me it was time for me to move on.”

Delta Magazine said, “Webster’s defines graciousness as being marked by tact and delicacy, kindness and courtesy, charm, good taste and generosity of spirit. Muriel Wilkins was all of the above and more. She began playing the piano and singing in Sunday School when she was three years old. She continued to practice that never-ending love of hers for 64 more years.”

One of her favorite quotes — “You must be ALL that you can be”.

As for The Hollywood itself, it serves up a classic Southern menu, complete with Fried Green Tomatoes, Fried Catfish & Frog Legs. And if you ever go be sure to save room for dessert — Blackberry Cobbler! That would just about hit the spot right now.

Enjoy the song.

During milestones we are instilled with something new, be it a lesson, a frame of mind, or a mental note to stay away from or gravitate towards a certain situation or person. Without hitting the ceiling from time to time we might never know what it is, or who it is, we should be around or with as we continue down this unguided path.

Challenges present themselves without warning. It’s how you handle the challenges that make the difference. Facing them head on and dealing with what you need to when you need to will will propel you forward. Putting your head down and covering yourself with a blanket will set you back. It’s not a science we can dictate on paper, and there is no structured formula — It’s a power bigger than our rational thoughts; it is our subconscious kicking in and our survival mechanism engaging.

Take comfort in knowing when you need the tools they will be there. You will get through the rocky times, and surpass what you perceive to be limitations. You will rise to a higher level of spirituality with each step you climb.

Those who love you will be there to push you should you need a bit of help. They’ll wrap themselves around your worries, and enhance your joys with a smile, a hug, a shoulder to lean on or a hand to grasp, just so you know they’re there.

In the end, everything will be okay, and you will continue to thrive, to learn, and to live.

It would be nice if we could keep our needs & wants organized in boxes. Our inventory would be updated weekly, and sent to us via email so we could keep a running tab. And, for $1.99/month, it would also determine where each ‘item’ fell in the bigger picture. What a deal!

Unfortunately, there are no organized boxes for intangible items, nor can we have another person keep track of our ever growing inner-inventory. Someone should have thought of that. We came up with Oreos; why this is so hard? I’m not sure. But a lot of people have trouble figuring out what it is they truly need from another person, and more importantly, for themselves.

Do we need and want differently at different ages? At different milestones? After different life experiences? Sure. Though I don’t think it makes it any easier, as there will always be new feelings & desires to categorize.

When you were younger you needed to eat enough vegetables, and wanted freeze pops. For 20- and 30-something year olds you need a steady income, and probably still will want freeze pops, among other things. For 40- and 50-something year olds it’s about needing to have your t’s crossed and i’s dotted in your IRA’s, and, you may still want freeze pops. Or a vacation home. Maybe you want both, which is understandable.

I don’t want a luxury car, or a mansion, or a vacation home. I want to love, to create, to find passion, understanding, respect & laughter. For myself, I’ve always considered my wants to be my needs, and my needs to be my wants.

Maybe at the end of the day some of us don’t want to categorize things. Maybe some of us don’t want to struggle with determining the differences.

Maybe some of us choose wide open spaces instead of divided ones.

Take a few moments out of your day to look within yourself and think about what it is you’re here for; what your purpose is. What you want to be remembered for shouldn’t be difficult — It should be part of your daily life; something you’re consciously aware of.

The path, you can change, but the time, you can’t ever get back.

I’d like to be remembered for making people laugh. For making them feel as though I was there to listen when they needed to be listened to. For being a friendly, generous person. For never taking the bad times too seriously. For having a positive outlook on life, for my desire to help people, for doing what I could to make this place a bit better than how I found it.

Your turn.

Slow down for an hour or so today and think about what your list would be. Think about your past, your present, your future. Remind yourself periodically during the day tomorrow that even though you might get another chance to “do-over” your day, you’ll have to use the next minute to regain your ground. Living with meaning makes the journey more enjoyable, more lively, and much more memorable.

If you tend to gravitate towards one of the big three reds (Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Pinot Noir) I would recommend this wine as the one you branch out with.

This Garnacha from the village of Atea, Spain, is hands-down my favorite Garnacha under $10, and without effort rivals those in higher price ranges. Spicy red & dark berry flavors mixed with cracked pepper gives this wine an intensely wonderful aroma (raspberry, blackberry & wild cherry). Appropriately so, “Evodia” is the Greek word for “aroma”.

The Grenache grape, made most popular by the Rhone wine region of Fance, is believed to have originated in Spain, where it is referred to as Garnacha. Typically, the grape is used to fill-out other red blends, such as Syrah, but Evodia is a 100% varietal, grown on “old vines”.

“Old Vines” is a term used to describe grape-producing vines ranging from 25-40+ years old, and are considered to produce a higher quality of fruit than younger vines.

The following was taken from the Review Journal:

Vineyard: 100% old vine Garnacha comes from high altitude vineyards (2400-3000ft) in the villiage of Atea, Spai

I often keep track of wine on-the-go to remember the varietal, year, region, and price for a later date. It’s not always easy to jot this information down on a napkin, especially when at an upscale restaurant, nor is it appealing to those around you. He hem. Solution: Since I always have my iPhone on me what better way than to use it for this?! I’m getting excited already. Thanks to some great iPhone wine applications this becomes an easy task.

So how do you know which one to download? It can be tough. But after trying out a few, I recommend WineSnob. To date it’s served me well. Here’s a bit about it. Enjoy!

WineSnob

- Your free WineSnob account syncs your data with their servers for ensured backup
- Save pictures of labels or bottles with each entry
- Tag tasting keywords for convenient recall
- Search for wines by name or tasting tag
- Enter very detailed notes on wines tasted
- View home page stats on average price, average rating, and number of wines you have tasted
- Have quick access to your last recorded wine
- Lookup varietal and pairing info in the updated guides
- Browse wines by name, type, price, varietal, region

Happy Wine Documenting!

Whether you have a three- or seven-figure bank account, being able to separate yourself from material objects will ultimately improve your quality of life. You’ll begin to enjoy the simple pleasures, and focus on what you have or need, instead of what you want or wish you did.

Before we get in to deep.
There is absolutely nothing wrong with seeing something in a store and wanting to buy it. The issue comes when the urge-to-splurge consumes you. Saying, “I wish I had ::insert product here::” more often than not is a common warning sign, and if you’re experiencing it, please seek medical assistance as soon as possible.

So, where do we start?

Back to the basics.
You need shelter, but not a mansion. You need clothing, but not True Religion. You need food, but not fillet mignon. There’s a big difference between “need” and “want”, and Americans have blurred those lines rather well over the years. If you are in a position where you can afford those things, be proud of that, but don’t feel as though you need them to project your success; that becomes a very tricky avenue.

Don’t make a wish-list.
Who needs to focus on a list of items they can’t yet afford? It will just leave you feeling worse about your situation. You may by default become less-stressed by eliminating these, as you’ll be focussed in the present moment instead of the future.

Live withing your means.
If obtaining something will put you in financial stress, stay away. You shouldn’t purchase a home or car and then be so strapped for cash you can’t even enjoy it. Who wants to spend every day stressing about What If’s? ‘What if something breaks and I have to replace it’ or ‘What if I can’t afford the monthly $2k mortgage’, etc.

Retail therapy is not the answer.
Spending money you don’t have is not therapeutic. Charging up your credit cards in moments of stress is a bad, bad idea; you’ll just end up being even more stressed afterwards. If you must buy something (which I’m not condoning, but hey, we’re only human) go for something inexpensive and small you can enjoy for an extended period of time – Plants for the garden or a new set of wine glasses. Think smaller during these shopaholic moments.

Detach yourself from careless spending.
This is important at every income level. You don’t really need 10 different bottles of lotion so don’t allow your mind trick you into thinking you do. At $40,000/year you might want to buy a Range Rover. At $1,000,000/year you might want to purchase a $10 million home – Neither is sensible.

Turn to nature.
Instead of going on a shopping-spree with a friend go on a nice walk or run, and plan to grab lunch or dinner together later on to reward yourselves for not blowing $500 on items you really don’t need.

The point of controlling your mindset regarding money is not to limit yourself to buying what you can afford, but instead to start thinking about other things before you think about whipping out your wallet. Try to begin focusing on what you have — Life becomes a much happier and less-stressful place when you do.

If you consider yourself to be a negative person chances are you’ll need more than just a little boost to get your mindset on a positive track; you’ll need to change the way you live, and how you perceive and process life occurrences. You’ll have to restructure what is important to you, and divorce it from what is materialistic and petty; there should be a nice, clean line there.

People hide in a negative facade out of fear, but what they take comfort in is actually their worst enemy.

Friends, Gossip, Family, Putting others down, Love, Greed, Rudeness, Respect, Defeat.

The positive folks probably picked out Friends, Family, Love & Respect right away, and thought about all they have listed in their ‘Pro’ column. The Negative people might have been drawn to the other words, particularly Defeat, and may have seen Family as a source of stress and anger instead of one of growth.

This is where perception comes into play. No one has it completely easy, but if you’re able to focus on making yourself the best person you can be, both mentally & physically, and learn to enjoy the simple pleasures in life, you’ll find living is a greater joy than you ever could have imagined. You’ll be able to handle the bumps and roadblocks easier, and feel connections with others that are more meaningful, and more importantly, more real.

People who choose to ignore their lack of positive energy will have a lot of growing to do later in life.

Life is a beautiful thing and it’d be a loss to not get its full benefits.

You have all the tools inside of yourself to become a better, healthier person. So what are you waiting for?

Visit the Cantina Zaccagnini Website

Type: Montepulciano d’Abruzzo DOC
Alcohol content: 12,5%
Grape variety: Montepulciano d’Abruzzo 100%
Average annual production: 95,000 750 ml bottles
Geographic location of the vineyard: Municipality of
Catignano, Varano district – east-facing
Type of land: Medium texture
Training system: Pergola
Yield (grapes per hectare): 120 quintals
Harvest: Manual, following ripening curves
Fermentation: Gentle grape pressing, submerged-cap
maceration with controlled temperature maceration
and first racking when set parameters are reached
Ageing and Evolution: Before bottling, in steel, then
about 4 months in Slavonic oak barrels, followed by
bottle evolution
Sensorial Features: Intense ruby red colour with violet nuances; intense, characteristic bouquet of the primary grape aromas; fruity component, full-bodied and robust, well-balanced with tannin and oak features
Bottle Lifespan: On sale 2 years after harvest; bottle evolution for 3 or more years
Serving temperature: 16/18°C

“Retrograde periods are times for us to slow down and reassess where we are before we move ahead. Sometimes we get so caught up with moving forward, we forget to tidy up the debris we scatter in the process.”

Excerpt from Mercury Retrograde

“When a planet is in retrograde, it appears to be moving backwards in the sky when viewed from earth. Of course it is not actually moving backwards, but the illusion of backward motion is created due to the differing speeds of planetary orbits around the sun. Its effects have been described as similar to the turbulence created in the water by driving a boat in reverse. And just like driving a boat in reverse, the most intense and disruptive energies tend to be concentrated at the point of directional change.

You shouldn’t lock yourself up at home and hide under your bed during a retrograde period. Of course, life has to go on. If you cannot avoid important decisions, making travel plans, or signing a contract, double-check everything, and if possible allow for some flexible negotiation later on. If you work with the computer a lot, back up, back up, back up. Above all — and I speak from experience — cultivate patience. Don’t yell at the call center guy because you can’t log into your internet banking account, don’t lose your temper at the postman when the check you were expecting doesn’t arrive on time to make your credit card payment deadline, and don’t attempt to discuss a failing relationship with a partner during this period — you might say something you’ll later regret.

On a more positive note, let Merc Rx work for you. Merc Rx periods are said to be useful for revision, reflection and re-organization, as I mentioned in my first post. So if you are a writer you may find that while motivation for new work is low during retrograde periods, energy for revising previous work might be quite high.”

Excerpt from About.com – Astrology

What is Mercury Retrograde?
This happens three to four times per year, when the planet Mercury slows down, and appears to stop (station) and move backward (retrograde). It’s an optical illusion, since there is forward movement, like speeding by a slow-moving train — as it recedes, it appears to go backward.

What are the Mercury Retrograde dates for 2009?
The dates are January 11-31; May 6th to 30th; September 6th to 29th; December 26th to January 15th, 2010.

What happens during Mercury Retrograde?
Since Mercury rules communication, it’s said that everything goes haywire in that area — emails get deleted or bounced back, mail is returned, calls go out into the ethers, etc. Some people find that their computers go on the fritz or phone lines go down. I’ve never seen the hard data on this, so make your own observations. It does seem though that miscommunications abound during the retrograde period.

A Time-Out.
Mercury retrograde gives us time to catch up with ourselves, and to look back. Something from the past might return in a different form. This can mean people, ideas or buried insights that need to surface for you to move forward. Often it’s felt as a contemplative time, depending on the sign, a chance to go over old ground again, to claim what you missed the first time.

Be Non-Committal.
There’s a long-held belief that it’s best to avoid making set plans during the Mercury Retrograde. This means being cautious about things like signing contracts, and forming partnerships and corporations. What gets put in writing at this time may turn out to need serious revising after Mercury goes direct. But since tying up loose ends is the domain of retrograde, this type of finalization might fly.

Can you repeat that?
In our relationships, sometimes we gloss over things that pushed buttons at the time, but which we let slide. What seemed not worth the trouble may reveal itself as a major issue in need of our attention. The Mercury retrograde is a time for review, when the underlying patterns come to light.

Back to the Drawing Board.
Some dreams and goals get lost in the hectic rushing around of daily life. The Mercury Retrograde period can be a rich time of reflection on those longings. This makes it a time for the soul to ponder its destiny. You might look over old journals, review your creative work, muse on serendipities of the past that have pointed you toward your spirit’s calling. It can make the retrograde period a time of solidifying a sense of your personal story and where you’re headed.

What does it mean in each different sign?
The Mercury retrograde is shaped by the sign through which it is cast. For example, a Mercury retrograde in Cancer turns the mind toward things like family, home and the invisible emotional bonds that connect us. On the other hand, a Mercury retrograde in Aquarius gives it a different spin, with a review of group dynamics, the larger human community, all from a detached perspective.

Making the Most of Mercury Retrograde.
Astrology is a tool that can make you aware of patterns, like those that come during a Mercury retrograde. Just observe and see what happens, and be open to the past returning for review. If it’s coming back, there’s likely something more to learn or release from it. You don’t have to retreat to the zen monastery, but a little solitude and quiet reflection never hurt anybody

Excerpt from Alpha Life Trends

“Mercury retrograde provides the opportunity to adjust our thoughts, attitudes and decisions about our issues and adjust our new direction as we move into 2009. The adjustments of Mercury retrograde typically occur three times a year (four in 2009) and become similar to a course correction during the flight from one destination to another. The adjustments that occur during Mercury retrograde typically have a theme that occurs all year long, shown by the elements of the signs affected. In 2009 the adjustments that are slated to occur during the retrogrades begin in air signs and return back to earth signs. Thus these Mercury retrogrades take our ideas, decisions and attitudes about specific events and utilize the information to put new processes, contracts, and the like into place.“

I’m going to keep researching this and write more later; in my own words. I’m still new to this concept so I’ll have to gather some additional information to make sense of it all; to relate it back to the hiccups that have resonated over the past month. But so far, very interesting stuff….

Take traffic. Okay, so if it’s hot and you have no AC that’s rough, I hear you. But most things aside it’s just another one of those instances we allow ourselves to get worked up and frustrated. Wouldn’t it be nice if you could stay calm and not let it bother you? Not have the anxiety about missing your plane, train, appointment, or meeting? You can! YOU have the power to become a healthier, happier, calmer, more productive person, and all it takes is shifting your thought patterns and outlook.

Let’s start with the Morning Blues — Getting your day started on the right foot is key.

Change your mindset: Don’t dread waking up. Life is meant to be lived while we’re conscious. There is plenty of time to catch up on those zzz’s but remind yourself there is a whole world out there waiting for you to come change it.

Breakfast. Don’t skip it! Get up 30 minutes before you need to and make yourself a cup of coffee and eat something that will energize you. If it’s warm out, even better — Sit outside and enjoy the sun.

Peace & quiet. If you rise before the rest think about how calming the atmosphere would be; just you and your thoughts. It’s a great time to do something for yourself. Go for a walk, read the paper, write, or set some goals for the day.

Find your energy boost. If you go to bed at a decent hour, eat right, exercise, and hydrate, once 6 or 7am rolls around you’ll be ready to jump out of bed and see what the day has to offer. If you’re waking up tired and unable to function, you’re probably not getting enough sleep to leave you feeling refreshed the next day. This could also be related to stress, which we’ll cover in another post.

Take pleasure in the simple things. The sun rise. The sound of birds. The slight chill in the air. How quiet it is around you. Relax.

Set the tone for the rest of the day. If your morning is bad, chances are the first half of your day is going to be bad.. Especially if your local coffee shop screws up your order. Get yourself in the mindset that living a new day is exciting; it’s an unwritten chapter just waiting for your pen to take it over (how about that analogy!). Get excited about life! It will make everything seem less stressful and more rewarding.

Live a longer day. The sooner you wake up in the morning the more time you are able to spend doing the things you love, especially on the weekends. Think of how many more family & friends you could see, and things you could do.

Healthier. Being on a normal schedule will improve your overall health. You’ll feel more alert.

More to come! Here is an excerpt from my next post:

“Hard work is something we should be grateful for being able to still handle. There will come a day when we can’t cut a lawn, shovel snow, go for a long walk or run, or think on our feet as quickly as we can now. Remind yourself next time you wish you had a snow blower or a gardener that staying mentally & physically fit as long as you possibly can will make your life richer, fuller, healthier, and happier.”

The 2007 varietal was harvested between September 27, 2007 and October 9, 2007 and fermented in stainless steel barrels. 18,000 cases were bottled between December 2007 and January 2008, and released that same month.

Average Price:
$20

Peak Drinkability:
2008-2010

Pairing / General Information:
Turkey, grilled fish, lighter wild foul, pasta dishes, hamburgers and pizza (brick oven pizza especially!). Serve at a slightly lower-than-room temperature or moderately chilled on warmer days.

Winemaking Notes:
“The fruit is gently conveyed into the top manway of stainless steel fermenters which have been sparged with CO2 gas. The whole clusters of fruit are sprayed with yeast, then dropped gently into the tank. The tanks are heated to 85 degrees F and sealed tightly to contain the carbonic atmosphere. The fermentation is allowed to go 14-21 days and pressing takes place when the fruit character is ideal and tannin levels from the stems are not yet expressed. After pressing, fermentation is completed over a 7-10 day period in stainless steel tanks. PH is monitored closely as malolactic fermentation commences until the desired balance is achieved.”

While browsing through dozens of organic, non-fat, low-fat, low-sugar, low-carb, low-you-name-it varieties, Siggi’s caught my eye. I started to read the front: “Icelandic-style skyr strained non-fat yogrt. Grade A. 0% Milkfat”. I wasn’t sure what that meant — Icelandic/Skyr yogurt? It sounded interesting. ::Turns Container:: “All natural. Milk from grass fed cows. No aspartame. No sucralose. No gelatin. No artificial colorings. No preservatives. No high fructose corn syrup”.

Next up were the nutrition facts. I compared them against the yogurt I usually get (Stonyfield’s Organic YoCalcium). Siggi’s had less sodium (65 vs 135), less carbs (13 vs 22), less sugar (10 vs 21) & more than twice the protein (7 vs 16)! Though it’s lacking in the potassium and calcium department, I eat enough dairy and fruit each day where it doesn’t really matter too much.

If you can get past Siggi’s being thick (which is what I found out Icelandic-style sky is) you might just be loving this very healthy strain of yogurt. Oh, you’ll also have to get past it costing 2x as much. You win some, you lose some….