That little voice inside of you? LISTEN TO IT!

I would like to discuss something today that I feel is increasingly important in this today’s world. Body Language.

Yes. Body Language.

Did you know 80% of what we really mean is communicated through our body language? 

We’re not talking about your average, every day handshake, hug, eye twitch here… I’m talking about the human beings innate sense of our surroundings; the ability to sense danger and react accordingly. While there are plenty of laws and officers to keep us safe today, let’s face it, at the end of the day you are the one that carried out the choices you made. Humans have the same gift as every other species, though we deny it for some unknown reason. We can sense predators, those that move on four legs and the even more dangerous ones on two. It started back when we still fought for our lives every day, back when our species was questionable in its survival. The human body is amazing at picking up on harmful energies, sounds, peripheral sights, and even suggestions that there is danger nearby without any one of our main sense ever focusing on it.

For example; back when we would hunt large prey in groups the body learned to become tense and pause when ever anything in the area reacted quickly and without warning. The point of this was because most predators need movement in order to lock onto and gain interest in their prey. Even when only one member would be become tense, the rest would quickly follow. We can see this skill still being used today by many of our military and officers; as they move in groups they are trained to obey the instinct of stopping when the leader stops. This happens without any suggestion, word, or motion. It is natural. This rule holds true to any form of danger; not just a crazed person with a weapon or a lion. The body and mind work together in a systematic and overpowering way to KEEP YOU ALIVE. It is the main goal of their partnership. This is the reason why all of our half assed stupid ideas are normally followed by a quick and firm “No!”

In today’s world of “law and order” we are fed a fairy tale of safety. True, we can walk down our streets without worry and sleep safely in our homes but that doesn’t mean we should ignore common sense. We have one body, so shouldn’t we protect it?

By no means do I believe that any deserves any type of assault or harassment, surely life is such an amazing gift that it should be cherished. But, is it a smart idea to ignore common sense and walk alone at night; or maybe to park our cars in secluded areas? Ladies, how about leaving the club intoxicated or dressed provocatively?

I would like to share this link to VERY informative article from the Covert Street Warrior.

When push comes to shove, we are unique and precious creatures. Our bodies and minds join together to keep us alive at all costs, so maybe we should listen to that little voice which warns us of some upcoming danger. Sure; you may be wrong nine times out of ten – but when you are gambling with your life, isn’t it worth it?

If you would like some more information on body language from one of the best authors I have read, check out “What Every BODY is Saying: An Ex - FBI Agent's Guide to Speed - People. By Joe Navarro”. ($10.40 at Amazon.com)

He was a CIA operative and nicked named “The Human Lie Detector”, his work started as a young child when we came to this country and had to pick up on the subtleties of body language then carried onto his work with the CIA. He eventually ended up working with major corporations and entities during negotiations. I highly recommended this book. Not only does he discuss threats and dangerous signs, but he opens up one’s eyes to our actions.

Please people, that little voice speaks the truth and it only means to do you well! Remember - at the end of the day the only person who can be held accountable for our actions is ourselves!!! 

The Looking Glass is Real

I know how Alice felt as she stood in front of the looking glass. I’ve been there, only my white rabbit was nowhere to be seen; maybe this time around he wasn’t running so late. I can see the mirror, or at least a hazy outline of what I believe is a mirror. The glass is shadowy simulating movement of water; matter, time, space all ripple across its surface. I’ve never looked to see where this mirror is, I have no idea how to get there myself. It calls for me, a force inside beckons me closer and at this point there is no turning back.


My body fights it. This mirror to another realm must be out of my understanding. My physical form struggles every time I pass through. I can feel my heart slow and sink struggling to circulate my blood. My ears warp until I am hearing the sounds of each matter particle around me; it’s deafening. There are slight differences each time I make the pass; my body is being trained for this other world. It is in the next realm that our physical form means nothing; it feels as though the body must pass into a state of temporary death so that the soul may pass through the mirror. I feel pain but it is never unpleasant, it just is.


Now I am beginning to feel a cloak fear, my soul pulls itself from my body and plunges. The fear is not because I know something bad will happen, it is a fear of the unknown. Standing on the brink of the mirror there is always one last thought, one last look around, one more glance to my physical form, then the fall. It is a far and fast fall, but I never feel the landing; in this other realm I never feel anything. I must rely on my senses here; there is nothing solid that I can see. The world shakes and quivers, vibrating my soul with everything else.


I am not ready for this world; I don’t believe any of us are. For what reason I have been allowed to see it Heaven only knows. There is some grand and unexplainable energy here but my mind cannot comprehend it. Everything is dark, shadowy, and transparent. I can see flickers of shapes but never enough to make out what they are. Warmth comes and wraps itself around my being, in a way it’s comforting. Fear is replaced by curiosity and emotions that cannot be described. Around me I can feel the boundaries of what cannot be explained. It is not air that surrounds me but energy; pure energy with a mind all its own. There aren’t words to describe what or who is here. I have yet to understand the reason why I am brought to this place or what I am supposed to see.


Water is a major theme here, whether it is really water or just my mind struggling to build a bridge between these realms. This world starts to become too much to handle; time here passes quickly and minutes seem like seconds. The shaking and quivering now pulls at the particles of my being. The fear returns quickly; I know that I am not meant for this next step, at least not yet. If I stay much longer my being will be absorbed by the energy around me, I will be lost before I ever understand where here is. My fear heightens my senses and I begin to search for a way out, the mirror that takes me back but there is nothing there. In the distance I can hear something familiar, my name. There is always an understanding at this point, my name is the mirror. My name becomes louder and clearer, until there is a breaking between my soul and this world. Once again I fall, fast and hard, but this time I do feel the landing.


The crossing, the experience, the feelings, they are all too much to handle. At first I can’t remember a thing, the rush of physical sensation again is overwhelming and my body is exhausted. It is slow to wake from its temporary death and my mind is confused. Slowly, the bits and pieces of what happened come back to me. Now I need rest, the crossing is not meant for the living. I am brought to this world from time to time, erratically and without pattern. There is a reason for revealing this other world to me but I have yet to discover it. If Alice knew then she took that secret with her, for now I only know how she felt.

Sure you know the Simpsons, but can you tell me the Amendments?

There are so many topics that I feel very passionate about and I can’t wait to take my time and hash each and every one of them out on this blog. In the past few days however, there has been a major theme to the news and topics I’ve been seeing – our Presidential elections. I cannot express how important I feel elections are. I constantly hear, “I don’t like any candidate”, “My vote doesn’t matter, there are other people who will vote”, “I don’t care about this topic”.

                This is what gets to me so much about elections and voting… We are incredibly lucky to live in a country that is “…of the people, by the people, and for the people…” Our laws, politicians, and officials are determined by the needs of the people. True, there are laws and officials that benefit the majority and not the individual but that is a consequence of living in such a large society. Here in America, we are born with rights that were paid for in blood. BLOOD! Fathers, mothers, brothers, sisters, sons, daughters; they gave their lives so that we could live in a free world. Our whole system depends on the opinions and wants of our citizens. That is why it is so important for our citizens (each and every one) to make an educated vote on every topic.

                I was watching The Colbert Report the other day, and his guest was talking about a Chinese blogger and artist Ai Weiwei. His artwork is beautiful and expressive, speaking out against the oppressiveness of China’s Communist government and his desire for freedom. One of his most well known pictures shows three frames of him dropping an ancient Chinese vase and letting it smash on the ground. 

Ai Weiwei was arrested for 44 days over this picture. He was beaten severely and needed emergency brain surgery. Currently, no one knows his whereabouts. Can you imagine that?

We have the privilege of wearing whatever we want, putting up pictures that are morally offensive, writing whatever we want, criticizing our government, insulting the people who fight for our rights, and defining our own lives. As Americans, we tend to make the mistake of believing that our rights are permanent and free. The truth is that our rights depend on our knowledge of the law and Constitution. If we do not understand our rights then we will not know when we are losing them. Again, this comes back to why it is so important to vote!

It irritates me so much to hear people misquote their rights. For example, I found this while reading an article from MSNBC.com D’Oh! More Know Simpsons then Constitution. Study: More Americans familiar with the cartoon then the First Amendment. (3/1/2006)

The study by the new McCormick Tribune Freedom Museum found that 22 percent of Americans could name all five Simpson family members, compared with just one in 1,000 people who could name all five First Amendment freedoms.

What? I had to read this article twice because I couldn’t believe it. The majority of our country cares more about reality shows, cartoons, and meaningless media then the people who are there to protect our rights! This is unacceptable. According to various articles, and some number crunching from my husband and I; American Idol’s season finale voters was about ¼ of the number of voters in the 2008 presidential election. Might I add that the 2008 election had the highest amount of voters ever recorded? I hope this makes all of you unregistered voters out there run and fill out the paper work!! (Which I might add, is pretty much just a signature….)

It’s very simple. Freedom is not free. Our rights have been paid for over and over in blood. Our service men and women willingly lay down their lives so that we can continue living in a media obsessed culture. It’s time we do our part, and make sure we are voting in people who will keep those rights alive! You cannot lose what you do know you have! We take our lives for granted every day. So next time you watch YouTube, use Facebook, or speak your opinion freely – remember how lucky we are. 

"Maybe they have God Awful Gas."

I felt the heat first; it quickly filled my chest and exploded into a wild fire. The fire raged and spread; each cell, tissue, organ, and nerve became consumed by the flame. I wanted to give in completely, to let the fire swallow my being and lavish in the feeling of power and release. My breaths are short and my muscles are tense, my eyes focus on the woman in front of me.

No, I am not really on fire. It is the feeling of anger, the seductive and consuming emotion that spreads like wild fire. A feeling that is so tempting to fall into completely and let control your actions, with each burst of destruction acting its fantasies out through our limbs. I fought the emotion as best I could, but anger is an unforgiving mistress…

Luckily, those around me pick up on the tense air. Pulling from their strength my breaths become longer allowing the cold air to soothe the mighty fire. The struggle begins as the fire attempts to burn each atom of oxygen wanting only to continue in growth but the oxygen is too great. Finally a flood of fresh air is allowed to sweep my body and the flames are diminished to hot embers, spitting out little sparks of heat and exhaling toxic smoke.

This is not an emotion I feel very often, over the years I have become good at keeping calm and practicing my breathing (thanks to my wonderful mother). I find anger to be a frightening and seducing emotion, it has the power the completely override our rational brain and force us to act on vicious instinct. Anger takes hold of the reins and we become forces of destruction and violence. To me, that is something to spend a lot of time and energy on avoiding. I feel anger as a fire, I see it in colors of red and orange, and I feel it in shapes that are sharp and erratic. Normally it comes on slowly, and I can breathe deeply allowing my breaths to calm the flames before they spread. On occasion however, my anger is a wild fire and spreads far too rapidly for any preventive measures.

Now, this is not what I intend my blog to be for. I am not an overly poetic writer who chooses to write in vague prose… but yesterday I was swept away by my anger, and since this is such a rare occurrence I felt the need to write about it.

Onto the topic of the day… I wanted to write about divorce in the world and the morality of marriage and spent the day thinking about what I would say. My family and I went to the next city over that day, and unfortunately my sweet 2-year-old monster princess was not able to take a nap. By the end of the day she was cranky and trying desperately to keep herself awake in the way that many 2-year-olds choose to do so, going nuts. To be honest, she is pretty well behaved even when she is being ornery.

We were at a restaurant and she was bossing me around, yelling, and moving from seat to seat. I wanted her to just sit down and be quiet until the meal was over. I was speaking to her sternly (as I am more often than not a strict mother) and she was fighting it (as is the nature of a toddler). A few times I stepped outside with her so that we could calm down, get some fresh air, and not disturb all of the other patrons. All in all, it was not the worst display of parent/child power struggles. The table next to us was a middle aged woman and she watched my daughter and me carefully. She sat there ever so smugly, and began to make comments on how my child misbehaved and how loud she was. When her little granddaughter began to fuss (as infants often do) she claimed that it was because my daughter was fussing. This woman even went so far as to make a comment to my husband about how we probably wished our infant would behave better than our older daughter. The whole time she was sitting on her high horse, her two older children were running around the restaurant doing as they pleased. Granted they were quiet, but they were not sitting at the table and eating.

I know she is not worth mentioning, but she is what made me so angry. I consider myself to be a very good mother (not perfect) but good. I am strict because I believe that at this age my daughter is testing her boundaries; if I don’t consistently reinforce where they are then she will struggle as she gets older and have to face real life consequences. I love my children dearly, I believe that everything I do is for their benefit and of course it pains me to see the anger, frustration, irritation, or sadness in their faces when I have to deny or correct them. However, I would rather experience these struggles now then see them learn about boundaries in the adult world. I believe that my punishments and corrections are far more compassionate then the ones they will face on their own. So, it angers me to be judged on my parenting, especially when people do not have all of the facts.

This is my point of the whole post, which I learned from my fountain of wisdom (dear mom). We have no idea what is going on in other people’s lives. They could be in pain, having a bad day, extremely tired, confused… Lord knows what, but we don’t. Because there is no way to know what is going on in some one’s life at the time, we should try to withhold judgment. 

Would you go and buy a car without having all of the facts? No.

Would you go and buy a house without knowing all about it? No.

Would you go on a trip without knowing the details of your itinerary? No.

So why would you make a decision about a person’s actions without having a pretty good idea of what is going on in their life?

Judging without the facts shows one of the more disgusting faces of humanity. We become smug, self-righteous, racist, sexist, and cruel. It is not in people’s nature to be isolated by such negative feelings; we are a “heard species” meaning we need to be around other likeminded individuals. Humanity has the capacity of accomplish such beautiful and great things, it is through rash judgments and other negative or immature actions that we keep ourselves from growth.

So think to yourself, next time you see child crying and acting like a toddler (especially if they are one) maybe they have a dysfunctional family, maybe they are tired from a long trip, and maybe they are sick. Or how about (this being my mother’s favorite example) the next time you think some gives you a mean look for no reason, maybe they just had some God awful gas… 

Think people. Think. 

Just keep drinking your beer, the world will pass us by...

No, this is not about drinking... or really anything alcohol related for that matter, and to be very clear it is an opinion piece.

I have a wonderful step-dad who has taken me in and cared for me in a way that many men deny their own flesh and blood; as a result I take everything he says under deep consideration and look for his guidance through life's trials and tribulations. One thing that he has repeated to me over and over through the years is the importance of education. This is not to say that I should go to school, breeze through it, get my degree, and move on to an overpopulated job field; but rather to find the power in knowledge, to understand the world that surrounds us not only in words and numbers, but theories and practice. It is this philosophy and thinking that my piece will focus on.

It is well known that America is lacking in it's education; we have become a country of complacency. Abundance and prosperity has not only expanded our waist lines but it has numbed our minds. Education used to be a key to a better future. Through knowledge children would achieve their dreams of becoming an astronaut, or CEO, to be wealthy, respected, and in a better place than where they started. Today's world however is a much darker reality.

I mean, why should our children treasure their education? Fame and spoils are available to the next YouTube star, or one-hit wonder... inspiring short videos and actions that prove Darwin's theory. On a more illicit side, the production and trafficking of people, drugs, and black market items is also profitable. There will always be teenagers willing to be expendable as long as the promise of money and respect is within sight. America is the land of opportunity, one can start from nothing and end with the world in the palm of their hand with only lady luck by their side.

This is what bothers me so much. The rest of the world is studying their butts of and preparing their future with a solid foundation built through knowledge... then here we are focusing on everything but our education. Granted, there are plenty of families, institutions, and individuals who cherish the knowledge they receive but it feels as though the majority of our youth is lost.

With public schools struggling to develop an efficient lesson plan, pointless standardized testing, ridiculous student to teacher rations, and countless variables outside of our institutions children hardly stand a chance.

Increasing ones knowledge is the surefire way to increase overall happiness, it is through our understanding of the world that we see how to best live in it. Parents, adults, teachers... please push your children to pursue a better life through education. Let us keep America from getting left in the dust of other countries.

"They're so barbaric! Who would make their kids play violent sports?"

Have you heard that before? The far away cry of someone stuck on their high horse. The men and women who condemn organized sports for their "violence" and "destructive" morals. True; a certain amount of men and women die each year from injuries received during games, not to mention the much needed attention to football players heads after a concussion. Is it safer then to encourage our sons and daughters to abandon organized sports? I mean surely, the risk of them being seriously injured or even dead is worth it.


Well, yes and no; at least in this writers opinion. So here I go on my little soap box. (Hey, that's what these blogs are for right?)


Organized sports certainly seem violent, especially when one pays attention to the injuries and bodily damage sustained during the game; the alternative, however, is far worse.


Before I get into the numbers I would like to look at some of the alternatives to organized school activities. Let's be blunt... Jail. Gangs. Drugs. No, no... I'm not trying to sound daunting and anti-climatic, but it's true. Organized sports foster self-esteem, strong morals, a sense of accomplishment and community, not to mention all of the post educational benefits.


To be fair, all arguments have two sides. Sports can also create feelings of competitiveness which is easily taken too far. Certainly, we all know that jackass who can't seem to let his glory days go...


It is also worthwhile to mention that a large part of the benefits from organized sports come from the adults rather then the sport itself.


So, let's look at the numbers really quick. There are millions of children who play organized sports every year and to be honest only a handful suffer fatal injuries from the game. To be exact, 6.6 per million high school males and 14.5 per million college males as well as 1.2 per million high school females and 2.8 per million college females die from sports related injuries a year.


This is where my soapbox comes in - Parents.... Pay attention to your kids!! Serious and fatal injuries (although sometimes) are not hard to spot. There are significant changes when someone has suffered a brain injury, and I feel as though parents or coaches should not have a difficult time detecting these.... Even if we are going to consider fatalities due to heat stroke...doesn't it just take some common sense?


It's 98 degrees outside and John John from down the block has been playing in full clothes for hours now, no one has stopped to make sure he is getting some water to drink... and hell the kid is throwing up or pale!! Maybe someone should act on authority and get the kid inside?


How about concussions? One of the NFL's main concerns right now.... According to WebMD (one of my favorite sites) concussion symptoms include:

"Symptoms of a concussion include:

• Passing out.
• Not being able to remember what happened after the injury.
• Acting confused, asking the same question over and over, slurring words, or not being able to concentrate.
• Feeling lightheaded, seeing "stars," having blurry vision, or experiencing ringing in the ears.
• Not being able to stand or walk; or having coordination and balance problems.
• Feeling nauseous or throwing up.

Sometimes it can be hard to tell if a small child has a concussion. If your child has had a head injury, call your doctor for advice on what to do.

Occasionally a person who has a more serious concussion develops new symptoms over time and feels worse than he or she did before the injury. This is called post-concussive syndrome. If you have symptoms of post-concussive syndrome, call your doctor. Symptoms of post-concussive syndrome include:

• Changes in your ability to think, concentrate, or remember.
• Headaches or blurry vision.
• Changes in your sleep patterns, such as not being able to sleep or sleeping all the time.
• Changes in your personality such as becoming angry or anxious for no clear reason.
• Lack of interest in your usual activities.
• Changes in your sex drive.
• Dizziness, lightheadedness, or unsteadiness that makes standing or walking difficult."

While not all of these symptoms may be present at the time, if your kid is hit like hell during a game... Just pull them out....

It is our duty as parents to protect our children. Organized sports offer so many benefits for just the cost of attention. The alternative is your child looking some where else for an activity (and let's be honest.... hormonally raging teenagers don't always make the best choices).

Perhaps it is not the sport that is violent (people knocking each other around is a step up from watching hangings as a form of entertainment) and getting to know your child might not be the worst thing in the world. 

"You're putting it on a pedestal."

I have been neglecting to sit down and write anything on this blog for about a week now. My husband has had to listen to me complain and argue with myself back and forth, blah blah blah. In all actuality, I love to write. I have so many thoughts that I just need to get out. However, I feel like writing into a journal is tedious and makes me feel silly. The idea of writing into something that will never be seen, nor can have any sort of opinion about what I'm saying doesn't appeal to me. I am not looking for one of those oh so popular blogs, with hundreds of followers and thousands of comments; rather a place that I can release my thoughts without the hand cramps!

Today is a big day, I will be going out to Haynes Park in Rio Rancho for a Park Above Event... but that's talked about a lot more on my Scentsy Blog (Which by the way, is far more awesome then this! www.jeanieloveswickless.blogspot.com)

Well, there it is. My first post done with. Now I don't need to sit here and try and think of some overly wise and important thing to say. (There probably won't be much of that on here!) Now, off to my day of work!