* Season’s Greetings From My Heart To Yours *

May all beings have enough to eat and a safe place to live. May all beings be happy and healthy. May all beings live peacefully and know Universal LOVE.

Harvey’s Wisdom – Destiny’s Embrace

I met Harvey, an amiable gent from mainland China, at a Solara An-Ra workshop on channeling. Solara, one of my all-time favorite spiritual teachers, channels The Pleiadian Council of Light among other loving beings. Channeling, for those of you unfamiliar with this practice, is a means of receiving insights or messages from beyond the everyday parameters of self. Inspirational communications may come from one’s own high self or from extra-dimensional beings.

As the first day of the week-end workshop came to a close and parting hugs were exchanged, Harvey paused before accepting my hug. He explained his cultural/spiritual belief that a hug is an agreement of sorts to meet in the next life. The concept instantly resonated with me; and over the next few days as it percolated within, it took hold in my consciousness as soul significant. It stands to reason, at least in my frame of reference, that the closer a person is to another and the more hugging that takes place between them, the closer their bond in the next incarnation. Of course, one must be partial to the idea of reincarnation in order to appreciate the hugging effect.

I take pleasure in pondering the many huggers and huggees who’ve blessed my life:  my family of origin, husband, children, childhood friends (YaYas), spiritual friends (Gopis), my BFF, Swami, Shaman, work buddies, and celebs including Krishna Das, Deva Premal and Miten. Though concerns do occasionally arise when I contemplate the embrace of individuals I might prefer to avoid in future lives, I remind myself that dense karmic residue is always an opportunity for healing.  And so it is.

I Am Happy I Am Not A Pilgrim Child

I am happy I am not a Pilgrim child,

Pilgrim children had to do a lot of chores.

They fetched water, firewood, berries, and wild plants.

They helped cook, clean, plant, and harvest crops.

They had to bow to the adults.

They had to serve their parents before they ate.

They slept on mattresses stuffed with straw on the floor.

They took a bath a few times a year (Pee Ew!)

Hornbook

I am happy I am not a Pilgrim Child.

My sweet son wrote this original poem in 1999 and mounted it on a Hornbook when he was in Mrs. Hannon's third grade class. It's still hanging in our dining room. Looking at it, especially around Thanksgiving, reminds me to be thankful for my family, friends, and hometown where my children received a loving public education.  

From me and mine to you and yours ~ May your Thanksgiving season be one of abundance and LOVE.

Calendars Shmalendars

Humankind the world over clearly disagrees about nearly everything - politics, science, culture, religion, personal values, etc. You name it, there’s someone somewhere who will refute it. Be it individual, national, global, and probably inter-galactic, there’s variety in all thought and practice. How the coming year (2012) will unfold and ultimately turn out is one of those trendy topics that people are hotly debating.

Scholars acknowledge that the Mayan “Long Count” Calendar marks the end of a 5,126 year period; however, the implication of this is widely up for grabs. Astronomers seem to agree that for the first time in 25,000+ years, during the winter solstice of 2012, the sun will be aligned with the center of the Milky Way possibly disrupting earthly energy. What this means, however, is open to worldly and otherworldly interpretation as well. There are voluminous apocalyptic theories and expectations to go around as well as hopes for a Christ initiated rapture… and that’s just for starters.

In my personal world of spiritual friends, gurus, and scholars who promote a luminously positive way of thinking and being, we believe the ripening of a New Age will be the result of a Loving and Peaceful Universal Consciousness. We are human; after all, so we do the very best we can one breath at a time.

* Meditation * Mantra * Music * Mandala *

Meditation entails any practice used to quiet one’s mind thus enabling the practitioner to focus on the present moment.  Physical activities including yoga, walking, running, sewing, cooking, etc. may focus the mind and empty it of extraneous thoughts. Less physical activities including observance of the breath, mantra meditation (the continuous chanting of a sacred sound or phrase), and guided meditation (following auditory or visual prompts) are also vehicles known to shift brain activity from a stress prone state to a measurably calmer state of being. Meditation is a personal experience; what works for one individual may not work for another.

My Gopi friends (gal pals on a similar spiritual path) all meditate.  They are somehow able to sit quietly, often in lotus position, and empty their minds seemingly at will. Now and again, there’s background music conducive to attaining an altered state of consciousness.  I have what some yogis refer to as Monkey Mind, an overactive cerebral condition which challenges the aspiring meditative mind to be still.  

The meditation practice that works best for me is chanting. When I’m singing Sanskrit mantras, it’s difficult if not impossible for my mind to wander.  Ram Dass, in his latest book be love now, impeccably states what I know to be true from experience, “music has a unique ability to convey emotion, and when it combines with the vibrational quality of a mantra, there is nothing like it to bypass the mind and open a direct route to the heart.”

If you’re a tried and true meditator or if you’ve not yet attempted it, the following meditation tools just might work for you. Included herein are some of my favorite people and inspirations. Click the links provided below for cd ideas, sample tracks, and more.

Krishna Das 

Deva Premal & Miten 

Jai Uttal

Solara An Ra

Healing Mandalas 

Status Update For Buddy

Buddy-Cloots-Baby has been living comfortably next door since her cat-fight and neck injury. Her sutures are dissolved, her fur is growing back, and the vet said she’ll soon forget her former life as an adventurous outdoor kitty. Buddy-Bud (as my neighbor’s been calling her) has the run of a large uncluttered house with plenty of places to play and explore. She has toys. She eats home-cooked beef and chicken in addition to her favorite dry cat food. There’s no doubt that Buddy-Bud is happier living with Mary Ellen than with my family.  She’s no longer living the life of a tormented Cinderella forced to deal with the daily hissy fits of two mean feline step-sisters (Jellie and Scratch).  Life is good.

Blessed Be Beauty In A Bottle

Two years ago, in a moment of bravado, I revealed my real age to Dr. Mehmet Oz on national TV. I was exceedingly happy with his genuine look of surprise upon learning my harsh demographic truth. He attributed some of my good fortune to good genes. My Mom and Dad both had great skin and were on the thin side… thank Goddess! 

Since Dr. Oz last saw me, I’ve gained and lost the same five to ten pounds several times, my face has more wrinkles, and I’m drier everywhere there’s skin. I fondly remember a smoother, moister time –the pinnacle of estrogen.  Am I uptight by the turn of events?  Hell Yeah… what Everyday Goddess wouldn’t be?

I’ve recently started considering my options for minimal facial restoration. There’s beauty in a bottle, beauty in a syringe, and beauty under-the-knife.  Given the fact, I’m afraid of needles and scalpels, the alternatives are limited to state-of-the-art cosmetic remedies all which promise dramatic results.  But do they?

The tray on my night table currently contains: In An Instant products by Heidi Klum (Intensive Firming Serum, Intensive Eye Treatment, Instant Wrinkle Smoother & Instant Warming Scrub), wrinkle Revenge (antioxidant enhanced glycolic acid facial cleanser), Olay Regenerist (micro-sculpting serum, DNA superstructure UV cream with SPF 30), Dr. Robert Rey’s Inhibitox (Instant Wrinkle Erase with Active Exotics), Anew Retexturizing Peel,  Estee Lauder’s Advanced Night Repair, and ROC (Deep Wrinkle Night Cream). So do they work?

The short answer is: Maybe. Without the daily and nightly treatments (not strictly adhered to) I might look drier and wrinklier.  Given my trepidations regarding physician assisted beauty, I’ll continue my quest for the Holy Grail of anti-aging beauty products.  In the meantime, I’ll do the best with what I have – genetically and cosmetically. Sooner or later, I’ll reluctantly redefine Boomer Beauty because in my heart of hearts, I know that something-something will never again look like thirty- something… and it’s not supposed to.  

It Takes A Village To Save A Cat

How sweet is this little girl?

In the spring of 2010 my next-door-neighbor mentioned a stray cat (she’d been feeding) had taken up nightly residence under my deck. My daughter soon befriended the kitty and (much to my hygienic dismay) took to petting and feeding her.  On their sporadic outings, my two kitties (Jellie and Scratch) hissed and chased the interloper. And so it began…

The Christmas blizzard of 2010 turned our neighborhood into a frozen wasteland.  My daughter looked out the front door at the right and perfect time and saw the snow-covered stray walking up the street.  She dashed out the door, scooped her up, and brought her inside.  Needless to say I worried about diseases, fleas, and an uncivilized cat that didn’t know how to use a litter box.  Buddy (as our neighbor called her) was quickly taken to the vet to assuage my feline/human health concerns. My husband attended the check-up and registered her as Nona (short for no name).

Buddy-Nona-Cloots (as my daughter called her) lived with us all snowy winter despite the obvious protests of Jellie and Scratch. The only peaceful place for our now multi-named kitty was a secluded spot in the basement which our elderly mean girls couldn’t reach. As the weather took a turn for the better, Clootsie (as I began calling her) took to the streets during the daytime and returned nightly to my neighbor’s house.  Her latest adopted feline-step-sister Lucky Lady was a lot more accepting than either Jellie or Scratch. I accepted the change of address graciously and considered it an opportunity to practice non attachment (a yoga principle).

Buddy-Nona-Cloots-Clootsie roamed the neighborhood during the day and returned home (next door) most nights to eat and sleep.  A recent cat fight left our little furry girl now with many names (and two families) wounded. I took her to the vet who frowns upon outdoor pet life. Following an expensive hospital stay to address a nasty bite to the neck (too close to her jugular for comfort) and an abscess which required numerous stitches, our kitty has been recuperating next door where she constantly whines to go outside.

We’re all hoping Buddy-Nona-Cloots-Clootsie-Baby (the latest name) will learn to love the security of indoor life where her daily adventures include looking out the window.  It’s more likely she’ll wait for an opportunity to escape as she’s done before.  We can barely control our own destinies, how could we possibly direct the fate of a cat with an agenda of her own?

Beware: The “I”s of Intimacy

The “I” s of intimacy (a.k.a interruptions) abundantly threaten relationships on a regular basis.  Naturally occurring “I”s can’t be avoided no matter how much an individual or couple may try. Such is life.  Many “I”s are obvious to all parties involved while some remain hidden to self as well as others.

* Illness * Injury * Irritation * Immobility * Interference*

Illness and injury top the list of impediments to intimacy. Obviously, when one partner is sick or hurt, it’s plain to see how easily intimacy (physical or otherwise) dissipates.  After all, a serious, painful, or life threatening diagnosis freezes one in their tracks; and all eyes and ears become focused on the circumstances.  Limited mobility, pain, and/or miscellaneous angst all too often declare a silent and insidious war on otherwise loving partners; intimacy is collateral damage.  Short or long term interruptions give way to A New Normal (not necessarily a good one).

When The “I”s of Intimacy strike, there are steps you can take to preserve intimate companionship. Consciously create a New Normal in which there’s always some physical (and verbal) closeness.  Even a tiny bit of intimacy goes a long way. If one partner is in physical pain, for example, and can’t move around in a sexual or sensual way… kissing, cuddling, hand holding, fondling, or stroking…  to the extent it is possible… continually or intermittently… maintains the connection.

Being mindful of intimacy when closeness is compromised-- due to the intricacies of life (IOLs) -- may require nothing more than being a loving presence while watching TV together.  Sometimes the simplest remedies work the best.

Goodbye Summer

Autumn is officially upon us, however, the remnants of summer (my favorite season) remain a while longer. I love the warm weather, in part, for the abundance of attention-grabbing visuals peeking out from bodies unencumbered by clothes and shoes. Greenwich Village, NoHo, and Soho (where I’m happily employed) is always teeming with an interesting array of tattoos and toes.

Body art is plentiful and seemingly mainstream these days. Tatoos creatively express individuality and are best enjoyed without judgment, a task easier said than done. I still remember a drop-dead gorgeous woman conservatively dressed with a thick black zipper tattoo up each arm from wrist to elbow. Beauty is obviously in the eye of the beholder.

There were fewer sandals on Broadway this week – gradually replaced by the latest closed-in footwear. I find looking down at people’s feet irresistible. It’s not that I have a foot fetish.  I’m not turned on by feet in a turned-on sense. I’m simply fascinated by the extraordinary assortment of toes. I wonder if anyone else has noticed that some the most beautiful women have the most unexpected toes.

Although I resist the change of seasons with a less than happy attitude (winter is my least favorite season), I will continue to enjoy the art show on the streets of New York City before cold weather hides everything under wraps of cloth, fur, and leather.

Live each season as it passes; breathe the air, drink the drink, taste the fruit, and resign yourself to the influences of each.  ~ Henry David Thoreau

My Ecstatic enChanting Birthday Bash

This year I’ve decided to celebrate each and every day during the month of my Virgo birthday by doing something Goddessworthy. Spending time with loved ones in celebration of my being is an easy given; but coming up with something meaningful and/or fun is a daily challenge I heartily recommend. 

My simple Everyday Goddess pleasures have included work (with people I truly love), eating my favorite foods (e.g. frozen yogurt and pizza), manicure, pedicure, and thoroughly enjoying messages from my Facebook Friends. I’m loving my presents (e.g. Ganesh charm and sacred candles); although more importantly I’m appreciating the presence of family and friends.

The highlight of my celebration thus far has been attending Omega Institute’s Labor Day Ecstatic Chant. Kirtan is the call-and-response singing of mantras believed to be soulfully transformational (in a good way). Beloved devotional singers Krishna Das, Deva Premal, Miten, Manose, and Jai Uttal were as lovingly present and as brilliant as I knew they would be.  I was accompanied by my BFF, my BSF (best swami friend), two Steves, a Tina, an Yvette, and hundreds of other Bhaktas there for the same reason (to share a day of musical prayer and meditation).  During the final moments at Omega (in the bookstore), I mentioned to my BFF that the only person I hadn’t hugged and kissed for my birthday was Miten. Lo and behold who walks in:  Miten, of course.  I’d just bought Deva’s latest cd, Password. When the hugging, kissing, and chatting was complete, Miten raced off with the cd for Deva to sign.  I love the cd.  Click on the link below for a You Tube sample.

Aham Prema

I am love.

Up All Night

Up All Night, the new comedy series, starring Christina Applegate, Maya Rudolph and Will Arnett is about new parents trying to balance their home life, work life, and baby.  I know all about being up all night and trying to juggle personhood and parenthood. I fondly remember years of on demand nursing (a.k.a. breast-feeding) my two darling children, our family bed, immunizations, childhood diseases including the chicken pox they shared with me, and so on.  After the first five years of being a Mom, I completely forgot how to sleep through the night.

Being up all night has new meaning when your child is no longer that adorable infant or toddler. Chronologically adult children bring new reasons to be Up All Night.

* Up All Night is when your child is away at school during a hurricane.

* Up All Night is when your daughter has a date in a neighboring state with someone you don’t know at all.

* Up All Night is when your child is vacationing far from home with peers.

* Up All Night is when you hear the refrain within your maternal DNA that asks, “It’s ten o’clock; do you know where your children are,” and your don’t.

Although I’ve made some progress in the Not-Up-All-Night Department, I still have much to learn. My dear friend Tina has been trying to teach me that FEAR is nothing more than False Evidence Appearing Real. There’s simply no good reason to worry unless there’s real reason to worry. Now doesn’t that sound easy? Of course it isn’t; but I am trying… one sleepless night at a time.

Semen – A Wonder Remedy For Depression?

Researchers from SUNY Albany published an article in the Archives of Sexual Behavior (2002) supporting a previous hypothesis that the hormones in semen have a mood-boosting effect on women. In February of this year a controversial editorial appeared in the Surgery News which stated, “Forget chocolate on Valentine’s Day, try semen.”

Semen, according to respectable scientists, contains substantial doses of natural feel-good chemicals including endorphins, serotonin, oxytocin, and melatonin. These erotic essences are absorbed through the abundantly vascular vaginal wall during intercourse as long as there’s no impediment (e.g. condom or coitus interruptus).  This is good news for women in monogamous relationships when fears of pregnancy or disease are non issues.

Given the choice between a semen cocktail taken straight up a box of truffles, I’d unequivocally choose the chocolates every time.

Keeping Up With The Kardashians – Season Six

Yes, of course, I’m still keeping up with the Kardashians.  In fact, I love, respect, and enjoy them now more than ever.  While other reality TV shows promise “backstabbing betrayal,” Keeping Up With The Kardashians delivers a jigunda slice of Kardashian life that’s chock-full of familial love, loyalty, glam, glitz, and bling.

My happy life as an everyday goddess is the Kardashian’s polar opposite in the outer world. The K-Dolls (Kris, Kourtney, Kim, Khloé, Kendall, and Kylie) are all gorgeously stylish and fashionably put together, external qualities I admire but lack. I haven’t a fashionista gene among my otherwise delightful bits of DNA. This, however, in no way diminishes my appreciation of Kardashian razzle-dazzle chic.

The Kardashians, Jenners, Odums, et al are exquisite to watch in their assorted domestic habitats, and in their varied roles as normal people with celebrity professions. They’re seemingly fearless about divulging delicate details; next-to-nothing is off limits. Take this season for example.  Matriarch Kris Jenner broadcasts her pre-Kim’s-wedding plastic surgery. Who else in Hollywood would do this besides a Kardashian?  What else is NOT off limits besides a mini face-lift?  How about menopause, incontinence, maternal angst and pride? Oh yeah; and that’s just Kris who’s stunning throughout. 

I Love, Love, Love the Kardashians; and I’ll be keeping up with them for as long as there’s something chichi to keep up with.

Is The Song In Your Head A Musical Hallucination?

Have you ever had a song in your head that kept you singing (or thinking) the lyrics (or melody) repeatedly? If you answered yes, you’re not alone.  It could be harmless, OR it could be the result of malfunctioning brain networks that normally allow us to perceive music. The brain is amazing when it functions perfectly and is even more so when it doesn’t.

Fourteen years ago, 83-year-old Reginald King began having musical hallucinations following bypass surgery.  The array of pop tunes and Christmas carols playing on his personal cerebral channel were both frightening and frustrating and could neither be turned off nor tuned down. Eventually, he was seen by Dr. Victor Aziz, one of two European researchers who had been studying this phenomenon. Dr. Aziz and research partner Dr. Nick Warner found that more than a third of their patients with musical hallucinations were deaf or hard of hearing, women more often than men, and on average 78 years of age.

Dr. Aziz believes people are more likely to hear songs (in their head) they’ve heard repeatedly. He further speculates that musical hallucinations would become more common in the future noting that, ‘”people today are awash in music from radios and television.”  Add to that the unwavering use of iPods by people of all ages and there you have the makings of a musical hallucination zoo (www.nytimes.com/2005/07/12/health/psychology/12musi.html?).

So what does this mean for me (and you)?  I frequently listen to my favorite music on the radio or cd player (driving here and there), my computer (at work and home), and my beloved iPod (my commuting companion). I wonder if my ritual music habits will eventually lead me to Nirvana or to some other musical paradise…perhaps Gagavana?   There are two songs currently playing on my daily hit parade.  Click on the blue links below to see what they are.

Ticket to Nirvana

Or to Gagavana

What might make it to your hallucinatory playlist if your musical brain networks begin to malfunction?  Please comment below; I’d really LOVE to know.

EDG Meets Kryon

My introduction to Lee Carroll and his work with Kryon came two plus years ago when my BFF synchronistically discovered them.  At that time, my new agey interests were not yet ready for Carroll or Kryon who then seemed way too woo-woo for me. Said BFF attended a seminar which resonated with her spiritual evolution. Kryon seminars and workshops are hosted domestically and internationally by New Age thinkers including a United Nations group in NYC (the Society for Enlightenment and Transformation).

Fast forward two plus years and I’ve now read and loved two of Carroll’s books, The Journey Home and The Parables of Kryon (both Hay House books about spiritual growth and enlightenment).  I’ve studied channeling and I’ve been exposed to concepts which have further thinned the line between mysticism and science. I was ready to attend the two-day interactive seminar when it synchronistically appeared on my proverbial doorstep.

The Kryon team I had the good fortune to meet consisted of Lee Carroll (internationally known author and channeler of the angelic entity Kryon), Dr. Amber Wolf (transformational and quantum living healer), Dr. Todd Ovakaytis (enlightened physician & researcher), Robert Coxson (interdimensional musician, facilitator, and healer), and Connie Okelberry (divinely inspired jewelry maker). The seminar brought together New Age concepts and quantum physics in a way that felt significantly main stream.

My spiritual path includes developing my inner (and outer) Goddess and a sensitivity to what is beyond the life I’m currently living.  Carl Jung once said, “Your vision will become clear only when you look into your heart. Who looks outside, dreams. Who looks inside, awakens.” My guess is that Kryon would agree.  (Please click on the blue links and connect with Kryon and Connie)

Celebrity Goddess vs. Everyday Goddess

We see them in abundance on the big and small screen, in the media, and seemingly everywhere; they're Celebrity Goddesses. They’re often intelligent, talented, and charming. They’re always dressed to the nines with perfect makeup to showcase their beauty.  They work very hard; they’re ON whenever they’re in public. They pay a high price for their celebrity; they have no privacy.

I love watching Celebrity Goddesses. My favorites include Oprah, Lisa Ling, Ann Curry, Angelina Jolie, Lady GaGa, and the Kardashians. I rejoice in the joys of celebrity goddessness; I learn valuable lessons from them. There are obvious down-sides to celebrity. They’re rarely alone publicly; they need an entourage and security. The paparazzi stalk them and wait in evil anticipation of an ugly shot in which they’re caught without make-up or with dimpled thighs on the beach.

We, the Everyday Goddesses of the planet here, there, and everywhere go through life unnoticed and unstalked by the media or crazy fans. We are free to go to the store without makeup, in sweats, and with bad hair. We can freely enjoy life and share our light with little muss or fuss.

I enjoy all Goddesses for they evoke the energies of the Divine Feminine, each in our own way.

Kalachakra 2011 - About the Kalachakra for World Peace - Pause For Peace Today

Kalachakra 2011 - About the Kalachakra for World Peace

May The Fourth Be With You : )

May all beings be safe, happy, healthy, and live peacefully.

25 Years Of Marital Bliss?

Who among us can claim 25 years of non-stop marital bliss? Surely not anyone I know, including myself. Marriage is a challenging union between two diverse souls who’ve joined hands, hearts, pocketbooks, and lives.  It’s no wonder so many marriages fail with the bevy of complications that naturally arise. Finances, in-laws, health crises, children, and personal issues too often raise their ugly heads and conspire against even the hardiest of couples.

In just a few days, my honey and I will celebrate our 25^th wedding anniversary. We’ve faced our share of challenges (to date) and thank Goddess we’re happily intact. During the most trying times, we barely held onto ourselves and our marriage for dear life as the whirlwind of living tossed us from here to there. I dedicate this blog and all of the contents herein to my sweet husband of 25 interesting years.  May we be resilient and come through the next 25 years with abundance and grace.

Good luck to married folks in every corner of the globe. May you find happiness, harmony, peace, and roses as you journey through life’s garden – and find it as prick-free as you can imagine.

Be Prepared

The Boy Scout motto, “Be Prepared,” is applicable to any endeavor. The better prepared you are, the more likely your efforts will result in success.

A well stocked lover’s basket should be readily available for any prospect.  If you like toys, fill it with toys.  If you need lubes, there are many with fun filled promises (taste, tingle, and so forth). If you’ve prepared for some novel nookie, by all means, don’t leave your new gadget, foam, or goodie somewhere out of reach.  When you and your partner are already in the throws of passion, you won’t want to stop what you’re doing to look for that brand new G-spot seeking vibrator you recently purchased.  Likewise, if you and partner are up for some Hershey’s Kiss Bliss, you’ll want to be prepared

I’ve recently made a new addition to my love basket:   TUMS tablets.  When heartburn presents a sudden and unwelcome wallop of discomfort which threatens to sabotage a happy mood already in progress, my honey and I are well equipped: TUMS in every flavor, mint for me, fruit for him.

Be prepared for life - to live happily and without regret, knowing that you have done your best. That's what the Scout motto means. (Excerpted from page 54, Boy Scout Handbook, 11th ed, (#33105), copyright 1998 by BSA, ISBN 0-8395-3105-2)

D-A-S-H Water: Très Cher Très Chic

Q: Who spends $10.00 (plus tax) for a bottle of water? 

A:  A Kardashian fan enjoying a close Kardashian encounter of the second kind.

  

Note: A Close Kardashian Encounter of the First Kind is an encounter via the media (e.g. ancient or digital). A Close Kardashian Encounter of the Second Kind is an encounter via product purchase (at a DASH store or online).  A Close Kardashian Encounter of the Third Kind is seeing any of the Fab Four (Khloé, Kim, Kourtney, Kris) up close and personal.

Anyway, back to the water. Last week a co-worker and I walked to DASH NYC for a quickie lunchtime adventure.  We perused the wares, tried on garments, and chatted happily all the while. I purchased a bottle of water with the DASH logo on the outside and a Khloé, Kim, and Kourtney pic on the inside.  Our return to the office was nearly as much fun as the adventure. I showed off my water bottle; and as I sipped the clean, clear, yummy H2O, I repeatedly expressed my delight.  Lots of laughter filled the airwaves.

So… was my DASH water worth $10.89 (tax included)? Yes indeed. A friendly lunchtime frolic with one of my favorite co-workers, the protracted enjoyment of my Kardashian memento (still not recycled), and the lighthearted energy that lingered was, without doubt so worth it.

A Dazzling Patti Davis Poses Nude At 58

Patti Davis, the wild child of Nancy and Ronald Reagan, posed nude for Playboy Magazine when she was 42 years old. Now, at a scrumptious 58, she’s posed in her still gorgeous birthday suit for More magazine. Davis, who was often at odds with her Conservative parents, vocally supported gay rights, abortion rights, and her opposition to nuclear weapons. She’s experienced her trials and tribulations (more than most) and is surely a survivor and a thriver. I love you Patti Davis.  You’re a Goddess Extraordinaire. 

Click on the following link to read the entire story and to see a little “more.” Patti Davis: My Body, Then and Now

In The Bedroom With Dr. Laura Berman

Dr. Laura Berman of Oprah fame is the now reigning It Girl of contemporary sex and relationship therapy. She’s got credentials (LCSW, PhD), experience (20 years), the looks and charm of a Goddess (innate), and a TV series (In The Bedroom) on the Oprah Winfrey Network. The show, like Dr. Berman’s books on sexual fitness and pleasure, is a treasure-trove of information for guests and viewers open to suggestion. Guest couples receive a mindful assessment of their challenges in the bedroom (and beyond) by an always professional and reliably wise and sensitive therapist. There’s homework, then follow up, and hopefully success. She shines her light on examples of typical challenges that often wreak havoc on the intimacy shared (or not shared) by couples of all ages and situations.

My husband and I had the good fortune to appear on The Dr. Oz Show with Dr. Berman for the finale of the National Sex Experiment.  Dr. Laura (as well as Dr. Oz) are as delightful in person as they are on TV.  Learning about relationships and sex, in the comfort and privacy of your own home, has never been this meticulous or easy.

Searching For G - The Film And My Mission

Liz Topp, co-author of Vaginas: An Owner’s Manual, is a delightful, witty writer who’s added delightful, witty filmmaker to her impressive list of creative credentials. Her documentary Searching for G (see side bar) is one of the Official Selections of the 2011 Newport Beach Film Festival.

Venus G-Vibrator

In honor of Liz (who I sort of know personally), I’m determined to locate my G-spot.  Research began this week on the eve of Searching for G’s premiere in Newport Beach. With my  Berman Venus G-Vibrator in hand (literally and figuratively) I commenced my less than scientific study.  The Venus G is a quiet, attractive, sleek, smooth, battery-operated, waterproof, silicone device designed by world renowned sex therapist Dr. Laura Berman to stimulate the G spot. 

Whether or not the G-spot exists, the subject of Liz Topp’s film, remains to be experienced by this researcher. It’s a venture (or should I say adventure) I’m thoroughly looking forward to.  Apparently one’s G-spot is located from one to three inches up the front vaginal wall somewhere between the vaginal opening and the urethra. Stimulation of this spot is said to lead to strong sexual arousal and powerful orgasms.

My first encounter with the Venus G was less than victorious. I lacked much needed anatomical preparation and, of course, the pressure was on to succeed.  I’d hoped to tell Liz upon her return to NYC that I’d searched for and found G and it was right where it was supposed to be and worked just fine.  I’m cool, confident, and ready for more work.  Thanks Liz, thanks Dr. Laura. The Berman Venus G-Vibrator (as well as other fun toys and sexy products) can be discreetly purchased online at Babeland.com. Be sure to check out the G-Spot Center for valuable information.

P.S.  All links are in purple and are operable... click away.

William And Catherine: Love Is In The Air Today

Love one another and you will be happy.  It's as simple and as difficult as that.  ~Michael Leunig

Be Safe Be Healthy Be Happy And Live With Ease

Let us be grateful to people who make us happy, they are the charming gardeners who make our souls blossom.  ~Marcel Proust

Vintage Madonna –R And Unrated

Netflix refers to their four-star offering Body of Evidencewith two perfectly descriptive words: steamy and suspenseful.  The film category, erotic thriller, is right on for this hot and sticky who done it or didn’t flick. An ever sensual Madonna plays the lead role of Rebecca Carlson, a powerful and irresistibly beautiful woman on trial for murdering her rich, old lover. Her defense attorney, played by Willem Dafoe, is by far sexier than in most of his later roles.  Joe Mantegna, the DA, is convinced the cause of death was premeditated sex which rendered the old geezer’s heart permanently out of order.  

Body of Evidence, produced by Dino De Laurentiis and distributed by Metro- Goldwyn-Mayer, was first released in 1993 with a censored R rating. The video released some years later restored deleted scenes thus rendering the film even hotter than the original. Although Roger Ebert considered this one his most hated films, for reasons that escape me; this could become one of your favorites if you enjoy real Hollywood movies with simulated sex scenes galore that are steamy, steamy, steamy.

Madonna fans as well as court room drama fans are urged to get their own copy of this film. It would look a lot more respectable on the shelves of your home movie collection than well known X-rated films such as Debbie Does Dallas. The only potential hitch for porn lovers RE: Body of Evidence would be the wealth of story line and dialogue. There’s plenty of salacious celebrity nudity… enough to make anyone wonder if body doubles were used. It’s also a great compromise for couples in which a porn-phobic partner would acquiesce and agree to watch a sexy, sexy, sexy mainstream (sort of) film.