‘I was filmed for another movie the other day. This time Nerissa secretly filmed me with her Flip camera while I was being filmed for the documentary. This is a rare look inside my home as it’s been transformed into a studio lot, and a rare peek of me being filmed for a movie.’

‘Moments after I bought the rare 1977 Jaguar XJS V-12 owned by famous bodybuilder Steve Reeves (Hercules in the movies), Nerissa filmed my excitement and beaming face. Watch and see the passion explode! Surprises await!’

Dearest Jane,

I FINALLY was able to take a picture of “my” blind sparrow this morning! I
wrote a blog about him, and included the photograph. How are you doing?? I
am “thinking” that you are hearing of things like this quite frequently.

I do so appreciate all that you do, and just wanted to let you know this.

Much love,
Sue

Everyday Miracles.. “my” blind sparrow photo, and musings..

TODAY is the day, my dear reader(s)- mysterious and friends!! YES, after many repeated attempts, and failures.. I have managed to “capture” with my trusty Olympus D-560 digital camera (for those “tecchy” folks who are curious about such things!)- a true miracle. Yay!! Umm.. some of you may be knowing that in past blogs, I have told the tale of a blind sparrow that I have been nurturing since last spring. I decided early on, to simply let nature take its course, rather than trying to “save it” by keeping it in a cage. Some things in nature are best left to be free.. and can adapt quite nicely.

This little guy (it is a male purple finch) is quite special. It “sees” by constantly chirping- and it flies in a “posse” of about four other birds that I do think help watch out for it. HOW it manages to safely navigate and find food is baffling to me, really. HOW it manages to keep coming back to me, faithfully, is another true wonder! I always know it is right outside because of the constant chirping- he has a very distinctive chirp.. so I will go out on my balcony, and?? Softly start “chirping and whistling” in reply. It hovers about my head- and somehow it “sees” my hand- and lands. Usually not for very long, but today was quite a curious one. He landed on my hand, and.. didn’t want to leave!! *LOL* Soo.. I took him inside, picked up my camera.. went back out on my balcony.. placed him on the railing. THEN?? Picked him back up- and?? Captured this moment for you to view.

blind sparrow photo

I really DO believe in miracles. They are all around us, if we are able to “see” and “listen” with all of our heart and soul. Some of the miracles are not able to be captured with film, or other tangible means- but this makes them no less real. One needs to determine for themselves what they want to believe- what they choose to believe; and not necessarily what other people are believing, saying.. or even doing. EACH individual person (I truly believe, anyway) has the capacity for doing, and.. simply “BEing” quite miraculous, in his or her own unique way. How you choose to live your life, what you decide to “think”, “feel” and actively do in this “Uni~verse” really does matter in the grand scheme of things. The energies that an individual can contribute in helping to make this planet a gentler, kinder, more welcoming place for all life forms is quite amaSING (yep- I meant to type that!).

So. As you go about “doing” whatever it is that you do, please be knowing that I do appreciate YOUR presence, no matter who you are choosing to “be”. We all need each other, to become far greater than any one of us can possibly be alone. Think.. synergy! “Happy Sparkle Thoughts” of?? Yep!! POSITIVE energies, genuine kindness, gentle encouragement- and?? A WHOLE bunch of HOPE, that my friend, the blind sparrow so kindly represents, in his first photographic debut!

A disciple asked Firoz:
- The mere presence of a master causes all sorts of curious people to gather round, to discover something beneficial. Can’t this be a hindrance and negative? Can’t this divert the master from his path, or cause him to suffer because he could not teach that which he wished?
Firoz, the Sufi master, replied:
- The sight of an avocado tree laden with fruit whets the appetite of all those who pass by. If someone wishes to satisfy his hunger beyond his needs, he will eat more avocados than necessary, and will be sick. However, this causes no indigestion to the man who owns the avocado tree.
“It is the same with our Search. The path must be open to all; but it is for God to set the limits of each individual.”

by Paulo Coelho

Aaargh!! I am “feeling” quite incredibly frustrated at THIS very moment in time- so I decided to post this blog. I DO so detest “wasting time”- and expending my energies (sometimes I do get rather “drained”) needlessly. WHY am I bothering?? WELL, dear reader(s) mysterious and friend, I am unable to make comments right now with this “MySpace” program. Aaaargh yet again. *LOL* I have thus far spent a whopping TWO hours on-line.. managing to post only three comments. SO.

Here’s a “more permanent” method of my “living my life’s purpose” for everyone to partake of, IF they so choose. I read an interesting blog post yesterday, and the topic was sooo incredibly interesting that it is STILL one of those ponderings that is remaining foremost in my thoughts today. It has to do with Byron Katie, and her “breaking one’s self- destructive thought processes”. I cheerfully (IS there any other way for “me” to BE??) admit that I am a novice with all of this “social consciousness, self- actualization” stuff that is around in this universe- and just recently (umm.. about two months ago, perhaps?) had something interesting pointed out to me. Yep.. I am pretty oblivious to what other people are teaching, saying, doing.. because quite honestly- I have all that I can manage with simply living my own “life’s purpose”.

It seems that while I scamper around, posting hopefully kind, encouraging, sometimes thoughtful messages and comments to individuals- this person (Ms. Byron Katie) actually teaches people how to.. live.. what I am “doing”. Huh. AND- interestingly enough, people PAY lots and lots of money to figure out “how-to-change”. Huh again. *LOL* IS this a “scam” as some people have claimed?? Umm.. I dunno- I have never had the finances to indulge myself in one of her seminars. I don’t have the time, nor the desire to .. purposefully change anything about the “way-that-I-am-being” right now. I would think however, that ANY means of helping people to truly WAKE UP, and become interested in changing something about themselves that they are finding particularly distressing, or displeasing is a good thing. Please let me reassure you, dear reader(s).. it is definitely NOT easy, nor is it instantaneous to “break out of one’s negativity”, if you are choosing to do so. By the very nature of this paradoxical universe, there ARE both negative AND positive elements of almost anything you can think of.

Opposites and balance. Anger, love, fear, confidence, sorrow, joy, kindness, hatred..the list is almost infinite. To consciously “BE” appreciating “this-exact-moment-in-time” takes a little practice- as does becoming comfortable with “feeling happy”! *LOL* Trust me on this one.. I do know of which I am typing. Curiously enough, people are sadly V-E-R-Y suspicious of an individual who is truly “being kind”!! I am frequently asked “WHAT do you want?? WHY are you being nice??”. Umm.. I dunno.. because I like it?? *LOL* I cannot “BE” any other way, truly. It is a H-U-G-E effort for ME to purposefully “be” negative. I mean, i really, really have to try to be miserable! Huh.

This doesn’t mean that I am totally “innoculated” against righteous indignation and annoyances. Indeed- sometimes my very heart and soul physically ACHES with sadness for the plight of others. The way that I manage to “climb out” of this awesomely dark pit of hopelessness is.. to.. MOVE!! Umm.. yep. Forcing one’s self to simply GET UP and.. take a deep breath.. and purposefully CONNECT with anything within this universe that has a tangible life form truly does help me. Sometimes it is a “seemingly simple” ant that happens to catch my eye; other times I am drawn to rocks and stones.. or.. water. In particularly distressing fleeting (thankfully) times, a combination of “actively moving and noticing” in combination with.. MUSIC truly does help me so much.. it is almost magical.

EACH individual existing upon this planet.. right.. NOW.. is important. I truly DO “think” AND “feel” that we all need each other.. to become MORE than what we can each singularly achieve in a vacuum. Umm.. synergy. Yes- I AM knowing that no one person is going to “think, behave, feel, act, sense” this universe exactly as I do- and I am pretty relieved in knowing this. You would NOT want to, either. Because?? YOU need to be “who-YOU-are-meaning-to-be”. What “feels” good, and true to YOU is what you might want to “feel”. Feeling is a skill, just as “thinking” is one as well. Heh.. some people TRULY do NOT like to think (one of my daughters actually TOLD me this!) while for others (like myself) it brings great joy!! As with all other “essences” of life- maintaining a b-a-l-a-n-c-e is important. Moderation.

So. I dunno why I am typing this.. I just “feel” SO compelled at times that I literally HAVE to act- or else I will keep obsessing until I have DONE whatever that little “nagging itch” swirling around my brain is encouraging me to actively DO. I have lived my whole life “like this”.. and so far, I have managed all right. Nope- I am definitely NOT well- known, popular, wealthy, or any of those other things that society uses to judge whether a person is “successful in life”. I am.. simply.. genuinely and truly.. HAPPY. I’m NOT gonna apologize for this- as I have truly earned my genuine happiness with each horror and tragedy that I have endured in my life. YES, I have suffered. MORE than you can ever POSSIBLY imagine. BUT, to me??? It is not important. Living TODAY.. “right-HERE-and-NOW!!” is what I live for.

Aaahhh.. I have to stop typing, as my “life happening” in my living room is crashing down. I think Tooey managed to knock Petrie’s cage off the book case again. *LOL* Yep.. life at this moment IS pretty interesting. SO. Dear reader(s).. “Happy Sparkle Thoughts” to you. As you go about “doing” whatever it is that you are finding perhaps a little FUN today, please know that I DO genuinely care. I wish you with every molecule of my existence positive energies, kindness, and encouragement.
Darling Saritah?? Thanks for the tip about actually USING the internet.. to benefit myself!! *LOL* Sometimes I do forget that I exist. Curious statement, huh?

by Sue

Sri Ramakrisna tells the story of a man who was about the cross a river, when master Bibhishana came over, wrote a name on a leaf, tied it to the man’s back, and said:
- Don’t be afraid. Your faith will help you walk on the waters. But the minute you lose faith, you will drown.
The man trusted Bibhishana, and began to walk on the waters, without any difficulty. At a certain point, he had an overwhelming desire to know what his master had written on the leaf tied to his back.
He took it and read what was written:
“Oh god Rama, help this man to cross the river.”
“Is that all?” thought the man. “And who is this god Rama, anyway?”
The moment this doubt became lodged in his mind, he was submerged and drowned in the strong current.

by Paulo Coelho

I am DEFINITELY appreciating the weather where I am. NICE sunshiny day- a plethora of various bird species happily trilling their songs into the universe. Life is wonderful. I was kind of “stressed” at this time yesterday, though.

Sometimes, creativity and inspiration arises out of the MOST curious ponderings and musings that my particular “train of thought” travels. I was “thinking” so desperately because I needed to magically come up with an art activity for the kids that attend my program. At times it can be quite challenging to have a project that all age levels will find interesting.. and engaging- AND “not too complicated”. In this mix are boys and girls ranging in age from 5- 12.. and they are SO varied with particular interests, abilities.. and attention- span. While pondering what sort of project I could possibly magically create, I was also reminiscing about.. how I managed to burn popcorn in the microwave- yet another attempt at multi- tasking gone awry. DID you know that if.. you press the “pre- set programmed times” on the microwave, it.. umm.. doubles the cooking time?? Yeah, I knew that- but in my haste.. sorta forgot. Heh.

*cough! cough!* Do you, dear reader(s) KNOW how horrible burnt popcorn smells?? Yes, indeed. Quite nasty, noxious.. and pretty hard to remove from the air. WELL. Being the sort of person that I am, I was thinking of HOW I could possibly manage to at least get the smell out of the microwave.. and looked around my kitchen to “see” what I could do. Hmmm.. I wonder what would happen if I… took those wet coffee grounds, left over from this morning’s coffee- put them (filter and all) upon a plate.. and “nuked them” for 2 minutes?? It sure couldn’t be any worse of a smell than what’s already lurking in there- and I actually LIKE the scent of coffee. So?? Yep- I gave it a try. Guess what??? It WORKED!! It actually took the smell of burnt popcorn out of the microwave AND the air!! WooHoo! *LOL* Huh. I wonder if Martha Stewart is knowing of this handy little trick. Aaahh.. she probably never burns anything- so she’d never need to be using it.

This line of thinking caused me to ponder the qualities of.. the coffee filter. Hmm.. I wonder if it would be a great way to use those nice watercolours that were recently donated to my program?? Hmmm.. AND- what could I have the kids MAKE with.. painted coffee filters??? Aha!! Yes, since I JUST had them all do a “unit” about the life cycle of a butterfly- we can make BUTTERFLIES!! Sooo.. I scrambled around, trying to find as many clothespins as I could- to use as the “body” that would hold the scrunched coffee filter in place. NICE. I had exactly 15 clothespins. Funny how the seemingly random elements of this universe sometimes do work in one’s favour. Because?? Yep- I ended up having 14 kids attend yesterday! You might be wondering what, exactly, I did with that extra clothespin, perhaps? No worries. It was the sample butterfly!

So. Without further delay- I am proud to present you, dear reader(s), with the creative talents of “my kids”. Umm.. some of the butterflies were too anxious to “make their way into the universe”- so did not waste any time drying overnight in the classroom! *LOL* I took the picture this morning, because.. sometimes I have “random ponderings”, bursts of creativity- but don’t always manage to capture the moments on film. Heh. Thankfully, some of the kids wanted their creations to be thoroughly dry before “taking flight” to their homes.

Photo

I do truly hope that you are having a wonderfully creative day. Don’t be afraid of “letting your brain wander” a little!! You never know where your “train of thought” might end up! “Happy Sparkle Thoughts” to you, dear readers, mysterious and friends alike. Darling “Miss Miserable Yankee Saritah”?? I HOPE that you remembered your sunscreen!! Umm.. yeah- I just had to “be your mom” for a minute.
PS: Umm.. and “Thank you” for your reminder of.. “Hey, Mom?? You can ALWAYS look up “stuff” on the internet, you know!!”. *blushing* Sheesh.. how on EARTH did I manage to raise SUCH perfectly BRILLIANT children??? Heh. And here I thought I was having an original idea?? JUST goes to prove that.. there are “recycled” thoughts and ideas floating around in this universe as well.

by Sue

Email received yesterday from Sue:

Dearest Jane,

I am JUST so incredibly “fizzling” with happiness- I can hardly contain
myself!! *LOL* Ooohhh, I do so LOVE each adventure that I take into
“PeaceCity”; and every time I visit- it just gets BETTER than the time
before. I have no clue how this happens, but I do want to ask that you
please give my most sincere compliments to the VERY fine design and creation
team. Simply spectacularly mind- blowing!

Since today is Earth Day, I purposefully first visited the Healing Hall
because I was wanting to send positive energies of kindness, love, hope, and
encouragement to (into?) this world- and the people who inhabit this fine
planet. Yep, I do like to “think BIG”. Then I happily skipped over to the
Strategy Hall because I was wanting to peek in- and “see” if Quantum Being
was in… her(??) *LOL* office. I didn’t “see” this being- but I sure had
FUN standing in the angel cube and dancing around for a minute. I also
waved to the plant in the corner. Oh! I hope nobody minds.. as I noticed
it needed a little water, so I used a little bit from the drinking water by
the door.

Then I decided to practice “being Santa”- and my sleigh- driving skills need
LOTS of practice. Ooohhh!! I just remembered that I FORGOT to put the
sleigh back!! *really, really sorry!* Uh oh. I better get back to Quantum
Being’s house, and try to find it. Heh… no need to worry about me
obtaining my “Santa License” for.. a few years, I imagine. (feeling QUITE
sheepish) I get sooo easily distracted! There’s JUST so much to look at,
and.. DO, that I sometimes forget my manners.

I wanted to fly over to Quantum’s house because I love swimming in the “sea
of possibilities”, and quite like to remind myself that life truly IS
wonderfully magical, and beautiful. What I REALLY love doing is flying up
through the water of all three levels, darting into the sparkling light,
noticing the unicorns, the leprechauns and fairies- AND I like petting the
wolf.

There’s another place that I “feel” is linked to Quantum’s place.
Alexandrite’s home is.. well… w-a-y beyond a simple description. Even for
me- words are definitely too restrictive, and would detract from the
“feeling” of this divine place. Soothing, welcoming, magical, BEYOND
incredible. I also got an unexpected chuckle when I read one of the book
titles in the bookcase.. “Rainbow Six”! I remember reading this one..
sitting in my dusty old farmhouse, w-a-y up in Northern New York one bitter
cold winter’s day. In my “former life”. Aaahh yes, memories. This causes
me to become spectacularly grateful for TODAY, and this whole wonderful
experience of “BEing-HERE, NOW”. As I climb the winding stairs, I am
curious about what the dance hall looks like. OH! It is sooo beautiful-
that carpet is so gorgeously crafted. I wonder how long THAT took to
make? I forget where I am in my excitement, and.. fly up to the ceiling.
Ooops. Yep- I got stuck in one of the chandeliers!! *sigh*

I wish, for this is my wish today.. that I will be able to actually meet
whomever’s place this is being- because I would REALLY like to be meeting
them. I love the swans, the unicorns, the rabbits, leprechauns- and??
There’s that fairy with the orange flower. Sparkling orbs of light dance,
and the fountains are so tremendously amazing. I just want to be able to
find out if this individual would possibly be needing, or wanting.. a friend
like me. AND?? Yeah, I’d be able to “feel” better if I was able to know
that I had permission to be visiting. It makes me feel a bit like I am
trespassing on sacred ground when I visit here, but.. I truly love visiting
this place SO much.

Say, did you know that there are beautiful gardens here as well?? Umm- you
probably ARE knowing this.. but I am just discovering them! *LOL* There’s
an organic garden (YAY!!); Alexandrite’s garden (I am loving the turtles,
ducks, cats, wolf, AND frogs!); Invision’s garden.. and Parrot Mom’s garden
with cacti and the “feeling” of the southwestern area, like Arizona.

I wandered into Metropolitan West Building (BEing incessantly curious) and
wander around a little. This whole adventure is SO much.. FUN! Truly. I
could wander for an eternity, and I am “thinking” that I will never be able
to experience all that this “place-and-space-in-time” has to offer because
it is CONSTANTLY changing and expanding. Just like our thoughts.

Now I must go back, and put that sleigh back where I found it. Umm.. if you
happen to notice that it is parked crooked?? Please let me know, because I
am so optimistic that.. I “THINK” I am parking perfectly straight! *LOL*

I hope your day is going well, and please be knowing that I truly treasure
being able to actively participate in this incredibly fantastic journey of
life with you. It is JUST an experience that is beyond this universe.

Lots of love,
Sue

EFT, Emotional Freedom Techniques, is a subject I coach in Cyres Cafe Antwerp. These are two of my favourite EFT videos on YouTube:

Tap O’ the Mornin’ with Brad Yates - EFT

Tap O’ The Evenin’ with Brad Yates - EFT

For my birthday I decided to record in one of DC’s most respected recording studios, LISTEN VISION.

I chose the song “DC PARKING” and worked with an incredible producer and engineer named Scotty Beam to bring it to life. He took my original recording and made a fantastic new and improved version. I look forward to doing more songs with him in the future.

Having lived in Washington, DC for over two years I have learned that the parking and traffic situation can be quite frustrating. I wrote this week’s song entitled “DC Parking” after getting two, yes you read that right, two parking tickets on the same day. How did this happen you might wonder? Well, it all began so innocently. I parked in a space after carefully reading the sign (which can get really confusing let me tell you) and went to visit a dear friend. When I got back however, my car was missing in action. So after much panic and a slew of frantic calls, I finally learned that my car had been towed. I was furious because I had followed the instructions on the sign sooo carefully but yet my car had been snatched by the mean parking police. So I had to metro all the way across town to parking services to pay for my car only to find out that my car had been the victim of what they refer to in DC as a “courtesy tow.” This is when they tow your car in order to do street work but don’t charge you for it because it was at no fault to you. The thing is that they move your car somewhere else without coordinating with parking services about the new location. So I had to trek back and wander the streets in order to find my car. I finally located it two streets from where I had originally parked with a big shiny pink ticket in my windshield. Yes, they had been so kind as to courtesy tow me to an illegal parking space. Grrrr!!!!! So I had to drive all the way back to parking services to dispute my new ticket. Again I read the signs carefully and went in to argue about the ticket only to wind up paying it in order to avoid the mountains of red tape they make you suffer through. So I left their office defeated and worn down only to find ANOTHER FREAKING TICKET on my windshield. I was not the happiest person in the world to say the least. LOL. I read the sign again and discovered that I had failed to see a little tiny clause that said I could park there any day from 9 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. EXCEPT Thursdays. Yes, sadly it was a Thursday!!! So after paying yet another ticket I came home and wrote this song. If you are ever in DC blast this song as you search for a parking space!!! At least you will know that you are not alone. I share your pain!!!

Sending love your way,

Heather Renee
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