About an hour ago, I noticed how good it felt to be breathing what I consider to be “cold” air — at 19 degrees Celsius (66 F) — compared to yesterday’s 40 degrees Celsius (104 F), humidex factor included.

And at once, my thoughts went out
to the miners, in Chile.

I’m thrilled about the upcoming new decade. I even talked about it in EPISODE 11 of Radio FaceBoo; recorded on July 31 — a saturday night — I went on and on, saying how exciting it is for me to be turning 60… that I’m finally at ease with the thought of being the clown-without-a-costume that I’ve always known myself to be in my heart and soul.

On the eve of stepping into August, I was possessed with an urgent need to clear up space for change. And so it was that I started to demolish my bedroom.

You see, I’ve been sleeping in my living room — in my big comfortable recliner arm chair — since last September. This means I wasn’t using my bedroom anymore so might as well get rid of my queen-size bed (with its rock-hard mattress) and other pieces of furniture that took up space and blocked the good chi.

A longtime friend of mine offered to take the bed off my hands and was happy to inherit the vanity which belonged to my mom.

My huge trunk is destined to hold a special function in what will become the Giggle Theatre. For this to happen, I cleared my office of all ITS furniture as well — I’ll keep you posted on this work in progress.

As for the wicker table, the rococo lamp, and the guardian angel, they’ll probably end up in my kitchen — “to be continued.”

So that’s what happened on July 31.

I’ll be back very soon with my account
of the first days of August — woo hoo hoo!

THANKS, EARTH!
(((HUGS)))

This doodle dates back to 1999 — Black ink pen and Prismacolor crayons. Namaste… Peace!

Apart from the 3 years I spent in Poche D’Air, Comté de Lotbinière,
I’ve lived here all my life… and I’ll be turning 60 in August.

This means I’ve seen Verdun change quite a bit since the 50s and 60s when the businesses on Wellington Street were thriving. We had a large variety of nice stores, people used to come from all over the island to shop here, we even had 3 movie theatres.

Nowadays we have 3 metro stations, but Wellington Street is hideous and the whole energy has changed for the worse — at least it has in my part of town, near De l’Église metro:

• Ugly graffiti everywhere. Too many pizza joints. Crappy vacant lots.
• There are more deranged souls roaming around. Mounting numbers of loud freaky people. Stabbings in broad daylight.
• Ambulances and firetrucks and police cars come around regularly on account of all the drinking and fighting that go on in an apartment building nearby…

I’m telling you, dear reader, it can be
quite the Twilight Zone at times,
but it’s what I call home.

Naaah, it’s mostly that I’m stuck here.

So while I’m working hard to manifest my brighter future in greener pastures, I thought I’d share with you a snippet of my everyday life in beautiful downtown Verdun Beach — the life of a work-from-home blogger & doodler who calls herself a Certified Giggle Coach and drives an imaginary bus.

The following events happened yesterday…

It’s 3:15 in the afternoon. I’ve been working at the computer for much too long and I need a break. I leave my desk (in the front) and walk over to the kitchen (in the back) to put the kettle on and make myself a pot of tea.

I drink 3 to 4 pots a day.
Peppermint or green.
Decaf only.

I notice there’s a police car parked in the lane in front of my neigh- bour’s yard, and the neighbour in question — a tall, slender, sixty-ish man with yellow grey hair who moved nextdoor 3 months ago — is talking to the policeman sitting at the wheel.

I crack open the patio door just in time to see the guy who lives three doors away — short, scrawny, around 45, with a shaved head and a six-inch goatee — come stomping through knee-high snow, screaming at the top of his lungs PÉDOPHILE! PÉDOPHILE! and pointing an aggressive finger in my neighbour’s direction.

To my astonishment, the neighbour seems unperturbed by the grave accusations being thrown at him and carries on talking to the cop, raising his voice in order to be heard over Goatee Guy’s bark: he’s complaining about the fact Goatee Guy’s car is parked in his driveway.

SIDE NOTE: Goatee Guy has been living in that building
for over 5 years and got along just fine with the previous
nextdoor neighbour who let him use his driveway.

Ticked off by my neighbour’s rant concerning the parking space, Goatee Guy’s language gets more foul and he hurls away about how the neighbour entertains little girls and how he always has his hand down his trousers.

Calm as a pallbearer, my neighbour retaliates dully with stuff like, Ooooh that’s what yoooou think… That’s yoooour opinion…

This puts Goatee Guy in a FURY!

Shaking and drooling, he runs to his car, gets in, climbs out again, and proceeds to spit more profanities at the neighbour who’s walking back to his flat. After the neighbour disappears inside, Goatee Guy stumbles through the knee-high snow back to his own flat.

The policeman — a young fellow with dark cropped hair, no cap, who has remained seated and silent throughout the exchange — moves his car backwards 10 feet and parks it in front of my housing co-op’s yard.

All is calm.

The kettle whistles.

I pour the water
into the teapot.

More screams = Goatee guy is at it again!
I dash to the patio door…

Standing beside his car, Goatee Guy’s waving his fist at the neighbour’s house, hollering how he wants to make sure the WHOLE NEIGHBOURHOOD knows that he’s a bleepin PAEDOPHILE.

Out of breath and red as a baboon’s behind, he boards his beat-up sedan, slams the door, lowers the window to holler some more, guns the engine — wheels spin, snow flies — and zigzags out of the driveway, onto the lane, and out of sight.

Capless Cop, still in reverse, moves backwards a few yards, then switches to forward and follows on his trail.

THE END

Except this is a very disturbing matter.

So of course I wonder:

• Is it true my neighbour’s a paedophile?
• Will the cop file a report?
• Will they investigate?
• What can I do?

I can’t get this out of my mind…

THE ROAD TRIP SHOW

Recording of Episode 1 must be 100% done by Sunday. I don’t want to be caught working on it at the last minute as I’ll be needing Monday and Tuesday of next week to work on the blog post which will be accompanying the podcast, i.e. text and illustrations.

THE CONTEST

Create the product to be won by 2 of the trippers on the Happy Bus. For this, I have to re-draw a certain illustration and send it off to CafePress.

THE HEALTHY ME

Walk at least 60 minutes every day. Which is exactly what I didn’t do today because I was busy making THE PLAN and posting about it (3 posts on this English blog, and 3 posts on my French blog — takes double the time & energy!).

Eat 5 small meals every day. Again, because of today’s blog-o-thon, I’ve neglected to eat properly. At least I drank a lot of water. And regularly stood up and moved around for the obvious bladder-relief reasons.

Tomorrow should be better.
Tomorrow WILL be better.

Have a great week.
Don’t forget to dance!

I want CHANGE. I want ABUNDANCE.
I want 2010 to be my most creative
and productive year ever.

In order to make the magic happen
(and to help Lady Law of Attraction)
I need a PLAN.

Ladies and Gents,
introducing…

THE 12 NOTCH PLAN

How it works

• GOALS — At the beginning of the month, I set goals for myself.
• ACTION — During the month, I work to reach my goals.
• RESULT –  At the end of the month, I go up a notch.

By the end of the year, I’ll be 12 notches higher than I am today.
Climb, baby, climb!

Baby steps

Each week, I will determine the baby steps I need to take
in order to reach my monthly goals.

I won’t be too hard on myself in the beginning — don’t want to burn out and quit. On the other hand, I need a stiff kick in the butt if I want to get out of this rut.

So no more excuses and misuses of precious time — the magic needs to happen NOW!

Accountability/Visibility

• I commit to posting my goals at the start of each month.
• I commit to posting my baby steps at the start of each week.
• I commit to posting a follow-up at least once a week.

Do YOU have a plan for 2010?

You’re welcome to use mine.
Do it — make the MAGIC happen!

And don’t forget…
Somewhere over the rainbow,
dreams really do come true.

Getting in the mood
for my yearly ritual…

listening to the album Totem
by Gabrielle Roth and The Mirrors.
Here’s Track 4 — Eternal Dance

Let the magic begin!

Though it’s become a regular habit of mine to get rid of clutter-causing stuff, I want to make sure nothing’s going to keep the good energy from flowing through my home.

Today’s mission:

#1 — Check bedroom closet and commode drawers for unworn, unwanted, or uninteresting clothes and accessories.

#2 — Go through storage spaces and be on the look-out for useless objects.

#3 — Explore kitchen cabinets & drawers for outdated, out of order, or outright ugly items.

#4 — Inspect bathroom cabinets for whatever odds & ends are threatening havoc.

I’ve set up a JUNK STATION in the kitchen:

Blue bag on the right for recycling, black bag in the middle for garbage, striped bag on chair for Friperie Renaissance (equivalent of Goodwill).

And the beat goes on…
See you tomorrow!

Moon River – Frank Sinatra

at…

in the morning.

Ever since then, I’ve been reciting Deepak Chopra’s age-defying mantra not only as soon as I wake up in the morning and right before I doze off at night, but numerous times throughout the day, be it while taking a walk, taking a break, taking a shower, or taking a leak.

Now that my brain is convinced I’m 49, I’m ready for the next step: to perceive my body not as a fixed, material thing, but as a flexible, dynamic bundle of consciousness.

In Grow Younger, Live Longer - 10 Steps to Reverse Aging, Chopra explains that in order to reverse the aging process, you must use the words energy, transformation, and intelligence as reinforcements to experience your body as it really is — a field of inexhaustible energy, in constant transformation, and as a physical expression of pure intelligence.

For this, you will start by visualizing your body
at a quantum level — use this illustration.

Once you have that image in your mind, consciously take a deep breath (do this several times each day), close your eyes, and mentally repeat the word Energy.

Similarly, when you eat your food, do it consciously and repeat the word Transformation, visualizing the light body in transformation.

Finally, every time you take a sip of water, silently repeat the word Intelligence and envision your light body as fluid and flexible.

It is said that as you repeat this ritual with breathing, eating, and drinking, you will be starting the process of restructuring your perception and the experience of your body from material to subtle.

Book excerpt:

Enlivening Energy (Prana)

Your vital energy animates both mind and body. Throughout the day, use the word Energy and experience the life force rejuvenating every cell, tissue, and organ in your body.

Think “Energy” whenever you:

• Walk through a garden.
• Go from indoors to outdoors.
• Practice breathing exercises.

Enlivening Transformation (Tejas)

The essential transformation force is the primordial fire of life. Throughout the day, use the word Transformation to enliven the transformational process that continuously converts energy from one form into another.

Think “Transformation” whenever you:

• Take a mouthful of food.
• Feel the sun on your body.
• Gaze into the stars at night.

Enlivening Intelligence (Ojas)

When intelligence is abundant and freely circulating in your body, all your physiological systems — cardiovascular, digestive, neurological, hormonal, and immune — function at their optimal level. Throughout the day, use the word Intelligence to enliven nourishment in every cell of your body.

Think “Intelligence” whenever you:

• Take a sip of water.
• Walk along a natural body of water.
• Drink fresh fruit juices or other healthy beverages.

Whenever you are performing a rhythmic activity — walking, jogging, swimming, riding your bicycle, or using a treadmill — silently repeat “Energy, Transformation, Intelligence… Energy, Transformation, Intelligence… ” or “Prana, Tejas, Ojas… Prana, Tejas, Ojas… ” with your full attention on your body.

After a while, your habitual way of experiencing your body will change because your perceptions will have shifted.

You may think this is all a big hassle, but it’s not. It quickly becomes a fun habit — at least it has for me. Reciting the affirmations about being 49 puts a smile on my face and gives me an instant energy boost.

Another advantage is that the more I fill my mind with images and affirmations about staying young, fit, and healthy, the less there is room for negative thoughts.

Come on, give it a try.
Say it with me…

Every day in every way, I am increasing
my mental and physical capacity.

My Biostat is set at a healthy ___ years of age.

I look and feel a healthy ___ years YOUNG.

I am reversing my biological age:
By changing my perception of my body,
its aging, and time.

Hey… you look younger already!

A healthy 133 years young…
in mind, body, and soul.

Along with being vegetarian, eating healthy foods, exercising regularly, and laughing in the face of adversity, I thought I’d add a little Law of Attraction to my daily routine to help keep my mojo workin’ for another 74 years.

Before I move on with my plan, here’s a reality check: I already have a ravaged face.

That’s because of the rock’n'roll life I’ve led, the roads of depression I’ve traveled, the sun I’m addicted to, and the load of crummy genes I inherited from my now-deceased mother.

At the moment, the wrinkles around my mouth are the ones that bother me the most. But I’m sure it won’t be long till they blend right in with the ones that are slashing my mug, from my forehead to my chin.

Another thing that makes me look older is my hair.

I got my first grey hair when I was 12; by the age of 28, my mane had turned to salt and pepper; nowadays, well, it’s mostly grey… a very light grey (see photos).

In 2006, sick and tired of my dusty locks which, back then, came down below my shoulder blades, I had my hair coloured a nice golden brown. Two weeks later, realizing that the grey would always pop back to ruin the look, I bought a clipper and shaved it all off.

In September 2008, deep in the throes of another capillary crisis, I had plum-coloured streaks brushed in. After going through the same process in December and once more last March, I have since chosen to drop the streaks and get used to my natural look. Instead of reaching for the clipper, I’m patiently waiting for the streaks to either fade out, grow out, or fall out.

So when I say I want to live till I’m 133,
esthetics are evidently not a priority.

My new motto:
GREY ROCKS!
WRINKLES RULE!

From now on, my mental and physical health, my strength, my endurance, my flexibility, and my humour-slash-happiness are what I intend to focus on in order to stay in top shape.

Enter Deepak…

According to Chopra’s teachings in his book Grow Younger, Live Longer – 10 Steps to Reverse Aging, the “normal” experience of the body and its aging is a conditioned response — a habit of thinking and behaviour.

By changing my habits of
thinking and behaviour,
I can change the experience of
my body and its aging.

Excerpt:

SETTING YOUR BIOSTAT

Close your eyes. Become aware of your breath, releasing any tension you may be holding in your body.

Now, choose an age within the last fifteen years
that you would like to be in biological terms.
(Note: I’ll be 59 this year, so I chose 49.)

This means you would like to have the physical and mental capacity of a healthy person at that age, that you would like your biomarkers to reflect that particular age, that you would like to feel and look that particular age.

Just as a thermostat adjusts the temperature in a room to a particular set point, so, too, your Biostat will orchestrate your psychology and biology around the biological age you have chosen.

This will happen through the following mechanisms:

1. Your intention to stay at a particular Biostat will directly influence your body of energy, transformation, and intelligence. This is because intention influences your biochemistry through its infinite organizing power. This is the principle of teleology, which states that intended outcomes orchestrate the biological mechanisms to fulfill themselves.
2. Keeping your Biostat in your awareness will influence your thinking, your moods, and you behaviour, and reinforce your intention to maintain your biology at that set point. Once you have identified your set point, begin affirming it five times a day.

We suggest practicing the following ritual upon awakening, before breakfast, before lunch, before dinner, and at bedtime. On each of these occasions, close your eyes and mentally repeat to yourself each of the following phrases at least three times:

Every day in every way, I am increasing
my mental and physical capacity.

My Biostat is set at a healthy __ years of age.

I look and feel a healthy __ years old.

Within a few days of performing this ritual, you will actually begin to think and act from the level of your Biostat. All your habits will be influenced, but even more important, your perception of your biological age and your experience of it will begin to shift. You will start to believe in your Biostat and its organizing power, and your new belief will shape your new biology.

Believe me,
IT WORKS.

Give it a try and let me know how you feel.
KEEP ON ROCKING IN THE FREE WORLD

Sitting in my comfy armchair, I didn’t watch the t.v. screen;
I ate red grapes, sipped green tea, and doodled all along.

Then at the very end of the show, Taylor sang this song.
I felt the lyrics fit my drawing very well…

No traditional Easter ham for me — I’m vegetarian.

But I sure intend to fill myself
with lots of chocolate-coated LOVE.

Wishing you a sweeeet day,
Mudd a.k.a. Oza
xoxo

He arrived yesterday afternoon to spend the Easter weekend with me, and already his drawings are scattered all over the place.

This is his version of my Oza cartoon character;
frankly, I much prefer it to mine!