Tuesday, January 19, 2010

Clarity


That's how I feel today...clarity in motion.  We all make our own little ripples in the water, and yet we find we can all live in peaceful harmony - together - and as one.
This photo was taken by our good friend David who accompanies his beautiful wife Jill to Hawai'i every couple of years.  This moment was captured at the Byodo-In Temple in Kaneohe which houses one of the largest golden Buddah's I've ever seen.  I'll have to see if David has any more photos to share!

Thursday, January 14, 2010

My Mom - The Star


Seven years without a Mom. Such a strange thought and so very hard to believe. I always imagined my Mom in her late 90's, doing astrological natal charts, reading tarot cards, hanging with her best friends and dragging those willing out on a Friday night for yet another weekend of dancing.  Cooking all of Nonna's tried and true recipes for all us girls and our families on Sundays, and mostly being the pillar of family life she had become.  I guess she had other plans and moved on to be the true Star she always saw herself as, just like the one in that deck of cards she kept wrapped in silk. The first year without her I walked the beaches of Hawaii and threw flowers to the ocean, the second year I left trinkets in the snow by her grave, and then each year thereafter - I now realize - I've pushed further and further from all the gifts and wisdom she shared with me, in some kind of denial/punishment/rage for my lack of understanding how someone so vibrant, health conscious, artistic and truly unique could just up and leave like that.  I stopped the magic inside me and I only "real"ized that truth today.  The magic never left me you see...I left the magic, and I forgot how to live with my TRUE self, the person I was shaped to become when I was born to such a clever/healing/loving mother. The last month or so I started re-visiting that little girl in me, who was fascintated with the stars and begged for just one more reading. Who liked to stand beside her mother with healing hands and draw the white light from the heavens, believing without a shadow of a doubt, that love and faith is better than taking two aspirins any day of the week!  Wishing on rainbows, shooting stars, the flowers that you blow on as they take your dreams to the winds...all of it, I am feeling all of it again, and I will never let it go this time. Seven long years, it has taken my heart to mend, and the pieces are still a little tattered around the edges, but today, when I look out at the stars and I think of my mom, my first best friend, I can truly say I am at peace with her passing and I no longer feel anything but love and grateful thanks for every minute I had with her physically, and welcome our continued love that we undeniably share eternally.  I am back to meditating daily, sending healing rays to all I love, reading up on astrology and even did an online tarot reading for my birthday - something she would have really dug!!!!  I do miss her hugs though, even her sarcasm -and of course- her wit.  But I proudly announce that today, I am back - 100% pure ME and it feels fucking great!  By the way, that tarot reading I did online basically ended with the Star card as my destiny. I know that's you Mom, watching my back, just like always.  I LOVE YOU RINA ANN TORRICE!!! XXOOXXOO

Her favorite tarot card - The Star - of course!  Here's what it means...

What has traditionally been known as the Star card is about reconnecting one's Soul with the Divine -- the transcending of personality, family, community and reputation. It has to do ultimately with the freedom to be one's Self. The Soul is responding to celestial influences -- forces that can provide the personality with a stronger sense of purpose. The Star card helps us to remember our exalted origins and our attraction to a Higher Union.


This card could also be called the "Celestial Mandate" -- that which refers us back to our reason for being, our mission in this lifetime. The Star reminds us that, in a sense, we are agents of Divine Will in our day-to-day lives. If we let go of the idea that we are supposed to be in control, we can more easily notice and appreciate the synchronicities that are nudging us along. In this way, we become more conscious of the invisible Helping Hand, and we better understand our place within -- and value to -- the larger Cosmos.

Sunday, January 10, 2010

Poetic..or rather...Musical justice

When I started blogging I made a pact with myself to keep it light and find a way to bring, if not laughter, at least a smile to my face and yours. There's already enough "buzz kills" in this world, we don't need blog sites with a bunch of rants and raves out there since the world is already full of news stories giving us bad news daily. That being said, I've been thinking long and hard on how I could make a personal statement to the airlines that Tara flew out on this last trip to see us. I was so disgusted in her story, and as it turned out, many more people I know who experienced real crappy service during the holidays. So... when I got this email about this guy Dave who found a creative solution to make his voice heard I knew I had to post it right away.  Airlines are taking more and more money, giving us less room (I swear the seats are stacked twice as close as they used to be), less luggage and weight allowances and WAY less customer service, and we're bitching and moaning to each other, but not making them change a thing.  The longer we allow it, the more it will continue to happen and I am not happy about it. Are you? Let's all be more like Dave and sound off in the best way we know how. Tara, this one's for you.
BTW - TARA DID NOT FLY OR HAVE ANY PROBLEMS WITH UNITED, but Dave did!
United Airlines and The Guitar

This is a true, and wonderful, story....

A musician named Dave Carroll recently had difficulty with United Airlines. United apparently damaged his treasured Taylor guitar ($3500) during a flight. Dave spent over 9 months trying to get United to pay for damages caused by baggage handlers to his custom Taylor guitar.

During his final exchange with the United Customer Relations Manager, he stated that he was left with no choice other than to create a music video for YouTube exposing their lack of cooperation. The Manager responded : "Good luck with that one, pal".

So he posted a retaliatory video on YouTube. The video has since received over 6.8 million hits. United Airlines contacted the musician and attempted settlement in exchange for pulling the video. Naturally his response was: "Good luck with that one, pal".

Taylor Guitars sent the musician 2 new custom guitars in appreciation for the product recognition from the video that has lead to a sharp increase in orders.

Here's the video:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5YGc4zOqozo&feature=channel

Thursday, January 7, 2010

Someone...anyone


I just got this picture in from Dee, who got the picture from Jillian and now I need to know where I can find these - pronto!  Anyone???

If I could be a Christmas card, this is what I'd look like :)


Nice is sooooo over-rated!  Ho Ho Ho to the Kaufmann Clan!

Look who's having a birthday!


Wishing Brynn and Tess the Happiest 6th Birthday! And happy giving birth day Sandi! 

Friday, January 1, 2010

Wisdom for the New Year


Found on a NYC storefront window by Tara