Accumulating Karmic Merit in the New Year

"Glossary of Buddhism. Merit (Sanskrit: puṇya, Pali: puñña) is a concept considered fundamental to Buddhist ethics. It is a beneficial and protective force which accumulates as a result of good deeds, acts, or thoughts."  -Wikipedia

Karmic merit in Buddhism is similar to the beatitudes and other Catholic teachings from my parochial upbringing, like the 12 Fruits of the Holy Spirit. Basically, the 12 Fruits of the Holy Spirit it is a spiritual guide of good deeds practiced when one receives the sacrament of Confirmation by committing to a set of virtues strengthening one's faith in Christ.

In Catholicism I was taught that habituating these traits would offset the tendency to indulge in the 7 deadly sins (envy, sloth, wrath, lust, pride, gluttony, and greed), certainly sending me straight to hell for my propensity to sin. At least with the 12 Fruits of the Holy Spirit there was a chance I would get a get out of hell card by serving penance in Purgatory. This dualistic dogma always made me feel I could never be good enough because my sinful ways would always outweigh any benignity I practiced.

Then, through listening to a CD by Buddhist nun, Pema Chodron, I heard this quote from Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche:  "Blind to the mind's true nature, we hold fast to our thoughts, which are nothing but manifestations of that nature. This freezes awareness into solid concepts, such as I and other, desirable and detestable, and plenty of others...Once you have recognized the true nature of reality, which is empty and at the same time appears as the phenomenal world, your mind will cease to be under the power of delusion. If you know how to leave your thoughts free to dissolve by themselves as they arise, they will cross your mind as a bird crosses the sky -- without leaving any trace."

This quote shattered the parochial concepts I had of good and bad, saint and sinner, and heaven and hell. Practicing karmic merit is not for me but for the benefit of all sentient beings. So, what are some simple ways of practicing good karma? Here is a partial list I found at WikiHow:

-Smile. Smiling makes people feel good about themselves and makes your workplace, school or home a more positive environment.

-Help in little ways. Like, for example, holding the door open for someone behind you or picking up a dropped pencil.

-Do the right thing even when no one is looking. They may not know, but karma always knows.

-Donate to charity tins. You know, those tins at the cashier that donate to the children's hospital and such? Think of all the good that money does. If everyone donated their spare change to charity tins, the world would be a better place.

-Take time to talk to different generations. Older and younger people know lots of cool stuff you probably don't, and you'll make them feel good too.

-Recycle. You've seen that commercial. You can take them into most stores and they'll give you 5 cents a pop can. You can even give that money to a charity tin! Two good deeds in one day. Doesn't that make you feel better?

-Listen. When people talk about their problems, it makes them feel better. Don't offer advice. Don't give opinions. Just listen.

-Little things help a lot. If you simply say hello to that shy girl at the back of the class, if you are kind to those you aren't a huge fan of, if you let someone use some of your lunch money and not ask the next day for the money you lent, if you're at the store and see a $0.50 pin your friend would like and buy it: These are the things that help make you a good person. Not only will you get karma points, but you will have a better reputation.-Give compliments. It's like smiling with your voice. It makes people feel better and more confident. But don't just compliment - be thoughtful in finding something you truly appreciate or adore, and mean what you say.

-Relax. Stress and tension can lead to illness - it's a proven fact. Relax, and acknowledge why your life is wonderful.

-Love. Love life, love friends, love family, love yourself. Love makes the world go 'round.

-Wisdom. Search for Wisdom. Through wisdom you make better decisions. Great decisions lead to great outcomes and thus an awesome life.

My list:
-Meditate, pray, or do some form of spiritual practice every day.
-Think of and do more for others.
-Be kind, have patience, encourage, and offer help.
-Take the time to be present,even when you want to run.
-Recognize, refrain, relax, and resolve not to commit offenses.
-Realize we have group and individual karma. 
-Share your money, gifts, and uniqueness with the world.
-Let there be peace on earth and let it begin with me. 

Happy New Year!

Mika Brzezinski's Backpeddling

"Brzezinski had been discussing the avalanche of sexual harassment allegations against powerful men in recent weeks on "Morning Joe" when she said that Halperin, a friend of hers, "is more than willing to meet with his accusers and apologize [to] them face--to-face."
"I've actually tried to offer him to them," Brzezinski said. "They don't want to talk to him. They don't want to talk to him." 
"In our discussion about sexual harassment this morning, I said some things that hurt people," she added. "In the case of Mark, my goal today was to start a conversation about hearing from the men whenever we can, but I realize that it is not my place. It isn't my call to make, and for that I am truly sorry. As a victim of sexual assault, I understand that each individual's case is different. This is up to the victims, some of whom I've been in contact with. My hope is for all of us to come together to support the brave women who speak out and help make workplaces safer as we continue this difficult conversation in the months and years ahead."-CNN

Dear Mika,
      In spite of your position, power, fame, and money, you do not speak for those of us who have been victims of sexual harassment and/or sexual assault. Thinking it was your job to protect one of your rich predatory male friends by offering his victims a chance to personally speak to him so he could apologize is incredibly arrogant, hurtful, and downright deluded. Though you claim to be a victim of sexual assault, you are clueless to the term identification with the aggressor. Protecting your friend, Mark Halperin, by callously interceding on his behalf shows you have no sensitivity whatsoever to the women who endured his harmful behavior and who are still struggling to recover. Your belief that a shallow, contrite apology from him would make his victims feel better demonstrates you have sided with the aggressor over his victims. By publicly deriding the women he perpetrated his acts upon is why the 'me, too' movement has exploded: like many, your thinking that this can all go away with a simple mea culpa undercuts the seriousness of all of his offenses and gives your offender friend the license to be absolved without consequences with a requisite, "I'm sorry". This is abhorrent to those of us who have experienced any degree of sexual defilement and are seeking .
     I will no longer accept trite apologies from anyone protecting people for their sexually exploitative behavior. Personally, I hope you are terminated from MSNBC for your shame-based remarks belittling the brave women who brought out your friend's predation. Maybe spending time volunteering in a rape crisis center will provide you with the insight you need to think before you speak.
    So long, "Morning Joe", I will no longer be viewing your program.
     
      

TRUMP'S POST MODERN NAZI PROPAGANDA: THE SEVEN WORDS THE CDC CAN NO LONGER UTTER

"The Trump administration is prohibiting officials at the nation's top public health agency from using a list of seven words or phrases — including "fetus" and "transgender" — in any official documents being prepared for next year's budget.
Policy analysts at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta were told of the list of forbidden words at a meeting Thursday with senior CDC officials who oversee the budget, according to an analyst who took part in the 90-minute briefing. The forbidden words are "vulnerable," "entitlement," "diversity," "transgender," "fetus," "evidence-based" and "science-based." -The Washington Post

Dear Mr. Trump,
         Let's hope if you have a heart attack or stroke from eating the copious quantities of junk food in your preferred diet, that the physician treating you sees how 'vulnerable' you are, that you are 'entitled' to her or his care, that they do not discriminate against you because of your diverse beliefs, God forbid is not a transgender physician, and uses science or evidence based treatments (like stem cells from a 'fetus') instead of voodoo or any other form of unproven therapies. 

The Messy Business of Death

The Light Shall Overcome The Night

When you find yourself alone in the shadows
Void of peace and tricked by deceit,
Know that light flushes out the dark
And there's a light deep within your heart

If you find yourself in a crowd blind of clear sights,
Remove yourself from their company, and find some light

It will always be darkest before dawn
So prepare yourself a light
Because darkness will surely come

For shadow shrouds over everyone and everything,
Never are you alone when the night comes to cling

We all share the same sun and the same moon
But with life comes fire, let us use it to banish the present gloom

Together, when we all contribute to the fire
We can create warmth and huddle around the campfire
Until this present darkness expires

Some may be lost within the pitch black, and absent day
Some may even run wild in search of prey 

But know this..
Within your heart can start a spark,
The smallest fire can give birth to soaring flames
So bright you might even forget the darkness even came

The light shall overcome the night, breaching through the skies
So hold fast to your light, whatever it may be
A candle, a torch, a lantern, or even the full moon shining across the seas -Justin Worthy

SAVVY SORCERESS SEEKING WISE WIZARD

Sometimes witches just wanna have fun. This week in a fit of ennui, I decided to place an unusual posting for a date. Since I have been sorely disappointed with my past online dating outcomes, I became determined to write a memorable ad just to see what kind of results I would get. This is what I posted:

'Savvy sorceress is seeking to expand her quest to find a wise wizard for an enchanting association. To be clear, I am not looking for warlocks with benefits as I have medical, dental, and other pension perks from my own exciting career manufacturing broomsticks. Additionally, I am not into FBs (fortuneteller buddies) due to their limited appeal. However, an astute conjurer of words might be able to whisk me away from my coven if he bewitches me with sagacious spells, charms me with clever hexes, and demonstrates witty sophic soothsaying. 

This sibyl's diversity of interests includes advising Macbeth, brewing potions, cauldron cooking, and hanging out at the lair. My prognostications foresee a likely bond with an available alchemist who rather enjoys the company of a quirky crone with a wicked sense of humor and a penchant for the innovative. Would be thrilled to experience magical magnetism with the right oracle. 

BTW: those already hypnotized by marriage, mesmerized by other enchantresses, or are besieged by misfortune tellers would be better off following the yellow brick road."

Not expecting anything but a deletion from my clever post, the universe surprised me with a number of humorous replies. Here is my favorite:
"It’s a shame that house landed on your sister!"
To which I responded: "She was such a good witch. Thank you for sharing your grief-I miss her, too." 

Online dating really can be fun.

FAT MAN AND LITTLE DOTARD

Donald J. Trump‏Verified account @realDonaldTrump 

Why would Kim Jong-un insult me by calling me "old," when I would NEVER call him "short and fat?" Oh well, I try so hard to be his friend - and maybe someday that will happen!

Trump: I believe Putin

President Trump told reporters that he discussed Russia meddling in the 2016 election at the APEC summit with Vladimir Putin saying, "Every time he sees me he says I didn't do that. I really believe when he tells me that he means it. But he says I didn't do that." -CNN

 

"President Trump said Saturday that Russian President Vladimir Putin again denied his nation tampered in the U.S. presidential election last year when the two men spoke during brief conversations on the sidelines of an international summit." -The Washington Post

"He said he didn't meddle," Trump told reporters. "He said he didn't meddle. I asked him again. You can only ask so many times. I just asked him again. He said he absolutely did not meddle in our election. He did not do what they are saying he did." -ABC News

 'President Trump said on Saturday that he believed President Vladimir V. Putin was sincere in his repeated denials of interference in the 2016 presidential elections, calling the investigations into Moscow’s meddling a politically motivated “hit job” that is hindering cooperation with Russia on life-or-death issues" -NY Times

"Trump's former campaign chairman Paul Manafort and an associate are under house arrest on charges including conspiracy to launder money, linked to the investigation by special counsel Robert Mueller into allegations that the campaign colluded with Russia.' -AFP News

Gay Talese to Kevin Spacey Accusers: ‘Suck It Up Once in a While!’

Dear Mr. Talese,
          First of all, it is ironic that your first name is the reason Mr. Spacey came out of the closet. Secondly, sucking it up is exactly what Mr. Spacey wanted his young victims to do. And finally, your glib comments on the insignificance of abuse was spoken like someone who is either ignorant of the consequences of abuse or is a predator himself. Read below what the experts are saying.

"SEXUAL CHILD ABUSE STATISTICS:

• 1 in 4 girls and 1 in 6 boys will be sexually abused before they turn 18 years old.
  
• Over 58,000 children were sexually abused last year. 
• 8.3 % of reported child abuse cases were sexual abuse. 
• 34% of people who sexually abuse a child are family members. 
• 12.3% of girls were age 10 or younger at the time of their first rape/victimization, and 30% of girls were between the ages of 11 and 17. 
• 27.8% of boys were age 10 or younger at the time of their first rape/victimization. 2
• 96% of people who sexually abuse children are male, and 76.8% of people who sexually abuse children are adults. 
• 325,000 children are at risk of becoming victims of commercial child sexual exploitation each year. 
• Caregiver alcohol or drug abuse is a child abuse risk factor putting kids at much higher risk for being abused. 
• The average age at which girls first become victims of prostitution is 12 to 14 years old, and the average age for boys is 11 to 13 years old." -from the ASPCC.com website

"Youth suicide

Research suggests that abuse and neglect significantly increases the risk of suicidal ideation and attempted suicide for young people (Brodsky & Stanley, 2008; Evans, Hawton, & Rodham, 2005; Miller, Esposito-Smythers, Weismoore, & Renshaw, 2013; Thompson et al., 2012). A systematic review by Evans and colleagues (2005) found a strong link between physical and sexual abuse and attempted suicide/suicidal thoughts occurring during adolescence. Similarly, in a systematic review of the literature, Miller and colleagues (2013) found that although all forms of maltreatment were associated with adolescent suicidal ideation and suicide attempts, child sexual abuse and emotional abuse might be more important than physical abuse or neglect. Supporting this, Brodksy and Stanley (2008) found that risks of repeated suicide attempts were eight times greater for youths with a sexual abuse history. The authors suggested that sexual abuse could be specifically related to suicidal behaviour because it is closely associated with feelings of shame and internal attributions of blame (Brodsky & Stanley, 2008)." -aifs.gov.au

"The Long-Term Effects of Childhood Sexual Abuse Childhood sexual abuse has been correlated with higher levels of depression, guilt, shame, self-blame, eating disorders, somatic concerns, anxiety, dissociative patterns, repression, denial, sexual problems, and relationship problems. Depression has been found to be the most common long-term symptom among survivors. Survivors may have difficulty in externalizing the abuse, thus thinking negatively about themselves (Hartman et al., 1987). After years of negative selfthoughts, survivors have feelings of worthlessness and avoid others because they believe they have nothing to offer (Long et al., 2006). Ratican (1992) describes the symptoms of child sexual abuse survivors’ depression to be feeling down much of the time, having suicidal ideation, having disturbed sleeping patterns, and having disturbed eating patterns Survivors often experience guilt, shame, and self-blame. It has been shown that survivors frequently take personal responsibility for the abuse. When the sexual abuse is done by an esteemed trusted adult it may be hard for the children to view the perpetrator in a negative light, thus leaving them incapable of seeing what happened as not their fault. Survivors often blame themselves and internalize negative messages about Ideas and Research You Can Use: VISTAS 2011 3 themselves. Survivors tend to display more self-destructive behaviors and experience more suicidal ideation than those who have not been abused (Browne & Finkelhor, 1986)." -American Counseling Association

Father Kills 14 Year-Old Son: 'He Would Rather Have a Dead Son Than a Gay Son'

This is a headline I awoke to this morning.  According to the article, the foster father of this child "hated the fact that his son was gay," Jones said. "I'm sure that inside of his mind, he would rather have a dead son than a gay son." Rest in peace, young one, you did not deserve having your life cut short by such hatred.

The United States seems to be leading the world in hate crimes targeting the murder of innocents. The Pulse, Texas, Las Vegas shootings and all the other slaughters, add up to that we are an intolerant country and it is driving a deep rage in unbalanced individuals who think the only solution is killing. 

As a gun control proponent, I realize these crimes would most likely be committed even with stronger gun control measures. Just like suicide, if people are going to do it they will find a way. But it is unconscionable to just roll over and not attempt to prevent guns being easily placed in the hands of the mentally ill, terrorists, and others who would easily use them to snuff out the lives of those they hate.

Hatred is becoming rampant with a contagion that lends itself to violence. The eye for an eye mentality is pervasive as we see our leaders devolve into supporting racism, homophobia, sexism, and authoritarianism-the perfect formula for rationalizing hatred. 

I am tired of hatred. I am tired of hearing about young gay children being murdered because of their sexual orientation. I am tired of seeing a gambling addict pick off innocent people at a concert. I am tired of viewing videos of troubled Texas man murder a church full of people. I am tired of hearing about women being sexually assaulted by privileged and powerful men. I am tired of the rhetoric that we have to fear those different than us. I am tired of hatred.

Where do we start? We start with ourselves. We start by being a kinder gentler nation. We start with tolerance. We start with non-violence. We start by loving more. 

"Let there be peace on earth and let it begin with me."

SEX, SEX, AND MORE SEX!!!

There is a point to this. I wanted to see how many hits in how many countries I would get with a provocative sex-oriented title as compared with my other blase titled blogs. 

Since my dating life has been disappointing, I decided to channel my frustrated libidinal urges into being inquisitive about the allure of sex.

If sex makes the world go round then why is my world so square?

Not likely, though it is a funny thought about the possibility of me playing catch up.

So true but unfortunately this is not shared by too many of our male counterparts.

The Loneliness of a Long Distance Dater

For the past four years I have unsuccessfully attempted the online dating game. As an introvert, online dating is a clever ruse to think I can actually meet Prince Okay. So far I have ended up running in place like a long distance marathoner. The running has been okay but the scenery is not so hot.

Socializing for an introvert is like being placed in solitary confinement for an extrovert.  We are not necessarily shy or have social anxiety but are more comfortable with less: less people, less stimulation, less drama, and less need to compulsively do something to avoid being alone.  We make up 25% of the population but are frequently viewed as odd, weird, or just plain unusual because of our internalized preferences. Being a female introvert makes me in the 1% club with my Myers-Briggs profile which means the chances of me actually finding a compatible date are statistically akin to being hit by lightning. However, I persevere.

What have I learned from online dating? As an introvert and single professional woman without children, I am viewed differently. I get the feeling most men prefer moms because they do not know how to deal with a woman without the mommy persona. Men have told me I am intimidating, not because I am an assertiveness monster or hell on heels, but because I don't have the hook of having raised children. Women without children are seen more as competitors to men. We are viewed as more their equal, are just as independent, and challenge them when they are used to women going along with their authority. I can't tell you how many times men have offered me advice (which they would not do to another man), think they are in an intellectually or in general superior to me, or think I will automatically accept their version of events as facts. Yes, it is hard to date a smart, introverted woman who views herself as equally competent.

In the four years I have dated, I have had about 50 dates. Rarely, have I had a date go past 4 dates. My dating history has included quite a diverse group of men ranging from doctors, attorneys, and scientists, to teachers, set designers, bus drivers, and maintenance men. This is the most I've ever dated in my life. Dating when one is older is quite different-it's not as hormonally driven, there is more pathos, and of course, more habituation. But the biggest thing I have noticed about the diverse group of men I have dated is their inability to commit. And I am not talking marriage here. Committing to meeting for a date, committing to discussing simple plans, committing to talking about one's past, and committing to a future date are all symptomatic of the online dating culture. There is a commitment phobia I was not prepared to encounter when I started dating again. 

How does sex affect all of this? As you can imagine, introverts by their nature as slow to warm up to people and take more time to open up. Even though I am sexually liberal, trust is a bigger deal to an introvert. Working in Public Health has also made me aware of how many STDs are out there and how many of them are becoming untreatable. In this age of virtual friends, Facebook social lives, and instant communication, no one wants to take things slowly. This has made the desire for sex more immediate and less meaningful. Men still want sex and are now more likely to get it without the baggage of courtship or having to do much of anything. My gay friends tell me men need to have sex about four or five times before they are willing to commit to feeling a connection. I wonder if heterosexual men are the same. 

Thankfully, I am intuitive and psychologically sharp enough to ferret out the catfishes, con artists, and predators before I agree to date. There are a number of them out there and some are quite sophisticated.
I wonder how many women are taken in by there scams or are victims of their deceitful behavior. 

The loneliness of this long distance dater is reaching the end. It was a good experiment but has produced little to show for it except I've met a number of interesting men and have had intermittently good sex. But sex for sex's sake gets boring, like watching a porno film over and over. It is the intellectual, emotional, and spiritual bond that makes the sex more intense and pleasurable. Too bad that has gone out of fashion.

Death of a Brewery

A few years ago I knew a competent PhD biochemist, who in a fit of mid-life pique, decided to pursue his dream of owning a brewery after being laid off from his pharmaceutical job. His unfulfilling marriage to a successful physician, the pressure of raising two trophy sons, and a bruising lay off from a prestigious job, seemed to propel his unrealistic dream of making it big as the brewmeister of a scientifically produced exceptionally crafted beer. Defying all logic and business acumen, he proceeded backed primarily by his wife's and other investor's money. Indeed, initially things seemed to be heading in a positive direction-he took top prizes at the State Fair for his micro-brewed beer. That is, until his marriage crashed, the economy tanked, and the competition of over 250 other equally impressive microbreweries in the county overwhelmed his crafted cathexis. His brewery was outgunned by his competitors: under capitalized, poorly marketed, and naively managed, he continued to throw good money after bad attempting to sustain his burgeoning business nightmare.

The problem with most intelligent scientists is they are impeccably trained to persevere in spite of obstacles or until the research funding runs out. Their hubris does not permit them the insight that, because they are successful in one area in life, they might not be successful when they are out of their league in another area. Probably the biggest Achilles heel of any scientist is a reluctance to foresee failure. The Scientist Brewmeister knew he was not all that great when it came to business but continued to raise funds from investors, even when all signs were indicating his brewery was as solvent as the S.S Titanic. As a member of MENSA, he was too smart to fail.

Coming from a more humble background, I listened to the Scientist Brewmeister's stories of endlessly seeking investors and knew his desire for beer-driven success and prestige was a pointless exercise in futility. Not being a businesswoman, I could see he was way over his head. He was a small fish in a big pond of more moneyed, established, and popular craft beer entrepreneurs. The sign on the wall was not big enough for him to walk away before disaster struck. We drifted apart but I wondered how long it would take before his world would come crashing down.

This week I read an article in a local paper how the Scientist Brewmeister put his brewery up for sale last year. He had hoped a larger craft beer company would financially absorb him but continue to allow him keep his craft brands. That did not happen. To prevent foreclosure he sold off 90% of his brewery, kept his brands, and is now trying to keep alive producing beer for his small biergarten in an industrial park way off the beaten path. One does not need to be a psychic to know this a last ditch attempt to stave off the inevitable. Going from scientist to beermaster/bartender in a biergarten has got to be a stinging consequence of his poor business acumen.

The Scientist Brewmeister is now close to sixty. Divorced from his largest most pissed off investor, financing two kids in college, and facing the demise of the last of his dream, his world has collapsed. This is not the happily ever after story he envisioned. He admitted his choices were to go back to the pharm industry or be a beer consultant. Re-entering the traditional marketplace after being away from academia and the pharmaceutical industry for more than a decade he will discover the true cost of his mid-life crisis. Sixty years of age is ancient in a data-driven, publish or perish world. A highly competitive marketplace awaits the advanced degreed in this millennial world. 

Underneath the hard crustiness of most emotionally detached scientists, there lurks a great deal of insecurity covered up by arrogance and delusions of intellectual invincibility. The Scientist Brewmeister is a lesson in how pride goeth before the fall and how a high IQ does not guarantee success. 

Because of my background in vocational consulting, I knew his mid-life fantasy, financed by his ex-wife, would likely end up in ruin. It is well known in vocational counseling that starting a business is the least successful vocational option once someone loses a job because of it having the highest percentage of failure. Frequently people who take this option do not have the entrepreneurial verve to make it work and usually won't listen to reason. It is a sad footnote for me that there was nothing I could have said or done to have prevented his fall. I wrote him to tell him how sorry I was that he lost so much. No reply is expected. 

A Dissertation on Sorrow for the Day of the Dead

sor·row

noun

1. 1.

   a feeling of deep distress caused by loss, disappointment, or other misfortune suffered by oneself or others.

“I want to weep, she thought. I want to be comforted. I’m so tired of being strong. I want to be foolish and frightened for once. Just for a small while, that’s all …a day … an hour ...

...One day, she promised herself as she lay abed, one day she would allow herself to be less than strong.
But not today. It could not be today.” 
― George R.R. Martin, A Clash of Kings

Every heart has its secret sorrows which the world knows not, and oftentimes we call a man cold, when he is only sad.

HENRY WADSWORTH LONGFELLOW, Hyperion

“It's so curious: one can resist tears and 'behave' very well in the hardest hours of grief. But then someone makes you a friendly sign behind a window, or one notices that a flower that was in bud only yesterday has suddenly blossomed, or a letter slips from a drawer... and everything collapses. ” 

― Colette

“So it’s true, when all is said and done, grief is the price we pay for love.” 
― E.A. Bucchianeri, Brushstrokes of a Gadfly

IN MEMORY OF ALL THOSE WHO HAVE PASSED AND ESPECIALLY TO THE FAMILY AND FRIENDS COPING WITH LOSS FROM SENSELESS VIOLENCE.

The Supermoon in Taurus November 3rd

The Supermoon in Taurus on November 3^rd at 10:23 pm (PDT), follows Halloween, the Day of the Dead, and Samhain (the mid-point between autumn and winter). This earthy moon at perigee is uniquely balanced being in Scorpio. For without the fluidity of Scorpio, Taurus, a fixed sign, could become rigidly attached to sensuous pleasures culminating in repetitive stagnation of the senses. This Supermoon asks us to move past the rote, the habitual, and the deadening to embrace that what enables us to take a leap of faith.

Should I stay or should I go will be themes during this lunation. Now that the planet of good fortune is dancing in Scorpio, luck will favor those who choose chance over securty-backed numbness. Expect to be pulled in both directions but the wise person will gravitate toward risk. Staying inert will paralyze the momentum of transformation which commenced during the last New Moon, October 19th. Feel the fear and do it anyway. 

It's not all struggle: this could end up being the most romantic Supermoon of the year. Set in sexy Scorpio, backed by sensuous Taurus, moonbeams from this uninhibited duo could have stardust clouding even the most jaded of eyes. Of course, that's if dreamy detente works well enough to charm the armor off the the illusion of protection. Don't underestimate the power of Jupiter in Scorpio to harvest the potency of the romantic fervor generated by the perigee full moon super-orb. 

Time to listen to the 'Clair du Lune' by Claude DeBussy while gazing at the lovely full frost moon.

Bully for Melania

"I think it’s important that we choose kindness and compassion." -Mrs.Trump

“Ariana Huffington is unattractive, both inside and out. I fully understand why her former husband left her for a man – he made a good decision.” -Donald Trump


"Just like (the media doesn't) want to report that I spoke out forcefully against hatred, bigotry and violence and strongly condemned the neo-Nazis, the White Supremacists, and the KKK." - Donald Trump

"You know, it doesn't really matter what [they] write as long as you've got a young and beautiful piece of ass." -Donald Trump

"Wonderful looking while on the ice but up close and personal, she could only be described as attractive if you like a woman with a bad complexion who is built like a linebacker"-Donald Trump

“If Ivanka weren’t my daughter, perhaps I’d be dating her.”-Donald Trump

On John McCain: “He’s a war hero because he was captured. I like people that weren’t captured, OK?”

“I would build a great wall, and nobody builds walls better than me, believe me, and I’ll build them very inexpensively, I will build a great, great wall on our southern border. And I will have Mexico pay for that wall.” -Donald Trump

“I don’t have a racist bone in my body.”-Donald Trump

“Jeb Bush has to like the Mexican Illegals because of his wife.” -Donald Trump

“Heidi Klum. Sadly, she’s no longer a 10.”-Donald Trump

“Marco Rubio, I’ve never seen anybody sweat like that.” -Donald Trump

 “If you see somebody getting ready to throw a tomato, knock the crap out of ’em, would you? Seriously. OK? Just knock the hell—I promise you, I will pay for the legal fees. I promise. I promise.” -Donald Trump

“Part of the problem and part of the reason it takes so long [to kick out protesters] is nobody wants to hurt each other anymore.” -Donald Trump

Dear Melania,
         Why take your anti-bullying crusade on the road when there's so much to work with at home?

Why is God Punishing Bill O'Reilly with Sexual Harassment Claims?

"You know, am I mad at God? Yeah, I'm mad at him," O'Reilly said on the latest episode of his web series, "No Spin News." "I wish I had more protection. I wish this stuff didn't happen. I can't explain it to you. Yeah, I'm mad at him." -CNN

As a woman who was raised a Catholic, I find Bill O'Reilly's anger at God perplexing. Really? He can't pinpoint his powerful need to act out lasciviously as the primary reason why the woman he sexually harassed who won millions in court settlements? Get off the cross, Bill, we need the wood. 

One does not lose multiple sexual harassment claims because God is punishing you. The courts have found there is more than a preponderance of evidence that you inflicted unwanted sexual advances on women in your workplace. Millions of dollars worth, to be precise-that's a lot of harassment. The church doctrine I was raised with does not implicate God directing anyone to sexually harass. Is there some secret 11th Commandment stating, "Thou shalt be given sexual authority over women to do whatever thou pleases"? The Baltimore catechism we were raised with does not contain this amendment.

Face it, Bill, it's time to go to confession. Maybe losing millions in sexual harassment lawsuits is a wake up call for you to do a fearless moral inventory of your behavior and do an act of contrition. Here it is in case you've forgotten:
"O my God, I am heartily sorry for having offended you, and I detest all my sins because I dread the loss of heaven and the pains of hell, But most of all because they have offended you, my God who are all good and deserving of all my love. I firmly resolve, with the help of your grace, to confess my sins, to do penance, and to amend my life. Amen"

And, the act of contrition is not simply saying, "I am sorry." It also directs the penitent to do atonement and amend one's life so one does not continue to commit the same offense. Are you listening Bill?

Can people with HIV be 'legally' quarantined?

Unbelievably, this was a question raised this week by Dr. Betty Price, an anesthesiologist representative from Georgia and wife of ousted ex-HHSA Cabinet Secretary Tom Price. "It just seems to me it's almost frightening the number of people who are living that are potentially carriers -- well, they are carriers -- but, potential to spread," Betty Price said. "Whereas, in the past, they died more readily, and then at that point, they are not posing a risk. So, we've got a huge population posing a risk if they're not in treatment."

Too bad we cannot quarantine stupidity, especially in so-called educated physicians. Once again we see the stigma of what is still considered a 'gay' disease being treated as rationale for internment camps. What's next, hiring a Dr. Mengele-like medical director to oversee their care?  Why not just put them in ovens and gas them-wouldn't that be cheaper?

I am surprised Trump didn't nominate her instead of her husband to oversee Health and Human Services. They seem to be on the same wavelength with their Nazi-like solutions for all of the ills the 1% would rather not have to fund. It is ironic that Dr. Price should bring up fears of the spread of HIV/AIDS. Trump is well-known for his long-time association with Roy Cohn, the McCarthy-era attorney who ended up denying he was gay and died of AIDS.

It is estimated that 1.1 million people in the US have HIV. They got it from having sex. You know, the basic human activity we all are biologically wired to engage in. As long as people have sex, they will pass bacteria and viruses to one another through their bodily fluids. Bacteria and viruses are not selective about targeting their vessel-they infect every race, creed, and gender. If you have sex you are at risk for contracting sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) like HPV, chlamydia, gonorrhea, syphilis, etc. It sounds as if Price may have flunked out of her infectious disease rotation to not know the extent of STDs plaguing the US. Why should we just stop at incarcerating HIV patients when gonorrhea is quickly becoming untreatable with antibiotics?

Sexually transmitted diseases do not care if you are white, rich, privileged, heterosexual, or famous, Dr. Price. Thinking these factors will protect you and the rest of your cronies from infection is sincerely deluded. Thinking a concentration camp quarantine will protect the population from HIV defies sound Public Health practices. How do I know? I work in Public Health. What is the best way to protect oneself from the scourge of any infectious disease? Get educated, vaccinated, seek treatment if infected, and follow the treatment plan.

Your homophobic slip is showing, Dr. Price. Best you stay out of this fray and stick to what you know best: wasting our time legislating archaic ideas that have no basis in reality.