The Attention Factor®

March Brings My Birthday and Thoughts of Japan, as Time Flies.

// April 26th, 2009 // No Comments » // Attention, Japanese, June, March, birthdays, celebrate, family, grateful, parties, permission, song, summer, travel, tribe

My birthday’s in March, so it’s always a special month for me. I wait for it to arrive, always say that I’m going to celebrate all 31 days, and, suddenly, it’s April 1st. I know that time is going faster, because I’ve read that it is so. I think that I can almost feel it’s fleeing…I look at the clock one minute, do something quickly, and another hour’s gone.

I did have a wonderful birthday week-end this year, though, filled with family and friends. I got to spend time with all three sons during the month, for which I am most grateful.

My 22nd birthday brings back a flood of memories. I was a new bride, and I had the great, good fortune to be able to live in Japan for nine full months. My husband had been sent to Sapporo by the Army. He’d been drafted right after he’d received his degree in economics. The Army made him a telephone repairman. Luckily for us, he got a strep throat, when he was about to be shipped overseas, was hospitalized and re-assigned to the payroll department of the Quartermaster Corp. Lots of economics there. Lucky break.

The Masaki family took us in, let us live in their upstairs, treated us like their own kids, and celebrated us and every holiday that came by. On my birthday in Japan, my mother sent the recipe for my favorite chocolate cake and a very special lady baked it as a surprise. I carry the memories of my time in Japan in my soul.

The cherry trees have already blossomed in Japan, giving that country magical qualities for the month. That phenonmeon is given great attention annually. I’ve was there at that time of year. It is like fairy land. The Japanese celebrate grandly with parties, picnics, poems, songs. They realize that that display of nature is really something and spectacularly memoralize them with song, drink, togetherness and cameras. It’s wonderful. It’s a great family time. I shall go again.

The school year’s almost coming to a close. People are thinking about their summer vacations, already, and soon June will be here…Oh, Mother’s Day does fall in-between. If I had enough resources, I would celebrate this Mother’s day by taking my entire family to Kyoto, and the southern parts of Japan for as much time as we all could eke out…

I know my family’s full of all ages now, which could make for interesting decisions about what to do and see. I wonder how long some could be away from their texting and social net-working.

It definitely takes some negotiating and listening to travel with family these days. It’s best to know that there are lots of different needs and opinions in one’s “tribe.” Perhaps, it’s worthwhile to operate very democratically and take votes on everything. And if the minority doesn’t like what the majority wants, they have permission to secede and go where they want, as long as everyone shares at the end of the day. I could handle that. I know that I would win some and lose some. That would be ok, too. I would be savouring everything all over again and with some new eyes.

Tomorrow’s another Monday. Best I get ready for it.

We’re already in the middle of March!!!

// March 22nd, 2009 // No Comments » // Attention, March, Russian Dressing, birthdays, book, cheerleaders, family, flavor, flowers, friends, movies, positive, rye bread, spring, world, writing

March, the name and the month, is special for me. It’s my birthday month, and it also happens to be my last name. Wonder if there’s a coincidence there?

I start celebrating the first day of March, which seems like it was yesterday, and already it’s the twenty-second…I know people who won’t celebrate their birthdays, don’t want to, and I feel that I have to make up for them. I think that’s a real pity, for that’s the day we were born, arrived on this planet to make a difference …when we can commit to being in integrity, being authentic and choose to heal ourselves and the planet. Celebrating is good!

Some people still have to learn to receive, to let others acknowledge them. Childhood memories creep in here, and if early birthdays were stressful, adults tend to shy away from wanting to do anything about their birthdays. When birthdays fall on or near Holidays, there are stories…memories which live forever…I have collected lots of stories about that phenomeon!!!

My, my soap box is really turned on tonight. I think I have some extra vetting energy because I took myself to my favorite deli tonight and was totally disappointed in everything I ordered – even commented to the waitress, who shared that other patrons felt the same way – no flavor whatsoever…I finally took a piece of their rye bread, always terrific, and dipped it in Russian dressing -that was fabulous. I could put Russian dressing, Thousand Island, on almost anything, and it tastes better. That must be from my mid-west Detroit roots.

I’ve been on a movie prowl lately and have seen three good ones: I Love You, Man, Everlasting Moments (Swedish) and Two Lovers. I guess I’m exhibiting spring fever behavior. The first movie is a wonderful stab at explaining male bonding/friendship which for so many has become so suspect…actually…I really liked that movie.

Spring: Time for flowers…lots…makes me feel honored and cared for; my balcony garden is looking good!

I’ve been motivated to write much more lately, to complete my long-awaited book and to get some product ready for Web site – I’ve got cheerleaders in residence who are really pushing me, as they think my work is vitally important, timely and needs to be out there – this really helps. I am grateful.

Just heard mega rain outside and as I love to sleep in the rain, after reading the Sunday New York Times, I think it’s time to head off to bed. Another week has come and gone; I am always running out of time these days – lots on my plate – making me very happy and challenged. Good to feel creative.

Hope all’s well all over the world tonight, especially with all my family and friends scattered here and there. I shall send them extra positive attention through the air waves…

The Full Moon is Here!

// March 9th, 2009 // No Comments » // Attention, Universe, alkaline, birthdays, celebrate, creative, empowered, feelings, holidays, lingering memories, miraculous

Yesterday a friend and I spent the entire day in Santa Barbara, attending a Women’s Networking Festival. The ride along the ocean was grand, as it was a gorgeous day and there was little traffic. I feel so lucky to have the freedom to spend days like this.

The Universe was doing its work with me, as I met exactly the women I was supposed to – funny how that works. Great women. Long day. New info about drinking alkaline water to stay healthy and keep disease away. I plan to put lemon juice in my filtered water daily now, as that provides enough alkaline, though they now have miraculous water machines to do the trick. People are awed by their new energy, fitness and healing through their new alkaline habit.

We ended our trip by having a great dinner in Malibu to celebrate her upcoming birthday. Our birthdays are meant to be celebrated – all of them – I find it very sad when people don’t want to celebrate theirs anymore, because I know “The Attention Factor” is involved here. I also know that lots of kids never had a real chance to celebrate themselves as they grew up and when their parents couldn’t or wouldn’t celebrate them, it’s left lingering damaging patterns. Kids whose birthdays fall near Holidays have major stories to tell about their disappointments, when their special days morphed into the holidays: Valentine’s Day, Christmas, Easter, etc. I’ve even heard Mothers and Daughters fight over the re-telling of celebrations. Lingering memories.

Birthdays are special and the more of us who continue to honor our friends are family are spreading positive and loving energy onto our Planet.

So. Let’s honor the full moon, too, and the gyrations it seems to bring. That’s why I am writing today, to ground myself, to hopefully give myself the attention and energy to work on some life details I need to today. I’d rather be walking at the beach…or going to a movie…or….and the change in DST time has thrown me into a minor jet lag, additionally! Perhaps, spring fever is setting in.

My mind keeps rejecting those details. However, I am finding more and more that when I make lists of the things I need to do and check them off one by one, I feel more empowered and creative. How easy that sounds and how easy it writes. Simply, I want more and more of those feelings!