Greek Philosopher Epictetus - quote

First say to yourself what you would be; and then do what you have to do.

~Epictetus

This is my favorite philosopher of all time! I believe he really had a grasp on how to be a true human being. Read about Epictetus here...

Lego dude - 3D chalk art in Sarasota, FL

I love street art, but this blows my mind. Looks like he's surrounded by ghosts.
Here's the article...

Seven Things for the Altar on the Day of the Dead

Happy Dia De Los Muertos!

I had the most interesting conversation with a lady in the Mission today. I didn't know this, but there are seven items that need to be present on an altar for the ancestors on the Day of the Dead.

1. Water

2. Candle

3. Sugar

4. Something to eat

5. Salt

6. Incense

7. Flowers (Marigolds)

Isn't that beautiful??? It's all for the dead to feel welcomed and Honored. The marigolds are welcoming and draw them to your space, and also represent the briefness of life. They can enjoy the essence of any food you leave for them and use the salt to spice it up.

It's to honor them, to let them know we are thinking of them, and to thank them for their presence in our lives.

The altars in Mexico, and here in San Francisco, can be HUGE. They can include toys, wine, specific foods and music instruments that the Beloved enjoyed the most.

What I like about it, is that it celebrates death as a joyous part of life. These are displays of love that let the deceased know they will never be forgotten.

SNL Weekend Update: Garth and Kat sing Halloween songs

I have no idea why I think this is so funny but I LOVE THEM!!!

Women in middle age - "Midlife Crisis? Bring it On!"

Love this article I found about reinventing yourself or pursuing your dreams in midlife!

"It is both a stable truth and an unsettling one that our lives loop and twist from age to age. The baby toddles into childhood, the child erupts into a teen, then a woman, who by the time she has passed 40 is long overdue to shed her skin again. That shedding can be traumatic, treacherous, born of sorrow or stress; but to hear the prophets of personal reinvention tell it, it may also be an unexpected gift. With that endearing sense of discovery that baby boomers bring to the most enduring experiences — like growing up or finding God or burning out — women are confronting the obstacles of middle age and figuring out how to turn them into opportunities. Thanks to higher incomes, better education and long experience at juggling multiple roles, women may actually discover that there has never been a better time to have a midlife crisis than now."

Read more: http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1059032,00.html#ixzz1bZvLEdsp

Autumnal Equinox ~ Mabon

The Autumnal Equinox is much more than the first day of Fall. It marks an astronomical transition point between Summer and Winter - for now we have equal day and equal night.



Today is referred to as the festival of Mabon. This is the second harvest festival of the year, the first being Lammas (August 1st) and the third being Halloween (October 31st). The seeds we have planted in the Spring are now coming to fruition.


What have you been working on this year? What is coming to fruition in your life right now? This is a really beautiful time of year - one of my favorites. It's harvest season, where we see the result of our labors. We reap what we have sown. It's the time to take stock of where you are in your life right now - what you've brought forth and what you still want to manifest.


Today we feel the turn of the wheel of the year. Standing in the middle of equal daylight to equal nighttime, we also look at BALANCE. Are we out of balance in our lives? Are we taking care of ourselves? Are we working hard but making time for our dreams and having fun too?


Mabon also relates to mid life; to our 40's and 50's when we have accomplished some things, but also might harbor regrets. The Equinox is a time to give yourself credit for all the wonderful things you've created and the positive difference you've made in the world. Honor your courage! And how much smarter you are now than when you were young.


The Fall Equinox is the time when the Goddess manifests in Her Bountiful Mother aspects. The God emerges as the Corn King and Harvest Lord. Colors are Orange, Dark Red, Yellow, Indigo, and Brown.

Select the best of each vegetable, herb, fruit, nut, and other food you have harvested or purchased and give it back to Mother Earth with prayers of thanksgiving. Hang dried ears of corn around your home in appreciation of the harvest season. Cast a circle, offering thanks as you face each direction -- for home, finances, and physical health (North); for gifts of knowledge (East); for accomplishments in career and hobbies (South); for relationships (West); and for spiritual insights and messages (Center).

This holiday was pivotal in ancient times, since a good final harvest was crucial to surviving the winter months ahead.  Relationships are reassessed so we can decide who is best to take into the harsh winter with us. If someone is draining your energy, now might be the time to let go.

This is also the time to welcome the season of the Crone.  Persephone goes to the Underworld to learn the secrets of the Crone (or in some stories she is kidnapped by Hades), and the earth is bare as Her mother, Demeter, mourns Her loss.

(Photo of The Glastonbury Tor in the Valley of Avalon in Glastonbury England from the Llewellyn's Witches' Calendar year 2000)

Eisenhower's excellent quote on social security

I didn't know right wing people were ever this cool - 

"Should any political party attempt to abolish social security, unemployment insurance, and eliminate labor laws and farm programs, you would not hear of that party again in our political history. There is a tiny splinter group, of course, that believes that you can do these things. Among them are a few Texas oil millionaires, and an occasional politician or businessman from other areas. Their number is negligible and they are stupid."..President Eisenhower 1954.