Inner Wondering, Global Wandering
For the longest time - actually most of my life, I've felt lost, living in someone else's skin. It's about time I've shed the stuff other people have tried to envelop me with: "The greatest hazard of all - losing one’s self - can occur very quietly in the world, as if it were nothing... Continue Reading →
I love to read about writing, to the point that it becomes an easy-to-justify avoidance technique: "I just need to see how _____________ approaches writer's block/plot/ideas/ structure/ description/dialogue. Then I'll know what to do." Have you been there too? Nevertheless, books on writing also inspire, encourage and nudge us along. Here are some books that... Continue Reading →
Emotional and verbal abuse leave us depleted, orphaned from who we really are. To move on, we need to care for ourselves physically, emotionally, creatively. When we live a life determined by others, dancing around the needs and whims of a manipulator, our own talents, interests and gifts end up buried in the garbage the... Continue Reading →
"It helps you get more in touch with your body.” My osteopath acupressured my hip, ankle and lower back, then stated the above about yoga. I'm learning to listen to my body and tune in to my gut instincts, particularly when dealing with others, and especially when I get a weird vibe about something or someone. I've attempted yoga... Continue Reading →
Sixth sense, intuition, a gut feeling. I've heard and often repeated "trust your gut". But I didn't do it until the manipulative, narcissistic interactions with my (ex-)brother had me looking for a way out. I was co-dependent (and still working on that). I learned how to appease and give in, rather than listen to the... Continue Reading →
Since I love reading other people's lists of favourite books, here are a few of mine. I'm not sure how much time I'll dedicate to this post but for now I'll start small: Healing and Self-Empowerment One book I absolutely love is: In Sheep's Clothing, by Dr. George Simon. This is the book that explained in... Continue Reading →
Why did it take me until my 50s to understand what was happening and act on behalf of myself? I wanted the story-book happy, healthy family life. What I had to do was accept reality. I put up with narcissistic behavior from my sibling 'cause it's all I had known. That's what having a brother was... Continue Reading →
Below are the most important websites, books, videos where I discovered what I was dealing with and how to work through the issues I need: Where my eyes were really opened, was through the website of Dr. George Simon, as well as his books In Sheep's Clothing and Character Disturbance When I read the list of characteristics displayed... Continue Reading →
It saps your energy, self-esteem and motivation. It can be shouting or angry tirades, but it can also be: passive-aggressive put-downs outright insults (whether said quietly or with deliberate anger) insinuations that you are somehow not good enough or don't live up to someone's else's expectations sneers constant disagreements being made fun of sarcasm blaming... Continue Reading →
For anyone who's ever been involved with verbally abusive and manipulative people, at some point we ask ourselves: Why Do They Act Like That? Why does a cat stalk a mouse? Because it's a predator. Even when well fed (as my cats have confirmed) it will still hunt. The mouse won't like it. If mice... Continue Reading →
Want to visit Barcelona but have a tight budget? Here are some of the things I did to sightsee yet save money.
The Palau de la música catalana stole my heart, a stunning building, renowned for its superb acoustics, Catalan Art Nouveau at its best. It is a love poem written with mosaics and stained glass, dedicated to the joy of music.
How did this happen? How did I end up sitting in front of this Communist official, completely dependent on him - or someone - helping me get back to Varadero? It's 1991, in a town several hours from Varadero. I’m sitting on a wood chair in front of a Poder Popular official. I watch him... Continue Reading →
Even though it's December, 1991, and I'm in Varadero, Cuba, this won't be a beach vacation. I have two suitcases full of clothes, soap, shampoo, aspirin, toothbrushes, toothpaste and sundry other items. Two people in need stand next to me. Only problem: at this time, getting around the island unobtrusively is next to impossible for... Continue Reading →
I stare at Che. The iconic poster hangs on the wall behind the official’s desk. It’s hot and stuffy in the office; air-conditioning hasn't hit this part of Cuba. Was I insane, or just stupidly naive about my hare-brained scheme? The Poder Popular fellow stops his search. He sits back and looks at me. “Maybe you’ll have to... Continue Reading →
I’ve driven straight into 1959. Not many people are on the streets, and hardly any vehicles, except for an occasional 40-year old Chevrolet behemoth. The town must have been lovely at one time with its pastel-coloured houses and their red-tiled roofs. Now it needs several coats of paint and the broken patches of cracked plaster... Continue Reading →
As the plane flew over the sub-tropical forests on our approach to Managua, Nicaragua seems to be a thousand shades of green with a sprinkling of blue lakes and smoky grey volcanoes thrown in for good measure. I would soon be introduced to another commonplace aspect of nature in this spectacularly scenic country, involving tarantulas dropping by... Continue Reading →
“Shh.” Manuel, Nicaragua’s own Dr. Doolittle, motions up and ahead of us on the forest trail. I hear what I think are vehicles on the highway, then I realize we’re too far away for any traffic sounds to penetrate the dense sub-tropical forest we’re exploring. “Los monos.” Monkeys. Howler monkeys. Nicaragua's Semi-Tropical Forest A few... Continue Reading →
“El subjuntivo: presente, pretérito imperfecto, pretérito perfecto y el pluscuamperfecto.” Bergman valiantly tries to recapture our attention to the importance of Spanish subjunctive verbs as we watch hummingbirds flock to a tree just beyond the open window of our classroom. A rooster saunters into the classroom, a hen following along behind. They stop at a basket left in a... Continue Reading →
“In case anyone asks, tell them you’re our cousins visiting from Canada,” Raul instructs us in Varadero as we drive off in a massive 1953 Oldsmobile, our transportation for the week. I wonder how Claudia (a young Latin American friend who’s come with me on this trip), born of Bolivian parents and 8 shades darker... Continue Reading →
The transport truck drops us off beside a path that cuts through a field at the foot of the mountains. We skirt around a hefty bull grazing near the woods, and in about 20 minutes we arrive at a small, wood-framed house, half hidden amongst the trees. As we're introduced to everyone, we sip some coffee... Continue Reading →
