One) Hawk. Always inviting me. Same spot every time. Bidding me a good day of clarity and high vision.

Two) It's not as cold as he said it might be. This sweater us fuzzing up where the most movement happens: under my arms, along the sides of my chest/breasts. But, I love this grungy sweater.

Three) About the sweater. This ragged sweater is a she-shed companion, especially in the winter when the shed is doing it's best to keep out the December chill and my little heater is pumping away. I feel like Mr. Rogers when I change into it before working out in the shed.

Four) This tea, I love it so much. Lavender Earl Grey with a splash of vanilla cream.

Five) I finally light the candle. I ask St. Jude and make a sweet-grass offering.

Six) I miss her. I wish things were different and we were still friends. The kind that would spend hours on the phone or exchange ideas over Skype while sipping on our favorite teas. She was my Best Friend. I think of her often and winter always brings on the bittersweet memories. I will always love her and consider her my soul-kin. I told her I would never give up on her, our friendship. It takes so much out of me to allow the death of our relationship. This will be something I will grieve over from time to time. But, still...Love.

Seven) Hope. All I got right now.

Eight) Not too much incense. I only burn half the stick. 

Nine) Writing. I'm counting on the words to set me free. They always do.

Ten) A birthday reservation at our favorite restaurant. Every year since I met him. 

Eleven) Coyote. Still.

Twelve) She said laughter can lift us out of our darkness.

Thirteen) Grief. Taking it slow for now. I am a soul in recovery...for life. 

​Fourteen) This quote:

One) As someone with a sensitive respiratory system, I will have to wear a mask every time I go out. Even if that means just to my car, and from the car to the store. This goes for my daughter too. Not caring at all how I look in a mask. Makes me want to tell people how precious their lung tissue really is. Lung regeneration is very minimal. I'm coughing as I type this. The air quality is far from moderate, it's unhealthy and hazardous. I stay in, but miss the blue skies. I pray for those that are experiencing such pain and loss. I don't light candles this time. Full body prayers.

Two) More dreams and a dream from another where I made an appearance. I think to myself how dreams can be such potent messages from the dreamscape mostly for us, and how rarely they are for the other people in the dream. They serve us individually. Some can be prophetic, but that's not typical. Fascinating.

Three) My favorite part of creating an online course is sharing my voice in podcast like form. It's the beautiful art of storytelling to me. I love telling stories.

Four) He offers to pay for the two books I've been wanting to get. He tells me to hurry and order them on Amazon so they can get here before the holidays. Books, art supplies, stationary. Those things easily steal my heart.

Five) I get the grocery shopping and holiday dinner ingredients in one trip. We usually do this together and I was very reluctant to go alone, but I did and I'm glad. We always end of saving money when I go at it alone.

Six) Vanilla beans...$12.95 for two beans. Why did I not remember? Last year, we felt the recipe needed a real vanilla bean...this year, not so much. Then I google and realize they actually have a complex maturing and curing process. They are from an Orchid flower and are hand pollinated! Like, what?!

Seven) I call Mom today. She answers by saying my name with excitement. We chat for 20 seconds, then she passes the phone to mi tia (my auntie) and then mi tia passes it to my father and I'm repeating stories. It's funny, and sweet. Then back to my mom. I really need to visit them very soon. There is a bit of disappointment on the other end of the phone when I tell Mom we're not traveling to spend Thanksgiving with them. I miss them. So much. Christmas. I will be there for Christmas.

Eight) Grief. There is so much loss lately. How can one not feel grief in the air. Not to mention the sadness that comes around during the holidays.

Nine) I still see the moon. The glow through the smoke. A reminder, a witness.

Ten) This quote today.

One) beginnings are my favorite. Starting over moments are my thing. I will go as far as crafting a ritual to honor this newness because it feels sacred and important. The problem is I am a lover of the dream time and of visioning. I can cling to the illusions in rapturous amazement. All the planning and idea mapping is a language I am fluent in and can remain loyal to this practice of new beginnings.

Two) Consistency is what I like and I'd like to explore this a bit. I want to see what I'm made of and discover what stories stay hidden inside of me that can be set free.

​Three) In my communications class this week, a portion of essay #2 was due. I spent three-four days torturing myself trying to choose a topic. Just when I think I had it, I couldn't write about it! I went from, "the value of community," to "feminism," to "slime!" You read that right. Slime. Young entrepreneurs in the Slime making business. Wheeet?

Four) My dreams this past couple of weeks have been so very insightful and eerily accurate. Snakes one night, jewelry shopping another night, cheetahs and my vacay with an Instagram influencer. In the middle of the night, when I can't record a dream in my journal, I reach for my phone and quickly note my dream on this free, easy-to-use app, called: Dreams Diary

​Five) Finding a system that works for you is so important as a creative person, yet so challenging when everything out there is geared towards telling you how to do the damn thing correctly. I did a google search: "can people excel at life even without a consistent routine?" This, after I already noted in #2 that consistency is key. I found only one article so far, but I'm not so sure it's answering my question. I'll be exploring this one...to be continued.

Six) 9:42 Friday night. My eyes are heavy as I type this. Sleep is next.

Seven) The leaves are beginning to drift off, one-by-one from the cherry plum tree in my backyard. The colors are luscious. Deepest red, plum, cherry dark, oxblood, burgundy, the darkest of purples and burnt umber.

Eight) I wear clothes until they are literally holey af. When it was my reality for most of my life...to "go without," it's hard to transition out of that. Now I have the privilege to go out and get what I "need" and, my idea around this is, that I really don't need much anyway. I experience guilt. I'm sure my mother and her mother, and her mother's mother felt guilty too. A sort of ancestral discord if you will. Especially, when their families were full of many hungry mouths! Poverty is dense and heartbreaking. Easier said then done as well. It's a consciousness, or a mindset. I am learning and I have so much more to say about this, but right now it's just an (after)thought.

Nine) Voting. This shit better work.

Friday Afterthoughts is a new blog series that I'm experimenting with.  The idea came to me years ago, but the courage to write it never came, the instruction manual never arrived, no bouncy and enthusiastic writing or business coach came on the scene telling me to write the blog series because it was my destiny. None of that. In fact I greatly resisted it because I thought it had to be and read a certain way...a "perfect" and "good" way. Which really is some fake-ass-shiz my ego tells me.

I love writing as long as it's casual writing. Is that a thing? I enjoy journaling, keeping a notebook with random thoughts, experiences, dreams and ideas. I could do rough drafts, brainstorm and draw up idea maps for fun and just be content in that phase of the writing process, but it's time to get some practice in. Because, isn't that what writers do? Write. Isn't that what artists do? Create.

This makes me think of blogging. Blogging has changed so much, in fact does anyone still do that? Blogging, to me feels flexible. There is room for mistakes. Room to messily write out your guts and express all those opinions you been holding tight to. 

So...here I am. Writing. Or Blogging?

There is more to this story. Especially the title, but I'll get to that later. I hope you find some inspiration here within the madness of my thoughts. Friday afterthoughts are random. These posts may occur weekly, but most likely sporadically. Always on a Friday. I share my current thoughts, the things I might be mulling over. New insights or discoveries, my experiments, books I'm reading. The current dream-story I'm crafting. Enjoy!

One) my current existential question or crises, depending on how you wanna look at it.
My revised translation regarding life-living is: a series or stories, experiences spun into the meaning we give. Depending on the sum of those experiences, a consequence or action may occur or be required, so we alter our stories all the time. We switch in between the dimensions of our storied life ​in order to continue on breathing in a well thought out or beautifully dreamed up reality. But, when that reality pierces us, blindsides us, harms us- we pay attention. I'm looking at all the connections lately.

Still with me? Okay, good.

Two) collage. It's where my overthinking brain untangles and softly drift away into the background. When my awareness realizes...nothing. is happening.

Three) Death is never going to make sense. Sometimes I find myself trying to explain to people how death isn't concerned with it's meaning.

Four) Speaking of . . . I've been into this song lately by Ibeyi.

Five) Favorite drink as of late: earl grey latte, aka: iced London fog. If you are local to me, Foxwood Coffee & Tea has the best in the area imho. It's called a "Frisco Fog." Also, get the California bagel. Cream cheese drizzled with pesto and topped with a big slice of (heirloom) tomato. Seriously delicious. I also like foxes so I'm a big fan of this family owned cafe.

Six) We sit on the couch together, our bodies side by side. We hold hands. I think to myself of how fortunate we are to have found each other. I feel a wave of gratitude rush over me. I look at him and his eyes meet mine as if he knew exactly what I was feeling in that moment.

Seven) This dog. I finally mastered her barks. There is a particular low "warning bark" when a random passerby be it a neighbor jogging past or a delivery driver gets too close to the end of the driveway. She has a tiny bump of a bark when she wants to come back inside after a potty break. A little squeal and dance when she wants out. A short muffled bark in the morning to wake us up. This dog. She has trained me well.

Eight) The intensity of my process lately has required that I clear space. I just didn't think it would be so dramatic, but the liberation is incredible. More on this later.

Today, in honor of my b{earth}day, I take some time to list "what I've learned so far".  These are moments of experience and perspectives that I have discovered along my journey.  I proudly claim that I don't have it at all figured out, because I believe there is no having it all figured out place to ever get to. Working on this list helps me to realize this even more.  There is no end.

This is my 37th year and looking back, I am reminded again that I have learned a specific way to be in the world.  Some things due to conditioning, some routine, habitual and created through fear.  Some things, deep and meaningful.  Some are work in progress, and some were really hard experiences that changed me.  There are many that offer excitement because of their abundant potential and unexplored possibilities.

• Belief can be magical and it can also keep you really stuck.  Belief is flexible and pliable.
• People are doing their best from where they are regardless of what I think.
• Feelings are for feeling.  They deserve to be experienced, heard and held gently even if that witness is my journal or a good long cry while you soak in the tub.
• Bread-making is an art and takes practice.
• Every soul has a unique way of: processing, perceiving, understanding, expressing, responding to and interpreting the journey of their life.
• My kids grew me, which made adopting and raising pets a whole lot easier.
• My body is not bad.  My extra weight is not a punishment.
• Creativity is about flow, it has it's cycles and waves.
• I am not the typical woman.
• Sometimes you have to let relationships go for the healing of both involved.
• Rekindling friendships is extending a hand to either grow together or check in to see it the vibration is a match.
• Ritual and ceremony are powerful.
• There may not always be cures, but healing is always available.  There is a difference.
• Holidays and birthdays are an opportunity to change my perspective about them or comfort the inner child or hurt parts of myself.
  
• Processing with friends, counselors, therapists, etc. is crucial.
• Art is my therapy, but the processing is my healer.
• Allowing for healing is a very good start.
• Research can be whatever it needs to be as you explore new territory.
• Getting all mushy with my friends or loved ones is encouraged.  I try to share when I'm called to.
• Mourning/grieving is not linear.  It is ebb and flow.
• I am a warrior, but also a soft and tender healer.
• The "Spirit-World" IS my scientific proof.
• I can't deny the ancestral roots even when I avoid it or feel unworthy to own it.
• Shame SUCKS.
• I love my daughter more and more as she gets older, I love my mother immensely as I get older.
• With age, I am growing more sensitive, tender and free'er.
• I'm practicing returning more phone calls, especially to my dear loves.
• I am realizing how much lists and schedules work for me.
• Writing doesn't have to be scholarly.
• At my core: I am an inspiratrice for the spiritual and creative process.
• Voice can be so healing.
• I won't downplay, shroud or limit who I am.  It's not my responsibility to do that work for others. They're curious questions are invitations to learn something new.
• I will remind my mate how we met and how it felt.  It's a great story.
• My children are finding they're way.  Everyone is trying to do the same.  Being easy on them is being easy on myself.
• Art CAN be just for process.
• Integrity is a dance I'm flowing into more or an awareness that is coming into focus.
• Checking in with my body and senses is taking care of myself.
• I will practice asking myself the questions first.