The Promise of Pixie Dust

Being sensitive and in tune with the world can be very painful. There’s so much suffering. It’s hard not to drown in sorrow, in both our own and others. However, the only way to be is to feel, to give, to love. The challenge is not in the feeling. No, the test, is learning how to navigate the highs and lows of life’s tide, to understand, not only our frailties, but the frailties of others; to embrace the pain, but never lose sight of hope and the healing powers of love. #balance

Wearing our hearts on our sleeves, is dangerous. We run the risk of having them knocked off and broken, but I’d rather take that chance than keep my heart closed off from the world. I just want to feel, live and BE (and eat chocolate, hang out with Jon Stewart and listen to Justin Bieber tunes while solving math problem) Okay, well, maybe not those last two.

“I can’t help it,
I love the broken ones,
The ones who
Need the most patching up.
The ones who
Never been loved,
Never been loved,
Never been loved enough.
Maybe I see a part of me in them.
The missing piece always trying to fit in.
The shattered heart
Hungry for a home.
No, you’re not alone.
I love the broken ones.”

Life Lessons as Told by a Reformed Southern Belle

1. Be comfortable in your skin. Live fearlessly. Know what you want. Embrace your passions

2. Be an original. Remember there is nobody else like you. Never let anyone else define your worth. Define yourself!. Write your script. Make it a masterpiece.

3. Every human life has value. We’re all equal. When the rights of one are violated, so are the rights of all. Be a voice for love and humanity Do more. Expect more. Be more.

4. Worrying and obsessing over a problem is a waste. Use that time to work on fixing the issues and brainstorming solutions. In between, perhaps, eat a scoop of rocky road or have a good workout session with a punching bag .Note, the punching bag should not be someone’s face:)

5. Having hopes and dreams is wonderful. However, making those hopes and dreams a reality through hard work and determination is the stuff of which dreams are made.

6. Be kind.

7. A world without love is like a book without words, a box without chocolate, hope without faith. Empty.

8. “This too shall pass” See. This list is just about over.

9. Perhaps, we shouldn’t be offended by song lyrics, or a piece of art. The world would be a far better place if we were more offended by poverty, war, greed, social injustices.

10. Every day is a new day and a chance to begin again, to love, the ones you adore, to count your blessings,, to dance around the kitchen barefoot with the music blaring, to make up silly songs about your rock star cat, to eat another piece of chocolate, to read an amazing piece of literature, and to realizes life is beautifully complex, but simple too.

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Rules to Get Through Another Hallmark Holiday-by Tosha Michelle

1. Flowers picked, not bought. Any idiot can call the florist. It takes a special idiot to go out and create his own bouquet of suck up.

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2. Absolutely no gifts from CVS or Walgreens

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3. No plush toys, unless they are of the adult variety.

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4. The same applies for appliances.

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5. A card is a must. Extra points for a homemade one with a love letter inside.

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6. Ladies, break out the sexy underwear, or better yet, no underwear.

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7. Also, girls, no personal ads to your snuggly, buggly, baby boo…. especially if it’s the first date.

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8. Gentleman no gifts inside a ring size box, unless it’s actually a ring…a really really big ring…

Otherwise, your night is going to get all kinds of awkward .

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9. If you are alone and single on Valentine’s Day, or married and alone (hey, you never know), kick Cupid to the curb, grab a friend and go out and celebrate YOU.

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10. Make love the star of the show all the time, not just on some commercial cliche holiday made popular by Hallmark. Love is alive and all around us. Take time to experience and bask in it presence every day of your existence. Embrace love. Feel love. Be love.

“Where there is love there is life.”
― Mahatma Gandhi

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The Weight Of Words-(The be all, end all of books)

The Weight of Words, by Georgina Guthrie, is a delight for lovers of the Bard and romantic fiction. Aubrey Price is a University of Toronto student finishing up her last semester of her undergraduate degree, and striving to graduate with distinction. She is very down to earth and spirited, and works part-time for the Dean of College to make ends meet. Aubrey’s world is shaken up when she encounters the dean’s son, Daniel Grant; a handsome and complex man. There is an instant and palpable attraction. There is one slight problem; Daniel is her TA in her Shakespearean studies course. The university has a rigid anti-fraternizing policy. To further complicate matters, Daniel already has a black mark on his record. What does a woman do when the only man she wants is out of reach? What does a man do when the only woman he desires is off limits?

The Weight of Words is a must-read and a wonderful debut for Georgina Guthrie. It may sound trite, but I was hooked from the first sentence. And the book has yet to let go; even after reading the final page. While The Weight of Words has elicited comparisons to Sylvain Reynard’s brilliant trilogy, Gabriel’s Inferno, make no mistake, Guthrie has an idiosyncratic voice that is distinctly her own. I fell in love with Aubrey and Daniel, and you will too. Audrey is, quite literally, a contradiction in terms. One moment she might be throwing out words like dude, deets, or the occasional F-bomb. The next she is reciting Shakespeare with ease. Guthrie has a knack for channeling the way college students talk, as well as an extensive knowledge of the Bard. In Aubrey, she has created a brilliant, witty, feisty to the core, fiercely independent, young woman. How can you not love that? As for Daniel, move over Mr. Darcy. Gabriel, get thee behind. You gentlemen have some new swooning competition. Daniel is handsome, worldly, a bit of a brooder, but equally as sharp and witty as Aubrey. The chemistry between the two leaps off the pages (Holy, hotness, moly).

The book provides all the passion, angst, humor and sexual tension that any lover of romantic fiction could want. The cast of characters is hilarious and lively. A particular favorite of mine is Penny (Daniel’s brother’s English fiancée). She is ballsy, has no filter, and will leave you in stitches. She’ll teach you some colorful colloquialisms too- cheeky git that she is.

Guthrie also presents Shakespeare in a fun and entertaining way. The reader can’t help but feel the author’s love and appreciation for the Bard. If ole Shakey were alive today, Guthrie’s novel would surely make him even more smitten with the “weight of words”. Who knows, perhaps he had a prophetic vision of her book when he was writing Sonnet 18 😉 Could his beloved have been a novel? Okay, maybe not. But let’s go with it, shall we? I leave you with the Bard words and encourage you to purchase The Weight of Words. Georgina Guthrie is a masterful storyteller with an observant eye, a witty writer that will make you laugh out loud, and an author with a finely tuned sense of emotion and romance. I can’t wait for the next installment in the ongoing romantic adventures and hardships of Daniel and Aubrey.

SONNET 18
Shall I compare thee to a summer’s day?
Thou art more lovely and more temperate:
Rough winds do shake the darling buds of May,
And summer’s lease hath all too short a date:
Sometime too hot the eye of heaven shines,
And often is his gold complexion dimm’d;
And every fair from fair sometime declines,
By chance, or nature’s changing course, untrimm’d;
But thy eternal summer shall not fade
Nor lose possession of that fair thou ow’st;
Nor shall Death brag thou wander’st in his shade,
When in eternal lines to time thou grow’st;
So long as men can breathe or eyes can see,
So long lives this, and this gives life to thee.

You can find Georgina Guthrie on the web at:

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Georgina-Guthrie/133334970209975
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/19139026-the-weight-of-words

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Mr. Elite

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Mr. Elite

By Tosha Michelle

Mr. Elite with a rose in his lapel,

Wearing a condescending smile,.

A mask of civility and refinement,

Underneath he is repelled.

A girl in a vintage dress, demure and shy,

Humble visage, wanting only to impress.

A heartfelt smile, a beguiling  sigh.

She briefly catches his eye.

Her apprehended affections,

Cast aside like bad tasting wine.

 Mr. Elite with the rose in his lapel.

Slowly watched as the flower fell.

And upon descending left a black spot

a permanent mark.

The proud flower,

in all its bold and illustrious wonder.

The sheen of propriety.  Gone.

Tarnish by a callous disregard.

Mr. Elite for a second wavered in his shallow ways.

But for  the girl the rose had lost it luster.

Sage Wisdom (cough. cough) by Yours Truly

1. On the days you can’t seem to please anyone, please yourself.

2. Everyone has baggage. It’s just that some of ours comes in a carry on while others comes in a tank of a suitcase.

3. You can never change a man so don’t even try. Love him as he is and save your energy for more important endeavors: like eating Godiva, shopping, and hiding his body.

4. Justice may be for all, but seldom is.

5. Childbirth is a walk in the park compared to child rearing.

6. Less fear. More action.

7. Music can soothe the soul unless it is hip hop; then I just want to brain someone.

8. When in Hot Topic, be sure to distinguish between the door and glass window before charging toward what you think is the exit. Trust me, your head will thank you. Also, take along a friend and children who will actaully stop you from the aforementioned instead of laughing at you like you are the funniest thing since Bridesmaids, the movie. OK, never mind that film was terrible, but you get the point.

9. Unsolicited advice is rarely appreciated unless the person you are giving it to is hammered at the time.

10. Wearing freakishly high heels to a standing room only concert is never a good idea; just ask my feet.

11.. Kindness is more important than having the last word unless, you are dealing with a jerk; then go ahead get in the last dig:)

12. Money does not buy happiness, but it can buy a boatload of chocolate.

13. Love, not time, heals all wounds.

14. Bitterness and resentment will destroy your soul. Let it go!

15. I can’t help how I feel, but I can help how I act on my feelings.

16. Accept and value yourself. This will bring you happiness. Embrace the good and the bad. I think we will always care what others think of us. But the key it to stop worrying about it and live our lives on our terms. Love the ones who matter. Leave out the rest.

17. It’s not what you say, it is what you do. So carry a big stick. I know Huh???

18. No matter how much you care, some people are just A-holes.

19. If you are a celebrity, sadly, you can get away with pretty much anything.

20. Southern girls do it better. Note, I am not sure what “it” is, but trust me, we do it better!

21. Sweet tea goes with anything.

22. Cats only want attention when you are sleeping, reading, writing a paper, or doing chores.

23. By the way, my cat is a rock star.

24. Reading is fundamental, but math will get you the high paying jobs.

25. There is beauty in imperfection.

26. Growth only comes through change; or eating tons of chocolate.

27. Everyday you should reach out and touch someone, just be prepared to be slapped.

28. It is more important to be lovable than loved.

29. In order to get along with your obnoxious, elitist, know it all of an neighbor, pretend they’re someone else’s.

30. Robert Frost was right, “Life goes on.”

Goodbye Neverland

 

This is a poem I wrote about the loss of friendship.See below.  At the time, I wasn’t ready to embrace letting go.  It’s funny how we meet certain people and just know they are fated to be in our lives forever, but the universe has different plans. Reflecting back, I now understand that not all friendships are meant to last although every friendship has a purpose.  Friends come into our life for a reason. They offer us just what we need at that particular moment in our lives..They help us grow…that growth could take a week, 6 months or years, but when we have arrived at our spiritual destination it is time to move on, time to let go..Letting go is never easy. It hurts!  But the best thing we can do for ourselves is to keep looking forward and believe that everything is as it’s meant to be.

Letting go means letting go of fear. letting go of guilt, and letting go of blame.. Don’t be afraid to move on. People will always fall away, and hey sometimes they fall back.. However, we have to live in the now, to know that for the time being we’ve learned all we can from them. Don’t grieve for what is lost but rejoice for what was. Friendships are sacred and they reflect who we are. Just as we change so do they. Things don’t happen to us. They happen for us.

If there’s one lesson life has taught me is the only constant in this world are the hands of time and change..Roll with it…

Goodbye Neverland

Sunny days, walking along the beach

Collecting fragile seashells and memories;

That must not to be overlooked or forgotten.

Sitting and basking in the sublime breeze

As the tides rolled in, lulling us with a sense of peace.

We talked about books, politics and philosophy

And we argued about the latest trends;

All the while we reflected on life in all its intricacies,

As we marveled at the crystal blue waters;

Like a marvelous friendship that never seemed to end.

Blanketed by serene winds belonging to no land,

I sat with my lost-boy from Never-Never-land.

The dreamy landscape forever expanding

We were taken away to mystic distant realms afar.

Suddenly the clouds rolled in,

The wind turned cold and the sky dark and gray.

I reached for your hand thinking,

We will run and hide from the rain together; but

You were nowhere to be found.

Left alone with the ominous sounds of waves

Crashing on the shore, I called out for you, but

The thunder cracked the air, silencing my breath away.

Where did you go my friend?

I need you now to guide me home.

Who will help me board up the windows?

I cannot secure the house all tight alone all night.

Was it just an illusion, thinking you would stand with me and fight?

How could you leave me alone battling the storms?

Consumed with pain and fear for our friendship so fragile,

That it could not withstand mere earthly elements.

Just like a storm, we grew together, raining our tears,

Until we ceased to be; just as a storm ends bringing about

The inevitable clear blue skies of fair weather, friend.

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30 Things Every Man Should Know. …at least according to ME

1. You look hot in a plain white t-shirt and jeans. Plaids and flannels too.

2. You look equally adorable in a suit and tie (every girl’s crazy about a sharp dressed man) Add a vest and holy hotness moly.

3. Use tools…don’t be a tool.

4. The clothes hamper exist for a reason. Use it

5. “You look fine” is never the appropriate response.

6. Being protective is sweet. Being possessive is creepy.

7. On the flip side being indifferent is never OK. EVER!

8. asking for directions doesn’t make you less of a man.  

9. Stimulate our minds. It’s the quickest way to our hearts

10.  Stimulate our bodies too. Sometimes we like to be taken (note, not out, more like against a wall, on a desk, in a car) etc.

11. it’s your presence we crave, not presents.

12. Chocolate is always the answer.

13. If you spend more time in front of the mirror than we do. We’re going to have an issue.

14. No skinny jeans. EVER!

15. Any idiot can buy flowers. Try picking them.

16. Brains and brawn are a winning combination.

17. But brawn without brains will only get you so far.

18. Confidence is sexy. Arrogance is a turn off.

19. Humility goes a long way.

20. Our relationship with clothes and shoes are none of your business.

21. A five o’clock shadow is a thing of beauty.  

22. We remember EVERYTHING!

 23. We are worthy of respect. We should never have to demand it.

24.  back your words up with actions.

25. You look cute with your hands on your hip.  Work it gurl.

 26. Love us…love our mothers.

27. Dance with us in the rain, serenade us, recite us poetry, open doors for us.

28. Cologne is a must..Just don’t bathe in it.

29. It’s OK if you don’t understand us.

30.Need us, want us. Love us. Accept us, sheltered us. Believe in us and we’ll respond in kind.

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Love Lost

Love can be unconditional, pure, lustful, unrequited,, uninhibited, immoral, religious, familial, and lost. These are two poems I wrote about the latter.

Nostalgia enters.
Melancholy takes her cue.
Tantalizing and haunting melodies fill the air.
Sitting transfixed lost in echoes of the past-
Nostalgia is lost in a reminiscent trance.
Clinging to ephemeral dreams
Melancholy’s carnival of variegated colors
Illuminates the stage in her mind
Whilst churning away through the scenery of her mind.
Memories linger…
Revelations of the soul’s misdirection
Unveil a plot left untold.
Remorse…regrets…the awful longing that always comes-
With bittersweet remembrances of
Myths of love promised forever.
The mist-bound dreamer chained to chords of reasons
Recalls an ancient season.
The lights go up the curtain falls
Leaving the audience- to wonder and
Longing for another chance to
Make Love to a one true romance.

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Remember at the station, waiting
on the train, on that sultry summer day?

We stood lost in an embrace, breathing in
each other that way. that awful, terrible,
perfect mad and delicious way that took us
to the shrouded place.

Remember at the station that day, waiting
on the train, as the wind hummed a lovers tune?

She sang of sublime ends, from supple beginnings.
the alluring medley of serenity in a war of rhyme
on the sharp bloody edge of Neverland and Narnia,
the peaceful enchanting interlude of rage & myth.

Remember at the station, that day, as
the train churned closer and we cussed goodbye?

His steam a prelude to our eternal kiss, the sun
soaked, never ending fuel of light, of love, of
heat. Basking and bathing, merged and emerged and submerged, Dancing and swaying in time
with golden chariot and the huntress.

Remember at the station that day, as
the train tugged away, on a endless track?

We gazed as it came — as it came — as it went
through the crossroads. We did not know,
our own separate, distant destinations,. Our own
rail-less wild paths cut into unimagined mountainsides
You to the west, me to the east.

Remember the station that day as
the train, conducted our last kiss?

That gaping wound where our lips met. Where
we learned cruel fate is hot love and all love is
the calamity of un-armored battle. We all go under

wrong or right. Each of us blankets miles and the ground
is nothing but a shifting litter with irascible iridescent hope and hurt-dulled dreams, unfulfilled plans and schemes.

Remember the station that day, waiting
in twilight until we forgot and travelled on, and on

alone, with only prayers of new Twilight to set
in stony slumber with hard solace of old loves loss
then found again.