Mantra [Written 10/2009]

What does it mean to naturally curl?

to release, relax and completely unfurl.

 

to mediate and dedicate yourself to your one.

to listen to your gut and move forward with ease

to know where you’re going and not care to please.

to hold out your hand with faith

to follow a path that is going someplace.

to not worry or wonder, to list or number

 

to be content with your surroundings

to know where you are

to know who you are

to live life any way you like

to make decisions without thinking twice

 

to be clear headed and simple minded

to not carry a grudge or be sorely reminded

to help out a stranger

to never feel in danger

to carry your head up high

to never shield a stare or be shy

to always do your best

to live without worry of failure or jest

to do as you please

and always do it with ease

 

to just breathe

open your eyes wide

just breathe

everything with be okay

just breathe

30 Days To Go – Stiches: A Graphic Novel

“Stitches is composed of 7 issues/chapters making a complete graphic novel. The story follows Hu YaFu, a young man of Chinese descent, struggling to find his own identity. The story opens during the funeral for the old man who used to live above him when Hu was a boy. The old man has left him a box containing an ornate needle and thimble, several spools of thread, and a cryptic note that only says “I’m sorry.” Hu investigates the contents and through his searching and a series of his own flashbacks, we learn more about the old man. His people called him the “Fate Stitcher Man” and he had the ability to sew extra attributes like luck, courage, or compassion into peoples’ souls. He’s left the tools of his trade to Hu and now the people who used to work for the Fate Stitcher Man want them back. As Hu avoids capture, he continues to trace the origin of the magic needle and thread, while potentially continuing the legacy of the Fate Stitcher Man.”

Wait. What happens next?

If you’re like me and got hooked within the first few lines and then got really hooked when you found out Hu could also stitch attributes into people’s souls, then we need you!

My friend, Dan, wrote this graphic novel synopsis. It will be his first full length graphic novel and he only has 30 days. In 30 days, if he has not received enough money from backers, then the project will be scrapped.

He needs 9 grand. Whoa, right? Who knew it cost so much. I guess when you think about the artists he has to hire and all the production costs, it could easily be more.

So if you’re a fan of dreams and want to help a guy achieve the dream he’s carried around since he was a child, than please visit his Kickstarter Project.

Thank You,

Jen “JenRaytion” Ray

P.S. I will keep of you, my readers updated on his progress. So far it looks like he has $885 out of $9,000. Almost one-ninth of the way there!

The time I bought $70 worth of groceries through the self-check AKA I’m back b*tches

It’s a beautiful day here in the mountains. Not a cloud in the sky and the birds are chirping. Well I can’t hear them, but I assume so; it’s a bird-chirping kind of day.

I awoke at 7:00am feeling energized and happy when a crazy thought jumped into my brain. What if I went to the grocery store before work. I’d been meaning to get that errand done for the past…um…week? So yeah, it was about time.  7:15 on a Thursday sounds like the perfect choice for a shopping trip. After a Starbucks stop, I buzzed over to King Soopers. I had 30 minutes to shop, scan and pay. That’s it, because as I realized on the way there, I was going to be the one to put all these groceries away when I got back. Ugh.

The shopping part was easy and satisfying. I budgeted $71 for everything so that I wouldn’t overdraft my account. And even though Ryan claims he couldn’t tell if I bought anything besides chips, I bought a lot! Chocolate flavored coffee, tons of fresh produce, a pizza and, because I’m the best fiancé ever, a pot roast. I’m scared of that pot roast.  We’ll see…

After a refreshing shopping experience, it was time to check out and get out.  However, since it’s 7am and hardly anyone comes to the store at this hour, the only lane open was an express lane.  I did not have 15 items or less.  Of course, the self-check lanes were all open.  So I had to stop and ask myself: Would you rather be the jerk who takes 50 items through the express lane or the jerk who takes forever in the self-check? And I answered myself, Bitch, please, you can scan all your groceries through the self-check in less time than this teenager can ring up 3 people!

Game on.

Ain’t she a beauty?

One last glance at my cart, one last glance at my newly returned and ready-for-action left hand and I started scanning- like no one had ever scanned before. Beep, beep, beep—Please place item in the bagging area. Ugh.  So apparently the computer doesn’t know how many groceries I have.  I am going to have to leave all of them in the “bagging area.”  A welcomed challenge becomes a new opportunity.  Since I am the one ringing up and bagging, I can custom design each bag to achieve its full potential.  No more wasted space.  Take that, environment!

With most items done and bagged, the rules change.  Produce.  I bought a lot of produce.  These bits of greenery require a code.  A PLU code.  A set of numbers I memorized long ago when I was 16 and working at Marsh (grocery store).  Deep breath.  You can do this, you have the knowledge. Cucumbers 4062, Avocado 4225, Shallots 4662 (holy crap, I remembered shallots!), Broccoli Crowns 4548, and last but certainly not least, Pear…Wait, what kind of pear is this? Sticker, thank goodness! Pear 4416.

And Done!

70  dollars – both under budget and over capacity for a typical self-check order.  I ended up with 9 bags all piled into my cart.  The whole process took less than 3 minutes and I didn’t have to call over the attendee one time.  Success.

I took my receipt and turned around fully expecting a crowd to have gathered. No one was there. No one even looked my way.  So, I solemnly pushed my cart past the self-check attendee who only said, “Have a good day.”   I already ‘had a good day’ and it wouldn’t kill you to congratulate me on how awesome that was. AKA, “Thanks, you too.”

Once back in my car, I promised myself that this success would not live in vain.  I would spread the word of my victory.  Then and there I decided, I was going to brag about it alllll daaaay loooong.