Inauguration 2009

I can hardly believe it... A friend and I have just secured two tickets to Obama's Inauguration in Washington, D.C. on January 20th, 2009.

We really didn't think we had a chance at this point.

Don't get me wrong... we had decided back in October to be in D.C. for the event no matter what. We booked our flights and hotel a couple of weeks before the election, assuming we could always make changes or cancellations, for a small fee, if necessary. But we knew it wouldn't be necessary. We were both checking fivethirtyeight.com obsessively by mid-October, and it was already pretty clear that it was going to be an Obama landslide. Simultaneous with the the inspiration to book early, had arrived a crystal-clear vision in my mind's eye of us standing there, on the lawn, the podium roughly at eye level. That vision never left my mind's eye. I didn't know how we were going to get there; it was just never a concern, as strange as that sounds. I don't know if we manifested this, or if it was just one of my premonitions... I'm starting to wonder if maybe the difference between the two is sometimes negligible...

Anyway. After the election, we immediately began e-mailing, calling, and writing to our Senators and Representatives... along with the rest of the Progressive population of the United States. What we received in response were form letters and form e-mails, explaining to us that there was an unprecedented demand for Inauguration tickets this year, and that our request would unfortunately not be met.

We were undaunted, because we knew that just being in D.C. for the week of the Inauguration is going to be an incredibly good time. We just wanted to be part of the experience in any way possible. To see D.C. for the first time during that week is going to be so much fun.

And then yesterday, my friend mentioned that she had recently met two people who got tickets to the Inauguration. They suggested that we check again with our representatives to see if anyone had not picked up their tickets. They were convinced it was worth a try. My friend said she'd be happy to check into it, but wouldn't knock herself out over it. Neither of us was too attached to the outcome.

Well, a rep from one our our Congresspeople's offices just called her back this morning to let her know that there are two tickets available for us. We had to give our names so that the tickets could be reserved especially for us.

I am still in shock, and yet not exactly surprised. :)

Blood Type, Diet and Personality

Lately I've been exploring the relationship between blood type, diet, and health. I know a couple of people who lost 30-50 lbs on the Eat Right for your Type diet. Since I moved back to the suburbs 2+ years ago, I've been struggling with weight gain. So I got curious and bought one of the Eat Right books a couple of months ago.
In addition to my friends' proven successes on the plan, I was sold by the fact that the diet recommended for my type (I'm blood type A RHpos) is very much aligned with how I eat when I am paying attention to my body and taking good care of myself: mostly vegetarian, with certain types of fish being good for me and others not agreeing with me. Plenty of fruits and vegetables, with berries being especially good and banana, coconut, and melon not so much. Root veggies and dark leafy greens need to be a much bigger part of my food world... Cream cheese, sour cream, feta and goat cheese are all fine, but I need to stay away from the most cow's milk products and the hard cheeses that I love to gorge myself on, but secretly know don't agree with me. I could eat chicken according to the type A plan, but I choose not to. The plan also says I must stay away from all kinds of red meat; I figured that out about 15 years ago. It also says that while gluten is fine for me, wheat is not a good choice. (This is a tough one given that wheat flour is used as a filler in sooo many processed foods and breads.)
Anyway, the fact that the plan syncs with much of what I've discovered through 15 years of trial and error makes me happy; I tend not to like too much sudden change... unless it's my idea; imposed from some external source, not so much.

Since being introduced to the Eat Right diet, I've been wondering about how it might sync up with Macrobiotics and Ayurveda (Indian medicine), both of which are systems I've experimented with in the past, that seem to overlap nicely for my "type" and particular issues.

When I stumbled across a link to this article on HuffPo, I found it a fascinating addition to my little study of blood type and how it relates to diet, lifestyle and personality. It should, I suppose, be taken with a grain of salt because of its provenance. Nonetheless, the type A description is spot-on for me:

Type O
You are the social butterflies. Often popular and self-confident, you are very creative and always seem to be the center of attention. You make a good impression on people and you’re often quite attractive. Organized and determined, your stubbornness will help you reach your goals. You make good leaders. Lovewise, O is most compatible with O and AB. Common career choices: banker, politician, gambler, minister, investment broker, and pro athlete.

Type A
Type As may seem calm on the outside, but inside, you’re filled with anxiety and worry. You’re perfectionists and often shy and sensitive. Usually introverted, you’re stable and thoughtful. You make good listeners and are sensitive to color and your surroundings. You like to be fashionable and are up on the latest trends, but never flashy or gaudy. You like romantic settings and often shun reality for fantasy worlds. A is most compatible with A and AB in the love department. Common career choices: accountant, librarian, economist, writer, computer programmer, and gossip columnist.

Type B
You can be very goal-oriented and often complete the ambitious tasks set before you. Outgoing and very charming, you’re good at reading people and providing support. Though critical of appearance (but not your own), you aren’t picky and are unlikely to dwell over the little things. Type Bs are impulsive individualists who often create their own path in life. You are very strong and optimistic. B is most compatible with B and AB lovers. Common career choices: cook, hairdresser, military leader, talk show host, and journalist.

Type AB
Not surprisingly, ABs can be quite dualistic, possessing both A and B traits. You may be shy and outgoing, and hesitant and confident. You often stand out from others, don’t like labels, and are nice and easy going. You are logical and determined to do things correctly. Usually trustworthy, you like to help others. You often speak in a serious manner. Your patience, concentration, and intelligence are admirable. AB can find a soul mate with any other blood type. Common career choices: bartender, lawyer, teacher, sales representative, and social worker.

Read the entire article here.

I'd love to see some huge, integrative chart of how blood type characteristics sync up with Macrobiotics and Ayurveda in terms of diet, lifestyle, and personality...

How To Tell The Truth

Something that a friend wrote recently on the subject of telling the truth and being direct has reminded me of an article I stumbled across years ago... when I was trying to figure out, quite literally, how to tell the truth. It had recently become unavoidably clear to me that I was not a particularly honest person. A dear friend put it as kindly as he possibly could, and in hindsight-- 13 years on-- I see that he really nailed it. He said, "I think you're as honest with others are you are with yourself." (Which was to say, at the time, very dishonest indeed.)

Being the geek that I am, I actually did an internet search for any insights I might find. This article, and the decisions and actions that followed from it, started a process that has been ongoing ever since.

I had thought that figuring out how to tell the truth was the starting point; was I ever wrong.

Truth: How and Why To Tell It

Here's an excerpt:

Knowing one's own truth.
We are all on our journey toward knowing ourselves better, becoming more aware and more connected to the truth of who we really are.
It is only through our relationships with others that we discover deeper truths about ourselves.
I can never know the truth about another's journey towards truth.

I am on my own unique journey and can never know about another's journey.
Every person's journey is unique to themselves. Though someone else may not allow themselves to know much about their journey, but it is certain that I cannot know about it. So I will stop trying to figure out the truth of another's journey.
If I am looking to others to decide what to do, think, or feel, I am lost in their journey. I feel unease. When I let go of trying to figure out the other person's journey, their intention, their goal or motivation, I feel ease.

I can always know the truth about myself.
The journey towards my truth exists only for me. It is unique to me and for me.
My truth does not have to be substantiated with facts. It does not have to be proven. It does not have to be confirmed.
With mindfulness, I can be well connected to my truth.

Read the rest of the article here

One of the many things I've always loved about that article, and this particular type of truth-telling, is that it makes very clear that figuring out one's own truth is a full-time job. I'm on my journey, you're on yours. I'm writing the script to my life; I can't write yours and you can't fill in the blanks of mine. The most we can do is compare notes, and maybe give a tiny bit of insight in the places where we've had similar experiences.

Coincidentally, I stumbled across a couple of quotes earlier today, on Rob Brezny's site, that are relevant here. Specifically, they deal with the concept of truth-telling as it relates to political and social life, service, and activism.

"The best political, social, and spiritual work we can do is to withdraw the projection of our shadow onto others."
--Carl Jung

"Political activism is seductive because it seems to offer the possibility that one can improve society, make things better, without going through the personal ordeal of rearranging one's perceptions and transforming one's self."
--Tom Robbins

Something in me had always been drawn to extremely direct people. Something in me still is. I have many direct people in my life, and I'm always looking for more. I'm definitely in the You Can't Have Too Many Friends camp.

But these days, I especially value those who can deliver honesty with directness, yes, but with love and compassion as well. Truth-telling, being direct, calling bullshit... there's a form of this that is actually, at heart, quite dishonest. When it becomes sanctimonious, anger-laden, cruel... there's invariably something else going on. At that point, the "truths" that are being delivered really aren't useful; something else is in the way.

Truth is always ultimately built on a foundation of love. It's just sometimes quite difficult and scary to get underneath the surface of things and figure out what's really going on, and to understand what, or who, really needs to change. It's easy to get comfortable with our own Official Story, and to cling to it come hell or high water. But it's also easy to suss out the blind spots: they'll always be right where we're afraid to look, right around the most ominous-looking corner. They'll always be protecting the parts of ourselves and others we're failing to really, deeply love.

I am resolved to take these guidelines to heart, once again, as I step into the new year.

Knotty Pine

by Meredith Broome. See more at her site, Relevant Elephants

Famous Blue Raincoat

Tori Amos covering Leonard Cohen's "Famous Blue Raincoat"... doesn't get much better than this!