Friday, January 10, 2014

"When in doubt, just take the next small step."

Writer Regina Brett's life lessons are great little nuggets of wisdom.  There's something for everyone!  This week, I am reflecting on the following lesson:  "When in doubt, just take the next small step."

These days, life seems to be more complicated than it has ever been.  Or, is it?  We all remember simpler times when choices were a lot easier, and our paths might have seemed a lot more clear-cut.  When you simplify everything and focus on the path ahead of you -- the small step in front of you -- things will seem more manageable.  When you're overwhelmed, try breaking things down and just go for that small step.  Those little victories can add up to a big success!



Visit Regina's website here.

Monday, January 6, 2014

The Lovers Card in the Tarot

While a lot of people see the Lovers card as solely about love, I see it as much more.  Love is the tip of the iceberg, but so many loves are present in this card.  There is the love between a man and a woman (or two men, or two women, as love never discriminates!), but I also mustn't ignore the angelic presence in the card.  This card can represent humanity's love for one another, for the universe's love for all of its children, the love between God and his creations, or even familial love between parents and children, or relatives for one another.  The card represents romantic or sexual love in its most basic form, when you see the naked people standing there.  It evokes the beautiful story of Adam and Eve, the basic and primal feelings of love and companionship between people as well.   The card also represents a loving family, with the angel watching over her charges with joy and love.

This card can also represent anything with is personally fulfilling, not just contact or relationships with other people.  Consider fulfillment, a goal being met, work being completed, or a lifelong dream which has been realized.  All of these things are like pieces in the puzzle of life.  The Lovers points to these pieces fitting together and forming a bigger picture, one which you may have longed to complete.

The reversed meaning:  I always interpret this card not as the absence of love, or even the loss of an existing love.  Instead, I use the comparison of pieces of a puzzle instead -- perhaps the love, the fulfillment, that which you long for or which completes you -- are there for the taking.  But instead of being present and strong in your life, these elements are elusive and hard for you to capture completely.  However, the potential is there.  It may not feel as if these things are as close as you think they are, but they're definitely hovering around.  All you need to do is to find out how to reach them, and the fulfillment of the Lovers card will be yours!

Sunday, January 5, 2014

"Does He Like Me?" Even More Ways To Tell If He Likes You!


He smiles a lot when he's around you.

He stares at you... (Your face, not just your other body parts.)

He becomes clumsy, tongue-tied, or awkward around you.

He remembers small details about you that other people don't remember.

He touches you -- even low-key subtle touching.

He sticks up for you.

He behaves in a more cool, mature way when you're around.

He shares a playlist with you. (Very intimate!)

He asks real questions about your life. (Other than just "How's it going?)

He asks if you want to "hang out" casually.  (If he really likes you, he may
be nervous to actually ask for a DATE!)

He asks questions about you to your friends.

He tries to find out who you like: is it someone else?  Or maybe it's him?

He says your name a lot when you talk with him.

He calls you, texts you, or chats with you on Facebook more than he used to.

He talks about other girls around you, trying to make you jealous.

He refers to you by a nickname (even a slightly teasing one).He laughs at your jokes... even the ones that aren't very funny.

When he jokes about something, he looks at you first to see your reaction.

He talks as if you're a couple, makes flirty references to you, jokes about dating you, etc.

He compliments the way you look.

Thursday, January 2, 2014

Prophecies of Nostradamus: Century VIII

Century VIII

1
Pau, Nay, Loron will be more of fire than blood,
to swim in praise, the great one to flee to the confluence (of rivers).
He will refuse entry to the magpies
Pampon and the Durance will keep them confined.
2
Condom and Auch and around Mirande,
I see fire from the sky which encompasses them.
Sun and Mars conjoined in Leo, then at Marmande,
lightning, great hail, a wall falls into the Garonne.
3
Within the strong castle of Vigilance and Resviers
the younger born of Nancy will be shut up.
In Turin the first ones will be burned,
when Lyons will be transported with grief.
4
The cock will be received into Monace,
the Cardinal of France will appear;
He will be deceived by the Roman legation;
weakness to the eagle, strength will be born to the cock.
5
There will appear a shining ornate temple,
the lamp and the candle at Borne and Breteuil.
For the canton of Lucerne turned aside,
when one will see the great cock in his shroud.
6
Lighting and brightness are seen at Lyons shining,
Malta is taken, suddenly it will be extinguished.
Sardon, Maurice will act deceitfully,
Geneva to London, feigning treason towards the cock.
7
Vercelli, Milan will give the news,
the wound will be given at Pavia.
To run in the Seine, water, blood and fire through Florence,
the unique one falling from high to low calling for help.
8
Near Focia enclosed in some tuns
Chivasso will plot for the eagle.
The elected one driven out, he and his people shut up,
rape with Turin, the bride led away.
9
While the eagle is united with the cock at Savonna,
the Eastern Sea and Hungary.
The army at Naples, Palermo, the marches of Ancona,
Rome and Venice a great outcry by the Barbarian.
10
A great stench will come from Lausanne,
but they will not know its origin,
they will put out all people from distant places,
fire seen in the sky, a foreign nation defeated.
11
A multitude of people will appear at Vicenza
without force, fire to burn the Basilica.
Near Lunage the great one of Valenza defeated:
at a time when Venice takes up the quarrel through custom.
12
He will appear near to Buffalora
the highly born and tall one entered into Milan.
The Abbe of Foix with those of Saint-Meur
will cause damage dressed up as serfs.
13
The crusader brother through impassioned love
will cause Bellerophon to die through Proteus;
the fleet for a thousand years, the maddened woman,
the potion drunk, both of them then die.
14
The great credit of gold and abundance of silver
will cause honor to be blinded by lust;
the offense of the adulterer will become known,
which will occur to his great dishonor.
15
Great exertions towards the North by a man-woman
to vex Europe and almost all the Universe.
The two eclipses will be put into such a rout
that they will reinforce life or death for the Hungarians.
16
At the place where HIERON has his ship built,
there will be such a great sudden flood,
that one will not have a place nor land to fall upon,
the waters mount to the Olympic Fesulan.
17
Those at ease will suddenly be cast down,
the world put into trouble by three brothers;
their enemies will seize the marine city,
hunger, fire, blood, plague, all evils doubled.
18
The cause of her death will be issued from Florence,
one time before drunk by young and old;
by the three lilies they will give her a great pause.
Save through her offspring as raw meat is dampened.
19
To support the great troubled Cappe;
the reds will march in order to clarify it;
a family will be almost overcome by death,
the red, red ones will knock down the red one.
20
The false message about the rigged election
to run through the city stopping the broken pact;
voices bought, chapel stained with blood,
the empire contracted to another one.
21
Three foists will enter the port of Agde
carrying the infection and pestilence, not the faith.
Passing the bridge they will carry off a million,
the bridge is broken by the resistance of a third.
22
Coursan, Narbonne through the salt to warn
Tuchan, the grace of Perpignan betrayed;
the red town will not wish to consent to it,
in a high flight, a copy flag and a life ended.
23
Letters are found in the queen's chests,
no signature and no name of the author.
The ruse will conceal the offers;
so that they do not know who the lover is.
24
The lieutenant at the door of the house,
will knock down the great man of Perpignan.
Thinking to save himself at Montpertuis,
the bastard of Lusignan will be deceived.
25
The heart of the lover, awakened by furtive love
will ravish the lady in the stream.
She will pretend bashfully to be half injured,
the father of each will deprive the body of its soul.
26
The bones of Cato found in Barcelona,
placed, discovered, the site found again and ruined.
The great one who holds, but does not hold,
wants Pamplona, drizzle at the abbey of Montserrat.
27
The auxiliary way, one arch upon the other,
Le Muy deserted except for the brave one and his genet.
The writing of the Phoenix Emperor,
seen by him which is (shown) to no other.
28
The copies of gold and silver inflated,
which after the theft were thrown into the lake,
at the discovery that all is exhausted and dissipated by the debt.
All scrips and bonds will be wiped out.
29
At the fourth pillar which they dedicate to Saturn
split by earthquake and by flood;
under Saturn's building an urn is found
gold carried off by Caepio and then restored.
30
In Toulouse, not far from Beluzer
making a deep pit a palace of spectacle,
the treasure found will come to vex everyone
in two places and near the Basacle.
31
The first great fruit of the prince of Perchiera,
then will come a cruel and wicked man.
In Venice he will lose his proud glory,
and is led into evil by then younger Selin.
32
French king, beware of your nephew
who will do so much that your only son
will be murdered while making his vows to Venus;
accompanied at night by three and six.
33
The great one who will be born of Verona and Vincenza
who carries a very unworthy surname;
he who at Venice will wish to take vengeance,
himself taken by a man of the watch and sign.
34
After the victory of the Lion over the Lion,
there will be great slaughter on the mountain of Jura;
floods and dark-colored people of the seventh ( of a million ),
Lyons, Ulm at the mausoleum death and the tomb.
35
At the entrance to Garonne and Baise
and the forest not far from Damazan,
discoveries of the frozen sea, then hail and north winds.
Frost in the Dardonnais through the mistake of the month.
36
It will be committed against the anointed brought
from Lons le Saulnier, Saint Aubin and Bell'oeuvre.
To pave with marble taken from distant towers,
not to resist Bletteram and his masterpiece.
37
The fortress near the Thames
will fall when the king is locked up inside.
He will be seen in his shirt near the bridge,
one facing death then barred inside the fortress.
38
The King of Blois will reign in Avignon,
once again the people covered in blood.
In the Rhône he will make swim
near the walls up to five, the last one near Nolle.
39
He who will have been for the Byzantine prince
will be taken away by the prince of Toulouse.
The faith of Foix through the leader of Tolentino
will fail him, not refusing the bride.
40
The blood of the Just for Taur and La Duarade
in order to avenge itself against the Saturnines.
They will immerse the band in the new lake,
then they will march against Alba.
41
a fox will be elected without speaking one word,
appearing saintly in public living on barley bread,
afterwards he will suddenly become a tyrant
putting his foot on the throats of the greatest men.
42
Through avarice, through force and violence
the chief of Orléans will come to vex his supporters.
Near St. Memire, assault and resistance.
Dead in his tent they will say he is asleep inside.
43
Through the fall of two bastard creatures
the nephew of the blood will occupy the throne.
Within Lectoure there will be blows of lances,
the nephew through fear will fold up his standard.
44
The natural offspring off Ogmios
will turn off the road from seven to nine.
To the king long friend of the half man,
Navarre must destroy the fort at Pau.
45
With his hand in a sling and his leg bandaged,
the younger brother of Calais will reach far.
At the word of the watch, the death will be delayed,
then he will bleed at Easter in the Temple.
46
Paul the celibate will die three leagues from Rome,
the two nearest flee the oppressed monster.
When Mars will take up his horrible throne,
the Cock and the Eagle, France and the three brothers.
47
Lake Trasimene will bear witness
of the conspirators locked up inside Perugia.
A fool will imitate the wise one,
killing the Teutons, destroying and cutting to pieces.
48.
Saturn in Cancer, Jupiter with Mars
in February Chaldondon'salva tierra.
Sierra Morena besieged on three sides
near Verbiesque, war and mortal conflict.
49
Saturn in Taurus, Jupiter in Aquarius. Mars in Sagittarius,
the sixth of February brings death.
Those of Tardaigne so great a breach at Bruges,
that the barbarian chief will die at Ponteroso.
50
The plague around Capellades,
another famine is near to Sagunto;
the knightly bastard of the good old man
will cause the great one of Tunis to lose his head.
51
The Byzantine makes an oblation
after having taken back Cordoba.
A long rest on his road, the vines cut down,
at sea the passing prey captured by the Pillar.
52 ---- Unfinished/Censored ----
The king of Blois to reign in Avignon,
from Amboise and Seme the length of the Indre:
claws at Poitiers holy wings ruined
before Boni. . . .
53
Within Boulogne he will want to wash away his misdeeds,
he cannot at the temple of the Sun.
He will fly away, doing very great things:
In the hierarchy he had never an equal.
54
Under the color of the marriage treaty,
a magnanimous act by the Chyren Selin:
St. Quintin and Arras recovered on the journey;
By the Spanish a second butcher's bench is made.
55
He will find himself shut in between two rivers,
casks and barrels joined to cross beyond:
eight bridges broken, their chief run through so many times,
perfect children's throats slit by the knife.
56
The weak band will occupy the land,
those of high places will make dreadful cries.
The large herd of the outer corner troubled,
near Edinburgh it falls discovered by the writings.
57
From simple soldier he will attain to Empire,
from the short robe he will grow into the long.
Brave in arms, much worse towards the Church,
he vexes the priests as water fills a sponge.
58
A kingdom divided by two quarreling brothers
to take the arms and the name of Britain.
The Anglican title will be advised to watch out,
surprised by night ( the other is ), led to the French air.
59
Twice put up and twice cast down,
the East will also weaken the West.
Its adversary after several battles
chased by sea will fail at time of need.
60
First in Gaul, first in Romania,
over land and sea against the English and Paris.
Marvelous deeds by that great troop,
violent, the wild beast will lose Lorraine.
61
Never by the revelation of daylight
will he attain the mark of the scepter bearer.
Until all his sieges are at rest,
bringing to the Cock the gift of the armed legion.
62
When one sees the holy temple plundered,
the greatest of the Rhône profaning their sacred things;
because of them a very great pestilence will appear,
the king, unjust, will not condemn them.
63
When the adulterer wounded without a blow
will have murdered his wife and son out of spite;
his wife knocked down, he will strangle the child;
eight captives taken, choked beyond help.
64
The infants transported into the islands,
two out of seven will be in despair.
Those of the soil will be supported by it,
the name 'shovel' taken, the hope of the leagues fails.
65
The old man disappointed in his main hope,
will attain to the leadership of his Empire.
Twenty months he will hold rule with great force,
a tyrant, cruel, giving way to one worse.
66
When the inscription D.M. is found
in the ancient cave, revealed by a lamp.
Law, the King and Prince Ulpian tried,
the Queen and Duke in the pavilion under cover.
67
Paris, Carcassone, France to ruin in great disharmony,
neither one nor the other will be elected.
France will have the love and good will of the people,
Ferara, Colonna great protection.
68
The old Cardinal is deceived by the young one,
he will find himself disarmed, out of his position:
Do not show, Arles, that the double is perceived,
both Liqueduct and the Prince embalmed.
69
Beside the young one the old angel falls,
and will come to rise above him at the end;
ten years equal to most the old one falls again,
of three two and one, the eighth seraphim.
70
He will enter, wicked, unpleasant, infamous,
tyrannizing over Mesopotamia.
All friends made by the adulterous lady,
the land dreadful and black of aspect.
71
The number of astrologers will grow so great,
that they will be driven out, banned and their books censored.
In the year 1607 by sacred assemblies
so that none will be safe from the holy ones.
72
Oh what a huge defeat on the Perugian battlefield
and the conflict very close to Ravenna.
A holy passage when they will celebrate the feast,
the conqueror banished to eat horse meat.
73
The king is struck by a barbarian soldier,
unjustly, not far from death.
The greedy will be the cause of the deed,
conspirator and realm in great remorse.
74
A king entered very far into the new land
while the subjects will come to bid him welcome;
his treachery will have such a result
that to the citizens it is a reception instead of a festival.
75
The father and son will be murdered together,
the leader within his pavilion.
The mother at Tours will have her belly swollen with a son,
a verdure chest with little pieces of paper.
76
More of a butcher than a king in England,
born of obscure rank will gain empire through force.
Coward without faith, without law he will bleed the land;
His time approaches so close that I sigh.
77
The antichrist very soon annihilates the three,
twenty-seven years his war will last.
The unbelievers are dead, captive, exiled;
with blood, human bodies, water and red hail covering the earth.
78
A soldier of fortune with twisted tongue
will come to the sanctuary of the gods.
He will open the door to heretics
and raise up the Church militant.
79
He who loses his father by the sword, born in a Nunnery,
upon this Gorgon's blood will conceive anew;
in a strange land he will do everything to be silent,
he who will burn both himself and his child.
80
The blood of innocents, widow and virgin,
so many evils committed by means of the Great Red One,
holy images placed over burning candles,
terrified by fear, none will be seen to move.
81
The new empire in desolation
will be changed from the Northern Pole.
From Sicily will come such trouble that
it will bother the enterprise tributary to Philip.
82
Thin tall and dry, playing the good valet
in the end will have nothing but his dismissal;
sharp poison and letters in his collar,
he will be seized escaping into danger.
83
The largest sail set out of the port of Zara,
near Byzantium will carry out its enterprise.
Loss of enemy and friend will not be,
a third will turn on both with great pillage and capture.
84
Paterno will hear the cry from Sicily,
all the preparations in the Gulf of Trieste;
it will be heard as far as Sicily
flee oh, flee, so may sails, the dreaded pestilence !
85
Between Bayonne and St. Jean de Luz
will be placed the promontory of Mars.
To the Hanix of the North, Nanar will remove the light,
then suffocate in bed without assistance.
86
Through Emani, Tolosa and Villefranche,
an infinite band through the mountains of Adrian.
Passes the river, Cambat over the plank for a bridge,
Bayonne will be entered all crying Bigoree.
87
A death conspired will come to its full effect,
the charge given and the voyage of death.
Elected, created, received ( then ) defeated by its followers,
in remorse the blood of innocence in front of him.
88
A noble king will come to Sardinia,
who will only rule for three years in the kingdom.
He will join with himself several colors;
he himself, after taunts, care spoils slumber.
89
In order not to fall into the hands of his uncle
who slaughtered his children in order to reign.
Pleasing with the people, putting his foot on Peloncle,
dead and dragged between armored horses.
90
When those of the cross are found their senses troubled,
in place of sacred things he will see a horned bull,
through the virgin the pig's place will then be filled,
order will no longer be maintained by the king.
91
Entered among the field of the Rhône
where those of the cross are almost united,
the two lands meeting in Pisces
and a great number punished by the flood.
92
Far distant from his kingdom, sent on a dangerous journey,
he will lead a great army and keep it for himself.
The king will hold his people captive and hostage,
he will plunder the whole country on his return.
93
For seven months, no longer, will he hold the office of prelate,
through his death a great schism will arise;
for seven months another acts as prelate near Venice,
peace and union are reborn.
94
In front of the lake where the dearest one was destroyed
for seven months and his army routed;
Spaniards will be devastating by means of Alba,
through delay in giving battle, loss.
95
The seducer will be placed in a ditch
and will be tied up for some time.
The scholar joins the chief with his cross.
The sharp right will draw the contented ones.
96
The sterile synagogue without any fruit,
will be received by the infidels,
the daughter of the persecuted (man) of Babylon,
miserable and sad, they will clip her wings.
97
At the end of the Var the great powers change;
near the bank three beautiful children are born.
Ruin to the people when they are of age;
in the country the kingdom is seen to grow and change more.
98
Of the church men the blood will be poured forth
as abundant as water in (amount);
for a long time it will not be restrained,
woe, woe, for the clergy ruin and grief.
99
Through the power of three temporal kings,
the sacred seat will be put in another place,
where the substance of the body and the spirit
will be restored and received as the true seat.
100
By the great number of tears shed,
from top to bottom and from the bottom to the very top,
a life is lost through a game with too much faith,
to die of thirst through a great deficiency.

"Life isn't fair, but it's still good."

Writer Regina Brett's life lessons are great little nuggets of wisdom.  There's something for everyone!

I'll be reflecting on this week's lesson:  "Life isn't fair, but it's still good."  There are many inequalities in everyone's lives -- you're always bound to find someone richer, happier, more fulfilled, healthier... I could go on and on.  But there's always something wonderful, special, and beautiful in your own life for which you can be grateful.  Don't dwell on what you lack in life all the time.  Appreciate what you have, too.  Plenty of folks around the world have much less.  Life isn't always perfect, but there's so much to appreciate!


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