Category Archives: Musings

Aah-choo!

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Source: Google Images – Chinese herbs

I have, on occasion, written a post that wasn’t centered around writing and instead centered on wellness (nutrition, overall health, etc.). For some reason, they haven’t been too popular with my readers. Oh well. It’s still writing, right? I can’t help myself – I have a need to inform, entertain, and occasionally educate. Isn’t that a big part of why you write?

So here goes…

This is one of my fave formulas; mainly because it has such broad-reaching uses. This article, written by me on November 6, 2013, is an abbreviated version of a larger article I wrote much earlier that detailed more of its immunomodulating abilities.

Keeping Colds and Flu at Bay with Yu Ping Feng San (aka Jade Windscreen)

Jade Windscreen Formula, also known as Yu Ping Feng San, is a classic formula estimated to be around 800 years old.

A wide range of conditions treated with Yu Ping Feng San, according to the late Dr. Joel Penner, AmericanDragon.com

It is comprised of three herbs: Bai zhu/white atractylodes (atractylodes macrocephala rhizome), Fang feng/siler root (saposhnikovia divaricata root), and the much revered Huang qi/astragulus (astragulus membranaceus root), also known as milk-vetch root. Yu Ping Feng San is a simple formula with broad applications.

While it has mainly been used for the prevention of colds (Wind-Cold invasion), research in recent years has shown it has a wider therapeutic range. The actions of this formula, according to Chinese medical pattern differentiation are:

Supplements the Defensive Qi (Wei Qi) and stabilizes the exterior; stops spontaneous sweating due to Qi deficiency and it disperses an external Wind pathogen.

This formula is appropriate for patients manifesting symptoms of spontaneous or profuse sweating, catch frequent colds or viral/bacterial infections, have an aversion to cold/wind, have scanty urine, and a pale or sallow complexion.

This is a constitutional type known as Qi Deficiency.

A person diagnosed with Qi Deficiency is unable to prevent exterior evils (known as Outside Pernicious Influences, or OPIs) from entering the skin and muscle layers, where wind and damp can accumulate. This sets up a chronic issue with Cold, Wind, and Dampness (excess mucus)  invading the exterior parts of the body (head, neck, face, skin and muscle tissue).

Some Modern Applications

The most common uses for Jade Windscreen Formula nowadays are for treating allergies (hay fever, allergic rhinitis, seasonal allergies) and the prevention of colds (note: once a pathogen has entered the exterior, this formula is no longer appropriate as it may bring the pathogen deeper into the body, making it more difficult to release).

Like most Chinese herbal formulas, it is designed to treat the root condition (Wei Qi deficiency) and is used mainly as a preventive in treating allergies.

An allergic response, in Western medicine, is described as a sign of a hyperactive immune system. The term “hyperactive” connotes excess but a more accurate description would be “over-reactive.” The “over-reaction” is a result not of excess, but rather one of over-stimulation of the immune system, which, over time, breaks down the body’s defenses (Wei Qi). This breakdown causes hypersensitivity to stimuli (pollen, dust, etc.) and looks like an excess because of the symptoms the patient manifests.

What actually happens, according to Chinese medical theory, is that the Zheng qi [jung-chee] (True Qi) and possibly the Wei Qi [way-chee] (Defensive Qi) have broken down.

The origin of the weakness may come from:

An excessive life style (stress, poor food choices, too much alcohol, etc.) stress-inducing factors (chemical exposure, work, environmental, etc.) or a single large assault of outside pernicious influences.

Jade Windscreen can also be used to treat asthma (in children and adults), especially during the remission stage.

There are many possible patterns of differentiation in Chinese medical diagnosis, but the Qi deficient constitution is present. Jade Windscreen can strengthen the Wei Qi and consolidate the exterior to prevent the invasion of exterior wind, cold, heat, and damp, which may trigger an asthmatic reaction. It also strengthens Lung Qi, which is often weakened by chronic asthma, thus reducing the number of flare-ups and the need for bronchial dilators.

The formula should be augmented according to the pattern diagnosis of each patient to bring about the desired therapeutic effect.

An an Immunomodulator

In a review of Jade Windscreen’s pharmacological effects in relation to the immune system, it is evident that the prescription could not only affect immunoglobulins, but also mononuclear macrophages, T-lymphocytes, natural killer cells, and other aspects of the immune system damaged by experimental interventions. Reviews of clinical applications of Jade Windscreen Powder published in 1989 and 1992 indicated the following uses:

Prevention and treatment of common cold and influenza as well as “summer fever” (acute infection with a fever that occurs in summer rather than during the winter cold/flu season), mainly in children.

  •  Cough and asthma
  •  Rhinitis, especially allergic rhinitis
  •  Urticaria, allergic dermatitis, erythema multiforme

 

#chineseherbs #chinesemedicine #herbalmedicine #eastmeetswest #americandragon #ronteeguarden #astragulus #qi #chi #acupuncture #alternativemedicine #writing #mestengobooks #readandwrite

It’s All in How You Look At It

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Like I always do, I re-read my last post several times. Partly because I like the way it turned out and partly because the point I made about fully realizing a goal is still relevant (and will be until I fully realize that goal).

Which got me thinking…

A Different Perspective

What if I adopted a different view of all this moving/running/traveling/ adventuring I’ve done the last 35 years? I’ve often complained (to myself and a professional ear) about not finding a ‘home’ – a place where I can put down roots and connect to the people and place. After reading the last post one more time, something dawned on me. Maybe I’ve spent too much time believing that each move was going to be temporary because, well, they have been. And maybe that’s on me for seeing them only that way.

Note: Another aspect is that, over the decades, I have seen more renters (including me) forced into transient lifestyles because of rent increases based on variable ‘market values,’ thereby creating the very instability we’re trying so hard to avoid. Rarely does one rent a place with the expectation of staying long-term, like 10-15 years, anymore. And I realized that is exactly what I’m seeking. Not permanence (no such thing), but S-T-A-B-I-L-I-T-Y.

What if…I decided to view a move to a new place as something that could be stable if I allowed it? By allow, I mean inject some level of stability into the new place? I’ve had a habit of buying used or cheap furniture, figuring why invest in nice things to make a home when I’ll just be packing it up in 12 months anyway. Then it dawned on me: what a negative way to approach a new opportunity to create something.

Now, It Comes To Me…Slowly

At some point after the opportunity to come home opened up, I decided on a different approach. I bought new furniture for this new place because I wanted new. I’m tired of buying someone else’s energy (couches and beds can hold a lot of positive and negative energies). I decided that I wanted pieces that reflect me and my home. Yesterday, I surveyed my new surroundings and took a few moments to take it all in. I realized that my ‘temporary’ mentality had manifested as exactly that with every move over the better part of the last three decades.

Aha…

Change is Good, Right?

Then I began thinking, what if I make a conscious decision to invest in some sense of a stable life? What if I approached this relocation to my new (old) home as a process of bringing some level of permanence (i.e., settling in to a place and making it a home) to my up-till-now gypsy lifestyle? I’m tired of the move-relocate-move-then-repeat cycle. It’s exhausting.

Our attitude, how we perceive situations, problems, even life, can change our behavior if we choose to see it from a different angle. I’m not sure how effective this approach will be for me, but I’m at least willing to give it a try. Are you?

#author #amwriting #life #attitude #positiveattitude #changeisgood #thewritinglife #mestengobooks #travel #adventure #transience #powerofpositivethinking

The Descent After the Goal

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It’s Sunday morning – okay, by now it’s late Sunday morning, because I’ve been reading the paper, doing one of the word puzzles, drinking my tea and basically taking my time and enjoying my Sunday morning. On a whim, I decided to check my I Ching reading for the day (on ifate.com, in case you’re interested, because it’s FREE). It’s an interesting read, to say the least.

The Goal Achieved?

I recently (and finally) relocated back home. I got the he** out of California and don’t miss it at all, especially since wildfire season is in full swing. I do miss the Meyer lemons, though. Imagine a lemon sweet enough to suck on and delicious enough to make the best lemony desserts. (Note: it was mated with a mandarin back in the late 1800s by a man from China; some guy named Fred Meyer then brought it to the U.S.)

But I digress…

It was a rocky relocation and I’m being kind when I say that. For example, the moving company somehow managed to not pack a single stitch of my clothing or any of my bedding into the UBox that was shipped 3,500 miles to my new (old) home. That and some other challenges have taken up much of the last 5-6 weeks to resolve (me and my clothes have since been re-united) and my stress level has been way too high for way too long. Hence this long, quiet, and relaxing Sunday morning…I need it.

Sometimes the hexagram readings are spot-on with what’s currently happening. Other times, you have to really think about how it relates to your life currently or in the near future. Today, it was spot-on and it opened my eyes, especially the last two paragraphs. Talk about prophetic…

Going Up

“The situation represented by this reading can be compared to taking a lengthy trek over a high mountain. At some point before reaching the peak, you can see—in detail—exactly how much farther you have to travel. You will have a good idea of what it will take to reach the top, because of the climbing experience you’ve accumulated thus far. However, when you do reach the peak (which has been in sight for quite a long period of sustained effort), you will have done only that. You will have reached the top and achieved your initial goal, but you still must descend the other side. This last critical segment is what remains before completion.”

~ From Divination.com by the Divination Foundation

With all the planning I did while still in CA (emails, phone calls, security deposit that got delayed, etc.), I could finally see that goal – I was going home. But it was all I could see. Or would see, to be truthful. I was obsessed with getting to the top, reaching what I thought was the whole goal. I was wrong…

Then Down

After a few minutes of contemplation, this came to me: I’m finally here. I’ve reached the pinnacle of the mountain (the goal to come home). But now I must go down the other side to complete this journey. Going down is usually much easier, though there may still be challenges along the way.

The second paragraph struck me in a way that opened my eyes to a long pattern of only keeping my eye on the pinnacle, the goal at the top/end, and not the whole journey, which includes going down the other side of the mountain to complete the goal/cycle (I added the bold and italics):

“Consider, too, the possibility that you have little information and no experience of what it’s like descending the other side of the mountain, because all your attention has been focused on the path going up. The coming situation may seem very strange to you—unlike anything that you have experienced before—but the other side of the mountain is where the true mysteries reside. Proceed carefully, cautiously, and alertly; and you will arrive honorably at the completion of your goal.”

~ From Divination.com by the Divination Foundation

Revelation (of Something Missed)

OMG. You mean there’s more?

Of course there is. What goes up, must come down, remember? All these years I’ve only been focused on a part of the goal, thinking it was the whole goal the whole time. How wrong I was.

Getting here was only a part of the goal, not a completion of the goal. Now that I think about it, it makes sense. I still have work to do. I’m home and yet I’m not – not yet, anyway. I’m at a stopping-off place along the way, along the journey to my goal of coming home. I’m close but I’m not yet finished. The goal is not complete. But it will be, because now I know to watch my step as I climb down from the top of that mountain and into my new (old) life here at home.

Safe travels to all who dare that climb up. Don’t forget to climb down!

#mestengobooks #reading #awakening #reachinggoals #home #life #writeroninstagram #travel #adventure #risktaking #divination #iching #contemplation #settinggoals #journey

Getting All Your Ducks in a Row

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Missing In Action…

I haven’t written much since early 2024. I’m not sure if I’m losing the desire to write. Maybe I haven’t had anything in particular to post that I haven’t already posted. I only know I’ve had little desire to write, to express, which as a creative, is highly unusual (and unhealthy, if you ask me). With nine years of posts, you still have plenty to catch up on and learn.

Life threw me a big curveball early last year (story of my life) and I’ve had to make adjustments. Life is like that, sometimes. Best to go with the flow to avoid over-stressing the system. Change is the one constant, remember? Going with the flow, accepting what is, even if we don’t like it at first, is crucial to getting through the chaos to the calm (which always follows chaos, it’s the natural flow of things).

One by One…

Once the calm has arrived, you can once again set achievable goals (I prefer the small ones, they’re easier to reach and maintain) so you feel like you’re moving forward, until the next round of chaos (read: change) sets in, as it always does. I have found that taking those small, steady movements (short-term, doable goals) toward the completion of a larger goal (e.g., going home) keeps up the momentum. I feel like I’m accomplishing something as opposed to doing nothing and waiting it all out. That never works, as I found out the hard way last year.

It has become more important these days that I get all my ducks in a row. I think it has more to do with age than anything else. Turns out, I like some semblance of order, some predictability to my life, since most of my adventuring days are behind me. Getting my ducks in a row has been an overriding theme for the last four years as I continue the struggle to find a way out of California and make for HOME.

It started with replacing broken down cardboard book boxes (ruined by moisture, cold, humidity) in storage, crushed by the weight of other heavy book boxes. Every weekend, I buy one or two file containers (they’re a good size that I can lift without hurting my back) and put my books in new containers. And they stack one on top of the other easily, so now I have a nice pile of clear boxes and can find a book if needed. Small goal turned into a big accomplishment. And then…

It Only Takes One Duck to Get the Ball Rolling…

…Duck #1 came to me a few weeks ago. I came out of a Whole Foods just after dark and as I approached my car, I saw something sitting on the driver door handle. It was a little yellow rubber ducky in a Pink Jeep! Evidently, Jeep owners of a certain younger generation love to do something called “getting ducked.” If you’re a Jeep owner (in some states, it’s only for Wrangler owners; in other states, like CA, it’s for any Jeep owner), you might get this ducky with a Jeep-shaped card attached that reads “Nice Ride!” on one side and on the other side a handwritten note. Mine read “Happy Valentine’s Day!” Needless to say, I had a good laugh.

And a good start to my latest get-all-my-ducks-in-a-row adventure.

#duckduckjeep #amwriting #writersoninstagram #gettingducked #goals #life #living

Winter Foods and Reading: What’s On Your List?

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winter reads

Credit: Google Images/Ben Aaronovitch

Time to Slow Down

As we head into the coldest time of year, the desire for quiescence and going within begins to grow within each of us. Reduced activity or, at least, more indoor activities, like reading, yoga, and contemplation by the crackling fire will help preserve our energies through to spring. Reading, baking, cooking from scratch all come to mind in this the slowest (and most flavorful, in my opinion) of seasons. I can’t help but share a bit of sage advice (from my own nutrition book, of course) about the best foods for the coming season, as well as some personal reading favorites that perhaps you, too, will explore by a crackling fire or scenic picture window.

The following is excerpted from “The 5-Element Guide to Healing with Whole Foods” (Lulu Press, Inc., 2016):

“Water is the element of Winter, the most Yin of seasons. It represents the completion of a cycle and the cleansing of previous cycles. Energies are stored deep within, as in the roots of plants and trunks of trees, as well as within ourselves. It is the time of year to be more introspective and less physically active. At this time of the year, it is essential to keep one’s internal core warm for good health.” 

Winter Foods

Functions: cooling, moisten dryness, soften and dissipate hard lumps/masses, improve digestion, purge bowels; detoxification.

Foods: celery, barley, millet, soy products (especially miso and soy sauce), seaweed (kombu, kelp, etc.), sea vegetables, sesame seeds (black & white), walnuts, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds; mushrooms.

Herbs/Spices: mineral salts (in their natural, unprocessed form), celery seed, nettles.

Good Seasonal Food Choices

“Winter is the season of the Kidney/ Urinary Bladder organ system, where our root energies lie. Bitter and salty foods are contracting and inward/downward moving, which help us store our energies and keep us centered. Salty foods strengthen Kidney but too much actual salt can weaken it.

Include miso, soy products, seaweed, seafood, millet, walnuts, pumpkin seeds, sesame seeds, celery seeds, and barley in your diet. Bitter foods include parsnips, cauliflower, cabbage, turnips/rutabagas, celery, alfalfa, rye, quinoa, chicory root, and burdock root. Roasted chicory root blended with other roasted herbs makes a nice substitute for coffee, which depletes Kidney energies, especially Essence, with its caffeine content.

It is appropriate to add some Yang foods (warming, acrid/pungent) if you tend toward feeling cold during winter months. One-pot meals like slow-cooked soups and stews are your best choices, and you can add in both salty and bitter foods to create a healthy, nutrient-dense meal.”

Good Winter Reads

Reading tastes vary but I know I’ll be digging into some of my favorite authors once the cold weather settles in for its seasonal visit. During the winter months, I have a habit of going back and re-reading some of my personal favorites. This is just a short list of mystery/suspense favorites: Walt Longmire series by Craig Johnson, anything by Michael Connelly and Daniel Silva or David Baldacci.

In historical fiction/WWII stories of resistance and spies (in France, UK, Italy), I’m loving Cara Black and her new Kate Rees novels: Three Hours in Paris (fictionalized account of a true situation dealing with Hitler) and her newest, Night Flight to Paris. She also has the delicious Aimee Leduc detective series in Paris that I’m slowly working my way through.

There’s also Kate Quinn (The Rose Code, The Alice Network), Madelaine Martin (The Librarian Spy, The Last Bookshop in London, The Keeper of Hidden Books) and a newly discovered (and absolutely addicting) series by Mark Pryor, whose protagonist, Hugo Marsten, is a Texan and former FBI agent, now head of security for the U.S. Embassy in Paris. He helps Paris police (Gendarme) solve homicides, occasionally with his on-and-off French girlfriend/journalist. Between Mark and Cara Black, I’ll never need a map to find my way around Paris!

Have a Wonderful Holiday Season – whatever you celebrate.

#reading #writing #author #food #cooking #baking #Paris #fiction #mysterynovel #adventure #carablack #katerees #markpryor #katequinn #holidays #nutrition #wholefoods #therosecode #thealicenetwork #thelibrarianspy #thelastbookshopinlondon

Dare to Be Different… Because Different isn’t Bad, it’s Just Different…

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My (illicit) photo of DaVinci’s backward handwriting, from the Uffizi in Florence, Italy, 2018 (security guard caught me before I could take more shots)

Don’t Fit the Mold? Me Neither!

I’ve always been a square-peg-round-hole kind of person. I have never fit into any particular mold, which is why I never hung out with any ‘popular’ crowd in grade or high school (or at any other time in my life). I realized early on that to do that would mean I would have to give up my individual ideas for the sake of the ‘group mentality’ one finds in those so-called popular cliques.

From the outside, they appear to be the kind of people every other kid in school (read: nerds, outsiders and smart kids) yearns to be. Yet anyone who has ever been on the outer edge of one of these social circles knows the truth of their required conformist behavior.

A ‘Different’ Light Bulb

It took me through my early college years to understand the label of ‘different’ and decided it was complimentary even though it was never intended to be anything but demoralizing. I haven’t minded being different. My ideas, ideals, points of view and opinions were almost always the Devil’s Advocate in any room or group and I felt that was my strength, to see what others cannot. What I have struggled with is how I was treated back then, because I didn’t perceive/experience the world the way everyone else did (and still don’t) and how it has shaped my (occasionally negative) self-perception.

All along the way I was bullied by people who couldn’t handle my ‘different-ness’ and thus belittled me because they, it turned out, were the problem. They didn’t know what to do with a kid who saw the world in the unique and colorful way. They sent the message that being different was something terrible/wrong, something others should not or could not tolerate. I upset their status quo and the only way they knew how to respond was to knock me down physically and verbally.

A Genius of a ‘Different’ Color

Leonardo DaVinci, the famous Italian painter (of the Mona Lisa and so much more), was one of those ‘different’ people, in ways perhaps too numerous to count. His artistic talents (painting, sketching, sculpting), math skills (polymath), engineering, architecture and more, were so far ahead of his time that many couldn’t see his brilliance and foresight. To completely define his ‘different-ness,’ DaVinci, left-hand dominant, wrote fluidly in reverse composition (see photo above) in his native Old Italian.

I can use my right/left hands almost equally in some situations but I’m mostly right-hand dominant. I sometimes prefer one over the other in certain situations – I batted lefty/righty in baseball, played field hockey lefty and tennis righty.

It dawned on me that right-handed people write outward from the body. It’s a natural flow of movement. I tried writing backward with my left hand and, though a bit awkward at first, found that writing away from the body on the left side is just as natural. You have spend some time thinking about how to shape the letters in reverse. I was intrigued by the process.

Many ‘experts’ have pondered why Da Vinci wrote in reverse. I can’t help but theorize it was because that is the natural movement/flow for someone who is left-hand dominant. Regardless of the reason, it was one of many aspects that made him different – not wrong, not bad, just different. I can’t imagine our modern life without his contributions, can you?

Celebrate your different-ness. Don’t let others knock you down for seeing the world uniquely. Use your artistic abilities to express who you are and what you see, not who/what others want you to be.

Remember, it’s their failing, not yours.

#inspiration #amwriting #blogger #writeroninstagram #leonardodavince #monalisa #polymath #painter #sculptor #ItalianRenaissance #arthistory #itsgoodtobedifferent #beyou #loveyourself #beyourself #believeinyourself #freeyourself #goodvibes #selfcare

Things That Make You Go…’Hmmm’

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Hmmm

Credit: Google Images/bjaycooper.com

Inevitable

It was only so long before artificial intelligence (AI) not only infiltrated our every day lives but took command of some aspects, with or without our permission. The question of whether machines will or can replace us (or much of the work that we do, including writing) is moot. AI is here and the worlds of good and evil (e.g., hacking or stealing intellectual property/IP rights) are colliding.

AI technologies are evolving at such a rapid pace it’s hard to keep up legally. It’s important to understand fully your rights as a writer/creator and how to protect your work products. From attorney Matt Knight on his Sidebar Saturdays blog:

“As artificial intelligence (AI) continues to develop, it’s becoming increasingly capable of creating works indistinguishable from those created by humans, which raises intriguing questions about intellectual property rights. One such area of concern is what can be copyright-protected in a work generated by AI. Another area is the potential for infringement of copyrights by AI systems.”

Basic Copyright Law

According to Matt Knight, “copyright law protects original works of authorship fixed in any tangible medium of expression” no matter how you created them. Your creations are yours and no one else’s. However, Matt writes, “[c]opyright protection does not extend to ideas or facts; instead, it safeguards the expression of those ideas in a tangible form.” (my bold added)

Except…

Per the U.S. Copyright Office, there is no copyright protection for works created by non-humans, including machines or other automated means. And…

” …in March 2023, the U.S. Copyright Office guided creators working with AI tools on registering their works. The policy statement notes that only human-made creations are eligible for copyright protection. A human may select or arrange AI-generated material in a sufficiently creative way that the resulting work as a whole constitutes an original work of authorship. Or an artist may modify material originally generated by AI technology to such a degree that the modifications meet the standard for copyright protection. In these cases, according to the Copyright Office, copyright will only protect aspects of the work made by the authoring human, i.e., resulting in partial protection of entire works.” 

Sidebar Saturdays, Mar 2, 2024

Robot vs. Human – Who Has the Right?

There’s an interesting article in Smithsonian magazine on AI robots re-creating sculptures by Michelangelo and other famous sculptors (Bernini, etc.). While robots are able to re-create these famous sculptures, humans are still required for the finishing touches. Per the U.S. Copyright Office, only those finishing touches would be protected. Is an AI shortcut truly an artistic expression of human creativity? Or is it lazy art, stealing from the Great Masters and the rest of us creators?

“Today, Tincolini, Massari, and their team of technicians and artisans create sculptures on commission for artists, architects and designers, and they sell their technology to clients around the world.”

“What used to take months or even years can now be done in days,” he said. “Machines can run round-the-clock. They don’t get sick or sleep or go on vacation.”

by Elain Sciolino for Smithsonian Magazine, December 2023

And So It Goes…

There are cases currently pending, Matt writes, including “one high-profile case is the New York Times vs. Microsoft, Open AI, in which NYT alleges that OpenAI and Microsoft unlawfully engaged in widescale copying of millions of copyrighted news articles, investigations, opinion pieces, and more to create artificial intelligence products, all without permission or payment.”

Microsoft argues ‘fair use’ because they consider it to be “transformative use” for training AI models. I question this argument because they accessed copyrighted material, regardless of how they were going to use it. Maybe Microsoft concludes that since they don’t profit directly from the “transformative use” it’s okay to download the IP materials. I’m curious as to how this plays out and what kind of precedents will come of these AI cases.

It Was Nice to Share

I’ll be honest – with the advent and proliferation of AI, I’m nervous about what could happen to any of my IP. I feel like I’m becoming more of a hermit, hoarding my works for only myself to enjoy. I’m anxious about losing royalties (for many it’s how creators make a living or supplement their income) and whatever credit might come my way from an appreciation of my work product. 

Have you thought about how you will protect your IP? Do you use AI in your work and to what extent? Familiarize yourself with copyright laws regarding AI.

Protect your work, your livelihood.

#artificialintelligence #writer #author #AIrobots #Michelangelo #famoussculptors #Italianart #copyrights #protectyourwork #painter #poet #Smithsonian #Microsoft #NYT #newyorktimes #intellectualproperty #lawsuit #OpenAI #fairuse #copyrightinfringement ##originalart #Bernini #lapieta #AI

Ruin Is the Road to Transformation…So What Are You Waiting For?

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Ruin1

Quote by author Elizabeth Gilbert from the book/movie, Eat Pray Love

Lesson Learned…Again and Again

I watched Eat Pray Love again last weekend, for the umpteenth time…and each time I watch it I glean some lesson, either newly learned or temporarily forgotten, from the wise and wonderful words written by author Elizabeth Gilbert. I found the book much funnier than the movie because her voice was more present in the writing but not in the overall script. I keep returning to the movie for bits of badly needed wisdom, as if it were a roadmap of my own life.

Like Humpty Dumpty, Only Better

What always hits home for me is the quote above about transformation. About getting knocked down repeatedly and rearranging yourself or your life because it’s necessary in order to move forward, out of a stuck place. The message is: You have to be willing to fall apart to put yourself back together again.

It’s also a bit like my Badly Designed Parking Lot post…because it’s about recognizing what isn’t working for you in your life (job, home, relationships, writing gigs, etc.) and making a conscious decision to change what needs to be changed. Change is always chaotic until the cycle is complete. Only then can we see in hindsight that those changes were right and necessary, however uncomfortable. Getting out of our comfort zones is what activates us; staying in those comfort zones (fear of change), whether you realize it or not, is not all that comfortable. It’s just familiar (read: less scary).

Ouch, That Hurts…

As of late, I have been banging my head against the proverbial brick wall with – surprise – the same (undesirable) result each time. And when I made a decision to finally and completely let go, I went quiet inside because, as I now realize, it was the right decision, no matter how risky I deemed it to be. The proverbial leap of faith. And it paid off.

Long story short: Two years of temp jobs weren’t working out (for a variety of reasons) and the last one, due to run about eight months, was cut short after only four days, by the client. I wasn’t all that upset – which surprised me – but my approach to this ongoing issue (that brick wall I’d been banging my head against for two years) was simple and logical. I sent an email saying I no longer wanted to work for the agency or their client. I was done being chewed up and spit out.

We are often forced down that road to transformation because we reach a boiling point, a point where no amount of contrition from the trespassers will keep us from making the right and necessary decision.

The Relief, the Freedom

My (new) passive income kicked in this month and allows me time for art projects I’ve been putting together. Hundreds of ideas zip around in my head and my imagination has free reign in my brain. Now I have both options and time (but not too much $$ but that too can be changed with a little effort). What a feeling. A family member responded to my news with this: “So you have joined the ranks of the “senior, experienced, wise, freed up, interested, etc.  Enjoy while you can.”

I plan to. Because all the ruination/transformation that has defined so much of my life seems to finally be winding down. And I can breathe. Truly and deeply. And it feels oh, so good.

And so can you. If only you let go. So what are you waiting for?

#EatPrayLove #ElizabethGilbert #amwriting #author #lettinggo #transormation #authoroninstagram #fiction #poetry #life #writinglife #meditation #art #painting #imagination #passiveincome #watercolors #acrylicpainting #oilpainting #sketching #abstractart #myart #makearteveryday #artlovers #artists #creatives #artistoninstagram #creativity #artsy

Better Late Than Never

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Almost Forgot…

Okay, I’m a little behind the eight ball this year…

I’ve had a rough few weeks, so my mind has been on other, more important (or less trivial) things. This is the time of year where I like to remind all of you writers to clean out your old files/projects/works, old stories that will never see the light of day and any other projects that have been at a standstill for at least a few years. Time to heave-ho. Put them in your “file 13” (trash can – digital or paper).

A Chance to Begin Again…

Today is the first day of the Chinese New Year, the Green Wood Dragon 2024. Gung Hay Fat Choi – which is Cantonese for “congratulations on prospering in money.” In Mandarin, it’s Gong xi fat cai. 

“It is a popular saying you’ll hear frequently during Chinese New Year. Unlike Americans, this Chinese congratulatory greeting is not based on something already achieved but instead is a wish or hope that you will achieve what you desire, hence the congratulations in the phrase. It’s a blessing of good fortune and prosperity (it’s not always money, as many Chinese believed that enough food to eat also represented abundance in one’s life).”   MB post, January 26, 2020

This is supposed to be a fortuitous year for many, so I’m crossing my fingers. Because my life has had some major up- and downswings lately, I figure I need all the help I can get. I added a Chinese Dragon as wallpaper to my Google. Added a smaller one to my phone for luck. Tonight I will eat some potstickers (can’t really find Chinese dumplings where I live, it’s a bit rural) for good luck. If you can find mandarin oranges (they’re in season here), buy a bunch (at least 5) and place them in a nice bowl on your kitchen table (another representation of prosperity = enough food to eat). Keep the bowl filled as much as possible through February.

Cleaning House, Again…

In 2021, I wrote about scraps of a writing life – yet I am still clinging (versus just holding on) to some of those unfinished projects and haven’t touched them in years. What am I waiting for? It dawned on me yesterday as I uninstalled a few unused apps on my phone: there was once a time when I lived my life fully and without any of this digital crap. Why am I hanging on to stuff I don’t use? Do I fear missing out on something? Why am I afraid to let go? What exactly do I fear? Why oh why am I saving website links? Why all the digital clutter?

Cleaning house, including computer files, is good for the spirit; it releases stuck energy and makes you feel like you accomplished something worthwhile. So what are you waiting for? Get off your butt and get busy cleaning out those old writing projects that no longer serve a purpose in your life. Let go. (This is the hardest part because we may feel that we failed instead of seeing the incomplete projects as works of exercise that stretched our minds but weren’t meant for public consumption.)

Refresh Your Memory

If you haven’t yet read it, please visit my post on organizing your writing area to empower you and your work. Check out how to clear out old work. Organize (or re-organize) your writing space. Learn how to lay your past projects to rest here. Re-read them if you will, refresh your memory. Let this new year begin with a new version of you, a better version of your work. After all, life is about progress, not perfection, right?

#writing #fengshui #chinesenewyear #greendragon #2024 #writersoninstragram #WritersDigest #WriterBeware #mestengobooks #prosperity #abundance

red dragon phone2

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The Seven-Year Itch…Plus One

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8 yr anniversary

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Lightbulb!

I knew it would come to me sooner or later. I’ve been spending this afternoon re-reading old blog posts to correct grammar, remove now-defunct website links, update format styles and break up long paragraphs into smaller, more easily digestible bits. I knew going over older posts would inspire me and I’d come up with a topic for my next post. I just clicked on my sixth-year workiversary post and realized I now had another two years under my blogging belt.

*raised eyebrow*

Next month will be my EIGHTH year as a blogger. Honestly, I can’t remember ever sticking with anything for this long. As I wrote in that previous blog (Feb 2022):

“It’s a form of adult-ing in which I rarely engage.”

True dat.

Running Out of Good Ideas? Not Likely!

While I occasionally struggle with ideas for this post, I have to say I’m proud of the posts I’ve written here. I’ve had some very good ideas, well-written posts and good suggestions to improve both your writing and your storytelling, as well as a few personal revelations. All in all, I’d say I’m happy with what I’ve shared the past eight years.

To again quote from the six-year anniversary post, “I don’t know how much longer Mestengo Books will be around but I do know this: both your presence and your absence has bettered my writing and clarified my creative process.” It’s the honest truth and I hope to continue this for at least a little while longer. I also hope many of you will continue to take the ride with me. Let’s hang out until it’s time for me to walk away, until it’s time to find another creative outlet I’m willing to commit myself to for a similar period of time.

That’s growth, maturation, shifting perspectives and priorities.

“Everything is ephemeral, both that which remembers and that which is remembered.”  Marcus Aurelius

#happyanniversary #Mestengobooks #writerslife #blogging #storytelling #creativity #selfpublishing #writersdigest #writersofinstagram #authorsontwitter #fictionwriters #nonfictionwriters #writingcommunity #tuesdaytips

Good Tips for Writing Great Magazine Articles

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You’ve finished your query for an article you’d like to write and you’re looking for a magazine (or several magazines) to buy it. What next? Here are several tips for turning out a great article that stands a good chance of getting published in a magazine — if you do your homework.

Get All Your Ducks in a Row

Creating an outline for your article idea is an effective writing tool. It helps you organize your thoughts on the topic and break it down into workable pieces (e.g., the introduction, the body, the conclusion). I assume you’ve done some research or made some notes on your article idea. Take that information and use whatever is most relevant to the article. These can become your guides, or main headings, to the layout of the article. If necessary, create subheadings to ensure you have enough content for each section of the article. 

Make It Strong, Make It Flow

I’ve touched on this in several previous blog posts – it’s vital that you use strong verbs (not passive tense), tight writing (say what you mean with as few words as possible) and use specific language (in other words, no fillers and crutch words).

Vigorous writing is concise. A sentence should contain no unnecessary words, a paragraph no unnecessary sentences. – Strunk and White, from The Elements of Style

An article that flows well will allow the reader to move seamlessly through the information. Pay attention to your paragraphs. Does the beginning of each new paragraph herald new information, a new and related topic? With reader attention spans even shorter, keep each paragraph to an easily digestible length.

Editors appreciate writers who turn in succinct articles. If you write 1000 words, cut it down to 500. Then cut it down to 250, maintaining the heart of the article. Your article may contain lots of great information but whittling it down to its salient points will grab the editor’s attention (as well as readers). Choose words carefully. Write only what is relevant.

Vague words dilute your writing and weaken the points and information you are conveying. William Zinsser in his book On Writing Well states, “Don’t say you were a bit confused and sort of tired and a little depressed and somewhat annoyed. Be confused. Be tired. Be depressed. Be annoyed. Don’t hedge your prose with timidities. Good writing is lean and confident.” – Kerrie Flanagan in Writer’s Digest Guide to Magazine Article Writing (2018)

Remember, be specific and use strong verbs:

strong verbs

Credit: strong verbs from Writer’s Digest Guide to Magazine Article Writing (2018)

Fact-Checking Isn’t Always Fun But It’s Necessary

Nowadays, almost everyone relies on Google and Bing search engines to find information. Problem is, too many people assume that what is found online is true and fact-based. This is a fallacy and can doom your article. Be thorough in your research, especially in fact-checking any nonfiction information in your article.

One great source is public libraries; librarians can help you find and verify the information or steer you in the proper direction. There are a multitude of online clearing houses that provide factual information, such as the Library of Congress/National Archives. It’s probably one of the most complete library systems in the world, where you can find millions of bits of information based in fact.

In Conclusion

Now that you have a good idea of where to start, there’s nothing stopping you from getting that article published. There are thousands of magazines out there and I’m sure somebody wants to print your work (I think I’m saying this more to myself than to you, dear readers).

A new year is headed our way — a tabula rosa, if you will (look, I used a Latin phrase, wink wink). A clean slate. A fresh start. Get writing and you have a better chance of getting published than if you don’t write. Right? 🙂 

happy new yr 2024

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#amwriting #writersoninstragram #happynewyear #2024 #publishing #selfpublishing #fridayfunfacts #author #authorsoninstagram #writersdigest #outline #introduction #grammarly #scribd #goodgrammar #writingtips

MERRY CHRISTMAS ONE AND ALL…

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I’m not a religious person but who can watch “A Charlie Brown Christmas” and not be touched by Linus’ speech? It is my gift to you this year, dear readers. May you find light and peace within and time with family a blessing…

From “A Charlie Brown Christmas” (1966):

Charlie Brown: Isn’t there anyone who knows what Christmas is all about?

Linus Van Pelt: Sure, Charlie Brown, I can tell you what Christmas is all about. [moves toward the center of the stage]

Linus Van Pelt: Lights, please. [a spotlight shines on Linus]

Linus Van Pelt: “And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. And lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid. And the angel said unto them, ‘Fear not:” [Linus drops his security blanket on purpose]

Linus Van Pelt: “for behold, I bring unto you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the City of David a Savior, which is Christ the Lord. And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger.’ And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host, praising God, and saying, ‘Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.'”

Linus Van Pelt:That’s what Christmas is all about, Charlie Brown.

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Life is Like a Badly Designed Parking Lot

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Driving Me Nuts

Yesterday I found myself swerving, zigzagging and avoiding cars driving straight towards me in parking lot lanes barely wide enough to be two-way. The one-way lanes in this lot were so narrow I had to slow down and carefully go around any trucks or SUVs with their rear ends sticking out of the short lanes to avoid hitting cars parked on the opposite side.

*deep sigh*

As I came to a turn, I prayed idiot pedestrians would actually look both ways before stepping out onto the road (in CA they NEVER do that) so I won’t chance hitting one (not that I’d be all that upset if I did). I slammed on the brakes for two guys indifferent to my presence.

As I navigated stop signs and idiot drivers through this parking lot from one side to the other (it’s a shortcut to avoid several lights though I’m rethinking the route now), something dawned on me and I exclaimed it out loud to myself (multiple times) in the car:

“This badly designed parking lot is a metaphor my life here in northern California!”

*Sheesh*

Not the Metaphor I’d Hoped For

2023…this has been a spectacularly challenging year (even though a Black Water Rabbit year, according to Chinese horoscopes, was supposed to be good for me in the area of finance.)

*harrumph*

Temp work all but dried up and permanent work has been beyond my grasp. I can’t explain the feeling of how navigating the parking lot seemed a strange parallel to what my life has been here: a lot of dead ends (choices leading nowhere), stop signs (no, you can’t go that way), people crossing my path (for brief periods and not caring much ), narrow lanes (are you sure this is the right path? not a good fit for you).

I was overcome with such a strong feeling of discombobulation that I now struggle to put it into words. Frustration doesn’t even begin to describe it…it’s as if, no matter how hard I try or which choices I make, the end result is the same: nope, this road ain’t gonna work for you. 

stopsign

Such is Life…

But life is like that sometimes, right? We’re confronted by numerous adversities, both personal and professional, in our lifetimes and whether we right ourselves depends on our ability to cope and resolve the issue. It’s just that sometimes that feeling of discombobulation is so overwhelming it can be hard to see the way out of a place that isn’t working.

Movin’ On is All You Can Do

Can’t go back in time, can’t stay still, so moving forward, moving on, is the only option. Like the saying “one day at a time,” I must keep moving in a forward direction, one step, one day at a time. Must keep knocking on doors, climbing over walls, finding ways through locked gates. For me, “when one door closes, another door opens” always meant when one door closes, find a damn window to climb through. I’ve always been determined to find a way, no matter how many obstacles in front of me. I don’t like to be told ‘no’ in any form. 

Cathartic writing is good for the spirit. Who knows, in sharing this I may finally find my way out of that badly designed parking lot and on to a smoother road. Or maybe a reader will come up with a resolution to a similar problem. Either way, all we can do is hope, right?

#writing #amwriting #writersofinstagram #author #driving #roadblocks #life #lifeishard #mestengobooks #livinglife #loveyourself #success #believe #positivevibes #selflove #goals #yourself #motivationalquotes #l #mindset #likes  #insta #quoteoftheday #friends #inspirationalquotes #family #live #quote #positivity #peace

A Good Idea to Use Latin in Your Writing

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Your Area(s) of Expertise

Do you include Latin in your writing? I suppose you might if you were to draft books (of fiction or nonfiction) from one (or more) of the following areas:

  • Legal/law – phrases like mens rea (intention or knowledge of wrongdoing, you’ll find this in crime novels), habeus corpus (that’s in our U.S. Constitution and also found in crime novels); “jury” is derived from the Latin word jurare, which means “swear”
  • Medicine –  Primum non nocere – First, do no harm (the code of practice for many doctors, taken as part of their medical oath); used in allopathic medicine (drugs, diseases, body parts), naturopathic and herbal medicines (both east/west) for the scientific/classical name, usually accompanied by a name in English, like digitalis for the purple foxglove plant
  • Science – astronomy, physical sciences (geology, archeology, botany, etcetera), psychology/philosophy and more
  • Media (film, books, etcetera) – likely used in reference to legal or scientific terms and not as a spoken language (unless in historical context, perhaps)
  • English language – prefixes and suffixes come from Latin as do many root words; used in literature in various ways

Not Dead, Not Really Gone, Either

Is Latin a dead language? Not specifically; a dead language is one that is no longer a native language of a community. However, Latin is still spoken at the Vatican, a small, closed community, where it’s the official language. Latin is a logical, organized language and the basis for the Romantic languages of French, Spanish, Portuguese, Italian and Romanian (though surrounded by Slavic countries, it’s one of the five Romantic languages).

Et Tu, Brute?

Classical languages continue to be studied and read, through a rich body of ancient literature. Greek, Latin, Chinese, Arabic, and Sanskrit are all considered classical languages. (Remember Odysseus, Homer, Poseidon, Athena, Zeus, Aphrodite, etc.?)

Classically Speaking…

Dr. Christopher Perrin is an author specializing in Classical education and the cofounder of Classical Academic Press. In an informative article, he lists ten interesting reasons why we should continue to use the Latin language (details here): 1) become multilingual (great brain stimulant and makes you way smarter); 2) better English and vocabulary grammar (making you way smarter); 3) prepares students for certain professions (see my list at the top); 4) write and read with greater ease and clarity (pay attention, authors!); 5) a deeper understanding of English lit prior to 1950 because Latin was used more in those writings; 6) a better understanding of the history of the Roman Empire and Western Civilization; 7) some of the most influential literature in the world would be at your fingertips, as well many great works of art and monuments; 8) hones mental faculties, cultivating analysis and attention (and making you way smarter); 9) the pleasure in solving the meanings behind our words; and 10) a great way to perform advanced study in multiple areas simultaneously (making you maybe a little too smart, ha ha).

Carpe Diem! Acta, Non Verba! Veni, Vidi, Vici! Etcetera, Etcetera…

#Latinlanguage #writing #amwriting #authorsininstagram #fiction #nonfiction #writingbooks #storytelling #classicallanguages #carpediem #habeuscorpus #romancelanguages #french #spanish #portuguese #italian #romanian #mestengobooks

Holidays: Battle of the Indigestion Blues

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It’s that time of year again… That time of year when many of us gain those ‘holiday pounds’ from all the overindulgences, from too many of the wonderful holiday sweets, treats and edibles affronting us at every turn, in every store, café and market, even our own tables. This overeating leads to digestive problems, feelings of sleepiness and lethargy. 

Conquering the battle with indigestion can begin with a simple understanding of how the digestive system works. The following is from an old article I excerpted for my now-defunct health newsletter ( written by Judy Goarta in Energy Times Nov/Dec 1997). The information is still relevant. Here’s to a happier, healthier (and possibly leaner) holiday season!

Chew, Chew, Chew!

Digestion starts as soon as food slips from your spoon or fork into your mouth.  Your teeth break up food physically as you chew and enzymes in your saliva with fancy names like lingual lipase and salivary amylase chemically alter the food’s starch, fat, and sugars.   Just what exactly are enzymes?  They are biochemical “helpers” that catylize chemical reactions in the body, making these processes run faster and more efficiently.  Digestion depends on the presence of enzymes. 

Even before you swallow you can improve digestion: chew thoroughly.  By consistently chewing food into a liquid paste, you create more surface area for enymes to interact with your food.  You also allow greater secretion of oral enzymes that begin the process of digestion.

Down Peristalsis

After being propelled down your throat by a series of muscular contractions known as peristalsis, food goes on an acid trip, into your stomach.  The stomach is a caustic place since it produces up to two liters of hydrochloric-rich gastric juice daily. 

Hydrochloric acid is vital for the production of pepsin, which in turn breaks down proteins in the stomach; the use of products like Zantac or Pepcid AC, which reduce the level of HCL in the stomach, also end up preventing the production of pepsin for protein breakdown.  The person is then left with food rotting in the stomach and taking much longer to digest.

Intestine Digestion

If the mouth and stomach are the warmup acts for digestion, the small intestine is the main attraction, the body’s inner spectacle within which most digestion takes place.  According to Enzymes, the Fountain of Life by D.A. Lopez, M.D., R.M. Williams, M.D. Ph.D. and K. Miehlke, M.D. (Neville Press), “The most thorough activities are performed in the duodenum.”  As the food passes through the stomach, it signals other parts of the body such as the pancreas to release the secretions that will perform the major portion of digestive activity.

The pancreas then releases bicarbonate to neutralize the acidity of the stomach juices as the food flows through the duodenum. Here enzymes chemically begin to break off proteins, fats, and carbohydrates into smaller chemical pieces. Bile assists by emulsifying fat into small blobs that are more easily subdued by the intestinal enzymes.

Food keeps getting broken down by the enzymes into tinier units consisting of but a few molecules each and are absorbed through the walls of the small intestine. Supplemental enzymes may also aid digestion: lactase, an enzyme necessary for the digestion of milk protein; and protease, may alleviate food allergies by helping in the breakdown of protein. 

Big Doings: The Large Intestine

Anything not absorbed in the 25-foot slide through the small intestine rides into the large intestine.  By this time, what’s left of the dinner you ate hours ago is referred to as “fecal” matter since much of it consists of waste products that will eventually be eliminated.  A close look at the large intestine (AKA colon) shows that it’s home to around 400 types of bacteria beneficial to digestion. 

Lactobacillus acidophilus and bifidobacteria are two types of bacteria necessary for promoting colon health.  These bacteria produce the nutrients folic acid (a must when pregnant), para-aminobenzoic acid and vitamin K to keep the colon healthy; these bacteria also crowd out harmful microorganisms such as yeast (Candida albicans), salmonella and E. coli.

Enhancing Digestion

Possibly just as important as the food you eat and the supplements you take for good digestion, is a calm setting for meals (oh yeah, at Christmastime?). Roused emotions and the intrusive bleating of the television, can disturb the healthy function of the digestive tract. (So much for the football game…)

#holidays #christmas #thanksgiving #football #turkey #bakedham #sweetpotatoes #gingerbread #cranberrysauce #cinnamon #pumpkin #coffee #irishcream #applepie #pecanpie #acidophilus

gingerbread

Credit: Google Images/Mental Floss