Truth or Consequences: A Message From The Cocktail Party

Lying.

It's no laughing matter and the consequences can land you in more hot water than that resort town in New Mexico.

Even in our world of outrageous television ad disclaimers, political action committees with vaguely ominous names, and fact-deficient public leaders, most people still believe there should be consequences for not telling the truth.

In lieu of a long diatribe about how lies degrades both individuals and society as a whole, I'm going to keep this short then fill up the remaining space with a calm-inducing picture of my cat.

If someone lies to you, they do not respect you.

If someone lies to you, they do not deserve your trust.

Now for the cat picture:

Be As a Dragon

As well-read and well-fed frequenters of Chinese restaurants with paper placemats are aware, this Monday, January 23, marks the beginning of a new cycle of the lunar calendar: The Year of the Dragon.

Woot!

As you know, I kind of have a thing about dragons.*

Unlike western dragons, which are generally portrayed either as fearsome beasts or folk music stoners, the eastern dragons of lunar astrology are auspicious symbols of power and good fortune.

The eastern dragon is so highly regarded that the term has become synonymous with "strength" and "excellence." An emblem of royalty, eastern dragons are credited not only with the ability to fly, but to change shape and control wind and water, as well. Sometimes depicted as guardians of great treasures, the dragons of eastern mythology are more likely to aid than to attack questing humans.

According to this random website I Googled, persons born in a Year of the Dragon are: “are energetic and warm-hearted, charismatic, lucky at love and egotistic. They’re natural born leaders, good at giving orders and doing what’s necessary to remain on top.”

While a couple of those characteristics could possibly trend toward the obnoxious, it seems to me that we could all benefit from having the occasional dragon in our lives and being, at times, more dragon-like.
      
This Year of the Dragon, embrace your power to enrich your own life and to assist those around you. Use your talents and abilities to make positive changes to your environment and yourself. Understand that you possess treasures of great worth and know that you don't need wings to soar.

Today's lesson: Embrace your inner dragon

Next: Truth or Consequences
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*Though I was born in the Year of the Hare. 

13 Fortunate Things

In order to counteract the very “Friday the 13th” Friday I'm having, here is a list of 13 random fortunate things:

A foresighted genius once looked at a pile of rotting fruit beneath the cacao tree and decided to try adding sugar

Someone then got peanut butter on said chocolate

They put the bomp in the bomp bah bomp bah bomp*

A visionary at HBO said, “Let's do a show about nekkid vampires.”

Nicklas Lidstrom** took off his shirt for Cafe magazine

They sell booze on airplanes

In the Bay Area, one is rarely more than a block or two away from a decent cup of coffee

Free delivery and free egg roll with orders over $25

In spite of being born 18 years and half of a continent apart, I met and married my husband

Corsets went out of style as every day underwear

I no longer wear my hair like I did in 9th grade

The ubiquity of Ugg-style boots in malls across the US means this horrific fad has officially peaked and may now begin to fade into shameful footwear history

Tomorrow is Saturday


Today's lesson: Gotta take the good with the bad...

Next: Nary a clue...

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*If you find yourself singing this the rest of the day, my apologies. 

**Four starters from the Senators in the All Star Game and only two Red Wings?!?!? What gives, people?