Time to talk about attention again!

I haven't written for a very long time.
I can't remember when, exactly. I just know that attention is alive and well all around the world. I was recently in Madrid at the request of a lovely young architect, whom I met in Los Angeles and who lives there. Andres asked me, when he heard that I was going on a cruise from Venice to Barcelona, to come to his city for two days, so he could show me around. I went.

We walked his city, choosing to see his favorite buildings and spaces. He taught me the rituals of enjoying  Spanish cuisine. He introduced me to the friends he thought I' like to meet - I did. He took me to street gatherings for Fashion Week. People in Madrid take advantage of their city by walking it almost 24/7.  He gave me his apartment to stay in, while he went elsewhere to sleep. We rode the buses and the subways. His hosting was the absolute finest kind of attention I could ever have. He was present with me all the while, even though occasionally he had to answer his cell phone. While he had clients to call and work with, I went to two museums, which are totally fantastic there.

Andres' city, Madrid,  is a true gem. It needs visitors and we need it for its art, culture and way of life.

The ship I chose, also had its special brand of attention. There were staff from all around the world, almost like a small United Nations. They were all working together, attentively. They soon knew our names and if we had any special needs for anything. I met young people from Romania, Peru, The Philippines, Lithuania, Bali, Canada - all of whom were seeing the world for themselves.

My memories of those fourteen days away remain vividly etched in my memory bank to be pulled out at will and enjoyed again.

Marching Along

Finally, I am writing again, which feels so good.

I have reinvented my life!!! I moved to New York to my dream home in November.

Miracles keep abounding. The grandson of the Lanes, the Missionary couple who treated me so generously, while I lived in Sapporo, Japan as a young bride/expectant mother, found me through the Huffington Post article I wrote on Thanksgiving 2007...I'd been asking The Universe forever how I could find any family members, as I hadn't been in touch for decades...can you imagine the feelings I had when I saw the Lanes' name in my In-Box? We've become e-mail pals and I can hardly wait to meet him.

I am launching my new book, Attention: Secrets for Making It in College and Beyond, in August. It's 56 pages of vital info for kids about why and how attention works...parents tell me what they wish they'd had it, before they went off to college.


This is a dashing blog today...more to follow.

March Brings My Birthday and Thoughts of Japan, as Time Flies.

My birthday's in March, so it's always a special month for me. I wait for it to arrive, always say that I'm going to celebrate all 31 days, and, suddenly, it's April 1st. I know that time is going faster, because I've read that it is so. I think that I can almost feel it's fleeing...I look at the clock one minute, do something quickly, and another hour's gone.

I did have a wonderful birthday week-end this year, though, filled with family and friends. I got to spend time with all three sons during the month, for which I am most grateful.

My 22nd birthday brings back a flood of memories. I was a new bride, and I had the great, good fortune to be able to live in Japan for nine full months. My husband had been sent to Sapporo by the Army. He'd been drafted right after he'd received his degree in economics. The Army made him a telephone repairman. Luckily for us, he got a strep throat, when he was about to be shipped overseas, was hospitalized and re-assigned to the payroll department of the Quartermaster Corp. Lots of economics there. Lucky break.

The Masaki family took us in, let us live in their upstairs, treated us like their own kids, and celebrated us and every holiday that came by. On my birthday in Japan, my mother sent the recipe for my favorite chocolate cake and a very special lady baked it as a surprise. I carry the memories of my time in Japan in my soul.

The cherry trees have already blossomed in Japan, giving that country magical qualities for the month. That phenonmeon is given great attention annually. I've was there at that time of year. It is like fairy land. The Japanese celebrate grandly with parties, picnics, poems, songs. They realize that that display of nature is really something and spectacularly memoralize them with song, drink, togetherness and cameras. It's wonderful. It's a great family time. I shall go again.

The school year's almost coming to a close. People are thinking about their summer vacations, already, and soon June will be here...Oh, Mother's Day does fall in-between. If I had enough resources, I would celebrate this Mother's day by taking my entire family to Kyoto, and the southern parts of Japan for as much time as we all could eke out...

I know my family's full of all ages now, which could make for interesting decisions about what to do and see. I wonder how long some could be away from their texting and social net-working.

It definitely takes some negotiating and listening to travel with family these days. It's best to know that there are lots of different needs and opinions in one's "tribe." Perhaps, it's worthwhile to operate very democratically and take votes on everything. And if the minority doesn't like what the majority wants, they have permission to secede and go where they want, as long as everyone shares at the end of the day. I could handle that. I know that I would win some and lose some. That would be ok, too. I would be savouring everything all over again and with some new eyes.

Tomorrow's another Monday. Best I get ready for it.

Attention, Attention: How Vital is It?

I saw the new version of Chorus Line tonight and absolutely loved it. It's all about attention - how much attention is paid to the 1000 who auditioned to get in the show. These young people have really spent years getting ready for these grueling auditions, at which some lose and some win. You see the agony and the ectasy. It's a very emotional movie, for it's so well done, that you feel the pain and the elation of the dancers. I cried several times, sometimes from hurt and other times from joy.

Most of these kids have known from childhood that they wanted to be dancers. Perhaps, their parents knew before them., recognized something in them and supported their being able to grow to professionalism. That took immense attention for everyone: the hours spent in taking lessons, driving to lessons, driving home from lessons, shopping for shoes and costumes, having massages when necessary - to name jut a few of the required activities. It actuallybecomes a full time job. One young woman talked about how much her mother loved to dance, but when her mother married her father, he forbade her to dance and put an end to her passion. So her mother's passed that passion on to her daughter. This is not common. Also heard," If it weren't for you, I would have been a famous dancer!"One dancer's father was one of this country's best professional dancers who started his own dance troupe. His name was Jacques La Boise.

When you're a dancer, you have to pay attention to your entire body which includes your feet, your legs, your upper torso - all of you really. It's an everyday thing of practice and more practice and healing the physical hurts and pain.

Actually a dancer's body is his art form; he has no other product. Their stamina, their physical prowess is amazing and memorable to watch. When they can't dance anymore, who are they?
That is one of the questions asked.

I would highly recommend this movie; it comes out in April.

We're already in the middle of March!!!

March, the name and the month, is special for me. It's my birthday month, and it also happens to be my last name. Wonder if there's a coincidence there?

I start celebrating the first day of March, which seems like it was yesterday, and already it's the twenty-second...I know people who won't celebrate their birthdays, don't want to, and I feel that I have to make up for them. I think that's a real pity, for that's the day we were born, arrived on this planet to make a difference ...when we can commit to being in integrity, being authentic and choose to heal ourselves and the planet. Celebrating is good!

Some people still have to learn to receive, to let others acknowledge them. Childhood memories creep in here, and if early birthdays were stressful, adults tend to shy away from wanting to do anything about their birthdays. When birthdays fall on or near Holidays, there are stories...memories which live forever...I have collected lots of stories about that phenomeon!!!

My, my soap box is really turned on tonight. I think I have some extra vetting energy because I took myself to my favorite deli tonight and was totally disappointed in everything I ordered - even commented to the waitress, who shared that other patrons felt the same way - no flavor whatsoever...I finally took a piece of their rye bread, always terrific, and dipped it in Russian dressing -that was fabulous. I could put Russian dressing, Thousand Island, on almost anything, and it tastes better. That must be from my mid-west Detroit roots.

I've been on a movie prowl lately and have seen three good ones: I Love You, Man, Everlasting Moments (Swedish) and Two Lovers. I guess I'm exhibiting spring fever behavior. The first movie is a wonderful stab at explaining male bonding/friendship which for so many has become so suspect...actually...I really liked that movie.

Spring: Time for flowers...lots...makes me feel honored and cared for; my balcony garden is looking good!

I've been motivated to write much more lately, to complete my long-awaited book and to get some product ready for Web site - I've got cheerleaders in residence who are really pushing me, as they think my work is vitally important, timely and needs to be out there - this really helps. I am grateful.

Just heard mega rain outside and as I love to sleep in the rain, after reading the Sunday New York Times, I think it's time to head off to bed. Another week has come and gone; I am always running out of time these days - lots on my plate - making me very happy and challenged. Good to feel creative.

Hope all's well all over the world tonight, especially with all my family and friends scattered here and there. I shall send them extra positive attention through the air waves...

Amazing Attention for Me and for a Portugese Dog

I am very curious this morning. I've visited my Web site and observed that certain visitors stay for many minutes and do not leave their e-mail addresses, so they can receive up-to-date messages from me - a newsletter - an offering - a meditation. Others stay for a nano-second; I sincerely wish I could talk with them, especially the ones who stay around. What more could I share? I just hope that this is not the way of the world - a one way communication system.

Interacting with others is a must for me, either in person or, at least, on the telephone. I want to hear their voice, see their eyes, feel their energy. I don't text. Oh, I can. I just have to turn on my thumbs. But that just isn't enough for me.

A friend and I saw "I Love You Man", a new movie, last night which dealt with many male friendship issues and did it thoughtfully and very well, I thought. My friend and I talked about how we both felt about all this texting, wondering if the next step in all this non-personal communication will be having a chip implanted in our heads: a frightening and dismal thought.

There is a very fine science-fiction book which already describes living that way. It's called "He, She, and It." Scary. Are we headed that way?

But why do I want to tell you about the Portugese dog? Because I saw one this morning, and I heard that the Obamas are considering this breed for their family. It's hypoallergetic, is very loving, is very cute, and also needs lots of attention. They repeated that word over and over again as that's the bottom line - like any family member. This one particularly needs to learn who's the leader! Other family members need other kinds of attention; everyone does not need the same kind. Family's really work well, when they determine exactly what the needs are for each member, as they're all different....a novel thought!

I personally need time to see, because I am so very visual; there are musical souls in the song world, the world of orchestra s, the composing worlds. And there are physical souls who are in the sports world, dance world, hiking world. We all know them.

I "tank up" in museums, shopping in special stores, walking in visually gorgeous places, reading wonderfull illustrated books, looking at the sunset, and beyond. When I go into a new home, I always first look out the window. I am a trained hand-weaver, love to make collages and have even painted in San Torini once, which was the most of the best....

We've got to discover what turns us on and share that information with the people we care about, so they can support us in getting the specific kind of attention we need!
I guess it's time to step down from my soap box!!!

The Full Moon is Here!

Yesterday a friend and I spent the entire day in Santa Barbara, attending a Women's Networking Festival. The ride along the ocean was grand, as it was a gorgeous day and there was little traffic. I feel so lucky to have the freedom to spend days like this.

The Universe was doing its work with me, as I met exactly the women I was supposed to - funny how that works. Great women. Long day. New info about drinking alkaline water to stay healthy and keep disease away. I plan to put lemon juice in my filtered water daily now, as that provides enough alkaline, though they now have miraculous water machines to do the trick. People are awed by their new energy, fitness and healing through their new alkaline habit.

We ended our trip by having a great dinner in Malibu to celebrate her upcoming birthday. Our birthdays are meant to be celebrated - all of them - I find it very sad when people don't want to celebrate theirs anymore, because I know "The Attention Factor" is involved here. I also know that lots of kids never had a real chance to celebrate themselves as they grew up and when their parents couldn't or wouldn't celebrate them, it's left lingering damaging patterns. Kids whose birthdays fall near Holidays have major stories to tell about their disappointments, when their special days morphed into the holidays: Valentine's Day, Christmas, Easter, etc. I've even heard Mothers and Daughters fight over the re-telling of celebrations. Lingering memories.

Birthdays are special and the more of us who continue to honor our friends are family are spreading positive and loving energy onto our Planet.

So. Let's honor the full moon, too, and the gyrations it seems to bring. That's why I am writing today, to ground myself, to hopefully give myself the attention and energy to work on some life details I need to today. I'd rather be walking at the beach...or going to a movie...or....and the change in DST time has thrown me into a minor jet lag, additionally! Perhaps, spring fever is setting in.

My mind keeps rejecting those details. However, I am finding more and more that when I make lists of the things I need to do and check them off one by one, I feel more empowered and creative. How easy that sounds and how easy it writes. Simply, I want more and more of those feelings!