A Fulfilled Request - 2 Psalms on MP3

Recently a request was made for me to
record the 23rd and 91st Psalms.

I just completed them, and have made
these Psalms available here.

If you find these Psalms comforting,
you are welcome to download them for
your personal use.

Here is a reading of the 23rd Psalm

Perspective Video: A Symposium and A Message about Loving Ourself

I went to a "Girls Day Out" Symposium. It was
an awesome event.

The video below is a message from my experience,
along with a few interviews of some of the great
women I met.

Enjoy!



(PS
Click here for MP3 for meetings/conferences/seminars)

Perspective Short: Elizabeth Alraune - They say

Who are 'THEY' and why
do they get to have a say?
~Elizabeth Alraune

Recipe: Banana Bread

Several years ago I found the recipe this
one is based on. I thought I lost it since
the last time I moved. I was bummed. It
was so delicious...everyone loved it.

Fortunately I found it, and now I get to
share it with you. :-D

I hope you enjoy it!


Banana Bread

2/3c. Organic Sugar
1/4c. butter
1 egg
2 egg whites
1c. very ripe mashed banana
1/4c. water
1 2/3c. flour
1t. baking soda
1/2t. salt
1/4t. + 1/8t. baking powder

Beat softened butter with sugar. Beat
in egg and egg whites, bananas and water
until well blended. Stir in remaining
ingredients until moistened.

350/45-60 minutes

Cool 10 minutes, and remove from pan.
Cool completely before slicing
(24 slices)

Perspective: When Trust is Turned into Ammunition

When you meet a new person, you don't know everything
about each other. It is not possible.

As you get to know one another, you begin to reveal
pieces and parts of yourself. You reveal your history.
You reveal your weaknesses, your insecurities. You
get comfortable, and the other person gets to see the
"real" you.

That can be the beautiful thing about expressing yourself,
and getting to know another. There is something quite
wonderful and freeing about being able to express
yourself, without your guard up.

What isn't so beautiful is when you in that moment of
trust confide something about yourself or your history
only to have the other person come back at a later time
and use it as ammo when they see an opportunity.

Even worse, is when the other person uses the
knowledge in a way that s/he might even claim as
helpful or beneficial to you - often by seemingly
kicking you while you are down. More times than not
the LAST thing we need to hear is another's assessment
of us in what is likely already an argument or disagreement.

How often is someone likely to mention something that
is seemingly "wrong" with you when everything is going OK?

http://www.flickr.com/photos/tscarlisle/ / CC BY-NC-ND 2.0

The next time you are upset about something, and are
tempted to "use" some information about the other consider
the following:

1. Are you being defensive? Are you "pointing" at them as
a way of not looking at yourself?

2. Do you really think the person will "hear" what you are
saying if you point to something sensitive for or about them
when you are in the midst of a heated conversation?

3. Are you looking to hurt someone because you feel hurt?

4. Do you really think you are being helpful? Then consider
if there might be a better - less charged - time to address
the issue(s).

5. Do you really think you are being helpful? Does this
person want to hear what you have to say? Have they
"invited" you to address this issue? If not, odds may be
pretty good s/he will not be in a position to appreciate
what you have to say.

Arguments are bad enough without the additional stress
and heartache of the pain of feeling a betrayal of trust that
addressing sensitivities at the wrong time/in the wrong
way can bring.

Consider that you may think you know why a person is
acting as they are, but also consider that you haven't got
a clue. Many times what we think the issue at hand is
has nothing to do with what is really going on.

The world is a much better place when we have people that
we can trust and confide in, and when someone does that
with us, the best thing we can do for them is appreciate
the gift they've given us and respect them and the
information shared.

If you suspect the issue might be the issue, consider that
you can give them what they might need in the moment
as a result of the issue. For instance, maybe there is a
certain reaction because the person feels a lack of love.
Pointing out that they react that way, or that they feel a
lack of love is potentially unhelpful. What could be helpful
is to find a way to have that person feeling loved in that
moment.

If you find yourself on the receiving end of this type of
action, the best thing you can do is step back and see if
this might be what is happening.

If it is, then it might be helpful to let the other person
know that what s/he is doing is UNhelpful to you at that
time. If you really want to be generous, you can
acknowledge them for wanting to be helpful, but let
them know that you aren't in a place to appreciate it
at the moment.

I would truly like to think that most people don't set
out to hurt another, but that their own hurts and
defensiveness is what is speaking when they lash out.

When we love and trust another, it is a risk we take.
If we can recognize each other's humanity in moments
like this, it could make all the difference when it comes
to the outcome.

I am a great believer in expression. However, it would
be wise to consider what you say before you say it.
While words only take on the meaning that the receiver
brings to them, you can't take the result of their being
said back.

Sometimes it is wise to step back, and evaluate so you
can ACT vs. REACT. It is helpful to know when to walk
away. This is not to say to avoid the conversation, but
rather allow it time to breathe, so that the conversation
can be more productive. It is important to consider what
your goal is for the moment/for the conversation, and
where you are coming from. Is it a place of love? Or
somewhere more spiteful/hurtful?

In the heat of the moment we often are going to wind up
defensive (and defensively attacking), while the real issue
is standing in the corner watching and, as a result, remain
unaddressed and unresolved ready to appear another day.

Perspective: Collage Jewelry by MiMi

My friend MiMi is very creative.

She taught me how to make some very cool
things using an art style she developed
using previously used goods - in other
words, recycled art.

She has made her own jewelry for years,
as well as other things. The picture
above is one of her pieces. I love it,
and wanted to share some of her work,
because I just love her jewelry, and
the perspective from which she works.

Of course, if anyone also happens to
love it, then all the better for her,
too. Because she is the artist, and
not the business person, I am playing
middle man for anyone who might be
interested in purchasing her jewelry.

I will be putting together a page of
her work, so if you think it will be
of interest - stay tuned.

In the meantime, if you'd like to
purchase this set, email me at
infoATJoLoPe.com for details. Please
put "MiMi" in the Subject Line.

If you would like to get the word out
about what you do (or know of someone
who would like to get the word out
about what they do), let's talk...I'd
be happy to see what I could do to
help! Email, or click the telephone
image just below to call.

Perspective: A girl, A Yo-Yo, and Times Square

Several years ago I was waiting for a guy
I was dating in Times Square in New York City.

I arrived at our agreed location before
he did, and he was running late.

I called him at some point, and he sounded
like something was wrong, but when I asked
him about it, he was short, and pretty much
said he would still be coming.

I felt anxious about his coming as I was
standing virtually on a street corner waiting
for him. I wondered if there was anything
personal, as this was a new guy I was starting
to see. My mind started to take all kinds of
twists and turns, none of them particularly
good.

I knew I had to shake the feeling, and I
decided I had to find a way to do it. Having
time on my hands, I started to roam the many
stores of Time Square, looking for something
that would help my mood transition.

I was in the middle of some courses at the
time, and part of what they were suggesting
was that we could be the essence of something
in our interactions, and who we were. I had
determined that for me it was the essence of
Love and Fun.

As I looked around for something that would
represent Love and Fun I wasn't having much
luck, until I came upon a Yo-Yo which I
bought. I then went back to the street
corner. It wasn't really the corner, but
close enough...just love saying it for the
effect :-p.

I went back to our meeting location, and
proceeded to stand there, and Yo-Yo'd. It
was a cool November/December Day, and I
was slightly more than casually dressed
for my date, so imagine what I would have
looked like, standing there, in front of
the ESPN Zone, Yo-Yo-ing.

Even remembering that image brings a smile
to my face. Needless to say, people
certainly gave me second looks. I think I
almost had more fun with them, than I did
with the Yo-Yo.

When my date showed, he was cracking up at
me. What was I doing with a Yo-Yo? I
don't recall, but I don't think I explained
to him the fact that I was sort of freaking
out, and that I needed to switch gears so
that I could get into the space of Love and
Fun. And, even though he cracked up at me,
he took the Yo-Yo and started playing with
it himself as we walked to Mars2112 where
there were lots of games to play.

We had a great night.

The next day I found out what was bothering
him the night before and, of course, it had
nothing to do with me. Had it been the "old"
me I would have wanted to know what was wrong,
even if it had nothing to do with me and it
would have likely have ruined - or at the very
least strained - our evening together. However,
that night, thanks to Love and Fun, I was able
to let it go, and be in the moment.

By the way, I still have that Yo-Yo (it is the
one in the picture above). I have kept it as
a reminder of what focusing on the essence of
something can do for me. It was a wonderful
gift that has kept on giving, as it is one of
those stories that I have told many times.

And now I have told it once more.
-*-
Picture above is an adaptation of a Trey Ratcliff photo:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/stuckincustoms/ / CC BY-NC-SA 2.0

I admired his work so much, I asked him to be a guest.
Here's an excerpt from when Trey was on my
World of Perspective Radio Show.

Perspective: Pizza without cheese?! No Way?!

I don't know how you view food, and how
you make your choices, but lately I have
been seeing what I can do to make better
ones for me.

I have heard things that say we shouldn't
be eating dairy, that it's not healthy.
I also heard that cheese has some additive
that is addicting.

That last part I can believe, if for no
other reason, my experience with cheese.
It never lasts very long with me. I also
find that I don't feel the greatest after
I have eaten it.

I also heard recently about how MSG
reportedly kills off brain cells. I
don't know if that is true, or not, but
I also know how I seem to be affected
when I use ingredients (like bouillon)
that have MSG*.

So why am I mentioning these two things?

Recently, there was a coming together of
these two pieces when I sought out a
recipe for homemade bouillon. There was
one recipe that I found (that I have yet
to try) that called for Nutritional
Yeast Flakes (that is what is in the
upper left of the picture above).

I had no idea what they were, and went
I went looking, I found out that they
were used in vegetarian dishes, often as
a cheese substitute, since they have a
cheesy flavor.

I was a little hesitant to try them, as
odd as they seemed, but decided it was
worth it. My first use was some mashed
potatoes with spinach. I put a little,
because I didn't want to ruin what I had,
and was pleased with the outcome.

Next was a big test. Pizza. I decided
that if I was going to make such a big
change, then why not go even further?

I decided to make Broccoli Pizza.

I steamed the broccoli, and mixed it
with a little bit of butter, Parmesan
Cheese, and the Yeast Flakes, and then
topped the pizza crust, which had meat
flavored sauce.

The results were amazing. You get the
cheese flavor without the cheese, fat,
or calories.

Any die hard pizza fan may have serious
reservations about these choices, but
someone with an open mind, and a willing-
ness to try it, might be pleasantly
surprised.

The crust I made was the NYC Style
Pizza Crust from my previous blog.

I LOVE cheese...and I don't know that
I will never eat again...but what I do
know is that I will be eating it less.

If you try it, let me know what you
think!

*After seeing this post @LunaJune
forwarded me this article about MSG,
and other things. It's from the
Health Ranger's site (as referenced
in a previous entry).