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Annette Sugden Blog
Saturday, 2 May 2009
Feature tomorrow night 5pm Beyond Baroque and new book out tomorrow!
Mood:  energetic
Topic: Writing/Art Process
 
New book out tomorrow and I'm featuring tomorrow at Beyond Baroque :)!
Current mood:  excited
Hey everybody :) 2 announcements :)

1) I'm featuring with Ben Trigg tomorrow night (Sun May 3) at 5pm at Beyond Baroque Literary Arts Centre located at 681 Venice Blvd, Venice, CA There is also an open mic at this event. Sign up for that is at 4:45 pm.

2) Finally after much procrastination and detouring, my very first official chapbook is being released tomorrow at the above event! It's called "Don't Make Vincent Gallo Mad" and has some of my poems, artwork and photography inside. Right now I'm printing 20 copies with a color cover but all the images inside are B&W. They are $8. I am taking special orders for a limited addition all color version (ie the images that are in color will be in color but obviously any B&W images will still be B&W). The all color version will be more expensive, probably something like $10 to $11. Regardless of which version you are interested in 10% of all proceeds from each book are being donated to SFK a children's charity that helps at risk kids become empowered, increases self-esteem and self-awareness and helps kids make positive, proactive choices using their own critical thinking skills.

I hope to see everybody tomorrow evening at Beyond Baroque and I wish you all the best :)
Currently reading:
Satan: An Autobiography

Posted by annettesugden at 9:31 PM PDT
Permalink
Friday, 20 March 2009
Death and newish poem: Angel Catcher Mother Fucker!
Mood:  down
Topic: Writing/Art Process
March 20, 2009 - Friday 
Death and a New Poem: Angel Catcher Mother Fucker!
Current mood:  bummed
Category: Writing and Poetry
I'm feeling a bit sad because I just found out the other day that a family friend who has been battling cancer for the last 3 or so years has maybe 9 months to live. I'm trying to remain positive but it's a bit hard, even for a metaphysically minded magician type of old soul person like me. Also sort of feeling feather ruffled about an ill informed judgemental comment about one form of astrology being more accurate than another because one of the forms is based on a solar calendar. FYI no forms of astrology are based on the gregorian solar calendar. Most charts in all forms are charted based on the placement of the planets, etc at the time of birth. This includes where the sun is, as well as the moon, all the planets in the galaxy as well as several asteroids. Whether a person uses the gregorian calendar or another calendar is irrellevant. Anyway here's a newish poem I think I wrote in Oct of 2008. It has nothing to with astrology but does have to do with death and mothers. I hope you enjoy it. Comments are appreciated. :)


Angel Catcher Mother Fucker!

In the bookstore, I pick up a book
that would be perfect
for you
a journal
because of your mother
being gone
and you
being so angry at everything
God,
the doctors, your father,
you,
your mother
and all the women
you use
to erase her
like me
who look
like her.

I put it back because you hate me, don't
know me really
you
never existed,
the person who looks
like you
isn't you
and I'm not the evil witch
who looks
like me
who looks
like your mother
maybe even
the closest
one
you found
everything based on lies
except for the part
about
your mother.

 
Currently listening:
Watchmen Soundtrack
By Soundtrack
Release date: 2009-03-03

Posted by annettesugden at 5:11 PM PDT
Permalink
Monday, 16 February 2009
"You're so vain you probably think this song is about you"
Mood:  a-ok
Topic: Life
"You're so vain you probably think this song is about you"
Current mood:  curious
Category: Life

I guess it's been a bit since I've posted a new blog. The main updates are:

1) My apt and probably half the building had a terrible bedbug infestation. As a result, I had to throw away my bed, my dog's beds, all my pillows and chair cushions and I have been sleeping on a hard wood floor for about 2 weeks now until I get paid and can buy a new bed. My landlord is supposed to be replacing my bed which is good. But he hasn't given me the $ yet so I'm just going to buy the soft furniture that needs to be replaced and then take the amount off rent. Sleeping on the floor is actually an excellent exercise in humility and a good way to crush the ego a little bit. It was hard the first 2 nights and it's been a little difficult the last couple nights while I've had a bad cold. Actually I'm having some interesting dreams which may or may not be from sleeping on the floor. Those could also be from a fairly new twice daily practice of kabbalistic prayers and meditations. One of those sessions is completed just before I go to sleep and included staring at and meditating on one of a sequence of Aramaic/Hebrew letters called the 72 Names of G-d. They aren't actually G-d's names, but aspects in a way and are unpronounceable as words and are more accurately "messages" or "messengers" so names of angels sort of, but not exactly. Anyway, that's sort of a tangent (however often tangents contain more important information than the main body of a piece of writing or for example a lecture). It's possible the forces of the letters are influencing my dreams. It will be good to get a new bed though as being able to sustain sleeping on the floor for a long period of time is actually starting to feed my ego rather than crush it as I can feel myself starting to want to brag about how I am able to sleep fairly ok on a hard floor. So time to stop.

2) My last blog was on dating and how I am sort of not enjoying being single. I guess really what I don't enjoy on further reflection is "dating." And I mean how the 1% material reality views "dating" and all the bullshit that accompanies it. I'm more interested as I said before in cultivating friendships and intellectual, emotional and spiritual intimacy with a person before it evolves into anything physical and am quite happy to have no particular agenda. Well the no agenda is a goal. I have an ego, a large one, like everybody else so sometimes it has other plans if I don't keep it in check or I am not noticing where my blind spots are. More and more I am wondering if it is possible to have a romantic relationship with a man who isn't also studying kabbalah and attempting to live kabbalistically or at least to understand kabbalah. However I know I can have platonic friendships with people from all walks of life. I sort of kind of started talking to an old flame from college and beyond who now lives on the other side of the country. But that's the problem lol, he lives on the other side of the country. I really need to meet and have relationships with people I can hang out with on a regular basis although of course I remain friends with several people who are scattered all over the planet. My main focus is not having a romance. I've never been a "I must be part of couple NOW" or needy in that way. If anything, I am the opposite. I tend to keep prosepective romantic partners at arm's length in a variety of ways either by being distant or by being too intense/passionate or an odd combination of both at the same time. In other words by sending mixed signals (note this is not on purpose. I don't stay awake nights plotting on how I can keep all potential romantic partners from getting too close lol). In fact for about 4 years after ending my marriage, although I dating occassionally, I basically totally shut down from that aspect of myself. That ended in June of last year when I met somebody who somehow broke through all that lol.

3) At the time of my last blog entry, I thought I had made a new male friend. Not anything romantic or sexual necessarilly. It was way too soon to tell. We never even held hands, let alone kissed so how could either of us really tell what exactly was there. I'm a big believer that the first kiss and/or salsa or tango with a prosepective "date" are how a person knows anything about actual chemistry or potential in a friendship. And prolonging when or if there will even be a first kiss I am finally learning is often more fun than just cutting to the chase and kissing or jumping into bed with somebody too soon. But it seems he has moved on to not being a new friend and maybe being an acquaintance or maybe I am now just added to a list of band fans to be notified as new gigs come up. I am always happy to support other artists so I will. There were red flags sort of. He never added me on myspace as a friend. This point may seem immature. It doesn't hurt my feelings and there is no rule about adding people as friends or not. It just is an observation. And that's why it's a red flag. I can understand about stalkers since I've had my share being a female and a creative female with a small, well tiny, public following as a performance poet in Los Angeles. But at some point not adding a person as a friend looks like paranoia and/or very serious intimacy issues. I don't know. I wish him well and maybe we really "have coffee sometime" but I'm not holding my breath. Somewhere between our last meeting where we tentatively planned to go to see "Milk" together and at the end of that meeting he assured me that "it's on" and the next time we talked it went to him being "busy with work, taking care of some things and other stuff" and to "maybe we can get some coffee sometime" and then to "well, maybe I can let you know via email of future gigs." I liked him. I still like him. But I have no idea if that like would ever become romantic or not. I didn't know him at all. He doesn't know me at all. Hanging out 3 times for about 2 hours each is not enough time to get to know anybody. I think he's very attractive, but I also just think he's an interesting and intelligent guy and the most I allowed myself to fantasize about anything was being friends and/or maybe having another musician friend since I'm trying to get back into music again after not being serious about it since I was maybe 20.

4) Since I've seriously been back on my spiritual path and been studying and practicing kabbalah, I have been realizing all the things I gave up on because I was too afraid to continue because it was very scary and uncomfortable to pursue. One of those things is playing music, specifically singing and writing lyrics and finding 1-4 people to collaborate with musically. I need to overcome this fear. Up until age 19 or 20 I was actively trying to get into a band I even went on some auditions. Later I found out, I wasn't successful not because of lack of talent but because at the time my shyness was so acute, that even with a microphone, it was difficult to hear me and on stage it would have been impossible to. Now I'm louder lol. Plus collaborating will help me work on my fears of letting go and collaborating with others, to learn to trust others creatively. I think it's time.

5) I'm finally putting together my first chapbook, entitled "Don't Make Vincent Gallo Mad" (I like Vincent Gallo as an artist. I don't know him personally.) It's about 1/2 done. The poems are all there. It's just deciding which ones and what order and also which pieces of art to include. I'm editing it myself. It's my creative control issues and my lack of trust that are not allowing me to ask anybody else to edit it. Maybe I'll ask a trusted poet editor friend or two to take a final look before I take it to Kinko's to print it. It will be done before May because...

6) I am featuring at Beyond Baroque the first Sun in May at the Sun open reading there. Yay! I need to feature more again. My stalker issues of over a year ago and my head injury at around the same time really cut my time going to open readings and also my exposure as a result. The more open readings I go to, the more I get offers to feature I noticed. Also it's past time for me to have a book out and that should help.

7) I'm not hurt or angry at B anymore. At the moment he and I don't speak. I feel if he wants to talk to me then he will. In the past no matter what I did or said it was misinterpreted and either just fed his ego or ended up exploding into misunderstanding and hurt and wasn't helping either of us. I worry about him sometimes and I pray for his happiness, joy, peace, fulfillment and that he finds what he needs and is looking for in life. I am willing to never see or speak to him or attempt to see or speak to him if that is what is needed for him to find what he needs to further his path.And that is what he knows his path is whenever he finds it. Not what I or any other person thinks, feels or says his path should be. All of us are already on our paths. We all have freewill to make certain causes or not. There is a bigger picture always and who am I to judge or even be able to know or see what the bigger picture is for him. That's between him and G-d. He said once he feels an intense connection to Moses(Moshe) so I see him in my prayers having those qualities that Moses had and becoming a great, caring, compassionate leader in whatever community he chooses to land in.

It's funny as usual this blog isn't what I thought it was ultimately going to be about. Originally I intended to write more about ego and vulnerability. Maybe another time. Also in future blogs, look for new poems. Maybe the next several blogs will just be new poems lol. Over and out. Happy travels. "It is a tree of life for those who hold fast to it." :)



Currently watching:
I Heart Huckabees : Widescreen Edition

Posted by annettesugden at 4:51 PM PST
Permalink
Thursday, 22 January 2009
Writer's block and navigating the minefields of singledom :)
Mood:  cool
Topic: Life

Writer's block and traversing the baffling mine fields of singledom :)
Current mood:  artistic
Category: Life

 

I'll just say it once, I'm feeling a bit blocked as far as writing poetry goes and have been blocked for the last couple of weeks. But that's ok because maybe now I'll actually sit down and put together the chapbook I have been procrastinating about for the last 2 years out of insecurity or some kind of irrational fear that's not grounded in anything real.

Speaking of unreality, can I also mention or well confess that I don't really like being single. This may be odd since I have been single for longer periods of time than I have been in relationships, but when I get into long-term relationships I tend to stay in them for at least 4 years at a time. I don't count my most recent experience that I've recounted much of in this blog as a long-term relationship. It's more a part of the baffling minefield of dating or whatever the kids are calling it these days. And maybe that's the problem. Nobody has the same terms for anything and that's confusing enough. I know people who say they never date and yet they go out 1 on 1 with members of their gender of sexual and/or romantic preference and do things like drink or eat a meal or go to a movie or some other what my mother would term date like activity. So when exactly did dating become not dating and does insisting that something that by description looks like a date isn't a date, really make it not a date? Are we really all that afraid of getting to know each other that we are even afraid to call a date a date?

But maybe it isn't the activity that makes it a date. So to be sure I looked up the definition of date in the dictionary and here's what I found: date, noun, "an appointment to meet at a specified time; especially: a social engagement between two persons that often has a romantic character." The part that's interesting for this discussion is the phrase, "that often has a romantic character" and there's where times have changed. For example, I occasionally go out with or meet people in person that I originally met online, usually on a "dating" site such as ok cupid and recently for the first time with somebody I met on Myspace. I don't know these people really and they don't know me. And because we have never met, we have no idea if there is even any real mutual attraction or interest so how could a first or even a second meeting be termed a date? And then what if one person feels like it's a date but the other person doesn't? It's a lot less ambiguous to meet somebody at a bar or a party and talk a bit and then know that you'd definitely like to go out on a date with this person. Although even then it's not always clear these days. Most of us like to at least appear invulnerable and issue free, especially when we're trying to impress prospective romantic partners and most of us are afraid of rejection so we often don’t call a date, a date in case it isn’t and then it doesn’t feel or we think it won’t feel as bad if it doesn’t work out.

My confusion is I'd rather know where I stand so I can know how to behave without embarrassing myself. How flirtatious should I be on these non-date dates? I'm not looking for casual sex, so I'm not going to be worried about that but if I'm too platonic on a non-date date how do I convey that I may be interested in a date date in the future if there is mutual interest, but that if there isn't I'm fine continuing going on non date dates and/or becoming part of an extended circle of platonic friends. What if I make a wrong move or say the wrong thing inadvertently and a guy I'm interested in totally misinterprets it as something else? I’m not being insecure her. I have a wacky, sometimes odd sense of humor and I’m a proud dork so this is a real possibility lol.

What exactly are the rules of non-date dating anyway? And now I have another confession to make, since starting my study of Kabbalah, I am more baffled because Kabbalah has a set of suggestions or "rules" for dating and how women should behave in order to allow men to share or something like that. Do those "rules" apply to non-date dates? What about being a post-modern, post-feminist, post-punk woman? What if the guy I’m hanging out with isn’t studying Kabbalah? What if he’s a post- modern, post- feminist, post-punk? Some of the Kabbalah guidelines seem a bit retro. The reasoning is about women recognizing their worth and power, but I do recognize those. I have a pretty healthy sense of self and a positive self esteem, yet I don't always agree that a man has to pay for everything on dates not that that is the only way he can share or convey that he knows a woman has worth etc. What's wrong with going Dutch? I'd rather be equal. What if both of us don't make a lot of money? Actually eventually I prefer my mom's method of whoever invites pays, but in the beginning on non date dates when who knows if there will be a next non date date, let alone a date date, going Dutch makes sense. If a guy always had to pay, he'd have no money to go on non date dates, let alone date dates unless they are rich. I know I am non-date dating multiple guys and I assume they are also non-date dating multiple girls, at least I hope they are because I don't need any stalkers or misunderstandings and I would never want a guy I am seeing to feel pressured into paying all of the time. I’m an independent woman. I don’t need to be provided for financially. I can pay my own way. I don’t need or want a sugar daddy, thank you very much.

I guess you might say that figuring out whether it’s a date or a non date or a relationship all boils down to communication and emotional maturity. True. But how and where do you meet good communicators? Most of us aren't really taught good, strong communication skills. And we’re deathly afraid of appearing vulnerable. Just this past Sunday, a new friend was relating to me how hard it is for him to meet emotionally mature people and I agreed. I think I am usually emotionally mature, but I admit I have my blind spots and I do have issues. Still I try to communicate rather than freak out and I try to consider the other person and where they are coming from and what they need or want. Plus in dating whether it's non date dating or date date dating, I am trying to focus on friendship first and getting to know the person before I decide whether or not I want to kiss them or them to kiss me let alone get to full blown sex. It's not that I have a problem with casual sex or people that want casual sex; it's just that casual sex is not for me at this point in time. I'm more interested in friends and an eventual long-term relationship so the next person I have sex with will be a person that I am starting a romantic relationship with and that's it.

Who knows when that will be? I've had 2 non-date dates with a guy I like and would like to hang out with more but I'm baffled about where to go from here and who calls who and all that stuff. But I'll figure it out or not. And I have a couple other non-date dates lined up with a couple other guys over the next few days. If none of these guys turns into a romance it's fine. Maybe some of them will become good friends and who knows whom I'll meet. And while I say I hate being single because the whole dating thing is confusing to a post punk post dork dork who’s proud of her dorkiness and silliness, I am quite comfortable being alone and spending time alone. If I have no time to myself, then when can I write or draw or take pictures or meditate. And I'd rather be alone than in a bad relationship. And for now when I get horny I've got a good vibrator. The part of Kabbalah I'm working on in regards to all my relationships, romantic and platonic, is to at least attempt to have no agenda and to go with the flow. Sometimes I get there and other times I freak out, but only to my close friends. So my dates and non-dates never know. Well if any of them read this blog they do. I hope I have a 3rd non-date date with this new friend I mentioned but I make no assumptions. And now off to do homework and work on putting together that chapbook I mentioned :)

Currently listening:
The Life Pursuit
By Belle & Sebastian
Release date: 2006-02-07

Posted by annettesugden at 6:33 PM PST
Permalink
Wednesday, 7 January 2009

January 7, 2009 - Wednesday

Bethlehem Lint and The Opponent Current mood: Shining :) Category: Shining :) Life

2 new poems :) I posted 1 of them yesterday but it was buried between some other stuff. The first one is the most recent and really is a reworking of the second one in some ways, but they go together and are about the same topic and emotions. Enjoy and comment :) Thank you :) Keep Shining :)

Bethlehem Lint (Raiders of the Lost Ark revisited)

My red string broke again and I keep forgetting to look up bedbugs online because the prospect of dumping, losing, letting everything go, makes me weep. Just a piece of red wool - wound round Rachel's tomb - with traces of your off white jacket, the one you lent me when your crossed arm, closed off chest wouldn't hold my hand after we played Lego Indiana Jones on your Xbox 360 degree turn separation - "honey from the rock - now you're being nice again, not counting the hand-holding, both of us terrified that more than fuzz will be exchanged and if we cut too deep, our bones may become exposed then again, I tip-toe around your open gangrene wounds and you "forget" kissing me, go back to your corner cave, hiding, stop calling, until I pounce - denial - claw each other, stab, maul verbally. Why can't we play nice in this sandbox stove top broken bottle needle nose pliers string along circus tent chess match? after Chanukkah, another, unknown girl, friend of a mutual friend, threw up all over your new year's eve party get laid drunk dunk think tank plan - 1:39am - so angry - for so long but not at me, not really. I can hold my own liquor, know limits but still there's the pest problem. At least by Thurs I'll have a new string, left wrist, no more evil eye, this time clean.

ver. 1.1 Jan 2009

The Opponent Has Hidden Our Ark of the Covenant Again

Because your room is cold and we don't hold each other anymore, you embrace me with your Marc Ecko cut and sew hoodie. I'm Marion, you're Indy. We are made of Legosä. We play games on tv, lying on your broken bed, feet entwined, we giggle, press buttons as I hit you with a shovel and you encircle my waist with your whip, pull me in for a virtual kiss. Later when we talk, you refuse to hold my hand, pace around the periphery, jangle loose change, wont' look at me. At home I spritz your creamy jacket with perfume and rose water, sleep inside its hollows, wear it, you, everywhere so when I return it, you won't forget my smell. We both know you're a liar, you still love me. We're just afraid to open the Xbox.

 

Annette Sugden ver. 1.5/December,2008

Currently reading : The Five Books of Moses: A Translation with Commentary By Robert Alter


Posted by annettesugden at 12:38 PM PST
Permalink
Tuesday, 6 January 2009
Happy New Year 2009, a new poem by me and 2 other poems by other poets
Mood:  quizzical
Topic: Life

January 6, 2009 - Tuesday

Happy New Year plus a new poem by me and 2 other poems by others :)
Current mood: contemplative
Category: Life

"Here's wishing all creatures on this earth luck, love, and good health
in winter and in summer as we go into what most people like to call
2009. Of course, it is not possible for every being to live lucky and
healthy lives all at once, but we can be loving. There are choices we
can make, from moment to moment. We can join ourselves and others,
choose to see the ties that unite us, feed us, make our lives what they
actually are."
- Viggo Mortensen

I couldn't say it any better than that. Life feels both grand and tough going these days for me and many people but not as tough as for some. I feel very blessed by many people, events and things. I have been struggling with the aftermath of a conflict with a person I love very much. I don't blame myself or this person for anything nor do I see them or me as negative or any feelings between us as negative. They may or may not share the same perspective. As a result of this conflict, and in the end a blessing for both of us, is the death of a few possible dreams of mine, not necessarilly of them. I am sad about the death of these dreams. Perhaps they are or maybe not. Perhaps they are dancing for joy. Perhaps they even hate me. None of that matters. None of these things is wrong. Nor right really. Neither of us are bad people. We may or may not even be good people. I miss them. This person showed me so many parts of myself that I was blocking and had denied even trying to escape from. As a result of knowing this person, I have begun to do some in depth personal and spiritual work over the last two months, including intense study of Kabbalah and other aspects of Judaism. I have a long way to go but already have seen many positive changes in myself and in how others respond to me. I know now that this person and I will not marry or be together in a romantic way. That is one of the dreams that died at 1:39am Jan 1, 2009. I don't regret addressing certain things I had avoided talking about with them for the last month. I thought long and hard about how to approach them. Perhaps there were other ways and other words I could have chosen, I don't know. Perhaps there were other words and actions this other person could have chosen. I believe as hard and sad as it things between us are right now, what happened was a gift and hopefully frees both of us and is what will ultimately allow both of us to reveal the most Light and share ruthlessly and ridiculously with the world.

Perhaps even the possibility of future friendship was ruined. For my part, No. Even though my romantic feelings are dying, the core Love and bond is still there. I am not sure when or if this person and I will see each other or speak to each other again. I am sorry for hurting them and I forgive them for hurting me. Still trust, perhaps for both of us has been broken. I am no longer angry with him. I hope one day he will no longer be angry with me. And maybe one day when he looks over the times we shared and the conversations we had, he will see that although there were mistakes and misunderstandings, for the most part and even because of those mistakes and misunderstandings what we shared was beautiful, positive, loving and of the Light. I sincerely hope he finds what he is looking for and that God looks after him and protects him. He is a great soul and has the potential to reveal and share so much Light. We all reveal Light. And like I've always said, separation is an illusion, ultimately we are all, all of us, ONE. Good bye B for now. I love you as a friend, go with God and if I don't see you again this go around, perhaps we'll see each other again on the next one.

And now a new-ish poem (from beginning of Dec, 2008) followed by poems by two other poets. Percival Press and Viggo Mortensen are great at finding poems, poets and quotes. :)

The Opponent Has Hidden Our Ark of the Covenant Again

Because your room is cold and we don't hold each other anymore, you
embrace me with your Marc Ecko cut and sew hoodie. I'm Marion, you're
Indy. We are made of Legosä. We play games on tv, lying on your broken
bed, feet entwined, we giggle, press buttons as I hit you with a shovel
and you encircle my waist with your whip, pull me in for a virtual
kiss.

Later when we talk, you refuse to hold my hand, pace around the
periphery, jangle loose change, wont' look at me. At home I spritz your
creamy jacket with perfume and rose water, sleep inside its hollows,
wear it, you, everywhere so when I return it, you won't forget my
smell.

We both know you're a liar, you still love me. We're just afraid to
open the Xbox.
     
Annette Sugden ver. 1.5/December,2008



Walkers with the Dawn


Being walkers with the dawn and morning,
Walkers with the sun and morning,
We are not afraid of night,
Nor days of gloom,
Nor darkness--
Being walkers with the sun and morning.
—Langston Hughes

A Few Words On The Soul

We have a soul at times.
No one's got it non-stop,
for keeps.
Day after day,
year after year
may pass without it.

Sometimes
it will settle for awhile
only in childhood's fears and raptures.
Sometimes only in astonishment
that we are old.

It rarely lends a hand
in uphill tasks,
like moving furniture,
or lifting luggage,
or going miles in shoes that pinch.

It usually steps out
whenever meat needs chopping
or forms have to be filled.

For every thousand conversations
it participates in one,
if even that,
since it prefers silence.

Just when our body goes from ache to pain,
it slips off-duty.

It's picky:
it doesn't like seeing us in crowds,
our hustling for a dubious advantage
and creaky machinations make it sick.

Joy and sorrow
aren't two different feelings for it.
It attends us
only when the two are joined.

We can count on it
when we're sure of nothing
and curious about everything.

Among the material objects
it favors clocks with pendulums
and mirrors, which keep on working
even when no one is looking.

It won't say where it comes from
or when it's taking off again,
though it's clearly expecting such questions.

We need it
but apparently
it needs us
for some reason too.

—Wislawa Szymborska
(translated from the Polish by Stanislaw Baranczak and Clare Cavanagh)














We are obliged to respect, defend and maintain the common bonds of
union and fellowship that exist among all members of the human race.
—Cicero

Currently reading :
The Spiritual Rules of Engagement: How Kabbalah Can Help Your Soul Mate Find You
By Yehuda Berg


Posted by annettesugden at 6:01 PM PST
Permalink
Saturday, 13 December 2008
Working on uncontional sharing & a quote
Mood:  bright
Topic: Spiituality, Dreams

Working on unconditional sharing & quote from Honey From the Rock a book by Lawrence Kushner
Current mood: awake
Category: Religion and Philosophy

Things always happen for a reason as the cliche goes & since I have made a more active & proactive committment to my spiritual path I am beginning to see that the only reason is to give us opportunities to transform our issues at a soul level so we can reveal Light to the world. Yesterday I posted a meditation tool, a phrase I learned in the Kabbalah class I am taking at the Kabbalah Centre, "I only want to get the Light of the Creator." This phrase is the key to understanding what real unconditional sharing means. It means we dont need to take or steal Light or energy from others. It means we dont need recognition, thanks or anything in return for anything we do or say. It means that the only motivation in unconditional sharing is to receive the Light of the Creator from the Creator. This Light is endless & when we tap into it there is never any need to take from others & also others can never drain us or harm us. However, it is important to never judge others who are not able to unconditionally share. The moment we blame others for anything it means we are focusing on ourselves and no longer connected to the Light. We also must have undrstanding and compassion for ourselves. It takes time, persistence and perseverence to get to a place of pure unconditional sharing all of the time and the first step is awareness of our own selfishness, our own reactivity and our own issues that we need to correct ourselves. We are always the cause of our own lives. This is where my understanding of what I am learning and where I am trying to go with that learning in my own journey of healing and transformation. I hope it helps others to reveal the Light to themselves and each other. We are all in this together. Separation is an illusion. With that I am going to end with a quote from the book, Honey From the Rock by Lawrence Kushner. Part of this quote is in my status for today. "Where does a person end and begin?....Where does anything begin and another thing end?....Why have we so ruthlessly superimposed borders on things?....Maybe there are no 'objects.' Maybe we have only invented them." (pp145-146). :)

Currently reading :
The Power of Kabbalah: Technology for the Soul
By Yehuda Berg

Posted by annettesugden at 3:55 PM PST
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Sunday, 30 November 2008
Kabbalah, Hafiz, No Agenda and Soul Meets Body
Mood:  a-ok
Topic: Friends

Kabbalah, Hafiz, No Agenda and Soul Meets Body
Current mood: blessed
Category: Friends

Just a quote, a few poems by Hafiz and a video today :)

B it's good we talked about stuff last night. Honestly, from my heart, we are on the same page about everything. Really :) Let's just be and let G-d decide the rest. Whatever G-d wants, provides, intends is beautiful. I have no agenda or expectations. I respect your wishes and boundaries and they are also my wishes and boundaries. Love always - however G-d wants that love to look. Friends first, friends last and friends forever. Thank you for being my best friend :)

"when you share your pure thoughts and are willing to say the uncomfortable truths, you feel peaceful and grounded.An important lesson to remember this month is that if you truly care about a person, you should do anything in your power to be open and honest with them. As the kabbalists say: Love without unity isn't love, and unity without love isn't unity." - Yehuda Berg

The Thousand - Stringed Instrument

The heart is
The thousand-stringed instrument.

Our sadness and fear come from being
Out of tune with love.

All day long God coaxes my lips
To speak,

So that your tears will not stain
His green dress.

It is not that the Friend is vain,
It is just your life we care about.

Sometimes the Beloved
Takes my pen in hand,
For Hafiz is just a simple man.

The other day the Old One
Wrote on the tavern wall:

"The heart is
The thousand-stringed instrument

That can only be tuned with
Love."

- Hafiz (Sufi poet circa 1320-1389)

I Got Kin

Plant
So that your own heart
Will grow

Love
So God will think,

"Ahhhhh,
I got kin in that body!
I should start inviting that soul over
For coffee and
Rolls."

Sing
Because this is a food
Our starving world
Needs.

Laugh
Because that is the purest
Sound.
- Hafiz

Life Starts Clapping

Wherever
God lays His glance
Life starts
Clapping.

The
Myriad
Creatures grab their instruments
And join the
Song.

Whenever love makes itself known
Against another
Body

The
Jewel in the eye starts
To

Dance.

- Hafiz

Chain You To My Body

All
These words
Are just a front
What I would really like to do is
Chain you to my body,
Then sing for days
And days and
Days
About
God.
- Hafiz

Why Not Be Polite

Everyone
Is God speaking.
Why not be polite and
Listen to
Him?
- Hafiz

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f7mNNhRpxyg

Currently reading :
The Five Books of Moses: A Translation with Commentary
By Robert Alter

Posted by annettesugden at 2:09 PM PST
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Tuesday, 25 November 2008
My Birthday Party and Happy Birthday B
Mood:  cool
Topic: Friends

My Birthday Party & Flo Rida - Low video & Happy Birthday B
Current mood: vibrant
Category: Friends

This is a blog about how great my birthday was! Hooray! And it was all because of my friends and being able to share a wonderful evening with them. And also a very sweet reunion after 3 months apart for me and my best guy friend, B. :)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jOW-f3yEHRM


So my actual birthday was Sun, but my party was Sat. night. It has been a long time since I've had an actual birthday party. Usually maybe I'll go out to dinner with 1 or 2 very close friends or maybe have a family dinner. But since I started studying Kabbalah, I have actively been trying to challenge myself as much as possible and getting over aspects of my self consciousness is part of that. So this year I decided to have a karaoke party and to invite people I might feel embarrassed to invite because I don't know them that well yet or who I haven't seen in awhile and then of course I invited some close friends as well. And to make things really potentially challenging I invited my most recent ex, who as anyone who reads this blogs, knows, I still have very deep feelings for.

I prepared myself emotionally for the event by staying positive and reminding myself that the party would be the exact party that I needed to have now ijn order to continue learning and growing and no matter what it would be a fun experience, even if I was the only one who attended. As the party date grew closer, I became more and more excited and used the opportunity to approach people I work I rarely get a chance to speak to and invited them. By the friday before the party, if I worked with you and I hadn't invited you, then it was just because I didn't see you that day.

I wanted to use the party to make everybody who came feel good and to share gifts with them. I bought little things and some chocolates and made party favor treats for everybody. By focusing on my guests and not myself and whether I would have fun, it helped me not feel insecure or nervous like I normally might. It also took my mind off of over obsessing about the fact that B would be there.

Sat morning and afternoon I made last minute preperations, treated myself to a manicure and picked up the birthday cake. While I was out B sent me a cute happy party picture message. It was so sweet and he and I had a nice conversation via text.

Soon it was almost time for the party. I got ready, feeling really happy and excited and still in the postive, sharing place without any expectations. I drove to Boardwalk 11 and a couple early guests were already there, one of my friends names Alex and my good friend Ida. Gradually more people arrived, including B. He gave me a big hug, long hug. He's the best hugger ever. He always gives full hugs that feel like he really connects. Then he sat next me and we talked a lot about a lot of things which are personal and private so I won't go into detail. I also have to say that it felt like it always feels to be around him which I can just describe as right.

Finally everybody was there so it was B, Tina, Ida, 2 different Alexes, Tracy, Louise, Amber, her boyfriend (I am embarrassed I forgot his name) Didi, Sharon and a friend of Sharon's (also need to get her name, sorry) so including me there were 13 of us. It was a great mix of people. B was great. He got up and danced to California Love which was awesome. He's so funny, exuberant and just a great guy and an amazing friend. Yes, sometimes he and I have our differences and misunderstandings, but so does everybody and he was really wonderful Sat night. He halped make my birthday party one of the best birthday's I've ever had and even if he and I never get that opportunity again to feel that connected again, the gift he gave me of just being himself and being relaxed and having a great time is one I will always treasure. Just thinking about him dancing, he and I sitting and being a bit cuddly together and just being together makes me smile every time. I opened the gift he and Tina gave me which he picked out. I was really touched. He gave me an English translation of the Torah, The Five Books of Moses. Thanks so much for the book B. I love it :)

He and I are more than friends. That doesn't mean it has to be romantic or sexual. But we have something so strong, that nothing, not even time or distance apart or anything anybody says can interfere with it. And I am doing my best to have no expectations and to feel certain that the Universe will make it, as with everything, exactly what he and I need. Plus I think he still has a girlfriend and I don't ever want to be the cause of further complications in his life. I am his friend first and foremost. And I love him.

Back to the party. We talked some more. I talked with all my guests. I talked a lot with my friend Louise who I hadn't seen in over a year. At some point Flo Rida's Low came on and B asked me to dance. Hip Hop style dancing is not something I have loads of experience doing so I feolt both happy and self conscious but quickly got over it and had a great time dancing a silly sexy dance with him. It was so fun and I fell in love with him all over again. Some people had to leave and B asked for the cake to be brought back out from the kitchen where the club was keeping it for me. He took me on stage, made a speech and sang happy birthday to me. I made a wish (can anybody guess what it was?) and blew out the candles.

After the cake was shared people had to go. By the end it was B, Tina and I. B sang a Guns N Roses song and a bit later I performed an Evanescence song. The party was over. I had to get home to my doggie, Frankie, B was dead tired and had worked all day and had to work again the next day. B was such a gentleman. He walked me to my car and carried all my packages for me. We hugged and kissed again and he told me to call him if I wanted.

The next day while I was at the movies because that was my solo birthday treat to myself, he phoned and left a Happy Birthday voice mail. I was really touched. I sent him a thank you text and promised to phone him that night. I was really tired. No matter what time I go to bed, I never can seem to sleep in past 7am so after getting to sleep at around 3, I woke up at 7. I took a nap and phoned him at 10, but got his voice mail. I texted him a :) and a happy day b4 the day b4 his bday (his birthday is tomorrow, Happy Birthday B :) I love you!) And I tried phoning him again last night not because I was feeling nervous or sad, but just to say hey and thanks again for a wonderful night.

I know like I said that no matter what he and I will always have the strong, powerful, loving, soul level bond that we share together whether we talk regularly or see each other a lot or not. And anyway separation is only an illusion. No body is ever really apart and we, all of us are one. We just constantly forget that. Of course I hope he and I talk and see each other again soon. But if we don't, I know it's not about me. We all have lives and things we have to take care of. I can't say it enough, thank you everybody who came to my party and a big thank you to B my best guy friend and a super soul mate, B. Thinking about you always makes me smile :) Thanks again for the great book :) Love always xo from my heart and soul :) Happy Birthday for tomorrow! xo xo :)

 

Currently reading :
The Five Books of Moses: A Translation with Commentary
By Robert Alter

Posted by annettesugden at 8:16 PM PST
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Friday, 14 November 2008
Anonymous emails and small miracles
Mood:  bright
Topic: Life

Anonymous email and small miracles :)
Current mood: blessed
Category: Life

I guess for awhile off and on I have been open to seeing synchronicity everywhere or in other words, small miracles. Most days, especially on days when my mood is not so bright, I am blind to them, but I have really been working hard since I started studying Kabbalah to remember that I am the cause of my own life and also to not be reactive to things, including things that I would feel really really upset or angry about or worse that would scare me. And now even those situations when I remember I and everybody are connected to the Light, become small miracles, sometimes even large miracles in their own right because they are the best tests and opportunities for me to reveal more Light and to learn something new.

Today, maybe because it is Shabbat, or maybe because I have been feeling especially contemplative and vigilant since my Kabbalah class last night, I have felt really connected and in that Love zone. Not an in love or romantic love zone, but that Love from the Universe, ie G-d zone. The one that makes me proudly sound like a happy go lucky G-d loving lady. The one that makes me feel connected to everyone and everything. It was a morning where even the songs I wanted to hear were playing on the radio.

And then the best miracle of all happened! I got an anonymous email - you know from an (unknown sender) so no email and sent from an Internet based anonymous email provider that allows people to send emails so that the recipient cannot trace the email address or the name of the sender. Now why is this a miracle? Usually when someone uses this kind of service, they are attempting to spread hate or anger or hurt to a person. And I don't doubt that maybe that was the intention of whoever sent the email to me.

But I don't feel hurt. I feel grateful for the email because it was a great test. Because I am a known poet locally and have an online presence as a writer as well, I have attracted both positive and negative attention. In the past when I would receive something even vaguely troll-like or stalker-ish, I would have felt both angry and afraid. But this morning I felt sort of amused and like I said before grateful.

But there was another miracle in the email. The words of the email itself were a reminder of my Kabbalah lessons because the email read "WHAT THE HELL YOU LOOKING FOR!!!!" and it made me think and remember that I and everybody else are looking for the Light which we experience as a feeling of fulfillment and that I really would rather have long term fulfillment and do the work to earn that fulfillment than short term fulfillment which may feel more comfortable initially and easier but which eventually just causes chaos in my life.

So whoever you are, mr or ms anonymous email sender I thank you and send you Light. Your message was a gift from the Creator :)

Ok everybody remember we are all the cause of our own lives and the Light is always on, even during what feels like our darkest hours :)

Currently reading :
The Power of Kabbalah: Technology for the Soul
By Yehuda Berg

Posted by annettesugden at 8:35 PM PST
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