Our Actions & Complaining

Hey everyone!

I've been behind on the blogging so I've got the woodstove roaring this morning, listening to some Native meditation flutes, and finally settled down at the computer to write. :) Here is one of my favorite songs that came on, feel free to listen and read: 

 

My trip to Los Angeles was great - a bit chaotic and rushed but I think filming went well. Another family was helped and we caught some interesting things...I can't talk about the plot or what company I filmed with, but if the TV show sells, you'll get to hear all about it then! I've always wanted to put together a show that will help people, educate the audience, and empower viewers to realize they can help themselves! Let's pray it sells!

My hotel room and the backdrop for the interviews :)

Anywho! Each day I have my soul and mind open, figuratively 'putting feelers out', to lead me to what I should write about next. Sometimes ideas and messages pop into my head from a 'higher source', and other times I'll see something on TV, experience an event, or hear someone say something that triggers another blog idea for me.

I was at the nail salon again sprucing up my digits for filming and I watched another Netflix special there. This time instead of a sea mollusc, we were watching a sea turtle. This poor baby sea turtle... His home of floating algae and plant matter was destroyed by a freighter/cargo ship, his friend died next to him while swimming through an oil spill, he choked on plastic floating in the ocean, was nearly killed by a squall straight out of A Perfect Storm, and then was caught with a hook by a fisherman.  Thankfully he was released...but who knows what else he was to encounter on the rest of his turtle journey!

Being an empath/intuitive, it becomes apparent that these types of documentaries bother me much more than most people ha ha...I must have had a horrible expression on my face because one woman tried figuring out what I was watching that upset me so much. She glanced between TV and myself and made some condescending smirk and went back to watching her nail technician. She later asked me, "Did he die?" out of a twisted curiosity.

I often wonder, do we honestly realize how difficult we make things for the planet and for the animals? Are we aware of how any of our actions affect others? Are we carrying with us a daily consciousness about every word, action, and gesture we perform? All too frequently many people roam about their day without a second thought, sometimes hurting others in the process without our realization.

While I was in L.A. the shuttle driver skipped past a woman's airline concourse...it was probably only 200 feet away by the time we stopped but this woman flipped her lid. "I'm already late!" "That isn't a short walk!" "I told you which concourse to go to!" Eventually her speech turned into "Yarg yarg, blah blah, grumble frump, I'm an angry negative person" in my head. :) Everyone on the shuttle sat there as this woman went on a tirade about her apparent 'suffering'. Instead of viewing her unexpected detour as a minor setback, or as a chance to exercise a bit more, she focused on the negative. You would have thought she was going to lose her limbs or home. The driver felt terrible and kept apologizing but this woman wasn't having it. She kept on blaming, making hurtful statements, and complaining. What did her negative attitude do to help serve her? Or anyone else for that matter? Nothing. Did her complaining help teleport her to the concourse sooner? No. Did it teach the shuttle driver a lesson? No. Sometimes people make mistakes, it happens...and we all do it. So remember to give others some slack when they make a mistake. Often, they might be carrying a heavy burden on their mind or are battling some sort of struggle in their life that we can't see. Give them the benefit of the doubt and try to forgive and forget. Maybe that driver was considering suicide that morning, or found out her child has cancer...you literally never know what someone may be going through.

Often complaining is pointless and it can also add to the problem especially when it turns into "adult bullying". It wasn't the shuttle driver's fault she was already late...Likely she didn't get out of her hotel on time, or traffic might have been longer than expected (it wasn't to my knowledge). But we can often avoid these types of panicky situations by planning ahead and giving ourselves extra time. There are people who will blame others because they themselves have already caused a problem, like being late. They refuse to look in the mirror and realize their role and how they contributed to their own issue.

Finally the woman got off the shuttle, glared at the driver, and waddled her way to the concourse. I noticed during my trip that no one was tipping the drivers anymore, so I grabbed a few dollars. The American Airlines terminal arrived and I gathered my bags and handed over the tip to the driver. "That woman is just a negative person. Being late was her fault, and people make mistakes. Don't let her ruin your day." I told her. She smiled and I was on my way. I wonder how many grouchy people that driver has to deal with on a daily basis? Public service and retail are tough careers... 

L.A. in the morning :)

 It's important to be conscious of our actions and attitudes each day - it is far too easy to forget and to lash out on others. It takes much more discipline to keep ourselves calm and centered and to not take things out on others. I ask that people be responsible with their energy...you affect others more than you realize. Make sure what you're putting out in the world is loving, considerate, respectful, and forgiving.  

Here are some fun pictures from the Santa Monica pier, L.A. and such :) I hope you guys are enjoying your January...hard to believe February is almost upon us! Yikes! Light & love to you all!
~Samantha~

Putting the GoPros up for filming in the car

Santa Monica Pier

A female Burmese Python...very gentle and nice!

Cutting Corners

Cutting corners; we all do it.

Whether we are trying to be more time-efficient by using the 12-item-only checkout lane, or not doing our work thoroughly enough, or popping a microwave dinner in - we all try to get more for less or in a shorter amount of time.

Why is it that many Americans (and other Western/Industrialized countries) have this weird impending sense of doom when it comes to 'time'? Why are we always in a hurry, rushing about our daily lives, and constantly planning for the future. Very few know how to simply live in the moment. To absorb. To be. To exist. According to many NDE and OBE's (near death experiences and out of body experiences), psychics and mediums, there is no such thing as "time" on the other side. Basically, most of the crap we worry about here on Earth is pointless. Charming! :) Knowing that, what would you do differently with your life?

Is it really within our true nature to be so damn cheap, lazy, and in a hurry? I like to think not. I really feel the 9-5 world and consumerism is NOT our true nature. It is something we've been conditioned to. We have been groomed to constantly want new items, a better car, more advanced technology, and so on thanks to advertising and marketing. Without the big corporations (who function as the real 'nations' in this world) pushing us to buy and consume, I don't think we really would be so enthralled with the life we are living. Actually, most people aren't happy with their lives to be honest. Not here in America at least. We are one of the most unhappy countries in the world. We're also behind in education, medicine, and more. And yet, American boys scored the highest in confidence with school and life compared to the rest of the world. Interesting. We're not doing too hot and yet we're the most confident. Don't mistake confidence for patriotism. There is a huge difference. 

Don't get me wrong, I love this country with my whole heart...I love our citizens, in fact I would give my life for them! But! We have some issues and a lot of dirty laundry to deal with. I don't like the American corporations like Walmart or Sam's Club that are destroying our country by putting out small-town mom-and-pop businesses and poisoning our people with toxic products from China. Exporting our jobs just to make profit is one of the issues that will end this country. But their products are cheap and people are poor so they support these businesses. These are fairly well-known issues and yet no one does anything about it? Why are we so passive, careless, or even exhausted? (Pssst...I've heard rumors such as fluoride in the public water leads to becoming passive, calcifying your pineal gland (your spiritual connection organ), lowers IQ and causes ADHD, and more. If that's true, maybe the powers that be don't want us to be active or have a voice. Something to think about. Do your own research. I'm not here to sound like a conspiracy theorist but I always, always question things. )

Capitalism is a self-defeating system; it is factual that eventually capitalism implodes upon itself. Why? Because it's main principle is: You can make more money by working harder than everyone else...OR...(the most popular one) you can make more money by standing on the backs of others. Meaning, one group or person advances through the suppression of others, or taking advantage of others. I.e. exporting our jobs to Mexico because the workers there have no rights, are cheaper, disposable, and no medical coverage is needed for them. Many women in Tijuana at the Walmart factory had "jellyfish babies" they gave birth to because of toxins Walmart dumped in their town. Delightful! Bet you didn't hear about that did you? Capitalism allows a small group (specifically the "1%" wealthy elitists in the world) to profit and prosper off the backs of the lower class (that is us ladies and gentlemen)...hence why our middle class is shrinking and more of the impoverished social class is growing. Capitalism could be a good thing if kept in check by caps or limits. But isn't...and now we're seeing the repercussions on our people. Granted we're going through the second Great Depression, despite the media avoiding using that phrase, but it really is because of the backlash from this economic structure. That and many other things!

Anywho! Back to being lazy and impatient, which seems like a contradiction :) Most of our problems stem from this drive we have to be more efficient and having everything NOW! We've industrialized our farming which has led to horrendous practices (including horrible treatment of animals which you never get to see - it's truly heartbreaking to watch), cancerous foods with GMOs and pesticides that also are killing wildlife, a loss of nutrients and vitamins in our foods leading to nutritional depletion of our bodies and diseases, etc. All for what? So these companies can make more profit by producing more food for less and quicker. The idea that there isn't enough food in the world is false; starvation in countries is not due to lack of food, its a corruption of distribution and their governments. AND it is possible to feed the world organically; do not believe their claims and 'reasons' for growing GMOs. It has been proven organic farming can/did work.  P.S. What the hell did they do decades ago? Thank God countries around the world are banning GMOs finally. It scared me that Congress/President signed an agreement that any bad "findings" on GMOs could not be held against Monsanto within the next 6 months or six years...what were they worried we would find out? Ironically, both the White House and Monsanto only carry organic food in their cafeterias. Hmmm....Also, we're not utilizing good, efficient methods for growing food. I have met so many amazing private farmers who grow organically; specifically one woman up here in Traverse City. She has been asked to lecture at agricultural colleges and classes about her methods because she has perfected growing food within a small space, and organically. Her food is amazing, and she uses heirloom seeds...delicious and much healthier, with more flavor! Yum!

We are so disconnected from our food we have no idea where it comes from and at what cost...I should be a vegetarian but I sometimes enjoy meat (I'm trying to eat more fish and turkey versus beef which consumes so much energy and the environment to produce). In fact we should switch to goat's milk and meat, and focus more on animals that fly or swim for our food sources. Did you know goat milk is the world's #1 milk? But here in America we're obsessed with cows for some reason. Cows are so destructive to the environment, soils, etc. compared to goats. It's probably because our cows 'taste good'...the meat is pumped full of flavor enhancers, the cows are fed other dead cows, M&Ms, potato chips, and other gross things are mixed in to their feed. We really should switch to goats! :) Goats are a blast! But if you're going to eat meat, please try to find a local farmer that offers grass fed beef, turkey, etc. It is an investment in your health, your community's economy, the environment, and more! It is an investment in your children's future. Its fun to buy local! Here is a very mild and modest glimpse of industrialized farming (I'm sparing you from pictures and videos that nightmares are made of):

Grossly overpopulated ranch, diseases rampant

Can't move in such small confinements let alone nurse their babies

Baby chicks shoved into suffocating bags and stomped on

Hen's beaks are often cut off so they don't peck each other in such small confinements

Think about this:

"Treat the earth well: it was not given to you by your parents, it was loaned to you by your children. We do not inherit the Earth from our Ancestors, we borrow it from our Children."

Ancient Indian Proverb

   

All too often we view the earth as "inherited", when really we are truly borrowing from our future generations...leaving them with our pollution, waste, fallen economies, and more. 

Our cost of living is constantly rising...because we have more junk these days. Back in the day one person could support a household. Now it is damn near impossible; you need at least two parents working. In modern times we now have new expenses like cell phones, internet, cable, Netflix, iTunes, and more... And based on our rate and the development of technology, it will only get worse. Are we even getting raises to compensate the annual 3% increase in the cost of living due to inflation? Nope. So while you've been closer to drowning each year, the pattern remains the same. We need to change. Every corporation is trying to price gouge and rape each person...assuming there is enough in our wallet for them to steal from too! "Hey! All the other companies are doing it...we should be able to as well!" And so all these crazy fees, rates, and expenses begin piling up on us from every direction. When is enough enough? 

What happened to business ethics and morals? Out the window! Very few companies exist today that honor their workers, the CEOs keep their salary in check and within a limit (instead of millions), and so on. Costco does a great job at paying their workers well, great benefits, and their CEO/founder has vowed to keep his salary at $300k (or less) regardless of how large the company grows. That is pretty awesome!!! And their workers are much happier AND more productive! Imagine that! With these millionaires and billionaires...what are they chasing after? When is enough money truly enough? For them it is greed, perhaps competition...maybe it is a game for them. But for the rest of us we have lots of bills to pay and it is real life for us, not some fun social experiment.

So what can you do if you're struggling or want to make a difference?

 1) Buy locally...stock up on food in a freezer if you want - buy a portion of a pig, cow, turkey, etc. from your local farmer.
2) GROW YOUR OWN GARDEN!!! This is huge. Do you ever wonder why back in the day the U.S. government use to promote and encourage people to grow their own gardens during war times? Because they wanted our people to be self-reliant and self-sufficient! Now days, corporations are in control and they don't want you to be independent. They want you to be a 9-5 drone and buy their product because it is easier.
3) Buy used or second-hand items.
4) LEARN to be handy!!! FIX things once in awhile instead of buying new crap all the time. I don't even want to get started about my generation (and the men) in regards to being useless with fixing things. We are no longer handy. I tiled a bathroom and kitchen floor by myself. I fixed up a foreclosure and flipped it. How many people know how to fix things? A lot of people don't. And because they "don't have time due to work" or "don't know how" they're always calling the trades people and spending a lot of money. You can save SO much money if you learn to be handy. Our parents and society have done a poor job at handing down learned skills like that.
5) Always pay yourself 10% first towards your retirement. I think I heard somewhere that the average American is only retiring with $20k-30k...that is terrifying. It should be around $200k+ realistically. Save your money and pay yourself first.
5) If you can't afford to pay for it in full...DON'T buy it! I understand car repairs and other unexpected and expensive things happen, but if you can't afford to buy that $800 flat-screen TV up front right now. Leave it alone. Credit cards are an illusion. And a number one reason for suicide.
6) Share your ideas and advice in the comments below - help each other! 
 
I know its depressing but we can vote with our dollars, we can become more self-reliant and we can teach responsibility to our children so one day these companies can change.
~Light & Love to you all~

"Be a Komodo Dragon, (Or a Sea Mollusc), But Not a Fish"

Hey guys!

Some humor but also some advice to follow...

I was getting ready for my trip to Toronto to film as an 'expert' for a new series called "Paranormal Survivor" (which will air in Canada January 17th+, but hopefully online and in the U.S.!). I decided to go get my nails spiffed up so my hands didn't look like a scene out of The Lord of The Rings, particularly the hobbit segments. ;)

Oddly enough, a Barry White song came on and I gazed over at their television screen that was streaming a Netflix nature movie. It was a documentary about animals breeding. I giggled to myself as my nail technician gave me a confused look; Barry White on a separate radio station while seeing animals reproduce on TV was too much for my inner child not to laugh at. I continued watching and eventually the streaming switched to an ocean-life documentary, filled with amazing creatures of the water-world.  Sea cucumbers, dolphins, starfish, and the like.

Following, a strange organism appeared on the flat-screen. Some sort of sea mollusc with a large shell. Its soft tissues protruded from the shell and acted as flippers to propel it through the water. But once it got onto land, where the waves had receded, it was a long and arduous process for this creature to move about. Painstakingly, it would creep centimeter by centimeter across the sand towards its goal while the sun dried its skin. Then as if a cruel joke, a huge wave would come over the animal and destroy any hope it had at getting somewhere. Back it would be thrown, over five feet or more (which probably measures to be 10+ miles for this little guy)....and guess what? He would start over. The mollusc would regain its composure and again begin its pursuit of whatever...inching away at a goal that was nearly impossible.

Life is like those waves that grudgingly beat down on the snail-like creature. But he didn't care. He kept going. Now if that mollusc was a typical human, it would cry out, blame or denounce God and the world for its problems. It would proclaim how unfair those waves were and point it's flipper fingers at the other molluscs in order to avoid responsibility...or the truth that we choose our happiness and circumstances. I think I've mentioned before but 90% of our daily happiness is up to us, only 10% is affected by external circumstances.

Sometimes our goals may seem a million miles away and life comes out of nowhere and bends you over. But those waves are life. Life is cyclical, it ebbs and flows, it beats us down but also soothes...life can drown you or keep you afloat. (We're getting profound here!). Life is the ocean, the water, and the waves. Will you sink or swim? Be strong and determined like the mollusc. Carpe diem the shit out of your day and even if you get knocked down...pull a Chumbawumba and "get back up again". Because really those are your only two options. Wallow and fall apart, or rise above your ashes and soar. Most people who have drug addictions, are in abusive relationships, or have some sort of dysfunction have chosen the first: To stay, to wade in negativity, to maintain the status quo, rather than leave behind the outgrown and move on to something better. They've allowed the worst to get to them, they've given up. I respected that mollusc as I sat there watching in awe of its tenacity; even though it looked like a mutant vagina with armor, he was tough.

I'll admit, I felt terribly sorry for the mollusc (for 75% of the show, I'll explain in a second)...it must be exhausting to make a daily trek as he was, and with 20 steps backward for every step forward. Oy! But then...I watched in horror as other molluscs gathered together with him. They forged an army of death and slowly they made it to their destination: to feast upon a fish that was still alive and beached in the sand, blistering in the sun. The fish gasped for air as these merciless 'crotch fossils' climbed onto the fish and devoured the fish's eyes... slowly consuming it. I made a horrible and disturbed frowny-face as I couldn't look away. Those bastards! But ignore that part because it ruins the beauty of "life is like a box of chocolates" philosophy I am trying to get at. ;)

Be the mollusc, don't be the fish. Don't get eaten alive by other people who will always push forward and keep on trucking in life. Because if you give up, get tired, or lose your determination...there will be those who will climb over to your nearly-dead corpse and eat you alive like a komodo dragon and they're not screwing around. So don't do it. Get off your ass and get moving...

~Light & Love and a bit of sarcasm to you all~
Love, Samantha....who has chosen to be like a komodo dragon, but a nice one that doesn't eat other people. More like a vegetarian komodo dragon but one that you still don't mess with because its still a komodo dragon ;) ...)