T-M-I from T-I-M

Listening to my intuition

It's curious to me how many times I receive the same messages and how often I find that I still don't get it.  It's not a question of the message being complicated it's simply that I don't seem to implement it in my life. 

One such message is:  Listen to your intuition.

Intuition is the most powerful advisor in my life.  It's sort of like the chairman of the board.  I know there are other board members (like my mind, my experience, my fears, my desires, etc.) but Intuition trumps even Frank Sinatra as being the true chairman.  I guess that would kind of make me the CEO of the Tim Taylor Co because of free will bestowed upon me.

I love the quote (and I don't remember who said it) but prayer is me talking to God and intuition is God talking back.  The messages tend to be straightforward "Do this" or "Don't do this".

I have too many experiences to count where I hear or even feel a voice saying "Don't do this" and I still do it. 

The "Do this" signal acts a little differently.  It may seem a little confusing but perhaps the "Do this" signal beeps slowly and I ignore it.  As I get closer to doing something I probably shouldn't it's like the "Don't do this" steps in and, like War Games, takes it to Defcon 1 and it's like the emergency broadcast alerts loudly sounding off.  I throw on my airport security strength ear muffs, continue to ignore it and prepare myself for another painful life lesson.

And after I make the next mistake, one nice thing by the way is Intuition isn't much into saying to me "I told you so".

In fact intuition is nice in that it seems to have no memory.

But when will I learn?  When will I realize that this tidy little mechanism that all of us have and that some of us are in touch with is there to help, really it is.

Someday I'll listen.

If you like rap music and are analytical, I think you'll dig this

A friend of mine just forwarded me a hilarious like that takes rap songs and puts them into various graphs and schematics using Excel.  It's downright classic.

This one may be my fave for you Jay Z fans (check them all out here):

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What if I really lived this way?

I've been wondering how I would be if I really lived like I knew everything was going to be all right. 

Or if I really lived like I knew at all times I was loved and am love.

Or if I really lived like I knew that I had access to a power that is unlimited and can do anything.

I was considering it as I was making it through another cacophonous few minutes in my life where my thoughts were doing a victim conga line in my mind.  From past and guilt to future and fear.  I loved how Liz Gilbert described the mind as a monkey swinging from vine to vine.

I just know that life is not meant to be this way.  But I also keep forgetting.  I asked a good friend last night how often he thinks about the past and he told me 10-20% of the time but he only does it, generally, when trying to recall something.  Wow, how nice that would be if I could live life and only access the past as an information source.

I know the power is within me, I just wonder when I will live that way.

Because I know that when I do, things will just be lighter.  I don't mean like dark vs. light (then again maybe I do) I just think I will walk around lighter.

That sounds pretty cool.  I wonder if I can really live that way.

Zoe strikes yet again

On New Year's Eve, my daughter and I were making a 2008 wish box.  In it we were putting pictures and drawings and writings about what we want in 2008.

On one page I drew hearts to cover the whole page and wrote on the back about how I would be more loving and open to receive love on the back.  Zoe asked me what I was doing.

I said "I'm doing this so in 2008 I'll be reminded that I'm loved."

She said "Don't you know that you are always loved?"

One of the many times my little girl has literally stopped me in my tracks.  As usual, I really didn't know how to respond.  She said it with such casual certainty.

But it's true, I am always loved I'm just smart enough as an adult to have convinced myself that I need to be reminded of it from time to time.

She just always knows it.  What a gift!

The American Girl Doll Store: A mini-she mosh pit

I hope you all had a wonderful and enjoyable holidays.  I thought I would share with you that I found an UNBELIEVABLE, SURE FIRE hangover cure for you New Year's Eve sufferers....don't drink!!!  (just a little clean humor for you to start 2008, but fear not, past performance is not necessarily indicative of future results, my material should improve)

Last week I spent a great few days out in NY with my mom and my daughter.  We caught a Broadway play (the Grinch, which was awesome), saw some old friends, built a snowman, etc. your typical holiday fare.

However, I had one experience that seemed to trump all others.  I spent about an hour outside and inside The American Girl Doll Store.  (Don't let the picture fool you, it's pure mayhem)  For those of you that don't know, American Girl is a cool, must have doll craze literally sweeping girls up. 

And the store?  It's insane.  We had to wait in about a hundred person line....just to GET IN.  There were bouncers out in front letting people in just a few people at a time, like Studio 54 (without the coke but with plenty of Coke).

Once I got in, I was totally overwhelmed.  There were FOUR FLOORS of dolls, merchandise and doll related activity.  There was a doll saloon, a doll hospital, a doll cafe where you could eat with your girl, even a PERSONAL SHOPPING area and there were girls....LOTS of them.  BTW, whoever conceived of the doll, the stores, the brand and the merchandising is a really rich genius and my hat is off to her.

Now I love my daughter tons.  But after about 20 minutes of that, I felt overwhelmed by the shear electricity of the packs of mini-shes running around shrieking about this and that.  (One suggestion to the American Girl Doll Store powers that be, consider a dude's room.  The longer we are ok staying there the happier and more spendy the crowd becomes.)  Anyway as I walked around in a permanent cold sweat, my Mom walked around looking like Tom Brady looking over any defense in the NFL, completely unfazed.

I felt like that dude in Aliens "Game over, man.  Game over."  I nearly crawled in the corner, sucking my thumb repeating "I'm in my happy place" over and over.

I barely escaped alive (and unbelievably, my sweet little daughter didn't obnoxiously ask for anything, she was just so happy to be there and probably a little concerned about her dumbfounded daddy) and am certain if I go in the future, I will have a pre-planned shopping partner for my girl and a sure fire exit strategy for me.