ARTICLES, SHORT STORIES AND BLOGS
The Message (a short story)
Sarah was exhausted and lay down in bed, tired, weary, and spent with pulling staples from the wooden boards most of the day. As she tried to relax, she couldn’t help but think of how different her life would be if her and Ed had chosen the beach front condo instead. They could be enjoying cool breezes and warm sunshine year-round with zero maintenance on their part. Sarah’s husband Ed had been harboring this deep yearning to buy a grand old Victorian mansion. After years of convincing Sarah that he could refurbish an old mansion and flip it, making them financially secure, she finally conceded. They sold their little cottage and purchased a gothic Victorian fixer-upper that needed a helluva lot of TLC. Built in 1790 on a secluded lot, the home consisted of 5,000 square ft. with garrets, turrets, dormers, and wide wrap-around porches. There were several small rooms with irregular walls. In the back was a run-down stable that also needed a lot of work. Another small structure, away from the house showed extensive fire damage. Though ornate and charming even in its dilapidated condition, Sarah was hard pressed to find the motivation that Ed was bursting with to undertake this gigantic project, love for Ed kept her going but she was reaching the end of her tether. She wished they could hire a couple people to help them so they could expedite the renovation process and list it for sale as soon as possible. This would allow them to move on to that chic condo she so desired. Sarah fell into a hypnagogic state as she imagined herself sunbathing in the warm rays by the Ocean.
Sarah was walking by one of the small dark rooms and noticed the little spider plant that was placed in the windowsill had dropped to the floor. She entered the room to retrieve it, as she grasped the fallen roots, the plant grabbed both of her hands and she felt powerless. She tried to free herself but lacked the strength to do so. She looked up helplessly and her gaze fell upon a creeper of flowers on the wall that started singing like a chorus in a hypnotic fashion and lured her into submission. A white stallion approached and whisked her off into an abyss. With a pounding heart, Sarah noticed that they were approaching a vast terrain with rock like formations and no vegetation. There were a few structures that looked like tall skinny ghosts, white and eerie, with little cutouts that looked like eyes, but no one in sight. The dark ominous sky above was a stark contrast to the pale stone below. There was not a soul to be seen as they rode deeper and deeper into this vast nothingness. The horse was galloping with a mission, steady and determined. Although the moon was not visible, yet the horse could clearly see his way and galloped with an uncanny confidence. Suddenly, Sarah found herself on the harsh cold stone below and the white stallion morphed into an old man with flowing white hair and a long beard. His dark eyes beckoned her attention in a compelling, commanding way. Although shocked by this transformation, Sarah felt no fear.
She looked at this man from head to toe, sensing some familiarity. Where had she seen him before? He did not resemble anyone she knew, yet she felt she knew him. He did not utter a single word; he locked his eyes in her gaze and seemed to communicate in this fashion. Sarah felt paralyzed, there was a powerful silence.
The silence was broken by a thunderous sound in the skies above, caused by lightning like waves of lines in vertical and zig-zig shapes which illuminated the dark space. The seer then handed Sarah an antique looking brown package. When Sarah unwrapped the brown package, there was a peculiar contraption which roughly resembled a pendulum. There were two parallel wooden hangars with a column in between filled with blue turquoise stones. The turquoise stones glittered when a candle-like flame arose from the center, pointing up and the seer smiled his approval. With a slight of hand, the seer turned the flame into a blaze of fire in which Sarah was stunned to see an image of her likeness seated in a chair with hair piled high in a small top knot and pince-nez glasses. She was dressed in period clothing with a handmade shawl thrown over her shoulders and appeared to be from another era. There was something intriguing about this extraordinary vision. This lady appeared to be middle aged and sat facing a half-painted canvas that was propped by an archaic looking easel made of wood and metal. The painting depicted figures of birds which seemed to be flying in all directions as if they were searching for something. Sarah was transfixed by this remarkable picture. As she was wondering what all this meant, the seer had a knowing look on his face. Dramatically, the fire expanded around and engulfed this lady who turned into ashes much to Sarah’s horror. She felt a lump in her throat and looked at the seer who seemed to convey that the past of Sarah’s cords was tied behind her, in the very home she now inhabited.
Sarah awoke the next morning feeling exhilarated. The realization dawned on her that she was called to this home for a specific reason. This was her home, there were some tasks that were left unfinished. She would have to convince Ed about her status change, this was not a home to be flipped anymore, rather an heirloom to be handed down to the generations. There was a bounce in her step and a new vigor to her body. As she dressed for another hard day at work, she was now more determined that she had ever been to restore this mansion to its former glory and finish her mission for this lifetime.
TAROT IN ADVERSITY
In adverse times such as the present, is it advisable to do a reading. Most people are facing a crisis physical,emotional,mental etc. How will this play out in the spreads or messages that you receive as a reader? Since energy is so important in a reading, it poses the question whether negative thoughts will influence the readng. When the overall energy is so gloomy, things around you, people around you and your environment almost seems like an Apocolypse, what can be done. Even if you turn a blind eye or a deaf ear to news and media it somehow seeps in. Whether you like it or not, thoughts swirl around the number of deaths, suicides, starvation, homelessness, abandonment and so many other issues. Yes, you can do your meditations and cleansing and sageing etc. but can you be in the right frame of mind to transmute without being influenced by all this negativity. And not be impacted so you can provide an honest regular reading as you would in normal times.
Here is my take on this subject. I was recently (just before covid) doing readings at a psychic fair, one on one, face to face. This was during a time I was undergoing a crisis where my whole life had turned upside down. I was starting to recover, even while still undergoing treatment so I could actually physically travel. Being in a very weakened state, I was actually doubting my capacity to perform at such a large event. Let alone being able to connect with the right spirits to bring in valid information. But I knew my repeat clients would be sorely disappointed if I canceled, so I persevered. I received the same extensive list of clients that I normally do. And what do you know! I was able to give such profound, insightful readings that the clients were overwhelmed. While I am used to seeing a few tears and emotional reactions, I was blown away by the deep sobbing mixed with joy and relief at hearing what they needed to from their loved ones. I was rather surprised that my physically and emotionally weakened state did not hamper or reflect the readings in any negative way. I have yet to compare this with what happens next time so I can gain more insight on this matter. For now, I don’t see current conditions necessarily influencing readings negatively which is good news right?
TRAVEL BLOGS
Cruise to Aruba
We set off on our cruise by taking the train from Philadelphia to Miami. The train was on time, 70 % empty which is such a rarity at this time (Christmas) Our sleeper car was almost empty, except for the roomette across which was occupied by a somewhat elderly lady who talked on the phone a majority of the waking hours with a loud New York accent and never left her room even for meals, or to stretch out at station stops all during the 30 hour trip. I have to mention the fancy dining car which was all renovated and spacious.
We spent a glorious 2 days in the South Beach area, (my favorite) with fabulous weather. Then onto the Royal Caribbean Explorer of the Seas the third day. This was the first time we had taken a cruise that was more than a week, this was 10 days, so of course there was a lot of elderly people, very cruise savvy, manoeuvering around expertly in their scooters. The ship itself, although grand was not so glamorous as the newer ones. Although it did have some wow features like a professional ice skating rink and a flow rider for water sporting events.
First port of call was Labadee Haiti. We spent the day on the beautiful private island owned by RC. It was such a relaxing day amidst the natural beaches and stunning landscape. Activities besides swimming included 3 levels of zip lining and go karting. There was also a sumptous buffet lunch spread out in four different locations around the island.
Next stop was Bonnaire. As soon as I stepped off the ship, I lost my hat in the sea. Oh well ! that’s what gift shops are for. The downtown area was right off the pier. As soon as we walked out, I was pleasantly surprised to see the pleasant chic shops that greeted us. Not the usual predators swooping down on us with their wares, like in most Caribbean nations I have been to. I was amazed at how clean, organized and sophisticated the town was. No seedy people hanging around in street corners waiting for tourists.
The next day we docked in Aruba. I had heard so much of this island, it peaked my curiosity. Having had a taste of the Dutch influence in Bonnaire, I was not surprised to see the same kind of cleanliness and organization here. Our first stop was the Aloe factory . It was an interesting little enterprise with mostly hand driven machines. Our next stop was the American Rock, a very steep mountain with a spectacular view of the city. Being an organized tour, we all returned to the coach at the assigned time, except for one couple who also lost a hat while disembarking the ship. They kept us waiting while the lady was trying to choose the perfect hat. In the meantime another lady in the bus who was done eating the banana, asked the driver if she could go discard the peel on top of the rock, or should she use the garbage can ! Seriously !
Next we visited the black stone beach made of volcanic rock. Driving around the island, there were zillions of cactus, very arid land somewhat like Arizona, your friendly donkeys looking for food. The driver even joked that if you were ever to hit donkey with your car, the ambulance would first tend to the donkey !. And divers galore everywhere we went. No wonder it is called the Divers Paradise. There were pretty much all the American fast food franchises giving it a very American flavor, except for the Dutch architecture which was very distinct from the American style resorts around Momo beach.
Curacao was the last port of call. It was the most Dutch looking of all the three islands. The Queens Bridge in Willemstadt had a spectacular view of the city, standing so high above. We stopped at the Curacao factory and briefly toured the manufacturing facility. I was looking forward to this since cuaracao happens to be my favorite liqueur. Of course it had a special tourist price, Super expensive !. The downtown area was clean, colorful and pulsating with tourists, shops, bars and restaurants all just outside the gangway.
All in all, I was really impressed by the low rate of unemployment and crime in these Dutch assisted islands. They seem to be doing something right. From a tourist perspective, it felt so good to be walking around everywhere feeling safe and un-hindered.
Aloe Farm in Aruba
Black Rock Stone beach Aruba
Salt Flats of Bonnaire
Curaco Heaven !
The Dublin Doubledown
The flight from Charles De Gaulle airport Paris to Dublin Island was about 90 minutes. As we pulled into the parking lot of our hotel in a cab, I almost felt like we really should be in a horse carriage instead. The Clontarf Castle hotel is a well preserved 12th century castle, with stone walls and beautiful beveled glass windows. The lobby and reception area are a good mix of old and new and trendy which gave it a bit of that Goth feel. Modern art fills the walls alongside ancient tapestries. This is where Dracula author Abraham Stoker stayed and perhaps got inspired ? Take a look at the pictures of what might have been gateways to dungeons where they may have sent their victims. I know my imagination is running wild !.
After enjoying a nice dinner in the Fahrenheit restaurant, which was one of the best Chicken tikka masala dishes I ever had. Who would have thought Irishmen were good Indian cooks ! I took a walking city tour to explore the busy crowded streets of Dublin. Spent some time at the O’Connel monument, a popular gathering spot for photo ops. It was refreshing to see how casual Dubliners were, I honestly couldn’t spot the tourists from the locals. Trinity college is very close to the city center and you see hordes of students going about their business while groups of tourists were cluelessly ambling around. Grafton Street is a popular hub of bars, restaurants and shops. Music appears to be a huge part of Irish culture, besides street musicians, Celtic and non Celtic strains could be heard coming from pubs filled with throngs of people.
I had forgotten my medication in a Paris hotel, and was in a panic. But the friendly pharmacies were so obliging and gracious enough to fill my order without a prescription, and quickly to boot. (They just took my physician’s information.) It was such a relief ! And surprisingly so much cheaper than what I pay in the US. The evening was spent walking along the streets, admiring the several bronze statues evenly spaced throughout the city. I strolled along Merrion Square and was amused by all the various colors of the “Dublin Doors” an iconic image of Dublin. The story behind this popular tradition is too long for me to recount here, you can look it up. There are several metal statues dotting the entire city of Dublin each with its own quirky story. With limited time at my disposal, I was more keen to visually enjoy them rather than stop and click. Finished up the day with a visit to the Famous Guiness factory. I am not a whisky drinker, nevertheless the history made it interesting.
The next tour I took was to Malahide Castle on the outskirts of Dublin. Got to see a bit of the famous green countryside, passed a few quaint fishing villages, flashed by the humble country home of U2 lead singer Bono. Malahide Castle also dates back to the 12th century. It was built by the Talbots, a family with a long and notable history. Part of the castle was open to the public, the rooms decorated with period interiors and furnishings. As with every castle, we were entertained by a ghost story which was nicely framed by the backdrop of the surrounding moat, outer wall and drawbridge. It was a short sweet trip and for next time I will probable explore the countryside of Ireland.
At Clarfont castle in Dublin Ireland
A Medieval hideaway
A zoom meeting attendee recently mentioned that he was visiting Cacasonne and that brought back a flood of memories of my own visit a few years ago. The charming town of Caracassonne is situated in the south west of France between the Atlantic and the Mediterranean seas. Within the town, high up on a hill is a citadel known as the Cite de Carcassonne. It is France ‘s most medieval walled city. The name Carcasonne is derived from a legend of Dame Carcas who bravely defended the fortress against the Saracens. There is a very amusing tale tied to this, which is a story by itself. Climbing up the hill to the entrance, you couldn ‘t help but picture all those swashbuckling heroes, cavaliers and soldiers guarding, defending or attacking this magnificient fortress. With gorgeous ramparts, gorgoyles, cobblestone pathways and stunning views from every angle, you can spend hours just gazing in wonderment. It is no wonder that author Kate Moss was attracted to this setting for her novel “Labyrinth”. The city is dotted with picturesque canals,vineyards and natural trails for cycling, walking, picknicking.
Inside the well preserved fortress , there are several shops, restaurants, bars and quaint little museums and stores which give you the impression of time standing still. I had the famous red omlette for lunch, a carcasonne speciality. It was rich,filling and provided the stamina needed for all that steep climbing. I was so impressed by the architecture and preservation of this Unesco heritage site, that I knew I had to paint it. So I burnt off my lunch, climbing as much as I could to get the perfect picture. After purchasing some souvenirs from the colorful shops, we headed back to our hotel, which was fortunately located just across the fortress. After a bit of resting my tired legs, as dusk approached, we headed back to the fortress. The gates were locked, the hordes of tourists were gone, and the fortress shone brightly in a quiet twilight sky. This was spectacular. We were so glad we made the trek back to capture some of this magic.
Trip to Greece and Turkey
As we awaited our boarding call to Athens, there was a commotion and a flurry of activity. Minutes before departure the flight was canceled !. After a couple hours of waiting we were redirected on another flight to Munich, spent a few jet lagged hours there, and took another flight to Frankfurt. Tired as we were it was a magnificent view of the Black Forest, that we flew over. I had only experienced a black forest cake, but this was just as dense, rich and dark as could be. It was at Frankfurt that we boarded a flight to Athens. We arrived well past midnight, were met by a friend who took us out to dinner at a lovely Greek restaurant, where there was a spread as huge as the Agean sea. But we were so tired that it was a bed not food that we craved.
The next morning we had breakfast at a fabulous outdoor café that overlooked the Agean Sea. As I put my camera on the table to marvel the sumptuous sea with my own eyes, something else took place. The waiter who brought us delicious watermelon, took his return tray with the camera. Of course when I asked him, he denied it, so I was devastated to find myself camera less at the start of the trip. What a bummer, it was a great one too. Well, fortunately we have our cell phones these days. We started our tour of Athens with a visit to the Parthenon, the museum was well organized, well managed.
Next stop was the outdoor stadium where the first ever Olympics took place. We braved the hot July sun and visited Plaka, the shopping/dining mecca of Athens, which reminded me of Canal street NY with its endless shops and booths. The restaurant avenue was filled with tourists and agents all literally grabbing you to enter. This reminded me of Ocean Drive Miami. We bought a hat for our trip to the Acropolis the next day, and a few other Greek souvenirs to take home. Headed back to the hotel (Marriot) for a siesta before dinner. Here was another surprise, as we waited for our room key at the receptionist counter, the hat that we just purchased was gone!. Oh my goodness, this was a Marriot for God ‘s sake.
The Acropolis was heavily crowded and not so well managed, everyone climbed the hill like goats both ways, so it was highly dangerous, but we survived. The view of Athens from the top was breathtaking. The next day we boarded the Hellenistic Olympia for a 4 day cruise. What a difference from the American Cruise ships, food was not available 24/7 , only at certain times. There was no ice cream stations or pizza which had the kids in a tantrum mode all throughout. We were okay with it but it was sad to see long faces all around. I felt sorry for the parents. Our first stop was the island of Mykonos. It was so refreshing to see the pure white streets, , white buildings with blue roofs. Everything was super clean all the time. Despite the large number of tourists and foot traffic, it stayed so white. It seemed like there were invisible cleaning fairies at work constantly.
Patmos, Greece
Vegan Prague
I had heard so much about how beautiful the city of Prague was. So much so that I was actually a little disappointed at first. Everyone around me gushed and glorified it to such an extent that my expectations probably soared. Yes, it is a very gay city milling with happy tourists and locals alike, enjoying the raucous open air, never-ending rows of bars and cafes.
It was only when I came home and downloaded my pictures, I got to see in detail the beautiful architecture and the stunning craftsmanship. “The City of a hundred spires” Prague is definitely beautiful even more so at night. The Charles bridge filled with statues of catholic saints gives us a glimpse of what an important role religion played in art and architecture. The old town square is reminiscent of the baroque era with its gilt-edged carvings and engravings. The cobbled stoned streets and colorful squares are a visual delight and also very clean. One can clearly see the love for cultural preservation and heritage with bustling old fashioned trams, picturesque by -lanes and hilly overlook points. The astronomical clock in the old town square is one of the highlights as it performs a mechanical promenade of elves and soldiers on the hour. Crowds gather at the top of the hour to witness and marvel at this medieval contraption.
As a vegetarian I was quite nervous about finding the right fare to eat. In most European cities I had to stick with pizza or pasta. I was totally blown away by the number of vegetarian and vegan restaurants some of which were exclusively so. This was during a time when not many people understood the term “vegan”. Pleasantly surprised, I had no problem finding food to suit my palate and it was good. This also afforded me more time to enjoy the sights.
Perhaps my initial impressions of the city were clouded by what the disgruntled residents now term “over tourism’ a phenomena associated with popular tourist destinations. The historic city center which deserves to be appreciated for its legacy of gothic churches and baroque buildings, was overshadowed by distracting, noisy pub revelers out to have a good time with plentiful cheap as well as top shelf beer. The Czechs are known for their beer drinking and I suppose the tourists aspire to outdo them.
Garden of Good and Evil…
“Shots rang out in Savannah’s grandest mansion……. Was it murder or self-defense?”
This is what intrigued and spurred me to take a trip to Savannah Georgia. “Midnight in the garden of good and evil” was a spell binding non-fiction novel of an antiques dealer and his interesting trial of the murder of a gay prostitute. All the elements of romance, mystery, suspense and murder were woven into this fascinating real life story amidst the backdrop of historic architecture, nostalgic cemeteries and beautiful parks and squares.
After checking into the hotel, we set off to explore the historic downtown of Savannah and its vibrant history. There were horse drawn carriages meandering the well-manicured squares, 22 in total which were widely used in many Hollywood films like Forest Gump. I couldn ‘t get enough of the Antebellum houses, each different and unique in its own way. Next, we made our way to the Mercer House where the famous afore-mentioned novel was set, took a tour of the interior, all the while imagining exactly how the murder must have played out.
The parks and squares were beyond gorgeous, so well laid out and maintained. Of course there were several tourists in trolleys circling every square and crowding around the famous “Forest Gump “ bench. Forsyth park is huge, covering several city blocks and the fountain is spectacular. In the afternoon we toured Bonaventure Cemetery, one of the most nostalgic and beautiful Cemeteries I have ever seen. The Spanish oak trees lend a special mysterious touch to this historic place made even more famous with the tombs of the characters in the novel.
The evening excursion was a trip in the dark to the haunted houses of downtown Savannah. We were guided by a paranormal expert with his EVP machine. You have to let your imagination run riot in order to believe the stories and be entertained. The sip and pedal tours, a favorite of bridal parties are a noisy, raucous, fun part of Savannah which is a popular destination and activity of brides to be. We sampled the famous praline candy, which was delicious and expensive, and decided we might return again one day.
The Green Light
As the release date of my second publication was approaching, I was wondering what day would be optimal to announce it publicly. According to my marketing Director, the release date was pushed back a month due to the pandemic. Darn! I waited soooo long and now this. I got over my initial disappointment, and asked the Universal powers before I went to bed that night for some advice and guidance on this matter. This is the dream I got. I was sitting in the back seat of a car, along with two other people. The door and window of the car were wide open. Sometimes, you do turn the window down, but does one ever leave a car door open? The three of us were engaged in a conversation, while my attention was suddenly drawn to the open space to my left by the open door. A little baby elephant walked by, stopped directly by us, waved his trunk in a happy fashion, (elephants are known to have a temper) and walked off. I woke up the next morning, happy as a lark, the elephant in my dream represents Ganesha (the God of astrology) who is half man half elephant. Fittingly, the elephant happens to be on the front cover of my publication! Folks this is NOT a coincidence, it is divine guidance. Whatever your beliefs/faiths may be, trust in their power to guide and help you in life. It is about paying attention to the signs in your way, and being open to receiving them.
Although there was roughly more than a month to go for the fulfillment date, taking my dream as the green light to my query, I announced the details of my soon to be released oracle deck, “The Mahabharata Oracle” What happened next is unbelievable, I still have goose bumps relating it. Two days later, my Marketing director informed me that the original release date was back in play. Wow !I went from on to off and on again. The open door in the dream signifies exactly that. A door that was supposed to be closed is OPEN. There is yet another layer to this story. During the week of these events, the ruling planet in my astrological chart went from a retrograde motion to direct. Bingo! Honestly, I was not even aware of that until I was actually reading the transit report a week later. Then it all came together and made perfect sense. The bottom line is that you will get the answers you seek, just learn to trust.