November Summary

November commenced with a wonderful reading that was spectacularly inaccurate. I did not go on a short journey (Stork/Road/Rider) nor did I receive a marriage proposal (Book/Ring). There was no important man in my professional life (Bear/Man/Lily) this week, at least not that I am aware of, and no new direction toward the unknown with  a man not yet known (Road/Book/Man) commenced. Although, it may be that this is still unknown, although I doubt it. There was no event where writing was indicated professionally (Stork/Book/Lily) and important news did not arrive about anything known or unknown (Rider/Ring/Lily and Rider/Book/Bear). The only thing that did occur was a surmounting of troubles and grief (Clover/Book), and a man played a part in this.

Reading 45, the second in November, was partially accurate just for a change. There was a foreign woman (Mountain/Woman) who made her presence well and truly felt, however she was not from my past (Tower). Perhaps I misread the Tower card here and it actually meant that a foreign woman was destined to be in my life because that’s what is looking to be happening. Otherwise, there was no change in direction (Road) that was positively growing (Tree). There was no house abroad (House/Mountain). There was no love relationship growing (Tree/Woman/Star). Love for me was not destined (Heart/Woman/Cross). There was nothing particularly lucky that happened (Star), however a weekend with my children, which is rare, did suggest a house and a love full of longevity (House/Heart/Star).

Reading 46  was a curious one with accuracy of the cards growing. Firstly, there was no pregnancy nor loss (Child/Stork/Mouse) just to get that one out-of-the-way. There was however, quarrels (Whip). Quarrels that resulted in a friendship being put on hiatus. Whether or not this will grow into a wonderful concern (Whip/Rider/Tree) is yet to be realised. I made a point of not revealing my whole plan to anyone (Snake) due to the Snake card while someone from my recent past returned this week (Tower) which was a pleasant surprise, and they are from overseas (Mountain) just to bolster the accuracy. If my child was deceiving me (Child/Whip/Snake) I never found out about it. The Snake/Tower/Mountain combination suggested that I was being deceived from someone from my deep past who is a foreigner, but wisdom will enable me to handle the situation. I do believe I’m being deceived from a foreigner, both from my deep past and someone who is currently in my life. I also believe both to be the Mouse, however there was no event or incident that confirmed or denied this. Currently, it’s just a gut feel.

The final reading for the month, reading 47 is similar to reading 46 in so much that the cards alluded to things going on in my life. I was most certainly cunning (Fox) on more than one occasion however my destined wish (Star/Tower) is yet to come true. In fact, none of my wishes (Star) have come true so far. I’m sure something big and important (Bear) is on the cards, but it did not occur this week, so I’m hoping that when it does eventuate (I’m certain that it will!) it will generate money (Fish). I was involved in an event (Stork) which I thoroughly enjoyed, but it didn’t exactly have me in a childlike state of wonderment (Child). Was it an important social event? (Garden/Stork/Bear) I’m not sure. Perhaps not for me, but possibly for my friend, although time will confirm it. Funnily enough, the cards were true for my friend more than that as she has a business in its infancy (Road/Child) that didn’t generate money (Fish) at this event, but the event may end up generating money for her business eventually. Since I don’t have a business, even one in its infancy, I don’t see how these cards can relate to me. One thing that did relate to me was receiving an informal invitation to a social event (Garden/Stork/Bear).

Overall, November picked up on accuracy after October’s dismal effort.

Reading 48

 

 

Row 1 – Rider, Bear and Clover.

Big/ important and lucky news is on the way.

Row 2 – Letters, Key and Garden.

More news is on its way! This time is specifically in relation to a successful social event.

Row 3 – Ship, Book and Moon.

An invitation or idea about a trip not yet known.

Column 1 –  Rider, Letters and Ship.

News is on its way that will see a sudden flurry of activity.

Column 2 – Bear, Key and Book.

Important and immense success in relation to something that is still unknown.

Column 3 – Clover, Garden and Moon.

Luck and an invitation to a social event.

Diagonal 1 – Rider, Key and Moon.

News is on its way in relation to a successful idea or invitation.

Diagonal 2 – Clover, Key and Ship.

A trip will be successful and travel in general will provide a key to a solution of matters concerning me

Summary

Quite simply, a wonderful reading heralding success (Key), lots of news (Rider and Letters) is on its way as are invitations (Moon) to social events (Garden). Travel (Ship) appears to play an important role also, however there is an element of the unknown (Book) that will need to be researched.

A lucky week (Clover) overall.

Bending Over Backwards…

 

‘Bending over backwards does not bring you the love and attention you crave, but having your own life, your own goals and a backbone will.’

~ Sherry Argov ~

We Are Not Trapped By Our Thoughts

 

‘We are not trapped by our thoughts. What we generally do, however, is create thoughts that trap us.’

~ Joshua David Stone ~ 

The Art of Confrontation and Helping People

Last weekend as I was loading my groceries into the boot of my car in the shopping centre car park I heard a horn sound continuously from behind me. I turned around and ten metres away there was an elderly lady in a car with panic in her eyes. She was mid left swing turn into a parking space when she saw the car to her right reversing out of their parking spot. She froze, put her hand on the horn and kept it there in the vague hope the person would actually turn around to see where he was going. He didn’t. He backed right into her door, the car’s tow bar denting it in spectacular fashion. Upon making contact, the driver of the reversing car, an elderly gentleman, finally turned around and upon realising what had occurred he drove back into his parking space.

The altercation between the two elderly people that ensued was disturbing to watch. What was more disturbing was that nobody in the car park, and there were a handful of witnesses, did nothing to assist.

Both people got out of their cars and the man, who was considerably taller than the woman lashed out with a barrage of abuse. He was blaming her for him backing into her vehicle. Not only that, he was using his stature to intimidate her, coming within centimetres of her and yelling in her face. I couldn’t believe my ears or eyes.

I left my groceries and walked over. I began the conversation by saying “Excuse me, I saw the entire accident…” I went on to say that the man was in the wrong as he was not looking while reversing and he backed into her car thus he was at fault. Only at this point did the man back down and admit that he was wrong.

I returned to finish loading my car and in the process I wrote down my name and phone number on a piece of paper. After returning my trolley I went back to the woman to see if she was okay. She burst into tears and said that she had only bought the car the day before, but she was okay. I gave her my name and number, told her I would be a witness for her if required and offered to stay with her until she had finished exchanging details with the man. She thanked me, but told me she didn’t need me to stay. Once I was sure she was okay I went home.

Besides the appalling behaviour of the man in the situation I was most shocked and disgusted that nobody was willing to assist this woman who was clearly upset. She was being verbally abused in public and nobody but me cared.

The incident made me ponder how people are simply unwilling to help one another anymore especially when confrontation is involved. And it made me sad. I know that if I was in the same situation and shaken up as much as that lady was I would want somebody to help me. I also know that it won’t happen because people lack compassion, empathy and balls nowadays.

I am proud of myself for having the courage (despite shaking like a leaf the entire time) and the balls to stand up to a bully, a stupid, domineering bully of man who was plain and simply wrong. And I’d do it again in a heartbeat.

Reaching Out

 

‘There are only two ways to live your life. One as if all that matters is to have someone love and accept you. The other is as though loving and accepting another person is all that matters. Often, when you choose the second you get the first.’

~ Shannon L. Alder ~

Human Behaviour

 

 ‘But behavior in the human being is sometimes a defense, a way of concealing motives and thoughts, as language can be a way of hiding your thoughts and preventing communication.’

~ Abraham Maslow ~

Reading 47

 

Row 1 – Road, Child and Fish

A business in it’s infancy will generate money.

Row 2 – Fox, Star and Tower.

I need to be more cunning in order to receive my destined wish.

Row 3 – Garden, Stork and Bear.

An important social event.

Column 1 – Road, Fox and Garden.

I need to be more cunning at a social event in relation to a change in life direction.

Column 2 – Child, Star and Stork.

An event, which is a wish come true, has me in a childlike state of wonderment. I note the Child and Stork are not directly next to each other, thus this is not my 7th pregnancy prediction for the year!

Column 3 – Fish, Tower and Bear.

Something big and important which is destined, possibly involving someone older or from my past, will generate money.

Diagonal 1 – Road, Star and Bear.

A change in direction is an important wish come true.

Diagonal 2 – Fish, Star and Garden.

A social event results in my wish for no financial difficulties to come true.

Summary

This reading is centered around a change in life direction (Road) and wishes coming true (Star). The inclusion of the Fish and Garden suggests it is directed towards my professional life, and with what it is actually occurring in my professional life this makes sense.

There will be an important social event (Garden/Stork/Bear) or an invitation to one this week and everything that occurs appears to be destined (Tower). I, however, need to be cunning and sly (Fox) in my approach with things.

For a change, I don’t believe the Child to be representative of my children, but a childlike state of wonderment or something in its infancy.

There will also be money (Fish).

City of Angels? Revisited

After much searching, then discovering the novel to be a collector’s item due to a limited one-time print run, I bought the e-book version of Digging the Vein by Tony O’Neill. While I was on the thirteen hour flight to Los Angeles I started reading it and was pleasantly surprised to discover it was set in LA. Before I left LA, less than four days after arriving, I had finished O’Neill’s debut.

I was hooked.

I was also bitterly disappointed at the conclusion as I desperately wanted a happy ending yet received exactly the opposite. So when I discovered O’Neill had penned a sequel, Down and Out on Murder Mile, I purchased it, read it in record time and received the aforementioned happy ending that eluded me previously.

Unable to get enough of the author’s work it was time to move onto novel three, Sick City, also set in LA coincidentally. This novel took a bit more time to complete, but in the process of doing so something unexpected happened. My previous dislike of Los Angeles (see City of Angels?) began to evaporate and my affinity with the city began growing.

The majority of the locations O’Neill describes in his first three novels I walked through in August 2015. Somehow this has brought me closer to the City of Angels, it was like I knew its deepest and darkest secrets. Then from out of nowhere on page 331 this conversation occured between the two main characters Jeffrey and Randall about the MacArthur Park area…

“This fucking place creeps me out, man” Jeffrey said.

“Huh?”

“Creeps me out. So fucking sketchy. I hate being down here. The pigs are crawling all over the place.”

Randal snorted. “So long as the fucking Eighteenth Street remembered to pay off the cops this month, we’re cool.”

“I hate it, though. It’s fucking depressing. The poverty. I mean, Jesus, imagine raising your kids here?”

Randal laughed. “Listen–nobody gives two shits about these people. They don’t care how these people’s kids grow up. This place is totally abandoned by the rest of the city. I mean, there are people I know who have never so much as driven through this neighbourhood. It doesn’t really exist to them. Imagine, a whole section of the city they call home, and it may as well be fucking deepest Africa or something. That’s why the fucking subway stops at Beverly. It’s not just because the rich fuckers don’t want to come here. It’s because they want to keep these people contained. This city is fucked up, Jeffrey. It’s a fucking cesspool. Calling this place the City of Angels is a horrible fucking joke. It isn’t a city of angels. It’s a city of fucking whores. The thing is, you can’t act like this neighbourhood is the problem and over in Beverly Hills everything’s hunky dory.”

* * * *

“Beverly Hills might be a fucking cultural black hole, but at least I don’t have to worry about getting my throat cut for my wallet over there. I don’t like it. If I didn’t need drugs, I’d happily never set foot around here again. I grew up around poverty. It depresses me.”

I couldn’t believe my eyes when I read this as it echoed almost exactly my feelings on the area. I was somewhat shocked at the poverty.

Now, I’m mid-way through O’Neill’s fourth novel Black Neon, which is the sequel to Sick City and is unsurprisingly partly set in Los Angeles. And I couldn’t be happier.

Road to Nowhere

 

Well, we know where we’re goin’
But we don’t know where we’ve been
And we know what we’re knowin’
But we can’t say what we’ve seen

And we’re not little children
And we know what we want
And the future is certain
Give us time to work it out

We’re on a road to nowhere
Come on inside
Takin’ that ride to nowhere
We’ll take that ride

I’m feelin’ okay this mornin’
And you know
We’re on a road to paradise
Here we go, here we go

We’re on a ride to nowhere
Come on inside
Takin’ that ride to nowhere
We’ll take that ride

Maybe you wonder where you are
I don’t care
Here is where time is on our side
Take you there, take you there

We’re on a road to nowhere

There’s a city in my mind
Come along and take that ride
And it’s all right, baby it’s all right

And it’s very far away
But it’s growing day by day
And it’s all right, baby it’s all right

Would you like to come along?
And you could help me sing this song
And it’s all right, baby it’s all right

They can tell you what to do
But they’ll make a fool of you
And it’s all right, baby it’s all right

There’s a city in my mind
Come along and take that ride
And it’s all right, baby it’s all right

And it’s very far away
But it’s growing day by day
And it’s all right, baby it’s all right

Would you like to come along?
You could help me sing this song
And it’s all right, baby it’s all right

They can tell you what to do
But they’ll make a fool of you
And it’s all right, baby it’s all right

We’re on a road to nowhere

~ Talking Heads: Road to Nowhere ~