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It’s okay to kill yourself, is the theme of A Star is Born movie.

And what a kick in the teeth it is. It’s okay to kill yourself IF you love someone enough and you’re afraid you’ll damage their career. What the fuck?! Who produced this? Was it Bradly Cooper and Gaga? Or are they just the ones that perpetuated—YES, PERPETUATED THAT guilt trip: IF you love someone enough, it is NOT okay to kill yourself! They are NOT better off without you! THAT’s the LIE depression and especially that suicidal voice in your head will tell you. ‘It’s okay to commit suicide and leave the planet because those around you would be better without you.’ And that just isn’t true.

The movie A Star is Born is telling that story.

And I don’t remember that in the original with Barbra Streisand and Kris Kristofferson. John Norman does indeed die in the end, but it’s a car crash. HE DIDN’T HANG HIMSELF for fucks sake. He died a tragic death, but not at his own hand. At the hand of fate, or God, or the Universe, whatever you believe. If that was the message intended, that he crashed his car on purpose, I guess I missed that in the remake of the musical remake of the original. If you’re interested, google “A Star Is Born wiki.” I’ll have to go back and watch the end of the other movie. Maybe it did end that way. And if so, maybe THAT’s when I was conditioned to believe that my family, my kids would be better off without me.

I’ve had those thoughts, twice in my life. They were dark, low spots. And I was truly convinced I was hurting those around me by being me. I had shrinks telling me I was bipolar and that I wasn’t all right. I don’t remember anyone telling me I was mentally ILL, but they put me on lithium. Yes, One-Flew-Over-The-Cookoo’s-Nest lithium. I turned into a zombie, my own personal version of the walking dead. I did that for two weeks, but my spirit bust loose and through the haze. I KNEW there was more for me to do than trudge through life in a big-pharma-induced coma. I told the Doctor I WOULDN’T be taking drugs. At least not THAT drug. Today, I use natural cures and exercise and a whole lot of yoga to combat depression, and that nasty little gremlin in my head that says others would be better off without me? That little fucker is gone. I know my family needs me, and I’m here for the long haul. On fate, God and the Universe’s good graces.

I’m here to say, don’t kill yourself. Whatever you are going through WILL eventually be okay, because if it’s not okay, it’s not the end. Maybe that’s a warped philosophy to many. For me it’s been proven again and again in my life. There’s also your business, my business, and God’s business. I didn’t say we’d each necessarily see the happy ending in this lifetime; that might happen from the other side. That’s God’s business. It’s a mystery. It’s thee mystery. And someday I’ll know. Someday, we’ll all know. Until then, I’ll tend to my own business—and yours! If you’ll let me. I’m here with an ear. There are many of us. And we need you to do your part. You need to speak-up. Talk! And since I’m not available 24-hrs a day, the angels at the Suicide Hotline are, and they are ready to help:

 800 273-8255

I guess Bradly Cooper never got that message. He should have called.

I was disappointed in A Star Is Born. And I was angered. Cooper and Gaga were awesome together, but creepy after. The song “Shallows” was overplayed. Watching them together made me really uncomfortable. It was weird. Thumbs down. I give it one star. I hated it. I hated everything having to do with it, the remake. It reminds me of the darkest part of myself and my many lives.

Life is hard. And it hurts sometimes.

But. It is also precious! And life is a gift! And having kids, friends, a partner, a passion, a purpose, and a job make the hard times bearable, because tomorrow IS another day: another chance to get it right. IF you don’t buy into the LUDICROUS THOUGHT THAT THE ONES YOU LOVE WOULD BE BETTER OFF WITHOUT YOU.

That’s pure bullshit.

That’s what THIS star says.

#LoquaciousLindee

P.S. Why Worry when you can Wonder. Read more…

Live without pretending, love without depending, listen without defending, speak without offending.

Live without pretending.

I grew up on a dairy farm in Iowa. Staring at the back end of a Holstein and shoveling what came out was a daily occurance. That’s about as authentic as you can be. It wasn’t until my 30s that I adopted a new phrase: Fake it ‘til you make it. I first heard it when I joined Mary Kay Cosmetics. Meaning, envision who you want to be, and pretend you are that until you become that. Pretending was encouraged and a way to “visualize” a brighter future. I did that for years…until I returned to my true authentic self. Today, I’m just me, not pretending to be something I’m not.

Love without depending.

We’re taught that love is a two-way street; that’s what a relationship is—a never-ending circle of give and take, each person giving to and depending on the other. But is that really what love is? Isn’t the real challenge to love without expectation of love in return? Especially when you don’t agree?

Listen without defending.

Conflict is uncomfortable, especially with someone you love. The challenge is to fully listen to them—even when you want to defend your point of view. Most people are simply waiting for the other person to stop speaking before they add their “two cents.” It’s in these moments, most especially, that we have to keep quiet and let another person express their views. Even when there is no solution in sight, listening is the key to moving the relationship forward.

Speak without offending.

If you can’t say something nice, then don’t say anything at all. That’s Mom logic and advice I heard often growing up. That philosophy fit for a long time…like the fake-it-til-you-make-it mantra. … And, I think that’s the reason I’ve fallen back into pretending. I am NOT happy with the state of the world. I don’t trust Donald Trump or the Republicans to govern. They are absolutely trampling on human rights: brown people, black people, women, Vets, the lgbtq community–and the planet! There are atrocities being perpetrated on the American people and especially immigrants, and because I don’t want to say anything offensive, I find myself not saying anything at all. Given our current political climate and state of affairs, this is no longer an option!!

It’s time to step up and speak out—even if you can’t be kind. If you have conflicts with someone, look for common ground. There is more that unites us than divides us. But when human rights are at stake, we MUST speak up and defend the rights of others—even if that means offending someone else with our words.

Will I continue to live, love, listen, and speak with respect to others? Yes, I will. But I will not pretend what is happening in America is tolerable or acceptable. When conflict arises, I will live without pretending to agree with others when I don’t. I will love the person I’m disagreeing with without depending on their acceptance or approval. I will listen without defending my point of view but vow to do my best to help them see it my way. And I will speak without offending knowing respect and compassion are keys to healing conflict—and ultimately the world.

#LoquaciousLindee

 Read more about Political Correctness

I read this excerpt from Elisabeth Parker, Writer and had to share.

My best girlfriends have jokingly talked about an intervention for me, a political intervention. They think I watch too much politics on TV. They can’t watch. It’s too brutal and Trump too vile. They’ve tuned out. They don’t want to know. And they think I should take a break as well because I go crazy watching Trump and the GOP lock kids in cages, do business with the Russians, take money from middle-low income people–all while destroying the planet!

But who is going to pay attention? Who is going to speak-up for immigrants and champion the young souls Trump has ripped from their caring parents’ arms? Who will stop Trump from seizing private and public lands to erect his racist, ego-driven wall? Who will fight for education for our young and medical care for us all?

I will. And I need your help.

As a white woman, a woman of privilege, I’m embarrassed that the majority of white women voted for Trump. I don’t understand it. Have they no empathy for others? Perhaps Trump’s destructive policies haven’t reached them personally, yet, but they will…in the form of lower pay, loss of control of our bodies, discrimination against LGBTQ people, and dependence on men. Women voting for Trump voted against their own interests. They’ve conceded their power to a bunch of old, white men. Men of self-imposed privilege that, in most cases, they’ve taken through entitlement and violence.

A woman on my twitter feed, a Trump supporter, is pissed. She totally bought into the #GOPTaxScam. She believed Trump had her best interests in mind. But, she’s not getting a tax refund this year. She’s having to pay $5000 instead. That was her red-line. She says Trump has lost her vote. That saddens me.

Not that Trump has lost her vote, but that KIDS IN CAGES ISN’T a red-line issue for her. That saddens me and sickens me. What have Americans become? She represents the worst in humanity; she’s desensitized to another human’s pain. Trump brings that out in people. He’s vilified immigrants to such a degree that some white people no longer care, if they ever did. Privilege brings that out in people.   

I vow to use my time to stay educated on the issues—and educate others! And, I vow to use my privilege to fight for people of all colors, sizes, shapes, and flavors. And I invite you to join the cause. The question is:

What will you do?

Will you step-up and speak-up? Are you still tuned in? Do you KNOW your country needs you? Democracy needs you? Right now! Use what you have to make a difference. Don’t wait for the pain to arrive at your doorstep. Have empathy for others. Use your own privilege to make a difference.

#LoquaciousLindee   #whitegirlprivilege  #libertyandjusticeforall

rainy day at airport A rainy day delay helps grow patience.

I try too hard sometimes. Like right now. I’m trying to get home.

If I had just waited the weather out, I’d probably be boarding my Seattle flight to Denver right now, arriving home by 5. Well, land at 5:00 which puts me home at 7 p.m. But instead, I listened to the Weather Channel, got a 30 minute flight delay notice, checked Raindar, saw a HUGE storm over Seattle.

Then I read of tornados in Portland, checked Raindar again, boarded my flight to Seattle just to be grounded for an hour and a half and then dumped in the terminal to wait it out. After checking Raindar again, I called Travel.

Thanks goodness I have a go-to person at the office; I didn’t have to stand behind fifty other people trying to find a different way out. John swiftly and graciously got me down the road 90 miles to the closest airport, and a guaranteed flight to Salt Lake City, then home to Denver, arriving by 10 p.m. Weather looked good. It was guaranteed.

So now I’m at the Pasco airport, waiting, watching the planes go by, listening to their Seattle flight being called, and wondering, would I be on that Seattle-to-Denver flight home right now, if I hadn’t been proactive and found myself a different route home.

¯_( )_/¯

Who knows. I should stop trying so hard, pushing so much. I think that’s the “lesson,” if there is one.

I seldom sit down and enjoy, relax, just be. I’m doing something 90% of the time I’m not sleeping. That usually involves pushing hard to make money to pay the bills. I need to let more come to me. I’d better reread the book The Law of Attraction, by Ester and Jerry Hicks.

In lieu of that, I’m just going to sit here awhile, very still, very quiet and think good thoughts. Okay, first I’m going to finish this blog, then sit here, very quietly, thinking good thoughts. I’m going to slow down, enjoy the travel day, and get home when I get home. There is no problem I have to deal with, everyone is taken care of, my sweetheart is waiting for me. And he’ll be there when I get there.

Hmmm, maybe being proactive and pushing too hard wasn’t such a bad thing. It gave me time to sit down and write after all, and that always helps me let the good in.

Oh, I just heard someone say their flight was cancelled into Seattle earlier today and now they are waiting for another!

Vindicated!!! Keep on pushin’!

#LoquaciousLindee