Thursday, October 30, 2008

Vegas -- One of a Kind



Recently stranded in the Las Vegas airport on a trip back from New York, was amused as I always am to see .... slot machines.

Why not spend your last dime on your way out of town?

When at a Cross roads in Life ...

At the Crossroads of Life … Keep an Open Mind!October 29th, 2008

MERCURY HAS MANY MEANINGS
The planet Mercury is a complex and enigmatic planet that has much more to do with our lives than just “communication”, like faxes, emails, answering machines, telephones and media.
Mercury in ancient astrology was the Winged Messenger of the Gods. In the Iliad and the Odyssey when someone had a bright idea, instead of a lightbulb appearing over their heads, the Greeks and Romans sketched in an imaginary god, Mercury, who had just arrived on the scene with inspiration from “on high”. After all, how could a mere mortal think of some of these brilliant solutions?

MERCURY HAS A CONNECTION WITH WILY ULYSSES
Ulysses in the Odyssey, whose familiar epithet was “wily Ulysses” is a typically mercurial character. The Greeks greatly prized the qualities of flexibility and ingenuity which Ulysses exhibited. The next time you’re in a jam, think of some unusual and clever way out of your circumstance and you are honoring the god Mercury. People born in the Oriental Year of the Monkey are great at this!

The Greeks and Romans, at a different stage of evolution than us, externalized some of their urges, desires and powers which they couldn’t explain in ordinary terms. For example, Socrates was depicted with a “daemon” always at his side that spoke to him. His “daemon” was a “gift” he had had since childhood, that acted like a cross between an alter ego and a guide.

SOCRATES’ EVIL TWIN WAS A “DAEMON”
Rationalists and academicians can have a terrible time dealing with Socrates’ “daemon” precisely because it is so irrational, but that’s exactly the point. In all of us there is a committee which reaches our decisions for us. There are many voices. Many votes. Some people would like to think we arrive at our decisions through logic but rarely is this the case. Certainly any important decisions in life are made based on values, emotions and instincts and then later justified with reason.

Mercury and the sign Gemini symbolize the duality within us. Sometimes this is experienced as a conflict between our head and our heart, sometimes between our better side and our worse side.

Gemini is the sign that deals with “duality” in its most basic terms: good and evil. The humorous statement “my Evil Twin did it” is very close to the psychic truth of this sign. Many Geminis keep their evil twin out of view or even their good one, but you can be sure they are at some level mortally engaged in the process of reconciling good and evil in the world but most of all within themselves.

THE BATTLE BETWEEN GOOD AND EVIL
This battle between good and evil is also characteristic of the introvert temperament group which is called infp or the Healer. Myers-Briggs and Keirsey Temperament Theory describe the characteristics of introverts in 8 different categories that are similar to the Jungian personality theories and infp is one of them.) To learn more, visit my website www.theintrovertzcoach.com.
This dialogue between opposite viewpoints and the forces of good and evil go on inside all of us at certain times but Geminis and infp’s deal with this on a lifelong basis. If you doubt me, find one and ask them about the problem of good and evil. They will laugh and have much to say or in the case of the introverts, much to write!

In ancient times, inspiration from outside the self which was very valuable was attributed to the god Mercury. This is the kind of information that comes from “stepping outside yourself” for a few minutes to get another viewpoint on things.

THE HERM
There is another aspect to Mercury which is less known and actually more important. The god Mercury also ruled crossroads. The Greeks erected little phallic statues (no pun intended) honoring the god Mercury along the side of the road and at crossroads to honor the god of travelers.

TRADE ROUTES
There were a few very well known major crossroads or Trade Routes in ancient times. For the most part they are clustered around the east end of the Mediterranean Sea in an area also called the Levant.

Let’s take a look at them.

The King’s Highway was the route from Egypt to the Euphrates RiverThe Silk Road was the route from Baghdad to Kashmir in ChinaThe Way of the Sea was the route through Palestine along the coast of SyriaThe Lower Road was a later version of the Royal RoadThe Amber Road was the route from northern Italy through Yugoslavia to the Danube in HungaryNOTE: If you’d like to get a real feel for these trade routes, visit a fascinating site which attempts to give you a virtual experience in photos: http://www.ancientroute.com You can see what it is like to really travel one of these routes.

IMAGINARY TRADE ROUTE BETWEEN AMERICA AND RUSSIA
To make it easier to imagine, suppose for a moment that a road could connect America to Russia and that people walked back and forth on it. Sooner or later it would be discovered by people to the south and north as well. Eventually there would be crossroads joining this major route with roads leading “up” from the Middle East, Italy and Spain and “down” from England and Scandinavia.

The crossroad where the Middle East connected would have different energy than the one where Italy connected or Spain, England and Scandinavia. People would be differently dressed, riding different animals, speaking different languages and hawking different goods.

Information is exchanged at the crossroads as well as language, customs and commodities. People get along well with one another. In ancient times there were often special rules governing “host” and “guest” and giving crossroads people such as ambassadors, messengers, tribunes and native guides safe passage through certain territories. Crossroads people have a flexibility that is often missing in the village or city where everyone and everything is the same.

LINGUA FRANCA AND FOREIGN LANGUAGES
In ancient times the crossroads were places where very important information was exchanged, information that might never reach a town or village. To facilitate this, a common language developed. Called a lingua franca, such a language permitted people from different countries to understand each other well enough to do business. [According to lingua franca expert, A. Harrak, as excerpted from his “Contracts between Cultures — West Asia and North Africa, volume 1″ in a lecture delivered at the 33rd International Congress of Asian and North African Studies, Toronto, 1990, “Lingua franca, [was] “ur-pidgen” … a chameleon-like, ill-defined entity, a trade language consisting of elements of various languages, mostly Romance, which was used for centuries in the Mediterranean littoral.]

In addition to learning a common language like lingua franca (Latin was the lingua franca of educated people in Europe for many years), crossroads experiences stimulate a desire to learn a foreign language. Did you know that learning a foreign language increases your intelligence? One reason is that it builds bridges of communication between the right and left side of the brain, increasing flexibility. A person who can come at a problem with right and left brain flexibility has double the resources of someone relying on just one or the other. In addition, on the Gemini side, you learn to speak another language but on the Sagittarian side, you develop the telepathic ability to understand someone else’s language. This ability often transcends the words being spoken and heard as many people with language ability will tell you.

IMPORTANT INFORMATION IS EXCHANGED AT CROSSROADS
Here is an example of some of the kinds of important information that are exchanged at a crossroad.

Be careful, it is no longer safe to drink the water at xxBe careful the king of xx is dying and the country is run by renegades who no longer honor our trade agreementsWarning, there was a spring flood which washed away the trail at xxGood news! The mountain pass is clear now.Good news! The king of xx wants trade in his country and has cleared the bandits out of the gulch at xx.The price of amber has dropped. Don’t be fooled into paying high prices.The market for silk has shifted further west … be careful not to buy more than you can sell.Xx’s supply of xx is terrible this year. Best go in another direction with what you have to sell.People who stay at home in the town and village don’t need this kind of information. But if they are wise, they listen to news from travelers because it can portend things in the future. For example a traveler returns and says, “I have been to xx and they will pay fabulous sums of money for this stuff that washes up on the shore around here [amber]”. Or he might say, “There are restless tribes marauding close to here. We need to be careful or they will wipe us out.” There is no way for a connection to be made between towns and villages if someone doesn’t travel.

THE INTERNET IS RULED BY MERCURY: IT IS MERCURIAL
Today of course the internet is very Mercurial. It brings information back and forth between people who find each other through common interests. They are traveling the air waves, so to speak.

A characteristic of staying at home in the village is that things change very slowly in the village. Along the trade routes there is constant change. The energy is “mercurial”, fast changing along trade routes. It is like quicksilver where cultures collide. People learn to borrow good things from one another to improve their own. There is an open mindedness among traders and among people who live along all the borders of the world. Such places are ruled by Mercury. What can we learn from all of this?

The planet Mercury rules the sign Gemini. There are 12 signs but there are really only 6 “polarities”. Gemini and its opposite sign Sagittarius make up one of these polarities and it is best to understand these two signs as complimentary opposites. They are different degrees of the same qualities. Therefore, when we speak about Mercury, which rules Gemini, there is always a Sagittarian flavor in the stew.

PETER THE GREAT WAS A QUINTESSENTIAL GEMINI/SAGITTARIUS PERSON
An example of a quintessential Gemini/Sagittarius individual is the Russian Tsar, Peter the Great. Peter the Great (1672-1725) had his Sun and Mercury in Gemini in the 3rd house opposite his Moon in Sagittarius. Peter was a genius and master of many trades. He was an innovator and facilitator. He traveled to and borrowed from various countries in Europe, bringing back the best of England, France, the Netherlands and Italy. He consolidated Russian territory, created the Russian Navy, dredged the city of St. Petersburg from the swamps and introduced new styles of dress and customs to his people. He was “ahead of his times”.

The flexibility and open mindedness of someone like Peter the Great are characteristic of the “crossroads” energy ruled by Mercury. In a manner of speaking, Peter the Great visited everywhere and took the best of everything. His open mindedness and flexibility were winning qualities and they are “crossroads” qualities.

Peter had both Gemini and Sagittarius qualities. A typical Gemini trait was his interest in “curiosities”. At a time when many rulers created museums to preserve freaks and oddities of nature, Peter was no exception. You can still visit his museum in St. Petersburg today. Peter was a Sagittarius in his love of everything “foreign” and in his mastery of many different talents.

SPREAD OF IDEAS, INFORMATION AND DISEASE ALONG THE TRADE ROUTES
For a graphic idea of the spread of ideas and information, consider the spread of the black plague contagion which began in 14th century Europe by following the caravan routes. From the lower Volga River basin in 1345, it spread to the Caucasus and Crimea by 1346, Constantinople by 1347, Alexandria in the autumn of 1347, Cyprus and Sicily in that year, Italy by winter 1347, Marseilles by January of 1348, Paris in spring 1348, followed by Germany and the Low Countries in that year, Norway in May 1349, eastern Europe by 1350, and finally Russia in 1351.
Epidemics have been tracked historically and illustrate the prinpciple of exchange or cross pollination that takes place at the crossroads.

MERCURY IS THE GOD OF BORDERS
Mercury is also the god of borders. Living in Southern California, our population is a mix of Caucasian, Arab, Mexican, African-American, Oriental and Island people. I can’t say that we get along easily all the time, but we do get along. Hopefully Southern California gets the best of all these cultures and wins. When I leave California I miss the stimulation of border/crossroads energy. If I go someplace homogenous like a town in the midwest, I find it fascinating by contrast. The upheaval and change that occurs when 7 different cultures “collide” has its special challenges and gifts and a homogenous culture has its stability.

MERCURY REMINDS US: WHEN YOU STAND AT THE CROSSROADS OF LIFE, KEEP AN OPEN MIND
Mercury is also the god of symbolic crossroads. This reminds us how important it is to be open minded when we stand at a crossroads in life. Mercury reminds us that keeping our minds open to as many choices as possible is the best way to face the unknown.

Nancy R. Fenn is an astrologer and intuitive consultant in the San Diego area. She enjoys working with creatives, intuitives and visionaries to help them discover their mission in life.

Tuesday, October 28, 2008

Meet the Finches


Here are the new members of our family, the adorable finches.

Monday, October 27, 2008

Free Photo Reading

I love to read photos. Send a scanned photo of someone you'd like to know more about and I'll do a mini reading for free.

Read comments to see what others have aid about my psychic ability.

Sunday, October 26, 2008

Electra

I just watched this and enjoyed it very much, Michael Cacoyannis' version. Learn more:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michael_Cacoyannis

Healers and the Hippocratic Oath

From a BBC article on the Hippocratic Oath:

"The penultimate section deals with confidentiality and reads: 'And about whatever I may see or hear in treatment, or even without treatment, in the life of human beings, I will remain silent, holding such things to be unutterable.'"

"As today, patients in ancient times shared deeply personal information with doctors on the assumption that their details would not be revealed to others.

"Without this trust, patients may withhold facts that would help the doctor make an accurate diagnosis. "

Healers are healers. It is the same for a spiritual and intuitive healer. The more you tell me, the more I can help you. Hold nothing back and be healed.

Saturday, October 25, 2008

At Last, Now You Know It, the Colon Cleanser of the Stars

From their ad ...

Introducing Oxy Powder, the oxygen colon cleanser from Global Healing Center. Oxy Powder is the most advanced, scientifically correct colon cleanser there is. It does not just sweep the symptoms under the rug, it goes right after the real cause of constipation. It is the same product being used for optimal colon health and oxygen cleansing by the Hollywood stars.

[This is passed along tongue in cheek of course.)

Pluto Heals

The best use of this phenomenal Plutonic energy is to heal our deepest wound so we can “go beyond the nevers”.

Let’s ignore the melodramatic events, fear, panic and reactiveness in those around us who are less conscious. Let’s use Pluto’s energy to leap tall buildings rather than leaping from tall buildings.

Pluto can remove blocks of a lifetime.

Share with me in complete confidence what is the one thing you have never been able to have or do your whole life long, your greatest desire and your greatest fear (they are always the same), and I will put it on my altar and pray with you for the next 33 days for your transformation and deliverance.

I am a birth #33 (6), the Master Healer. Christ died and rose at 33.

Guidelines …
This is Pluto so you must prepare your words carefully. As the Greeks say, be careful what you ask for, you may get it.

Therefore I suggest …

It must be one thing.

It must be the deepest thing. (Don't "test" or waste this oppportunity).

It must come from the most honest place possible inside you.

It must be generalized; for example you can’t ask for a specific person.

You must realize and acknowledge that what you are actually doing is asking to be transformed into the kind of person that can have what you can’t seem to ever have. YOU are going to change and then the world will conform. Are you ready for this?

If need be I will ask you to rephrase for your own sake.

You must be precise with Pluto because the energy is so powerful. Take this opportunity to get beyond the one thing that has always stopped you from having it all.

I will pray on my home altar every day for 33 days, till Pluto goes direct November 28.

There are no “deals” with Pluto. If your cause is just and you are inwardly prepared for healing, expect miracles.

Friday, October 24, 2008

Nancy R. Fenn

Psychic counseling for spiritual growth and crisis. Help with anxiety, fears, grief and finding your path. Holistic recommendations.

And the Next President Will Be ...

With Uranus opposing Saturn, this is an "anything can happen" election but I am predicting a Republican winner.

Monday, October 20, 2008

Iceland's Astrology Chart


Iceland took full independence from Denmark on June 17, 1944.

The independence ceremony started at 1:30 pm GMT in Thingvellir, the site of the ancient Viking Althing.

The most significant moment was at 2:00 pm GMT, when there was a 2 minute silence all over the country.

The astrological chart suggsts why Iceland's economic system may have collapsed last month. Pluto opposed all those Gemini planets over the past 10-15 years with the denouement coming as it went oppositional to Saturn at 29 degrees last month.

This chart suggests a highly unstable economic situation to begin with -- much too much speculation and no real resources ... reliance on high tech, etc.

Maybe they'll do better now with help from their Slavic friends. The International Monetary Fund is about to step in with a $6 billion rescue plan and the help of Russia and some Nordic countries.

Sunday, October 19, 2008

Hadley Ajana Writes on the INFJ John Kelly

[photo fair use from wikipedia]
An Appreciation of Detective John Kelly, NYPD Blue: Treasure the INFJ

Before I tell you how much I love John Kelly, how he’s different from all the other television detectives, and why I think he is an INFJ, let me start with a little background.

NYPD Blue: A Groundbreaking Show

John Kelly is a character on the ABC television series NYPD Blue (1993-2005) played by David Caruso. Steven Bochco and David Milch were co-creators of this drama set in a Manhattan police precinct. Each hour-long episode, which typically covers one day in the life of the detective squad, contains scenes of characters’ personal lives while also telling the story of a crime investigation.

When the show debuted in the mid-1990’s networks were struggling to retain viewers in the wake of a growing cable audience. NYPD Blue was the product of this changing environment. Successful television producer Bochco (Hill Street Blues, LA Law) convinced ABC that his new series should contain colorful language and more sexuality to keep viewers interested. The resulting NYPD Blue pilot was considered so racy that some ABC affiliates refused to run it. When the show did air on the majority of ABC stations it was met with critical acclaim and became an instant hit.

David Caruso: The Show’s Breakout Performer

Though NYPD Blue is known now as an ensemble piece, it was meant originally as a vehicle for actor David Caruso. Caruso had already delivered some stand out performances in films like Mad Dog and Glory, and had appeared in Bochco’s Hill Street Blues in the 1980s. Caruso, too, added to the controversy surrounding the early years of NYPD Blue when he left after the first season to pursue a career in film.

Denniz Franz became the center of NYPD Blue, winning many awards for his nuanced performance. His character, Detective Andy Sipowicz, was voted the tenth greatest television detective of all time in a 2000 TV Guide poll. While the attention lavished on Franz over the years has been well-deserved, Caruso’s Kelly has been all but forgotten. Perhaps it’s because he appeared on the screen for such a short time, just one season and four episodes. But what a run it was. I saw enough in those twenty-six hours to declare John Kelly my favorite television cop of all time. Move over, Jim Rockford and Frank Pembledon (both in TV Guide’s top five by the way)! John Kelly has stolen the heart of this police procedural addict.


Detective John Kelly

Allow me to tell you about the man I love. Kelly was raised by a widowed mother after his father, an Irish cop, was killed on duty. It’s clear as you get to know him that Kelly is both angry at his father for leaving him and at the same time trying to please him. Though the topic is never raised, it’s always in the air.

Following in his father’s footsteps Kelly advanced quickly through the police ranks and made detective at a young age. His mentor and partner is Andy Sipowiz, a seasoned alcoholic.

The job has taken a toll on Kelly’s six-year marriage which is on the rocks at the beginning of the series and never recovers. Shortly after he separates from his wife, John finds himself involved with a fellow police officer who -- we can’t blame her -- pursues the newly available detective with a single-minded determination. It’s difficult to gauge his depth at first, but time proves Kelly’s passion a slow and steady burn. Even after his girlfriend’s corruption is exposed and puts his career in jeopardy, John fends off advances from a rich, beautiful widow to stand by his lady love as she heads off to jail.

A New Type of Hero

Critics often described Detective Kelly as sensitive and moral. Consider Joyce Millman’s appreciation of Caruso in Salon magazine which sums up his NYPD Blue character as “[a] good Catholic kid whose faith had taken a few knocks, trying to do the right thing in a system where the right thing was often not enough.”

Kelly’s morality is often on display. In one of the first episodes, the detective testifies at the trial of a child-killer. The judge has ruled that a key piece of evidence cannot be presented to the jury because of a legal technicality. On the stand Kelly tries to sneak in some testimony about the banned item. When told he’s going to be held in contempt of court, Kelly responds to the judge with smoldering outrage: “I hold you in contempt. You should be ashamed of yourself.”

Caruso portrayed an emotional yet strong man. This was the heart of his character’s appeal. Millman calls Kelly “the ultimate stand-up guy, the peacemaker who defused ‘situations’ with calm appeals to good sense, the caretaker who shouldered everyone’s burdens. ‘Are we okay with this?’ was one of his soothing phrases.” She also thinks such a sensitive badass is unusual, calling Kelly “a new breed of TV cop hero, a wounded-inner-child Clintonian mediator.” GQ saw something revolutionary, too, proclaiming Kelly “The Hero as New Man.”

Women Love a Man Whose Available

Kelly’s – or should we say Caruso’s -- sensitive yet strong nature belies a man comfortable with his own masculinity, something rarely seen on television, let alone in a crime show. In an interview with GQ for the “hero as new man” article, Caruso was asked his view on relationships. “All men fantasize about is a true equal,” says the actor. “At the end of the day, you really want to be with someone you get along with…you want to be in a situation where you can be yourself.” Caruso’s understanding informed a new interpretation of the tough Irish cop stereotype. Unfortunately, this type of genuine respect for women is still “new” in television and, one fears, in life.

Not only did Kelly respect women, he understood them. I, and I suspect millions of other women, love him as much when he was “escorting” a drunk to the door as when he listens – with an intensity you seldom experience in real life – to his date’s problems. Kelly manages to walk that fine line between husband-protector and boyfriend-lover.

Jim Rockford, number one on TV Guide’s list of greatest television sleuths, broke new ground in the 70’s by showing sensitivity, but he also avoids confrontation and is sometimes downright cowardly. He certainly lacks Kelly’s “badassness.” Columbo, TV Guide’s number two detective, is thoughtful yet short on social skills. Certainly he was not a romantic lead. Number three in TV Guide’s ranking, Frank Pembledon, is a brilliant, deep, and brooding man whose integrity is rigid, more terrifying than inviting. Only NYPD Blue’s hero is perceptive, strong, decent and emotionally available.

John Kelly, INFJ

The combination of traits found in Detective Kelly is most women’s dream. It is rare in the real world. Why it’s not seen on television more I don’t know. I believe that Kelly’s characteristics are reflective of the personality type INFJ, a personality type found in less than two per cent of the population. Perhaps the lack of these “types” on television is a matter of art imitating life.

Sipowicz refers to Kelly as the social worker of the century who still manages to get the job done. Women flock to him for emotional support. Even his ex-wife leans on him when she feels threatened because he is so good at what he does. Men, too, seek Kelly out for advice. When fellow detective Medavoy contemplates divorce, Kelly is consulted. Caruso’s character is there for everyone, at the office and on the street, while still being competent. This is typical of INFJ’s, known as “counselors” for their strong desire to contribute to the welfare of others but who are also noted for their ability to navigate complex situations.

A special characteristic of the INFJ is his ability to “know” others, to feel their feelings and read their thoughts. An interesting NYPD Blue scene is one in which Kelly explains his behavior to a new detective, James Martinez. The rookie investigator wants to know if Kelly beat a confession out of a suspect as he had threatened to. The veteran says he did not in this case but wouldn’t hesitate to if he knew the suspect was guilty, not just suspected but knew of his guilt. This is the sense in which you will often hear INFJ’s use the verb know. They know as others do not. They know to a moral certainty and they feel secure in that knowledge. It is one of their special gifts.

Like most INFJ’s, Kelly is not a leader but rather someone who chooses to exert his influence behind the scenes. It is not a vision that guides him, nor a desire to motivate others, but rather the need to connect, to fix what is broken, to empathize with those he knows. That describes the INFJ and is reflective of Kelly’s role in the squad room. He fights to give junkies a second chance, sets crooked cops straight, and anchors Sipowicz as he makes the transition to sobriety. He sorts the good from the bad with an understanding that no one is perfect. Kelly does not give orders nor martial the men to action; he is simply the soul of the group.

Another INFJ Walks off the Job

INFJ’s give so much and expect so little in return, but they do have their limits.

Though they are strong in many ways, INFJ’s cannot abide an emotionally disruptive environment nor public criticism. The NYPD Blue writers arranged for Caruso’s exit by having Kelly leave the police force in a typical INFJ fashion. It’s not unusual for an INFJ to take on trouble for a friend. When his girlfriend is put on trial for a murder stemming from her corrupt dealings, the Bureau of Internal Affairs begins to investigate all Kelly’s old cases. John accepts the snooping but rails with indignation at the public manner in which it is done. Unable to abide his demotion to radio operator, Kelly leaves the police force. Public criticism is just something an INFJ cannot tolerate.

INFJ’s are also infamous for their struggle with finding the right career and are known for being perpetually “disappointed” with their superiors. Kelly’s exit from the show certainly parallels the real end of many an INFJ’s job.

A Rare Pleasure

While his departure was aptly crafted, it’s sad that Caruso forced an end to Kelly’s appearances on NYPD Blue. He really was a new man, both strong and warm, and I miss him. One does not often encounter a character of such quality. On screen, as in life, INFJ’s are rare. We should treasure them wherever we find them and enjoy their company for as long as it lasts.

Read other articles by and for INFJs at




and Hadley's film review, an extensive collection indexed here: "I Watch for Introverts" http://www.theintrovertzcoach.com/reviews_index.html




Isabella Gardner Museum

This was THE most fabulous museum I've seen anywhere in the world but you can't take photos inside.



Here is Isabella. Learn more: http://www.gardnermuseum.org/


We met Paul there for lunch.










#4 Around the Ship












Bar Harbor #3

















Acadia Park #2