Quit! Give Up!

Many things are a paradox:  Insanity is repeating the same thing over and expecting the same results. Yet in running the Marathon or getting a Ph.D, you must persist when things look bleak and when you are in pain.

Many good-natured people do not realize there are evil, jealous people out there who want you to fail. If you are surrounded by those people and keep getting remarks downplaying your character, brains or looks, be assured that these are usually vipers, or, as Jordan Peterson says, dragons.

If you are persisting in your career and things are not working, perhaps God wants you to change careers. Or try a different approach. The latter may be more complicated, but when it comes to vile people around you, do not feel like a quitter if what you need to do is

QUIT!!!

That will open the door to NEW PEOPLE AND PLACES.

As I heard somewhere before, if you buy new furniture, you need to get rid of the old furniture to make room.

You can buy my new book Musings below:

https://www.lulu.com/shop/search.ep?keyWords=musings+patsis&type=

My other short story and poetry book Life, Work and Play, fitness book Pocket Guide to Fitness (two versions and anti-bullying children's book The Boy in a Wheelchair are available on Authorhouse.com or Amazon:

https://www.authorhouse.com/en/search?query=louiza+patsis

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What I Am Giving Up for Lent, the Ten Commandments, an SNL skit and Aristophanes

I do quite enough. Yesterday, I had a good workout, spent hours in public transportation and waiting for the bus in chilly weather, and had a meeting about Ph.D work. I will not do a full fast. Like last year, I will give up red meat, almost. I'll have two or so home-made hamburgers like the one I had yesterday for strength and perhaps a little bacon.

But what I will try to give up is a desire. It can't be the ambition desire. Unless it overwhelms you, it is not bad. And my financial situation is not near where it "should" be. I will give up my desire to find that bloke to be a husband. Somewhere in my subconscious or conscious is the belief that I am not whole, complete and perfect on my own, that I "need" a man for a happy life, and that women that have or pretend to have a happy marriage are better than I am or know something that I do not know.

With the pressures of having a child on time when you are a woman, I feel the pressure I inflict on myself (and a lot really is from society and culture) to find a four-leaf clover in a field of three-leaf ones. It feel like tons of weight on my shoulders.

It occurred to me that this is against two of the Ten Commandments, honoring my mother and father and not idolizing anyone. If I think I am not enough or whole, complete and perfect on my own, that does not honor what my  parents created and brought up. They had their faults, but they did a great job. I may not have held on exactly to all their beliefs, but, again, they did a great job.  If I consciously or subconsciously think some j*rks are people I need to be good enough for or change for or have them like me and get them, I am idolizing them.

And of course we have the epidemic of men being lazy and egotistical, offering to take women out for coffee or a beer, to see how soon they can sleep with them or to interview the women to see if they are worth some more dimes for dinner. In some cultures, like Greek, their moms may at times be to blame; ("My baby boy...") so much for doing the energy, time and financial work to pursue a woman. It reminds me of the Saturday Night Live skit with Justin Timberlake "D*ck in a box." If we are so lucky, we can have that, and a cup of coffee! Yippee! Perhaps women should do what they did in the Aristophenes play Lysistrata where they stopped giving sex to men and thus influenced war and peace. Let's see how many dinners we'd get taken to then!

It also occurred to me that women and scientists for years have made it possible for women to have children on their own. (That brings me back to money.) And plenty of men that love women marry women with children, be it from a sperm bank or a marriage where the husband died (God forbid) or there was a divorce. So that's another reason not to sweat anything.

Well, that makes me feel calmer and more grateful this time of Lent.

My third book, Pocket Guide to Fitness, is available on http://www.Authorhouse.com and http://www.Amazon.com. If you look up my name on those Web sites, you will find my other books The Boy in a Wheelchair and Life, Work and Play: Poems and Short Stories. These two books are on my Web site http://www.LouizaPatsis.com.Visit and like, if you so see fit, my book page at www.facebook.com/PocketGuidetoFitness.

Virgin Mary Archetype

Someone, with a Ph.D. mind you so he must know better than I do, and better yet, he is a therapist, so he must know exactly how I must be fixed and changed to conform and be like him or his ideal woman and then of course get a man I guess, told me when I will be more like the Virgin Mary, I will be the most beautiful woman in the world. Well, I am that already, he just fails to see it.

I am a complicated creature, as most mature, deep people are. I have integrated thoughts, values and views that I love and with which I am happy and complete. Some cannot be expressed in words. I may think the Virgin Mary or a saint is higher than I am or I may think not in some other dimension. The points are: To me, one of or the greatest point of life is to be more you, the authentic you, and, unless you are a doorknob, that will include many different characters, aspects and dimensions.

Then I got to thinking more...The Gospel of the Virgin Mary has been rejected. I think she actually speaks there. I wonder if women wrote some of the Bible, if she would have been different. Perhaps men want a mother or lover who is quiet and humble and a virgin or non-sexual, except, of course, when it comes to them. And further, if she never speaks her mind, it's even better.  I am not discounting here the strong feminine power, stronger than masculine, that comes from being quiet and committed, having an intent, and thus having people know and getting what you want.

I further got to thinking: Perhaps the more complete feminine archetype also includes Athena, that strong female goddess of wisdom and war. And perhaps some women writers of the Bible would have included a vocal feminine character. Perhaps she'd even be bossy and wear pumps at times.

After all, even God came from and through a woman.

You wouldn't know it with the lack of equal pay, even in the USA, and growing rates of college rapes, war rapes, rapes in India and more happening in the world now.

Speak up!

Lastly, a dog is not a cat, a cat is not a dog, a rose is not a tulip, a tulip is not a rose. Be yourself. You may spend the rest of your life finding out just what that is. And at the same time, when you were a child or teenager, you knew.


My third book, Pocket Guide to Fitness, is available on http://www.Authorhouse.com and http://www.Amazon.com. If you look up my name on those Web sites, you will find my other books The Boy in a Wheelchair and Life, Work and Play: Poems and Short Stories. These two books are on my Web site http://www.LouizaPatsis.com.Visit and like, if you so see fit, my book page at www.facebook.com/PocketGuidetoFitness.

Horse Whisperer

I have been full of questions since I was a child. Even though I have science degrees and some would say I am well-read, I sometimes wonder about questions like: "Why do we have eyebrows, eyelashes, and hair in our nose? Why are most people's hair brown? What if leaves were blue?" Although I know or can find the scientific explanations, or get into aesthetically appreciating what is, I still ask these questions. I wonder if I am cuckoo. Most tell me that I am curious and creative. Other questions include: "What is the nature of moving through space?" I guess Einstein asked something similar. Years ago I wondered how we came upon language and writing and if they will be replaced by higher forms of communication, such as telepathy, which many people experience at times.

In the July 2013 issue of O Magazine, I read about Koelle Simpson who is very adept at communicating with horses, a horse whisperer if you will, and who provides therapy for all kinds of people. Here you have it, a horse telepathically communicating with humans, leading them to feel better. People go to Koelle and her horses to heal from anxiety, abuse, negative relationship and career patterns. Horses are preyed upon and feel anxiety and fear when alone, like women, according to Martha Beck, author of the article. She wrote that human and horse psychology are similar: "Throughout history, horses have been whipped, hobbled, dragged, and otherwise tortured until they go numb to their instincts and agree to do whatever humans want. This may sound familiar. How many times have you felt the lash of disapproval, the hobbling of your heart's desires, the torture of others' expectations?" She wrote that horses tell you what they think, and it is usually what other people think of you.

One lady, Avery, who went to see Koelle seemed to have a perfect life: She was a social media director at an apparel company, was married to her high school sweetheart, and had two teenagers. But she lost her temper in a grand way at work, her husband drank, and she feared she could not parent her teenagers. She went to see Koelle and her horse Ernie, which is powerful enough to harm her with a kick. Avery learned to use telepathy to ask for more space or whatever she needed from the horse and learned to trust the horse.When she lost her temper with him, he reacted by running around the pen. She learned to ask for what she needed and to set boundaries effectively with the horse.Avery learned to relax. Koelle told her: "Relax. There's no hurry, and you can't fail. You're just exploring a relationship."

Koelle lets Ernie run:"Running away is his primary defense, and I'm not going to take that form him. I don't want the people I love to come with me because I force them. That's not love; it's control."

Avery stopped fearing she cannot lead at work. She leads, and does not worry who follows. And now people follow because they want to follow. At work, she shows calm authority, not tantrums.She confronted her husband about his drinking without fear or rage, and he admitted his problem.

Fasting and Personal Choices

There was a debate in a recent Greek Orthodox meeting on fasting before Holy Communion. I see the importance and discipline of fasting. However, those that emphasize it too much miss the forest for hte trees and come from conceit, ego and judgment, much like many who meditate and stay calm put down those who get angry or show other emotions. Often, these people are not spiritual, and doing things in order to do them correctly, often missing the point, and do such things as concentrate on and gossip about others rather than expressing emotion directly.

Here is a passage I happened to open to in church for Saint Demetrios Day yesterday: n the subject: Romans `14:2-7A man of sound faith knows he can eat anything, while one who is weak in faith eats only vegetables. The man who will eat anything must not ridicule him who abstains from certain foods; the man who abstains must not sit in judgment on him who eats.  After all, God himself has made him welcome. Who are you to pass judgment on another's servant? His master alone can judge whether he stands or falls. And stand he will, for the Lord is able to make him stand.One man regards this day as better than that; someone else considers all days alike. Each should be certain of his own conscience.The man who observes the day does so to honor the Lord,. The man who eats does so to honor the Lord, and he gives thanks to God. The man who does not eat abstains to honor the Lord, and he too gives thanks to God..."

I see this passage as having people exercise choice in their personal lives, ultimately having God be the Judge.

Why Do Bad Things Happen to Good People?

Great article by Father Mark Sietsema on page 12 of the latest Orthodox Observer: "Prune" Juice: Why Do Bad Things Happen to Good People
www.goarch.org/news/observer/

My third book, Pocket Guide to Fitness, is available on http://www.Authorhouse.com and http://www.Amazon.com. If you look up my name on those Web sites, you will find my other books The Boy in a Wheelchair and Life, Work and Play: Poems and Short Stories. These two books are on my Web site http://www.LouizaPatsis.com.Visit and like, if you so see fit, my book page at www.facebook.com/PocketGuidetoFitness.  

Three Bucket Lists

There is a wonderful article in the June 2012 issue of the Orthodox Observer by Bill Marianes: There are three groups of "things" (I'd add at any given time): Things we control, things we influence, and things we can't do anything about. I think we can control and influence more than we think, but getting in to the mindset that our being or thoughts can control everything may lead to lots of figuring out, taking too many courses, making ourselves wrong, and wondering what others have that we don't. Of course, you don't want to go the opposite route of thinking it's being a victim or "luck". It's all about balance.

Check out page 9 of the pdf. http://www.goarch.org/news/observer/

My third book, Pocket Guide to Fitness, is available on http://www.Authorhouse.com and http://www.Amazon.com. If you look up my name on those Web sites, you will find my other books The Boy in a Wheelchair and Life, Work and Play: Poems and Short Stories. These two books are on my Web site http://www.LouizaPatsis.com.Visit and like, if you so see fit, my book page at www.facebook.com/PocketGuidetoFitness.