Yeah right! No I have not had a lobotomy since I last wrote nor have I lost my liberal do-gooder instincts, I just thought the title would make for a laugh. Seriously though – can anyone think of even one reason!
I love the idea of a new year, a time to start afresh with new hopes and dreams. A rebirth so to speak. It is at this time of year I like to get in some extra guidance of the mystic variety, so this past weekend I took myself off to have my numerology chart done and a tarot card reading. I won’t go into what was said as it is uninteresting to anyone but me except I will say from past experience they have been eerily bang on. It is what was said at the end of the session that was particularly appealing to me ‘whatever happens remember you are a spiritual being having a human experience.’
We are spiritual beings having a human experience. Not for the first time have I heard this but it feels rather timely to have heard it now because who knows the trajectory 2017 will follow: Everywhere you turn, there is this feeling lunatics are running the asylum WHERE fake news is the order of the day WHERE we are days out from seeing a man-child take the office as leader of the free world WHERE (arguably) the world’s best healthcare system the NHS is increasingly in crisis to the point of collapse WHERE the tenet of democracy is being tested WHERE the next Great British Bake Off will air without Mary Berry WHERE previous cold war enemies are now in cahoots WHERE Katie Hopkins is still being employed to spread her unique brand of bigotry WHERE climate change is still being denied even when we see proof of decline everywhere. Who knows. But if we are spiritual beings having a human experience it really does not matter what reality looks like, all that matters is how we show up, what is in our souls – that part of us that observes quietly behind what we do, think, believe and feel, that part of us that existed before this human life and that will continue to exist after our present physical form transitions.
What gives me perspective everyday are four separate realities – the plight of the Chibok girls who were kidnapped in April 2014 by Boko Haram in Nigeria, the imprisonment and sentencing to death by beheading and crucifixion of Ali Mohammed Baqir al-Nimr in Saudi Arabia, the war in Yemen and the ever growing refugee crisis all over our the globe – the universe lead me to them and now I have made it my mission to be involved in these plights and as insurmountable as each situation seems, the people who I meet spiritual beings just like me whose only prerequisite is that we care, the acts of kindness I have witnessed make me hopeful for peaceful resolution, make me feel hopeful for our communal human experience, make me feel like maybe just maybe 2017 might be a bit of alright.
Happy New Year. May your 2017 be perfect and blissful in every way.
Sat Nam
And… Award season has began and I have but one word Moonlight. Moonlight is a raw, thought provoking, emotional, graceful, important experience. Moonlight reminded me that great cinema is about the storytelling. Moonlight deserves every award it has won and will win. Moonlight is not for everybody but everybody should see it. Moonlight ~ step into the light, witness the magic and be transformed ♥ Every time I hear of oldies coming back I feel this nervous excitement. I want them back but I want them back good and preferably with the same original line up. I remember seeing Duran Duran live once with just Simon and Nick, it was just wrong without John, Roger and Andy. Then there was Bewitched the movie version, okay original line up was impossible but to leave out key characters and go completely off script was a dumb move. So it was with nervous excitement I awaited the Cold Feet and Gilmore Girls revivals (thankfully both were perfect in their warmth and nostalgia) and it is with nervous excitement I await Twin Peaks but if truth be told when you have been waiting 25 years for more like I have, nothing could actually stop me from returning to Twin Peaks because even when David Lynch is not good he is still kind of brilliant ♥ I really really really did not want to write this year about the above mentioned man-child nor about loss, 2016 had far too much of both. I had every intention to go forward with that which makes my heart sing but as I have already spoken of the former I might as well go the whole hog as it would be remiss of me not to mention George Michael or my husband, as he was referred to in my circles growing up. Precious George, Its done then, god gave you the voice of an angel a generous heart and the most tormented soul. Ever since standard four you have been there with me through all the key moments in my life; when I needed to dance you had the moves when I was torn you helped put me back together. And even though I knew this day was coming here I am completely torn you are not in my orbit anymore and this time you can’t heal me, not right now anyway. Does it feel good to be free at last? I hope you can see how much love there is for you. Thank you macushla for the trail of magic you created, you sing with the angels now #HeavenSent #HeavenStole
A Charmed Life 
17 January, 2017 at 19:21
I don’t know how you come to know about Chibok girls in my country. But anyway the world is a global village. I wish you happy new year too. It has been long since you wrote. By the way “the man child” as u refer to soon official president of America will be sworm in on 19th. Lets watch how things will turn out in 2017. Goodluck America.
18 January, 2017 at 05:37
He’ll be a great president… for Vladimir Putin, believe me.
Hope that made you laugh. Happy new year.
18 January, 2017 at 06:04
It did 😂
5 April, 2017 at 12:36
Whatever. As if Hillary Clinton and John Podesta weren’t receiving money from the Russians. http://shaynroby.blogspot.com/2017/03/podesta-clinton-obama-peddling-american.html
5 April, 2017 at 20:48
We are all perfectly imperfect flawed human beings – that’s what keeps us interesting.
18 January, 2017 at 08:30
Not sure if he will be a great president, but we can only hope. 2017 will be good, with people like yourself and positive thinking will make it a Good Year for all of us.
Happy New Year dear.
18 January, 2017 at 11:49
Happy New Year cuz xxx
19 January, 2017 at 17:59
I think you have to look at it like this, you don’t know what you’ve got until it’s gone. Either he can surprise everyone and turn out to be the greatest president, or he will be so corrupt, tyranical, and inept that it will spur people to action and cause some great reform. I have faith that either way the US will come out of it better.
20 January, 2017 at 05:09
Yes I am hoping that he proves me wrong OR as you say he remains exactly as who he has shown himself to be and this leads to a revolution of sorts… And absolutely agree that US will come out of it better – its just the in the meantime we all have brace ourselves for 😁🙏🏼
20 January, 2017 at 05:11
Hopefully people will get out of their comfort zones and be inspired to make it great again haha
20 January, 2017 at 05:20
Oh they will. Its what makes me know we’ll be alright. People surprise me all the time in a good way – people really do give a shit and more and more they are finding their voice to say what believe and what they want.
2 February, 2017 at 12:30
This is a great read and insight perspective.
2 February, 2017 at 19:30
HI! Thanks for stopping by my blog and liking my post on the deplorables. I am enjoying my visit to yours. I spent a year in London on an assignment with Reuters. Absolutely great city! I was never bored for a second – and I was there before the internet. Have fun!
2 February, 2017 at 21:06
No it never gets boring in Lon, always happy to know its my home town now no place else I’d rather be, thank you for visiting x
3 February, 2017 at 10:45
Love your article.
3 February, 2017 at 10:47
Love your article. Great Insight.
3 February, 2017 at 13:52
🙏🏼
10 February, 2017 at 07:30
you got edge in the way you write
and put things down and so direct and full of insight and something unique
going on and i dig your vibe. peace
10 February, 2017 at 08:58
thank you x
13 February, 2017 at 07:11
trump is only a distraction
from those who really
control with wealth & power 🙂
15 February, 2017 at 02:37
i liked it:) so true
15 February, 2017 at 03:41
thank you x
18 February, 2017 at 19:53
I absolutely LOVE your writing and viewpoint. Thanks for visiting my blog and liking it, too! Peace and love- lord knows we need it.
19 February, 2017 at 11:01
thank you x
23 February, 2017 at 16:39
The title worked! I had to look to see what you could possibly say 😉 Well written and I look forward to reading more of your writing when I have a chance to sit down.
Sincerely,
Kevin
23 February, 2017 at 19:31
Ha! Unfortunately the nitemare continues, he is still in office doing his absolute worst.
Still hope carries us forward I suppose, thank you for reading x
7 March, 2017 at 17:27
Reblogged this on The General Fitness Company and commented:
Could HE be the one?? (Probably… Not)
8 March, 2017 at 03:44
thank you my friend x
1 April, 2017 at 04:08
Nice perspective on things out of our control. Thanks for your visit. R
5 April, 2017 at 12:33
Actually, Donald Trump accepted Christ, according to Dr. James Dobson. He will certainly be an improvement over the Satanic illegal alien that has occupied the American Oval Office for the past eight years.
5 April, 2017 at 20:43
Aren’t we lucky we are both free to have and express our own opinions as differing as they may be. Thank you for reading and taking time out to comment.
6 April, 2017 at 15:46
“We are spiritual beings having a human experience” Love this quote (I even posted it before too). As you said it is the thread of sanity in a sea of confusion. It’s often hard to get at the truth of things nowadays and even if we do it’s complex. Keeping a focus on “the bigger picture” is the best way I know to stay positive. I feel the good still outweighs the bad but is seldom published as much.
6 April, 2017 at 22:16
I actually said a similar sentiment tonight to a colleague ‘there is still more good in the world than bad’ as we were discussing Murdoch/Fox news/Bill O’Reilly. Thank you for commenting my friend, raising my vibration to you over the blogosphere x
12 April, 2017 at 11:35
I believe Donald has a great official goal. America first. Every president or leader of a country should have the same, then all countries would be taken care of properly giving their own people attention, making society work, putting healthy organic food on all their plates, helping mothers and their children, giving them scientific education and caring for their nature for at least 7 generations to come.
Donald could definitely become a great president helping peace, awareness and nature (even if the danger of CO2 probably is not true) but he must be aware of the mindfulness-level the person giving his advice is in and what forces are influencing the advice! Not all in a family have high awareness of what is balanced fair and true. Some are controlled by other very human emotions, sometimes not so courageous as Donald.
One must know that all people are not telling the truth, even if the emotion tells you so. Not all people have the best intentions, not all have the ability of thinking long-term, nor the best ability to think deeply in many steps. To create peace one must breath deeply, find calmness and compassion inside and also think in many steps and find deep understanding.
One must realise Qui Bono (Who benefits) to see everything clearly. One is thinking 6 months, one five years and one is thinking two hundred years ahead. What does our Donald want to leave behind for his children, for America and the world? I know it can be peace.
In my opinion he should take more advise from Bashar, Vladimir and Sergey. These men also have a great energy, just like Donald. They are nationalists caring for their own country and their own people. They are very popular just like Trump. They all have very much in common. they must discuss and think long-term together. Definitely.
For peace there must be courage. Donald has it.
20 April, 2017 at 05:15
Well your opinion differs from mine, but aren’t we lucky we live in environments where we are free to have our own opinions.
And you are joking aren’t you in writing the following in relation to that orange thing in the White House “Not all people have the best intentions, not all have the ability of thinking long-term, nor the best ability to think deeply in many steps.” I think you might be a tad delusional there mate. But despite vehemently disagreeing with you I really do hope you are right – that peace is a goal.
20 April, 2017 at 08:38
Well, mate. It is a challenge. I see the challenge, but it is compassionate words in a state of peace looking deep into long term understanding, hopefully creating motivation in a person who probably met too much of the opposite words.
In fact, Donald Trump, even in the state and level he might be in due to this, still at the moment has great potential. I mean it. He has outstanding potential. Great potential.
And he is, at least, a person with courage who realy believe in your freedom as a woman to be free to have your own opinions.
In London where you live, nowadays, not all parts of the city are in favour of our freedoms, as you might know, and you probably know why, because of not reaching deep understanding and enlightenment.
Be nice! Peace and love will only come from peace and love! You know this doing yoga and meditation.
Trump is not orange, but blond, and if he was orange like an orangutang, red or a buddhist monk, or yellow, grey, balled or brown wouldn’t that be great too?
I am not sure if I am right. There must always be scepticism for seeing reality. This however is a peaceful compassionate experiment.
I hope that very soon that you, in deep meditation, after a nice yoga exercise will come to the conclusion to join the experiment, mate.
20 April, 2017 at 09:25
ohhh someone has their knickers in a twist, chill as I said I hope you are right.
20 April, 2017 at 15:46
No lovely kiwigirl. My knickers are not in a twist. 🙂 I am very peaceful and chilled. Join the project any time you like, mate! 😉 The experiment just started for world peace.
I challenge you to say five nice things about Donald Trump, and mean it, to compensate and to begin your part of the project and see how you feel after. 😉
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13 April, 2017 at 10:49
Great comments and thoughts. And a real catcher of a title page! Caught me 😀
13 April, 2017 at 11:22
🙌🏽 thank you 💃🏻
5 May, 2017 at 10:04
Had a great read. to be honest, I did not want Hilary Clinton to become the next American President, though I am not American. But the American had a last resort which was Trump. I also thought he could make a good president. We always use the terms “Time will tell” – already he is in the Korean Peninsula – A war? Can he not save a war? How many more is going to die? Heck we all know that “Fat Bastard of North Korea” is such an annoying villaine ever born to men. At some point the world should have taken actions against him long time ago, but everyone remained quiet. Trump jumped into the decision. Like the term says “let us wait and see – Time will tell.” Who knows!
5 May, 2017 at 10:36
I completely disagree because it’s important to look into the psyche of someone first before you look at everything else – that thing in the White House has shown time and time again (to paraphrase you time has told) that he is a narcissist, racist, misogynistic bully who is ill informed, morally corrupt, not very intelligent and lacking in compassion
And who after the attacks in Syria and Afghanistan is showing himself to be a bit too trigger happy. Is that the makings of a good president to you?
I agree Kim Jong-Un is a concern and needs to be dealt with but if you are going on an offensive have a plan – don’t just spurt vitriolic platitudes that you think will make you popular. The world has not remained quiet against North Korea, the world has tried to use diplomatic means because that is the right thing to do. War should always be a last resort.
You use of Time Will Tell is dangerous, in 100 days that man you profess could be a good president has achieved nothing but instead sought to take away so many liberties, benefits and rights that every day Americans need and of course to ensure his own family enjoy every possible opportunity to fill their coffers.
Hillary might have had her flaws but she cared about people.
I would rather have a leader who cared about me than one who only cares about himself.
But look you have your opinion and thank you for expressing it, we are lucky we get to be free to have our own opinions that’s what makes the world go round.
Be well x
5 May, 2017 at 20:14
I did not profess that Trump is a good president. I said he was the last resort for the Americans because Clinton was not either a good candidate. If I was an American I wouldn’t even have voted for Clinton. Clinton made her own mistakes for losing the campaign to become president. There is something she should have done many donkies years ago which she did not do, and that same topic came out together in her time of campaign and it was a big blow for her. She and Bill Clinton quietly brought up Chelsea who is not the biological daughter of Bill, and she never allowed the world and America to know it. Bill Clinton fathered a son to a prostitute in New York before he even became president, and his mother died when he was a baby. Hilary made it a must that Bill did not accept his own biological son. They even captured the White house for many years, while Bill’s son was being cared for in children’s home. He came out in public whilst Hilary was campaigning, and his aunt who also brought him up gave her story what Hilary did to him that has been a scar until today. It was this big blow that took away Hilary from the White House, because she is an EGOCENTRIC MONSTER. If you are a mother you heart would fall to heart to hear such story. The son of Bill is pleading Bill to accept him as his son, he has even told them that he has accepted Chelsea as his sister, but Hilary won’t listen. Bill is pleasing Hilary while his non biological daughter Chelsea is having a lavish lifestyle, and his son and two granddaughters are living a poor lifestyle with no home. Would you dare to say that Hilary cared for the American children whilst he couldn’t care for the son of Bill Clinton? Who would vote a woman to become president when his stepson is dying on the street because he is from a black mother. Hilary is a racist bigot. And plus Donald Trump, him too he shouldn’t have been, only because Americans knew the story of Hilary, they turned to Donald Trump because there was no other than him. A war with NK is disastrous. He have not done anything yet, and of course he wants a war. I did not say that “Time will tell” in a bad way, but if he wants to go to war, Of course “Time will tell.” He will see the destruction that he had organised, that is what we call “Time will tell.” both Hilary and Trump cannot do a president job, they don’t have it to be one. One wrong plus one wrong is = to TWO WRONGS. I hope you now understand my version a bit more in detail. An If Hilary cared about people like you wrote, he would take in Bill Clinton’s son and make the family life of her husband complete. No mothers will ever approve what Hilary did. Thank you!
5 May, 2017 at 20:39
Wow so this is how alternative facts work!
I am completely bemused.
Thank you for giving an anecdote to share with my girlfriends – they are sure to be as stunned, amused and saddened by this ludicrous nonsense as I am.
And as I have personal experience of Hillary’s kindness and compassion I would rather believe in the truth than this fake news drivel.
Wow.
Just wow.
6 May, 2017 at 04:51
No other news could ever be truer. All the news channels in the USA have featured this news and the world have watched and listened about it. I understand that you have your ways of believing the truth and I have my own personal views and ways of looking at things and believing. I hope your girlfriends will find more information about it over the net and over the youtube channels, because in this modern world we live in, TRUTH shines, everything that we call the TRUTH spreads easily over all sorts of platforms. I am more than sure you are shocked but you just cannot believe it because as you said you have had person experience of her. like the saying goes “A thief will never say they are a thief.” It’s been nice reading your experience!
21 May, 2017 at 17:09
This is a beautiful and thought provoking post. Thank you so much. Your words do have a positive effect on many people and that’s why we write isn’t it? To spread the light with others. Just lovely
21 May, 2017 at 21:01
thank you for such kind words x
7 June, 2017 at 14:16
Hello Akiwigirlabroad,
Thanks for liking my post about Ibtisam Barakat. Keep posting. I appreciate your voice. I will keep in mind that “we are all spiritual beings having a human experience.” Have a beautiful day!
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