Little things...

I'm always amazed at how little things - that probably mean next to nothing to most people - can mean the difference to me between having a "good" day and a "lousy" day.
For instance: why should the fact that today I passed my written driving exam make me feel like I've achieved something on a par with the conquest of Everest? All I can put this down to is that to me, life has been a series of challenges that more often than not I've been unable to meet, because I've grown up believing that I don't have what it takes to just "break even" like most people do, so a lot of the time I don't even try. That said, I went in for my driving test 5 times in 30 years back in England and never got the license, so no-one can say I haven't tried.
So anyway today, as transiting Mercury trined my Solar Return Moon, and despite the fact that transiting Saturn is exactly squaring my natal Jupiter, I achieved a minor victory, which to me ranks alongside the RAF beating back the Luftwaffe in the Battle of Britain in 1940.
So if I choose to do a goddam victory roll at 500 feet over the airfield then I bloody well will....sir.

Hello Mary Kate. *whistling and blowing kisses*
XO

Thank you Saturn, and Frank Waldo Emerson

"To finish the moment, to find the journey's end in every step of the road, to live the greatest number of good hours, is wisdom".

Goodnight, fellow traveler :-)
X

The proof is on the plastic, folks.

My 'Permanent Resident' card arrived today. Woopie-doo, now I can PROVE that I'm being allowed to live here. Tell you what though, if the neo-cons steal this election like they stole the last two I'm going to live on Pluto and I'll take the bloody card with me just in case a Plutonoid needs to see some I.D. Then I'm going to shove it up his arse - if he has one.

I'm making General Tsao's chicken tonight:

2 chicken cutlets
1 tsp. cornstarch
1 egg, beaten
4 dry hot peppers
1 garlic clove, minced
1 tsp. fresh ginger, grated
4 tbsp. soy sauce
4 tbsp. vinegar
4 tbsp. water
1 c. vegetable oil
Cut chicken into large chunks. Mix cornstarch with egg. Put chicken pieces in mixture and stir. Mix garlic and ginger with soy sauce, vinegar and water for sauce. Pour oil into wok or large skillet. When oil is red-hot add chicken and stir-fry until crisp. Remove chicken. Leave 1 teaspoon of oil in wok and add red peppers. Pour in sauce and chicken and saute for 1 minute.

It's either going to taste great or taste like dog-shite. I'll keep ya posted :-)

Adjustment of Status

Well finally,after 8 months my Adjustment of Status has been granted. I got the notice through the post today and so now I'm officially a legal permanent resident of the U.S., for better or worse! Immigration said it is conditional and that they will send me the card in about 3 weeks. It's good for 2 years, then I have to apply to have the conditions removed before I get the 10 year card. The only immediate advantage I can see is that I don't have to apply for Advance Parole before I leave the country. I just show the card and my passport. Not that I foresee leaving the country for awhile yet. I had hoped to go back to England to see little Ethan next month but finances are just too tight right now so I guess I'll have to wait until I can afford the air-fare. I won't ask Saba for it, she's helped me enough since I got here and I know she needs all her spare cash for the house expenses. I'll just be glad when I get a job and a driving license! I'm hoping to go and sit the written driving exam at the weekend and once I pass that I can at least start taking lessons. That'll be the first step.

I just looked at my chart to see what was showing up today. I had to smile, it's perfect. Progressed Moon in the 9th house conjunct natal Moon (it had just entered my 9th and was trining my Ascendant when I arrived here); transiting Mars going over my Ascendant and here's the kicker: transiting Uranus in 4th trining progressed Moon and natal Uranus-Moon in the 9th. There's the breakthrough energy - right on time!
Hopefully this is a sign that things are starting to move. We'll see....

The Man With The Child In His Eyes

Ah, this song takes me back to the mid-eighties when Sian was very little and used to tell me that in this song, Kate Bush was "singing about you dad". God how I miss those days....

Anyway, here she is: Kate Bush, in all her elfin, soft-focused beauty:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lzbw-53g2CU&eurl=http://www.facebook.com/inbox/

Doug Graham on raw foods

I just watched a fascinating video by a guy called Doug Graham all about the health benefits of a raw food diet. I'm not saying that I'm 100% converted but this guy has been eating nothing but raw fruits and vegetables for 18 years and he looks pretty fit and healthy to me. Hmmm...

http://video.google.com/videosearch?q=doug%20graham&ie=UTF-8&oe=utf-8&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&client=firefox-a&um=1&sa=N&tab=wv#q=doug%20graham&ie=UTF-8&oe=utf-8&rls=org.mozilla%3Aen-US%3Aofficial&client=firefox-a&um=1&sa=N&tab=wv&start=10

The wee Irish leprechaun

Two hours old and lookit him!