At Work

A testimonial and some photos of me hard at work:

As part of my training at the Hypnotherapy Academy of America (click for more images and details of this process), I guided Nate to numb his hand while in a hypnotic trance in order to learn to control his own pain. Dr. Sapien, Director of Emergency Pediatric Medicine at UNM Hosptial, inserted and lifted a needle through Nate's hand without him feeling any pain. Nate even opened his eyes to see the needle during the process. He was also able to stop the bleeding with his mind once the needle was removed.

Nate's response?

"The experience with the needle made me realize that pain is a choice and one that I never have to make again."
-Nate Daly, New York

Letterman and NM Love Connection

I bet you never thought the "Land of Enchantment" meant this:
David Letterman's Telepathic Control. (Click to read article.)

Meanwhile, I was fixing dinner last evening. The package had "Cooking Instructions." They read:

"Cook before eating."

Good thing I had instructions.

Murderous

It's officially fall/winter for me when the crows descend as they do each year here on Los Arboles. My porch is covered with remnants of pecans; the crows love to pick them from nearby trees and then sit noisily cracking them open on the branches above my house. Some days it sounds like light rain falling on the rooftop. (photo: thil0020)

Chili Relleno

This is what I had for lunch today. Only mine was in a sandwich.

This is Our Leader?

NEW YORK - "The National Security Agency has eavesdropped, without warrants, on as many 500 people inside the United States at any given time since 2002, The New York Times reported Friday. That year, following the Sept. 11 attacks, President Bush authorized the NSA to monitor the international phone calls and international e-mails of hundreds — perhaps thousands — of people inside the United States, the Times reported."

For a so-called faith-based president, this guy sure has a twisted sense of the Golden Rule. He wants to torture people (but has fortunately conceded to John McCain not to). He tosses Geneva Convention rules to the wind. Does he want our soldiers tortured? Perhaps he enjoys Bible passages more along the line of an eye for an eye.

And now this spying on private citizens without warrant. Where is he leading us? The scary thing is that this report won't surprise any American. It is the kind of behavior we have been conditioned to expect from this "leader" of the "free" world.

---Think twice about adding a comment to this post....It is likely that you and I will be investigated for questioning Bush.

Confidentiality

Due to ethical codes of confidentiality, the following exclamations of success in the hypnotherapy sessions I've conducted may lose some of their punch:

• Wow! That really _______."
• "I never realized _______ before!"
• "Dennis, that was the most intense _______!"

Crazy Churchspeak

Here's another blooper, this one live from yesterday's service. A lady was reading the gospel about "blessed is the womb that bore you and the breast that nursed you." Her version?

• "Blessed is the womb that bore you and the beast that nursed you."

For a moment, as she read, I thought my mind had a done a time warp and we were back reading some passage from Revelation. Then I just cracked up!

Capitalism Rethunk

I visited my friend Jill's blog today and read that she had purchased about 20 pounds of books. I love the concept of buying books by the pound. We had a garment shop in Cambridge, MA, that priced garments by how much they weighed.

Maybe the whole capitalist system would be enhanced by pricing things in a completely different way. Like:

• the price of an orange would depend upon the density of its hue;
• the price of gas would be based on how long you occupied your spot at the pump;
• state and federal taxes would be levied in inverse proportion to the amount of time you volunteered in local and national politics.

Well, I'm off now to Santa Fe to see the film about Walmart. (I got the window replaced, so I won't freeze during the drive up.)

Long, But Not So Good, Day

Went out to the driveway to go to work today and discovered the driver's side window had been smashed in and the cover to the CD/Radio player had been removed. The whole unit could not be taken, so the only one getting anything out of the effort was me. I got a couple hundred bucks to replace, a day of missing work and all of the insurance, repairs and police calls. And I'm out the use of my car for a few days while it all gets done.

It also gives me more time to do battle with the field mouse trying to enter my house this afternoon through the heating unit.

Long, But Good, Day

Just checking in to keep you informed of my comings and goings.

Today I saw 4 clients (that's 6 hours) and then went to a community town hall meeting of a religious alliance for inclusion (of the GLBT population). Over 200 people attended and included two state senators, the House majority leader and the president of Albuquerque City Council. The Lt. Governor also sent a letter of support. She had planned to be there, but was acting Governor for the day...and the Round House (how we refer to our state house here) had flooded. She was overseeing cleanup.

How New Mexico.

(An arial view of the Round House) ----->

More Funny Americanese

Speaking of church, I found listed in our Sunday bulletin this definition for an upcoming live nativity scene on Christmas Eve:

"Christmas Eve Tableau (tableau: a stage scene in which costumed actors neither speak or move)"

Is it really acting when someone neither speaks nor moves?

Cool

I just checked out our church Web site and found that it is really good. Usually "church" and good Web sites are mutually exclusive. Check it out: www.all-angels.com. For a taste of how local tradition flavors the services, read the sermon from Hallowe'en/Day of the Dead/All Saints Day/All Souls Day.

It's Everywhere

I have discovered what may be considered to be our national phrase:

"Well, that's [insert your choice of state name here] weather for you."

People everywhere, in every part of the country, seem to think that weather in their locale is uniquely unpredictable.

Talking with folks back in Indiana who were describing November tornadoes that hit that state, they said, "That's Indiana weather for you," meaning its unpredictability. Friends on the east coast, when talking about the weather, often remark, "Well that's New England weather for you."

Even here in Albuquerque, New Mexico--where we have a yearly average of over 310 days of sunshine and only 8.88 inches of rain--I heard the phrase just this week. The sunny morning had given way to overcast skies. "Well, that's New Mexico weather for you," my companion remarked.

You may also choose to use the popular alternate phrase:

"If you don't like the weather here, just wait 15 minutes."

However you choose to express it, be sure to make it sound as if you think you are being highly original and as if the person you are saying it to will be duly impressed at how unusually unique the weather is your part of the country.

And speaking of weather phraseology, has anyone ever discovered the meaning of this one:

"Looks like we are going to get some weather soon"?

That's like saying, "At least you have your health," without specifying whether you mean good health or bad health. All weather is weather, just like all health is health--good or bad. There isn't a lack of weather when the sky is blue and the sun is shining.

Well, that's all for the English lesson for today. I just found it amusing.