My longtime question: Why pay less when you can pay more?
It was always intended to be a rhetorical one. On January 9, 2015, I got an answer: Laugh & Learn
I am very fond of catchy little phrases, especially when two or more meanings could be perceived. I recognized that a big part of my journey had been what I have described as Scooby Doo endings. If you are not familiar with the Scooby Doo cartoon, they follow a formula. Often ending with some costumed bad guy taking off his mask. When we see the villain all along was actually 
some good guy that we would never expect. It seemed implausable for the fleeting moment. Then we exclaim: aaaaah. Yes, of course. Knowing the truth is so satisfying with this surprise. The motives are one of those Gloriously Messy Human Traits. They keep popping up. Over and over. So ending is a slight misnomer. The little moment on January 9, 2015 was that now familiar Scooby Doo Ending feeling. Whoever thought up this plot (of my Life) … is a Genius! Tee hee. I toot my own horn. It’s a joke. But feel free to take me seriously.
Tangent Alert:
Check out this Scooby Doo episode. As a child, I among many others my age watched cartoons on Saturday mornings. Lots of Scooby Doo in there. We did not have as many choices in programming compared to today. There were not a lot of TV channels in the olden days, as my kid’s like to describe it. While the serious TV was being delivered to the adults. The kids were laughing and learning. I am laughing here as I started this story with the concept of a Scooby Doo ending. Now marvel at the idea that the creative people behind the cartoons had huge access into our young minds. I recognized the small step to write the story but only while I am writing do the reel ideas come down. Remember Order 66 from Star Wars III? Genetic code was implanted into all 
of the clone army that resulted in every clone ordered to kill the Jedi simply with this order. Hypothesis: The Children’s Entertainment we watched as kids has primed our psyche to be able to have the switch turn from Fear/Scarcity mindset to Love/Abundance mindset. Child’s play. Fun times!! No Fear here. Freewill is still in place. It is simply a choice.
As in the wise words of Yoda: You do not believe. That is why you fail.
Truth tends to be simple. The new mindset is often opposite to the old mindset. 180 degree turn. The reason why it is so easy once you believe but it goes against logic that the truth is opposite to reality – mindset shift. Truth is Stranger Than Fiction.
Too good to be true upgrades to: It is good. And it is True.
DISCLAIMER: When you figure it out. When your switch just happens to flip … often associated with 
Spiritual Exploration and requesting Truth (Ask the right question, you will get the right answer… but those in the former mindset will tell you that not only do you have the wrong answer but that you are wrong, broken, not fixable, forever requiring their medications, unable to work etc.), you will lose your mind. Not to worry. It is just an expression. Your mind will become a tool instead of the master that it was before the switch. May result in crying, laughing, severe emotions, depression, mania, among other things, I really do not know how it will be for everyone. 
Hypothesis: It will get easier and easier once we Normalize the experience and act Naturally.
My version was a little dramatic. It has no predictive value for your story. Be not afraid. We are like snowflakes, no two are alike. I had a pretty bad case of former mindset: I was trained as a Doctor. Indoctrination. The less indoctrination you have in your mindset, the more gentle this process will be. I did not act naturally, I freaked out. Hence, I was taken to the Hospital where I was immediately assessed 
by a Psychiatrist. He treated me as I knew he would. I saw it coming. I knew too much. I loved too much. I laughed too much. In a Nutshell: I was having waaaay too much fun.
Will point out: It was a Spiritual Emergency. I did benefit from the medications once I titrated down to about 1/6 of what they gave me. I did this confidently because I was a Doctor myself. I knew about how to titrate medications. I understand that many people will be more shy than I was. I am not saying the Medical People were wrong. I know they believe themselves wholeheartedly. Good intentions. Very important to point out that 
I, also, was not wrong. We were two versions of right. I dream of the day when the two choices are more transparent and understanding of each other.
What Are You Waiting For by Nickelback
Laugh and Learn is a toy store where my daughter was employed part-time. Jan. 9, 2015 I could not contain my curiosity at the fat envelope addressed to Elise. I opened it to find it was formal notice of bankruptcy including the Balance Sheet. I was deeply moved. I looked at my watch and let the grief wash through me. Pema Chodron’s regularly used advice to feel the emotion fully (will not last longer than 90 seconds – opposite to the old mindset teaching you to not show your emotions, bottle them up tightly, so that the emotion can stay with you forever. Always choices.), my reliable standby, was utilized. Sixty seconds later, I carried on and read the papers. Liabilities outweighed assets by over $300,000. Daughter’s top of the head guess was that they owed her around $50. Days prior she had deposited $600 worth of checks into a Bank Machine. No news is good news. Manager felt it was the introduction of Target to Edmonton in 2014 that sealed the demise. The Toy Store saw it 
coming. If all kids are like my three, electronic toys are nearly all they play with. Also sports equipment. Multifactoral demise. Three locations. I was sad to see they would no longer operate.
I followed the company with interest since it opened around 15 years ago. I applauded the convenient original location near Booster juice in my local strip mall. Leaving that location likely started a slow slide. My neighborhood is filled with overworked professionals with more money than time. Genius for a passionate woman from the toy industry to choose this location. I had talked to her many times. I forget all the details but she had worked in the toy industry for a decade or more, attending all 
the big Trade Shows. She had good taste in more unique and finely crafted toys. Shared her passion with me many times. Helped me choosing toys for various age groups and interests over the years. The store moved out of the neighborhood years ago. Rumor was the lease came up and … you know the story. I have noted a karmic number of businesses in that location since the toy store moved. The busy, well off people then had to drive if they wanted Laugh & Learn. I did make the drive once as my son had a gift card. The parties we host or attend often encourage donation to a chosen cause but not uncommonly people give 
gifts anyway. My personal choice and standby is $25 cash in an envelope for every Birthday Party my kids attend. Goes against the grain with some parents is my sense. Certainly with my parenting partner. Kids love it. Cash is King! Not sure if the King is wearing any clothes though. Verdict is not out on that one in my books.
I have long preferred the locally owned boutique style shopping. Talking to passionate owners rather than disinterested minimum wage earners, if you can even find them. I enjoy receiving service … for almost anything I buy. Groceries is the one area that I am pretty independent about. Once to three times a week I find myself in a grocery store so skills are gathered. When I am really on fire, I can write 
a grocery list so the items will be in the order I find them at the store. I write my own story. I trust I do not have to say but to be clear: So do you. By spending more, you may be more likely to find yourself in the world of your dreams. Keep that in mind.
My next question: when did I write this story of my Life? Rhetorical. It always starts that way.
When I write, I have huge challenges with the tense – past/ present. I shared this idea with my Website guy (another Jesus in my life) and he admitted that he noticed. Wondered about me getting an Editor. 
My early stories, I would always make a point of doing an edit just looking at verb tense. That habit slowly dropped away. I have timidly decided to let go of more and more rules … in all areas of Life. Verb tense included. My verbs are not certain what tense they are in. This strikes me as interesting this day. It is what it is. It is what it was. From the get go, I consciously chose not to use an Editor of any kind. I wanted my writing to be Real. I could visualize using an 
Editor which would have added an extra step for me. I am lazy. No time for that. (I have since come to realize that I have All The Time In The World). To review what the Editor did, and likely undo about 50%. There is an energetic feeling to my writing. If an Editor messes with that, it would just create more work. Hypothesis: Time is just another Belief System. I do not understand how that can be but I know that understanding is optional. Did I mention that I am honest to a fault? I chose to upgrade honest to a fault to authentic … by design moving forward.
Love this example of how our World’s Systems can make the individual’s job harder. If you are Freestyle, it is way more fun and authentic. Working for the man can suck all of the joy out of any job. When we align to our authentic skills and gifts, our energy/creativity/enthusiasm (I will stop there but you get the idea) come Naturally. I have concern that an Editor is indoctrinated into a grammatical system that is not Natural for me. I want to do what comes Naturally. Ride bareback so to speak.
She Goes All The Way by Rascal Flatts
Addendum:
Generally, noted that Professions (Doctors, Lawyer, Accountants etc) create work. Each Profession has its own make work program. They generate a lot of jobs. My question is: do the employees who support the Professional’s, the top dog’s, work enjoy their job? Does it inspire them and enable joy? Is there love in the workplace? Training for these supporting roles, numerous rules & regulations are taught that take a long time to learn. Then they need multilevel workforces. Managers need to oversee the workers. There could be no better designed hell, for me, than to work for one of the typical micromanagers who pays attention to details in an inefficient system that is not motivated to improve or beautify. We do things this way … because we have always done things this way: Recipe for stagnation. Slow suicide. That explains the misery in so many people’s lives. Human beings are 
creators. When they engage in a job, they will find a way to simplify it, make it more fun or customize it in some way that appeals to them. I cannot recall ever meeting anyone who embraced the administrative burden in our world. There is a fear that without all the paper trail, the world might fall apart. Rewards to those who find a way to overcome this fear. Create the life, the job, the world you want. Disabled Angel prescribes a mantra:
I figure out how. I know that I can. … And it is easy.
You will know that you have when you feel free, loving, peaceful and joyful.
Listen to me now. Believe me later.
Understanding is optional. The Beautiful Truth.
Long reflected on the Starving Artist concept. I appreciate Art making it a part of my home, my leisure, my travel. So many Artists are under-appreciated. Measure of effectiveness with a job. Very difficult to assess. Whenever I have seen attempts, it tends to assume that the current working model just needs a little tweaking. The more we tweak, the more 
complicated it gets.
K.I.S.S – Keep It Simple Sweatheart. I first heard this in the Education Advocacy Arena. Speaking of complicated systems. Wow! Education is one of them. Whenever there are decades old systems, tends to be cities full of skeletons in the closet.
Makes me think of Westjet, a fairly new airline based here in Western Canada. Air Canada is the old guard. Everyone just 
knows that Westjet is always the preference. Stuff does not go wrong. Staff are jovial and look like they are having fun. I have heard myself take a half hour off of how early before a flight I need to go to the airport when I fly Westjet. Westjet has optimized their operations … by design. It shows. Not fair at all to compare against Air Canada. Apples and oranges. I completely understand the logistics of reformulating yourself over and over as technology and politics change. In the end, we choose with our pocketbooks.
Back to the Education System. In a Nutshell if I were required to give a vote, I strongly believe in Student Led Education. Teachers may still be embraced but they would be more of a supporter than the middle man delivering the Government Mandated (laugh here, I did) Education. Kids know what excites them. My Medical School Pearl: Do one, see one, teach one. And sometimes you have to skip a step or two applies to children just as well. Teaching them how to fit into systems that have sucked the vitality out of 
their teachers, feels counterintuitive to me. I get so excited hearing the ideas that kids are enthused about. Listening to my three kids has supported me in evolving to who I am today. I could not have done it without them. For this short moment, I am serious. Listen to me now. Believe me later.
P.S. – You will know you are well on your way to actualizing 
to your optimal self when you will pull the mask off of the bad (for lack of a better word, historical use of this word) guy … and you see yourself. Next thing you need to do is look at your watch, feel it fully, with or without tears. Let me know if it lasts longer than 90 seconds because that would surprise me if it did. Viola! You’re free .. to live consciously now. Repeat as necessary.
I should make little prescriptions on the historical prescription pads. That would be funny…
If you have laughed and learned with me- Grammar Police come take me away!- consider giving a Love Donation. Not the kind that could (pro)create more children for our Education System. Money is one option but perhaps you have a creative idea for energy exchange. Maybe donate to a cause that you feel might excite us both and let me know. Love that idea! Buy yourself a piece of Art for your own personal enjoyment, especially if you have never owned original Art. The point I am trying to make is that it is very good for you to exchange good vibrations/energy in a conscious way.
If you receive something that is of value, consider what you might give in return. Giving appreciation is huge too. Perhaps it could be appreciation initially, then 1 year later you find yourself in an amazing turnaround in your life. Maybe that will be the time where you will easily and joyfully pay some money to support the ongoing flow. I do not mean to have anyone worry about me. I trust that everything I need will 
come my way. So if my highest good needs more money, then I trust that the match to that requirement will be filled by another person getting excited to send along an appreciation in the form of money. I do not always know how it will look. Any conscious action outside of just sharing my excitement via my writing, is unnecessary. I ask you to follow your own excitement. Simply ask yourself the question: is there an authentic (and respectful) way that I can exchange energy with the Disabled Angel? Honor your answer.
Recently I gave $10 to Wikipedia when I noted their optional donation request. It did not take long for me to realize that I would like to give more. I use them regularly and I appreciate them a lot. They had suggested $3 so I felt generous with $10 at first. I will top it up. Follow my feelings that $10 was not enough. Mentioned to my kids and they were all excited that as a family we would donate. There are four of us using the service.
This concept is a fun little experiment I am doing with the Universe. I have really enjoyed this approach
with many of the Spiritual Teachers. I pick the amount and the when. Some of them have created communities where you pay a monthly fee: Lee Harris and Bentinho Massaro. I value their work immensely so subscribed. I feel good supporting them with appreciation and money. Love Donation Button coming to the website soon …
Fear is Expensive … Emotional Freedom is Priceless
Time Freedom Means More Than Money
The only way to deal with an unfree world is to become so absolutely free that your very existence is an act of rebellion. Albert Camus. One of my all-time favorite quotes.
Wrote January 9 – 14, 2011
Tips I have learned about why I may prefer to pay more at times:
1. Support locally owned businesses. Make your community as self-sufficient as possible.
2. Buy a superiorly designed item. Serves you longer. Reduces landfill use.
3. Services well delivered can save you time, frustration or complications. I value that above price comparison.
4. Enjoy the camraderie of either a service provider or a vendor. Life is short. Enjoy the moment.
5. I will pay more sometimes even if I know I can get it cheaper somewhere else. Location does count in this world. There is a cost that hides from view whenever you get behind the steering wheel.
Late addition: Recently I received an answer to my oft-repeated question, What am I doing? Numerous 
Facebook Pages, sharing stories on this website. Short Answer: I am building a School. In 2015, it is on the World Wide Web. Being mine, I would intend it to be fun, entertaining and educational. Participation: voluntary. No mandates here. Important to include topics that in the old mindset were difficult to discuss: Sex, Money, Spirituality. In a Nutshell.
I am a monumental fan of the shortcut. My greatest dream would be to enable and empower people to the quick fix of changing from fear/scarcity mindset to love/abundance mindset … bypassing the old fashioned losing your mind path that I took. It is my sense that this has been discovered by many individuals. The difference I refer to is a more Assembly Line approach for the masses.
January 23, 2014
Breaking News! Target Canada has filed for Bankruptcy. I do not make any effort to catch news but somehow found myself driving my son to school after he missed the bus so I heard it on the radio. Just another example of how I catch the news I need, when I need it. Unbelievable! Paints quite a contrast to the little Laugh & Learn story let me tell you.
Target Canada Owes Nearly $5 Billion To Creditors.
Target owes money to 1800 businesses from around the world, including over $62,000 to an Edmonton based company Baby Gourmet Foods. Owes Revenue Canada, the taxman, over $12 million.
Target CEO’s Golden Handshake Pretty Much Matches The One For All 17,600 Canadian Employees
Greg Steinhefel left the company Spring of 2014 with a mulifactorial walk away package. Wow! At the bottom of the Huffington Post article linked above is the top 18 countries CEO to Employee ratio of pay. Sitting at #1: USA. #2: Oh Canada! Things that make you go Hmmmmmm …
$59 Million was set aside for a 16 week Employee Severance package for the entire 17,600 Target Canada Employees.