Inspiration...

Beauty inspires me.

Whether it is the Beauty in a kindness shown or the Beauty found in a raindrop.

Beauty seems to have always been my Inspiration.

Inspiration calls me to see beyond.

I find that Inspiration goes as deep as the Beauty that sent it.

And because Beauty is in the eye of the beholder,

Inspiration is a living treasure within my heart,

that finds expression in my daily living,

an outworking of an inward Work.

Monday Musings... Inspired

I've been thinking quite a bit about Inspiration as of late.

And I've found that even the thoughts themselves have proven to be inspirational!

I find myself,

more often than not,

being inspired every day;

And in such wonderful

and unexpected ways!

I also have days when I am completely uninspired.

Days when life just seems too hard;

The pace too fast, without a place to ponder;

The world too loud, without a place for silence;

When words seem too empty,

as they swirl around me from all directions.

But somehow,

Inspiration always breaks through.

Fresh,

Alive,

Invigorating,

Beautiful,

Healing,

Creative,

Simple.

I thought it might be fun,

and just plain inspiring...

if you were to share what or perhaps who inspires you.

It has been said that 'inspiration can be compared to a fingerprint,

different for every person'.

That inspiration,

is that which moves the soul, mind and spirit.

I'll be sharing more later,

but I am looking forward to hearing your own musings about,

Inspiration!

Monday Musings... on a Tuesday

While doing a little Christmas shopping this year my husband and I decided to go to a store that we were unfamiliar with. We were no sooner in the door than we realized that if we were going to get in and out quickly (we are not shoppers!) we were going to have to ask for a little direction.

I saw a lovely looking young woman putting together a display and so made a beeline over to her. As I was asking her if she could direct us to the particular items that we were looking for I noticed that she had this odd look on her face. You know the look, all of a sudden you feel like you have spinach in your teeth or that you are coming across as a brainless wonder. After she pointed in the direction that we were to go, I politely thanked her as I quickly ran my tongue over my left eye tooth. As we turned to leave she quickly stepped closer to me, kind of the uncomfortable kind of closer, leaned into my face and as she stared at me she asked.... "Excuse me, but are those your real eyes?"

For a moment I was stunned. For a moment I thought that something weird had happened to my eyes since exiting the car and entering the store. For a moment I felt like a bug pinned to the wall as this young woman peered into my face... I quickly gathered myself and politely answered, "Well, yes, they are." She took a few steps back and said, "Well, they are just lovely!" "Thank you," I replied, as my husband patiently smiled, all the while increasing his pull on my arm.

A hundred years ago we would never have thought of asking someone whether "those were their real eyes"... real breasts, real hair, real teeth, real nails, real lips, real... well, you get the idea.

'Faking it' has become big business and a way of life in today's world. We all do it to some degree or another. Yet this avenue of thought gave me cause to think about the 'innermost parts' of myself. Those parts that are unseen by others but definitely seen by God - and because the word 'real' can be equated with 'true' and the opposite of true is 'false', it started me thinking about my own thoughts and actions that flow from truth... or from falsehood... and the eventual out-workings of both, whether in word or deed.

God tells us that His Word is Faithful and True, just as He Himself is Faithful and True. I don't ever have to wonder when I open my Bible if what I am reading is true, or if what I am reading is real. I may be able to rationalize to a flattering degree the why's and wherefore's of why I do what I do, but God knows the true intentions of my heart, the attitudes that lie within. How 'real', how 'true' are we, with ourselves, with others, before God?

As I mused I thought about God telling us in the Psalms that in us He 'desires Truth in the innermost places'. I thought about Philippians 4 which tells us that we are to let our mind dwell on those things that are True.

Then I thought about this simple conversation...

"Excuse me, Lord, but is all this for real?"

"Well, yes, it is."

"Well, it is just lovely."

The Gift of Time...

My Great Aunt Nell was born in Scotland, the eldest of ten surviving children, in late October, 1877.

Queen Victoria was on the British throne and bearing the title as the newly crowned 'Empress of India'. Alexander Graham Bell had just installed the world's first commercial telephone service in Hamilton, Ontario and Johannes Brahms had just premiered his '2nd Symphony in D' in Vienna.

Great Aunt Nell (my father's Aunt) emigrated to Canada as a young woman and settled in a lovely little home in the woods that stood very near to where the old Woodword's Building was eventually built in 1903. My father would tell me stories of how she would take the boat from Vancouver down the river to visit friends for a week and never even lock her door. My Aunt Nell loved to garden and bake and I've been told that every one of her teacups and saucers that she had collected over the years had a lovely story behind it. I believe we would have like each other enormously.

Great Aunt Nell had a much younger sister, Meg, who also chose to come, as a young woman, out to Canada. As a very little girl I remember Aunt Meg, then well into her eighties, smelling like lavender and giving me mushy, wet kisses.

Although Nell never married, Meg did, albeit later in life, and it was in Nell's house that the wedding took place. Nell decorated her home for Meg and her groom and their attendants with fresh garden flowers and streamers and a lovely meal...

...the wedding cake of course, baked and decorated by Nell herself!

Just a few days ago (two days before Christmas) the phone rang and because I was up to my elbows in flour and dough I was unable to answer the call. Once I had tidied up my hands a bit, I listened to the message which was from my Uncle's wife saying that she was going to be in the area and would like to come by for a visit. I hesitated only a minute (due to the state of myself and my kitchen) before calling her right back and inviting her to 'come on over!'.

Within 15 minutes she was at the door. She quickly ran back to her car stating that she had a 'gift' for me, and as she lifted it from the front passenger seat of her car I knew exactly what it was. As I stood in the doorway, I was overcome with emotion and could hardly utter a single word. She understood.

My Great Aunt Nell had a clock. This clock had been with Nell since she was a young girl, had seen her emigration from Scotland to Canada and had stood watching over the joyful wedding day of Meg and Jimmy.

After Nell's death, this clock had been passed on to her sister, my Great Aunt Meg, and upon the death of Meg was passed on to my Uncle, her nephew, my dad's brother.

My uncle was the last of my father's siblings, my own father having passed away 5 years ago. Due to circumstances within the family, I had not seen my uncle for over 30 years, and it was through the passing of my dad that we were re-united and were able to enjoy a sweet, although too short, time together. My gift this Christmas was Aunt Nell's clock.

Time is a truly wonderful Gift that no one but God Himself can give. We mark the passing of time and the anticipation of time with clocks and calendars and birthdays, we say things like 'I don't have time' or ' when I have time'. We say that our memories 'take us back in time' or that our imaginations propel us to 'look ahead in time'. Love stories claim that when two lovers' meet 'time stands still'. In the Spring we say 'we move time ahead', and in the Fall we say that ''we move time back'. Yet Time cannot be manipulated by our desires or by our circumstances, Time simply... Is. Time is, and always has, remained faithful. Time moves always forward, for you can never really go back; and whether we chart it by years, months or hours, Time remains constant... a beautiful, constant, flow.

Time Himself brought Nell and Meg into existence for an ordained period of time upon this earth. And although Time did not have us to be young at the same moment, the flow of Time goes on and the blessing of Time has brought us somehow together.

This New Year's Eve, my husband and I sat in the glow of candlelight as Aunt Nell's clock chimed in the New Year. Each rich, melodious strike of the 150 year old clock, caused me to think of the Gift of Time watching over us... and to give thanks.

Women of Many Hats!

I had a lovely few hours over at my friend Linda's last week. It was a time to exchange Christmas gifts, talk about our lives, our families, our grandchildren.

We had a tender time of contemplative worship as we listened to music pointing towards the coming of our King. And then these two grannies did what all girls love to do... we played dress-up with hats!

After I left, I still had afternoon errands to run, dinner to make and then off to evening church services...

I wore a hat.

To Your Health...!

Ten years ago, while undergoing my regular yearly physical, my doctor casually mentioned something about the importance of women maintaining healthy Adrenals. News to me. I didn't even know I had an Adrenal, let alone where it might be located or that I was supposed to be keeping it healthy. Apparently, she detected my blatant ignorance because I left her office with a freshly photocopied page of Basic Adrenal Gland Information. As I made my way through the corridors to the elevator I was thinking of how little I knew of my own body.... amazing.

The basics are as follows... we all have two Adrenal Glands, each one about the size of a walnut and each one sitting atop each one of our kidneys. By the way, "ad" means "over" and "renal" means "kidneys" so... "over the kidneys", (found that one out on my own, but don't worry you won't be quizzed on this!). Apparently, the job of the Adrenals is to secrete steroid hormones such as estrogen, progesterone, testosterone and of course adrenalin, which is also a hormone, all of them essential to our overall health and vitality. The hormones secreted by the Adrenals affects the function of every tissue and organ of our body... and that includes our brain!

The function of the Adrenals is to keep our bodies reacting in a healthy and productive way to the stresses in our lives. They help our internal and external bodies cope with stress whether it be emotional or physical (such as an injury), and call to attention every single cell in our body to respond accordingly. The problem is that when the stresses in our lives are prolonged, either through improper diet, too little sleep, over indulgence, family or financial stresses (you get the idea), the Adrenals become fatigued (or even burn out) which results in a lack of the production of hormones that we so vitally need; which means that our bodies cannot respond and adapt properly to the stresses in every day life which leads to physical and mental strain, which only adds... you got it... more stress!

So how do we keep our little Kidney Sitters healthy and happy is the question. Well, here are a few things that you can begin to do over the holiday season to add to the overall health of your Adrenals...

~ Control your blood sugar through balanced meals

of proteins, fats and carbs

~ Breathe in fresh oxygen daily for 30 minutes

(go for a walk)

~ Engage in some form of exercise that you enjoy

dancing

yoga

biking

~ Use a dry, body brush to stimulate your body skin each morning
(brush towards the heart)
~ Get at least nine hours of sleep per night

~ Stretch often
~ Find and take advantage of quiet moments throughout the day
to relax and unwind

~ Cultivate an attitude of gratitude in all things

~ Laugh daily

~ Cultivate good and healthy (in person) relationships

~ Drink water... often!

Of course, physical health is just one aspect.... spiritual health is another. Jesus said... "Everyone that drinks of this water will thirst again; but whoever drinks of the Water that I will give him shall never thirst; but the Water that I give him will become in him a well of Water springing up to Eternal Life... If anyone is thirsty, let him come to Me and drink..."

Yes, our bodies are wonderfully made by God... taking care of them in a healthy, balanced way, with an attitude of gratitude... honours Him; but the "coming to Him and drinking of the Living Water" gives place to Him in our lives and brings us spiritual Health and Well-being.

And so... Here's To Your Health!

May you have a blessed Christmas.

with love,

Monday Musings... Is It Just Me?

OK, so fine. I am just going to write this, get it off my chest and then edit it like crazy when I am done if I have gone too far.

This year I am so off christmas it isn't even funny. Not Christmas, but christmas. You know, the christmas of the vortex of a plastic jesus in a plastic manger, of things that light up and blink with their mechanical chip implants that say, 'HO HO HO' or 'Merry christmas', or sing 'Santa Baby' while they whirl and wiggle and shake until their ever lovin' ever readies crash.

Don't get me wrong. I love Rudolph and chestnuts roasting on an open fire, sleigh bells and Bing Crosby letting me know that he is dreaming of a white christmas and wishing me days that are merry and bright. Snowmen have always been pleasant to me and good cheer is never old or unfashionable... but...

As we hauled out the boxes full of decorations this year I was already sick of it... and this from a girl who is known for decorating mid-November! In all honesty, most of our decorations remained in the boxes while I put up a few things here and there. This Christmas, my home decorating attempts are definitely more reflective of what is in my heart.

On this side of the Cross, the Beauty of Christmas is no longer found in a manger, but in the reality of the Risen Christ. The Simplicity of Christmas is 'Joy to the world, the Lord is come, let earth receive her King, let every heart prepare Him room...' - there may have been no room for Him at the inn - but is there room today for Him in our hearts.

I know that I loved Him just as much in years gone by, when I decorated my home lavishly. But this Christmas, the reflection of my heart seems to be an uncluttered openness towards Him and a 'cleaning out' of the trappings of the world's idea of christmas... that's all.

Perhaps you are sensing the same thing this year, perhaps not. If it is just me, I am totally fine with that. As Edna would say... it is what it is!

One thing I know for sure is that the Reality of His Joy remains, long after the christmas decorations are packed away for yet another year and the reindeer have taken the sleigh back to the north pole.

Of all the gifts I have ever received, as lovely and meaningful as many of them have been, there is only One Gift that is with me Always and Forever... may He look upon me and truly see a most grateful child.

To Your Health... Quinoa!

As I began making another pot of Quinoa today (pronounced KEEN-WAH), I thought that perhaps sharing this food with you would be a great way to introduce the first of the Self Care postings, 'To Your Health... !'

I have been enjoying the taste and the benefits of this little seed for almost twenty years now, and although it is not a common item found in most kitchens today, perhaps it will find a home in yours, once you learn how wonderful it can be for your health!

When I first began eating Quinoa I thought that it must be a grain, but I was surprised to learn that it is actually a seed that is closely related to Beets, Spinach and Swiss Chard and that it was once considered the 'gold' of the Incas because it notably increased the stamina of their warriors!

Because I love history I was fascinated as to why I had to hear about this food from a nutritionist and not find it on the tables of families and friends, and it's because that although Quinoa has been grown in Peru and Chile and Bolivia for over 5,000 years, it was not until 1980, when two Americans discovered the concentration of nutrients in Quinoa, that they were given permission to bring it back to Colorado and to try and cultivate it there.

My Italian sister-in-law says that when cooked, Quinoa reminds her, in looks, of cous-cous, yet the taste of Quinoa is somewhat 'nutty' and it has a really nice fluffy texture. But here is the thing... Quinoa is packed with high PROTEIN, and not only that, but the protein found in Quinoa is a complete protein meaning that it includes all nine of the essential amino acids, particularly lysine which is essential for tissue growth and repair!

Quinoa is also known for other nutrients essential for good health like manganese, magnesium, iron, copper and phosphorus. I remember a nutritionist telling me that Quinoa was not only a good food choice for everyone, but particularly those suffering with migraine headaches, because of its high content of magnesium and riboflavin. It is also a good choice for promoting better cardiovascular health, particularly in menopausal women; and because of its content of copper and manganese, Quinoa is an excellent antioxidant... and it is a great source of insoluble fibre! And there was an article that came out of the New England Journal of Medicine a few years ago that stated that Quinoa has the ability to substantially lower the risk of Type 2 Diabetes due to its high concentration of lignans.

I think you get my drift... Quinoa is good for you!

My favorite way to have it is with my dinner meal, a great substitute for starchy white potatoes! Sometimes I'll just place a cup of cooked Quinoa in the middle of my plate and then place my favorite steamed vegetables over top. I love to serve it along side a serving of chicken wings and another favorite dish of mine, Beets and Kabachi Squash. I won't be offended if you do not say YUM! with me, but really, unless you've tried it, don't be too quick to knock it!

As far a getting your hands on some Quinoa, try your local health food store, and when you get it home I would suggest placing it in a plastic freezer bag and storing it in the freezer to prolong its freshness (8 to 9 months).

Making it is a snap, just rinse it under cold water in a sieve and then place in a pot with water, the ratio being 1 part Quinoa to 2 parts water, bring to boil, turn down to simmer, cover and remove from heat when soft and fluffy (approx. 15-20 minutes).

Then serve with a few chopped green onions and peas tossed through, or get creative and come up with your own way to implement it into your meals. Remember, it's 'To Your Health!'

P.S. This is just the coolest thing... my youngest son, knowing what my posting subject was today, said that he was watching a football game on TV a few days ago and the quarterback was talking about his healthy diet and credited his new found strength and stamina to.... QUINOA! (I'm just sayin'...)

The Gift of Sisters

click on pictures to enlarge

Just look at some of the wonderful women that I got to hang out with this morning, and let me just say that we had us some pretty amazing Bible Study and fellowship together!

Margaret and I both arrived at the same time thinking that it was so quiet we must have gotten something wrong... the time... the place... that date?

But nope. Once Angie opened the door we saw Debbie sitting at the table and the other girls began coming through the door one after the other!

Edna has just returned from Mexico and is as BROWN as anyone I have ever seen! White was definitely in her colour palette for this morning... and that is why she was sitting beside me! My pale, washed out winter complexion certainly highlighted her 'golden hue' beautifully! Edna had brought some beautiful bookmarks for each of us from Mexico, I could just kick myself for not taking a picture of them... they were made from avocado leaves and hand painted. That's not all I could kick myself for... I forgot to choose one for myself as they were passed around the table! Edna, could you choose one for me and keep it until we see each other again?

Joan looked so Christmasy in her red and as always she was a wealth of information in our study. She even brought hymnals for our time of worship... but more about that in a minute.

Angie had the coffee brewing to warm everyone up on this very wet, rainy, grey morning, and there were a few bowls of goodies on the table to snack on as well.

Margaret and I took this quick 'self portrait'... usually I cut off part of the head whenever I attempt to do this, and even if we both look a little dubious about the result of our efforts, I was just pleased that we came out... whole!

Wendy was so please when her daughter Cat was able to come this morning. Did you know that we have four sets of mothers and daughters that are doing this study together? Not all of them were able to make it this morning, but I am thrilled that Wendy and her daughter Cat, Angie and her daughter Marnie, Debbie and her daughter Sherri, and Margaret and her daughter Jill are with us!

After Angie opened our Bible Study in prayer, committing all things to the One Who had gathered us together, and after we had all agreed with our collective, Amen!, Debbie burst out with... OK, I have a question! And we were off and running!

After our study time together we had a time of worshipful singing. Marnie's dog Dash joined in... and let me just say that Angie's cat Bandit made a contribution 'of sorts' as well!

Again, I could just kick myself for not getting pictures of those two!

Lovely gifts were handed out, and as usual our hostess Angie lavished us with gorgeous desserts, delightful presents and the warm and hospitable ambiance of her home. It was a wonderful morning and after our many good-bye hugs and lingering conversations at the front door, all I could think of as I was driving away was... "Lord, you have blessed me beyond measure in the gift of my precious sisters."

Aging, Well!

This morning, in between figuring out what dinner would be for tonight and washing up the few extra dishes by hand that would not fit into the dishwasher, I was thinking about time. Well, actually I was thinking about age, but perhaps upon second glance they are not such distant cousins as we might first think.

My thinking really wasn't that deep, so you probably won't find anything profound here, but for some reason I remembered a long ago visit that my Uncle and I made to see a friend of his that lived way up in the heights of North Vancouver. My Uncle was a Scotsman and my recollection is that his friend was as well and that they had met through work quite soon after my Uncle had emigrated to Canada.

I had visited this home a few times for gatherings and I always remember the lovely library that they had. It was a richly furnished home and their enormous windows looked out over the Vancouver landscape. The library was beautifully furnished in warm but cheery colours and whenever I visited in the evenings, after dinner I would be allowed to sit by myself in this wonderful place, and while the lights of Vancouver twinkled below through the expansive window, I would settle myself into the wing backed chair and begin to read a book that I had been allowed to choose from a shelf. On one occasion I was given a hard bound copy of 'The Lady of the Light'; in retrospect I really think that it was chosen under the assumption that it was about Florence Nightingale (The Lady of the Lamp), but I have to say this one that I had been given was pretty racy for a 9 year old... I remember something about 'stolen kisses' in the evening under a large tree on the grounds of an estate where a dance was being held sometime in the 1800's.

But this particular visit was not going to find me in the library, because the whole purpose of the visit was to wish my Uncle's friend a happy birthday. While they enjoyed their conversation, I patiently waited for a bit of a pause between them, and when it came I was finally able to ask, "How old are you?". I was very quickly told by my Uncle that this is not a polite question and as they continued their time together I resigned myself to the fact that I was never going to know. (But I do remember thinking at the time that he must have been 'quite old'; in retrospect, he was probably just about five years older than I find my own sweet self today! Jeesh!)

Like most 9 years olds, I knew that having another birthday was a big deal, after all once 9 was gotten through it was into the double digits for me! Why this man could not proudly declare his age, and why it had all of a sudden become 'not polite' to ask was beyond me. Children are very careful to state their milestones according to their age... "I am nine"... I am nine and a half". Funny how I don't seem to have maintained this same enthusiasm throughout the years.

When you are nine years old you are counting UP and it is exciting to think what all lies ahead up there! Then there comes 'the age', distinctly different for each one of us (the wrong side of 40, 50, 60?), where all of a sudden, even though the numbers are continuing to go up... we begin to view it as counting DOWN! And to be perfectly honest, it just doesn't seem to be as exciting as we look at what all lies ahead down there!

Now, as a woman of faith I am counting UP, in the sense that I know where and with Whom my ultimate destiny of the ages lies. But when it comes to just plain earthly age... time does take it's toll!

And so here is what I am thinking.... instead of going through life with a number on our backs (and let's face it, you can be 30 and feel 70, you can be 70 and feel 30), how much better it would be if we were to embrace the changes we see in ourselves through each passing year, and be determined to take care of these glorious bodies that God has given to us through good nutrition, exercise, and a proper perspective on aging itself.

For the past twenty years I have been very aware of what 'good health' really is.... physically, mentally and spiritually, and I would like to share some of that here, at Pure Grace, from time to time to encourage you into better self care. Self care is not self indulgence, nor is it selfish... self care gives glory and honour to the One that created you and Who has purposes that He would see worked out in you. God's purposes in you are not cut off at age 65! Self care is about keeping our body, mind and spirit healthy so that we are available in ANY season of life. Self care is also not about lengthening our days, as our individual time clocks have been wound by God Himself and it is He that has determined the length of our days upon this earth. Self care is about the quality of life that we have at any given time.

I also know some pretty incredible women that totally get what true 'self care' is about and I would like to share their stories with you as well. I am also thinking of the younger women that I see coming behind me, that need to see 'older women' honouring God through balanced self care. And by the way, I am a big believer that to a 10 year old, a fifteen year old is an 'older women', so as we reach to those ahead of us, and reach to those behind us, we are building into women of ALL ages, a healthy view of age, beauty and the benefits of good nutrition, exercise and attention to their faith.

I look forward to sharing with you and I also look forward to you sharing back through the Comment section of the Pure Grace Room.

with love,

I'm BACK!

I'm Back! These past few weeks have been FULL and while I may not having been writing here at Pure Grace, you can catch up with some of my doings in the Room to Read and the On-Line Study!

In keeping with the theme of 'I'm Back' I attended my late morning appointment with my chiropracter today. My back has been 'tweeking' on me the last week or so and I thought that perhaps it was time to have it attended to.

When I originally made the appointment earlier this week, the receptionist inquired as to how long it had been since I had visited the office. I thought for a moment and replied that it was probably about 8 years ago. When she had finally located my file, I was informed that my last visit was in January 1990... two months shy of TWENTY YEARS AGO! Time flies when you are having fun!

When I arrived for my appointment there was the inevitable clipboard and pen, complete with paperwork to to fill in. While setting myself upon this small task, the two women next to me were leaning into a little book that they were both obviously captivated by and discussing quite deeply (and loudly) their theories on the deep meaning and significance of... Sudoku! As I sat there filling in all my little blanks, I felt like I was getting a free tutorial on the game. Honestly, they were discussing this like two highly educated professors, they were expounding on their theories of the great minds that had put this game together and took it all the way to the amazing benefits and impact that it has had upon our society today. Hmm-mm... Fascinating.

Another thing that fascinated me was that every single person that entered through the door after I arrived were either as crooked as a pretzel or unable to move their head without turning their entire bodies around; and yet every single one of them (eight, I counted), when upon arriving and checking in at the desk, responded to the receptionist's cheery greeting of "Hi, how ya doin?'", with an impressive and lusty, "Good thanks!". Hmm-mm... Interesting.

I was finally called into the examination room to wait for the doctor. I waited... and waited... and waited... and then pulled out my camera and took a couple of pictures.

He finally arrived and the consultation began. I have been asked to return late this afternoon to have x-rays taken (No Charge. I must be a fascinating case) whereupon we will set up another appointment while he looks over the x-ray of my bony frame and decides the best course of action.

His diagnosis... as I am only 5 years younger than he, he was quite surprised at how young I look for my age and said that I seem to be in very good shape and appear healthy. Oh, and my pelvis is tilting to the left; my lower back is knotted up; my neck is tight; and my left leg is a tad shorter that the right when I sit down and put my legs straight out. I like the first two observations best, they appeal to my sense of denial!

As I left the office I passed by posters of smiling men and women rock climbing, snow boarding, golfing and water skiing... sure, their backs are probably wonderfully limber and loose, legs all the same length, necks able to turn full circle... but I wonder if they have recently been told how young they look for their age...

I'll 'Be Back' at their office in a few hours... sigh.

Hair Today, Gone Tomorrow!

While on my way home recently, I made a quick trip to the grocery store, before leaving I thought that I would swing by the magazine aisle and pick up a hair magazine since I had an appointment the following day and thought that I could do with a style change.

Now, you have to know that I have not purchased a magazine in... years! If I do feel like reading one, I usually just check them out at the local library and two weeks later check them back in again. So anyway, there I am, standing before a ridiculously vast selection of magazines... all devoted to hair. As I began to flip through the pages I found one that seemed to reflect what I wanted to try. After choosing my magazine I turned to the cover page to find the price, all the while having a little conversation all to myself in my head... “Hmmm, that’s odd, they always use to put the price at the top right hand corner... and who are these 20 year old celebrities on the cover, anyway? I haven’t a clue who they are..."

Finally I spotted a woman who worked at the store and asked her if she could tell me the price of that particular magazine. She looked a little incredulous, but pointed to the bar code at the bottom right hand corner and kept on walking. “Oh great, I didn’t bring my readers with me, how am I supposed to read this? OK, if I just stretch out my arm and pull my head back, alright, that’s better.... looks like... looks like two dol... (eyes adjusting)... looks like twelve ninety-five, yep, that’s what it is ... twelve ninety- five! What? I only pay fifteen for my cut!”

Back went the magazine and I cashed out at just under nine dollars for my onions and two tubs of plain probiotic yogurt... I’ll just be descriptive in telling my hairdresser what I want and take my chances!