WriterMotherMomMe

This is a post for all mothers of little girls. It made me laugh so hard, I spilled my coffee.
Tampon Candy

Priceless!

My daughter and I sat in on a Catholic Mass today, because her little friend was in a ceremony saying the Rosary for the first time. "Hail Mary full of grace...)

When it was over I asked my daughter what she thought.

"Well, it was fine Mom, but why did the man in the dress tell the kids to say "Hell Mary"?"

Priceless!

Do you remember?

I let my little boy ride in the back of the car yesterday. Just a few blocks down a quiet side street to his friends house. Oh the joy he felt. Do you remember that feeling? Looking out the back window of the family car, watching the world roll by in reverse?
When I was very small, I was the last child to be dropped off of the school bus. One day I was crying. I don't remember the details, but I know that the bigger kids had been cruel. The driver stopped the bus and moved me to the front seat. I was terribly embarrassed. It seemed that putting up with any amount of teasing would have been a much better fate.

After the bullies got off the bus, the bus driver lady called me up to her. She showed me the "cockpit" and let me sit in her seat and steer the wheel. I asked if I could sit on the bottom step by the door. She said yes. I put my forehead against the glass and looked down at the glittering asphalt streaming by. It was magical. Mrs. Tinkerby let me do that every day for the rest of the year, but only after all the other kids had gotten off the bus. It was our secret!

I looked back at my son through the rear view mirror, and saw the way he hitched his elbow on the window, like a free man, with the world in his pocket.
Yeah, I remember how that felt.
Do you?

New Gameshow! Name That Diety!!!

If you can answer all 3 questions correctly, YOU WIN the GRANDDDDD PRIZE!

Question 1

- He was born of the virgin Maya, who was considered the "Queen of Heaven.
- He was of royal descent.
- He crushed a serpent's head.
- He performed miracles and wonders, healed the sick, fed 500 men from a "small basket of cakes," and walked on water.
- He abolished idolatry, was a "sower of the word," and preached "the establishment of a kingdom of righteousness."
- He taught chastity, temperance, tolerance, compassion, love, and the equality of all.
- He was transfigured on a mount.
- He was crucified in a sin-atonement, suffered for three days in hell, and
was resurrected.
- He ascended to "heaven."

HE WAS...BUDDHA
========================================

Question 2

- He contributed the name of Jesus Christ. He and his once-and-future Father, are frequently interchangeable in the mythos ("I and my Father are one").
- He was born of the virgin Meri on December 25th in a cave/manger, with his birth being announced by a star in the East and attended by three wise men.
- He was a child teacher in the Temple and was baptized when he was 30 years old. He was also baptized by "Anup the Baptizer," who becomes "John the Baptist."
- He had 12 disciples.
- He performed miracles and raised one man, el-Azar-us, from the dead.
- He walked on water.
- He was transfigured on the Mount.
- He was crucified, buried in a tomb and resurrected.
- He was also the "Way, the Truth, the Light, the Messiah, God's Anointed Son, the Son of Man, the Good Shepherd, the Lamb of God, the Word" etc.
- He was "the Fisher," and was associated with the Lamb, Lion and Fish.
- His personal epithet was "Iusa the "ever-becoming son" of "Ptah," the "Father."
- HE was called "the KRST," or "Anointed One," long before the Christians duplicated the story.
- In the catacombs at Rome are pictures of Him as a baby being held by his virgin mother.

HE WAS... the Egyptian God HORUS

(The ancient Egyptians also adopted the cross as a religious symbol of
their pagan gods. Countless Egyptians drawings depict themselves holding
crosses in their hands. Among them, the Egyptian savior Horus is depicted
holding a cross in his hand. He is also depicted as an infant sitting on his
mother's knee with a cross on the seat they occupy. The most common of the
crosses used by these pagan Egyptians, the crux ansata, was later adopted by
the Christians)


=========================================
Question 3

- He was born on December 25th.
- He was considered a great traveling teacher and master.
- He had 12 companions or disciples.
- He performed miracles.
- He was buried in a tomb.
- After three days he rose again.
- His resurrection was celebrated every year.
- He was called "the Good Shepherd.&"- He was considered "the Way, the Truth and the Light, the Redeemer, the Savior, the Messiah."
- He was identified with both the Lion and the Lamb.
- His sacred day was Sunday, "the Lord’s Day," hundreds of years before the
appearance of Christ.
- He had his principal festival on what was later to become Easter, at which
time he was resurrected.
- His religion had a Eucharist or "Lord’s Supper."

HE WAS... MITHRA

("He who will not eat of my body and drink of my blood, so that he will be
made on with me and I with him, the same shall not know salvation." An
inscription to Mithras which parallels John 6:53-54. This inscription is
inside the Vatican... in the tomb of saint peter.)

Spread Your Wings

We had a writer and professional photographer come to the Wildlife Center last week, to photograph some animals for a book.

When I brought Nakahaay out, I said "Spread your Wings Nakahhay. Show them how beautiful you really are."

To everyone's amazement, he did exactly that!



I think we should all spread our wings once in a while, and reveal our majestic beauty for the world to see.

Yeah, man, I'm on the rag!

Gloria Steinem wrote an amusing article titled: If Men Could Menstrate. You can link to the full text
here,
or just enjoy this excerpt:


So what would happen if suddenly, magically, men could menstruate and women could not?

Clearly, menstruation would become an enviable, worthy, masculine event:

Men would brag about how long and how much.

Young boys would talk about it as the envied beginning of manhood. Gifts, religious ceremonies, family dinners, and stag parties would mark the day.

To prevent monthly work loss among the powerful, Congress would fund a National Institute of Dysmenorrhea. Doctors would research little about heart attacks, from which men would be hormonally protected, but everything about cramps.

Sanitary supplies would be federally funded and free. Of course, some men would still pay for the prestige of such commercial brands as Paul Newman Tampons, Muhammad Ali's Rope-a-Dope Pads, John Wayne Maxi Pads, and Joe Namath Jock Shields- "For Those Light Bachelor Days."

Statistical surveys would show that men did better in sports and won more Olympic medals during their periods.

Generals, right-wing politicians, and religious fundamentalists would cite menstruation ("men-struation") as proof that only men could serve God and country in combat ("You have to give blood to take blood"), occupy high political office ("Can women be properly fierce without a monthly cycle governed by the planet Mars?"), be priests, ministers, God Himself ("He gave this blood for our sins"), or rabbis ("Without a monthly purge of impurities, women are unclean").

Male liberals and radicals, however, would insist that women are equal, just different; and that any woman could join their ranks if only she were willing to recognize the primacy of menstrual rights ("Everything else is a single issue") or self-inflict a major wound every month ("You must give blood for the revolution").

Street guys would invent slang ("He's a three-pad man") and "give fives" on the corner with some exchenge like, "Man you lookin' good!"

"Yeah, man, I'm on the rag!"

Adorable

About a year ago, I got all caught up in those cable TV decorating programs. Trading Spaces, Design on a Dime, and my all time favorite, The Christopher Lowell Show. Christopher would bounce into my living room every morning at ten, filling my mind with FABULOUS home decor concepts, while cheering me on with his mantra "YOU CAN DO IT!!!"

Ten Thousand Dollars later, I snapped out of my hypnotic decorating trance, with a new found confidence. YES! I COULD DO IT! I DID DO IT!
Of course, there are a lot of things I could do with ten thousand dollars, but that's beside the point.

The point is, this experience has taught me, that I have the two most adorable puppies in the entire civilized world.

Everyone who has a pet, claims that theirs is just the cutest lil thing ever, BUT I, KELLEY BELL, HEREBY PROCLAIM ALL RIGHTS and TITLES TO THE WORLD'S MOST ADORABLE PUPPIES.

Here are the pictures to prove it:

They decided to dig up my plants, while I was at work. (Its a new job...My second day.)


Mud covered my new custom drapes, and my freshly painted walls.



Forensic evidence was found throughout the house.



They even destroyed my UPLIGHTS! (A Christopher Lowell necessity to create Drama in a room.) Yea, Chris, come on over. I've got some drama for ya.



Lil Bears paws were snow white, but Sandy was COVERED in mud. It doesn't take Columbo to know she's the guilty girl !

So, in conclusion, I claim that my dogs hereby hold the title of WORLDS MOST ADORABLE PUPPIES, for if they were anything less, they would be "Pushin' Up Dasies" right now.

I, Im hooked on a feelin

I KNOW IN MY HEART THAT THIS VIDEOSHOULD BE PANNED, BANNED AND SLAMMED, BUT GOSH DERN IT, I FOUND MYSELF GRINNING, AND COULD NOT LOOK AWAY.

What IS IT about that Hasselhoff fellow anyway?

Breaking boundaries

Today, I met a dear friend, for the very first time. Garnet and I are part of a very special blogger community. We have shared our thoughts, dreams, wonders and fears, amid our close knit family of Stranger-Friends.

Meeting face to face, we did not know whether to shake hands or hug. We tried the first, then chose the latter. It seemed silly to start with introductory social conventions, when we already shared so much. But it was also inappropriate not to, for we had never actually met.

It must be like that when two celebrities meet.

As I am big on symbols, I gave him a chunk of quartz crystal. Folks into metaphysics claim that quartz amplifies the energies of other stones. I like that idea, and I thought it might help our Garnet, Glitter even more.

My daughter and I set up a Wildlife Display for the Concerts for Children series at The Ohio Theater, where Garnet plays principal clarinet for The Columbus Symphony Orchestra.

Hundreds of children came by our display before going into the show. We even ran into a few folks we know.


The display was great, the concert was grand, Garnet was a Gem, and my daughter and I spent an entire day together, as mother and daughter, supporting Wildlife Conservation, educating the public, experiencing the symphony, and making new friends.

It just doesn't get any better than that, does it?

Am I just Stupid or What?

My second grader asked me to help with his homework.

The paper says:
Put these event in the order they happened. Write the number 1 on the line by that sentence, then write 2 for what happened next and write 3 by what happened last.

______When did the man discover that Bobby was gone?
a) after 35 miles
b) five days later
c) at the end of the day


______What did Prince do just before he found his master?
a) Found the British Army
b) crossed the English Channel
c) Located the trench

Am I stupid, or was this written by someone on drugs?
(It was copied from a school workbook, and no, there was not a story to put it into context.)

Synchronicity

Carl Jung coined the term synchronicity. He defined it as an "acausal connecting principle." Religions often consider events of syncronicity miracles. The Catholic Church calls it "the providence of God."

One of many examples of Syncronicity, from my own life is the following story:

I was involved with a martial arts group that offered some of the best training around. During a late summer weekend camp, the group spent two exhausting days drilling to some Irish bagpipe music. We listened to the same song over and over and over again as we practiced.

The women worked just as hard as the men, but throughout the camp, they were repeatedly treated as second class by some of the more macho guys. I was irritated with Master instructor for condoning such behavior. I decided not to attend the next camp, in protest.

After sending a letter of regret and citing my reasons, I get a phone call from the camp director. She calls while Im outside painting my deck. (think Karate Kid: wax on wax off, sanda floor, paint da fence.)

We engage in a long discussion in which she tries very hard to change my mind. I told her I would think about it.

At the exact moment when I hung up the phone, a hawk flies over head and calls out. Then some stranger that I have never seen before, or since, appears on my neighbors deck with a set of bagpipes and begins to play.

He is playing THE SAME SONG we had been drilling to at the camp! Shivers went up my spine.

I took it as a sign, and went to the camp.

As if this alone was not weird enough, my toe gets broken during a knife fighting demonstration at camp. This forces me to sit out on the 3 mile hike. I end up alone in camp with the very person I have a beef with. We sit around the camp fire, and talk out the problem. Lo and behold, a hawk slowly circles over our heads, calling out as we talk.

Without knowing anything of my bagpipe experience, the old Burmese Master points to the hawk and says "You See, Kelley, You See? The Spirits are calling to you."

"Yes Sir. I See."

Goddess Child

Once Upon A Time...

There was a little girl, born in the Land of The Free,
and the Home of The Brave.

She was taught that she could become anything, even President,
though no girl had ever done THAT before.

She was taught the importance of education,
and read many books by Great Men.

She was told to get a job,
But to expect less pay then her male peers.

She was told to climb the Career ladder,
and bumped into a glass ceiling on the way.

She learned that misogyny
is oft ignored by the law.

She was expected to marry,
to Love, Honor and Obey.

She was taught to pray
to God the Father, and God the Son

She was told that bearing a child,
was punishment for Original Sin.

She was expected to be a good mother
while putting her children in daycare.

She learned that powerful men are Leaders
while powerful women are Bitches.

She was told to wave the flag and support a war
against the ones who "hate us for our Freedom"

And she wondered, if that war
might be better fought right here.

-Written by Kelley Bell 2006

(Creative Commons permission to copy and share is granted. But please site the author.)

The Omen

My first experience with Power, came when I was in 4th grade.

Every day I would walk through the woods to school.

Those walks always filled me with energy and spiritual awe, but never so much as the day of "The Omen."

It was not a very big woods, but through a childs eyes, it was an emmence and magical forest.

As always, I walked down the long row of pines, then climbed a steep cliff, to emerge facing a beautiful pond. It was a vista of reflection, with the power to stop time.

As I reached the top, I heard a ruckus. Desperate cries of squalking and screeching.

A life and death battle was being waged in the air above the pond, between an owl and five little birds.

My perch on the cliff was a vantage point above.

How odd to look down, at a battle in the sky.

The owl was out numbered, and desperately afraid.

Instinctivly, I grabbed some stones and joined in the fight.

Yelling, Squalking, Screeming, Screeches, pierced the stillness of the water.

Together we fought, as the squadron repeatedly attacked.

The little army at last relented, and My Owl was saved.

Adreneline quivered through my soul, then gushed into the earth,

leaving my body heavy and spent.


Ol' Mr. Muskrat peeked out from his den, and swam the perimiter, like a policeman on patrol.

Stillness returnd to my magical pond, as I drank in the energy of the rising sun.

In time, I arose, and wandered slowly towards the school, wishing I could stay in natures womb.

I emerged from the fragrant woods, to the smell of exaust, the sounds of the city, and the view of my familiar elementary institution.

As I shuffled slowly up the walk, the most amazing thing happened. My owl flew out of the woods and landed on the bike rack in front of me!


An Eternal Moment,

Motionless in Time,

United as One,

Eyes Locked,

Speaking,

Without Words.



Then the bell rang, and the spell was broken.

My owl hooted in grateful thanks, and flew away.


Grandma told me that seein' an owl in the daytime is a "powerful good Omen".

Having an owl for a friend is even better.

Hummer Crazy

What's the deal with Hummers? They are the most grotesque exacerbation of the American Big Car Dream of over indulgence ever created. Having a hummer is supposed to make you look cool.

Cool? Are you kidding me? It's not a Ferrari Folks. It's a Military vehicle.

The only reason we think they are cool is because celebrities drive them, and they cost One Hundred Thousand Dollars!

But Why do Celebrities drive them? Its not because the sheik red carpet anorexic liposuctioned exercise freaks of nature in Hollywood walked onto a military base and said "Ohh, look at that urban assault vehicle, how fashionable!"

No, its because our government, in its infinite wisdom, wrote a subsidy for the Poor American Farmer who couldn't afford a new John Deere tractor. These "learned" Senators with their law degrees and legal-eze came up with some complicated technical language, (just like the unintelligible garbage written in our Tax codes,) that basically said, farmers get a kick back when they buy any vehicle over 1000 lbs.

Along comes the Hefty hummer, and all the brilliant celebrity accountants in Hollywood told their clients to go buy one, or a dozen, because they too could get this kick back.

Oh, sure, they know it was intended for farmers, but hey, anyone can get the 15,000 kick back if:

1) They can find a vehicle that weighs over 1000 lbs.
and
2) They use it for business purposes.

You know, Celebrity business purposes: because they NEED a 1000 lb Army Assault Vehicle to intimidate the paparazzi when they drive to the Oscars!

So, thanks to our wise leaders desire to save the American Farmer, and the rich celebrities desire to hold on to their hard earned cash, the country is in a Hummer craze, and we are sucking up more gasoline than any other country in the world while our government is at the same time telling us that we need to cut back on oil, find clean burning sustainable fuels, and protect the environment!

Is it any wonder that we are in a war with the Middle East, you know, the country that HAS all the oil!

But we don't care about the environment. We just want everything BIGGER!

This country wants everything Bigger. Biggie Fries, Biggie Shakes, Biggie Cars, Basically our waistbands are expanding faster than everything but our egos. Thats why George Bush got elected President. The boy is a Texan, and Hey, EVERYTHING'S bigger in Texas!

It amazes me that our senators have let this trend go on as long as they have. You know, trends don't get started overnight. These things take time. Do you think that our wise and wonderful wordsmiths in Washington could have put an end to this environmental gang bang by inserting the words "this exemption applies to vehicles used for commercial farming only."

No! They are still up on the hill, ordering studies, creating commissions, and holding debates to try and figure out just how to close this unforeseen loophole.

Everyones worried about the quality of education that our children are getting. Im worried about the quality of education our leader don't have!

Ya gotta hand it to our Government. They are making sure that every self employed small business owner in America can go out and buy one of these biggie oversized gluttonous vanity symbols of The Fat Bellied Greedy American Dream: Emulating the hollow Heros of tinsel town as they simultaneously destroy the planet we live on.

In the words of a good ol Texas Cowboy...YEE-HAW!

Oh, Ya-All have got to Check THIS Out!!!!

I just went to a website that had me look at these moving dots, if i looked one way, they were pink, another, and they were green, yet another and they completly dissapeared.

It is a great Illusion that demostrates how the human brain works.

Click the link and try it. It's creepy good Fun!

It's that time again

Hey folks, its time for you to nominate your favorite blogs for the
2006 Web log Awards

So link on over there and vote for ME ME ME ME ME ME ME!!!!!!!

(I already cast my votes for all of you.)

Yin and Yang

Yin and Yang

The Symbol of Yin and Yang

The Chinese symbol of Yin and Yang is universal to all Eastern Philosophy. The two halves represent the dual nature of all things in the universe. The swirls depict two fish, swirling around, ever changing, one becoming the other, with each containing the seed of the other within its self. The black is the Yin, feminine, passive, soft side. The white is the active, bright, hard, male side.
The symbol of Yin and Yang illustrates the universal truths that one side is not complete without the other, and the two, together, make up The One.

Although it is human nature to resist change, it must be accepted and understood that all things exist in a constant state of transition, and each thing must be seen as both Yin and Yang, if it is to be seen in its entirety.

The circular nature of the symbol also illustrates that there is no end to the journey. The goal is not to reach the end, for any destination is a dead end, but rather to experience the journey itself.

Forever in Candyland

I've been thinking about Heaven.

Eternal bliss
No worries
No troubles
No strife
Forever and Ever and Ever and Ever

and Ever
in some place better than Here.

When I was a kid, I used to play a game called Candyland.
It was so fun and exciting
weaving my way around the board to the castle.

Ahhh, I so loved Candyland.

But eventually, I got bored with it.
It was too easy.

I moved on to more challenging things.

I do so love a challenge.
The thrill of pushing beyond my limits

Mastering things beyond
what I ever thought I could do.

I love the rubix cube of life,
and the infinite number of quests.

I love to study,
learn,
solve,
create,
wonder,
dream,
hope,
prevail

There was a time when I would have jumped at the chance
to spend Eternity in Candyland,

But Eternity is a
Very
Very
Very
long time.

Sundown

When I was young, like most little girls, I was obsessed with horses. I took riding lessons, went to horse camp in the summers, and had a huge collection of Bryer horse toys. I pleaded with my parents insessantly to buy me a horse, which was an impossible dream for a girl living on a half acre plot in the suburbs.

But my will was strong, even then. I began a quest to fufill my dream, and in less that a year, I had racked up a big wad of cash from odd jobs, babysitting and 10 cent returnable pop bottles.

I enlisted the aid of the daughter of a wealthy endodonist by convincing her of the greatness of my dream, and got her to go in halvsies with me. (My first attempt to garner investors for a cause.)

Together we purchased a beautiful Palamino Gelding named Sundown, who stood a majestic seventeen hands high. I loved that horse, and I worked so hard to make the dream beautiful; but boarding fees, vet expenses, feed cost, and the like, put me in a catch twenty two situation. If I worked all the time, I could afford the bills, but this left me no time to spend with my magical steed.

Jenny had all the time in the world to ride, as her parents were paying her half. She joined 4-H, and rode my dear Sundown in many horseshows and events. It seems like she brought home a blue ribbon every weekend.

When my grades bagan to suffer, mom pulled the plug, and I reluctantly let go of my dream.

I still think of Ol Sundown often, and I would have kept him forever, if I could have. It was a tough lesson in the commodity of ranching, to accept a pile of dirty green cash, in exchance for a living thing, that I loved. A hard lesson indeed for a preteen girl with a broken dream.

Mom still says that I bought the back end of that horse, but I don't see it that way. I never did.

Just for Today

Just for Today:

I will not
Drink any Cigarettes
Eat any Coffee or
Smoke any Chocolate.

Just to see what happens...

Completing the Puzzle

Every morning, for as long as I can remember, my mother has started the day with "her puzzle." Mom lives for the daily crossword. She is one of those who insists on filling in the blanks with a pen, even if a suitable pencil lies nearby. She rebukes the lowly lead, and will search diligently for the inking implement of experts, before she settles down to begin.

The family knows not to interrupt mother once the ritual has begun. She times herself, you see, so it is important that we all respect her quest, and run interference on any potential distractions.

She is good, folks. A real pro. If there were a national crossword championship, I am quite certain that mom would have the Heisman.

"I minored in Latin." she quips, when she trumps a particularly challenging curmudgeon.

My brother and I have taken after her, and adopted the ritual too, both trying so hard to scribe as neatly as the girl who was famous in her small town for such beautiful handwriting. We have oft heard the story of her elementary days, and the teachers who asked Her to write the lessons on the board, because her script was so lovely to behold.

My brothers handwriting is much neater than mine, though not even in par with mom's. We both use her style of "E" and "Y"

Yes, I have adopted mom's penchant for puzzles. I like to figure things out, to play with words, to test myself, and challenge my skills. That's a gift from my mother, I cherish.

Maybe I'll call her and tell her, but not yet, she is still working that puzzle right now.

Ever Expanding Universe

I met a new cyber friend today. VENNILA nr KAIN.

She sent me an e-mail asking about the symbolism of The White Hawk, and what it means to see such a thing thrice. After checking her website, I must say that I was most honored and humbled that she chose to ask the question of little ole' me.

I never imagined that blogging would become an ever expanding universe of cerebral friendships, existing entirely independently from the constraints of the physical world.

Aint it Grand?

Check out her web site: www.vennila.net

"The Talk"

Sissy's mother shifted nervously as she began the long overdue discussion with her daughter. "The good Lord created Sex for Divine Procreation, my dear. Do not let any of those boys try to tell you any different. Do you understand?"

Sissy was in a fog. She had never heard the word Procreation before, but it sounded a bit like recreation, and she knew what 'Pro' meant, so she nodded her head.

"Yes Mamma, I understand."

And that was the end of it.

Too Many Amandas

My fourth grade daughter was in CRISIS!!!!
She was supposed to memorize the poem
"Too Many Amandas"
by Loris Lesynski.

She had forgotton the poem, and left it at school.

"MOTHERRRRR, WHAT am I going to DOOOOOOOO?"
She cried, (at eight pm Sunday night.)

"You could e-mail the author."

Thus began a charming exchange.

Shelby sent her flowery, hopeful, pleading request.
Ms. Lesynski replied and saved the day.
Shelby wrote back a dramatic and heartfelt thanks, adding the line:

Thank you, Thank You, YOU'VE SAVED MY LIFE !!!!!!!!

To which the author and poet, responded:

Oh that's great! I like saving lives with poems !!!!!!

Loris

Rebalancing

"The greatest flaw in patriarchal civilisation has been the over-emphasis on the masculine archetype (identified with spirit) and the devaluation of the feminine one (identified with nature). This has been reflected in the fact that the god-head has no feminine dimension, in the consistent neglect of feeling values and in the misogyny responsible for the repression and suffering of women. The history of the last 4000 years has been forged by men, determined by male perspectives and directed towards goals defined by men - principally the goals of conquest and control."

-Anne Baring
From her Essay Rebalancing the Masculine and the Feminine

What The Bleep Do We Know

http://www.whatthebleep.com/synopsis

My favorite movie has now become a book! (Ain't THAT a Twist)

Here is a short excerpt that I hope will motivate you to run out and experience either the book or the movie:

Back to the laboratory!

Having not come up with the answer to "What is reality?"-
which turned out to be way too big a question-humanity turned to the lab and tackled a simpler aspect: Take all the "stuff" around us, which we all pretty well agree is "real", and see what that's made of. That's much simpler than dreams or ideas or emotions or any of that inner stuff.

It was the Greek philosopher Democritus of Abdera who first had the idea of an atom: "nothing exists except atoms and empty space; everything else is opinion." And that was a great place for us to start. So out came the electron microscopes and the atom smashers and cloud chambers, and we big people peered into the world of little things.

Now when you went to school, you probably were shown a model of an atom, with its solid nucleus and orbiting electrons, and you were probably told, "Atoms are the building blocks of nature." Nice Try! It's a neat concept and diagrams quite nicely, but it just ain't so.

It turned out that those solid little atoms, in their neat little orbits, were really just energy packets. Then it was discovered that they're not really energy packets either, but momentary condensations of a field of energy...Of course, as you know, every "atom" consists almost entirely of "empty space", so much so that its a kind of miracle that we don't hit the floor every time we try to sit down on a chair. And since the floor is also mostly empty, where would we find something solid enough to hold us? The kicker here is that "we" - at least our bodies - are made up of atoms too!

And now leading-edge research is suggesting that the so called "empty space" within and between atoms is not empty at all; it's so lively with energy that one cubic centimeter - about a thimbleful or an area the size of a marble - contains more energy than all the solid matter in the entire known universe!

So what did you say Reality was?