The Frog and the Cat

Sometimes, I just need to write a fable.  Yes, you read correctly -- a fable.  I'm not writing a lot of fiction lately, and I'm not sure if that is so good for me.  Therefore, I have to dive into something short and punctuated to ease that ravenous inward Muse when she's been hungry too long.  Sometimes it's bits of a novel, sometimes it's jotting down a commercial idea...and sometimes, it's a fable.  Other times, when she's completely starved or either well-fed, plump, and happy (it's either/or), it's a screenplay.  I look forward to indulging Her on that one again one day.  That will make her very happy.

Anyway, for the fable-writing, my process is like this:  Sit down (preferably on my sofa), open my spiral college-ruled notebook, un-cap my felt-tip pen, and start.  I don’t know what I’m going to write until I start writing.  I know it is going to be a personification of an animal, but that’s it.  It’s great exercise, and yes, I will even endeavor to call it satiating.  

There is always the risk of nothing happening when I do this.  I think that's why it's such a good workout.  

Here’s what came to me today:

THE FROG AND THE CAT

A frog sat upon a rock near his local pond.  He was shaded and content, not moving except to blink his big eyes on occasion.  He was as still as the stone upon which he sat, and the reeds and water around him were quite still too.  It was a quiet day and a lazy one at that.

The frog, however, did not see the cat in the tall grass who lay crouching some short distance behind him.  The cat was a master stalker, and silence was her forte.  Although frog was not her favorite meal, she thrilled at the thought of catching him, taking an indifferent bite or two, then moving on to the next prey.

She gathered herself, measuring the moment that her pounce should prove successful.  Her hind legs geared for activity, one…two…three, and she sprang swiftly into the air, landing perfectly onto the rock where the frog was pinned beneath her paws –

--or so she thought.  Opening her grasp, there was nothing but the sleek stone where the frog had been.  She looked up; the frog was sitting on a lily pad on the other side of the pond. 

Bewildered, she called out in question, “How did you know I was there?”

Frog replied from where he was:  “Instinct aids those who sit still and listen.”

Red, Meaning of

I had unusual dreams of a house with a cat that resembled a teeny tiger and a garden on the back patio and a kangaroo in the bed.  Besides all of that, the home was decorated to the detail, and there was a LOT of red.  I commented that the woman who lived there must have known about feng shui.  (Take note, dear reader:  In real life, just because a person decorates with red does not mean that they have an understanding of feng shui.)

Therefore, in honor of weird dreams, I have decided to wax poetically on RED in today’s blog.

  

Red, in traditional feng shui, is considered lucky, lucky, and more lucky.  It is associated with money, opportunity, energy, and of course, fire and passion.  Red ribbons around toilet pipes will protect money from leaking out of your bank account.  Red frog statues at the front door will capture money for you and bring it into your bank account.  Red candles in the Fame/Reputation/Self-Expression [center back section of your home according to the front door] will ignite recognition for your talents and achievements. 

Why red?  It vibrates at the slowest rate and therefore catches the eye quickly.  It is considered “hot,” and therefore associated with vitality.  Think: Life force.  After all, our blood is red.  It is a power color (i.e. superheroes), and it can also represent danger, aggression, or anger (stop signs, warning flags, and seeing red).   Red can also waken the libido; it’s not an accident that it is associated with sex and sexiness.  While you wouldn’t want this color floating around too much in your aura, to place it strategically in your home, can really get things moving.

Red sends a message.  Imagine the difference that occurs when a woman wears a bright red dress compared to a soft light blue.   Which one would you consider bold and bright compared to submissive and sweet? 

If you are feeling a little blue, or you need some motivation or extra energy, playing with red is surely a cure.  I suggest painting your toenails red, wearing a red scarf, or buying some red flowers and placing them in your home or workspace.   You could even use a red pen for a day for your personal notes.  If you’d like to activate your love life, try a red pillow here or a red rug there.  Even a red picture frame will make a statement of some sort.   Red lingerie, or course, will say it all. 

And then, there is the famous “red door” cure.  I rarely suggest this –painting the front door red -- to clients, as it is a bold move, and it is not for the weak of heart.  It is mainly for those, 1. whose house would look ascetically pleasing with a red door, and  2. who are ready to live an amazing life and move forward in the direction of their dreams which can mean big change fast for some folks – which can be a daunting.  For the clients who have chosen this cure, I have seen almost instant improvement in their lives that can only be  referred to as miracles.  One woman who complained about a lack of romance and a lack of respect in the office saw a turn around in her collegues’ responses in a week and also met a great man. 

What does this say about red?  Red announces to the world that you are ready and willing to step out and let people know who you are – that you, like them, are a life force and a lovely one at that.  It says that you will not rest easy and that you intend to get your point across.  Red proclaims that you have something to do and something to say.  A little red can go a long way, so use it with care, as you wouldn’t want to come across as a fire-engine wailing in certain circumstances. 

With taste, red can shake things up in just the right way.   And while you may not want to douse your home or yourself in it, it could just be the cure you are looking for.  

Front Door Follow-up

I spoke to my friend again – you know, the one that wouldn’t go through her front door even though it might open the way for good things galore. 

Guess what.  She’s using the front door now.  She doesn’t use it primarily, as she corrected me on the fifteen steps difference, and she claims that it feels a lot further when she is weighted down by groceries.  However, she is using it!  There was only one day since I blogged about it that she didn’t actually walk through it, and on that day, she performed the simple ritual of opening it, consciously welcoming her good in.

And welcome good in, she did!  On about Day 8 of the habit-shift, she landed a job doing some “print work.”  (aka, modeling for an ad that will be in print).  Yay! A paycheck.  Not only that, but in that short amount of time, her auditions have been on the up.  Interestingly enough, she got a callback for a national commercial (read: ch-ching), but the callback was on the day of her gig.   Still, she is feeling confident about the number of auditions she is going out for, and her energy – and bank account – is on the rise.

When discussing the change in fortune with her, she did mention another feng shui cure that she had performed at about the same time she started using the front door.  She and I both have a love of angels, and she came up with the precious idea to put angel images on her desktop screen, so that they flash continuously as she works and plays on her computer.  Not only that, but she was brought up Catholic and is schooled in the workings of saints, so she decided to feature St. Cajetan, the Saint of Job-seekers, on her computer as well.

Archangel Uriel by Alma Yamazaki
www.fineartamerica.com

 In fact, I found upon further research that there is a saint (or an angel) for just about everything.   If you are interested in being seriously entertained by the thorough list of spiritual helpers out there, I suggest going to http://www.catholic-forum.com/saints/patron00.htm.  You’ll find help for everything from circus workers to vertigo to brewers to breast feeding to Korean clergy to lost keys.  If you’ve got a problem, there is saint for it. 

I decided that her idea was so good, that my desktop now also adorns some of my favorite such images.  And I haven’t lost my keys since.