A day for candles and silence

Every now and then I use only lit candles for light and am silent for the day.

It's a great way to center and focus on what's really important, reflect on whatever needs to be contemplated, rejuvenate my creative juices as well as reset telepathic communications channels with my pets - the way most animals connect with each other.

I'll never forget the day I told my friend Marlene that I was a little irritated when one of my actors told me what a "character" I am. As in, unusual, "special," genius-type eccentric, something like that.

What? I tend to think of myself as .. as .. well, normal. In a very expressive, artistic sort of way.

When we finished our conversation, she asked what I was doing the rest of the day. I said I was going to be silent so I could reconnect with my pets telepathically.

She blinked. Stared at me and said, "You think you're not at all unusual and you're going to spend the day talking with your animals telepathically??"

OK, she has a point.

One.

But Mistletoe, my little white Pomeranian, did tell me she was taken from her mother too soon, and sure enough, I found out she was! She also kept rubbing me with her paw in the exact location it was discovered I had cancer. Hmph. Tell me you can't learn something by listening to animal vibes... uh-huh...

And remember how antsy everyone was just before that earthquake...

But I digress.

Silence is also important when one is trying to recover from a cold and sore throat I contracted going over the river and through the woods to my parent's place for Thanksgiving.

Especially when I have an extended recording session tomorrow at Steve Mitchell's sound studio! I'm recording a book I wrote and a song for Kelli and Brian's baby Brock, which is due to arrive any day now.

I must save my voice!

I'm not sure how I'll coach tomorrow before the recording session without speaking, but I'll figure something out. Write notes? Faux sign language? Shadow figures? Hmmm. I only know how to make a shadow dog and duck.

In fact, once upon a time, I had a "great" idea for starting a shadow watchdog business. I figured I would sit in a house (for major bucks) with the lamp light facing a large curtained window and play sounds of a big dog barking while using my shadow hand reflection to imitate a dog barking ...

Think of it. No dog poop, no chance of "accidents," no shedding fur on your couch, no muddy paw prints on your rug, no chance of your faux watch dog (me) chewing your good shoes...

;-)

I kid. I kid.

Speaking of pets, I should rename them all Velcro these days because they can't seem to be close enough to me 24/7. Apparently with the changes of the past months, they are a little clingy and need lots of hugs - which I'm happy to give them, but wow. Every time I turn around, move or sit down, there's an army of animals seeking to be held and cuddled.

Usually only Oscar - my other (sage colored) Pom - rushes into the bathroom with me. Now it's him, Mistletoe and my near 19-year old cat Cagney who all dash in, following my every step.

Seriously, every time I enter the bathroom now I even expect my little neon tetra fish to somehow fly out of the aquarium and follow right behind them.

Now that would be bizarre.