Listen, do you want to know a secret?

I am skinny.

I live in a log home in the San Juan Mountains.

I make $125,000 a year.

Barack Obama is president of the United States.

No, I haven't been drinking. I've been watching the Oprah-endorsed DVD "The Secret," which is about the Laws of Attraction. All you have to do is visualize what you want in life and it will come to you. Like a runner visualizing himself or herself crossing the finish line first, you simply decide what you want from the Universe and imagine it.

Crackpot ideas? Maybe. There were certainly parts of the DVD that had me rolling my eyes and talking to the TV. But, overall, I do subscribe to the think-positive vibe, to the fact that we are all made up of energy, that mind over matter does work. There are some very useful things to be taken from The Secret. But to be sure, there are many eyebrow-raising moments as well.

But, I figure, a little positive thinking and visualizing never hurt anybody, right?

I am a size 2. I have to shop in the Petite section. Wow, a medium-size shirt simply swallows me.

Man, this feels good. Now if I can only do this without snickering.

Barack the Vote

It's official, he's in. Barack's speech was passionate and was met or interrupted with multiple chants and adoring catcalls from the crowd, to which he flashed those pearly whites in acknowledgement. He is clearly comfortable in front of a crowd, and confident. I liked everything he had to say. I liked the parallel he drew between Lincoln's House Divided speech and the work that is in front of any presidential candidate today: to erase some of the political party lines that have been drawn in the sand by this war and this administration. I'm so excited about Obama '08 that I was moved to buy a Obama lapel pin off his site.

Barack the vote people. It's time for change.

Mare, the Human Hockey Puck

Well, it was inevitable. My driveway has been a sheet of solid ice for weeks now and I have managed to navigate it carefully to put the trash can at the curb and retrieve mail from the mailbox. But this afternoon my luck ran out. Going down the driveway for the mail I was fine until I started back up and got distracted at Scooter taking a dump in the corner of the yard right next to the busy street. I don't like him so close to the street, especially with vehicles slipping around on the ice and I called for him to come and didn't look where I was going and I ventured out on the iciest part of the driveway as I walked back up and SPLAT! I landed on the ice and the mail went flying. I was okay though, just banged up my knee a bit. Stupid ice. When will this snow end? It's 8 degrees outside and snowing like crazy. I miss summer days and cold streams and wildflowers. Sigh.

So a funny thing happened the other day. A potential client called and asked if we could meet. I didn’t know him and since I live alone, I usually don’t like to have clients come over until I know them, but he wanted me to show him some stuff online, so I consented. But I had kiddingly told Jan the night before that she should call during the meeting to ask me if everything was ok and was he an axe murderer or anything. That way, if he was keeping me hostage or something I could send her a signal. Sort of like having a girlfriend call during a blind date to save you if you need saving.

Anyway, I was kidding with her when I told her this idea but she called me anyway. It was funny. I’m on the phone with her while he’s sitting next to me:

Her: Are you ok?
Me: Yes.
Her: Is he an axe murderer?
Me: No, not at all.
Her: Ok, I’ll talk to you later then.
Me: Ok, bye.

For some reason, that was just very funny to me. Anyway, the meeting went well. I didn't end up in a million pieces in his trunk AND I think I might get his business.