RICK MERCER AND HIS SWINE FLU RANT

ENJOY!

MERRY CHRISTMAS AND HAPPY HOLIDAYS

MERRY CHRISTMAS AND HAPPY HOLIDAYS EVERYONE!

ACUPUNCTURE

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"Acupuncture is the procedure of inserting and manipulating needles into various points on the body to relieve pain or for therapeutic purposes.^[1] The earliest written record of acupuncture is the Chinese text Shiji (史記, English: Records of the Grand Historian) with elaboration of its history in the second century BC medical text Huangdi Neijing (黃帝內經, English: Yellow Emperor's Inner Canon).^[2] Different variations of acupuncture are practiced and taught throughout the world.

Acupuncture has been the subject of active scientific research both in regard to its basis and therapeutic effectiveness since the late 20th century, but it remains controversial among medical researchers and clinicians.^[3] Research on acupuncture points and meridians is preliminary and has not conclusively demonstrated their existence or properties.^[4] Clinical assessment of acupuncture treatments, due to its invasive and easily detected nature, makes it difficult to use proper scientific controls for placebo effects.^{[3][5][6][7][8]}

Evidence supports the use of acupuncture to control some types of nausea^[9] and pain^[10] but evidence for the treatment of other conditions is equivocal^[3] and several review articles discussing the effectiveness of acupuncture have concluded it is possible to explain through the placebo effect.^[11][12]

The World Health Organization^[13] and the United States' National Institutes of Health (NIH)^[5] have stated that acupuncture can be effective in the treatment of neurological conditions and pain, though these statements have been criticized for bias and a reliance on studies that used poor methodology.^[14][15] Reports from the USA's National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (NCCAM), the American Medical Association (AMA) and various USA government reports have studied and commented on the efficacy (or lack thereof) of acupuncture. There is general agreement that acupuncture is safe when administered by well-trained practitioners using sterile needles, and that further research is needed."

From Wikipedia

JUST CHILLIN

--Hey Guys and Gals,

I’m sorry that I’ve neglected my blog for almost a year. I’ve had a lot on my plate; however, that’s no excuse for not keeping in touch.

I’ve updated all but one of the gadgets and widgets on this page (finally).

So let me tell you … This year has been stressful. “I should have visited this blog” … I know you’re saying those words under your breath. That’s okay, because you’re right.

That aside, I did manage to get out of town. Went to gorgeous Tennessee. What’s that? … You say it’s hot as hell? Well, yes you’re right … but it still is gorgeous territory; and in addition, where I was, it was peaceful and quiet.

If you’ve been following this blog, you know I love my peace and quiet. [In fact see a beautiful waterfall slideshow on Yahoo.

Anyway, enjoy the music, waterfalls, and gadgets and posts and I’ll see you later. Love ya!

HAVE A GREAT NEW YEAR!

CAN YOU DIG IT?!!!

HAPPY THANKSGIVING FROM YOUR FRIEND AT THE BIPOLAR ULTRA MELLOW LOUNGE

 

I wish you a safe and fantastic Thanksgiving!

While you're here, listen to some great music and explore the site.

WHAT'S THIS COLOR THING ABOUT?

Ok, Mellow Friends, … I promised you my thoughts about color and particularly on the psychology of color. Better late than never.

Most of us love the color of green, … right, the color of money; but how do we feel when we see green? There is that wonderful deep rich green that the summer brings with bluegrass, and then there's that stunning green that’s called emerald green. Who does not go bonkers over emerald green!

Well, Kendra Van Wagner, “Color Psychology, How Colors Impact Moods, Feelings, and Behaviors” says that green is a “cool color” … No, not cool as in “hot diggity dog that’s cool”; but, instead, she says this color can call to mind feelings of sadness or indifference. I don’t know about you, but the only way I get sad over green is when I don’t have green money. (smile)

We all know red is hot, hot, hot, … hot momma, hot chili peppers, flaming hot, stimulating hot. Yep, Kendra says that in ancient cultures, red was used to stimulate the body and mind and to increase circulation. Increase circulation? … Yeah, she must be referring to those hot chili peppers.

She also says that Egyptians and the Chinese, practiced Chromotherapy, or using colors to heal. “Chromotherapy is sometimes referred to as light therapy or colourology and Kendra states that “it is still used today as a holistic or alternative treatment”.

If you want to find out if your favorite color is popular, you can take her poll.

So what if color can affect our mood, our memory retention, and even our taste of food, … what are we going to do with that information?

Use it in marketing a product, coloring our bedroom a light blue, which is believed to calm, soothe illness and treat pain?

I always thought yellow was calming, but some chemotherapists say that yellow heals the lungs and increases energy levels. Ok, I’ll go with that, and the next time I go running (which is never), I’ll wear something bright yellow.
You with me?

What about that dark and eerie "black" color? Don’t we almost always attribute that color to dark forces, evil incarnate, or mystery, or the occult? Then why do I love to wear black? Since black is the absence of color or light, … could it be that I don’t want to feel anything when I’m wearing black? Maybe so, but we must not forget that black is also elegant.

Then there’s the range of colors. From white to the darkest blues and yellows, to the darkest reds and greens. Seems like you can go a little bananas if you start breaking all these colors down and trying to figure out just what would suit you on any particular day or any time.

Let’s just go with the flow. Why not just pick a color and then adjust to the color. How’s that for jazzing up your day?

Oh, and by the way, listen to this guided meditation with its wonderful use of color imagery, called "Guided Meditation For Spiritual Growth, Psychic Development"

POLITICS IS MY VICE!

Hey, mellow friends, I'm extremely political and can write for days about politics (and have), so I apologize for not having posted anything here for awhile. In addition, I've been working on a another website. Come and visit Clevelands Place of Dreams and Truth . I think you'll enjoy; and there are some great free benefits and free resources for Cleveland and Ohio consumers.

Hope you guys are feeling great. You just gotta love these summer months because of that whole "light affects your mood" thing.

In a few days, I'm going to post something on one of my favorite topics ... colors. I'm going to talk about colors and how they affect our mood. I did say that right ... mood and not moods? Anyway, that's what I'm going to do. Again, give me a couple of days ... Okay?

Until then, kick back and play with some gadgets on the site or listen to some really great soothing sounds. The free meditation session player is at the bottom of the page, and the music players are on the left and at the bottom of the page. Oh yeah, ... and don't forget the videos that are all over this blog.

See you guys later!

HOW THE STIMULUS PACKAGE POSITIVELY AFFECTS INDIVIDUALS WITH DISABILITIES

Social Security - $250 million: Veterans with disabilities and individuals who received Social Security Income and other selected social Security benefits will receive a one-time economic stimulus check. Vice President Joe Biden announced on march 26, 2009 that Social Security and Supplemental Security Income (SSI) recipients will receive their payment starting in early May. In a written statement, Biden stated that the $250 checks "will make a big difference in the lives of older Americans and people with disabilities - many of whom have been hit especially hard by the economic crisis that has swept across the country."

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Social Security Administration - $500 million: To be used to help the Social Security Administration to reduce the backlog and processing time for claims and appeals decisions. The funds will also help the Social Security Administration modernize the computer center.
Medicaid - $87 billion: The temporary increase in the Medicaid matching rates for states will help states pay for Medicaid services and preserve programs. Each state will receive a 6.2% increase of the federal government's share of Medicaid spending, and states with high unemployment rates will receive a greater federal match.

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Vocational Rehabilitation/Employment - $540 million: To be used by state Vocational Rehabilitation programs. such programs assist individuals with disabilities in obtaining higher education and jobs.

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Special Education: $12.2 billion: This includes $11.3 billion to be used by states to meet their obligations under the Individuals with Disabilities Act (IDEA) and $500 million for pre-school/early intervention under IDEA. IDEA mandates a free and appropriate public education for all children with disabilities, regardless of severity.

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Additionally, the ARRA includes funding to state and local government entities, businesses and communities for a wide variety of reconstruction and new construction projects such as the renovation and new construction of state and local government facilities and schools. State and local government entities and places of public accommodation and commercial facilities must comply with the ADA Standards for Accessible Design in new construction and alteration projects utilizing ARRA funds. Any construction and renovation of federal buildings and other facilities operated by federal agencies must comply with the Architectural Barriers Act accessibility standards.

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To learn more about where money is going at both the federal and state levels, visit the following websites http://www.recovery.gov and http://www.recovery.ohio.gov.

HATHA YOGA - FREE CLASS

HATHA YOGA - 43 MINUTES

http://www.yogayak.com/

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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o3kA7G3hZbg&feature=channel

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RELAXATION AND BREATHING

Relaxation and Breathing with Rodney Yee



INTRODUCTION TO PRANAYAMA

What is Pranayama? - Learn about it at:

Yoga.com

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mvdiMjSgItg

http://www.yogayak.com/

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AUDIO SLEEP AID

Hi Everybody,

I'm always looking for a tool or image or sound to help me relax. I just happened upon this really cool place on the "Net" titled "

Sound Sleeping". You don't have to buy anything; just choose and listen to the wonderful sounds.

SOUNDSLEEPING

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SLEEP

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FLICKR SLIDESHOW OF PEACE

Listen to sounds or music from one of the playlists on the left, or view this slideshow while listening to the free 14 minute relaxation audio at the the bottom of this page. You can also listen to some sample mp3's from the amazon player at the bottom of this page while enjoying this slideshow!

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Click center arrow to start slideshow. To pause the slideshow, move your mouse to the bottom left of the picture and click on the two bars.
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**To slow or increase speed, go to the bottom right corner. See the 4 arrows facing outward?

Click on the center of those 4 arrows ... you're now in full screen mode. By choosing options (upper right corner-in full screen mode), you'll be able to adjust speed, etc.

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http://www.geodon.com/b_AboutBipolar.aspx

IT'S COMEDY DAY!

Ok Mellow Followers, this is a special day ... it's comedy day. So enjoy part of your day with Cosby.

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COMEDY

USE FENG SHUI TO DE-STRESS YOUR LIFE AND CREATE HARMONY

Hello Mellow Followers,

My Mother who is 80 something ... ok, so I don't quite remember; anyway she is always talking about feng shui. For those of you who don't know what feng shui is:

"Feng shui (traditional Chinese: 風水; simplified Chinese: 风水; pinyin: fēng shuǐ; pronounced /ˈfəŋˌʃueɪ/ fehng-shway in English) is an ancient Chinese system of aesthetics believed to utilize the Laws of both heaven (astronomy) and Earth (geography) to help one improve life by receiving positive Qi.[1] The original designation for the discipline is Kan Yu (traditional Chinese: 堪輿; simplified Chinese: 堪舆; pinyin: kānyú; literally: Tao of heaven and earth).[2]

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The words feng shui literally translate as "wind-water" in English. This is a cultural shorthand taken from the following passage of the Zhangshu (Book of Burial) by Guo Pu of the Jin Dynasty

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When my Mother comes to my home, she immediately starts washing the glass on my entrance door, and wipes down the door and sweeps the entrance- way. You'll learn why she does this by viewing the last video.

Since, this is a relaxation lounge, the two videos following are feng shui music videos.

Sounds interesting doesn't it?

I've said enough .... time to immerse yourself in "feng shui". (smile)

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MEDITATION MUSIC - FENG SHUI-KOKIN GUMI-ZEN GARDEN



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Top Ten Feng Shui Tips from Elizabeth Chamberlain

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FENG SHUI BASICS

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DE-STREE WITH FENG SHUI

 

 

DE-STRESS WITH FENG SHUI ARTICLE

RELAXING IMAGES - WATERFALL

How do you feel when you see this image?

What thoughts go thru your mind?

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While your looking at this scene why not get a

Free 14 minute Meditation Session.

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It's called "The Secret Garden" .

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Your Free Meditation Audio is at the bottom of this blog page. Click on the link that says "Guided Relaxation Meditation" to Start the session.

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Listen to the Meditation Session by itself, or use your imagination and combine features. Example: Before the meditation session begins, go to the flickr slideshow (see Dec. 29, 2008 post) and choose a sound and open the slideshow in full screen. You can also add a background sound from the relaxation music player to the left of this page.

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To open a browser in full screen, hit the F11 key. Be sure to go back to normal screen later (just hit the F11 key again and/or the "esc" key.)

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Bipolar ,Bipolar alternative treatments, Bipolar definition, Stress Reduction, Waterfalls

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MELLOW FOODS

I want all of you to enjoy this “Ultra Mellow Lounge” … I aim to please; and … I did promise you (a few weeks ago), to come up with a list of foods you can snack on while enjoying your time here.
So … without further ado, we go in search of the most mellowest of foods … tantalizing, yet soothing, comforting to the soul and to the palate.

I think we would all agree that this perfect food should be light, non acidic, and doesn’t sit heavily in the belly.
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We’ve consulted the experts, and most are in consensus about our beloved fruit … the apple.

Whether baked or crunchily eaten, lightly sauteed with cinnamon and butter ... this yummy and mellow fruit is chock full of phytonutrients, helps fight chronic disease, improves memory and learning, and provides benefits that help prevent heart disease.

WOW! If that ain't an endorsement ....

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Hey gang, what about the often overlooked sweet, juicy watermelon. Let's smack on that for awhile.

Yesterday, I came across a website called, Ethnicfoods.com. I want you all to try this next selection. The food choice ... a Thai favorite ... yellow curry.

Ethnicfoods.com describes yellow curry as being "aromatic and mellow" ...

"Yellow curry is richer and creamier than other Thai curries, since coconut cream is used in addition to coconut milk." (Yum, yum) "This is done to tone down the spiciness of this dish. It has many Indian spices such as fresh tumeric, black mustard seeds, ground cumin, fresh nutmeg. It is also flavored with thai flavors of fish sauce, palm sugar, kaffir lime leaves, coconut milk and lime juice. "

Can we put yellow curry on a healthy whole wheat cracker perhaps?

What do you think? Does yellow curry get a "hail Mary" for adding a mellow experience in this lounge?

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Ok, I think we’re moving, yet again in the right direction when we examine the following delicacy for your palates to enjoy. I found this recipe at "EatingWell". ... sweet potato casserole. Now you might disagree that this is a delicacy ... but, who can fight with the sweet potato?

I welcome everyone’s opinion.

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TAI CHI FOR RELAXATION AND HEALTH

Ok, you've read my previous post regarding exercise. Dianne did a fabulous job explaining how exercise can stabilize mood swings. I promised you I would add my "two cents" ...

Well, a promise, is a promise .... "Mellow Followers", there is no way I'm going to "sweat to the oldies".

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You know me... right?

Now, I know first hand ... like Dianne said, that stretching is way, way, way super beneficial.

Do you know what's even better than stretching? ....

Alright ... here it comes ... yes people .... TAIJIQUAN (better known has TAI CHI)

Tai Chi is a gentle slow moving exercise for all body types and conditions. It consists of rhythmic, flowing movements and breathing to loosen every muscle and joint and release aches and pains. Research results show Tai Chi lowers blood pressure, boosts immunity; increases range of motion, flexibility, and balance; and reduces pain and bone loss.

Now I've got a surprise ... watch a 24 form

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TAIJIQUAN video. Enjoy!!!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rViOT701z5o

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Bipolar, Relaxation, Bipolar alternative therapies, Tai Chi, Stress Reduction

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EXERCISE HAS STABILIZING EFFECT ON BIPOLAR DISORDER

Dianne Hansen is the author of one my favorite blogs, .Enjoying Your Health Dot Com. [NO LONGER ONLINE]

Well, ... last week, she emailed me one of her articles.

Guys, I loved it; but, I was a little hesitant to publish the article... because all my "mellow followers" know, ... in this place .... relaxation is key.

I don't want any exercising going on.

My second concern, ... you don't have to be bipolar to be here. All are welcome. The more the merrier.

That said, when you leave this place, I definitely agree with Dianne on the importance of exercise in stabilizing mood. I'm going to throw my "two cents" in at a later post, but for now, ... I bring you her insightful article.

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Regular Exercise Has a Fabulous Stabilizing Effect on Bipolar Disorder

It's wonderful news that bipolar disorder can be managed! There is a lot of controversy in the medical arena concerning bipolar disorder or manic depression, and the labeling of bipolar has dramatically risen more than 4000% in recent years. (see Google Search to verify this statistic: STATISTIC).

But we all know a couple of things for sure:

...bipolar people have a special need to balance their blood sugar
...regular exercise has a balancing effect upon any one's blood sugar


It's not required to exercise a long time and it's not necessary to be extremely vigorous. Steady, regular exercise is terrifically beneficial and not hard to fit into your daily regimen. Be encouraged! Here's a relatively easy way you can improve your health and steady your mood swings. It's not lightweight news...

To help you better understand the connection between blood sugar levels and insulin and mood swings, consider these things:

...The hormone, insulin, enables cells to convert food to energy. When cells become resistant to the effects of insulin or they lose their ability to respond to insulin and the pancreas responds by making more of the hormone. This leads to overly high levels of insulin and glucose in the blood. Excess insulin signals cells to hold onto fat instead of using it for energy. It also leads to rather severe mood swings.

...But during exercise, the body transfers sugar from the blood into the muscle cells, where it is used as fuel. This process reduces the amount of glucose in the bloodstream. Additionally, regular exercise can improve the body's response to insulin. Increased sensitivity helps insulin perform its work more efficiently, and saves you from severe mood swings.
...So if you can't metabolize glucose/sugars or fats, your body and your emotions are in disarray. It's a natural malfunction, even though it's complicated. The inner workings of your body systems are amazingly intricate and interdependent...


Thank God there ARE some simple fixes, if you will employ them regularly!

Exercising is one of the simple fixes for blood sugar imbalance. Stabilize bipolar mood swings by exercising regularly. (How about 15 minutes of stretches every morning?)

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About the author:

Dianne Hansen has a flair for setting people at ease about themselves; she opens the touchy subjects of ill health and mental health. With expert advice and real live experiences, she leads you through a progression from health challenges into full strength and vibrant brain function.

 

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WHALES, DOLPHINS AND CHAKRAS

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My “Mellow followers”, in order to bring traffic to your blog, there’s a few things you’ve got to do … heck, there’s a lot of things you have to do.
I can’t remember how I found out about a "promote your blog" service called “Link Referral” but I’m glad I did.

Ah! … You seek to know why. …. Right?

Well, I’m hyper … Whoops! … Let me change that word… I’m …....mmm … ...can’t find the word.

Oh I give up … let me just say it. I’m excited, I’m psyched, I’m ecstatic! …. I found a fantastic website called “Blue Diamond Technologies” on a recent visit to, and search on, the “Link Referral” website.

The following is a descriptive quotation from Blue Diamond’s official site:

“Blue Diamond represents a dimension in time and space of immense love, respect, and celebration, bringing new technologies to dance respectfully in harmony with planet earth and its many life forms.”

“We produce visual, audio and other products to help people relax into their magical space of silence or heart or reverence wherever that might be for them.”

Doesn’t that description send “waves of light” dancing around your head?

Ok, ok … maybe I’m overdoing it; but, I’m going to let you see/hear for yourself.

I give you a clip from one of their DVD’s called:

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“WHALES, DOLPHINS AND CHAKRAS ” [This awesome video is in mp4 format. If this page takes a long time to load, you will need to clear your temporary Internet files and/or your browser does not support mp4]

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There's a link to Blue Diamond at the bottom of this page in my Favorites.

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You might also be able to see more of their videos too, under:

Relaxation and Egypt
[If you want to know more about “Link Referral”, click on their logo on the left hand side of this blog]

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Stress Reduction

COFFEE OR TEA

What does every mellow lounge need, for it to be successful?

Let's see, ... there's good food (we'll get into that at a later post); there's good music ... ok, got that covered; something to read or perhaps watch ...

What are we missing? ... mmm ....you guessed it ... something to drink.

Got me to thinking about what would be some great drinks to be sipping on in a mellow lounge.

Well, herbal teas come to mind; but what kinds of herbal teas ... if, in fact, that's what I wanted.

In my quest for herbal tea info, I found a few great websites for my "mellow followers" to visit ... check the following websites out, but come right back to the lounge (right click on the link, and choose "open in new window or tab" that way this blog remains open for you to come back to).

Better deal ... browse my blog first, then check out the other sites - (smile)

What are Herbal Teas?
Crazy for Tea
Yogi Tea
Mountain Rose Herbs

Got your herbal tea? Have you chosen a music selection or relaxation sound from one of the music players on the left? If you have, ... you're ready to start reading a few posts on this blog.

What are your favorite herbal teas? Leave us your comments.

Stress Reduction

DON'T FORGET TO SCROLL DOWN THE PAGE

Be sure to scroll slowly all the way to the bottom of the page. There's some nice treats waiting for you.

Also check out the archives (2008 and 2009) or you can search for things like "waterfalls" by using the "blog search box" at the upper left hand corner of this blog.

Tip: There's a music player (says "relaxation sounds") .. click on a sound, then read some of the posts. You can also leave this blog page open, and surf the Internet (use your tabs) with the music playing in the background.

[Hint, hint - at the bottom of the page is a gadget called "Oceans of Life". Click on the dolphin - surprise!]

Have a MELLOW day!