Of  the many things I noted in the movie, Avatar, is that the evil bad man is a shoot first US Colonel.  He is a money-over-humanity male character from Earth. while the Pandora and leading women characters,  play peacemaker or defender roles.

A female soldier dies trying to save the Na’vi, after changing her mind during her mission. She says, “I didn’t sign up for this,” and sick of the brutal murdering rampage, surrenders her life to protect the “savages” she was ordered to kill.

A female Na’vi, Mo’at, is the spiritual leader.   On Earth, women are forbidden to represent some religions.

The lead female, Neytiri, is a teacher, warrior, lover, and upholder of tradition.  She also falls in love with someone outside her tribe. That man, a cross between an Earth male and an native of Pandora, immerses himself in native ways and finds them not only better than his home planet, but worth fighting for.

A female is the scientist.  Augustine is compassionate, open minded, believes in learning the ways of a people rather than changing them.

A female is seen sobbing behind the MEN in Power, as they watch “Home Tree” blown up.

It has been reported that the character, Colonel Miles Quaritch, who drives the destruction of Pandora natives, whom he refers to as “savages”, is not how the US military views itself.

And today, the US military sent troops to Haiti instead of the food and medicine sitting in docks in Miami.

And in Massachusetts, it has been forseen that the man running to replace Senator Kennedy, rather than the woman, will be elected.

Earth remains unchanged.

One day someone told me they felt they shouldn’t write on my Facebook because they thought I would not want them to.  Are there barriers to communication we’re  not aware of?  What does “friend” on the Internet really mean?

I’m highly sensitive and always have been. I never believed anyone liked me, even as a child. I can pick out a “you’re odd” look from a mile away. I can tell when someone is standing next to me, thinking, “I don’t like her,” but they’re not saying it out loud. I can still hear it.

Being sensitive is hell when you join a place like Facebook or Twitter. I got into trouble in Facebook when I didn’t make someone my “Top Friend”. Well, for starters, I had no idea who she was!  She made a real stink about it, so I removed the darned thing altogether.

I have friends on Twitter whom I know in person too. Lately, I’ve noticed they ignore me. Why is that? Did I do something to tick them off and they won’t tell me?

There are definitely groups on Twitter where you’re included, or not. I notice that sometimes I’m included and sometimes I’m talked around as if I’m not there. I’m still here. I have feelings. I’ve noticed that you no longer think I’m cool enough to talk to in front of your friends.

The meaning of “Friends” has been wrecked by social network sites. Now, we get “Followers” that we can follow or un-follow. We can add friends we’ve never met, have any clue about, and feel pressured to add because they asked you to. And if we don’t add a friend, who isn’t really a friend but more like a complete stranger, we risk hurting their feelings or getting a bad reputation.

And another thing. I can’t stand being called “fucker” on Twitter. I’ve noticed that people talk to their so-called friends with a shocking lack of respect for them. When someone calls me a “fucker”, I un-follow them. When someone swears ALL the time online, I un-follow because this is just their poison and I want no part of it. I will never start swearing to be included in someone’s group because it’s not me. Why pretend to be someone I’m not?

I’m very selective about who I associate with. I treat my friends with honor, devotion and respect. The Internet is not a place for those kinds of friendships, at least in the way I define “friends”.

And that’s a real shame.

Yesterday I visited my eye doctor. I’ve worn glasses since I was 7 years old and contacts since age 25. Every time I get my eyes checked it’s expensive because my sight continues to get worse. Yesterday I learned that I’m now blind without correction.

For me, “correction” is equal to panic. I don’t wear just any old contact lenses. I wear bi-focal gas permeable lenses that let oxygen into my eyes. I’ve had corneal refraction done. I need reading glasses over my contacts to read, although it’s hoped putting in the new bi-focal in my dominant eye will decrease the need for reading glasses. My contacts are $150, for each eye. Every year. Because my eyes never improve or remain the same.

Since contacts get dry, and for things like surgery and bearing children, hospitals won’t permit us to wear them,so I need glasses. Since I’m as nearsighted as they come (My doc jokes that I’m the poster child for it), I require special lenses. They make what would be heavy lenses lighter for me. Rather than bi-focals, I get what is called “progressive” lenses, which take some time for the brain and eyes to get used to. For me to do something like watch TV, I must tilt my head in certain directions when I wear glasses.

My eyeglass lenses were $350.
Frames $175
Contacts $300
Eye Exam $100
About $1000, for just this year, so that I can see.

And even though we have health insurance, it doesn’t cover eyes. Apparently, being able to see is a luxury.

Sooner or later they won’t be able to help me anymore. It’s already getting funny. Like today, I got out of the shower and didn’t have my contacts in yet. I looked out into the bedroom and started talking to our Shitzu-Bichon puppy, “Kynya”. When she didn’t respond, I grabbed my glasses to see if she was okay.

I was talking to a stuffed dog toy.

The World Wide Web is where I conduct my business.  I stepped into it in 1995 and with each year I grew braver and more trusting.  I now regret making certain friends.  I know what betrayal feels like.  I no longer am willing to play in any social networking games because someone gets hurt.

These lessons I’ve learned:

1. The pictures a guy sends you from a dating site are not them or if they are, that was them 20 years ago.

2. Someone can sound awesome on the phone and write in a way that will sweep you off your feet.  They’ll tell you everything you ever wanted to hear.  Just remember. They will tell you everything you want to hear.

3. You can know someone for a dozen years online, work with them and network with them and wake up one day to find they were never your friend.

4. The Internet is not real life and you soon learn that once someone figures this out, all bets are off.  There are no rules and everything you ever thought was right and fair resolve to a big fat nothing if it lives and breathes online.

5. Some of my most dearest friends of all time were made online.  They enrich my life.

6. It takes years to feel comfortable enough to know someone you “met” and converse with only via the Internet.  As you peel away layers of masks, and learn of someone’s beliefs, fears, life’s journey and values, it’s possible to add enormous depth to online friendships.

7. If you choose to deny someone a request to “follow” or “friend” online, you can be bullied, stalked and harassed for the rest of your days.  Some people have to be accepted and don’t take “no” for an answer.

8. If you want to be famous online, hire a damned good law firm.  You’ll need them.

9. Step away from the computer.  If you have nothing to add to the Internet other than hatred, revenge, judgment, and insist on your way being the only possible way, you’re contributing to all that’s wrong with the world.

10. My children and family must not suffer for any actions that come my way as a result of my being online, regardless of whether or not I ever had any control over how people treat me.

If I leave my presence on the Internet, I won’t be missed after, oh, maybe 3 days tops.

That’s the most amazing lesson of all.

The morning of my 40th birthday, a crow perched outside my bedroom window singing to me. He woke me up, in fact. I laid in bed listening and wondered what message Crow had to teach me.

There is a passage in Medicine Cards by Jamie Sams where it is written:

Crow
Are you “cawing”
So I know
The secrets of balance
Within my soul?

Or are you sending
Your sacred “caw”
Just to remind me
Of universal laws?

I’ve studied universal laws for years. The Law of Attraction. Law of Duality. So many of them. Medicine Cards states that Crow is in charge of all sacred texts. I remember a dream in which I was taken to a stand that held a great book bound in gold, with a moving border. It didn’t feel heavy. The pages were blank. A voice nearby encouraged me to write into this book. I was so humbled, honored and scared, and then went into immediate writers block.

The contrary Crow is a rebel. Now, that fits Dancing Thunder! Was Crow waking me up on my 40th birthday to celebrate the power of the honored Rebel Yell? Was I going to start a riot? Dad once told me I was the angriest person he ever met. I didn’t feel angry. Was Crow trying to tell me I was still totally pissed off?

Crow is an omen of change. That fits turning 40. I’ve been making many changes ever since that sunny window birthday morning when Crow came to sing to me. Crow wanted me to focus on harmony and creating balance in my life. I wanted to connect with my own personal integrity and explore what living with it could mean.

That is how I came to learn that I’m too busy to hate. I just have no time to spend on it.

Isn’t it amazing what a bird can teach?