Yes, It Is The Magic Word

Tuesday finds me up a little early and ready for the day, seeking the promise of abundance in the deep purple that floats above the dim glow of shopping centers and traffic lights. It says offer no resistance to life, let things happen, embrace change and surrender.

This brings a state of grace, of ease, of lightness.

One thing I have found since realizing my destiny was to be exceptional is that when you base your happiness on your expectations you are never happy, when you do the opposite, when you are no longer dependant on things being a certain way, whether good or bad, you are no longer a slave to an idea of happiness. How to do this is the challenge so we must ask ourselves what is the best way to let go, to not expect certain things, either from life, from my kids or from the other adults in my life.

(An example would be expecting Amanda to let Cerise go to Karate on a day she has visitation. I should ask and not expect her to say yes, I should let the answer be what it is and not cause myself the frustration and anger of her standard response when I ask her to let the girls do something “It’s my time, why do you have to schedule things when I have them”.)

Happiness does not come from outside, it is within, like Jesus (or someone in the Bible said) the kingdom of heaven is within. I think most people miss this; they think that Jesus will bring them happiness, but what He said was that if you followed him, followed his example, then you would find happiness within yourself, calm, as he had.

Once we have done this then we can learn to dance in the flow, to whirl and twirl to the rhythm of life and not fight against the current that swells and ebbs in each moment we share.

It is not the world that causes our disappointments, it is our inner demons, critics or parents that like to tell us, “that’s nice, but…” Buts are for pooping, they are full of crap.

This is all done on, manifested on, a conscious level and permeates to our subconscious.

I am focusing on the fullness in my life, the abundance that will ever expand and help me to fulfill my purpose and learning to affirm that ;

I have plenty of time to do the things I want

I am creating total success in an easy and relaxed manner

I am relaxed and enjoy fulfilling my purpose.

To affirm is to remember my dreams and let their meaning be clear.

You have two options in life A) focus on your strengths or B) focus on your shortcomings. Failure is just a sign that you need to readjust and refocus your plan, not an end to the ability to achieve our goals.

Ask yourself what is the problem and answer it in the right way, by saying “am I doing everything I can to deconstruct and solve this problem” “What are the parts, what is the essence, what is the fundamental core that the rest of this situation stems from?”

Fix that and the rest will fall into place.

I am sensible and in control of my life and finances.

I am creating total financial success in an easy and relaxed manner, in a healthy and positive way, in its own perfect time and for the highest good of all.

To stand back, separate yourself from a problem, from your ‘self’, is a great way to gain the perspective that helps you to live a life that is free from outside expectations dictating your happiness.

Know your doubts and fear so you can affirm their opposite, the positive, the good, the half-full. It is alright, we are only limited by our beliefs and the critic inside of our dreams.

Our beliefs, right or wrong, good or bad, are not true until we make them true by affirming them, change what you affirm consciously and unconsciously and you will change the course of your beliefs and dreams.

Can you answer these questions:

“What is my purpose?”  This is hard, you may need to meditate on it, to mull it over, but the answer will guide everything you do and bring focus.

Next ask “What is a deeply satisfying life?”

Answer that and then all that is left is to design it, the blueprint to true success is within us.

Then finally ask “What life do I dream of having?” This is an extension of what is a satisfying life and will give you the tools to set goals which in turn make the blueprint.

You will get where you are going even if you don’t know where it is, but wouldn’t it be easier if you knew where you were going, to find the path of least resistance to your destination (destiny). The difference between destiny and fate is this plan.

The hardest thing I have found is fighting that voice that says “You can’t” (I don’t even like writing that) and it is best done, by me, in a calm way, by remembering that it is testing my faith in myself, that the voice of doubt creates a path of resistance and it is the path of least resistance that is the road I walk.

In Bucklands Complete Book Of Witchcraft there is a phrase “So Mote It Be”, that you say when casting a spell, I see that casting a spell is not the thing of movies, but rather a setting of your inner self on the right path, the path of least resistance and affirming it. You create the life you want by visualizing it, dreaming it, and affirming it. The rest begins to take care of itself because your are no longer fighting the world around you, but rather embracing it and becoming one with the truth of your dreams.

There is a great book I suggest you find and read called The Bhagavad Gita, it “is a 700-verse scripture that is part of the Hindu epic Mahabharata. This scripture contains a conversation between Pandava prince Arjuna and his guide Lord Krishna on a variety of theological and philosophical issues.” Reading it opened up parts of my mind that helped me see within every adversity is an equal or greater benefit and that problems are simply speed bumps that slow me down for a good reason; that within every problem is a oppotunity, a great gift.

See yourself as the person you want to be, where you belong and doing what you want to fulfill the purpose in life you have been shown.

Success only happens when you see it and place yourself in it, imagine it and allow it to manifest itself, it is the ability to learn new things and be challenged. Remember that luck is preparedness meeting opportunity. When we prepare, opportunities present themselves.

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“Jerry’s”

It was the only thing I could be sure of — a certainty in a life that had become lost in a mad rush to escape the past that held onto every breath. Before I gambled there was always hope, but after that first spin of the wheel I knew I was a loser and it gave me some strange comfort. I began to spend every moment I could at ‘Jerry’s’, it was dark and Lisa, the cutest blond bartender in South Baltimore, fed me Sierra Nevada drafts and shots of Jagermeister as long as I fed the Cherrypickers along the back wall of the bar. She had seen many gamblers come and go, but for some reason befriended me.

Jerry’s was a hole in the wall, dark and smelling of stale beer, dirty mop water and morality. There was a sad cast of characters from 6 in the morning until well after midnight. The jukebox played a schizophrenic mix of  70’s country, 80’s metal and 90’s dance.  The older folks liked the hits from their youth, the kids liked remembering the music from highschool. When you walked in there were two pool tables, then a large square bar that sat in the middle of the room. Behind the bar were tables to sit at and the poker machines.

I was always anxious when I went, either because I had money to gamble, was copping coke, or was fighting the nagging notion I should be at home.

Christian was the person who took me to Jerry’s the first time. He was a guy my wife introduced me to once when we wanted to get high and was always lurking. I had stopped gambling after Marybeth left me at the dive she worked in; it had been many years before that November night. It was his birthday and my wife wanted to hang out so off we went. It was an excuse, as if we needed one, to get wasted. After we were there about an hour, enough time to do a shot, drink a beer and snort a line of bad coke off the urinal, I placed my first dollar of thousands in the poker machine.

They’re illegal in Maryland, they even say “for entertainment purposes only”, but if you know the bartender they pay off. I won $50 that night for spending $10.  The next morning I was back, up early and playing again. By the time winter had turned to spring I was a regular, spending my days playing the poker machine, snorting crystal or coke, and getting drunk. I was there as often as possible.

 

 

 

Tomato Mint Raita

Tomato Mint Raita

This Indian dip or sauce is a great compliment to raw veggies, pita chips or on bread in place of mayonnaise. It  can be stored in your fridge for a week. Enjoy!

Ingredients

8 oz Plain Non-fat yogurt (or soy or coconut yogurt for a vegan take on it)

2 Medium Tomatoes, Peeled and finely chopped

4 Green Onions with tops, finely chopped

i Red Chili, seeded and finely chopped

1/4 Cup Fresh Mint, finely chopped

1/4 TSP ground Cumin

1/4 TSP Salt

Paprika for garnish

preparation

Whisk yogurt until smooth

Add all other ingredients and incorporate well

Chill for one hour to let flavors blend

Garnish with a sprinkle of Paprika

155 Calories per 1/4 Cup

Tuesday In Four Parts

I
Then what again is a poem;
somethiong carved
out of soul,
shaken from a swelled head, bursting
onto the page
in ink,
in blood.

I spoon fed her ice-
cream as we rode
across a terrain of hours;
past shuttered windows
that had no need to stay warm
or starving for answers,
too short words and backwards letters.
a silent road across forever
that could feel the eyes upon us:

they warned me of poison
headaches I can't kill to be lifted.
It doesn't need to be more
then love when you're with me
and you're leaving.

II
My skin will become dark if I let it
play in ink and newspaper. So join
the golf team or chess club
and feel the strain. Do
the rub. They say we grind now:
Think I better. Move to another.

These walls and floors are sterile
(I think he thought I might
not tell him) with blue speakers
in  the cornors and screens
in the windows. Just don't look
in, you'll be fine. Let this
be an answer when you ask
---I am the dancer behind your mask.

These halls are empty and tired,
worn with the help of morning
and the words that can't
stop moving like the four winds
holding Timet.  She has fallen
(come in, I'll show you).
We can hide in the cracks,
retreat back into the black.

III
I dream of winning the lottery,
1.6 million for twenty years,
and on my headstone "it's what killed him."

I don't live at home anymore, so far
the distance we must go, lost in autumn
where my father recoils to the crone's
breast and sleep. My doors close
as softly at forty-two, slightly cracked
to let a current into this still night
that again will return to dawn;
if we could only be that strong, in the cracks
of dark where we dwell. So much lost
youth clouded wisdom trying to control her.
Written in her bible, her stories, along
the coast and beyond the highland
on a backroad, trains skirt
along the distant plains, always
as far from home.

I dwell south of the sun,
where dawn hides, a garden blooming
in winter. She gave me silent rest
that is lost in the glare
of the harvest moon.

I dance down her path, I dream 
of the lover who shown
brightly past the dawn, wondering why.

IV
I'm hard as nails, the same
as before, fighting the same
ghosts that cry overhead:

How much is just surviving, not
satisfying the dry throat;
come and drink, tired one,
the silence so deep.

Maybe I want to
know how to stop
the tears and let the music play
away yesterday.

Secrets,
Sinking,
Nothing;
not a word for days.
Words get to stretch themselves out
and she doesn't speak anymore.

Tell me something
never heard before, on
and off; sitting
like a painting
posed too real, bruning
books, destroying
Words:
Instant satisfaction,
a prime reaction, but no

Love. Won't you say
"Well never walk alone",
a cold voice
on the telephone
I can't trust to pull me through.

Maybe you should
tell me lies
'I'll always be by your side
and up your ass'. Now I just don't

know, going back
into the past.

This House

This house was built in the 1950’s.  The street it is on was here long before the developement that rose behind it and the strip malls and gas stations that turned the highway from a lonely two lane road into a major thoroughfare.  The inside is newer then the out, but if you look closely in the corners and in the cracks along the baseboards you can see the ghosts of what was. No moviestar would have ever walked these floors, they were built for a workingman and his wife. 

At some point we gave up on farmland, paved the fields and built communities, cookie cutter houses almost stacked on top of one another. Many people came rushing in, good people looking for an escape from Baltimore and it’s surrounding neighborhoods, good people looking to let their kids grow up in a world that had slowly faded on. The rolling pastures, old oak trees, quite streams and animals hidden beneath were gone; that is the irony, the idyllic landscape they came to find had to be destroyed so they could build a home. 

If you listen you can hear voices on the wind, they speak of angels and farmers, retelling the stories their parents but whispered by candlelight behind the barn. Or inside a kitchen thats life flowed and filled the cold of bedrooms where they struggled to find sleep.  Life was hard, that gets lost in the image the pilgrims imagined, and the land was only willing to provide by sweat and tears. 

I came here for the same reasons as most but decided to stake my claim in what was old.  It was not to turn back time but rather to respect the desire to build something that lasts. Progress has given us a nice place to live and covered up the truth of the past.  In this house I find some semblence of a past I never lived, one my grandparents aspired to but is a foreign and fancied. 

Tomato, Orange and Tarragon Soup

This delicate soup is a great soup for anytime of the year, but works especially well in late summer when the tomatoes are fresh and full. You serve this soup hot or cold, depending on the season. It is a completely Vegan recipe, so everyone should give it a try.

Tomato, Orange and Tarragon Soup

Ingredients

1 TBLS Veg Oil

1 Med Vidalia Onion

3 Large Tomatoes (Heirloom are great for this), about 3 and 1/2 pounds, Large Dice

2 TBLS Fresh Tarragon, Chopped (or 1 TBLS dried)

I Clove Garlic, Fine Dice

2 Cups Vegetable Stock (or Chicken for non-Vegans)

1 Cup Fresh Squeezed Orange Juice

1 TSP Orange Rind

Salt and Pepper to taste

Method

In a heavy sauce pan heat oil.

Saute Onion until translucent

Add Tomatoes, Garlic, Stock and Salt and Pepper

Boil and then reduce heat and add orange juice and tarragon.

Simmer for 20 minutes

Transfer soup to a food processor and liquefy in small batches

Strain to remove any pulp

Serve Hot or Chill if serving Cold

Use Orange Rind as a garnish and serve with crusty bread

106 Calories per 1 1/2 Cup serving

Makes 6 servings

Kevin W Hogan– Realtor –  Member of The Paul Gillespie Team of Exit Preferred Realty – Through a combination of advanced search technologies and old-fashioned personalized service, he affords his clients with the highest level of service and is there for each step of the sale or purchase of your home. Specializing in communities in and around the Carroll County area such as Eldersburg, Sykesville, Mt. Airy, Woodbine and Hampstead.
Call Kevin W Hogan at 410-917-6116, and “I will take you home.”  Twitter Facebook Linkedin Google+

Homes For Sale in Sykesville’s Edgewood Neighborhood

Homes for Sale in Sykesville’s Edgewood Neighborhood

Edgewood is a neighborhood with Homes for Sale in Sykesville and Homes for Sale in Eldersburg area of Carroll County MD. that has mid-level single family homes. It is the perfect neighborhood for an expanding family or if you just need more space. The schools are consistently ranked high and there is shopping close by. The neighborhood is close to both Baltimore and DC, with quick access to Rt 70, 695 and 95 via Liberty Rd or Rt 32. Call Kevin W Hogan for a showing at 410 917 6116

 

Edgewood

904 Derby Drive Eldersburg, MD21784

$454,9004 beds, 2.5 baths 2671 sq. ft.mls no. CR8069840

You can View this Property, Get More Information or Schedule a Visit

Edgewood

781 Sussex Court Eldersburg, MD21784

$509,0004 beds, 3.5 baths 3859 sq. ft. mls no. CR8076483

You can View this Property, Get More Information or Schedule a Visit

Kevin W Hogan– Realtor –  Member of The Paul Gillespie Team of Exit Preferred Realty – Through a combination of advanced search technologies and old fashioned personalized service, he affords his clients with the highest level of service and is there for each step of the sale or purchase of your home. Specializing in communities in and around the Carroll County area such as Eldersburg, Sykesville, Mt. Airy, Woodbine and Hampstead.

 

Acorn Village – Mid-Level Homes in Sykesville, MD

Acorn Village – Mid-Level Homes in Sykesville, MD.

Acorn Village is a neighborhood in the Sykesville / Eldersburg are of Carroll County MD. It is one of the many Homes For Sale in Sykesville. Homes for sale in Acorn Village are great mid-level homes, with schools that are consistently ranked high. Set back against the scenery of the  Liberty Resivior, the neighborhood is close to both Baltimore and DC, with quick access to Rt 70, 695 and 95 via Liberty Rd or Rt 32. Call Kevin W Hogan for a showing at 410 917 6116

city:Sykesville;  subdivision:Acorn Village;  property type:Single Family Home, Condo/Townhouse

View Details29 photos

$359,9004 beds, 2.5 baths2455 sq. ft.mls no. CR8061775

Single Family HomeSet back off the road is this 4BR 2.5 bath Rancher w/eat-in kit/DR combo, spacious…Courtesy of Long & Foster Real Estate, Inc.

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View Details29 photosNEW

$396,9005 beds, 3 baths3146 sq. ft.mls no. CR7996107

Single Family HomeUNBELIELABLE PRICE FOR THIS FANTASTIC CENTER HALL COL W/4 BR'S UP & 1 DOWN, 2 FULL…Courtesy of Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage

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View Details30 photosNEW

$447,9004 beds, 2.5 bathsmls no. CR8082764

Single Family HomeStunning home in a quiet neighborhood. Spacious ML LR/DR, Sunroom & upgraded KIT…Courtesy of Long & Foster Real Estate Inc.

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Some of the streets in Acorn Village are Snowdens Run RD, Mineral Hill RD, Forest CT, Hanna RD, Forest LN, Monroe AVE, Red River RD and is accessed off Oklahoma RD.

Kevin Hogan – Realtor –  Member of The Paul Gillespie Team of Exit Preferred Realty – Through a combination of advanced search technologies and old fashioned personalized service, he affords his clients with the highest level of service and is there for each step of the sale or purchase of your home. Specializing in communities in and around the Carroll County area such as Eldersburg, Syesville, Mt. Airy, Woodbine and Hampstead.
Call Kevin W Hogan at 410-917-6116, and "I will take you home."

Blog Tag: Kevin W Hogan Carroll County MD, Kevin Hogan Real Estate, Kevin W Hogan Buy Real Estate, Kevin W Hogan Sykesville, Kevin W Hogan Acorn Village

Piney Ridge Village offers the perfect starter homes for first time buyers. Tons of room, great neighbors and top notch schools are just a few of the reasons you should look into this up and coming area of Carroll County. 
 
 
22 photos

$239,9003 beds, 2 bathsmls no. CR8051926

Condo/TownhouseFRESHLY PAINTED, CARPETED, LAMINATE FLOORING AND ALL NEW STAINLESS KITCHEN…Courtesy of Long & Foster Real Estate, Inc.

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View Details25 photosNEW

$239,9003 beds, 1.5 bathsmls no. CR8074600

Condo/TownhouseYou have to see this end of group townhome in Piney Ridge Village on a premiere…Courtesy of Champion Realty, Inc.

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View Details10 photos

$277,0003 beds, 2.5 bathsmls no. CR8059762

Condo/Townhouse!!THIS BETTER THAN NEW, BRIGHT, SUNNY HOME WAITS FOR YOU! GOURMET KIT W/ SS…Courtesy of RE/MAX 100

 

 

Kevin Hogan – Realtor –  Member of The Paul Gillespie Team of Exit Preferred Realty – Through a combination of advanced search technologies and old fashioned personalized service, he affords his clients with the highest level of service and is there for each step of the sale or purchase of your home. Specializing in communities in and around the Carroll County area such as Eldersburg, Syesville, Mt. Airy, Woodbine and Hampstead.

Call Kevin W Hogan at 410-917-6116, and "I will take you home."

 

 

Derby Farms is one of the Sykesville / Eldersburg areas most desired locations, set against the quiet scenery of Liberty Resivoir and just a short drive to the Baltimore Metropolitan area. These New Construction homes have all the amenities you expect when looking for a luxurary home.

View Details1 photoNEW

$569,9904 beds, 2.5 baths2320 sq. ft.mls no. CR7722535

Single Family HomeFeaturing 3 plus acre homesites that back up to Liberty Reservoir, Derby Farms has…Courtesy of RE/MAX Advantage Realty

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View Details1 photoNEW

$614,9904 beds, 3.5 baths2450 sq. ft.mls no. CR7893975

Single Family HomeWooded 3 acre homesite tucked away in beautiful Eldersburg. 1 of 10 sites. Great…Courtesy of RE/MAX Advantage Realty

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View Details1 photoNEW

$629,9904 beds, 2.5 baths2890 sq. ft.mls no. CR7892698

Single Family HomeFeaturing 3 plus acre homesites that back up to Liberty Reservoir, Derby Farms has…Courtesy of RE/MAX Advantage Realty

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View Details1 photoNEW

$674,9904 beds, 3.5 baths3377 sq. ft.mls no. CR7892697

Single Family HomeFeaturing 3 plus acre homesites that back up to Liberty Reservoir, Derby Farms has…Courtesy of RE/MAX Advantage Realty

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View Details2 photosNEW

$710,0004 beds, 2.5 baths2890 sq. ft.mls no. CR7964673

Single Family HomeFeaturing 3 plus acre homesites that back up to Liberty Reservoir, Derby Farms has…Courtesy of RE/MAX Advantage Realty

Kevin Hogan – Realtor –  Member of The Paul Gillespie Team of Exit Preferred Realty – Through a combination of advanced search technologies and old fashioned personalized service, he affords his clients with the highest level of service and is there for each step of the sale or purchase of your home. Specializing in communities in and around the Carroll County area such as Eldersburg, Syesville, Mt. Airy, Woodbine and Hampstead.
"Call Kevin W Hogan, and I will take you home." Call me at 410-917-6116.