Heads up people, we’ve got a bumpy month ahead. Not only will Mercury be Retrograde for most of the month, but we have TWO Eclipses in March as well. Expect the Unexpected! Slow your Roll! And most of all, Don’t Forget to Breathe.

Astrology is a very precise science. It studies cycles by observing the movements of planets and their relationships to each other. Evidence of astrological teachings have been found in civilizations that date back to 3000 B.C., and the modern version of astrological interpretation (the zodiac as we know it) emerged in 180 A.D. A system of thought would not have endured over centuries if it was completely baseless. As “out there” as it may seem to some, astrology is a valid tool to understanding our world.

I began studying astrology about five years ago, and I’ve seen it in practice. I’ve tested the theories. I apply it to my life. When done properly, it can quite illuminating. I find it funny how many of my friends actively seek me out for astrological consultations, lol, like I’m an expert or something. As I’m always saying, “I’m not an astrologer, I just have all the right sites bookmarked.” Well now I have this blog as a way to share what I know with you guys. And maybe we can all make it through the astrological storms a little easier.

First, I highly recommend everyone read their monthly horoscopes at AstologyZone.com. Susan Miller is the bomb and her stuff always resonates with me. Be sure to read for your Sun Sign and Rising Sign too. (If you don’t know your rising sign, leave a comment/email me and I’ll help you figure it out.)

Second, Mercury is Retrograde all month. Mercury retrograde tends to cause malfunctions and miscommunications of epic proportions. All things that fall under Mercury’s rule (communication, transportation, travel, technology/electronics) start to short-circuit and break down. Computers crash, cars break down, we lose things, we have terrible arguments with our loved ones — feel free to blame it all on Mercury Retrograde. Don’t make any major decisions or purchase while Mercury is Retro — when it goes direct, chances are you will second-guess your decision. They say the amount of time Mercury spends in retrograde motion corresponds to the amount of time human beings spend asleep. Mercury Retro FORCES us to slow down, even though we’re socialized to “go go go, faster faster.” The best use of a retrograde period is to sync up with the energies… Draw inward, engage in introspection. This is not the time to barrel forward with new initiations, but rather to Review, Reflect, Refine, Reorganize, Reevaluate, etc. In general, anything with a “re” at the beginning of it is a suitable Retrograde activity.

On top of this, we have two Eclipses this month — a lunar Eclipse in Virgo on March 14th and a Solar Eclipse on March 29 in Aries. Aries and Virgo will feel it most, but everyone is touched by an Eclipse, either directly or indirectly. Eclipses bring unexpected events and force confrontations – the goal being to “unstick” you if you are stuck or stagnating. The harder you’re clinging to an inappropriate pattern/person/activity, the more powerful the Eclipses punch to get you moving on to a better place. That is the one thing to keep in mind during an Eclipse, no matter how painful or unexpected your Eclipse news, its purpose is to move you on to a better place. The Universe may be smacking you upside the head kinda hard, but it is a blessing in disguise.

I can’t go into depth here (I could go on and on about all this!), but if you want more detailed info on how to deal with Mercury Retro and Eclipses, informative articles are linked in the text above. Do your best to roll with the punches, it’s gonna be a bumpy ride…

Well, I’ve discovered another side effect of full-time writing — hearing voices in my head. Constantly. At the most inconvenient times. Dialogue, chatter, soliloquies. I cannot turn it off. Seriously, I feel like a crazy person.

This happens sometimes when I get really involved in writing. I spend so much time in this alternative universe with my characters, trying to get inside their heads to create rich dialogue, then somewhere along the way I experience an inversion and all of a sudden they’re in my head. The scenes are carrying on without me. In fact, my characters (Tony in particular) will not shut up.

Not that I want them to shut up. What kind of an artist consciously and willfully silences her inner muse? Talk about self-sabotage. But it does get to a point where it’s a bit much. I can’t just drop everything in the middle of the work day to take dictation when Tony decides he wants to be profound. Or when Faby decides she wants to cuss someone out. As much as I would love to just scribble all day every day, real life demands my attention. I can’t afford to be living in my head all day.

Apparently this is “normal” among writers. Hearing voices, that is. Wow, no wonder they lock themselves away in remote cabins, blissfully reclusive. One can only handle so much talking. Though I suppose I should get used to it and be thankful for the inspiration, huh? Otherwise I’d be complaining about my crippling bout of writer’s block, lol.

But I did get two chapters written this weekend, thanks to Tony and his chattering. I am writing this book ya’ll, chapter by chapter. Every 10,000 words is a milestone, and soon it will be done. For the first time since I started this whole life tangent, I actually feel like a writer…

Plans for the 2006 tour are shaping up nicely 🙂 I’m taking a month off this summer to do something I have always wanted to do – drive across the country. The purpose is 3-fold: 1) attend writing conferences in Dallas and Atlanta 2) promote my book by visiting bookstores, friends, and networking, networking, networking 3) experience the Soul2Soul encore in cities far and near.

For those that don’t know, I am a HUGE Tim McGraw fan. Since the Beginning. I frequently joke that I’ve loved Tim longer than Faith has, lol, and it’s the truth. I have seen him in concert 27 times since 1998, all over the state and into Nevada and Oregon, from the third row, from the front row, indoors, outdoors, in venues large and small. I have been blessed enough to have met him, not once, but twice. Call it an obsession, that’s cool with me. All I know is that this “hobby” has brought me some of the best times of my life, and brought me to some of my best friends in the world.

The first time Tim and Faith toured together was during the Soul2Soul tour in 2000. That was also the year I found the Board at mcgraws.com, my home on the net… I saw the show eight times that year, and my “Soul2Soul” summer was definitely a tour to remember. People always ask me – “Don’t you get bored seeing the same show over and over??” Hell no! Each show is a different experience, whether its because of the city, your seats, or the company. Also, as I repeatedly profess during any touring season – “There’s No Such Thing as Too Much Tim!”

When word broke that Tim and Faith were indeed hitting the road together again this summer, I secretly hoped my tour would overlap with theirs… Having damn near seen and done it all, I’m ready for a new concert experience. This year my goal is to see the show in different states. And as the tour dates are released, it’s looking like that will be fairly easy to do.

So far I’ve got Dallas, Nashville and Seattle locked down. The BEST part about seeing the show in other cities is that it gives me a chance to meet up with McFriends that I’ve come to know and love over the past 6 years… People I would never get to meet otherwise. As Jane was saying, the Dallas McMeet is going to be one huge Lovefest, lol.

I know, I know, some of you are shaking your head… The Money. And given my financial situation, perhaps a full-blown tour is a tad irresponsible. But you know what — I don’t care. I’ve even gone so far as to compile the Top 5 Reasons To Go For Broke Without Guilt:

5) Being on the road makes me feel alive (click here for Groupie Resume, lol), but I realize priorities shift. I won’t be able to tour like this when I have kids, so I’m determined to take full advantage of my freedom while I still have it.

4) I get to see/meet/reunite with my McFriends, girls I’ve met on the road or on the Board, my fellow groupies (some even worse than I am if you can believe that!). It’s like an annual family reunion. Good times are had by all.

3) Tim and Faith touring together is a rare and special thing. They show us what magic and chemistry is all about it, and proximity to their love makes people more hopeful and inspired. They’re good for my inner cynic.

2) You only live once. Tim had a #1 hit with the song Live Like You Were Dying which basically encourages us to live each day like it may be your last. Life is short. I want to make the most of mine.

1) It makes me happy. There are few things in this world that, without fail, make me truly giddy and happy. For some odd reason, Tim McGraw is one of those things. He just does something to me. Some things never change.

Like It’s My Last Yee Haw, ya’ll…

For those of you playing along, sorry bout the Cliffhanger… Peter thinks I’ve been watching too much LOST, LOL. 😉 Anyways, it was quite a day of moving furniture. To make a long story short, I need an additional 4 square feet to make my “vision” a reality. Halfway through the move, I realized I should probably just put everything back the way it was, but then that would have meant wasting my entire morning over nothing, and nothing burns me up more than time wastage! So I settled on this:

Though crowded, it feels more like a “downstairs office” now. There are still several feng shui problems (stuff on the floor, another feng shui no-no), so this solution is temporary. I’m still meditating on parting with one of the couches… We’ll see.

In other news, I’m fully immersed in WHEN LOVE and having alot of fun writing again (as opposed to editing). It is a totally different hat – I get to let my imagination run wild! So far I have about 10,000 words, and I’m shooting for 80,000. I guess that means I’m an 1/8 of the way there. Woot Woot!

Okay, I’ll admit it – I’m the stereotypical writer in the sense that I am prone to holing myself up in the house for days on end when I get into a “zone.” For the past three days I have literally set up camp in my living room. The comfy new futon I acquired on one of my many trips to Vallejo has only facilitated this laziness. As the long weekend draws to a close, I find myself in a bit of a dilemma.

My living room usually looks like this:

This morning:

Yes, that is a BED you see in the middle of my living room. I have a Feng Shui nightmare on my hands…

Feng Shui, to make a long story short, is used to create and maintain the flow of positive energy in a space. In theory, even “things” hold and store energy, and can contribute to balance or imbalance in our lives. One of the crucial elements of Feng Shui is to eliminate clutter. Clutter causes energy to pool and stagnate, and you want energy to be able to circulate freely in your space. Something needs to be done about this living room situation, pronto.

I wish I could just get rid of the new futon (which obviously I don’t have room for), but the problem is – I love it. So the only other option is to rearrange the whole room.

I stared at the room for a good 20 minutes this morning, and I think I have an idea. It will be a radical change, but it’s Springtime — Change is Good. Stay tuned to see the finished product…

Well it appears I have chosen to work out all this excess baby energy in my life by adopting another cat, lol. Of course I didn’t realize that on a conscious level until a few days ago, but it makes sense. I was fostering this kitten, previously known as Magnifico, until a permanent home could be found. Turns out that permanent home will be with me and Cowboy McKitty. Just what I need right, another mouth to feed…
So I’d like to introduce everyone to the newest member of my family — Jake (aka Jakey or JJ) McPaw. He is a very sweet (and needy) 7 month old kitten. Cowboy loves having a little brother, and the two of them chase each other around all day and night. It’s super cute. The initial adjustment period was a bit rough (Jakey likes to sleep on my head for some reason), but we’re settling into a little routine and I love my boys!!! Jakey keeps Cowboy occupied so he has less time to attack me, 😉 and they both love to cuddle with Mama, which makes me very happy… I may not be ready for a baby yet, but I sure do love being a Mom. Let’s just hope I don’t turn into Angelina Jolie and become a chronic adopter. Aw hell, who am I kidding – I am so on my way to having 10 cats…

Well it appears I have chosen to work out all this excess baby energy in my life by adopting another cat, lol. Of course I didn’t realize that on a conscious level until a few days ago, but it makes sense. I was fostering this kitten, previously known as Magnifico, until a permanent home could be found. Turns out that permanent home will be with me and Cowboy McKitty. Just what I need right, another mouth to feed…
So I’d like to introduce everyone to the newest member of my family — Jake (aka Jakey or JJ) McPaw. He is a very sweet (and needy) 7 month old kitten. Cowboy loves having a little brother, and the two of them chase each other around all day and night. It’s super cute. The initial adjustment period was a bit rough (Jakey likes to sleep on my head for some reason), but we’re settling into a little routine and I love my boys!!! Jakey keeps Cowboy occupied so he has less time to attack me, 😉 and they both love to cuddle with Mama, which makes me very happy… I may not be ready for a baby yet, but I sure do love being a Mom. Let’s just hope I don’t turn into Angelina Jolie and become a chronic adopter. Aw hell, who am I kidding – I am so on my way to having 10 cats…

Well, my turn as pseudo-doula has been completed, and life is slowly returning to normal. Over the weekend I managed to get back into my writing zone, and have resumed work on my next novel When Love Isn’t Enough:

When desperation takes a tragic turn, a chain of events unfolds that changes the course of all three of their lives forever. It is a heartbreaking tale of true love, terrible timing, impossible choices, and how you find the strength to go on when you discover that, sometimes, love just isn’t enough…

WHEN LOVE, the prequel to SOUL MATES, is a story very close to my heart. The first six chapters are done, and diving back in, its hard not to be transported back to that place and time. It’s hard to re-create it without re-living it… Hell, I even have an urge to take another “research” trip down to LA to visit you-know-who. Whatever it takes to get those creative juices flowing, right? lol

Remember when I was writing about Goals the other day? Well my new goal is to finish this entire book by June 2006. That will keep me on track to self-publish in December 2006, and I can spend the summer promoting WHEN LOVE while I’m driving across the country… The entire book is outlined and mapped out, so I think this is in the realm of the possible. Besides, if I’m going to be a writer, I better get used to writing on a deadline, huh?

Wish me Luck!

Well, my turn as pseudo-doula has been completed, and life is slowly returning to normal. Over the weekend I managed to get back into my writing zone, and have resumed work on my next novel When Love Isn’t Enough:

When desperation takes a tragic turn, a chain of events unfolds that changes the course of all three of their lives forever. It is a heartbreaking tale of true love, terrible timing, impossible choices, and how you find the strength to go on when you discover that, sometimes, love just isn’t enough…

WHEN LOVE, the prequel to SOUL MATES, is a story very close to my heart. The first six chapters are done, and diving back in, its hard not to be transported back to that place and time. It’s hard to re-create it without re-living it… Hell, I even have an urge to take another “research” trip down to LA to visit you-know-who. Whatever it takes to get those creative juices flowing, right? lol

Remember when I was writing about Goals the other day? Well my new goal is to finish this entire book by June 2006. That will keep me on track to self-publish in December 2006, and I can spend the summer promoting WHEN LOVE while I’m driving across the country… The entire book is outlined and mapped out, so I think this is in the realm of the possible. Besides, if I’m going to be a writer, I better get used to writing on a deadline, huh?

Wish me Luck!

At 12:40 pm today, we welcomed Isabel Charlize Santillan into the world 🙂 6 perfect pounds and 1 perfect ounce. Dena was a trooper and the delivery went off without a hitch. Things got a little intense after the delivery with some complications, but the doctors did their thing and mama and baby are fine…

I’ve seen a lot of cool things in my life, but watching Isabel being born is definitely one of the coolest. Watching the birth of a child is to witness a miracle. I’m not going to lie — I almost fainted when the whole thing first got started… But once I recovered from that and got my bearings, I was sucked into this incredible journey that I feel so honored to have been a part of. I will never forget how it felt to be huddled around Dena expectantly, watching in awe at her strength and grace as she brought her child into this world… How crazy it was the first time we saw Isabel’s head (a FULL head of hair, might I add), and then even crazier after that final push when her tiny little body came spilling out, placed immediately on mama’s chest, mother seeing daughter for the first time… Hearing Isabel’s first cry fill the room was the most surreal, emotional, joyful, magical moment I’ve ever experienced. Isabel was looking around and totally alert from the moment she was placed on Dena’s chest, taking it all in, responding to the sound of her daddy’s voice as the doctors took care of the placenta problem…

Keeping Isabel company while Daddy tended to Mama’s recovery, I couldn’t help but marvel at how perfect this child is. Just hours into her life and I’m staring down at her realizing I am beholding the purest thing in the world — a newborn. Pre-socialization, sans memories, a soft, smushy bundle of uncorrupted lifeforce energy and sheer potential. Amazing. And you know what? There is nothing softer than a baby’s skin. Nothing.

Happy Birthday Isabel Charlize! Auntie Steph loves you!!!