Otis Redding wrote and recorded this song in 1967 (along with Steve Cropper). It was released as a single in early 1968, about a month after Otis and members of his band were killed in a plane crash. Otis had the idea for the song while he was staying on a houseboat in the San Francisco Bay, after his appearance at the Monterey Pop Festival, inspired by watching the ships come in and out of the Bay. The song hit number one, and won two Grammys. Many artists have recorded cover versions, including Glen Campbell, the Drifters and Sara Bareilles. It’s also made its way back onto the charts in versions by Sammy Hagar, Michael Bolton and the Reddings (a group that actually featured two of Otis’ sons). I was inspired to include it in my Psychic Jukebox deck, for the Seven of Pentacles. To me, it’s about relaxing after you’ve done whatever you can do, and allow the Universe to take it from here. And it’s inspired me to create a new deck, the first one Psychic Tapestry is offering for sale! Like Otis’ song, I have often found peace near the ocean. It’s comforting, and so much more. I feel renewed after spending some time gazing into the ocean. Healed in many ways, with a restored sense of hope. And that’s what I hope to covey in this new deck. I call it Ocean Therapy, and it’s a very simple deck to use. There’s no book, and you don’t have to learn anything or have any previous card-reading experience. Each card has a picture of the ocean, and a simple word or group of words. That’s it. The rest is up to you. You can pull as many cards as you like, from one to one hundred and eleven. Yes, one hundred and eleven. I felt that a deck inspired by the ocean should be massive. Like the ocean. If 111 cards seems too big for you, I’ve also broken it down into two smaller decks of fifty-six cards each. The two smaller decks are completely different, each made up of one-half of the cards in the larger deck. Accept for one. Each of the smaller decks also has one card in common. You can use any of the decks by themselves, or with other decks you already have. That’s also for you to decide. The big deck, as well as the two smaller decks, will all be available in September. If you’d like to be one of the first to get one, you can pre-order them HERE or over on Etsy HERE. There are many more Psychic Tapestry decks in the works, and while none of the others are close to ready, here’s a little tease of the next two, which I hope will be available in October. Those are rough draft images, but you get the idea. My goal in all of this is to continue to spread hope and healing, and if you decide to pick up one of these decks, that’s what I want you to find. For more hope and healing, here is Otis Redding with “(Sittin’ On) The Dock of The Day”…
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Elvis recorded this song in the summer of 1961. It was a modest hit, for Elvis, reaching number fifteen on the charts. And it was featured in the King’s movie of the same name. It’s only about a minute and a half long, but it’s still one of my favorite Elvis songs. I think the point of it, just from that simple three-word title, is what’s so important. And it seems pretty obvious, doesn't it? But time and time again, we find ourselves with roadblocks, many of our own creation (whether we want to admit it or not), that keeps us from following our dreams. And when someone else is able to follow their dreams, rather than celebrate them and their success, much of the time, we find ourselves envious. Sure, if someone had left me a lot of money, I could've done or achieved that. Or if I knew the right people. Or had been at the right place at the right time. On and on and on. If you’re waiting for any of those other pieces to fall into place for you, you could find yourself waiting a long time. And that’s really true of so much in life. If you spend your time waiting for everything to be perfect, you could wind up missing out on, well, everything. Everything that matters, anyway. My wife is a wonderful example of someone who followed her dreams. She recently wrote a blog about celebrating the fifth anniversary of her first book, which coincided with the release of her latest novel, her thirteenth. She has a wonderful story about meeting Ray Bradbury, and how he inspired her, and continues to inspire her as she continues to follow her dreams. I encourage you to check out her latest blog, which you can find RIGHT HERE! I am so proud and excited to be close enough to witness Lisa reaching her dreams! It’s truly a wonderful gift. Just five short years ago, she was unpublished, and less than a month ago, one of her books (“Harvest Moon”) won a PRISM award at the recent Romance Writers of America conference. Since I was around for Lisa’s journey, I can tell you that it wasn't easy, nothing was dropped in her lap and no one leapt in to help her. It was all her. Her determination, her work, her blood, sweat and tears. I don’t think she wants to be world-famous, or to be Trump-rich. I think she enjoys writing, and wants to be able to continue to do that, sharing her stories with as many as possible (and hoping they enjoy them almost as much as she enjoyed writing them). It’s funny, but when we talk about dreams, I find that many people haven’t figured out what theirs are, yet. I think that’s why so many seem to be at loose ends, not really sure if this is the right job, or if there’s another they’d like better. I’d just suggest taking some time, it doesn't have to be a lot of time, and think about what would make you happy. What do you enjoy doing? If money were no object, what would you like to do with your life? I know it’s a big question. But it’s really hard to follow your dreams if you don’t know what they are. So treat yourself to a gift of time, and think about what you would like to be doing, or pursuing. And once you've figured that out, start thinking about what you need to do to get there. It doesn't have to be something that happens overnight, or even over a few weeks or months. Or even years. Try to do a little something every week (every day, if you can), to move along your path to your dream. And in another week/month/year, even if you aren't there, yet, you can at least pause to look at just how far you've already come! And for my wife, Lisa, congratulations on your anniversary and your new release! I’m looking forward to many, many more! And here’s Elvis, singing the title track from his movie “Follow That Dream”… This was a single by the Electric Light Orchestra in the Spring of 1977. It was their fifteenth single, and it reached number seven on the pop charts, making it their highest-charting single (and that would stand for two years, when “Don’t Bring Me Down” went to number four). It’s a song about communication, and I thought it an appropriate way to lead into some exciting news. I started Psychic Tapestry a few years ago as a skeptic. I wanted to believe, but I didn’t want to be tricked. Besides, nothing had ever happened to me and I had never witnessed anything happening to anyone else. Then, things changed (which you can read about in the ABOUT ME section RIGHT HERE). If you’ve listened to the shows with any regularity (and thank you to all who have), you’ve been following my metaphysical journey. Back when I started this show, I never imagined I’d be writing this particular blog, sharing this particular news, but here goes… There’s a well-respected site called California Psychics (www.californiapsychics.com). There are lots of websites offering psychic readings, but this one is one of the few that has consistently gotten good reviews. The folks at California Psychics have reached out to me and asked me to help them launch a new site, Psychic Encounters (www.psychicencounters.com). Pretty cool huh? One of the things I love about Psychic Tapestry is that it allows people to get some spiritual assistance and guidance at no cost. Everyone doesn't get that chance, as the shows are only two hours long, but I feel like the people who need it most are the ones that get through. And while there are many psychics available on California Psychics, some just can’t afford to get readings there. It makes sense, as the Psychics there have lots of experience and it stands to reason you’d pay more for that. Psychic Encounters has gathered together a couple dozen psychics who are ready to help you for a very affordable price. And there is almost always at least one person there that’s available and ready to help you. I know this probably sounds like a pitch for this website, and to a degree, it certainly is. But it’s also a way for me to convey my excitement at being asked to be a part of something pretty special. So if you can’t get through to one of Psychic Tapestry’s shows, or you’d like something a little more private, click on over and give me a call! One note, though. If you do head over to the Psychic Encounters website looking for me, you’ll find me listed as Scott. Someone else also has my first name, so I used my middle name, instead. You can go directly to my page if you’d like by clicking RIGHT HERE! Or you can just click HERE to see everyone on their site and pick whoever you feel good about. Thank you so much for tuning into the show, and following along with my journey (whether you’re here for the first time, or you've been here all along, or you’re somewhere in between). And if you were around in the 1970’s, or are just a fan of E.L.O., here’s the video for their song, “Telephone Line”… This was Johnny Cash’s first number one hit, back in the Spring of 1956. In fact, it was number one on the country charts for six weeks. It even crossed over and became a Top Twenty hit on the pop charts! Cash says he wrote it as kind of a pledge of devotion to his new wife (a marriage that lasted just over ten years). It’s about honesty, trust and love. It’s also one of the cards in my Psychic Jukebox Deck. Justice. And I’ve been thinking about that a lot this week, for very personal reasons. My nephew-in-law was killed by a drunk driver a couple years ago, just two months shy of his 21st birthday. The trial for that drunk driver finally started this week, which would have been his 23rd birthday. It seems like a pretty open-and-shut case to me. And while I won’t go into all the details here, this wasn’t the driver’s first offense. The prosecution has witnesses and blood-alcohol info. Many of my friends have sent me kind messages, praying that justice will be served. And while I sat in the courtroom this week, I wondered about Justice. What would that look like in this case? Nothing will bring my nephew-in-law and his girlfriend back. No amount of money. No amount of punishment for the accused. No amount of anything. Do I want this driver to rot in jail for the rest of his life? Essentially losing his life for the lives he took? I’m not proud of it, but part of me really wants him to suffer. He caused so much pain for so many people that he never met. I want him to feel that. I want him to lose his freedom, his hope, his dreams – everything. And what will that accomplish? Maybe putting him away will protect the rest of us. He obviously isn’t learning anything about drinking and driving, since he’s already had a DUI. He’s a menace, isn’t he? My nephew-in-law was not a saint. And neither is this guy, who was his friend. And while the driver is a little older than my nephew-in-law, he’s still so young. Is putting him in jail for the rest of his life the answer? Should he lose everything for making a couple really, stupid mistakes? Is there any hope he can turn his life around and be a productive member of society? Is essentially taking his life, or at least the bulk of it, is that Justice? Sadly, I don’t know what the answer is. And while the specific circumstances of all this may be unique to me, there may be some reading this who are asking the bigger question, too. What is Justice? Is it an eye-for-an-eye? Is it some kind of punishment that fits the crime? Is it a second (or third) chance and the hope that the lesson is learned? Realistically, I don’t think the driver in this case has learned anything. And it would truly be horrible if he were released, and something similar, or worse, happened again. Sad that someone so young has thrown their life away. We all make our own decisions – some good, and some not. And maybe this is just some kind of wake-up call. Maybe we all should be a little more honest and think about what we’re doing and what we’re saying, and how it will affect others. Maybe if we all can do that, maybe that’s what Justice is. There's not a particular song for this blog. I just thought it might be interesting to share something. I know many psychics, mediums, communicators, readers, etc. who have elaborate altars. They have crystals and candles there, as well as other significant items. No two are the same. The purpose is to create an environment solely dedicated to "doing the work", as they say. A designated area for meditation and connection. And I don't have one. At least, that's what I thought. But I do almost all my work, and all my "work", at my desk. And bit by bit, all those things others might put on an altar, well, they've wound up around me at the area where I do everything, from my day-job to running Psychic Tapestry. I do reading there, for myself and others, and I meditate and receive messages there. So even though there's a computer (two, actually), along with other trappings of technology, there are some other significant items that aid me in doing what I do. For example... Just to the left of my keyboard is my pendulum for Parker, my primary guide. His is the red stone. The other pendulum is what I refer to as my toll-free line. It's not designated for anyone in particular, but if I sense someone around, I can use that for communication if I need to. Above that... Dean, Sammy and Frank always have wise words. I should listen to them more. Elsewhere... From left to right, that's a Beatles Blue Meanie with a Mannheim Steamroller ornament, a small photo of my grandfather at the edge of my keyboard, and an unopened pack of Michael Jackson trading cards. How could I not feel surrounded by love? And finally, atop one of my computer towers... A USB Christmas tree and Santa on a NYC taxi!
I know it's all a bunch of sentimental memorabilia, but for me, it is a constant source of positive energy, every way that I look. There's more, of course, but this gives you a bit of an idea of what it looks like behind the scenes during the show. And for those who don't have an altar because they don't know how to make one or what should be there, I hope this help you realize that there really aren't any rules. Whatever works for you, whatever makes you feel the positive energy and the love, that's what's right for you. This song came up on the show tonight, and I thought it was a good message to pass along. Chico Marx didn't write this song, and probably didn't perform the most popular version. Wikipedia says: The music was composed by the Czech musician Jaromír Vejvoda in 1927. Eduard Ingriš wrote the first arrangement of the piece, after Vejvoda came upon the melody and sought Ingriš's help in refining it. At that time, it was played without lyrics as Modřanská polka ("Polka of Modřany"). Its first text was written later (in 1934) by Václav Zeman – with the title Škoda lásky ("Wasted Love"). Liberace, Bobby Vinton and the Wiggles have all had success with it. But I picked Chico's version above all others. Chico Marx wasn't known as a musician. He was part of a comedy team with his brothers, and that's how he's remembered. But he (and the others) were gifted singers and musicians. The video below is a clip from the Marx Brothers' movie "A Night In Casablanca". And while "The Beer Barrel Polka" encourages us to have fun, this video shows a little more. I think the message here is to have fun doing something you love to do. Maybe you can't do that for a career (at least not at the moment), but don't deny yourself that joy. So here's a smile for you from Chico, and I hope you make some time to have some fun doing what you love!
and stop smoking, I wish you tremendous success. And I hope my earlier comments don’t discourage you. Everyone approaches these kind of things in their own way, so if a New Year’s resolution works for you, that’s awesome and I wish you all the best! There is actually something I want to start doing today, but I don’t think it’s really a resolution. It seems like there’s a lot of anger and fear out there. And it also seems like most of us want to do something to make the world a better place, but the thought of it is overwhelming. We don’t know how or where to start. So here’s my little plan. I’m going to begin posting something good every day right here in the WHAT’S NEW section (and also on Facebook, Twitter and Pinterest). My goal is to do my part in combating all the negativity that’s out there, and with a little luck, offer up a little hope and inspiration. I believe people are mostly good, and I think there are lots of stories out there that underscore that idea, but there’s no sex, violence or political outrage attached to them, so we don’t often hear about them. I’m hopeful that the stories I post will make someone’s day a little brighter. And maybe someone will share that story and brighten someone else’s day. And maybe someone else will do the same. And maybe someone will see one of these stories and think, “I can do that!” And maybe they’ll take that inspiration and do something similar in their community. We all think about doing good things and making a difference around Christmas time. Maybe we can do that, and not just at Christmas. But we have to start somehow and somewhere. And here’s where I’m starting. I’m going to share stories highlighting people who are doing something inspirational, or helpful, or just something good. I hope you like them. If you’re occasionally moved by one of them, I hope you share it. Once we start sharing these kinds of stories, maybe we’ll get inspired to copy them and start making our own stories to share. And, as simple as all that sounds, that’s how we change the world.
I know I caught myself doing this, and I fought it as best I could. I didn’t want to miss Christmas while I was too busy getting ready for it, only to pause to catch my breath the day after, realizing I’d missed it. Again. I know some who spend so much time getting ready for it, that when Christmas finally arrives, they’re worn out, and the next day (and for days after), they have almost a post-partum depression. And this doesn’t only apply to Christmas. I think we all spend so much of our time preparing and planning for the next big thing, that we miss out. We’re so focused on getting to tomorrow that we miss today. And then we feel bad, or guilty, about missing so many today’s that we don’t enjoy the tomorrow we were striving for. I wish I had an answer to give you, some one-size-fits-all solution. But we’re all different, and our circumstances our different, and what works for me may not even apply to you. I can tell you what I’m going to do today, and maybe you can use it or alter it for yourself. I’m going to slow down. I’m going to turn off this laptop, the Internet, Facebook, Twitter, etc. I’m going to enjoy our tree, and listen to Elvis. I’m going to go out later with my wife, drive through Starbucks for hot chocolate, and ride around looking at the lights. The Twelve Days of Christmas actually come AFTER Christmas, so it isn’t too late. You haven’t missed it. It isn’t too late. You haven’t missed your life, either. I hope you have, and continue to have, a very Merry Christmas, and the Happiest of New Years!
As it turns out, this is a little of what I wanted to write about. As humans, for some reason, we try to make things very complicated. We can’t just enjoy the season with family and friends, we have to make gigantic lists of things-to-do, setting ourselves up for almost certain failure with too much to do and not nearly enough time to do it all. And we feel like losers if we aren’t able to manage it all. And if, somehow, we do manage to do it all, then we’re so exhausted that we miss what we were trying to get ready for in the first place. This isn’t necessarily about Christmas. We do this to ourselves all year long. We get so busy, we don’t take care of ourselves. Or each other. Sure, we try to. We seem to get this idea that if we’re busy enough, everything we’ll be okay. It’s like we’ve come up with a recipe for happiness, and “busy” is the main ingredient. I know I tend to do that. I’m always looking for the recipe, or the instructions. And that goes for almost everything. If there aren’t a serious of steps to accomplish something, than it can’t be done. Belief is like that. We want to believe. We want our loved ones to go on. We want to talk to angels. We want all of it to be real. It is. And all you have to do is believe. Seems too easy, doesn’t it? Yet, at this time of year, we expect this simple act of believing of our children. We encourage it, if not demand it. Santa is real if only you believe. Once we get older, we lose that ability to believe. In the past six months, I’ve done shows with a couple dozen different psychics, angel communicators, tarot readers and even an animal communicator, and all of them say the same thing – believe. I’m not saying all this, expecting you to swallow some myth on faith, just because I say so. Just believe in yourself. Trust yourself. Honestly, if you think about things for a moment, let yourself be quiet and still, you know what the answers are. Not what you want them to be, but what they really are. Love. Family. Money. Health. We don’t want it to be easy. We want someone else to tell us what to do. To guide us to make the right choice. To give us the steps so we do the right thing for the right reason. But we really already know. We just want someone else to say it. There are cat posters and memes all over that tell you to believe in yourself and you can do anything. And many of us re-post those things on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Instagram, etc. Somehow it’s easier to do that than to just believe. Don’t get me wrong. I’m not dismissing any of the guests we’ve had on the show. I think what they do is very important. Getting a message from an angel or spirit is a wonderful thing, and I’m not suggesting that isn’t valuable. I’m just saying we don’t have to make things so complicated. We decide we aren’t worthy. We decide it’s too difficult. We get overwhelmed. And we need to stop that. I know you’re busy, and I appreciate you taking the time to read this far. And if I may, I’d like to ask you to take just a little more time. For you. You’re awesome. You’re loved. And you are SO worth it! Believe it.
Not only was there no traffic, but there was no anything. For miles. In every direction. I barely even noticed passing into New Mexico, feeling a little like I was the last human on the planet. In those pre-dawn hours, this looked much more desolate. This was the first day of this trip that I didn't have a particular plan. I thought I would get to Phoenix in the afternoon, hopefully before rush hour. If I still felt okay, I'd press on. If I was dying, I'd find a hotel somewhere. Phoenix is big, and I didn't think it would be a huge problem finding a place with a vacancy. The sun finally came up, and I saw signs of civilization. I admit that because of Bugs Bunny, I was planning to stop for breakfast in Albuquerque. Just to be able to say I did. And since I was headed west, I could even say I took that left turn at Albuquerque. I'm sure people have stopped in places for worse, or sillier, reasons. I randomly selected an exit and pulled into the parking lot of a small shopping center. It was about 9:00am and I'd been on the road already for over five hours. So I treated myself to an actual restaurant, instead of drive-thru. The Owl Cafe. They were hopping that morning. Even so, I didn't have to wait long for a table for one. It was nice to think that the "table for one" days were coming to an end. The other interesting thing about the Owl Cafe was that this was the first time I had been anywhere that had Chorizo and Eggs on the menu. There's a movie called "Midnight Run" (Robert DeNiro and Charles Grodin) that's one of those movies my family really latched onto. It's a good movie, and really funny. It also has a lot of bad language, so if you don't like that kind of thing, you shouldn't watch it. Anyway, there's a scene where there's a discussion of Chorizo and Eggs. That was the first time I'd ever heard of it, and I'd never seen it on a menu anywhere. So I had to order it. For those who don't know, Chorizo is a Mexican sausage. It was good, and if you're ever in Albuquerque, I recommend the Owl Cafe. After a leisurely breakfast, I left the restaurant and saw that there was a Target nearby. It was a Tuesday. That was typically when new music releases come out. Yes, that's the actual Target at that exit in Albuquerque. I wandered over and not only did they have the one CD in particular that I was looking for, but they also had a second CD that I was sure wasn't coming out until the next Tuesday. You didn't think the Christmas music thing was something new, did you? I popped these two into my CD-changer and headed back out on the road. The new music reinvigorated me, and the miles flew by. The Grand Canyon! I hadn't even considered that! I thought long and hard about taking a side-trip. After all, I could still get to Phoenix by that night. But as much as I wanted to play tourist, I wanted to get to Lisa and California much more. So I passed all the exits and signs for the Grand Canyon and kept going. Gassed up again during a brief, cold rain in Flagstaff. I had thought it was always hot in Arizona. And a dry heat, at that. But I was lucky that this was the first bad weather I'd encountered on the drive, and it was brief, anyway. I was starting to think that maybe Phoenix would be it for the day. While I really wanted to get to Lisa, I also wanted to get to her alive. And I was dragging. I even started to convince myself that, if I stopped in Phoenix, I could still get up early the next day and be in San Diego by lunch, if not earlier. Then I talked to Lisa. And she told me how her mom (my future mother-in-law) had remarked that if I was going to get all the way to Phoenix, I should just go the rest of the way, since it really wasn't that much further. And there it was. I had to go on, now. So I got to Phoenix, and kept on going. I got around the city close to 4:00pm, so I was able to beat most of the traffic. I figured once I got past the city, I'd find somewhere to grab a bite and some caffeine. Unfortunately, once you get past Phoenix, there's not a lot. In fact, there were a few times, during that first hour after Phoenix, that I seriously considered turning around and finding a hotel for the night. But I kept going. And as the sun started to sink behind the mountains, I made it to Yuma, which is a small town right on the border of Arizona and California. I was so relieved to finally be in California! I wasn't sure what there was between Yuma and my final destination, so I exited and pulled into a Jack In The Box. How very Californian! There were even Palm Trees! With my body and my car refueled, I got back on the highway. I tried to pick up one of the radio stations Lisa listened to, but I was still too far away, so it was back to Brian Wilson and Brian Setzer. As I drove, I had that stereotypical idea of California that I should soon be able to see the ocean on the horizon. Crossing mountain after mountain, all I saw was more mountains. Then the sun sank and fog rolled in. Maybe it was a cloud. The elevation was pretty high. Exhaustion really started to take it's toll, and I found myself gripping the steering wheel tighter and tighter. It was almost like some movie, with the fog coming right up to the edge of the highway. I started to worry it would cover the road, and I'd wind up driving off the side of the mountain, never to be heard from again. That last maddening stretch took the better part of three hours. With visibility reduced, I couldn't drive nearly as fast as I wanted. But soon, the fog started to dissipate, and I saw signs for my exit. I almost couldn't believe that just four days before, I had been in Washington DC, and now I was pulling into the driveway of my new life. And now I find it hard to believe that it's already been ten years. I've lived in a lot of places. In part, because that's the nature of radio; you're hired to be fired. But I also did the math and realized that, not only is today the tenth anniversary of the start of my new life with Lisa, but this is now the longest I've ever lived at one particular address! San Diego. Where it's almost always sunny, except when we have a slight chance of a cloud. Ten years. I am so glad I finally got here. I've been fortunate enough to have gotten lots of hugs over my life, especially during the last ten years, but the one that I got that night, ten years ago tonight, was my favorite. Anyway, I hope you have something to celebrate today, and I really hope you have someone to celebrate with. And Lisa, thanks for welcoming me in ten years ago. And thanks in advance for the next ten. And the ten after that. Infinity. |
AuthorKen Kessler has always been interested in psychic phenomena, and like Mulder on the X-Files, wants to believe. But like most, he tends to look for, and accept, rational explanations. (More) Archives
April 2018
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