HAPPY HOLIDAY WEEK

So the Christmas holiday is upon us and it is an interesting and different energy this year about the holidays than I remember in the past few years. Everyone is keeping spending down to a minimum and saying that spending time with the family will be the best part of the holiday. Isn't that what it is really all about. I mean, when did the Christmas holiday get to be so much about gifts and less about quality time spent with loved ones. I love Thanksgiving for that reason, just food and family and stories and celebration. It will be nice to get back to the simplicity that is Christmas. On the other hand, I love giving gifts. I love shopping for them and the actual giving part is the best, seeing my family and friends faces light up because I really put some time and effort into the choosing and buying aspect. I usually travel far and wide in search of the perfect gift for each person and spend a lot of time doing it. This year I decided that I was going to make everything happen here in Fenton. Not only will I be supporting our local economy, I will also be making things incredibly simple for myself. After all, I live in Fenton, MI and there is limited shopping here. I have 4 more gifts to buy and I am not sure what to get these particular people and I think that I may actually end up having to head out of town...on CHRISTMAS EVE!!! of all days. Oh well, I always have a way of making it all happen. If you are reading this, I hope that you find a lot of joy this Christmas week and through New Years and the beginning of 2009. Much Love.

One of My Favorite Moments

One of the greatest things about my work is being able to serve pregnant women during gestation as well as after the baby is born. There have been some really incredible women delivering babies lately and their stories are wonderful and amazing experiences that I hope to share with you at some point in the near future. I usually have anywhere between 10 and 15 women at any given time at all different stages of pregnancy. I hold all of them in my heart during this time however right now there is one that I am holding a special space close to my heart for. I recieved a phone call two weeks ago from a very frantic practice member that went in for a routine pregnancy check-up and they admitted her to hospital bed rest for the duration of her pregnancy which is at the very least 6 weeks. Now this particular woman does her absolute best to approach life vitalistically, and looks to do as many things naturally as possible. That was her plan for this pregnancy. Complications in the past has lead her to this bed rest period which is, in her case, probably the safest thing that she could be doing. So I have been able to visit and adjust her in the hospital for the past two weeks and have really enjoyed our visits. I have no idea if I am actually allowed to be adjusting in a hospital setting and I am sure that there would be ramifications if they found out...so I sneak it, so to speak. It is important for me to allow her to be at her best and whatever that takes I am going to do. I have been fortunate to have other things pulling me to Ann Arbor the past couple weeks but I will be there regardless. It is about service for me. This all is just about serving others. What else is there to do in life but to serve????

Choco's 1st 5K

Our great little city of Fenton has a Holiday Celebration called Jinglefest that happens the first weekend in December. For the past 3 years, my family and I get together and run it. It is great fun because it is cold and snowy and the nights always end up being perfect for a winter run. This year we had an addition to the running crew as Choco joined us. I wasn't sure if dogs were going to be allowed but I brought him anyways. There were about 200 people or so that ran it and 3 other dogs. In the beginning of the race Choco was really interested in making friends with everyone. By the time we were about 100 yards into it he realized that it was time to work and just got right into that mode. He ran the entire 5K right by my side and we finished strong. We have been on so many adventures during our first week, from riding in the car 4 hours one way to go snowboarding, play dates with new friends, a 5K, and a day with a friend of mine. He has been amazing and I am really excited that I will be able take him on my runs. I am looking forward to the time when he is ready to come to the Cafe of LIFE on a daily basis which will hopefully be just after the first of the year. This morning I dropped him off at the vet to get fixed which will hopefully take the edge off of his attitude that he gets sometimes. He is a great dog and we have had a lot of fun together and it has only been one week!

Choco is finally here!

After a month of planning and going back and forth about whether he was going to make it on the plane due to 2 feet of snow in Colorado, and after a 2.5 hour extremely icy drive to Detroit Metro Airport (normally 60 minutes max), I picked up a very terrified Choco and rescued him from his cage and all the craziness of the day. On the Colorado side, he just thought he was going on some great adventure. By the time he got to Detroit, he was convinced that he was never going to do that again. In fact, when he found out which car was mine, he made sure that I knew we were getting in it and going somewhere and never looking back. He also decided that once he was in that he may not get out of the car when we were home. What a funny dog! I am forever grateful for my friend Scott coming along for the ride to the airport as I couldn't imagine trying to convince Choco to sit while I broke down the kennel. I am also grateful to my mom and step-dad coming to my home at 11:30pm last night to help set the kennel up while I stood with a frightened Choco. I let him take refuge in his new home inside my home and left a radio and night light for him as he cozied down in his bed for the night. This is going to be a fun adventure....

THANKSGIVING

The greatest holiday. It is as good as Christmas though I think better because there aren't presents distracting us from family. Time with family, great food, great wine or festive drinks, sitting around the fire in slippers and telling stories of years past. It doesn't get better. The greatest part of the whole day is that it is all about giving thanks. There is so much to be grateful for and this is the day to let people know that. And for those you cannot tell for one reason or another, it is a day to hold a space of gratitude for them and all they have brought to life. Gratitude is a powerful driver and you can use it to create amazing things for yourself and your life. Remember to have gratitude...not just today, but use it and express it everyday! If you are reading this, know that I count you as one of my blessings.

EVERYONE....MEET CHOCO!!!!

So I have decided to get a dog. This is Choco and he is a 2 year old chocolate lab that I cannot wait to get. Choco lives in Colorado Springs right now with a family that loves him however they are so busy with life they do not get enough time to be with Choco and he needs attention. My intention is to bring Choco into the Cafe of LIFE with me on a daily basis to be part of our LIFE parties that happen everyday. I am glad he is already 2 as he will fit into my life better than a puppy at this point. Choco will love some of the places that I hike and will get me back in my running sneakers. HE will have the lake to explore at my mom's house and 200 acres of orchard to explore at my dad's house and a cousin named Walter to play with. He will arrive in Detroit by plane around December 1st. You will meet him very soon!

ELECTION DAY 2008 - FINALLY!!!!

I do not get caught up in it all as I stay away from watching TV on a regular basis. I only watch one show per week as a ritual with my parents. And through this election season, I am very happy my life doesn't revolve around the TV. We are completely bombarded by so many ideas through the media it becomes difficult to decipher between what are your own thoughts and those that were planted there by the media and advertising and campaigning. HOWEVER, in saying all that, it is important to vote and make the difference that you can. It may seem small, however you never know how far reaching voting today will effect your life and others. So get out there and make it happen. ROCK THE VOTE!!! (I love that phrase)

"You never know how far reaching something you think, say or do today will effect the lives of millions tomorrow." -BJ Palmer

DID YOU GET TO MEET HIM???

The halloween party we had here on Friday was a lot of fun. The day was continuously filled with laughter and fun. Many of you have gotten to meet him, but just in case you didn't, here he is!

CELEBRATE CHILDREN

I have the honor of serving a lot of children in my practice. The innocense they have in viewing the world is priceless. They come free of guilt, free of inhibitions, and they allow themselves to really be happy. I love that part about kids and especially when they learn to talk and want to discuss things in their world. Have you ever had a conversation with a child and really listened to their view of situations? It just makes me laugh, not at them, but at how far off center we get as adults. You see, the stress that we create in our lives, is just that, CREATED. The Cafe of LIFE Book Club is reading an excellent book that helps to put it all into perspective. Along the way it is assisting us in getting to what is creating stress and suffering and whether or not it is even true. It really boils down to the fact that most of what is happening is our made-up view and opinion of the situation and not reality. Children do not have a whole lot of opinions about things. Well maybe they do, but it usually only goes as far as what they do and do not want to eat. The rest of the world is approached from such an innocent place...and that place is fill with wonder and joy. Let's learn from the children.

WHERE DOES THE TIME GO????

I have been wondering lately how can I squeeze a few more hours in a day? I mean literally, find a place to add a couple hours so that I would have more time to get stuff done. I am overwhelmed with what I have to accomplish by the end of this week. I guess that comes with my "jet-set" (as my practice members call it) lifestyle. I realize now that if I had stayed in town last weekend instead of hopping a plane, I would have my scarecrow finished that is supposed to be done by 9am tomorrow morning. You see...there is a Chamber of Commerce event called "An Event So Good Its Scary" that happens this Friday. Because I registered as a hospitality point, which just means that I will welcome Trick-or-Treaters into my office on Friday from 1-6, I also have to have a scarecrow for the Chamber to judge. This is all very fun stuff, I just press my limits sometimes of what I can accomplish is what amount of time. That is how I was born. So during my break today, I will be making a scarecrow so make sure to swing by the Cafe of LIFE to see this creation. I will post pictures...

DURANGO

I visited such a wonderful place last weekend I have to share with you. It is a small town in southwest Colorado, very near what they call "The Four Corners" where Colorado, Arizona, New Mexico, and Utah come together. I guess there is a monument there that you can straddle with your arms and legs and be in 4 states all at one time. I didn't make it there however I did get to explore the area. Durango is a very conscious city. The people of Durango pay attention to what they eat and how they treat the land and environment. They recycle whenever they can, ride their bikes if it is possible, and respect others. It seems that many people are questioning standard western medicine there, thus leading to healthier births, childhoods, and lives in general. I have friends that practice chiropractic there in the city and are loving every minute of being in their small piece of paradise. Though it is more than a hop, skip, and a jump to get there, if you get a chance to go, TAKE IT!!!

If we eat live things, we add life to our bodies. If we eat processed things, it doenst matter what it is, our digestive systems get clogged up. There are so many additives to make things look pretty and appear tempting. The processes that they use in order to make these products yield foods that are very taxing on our digestive system. So when the digestive system is taxed, the body has to work harder to accomplish even the small stuff in life. But when you eat things that are alive, the items that we are eating are actually adding LIFE to our bodies. I could go on and on with this principal however the bottom line is that if we eat live foods, we actually add life to our bodies, if we eat processed foods, we tax our systems. LET'S ADD LIFE!!!!!!!!!!!

BOOK CLUB

One of the most wonderful things that has come into my life in this past year is the Cafe of LIFE Book Club. I am not the originator though it was passed to me because I host it at my office. It is such a wonderful experience each and every meeting we have. We all leave lighter and with more ease than what we came in with. We cozy up here at the Cafe of LIFE and have open discussions about real things, that really matter. If you ever get an opportunity to join something like this, take it. And if you haven't found one yet, COME JOIN US!!!! We begin a new book "Loving What Is" by Byron Katie tomorrow, Thursday Sept 25th at 6:30pm and meet every other week to discuss about 3 chapters at a time. One word to describe it all....INSPIRING!!!

DOMS

Delayed Onset of Muscle Soreness.....my friends and I laughed and joked around when we first learned this in school. It is seriously referred to as "doms" and I had a serious experience with it over the past weekend. On Friday I decided I would do a step aerobics class (60 min), a yoga class (60 min), and then I had my first horseback riding lesson. I used to show horses when I was growing up but once I left for college, it was difficult to find time or a horse to ride on a regular basis. Essentially I have been away from horses for 10 years. So I decided I would start taking riding lessons to get involved with horses again. It was great fun but I found muscles that had not been worked in a long time (like 10 years). I work out all the time and I would think that power yoga 3 times per week should have touched all of those muscles but I guess not. Each exercise uses different muscle groups and that is why it is so important to cross-train on a regular basis. My next riding lesson is tomorrow and I am really excited because each time it will be easier and easier on my body. And of course getting adjusted on a regular basis is so important to keep it all balanced. I will be doing that tomorrow as well!!!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY CHIROPRACTIC!!!

Chiropractic’s famous first adjustment is recognized each year with an annual observance commemorating September 18th, 1895 as Chiropractic Founder’s Day. On this day, 113 years ago, Dr. Daniel David Palmer administered the first specific chiropractic adjustment on Harvey Lillard in Davenport, Iowa. Dr. D.D. Palmer delivered this historic first chiropractic adjustment with the specific intent of realigning a malpositioned vertebra on the patient, restoring its normal position, and Harvey Lillard, who had lost most of his hearing 17 years earlier, noted his hearing swiftly returned under Dr. Palmer’s care. From that point DD Palmer shifted his clinical practice to his new method of replacing spinal bones that were out of position, and experienced positive clinical results in patients with a wide variety of health concerns. His practice grew and the profession of chiropractic was launched.

That Rain!!!!

Wow! That was amazing! I am not sure how much rain we got over the weekend but it was an incredible amount for just one weekend. In the mid-west we get rain, however it usually goes as fast as it comes. I do not remember a time when it just poured without letting up like that. I check and adjust many people that work at an insurance agency and they were bombarded with claims from flooded basements and water damage. Rain is such a good thing. We needed it as we have been in a bit of a droubt through the summer. It is better if EVERYTHING IS IN MODERATION!!! And this MODERATION principle applies to most aspects of life. I cannot think of anything that is good in excess (although sometimes I could justify chocolate). I talk to practice members about getting enough water in everyday however even water can be harmful in excess. Excessive exercising is even unhealthy. So for all that the rain helped, it did enough damage because of the amount. The key to life is MODERATION.

I have the great honor of working with so many children every week in my practice. I want to take a moment to congratulate the parents that bring their children in for a regular check of the spine. Why would I do that? The choices that we make each day and especially for the little ones, have profound effects on the rest of our and their lives. Growing up with a healthy spine and nerve system allows their little bodies to have normal and regular development. If the spine and nerve system is compromised, the communication and development is compromised as well. Many parents and beginning to realize that the health of their child largely depends on the health of the child's spine and nerve system. The body is a miracle and no pill, antibiotic, elixir, or anecdote is going to create health. Health comes from within, it always has and always will.

A New Member

To add a new member to the team here at the Cafe of LIFE is a process, a wonderful process though. Rachel, my current assistant, will be heading back to school which means that she will need a day off per week for classes. This requires that we bring someone new in. I usually do a group interview which is my plan this time as well and there are 7 people scheduled to come in this evening. The group interview process is a fun and interesting way to accomplish this task. It is nerve racking for the people involved in the process but in the end one usually outshines the rest and we are well on our way to hiring. I then allow for private interviews following the initial group interviews but my mind is usually made up by that time. I'm looking forward to it!

MONDAY

Sometimes I am prepared for Monday mornings, and sometimes I am not. This morning it took a little convincing in order for me to get up and get started but for some reason as soon as I step foot into the Cafe of LIFE, things change for me. It is wonderful to go to a job that I love. My youngest brother was home over the weekend and I was able to spend some good quality time with him. He is an amazing person with so much to offer this world, I thoroughly enjoy his company. We covered many topics during our 1.5 hour lunch but one of the most interesting is his learning how stress manifests in his body. He recently moved to Chicago and took a new job, all of this just 6 months after getting married. He was telling me that his attitude about everything lately has been in the pits and it has manifested in severe low back pain. Fortunately he had an enlightening conversation with one of our uncles earlier this week that made him realize how powerful the mind is. My uncle reminded him that joy in life really boils down to perception. Regardless of what is happening, if you can find the "glass half full" side of life, one will be way better off. After that particular enlightening conversation, his back eased up and he returned to feeling good (and then he came in and got his spine checked and adjusted here at the Cafe which was the icing on the cake). Our mind is powerful beyond your knowing, use it constructively!

Students

Every so often I end up down in Atlanta where the largest chiropractic college is located. Because of this, I always hang out and run into a bunch of students. Most all of the students that I knew have matriculated through the system though some are still around. I walked into the Cafe of Life in Atlanta to find one of the greatest guys from school had bought it from one of my mentors. It was a huge transition for the chiropractor, Bart, moving out, and a huge transition for the new chiropractor, Chris moving in. He is a wonderful guy and quite capable of filling the shoes and taking the Cafe of LIFE to a new level. It is wonderful to be around the student/new graduate energy as they are so fired up and open and ready to take on the world. The key is to be able to look inside before and after every day, no matter how wonderful or difficult it was, and still be able to locate and touch the flame of the fire that burns inside that signifies your passion for chiropractic. For this is the flame that also fuels happiness, and the one that lights the path towards success.

Serving

One of the most wonderful things about my life is being able to touch so many other people's lives on a daily basis. The most rewarding part of everyday is working with the kids. Children need chiropractic care as well and we have many children roaming our office halls and rooms everyday. When children start early with regular chiropractic visits, they grow up healthier and happier. Chiropractic helps to optimize their potential and normalize development. Many chiropractic children are labeled as "gifted", "bright", "full of life", and "really healthy". Not so. They are NORMAL, like all children should be but in comparison to their over medicated peers, they definatly seem that way. It is about maximizing potential for them to express life to its fullest! It is one of the most beneficial things you can do for your child. Let's talk!

California

Los Angeles, what a wonderful place to spend a week! Leading up to the trip I had a lot of mixed reviews about what it was going to be like. The thing is, my travel companion only showed me the most wonderful places in the area so my view of LA is very pure. I know that may seem crazy but it was wonderful and beautiful. The greatest part of the trip....wine country.

Wednesday Morning

So another Wednesday is here which means Champagne Thursday is just around the corner. The weeks fly by anymore. Life is going very quickly, I better start making something happen. I am tired today, that is all there is to it. Very little sleep last night, I think I was trying too hard. But I am here and ready to serve...bring it on world!!!