Mirror Synchronicity: Death Cafe & Death By Gun

When I was putting together my Kickstarter campaign for the Death Cafe, I needed to come up with images for the t-shirts that we were going to offer as rewards.  I called my artist friend Jay Schuh and asked him if he could create ironic images of the worst ways to die.  At first he was a little shocked, but then he said, "Oh what the heck, it might be fun."  (That might have come after I told him he could make some serious money.)
It was meant to be a statement piece of this is my worst fear.  For me, it was Death By Crocodile, and that was the first piece that I asked Jay to design.  It was the first one that he created and I used it as the cornerstone of my campaign.  I made a t-shirt, and I talk about it in my Kickstarter video.

Well, I think Jay liked doing the Death By art, because he then gave me a couple more.




I loved the Death By Shark and the Death By Poison, but then Jay created the Death By Gun.  It was my least favorite because I felt it was a bit more serious and less campy.  Perhaps I sensed it was more likely to happen and thus less ironic.  Yet, I included it in the campaign anyway, because it was another striking example of his art and he had already created it.

Death By Gun art is now the thorn in my side. I should have trusted my instincts. Only one person ordered the t-shirt, but there was a minimum order of 12 per image. My vendor suggested that maybe I might want to ask the donor if they would be willing to switch to another shirt. I said I didn't want to ask that because they donated the money already and I did not want to put them on the spot. I also happen to know the person who requested the shirt and I know that he really likes video games. Other than that he is a liberal. So I resigned myself to buying 11 extra Death By Gun t-shirts, thinking that I'd have to figure out a way to sell them.



Here's where I see the synchronicity with the shirt. Our first Death Cafe in the U.S. was July 19. We talked about all sorts of subjects related to death, dying and living. Then later that evening, after midnight, the Aurora shootings happened. Sadly, this event re-focused America on the subject of death.  It also re-opened the whole gun debate in America.

Overnight, the Death By Gun t-shirt suddenly makes a statement, but I'm not quite sure what it says.

Mirror Synchronicity: Penn State Sanctions

A post in the LA Times indicates that the last official game that counts for Penn State after the NCAA sanctions is one where Mike McQueary was quarterback.

McQueary was a key witness in the recent trial that led to sanctions against Penn State.

Mirror Synchronicity: The Cat who Likes to Meditate

Karma

This is Karma.  Apparently, she likes to meditate.  On my IPad I have downloaded several relaxation and meditation apps with Glenn Harrold.  At first his accent was a bit distracting, but now I think it is relaxing and the recordings are amazing!  One of my favorite ones is the "Chakra Cleansing."

Three times in a row, Karma jumped up on me and started kneading my chest while I was listening to the meditation.  What was even more amusing, is that each time it happened during the same part in the recording that clears the third chakra, which is the Solar Plexus.

Usually by the time I got to the fourth chakra in the meditation, she has settled down, laying right on my chest, purring loudly and sending me her healing energy.

She must like his voice because if I turn on the "instant sleep" meditation to help me fall asleep, she comes running into the bedroom and jumps up and settles down parallel to me.  Strangely, during that meditation, she does not jump onto my chest - it is only when I'm clearing my chakras.

Synchronicity in the Movies: Jeff Who Lives at Home

Jeff Who Lives at Home is the worst marketed movie ever.  It just seems like a movie about a guy who can't grow up.  I avoided it at the theaters, but I would have gone to see it, had I known the true plot.  I LOVED it.  I rented it at Redbox because the movie I wanted was not available.  Before the opening credit, there is a quote about following the signs.  My husband looked at me and said, "Uh oh, I can tell you're going to love this movie."

He was right.  The main character Jeff believes in signs.  In fact he is fixated with them.  From the movie descriptions on IMDB, you would never know that the movie was practically all about synchronicities and kismet. It is heartwarming and sweet.

I don't want to spoil the plot for you, so I'll just tell you:  if you are into synchricities and signs, you will love this movie.

I will leave you with a quote from the movie, 

"What if there's no wrong numbers?

Maybe it's always the right number."

Mirror Synchronicity: The numbers and The Death Cafe

Seriously today I had both 11:11 and just now 3:33.  Media coverage for the Death Cafe just started and already my first event is full.  The stories that people are telling me about needing to talk are just incredible.  I feel like we are on the edge of a big shift. Here's the first bit of coverage for the Death Cafe:

Mirror Synchronicity: Girls and what to write about?

I had just finished writing a guest blog piece about Dreamy Smurf's bucket list.  In the Smurf's Village game on the IPad, Dreamy Smurf teaches another smurf that a bucket list is a list of things you want to do before you die.  I was particularly proud of the essay because I wrote about death, but in a "fun" way.

If reading about death can ever be fun.

My husband tried to level-set with me.  "You're the only one who is interested in this.  No one wants to read about death."  Hurt, I stomped upstairs to go watch television in bed.

I turned to Girls, one of my new favorite HBO shows, written by Lena Dunham.  Her character is a writer who feels that no one "gets" her.

In episode 9, the character Hannah (played by Lena) is explaining her latest essay to her co-worker about an ex boyfriend who was a hoarder.  Then her co-worker starts to give her a hard time about her writing.

Imagine my surprise when I was watching episode 9 and this dialogue occurs:

Ray:  What in the world could be more trivial than intimacy?  Hmmm? Is there anything real you can write about?


Hannah:  What do you think would be a real thing to write about?


Ray:  I don't know, lot's of things.  Cultural criticism.  How about years of neglected abuse?  How about acid rain? How about the plight of the giant Panda Bear.  How about racial profiling?  How about urban sprawl?  How about divorce?  How about DEATH?  How about death?  Death is the most fucking real.  You should write about death.  That's what you should write about, explore that.  Death.

Of course I started screaming for my husband to come upstairs to watch the clip as if it were some validation that I was right.

19 examples of the magic age of 91

Think you are too old to be adventurous?  To try something new?  To be physically fit?  Think again.

These 91 year olds are testimony to the adage by Mark Twain, "Age is an issue of mind over matter.  If you don't mind, it doesn't matter."

1.  91 year old hospice patient goes skiing

(this is the woman who inspired me with the idea of the magic age of 91- I kept seeing news articles about people who were 91 and doing fabulous things)

Photo: Liz Miles/ Source:  Columbus Dispatch

2.  91 year old goes skydiving

Source:  WDRB.com

3.  91 year old yoga instructor

Source: Matt May / Guinness World Records via Today

4.  91 year old ping pong champion

Source:  The Guardian

5.  91 year old exhibits her art at a gallery for the first time

Source: Times Union

6.  91 year old chases down and catches thief who stole her laptop

Source:  Calgary Herald

7.  91 year old strongman can pull a car with his teeth!

Source:  Fox news via Mail Online

8.  91 year old grandma catches foul ball at baseball game

Source:  Mercury News

9.  91 year old triathlete is world's oldest

Source:  The Telegraph

10.  91 year old farmer still drives tractor and works on the farm

Source:  Enterprise News

11.  91 year old artist publishes his autobiography

Source:  Washington Times

12.  91 year old went on a solo road trip to Alaska

Source:  Bangor Daily News

13.  91 year old coordinated and modeled in a fashion show

Source:  Sunpress news

14.  91 year old became a body builder at 85

Source:  Believe it or not blogspot

15.  91 year old goes on Indy race car ride (source Aol online)

16.  91 year old rides in stunt plane for the first time

Source:  Temecula Patch

17.  91 year old still can jam on the drums (You gotta see it to believe it)

18.  91 year old mariachi singer still performing despite cancer

Source Latino Fox News

19.  91 year old grandma poses as a superhero for photographer

Photos are by her grandson, French photographer Sasha Goldberger... what a fun idea!  

Check out Comics Alliance to see more photos

Source:   Comics Alliance

Directional Synchronicity: I thought of you

A year or so ago a friend of mine named Jenn who lives in Massachusetts forwarded on a call for submissions for Chicken Soup for the Soul:  Messages from Heaven.

I did not have any stories that I had not already published so I forwarded the email to my friend Jan in Texas.

Jan wrote a story for the book and it was accepted and published.

Recently, Jan received an email from a woman in Saudi Arabia that described in great detail how comforting Jan's article was for her.

Jan is about to fly to Hong Kong to give a presentation about after death communication and she received permission from the Saudi Arabian woman to tell her story there.

Jan pointed out the connectedness to me and gives me credit starting it all, but I have to give Jenn credit.

Now here's the synchronicity... Jenn just recently sent me another email that said, "here's an opportunity and I thought of you."

The synchronicity of hearing back from Jan and getting another email from Jenn in a matter of two days leads me to believe that I should listen to Jenn!

Directional Synchronicity: 11:11

I looked at the clock at the 11:11 time yesterday morning, last night and this morning. I see that number a lot but three times in a row was a little unsettling.  I suppose it is good news if it means big change is coming, but for someone who believes in signs, something that frequent can be overwhelming.

Trish and Rob have a great write-up about the possible meanings of the 11:11 phenomenon here.

...and don't get me started on the number 3.  Over the past few weeks suddenly I happen to be glancing at the clock at 3:33.  That is a new number for me.