vanesha.mcgee

AND    Two words that bring me instant joy.            Two objects that always lift the corners of my mouth.  Boobies are the most powerful asset on a human body. Boobies can stop time. Boobies can elicit tears, smiles, silence, whiplash. I will always hold boobies above Birkenstocks... but there's something joyous to be said about leather on the feet that cannot be denied. Top 5 Things to LOVE About Boobies 1. Looking at them. No matter the size or shape, boobies offer an incredible visual experience for all. 2. Visualizing them. When you're not around boobies, close your eyes and imagine a room filled with boobies. What an experience! 3. Feeling them.  4. Feeling them with your face.  5. Feeling them while participating in another activity. How Birkenstocks are JUST Like Boobies Birkenstocks come in a pair, like boobies, and feel good against your skin, like boobies.  Birke...

Last night I had my first alcoholic beverage since I leaned into meditation. Unsettling. I am unsettled. Goenka and the Vipassana method of meditation reflect on the effects of alcohol. One of the precepts to heed is not to allow any intoxicant to enter and alter your body. This was an easy precept to follow while on retreat as there was no alcohol around, or time to even consider it. In the real world, I considered alcohol from the first day I re-entered the world. I have a complicated relationship with alcohol and have for many years. I struggle with understanding my connection to alcoholic family members and my own desires to imbibe. Many times I have decided to refrain from drinking alcohol, most often for sports training purposes. Lately, pre-retreat, wine has been my drink of choice and I enjoy glasses of this red grape essence regularly. The teachings of Vipassana put alcohol into another consideration category, one I have yet to fully explore. Refraining from drinking alcoh...

He was right. Day 2 and day 6 were two of the hardest days. Two days when you’d want to flee, to leave the world you committed to. These days were hard, it’s true, but there were others. Day three, day five. Those days were particularly hard too. Living in noble silence for ten long days brought on hardship unlikely any other I have yet to experience.  Yet, it was not the silence that proved the greatest challenge for me. Being an introvert living in an extroverted world, I welcomed the silence wholeheartedly. The silence proved a fascination point over the next ten days. The physical and emotional aspects were considerably more challenging. I expected the latter, to a degree, but not the former. I found solace in the few moments of clarity and the many moments of intrigue.  Menomonie is a small midwestern town about one hour east of Minneapolis. Located in Wisconsin, it’s home to Stout University, over 13,000 college students, a former rice farming community, and a m...