exciting news

i came to blogspot to post about my friend ellen and her new fiance roger. to write about their amazing bond, their adventure, and their love. just before beginning to write this, i checked out a friend's blog who ironically blogged about a similar topic: love. more coincidental: about long-term love.

i didn't know i could be this happy when someone else got engaged. B.O., i think this one was part luck. i think a lot of times it is. however you find that person who you can spend the rest of your life with, i believe you should enliven each other, not induce sacrifices. ellen and roger just returned from 5 months touring the world together. performing, laughing, blogging, and meeting people. naturally an engagement resulted from this ;) they have convinced each other to pursue their dream careers (yoga teacher/performer...see pic above) and i have no doubt this will result in a most content ellen who will share and radiate her joy to all around her. then guess what? we, the world, her friends and strangers, will benefit from their union! not that this is about us. it's about them. but it's not only about them.

the world is a community...at least that's how i view it. you let someone turn in front of you at a crazy intersection, they let someone turn in front of them, that person lets the person with 3 items cut them in line at the grocery store, that person goes home with an extra big smile and hug for his/her family.

the effects ripple infinitely outward...

spending time (or life) with someone you love can have amazing consequences. spending your time in a not-so-healthy relationship can also have rippling effects. i dont know how soulmates (like ellen and roger) find each other. i dont know if ill be that lucky. but i do know that i'm going to wait till the person who makes me as radiant as possible. and if that doesn't happen, which is ok, i'd rather stay single than be unhappy in a relationship that causes me to be a crab (of sorts) to my friends.

poison ivy myth

guess what? poison ivy is not contagious! get this: the only way to get poison ivy is by contacting the oil from the plant leaves. not from kissing someone with the rash. not from being in the same room with it. not from blister ooze. not from contact with a victim of its rath. it can't be spread.

here's the "catch:" the oil (urushiol, pronounced oo-roo-she-ol) from the plant is quite resilient. the toxin can stay active on clothing, shoes, and the skin for years. literally! for example, if after doing yard work you give your dirty clothes to your minion to launder, your minion will be exposed and can absolutely develop the rash. however, once you use detergent and wash your hands, body, and clothes the only place the poison ivy is present is in you.

from there, the oil induces an autoimmune response and gathers your T cells to direct them to attack your skin. bummer. now it's in your lymph system and although i was wearing a a tank and shorts in the woods, i have blisters on my torso and feet. and they can just pop up anywhere. ugh.

so you can still hug me, kiss me, and play with me without getting poison ivy ;)