Nutrition behind "The Secret"

For those of you that know me best, I have eliminated a lot of toxins from my life this year ("energy vampires", caffeine, aspartame, several drugs/ prescriptions, and reduced my animal product intake by at least one half), and I feel like good things are happening as a result!! I'm paying the physical price of beating up my body in my 20s and making some questionable decisions, but I do feel like my new commitment to getting my life on track, making good decisions, and living life healthfully has brought me several great things like love, friendships, and financial security - I feel like if I continue committed to my purpose and living life positively, everything else will fall into place!

In that spirit, this article totally inspired me today. I was researching nutritional supplements to help cure my physical woes and stumbled across it... I hope you get something out of this piece too. Are you a "high vibration" individual? I'm trying!!!

Love, Mer

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With the popularity of "The Secret" rapidly growing in the United States and around the world, there's growing interest in finding ways to maximize results while using the power of intention and Law of Attraction. Few people really know one of the most important secrets to making "The Secret" work: Establishing the right nutrition and dietary habits that clear your nervous system and allow intention to flow. In this article, I'll share some of the best nutritional secrets about The Secret, covering:

1) Foods and substances that interfere with the power of your intention.
2) Foods and substances that enhance the power of your intention.

Once you learn this information, you'll instantly discover ways to greatly enhance the effects you get when you apply your intention (or invoke the Law of Attraction). You'll also come to recognize why the great spiritual leaders throughout the world all gravitate towards similar diets that are free of certain substances (such as red meat).

Let's begin by examining those foods and substances that interfere with the power of intention and the Law of Attraction.

Foods and substances that block the power of intentionThe power of intention (i.e. the Law of Attraction) only works when you have a clear, healthy nervous system that's free from distortion. Invoking the power of intention is a lot like broadcasting a message from a radio tower, and your nervous system (brain, spinal cord, nerves, etc.) are the transmission tissues.
A radio tower only works well when it has sufficient electricity, clarity and symmetry. It also can't be gunked up with interfering signals or overriding disturbances. Your own nervous system is the same -for it to function well, it must be free of distortion and operating at peak performance.

The following items greatly interfere with healthy nervous system function and therefore inhibit your power of intention:

Meat products: All animal-derived foods impair the clarity of intention, and this is especially so if those foods are derived from cruelly-treated animals (like feedlot cattle). This is why so many spiritual leaders around the world refrain from eating meat. It's also why vegetarians are generally more peaceful, spiritually balanced people than heavy meat eaters.

Alcohol and drugs: All recreational drugs (including alcohol) impair healthy nervous system function. Clarity cannot be achieved while under the influence of nicotine, alcohol, meth or street drugs. While there are medicinal uses for some natural drugs (such as medical marijuana), their use still inevitably interferes with clarity and clouds the Law of Attraction, so use them sparingly if at all. On the other hand, there are also natural plant-based medicines that actually enhance clarity when used as part of sacred spiritual journeys. Western society has declared such substances to be illegal drugs, but they are deliberately and consciously used with great care in healing journey experiences in many other parts of the world.

Caffeine: Even caffeine interferes with healthy nervous system function. The onslaught of daily stimulants leaves the body depleted of energy, unable to reach the level of vibration necessary to effectively broadcast intention to the universe.

Television: Watching television fills your mind with false messages, clouding your mind with ideas that distort reality and impair your ability to connect with the universe. Have you ever noticed that the people who watch the most television seem to be unable to attract those things into their lives that they want? It's because television acts like an intention blocking device, draining away your intention energy and filling your head with ideas and beliefs that only serve the interests of corporations and governments.

Processed foods: Processed foods not only lack the nutrition necessary for healthy nervous system function, they're also typically loaded with excitotoxins like MSG, aspartame and yeast extract. These substances damage the functioning of the nervous system, making any practice of the Law of Attraction virtually impossible.

Fragrance products: All fragrance products based on artificial chemicals impair the healthy functioning of the nervous system by dulling the senses and limiting sensory acquity. Achieving success with the power of intention requires eliminating ALL fragrance products from your life. These include most shampoos, laundry detergents, dryer sheets, soaps, perfumes, cosmetics, deodorants, skin creams and other similar products. In each of these categories, there are many alternatives available: Natural products that are either fragrance-free or made from essential oil fragrances only. If you wish to find success in applying the Law of Attraction, it's crucial to get these artificial fragrance chemicals out of your life (and away from your nervous system).

Processed sugar: Sugar greatly impacts the healthy functioning of the nervous system, and refined sugar is a lot like crack in the way it alters (and impairs) brain function. All refined sugars should be avoided, including high-fructose corn syrup (the sweetener in sodas), dextrose, sucrose and others. While you're at it, avoid white bread and refined grains, too, because they're very similar to sugars in the way they impact the nervous system.

Aspartame: This artificial chemical sweetener greatly impairs healthy nervous system function. This is partly because aspartame can chemically break down into trace amounts of formaldehyde, and formaldehyde is an extremely toxic nerve poison. Drinking aspartame is sort of like poisoning your brain with chemical preservatives. That's great if you're trying to embalm yourself, but not so good if you actually plan to use your brain for anything useful.

Things that enhance the power of your intention

Once you're free of the substances interfering with your power of intention, you can move on to enhancing your nervous system health with proper supportive substances. Here are the most important items to consider:

Raw foods: Raw foods really cleanse your nervous system and restore healthy brain function. Drinking raw food juices on a regular basis (freshly made in your own blender, not processed) greatly enhances clarity and the power of intention. Most spiritual leaders around the world follow diets based at least in part on raw foods. Following a raw foods diet for just 30 days will dramatically clear your senses and turn you into a powerful broadcaster of intention.

Vegetarian foods: Avoiding the consumption of meat and dairy products is also an important way to keep your system clear and lend power to your intention. Meat and dairy products stagnate the flow of energy throughout your mind and body, blocking the intention. To get the best results, go completely dairy free (except for raw, unprocessed milk, which qualifies as a raw food) and meat free.

Personal integrity: Acting with integrity multiplies the power of your intention. When you consistently do what you promise, especially in relation to others, you gain power and confidence in your own actions. This translates into significant improvements in the Law of Attraction. People who steal from others, exploit them or harm them are acting outside of personal integrity and typically demonstrate a very poor ability to attract things into their lives that they really want. It's a vicious cycle, too: When they can't attract what they want, they turn to stealing, and this in turn diminishes their ability to attract what they want in the future.

Clean water: Hydration is crucial for good nervous system performance. I will even say that you cannot possibly engage in effective intention exercises when you're in a state of chronic dehydration (as most people are). Drinking plenty of water clears metabolic wastes from your body and even lubricates the nerve cells throughout your body! So drink more water and you'll boost your results.

Microalgae superfoods: These superfoods offer a two-fold benefit: They cleanse the liver (which purifies the blood and improves mental clarity) and they offer natural high-density nutrition from nature. The four I recommend are spiruline, chlorella, blue-green algae and astaxanthin (http://www.nutrex-hawaii.com/). One of the top brands of raw microalgae is E3 Live, which you can find at http://www.e3live.com/index.htm

Healthy oils: Consuming regular quantities of healthy oils and omega-3 fatty acids makes a huge difference on the power and reach of your intention. Eat more chia seeds (http://www.goodcausewellness.com/), avocados, raw coconut oil (http://www.rawfoods.com/) and minimally processed plant-based oils. Fish oils can also be supportive if you choose to eat fish-derived products. Flax seeds serve a similar purpose for those who are vegetarian.

Berries: Eat massive quantities of fresh, raw berries to boost nervous system function and greatly enhance the power of your intention. Berries offer nervous system protection medicines, and they also happen to halt cancer, prevent eye disease, enhance memory and prevent Alzheimer's disease. Be sure to eat a variety of berries so you get all sorts of different colors: Black raspberries, blueberries, red raspberries, strawberries, acai, red currants, wild berries, etc.

There are, of course, many other nutrients and natural substances that can enhance mental function and clarity. Everything from tropical fruits to garden greens provides a strong benefit in boosting the power of your intention.

My personal secret to successPeople tend to look at my own accomplishments as being "remarkable" or highly successful in various ways. They see me as getting many things done in a very short period of time, and they often wonder how I accomplish these things. My greatest secret is that I frequently practice the power of intention (and I have a specific process through which that is practiced), and I avoid all the foods, beverages and personal care products that interfere with the power of intention.

In the past, some people have wondered why I drink no alcohol, use no drugs, drink no coffee, take no medications, etc. People have asked me if I'm a member of some specific religion with pristine dietary practices, but the answer is quite simply that I have arrived at my own spiritual practice and I choose to respect my body and mind as tools for creating a better future. I actually came to this conclusion mostly on my own, and have since found that it is aligned with the spiritual paths found in virtually all world religions. It all makes sense, too: You simply can't be a highly spiritual person if you're consuming angry cow meats and altered dairy fats!

I intentionally avoid all substances that intefere with intelligence, clarity or spirituality, and I go to great lengths to cleanse my body using nature's medicines: superfoods, rainforest herbs, raw foods, and so on. By the way, the best cleansing products I've ever found at available at http://www.baselinenutritionals.com/ (look for the Liver Tincture and the cilantro-based anti-mercury tincture).

The secret to my productivity and ability to manifest those things is simply that I'm wholly committed to treating my body and mind as sacred entities. I do not allow myself to be polluted with television, pharmaceuticals, recreational drugs, energy vampire people (like friends who drain away all your energy) or processed foods. The result is that when I focus on something, it manifests relatively quickly (there's still a whole lot of work involved, of course, but that's the nature of getting things done in this physical world). Perhaps there is some other version of the multiverse in which intention is instantly translated into effects, but here in this one we all share, intention often requires practical steps for manifestation. (So don't forget the part about applying effort, too!)

Want a better life? Clean up your energy channels

This is not information I've shared before, but it's probably the most important secret to success that I've ever written about. If you want to make things happen in your life and manifest more wealth, abundance, loving relationships, happiness or whatever, you've got to get serious about cleaning up your "broadcast channels," which means cleaning up your diet, eliminating any substance abuse, avoiding influence from television and so on. It doesn't mean you have to become a hermit and live in the woods somewhere (although that certainly wouldn't hurt on a temporary basis), but you do have to stop living the disconnected life of typical consumers who are addicted to processed foods, alcohol, television, drugs, video gaming and other things.
I don't claim to be perfect in my own habits. I still eat meat when traveling (but never from mammals such as cows or pigs), and my diet isn't as raw as I would like. I also spend way too much time sitting in front of a computer, but that's a necessary choice I've made for engaging in online education and article writing. But like you, I'm always striving to make my diet and lifestyle one step better, and by doing that I'm constantly moving into higher states of vibration that naturally augment the power of my intention.

You can do the same. All it takes is making the commitment and taking on one change at a time until you're completely rid of the toxic influencing factors and fully embracing those things that work to multiply the power of your intention. Before long, you'll find the Law of Attraction working far better than you ever imagined, and you'll really start living the magical life you're attracting through conscious intention.

It's really not complicated, nor even mystical or "new agey." It's just the application of common sense: If you want to create a better future and manifest your desires, you've got to clear you head, get rid of the junk and start nourishing your internal broadcast antenna (your nervous system). Once you do that, you can start to broadcast your intention to the universe, and you'll find that everything you focus on begins to manifest far more quickly.

Speaking of intention, please feel free to share this article with anyone you know who's familiar with "The Secret" and who might benefit from knowing these nutritional tips. You can copy and paste the article in an email, or just send the web address (URL). Spread the word: We need more people with high vibrations in order to overcome all those folks running around with LOW vibration, don't you think? The more high-vibration people we have in the world, the brighter the future will be for us all.

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About the author: Mike Adams is a natural health researcher and author with a strong interest in personal health, the environment and the power of nature to help us all heal He is a prolific writer and has published thousands of articles, interviews, reports and consumer guides, reaching millions of readers with information that is saving lives and improving personal health around the world. Adams is an independent journalist with strong ethics who does not get paid to write articles about any product or company. In 2007, Adams launched EcoLEDs, a manufacturer of mercury-free, energy-efficient LED lighting products that save electricity and help prevent global warming. He also founded an environmentally-friendly online retailer called BetterLifeGoods.com that uses retail profits to help support consumer advocacy programs. He's also the founder of a well known HTML email software company whose 'Email Marketing Director' software currently runs the NewsTarget subscription database. Adams also serves as the executive director of the Consumer Wellness Center, a non-profit consumer protection group, and regularly pursues cycling, nature photography, Capoeira and Pilates. Known on the 'net as 'the Health Ranger,' Adams shares his ethics, mission statements and personal health statistics at http://www.healthranger.org/

About Sagittarius

Since the sun has moved into Sagittarius, I thought I'd share with you guys the astrological profile. Sheridan, this is what you're getting yourself into... I'm a pretty typical one!

Love, Mer

Astrological Profile for Sagitarrius

Element: Fire
Mode: Mutable
Ruler: Jupiter
Color: Purple, Violet

Famous Sagittarians: Woody Allen, Jane Austen, Christina Applegate, Ludwig Van Beethoven, Maria Callas, Eugene Ionesco, John F. Kennedy Jr., Bette Midler, Brad Pitt, Monica Seles, Frank Sinatra, Steven Spielberg, Tina Turner, Mark Twain, Gianni Versace

Strengths: Convivial, enthusiastic, ethical, expansive, fair, generous, idealistic, independent, optimistic, outgoing, spontaneous, tolerant, wise

Weaknesses: Arrogant, dogmatic, excessive, fanatic, flamboyant, irresponsible, ostentatious, reckless, unbound, philandering

Sagittarius is the ninth Sign of the Zodiac. After Libra's first reaching out to others and Scorpio's exploration of the world through emotion, Sagittarius uses knowledge to understand the world. It is the Sign of Philosophy and Religion, and people born under this Sign are the scholars and learners of the Zodiac. They seek the truth and the meaning of life, and they love to explore through knowledge. Higher learning is a major focus of their lives. As the ninth Sign, it also rules the ninth House: the House of Philosophy.

The Sign In Depth

The Astrological Symbol of Sagittarius is the Archer. The Archer is a Centaur, half man and half horse, and it is the only Sign of the Zodiac that is half man and half beast. Centaurs were the great scholars and intellectuals of Greek and Roman myth, but they could also be hotheaded and aggressive. This tradition is maintained in Sagittarians. They are not fixed or opinionated, and they have no set plan or bias but seek to learn things as they come. In this way, Sagittarius exemplifies the Mutable Quality assigned to it. They desire the freedom to do what they want, when they want, and tend to be impulsive and independent. Within the Zodiac, Sagittarius is opposite Gemini, the Sign of Communication. While Gemini likes to learn a little bit about many subjects, Sagittarius tends to be about deeper and more focused learning. They are versatile and progressive, but at times they can be impatient and pushy if things aren't getting done in the way they want. The sign is ruled by the Planet Jupiter. In ancient Roman mythology, Jupiter (and his Greek equivalent, Zeus) was the King of the Gods. Jupiter represents expansion in all its forms, including the mental outreach so prominent in Sagittarians, but it also may invite excess. It is the Planet of Luck, and many people born under the sign do experience good luck. Jupiter rules both Sagittarius and Pisces; The sign is the masculine, or day, aspect of Jupiter and Pisces is the feminine, or night. Both Signs are about thought and outreach, but while Pisces focuses on the higher ideal of a perfect world Sagittarius is more interested in mental exploration as teachers and philosophers. At times they can procrastinate or seem self-indulgent, but they are trustworthy and charming, adaptable to all situations. While they can appear to be extravagant and flashy, they are generally good-humored and generous.

The Element associated with this sign is Fire. Fire Signs are physical: they tend to respond to the world through action, rather than practicality, intellect, or emotion. While they are about action and getting things started, they are not in a hurry like Aries can be. They want to experience life, rather than read about it, and they are outgoing and friendly. Sagittarians are broad-minded and enthusiastic, but they may sometimes seem to have foot-in-mouth disease as they may talk too much or speak before thinking. They are eager and inspirational, experts at getting things started, but they can also seem irresponsible or tactless if they jump in too quickly. They are not pioneers in the sense that Aries is, but they are explorers and interested in mental outreach. Their innate optimism and belief in straightforward dealings with other people can sometimes make them careless or impulsive. Many Sagittarians enjoy travel and spiritual study, and they have daring and adventurous spirits.

Sagittarians love to have a good time, and they are outgoing and friendly. Many are natural comedians, sometimes exaggerating their adventures to entertain people. Their innate confidence in themselves may make them argumentative or blunt, but they want to learn, not offend. They are high-spirited and enthusiastic, often flirtatious, and tend to enjoy social life immensely.

In their leisure time, Sagittarians' athleticism comes to the forefront. Personal challenge is always appreciated, and they tend to prefer solitary or one-on-one sports that stretch them to the limit, such as skydiving and big game fishing. They tend to be lucky, and may enjoy gambling. Their philosophical side makes them enjoy drama and debate, as well as most other mentally challenging pursuits. In love relationships, Sagittarius is flirtatious and playful.
Sagittarius rules the hips and thighs. People born under the sign may be more susceptible to hip troubles and leg pain than people of other Signs.

The great strength of the Sagittarian is in their philosophical and exploratory nature. It is important to them that they live life to the fullest, experiencing everything they can. Their great love of knowledge and exploration makes them one of the most learned characters of the Zodiac.

Turkey Day Update

Hey guys! I hope all of you had a phenomenal holiday with your friends and families. Mine was my favorite Thanksgiving ever - even better than the infamous year that I served pork tenderloin! ;) As you know, I drove to Phoenix to join Sheridan and his family for a traditional weekend of family, food, and the like. Friday, we all drove up to Sedona and checked that out - it was gorgeous! And I have now indoctrinated another family to the delicious sweet potato souffle (they loved it, of course!) and met the majority of the new man's family - it was a great weekend.

Sheridan's peeps are amazing people and made me feel so incredibly welcome. I know now why he is such an amazing person - he comes by it honestly. I really liked them a lot and he says they think I'm "a keeper", so things went G R E A T! :) If it weren't for getting stopped by the CHP (I sweet talked my way out of ticket - yeah, baby!) and dropping several hundred bucks on 4 new tires (somewhere along the way to Phoenix, I drove over 4 nails!), it would have been a PERFECT weekend!!! It was so amazing to see Sheridan - he makes me so happy!

Oh, and Baci went with me this weekend, too. THAT was interesting!!! I was pretty pleased with the pup's performance - there were no major mishaps like furniture destroyed or poop on the carpet... Just a lot of puppy misbehavior like picking on the other doggie in the house, Daisy, and jumping on furniture that was off limits... Oh yes, and he did pee on Sheridan's mom's foot, but I really do think that was a sign of affection!!! hahaha Baci certainly livened up the party and was great company during the road trip, so I'm glad he came. :)

Anyway, it's back to the grind tomorrow... I hope you all have a great week!!!

Love, Mer

Sweet Potato Souffle

Quite simply, this is the best holiday recipe EVER. It's a good ole North Carolina recipe from my favorite Southern Belle, Weezie Busby. Every time I make this recipe, I think of her at my house in North Carolina at Christmas dinner, with Dylan (my late kitty) on the back of her chair, staring at her plate of food. I hope Weezie and Dylan are both resting in peace - I miss both of them!

Meanwhile, enjoy Weezie's Sweet Potato Souffle. Sheridan's family is about to learn all about this yummy dish on Thursday! :)

Love, Mer

Sweet Potato Souffle

3 cups YAMS (sliced, boiled, drained, mashed)

1 cup sugar (I use Splenda)

2 eggs

1 tsp vanilla

1/2 cup melted butter or margarine

Mix all ingredients and place in casserole dish. It's best if you mix everything while the potatoes are still hot.

Top with the following:

1 cup brown sugar

1/3 cup flour

1/2 cup melted butter or margarine

1 cup chopped nuts (pecans)

Mix together and sprinkle on potatoes. Bake uncovered in 350 degree oven for 30 minutes. Serves 8-10 people.

Happy Thanksgiving, Everyone!

So Thanksgiving is Thursday and it's going to be a crazy week, so I'm not sure if I'll have a chance to post very much. However, I just want to wish all my friends and family a very lovely Thanksgiving - I hope you all have a safe Turkey Day. I'll be in Phoenix with Sheridan (meeting the 2nd set of parents and the brother/ his fiancee - wowsers!) - I can't wait to see him and meet more of his peeps!!

Before I go, I want to share with The Mer Show readers all the things I have to be thankful about this year. You may not care, but HEY, it's my blog, so I can write whatever I want. :)

Things Mer is grateful for at Thanksgiving:

1. Friends and family all over the world, whose support never ceases to overwhelm me and gives me so much strength

2. A stronger, healthier relationship with my mother, father, and brother after a few years of serious drama

3. I have cleaned house of a lot of toxic influences in my life this year

4. I have fallen for a wonderful man who is changing my life every single day for the better

5. My doggie, Baci

6. Last but not least... Weezie's Sweet Potato Souffle and football!

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!!!!!

Love, Mer

Professional Mission Statement

I went to a professional development event this morning and we went through an exercise to determine our future professional goals and mission statement; this is what I created. Whatcha think? Mer

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I will take action to improve my skills as an HR professional to improve processes and efficacy for recruiting and provide value to the staffing process for my client while using my innate client focus and keen perceptivity of human behavior in order to hire quality technical professionals. Eventually, I will successfully become a top independent recruiting professional in California and nationwide.

Should I Enter?

(Click on image to see full size of post!)

Because I might be the biggest fan of Chick Fil A EVER!!!!! All my Texas and NC peeps know this about me...

Anyone want to help me with my entry? I'm definitely going to tell CFA that I ate a 6 piece nuggets meal for lunch EVERY DAY in college (there was a Chick Fil A in the UT student union) and that when CFA came to San Diego, I ate it 4 times that week and announced the opening on The Mer Show!!! I think I might have a chance...

Ever since I did the master cleanse in May, I haven't been eating my beloved Chick Fil A nuggets (I have heard them equated with crack rock) as much, but I do think about them as lovingly as ever! In fact, I think I'm going to get some right now!! Gotta go!

Love, Mer

Random Thoughts

Sorry I haven’t been very vocal lately!! I have a great reason, though – most of my extra time during the day is spent communicating with someone really special in my life. I used to use my free time to ponder life, vocalize random thoughts, share random news stories, and spread celebrity gossip. These days, life is very simple - I take care of myself and Baci, I work hard at a job I love, and I spend every other waking moment that I’m not busy talking to Sheridan. And starting soon, I’m going to be traveling quite a bit to see this very important person in my life! How fun is that?

What a year! I could go on and on about that, but anyone that reads this blog probably already knows my goings on. So many changes for me and practically everyone I know! There have been romantic and friendship breakups, new relationships and friendships formed, fires, illnesses, engagements, babies (Nicole's preggers again, everyone!), war deployments, layoffs, moves, and all kinds of crazy stuff. Let’s hope that 2008 brings a sense of stability and contentment to The Mer Show friends and family. I wish you all much success in life, love, and health! I know I’m definitely on the right track and hope that you all are too. A super special electronic hug goes out my girlfriend Shayne – 2008 is going to be your best year yet, my friend. Trust me!!

Anyway, I hope all is well. Love, Mer

p.s. Look at Keith’s new baby, Ian. Isn’t he perfect?

Finley The Monkey

Look at my sweet little nephew, Finley, in his monkey outfit for Halloween. He's getting so big, my little munchkin... Love him!

Proud Auntie Mer

Mistletoe Mercado Gala

So Saturday night was the much anticipated Junior League fundraiser and I had an absolute BLAST. We dressed up in our finest black tie attire, ate, drank, and spent lots of dough in the name of charity. I bought several Christmas presents and bid (and won) on a package including a night's stay at Pala Casino, with dinner included. Who wants to party, eat, and gamble with me at Pala soon? :)

Sheridan accompanied me to the gala and looked absolutely dashing in his tuxedo! Lisa joined us for cocktails and snacks before the party and we all went together. How lucky was Mr. Hall to have two lovely ladies on his arm? Actually, he should be commended for putting up with two silly drunk girls, listening to Justin Timberlake blasted in the car, and getting us home safely. What a guy!!! Thanks for being a lovely escort, Sheridan. You rock!!!

My neighbor Amanda probably had more fun than anyone there - see photo. She's so adorable!

It was a great night benefitting the Junior League's charitable works, but more than anything, it was a great night. Just wanted to share...

Love, Mer

Guest Blogger - P. Daddy

So I have a new addition to the blog - I have invited several guest writers to be a part of my new series of postings by my friends and loyal subscribers. I look forward to introducing new points of view to this literary debacle known as The Mer Show, and hope you enjoy it too!

Today, I'm proud to introduce Petri, who happens to be my ex brother-in-law, the father of my favorite nephew, husband to my close friend Shannon (and ex sissy-in-law), and simply a cool dude. I hope you enjoy his thoughts on Alanis Morrisette's hit single, "Isn't It Ironic".

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Almost nothing Alanis Morissette referenced in her song "Isn't it Ironic" actually qualifies as irony. "An old man turned ninety-eight, he won the lottery and died the next day. It's a death row pardon two minutes too late. And isn't it ironic...don't you think." No Alanis, I don't. These things are not ironic - they just suck.

That her song contains almost no examples of irony is indeed ironic. Here is some guidance as to what truly can be characterized as irony:

Dramatic Irony - A situation in which the audience knows something about present or future circumstances that the character does not know

Definition of Verbal Irony - A contradiction of expectation between what is said and what is meant

Definition of Situational Irony - A contradiction of expectation between what might be expected and what actually occurs often connected to a fatalistic or pessimistic view of life

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Maybe the song should be called "Isn't it a Bummer?" instead. What do you think?

Thanks, Petri, for being my first guest writer on The Mer Show. You rock!!

Love, Mer

Mistletoe Mercado, Friday through Sunday

The Junior League of San Diego is holding its annual shopping fundraiser, Mistletoe Mercado, this coming Friday-Sunday (Nov 2-4). In order to respond to the community’s most immediate need, we will be accepting monetary donations for fire victims and proceeds of the event will be directed toward wildfire relief funds as well as our focus on education & nutrition for families.

The event showcases *select* vendors with quality merchandise just in time for the holidays. Other special events include happy hour on Friday, book signings of children’s books on Saturday, and Santa, children’s crafts & entertainment on Sunday, so tell your friends & family and come together! To the left is a complimentary admission ticket to the event (dates and times are on the ticket as well as listed below). Click on image and print the larger version, and you're good to go!!

When: Friday-Sunday, Nov 2-4 (Fri 10-8, Sat 10-5, Sun 10-5) – parking is free on Friday!
Where: Del Mar Fairgrounds, Activity Center
What: Unique jewelry, children’s apparel, women’s apparel and accessories, holiday gifts, gourmet foods, luxury pet supplies, home decor, raffles, etc.