West Meets East©

By Caroline Patrick BorNei

Certified Red Ribbon Professional of the International Feng Shui Guild

2010 Dilemmas and 2011 Feng Shui in Tibet!

The Year of the Metal Tiger was certainly exciting. Unprepared individuals had a very bumpy ride. I call it the upside down and backwards realignment. “Be prepared” was my motto at the end of 2009. Have your homework done. Stay in Ox energy. Plow the fields of opportunities patiently, slowly. Don’t procrastinate; clear past issues; listen to your dreams; then plant the future. Tiger’s energy of 2010 offered growth opportunities for those who took the advice. Those who didn’t prepare by clearing up unfinished business and moving forward missed Tiger’s patient ability to be at the right place at the right time. The waterhole provided his prize. His friends, the horse and dog, shared his joy. So with this said, thinking I had done my Tiger homework and being very pleased with myself, without warning, the backlash of the Tiger’s tail knocked me sideways!

To recap, the Christmas holidays were wonderful! Friends from the past reconnected by phone and email; and even though my grandsons are nearly teenagers, they chose to stay close to Grandma, knowing I am an impulsive adventurist and fun to hang with! All seemed well in my life. I was content and love being with family. Several days later I returned to my Portland loft to find my computer and websites both down, non-related of course, passwords written on the backs of old calendars. I sat down stared out the 15-foot windows. “This too shall pass. Nothing can be done now. The four-day New Year’s weekend was beginning in two days. I shall go back to the Tiger’s waterhole and wait till tomorrow to think about it...” I went to bed and slept it off.

The next morning seemed tame enough. Opening the mail it seemed there was much evidence my Will needed a necessary updating. Most of the opened mail required a computer to complete the transactions. Bank, utilities, payments, replies to clients, scheduling, scanning, printing, etc. You get the picture. “Modern frustration” begins to set in. Now I needed the computer to find someone to fix my computer. “What has this world come to,” I muttered while hunting for something called a phone book. The phone book revealed several hundred places within a hundred miles. I narrowed my search within a 5-mile radius, called, and a person actually answered the phone. I like them just for answering the phone. I am not screened or told they will call me when they have time. It seems the gods were now in my favor. The woman gave me good directions, which external hard drive to purchase and how many GB’s I might need IF they could save any of the data. I'm sure you are now asking if I have backups, savers and all the technology to keep this from happening again. The answer is yes, yes and that is what they told me I had. I just like to write, paint, teach and create, but have little knowledge of what makes the computer work and why. But I like the woman who is talking to me and I rush out on New Year’s Eve afternoon to shop for the portable drive. I find the store she recommends without a Google map. Mission completed. “We work 24-7, except for holidays,” she assures me. “Bring it in Sunday.” It is getting dark and very cold in the Northwest. I rush to the car and throw the package in the back and slam the door! It sticks for some unknown reason. “This has never happened before,” I say. “Did one of the kids drop a tiny Lego near the slider?” I realize I have problems.

The door on the van jammed in an open-shut mode on New Year’s Eve at 5pm and all car repair places are closed or closing in seconds. I floor-boarded it to the agency hoping someone could help me. I raced 15 miles in 10 minutes. Yes, you guessed it, the agency was closed with all the lights out. I drove to the back of the building, wishing for a miracle. If the door stayed open for four days my new battery would have to be tossed and me towed! My prayer was answered. Just then the back door opened. An innocent-looking tired mechanic came to life quickly, as my headlights blared in his face. I jumped out quickly, looking wild, while blurting out crazy things such as, “Hi, you look strong, I need help,” and something about my stuck door. All I can remember is the expression on his face. It went from terror to laughing. The door alarm continued its constant annoying dinging shattering the silence. The cold winter temperature dipped in the darkness, but the strong hero was finally able to close the door. “Yea,” I shouted. He turned and looked at me quizzically. “You DON’T want me to try to open it again...do you?” “No, no and no,” I laughed. He wouldn’t take any money but said, “I’ll see you Tuesday after the holidays. Don’t open the door again or the battery will run down,” he cautioned.

HOA meetings, garden meetings, meetings to do Feng Shui classes and consultations, meetings to schedule meetings demanded attention for the whole of the community of Milepost 5. Delay in the Studio opening, rescheduling clients consultations with all the paperwork involved via computer. It seemed a Tiger Tail was clearing clutter which I hadn’t noticed! Each day involved appointments and more appointments. I was a cranky camper! I chanted, meditated and painted, because writing was not an option. Waiting for some news about my computer, I reluctantly opened the laptop, it seem to say, try me, try me. It was loaded with much of my material, but I just didn’t want to deal with the change. Finding files is not a friendly way to start a New Year. Sooner than later, the little pink-colored laptop looked very happy sitting on my now non-cluttered desk. It even made me smile. The desk looked fresh and new as the big gray square screen had been removed and I could now see space. It was a very freeing sight.

Yes, most of my files were saved and the story goes on, but it has given me free time to think, tie up loose ends, go to lunch with friends, enroll in a couple of classes, take care of old clutter, bring in new business and meet new people. If you don’t take care of deleting the past, your computer will do it for you. I have lost some of my addresses so will be delighted if you resend me your address and phone if you care to. I will update you next week on the Metal Hare of 2011. The Metal Hare is quite different from the Rabbit. I will also invite you to travel with me to Tibet in September. A dream come true! caroline@fengshuiartistry.com.

Caroline Patrick BorNei is a certified Feng Shui Practitioner and a Red Ribbon Professional of The International Feng Shui Guild. Her abilities as a consultant and artist are widely known in the US and abroad. Caroline has completed over 5000 consultations for individuals, large and small businesses. Return clients appreciate the value of her suggestions both mundane and transcendental, providing support on multiple levels. As a college art instructor for many years, Caroline understands the power of color; its symbolism and the visual effect images have on individuals in their surroundings. Her home base is Portland, OR where she continues to write, teach, paint, do illustrations and give herbal medicine making classes. She is available for Feng Shui consultations; Feng Shui art consultant, advises builders, architects and mentors a few serious students.

Call (503) 208-2960 or email caroline@fengshuiartistry.com.

Any suggestions given in this column are only for entertainment. Please contact your physician for any medical or herbal advice or diagnosis. Caroline Patrick is not responsible for any misuse of her advice or suggestions.

Caroline’s “West Meets East” weekly newspaper column can be read from archives on her website www.fengshuiartistry.com.