Monday, November 17, 2008

Gazehound's Animal Communication News: November/December 2008


*GAZEHOUND'S ANIMAL COMMUNICATION NEWS
*November/December 2008



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Keeping in touch with the animals....
and the people who love them
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A Season Slips By

... Thanksgiving for the little things

Some of my usual readers might have noticed that September/October whizzed right on past without the usual installment of our little newsletter. That's because October managed to progress without the newsletter's author ... so to speak.

I want to use this opportunity to send out some global thank yous. Those of you who were subscribed to the e-news list at the time that I went into the hospital were aware of why I suddenly vanished, and my son Devon was able to send out an update at least on one occasion for me. Thank you so much for your cards, calls, and efforts to check in with me ... and especially all of the precious prayers and healing energy sent my way.

Those of you who hadn't been on the list at the time, but understood the need to join when I came home and went searching for my "missing clients" ... I thank you so much for accepting the invitation I sent out to you. I truly want to try to make sure as many of my very special, very important ... and that means all of you and yours ... animal friends and their humans remain in the loop, so that if ever something like that happens again, I'm able to contact people and let them know why I have suddenly vanished into the mists!

This little adventure has shown me in a big way how important it is to stay in touch. While in the hospital, I was without any kind of computer access for the entire month, and had only my little cellphone and text messaging to keep track of the outside world and send updates of my condition to various friends, who helped by relaying news to others. (The term "internet withdrawal" is no longer just a catch phrase in my mind -- and we won't even think about what this month's cellphone bill looks like! ::ouch::) It also made me very aware of how thankful I am that I do, under normal circumstances, have the ability to stay in close touch, including this little bi-monthly missive that keeps us in contact and allows me to express my thanks for the fact that you're all a part of my world.

Many of you have already been filled in on "what happened", and know that I was hospitalized with what turned out to be a very rare condition called pyoderma gangrenosum.

If you don't mind graphic images (please do consider this forewarning for the sensitive), and would like to follow the details of a bizarre journey that started out with a little sheep-bump on the shin, I do have a blog online that I fill in and update daily:

http://www.evernote.com/pub/Gayze/Pyoderma_Gangrenosum

Things were very scary for a while there, and to be honest can occasionally still feel a bit on the anxious side, but the leg is healing well, and I'm making good progress toward normal again. Not fast progress, but good progress. Another of those "small gratitudes" is the appreciation for small steps, and learning to give big thanks for little blessings. It's astounding how many little things we enjoy every day without really noticing how important they are. Things like showers ... it's interesting how an entire month of only being able to get clean with a tub of hot water and a wash cloth can make one appreciate a shower ... or the ability to just get up and get oneself a snack or a sandwich without having to rely on a family member's assistance. I'm thankful for this little sidetrip through ill health in a way, because I find myself looking at the little things with gratitude -- every small step in the right direction becomes a moment of "wow, that's really cool".

Just having my family ... including those with fur and feathers and fins ... around me on a daily basis is a huge blessing. I went a whole month without being able to reach out my hand and always have a soft furry head to touch, or a purr to respond to my kisses. My warm animal friends are once again within reach -- what a comfort and blessing that is.

And you. I'm so thankful to be back "in touch", and find myself thinking about the days not all that long ago when there were no such things as personal computers or the internet. We did manage to get by, and we stayed in contact then ... and yet the technological advances that give us the benefit of instant communication have now become such a part of our lives that we miss them sorely when they're suddenly unavailable. Thank you all for, either from the beginning or in retrospect, taking this little side-trip with me, and for all the good wishes and thoughts of health and healing you've sent my way. I'm glad our paths have crossed, and that we have this opportunity to travel side by side for a while along the universal highway.

Holiday blessings to all of you, and your families, all species inclusive. Hugs, kisses, pats and scritches -- and many, many thank-yous!

--Gayle



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FYI NOTES and NEWS

IT'S HOLIDAY GIFT CERTIFICATE SPECIAL TIME


Although we're a little late getting started this year (thanks to my leg taking me out of commission for a while), the annual holiday gift certificate special begins today, November 17th, 2008.

It will run until January 1st, 2009. This will allow you to purchase gift certificates at $25 for one, $45 for two, and $60 for three, essentially receiving one session free for each group of three.

Payment can be made through Paypal or via personal check or money order, and gift certificates are delivered via email as a pdf attachment. In the rare cases where people don't have access to email, I will print and mail the paper certificates on request.

As always: Gift certificates are good for one year from the date of purchase (which, in the case of the holiday special, will always be listed as December 25th, 2008). Other specials and discounts do not apply to sessions purchased through a gift certificate, and the certificates are not refundable.


SPEAKING OF GIFT CERTIFICATES


Don't forget that the certificates you may have purchased last year do have an expiration date. If you've given them as gifts, or have them tucked safely away at home, check those dates now and redeem them before they expire.



Website:

BOOKSTORE ONLINE!
I receive so many requests for book suggestions, for which I normally send people to my website's "Introduction" page and recommended reading list, that I've decided to take it a step further and make it easier for people to get more information, read reviews, and shop right from my site if they wish. I've added an Animal Communication Book Shop to the website. It can be accessed as an external link from the Gazehound.com front page and the main Animal Communication page, and on the "Introduction" page (reached by the button of that name in the side menu), the shop itself is built right into an inset at the bottom of the page. I hope you find this a convenient way to research and review books on animal communication, as well as a number of other topics such as positive training, natural pet care, and "good for the human soul" sections.

New Section and Books Added: I hope you'll enjoy the new section on wildlife and wildlife rehabilitation, which includes both care guides and field guides and a lovely book called Healers of the Wild -- a testimony to the power of love. In the Positive Training section, be sure to page through to Victoria Stillwell's It's Me or the Dog. My long stay in the hospital introduced me to her show on Animal Planet, and I find her positive approach and bright presentation to be delightful and inspiring.

Don't forget that you can always keep up with changes and info on rates, policies, and "other fun stuff" on my website: www.gazehound.com, and that you can find archives of this newsletter and other articles on my Creature Thoughts Blog: gazehound.blogspot.com.



Important Policy Update:
Well, this is not actually a change, simply a more strict enforcement of a policy already in place. Due to several recent situations, I will from now on be strictly enforcing my policy of not offering follow-ups until the account is up to date on payments, unless the client already has a history of being reliable and faithful to their word. This will encompass all aspects of my services, including missing animal cases.

In addition, for an indefinite period of time, I will not be accepting missing animal cases from new clients. Existing clients may call me for a lost pet, and those will be taken on a selective case by case basis.


E-News List

It has become more important than ever, due to recent circumstances, that all of my clients are subscribed to my e-news list. Thus, whenever anyone inquires about information, or sets up an appointment, they will receive both an invitation to the list and a separate note from me letting them know they've been invited. I strongly encourage all my clients to stay in touch, by remaining subscribed to this list.



Want To Help Our Wild Friends?
Northeast Llama Rescue and Barnyard Sanctuary and New York Wildlife Rescue (an IRS 501(c)(3) charity) accept Paypal donations through their website at http://www.redmaplefarm.net. Thank you!



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Permission is given to forward this newsletter to anyone you feel might enjoy it. If this newsletter has been forwarded to you and you would like to subscribe, just visit the newsletter link below.

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Gayle Nastasi
Animal Communication Consultant
http://www.gazehound.com/pets
Free bi-monthly newsletter:
http://www.gazehound.com/pets/acnewslist.html
Creature Thoughts Blog:
http://gazehound.blogspot.com
Online Book Shop:
http://astore.amazon.com/gazehound-20