Can we clean our pineal gland with something that doesn't smell like asshole?

Saturday theMan and I decided to continue our quest into utilizing our time here in lovely Illinois by exploring the local offerings of our surroundings. We started with our usual breakfast tradition complete with conversation and coffee with some friends. I've really taken a deep appreciation for our Saturday morning meet-ups. We get bagels and coffee at our leisure and the atmosphere is inviting enough to stay as long as we feel. Plus the food is pretty healthy or at least full of life-energizing caffeine. I don't need vitamins at 8:30 a.m. as much as I do an iced mocha. And if we ever got bored of talking, there is a stack of board games!

After that we ventured to Wheaton, IL to Quest bookshop. This is the bookshop either owned or at least in partnership with the American Theosophical Society. It was air conditioned and equipped with huge comfy couches and more metaphysical, spiritual, and social commentary books than you could shake a stick at! theMan and Intuitive Cat were in heaven.

I ended up scoring a brilliant book that gives me more ideas for furthering our adventures in financial freedom and more "aware" living. The Guide for Simple Living has ideas for ways to make 3 year plans to leave your job, retire early, etc. and even ideas on how to lessen materialism and stress at holidays and how to teach your kids the value of money. Right now I'm on the chapter about meditation and giving yourself time to relax. Perfectly fitting for me as if you told me I had to sit on the couch for 10 minutes I'd start making lists of what I need to get done. It also is helping me with my nagging fears about trying to have a family on just a secretary's income. But more on that another time....

After some serious tuna burgers and beers at a local Irish pub house, we ventured to The American Theosophical Society center. It was AMAZING. Books and books and books of comparative religions all in one place. Alot of our favorite authors and definitely all of theMan's. We even scored a complete set of Encyclopedias on the occult and parapsychology as well as a Carlos Castaneda book I didn't have for under $15.

Plus, if I can talk theMan into it, we might renew our vows there next year as it will be 10 years of marriage. Egads.

Ended this awful, disgusting, hot weather night with a visit to Sis, BIL and Coney Sauce. More photos in Flickr and in the Mind Blowing set.