real romance

Valentine's Day got you thinking? Have a visit with relationship expert Jason Fischer

Does Valentine's Day have you thinking about the current state of your relationship? Should you discover you want to make some changes, relationship counselor and author Jason B. Fischer, MA, LPC would encourage you to stop thinking so conventionally and take an "out of the box" approach to love and relationships instead.

On Thursday, Fischer will dole out wisdom for singles and those paired up while signing his latest book co-authored with Sabrina Kindell, The Two Truths about Love, at BookPeople. His counseling approach calls for individuals to take more responsibility for their actions and look within to develop maturity and depth.

We asked him a few questions that received a some surprising answers, beginning with five unexpected things he suggests you tell your lover on Valentine's Day.

CultureMap: In the spirit of the season, what's a great way to spend Valentine's Day with your one-and-only?

Jason Fischer: This Valentine's Day try sparking some loving conversation with one of the following, at first baffling, statements: "I don't know who you are," meaning "I never want to stop discovering you." "I don't need you in my life," meaning, "I want you in my life." "You don't make me happy," meaning, "I'm very happy being with you, and I promise to nurture my own happiness so I can share that every day." "You have a lot of flaws," meaning, "I want you to truly know that who you are is okay, flaws and all." And saw "I like you" as an alternative to "I love you."

CM: And how do you make romance last beyond Valentine’s Day?

JM: By discovering the meaning of giving permission and taking responsibility — the two truths about love. Love yourself first, and then learn how to best extend this love to others.

"It is this relationship, which I call "internal friendship," which is by far the most important, since it effects each and every aspect of how we relate to everything else." - Jason Fischer

CM: So, what is the most important relationship to have in life?

JF: It's essential to realize that we are constantly having relationships with an infinite number of things, not just people. We relate to everything from traffic and the weather at a given moment, to our clothes and how we look, how we feel, current events, everything.

We relate to people in our present and also memories of those in our past, our family and friends, our pets, strangers, co-workers and, above all else, we are constantly relating to ourselves. By far, it is this relationship, which I call "internal friendship," which is by far the most important, since it effects each and every aspect of how we relate to everything else.

CM: What do you hope people take away from your book, The Two Truths about Love, and who would benefit from reading it?

JF: I don't recommend thinking in terms of "should" but what I can tell you is this: Everyone who reads my book with an open heart and mind will benefit immensely from it. It is truly a life-changer. I hope people take away that they are supremely powerful to create the life and love they always desired, completely on their own.

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Fischer will be signing his new release at BookPeople on February 7 at 7 p.m.

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Meteor News

How to see the Draconid meteor shower in Austin this week

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Meteor shower

A meteor shower will be visible from most of North America, including Austin, during the week of October 6-10.

The Draconid meteor shower – also called the Giacobinids – was predicted to produce the most meteor activity on the night of October 7 and through the early hours of October 8, but there is still time to catch the tail end.

There will still be sightings on subsequent nights, stargazing experts say.

According to EarthSky, a cool website devoted to all things starry, the Draconids will be visible right after it gets dark, rather than the more common early morning hours most meteor showers are visible.

The best time will be just after sunset, until around midnight. Viewers won't have to stay up until the crack of dawn.

Helping to make the meteor even more visible is a waxing moon, barely a crack, which will cast less light and keep the sky darker overall.

EarthSky says that the meteors are radiating from two stars known as the Dragon’s Eyes, called Eltanin and Rastaban, found in the constellation Draco. Which is located in between the Big Dipper and the Little Dipper.

However, the meteor shower will be visible across the sky.

The shower is dubbed a "sleeper" in that it produces only a handful of meteors — 10 per hour. But they move slower, so the duration of each streak of light sometimes lasts longer — one to two seconds, rather than a rapid flash.

Meteor showers consist of debris left behind by comets and asteroids, which throw off bits of rock and ice as they orbit the sun. The Draconids are the result of Earth passing through this trail from the comet 21P/Giacobini-Zinner. The comet completes an orbit of the sun about every seven years, and according to CNN, the last time it got this close to Earth was in September, 2018.

The best way to see it is to find a place that's far from artificial light, then lie on your back and look up at the sky with a wide view. No special equipment is needed.

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