I give opinions on all sort of random stuff EXCEPT religion and politics...two of the most divisive topics on the planet. I give advice and answer questions (like an advice column), and I love the topics of all things spiritual and metaphysical, parenting and general life issues. I'll review products, movies, books, you name it.
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I've read a few of Lee Child's crime novels starring Jack Reacher as the main character. I've really enjoyed every one. This is the 16th of at least 18 to date. A movie about Jack Reacher comes out in December 2012. It stars Tom Cruise which makes me want to puke. Tom Cruise is what...5'7" and a buck fifty? Jack Reacher of these novels is 6 ft 5 and 230 pounds of killing machine and tough-guy persona. I'm not sure I'll go see the movie with Tom in the role. How 'bout Liam Neeson? Somebody tall and tough and who fits the description. Oh heck.
ANYWAY...in this installment, we go back in time to events that took place before the first Jack Reacher novel. It's a prequel. We find out how he set off on his own doing his own thing.
He's on assignment through highest Pentagon chain of command to go to Mississippi an investigate three murders that have taken place near a military base. His job...sort of...is to determine and cover up if a military man is involve. He uncovers cover-ups and becomes royally unpopular. As always, not everyone is who they say they are. As always, Jack has his own way of figuring things out, "following" orders, and delivering justice.
I've printed a list. I want to read them all so I better keep track of which ones I've already read and what order things happen in. I honestly don't think it matters much where you start. Find what is available at your library or used book store and just dive in. They aren't really sequential which is nice. It's just Jack Reacher on a new adventure and crime solving mystery in each book.
Jack Reacher is just all kinds of cool. He's just. He typically doesn't use force unless he has to (and he always has to). He's smart and calculating and he's always about 20 steps ahead of anybody else. Through the novels, you are let inside his thinking processes.
If you want to read more about who Jack Reacher is as a character, you may do so here.
If you want to know more about author Lee Child and all of his works (he writes other books besides the Jack Reacher series), visit his website. Here is a perhaps little-known factoid. Lee Child is the author's pen name. His real name is Jim Grant and he was born in England.
I few years ago, my husband's Braun electric shaver finally gave up the ghost. It was time to find a new one. So I went online and did some research for the best rated Braun on the market. At that time, it was the Cadillac daddy Braun Pulsonic Series 7 Men's Shaver with cleaning system. I purchased the model 9585 which has become the 760cc. It was nearly $300 then. WHAT??? Now, you're pushing $400 to buy this baby.
I think for the most part, my husband has been happy with it (and hopefully he'll read this review and comment to correct anything I've said here). The Braun shavers perform well and typically last long.
At first, the size, angle and shape of the new model was a challenge for him to adjust to. His previous model was one of those smaller, flat, portable square numbers. So the size and shape was different. This one comes with a pop up beard trimmer built in. It also came with the cleaning/storage/recharging unit you see here. You have to buy replacement cartridges for the cleaner every so often and those aren't cheap. Best price at Wal-Mart is about $18-20 for a pkg of 2. They mostly contain a bit of lubricating oil and alcohol and when the shaver is placed back in the charger, it performs a cleaning operation. It also came with a little plastic travel case, travel power cord and brush/comb.
I don't think my husband had it very long before the little trap door concealing the beard trimmer blade ceased to stay closed...the catch on the cover just wouldn't latch anymore. Then recently, we noticed something else, I was buying cleaning cartridges for it more and more frequently. What?? How can that be.
I can only make one sad conclusion and I hope I'm wrong: Braun changed the formula or amount in each cartridge so it has less in it or evaporates sooner. After about 3 uses, it tells us it's empty and time to change. At $10 a pop...you do the math. Thus...it's going to cost us more. I think the pulsating cleaning feature and the solution is a money pit. It reminds me of when Airwick changed the formula in their plug in air fresheners I had been buying for years...suddenly what used to last a month, now lasted about a week before it was empty. Do they think we won't notice? I guess there isn't much we can do about it...besides tell people about it, and not buy a similar model in the future. Or maybe not a Braun at all. I want brands that I can trust, that do business honestly.
I leave the next purchase up to hubby. I think I'm done with Braun. I know he likes the performance of their electric shavers but I can't believe the initial price...or the ongoing expense. Note to self, pay close attention to any purchase that requires ongoing purchases of replacement stuff in order for the item to continue to function....be sure I'm willing to pay for that long term and that the expense seems reasonable.
Here's a link of some videos about the Braun Series 7 or watch below. Shop around for best prices.
If' you're a Starbucks hater...move along..skip this post. I've already admitted that even though Starbucks has nearly as many haters these days as Wal-Mart (I shop there too), I really like their coffee drinks. A lot. They're stupid expensive, and there are a million and one things wrong with their politics. Let's move on.
The My Starbucks Rewards program has been in place for a couple of years apparently. But I just heard about it in the last couple of months when my Starbucks server mentioned it to me.
Here's what you do. You buy a gift card for yourself, then you register it online at the My Starbucks Rewards site. Then you use that card for your purchases and refill/recharge that same card. In turn, you'll eventually earn a few discounts, a free drink on your birthday, and a free drink after so many purchases (like an electronic punch card).
I typically only purchase a Starbucks drink as a treat for myself while I grocery shop at Safeway..about once a week. And if I go to coffee with a friend. It has to be "special occasion" status since, like I said, specialty coffee drinks are stupid expensive (and typically not healthy).
So when I heard about the program, I thought, why not? It might take me a while to get anything, but something is better than nothing right? I think I registered in May or maybe even early April. I got my free birthday drink, but so far, even though I thought I had reached a certain status, nothing.
Then on one of my most recent visits, the server asked me if I was a Rewards cardholder. I said I was. She said, OK, I'll be sure to reduce your total by the price of your syrup since you get free syrups. Apparently, at my local La Grande, Oregon Safeway Starbucks location, swiping my rewards card gets me bubkiss. Their system doesn't automatically read the rewards due...you have to TELL them. WHAT???
She was very nice about it, and I appreciate her letting me know, but all this time, I've not been getting my reward discounts because I haven't been announcing my reward membership at purchase??? THAT is not in the directions or description anywhere. The site leads you to believe that once your card is registered, all purchases are tracked and discounts given automatically when the registered card is swiped. At least that's how it works SOME places. But not all. I feel a bit (OK a LOT) cheated and mislead. Darn it...they OWE me.
I really don't like rewards programs and membership cards designed to make you feel special and V.I.P. when in reality they make the holder do more work and jump through more hoops for less. Like how much I don't like the Safeway 4U program (that often fails to take the specials off at the point of sale), or showing my member card at BiMart so they unlock the gate and let me in (what? I can't spend my money there otherwise?), or all of the little key cards everybody wants you to collect, keep and present for sales at different locations. Just have a sale. Surprise me when I get there. I'm tired of the gimmicks...everywhere...not just Starbucks.
I gave Starbucks some online feedback about this issue. This was there response:
I am sorry for any confusion with the rewards program.
It appears that the store
you visited was a licensed location.
Licensed stores are those that exist inside of book stores, hotels,
grocery stores, and casinos. While over
80% of these stores accept the Starbucks card, within participating chains such
as Target card acceptance can vary from store to store.
We
value your feedback and, as a gesture of goodwill, I would like to send you some
beverage vouchers for use on your next visit to our stores. These will be sent
to your postal address and should arrive in approximately two weeks.
We
hope to welcome you back to Starbucks soon.
Well that's something. But I still don't understand what they are telling me with regards to the program. I just have to remember to tell my local server to give me the perks each time I order. Get it..."perks"...AHAHAHAHA!
Update: I THINK, I may understand this now, and it is important information to know. IF you are using your rewards card at a Starbucks that is not a self-contained, stand alone store (ie, it's inside Safeway, or Barnes and Noble etc), they are unlikely to have your card in their automated system, and further, they don't have to honor any specials, discounts, coupons or cards...because the larger store that houses the Starbucks is in charge of that. Good to know. Would be good for them to have this in large print on the Starbucks website too don't ya think?
Here is the link to the video below, or just watch it if you're able to hear about the My Starbucks Rewards program.
We rented Mr. Popper's Penguins starring Jim Carrey from Netflix. It's a goofy kids movie and I can easily see how kids love it. The penguins are fun.
It's a slapstick, predictable kids flick which is loosely based on a book by the same title. In it, we first see Mr. Popper (Jim Carrey) as a child who is left behind to miss his father to travels all over the world. The communicate by radio.
We see that Mr. Popper has grown up and has become a somewhat unscrupulous, driven real estate agent trying to make partner at his firm. He is separated (or divorced) from his wife and is trying half-heartedly to make weekend visitation of his kids work out. Sort of a Cat's In The Cradle legacy, so to speak.
He is notified of his father's death and the reading of the will leaves all to outdoor exploration organizations. Except his father has sent him something. A penguin...and eventually several more. At first he wants to get rid of them all until he sees how his kids love them. Then he has to figure it all out from there.
The background story is of a man trying to set his priorities while the foreground is good clean penguin fun. It is rated PG. I'm not sure why unless it might not keep the attention of super young kids...but I think it would. One of the penguins, "Stinky", farts a lot. And there are penguins pooping. Maybe that got it the PG rating instead of G. Who knows?
It is basic and corny and I think kids will enjoy it. It did average yet slightly better than expected at the box office and didn't get very great reviews. It's a background theme that's been done to death (think The Santa Clause and others), but it's kinda cute.
Recently we went on a picnic with some friends and their new, young foster kids. It was all pleasant enough until I realized that they had caught on to my mommy energy thing and were sucking me dry.
Don't get me wrong...they were sweet as sweet can be and totally unaware, but you put two kids grieving the separation from their mom, in proximity to a woman who has such strong maternal energy that I could nurse puppies, and quite the exchange took place.
I often wear a mala bracelet. It's one of those little wooden beaded bracelets that you might see Buddhists wear...looks a bit like a rosary only smaller and is often used in a similar fashion. Worn on the left wrist, it is said to mediate the energy that you absorb from others. It is said the right hand is the giving hand and the left hand is the receiving hand...so it helps with energy you might receive that might not be the best for you.
I had never met these kids before and it didn't take very long before they picked up on some energetic thing from me (even though I had been a bit stand-offish). They kept moving closer and closer. Pretty soon other people had a hard time believing they weren't my kids. They literally dept wrapping themselves around me and even fighting over who got the most touch surface. And they BOTH kept trying to remove that mala bracelet...they wanted it off. I let them each hold it once, but then said it needed to stay on my wrist and not be played with so it wouldn't break. We spent about 4 hours at the picnic and returned home.
I was aware on the way home that I was feeling totally exhausted and was starting to get a headache. I came home, ate dinner and pretty much went to bed. The headache kept getting worse until it was migraine level. It took several days after that of pulling in and being in isolated quiet before I felt like I had rebuilt my energy reserve.
There's no way they were consciously aware of the energy siphon that was taking place but in their missing of their mom, they sucked my mommy energy nearly dry. It rather took me by surprise (as such siphons often seem to do with me).
Energy Vampire is a bad term. It implies evil intent. But it is rather descriptive of some energy exchanges where one sucks the energy reserves from another. Not intentional. No ill will. Sometimes these exchanges just happen.
It is my ongoing goal to get better and better with managing my energy expenditures on "auto pilot". To have good energetic boundaries that are self managing just below the surface of my awareness. It's one of the big lessons I'm here to learn this time around. I *think* it's getting better. But now and then, I sure do get zapped (or should I say sapped?).
This is another of those documents being purged from my computer. The back story was about a series of newspaper articles about some abused/neglected horses that had been seized and were being nursed back to health. I was having a lot of reoccurring thoughts about it and ended up writing to a local vet who I thought might be open to the ideas going through my mind. I never did hear from him. He might have thought me daft.
May 9, 2005
Dear Dr. _____,
I am in the professional group that
meets at __________ once per month._________ said you would probably remember me in reference to a
statement I made about “letting my freak flag fly” Anyway, I’m a local medical social worker,
currently working with ____________.Over the past two years I have been having some intense spiritual growth
and began getting spirit visitations, some channeling, and have begun working with
some people out of my home on energy work, or mind/body counseling.That being said, the following came to me
Friday night and I need to share it with you.
I was looking at the newspaper and
saw the photo of the abused horse with all of the sores that is part of the
animal rescue in progress. I haven't read either article...just the
headlines and that was enough. Anyway, it hit me in the gut pretty
hard...that photo...and I said to my husband, "what on earth would have
caused those sores to form?", and he said that the previous article that
mentioned that horse said they didn't know how it got in such bad shape or what
caused the sores.
Then I couldn't sleep. The
repeated message was that those animals have to be able to tell their stories
in order to heal. Maybe the physical will heal, but each and every one of
their individual stories have to be told and perhaps even written down in order
for them to REALLY heal, and those stories will be important for the adoptive
families of those horses (hoping that they don't return to the owner).
I sent an e-mail to local animal
communicators/psychics Bonnie Norton in Elgin (437-0626,
http://www.animalmessenger.com/, she authored a book called Keiko
Speaks...about his communications with her) and Shirley Scott in Walla Walla (Rocky
Mountain Animal Communication, http://www.animaltalkhealing.com/In my vision/dream/visitation, I saw a team
effort of you working in tandem with these psychics so that the healing process
for these animals can be whole and you will learn the ongoing approaches they
each need that their handlers/owners/foster families will need to know.
It’s hard to explain how these
messages come to me, but they peck at my brain until I speak them (or in this
case write them), then I can let them go.I don't know where or from whom this information came to me. It
was like the photo of the wounded animal reached out and grabbed something in
my chest and then this “directive” came to me and wouldn’t leave me.
Anyway, I'm not sure how you feel about this sort of
thing, but I felt I needed to make the connection with the people the
"message" seemed to bring to me. So far I have heard back from Shirley Scott
and she is very willing to donate time towards this.You could call or e-mail her directly.Let me know if there is some other way that
I can help.
I found this little poem I wrote for a contest. It was a contest via the radio from a podiatrist's office. He wanted people to write/submit poems about their feet and the winner would get a free pair of Crocs.
Guess what? I won! This was some time back. Turns out, I don't like Crocs...who knew? You don't know till you try! A niece got the lovely red pair I chose.
So here's that lovely poem. Look out Maya Angelou!
My feet contain my history
They look like my grandmother’s and my aunt’s
my big toe is like my father’s.
Those people are gone now—only I remain.
Callused & dry, they tell the story
of many days spent barefoot
feeling the solidity of the earth beneath them.
Painted toenails—a small expression
of individuality and flair.
A pain that never quite goes away
from walking too quickly
barefoot, into a board.
A scar from something I’ve long forgotten
held in memory by my 2nd toe.
My feet remember
tapping out a rhythm
the hot pavement of a summer day
the feel of my bicycle pedals, roller skates and ice skates
Here's another of my son's favorites from when he was small. Monsters by Russell Hoban (1989). Illustrated by Quentin Blake. It's the story of a little boy who draws nothing but monsters and so his parents take him to a psychiatrist...who even prescribes him with "tablets" to make them go away. And something very interesting happens there.
Oh could my kid draw monsters enough to freak out just about anybody. And if you know more about our story, you know that there have indeed been some issues. However, in most cases, little kids draw monsters all the time without it meaning anything sinister whatsoever. If anything, it shows great creativity and artistic talent.
If anything, I think the message the author is trying to get across is that simply loving to draw monsters is not necessarily a pathological thing in need of treatment. Sometimes grown-ups make a big deal about nothing. As the parent of a special needs son, I can also say that while this is mostly true, sometimes people tell you not to worry...when there may be a reason to worry. It's all about knowing your kid, taking a wait, watch and observe approach, keeping the lines of communication open, and trusting your inner knowing.
But given that my kiddo liked to draw monsters, and had seen his share of doctors, evaluators, counselors, psychiatrists etc, he sort of felt vindicated with this book. Here was another little boy like himself, that liked to draw monsters.
I'm not sure how Quentin Blake tapped into the monster drawings of little boys, but his illustrations looked a whole lot like those my son has drawn. I probably still have boxes of them.
I love learning new things. I hadn't known until I did a little digging for this blog post that Russell Hoban also wrote the series of Francis books about Francis the Badger...as in "Bread and Jam for Francis". He also wrote Emmet Otter's Jug-Band Christmas. I loved that show...didn't even know it had been a book! So yeah...loved this author and didn't even know he was the same guy who wrote this lovely little book about a boy and his drawings...and Monsters.
"Don't you ever get tired of drawing monsters?" Mom said. "Not really," said John. "Monsters are my favorite thing to draw." "Still," said Mom, "there are so many other nice things to draw. There are houses and trees and birds and animals." "Monsters are animals," said John. "I mean real animals like dogs and cats," said Mom, "or even lions and tigers if you like." "Monsters are real," said John. "Have you ever seen one?" said Mom. "I've seen them on TV," said John. "Yes," said Mom, "but have you ever seen one just walking around?" "Not yet," said John.
As I lean gently into vegetarianism and hopefully eventual veganism (a slow goal), I keep my eyes peeled for health additions to those things I hope to eliminate. Like butter. I love butter. I don't use much of it, but I do love it. Margarine has been shown to be actually worse for you than butter...because it's not real. I've used Earth Balance sticks and spreads and sadly, it really is giving up a lot in the flavor and performance department when it comes to baking and such. But over time, I'm sure I'll adjust. And darn but the stuff is expensive!
Recently, I stumbled across Earth Balance Coconut Spread. It is a blend of coconut and other organic oils. It is vegan, non GMO, and organic. So far I've only used it on toast and I must say, I rather like it. It has the mouth feel of butter with a subtle coconut flavor. Rather yummy, and much healthier than butter or traditional margarine. For some reason, I've never been much for jam, jelly or peanut butter on toast or other roll/biscuit items. This is an alternative I can live with. Using the link, you can read the ingredients, and the nutritional information.
One thing I will say that's not super happy-making is that it says to keep it refrigerated. When it's refrigerated it is super hard. As hard, or harder than very cold butter. So I take the knife and sort of scrape it across the top, shaving off thin layers, put it on hot toast, and let it soften on the toast slightly before I try to spread it. It wouldn't work very well for anything that's not warm.
It says you can use it for cooking, but honestly, that would not be very cost effective. I buy Garden of Life Extra Virgin, 100% organic coconut oil from The Vitamin Shoppe at a fairly reasonable price for 16 oz for cooking purposes. I don't cook with it often,but use it sometimes for frying chicken breasts coated in panko bread crumbs.
Like I said, I've used the margarine versions of Earth Balance and have mixed feelings about it. I like that I can find it in an organic, non GMO version, that it is non dairy without a lot of weird chemical additives, but to me...it doesn't cut it in terms of flavor. I just have to adapt to the difference slowly over time. There was a time I didn't think I could adjust from whole milk to skim, or from milk to soy or almond milk...and now I prefer those to cow's milk. So I can adjust to many things, given enough time, experience and time away from the favorites so that hopefully I forget.
Have you tried the Earth Balance Coconut Spread? What do you think of it? What types of things do you use it for?
GMOs or Genetically Modified Foods. What are they and why should we be thinking and talking about them?
I'm pretty new to the subject so I really do encourage you to read up and do some deep thinking and careful shopping where these foods are concerned. There is a movement afoot to have any and all GMO foods labeled so we can make more educated choices. Heck, I would be in support of a total ban on GMO foods. But that's gonna take some time.
What ARE GMO's? "A genetically modified organism, or GMO, is y definition un-Natural. DNA is inserted from the 'genome' (the technical name of the entire DNA of any living thing) of one species into the genome of another to create a new, unique set of genes that act differently from the original." Page 1 and 2.
Why Are They Being Created and by Who? "GMOs are being created by five primary companies...Monsanto, DuPont, Syngenta, Payer CropScience, and Dow." Page 2
The reasons they are being made is for money. A naturally occurring plant or substance cannot be patented or owned. GMO's can be patented, as can the seed. In addition, GMOs are being created because "(1) They resist herbicides so that weed-killer can be used around them and not destroy them and (2) they produce internal proteins not naturally present in these plants that act like the Bt-toxin in Monsanto corn, a protein that renders them less susceptible to pests but supposedly harmless to humans." Page 2.
OK, so are you following so far? Monsanto makes Round-Up pesticide and herbicides. They (and other companies) genetically modify plants so that they can be heavily sprayed with Round-Up herbicide (weed killer) and survive it and be heavily sprayed with Round-Up or other brand pesticides for insect/pest control and not harm the plant. People are not so loveingly referring to these GMOs as "Franken-Foods".
Now you know what they are, and why they are and who they are. But why should you care?
Why Should I Care?
The body sort of likes bio identical and all natural things to ingest and be exposed to...because the body is all natural, right? When you genetically modify the plants that we eat, the body begins to morph and change it's genetic composition as well (mutate). There is mounting evidence that GMO's pose health risks. They pose health risks not only to us who eat the plants (which will include all of the herbicide and pesticides), but the animals and animal products we eat (meats, fish, poultry, eggs, milk...) is impacted because the animals are eating the same GMOs, pesticides, herbicides we are and are genetically mutating too.
The implications are that GMOs contribute to cancers, low testosterone in men, high estrogen levels in women/children, and a myriad of both recognizable and nebulous ailments. Further studies are needed, yet the FDA has approved these foods as safe. Why? Money. The corporations making all this stuff have a great deal of political clout and money to push their agenda.
What Foods Should I Really Pay Attention to the Most?
High risk foods include: Alfalfa, Canola, Corn (and any product made from corn...corn syrup sweeteners that are in just about everything), Cotton, Papaya, Soy (tofu, soy products), sugar beets, zucchini and yellow summer squash. "Conventionally-raised, produced, or grown milk, meat, eggs and honey are all considered high-risk GMO since they may e the products of animals feeding off GMO crops." Page 7
"Moderate risk foods and crops, those susceptible to cross-pollination or contamination include chard, table beets, rutabaga, Siberian kale, bok choy, mizuna, Chinese cabbage, turnip, acorn squash, flax, and rice." Page 7
"Many things are derived from GMO crops - aspartame (artificial sweetener's like Equal), ascorbic acid (vitamin C), amino acids, high fructose corn syrup, hydrolyzed and textured vegetable protein (which you will find in almost every brand of meat substitute such as MorningStar Farms and Bocca), sucrose, and many yeast products". Page 7
Under many different brand names, Monsanto and other companies are also selling you GMO seeds to plant in your garden. The only way to be reasonably sure your seeds are not GMO is to locate companies that advertise and sell organic and specifically marked non GMO seeds for your gardening use. See? Not even growing your own is perfectly safe. And many of the vegetable plants you purchase for your garden are also GMO.
California has introduced a bill that would require labeling of all GMO foods and GMO ingredients in foods called The California GMO Labeling Initiative. You can support their efforts. If one state is successful, many will follow suit, PLUS many companies will not be able to afford to label just the products they sell in California, so will likely label all products they sell throughout the U.S. and beyond. It seems a step in the right direction to require that we know which foods are GMO so we can choose what to buy. A ban on GMO foods would be my preference.
How Do I Avoid Eating/Buying GMO Foods?
Darn it, but it can be harder than it looks. You've got to start reading labels like a hawk. You've got to familiarize yourself with the high risk and moderate risk foods listed and try not to eat them or them as an ingredient in anything else.
Typically, if you choose organic, these tend to be non GMO foods. But I'm not aware of (and correct me if I'm wrong) a regulation that requires organic foods to be non GMO. Organic foods are those that meet criteria for having not been grown using any pesticides or chemical fertilizers. I don't know that they are required to be non GMO, but you can make a leap that if a grower cares enough to become certified (and all of the rules and regs that go with that) as organic, why would they then want to plant GMO garbage? Well, cheaper seed would be one reason.
There are some companies that are voluntarily labeling as NON GMO so look for that marker. Organic and non GMO will give you the best shot.
But that gets really expensive doesn't it? Yes, it sure does around our house and I can only go so far. Our budget is limited. Hence, why I say if ALL food was required to be organic, non GMO, we would all benefit. Prices would eventually even out.
Grow as much of your own food as you can from non GMO seed and using organic growing practices. Buy as much local produce (and meat/milk/eggs etc) as you can from only those growers who are using non GMO and organic practices. Do your research.
In the end, all we can do is the best we can do, but we can all do better. This issue doesn't even touch on treatment of animals in factory farming, or how vegetarians get all they need when most of the soy being produced is GMO.
In the organic and non GMO department, look also for products grown/produced in the U.S. One dirty little secret about organic products from other countries is that the U.S. contracts with third party inspectors in those countries to ensure the products are organic (and/or non GMO). So while they might be...they also might not be. The U.S. is not inspecting or insuring that USDA Certified Organic products from other countries actually are.
Honestly, sometimes it makes my head spin so much that I get to thinking I can't eat anything. I think one option certainly is going vegan, and only eating organic, non GMO products. I realize that in order to be certain, this will drastically cut the variety of items out of my diet to those I am sure about, and those I can afford. To tell you the truth, this is the direction I'm leaning in. I'm going kicking and screaming. I'm a T-Rex meat eater, but have dabbled in vegetarianism. To go vegan and all organic and all non GMO is going to take Hurculean effort. Especially living in a small community where every day, there are fewer and fewer organic options in my local stores. The stores are hurting in this economy and they keep reducing their inventory of the expensive products that people's budgets won't allow for. Often these are the healthiest options. I sorta feel like a captive slave to cheap food. It really is a dilemma.
Are you at all concerned about GMO foods? Why or why not? If you are not concerned, have you actually done some research to learn about them?
Here is just one of many videos discussing this topic. If you'll notice, this video, and the publishing dates of the books below are not "hot off the press". This has been a concern to many people for many years. Why is the press not shouting it out? Why are we not more active in stopping this? As they discuss in the clip below...the money controls the information. We can do better than this can't we? The power of social media and viral videos can go far to educate us and get us to care.
Have you ever asked yourself WHY so many people you know have cancer? Have arthritis, fibromyalgia, MS, chronic fatigue etc? Our immune systems are stressed to the snapping point and our genes are mutating. Our bodies have to fight very hard to get what they need from the crap we are putting in it that our own immune systems are attacking us. Is this really what we want????
The Grouchy Ladybug by Eric Carl (1977) is another among the favorites of my son when he was young. He was grouchy. And that's an understatement. So a story about a grouchy ladybug seemed to entertain him to no end.
This ladybug wants all of the aphids to herself. And she/he is a mean bully who keeps trying to pick fights with progressively larger creatures.
You may not be able to see it very well from this photo I've included, but the pages of the book get progressively larger too and in the upper corner there is a picture of a clock with the hands showing the time. Each page tells you who the ladybug was encountering at what time of day. That makes the muted watercolor (or torn paper...or whatever medium they are) illustrations that much more multidimensional seeming.
I know...hard to see, right?
Here is a reading of The Grouchy LadyBug by Eric Carl.
I was at the store with "Thelma" and we decided to try out this new phenom, crackle nail polish. OPI also makes a "shattered" nail polish. Same thing, different prices, and from what I can tell online, same result. Perhaps different color options.
We grabbed the Sage Smash Crackle Overcoat, a black and a silver undercoat to try. Directions are to use a base coat (I always do this anyway because it helps the color adhere and the manicure last while protecting the nail from staining).
So I used a base coat and let it dry. They use a color (either one or two coats depending on the depth of color you want and the drying time you have). For this experiment, I used the black color on my toes and the silver color on my fingernails.
Of COURSE Sally Hansen says to use their brand for your base and under color, then their crackle and then their top coat. Honestly, any polish will work. I like Sally Hansen though for their durable wear polish.
So here we go.
It sure is hard to keep the black of my skin!
I used a different brand of base coat that I like (although Sally Hansen stuff is really good). Then I put black on my toes and silver on my fingers.
well, these are just crap photos!
Then I put the Sage Smash Crackle over all. Great, from these photos you can't tell anything. Here, take my word for it...the green sparkle over the black looks really good...very antique marble like. The green sparkle over the silver sparkle doesn't look good at all...it looks more like I smudged my manicure.
So here's what you need to know: If you choose a lighter Crackle color, choose a dark under coat color. If you choose a dark Crackle color, use a lighter under coat color. Got it? You really need the contrast or it just doesn't look good.
And Oh My Gosh! While I was looking for stock photos for the blog, I discovered that Sally Hansen also makes what they are calling Magnetic. This is a polish that makes wavy lines and designs due to matalic and magnetic aspects of the polish. Oh Sally! Please supply me with your polishes to review! How FUN! I'm sure I'll try it eventually. But just look!
OK, those look like fun too don't they?
Here are a couple of clips about the Crackle and the Magnetic.
As we continue to work our way through viewing all of the Cirque Du Soleil DVDs currently available via Netflix, we come to Cirque Reinvente from 1987. A bit dated and not nearly the production it has now become, this video still has plenty of entertainment value.
As near as I can make out, the title relates to the transformation of one of the masked people into a performer. Sorry that's the best I could do on theme. It's just lots of acts. I'm also starting to notice a pattern that there always seems to be performers and a group of more civilian-type voyeurs or viewers of the acts. That seems to be a theme that runs through all of the DVDs we've watched so far.
It is fun to see how the production has progressed over the years with grander sets and costumes. They obviously have a much bigger budget now that they have become so successful. Amazing talent in every show. I won't lie, the older shows are less exciting but still worth watching for the outstanding talent.
Here is a clip of a strength/balance act I was enthralled with. I can't even imagine that bit where he's balancing her...laying down, and then stands up...and turns over. How the heck?
A reader brought to my attention that when you subscribe and read via email, sometimes the youtube screens are not playable in email. So I will try to remember to also include a link to click on so you can go view the clips I post. Thanks for letting me know.
Continuing with my purging of old documents and emails, I come next to one between myself and a healer/mentor. We had been having some discussion about how sick I often was following doing any healing work with others, or the migraines I often got with spirit contact or dream travel. They really were debilitating at that time. Being empathic, the pain of others often clings to me and I process it. It's not pleasant. I'm still on the learning curve to reduce or eliminate those effects.
I've also noticed that as I open more spiritually (and I don't mean that in a religious sense), my body appears to shift and change. As I open to higher and higher vibrations and slowly shed the lower vibrations (which will be a lifelong journey), my physiology adapts and changes. Sometimes this means growing pains. I liken it to climing Everest. First you climb...then you hang out at a higher base camp for a while until your body get's used to the thinner air and the physical challenges of high altitude. Then you move higher...resting when you need to before climbing more.
Here, then, is a little of that exchange:
Hey ...I saw this on a web site about Indigo Children and it resonated
on some level. Is this part of what is happening to me?
"It is that within the human genetic structuring,
changes are occurring. It is that with these changes, there are certain
signalings that are taking place in the form of an electrical arc from one
segment of the genetic structuring to another, once dormant sector. new yet old
connections are being made. Some of you are experiencing this as Awakening to
other realities.
Some are experiencing more subtle, physical changes, such as your digestive
systems requiring different foods for optimum performance, others are
experiencing lymphatic or adrenal malfunction. Yet others are experiencing lack
of clarity and decisiveness as the energies expand and your mental selves are
not keeping up. Others of you are experiencing pain within your physicalities
that is not remedied with the usual forms of treatment and seemingly has no
explanation for its occurrence. This all will equalize as you adapt to the
changes."
Yep! Everything that we have been
waiting for is happen'in
Sooooo.....I keep morphing, and you try to
patch me up to a comfortable/temporary level, and toss me back into the game?
Does it stay this painful forever?
My hope is that our bodies will raise in
vibration to match our soul's vibration and pain and illness will no longer
affect us. That's what is says in the books. Otherwise each step we take will
be followed by the next, painful or not. However we are here to support each
other on our way!
Perhaps you read my review from last May...when things didn't go so well for a planned/booked horse back ride with the Eagle Cap Pack Station at Wallowa Lake in Oregon. The previous owners (AFTER the original owners who had the business for some 25 years), were not doing a bang-up job of customer service or honoring bookings.
The original owners took back the pack station, and then sold it to new (current) owners, Kevin and June McElhaney. Are you following all that? In between, during this transition, the long-standing, original owners contacted me after seeing my less than favorable review and assured me that my "IOU" for a free ride would be honored by the new owners.
So about 14 months after my ill-fated 50th birthday ride (which didn't happen), we give it another try.
This time when I emailed about booking a ride, I got a prompt reply. Then I called and booked the appointment letting June know I would be cashing in my IOU from the previous owner for a 4 hour ride for 2. This is a $180 value ($90 per person). On the website, it shows that you must have a minimum of 4 in your party for this ride. For whatever reason, our ride was allowed to move forward with just my husband and myself (and of course our guide, Travis).
I was super excited and super scared. I've been on a horse...back in high school. I love them but they scare me and I don't understand them or have the slightest idea how to handle one. My hubby just rolls with everything...not phased in the slightest. We were assured that these were experienced trial horses, that they could ride these trails calmly in their sleep and we did not need to have an ounce of experience for the ride. We were told to wear long pants, and sunscreen or clothes to protect from the sun, bug spray if we wanted, any snacks or drinks we wanted, a hat would be a good idea (and protective helmets are available as well).
Locked and loaded, we drove the hour and a half to Wallowa Lake on July 21, 2012 for our scheduled ride. We were to report at 12:30 for our 1:00 ride (to fill out paperwork). We arrived in plenty of time to grab an ice cream cone at a local vendor, stretch our legs and then report to the pack station.
Lots of pretty horses awaiting riders
It was a very warm, beautiful day for our ride. First you fill out a some paperwork that in essences releases them from any liability if you die. Lots of scenarios like falling rocks, falling horses, falling off horses, and such. A bit sobering. Was a sure I wanted to do this? Yes, I was sure. Go big or go home, right?
Now, I will add just one negative to this new and improved post. Once we arrived, June seemed almost like she hadn't fully realized that we were cashing in a freebie IOU from the previous owners...even though there had been a few emails and a phone call making sure this would be honored. So she sort of grimaced and then began to complain about how many IOU's the previous owners had issued that they were having to bite the expense of. We went to our car to get ourselves squared away, and were returning to where we were to "board" our horses and June was talking to the stable hands and guide in hushed tones that cut off immediately when they saw us coming. But not before I heart the words "This really sucks." So, yes, I agree that having to honor the IOU's of a previous owner does "really suck". But if you've agreed to do so, do it with a good attitude and a smile on your face for the sake of the good public relations you'll be building. The complaining and comments made me feel unwelcome and like I was trying to rip THEM off. I had been up-front from my very first contact. Other than that? Everybody was EXTREMELY kind, including June. They seemed tired, a bit frazzled and like they were still very much learning the business after having taken it over only 7 months prior. Everybody was very nice. So my only complaint about customer service was that June needed to suck up her disappointment and not let us see it.
We mounted our trusty escorts from a raised dock which was very helpful for the overweight, out of shape, non-rider in me. They adjusted our stirrup length and the only instruction we were given was that we were shown the reins and told "this is right, this is left, this is stop, and give them a loose rein". Um, I really think I needed a little more than that to feel confident. Like, what if the horse freaks out? What do I do then? But away we went.
This was my view from atop "good girl sweet girl doll face please don't kill me angel baby
We followed our guide, Travis out of the parking lot and onto the road to clip-clop along until we reached the trail head. Travis' horse was a bit on the jumpy side that day. A motorcycle buzzed by before we had even gone 100 yards and his horse went into a dancing prance. MY horse, simply turned around and headed back to the property and barn and I didn't know what to do to get her to rejoin the group. I hadn't been on her long enough to gage her temperament and I didn't want her to be frightened if I tried to turn her around. Eventually (and with my heart racing), I turned her in a slow, large circle and headed back to Travis and hubby. Then on we went.
Hubby's horse, "Baily" wasn't so enthralled with going at all. Kinda funny. She left a large gap behind Travis and my horse's nose was practically in her rump. I was nervous that this would make Baily kick my horse. I had already forgotten my horse's name, having just had the dailights scared out of me right there at the start...my memory went blank. So she was "good girl", "sweet girl", "sweety baby doll", "please-don't-kill-me, angel girl".
So I thought I could avert disaster by trying to pass Baily. Funny thing...Baily was going slower than molasses but every time I got up next to her to try to pass her, she sped to a trot. I repeated the process about 4 times which made us laugh. Finally I got around her to middle position. But often during the day, I heard hubby saying "c'mon Baily, let's go". My "angel baby" wanted to stop every 5 steps to eat (a girl after my own heart), but eventually I learned her temperament and was able to feel more confident asserting myself with her. Baily just plain liked to stop and refuse to go. This happened a bunch of times. Travis dismounted a few times to pull her along, and hubby dismounted at least once to pull her along. He seemed fully comfortable with it, so we just learned to look back and stop and wait for Baily to decide to go again.
Baily pretending to be innocent :-)
I'm just sayin' these are still animals, and they have minds of their own and it may not be so easy to fully predict that they will always docilely plod along the trail. Mostly they did though. Travis' horse shyed at hikers with backpacks, and dogs...and once even a SHIRT that was hanging on a stick. At one point, his horse shyed and backed down the trail toward me, and even turned completely around so the three of us were crammed pretty close together on a very narrow trail (single file only) with quite a ravine below. That scared me...that one even made hubby squirm. Once Travis got his horse back on track I asked "So, Um, what should I do in a situation like that?" Travis said "Don't panic." Oh SURE Travis...that's like telling me not to think about Abraham Lincoln. Cuz soon as you tell me not to think about Abraham Lincoln, what do I do? THINK ABOUT ABRAHAM LINCOLN! Or in this case...panic! I said that I realized that horses could tel when you were scared and that I knew I wasn't fooling them one bit by my faking calm. He assured me that the horses are experienced and that they usually work it out and are good about not falling off cliffs and such. I sure hope so, Travis, I surely do hope so.
Wallowa River
The 4 hour ride is approximately 8 miles and follows the west fork of
the Wallowa River. We stopped for a brief break on the river and saw several falls and the pristine river. The vegetation was thick and lush despite it being late July. Everything was green and beautiful with plenty of water still in the river. We saw glimpses of Wallowa Lake far below. None of our group was very chatty. For starters when you are single file, spaced out a ways on a trail, you can't hear each other anyway...unless it is for something important. Also, Travis seemed the quiet type, my hubby is the quiet type, and I was so focused on not dying that it clammed me right up. That photo of me looking down at the trail and my horse's head was sometimes all I saw for a very long time. Hubby asked me if I had seen any scenery at all. I said "Maybe". Somehow, I thought if I watched the trail FOR my horse, I could avoid anything dangerous. I'll admit it again, I was really nervous. But it was also thrilling and beautiful. Horses are amazing. They smell special, they have a wonderful warm sweat. They are majestic and magical. I'm still glad I'm on one even though I'm scared.
I'm going to let you in on a little secret: My butt started to hurt before we even left the road to the trail head. But I had booked a 4 hour trip, and those lovely people at Eagle Cap Wilderness Pack Station had bit the expense of the previous owner's IOU. I was not ABOUT to turn back or complain. Also, both mine and hubbies "old knees" were screaming in agony. We adjusted stirrups a bit more and I kept having to shift weight and keep blood flowing to my toes. So by the time we hit the half way point, I was having doubts. But...there's no way out but to just keep on going.
Wallowa Lake as seen from above on the trail.
Onward and upward and eventually back to the pack station. By the second half of the trip we encountered fewer hikers, and the horses seemed to have settled into their routine, and I felt more confident in how my horse (baby-doll-please-don't-kill-me-angel-face) handled and what she would allow from me. I took a bit more authority with her and kept her on track. I was less scared and more sore. Travis asked me at one point if I was getting sore and I said I was but it was worth it. And it was.
Shhh, you can't see me, I'm invisible
It's kinda funny, we see deer in our yard all the time...every night. We see them all the time on the road. A four-hour pack trip up into the mountains and I didn't see critter one besides human, dog and our horses (and a few bugs). But...as we leave the pack station, pulling away in our car, we see a buck in velvet laying on the ground right up against the building of the pack station. Sort of pretending to be invisible.
I don't think I'll ever be an equestrian, and may never repeat this type of trip, but it was a fantastic experience to share with my hubby. I challenged my fears, I got a "redo" on my disappointing milestone birthday, and we had a new experience. The people are kind, the horses didn't kill us, we saw some beautiful countryside I've never seen even though I've lived in this area most of my life. I never would have walked that far (I hate hiking). The horses got me up off the ground where creepy snakes and wildlife might be and gave me a ride since I'm too lazy to hike. I highly recommend this place for a unique outdoor experience. They have 1, 2, 4 and 8 hour rides available.
Two tough hombres and their trusty goddesses
One thing I wondered about (as I was wondering if I would fall to my death) was about the use of two-way radios or walkie talkies or something. As far as I know, cell service might not be available up there and I wondered "What if"" something DID happen? Would they just have to wait until we didn't come back? Maybe they do have a plan for that, but I didn't see it. I pondered it as I clung tightly to the sides of my horse ("please don't kill me baby doll").
I wondered a lot of things on that leisurely, 4 hour ride, taken largely in silence. It was a good, good experience. There's a sign at the pack station that says "If you enjoyed your ride, hug your horse and tip your guide." So we did. It looks like a tremendous amount of work to run a business like that at the height of tourist season. They're doing a darn good job. I wish them every success and I thank them from the bottom of my very sore bottom for honoring a mistake from the previous owners. It was the right thing to do, and I hope you show your support by visiting the Eagle Cap Wilderness Pack Station.
This isn't us, but it gives you some of the views.
I think I first heard about Luna and Larry Organic Coconut Bliss (an organic, non-dairy frozen dessert) on Facebook. Well, you know me, one thing led to another and pretty soon I was scoring myself some free samples.
It took a few months to get the coupons from the manufacturer, and then I discovered that, *gasp*, not a single retailer in my town carries it. Tre Tragic'! I was directed to a retailer about a half hour drive from my home in Baker City, Oregon at the Baker Food Co-Op.
Coconut Bliss is made with coconut milk. It is organic, vegan, soy free and gluten free. It's sweetened with Agave Syrup and has a low glycemic index. It is made from fair trade ingredients. Now, lest you be in that blinded group who still thinks coconut oil is a wicked oil, update your brain. First off, coconut is not a nut...it's a hard pit with a fleshy skin. "Many nutritionists, doctors and naturopaths now believe coconut oil to the the healthiest oil for human consumption...Coconut oil IS a saturated fat but it's not like the saturated fats in animal products..." Read more about this on their website using the link above. It's also made in Eugene, Oregon...right here in my state. Gotta love that, right?
Flavors
Lunaberry Swirl
Chocolate Walnut Brownie
Ginger Cookie Caramel
Mocha Maca Crunch
Naked Almond Fudge
Pineapple Coconut
Chocolate Peanutbutter
Naked Coconut
Dark Chocolate
Vanilla Island
Mint Galactica
Cappuccino
Cherry Amaretto
Chocolate Hazelnut Fudge
Naked Coconut Bars
Dark Chocolate Bars
Holy coconut shell, Batman! How are we gonna decide on just two for our sample??
My travel pal extraordinaire, "Thelma" drives with me to the Baker Food Co-op in Baker City, Oregon, armed with napkins and spoons.
The co-op is the only place even remotely close to us that carries Coconut Bliss. Our local health food store used to but started carrying a cheaper brand. The food co-op didn't have very many flavors in stock to choose from and they were a bit suspicious of our two free coupons so it took a while, and manager approval to make our "purchase". We bought some chips and drinks too so that we were giving them some of our money too. As an aside, the Baker City Food Co-Op is a really nice place and carries more stuff than my local health food store. We really liked it there.
"Thelma" chose the Pineapple Coconut and I chose the Dark Chocolate. We went to a park and shared. The first impression of texture is that it is a little icy/crystaly but as it states on the pkg, they suggest you leave it at room temp for 5-10 minutes before eating it. This was pretty darn solid when we bought it so how long you need to let it soften will depend on the temp of your freezer. Let it get a tad soft first and then you'll experience a much more creamy texture. It's always so hard to wait. Lucky for us it was a hot day, they made us stand at the check-out for an eternity while they approved our free coupons and then we drove to a park and walked around looking for just the right spot to enjoy our bounty. By then it was nearly soft enough.
It was really good. Both types (although I'm a sucker for chocolate so that was my fave). It had the full creaminess, the full flavor and the full experience of ice cream with much healthier ingredients. No...it's not low fat, but it's healthier fat. I've never understood how a pint contains 4 servings. Really? Does anybody really stop there? A see a pint as a serving. Good thing I don't eat it often. Because much like full fat ice creams, Coconut Bliss will contain around 14 grams of fat per one half cup serving. Good think I'm bad at math or I would have passed out knowing how many grams of fat I consumed in a full pint, plus "Thelma's" left overs. Child's play for me.
It was plenty sweet and the sweetness did not taste odd or diminished. It's sweetened with Agave instead of sugar and it tastes really good. Ya know...like sugar.
So for us, it was a winner. Downside? It's not available locally. AND...and this really is a deal breaker for us; It's too stinking expensive. Each pint was priced at $7.19. I know it's healthier and fair trade and there is a lot more goodness to it in nearly every way. But that's not a doable price point for me. I rarely even spring for Ben & Jerry's at the $3-4 price point...so you can imagine how likely I am to pay over $7 for this product. It's sad really because I understand that it's more expensive to make things the right way and I appreciate that...but there is also reality of a person's grocery budget.
I definitely liked it better than the So Delicious brand that my local health food store replaced it with. I won't buy that brand again because I didn't like it very well, and I won't be buying this one because of the price. It's just a matter of income, budget and what I'm willing to pay for a treat. But..it really is a quality, tasty product and I thank them for providing us with the coupons for two free pints. We turned it into a girl road trip. I mean how many people jump in the car with two paper towels and two spoons and drive an hour to eat healthy ice cream in the park? How fun is that???
