Just saw today when ordering some books for school that there is an Amazon Student option you can sign up for. Only catch is it probably only applies to NEW books, which I usually do not purchase if I can avoid it.
The membership lasts for a year so make sure you note that. Also it does say you can save on other things outside of textbooks so if you order often from amazon.com often, chances are it might be worth it for you. All you need is a dot-edu (.edu) email account, check it out here
I wish I knew this information a little sooner, so I am sharing it with my young friends or studious amigos.
Also, I know I always talk about Halfprice books, but seriously, check it out already! If you can get over the idea of "used items" and instead consider them "awesome, delightful, sweet-bum, dirt cheap gems" you will love the place just as much as I do.
When I go there it's always a game for me--I try to bring a list of books I need and make a game out of how many I can find. Yesterday I found 3 out of 4 school books. I was pretty happy.
I ended up purchasing the 3 books for class and then 2 just for fun books, so 5 books total. I had a $5 off coupon so my total came to $12 for all the books! If I would have purchased just the 3 books for class new it would have been over $60 plus shipping online.
Crazy, good stuff :)
Which reminds me...I love books in an unhealthy way...
I may need help.
Showing posts with label Books. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Books. Show all posts
Wednesday, February 2, 2011
Thursday, January 20, 2011
Trust the Process
This post is about trusting the process. One of those sayings that I love and hate at the same time.
The particular process I am talking about refers to my research project (although "the process" also applies to life as a whole).
Research, in particular, has been quite a pain so far. This is an understatement. Ask my classmates. So far, not a lot of joy has come out of "the process" with this course. I'm sorry to report this news, but that's my truth at the moment.
This upcoming semester is supposed to be my last semester in research. (Note I say supposed to be...I'm crossing my fingers). By the end of May according to the syllabus, I should be presenting my work.
Sitting in my kitchen right now, buried under an array of books and papers and the clutter of my mind, I am feeling smaller and smaller, like my voice is getting weaker through this "process."
At the same time, I am feeling something stronger, just at the surface of something. What this feeling is must be hope or perhaps a twitch of some sort. If I'm lucky it means I'm on the verge of a breakthrough. If I'm not lucky, it could be closer to something like a breakdown. I'm not sure. I'm just waiting.
I don't have much time to elaborate on what I'm going through, but I'd like to put some quotes up from Shaun McNiff that are all I have to hold onto at this point. In my journey so far he is the only person who seems to make me feel a little better about the feeling of stuckness I have regarding research and what research is all about. These quotes come from his book, Trust the process: An artist's guide to letting go.
"A person's license to create is irrevocable, and it opens to every corner of daily life. But it is always hard to see that doubt, fear, and indirectness are eternal aspects of the creative path" (p. 1).
"There have been so many times when I have given up, only to go at it again the next day, or the next year, and over the full course of life all of the moments appear so purposeful or even necessary" (p. 9).
"If we are able to stay with a situation, it will carry us to a new place" (p. 22).
"Anything truly novel and significant comes through unwatched, unintended, daimonically" (p.33).
The book is full of these sorts of gems, but I do not have time nor is it legal to paste them all down for you. So borrow the book from me or buy it if you are needing some words of encouragement through your creative process--your life, is what I'd call it.
On a side note: I will say, while I have not been personally touched by my Ah ha! moment in the realm of research, some other synchronicities have been playing themselves out in life, and there may be opportunities there for creation and a potential "side business." If I am lucky, it could be bigger than a side business. However, until I finish my research work for my M.A. I will not be putting too much time into this dream of mine.
Which leaves me to my last quote that I just saw on my tea bag:
"Our patience will achieve more than our force."
The particular process I am talking about refers to my research project (although "the process" also applies to life as a whole).
Research, in particular, has been quite a pain so far. This is an understatement. Ask my classmates. So far, not a lot of joy has come out of "the process" with this course. I'm sorry to report this news, but that's my truth at the moment.
This upcoming semester is supposed to be my last semester in research. (Note I say supposed to be...I'm crossing my fingers). By the end of May according to the syllabus, I should be presenting my work.
Sitting in my kitchen right now, buried under an array of books and papers and the clutter of my mind, I am feeling smaller and smaller, like my voice is getting weaker through this "process."
At the same time, I am feeling something stronger, just at the surface of something. What this feeling is must be hope or perhaps a twitch of some sort. If I'm lucky it means I'm on the verge of a breakthrough. If I'm not lucky, it could be closer to something like a breakdown. I'm not sure. I'm just waiting.
I don't have much time to elaborate on what I'm going through, but I'd like to put some quotes up from Shaun McNiff that are all I have to hold onto at this point. In my journey so far he is the only person who seems to make me feel a little better about the feeling of stuckness I have regarding research and what research is all about. These quotes come from his book, Trust the process: An artist's guide to letting go.
"A person's license to create is irrevocable, and it opens to every corner of daily life. But it is always hard to see that doubt, fear, and indirectness are eternal aspects of the creative path" (p. 1).
"There have been so many times when I have given up, only to go at it again the next day, or the next year, and over the full course of life all of the moments appear so purposeful or even necessary" (p. 9).
"If we are able to stay with a situation, it will carry us to a new place" (p. 22).
"Anything truly novel and significant comes through unwatched, unintended, daimonically" (p.33).
The book is full of these sorts of gems, but I do not have time nor is it legal to paste them all down for you. So borrow the book from me or buy it if you are needing some words of encouragement through your creative process--your life, is what I'd call it.
On a side note: I will say, while I have not been personally touched by my Ah ha! moment in the realm of research, some other synchronicities have been playing themselves out in life, and there may be opportunities there for creation and a potential "side business." If I am lucky, it could be bigger than a side business. However, until I finish my research work for my M.A. I will not be putting too much time into this dream of mine.
Which leaves me to my last quote that I just saw on my tea bag:
"Our patience will achieve more than our force."
Tuesday, January 11, 2011
Every good cook needs to know good substitutes
One thing about cooking that people need to know is that it's okay if you don't have everything the recipe calls for...be creative.
For example, just the other day I made a polenta which is usually made of cornstarch...but I only had whole wheat flour on hand. Did it look like polenta made from cornstarch? No. Did it taste like polenta made from cornstarch? Probably not exactly. Did it still taste good? Yes!
Here is a list of substitutes from a book I like to visit from time to time called, Beer is NOT a food group: Motherly Meals on Meager Means by Lori Powell Gordon. I was gifted this book when I was in college from a women who I will always hold near and dear to my heart.
The author of the book, Lori Gordon is a wonderful cook and she is funny and smart too, which is a great bonus when you read her work. She is also a MN native, so it always feels MN nice to shop local. She has another cookbook out that I have not personally tried, called, If my house were on fire, these are the recipes I'd take. Once I get through all of the other gems I have in my kitchen it is a book I would consider purchasing.
Common Substituions (as they appear in Beer is NOT a food group)
1 cup butter in baked goods = 7/8 canola or other vegetable oil
1 cup buttermilk = 1/2 cup yogurt and 1/2 cup milk or 1 TBSP vinegar and enough milk to make a cup.
1 cup brown sugar = 1 cup white or raw sugar plus 1 tsp. molasses
1 oz. unsweetened chocolate = 3 TBSP. cocoa powder plus 1 TBSP butter
1 clove garlic = 1/8 tsp garlic powder
1 TBSP raw ginger = 1/2 tsp. powdered ginger
1 TBSP chopped fresh herbs = 1/2 tsp. dried
1 cup honey = 1-1/4 cup sugar plus 1/4 cup liquid
juice of one lemon = 2-3 TBSP lemon juice
1 TBSP prepared mustard = 1 tsp. dried mustard
1 package dry yeast = 1 TBSP = 1 cake compressed yeast
1 TBSP = 3 tsp
2 TBSP = 1 fluid oz
8 fluid oz. = 1 cup
2 cups = pint
2 pints = quart
4 quarts = 1 gallon
* If you bake with honey lower the oven temp by 25 degrees.
* If you don't have the right size pan for baking use the closest one you can find. Don't fill a pan too full if the contents are going to rise, like cake or bread. Two-thirds full is safe. If your pan is smaller than the one in the recipe, it will have to bake longer because the batter will be deeper. Check baked goods by their color, if they spring back when touched, or if a toothpick poked into them comes out clean, as a recipe will suggest. This is almost the best way to tell if its done.
Also one to note that is not mentioned by Lori that I've recently done: 1 TBSP cornstarch = 2 TSBP flour
If you have any good substitutions you'd like to add to this list, please feel free to comment :)
For example, just the other day I made a polenta which is usually made of cornstarch...but I only had whole wheat flour on hand. Did it look like polenta made from cornstarch? No. Did it taste like polenta made from cornstarch? Probably not exactly. Did it still taste good? Yes!
Here is a list of substitutes from a book I like to visit from time to time called, Beer is NOT a food group: Motherly Meals on Meager Means by Lori Powell Gordon. I was gifted this book when I was in college from a women who I will always hold near and dear to my heart.
The author of the book, Lori Gordon is a wonderful cook and she is funny and smart too, which is a great bonus when you read her work. She is also a MN native, so it always feels MN nice to shop local. She has another cookbook out that I have not personally tried, called, If my house were on fire, these are the recipes I'd take. Once I get through all of the other gems I have in my kitchen it is a book I would consider purchasing.
Common Substituions (as they appear in Beer is NOT a food group)
1 cup butter in baked goods = 7/8 canola or other vegetable oil
1 cup buttermilk = 1/2 cup yogurt and 1/2 cup milk or 1 TBSP vinegar and enough milk to make a cup.
1 cup brown sugar = 1 cup white or raw sugar plus 1 tsp. molasses
1 oz. unsweetened chocolate = 3 TBSP. cocoa powder plus 1 TBSP butter
1 clove garlic = 1/8 tsp garlic powder
1 TBSP raw ginger = 1/2 tsp. powdered ginger
1 TBSP chopped fresh herbs = 1/2 tsp. dried
1 cup honey = 1-1/4 cup sugar plus 1/4 cup liquid
juice of one lemon = 2-3 TBSP lemon juice
1 TBSP prepared mustard = 1 tsp. dried mustard
1 package dry yeast = 1 TBSP = 1 cake compressed yeast
1 TBSP = 3 tsp
2 TBSP = 1 fluid oz
8 fluid oz. = 1 cup
2 cups = pint
2 pints = quart
4 quarts = 1 gallon
* If you bake with honey lower the oven temp by 25 degrees.
* If you don't have the right size pan for baking use the closest one you can find. Don't fill a pan too full if the contents are going to rise, like cake or bread. Two-thirds full is safe. If your pan is smaller than the one in the recipe, it will have to bake longer because the batter will be deeper. Check baked goods by their color, if they spring back when touched, or if a toothpick poked into them comes out clean, as a recipe will suggest. This is almost the best way to tell if its done.
Also one to note that is not mentioned by Lori that I've recently done: 1 TBSP cornstarch = 2 TSBP flour
If you have any good substitutions you'd like to add to this list, please feel free to comment :)
Wednesday, December 22, 2010
Forgiveness and 100 demons
I recently met up with my friend Colleen, and we got to talking about ourselves and our "demons" so to speak, which brings me on here to share two things.
One: I need to learn what forgiveness really means. It is one of my demons I have not really encountered fully. I need to know what forgiveness looks like, sounds like, smells like, tastes like and most important, feels like in real life. I know what not forgiving does to me, it makes me feel like crap and it seeps into my life affecting me negatively, when I least expect it. So, I am ready to be more open to actually acknowledging that I need to forgive people in my life (both from the past and the present, and I need to forgive myself for the mistakes I have made and the ones I will continue to make).
On that note, it wasn't until last weekend that I had a revelation that a lot of my guilt issues I have had all my life do not actually stem from true guilt but actually are just being masked as "guilt." What happens to be hiding behind this mask are actually situations that I have felt wronged by and experiences that I feel somebody owes me an apology.
Truth is, I do not really need the apology anymore, I have moved on on a surface level and am quite fine in that regard, however, now I just need to move on from the buried hurt that resurfaces every now and again. How do I do that? Forgiveness. Easy to note and a simple solution, but how to employ it, I ask myself (and you). It should be interesting to see how this pans out and if I can actually do it. I think paying attention to it is the first step and talking it out, like I am doing now.
Here is a quote that I am trying to look at once a day to remind myself of my intent to bring forgiveness into my life.
"Forgiveness has nothing to do with forgetting...A wounded person cannot--indeed, should not--think that a faded memory can provide an expiration of the past. To forgive, one must remember the past, put it into perspective, and move beyond it. Without remembrance, no wound can be transcended."
Two: Demons. Yes, I want to talk about my experience with them. I once read the book One! Hundred! Demons! by Lynda Barry which is a painted, quasi-autobiographical experience that is broken up into little graphic stories that are her "demons" so to speak. It is really a cool book and a neat exercise to do.
I read this book in one of my English courses at St. Olaf, and we had to make a graphic book about some of our demons. This Christmas I hope to dig it up in storage at home and see what I had written about 3 years ago--to see if any of the demons have changed.
I also should note, that I am currently reading another one of Lynda Barry's books called, What It Is which was an impulse buy (Amazon.com recommended it to me when I was looking for books on writing). I remembered my previous experience with the author and was thrilled to purchase a book that has more illustrations than words; it has been soothing to the mind and the soul. Anyway, I opened the first page last night and have not been disappointed since. It's like she is speaking my very own story, and it is very in line with everything I have been learning from my Masters program in Holistic Health Studies. Very cool, and something to check out if you want to try reading something different with lots of fun pictures and thought-provoking sentences.
That's all.
One: I need to learn what forgiveness really means. It is one of my demons I have not really encountered fully. I need to know what forgiveness looks like, sounds like, smells like, tastes like and most important, feels like in real life. I know what not forgiving does to me, it makes me feel like crap and it seeps into my life affecting me negatively, when I least expect it. So, I am ready to be more open to actually acknowledging that I need to forgive people in my life (both from the past and the present, and I need to forgive myself for the mistakes I have made and the ones I will continue to make).
On that note, it wasn't until last weekend that I had a revelation that a lot of my guilt issues I have had all my life do not actually stem from true guilt but actually are just being masked as "guilt." What happens to be hiding behind this mask are actually situations that I have felt wronged by and experiences that I feel somebody owes me an apology.
Truth is, I do not really need the apology anymore, I have moved on on a surface level and am quite fine in that regard, however, now I just need to move on from the buried hurt that resurfaces every now and again. How do I do that? Forgiveness. Easy to note and a simple solution, but how to employ it, I ask myself (and you). It should be interesting to see how this pans out and if I can actually do it. I think paying attention to it is the first step and talking it out, like I am doing now.
Here is a quote that I am trying to look at once a day to remind myself of my intent to bring forgiveness into my life.
"Forgiveness has nothing to do with forgetting...A wounded person cannot--indeed, should not--think that a faded memory can provide an expiration of the past. To forgive, one must remember the past, put it into perspective, and move beyond it. Without remembrance, no wound can be transcended."
Two: Demons. Yes, I want to talk about my experience with them. I once read the book One! Hundred! Demons! by Lynda Barry which is a painted, quasi-autobiographical experience that is broken up into little graphic stories that are her "demons" so to speak. It is really a cool book and a neat exercise to do.
I read this book in one of my English courses at St. Olaf, and we had to make a graphic book about some of our demons. This Christmas I hope to dig it up in storage at home and see what I had written about 3 years ago--to see if any of the demons have changed.
I also should note, that I am currently reading another one of Lynda Barry's books called, What It Is which was an impulse buy (Amazon.com recommended it to me when I was looking for books on writing). I remembered my previous experience with the author and was thrilled to purchase a book that has more illustrations than words; it has been soothing to the mind and the soul. Anyway, I opened the first page last night and have not been disappointed since. It's like she is speaking my very own story, and it is very in line with everything I have been learning from my Masters program in Holistic Health Studies. Very cool, and something to check out if you want to try reading something different with lots of fun pictures and thought-provoking sentences.
That's all.
Monday, December 20, 2010
Quick note about Fire
The fire is the main comfort of the camp, whether in summer or winter, and is about as ample at one season as at another. It is as well for cheerfulness as for warmth and dryness. ~Henry David Thoreau
As I previously blogged about spirituality and how I would like to pay more attention to it, it is funny that tonight when I opened my book on herbs, spirituality was mentioned in the chapter I happened to be reading.
I came upon an intersting anecdote I wanted to share from the book, (Plant Spirit Medicine by Eliot Cowan). The chapter I read was about the element fire and of course about spirituality.
Cowan discusses the role of fire in our lives. He says that fire is what gives us pleasure. This connection makes sense in relation to Thoreau's quote about fire being good for cheerfulness and it makes sense in relation to fire being commonly connected to the pleasure of sex among other passions in life.
Cowan goes on to mention that people look for hot stuff in life because our spirits are cold. His take on this void of spirituality and heat comes from a void of love. He says that the only thing that can truly warm us is love. This reflection is interesting to think about if one considers the person who is "looking for love in all the wrong places."
Cowan says that on top of our need for pleasure and heat, we live in a society that is cold-hearted. He explains, "We are spiritually frigid and so we have an infantile craving for pleasure. This craving is whipped into frenzy by purveyors of merchandise of every kind" (p.72). People fill their lives with all forms of pleasure but cannot seem to find happiness. Cowan suggests it is because these people have not found love in their lives.
He also mentions that the element of fire has the power to bring things to maturity. He says, "A mature human being is one whose spirit has been warmed by the fire of love" (p.72). This quote suggests that part of connecting to our spiritual selves and reaching maturity is in finding the ability to love from our hearts and in making space for receiving love in our lives.
Now to the juicy part which perhaps I have built up (I'm sorry). I'll leave it alone after I get this out. I promise.
Cowan includes an anecdote about an anthropologist that went to learn about the songs of the Hopi tribe. On the anthropologist's visit, he met an elder and had the elder sing the songs of the tribe. The anthropologist noticed that the elder kept singing songs about water. Slightly annoyed, the anthropologist asked if all of the songs were about water. The Hopi elder responded that yes, the songs were mostly about water because their need for water was so great in their community and that most of their songs reflected the greatest needs of their people.
The Hopi Elder then said, "I listen to a lot of American music. Seems like most American music is about love." He then asked the question, "Is that why? Is that because you don't have very much?" (73)
As I previously blogged about spirituality and how I would like to pay more attention to it, it is funny that tonight when I opened my book on herbs, spirituality was mentioned in the chapter I happened to be reading.
I came upon an intersting anecdote I wanted to share from the book, (Plant Spirit Medicine by Eliot Cowan). The chapter I read was about the element fire and of course about spirituality.
Cowan discusses the role of fire in our lives. He says that fire is what gives us pleasure. This connection makes sense in relation to Thoreau's quote about fire being good for cheerfulness and it makes sense in relation to fire being commonly connected to the pleasure of sex among other passions in life.
Cowan goes on to mention that people look for hot stuff in life because our spirits are cold. His take on this void of spirituality and heat comes from a void of love. He says that the only thing that can truly warm us is love. This reflection is interesting to think about if one considers the person who is "looking for love in all the wrong places."
Cowan says that on top of our need for pleasure and heat, we live in a society that is cold-hearted. He explains, "We are spiritually frigid and so we have an infantile craving for pleasure. This craving is whipped into frenzy by purveyors of merchandise of every kind" (p.72). People fill their lives with all forms of pleasure but cannot seem to find happiness. Cowan suggests it is because these people have not found love in their lives.
He also mentions that the element of fire has the power to bring things to maturity. He says, "A mature human being is one whose spirit has been warmed by the fire of love" (p.72). This quote suggests that part of connecting to our spiritual selves and reaching maturity is in finding the ability to love from our hearts and in making space for receiving love in our lives.
Now to the juicy part which perhaps I have built up (I'm sorry). I'll leave it alone after I get this out. I promise.
Cowan includes an anecdote about an anthropologist that went to learn about the songs of the Hopi tribe. On the anthropologist's visit, he met an elder and had the elder sing the songs of the tribe. The anthropologist noticed that the elder kept singing songs about water. Slightly annoyed, the anthropologist asked if all of the songs were about water. The Hopi elder responded that yes, the songs were mostly about water because their need for water was so great in their community and that most of their songs reflected the greatest needs of their people.
The Hopi Elder then said, "I listen to a lot of American music. Seems like most American music is about love." He then asked the question, "Is that why? Is that because you don't have very much?" (73)
Wednesday, April 14, 2010
Be a Rainbow in somebody's cloud :)
Maya Angelou is so wonderful...
I want to read this book. I CANNOT wait for summer reading!!!
I want to read this book. I CANNOT wait for summer reading!!!
Wednesday, March 31, 2010
Books, books, books. What more does a person need?
St. Paul Farmers' Market Book: I received this gem as a recent birthday gift from my fiance's mother. She loves St. Paul's farmers' market and she knew Jay and I were moving into the neighborhood so she thought a farmer's market basket full of goodies would be a tasteful gift. She was right! I am very much looking forward to tasting the many flavors of the market with the help of this book, and I can't wait to expand my vegetable horizon.
Healing Teas: My friend Sarah gifted me this book. I am only on page 47, but I am enjoying every page! On a related note, I was at the Farmers' Market a couple weeks ago and I bought this excellent tea pot! It is the best tea pot I have come across. The only thing is I wish it was bigger, but apparently you can get them in bigger sizes. All you have to do is put the tea leaves in, boil water, pour the boiling water in the pot, let it steep for the desirable amount of time, push the water release button and cha chinnggg you have your cup of tea ready to go with no residual leaves floating around! Also if you want to re-use your tea leaves (if you prefer steep #3 or #4), its quite easy to take out the inner cup and store it in the fridge for later enjoyment. The name of the tea pot is the PIAO I TEA POT. You can google it if you are really interested. I am unsure about heavy promotion here because I have looked at the reviews on Amazon and I am not sure how this pot will hold up with lots of wear and tear. All I can say is it has been quite amazing for me and I have used it everyday now for the past two weeks. Num!
Since break began I just finished Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie's book Purple Hibiscus, a really random, but lucky pick off of the Half-price bookshelf. I thoroughly enjoyed the book which follows a young Nigerian girl's story about her family, the politics in Nigeria and the world, tradition and culture vs. religion, and self-discovery. I really liked it and would consider reading another one of her books.
There are other books that I am reading right now that I will write more about once I plug through them (too much info to process in this short little posting) but a little sneak-preview: To eat meat...or not to eat meat. Dun dun dun!!!! An answer to be revealed to me hopefully in the next couple months. I'm not sure with school starting back up again full-swing next week that it will be possible for me to come to a sufficient or succinct understanding to share with you or myself, but I will definitely come back to this posting later because I have had far too many stomach issues to not address my diet more particularly--just know that the issues are being addressed right now behind the scenes :)
Healing Teas: My friend Sarah gifted me this book. I am only on page 47, but I am enjoying every page! On a related note, I was at the Farmers' Market a couple weeks ago and I bought this excellent tea pot! It is the best tea pot I have come across. The only thing is I wish it was bigger, but apparently you can get them in bigger sizes. All you have to do is put the tea leaves in, boil water, pour the boiling water in the pot, let it steep for the desirable amount of time, push the water release button and cha chinnggg you have your cup of tea ready to go with no residual leaves floating around! Also if you want to re-use your tea leaves (if you prefer steep #3 or #4), its quite easy to take out the inner cup and store it in the fridge for later enjoyment. The name of the tea pot is the PIAO I TEA POT. You can google it if you are really interested. I am unsure about heavy promotion here because I have looked at the reviews on Amazon and I am not sure how this pot will hold up with lots of wear and tear. All I can say is it has been quite amazing for me and I have used it everyday now for the past two weeks. Num!
Since break began I just finished Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie's book Purple Hibiscus, a really random, but lucky pick off of the Half-price bookshelf. I thoroughly enjoyed the book which follows a young Nigerian girl's story about her family, the politics in Nigeria and the world, tradition and culture vs. religion, and self-discovery. I really liked it and would consider reading another one of her books.
There are other books that I am reading right now that I will write more about once I plug through them (too much info to process in this short little posting) but a little sneak-preview: To eat meat...or not to eat meat. Dun dun dun!!!! An answer to be revealed to me hopefully in the next couple months. I'm not sure with school starting back up again full-swing next week that it will be possible for me to come to a sufficient or succinct understanding to share with you or myself, but I will definitely come back to this posting later because I have had far too many stomach issues to not address my diet more particularly--just know that the issues are being addressed right now behind the scenes :)
Tuesday, December 1, 2009
A Healthy Christmas List...
After spending some time with my boyfriend's family and hearing about their amazon wishlists (to get gift ideas for them for this Christmas),I decided to start one of my own for fun. I have to say that I enjoyed what felt like a pseudo-shopping experience. I think I have about 15 items on my public wishlist and maybe about 10 more on my private wishlist. I wanted to share some of my favorite finds for this holiday season.
I'd like to preface this short list by saying that initially I felt kind of bad making a wishlist and all, considering I feel as though I have all I need in life to lead a good life and should not ask for more...however I must say, of course I had an enjoyable time realizing there are so many cool things out there that could add even more quality to my life (dare I say) ;) And as I have been compiling my list I found that many of my gifts could be generalized to be health-centered, which makes sense. One of the greatest gifts in life is good health, so here is what I found that I think could benefit people open to the idea of taking better care of themselves.
A Zenergy Chime
This cool little chime is yes, a chime, but its name suggests its cooler than just any ol' chime, right? This little guy can be used in a session (so if I continue to ever pursue something along the lines of a holistic health practitioner or a health coach I could begin my sessions with this ring. It could also be used for opening and closing meditation ceremonies (which I will be doing come next February for class!) Or as I found suggested on Amazon (through customer reviews), it could be a good resource for a sort of quieting/dismissal/announcement in a classroom setting. As this month marks my first month of teaching Spanish language in an after-school program, I can't help but think such a gem might make class time more special.
Music to Inspire Positive Thinking by John Herbmann
So I am not going to go into a novel on each of these items, I think this one is pretty self-explanatory, and I believe there are other ones out there that are relaxation, stress-relief and creativity inspiring, but I just thought that this CD would be a good one to wake up to in the morning and one worth a try.
Coloring Mandalas book by Susan F. Fincher
Everybody needs to color, or as my Foundations of Holistic Health and Wellness class would call it, "make marks on paper." Art is something that is so important to maintaining good health and balance in your life. As cheesy as that may sound or as unartistic as you may feel, we all must take some time to express ourselves through this medium (and it can be in many forms). I happen to want to re-explore coloring and inspire myself to take some time to breathe and relax in my day. This is also something I am looking at as an activity to do with my little (and future children). We can color a mandala together and keep it somewhere safe and accessible, so when we are having a bad day we can look at the mandala and remember what is really important in life.
The Artists Way book
As taken from amazon.com's review:
With the basic principle that creative expression is the natural direction of life, Julia Cameron and Mark Bryan lead you through a comprehensive twelve-week program to recover your creativity from a variety of blocks, including limiting beliefs, fear, self-sabotage, jealousy, guilt, addictions, and other inhibiting forces, replacing them with artistic confidence and productivity.
This book links creativity to spirituality by showing how to connect with the creative energies of the universe, and has, in the four years since its publication, spawned a remarkable number of support groups for artists dedicated to practicing the exercises it contains.
So...I could go on with more details showing you this cool teapot I found or talking about hand blenders and their amazing clean-up/convenience, or the 100% silk pillowcases I have been asking for ever since I was young, but I am not going to continue, I think you get the idea and can start making your own lists this Christmas. By thinking about what you really want can shed light onto what kind of gift you might find valuable in giving to another person. I just wanted to share a few items on my list with the theme of health and healing since it has been my life lately. If you have other requests or questions about books, essential oils, natural beauty products, etc. I may have some knowledge to share from my program, so please feel free to ask. Otherwise just enjoy this list for what it is worth to you and have fun making your own.
Have a healthy day today!
I'd like to preface this short list by saying that initially I felt kind of bad making a wishlist and all, considering I feel as though I have all I need in life to lead a good life and should not ask for more...however I must say, of course I had an enjoyable time realizing there are so many cool things out there that could add even more quality to my life (dare I say) ;) And as I have been compiling my list I found that many of my gifts could be generalized to be health-centered, which makes sense. One of the greatest gifts in life is good health, so here is what I found that I think could benefit people open to the idea of taking better care of themselves.
A Zenergy Chime
This cool little chime is yes, a chime, but its name suggests its cooler than just any ol' chime, right? This little guy can be used in a session (so if I continue to ever pursue something along the lines of a holistic health practitioner or a health coach I could begin my sessions with this ring. It could also be used for opening and closing meditation ceremonies (which I will be doing come next February for class!) Or as I found suggested on Amazon (through customer reviews), it could be a good resource for a sort of quieting/dismissal/announcement in a classroom setting. As this month marks my first month of teaching Spanish language in an after-school program, I can't help but think such a gem might make class time more special.
Music to Inspire Positive Thinking by John Herbmann
So I am not going to go into a novel on each of these items, I think this one is pretty self-explanatory, and I believe there are other ones out there that are relaxation, stress-relief and creativity inspiring, but I just thought that this CD would be a good one to wake up to in the morning and one worth a try.
Coloring Mandalas book by Susan F. Fincher
Everybody needs to color, or as my Foundations of Holistic Health and Wellness class would call it, "make marks on paper." Art is something that is so important to maintaining good health and balance in your life. As cheesy as that may sound or as unartistic as you may feel, we all must take some time to express ourselves through this medium (and it can be in many forms). I happen to want to re-explore coloring and inspire myself to take some time to breathe and relax in my day. This is also something I am looking at as an activity to do with my little (and future children). We can color a mandala together and keep it somewhere safe and accessible, so when we are having a bad day we can look at the mandala and remember what is really important in life.
The Artists Way book
As taken from amazon.com's review:
With the basic principle that creative expression is the natural direction of life, Julia Cameron and Mark Bryan lead you through a comprehensive twelve-week program to recover your creativity from a variety of blocks, including limiting beliefs, fear, self-sabotage, jealousy, guilt, addictions, and other inhibiting forces, replacing them with artistic confidence and productivity.
This book links creativity to spirituality by showing how to connect with the creative energies of the universe, and has, in the four years since its publication, spawned a remarkable number of support groups for artists dedicated to practicing the exercises it contains.
So...I could go on with more details showing you this cool teapot I found or talking about hand blenders and their amazing clean-up/convenience, or the 100% silk pillowcases I have been asking for ever since I was young, but I am not going to continue, I think you get the idea and can start making your own lists this Christmas. By thinking about what you really want can shed light onto what kind of gift you might find valuable in giving to another person. I just wanted to share a few items on my list with the theme of health and healing since it has been my life lately. If you have other requests or questions about books, essential oils, natural beauty products, etc. I may have some knowledge to share from my program, so please feel free to ask. Otherwise just enjoy this list for what it is worth to you and have fun making your own.
Have a healthy day today!
Thursday, October 16, 2008
On death, on life, on future, on present, on the place called Heaven
Last night I spent some quality time with a gentleman caller I am particularly fond of (I know, gentleman caller, what am I living in the 1940's? What are kids these days calling a man lady friend...? Ah, defining is confining), anyway, it dawned on me yet again, that I need to continue to carry out my philosophy of truly living moment by moment and truly being present in my daily existence. It is so easy to have a belief and wholly believe it, but to live it out, to practice it, is a-whole-nother challenge. And, anyway, being with this boy has again brought to my attention the necessity to really just be in the moment and not dwell so much on where it is heading, because when people start doing that, well shit hits the fan and I don't know about you, but I don't want to really go there if I don't have to.
So many relationships are squashed because they are built on all of these promises that occur in the future or they are all complex due to elements of the past, and while I recognize the past is very important, (and this is why I tend to get hesitant if somebody's past seems sketchy), I also recognize that sometimes those events should just simply be looked at as being part of the past, and if they made up the person who is standing in front of you in the present, the person that you adore so much, then should it really matter that much?
I am trying not to get too deep here, and I didn't want this to get so long and I don't really know where I am going with it (check out all the labels for this post). All I am saying is that I am trying to live life doing the things I love. I am trying to live as a good and honest person. So with honesty, I write that I have been slightly worried really to open up to a new person, but this morning on my ride into work I had a revelation (after I conquered my fears) that if it is working now, then that is all that matters. And what brought me again to this realization is the passage you see below, which captures the main point of all that I am saying in a more general, succinct and beautiful way (and this actually pertains to pending death, not a relationship, but I think it works for what I am going for).
"In suggesting that there may be nothing ahead of them, he in no way meant to diminish the future; instead, Father Sullivan hoped to elevate the present to a state of the divine. ... How wrongheaded it seemed now to think that the thrill of heartbeat and breath were just a stepping stone to something greater. What could be greater than the armchair, the window, the snow? Life itself had been holy." (p.131)
Last night the mother of my manfriend read some pages and this was the only quoted part I could find online. I remember though, as she was puffing a cigarette, that this was the end of the passage she read. And I really liked it. She is making a copy of the larger passage, and if I get so ambitious as to add it to this page later, so be it. If not, I think this illustrates the message well enough.
So often we live with these hopes and dreams, asking questions like where do you want to be 5 years from now? Some people answer "Happy." However what people don't recognize is that you can be happy today if you want to be. Same with Heaven. Some people are living in this magnificent world, not thinking much of it, throwing trash in it, abusing it, ignoring it, taking it for granted, thinking that this life is not real, and Heaven is where its at. Yet ironically some of these same people are afraid of death, because they are afraid that Heaven might not be there, and then what? Well as Ann Patchett would suggest in a page or so of her book, "Run," why live in fear and elevate the future so much? Why not think about this: what if this world is Heaven? Why can't this life be heaven? Would people feel sad to know that this might just be it? If that is how you feel...sad or disappointed you might want to reevaluate what is important to you in life.
Would I be sad to know that this life is it, that this life could be Heaven and God himself? I sure wouldn't, not in the slightest. In fact, what a better way to live than elevate the present moment and the present life to the divine! Why not be grateful for the life we are living? Rather than search for God in some distant, uncertain future, why not find him in daily life/existence? Why not find him in the eyes of your lover, a friend, a stranger, or even yourself? Why not find him in the trunk of a tree, the rushing waters of a river? That is what life is all about to me, finding God or whatever higher being in today, in the now. And being ever so grateful for the life that I have been given today. :)
So on that note, have a wonderful day today! And may you have many more :)
So many relationships are squashed because they are built on all of these promises that occur in the future or they are all complex due to elements of the past, and while I recognize the past is very important, (and this is why I tend to get hesitant if somebody's past seems sketchy), I also recognize that sometimes those events should just simply be looked at as being part of the past, and if they made up the person who is standing in front of you in the present, the person that you adore so much, then should it really matter that much?
I am trying not to get too deep here, and I didn't want this to get so long and I don't really know where I am going with it (check out all the labels for this post). All I am saying is that I am trying to live life doing the things I love. I am trying to live as a good and honest person. So with honesty, I write that I have been slightly worried really to open up to a new person, but this morning on my ride into work I had a revelation (after I conquered my fears) that if it is working now, then that is all that matters. And what brought me again to this realization is the passage you see below, which captures the main point of all that I am saying in a more general, succinct and beautiful way (and this actually pertains to pending death, not a relationship, but I think it works for what I am going for).
"In suggesting that there may be nothing ahead of them, he in no way meant to diminish the future; instead, Father Sullivan hoped to elevate the present to a state of the divine. ... How wrongheaded it seemed now to think that the thrill of heartbeat and breath were just a stepping stone to something greater. What could be greater than the armchair, the window, the snow? Life itself had been holy." (p.131)
Last night the mother of my manfriend read some pages and this was the only quoted part I could find online. I remember though, as she was puffing a cigarette, that this was the end of the passage she read. And I really liked it. She is making a copy of the larger passage, and if I get so ambitious as to add it to this page later, so be it. If not, I think this illustrates the message well enough.
So often we live with these hopes and dreams, asking questions like where do you want to be 5 years from now? Some people answer "Happy." However what people don't recognize is that you can be happy today if you want to be. Same with Heaven. Some people are living in this magnificent world, not thinking much of it, throwing trash in it, abusing it, ignoring it, taking it for granted, thinking that this life is not real, and Heaven is where its at. Yet ironically some of these same people are afraid of death, because they are afraid that Heaven might not be there, and then what? Well as Ann Patchett would suggest in a page or so of her book, "Run," why live in fear and elevate the future so much? Why not think about this: what if this world is Heaven? Why can't this life be heaven? Would people feel sad to know that this might just be it? If that is how you feel...sad or disappointed you might want to reevaluate what is important to you in life.
Would I be sad to know that this life is it, that this life could be Heaven and God himself? I sure wouldn't, not in the slightest. In fact, what a better way to live than elevate the present moment and the present life to the divine! Why not be grateful for the life we are living? Rather than search for God in some distant, uncertain future, why not find him in daily life/existence? Why not find him in the eyes of your lover, a friend, a stranger, or even yourself? Why not find him in the trunk of a tree, the rushing waters of a river? That is what life is all about to me, finding God or whatever higher being in today, in the now. And being ever so grateful for the life that I have been given today. :)
So on that note, have a wonderful day today! And may you have many more :)
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