Eating Better

Want excellent information on living a healthier lifestyle?  Want to cut dollars off the grocery bill and know which food is okay to buy non-organic?  Don't care about organic?  Think about it.  Maybe you should.   

I am a strong advocate for organic food.  Yes, it can be expensive, but not always.  And yes, it supports an industry that now can be as misleading as the big food giants have been. 

In this country in particular we have become accustomed to large portions, perfect looking food, and excess in general.  Consider eating a better balance of food and a higher quality and maybe the super-sized snacks won't be so attractive.  The healthier we eat, the less opportunity we have for future illness. 

Many reliable sources, including the Environmental Work Group, a highly respected non-profit organization with a mission to "....use the power of public information to protect public health and the environment" have created easy to follow lists for what to buy organic, and what isn't necessary to buy organic.  Here's their list of produce, dirty (loaded with pesticides) and clean (not so much):

Dirty - Multiple pesticides found on these fruits/veggies - Best purchased organic - always wash produce regardless of where or how you bought it


Celery
Peaches
Strawberries
Apples
Domestic blueberries
Nectarines
Sweet bell peppers
Spinach
Kale
Cherries
Potatoes
Grapes (Imported)

(This is one of the those times when I like frozen organic produce.  The produce is blanched on the spot, and then flash frozen.  Pesticides are gone.  Flavor and nutrition is locked in.  Buy a reputable brand and make such things as spinach omelets, cherry tarts, etc.)

Clean - fewer pesticides, considered safe, not absolutely necessary to buy organic but as always, please wash carefully

Onion
Avocado
Sweet corn
Pineapple
Mango
Sweet peas
Asparagus
Kiwi
Cabbage
Eggplant
Cantaloupe
Watermelon
Grapefruit
Sweet potato
Honeydew melon

Want a downloadable version of EWG's 2010 Shopper's Guide? click here.

Always, ALWAYS, wash your produce.  Even if you buy organic, you simply don't know who has touched the produce or where it has really been.  Be safe.  Soap and water, as my mother always said, never hurt anybody (well, some soap, but that's another blog...)
And in case I haven't given you enough of a nudge, read what the Washington Post had to say about strawberries.

Happy Eating!

My New Best Friends

Curious?

I'm not much of a plastics person, especially in the kitchen.  I really do love quality stainless steel cookware, glass storage containers, and I'm having a torrid affair with my chef's knife which was a lovely gift from good friends.

I love to cook, not full meals daily for a family, of course (I'll leave that to my friends Rosemarie and Cathy who have fed their families well over the years and have received many, many compliments).  I would perish.  More importantly, they would.  But I love to cook simple meals for myself and friends and occasionally go full out and be totally creative with it. 

How do we reduce kitchen stress while trying to be good to the planet, our wallets, and keep our cooking integrity?  I think this is an ongoing game of sorts and I'm always looking for kitchenware that does not interfere with the quality of the food.  Technology provides us with some really cool tools now and then.  Here are some of my new favorites from Fusion Brand, not new on the market, but new to my favorite things:

The iceorb

Isn't this the sexiest ice tray you've ever seen?



(multi purpose...) @$16.00

but how to resist that figure and that shade?

You need at least two!

cupcooley

Starbuck's should marry them.  If you're still using paper cups then try these and buy a few for your bag and car.  They are cute, reusable, and they will save a few trees, and @ $4.00, well, why not? 

Here's the cutie of the bunch, in my opinion:

thefoodloop

You can wrap just about anything and cook it. Beats twine.  Beats all those ways we wrap food that we won't tell anyone about.  Beats everything I've seen.  @ $10.00 for a package of four (and isn't the color magnificent?), it's a good deal.  Personally, I have not fried (excuse me, "sauteed") anything wrapped in one of these, but that's me.  I do, however, use them for steaming and poaching (there is one for the grill which is flameproof and they also have a mini loop)

But here's my absolute favorite of all the Fusion Brand products:

thefoodpod

This is so alien looking that I love it.  It holds several heads of broccoli.  You can boil one dozen eggs.  Consider the possibilities.  (I'm thinking you could probably hand wash your delicates in one also (let me know how it works if you're brave enough to try but please don't tell me you used the same one for the broccoli) and @ $15.00, I think this is something you'll want to use all the time.

Take a look at Fusion Brands products. What I really like about them, besides the colors and the design: 

Their products are made of FDA/EU food-safe silicone and BPA-free nylon

(Note to Fusion Brands should you see this blog post:  I could use a few more iceorbs.  They are fabulous at keeping the cat's drinking water cool in this weather, thanks)

The Food Cure For Kids

I don't believe in following gurus but I do like to pay attention.  Sometimes it really pays off.  Great book, published recently by Oz Garcia, PhD, well known nutritionist to the stars and author, and Natalie Geary, MD,  physician author of the popular blog modernmums we have: The Food Cure For Kids.

Quite the interesting read on how to feed and educate your children about healthy food.  Here is Oz Garcia on Fox Five News  discussing the book, the issue of childhood obesity and how we can combat its ill effects.

Online Parents Magazine has an interesting article about healthy snacks for kids.  Even though I don't have kids, I read it periodically.  Knowledge is knowledge wherever you get it.  Their emphasis is health and happiness for future generations.  So that's a good thing all around.  Here's a photo teaser from their health snack article.

Dr. Geary's blog, modernmums, has an interesting article about The Food Cure For Kids in addition to other excellent nutrition information for kids.  Well worth the read.

And something close to my heart which I see becoming more mainstream for kids is yoga.  I've been in and out of it for years and currently am more in it since, for me, is an excellent way to soften the blow of stiffness that comes with aging.  Why not for kids?  And why not for you?  A few links for you with a few interesting people.

Oz Garcia and Russell Simmons doing some yoga      

Yoga for Kids Silly to Calm

Angel Bear Yoga

I hope this information happily whets/wets your appetite.  Old/new.  Change is a good thing. 

Namaste'

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REMINDER:  Check out the jbax Amazon store link in the upper left of the blog......some of my favorite things.

What To Do When You're Officially Unemployed - Besides Looking For Work

One Way To Pass the Time -

I'm a film buff.  Always have been.  My mother raised me that way.  I've seen every Cary Grant movie, every western, and every war movie ever made.  Or so I feel that way much of the time.  And it never gets boring.

One of my favorite actors is Tim Roth. 

Yup.  Mr. Orange in Reservoir Dogs.  Emil Blonsky, the "Abomination", in The Incredible Hulk.  You can check out his list of films here, or see clips from various shows and clips of him discussing his character Cal Lightman on the TV hit series Lie To Me on Fox channel here.

I suggest, however, this - if you want to watch him in full force, acting with incredible diversity and genius, then try these films:

Deceiver (1997) in which Roth plays James Walter Wayland, a rich young man who is a suspect in a murder.  Excellent cast including Chris Penn, Michael Rooker, Ellen Burstyn, and Renee Zellweger......his portrayal of James Walter Wayland was riveting, and an excellent study in character portrayal.

For family viewing, try Skellig: The Owl Man.  (TV movie 2009)  This is a lovely film about 10 year old Michael, a boy in the UK, played by Bill Milner, who finds who he thinks is a homeless man in a shed attached to his family's new home.  Roth plays the disheveled Skellig wonderfully.  You can check out the film synopsis here and if you want a quality evening at home with the kids, consider renting this wonderful gem of a film.  And pay attention to the details in this.  Better yet, consider buying the book here because its a wonderful story by David Almond. 

Or, you could just look at Roth wearing his jammies and bunny slippers in the twitter photo below - its really him - its a verified account - he's a funny guy.....either way, he's a fairly impressive fellow.

Namaste'

A Month Later...

Phew......like a whirlwind....time, time, time.

Le Chat and I have been happily busy. So many fun things going on. Now that I seem to have conquered a bizarre and unfriendly stomach "thing" I've been plagued with for years, I have to say our house is a much nicer place these days. It's been a great month. Le Chat has been studying the art of concentration, and I have been working down a list of things I've been wanting to do for a long time.

I'm back to yoga. I've finished one year of looking at the DVD's and telling myself "I use to do that" and I've actually achieved "Wow! I can still do this!". This is an accomplishment.

I've been working on that writing project I occasionally talk about to my friends. I've completed 10 pages after hitting a wall. It was a very large wall. I am not always such a good climber. I do eventually, however, climb. Ten pages is good progress for me. It's been akin to giving birth except the baby isn't born yet but it is definitely on its way, although by the time it arrives it might be in grad school. We'll see. At least I'm not stalling any longer. And I'm wearing the climbing outfit. Especially since it now fits after conquering the stomach "thing" which, according to medical science and other intelligent folks, is probably some insanely odd food allergy, probably genetic. Oh, lucky me. Thank you Mom and Dad.

And jewelry: Though not ready to share the rings and things I've been developing, I am going to post a few pieces I've been playing around with. Metal, metal, metal - and beads. Sterling silver and copper, mostly,and I'm having fun with some abstract and fun pieces. So here we are:

Sterling Silver and Copper Necklace with Crystal Briolettes

I'm working with cold connections and taking a break from metal clay just to add some variety to my life but will surprise you soon!

Sterling Silver Ring with Copper Flower, Serpentine, Sterling Silver Tendrils, Rock Crystal

A whole lot of unusual! So much fun to wear. So much fun to make. It was an experiment and a happy one at that.

And then there is Ivy's necklace:

Sterling Silver Necklace with Glass Beads and Antique "Turquoise" Seed Beads

Ivy is the sweet little daughter of a friend of mine. I wanted to give her a necklace. Next time, however, I think it should be pink. She's apparently a pink kind of gal, at least for now. And she's a vegetarian this month. Maybe not so much next month. I think I'm going to take some lessons from Ivy about being open and looking at everything as if I'm seeing it for the first time.

So, I'm still just having fun, pulling some things together such as a blog store where I will be offering some of my favorite things, and acting as parental advisor to Le Chat who, despite what I've always thought, doesn't really care about much other than her chicken, turkey, and snacks. Apparently, she doesn't have anything wrong with her stomach.

Namaste'

Attention Must Be Paid

Unemployment throughout the country - including my own year long trek - and the failing economy leaves so many feeling as though they live on a cliff. Its easy to wake up some mornings and want to jump. For some, it seems to no longer matter whether they made wise investments, ate the right food, or chose the right career. Life seems to have ripped off many people, or so we think. And maybe there is no easy answer for all.

In this past near year and one half, I've lost a major income, had a nearly fatal car accident, health issues, and lost a significant family member. No, I'm not trying to elicit sympathy. I am a very fortunate human being. For every traumatic event, I have been blessed with the gift of friendship, love, and growth. I have no real complaints.

I try to post information of interest to whomever reads my blog. I make jewelry, cook, have a bizarre sense of humor and so I try to post along those lines. And I try to keep my personal politics away from the blog. Basically, its just an opinion. And religion. Also, just an opinion. But now and then I have a strong statement to make that I feel compelled to share.

This week, in my circle of extended family, there was a passing of a child. I can't think of one thing that could be said to these parents to console them. Not one thing. And so I won't say anything to them other than "I am so profoundly sorry for your loss". I know them very, very well. It touches me that this has happened. And that touch is deeper than I'd have imagined.

A friend and I had a conversation about Willie Loman in Arthur Miller's Death Of A Salesman.

The play illuminates the relationship(s) in Willie Loman's life, and his seemingly unbreakable failures. What always clings to my own memories about Willie Loman is what many of us remember most, the following quote - "Attention must be paid to such a person". Such a person as a man who at the end of his life seemed a failure to so many, a non-entity, someone to ignore, etc. Someone who could pass, quietly, and not be missed.

The death of the child this week in my extended family's life brings up another sad issue. Why? What is the reason? What possible meaning is there? Religious people will have their answers. Atheists will have theirs. I think none of them matter. I think what matters is that a child has left our consciousness, here one moment and gone the next. And there is absolutely nothing to say to the parents, to the grandparents, to the siblings and aunts and uncles and cousins and neighbors and friends. This is, in my mind, the ultimate and most devastating of all losses. So I am saying that "Attention must be paid to such a person" - to all people. Perhaps in the current climate of the troubled economy we have our wires crossed, our priorities out of order. Maybe we need to take a step back, re-think what we are doing and why we do it.

We are in the midst of crises. The country, the world - everything seems to have changed. What do we do? How do we cope? Is this the measure of who we are, the things we own, the titles we hold, the houses we live in? I think not, or it shouldn't be. We shouldn't be measured by our accumulations. We should be measured, and measure others, by whom we love, how we love, how we treat our families, friends and communities. This is who we should be. We should be compassionate souls. Not financial failures.

Every time someone we know is touched by loss this profound, it triggers our own experience and the repressed feelings that are hidden in our hearts return like new born fire eating dragons. We are all told to strive to put the feelings into place, to adjust, to move forward through the grief. "I know how you feel". Do we? I don't. I've lost parents, a husband, a brother, and more....and I don't have a clue as to how they feel. Not one single clue. I only know this: "Attention must be paid....".

Each birth and death should be shouted from our centers. Each human should be celebrated regardless of age, position in life, or accomplishments as they are born, while they live their lives, and as they leave us. We would not be who we are without having known them, no matter who they are. Once the shouting of recognition is done, then a moment of silence, and their names should be spoken often encouraging their memories and essences to stay with us. While we touch each other on our various paths, the idea that we have ownership or control is an illusion. The only control is in the moment and maybe not even then. While I don't personally believe in winged angels that are visible, I do believe in the presence of grace. I've felt it. I've felt angels coming and going and am always struck down to my knees with gratitude for knowing every single one of them. When it is my time, I want my friends to be sad that I have left, to tell silly stories about me, to be grateful I was here for however long that might be, and to feel the essence of my spirit as it climbs, or whatever it is going to do.

To the dear, sweet child who left us this week, I send you love on your journey. I send your family love and the hope that they can function, that they can love again, that they can find some way of breathing.

Everyone we know throughout our lives deserves to be shouted about whether coming or going. In my opinion, not much else really matters if we can't do that.

Writing this post is my way of shouting the spirit of a child, without betraying the privacy of her family. I encourage you to hug the people you love and be grateful for them. That's what I'm going to do.

The Ground I Walk On

I've been working out.....

Okay, so that's not me....just checking to see if you were reading.

Well, I have a new hobby-thing to do-activity. I've been hiking. You know, HIKING, usually meaning walking along on an incline - incline meaning "up". The "up" part was what I forgot about when I decided to do this. See? "Up".

And that's pretty much the way it was.....that might be what I wished I looked like in hiking gear but............this would be me, below on the left, and remind me NEVER to wear light grey because I look like a moving sofa. But I did it! I did it! More than six miles. Three - UP - a lovely break at the top - and three down, at night, in the dark, with a flashlight, not even my own because my batteries went dead and thank God for Cat hauing me up the hill and Audrey at night with her light. (What's that? Snakes?)

Seriously, this is not a big deal for most people but given my - well, you know, there are things, and then there's.....never mind....(although my near month of power walking with a coach - Hi Grace! - had helped tremendously), my backpack with the bottle of wine in it (never volunteer the wine, volunteer the cheese and the crackers or the marshmallows) and the water bottle, etc., I huffed and puffed along and I did it!

Here's a hint of the view........and isn't that something? So, no jewelry this post, and no food. Just the beautiful California hills and valleys.....and me......doing an easier version this Sunday and then another very sweaty one next week and onward - and upward - which is good, because it takes the stress away from all that has been going on this past month. Hiking. My mother is looking down on me and laughing, but I did it, and I intend to do it again, and again......

Happy health!

Namaste'

Living and Working in LA

Well, well..............here we are............Le Chat and me........doing what we do. For those of you who follow Le Chat on Facebook, she is doing a good job as editor of the blog and resting after a hiatus. Only a cat takes a nap after a hiatus.

So, here's what we're up to at jbaxstudio...........We are enjoying the beginning of summer on the West Coast. Our wonderful landlord and good friend, Paul, is cultivating an amazing art garden which will be featured in coming posts. For now, here is a bit of art from the garden floor because it is pertinent to what we've been doing.

So that's what we're doing here.....we're having a life. Le Chat has been posing for fan photos and I've been getting through a great and transformative year. I'm making jewelry, writing, and gearing up for more changes, all of them good. I'm learning how to use my camera, bought a new and fantastic computer, found a new haridresser, and am preparing for a few trips and visits. Life has become very, very good.


For now, I'm suspending my online jewelry shop at Etsy.com indefinitely because I've decided to be happy and productive but not kill myself. I love taking classes, moving forward with a new career of which jewelry is a part, making art and cupcakes. And working out. I'm starting with a personal trainer. Starting is the operative word......... So for now, I'd prefer to spotlight my pieces here on the blog and make them available privately. And yes, a website is on the horizon.

Here are a few samples of rings I'll be making. They are fine silver, hand sculpted and oxidized. These are one-of-a-kind pieces and therefore no two will ever be identical. Metal clay is an extremely popular jewelry art form. You will find numerous gifted craftspeople working with this medium and we all have our own way of working. My interest is to create highly detailed silver jewelry, organic and fluid in form and unique. The pieces below are representative of what I'll be making in the near future in addition to other pieces I'll be showing shortly. Stay tuned because I'll be showing a variety of pieces including sterling silver, copper, gemstones both rough and cut, etc. And, for loyal folks, a few fun giveaways. Game is on, as they say.

We have............................

The Rose Ring Series

This is the second in my Rose series. I adore roses. I might make these forever. This one has one bloom, two leaves, and a stem that trails down one side of the ring shank. The center of this one holds a clear cubic zirconia. I will be making rings in this series with single blooms and multiple blooms. If you are interested, please let me know how many blooms you would like. Please remember, each ring is an original work and therefore will not be identical to another but these photos should give you a good idea of availability. They are available sizes 5 - 12. Please specify. Prices range from $125 to $160 depending on detail.

The Apple Ring Series

I love apples. Love apples. New York is an apple. I was raised in New York. Apples are symbolic of good health and prosperity. Taking a bite out of an apple, for me, means opening yourself to life. The one below is a friendly little snake with an apple in its mouth. The first photo shows the apple detail. The ring shank is the body of the snake itself (oh, come on, snakes are cute), as opposed to a snake sitting on top of a ring shank (the shank, by the way, is the actual part that goes around your finger). Sizes 5 - 12 are available. As above, each is a one-of-a-kind piece and will not be identical to the photos here. Price is $100. This makes a wonderful pinky ring for male or female!

More in the Apple Series

.....One beautiful plump silver apple sitting on top of your finger and flanked by a curious little snake. Yum.........you'll see in the detail that there is a leaf to one side of the apple and a lovely little stem. The sweet little snake peeks out from underside of the apple. Sizes 5 - 12. Price is $100.

There is more to come but for now, I hope you enjoy the pieces above. I will be in California's Central Valley for a week visiting relatives and photographing whatever doesn't run away from me. Le Chat will be protecting the fort and Paul will be making art in his garden. My friends here will be doing all sorts of fun things and you, the reader, will be running around making magic. We are all having a life. I hope yours is good and blessed and wonderful.

Namaste'

Welcome Back

I've been away. Paris. Greece. Exhausting! All those men, dinners, the opera, and the chocolates and champagne. Not to mention the suitcases I returned with to accommodate the wardrobe purchases. And all those shoes. I never have enough. Ever.

Okay, just kidding. I've been hanging around home cooking, designing, investigating a few things, and enjoying whatever came into focus. 2009 lingered at first, and is now far away. With gratitude, 2010 is off to a great start. Slow, yes, but great. Lesson from 2009: Get rid of the day job, keep the sense of humor.

Anyone who is connected to me on Facebook knows about Le Chat. She is the Queen of the Domain. The Diva. The one with the fan club. I'm just the one who runs her errands and cleans the litter pan. I feel largely that this is an honor. Le Chat is here to say hello and to let you know that we are working on a few things and are doing very well. We are both content, healthy and happy.

Until the next post, let her bring a smile to your face. As you can see by the new chapeau she has chosen, she wants to work for Barnes & Noble. I say "Rock On". Things are good.

Happy Valentine's Day

Want to make something delicious for Valentine's Day?

How about White Chocolate and Raspberry Rose Petal Cheesecake?

You can find the recipe and many others by Chef Susan S. Bradley at The Luna Cafe, one of the best food blogs I've found.

Want something more simple and family friendly?

How about White Chocolate Rice Krispie/Strawberry Pop Treats?

This is a pretty and appropriate version for Valentine's Day by Mandy Mortimer, a blogger in Ireland. You can find the recipes on her blog, What The Fruitcake along with other wonderful treats.

Feel like something bubbly?

Champagne Philipponat - a 1009 Clos de Goissses Brut at $240 a bottle....yikes!

Check out Novus Vinum to see the top 10 Champagnes and find something in your price range.

Want something non-alcoholic?

Try a punch recipe from All Recipes - numerous non-alcoholic punches to choose from and you can be creative with this and make it to your family's taste preferences. Go ahead....take a peak....

Personally, I think Valentine's Day is incomplete without chocolate so here is a link to my absolute favorite chocolate shop ever......Cocoa Bella. This wonderful purveyor of fine chocolates has two locations in San Francisco. You can build a box of 20 online, or a box of 40.

You can select one of their pre-boxed holiday selections such as the 5 pc. Valentines set above. They have bars, bags, and below you will see two individual pieces I think are sublime. They are named first by the chocolatier and then the description.

Michel Cluizel Cappuccino - Not your ordinary cappuccino, this dark chocolate espresso infused ganache is poured into a dark chocolate cup and swirled with milk chocolate hazelnut "foam."

Yes, it is a miniature cup of cappuccino to pop in your mouth, delicious......

Recchiuti Ginger Heart - Rich Dark Chocolate Infused with Ginger. Cast in White Chocolate and Gold Leaf.

Or, for something less intense and completely eco-friendly but just as good from Sweet Earth Chocolates

Adorable Valentines Bags of Hearts$2.50 - A really nice price for a bit of yummy....

Something for the kids? Try the Family Fun (Disney) for interesting cards to make and other family projects.

So enjoy Valentine's Day and make someone happy including yourself!

Namaste'

The Flu and You

Apparently flu season is nearly over. I don't follow it so I don't really know but this is what I've heard. And I don't follow flu season because I don't often have a flu or cold....so far.

I have two wonderful sisters-in-law. I had a conversation with one today during which we discussed the fact that she felt as though she was getting a cold, maybe a flu. So I'm making a suggestion, not medical advice of course, but just a suggestion on what to do when you feel a cold or flu coming on. This is what I do when I feel those annoying things such as aching, runny nose, feverish feelings.......remember, its just a suggestion on how to help yourself feel better when you feel as though you're getting a cold, nothing official and, of course, positive feelings always help along with some love and tea with honey (and maybe some Scotch, or Bourbon, up to you). And, if you know someone who does energy work, get it done.

Oscillococcinum

(Oscillo...who?)

Oscillococcinum is an amazing homeopathic preparation which I've been using for several years. Check out the official website for information if you are not familiar with this product. It works! Even if you are in the middle of your cold, my experience and that of many other people has been that your symptoms are greatly reduced. You can purchase this over the counter at any pharmacy. Ask for "Oscillo" since no one seems to be able to pronounce it. Find it here.

Garlic and Red Peppers

Lightly saute' them in olive oil - yes, you want to taste the "bite"

Plenty of Sleep and a Few Good Books

Lots of Fluids

and anything else your mother taught you to do.........

Stay healthy,

Namaste'

New Jewelry and A Way to Be Of Help

New Jewelry

New jewelry at the jbaxstudio Etsy store, and more coming during the following week.

You'll find sterling silver and gemstone earrings and a few necklaces to come (see below).

And now the helping part

You'll notice when you are in the Etsy store, that several items are marked for 100% of the proceeds to go to Hope For Haiti Now. This is the channel through which I have donated to help the earthquake victims. If you purchase a piece from jbaxstudio which is marked as such, I will provide a receipt for your donation when I send your purchase as well as lagniappe. New pieces will be put up weekly January - March of this year.

I would like to encourage you to donate, if not through me, then directly at the Hope For Haiti Now link below, or any of the links beneath it and, if not to this cause, then to another. There are so many people who can use our help. You can give through your house of worship, your school, your business, etc. Credit card companies and banks have links on their websites. The Hope For Haiti Now telethon, broadcast on January 22nd raised in excess of $57 Million. Most of the donations were small.

Here are a few of the new pieces at jbaxstudio - or you can see them on this blog at the Etsy store thumbnail set up.

Sterling silver earrings with flat oval chain (3 graduating lengths) and smokey quartz.

Sterling silver earrings- hammered - with jade coins

Sterling silver earrings with labradorite

(My new favorite earrings!)

The silver is hammered, then folded and formed with a ring supporting the labradorite

All ear wires are hand crafted

_________________________

HOPE FOR HAITI NOW

OXFAM

AMERICAN RED CROSS

UNICEF

SALVATION ARMY

ACTION AGAINST HUNGER

AMERICARES

CARE

DOCTORS WITHOUT BORDERS

SAVE THE CHILDREN

Or you can text "Haiti" to 90999 from your cell phone

(Several organizations have different numbers to text to. You can check with the particular organization)

Namaste'

A Day of Service

I'd written what I thought was a good blog entry for today. I've decided instead to say little of my own and quote a few people of merit. You can put it all together as you'd like. I will say this without political or religious agenda: Today was to be a day of service. What have we done today to serve the world?

An excerpt from Martin Luther King's 1967 speech, "Where Do We Go From Here"

"John Kenneth Galbraith said that a guaranteed annual income could be done for about twenty billion dollars a year. And I say to you today, that if our nation can spend thirty-five billion dollars a year to fight an unjust, evil war in Vietnam, and twenty billion dollars to put a man on the moon, it can spend billions of dollars to put God’s children on their own two feet right here on earth."

"And so, my fellow Americans, ask not what your country can do for you; ask what you can do for your country."

John F. Kennedy

"I believe that every human mind feels pleasure in doing good to another."

Thomas Jefferson

“When will our consciences grow so tender that we will act to prevent human misery rather than avenge it?”

Eleanor Roosevelt

_______

Gift Of The Seagull
by Munda

A lonely seagull flies the winds

Majestic... soaring...gliding wings

A single screech sounds from the sky

Come fly with me... come here and fly

My spirit floats to be a part

I feel the beating of its heart

My soul, one with this bird of sea

Now knows the meaning to fly free

I feel the winds caress my soul

And soar the streams without a goal

My being trembles of delight

A treasure I received tonight

The seagull's flight of soaring high

The gift of what it means to fly

Namaste'

Art In New Places

I'm excited about 2010. I'm looking forward to new things, new art, discoveries that cause me to feel refreshed. I'm grateful for 2009 for many reasons but now I'm ready to be surprised in a different way. As always, I'm inspired by art that I find in unsuspected places, art done with a twist, or simply done well. We live in such a technological age. Our brains race, our days rush by like a swarm of bees on fire and I think, for me, it feels good to see an old thing made new again without all the embellishment of technology although I do love technology so.

I came across Nate Holmes Trapnell while looking for something else which, I think, is the preferred way to find anything. because we tend to find what we need. At least that is how life works for me.

Born in San Francisco, my family moved to New York when I was three years old. This might explain much to many about my wanderlust and my split addiction to both coasts. My New York childhood included growing up in small neighborhoods packed with Jewish and Italian delicatessens, streets alive with cafes, bakeries of every ethicity, movie theaters, pool halls and bowling alleys, not to mention street chalk and pizza parlors and diners. The walk from one business to the other was always a short one. Trains and cars weren't needed. Nate Holmes Trapnell, "The South Paw" has brought back to life the art of pen and ink, the medium I began with when I was a young girl leaving images on all surfaces in an attempt to figure out who I was. Although I was never quite this good.

Take a look at these illustrations so brilliantly placed on bowling pins. I saw these and immediate remembered the first time I shocked local "boys" by winning at pool. Nice memories. Isn't that part of what art does? Take us someplace wonderful? Maybe someplace sweet or sad, but surely wonderful? I think so. My goodness. Pen and ink. Basic and brilliant. Even if its not your type of art, look at what the man's done. Original, art on something that doesn't hang on the wall, that isn't contrived or complicated. It is, however, a show of real talent. Like tattoo art, it is alive in a way that is unexpected. I hope you enjoy these and if you are curious about what else Nate Holmes Trapnell puts his images on, please check him out at the link at his name.

It's January. I'm happy already......

Namaste'

Happy 2010

My goodness, its 2010. I think about the year of my birth and I'm astounded to be here, and grateful. Of the list of people I know who read this blog, several faced great challenge in 2009 and others have prospered. For me, 2009 was split down the middle and I'm reminded that with all challenge, opportunity seems to be right there along with it depending on how one approaches their life.

I don't make New Year's resolutions. Not really. But I do take stock of things and consider what to let go of: habits that don't serve me, false expectations, superfluous relationships, and what to develop: an ethical income stream, passion for new ideas, improved resilience, healthier relationships. And, as always, I revisit my health and how to tweak it, how to take what I've learned in the past year and be kinder to my body, my mind, my "self" because if I've learned anything it is that I'm the only one who can.

Embarking on my annual enlightening re-read of what has moved me in the past and still resonates, I want to mention A Joseph Campbell Companion - Reflections on the Art of Living....

Don't think of what's being said,

but of what's talking.

Malice, Ignorance, Pride, Love?

The goal of a hero's journey

is yourself, finding yourself.

(Page 154)

Campbell, as you may know, was a celebrated scholar and mythologist and so much more. Even if you don't read his works, reading about his life is fascinating and inspiring (at the link above at his name).

The privilege of a lifetime is being

who you are

The goal of the hero trip

down to the jewel point

is to find those levels in the psyche

that open, open, open,

and finally open to the mystery

of your Self

being Buddha consciousness

or the Christ.

That's the journey.

(Jacket back and elsewhere)

I've always loved Campbell. He was not a religious man. He was a man of profound belief in the mystery of life. He is always a comfort on long nights of contemplation and sunny days when I want to celebrate all the beauty I see around me. Unlike many philosophical fads, Campbell never fades. His words age and seem to me to be a breath of support at the beginning of another year of economic uncertainty as we move along our own paths. Life truly is our journey, at least in my mind, and all that we do is ours. If you haven't read Campbell, you might want to now. And if you have, isn't it wonderful to have an old friend to come back to.

Namaste'

(and Happy, Happy New Year, we begin again......)