This is the POWAH of love!

Recent astonishing updates from friends and family have sparked this blog. A best friend with an aunt in stage four ovarian cancer with a tumor in her stomach making her look like she's carrying a full-term baby and hopes an prayers floating to her from everywhere in hopes that everything is successful, who is worrying about having this disease herself. Another best friend lost her grandmother, not to cancer, and I'm not sure what the final diagnosis was but I want to be there for her emotionally to make sure she knows that I'll be there for her and her family if they need anything at all...at all.

I just want all of my friends and potential friends to know how much I love you. If something ever happens to me or my loved ones I know you would be there with love and prayers and support. I have had the worst day of inwardness I've had in years today...and what a day to have it, huh?

I just wanted to put my thoughts and deep feelings for you into this blog because, as we all know, disaster comes in threes and since it was two of my best friends dealing with death and serious illnesses I figure the puts either myself or another one of my best friends in the cosmic line of fire. This might sound like mumbo jumbo to many of you, but I've found these things to be truths in my life.

I'd just like to say hold on to me and know that someone will always be there to hold your hand, wash your hair, stroke your face, attempt to heal you with love and prayer, help pay your bills, comfort your families, sleep next to your children when they have a bad night, help you or your next of kin prepare their/your body and their/your funeral, wash your clothing, handle your estate (if the need arise), clean your house, be a parent in your absence, write letters and/or emails for you, and to basically do anything you need me to do at any time in your life providing I am physically/financially able to. Because I know that you would do one or all of these things for me in my time of need. I have seen the outpouring of love and attention when my (three month preemie 1lb 13oz.) Nixie was born and I had been so close to potential death.

Having also seen the open neglect to recognize our dyer situation and instead feel the need to pile your life drama onto our already over-filled basket (and no I'm not talking about potential illnesses and death in the family because I'm not going to be there to shield you from the ongoings of life because that is unfair to everyone) I will refrain from talking about any less serious drama in my life in the heat of the moment. I will give a grace period before I decide to unload my life crap onto your already heavy soul. I love you all, thank you for being in my life, thank you for caring, and most of all thank you for staving off drama and living to the fullest!

Blessings,
~Candi

Book Swap!

OH YEAH! I just found a wicked cool way to lose those extra ten pounds books that I've been trying to drop recently. www.paperbackswap.com !!!

You can sign up in like 30 seconds including email verification if you already have that up in another window. Then you just list ten books you'd like to get rid of if someone requests you ship it (at your shipping expense) and then start requesting books for yourself right away! You get two books to start with. You can select from a HUGE list of books people are willing to ship off to you. With each additional book you list or send off you start accumulating credits you can spend on "free" books. I put the free in quotes because you will be getting credits by listing and sending off old paperbacks to others who are also participating. Generally about 3 bucks to ship these so you'll end up saving hundreds, if not thousands in books each year!

There are a few rules, like must be readable and have both front and back covers, but it seems generally relaxed and awesome! I'll have more on this bit of WIN as soon as I receive my first book! I joined yesterday, I'm putting my books in today, and I'll write the follow up to this blog as soon as I ship or receive my very first paperbackswap.com book! UBER excited!

Have a wondiferous night ladies and gents!

Holy CaCO3 Batman!

I recently stumbled upon the coolest eco friendly gift bags at The Container Store. I know what your thinking, recycled paper right? But NO, these bags are made from stone fiber! It's a process using Calcium Carbonate mineral powder, a bit of non-toxic resin and a unique waterless paper making technology. The creation of this "terraskin" involves no chemical bleaching and produces no toxic gas emissions or hazardous waste.

This paper can be used to make gift wrap, to write on, and to make into gift bags. The coolest thing about writing on this treeless paper is the fact that it takes 20-30% less ink than regular paper because it is less porous. The ink doesn't bleed so the images/writing left behind looks crisp and cleaner and the paper is stronger. It doesn't require any additional layers or lamination because it's naturally water and oil resistant! Talk about the ultimate resume paper!

There is less waste and quicker breakdown of this product as well because it is photodegradable. Take this product out back and put into your compost heap or throw it away to let the elements handle because in three to nine months all that will be left of your once structured bag/box/paper will be a pile of mineral powder! How's THAT for Earth friendly?

An average of 4 metric tones of wood chip – or approximately 23 large trees – is utilized to produce a metric ton of traditional wood-pulp paper. Stone paper uses no wood-pulp. As an added bonus you can purchase these babies in all different sizes for less than you can a traditional paper bag. Awesome sauce!

So: No water in creation, only using renewable resources, completely non-toxic, less ink to write and print on, as strong as paper, less waste in the landfill, breaks down in less than nine months, takes no wood at all to make, AND it's cheaper!? No brainer? Yeah, I think so. I'm going to look into this a little further and I'll keep you abreast of the treeless paper and treeless boxes/bags! TTFN!

Green acres is the place to pee! (3)

Final part in the greener living trilogy:

7.) For the smokers: Smoking is bad m'kay! I know, I used to smoke from time to time myself. What is more harmful than the millions of cigarette butts stinking up the air around the globe is the millions of cigarette butts adding to the stink factor of landfills in our backyards. The best thing as a smoker that you can do for the environment is ask someone else for a light...who knows why, just do it! But seriously, if you're going to smoke, you're going to smoke. I know, I know, I hate those damned commercials just like the rest of you. The easiest thing to do as a smoker is to switch from a disposable to a refillable lighter. Think of how many lighters the average smoker loses/throws away in just one month. I counted 2 for me each month when I last smoked (like a year and a half ago) and I smoked maybe 8-10 cigarettes a month. I do tend to use lighters for lighting incense and candles as well. I'm switching as soon as I save up for a nice engraved Zippo. It'll make me want to keep using it. I suggest you go out and buy a beautiful new refillable lighter as a treat to yourself right now! 

 

As of right now I am not smoking for health reasons...AKA an eleven month old who was three months premature. It's just easier to not smoke in the world we live in anyway. Oh, and much better for your lungs! LOL

 

8.) Use bar soap instead of body wash. I can hear you protesting this one right now. I have to tell you that the average bar of soap only lasts for 16-20 showers while a 16 oz. bottle of body wash lasts for 80 showers. Even though the liquid soap lasts longer it is comparably more expensive than the bar soap. So save yourself some money and 2.5 Million Pounds of plastic waste being deposited in the waste stream every year.

 

9.) On fabrics and fiber arts: Buy recycled or recycle it yourself! This gives us all a chance to use and reuse what we don't want to wear anymore! See that perfect yarn for your winter hat/glove/scarf ensemble already made into a hideously designed sweater from the 80's hanging on a thrift store rack? Snatch it up! In the long run you could save yourself 100's of dollars a year! I'm serious. A garment from a thrift store that you can take apart yourself is going to cost you approx 3-5 dollars. How much is just ONE hank/skein of that same wool blend going to cost at any "yarn-mart?" About the same amount right? And how many hanks could you potentially get from that sorry excuse for a sweater that would make a beautiful winter set? 2, 3, 5? More? You won't know until you try it! What are you waiting for? You know you want some!

 

10.) I'll leave you with one last money/time/environment saving tip: Don't use more than you need, and don't forget that you have neighbors. We have been taught since birth that it is our right as an American citizen to eat, drink, drive, fart what and when we want. The fact of the matter is when you waste that ten pound bag of potatoes...there's another one waiting for you at the store...but wouldn't it be nice to offer it to the nearest food bank or women's shelter instead of watching it rot on the counter?

 

That's all the tips for Greener Living I have for you today. They're fast, they're easy, they're greener! There is really no excuse for you not to be able to do ONE of these things at some point this year. I know I try, I'm not better than anyone, but I try to do what's right for everyone.

 

I'll leave you with this:

 

I'm sure you know that local churches are accepting donations all the time. Give your clothes to Goodwill or hand them to that little old lady down the hall that's about your size. If you see  a homeless person on the street don't just keep walking (unless threatened or alone). Use your senses, hand them a blanket, go back to your car and dig out your change and buy them a damned sandwich from Wendy's.

 

 

The moral of this story is: If I've got it and you need it,it's yours. I won't do without, but neither will you. Remember your manners, remember everything you were taught in mass/temple/service/ritual and do the right thing for the environment...but most importantly for yourself and eachother.

Green acres is the place to pee! (2)

Now continuing...part deux:

4.) Of great concern to women, at least we SHOULD be concerned with what we put in our bodies, is the sort of tampons we use. It is becoming increasingly more difficult for women to purchase organic tampons. Check out Health Foods Unlimited and other health food stores for more information on the cancer causing agents used in the bleaching process of those lovely little cotton plugs. Of greater concern to men and women should be the amount of waste women generate every year just because we're women.There are always moon pads which are awesomely soft cotton and flannel fabric liners filled with disposable cotton or cleanable fabric inserts. They are washable and create less than half the waste that normal pads create. And, because the inserts are 100% unbleached cotton they are much safer for the environment. If you can not or do not wish to carry your used moon pads around in little plastic baggies...or you're on the go too often try the organic tampons. 

The pesticides and bleaches used in conventional cotton tampons are pollutants in air, water, soil, and in your vagina! If just 1 in 20 women switched to organic tampons, we could eliminate a whopping 750,000 pounds of pesticides annually. And cut down on the number of cervical cancer cases a year (a prediction as made by me, but can be backed up by looking at when they started bleaching tampons and comparing that to the number of women with cancer per capita just a few years afterward).

5.) Here's one for the guys: Electronics. I know, you want to stop me now. But here's the thing, I'm on a computer right now...a fairly new one...boy it's shiny! I love it. If I could have bought one used in this condition to the right specifications I would have. The choices are ours to make. The impact every year that new boxes of plastic with harmful metal pieces leaves is traumatic. Just be sure that your next DVD player purchase is energy star certified! If every DVD unit purchased this year was certified we would save an amazing 837 kilowatt hours-equivalent to the amount of power generated at a nuclear facility over a 40 day period. Isn't that just amazing. Buy used, save some money, save the whales...just kidding, but it's a step in the right direction!

6.) When it comes to veggies I love mine fresh. And when bought in season it can save you a tons of money over canned food items. Not too mention the countless gallons of water and hours of electricity it takes to make those canned veggies. This is a simple tip: Eat In Season! Eat Locally! I admit difficulty with this one. Especially difficult are winters in Ohio. What do we have growing in Ohio in January? Evergreens and weeds. Since most of those aren't edible what DO we eat? Try to grow your own if you have the land and remember to hold back the last of your harvest for canning (try to resist the urge to purge or force upon your neighbors). Canning takes some time, I'll admit more time than most Americans claim to have. But, if you can find 10 hours over a two week period at the end of the growing season you may not have to purchase veggies until mid-march, just before the regular growing season commences. To sum this up: Try to refrain from buying Bananas in January...it's just bad news bears...for more information talk to Aaron or myself. We can tell you why the worlds economy has been wrecked and rests on the fate of bananas and banana growing countries. I <3 Jamaica.

To be continued...

Green acres is the place to pee! (1)

Part One of Three.

 

I know that not everyone can build a yurt on 1-20 acres and live sustainably, creating their own food, electricity, clothing, and collecting their own water. But, everyone CAN do a few things to save what is most important to them...their lives.

Here are a few easy tips that I've learned over the past few years that will cut down on waste in the landfill, water usage, and the use of electricity:

1.) Turn off that light, unscrew it, then replace it with an energy saving light bulb. I know there has been some media hype about these bulbs containing mercury (they do) and in the long run being more harmful to the environment (they're not). My grandmother was watching this new story with me not long ago and then said "That's bullshit, when I was 8 or 9 we used to bust thermometers so we could play with it. Whatever amount that was in that thermometer far outweighs the amount in that light bulb and, as you can see, I am not a mutant." I know this story is a little scientifically useless but when common sense kicks in everyone will see that energy efficient bulbs last 5 to 7 times longer and have a less devastating effect on our already fragile environment. {Not to mention the amount of mercury in the bulb is virtually harmless, the government has a tendency to overreact to anything the FDA (or other shiftless layabouts) have deemed harmful}

Bliss Tree

2.) Carry a refillable water bottle. Come on now, they cost all of 99 cents at the local five and dime. How many bottles do you think get heaped up on "Mt. Dayton" daily because we are too lazy to unscrew a cap and drink from the tap? Hundreds or thousands of these bottles in ONE CITY a DAY!? Yes...that is correct. More go to the dump than to the recycling center. Don't get me wrong, I'm practical like everyone else...when I go out to Starbucks (a guilty pleasure of mine) I buy the Ethos like everyone else. I'm not trying to come off like a snooty von snoot here, I'm just trying to get everyone to do a weee tiny little bit for the state of our planet. So, if you know you're going out in the hot hot sun or on a run, walk, or jog...remember your water bottle is your friend and you can buy convenient carriers to clip on your belt loop or waistband!

3.) Buying jewelry sounds like something completely unrelated to the Earth for most people. The unfortunate part of that mistake is that our jewelry making material COMES from the Earth. Buying recycled or vintage jewelry saves so many resources it's not funny. Buying gold or diamonds for example. To produce your typical .33 ounce 18k gold band (think wedding bands here) requires 13,000 gallons of water and leaves a residual 20 TONS of cyanide-laden mine sludge. If only 1 in every 1000 people bought antique or vintage jewelry it would save a total of 2 MILLION TONS of mine waste and 1.37 BILLION GALLONS of drinkable water! (a precious commodity as only 3% of all the water on Earth is fresh water) For more information on the distribution of water go to this website: http://ga.water.usgs.gov/edu/earthwherewater.html

More to come tomorrow!

We'll have a magick tea party...with...

pink tea for me and you! That's right! My Buddy, my buddy, my buddy and me! Kid sister, kid sister, kid sister and me! Ahh, the good old days. The days before I cared what I looked like before I ran outside to serve tea to my younger siblings and my doberman, Samson. When I would ride the largest bike down the biggest hill I could find, which happened to be our back yard hill. When I did things that were "dangerous" today that were just labeled "harmless fun" in the way back machine.

Times sure have changed...am I even old enough to say that? What I'm getting at, folks, is the fact that the world is a constantly changing place and the change so constant that as you get older and loose some capacity for learning...much of it just flies by without a word, nudge, or notion. I try to take a moment out of every evening (AKA 3-5am EST) to tell you folks something I know about and have recently rediscovered or something new I learned that day. And sometimes it's so hard just coming up with something. So, on days like these I lean to the little things in life and expand from there. Because, from little things, big things grow...or so the saying goes. This includes ideas and inklings.

So, today...as I'm Asmo (Asmodians or the dark half) ganking (killing) in the MMORPG "Aion"  and they're begging for thier lives so they can just go complete a quest or collect something they need back "home", or even to kill one of our little lowbies, a thought occurs to me. My thought is collected and shuffled to the back of my head until I'm out of danger, of course. But once the scene is clear, I start thinking about my tresspasses against those poor lowbie asmo's...and then I suddenly come to my senses. WHAT was I thinking?

This is me in game form. My name is Nanehi, they call me Nani, I heal...and kill.

This is a game. I remind myself. I tell myself this every day. It is important in the world of online gaming to remember your place in the real world. Even if you think the only friends you have in life are in this little box you need to get your head out of your bottom and really take a look at your life. Take a look at how young you are and know that in a few years your life will be SO different you won't know why you wasted so much time in that world. Not that it's not enjoyable...and not that you can't have real friends there (as they are real people on the other side of the screen.) But the game was meant to be played!

Take a moment or two to realize that having sympathy for the enemy means certain death yourself and moments of revenge. Via online gaming in a Vs. style, many young people can learn a much safer feeling of what the charge of war must be like. It's more an empathy than an understanding...but it develops good hand-eye coordination and keeps some part of their (otherwise TV watching) bodies moving. But, it's just a game. Just a game that needs no other place in your life.

Remember when they tell you you've been playing for an hour, please take a break...please do, really take a break. Go pee, grab a drink, turn around and look at the TV...it really helps to escape your daily grind...but it doesn't help to get so engrossed you're ignoring your family. So with that, I bid you a beddy bye. I must go out a shopping with my Grandmother in the morning...errrr later today lol. It's my husband's birthday celebration this weekend. Also a terrific friend Anna's B-day! We're so lucky to have three pairs of friends share their B-days. It makes the parties so much more manageable! lol

NIGHTY NIGHT! ERRR GOOD MORNING!

I squeel, you squeel, we're all a feel...for...

BACON!

I was just  CRAVING a pizza from the area "Hut" tonight...and I wanted an onion'y mess...with pork. The two pizza toppings I require if I am to eat pizza. Please forgive me little piggies and thank you for giving your lives up for my family's consumption. I just require this particular cut of this animal as it is possitively irresistable to me and there is no real close substitution. At least none that has the amount of grease that makes this tasty once in a while snack worth the guilt factor.

So I've ordered and settled on the deliciousness when my telephone rings. They tell me they don't have any bacon. This isn't the first time they've been out of a product recently. I'm starting to think they recently changed or lost management. I've been ordering from this place for the past two years and have been relatively happy up until a few weeks ago. Lodging a complaint, as I have learned from my downstairs neighbors who are slowly driving me to the ege of madness (quite literally), does absolutely nothing. I mean, the police do not even respond to this gross display of lack of respect for other human beings. So, I suck it up and eat it. It's not too bad...but not the same without the whole reason I ordered pizza in the first place.

What I learned from this experience:
Even things that have been perfectly stable for several years in your life, from the minor to the major, can come crashing down with one tiny decision made miles from you for which you have no input and can do nothing about. Life isn't fair (period).(period)

I'll go into my very depressing and distressing neighbor situation later. No one on the planet should have to endure such cold, ill tempered, loud, annoying "people" as these. They are the first set of neighbors that I have not been able ot resolve a situation with. They might not be the last, but if this happens in the future and if you out there in blog world notice a strange aquatic and rotton mayonaise smell when you turn on the air in your car...you might take a look around and make sure you don't see me smirking out at you from my front porch. BUT if you do happen to see learing at you, you'll want to reevaluate how you treat other people and watch out for chemical warfare should that devestating behavior continue.

Alpaca you a bag...let's learn!

When talking about green living or sustainable living, we should all remember that these "rules" of raising should extend to the types of pets and/or animals one raises. Alpacas are an extremely sustainable and Earth friendly animal to keep on your "green" farms as an income/fiber animal. For an animal to eat you might look into chickens (though, their poop is quite toxic) or mini cattle (more on those later).

We'll start with our learning about Alpacas and Llamas, mostly about alpacas even though llamas are my favorite animals they aren't as cost efficient to raise. And yes, they are from the same family but inherently different. Alpacas are smaller and, some might argue, better fiber producer, though llama and alpaca wool are both high priced and higher quality fibers. Alpacas are first and foremost a docile, domesticated animal. One of the world's oldest domesticated animals, predating the Inca empire! How's that for a breed history?

There are two kinds of alpaca the Suri (no, not Cruise) pictured right, and the Huacaya in the first picture. The Suri is noticeably different from the fluff ball of cute that you see in most pictures as it has pencil-thin locks that dangle from it's sides as opposed to the traditional crimped coat of the Huacaya. Some say the Suri's wool is more luxurious or some such nonsense. I have felt both in raw, spun, and crafted product and I can tell you there is no noticeable color or texture difference here. Neither is brighter or better than the other, don't let someone over charge you for Suri, my friends!

The alpaca can do so much for you. You can spin it into fiber arts, make clothing from it, then sell it or wear it. It takes up so little space that you can raise one in just about any back yard but keep in mind they'd love company as they ARE a herd animal. The pads of their feet are soft, not hoofed so you don't have to worry about terrain wear. They only have teeth at the bottom and not the top so biting is near painless. The only thing you should really worry about is trying not to agitate them by paying attention to their flicks and kicks because beyond that, my friends, comes the spits! It's a vile combination of well, bile and food stuffs leftover in their tummy, foul smelling.

Factoid:

In the 70s, the UN's Food and Agricultural Organization defined the ideal animal for the future. The animal should be: A ruminant that needs little water, is easy to breed, and should provide people with protein and other products. Someone should have been like *headdesk* why didn't we think about the camel and it's relatives the alpaca and the llama? But, I still don't think those people are on the right track so far as sustainable agriculture is concerned.

If you would like to visit your local alpaca farm take a look at the map above, that's not all the alpaca places in Ohio but they seem to be the most hospitable toward having visitors. Just look them up and take a drive. Just watching the animals frolic and play is enough to make you feel young at heart. Moving into the blue part of the winter, many of us could use this type of light-spirited activity. If that doesn't suit you though, you could always go on a mini-cow excursion!

Mini cow or (lowlines) information courtesy of Minicows West: 

Key advantages of breeding Lowlines:

• A more easily managed animal (naturally polled, docile and easier on your pastures and fences)
• More efficient animal on feed and pasture (they need less of both to produce higher quality amounts of meat)
• They mature earlier and dress off with less waste
• Good fertility and easy calving
• Pigmentation avoids problems of lighter colored breeds
• Less birthing and maternal problems (always a plus if you don't have a vet on hand or live further out from medical care)
• Produce ideal amount of designer steaks for the typical family freezer (direct marketing & backyard beef) Lowlines deliver right sized – right kind beef!
• Tax deductible investment!

What's that you say? Tax deductible? Why yes! Many sustainable animals now classified as livestock are, indeed, tax deductible! Savings FTW! These beauties have been hand selected for many generations to provide quality over quantity...though I CAN say the cuts of higher end steaks are, by weight, nearly the same as a full sized cow. Now, that's saying something! Mini's also produce less methane, eat less, and have a less detrimental effect on pastures. This makes it possible to keep many mini's in one location a lot longer than you could if you had full sized cattle. Less trampling is good for your Mamma.

That's all I  have for tonight, my brain is killing me and so are my hands and heartburn. /rolaidsfail

Ain't no Sioux with their pants on da ground!

Seriously. When your mom or dad or grandparents and friends tell you not to believe everything you read...you should listen to them! Thankfully, this is a fool me ONCE situation!

As a side note: Has anyone else been laughing their butts off at the older man who was singing his original "Pants on the ground" song? If you haven't, please do!

Pants on da ground, Pants on da ground, lookin like a fool wit yo pants on da ground Wit da gold in yo mouth, hat turned sideways, pant hit da ground, call yoself a cool cat, lookin like a fool, walkin' downtown with yo pants on da ground! Get it up! HEY!

YOU GO GRAMPS! HOLY ROFLPWNGODS OF LAUGHTER!

Expansion: Now including Homophiles!

You know, I was taught something via Facebook yesterday that I thought should be put in my blog for future remembrance and as something that many of may or may not know.

A friend of mine made me aware of something called the Homophile Movement after my pedophile/pedi file post yesterday. Here is an exerpt from the Wikipedia article that is linked from my title so we can further discuss.

"The term "homophile" began to disappear with the emergence of the Gay Liberation movements of the late 1960s and early 1970s, replaced by a new set of terminology such as gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender, although some of the homophile groups survived until the 1980s, 90s and even the present day."

This part a rephrasing of Garan du's teachings:

It turns out that this word was commonly used well into 1970 in newspapers and magazines and even by the movements leaders! Leo Martello a gay Witch and one of the first Facilitator of the Gay Liberation Front (GLF), dissed the use of that word, saying that it sounded like a nail file for homosexuals. (*I'd like to add that this is probably what sparked this lesson on my pedi file facebook post*) The GLF protested against the Village Voice to get them to use "gay" instead. And that is the beginning of how the word "gay" began to be used to refer to, er, gays. Thus endeth the lesson...so sayeth Garan du. ***end the rephrase***

He's so incredibly useful when it comes to the history and general knowledge of homosexuality, spirituality, and well...reality? He's been there, done that and has been pretty active in the activism...I guess that makes sense, huh?

Just thought I'd share something I learned more about yesterday and today with you. It's a pretty interesting article at wikipedia.com. I post that one and not a multitude of others that I've been reading because it is the most user friendly and easiest to understand. Just remember though, there's a reason gay stuck and homophile didn't. Don't get caught calling your OG (original gay aka best gay friend) a homophile you might just get a boot heel, a D&G satchel, a leather whip, or a very well placed piece of chiffon to the throat! That is to say, it won't be pleasant. But, please, feel free to send them here if they are not yet aware of its meaning.

I'm off to homo-file my fingers and pedo-file my toes! Be well dear readers! Stay out of trouble until my next blog because I might have a better way to get yourself lost in the dark side!

~C~

The Pedophile...or pedi file?

Today I learned that the mind is a strange creature. My husband, while being forced into some foot massage action decided to examine my toenails more clearly. When he opened his mouth to speak, something issued forth that I'm still chuckling heartily about. He, with an inquisitive stare at my toes, states: "Honey. You need a pedophile...errr...that's not what I meant to say." He meant a pedicure...but somewhere in the hopeless loops of connectors and synapses in his brain pedicure mixed with nail file and it ended in pedophile. While, I agree that I could use a good pedicure and a strong nail file...I always wonder where those combination misfires come from. It certainly isn't logical to connect pedicure with pedophile unless you're going with the ped connection? It just shows how left brained he really is, I suppose.

Anyway, I do not need a pedophile, but thank you for the thought. If anyone knows a good pedicure set I can purchase, please let me know as I am always up for some pampering. Speaking of which, it's time for a pamper party sometime soon. Recommendations are welcome. If you live in the Dayton area and would like to pamper party with us (and you laughed at the pedi-file incident heartily) let me know! PEDIPARTY...NOT PEDOPARTY!

The Pusher

While I don't 100% agree with this picture, I will say that religion, in an organized manner, has and will continue to control the masses. It's just who we are and how we've learned to manipulate to get what we want done...done. The United States as a nation has used these fear based tools to guide us into getting the vaccines, buying the bonds, and to prod us into reporting our poor "brown neighbors" who's exact ethnicity we're not exactly sure of, but they look oh so scary taking out their garbage at 1am, so they must be a terrorist.

This post is about finding and developing a religion, a personal connection to deity. I linked this post's title to my label. Learn something about the VERY broad heading of Earth based religions that I link myself too. I label me so that more can understand where I'm coming from with my love of the Earth and my honoring of the nature around us. I don't consider myself a "witch" or even very "witchy" whereas many of my counterparts do. I consider myself a realist...down to Earth...very literally. I thank the plants and animals that give their lives to feed me, I respect all humans equally, I live to the fullest possibilities of the moment (which haven't been very opportunistic as of late), and I try to spread goodness and love to my fellow human beings. I know, it doesn't sound like I'm one of those weirdo goth girls with a giant pentagram pendant and a scowl on my face as is so sterotypically shown...ya know why? Because I'm not...I'm more "normal" than half the people you go to church with on Sundays. OK...maybe not half heh heh heh. But you get my point.

MY POINT:

Find religion in yourself and in a spiritual community. Don't let fear guide you. Be your own person. Those so called "normal" looking people might not be your idea of normal. There are serial killers amongst us, more than we know, walking beside you in the mall, creeping by you in a narrow hallway...but have you even thought about that until now? Maybe once or twice, but not all the time like you worry about some pig flu or WMD's or terrorism...and it's all silly.

*peace and love and no fear*

Tutorial...on life...

1. Live! To the fullest...aka...don't just sit there and breathe, get out there and DO! Get those joints moving, really push yourself to do something you might not want to do every once in a while...like ice fishing!

Ice Fishing is usually done in a shanty on several inch thick ice...and you even have a heater, so, it's not so bad!

Conclusion: ICE FISHING IS LIFE!

!end!

Dresses, messes, and school depresses...

What I learned today is that Pageant dress shopping is hard! There are so many choices like colors, to applique or not to applique, do I want rhinestones or crystals or just embroidery? Is it OK to put a one year old in a glitz dress and go au naturale with her actual self?

I think you can...but there are others who would argue against it. I'm not putting my wee one in a pageant, just yet...I'm just looking for a beautiful gown for her one year pictures so she has something nice to look back at. Not like when I was one and every one wore gingham and plaid (go nineteen eighty's go)!

I often look at my horrible tear-streaked reddened cheek pics from my first day in Kindergarten and think, man...if I hated the thought that much...what made them think it would ever change? I mean, it never did change. I hated school from the first day onward, the saving grace? FFA and Marching Band. I had horrible teachers 80% of the time, I was stuck away from what I really wanted to be learning about 90% of the time and the people I really needed support from almost 100% of every school day. I guess that's why I'm so hell-bent on homeschooling.

I don't want Nixie to go through anything she's going to hate five days a week to only be rewarded maybe twice a month for all her hard work. Public school is certainly not where you send your kid to get a pat on the back and a "way to go!" because they worked for 12 hours straight on a science project, and if they aren't rewarded at home either it only compounds the frustration. I say send them off if you are sure you can give them one to three hours after school and before bed to focus on how they are doing in school and to make sure they're setting themselves up for success rather than failure. Keep them home if you can. By all means, hire a tutor if you don't have the time...but above all...remember that their teachers and school administration aren't your nannies or tutors or personal assistants. They are paid to teach a class of students, not just your kid, so stop acting entitled and start helping your children to learn.

A big push recently has been teaching children to read younger and younger. I was a fortunate one and had started learning by reading about a year before I entered public school, giving me a leg up. *Thank you Grandma and Grandpa for all your hard work and long hours giving a damn* I know it's hard to care sometimes, but before you worry about what's for dinner (because your kid isn't going to starve or get hurt if they have to wait an extra hour for dinner), worry about what's on your child's mind...and ask what they need help with and then get up and help them. It will mean the WORLD to them later even if they did have a god awful public school experience.

I was an average student...below average in math and science...barely graduating because of a near failing grade in one of the only two science credits I needed to graduate. I went on to college to sit on the Dean's list every year. I blame this on feeling bogged down and like everyone was breathing down my neck when I was a minor...then a breakthrough...people started treating me like an adult after I got married (at 18), moved out and started college. They let me make my own mistakes and study at my own pace...GENIUS! Who knew that was a century's old practice in how to learn?*headdesk*

Recently Ohio started a home/public schooling program available online. You, as a parent, will have access to a real life teacher if you have questions from your precious little one or for your self. The child is sent an actual working computer, internet ready, to sign into the database and do all their assignments as posted. GENIUS! again...why didn't this happen ten years ago? A friend's daughter is currently using this technology and if feedback is positive I might try this in a few years. Hopefully we'll be able to work at our own pace and take the tests required to move forward and graduate at a local school or a regional test facility. I can't wait for my yurt, alpaca farm, home-schooling facility to become a real life success.

Did I mention I'm moving to Yellow Springs for inspiration, and convenience...lol. I hope living in the shadows of (what was and kind of still is) Antioch will lead to many picnics with my Nixie who will grow up with ultimate diversity in colors and socio-economic statuses of her neighbors and friends. Maybe one day we'll make all this a reality, but until then I need to stop thinking only about myself and start living as an example of what is good for everyone. Have a heart, remember to take your chill pills, not everyone is out to get you, I love you in a general sense and care for your health and well-being...remember the golden rule, it has been written in many ways over centuries in at least 12 different languages that I know of: Do unto others as you would have them do unto you...and that should also say do TO others what you expect FROM them.

MOUNTAIN YURT!!!


Blessings,
~C~

What Super M taught me today...

I learned NOT to make promises about blogging something new I learned every day to Super M because she WILL call me on it if I do not post!

I also learned that Jane Austen thinks it's OK to break them! Thank you Sense and Sensibility!

And thank you Super M for today's blog on what I learned not to do!

By request: Pt. 2 of Yurty Dreams and the Madness of downsizing!

My yurt dreams aside, the most important thing to learn when moving into a small circular space is downsizing. I'm not just talking about your wardrobe here, I'm talking about the whole shebang! Standard diameter for a yurt home is 24-36 feet...if you can imagine that's no bigger than most "standard" home's living room, dining room, and kitchen put together. We're talking approximately 500-1000 "square" feet if you're lucky and you also have to cram two bedrooms and a bathroom into those measurements. At least, we will have to, because we need a second bedroom for our daughter Nixie.

Some smaller yurts for single people are only 15-20 feet in diameter. That's more like tent camping with a wood stove, we're talking COZY here people. There are a lot of sustainable livers out there who will tell you the smaller your home the better, they'll also tell you we only need one acre per person to live sustainably. Logic tells us that that kind of sacrifice, as it were, is not programmed into the average American's brain. We grew up in houses of plenty eating what we wanted when we wanted it and rarely, if ever had to forage around in the pantry for something we really wanted to eat. Some life huh? We wonder why even the skinny minnies here are sometimes more out of shape than those in the "overweight" category.

So, back to downsizing. Because there won't be much food storage area inside most life-yurters will also construct a storm or root cellar for canned food/non perishable storage. Just be prepared to hit the market every other day or so if you're not in the growing season and you don't eat absolutely everything out of a can...or if you require meat and you are not into the hardcore slaughtering of your own animals.

Closet space is almost nonexistant so outside of two sets of linens for each person you should watch the amount of clothing you tend to collect. Putting clothing sealed in plastic in tubs in the root cellar is also a winter to summer wardrobe storage idea. I would suggest moving in all appliances and stationary items first then moving in bookcases/storage shelves after that...then grabbing one standard paper box of must-haves/keepsakes to display per person to put on those shelves and maybe one larger box for each person of books. Anything beyond appliances, furnishings, seasonal wardrobes, keepsakes, and books is just...well, stuff. Unless you run a business out of your home you might also limit indoor hobbies to one or two per person to save craft storage as well. Then we can add luxuries like a television and a nice desktop computer, throw in a laptop for color ;) and there you have it folks. The basics of yurt living.

Downsizing is going to be a hard one for me and my family as we are pack rat, junk hoarders. I think with a lot of narrowing down, sorting, the good feeling I get when donating, and passing along the baby stuff, we'll finally have a basis for simple, sustainable living that we've always dreamed of. Just remember not to deprive yourself or shopping trips will ultimately end badly with no where to store your new found "stuff" that you just "needed" because you didn't have it before or you accidentally donated/threw it out. Take what you need and a few little luxuries, think iPods and walkmans, laptops, anything electronic that is relaxing and serves a purpose and still manages to take up the least amount of space.

More to come...

By request: Pt. 1 of Yurty Dreams and the Madness of downsizing!

Super M requested that I tell all of you of my yurt-y type dreams and to basically describe what a yurt IS and how to get your things INTO said yurt. Just read that sentence out loud and add a few more yurts for fun. I know, it's a terribly fabulous word, right?

Anyway, a yurt is in the simplest terms I know is a traditional Mongolian roundhouse (no, not a martial arts *kickkick* to the face, an actual round house). The structure is made up of a lattice of wood pieces wrapped in canvas or furs then bound with large ropes to anchor the cloth or fur to the wooden structure. I know this model doesn't sound very safe and secure, but it holds up to the high winds and freezing cold temperatures of the Mongolian climate and it travels quite well, great for the nomadic population there.

There are many ways to design a yurt but the most tested and true seem to be the wooden lattice structure, the simple slat ceiling with vent, on a platform wrapped in either traditional cloth and furs, modern canvas, or overlayed in wood. I prefer the modern order-to-fit yurts that you can design to your specifications at companies like Pacific Yurts, Spirit Mountain Yurts, or The Colorado Yurt Company. I'm adding pictures throughout this post so that you may see exactly what I'm talking about without trying to guess. My writing sometimes lacks the necessary details. For yurt-y type vacations you can stay at one in many of the Ohio state parks and also at the beautiful Willow Bend Retreat in Mechanicsburg, OH.

That being said I suppose I should mention how to get all of your "things" into this alternative home. First and foremost, one should downsize the number of objects you want to shove into this 24'-36' in diameter all rooms in one living space. Walls are sparse for a reason. Traditionally in the more modern home yurts your restroom is walled off and plumbing/electric is piped up through one of those walls. On the backside of the wall where your shower/toilet are located with be the main water/electric for your kitchen/dining room area. Therefore many people tend to butt their cold storage or fridge and oven up against that wall *add a dishwasher if you're feeling luxurious*. Also keep in mind that most yurts are heated with wood burning stoves piped either through the vent in the roof or through the side of the canvas.

The bedroom can be "walled" off with some sort of storage shelves so you can keep up that illusion of separation and feel more comfortable when guests stay over. Book shelves add some nice storage for both the living room and bedroom especially if you add baskets for odds-n-ends. If you were to continue the book shelves all the way around the other side (be cautious of the width of the shelves) you would have a nice enclosure and all the storage pods one could ever dream of. Also if we take a tip from the Tree Huggers you can insert your television and/or computer in one of these shelves then drill holes through the back so you can hide all the wires that will be connecting (again) at one of the walls surrounding your bathroom.

If you want to add some space and maybe create a second bedroom area you can add a loft and put one bedroom on top of the other OR make a reading area just below your loft. Another good idea is to make that a child's play area. Making an adult loft bedroom space with a child's play area/bedroom below is a dream of mine. I'd also like an enclosed restroom just next door and the kitchen/LR/DR all open to the front door area.

Security in a yurt...sounds like an oxymoron, but I assure you security is all in your own mind. Sure the walls are canvas and wood and the windows can either be real or simply clear thick plastic. Your doors do lock, however. Just remember that you are as safe as you make yourself so installing motion sensitive lights on the exterior and keeping some sort of guard dog who will alert you to intruders is your first line of defense. Also remember that most yurts aren't built out in the open or along very public roads so most people won't even know your home exists.

Remember to do an epic amount of research before you buy and you can save some hella money by doing the set up yourselves. You'll need all your handy friends and relatives. I'd love to have a purple canvas yurt with a dark gray roof...but we'll see. But, for now, thanks for reading and Pt. 2 will include downsizing madness. Something we should all strive to do! For our own mental health!

Blessings until later!

What this is all about...appropriate intro to come later!

I will be posting here every day something new I've learned this year. Yeah, I got a late start, but that's because my friend (Super M) did her 100 goals for 2010 list and got me all motivated to blog some crap. SO here I am and most of this will consist of snippets about green living, communal living, yurts, log cabins, alpacas, llamas, dobermans, pugs, babies, homeschooling, recipes, tips & tricks with home supplies, fire spinning, crochet patterns, and who knows what else? Look out later for an exciting look at yurts! Ok, maybe not...but I'll be teaching you something that I learned every day. Some things you might already know, some things might make you scratch your head, but either way I'll try to delight you with at least one thing you'll find useful this year! Keep it green (or purple, I'm not picky)!