Actually this should be titled the other day when I first had it in my head. Today, it has been snowing all day and there is nearly a foot on the ground with no end in site, but three days ago it was a different story! It was a beautiful blue sky day, probably in the 50's. I took a walk of about 3 miles or so. It was truly a beautiful day. It is something how after the first mile your spirit lifts and soon thoughts fill your head. It is as if your not only exercising your body but brain and spirit also. I just read Thoreau's essay called "Walking" he describes it in much better prose then I ever could and you should make time to read it.
As for me I look forward to the day when I can go for a walk and use the sun and moon as my timepiece and the path before me as my agenda for the day!
Saturday, November 19, 2011
Thursday, November 3, 2011
Initiating change
When I left South Carolina, gave up most all of my possessions, I didn't really know what I was getting into. Working seasonal jobs is mostly young adults not yet burdened by what is called life these days.
What my travels and adventures, such as they are, have done is put me back in touch with who I was and what I was passionate about in my earlier years, before jobs, bills and relationships got in the way. I lead a life filled with the wonder of a child and all that there is to see and experience in this life. I consider myself blessed in so many ways and am happier then I have been in some time. Now I am trying to turn that to others by giving back. Coats for the needy, cans of food for the food drive. On a larger scale I have rediscovered the "Rainforest Action Network" and "The World Wildlife Fund". I used to be passionate about these organizations. Contributing time and money.
Our country was built on giving back and being involved. Before mass media, people gathered in taverns and on street corners to discuss the topics of the day. If a families barn burned down, they didn't look for government assistance. Their neighbors were there to immediately lend a hand and rebuild.
I hear a lot of people complaining about the job that Obama has done since he has been in office. His presidency, like Jimmy Carter's was built on a grass roots effort. The change he talked about was at the grass roots level. I ask you where are all those volunteers now? What have they done to help advance the dream? Obama and Carter told the people the truth and trusted the American people to do the right thing. Their failure is our failure because we as a people did not pick up the mantel and initiate positive change in our own communities.We as a people have become complacent and now look to the government, insurance companies and lawyers to settle all of our problems and find blame anywhere but with our selves.
Our country wasn't set up that way. For our democracy to survive and to thrive, it takes action and involvement from the populace. Other wise it slides more and more towards tyrants who overtax and overburden us with laws to protect us from ourselves and keep us docile by subverting our attention by making things like "Dancing with The Stars" or "American Idol" news worthy.
I have written letters that have been published, been involved in a boycott that changed they way they fish the seas to save dolphins. I vote Libertarian as a protest vote to the way things have gotten in America. I'm not trying to point fingers or pass any judgement. I'm as guilty as the next guy at being complacent and being distracted by other things around me.
But it is time to initiate positive change in our lives and each one of us can make small changes by being involved in our families and communities. I have 312 friends on Facebook. what if each one of us spent as much time volunteering in our communities as we spend on "Farmville"? What if we spent just have the time that we spend watching TV, writing letters and getting involved with our families and communities?
It would cause a small ripple of positive change that would grow larger every time someone took positive action. It doesn't take a lot. How much does a can of food cost? Who doesn't have an extra coat or sweater? How long, especially now with email, does it take to write a letter about an injustice or even something remarkable good? If you take action positive change will happen! More importantly by taking action, positive change will happen in your own life. I swear to you for every good action, for every positive thing you do to make things better, for every one you help, it will come back to you a hundred fold, your life will be richer because of it.
What my travels and adventures, such as they are, have done is put me back in touch with who I was and what I was passionate about in my earlier years, before jobs, bills and relationships got in the way. I lead a life filled with the wonder of a child and all that there is to see and experience in this life. I consider myself blessed in so many ways and am happier then I have been in some time. Now I am trying to turn that to others by giving back. Coats for the needy, cans of food for the food drive. On a larger scale I have rediscovered the "Rainforest Action Network" and "The World Wildlife Fund". I used to be passionate about these organizations. Contributing time and money.
Our country was built on giving back and being involved. Before mass media, people gathered in taverns and on street corners to discuss the topics of the day. If a families barn burned down, they didn't look for government assistance. Their neighbors were there to immediately lend a hand and rebuild.
I hear a lot of people complaining about the job that Obama has done since he has been in office. His presidency, like Jimmy Carter's was built on a grass roots effort. The change he talked about was at the grass roots level. I ask you where are all those volunteers now? What have they done to help advance the dream? Obama and Carter told the people the truth and trusted the American people to do the right thing. Their failure is our failure because we as a people did not pick up the mantel and initiate positive change in our own communities.We as a people have become complacent and now look to the government, insurance companies and lawyers to settle all of our problems and find blame anywhere but with our selves.
Our country wasn't set up that way. For our democracy to survive and to thrive, it takes action and involvement from the populace. Other wise it slides more and more towards tyrants who overtax and overburden us with laws to protect us from ourselves and keep us docile by subverting our attention by making things like "Dancing with The Stars" or "American Idol" news worthy.
I have written letters that have been published, been involved in a boycott that changed they way they fish the seas to save dolphins. I vote Libertarian as a protest vote to the way things have gotten in America. I'm not trying to point fingers or pass any judgement. I'm as guilty as the next guy at being complacent and being distracted by other things around me.
But it is time to initiate positive change in our lives and each one of us can make small changes by being involved in our families and communities. I have 312 friends on Facebook. what if each one of us spent as much time volunteering in our communities as we spend on "Farmville"? What if we spent just have the time that we spend watching TV, writing letters and getting involved with our families and communities?
It would cause a small ripple of positive change that would grow larger every time someone took positive action. It doesn't take a lot. How much does a can of food cost? Who doesn't have an extra coat or sweater? How long, especially now with email, does it take to write a letter about an injustice or even something remarkable good? If you take action positive change will happen! More importantly by taking action, positive change will happen in your own life. I swear to you for every good action, for every positive thing you do to make things better, for every one you help, it will come back to you a hundred fold, your life will be richer because of it.
Wednesday, November 2, 2011
progress
I didn't quite reach my goals this summer, I haven't walked as much as I should and it seemd to be a really fast summer. Even with all the excuses I still lost about 112lbs using "Young Living" products and I discovered a couple of new essential oils I really like. "Magnify Your Porpose" and "Abundance". I have become kind of zen about the whole weight loss thing. It took me 50yrs to get this way and I am not going to get it done over night. As long as I am making progress and positive change is happening in my life, that is all that matters. After all I have the rest of this life to make it happen. Right?
Friday, April 15, 2011
Try This For a Healthy Way to Start The Day
Up until a few years ago I was never much of a breakfast person. I’m still not crazy about jumping out of bed and eating. That is why if I’m working I usually opt for a healthy shake of some kind.
On the days I am not working so early or on my days off, I have become a big fan of cereal. Especially since my doctor wants me to get 35 grams of fiber a day in my diet. I like to make my own blend. I start with Fiber One and Peanut Butter Captain Crunch. Then I usually add one of the Post Great Grains. I like the one with pecans and then there is one with cranberries. Lately the local City Market has had some of Kashi and other organic cereals on sale. I usually look for ones with nuts, flax seed or pumpkin seed and dried fruit except for raisins. I am mentally allergic to raisins. Ha,ha! I read labels and you should to. Try making a mix your own favorite cereals, have fun with it. Just stay away from anything that has high fructose corn syrup in it. Also a few years ago I started using soy milk when possible. It is healthier then whole cows milk. Recently I’ve discovered Almond Milk it has more of the good stuff that soy milk has and none of the bad stuff cows milk has. It is cheaper then soy milk and it is much better tasting. Also add fresh fruit, I love bananas and strawberries in season. Try this and start your day off with fuel for your body that will last all day.
On the days I am not working so early or on my days off, I have become a big fan of cereal. Especially since my doctor wants me to get 35 grams of fiber a day in my diet. I like to make my own blend. I start with Fiber One and Peanut Butter Captain Crunch. Then I usually add one of the Post Great Grains. I like the one with pecans and then there is one with cranberries. Lately the local City Market has had some of Kashi and other organic cereals on sale. I usually look for ones with nuts, flax seed or pumpkin seed and dried fruit except for raisins. I am mentally allergic to raisins. Ha,ha! I read labels and you should to. Try making a mix your own favorite cereals, have fun with it. Just stay away from anything that has high fructose corn syrup in it. Also a few years ago I started using soy milk when possible. It is healthier then whole cows milk. Recently I’ve discovered Almond Milk it has more of the good stuff that soy milk has and none of the bad stuff cows milk has. It is cheaper then soy milk and it is much better tasting. Also add fresh fruit, I love bananas and strawberries in season. Try this and start your day off with fuel for your body that will last all day.
Friday, April 8, 2011
I'm not Buddha Yet
Not yet having become Buddha, this bag of bones continues on its journey. Not just one organism but a whole community of living organisms working and living, doing their jobs. Atoms,cells, bacteria, germs, one celled creatures of all kinds. When I carry on to another form and this body turns back to dust, the water that composes most of it will nourish a thirsty traveler one day or perhaps nourish a tree or flower. The atoms, bacteria and germs will live on to become another form, perhaps another man, a tree, flower or maybe even a cloud. Is this not a miracle? Is this not reincarnation?
Saturday, March 26, 2011
Diet, allergies and germs! OH MY!
As a chef, nutritionist and concerned human being I wonder what’s going on with our bodies. There is no scientific data, that I know of ,but I’ve been in the food business for more then 20yrs and its alarming to me at how food allergies are becoming more and more prevalent in our society.
As a child in my grandfather’s restaurant I don’t remember him having to be concerned about anyone having allergies, even when I first started cooking, there were people on diets for specific reasons but not all these food allergies I’m seeing today. Its just been in the past 10years that it has become so prevalent. Now in the past three years this gluten thing has gone crazy. Is it really an allergen or just the latest health / food craze?
I think there could be one of two reasons or maybe a combination of reasons.
First, I think we are way to scared of germs and we don’t spend enough time outside. When we were kids during the summer we were outside from morning until night. As babies we rolled around in the dirt and when the parents turned their heads we ate dirt or worse. Now everyone try’s to keep everything so sterile and the kids spend a lot of their day in front of a video game or a computer they don’t build up the natural immunities they get from being in nature. Before milk was fortified with vitamin D, people in some of the northern states would get rickets because they were not outside enough to get enough vitamin D from the sun. I say it’s the same way with allergies, we have disconnected our selves from nature and much to our demise we are becoming less and less a part of nature.
Another thing that might be the reason or a part of the reason is our diet. Prior to the mid sixties everyone ate home cooked, mostly from scratch, mostly locally grown food. Even the food in my grandfathers kitchen was all bought locally and cooked from scratch with mostly fresh ingredients. With the proliferation of fast foods, prepacked and frozen foods and our foods coming form all around the world we are eating foods that are out of season. We are eating foods that don’t have the local pollen, the local dirt, the local, what I think the ancient Chinese would call Chi. I think our bodies are becoming confused by the types of food and the combination's of food we are consuming, sending our digestive systems into turmoil.
Of course it could be that our science has just caught up and found out at what's causing some illness are allergies. But that would be too easy!!!! It has to be the devil somewhere! ha,ha!
Once again I implore you to support your local farmer’s market and food co-op. Eat fresh, in- season foods. AND
“Forget the Box Just get outside!”
As a child in my grandfather’s restaurant I don’t remember him having to be concerned about anyone having allergies, even when I first started cooking, there were people on diets for specific reasons but not all these food allergies I’m seeing today. Its just been in the past 10years that it has become so prevalent. Now in the past three years this gluten thing has gone crazy. Is it really an allergen or just the latest health / food craze?
I think there could be one of two reasons or maybe a combination of reasons.
First, I think we are way to scared of germs and we don’t spend enough time outside. When we were kids during the summer we were outside from morning until night. As babies we rolled around in the dirt and when the parents turned their heads we ate dirt or worse. Now everyone try’s to keep everything so sterile and the kids spend a lot of their day in front of a video game or a computer they don’t build up the natural immunities they get from being in nature. Before milk was fortified with vitamin D, people in some of the northern states would get rickets because they were not outside enough to get enough vitamin D from the sun. I say it’s the same way with allergies, we have disconnected our selves from nature and much to our demise we are becoming less and less a part of nature.
Another thing that might be the reason or a part of the reason is our diet. Prior to the mid sixties everyone ate home cooked, mostly from scratch, mostly locally grown food. Even the food in my grandfathers kitchen was all bought locally and cooked from scratch with mostly fresh ingredients. With the proliferation of fast foods, prepacked and frozen foods and our foods coming form all around the world we are eating foods that are out of season. We are eating foods that don’t have the local pollen, the local dirt, the local, what I think the ancient Chinese would call Chi. I think our bodies are becoming confused by the types of food and the combination's of food we are consuming, sending our digestive systems into turmoil.
Of course it could be that our science has just caught up and found out at what's causing some illness are allergies. But that would be too easy!!!! It has to be the devil somewhere! ha,ha!
Once again I implore you to support your local farmer’s market and food co-op. Eat fresh, in- season foods. AND
“Forget the Box Just get outside!”
Friday, March 18, 2011
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