Where Do You Get Your Veggies?

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vegetables

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This past weekend I went to the farmer’s market to get my fruits and vegetables.  The drive there is about half and hour; however, the roads we take have a bit of a country view.  I can easily drive three minutes to one of the three nearby supermarkets, but there is a reason for the monthly drive to the farmers market, well, maybe more than one.

The first reason is that the fruits and vegetables come from local farms and this supports the local economy.  The second reason is that the fruits and veggies taste so much better and are bigger than the ones bought at the supermarket.  The third reason, is that I save money as well.  I can pay $3 for a whole basket of Jersey tomatoes or I can go to the nearest supermarket and pay $4.99 for three small tomatoes in a pack.  I spent $28.00 in fruits and veggies that will last our household (me and my husband) for a whole month, maybe more.  Cutting and freezing is part of the weekend as well.  In addition, we enjoy this trip.  For now, this will do; once we move out-of-state we will be growing our own food and farming.

This got me thinking.  It matters where I get my vegetables, and the same principle can be applied to … my inspiration, my knowledge, my learning, my advice.  Where or from who do you get inspiration, knowledge, advice …?  Just as it may be more convenient to get my vegetables at the nearest supermarket – a 3 minute drive – I may also be getting a fruit or veggie that is of less quality, lacks in flavor, and does not give me all that I am looking for or expecting.

As beginning artists or writers, we must mind where we get our feedback, education/learning, and inspiration.  The wrong advice or ill comment can take the flavor of our work and leave a sour spirit.  In the end, shortcuts may make your journey much longer.

Of Vampires, Sex and Fear

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Vampyr ill artlibre jnl

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This morning, while reading the news, one piece caught my attention – a teenager that was arrested for breaking in and trying to assault a woman he did not know.  What was odd about this was that he pretended to be a vampire and was hissing and growling while trying to suck the woman’s blood.

Vampires used to be scary, freaky, and plain ugly.  Todays vampires are sexy, good-looking, and they even have feelings.  They still scare viewers but in a sexy way.  Fear and sexy or fear and sex have found common ground in today’s vampires.  The old-time Dracula or Nosferatu was hardly a hottie; he was meant to be repulsive and scary-looking, the total opposite of today’s vampire.  Today’s vampire is a dangerous potion to attract its victim – good looks, money, and mystery.

The evolution of the vampire has been a slow one, but one that was necessary to revive the creature’s appeal.  At one point, vampires were almost passe.  Thanks to some good writers they have been brought back in a different light; however, there is a constant in this evolution – if yesterday’s vamp was dangerous, today’s vamp is more so.  Nosferatu made you run away; Edward Cullen or Stephan Salvatore doesn’t necessarily do so.  Some fans may actually find themselves running towards them.  And that my friends, is the beauty of writing!

When You Must Take Platform 9 3/4

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Platform 9 3/4, King's Cross - London

If you are familiar with the Harry Potter books you know what Platform 9 3/4 is.  It is the platform that you take to get to Hogwarts.  It is not visible, marked, but it is there, and you must find it to get through.  Sometimes, you must take Platform 9 3/4 to be able to get to where you want to be, even when you think there is no entrance or when it feels as there is nothing there.  In life’s creative path, this is true for most artists.  Heading to our own Hogwarts without knowning how it will turn out, or if we will reach it.  For many, it takes abandoning the traditional route or clearly numbered platform and leaping into faith.  However, it is not a blind leap.  You know that Hogwarts is on the other side, if you dare to take the leap.

I too, have taken Platform 9 3/4 and I am headed straight to my own Hogwarts.  Dare to jump?

The binding of Age

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Scan of a Valentine greeting card dated 1909.

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If you grew up as I did, most likely, you will have the imprinted belief that as soon as you hit 40, you are going down hill.  I have seen a few over the hill greeting cards that seem to cater to that frame of thought.  Believing that this is the case, is a very dangerous thing because it binds you to certain expectations throughout your life.  Certain things should have happened before you turned 45, and if they have not, most likely you will abandon certain goals, and will end up feeling a failure.  What a sick belief!

The truth is that no one knows how long they will live and most people may live to their late eighties.  In this case, being 40, for example, is having half or more of your life to live.  This is not the time to abandon goals or feeling as a failure; on the contrary, it is the time to make them real and with more “gusto” since you have already enjoyed many years of being traditionally “young.”

Age is in your mind;  it is a matter of how your mind is set and of how it has been programmed all these years.  Yes, there are some physical changes on the outside, but the “you” inside the shell knows better.  No one likes wrinkles or the physical changes that come with age; if they did, plastic surgery and beauty aides would not exist.  I myself, am not a fan of wrinkles.  However, I have met young people who act as 90 year olds, and 80 year olds who act as if they were 25.  For those 80 year olds that still see a bright life ahead of them, age is just a number, and age does not bind them to any “society expectations” – they are the masters of their lives.

What is a Tamarind? Oh, Sweet Tamarind!

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It had to be more than twenty plus years since I ate a tamarind.  Last weekend I was presented with a sweet surprise.  My sister in law brought me a box of sweet tamarinds.  Now, these are hard to come by, so I knew this was a most precious gift.  If you are not familiar with tamarinds this post will help you appreciate them. 

Tamarinds grow on a tree mostly in tropical climates.  I have memories of eating tamarinds as a kid and climbing on tamarind trees, and just hanging out and eating them atop a tree.  When they are not ripen the shell is hard and kind of greenish, once they are ready to eat the shell turns brownish and is easy to crack, similar to the way you would crack an egg shell.  Most tamarinds that are ready will fall to the floor, as the shell dries.  Here are some pictures,to give you an idea.

Box of Tamarinds
Nutritional value – not much, but they are delicious! Mostly carbs, sugar, and fiber.  They are also high in calories as you can see in the box.
I like the fact that they are harvested in a way that is environmentally friendly and the box is recyclable.
Here is what a tamarind looks like
The shape varies and so does the size.
To eat it, just crack it open with your hands.
This is what you will find inside the shell.  Yeah, I know what you are thinking … but I assure you, it does not taste like that.
Close-up of the shell
Each section of the tamarind will contain a large seed.  To eat it, you separate a section and suck on it until you just have the seed.  The pulp is sweet and you must chew on it as well.  The seeds are very hard.
Here’s the whole thing.  The fibers hold the pieces of tamarind together.
Once you eat the whole tamarind you have an empty frame.  For the sake of this post I had to eat one.  Oh, the sacrifices we make for blogging!
Here’s a close shot of the empty frame.
And there you have it; this is how you it a tamarind.  Hope you enjoy this post, I did. 

Uninspired? Change Your Spot

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Distracted Bunny

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Today, as I was getting ready to work on my novel, I could not get myself started.  I sat at the desk, opened the file, and soon got distracted with something else.  I knew I had to go back to it, but something was not quite right.  I felt the urge to go outside and write, pen in hand.  I looked outside and the chair was still a bit wet from last night rain, but I went outside anyway.  I sat to write.  Soon, words started to pour, almost nonstop.  In no time, I had a chapter done, as soon as the words stopped pouring in.

I understood that I was ready to write, just not at my desk.  Sometimes, just moving to another spot will do the trick to get you started on that page or that chapter.  Next time, if you want to get started but somehow don’t seem to connect with your muse, go somewhere else and try it.

Working Through Transition Stinks!

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Rural area outside of Paeroa, New Zealand

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I have started my second novel.  It is hard to work and plan your work when you are in the midst of change.  I will be moving to another state in the next few months – or at least, those are the plans – and I feel disconnected in some areas; one of them work.  My husband and I are moving south, to a simpler lifestyle, and to a rural area, where I will have to slow down to the pace of slow internet, among many other things.

Once we arrive, our efforts will be on restoring (just the two of us) an old farmhouse that will be our home.  That will take all our time.  Most likely, I will be offline for sometime, and will blog very sporadically.  We will hope for a wi-fi signal, mostly in the evening, as we will be staying with my sister and brother-in-law, for a short time.  We will change our pace and lifestyle totally – this is a big change we are in for, one that will require a lot of focus and effort, as well as patience.

This upcoming change has tied my hands a bit with my writing.  I have several projects that I cannot evolve due to this, and in a way, I am in some kind of limbo now, and very limited as to the work projects that I can take on.  This has left me feeling stuck for a while; however, it is making room for finishing my second novel.  It gives me some time to plan, but I cannot start much now.  This is as working against my grain, since I am one to dislike sitting for long with projects or decisions.  According to my personality type, working like this truly sucks – it stinks.

My writing has come to a halt in certain aspects.  Not due to lack of work, but to the limits to advancing my writing career, as during that time, I will not be able to commit to long-term or big projects, or maybe any writing projects at all.  Now, I cannot commit to long-term projects that will require my availability during that time.  So this is my dilemma.  For now, I can only dedicate this transition time to some short-term projects and to  finishing my second novel, maybe start my third one.  If anything, once I am in a position of stability again, I will have two, maybe three, ready to publish novels, and I will be able to resume my long-term writing projects.  It drives me nuts to not be able to go all the way with something, to feel restrained.

Have you gone thru a big change or transition? Please, feel free to share any coping tips and techniques that relate to handling your work during transition.

 

Shop and Help the Planet

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At first glance, the title of this post may appear as a contradiction; how can you recommend consumerism as a way of helping the planet?  It is more about recognizing our individual needs when shopping.  It means that before we make a purchase we evaluate it from four sides – the financial side, the economics side, the giving side,and the environmental side.  How is that?  Just simple, by ensuring that you make the absolute best of your purchase. This is how I am learning to live my life now. 

The Financial Aspect – It is as easy as asking yourself if you can afford the item without going into debt.  It is for your ultimate financial well being, and your family’s financial health.  If you have to charge it or cannot pay it by the end of the month, when the bill comes, then don’t buy it.  Another application to this side is by evaluating your need for the purchase – do I need this? Do I already own a version of it?  Do I really need another pair of stilettos or should I cushion my savings or emergency fund this time? 

The Economics Aspect – Think of the Country you live in.  Purchase goods that are made in your country.  Stimulate the economy that way, by supporting the small Mom and Pops, local businesses and farmers, and by buying homemade.

The Giving Aspect – There are companies that will give a portion of the purchase price of a product to a good cause.  See if you can choose products that contribute to a good cause. 
In addition, before discarding something, see if you can find someone who needs it and give it to that person.   

The Environmental Aspect – This is about reducing – reusing – recycling – repurposing.  Thinking of other ways to use items or repurpose items can be fun.  It fuels your creativity.  In addition, it gives things a second chance. Buy from antique shops or flea markets.  If you don’t want to spend money at all, you can visit the free section on Craigslist, eBay classifieds, or local newspaper, and you will be amazed at the amount of free goodies.  
You will be preventing these things from ending up in the landfills.  Whether you use these items for yourself or transform/alter them to resell, you are helping the environment. 

Next time, before you head up to do some shopping, see if you can incorporate one or more of these steps into your shopping agenda.

Take the road less traveled and make a difference.

The Power of Change

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Cover page cuverture Turning the Tide On Clima...

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I have met people who do not like change.  They simply don’t like things around them to be different, whether change is for the better or not.  There is risk in change – the unknown.  For some people, this is scary; simply put, they prefer the known to the unknown.  The known comforts them.

I welcome change, whether good or bad, if there is such a thing as bad change.  I believe that when we see our circumstances to be changing for the worst, it is just a matter of perception.  Change always bring something new and different.  With this, it brings the opportunity for new challenges, growth, and new lessons.  It brings the chance – requested or unrequested – of creating something new of the experience or change.  In a way, change is creation.  Change is always forward, even when it is perceived as a step backwards.

Some people may disagree with me on this.  For example, if you were to lose everything you own, you would perceive this as a negative change in your life.  However, this could be the best opportunity for you to start anew, to create a second life, an exciting opportunity.  Yes, no one thinks of being in that situation, and I don’t know of anyone that would consciously welcome it; however, many people in today’s economy have gone thru similar change.  The perception of this change is what will make them powerless or powerful individuals.  This is the power of change.

Designing Your Life Map

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A treasure map

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I have to admit that I love lists.  Yeah, I make all kinds of lists.  Therefore, to me, goal setting comes natural, it’s been like that for long.  I find that most things that I put in writing somehow get done, or play it that way – even when I think I have forgotten about them.  One thing that I have indulged on recently, is creating a life map.  This is not with the purpose of tracking or carving each step on stone, but more as a fun way to visualize the things that I would like to carry out and showcase my interests at a particular stage of life.  We all know that interests change and it is important to allow these changes.

Your life map can be an inspirational tool and it can include pictures or take the shape of an actual map that you create – this is the fun part.  It can also follow a timeline or a series of steps – just as a treasure map would.  I find it makes goal setting more interesting and helps you focus as you look at it everyday and see the big picture plastered in front of you.  It is the inspiration to do what you have to do everyday – what you know you have to do – even when people around you may not understand it as you do.

Next time you sit down to check or write some goals , try this method and see how you like it.