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Tag: Raspberry Pi

Run Raspberry Pi PIXEL Desktop on a PC or Mac – an Exton modified Build 161223 with Refracta Tools

Yesterday I read that the Raspberry Pi Foundation has announced the release of a new PIXEL image that can be booted on a PC or Mac. Study this site. I saw immediately that there was no installer included, which I thought was a little disappointing. Come to think of Refracta tools, which work very well in Debian and Ubuntu. I quickly made a “remix” of the Raspberry Pi Foundation PIXEL image. My remix thus include Refracta tools. This means that you can easily install the system to hard drive and you can just as easily make it your own remix of the Raspberry Pi Foundation PIXEL image. Study all included packages. I’ve added a few packages. Most important Synaptic, which I find essential.

About the PIXEL Desktop
Raspbian had its biggest update ever in September, 2016, thanks to a dazzling new desktop environment called PIXEL. Raspbian with PIXEL (which stands for ‘Pi Improved Xwindow Environment, Lightweight’) is a huge software update to the desktop environment. It introduces a crisp new interface, and is brimming with new programs and features.

VirtualBox and VMware
My build/image works very well in VirtualBox and VMware. I.e. you can run the system directly from the ISO and also install it to a virtual hard drive. You can of course also make your own Debian system with the the PIXEL Desktop using Refracta snapshot (pre-installed).

Kernel 3.16.0-4-686-pae is used. PAE (Physical Address Extension) increases the physical memory addressable by the system from 4 GB to 64 GB.

Login and passwords
Log in to the PIXEL Desktop as the ordinary user pi or as root. The passwords are raspberrypi respectively root. When logged in as pi you can use Sudo to become root. (Command: sudo su).

You may want to install Spotify. Just go ahead. It’s very easy. When running my PIXEL image live or from hard drive you can just install Spotify with the command sudo apt-get install spotify-client. Watch a screenshot when Spotify is running.

Important about Refracta
You can use the Refracta tools (pre-installed) to create your own installable Debian PIXEL system once you have installed my build to hard drive. I mean change everything and then create a whole new Debian live system. Start Refracta from Menu >> System tools >> Refracta snapshot. You don’t even have to install my build to hard drive before you can use the Refracta tools. If you have plenty of RAM you can create a new (your own!) Debian PIXEL system while running my build from DVD or a USB stick. Please note that the whole Refracta process (creating your new ISO) will only take 5 – 10 min! You’ll find the ISO in /home/snapshots. The whole thing is very simple. NOTE: You can also do everything in VirtualBox or VMware. Use FileZilla (pre-installed) to transfer your new ISO to your server.

Screenshot 1 – Spotify running
Screenshot 2 – Samba running (reach your Windows computers in your network)
Screenshot 3 – Refracta Snapshot has started
Screenshot 4 – Refracta Installer has started in VMware

My Debian Raspberry Pi PIXEL build 161223 for free from SourceForge.netFast, secure and free downloads from the largest Open Source applications and software directory.
The ISO file can also be downloaded from the Swedish Linux Society.
md5sum for debian-32bit-pae-pixel-exton-1440mb-161223.iso
Raspberry Pi is a trademark of Raspberry Pi Foundation

3 Comments extonExton Linux SystemsLinux

RaspArch Build 151107 :: Run Arch Linux on your Raspberry Pi 2

rasparch-logoThis version (151107) is my second build of RaspArch
The first version is from 150414. RaspArch is a “remaster” of Arch Linux ARM. The original compressed system is of 231 MB. After I have added the LXDE Desktop environment, Firefox and Gimp the system increased to 492 MB. RaspArch is a “ready-to-go” ARM system. It must be installed on a Raspberry Pi 2 computer.

NEWS 151107
A new version of RaspArch is ready. The compressed file rasparch-exton.tar.gz from 151105 was compressed with Archive Manager in Ubuntu 15.10. Something is wrong with this program. I had to compress the folder manually. I.e. using the command tar -zcvf rasparch-exton.tar.gz rasparch-exton. The compressed folder has decreased in size from 851 MB (151105) to 492 MB(!?).

More about RaspArch
When you have installed RaspArch to your Micro SD Card you can use the system like any other Arch Linux system. I.e. install new programs etc. Arch motto is KISS (Keep It Simple Stupid). RaspArch uses kernel 4.1.12-1-ARCH and the LXDE Desktop environment.

WHO should run Arch Linux/RaspArch?
My answer: The system fits the “advanced” Linux user/enthusiast, who would be willing to run an occasional command from time to time.

BENEFITS of Arch Linux/RaspArch
“Cutting Edge”-software and speed. A member on this site recently wrote this about RaspArch: I’ve used Slackware, Debian, Gentoo, Ubuntu & Arch. I prefer Arch. Ubuntu is easier to install, Arch is easier to keep up to date. You do not go through big, painful, changes every year instead you just update, once in a while, make changes if instructed. Arch has most of the benefits of Gentoo without the pain of recompiling _everything_. When you do need to build a package in Arch its painless especially if you use one of the tools that support Aur (I like yaourt). Arch avoids the politics of Debian and Ubuntu and delivers a great Linux distribution. RaspArch now brings these advantages to the PI 2.

Study all installed packages in RaspArch

Screenshot of RaspArch’s Desktop

No Comments Exton Linux SystemsLinuxRaspberry


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Monday, December 15, 2014

NEW Maybelline Master Prime and Master Conceal

Maybelline Master Prime and Master Conceal
This is the last update from Maybelline regarding new products for Spring. This final update features new Master Prime and Master Conceal, two products made to help you put your best face forward.

A closer look after the jump...

Maybelline Master Prime
"Weightless blurring primers"
Master Prime comes in 3 formulations:

  • Primer + Base = Blur + Smooth (100)
  • Primer = Blur + Illuminate (200)*
  • Primer + Base = Blur + Redness Control (300)
*SPF 30
Maybelline Master Conceal
"Maximum Conceal. Laser-thin camouflaging concealer."
Master Conceal is available in 5 shades:
  • Fair (10)
  • Light (20)
  • Light/Medium (30)
  • Medium (40)
  • Medium/Deep (50)
View all of Maybelline's Spring 2015 lineup here.

Happy Hunting!

Be sure to follow on Lip Drama's new Google Plus Page!

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New Thompson Library A 'Taj Mahal' at OSU

William Oxley Thompson Memorial Library at Ohio State University is now open, and columnist Joe Blundo in the Columbus Dispatch calls it 'a Taj Mahal of a library' (as it should be at the cost of $108.7 million).!

The place has everything: reading material, curios, terrific views and coffee. The Thompson library was built in 1913, enlarged several times and desecrated in 1965. That's when its Grand Reading Room -- a magnificent, arched space -- was divided horizontally to add a second floor.

Well, the room has been restored to its arched glory. It feels important and scholarly: When I walked in, the place was packed with students but so silent I could hear pages turning.

The building also has an 11th-floor reading room, where I would have curled up with a good book in front of a window had a seat been available. The room is a reader's aerie, with commanding views of campus and beyond.

I've heard it said that modern libraries too often de-emphasize books in favor of electronic material. Not so this place, at least visually. Thanks to glass walls, you can stand in its atrium, look up and see stacks of books rising floor after floor above you.

New Thompson Library @ OSu !

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Re: New Draft comments: Motivations in SKOS

From: Robert Sanderson <azaroth42@gmail.com>
Date: Wed, 9 Jan 2013 17:19:30 -0700
Message-ID: <CABevsUHTCZbRiV1-EBL9at1m58SHEXa3AVLxwFTkLeEN2PZHbQ@mail.gmail.com>
To: Antoine Isaac <aisaac@few.vu.nl>
Cc: public-openannotation <public-openannotation@w3.org>
Hi Antoine, and all,

Could you verify that the below RDF is what is intended by your suggestions?

  oa:MotivationScheme a skos:ConceptScheme ;
    skos:hasTopConcept oa:annotating.

  oa:Motivation rdfs:subClassOf skos:Concept .

  oa:annotating a oa:Motivation ;
    skos:prefLabel "Annotating"@en .

  oa:editing a oa:Motivation ;
    skos:inScheme oa:MotivationScheme ;
    skos:broadMatch oa:annotating ;
    skos:prefLabel "Editing"@en .

  new:correcting a oa:Motivation ;
    skos:inScheme new:AScheme ;
    skos:broadMatch oa:editing ;
    skos:prefLabel "Correcting a Mistake"@en .

  new2:fixing a oa:Motivation ;
    skos:inScheme new2:AnotherSchemne ;
    skos:broadMatch oa:editing ;
    skos:closeMatch new:correcting ;
    skos:prefLabel "Fixing a Mistake"@en .

And to your comments...

On Sun, Jan 6, 2013 at 8:59 AM, Antoine Isaac <aisaac@few.vu.nl> wrote:

> 1. Is oa:Annotating really needed? It should be enough that motivations
> are in oa:MotivationScheme (or are defined to be a sub-concept of a concept
> that is in oa:MotivationScheme) to infer that these are kind of annotation
> purposes.

The thought was that it would be easier to assert that the range of
oa:motivatedBy is a oa:Motivation, rather than any skos:Concept.  Also, as
below, they may not be in any Concept Scheme.  Unless there's a reason not
to, I think this would be good to keep.

> 2. Using skos:topConceptOf is valid, but this property was coined for
> technical reasons. It would be better to keep to the property in the other
> direction, skos:hasTopConcept.

Fixed in to-be-published revised draft.

3. I am not sure that putting all new motivation concepts (new:Correcting
> and new2:Fixing) in the reference oa:MotivationScheme. If several
> applications create their own, potentially overlapping motivation concepts,
> then oa:MotivationSheme risks becoming difficult to use. For extensions,
> knowing that a concept defined to be a sub-concept of a "reference" concept
> that is in oa:MotivationScheme (possibly indirectly, via
> skos:broaderTransitive) should meet most requirements I can think of

Agreed, fixed this.

> 4. It is good practice to use language tags with SKOS labels. This should
> appear in the machine-readable file, but also be reflected in the example.

> With all these suggestions, Figure B could be reworked to look more like
> the attached diagram (not trying to enforce any graphic convention here!
> It's just that I don't have time to refine it...)

This, too, will be fixed and published very shortly :)

Received on Thursday, 10 January 2013 00:19:57 UTC

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Writing mode

From: Sean Hayes <Sean.Hayes@microsoft.com>
Date: Fri, 17 Apr 2009 11:36:36 +0100
To: Public TTWG List <public-tt@w3.org>
Message-ID: <AB3FC8E280628440B366A29DABB6B6E806CE1E4AD2@EA-EXMSG-C334.europe.corp.microsoft.com>
We currently allow values of lrtb | rltb | tbrl | tblr | lr | rl | tb | inherit for the writingMode property.

But unless I'm missing something, there is no way in the reduced formatting model of timed text to distinguish between lrtb and rltb modes; since in both modes mode, I can't see any way to get two blocks to be placed side by side.

Is there any distinction we can make between these modes in the test suite? If not, should we perhaps just restrict the value set to:   tbrl | tblr | lr | tb | inherit ?

Sean Hayes
Media Accessibility Strategist
Accessibility Business Unit
Received on Friday, 17 April 2009 10:35:23 UTC

This archive was generated by hypermail 2.3.1 : Tuesday, 6 January 2015 21:06:02 UTC


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Publication Date: July 18, 2016

Chapter: The Twentieth Century

So, Lawrence is hangin' out on his front porch in his jammies, staring at a snake that's sipping his water in the early morning. Lawrence knows he's supposed to murder the snake, but finds something admirable about it. He settles for throwing a hunk of wood at Mr. Snake. The snake subsequently slithers away forever, and makes Lawrence very, very sad. Stupid Lawrence.

Author: D.H. Lawrence • Year: 1923 • Info: Poets' Graves

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Sunday, March 13, 2011

GREAT NEWS!!! The TT4NZ collaborative kit project will be purchasable on March 13th!!! While the kit won't be ready for release until March 13th, by getting your donations in early you're assured of receiving the kit as soon as it's released! The donation is only $10 or more if you like and you are getting SOOOOOOO much!!! There are 47 kits!!! Isn't that an AWESOME collaborative effort!!

You can get to the TT4NZ blog by clicking HERE and you can find out more information on how to donate by clicking HERE.

A big big big thank you to Candee for getting this organized and WOW what a LOT of work!! I am so honored to be a part of this and thank her for all her hard work on this project! Stop by her place and give her some love HERE

I also want to thank Bev from HorsePlay's Pastures Tutorials! She has worked with everyones contributions to either create tags or tutorials! That is a lot! And you should go by and give her some love! HERE

Here is a tag made by Bev using some items from my kit...

My kit below is my contribution to the
Taggers2Gether For New Zealand support project.
If you would like to see all 47 kits, please visit HERE
and click on the donate to NZ tab at top or browse through the posts.

I have also put a little freebie together for you today! Using my Rockabilly Heart Tattoo sticker script, I have made you 4 personal use heart stickers and one bonus heart burst sticker! These are personal use only. I hope you enjoy!!!

You can get the freebie by clicking HERE!

Thank you so very much for your support for all the people affected by the quake.

Much love to you all! Link

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Sunday, June 1, 2008

Leaving the bike behind

So having had my schedule delayed due to staying in Belgium an extra day, and still wanting to be in Paris on Sunday, and still not be up for riding long distances (ahhhh!!!! how horrible!!!), I decided to take the train from Mons to Paris. Yes, a horrible horrible thought. So I get to the train station, only to discover that they don't allow bikes on the train I had to take-- WHAT?! This to me sounded absurd and strange. Absurdly strange. So now what was I to do?!

So the decision was made that I would leave my bike with Austin... and I started traveling without my bike.

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traveltrailer rvRecreational Vehicle Insurance Coverage

Most Recreational Vehicles – RVs for short – fall under Alabama’s Mandatory Liability Insurance Law. So, if your RV is a motorized vehicle, you must comply with the state-mandated amount of liability coverage. And although your automobile insurance policy might extend some coverage to your RV, it will not address the unique situations owning an RV can present. You will also be required to have proof of liability insurance if the RV is financed or is a rental. So what constitutes a “recreational vehicle” in terms of RV insurance? An RV can be a motor home or travel trailer. Each type has a singular definition for insurance purposes. Additionally, providers have set forth requirements that must be met for the vehicle to qualify for RV insurance.

Motor homes

Motor Homes are defined as “vehicles that have living quarters permanently attached to the vehicle.” In order to qualify for RV insurance, the vehicle must also have the following items permanently attached:

  • Bathroom
  • Refrigeration
  • Cooking appliances
  • Water system
  • Heating and/or air conditioning
  • 110 – 125 volt electrical system

Travel Trailers

Travel trailers and campers are non-motorized, and as such, do not fall under the Alabama Mandatory Liability Insurance requirements. Travel trailers and campers are typically towed by a motor vehicle and are used for camping. In order to qualify for travel trailer insurance, the following must be permanently attached to the trailer.

  • Cooking facility
  • Sleeping area

Types of RV Insurance Coverage

There are several types of RV insurance coverage available. Many are optional which allows you to work with your agent to find the coverage that best fits your needs. Some available options are:

Liability Coverage:

Assists with costs associated with bodily injury and property damage to others as the result of an accident you caused. In Alabama, a certain amount of liability insurance is required for all motorized vehicles.

Comprehensive Coverage:

Assists with costs for damage to your RV if the damage was caused by something other than a collision, e.g., fire, theft.

Collision Coverage:

Assists with repair or replacement costs if your RV is damaged in a collision.

Vacation Liability Coverage:

Similar to liability insurance, but limited to injuries or damage incurred by others when your RV is being used for vacation purposes, versus driving from point A to point B.

Roadside Assistance Coverage:

Assists with vehicle trouble while you’re on the road, e.g. a dead battery, flat tire, broken fan belt.

The Liveoak Agency, Inc. will customize an RV policy to fit your unique needs.  Although RV insurance is similar to personal auto insurance, coverage limits can be different and there can be considerable differences in cost and coverage.

Contact Liveoak Agency for assistance with RV insurance today!


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The Impacts of Fairtrade

December 7, 2015 in Environment, Fairtrade

impact images 3

Welcome back to Week 2 of our discussion series all about Fairtrade. This week we are going to be discussing the impacts of Fairtrade.

Fairtrade has many social, economical and environment impacts on farmers and workers lives.

Economic Impactsimage Impacts

  • The Fairtrade Minimum Price is supporting farmers growing products such as cocoa, coffee and bananas become more income-secure and less vulnerable to poverty.
  • Fairtrade is gradually empowering communities to organise into cooperatives and improve their negotiating position within the supply chain. This can enable them to negotiate a higher price for their product than the conventional market price.
  • Fairtrade improves access to agricultural services like organic training and premium markets. As a result farmers have an incentive to farm better and sell more.
  • Additional income through the Fairtrade Premium is supporting better farming, strong cooperatives and investment in collective assets to improve crops and yields.

Environmental Impacts

  • The Fairtrade Standards cover key areas for environmental protection, including energimage Impacts 2y and greenhouse gas emission reduction, soil and water quality, pest management, biodiversity protection, prohibition of genetically modified organisms and harmful chemicals and waste management.
  • The Fairtrade Standards promote training for farmers, which can include advice on switching to environmentally friendly practices, such as developing nutrient-rich soils that support healthy plants and encouraging wildlife to help control pests and diseases.
  • For some farmers, the Fairtrade (and organic) Standards have resulted in switches to less toxic pesticides, which, as well as being better for the environment, has a positive impact on producers’ health.
  • Fairtrade can provide access to finance, producer support and expertise in tackling climate change, supporting long-term environmental sustainability.

Social Impacts

  • Farmers and workers who choose to participate in Fairtrade often feel a real sense of control over their future with greater power and voice.
  • Fairtrade can support workers to realise their rights and negotiate the terms and conditions of their work through trade unions and collective bargaining.
  • Fairtrade can provide producer support and expertise in deepening gender equality.
  • For workers employed on Fairtrade certified plantations, investments made through the Fairtrade Premium in education, better housing, better schools and medical facilities in worker communities is highly valued.
  • Investment of the Fairtrade Premium by co-operatives in community development projects like improved health facilities and better access to education for children and adults is improving the quality of lives of rural communities.

As part of our commitment to understand the impact of our work better, the Fairtrade system commissions 2-3 outcome and impact evaluations each year.

Click here to read some of their evaluations on The Fairtrade Foundation Website


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Tuesday, December 4, 2012

Holiday Cookie Swap 3

Welcome to the Holiday Cookie Recipe Swap...Blog Hop
(really it's a linky party)

(All these adorable graphics are done by Smitten Blog Designs)

Join us for all FOUR weeks of cookie features, recipes, and linky parties.

Here is the line up:

Sweet Boutique    November 20
The Domesticated Princess    November 27
Living, Loving, Crafting    December 11

Make sure you come back each week for a great new cookie recipe, plus each blog will be featuring their own favorite cookie links from the party!

Today's recipe is one I've been making for years that I originally got from my friend Traci.

When the kiddos were little we used to get together during the holidays and make all kinds of cookies and baked goods.  Now as we are all getting a little (and I mean teeny) bit older we don't seem to have as much time to get together anymore other than the occasional lunch .  But I still always make the Candy Cane Cookies that Traci taught me each year at Christmas.

Here is the usually reaction I get from people who haven't ever tried peppermint cookies.  "Peppermint?  In a cookie?  That's kinda strange."  But let me reassure you the end result is always the same "Wow!  Those are the best cookies ever!"

So give these cookies a try this year and maybe they'll become a regular addition to your holiday cookie baking too.
Here's what you need:

1 cup margarine
1 cup sugar
1 egg
1 tsp. vanilla extract
3 cups flour
2 tsp. baking powder
1/4 - 1/2 tsp. peppermint extract ( I use a 1/2 tsp. but the original recipe calls for 1/4 tsp.  It will be really strong smelling until after baking)
red food coloring (about 15 drops)

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Line a baking sheet with parchment and set aside.

In the bowl of a stand mixer or medium bowl, cream together margarine, sugar, vanilla and egg.

Add flour 1 cup at a time, mixing until incorporated.  The dough will be a little stiff.

Place 1/2 the dough in a separate bowl and set aside.  Add about 15 drops of red food coloring to the dough still in the mixer to tint.  Mix until the dough is a nice red color.  It will be on the slightly pink side.
With lightly floured fingertips pinch off a piece of dough about the size of a small walnut and roll in a long rope about 6 or 7" long and the width of a wooden spoon handle or skinny finger, about 1/2". Repeat with the other color.  Press both colors together lightly along the whole rope then twist together and shape into a candy cane shape. If they break just press them back together.  I only had this happen on a few.

Bake for 10 minutes.  You don't want them to brown.  Let cook on tray a couple of minutes then move to a cooling rack.  These cookies can also be marbled and made into round cookies.

Serves - approximately 36

Here's the handy printable - Candy Cane Cookies

So far we have had a wonderful amount of scrumptious looking cookies that I can't wait to try for Christmas this year!

Here is the cookie that caught my eye this week!

Worth Pinning has the right idea with a mint cookie at Christmas time!  How festive!

Since each of the four co-hosts pick their own feature of the week, be sure to stop by each blog and check out their weekly pick.

Don't forget to grab a button if you were featured!

sweet button />

On to the party!

Please follow all four co-hosts.
This linky is for COOKIE RECIPE posts only, please!
Link up as many times as you want!
This is a month long party so keep coming back for more recipes and features!
 Each blog will be featuring their favorite links each week!
(Make sure you get a button if you have been featured.)

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Wednesday, October 10, 2012

“I’ve got a perfect body, but sometimes I forget/I’ve got a perfect body, because my eyelashes catch my sweat.” –Regina Spektor

Sometimes, I forget that my body does not solely pertain to my stomach (which is not flat), my thighs (which are not slim), my arms (which are not toned), and my chest (no complaints there). I forget that my body encompasses everything. And for that, it is perfect. I have a mind that thinks, eyes that see, a nose that smells, teeth that chew, a tongue that tastes, lips that smile. Lungs that breathe, a heart that beats, a stomach that fills. I have arms that can hold and fingers that can write. Legs that can walk and feet that can dance. I’ve got it all, really.

So, why has it taken me this long to realize it? My body is perfect. It does everything that I want it to. It gives me everything so I can do everything that I want to do. Is it today’s society that I can lay blame on for finding my body to be inadequate at times? Is the media at fault for getting us down on ourselves by constantly displaying skinny girls on television, in magazines, lying across billboards?

Yes, today’s media and society do have some pull over body image—but haven’t they always? I mean, look at this vintage ad:

Come on! “Men wouldn’t look at me when I was skinny, but since I gained 10 pounds this new, easy way I have all the dates I want.” Women of 2012, isn’t that what you all want to hear? Wouldn’t you rather open up a magazine and see that clipping, instead of this? :

So, which is it? Fat or thin? Curvy or straight? Here’s my point: the media can stuff it. Sixty years ago, they wanted us to gain weight. Now, they want us to lose it (and lose it, and lose it, and then lose some more). Society just can’t make up its mind; however, I’ve made up mine. It’s taken me 23 years to bite my thumb at images of skinny girls dancing around my head (no, not in my head). Now I decide how I want to look, and I decide what look makes me feel good.
I’ve been the same height since I was about 13 years old: 5’7” (and ¾”…but I usually keep that part out). I have not, however, been the same weight. While remaining at five feet and seven inches tall, my boobs have grown, my hips have rounded, and my thighs have filled. I have fluctuated 25 pounds. I remained the same weight throughout high school (except for my failed attempt at starving myself. I tried to live off of 1000 calories a day while going to school, playing field hockey, and riding my horse. I only lost about 3 pounds, and gained a mean attitude. Let’s just say that didn’t last very long) and gradually gained 10 pounds over college. There was one year of college where I hit that 10 pound mark and kept going, for almost another 10 pounds. Let’s just say that didn’t last very long, either. Nowhere in that 25 pound range was I actually fat, although I felt it at times. I remember my future mother-in-law buying me a size large shirt for Christmas the year of college that I kept on…growing…and I was not happy. I may have packed on a few, I thought to myself, but I am not a size large!
I look back on that Christmas shirt memory and grimace. She never knew how I felt about it, for which I’m glad. But I feel silly now, having fretted over a size large. Ladies, sizes are not true these days. I’ll admit it—when I’m feeling down, I like to shop at J.Crew (regrettably the sale section only) because I’m a size 2 in their clothing. I have not been a size 2 since my oh-so-failed-starvation attempt in high school. Generally, I’m a size 6, which isn’t even that much of a difference. I can’t really explain it, though; sometimes wearing a tag (that nobody else will see) that reads size 2 just feels oh so good. But here’s the thing—while I pride myself in wearing a size 2 in J.Crew, I’ll admit that I opt for a size 8 or 10 at H&M. Sure, I could squeeze into a size 6 at H&M, but I wouldn’t look good. I’d be muffin-topping all over those skinny jeans. What I’m trying to say here is: how can I buy a size 2 skirt at J.Crew, walk across the mall, and buy a size 10 pair of pants at H&M, all in the same day? I didn’t gain any weight in that walk across the mall, even if I did grab a soft pretzel from Auntie Annie’s along the way.
I lived alone with my husband for about a year and a half before we got married. In that time, I shed my label awareness and, more importantly, my self-consciousness. My husband thinks that I am beautiful and therefore, I am beautiful. He likes grabbing onto my hips, likes laughing when I make my thighs and butt jiggle for him. I like the way that he laughs, too. Being around my husband has made me appreciate my body in ways that I never thought I could. In retrospect I found out that I was constantly comparing myself to the other women I was constantly surrounded by before I committed to living in sin: friends growing up, field hockey and lacrosse teammates, and college roommates. I am still surrounded by women: my friends, sisters, and coworkers, but I think that because I come home to a house that I share with a man who thinks I am always beautiful, I am much more secure.
I like my naked body. No, I wouldn’t share it with everyone; it’s for me and my husband. But I like my boobs, my round hips, my full thighs. Sure, I might resent the stick figure in the bathing suit next to me at the pool from time to time, but I bet that she didn’t just eat the same delectable cheeseburger that I did 10 minutes prior.
It’s taken me 23 years and a good man’s love to appreciate the body that I have. I’m glad that I took those 23 years to grow and I look forward to meeting the challenge of my body's changes ahead of me. Because now I know that I can meet, and beat, those challenges head on. All because my eyelashes catch my sweat.

  1. This song really spoke to me too. I have body image issues but realized that no matter what your body allows you to live and that makes it perfect.

    1. I love that connection, Jessica! Thanks for reading. And yes, it's SO important to remember and be grateful for all that our bodies do for us!


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Monday, October 27, 2014

fall light, a welcome reminder

I fell in love with fall as a kid, when most of my days were spent on the back of a horse. September, October, and November were my favorite months of the year to ride, as the fall season brought with it a firm ground and cool air, both making conditions perfect for a sprint across an open field or a repeated go at a cross country course. It was in these moments, as I hung low over my horse's neck for speed, checks flushed with exertion and the slap of cold wind, that I came to notice even one more thing that I love about this time of year: the light.

It's the light that has remained with me, the one thing that gives me pause with its return every fall, every year. The first cast of the season thrown, turning everything gold in its wake, arrests my breath every single time.

In my 25 years, I have lived in the American Northeast, Midwest, Southwest, and Northwest. The telltale signs of fall have differed in every region, and in my nostalgic opinion, no place on earth will ever have contest against autumn in New England. The rain came too soon to wash away the fall colors in Michigan, the heat stayed too long to resemble any break of season in Arizona, and the trees are too scant to notice any change in California's San Francisco.

The only constant tie between each place has been the light. Many a time, the fall light has been my saving grace when I'm feeling a bit displaced, when I'm feeling I've come too far from home. The way that it hits everything with a slant, dusts everything with a clean's my one reminder of time and place in a world and life that have begun to move too fast.

I welcome the fall light every year as a reminder to slow down. A reminder to look around. A reminder to get outside. And a reminder, most importantly of all, to be grateful, grateful for the fact that no matter where I am, or how I feel, there will always be something that gives me recognition, and with that recognition, peace.


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Wednesday, 23 December 2009

A Festive Salad

Yes that's right - more aubergine! I can't help it, as soon as I see a recipe for them it has to be made. This one, again from Ottolenghi was so pretty in the book and it actually translated to plate, which doesn't happen with all cookbooks.

The dish was a great example of contrasting textures. Soft, silky aubergines were contrasted with the sweet tang of the bursting pomegranate seeds. The saffron yoghurt, lighter in colour than in the book, had a garlicky kick and moistened the components. Fresh basil leaves with their grassy, aniseed flavour were well judged. I loved the yoghurt so much it was difficult not to eat it out of the bowl with a spoon. I imagine it would go really well with our annual Boxing Day bubble and squeak breakfast.

Roasted Aubergine with Saffron Yoghurt

Adapted from Ottolenghi - serves 4

3 medium aubergines, sliced into wedges
2 tbsp pine nuts, toasted
1 pomegranate, seeds removed
15 basil leaves
A small pinch of saffron strands
3 tbsp hot water
180gr Greek yoghurt
1 garlic clove
2 tbsp lemon juice
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

Add the 3 tbsp hot water to the saffron strands in a bowl and leave for 10 minutes. Mix together the lemon juice, olive oil, the garlic clove crushed and the yoghurt. Taste and add salt to taste.

Preheat the oven to 220 degrees C. Brush the aubergines liberally with oil, salt and pepper them and roast for 20 - 30 minutes, until browned and cooked through. Let them cool to room temperature.

Assemble the salad by arranging the slices on a serving plate. Drizzle over the yoghurt and scatter over the pine nuts, pomegranate seeds, and basil leaves.

Greedy Diva said...

Looks gorgeous Lizzie - and possibly one that even I could cobble together for my summery Christmas Down Under.

ginandcrumpets said...

That does look really gorgeous, but it's also a salad. A salad for Christmas. I'm not sure I get it. Are we allowed salads at Christmas?

Su-Lin said...

Gosh, it's beautiful! I think I've had this one at the restaurant and am quite glad that it's easy to make at home!

Helen said...

I've been eye balling this baby! Glad to hear it lives up to its stunning looks. I love aubergines and yoghurt together. I know you hate squash but try that burnt aubergine pom molasses dip - ADDICTIVE.

foodiefoodie said...

Yum. Looks better than the ones sitting in Ottolenghi's deli! B

catty said...

Totally festive with the red and green! I too am a big fan of aubergine... YUM.

Gourmet Chick said...

I have made this one a few times and agree it is a winner - although I must use more saffron than you as my yoghurt dressing always looks very yellow which adds to the colour even more (mind you saffron is pricey so I can understand you being sparing!)


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Sunday, June 21, 2009

My Writing Life in the summer.

As Robert Frost once commented: "No tears in the writer, no tears in the reader. No surprise for the writer, no surprise for the reader." I love that quote. It justifies the tears I shed over my characters lives and the laughter that bubbles up out of the words I type. My garden and herbs are keeping me very busy outside, but in my mind and heart I'm writing. I'm looking forward to writers group tomorrow night; I've had to miss a couple of meetings and I'm having withdrawal symptoms. You know, punctuation that appears randomly in conversation like ending declarative sentences with a lilt that implies a question mark. Or when my husband asks what time it is I reply with the latest word count of Domus (that's my novel). My eyes are glazed over with plot ideas and when I see the ad for the new Harry Potter movie, my heart blisses out because writers dreams really do come true. So, I need a good dose of friendly advise and camaraderie critique then I'll be grounded for another two weeks. See you tomorrow writers group and thank you in advance for a good dose of reality.

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Wednesday, August 6, 2014

I have quite a back story now (thanks to one tiny little diagnosis)

Last week, an editor of sorts contacted me after reading my blogs and articles. We spent quite some time chatting about my background, my story, and my life today. I talked a lot about what inspires me and my purpose in life, my greatest passions, and where I see myself going from here.

As of January 1, 2012, my life was one of an overworked mom in a horrible marriage working too many hours at the office and way too many hours once I got home. But the very next day, my life took a dramatic change. That was the day I underwent a battery of tests and I also had my husband removed from the home be police. It was the day of our official separation. I was diagnosed with multiple myeloma just four days later.

...Which now gives me quite a back story. The person I spoke with was stunned with my story. Stunned that my husband would dare spit in my face after I got home from getting scanned for tumors. Stunned that he would call me a thief, liar and drama queen. Stunned that he would threaten to cancel my health insurance if I left him. Stunned that he told a whole host of people that I wasn't sick and that I should just get my lazy ass back to work. And since then, my fight to get well at the same time also fighting my husband in court as I sought to end our horrific marriage, my life has been one of hope, renewal, recover and repair. Where do I go from here? To continue making a difference in the lives of others. Whether it is of entertainment value, or others who have survived (or are trying to survive an alcoholic home), or who are fighting a disease, who knows?

One thing I absolutely love about this blog is the opportunities that it has opened for me. Thanks to this blog, I got on Twitter. I met Jenny and I get to help her with the Myeloma Crowd efforts. We have been on radio programs, TV shows, and featured in print articles. I have been on radio shows. I have become a Featured Writer on Divorced Moms. I have been published by the Chicago Tribune, Huffington Post and Maria Shriver. And this is just the beginning. I have nearly 100,000 readers at Divorced Moms alone.

I am so grateful today for all the blessings that have come from my illness, from my survival through my marriage and thriving post divorce. I hope my story inspires, entertains or has value out there. It is quite a story. Perhaps there really was a reason for all of this. Did the hand of God have something to do with this? I chose to think yes.


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Friday, May 18, 2012

I've been thinking about what kind of scrapbook layouts I can work on next, other than family pictures and activities, and came up with the idea (not very original) of doing one about my favorite things.  Before I do, though, I'm going to blog about it.  We all have favorites but it's not always to think what they are.  Here's a start.

Color- the grandkids are always asking me this.  It used to be yellow, changed to green for years, but now I think I've settled on shades of aqua/turquoise/teal.

Animal - Cats! Always cats.  They're so cute and cuddly and playful as kittens then become so independent and mysterious as they become adult felines.  How can anyone not love a cat.

Bird - Owls.  I love their eyes and their lovely oval shape.  Until last week I thought they were either white or brown but would you believe I found a picture of a rainbow owl. The species was hunted almost to extinction in Montana but are making a comeback.  For granddaughter Brooklyn, I also found a purple owl - she loves owls and the color purple.

Person in the whole world - My husband - Lloyd Allan MacKenzie.  He has made all my dreams come true - except for the dream of great wealth - but the riches he has given me last far longer than mere money.

Number - it's always been seven - it seems like a magical number somehow.  The fact that I have seven children has nothing to do with it.

Vacation Destination - Arizona, especially in the winter.  It's such an amazing place to explore, from desert to forests and mountains.  I can't get enough of it.

Flower - For smell - Lily of the Valley and Sweet Peas.  For appearance - Poppy

Lily of the Valley

Sweet Peas

Place I've Lived - I've lived so many places, being a military brat and then married to a man whose job took us all across Canada, but I think the place where I was most content was Cole Harbour, Nova Scotia.  The kids were young, my parents were nearby, we were near the ocean beaches, etc.  Life was good there for a young family.

Halifax, NS

Lawrencetown Beach - just a few minutes down the road from where we lived.

 Word - Psychopharmacology.  I love the rhythm of this word which I heard for the first time about 15 years ago as I was driving to work and listening to the radio. It's very singable to the tune of Happy Anniversary.  Try it.  A close runner-up is persnickity.

Song - Unchained Melody by the Righteous Brothers.  Made popular by the movie Ghost, I loved it before the movie ever came out.

Movie - The Princess Bride...'as you wish'.  This movie has everything - pirates, princesses, evil prince, sword fights, a giant,  monster animals (ROUSs),  castles, magic, and love, pure love.  A great family movie that we watched over and over again.

Book - The Stand by Stephen King.  It contains everything I like in a book - a classic battle between good and evil, a post-apocalyptic setting, a hint of romance, and a touch of the supernatural.

Child - I think at one time or another each of my children thought they were my favorite because whenever one of them asked, the answer was always 'you are'.  I heard it said once that a mother's favorite child is the one who needs her the most at any given time.  That may be true.  It's impossible for me to choose which of my kids is my favorite - all of them are!

Singer - The late, great Roy Orbison.  I watch him on PBS every chance I get.  I've loved his music since the early 1960s when Pretty Woman became popular.  His untimely death was a huge loss to the music world.

Well, in order to keep this post from becomming ridiculously long, I'll end my list there.  Maybe I'll add to it at a later date.  Does anyone out there have the same favorites as me?

Bev said...

What wonderful favourites!! Good way to get to know you better!

Granny Annie said...

This is a great list of "favorites". You put them together very artistically and made then incredibly interesting. My spouse too has made my life rich though we are not wealthy!

Pearl said...

Have you ever read the unabridged version of The Stand?! His publisher made him cut like 300 pages from the original -- and the result is still huge!

If you ever get the chance....

And who doesn't love cats?!

Mickey said...

Favorites for me are hard to pin down! I love so many flowers,foods,movies and holiday destinations -love so many! Great blog. Hot enough where you are?

Magpie said...

I can see several of these making it to your favorites scrap book page. I have several of them in common with you also. :)

That field of poppies is my favorite of all your choices followed by that kitty. LOVE those eyes. putting all these favorites into a scrapbook is a brillant idea.

Haf Dozen Reasons....... said...

My favorite animal is a cat too. I still am stuck on greens as favorite color tho.

Fun post!


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Bowfishing Equipment Muncie IN

Local resource for bowfishing equipments in Muncie. Includes detailed information on local businesses that provide access to bowfishing supplies, bowfishing bows, bowfishing arrows, and bowfishing reels, as well as advice and content on outdoor sports equipment.

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Club House
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Bowfishing 101

One of the fastest growing outdoor sports in the country right now is bowfishing. Bowfishing is a cross between fishing and bowhunting. Across the United States and the entire world, fish like the common carp, garpike, and Asian flying carp are taking over our rivers and streams. There are very few ways of controlling these invaders, but one way to get rid of a few and have fun at the same time is to shoot them with a bow.

Sticking carp with an arrow is fun and easy.

Although a regular hunting bow and sight can be used to bowfish, most diehard bowfishermen have tackle designed for bowfishing. If flinging arrows at garbage fish sounds like fun to you, the good news is it's inexpensive to get involved in the sport. Nobody knows that better than David White, President of Cajun Archery. Cajun Archery is a company that specializes in bowfishing equipment. "For less than thirty dollars, a person can purchase a bowfishing kit that gets them started in the sport. It contains a reel with line and a fiberglass arrow equipped with a fish point. All they need to bowfish in addition to the kit is a bow," White said. Once you get a kit, simply attach the reel to a bow and start shooting. Fish tips contain large barbs and a sharp tip. When the tip hits the fish, it usually punches all the way through the fish. Then you reel in the line, remove the arrow, and shoot again. It's that easy!

A simple bowfishing tip like this Cajun Piranha is
inexpensive and effective at killing garbage fish.

Although there are bows designed especially for bowfishing, most beginners start out with a bow purchased from a garage sale or eBay. "Almost any bow will do the trick when bowfishing. Most people start with an old recurve," White added. Almost any weight of bow will work. My dad and I used to use twenty to thirty pound bows and rarely had trouble killing fish. White prefers a bow in the fifty-pound range. "A fifty pound bow can kill almost any type of fish and critters as large as alligators. Some people choose not to use a compound bow because they have to come to full draw when using a compound and their arm gets tired drawing a high poundage bow a hundred times a day. Recurves are nice for bowfishing because you can shoot them at half draw or anywhere in the draw cycle. If the fish appears at the last second and you only have a brief moment to get a shot, you can quickly draw and let the arrow go. With a compound, that isn't possible," White explained

Most bowfishing is done from a boat, but the beauty of the sport is it can be done from the shoreline as well. Whether you bowfish from the shore or in a boat, hitting what you are aiming at can be difficult. "Most bowfishermen shoot instinctively without any type of sight on their bow because it allows them to shoot much quicker than if they had to aim a sight. The downside is that becoming an accurate, instinctive shooter can take time," White stated. When I was a kid, I remember bowfishing with my dad and taking d...

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How to get Netgear WNDA3100 to run under Debian 6Comments (1)

This post will help you get the wifi usb dongle Netgear WNDA 3100 based on the Atheros AR9170 chipset, to run on Debian 6, also known as Wheezy.

First add a non-free repository to /etc/apt/sources.list:
deb http://ftp.us.debian.org/debian squeeze main contrib non-free

Now update the packages and install the firmware using:
apt-get update && apt-get install firmware-atheros

Plug in the dongle again (remove first if inserted) and the firmware should be loaded and you should see some wireless networks.

If this is not working, try:
modprobe -r ar9170usb

fredrik Oct 8, 2016 - 20:24
Took me some time to find but it was well worth it.

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Welcome to lokster // space! This site is a central place, on which I will publish all my DIY, electronics and open source software projects.

CAD Modelling

If you like my work – don’t forget to tip on Thingiverse profile page or donate!

  • LiveUSB Install – Cross-platform app which installs various operating systems on removable drive
  • RegEx Tester – PyGTK-based regular expression tester for Linux
  • viDrop – Cross-platform universal video transcoder
  • USU Linux – Ubuntu-based general purpose Linux distribution for daily use.
  • Snapshot Proxy for mjpg_streamer – a proxy script that fixes the problem with octoprint timelapse due to garbage frames I had with my USB webcam

There is more of my stuff scattered around the web… I will gradually post everything here.

Leave a comment...


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Latest Posts

End Of The Year . . .

So, it’s that time where we say goodbye to another year. This has been a rather bittersweet year. Bruce stayed gainfully employed for another year. I continued to work on . . . something, and knocking on wood, you’ll hear more about that “something” next year. We also had to say goodbye to mother.

Now, knitting . . . I’m pretty sure I have one or two FOs, but nothing significant – mostly socks. I did start work on a project for my cousin, which I’ll talk more about after I’ve finished and sent it out. I’m hoping to have it finished by end of January, so I can get back to the Glass Beach Cardigan. For me, I’ve been working on this. Its a very nice pattern – Neck Down. This is actually the second body; the first one was too small for me, if you can imagine! I should have stopped to check the gauge before going further with the first body. I know I’m not going to finish it before the end of the year, but maybe tomorrow I”ll get started on the sleeve. Blue Cardigan Body

I hope you all have a good and prosperous 2012!

Some Knitting Going On

So, yeah, I’ve been quiet here for several reasons, but I’ve still been knitting. And I’ve got a couple pictures as proof. First one:

Sleeve of Glass Beach Cardigan This sleeve took about a month to complete. Then, about 1 week to weave in the edges. In retrospect, I should have stopped to weave in every couple inches but this is my first time putting sleeves on a Fair Isle garment, well, lesson learned. Another lesson learned – get someone else to make accurate gauge measurements and do the math (or just to double-check my math) – I ended up being a bit short of the pattern symmetry at the sleeve edge.

Sorry if the picture is a bit dark – this color combination is very difficult to take a good picture of because one of the color used completely throws off the light meter.

After this was done, I decided to take a break and do some potato chip knitting (as in, pick an easy, mindless pattern that doesn’t require some eyebrow furrowing and a gauge that can be done at a quick speed. I did have to put up with purling (I hate purling in back and forth knitting, but I just couldn’t avoid it with this pattern. Neck Down Cardign

Took me about on week to knit up. I think the sleeves will take me maybe 2 or 3 days to finish off – I have short arms and since these are done in the round it should go blazingly fast for me. I’ve used up 2 ½ balls of yarn so far and have 3 balls, left, so I should have enough for a cap and mittens. Gotta get cracking on these as well because it’ll be cold by the middle of December!

A New Milk Additive

Milk Sticks So, I’m at the grocery store getting chocolate (for me) and milk for hubby. As I approach the back of the store where the milk and juices are, I see a display box that had 3 or 4 racks of this apparently new product. Basically, these consist of 5-straw packs full of micro-pellets in different flavors – vanilla, chocolate, caramel, and one or two other flavors which I can’t remember right now. You stick the straw in a glass of milk and drink through it.

Milk Straw Nutritional Info So, my curiosity was piqued, and I pick up one of these packs to look at the back to check out the nutritional contents. Well, well, well. This is very interesting. This contains 4.9 grams of sugar. But wait . . . look closer at the ingredients! Are you seeing what I’m seeing? Sugar, glucose syrup, dextrose and sucralose. As if wasn’t sweet enough for this sucker. Okay, now, really . . . is this something that kids should be adding to their milk on a daily basis? It would seem that whoever came up with this lovely new product thinks so – the display is at eye height about where an seven or eight-year old child would be, positioned very conveniently just 2 steps away from the milk refrigerators.

I can see how this conversation would go:

“Hey, mommy, look at that! That’s what I saw on tv – can we get it?”

“No, we’re going to get that gallon of milk, and we don’t have this on the list.”

But, it would make the milk taste soooo good . . . . please, mommy!”

Good luck keeping this out of the house.

Resurrecting the Blog – Sort Of

When I decided to try to get back to blogging, I tried to upgrade the original blog to an open source version of MovableType (Melody), but, well, I somehow seem to have screwed it up. And the OSS project seems to be dead in the water – the development email list seems to have petered out, and my last question at GetSatisfaction unanswered (one month and still waiting).

So, reluctantly, I decided it was time to move on to WordPress. And here I am!  I’ll still leave my old blog up for good time’s sake, and maybe someday it’ll get fixed. But, in the meantime, I’ve been getting familiar with how WP works and wow, I can see why this is such a popular blogging platform.

While going through the blogs in my Google Reader, I’ve been seeing reference as to this month being the month to blog every single day. No, I’m not going to do that because I’m busy with stuff. However, I’ll try to blog more often now.

So . . . make yourself comfortable here!

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Saturday, 16 March 2013

Handmade Needle Book Case

Continuing with my sewing bug it's a needlebook case this time.  Same fabric that I used for the heart being stripey it makes it nice and easy to cut in a straight line.

Now if I had thought about I should have photographed the stages for you guys but as I didn't will try and explain what I did.

I cut two pieces of the fabric and one piece of fleece lining all the same size adding allowances for seams.  I then cut 3 extra pieces of the fleece about 1cm smaller all round, these would be used for the book pages.  A piece of twill tape slightly wider than the fabric and one long enough for the tab closure was also cut.

You then place one piece of fabric and the fleece lining wrong sides together and pin to secure.  Take your twill tape and pin in place on the right side of the fabric and sew in place with a blanket stitch.  I also added some decorative stitching either side of the tape.

When happy with your decorative stuff place this piece right sides together with the other piece of fabric and stitch all the way round leaving an opening for turning.  Trim excess material and cut corners at an angle then turn the fabric inside out.  Smooth and hand sew the little opening.

All that's left now is to trim the fleece pages with pinking shears and stitch all three to the middle of the cover and then attach your twill closure to the back cover and add a fastener to the front of the cover.

Am really chuffed with how this turned out and it is so soft and padded.  I will be making a few more of these for family and friends.

Thanks for popping by.  Lolo x

1 comment:

  1. cor !!!!!i loving this perfect stiching it lola...too long you have been away so you have been missed hugs sassyxxxx

Thank you for stopping by, I love to read everyone's comments and always try to respond to them. xx


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Pink Ribbon

Sunday, April 26, 2009

Hats off to the runners

Shot with Olympus E520
I'm not sure whether I'll get down to the London Marathon this year (running today) but I take my hat off to those who run. Mrs Ham & I walked 17 miles yesterday - no way do I want to run 26. These hats are in Lock & Co, London Hatters since 1676 - and that's a marathon, too.

As they say in Tour de France land - chapeaux!

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Last year I read Donal Ryan’s novel “The Thing About December.” I was drawn in by the powerfully distinctive voice he’d created for the central character who is a sensitive loner. Some authors like Richard Ford or Anita Brookner are able to establish an engaging narrative voice which they repeat throughout multiple books and, while it may be consistently impressive, it doesn’t show much variation. I wondered if that would be the case with Ryan so I was somewhat hesitant to start this book of short stories. I was delighted to discover a rich array of characters throughout the many stories in this collection whose voices are all individually distinct. These characters range in age, class, sex and race to create a dynamic and layered portrayal of Irish life. It’s impressive that each story finds its own rhythm to relate a particular character’s point of view. We see the world through each character’s eyes as they see it. Brought together, the engaging voices in “A Slanting of the Sun” give a rich understanding of the world, tell a series of dramatically entertaining stories and honour the diversity of individual experience.

Since almost all of these stories are set in Ireland one of the most fascinating things about this collection is the sense of ebb and flow it portrays amongst the national population. There are characters with strong roots in Ireland who face the tough decision of whether to leave for London or Australia to seek out employment and a new life. Conversely, the story ‘Grace’ gives voice to a woman who left the Democratic Republic of the Congo under terrifying circumstances to find unofficial factory work and face a different kind of fear when riding the bus in Ireland. The story ‘Trouble’ portrays how certain groups of the population like Irish travellers face longstanding oppression and social stigma. Other stories like ‘Hanora Ryan, 1998’ show characters who live in the country as if time has stood still. In this story a woman recalls a man she admired and lost in WWI as if it were yesterday even though more than eighty years have passed.

Many of the impassioned voices which narrate these stories seem to start in mid-flow so it’s only till you get through half their tale that you are able to sufficiently orientate yourself to the situation. I particularly enjoyed it when these stories made my sympathy unexpectedly switch away from the character narrating it once I grasped their full story. In ‘The Squad’ the narrator and his friends take the law into their own hands and find they must live with the consequences forever more. This movingly shows the useless life-destroying circular nature of violence: “All of naught, to naught, for naught, year upon year of moments, of time slowly marked, of silence filled with empty words.” The scale of injustices and crimes committed by protagonists vary from small instances of betrayal and theft like in ‘Losers Weepers’ to outrageous institutional abuse in ‘Nephthys and The Lark’ to horrific murder in ‘Retirement Do.’ These stories draw the reader in to really see the internal struggles of these difficult individuals giving you a more complicated understanding of situations which you might see more simplistically from a distanced outsiders’ perspective.

Listen to Donal Ryan read from the mysterious, chilling story 'From a Starless Night'

While I appreciated all of the stories in this collection, there are some which stand out as personal favourites. These stories in particular are impressive for the way they give a sense of the enormity of the universe and the place that particular life experiences have within it. The story ‘Sky’ is narrated by an aging, lonely man named William who is irreligious but doesn’t see the harm in sending his prayers up to the sky. He gets a computer in the hope of finding the nephew he lost touch with, but stuffs it in a closet and looks to the stars instead. ‘Ragnarok’ features a fairly average office worker who finds himself suddenly overwhelmed by emotion. In ‘Physiotherapy’ a woman recalls her life, the choices she made and creates a uniquely complex view of existence. This story also shows a breathtaking vision of how memory can make time into a fluid thing so all experience occurs simultaneously: “I’m seventy-seven and I’m twenty, my child is dead and he hasn’t yet been born.” The title story ‘A Slanting of the Sun’ shows a tremendously surprising instance of forgiveness and sense of kinship for someone who committed a horrendous crime. It’s also the story which closes this book and allows it to end with a hard-won, uplifting sensation.

I was struck many times throughout this book of short stories by the astounding beauty of certain sentences. It’s so accomplished how Donal Ryan can write from the points of view of characters with very different experiences and ways of speaking, but always draws upon language and phrasing which accurately pinpoints a subtly of feeling and pays tribute to the full complexity of human emotion. He can perfectly encapsulate a common feeling like the importance phones play in young people’s lives: “Her daughter’s world seemed compressed sometimes into the screen of that telephone; all of her tides turned at the pull of its gravity, her whole existence seemed wedded to it.” Or he can present a contradiction so that the character’s reasoning reflects his particular emotional state: “Cursed we are with health, my family, stout unfailing hearts, years to go till death for me.” All of it sings with a life-force which is enthralling and demands to be listened to.

AuthorEric Karl Anderson
CategoriesDonal Ryan


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Holistic Nutrition

Holistic Nutrition

Holistic health is an approach to health that takes into consideration all aspects of life. A long term course of action includes emotional and spiritual health along with the physical body. Modern medicine focuses on treating a symptom rather than the root cause. If a person is experiencing a symptom or chronic condition, the problem has most likely been developing for some time. The goal of holistic nutrition is to facilitate a health recovery plan as well as build a strong foundation for long-term optimum health.

Holistic nutrition focuses on:

  • Educating yourself on basic nutritional terms
  • Incorporating natural and organic foods
  • Overcoming obstacles in practicing holistic nutrition
  • Creating simple holistic menus
  • Developing a customized holistic diet
  • Addressing the role of natural holistic supplements
  • Reviewing the latest nutritional studies
  • Addressing chronic health conditions with holistic nutrition

The basics of holistic nutrition:

Food not only provides the energy needed to function, but also supplies the nutrients which are required to build and regenerate body tissue, bone, muscle, fat and blood. The nutrients in food are also necessary to produce substances for the chemical processes that take place in our bodies.

A healthy diet may be broken into 3 categories:

    • Macro nutrients, which include carbohydrates, protein and fats
    • Micro nutrients, which include vitamins and minerals
    • Fiber

Nutrition and Diet

Do you feel like you can not keep up with the latest nutrition news because it is always changing? While it is true that what is known about nutrition and diet is evolving, there are some nutrition basics that can help you sort through the latest research and advice.

Mastering nutrition basics comes down to understanding the roles that specific nutrients play in a healthy diet. Want to go beyond the basics? Talk to your doctor or a dietitian for personalized dietary advice that takes into account your health status, lifestyle, and food preferences.

Proper Nutrition & Diet Information

Proper nutrition is the basis for optimum health and well being. Holistic nutrition is the modern natural approach to developing a healthy balanced diet while taking into account the person as whole. Holistic nutrition is considered to be part of holistic health.

Become familiar with basic nutritional terms.

Develop an understanding of the basic nutritional terms such as: calories; carbohydrates; proteins; vitamins; minerals; fiber; cholesterol; and saturated, monounsaturated, and polyunsaturated fats.

Do you want to adopt a healthy diet but are not sure where to start? As you consider the parade of healthy diets in magazines and cookbooks, make sure to look for one that:

– Includes a variety of foods from the major food groups: fruits; vegetables; whole grains; low-fat dairy products; lean protein including beans and other legumes, nuts and seeds; and healthy fats
– Provides guidelines for how much food to choose from each group
– Includes foods you can find in your local grocery store rather than specialty or gourmet store items
– Fits your tastes, lifestyle, and budget

Also consider your health risks. For example, do you have high cholesterol or high blood pressure? If so, follow a diet low in salt, saturated fat, and cholesterol, and high in fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and healthy fats. For personalized advice, talk with your doctor or a dietitian.

Develop a plan to choose wisely between organic, natural,and conventional food products.

There has been a huge increase in the amount of organic and natural food products available today. While going strictly organic sounds great, most shoppers must be practical and take into consideration their personal budget. Understanding which food products are affected the most by conventional food growing or processing methods will help create a balanced food budget.

Create healthy, holistic, fun menus.

One of the major obstacles in achieving good health today is having to cook for yourself. Healthy cooking for one and healthy cooking for a family can be challenging in a society dependent on fast or convenient food products. Finding simple ways to prepare meals for yourself or your family will not only lead to improved health but can save you money as well.

Holistic Nutrition Programs

There are great advancements being made toward understanding the human body’s delicate balance and the way our health, diet, and nutrition are all connected by energy. Some of today’s most respected doctors and scientists are finally collaborating in what often is referred to as integrative medicine. To further educate yourself we suggest referring back to this site for information, consulting a variety of possible education plans, and researching the numerous publications that are available online and in print.

About Holistic Supplements

Holistic Medicine

Heart and Health, PLLC provides holistic medicine, holistic alternative medicine, natural supplements and natural therapy. We supply only the highest quality holistic alternative medicine, including minerals, vitamins, herbs, and hormones. At Heart and Health, we believe that the human body is a natural system, which, when diseased, may be better served by using natural healing remedies to achieve optimal health. Rather than medicate the body with synthetic drugs to treat the symptoms of a particular illness, we believe in a holistic approach where we determine the underlying causes of that illness instead. This is done through a simple, non-invasive screening process that allows us to identify the source of the symptoms that the body is experiencing, and treat it accordingly.

By doing so, we are able to prescribe a health program that is tailored to the specific needs of each patient, using only the highest quality nutritional supplements, including vitamins, herbs, natural hormone treatments, and homeopaths as natural alternatives to conventional prescription drugs.

Holistic Alternative Medicine:

Heart and Health provides holistic alternative medicine for various health conditions, including alternative medicine for thyroid disorders and depression, natural supplements for weight loss and metabolism, and alternative medicine for energy. In addition, Heart and Health also offers natural supplements for arthritis, alternative medicine for pain relief, and natural supplements for heart, cholesterol, and bone health. Nutrition and a healthy diet lead to weight loss and a strong basis for optimum health utilizing a modern natural approach.

Why is it Important to Incorporate a Healthy Breakfast into our Schedules?

Because of busy schedules, many people do not incorporate breakfast into their daily routine. There is no harm in having a few cups of coffee in the morning; however, coffee alone is not healthy for adults. In addition, the cereal that many parents give their children in the morning is loaded with nothing but sugars, flavoring agents and artificial coloring agents. Neither coffee nor cereal constitutes a healthy breakfast. First and foremost, parents need to understand that their children need to have a breakfast that is healthy so that their brains can work more efficiently. While children prefer sweet, brightly-colored food in the morning, it is not difficult to wean them over to eating healthy food. For instance, it is quick and very simple to scramble or fry an egg and toast a piece of bread, along with offering the child the cereal of their choice. Children might not immediately be willing to eat more than their customary bowl of cereal, but if the parents reduce the amount of cereal every morning, or offer oatmeal instead of cereal, the child will eventually become accustomed to eating their new breakfast and will make it a part of their daily regimen.

What are the Benefits to a Healthy Breakfast?

There is absolutely no harm in offering a piece of ham or sausage to a child in the morning, along with their toast and eggs. If serving oatmeal or another kind of hot cereal, place honey, dried fruits and nuts on the table for the child to add to their hot cereal. Introducing fruits and grains into breakfast benefits you and your child. Breakfast ensures that the child will not end up hungry shortly after they arrive at school and can now focus, concentrate on their assignments and stay awake through out the day. This is because an actual breakfast have a lot of vitamins and nutritional benefits rather than useless fillers. The vitamins and minerals found in a good, healthy breakfast provide the energy that a child needs to remain awake and active until lunchtime. There will be fewer instances of injuries and misbehaving as well, for children who eat a healthy breakfast will have better balance and coordination, as they will not be dealing with exhaustion, headaches or being hungry during early-morning hours. Adults need to eat healthy as well and unfortunately, most do not think they have time for more than just a cup of coffee in the morning. However, they can make a simple, yet healthy breakfast while they are waiting for coffee to brew. It takes minutes to scramble an egg, have a yogurt with a cup of fruit, have a protein bar, or even warm up a bowl of oatmeal.

How can a Healthy Breakfast Build your Immune System?

Even though most adults should incorporate fruit into their morning meal, just putting natural jelly on toast or eating a fruit bar is not sufficient. An adult that eats a healthy breakfast before they go to work will find that work is not as mind-numbing and boring when they when they only drank coffee in the morning. They will not want candy or cookies before lunch either, as they will not be hungry or tired and will have fewer cravings for unhealthy food. Eating a healthy breakfast helps build your immune system because more unprocessed foods have vitamins and minerals.  Your bones will feel stronger and you wont feel in a daze anymore. However, one of the keys to a morning meal is eliminating chemicals and artificial colors, and replacing them with natural fruit and foods. Popular food and condiments such as butter, milk, salt and sugar are not inherently dangerous. Highly processed, chemical laden food makes breakfasts extremely unhealthy. Bacon is not a good breakfast meat simply because of how it is cured and treated; it is loaded with flavoring agents and chemicals to preserve the meat. Margarine is not a safe alternative to butter because it is also loaded with chemicals.

It is always best to buy an item that is not in cardboard or a bag since chemicals may be transferred to the food. When choosing meat or eggs it is best to buy free-range or organic as these items have not been processed. Purchasing these items eliminates the chance of ingesting artificial growth hormones, synthetic chemicals, and pharmaceutical compounds when they want a piece of ham, a pork chop, or any other kind of meat. When choosing an oatmeal it is always best to buy a natural type such as stone-ground, which was not processed with any pesticides or preservatives. Spending a little more money on wheat or grain bread increases the nutritional value by more than half. Fruit and vegetables are the safest when they are bought fresh, because canned and frozen produce have chemicals added to them in order to enhance their flavor and keep them from going bad. Nevertheless, eating a healthy breakfast does not mean that anyone is restricted to bland and boring food. There are numerous spices that are ground, packaged and sold without having chemicals or colorants added to them. People do not have to eliminate their favorite breakfast foods, they just should look for natural versions of what they like. When an individual begins to eat natural food, they will see that a healthy breakfast tastes much better than an unhealthy one.

Healthy Breakfast Tips

Healthy breakfast tips

You have probably heard people say that breakfast is the most important meal of the day. Eating a nutritious breakfast can help to reduce your risk of coronary heart disease (CHD) and diabetes. It also contributes to a healthier diet overall by adding important vitamins and minerals, such as thiamine, riboflavin, calcium, magnesium and iron. However, about 23% of adults and 10% of children skip breakfast, so miss out on this nutritional advantage.

A nutritious breakfast includes a variety of foods, such as high fiber whole grain breads and cereals; vegetables; fruits; eggs; and reduced , low or no fat milk and dairy foods. The Dietary Guidelines for Australian Adults* encourage us to eat a variety of bread and cereals, preferably whole grain. Whole grain foods contain all parts of the grain. Eating them can help to lower your risk of chronic diseases, such as CHD, obesity, type 2 diabetes, and some cancers. They are also easy  to prepare, nutritious and perfect for breakfast. Eating two servings of fruit and five servings of vegetables every day contributes to good health. Breakfast is a great time to include fruit and vegetables in your diet to help you reach this goal. Eggs are also an ideal breakfast food. A healthy balanced diet can include a serving of eggs (two eggs) in two to three meals a week. Remember that how you cook them is important. The healthiest cooking methods are scrambled (using reduced, low or no fat milk), poached, and boiled.

*National Health and Medical Research Council. Dietary guidelines for Australian adults. Canberra: National Health and Medical Research Council, 2003. Available at: www.nhmrc.gov.au/_files_nhmrc/file/publications/synopses/n33.pdf.

Should You Follow a Low Carb Diet?

Within the last ten years, many scientific studies have proven that a low carb diet can help overweight people improve overall health, reduce weight and lower blood pressure. Although you cannot expect to lose a substantial amount of weight with a low carbohydrate diet, you can still improve your general health and cardiovascular function. However, there are many other great benefits that you can experience from following a carbohydrate restricted diet.

What is a Low Carb Diet?

A low carb diet is about teaching your body how to maintain a healthy lifestyle without the extra fats and bad carbohydrates. By eliminating refined sugars, soft drinks, and other snacks and minimizing the amount of carbs you take in per day you will feel 100% better within a few weeks. By decreasing consumption of bread, potatoes, pasta, corn, and rice, you will feel more energized. The only carbohydrates that you should consume are in fruit and vegetables, however, limiting your intake is essential.

When practicing this diet, you will need to replace carbohydrate consumption with natural healthy fats in order to provide energy to your body. This includes animal fat, dairy fat, and fat derived from plants. Once you have regained control of your health and weight, then you can reintroduce carbohydrates into your diet in moderate amounts. Exercise regularly in order to stay in control of your body, and avoid low-fat dairy products because they are usually rich in artificial sugars.

Before you decide to begin a low carb diet, consult your physician and check your blood pressure, sugar, and lipids levels. If you take a few simple baseline tests, then the doctor will be able to determine if your body is ready for the change in lifestyle. Also, stay aware of what doctors and medical professionals have to say about the new diet; you may have to drink soup broth in order to replace the loss of sodium that comes from low carb dieting. There is a wide range of benefits that you can experience while following a low carb diet, but keep in mind that everyone’s body works in different ways.

Nine Great Benefits of Following a Low Carb Diet

  1. You will be able to lose weight.
    Scientific studies and years of research have finally proven that a LCHF (low carb high fat) diet can reduce weight in dieters. Although the amount of weight loss will vary between dieters, it will also depend on how dedicated you are to eliminating sugar and carbs from your diet. If you exercise regularly while following this diet, then weight loss is guaranteed.
  2. Blood sugar levels will improve.
    Scientific studies have also proven that low carb diets can significantly reduce levels of glycated hemoglobin and fasting glucose. If you are suffering from diabetes or pre-diabetes, then a low carb diet can be highly beneficial for you. LCHF diets can provide great benefits to anyone with a metabolic syndrome.
  3. Decreased blood pressure.
    While high blood pressure is one of the greatest risk factors for heart disease and stroke, a low carb diet can lower your blood pressure to safe levels. Overweight and obese people are at a high risk for high blood pressure and cardiovascular disease, but following a LCHF diet will help regulate blood flow while promoting weight loss.
  4. Triglyceride levels will improve.
    Maintaining proper triglyceride levels is essential for cardiovascular disease prevention. High triglyceride levels is commonly associated with abnormal metabolism, obesity, insulin resistance, diabetes, and low levels of cholesterol. While there are many risk factors that can stem from improper triglyceride levels, studies have proven that a carbohydrate restricted diet can significantly lower these levels safely and efficiently.
  5. HDL cholesterol can improve.
    Cholesterol can pose a dangerous threat in low and high levels, and coronary heart disease as well as other cardiovascular diseases are directly related to improper HDL cholesterol levels. While low levels are associated with the risk of heart disease, a carbohydrate restricted diet will substantially increase blood levels of HDL cholesterol.
  6. LDL particle amount will improve.
    These particles come in various shapes and sizes. LDL paricles can be fluffy, large molecules or small, dense molecules. People who have LDL particles that are significantly dense and small have a high risk of developing coronary heart disease. By following a low carb diet, your body will eliminate the amount of small, dense LDL particles, and store the large, fluffy molecules for protective purposes.
  7. Insulin resistance can be reversed.
    Individuals with metabolic syndrome and diabetes most commonly experience resistance to insulin. This is usually related to abnormal lipid levels, and it can actually lead to cardiovascular disease if left untreated. Studies have indicated that carbohydrate restricted diets will significantly lower the body’s resistance to insulin, compared to a typical low fat diet.
  8. Levels of insulin drop.
    Having high insulin levels most likely means that your body is resistant to insulin. High levels of insulin in the blood (Hyperinsulinemia) is a huge risk factor for developing coronary heart disease. In order to reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease, you will need to follow a strict low carb diet and your body will begin to lower insulin levels.
  9. C-reactive proteins can be reduced.
    CRP is a known indication of inflammation within the body, and it is usually measured in the bloodstream. This is yet another protein that can lead to risks of developing cardiovascular disease. Scientific evidence has shown that a carbohydrate restricted diet will lower the levels of CRP, which is another indication that LCHF diets can reduce inflammation.

There are many other great benefits that a carbohydrate-restricted diet can offer. These diets are used for heart disease prevention, especially with obese people, and LCHF diets will help you maintain a healthy lifestyle while losing a few pounds. Although this diet is important for diabetics and people suffering from cardiovascular disease, it works differently for each person and is not recommended for everyone. It is important that you consult your physician before beginning a low carb diet, and make sure that your body’s nutrient levels are in proper condition to begin the diet. LCHF diets will not only reduce blood pressure, prevent heart disease and help you lose weight, but they will also promote a healthier way of living.

Read More About Low Carb Diet Recipes
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Thursday, August 12, 2010

Game 114: Mets vs Rockies

12:10 start = I will not have the line-ups posted. Check out Citislickers.com for the line-up.

My Prediction: Johan throws well and the Mets win, but does it really matter anymore?

A Half-hearted Lets Go Mets

  1. Santana was great today.

    Update on K-Rod: puched his fiance's father, not his father in law. Fiance' has restraining order against him. K Rod is on some 2 day list that is an alternative to suspension. Charges are being presed, due back in court Sept. 14.

    At least Santana was dominant today. I see the poll has Santana in the lead as the contract to get rid of. Yeah, let's get rid of a top pitcher in baseball. If the Mets ever dumped his contract I would then be convinced they don't care about winning and would become a Royals fan.

  2. Once again I agree!!!! Can't get rid of Johan. I might be an orioles fan than!!

  3. Any info on why rod hit him?? Would love to hear that story