I hear tell that the itching article is more than a little disturbing. Sorry if you all are itchier than usual...
I'm spending the day running errands, one of which is copying a bazillion things at Kinko's for my visa application. I'm still waiting on the information I need in order to make the wire transfer for my language school application fee. And I'm calling the insurance company to ask for a letter stating my coverage. The visa people sure want a lot of stuff.
23 July, 2008
12 July, 2008
Reading Material
I've been reading some interesting things lately, and I thought I'd share them with you all. Funny thing, the same person recommended all of them. I think I'll have to pay more attention to what he reads in future. I don't want to miss anything good.
The first is an article in the New Yorker, about itching. It's slightly disturbing (medically speaking) at the beginning, but don't worry, it's just that one little part. I really enjoyed this article. I've been learning quite a bit lately about how interconnected our bodies are, and this was one of the best things I'd read on the subject.
The second interesting thing is this book. I got it from the library and let it sit on my shelf for a week or so, because it just looked boring. I got it because it was recommended, but my heart really wasn't in it. I did pick it up, finally, and I couldn't have been more wrong. It is not boring in the least. It is one of the most interesting books I've read in a long time. I'm having fun reading along and learning about parasitic wasp larvae and hemochromatosis and how you'll get more sunburned if you wear sunglasses. The author has been ensnared by the current evolutionary mindset, so be prepared to filter.
The third, and last, interesting thing isn't medical or scientific (well, not hard science anyway). I suppose it's more related to the social sciences. It's an article on procrastination. I can definitely relate to using type B activities in order to avoid a type C. I'm currently putting off getting my visa photos taken, so that I can avoid thinking about going to France for 9 months. I'm putting it off by blogging. I never blog. See how bad it's becoming?
The author of the procrastination article, Paul Graham, has some other good articles on his website. Quite a few of them are on computer things that I don't know about, but others are about politics or nerdiness. I especially liked "Writing, Briefly".
The first is an article in the New Yorker, about itching. It's slightly disturbing (medically speaking) at the beginning, but don't worry, it's just that one little part. I really enjoyed this article. I've been learning quite a bit lately about how interconnected our bodies are, and this was one of the best things I'd read on the subject.
The second interesting thing is this book. I got it from the library and let it sit on my shelf for a week or so, because it just looked boring. I got it because it was recommended, but my heart really wasn't in it. I did pick it up, finally, and I couldn't have been more wrong. It is not boring in the least. It is one of the most interesting books I've read in a long time. I'm having fun reading along and learning about parasitic wasp larvae and hemochromatosis and how you'll get more sunburned if you wear sunglasses. The author has been ensnared by the current evolutionary mindset, so be prepared to filter.
The third, and last, interesting thing isn't medical or scientific (well, not hard science anyway). I suppose it's more related to the social sciences. It's an article on procrastination. I can definitely relate to using type B activities in order to avoid a type C. I'm currently putting off getting my visa photos taken, so that I can avoid thinking about going to France for 9 months. I'm putting it off by blogging. I never blog. See how bad it's becoming?
The author of the procrastination article, Paul Graham, has some other good articles on his website. Quite a few of them are on computer things that I don't know about, but others are about politics or nerdiness. I especially liked "Writing, Briefly".
10 July, 2008
France
I have a friend. I shall call her Mrs. Dimble, because she takes care of people, and because she is incredibly likely to make Insightful Comments to people who are not unlike Ivy Maggs (for example, me). Mrs. Dimble has made Insightful Comments to me regularly, ever since she met me. She also makes Interesting Suggestions. One of her most recent Interesting Suggestions was that I should go to Europe for a while to work. She said it would be an Adventure. Boy, was she right. I thought this was a good idea, so I looked into being an au pair in France. I didn't mean it, really, but now someone wants me. To come to their house. In France. In September. THIS September.
So I'm looking at my visa application and wondering how I'm going to fill it out in French like it wants when I don't really remember any French.
I think, maybe, that I have enough Interesting Suggestions to keep me occupied for a while. Thank you, Mrs. Dimble, but could you hold off on the rest of them for a bit so I can get used to this one?
So I'm looking at my visa application and wondering how I'm going to fill it out in French like it wants when I don't really remember any French.
I think, maybe, that I have enough Interesting Suggestions to keep me occupied for a while. Thank you, Mrs. Dimble, but could you hold off on the rest of them for a bit so I can get used to this one?
05 June, 2008
I got a thermometer.
I've been temperature-charting for the past few days. Temperature is a good indicator of metabolic disfunction- low and stable equals thryoid problem, low and unstable (high variability) equals adrenal problem. I always thought my temperature was pretty steady at normal, but it turns out I was wrong! I've got medium variability in the low 97's so far. This stuff is so interesting...
I've been temperature-charting for the past few days. Temperature is a good indicator of metabolic disfunction- low and stable equals thryoid problem, low and unstable (high variability) equals adrenal problem. I always thought my temperature was pretty steady at normal, but it turns out I was wrong! I've got medium variability in the low 97's so far. This stuff is so interesting...
Pasta
Making pasta is such a satisfying experience! I made fettuccine for dinner Tuesday, and it was delicious. Fresh pasta is much more filling than dried; it's also much more toothsome and fun to eat. I served my pasta with a cream sauce that had asiago, parmesan, and mozzerella cheeses melted into it. Then I sauteed some mushrooms, garlic, chicken, and prosciutto, and mixed those in, too.
I love cooking. I do. That's just all there is to it. I think I'll make tortellini next...
Fresh Pasta
Mix 3 3/4 cup flour* with 2(ish) teaspoons of salt. Pour out onto the counter and make well in center. Break four eggs into well, and beat with a fork. Drizzle in some olive oil. Use the fork to beat the flour and eggs together (slowly, from the inside out- the eggs will try to escape and run all over the counter). Add a few tablespoons of water as you're mixing. The dough should start to come together, and will now need some handwork. Knead the dough until it is smooth and elastic (it will be heavier than a bread dough). Let the dough rest for an hour or so, then roll it out -as thin as possible!- and cut it however you like. The pasta will expand and get thicker and wider. Fresh pasta takes only a few minutes to cook, so keep an eye on it.
*You can use unbleached, all-purpose white flour, wheat flour, semolina, or any combination of flours you like. I prefer a mix of mostly semolina, part white.
I love cooking. I do. That's just all there is to it. I think I'll make tortellini next...
Fresh Pasta
Mix 3 3/4 cup flour* with 2(ish) teaspoons of salt. Pour out onto the counter and make well in center. Break four eggs into well, and beat with a fork. Drizzle in some olive oil. Use the fork to beat the flour and eggs together (slowly, from the inside out- the eggs will try to escape and run all over the counter). Add a few tablespoons of water as you're mixing. The dough should start to come together, and will now need some handwork. Knead the dough until it is smooth and elastic (it will be heavier than a bread dough). Let the dough rest for an hour or so, then roll it out -as thin as possible!- and cut it however you like. The pasta will expand and get thicker and wider. Fresh pasta takes only a few minutes to cook, so keep an eye on it.
*You can use unbleached, all-purpose white flour, wheat flour, semolina, or any combination of flours you like. I prefer a mix of mostly semolina, part white.
27 March, 2008
If eating fat makes you fat, why do I only weigh 157 lbs?
Seriously, how is that hypothesis not totally shot by now?
I just finished my second 29 oz. container of coconut oil this week. I take a tablespoon with breakfast and another right before bed. I'm also finishing off my second bottle of cod liver oil. I take it right after the coconut oil, in the same amounts. I started the coconut oil about two months ago, I'd guess, and the cod liver oil about a month ago. I also pop evening primrose oil gels at every meal (8 per day). I take lots of other supplements (a la Dr. Cowan's Fourfold Path to Healing), but I take more fat than anything else. Not counting whatever butter, olive oil, coconut oil, milk, avocado, cheese, or yogurt I eat every day.
And I haven't gained a pound. That's because I'm at my ideal weight for my body type, height, and age. And when you eat healthy, natural fats, your body uses them instead of storing them. I offer myself as a case in point. My body is using the fats I ingest to heal what I've messed up with previous dietary blunders. Nifty, isn't it?
I just finished my second 29 oz. container of coconut oil this week. I take a tablespoon with breakfast and another right before bed. I'm also finishing off my second bottle of cod liver oil. I take it right after the coconut oil, in the same amounts. I started the coconut oil about two months ago, I'd guess, and the cod liver oil about a month ago. I also pop evening primrose oil gels at every meal (8 per day). I take lots of other supplements (a la Dr. Cowan's Fourfold Path to Healing), but I take more fat than anything else. Not counting whatever butter, olive oil, coconut oil, milk, avocado, cheese, or yogurt I eat every day.
And I haven't gained a pound. That's because I'm at my ideal weight for my body type, height, and age. And when you eat healthy, natural fats, your body uses them instead of storing them. I offer myself as a case in point. My body is using the fats I ingest to heal what I've messed up with previous dietary blunders. Nifty, isn't it?
01 March, 2008
Fermentation
Last night, I made sauerkraut and ginger ale. They will sit on the counter and bubble for a few days, and then I will consume them! Mwahahaha! I used a mixture of red and green cabbage for the kraut, so I think it will turn out to be a sort of pinkish colour. Maybe I can borrow someone's camera and post pictures...
I also obtained permission from the Odor Police to make kombucha again. Hopefully I can keep it from violating the their nose-space this time. :)
I also obtained permission from the Odor Police to make kombucha again. Hopefully I can keep it from violating the their nose-space this time. :)
23 February, 2008
Interlibrary Loans Are Great.
Thanks to interlibrary loans, I have these books on my shelf right now:
Life Without Bread,
The Fourfold Path to Healing,
Relearning to See, and
Better Eyesight without Glasses.
Hooray for the library!
Life Without Bread is good so far: right off the bat, the authors recommend only six bread units (bu) per day- that amounts to 72 grams of utilisable carbohydrates. Carbohydrates are in some vegetables and dairy products, as well as in all of the obvious foods (pasta, grains, sweets, and fruits). They count a cup of whole milk as one bu, but I decided not to count milk at all. I drink enough milk in a day to use up all of my allotted bread units! Which means I can't eat yoghurt, vegetables, avocados, molasses, beans, OR kombucha if I count milk!
The book is very helpful, though. Right away, I was reminded that I eat way too much bread and too many potatoes. I had been eating half of a bagel with butter in the morning- I definitely don't need that. If I'm not careful, I slide into eating carbs instead of meat or fat. I like those quick fixes, but my adrenals don't!
Life Without Bread,
The Fourfold Path to Healing,
Relearning to See, and
Better Eyesight without Glasses.
Hooray for the library!
Life Without Bread is good so far: right off the bat, the authors recommend only six bread units (bu) per day- that amounts to 72 grams of utilisable carbohydrates. Carbohydrates are in some vegetables and dairy products, as well as in all of the obvious foods (pasta, grains, sweets, and fruits). They count a cup of whole milk as one bu, but I decided not to count milk at all. I drink enough milk in a day to use up all of my allotted bread units! Which means I can't eat yoghurt, vegetables, avocados, molasses, beans, OR kombucha if I count milk!
The book is very helpful, though. Right away, I was reminded that I eat way too much bread and too many potatoes. I had been eating half of a bagel with butter in the morning- I definitely don't need that. If I'm not careful, I slide into eating carbs instead of meat or fat. I like those quick fixes, but my adrenals don't!
19 February, 2008
No Mushrooms = Sadness
Tonight I'm making my famous manicotti for dinner; it's in the oven right now. I realised earlier that I don't have the recipe- it's on the box of noodles that I usually buy and I bought a different brand this week- what am I going to do?! I panicked momentarily, until I remembered that I don't follow recipes. I just make them up as I go along. Phew! Crisis solved.
Anyway, for this recipe, I made a tomato-based sauce with carrots and mushrooms in along with the usual garlic and onion. It looks and smells really tasty. I can't wait to eat it all up! Later this week I'll get to use the rest of the mushrooms I bought: I'm making a copycat dish from Johnny Carino's. Chicken with mushrooms, spinach, and provolone layered on top. The original dish had ham and no mushrooms, but we all know that's not right, don't we? Anyway, where would we be if I followed recipes all the time? Without any mushrooms, that's where. And that, my friends, is a sad place to be.
Anyway, for this recipe, I made a tomato-based sauce with carrots and mushrooms in along with the usual garlic and onion. It looks and smells really tasty. I can't wait to eat it all up! Later this week I'll get to use the rest of the mushrooms I bought: I'm making a copycat dish from Johnny Carino's. Chicken with mushrooms, spinach, and provolone layered on top. The original dish had ham and no mushrooms, but we all know that's not right, don't we? Anyway, where would we be if I followed recipes all the time? Without any mushrooms, that's where. And that, my friends, is a sad place to be.
18 February, 2008
Planting Future Food
Today, I went to the store with my mother, and we bought one of these (ours is bigger). I planted food in it! I planted chamomile, oregano, rosemary, lavender, dill, and tomatoes. The tomatoes were in an heirloom mix pack, so we don't know exactly what we'll end up with. Could it be these? Or these? I can't wait to find out!
14 February, 2008
11 February, 2008
Right, so I'm not very good at remembering to post...but I can't decide if that's bad or just The Way Things Are.
Regardless, I do need to update you all on What's What here in my corner of the blagosphere. I decided to postpone school for now, being that I have no monies, and that it's not important enough for me to go into debt to get there. Instead, I'm going to keep saving money, and get to work on another kind of dough. I'd like to work more on my baking and candy-making skills (Not for my own consumption, of course). I've been dreaming big with a friend about starting our own bakery/pub (didn't know you could combine those, didja? Well, you can if they're right next door to each other). This (these?) bakery/pub will need some good food, so we're expanding our chefly repertoires. This work has the added benefit of being really, really fun.
If you have any good recipes, please be sure to pass them on!
Here are some from me.
Regardless, I do need to update you all on What's What here in my corner of the blagosphere. I decided to postpone school for now, being that I have no monies, and that it's not important enough for me to go into debt to get there. Instead, I'm going to keep saving money, and get to work on another kind of dough. I'd like to work more on my baking and candy-making skills (Not for my own consumption, of course). I've been dreaming big with a friend about starting our own bakery/pub (didn't know you could combine those, didja? Well, you can if they're right next door to each other). This (these?) bakery/pub will need some good food, so we're expanding our chefly repertoires. This work has the added benefit of being really, really fun.
If you have any good recipes, please be sure to pass them on!
Here are some from me.
04 December, 2007
There are six things that the LORD hates...
...seven that are an abomination to him:
haughty eyes, a lying tongue,
and hands that shed innocent blood,
a heart that devises wicked plans,
feet that make haste to run to evil,
a false witness who breathes out lies,
and one who sows discord among brothers.
haughty eyes, a lying tongue,
and hands that shed innocent blood,
a heart that devises wicked plans,
feet that make haste to run to evil,
a false witness who breathes out lies,
and one who sows discord among brothers.
25 November, 2007
That's just disgusting.
"After pasteurization, dead white blood cells and bacteria form a sludge that sinks to the bottom of the milk. Homogenization spreads this unsightly mass throughout the milk and makes it disappear."
from page 76 of Real Food, by Nina Planck
from page 76 of Real Food, by Nina Planck
21 November, 2007
20 November, 2007
08 November, 2007
I really am a reformed blogger...
See? I'm posting again! And it's been less than a week since my last post!
I'm currently looking over my admission essay requirements. I have to write an essay (500-ish words) on my Christian faith and how it relates to my desire to attend NSA. I wrote a bit a couple of months ago, and now I need to pick it up again and take another stab at it. I'm not really sure what to write; I really just want to quote the Nicene Creed and be done with it. I think, though, that I will focus on the latter part of the question and just skim over the former. If you all are interested, though, here's what I already had written down:
I believe in a sovereign God, one God in three persons: Father, Son, and Holy Ghost; Who created the earth and all things in it for man's dominion and pleasure; this was accomplished in six days. The seventh day He rested.
Man fell from God's grace by his own disobedience, but God provided a Saviour, His only Son, Jesus Christ, through Whom we are reconciled to Him. We are received by Him by grace alone through faith alone. His Holy Spirit is poured out upon us to regenerate us and to work out our daily sanctification.
His Holy Word, which is inerrant and inspired by the Holy Spirit, reveals what He requires of us. This includes His command to teach others of God and His world, to His glory. In order to teach, we must ourselves learn about Him, by studying the Scriptures and the creation, as well as all of the gifts of knowledge He has given us in books written by men made in His own image. Because God made the world to fit together as a whole, we must not separate out certain parts, claiming them to be more sacred than others. Instead we must study to discover how these all fit together under God's perfect rule.
...
That's where I ran out of steam and started to dislike what I'd written. I knew that the Divines had a hard time of it, but I never realised how difficult it really was! Anyway, I've got to rehaul it and write in some things about why I want to learn the things they teach, and what I'll do with the knowledge after I leave (teach others).
Knowledge is like a pile of leaves: it makes me want to just jump in feet-first and thrash around for a while. I don't suppose I can put that in my essay?
I'm currently looking over my admission essay requirements. I have to write an essay (500-ish words) on my Christian faith and how it relates to my desire to attend NSA. I wrote a bit a couple of months ago, and now I need to pick it up again and take another stab at it. I'm not really sure what to write; I really just want to quote the Nicene Creed and be done with it. I think, though, that I will focus on the latter part of the question and just skim over the former. If you all are interested, though, here's what I already had written down:
I believe in a sovereign God, one God in three persons: Father, Son, and Holy Ghost; Who created the earth and all things in it for man's dominion and pleasure; this was accomplished in six days. The seventh day He rested.
Man fell from God's grace by his own disobedience, but God provided a Saviour, His only Son, Jesus Christ, through Whom we are reconciled to Him. We are received by Him by grace alone through faith alone. His Holy Spirit is poured out upon us to regenerate us and to work out our daily sanctification.
His Holy Word, which is inerrant and inspired by the Holy Spirit, reveals what He requires of us. This includes His command to teach others of God and His world, to His glory. In order to teach, we must ourselves learn about Him, by studying the Scriptures and the creation, as well as all of the gifts of knowledge He has given us in books written by men made in His own image. Because God made the world to fit together as a whole, we must not separate out certain parts, claiming them to be more sacred than others. Instead we must study to discover how these all fit together under God's perfect rule.
...
That's where I ran out of steam and started to dislike what I'd written. I knew that the Divines had a hard time of it, but I never realised how difficult it really was! Anyway, I've got to rehaul it and write in some things about why I want to learn the things they teach, and what I'll do with the knowledge after I leave (teach others).
Knowledge is like a pile of leaves: it makes me want to just jump in feet-first and thrash around for a while. I don't suppose I can put that in my essay?
03 November, 2007
Cleaning Supplies
I got my recipes from this book (I like this woman for her recipes, not for her philosophy of life). They've worked very well so far, and all you need are a few simple ingredients!
You need:
borax (on the laundry soap aisle)
baking soda (big box is on the same aisle as borax)
vinegar (white distilled)
washing soda (possibly at a pool supply store, or a commercial cleaning-supply store)
vegetable-oil based liquid soap (castile soap, like Dr. Bronner's)
You can also add essential oils to your recipes; they smell good and certain ones have antiseptic properties. I like to use Tea Tree oil. It smells nice and clean, and I can get a fairly good bottle at Wal-Mart for $5. It matches the scent of my Dr. Bronner's, so I don't leave a house with conflicting smells.
Kelly currently has my recipes (she's copying them down), so I'll just give you the ones I remember. There's a good disinfectant scrubber that's just 1 cup baking soda plus 1/4 cup borax. I mixed it up in a mason jar and poked holes in the lid with an ice pick. The jar is reusable and the lid was rusty- perfect for this use. For a better scrub, add some salt (the coarseness saves you some elbow grease). For a soft scrub, add enough castile soap to make a paste. You can also add a bit of an essential oil.
For toilets, I wet the inside of the bowl, then sprinkle about 1/2 cup borax around the bowl and leave it for as long as I can; Annie recommends letting it rest overnight. Then I scrub it out and flush.
If a sink isn't draining as well as it should, I sprinkle some baking soda down the drain and chase it down with vinegar. It's bubbly action will loosen gunk (and it disinfects the drain). I'm not sure how effective it is on super stopped-up sinks.
To mop a floor, I put 1/4 cup vinegar in my bucket, then start to fill it with hot water. While it's filling, I squirt in some castile soap, then add some borax for a bit of stronger disinfectant. My castile soap reacts strangely to vinegar, so I add them separately to reduce the reaction.
To clear the air in a sickroom, or to fix that musty smell, I mix water and Tea Tree oil in a spray bottle and just mist away! I mist it on doorknobs, on our fabric shower curtain, on the window curtains, the computer keyboard, &tc. I also spray it on the toilet about midway between cleanings. I use Lavender oil and water for my mattress and pillows. The ratio is 20 drops per 1 ounce of water.
To remove a bad odor from carpet, sprinkle it all over with baking soda and leave it overnight, then vacuum.
Also, check this out. She's got an article to help you get started.
You need:
borax (on the laundry soap aisle)
baking soda (big box is on the same aisle as borax)
vinegar (white distilled)
washing soda (possibly at a pool supply store, or a commercial cleaning-supply store)
vegetable-oil based liquid soap (castile soap, like Dr. Bronner's)
You can also add essential oils to your recipes; they smell good and certain ones have antiseptic properties. I like to use Tea Tree oil. It smells nice and clean, and I can get a fairly good bottle at Wal-Mart for $5. It matches the scent of my Dr. Bronner's, so I don't leave a house with conflicting smells.
Kelly currently has my recipes (she's copying them down), so I'll just give you the ones I remember. There's a good disinfectant scrubber that's just 1 cup baking soda plus 1/4 cup borax. I mixed it up in a mason jar and poked holes in the lid with an ice pick. The jar is reusable and the lid was rusty- perfect for this use. For a better scrub, add some salt (the coarseness saves you some elbow grease). For a soft scrub, add enough castile soap to make a paste. You can also add a bit of an essential oil.
For toilets, I wet the inside of the bowl, then sprinkle about 1/2 cup borax around the bowl and leave it for as long as I can; Annie recommends letting it rest overnight. Then I scrub it out and flush.
If a sink isn't draining as well as it should, I sprinkle some baking soda down the drain and chase it down with vinegar. It's bubbly action will loosen gunk (and it disinfects the drain). I'm not sure how effective it is on super stopped-up sinks.
To mop a floor, I put 1/4 cup vinegar in my bucket, then start to fill it with hot water. While it's filling, I squirt in some castile soap, then add some borax for a bit of stronger disinfectant. My castile soap reacts strangely to vinegar, so I add them separately to reduce the reaction.
To clear the air in a sickroom, or to fix that musty smell, I mix water and Tea Tree oil in a spray bottle and just mist away! I mist it on doorknobs, on our fabric shower curtain, on the window curtains, the computer keyboard, &tc. I also spray it on the toilet about midway between cleanings. I use Lavender oil and water for my mattress and pillows. The ratio is 20 drops per 1 ounce of water.
To remove a bad odor from carpet, sprinkle it all over with baking soda and leave it overnight, then vacuum.
Also, check this out. She's got an article to help you get started.
30 October, 2007
Ha ha! No more math!
Well, I did it. I took the ACT. I'm so very glad it's over! Now I have to focus on the application and various essays that go with it.
Also, I need to start planning for caroling, a cookie exchange, the Halloween party (this week!), Thanksgiving dinner, and Christmas dinner. I love planning parties!
Also, I need to start planning for caroling, a cookie exchange, the Halloween party (this week!), Thanksgiving dinner, and Christmas dinner. I love planning parties!
26 October, 2007
Natural Cleaning Supplies Are Great
I used my new-and-improved cleaning supplies today, and they work just as well as the commercial stuff. And they don't gas me. Definitely a bonus, no? I like the smell, too: a touch of tea tree oil (essential oil, not fragrance). I don't think I'll ever go back!
Another thing that made cleaning more pleasant: my new Zune. I got it on sale (huge sale! very cheap!) and I've been putting songs on it yesterday and today. It's quite handy, and I feel so stylish and in-the-now.
Being trendy isn't really what I'm going for, but my Zune is brown (a very unpopular colour), so hopefully that makes up for it! Ha!
Another thing that made cleaning more pleasant: my new Zune. I got it on sale (huge sale! very cheap!) and I've been putting songs on it yesterday and today. It's quite handy, and I feel so stylish and in-the-now.
Being trendy isn't really what I'm going for, but my Zune is brown (a very unpopular colour), so hopefully that makes up for it! Ha!
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