Thursday, December 24, 2009
Saturday, November 21, 2009
It was a very strange love...
But it works for them.... check out the url - an excellent cause for those of us who're animal lovers.
Friday, November 20, 2009
Thursday, November 5, 2009
Heartbreakingly beautiful
I've been a fan of photography since I was a small girl. I had a profound experience with an exhibit that put me on the artist's path that I've wandered off and on for a number of years now.
Photography is something of a super power...it's God-like. It allows us to capture a moment of time and preserve it and show it to the world....you can actually show someone what you see...through your own eyes.
It's a way of telling a story without saying a word. Sometimes it can be paired with words to create a journey.
You really want to go to the link I've provided below ...you will be moved.
http://www.dayswithmyfather.com/#/19
Photography is something of a super power...it's God-like. It allows us to capture a moment of time and preserve it and show it to the world....you can actually show someone what you see...through your own eyes.
It's a way of telling a story without saying a word. Sometimes it can be paired with words to create a journey.
You really want to go to the link I've provided below ...you will be moved.
http://www.dayswithmyfather.com/#/19
Wednesday, November 4, 2009
Classy...
Want to know what keeps me going despite clients who don't pay, insane hours, unrealistic expectations etc?
Days like today.
I've got the flu - it's nasty. I've had it since thursday and have worked on with it (it's what I do). One client in particular has required a lot of phone time - tight tight deadline which I met on a huge project. Evidently my work ethic impressed them. There was a knock on the door a little while ago - then even louder and more insistant because I wasn't moving fast enough to suit the delivery driver....
I opened the door with a bit of a snarl - looking like death wrapped in a blanket.
There was a box - cans of chicken soup, an assortment of teas (mostly English) a tin of homemade cookies an aroma therapy candle to aid in breathing and a get well card.
Yeah....there are days when it's pretty damned good to be me.
Days like today.
I've got the flu - it's nasty. I've had it since thursday and have worked on with it (it's what I do). One client in particular has required a lot of phone time - tight tight deadline which I met on a huge project. Evidently my work ethic impressed them. There was a knock on the door a little while ago - then even louder and more insistant because I wasn't moving fast enough to suit the delivery driver....
I opened the door with a bit of a snarl - looking like death wrapped in a blanket.
There was a box - cans of chicken soup, an assortment of teas (mostly English) a tin of homemade cookies an aroma therapy candle to aid in breathing and a get well card.
Yeah....there are days when it's pretty damned good to be me.
Tuesday, November 3, 2009
Thursday, October 22, 2009
Happy Diwali!
I've always enjoyed learning about other cultures and their celebrations. A few years ago I stumbled across Diwali...and fell in love.
Diwali in history
The history of Diwali is replete with legends and these legends are moored to the stories of Hindu religious scriptures, mostly the Puranas. Though the central theme of all legends point out to the classic truth of the victory of the good over the evils, the mode of their presentation and the characters differ. Diwali, being the festival of lights, lighting the lamp of knowledge within us means to understand and reflect upon the significant purpose of each of the five days of festivities and to bring those thoughts in to the day to day lives.
The five day of Diwali
The first day of Diwali is called Dhanvantari Triodasi or Dhanwantari Triodasi also called Dhan Theras. The second day of Diwali is called Narak Chaturdasi. It is the fourteenth lunar day (thithi) of the dark forthnight of the month of Kartik and the eve of Diwali. On this day Lord Krishna destroyed the demon Narakasur and made the world free from fear. The third day of Diwali is the actual Diwali. This is the day when worship for Mother Lakshmi is performed. On the fourth day of Diwali, Goverdhan Pooja is performed. The fifth day of the diwali is called Bhratri Dooj. It is a day dedicated to sisters.
Hindu Mythology
The Story of Rama and Sita: Lord Rama was a great warrior King who was exiled by his father Dashratha, the King of Ayodhya, along with his wife Sita and his younger brother Lakshman, on his wife's insistence. Lord Rama returned to his Kingdom Ayodhya after 14 years of exile, in which he put an end to the demon Ravana of Lanka, who was a great Pundit, highly learned but still evil dominated his mind. After this victory of Good over Evil, Rama returned to Ayodhya. In Ayodhya, the people welcomed them by lighting rows of clay lamps. So, it is an occasion in honor of Rama's victory over Ravana; of Truth's victory over Evil.
The Story of King Bali and Vamana Avatar(the Dwarf): The other story concerns King Bali, who was a generous ruler. But he was also very ambitious. Some of the Gods pleaded Vishnu to check King Bali's power. Vishnu came to earth in the form of a Vamana(dwarf) dressed as priest. The dwarf approached King Bali and said "You are the ruler of the three worlds: the Earth, the world above the skies and the underworld. Would you give me the space that I could cover with three strides?" King Bali laughed. Surely a dwarf could not cover much ground, thought the King, who agreed to dwarf's request. At this point, the dwarf changed into Vishnu and his three strides covered the Earth, the Skies and the whole Universe! King Bali was send to the underworld. As part of Diwali celebrations, some Hindus remember King Bali.
The Defeat of Narkasur by Lord Krishna: Lord Vishnu in his 8th incarnation as Krishna destroyed the demon Narkasura, who was causing great unhappiness amongst the people of the world. Narkasura was believed to be a demon of filth, covered in dirt. He used to kidnap beautiful young women and force them to live with him. Eventually, their cries for rescue were heard by Vishnu, who came in the form of Krishna. First, Krishna had to fight with a five-headed monster who guarded the demon's home. Narkasura hoped that his death might bring joy to others. Krishna granted his request and the women were freed. For Hindus, this story is a reminder that good can still come out of evil.
Krishna and The Mountain: In the village of Gokula, many years ago, the people prayed to the God Indra. They believed that Indra sent the rains, which made their crops, grow. But Krishna came along and persuaded the people to worship the mountain Govardhan, because the mountain and the land around it were fertile. This did not please Indra. He sent thunder and torrential rain down on the village. The people cried to Krishna to help. Krishna saved the villagers by lifting the top of the mountain with his finger. The offering of food to God on this day of Diwali is a reminder to Hindus of the importance of food and it is a time for being thankful to God for the bounty of nature.
Sikh Festival Diwali
In Sikh perspective, Diwali is celebrated as the return of the sixth Guru, Guru Hargobind Ji from the captivity of the city, Gwalior. To commemorate his undying love for Sikhism, the towns people lit the way to, Harmandhir Sahib (referred to as the Golden Temple), in his honour.
Jain Festival Diwali
Among the Jain festivals, Diwali is one of the most important one. For on this occasion we celebrate the Nirvana of Lord Mahavira who established the dharma as we follow it. Lord Mahavira was born as Vardhamana on Chaitra Shukla 13th in the Nata clan at Khattiya-kundapura, near Vaishali. He obtained Kevala Gyana on Vishakha Shukla 10 at the Jambhraka village on the banks of Rijukula river at the age of 42.
Diwali Traditions & Customs
Deepavali, the literal meaning of which in Sanskrit is 'a row of lamps.' Filling little clay lamps with oil and wick and lighting them in rows all over the house is a tradition that is popular in most regions of the country. Even today in this modern world it projects the rich and glorious past of our country and teaches us to uphold the true values of life. It is associated with many customs and traditions. One of the most curious customs, which characterizes this festival of Diwali, is the indulgence of gambling, especially on a large scale in North India.
The first day of five day long Diwali celebrations is of great importance to the rich community of western India. Houses and business premises are renovated and decorated. Entrances are made colorful with lovely traditional motifs of Rangoli designs to welcome Lakshmi, the Goddess of wealth and prosperity. To indicate her long-awaited arrival, small footprints are drawn with rice flour and vermilion powder all over the houses. Lamps are kept burning all through the night. Believing this day to be auspicious women purchase some gold or silver or at least one or two new utensils.
Lakshmi-Puja is performed in the evenings when tiny diyas of clay are lighted to drive away the shadows of evil spirits, devotional songs- in praise of Goddess Laxmi are sung and Naivedya of traditional sweets is offered to the Goddess. There is a peculiar custom in Maharashtra to lightly pound dry coriander seeds with jaggery and offer as Naivedya In villages cattle are adorned and worshiped by farmers as they form the main source of their income. In south cows are offered special veneration as they are supposed to be the incarnation of Goddess Lakshmi and therefore they are adorned and worshiped on this day .
On second day there is a traditional practice specially in Maharashtra of taking bath before sunrise with oil and "Uptan" (paste) of gram flour and fragrant powders. In northern India, especially in places like Punjab, Diwali is dedicated to the worship of Lord Rama. While in Bengal, Kali/Durga, the goddess of strength, is worshiped. Diwali is one of the few Hindu festivals, which is celebrated in every part of the country, even in states like Kerala that has Onam as its main festival. To the Jains, Deepavali has an added significance to the great event of Mahaveera attaining the Eternal Bliss of Nirvaana.
Govardhan-Puja is also performed in the North on the fourth day. This day is also observed as Annakoot meaning 'mountain of food'. In temples especially in Mathura and Nathadwara, the deities are given milk bath and dressed in shining attires with ornaments of dazzling diamonds, pearls, rubies and other precious stones. After the prayers and traditional worship innumerable varieties of delicious sweets are offered to the deities as "Bhog" and then the devotees approach and take Prasad.
Goddess Lakshmi is worshiped in every Hindu household. In many Hindu homes it is a custom for the wife to put the red tilak on the forehead of her husband, garland him and do his "Aarti" with a prayer for his long life. In appreciation of all the tender care that the wife showers on him, the husband gives her a costly gift. This Gudi Padwa is symbolic of love and devotion between the wife and husband. On this day newly married daughters with their husbands are invited for special meals and given presents. Diwali celebration is a very happy occasion for all.
Diwali Meaning & Significance
Deepavali is a festival where people from all age groups participate. They give expression to their happiness by lighting earthen 'diyas' (lamps), decorating the houses, bursting firecrackers and inviting near and dear ones to their households for partaking in a sumptuous feast. The lighting of lamps is a way of paying obeisance to god for attainment of health, wealth, knowledge, peace, valor and fame.
It is one time in the whole year that children volunteer to leave their beds long before the day begins. In fact, the traditional oil bath at 3 a.m, is the only chore that stands between them and the pre-dawn adventures. They emerge, scrubbed clean to get into their festive attire, and light up little oil lamps, candles and scented sticks(agarbathis), the wherewithal for setting alight crackers and sparklers.
On Diwali night, little clay lamps are lit in Hindus homes, but now a days colored electric lamps are also used. What is the significance of lighting a lamp? There is a logical answer to this question. It is through the light that the beauty of this world is revealed or experienced. Most civilizations of the world recognize the importance of light as a gift of God. It has always been a symbol of whatever is positive in our world of experience.
To Hindus, darkness represents ignorance, and light is a metaphor for knowledge. Therefore, lighting a lamp symbolizes the destruction, through knowledge, of all negative forces- wickedness, violence, lust, anger, envy, greed, bigotry, fear, injustice, oppression and suffering, etc. Competition is stiff, and even the little girl in silk frocks and their finery are watching out for the best sparklers and flowerpots, the rockets and Vishnuchakras, which light-up the night sky like a thousand stars. Grown-ups are the soul of generosity. Festive bonhomie abounds.
Diwali Recipes
Royal Vermicilli Kheer
Ingredients :
Vermicilli - 1/2 cup (thin variety)
Milk - 4 cups
Sugar - 1/2 - 3/4 cup
Cream - 1/4 cup
Ghee - 4 tabs
Almonds - 2 tabs
Cinnamon powder - 1 level tsp
Bananas - 3 (small)
Method
Fry vermicilli in 2 tabs of ghee,till light gold in colour.let it gets cold.Skin almonds-chop them into small pieces.Fry in 2 tabs of ghee,tillwell toasted.
Boil the milk,add the vermicilli and keep on stirring over low heat tillthe vermicilli is just cooked and the milk is thick.(Do not over cook the vermicilli).Reduce heat and add sugar little by little-stirring all the time till the sugar dissolves.
Remove from heat,when cold,mix in the cream,almonds,cinnamon powder and chopped bananas.Serve chilled with a little silver varg on top for decoration.
Rice Kheer
Ingredients :
Rice - 1/2 cup
Milk - 6 cups
Sugar - 3/4 cup
Camphor - pinch
or nutmeg - pinch
Method
Wash rice well, and cook it with milk till semi thick(stirring all the time so that the rice does not stick to the bottom of the vessel and the rice is well cooked.
Reduce heat,add the sugar,little by little when sugar is well incorporated remove from fire.
Fry in ghee the cashewnuts and raisins,till golden in colour.When cold add to kheer.Powder camphor or nutmeg and add that too.Serve hot or cold.
You could add 1/4 cup of beaten cream when the kheer is cold.Instead of sugar you could heat 1-1/4 cup of palm jaggery(or ordinary jaggery) with a 1/4 cup of water-when jaggery completely dissolves-strain and when cold,add to the cold thickened kheer.Add powdered camphor or nutmeg.
Carrot Halwa.
Ingredients :
Carrots -1/2 kg
(preferably Red Delhi Carrots)
Milk -1 litre
Cardamom -4 to 5
Sugar -1/4 kg
Charmagz -1 tbsp
(dried melon seeds)
Ghee or cashew nuts -100 gms
Almonds -a few
Method
Scrap carrots and grate them.Bring milk to a boil in a heavy bottomed pan.Add grated carrots.Cook on medium heat stirring occasionally without closing the lid till the mixture is fairly dry(Opp-30 to 40 mts).Add sugar, cardamom crushed and melon seeds,mix well till everything becomes semi solid dry. Then add ghee and fry well by adding the nuts cashew nuts and badam. Decorate with silver foil and serve after getting cold.
Besan Ka Ladoo
Ingredients :
Ghee - 225 gms Besan - 225 gms Castor sugar - 350 gms Cashewnuts chopped - 1 tsp Almonds chopped - 1 tsp Pistachio - 1 tsp
Method
Place the ghee and besan in a pan over a low heat.
Keep stirring the mixture to avoid the formation of lumps.
When the mixture is cooked, it will release an aromatic flavour.
Remove the pan from the heat and let it cool.
Add the sugar and chopped cashewnuts to the besan mixture and stir in thoroughly.
Now mould small balls of appropriate size, from the mixture
Serve hot or cold
Lentil Salad
Ingredients :
Split green gram -
(without skin) 1/4 cup
Gram dhal - 1/4 cup
Coconut - 1/2 cup
Cucumber - 1 cup
Green chillies - 2
Ginger - 1 cm
Lime - 1/2
Oil - 1 tabs
Salt - 1/2 tsp
Mustard - 1/4 tsp
Urrad dhal - 1/4 tsp
Red chillies - 1
Hing powder - pinch
Method
Clean and soak both the dhals overnight in water. Next morning wash well, and drain off all the liquid. Chop green chillies and ginger. Grate the cucumber and squeeze out the juice.
Just before serving, mix the dhals, green chillies, ginger, cucumber, salt and coconut. Heat oil, add mustard, urrad dhal, red chillies and hing. When mustard splutters pour into the salad, squueze lime juice into it and if liked, add chopped coriander leaves to it. This is a traditional salad and is very nutritious.
Gram Dhal Vada
Ingredients :
Gram dhal - 2 cups
(channa dhal)
Coriander leaves - 1/4 cups
Salt - 3/4 cups
Curry leaves - little
Red chillies - 4
Green chillies - 3
Ginger - 1 cm
Onion - 2
Method
Soak gram dhal in water for 2 hours. Wash with water and drain off water. Chop onion, gren chillies, curry leaves and coriander leaves. Grind the dhal coarsely with red chillies. Add all the other ingredients - make into wadas, deep fry in oil till golden in colour. Can be served hot or cold - very tasty!
The history of Diwali is replete with legends and these legends are moored to the stories of Hindu religious scriptures, mostly the Puranas. Though the central theme of all legends point out to the classic truth of the victory of the good over the evils, the mode of their presentation and the characters differ. Diwali, being the festival of lights, lighting the lamp of knowledge within us means to understand and reflect upon the significant purpose of each of the five days of festivities and to bring those thoughts in to the day to day lives.
The five day of Diwali
The first day of Diwali is called Dhanvantari Triodasi or Dhanwantari Triodasi also called Dhan Theras. The second day of Diwali is called Narak Chaturdasi. It is the fourteenth lunar day (thithi) of the dark forthnight of the month of Kartik and the eve of Diwali. On this day Lord Krishna destroyed the demon Narakasur and made the world free from fear. The third day of Diwali is the actual Diwali. This is the day when worship for Mother Lakshmi is performed. On the fourth day of Diwali, Goverdhan Pooja is performed. The fifth day of the diwali is called Bhratri Dooj. It is a day dedicated to sisters.
Hindu Mythology
The Story of Rama and Sita: Lord Rama was a great warrior King who was exiled by his father Dashratha, the King of Ayodhya, along with his wife Sita and his younger brother Lakshman, on his wife's insistence. Lord Rama returned to his Kingdom Ayodhya after 14 years of exile, in which he put an end to the demon Ravana of Lanka, who was a great Pundit, highly learned but still evil dominated his mind. After this victory of Good over Evil, Rama returned to Ayodhya. In Ayodhya, the people welcomed them by lighting rows of clay lamps. So, it is an occasion in honor of Rama's victory over Ravana; of Truth's victory over Evil.
The Story of King Bali and Vamana Avatar(the Dwarf): The other story concerns King Bali, who was a generous ruler. But he was also very ambitious. Some of the Gods pleaded Vishnu to check King Bali's power. Vishnu came to earth in the form of a Vamana(dwarf) dressed as priest. The dwarf approached King Bali and said "You are the ruler of the three worlds: the Earth, the world above the skies and the underworld. Would you give me the space that I could cover with three strides?" King Bali laughed. Surely a dwarf could not cover much ground, thought the King, who agreed to dwarf's request. At this point, the dwarf changed into Vishnu and his three strides covered the Earth, the Skies and the whole Universe! King Bali was send to the underworld. As part of Diwali celebrations, some Hindus remember King Bali.
The Defeat of Narkasur by Lord Krishna: Lord Vishnu in his 8th incarnation as Krishna destroyed the demon Narkasura, who was causing great unhappiness amongst the people of the world. Narkasura was believed to be a demon of filth, covered in dirt. He used to kidnap beautiful young women and force them to live with him. Eventually, their cries for rescue were heard by Vishnu, who came in the form of Krishna. First, Krishna had to fight with a five-headed monster who guarded the demon's home. Narkasura hoped that his death might bring joy to others. Krishna granted his request and the women were freed. For Hindus, this story is a reminder that good can still come out of evil.
Krishna and The Mountain: In the village of Gokula, many years ago, the people prayed to the God Indra. They believed that Indra sent the rains, which made their crops, grow. But Krishna came along and persuaded the people to worship the mountain Govardhan, because the mountain and the land around it were fertile. This did not please Indra. He sent thunder and torrential rain down on the village. The people cried to Krishna to help. Krishna saved the villagers by lifting the top of the mountain with his finger. The offering of food to God on this day of Diwali is a reminder to Hindus of the importance of food and it is a time for being thankful to God for the bounty of nature.
Sikh Festival Diwali
In Sikh perspective, Diwali is celebrated as the return of the sixth Guru, Guru Hargobind Ji from the captivity of the city, Gwalior. To commemorate his undying love for Sikhism, the towns people lit the way to, Harmandhir Sahib (referred to as the Golden Temple), in his honour.
Jain Festival Diwali
Among the Jain festivals, Diwali is one of the most important one. For on this occasion we celebrate the Nirvana of Lord Mahavira who established the dharma as we follow it. Lord Mahavira was born as Vardhamana on Chaitra Shukla 13th in the Nata clan at Khattiya-kundapura, near Vaishali. He obtained Kevala Gyana on Vishakha Shukla 10 at the Jambhraka village on the banks of Rijukula river at the age of 42.
Deepavali, the literal meaning of which in Sanskrit is 'a row of lamps.' Filling little clay lamps with oil and wick and lighting them in rows all over the house is a tradition that is popular in most regions of the country. Even today in this modern world it projects the rich and glorious past of our country and teaches us to uphold the true values of life. It is associated with many customs and traditions. One of the most curious customs, which characterizes this festival of Diwali, is the indulgence of gambling, especially on a large scale in North India.
The first day of five day long Diwali celebrations is of great importance to the rich community of western India. Houses and business premises are renovated and decorated. Entrances are made colorful with lovely traditional motifs of Rangoli designs to welcome Lakshmi, the Goddess of wealth and prosperity. To indicate her long-awaited arrival, small footprints are drawn with rice flour and vermilion powder all over the houses. Lamps are kept burning all through the night. Believing this day to be auspicious women purchase some gold or silver or at least one or two new utensils.
Lakshmi-Puja is performed in the evenings when tiny diyas of clay are lighted to drive away the shadows of evil spirits, devotional songs- in praise of Goddess Laxmi are sung and Naivedya of traditional sweets is offered to the Goddess. There is a peculiar custom in Maharashtra to lightly pound dry coriander seeds with jaggery and offer as Naivedya In villages cattle are adorned and worshiped by farmers as they form the main source of their income. In south cows are offered special veneration as they are supposed to be the incarnation of Goddess Lakshmi and therefore they are adorned and worshiped on this day .
On second day there is a traditional practice specially in Maharashtra of taking bath before sunrise with oil and "Uptan" (paste) of gram flour and fragrant powders. In northern India, especially in places like Punjab, Diwali is dedicated to the worship of Lord Rama. While in Bengal, Kali/Durga, the goddess of strength, is worshiped. Diwali is one of the few Hindu festivals, which is celebrated in every part of the country, even in states like Kerala that has Onam as its main festival. To the Jains, Deepavali has an added significance to the great event of Mahaveera attaining the Eternal Bliss of Nirvaana.
Govardhan-Puja is also performed in the North on the fourth day. This day is also observed as Annakoot meaning 'mountain of food'. In temples especially in Mathura and Nathadwara, the deities are given milk bath and dressed in shining attires with ornaments of dazzling diamonds, pearls, rubies and other precious stones. After the prayers and traditional worship innumerable varieties of delicious sweets are offered to the deities as "Bhog" and then the devotees approach and take Prasad.
Goddess Lakshmi is worshiped in every Hindu household. In many Hindu homes it is a custom for the wife to put the red tilak on the forehead of her husband, garland him and do his "Aarti" with a prayer for his long life. In appreciation of all the tender care that the wife showers on him, the husband gives her a costly gift. This Gudi Padwa is symbolic of love and devotion between the wife and husband. On this day newly married daughters with their husbands are invited for special meals and given presents. Diwali celebration is a very happy occasion for all.
Diwali Meaning & Significance
Deepavali is a festival where people from all age groups participate. They give expression to their happiness by lighting earthen 'diyas' (lamps), decorating the houses, bursting firecrackers and inviting near and dear ones to their households for partaking in a sumptuous feast. The lighting of lamps is a way of paying obeisance to god for attainment of health, wealth, knowledge, peace, valor and fame.
It is one time in the whole year that children volunteer to leave their beds long before the day begins. In fact, the traditional oil bath at 3 a.m, is the only chore that stands between them and the pre-dawn adventures. They emerge, scrubbed clean to get into their festive attire, and light up little oil lamps, candles and scented sticks(agarbathis), the wherewithal for setting alight crackers and sparklers.
On Diwali night, little clay lamps are lit in Hindus homes, but now a days colored electric lamps are also used. What is the significance of lighting a lamp? There is a logical answer to this question. It is through the light that the beauty of this world is revealed or experienced. Most civilizations of the world recognize the importance of light as a gift of God. It has always been a symbol of whatever is positive in our world of experience.
To Hindus, darkness represents ignorance, and light is a metaphor for knowledge. Therefore, lighting a lamp symbolizes the destruction, through knowledge, of all negative forces- wickedness, violence, lust, anger, envy, greed, bigotry, fear, injustice, oppression and suffering, etc. Competition is stiff, and even the little girl in silk frocks and their finery are watching out for the best sparklers and flowerpots, the rockets and Vishnuchakras, which light-up the night sky like a thousand stars. Grown-ups are the soul of generosity. Festive bonhomie abounds.
Diwali Recipes
Royal Vermicilli Kheer
Ingredients :
Vermicilli - 1/2 cup (thin variety)
Milk - 4 cups
Sugar - 1/2 - 3/4 cup
Cream - 1/4 cup
Ghee - 4 tabs
Almonds - 2 tabs
Cinnamon powder - 1 level tsp
Bananas - 3 (small)
Method
Fry vermicilli in 2 tabs of ghee,till light gold in colour.let it gets cold.Skin almonds-chop them into small pieces.Fry in 2 tabs of ghee,tillwell toasted.
Boil the milk,add the vermicilli and keep on stirring over low heat tillthe vermicilli is just cooked and the milk is thick.(Do not over cook the vermicilli).Reduce heat and add sugar little by little-stirring all the time till the sugar dissolves.
Remove from heat,when cold,mix in the cream,almonds,cinnamon powder and chopped bananas.Serve chilled with a little silver varg on top for decoration.
Rice Kheer
Ingredients :
Rice - 1/2 cup
Milk - 6 cups
Sugar - 3/4 cup
Camphor - pinch
or nutmeg - pinch
Method
Wash rice well, and cook it with milk till semi thick(stirring all the time so that the rice does not stick to the bottom of the vessel and the rice is well cooked.
Reduce heat,add the sugar,little by little when sugar is well incorporated remove from fire.
Fry in ghee the cashewnuts and raisins,till golden in colour.When cold add to kheer.Powder camphor or nutmeg and add that too.Serve hot or cold.
You could add 1/4 cup of beaten cream when the kheer is cold.Instead of sugar you could heat 1-1/4 cup of palm jaggery(or ordinary jaggery) with a 1/4 cup of water-when jaggery completely dissolves-strain and when cold,add to the cold thickened kheer.Add powdered camphor or nutmeg.
Carrot Halwa.
Ingredients :
Carrots -1/2 kg
(preferably Red Delhi Carrots)
Milk -1 litre
Cardamom -4 to 5
Sugar -1/4 kg
Charmagz -1 tbsp
(dried melon seeds)
Ghee or cashew nuts -100 gms
Almonds -a few
Method
Scrap carrots and grate them.Bring milk to a boil in a heavy bottomed pan.Add grated carrots.Cook on medium heat stirring occasionally without closing the lid till the mixture is fairly dry(Opp-30 to 40 mts).Add sugar, cardamom crushed and melon seeds,mix well till everything becomes semi solid dry. Then add ghee and fry well by adding the nuts cashew nuts and badam. Decorate with silver foil and serve after getting cold.
Besan Ka Ladoo
Ingredients :
Ghee - 225 gms Besan - 225 gms Castor sugar - 350 gms Cashewnuts chopped - 1 tsp Almonds chopped - 1 tsp Pistachio - 1 tsp
Method
Place the ghee and besan in a pan over a low heat.
Keep stirring the mixture to avoid the formation of lumps.
When the mixture is cooked, it will release an aromatic flavour.
Remove the pan from the heat and let it cool.
Add the sugar and chopped cashewnuts to the besan mixture and stir in thoroughly.
Now mould small balls of appropriate size, from the mixture
Serve hot or cold
Lentil Salad
Ingredients :
Split green gram -
(without skin) 1/4 cup
Gram dhal - 1/4 cup
Coconut - 1/2 cup
Cucumber - 1 cup
Green chillies - 2
Ginger - 1 cm
Lime - 1/2
Oil - 1 tabs
Salt - 1/2 tsp
Mustard - 1/4 tsp
Urrad dhal - 1/4 tsp
Red chillies - 1
Hing powder - pinch
Method
Clean and soak both the dhals overnight in water. Next morning wash well, and drain off all the liquid. Chop green chillies and ginger. Grate the cucumber and squeeze out the juice.
Just before serving, mix the dhals, green chillies, ginger, cucumber, salt and coconut. Heat oil, add mustard, urrad dhal, red chillies and hing. When mustard splutters pour into the salad, squueze lime juice into it and if liked, add chopped coriander leaves to it. This is a traditional salad and is very nutritious.
Gram Dhal Vada
Ingredients :
Gram dhal - 2 cups
(channa dhal)
Coriander leaves - 1/4 cups
Salt - 3/4 cups
Curry leaves - little
Red chillies - 4
Green chillies - 3
Ginger - 1 cm
Onion - 2
Method
Soak gram dhal in water for 2 hours. Wash with water and drain off water. Chop onion, gren chillies, curry leaves and coriander leaves. Grind the dhal coarsely with red chillies. Add all the other ingredients - make into wadas, deep fry in oil till golden in colour. Can be served hot or cold - very tasty!
Wednesday, October 21, 2009
How cool is this?
The Scavenger Project
This is as much a social experiment as it is an art exhibition. You will receive a universal list that you (and every participant involved) will use to visually interpret each item. Any medium may be used as long as it can be shipped to us (or photos taken and included on a CD). Experimentation and thinking outside of the box is the name of the game.
The final outcome is to document the project in two ways, including multiple exhibitions (at galleries in Brooklyn, NY and Seattle, WA) and in a book.
At least one of your items will be included in the book.
The Book To document the project, we will be creating a book out of the submissions we receive. Each person who participates will have at least one of their submissions printed in the book.
The book will be perfect bound and printed in full color with approximately 60-80 pages.
You can pre-order the book now along with your project for a $5.00 discount.
The ExhibitionsMay 21st, 2010
Brooklyn, NY
Brooklyn Art Library
Brooklyn, NY
June 4th - 6th, 2010
Seattle, WA
Form Space Atelier
2407 1st Avenue
Seattle, WA
The T-Shirt To go along with the project, we’re releasing a limited edition screen printed t-shirt. They are printed on American Apparel 100% cotton tees.
They include the list on top center of the back of the shirt just incase you’ve forgotten your list when inspiration strikes.
T-shirts start shipping October 20th. Price includes shipping!
You can purchase a t-shirt to the left with your project submission for a discounted price.
The RulesGeneralRulesFAQsAgreementTo participate in this project, simply add it to your cart on the left and then proceed with the check out process. We will then send you a welcome packet along with the list of items for you to interpret.
Your goal is to create a piece of artwork, object, or some form of an idea based around each item on the list.
At least one of your pieces will be included in both the book AND the exhibitions.
You may use any medium to create your artwork. However, please keep in mind that you must ship the artwork to us in the mail, so make sure your work is at a size that is able to be shipped. You may also submit your work on a CD. However, by submitting only with a CD, we can unfortunately not include your work in the exhibitions (only the book.) Please make sure to read the details in the "Rules" tab about using a CD to submit.
Due to the nature of the project, we are unable to send work back to you. Please keep this in mind when submitting originals. Because of this, you may want to have your work professionally photographed and submit it on a CD. The collection of artwork will be stored at Brooklyn Art Library in 2010.
___________________________________________________________________________
What fun!!!
I think I must do this!
http://arthousecoop.com/projects/scavengerproject
Tuesday, October 20, 2009
Pretty Pretty lights
Get Out: Orionid Meteor Shower Peaks Overnight
The Orionid meteor shower is expected to put on a good show tonight into the predawn hours Wednesday, weather permitting.
This annual meteor shower is created when Earth passes through trails of comet debris left in space long ago by Halley's Comet. The "shooting stars" develop when bits typically no larger than a pea , and mostly sand-grain-sized, vaporize in Earth's upper atmosphere.
"Flakes of comet dust hitting the atmosphere should give us dozens of meteors per hour," said Bill Cooke of NASA's Meteoroid Environment Office.
People in cities and suburbs will see far fewer meteors, because all but the brightest of them will be overpowered by light pollution. The best view will be from rural areas (the moon will not be a factor, so dark skies will make for ideal viewing).
When and how to watch
The best time to watch will be between 1 a.m. and dawn local time Wednesday morning, regardless of your location. That's when the patch of Earth you are standing on is barreling headlong into space on Earth's orbital track, and meteors get scooped up like bugs on a windshield.
Peak activity, when Earth wades into the densest part of the debris, is expected around 6 a.m. ET (3 a.m. PT).
Some meteors could show up late tonight, too. Late-night viewing typically offers fewer meteors, however, because your patch of Earth is positioned akin to the back window of the speeding car.
The Orionids have been strong in recent years.
"Since 2006, the Orionids have been one of the best showers of the year, with counts of 60 or more meteors per hour," Cooke said.
Some of those counts come in flurries, so skywatchers should find a comfortable spot with as wide a view of the sky as possible. Lie back and allow 15 minutes for your eyes to adjust to the darkness, then give the show at least a half hour to play out through spurts and lulls. Meteors could appear anywhere in the sky, though traced back they will appear to emanate from the constellation Orion.
Telescopes and binoculars are of no use, because meteors move too quickly. Extra warm clothing is a must, and a blanket and pillow or lounge chair allows comfortable positioning so you can look up for long stretches.
Reliable event
Predicting meteor showers is tricky because the debris comes from multiple streams.
Each time comet Halley passes around the sun on its elongated orbit – every 76 years – it lays down a fresh track of debris for Earth to plow through in subsequent years. Those tracks spread out and mingle over time, and we pass the tracks each October during our 365-day, nearly circular trek around the sun.
Japanese researchers Mikiya Sato and Jun-ichi Watanabe say activity in recent years is related to debris put in place from 1266 BC to 911 BC, and this could be another good year, according to NASA.
Even if that prediction does not hold, the Orionids will almost surely put on a decent show. Prior to 2006 and going back many years, the Orionids have produced a reliable 15 to 20 meteors per hour at the peak, for skywatchers with dark skies.
As a bonus, this time of year you can expect an additional five to 10 sporadic meteors per hour – those not related to the shower.
The Orionid meteor shower is expected to put on a good show tonight into the predawn hours Wednesday, weather permitting.
This annual meteor shower is created when Earth passes through trails of comet debris left in space long ago by Halley's Comet. The "shooting stars" develop when bits typically no larger than a pea , and mostly sand-grain-sized, vaporize in Earth's upper atmosphere.
"Flakes of comet dust hitting the atmosphere should give us dozens of meteors per hour," said Bill Cooke of NASA's Meteoroid Environment Office.
People in cities and suburbs will see far fewer meteors, because all but the brightest of them will be overpowered by light pollution. The best view will be from rural areas (the moon will not be a factor, so dark skies will make for ideal viewing).
When and how to watch
The best time to watch will be between 1 a.m. and dawn local time Wednesday morning, regardless of your location. That's when the patch of Earth you are standing on is barreling headlong into space on Earth's orbital track, and meteors get scooped up like bugs on a windshield.
Peak activity, when Earth wades into the densest part of the debris, is expected around 6 a.m. ET (3 a.m. PT).
Some meteors could show up late tonight, too. Late-night viewing typically offers fewer meteors, however, because your patch of Earth is positioned akin to the back window of the speeding car.
The Orionids have been strong in recent years.
"Since 2006, the Orionids have been one of the best showers of the year, with counts of 60 or more meteors per hour," Cooke said.
Some of those counts come in flurries, so skywatchers should find a comfortable spot with as wide a view of the sky as possible. Lie back and allow 15 minutes for your eyes to adjust to the darkness, then give the show at least a half hour to play out through spurts and lulls. Meteors could appear anywhere in the sky, though traced back they will appear to emanate from the constellation Orion.
Telescopes and binoculars are of no use, because meteors move too quickly. Extra warm clothing is a must, and a blanket and pillow or lounge chair allows comfortable positioning so you can look up for long stretches.
Reliable event
Predicting meteor showers is tricky because the debris comes from multiple streams.
Each time comet Halley passes around the sun on its elongated orbit – every 76 years – it lays down a fresh track of debris for Earth to plow through in subsequent years. Those tracks spread out and mingle over time, and we pass the tracks each October during our 365-day, nearly circular trek around the sun.
Japanese researchers Mikiya Sato and Jun-ichi Watanabe say activity in recent years is related to debris put in place from 1266 BC to 911 BC, and this could be another good year, according to NASA.
Even if that prediction does not hold, the Orionids will almost surely put on a decent show. Prior to 2006 and going back many years, the Orionids have produced a reliable 15 to 20 meteors per hour at the peak, for skywatchers with dark skies.
As a bonus, this time of year you can expect an additional five to 10 sporadic meteors per hour – those not related to the shower.
Monday, October 19, 2009
Holy Cow!
I promised to write about things that cause ripples....well..the little jar above certainly rippled my life! I have chronically dry skin and had resigned myself to becoming an alligator. ......Not any more. this stuff is amazing!
It's not greasy, it's not stinky (it's got a nice light clean smell to it)...it sinks right on into your skin it doesn't stain.
My skin feels amazing!
If you have dry or rough skin you've got to try this!
and it's incredibly cheap.
Sunday, October 4, 2009
Saturday, October 3, 2009
For those of you who are against Non-traditional marriage....
I thought I'd lay a little biblical marriage on ya...
yup...that pretty much sums it up.
I've often wondered with that much booty in the palace how anything ever got done.
yup...that pretty much sums it up.
I've often wondered with that much booty in the palace how anything ever got done.
Friday, October 2, 2009
Justice
Websters defines justice thusly
jus·tice
Pronunciation: \ˈjəs-təs\
Function: noun
Etymology: Middle English, from Anglo-French justise, from Latin justitia, from justus
Date: 12th century
1 a : the maintenance or administration of what is just especially by the impartial adjustment of conflicting claims or the assignment of merited rewards or punishments b : judge c : the administration of law; especially : the establishment or determination of rights according to the rules of law or equity
2 a : the quality of being just, impartial, or fair b (1) : the principle or ideal of just dealing or right action (2) : conformity to this principle or ideal : righteousness c : the quality of conforming to law
3 : conformity to truth, fact, or reason : correctness
A havard professor is teaching a course on Justice...and it's fascinating.
http://www.justiceharvard.org/
He poses some hard and interesting scenarios. There are episodes of the various class discussions online.
It makes for very interesting watching.
jus·tice
Pronunciation: \ˈjəs-təs\
Function: noun
Etymology: Middle English, from Anglo-French justise, from Latin justitia, from justus
Date: 12th century
1 a : the maintenance or administration of what is just especially by the impartial adjustment of conflicting claims or the assignment of merited rewards or punishments b : judge c : the administration of law; especially : the establishment or determination of rights according to the rules of law or equity
2 a : the quality of being just, impartial, or fair b (1) : the principle or ideal of just dealing or right action (2) : conformity to this principle or ideal : righteousness c : the quality of conforming to law
3 : conformity to truth, fact, or reason : correctness
A havard professor is teaching a course on Justice...and it's fascinating.
http://www.justiceharvard.org/
He poses some hard and interesting scenarios. There are episodes of the various class discussions online.
It makes for very interesting watching.
Thursday, October 1, 2009
I got no reason to bitch...
One of his mottos is ...never...ever ...give up.
I can appreciate that spirit.
Go visit his website... get inspired.
Friday, September 25, 2009
Oy.......just...oy
Today was one of THOSE days.
I just came back into the room from grabbing some tea for my guests when it struck me.....
There's a Rasta..a witch...a redneck....and a drag queen sitting on my sofa.
*SNERK*
Sunday, September 20, 2009
Joy...the ultimate rebellion.
I know...I am SUCH a geek...but JW's words really struck a nerve with me when I heard them.
I haven't posted here for a bit I've been busy fighting some inner demons and shoveling out my mental/emotional stables(check out my other blog if you're interested or if you just want to roll your eyes - I've been whining, wubbering,angsting and wailing all over it). I took time off to just be completely inwardly focused - not an easy thing for me. It was needed though.
Back to pursuing my arch enemy (the point).
The concept of the expression of joy being the ultimate act of rebellion...just tickles the hell out of me on so very many levels.
The more I thought about it, the more it made sense.
Think about it.... a lot of todays great battles are being fought over happiness pursuit (which by the way is a constitutional RIGHT!)
Things that bring one joy...
Things you wouldn't think should be a legal issue... like who you're in love with, who you marry, who you have sex with.... you'd think those very simple thingw would just be left up to the individuals and not meddled in by our government. But no... they're NOT left to the individual for some reason someone decided that those simple bits of personal joy had to be dictated to and restricted by laws.
That's so very wrong.
How do we fix this? well.. it's not going to be easy - but proudly expressing your joy is a start...it's a great way to rebell when you think of it. Be prepared though, being joyful will cause envy (which in some ways I think is the root of most problems). Envy will in turn cause anger which will result in some harsh rocky times...but I think and hope that in the end that human beings are kind and rational enough to actually LOOK at things. See people happily living their lives.....causing harm to none and actually making the world a better place because- well- they're happy.
Think of it, happy joyful people don't start shit. I'd wager that not a single war has been started with happiness at it's root cause. Somehow I just can't see joyful people causing others pain. Most happy people that I know are more focused on that happiness and actually sharing it with others.
So..here's my point...yeah..I had one...Rebel against the machine by expressing and feeling joy.
Wednesday, September 2, 2009
Steppford Children - Dangerous Beauty 2
Does anyone care to guess how old the children in these photos are?
Well they're both under 12....and the one on the right is 5 years old.
Why is a 5 year old wearing more makeup than I wore one halloween when I dressed up like a madame? I wonder what sort of message having someone pile so much gook on her face gives a child of such a young age.
Is it all just fun?(I love a good costume - thoroughly enjoy cosplay - this sort of thing could be like that) or is it damaging to the child's self image? To me it seems a bit like some sort of fancy kennel club competition.A child show rather than a dog or horse show. It's all rather off putting because there's no way that it could be the kids idea (not the wee ones in any case)
I live in the south, where big hair and beauty pagents are a big deal. I've known friends who put their kids into these shows. It's pretty much normal to spend over 1000 for a dress. One dress.....for a kid. and it's a dress that can only be worn once or twice and it's not indestructable....or bullet proof.I've got a friend who's bought 4 of these monsters for her daughter...they don't make coffee or take out the trash or anything else useful. They just take up closet space. This child didn't have any books..but she has 4 one thousand dollar dresses. I remedied that whole no books situation pretty quickly.
it's a mystery to me.
why would someone's mother subject their child to torturous hours of hair and makeup..and then stuff them into little ruffled cages?
Friday, August 28, 2009
Excess (with the shiny comes the tarnished)
My last blog was about an average couple doing something unexpected and really quite nice.....this one is about something that hopped off the headlines and offended me this morning.
Richest Man In India Builds $1 Billion House
What would you do if your net worth were $22 billion? If you were Indian businessman Mukesh Ambani, you might build yourself the world's most expensive home. As designed by Chicago architecture firm Perkins + Will, the in-progress glass-tower is estimated at $1 billion and is known to feature, at the least, a health club, multiple "safe" rooms, 3 helipads, 168 parking spaces and require 600 servants to maintain, and physically, the structure stands at 27 stories, or 570 feet tall.
According to the Mumbai Mirror, the tower will also contain:
Floor for car maintenance Sources said the Ambanis would prefer to have all their cars serviced and maintained at an in-house service centre. This centre will be set up on the seventh floor.
Entertainment floor
The eighth floor will have an entertainment centre comprising a mini-theatre with a seating capacity of 50.
Balconies with gardens
The rooftop of the mini-theatre will serve as a garden, and immediately above that, three more balconies with terrace gardens will be independent floors.
The 'health' floors
While the ninth floor will a 'refuge' floor -- meant to be used for rescue in emergencies -- two floors above that will be set aside for 'health.' One of these will have facilities for athletics and a swimming pool, while the other will have a health club complete with the latest gym equipment.
Family
The four floors at the top, that will provide a view of the Arabian Sea and a superb view of the city's skyline, will be for Mukesh, his wife Neeta, their three children and Mukesh's mother Kokilaben.
Air space floor
According to the plan, two floors above the family's residence will be set aside as maintenance areas, and on top of that will be an "air space floor," which will act as a control room for helicopters landing on the helipad above.
Watch a video of the tower's progress here:
Granted...the economic stimulus from building this monster will help the country. Plus it's creating 600 jobs.....servant class jobs in a very class/caste based society.....but SERIOUSLY!!! a billion dollars for a house...1 house...when you have filth filled ghettos and starving children on the streets?
Hopefully he'll be able to look out the window of the huge tower and actually SEE the condition of his people.....then maybe he'll use some of that other 20+billion dollars he has in his larder to actually make a difference.
he could have spent a million or 10 on a mighty fine mansion..then used the rest feed, house and educate a lot of children.
Richest Man In India Builds $1 Billion House
What would you do if your net worth were $22 billion? If you were Indian businessman Mukesh Ambani, you might build yourself the world's most expensive home. As designed by Chicago architecture firm Perkins + Will, the in-progress glass-tower is estimated at $1 billion and is known to feature, at the least, a health club, multiple "safe" rooms, 3 helipads, 168 parking spaces and require 600 servants to maintain, and physically, the structure stands at 27 stories, or 570 feet tall.
According to the Mumbai Mirror, the tower will also contain:
Floor for car maintenance Sources said the Ambanis would prefer to have all their cars serviced and maintained at an in-house service centre. This centre will be set up on the seventh floor.
Entertainment floor
The eighth floor will have an entertainment centre comprising a mini-theatre with a seating capacity of 50.
Balconies with gardens
The rooftop of the mini-theatre will serve as a garden, and immediately above that, three more balconies with terrace gardens will be independent floors.
The 'health' floors
While the ninth floor will a 'refuge' floor -- meant to be used for rescue in emergencies -- two floors above that will be set aside for 'health.' One of these will have facilities for athletics and a swimming pool, while the other will have a health club complete with the latest gym equipment.
Family
The four floors at the top, that will provide a view of the Arabian Sea and a superb view of the city's skyline, will be for Mukesh, his wife Neeta, their three children and Mukesh's mother Kokilaben.
Air space floor
According to the plan, two floors above the family's residence will be set aside as maintenance areas, and on top of that will be an "air space floor," which will act as a control room for helicopters landing on the helipad above.
Watch a video of the tower's progress here:
Granted...the economic stimulus from building this monster will help the country. Plus it's creating 600 jobs.....servant class jobs in a very class/caste based society.....but SERIOUSLY!!! a billion dollars for a house...1 house...when you have filth filled ghettos and starving children on the streets?
Hopefully he'll be able to look out the window of the huge tower and actually SEE the condition of his people.....then maybe he'll use some of that other 20+billion dollars he has in his larder to actually make a difference.
he could have spent a million or 10 on a mighty fine mansion..then used the rest feed, house and educate a lot of children.
Monday, August 24, 2009
Random Acts of Shiny
Before I hop back up on my soapbox I'd like to share one of those positive ripples I was talking about earlier in this blog with you.
Is that not the BEST wedding entrance ever? Those are people who really understand taking joy in the moment.
it gets better....
Jill and Kevin met when Kevin’s childhood friend, Jeff, married Jill’s college friend, Ann, in 2005. They were both in the wedding party. Jill could not resist Kevin’s wit and charm. Kevin could not resist Jill’s intellect, nor her remarkable dance moves.
SO wedding's have a very special level of meaning for both of them...
The response to the video was so overwhelming they decided that they'd try to direct all of that outpoured energy into a positive direction
so they posted a website http://www.jkweddingdance.com/
The couple writes:
We have been through a lot in life, but have come through each experience stronger and more in love with each other. Our experience since we posted the video has been incredible. We would never have expected this response to our wedding entrance in a million years.
We hope to direct this positivity to a good cause. Due to the circumstances surrounding the song in our wedding video, we have chosen the Sheila Wellstone Institute
Sheila Wellstone was an advocate, organizer, and national champion in the effort to end domestic violence in our communities.
We are so grateful for all the love, kind words, and joy that have been shared with us from around the world. It has moved us deeply and filled our hearts.
If you would like to contact us, email jkweddinginfo@gmail.com
Never stop dancing.
With so much love,
Jill and Kevin
.The "circumstances" refer to the domestic abuse allegations directed toward Chris Brown, who sang the song in the video.
So Kudos to J&K for sharing their joy.....and then taking it a step further
Keep dancing indeed.
Is that not the BEST wedding entrance ever? Those are people who really understand taking joy in the moment.
it gets better....
Jill and Kevin met when Kevin’s childhood friend, Jeff, married Jill’s college friend, Ann, in 2005. They were both in the wedding party. Jill could not resist Kevin’s wit and charm. Kevin could not resist Jill’s intellect, nor her remarkable dance moves.
SO wedding's have a very special level of meaning for both of them...
The response to the video was so overwhelming they decided that they'd try to direct all of that outpoured energy into a positive direction
so they posted a website http://www.jkweddingdance.com/
The couple writes:
We have been through a lot in life, but have come through each experience stronger and more in love with each other. Our experience since we posted the video has been incredible. We would never have expected this response to our wedding entrance in a million years.
We hope to direct this positivity to a good cause. Due to the circumstances surrounding the song in our wedding video, we have chosen the Sheila Wellstone Institute
Sheila Wellstone was an advocate, organizer, and national champion in the effort to end domestic violence in our communities.
We are so grateful for all the love, kind words, and joy that have been shared with us from around the world. It has moved us deeply and filled our hearts.
If you would like to contact us, email jkweddinginfo@gmail.com
Never stop dancing.
With so much love,
Jill and Kevin
.The "circumstances" refer to the domestic abuse allegations directed toward Chris Brown, who sang the song in the video.
So Kudos to J&K for sharing their joy.....and then taking it a step further
Keep dancing indeed.
That's not fair...(Dangerous Beauty part 2 will happen later)
I hear that phrase almost every day while I'm sitting at my desk working - my front porch and yard seems to be the gathering place of choice for the neighborhood kids and they are all about the fairness.
No, I don't have children....but they have me. My upstairs neighbor has a 6 year old and the 'hood' (I mean that literally) that I live in is full of youngsters. My yard and porch are their playground of choice. I don't mind...I love hearing them laugh and play (even though they do occassionally sound like a zoo full of howler monkeys in full voice). As long as they obey my rules (1- Be kind to one another 2- no hitting or killing each other..it makes a mess and I don't want to clean it up 3- no name calling and 4 - pick up after yourselves) it's a mutually beneficial arraingement.
Any hoo..
I was working (a state that I pretty much stay in) yesterday when I overheard my little neighbor complaining very loudly about the manifest unfairness of one of her playmates.
Ari and ZuZu( and yes..the child's middle name is Petals...I shit thee not) were arguing over a trinket.
Ari had given ZuZu said trinket a couple of weeks ago and wanted it back. ZuZu said no. Ari pointed out that it was really her trinket and that if she didn't get it back that she'd be in big trouble because her Mama was asking about said item. Zuzu said that she'd given ZayZay ( what?! I swear to god I don't make these names up!)the trinket in exchange for a trip down the hill in his new ride (a shopping cart tricked out with cars and streamers)At which point Ariana burst out with the "that's not fair!" Zuzu paused to think about it for a moment then said " Sure is fair! it was mine...so I could do whatever I want with it. It's all on you if you get into trouble"
That got me thinking about the nature of fairness
How many times a day do you say or think "that's not fair"
I do it all the time..because..hey..face it..life's not fair.
Can you imagine what it would be like if it were?
On one hand I'm practically drooling at that scenario, on the other....I look at the amount of grace that various friends and I have recieved and am profoundly grateful for some of that lack of fairness.
To be fair...hmm interesting choice of word
I suppose I should pick up Ms.Dictionary and define fairness and then break it down.
fair 1 (fâr)
adj. fair·er, fair·est
1. Of pleasing appearance, especially because of a pure or fresh quality; comely.
Hmmm.. that sounds rather nice. I mean..who doesn't want things to be pure fresh and comely...of course then you get into the question of who gets to define what's comely
2.a. Light in color, especially blond: fair hair.b. Of light complexion: fair skin.
Okay..now that doesn't sound good at all....not that I have anything against pale blonds I just prefer things the way they are with all the wonderful variety. Can you imagine a world filled with nothing but pale skinned light haired people? It would be like visual custard.
3. Free of clouds or storms; clear and sunny: fair skies.
That'd be nice for a few days...but without the rainy days we'd die out pretty quickly..imagine nothing but sun day after day after day. No snow angels, no amazing storms, no rainbows, no cloud animals - no....I don't think I'd like that at all.
4. Free of blemishes or stains; clean and pure
Okay, we're back to custard. Now I like custard..but all custard...all the time?
5. Promising; likely: We're in a fair way to succeed.
That one's not so bad. but if it's always fair... as in you're always likely to succeed...wouldn't some of the joy go out of the success?
6.
a. Having or exhibiting a disposition that is free of favoritism or bias; impartial: a fair mediator.
b. Just to all parties; equitable: a compromise that is fair to both factions.
I like that definition! even though there are times when I really do WANT there to be bias, I mean who doesn't like having things go their way? But..can you imagine if the world and powers that be were equitable to all? that would be a marvel.
Synonyms: just, equitable, impartial, unprejudiced, unbiased, objective, dispassionate
These adjectives mean free from favoritism, self-interest, or preference in judgment.
Just stresses conformity with what is legally or ethically right or proper: "a just and lasting peace" (Abraham Lincoln).
Equitable implies justice dictated by reason, conscience, and a natural sense of what is fair: an equitable distribution of gifts among the children.
Impartial emphasizes lack of favoritism: "the cold neutrality of an impartial judge" (Edmund Burke).
Unprejudiced means without preconceived opinions or judgments: an unprejudiced evaluation of the proposal.
Unbiased implies absence of a preference or partiality: gave an unbiased account of her family problems.
Objective implies detachment that permits impersonal observation and judgment: an objective jury.
hmmm can we pick an choose which meanings of Fair we want to apply?
No...we can't.
Life's like that.
Life isn't fair...
If life were fair I have friends who would be dead 20 times over because they've done some stupid shit and in all fairness should have paid the full measure of consequences for it.
....I'm glad they didn't
Hell..by that token I'm pretty glad that life isn't fair for me - otherwise things might be much much worse. I'm by no means Atilla the hun but if I'd gotten my just deserts a time or two I assure you I wouldn't be sitting here typing out this blog.
Sometimes I'm profoundly grateful for life not being fair.
No, I don't have children....but they have me. My upstairs neighbor has a 6 year old and the 'hood' (I mean that literally) that I live in is full of youngsters. My yard and porch are their playground of choice. I don't mind...I love hearing them laugh and play (even though they do occassionally sound like a zoo full of howler monkeys in full voice). As long as they obey my rules (1- Be kind to one another 2- no hitting or killing each other..it makes a mess and I don't want to clean it up 3- no name calling and 4 - pick up after yourselves) it's a mutually beneficial arraingement.
Any hoo..
I was working (a state that I pretty much stay in) yesterday when I overheard my little neighbor complaining very loudly about the manifest unfairness of one of her playmates.
Ari and ZuZu( and yes..the child's middle name is Petals...I shit thee not) were arguing over a trinket.
Ari had given ZuZu said trinket a couple of weeks ago and wanted it back. ZuZu said no. Ari pointed out that it was really her trinket and that if she didn't get it back that she'd be in big trouble because her Mama was asking about said item. Zuzu said that she'd given ZayZay ( what?! I swear to god I don't make these names up!)the trinket in exchange for a trip down the hill in his new ride (a shopping cart tricked out with cars and streamers)At which point Ariana burst out with the "that's not fair!" Zuzu paused to think about it for a moment then said " Sure is fair! it was mine...so I could do whatever I want with it. It's all on you if you get into trouble"
That got me thinking about the nature of fairness
How many times a day do you say or think "that's not fair"
I do it all the time..because..hey..face it..life's not fair.
Can you imagine what it would be like if it were?
On one hand I'm practically drooling at that scenario, on the other....I look at the amount of grace that various friends and I have recieved and am profoundly grateful for some of that lack of fairness.
To be fair...hmm interesting choice of word
I suppose I should pick up Ms.Dictionary and define fairness and then break it down.
fair 1 (fâr)
adj. fair·er, fair·est
1. Of pleasing appearance, especially because of a pure or fresh quality; comely.
Hmmm.. that sounds rather nice. I mean..who doesn't want things to be pure fresh and comely...of course then you get into the question of who gets to define what's comely
2.a. Light in color, especially blond: fair hair.b. Of light complexion: fair skin.
Okay..now that doesn't sound good at all....not that I have anything against pale blonds I just prefer things the way they are with all the wonderful variety. Can you imagine a world filled with nothing but pale skinned light haired people? It would be like visual custard.
3. Free of clouds or storms; clear and sunny: fair skies.
That'd be nice for a few days...but without the rainy days we'd die out pretty quickly..imagine nothing but sun day after day after day. No snow angels, no amazing storms, no rainbows, no cloud animals - no....I don't think I'd like that at all.
4. Free of blemishes or stains; clean and pure
Okay, we're back to custard. Now I like custard..but all custard...all the time?
5. Promising; likely: We're in a fair way to succeed.
That one's not so bad. but if it's always fair... as in you're always likely to succeed...wouldn't some of the joy go out of the success?
6.
a. Having or exhibiting a disposition that is free of favoritism or bias; impartial: a fair mediator.
b. Just to all parties; equitable: a compromise that is fair to both factions.
I like that definition! even though there are times when I really do WANT there to be bias, I mean who doesn't like having things go their way? But..can you imagine if the world and powers that be were equitable to all? that would be a marvel.
Synonyms: just, equitable, impartial, unprejudiced, unbiased, objective, dispassionate
These adjectives mean free from favoritism, self-interest, or preference in judgment.
Just stresses conformity with what is legally or ethically right or proper: "a just and lasting peace" (Abraham Lincoln).
Equitable implies justice dictated by reason, conscience, and a natural sense of what is fair: an equitable distribution of gifts among the children.
Impartial emphasizes lack of favoritism: "the cold neutrality of an impartial judge" (Edmund Burke).
Unprejudiced means without preconceived opinions or judgments: an unprejudiced evaluation of the proposal.
Unbiased implies absence of a preference or partiality: gave an unbiased account of her family problems.
Objective implies detachment that permits impersonal observation and judgment: an objective jury.
hmmm can we pick an choose which meanings of Fair we want to apply?
No...we can't.
Life's like that.
Life isn't fair...
If life were fair I have friends who would be dead 20 times over because they've done some stupid shit and in all fairness should have paid the full measure of consequences for it.
....I'm glad they didn't
Hell..by that token I'm pretty glad that life isn't fair for me - otherwise things might be much much worse. I'm by no means Atilla the hun but if I'd gotten my just deserts a time or two I assure you I wouldn't be sitting here typing out this blog.
Sometimes I'm profoundly grateful for life not being fair.
Wednesday, August 19, 2009
Dangerous Beauty... part one
I look around me and I see women putting themselves through absolute hell to reach and maintain a beauty ideal that isn't even remotely based on reality. We're a product of mass brain washing...
The media bombards us daily with images of what we're supposed to look like. They show us an ideal form that most of us can't even begin to hope to attain.
Actresses and models - our visual rolemodels have personal trainers, diets a pampered racehorse would find restrictive (usually prepared for them by a chef), a fleet of hair stylists, makeup artists, clothing designers, dressers, plastic surgeons, foundation garments that lift, seperate, grind together push pull tape and tug their bodies into the "perfect" most desireable configuratation. ....The images we see on our screens and in our magazines are polished within an inch of their lives before they make it to the screen, expertly lit and shot and then taken into computers and every flaw imagined and real is airbrushed out before we see them and then they're held up as "the norm" what a real woman should look like....
We see these images...they become our emotional holy grail.
Men want them (I'm writing this from a female heterocentric perspective I know men have their own visual demons)...women want to be them and both are doomed to disappointment because they're chasing illusions. They're questing for phantoms created on a computer screen...or on the operating table..or in the makeup chair.
How can the average woman/mother/teenager even begin to hope to live up to such a rarified ideal? We have only ourselves to rely on...no support crews of groomers...usually limited budgets.. and photoshopping just isn't usefull when you're walking around on the street.
Normal people ....regular every day folks...have wrinkles...they have expressions...they have flaws..they have flab...gravity works.
And in each and every form there is some beauty..simply because that is the person as time made them.
I'd like to think that we're more than the sum of our parts.
I know that I'm more than just a collection of body parts - hell if it came down to just my body parts by todays standards I would be one of the most unlovable people on the planet - I'm morbidly obese, I have scars, no breasts to speak of (and what I have are proof positive that gravity works), my hair is an unruly mess of half curly half straight reddish mud brown. I wear glasses, I have uneven teeth, I'm plain as toast without butter and I'm short.
Housed in that less than cosmo perfect shell is a sharp mind a warped sense of humor a loyal heart, a smidge of talent and a collection of skills that I'm beginning to note are not commonplace.
Yes, I have image issues...mostly brought on by people treating me like a second class citizen. Some brought on because despite being a semi-rational human being I buy into the hype. It's hard to feel like a human being when people turn their noses up at you.
then part of me questions..what's wrong with simply being as god and time made you?
Monday, August 17, 2009
and now for something completely different
I'm working on a nice meaty blog post about beauty and how our expectations have been warped by the media but it's taking me a bit of time to put together...in the interim...check this out!
Now pardon me while I face the west and bow to a true photoshop master.
.....I have been outshopped.
Now pardon me while I face the west and bow to a true photoshop master.
.....I have been outshopped.
Friday, August 14, 2009
Faith...
With love understanding ...and a bit of faith we can work marvels.
This is a story about a dog who was born on Christmas Eve in 2002. she was born with 3 legs - 2 healthy hind legs and 1 abnormal front leg which needed to be amputated. Of course she couldn't walk. Her first owner also did not think that she could survive. Therefore, he was thinking of putting her to sleep..
At this time, her present owner Jude Stringfellow came into her life and wanted to take care of her. She was determined to teach and train this dog to walk by herself
She thought, all we need is a little faith. Therefore she named her 'Faith.'
In the beginning, she put Faith on a skate board to let her feel the motion - it wasn't the best solution because Faith kept falling off. Later she used peanut butter on a spoon as a lure and to reward her for standing up and jumping around. Even the other dogs at home helped to encourage her to walk. Amazingly, after only 6 months, like a miracle, Faith learned to balance on her 2 hind legs and jumped to move forward. She now walks upright like a human being and brings joy to everyone who meets her.
She's a living breathing illustration on overcoming hard hands you're dealt. In life there are always hardship.
Perhaps all you really need to get over those hurdles is a little love, some hard work and ...someone to believe that you CAN do it.
Life is a continual demonstration of the power of thinking positive and having faith.
Believe in yourself.
Never lose faith.
Wednesday, August 12, 2009
enough...
I wish you enough sun to keep your attitude bright no matter how gray the day may appear..
I wish you enough rain to appreciate the sun even more.
I wish you enough happiness to keep your spirit alive and everlasting.
I wish you enough pain so that even the smallest of joys in life may appear bigger.
I wish you enough gain to satisfy your wanting.
I wish you enough loss to appreciate all that you possess.
I wish you enough hellos to get you through the final good- bye.
I wish you...enough.
I wish you enough rain to appreciate the sun even more.
I wish you enough happiness to keep your spirit alive and everlasting.
I wish you enough pain so that even the smallest of joys in life may appear bigger.
I wish you enough gain to satisfy your wanting.
I wish you enough loss to appreciate all that you possess.
I wish you enough hellos to get you through the final good- bye.
I wish you...enough.
I've never wanted to hurl a teacup at the Mona Lisa...
I was just reading the headlines while having my morning grapefruit juice (hey don't judge.. it's vitamen C and better for me than the vat of coffee that I really WANT to drink.) and it seems that yet another loony has attacked a piece of art. Fortunately Mona is behind bullet proof glass so she was completely unphased by this latest attack.
Look at her though...she's all caged up. That's rather sad for all the art students who'd really love to get close enough to check out the brush strokes.
For some reason throughout history there have been people who just go off their nut and suddenly attack art. Mona's glass cage came about after someone threw acid on her back in the 50s.
The "Night Watch" by Rembrandt is another famous work that seems to inspire violence. It's been slashed, stabbed and given the acid treatment too - fortunately Rembrandt used a whole lot of varnish and the acid attack merely brushed the surface of that and ultimately resulted in the piece being fully restored ( whoo hoo..thank you crazy person!).
What can I say? Art provokes response....at least successful art does.
Go to your local museum ..or if you don't have a museum handy go online and browse for art - it's all over the place.
Look carefully...you'll find pieces that move you (hopefully not to vandalism)
Art is the way we chronicle our lives..sometimes its what we use to make sense of things that are too outrageous for putting into words. It's a means of expressing outrage. Images that may outlast the history books biased reporting of "the facts"
One of my personal favorites is "keep your coins..I want change"
preach it brother.
Tuesday, August 11, 2009
Ripples in a pond.
I suppose you could say that this blog is my pebble into the virtual pond.
It's an imperfect metaphor but have you ever dropped a pebble into a pond or watched as rain fell into a puddle each drop makes ripples that spread out getting progressively larger.
Each person in the world represents a portion of the greater whole... we're all drops of water in the bucket..pebbles tossed into the pond. our actions no matter how insignificant produce ripples that whether we see them or not affect the world around us. Each and every single drop makes a difference and adds to the whole ...every pebble causes change...
Some pebbles/drops are bigger than others(Ghandi, Martin Luther King, Mother Theresa, Hitler, Jim Jones, Ghengis Khan, Nelson Mandella) those usually make a splash and cause bigger deeper ripples. There are both good and bad pebbles/drops, it's up to each of us what sort we become...
Free will, baby - it's God's greatest gift and biggest cosmic practical joke (and lets just be clear here...by God I mean the supreme creator of the whole she-bang as I personally see him/her....your God or lack thereof is your own personal choice and I'm cool with that ... it's all good. At the end of the day it comes down to whatever gets you through the hard times...and I just happen to believe in God and mine has a wicked warped sense of humor- just look at the duckbilled platypus, sex and the Bush family - somebody somewhere is laughing their ass off while we poor hairless monkeys scramble about trying to figure those things out.).
But that's a whole nother post... for now it's all about ripples.
Each drop/pebble causes a ripple..each ripple spreads out growing larger as it goes -
You want to test that?
Do something kind for a complete stranger with absolutely no expectation of thanks or even acknowledgement.
You'll feel great...and so will they...odds are pretty good you'll enjoy the feeling so much you'll want to do it again...congrats..you've started a ripple in your own internal water... odds are good that the person you helped will go on and either help someone else or they'll tell someone about the nice stranger who helped them out and brightened their day and that person will smile and carry the story and sometimes the sentiment and action on with them.
At the very least you'll most likely each go away from the moment smiling...the funny thing about smiles is that when you give them ...they get returned and spread.
One of the coolest illustrations of rippling has to be Juan Mann's Hug Project
It never fails to make me smile - see there..one pebble..causing a ripple...that caused another.
To find out more about Juan - go to his site
http://juanmann.com/
I think that the point of this post is to show that one person can make some sort of difference in the world...it's up to the individual to decide what he or she wants that difference to be - positive or negative.
Liberty and justice ...for all
There are days when I think back on my experiences in grade school and reflect on the simple things like saying the Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag every morning.
I wonder if we shouldn't start saying that pledge again.
We may want to...
if for no other reason than to imprint the words "With Liberty and Justice for all" on the hearts and minds of our country's future leaders.
Have you ever thought about those words? They're so simple and yet so very powerful
Lets break them down.
Liberty
Do a quick google and you'll find that
Liberty means a lot of things but the ones that stand out to me the most are
* autonomy: immunity from arbitrary exercise of authority: political independence
* freedom of choice; "liberty of opinion"; "liberty of worship"; "liberty--perfect liberty--to think or feel or do just as one pleases"; "at liberty to choose whatever occupation one wishes"
* personal freedom from servitude or confinement or oppression
Wow, pretty powerful stuff...and we used to pledge every day that our country stood for Liberty.
Liberty and justice...
Not just one but both
Liberty...
AND
Justice
Like Liberty...justice has a lot of flavors
one dictionary defines it thus : the quality of being righteous or fair. Many philosophers, theologians and others define justice as the proper ordering of people and things. Behind the concept of justice lies the notion of balance--that people get what is right, fair and appropriate. Justice also includes the notion of upholding the law, as in the work of police, judges and the court.
When I was a child some 40 years ago... we pledged every single day to stand in support of a flag that stood for Liberty and Justice
for all...not just one...ALL.
Then somewhere along the way someone...somewhere decided that a pledge that said we'd stand in support of liberty and justice was somehow stunting someones rights...so the pledge stopped being said.
and that makes me sad.
Right now we really need to stand and pledge our support for liberty and justice...for all
Before someone nips in and takes those basic rights from us.
Every person has the right to liberty...every person has the right to justice...and our constitution even grants every American the right to pursue happiness (not to have it given to you on a platter..but by golly you can sure pursue it and if you manage to chase it down and catch it...yay you!).
I wonder if we shouldn't start saying that pledge again.
We may want to...
if for no other reason than to imprint the words "With Liberty and Justice for all" on the hearts and minds of our country's future leaders.
Have you ever thought about those words? They're so simple and yet so very powerful
Lets break them down.
Liberty
Do a quick google and you'll find that
Liberty means a lot of things but the ones that stand out to me the most are
* autonomy: immunity from arbitrary exercise of authority: political independence
* freedom of choice; "liberty of opinion"; "liberty of worship"; "liberty--perfect liberty--to think or feel or do just as one pleases"; "at liberty to choose whatever occupation one wishes"
* personal freedom from servitude or confinement or oppression
Wow, pretty powerful stuff...and we used to pledge every day that our country stood for Liberty.
Liberty and justice...
Not just one but both
Liberty...
AND
Justice
Like Liberty...justice has a lot of flavors
one dictionary defines it thus : the quality of being righteous or fair. Many philosophers, theologians and others define justice as the proper ordering of people and things. Behind the concept of justice lies the notion of balance--that people get what is right, fair and appropriate. Justice also includes the notion of upholding the law, as in the work of police, judges and the court.
When I was a child some 40 years ago... we pledged every single day to stand in support of a flag that stood for Liberty and Justice
for all...not just one...ALL.
Then somewhere along the way someone...somewhere decided that a pledge that said we'd stand in support of liberty and justice was somehow stunting someones rights...so the pledge stopped being said.
and that makes me sad.
Right now we really need to stand and pledge our support for liberty and justice...for all
Before someone nips in and takes those basic rights from us.
Every person has the right to liberty...every person has the right to justice...and our constitution even grants every American the right to pursue happiness (not to have it given to you on a platter..but by golly you can sure pursue it and if you manage to chase it down and catch it...yay you!).
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