On anger, quotes and blog-neglect.

I have been so busy with stuff around the house and craft sales, that I have been neglecting my poor blog. I will be back in full-force, though, once the holiday madness is out of the way.In the meantime, I am going to be posting a few of my favourite quotes.

Lately, most of the quotes and sayings that I have been saving come from one of my Buddhist "thought of the day" emails. I am an avid collector of quotes, but these just seem to strike a chord with me. This one, in particular, is especially topical.

"Holding onto anger is like grasping a hot coal with the intent of throwing it at someone else; you are the one who gets burned." - Buddha

I have long believed that anger, like hatred, is an emotion that takes too much energy. These days, I simply don't have the time to be mad or resentful. Letting go of all of that negativity frees up so much energy...you'd be surprised.

Our Earth

sask fields 3
Originally uploaded by zenbecca

It is our earth, not yours or mine or his. We are meant to live on it, helping each other, not destroying each other. - J. Krishnamurti

Friday Faves - Food, Inc.

I had the opportunity to watch "Food, Inc." yesterday and I liked it so much that I am making it my "Friday Fave". With all of the reading I have done on the topic, there wasn't a lot in it that I didn't already know, but having it all together like that really drove home the message.

The information is really well presented and, unlike other docs I have seen on this subject, not full of over-the-top scare tactics. The makers of this film just put it out there on the table, so to speak, and allow you to draw your own conclusions on factory farming, GMOs and the big business that is Food (with a capital "F".)

Friday Faves - North American Hemp Co

Did you know that hemp has been used for textiles, paper, building materials, fuel, food and personal care products for over 10,000 years?

Did you know that hemp grown in most parts of Canada will require no herbicide, fungicide or insecticide applications?

Did you know that hemp seed oil is high in Essential Fatty Acids and, when applied to hair, will improve the structural quality of the hair-shaft and increase its elasticity, volume and shine?

Did you know that in the week that I have been using items from the North American Hemp Co's hair-care line, my curls have never looked healthier or, well...curlier?

I am absolutely in LOVE with this product. I came across it in the Pharmaplus down the street and bought it out of near-desperation. Nothing has been working for my parched hair for months; not even my usual arsenal. To be honest, I didn't have high hopes for this stuff either, but I liked that it was organic, paraben-free and vegan...and, ok, I liked the brown bottles.

I started with the "Never Too Late to Repair" Treatment Oil and the "Curlmega" Curl Activator/Reactivator Spray. I was so impressed that I went back the next day and bought the "Area 369" Serum. A week later and I am hooked.

My post-shower routine looks like this -
Step 1: apply treatment oil to hair and finger-comb to detangle.
Step 2: gently work in a little serum.
Step 3: spray with curl activator. Scrunch. Twist. Scrunch. Leave to air-dry while I make breakfast, get ready and drive to work.
Step 4: No, that's it. There is no step 4...just bouncy curls for the rest of the day.

The best test of the products, though, was my "omg, I'm running late and don't have time to wash my hair" test. I sprayed my slept-on hair with the reactivator spray, scrunched-in a little more serum (couldn't hurt) and gave my hair a toss. The result? My curls sprang back to life, I had zero frizz and my "do" looked even better than the day before! I should sleep in more often...

I haven't tried the shampoo or conditioner yet, but you can be sure they're on my shopping list!

Tomato, tomahto.

We tend to use a lot of canned tomatoes in our house. Not only are the convenient, they are consistent in taste and quailty year-round. Needless to say, I was less than thrilled to hear that they are now carrying a warning for Bisphenol-A, a chemical that mimics estrogen and has been linked to reproductive problems, diabetes, heart disease, hyperactivity and obesity.

According to University of Missouri endocrinologist Fredrick Vom Saal, PhD, resin linings of tin cans contain bisphenol-A. Acidic ingredients, such as canned tomatoes, cause BPA to leach into the food. "You can get 50 mcg of BPA per liter out of a tomato can, and that's a level that is going to impact people, particularly the young," says vom Saal. "I won't go near canned tomatoes."

To avoid BPA entirely, do not purchase or use anything and do not leave the house. :wink: To avoid BPA in your tomatoes, choose those that are packed in glass bottles or tetra packs. I like the Italian brands…especially the ones that come with a basil leaf in the bottle! (I'm all about the freebies.)

Eating Animals

"The notion that human life has greater value than any other form of life is both unjustifiable and arrogant." - Fingers Pointing Toward the Moon (Wei Wu Wei)

This is an excellent interview with Jonathan Safran Foer, author of "Eating Animals", on Larry King Live. Watch me!

The author raises some interesting points regarding factory farming and how animals are treated in general. His message is not necessarily "pro-vegetarian" or "anti-meat", but rather one of increased awareness and ethics. I believe that if you are going to take a life for your own sustinance, then you should honour that life by carefully preparing your meals and taking the time to enjoy them.

That said, I choose not to eat red meat and poultry simply because I can't justify the effort/expense/resources that goes into its production. Plus, I think that the conditions and methods of commercial meat production are basically deplorable.

Be Happiness itself.

Live your life in happiness, even though those around you lead lives which are unhealthy, and wish to spread their illness to you. Be Happiness itself. - Buddha

Thanks, Buddha. I needed that reminder.

It seems that there are people in my life, both near and afar, who think that making me unhappy will make themselves seem happier by comparison. That was my main reason for leaving my last job...besides the utter lack of opportunity for advancement, of course. Unfortunately, I don't have the option of walking away from every situation that presents itself with this sort of negativity. I figure my best option is to cherish what I have and let those who choose to wallow in their own misery, wallow in it. I refuse to let it infect my life and my house any longer.

So there. :-p