From Zen Habits written by Leo Babauta.
Wednesday, 8 August 2012
Tuesday, 7 August 2012
5 Simple Veggie Dinner Ideas
Here are five veggie dinner ideas for during the week from Sweet on Veg.
Guacamole Portobello Mushroom.
For the other meals and recipes, see the link above.
Guacamole Portobello Mushroom.
For the other meals and recipes, see the link above.
Seven toxic foods, drinks, and additives to cut out of your diet for good
With so much conflicting information out there about which foods are healthy and which foods are not, it can be difficult for many people to determine how best to approach a healthy lifestyle that includes eating well.
But a good place to start is to avoid these seven toxic foods, beverages, and additives that are quite common in the American diet.
Diet sodas and beverages sweetened with artificial chemicals High-fructose corn syrup (HFCS), the silent killer. Most vegetable oils, including hydrogenated and 'trans' fat varieties.
etc
But a good place to start is to avoid these seven toxic foods, beverages, and additives that are quite common in the American diet.
Diet sodas and beverages sweetened with artificial chemicals High-fructose corn syrup (HFCS), the silent killer. Most vegetable oils, including hydrogenated and 'trans' fat varieties.
etc
Alzheimer's is really just 'type-3' diabetes, new research shows
Emerging research on the widespread degenerative brain disease known as Alzheimer's suggests that this prevalent form of dementia is actually a type of diabetes.
Published in the Journal of Alzheimer's Disease, a recent study out of Rhode Island Hospital (RIH) confirms that Alzheimer's is marked by brain insulin resistance and corresponding inflammation, a condition that some researchers are now referring to as type-3 diabetes.
Eating more healthy saturated fats like coconut oil can help prevent, cure Alzheimer's Since many elderly individuals that have been diagnosed with Alzheimer's take statin drugs to lower their cholesterol levels, the first logical step would be to stop taking these drugs.
Not only have statins been shown to cause and exacerbate Alzheimer's, they have also been shown to cause diabetes. So taking them, as many elderly dementia patients do, runs contrary to common sense, and will only make the problem worse.
Published in the Journal of Alzheimer's Disease, a recent study out of Rhode Island Hospital (RIH) confirms that Alzheimer's is marked by brain insulin resistance and corresponding inflammation, a condition that some researchers are now referring to as type-3 diabetes.
Eating more healthy saturated fats like coconut oil can help prevent, cure Alzheimer's Since many elderly individuals that have been diagnosed with Alzheimer's take statin drugs to lower their cholesterol levels, the first logical step would be to stop taking these drugs.
Not only have statins been shown to cause and exacerbate Alzheimer's, they have also been shown to cause diabetes. So taking them, as many elderly dementia patients do, runs contrary to common sense, and will only make the problem worse.
Tuesday, 31 July 2012
Ecovillage Impressions
GEN offers inspiring examples of how people and communities can live
healthy, cooperative, genuinely happy and meaningful lifestyles ---
beacons of hope that help in the transition to a more sustainable future
on Earth. We foster a culture of mutual respect, sharing,
inclusiveness, positive intent, and fair energy exchange.
GEN-International works trough three broad regional organisations: GEN Oceania and Asia (GENOA), the Ecovillage Network of the Americas (ENA), and GEN-Europe/Africa/Middle East. GEN-International is currently supporting the emergence of GEN-Africa and CASA
(El Consejo de Asentamientos Sustentables de las Américas) as
independent networks in order to make more visible the dynamic and
impressive work already being done in Africa and South America.
Welcome to the Intentional Communities website – your source for community information
Intentional Community is an inclusive term for ecovillages, cohousing communities, residential land trusts, communes, student co-ops, urban housing cooperatives, intentional living, alternative communities, cooperative living, and other projects where people strive together with a common vision.
This web site serves the growing communities' movement, providing resources for starting a community, finding a community home, living in community, and creating more community in your life.
Twin Oaks Communities Conference 2012 - Labor Day weekend (Aug. 31 - Sept. 3)
Living for free: a community thriving by recycling other people's waste
'Recycling' has become something of an empty phrase these days, with much of what we discard being 'down-cycled' rather than properly re-used or re-purposed.
So it's very refreshing to hear about a community that not only meets its own needs through recycling, but even gives away surplus from their activities to the surrounding community...
Our recent trip to the Plukrijp community made a strong impression on us. Situated in Schriek, Belgium, this small farm has developed into a thriving community hub over the last few years and offers solutions in various aspects of Permaculture design. Most notable, however, is the way this community lives at virtually no cost. Around 4000 people pass through here a year in addition to a 15 strong community, and the running costs have been reduced to gas for cooking and water rates!
Permaculture livestock
The chickens and geese are kept in netted pens joined by hundreds of meters of netted tunnels that run the entire perimeter of the fields. Frank has designed this in to ensure weeds do not encroach from the neighboring land and has overplanted the tunnels with Jerusalem artichoke, berries and other fodder, creating a multifunctional system producing fodder and yielding crops whilst keeping edges of the field clean and allowing the birds much greater freedom. Good design!
So it's very refreshing to hear about a community that not only meets its own needs through recycling, but even gives away surplus from their activities to the surrounding community...
Our recent trip to the Plukrijp community made a strong impression on us. Situated in Schriek, Belgium, this small farm has developed into a thriving community hub over the last few years and offers solutions in various aspects of Permaculture design. Most notable, however, is the way this community lives at virtually no cost. Around 4000 people pass through here a year in addition to a 15 strong community, and the running costs have been reduced to gas for cooking and water rates!
Permaculture livestock
The chickens and geese are kept in netted pens joined by hundreds of meters of netted tunnels that run the entire perimeter of the fields. Frank has designed this in to ensure weeds do not encroach from the neighboring land and has overplanted the tunnels with Jerusalem artichoke, berries and other fodder, creating a multifunctional system producing fodder and yielding crops whilst keeping edges of the field clean and allowing the birds much greater freedom. Good design!
On vast racking around the freezers there is 200l of olive oil (a year
out of date), jars of pickles and preserves made from the farms crops,
as well as all manner of organic wholefoods, the oldest of which are 20
years out of date! And yet still safely consumed by the Plukrijp
inhabitants.
We leave amazed at the potential to engage with surrounding communities
in this multifunctional and beneficial way. This is certainly the most
organized and shining example of valuing the marginal in this regard I
have heard about or experienced, and I depart grateful for the
possibilities Plukrijp represents.
Sunday, 29 July 2012
Drummondville couple fights to keep vegetable garden
New bylaw will ban front lawn vegetable gardens.
A couple is fighting to keep a vegetable garden they grow on their property in Drummondville, 100 kilometres northeast of Montreal.
This spring, Michel Beauchamp and his wife, Josée Landry, planted an elaborate vegetable garden on the front lawn of their Richelieu Street home.
They used to have flowers growing, but Beauchamp has high blood pressure and wanted to eat healthier. So they planted cucumbers, tomatoes, zucchinis, beets, onions, and brussels sprouts, among other vegetables.
Landry said the garden has had a big impact on her and her husband's health. "Michel lost 75 lb since March, I lost 25 lb," she said.
But the couple will face fines if they don't rip up part of their garden in the next five days.
The couple said they will not give up without a fight. "It must be a right to be able to grow our vegetables on our land. It is nonsense to ban it," said Beauchamp.
A spokesperson for the city said neighbours have complained about the garden.
Beauchamp said no one has complained to him. He said he shares his fresh produce with his neighbours.
"They love it. Everybody is surprised by the kind of taste we can have from fresh vegetables," he said.
This fall the city plans to make it illegal to grow vegetables on front lawns anywhere in the city.
That makes perfect sense!! People want to grow fresh food, what a stupid idea, when they go to the shops and by Monsanto GM crap. I despair at the lunacy in the world!!
A couple is fighting to keep a vegetable garden they grow on their property in Drummondville, 100 kilometres northeast of Montreal.
This spring, Michel Beauchamp and his wife, Josée Landry, planted an elaborate vegetable garden on the front lawn of their Richelieu Street home.
They used to have flowers growing, but Beauchamp has high blood pressure and wanted to eat healthier. So they planted cucumbers, tomatoes, zucchinis, beets, onions, and brussels sprouts, among other vegetables.
Landry said the garden has had a big impact on her and her husband's health. "Michel lost 75 lb since March, I lost 25 lb," she said.
But the couple will face fines if they don't rip up part of their garden in the next five days.
The couple said they will not give up without a fight. "It must be a right to be able to grow our vegetables on our land. It is nonsense to ban it," said Beauchamp.
A spokesperson for the city said neighbours have complained about the garden.
Beauchamp said no one has complained to him. He said he shares his fresh produce with his neighbours.
"They love it. Everybody is surprised by the kind of taste we can have from fresh vegetables," he said.
This fall the city plans to make it illegal to grow vegetables on front lawns anywhere in the city.
That makes perfect sense!! People want to grow fresh food, what a stupid idea, when they go to the shops and by Monsanto GM crap. I despair at the lunacy in the world!!
Monday, 16 July 2012
Quote
“We can spend our lives letting the world tell us who we are. Sane or insane. Saints or sex addicts. Heroes or victims. Letting history tell us how good or bad we are.Letting our past decide our future.
Or we can decide for ourselves. And maybe it’s our job to invent something better.”
Chuck Palahniuk
Or we can decide for ourselves. And maybe it’s our job to invent something better.”
Chuck Palahniuk
Tattoo
I also got a tattoo this year, something I've always thought I'd like but way to scared of the imagined pain. Anyway, my daughter booked me in with her tattooist, Steve A, for an after work consultation. They were so good making special arrangements for me, working after hours and sitting with me till the end. Thanks so much!
I wanted a quote from Thich Nhat Hanh, a Vietnamese Buddhist monk, teacher, author, poet and peace activist.
The words meant a lot to me, they were a sort of mantra for getting out of the house and now I can see them all the time, and hold on to my them on my wrist for support.
Steve was patience itself, and really kind and very talented. He wrote out the words I wanted in the design I had in mind and it came out better than I ever imagined. It wasn't painful and I didn't get any after effects.
My fabulous tattooist Steve A.
I had to go into town for this, my son took me, and drove me home after, and my daughter sat with me, but the feeling of being trapped, which is what most agoraphobics get, was what I was most frightened of, but that didn't happen and when I got home I felt invincible!! and ready for anything.
Thanks to everyone for that great day.
I wanted a quote from Thich Nhat Hanh, a Vietnamese Buddhist monk, teacher, author, poet and peace activist.
The words meant a lot to me, they were a sort of mantra for getting out of the house and now I can see them all the time, and hold on to my them on my wrist for support.
Steve was patience itself, and really kind and very talented. He wrote out the words I wanted in the design I had in mind and it came out better than I ever imagined. It wasn't painful and I didn't get any after effects.
My fabulous tattooist Steve A.
I had to go into town for this, my son took me, and drove me home after, and my daughter sat with me, but the feeling of being trapped, which is what most agoraphobics get, was what I was most frightened of, but that didn't happen and when I got home I felt invincible!! and ready for anything.
Thanks to everyone for that great day.
Saturday, 30 June 2012
Visits
I visited my son and his girlfriend and their baby son, I went to see all my childrens homes, great excitement and happiness being able to go and visit.
I don't drive any more so the visits weren't long, as I had to get there and back with my counsellor, but at least I made it out and I'm so glad now that I did as my eldest daughter and son have now moved away from the area and are much harder to visit.
I will write about the moves in another post.
Right, enough of that negative shit!
What have I done in this 60th year of mine?
Well, for one I achieved my goal of getting out of the house, and more than that, I got to see my youngest daughter walk across the stage to receive her MA! I didn't get to see her degree ceremony so this was a huge deal for me.
It was just the best feeling, to see her face happy that I had made it and could share in her success.
There was not a prouder person in that huge room than me, knowing what hurdles she had to surmount to get there, how much she fought her demons, threw off the chains of her past and proudly walked the walk across that stage, words cannot say how proud I am of her.
I wrote about at the time here
But I think it needs saying again in this my 60th year.
More to come!
What have I done in this 60th year of mine?
Well, for one I achieved my goal of getting out of the house, and more than that, I got to see my youngest daughter walk across the stage to receive her MA! I didn't get to see her degree ceremony so this was a huge deal for me.
It was just the best feeling, to see her face happy that I had made it and could share in her success.
There was not a prouder person in that huge room than me, knowing what hurdles she had to surmount to get there, how much she fought her demons, threw off the chains of her past and proudly walked the walk across that stage, words cannot say how proud I am of her.
I wrote about at the time here
But I think it needs saying again in this my 60th year.
More to come!
Tuesday, 3 April 2012
Surrounded
While I slept, and after answering the questions put to me in the night by the plain clothes plods, things were happening at home.
My parents were contacted, don't ask me how the police knew, I guess I may have told them, but don't know. They had to go to my house but stay back till told what to do. Omg, the worst thing was my parents getting in on all this!!
They arrived to find the whole house surrounded by cops, some armed I think they said. My kids were inside with Mike, this is the worst of it, my kids getting caught up in all this shit. The police gained entry, some going over the wall at the back to stop Mike escaping, some going in the front door. He was standing by the sink in the kitchen, they rushed and grabbed him, handcuffing him and dragging him out. As any self respecting alcoholic would, he made a grab for his coat pocket on the way out in the vain hope of catching hold of the last of his cheap British sherry. He failed. They took him in to the cells and he was the knob head kicking his door and keeping me awake!
Back at the house, we'd been having wiring done, so some of the kitchen floor boards were up, there were bills heaped up on the side, the police searched everywhere. They eventually left.
Can't say how hard that was to write, knowing what my kids went through, not just then but every other sodding drunken night! If anyone reads this and has problems with drink, please get help, try to stop, don't wait till you've ruined and wasted lives.
Right, back at the cop shop, morning has come and I'm in the interview room.
Questioning: Have you got money problems, how bad are they? Showed me the notes about guns and bank vaults, asking me why I had them and had I been to the vault, did I have a gun? Why were there newspapers in my car and old overalls? All very innocent answers but you try telling them that!!
Mike had the same questions but of course he had form so they were less believing of him. In the end their enquiries led nowhere and they had to believe us and let us go.
They were actually not bad, and said we had a great family and to get the drink sorted out. I so wished we had. We walked out free, but dirty and grimy and hung over. We put off having a drink till later, we had to face the kids, that was worse than the police any day.
Today, I'm sober, so is Mike.
Maybe next time I'll tell of my Shirley Valentine trip. You try going to Greece with no passport and no money and stupidly drunk'
My parents were contacted, don't ask me how the police knew, I guess I may have told them, but don't know. They had to go to my house but stay back till told what to do. Omg, the worst thing was my parents getting in on all this!!
They arrived to find the whole house surrounded by cops, some armed I think they said. My kids were inside with Mike, this is the worst of it, my kids getting caught up in all this shit. The police gained entry, some going over the wall at the back to stop Mike escaping, some going in the front door. He was standing by the sink in the kitchen, they rushed and grabbed him, handcuffing him and dragging him out. As any self respecting alcoholic would, he made a grab for his coat pocket on the way out in the vain hope of catching hold of the last of his cheap British sherry. He failed. They took him in to the cells and he was the knob head kicking his door and keeping me awake!
Back at the house, we'd been having wiring done, so some of the kitchen floor boards were up, there were bills heaped up on the side, the police searched everywhere. They eventually left.
Can't say how hard that was to write, knowing what my kids went through, not just then but every other sodding drunken night! If anyone reads this and has problems with drink, please get help, try to stop, don't wait till you've ruined and wasted lives.
Right, back at the cop shop, morning has come and I'm in the interview room.
Questioning: Have you got money problems, how bad are they? Showed me the notes about guns and bank vaults, asking me why I had them and had I been to the vault, did I have a gun? Why were there newspapers in my car and old overalls? All very innocent answers but you try telling them that!!
Mike had the same questions but of course he had form so they were less believing of him. In the end their enquiries led nowhere and they had to believe us and let us go.
They were actually not bad, and said we had a great family and to get the drink sorted out. I so wished we had. We walked out free, but dirty and grimy and hung over. We put off having a drink till later, we had to face the kids, that was worse than the police any day.
Today, I'm sober, so is Mike.
Maybe next time I'll tell of my Shirley Valentine trip. You try going to Greece with no passport and no money and stupidly drunk'
Wednesday, 28 March 2012
Friday, 16 March 2012
Thursday, 8 March 2012
Nick Vujicic :: Life Without Limits :: Attitude is Altitude
Truly inspirational .. read his blog here
BIOGRAPHY OF A DETERMINED MAN reveals the compelling story of Nick Vujicic. From his childhood in Australia to his initial speaking engagements, witness Nick's long journey to understand himself and his place in this world. With multiple turning points and cycles of despair and glory, Nick learns how to rise above his circumstances and prevail.
BIOGRAPHY OF A DETERMINED MAN reveals the compelling story of Nick Vujicic. From his childhood in Australia to his initial speaking engagements, witness Nick's long journey to understand himself and his place in this world. With multiple turning points and cycles of despair and glory, Nick learns how to rise above his circumstances and prevail.
Saturday, 18 February 2012
From the Mail's GP, a deeply provocative confession
It's the Mail, I know, but I think he has a point.
Should I discover tomorrow that I have advanced, life-threatening cancer, I won’t go rushing to the doctors for a heavily invasive course of medical treatment. No, I will shut up my London surgery, head to my home in Norfolk, stock up on gin and tonic and have a jolly good time until I meet my end.
Like most doctors, I understand that much of the care we offer patients who have serious, life-threatening illnesses is ultimately futile.
Worse, it can involve many months of gruelling treatments that might possibly extend the length of one’s life, but do nothing for its quality ...
Should I discover tomorrow that I have advanced, life-threatening cancer, I won’t go rushing to the doctors for a heavily invasive course of medical treatment. No, I will shut up my London surgery, head to my home in Norfolk, stock up on gin and tonic and have a jolly good time until I meet my end.
Like most doctors, I understand that much of the care we offer patients who have serious, life-threatening illnesses is ultimately futile.
Worse, it can involve many months of gruelling treatments that might possibly extend the length of one’s life, but do nothing for its quality ...
Charged or Not?
I had forgotten I'd not finished this, life gets in the way.
Time scale - crashed car about 4pm
Probably put in cell not long after, eventually when I'd run out of cigarettes and made enough noise I laid on the hard plastic mattress and drifted off to sleep. Why do they have the heating up so high in there? If they reduced it a bit they could pay for some old people to have heat in their homes!
It was dark when two guys woke me up, it was like a dream, they were plain clothes and kept asking me about Mike, I told them what I knew and they left. I went back to sleep, was woken later by some other knob head kicking his door and shouting. It's obligatory behaviour it seems.
The next morning got breakfast, horrible sausage and something on a paper plate with plastic cutlery. Very hungover, felt grimy and dirty and wanted to go home. I asked the guy who brought the breakfast, 'why am I being kept here', he said he didn't know. Great!!
To cut to the chase: I was escorted to a room, two police officers there, might have been duty solicitor, can't really remember, I sat down and they explained about taping the interview, at this stage I was just tired, not really thinking of anything except to get home.
They put on the tape! Then brought exhibit bags out and showed me one by one, and told me they were investigating a series of armed robberies, that's why I'd been kept in overnight while they contacted different police forces for information!!
Me??! Me, you think I'm an armed robber?? I laughed, but I could see they were totally serious.
To be continued
Time scale - crashed car about 4pm
Probably put in cell not long after, eventually when I'd run out of cigarettes and made enough noise I laid on the hard plastic mattress and drifted off to sleep. Why do they have the heating up so high in there? If they reduced it a bit they could pay for some old people to have heat in their homes!
It was dark when two guys woke me up, it was like a dream, they were plain clothes and kept asking me about Mike, I told them what I knew and they left. I went back to sleep, was woken later by some other knob head kicking his door and shouting. It's obligatory behaviour it seems.
The next morning got breakfast, horrible sausage and something on a paper plate with plastic cutlery. Very hungover, felt grimy and dirty and wanted to go home. I asked the guy who brought the breakfast, 'why am I being kept here', he said he didn't know. Great!!
To cut to the chase: I was escorted to a room, two police officers there, might have been duty solicitor, can't really remember, I sat down and they explained about taping the interview, at this stage I was just tired, not really thinking of anything except to get home.
They put on the tape! Then brought exhibit bags out and showed me one by one, and told me they were investigating a series of armed robberies, that's why I'd been kept in overnight while they contacted different police forces for information!!
Me??! Me, you think I'm an armed robber?? I laughed, but I could see they were totally serious.
To be continued
Wednesday, 8 February 2012
Horoscope for 8th February 2012
You could frighten yourself now because you feel bold enough to do things that you might normally pass by. Your uncharacteristic courage has others taking notice of your new sense of optimism, which inspires them to have more confidence in you. Your positive attitude can open doors that were previously closed, so be receptive to the support that comes your way today.
Tuesday, 7 February 2012
Vanishing of the Bees - Beekeeper Leaks EPA Document.mp4
Why our bees are dying. If you are not familar with this dangerous phenomenal action that is occurring in the USA.
Sunday, 5 February 2012
The Boys in Blue
Fast forward a bit and Mark (name changed) started to drink in secret. I must have been so naive but looking back I can see where it started, but he was well into it by the time I really found out and confronted him about it.
Basically he said he's going to drink, if not at mine then somewhere else. So he drank, so did I, my kids were so disappointed.
He had strange moods, very up and down, manic, later diagnosed as manic depressive but at the time we didn't know this. So this generally nice and sweet person would suddenly switch and be violent and aggressive, he frightened me when he was like that.
Anyway, one day he disappeared, he'd only gone to see his mates but I panicked, like I did in those days, and drove round to find him. He was drinking with his mates. I joined in oblivious to the fact I still had to drive home.
His mates, at the hostel, said I could stay there till I was a bit more sober, but I was ok, I only staggered a bit.
We drove off down the road, turned right and the next thing I knew there was a massive noise and a tree was bent over my bonnet, steam rising from somewhere. I'd had a blackout. Mark dashed out .. shouting and trying to drag me out of the car. I insisted I could back it up and drive home still.
This was shown to be doubtful after the event when we saw the two front wheels staring at each other.
He dragged me out of the car and hit me, shouting what a fucking idiot I was. Two people walked past and must have phoned the police because the next thing I knew Mark had legged it and I'm speaking to the boys in blue.
Being drunk I wasn't too bothered by this, I thought I'll talk my way out easy. They had other ideas. I found myself in an office with the police going through my bag. I thought what a fucking cheek, and said so with the bravado of a bottle of vodka in me.
Now my bag is more of a suitcase with everything but the kitchen sink in it and boy oh boy did I leap out of the chair when they found my half bottle stashed at the bottom .. before they could move, I'd snatched it, opened it, and gulped down what was left, which annoyed them even more. That's when I found myself stuck in a vile dirty cell with fags but no lighter, how cruel is that?!
To be continued.
Basically he said he's going to drink, if not at mine then somewhere else. So he drank, so did I, my kids were so disappointed.
He had strange moods, very up and down, manic, later diagnosed as manic depressive but at the time we didn't know this. So this generally nice and sweet person would suddenly switch and be violent and aggressive, he frightened me when he was like that.
Anyway, one day he disappeared, he'd only gone to see his mates but I panicked, like I did in those days, and drove round to find him. He was drinking with his mates. I joined in oblivious to the fact I still had to drive home.
His mates, at the hostel, said I could stay there till I was a bit more sober, but I was ok, I only staggered a bit.
We drove off down the road, turned right and the next thing I knew there was a massive noise and a tree was bent over my bonnet, steam rising from somewhere. I'd had a blackout. Mark dashed out .. shouting and trying to drag me out of the car. I insisted I could back it up and drive home still.
This was shown to be doubtful after the event when we saw the two front wheels staring at each other.
He dragged me out of the car and hit me, shouting what a fucking idiot I was. Two people walked past and must have phoned the police because the next thing I knew Mark had legged it and I'm speaking to the boys in blue.
Being drunk I wasn't too bothered by this, I thought I'll talk my way out easy. They had other ideas. I found myself in an office with the police going through my bag. I thought what a fucking cheek, and said so with the bravado of a bottle of vodka in me.
Now my bag is more of a suitcase with everything but the kitchen sink in it and boy oh boy did I leap out of the chair when they found my half bottle stashed at the bottom .. before they could move, I'd snatched it, opened it, and gulped down what was left, which annoyed them even more. That's when I found myself stuck in a vile dirty cell with fags but no lighter, how cruel is that?!
To be continued.
Armed Robbery
This is a tale of misunderstandings, some funny, some not, especially for the innocents dragged into something they had no control of.
First up, the amusing part.
At one of my many stints in rehab for alcoholism my eye caught a new guy, I thought mm he's not bad. In the therapy groups I liked his voice, liked what he said and we got to know each other. I gave him a lift one day as I came upon him walking towards the unit, he said 'this is the first time I've been in a car without a blanket over my head'. He gave the impression of being 'Jack the Lad' but underneath he was very unsure of himself and had massive self esteem issues.
I asked what he meant and he said he'd just been released after serving time for armed robbery. He was living in a hostel at the time.
Anyway over the days we talked and in coffee times he did the telegraph crossword while I wandered off to get my daily pennies for the petrol used in getting to the unit. One time I came back and he passed me a note. It said 'give me your money, I've got a gun under the paper' .. we both laughed and I tucked it into my handbag as a rather silly memento.
One time he showed me a diagram of a bank in London, the vaults, where he'd worked as an electrician for a short time, most of his jobs where short term as his drinking always came first. I kept that too, as we were getting serious and I'm a one for keeping little bits and pieces.
At the time I was having a brief time off drink, but he was smoking hash and I'd give him lifts to do his deals, all very exciting for a boring working class mother. I know now it's not exciting at all.
We were both broken people, but he was nice, and we ended up living together. I honestly thought we'd never drink again, I was happy after the misery of my divorce and really thought this was for keeps.
To be continued.
First up, the amusing part.
At one of my many stints in rehab for alcoholism my eye caught a new guy, I thought mm he's not bad. In the therapy groups I liked his voice, liked what he said and we got to know each other. I gave him a lift one day as I came upon him walking towards the unit, he said 'this is the first time I've been in a car without a blanket over my head'. He gave the impression of being 'Jack the Lad' but underneath he was very unsure of himself and had massive self esteem issues.
I asked what he meant and he said he'd just been released after serving time for armed robbery. He was living in a hostel at the time.
Anyway over the days we talked and in coffee times he did the telegraph crossword while I wandered off to get my daily pennies for the petrol used in getting to the unit. One time I came back and he passed me a note. It said 'give me your money, I've got a gun under the paper' .. we both laughed and I tucked it into my handbag as a rather silly memento.
One time he showed me a diagram of a bank in London, the vaults, where he'd worked as an electrician for a short time, most of his jobs where short term as his drinking always came first. I kept that too, as we were getting serious and I'm a one for keeping little bits and pieces.
At the time I was having a brief time off drink, but he was smoking hash and I'd give him lifts to do his deals, all very exciting for a boring working class mother. I know now it's not exciting at all.
We were both broken people, but he was nice, and we ended up living together. I honestly thought we'd never drink again, I was happy after the misery of my divorce and really thought this was for keeps.
To be continued.
Sunday, 29 January 2012
Horoscope
This is my horoscope from Twittascope.
Bearing in mind I'm agoraphobic!
You don't need to conform to other people's narrow expectations just because they assume that you're a homebody. Be adventurous and surprise everyone today by impulsively heading out to do something exciting on your own without discussing your plans with anyone else. You don't have to give lengthy rationalizations or seek approval for your decisions; just spread your wings and fly on your own for a while.
Edited 5th February.
Why that horoscope hit me in the face was at that moment I was debating if I could leave the house and get to my daughters to see her and her babies, big girls they tell me now, before they left for Ibiza in the morning.
The answer was I could and I did! And so glad I did, so where they, and so surprised but really happy we all had another chance to say goodbye. Lots of tears and hugs but thankful I took the chance and was able to get the hugs in person. Miss them so much now.
Bearing in mind I'm agoraphobic!
You don't need to conform to other people's narrow expectations just because they assume that you're a homebody. Be adventurous and surprise everyone today by impulsively heading out to do something exciting on your own without discussing your plans with anyone else. You don't have to give lengthy rationalizations or seek approval for your decisions; just spread your wings and fly on your own for a while.
Edited 5th February.
Why that horoscope hit me in the face was at that moment I was debating if I could leave the house and get to my daughters to see her and her babies, big girls they tell me now, before they left for Ibiza in the morning.
The answer was I could and I did! And so glad I did, so where they, and so surprised but really happy we all had another chance to say goodbye. Lots of tears and hugs but thankful I took the chance and was able to get the hugs in person. Miss them so much now.
Thursday, 26 January 2012
My Wife's Wedding Dress - Mike Gunn
I knew I'd start filling up my new YouTube channel .. this is funny though. Follow him at @MikeGunn1 on twitter.
Wednesday, 25 January 2012
Overcoming Drug Addiction: Darren's Recovery Story
An inspiring and positive story of kicking addiction. Follow him at @DMussell on twitter.
The Alcohol & Drug Service (ADS) has been transforming lives for more than 25 years. Here is one true story about Darren, a young man from Grimsby, who has battled back from addictions to drugs to reclaim his life and rebuild relationships with family.
The Alcohol & Drug Service (ADS) has been transforming lives for more than 25 years. Here is one true story about Darren, a young man from Grimsby, who has battled back from addictions to drugs to reclaim his life and rebuild relationships with family.
Saturday, 21 January 2012
FDA Finally Admits Chicken Meat Contains Cancer-Causing Arsenic
FDA Finally Admits Chicken Meat Contains Cancer-Causing Arsenic
After years of sweeping the issue under the rug and hoping no one would notice, the FDA has now finally admitted that chicken meat sold in the USA contains arsenic, a cancer-causing toxic chemical that’s fatal in high doses.
But the real story is where this arsenic comes from:It’s added to the chicken feed on purpose!
But the real story is where this arsenic comes from:It’s added to the chicken feed on purpose!
Even worse, the FDA says its own research shows that the arsenic added to the chicken feed ends up in the chicken meat where it is consumed by humans. So for the last sixty years, American consumers who eat conventional chicken have been swallowing arsenic, a known cancer-causing chemical. (http://www.phillyburbs.com/news/loc…)
Until this new study, both the poultry industry and the FDA denied that arsenic fed to chickensended up in their meat. The fairytale excuse story we’ve all been fed for sixty years is that “the arsenic is excreted in the chicken feces.” There’s no scientific basis for making such a claim… it’s just what the poultry industry wanted everybody to believe.
But now the evidence is so undeniable that the manufacturer of the chicken feed product known as Roxarsone has decided to pull the product off the shelves (http://www.grist.org/food-safety/20…). And what’s the name of this manufacturer that has been putting arsenic in the chicken feed for all these years? Pfizer, of course — the very same company that makes vaccines containing chemical adjuvants that are injected into children.
Technically, the company making the Roxarsone chicken feed is a subsidiary of Pfizer, calledAlpharma LLC. Even though Alpharma now has agreed to pull this toxic feed chemical off the shelves in the United States, it says it won’t necessarily remove it from feed products in other countries unless it is forced by regulators to do so. As reported by AP:
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