I have done exactly 3 crazy things in my life. If you know me you will probably argue that the list is considerably longer; I would argue that those things don't fit the definition of crazy at all.
In chronological order:
1. Russell and I bought a house together in Saskatoon, a city neither of us knew much about.
2. Russell and I got married. I have a physical attraction to exactly one man - my husband. Otherwise, I'm a ladies' lady.
3. We decided to have a child, and against all odds, have been successful in making one. We're due in early January.
I know there are people out there reading this - google gives me the omnipotence of blog statistics - so here's a question for you: What are the 3 craziest things you've ever done? Please comment, I'd love to hear from you!
Wednesday, November 14, 2012
Tuesday, September 11, 2012
suicide prevention week
September 9th - 15th is suicide prevention week. Reblog if you’re always willing to talk with your followers if they ever need anyone. <3 a="a" nbsp="nbsp">
You can totally talk to me. Email me. Phone me if you can track down my number.
Bee Es (or why I am extremely leery of letting my child attend public school)
The following post is taken from a blog belonging to a very good friend of mine.
It explains very clearly one of many reasons why the thought of putting my child through public school makes me angry. I had to suffer through this Bee Es growing up, although I'm relatively certain it wasn't my parents perpetuating it.
The comment at the end is every bit as important too - this isn't just about little girls learning that violence is a show of affection. It's about teaching little boys that violence is *not* a show of affection. And that it goes both ways - girls can be equally awful.
Name calling and violent behavior is NOT EVER an acceptable method of showing affection.
Here's the post:
“I am sure every girl can recall, at least once as a child, coming home and telling their parents, uncle, aunt or grandparent about a boy who had pulled her hair, hit her, teased her, pushed her or committed some other playground crime. I will bet money that most of those, if not all, will tell you that they were told “Oh, that just means he likes you”. I never really thought much about it before having a daughter of my own. I find it appalling that this line of bullshit is still being fed to young children. Look, if you want to tell your child that being verbally and/or physically abused is an acceptable sign of affection, i urge you to rethink your parenting strategy. If you try and feed MY daughter that crap, you better bring protective gear because I am going to shower you with the brand of “affection” you are endorsing.
When the fuck was it decided that we should start teaching our daughters to accept being belittled, disrespected and abused as endearing treatment? And we have the audacity to wonder why women stay in abusive relationships? How did society become so oblivious to the fact that we were conditioning our daughters to endure abusive treatment, much less view it as romantic overtures? Is this where the phrase “hitting on girls” comes from? Well, here is a tip: Save the “it’s so cute when he gets hateful/physical with her because it means he loves her” asshattery for your own kids, not mine. While you’re at it, keep them away from my kids until you decide to teach them respect and boundaries.
My daughter is 10 years old and has come home on more than one occasion recounting an incident at school in which she was teased or harassed by a male classmate. There has been several times when someone that she was retelling the story to responded with the old, “that just means he likes you” line. Wrong. I want my daughter to know that being disrespected is NEVER acceptable. I want my daughter to know that if someone likes her and respects her, much less LOVES her, they don’t hurt her and they don’t put her down. I want my daughter to know that the boy called her ugly or pushed her or pulled her hair didn’t do it because he admires her, it is because he is a little asshole and assholes are an occurrence of society that will have to be dealt with for the rest of her life. I want my daughter to know how to deal with assholes she will encounter throughout her life. For now, I want my daughter to know that if someone is verbally harassing her, she should tell the teacher and if the teacher does nothing, she should tell me. If someone physically touches her, tell the teacher then, if it continues, to yell, “STOP TOUCHING/PUNCHING/PUSHING ME” in the middle of class or the hallway, then tell me. Last year, one little boy stole her silly bandz from her. He just grabbed her and yanked a handful of them off of her wrist. When I went to the school to address the incident, the teacher smiled and explained it away to her, in front of me, “he probably has a crush on you”. Okay, the boy walked up to my daughter, grabbed and held her by the arm and forcibly removed her bracelets from her as she struggled and you want to convince her that she should be flattered? Fuck off. I am going to punch you in the face but I hope you realize it is just my way of thanking you for the great advice you gave my daughter. If these same advice givers’ sons came home crying because another male classmate was pushing them, pulling their hair, hitting them or calling them names, I would bet dollars to donuts they would tell him to defend themselves and kick the kid’s ass, if necessary. They sure as shit wouldn’t say, “he probably just wants a play date”.
I will teach my daughter to accept nothing less than respect. Anyone who hurts her physically or emotionally doesn’t deserve her respect, friendship or love. I will teach my boys the same thing as well as the fact that hitting on girls doesn’t involve hitting girls. I can’t teach my daughter to respect herself if I am teaching her that no one else has to respect her. I can’t raise sons that respect women, if I teach them that bullying is a valid expression of affection.
The next time that someone offers up that little “secret” to my daughter, I am going to slap the person across the face and yell, “I LOVE YOU”.
” You Didn’t Thank Me For Punching You in the Face « Views from the Couch (via ceedling)
And always remember that the boys are listening, too, and learning that this is how they are expected to show their affections.
(via joyouslyprofane)
It explains very clearly one of many reasons why the thought of putting my child through public school makes me angry. I had to suffer through this Bee Es growing up, although I'm relatively certain it wasn't my parents perpetuating it.
The comment at the end is every bit as important too - this isn't just about little girls learning that violence is a show of affection. It's about teaching little boys that violence is *not* a show of affection. And that it goes both ways - girls can be equally awful.
Name calling and violent behavior is NOT EVER an acceptable method of showing affection.
Here's the post:
“I am sure every girl can recall, at least once as a child, coming home and telling their parents, uncle, aunt or grandparent about a boy who had pulled her hair, hit her, teased her, pushed her or committed some other playground crime. I will bet money that most of those, if not all, will tell you that they were told “Oh, that just means he likes you”. I never really thought much about it before having a daughter of my own. I find it appalling that this line of bullshit is still being fed to young children. Look, if you want to tell your child that being verbally and/or physically abused is an acceptable sign of affection, i urge you to rethink your parenting strategy. If you try and feed MY daughter that crap, you better bring protective gear because I am going to shower you with the brand of “affection” you are endorsing.
When the fuck was it decided that we should start teaching our daughters to accept being belittled, disrespected and abused as endearing treatment? And we have the audacity to wonder why women stay in abusive relationships? How did society become so oblivious to the fact that we were conditioning our daughters to endure abusive treatment, much less view it as romantic overtures? Is this where the phrase “hitting on girls” comes from? Well, here is a tip: Save the “it’s so cute when he gets hateful/physical with her because it means he loves her” asshattery for your own kids, not mine. While you’re at it, keep them away from my kids until you decide to teach them respect and boundaries.
My daughter is 10 years old and has come home on more than one occasion recounting an incident at school in which she was teased or harassed by a male classmate. There has been several times when someone that she was retelling the story to responded with the old, “that just means he likes you” line. Wrong. I want my daughter to know that being disrespected is NEVER acceptable. I want my daughter to know that if someone likes her and respects her, much less LOVES her, they don’t hurt her and they don’t put her down. I want my daughter to know that the boy called her ugly or pushed her or pulled her hair didn’t do it because he admires her, it is because he is a little asshole and assholes are an occurrence of society that will have to be dealt with for the rest of her life. I want my daughter to know how to deal with assholes she will encounter throughout her life. For now, I want my daughter to know that if someone is verbally harassing her, she should tell the teacher and if the teacher does nothing, she should tell me. If someone physically touches her, tell the teacher then, if it continues, to yell, “STOP TOUCHING/PUNCHING/PUSHING ME” in the middle of class or the hallway, then tell me. Last year, one little boy stole her silly bandz from her. He just grabbed her and yanked a handful of them off of her wrist. When I went to the school to address the incident, the teacher smiled and explained it away to her, in front of me, “he probably has a crush on you”. Okay, the boy walked up to my daughter, grabbed and held her by the arm and forcibly removed her bracelets from her as she struggled and you want to convince her that she should be flattered? Fuck off. I am going to punch you in the face but I hope you realize it is just my way of thanking you for the great advice you gave my daughter. If these same advice givers’ sons came home crying because another male classmate was pushing them, pulling their hair, hitting them or calling them names, I would bet dollars to donuts they would tell him to defend themselves and kick the kid’s ass, if necessary. They sure as shit wouldn’t say, “he probably just wants a play date”.
I will teach my daughter to accept nothing less than respect. Anyone who hurts her physically or emotionally doesn’t deserve her respect, friendship or love. I will teach my boys the same thing as well as the fact that hitting on girls doesn’t involve hitting girls. I can’t teach my daughter to respect herself if I am teaching her that no one else has to respect her. I can’t raise sons that respect women, if I teach them that bullying is a valid expression of affection.
The next time that someone offers up that little “secret” to my daughter, I am going to slap the person across the face and yell, “I LOVE YOU”.
” You Didn’t Thank Me For Punching You in the Face « Views from the Couch (via ceedling)
And always remember that the boys are listening, too, and learning that this is how they are expected to show their affections.
(via joyouslyprofane)
Sunday, September 09, 2012
day of rest
This post is an invitation for comments.
In dancing on the grass yesterday for the Westview Culture Days with the lovely Al Amar Dance Theatre, (Classes start this Wednesday at The Refinery in Saskatoon - check out their webpage for details!) I seem to have re-done whatever it was I did before to my foot where it feels like the cuboid bone slipped against the.... well, either the first metatarsals of the 4th and 5th toes or the transverse tarsal joint was the one doing the slipping. Either way, it resulted in dancing with a numb foot and now occasionally walking with great foot pain. As long as I stay off of it, it will be better by Wednesday. This is vital because that is when dance classes start, and I love to dance.
In the meantime, I am attempting a day of rest. This goes against my very grain. It is the weekend and I am supposed to be doing all of the active things I normally would not get to do during the week while sitting at a desk in an office. At the very least, going for a walk would be absolutely lovely as it is supposed to be quite nice out today, and there won't be very many quite nice out days left this season.
This post is an invitation for comments - what do you do with forced days of rest when you really don't feel like resting?
Once you're done answering that, you should really check out the info on classes with Al Amar. Aside from being super fun and super good for you, it'd be good for us to see some new faces too. And it's fun. Did I mention that? Really fun. If you do nothing else with your spare time, taking an Al Amar class will greatly enhance the amount of fun you have in your life.
In dancing on the grass yesterday for the Westview Culture Days with the lovely Al Amar Dance Theatre, (Classes start this Wednesday at The Refinery in Saskatoon - check out their webpage for details!) I seem to have re-done whatever it was I did before to my foot where it feels like the cuboid bone slipped against the.... well, either the first metatarsals of the 4th and 5th toes or the transverse tarsal joint was the one doing the slipping. Either way, it resulted in dancing with a numb foot and now occasionally walking with great foot pain. As long as I stay off of it, it will be better by Wednesday. This is vital because that is when dance classes start, and I love to dance.
In the meantime, I am attempting a day of rest. This goes against my very grain. It is the weekend and I am supposed to be doing all of the active things I normally would not get to do during the week while sitting at a desk in an office. At the very least, going for a walk would be absolutely lovely as it is supposed to be quite nice out today, and there won't be very many quite nice out days left this season.
This post is an invitation for comments - what do you do with forced days of rest when you really don't feel like resting?
Once you're done answering that, you should really check out the info on classes with Al Amar. Aside from being super fun and super good for you, it'd be good for us to see some new faces too. And it's fun. Did I mention that? Really fun. If you do nothing else with your spare time, taking an Al Amar class will greatly enhance the amount of fun you have in your life.
Sunday, September 02, 2012
Thursday, August 23, 2012
blog posts to write
1. Connection of Jen's birth to Agent Orange, or Why I Don't Have a Sibling.
2. Dad's rifle pt. 2 - Is that the rifle you got the caribou with?
2. Dad's rifle pt. 2 - Is that the rifle you got the caribou with?
Sunday, August 12, 2012
questions to answer, from a friend's blog
Original questions for you.
1: When you have a container of Neapolitan ice cream, what flavor do you leave for last? \Always strawberry. I don't deliberately by Neapolitan for that reason.
2: Would you rather be caught in a thunderstorm without an umbrella or a snowstorm without boots?
Thunderstorm without umbrella - umbrella screams lightening, here I am!
3: Let's say you have access to a time machine, but it can only go either backward or forward. One or the other. Which do you choose and where do you go?
I honestly don't know because the idea of having a time machine freaks me out.
4: If you could choose to have any superpower ever, what would you pick?
The ability to make others realize their self-worth.
5:
Tomorrow morning, you wake up in the body of a
celebrity, like in a '90s body-swap movie. Who is it? How do they react
to your life? What do you do when you're "them"? Would you choose to
switch back?
No.
No.
6:
Any allergies?
sometimes springtime. And large concentrations of preservatives.
sometimes springtime. And large concentrations of preservatives.
7:
What would you be more embarrassed to buy: sex toys or adult diapers?
Neither. Sex toys are fun and adult diapers may one day be a necessity, not something to be embarrrased about.
Neither. Sex toys are fun and adult diapers may one day be a necessity, not something to be embarrrased about.
8:
Did you get enough sleep last night?
Probably.
9: You're the sole witness to a Mafia murder. Witness protection has to set you up with a whole new life in a totally new country. You have to leave everything behind, but you can pick where you move to. Where do you go?
I don't want to go anywhere. I really like Saskatoon.
10:
If you could star in a biopic about any famous person ever, who would it be?
Nobody, I really like my life and I'm not a great actor.
Nobody, I really like my life and I'm not a great actor.
11:
What's the biggest animal you've ever killed? Bugs count.
I may have hit a bird or small rodent with my car.
I may have hit a bird or small rodent with my car.
12:
Would you rather have millions of dollars but
always feel nauseous when you go outside, or be dirt poor forever but
never get sick again in your life?
Dirt poor and healthy. I can't handle nausea.
Dirt poor and healthy. I can't handle nausea.
13:
A wizard offers you immortality in exchange for your two front teeth. Do you take it?
No. These teeth are mine bitch!
No. These teeth are mine bitch!
14:
Could you win the Hunger Games?
I wouldn't play.
I wouldn't play.
15:
What was your favorite Halloween costume as a kid? How about as a teen/adult?
I don't know. The easiest was the zombie belly dancer... but Queen of the Autumn Faeries was also pretty awesome.
I don't know. The easiest was the zombie belly dancer... but Queen of the Autumn Faeries was also pretty awesome.
16:
Do you bite your nails?
Sometimes.
Sometimes.
17:
What was the first movie you remember seeing in the theater?
I don't remember the first one.
I don't remember the first one.
18:
Do you prefer music with male or female vocalists?
It doesn't matter as long as they can sing well.
It doesn't matter as long as they can sing well.
19:
You and the love of your life are having a baby,
and you get to choose the name! There's only one catch: your partner
INSISTS that it be the name of a place, real or fictional. What do you
name your baby?
So not happening.
So not happening.
20:
If you could reboot or remake any movie, what would it be and who would you cast?
No.
No.
21:
If you could automatically know how to speak any language or play any instrument, which would you choose?
Playing instruments.
Playing instruments.
22:
For you, would getting amnesia be a good thing?
No.
No.
23:
If you curse loudly and then realize that there are children nearby, what is your reaction?
I'd rather they hear it from me than learn it at school. I can teach kids how to curse properly if they really want to learn, whereas out in the world they mostly just learn to be crass and inappropriate with it.
I'd rather they hear it from me than learn it at school. I can teach kids how to curse properly if they really want to learn, whereas out in the world they mostly just learn to be crass and inappropriate with it.
24:
Of what animal are you most afraid?
Tasmanian devil.
Tasmanian devil.
25:
Pizza or oral sex?
Depends on the quality of the pizza.
Depends on the quality of the pizza.
26:
Without looking them up, can you explain the rules of football? How about Quidditch? What do you think that says about you?
Probably not. Without looking them up I don't think I could even tell you what they are.
Probably not. Without looking them up I don't think I could even tell you what they are.
27:
You're in the car, switching channels on the
radio when you hear a song that makes you go "OH SHIT, THAT'S MY JAM!"
What song is it?
If I ever said that out loud while driving I'd start to laugh so hard I'd get snot everywhere and probably get in an accident.
If I ever said that out loud while driving I'd start to laugh so hard I'd get snot everywhere and probably get in an accident.
28:
Have you ever paid to see a Step Up movie? If not, how much would someone have to pay YOU to see a Step Up movie?
Never heard of it.
Never heard of it.
29:
If you were being executed tonight, what would you choose for your last meal?
Something involving mashed potatoes with skins and butter and salt and pepper and gravy. Probably blue-rare prime rib.
Something involving mashed potatoes with skins and butter and salt and pepper and gravy. Probably blue-rare prime rib.
30:
Have you ever bought an item of clothing because it reminded you of something a fictional character would wear?
I don't think so? Unless we're talking the fictional me in my head who is so much more awesome and brave and smart and pretty - she's someone I try to be more of and in that case, probably.
I don't think so? Unless we're talking the fictional me in my head who is so much more awesome and brave and smart and pretty - she's someone I try to be more of and in that case, probably.
31:
If you were invisible for a day, what would you do?
My husband.
My husband.
32:
Have you ever been punched in the face?
Sort of. Broke my glasses, mostly missed my face.
Sort of. Broke my glasses, mostly missed my face.
33:
How do you take your ramen noodles?
Either Vietnamese style with green onion and soup liquid and other veggies or drained with just the soup powder. Chicken flavour only.
Either Vietnamese style with green onion and soup liquid and other veggies or drained with just the soup powder. Chicken flavour only.
34:
Do you ever rehearse or plan conversations before you actually have them?
Sometimes, but they never go as they do in my head. Usually, being an introvert, I debrief them after and think up all the witty things I wish I'd said or done. I'm not sure if it's a useful exercise or not.
Sometimes, but they never go as they do in my head. Usually, being an introvert, I debrief them after and think up all the witty things I wish I'd said or done. I'm not sure if it's a useful exercise or not.
35:
How much black do you wear on a regular basis (not counting funerals)?
Usually not much, it depends.
36:
Do you have any tattoos? Do you want any?
One. And I'm rather on the fence about getting any more. I don't think I will.
One. And I'm rather on the fence about getting any more. I don't think I will.
37:
If someone offered you a free pet snake, would
you take it? It's not dangerous or really big or anything. They're just
moving to a place that doesn't allow pets.
Probably. Especially if it came with a free terrarium and accessories.
Probably. Especially if it came with a free terrarium and accessories.
38:
Do you know how to pronounce the word "pinochle"?
Pinacle?
Pinacle?
39:
Can you think of anything more boring than birdwatching?
Being injured and not being able to be on my feet for a week. Sucks.
Being injured and not being able to be on my feet for a week. Sucks.
40:
Are you better with numbers or words?
Words, but lately this whole pregnant thing is making me borderline dyslexic with words and numbers.
Words, but lately this whole pregnant thing is making me borderline dyslexic with words and numbers.
41:
At the movies, do you stay for the credits?
Sometimes. I like to know where things were filmed if the scenery is either stunning or if I think I've been there (and if it's the latter, usually I'm right).
Sometimes. I like to know where things were filmed if the scenery is either stunning or if I think I've been there (and if it's the latter, usually I'm right).
42:
Is morality universal or relative?
Seriously?
Seriously?
43:
Let's say you're getting married to someone you
absolutely adore. The only catch is that you met them through a
Craigslist hookup ad that was supposed to be just for one night of
casual sex. Would you tell your friends how you and your fiance met?
Of course! That's hilarious! I might alter the details a bit for my Dad though...
Of course! That's hilarious! I might alter the details a bit for my Dad though...
44:
What's the worst name you've ever been called?
I'm generally not called names.
45: Would you eat human flesh if it had been harvested and prepared humanely? (Say, from someone brain-dead who had marked him or herself down as an organ donor - same difference, right?)
My husband said I could eat him if he died. I probably wouldn't unless the world were also ending and protein was in short supply though. It's kind of creepy.
46:
At what age did you stop believing in Santa?
Alternately, if you never believed in Santa, did you ever ruin Santa for
anyone else?
I can't remember.
I can't remember.
47:
Do you get along better with old people or little kids?
Old people. Having a baby is sure going to be interesting!
Old people. Having a baby is sure going to be interesting!
48:
If you had to choose, would you rather become a nun/monk or a drug dealer?
Nun.
Nun.
49:
What's your best bodily feature, objectively speaking?
I'm not objective about my body so ask someone else.
I'm not objective about my body so ask someone else.
50:
Who is your favorite late night talk show host?
David Attenborough!
(Wait, you mean you don't watch his nature shows alone in bed in the dark on your iPod?)
Tuesday, August 07, 2012
Food Storage - 3 days
This idea is based on something I found on Pintrest, which is, succinctly, as follows:
In the event of a catastrophe, it takes the average person's brain 3 days to figure out the gravity of the situation - in other words, in a situation like Hurricane Katrina, people's brains are traumatized en masse for an average of 3 days and nobody can think straight.
3-day food storage meal planning is based on this knowledge - for the first 3 days of a disaster, everyone will suck at things like thinking, rational decision making, and survival.
Wouldn't it be nice if you could have 3 days of boxes with food in them that goes well together to make a healthy meal that you don't have to cook, think about preparing, or need water for?
What I read suggested a simple meal plan around tuna. This wouldn't work at my house due to fish allergies, but I suppose we could substitute other canned meat. The Tuna Box would have about 5 cans of tuna (I'm basing this on our family - 2 adults and soon 1 baby/toddler), a jar of relish, jar of mayonnaise (we don't like store-bought mayo so maybe we could substitute salad dressing), a box or 2 of whole wheat crackers, a big can of fruit (or 2), and an individual sandwich baggie of trail mix for each person.
I think the challenge for us would be getting dairy... although I guess if we had powdered cheese we could always mix it with the aforementioned salad dressing... it would probably also mix well with canned hummus.
The challenge is to come up with 3 days of meal boxes, then fill them, label with a use by date, and every 6 months or so, eat what's in the box (the day after buying replacement food!). Having to actually eat your 3 day boxes twice a year will also serve as a good learning tool - what works? What doesn't?
I would enjoy a meal of canned meat, salsa (or canned stewed tomatoes), bagel chips (see, I'm diversifying! And they could be cheesy bagel chips! I rule!), a can of fruit (different fruit than the day before), and a snack of rice cakes with peanut butter and jam.
The last day could be a few cans of homemade hummus (I'm sure it can be done), pita chips, a can or 3 of a vegetable that doesn't suck when it's cold - maybe corn, another can of a different fruit, and for a snack maybe some... crackers made out of nuts with either jam or nutella (which is made with milk).
Another protein idea would be pickled eggs. My husband doesn't like them, but I'd be happy with them...
What are your 3 day food box ideas?
In the event of a catastrophe, it takes the average person's brain 3 days to figure out the gravity of the situation - in other words, in a situation like Hurricane Katrina, people's brains are traumatized en masse for an average of 3 days and nobody can think straight.
3-day food storage meal planning is based on this knowledge - for the first 3 days of a disaster, everyone will suck at things like thinking, rational decision making, and survival.
Wouldn't it be nice if you could have 3 days of boxes with food in them that goes well together to make a healthy meal that you don't have to cook, think about preparing, or need water for?
What I read suggested a simple meal plan around tuna. This wouldn't work at my house due to fish allergies, but I suppose we could substitute other canned meat. The Tuna Box would have about 5 cans of tuna (I'm basing this on our family - 2 adults and soon 1 baby/toddler), a jar of relish, jar of mayonnaise (we don't like store-bought mayo so maybe we could substitute salad dressing), a box or 2 of whole wheat crackers, a big can of fruit (or 2), and an individual sandwich baggie of trail mix for each person.
I think the challenge for us would be getting dairy... although I guess if we had powdered cheese we could always mix it with the aforementioned salad dressing... it would probably also mix well with canned hummus.
The challenge is to come up with 3 days of meal boxes, then fill them, label with a use by date, and every 6 months or so, eat what's in the box (the day after buying replacement food!). Having to actually eat your 3 day boxes twice a year will also serve as a good learning tool - what works? What doesn't?
I would enjoy a meal of canned meat, salsa (or canned stewed tomatoes), bagel chips (see, I'm diversifying! And they could be cheesy bagel chips! I rule!), a can of fruit (different fruit than the day before), and a snack of rice cakes with peanut butter and jam.
The last day could be a few cans of homemade hummus (I'm sure it can be done), pita chips, a can or 3 of a vegetable that doesn't suck when it's cold - maybe corn, another can of a different fruit, and for a snack maybe some... crackers made out of nuts with either jam or nutella (which is made with milk).
Another protein idea would be pickled eggs. My husband doesn't like them, but I'd be happy with them...
What are your 3 day food box ideas?
Wednesday, June 27, 2012
Food storage for beginners
With the recent and ongoing power outage in Prince Albert, Saskatchewan's 3rd largest city, I feel compelled to write a post on affordable food storage for beginners, as that is the level we were at when we started storing food - it had to be cheap and easy.
Here are some things to think about:
1. Pasta, rice, and wild rice, if left soaking in water long enough, will become soft. Rice is the better use of the water because you can add a little to start with and then add a little more as it gets soaked up. Pasta uses water but then what's left over isn't as awesome for drinking as fresh water.
2. Cans last almost forever. It's a good idea to rotate what's in your cupboards just to be safe. If you don't have anything in your cupboards, watch for things like 2 for $ or 3 for $ deals. Tomato sauce is a great one to have on hand because it makes everything awesome, even rice. Stewed tomatoes are almost better because they have liquid in them, which, in an emergency, would allow you to use less water for the rice.
3. Canned fruit is another smart buy, not only because it has vitamin C but because it is loaded with liquid. The more you can eat that is wet, the less water you'll need to drink.
4. Juice in tetra-paks is another item that is shelf-savvy. They last for a very long time and would allow you to further conserve water. Juice, too, is often on sale for really cheap, like 99 cents a litre, or sometimes even less. When it's that cheap and you would have normally picked up 1 litre for $2 or $3, pick up 2 or 3 litres for the same price. Store it.
5. If you know you're going to use something in your cupboard, buy a replacement for it and rotate it so that the oldest product is at the front of the shelf.
6. Protein storage is not impossible. Canned beans are fantastic for this. Busch's Beans even taste great cold, I think. Your other easy option would be dehydrated eggs. They don't exactly taste awesome scrambled like fresh eggs do, but you can put a teaspoon or 2 here or there and you won't even notice them. You could even mix them in with your tomato sauces if you found the idea of eating them plain vile.
7. A cheap camping stove is a really good idea. I'm talking literally the single burner that screws into the top of a bottle of propane. Those suckers heat stuff REALLY fast. I don't even think we went through a whole small bottle of propane on our honeymoon and we had hot beans with almost every meal. Also, it's easy to store the burner and a couple bottles of propane at home, and it's cheaper than a big bottle of BBQ propane, which is hard to acquire if you're poor and don't have a car (like we were when we went on our honeymoon). An alternate, which only works if you're willing to chop down your trees and share your food, is to make friends with the closest neighbour who has a fire pit. Another thing to keep in mind about propane is that you should keep it and use it outside, well away from your house. Chances are good you'll never have an incident with it, but it is odorless, accidents happen (especially if all hell's breaking loose and the apocalypse is striking), and you might thank me for that reminder in the end. And.... last thought on fuel: You probably shouldn't rely on your natural gas BBQ for an emergency situation. It might be awesome every other day of the year, and less of a PITA then propane, but if gas goes out with your power, you'll be glad for your portable alternative.
8. Make sure you rotate something sweet in your food storage. Chocolate is good, something like pure chocolate chips, because chocolate doesn't really expire. It's still good to rotate it anyway but it will last for a very long time as long as it's kept dry and cool. Cookies are good too - Oreos have all kinds of preservatives in 'em (they make me itchy, which is lame) which means they'd be a good choice for longevity. Ritz crackers have the same sort of longevity. M&Ms are also known as pretty decent energy food, although lacking in nutrition. Things like nuts are good to have on hand for energy and mix well with chocolate, but only if you eat them often enough to go through them as they will go rancid faster than canned or sugary goods. Rum cake, if it's not against your religion, seems to last forever and is awfully tasty. It would make a nice treat in a crisis. I'm also under the impression that fruit cake, the Christmas kind, also lasts forever...
8 1/2: Foods high in acids and sugars have longer shelf lives. Maybe see how long a jar of pickled eggs will keep if you like pickled eggs (I do) or other pickled protein.
9. Whatever you do, don't stock up on an overabundance of junk food. It might seem cheap and easy but in a crisis situation you need real food and as best proper nutrition as possible in order to think straight and function properly.
10. It's not a bad idea to have a bottle of bleach on hand as well as it is useful for disinfecting things.
I guess the key to effective food storage is to find things that are cheap, healthy, and keep for a really long time. If you're stuck in an emergency, you probably won't care that you can't have T-bone steak and fresh veggies as much as you might think if you have a good selection of canned goods and a method with which to heat them. Remember too that variety is important - you don't want tomato sauce dishes for an entire week and you won't want beans for an entire week. But if you have 5 or 6 kinds of canned veggies, 5 or 6 kinds of canned fruit, well, then you have options. And it might not be awesome if it goes on for more than a week, but when you think about the people who live near you who weren't prepared, you'll be glad you slowly acquired some basic food.
Here are some things to think about:
1. Pasta, rice, and wild rice, if left soaking in water long enough, will become soft. Rice is the better use of the water because you can add a little to start with and then add a little more as it gets soaked up. Pasta uses water but then what's left over isn't as awesome for drinking as fresh water.
2. Cans last almost forever. It's a good idea to rotate what's in your cupboards just to be safe. If you don't have anything in your cupboards, watch for things like 2 for $ or 3 for $ deals. Tomato sauce is a great one to have on hand because it makes everything awesome, even rice. Stewed tomatoes are almost better because they have liquid in them, which, in an emergency, would allow you to use less water for the rice.
3. Canned fruit is another smart buy, not only because it has vitamin C but because it is loaded with liquid. The more you can eat that is wet, the less water you'll need to drink.
4. Juice in tetra-paks is another item that is shelf-savvy. They last for a very long time and would allow you to further conserve water. Juice, too, is often on sale for really cheap, like 99 cents a litre, or sometimes even less. When it's that cheap and you would have normally picked up 1 litre for $2 or $3, pick up 2 or 3 litres for the same price. Store it.
5. If you know you're going to use something in your cupboard, buy a replacement for it and rotate it so that the oldest product is at the front of the shelf.
6. Protein storage is not impossible. Canned beans are fantastic for this. Busch's Beans even taste great cold, I think. Your other easy option would be dehydrated eggs. They don't exactly taste awesome scrambled like fresh eggs do, but you can put a teaspoon or 2 here or there and you won't even notice them. You could even mix them in with your tomato sauces if you found the idea of eating them plain vile.
7. A cheap camping stove is a really good idea. I'm talking literally the single burner that screws into the top of a bottle of propane. Those suckers heat stuff REALLY fast. I don't even think we went through a whole small bottle of propane on our honeymoon and we had hot beans with almost every meal. Also, it's easy to store the burner and a couple bottles of propane at home, and it's cheaper than a big bottle of BBQ propane, which is hard to acquire if you're poor and don't have a car (like we were when we went on our honeymoon). An alternate, which only works if you're willing to chop down your trees and share your food, is to make friends with the closest neighbour who has a fire pit. Another thing to keep in mind about propane is that you should keep it and use it outside, well away from your house. Chances are good you'll never have an incident with it, but it is odorless, accidents happen (especially if all hell's breaking loose and the apocalypse is striking), and you might thank me for that reminder in the end. And.... last thought on fuel: You probably shouldn't rely on your natural gas BBQ for an emergency situation. It might be awesome every other day of the year, and less of a PITA then propane, but if gas goes out with your power, you'll be glad for your portable alternative.
8. Make sure you rotate something sweet in your food storage. Chocolate is good, something like pure chocolate chips, because chocolate doesn't really expire. It's still good to rotate it anyway but it will last for a very long time as long as it's kept dry and cool. Cookies are good too - Oreos have all kinds of preservatives in 'em (they make me itchy, which is lame) which means they'd be a good choice for longevity. Ritz crackers have the same sort of longevity. M&Ms are also known as pretty decent energy food, although lacking in nutrition. Things like nuts are good to have on hand for energy and mix well with chocolate, but only if you eat them often enough to go through them as they will go rancid faster than canned or sugary goods. Rum cake, if it's not against your religion, seems to last forever and is awfully tasty. It would make a nice treat in a crisis. I'm also under the impression that fruit cake, the Christmas kind, also lasts forever...
8 1/2: Foods high in acids and sugars have longer shelf lives. Maybe see how long a jar of pickled eggs will keep if you like pickled eggs (I do) or other pickled protein.
9. Whatever you do, don't stock up on an overabundance of junk food. It might seem cheap and easy but in a crisis situation you need real food and as best proper nutrition as possible in order to think straight and function properly.
10. It's not a bad idea to have a bottle of bleach on hand as well as it is useful for disinfecting things.
I guess the key to effective food storage is to find things that are cheap, healthy, and keep for a really long time. If you're stuck in an emergency, you probably won't care that you can't have T-bone steak and fresh veggies as much as you might think if you have a good selection of canned goods and a method with which to heat them. Remember too that variety is important - you don't want tomato sauce dishes for an entire week and you won't want beans for an entire week. But if you have 5 or 6 kinds of canned veggies, 5 or 6 kinds of canned fruit, well, then you have options. And it might not be awesome if it goes on for more than a week, but when you think about the people who live near you who weren't prepared, you'll be glad you slowly acquired some basic food.
Sunday, June 10, 2012
Where'd Jen go?
Week before last was super. People came to visit from out of town. I danced in a stellar show. We had breakfast in the back yard....
I also got super sick. And started a new job.
The new job is going well. The sick... is finally getting the antibiotics it deserves.
And my friend who was in Africa was allowed to leave the hospital finally too. I suspect she still has a long row to hoe but things are on the up and up. Her daughter is doing well too.
When I stop needing 2 hour naps after work interspersed with usage of entire boxes of kleenex, I might blog just a bit more.....
I also got super sick. And started a new job.
The new job is going well. The sick... is finally getting the antibiotics it deserves.
And my friend who was in Africa was allowed to leave the hospital finally too. I suspect she still has a long row to hoe but things are on the up and up. Her daughter is doing well too.
When I stop needing 2 hour naps after work interspersed with usage of entire boxes of kleenex, I might blog just a bit more.....
Saturday, May 26, 2012
perfect sprinkler
Today I weeded the flower beds. While I did this, I tried out my awesome new sprinkler on the garden. (Mine is actually a lower-end model than the one I've linked to - maybe Gardena stopped making my model? Did I mention Gardena is the most awesome way to water things?) Not only does my awesome new sprinkler oscillate from one side of the garden to the other, the width of its spray is the EXACT length of my vegetable garden. It took a while to get it set so it wasn't spraying my neighbours, but now it is perfect. I weeded, the sprinkler sprinkled, and at the end I turned the water off, having accomplished the tasks of weeding and watering - at the same time.
This, my friends, is magic.
On another note, we've figured out how to get my friend and her daughter home and not starve them on the way there. This also adds to the feeling that today might just be magic.
Happy Saturday everybody.
This, my friends, is magic.
On another note, we've figured out how to get my friend and her daughter home and not starve them on the way there. This also adds to the feeling that today might just be magic.
Happy Saturday everybody.
Friday, May 25, 2012
abominations and violations
I hardly know where to begin this post.
I am thinking about a friend who is overseas. Specifically, she is in Africa. But not the Africa with safaris and really expensive resorts.
My friend went over to start a non-profit to try and do something really good for the food security of the people of Africa.
Instead... someone who said he would help her tried to steal from her online banking on her laptop. The bank froze her assets until she returns to Canada.
This was over 2 months ago.
Yes, that is right. My friend has been living the African Dream. She has no money, and she lives in a room guarded by armed guards with video surveillance. Her host family is looking after her... but they are no longer interested in having penniless guests. (Yes, my friend has her young daughter with her.)
She said they've mostly been eating ground beef, and occasionally they can get ahold of the back of a chicken, and once in a blue moon she's been able to trade English lessons for an egg or two. No veggies. Fruit is plentiful but the trees are all owned... and she is not the owner.
She spent most of the first month in hospital with malaria. She wasn't all better when they let her go. Her daughter is also sick now. But that's not the worst of it. She has some sort of bacteria or fungus that is causing her legs and feet to spontaneously break out in ulcers. My best guess based on what she said the doctors told her is Buruli ulcer disease. She was taken to the hospital and the doctor removed one of her ulcers, about the same diameter as a pop can, without anesthetic. Keep in mind that ulcers can go down quite deep too. She has had no painkillers, and no antibiotics. When the dressing is changed, her wound is simply lavaged with saline, which she said they also use to "wash" the needles. I'm not entirely certain if that means the needles are sterile and getting a saline flush, or if that means they're re-use needles.
I've made arrangements to get her home on the earliest flight out. It leaves Tuesday night. This has left the Bank of Jen very close to bankrupt. She is going to need some cash for the trip home though - not just to potentially bribe the immigration officials when she leaves but to for food for the two of them on the journey home. They will be en route for more than 24 hours.
This post was going to be about the abomination and human rights violation that passes for a Beninoise hospital and medical system (I hope I have the adjectival form of Benin correct, apologies if I am wrong). Instead it is me wondering where to get the money to wire to my friend to get her home safely and get she and her daughter to a proper hospital.
Yes, this has been keeping me up at night.
I am thinking about a friend who is overseas. Specifically, she is in Africa. But not the Africa with safaris and really expensive resorts.
My friend went over to start a non-profit to try and do something really good for the food security of the people of Africa.
Instead... someone who said he would help her tried to steal from her online banking on her laptop. The bank froze her assets until she returns to Canada.
This was over 2 months ago.
Yes, that is right. My friend has been living the African Dream. She has no money, and she lives in a room guarded by armed guards with video surveillance. Her host family is looking after her... but they are no longer interested in having penniless guests. (Yes, my friend has her young daughter with her.)
She said they've mostly been eating ground beef, and occasionally they can get ahold of the back of a chicken, and once in a blue moon she's been able to trade English lessons for an egg or two. No veggies. Fruit is plentiful but the trees are all owned... and she is not the owner.
She spent most of the first month in hospital with malaria. She wasn't all better when they let her go. Her daughter is also sick now. But that's not the worst of it. She has some sort of bacteria or fungus that is causing her legs and feet to spontaneously break out in ulcers. My best guess based on what she said the doctors told her is Buruli ulcer disease. She was taken to the hospital and the doctor removed one of her ulcers, about the same diameter as a pop can, without anesthetic. Keep in mind that ulcers can go down quite deep too. She has had no painkillers, and no antibiotics. When the dressing is changed, her wound is simply lavaged with saline, which she said they also use to "wash" the needles. I'm not entirely certain if that means the needles are sterile and getting a saline flush, or if that means they're re-use needles.
I've made arrangements to get her home on the earliest flight out. It leaves Tuesday night. This has left the Bank of Jen very close to bankrupt. She is going to need some cash for the trip home though - not just to potentially bribe the immigration officials when she leaves but to for food for the two of them on the journey home. They will be en route for more than 24 hours.
This post was going to be about the abomination and human rights violation that passes for a Beninoise hospital and medical system (I hope I have the adjectival form of Benin correct, apologies if I am wrong). Instead it is me wondering where to get the money to wire to my friend to get her home safely and get she and her daughter to a proper hospital.
Yes, this has been keeping me up at night.
Tuesday, May 22, 2012
the garden is in
The garden is in. Carrots, peas, beans, corn, potatoes, tomatoes, cilantro, parsley, and new this year, asparagus.
Hooray!
Hooray!
Wednesday, May 16, 2012
why I no longer like bananas
I think this afternoon at work we might be meeting for chocolate covered bananas. This is the story of why I am bringing my own snack.
The first time I was in New Zealand I met a young man who I quite fancied. I decided to spend New Year's at his flat in Wellington. New Year's Eve was to be a big party, which was kicked off by a couple of bottles of chocolate dishwasher vodka, one having been made with plain milk chocolate, the other with banana flavoured chocolate.
The night, I'm quite sure, was long and fascinating. I have no recollection of going to the party. I don't know how I managed to get a back eye yet not break my glasses. And needless to say, the vodka didn't stay down.
I now have an unfortunate association of chocolate bananas and vomit.
The nice young man who I fancied is currently engaged to a lovely young woman. And I am happily married to someone else. I don't know if he still likes chocolate dishwasher vodka or not. Me? I've stayed away from it ever since, and I really don't party much ever anymore. I think the closest I get to going out and partying is being the hired bellydancer at the shisha lounge.
The first time I was in New Zealand I met a young man who I quite fancied. I decided to spend New Year's at his flat in Wellington. New Year's Eve was to be a big party, which was kicked off by a couple of bottles of chocolate dishwasher vodka, one having been made with plain milk chocolate, the other with banana flavoured chocolate.
The night, I'm quite sure, was long and fascinating. I have no recollection of going to the party. I don't know how I managed to get a back eye yet not break my glasses. And needless to say, the vodka didn't stay down.
I now have an unfortunate association of chocolate bananas and vomit.
The nice young man who I fancied is currently engaged to a lovely young woman. And I am happily married to someone else. I don't know if he still likes chocolate dishwasher vodka or not. Me? I've stayed away from it ever since, and I really don't party much ever anymore. I think the closest I get to going out and partying is being the hired bellydancer at the shisha lounge.
Tuesday, May 15, 2012
dead animal day
Today has been what will probably be normal for quite some time.
I ate breakfast. It was awesome (leftover homemade Mexican pizza, thanks Russell!). And then all of a sudden it wasn't awesome anymore and I didn't even want to look at food, least of all the awesome lunch I was making.
Then, later, I picked up some salad dressing for said awesome lunch. After dousing salad in dressing and taking a few bites, thinking it tasted funny, realized dressing was 2 years expired (good thing to know if I ever get stuff at the campus inconvenience store again). It had enough preservatives and vinegar and sugar in it that I decided to enjoy the rest of my salad anyway. It wasn't really all that enjoyable. I spent most of my afternoon trying to get the taste out of my mouth and trying not to think about what it would taste like if it came back up. Eeew.
And now. Well, 2 minutes ago, actually. All of a sudden, I'm no longer queasy and am ravenously attracted to dead animal, specifically raw fish. And it's so not going to happen before my dance rehearsal, although I do need to figure out something to eat between now and then. Which, given that I'll have maybe 5 minutes to get my stuff together once I get home, may prove nearly impossible if I actually want to be on time, and I do.
I guess I'd better drink lots more water before I leave so that queasy doesn't come back before I get home and find something awesome to eat........
I ate breakfast. It was awesome (leftover homemade Mexican pizza, thanks Russell!). And then all of a sudden it wasn't awesome anymore and I didn't even want to look at food, least of all the awesome lunch I was making.
Then, later, I picked up some salad dressing for said awesome lunch. After dousing salad in dressing and taking a few bites, thinking it tasted funny, realized dressing was 2 years expired (good thing to know if I ever get stuff at the campus inconvenience store again). It had enough preservatives and vinegar and sugar in it that I decided to enjoy the rest of my salad anyway. It wasn't really all that enjoyable. I spent most of my afternoon trying to get the taste out of my mouth and trying not to think about what it would taste like if it came back up. Eeew.
And now. Well, 2 minutes ago, actually. All of a sudden, I'm no longer queasy and am ravenously attracted to dead animal, specifically raw fish. And it's so not going to happen before my dance rehearsal, although I do need to figure out something to eat between now and then. Which, given that I'll have maybe 5 minutes to get my stuff together once I get home, may prove nearly impossible if I actually want to be on time, and I do.
I guess I'd better drink lots more water before I leave so that queasy doesn't come back before I get home and find something awesome to eat........
Monday, May 14, 2012
things'n'stuff'n'things
I had a blast last weekend in Regina with my Mum. Mum is awesome!
Now it is Monday night. I have bags of stuff to unpack, laundry to do, a garden to hoe, after work work to do... it is what it is.
I might still be tired. Or maybe just tired of this splitting headache/backache....
but overall I'm very happy.
Now it is Monday night. I have bags of stuff to unpack, laundry to do, a garden to hoe, after work work to do... it is what it is.
I might still be tired. Or maybe just tired of this splitting headache/backache....
but overall I'm very happy.
Friday, May 11, 2012
Friday fun time day
Today after work I'm going to meet my Mum in Regina for a super fun time. And she finally gets to hear about her surprise. It's going to be awesome. And shopping. Awesome. I want to leave now. The next hour and 45 is going to take FOR EVER. I'm already not concentrating very well on work.
Is it time yet?
How about now?
Now?
Is it time yet?
How about now?
Now?
Thursday, May 10, 2012
Reasons to Live
I've been thinking a lot about a handful of people I know who either have tried to kill themselves, have thought about killing themselves, know someone who took his or her own life, or wallow in the dull, gray pit of depression, either sometimes or all the time. For me, from me, this is for you.
Reasons to Live
1. I promise there is at least one person who loves you so much that the shock of your death would cause that person to vomit enough to need to go to the ER.
2. If you have an internet presence, and most of us do these days, somebody who you've never met before reads your posts. You have an effect on the life of a stranger.
3. Businesses you regularly patronize have staff who would wonder where their regular customer went.
4. There are people in your life who love you and who you can trust. If you are reading this, I am one of those people. I love you. And I promise that if you ever choose to confide in me, I will walk with you when I can, not judge you, and continue to let you know that I love you.
5. There is no such thing as good or bad, right or wrong when it comes to being a certain way. Those terms are subjective and dependent on one's sociocultural environment, on a micro and macro scale. I know that letting go of labels foisted upon us by others isn't easy, but we can do it.
6. Everybody has insecurities of some sort. People who don't are lying or in denial. You are not alone.
7. If we ever need to admit that something is wrong, hopefully we find an army of friends and family willing to be there with us. And if that is not the case, all you really need is one, maybe two people.
8. If you die now, you'll miss out on years of possibility.
9. Take a deep breath or 10. Put some rocks in your pockets (trust me, it helps). Find one good thing that happened in the last week. Focus on that good feeling.
If you need to seek help, it is okay to ask someone to help you with that. Chances are that person will be glad you asked.
If you or anybody you know needs counselling, I have a handful of contacts scattered across Alberta (and a great resource base to draw from) and a couple in Saskatchewan. My e-mail address is jbarrett@sasktel.net
I am also certified in Grief Support, if you would like somebody to walk that path with you.
Reasons to Live
1. I promise there is at least one person who loves you so much that the shock of your death would cause that person to vomit enough to need to go to the ER.
2. If you have an internet presence, and most of us do these days, somebody who you've never met before reads your posts. You have an effect on the life of a stranger.
3. Businesses you regularly patronize have staff who would wonder where their regular customer went.
4. There are people in your life who love you and who you can trust. If you are reading this, I am one of those people. I love you. And I promise that if you ever choose to confide in me, I will walk with you when I can, not judge you, and continue to let you know that I love you.
5. There is no such thing as good or bad, right or wrong when it comes to being a certain way. Those terms are subjective and dependent on one's sociocultural environment, on a micro and macro scale. I know that letting go of labels foisted upon us by others isn't easy, but we can do it.
6. Everybody has insecurities of some sort. People who don't are lying or in denial. You are not alone.
7. If we ever need to admit that something is wrong, hopefully we find an army of friends and family willing to be there with us. And if that is not the case, all you really need is one, maybe two people.
8. If you die now, you'll miss out on years of possibility.
9. Take a deep breath or 10. Put some rocks in your pockets (trust me, it helps). Find one good thing that happened in the last week. Focus on that good feeling.
If you need to seek help, it is okay to ask someone to help you with that. Chances are that person will be glad you asked.
If you or anybody you know needs counselling, I have a handful of contacts scattered across Alberta (and a great resource base to draw from) and a couple in Saskatchewan. My e-mail address is jbarrett@sasktel.net
I am also certified in Grief Support, if you would like somebody to walk that path with you.
The Doctor
The Doctor said he'd give me a reference. I think that's pretty sweet. I'd give him one too, although I realize it doesn't work like that.
Instead, I thought about giving him cough in a petri dish, as cough of uncertain etiology is one of his most frequent types of consultations. Only thing is, apparently Giant Microbes only accepts payment via credit card. I don't have a credit card. And I don't want one either. If you'd like to lend me yours for this purpose, let me know. I have cash.
In the meantime, it's only 1 more day until I meet Mum in Regina. And my husband comes home tonight, which is pretty awesome too.
That is all.
Instead, I thought about giving him cough in a petri dish, as cough of uncertain etiology is one of his most frequent types of consultations. Only thing is, apparently Giant Microbes only accepts payment via credit card. I don't have a credit card. And I don't want one either. If you'd like to lend me yours for this purpose, let me know. I have cash.
In the meantime, it's only 1 more day until I meet Mum in Regina. And my husband comes home tonight, which is pretty awesome too.
That is all.
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