Wordless Wednesday: Minimalist With Kids

The One Thing I Still Don't Have...

I never had any other desire so strong, and so like to covetousness, as that one which I have had always, that I might be master at last of a small house and a large Garden. ~Abraham Cowley, The Garden, 1666

This quote sums up exactly what I want out of life.

Namaste,
Ani

Shopping Your Values

"When you buy something stop and think about why you're buying it? Choose intentionally what you trade your labor (money) for."

What we buy demonstrates our values in life. When we buy cheap items made with child labor or through defiling our environment we're saying that we are willing to work for those things.

I thought this morning about our 'need' for summer clothing. I thought to myself that I would simply go to Old Navy and grab enough for both of us, likely for less than $100. Then I stopped myself.

I KNOW that many of their items are made in poor countries using child labor. Is that the sort of thing I want to support? Some will say that without factory jobs for kids many of those families would starve. Perhaps, but it is still something to think about before I use my labor (money) to support the exploitation of children.

Does the overall good outweigh the bad? The answer may be different for each of us (as our personal circumstances vary) but we can all stop, think & make conscious consumer decisions.

Namaste,
Ani

Collaborative Consumption & The Power of The Internet

One of the ways I've been able to fit into a 625 square foot apartment comfortably with a child is by owning less stuff. But, sometimes, I still need that stuff. Enter the idea of collaborative consumption. Instead of everyone on the block each owning a lawnmower we own one in common and take turns sharing. It isn't as convenient as having your own everything, but, with the right sharers it can be pretty easy and save you thousands of dollars a year.

Here are some places that can help you get started on your free/cheap/barter journey:

ThredUp - Instead of buying new or saving your old clothes for your next baby try this website. You can swap clothes and toys with other moms online avoiding the need to store unused stuff in your house.

BabyPlays - This is a toy rental service similar to Netflix. For a monthly fee you can rent toys and return them when your kids get tired of playing with them. Great way to avoid having a bunch of outgrown toys laying around.

Kid-to-Kid - Find a children's consignment store in your area. I love this particular chain because the quality is pretty consistent no matter where you go.

PaperbackSwap - I've been a member of this website, and its sister site SwapaDVD, for years and I love it. Great way to get rid of books or movies you don't like and don't anticipate using again.

Hulu - This is by far my favorite website to watch free TV and movies online. My kid loves old cartoons from the 80's, they've got plenty of full series available there, and I love cheesy sci-fi -- which they've got in abundance. They also have a Hulu+ subscription service which offers access to some popular TV shows and movies that aren't streaming for free.

Freecycle - If you haven't heard of this you're missing out bigtime. Have something you want to get rid of but don't think you can sell? Try Freecycle, there's sure to be someone looking to turn your trash into their treasure.

Project Gutenberg - I'm slowly switching over to ebooks and this website is one of my favorites for downloading free literature. You can read them on your smartphone, tablet, ebook reader, laptop, desktop or iPod.

Skype - The best thing ever for free video calls around the world. Great for folks (like me) who live hundreds of miles away from the grandparents.

Zipcar - This is the nationwide carsharing service run by Hertz, but if you're looking for something a little less corporate just google "carsharing" and your city and to find out who's got what.

The Sharehood - A great website for connecting with people in your neighborhood who are also interested in sharing stuff.

BarterQuest - Got something (a skill or an item) to share and you know what -- not how much $ -- you want in exchange? Check out this website for peer to peer bartering opportunities.

Peer to Peer Lending - I love this idea. For when you need cash, but don't want to deal with a nameless faceless banking institution. Put a borrower profile up on one of these sites and make a connection with someone who wants to help. Zopa, Lending Club, and Prosper.

If you have any more resources please leave them in the comments.

Namaste,
Ani

A Few Environmental Documentaries for Earth Day

One of the things we're doing for Earth Day 2011 is watching and talking about a few environmental documentaries. Here are some of my favorites that you can view for free on Hulu.

1. Earth Keepers -- People spearheading innovative projects to improve the future of society.
2. Flow: For Love of Water -- A look at the looming global water crisis.
3. Gas Hole -- A look at the history of oil consumption and some possible alternative fuels.
4. The Future of Food -- A look at our food production system and where it's heading.

Hopefully you get to watch at least one of these movies as they all have great information about the sustainability issues we're facing.


Namaste,
Ani

Happy Earth Day 2011

Take some time to day to think about ways you can minimize your impact on the planet.

1. Go Carfree -- if not forever then just for today. Walk, bike or use public transit whenever you can.

2. Carpool -- if your life doesn't allow you to go carfree get together with neighbors or colleagues and organize a carpool.

3. Start a garden -- if you're an apartment dweller like me you can try something small (we're starting a container herb garden) and expand as your space allows.

4. Switch out those lightbulbs -- the management at my complex just switched every bulb out to CFL ones. The don't need time to 'warm up' or cast a weird glow anymore... I actually can't tell the difference.

6. Switch off the AC -- we live in a pretty hot area (NC) and it's already AC season down here. Instead I purchased a cheap two way window fan and put one in each room. Set a bowl of ice in front of it to up the cooling factor.

5. Get a pitcher filter -- I don't like tap water (who does) but, instead of buying bottled water I bought a Brita Pitcher for my fridge and an aluminum water bottle to take with me when I'm on the go.

6. Go Vegetarian -- try some of the recipes here and consider going vegetarian once (or every ;)) night of the week.

Try one, or all, of these tips and have a happy Earth Day!

Namaste,
Ani

Carol’s Daughter, Colorism, Eugenics & Karma.

Carol’s Daughter, a cosmetics company, recently rolled out a new ad campaign centered on diversity. They chose three mixed race women to represent them; all beautiful, all celebrities, all what we in the black community refer to as ‘light skinned.’

In case you haven’t noticed, I am a black woman. I also wear my hair ‘natural’… that is I don’t use chemical processes to alter its color or texture. Carol’s Daughter has built their brand by marketing "natural' beauty products to the average black woman like me, and many were upset that the models chosen to represent the brand did not represent them. 

I pointed out that while the new ad campaign did not feature the average black woman it did feature three women who fit the current black American beauty ideal and that almost all beauty brands in capitalistic markets use models who fit the beauty ideal for their targeted demographic.

This is what I said:

“[T]hey [Carol’s Daughter] said diverse (which it is) not redefining beauty. Symmetry, skin tone, etc. which is universal.”

“Show me dark skinned, kinky haired 'beautiful' celebrities the AA community will clamor to look like. None.”

“That's the African American beauty ideal. Period. White companies cater to white beauty ideals. #Capitalism”

“Sadly, selling out is a normal part of #capitalism. All businesses that want to make money do it.”

When beauty brands try to define the beauty standard instead of simply represent them their attempts are usually short lived because redefining the status quo does not make them money. 

I then went on to say that beauty ideals are naturally determined (in my opinion). 

Whoa! Talk about stepping in a hornet's nest. This got me labeled a racist, colorist, eugenicist, classist & Hitlerist; okay, I made the last one up, but still, pretty harsh. I responded with some pretty mean tweets (I pointed out that low-self esteem was probably at the root of some of my detractor's issues with my comments, that is, the need to be validated by outside sources.

Ouch, & I'm sorry that I became frustrated and hurt the feeling of a few people whom life has already hurt enough. However, those comments were a digression. I stand by the principle of what I was saying. So, here it goes...

Btw; “I never said it was MY ideal. I simply acknowledged that it is the overall beauty ideal in the AA community.”

Nope. The train was out of the station running on anger and past hurt that had nothing to do with me, and nothing to do with the topic of the existence of beauty ideals being a naturally occurring phenomenon. (You can see @QuotidianLight’s YouTube explanation of her explosive response to  the whole thing here.)

That wasn’t the end of it though. The next day a few other people came out of nowhere and began lecturing me on the ‘danger’ of my idea that bad things are natural. I resisted the urge to refer her to Nietzsche’s “Beyond Good and Evil,’ it is a pretty dense read after all.But, I stood (and stand) by my assertion that everything is naturally determined.

I was told that society/culture determines beauty ideals, not nature. 

My response:

“I'm not a biologist or anthropologist, but I am convinced that much of our behavior is genetically (biologically) determined.”

“I think we, as humans, tend to forget that we are part of nature, not above or outside of it. Even spirituality is a natural development in our evolution as a species. So yes, what we find beautiful is determined by biology.”

“I believe ALL of our behavior is determined by nature. The nurturing environment itself is also naturally developed so strictly speaking nature vs nurture is a moot argument.”

“Culture is created by biological factors. Everything we think, feel, create occurs naturally.”

“I believe that 'Nature' like Nietzsche's 'Truth' needs no defender. Everything is always as it should be and could be no other way. #Karma”

“Saying humans are doing something 'against' Nature is like suggesting a drop of ocean water could rise in defiance of the ocean...  How can a thing subvert or control the very laws which provide for and guide that thing's existence?”

“Every invention of mankind (physical or psychological) is merely Nature expressing itself.”

“If we could put aside our ego we would see that the human view of things is incomplete. None of us comprehends all of Nature.”

 

I have preferences too. I don't like being attacked or discriminated against. I would be devastated if my house were taken out by a tornado or a flood. However, I accept that these things are part of nature. I may try to protect against things that are bad for me personally, because I am human, but I still acknowledge and accept that everything that exists in Nature has a place and a purpose. I know that I am not the center of all existence. I deal with it.

Sounds sensible enough, right? Or not. Let me know what you think. Thanks.

Namaste,

Ani

Wordless Wednesday: Sandbox

 

 

 

 

 

He's finally old enough to make friends and play without me.

Meatless Monday: Mujadarrah

I love this dish. Omit the yogurt/sour cream for a vegan version.

Lentils and Rice with Fried Onions (Mujadarrah)

Ingredients

• 6 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 large white onion, sliced into rings
• 1 1/3 cups uncooked green lentils
• 3/4 cup uncooked long-grain white rice
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1/4 cup plain yogurt or sour cream (optional)

Directions

1. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Stir in the onions, and cook about 10 minutes, until browned. Remove from heat, and set aside.
2. Place lentils in a medium saucepan with enough lightly salted water to cover. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer about 15 minutes.
3. Stir rice and enough water to cover into the saucepan with the lentils. Season with salt and pepper. Cover saucepan, and continue to simmer 15 to 20 minutes, until rice and lentils are tender.
4. Mix half the onions into the lentil mixture. Top with yogurt or sour cream and remaining onions to serve.

What are you having in your house for Meatless Monday?

*Original recipe from allrecipes.com

Finding the Right Friends

Friends do not live in harmony, merely, as some say, but in melody.

~Henry David Thoreau

I made a new friend last month.

A single mom, like me. Who unschools her kids, like I do. Who only serves healthy organic meals, me too. Who went against to grain and her family to create the life she wanted for her and her kids, me too. She herself is the child of a mestizo dad and a black American mom, same here.

It is so refreshing to sit and talk with someone who agrees with me. Who wants the same things out of life as I do. Who is just like me in so many ways.

We take our kids to the park, on walks and to the movies. We do bubbles and picnics and sidewalk chalk. We read books, practice writing and play pretend, all together.

No arguing.

No convincing.

No defensiveness.

When you're not doing things the 'normal' way it can be hard to socialize at times, maybe your kid is the only one who doesn't eat hotdogs or doesn't have a TV at home. Finding people who agree with you can validate your life choices and give you some easy companionship with a like minded soul.

It's nice.


Namaste,
Ani

Lost Job - Please Help

Today I was nearly brought to tears.  I was leaving a store and driving home when I spotted a young couple standing with a sign.  It said something to the effect of “lost job.  Please help” or something like that.  They were a very clean cut conservative looking couple.  I circled my car around while reaching for a $10 bill from my pocket.  I rolled the window down and the guy came over.  His face and his wives turned red.  I could see the man fighting back tears while a tear escaped from his wives eyes.  They were clearly not comfortable being on the corner on display for everyone to see their desperation.  He thanked me and asked me to keep them in prayer.

In this situation, I did not second guess myself wondering if they were scammers trying to get over on people.  I am 100% sure that this couple really were in desperate trouble.  I could feel their embarrassment.  As I drove away I thought of all the things that I wanted to tell them.  I wanted to tell them not to be ashamed and to not give up.  I wanted to tell her that I didn’t think poorly of her, that instead I admired her strength for standing by her husband’s side.

Unfortunately times are getting tougher out there.  Our country is in trouble and we need someone who understands economics so that that people like the couple I saw today can get back to work.  This was not a man who wanted the creation of more government programs for lazy people, it was a man who needed government to get out of the way of businesses so that they can create more jobs.

Gas is going higher, which means everything else is about to get higher.  Companies are laying off to save money.  Government needs to get out of the way not get bigger.  Obama, Reid, Pelosi and the other like minded politicians need to find a new line of work.

The Simple Pleasure of Solitude...

The view from my apartment at sunrise.

I find it wholesome to be alone the greater part of the time. To be in company, even with the best, is soon wearisome and dissipating. I love to be alone. I never found the companion that was so companionable as solitude. ~ Henry David Thoreau

My home is tiny & in the middle of the city. The only time I truly feel alone is in the early morning before the sun comes up or my son awakens. I'm usually up by 5:30 each morning. I like to make a cup of tea, sit by the window and read or just think. I love to listen to the birds chirping while I watch the sun slowly rise over the top of our building.

How do you manage to get time alone?

Wordless Wednesday: Bus Stop Dandelion

Broke Means Broke - Stop Spending!

What part of broke don't they understand.  In a family structure if you don't have any money it means you don't spend.  You cut back on non-necessities.  Our government is spending money that they do not have.  And people are in for a rude awakening when the S**T hits the fan.  Lots of programs are going to have to get cut and people are going to have to just suck it up and deal with it.  Our government is suposed to have limited functions anyway such as protection & security of the country and its citizens and infastructure.

While free college for illegals, and grants for the arts, research on toads and so on may seem like necessaties to some people... they are not.  This country needs to stop being a bunch of liberal whiny babies and start taking some serious actions to fix this broken country.  Some of the whiny babies who want the goverment to wipe their own butts for them should try spending some time in another country like Kenya so that maybe they can snap back into reality (or join it for the first time).

The problem is our country is run by special interest groups and lobbyist who basically pay off our officials thru campaign donations to get lots of "goodies" promised to them in return.  There is only one way we will every undo this payoff system and that is buy having a flat tax.  A flat tax based on consumption rather than production.  A flat tax where people aren't penalized for being productive.  A flat tax where companies don't feel like they have to set up in other countries to avoid the high tax burdens placed on them by our government.

Wake up America!  Change needs to come... and I'm not talking ObamaChange.  I am talking real change and it is going to take a president who really understands economic and business.  It's time to go Obama, Reid, Pelosi and all you other gimme gimme politicians.

Taking a Break From Consumerism: April 10th

Here is my "Taking a Break From Consumerism" update for this week.

$1.75 Bus Fare
$18.77 Food Costs

I didn't realize until last night that I really hadn't spent much last week. We took the bus home from the park on Thursday & had a 'pizza party' Saturday night with a few friends.

If you're participating feel free to post your week one results in the comments section, or link up to your blog post with you results.

Namaste,
Ani

Parenting Requires Confidence

I once had a friend try to end a discussion with me by saying, "I can't win with you because you always think you're right!"

My response was, "Of course I always 'think' I'm right. If I thought I was wrong I would change my opinion to the one I thought was right!" I have plenty of confidence in my mind and it's ability to reason & reach conclusions.

I woke up thinking about this because of a discussion I had last night on Twitter. A single mom left her 13 year old home alone for 7 days while she flew to Taiwan on a business trip. My perspective; what's the big deal. Overall, opinions varied (Kelly over at KellyNaturally.com blogged about it).

The discussion, for me. boiled down to personal autonomy and the relationship between rights and responsibilities.

A single parent who is solely responsible for a child also has the sole right to make decisions regarding that child. After all, insisting that she hire a babysitter for a teenager for a seven day business trip is likely a very expensive endeavor, one seen as unnecessary by me, and apparently by the mother in question. What political scientists call an unfunded mandate (making a rule without providing the means to enforce /follow through on it).

I then disclosed that when my son was an infant I often left him alone in his crib for about 30 minutes during his naptime so that I could get grocery shopping done. This was seen by many of my followers as even more controversial than leaving a 13 year old home alone for a week. I stand by my decision.

Why? Because I can. Because no one else was there & it was my decision to make. I made it. You're welcome.

Parenting is, after all, simply using your best judgement. There are no manuals to consult. The idea of what constitutes good parenting varies from culture to culture. Several of my followers pointed out that in many cultures a 13 year old would be married with children of her own to care for.

We all know that being a leader (isn't that what a parent is after all) requires not only decision making, but commitment. Both of which take confidence in your own ability to think, and you cannot be a good parent without being a confident one.

Do not condemn the judgment of another because it differs from your own. You may both be wrong. ~Dandemis

So, the next time someone judges your parenting decisions (no matter who they are or what type of 'authority' they claim to have) take a deep breath and remind yourself that they, like you, are only human. We are all born equally autonomous. Your freedom to parent as you see fit cannot be taken away, only given away.

Namaste,
Anita

Glenn Beck Says Fairwell to Daytime Show

Say it isn't so Glenn!  Glenn Beck and Fox have issued statements to confirm that Glenn Beck will be transitioning off his daytime show later this year.  Why????  Glenn Beck's show is rated the 3rd Cable News shown in the country so it doesn't seem to make sense.

To all the Glenn Beck haters, don't get too excited just yet.  Glenn Beck and Fox are working together for special projects & shows for Glenn to do in the future.  You haven't seen the last of Glenn Beck

Wordless Wednesday: Drawing in The Dirt

He drew me a heart & a map home.

Cranberry Walnut Oatmeal Cookies (vegan)

Ingredients:

1/2 cup dried cranberries

1/4 cup hot water

1 cup all purpose flour

1/2 tsp. baking soda

1/2 tsp. salt

1 cup quick cooking rolled oats

1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon

1/2 tsp. ground nutmeg

1/2 cup packed brown sugar

6 Tbsp. chopped walnuts

1 vegan egg replacer (I use 1 Tbsp. ground flax meal & 3 Tbsp. water mixed together to equal 1 egg)

6 Tbsp vegetable oil (can also substitute 6 Tbsp. applesauce)

1/2 tsp. vanilla extract

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Make flax meal egg substitute mixture & set aside

Combine cranberries & hot water in a bowl & set aside

Sift together flour, baking soda, salt

Add cinnamon, nutmeg, oats, sugar & nuts to dry mixture

Add wet ingredients

Mix until a dough forms

drop by spoonfuls onto a cookie sheet

Bake for 10-13 minutes


Makes 24 Cookies
86 calories per cookie (with flax meal & applesauce variation)

Taking a Break From Consumerism

I noticed today that we rarely buy things that aren't consumable. By that I mean things like food, personal care & cleaning supplies.


I didn't do it on purpose. After getting rid of my television my purchasing habits changed dramatically, probably because we're exposed to less advertising.


I've learned that many of the things I used to buy regularly, cool toys or new household items, just aren't necessary and only tend to create clutter.


I'm committed to only buying things we consume and/or run out of for the month of April. I'd love for you to join me.


Namaste,
Ani

Sickening - Against The Wall Of Pretence (2011)

Tracklist:

01 On The Edge Of Psychosis 4:18
02 Blind Obsession 3:32
03 Neurological Disease 3:51
04 Against The Wall Of Pretence b]3:09[/b]
05 Inner Suffocation 4:19
06 Unhealthy Illusions 2:55
07 Clones Of A Stereotype 3:31
08 Blast Of Madness 3:34
09 Mental Collapse 4:23

Origin: : Italy
Genre: Brutal Death Metal
Bitrate: mp3, Vbr V2 [Scene CD-Rip]
60 Mb


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Diftery - Trepa-nation (2011)

Тracklist
1. Trepa-Nation
2. I Misanthrope
3. Rise Of The Black Sun
4. Slaughtered Innocence
5. Contaminant (Poisoned Blood)
6. Aeon Of Slavery
7. Earthfall
8. Apophis (Sensations Of Absolute Power)
9. Legacy Of The Fallen Race

Origin: Slovakia
Genre: Brutal Death Metal
Bitrate: mp3, VBR 236 kbps [Scene]
55 Мb



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Flagitious Idiosyncrasy In The Dilapidation - Kakusei [ep] (2011)

Tracklist:
1. Sakai 01:36
2. Nightflesh 01:41
3. Zenmou 01:32
4. Sajou 02:07
5. Shosou 01:13
6. Kyogen 01:50

Genre: Brutal Death Metal / Grindcore / Female Vocal
Origin: Japan (Tokyo)
Bitrate: mp3@VBR247kbps
18MB



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Purgatory - Necromantaeon (2011)

Тracklist:
01. Arrival Of The Undivine 01:05
02. Reaping The Diseased 03:44
03. Where Darkness Reigns 03:19
04. Glorification Of The Lightbearer 03:23
05. Downwards Into Unlight 04:08
06. Scourging Blasphemies 03:17
07. Calling The Grand Destroyers 03:45
08. Necromantaeon 04:20
09. The Collapse Of Tides 05:33

Genre: Death Metal
Origin: Germany
Bitrate: mp3@CBR320kbps
73MB


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Saturday Morning: Living In The Moment

"The future is no place to place your better days." 

~Dave Matthews Band

It's easy to put the best days of your life somewhere in the future, or worse in the past, but what about today?

What does it benefit you to always be looking forward?

When you were very small did you wish you could go to school, maybe while watching older siblings or neighbors get onto the school bus?

When you were in school did you wish you were 'out in the world,' with a career and money and fabulous friends who partied every night?

When you began to work did you then start looking forward to, wishing for, retirement?

Do you see the pattern here?

If we keep this up we end up with a life made of wishes, and most likely regrets too.

As I write this I'm sitting on my bed. My son is across the room watching Saturday morning cartoons. The smell of freshly baked bread is coming from my kitchen. This beautiful home, this beautiful family is mine to enjoy right here, right now.

Stop for a moment. Look around you taking everything in. Forget about anything that should be done and focus on what is perfect for you right now.

Doesn't that feel good?

Namaste,
Ani

Nervecell - Psychogenocide (2011)

Тracklist

01. Anemic Assurgency (2:04)
02. Upon An Epedemic Scheme (4:56)
03. All Eyes On Them (5:15)
04. Amok Doctrine (5:25)
05. Psychogenocide (4:32)
06. Imprint (3:17)
07. Shunq ( To The Despaired ...King Of Darkness ) (5:30)
08. The Taste Of Betrayal (3:39)
09. Driven By Nescience (4:35)
10. Nation's Plague (5:42)

Origin: United Arab Emirates
Origin: Death Metal
Bitrate: mp3, 320 kbps (CD Rip)
104 Мb


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Morbid Angel - Blessed Are The Sick Bonus DVD (2009)

Reissue of Blessed are the sick contains this bonus dvd on
the DVD side of the dualdisc

Tales of the Sick: A Closer Look
01. Opening credits
02. Making the record
03. The cover and the image
04. The background of the LIVE show
05. You're either with us ...
06. Inspiration
07. Making the video
08. At WAR with the weakeneres
09. Band merchandising
10. The Tampa Scene
11. Who is Morbid Angel?
12. End Credits

Bonus features
01. Blessed are the Sick (music video)


Size: 3.51 Gb

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