Alrighty folks - I've been talking with a few of you, and after much delay (thanks to RM for fixing my internet!) here is the recap of last night's festivities!
First off, we had a great day at Disneyland. Like, an oddly good family day. Everyone got along, no drama.
Even on the way home PG and I had a real convo.
We get back, and PG starts talking to RM about..... um, produce. Yes, they were talking about school. RM feels passionate about produce. PG takes a stand on produce because SF has opinions on produce. (PG and SF are married).
So, these two fools are getting into an intense discussion about produce. RM says, "Well, PG, do you even have the education or knowledge base to back up your stand on produce?" RM said it passionately, but not yelling or "barking" or hostie-ly. PG flips out and says, "What gives you the right to talk to me that way RM?" all crazy like. PG gets up in RM's face and just keeps repeating that statement. RM doesn't want the situation to escalate, so RM gets up and grabs RM's keys and says "I'm leaving." PG suddenly takes the discussion to a very private and hurtful place, and blocks RM from leaving the house.
Now, I was still in the back of the house where the original discussion took place, so all I can report is what I heard, what I was told, and what I believe based on what I know about RM and PG.
What I heard was..... RM: "get out of the way, I'm trying to walk out the door."
PG: "No, you need to get out!"
RM: "I'm trying to get out, you need to move out of my way."
PG: "Then you need to find another way to leave!"
(mind you, my house has exactly ONE front door)
RM: "PG, move out of my way."
PG: "I'm going to have that unicycle taken away. You just wait. You're going to be cycling along the tightrope at the circus and the police are going to take away that unicycle you're riding around on." (clearly, the unicycle metaphor is serving the same purpose as the produce...... people be nosy up in this hood).
so, RM gets out the door, and PG starts in on how RM physically assaulted PG. Which I cannot imagine RM doing.... ever - especially to someone such as PG.
I'm walking down the hall at this point, and PG is on the phone, still threatening RM's unicycle. I ask PG what possible purpose it's going to serve to try to take RM's unicycle, as it would really hurt other people - especially those who attend the circus. PG says "I'm calling SF." I ask why, because at this point SF is working in a galaxy far far away, and has NO way to get to PG for hours and hours. Then PG threatens to call the cops because of RM's alleged (minor) assault. Then PG goes back to complaining about the unicycle.
I go outside and call RM, who is not, by the way on the unicycle, but instead standing on the sidewalk 2 houses up. RM and I go for a late night jaunt around the neighborhood, trying to figure out what the hell happened. PG starts texting me sayng that RM needs to give up the unicycle, needs to go work for another circus far away, needs to be looking over RM's shoulder because SF could be there. Crazy talk. Then PG said that I was getting kicked off PG island, and that I wouldn't be seeing PG or the PGtribe any more. I asked if this included the PG mascot, Iguanadon, but got no response. Iguanadon is still around, so I guess that's my answer.
The PG tries to get LM up in the mix, stating the LM owns the circus and can fire anyone LM wants to. I asked LM about it later, and LM said "Nope, I had nothing to do with it. WS and I were having our own conversation and staying out of that mess."
RM and I came back like 30 - 45 minutes later, and the dead bolt was locked. Because RM had grabbed the keys earlier, we just unlocked the door. LM and WS were sitting in the kitchen, talking. PG's car was in the driveway, but was no where to be seen.
RM and I were watching TV a bit later when I hear the screen door close (PG doesn't know how to close doors lightly), and a couple minutes later we hear what is obviously a gunshot. I feared for the unicycle, but not enough to go outside at that point!
So RM rode off on the unicycle this morning (no gunshot wounds, thank goodness) to go and practice his motely fool studies (his little fool on a stick is named Jones, and his pet monkey is named Jeff and wears his own motley garb). LM and I were talking and I discover that because LM refused to take a side last night PG isn't speaking with LM either.
I know PG has a lot going on, but PG is going to end up completely alone if PG can't get it together.
Hopefully that either clears things up, or muddles them beyond comprehension.
Special thanks to Powerof2, MC and GMP for being the three who know it all and keep talking to me anyway! A special decoder ring is on it's way to you now. <3
For the rest of you, make up whatever names you'd like - it doesn't matter.
much love and peace to y'all
Sunday, December 12, 2010
Saturday, November 20, 2010
ch ch ch changes
So, it never ceases to amaze me how it took until just a few years ago for The Tipping Point to be published. I mean, I love Malcom Gladwell and all, but why did it take so long for that concept to become a book.
Everything's gonig along like normal life, until.... that one thing hits the scale and..... well, tips it. And suddenly life becomes something totally different.
It happend here in Candice-land not too long ago, and things haven't stopped changing since. It seems every day requires a new set of standards to get by, and even they are constantly evolving. It's like when you're a little kid at the beach, and every time a wave comes in the look of the sand changes. You try to build your little wall, or castle, or write your name in the wet sand, and then...... crash, the wave comes and changes things. As adults I think we all too often become immune to the change. We build our walls strong enough to withstand the force of the waves, and go about our lives with tunnel vision, refusing to see the changes around us.
Well, I accidentally tore down my walls (to one person anyway), and my tunnel vision goggles got lost in the garage. Now I'm bombarded every day with the ever changing design of life.
I'm not complaining, mind you.... it just takes a while to go back to that little kid experience at the beach, where every wave brought something new and exciting; you couldn't wait to see what would be left after each wave.
Now, some of these changes I'd like to throw out the window for good, but I can't do that. I just have to wait them out - and I'm convinced I can do that. Other changes I'd like to hog tie down and keep them forever, but I can't do that either. Change is like dandilion fluff on the breeze, impossible to hold onto. It's meant to be enjoyed whilst in motion.
I'm in an interesting place in life, yet another new beginning. My poor Phoenix; seems she barely gets her tail feathers back before she's ignitied in flame yet again.
I'm pretty damn lucky though. I've got some incredible friends around me, who I know aren't going anywhere. It's funny though, they aren't necessairly the friends I would have guessed would be here if you'd asked me a year ago, but I wouldn't choose any other ones if you paid me. I'm back in school, yet still have the teaching componant attached (to quasi-adults).
But, yah, life is funny, and at the end of the day, all you can do is laugh......... Danny Kaye style.
Ugh, so broody this one is....... guess it's just the day.
Until next time - peace, hope, and love to you always
Everything's gonig along like normal life, until.... that one thing hits the scale and..... well, tips it. And suddenly life becomes something totally different.
It happend here in Candice-land not too long ago, and things haven't stopped changing since. It seems every day requires a new set of standards to get by, and even they are constantly evolving. It's like when you're a little kid at the beach, and every time a wave comes in the look of the sand changes. You try to build your little wall, or castle, or write your name in the wet sand, and then...... crash, the wave comes and changes things. As adults I think we all too often become immune to the change. We build our walls strong enough to withstand the force of the waves, and go about our lives with tunnel vision, refusing to see the changes around us.
Well, I accidentally tore down my walls (to one person anyway), and my tunnel vision goggles got lost in the garage. Now I'm bombarded every day with the ever changing design of life.
I'm not complaining, mind you.... it just takes a while to go back to that little kid experience at the beach, where every wave brought something new and exciting; you couldn't wait to see what would be left after each wave.
Now, some of these changes I'd like to throw out the window for good, but I can't do that. I just have to wait them out - and I'm convinced I can do that. Other changes I'd like to hog tie down and keep them forever, but I can't do that either. Change is like dandilion fluff on the breeze, impossible to hold onto. It's meant to be enjoyed whilst in motion.
I'm in an interesting place in life, yet another new beginning. My poor Phoenix; seems she barely gets her tail feathers back before she's ignitied in flame yet again.
I'm pretty damn lucky though. I've got some incredible friends around me, who I know aren't going anywhere. It's funny though, they aren't necessairly the friends I would have guessed would be here if you'd asked me a year ago, but I wouldn't choose any other ones if you paid me. I'm back in school, yet still have the teaching componant attached (to quasi-adults).
But, yah, life is funny, and at the end of the day, all you can do is laugh......... Danny Kaye style.
Ugh, so broody this one is....... guess it's just the day.
Until next time - peace, hope, and love to you always
Tuesday, November 2, 2010
8 signs from Dr. Rocco's class.....
As most of you know, I've gone back to school. Since I'd been out of the loop a while, and, since I had no idea what I wanted to be when I grew up (again), I decided to return to the hallowed halls of community college. Since I was living in Moval at the time, and since the RCC campus was LITERALLY down the street, I went there.
I was lucky enough to get a fabulous Humanities professor in one Dr. Chris Rocco. He truly is great.
What is NOT great, however, is the caliber of students in class with me. Having taught in public education for more than a decade, I thought I'd be prepared for my classmates, but they never cease to amaze me.
What has been shoking me this quarter, however, is how sheltered these kids seem. We hear so much in the media about how kids are exposed to so much, how it's corrupting thier minds. However, they are absolutely culture-less. They really don't seem to know what's going on in the real world, and it's a little scary!
A couple of them had, or planned to vote today. One other student had watched "The Rally to Restore America and/or Fear."
Maybe it's me. Maybe I'm just old and jaded. I don't know - here are few examples of what I'm talking about....
1. No one in class knew what the Rocky Horror Picture Show was. They seriously had NO CLUE. When I brought up Glee, hoping to bridge the generation gap, someone actually thought that the creators of Glee had made up RHPS for their Halloween. They didn't realize that all the songs on that show were old songs?
2. While waiting in the hallway, or even in the classroom before classes, I'm the only one not sucked into my ipod or phone. I'm actually willing to have a conversation with a real person.
3. Last week we were discussing Sappho, who lived on the island of Lesbos with a bunch of her girlfriends, and they all sat around writing poetry. I compared it to Lilith Faire, and got a bunch of blank responses. When I mentioned Sarah McLaclan all I got was, "isn't that the lady on that commerical to help hurt animals?"
4. Last semester we were discussing the development of the factory system. Someone in my small group said that they had to work for minimum wage. When I asked how much it was now she said, "$8." I mentioned that when I started working minimum wage was $2.75. The kids were shocked. They didn't understand how anyone could life on so little.
5. Which brought to light the fact that a gallon of gas, "Way back then" was .99. No one believed me.
6. The fact that for a moment my fingers' muscle memory wanted to look for the "cent" sign that used to be on a TYPEWRITER. I think it's where the asterik is now?
7. Honestly, most of these kids could easily have been in my classes at Serrano. In fact.
8. One girl turned 18 last week. She asked when I graduated from high school. I said, "1993." "Oh," she replied, "I think that's when my mom graduated."
As RM said today, "If they don't get it on facebook, twitter, or from a video game, they have no clue." I say they need to leave the electronics at home for a day and actually look at the world around them.
Not that I would trade where I am now, don't get me wrong. I love the "Candice and Rocco show," playing tuesdays and thursdays this semester.
It just brings to mind that song from "Bye Bye Birdie" "Kids, what the heck is wrong with these kids today...."
I was lucky enough to get a fabulous Humanities professor in one Dr. Chris Rocco. He truly is great.
What is NOT great, however, is the caliber of students in class with me. Having taught in public education for more than a decade, I thought I'd be prepared for my classmates, but they never cease to amaze me.
What has been shoking me this quarter, however, is how sheltered these kids seem. We hear so much in the media about how kids are exposed to so much, how it's corrupting thier minds. However, they are absolutely culture-less. They really don't seem to know what's going on in the real world, and it's a little scary!
A couple of them had, or planned to vote today. One other student had watched "The Rally to Restore America and/or Fear."
Maybe it's me. Maybe I'm just old and jaded. I don't know - here are few examples of what I'm talking about....
1. No one in class knew what the Rocky Horror Picture Show was. They seriously had NO CLUE. When I brought up Glee, hoping to bridge the generation gap, someone actually thought that the creators of Glee had made up RHPS for their Halloween. They didn't realize that all the songs on that show were old songs?
2. While waiting in the hallway, or even in the classroom before classes, I'm the only one not sucked into my ipod or phone. I'm actually willing to have a conversation with a real person.
3. Last week we were discussing Sappho, who lived on the island of Lesbos with a bunch of her girlfriends, and they all sat around writing poetry. I compared it to Lilith Faire, and got a bunch of blank responses. When I mentioned Sarah McLaclan all I got was, "isn't that the lady on that commerical to help hurt animals?"
4. Last semester we were discussing the development of the factory system. Someone in my small group said that they had to work for minimum wage. When I asked how much it was now she said, "$8." I mentioned that when I started working minimum wage was $2.75. The kids were shocked. They didn't understand how anyone could life on so little.
5. Which brought to light the fact that a gallon of gas, "Way back then" was .99. No one believed me.
6. The fact that for a moment my fingers' muscle memory wanted to look for the "cent" sign that used to be on a TYPEWRITER. I think it's where the asterik is now?
7. Honestly, most of these kids could easily have been in my classes at Serrano. In fact.
8. One girl turned 18 last week. She asked when I graduated from high school. I said, "1993." "Oh," she replied, "I think that's when my mom graduated."
As RM said today, "If they don't get it on facebook, twitter, or from a video game, they have no clue." I say they need to leave the electronics at home for a day and actually look at the world around them.
Not that I would trade where I am now, don't get me wrong. I love the "Candice and Rocco show," playing tuesdays and thursdays this semester.
It just brings to mind that song from "Bye Bye Birdie" "Kids, what the heck is wrong with these kids today...."
Tuesday, October 26, 2010
part one of many
I need to get a phone that allows me to blog on the go. So often I'm sitting in class waiting for my prof, or waiting around somewhere, or I wake up in the middle of the night with divine inspiration, but I'm far too comfortable to get up. go all the way out to the family room, wait for the computer to boot up, and then hope for a good internet connection (we are SUPPOSED to have free wi-fi here in Riverside, but it doesn't seem to reach to La Sierra).
Anyway, just a few jumping off points that I will come back and detail later.
* I still owe a "what Candice is reading" for both September and October
* Friendship - when the shit hits the fan you find out who is REALLY there for you, and who just gives good lip service
* My ever-changing plan, and the mentor I am eternally thankful for
and, foremost in my mind - how one little thing can change your life completely. We are surrounded by change every day, and we usually bend or twist around it, and go about our business. But every once in a while something small happens, and the changes build and build, until your whole life has shifted. The key is to find the positive in the change, and be thankful for the wake up call.
My wonderful friend Lisa takes every opportunity to re-evaluate her life. Her birthday, New Years, Easter, Arbor Day (for real), and sees every day as a new beginning, a new opportunity to turn over a new leaf and leave the mistakes behind her. More often than not she, (and all of us) end up making some of the same mistakes over again, but the attempt at self-actualization is a reward in itself. I want to be more like that, more able and willing to let go of the past and focus on the amazing possiblilites of the future.
before I go off on yet another tangent, I'm going to put the "TO BE CONTINUED" sign up. **someone** is bringing me some ice cream (yay!) and I can't wait to hear the exploits of the day.
Until later my friends...
Anyway, just a few jumping off points that I will come back and detail later.
* I still owe a "what Candice is reading" for both September and October
* Friendship - when the shit hits the fan you find out who is REALLY there for you, and who just gives good lip service
* My ever-changing plan, and the mentor I am eternally thankful for
and, foremost in my mind - how one little thing can change your life completely. We are surrounded by change every day, and we usually bend or twist around it, and go about our business. But every once in a while something small happens, and the changes build and build, until your whole life has shifted. The key is to find the positive in the change, and be thankful for the wake up call.
My wonderful friend Lisa takes every opportunity to re-evaluate her life. Her birthday, New Years, Easter, Arbor Day (for real), and sees every day as a new beginning, a new opportunity to turn over a new leaf and leave the mistakes behind her. More often than not she, (and all of us) end up making some of the same mistakes over again, but the attempt at self-actualization is a reward in itself. I want to be more like that, more able and willing to let go of the past and focus on the amazing possiblilites of the future.
before I go off on yet another tangent, I'm going to put the "TO BE CONTINUED" sign up. **someone** is bringing me some ice cream (yay!) and I can't wait to hear the exploits of the day.
Until later my friends...
Tuesday, September 21, 2010
blog of frustration!
I logged on planning to write a thoughtful blog about changes in life, and how a small thing can make a big difference.
However, I was suddenly set upon by a net of anger, resentment, bitterness, and contempt. Very thinly veiled contempt.
Things happen in life, that's what makes life what it is. These things, these events in themselves are neither positive nor negative, they just are. It is only how we react to them that colors them one way or another.
Yes, some things have happened as of late. They came out of a bad situation, but I have chosen to look at them as an altogether positive change in my life, and the life of another involved. I have found happiness and joy in the past month, and feel much more like my old self than I have in a while. I haven't taken a sleeping pill for weeks, and I wake up every day with a positive outlook. Has the change made things necessairly easier? No, change seldom does. But has it all been worth it? I can only speak for myself, but I say absolutely.
Others have chosen to respond with anger, resentment, passive agressive behaviors, and childish remarks. They have decided to be petty, and act in what I would call a childish fashion. That is their choice. I don't know what they hope to gain from such behavior, because things are never going to go back to the way they were, and such behavior makes it even more difficult for me to deal with the behavior and the person. Instead of drawing people closer together, such a reaction is only driving me farther away. The obvious scorn in one's voice, the sighing and rolling of eyes.... we are all adults, and should be above such childish reactions, but, it would seem some are not.
On paper it is easy to say that I choose to not let such behaviors affect me, but in reality, it is more difficult to do so. It does affect me. Does it make me want to run back to the way things were before the event of change? Hell no, it makes me want to grab the change and run far ahead, away from the way things used to be.
Things are as they are now, and they're not changing again for as far ahead as I can see. We all must come to terms with that. I have, and I'm happier for it. Others need to do the same.
However, I was suddenly set upon by a net of anger, resentment, bitterness, and contempt. Very thinly veiled contempt.
Things happen in life, that's what makes life what it is. These things, these events in themselves are neither positive nor negative, they just are. It is only how we react to them that colors them one way or another.
Yes, some things have happened as of late. They came out of a bad situation, but I have chosen to look at them as an altogether positive change in my life, and the life of another involved. I have found happiness and joy in the past month, and feel much more like my old self than I have in a while. I haven't taken a sleeping pill for weeks, and I wake up every day with a positive outlook. Has the change made things necessairly easier? No, change seldom does. But has it all been worth it? I can only speak for myself, but I say absolutely.
Others have chosen to respond with anger, resentment, passive agressive behaviors, and childish remarks. They have decided to be petty, and act in what I would call a childish fashion. That is their choice. I don't know what they hope to gain from such behavior, because things are never going to go back to the way they were, and such behavior makes it even more difficult for me to deal with the behavior and the person. Instead of drawing people closer together, such a reaction is only driving me farther away. The obvious scorn in one's voice, the sighing and rolling of eyes.... we are all adults, and should be above such childish reactions, but, it would seem some are not.
On paper it is easy to say that I choose to not let such behaviors affect me, but in reality, it is more difficult to do so. It does affect me. Does it make me want to run back to the way things were before the event of change? Hell no, it makes me want to grab the change and run far ahead, away from the way things used to be.
Things are as they are now, and they're not changing again for as far ahead as I can see. We all must come to terms with that. I have, and I'm happier for it. Others need to do the same.
Tuesday, August 31, 2010
what i read in August
August proved to be a very fruitful month as far as reading went.
I started off finishing "The Poe Shadow," by Matthew Pearl. I discussed Pearl's "Dante Club" last month. This work was just as reasearched as the last, but was different enough to make reading it a joy. As a longtime Poe fan, I found the questions surrounding his death intriguing. While "The Poe Shadow" is somewhat of a mystery, the ending left this reader wanting more. As I do my shopping for September's books, I will be picking up Pearl's latest work, "The Last Dickens."
I am usually hesitant to buy a book just because everyone else in America is reading it. Somehow the oversaturation in the market turns me off. Maybe I just dislike being "one of the crowd." Whatever the reason, I did not read the "Left Behind" series by LaHaye and Jenkins when the rest of the world did. However, earlier this year Tim LaHaye spoke at an end times conference at Harvest, and it piqued my interest. I've been reading the book as they come out in collector's editions, including 3 books in one volume. This month I read the third collection known as "Evil's Edge." This volume includes the books, "The Indwelling," "The Mark," and "Desecration." I find the whole series to be easy to read, captivating page turners. Each book ends at a point of high excitement and tension, so you immediately want to pick up the next to find out what happens. At this point, those left behind after the Rapture of the Church are midway through the Tribulation. The Antichrist become indwelt by Satan himself, and forces all "loyal" citizens to take his mark, those who don't face the guillotine. The 100,000 converted Jews head for safety in Petra, and Satan desecrates the Temple of Solomon in Isreal. While these books could be called "historical future" as opposed to "historical fiction," they are one view into what the end times will be like. If you're curious about the book of Revelation, go ahead and read this series. Just keep in mind that all Biblical prophecy is open to interpretation. The final set in the series, "World's End" is due out in September, so I will be picking that up along with the Pearl book.
I was lucky enough to join an advance copy reading group, and enjoy nothing more than getting to read a book before it's actually published. It used to be one of my favorite things about working at Barnes & Noble. This month I received a work by new author, Bruce Machart entitled, "The Wake of Forgiveness." While it is technically a western, the beautiful prose speaks as lyrically as a Shakespearean sonnett. With themes including love, family, loss, forgiveness, revenge, and redemption, I would suggest this as a must read. It will be published Oct. 21 - go pick it up, you will not be disappointed. I look forward to Machart's next work.
Continuing my journey through the powerful women of England's past, this month I read "The Constant Princess" by Phillipa Gregory. Gregory rose to fame with "The Other Boleyn Girl." I hear the movie is horrible, so read the book instead. This work centers on Henry VIII's first wife, Catalina, or Katherine of Aragon. The daughter of Ferdinand and Isabella of Spain, Katherine proves a worthy match for the impetuous Henry. I appreciated how Gregory showed Katherine's childhood, which explains a lot of the actions she takes later in life. She believed she was born to be Queen of England, and lets nothing stand in the way of reaching her goals. Usually depicted as an older, rather dumpy and old fashioned woman, Gregory's Katherine is intelligent, cunning, and tenacious. I've been a fan of Gregory's, and have read a few of her other works, including "The Other Boleyn Girl," and have always found her very readable. However, after reading Jean Plaidy's novelization of Eleanor of Acquatiane last month, I must say I prefer Plaidy. As they both have a series on the Queen's of England, I will probably pick up Plaidy's next work in the series, and leave Gregory to make horrible movie adaptations.
Finally, I did some fluff reading to close out the month. There are a few "cotton candy" mystery series I enjoy. I call them cotton candy because they are easy to eat, and are gone in a flash. I read "The Bibliophile Mysteries," "Bewitching Mysteries," and "Booktown Mysteries" by Lorna Barrett. If you've read any of the "Cat Who..." mysteries, you'll know the genre. Since Lilian Jackson Braun has apparently run out of things for the Cat to do, I've had to search out new characters. This month's Booktown Mystery is entitles "Chapter and Hearse." and yes, they all have cheesy titles. The series revolves around the small NH town of Stoneham, which has been revitalized into a tourist destination by the transformation of the old downtown area into a book lover's square of specialized book stores. The protaginist, Tricia, runs a mystery store called "Haven't got a Clue." As in the Cat Who... books, the story isn't as key as the wacky characters who inhabit the small town. I pretty much always figure out the mystery before the end, but it's ok. You won't strain your brain, or learn any new fancy vocab words by reading about Booktown, but it's a great way to spend a lazy sunday.
When I finished Barrett's latest a few days ago, I realized I needed something to tide me over until school started and September's books were purchased. I tore through "The Omnivore's Delimna" when it came out a year or so ago, and started re-reading it, post "Food Inc." viewing. I'm getting even more out of it this time around. I think it should be a must read for everyone. We all need to know where the food we eat came from, and realize how much of our food is based on gross GMO corn.
Next month look for such illustrious titles as "The Epic of Gilgamesh," and "The Iliad" along with the usual suspects.
Take care, and happy reading!
I started off finishing "The Poe Shadow," by Matthew Pearl. I discussed Pearl's "Dante Club" last month. This work was just as reasearched as the last, but was different enough to make reading it a joy. As a longtime Poe fan, I found the questions surrounding his death intriguing. While "The Poe Shadow" is somewhat of a mystery, the ending left this reader wanting more. As I do my shopping for September's books, I will be picking up Pearl's latest work, "The Last Dickens."
I am usually hesitant to buy a book just because everyone else in America is reading it. Somehow the oversaturation in the market turns me off. Maybe I just dislike being "one of the crowd." Whatever the reason, I did not read the "Left Behind" series by LaHaye and Jenkins when the rest of the world did. However, earlier this year Tim LaHaye spoke at an end times conference at Harvest, and it piqued my interest. I've been reading the book as they come out in collector's editions, including 3 books in one volume. This month I read the third collection known as "Evil's Edge." This volume includes the books, "The Indwelling," "The Mark," and "Desecration." I find the whole series to be easy to read, captivating page turners. Each book ends at a point of high excitement and tension, so you immediately want to pick up the next to find out what happens. At this point, those left behind after the Rapture of the Church are midway through the Tribulation. The Antichrist become indwelt by Satan himself, and forces all "loyal" citizens to take his mark, those who don't face the guillotine. The 100,000 converted Jews head for safety in Petra, and Satan desecrates the Temple of Solomon in Isreal. While these books could be called "historical future" as opposed to "historical fiction," they are one view into what the end times will be like. If you're curious about the book of Revelation, go ahead and read this series. Just keep in mind that all Biblical prophecy is open to interpretation. The final set in the series, "World's End" is due out in September, so I will be picking that up along with the Pearl book.
I was lucky enough to join an advance copy reading group, and enjoy nothing more than getting to read a book before it's actually published. It used to be one of my favorite things about working at Barnes & Noble. This month I received a work by new author, Bruce Machart entitled, "The Wake of Forgiveness." While it is technically a western, the beautiful prose speaks as lyrically as a Shakespearean sonnett. With themes including love, family, loss, forgiveness, revenge, and redemption, I would suggest this as a must read. It will be published Oct. 21 - go pick it up, you will not be disappointed. I look forward to Machart's next work.
Continuing my journey through the powerful women of England's past, this month I read "The Constant Princess" by Phillipa Gregory. Gregory rose to fame with "The Other Boleyn Girl." I hear the movie is horrible, so read the book instead. This work centers on Henry VIII's first wife, Catalina, or Katherine of Aragon. The daughter of Ferdinand and Isabella of Spain, Katherine proves a worthy match for the impetuous Henry. I appreciated how Gregory showed Katherine's childhood, which explains a lot of the actions she takes later in life. She believed she was born to be Queen of England, and lets nothing stand in the way of reaching her goals. Usually depicted as an older, rather dumpy and old fashioned woman, Gregory's Katherine is intelligent, cunning, and tenacious. I've been a fan of Gregory's, and have read a few of her other works, including "The Other Boleyn Girl," and have always found her very readable. However, after reading Jean Plaidy's novelization of Eleanor of Acquatiane last month, I must say I prefer Plaidy. As they both have a series on the Queen's of England, I will probably pick up Plaidy's next work in the series, and leave Gregory to make horrible movie adaptations.
Finally, I did some fluff reading to close out the month. There are a few "cotton candy" mystery series I enjoy. I call them cotton candy because they are easy to eat, and are gone in a flash. I read "The Bibliophile Mysteries," "Bewitching Mysteries," and "Booktown Mysteries" by Lorna Barrett. If you've read any of the "Cat Who..." mysteries, you'll know the genre. Since Lilian Jackson Braun has apparently run out of things for the Cat to do, I've had to search out new characters. This month's Booktown Mystery is entitles "Chapter and Hearse." and yes, they all have cheesy titles. The series revolves around the small NH town of Stoneham, which has been revitalized into a tourist destination by the transformation of the old downtown area into a book lover's square of specialized book stores. The protaginist, Tricia, runs a mystery store called "Haven't got a Clue." As in the Cat Who... books, the story isn't as key as the wacky characters who inhabit the small town. I pretty much always figure out the mystery before the end, but it's ok. You won't strain your brain, or learn any new fancy vocab words by reading about Booktown, but it's a great way to spend a lazy sunday.
When I finished Barrett's latest a few days ago, I realized I needed something to tide me over until school started and September's books were purchased. I tore through "The Omnivore's Delimna" when it came out a year or so ago, and started re-reading it, post "Food Inc." viewing. I'm getting even more out of it this time around. I think it should be a must read for everyone. We all need to know where the food we eat came from, and realize how much of our food is based on gross GMO corn.
Next month look for such illustrious titles as "The Epic of Gilgamesh," and "The Iliad" along with the usual suspects.
Take care, and happy reading!
Wednesday, August 4, 2010
reading list extravaganza!
I just received the reading list for my Humanities class this fall. I often converse with my professor, who I had last semester and he gave it to me early. Looks like it's going to be a great class! Here it is:
The Epic of Gilgamesh
A Selection of Egyptian Tales (including the Story of Sinuhe, Shipwrecked Sailor, and Humn to Aten)
Homer's The Iliad
Poems of Sappo and Solon
Aeschylus' Oresteia
Sophocles' Antigone
Augustine's Confessions
Dante's Inferno
Plus the books of Genesis, Matthew, and Paul's letters to the Romans from the Bible.
The super-nerd in me is getting super-excited! I must barnes and noble tomorrow!
The Epic of Gilgamesh
A Selection of Egyptian Tales (including the Story of Sinuhe, Shipwrecked Sailor, and Humn to Aten)
Homer's The Iliad
Poems of Sappo and Solon
Aeschylus' Oresteia
Sophocles' Antigone
Augustine's Confessions
Dante's Inferno
Plus the books of Genesis, Matthew, and Paul's letters to the Romans from the Bible.
The super-nerd in me is getting super-excited! I must barnes and noble tomorrow!
Monday, August 2, 2010
what i read in July
Because I am known as such a voracious reader, people often ask me what they should read. This is difficult because each person's taste is different. Additionally, a friend of mine doesn't really believe that I read as much as I say I do. So, to kill two birds with one stone as they say (I actually hate that expression, as I couldn't kill one, much less 2 birds with any amount of stones), I'm going to post what I read each month, along with a review.
Before I get to that, I have 2 recommendations I do always give out.
1 - if you haven't read The Alienist by Caleb Carr you should. If you have any interest in Historical Fiction, crime and police procedurals, or mystery and suspense this is a must read. Carr sets this work in incredibly well researched NYC at the turn of the last century. Featuring Teddy Roosevelt, JP Morgan, Jake Riis and more it is fantastic.
2- my other all time fave is Stranger in a Strange Land by Robert Heinlein. I actually first read this sci-fi novel for my senior lit project in high school. I loved it then, but appreciate it so much more now. It's the story of Michael Smith, a human whose parents die on the first Earth colony on Mars and is raised by Martians. He is brought back to Earth as an adult. As it was written in 1961 some may find it dated, but I see it as part of the book's timeless charm. As an outsider, Mike sees the hyprocrisy of human culture, and makes a lasting impact on those around him. It's difficult to explain without writing pages and pages, so just trust me and give it a try.
Now, as for July, it was a matter of quality over quantity. Finally ensconced in my quiet and peaceful house, I was able to delve into some work of weight.
First up was The Dante Club by Matthew Pearl. I just happened upon this at Borders one day, and a lucky find it was. A murder mystery set in 19th century Boston, just after the end of the Civil War, Pearl writes of Henry Wadsworth Longfellow's project to translate Dante's Divine Comedy. Other characters include Oliver Wendell Holmes sr and jr, James Russel Lowell, and J.T. Fields. Pearl was originally an editor, and edited the new edition of Longfellow's translation. I often read books so quickly because they are written simply. Most books are leveled around 6th or 7th grade. Pearl writes at his own level, he is a professor at Harvard. It took me a little while to get through it because of the intricate plot points and the beautiful, sophisticated vocabulary. I relished this book, and quickly went out and bought his next work, The Poe Shadow, which I am reveling in right now. I learned a great deal about Dante, and about the Bostonian literary society of the late 1800's. Also, as a mystery, I didn't know "whodunit" by chapter 3, as sometimes happens.
Next came 1812: The War That Forged the Nation by Walter R. Borneman. I actually picked up this tome quite some time ago, but in the chaos of my former abode didn't have the mental acumen to concentrate on a non-fiction work. I am so glad I finally got around to it. The War of 1812 is my favorite war (I know, I'm certainly exposing my history nerd-isness by even HAVING a favorite war). It prompted the birth of the American Navy, gave rise to heroes like Oliver Hazzard Perry and (my distant uncle, and one of my favorite figures in American History), Andrew Jackson, brought about the end of the Federalist Party, featured major political figures like Aaron Burr, Henry Clay, James and Dolley Madison, gave rise to William Henry Harrison and his platform of Tippecanoe and Tyler too, and transformed us from a smattering of seperate states into the United States of America. Borneman fills his narrative with a wealth of information, without sounding like a textbook. It was a very pleasant read, and filled in many gaps in my knowledge of the war. If you're looking for some non-fiction that isn't heavy or overbearing, I suggest this work.
Finally, I opened Jean Plaidy's The Courts of Love. I picked this up on a sister dinner/Barnes and Noble-stravaganza with my sister Sarah. We are both history nerds, and combed the fiction section for some quality historical fiction. Neither of us was familiar with Plaidy, who turns out to have written over 200 novels under her 3 pseudonyms. The Courts of Love is the first in the series of 11 works on the Queens of England, which I will soon continue working through. The queen in question here is Eleanor of Acquatiane, my favorite British and French queen (I know, more historical favorites!). Few people have heard of Eleanor (who, along with Eleanor Roosevelt are my favorite Eleanors!), outside of the film, The Lion in Winter (which is also great if you haven't seen it).
Eleanor was the Duchess of Acquataine who was married to both Louis VII of France and Henry II of England. She was the mother of Richard I (the Lionheart) and
the dispicable King John (of the Magna Carta, but not really of Robin Hood's time). Eleanor was, without a doubt the most powerful woman of her
day, and, I would say, contends with Elizabeth I as the formost female ruler of England. Even if you aren't interested in British royalty, this novel is full of romance, politics, war, family dysfunction, and people with daddy issues. I'm looking forward to picking up Plaidy's next work in the series (featuring Henry VIII's first wife Catherine of Aragon) to read in August.
Well, that's it, only 3 works for July, but they were all great; educational and insightful. Don't think that I only read history and historical fiction, I read pretty much everything. Look in the future on topics from String Theory to Eastern Philosophy to Self-help.
Also, if you've been contemplating reading something, ask about the author or work, if I have any opinions I'll be happy to share them with you.
Happy reading, and, as always, much love to you all....
Before I get to that, I have 2 recommendations I do always give out.
1 - if you haven't read The Alienist by Caleb Carr you should. If you have any interest in Historical Fiction, crime and police procedurals, or mystery and suspense this is a must read. Carr sets this work in incredibly well researched NYC at the turn of the last century. Featuring Teddy Roosevelt, JP Morgan, Jake Riis and more it is fantastic.
2- my other all time fave is Stranger in a Strange Land by Robert Heinlein. I actually first read this sci-fi novel for my senior lit project in high school. I loved it then, but appreciate it so much more now. It's the story of Michael Smith, a human whose parents die on the first Earth colony on Mars and is raised by Martians. He is brought back to Earth as an adult. As it was written in 1961 some may find it dated, but I see it as part of the book's timeless charm. As an outsider, Mike sees the hyprocrisy of human culture, and makes a lasting impact on those around him. It's difficult to explain without writing pages and pages, so just trust me and give it a try.
Now, as for July, it was a matter of quality over quantity. Finally ensconced in my quiet and peaceful house, I was able to delve into some work of weight.
First up was The Dante Club by Matthew Pearl. I just happened upon this at Borders one day, and a lucky find it was. A murder mystery set in 19th century Boston, just after the end of the Civil War, Pearl writes of Henry Wadsworth Longfellow's project to translate Dante's Divine Comedy. Other characters include Oliver Wendell Holmes sr and jr, James Russel Lowell, and J.T. Fields. Pearl was originally an editor, and edited the new edition of Longfellow's translation. I often read books so quickly because they are written simply. Most books are leveled around 6th or 7th grade. Pearl writes at his own level, he is a professor at Harvard. It took me a little while to get through it because of the intricate plot points and the beautiful, sophisticated vocabulary. I relished this book, and quickly went out and bought his next work, The Poe Shadow, which I am reveling in right now. I learned a great deal about Dante, and about the Bostonian literary society of the late 1800's. Also, as a mystery, I didn't know "whodunit" by chapter 3, as sometimes happens.
Next came 1812: The War That Forged the Nation by Walter R. Borneman. I actually picked up this tome quite some time ago, but in the chaos of my former abode didn't have the mental acumen to concentrate on a non-fiction work. I am so glad I finally got around to it. The War of 1812 is my favorite war (I know, I'm certainly exposing my history nerd-isness by even HAVING a favorite war). It prompted the birth of the American Navy, gave rise to heroes like Oliver Hazzard Perry and (my distant uncle, and one of my favorite figures in American History), Andrew Jackson, brought about the end of the Federalist Party, featured major political figures like Aaron Burr, Henry Clay, James and Dolley Madison, gave rise to William Henry Harrison and his platform of Tippecanoe and Tyler too, and transformed us from a smattering of seperate states into the United States of America. Borneman fills his narrative with a wealth of information, without sounding like a textbook. It was a very pleasant read, and filled in many gaps in my knowledge of the war. If you're looking for some non-fiction that isn't heavy or overbearing, I suggest this work.
Finally, I opened Jean Plaidy's The Courts of Love. I picked this up on a sister dinner/Barnes and Noble-stravaganza with my sister Sarah. We are both history nerds, and combed the fiction section for some quality historical fiction. Neither of us was familiar with Plaidy, who turns out to have written over 200 novels under her 3 pseudonyms. The Courts of Love is the first in the series of 11 works on the Queens of England, which I will soon continue working through. The queen in question here is Eleanor of Acquatiane, my favorite British and French queen (I know, more historical favorites!). Few people have heard of Eleanor (who, along with Eleanor Roosevelt are my favorite Eleanors!), outside of the film, The Lion in Winter (which is also great if you haven't seen it).
Eleanor was the Duchess of Acquataine who was married to both Louis VII of France and Henry II of England. She was the mother of Richard I (the Lionheart) and
the dispicable King John (of the Magna Carta, but not really of Robin Hood's time). Eleanor was, without a doubt the most powerful woman of her
day, and, I would say, contends with Elizabeth I as the formost female ruler of England. Even if you aren't interested in British royalty, this novel is full of romance, politics, war, family dysfunction, and people with daddy issues. I'm looking forward to picking up Plaidy's next work in the series (featuring Henry VIII's first wife Catherine of Aragon) to read in August.
Well, that's it, only 3 works for July, but they were all great; educational and insightful. Don't think that I only read history and historical fiction, I read pretty much everything. Look in the future on topics from String Theory to Eastern Philosophy to Self-help.
Also, if you've been contemplating reading something, ask about the author or work, if I have any opinions I'll be happy to share them with you.
Happy reading, and, as always, much love to you all....
Wednesday, July 28, 2010
oh my aching foot!
Well folks, I must say that I'm extra glad to be off work, and for it to be summer break, since my health problems seem to keep on coming.
My right "pointer" toe has been giving me problems for a while. I get shooting electrical pain running up from my toe to my ankle in a straight line. I didn't do much about it, because of my interceding gall bladder trouble. Once that was done, and I was more mobile again, the foot pain started back up.
Finally I went to my doctor, who gave me a (in my view) dreaded cortisone shot in between my pointer and middle toe (ouch!). I was referred to podiatry. Well, the cortisone did nothing but give me injection site pain, as is my usual experience with them.
I went in to the podiatrist, x-rays showed no stress fracture, and (yay) no arthritis in my foot at all. He determined I had a Morton Neuroma. What is that, you may ask? Well......
Morton's Neuroma is an inflammation of and tissue buildup around the nerves between the metatarsal bones in the foot. As the nerves grow, they push against each other and all of the other ligaments, tendons, bones, etc. in that area. It causes heat to radiate from the area (it feels like your foot is too close to a fire, weird), you feel like theres a stone or marble in your foot, a lot of electrical-like nerve pain, etc. It is no fun.
This neuroma is between the third and fourth toe, mine is between the second and third.
In most cases the neuroma is caused by wearing ill fitting shoes, shoes that are too tight, or pointy-toed shoes that compress the toe area together. Or it can be caused from over flexation, as in tennis players, runners, or ballet dancers. Clearly, I am none of those (although I did play tennis in high school).
My neuroma condition is a culmination of the past 35 years.... well I guess it would actually be 34, since I wasn't walking at birth. Because I was such a giant baby who was a month overdue, and because my mom is so little, I was cramped in the womb (but unwilling to leave apparently, as I was born a month late). My hips turn in instead of being open flat (it's hard to explain). Because of this my feet turn in. When I was a baby my terrible pediatritian thought it was a problem with my feet, and I had to wear these stupid baby shoes (which were not as trendy as baby shoes today!) attached to braces while I slept to "retrain" my feet. It wasn't until I was ready to enter kindergarten that we had better insurence and they figured out it was my hips. By this time the only remedy would have been to break my hips, readjust them, put me in a full body cast for a while, and then reteach me how to walk. Clearly this was not feasible.
As a result of my hip issue, I had to teach myself to walk with my feet straight. This happened around middle school when this evil girl kept making fun of me, telling me "You walk like a retard, why aren't you in the retard class?" Clearly I was her intellectual superior, as I was walking from Honors Literature to Advanced Band when she tormented me, but I digress.......
So, I figured out how to walk kind of normal, however, I still pronate to the outside of my feet. My shoes wear very unevenly. If I'm very tired, say, after walking around Disneyland for the whole day, my feet will still turn in. And when I'm standing they are more than likely pointed inward and crossed over each other. That's just my comfortable way of standing.
After 30+ years all of this pronation causes my arches to collapse when I step, which causes the nerves and bones in the "ball" area of my foot to compress and irritate each other. Now there's a little tumor like growth of nerve tissue that's built up and is causing trouble.
Following the surgery the site has to be kept dry until the follow up appointment - which should be interesting to achieve. After 10 days or so the stiches are removed, and the foot can be washed (yay!). The foot must be elevated for 10 to 14 days. After that a "post operative shoe" must be worn. The more you walk, the longer you have to wear it. Finally, after 6-8 weeks regular shoes can be attempted, with the orthodic insoles still in them.
So, that's the road ahead of me. I'd like to be hopeful that the insoles will work, but since this has been 34 years in the making, I'm having a hard time being optomistic. It seems like I have a long road ahead, and it's frustrating. Not being able to walk far without pain, not sleeping well (which I already had issues with), having random sudden flashes of pain for no apparent reason, it's very annoying. But, it's all in God's hands, and I feel blessed that I don't have to work while this is going on, and I have a full month before school starts. I'm also lucky to have a temporary handicap placard so that when school does start I'll be able to park close to the buildings I need.
I will post updates as they occur. And a piece of advice to all of you - wear shoes that fit well, massage your feel after wearing heels or tight shoes, and make sure you're walking flat on your feet. =)
My right "pointer" toe has been giving me problems for a while. I get shooting electrical pain running up from my toe to my ankle in a straight line. I didn't do much about it, because of my interceding gall bladder trouble. Once that was done, and I was more mobile again, the foot pain started back up.
Finally I went to my doctor, who gave me a (in my view) dreaded cortisone shot in between my pointer and middle toe (ouch!). I was referred to podiatry. Well, the cortisone did nothing but give me injection site pain, as is my usual experience with them.
I went in to the podiatrist, x-rays showed no stress fracture, and (yay) no arthritis in my foot at all. He determined I had a Morton Neuroma. What is that, you may ask? Well......
Morton's Neuroma is an inflammation of and tissue buildup around the nerves between the metatarsal bones in the foot. As the nerves grow, they push against each other and all of the other ligaments, tendons, bones, etc. in that area. It causes heat to radiate from the area (it feels like your foot is too close to a fire, weird), you feel like theres a stone or marble in your foot, a lot of electrical-like nerve pain, etc. It is no fun.
This neuroma is between the third and fourth toe, mine is between the second and third.
In most cases the neuroma is caused by wearing ill fitting shoes, shoes that are too tight, or pointy-toed shoes that compress the toe area together. Or it can be caused from over flexation, as in tennis players, runners, or ballet dancers. Clearly, I am none of those (although I did play tennis in high school).
My neuroma condition is a culmination of the past 35 years.... well I guess it would actually be 34, since I wasn't walking at birth. Because I was such a giant baby who was a month overdue, and because my mom is so little, I was cramped in the womb (but unwilling to leave apparently, as I was born a month late). My hips turn in instead of being open flat (it's hard to explain). Because of this my feet turn in. When I was a baby my terrible pediatritian thought it was a problem with my feet, and I had to wear these stupid baby shoes (which were not as trendy as baby shoes today!) attached to braces while I slept to "retrain" my feet. It wasn't until I was ready to enter kindergarten that we had better insurence and they figured out it was my hips. By this time the only remedy would have been to break my hips, readjust them, put me in a full body cast for a while, and then reteach me how to walk. Clearly this was not feasible.
As a result of my hip issue, I had to teach myself to walk with my feet straight. This happened around middle school when this evil girl kept making fun of me, telling me "You walk like a retard, why aren't you in the retard class?" Clearly I was her intellectual superior, as I was walking from Honors Literature to Advanced Band when she tormented me, but I digress.......
So, I figured out how to walk kind of normal, however, I still pronate to the outside of my feet. My shoes wear very unevenly. If I'm very tired, say, after walking around Disneyland for the whole day, my feet will still turn in. And when I'm standing they are more than likely pointed inward and crossed over each other. That's just my comfortable way of standing.
After 30+ years all of this pronation causes my arches to collapse when I step, which causes the nerves and bones in the "ball" area of my foot to compress and irritate each other. Now there's a little tumor like growth of nerve tissue that's built up and is causing trouble.
What treatment is needed? Well first they try the cortisone shots which (A) I don't believe in and (2) don't work on me, ever. I have to go have my feet casted and have hard orthotic insoles made which I have to wear in all of my shoes. If those don't make any difference they will have to look at surgery to remove the neuroma, leaving what is called a "nerve stump" which can start the process again, but, since I'd still be wearing the inserts, hopefully would not grow back.
The surgery would be done from the top of my foot. They would go in, carefully cut between all the ligaments and tendons and such to go down to the nerve. They would cut out the swollen knob. This could cause permanent numbness in one or both affected toes, which could cause balance issues. And, as you all know, I don't need more balance issues, I have enough trouble just standing as it is. But, it would be worth it to relieve all of this burning and shocking pain. It even affects my sleep - I awaken suddenly in the night with horrible pain.
In the photo (1) is a swollen digital nerve, (2) is the Morton's Neuroma to be removed, and (3) are the two individual nerves that rubbed together, became inflamed, and caused the neuroma to develop.
So, that's the road ahead of me. I'd like to be hopeful that the insoles will work, but since this has been 34 years in the making, I'm having a hard time being optomistic. It seems like I have a long road ahead, and it's frustrating. Not being able to walk far without pain, not sleeping well (which I already had issues with), having random sudden flashes of pain for no apparent reason, it's very annoying. But, it's all in God's hands, and I feel blessed that I don't have to work while this is going on, and I have a full month before school starts. I'm also lucky to have a temporary handicap placard so that when school does start I'll be able to park close to the buildings I need.
I will post updates as they occur. And a piece of advice to all of you - wear shoes that fit well, massage your feel after wearing heels or tight shoes, and make sure you're walking flat on your feet. =)
Monday, July 5, 2010
oil oil everywhere, but which is safe to eat? The truth about Canola
As someone who tries to eat healthfully (as we all should), one major question me and mine have run across is which cooking oil is best to use. Olive oil has been used for thousands of years, but it is difficult to use for stir fries and the like because of its distinct taste and low smoke point.
So, I've decided to research and find out which oils are best, and worst. Upon beginning said research, I was overwhelmed with information on Canola. I was already aware of some of the negatives in this widely used product, but I discovered some even more disturbing information. So, this will be the first in a series on cooking oils and thier benefits and negatives.
First off - The Truth about Canola
All oils are made of pure fat, but not all fats are created equal. In this day and age I'd hope that everyone knows that monounsatrated fats are the best for us, these are found in olive oil. They are heart healthy, and do not contribute to high "bad" cholesterol. Also well known is the fact that trans fats are bad. They can be carcinogenic (cancer causing) and contribute to heart problems.
There are a few ways to get oil from seeds, beans, olives, etc. The cold press method is just that, a giant press that squeezes the oil from the product. No heat is applied in this method, so none of the oil molecules are damaged or transformed. Olive oil is usually cold pressed. Items more difficult to press, are processed in giant cranks that chew up the product until the oil is released. This is the expeller method, and it also requires no heat. Finally there are refined oils. Items like soybeans and rapeseeds (which become canola oil) are so difficult to extract oil from must be chemically changed. High heat is involved, and then various chemical solvents are added to remove the oil from the seed. The oil becomes instantly rancid because of the exposure to high heat, so deodorizers are added to mask the smell. The oils are also bleached and have anti-foaming agents added in. By the end of the process, these oils are pale, clear, have no smell or flavor, and have no health benefits, but may actually be dangerous. Because they are so processed, they have very high smoke point, and are therefore popular in the resturant and fast food industries for frying.
But now onto Canola.
First off, there is no Canola plant. Canola oil is derived fom a genetically manipulated rapeseed. The rapeseed is actually a toxic member of the mustard family. Mustard gas, used during WWI was made from the rapeseed plant. In order to make this toxic plant edible it must be genetically modified. The levels of Erucic acid must be reduced. One way to accomplish this is through irradiation, another is to genetically implant another plant's genes into the rapeseed plant. Either way, the Canola plant does not exist in nature.
In addition to genetic modification, saturated fats must be added to the rapeseed oil. The end result is 60% monounsaturated fat and 10% Omega 3 fatty acids, which on the surface seems good.
Throughout North America in the 1970's, polyunsaturated fats were being promoted, dispite the fact that more and more scientific evidence was pointed towards the fats being linked with increasing Cancer rates. Ideally, the push should have been toward known healthy monounsaturated fats, like those in olive oil, however, supplies were limited, and it would have been very costly for wide manufacturing into salad dressings and (ew) margarine.
Instead of pushing healthy oils or focusing on a way to lessen use of herbicides and lowering fuel costs, research was done to transform the toxic rapeseed into a marketable oil. Because of it's toxic nature, insects naturally avoid the rapeseed plant. Farmers found this wonderful. Baldu Stefanson of the University of Manitoba is given credit as the first to successfully engineer the plant that would become Canola Oil.
The oil resulting from the modified rapeseed plant was originally called LEAR (Low Erucic Acid Rapeseed). Marketing a product containing the words Rape and LEAR proved difficult, and the name was changed to Canola (CANadian Oil, Low Acid), the term was coined in 1978. Today Canola is Canada's largest export.
Canola was further genetically modified to increase the content of the monounsaturated Oleic acid, which is naturally and abundantly found in olive oil.
In 1995 the infamous Monsanto (don't know about Monsanto? Watch "Food Inc." and you'll never look at corn or soy the same way again..... seriously, watch it!) got involved and created a strain of rapeseed/canola that is resistant to RoundUp (also created by Monsanto). Today over 82% of canola crops are genetically modified by Monsanto.
In April of 1997 Monsanto was forced to recall over 60,000 bags of genetically modified canola seeds. an unapproved gene had slipped into the seeds by mistake, one that was not approved for human consumption. I find it terrifying that these extra genes are just lying around, and are able to be engineered into foodstuffs. The seeds in the recall were enough to plant over 700,000 acres of crops.
Canada began marketing Canola to the U.S. in the 1980's. In order to be sold in stores, Canola had to be granted GRAS (generally regarded as safe) status from the FDA. Food and herb products labeled GRAS are generally products that have been used for hundreds of years with no adverse side effects reported. Canola, however, was a brand new product, that did not exist naturally, and that was made from a plant known to be toxic. How was Canola granted GRAS status so quickly? No one knows for sure, but it is widely rumored that the Canadian government spent $50 million US on its Canola campaign. Once in the US market, Canola spread to world wide use by the 1990's.
Canada's publicity campaign did not target the general public, but selectively advertised to the science and health care industries. Due to it's high monounsaturated fat and omega 3 content, nutritionists began suggesting it to their patients. Books like The Omega Plan and the Zone Diet pushed the use of Canola. Even Andrew Weil was tricked by the canola propaganda for a while.
In my mind, besides the problems I have with ALL genetically modified foods, there are 3 major problems with canola oil. These are the traditional uses for rapeseed oil, the changes that take place in the oil during the refining process, and the negative effects that have appeared in experiments with canola oil.
Rapeseed oil was originally used as a lubricant in the shipping industry. Rapeseed/canola oils are also (still) used as lubricants, fuels, soap, synthetic rubber bases, and the slick finish on magazine pages. Maybe it's just me, but it seems creepy to eat something that is was originally used to lubricate ship parts.
The oil refining process described here is not exclusive to canola oil. It is used for many, including safflower and soy. These are generally sold as "vegetable oil." Most oil is refined with strong acids, and with the same base used in products to unclog drains. The oil is heated to a very high temperature, which cause the Omega 3 fatty acids present to be either destroyed or mutated into trans fats. The oil then enters a bleaching process which, according to Udo Erasmus, "removes every essential nutriant except fatty acids." Because the oil has been turned rancid by the heat applied earlier, it undergoes a deodorization process to mask the rancid smell. This is done through steam distillation, and the heat applied here transforms even more fatty acids into trans-fatty acids, which interfere with any beneficial ingrediants that might still be around. Lastly, when the finished oil is used for cooking, either at home or in a resturant setting, even more trans fats may be created if the oil is heated to its smoking point.
The crux of this matter is that canola oil is advertised as the "best oil" to use because of its high percentage of monounsaturated fats and omega 3's. In fact, the vast majority of these ingredients are destroyed during the refining process, AND, many of those once healthy ingredients are transformed into cancer causing agents.
Canola has only existed for 30 years, nothing is yet known about the long term effects this man-made product has on us, as humans. No human trials were conducted before canola oil was released for sale. The animal trials I will discuss were conducted after the oil's release, and are still being done (my personal views against animal testing notwithstanding, some pretty terrible things have happened in the name of canola oil).
Soon after the creation of canola, an study showed that rats developed more heart leisons when being fed canola and flaxseed oils than on olive and sunflower oils. Once the rats were no longer forced to eat the canola the leisons went away, but severe scarring remained.
In 1997 a study involving piglets (poor baby pigs - I detest animal testing!) resulted in the piglets developing severe Vitamin E defeciencies when fed mild with canola in it, dispite the fact that the piglets were given an adequate amount of Vitamin E.
The study continued into 1998 as the same piglets suffered decreased platlet counts and increased platlet size. When cut (again, animal testing is BAD), the piglets bled longer than they should have.
As for humans, Canola consumption has been linked to Vitamin E defeciency and growth retardation. For this reason the FDA has banned canola us in infant formula. Canola can also cause a latex-like consubstance that have caused red blood corpuscles to clump together. Canola can also deteriorate mylein sheaths (the coating around nerve cells) possibly leading to nervous disorders such as Altzheimer's Disease and Multiple Sclorosis.
So, overall, Canola would seem to be a bad thing. I stopped using Canola a while ago, and I didn't even know a lot of these things.
Stay tuned for the next installment of oil oil everywhere, but which is safe to eat? I'm thinking it will be grapeseed oil.
As always, thanks for stopping by. If you have questions about the history or healthfullness of any food,just let me know and I'll try to look into it. <3
Authors used in this blog:
Carol Clark Keppler
Tom Valentine
Toby Maloney
Udo Erasmus (his 1988 pamphlet "Fats that Heal, Fats that Kill")
Richard Seah
Dr. Mary Enig (her cleverly titled article "The Great Con-ola"
So, I've decided to research and find out which oils are best, and worst. Upon beginning said research, I was overwhelmed with information on Canola. I was already aware of some of the negatives in this widely used product, but I discovered some even more disturbing information. So, this will be the first in a series on cooking oils and thier benefits and negatives.
First off - The Truth about Canola
All oils are made of pure fat, but not all fats are created equal. In this day and age I'd hope that everyone knows that monounsatrated fats are the best for us, these are found in olive oil. They are heart healthy, and do not contribute to high "bad" cholesterol. Also well known is the fact that trans fats are bad. They can be carcinogenic (cancer causing) and contribute to heart problems.
There are a few ways to get oil from seeds, beans, olives, etc. The cold press method is just that, a giant press that squeezes the oil from the product. No heat is applied in this method, so none of the oil molecules are damaged or transformed. Olive oil is usually cold pressed. Items more difficult to press, are processed in giant cranks that chew up the product until the oil is released. This is the expeller method, and it also requires no heat. Finally there are refined oils. Items like soybeans and rapeseeds (which become canola oil) are so difficult to extract oil from must be chemically changed. High heat is involved, and then various chemical solvents are added to remove the oil from the seed. The oil becomes instantly rancid because of the exposure to high heat, so deodorizers are added to mask the smell. The oils are also bleached and have anti-foaming agents added in. By the end of the process, these oils are pale, clear, have no smell or flavor, and have no health benefits, but may actually be dangerous. Because they are so processed, they have very high smoke point, and are therefore popular in the resturant and fast food industries for frying.
But now onto Canola.
First off, there is no Canola plant. Canola oil is derived fom a genetically manipulated rapeseed. The rapeseed is actually a toxic member of the mustard family. Mustard gas, used during WWI was made from the rapeseed plant. In order to make this toxic plant edible it must be genetically modified. The levels of Erucic acid must be reduced. One way to accomplish this is through irradiation, another is to genetically implant another plant's genes into the rapeseed plant. Either way, the Canola plant does not exist in nature.
In addition to genetic modification, saturated fats must be added to the rapeseed oil. The end result is 60% monounsaturated fat and 10% Omega 3 fatty acids, which on the surface seems good.
Throughout North America in the 1970's, polyunsaturated fats were being promoted, dispite the fact that more and more scientific evidence was pointed towards the fats being linked with increasing Cancer rates. Ideally, the push should have been toward known healthy monounsaturated fats, like those in olive oil, however, supplies were limited, and it would have been very costly for wide manufacturing into salad dressings and (ew) margarine.
Instead of pushing healthy oils or focusing on a way to lessen use of herbicides and lowering fuel costs, research was done to transform the toxic rapeseed into a marketable oil. Because of it's toxic nature, insects naturally avoid the rapeseed plant. Farmers found this wonderful. Baldu Stefanson of the University of Manitoba is given credit as the first to successfully engineer the plant that would become Canola Oil.
The oil resulting from the modified rapeseed plant was originally called LEAR (Low Erucic Acid Rapeseed). Marketing a product containing the words Rape and LEAR proved difficult, and the name was changed to Canola (CANadian Oil, Low Acid), the term was coined in 1978. Today Canola is Canada's largest export.
Canola was further genetically modified to increase the content of the monounsaturated Oleic acid, which is naturally and abundantly found in olive oil.
In 1995 the infamous Monsanto (don't know about Monsanto? Watch "Food Inc." and you'll never look at corn or soy the same way again..... seriously, watch it!) got involved and created a strain of rapeseed/canola that is resistant to RoundUp (also created by Monsanto). Today over 82% of canola crops are genetically modified by Monsanto.
In April of 1997 Monsanto was forced to recall over 60,000 bags of genetically modified canola seeds. an unapproved gene had slipped into the seeds by mistake, one that was not approved for human consumption. I find it terrifying that these extra genes are just lying around, and are able to be engineered into foodstuffs. The seeds in the recall were enough to plant over 700,000 acres of crops.
Canada began marketing Canola to the U.S. in the 1980's. In order to be sold in stores, Canola had to be granted GRAS (generally regarded as safe) status from the FDA. Food and herb products labeled GRAS are generally products that have been used for hundreds of years with no adverse side effects reported. Canola, however, was a brand new product, that did not exist naturally, and that was made from a plant known to be toxic. How was Canola granted GRAS status so quickly? No one knows for sure, but it is widely rumored that the Canadian government spent $50 million US on its Canola campaign. Once in the US market, Canola spread to world wide use by the 1990's.
Canada's publicity campaign did not target the general public, but selectively advertised to the science and health care industries. Due to it's high monounsaturated fat and omega 3 content, nutritionists began suggesting it to their patients. Books like The Omega Plan and the Zone Diet pushed the use of Canola. Even Andrew Weil was tricked by the canola propaganda for a while.
In my mind, besides the problems I have with ALL genetically modified foods, there are 3 major problems with canola oil. These are the traditional uses for rapeseed oil, the changes that take place in the oil during the refining process, and the negative effects that have appeared in experiments with canola oil.
Rapeseed oil was originally used as a lubricant in the shipping industry. Rapeseed/canola oils are also (still) used as lubricants, fuels, soap, synthetic rubber bases, and the slick finish on magazine pages. Maybe it's just me, but it seems creepy to eat something that is was originally used to lubricate ship parts.
The oil refining process described here is not exclusive to canola oil. It is used for many, including safflower and soy. These are generally sold as "vegetable oil." Most oil is refined with strong acids, and with the same base used in products to unclog drains. The oil is heated to a very high temperature, which cause the Omega 3 fatty acids present to be either destroyed or mutated into trans fats. The oil then enters a bleaching process which, according to Udo Erasmus, "removes every essential nutriant except fatty acids." Because the oil has been turned rancid by the heat applied earlier, it undergoes a deodorization process to mask the rancid smell. This is done through steam distillation, and the heat applied here transforms even more fatty acids into trans-fatty acids, which interfere with any beneficial ingrediants that might still be around. Lastly, when the finished oil is used for cooking, either at home or in a resturant setting, even more trans fats may be created if the oil is heated to its smoking point.
The crux of this matter is that canola oil is advertised as the "best oil" to use because of its high percentage of monounsaturated fats and omega 3's. In fact, the vast majority of these ingredients are destroyed during the refining process, AND, many of those once healthy ingredients are transformed into cancer causing agents.
Canola has only existed for 30 years, nothing is yet known about the long term effects this man-made product has on us, as humans. No human trials were conducted before canola oil was released for sale. The animal trials I will discuss were conducted after the oil's release, and are still being done (my personal views against animal testing notwithstanding, some pretty terrible things have happened in the name of canola oil).
Soon after the creation of canola, an study showed that rats developed more heart leisons when being fed canola and flaxseed oils than on olive and sunflower oils. Once the rats were no longer forced to eat the canola the leisons went away, but severe scarring remained.
In 1997 a study involving piglets (poor baby pigs - I detest animal testing!) resulted in the piglets developing severe Vitamin E defeciencies when fed mild with canola in it, dispite the fact that the piglets were given an adequate amount of Vitamin E.
The study continued into 1998 as the same piglets suffered decreased platlet counts and increased platlet size. When cut (again, animal testing is BAD), the piglets bled longer than they should have.
As for humans, Canola consumption has been linked to Vitamin E defeciency and growth retardation. For this reason the FDA has banned canola us in infant formula. Canola can also cause a latex-like consubstance that have caused red blood corpuscles to clump together. Canola can also deteriorate mylein sheaths (the coating around nerve cells) possibly leading to nervous disorders such as Altzheimer's Disease and Multiple Sclorosis.
So, overall, Canola would seem to be a bad thing. I stopped using Canola a while ago, and I didn't even know a lot of these things.
Stay tuned for the next installment of oil oil everywhere, but which is safe to eat? I'm thinking it will be grapeseed oil.
As always, thanks for stopping by. If you have questions about the history or healthfullness of any food,just let me know and I'll try to look into it. <3
Authors used in this blog:
Carol Clark Keppler
Tom Valentine
Toby Maloney
Udo Erasmus (his 1988 pamphlet "Fats that Heal, Fats that Kill")
Richard Seah
Dr. Mary Enig (her cleverly titled article "The Great Con-ola"
Saturday, April 10, 2010
kids, what the heck is wrong with the kids today?
Thank you very much "Bye Bye Birdie."
So, in attempt to reinvent my life (yes, again) I've enrolled in a Humanities course at my local community college. I haven't been in school since finishing up my masters in Special Ed program in 200....4, I think? Well it was the early oughts anyway.
I remember my first CC experience. I started at Chaffey College back in 1992, while I was still a senior in high school. I had to get special permission to go to class at night.
Maybe it was just because I was such an honors nerd, but I felt pretty prepared to head off to an institution of (slightly) higher education. The classes were a step above my regular high school classes, but not at all intimidating or overly arduous.
Fast forward 17 (yikes!) years, and it's an enitrely different story. I was psyched about the curriculum, combining literature, art, architecture, history, philosophy, it was just up my alley. For my classmates, not so much.
These kids are in no way prepared for community college, much less an actual university. They whine about reading 30 pages in a week, can't put together a decent sentence or paragraph, and were truly shocked that we had homework over spring break. I never ceased to be amazed at the truly deplorable condition of our public education system. The few who do seem to be on top of it were honor's kids at the newest high school here in beautiful down town MoVal.
One young man, who is seriously trying to better himself has discussed with me how poorly his high school classes were run. He grew up on the, shall we say, older side of town. He wants to get out of MoVal, but was so confused he thought he had to pay out of area tuition to go to a trade school in LA. Seriously, what are the doing in these high schools. This guy can't capitalize, and has never heard of a comma.
Now, I realize that the district here is one of the lowest rated in California, but I don't believe the story would be that much differently in another area. My professor has seen the quality of work decline rapidly over the past 10 years.
My poor mom has to listen to my rambling every day when I come home from school. She asked what I think needed to be done to fix things. The saddest part of all of this is that I don't know. Go back to the way things were when I was in school? The world was a very different place then. I can't see elementary principals being allowed to hang "paddles" in their offices now. A kid threatened to kill one of my old collegues, and the child wasn't even removed from his class.
I know that not being part of the solution is akin to being part of the problem, but I'm stymied. Anybody out there have any revolutionary ideas?
So, in attempt to reinvent my life (yes, again) I've enrolled in a Humanities course at my local community college. I haven't been in school since finishing up my masters in Special Ed program in 200....4, I think? Well it was the early oughts anyway.
I remember my first CC experience. I started at Chaffey College back in 1992, while I was still a senior in high school. I had to get special permission to go to class at night.
Maybe it was just because I was such an honors nerd, but I felt pretty prepared to head off to an institution of (slightly) higher education. The classes were a step above my regular high school classes, but not at all intimidating or overly arduous.
Fast forward 17 (yikes!) years, and it's an enitrely different story. I was psyched about the curriculum, combining literature, art, architecture, history, philosophy, it was just up my alley. For my classmates, not so much.
These kids are in no way prepared for community college, much less an actual university. They whine about reading 30 pages in a week, can't put together a decent sentence or paragraph, and were truly shocked that we had homework over spring break. I never ceased to be amazed at the truly deplorable condition of our public education system. The few who do seem to be on top of it were honor's kids at the newest high school here in beautiful down town MoVal.
One young man, who is seriously trying to better himself has discussed with me how poorly his high school classes were run. He grew up on the, shall we say, older side of town. He wants to get out of MoVal, but was so confused he thought he had to pay out of area tuition to go to a trade school in LA. Seriously, what are the doing in these high schools. This guy can't capitalize, and has never heard of a comma.
Now, I realize that the district here is one of the lowest rated in California, but I don't believe the story would be that much differently in another area. My professor has seen the quality of work decline rapidly over the past 10 years.
My poor mom has to listen to my rambling every day when I come home from school. She asked what I think needed to be done to fix things. The saddest part of all of this is that I don't know. Go back to the way things were when I was in school? The world was a very different place then. I can't see elementary principals being allowed to hang "paddles" in their offices now. A kid threatened to kill one of my old collegues, and the child wasn't even removed from his class.
I know that not being part of the solution is akin to being part of the problem, but I'm stymied. Anybody out there have any revolutionary ideas?
Friday, April 2, 2010
what do you want to be when you grow up?
After a year plus of mulling it over, imagining myself doing a wide variety of things, from museum curation to teaching at community college, I think I've finally decided what to be when I grow up. I'm going to get my master's and MFT (marital and family therapy for those who don't know) with a specialty of art therapy. I will be able to help people, kids, and those in the the Special Ed world using both counseling and art.
I'm very happy with this decision. It feels right. Back in high school and at Ye Olde Chaffey College I took a ton of phych classes, and loved them all. I'm just facinated with the human brain and how it works. Since I'm unlikely to retread my first career choice of neurosurgery at this late date (having just turned *gasp* 35!), dealing in therapy will allow me to still investigate the twilight zone of the human psyche. Thanks to the wondertwins of G and L, I've immersed myself in my own art projects, and have found it very theraputic. So, I'm checking out grad schools, trying to find the best program at the cheapest possible price. Higher education certainly is pricey.
I decided a while ago that I could never go back into public education. Well, maybe not never, but certainly not until there are some serious changes made in the whole system. (any questions about this? just ask and I'll fill you in) Bully to all of those who still fight the good fight every day, but my heart just isn't in it anymore. I thought about teaching community college, but after reviewing the writing of some of my classmates (I'm taking a humanities class at my local cc, just for kicks) I found it to be at the same leval as, or even lower than some of my old middleschoolers. I would end up failing everyone who couldn't put together a decent 5 page paper, and that just wouldn't be fun. I don't have it in me to teach grammer and punctuation to a bunch of under 25's.
It's been quite a while since I blogged, and I've missed it. They won't all be about me, so don't worry. I'm remembering my old blog about the kinds of oatmeal, and the story of Scientology. So, I hope you enjoy.
I'm very happy with this decision. It feels right. Back in high school and at Ye Olde Chaffey College I took a ton of phych classes, and loved them all. I'm just facinated with the human brain and how it works. Since I'm unlikely to retread my first career choice of neurosurgery at this late date (having just turned *gasp* 35!), dealing in therapy will allow me to still investigate the twilight zone of the human psyche. Thanks to the wondertwins of G and L, I've immersed myself in my own art projects, and have found it very theraputic. So, I'm checking out grad schools, trying to find the best program at the cheapest possible price. Higher education certainly is pricey.
I decided a while ago that I could never go back into public education. Well, maybe not never, but certainly not until there are some serious changes made in the whole system. (any questions about this? just ask and I'll fill you in) Bully to all of those who still fight the good fight every day, but my heart just isn't in it anymore. I thought about teaching community college, but after reviewing the writing of some of my classmates (I'm taking a humanities class at my local cc, just for kicks) I found it to be at the same leval as, or even lower than some of my old middleschoolers. I would end up failing everyone who couldn't put together a decent 5 page paper, and that just wouldn't be fun. I don't have it in me to teach grammer and punctuation to a bunch of under 25's.
It's been quite a while since I blogged, and I've missed it. They won't all be about me, so don't worry. I'm remembering my old blog about the kinds of oatmeal, and the story of Scientology. So, I hope you enjoy.
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