Category Archives: Simplicity
Friday, May 31: Week in Review
LIFE
The Benefits of Boredom
No matter how old – and busy – I get in life, when summer rolls around, I still think of the leisure of the season as a kid. As much as I looked forward to the open-ended days of running wild, however, at some point I’d inevitably find myself bored. My best friend would be away on vacation. The weather would be too consistent. Whatever the case, I’d find myself feeling like I’d seen and done all there was to do a million times over. I’d mope and grumble (gaining no sympathy in the process). In those days, there was no gadgetry to surrender attention to. It was mostly the power of invention and imagination – the two best aspects of childhood if you ask me. Eventually, I’d conjure something good enough to get out of my funk. In fact, my greatest schemes and misadventures seem to have came out of those lulls. The thought makes me wonder: in this age of easy preoccupation, do we undervalue boredom?
Read more here.
The Only Thing Better Than a Fireworks Show Is a Fireworks Competition
There’s something wonderful about watching things blow up in sparkly, colorful explosions. You might even have your own little display over the holiday weekend. But this explosive timelapse video of the massive annual International Fireworks Competition in Da Nang, Vietnam will make your backyard show look puny by comparison.
Over two nights, five firework shows from the top manufacturers from the U.S., Russia, Japan, Italy, and Vietnam light up the Han River. The winner takes home a prestigious trophy, but really, everyone wins at a fireworks competition.Read more here.
Does Your Blood Type Determine Your Optimal Diet?
I get a lot of emails about the “Eat Right For Your Type” diet, also known as the blood type diet, which asserts that specific optimal diets exist for each blood type. In this post, I’ll take a look at whether there’s anything to this idea, and whether you should change the way you’re eating based on whether you’re Type O, A, B or AB.
The proposed diets all tend to be pretty decent, whole foods-based ways of eating, and they’re all better than the standard American diet of industrial processed junk, but differences do exist. Here’s the basic breakdown of all four blood type diets…Read more here.
Grilled portobello mushrooms stuffed with sauteed leeks and spinach [Vegan]
I can’t pass up a grilled portobello mushroom, especially when it is stuffed full with sauteed leeks and spinach. Talk about a hearty summer main dish. This recipe is extra flavorful thanks to the balsamic vinegar mixed in with the leeks and spinach. The melted cheese on top is a delicious addition. I added roasted red peppers with the cheese topping for a little extra flavor.
Read more here.
In Memory
Memorial Day conjures many images: family, friends, fun, and food. But what else?
On “Memorial” Day…what are we actually remembering?
The easy answer is to say “those that have who fought for our country.” Do re recognize their hardship? Realize the hardships of those across the globe we call “enemy” or “ally?” What do they remember?
It’s hard to recognize, appreciate, and have compassion for the men and women who have struggled, overcame and defended this country we call home. But without taking at least a few moments to comprehend the sheer courage and sacrifice of our soldiers and their loved ones, we cannot see what an incredible effort and movement it has been to keep America…free.
There is still work to do. From human rights to economic policy, many issues are only beginning to become part of open dialogue. But it’s the warrior-like effort of our soldiers and citizens that keeps America continuously innovating. Continuously dreaming.
Continuously free.
We hope you enjoy a wonderful weekend with your loved ones. And, we also invite you to take a moment to reflect on how awesome our home is, all that has taken to make it what it is, and all it will take to keep going.
USA! ! ! 🙂
Thoughts on Procrastination
I’m actually writing this blog post to procrastinate on doing other things.
Procrastination is a hard one.
Someone said/wrote that procrastination is a deeper-seated fear of failure. This fear is rampant in our culture, falling short only to public speaking, death (and possibly taxes) as #1. While we can’t provide a golden fix for procrastination, we can begin to dissipate this big, hairy beast, piece by piece…
…And know that our discomfort is not forever. Here’s how I deal:
- I start by making a list of everything I need to do (for the day, week, month, etc.)
- I then categorize and prioritize
- Usually, I go for low hanging fruit first (don’t want it “hanging” over me while I try to do the harder things)
- My best work gets done when I devote a solid hour with zero distractions. This means I’ve used the restroom, finished my tea/snack, responded to important emails, and of course checked Facebook and Twitter one last time.
- I applaud baby steps/milestones, and take breaks when they’re needed (usually after the first hour).
How do you release your want to procrastinate? What practices keep you “on track?”
Thanks, and Happy Monday! 🙂
Namaste, CJP
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