My article, "Reducing Food Waste" appeared in yesterday's edition of The Dollar Stretcher.
The Dollar Stretcher is a group of publications dedicated to helping readers save time and money.
Read the article.
Tuesday, November 29, 2011
Monday, November 28, 2011
Healthy Choices Wellness Show
Yesterday, I spent most of the day at the Hampton Inns Hotel. I enjoyed meeting with vendors and holistic practitioners from Guelph and nearby communities. I also sat in on six workshops.
Some of the highlights...
From Spiritual Intuitive Kerrilynn Shellhorn
Some of the highlights...
From Spiritual Intuitive Kerrilynn Shellhorn
- Peace is our ego's greatest enemy.
- We have a misguided obligation to purpose. Purpose is not saving the whales or moving to Africa. Whatever we do with joy and passion is our purpose.
- Stop. Think. Breathe.
- Each morning, put your hand on your heart, take a deep breath and ask yourself: What does my spirit need today to feel joy? The answer you receive within five seconds comes from your heart space.
- If we do not practice self care, we will not have enough physical energy.
- When our lower chakras are blocked, we lack physical health and vitality.
- When our upper chakras are blocked, we lack discernment. We do not listen to inner messages and guidance. We feel lost and do not know how to put ourselves out there.
- Heart chakra is the meeting place of the upper and lower chakras. Healing comes from the heart chakra.
- Definition of perfectionism--A process by which we put a bar so high it is unattainable. This is a form of self-abuse.
- If certain negative events and conflicts constantly appear in your life, ask yourself the following question: What part of me attracts this experience? You may be unconsciously attracting a victim experience. Meditate and pray on it.
- At the level of your true self, you are perfect, but living in a less-than-perfect reality.
Tuesday, November 22, 2011
Sunday, November 20, 2011
J. Edgar
A powerful movie directed by Clint Eastwood, J. Edgar opens the door to the secretive FBI director's closet.
Leonardo DiCaprio delivers an outstanding and convincing performance as Hoover evolves from an awkward young man under the control of his mother to a brooding and menacing public figure. J. Edgar Hoover worked under eight presidents and had a collection of secret files that were destroyed immediately after his death. It was not necessary to use two actors to portray Hoover over the forty-eight year span covered by the movie. Heavy layers of latex and makeup were used to transform DiCaprio's baby cheeks into Hoover's bulldog jowls.
Eastwood succeeds in questioning Hoover's historical record while giving credence to the many rumours about cross-dressing and homosexuality.
Watch the trailer.
Leonardo DiCaprio delivers an outstanding and convincing performance as Hoover evolves from an awkward young man under the control of his mother to a brooding and menacing public figure. J. Edgar Hoover worked under eight presidents and had a collection of secret files that were destroyed immediately after his death. It was not necessary to use two actors to portray Hoover over the forty-eight year span covered by the movie. Heavy layers of latex and makeup were used to transform DiCaprio's baby cheeks into Hoover's bulldog jowls.
Eastwood succeeds in questioning Hoover's historical record while giving credence to the many rumours about cross-dressing and homosexuality.
Watch the trailer.
Friday, November 18, 2011
A Fireside Chat with Nicholas Ruddock
Last night, local author and doctor Nicholas Ruddock talked about his writing journey at the third in a series of fireside chats at the Guelph Public Library.
In his twenties, Ruddock took a year off to write, but found he had no ideas or inspiration. So, he completed his internship and spent the next thirty years or so practicing medicine in Newfoundland, Yukon, Montreal and Guelph. In 2002, he decided to start writing. At that time, he was "a writer without connections." Using Newfoundland as his base, he wrote poetry and a number of short stories. He has been published in The Dalhousie Review, The Antigonish Review, Fiddlehead, Prism International, Grain, sub-Terrain, Event and Exile. He also entered and won a number of contests, including the Journey Prize.
He wanted to publish a book of his short stories, but his agent suggested he write a novel instead. Using Toronto as his base, he wrote The Parabolist in seven months. He did not intend for the novel to be a thriller, but found himself writing about murder, rape and a police investigation. He sent the novel in installments to his agent. The final manuscript was sent to six publishers. Within 24 hours, Doubleday expressed interest. The book was out in the spring of 2010. He has written another novel which is being reviewed by Doubleday.
He offered the following tips to aspiring writers...
In his twenties, Ruddock took a year off to write, but found he had no ideas or inspiration. So, he completed his internship and spent the next thirty years or so practicing medicine in Newfoundland, Yukon, Montreal and Guelph. In 2002, he decided to start writing. At that time, he was "a writer without connections." Using Newfoundland as his base, he wrote poetry and a number of short stories. He has been published in The Dalhousie Review, The Antigonish Review, Fiddlehead, Prism International, Grain, sub-Terrain, Event and Exile. He also entered and won a number of contests, including the Journey Prize.
He wanted to publish a book of his short stories, but his agent suggested he write a novel instead. Using Toronto as his base, he wrote The Parabolist in seven months. He did not intend for the novel to be a thriller, but found himself writing about murder, rape and a police investigation. He sent the novel in installments to his agent. The final manuscript was sent to six publishers. Within 24 hours, Doubleday expressed interest. The book was out in the spring of 2010. He has written another novel which is being reviewed by Doubleday.
He offered the following tips to aspiring writers...
- Enter contests before writing a novel. You need a track record in Canada before agents and publishers will take you on.
- A sense of failure is continually present. Your work will be rejected. Rise above it.
Wednesday, November 16, 2011
Three Authors
Last night, I enjoyed listening to three authors--Ami McKay, Wayne Johnston, Anita Rau Badami--at Norfolk United Church in downtown Guelph.
Ami McKay read from the prologue of her latest book, The Virgin Cure. This is McKay's followup novel to her highly successful debut, The Birth House. Set in New York City's Lower East Side during the 1870s, The Virgin Cure was inspired by McKay's great-great-grandmother, Dr. Sadie Fonda Macintosh, who practiced street medicine in the slums. McKay had intended to write the book in her grandmother's voice, but while writing, she began to hear the words of a very different character, a twelve year old girl named Moth.
Wayne Johnston's humour and Newfoundland roots were evident as he talked about his writing journey and his latest book, A World Elsewhere. Set in Manhattan and Rhode Island during the late nineteenth century, Johnston was inspired to write the book after a series of extended visits to George Vanderbilt's estate. Although Johnston draws upon the historical existence of the Vanderbilt family, A World Elsewhere is fiction.
Anita Rau Badami is one of my favourite authors. I have read many of her books and enjoyed listening to her read from her latest, Tell it to the Trees. She was inspired to write the book after visiting an Indian family in a small, isolated town in Northern British Columbia. There was tension in the home and one of rumours about the family stayed with Badami. Apparently, the older woman had locked her husband out during a cold winter night, and he had frozen to death. In Tell it to the Trees, the story begins with the discovery of a tenant's frozen body in the backyard of the Dharma family's isolated home.
Ami McKay read from the prologue of her latest book, The Virgin Cure. This is McKay's followup novel to her highly successful debut, The Birth House. Set in New York City's Lower East Side during the 1870s, The Virgin Cure was inspired by McKay's great-great-grandmother, Dr. Sadie Fonda Macintosh, who practiced street medicine in the slums. McKay had intended to write the book in her grandmother's voice, but while writing, she began to hear the words of a very different character, a twelve year old girl named Moth.
Wayne Johnston's humour and Newfoundland roots were evident as he talked about his writing journey and his latest book, A World Elsewhere. Set in Manhattan and Rhode Island during the late nineteenth century, Johnston was inspired to write the book after a series of extended visits to George Vanderbilt's estate. Although Johnston draws upon the historical existence of the Vanderbilt family, A World Elsewhere is fiction.
Anita Rau Badami is one of my favourite authors. I have read many of her books and enjoyed listening to her read from her latest, Tell it to the Trees. She was inspired to write the book after visiting an Indian family in a small, isolated town in Northern British Columbia. There was tension in the home and one of rumours about the family stayed with Badami. Apparently, the older woman had locked her husband out during a cold winter night, and he had frozen to death. In Tell it to the Trees, the story begins with the discovery of a tenant's frozen body in the backyard of the Dharma family's isolated home.
Monday, November 14, 2011
A Comforting Prayer
I found the following prayer in the December issue of Oprah.
Enjoy!
Enjoy!
May today there be peace within.
May you trust God that
you are exactly where you are
meant to be.
May you not forget the infinite
possibilities that are born of faith.
May you use those gifts that
you have received,
and pass on the love that has
been given to you.
May you be content knowing
you are a child of God.
Let this presence settle into
your bones and allow
your soul the freedom to sing,
dance, praise and love.
It is there for each and every
one of us.
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