Beautiful and simply amazing!

I generally prefer to only post my own thoughts and findings but this is certainly amazing. More than that it is beautiful how the body works together to respond to our daily needs. It is a computer rendered scientifically sound video.


Easily Understood and Interesting Explanation of what is going on:
http://www.sciencechatforum.com/bulletin/viewtopic.php?p=24688

High Quality Video:
http://www.studiodaily.com/main/searchlist/6850.html

Harvard's Extremely Detailed Explanation of the Video:
http://multimedia.mcb.harvard.edu/media.html

Please enjoy!

Locavores

We have been eating good! It all started in Colorado. We tromped on over to Kim's house in downtown Pagosa Springs the second night we were there to bother our/my dearest friend Kim and her sweety Casey whom we hardly knew at all.

They have a tiny house on main street too near Kip's and the Baking Company to be a good spot for me. But somehow they manage to not blow EVERY penny on these two fine establishments. They have a cute porch with herbs growing on it and a gear room that is well stocked. During the course of our conversation we started talking about trying to save money, the environment and food.

We jostled book names back and forth, finding we have read many of the same ones BUT she had one I had never read AND one of the author's is from good ol' Durham, NC. Well she is in school at Duke University just up the road a piece from us. The name was, "Animal Vegetable Miracle". She even let me borrow the book. We full expected to finish it before we left but as a few of you know things didn't go as expected this trip to Colorado. So Kim, I have a confession, "urm *blush* we have the book at home and I plan to mail it back to you as soon as I am finished."

It was in this book that I met the word "locavore". Ok, ok, both you and I have heard of people who try to eat food not further than one day's drive from their home but it was just "heard" and there was no real information on how to do this yourself. This book is FULL of websites and practical information on HOW to be a localvore.

Since Charles and I are trying to live what we believe and have made some radical changes to our lifestyle in the hope of saving mucho dinaro, support our local outdoor gear stores, save our enviro from more pollution from our tailpipe, the pristine roadsides from one more (100 more) plastic bag we decided to give it a try.

Now none of the changes we have made have been anywhere near painful or even really inconvenient. But this has been the most satisfying change we have made. You see a few miles down the road, unknown to us, there is a genuine farmer's market where the actual farmers set up little tables festooned with brilliant lettuces, lucious tomatos and grubby little cucumbers. Oh no that is not all but Charles is playing a snowboard game on the xbox and distracting me.

We have a new tradition, we take $20 in cash on Wednesday afternoon and buy all the veggies we can eat in a week. Not everything is cheap but with a frugal eye sharpened by desperation a person can get plenty to feed 2 for $20. When pithy, cardboard tomatos cost $3.00/lb minimum at our local Food Dog (as Jason says) or Kroger we are getting homegrown 2nds for $1.50/lb.

Here's Dinner - chard, tomatoes, onion, cucumber, homemade bread & okra:

We sit down to dinner and lunch every day and feel ourselves transported to a palace where only the best of food is served. Let me tell you this is one sacrifice you will LOVE to make. We do drive a little further than our normal jaunt across the street but our food travelled a maximum of 70 miles plus our 20 miles makes that a max of 90 miles and tastes like it grew out our back door. Whereas what we were getting came from Mexico, South America or California and doesn't particularly taste at all.

This is a photo of our one week of loot:

Here is a link to the book's website Animal Vegetable Miracle. You can find links on how to find local food in your area as well as other ideas and information about food. I have not quite finished the book but it is the reason I am eating tomatoes that explode in my mouth with flavor and life and I tried my first fresh fig.

"Shitty First Drafts"

My first reading for my class "Writing Fiction" is titled "Shitty First Drafts". This threatens to be my most beloved and hated course. Beloved - probably I don't need to explain why...hated because I don't generally write creatively for a deadline. I write for the love of the freedom of letting the experience reign, letting my heart soar through my fingers when the inspiration strikes. But thanks to some of you here, an ex teacher and other friends I have been considering trying to get published in some form if oh so small. Hopefully this class will help me navigate the dark unknown waters of editing a short story/book.

Shitty first drafts...it explains my spiritual life as of late. How about over the whole summer. Why shitty first drafts? Because I am still in the first draft of this new experience of not "trying and working" but just being a friend of God. Shitty...for the week of great inspiration there is a month of distraction and wandering. I am finding that as soon as some great spiritual awaking happens...a new discovery, a break through for some reason I spiral feeling like a plane without wings.

Remember the great struggle not knowing if I would be in school this year? As soon as I found out it was ok I seemed to lose my drive, my connection to my source of energy and strength.

Today I read My Utmost for His Highest Aug 21 - "The Ministry of the Unnoticed" There I underlined this... "The preaching of today is apt to emphasize strength of will, beauty of character-the things that are easily noticed. The phrase we hear so often, Decide for Christ, is an emphasis on something our Lord never trusted. He never asks us to decide for Him, but to yield to Him."

That is the first thing and the only thing I lose in my spiral. The simple rest of yielding to Him then becomes the happy dance, of adding requirements and "good things" I can do to make it even BETTER, that is the death of relationship.

It feels so good at first. I have control, I can do it..I, I, I..I shift the power just ever so slightly from Him to me. Then the happy dance turns into a frenzied, angry, driven dance to keep ahead of the criticism that I have allowed to rule. It drives those around me into the same dance because I expect of them the same level of "goodness" I have set for myself.

By the time a month has passed I am tattered, looking for rest. That's when I look around expecting to find the criticism coming from Him and find His arms enfolding me craziness and all, His love and a chance to stop the crazy dance. To rest in His arms, to silence the criticism. Today I choose to rest, the first day in several months...

A Stranger's Thoughts

Last night Charles and I went to a (free) concert by a group called Craicdown. They played a cocktail of French, Scottish, Celtic, Italian traditional pieces with some of their own compositions mixed in for an extra jolt of flavor. They were an earthy and energetic group, so much so that when the guitarist lost two strings on his guitar, one was the G string, it led to a string of bad jokes that were, none-the-less, amusing.

It started outside in the square at Southern Village. Southern village is one of my favorite places to go. It is in flavor an artsy, yet ritzy, Colorado town. Prominently on the corner is Weaver Street Market, our local natural foods coop that we enjoy sharing our money with when we are able. Marching around the square are cute shops, high class wine bars and food joints with tables out front where you can enjoy the music from the square or the colorful people as they wander by in an endless parade. It is small like the tantalizing taste of gelato the pocket sized shop shares as you look at their dizzying array of temptations.

After one song the lightening began to strike and the rain sprinkled down. It was time to move to the comfort of the miniature book store that is next door neighbor to the gelato shop. It was a conspiracy between the bookstore and the gelato shop and many, cheerful to comply, wandered over tempted by the delights of the gelato store or picked up a favorite book to buy and read while the band played.

Charles and I, being shrewd did not give into the wiles of the bookstore or the gelato shop...(OK I admit, I DID look at all the books and dream but that is all). The music was fantastic and we lost ourselves in its folds as we nestled in the depths of our metal folding chairs.

The large windows displayed the lightening storm provided by nature and added to the warmth and cheerful ambiance of our gathering. It was very easy to loose oneself in the rhythm of the music and the wildness of the storm.

At 9pm it was over. The last guitar string had twanged free of its entrapment and we had all clapped and cheered heartily for the group. Charles and I stood to leave. Out of the group, dutifully switching places, like pieces in that annoying tile game, came a lady and her husband. She looked straight at me and what came out her mouth almost caused me to cup my ear to make sure I heard right and say, "What's that again?" "I so enjoyed watching you during the concert. You know, you have the most beautiful profile!" WHAT!!!?! Is this lady for real?

I have this horrid little bump on my nose that allowed the kids in grade school to call me big nose often and forever sprung me from the club of girls with cute little upturned noses. To say that made my day, is to be light. It made my year...perhaps it made my life. Of course people I know have consoled me about my nose. But to have a stranger come up and say they thought my profile was beautiful...I know she had not one drop of friend obligation. It was astounding.

And as I savor the joy that this little gift gave me. I realize that often I am too embarrassed to share my admiration of someone with them. Especially, if I don't know them. Perhaps they will call the cops and or worse think I am weird.

Or perhaps, it would make their day.

A Sr for the 3rd Time!

Well the news is in...I am a BA Chemistry Sr at NCSU!!! Yes, a Sr for the 3rd time in my life and this time I didn't even have to go through the normal 4 years to get there. *HAHA* Makes me feel so good I might go get yet a 3rd worthless degree. :D Ok not really I think 2 should suffice, it would be nice to get something useful one of these days. But the waiting is over. I was officially accepted and on Friday received my status.

Currently, I am back in school and doing physics 4 days a week. It is the second semester so I am learning about electricity, capacitors, capacitance, Gauss' Law...and well that is as far I as I have gotten. Riding the bus has worked out great. There are mostly professional people now that fuel is frightfully high. An Indian IT guy stands at the same stop every morning with me we talk about databases and computers while we wait for the bus. Its nice to have him there...so there aren't many scary people on there...well, ok there was one.

Last week some guy sat by me at the transfer station while I was reading and waiting for my bus to Raleigh. He was huffing and puffing since he just walked a good 20 feet over level pavement and wanted to sit down and have his cigerette. I said it was fine and I thought to myself being younger and more fit, I would move if it bothered me.

Just as luck would have it, on the way home that night he was there again and I chose to sit in the mid-back of the bus instead of front simply because the sun was shining warmly in on the seat and it looked inviting. He lumbered on by to the back of the bus and sort of oozed out over the seats. I guess he felt we were great buds now and started telling me all about his whole day in detail. He asked me to go for a drink. I said, "No thanks, I get to go home and see my husband." Then he said he would go home and relax and have a beer. Then he changed it and said he would have a joint and an orgasm. "Hack! Hork!" my brain was less then excited to hear that. I just tried to not give him the satisfaction of shocking me, looked as calm as I could and said, "oh, I guess that would do the job," and tried to look busy VERY BUSY! He didn't frighten me, his "aura" was more like a blow hard then a serious freak.

So that is my only creepy incident. I learned my lesson, now I sadly ignore the seductive, pretty little sunny spots in the mid-back of the bus and sit right up by the driver even if it is in the shadows. I haven't seen him since, maybe he went to work on that chicken farm he spoke of, who knows.

You know, I bought a ring to indicate my status as being married it seemed better since I am in contact with many strangers each day, not like at work where I know everyone and they know me. But I have had more guys outright interested now then I ever did. After contemplating why that could be I think it is me and not the ring. I felt the ring was security so I wasn't as timid around guys...and I believe that is the reason why.

Anyway, I have more to say but I want popcorn for dinner so I should get going and help make it. Also, the sky is a very strange yellow green and we are under a tornado watch. Generally, that isn't a good sign. :)

Ready or Not...

Our week off before summer classes started is just about at an end. Ready or not the craziness is about to begin again.

I received a letter from my school...oh man I was nervous when I read that it contained the answer to my in-state tuition request. If I didn't tell you the answer until the bottom of this blog you may begin to feel the nervous trepidation that lit up my hands with sweat and sent my head a whirling. They APPROVED it! I had submitted it to the school and on the way home I turned to Charles and said, "This will be a miracle if I get this." There were too many things out of order. We didn't license the car immediately, I didn't get my license immediately, we own a home in Colorado...it seemed the list went on and on with each on and on my prospects got dimmer. Everyone I told about my situation basically said..."good luck you have a snowball's chance in the 'theological place of eternal punishment'". Which added to my general sense of encouragement. :-) But it happened, thank God, and I now pay $650 for a class I would have payed $2700 last semester.

Charles is also classified as in state. The process was not as drawn out for him. In fact he went and wrote on a form that he lived here 12 months and that was that. HAHA! Some guy confessed to him that he also was out of state but lied on his form and said he was in state and they never checked. But I appreciate my favorite guy's honesty. Now a class that would have cost him $900 costs $126. WOW! That is great!

Let's see I am doing 2nd semester of physics & lab which involves magnetic fields, electricity and sound waves...oh yeh in 5 weeks. Charles is doing college math and chemistry and he is self paced so no set time for him.

It was our 6th anniversary this last week. YEY! We went to the Outer Banks for a couple days and one night.

The Ferry to Ocracoke Island




Our first campsite


Hatteras National Seashore






Lighthouses of the Outer Banks

Ocracoke Island


Hatteras


Bodie Island

We were going to camp for longer but our second camping spot turned out to be on some sand dunes with wind gusts of 50-60 miles per hour. Serious loofa action on any exposed skin. Hmm maybe I should start a spa there. People can stand naked in the dunes with wind blasting them with sand to get some de-wrinkle exfoliation. (Yikes!) We skipped the second night of camping and came home.



We love Ocracoke Island and we will go back to Ocracoke when we get a chance. It has a "cute as a kitten" little town that is mostly travel by bicycle or foot. A bunch of niftea resturants and shops, a history that includes Blackbeard the notorious pirate, wild island ponies, thousands of old shipwrecks, daring rescues, and sand and surf that doesn't have as many people because access is only by boat.

Oh yeh...I get to ride the public bus to school. We still haven't been able to find a replacement for Blueberry and at this point would have difficulty affording one. North Carolina State University has a deal where you can ride all public transit in the triangle area for free. So I have a chill 48 minute (minimal) ride to school every morning. It doesn't seem too bad and will save us fuel money, insurance and upkeep on a car. The bus stop is about a 10 minute walk from our apartment.

I am still waiting to hear if I am accepted to a BA in Chemistry which will help relieve the financial situation. Hopefully, I will hear in the next week. The undergraduate dean who was helping me out left on a month long motorcycle trip...he will be going through Durango and Moab! :-) But with the process not done it is a little scary to have him gone. My original benefactor Dr Gunnoe has put me in touch with a new person last week...but I haven't heard anything back from them. It's one of those things and God is giving me peace, quiet patience and focus.

Well I think I will go read one of the many books I have laying around or maybe finish a drawing. I don't have too many more hours of freedom.

No Clouds, all Sun and an Ice Cream Truck

Ever had one of those days that seems everything is brighter, tastier and happier than it has ever been? Don't you love emotions, 3 blogs back I was almost rocked to my core over some rough news, today the sky's the limit and its blooming flowers in my path - quite literally.

I am not generally dramatic. (couldn't guess could you?) Although the past year has held a good bit of drama and lessons for me. It seems I waited years for some change in my life...spiritual growth, noticeable emotional growth, some flash of clarity on what I wanted for my future. And it all happens *slam* in one year. These are my favorite years even though they are my toughest years.

Another such year that flavors my heart strongly is my year in Cambodia. Much harder than this year it was one to grow bitter on or grow stronger on. Thank God, after a few years of quiet contemplation He has turned into "miracle grow fertilizer" for my heart; scribing deeper the channels of spiritual understanding and human empathy. It is touching many decisions I make today is a tendril that curls down deep into that year.

Oh I digress...bother that was not my intent.

So the other day. YEY! I spent it studying sort of a normal day. But it was warm...70's the windows were open, birds sang their zippy little songs and Charles did his homework as well.

We had noticed an ice cream truck with tinny little speakers had wound its way through our apartment complex a week ago. Charles and I talked of our ice cream truck memories. He bought ice cream from such a truck when he was a child. He remembered pooling all his coins together in hopes to afford on of the pictured delicacies. I remembered reading about ice cream trucks and wanted to buy ice cream from one since I was small.



The familiar sound of "Mary had a Little Lamb" played on some circus synthesizer through cheap speakers came floating through our open window. WHOO HOOO! The ice cream man! I went digging through my purse but I had no cash, this is not a surprise I don't really carry cash like I should. Charles clucked and scolded me about not having cash and then dug around and found a $5. YEY!

Out to the truck to pick our ice cream from the pictures on the side. It was hard to decide and I was glad there were 5 small heads milling around the truck shouting out their orders, gave me more time to decide. Five cheering little heads raced past my waist and it was my turn.

The ice cream man's tired face pokes out his side window. He looks like he has dealt with thousands of fighting children before noon. I finally choose an ice cream sandwich and place my order, immediately I see three other things I might have liked too but ice cream sandwiches are tops so I am happy! Charles picks a drumstick and we trot off to our apartment with our prizes. WHOOOO HOOOO ! I want to shout I bought ice cream from an ice cream truck how COOL is that?!

Have you ever wished you could do something for years and then when you do it, it just isn't what you hoped? Well I am here to say that this was NOT one of those things. Nope, it was all I dreamed of and more.

Charles of course said the best was to come. We stashed our treasure in our freezer, ate lunch and then loitered around outside licking (yes, I lick my ice cream sandwich thank you very much...it lasts longer!) the heavenly goo off of our quickly melting purchases, our sticky fingers and sweetly dabbled noses...(ok that was just me, Charles is cleaner than I am). And for 30 minutes we were 8 years old, sitting on the sidewalk, laughing, not a care in the world, not a cloud in the sky, enjoying the best of life.