Posts Tagged ‘Facebook’
Posted by terrepruitt on April 12, 2013
Well, most people would say that it being Friday is a good thing. So that could go in the Goodie Jar, right? Sure why not. Often people have plans for the weekend so that could go in the Goodie Jar as a good thing. Weekend plans might be a “two-for” because it can be noted and put in the jar BEFORE and then after a good time was had by all it can be noted and put in the jar again! Ha! Two for one!
I recently checked in with my friend who had posted this idea of a good things jar on Facebook to see if she was still doing it. She had forgotten. I kind had a feeling that would happen. I thought I would forget too. So that is why I have the Friday check in so we can be reminded at least once a week.
So how is your Good Things Goodie Jar doing?
Posted in Good Things in the Goodie Jar | Tagged: check in, Facebook, good things jar, Goodie Jar, happy Friday, weekend plans | 2 Comments »
Posted by terrepruitt on March 22, 2013
I’ve had a couple of things make me extremely happy this past week. One I took a picture of and one was actually a FB post from a friend. I actually made jpgs of them both and printed them, like I did with the Sharks tickets. To me these are good things I want in my jar.
I hope you are still keeping track. You don’t have to write things down necessarily, it could be a receipt or a ticket stub. Something good. How is it going?
Posted in Good Things in the Goodie Jar | Tagged: check in #8, Facebook, FB, good jar, good things, good things jar | Leave a Comment »
Posted by terrepruitt on March 9, 2013
Have you seen t
his simple flow chart? What do you think? Do you think it is this easy? I first saw this awhile ago on FaceBook when a Nia friend posted this picture on her page. I googled it to find out where it came from. I found this to be the creative work of Alex Kopblin. You too might have seen this poster because it seems to get around. It makes sense. Are you happy? If not do something about it right? Sometimes that is easy. Sometimes it is not. Are you happy? To me this is a huge defining life question.
I know that many of us have things in our lives that can make us sad. We could all probably sit down and focus on those things and become sad, if not downright depressed. I believe that is what some people do. I also believe that the people who are happy choose not to do that. It is not that their lives are perfect and they have nothing to feel sad about, it is that they choose not to focus on that. So this flow chart graphic could just be a reminder not to focus on those things. It could also be a reminder to actually make some changes.
This easy to follow chart could just be a reminder to do something that makes you happy. The “thing” does not have to be time consuming, costly, or difficult, just something that makes you smile. Maybe take a walk at lunch. Maybe stop to smell a flower. Maybe go to the ocean. Maybe get all the errands done that you had planned. Whatever . . . . just do SOMETHING that makes you happy, something that fills you with joy and that is a step in a good direction. Those feelings can carry you to the next place.
If you can, if you have the opportunity . . . . if you MAKE the chance do something like that EVERY DAY! If you do just one thing that makes you happy EVERY DAY that can help a lot on the path to happiness.
Please try to realize that if you are happy that does not mean that you are not affected by the things that are going on in your life. There could be situations that are difficult and sad. Maybe you think that being happy is something you shouldn’t do. Maybe you feel guilty because someone else is suffering. I don’t think you should. I also don’t think that someone has to be happy and up all the time. I know that we all have moments and situations that can be sad. This is just me trying to remind you to take sometime for yourself and do something that makes you happy. I like this poster and I believe it, I just also believe that sometimes the “change something” can be a difficult thing to do. So maybe what I am trying to say is start small. Work your way into “happy” if you need to.
Are you happy? Is there something you like to do that makes you happy? Can you do it?
Posted in Misc | Tagged: Alex Kopblin, Are you happy, choose to be happy, Facebook, happy flow chart, happy is a choice, happy poster, happy things, Nia, Nia friend, Nia on Facebook | Leave a Comment »
Posted by terrepruitt on February 14, 2013
Other titles you might have seen: “Bag Ban Responsible For E-coli Outbreak”, “Are Reusable Shopping Bags Making Us Sick?”, “Reusable Shopping Bags Can Kill”. Well, it is terrible that the ban on bags has caused and outbreak of E. coli. It is so horrendous that the bags are making us sick. It is out-and-out scary that these bags can kill us! Just like the title of my post these titles are ridiculous. The bag ban is not responsible for anything, just like the bags aren’t going to kill us. What MIGHT happen is if the bags aren’t periodically wiped out and/or washed bacteria can spread and cause illness or even death.
Recently I was in a grocery store and the bagger commented on my bag. He said, “Oh your bag smells good.” And I said, “Does it?” He said, “Oh YES! You should smell some of these bags.” I hadn’t thought about that before. I mean, I thought about having to wash your bags because food goes in them and some food spills and you don’t want your food bag contaminated. Plus I use mine at the Farmer’s Market and I don’t always get a produce bag so dirt and bugs end up in there. So I spray mine and wipe them down. But I never thought of other people NOT doing it and baggers having to deal that. Then recently on Facebook someone commented on a post about E. coli outbreak in San Francisco. Again, I never thought of that because I just thought that people would wipe out their bags. I figured people would want a clean place to put the food they just purchased. Since I saw the comment about E. coli in San Francisco on Facebook I wanted to know if that was true. So I went looking on the internet. The titles, just like mine, and the things said in articles just crack me up. Would it really be the fault of the bag? Would the bag actually cause death? No, if there was something in the bag dangerous enough to infect me then it would not be the bag’s fault, it would be mine for not washing it out.
I came across an article that states the information about San Francisco’s E. coli outbreak is inaccurate because the study conducted used information from BEFORE the bag ban actually went into effect. This article mentioned that there was an accurate conclusion of a contaminated grocery bag having the norovirus and girls from a soccer team in Oregon all getting sick from it. But the article I found regarding THAT incident stated the first person to get sick got very sick in a bathroom and the grocery bag was in close enough proximity to have the germs deposited on it. While the first girl went home the bag with the snacks stayed behind and the girls that ate those snacks subsequently got ill. That is the staying power of the norovirus!
The first article had me thinking it was a grocery type of contamination that happened in the bag. I am glad I popped over to read the other article that clarified it.
Anyway . . . the point is the reusable grocery bags need to be washed. If you have the plastic-y kind that wouldn’t really survive the washing machine, spray them with a disinfectant and wipe them out. Or spray them and hose them out. But there are some types of bags that can be washed in the washing machine and that might be the route to go. You honestly might not have thought about it because using reusable bags is kind of a new thing, but now that you know the bag can kill you, I am sure you will think to wipe it out every once in a while. 🙂
Do you have a re-usable shopping bag you love? Where did you get it? Let us know!
Posted in Misc | Tagged: death from grocery bags, disinfectant, e-coli in grocery bags, E. coli, Facebook, grocery bags contaminated, norovirus, reusable grocery bags, San Francisco E. coli outbreak | Leave a Comment »
Posted by terrepruitt on January 31, 2013
I go to Starbucks when I have a gift card. I like Starbucks Chai Tea Lattes. When I first started getting them they were almost too spicy for me. Then they seemed to change a bit. They got less flavorful. Then one time I got one at a store I don’t normally frequent and I thought my teeth were going to fall out. It was soooooo sweet. Yes, I know that the fancy drinks at Starbucks and other coffee houses are a huge source of sugar. That is ONE reason why I don’t buy them. I DO have them on occasion when I am blessed with receiving a gift card. To me they are a nice treat. But this one hurt my teeth and my stomach. I chalked it up to this store making them different. But then I went to the store I usually go to and it was the same thing. Ugh. I posted a Facebook status asking if they had changed their recipe. I know places and manufacturers do that all the time. One of the responses I received was to make my own Chai. The response even included the recipe.
A few days after that I was in the grocery store and I actually remembered while I was in the spice aisle that I needed cardamom to make the chai. I looked and looked and when I finally found it I almost choked. It was $12.99. I didn’t realize it was that expensive.
So, again, I posted on Facebook, I said that I would stick to using my gift cards at Starbucks instead of spend $13.00. And again the replies were awesome. People near and far reminded me that I live in an area rich with many cultures and that I could find cardamom at Indian Spice stores. The major benefits to that would be that it would be cheaper and more than likely better.
But before I could remember to get to a store one of my amazing friends brought me a little box of it. She is awesome like that. She frequents an affordable spice shop so she picked me up some.
Here is the recipe that Danielle Woermann (a Nia Black Belt) posted for me on Facebook. I am unaware of where she got it.
Masala Chai. Serves four.
Boil 3 cups (.7 liters) of water with
4 cloves
2 pinches ground nutmeg
2 pinches ground cinnamon
2 pinches ground cardamom
1/2 inch (1.27 cm) piece of grated fresh ginger
Add 2 tea bags (black, green, redbush, etc.) and simmer for 2 minutes. Add 1 cup (.2 liters) almond milk or milk of your choice, and heat until hot, but not boiling. Add sweetener of your choice. Serve and enjoy!
I decided to measure my “pinches” so that I could have a more accurate measure and adjust accordingly. I used an 1/8 of a teaspoon as a “pinch”. I think that I need to work on it a bit. Either the person doing the pinching who created this recipe has REALLY LARGE pinches or they like a more mellow tea. I think that this might be really good if I made it ahead of time and let all the flavors really seep into the water. The time that is stated in the recipe didn’t seem to do that. Also it does help if, when you are drinking it, you actually get some of the spices in your mouth . . . . which also makes for an oddly textured and a bit chewy tea. But I’m ok with that.
I think I might experiment with chopping the ginger. For some reason I don’t might little tiny chunks of fresh ginger as opposed to what came off my grater . . . . it was odd.
That is a GREAT thing about recipes though, right? I love to try them the way they are then adjust them to my tastes. Maybe this is one that you can make and enjoy — either adjusting or not.
Do you like Chai Tea? Do you have a recipe? Doesn’t this one sound yummy?
Posted in "Recipes" | Tagged: almond milk, black tea, cardamom, chai, chai tea, Chai Tea Latte, chopped ginger, cinnamon, cloves, Danielle Woermann, expensive spices, Facebook, gift cards, ginger, grated ginger, green tea, honey, Indian Spices, Indian store, Masala Chai, Nia, Nia Black Belt, nutmeg, pinches, spicy, Starbucks, sugar, sweetener | 14 Comments »
Posted by terrepruitt on January 29, 2013
As the New Year approached and very shortly there after, I started seeing pictures of jars with paper inside posted on Facebook. The idea was simple, write down something good that happened and put it in the jar, at the end of the year read it, and be reminded of all the good things that happened to you during the year. Even though I loved the idea and I wanted to do it, I got caught up in other things and I forgot about it. Just this past week a friend posted a picture of her jar saying, “Do you remember this?” And I hadn’t. I had completely forgotten. I want to do that. I want a “good thing jar”.
First of all I don’t have a jar. So I am going to use a pitcher that I love, but hardly use. This way, I will be using something that I love and it will be pretty. Second, I don’t remember how often one is supposed to put something in the jar. Was there a rule? Was there a timeframe? I THINK it was “whenever” something good happened. I like that but I also want to make sure something gets in the pitcher. I am going to impose an at-least-once-a-week rule. It is not that good things don’t happen daily, I just think that life gets busy and I might not write something everyday but I want to make certain I do it at least once a week. I also don’t think there was a guideline on what “good” means. So for myself I am going to define it a bit. I am going to keep track of things that make me smile and the memory of which will make me smile. It does not have to be a significant thing, something say “to write home about”, but I want it to be something where I can say, “Oh yeah, I remember that. That was great!” Another thing I thought of, which I think might add to the experience is to date the note so I can remember better as I am reading about all the good stuff.
I love when I make deals with you and we have check-ins. Even though this is just a feel good kind of thing, I know that sometimes projects — even fun ones — get pushed aside and/or forgotten altogether when time is short, so I thought I would do a weekly check-in.
If you want to join me you can just post a comment on the post. I am going to do it on Fridays. My first check in will be Friday, February 1, 2013.
I have my first paper already in my pitcher. Of course is has to do with Nia and teaching another class for the City of San Jose.
Then on Tuesday, December 31, 2013, I will read about all the good stuff that happened throughout the year. I will be reminded of the things big and small. I am sure I will get warm fuzzies. I think this is a fabulous way to end a year and go into a new one.
What do you think? Is this a project you would like to join? Are you going to–join me?
Posted in Good Things in the Goodie Jar | Tagged: City of San Jose, Facebook, good things happening, New Year, Nia, Nia class, Nia San Jose, Nia Teacher, something to write home about, warm fuzzies | 9 Comments »
Posted by terrepruitt on August 21, 2012
So if you are participating in the little challenge of not getting on the scale for either 21 days or 30 days, today is the 21st day. I assigned 21 days so that is would land on a posting day (I post Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays). I will let you know that due to more “stuff” as I had posted about before, I got off to a late start on my own challenge! So how is it going for you? Has it been a challenge to stay off the scale? Have you noticed that you are not obsessing about the number the scale displays because you are not looking at it? Now the thing with measuring with a measuring tape instead of scale means you need to keep doing what you’re doing. So if you were doing some type of cardio three times a week and adding some strength training in and weighing yourself, looking for that number to change when you stop using the scale it doesn’t mean to stop doing the other stuff. It is just a different way to track progress. And for some it could be a little bit of a reprieve IF they allow the scale to affect their mood. I found it funny that today on FaceBook someone posted about the scale stealing motivation and she reminded people it doesn’t tell the whole story. That is what I am saying too. That is why I thought it would be nice to change it up.
I know that some people don’t even have a scale. Some people don’t even use one. Everyone is different. I just hear a lot about people being upset because they didn’t lose a pound “today” and they’ve been trying so hard. So I think that maybe for those people it is nice to try a different way to track progress.
My schedule is a bit “off” this month as I am spending time dealing with “stuff” and I have picked up a lot of classes that I am subbing for the City of San Jose. I picked up eleven classes which is great but I have not been able to concentrate as much on my resistance training as I would like. My numbers did not change as much as I was hoping to see when I thought of this challenge. What about you? Did you see a change in numbers? Are you stopping at day 21 or going to continue on and see what 30 days will do?
Not only do I have the added class times to do I have a little bit of added prep time for each class and the travel time to and from each class. Since I am subbing in Nia for other classes such as Zumba, Zumba Gold, Pilates, Kick Boxing, and Cardio Toning, I do try to pick Nia routines that will fit. I am not changing Nia to fit the class, because I explained how that turned out in a post earlier this month, but I do try to pick routines that might fit a little better. With a Zumba Gold class I might do a Nia routine that is a bit mellow or doesn’t have a lot of bow stances. And with subbing a Zumba class I might put together a lot of the higher energy “get moving songs”. So all of that cuts into my plan. But I’m going to buckle down a bit because I have some stuff that I needed to get done this month behind me. I am going to keep up with this little challenge myself and see where that tape leads me.
Well? How are you still with me? Are doing the challenge? How is it going? Doing it for 21 days? Doing it for 30 days?
Posted in Misc | Tagged: 21 day challenge, 30 day challenge, body measurements, Bow Stance, cardio, cardio exercise, Cardio Toning, City of San Jose, Facebook, Kick Boxing, measuring tape, Nia routines, Nia San Jose, Pilates, resistance training, San Jose Nia, scale, scale challenge, tape measure, weight, Zumba, Zumba Gold | 2 Comments »
Posted by terrepruitt on July 21, 2012
On my way home from teaching my Nia class in San Jose on a bright and beautiful Wednesday morning, I noticed a man at a utility box. I had seen him out of the corner of my eye so it did not register what he was doing until I was passed the box. So I looked at him in my review mirror. I pulled over to the side of the road to be able to really look to see if he was doing what I thought he was doing. Then I decided to back my car up, park, and get out to see. It just so happened that the day before I was on my way to the Roosevelt Community Center, and I took a wrong turn and found myself driving around not sure exactly how to get where I wanted to be and I noticed a set of utility boxes. Do you ever notice utility boxes? Probably not, huh? They are one of those things that are not that attractive so we learn to ignore them. Well, while I was driving around being lost, I noticed them. There was one that was painted with a bunch of flowers and then the one right next to it looked like a big red rose. I thought, “Wow! That is so cool.” So as I was driving home from Nia and I saw a man painting a utility box, I wanted to see what it was all about.
We talked briefly, he said it was a project in the City of San Jose. They are lumping it in as an “anti-graffiti” project, but I like to just think of it as disguising something not attractive AND adding beauty at the same time. The artist, Scott Willis, was sitting on the grass by the box painting it. He handed me a fact sheet. I skimmed it and tried to hand it back and he said I could keep it. (YAY!) Because now I have the facts to share with you.
The project is “Art Box Project SJ”. The project goals are to integrate art into San Jose neighborhoods, grow the project throughout San Jose, and “encourage community participation by engaging neighbors, neighborhood associations, and local artists by sponsoring boxes and paying artists a small stipend for their work.”
The benefits are: bringing art into the neighborhoods, encouraging community engagement, offering temporary work for local artists, deterring and/or reducing the blight of graffiti.
Additional information on the fact sheet says the “project was inspired by photos of utility boxes with murals painted on them, taken by self proclaimed “Anit-Man-About-Town” and world traveler Gary Singh (a local Metro News columnist). It’s being pushed along by Tina Morrill; an idealist [who] believes anything is possible.”
I know San Jose isn’t the first city to do this but I am excited to see these boxes around. In fact the Fact Sheet states, “According to the Contra Costa Times, Hayward has found their art on utility boxes has reduced graffiti problems by 97%”. Wow. Ninety-seven percent.
In addition to the sponsors paying the artists’ stipend they can pay an additional amount to have the box sprayed with an “anti-graffiti coating”.
There are criteria for both the box locations and the art, but that is to be expected and the criteria even makes sense, such as the utility box can’t be on the replacement list. Nice that they don’t want an artist to spend time beautifying it just so it can be replaced. And the are must be tasteful, respectful, and not political, commercial, or religious.
While the artist do get paid a small amount I am hoping that it will be advertising for them. I mean, if you see really compelling work on a utility box maybe it could lead to other things for the artist!
The rose I saw the other day just keeps jumping into my head, it was so gorgeous. The art I saw on Wednesday was unfinished, I interrupted the artist. But since it is a box I pass at least twice a week on my way home from my Nia classes in Willow Glen, I will see the work in progress and post pictures upon its completion. For now you get to see the artist and his work in progress. I am relating this to health and wellness because beauty causes a good feeling. It is nice to see the plain utility boxes beautified.
Here is the Facebook page for it (click here).
So what do you think of this project? Do you have something like it in your city? Would you like to have something like it in your city?
Posted in Misc | Tagged: anti-graffiti, art box sponsors, City of San Jose, City of San Jose Nia, Contra Costa, Contra Costa Times, Facebook, Gary Singh, graffiti reduction, Hayward, local artists, Metro News, Nia class, Nia San Jose, painted utility boxes, San Jose Art Box, San Jose Art Project, San Jose Nia, San Jose Nia class, Tina Morrill, utility box | 4 Comments »
Posted by terrepruitt on May 10, 2012
I have a friend on FB who works really hard to feed her family healthy things. I think there are food allergies and intolerances involved so she has to be very particular with what she feeds her family. Often times she posts some pretty creative cooking ideas. One thing she is always asking about is greens. How do you cook your greens? She usually states which green she is working with but she always comes back with, “It is so bitter.” Now some of the greens she says are bitter taste a little bitter to me, but with olive oil, salt, garlic, and onion the flavor is masked. Some of them she claims are bitter aren’t bitter to me. I really think that the bitter taste has less to do with which vegetable than with our genes.
Back in 1931 a chemist (Arthur Fox) was pouring a powdered chemical (PTC) and some of its dust got in the air. His assistant said the dust tasted bitter, while he couldn’t taste anything. The chemist proceeded to experiment with PTC and the taste on his friends and family. Some could taste a strong bitter taste, while some could taste a mild bitter taste, while some could taste nothing at all. Seventy-two years later in 2003 the gene that is responsible for this was discovered. They call it the PTC gene or TAS2R38. This gene has seven forms, five of which are rare, and two of which are common. The two common forms are the ones that allow for tasting bitter and one that does not. Since all genes come in pairs we can end up with both being the tasting gene, or both being the non-tasting gene, or one of each.
If an individual ends up with both of the genes that allow for them to taste PTC then they will be able to taste bitter things more strongly than others. If an individual has the genes that are the “non-tasting” genes then they don’t taste bitter. Then there are the individuals that have one of each. It has been found that there is a familial link, if some family members can taste the PTC than other can too.
I would imagine that if an individual has a set of bitter-taste genes then it would be almost impossible to cover up the bitter taste of many vegetables. I am thinking that my friend and her family must have a set of those genes because she says she has cooked some veggies a multitude of ways and her comment is still, “It is so bitter.” Probably the only way to deal with the bitter is to cover it up entirely in a sauce but then that would somewhat defeat the purpose of trying to eat a nice green healthy vegetable. Plus I would bet that most of the sauces contain ingredients she is trying to avoid. She is determined though. She knows that the bitter vegetables have really good stuff in them so she keeps trying. In the meantime her family is still getting the nutrients even though it is bitter and doesn’t taste good.
There are test strips that can be purchased to see which gene you have. I found some on Amazon. Interesting, huh?
Do you have a good sense of taste? Do you taste bitter really strongly?
Posted in Misc | Tagged: Amazon, Arthur Fox, bitter greens, Facebook, Facebook Friend, FB, food allergies, food intolerance, green vegetables, healthy cooking, PTC, PTC gene | 4 Comments »
Posted by terrepruitt on March 3, 2012
Not too long ago on Facebook a friend of mine posted a list I found to be very interesting. It was a list of food people crave (from Naturopathy Works). The list was an explanation and a counter to the craving.. If you crave this . . . . your body needs that. I thought it was awesome. I love the idea. The food craving or behaviors listed are generally “unhealthy”, the list then shows the thing that is needed; sometimes a vitamin, a mineral, or something along those lines. Then to be ultimately helpful there is a list of suggestions as to what to eat or do, in order to help with the craving or behavior. Isn’t that marvelous. Isn’t it interesting? I thought so.
If you crave Chocolate, your body needs magnesium so you could substitute a healthy alternative of raw nuts and seeds, legumes, fruits. Oh honestly, as I typed this I heard the collective future groan of the chocolate lovers that read this. I know there are people who believe there is no substitute for chocolate. And sometimes, there isn’t. If your heart, head, and mouth are dead set on chocolate, there usually isn’t anything that will suffice, but if you are actually willing to forego it and try something else to satisfy your craving there is a healthy alternative.
For some of the food cravings there is a list of things you might really need, coffee or tea for instance. If you are craving coffee or tea the list states you really need phosphorous, sulfur, NaCl (salt), iron. I would suggest that you then think about your diet and what you have eaten and decide what you might really need. For me I can honestly say I doubt I EVER need salt. I think I get quite enough of it in my diet. So I wouldn’t need to try the substitutions for salt which are: Sea salt, apple cider vinegar (on salad). I might want to try the chicken, beef, liver, poultry, fish, eggs, dairy, nuts, legumes for the phosphorous, or the meat, fish and poultry, seaweed, greens, black cherries for the iron. But I don’t think I would need the garlic, onion, cruciferous vegetables for the sulfur, but maybe the egg yolks, red peppers, and muscle protein. If you read my blog you know I get a ton of garlic and onion (my only flavorings!) and cruciferous veggies. But I am not big on protein, so I am sure that is where I would get the help if I were to look for a substitute.
As I said this list has food cravings and behaviors, as in “General Over Eating” and for that the items needed are silicon with a substitution of nuts and seeds, but a behavior or elimination of avoiding refined starches. Other things this list states a body might need if it is over eating is tryptophan so try cheese, liver, lamb, raisins, sweet potato, spinach, vitamin C supplements or orange, green, red fruits and vegetables for tyrosine.
I found this interesting and helpful. I haven’t had much time to put it to use, but I plan too. A healthy alternative is often a great way to go. But then there are times I feel it is ok to give into the craving, but the key is moderation. Do you find this interesting? Would you give it a try? Let us know if any of this helps satisfy a craving. 🙂
Posted in Food, Helpful Hints | Tagged: crave chocolate, crave fatty foods, crave oil, crave salt, cruciferous veggies, Facebook, Facebook Friend, food cravings, healthy alternative, I want chocolate, Naturopathy, substitute for food cravings | 4 Comments »
Terre Pruitt's Blog 