Friday, May 21, 2010

Dreams

I keep dreaming of large playful koi fish. This is the only thing I can remember dreaming of night after night. I'm in the forest with friends dear to me and the water begins to rise from a small pond. A large koi (the size of a dolphin) comes up and rubs up next to me swimming off urging me to grab on. The water continues to rise at a much quicker rate. I swim to the top of a tree to get a better view of what is occurring. Below me there are gigantic playful koi fish and I keep swimming under water to play with them. I can't breathe underwater but it doesn't seem like I need to. There are a few playful fish that come in and out of contact with me but for the most part there is a steady stream of emotionless fish. I avoid them at all cost (almost a fear) and continue to look for the playful fish until I wake up.

I think this dream holds significances for me. I always admire the koi fish in a effort to strive to be more peaceful. I have used the koi fish as a spiritual guide when I am in my reflective state. I researched the meaning online and I found this to be fairly interesting.

Psychological Meaning: Fish can represent insights into the unconscious. (The unconscious is represented by the sea). Jung said that fish are often symbols used by the dream to describe psychic happenings or experiences that suddenly dart out of the unconscious and have a frightening or redeeming effect. Fish caught in a net and brought to the surface may represent insights emerging into the light of consciousness. Fish are also a common symbol of fertility. Your dream may be indicating that you are experiencing a period of personal growth. Fish are a product of the emotions and intuition as opposed to the materialistic earthbound approach to life.

http://www.dreamsleep.net


Sunday, May 16, 2010

Creative Gifting


I designed this wedding box for my cousin and his fiance : ) I think it is super cute. Inside there are two penguins holding hands with fake diamond rings it is adorable. As always it is 100% reclaimed materials with nothing bought new. That is just how I roll.

Easy Vegan



Pre-made dough, fresh veggies, "cheese" sauce, red sauce, fake meat, and 15 mins! Yummy ! This will be a great addition for my Action for Animals class cookbook. This pizza looks this good, tastes amazing, and takes 20 min to make. I was hoping to have a quick and easy section in the cookbook, so that way students won't be discouraged by the amount of time some dishes take to create.

Saturday, May 15, 2010

Craft time!



These are the recycled art earrings I created! The origami fortune tellers are made from chocolate wrappers and the some of the wire holding them together is from bike brake wire scraps. I had fun.

smoking Blends

This week I am giving Damiana a second shot. They had a fresh bunch and the herb room, it looked to fresh to turn down.

On the Internet it suggest that

"Ancient people thought that Damiana was effective in calming nerves and relieving depression and anxiety. They smoked plant’s leaves to relax. Smoking Damiana is practiced even nowadays. Some researchers say that the effect from smoking the herb’s leaves on human brains is similar to the influence of cannabis."

-http://www.chinese-herbs.org/damiana/

I have been feeling the calming of my nerves. It has been a good morning relaxer. This is what I recommend as a base for people who are trying to take tobacco out of the mix.

Quick and Easy Vegan!


This is one of my favorite 5 min meals! I use a pack of instant noodles, curry paste, I dice up what ever veggies I have, tofu, seaweed, and bring to a boil! Super yummy and super quick! This will go well in the Cooking with Compassion cook book my ESLP Action Research Team "Action for Animals " students are making!

Thursday, May 13, 2010

Sustainable Smoking


Lately I have been distraught about how so many lighters are thrown into landfills from smoking. I bought a manatee Zippo lighter thinking I could use that. I was shocked when I found out it was super bad for you when smoking from a water pipe. I decided to coat my hemp string from one of my natural candles so I could have a slow burning lighter. I wrapped the wax coated string around a button and place it in my fathers old stash box from when he was my age : ) I am saving energy and do it with style while smoking my herbal blend!

Friday, May 7, 2010

biking!




Cassie and I finished building our first bike! We also took apart my Schwinn and tried to prepare for our ultimate biking challenge.



Thursday, May 6, 2010

New Vegan Staples!


Mary and I stopped and the New Leaf in Felton when driving on the 9 to the Gilded Lilly, and we found an amazing vegan cheese spread! It is called We Can't Say It's Cheese it is made by a company called WayFare based in Orange County. It has a really creamy flavor and is excellent as a spread. I am sure Cassie and I are going to try it in a lasagna soon : ) My cooking class is going to be in for a treat when I tell them what were making!

Next, I have found a official favorite Kombucha. I have been trying a lot of different ones in the past year and half and I am going to have to say that High Country Wild Root is pretty darn amazing. The slogan is awesome, "Invite the Vibration", I like.

I have been doing consumer reports on vegan good to make the best vegan staple list I can for the cookbook my class is making. I am hoping that I can show how easy it is to be vegan. I would like to be able to help the people who want to be vegan but still need a little help. My Cooking section is really excited to try all the new products we are cooking with! I think it is a good sign!

New Tattoos!





I went to the Gilded Lilly today and got my new cruelty free tattoo and I got my wrist fixed up super fancy! : ) Mac the owner and artist thought I was super funny and decided that he would make my comment the quote of the week! I held on to Mary's hand and said "okay I need to get less scared now" and took a deep breath. He cracked up.

http://www.thegildedlilytattoos.com/

Anyway they have Vegan Ink on request because of me : ) If you need a place to go check it out! You need to book about a month in advance.

Tip: Never get tattoos in sketchy places, always go with someone who knows what they are doing like Mac!

I was excited to share with my class that people can be so down to help out with special needs as one may put it. The entire process becomes more rewarding because you have time invested in your actions. I am hoping that through example of my convictions I will be able to inspire my students more!


Wednesday, May 5, 2010

Youtube clip of the week

I stole this one from Giselle because it is too good not to watch! I am set on the idea that the best way to change how children view the world is through a super awesome cartoon. Thus making them think more about sustainability.

Teaching a class through ESLP has taught me the importance of informed education. Sharing with people the facts and then discussing the ideas make for the best transformative action because it is from with in and not imposed.

Anyway this clip is the intro to


Tuesday, May 4, 2010

Smoking Blends

This week I am experience the wonders of smoking lotus leaf. The effects, as reported by the food bin boy, is that lotus leaf is meant to balance your inner chi. It sounded like fun so Cassie and I gave it a try.... and it was amazing. It made for such a nice body high but, it went down super smooth, and it relaxed all the tension I had in my neck. I am going to have to say that this one is a keeper!

Monday, May 3, 2010

Guitar

Since I have never been musically inclined, I have deiced to make my best effort to experience music. Tyler has been teaching me a few cords every now and then, but now I finally got a guitar small enough for my way too tiny fingers. I am looking forward to practicing a lot more now : ) Hopefully I'll get good enough so we can have more house imprompt practices!

I find that I am more willing to learn more and try more because I have been so inspired by teaching an ESLP course!

Sustainability Road Trip

Highlights of the weekend (I will make sure to add pictures soon)
The 20 hours of Friend (driving) Time to the convergence and back

A very short visit with my family

Lots of creative space to brainstorm - The wonderful student organizers from CSSC at UCSD made us feel so welcomed and threw a kick ass party!
(http://www.sustainabilitycoalition.org/)

My Note book- I wrote down so many amazing ideas I can't wait to get working on all of them!

Stick Ball - My team won! (mostly because Tyler and Ryan were on my team and we made up the game) It was my first game as a team caption winning. to bad I couldn't organize that good when I was caption of worst Lacrosse team in the nation.

Winning a public dance off
-- Tyler called my moves money ; )

Nina's camera and mini guitar she's letting me barrow - the entire car ride I was either trying to playing the guitar, dressing up Nina ( including the hair cut I gave her in the car!), and taking pictures. Pretty much with out Nina I would have gone stir crazy!

Smoking and Cooking with Jared - Jared was the convergence coordinator for the CSSC , he did an amazing job. I know from personal experience, Tyler and I shared the same job last fall and we were zombies that entire weekend. I wanted to make sure Jared was as comfortable as possible when he got home. I busted out a gourmet meal in like 20 mins and feed all the wonderful organizers and we drank great tasting IPA and smoked a few bowls of my smoking blend. It was a good night.

Bring all bike and my art supplies from back home

Nina's beautiful house and trying on vintage dresses with her :)

Scaring Kenny awake Sunday morning

and teaching Andrew the art of herbal cigarette rolling



TEA!


Giselle Shared this with me, I high recommend looking at it if you are as avid of a tea drinker as I. It is a complete Tea Break Down so you can be an educated tea drinker ; )


http://www.supernaturale.com/articles.html?id=191

I'll have to glean some of this information for the cookbook my ESLP students are making! I told them we had to have a section for tea it is an essential.