ah electrochemestry

you all know electrochemestry, that state of being with another where you can't stop smiling, where the other becomes the number one topic of conversation, and formost in your thoughts...

it's a blast isn't it?

Graphic Learning Curve

Well once again I find myself going through some schooling, the self inflicted kind. I've been working with a graphic program, and need some brain food. Though I've worked with this program before, at least earlier versions of it, it still requires some learining to re-aquaint myself with the tools and skills nessesary. I would like to expand my skill set with graphic design to more than vector based designs which is what i've been using until now, into more desktop publishing. whew. still, once you stop learning you start dying. lol

back again,

my travels took me many places this year, but it seems as though my yearly bus travels have ended, back in Kamloops, place of my birth. A little sadness accompanyed my return, but I have resolved to make the best of it. Surrounded by good friends and community, with steady work I can enjoy and assorted other business opprotunities - Yes, I am back home.

aprons and oatmeal.

this is a short essay I wrote for a contest here in town, or rather this is an essay I wrote for me and my grandma, prompted by an contest my mother set up.

Aprons & Oatmeal

I think of my grandmother mostly in the mornings, when I’m making my breakfast oatmeal. She was short, and round, and as long as I can remember had grey hair . Like her thick german accent her apron was everpresent, whether she was cooking in the kitchen, weeding the garden or teaching me to play chinese checkers.

She came from Europe as a child, I remember her telling me stories of hearing cannon fire coming from just over the hills during the great war, how when she got to this country she couldn’t speak any English, and how she couldn’t understand the teacher at school up in northern Alberta. I remember sneaking cookies from her kitchen, and teaching my little sisters to do the same. I remember sitting in the shade at her house in Salmon Arm, shaving cabbage for sauerkraut, shelling peas for winter and digging potatoes in the fall. I remember her chopping firewood in the winter, and having to find her to start the lawnmower for me. As a teenager I would escape to grandmas house when I needed to escape from my home for a while, she would always listen to my troubles when I cared to share them, and would never pry when I didn’t. As I grew bigger and bigger it sometimes seemed that she grew smaller and smaller, in size though not in spirit - though I could have probably carried her with one arm, she could still stop me in my tracks with a single word.

My Grandma wasn’t loud or flashy, she wasn’t given to fits of anger or outbursts of displeasure. She was strong and quiet, and in some ways she was a lot like her breakfast oatmeal, simple, wholesome, hearty and good. She was always there when I needed her and she always gave me a warm feeling inside. I still love my oatmeal, and everytime I make up a pot for my own little girl I think of my Grandma and smile.

stress

I am good, highly stressed but good.

Not original, collected from the internet, thanx jane.

DID YOU KNOW THAT?

Drinking two glasses of Gatorade can relieve headache pain almost
immediately -- without the unpleasant side effects caused by traditional
"pain relievers."

Did you know that Colgate Toothpaste makes an excellent salve for burns?

Before you head to the drugstore for a high-priced inhaler filled with
mysterious chemicals, try chewing on a couple of curiously strong Altoid
Peppermints. They'll clear up your stuffed nose.

Achy muscles from a bout of the flu? Mix 1 Tablespoon of Horseradish in a
cup of Olive Oil. Let the mixture sit for 30 minutes, then apply it as a
massage oil, for instant relief for aching muscles.

Sore Throat? Just mix 1/4 cup of vinegar with 1/4 cup of honey and take 1
tablespoon six times a day. The vinegar kills the bacteria.

Cure urinary tract infections with Alka-Seltzer. Just dissolve two tablets
in a glass of water and drink it at the onset of the symptoms. Alka-Seltzer
begins eliminating urinary tract infections almost instantly -- even though
the product was never advertised for this use.

Eliminate puffiness under your eyes..... All you need is a dab of
Preparation H, carefully rubbed into the skin, avoiding the eyes. The
hemorrhoid ointment acts as a vasoconstrictor, relieving the swelling
instantly.

Honey remedy for skin blemishes... Cover the blemish with a dab of honey and
place a band-aid over it. Honey kills the bacteria, keeps the skin sterile,
and speeds healing. Works overnight.

Listerine therapy for toenail fungus... Get rid of unsightly toenail fungus
by soaking your toes in Listerine mouthwash. The powerful antiseptic leaves
your toenails looking healthy again.

Easy eyeglass protection.. To prevent the screws in eyeglasses from
loosening, apply a small drop of Maybelline Crystal Clear Nail Polish to the
threads of the screws before tightening them.

Coca-Cola cure for rust... Forget those expensive rust removers. Just
saturate an abrasive sponge with Coca Cola and scrub the rust stain. The
phosphoric acid in the coke is what gets the job done.

Cleaning liquid that doubles as bug killer... If menacing bees, wasps,
hornets, or yellow jackets get in your home and you can't find the
insecticide, try a spray of Formula 409. Insects drop to the ground
instantly.

Smart splinter remover... just pour a drop of Elmer's Glue all over the
splinter, let dry, and peel the dried glue off the skin. The splinter sticks
to the dried glue.

Hunt's Tomato Paste boil cure... cover the boil with Hunt's tomato paste as
a compress. The acids from the tomatoes soothes the pain and brings the boil
to a head.

Balm for broken blisters.. To disinfect a broken blister, dab on a few drops
of Listerine.. a powerful antiseptic.

Heinz Vinegar to heal bruises.. Soak a cotton ball in white vinegar and
apply it to the bruise for 1 hour. The vinegar reduces the blueness and
speeds up the healing process.

Kills fleas instantly. Dawn Dish Washing Liquid does the trick. Add a few
drops to your dog's bath and shampoo the animal thoroughly Rinse well to
avoid skin irritations. Good-bye fleas.

Rainy day cure for dog odor... Next time your dog comes in from the rain,
simply wipe down the animal with Bounce or any dryer sheet, instantly making
your dog smell springtime fresh.

Eliminate ear mites... All it takes is a few drops of Wesson Corn Oil in
your cat's ear. Massage it in, then clean with a cotton ball. Repeat daily
for 3 days. The oil soothes the cat's skin, smothers the mites, and
accelerates healing.

Vaseline cure for hair balls..... To prevent troublesome hair balls, apply a
dollop of Vaseline petroleum jelly to your cat's nose. The cat will lick off
the jelly, lubricating any hair in its stomach so it can pass easily through
the digestive system.

Quaker Oats for fast pain relief.... It's not for breakfast anymore! Mix 2
cups of Quaker Oats and 1 cup of water in a bowl and warm in the microwave
for 1 minute, cool slightly, and apply the mixture to your hands for
soothing relief from arthritis pain.



because sometimes solutions are easier than we think...

Local scenes,

I am a big fan of regionalism, and as such of local scenes. Regionalism, as I define it, is the opposite of globalization, social globalization especially. Regional scenes allow small cultural trends to grow and develop independently of the larger world. In an era of ever present media and cultural wide shifts in trends and culture, small regional cultural practices can be a pleasant relief.

I have had the opportunity this year to explore a number of smaller cultural scenes, explore their rituals and meet many interesting people through them. It is encouraging to meet other like minded people and to know that human nature and its diversity can thrive in a sea of media sameness.