Attitude is everything!
Happy Belated Birthday :Phil: !

Thanks for visiting my blog and your nice comments :)

Clouds!

What's fluffy, white, and floats up high,
Like piles of ice cream in the sky?

Random Acts of Kindness.

While randomly surfing the internet I came across a great site totally devoted to Random Acts of Kindness. You can find inspiration here, but also all sorts of ideas and stories from people doing this.

I found some new things I could do myself, and here they are:

Help a neighbor to weed or plant a garden.

Select some people in your life who you feel need a special lift and send them a gift: flowers, tickets to a special event, or a gift certificate.

Stop for a person waiting to cross the street
Call or write someone you haven’t spoken to in a long time, just to say you are thinking about them.

Purchases a book about kindness, read it, put your initials, city and state on the inside and pass it on.

Call loved ones just to say “I Love You”

Compliment a stranger about something they are wearing

Pick up litter

Include a note or a joke in someone’s lunchbox.

After reading a book you’ve enjoyed, send a note of appreciation to the author.

When visiting a hospital, spend a few minutes with someone who has no visitors.

There is no timeframe here. I do these things whenever I can. I put them here so they might inspire someone else but most importantly, so that I won’t forget them myself.

Kindness.

There is something weird going on with kindness. Well, actually not with kindness itself but more or less the response to kindness. I’ve been practicing random acts of kindness for a few weeks now and it’s fun, but I also noticed that a lot of people don’t know how to deal with this. Some people even conceive this as weird, strange, or call me a freak. I don’t care what they call it or me, it’s just a label and I can live by their label are live my own life. I chose the latter :)

But still, it saddens me that people don’t know how to react to kindness anymore. If you try to give away something, people won’t accept it because they think there is an alternative motive behind it. If you assist someone, they expect you to ask something in return. If you greet someone, they don’t greet back, afraid that you might be a weirdo.

Wasn’t there a time that this kind of behaviour was regarded as normal? Shouldn’t kindness be something normal? I think it should be normal and I’m glad that there are still humans who think the same. Not everyone reacts negative and I noticed that more and more people are doing this. People are doing things on their own or in organised groups. On 43Thing, for example, there are 220 people doing RAK’s and that total keeps growing. So I guess that as long as there are people who believe in this, there is still hope for kindness.

The manual.

Just click on the cartoon to see a bigger version.

Could a depression be a blessing in a very dark disguise?

Last weekend this bizarre question popped into my head and it is probably the weirdest question I’ve ever asked myself. In my case, the answer is yes. My depression really was a blessing in a very dark disguise. I’ve been depressed for a very long time and although things improved over a long period of time, I could never sincerely say: Woo hoo, I’ve conquered my depression. But now, I guess that the time has finally come and so I shout it out: WOO HOO, I’ve conquered my depression!!

This weekend I realized that I never been this happy, relaxed, cheerful, grateful, and optimistic, pleased with myself and my life. A sad realization actually, because that means that for a large part of my life I was just content, miserable, a bit happy or depressed. But hey, that’s the past and I can’t change that, I can only change my future. And if I look at my future now, I realize that thing can only get better.

But let’s go back to my bizarre question. I truly believe that my depression is some sort of blessing, weird isn’t it?. Let me explain. I didn’t always have a great life, bad shit happened to me as a kid and I never dealt with the problems caused by these things. Somewhere in my head was a neat little box in which I stored all the bad nasty things. Very practical! I could deposit everything and nothing ever escaped the box. At least that’s what I thought at the time. Years later however, I noticed that things where escaping the box and they started messing with my happiness at the time. At first only the small things fled the box and I could deal with them at the time, but not much later the really big things cascaded out. I couldn’t handle that and got depressed very quick. For (way to many) months it felt like I was living in a very dark hole and I figured out I had two options:

1) Stay in the darkness for ever.
2) Find some light; surely there must be a way out of this place.

I chose the latter. With the help of friends, tons of selfhelp books/ lifestrategy books and pure perseverance I made it back to the light, the sun, a much happier place. And on my way up I learned about my problems, life, fun, being optimistic, sharing, self-esteem, confidence, caring, the world, being happy and love. I’ve learned so much and I probably will never stop learning. I’m sure, I only took this (life)lessons because I was in that o so very dark place a.k.a. my depression. Funnily enough, I am now grateful for that. I never thought I would say that :) …. ever!

And if you are there now… don’t give up! You will find your way back to the light too. You can make it back the top… remember, the only way is up!

From the media

91% of the Dutch say they can express themselves in a foreign language. This conclusion could be drawn after a recently held European inquiry. That is not a bad score. Only in smaller countries (boy, are there even smaller countries ;)) like Luxemburg and Malta, is the knowledge of foreign languages even better. Approximately half of all Europeans speak a second language. In the bigger countries, like France, Italy and Great Britain, not even half of the population speaks a second language.

Among the Dutch is English the most popular language. 87% say they can express themselves in this language. 66% can do the same in German and 24% can do this in French. I don’t understand why this is in the news this week. I thought the dull and silly season was already over, but apparently it isn’t. Most Dutch learn three languages while they attend school; of course Dutch, English and they can choose between German, French or Spanish.

Elsewhere in Europe English is also the preferred foreign language. One third of the Europeans say they can understand English; and that is not including the British and the Irish.

Huh…. What’s growing there?

Just two weeks ago, I noticed something new in my garden. Huh… what was growing there? At that moment it was nothing more then a twig-like thingy with two very little leaves. Hmm.. what to do? Remove it or let it visit for awhile? Oh well, I choose the latter, autumn is coming and a little green visitor is very welcome.

The last two weeks I’ve been following its progress. From just a twig to this in two weeks, that’s what I call rapid growth. Now there is only one thing that needs doing and that is figure out what this is. I can only think of one thing.
About a year ago I ate an avocado (I eat them on a regular basis but this one is significant for the story) and was admiring the seeds. I’m still amazed about the fact that one seeds holds a whole blueprint for new life. Somehow it transported me back to my childhood days. I used to plant all sort of seeds in little containers and it was really exiting to see things grow (and disappointing when nothing happened). Why not do that again?! And I did, but instead of using a container I just put the seed in the ground.

And now, more then one year later, there is something growing in almost the exact spot. Could it be? Not a clue. I searched the net but I can not find a picture of a small avocadotree. If it is, it would almost be a miracle. According to different sources the avocado tree does not tolerate freezing temperatures, and can only be grown in subtropical and tropical climates. You can call the Dutch climate several things but subtropical or tropical are not among them. I guess I just have to be patient. Someday I will probably know what this lovely twig like thingy is.

Cute? What's cute about a frog?

You Are A: Frog!

Independent yet still part of a large community, frogs are unique creatures known for their distinctive sound and ability to hop. As a frog, you spend your days sitting on lily pads or climbing trees, searching for delicious insects to eat. While there are some frogs that aren't exactly cute, you are certainly not one of those!

You were almost a: Duckling or a Chipmunk
You are least like a: Turtle or a GroundhogCute Animal Test!

Do kids really need bigger clothes?

Last week I thought that the personal hygiene industry had gone crazy, this week it seems that the clothing/fashion industry has lost its marbles. What’s going on in the world?

In America the number of obese kids is growing rapidly. Europe, including The Netherlands, is not far behind. More and more kids are having weight problems. At the moment, they estimate that 1 in 8 kids is overweight in The Netherlands. According to the World Health Organization childhood obesity is already epidemic in some areas and on the rise in others. An estimated 22 million children under five are estimated to be overweight worldwide. According to the US Surgeon General, in the USA the number of overweight children has doubled and the number of overweight adolescents has trebled since 1980. The prevalence of obese children aged 6-to-11 years has more than doubled since the 1960s. Obesity prevalence in youths aged 12-17 has increased dramatically from 5% to 13% in boys and from 5% to 9% in girls between 1966-70 and 1988-91 in the USA. The problem is global and increasingly extends into the developing world; for example, in Thailand the prevalence of obesity in 5-to-12 year olds children rose from12.2% to 15-6% in just two years.

The Dutch government and health organizations are trying to turn the tide. Their advice: more sports, outdoor activities, less snacks and healthier meals. In my humble opinion: great advice!. Kids need to be outdoors (if the weather is nice enough), play, do sports, be active, eat healthy foods and above all have fun and enjoy themselves. To me this sounds like common sense, but when I take a look at the kids in my neighborhood I can see that is not the case.

For example: My neighbors watch their grandson several days a week.
Ever since the little guy could sit up straight, he has been given battery-powered toys like an automatic tricycle, a tractor and a hummer like car. He is so used to moving forward by the push of a button, that he can’t figure out how to ride a bike. The concept of moving his legs to get anywhere is totally foreign to him, I wonder if he’ll ever learn.

This summer this grandson, only four, got a Nintendo Gameboy. No need to play outside and interact with other kids when he has a Gameboy, right? Healthy eating isn’t a priority either, but hey I could go on and on and on but I won’t, I guess you get my drift. You can give people great and sensible advice but there is no guarantee they will listen to it.

And now, it seems that the clothing and fashion industry came to the same conclusion. Instead of supporting the government plans they have decided to change their standard kids clothing sizes. Waistbands are going to be wider and shirts are going to get bigger in the near future. By making clothes bigger there isn’t really any need to lose weight, is there? So probably kids will get bigger and bigger. I guess making a buck is much more important then the health of our future generation.

Run the Risk

I just finished a great thriller: Run the Risk by Scott Frost. It was just fine for the first two pages, captured my attention on page 3 and after page 4 I could not put it down. Its pace is fast, and it kept on accelerating.

Short Summary:
‘Los Angeles homicide detective Alex Delillo works a case that chills her from the start: one with too much ambiguity and far too many surprises. None of the evidence-and yet all of it-seems relevant. A small-time shopkeeper is shot to death. Then a rare, untraceable explosive ignites in a bungalow, hurling the front door across the yard. Finally, a teenaged girl goes missing, her car window smashed, her keys still in the ignition. Even before they tell her, Detective Delillo knows that this girl is her daughter.
Delillo tracks her quarry on a trail of escalating terror toward a fiery showdown that will test her wisdom, her will, and her every skill.’

As a mystery, the plot has twists and turns to challenge the best minds to sort out at every particular moment what has already happened and what is about to happen. Mysteries/thrillers traditionally focus on a buildup to "whodunnit", and there's definitely some of that in Run the Risk. Most of the book is an ongoing mental duel: the detectives against a masterful criminal mind. Great read!

Try out new recipes I

Oven Fried Chicken

I tried to make this once before, but I was not successful. Or in other words the dish looked how it should look, but it wasn’t what I would call scrumptious. The new recipe is way better, in one word DELICIOUS!. I’m certainly going to make this one again.

INGREDIENTS

4 cups chicken broth

4 halved chicken breasts, bone in, skin removed

1 cup panko (or other seasoned bread crumbs)

1 cup all-purpose flour

1 tablespoon salt

1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

2 teaspoon dried oregano

2 large cloves garlic, minced

2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper

1 cup nonfat yogurt

In a large bowl, combine chicken broth with 3 cups ice. Add chicken; chill 1 hour.
Meanwhile, in a resealable bag, combine bread crumbs, flour, salt, cayenne, oregano, garlic, parsley, and pepper; shake.
Preheat oven to 400°F/200°C . Coat a large baking sheet with vegetable or olive oil spray; set aside.
Place yogurt in a medium bowl. Remove chicken from broth. One piece at a time, dip chicken into yogurt, then place in bread crumb mixture and shake. Place breaded chicken on baking sheet. Spray tops of chicken with vegetable spray. Bake 45 to 50 minutes, until golden brown. Serve hot or at room temperature.

Nutritional information: 402 calories

I’ve been quit for……

2 Weeks, 2 Days, 18 hours, 7 minutes and 36 seconds (16 days). I have saved € 21,10 by not smoking 301 cigarettes. I have saved 1 Day, 1 hour and 5 minutes of my life. What I already predicted became a reality. The second week not smoking was much harder. Because I felt physically better then the week before the cravings and urges to smoke grew and kept growing. At one point things became so bad that I found myself out the door and on my way to the supermarket. Outside however things improved rapidly. The urge subsided and instead of ending my short walk at the supermarket I took a long walk in the sunshine. I think things can only get better from this point.

The Golden Compass

At first I didn’t know what to think of this book, but after the first few pages I was hooked. The story and the characters are GREAT. The Golden Compass is a quite refreshing book that combines science-fiction and fantasy. Funnily enough, this book is marked as a thriller at my library.

The story follows a young girl, Lyra, and her daemon (a soul-like companion) Pantalaimon, on an adventure that spans many worlds and characters. Here is the synopsis of this book: Lyra lives at Jordan College in Oxford, where all she wants to do is play with the boys and run away from the scholars. One day when she sneaks into the Retiring Room, she witnesses something about the mysterious particle Dust, and thus will be taken on an adventure to the North. Along the way she'll meet witches and armored bears and have to deal with the Gobblers, who have been stealing children and have been doing "experiments" on them.

Sure, it might be "for kids" but I can't see why it's for kids. A compromise then: This book is suitable for kids from 8 to 80.

Conclusion: Before I started this book, I had no intension of reading the whole trilogy. Now, I think I’ll probably read The Subtle knife and The Amber Spyglass as well.

Does everything have to smell like roses?

I’m beginning to think that the personal hygiene industry has gone mad. Recently, scented panty-liners entered the Dutch marked and I bet that, the already in the USA available scented Tampax, will not be far behind. Is this a new trend? Is this a new innovation? No, we are just going back to the seventies. When you take a little trip through time you come across some odd things.

For example: Napoleon’s Josephine was not allowed to take long scented baths when Napoleon was on his way home from a big battle. Reason: Napoleon was crazy about Josephine’s body odor.

If you would take a look at some women's magazine dating back before WorldWar II, you would see that having body odor was a serious 'problem'. Back then there were a lot of brands launched to help people with this ‘problem’. Advertisers made clear that readers could count on disapproving looks if they had body odor. If something went wrong in your life it could only be because of your odor. They almost said: Use our product and you never have a problem again.

In the sixties things went one step further. The industry decided that body odor was caused by not so fresh/stale armpits and there were two specific problems. Problem one: armpits get moist, problem two: armpits dry up and get smelly. The brands had the solution, of course, deodorant! Thanks to smart advertising strategies, the use of deodorant had become totally self-evident in the seventies; armpits became a point of reference for future strategies. If they could change the way people thought about armpits, they could surely change the way we think about our most intimate body parts. They even started calling it the ‘third armpit’. How rude :(

They invented the next female ‘problem’ and created, of course, the remedy: intimate sprays. Ads told woman that they needed to be sensible. Did they, for instance know that their intimate parts perspire just as much, or even more, as their armpits? Just image how smelly things would get down there. But do not fear.... intimate sprays are here. That’s a nice thought; just spray a little propellant on your intimate parts. NOT!

The intimate sprays never became really popular. Some of the brands even disappeared. Nowadays we know a lot more about personal hygiene, we take daily showers, take better care of ourselves and most women know that the ‘third armpit’ just want to be left alone. The more you mess with her, the more upset she gets. No fancy sprays, soaps, scented tissues, intimate showers and so on and so on. Just plain water that’s all she asks for :)

And now, are we going back to the olden days via the scented panty-liner back to the intimate sprays? At least this time advertisers are more sensible. They don’t shame or guild women into using their product. This time around it is all about extra freshness, a secure feeling and pampering. Will woman go for this? I don’t know, if they are sensible.... NOT!
I guess time will tell.

Smile!

Britney gave birth to son
















He still doesn't cry....

Doing a happy dance!

Sometimes there are days that suck and sometimes there are days that are absolutely great and this was one of those great days. And funnily enough, nothing all that special happened. Some examples!

When I woke up this morning, it was raining really hard and I thought the day would be very boring, dull and grey. On the contrary as it turns out. After my morning coffee and breakfast, the sun came out. I hopped in shower, dressed and got on my bike. I went grocery shopping and to the market. I really needed some fresh herbs and spices, because my cupboards were almost bare. It’s sad, the only things in there, were the basic cooking ingredients. Now my cupboards are totally restocked and that feels great. Next week I can pick out some new recipes and start on one of my goals from 43things; try out new recipes! It feels great. Starting something new again.

But that’s not the only thing that makes this day great. There was also a health market. There were sport promotions, stands about weight loss and you could get your blood pressure, BMI and body fat checked. I always thought that things were greatly improved after I lost 20 kilos and today I got the confirmation….. woohoo! All three are exactly were they should be. I also had a nice chat with some ladies about weight loss and exercising. It was funny to hear what everybody was doing…. and most importantly, not doing. I still believe that every healthy person can lose weight, if they really want to. It’s just a case of checking what you put in your mouth against the calories you burn. If you balance that out, everybody lose weight or stay on their goal weight.

Riding my bike home I was really amazed about the sky. There were parts of blue, sunshine and all sorts of cloudscapes……so beautiful. Nearly just a beautiful as the feeling this day gave me :) Appreciating the smaller things in life makes it all so much more fun.

PostSecret

I came across something interesting on 43Things today. Did you know there is a blog where you can post all your secrets anonymously? No? Well there is! It’s called PostSecret. PostSecret is an ongoing community art project where people mail-in their secrets anonymously on one side of a homemade postcard. Check it out, it’s so cool!

You can always tell when someone doesn't have a "real" job.... they have an updated blog!

Make a difference day(s)

All over the world there are Make a difference days. In The Netherlands there will be a Make a difference day on the 9th and 10th of December. It is party time and every one is invited, you too. You can do all sorts of things to make the world a better, nicer and happier place. But of course you don’t need to wait till the party starts; you can start changing the world every day….. so how about today?

43 (small) Things you can do:
1. Send someone a small gift anonymously
2. Make contact with that ‘strange’ neighbor
3. Is someone alone? Strike up a conversation.
4. Help old people with chores.
5. Buy flowers or plants to brighten up the street.
6. Organize a spring cleaning in your neighborhood.
7. Say something really nice to someone.
8. Visit a home for the elderly
9. Invite that unknown colleague to lunch.
10. Say Hello to everybody today.
11. Welcome new neighbors.
12. Give something away, that will make somebody else happy
13. Donate money to charity.
14. Really try to listen when people tell their story.
15. Offer to baby-sit.
16. Give clothes or magazines to a shelter.
17. Order (anonymously) dessert for someone else in a restaurant
18. Go grocery shopping for a sick neighbor
19. Compliment 3 people on one day.
20. Invite your grandparents for a drive or a boat trip.
21. Give old clothes to charity.
22. Invite your mother-in-law to do something nice.
23. Take a dog from an animal shelter for a walk.
24. Give somebody a ride.
25. Say Hello when you enter the bus.
26. Buy two donuts and give one to a homeless person.
27. Give your unused train ticket to someone else.
28. Send someone a nice card.
29. Go for coffee in a home for the elderly and take a pie with you.
30. Give your newspaper to someone who can’t afford one.
31. Leave flowers on a grave of someone you don’t know
32. Today, try to listen instead of talk.
33. Become a volunteer.
34. Collect litter in your neighborhood.
35. Become a blood donor.
36. Chat with the cleaning lady at work.
37. Plant flower bulbs in a public place.
38. Refill the stapler of a colleague.
39. Put a nice note in the pocket or bag of a friend.
40. Let somebody else go first
41. Take a ‘forgotten’ friend out for the day.
42. Have a garage sale and donate the proceeds to charity.
43. Surprise someone…serve breakfast in bed or deliver a breakfast basket.

The global petition (The Big Noise) has passed the 8.4 million mark. That's a lot of voices, all demanding action on behalf of the world's poor. Please sign the petition and let your voice be heard.

Herfst....

Het is nog niet zover maar toch zie je dat de herfst stiekem in aantocht is. De bladeren begin al subtiele veranderingen te vertonen. Nog even en dan zijn ze helemaal geel, oranje, rood, bruin. Ookal ben ik dol op de zomer, de herfst heeft toch ook altijd wel zijn charme. Kan me nu toch wel gaan verheugen op een boswandeling door een mooi gekleurd bos met na afloop een warme kop choco met slagroom ….. goh, das toch ook heerlijk :)

Grappig hoe anderen je kunnen inspireren.

Op 43Things zijn er een aantal mensen die leren koken of leren een aantal recepten volmaakt te koken. Dit is een echte bron van inspiratie. Het lezen over het gebruik van verse ingrediënten, het mengen van niet alledaagse producten, heeft mijn zin om te koken weer aangewakkerd. Natuurlijk kook ik nu ook, hoe moet ik anders eten, alleen kook ik eigenlijk iedere twee weken precies hetzelfde. Tis een soort van eten in een kringetje geworden. Het gekke is, dat ik eigenlijk van koken hou en ik een grote database met recepten heb die ik nog nooit uitgeprobeerd heb…. Jammer toch! Tijd om daar eens verandering in te gaan brengen. Tijd om al die recepten, stuk voor stuk eens uit te gaan proberen :)

Sunday morning music

I got Jack Johnson’s CD In Between Dreams this week. It’s perfect Sunday morning music.
Laid back, relaxed!
Perfect if you are in no hurry to wake up, enjoy your Sunday breakfast and read the paper.

Yeah, yes, woo hoo, hooray !

Finally I am feeling better. So much better in fact that I didn’t take any of the ibuprofen I’ve got yesterday. I’m using the bactericidal mouthwash and it works really well right from the get go. I’m so happy!! The swelling in my cheek is also going down so can from now on….. things can only get better :)

En dan .... toch maar iets om te lachen.

Een van mijn goals op 43 things is Improve my English. 3 weken geleden heb ik software bij de bieb geleend en ik heb er erg veel lol mee. Ik zit een beetje tegen mij pc te lullen en tegelijkertijd te hopen dat hij begrijpt wat ik zeg. Valt niet altijd mee, want soms snapt hij er helemaal geen drol van. Ik zeg drie woorden, hij hoort er maar één. Hmmz.... zou ik soms een gehoorgestoorde pc hebben?? Je weet het niet hé. Nouja doet er ook niet toe. Vandaag had ik op 43Things mijn progress gepost en prompt kreeg ik er een reactie op... ik weet alleen niet hoe ik hem op moet vatten... is de comment nou positief of negatief :)

Yay---I don't think I've ever noticed an error in your writing. I'm sure your English is better than at least 25% of the population of England :)

Nouja ik zal het maar als positief opvatten ....... al hoewel mijn Engels is toch slechter dan dat van 75% van de bevolking. Hmmmz… who cares, mijn Nederlands zal ook wel niet zo super zijn ;)

I have been quit for:

4 Days, 18 hours, 47 minutes and 33 seconds (4 days). I have saved € 6,02 by not smoking 86 cigarettes.

But I'm having a very hard time. The last few days I got sicker and sicker. Not only got my gums infected but also my jaw. If it don’t clear up soon I will need a root canal or something like that. Half of my face is twice the size of the other half and it hurts like hell. I got some fever to go with that so it all fun on this end …. NOT :(. I got some ibuprofen today and some bactericidal mouthwash. I sure hope it will help… I don’t want a root canal.

I’m finally doing this

I have been quit for 1 Day, 19 hours, 42 minutes and 35 seconds (1 days). I have saved € 2,29 by not smoking 32 cigarettes. I have saved 2 hours and 40 minutes of my life. Not that long… but as is said, I’m doing it. Yesterday was really bad; I felt sick and had a fever. On top of that my gums are infected. Pain on top of the fever….. oe, quitting is so much fun. Today I think the fever is just related to the infection and has nothing to do with the smoking cessation. I’ll have to wait and see I guess.

I’m a bit behind with the Quit Smoking 101 lessons but I gonna read 2 of them now.

* Lesson VI is all about the quitting date, supplies and way of thinking.

* Lesson VII contains tips for the first week. Hmm.. just found out that sore gums can be part of the nicotine withdrawl. Nicotine Withdrawal Symptoms Cravings to smoke, Irritable, cranky insomnia, Fatigue, Inability to Concentrate, Headache, Cough, Sore throat, Constipation, gas, stomach pain, Dry mouth, Sore tongue and/or gums, postnasal drip, Tightness in the chest.

Of all the things I could get, I have to get that :( Oh well, this nasty feeling will pass. Haha… you see, I’m learning from the lessons (stay positive)

Today is D-day

I still have some doubts about quitting but I know I want to do this, have to do this, may do this and above all will do this. Umm, doubt is maybe not the right word to use here. Don’t get me wrong, I want to quit….. I just wonder if it is the right day. But if this isn’t the right day, will there ever be a right day. I guess not, so I go on as planned.

I’ve read that it is easier if you quit when you go to bed because when you wake up the next morning you already have some non smoking time under your belt. So that is what I do. Tonight I smoke my last cigarette.

Btw: Quit smoking 101 – lesson V was all about quitting aids such as the patch and gum. I don’t intend to use them (I go cold turkey) so this lesson was not very interesting.