Photography Designs For All Occasions

It’s the time of year when I start to settle in to a kind of hibernation mode and prepare for the months ahead. Upcoming occasions include Hallowe’en, Thanksgiving and Christmas. And of course I think about gifts and goodies to brighten up people’s days in the more somber periods of autumn and winter.

Because I’m a keen amateur photographer, I was especially glad to discover this appealing online shop that sells a large number of items featuring original photography, including landscapes and macro shots. http://www.cafepress.com/spencerphotos

There are hundreds of designs, brilliantly executed, and you can find them on a wide range of items, such as T-shirts, mugs, aprons, tiles (these are lovely decorative items), pillows, ceramic travel mugs, framed prints and a multitude of others.

Since I’m also an avid amateur writer of lyrics, I was particularly drawn to the gorgeous journals featuring bright macro images of luscious, colourful and exotic flowers. http://www.cafepress.com/spencerphotos/4640195
These journals are a perfect size to fit in a bag or backpack for those moments when the perfect melody or lyric comes to mind and you need something convenient and quick to write it down in. The journals’ designs are so attractive that you’ll find yourself being inspired just by looking at them. (-: They're perfect as well for shopping lists, to-do lists, or just about anything you need to remind yourself about. And if 'form' is more important to you than 'function', you might simply want to keep one of these journals on your desk just so you can look at it while you enjoy a quiet cup of tea or coffee out of a matching mug. (-:

One of my favourites features the autumn-coloured orange zinnia and butterfly design.

If you're a lover of photography and nature, you'll want to spend a lot of time browsing through this tasteful and well-presented shop. Every design is appealing and displayed to advantage. Grab a handful of Tees so you'll have a different one for every day of the week. Pick up a couple of elegant journals, one for you, one for a friend. Plenty of home or office decoration items to choose from as well.

Acupuncture: Getting Under My Skin

In my last post, I hinted that recipes in the Moosewood Cookbooks could make one weak in the knees. Well, knees and feet have been uppermost in my mind lately as I deal with the increasingly annoying arthritis that's reared its ugly head in both these places. In desperation, I visited my GP three weeks ago to ask what medication might ease the discomfort I experience when I'm on my feet for an hour or more. He prescribed Ibuprofen, together with Omeprazol, which, he said, would work against the known side-effects of Ibuprofen: namely, nausea and diarhhea. Being largely opposed to pharmaceutical drugs, I wasn't too happy, but thought I'd give them a try. Thus far, herbal remedies like glucosamine and chondroitin had helped, but not enough.

I filled the prescription and then headed to the local supermarket for fruit and vegetables. And happened to walk past the Oriental Clinic that had opened a couple of months previously. A closer inspection of its services list revealed that acupuncture was among them. I thought 'What the heck', and waltzed in to make an appointment for a course of ten sessions. I'd already read that acupuncture was helpful in many situations. I knew as well that my health insurance would reimburse what I'd pay for the treatment, though I'd have to shoulder the cost of the herbs that were recommended to be taken as tea. Not cheap at € 13.75 per bag, per day for a fortnight. Still, one's health and quality of life are invaluable, and I felt it would be a small price to pay if the treatment really worked. And because I opted to pay for the course upfront rather than per session, I was given a 15% discount.

As is my habit, I set off in this new direction with a feeling of optimism. My first appointment would be the following day, on Saturday.

I went home, took the first Ibuprofen and Omeprazol tablets. Side-effects resulted, and I felt nauseous and had cramps. Still, I thought, give them a chance. The next morning I took another Ibuprofen and Omeprazol. Same result. Hence, I decided to stop the medication altogether and focus only on the acupuncture. After all, mixing an alternative therapy with prescription medication would defeat the purpose of seeing how effective acupuncture might be.

That afternoon I had my first session and was impressed. After my pulse, blood pressure, and tongue were checked (even I knew the tongue clearly showed that my innards were out of harmony; I was lacking in Qi), I was taken to a small, bright room, where I was told to lie down on a massage table.
Two efficient doctors, both Chinese, asked me questions, discussed the situation among themselves, and then placed needles (completely painless) at various points on my feet, knees, and even hands. Then the light was turned out and I was left alone to relax and to listen to a meditation music CD. Twenty minutes later, one of the doctors came back in and 'turned' the needles. I was then left for another 20 minutes. Afterwards, all the needles were removed and my feet were massaged. What bliss! The doctor then placed a pain patch on the top of both feet and instructed me not to get my feet wet for 7 days. I can tell you, it was quite a feat (no pun intended (-: ) showering with my lower extremities tightly wrapped in plastic foil!

In subsequent twice-weekly sessions, needles were set in various other places (e.g. hands, elbows, head, forehead) as well as in the feet, knees, and lower legs. A heat lamp was also used on both knees, as was a device that sent a low-level electrical current through the knee joints. The massage also began to include my knees. I always left the clinic with my feet and knees feeling very supple. It was as though I were walking on air.

I can say that there has been a tremendous improvement. Though they still feel a little stiff in the morning (well, hey, I'm not a 21-year-old (-:), there's no pain or discomfort in my knees when I climb stairs or walk.

The feet are still problematic, though considerably improved. As the doctor explained to me, because the arthritis is chronic (e.g., been present more than 10 years) it will take longer for substantial results to manifest. However, I can walk now for longer periods and distances. What a relief. In the meantime, I've finished (thank goodness, because it tasted ghastly) the herbal tea concoction that I drank twice a day, and am now taking the same herbal ingredients Du Huq Ji Sheng Pian in tablet form three times a day. Much less expensive, though of course not as strong as the 'real' herbs. Still, I'll see how it goes.

A particularly encouraging side-effect of the acupuncture is that I sleep much better at night and feel overall more energetic and enthusiastic. This, according to Chinese Medicine, is a result of the Qi - the vital energy - becoming harmonised. I've also recently ordered the book Curing Arthritis Naturally With Chinese Medicine. Can't wait to read it and to see what else I can do to help my body.

My last appointment is on Tuedsay. I'm going to miss these sessions, but the past couple of weeks have been a tremendous learning and healing experience. I highly recommend acupuncture, particularly to anyone who suffers from arthritis.

Enchanted Broccoli Forest

The famous Moosewood Cookbooks by Mollie Katzen have been delighting vegetarians for 30 years, but they've only just come to my attention. (I must live in a parallel universe!) In any case, I'm thrilled. The two that I ordered last week from Amazon (secondhand, for a very low price) arrived yesterday, and what a joy they are. The New Moosewood Cookbook and The Enchanted Broccoli Forest both feature Mollie's charming drawings and hand lettering, and are brimming over with mouth-watering recipes. Though the dishes were originally created with vegetarians in mind, even carnivores will be left weak at the knees after sampling some of these treats. Just browsing through the pages is an olfactory experience. Tofu has never been so enticing! But they aren't just about tofu, tahini, and spinach. How could anyone resist sampling something like Eggplant-Pecan Curry, Swiss Cheese and Mushroom Quiche, and Arabian Squash Casserole.

I can't wait to round up a few friends for dinner and treat them to a meal of Potato-Fennel Soup, Scheherezade Casserole, and a Crunchy Top Peach Pie.

Best of all, the recipes are easy to prepare and call for ingredients that one would be likely to have on hand.

I wanted to share news of these treasures, so here you go. You can find the books here:

Enchanted Broccoli Forest

The New Moosewood Cookbook

Enjoy!

Absent But Not Idle!

I feel like the legendary Rip Van Winkel, who fell asleep and woke up 100 years later. Only in my case, it’s been 17 months!

After I created the Inner Sociopath design and posted it here in March 2006 I went AWOL in cyberspace. However, I haven’t been idle. As well as revving up my freelance copyediting business, I’ve been heads-down, tail-up on my online shop DevineDigital, and am thrilled that more people are finding their way to it. Many are leaving with arms full of goodies, like t-shirts, sweatshirts, boxer shirts, bibs, tote bags, framed prints, and other fun as well as useful items.

In fact, I’ve got so carried away in the past few months that I’ve created another shop, The Copy Editor. A former journo and a practicing copy editor and English language trainer, I decided to create a selection of whimsical designs that would appeal to journalists, copy editors, copy writers, proofreaders, writers, English teachers, and basically anyone who works with words and enjoys the challenges and fun of the language.

Here are three design examples:

For more entertaining designs like these on a wide range of products, visit The Copy Editor. There's plenty there to impress and amuse your friends and to raise a few laughs in the teachers' lounge or in the copydesk canteen during the late-night shift.

Getting In Touch With My Inner Sociopath

Ever wanted to take on the whole political-cultural-social Establishment? Ever envied the real sociopaths their overwhelming compulsion to simply let rip and tear the place apart?

So have I. (-:

Most times of course we "rationalise" , "work through" or "come to closure", so that the aggressive anger that often drives an honest response to stupidity and evil doesn't land us in a cell, either padded or barred.

Well, today I designed a way to let the world know whenever I feel like going on a rampage. And without the guilt, thanks very much. In fact, without anything at all, other than this T-shirt. That way nobody gets hurt, and people can't say they haven't been warned. (-:



To see more clothing, accessories and gift items featuring this fun and dramatic design, be sure to visit my online shop at DevineDigital

More to the Vulva Than Meets the Eye

This month the nether regions of the human body are primary objects of medical attention in the USA.

March is not only the designated Awareness Month for Colorectal Cancer (which affects more men than women) but for Vulvar Cancer as well. Here, of course, women are the sole target.

Nothing in our culture depicts the vulvar area as graphically as the ancient Sheela-na-gig figurative carvings found throughout Europe (e.g., in Ireland, England, France and Spain), and believed to be remnants of a pre-Christian fertility or Mother Goddess religion. The carvings were also believed to have warded off death and evil.

Sheela-na-gig figures appeared all over old Irish churches before the 16th century and many were still in place during the 19th century. Unfortunately, Victorian prudery was responsible for the defacing or destruction of a large number of them. Some have been found buried near the churches they once embellished.

It’s ironic that that part of the female body that was once revered and held to be “representative of the universe within the void” has become in our culture an object of profanity, debasement and even embarrassment on the part of women themselves.

Most women are reluctant to discuss their genitalia, even with healthcare providers.

Don't Want to Talk About It

In the United States, vulvar cancer accounts for about 4% of cancers in the female reproductive organs and 0.6% of all cancers in women. The American Cancer Society estimates that in the year 2006 about 3,740 cancers of the vulva will be diagnosed in the United States, and about 880 women will die of this cancer.

It’s also been determined that women who smoke cigarettes have a greater risk of developing cervix and vulvar cancers. For cervical cancer the relationship appears to be dose-responsive, with one study finding an 80% increased risk of developing the cancer among heavy smokers. It's estimated that 19% of cervical cancer and 40% of vulvar cancer is caused by smoking.

Ladies, if you're reading this, please make an appointment to be examined by your gynaecologist. Like the Sheela-na-gig, that symbol of divine feminity and fertility, your health is in your hands.

View more products featuring Sheela-na-gig

Obesity: As Dangerous As WMD

I think I’ve been watching too much TV lately.

The latest program to rattle my cage was a recent documentary involving Alice Waters, the well-known American chef and cook-book author, who founded the restaurant Chez Panisse in the Bay area in 1971.

In terms of food, it was a revolutionary step generated by Alice’s determination to offer meals made from healthy, organically grown fruit and vegetables, and to educate the general public about the benefits of eating natural produce, as opposed to junk food and over-processed products.

Though Alice's restaurant has thrived over the past three decades and meals there have given tens of thousands of visitors a new taste sensation, the message still has a long way to go.

According to medical health experts, obesity in the United States is at an all-time high.

This got me doing some hasty research, the results of which I’ll cram into a nutshell here.

An estimated 57% of Americans are overweight, including 60% of Americans aged 20 and older. One-quarter of American adults are also obese. Statistics indicate that 280,000 adult deaths each year in the US are attributable to obesity.

It’s estimated that nearly 31% of American teenage girls and 28% of boys are somewhat overweight, while an additional 15% of American teenage girls and almost 14% of teen boys are obese. It's been determined that the prevalence of overweight and obesity is increasing in all major socioeconomic and ethnic groups, including children and younger adults between 25 and 44.

In a recent address at a conference of the Association of Military Surgeons of the United States, the current US Surgeon General, Richard H. Carmona, stated that obesity is the greatest health threat facing the country, and that the threat is as real as “weapons of mass destruction”.

Ironic is that Americans spend some $33 billion dollars a year on weight-loss products and services, but hesitate to take the simple steps that could help lead to healthy weight loss and to an overall better quality of life: namely, exercising more and eating less, focusing on meals consisting of fresh fruit and vegetables rather than junk food and over-processed and high-fat products.

These aren’t the only solutions, of course; a number of factors can contribute to obesity. These include genetic, psychological, physiological, metabolic, socioeconomic, cultural, and lifestyle. On the whole, however, obesity is considered a chronic disease rather than simply a lifestyle choice, although the latter is seen to be the main cause. The problem is twofold: people don't get enough physical exercise and they eat too much food. (It’s difficult to resist fast-food offers of two or even three portions for the price of one! McDonald's, Burger King, Kentucky Fried Chicken, and countless other proponents of SAD - the Standard American Diet - have a lot to answer for.)

As if the physical and emotional effects of being severely overweight or obese aren't enough, sufferers are prone to a host of other diseases resulting directly from obesity. These include (but aren't confined to):

-High blood pressure and high blood cholesterol

-Coronary heart disease, stroke, congestive heart failure

-Type 2 diabetes (becoming increasingly prominent in children)

-Osteoarthritis

-Gallstones

-Low back pain

-Obstructive sleep apnea and other respiratory problems

-Some types of cancer, such as endometrial, breast (fries have been linked to breast
cancer), prostate, and colon

-Complications of pregnancy

-Poor female reproductive health such as menstrual irregularities and infertility

-Bladder control problems

-Psychological disorders, including depression,

eating disorders, distorted body image, and low self esteem

Truly shocking was a comment by one of the medical experts who’d been interviewed in the program about the prevalence and dangers of obesity. He stated that if the current trend continues, this generation of children will become the first in human history to have a shorter lifespan than their parents.

Food for thought indeed.

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For clinical purposes, obesity is described in terms of Body Mass Index (BMI), which is a more accurate measurement than weight alone. A healthy BMI is 19-24. Simple overweight is a BMI of 25-29. Obesity begins at a BMI of 30. Morbid obesity begins at a BMI of 40. Super morbid obesity begins at a BMI of 50, and super-super morbid obesity begins at a BMI above 60.

You can find out your Body Mass Index (BMI) by using this

Simple Calculator