Last weekend, I mentioned to my husband that I was ready to pick up some freelance writing again and that I needed to call some of the publishers for whom I'd previously worked. Before I could make those calls, I got one from an old contact with  a 2nd grade math book they needed written. Very nice. BUT I hate starting a project. I have to get my mind wrapped around the requirements, then I have to get it wrapped around the content. I'm fine after I get both those things done, but until then . . . *bleh* Today's been spent wrapping my brain. Hopefully, by the time I wake up tomorrow, I'll be ready to start writing. *fingers crossed*

I ran across PCRM (Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine) years ago trying to find some help outside of pharmaceuticals for my migraines.  I've been following them on a more or less regular basis since and have learned quite a bit from reading their materials. This started with their Natural Approach to Migraines .  If you suffer from migraines, give it a read. Yesterday, they posted a blurb about a study on exercise. Exercise is healthy (can anyone dispute that?), but it is not a determining factor in how much a child weighs. Socioeconomic status was relevant. While the study was done on 3-6 year olds, I cannot help but make the personal connection to the food we find in too many school cafeterias. However, just a little research shows that students throw better food choices away - something I personally saw in my last school when more fruits and veggies were placed on plates. So what is the answer?

Please go to Rock the Earth Fest on Facebook and like this picture. You must be logged into FB to get to the page. There is $500 at stake! Thanks so much for your votes.

I'm not a series person. I do read them, but I can't say I've found any that I really look forward to reading. Well, I think I've found one in The Lunar Chronicles . I read Cinder earlier in the month and thoroughly enjoyed it. In Scarlet , we find out more about Cinder and Kai. We are introduced to some new characters including Scarlet and Wolf in addition to a captain who is really a cadet. I wondered a little at the beginning where Meyer was going with Scarlet, but she tied it up nicely well before the end. Well, maybe not so nicely as I still felt hanging and wishing I had the next book in my hand when I got to the end. Anxiously awaiting the next installation of The Lunar Chronicles.

I downloaded Three Cups of Tea (from the NC Digital Library ) to listen to on my drive back and forth to Winston.  So, it's good and positive. It seems extremely self-serving, but, call me Pollyanna, I do like to think there are people like that in the world with nothing on their agenda other than making the world a better place. When I got home, I started doing some digging and the first thing I found is Jon Krakauer's Three Cups of Deceit . Oh my goodness, I could tell from the experts that this was not going to be good. Very disappointing. More digging; more disappointment. Everyone involved seems to be under indictment. The stories are at best a gross exaggeration or at worst, blatant lies. So at first, I tried to listen to some more of the book and as good as the story is, I just can't finish it. Now I'm wondering what to do with the copies in my library. Of course, the advertiser in me thought about making a display called "Fact or Fiction" with this b

I finished Argo this week. Excellent story. Very good and quick read. I got distracted some by all the back stories. Most did seem integral to the story but certainly not all (and there were soooo many). I learned some things about embassies, the CIA, the United States and Canada that I didn't know before. I've got the movie on my to-watch list now. Anxious to see how they compare/contrast.

I jumped into the world of juicing last week. I'd been reading about juicing. It kept cropping up periodically in my journey from vegetarian to vegan. But at the beginning, just concentrating on eating whole plant foods was enough. What really made me want to take the plunge, however, was watching Joe Cross's movie,  Fat, Sick, and Nearly Dead.   What a change juicing made in his life. Ron and I headed out on a juicer hunt. We ended up with the Bella pictured to the side. I didn't want to get an expensive one in case I didn't like it, but I didn't want to get one that was so cheap that it fell apart in the first week or worse - didn't make quality juice. I drank juice for breakfast and took three to work with me in mason jars for snacks and lunch. Most of my dinners were spinach salads. One night we splurged and I ate a grilled vegetable sandwich on rye with a side of fruit salad. What I'm trying to decide is if I like juicing better than blending. The blend

Anyone else watch this BBC Scotland series on Netflix? Very disappointed to get to the end of Series 6 to find out there is one more season only available through DVD. *sigh*  

I made this one up as I went, but it turned out to be really good. 13.25 oz 100% whole grain penne large floret of broccoli chopped - I steamed this 1 small container button mushrooms halved 1 can of mandarin oranges 1 large bunch scallions chopped 2 cups diced tomatoes 1 small lime juiced 1 jar oriental salad dressing. (I used the one pictured below but I found one at Harris Teeter when I ran in after dinner called HT Organics Miso Ginger. It cost less and had fewer calories per serving. I put everything in a large bowl, tossed and chilled. I served it with a salad, and there are plenty of leftovers

I started reading Argo today. So far, it's been very engaging. Perhaps part of its fascination is because I vaguely remember the incident. I remember my mother talking about the Shah like he was some kind of rock star. I was a teenager and for sure didn't care about all the political (or other) implications. I don't think this book will be sitting around long waiting for me to finish it.

Forget the hail. It's snowing! Big old floppy wet flakes, but snowing it is. Absolutely bizarre.

Well, in my dreams at least. It started hailing about an hour ago and my windshield looks like it's icing over. I may be dreaming of the beach, but I'm thinking of starting a fire.

I knew MSG was no good for us, but I didn't know that it not only contributes to obesity, but it is in all kinds of products. I did a search on MSG induced obesity. This link is a couple of years old, but I love the charts. Make sure you look at the mice made obese by MSG injections! Ick! MSG causes obesity and you won’t believe where it is hiding!

I picked Cinder up at the last book fair. I didn't plan to read it myself, but I was between books and kept thinking about that quirky cover. This is a futuristic twist on the old classic and it was really good. Ended rather abruptly making me wish that the next installment was already in and not just on order, but it's one I'm going to claim first dibs on.

I put off reading The Hunger Games forever. Them never being in the library had something to do with that. One day, I realized they were all in and there were no holds on any of them. I grabbed them. Easy read, very engaging. Although by reading them all at once I was growing slightly bored by the end. The movie arrived on Netflix, so I watched it yesterday afternoon. Not nearly as engaging as the books, but good enough I didn't walk out of the room to go do something else in the middle of it.