June 25, 2004
USDA Classifies Frozen Fries as "Fresh Vegetables"
OK - I'm going to go check and see if the world has turned upside down - this is crazy!
http://www.organicconsumers.org/school/frenchfries061604.cfm
http://www.organicconsumers.org/school/frenchfries061604.cfm
June 23, 2004
Experiment Number #3: Playing Dumb
The task: Go into a major chain store or restaurant. Look right into one of the important staff members there and say "Is this ---------?" (ex. "Is this McDonald's?" or "Where is the nearest McDonald's") See how they respond and look at you. Do not break eye contact.
Everytime Dr. V- gives me an assignment my first response is:
"WHAT?!"
This time, it was followed by "but they're going to think I'm crazy!" I'm not quite sure what the exact purpose is... I think he's trying to get me over my fear of what others think about me "because it does not matter!". Perhaps it's also a matter of pride too - I never ever want to look dumb.
I hope he's aware of how much trust this is taking for me to do this! I find this much hard than the anger experiment.
I had little time to do this, as I was still working on plans for the "Inner Spirit" party at the time. My Hubby didn't want to leave my side, and I needed to the this alone. I tried at an art store I was at. A small test, just playing dumb, asking the obvious:
Approach a knowlegeable looking female rep at customer service:
Is this customer service?
Yes...
I need to exchange this item...
::getting huffy:: Do you have a receipt?
...No, sorry.
She gets short and explains the policy, then asks me what I want to do. I stand there kind of slackjawed. Hubby comes in at this point, hearing what she said, and tries rexplaining it. I look dazed.
Well?
OK.
I never broke eye contact, but I did feel two inches tall.
Not satisfied, I try again at another indoor bazzar (trying to shake Hubby). I saw the owner of a shop, looked around to build courage, and just before I take a breath to start, Hubby approaches and say "you still here?". Shot down again.
Last try: Run into a major dept store on the premise that I need to go to the bathroom. Approach a male, who looks like he has an important function:
This is ----'s?
Yes. ::smile:: Welcome, welcome to our store!
::My eyes break - damn!::
Uh... thank you.
This person made me feel fine about even asking the dumbest thing - so why did this go poorly? Just because he's a he? I walked away, but I came back a few moment later to engage him in conversation, and try to keep my eyes to his a little longer.
Another thing to work on...
I've been working on it a bunch and gotten a bit better (since I started drafting this post at the end of May). Dr. V- gave me a demo of it at a restaurant we went to the other day - very funny (what a strange time, to be as happy and sad as one could be at the same time!) Guess they put up with him because they knew we would buy stuff. He was as cool as a cucumber about the whole thing.
I think I've got this pretty good...just going to keep in mind the 11th commandment:
Thou shalt lighten up.
Everytime Dr. V- gives me an assignment my first response is:
"WHAT?!"
This time, it was followed by "but they're going to think I'm crazy!" I'm not quite sure what the exact purpose is... I think he's trying to get me over my fear of what others think about me "because it does not matter!". Perhaps it's also a matter of pride too - I never ever want to look dumb.
I hope he's aware of how much trust this is taking for me to do this! I find this much hard than the anger experiment.
I had little time to do this, as I was still working on plans for the "Inner Spirit" party at the time. My Hubby didn't want to leave my side, and I needed to the this alone. I tried at an art store I was at. A small test, just playing dumb, asking the obvious:
Approach a knowlegeable looking female rep at customer service:
Is this customer service?
Yes...
I need to exchange this item...
::getting huffy:: Do you have a receipt?
...No, sorry.
She gets short and explains the policy, then asks me what I want to do. I stand there kind of slackjawed. Hubby comes in at this point, hearing what she said, and tries rexplaining it. I look dazed.
Well?
OK.
I never broke eye contact, but I did feel two inches tall.
Not satisfied, I try again at another indoor bazzar (trying to shake Hubby). I saw the owner of a shop, looked around to build courage, and just before I take a breath to start, Hubby approaches and say "you still here?". Shot down again.
Last try: Run into a major dept store on the premise that I need to go to the bathroom. Approach a male, who looks like he has an important function:
This is ----'s?
Yes. ::smile:: Welcome, welcome to our store!
::My eyes break - damn!::
Uh... thank you.
This person made me feel fine about even asking the dumbest thing - so why did this go poorly? Just because he's a he? I walked away, but I came back a few moment later to engage him in conversation, and try to keep my eyes to his a little longer.
Another thing to work on...
I've been working on it a bunch and gotten a bit better (since I started drafting this post at the end of May). Dr. V- gave me a demo of it at a restaurant we went to the other day - very funny (what a strange time, to be as happy and sad as one could be at the same time!) Guess they put up with him because they knew we would buy stuff. He was as cool as a cucumber about the whole thing.
I think I've got this pretty good...just going to keep in mind the 11th commandment:
Thou shalt lighten up.
June 20, 2004
Why?
Why does it always seem that the best times in my life always come right before the worst? Is God trying to boost me up for these things?
A good aquaintence of mine just passed away after struggling with cancer for a long time (God placed me in the right location to hear the news - thank you, Lord). I didn't know her well personally, but I knew her. I saw her all the time when I went for my treatments, and no matter how sick or tired she was, she always mustered a smile for me - and I tried to do the same for her too.
She was my buddy there - I will miss her a lot.
"I love your spirit..." - I loved yours too.
My friend's mother is also in the hospital with cancer and other complications too. Unlike my friend though, she does not want to fight...I hurt for him.
I was also reminded today by family that my grandfather also is battling colon cancer and that he's hitting the dreaded 5 year mark.
Everything happens for a purpose, but it is hard to understand things like this (especially when a much of the pain and suffering of these people has/had been caused needlessly!). All I know is that I will do what I need to do.
A good aquaintence of mine just passed away after struggling with cancer for a long time (God placed me in the right location to hear the news - thank you, Lord). I didn't know her well personally, but I knew her. I saw her all the time when I went for my treatments, and no matter how sick or tired she was, she always mustered a smile for me - and I tried to do the same for her too.
She was my buddy there - I will miss her a lot.
"I love your spirit..." - I loved yours too.
My friend's mother is also in the hospital with cancer and other complications too. Unlike my friend though, she does not want to fight...I hurt for him.
I was also reminded today by family that my grandfather also is battling colon cancer and that he's hitting the dreaded 5 year mark.
Everything happens for a purpose, but it is hard to understand things like this (especially when a much of the pain and suffering of these people has/had been caused needlessly!). All I know is that I will do what I need to do.
June 16, 2004
Fun in the Sun
Came back from my whirlwind vacation last week. While it took a lot of preparation, it was very much worthwhile. Half of it was spent heavily socializing (or trying to!), the other half was in nature...it was great. No one knew me really, so I could be myself, no questions asked.
Turns out I had dropped to 88 lbs before the trip. After the trip (2 1/2 weeks later), I not only gained back all I'd lost but also gained an additional pound, and I'm up to 93.5. Yay!
It wasn't easy though. I broke a bit under the pressure of all the parties, and once I ran out of convenient organic food, I did experiment with some normal stuff. Some things made me violently ill. Some things I thought would make me sick didn't at all. Had I done this stuff under normal stress at home... forget it! As it stood, once I screwed up, it was hard to turn back, even when it did hurt my stomach...cravings, blood sugar spikes, the whole nine.
On the other hand, I learned about a few new enjoyable organic products that I bought again when I got home. It was good to find a few convenience products that looked "normal" (like a new brand of gluten free waffle, and a rice treat called Mochi), but mostly found new slow cooked foods, such as duck confit, the best way to slow cook a lamb, and learned a bit about asian cuisine, which seems to lend itself well to a detox diet. I will investigate more.
Now that I got the junk food experiemtents out of my system, (sort of), and following a visit to the brand new Whole Foods store in my area, I'm totally inspired to cook again.
Dr. V- asked if I could go on vacation for another week.... I wish! In any case, I learned a lot from the experience, and plan to travel much more!
Travel tips:
I couldn't have done it without my kit and quiet understanding from a select few. Here's what I carried, in addition to a complete supply of my normal supplements:
Antitox (for allergic reactions)
Parasitin (to keep parasites at bay, as I had to drink/bathe in some unfiltered sources at times)
Goldenseal/echinacea drops (for colds/immune boost)
aloe gel & lavender oil (skin burns, irritation)
cayenne powder (bleeding)
castor oil or vitamin E (bruise, bug bites, stings)
peppermint oil (digestinve upset, headache, nausea)
ginger capsules (digestive, motion sickness)
valerian root (sleep)
straight pin (to pop capsules), gauze roll, tape & bandaids
-----------
Food/Supplies to bring for the road (buy rest outside at destination):
Rice N' Shine and/or Cream of Buckwheat (if you have a microwave source or a hot bag you can have it precooked in - hot water alone does not cook these guys!)
Rice Cakes/Nori Chips/Rice Snaps
Sunflower Butter (for protein on the go - but not too much!)
Alpsnacks - I normally don't have fruit, nuts and unrefined sugar right now, but I got doc ok wile I was away. These worked very well (and taste really good), when eaten no more than one every couple of days.
Rent a microwave & refrigerator - saves money and health!
A good thermos to hold soups/hot breakfast cereal
Turns out I had dropped to 88 lbs before the trip. After the trip (2 1/2 weeks later), I not only gained back all I'd lost but also gained an additional pound, and I'm up to 93.5. Yay!
It wasn't easy though. I broke a bit under the pressure of all the parties, and once I ran out of convenient organic food, I did experiment with some normal stuff. Some things made me violently ill. Some things I thought would make me sick didn't at all. Had I done this stuff under normal stress at home... forget it! As it stood, once I screwed up, it was hard to turn back, even when it did hurt my stomach...cravings, blood sugar spikes, the whole nine.
On the other hand, I learned about a few new enjoyable organic products that I bought again when I got home. It was good to find a few convenience products that looked "normal" (like a new brand of gluten free waffle, and a rice treat called Mochi), but mostly found new slow cooked foods, such as duck confit, the best way to slow cook a lamb, and learned a bit about asian cuisine, which seems to lend itself well to a detox diet. I will investigate more.
Now that I got the junk food experiemtents out of my system, (sort of), and following a visit to the brand new Whole Foods store in my area, I'm totally inspired to cook again.
Dr. V- asked if I could go on vacation for another week.... I wish! In any case, I learned a lot from the experience, and plan to travel much more!
Travel tips:
I couldn't have done it without my kit and quiet understanding from a select few. Here's what I carried, in addition to a complete supply of my normal supplements:
Antitox (for allergic reactions)
Parasitin (to keep parasites at bay, as I had to drink/bathe in some unfiltered sources at times)
Goldenseal/echinacea drops (for colds/immune boost)
aloe gel & lavender oil (skin burns, irritation)
cayenne powder (bleeding)
castor oil or vitamin E (bruise, bug bites, stings)
peppermint oil (digestinve upset, headache, nausea)
ginger capsules (digestive, motion sickness)
valerian root (sleep)
straight pin (to pop capsules), gauze roll, tape & bandaids
-----------
Food/Supplies to bring for the road (buy rest outside at destination):
Rice N' Shine and/or Cream of Buckwheat (if you have a microwave source or a hot bag you can have it precooked in - hot water alone does not cook these guys!)
Rice Cakes/Nori Chips/Rice Snaps
Sunflower Butter (for protein on the go - but not too much!)
Alpsnacks - I normally don't have fruit, nuts and unrefined sugar right now, but I got doc ok wile I was away. These worked very well (and taste really good), when eaten no more than one every couple of days.
Rent a microwave & refrigerator - saves money and health!
A good thermos to hold soups/hot breakfast cereal
