It's been a challenging couple of weeks in my family. But even so, work and school deadlines are being met. While it's been difficult to keep up with everything (while taking care of the most important piece - family), it has been an interesting process.
Take for example my philosophy class. We're studying the beginnings of HUMAN NATURE. We have a book by Joel J. Kupperman called Theories of Human Nature. It's a great introductory summary of what philosophers over the years have considered in terms of human nature. From Plato to Aristotle, Upanishads to Buddhism. It's fairly comprehensive in its summary. There are chapters that you wish had more depth to them.
The most interesting concept so far, at least to me, is ERGON. This is a concept that Plato introduced in
"The Republic of Plato". It is a Greek term that loosely translates to FUNCTION. But that's actually just the tip of the iceberg. In terms of philosophy, it has a much deeper meaning. Ergon refers to one's purpose (function). It also refers to how every object in existence has a true function in which it performs. The better it is able to perform this true function, the more virtuous the object is. In other words, the better a
Sunday, October 16, 2011
Thursday, October 6, 2011
Allergic Reactions & Reflections
This week has been a strange, surreal kind of week for me. From an allergic reaction to hair dye (yes it's official, I won't be dying my hair again any time soon!) to my Dad being in the hospital for an emergency surgery.
You wouldn't think the two things are related, but they really are. I mean, to what point do we chase keeping our youth? After reading about the dangers of dark hair dyes in the market, I think it's time for me to give up the chase. My Mom looks FANTASTIC with her silver hair and I know a few other women who rock it out too. Is white really the new black? It seems I'm not alone with this creeping allergy to permanent hair dyes. I didn't have such an extreme reaction as some, but I did end up with a rash on my forehead and swollen lymph nodes. Seriously. Scary and worth pause.
You wouldn't think the two things are related, but they really are. I mean, to what point do we chase keeping our youth? After reading about the dangers of dark hair dyes in the market, I think it's time for me to give up the chase. My Mom looks FANTASTIC with her silver hair and I know a few other women who rock it out too. Is white really the new black? It seems I'm not alone with this creeping allergy to permanent hair dyes. I didn't have such an extreme reaction as some, but I did end up with a rash on my forehead and swollen lymph nodes. Seriously. Scary and worth pause.
My occipital lymph nodes were VERY swollen and I'm sure a few in my neck were as well. It's been 5 days since I dyed my hair, and my occipital lymph nodes are still swollen. Thankfully, they are starting to return back to normal, but it's still 5 days of torturing my lymph nodes. When one's lymph nodes get angry because you are looking for cooler hair, well, I think it's time to take a step back and reflect on things. One's lymph nodes are designed to fight foreign particles out of one's body. They are one of the first line of defence for pathogens, infections and germs. This is not something I want to be messing up! I guess I'm going to have to go back to my natural colour. Who the heck knows what colour that even is! Then again, maybe I'll do a little research on more natural hair dyes. I'm not certain I'm ready to cold cold turkey. In the meantime, I'm also searching for ways to help support my struggling lymph nodes. Stay tuned!
Fast forward to Tuesday morning when my Dad was admitted into the the hospital dealing with an emergency surgery. Seeing your father lying in the ICU is a scary place to be. This is a situation that causes you to take pause and reflect on one's life.
I've had two opportunities this week to really reflect upon what's really important in my life. Thankfully, I'm surrounded by many loving souls that easily remind me. Family. Friends. So here's a shout out to those that have sent their prayers, positive energy and love to my family and I.
Then, Steve Jobs passed away and the internet lit up with some of his favourite quotes. One in particular really stood out to me. This was part of Steve Jobs' address to the graduating class at Stanford University….
"Remembering that I’ll be dead soon is the most important tool I’ve ever encountered to help me make the big choices in life. Because almost everything – all external expectations, all pride, all fear of embarrassment or failure – these things just fall away in the face of death, leaving only what is truly important. Remembering that you are going to die is the best way I know to avoid the trap of thinking you have something to lose. You are already naked. There is no reason not to follow your heart."
May you all sleep well tonight knowing that you've had a moment to pause and reflect upon your life and find what is truly important to you. Follow your hearts.
Patience is a virtue....
As I sit in the car waiting to arrive at the hospital....I wonder where that saying originated. So I googled it. (What on earth did we do without google and the internet?)
Thank goodness for distractions.
Thank goodness for distractions.
Wednesday, October 5, 2011
Comfort Food in a Vegetarian Suit
It's the season for comfort foods and as much as I love my comfort foods, it's never a bad thing when you can find a more healthy version of an old-time favourite.
But come on. How could anyone take a Vegetarian "Meatloaf" seriously? Really? Is it possible to give you that warm comfort feeling?
Well, hubby and I have made this recipe more than once. It started with a need to find something insteresting/fun for our vegetarian friends. But it's more serious now. We've made it a couple of times for ourselves too! I guess that means that it's a good recipe to share! Not only that, it's dead easy and quick to pull together. With only 283 calories per serving, it's a win-win-win!
I'll break it out for you here:
INGREDIENTS:
1 (16 ounce) carton cottage cheese
4 eggs, beaten
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1 (1 ounce) envelope dry onion soup mix
1 cup finely chopped walnuts
1 1/2-2 1/2 cups corn flakes (I use Special K Whole Grain)
1/4 cup chopped onion
DIRECTIONS:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
2. Grease a loaf pan.
3. In a large bowl, combine cottage cheese, eggs, vegetable oil, soup mix, walnuts, cereal and onion.
4. Spoon into prepared pan.
5. Bake for 60 to 70 minutes.
6. Let the 'roast' rest for 5 to 10 minutes; turn out onto serving platter.
But come on. How could anyone take a Vegetarian "Meatloaf" seriously? Really? Is it possible to give you that warm comfort feeling?
Well, hubby and I have made this recipe more than once. It started with a need to find something insteresting/fun for our vegetarian friends. But it's more serious now. We've made it a couple of times for ourselves too! I guess that means that it's a good recipe to share! Not only that, it's dead easy and quick to pull together. With only 283 calories per serving, it's a win-win-win!
I'll break it out for you here:
INGREDIENTS:
1 (16 ounce) carton cottage cheese
4 eggs, beaten
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1 (1 ounce) envelope dry onion soup mix
1 cup finely chopped walnuts
1 1/2-2 1/2 cups corn flakes (I use Special K Whole Grain)
1/4 cup chopped onion
DIRECTIONS:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
2. Grease a loaf pan.
3. In a large bowl, combine cottage cheese, eggs, vegetable oil, soup mix, walnuts, cereal and onion.
4. Spoon into prepared pan.
5. Bake for 60 to 70 minutes.
6. Let the 'roast' rest for 5 to 10 minutes; turn out onto serving platter.
Yes, it really is that simple.
Monday, October 3, 2011
Speed, Velocity and Acceleration - Revisiting the past
Yesterday my 16 year old cousin asked if I could help with her grade 11 physics as she's been finding it difficult. I thought, "sure, why not?". (I used to be terrified of physics too but I slowly learned to love it as I dug into its details.)
As a side bar and from a personal perspective, I think it's a girl thing. When I was a wee lass, physics simply wasn't a subject that girls were supposed to love or even be interested in. Still, I am somewhat surprised that my cousin is going through similar feelings some 20+ years later.
Earlier today I received a scanned copy of her last test focused on Speed, Velocity and Acceleration. Talk about a blast from the past. I haven't seen Position-Time graphs or Velocity-Time graphs in years. The first thing I did was a quick google to help refresh my memory on the concepts. Three physics websites later and I realize just how different the world of education is these days.
In the past parents did their best to fight through strange material that they wouldn't have had access to in their own education. (My Mom and Dad weren't always able to help me with my high school home work, but they always did their best!) Now, there are so many websites that offer additional perspectives and better yet, there are Youtube videos that will walk you through examples. Incredible really. Why aren't all students using these available resources and learning pushing through the tougher subjects with relative ease?
Well, I can tell you, that part of it is focus and drive. My tutorial session this evening was cancelled as my cousin was heading out to a movie with her family instead of doing her homework and preparing for her test tomorrow. Curiously, Mom is okay with this.
So, we live in a world with more resources at our fingertips, but we're too busy to utilize them. What a strange conundrum.
Well, at least I've done my homework and I'm ready for a tutorial session. Now I'll get back to my own homework and try to figure out what to do with the "Expected Utility of Wealth" formulas that we discussed in my own class today.
Wish me luck!
As a side bar and from a personal perspective, I think it's a girl thing. When I was a wee lass, physics simply wasn't a subject that girls were supposed to love or even be interested in. Still, I am somewhat surprised that my cousin is going through similar feelings some 20+ years later.
Earlier today I received a scanned copy of her last test focused on Speed, Velocity and Acceleration. Talk about a blast from the past. I haven't seen Position-Time graphs or Velocity-Time graphs in years. The first thing I did was a quick google to help refresh my memory on the concepts. Three physics websites later and I realize just how different the world of education is these days.
In the past parents did their best to fight through strange material that they wouldn't have had access to in their own education. (My Mom and Dad weren't always able to help me with my high school home work, but they always did their best!) Now, there are so many websites that offer additional perspectives and better yet, there are Youtube videos that will walk you through examples. Incredible really. Why aren't all students using these available resources and learning pushing through the tougher subjects with relative ease?
Well, I can tell you, that part of it is focus and drive. My tutorial session this evening was cancelled as my cousin was heading out to a movie with her family instead of doing her homework and preparing for her test tomorrow. Curiously, Mom is okay with this.
So, we live in a world with more resources at our fingertips, but we're too busy to utilize them. What a strange conundrum.
Well, at least I've done my homework and I'm ready for a tutorial session. Now I'll get back to my own homework and try to figure out what to do with the "Expected Utility of Wealth" formulas that we discussed in my own class today.
Saturday, October 1, 2011
Welcome October and Fall!
There have been many complaints today about the chill in the air.
I don't mind it. Actually, it's quite perfect for October to usher in a cooler day. I look forward to spending an evening out in the brisk air as my friends and I explore Nuit Blanche 2011.
So welcome October - don't listen to all the naysayers out there! I'm a fan of fall!
I don't mind it. Actually, it's quite perfect for October to usher in a cooler day. I look forward to spending an evening out in the brisk air as my friends and I explore Nuit Blanche 2011.
So welcome October - don't listen to all the naysayers out there! I'm a fan of fall!
Anchor Hocking ROCKS!
I've never blogged before. I've never really had time to share my thoughts with the world. But just a few weeks ago something inspired me to share my voice. It's a story of great customer service and I want to give a little love back to Anchor Hocking too!
Late in the summer my sister-in-law told me that she had found replacement lids for her Anchor Hocking glass storage bowls. Unfortunately, she found them in the states on a recent shopping trip and I wasn't planning on heading into the states anytime soon.
So I did a little research and found that Anchor Hocking actually sells the replacement lids online. Unfortunately, they don't ship into Canada. Well, I wasn't satisfied with that. I thought maybe they don't realize that there is a market just North of the border that also loves their products. I emailed their customer service to find out if they had any plans on into Canada in the near future. Alternatively, I was hoping they might be able to tell me where in Ontario I might be able to find replacement lids.
Unfortunately my first reply from Anchor Hocking wasn't very helpful. They weren't shipping to Canada (though they were considering doing so) and they weren't able to assist in locating a vendor selling replacement lids in the area. This isn't anything new. There are a lot of US retailers that simply don't want to get involved with the shipping into the Canadian marketplace. I get it. I was still bummed. That meant I would have to either keep the broken lids I had or go and buy new sets (bowls and lids). Neither really appealed to me, but sometimes that's just the way life works.
Two days later I received another email from Anchor Hocking. This time, they wanted to know which lids I needed and an address to send them to me complimentary. Yes - that's right - FOR FREE. I had to read the email three times before I really believed it. I sent them my wish list thinking that I might not ever see these lids arrive, but I might as well send them the information.
To my surprise, just yesterday I received the package of lids. Incredible. Now I can use my glass storage bowls again and don't have to replace the set. Best customer service. Ever.
I work in retail, in a world about the bottom line. This out-of-the-box customer service inspired me to share the story. Anchor Hocking has earned my time to share the story so others know just how incredible they are as a company.
I was a loyal customer before. Now I'm an advocate for them. All it took was a little out-of-the-box thinking and a small shipment of replacement lids.
Late in the summer my sister-in-law told me that she had found replacement lids for her Anchor Hocking glass storage bowls. Unfortunately, she found them in the states on a recent shopping trip and I wasn't planning on heading into the states anytime soon.
So I did a little research and found that Anchor Hocking actually sells the replacement lids online. Unfortunately, they don't ship into Canada. Well, I wasn't satisfied with that. I thought maybe they don't realize that there is a market just North of the border that also loves their products. I emailed their customer service to find out if they had any plans on into Canada in the near future. Alternatively, I was hoping they might be able to tell me where in Ontario I might be able to find replacement lids.
Unfortunately my first reply from Anchor Hocking wasn't very helpful. They weren't shipping to Canada (though they were considering doing so) and they weren't able to assist in locating a vendor selling replacement lids in the area. This isn't anything new. There are a lot of US retailers that simply don't want to get involved with the shipping into the Canadian marketplace. I get it. I was still bummed. That meant I would have to either keep the broken lids I had or go and buy new sets (bowls and lids). Neither really appealed to me, but sometimes that's just the way life works.
Two days later I received another email from Anchor Hocking. This time, they wanted to know which lids I needed and an address to send them to me complimentary. Yes - that's right - FOR FREE. I had to read the email three times before I really believed it. I sent them my wish list thinking that I might not ever see these lids arrive, but I might as well send them the information.
To my surprise, just yesterday I received the package of lids. Incredible. Now I can use my glass storage bowls again and don't have to replace the set. Best customer service. Ever.
I work in retail, in a world about the bottom line. This out-of-the-box customer service inspired me to share the story. Anchor Hocking has earned my time to share the story so others know just how incredible they are as a company.
I was a loyal customer before. Now I'm an advocate for them. All it took was a little out-of-the-box thinking and a small shipment of replacement lids.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)