doodling

Whose Business is it?

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Doodle of grains

“Mind your own business.”  This phrase could be perceived as rude (context and tone would give a clue), but not necessarily. It comes down to facts. I have my business, you have yours. Conflicts can arise when we cross boundaries.

Sometimes, people make other people’s business their own. Why? Because they are judgmental, unhappy, uninformed, or just fearful of change.

Case(s) in point:

This year, I have decided to pursue learning how to draw and paint. I was not expecting comments like, “Why are you taking a class? Just draw! You don’t need a class, that’s silly.”

I also decided to stop doing a lot of extra volunteer duties at work. Response: “But you’ve always done (fill-in-the-blank).” 

These responses are generally directed toward women, by the way. I rarely never see men at the receiving end of such remarks. 

How to react? Just smile and ignore it. Listen to your gut and do what works best for you. As Eric Barker says, the first step to pursuing what makes you happy is to define it for yourself!

 

Speaking of grains (sort of)….

Did you know Doritos is making “lady friendly chips“? (Washington Post)  Read the article, Maura Judkis is hilarious.

An excerpt: 

What do I like about chips? Hmm, I guess I like how they are small and petite, like me! I like how the bags are shiny and have bright colors. Though I know that chips are not technically meant for Ladies like me because their bags are never pink. If only there were chips that came in a pink bag, so I would know that gentle Ladies like myself could consume them with dignity!

Maura Judkis

Beholden

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orchid doodle

 

I am grateful for the early morning intention

To feed my daughters earth’s fruits

At lunch when I am absent

my love is omnipresent

I am grateful for the pesky wind

That musses “perfect” hair

And shouts sweet nothings in my ears

All are signs that I’m alive

I am grateful for the cuts on my fingers

They scream silently as I work

scabs, wrinkles, dry cuticles – 

My hands are marked with ravages of time and labor

 

The Root of the Matter

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Doodle of root vegetables*

I’m going to sound like a terrible mom, but I packed raw carrots in my daughters’ lunches a few weeks ago for the first time this school year. After the first day, one of the teens said, “I love carrots! I felt so good after I ate it.”

With all the pre-packaged foods available now, (Lunchables, anyone? – ick!)  it’s so easy to overlook the simplicity (and goodness) of washing, cutting and packing fresh fruits and vegetables for lunch.

It’s so easy!

It’s so good for you!

“Today, strong evidence exists that some of the vital nutrients found in many root vegetables — including vitamin A, vitamin C, potassium, magnesium and dietary fiber — can help fight cancer, diabetes, obesity, and inflammatory-based disorders like heart disease and arthritis.”

Dr. Axe

Did “Ewe” Know…

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Sheep!

A few facts from ScienceKids.com:

  • There are over 1 billion sheep in the world.
  • Sheep have a field of vision of around 300 degrees, allowing them to see behind themselves without having to turn their head.
  • The digestive system of sheep features four chambers which help break down what they eat.

    “A 2002 Oxford study found that insomniacs who counted imaginary ewes actually took longer to nod off. ” Mentalfloss.com

 

 

Funny How the Mind Works

I’m taking painting classes through Creativebug.com (Lisa Congdon!) and last night, right before bed, I painted this:

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I went to bed and when I woke up, I thought of a vintage dress a friend gave me over twenty years ago. It’s stored in a closet in my office – and I never look at it. Yet something evoked a need to look at the pattern:

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Voila!

It makes you realize how your brain is working while you sleep. I notice that whatever I think about right before I go to bed is clarified somehow when I wake up. This is why watching informative and inspiring programs before bed is better than watching news…this is why reading a good book is better than arguing…and this is why asking yourself “How can I solve this problem?” is a better question than “Why me?”

 

Doodles + Four Facts

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Mosquitos – Malaria, transmitted by mosquitos, kills nearly one million people in the world every year. www.Nature.com.

Fruit Cocktail (the Del Monte variety) used to include alcohol (!) but Prohibition er…prohibited that. Frugality led to fruit cocktail as “spoiled parts” of fruit were cut around to save the good parts. Voila! Fruit “cocktail.” www.thekitchn.com

Peg Leg – The first use of peg legs go back to the 1500’s: Francois le Clerc, known as the first pirate with a peg leg. (www.thepirateking.com)

Spigots – Invented as early as 1700 B.C.! www.plumbinghelptoday.com

 

 

 

 

Pomegranate Blossoms

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Just don’t get pomegranate juice on your white shirt!

Pomegranates are “among the healthiest of all fruits” according to healthline.com.

One of the most important nutrients they contain are “punicalagins.”

Punicalagins are extremely powerful antioxidants found in the juice and peel of a pomegranate.

They are so powerful that pomegranate juice has been found to have three times the antioxidant activity of red wine and green tea (3).

Pomegranate extract and powder is typically made from the peel, due to its high antioxidant and punicalagin content.

-Healthline.com on pomegranates

Your Checking Account

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The poor, misunderstood ostrich!

The “head in the sand” saying originated as a reference to ostriches hiding their heads in the sand. It alludes to a belief that if you can’t see a predator, they can’t see you. Or, more figuratively, that you refuse to see a problem. However, ostriches do not do that. They lower their heads to eat, but they don’t hide in bushes or in sand.

Another misfortune for the ostrich: though they are birds, they cannot fly.

However, they have such strong legs, that they can kill a lion just by kicking him! (Kids National Geographic) In running, their stride can be as long as 16 feet and – they are the world’s fastest land animal.

Did you know that the ostrich’s eye is the largest of any land animal? (awf.org)

I listened to a podcast the other day. One sentence big takeaway: “If you want to know where your priorities are, take a look at your checking account.”

I realized I spend quite a bit on groceries and dining out. I love animals and I want to help, so I just made a donation to the African Wildlife Foundation. They are accredited by the BBB. I invite you to consider acting on your “priorities.”

Locals: There will be an Ostrich Festival in Chandler, AZ March 9 – 11!