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Just for fun: the random, useless announcements thread!
Hope you are feeling better today, @federica. Ginger/lemon/turmeric tea always helps me, too.
It is 52F here today. Above zero, even. It hasn't been that warm since October. This is no jacket, maybe even tshirt, weather for us. Absolutely lovely. 8 days ago, it was -33F. Improvement of 85 degrees in less than a week, I'll take it.
Actually, Fede, I was joking when I mentioned the healthy diet, since about a month ago, despite my wholesome diet, I fell down with an awful flu despite my litres of green tea and organic regime
I can officially declare that as of yesterday, I have a cold again, for the second time in three months...
Merde!!!
0
federicaSeeker of the clear blue sky...Its better to remain silent and be thought a fool, than to speak out and remove all doubtModerator
If there's something on this planet which truly never discriminates, it is the Common Cold - which is a misnomer, because, the reason they haven't found a cure for it is that it affects everyone slightly differently - I caught this doozie from my husband - but its effect on him, is entirely different to the way it's affected me. (there's a nicely-composed grammatically-correct sentence for you! )
It's been a horrible year for illness. We felt lucky to avoid it in the fall, but then we all caught a respiratory virus where the worst (fever, congested head and so on) lasted only 4 days, but the cough lasted 4-5 weeks. 10 days after everyone recovered from that, another cold went through and caught only the 6 year old and my husband. My husband got the worst of it, and while he was still sick, and I was out of town, our 6 year old caught a stomach bug. He just returned to school today after being sent home after throwing up on the carpet at school last Thursday...so almost a full week. Him being a diabetic, stomach viruses wreak havoc on his blood sugars and make them very difficult to manage when he cannot eat. Thankfully, we weathered the vomit storm without him having to be hospitalized.
Thankfully the nice weather should help as people get out and get some sun and fresh air. I hope everyone who is ill/poorly is feeling better soon.
PS: I get a giggle out of a British FB friend saying "I am poorly today." I think that's a great way to say it. Much better than "I am sick" which is what we say.
PPS: My calla lily has sprouted and it's time to plant my seed asparagus. Spring is on the way
0
federicaSeeker of the clear blue sky...Its better to remain silent and be thought a fool, than to speak out and remove all doubtModerator
It's a beautiful morning - and the sun is placed in exactly the right position for us to be able to 'see' the eclipse, perfectly!
My neighbour -the six-pack heartthrob who makes me anxious in the summer when he tills the garden topless- has invited me for breakfast at the café terrace opposite and we have watched the eclipse.
The sun was perfectly in front of us. So beautiful to watch!
We're flying for Buenos Aires in the next hours, so I have to rush for the shower.
Have some final packing to do.
"Chant a mantra," F.L. Woodward, Nyanatiloka Thero, Alexandra David-Neel and Rhys-Davids go in my hand luggage backpack as usual.
Okakura Kakuzo's "The Book of Tea" goes too...
I guess that's heavy enough...
I'll try to log in now and then during the next three weeks...
Hope somebody misses the dragon :-)
A big kiss for everyone!!!♥♥♥
I'm done with the packaging, so I thought I'd log back for a few minutes.
We had breakfast with our neighbour (ALL of us...) and we'll have a quick pizza at the restaurant on the corner.
My backpack is so heavy, but I can't bring myself to get any book out.
I'm such a nutcase
I let my wife convince me to roll a new character on World of Warcraft after not playing for years. I need to not let her cuteness win me over like that!
(For the curious, Pandaren Monk, but I miss my level 85 Druid and 82 Shammy.)
I've just started to collect pretty leaves ...The second on the left was the first to catch the eye consciousness, as I was walking to work yesterday, it really stood out with all the season's colours on one leaf, green, gold,and brown...My work colleagues were also taken by the pretty colours...
I wonder if there's a name for those who collect leaves for a hobby, a little weird comes to mind
I collected old leaves for a while. Your collection is very much like mine. If you display them in a gallery it is biodegradeable art. If in a mental hospital, some indication of psychosis. If to notice beauty in simple things, just a harmless eccentricity . . .
Here is a last remaining oak leaf from late last autumn that I left in situ but added extreme filtering to . . .
Keep up the good/eccentric work. Thanks for reminder.
silverIn the beginning there was nothing, and then it exploded.USA, Left coast.Veteran
They are so beautiful, @Shoshin. The first one that caught your eye (1st pic) reminds me of a calico cat. Appreciating every little thing like that (leaves, stones, etc.) makes me feel like a little god-dess - reminds me of the Bible verse about how S/He knows (counts) every hair on our heads; every feather on every bird, etc. How we appreciate their uniqueness and essence.
federicaSeeker of the clear blue sky...Its better to remain silent and be thought a fool, than to speak out and remove all doubtModerator
From another thread:
@genkaku said: Thomas Edison was once asked about the 2,000 failed experiments he made before he invented the incandescent light bulb. He replied, approximately, "I didn't fail: I discovered 2,000 ways that didn't work."
Last ones I promise...I just couldn't stop my self when I saw the one on the left, (and you know what it's like-Ignorance-Mental Formation-Consciousness-Mind & Matter- Sense Gates-Contact- Feeling-Craving etc etc) but I think it's just a phase I'm going through...This too shall pass...(Fingers crossed)
Oh and what was it the Buddha did, when walking in the forest with a handful of leaves ?
A HANDFUL OF LEAVES "The Blessed One was once living at Kosambi in a wood of simsapa trees. He picked up a few leaves in his hand, and he asked the bhikkhus, ‘How do you conceive this, bhikkhus, which is more, the few leaves that I have picked up in my hand or those on the trees in the wood?
‘The leaves that the Blessed One has picked up in his hand are few, Lord; those in the wood are far more.’
‘So too, bhikkhus, the things that I have known by direct knowledge are more; the things that I have told you are only a few. Why have I not told them? Because they bring no benefit, no advancement in the Holy Life, and because they do not lead to dispassion, to fading, to ceasing, to stilling, to direct knowledge, to enlightenment, to Nibbana. That is why I have not told them. And what have I told you? This is suffering; this is the origin of suffering; this is the cessation of suffering; this is the way leading to the cessation of suffering. That is what I have told you. Why have I told it? Because it brings benefit, and advancement in the Holy Life, and because it leads to dispassion, to fading, to ceasing, to stilling, to direct knowledge, to enlightenment, to Nibbana. So bhikkhus, let your task be this: This is suffering; this is the origin of suffering; this is the cessation of suffering; this is the way leading to the cessation of suffering.’
I luvs them bells. I think it signifies the arrival of the easter bunny who arrives in a magical choccy egg . . .
1
federicaSeeker of the clear blue sky...Its better to remain silent and be thought a fool, than to speak out and remove all doubtModerator
Today is Palm Sunday.
Ironic that catholic Churches look upon this Sunday as a good one for benevolent folk to dig a little deeper in their pockets and up their donations, in time for the Crucifixion-based festivities of next week.... Is that Crossing their 'Palms' with Silver?
I know.
My mother landed in our appartment this morning (we're in Buenos Aires, remember?) with a handful of olive branches while delivering her Catholic speech of Jesus and bla bla bla...
So yes, I know...
2
federicaSeeker of the clear blue sky...Its better to remain silent and be thought a fool, than to speak out and remove all doubtModerator
"Yes mom, and the Pharisees crossed Judas' palm with silver, and the Catholic church hasn't changed a bit since. Now, who's for a nice cup of tea...?"
Easter is coming up, an excuse to eat lots of chocolate, yum yum! I must remember to check the supermarkets next week for unsold Easter eggs going cheap.....
My mother is already delivering her speech of eating fish and staying away from meat on Good Friday, precisely when my husband is planning to eat his 10th sirloin steak in ten days.
Okay, by Good Friday that will be his 13th....
Coming to think of it, Friday and 13....
My mother, every year, brings us palm fronds from church. Then later, she calls to lecture me about properly disposing of something I never wanted to start with. I always found it funny that people, of all things, choose to "sacrifice" meat (except the fish) without even considering what would truly be a sacrifice for them to give up, and then give it up for the entirety of lent. Giving up meat one day a week is hardly a sacrifice when most of them just head to the church for a fish fry anyhow. Silly.
Difficult being surrounded by well meaning Buddhists, vegans or Christians.
Personally all my family are not really interested too much in converting others to their personal indoctrination. I pop into church's with historical and cultural interest rather than anti or pro baggage, pressure and assumptions.
Even if the Church is busy, hassling people with communal Bonhomie is not the way around here and we have Churches everywhere . . .
'Buddha Be with You' as we Catholic Dharmaists say . . .
frogs seem to be having a good time . . . here is a safe for work pic I took yesterday, most pics were unsuitable frog porn, they seem to have gone wild, multiple partner frog orgies. Have they no natural restraint?
federicaSeeker of the clear blue sky...Its better to remain silent and be thought a fool, than to speak out and remove all doubtModerator
Never, ever EVER use a separate fabric softener on your clothes.
You know that weird black, nasty slimy mould in your washing machine drawer? You know, where you put the liquids and fabric softener? It's from your fabric conditioner.
Fabric conditioner contains lipids *. These are added to keep fabrics smooth, easy-to-iron, water repellent and pliable.
They're also mould-magnets and go off, which means essentially, you're washing mould into your machine every time you wash.
You should never, period, use a conditioner on towels, sports gear, microfibre cloths and flame retardant fabrics. Actually, that just makes them MORE flammable. Yes, MORE.
(* Lipid: any of a class of organic compounds that are fatty acids or their derivatives and are insoluble in water but soluble in organic solvents. They include many natural oils, waxes, and steroids. )
But use of fabric conditioners has been sold to us as being beneficial, good for your clothes, nice-smelling and protective.
Sure, these claims are partially correct.
but because the rinse cycle is never suitably long enough to thoroughly rinse your clothing, actually, too much of it stays in your clothes and leads to sweat-staining, and degradation of fibres.
Comments
Take up smoking fags if you want a sexy voice!
( note to transatlantic cousins: "fag" = cigarette in British slang, not somebody who is gay! )
Damn.... wrong again....
Hope you are feeling better today, @federica. Ginger/lemon/turmeric tea always helps me, too.
It is 52F here today. Above zero, even. It hasn't been that warm since October. This is no jacket, maybe even tshirt, weather for us. Absolutely lovely. 8 days ago, it was -33F. Improvement of 85 degrees in less than a week, I'll take it.
yes karasti warmer in michigan too 43 F
Actually, Fede, I was joking when I mentioned the healthy diet, since about a month ago, despite my wholesome diet, I fell down with an awful flu despite my litres of green tea and organic regime
I can officially declare that as of yesterday, I have a cold again, for the second time in three months...
Merde!!!
If there's something on this planet which truly never discriminates, it is the Common Cold - which is a misnomer, because, the reason they haven't found a cure for it is that it affects everyone slightly differently - I caught this doozie from my husband - but its effect on him, is entirely different to the way it's affected me. (there's a nicely-composed grammatically-correct sentence for you!
)
It's been a horrible year for illness. We felt lucky to avoid it in the fall, but then we all caught a respiratory virus where the worst (fever, congested head and so on) lasted only 4 days, but the cough lasted 4-5 weeks. 10 days after everyone recovered from that, another cold went through and caught only the 6 year old and my husband. My husband got the worst of it, and while he was still sick, and I was out of town, our 6 year old caught a stomach bug. He just returned to school today after being sent home after throwing up on the carpet at school last Thursday...so almost a full week. Him being a diabetic, stomach viruses wreak havoc on his blood sugars and make them very difficult to manage when he cannot eat. Thankfully, we weathered the vomit storm without him having to be hospitalized.
Thankfully the nice weather should help as people get out and get some sun and fresh air. I hope everyone who is ill/poorly is feeling better soon.
PS: I get a giggle out of a British FB friend saying "I am poorly today." I think that's a great way to say it. Much better than "I am sick" which is what we say.
PPS: My calla lily has sprouted and it's time to plant my seed asparagus. Spring is on the way
It's a beautiful morning - and the sun is placed in exactly the right position for us to be able to 'see' the eclipse, perfectly!
My neighbour -the six-pack heartthrob who makes me anxious in the summer when he tills the garden topless- has invited me for breakfast at the café terrace opposite and we have watched the eclipse.
The sun was perfectly in front of us. So beautiful to watch!
You iz naughty! You sure you were watching the eclipse?
Sadly I missed it by a few minute minutes.
But the six pack was tucked away, anyway, so the eclipse was more interesting this time...
She said, quickly.
But nobody believed her.......
Have some final packing to do.
"Chant a mantra," F.L. Woodward, Nyanatiloka Thero, Alexandra David-Neel and Rhys-Davids go in my hand luggage backpack as usual.
Okakura Kakuzo's "The Book of Tea" goes too...
I guess that's heavy enough...
I'll try to log in now and then during the next three weeks...
Hope somebody misses the dragon :-)
A big kiss for everyone!!!♥♥♥
Grab a few rays for me.
Kiss right back at cha.
Forget the books - pack ME!!!!!
I'm done with the packaging, so I thought I'd log back for a few minutes.
We had breakfast with our neighbour (ALL of us...) and we'll have a quick pizza at the restaurant on the corner.
My backpack is so heavy, but I can't bring myself to get any book out.
I'm such a nutcase
(For the curious, Pandaren Monk, but I miss my level 85 Druid and 82 Shammy.)
Caught this pic of a golden eagle yesterday on a walk along the Thames . . .
All invented by an English gentleman! Jolly good.
Ticketty-boo. Spifffing, I say, what?
Rather!
I've just started to collect pretty leaves ...The second on the left was the first to catch the eye consciousness, as I was walking to work yesterday, it really stood out with all the season's colours on one leaf, green, gold,and brown...My work colleagues were also taken by the pretty colours...
I wonder if there's a name for those who collect leaves for a hobby, a little weird comes to mind
I collected old leaves for a while. Your collection is very much like mine. If you display them in a gallery it is biodegradeable art. If in a mental hospital, some indication of psychosis. If to notice beauty in simple things, just a harmless eccentricity . . .
Here is a last remaining oak leaf from late last autumn that I left in situ but added extreme filtering to . . .
Keep up the good/eccentric work. Thanks for reminder.
I've decided to turn over a new leaf....
Today's collection...(I really like the look of the grey one on the far left)
They are so beautiful, @Shoshin. The first one that caught your eye (1st pic) reminds me of a calico cat. Appreciating every little thing like that (leaves, stones, etc.) makes me feel like a little god-dess - reminds me of the Bible verse about how S/He knows (counts) every hair on our heads; every feather on every bird, etc. How we appreciate their uniqueness and essence.
Thanks @silver
From another thread:
Thomas Alva Edison was an out-and-out jerk.
http://theoatmeal.com/comics/tesla
http://www.usnews.com/opinion/articles/2013/03/21/why-thomas-edison-isnt-the-inventor-of-the-light-bulb?page=2
Came across this temporary art installation outside the Dorchester Hotel
Isn't Mother Nature wonderful (Or am I just being [a] wonderfool)
If he leaf on the right doesn't speak of impermanence, nothing does...
Last ones I promise...I just couldn't stop my self when I saw the one on the left, (and you know what it's like-Ignorance-Mental Formation-Consciousness-Mind & Matter- Sense Gates-Contact- Feeling-Craving etc etc) but I think it's just a phase I'm going through...This too shall pass...(Fingers crossed)
Oh and what was it the Buddha did, when walking in the forest with a handful of leaves ?
A HANDFUL OF LEAVES
"The Blessed One was once living at Kosambi in a wood of simsapa trees. He picked up a few leaves in his hand, and he asked the bhikkhus, ‘How do you conceive this, bhikkhus, which is more, the few leaves that I have picked up in my hand or those on the trees in the wood?
‘The leaves that the Blessed One has picked up in his hand are few, Lord; those in the wood are far more.’
‘So too, bhikkhus, the things that I have known by direct knowledge are more; the things that I have told you are only a few. Why have I not told them? Because they bring no benefit, no advancement in the Holy Life, and because they do not lead to dispassion, to fading, to ceasing, to stilling, to direct knowledge, to enlightenment, to Nibbana. That is why I have not told them. And what have I told you? This is suffering; this is the origin of suffering; this is the cessation of suffering; this is the way leading to the cessation of suffering. That is what I have told you. Why have I told it? Because it brings benefit, and advancement in the Holy Life, and because it leads to dispassion, to fading, to ceasing, to stilling, to direct knowledge, to enlightenment, to Nibbana. So bhikkhus, let your task be this: This is suffering; this is the origin of suffering; this is the cessation of suffering; this is the way leading to the cessation of suffering.’
[Samyutta Nikaya, LVI, 31]"
I can hear Church bells.
I luvs them bells. I think it signifies the arrival of the easter bunny who arrives in a magical choccy egg . . .
Today is Palm Sunday.
Ironic that catholic Churches look upon this Sunday as a good one for benevolent folk to dig a little deeper in their pockets and up their donations, in time for the Crucifixion-based festivities of next week.... Is that Crossing their 'Palms' with Silver?
Didn't Judas live to regret his purse of coins?
Oh it's all interconnected....!
I know.
My mother landed in our appartment this morning (we're in Buenos Aires, remember?) with a handful of olive branches while delivering her Catholic speech of Jesus and bla bla bla...
So yes, I know...
"Yes mom, and the Pharisees crossed Judas' palm with silver, and the Catholic church hasn't changed a bit since. Now, who's for a nice cup of tea...?"
Easter is coming up, an excuse to eat lots of chocolate, yum yum! I must remember to check the supermarkets next week for unsold Easter eggs going cheap.....
My mother is already delivering her speech of eating fish and staying away from meat on Good Friday, precisely when my husband is planning to eat his 10th sirloin steak in ten days.
Okay, by Good Friday that will be his 13th....
Coming to think of it, Friday and 13....
My mother, every year, brings us palm fronds from church. Then later, she calls to lecture me about properly disposing of something I never wanted to start with. I always found it funny that people, of all things, choose to "sacrifice" meat (except the fish) without even considering what would truly be a sacrifice for them to give up, and then give it up for the entirety of lent. Giving up meat one day a week is hardly a sacrifice when most of them just head to the church for a fish fry anyhow. Silly.
Difficult being surrounded by well meaning Buddhists, vegans or Christians.
Personally all my family are not really interested too much in converting others to their personal indoctrination. I pop into church's with historical and cultural interest rather than anti or pro baggage, pressure and assumptions.
Even if the Church is busy, hassling people with communal Bonhomie is not the way around here and we have Churches everywhere . . .
'Buddha Be with You' as we Catholic Dharmaists say . . .
frogs seem to be having a good time . . . here is a safe for work pic I took yesterday, most pics were unsuitable frog porn, they seem to have gone wild, multiple partner frog orgies. Have they no natural restraint?
All the more frogs for you to eat!
Athletics, anyone....? No? Figures.....
Never, ever EVER use a separate fabric softener on your clothes.
You know that weird black, nasty slimy mould in your washing machine drawer? You know, where you put the liquids and fabric softener? It's from your fabric conditioner.
Fabric conditioner contains lipids *. These are added to keep fabrics smooth, easy-to-iron, water repellent and pliable.
They're also mould-magnets and go off, which means essentially, you're washing mould into your machine every time you wash.
You should never, period, use a conditioner on towels, sports gear, microfibre cloths and flame retardant fabrics. Actually, that just makes them MORE flammable. Yes, MORE.
(* Lipid: any of a class of organic compounds that are fatty acids or their derivatives and are insoluble in water but soluble in organic solvents. They include many natural oils, waxes, and steroids. )
But use of fabric conditioners has been sold to us as being beneficial, good for your clothes, nice-smelling and protective.
Sure, these claims are partially correct.
but because the rinse cycle is never suitably long enough to thoroughly rinse your clothing, actually, too much of it stays in your clothes and leads to sweat-staining, and degradation of fibres.
Read more here.
You had a washing machine?! Luxury! We never even had clothes to wash....
D'you know, I was honestly waiting for that kinda reply... I thought 'Wait for it... either @lobster or @SpinyNorman ...."
You were waiting?! You were lucky! We never even had time, we were trapped in an eternal now!
....Mother told me there'd be days like this.......
You had a mother?!.....