Tuesday, February 9, 2010
Posted by chrystibella on January 30, 2010
Found this neat-to website through a friend. Looks interesting and worth some browsing.
http://www.lifeevents.org/5-tibetans-energy-rejuvenation-exercises.htm
Sphere: Related ContentPosted by chrystibella on January 26, 2010
I often find it a treat to discover new artists on the internet. Watching them develop over time, honing in on skills and finding their niche along the way. One such delight is Shannon Blystone. I started listening to Shannon on You Tube about two years ago. Her channel is oconvideo.
Here is a new star in development!
Check out her songs. She’s quite good. You can also find out more about her here: http://www.oconnorrecords.com
Shannon is definitely someone I would like to see in the more mainstream media. I look forward to the day I hear her on the radio or see her walking the red carpet. It can happen. I used to listen to Colbie Calait on my space way back before she had her first cd out. Now she’s well known for her talent. Shannon, is on her way up!
Sphere: Related ContentPosted by chrystibella on November 27, 2009
I see myself mirrored back to me in you.
I see YOU as you do not see yourself.
It is a habit for me to tear myself apart. The wounds of life can be harsh and I am easily obliged to become caught up in a wave of
self loathing.
But when I look at you, listen to you speak, your wounds are sometimes as visible as my own.
Yet I see more. Beyond the surface. I see what you don’t see.
I admire qualities in you that you probably don’t realize you have.
Your beauty is so apparent.
I overlook or don’t even notice the faults you hold within your being and in that regard it makes me feel safe.
You don’t have to be perfect.
I accept you when you are in good moods or bad, goofy or sad. I rejoice in your happiness and support you when you are down. When I see your smile and feel you radiating positive energy towards me I tend to focus less on my own short comings and instead accept me for who I am (through your eyes instead of my own), regarding the joy you leave upon my soul with your friendship, your love and the foundation that you bring to my life with the greatest appreciation I have ever experienced.
Your awareness helps me to love myself because you love me, and for knowing you, I am a better person.
Sphere: Related ContentPosted by chrystibella on November 5, 2009
One of the things I love about the “Fall” season is a good soup simmering on the stove. It really makes a house feel like a home.
My son, who is 19, is living two hours away while he’s in school and now calls me to ask for recipes. It made me think about documenting some of them to pass along to him.
So tonight for dinner we had something I’m calling “Almost Chicken and Dumplings.” I made soup but didn’t want to stand there rolling dough for dumplings so I added a little bit of potato and rice and it gave a really nice texture and flavor. The first time I made this recipe I put in a little too much rice and it turned into a rice dish so I tried it again tonight with less rice. I used 1/4 cup of rice and it was just on the verge of being too thick so next time maybe 1/3 cup of rice will make it just right.
This is a very basic recipe: It’s simple and can be modified – instead of rice, make dumplings if you’re up to it. The rice absorbs the broth, expands and softens. My husband didn’t realize it WAS rice. LOL!
Cook time is going to be two sets of 45 minutes and one set of 20 minutes before it is ready to eat so plan accordingly. It smells wonderful while it’s cooking. Makes you feel all warm and cozy. Great for those cold winter days.
Ingredients:
Leeks are better but seem to be rather expensive these days so I have been using green onions for my soups and they seem to give it the sweetness and taste similar to leeks.
Chop fine. I don’t like to bite into celery so the finer the better.
Put chopped onions, celery and garlic in pan with butter and saute (stir constantly) just until it starts getting glossy and you can see it is cooked but not browned. Paula Deen says, “Everything tastes better with a stick of butter.” So if you are cooking healthy use the olive oil. If you want the rich sweetness use butter.
Add broth and one cup of water. (if I have extra broth on hand I substitute by adding an extra cup of broth in place of the water, makes the soup have more flavor.)
Add a handful of chopped parsley, poultry seasoning, salt, pepper and bay leaf.
Bring to boil and add:
I use the boneless chicken breast that I buy at Trader Joe’s in the frozen section.
Small bag or about 2 cups worth
3-4 small potatoes. Don’t want to cut them too small because they will fall apart. I cut them in half or leave them whole (depends on how small.)
Directions:
Stir and bring to a nice soft boil and then set the stove temperature to low. On my electric stove, I set it to “3′. Cover pot with lid and set timer to 45 minutes. Let the soup simmer with a light boil. Return after 45 minutes to check on soup and stir. Cover again and set the timer for another 45 minutes.
After the second 45 minutes are up, check on the soup. Stir a little then add about 1/3 cup of uncooked long grain rice. You don’t want to add too much rice because it will expand and absorb some of the liquid and adding too much rice will turn your soup into a rice pilaf. So unless you are looking to make rice pilaf, don’t add too much rice. I learned the hard way.
After you add the rice, stir the soup and bring to a boil again. Not a raging boil but a soft boil. Stir once more and then set the burner temperature back to low. #2 or 3 on my stove.
Cover pot and set timer to 20 minutes. Check and stir to see how the rice is cooking after time is up. You don’t want it stuck to the bottom of the pot. It should be cooked after 20 minutes so once it looks done you can add 1 cup of half and half to the soup. You can also use cream but I rarely have it handy. I use half and half for coffee so we usually have it on hand. Milk will work also but be extra careful not to curdle it.
*IMPORTANT: Cream can take boiling, but milk will break. Don’t let the soup come to a boil once the milk is added. Add the milk at the end and just heat it. If it does curdle it will still taste good but will look yucky.
You should have a flavorful, lightly rich chicken soup. The rice gets really soft as it absorbs the juice and will offer the thickness and satisfaction of noodles or dumplings without actually making dumplings. If you are up for it, then make dumplings instead of adding rice. Wild rice would be good too. I’m thinking of adding mushrooms and wild rice. There are many ways to experiment with this basic soup recipe.
The above photo had 1/4 cup of rice added and is thicker.
This time, I used only 1/3 cup of rice and liked it much better. I also cut up the chicken into bite sized pieces after it was cooked.
Bon Appetit!
*One way to save a soup or sauce if you accidentally curdle the milk is to add a binder such as a roux (made from flour and butter) or a slurry (made from cornstarch and water). Add a little as a thickening agent and it should bind the milk so you don’t have the curdles.
I’m not endorsing or getting paid to talk about any products, just mentioning the ones I use because I like them best. Hey, I’m a huge Trader Joe’s fan. They are right in my neighborhood; the employees are always friendly and helpful. I love the familiar, family, local merchant feel. Plus they have great prices! If you go into my kitchen you will see Trader Joe’s brand on just about every food product. I like them. What can I say? You find a product or service you like and you stick with it. That’s how I roll.
Sphere: Related ContentPosted by chrystibella on September 22, 2009
I’ve always felt that a person’s character was their best asset.
My mom used to tell me when I was growing up that you may be able to fool people but God sees everything. That worked. I behaved. LOL!!! Not because I’m such a good person but because I knew my karma would be affected. Things we do can often come back to bite us.
Seriously, though. Character traits have more value for me than a person’s accomplishments. I’ve known some bad people in high places. What a person has doesn’t mean much. It is who the person is, inside that matters.
Having power, wealth, position is a true test of character. Having unlimited choices and opportunities to do what one wishes. To have power, control, yet still holding oneself accountable for consequences is a true test of what a person’s soul is made of.
That’s why I like what my mom used to say about how no matter what you do, God knows the truth. It doesn’t matter if a person is religious or what higher power they lean towards. We know the truth within ourselves and we live with ourselves and that knowledge shapes who we are as human beings. Yes, we can fool people around us but we cannot fool ourselves if we are not truthful and honest, we know it. This is why it has always been my opinion that a good character is stronger than anything.
This is just something I was thinking about today.
Free photo by Big Stock Photo
Sphere: Related ContentPosted by chrystibella on August 13, 2009
This video struck home for me. I don’t have a lot of things that I hang on to. I tend to get my feathers ruffled from time to time but I easily forgive and forget and move forward.
I do, however, struggle with certain things that have happened in my life that I had to waste a lot of time getting over and growing beyond the hurt and damage. In those times I have to be in a constant forgiving sort of mode. I forgive to release myself from the bondage and the baggage that holds me from the things or thoughts that truly make me happy. It is so true that it takes less muscles in the face to smile than to frown. So in that way, it also takes more energy to hold on to hurt and pain than it does to release it and make room for the positive things that life has to offer. Though, still sometimes I can be guilty of sitting in my own pity pool. I have to make the effort to forgive in order to move forward but in some cases the forgiveness is a constant process. It doesn’t mean we forget what happened but we refuse to hurt over it any longer and by letting go of the blame it makes it easier to let go of the pain.
Sphere: Related ContentPosted by chrystibella on August 10, 2009
Sometimes I feel way too sensitive. I know, believe me….. I know.
But lately I have felt invisible.
There are times when I feel as though my smile, or my kindness is taken for granted.
I don’t have a sign that says walk on me posted on my forehead either. Something has been bugging the s**t out of me.
I love my friends and I am grateful to have them in my life… but there are times… when I would like to talk.
I have things to say too. I want to participate, not just sit there smiling and nodding. I am more than a listener. I am patient while they go into detail about kids, husbands, boyfriends, jobs, school, illnesses, etc. Long drawn out details. I hate it when I have to jump in quickly to get a word in edgewise and then get interrupted just because I paused to take a breath of air! This does not happen all the time but lately I have noticed that it has happened on several occasions and with different people.
If I want to say something I have to talk fast and get straight to the point and do it as quickly as possible before they take back the conversation and I find myself nodding my head just sitting there being talked at. My neck gets stiff and I start to get a headache. Maybe it takes more effort to listen? Perhaps even more effort when you are not participating in two way speech. I’ve been looking towards my own self esteem issues trying to figure out what kind of signal I might be sending. Things have been tough in my life but not recently I’ve felt much better and moving into a positive direction. My self esteem should be fine. Not that I could discuss it. I don’t get a chance to talk, remember? LOL! Anyway. It’s not with all of my friends that this occurs. In most settings everything flows naturally, and I really enjoy the company. Laughter and talking are an ease and all participate equally.
When I am with a friend who goes on and on about themselves giving every mundane detail without any comment from me other than an “ooh or ah or really”; then I begin to consider that my feelings or thoughts don’t matter much to them. I’m warm and breathing after all. Should be good enough, huh? =) Then I think, why be friends with this person? I’m friends because I like them and other than monopolizing the conversation, they are pretty nice people.
I wonder if I matter at all to them. I probably do. Or maybe not?
Everybody matters, I think. Some folks just don’t notice what they are doing. I always try my best to be considerate; to include everyone and treat all as though they are worthwhile. I never have my back on anybody when we are in a group. If I have to move my chair or change my position I will always open up a space for them to join in so that nobody feels outside the group. I don’t like feeling excluded either, so I try really hard not to do that to anybody.
I really do enjoy listening to people tell funny stories and talk about their life. I do. It just feels much better when I also get to share and take part and be listened to. I know I can’t be the only one who has this problem at times. Do you ever feel invisible in a group or like someone is talking at you instead of with you? It’s like being a third wheel and I don’t like it one bit. I can’t really say that I would stop being friends with the offenders because they are not bad people, just a bit inconsiderate and I don’t know the proper way to tell them this. Why? Because I’m too damned sensitive and I don’t want to hurt their feelings so I’ll swallow the notion and stew in it. LOL!!!
It’s not easy being me.
I don’t know if any of my friends read my blog but if you are one of my friends and you think you might be one of the people who talks on and on. Don’t ask me if you are because I won’t tell you. But here’s an idea for everyone…. The next time you are visiting with friends be sure that you are not the only one doing the talking. =) Spend some time listening too. Everybody has a better time when they get to interact in the conversation.
Sphere: Related ContentPosted by chrystibella on August 8, 2009
I love the web! I rarely use cook books anymore. If I want a recipe I do a search on the Internet and get some great options and find new things I wasn’t even looking for. This morning I was doing a search for baked eggs and found this:
Here is a really great blog that has recipes for all kinds of yummy delicious foods. It is called Baking Bites. There are even recipes for making homemade Girl Scout cookies! The Thin Mints are my favorite so I am definitely going to try this one.
I have added this website to my links so that I remember where it is. I always do that when I find something that I want to return to. With so much info on the web it’s easy to misplace or forget a good site when I come across one.
Here are more of the recipes for the Homemade Girl Scout Cookies:
Sphere: Related ContentPosted by chrystibella on July 31, 2009
I’ve been having an allergic reaction on my face for months. My face would get red blotches that felt like a sunburn, my eyes would get puffy and my face and neck would itch like crazy and burn when I scratched. Then my skin got dry and flaky. I never once attributed it to my make up because I was using mineral make up and that’s supposed to be the purest make up to use. It doesn’t even expire. I had been using the mineral make up for years with no problems so of course I didn’t even think of it.
I kept thinking I was having a food allergy. At first I thought perhaps it was from red wine because it happened after I had drank wine one night. So I cut out wine. Then I thought perhaps it was the tomato juice or the beer I would drink on Saturday nights because every Sunday morning I would wake up to the itching, puffy face. I was taking benadryl every day to ward off the allergy. By Tuesday my face would begin to stop itching but it would be dry and flaky all week. So much so that I didn’t wear make up at all during the week and only wore it on Saturday nights when we went out to the local VFW for karaoke.
The break outs occurred after an event, the event meant I was wearing makeup. This week I decided I was going to go with out make up all week and that I wouldn’t even wear it on Saturday night just to see if it was my make up that I was allergic to. So then I did an internet search to see if mineral make up caused any allergic reactions. And viola! There is was! There were forums about it! How could I have missed this for so long?!?
Most Mineral make up contains Bismuth Oxychloridein. Is Mineral Make Up Causing My Skin To Ich also listed other ingredients that can irritate skin. Not all mineral make up has bismuth oxychlordein so you can find brands that won’t irritate your skin. The Mineral Make Up Blog has some great information about different brands. From everything I have read, Aromaleigh is said to be one of the best. I don’t know for sure because I have not tried it. Aromaleigh does not contain bismuth oxychloridein.
I also read that make up brushes can cause skin irritation. You can wash your brushes using shampoo. I did this yesterday and all of my brushes look like new. I normally do wash them but you do need to do this at least every two weeks. How to wash make up brushes explains the details.
So now I know what has been causing my skin irritation. I’m throwing out all of my mineral make up and starting over. I just bought new mascara a couple weeks ago and I have under eye stuff so what I’ll need is some foundation, blush and an eye shadow set. I’m not going mineral just yet. Instead, I’m opting for Physicians Forumla. It’s supposed to be less hypoallergenic, yet according to this article, Are “Hypoallergenic” Cosmetics Really Better?, you can’t even trust what advertising says about a product, you have to look at the ingredients. I’m just going with the Physicians Forumala make up right now because it is inexpensive and I’ve used it before with no problems. I may eventually venture back into using some mineral make up. I want to try the Aromaleigh at some point. But when you have to throw our all of your make up and start over, it can be pricey.
Note: I’m adding this to my post. I had been using Bella Pierre Mineral makeup and I found out that it does not contain the bizmuth oxychloridein. In fact most of what I found on the web regarding Bella Pierre was positive. It is one of the purest mineral make ups out there. So then I was even more puzzled! I kept searching and found out that there is another ingredient that can cause skin irritation. Carmine. It does contain Carmine. Which I must be allergic to. I am so sad to have to part with my mineral make up, not only is it expensive but I really loved the way it looked. Ever since I stopped using it and started using the Physician’s Formula make up, my face stopped itching and getting hives. So I am pretty sure it was something in the mineral make that was causing it.
Sphere: Related Content* Carmine
In spite of that carmine has been approved by the FDA as safe to use in color cosmetics it is not recommended for people with sensitive skin. Carmine is a dark red pigment made of the crushed shells of cochineal beetles which are dried, ground and added to the cosmetic base. It has been stated that severe allergic reactions can develop.Mineral make up can help you create radiant, glowing skin. To prevent the development of allergy to mineral make up you need to look through the ingredient list before buying the cosmetics.
Posted by chrystibella on July 29, 2009
I like Danny Noreiga. He’s beautiful. The song was one of my favorites when I was a kid.
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