by Roxanne -

Simple Living

Feeling hassled, rushed and harried is not living – not a life. Busyness and complexity are over rated. Being overscheduled is not the mark of importance or goodness. It is a mark of not carefully considering the content of one’s life.

Simplify your life. Here are some ideas to get started. Pick one that you would like to try for awhile. See how it works.

  • Get rid of the TV(s). It’s too negative, mind-numbing and junk food for the soul.
  • Stop cable, newspaper and magazine subscriptions.
  • Cancel cell phone(s) and use Skype.
  • Stop buying bottled water, soda, juices, vitamin drinks, sweetened teas or other bottled beverages.
  • Live in a smaller space – less to furnish, cool, heat, clean, paint, etc.
  • Leave your car at home. Bike, use public transport when possible.
  • Take a technology vacation. Check personal email at the end of the day or only once a week.
  • Read more. Join a book club.
  • Stop spending time with people who don’t make you feel good – even if they are “friends” or “family” because they aren’t.
  • Spend more time with real friends and cultivate new, healthy relationships (try the book club).
  • Get healthy on the inside. Stop negative or “victim-hood” self-talk. Practice healthy, affirmative and empowering self-talk every day.
  • Pay off bills. Stop buying stuff. Save more. Donate more.
  • Cook more. Use local food. Eat out less.
  • When you cook use meat as a flavoring. Eat more vegetables.
  • Make your own no-knead bread. Make your own Greek yogurt.
  • Make a pot of soup and share it.
  • Laugh more.
  • Write. Journal. Reflect.
  • Walk more.
  • Try one new thing each week.
  • Use a down comforter. Turn down the heat.
  • Let the sunlight in. Let in fresh air. Keep it clean.
  • Detach. Give away half your clothes, CDs, books, collections, etc.
  • Enjoy the empty space, cupboards, closets, cabinets, bookshelves. Much easier to keep clean.
  • Sit in silence. Do nothing for at least 20 minutes every day.
  • Do yoga, walking, running, swimming or any exercise you enjoy.
  • Drink less caffeine, more water or herbal tea.
  • Enjoy fresh flowers – inside or out.
  • Play more. Have fun.
  • Orient your life toward those who struggle. Learn about the root causes of poverty.
  • Love yourself deeply.
  • Share your life with others.
  • Love your life, where you are, just as it is.

There’s more. Simple Wardrobe and Simple Furniture posts coming soon . . .

You may also like Secret of Wealth From Ancient Babylon, Fill Your Life With Fabulous, and Simplify, Simplify, Simplify.

by Roxanne -

Glass Goblet Harp

People never cease to amaze me with their ingenuity and creativity.

  • Enjoy this lovely performance on Italian glass goblets!
  • And if you want another taste of the glass goblet harp try this one.

You may also like Just For the Fun of It, Sand Fantasy Retreat and Amazing Performance.

by Roxanne -

Girl Forward

GirlForward.org

As women we have a right not to be inculturated in a view of women that limits life opportunities and options (e.g. only marriage and motherhood). We have a right to live lives not defined by men, corporations or those in power – arguably the same.

When women do better children and whole communities do better. That’s why the Chicago mentoring non-profit GirlForward is such a wonderful idea!

This non-profit can give us an idea of what we are meant to do in the world – especially those of us with education who don’t struggle everyday with poverty.

Here’s their mission and vision:

“Mission – GirlForward provides adolescent refugee girls with individual mentorship, educational programs and leadership opportunities, creating a community of support that serves as a resource and empowers girls to be strong, confident, and independent.

Vision – A strong, empowered, confident girl today will become an independent woman who can successfully support herself, her family, and her community.”

This is a another way to continue the formation of women who can work to change the laws and systems that discriminate against women.

Until women share equally in the leadership and opportunities of the world none of the human family can truly flourish.

Because national laws are always and everywhere created by men, Catharine MacKinnon writes in her book Are Women Human?

“State behavior that promotes and institutionalizes male dominance has been found to distinguish public from private, naturalize dominance as difference, hide coercion behind consent, and obscure sexual politics behind morality” (4). Stated another way “Men violently dominating other men for control of states is called war; men violently dominating women within states is relegated to peace” (5).

Reframe: the abuse of women, physically, emotionally, economically or socially is violence against women.

You may also like InnerPeace – Ending Emotional Abuse, Other Options: Alternative Living Choices and Solving the Problem of Poverty.

 

by Roxanne -

One Artichoke, One Lemon

Yes, one can do great things with one artichoke, one lemon and two people for dinner. This simple recipe for braised artichokes is from the Minimalist – you can see it on YouTube here.

This is what we did: Take one large artichoke and slice it in half.

Photo R. Meshar

Core the center

Photo R. Meshar

Melt 2 tbsp. butter in a sauté pan

Photo R. Meshar

Sauté artichoke halves for about 5 minutes

Photo R. Meshar

Untill brown

Photo R. Meshar

Add 1 cup of chicken broth and simmer artichoke, covered, for about 20 minutes, until tender

Photo R. Meshar

Remove braised artichoke and add juice of one lemon, grated lemon rind and 1 tsp of mustard or cracked black pepper (if desired). Reduce sauce.

Photo R. Meshar

Pour sauce into small dishes. Place artichoke halves on plate with crusty garlic bread (bread made by Roxanne earlier in the morning)

Photo A. Meshar

Enjoy with a nice glass of shiraz.

Photo R. Meshar

You may also like Super Easy Crock Pot Lasagna, Tomato Time and Fresh, the Movie.

by Roxanne -

Pizza; It’s Not Just for Breakfast Anymore

Photo WholeLiving.com

Try these fun pizza ideas for a late breakfast or brunch.  Above, add an egg to a pizza with pesto and cheese. We substituted the pesto with zaatar (a middle eastern spice made with oregano and other spices) on the one we made.

Or below – try sliced figs, thyme and ricotta cheese. Drizzle with honey.

Photo WholeLiving.com

Other ideas included yellow cherry tomatoes and basil; tomato, sausage and arugula. Best – use what’s already in your refrigerator and invent your own.

Add hot, French roast coffee (fair trade, of course) or maybe a Bloody Mary?

You may also like Lox, Stock and Bagel, Simplifying Our Kitchen and Tasting Caviar.