View from my window at work

 

I have a great view of wildlife and such from my work window.  I took my new camera to work to learn how to use it, and I got these fantastic photos.  I have a lot to learn on this camera, but it will be fun to practice with.  Hopefully soon I will get some even better shots of the fun things that come around here.

Withdrawls are the pits

I had a camera, I've had it for years.  It was a good friend who traveled with me from my honeymoon and throughout our first years of marriage.  This Valentines day my dear hubby dropped it, this was the first time the drop actually busted the camera up a bit, but it was still usable.  I'm telling you this bit, not to pick on my hubby, I've dropped it many times before, it seems I do that.  I'm trying to explain the more fragile and delicate situation the camera was in when I managed to send it flying into the water bucket in my art room.  I was taking pictures of the mask painting, "C'est la Vie".  The picture is larger than my scanner, and I'm still needing to download the full adobe program and learn how to stitch multiple scans together.  So, the dunk in the water although short was enough for water to get in.  The case was not tight, we had to push the camera back together every time we used it, so there was lots of room for water to enter the cameras innards. I was able to save the memory card, but now the camera does not work.  I tried to dry it out properly, I even placed it in a tub of rice for over a week to help dry it out.  It sounds like it's taking pictures, but they are all black and some times now the camera won't turn off.  It's disappointing, and now I'm hunting for a replacement.

Recently I've learned that coupons can be doubled, and this is wonderful news, but it lead me to look for coupons for cameras.  I found a coupon and a great deal, but now I have to convince my dear hubby that it's worth the price.  This is a challenge, he is not in the mood to spend right now. The sale will last until Saturday, I wonder how this will play out.

KODAK EASYSHARE M530 Digital Camera / Red

 

So wish me well, and I'll hope that I get a camera soon!  I wish I could get a more professional camera, but those cost more, and this one has not gone over yet. :)

I'm off to dream, have a great night, and I'll let you all know if/when I get a new camera.  Hopefully I won't have to go through a full camera detox, I'm not sure I could survive.

Obsessive

There are moments in my life that I can recognize the obsessive behavior that entangles me a bit. I'm not needing therapy, and it does not run my life, but it can interfere at times.
I have begun a habit of checking my art pages viewing stats, a couple of times a day.  This really is unnecessary, it does nothing except show me if someone has viewed my work.  It does not encourage others to view, it does not bring about a sale, it does not change anything, and yet I have not been able to stop myself.
I'm writing about it because saying it out loud for others to know helps me keep things like this under control, it makes me re-think these actions before I continue to engage in this behavior.  So here it is, my little habit of checking page views, it's annoying me and taking to much time up in my day. I need to give it up. I need to relax and wait for my weekly report and smile when it comes, being excited to see the changes once a week. So, what is one little habit that has become a bit obsessive in your life, and how are you taking steps to change? I would love to hear how these habits have been overcome.

Delight yourself in the LORD and he will give you the desires of your heart.

Earlier I posted a video about Keiko Zoll, who won for her "who i am  video" the link I posted was the list of winners from the first to the last, but it did not have their entire videos but more of a collage of all of them, so here is her video.  It makes me cry, but I think it helps bring understanding. "Who I Am"
(http://vimeo.com/11214833)

Let me tell you a little bit about me, I believe in God, but as I'm learning not everyone who even believes in the same God feels the same way about Him.  My understanding is that He is both love and Justice, but He is not out here putting desires in people hearts to torture them. I could go and quote all sorts of Bible verses, but for those of you who do not believe the same way it is more important for you to understand that even people who sit in the same church and listen to the same words they interpret them all a little bit differently. Find the things that encourage you and surround yourself with it. Do not surround yourself with negativity, it only brings you down and sadness and depression are not helpful for your well being in general.

What ever gives you strength and courage and hope, hold onto it.  My beliefs would encourage you, so I will share the encouragement with you.

"Delight yourself in the LORD and he will give you the desires of your heart." Psalm 37:4

For other sources of encouragement, I also watch "Facing the Giants" facingthegiants.com This movie is mainly about a football team, but there is another story between he and his wife, trying to conceive.

"For then you will delight in the Almighty And lift up your face to God. Job 22:26

"You have given him his heart's desire, And You have not withheld the request of his lips. Selah."  Psalm 21:2
 "When my anxious thoughts multiply within me, Your consolations delight my soul." Psalm 94:19 
"He will fulfill the desire of those who fear Him; He will also hear their cry and will save them". Psalm 145:19 
"Then you will take delight in the LORD, And I will make you ride on the heights of the earth; And I will feed you with the heritage of Jacob your father, For the mouth of the LORD has spoken." Isaiah 58:14 
"Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened." Matthew 7: 7-8

Walking buddies

I read an article in WebMD about exercises and some of the things that help you stick to your routine, having an exercise buddy was one of those incentives.  I have a friend I walk with, she and I discuss our lives and we both get a good walk.  We started not knowing each other real well, and now we share many details of our lives I never would have shared in class where I had originally met her.  This last week though I felt horrible, because even after making plans to walk I came home and fell asleep, completely forgetting our walking appointment.  She is very forgiving, and I am grateful.
I was thinking though, there are many people out there in the world, and many people who tell you they are your friends, but they don't stick with you, and others who never really talk about friendship they just practice it.
So, I say we toast to friends, those who practice it.

 

Here is a picture of the group of ducks that have hung out on our front lawn all spring.  That girl is popular.

Love Peace and Yoga Booty Ballet

"Yoga May Help Fight Depression" - this WebMD article was encouraging and inspiring, not because of what is said really, but because of what it confirmed.  I was told that Yoga would be good for me to include in my daily routine, along with doing some Sumi-e painting at night.  These both have positive benefits for my health, exercise and helping me stay focused.  I tease my hubby but there are more times than not that I'm the one that needs to focus in our relationship, it's just odd when he gets sidetracked and I remind him to get back to center.  I need him to be centered, since I most definitely am not.
All of that to say I will have to start up my Yoga-Booty Ballet again.

Thoughts never far from my mind

"So... I just won the Wellsphere.com "This Is Me" video contest! My "What IF?" video, re-cut with some different titles and no music, was selected as the Grand Prize Winner!" Your Health Story -  video by Keiko Zoll

This video makes me cry, every time I see it.  She has a blog here as well, and I read her postings Hannah Wept Sarah Laughed.  I can understand why she won, it was very well done.  The zooming in and out would have driven my mother nuts, but it does add to the video, it's sort of the heart beat, the questions pounding in your brain.

My darling and I are not in a position to spend wildly on any medical assisted approaches, and so here I am.  I have been doing medifast to loose the weight, but along the way I became discouraged.  I'm working on picking myself up again, my coach only refers me to a book, and not one that I can honestly say deals with my situation.  I'm not even sure if I can stay on Medifast, that may have to go by the wayside too.  I have another plan though, one from another consult and her plan was to eat for pregnancy not for weightloss, but she still managed to work that in for me too.  It was difficult going to eat with a skinny dietitian, but she was kind and helpful.

I have dreams, I have goals, and I am taking steps to achieve each of these.  My art is a dream at this point, because it has not taken off to an amazing career yet, but it's better to start slow and build up rather than get thrown into the fire, it really would be to much pressure on me.  

Today is bright and sunny, and I'm here melancholy.  I would like to change this mood quickly.  So, I think I will share some of the changes that have been made in our house. 

1 - I've stopped using any form of plastic in the microwave.  This means my microcookers from pampered chef are no longer in use.

2- I've stopped using regular spaghetti or lasagne noodles, we use whole wheat. Even though right now if i use any noodles they are the Shiritake noodles that are even less in carbs.  I've gotten my dear hubby used to whole wheat, so that when I can eat them again we will both be eating a more fiber filled noodle.

3- We've swtiched out lights to the energy savings ones.  Not really a food change, but it does feel better to be more consious in all areas of our lives.

4 - I've been including spinach into more and more things we eat. Not just salads, but in our spaghetti sauce and other things I bake. I've even heard that you can blend them into your shakes, I have not tried it yet.

5 - I take flax oil and fish oil.  I use the Barleans versions because they just taste better. Barleans Omega Swirl

 

Trusty Fish oil

 

And the Flax oil

6- I've been trying to change dear hubby over from white rice to brown, but we are having issues with that change, I can manage a half and half rice mix.  So, right now I've given that up since I can't have rice right now. 

7- I'm taking Vitamin D, which I need to take with the fatty meal, so it will break down in my system.  I have been taking it at the same time I take these other oils, it makes sense to me.

There have been other changes, but I can't think of all of them right now. 

In the end though, she is right Sarah was blessed with a child. 

For the Love of Gadgets!

 

Let me share with you some of my favorite things.  This market basket is my shopping companion, and I love it!  There are only a few issues with those baggers who clearly do not use the baskets when shopping.  There are also times when i have bought more than I had originally intended, and so I clip onto the handle one of these lovely Chico bags! They fold into a pocket size shopping bag.

This is very handy, I have also put one in the center console of my car, so I have a reusable bag at all times.

 

I happen to like these BPA free bottles, but now they have them in the stainless steel!

So you might wonder where you can get all of these at? These are all located at Sur la Table, they have a delightful on line store as well. I have many things I would love to get from them, but for now these will do.

 

I've been doing Medifast for a while now, and bought a small whisk to place in my lunch bag, but this I found after my sister left our place and I have been using it daily ever since.

 

When I was bringing my lunch to work these containers from Fit and fresh were my life savers.  Soon I will be returning back to using these lovley containers. They also have sandwich containers. Pictured below.

 

So, this is a small list of favorite gadgets I use.  I'm sure that I will come across more to tell you about in future posts. I wish you all the best weekend!

PCOS - Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome

Here is the definition from Web MD - http://women.webmd.com/tc/polycystic-ovary-syndrome-pcos-topic-overview

Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS) - Topic Overview

What is polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS)?

Polycystic ovary syndrome (say "pah-lee-SIS-tik OH-vuh-ree SIN-drohm") is a problem in which a woman’s hormones are out of balance. It can cause problems with your periods and make it difficult to get pregnant. PCOS may also cause unwanted changes in the way you look. If it is not treated, over time it can lead to serious health problems, such as diabetes and heart disease.
Polycystic ovary syndrome (or PCOS) is common, affecting as many as 1 in 15 women. Often the symptoms begin in the teen years. Treatment can help control the symptoms and prevent long-term problems.

What are hormones, and what happens in PCOS?

Hormones are chemical messengers that trigger many different processes, including growth and energy production. Often, the job of one hormone is to signal the release of another hormone.
For reasons that are not well understood, in PCOS the hormones get out of balance. One hormone change triggers another, which changes another. This makes a vicious circle of out-of-balance hormones. For example:

• The sex hormones get out of balance. Normally, the ovaries make a tiny amount of male sex hormones (androgens). In PCOS, they start making slightly more androgens. This may cause you to stop ovulating, get acne, and grow extra facial and body hair.
• The body may have a problem using insulin, called insulin resistance. When the body doesn't use insulin well, blood sugar levels go up. Over time, this increases your chance of getting diabetes.

What are the symptoms?

Symptoms tend to be mild at first. You may have only a few symptoms or a lot of them. The most common symptoms are:

• Acne.
• Weight gain and trouble losing weight.
• Extra hair on the face and body. Often women get thicker and darker facial hair and more hair on the chest, belly, and back.
• Thinning hair on the scalp.
• Irregular periods. Often women with PCOS have fewer than nine periods a year. Some women have no periods. Others have very heavy bleeding.
• Fertility problems. Many women with PCOS have trouble getting pregnant (infertility).
• Depression.

Most women with PCOS grow many small cysts on their ovaries. That is why it is called polycystic ovary syndrome. The cysts are not harmful, but lead to hormone imbalances.

What causes PCOS?

The symptoms of PCOS are caused by changes in hormone levels. There may be one or more causes for the hormone level changes.
PCOS seems to run in families, so your chance of having it is higher if other women in your family have PCOS, irregular periods, or diabetes. PCOS can be passed down from either your mother's or father's side.



So, now that you have all of that information you should be all sorts of confused, or clear as ever.  There are groups for women going through this, to find ways to cope or find ways to handle living with this condition.
Insulin resistance seems to be the main cause, so rather than focusing on PCOS in general, I have broadened my search for help.  There is a book by Diane Kress "The Metabolism Miracle" - http://themetabolismmiracle.com/default.aspx
This has been the greatest amount of help especially for long term weight loss and maintenance, but for pregnancy I have learned a lot from yet another source. Monika Woolsey http://www.incyst.com/

I realize that this is a lot of information, and I'm not sure how many of you will look at any of the links, so later on as I learn new things I will post them.  Now you will all understand that the lack of a family is not my choice, but something we are trying to overcome.  You're prayers are welcome.

Finally downloaded pictures from My sister's visit

 

My niece and I

 

Friends and crayons = a good time!

It's the small things that are the most fun

5th Anniversary!

 

My cutie Sister and Her darling Hubby

 

Are they not the cutest ever!?!

 

We had to have our picture taken here too!

 

We live close enough to go to the beach, so we had to take them there! Santa Cruz!

 

He is the most handsome drummer, ever!!!

 

It was over cast, and we had the beach to ourselves

 

We ended our day with a lunch on the pier, and a long drive home!

The trip was fun, and I can't wait to see them all again. Thanksgiving is too far away.

Bear & Mandy - my little babies

These are my cuties, the only "children" I have at this point, and this is the mess they make when mixed with rain.  Today I need to bathe them, none of us are looking forward to this experience.  So, instead of running the water, I'm writing to tell you all what I am going to be doing.  I'm well practiced in the art of procrastination.  One day I will get into our progress and lifestyle changes in the hope of having children, but for now I need to wash sneezy and dominatrix.  There are reasons for these little pet names, one day I will get a good picture of Mandy attacking Bear, the poor guy, she can take him down.  He is bigger, but she really doesn't care.

Begin at the begining

Let's begin with the inspiration for my title.
Emily Dickinson (1830–86).  Complete Poems.  1924. Part One: Life XI MUCH madness is divinest sense To a discerning eye; Much sense the starkest madness. ’T is the majority In this, as all, prevails. Assent, and you are sane; Demur,—you ’re straightway dangerous, And handled with a chain.
I have wanted to write about many things, life in general.  I have a blog for my art, but it does not lend itself to other musings.  I would prefer to have them separate, it helps in keeping thoughts arranged neatly.
I had considered devoting a blog to my challenges with PCOS, but I'm not wanting to only discuss those challenges and there are other who have studied it much more thoroughly, I've also thought of posting a blog about the fun gadgets I come across, or my life stories, or about my family....you see how this could become very discouraging.  So, I have devoted this random place to discuss all manner of thoughts.  Today I just decided to begin, so here it is, the beginning.